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we confess with the mouth, and believe with the heart, with all the pious, according to the holy Scriptures, in one eternal, almighty, and incomprehensible God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and in none more, nor in any other;

To confess that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is to confess that the Son and the Holy Spirit are fully divine. It is also to confess that God is one and that God’s oneness is the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The Amish endorse basic Christian beliefs, but their spirituality has been shaped by their interpretation of the Bible as well as several written sources.

We acknowledge the Scripture as the authoritative source and standard for preaching and teaching about faith and life, for distinguishing truth from error, for discerning between good and evil, and for guiding prayer and worship.

We also believe and confess that before His ascension He instituted His New Testament, and, since it was to be and remain an eternal Testament, that He confirmed and sealed the same with His precious blood, and gave and left it to His disciples, yea, charged them so highly with it, that neither angel nor man may alter it, nor add to it nor take away from it;

We believe that God continues to speak through the living and written Word.

The Amish read the whole Christian Bible, Old Testament and New, in Luther's German translation for worship.

We recognize the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of New Testament as belonging to inspired Scripture.

Amish people are more concerned about practicing their faith than teaching formal theological doctrines, however. Following the lead of their Swiss Anabaptist forbears, the Amish seek to follow the teachings of Jesus in daily life by loving their enemies and forgiving insults.

We believe that God was at work through the centuries in the process by which the books of the Old and New Testaments were inspired and written.

In addition to Luther’s German Bible, the Martyrs Mirror, the Ausbund, and the Dordrecht Confession of Faith are key sources for their beliefs.

The Old Testament, the Gospels, the Pauline letters, and gradually the rest of the New Testament were broadly recognized by the church as Holy Scripture by the fourth century.

Amish people are more concerned about practicing their faith than teaching formal theological doctrines, however. Following the lead of their Swiss Anabaptist forbears, the Amish seek to follow the teachings of Jesus in daily life by loving their enemies and forgiving insults.

We also acknowledge the Scripture as the fully reliable and trustworthy Word of God written in human language.

Of this same one God, who works all in all, we believe and confess that He is the Creator of all things visible and invisible; that He, in six days, created, made, and prepared, heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is;

Of this same one God, who works all in all, we believe and confess that He is the Creator of all things visible and invisible; that He, in six days, created, made, and prepared, heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is; and that He still governs and upholds the same and all His works through His wisdom, might, and the word of His power.

we confess with the mouth, and believe with the heart, with all the pious, according to the holy Scriptures, in one eternal, almighty, and incomprehensible God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and in none more, nor in any other;

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who was sent by the Father and the Son to bring to individuals the redemption of Christ.

we must go to God with an upright heart, and in perfect faith, and believe in Jesus Christ, as the Scripture says, and testifies of Him; through which faith we obtain forgiveness of sins, are sanctified, justified, and made children of God

We place our faith in God that, by the same power that raised Christ from the dead, we may be saved from sin to follow Christ in this life and to know the fullness of salvation in the age to come.

when any one, after he is enlightened, has accepted the knowledge of the truth, and been incorporated into the communion of the saints, sins again unto death, either through willfulness, or through presumption against God, or through some other cause, and falls into the unfruitful works of darkness, thereby becoming separated from God, and forfeiting the kingdom of God

If disobedience persists, the church may withhold the right to commune until the individual repents. And the church must, with a deep sense of loss, recognize that the one who goes on to full apostasy and spiritual ruin has severed his relation with Christ and His body.

And that thus the Son of God died, and tasted death and shed His precious blood for all men;

From all eternity God knew who would be the believers in Christ, and these persons foreknown as believers are elect according to the foreknowledge of God.

excluding no one from the precious inheritance of eternal salvation, except the unbelieving and disobedient, the stiff-necked and obdurate, who despise it, and incur this through their own sins, thus making themselves unworthy of eternal life.

We believe that, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God offers salvation from sin and a new way of life to all people. We receive God’s salvation when we repent of sin and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

through which disobedience sin has come into the world, and death by sin, which has thus passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, and, hence, brought upon themselves the wrath of God, and condemnation;

Although men are sinners by nature because of Adam's fall, they are not guilty of his sin. Those who perish eternally do so only because of their own sin.

We believe and confess, that, since the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, and, therefore, prone to all unrighteousness, sin, and wickedness, the first lesson of the precious New Testament of the Son of God is repentance and reformation of life,

We confess that, beginning with Adam and Eve, humanity has disobeyed God, given way to the tempter, and chosen to sin.

those who have ears to hear, and hearts to understand, must bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, reform their lives, believe the Gospel, eschew evil and do good, desist from unrighteousness, forsake sin, put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness:

As long as the believer lives, he stands in need of the forgiveness, cleansing, and grace of Christ.

Concerning the swearing of oaths we believe and confess that the Lord Christ has set aside and forbidden the same to His disciples, that they should not swear at all, but that yea should be yea, and nay, nay;

We believe that the Old Testament and the New Testament together constitute the Word of God, that the Old Covenant was preparatory, that its institutions were temporary in character, and that the New Covenant in Christ is the fulfillment of the Old.

The Amish practice baptism by pouring or affusion, rather than by full immersion.

Since baptism with the Holy Spirit is a pouring out, we generally practice pouring as our mode of water baptism.

penitent believers, who, through faith, regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, are made one with God, and are written in heaven, must, upon such Scriptural confession of faith, and renewing of life, be baptized with water,

By water and the Spirit, we are born anew into the family of God. The Spirit dwells in each child of God, bringing us into relationship with God. Through the indwelling of the Spirit, we are made heirs together with Christ, if we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him.

As Anabaptists, the Amish place supreme importance on adult baptism. Those who take the baptismal vow commit themselves to following the ways of Jesus and upholding the Ordnung of the church for life.

Baptism is for those who are of the age of accountability and who freely request baptism on the basis of their response to Jesus Christ in faith.

We also confess and observe the breaking of bread, or Supper, as the Lord Christ Jesus before His suffering instituted it with bread and wine, and observed and ate with His apostles, commanding them to observe it in remembrance of Him;

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sign by which the church thankfully remembers the new covenant which Jesus established by his death. In this communion meal, the members of the church renew our covenant with God and with each other.

All those who wish to break one bread in remembrance of the broken body of Christ, and all who wish to drink of one drink as a remembrance of the shed blood of Christ, shall be united beforehand by baptism in one body of Christ which is the church of God and whose Head is Christ.

All are invited to the Lord’s table who have been baptized into the community of faith, are living at peace with God and with their brothers and sisters in the faith, and are willing to be accountable in their congregation.

We also confess and observe the breaking of bread, or Supper, as the Lord Christ Jesus before His suffering instituted it with bread and wine,

The bread of the Lord’s Supper is a sign of Christ’s body, and the cup is a sign of the new covenant in his blood

neither baptism, supper, church [membership], nor any other outward ceremony, can without faith, regeneration, change or renewing of life, avail anything to please God or to obtain of Him any consolation or promise of salvation;

The Lord Jesus and His apostles instituted ordinances for the church to observe permanently as symbols of Christian truths. The apostolic church literally observed them.

No central organization or national church authority holds the subgroups together. Most districts in an affiliation have similar practices, but even so the ultimate authority for Amish life and practice lies in the local district.

We believe Scripture teaches that God has delegated leadership in the church to men. At the time of ministerial ordinations, if there is more than one qualifying brother we believe the use of the lot is a biblical means of finding God's choice.

Ordained officials, literally called “servants” in the Pennsylvania German dialect, normally serve for life. None has formal theological training—living a consistent Amish way of life is their most important credential. Although they may receive occasional gifts of food, the leaders are not paid for their church work and must support themselves by other occupations.

We believe Scripture teaches that God has delegated leadership in the church to men. At the time of ministerial ordinations, if there is more than one qualifying brother we believe the use of the lot is a biblical means of finding God's choice.

Each church district has its own leaders—always men. Typically, the leaders include a bishop (servant with full powers), two or three ministers (servants of the book), and a deacon (servant to the poor).

The church calls, trains, and appoints gifted men and women to a variety of leadership ministries on its behalf. These may include such offices as pastor, deacon, and elder as well as evangelists, missionaries, teachers, conference ministers, and overseers.

Members confess their sins and reaffirm their vow to uphold the Ordnung at a council meeting held prior to the communion service.

Confessing our sins to one another and receiving forgiveness, we are to come as one body to the table of the Lord.

Because the Amish do not have church buildings, they hold church services in their homes. Every other Sunday, the members of the local district meet in the home of one of their members.

We believe that the principle of resting from secular work one day out of seven is intended for all time. We believe that the Lord's Day should be kept as a day of devotion and worship, and that everyone should regularly attend church services and Sunday School whenever possible.

Slow, unison singing in German, without rhythm or instruments, unites the community together in worship. The ancient tunes are sung by memory.

Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, study of Scripture, reflection on God, corporate worship, singing hymns, simplicity, witness, and service are training in godliness.

Religious services reflect the simplicity and plainness of Amish life. There are no altars, candles, organs, stained glass windows, choirs, or pulpits.

Neither the work of human hands, nor the forces of the natural world around us, nor the power of the nations among which we live are worthy of the trust and honor due the Creator on whom they depend.

A scripture passage, read by the deacon, and two prayers (one silent and the other read from a prayer book), during which the congregation kneels, are part of the lengthy service.

By water and the Spirit, we are born anew into the family of God. The Spirit dwells in each child of God, bringing us into relationship with God.

each may minister unto the other with the gift he has received of the Lord, so that through mutual service and the assistance of every member, each in his measure, the body of Christ may be improved

By the gifts of the Holy Spirit, all Christians are called to carry out their particular ministries. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the church comes to unity in doctrine and action. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the church preaches, teaches, testifies, heals, loves, and suffers, following the example of Jesus its Lord.

the Son of God died, and tasted death and shed His precious blood for all men; and that He thereby bruised the serpent's head, destroyed the works of the devil, annulled the handwriting and obtained forgiveness of sins for all mankind

The more we sin, the more we become trapped in sin. By our sin we open ourselves to the bondage of demonic powers.

Women are expected to wear a head covering and, usually, a three-piece dress that includes a cape and an apron.

The New Testament symbols of man's headship are to be his short hair and uncovered head while praying or prophesying, and the symbols of woman's role are her long hair and her veiled head.

He was conceived in the virgin Mary, who was espoused to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and that she brought Him forth as her first-born son, at Bethlehem, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger

the Word, Himself became flesh and man; that He was conceived in the virgin Mary, who was espoused to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and that she brought Him forth as her first-born son, at Bethlehem, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger.

sin has come into the world, and death by sin, which has thus passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, and, hence, brought upon themselves the wrath of God, and condemnation

as to how and in what manner this precious body was prepared, and how the Word became flesh, and He Himself man, in regard to this we content ourselves with the statement pertaining to this matter which the worthy evangelists have left us in their accounts

we confess with all the saints, that He is the Son of the living God, in whom alone consist all our hope, consolation, redemption, and salvation, which we neither may nor must seek in any other.

As faithful high priest, he has made the final atonement for sin and now intercedes for us.

in the last day all men who shall have died, and fallen asleep, shall be awaked and quickened, and shall rise again, through the incomprehensible power of God

The New Testament says much about the resurrection. It speaks much less frequently and clearly about the state of persons between the time of their deaths and the resurrection. Yet, we who are in Christ are assured that not even death can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39).

everyone shall receive in his own body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil

We believe that at death the righteous enter at once into conscious joy and fellowship with Christ, while the wicked are in a state of conscious suffering.

the wicked or impious, as accursed, shall be cast into outer darkness, yea, into the everlasting pains of hell, where their worm shall not die, nor their fire be quenched, and where they, according to holy Scripture, can nevermore expect any hope, comfort, or redemption.

The righteous will rise to eternal life with God, and the unrighteous to hell and separation from God.

those who then will still be alive, and who shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trump, shall be placed before the judgment seat of Christ, and the good be separated from the wicked

In His triumphant Second Coming Christ will judge Satan, and usher in the consummation of all things. His coming will introduce the resurrection, the transformation of the living saints, the judgment of the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of His glorious reign.

He sits on the right hand of God the Majesty on high, whence He will come again to judge the quick and the dead.

Jesus counseled his followers against trying to set dates for the coming age (Matt. 24:36). We should also be cautious about too narrowly identifying persons, places, or events of the end times with particular people, places, and happenings of the present.

the good or pious, as the blessed, shall be taken up with Christ, and shall enter into life eternal, and obtain that joy, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, to reign and triumph with Christ forever and ever.

We believe in God’s final victory, in the end of this present age of struggle between good and evil, in the resurrection of the dead, and in the appearance of a new heaven and a new earth. There the people of God will reign with Christ in justice, righteousness, and peace.

came into the world, not to bruise, break, or destroy the souls of men, but to heal and restore them, to seek the lost, to break down the middle wall of partition, to make of twain one, and thus to gather of Jews, Gentiles, and all nations, one flock, for a church in His name

Today the spiritual "seed of Abraham" are those who have faith in Christ, the people of God, the body of Christ, composed of believers from all races and nations.

We confess that there is in the church of God an honorable state of matrimony, of two free, believing persons, in accordance with the manner after which God originally ordained the same in Paradise, and instituted it Himself with Adam and Eve

We believe that God intends marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life.

Sexual relations before marriage are strongly discouraged, but occasionally fast-track weddings occur because of an impending pregnancy. Unmarried people of the opposite sex never live together, and divorce is forbidden.

According to Scripture, right sexual union takes place only within the marriage relationship.

As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce.

We believe God designed marriage to be a permanent, sacred bond between one man and one woman, terminated only by death. Remarriage after divorce constitutes adultery and comes under the wrath of God.

Amish churches forbid their members to seek a divorce or to remarry while a husband or wife is still living, and a member who does either faces excommunication and shunning.

Remarriage after divorce constitutes adultery and comes under the wrath of God. Anyone married to and living with one divorced while the former partner is still living cannot be received into church membership.

The teaching leaves the number of children to God; the practice varies. Lawrence Greksa of Case Western Reserve University describes the Amish as having "long-standing religious-based proscriptions against birth control."

We support responsible decisions to limit family size. We believe that when pregnancy is not desired, responsible men and women will take responsibility for their sexual behavior.

Abortion is universally forbidden.

Human life is a gift from God to be valued and protected. We oppose abortion because it runs counter to biblical principles. The fetus in its earliest stages (and even if imperfect by human standards) shares humanity with those who conceived it.

There are no explicit religious prohibitions against certain types of medicine. The use of modern medicine varies greatly from family to family and group to group.

In response to the prayer of faith, and in accordance with His will, God heals in various ways, through the use of medicine, and the medical profession or by direct intervention.

Some Amish drink alcohol, but far less than their neighbors, and Amish churches discourage it. Practice differs by affiliation: New Order Amish churches set out to end drinking, while surveys in Ohio find some Amish adults who drink. Wine is served at Amish communion, and most reported heavy drinking is among young people before baptism.

They regard their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit and crucify their flesh with its affections and lusts. They therefore avoid such things as harmful drugs, beverage alcohol, and tobacco.

As regards revenge, that is, to oppose an enemy with the sword, we believe and confess that the Lord Christ has forbidden and set aside to His disciples and followers all revenge and retaliation, and commanded them to render to no one evil for evil, or cursing for cursing, but to put the sword into the sheath

As disciples of Christ, we do not prepare for war, or participate in war or military service.