Why have the Anabaptists FAILED at Reaching the Masses

[mrbilliam]

Why have the Anabaptists failed at reaching the masses?

Mainline and Progressive Anabaptists have attempted reaching the masses. But their efforts have largely failed because of watering down the Gospel.

Old Order and Conservative Anabaptists have failed at this because they rarely attempt it.

But, is it desirable or even possible to reach the”masses.” I have seen my former denomination try to reach the “masses”:by watering down their message, to a point where the message is lost in the water of postmodernism of America culture.

Better a small and faithful church than one that is neither of these. As Robert pointed out above, it is a narrow way.

No because there are churches that do not water down the gospel, are very extreme in practice, and they fill many seats. Fundamental Baptists for example are a pretty extreme group. Yes, they may see some gospel teachings different but they will not water it down.

In fact, we Anabaptists water down completely the Great Commission. 1000% watered down. It's like a tea bag in a swimming pool.

[GaryK]

mrbillian, what do you see as the solution for Anabaptists to reaching those outside their ethnicity ? How can a local church who are 95-100% Anabaptists of the same ethnic background begin to fill their churches with new converts from other ethnic backgrounds ?

They get out there in droves. They move into cities and start churches and businesses. They spread Jesus's message, hold community events, advertise on signs outside their buildings for "singings, teachings, and suppers..." all off busy roads. Hold "Men's seminars, marriage seminars, with big banners. Invite neighbors. Invite those who ask us about our distinct dress to church. Have "teen seminars" teaching morality and chastity advertised on big banners.

The attitude in the church is realize we are not elite. That we have in our ranks liars, thieves, adulterers, and molesters all the same as in the world. We can accept people with open hearts and without judgment (outside of righteous judgment).

Basically we just need to be there and evangelize rather than staying in a corn field saving our own lives.

We have tried many of the things you are suggesting. I'm curious what your experience has been?

[GaryK]

Why have the Anabaptists failed at reaching the masses?

Mainline and Progressive Anabaptists have attempted reaching the masses. But their efforts have largely failed because of watering down the Gospel.

Old Order and Conservative Anabaptists have failed at this because they rarely attempt it.

But, is it desirable or even possible to reach the”masses.” I have seen my former denomination try to reach the “masses”:by watering down their message, to a point where the message is lost in the water of postmodernism of America culture.

Better a small and faithful church than one that is neither of these. As Robert pointed out above, it is a narrow way.

No because there are churches that do not water down the gospel, are very extreme in practice, and they fill many seats. Fundamental Baptists for example are a pretty extreme group. Yes, they may see some gospel teachings different but they will not water it down.

Do you think Fundamental Baptists would fill those same seats if they would teach things like head covering and non-resistance?

In asking this I'm not defending or overlooking the problems within CA churches. I'm just not convinced that comparing our success rates to other church groups give us a clear picture of what's going on.

[RZehr]

I have a few defenses and facts. But no really great excuses.
How few converts did Lot have in Sodom? How many did Noah have in the 120+ years of preaching?

[mrbilliam]

mrbillian, what do you see as the solution for Anabaptists to reaching those outside their ethnicity ? How can a local church who are 95-100% Anabaptists of the same ethnic background begin to fill their churches with new converts from other ethnic backgrounds ?

They get out there in droves. They move into cities and start churches and businesses. They spread Jesus's message, hold community events, advertise on signs outside their buildings for "singings, teachings, and suppers..." all off busy roads. Hold "Men's seminars, marriage seminars, with big banners. Invite neighbors. Invite those who ask us about our distinct dress to church. Have "teen seminars" teaching morality and chastity advertised on big banners.

The attitude in the church is realize we are not elite. That we have in our ranks liars, thieves, adulterers, and molesters all the same as in the world. We can accept people with open hearts and without judgment (outside of righteous judgment).

Basically we just need to be there and evangelize rather than staying in a corn field saving our own lives.

We have tried many of the things you are suggesting. I'm curious what your experience has been?

We know we have not made a real effort in this "trying" to do this. But for the sake of argument, why does it work for other churches, and what churches actually are in cities now, teaching and preaching + Baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? It's not Anabaptist.

I have seen NO "conservative" churches willing to culturally give leeway ever to those in town coming in. Some of these things we do take years of conviction in an individual. We also know any newcomers will never "really be juiced in" generational Mennonites (Judged). Thus newcomers will always feel this even in slight innuendos.

The cultural Mennonite way is to have family/native mennos with the right last names be trusted. But incomers are not ever fully trusted. Perhaps if a NAB child marries a MB then that can change some stuff. But even then, many MB's won't let their children marry a NAB.

It continues... The culture destroys the gospel spreading.

[mrbilliam]

I have a few defenses and facts. But no really great excuses.
How few converts did Lot have in Sodom? How many did Noah have in the 120+ years of preaching?

They didn't have the Great Commission and did not know Jesus and his emphasis on it. They didn't have the Bible, and were more or less in a discovery period of who God was.

That said the Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans etc. (have millions and MILLIONSS of converts).

EDIT: I mean these guys didn't even have the 10 Commandments.... It was discovery faith time.

[mrbilliam]

Why have the Anabaptists failed at reaching the masses?

Mainline and Progressive Anabaptists have attempted reaching the masses. But their efforts have largely failed because of watering down the Gospel.

Old Order and Conservative Anabaptists have failed at this because they rarely attempt it.

But, is it desirable or even possible to reach the”masses.” I have seen my former denomination try to reach the “masses”:by watering down their message, to a point where the message is lost in the water of postmodernism of America culture.

Better a small and faithful church than one that is neither of these. As Robert pointed out above, it is a narrow way.

The 'narrow way'. Is this a certain way of being sanctified or is it a way of accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour as there is no one else whereby we can be saved ?

It's not hiding and quivering scared in a cornfield. The narrow way is because Jesus's way works against the grain of the flesh. Against self preservation. Against "riches" and just throwing "eating, drinking, and being merry parties".

The narrow way says (for example) "Yes I could have the luxuries and way of life I want, but Jesus my king told me he wants me to put MY will away and follow God's. I should not be just having a "good church life", but willing to give up myself and my life to tell others about Jesus".

[Soloist]

The narrow way says (for example) "Yes I could have the luxuries and way of life I want, but Jesus my king told me he wants me to put MY will away and follow God's. I should not be just having a "good church life", but willing to give up myself and my life to tell others about Jesus".

Many people do the second and not the first. Christianity is not a social club.
Thus trying to compare the narrow road churches to the wide road churches will obviously have large differences.
I honestly think that you have a bone to pick because you have been hurt. Mennonites have problems and likely nothing done was done through will but rather ignorance.

[Josh]

As far as Ken’s assertion that Islam is “growing”, well, it’s growing via ethnic birth rate (which is declining).

I’m just looking at the data. If it is primarily birth rates then it is the same way that Anabaptists are growing except that they are doing a much better of job of it obviously: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads ... ous-group/

Why Muslims are the world’s fastest-growing religious group

In the next half century or so, Christianity’s long reign as the world’s largest religion may come to an end, according to a just-released report that builds on Pew Research Center’s original population growth projections for religious groups. Indeed, Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2015 and 2060 and, in the second half of this century, will likely surpass Christians as the world’s largest religious group.

While the world’s population is projected to grow 32% in the coming decades, the number of Muslims is expected to increase by 70% – from 1.8 billion in 2015 to nearly 3 billion in 2060. In 2015, Muslims made up 24.1% of the global population. Forty-five years later, they are expected to make up more than three-in-ten of the world’s people (31.1%).

The Amish population doubles every 19 years. By your criteria, they’re ahead of even the Muslims. The only comparable group are Hasidic Jews.

There’s a lot of assumptions there… such as that high birth rates will stay high.

[GaryK]

But, is it desirable or even possible to reach the”masses.” I have seen my former denomination try to reach the “masses”:by watering down their message, to a point where the message is lost in the water of postmodernism of America culture.

Better a small and faithful church than one that is neither of these. As Robert pointed out above, it is a narrow way.

The 'narrow way'. Is this a certain way of being sanctified or is it a way of accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour as there is no one else whereby we can be saved ?

It's not hiding and quivering scared in a cornfield. The narrow way is because Jesus's way works against the grain of the flesh. Against self preservation. Against "riches" and just throwing "eating, drinking, and being merry parties".

The narrow way says (for example) "Yes I could have the luxuries and way of life I want, but Jesus my king told me he wants me to put MY will away and follow God's. I should not be just having a "good church life", but willing to give up myself and my life to tell others about Jesus".

How many successful Baptist and Methodist churches in American cities are teaching that Jesus' way works against the grains of the flesh, self preservation and riches? How many are teaching Jesus" words that the gate is narrow and the way difficult? How many are teaching their converts that they must love their enemies and do good to those who hate them? How many are teaching Jesus' teaching on divorce and remarriage? How many are teaching Paul's teaching on head covering?

If you can point us to examples of these other churches who are teaching all these things and expect their converts to live accordingly and they are still filling a lot of seats, then I want to learn from them and do things differently than what we have tried so far in our 13 years of outreach to the community here in GA.