Thousands of German Baptists to meet in Modesto for annual conference

By Sue Nowicki
snowicki@modbee.com

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Members of the Old German Baptist Brethren churches are easy to spot -- men in simple, dark suits with broad-brimmed hats and beards, but no mustaches, women with white hair coverings and long dresses with matching capes and aprons.

There are about 500 German Baptists in Modesto and Twain Harte. You'll see them throughout the community -- working as dentists, hygienists, farmers, cabinet makers, etc., and shopping at Costco, talking on cell phones or going to restaurants like anyone else.

But they have no TVs or radios in their homes, and going to movies is discouraged.

They know people often focus on their "peculiarities," but they would rather have folks focus on their Christian faith -- deep, simple and peace-loving.

Each year, they have a nationwide conference where about 2,500 attend for worship services, meals and a business meeting to take care of any issues that have arisen. In years past, those issues included whether radios and automobiles should be used (they eventually decided no on the former and yes on the latter).

The conferences rotate throughout the country; this year's event will be held on a ranch near Waterford, the first time it's been in the area since 2002.

Several events are open to the public. The denomination doesn't seek publicity but does allow outsiders to sit in on worship services and meals, in part to show that they are not a secret sect or cult.

"My greatest desire is that through our relationships with other people, they would know Jesus Christ," said David Rumble, one of three men authorized to speak for the denomination and an organizer of the conference. "Often, folks

will look at the way we dress and not see that we do worship the Lord Jesus -- that's the center of our faith."

"We're not here to portray our own selves," added Curtis Selby from the Twain Harte congregation.

Preparations for the conference began about two years ago. Modesto dentist Galen Filbrun offered his land for the four-day event. About 20 acres, formerly a rice field, were planted in sod last fall.

The grassy area soon will be filled with two huge tents -- a dining tent to seat 832 people and a council tent that will seat 3,000 for the worship and business meetings. A kitchen building, concession tent and bathroom facility, as well as parking spots for 1,225 vehicles, also will be part of the complex.

On the Saturday following the conference, an auction will be held for the lumber, electrical, plumbing and other building materials used for the project. The money will help offset the cost of the event, which is paid for by the churches in the western region.

History of the faith

German Baptists, often called Dunkards, trace their history to 1708 when eight people near Schwarzenau, Germany, decided to strictly follow the Bible, rejecting all creeds. They practiced -- and still do -- triune baptism, where they immerse people three times forward into the water, symbolic of the trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Persecution forced the group out of Germany. William Penn offered the group a place of religious freedom in the New World. The group today is found only in the United States, with congregations ranging between 30 and 300 people. Each congregation selects its own ministers, who are not seminary-trained but instead study the Bible on their own. Some churches have two or three ministers, and some have six or seven. They serve for life.

Similar to the Amish, German Baptists are called "plain" people, but unlike the Amish, German Baptists have telephones and electricity in their homes and drive automobiles.