Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations
A conservative evangelical Mennonite association formed in 2002 to unite congregations committed to evangelical orthodoxy and historic biblical Anabaptism.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
The Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations (AMEC) is a North American association of conservative evangelical Mennonite churches. It was formally organized in 2002 during the period surrounding the merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, a development that produced Mennonite Church USA. AMEC emerged from evangelical Mennonite concerns that the proposed merger's theological framework was insufficiently explicit on the authority and infallibility of Scripture and that doctrinal questions were being softened or deferred in the interest of institutional unity. The alliance's roots reach back to a renewal movement among evangelical Anabaptists. In July 1979, Mennonite leaders met in Smoketown, Pennsylvania, for a consultation that produced the Smoketown Statement. That declaration called for renewed confidence in Scripture, a stronger emphasis on the saving message of the Gospel, and a renewed commitment to evangelism. A second consultation followed in Berne, Indiana, in March 1981. In 1992, participants organized the Evangelical Anabaptist Fellowship, which published an EAF Newsletter and provided an informal platform for continuing discussion. As the Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church merger progressed, the evangelical fellowship criticized aspects of the proposed Confession of Faith. Its concerns included whether the confession treated biblical authority ambiguously, whether it was a binding doctrinal standard or only a general guide, and whether church leaders would be expected to apply it consistently in questions of Christian conduct. On February 12, 2000, representatives of 24 churches from four states met in Smoketown and concluded that a new affiliation of evangelical Anabaptist congregations should be formed. The provisional name Association of Evangelical Mennonite Congregations was adopted early that year. One congregation committed to the proposed association at a September 30, 2000, meeting in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, followed soon afterward by seven additional congregations. Bylaws were drafted on June 19, 2002, and adopted on September 28, 2002, when the organization took its present name. AMEC describes itself as a voluntary association rather than a centralized denomination. Congregations retain local independence and autonomy, while agreeing to a common statement of doctrine and the alliance's purposes and principles. Individuals from unaffiliated churches may seek associate membership under the same basic doctrinal conditions. The alliance's stated theological commitments include the Bible as the inspired and infallible Word of God; the triune nature of God; the virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, intercession, and personal return of Jesus Christ; humanity's fall and need for salvation; the sanctity of human life; heterosexual marriage; Christian non-resistance; and the resurrection of all people to eternal joy or eternal separation from God. AMEC identifies believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper as its two ordinances. It also recognizes practices such as anointing with oil, prayer for the sick, foot washing, and devotional head covering, although these are not treated as ordinances in the same way. At the end of 2003, the alliance comprised 16 congregations in Pennsylvania and New York and represented approximately 2,000 individual believers. Some congregations maintained dual alignment with AMEC and Mennonite Church USA. The organization launched the quarterly publication InterLink in fall 2003 and held its conference and general assembly on a biennial basis. By 2016, 28 congregations were affiliated with AMEC, principally in Pennsylvania, with additional representation in Oklahoma, New York, and Delaware. The Mennonite World Conference's 2015 census recorded 2,889 baptized members in those 28 congregations. AMEC's continuing role is to provide fellowship, doctrinal coordination, and cooperative identity for evangelical Mennonite congregations, particularly in North America.
History
AMEC developed from a late twentieth-century evangelical renewal movement within Mennonite and Anabaptist circles. The movement sought to recover what its participants regarded as a stronger emphasis on biblical authority, conversion, evangelism, and the Gospel's saving message. Its first major expression was the Smoketown consultation in Pennsylvania in July 1979, which produced the Smoketown Statement. The statement urged renewed confidence in Scripture, a reordering of church priorities around the Gospel, and a clearer commitment to evangelistic work. A further consultation took place in Berne, Indiana, in March 1981. In 1992, participants formed the Evangelical Anabaptist Fellowship and began issuing an EAF Newsletter. The fellowship became increasingly concerned with the approaching merger of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church. Evangelical Mennonite leaders viewed the proposed merger confession as ambiguous on the nature of biblical authority and questioned whether it would function as a binding doctrinal standard. They also objected to what they saw as the downplaying of theological disagreement in order to achieve denominational unity. On February 12, 2000, representatives of 24 congregations from four states gathered in Smoketown. They concluded that a new affiliation of evangelical Anabaptist congregations was needed in response to what they regarded as the new Mennonite Church USA's departure from biblical orthodoxy. The EAF board appointed a committee to recommend an organizational structure. The provisional name Association of Evangelical Mennonite Congregations was adopted early in 2000. A Lancaster County meeting on September 30 of that year produced the first formal congregational commitment, and seven more congregations soon joined the organizing effort. The organization's bylaws were drafted on June 19, 2002, and adopted on September 28, 2002. At that point the body adopted the name Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations. The alliance was structured as a voluntary association. Its member congregations remained locally autonomous but agreed to the alliance's purposes, principles, and statement of doctrine. Individuals whose churches were not affiliated could apply for associate membership. AMEC's doctrinal profile combines conservative evangelical theology with Anabaptist practice. It affirms the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture, orthodox Christian teaching about the Trinity and Jesus Christ, the necessity of salvation, the sanctity of human life, marriage between one man and one woman, non-resistance, and the final resurrection and judgment. Believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper are identified as ordinances, while foot washing, anointing with oil, prayer for the sick, and devotional head covering are recognized practices in many member churches. The alliance had 16 congregations in Pennsylvania and New York by the end of 2003, with an estimated 2,000 believers. It launched InterLink, a quarterly publication, that autumn and held its general assembly and conference every two years. Some congregations maintained dual affiliations with AMEC and Mennonite Church USA. By 2016, AMEC had 28 affiliated congregations, primarily in Pennsylvania and also in Oklahoma, New York, and Delaware. A Mennonite World Conference census for 2015 counted 2,889 baptized members in those congregations. The organization continues to present itself as a fellowship for evangelical Mennonite congregations across North America.
- 2016
Affiliation reached 28 congregations
[1]AMEC was reported to have 28 affiliated congregations, mainly in Pennsylvania, with additional congregations in Oklahoma, New York, and Delaware.
- 2015
Mennonite World Conference census
[1]The Mennonite World Conference census recorded 2,889 baptized members in 28 AMEC congregations.
- 2003
InterLink launched
[1]AMEC began publishing the quarterly InterLink periodical in fall 2003.
- 2002
AMEC formally established
[1]Bylaws were drafted in June and adopted on September 28, when the organization adopted the name Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations.
- 2000
Formation of a proposed new affiliation
[1]Representatives of 24 churches met in Smoketown and endorsed creating a new evangelical Anabaptist affiliation. The provisional name Association of Evangelical Mennonite Congregations was adopted.
- 2000
Initial congregational commitments
[1]At a September meeting in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the first congregation committed to the proposed association; seven additional congregations followed soon afterward.
- 1992
Evangelical Anabaptist Fellowship organized
[1]The evangelical Mennonite renewal movement organized the Evangelical Anabaptist Fellowship and began publishing the EAF Newsletter.
- 1981
Berne consultation
[1]A second consultation of evangelical Mennonite leaders was held in Berne, Indiana.
- 1979
Smoketown consultation
[1]Evangelical Mennonite leaders met in Smoketown, Pennsylvania, and issued the Smoketown Statement, calling for renewed emphasis on scriptural authority, the Gospel, and evangelism.
Products and positioning
A voluntary conservative evangelical Mennonite fellowship that combines evangelical orthodoxy with historic biblical Anabaptist principles, emphasizing scriptural authority, evangelism, non-resistance, and congregational independence.
Religious association · 2002
Congregational affiliation
AMEC provides a voluntary affiliation framework for conservative evangelical Mennonite congregations. Member churches retain local autonomy while affirming the alliance's purposes, principles, and statement of doctrine. The arrangement is intended to provide fellowship and a shared identity without creating a highly centralized denominational structure.
Membership service · 2002
Associate membership
Individuals whose local congregations are not affiliated with AMEC may apply for associate membership, provided they meet the organization's stated doctrinal conditions. This extends participation in the alliance beyond formally affiliated congregations.
Publication · 2003
InterLink
InterLink was a quarterly AMEC publication introduced in 2003. It served as a communication channel for the alliance and was made available through the organization's website or by mail.
Conference and fellowship gathering
AMEC conference and general assembly
AMEC organizes a conference and general assembly on a biennial basis. These gatherings support fellowship and coordination among evangelical Mennonite congregations across the alliance.
Brand decisions
2002
Adoption of AMEC bylaws and nameStrategyBackground
The organizing movement required a formal governance framework for congregations seeking a common evangelical Mennonite affiliation.
Action taken
Bylaws were drafted on June 19 and adopted on September 28, 2002. The organization adopted the name Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations.
Aftermath
AMEC became a voluntary association open to congregations affirming its purposes, principles, and statement of doctrine.
2000
Decision to form a separate evangelical Anabaptist affiliationStrategyBackground
Evangelical Mennonite representatives expressed concern that the developing Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church merger weakened or left ambiguous commitments to biblical orthodoxy.
Action taken
Representatives of 24 churches endorsed the creation of a new affiliation, and an organizing committee was appointed to develop the structure.
Aftermath
The proposed Association of Evangelical Mennonite Congregations attracted initial congregational commitments and became the basis for AMEC.
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