The New Anabaptists: Practices for Emerging Communities

by Stuart Murray

What does it look like to be an Anabaptist community in the modern world? And why does it matter? 
 
A new incarnation of Anabaptism is emerging, but not where we might expect. In the United Kingdom—a post-Christendom context with little historical Anabaptist presence—Christian communities are embodying fresh expressions of Anabaptist faith and practice. In this companion to The Naked Anabaptist, author Stuart Murray identifies twelve common practices of such churches and communities that are shaped by an Anabaptist vision. 

Murray explores how these practices—which include encouraging economic radicalism in the face of rampant consumerism, truth-telling in a “post-truth” society, and accountability in an individualistic culture that knows little about the Christian story—might shape emerging Christian communities and inspire those seeking fresh expressions as cultural changes accelerate. The book concludes with three on-the-ground reports from ministry leaders pursuing this Anabaptist vision in their own post-Christendom contexts.

The New Anabaptists provides foundational resources for followers of Jesus in many different settings as they rise to the challenge of faithful and radical discipleship in local communities.
 

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2024

About the author

Stuart Murray Williams works as a trainer and consultant under the auspices of the Anabaptist Network. Based in Bristol, he travels widely in the UK and overseas and works with local churches, mission agencies, denominational leaders, conferences and individuals. He has worked with at least 25 denominations in recent years. His particular areas of expertise are in:
•Church planting
•Emerging church
•Urban mission
•Mission in post-Christendom
•Anabaptist history and theology

Under the name Stuart Murray, he has written books on a number of topics, including:

The Challenge of the City
published by Sovereign World in 1994

Explaining Church Discipline
published by Sovereign World in 1995

Church Planting: Laying Foundations
published by Paternoster Press in 1998

Hope from the Margins
(jointly with Anne Wilkinson-Hayes) published by Grove Books in 2000

Biblical Interpretation in the Anabaptist Tradition
published by Pandora Press in 2000

Beyond Tithing
published by Paternoster Press in 2000

Coming Home: Stories of Anabaptists in Britain and Ireland
(jointly with Alan Kreider) published by Pandora Press in 2000

Church Planting: Past, Present and Future
(jointly with George Lings) published by Grove Books in 2003

Post-Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World
published by Paternoster in 2004

Church after Christendom
published by Paternoster in 2005

Changing Mission: Learning from the Newer Churches
published by Churches Together in Britain & Ireland (CTBI) in 2006

Church Planting in the Inner City
(with Juliet Kilpin) published by Grove books in 2007

Planting Churches: A Framework for Practitioners
published by Paternoster in 2008

Reviews

[Graydon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New Anabaptists is a fantastic read for those who have encountered Anabaptist theology but would like to explore how to practice Anabaptism today. Murray has outlined a beautiful portrait of what the church could be while avoiding a tone of hopeless idealism. This book outlines an attainable vision for a New Anabaptism by anchoring it in common practices. I appreciated Murray's faithfulness to Anabaptism while writing in a modern context. Personally, I am convinced that planting churches with these Anabaptist convictions and practices will lead to healthier and more Christlike churches. Three chapters near the end were helpful case studies to exemplify the book's practices, though having different authors and styles of chapters certainly changes the pace and style of the book.

Overall, reading The New Anabaptists was deeply encouraging and stirred me to further incorporate Anabaptist practices into my church community.

Thanks to NetGalley and Herald Press for the ARC.

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought-provoking continuation and update of the Naked Anabaptist. I‘m so glad Murray has continued the conversation and is talking about what an anabaptist community in the future can look like. I also thoroughly enjoyed the articles from his colleagues through the Anabaptist Mennonite Network. Is it possible (and necessary) to integrate some of these ideas into our established Mennonite church? And the question that continues to follow me since first reading the Naked Anabaptist: what do we need to do to make our community viable for the future?