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Overview of Values Commonly Held by Old Orders, Conservative Anabaptists, & Similar Faiths

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Overview of Values Commonly Held by Old Orders, Conservative Anabaptists, & Similar Faiths Overview of Values Commonly Held by Old Orders, Conservative Anabaptists, & Similar Faiths For every one of these values, you may be able to think of exceptions in the Plain communities. This overview attempts to describe what characterizes the movement as a whole, not something that describes every person or every church. Some points are commended or instructed in the Bible, some are based on Biblical principle or could be gleaned from the Biblical narrative, some seem to have inherent value but they would be hard to make a clear Biblical case for, and some are not good values. Community Life and Social Dynamics long-term stability even if some leaders are not very 1. Doing things in an orderly way – having procedures for competent. doing things. Men’s and Women’s roles 2. Nobody, even the top leader, is free to arbitrarily 22. Spouses are expected to love each other for life. change the community norms. 23. Men are expected to be leaders in the home. 3. The rich should not have a higher standard of living 24. Men are expected to be the visible leaders in the than the poor. community. Women may be leaders in less visible 4. Hospitality and visiting - Plain people often have ways. connections with relatives and friends all over North 25. Women are expected to take a non-authoritative role America and will often stay with these folks as they when the church meets to make decisions or discuss travel. doctrine. 5. “Anyone in physical need is my neighbor.” Plain people often extend help and hospitality to strangers. Clothing 6. Plain people are able to trust each other because of 26. A purpose for clothing is to cover and conceal the body. their commitment to honesty and church discipline. (Not being covered is shameful.) 7. Plain people would much sooner trust the household of 27. Simple attire is chosen so that the church community faith, than government organizations. can give its focus to things that are important. 28. It is good to be clean and dress neatly, especially when Values related to family meeting with others or when meeting for public 8. Families should eat meals together whenever possible. worship. 9. Family devotions or family worship is encouraged in 29. The desire to dress classy or trendy or fashionably is many churches. from the god of this world, not from the Spirit of God. 10. Parents and children working together side by side is True beauty comes from God and should not be used ideal. for vain purposes. 11. Occupations that allow parents to be home most nights is ideal. Vocation 30. Business – Businesses should be honest and not engage Values related to Child Rearing in price gouging. 12. Children should be responsible and dependable. 31. Small businesses and family businesses are considered 13. Thriftiness and industry are taught and encouraged. more appropriate than large businesses or 14. Children should sit orderly in church. corporations. 15. Children are expected or encouraged to obey without challenge, without excuse, and without delay. Education 16. Children are expected to participate in at least some 32. Children are expected to receive education in a adult religious activities. Christian environment. 17. It is not uncommon for children to sit around and listen 33. Post-secondary education is not typically valued. Hard to adult conversations on topics related to belief, work, industry, and life skills are. scripture, faith community, values, etc. Leisure and Recreation 18. It is expected that children will learn to read from the 34. Entertainment and recreation is most wholesome if it is Bible and memorize portions of it at an early age. simple, inspires creativity, and involves nature. Drama Values related to Church and Worship is not typically considered useful. Object lessons are 19. Large Funerals – Helps to teach the brevity of life, and considered more helpful. grieving with those in sorrow Art 20. Acapella singing (whether unison or four part) is a 35. Acapella singing, quilting, and handcrafted furniture are integral part of life. the common “folk arts” pursued by Plain people. Most 21. Plural leadership in the church - Orderly, traditional of the time, engaging in simple art is considered better customs coupled with shared responsibility makes for stewardship of time then pursuing a professional art Values I would like to see changed or improved career. 1. The social circle of Plain people is primarily relatives, Relationships people of the same ethnicity, and people from the 36. Plain people are often instructed to talk kindly to each same church. (I wish the Plain people would take Jesus’ other, even if they are feeling angry. They are words more seriously when he says that when we make encouraged to think before speaking. a dinner, we should not invite our relative and rich 37. What many “non-community” oriented folks would call neighbors, but rather we should invite the gossip, Plain people think of as “open accountability”. disadvantaged and the stranger into our homes for a (This does not mean that Plain people are not also meal.) guilty of gossip at times.) 2. Plain people are often content to pay or watch other Miscellaneous Ethics / Morals / Virtues / Outlook on life people do the work of evangelism and discipleship. (I 38. If pride is an abomination to God and is the only sin would like to see Plain people engage themselves in that God resists, then humility must be a cardinal this kind of work and take it very seriously.) virtue. Putting one’s self forward or out front is not the 3. Plain people believe that getting post-secondary way of Christ. It is better if others point out one’s education from degreed professionals is not a good talents and giftings. thing. (While I do not favor getting post-secondary 39. Ethics and convictions should be the primary driver of education for educations sake or go to college because one's life. Not beauty, the arts, or intellectual thought. society expects it, I would like to see plain people help 40. Sanctity of Life – Life is a gift from God. Risking one’s trusted individuals within in their churches to get the life for non- eternal purposes cheapens the value of training they need so that they can better serve the life. church and their neighbors. I think it is possible to stay 41. Christians should be willing to accept the curse in the humble and still acquire professional skills.) garden of Eden and accept man's allotted days. This 4. Plain people often assume that their church or their world is not their home. types of people are sort of at the center of the universe 42. Giving should always be done without fanfare or public and that God especially has his eye and his favor on notice. them. (I would like to see Plain people take more notice 43. Better to have sub-par preaching (by a follower of of how God is at work in other places and plain people Jesus) then carefully crafted preaching (by a person may be limiting the work of God in their own with questionable doctrine or character). communities with this attitude.) 44. Better to have sub-par preaching, and listeners who 5. Plain people, for whatever reasons, often hide their take it seriously, then excellent preaching, and people feelings. (I wish plain people could learn to be honest who don’t take it to heart. and transparent, without being unkind and self- 45. Better to have heartfelt congregational singing with a centered.) few people off key, than listening to a choir or worship 6. Because of their emphasis on values and the particular team that has practiced for hours and can produce an values listed above, it can be hard for many Plain excellent performance. people to relate to folks who don’t have many values or 46. Working as a community in taking care of elderly, the don’t have the same values. (I would like to see Plain handicapped, the sick or the spiritually weak is the people become comfortable with values other than responsibility of the church. This should not be their own. I would also like to see them learn how to relinquished to the government, an agency, or an walk alongside of people who haven’t developed many insurance company. values. I would like to see them extend grace and 47. Sunday church attendance and respecting the Lord's patience to people outside their church – the same kind Day are important. God gave us six days to work. Extra of grace and patience that they extend to their children work should be done on Saturday so that less work is who are in need of better values.) done on Sunday. 48. Christians should be consistent. If a person would not Revised 11-19-2018 | Comments and questions are welcome. For operate a restaurant or grocery store on Sunday, then the complete article this outline is based on, contact: Ernest Eby | he should not generally be patronizing them on Sunday [email protected] either - thereby keeping others from the opportunity of Christian fellowship. (Long Version) Overview of Values Commonly Held by Old Orders, Conservative Anabaptists, & Similar Faiths (These groups are sometimes referred to as the “Plain people”.) Everybody has values that govern their lives. Some of our values are chosen by intention. We consider and observe life and we conclude that a particular idea or practice has more value than something else. Other times our values develop through osmosis. We don’t really consider whether something is a good value or not, but we develop the value that those around us have.
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