May 2019 MAP Update

In This Issue

A Welcome Change                                   No Horsing Around

Newness of Life                                         Letter from a Reader: Cults in Action

Up, Up, and Away!                                     Never Give Up

You may have noticed that the MAP Update looks a little different this time. We decided to make some changes that we thought would make things better for you. Many people are very busy and do not have a lot of time to read, so we decided to shorten our newsletter, hoping that would allow more of our supporters to read every issue.

Our plan is to send the newsletter out about ten times a year, keeping you updated a little more often than before, yet not filling your mailboxes with too much to read. We hope that a shorter and slightly more frequent newsletter will keep you more informed and let you better know how you can pray for us.

You are a big part of this ministry, and we want each of you to know how your prayers and support are being used by God to make a difference for so many Amish and former Amish, both in this life and for all eternity. Joe, Samuel, Velda, and others still plan to keep you updated, but we will include different MAP missionaries and ministries in different issues.

Not only do we love when you take MAP before the throne of God, but we love to hear from you personally, too. Let us know what you think about the new format. Email us at map@mapministry.org.

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I want to share the testimonies of four former Amish who recently got baptized. I plan to share one testimony in this issue and the other three in future issues. Please continue to pray for us at MAP as we continue seeking to reach the Amish and former Amish for Jesus Christ.                                  

— Joe Keim

My name is Eli Hostetler. I was raised in a strict Swartzentruber Amish home, and my dad was a very conservative bishop, so I was taught that in order to have a chance of getting to heaven, I had to be Amish and follow all the traditions. For that reason, I grew up thinking of God as a stern man who was very hard to please.

When I was fourteen years old, my oldest brother, who was no longer Amish, shared some biblical truths with me. At this time in my life, I thought there was no way I could stay Amish, but then I talked to my dad, and he said that if I left the Amish, he had no hope that I’d ever have a chance of going to heaven. His words placed a fear in me, and he convinced me to stay Amish.

I thought I would understand the Amish ways better with time, so when I was eighteen, I became a member of the Amish church. As time went on, instead of understanding things better, the Amish church and beliefs made less and less sense to me.

On April 15, 2015, I married Barbara Gingerich. Then in the fall of 2017, I realized that I had to establish who I was and what I stood for, so I started searching the Scriptures for answers. One verse that I really liked was Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

In February of 2018, I gave my life to Jesus Christ, and shortly after that, my wife and I left the Amish and our family to follow Christ.

During the past couple of months, I started thinking and reading more about the topic of baptism. I realized that sprinkling water on my head and promising to follow a bunch of man-made rules was not even close to the baptism we read about in the Bible. For that reason, it was my desire to be baptized as a believer in our Savior, Jesus Christ. As I continue my journey through this life, I also want to grow and mature in Christ and reach out to the Amish and others who are lost in the darkness.

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Henry Schrock used to be Amish.  He is also one of many who received his GED through MAP.  He recently wrote on Facebook:

Dream come true. Two hundred and seventy days ago I made a choice to do something that many would deem impractical and would certainly test the very limits of my abilities.  Not knowing a single soul, I moved to a completely unfamiliar city to begin flight training with only the hope and belief that if I worked hard, I could accomplish anything and shape the future I desired.

Today, thanks to my instructors, who have become like mentors, and all the friends I’ve made at the academy, the passing of my private pilot check ride marks the completion of the first major step in my journey to become a professional pilot!

Congratulations, Henry! With God’s help and your hard work, you can accomplish much for His glory!

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Come see the world's largest horse and buggy here at Beyond Measure Market! It was just recently completed and is a symbol of our store's mission. Our goal is to help raise more awareness for the Market through this attraction, and we hope you all will enjoy it, too. Come by and check it out today!

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Dear MAP: I am English and live across the street from a young Amish family in Lancaster County, PA. My husband and I have sought to be friendly and welcoming. We've had this young Amish family over our house to chat. The wife seems amused by us. I'd like give her the gospel, especially since her mother was given a JW Bible in the Pennsylvania Dutch language. Are there tracts or a book that would help us to know how best to share the gospel with Amish that I could purchase from MAP Ministry? I would like to put Acts 26:17–18 into action, too. Thank you.

Our Response:

Dear Readers: The cults are busy trying to reach the Amish, and we must be, too, especially since we have the Truth! We have a new booklet written by Jeremiah Z called “Jehovah Witnesses and Their Beliefs.” We also have many other resources, including a booklet about the beliefs of the Seventh-Day Adventists. Let us keep reaching out to the Amish with the truth of the gospel before they are blinded by the false teachings of the cults.

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I was recently reminded how important it is to never give up on anyone, even if it seems impossible.  Both of the following cases began with similar text messages:

Do you have time to meet? 

One was from a former Amish man who had left his wife and children for another woman.  The other was from an Amish man who feared our ministry and wanted removed from the Amish Voice mailing list. 

A year ago, the former Amish man did not want any advice and was not willing to change his ways and take responsibility—he only sought to replace the pain from his past. The Amish man was zealous about his religion and fearful of where the truth might lead him.  Both situations seemed impossible.  Both contacted me in the same week.  Both wanted change. 

It is for these very reasons you and I refuse to quit.  We are committed to being faithful and doing our part, while waiting on the Lord to do His. Trust in God and never give up on anyone.     

— Joe Keim

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