I Was Once a Jehovah's Witness - David Bercot - Ep. 057 

Thanks for the feedback. We’re glad David’s story was encouraging to you!

yeah...but what is the option, and is it viable......

I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I will pray for him now. 🙏

David Bercot’s book in a novel? Fascinating! I’d like to read it when it’s published.

Hi Brandi. I know that the Ante Niceness Fathers were influential in David Bercot’s journey. Otherwise, I’m not sure what he read. You may be interested in listening to his testimony as told by himself. Ante Nicene Fathers: ‪www.amazon.com/dp/1565630823/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_Ggd8Db8BE9CM6‬ (you can also read the complete set for free online) David Bercot’s Testimony: www.scrollpublishing.com/store/product893.html David Bercot’s Continuing Pilgrimage: www.scrollpublishing.com/store/product895.html

Exactly my experience

Hi Caleb. Thank you for this feedback. I don't know David well enough to comment on all of his doctrinal positions, but I am certain that his is Trinitarian. If you'd like to hear him develop his soteriology and view of righteousness further than he could in this episode, consider checking out this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-meIXLTH0tgA.html

Good question. I don’t know :-)

@@AnabaptistPerspectives Did you see my video called “Were the Pyramids Built before the Flood?”

No. I did not.

@@AnabaptistPerspectives Well, it confirms what David has been saying about the Septuagint. Here’s my video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VI1yRTC6kGE.html Please overlook the movie clips. I know Anabaptists don’t agree with watching media I guess. But they’re just small clips. The overall message agrees that the Septuagint is sometimes more accurate. Please watch.

Anabaptists were Martyred during the Reformation. Many of their stories are recorded in "Martyrs Mirror." You can read it here: www.ccel.org/ccel/vanbraght/mirror.html I'm not sure about a whole village being martyred. I'll ask a friend who is better versed in Anabaptist and Church history than I am. If he knows anything about this, I'll try to let you know.

@@AnabaptistPerspectives thank you very much, I’m just now getting into early Church fathers writings and love it, it’s much more consistent with scripture than the more widely accepted gospel they preach today. I’m actually shocked really. I’m going to read this lol.

Good idea. We've been talking with David about having him back on. Perhaps we could engage him on his time with the Anglicans (we can't promise this, though). Have you seen David's conversation with Austin Suggs on Gospel Simplicity? He talks about his time with the Anglicans there: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ESxzRASHVio.html

Hi Tooty Christo. Yes. Anabaptists do believe in the Trinity.

Hello tooty Christo! Are you a baptised JW? I was one for thirty years. Was an MS for about five. They are not telling you the whole truth about Jesus. Check this out. This lady's ministry is calling Kingdom Halls! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wNdH8-LfXp4.html

@My website: Bibleapostle dot com Isaiah 43: 10 said that there's only one true God. John 1: 1 said that Jesus is God/ or a god as in the Jehovah's witness Bible. There's many scriptures that says Jesus is God. Research because the Jehovah's witnesses are actually a anti Christ religion

Jeremiah 17 5 said cursed is the one who believes in the Jehovah's witness governing body. And so does Psalms 119:8,9

I think you just need a group of bible believers, and I found my local mennonite church to take the bible literally like I do.

Kudos for talking scriptures with them! When they come to my door, they usually give me literature and quickly leave.

God doesn't change, where was the one true religion or church continually throughout all the 1800 years before the Jehovah Witness? Your obviously twisting those scriptures to try and defend your corrupt church.

The one faith is a true, sincere, living faith in Jesus Christ. Those that truly spiritually Gather around Christ are His true Church and are the body of Christ.

Depending upon which Anabaptist person you ask, answers will slightly vary. However, most Anabaptists I know appeal to verses such as Revelation 14:11 and believe that those who are unsaved will suffer eternal fire in Hell.

You can find anything online. Give 1 proof.

Hi Spartacus. Undoubtedly Mennonites today practice and believe differently on some points than the first Anabaptists did. However, I am surprised to hear you say that we’re “practicing completely different doctrines.” Which doctrines and/or practices are you thinking of that are completely different between Anabaptists now and Anabaptists back then?

@@AnabaptistPerspectives The early mennonite church was an inspired church, a church led by the spirit and faith brought about by the opposition to the unscriptural dogma of the catholic church. Early mennonites came together because of their inspired faith. It was their faith that convicted and inspired them to act, even at risk of death. Today most mennonites are mennonites because their parents were mennonites. They live more by tradition than anything else. They go through the motions of tradition in a similar way as the pharisees did, believing that they can simply breed more mennonites into existance. I go to a fellowship mennonite church. What they don't realize is that you can't simply turn the practices of the early church into a ritual, devoid of inspired zeal and faith, and still be christians. It has all become a very formal mechanical ritual. At the end of the service they kiss one another very mechanically. They go afterward to have dinner at each others homes. They talk about who is related to who. They may have singing on Sunday evening, and service on Wednesday night, in which they again kiss after services. A couple of families go to the nursing home on Friday twice a month to sing, as most non mennonite churches do. Women do not speak to men during or after services at church. Occasionally I run into a women during one of the meals that is brave enough or has conviction enough to show her real faith, and so will speak directly to me very briefly, even though she knows there might be repercussions later on. Most of the women only speak through their husbands. Where is the brotherly, sisterly love that's described in scripture. I find most mennonites to be mostly concerned about business and maintaining the status quo. With very little love if any for their neighbor. It seems to be all about themselves. With a passive, aggressive attitude towards those who don't agree with them, or point out scripture that contradicts their very well ingrained western influenced traditions. After attending services there for over 2 years, it has become very apparent that they are more concerned about preserving their way of living, than by living by real faith. And I do understand that their prime interest is to their blood relatives, which of course happens to be everyone in their congregation. They are all related. And that is not what the early church was about. They claim to practice non resistance. But passive aggressive behavior is not non resistance. What they actually practice is apathism, not pacifism. Please read the writing of Menno Simons. If you do, you will understand he was inspired by the holy spirit, and given the wisdom and insight to practice scripture as it was intended, because he longed for the truth. And he did not seek to find passages in scripture to justify his behavior, as most Christians today do. . God sent Jesus into the world to save the world. And why did they need saving? Because they have perverted God's word. They completely lacked the understanding and purpose of God's word. And why do we have so many denominations today? Because of the same reason! They all think they each know better than the other. That pride that blinds is well entrenched in all man made denominations, including mennonites. It is only by a complete willingness to give up our old life, our traditions, and submit to God out of conviction, they we can come to the truth and serve him as faithful servants. Read what Menno Simons wrote about divorce, and the brotherhood. He wrote with understanding The modern mennonite church has completely perverted what the early mennonites understood and practiced. The brotherhood today has become more of a masonic lodge, than a church. And just as a footnote, in my experience, I find that Amish live much closer to scripture than mennonites. And some of that might be because they are allowed to go out into the world before they decide whether or not to join the church. And also Amish culture is a lot different than mennonite. There's a lot of arm twisting to keep young people in the church that I attend. Even though I don't see much real zeal and conviction to serve. And there's also a strong incentive for them to get baptised and join the church. Which is, they get to marry if they join the church. Definitely not what motivated early mennonites!

Hi Spartacus. Thank you for this extensive reply. You’re helping me to better understand your first comment about Mennonites today differing from the first Anabaptists. The picture you paint is very sad-tradition prioritized over conviction and zeal and faith, women not given a voice, failure to include those who aren’t blood relatives, and loss of bona fide nonresistance. I shouldn’t generalize because I’m acquainted with numerous Mennonites and Mennonite churches that have avoided the vices you describe. However, I’m confident to agree that the scene you describe is too much present and indicates a need for reformation. I am thankful for the churches, including Mennonite ones, that live by conviction that comes with walking by the Spirit, not by the flesh and the law (Galatians 5:13-18). I hope to contribute towards churches like this. Anyways, I have nothing to prove in defense of what’s wrong. It is truly tragic when churches and individuals reject the freedom, peace, and love for others that God intends for his people. I welcome your comments and critiques. We must not reject the mirror you’re holding to show us ourselves. Pray for us. - Jaran

@@AnabaptistPerspectives You're one of a very few that are willing to acknowledge such problems exists. I guess one of the main reasons I continue to attend the Mennonite church here is to try to get people there to realize that there is a problem. Not as much as by the example I set. But because of what my circumstances are. My circumstances are quite a bit different than most people. I went to their church 2 years ago, asking for help for my 5 year old daughter. I didn't want her to ever go to a public school , since my older children who were no longer living at home had, and I know how they became corrupted there. I'm also legally blind, and have no family that will help us. My wife passed away in 2015, leaving me at the time with a 2 year daughter, a 7 year old son, and a 13 year old daughter still at home. I now get by financially from social security death benefits, and get rides to go shopping from the state transportation assistance. I asked the Mennonite church here to allow my daughter to attend their school. They said maybe, but they've have to discuss it. Well a year later they said they wouldn't unless I agreed to drop social security, and the internet, which is how I do a lot of my shopping, but my children don't use. And I'd have to join them. Which means having no income, having to agree to everything they believe in (which I obviously dont), including all their rituals like the holy kiss, and I would have to live without having any friendships with women, which seems so rediculious. Last year, the bishop recommended that I give him and his wife custody of my daughter. He said that would be the only way she could attend school there, and that if I cared about her, that's what I would do. I told him that we're a package deal. He made me the same offer last week. He said rules are rules, if I want help, I have to follow them. I've reminded him about the story of the good Samaritan many times, about how God wants us to help everyone in need, without excluding people because they are not part of our church. And we are even suppose to love even our enemies. The bishop didn't care. He said, If I'm not a "brother" he can't help me. So I continue to attend services there as a reminder to him of his sin against God and his neighbor. And also because my daughter loves going there on Sunday. It's the only time she has any interaction with children. I just thought I'd let you know the rest of the story. By the way, I met David Bercot and his family back in 1992 at Elmo Stolls Christian community, just north of Cookeville tennesse. Thats where I got my perspective about the Amish. I found all the Amish women there very open and chatty. I expected Mennonite women to be the same. But they aren't . Very disappointing. Take care, I appreciate your honesty.

@@spartaeus The mennonite church I go to allows non church members to attend their school. They do stick to the rules they have though and don't like change. You don't really have a RIGHT to attend their school though... I was surprised our church allowed it.

Amen to that

@@cygnustsp yea man .

By their fruits you will know them. Compare the fruits of the world, warfare and bloodshed and immorality and violence, to the fruits of the organisation, peace and agape love. The organisation is strict and authoritarian, absolutely, and it works. You need a strict, authoritarian organisation dedicated as slaves of God, bearing our torture stakes, because when the Nazis issue call up papers it won't be the half hearted atheist who refuses. These Anabaptists mean well, but their history seems to suggest they can't stand up against real persecution. If you think they're doing better than us, so be it, however Atheism offers nothing at all.

So what do you do for Christian FELLOWSHIP? Iron sharpens iron afterall! A firebrand cannot last long alone; aloneness finished Samson. No perfect Christian anywhere; we're all work in progress Phil 1:6. So if you see nothing to enjoy in fellow Christians on this difficult pilgrimage, are you really sure you will be happy to be with us in the age to come?

I enjoy fellowshipping with other believers and they call that thing "church". I found some true believers at my local mennonite church.

@@Volleyball_Chess_and_Geoguessr How the fuck do you define a true believer? All of you morons ultimately believe so many different things.

@@sidepot it’s a challenge IF you are seeking the God if the Bible, you stick to the Bible. And I’d say you stick REO what the very early followers of Christ sis and did t do And even that is not law What I’ve found is orthodox Christians are Ans have been pretty close all along

Too funny. I so get that. I actually sung the tune of this old favorite in my head as I read your comment. 🤣