Introduction
“I want
to live the Christian life. I just don’t know how.” These words of a new
convert to Christ rightly assume that Christianity is a system of
doctrine that translates into a way of living. Paul wrote, “Watch your
life and doctrine closely.” (1 Timothy 4:16) The Scriptures hold faith
and faithfulness as inseparable. Early Christians were called “Followers
of the Way” (Acts 24:14), a phrase denoting a way of life. How should we
live? After much deliberation and revision, the answer to this question
emerged in the Conservative Mennonite Statement of Practice. Replete
with Scriptural references, the statement reflects the simple biblicism
of early Anabaptism.
The Conservative Mennonite Statement of
Practice is a companion document to the Conservative Mennonite
Statement of Theology. While the former may change to reflect the
current practice of CMC and its churches, the latter is of a more
timeless nature. This statement of practice summarizes many of the
principles articulated in the 1963 Mennonite Confession of Faith, the Danvers
Statement, the Statement of Homosexuality, and The Church
and Civil Government and replaces them as one concise conference
statement. It is a guideline for the congregation and a mandate for the
minister.
The Executive Board of the Conservative
Mennonite Conference implemented the process of formulating this
statement in February 2005 by appointing a writing committee comprised
of Roger Hazen, James Miller, Ben Shirk, and Max Zook. The process was
completed in August 2007 when the ministers of the conference adopted
the statement as official policy.
May this statement be helpful to all who seek
to live the Christian life.
November 2007
The Mission of the Church to the World
We believe that Jesus Christ, to whom all authority is
given, commanded the church to go into all the world and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them and instructing them to obey all of His
teachings. For this task Jesus promised His presence and power through
the Holy Spirit.
Discipleship begins when a person receives
salvation by grace through faith in Christ and continues as the
individual surrenders to His lordship in all areas of life. While many
opportunities for spiritual growth exist, we believe the local church is
God’s most basic provision for the personal growth and accountability of
each disciple.
In His mission to the world, Jesus not only
preached the kingdom of God but also fed the hungry, healed the sick,
cast out demons and set the prisoners free. Therefore the church, in her
mission to the world, must preach the gospel and minister to the needs
of the total person.
Matthew 9:35; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Luke
4:18-19; Ephesians 2:8, 9; 4:3-16
The Conference as an Association of
Congregations
We believe that local congregations
benefit by entering into association and fellowship with other
like-minded congregations. The Conservative Mennonite Conference (CMC)
exists to glorify God by equipping leaders and congregations for
worship, teaching, fellowship, service, and making disciples. To
accomplish this, CMC provides resources with an evangelical, Anabaptist,
and conservative theological orientation to members and affiliates.
CMC is a Christian fellowship of evangelical,
Anabaptist churches in North America and also maintains fraternal
relations with church groups in other countries.
The congregations of CMC are self-governing
within the policies of the conference. They share the doctrinal
positions of the conference, exercise edification and discipline as
needed for the growth and purity of the church, and are active in
evangelism and ministries.
CMC congregations make possible the
ministries of the conference and, at the same time, draw upon the
resources and channels of ministry offered by the conference.
Acts 15:1-21; Acts 16:4; Colossians 4:16
Conference and
Congregational Leadership
Selecting Leaders
We
believe that godly leaders are called by God to lead His church. The
Lord Jesus employed the metaphor of “shepherd,” conveying the
protecting, caring, healing, nurturing, and guiding role of church
leadership. As the Chief Shepherd, Jesus set the example as one who
served willingly, joyfully, faithfully and sacrificially, laying down
His life for the sheep. He demonstrated that true leadership is carried
out with the spirit of a servant.
The primary qualification for those in
leadership is the willingness to be under the authority of Jesus Christ.
It is only as leaders follow Jesus that they are worthy to be followed.
Christian character is the foundation upon which a leader’s ministry is
built.
Each congregation provides its own
leadership, which typically consists of a pastor or a team including a
senior pastor and one or more associate pastors. These pastors or
ministers must be officially appointed or ordained under the auspices of
both the local congregation and CMC.
Congregations planning to call a
pastor or licensed minister shall give themselves to intense prayer,
meditation and study of the New Testament qualifications for the
ministry. They shall also discern the calling and gifting of the
candidate under consideration. Authorization from the conference shall
be obtained in advance of appointment. The installation service
generally takes place in the local congregation.
Functions of Leaders
The minister is called to preach the Word of God, do the work of
evangelism, provide pastoral care, equip believers for the work of
ministry, and administer baptism, communion, foot washing, anointing the
sick with oil, marriage and the laying on of hands in ordination.
Other recognized leadership roles include overseer, elder, bishop, and
deacon. The overseer or bishop assists in giving vision to the
congregation’s life and ministry and serves as a pastor to the pastors.
The elders and/or deacons assist the pastor with various aspects of
congregational life. Congregational leadership is generally best
provided in the context of a leadership team consisting of one or more
pastors, elders, deacons, or other leaders, in close consultation with
an overseer, following the New Testament pattern of plurality of
leadership.
The Scriptures indicate that when possible the church
should financially support those who preach the gospel so that they may
give their full energy to the work of the ministry.
John 10:1-18; Acts 20:28; I Corinthians
9:14; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 1:3; 3:1-13; Titus1:5-9; I Peter 5:2-4
Functions of Congregational
Life
Worship
As Christ
offered up His life, so we gather to offer up to God our praise, our
thanksgiving, our love, our repentance, our spirits, our bodies, our
money – our all. When we worship God we give Him the honor and reverence
He deserves. We worship God in our private devotional times, in our
gathered worship services and in our everyday lives as we offer
ourselves to Him as living sacrifices.
Fellowship
In Christ,
the dividing walls of racism, sexism, status, class and other worldly
barriers are broken down so that many individuals become one body.
Fellowship involves sharing our common spiritual union with Christ and
with each other as members of His body, and is expressed through
worship, prayer, discussion, encouragement, visitation, mutual aid and
other times of being together.
Evangelism and Discipleship
Evangelism is the distinct opportunity and responsibility of the
church to introduce people to a personal relationship with the living
Christ. Congregations evangelize and make disciples by demonstrating
Christlike love, befriending and welcoming unbelievers, exposing them to
the truth about Christ, and helping them to grow in Christ. As
congregations demonstrate corporate worship, love, and community, people
have the opportunity to discover the Christian life and become fully
devoted followers of the resurrected Jesus.
Ministry
All members
of the body perform invaluable functions by virtue of their connection
to the Head, who is Christ the Lord. God gives gifts to each believer to
use in bringing people to Christ and in strengthening other believers.
Ministry takes place as we serve God by lovingly serving others.
Ceremonies and Symbols of
Christian Faith
Water Baptism
We
believe in observing water baptism as taught by Jesus Christ and as
practiced by the early church. The church is commanded to baptize
believers in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Water baptism is an external symbol of
internal spiritual baptism. The external symbol may be administered by
the pouring of water upon the head. This symbolizes the pouring out of
the Holy Spirit. Spiritual baptism may also be symbolized by immersing
the believer in water. This symbolizes that the believer is buried with
Christ in His death and raised with Christ in His resurrection to the
newness of life. Water, as an agent of cleansing, also symbolizes the
divine cleansing from sin and guilt.
Water baptism is administered upon repentance
from sin and personal confession of faith in Christ as Savior and Lord.
While faith is very personal, it is not private. Water baptism,
conducted in the presence of the church community, is a public
confession of faith. Membership in a local church normally accompanies
water baptism as an important step of accountability in which the new
believer is making a commitment to the church and the church is making a
commitment to the new believer.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:16-21; Acts
10:44-48; Romans 6:2-6; I Corinthians 12:13; I Peter 3:21
Communion
We believe
in observing the Lord’s Supper as taught by Christ and as practiced by
the early church. While observing the Passover meal, Jesus instituted
the New Covenant sealed in His blood. Life in the New Covenant is
initiated by faith in Christ and His work of reconciliation on the
cross. His sacrificial death is the supreme act of God’s love in giving
His only Son for the salvation of the world. The Passover reached its
fulfillment through the atoning death of Christ as the Lamb of God whose
death restored our communion with God and with each other.
We recognize the bread and the cup as symbols
commemorating Christ’s body and blood. The Scripture commands
self-examination to ensure not taking the symbols in an unworthy manner.
Those who do take the symbols in an unworthy manner, by violating their
relationship with Christ and others, are in danger of God’s judgment.
Communion on earth anticipates the perfect communion of heaven where
once again Jesus will drink anew the fruit of the vine in the fullness
of the kingdom.
Matthew 26:17-29; Luke 22:19, 20; 1
Corinthians 5:11; 10:16-17; 11:17-34
Washing the Feet of the Saints
Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as
their teacher and Lord and taught them to follow His example. By
observing the practice of feet washing, believers are reminded of the
need to be washed of pride, rivalry, and selfish motives. Everyone,
regardless of title, office, or position, is privileged to follow the
example of Jesus by participating in the duty and blessing of service.
Humble service is the high mark of greatness in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 20:26; John 13:1-17; James 4:10
Anointing the Sick with Oil
We believe that anointing the sick with oil is a symbol of healing
established in Scripture. It is not the oil that heals, but the prayer
of faith offered in accordance with God’s will. The object of that faith
is the Lord who has the ability to bring the healing whether physical,
emotional or spiritual. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit and of
the healing power of the Lord who may heal by miraculous or medical
intervention.
The sick person is to call for the leaders of
the church to anoint with oil. Together with these leaders the sick
person commits his or her entire situation into the hands of the Lord.
If healing does occur as requested, it is a sign pointing toward the
complete healing and redemption of the body at the resurrection of the
saints at the end of the age. If healing does not occur as requested, it
is a sign pointing toward the all-sufficiency of God’s grace in this
present age.
Personal sin may or may not result in
physical illness. Confession of sin committed by the sick person will be
efficacious for spiritual healing and may be efficacious for physical
healing. The healing of body and spirit are closely related.
Isaiah 38:21; John 5:14; 9:3; Romans
8:23; James 5:13-16
Laying On Of Hands
We
believe that ministerial offices recognized and commissioned by
ordination should be accompanied by the laying on of hands. This
ceremony symbolizes the imparting of responsibility and of God’s power
to fulfill that responsibility.
Acts 6:1-6; I Timothy 1:18; 4:14; II
Timothy 1:6
Marriage
We believe
that God instituted marriage at the dawn of human history. He has given
the church authority to establish, protect, nurture, and build marriage.
It is a holy covenant made in the presence of other believers who hold
the couple accountable to keep their commitment to God and to each
other. Christian marriage between a man and woman for life is a symbol
of Christ’s self-giving love for the church and of the church’s
submission to Christ, the Head of the church.
Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24; Matthew
19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; I Corinthians 7:39; Ephesians 5:22-33
Discipleship and
Nonconformity
We believe that two opposing kingdoms exist
to which men and women may give their spiritual allegiance, that of
Christ and that of Satan. The kingdom of Christ is composed of those who
have repented of their sin and been born again by grace through faith.
Those of the kingdom of Satan live for sin and self and refuse to
recognize and accept the claims of Christ upon them.
Those who are part of the kingdom of Christ
recognize the lordship of Christ, seek to perform good works, pursue
holiness in all areas of life, refuse any partnership or covenant with
unbelievers, and enjoy the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. They
should openly manifest the love of God toward all people regardless of
race, culture, or economic level. They regard their bodies as temples of
the Holy Spirit, adorning them modestly and appropriately, crucifying
the flesh and its lusts, and refuse any addictions or habits which will
hinder their work for God, be harmful to their overall health, or damage
their witness to the world. They participate in wholesome recreational
activities that refresh their minds and strengthen their spirits. They
are transformed by the renewing of their minds and seek to demonstrate
God’s perfect will in every aspect of life. They seek regularly to
practice spiritual disciplines such as study, worship, prayer, fasting,
silence, stewardship, and sacrificial living so as to have full
participation in the life of God’s kingdom and a vital relationship with
Jesus their Savior.
Discipline within the Body
of Christ
Mutual Accountability
We believe each member of the body of Christ needs the encouragement and
loving accountability of others to be faithful to Christ and to become
more like Christ. This kind of Christian discipline is best experienced
in settings of trust, open sharing and prayer. In this way we “spur one
another on to love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24 NIV)
Acts 18:24-28; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews
10:24, 25; 2 Timothy 2:24-26
Corrective Discipline
We believe Jesus Christ has given authority to His church to exercise
corrective discipline within the community of believers. This discipline
is intended to bring those who are in error to repentance, helping them
to receive the forgiveness, grace, and love that are available in Jesus.
It is to be carried out with a spirit of gentleness and humility with
full knowledge that those enacting the discipline may themselves be
easily tempted into sin.
The general pattern of discipline to be
followed, as taught by Jesus, begins with private admonition given by a
member of the church to the erring brother or sister. If the erring one
refuses to hear such admonition, one or two other believers are to be
included in giving the word of admonition. If there is still refusal to
hear this small group of believers, the matter is to be brought before
the church in a more public fashion. If the erring one refuses to hear
the church on the matter, membership may be revoked in recognition that
such a one has been separated from the body of Christ. The church will
continue to pray for the erring one, using every opportunity to restore
him/her to full fellowship. At any point if the erring one hears the
admonitions brought and repents, he/she is restored to full fellowship
with Christ and His church. The purposes of discipline include
maintaining the integrity and witness of the church, restoring to
fellowship those who are in error, building faithfulness in the
believers, and strengthening godly teaching and conduct. Such
disciplinary work is to be accomplished by the entire congregation, not
solely the pastoral leadership of the church.
Matthew 18:15-22; Galatians 6:1, 2; 1
Corinthians 5:1-5f
The Roles of Men and Women
The Roles of Husband and Wife
We believe that man and woman were created with equal dignity
and value before God. Adam and Eve equally reflected the image of God.
God ordained distinctions in masculine and feminine roles as part of the
order established in creation. As the head of the wife, man was created
to provide loving and sacrificial leadership. The wife was created to
respond with intelligent submission. Before the fall of humanity into
sin, as recorded in Genesis 3, these distinctions were beautiful,
harmonious and complementary. This fall introduced distortions into the
relationship between men and women. Headship gave way to tyranny or
passivity. Submission gave way to usurpation or servility. In Christ,
men and women are restored to their God-given roles.
Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18; 3:1-7, 12, 16; 1
Corinthians 11:7-9; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy
2:12-14; 1 Peter 3:1-7
The Roles of Men and Women in the Church
We believe redemption in Christ gives men and women
equal share in the blessings of the Christian life in the church. Both
men and women are equipped for ministry by the Spirit of God who imparts
to them the gifts of the Spirit. A distinction in masculine and feminine
roles is indicated by the principle of male headship, established in
creation and continued as part of God’s redemptive order in the church.
To honor the principle of male headship, CMC reserves ministerial
license and ordination for men. Within congregations, other roles of
governance and/or teaching may be reserved for men. The spiritual
giftedness of men and women should be sought out and cultivated for the
common good of the church.
1 Corinthians 11:3-16; Galatians 3:28; 1
Timothy 2:11-15; 3:2; Titus 1:5; 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:7
Submission to God’s Order
Both men and women are called to respectful submission to God’s
established order of governance in the home and church. As Christ humbly
submitted to His role, so must man and woman. Christ submits to God the
Father. Man submits to Christ. Woman submits to man. In the eternal and
perfect relationship between the Father and the Son, love and submission
are inseparable. So in all Christian relationships, submission and love
were never meant to be separated. While Paul exhorts wives to submit to
their husbands, he also exhorts husbands to love their wives as Christ
sacrificially loved the church. This attitude of sacrificial love should
be in the heart of church leaders and laity, husband and wives, parents
and children. Denying the will of self and submitting to the will of
God, brings all believers, men and women, leaders and laity, into times
of mutual submission.
Submission is primarily an attitude of the
heart and spirit. This attitude may be symbolized externally by the
practice of men baring their heads and women covering their heads for
prayer and worship. We accept the integrity of brothers and sisters who
have differing views of these practices and affirm their sincere desire
to be faithful to the Lord and His Word.
John
6:38; Philippians 2:6-8; 1 Corinthians 11:3-12
Marriage and the Family
The Institution of Marriage
We believe that God instituted marriage as the lifelong covenantal
union of one man and one woman. This is a holy, profound and mysterious
union by which two become one in body, soul, and spirit. Christian
marriage requires that a Christian may only marry another Christian. The
highest purpose of the marriage relationship is to illustrate God’s
relationship with His people. In the Bible we see explicit romantic
images that depict God’s love for His people. God intended the pleasure
of romantic love to culminate in the sexual union of husband and wife.
Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Song of Solomon; Isaiah
54-5-7; Hosea 2:19; Matthew 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; 1 Corinthians
7:39; Ephesians 5:22-33; Revelation 19:7
Children
Fundamental
to God’s purpose for marriage is the procreation of children. God’s will
directs that children be born and raised under the security of parents
who are committed to one another in married love. The church and society
provide opportunities for the development of children, but the primary
responsibility for the spiritual nurture and formation of children rests
upon the shoulders of parents. Parents must love God with all their
hearts as they teach their children to love God with all their hearts.
Christian families ought to prioritize time for regular family worship
and participate as a family in the life of the church. Husband and wife
will enhance the spiritual unity of the family by committing themselves
as members of the same congregation.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs
22:6; Ephesians 6:4
Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God intends marriage to be a life-long covenant
between one man and one woman. The breaking of the marriage covenant is
sin, whether it be through divorce, unfaithfulness, adultery, abuse,
desertion, or other sins that destroy marriage. Wherever there is sin,
the church must call for repentance.
We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is
relevant to all persons, regardless of the sins they have committed or
that have been committed against them, including divorce. The
transforming message of the gospel includes the grace of God to forgive
any sin and the call of God to a new life of holiness and purity,
upholding the sanctity of life-long marriage.
We are committed to working redemptively with
all persons who have suffered the tragedy of divorce and we are
committed to working preventively in the lives of those who have not. We
accept people who come to Christ in whatever marital state they are in,
whether single, divorced, or remarried.
In our broken world we seek to promote and
build stable and godly homes for the testimony of the gospel and the
nurture of children. While we do not encourage or promote the remarriage
of divorced persons, we acknowledge the diversity of views of remarriage
in our conference and the difficulty of establishing one concise
statement that will answer each specific situation faced in local
congregations. We therefore allow godly and Holy Spirit-led local church
pastors, overseers, and elders to discern how best to provide a Biblical
ministry of grace, truth, and redemption to people in any situation.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Malachi 2:13-16; Matt.
5:31,32; 19:3-12; Mark 10:1-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7
Singleness
We believe
that the state of being unmarried is highly honored in Scripture. Single
persons, whether by circumstance, choice, or calling, can give
themselves more fully to the work of God. As Jesus exemplified, a single
person need not acquire a spouse to be effective in ministry or to be
complete as a person.
Matthew 19:12; 1 Corinthians 7:8-9; 32-38
Human Sexuality
We
believe that sanctified sexuality encompasses all that God intended
persons to be as males and females; this includes their sexual
relationships. It is in violation of God’s will to engage in sexual
relationships outside the marriage of one man to one woman. The Bible
forbids lust, pornography, fornication, adultery, homosexual practices
and other sexual sins. Through the redeeming power of God, the church is
called to lift sinners from the depths of sinful sexuality to the
heights of sanctified sexuality.
We therefore invite persons experiencing
sexual sins or temptations to seek cleansing by the blood of Christ.
Freedom and release from sexual sins and temptations may be experienced
through confession, counseling, discipling, prayer and wholesome
activities that promote fellowship and growth within the family of God.
Leviticus 18:22; Matthew 5:27-30; Romans
1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17
The Ethics of the Kingdom
Sanctity of Human Life
We believe God created each human being in His image. All human
life is sacred. Any actions and words which communicate anything about
the worth, dignity or value of any human being therefore reflect on the
honor of the Creator. We believe that citizens of the kingdom should
respect life at all stages and should not participate in the termination
of human life, whether through abortion, infanticide, murder, warfare,
capital punishment, suicide, or euthanasia. We also reject hatred,
slander, gossip, and derogatory racial and ethnic comments; these
destroy the dignity and honor of human beings as bearers of the image of
the Creator. Each person is either our brother or sister in Christ or a
sinner for whom Christ died.
Love and Nonresistance
Jesus, as the incarnate Son of God, both taught and practiced the
way of love in all human relationships. Under the old covenant, God’s
people participated in warfare and capital punishment. Under the new
covenant, Jesus commanded His followers not to resist an evil person or
to fight with the sword to prevent His arrest because His kingdom was
not “of this world.” As members of His kingdom, we follow His example by
extending love, humanitarian aid, and the truth of the Gospel to all
people regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or national allegiance.
Though we experience continual conflict with evil, we recognize that our
primary enemy is Satan, not people, and the weapons we use in this
conflict are spiritual, not physical. We should not jeopardize our
primary allegiance to Jesus by participating in any office, career, or
organization that requires us to employ the use of force, military
service, or retaliation to accomplish its objectives. We believe the way
of love applies to every area of life, including those situations that
involve the use of litigation, strikes, international tension and war.
We must, even at the risk of life itself, extend love to every human and
alleviate suffering, overcoming evil with love.
Matthew 5:38-48; John 18:36; Romans
5:5; 12:18-21; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8; 2 Corinthians 10:3, 4; James 2:8; 1
Peter 2:23; 4:1
Oaths
We believe Jesus
disallowed his followers from taking any kind of oath. Consistent
honesty and transparency are required of those who imitate Christ. The
surety of one’s word is not reserved for the occasional oath but should
characterize all normal conversations. No greater assurance than a
simple “yes” or “no” is needed. Finite beings should never make promises
that go beyond finite capability. Therefore, swearing by something or
someone greater than one’s self, as if to transcend human limitation, is
to project a false sense of surety.
Jesus declared that anything beyond a simple
“yes” or “no” is from the evil one. Therefore, in legal matters,
followers of Jesus should affirm the truth rather than swear to tell the
truth.
We also oppose membership in groups requiring
the swearing of oaths of secrecy that violate the principle of Christian
integrity and transparency.
Matthew 5:33-37; John 18:20; 1 John 1:5-7
Stewardship
We believe
that stewardship, rather than ownership, defines the believer’s
relationship to all personal resources such as time, energy, abilities,
spiritual gifts, money, properties and all material possessions. As a
steward, the believer is called to manage all resources according to the
kingdom purposes of God. Stewardship values extend to each stage of
life, including estate planning and other opportunities for giving
resources at the end of our lives.
We believe the teachings of Jesus stand in
opposition to the self-centered materialism of our world that defines
the quality of one’s life by the quantity of possessions accumulated.
The work of the kingdom suffers when its citizens are consumed with
supporting a personal lifestyle adopted under the lure of materialism.
Such a lifestyle leaves the church, as the visible expression of the
kingdom, to receive only a token contribution of leftover time and
money. The principle of “first-fruits” giving is rooted in the ancient
feast of Pentecost and was reaffirmed by Jesus, who commanded His
followers to “seek first His kingdom.” We seek to give first priority to
kingdom work. This is an act of faith in God, our provider.
Leviticus 23:10, 17; Exodus
23:19; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 24:1; Matthew 6:19-24; 6:33; Luke
12:21; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Peter 4:10
Adopted in the CMC
Ministers Business Meeting
August 2007