About
Who We Are, Statement of Faith, Leadership Team
Who We Are
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship is a plain Anabaptist congregation in Saegertown, PA. We're a close-knit church family that welcomes newcomers gladly and takes genuine care of one another as a matter of ordinary practice. Our shared life centers on Sunday worship, the study of Scripture, and walking out our faith together in the everyday rhythms of family, work, and community.
Two things run through much of what we do: a love of singing and a love of serving. Congregational song — hymns and songs of the faith in four-part harmony — is one of the most alive parts of our worship. Service expresses that same heart in another key, whether caring for members in need, offering practical help in one another's lives, or supporting outreach in the community and beyond. Our aim is to be a congregation where faith is lived, not only professed.
Statement of Faith
1. The Authority of Scripture
We accept the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, given by direct inspiration. It is the basis for our faith, life, and practice — the standard by which we shape our beliefs, our decisions, and the daily rhythms of our lives.
2. The Triune God and Salvation Through Christ
We believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit as our guide. Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation, received through faith and repentance from sin, and we accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior.
3. Discipleship and Devotion
Following Christ means daily surrender, not one-time assent. We seek to be shaped into His character through personal devotion, the regular study of Scripture, and prayer — allowing God's Word to set our priorities and guide our lives.
4. The Church as Accountable Community
The Christian life is meant to be lived openly with brothers and sisters, not in isolation. We commit to genuine fellowship, mutual accountability, and reconciliation in the pattern Jesus gave in Matthew 18 — always in a spirit of restoration rather than exposure.
5. Peace and Non-Resistance
We believe Christ calls His followers to love, peace, and reconciliation in all relationships. We refrain from violence, seek to live at peace with all people, and are conscientious objectors to military service — obeying earthly authorities in every matter that does not conflict with our higher loyalty to God.
6. Non-Conformity to the World
We believe followers of Christ are called to a distinct way of life that rejects the values and appearances of the surrounding culture. This shapes how we dress, how we spend our time, what we consume through media, and how we present ourselves — pursuing modesty, simplicity, and the quiet beauty of a gentle and reverent spirit.
7. Marriage, Family, and Sexuality
We believe marriage is a permanent, sacred bond between one man and one woman, terminated only by death. Sexual expression belongs within that bond alone. We affirm the biblical roles of husband, wife, and children in the home as taught in Scripture.
8. The Sanctity of Human Life
We believe human life begins at conception and is sacred to God. Taking innocent human life — whether through abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia — is contrary to His command and His love for every person He has made.
9. Stewardship and the Great Commission
All that we possess is a trust from God — our time, our gifts, and our resources. We give responsibly to support the ministry of the church, and we take Jesus' Great Commission seriously, testifying to God's saving grace through our words and our lives.
Confession of Faith 1963
The 1963 Mennonite Confession of Faith is a twenty-article statement of doctrine adopted by the Mennonite General Conference on August 22, 1963, at Kalona, Iowa. Drafted primarily by John C. Wenger and a committee working from a 1957 authorization, it was designed to be biblical rather than theological, positive rather than polemical, and simple rather than technical — a restatement of the 1632 Dordrecht Confession in the language of the mid-twentieth century. The articles move from God, revelation, creation, and sin through Christ, salvation by grace through faith, the Holy Spirit, the church, baptism, and the Lord's Supper, into marriage, symbols of Christian order, and Christian living. Distinctively Anabaptist convictions run throughout: the church as a body of regenerated believers baptized on confession of faith, love and nonresistance, separation from the evil of the world, and active participation in the Great Commission. Above all, the confession positions itself under the Bible rather than beside it — declaring the Mennonite Church bound ultimately to Holy Scripture, not to any human formulation of doctrine.
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship is a member congregation of the Biblical Mennonite Alliance (BMA), and we share fully in its life, doctrine, and mission. Through the Alliance we participate in shared ministries of church planting, cross-cultural missions, and Christian education, and we walk under the counsel and accountability of BMA's brotherhood of congregations and ministers.
Biblical Mennonite Alliance
Aaron and Lisa Hershberger, with their four children (left to right: Dakota, Kandace, Carter, and Alivia)
Leadership Team
I was raised believing that hard work, honesty, and treating people with respect matter. As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that while those qualities are important, they are not enough to save a person. The greatest blessing in my life has been discovering that salvation is found only through Jesus Christ and His grace.
God has blessed me with an incredible wife, Lisa, and four wonderful children: Dakota, Alivia, Carter, and Kandace. My family has become one of God’s greatest tools for teaching me patience, humility, unconditional love, and what it truly means to serve others.
Professionally, I’ve had the privilege of owning and operating Central States Commercial Roofing. Through all the victories and challenges of business, God has continually reminded me that my security is not found in financial success or my own abilities, but in Him alone. True success is measured by faithfulness—loving God, loving people, keeping our word, serving with integrity, and pointing others to Christ.
One of the deepest desires God has placed on my heart is to see the local church become a place where people genuinely experience the love of Jesus. My prayer is that God would use whatever gifts, experiences, and opportunities He has given me to encourage others to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.
-Aaron Hershberger
Elders
The elders are entrusted with the spiritual oversight and care of the congregation, shepherding God's people according to the pattern set out in Scripture (Titus 1:5–9; 1 Peter 5:1–4).
Robert Yoder — Chairman
Gene Marner — Secretary
Paul Hershberger — Treasurer
Aaron Hershberger — Pastor
Contact us
If you have any questions about the church, events, or faith, please reach out. We are happy to connect and talk.