Menno-Hof creatively interprets and presents the history and values of the Anabaptists.

History.

The Anabaptist movement began in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 21, 1525, when a group of believers baptized adults who made a voluntary confession of faith.

The word “Anabaptist” means “to rebaptize.” Sixteenth century Anabaptists rebaptized adults who had received the sacrament of infant baptism. This name was attached to a group of believers who called for voluntary, adult baptisms at a time when the state called for infant baptism.

The Anabaptists sought to restore the church to reflect Christendom of the first three centuries after the time of Christ. They believed the church had been corrupted by state control, which demanded all citizens be baptized as infants. Infants upon baptism were registered as citizens while the rebaptized Anabaptists were persecuted and martyred as heretics by both the government and state church.

Because of their radical views and practices, the Anabaptists were violently persecuted by Catholic and Protestant authorities who considered their stance both heresy and treason. Beliefs such as adult voluntary baptism, separation of church and state, non-violence in all of life which included not taking part in the military, and the Bible (N.T.) as final authority threatened the unity of church and state. Unlike today, the political and religious alliances were knitted very tightly. Their only answer was to attempt to stamp out this Christian group.

The Anabaptists became the first church in more than 1,000 years to call for separation of church and state.

Beliefs.

Because God demonstrated love for us through the gift of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life:

• We believe that faith begins with a decision to turn from sin to new life in Christ.

• We believe that it is reasonable to follow Christ daily, totally, in life.

• We believe that it is practical to obey the Sermon on the Mount and the whole New Testament literally, honestly and sacrificially.

• We believe that it is thinkable to practice reconciling love amid human conflicts and warfare.

• We believe that it is possible to confess Jesus as Lord above all nationalism, racism or materialism.

• We believe that it is feasible to build a voluntary, disciples’ church of sisters and brothers who are mutually committed to each other in Christ.

• When these beliefs are maintained by the boundaries of Christian community, they destroy false boundaries – leaping generational gaps, bridging theological gulfs, linking East with West, right to left, red with brown and yellow and black and white.

– Adapted from David Augsburger

Vision and Mission.

During the 1970s, more and more people came to the tourist town of Shipshewana due to its huge flea market. There was a growing consensus among Mennonite groups of Northern Indiana to have a place to tell our story. In 1986 with the help of many volunteer workers, Menno-Hof had a massive barn-raising to build the beautiful structure housing the Amish-Mennonite story. The new facility opened in May of 1988. Menno-Hof is a non-profit organization operated by a board of Amish, Beachy Amish, Conservative Mennonite and Mennonite Church USA members.

The name “Menno-Hof” combines “Menno” after Menno Simons, the leader who brought stability to the early Anabaptists, with “Hof” a variant of the German word for farmstead.

Vision of Menno-Hof

Menno-Hof engages the church and the world in meaningful conversation, encouraging faith in, and faithfulness to, Jesus Christ from an Anabaptist perspective.

Mission of Menno-Hof

Menno-Hof creatively interprets and presents the history and values of the Anabaptists, building on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Menno-Hof provides a variety of opportunities to experience:

• Stories of God’s work in the Amish, Hutterite and Mennonite communities,

• An invitation to consider becoming a follower of Jesus, and

• Encouragement for Anabaptists and other Christians in practicing faith discipleship in our world today.