A few things I learned from an Amish community seeking the Kingdom of God.

Suzanne and I were privileged this weekend to visit an Amish community that was both open to outsiders and diligently seeking the kingdom of God. What an extraordinary privilege and blessing. We were not sure what to expect. We were invited by some friends from Boise to accompany a group on a ministry trip. We were pleasantly and profoundly blessed by what we encountered there.

There were a number of things that were particularly noteworthy. First of all, it was very evident that the community was full of God's love and that their hearts were open and tender. This was significant for two reasons. To begin with, the Amish are not actually known to be open to outsiders but this group has specifically purposed to open itself to relationships with other christian groups. Which introduces the second reason their openness is so surprising. This particular community has endured a bit of persecution and rejection by some other groups with similar backgrounds for being "too" open. Nevertheless, they have purposed to cleanse themselves of all bitterness and anger for being judged and misunderstood.

Another thing they are doing is thinking generationally. The Amish love children and it is evident from the size of the families as well as from the relative peace of so many living together. Right now they are seeking to raise funds to build a school which will double as a meeting hall and make room for the growing size of the congregation. There is a subtle but significant difference between building in order to grow and building to accommodate growth and purpose. All the families "home school." Home schooling is simply part of the family dynamic woven into the fabric of their lives. But they are also attempting to tap into the community of resources by drawing the children together in one place while still remaining under the same family values.

The Amish have always understood the power of community in raising their families to embrace their values. Now they are incorporating this understanding as they pursue the Kingdom of God. They instinctively know that the Kingdom of God is not just a Sunday topic but a reality that touches every part of life. The Amish live "community" every day. The Kingdom of God is not a religious commodity. It is a flow of life, an economy of love pursued in the atmosphere of heaven and yet touching the realities of every day living.

This Amish community has ceased to cling to exclusive traditions in favor of pursuing the eternal values of the Kingdom. They have not rejected their own culture. They are still Amish. But they are not making those traditions mandatory for inclusion in their community. They are pursuing the difficult and painful process of identifying and separating those distinctives that make them "Amish" from those which are foundational to the Kingdom. They are not building an Amish community but a Kingdom community. Therefore they are growing larger numerically, growing in understanding the Lord's heart and vision, growing in wisdom and stature and growing in impact. Obviously, growing pains are also part of the season but they do not dominate their time or attention.

Here is another significant reality. This Amish community is quickly becoming a "city of refuge" because they are cultivating an atmosphere that not only provides a place to live but a "safe place" to grow up into the likeness of Christ. They are abandoning the legalism of the past and growing in the grace of God. A safe place is where people can make mistakes and not be rejected or threatened for it. Rather they are instructed in the love of God towards wholeness and holiness. In times past this type of place has been relatively hard to find. But it seems that God is rebuilding the cities of refuge for the days to come. I believe the little Amish Community we visited this weekend is one such place.