Anabaptist World

Five things Friday roundup: Finding holy envy in the season of Lent | Anabaptist World Spiritual discipline isn’t a legalistic burden; it’s the exercise our souls need to stay fit. Here are five practices inspired by holy envy for this Lenten season.

Spiritual discipline isn’t a legalistic burden; it’s the exercise our souls need to stay fit. Here are five practices inspired by holy envy for this Lenten season.

Yes, God can do even this | Anabaptist World Christians like to pour concrete around our beliefs, to defend them or to keep them still. What if, instead, we would see these convictions as wild terrain, wide-open landscapes of breathtaking beauty...

Christians like to pour concrete around our beliefs, to defend them or to keep them still. What if, instead, we would see these convictions as wild terrain, wide-open landscapes of breathtaking beauty to discover and explore?

Take, bless, break and share: Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico’s mofongo | Anabaptist World Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. An...

In celebration of Puerto Rico, try mofongo. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish that combines the cuisines of the Taino native people, the Spanish people and the West African people who have been blending their languages, cultures and recipes for centuries in Puerto Rico.

Through months of shadowing colleagues, embracing grace for mistakes, and building confidence, MVSer Bella Kephart grew from feeling overwhelmed and "useless" to confidently guiding newer team members while finding deep fulfillment in small acts. Her blog: https://ow.ly/WecX50YoJZV

Talking about sex without shaming | Anabaptist World The term “purity culture” might be unfamiliar to folks outside White evangelical spaces. But its principles inform how many of us understand and talk about human sexuality. Or not talk about it, since...

Talking about sex without shaming.

The Man from Cyrene | Anabaptist World Simon of Cyrene went home that Friday evening with blood, not his own, on his shirt.

Simon of Cyrene went home that Friday evening
with blood, not his own, on his shirt
and splinters in his shoulder that his wife
worked out with a needle
while the children watched from the doorway.

The Serpent | Anabaptist World The Serpent lived in the Garden in the days before men. It marveled at the newness, the vastness, the shared breath of all who dwelled within.

Maybe, in that incredible moment of sudden knowing, her love for all of creation caused her heart at last to free itself from the confines of her chest, or to draw the whole world safe inside with it.

Singing protests gain momentum as non-violent but emotionally stirring rebukes to ICE | Anabaptist World At Middle Church, a historic congregation in Manhattan’s East Village, hundreds gathered on Feb. 26 for a two-hour “ICE Out, Sing-In” service, where prospective protesters were trained to “try to touc...

The singalong, the second such service held at the church this month, included movement and testimony as well as song and honored one congregant’s husband who was absent because he’d been detained.

None of our Christian friends showed up | Anabaptist World Last February, I had breakfast with my friend Don, who is in his 70s, a life-long Bristolian and a like-minded soul. Don said he had always wanted to start a movie club. So we began dreaming.

None of our Christian friends showed up.

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Five things Friday roundup: What God’s garden teaches us about resilience and faith | Anabaptist World The going is indeed tough, but we need a new flora to shepherd us into an emerging era of hope. I submit to you five new plants to encourage, bolster and perhaps even invigorate you through the darkes...

It’s true, like dandelions thriving in the cracks and the margins, that God’s reign often takes root where the world least expects it, among the overlooked and displaced (hallelujah!).

One year after the Southern California wildfires | Anabaptist World In Southern California, 2025 was a year marked by fire and ICE. The Palisades fire got the most name recognition, but Runyon Canyon, Eaton Canyon and other fires broke out during the same dry windstor...

In Southern California, 2025 was a year marked by fire and ICE. The Palisades fire got the most name recognition, but Runyon Canyon, Eaton Canyon and other fires broke out during the same dry windstorm.

We were ruined | Anabaptist World I told my husband that man would ruin us. I first heard of this man when one of my husband’s guards brought news that a Jewish mob had captured a man and sent him to stand trial before their high prie...

The gods I served demanded blood. But I knew who killed the righteous man.

Were you there? | Anabaptist World “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” These words from an African American spiritual are not about one’s physical location. They are about one’s social location.  According to the late James C...

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” These words from an African American spiritual are not about one’s physical location. They are about one’s social location.

Minnesota faith groups sue DHS over access to immigrant detainees | Anabaptist World A group of religious organizations and faith leaders in Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging the agency is violating their religious freedom by denying t...

A group of religious organizations and faith leaders in Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging the agency is violating their religious freedom by denying them access to immigrant detainees at a local federal building.

Pasadena church looks back on ordeal by fire | Anabaptist World Rob Muthiah was preparing to teach a membership class at Pasadena Mennonite Church one day in October when he thought to reach for a familiar tool, the Martyrs Mirror. Then he remembered his copy of t...

California congregation is working to host Mennonite Disaster Service recovery efforts one year after wildfires.

Religious leaders in the U.S. and Iran call on their governments to end hostilities | Anabaptist World A group of American Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders have joined hands with Iranian Muslim religious leaders in a statement to call on their governments to negotiate with mutual respect ...

A group of American Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders have joined hands with Iranian Muslim religious leaders in a statement to call on their governments to negotiate with mutual respect to end the animosity between their countries and move to a genuine peace.

Jude the Lame | Anabaptist World I am Jude, a brother of Jesus, one of the Twelve. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John mention me. They call me Judas or Thaddeus, as some people do. But there’s a lot that my friends don’t tell about my life...

Would Jesus heal his brother?

Pasadena church looks back on ordeal by fire | Anabaptist World Rob Muthiah was preparing to teach a membership class at Pasadena Mennonite Church one day in October when he thought to reach for a familiar tool, the Martyrs Mirror. Then he remembered his copy of t...

California congregation is working to host Mennonite Disaster Service recovery efforts one year after wildfires.

Midrash: giving voice to the voiceless | Anabaptist World I appreciate a mystery, and Proverbs 31:1-9 provides an intriguing one. The chapter opens with “The sayings of King Lemuel of Massa, which his mother taught him.” What follows is a poem in which a mot...

A Jewish tradition shows how to read between the lines.

Prison kits are ‘sacred neighboring’ | Anabaptist World In Philadelphia, over 20,000 people are released from prison each year. They need housing, employment and accompaniment as they navigate life outside of prison. But neighborhoods are not equipped to r...

In Philadelphia, over 20,000 people are released from prison each year. They need housing, employment and accompaniment as they navigate life outside of prison. But neighborhoods are not equipped to receive them.

Campus events support Minneapolis protests | Anabaptist World Acts of solidarity to support the people of Minneapolis and St. Paul took place at Canadian Mennonite University and Goshen College following violent and intimidating strategies used by U.S. Immigrati...

Acts of solidarity to support the people of Minneapolis and St. Paul took place at Canadian Mennonite University and Goshen College following violent and intimidating strategies used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in January.

Devon Toews scored his first Olympic goal in Canada’s preliminary round game against France at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 15. Toews grew up at a Mennonite Brethren congregation in Abbotsford, B.C., and attended Mennonite Educational Institute for his education.

Siberian success keeps families home | Anabaptist World Siberia’s farmers had a rough autumn in 2025. An abundant wheat harvest kept prices down. Transport issues limited the number of markets. The entire harvest often could not be sold, and a significant ...

Majority ‘Mennonite’ Russian village expanding farm and church initiatives.

Tanzanians celebrate church’s 20th anniversary | Anabaptist World Members of the second Mennonite church to be officially registered in Tanzania, Kanisa la Mennonite la Kiinjili Tanzania (KMKT, Evangelical Tanzania Mennonite Church) celebrated its 20th anniversary D...

Members of the second Mennonite church to be officially registered in Tanzania, Kanisa la Mennonite la Kiinjili Tanzania (KMKT, Evangelical Tanzania Mennonite Church) celebrated its 20th anniversary Dec. 1-7 in Musoma.

Myanmar air strikes kill church leaders | Anabaptist World A military junta air strike killed leaders of a Mennonite church Feb. 10 in a village of civilians in Myanmar.

A military junta air strike killed leaders of a Mennonite church Feb. 10 in a village of civilians in Myanmar.

Christians have a duty to confront Islamophobia, ministers argue in new book | Anabaptist World In their years of interfaith work, Anna Piela and Michael Woolf have heard an oft-repeated reason for why some Christians don’t want to learn about Islam or are reluctant to challenge their misconcept...

Christians have a duty to confront Islamophobia, ministers argue in new book.

Sexist hierarchy challenged | Anabaptist World When Memee Yang scanned the room during a Compassionate Care seminar for Hmong couples in Southeast Asia last March, she noticed the women sat on one side of the room, the men on the other.

Mission workers encourage gender equality for Hmong in Southeast Asia.

Why church unity? An African answer | Anabaptist World The Bible contains more than 100 Scriptures emphasizing church unity. So why do those who believe in Jesus tend to struggle with being unified?

Black missionaries transformed the transatlantic holocaust’s pain into promise. Black and White believers proved the good that happens when God’s people unify.

Do you breakfast like a queen, lunch like a prince and supper like a peasant? | Anabaptist World While visiting cousin Phil, we breakfasted like royalty: caramelized cabbage, black bean cucumber salad, eggs or pork chops, kefir or yogurt and toast. He eats this every morning! If you’re skeptical ...

Do you breakfast like a queen, lunch like a prince and supper like a peasant?