Frontline Ministries Inc

This moved David to address those in the Amish community who are unregenerate and have "the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof." He saw how desperately they had need of a personal relationship with a living Savior.

When David began the project, God gathered people and resources from within the Amish community (This story itself is inspires all who hear the details). Even the publisher published the first and second printing runs for free. David took it by hand out into the streets of Lancaster County to wherever he could find an Amish buggy or person. Realizing how slow a process to reach the over 5,000 Amish families in the area (20,000 people), he prayed. God brought an Amishman who had a mailing list for all the farms and families in the area--FREE again. So David raised the money for the mailing.

One of the booklets was carried by an elderly Amishman to Ohio, where his son read it and called David & Marcy. After prayer and time, it was decided that he would finance a mailing to all the Amish in Northern Ohio.

One Amish man from Ohio tucked the book into a drawer for two years. He came across it, read it, and prayed to invite the Savior into his life. Then he contacted David and Marcy. He wanted to have others receive it and ordered a bundle. And on it goes. (Perhaps there's another booklet here). How this booklet came into being and continues to impact its readers.

Several factors combine to make Back to the Old Ways effective among the Amish:

First, months of prayer with Amish believers and businessmen have birthed a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit on the message. Secret prayer meetings were necessary, because the bishops and elders were continually plying people to find out who was helping on this project so that they could be placed under the bann.

Also, David researched the writings of Jacob Amman, founder of the Amish. He quotes from his letters and establishes the radical reformation context in which Amman wrote and lived.

He researched the presentation even to the use of newsprint and faceless silhouettes for the cover (which would be plain enough for the Amish to read it). He had to write at a 7th grade reading level (the Amish do not go beyond 7th grade in their formal education).

In its pages, the Amish are treated with respect and love. Yet, it is powerful in its admonishment of legalism and false teaching and in its presentation of the Gospel. It calls those Amish who have the life-style, but not the life,  "Back to the Old Ways" of a relationship with a living Savior.

This booklet has impacted the Amish Community for Christ. Many born again Amish believers have purchased and shared this booklet with their familes and neighbors. It continues to reach into the places that most people can't get.

This booklet has also served as a firestarter in many Amish stoves in Lancaster County, PA where several bishops have told David on the phone that his booklet is banned.

The Mennonite Central Committee called David and asked if they could translate it into German and Spanish (SPANISH???). Yes, that's right. We found out through that request that there are 30,000 plus Amish living in Bolivia. For some unexplained reason, the MCC dropped it and didn't follow through on its promise to translate it (or if they did translate it, we were never contacted to see the proofs).

This booklet will continue to be used of God in YOUR life to bless your Amish neighbors of family. Or perhaps your church is in Amish country and you could begin an outreach effort with Back to the Old Ways.

PLEASE: Email me to let me know how God uses this little booklet or if you have any questions about it. Due to many requests, there is a sequel in the works.