Cultivating Christian discipleship as a way of life

We believe that the Anabaptist-Mennonite story offers a fresh and inspiring perspective to our contemporary society and has potential to inspire people to make new connections with the life of Jesus and his followers. We hope that we will energise people in their search for truth and wholeness and equip them to live distinctively in an age of increasingly disorganised religion.

The Network

Groups in the UK meeting to exploring Anabaptist practice

The Trust

Practical support for like-minded organisations and projects

Resources

Information for those interested in finding out more about Anabaptistm

News

Update from the trustees

July 14, 2020

No Justice? No Peace!

July 9, 2020

CPT – Convergence & Study Tour

June 30, 2020

Crucible Online

June 26, 2020

Urban Expression update

June 22, 2020

Urban Expression Vacancy

June 10, 2020

Ross, Steve and Anabaptists

June 10, 2020

More Online News

June 4, 2020

An invitation to Crucible Online

June 2, 2020

Soulspace Update

May 28, 2020

Bruxy Cavey Cancelled

May 15, 2020

Online Forums

May 15, 2020

Virtual Groups

May 14, 2020

CAS Update

April 28, 2020

CPT UK Update

April 23, 2020

Peaceful Borders’ response to COVID-19

April 21, 2020

ATF Moving Online

April 14, 2020

The Crucible Course

April 9, 2020

Analysing the apocalypse

March 30, 2020

Trustee Update

March 30, 2020

Resourcing, transitioning, planting…

March 4, 2020

Goodbye London Mennonite Trust

February 24, 2020

Hopetowns Annual Report

February 6, 2020

Bruxy Cavey

January 17, 2020

Mennonite students of theology in Europe

January 9, 2020

Congratulations!

January 7, 2020

Drysdale Lecture

January 6, 2020

Winter Newsletter 2019

December 17, 2019

UNITE 2020

December 4, 2019

CAS Modules for early 2020

December 1, 2019

In the Cross-hairs

November 21, 2019

Church & Peace Autumn Newsletter

October 10, 2019

Summer Newsletter

September 4, 2019

Youth Volunteer Opportunities

August 12, 2019

Anvil Trust Conversations

August 6, 2019

BBC1 – Inside the Bruderhof

July 31, 2019

Crucible Brochure 2019-20

June 21, 2019

Jesus Collective Gathering

June 14, 2019

CAS Modules for 2019-20

June 2, 2019

Church and Peace AGM

May 27, 2019

Anabaptism Today Launch

March 1, 2019

Spring 2019 Newsletter

February 27, 2019

Core Convictions

The Anabaptist tradition has been wary of creeds and fixed statements of faith. The Network is a diffuse and diverse community, with no official membership or criteria for involvement, but these Core Convictions sum up what some of us who had been involved in the Network for some years believed we were committed to. In the spirit of the Anabaptist tradition these are offered as provisional as we remain open to our understanding developing in fresh ways.

1. Jesus is our example, teacher, friend, redeemer and Lord. He is the source of our life, the central reference point for our faith and lifestyle, for our understanding of church and our engagement with society.

We are committed to following Jesus as well as worshipping him.

2. Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation. We are committed to a Jesus-centred approach to the Bible, and to the community of faith as the primary context in which we read the Bible and discern and apply its implications for discipleship.

3. Western culture is slowly emerging from the Christendom era when church and state jointly presided over a society in which almost all were assumed to be Christian. Whatever its positive contributions on values and institutions, Christendom seriously distorted the gospel, marginalised Jesus, and has left the churches ill-equipped for mission in a post-Christendom culture. As we reflect on this, we are committed to learning from the experience and perspectives of movements such as Anabaptism that rejected standard Christendom assumptions and pursued alternative ways of thinking and behaving.

4. The frequent association of the church with status, wealth and force is inappropriate for followers of Jesus and damages our witness. We are committed to exploring ways of being good news to the poor, powerless and persecuted, aware that such discipleship may attract opposition, resulting in suffering and sometimes ultimately martyrdom.

5. Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission, places of friendship, mutual accountability and multi-voiced worship. As we eat together, sharing bread and wine, we sustain hope as we seek God’s kingdom together. We are committed to nurturing and developing such churches, in which young and old are valued, leadership is consultative, roles are related to gifts rather than gender and baptism is for believers.

6. Spirituality and economics are inter-connected. In an individualist and consumerist culture and in a world where economic injustice is rife, we are committed to finding ways of living simply, sharing generously, caring for creation, and working for justice.

7. Peace is at the heart of the gospel. As followers of Jesus in a divided and violent world, we are committed to finding non-violent alternatives and to learning how to make peace between individuals, within and among churches, in society, and between nations.

Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter

SIGN UP