11. Rumspringa Happens Before Baptism
To ensure that a person has made a genuine decision to become a full-fledged member of the faith community, adolescents typically are allowed greater freedom from the Ordnung’s governance than fully-fledged members of the church. While popular culture envisions Rumspringa as a hedonistic trip through outside, or “English” society, teenagers in Rumspringa don’t usually follow a rock-and-roll lifestyle. Rather, they may simply dress in a more relaxed manner or not attend as many prayer meetings while enjoying their teenage rebellion.
