John Sharp

Historian · Author · Educator · Pastor · Storyteller · Curious Traveler

John Sharp is a retired historian who taught at Hesston College in Kansas. He previously served as Director of the Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee and Archives. John holds an M.Div. from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and has 15 years of experience as a pastor.

He has been an instructor for Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel) courses on Amish life and culture and a frequent presenter for lifelong learning programs. His books include My Calling to Fulfill: The Orie O. Miller Story (Herald Press, 2015) and The Bible as Story: An Introduction to Biblical Literature (WorkPlay Publishing, 2017). Since 2000, John has led numerous TourMagination heritage tours to Western Europe, Prague and Poland, and Central Asia.

John is married to Michele Miller Sharp, a former physician assistant in family practice and currently Compliance and Eligibility Officer at Hesston College. Their family includes two living daughters and four grandchildren. In recent years, John’s storytelling has focused on the life and legacy of his son MJ, who in 2017 was abducted and killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo while serving on a United Nations peace mission.

Reflecting on his travels, John often says, “There’s nothing like hearing stories on-site.” He continues to eagerly anticipate the stories, landscapes, and fellowship that await with every new journey.

Upcoming Tours with John

Tours
Classic Anabaptist Heritage Tour
May 17
Classic Anabaptist Heritage Tour

This classic Anabaptist heritage tour traces the Anabaptist/Mennonite story through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. Visits to significant sites will bring to life the stories of Reformation and Anabaptist leaders. Other tour highlights include: an afternoon cruise on the Rhine River, a visit to the Rijksmuseum, climbing into the foothills of the Swiss Alps to the Cave of the Anabaptists, visiting Trachselwald Castle, riding a cable-car up a mountain, and visiting the Weierhof, a semi-communal Mennonite village.

Down the Rhine: The Swiss Mennonite Exodus
Jun 2
Down the Rhine: The Swiss Mennonite Exodus

This journey follows the path of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists—families whose faith and convictions led them to be exiled from their homelands and floatdown the Rhine River in search of refuge and peace. Along this unforgettable route, explore powerful landscapes and historic towns, discover stories of resilience and hospitality, and walk in the footsteps of those who shaped the Mennonite and Amish identities.

Discover Prague & the Mennonite Sojourn in Poland
Sep 1
Discover Prague & the Mennonite Sojourn in Poland

Begin your journey in Prague, the stunning capital of the Czech Republic, where you’ll be enchanted by colourful baroque buildings, Gothic churches, and the lively Old Town Square. Continue on to key sites in Kraków and Warsaw, delving deeper into Poland’s layered history. With expert guidance from Mennonite historian John Sharp, trace the journey of Dutch and German Mennonites who settled in Poland’s Vistula Delta from the 1530s through to the Second World War.