Mennonite Church USA

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In February 2002 the merger of the former General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church formed the Mennonite Church USA, as well as the Mennonite Church Canada.  The Mennonite Church USA follows the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, adopted in 1995.  The Mennonite Church USA has approximately 1,000 congregations with 116,000 members.

Abortion: The church cannot and does not support the use of abortions as a means of birth control.  Mennonite Church USA stands firmly on the side of life, although it is unwilling to say that abortion is never justified
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Affiliations: Mennonite Church USA is a national member body of the Mennonite World Conference.

Baptism: Baptism of adult believers with water is a sign of their cleansing from sin.  It is also a pledge before the church of their covenant with God to walk in the way of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Birth Control: The denomination has not taken an official stand.

Capital Punishment: The church opposes capital punishment.

Christ's Return: Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.  He will gather his church, which is already living under the reign of God.  In God's final victory at the end of this present age of struggle, the dead will be resurrected and there will be a new heaven and a new earth.  There the people of God will reign with Christ in justice, righteousness, and peace forever and ever.

Communion: The Lord's Supper is a sign by which the church thankfully remembers the new covenant that Jesus established with his death.  In this Communion meal, the church renews its covenant with God and one another, participating in the life and death of Jesus Christ until he comes.

Creation vs.  Evolution: God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.  He preserves and renews what has been made.  All creation has its source outside itself and belongs to the Creator.  The world was created good because God is good and provides all that is needed for life.  God created human beings in the divine image.  God formed them from the dust of the earth and gave them a special dignity among all the works of creation.  Human beings have been made for a relationship with God, to live in peace with each other, and to take care of the rest of creation.

Deity of Jesus: Jesus Christ is the Word of God become flesh.  He is the Savior of the world, who has delivered believers from the dominion of sin and reconciled them to God by his death on a cross.  He was declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.  He is the head of the church, the exalted Lord, the Lamb who was slain, coming again to reign with God in glory.

Distinguishing Beliefs/Practices: Mennonites believe that Jesus, when he lived on earth, revealed a way for people to live peacefully and nonviolently.  Mennonites believe in giving ultimate loyalty to God rather than to the nations in which they live or to the military.  Mennonites believe peace is the will of God and practice non-resistance even in the face of violence and warfare.

Divorce and Remarriage: God intends marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life.  Jesus affirmed the sanctity of marriage and pointed to hardness of heart as the ultimate cause of divorce.  The church upholds the permanency of marriage and helps couples in conflict move toward reconciliation.  At the same time, the church, as a reconciling and forgiving community, offers healing and new beginnings.  The church is to bring strength and healing to individuals and families.

Euthanasia: Mennonites believe that taking the life of a human being is wrong at any stage of life for any reason.
Heaven/Hell: Mennonite Church members place their faith in God that, by the same power that raised Christ from the dead, they may be saved from sin to follow Christ in this life and to know the fullness of salvation in the age to come.  The righteous will rise to eternal life with God, and the unrighteous to hell and separation from God.

Homosexuality: The church confesses its fear and repents of its rejection of those with a different sexual orientation.  It understands the Bible to teach that sexual intercourse is reserved for a man and woman united in marriage and that violation of this teaching is a sin.

Inspiration of Scripture: All Scripture is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit for instruction in salvation and training in righteousness.  The Scriptures are the Word of God and are the fully reliable and trustworthy standard for Christian faith and life.  Led by the Holy Spirit in the church, Mennonites interpret Scripture in harmony with Jesus Christ.

Miracles: The denomination has not taken an official stand on miracles, but many members believe that expressions of God's grace on earth occur and are very real.

Restrictions: Members avoid the swearing of oaths and violence of any kind.

Security of Salvation: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God offers salvation from sin and a new way of life to all people.  Believers receive God's salvation when they repent of sin and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Speaking in Tongues and Other Gifts of the Spirit: The denomination has not taken an official stand on speaking in tongues.  It does occur in a few congregations.  As for other gifts of the Spirit, the church believes, by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that all Christians are called to carry out their particular ministries.

Trinity: There is one holy and loving God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternally.

Women in Ministry: The church calls, trains, and appoints gifted men and women to a variety of leadership ministries on its behalf.  These may include such offices as pastor, deacon, and elder as well as evangelists, missionaries, teachers, conference ministers, and overseers.  Not all churches accept women in pastoral roles.
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For more information contact:
Mennonite Church USA
722 Main St.
PO Box 347
Newton, KS 67114-0347

or 500 S. Main St.
PO Box 1245, Elkhart, IN 46515-1245
Phone: (866) 866-2872
E-mail: info@mennoniteusa.org
Web site: www.mennoniteusa.org 

Church information from The 60-Second Guide to Denominations: Understanding Protestant Churches of North America (2003) by Shelly Steig, Published by World Bible Publishers, Inc.  Iowa Falls, Iowa