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Two Young Moravian Missionaries
Dean Taylor

Dean Taylor (birth year unknown–present). Born in the United States, Dean Taylor is a Mennonite preacher, author, and educator known for his advocacy of Anabaptist principles, particularly nonresistance and two-kingdom theology. A former sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany, he and his wife, Tania, resigned during the first Iraq War as conscientious objectors after studying early Christianity and rejecting the “just war” theory. Taylor has since ministered with various Anabaptist communities, including Altona Christian Community in Minnesota and Crosspointe Mennonite Church in Ohio. He authored A Change of Allegiance and The Thriving Church, and contributes to The Historic Faith and RadicalReformation.com, teaching historical theology. Ordained as a bishop by the Beachy Amish, he served refugees on Lesbos Island, Greece. Taylor was president of Sattler College from 2018 to 2021 and became president of Zollikon Institute in 2024, focusing on Christian discipleship. Married to Tania for over 35 years, they have six children and three grandsons. He said, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by political power but by the power of the cross.”
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This sermon tells the powerful story of two young Moravian missionaries who willingly sold themselves into slavery to reach 3,000 slaves on an island in the West Indies who had never heard of Christ. Their sacrificial act of becoming slaves themselves to share the Gospel became the core of Moravian mission, emphasizing the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for humanity.
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Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2,000 to 3,000 slaves. The owner had said, no preacher, no clergyman will ever stay on this island. If he's shipwrecked, we'll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave, but he's never going to talk to any of us about God. I'm through with all that nonsense. 3,000 slaves from the jungles of Africa bought to an island in the Atlantic, and there to live and die without hearing of Christ. Two young Moravians heard about it. They sold themselves to the British planter and used the money they received from the sale, for he paid no more than he would for any slave to pay their passage out to his island, for he wouldn't even transport them. And as the ship left the river at Hamburg, left its pier in the river at Hamburg and was going out into the North Sea, carried with the tide, the Moravians had come from Hernhut to see these two lads off in the early 20s, never to return again, for this wasn't a four-year term. They'd sold themselves into lifetime slavery, simply that as slaves they could be as Christians where these others were. The families were there weeping, for they knew they'd never see them again. And they wondered why they were going and questioned the wisdom of it. And as the gap widened and the houses had been cast off and were being curled up there on the pier, and the young boys saw the widening gap, one lad with his arm linked to the arm of his fellow raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them. They were these, May the land that was slain receive the reward of his suffering. This became the core of Moravian mission. And this is the only reason for being, that the land that was slain, the reward of his suffering. Okay, let's get this unloaded here. Escobar. Chef. Is that him? That is him. Wow, finally. Okay, here it is. This was one of the two young Moravian missionaries, him and Leonard Dover. Went to St. Thomas, the first Maymarian mission. He was also, now this one, by the way, he had also been the one on the boat with John Wesley. And he also then was the leader up here. Fascinating man. Wow.
Two Young Moravian Missionaries
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Dean Taylor (birth year unknown–present). Born in the United States, Dean Taylor is a Mennonite preacher, author, and educator known for his advocacy of Anabaptist principles, particularly nonresistance and two-kingdom theology. A former sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany, he and his wife, Tania, resigned during the first Iraq War as conscientious objectors after studying early Christianity and rejecting the “just war” theory. Taylor has since ministered with various Anabaptist communities, including Altona Christian Community in Minnesota and Crosspointe Mennonite Church in Ohio. He authored A Change of Allegiance and The Thriving Church, and contributes to The Historic Faith and RadicalReformation.com, teaching historical theology. Ordained as a bishop by the Beachy Amish, he served refugees on Lesbos Island, Greece. Taylor was president of Sattler College from 2018 to 2021 and became president of Zollikon Institute in 2024, focusing on Christian discipleship. Married to Tania for over 35 years, they have six children and three grandsons. He said, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by political power but by the power of the cross.”