Why have the Anabaptists FAILED at Reaching the Masses

[Ernie]

Jesus himself said,

"By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." Not words, but love.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord." Again, words can be cheap.

There is a place for words, and I use a lot of them. Jesus did as well.
But there were times when Jesus did not use words or only used few words. These were times when more could be taught without words, than with words.

[Soloist]

It would seem Jesus had a different approach for every person. And even with that, some rejected. When you look at how the early church witnessed, it was downright weird compared to how we look at witnessing.

[Neto]

It would seem Jesus had a different approach for every person. And even with that, some rejected. When you look at how the early church witnessed, it was downright weird compared to how we look at witnessing.

^ This. I could not agree more.

[NedFlanders]

That means there was a lot of "assuming" going on here which is why a discussion would have been beneficial, in my honest opinion. When the Bible says "do the work of an evangelist" it seems there's a "starting point" for the one who believes he has a calling to reach the lost,- it starts "somewhere".

Assumptions is right!

If you look up the original meaning of "evangelist" it simply means to share the Gospel or the Good news!

And now the Gospel Jesus shared was the Gospel of the Kingdom of God - So Anabaptists/Mennonites are the only people I know of that have NOT failed the masses in doing this.

[Ernie]

That means there was a lot of "assuming" going on here which is why a discussion would have been beneficial, in my honest opinion. When the Bible says "do the work of an evangelist" it seems there's a "starting point" for the one who believes he has a calling to reach the lost,- it starts "somewhere".

Assumptions is right!

If you look up the original meaning of "evangelist" it simply means to share the Gospel or the Good news!

And now the Gospel Jesus shared was the Gospel of the Kingdom of God - So Anabaptists/Mennonites are the only people I know of that have NOT failed the masses in doing this.

That's an interesting perspective. I assume you are referring to North America.

[barnhart]

It would seem Jesus had a different approach for every person. And even with that, some rejected. When you look at how the early church witnessed, it was downright weird compared to how we look at witnessing.

Indeed. They had a word for one who witnesses: Martyr.

[Soloist]

It would seem Jesus had a different approach for every person. And even with that, some rejected. When you look at how the early church witnessed, it was downright weird compared to how we look at witnessing.

Indeed. They had a word for one who witnesses: Martyr.

I was also referencing the man who witnessed to Justin Martyr.

[Joy]

That means there was a lot of "assuming" going on here which is why a discussion would have been beneficial, in my honest opinion. When the Bible says "do the work of an evangelist" it seems there's a "starting point" for the one who believes he has a calling to reach the lost,- it starts "somewhere".

Assumptions is right!

If you look up the original meaning of "evangelist" it simply means to share the Gospel or the Good news!

And now the Gospel Jesus shared was the Gospel of the Kingdom of God - So Anabaptists/Mennonites are the only people I know of that have NOT failed the masses in doing this.

So does that include the estimated 20 million in China who call themselves Christians (a very dangerous thing to do in Communist China)?
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/20 ... istianity/

[Sudsy]

I would be wanting to know when they were born again and how they now know they have been saved, are being saved and will be saved from the penalty of eternal death.

This is an odd criteria to decide who is and isn't a "Christian". It seems to me it is more a set of criteria of "people who believe in a specific set of evangelical doctrines".

Well, I believe in what Paul stated as 'the Gospel that saves us' as found in 1 Cor 15. Which is the same Gospel that causes one to be born again. Without being born again one cannot see the Kingdom of God. One can try to follow Jesus teachings but without a change of heart, they cannot be saved. Call that 'evangelical doctrines' if you please. I call it the biblical NT doctrine of salvation.

If one is counting on literally following all that Jesus said in the NT to some, who knows what, level of perfection to be saved, then, I believe, that is not the Gospel that saves us. We are saved by what Jesus did and not by our imperfect religious ways. When one puts their trust in what Jesus did to save them, the Holy Spirit comes to live within and gives assurance that we are saved, are being saved and will be saved. Being truly saved our performance as a believer determines our rewards.

But reading some of these posts regarding salvation I can see where there is only a certain segment of Anabaptists that regard themselves as evangelical and would have this belief. I'm not sure about some others that seem to describe being saved more along the results of their works. This was a concept that some get out of the book of James, which Luther wanted removed from the Bible, due to how it could be understood. But James was really just saying that being truly born again will produce good works.

A heart changed by God through a belief in what Jesus did to save us will produce good works which is a testimony to being born again. However, if the heart has not been changed, then any attempt to follow Jesus teachings by our own efforts will not save us.

This is the Gospel I am putting my faith in for my salvation. Is this not yours ?

[NedFlanders]

That means there was a lot of "assuming" going on here which is why a discussion would have been beneficial, in my honest opinion. When the Bible says "do the work of an evangelist" it seems there's a "starting point" for the one who believes he has a calling to reach the lost,- it starts "somewhere".

Assumptions is right!

If you look up the original meaning of "evangelist" it simply means to share the Gospel or the Good news!

And now the Gospel Jesus shared was the Gospel of the Kingdom of God - So Anabaptists/Mennonites are the only people I know of that have NOT failed the masses in doing this.

That's an interesting perspective. I assume you are referring to North America.

That's an accurate assumption!