Charity Ministries

In 1982, individuals with roots in different Plain Anabaptist groups met in New Holland in order to form a church that would recapture the zeal of early Christianity and the tenets of the Anabaptist movement of the 16th century. Mose Stoltzfus, an ex-Amish (1946–2020), and Denny Kenaston, an ex-Baptist (1949–2012), were the main leaders of the new church. In the late 1980s, a tape ministry was started as well as an organization for foreign missions. A publication called The Heartbeat of the Remnant, short The Remnant, was started in 1994. In 2011 its publication was transferred to its affiliated Ephrata Ministries and in summer 2013 its publication was stopped. In 2016 The Berean Voice, a ministry of Faith Christian Fellowship, resumed the publication. Beginning around 2010, a number of conservative Charity congregations regrouped together as the Agape Christian Fellowship. == Belief and practice ==

The Charity churches profess to be Conservative Anabaptist in doctrine. They also place a strong emphasis on evangelism towards other Anabaptist and non-Anabaptist groups. == Members and congregations ==

In 1993 there were nine churches in eight states of the US and around 500 baptized members. Around the year 2000 there were 24 congregations in the network in fifteen states of the US, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. There were 1,467 members and an estimated total population including children and young adults not yet baptized of 2,787 people. In 2012 there were 41 congregations with 2,232 members associated with Charity Ministries. == References ==