Horses clip-clopping along the streets, black wagons in tow. Women in bonnets and men in suspenders. You don't need a time machine to see all this. Just drive three hours east of Chicago to Shipshewana.
During vacation season, this northern Indiana town of less than a thousand swells with tourists hungry for a taste of the simple life—along with a heapin' helping of Amish cooking. The Amish and Mennonite people have set the gold standard when it comes to country roast beef. Their noodles, fresh breads, apple butter and fruit pies are also stand outs. Not to be missed: the Rise and Roll Bakery, featuring what may well be the world's largest cinnamon sticky buns.
The strong Amish and Mennonite presence is evident everywhere–from bearded men sporting wide brimmed hats, to women riding bicycles laden with blueberries. But what struck my wife and me more than anything was the visible presence of God-fearing people unashamed to live for Him.
- Bible verses adorn mail boxes and driveways.
- Billboards announce the imminent return of Christ.
- Christian books, verses, and videos are for sale in hardware, clothing and furniture stores.
- Several theaters in town host a slate of concerts with well-known Christian artists.
As we sat there eating a tasty Mennonite dinner, peering out at horse-drawn buggies in the street, my wife Diana asked an insightful question: “How long can a place like this last?” I pondered her words as “Are you washed in the Blood?” played over the restaurant's speaker system.
With the rise of the angry atheist and freedom-of-speech squelching political correctness, one wonders if Shipshewana (as we know it today) is living on borrowed time. In a nation where the fastest growing religious group is those with no beliefs of any kind, it would seem Shipshewana may be terminal.
Horses and buggies, of course, will always be welcome for the novelty they offer. But all that Bible and Jesus talk–that might have to be nixed.
2 Timothy 3:1 “This know also, that in the last days, perilous times shall come.”
Better enjoy Shipshewana–while you still can.