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Testimonies

Joe and MAP Ministry:
As I muse about the time I left the Amish, I wish there was a place where troubled youth and older people too, could go to find guidance and counseling during the time of decision.

Also, the academic skills of Amish now are very limited as they are educated in their own schools and trained in a very narrow area of job skills. This makes it harder than ever to leave and adjust successfully. The need is obvious and the resources are few.
MAP is an ongoing burden on my heart and in my prayers as it has enormous potential for reaching Amish.

-Eli, Canada

Dear MAP Ministry:
Greetings in Our Precious Saviors Name. My husband and I came out of the Amish 3 years ago and we accepted Christ into our hearts. We'd like to help with this ministry so more Amish can be lead to the truth and out of bondage.

May God richly bless this ministry so the Amish can accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. My husband's family all left the Amish, but I am the only one out of my family that left. I pray for them daily and am trying to be a witness to them. I was wondering if I write their names and addresses down, would the MAP Ministry start sending them letters.

-Lydia, Ohio

For More Testimonies go to:

WrittenTestimonies

About Mission to Amish People

GREETING FROM JOE

Welcome and thank you for stopping by to visit the Mission to Amish People web site. There are two main reasons why we have established a web site. (1) It is our desire to supply helpful content for the one who was born and raised Amish and is looking for spiritual and moral support. (2) We want to provide real answers and information to the non-Amish person who would like to know more about the Amish culture.

OUR FAMILY BACKGROUND

My wife Esther and I were born and raised in what was considered to be an Old Order Amish church, located in Ashland Ohio. In 1984, at the age of 17 we both became baptized members of the Amish church. It was not until we turned 18 that a former Amish man shared the gospel with us and both of us realized that we were sinners and needed a Savior. Shortly after we got saved, Esther and I were married in the Amish church and at that point we had full intentions of raising our own family in the Amish church. But we would soon realize that if we wanted to believe in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation, we would either have to be quiet about it and not tell anyone or be excommunicated from the church. In 1987, nine month into our marriage, Esther and I made one of the hardest decisions we would ever make and that was to leave our families, our friends and way of life forever. For a more detailed testimony please go to KeimTestimony or order our testimony on audio tape at TapeMinistry. Today we have two wonderful children named Jonathan and Rachel.

OUR BURDEN

Romans 10:1-4
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

What started out as a burden to see our Amish family and friends come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ soon became an even bigger burden and that was, to see to it that every single Amish person would get to hear the message of salvation. As we prayed and fasted for the people that are so dear to us it became more and more evident to us that our Bible believing churches are sending missionaries all over the world to reach people for Christ but no one was being sent to the Amish people.

You can also join us in prayer by signing up to pray for seven specific names of Amish people by clicking on: My Prayer Pledge for 7 Forever

Before we went into full time ministry in 2001, I would sit outside my work place in the morning feeling miserable and broken in heart at the thought of spending my time inside a factory while the people who are so dear to us, are walking in danger of dying and going to hell and don't even realize it. Many times, Esther and I would lie awake at night, wondering who is going to rescue them.

Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

In December of 1999 I met with John Bouquet, our pastor of 16 years, and shared how I felt that God was leading our family to go full time into ministry to the Amish. This came as no surprise to him because we had discussed this many times over the years. In February of 2000, I had the privilege of sharing where the Lord was leading us with our own church, along with over 50 former Amish people that had come from as far as Kentucky and Pennsylvania to be a part of that service. Immediately after this event took place we started going to churches, inviting fellow believers to come along side us by supporting the ministry. By April of 2001 we had raised enough financial support to go full time.

OUR CALLING

The MAP ministry has a three fold purpose.

Reach the Amish people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are doing this through one on one witnessing, the SonLight Club (Bible correspondence courses) and other out reach ministries. We are supplying them with Bibles, Bible studies, and cassette tapes so that they can become rooted and established in the Faith. The MAP ministry offers counseling and protection to those who are victims of sexual and physical abuse.
Reach out to those who have already left the Amish by sharing the gospel with them, put Bibles and Bible study material into their hands, as well as get them connected with a local church in their area. We offer help as needed through our Care Package Ministry.
Inform Bible believing churches how they can become involved in reaching the Amish people in their neighborhoods by teaching them what they believe.

For a more complete summary of Mission to Amish People ministry go to our Legacy Society brochure.

CURRENT STATUS

We are located in a 2,000 Sq Ft building that sets behind Bethel Baptist Church (our home church). It is in this office building that Tina (Office Manager), Amber Tolliver (SonLight Club Coordinator), myself and about 12 volunteers work out of. Since the MAP ministry is not involved with any Missions Agency, we established a 14-member board that is over the whole ministry. This 14-member board is made up of several pastors, former Amish, and close friends who meet several times a year.