Church Planting in the United Kingdom Inspired by the Anabaptist Vision

Abstract

The Anabaptists of the sixteenth century emerged at a time of societal and religious upheaval and change. They rejected the nature and practices of the church in the Christendom era: synthesis of gospel and culture, shallow discipleship and lack of missionary engagement. As western culture slowly emerges from Christendom, the Anabaptist vision offers resources, insights and experience for Christians today grappling with how the church engages with culture, tells the gospel and nurtures disciples. This article argues that from the context of the United Kingdom, it is time to take a further step from endorsing Anabaptist values towards establishing believers’ communities in the re-discovered Anabaptist vision of peacemaking, radical discipleship, and love for enemies and neighbours.