Evangelist THE BRETHREN
WHY WORK MATTERS J. ALLEN MILLER A Brethren Prototype
WHEN MARRIAGE FEELS HARD Transparency in
Marriage
GENERAL CONFERENCE Preview Awaken:2018
THE FUTURE
Changes to Our Magazine
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No.
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MARCH 2018
Above: Youth from Engage Conference pray over Pastor Reggie Harvey at General Conference 2017
CONN ECT
The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 College Avenue Ashland OH 44805 @TheBrethrenChurch @brethrenchurch @brethrenchurch and @iglesiadehermanos brethrenchurch.org Questions? Comments? Submissions? communications@brethrenchurch.org
On the cover: Wicho Ruiz, a Brethren Church member, poses in his workplace. Volume 140
No. 01
March 2018
CO NT E NTS
AR OUND T HE D ENO M INAT ION
F E ATU R E S
03
LE T T E R F R O M T H E E D I TO R
12
PROTOTYPE
04
NAT IONA L N EWS
J. A L L EN MIL L ER: A BRETHREN
Jason Barnhart
18 WHY WO RK MAT TERS
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G LOB AL PA RT N E R S
Jamie White
20 WHEN MA RRIAG E IS HA RD
Jelise Ballon
I N T HE K NOW I N CO N C LUS I O N 0 8
T HE FUTU R E O F O UR M AG A Z I N E
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AWAK E N : 201 8 PR EVI EW
Ryan S m i t h
23 MO MENTS
Milestones of The Brethren
26
END NOTES
Steven Cole
T H E B R ETHREN EVA NG EL IST | 01
DRIVEN by our BRETHREN HERITAGE For over 125 years, Ashland University has been helping students find their life calling. Our Brethren roots have created a unique campus environment where tradition and innovation empower students to discover their true purpose. We look at students holistically and cultivate a values-driven culture supporting service learning, problem solving and critical thinking. At Ashland University, values like moral integrity, respect and service derive from our Christian heritage and inform all aspects of our campus culture. Students come to Ashland to pursue their educational aspirations in a safe, loving and welcoming environment. For more information or to schedule a visit to campus, visit www.ashland.edu/visit.
A R O U ND T HE D E NO M I NAT I O N
LE T T E R FRO M THE EDITOR Patrick Sprague
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don’t know what it’s like in your neck of the woods, but for the first time in a few years, we’re in the midst of a “real” winter here in Ohio. I’m an Ohio native, born and raised. The gray skies and cold misery that settle in over our poor state for six months each year are just par for the course. When I first married in 2009, my wife and I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to help plant a church. As fall gave way to winter, I was surprised to find out that in other parts of the country, winter is not gray. Who knew? Salt Lake, while enjoying an average 62” of fluffy, pure snow each year, also enjoys an average 222 sunny days each year. Countless times I would watch the clouds that dumped snow on us give way to beautiful blue skies and bright, warm sunshine that reflected off the fresh powder. It may not come as a surprise then, that when we moved back to Ohio in late 2013, I finally understood this “seasonal affective disorder” (or seasonal depression) that folks had been talking about all these years. That first winter back in the midwest was brutal. Never in my years growing up did the winter bother me like it did that first year back. You just don’t know any different…until you do.
out of winter into 2018, I have found great joy in seeing a bright light breaking through the clouds in our denomination. There are beautiful, simple expressions of Jesus happening every day, all over our church. I’m encouraged by the work happening by our Global Partners in India and South America. I’m inspired by the way the Brethren continue to serve their neighbors and communities. I continue to be humbled by the $50,000 (and growing, still!) donated by generous Brethren across the United States for Hurricane Relief in recent months. I’m excited to see those same Brethren going and serving to rebuild and restore communities, long after the government response has stopped. In the midst of everyday life and ministry, it is effortless to begin to believe that our obedience in heeding God’s call is insignificant and small. It’s easy to view the work he’s called us to as bleak, gray and monotoned. That’s a lie. A life surrendered in obedience to Christ is a beautiful thing. A whole people surrendering in simple obedience to Christ? That’s the Kingdom of Heaven, friends. May we continue to have eyes to see the Kindom all around us, and the King who calls us in.
Perspective is a lovely hand to hold. As we come
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NATIONAL NEWS LIVE NAT IVITY Real Life Church (Niles, MI) recently held its 5th annual live nativity over the holidays. The outreach drew over 1000 people from the community into the story of Jesus. Pastor Jared Eckerly started the church in his home around 2010. Real Life now meets in the gymnasium of their local YMCA.
S E N T I N M I N I STRY First Brethren Church of Elkhart, IN recently sent one of their own into ministry. Adam Herendeen and his soon to be wife, Tre Stahly, were prayed over (image to left) as they continue their journey serving Jesus Christ. Adam will be starting an internship at First Brethren Church of Milford (IN).
HUR RICAN E RE S PO N S E Mt. Olive Brethren Church (McGaheysville, VA) and Park Street Brethren Church (Ashland, OH) have recently deployed teams in response to the devastating hurricanes this fall. Mt. Olive travelled to Houston with Convoy of Hope, a disaster relief group based out of Missouri. Their ministry wasn’t limited to Houston, however. Team member Melanie Wylie said, “It’s funny, with God, you never know when he will place someone in your life to love. On the plane I shared the gospel with an Athiest. I think of all the people God could have placed next to me on the plane, but this man was next to me. I feel honored that God chose me to share his love. Park Street sent a team of church members, along with Ashland University students, to Anahuac, TX, and gutted mold-ridden homes, repairing electric service and re-hanging drywall. WANT TO SEE MORE? A RECAP VIDEO OF THE ANAHUAC TRIP IS AVAILABLE TO VIEW AT BRETHRENCHURCH.ORG/TEXAS-RELIEF
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Now is your chance to be that someone for a student!
Do you remember the person who called YOU into ministry
If you recognize a student (currently in grades 10, 11, or 12) in your congregation who possesses leadership qualities, spiritual maturity, or general interest in ministry, please consider nominating them to attend Brethren Academy this summer! Brethren Academy is a one-week conference on Ashland University campus for high school students to grapple with big questions about faith, life, and calling. Students get a chance to explore their life calling, grow deeper in faith, form lasting friendships, and get a taste of the college experience that may inspire them for something more.
B R E T H R E N A c a
d e
m y
To nominate a student, talk through what this means, or connect, please contact Program Director Jamie White jwhite31@ashland.edu 330-488-4808
www.brethrenacademy.org
Above: (Left) Members of Mount Olive pose with local families their team assisted on the trip. (Right) Team members gather in prayer before a workday Below: Students from AU dig trenches for sewer lines in Anahuac, TX
Above: The team from Ashland University and Park Street
A R O U ND T HE D E NO M I NAT I O N
NATIONAL NEWS STAF FIN G CHANG E S The Brethren Church National Office is celebrating the ministry of some important staff members. Tony Van Duyne, who served on staff in Operations and Financial roles, has officially ended his time on the national staff after 10 years. Tony is now the Operations Manager at Park Street Brethren Church (Ashland, OH). Paula Strickland has also ended her time on the national staff after 11 years. Paula has served on the national staff, as well as the Morning Star editorial staff in years prior. She served the denomination faithfully, and will be dearly missed. In addition, a number of people have joined the national staff, or shifted roles in recent months: Jason Barnhart has rejoined the national office staff as Director of Brethren Research and Resourcing. Jason began work this fall, overhauling online courses offered to Brethren candidates for ordination, as well as establishing a new library of digital and print resources for churches, including videos explaining Brethren history, theology, and more. Ronald W. Waters has joined the national staff in 2018 in a part-time role. Ron will head up the creation of a Brethren Development and Advancement team. This important work will ensure the financial stability of the denomination, as well as to fuel new initiatives carrying the Gospel further in our local communities, as well as to the ends of the earth. Gary Diehl has shifted roles slightly, now sharing his time between his current role of Mobilize (Church Health) Coordinator, and taking on the new role of North Central Regional Resource Coordinator.
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Communications Director, Patrick Sprague, has now moved from a part-time position in 2017 to a full-time role in 2018, as our denomination’s communication needs are ever increasing in the digital age. Lee Compson (Milford First Brethren, Milford, IN) has joined the national staff as Regional Resource Coordinator for the Midwest Region. As the Southeast District and Northeast District continue their transition to a regional structure, T.J. Mclaughlin (Northeast) and Lee Reams (Southeast) will work in a contract role, providing resources, lines of communication and support for their respective districts on this path.
NE E D S OM E DA I LY I N S PI R AT I O N ? Check out The Brethren Church’s Instagram account for daily doses of scripture and inspiration for your day! Find us @TheBrethrenChurch
T H E B R E THREN EVA NG EL IST | 07
A R O U ND T HE D E NO M I NAT I O N
THE FUTURE T H E BR ETHREN EVAN G EL I ST, G O I N G FO R WA R D The Brethren Evangelist began its historied run as a publication when the 1887 Brethren Sunday School Convention, by resolution, adopted “The Brethren’s Evangelist” as their official church paper. The paper was an evolution from Henry Holsinger’s somewhat agitating paper, “The Progressive Christian,” that gave voice to the progressive side of our movement in the tumultuous 1880’s. The magazine has seen dozens of iterations in its time, being a weekly, monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly publication. At times, it has looked like a newspaper, newsletter, and a magazine. It has been printed in-house and out-of-house, in color and black and white, and everything in between. It remains, for many, both a literal and symbolic tie to this family we all call “Brethren.” It connects us to the things going on around our denomination. This publication is not without its cost, however. For a significant number of years, the denomination has offered the magazine free of cost to every member of a Brethren church. While we are committed to keeping every Brethren as connected as possible, some real considerations require the denomination’s careful stewardship.
~$30,000
Total budgeted for the magazine out of the denomination’s general budget each year.
5,000
Number of households that receive The Brethren Evangelist each quarter
$1.60/unit
Approximate cost to produce and ship to your door. This includes outside design needs and postage, but does not include any of the writing, layout or administrative working hours used to produce the magazine. Volume 140
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A R O U ND T HE D E NO M I NAT I O N
Obviously, this is a significant financial undertaking. It also poses some difficulty when justifying any improvements or growth to the publication, such as recruiting more talented writers, increasing pages in the magazine, etc. We’ve been able to offset some of the improvements over the last 12 months with the addition of some advertisements from strategic Brethren partners, which is helpful, but does not eliminate costs. As mentioned at General Conference 2017, The Brethren Church is taking the following steps to help better steward the finances that make The Brethren Evangelist possible. Please read the following carefully: • Starting in 2018, we’ll implement a subscription year that runs July 1-June 30. Each person will need to “opt-in,” once a year, to continue to receive the magazine. We’ll make this as easy as possible, with plenty of ways to do so (online, by phone, by mail, etc.). • We’ll go to a “reader-supported” model for funding. The first year you’re a member of a Brethren church, you’ll receive The Brethren Evangelist absolutely free, no action required. At the end of your year, you’ll receive a subscription renewal notice, like every other subscriber, to continue receiving the magazine. • The suggested “reader supported” cost of the magazine is $10/year. To be clear, however, as long as you renew your subscription each year, you will receive the magazine, regardless of whether you pay or not. We understand that some may not be able to pay for the subscription, and we’re committed to the idea that if you want to receive the magazine, we’ll continue to send it. This begins immediately. You may renew your subscription for the July 2018-June 2019 subscription year anytime between now and June 30, using the instructions below. No matter how you do so, we will provide you with a confirmation code and email/written confirmation to ensure you get your magazine.
BY MAIL
BY PHONE
BY COMPUTER
Fill out the form on the rear cover and drop it in the mail
Simply call our off ices at 419-289-1708 to renew
By far the quickest, easiest and preferred route, simply visit brethrenchurch.org/renew
T H E B R E THREN EVA NG EL IST | 09
July 16 – 19, 2018 Ashland University Ashland, Ohio
I N T HE K NOW
GE N E RAL CONFERENCE 2018 Ryan Smith
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his July will mark the 130th time Brethren have joined together for the purpose of General Conference. Over the years General Conference has come to hold special meaning for so many, serving as a time of family reunion, as celebration, continuing the mission of the Brethren, and drawing closer to God. Regardless of the reason people gather together for a week in July, one thing is certain; the past 130 years of gathering reflect a story of a particular people joining in God’s work. Our conference theme for 2018 is Awaken. During our time together we’ll explore how from the very beginning of the Brethren story until now, God has been calling us as a people to awaken. Without question there have been significant moments throughout our history where we can look back and point to this being true. Something happened, we responded, we were awakened to God’s call for our tribe. The people we are today has been stitched together by those who have come before us. The people who’ll come after us tomorrow will have about them the very same thread that binds us to the Brethren story, which is God’s grand story at work in and through us as Brethren.
everyone – from special meal times, to times spent together with our youth from Engage Conference, to doing the important work of Brethren Church business, to worshiping and celebrating together. We expect the time together at General Conference to be well worth your investment to attend. We will be offering several unique and helpful workshops designed to inform both pastors and lay leaders – something to look forward to this year as a highlight! Also, we’ll share in the efforts of those who have contributed to Story and Song through their musical and artistic talents. We’ll hear from Executive Director Steven Cole, as well as other familiar voices. Plan now to attend Brethren General Conference and experience the awakening God has for us!
Every year we anticipate the week of General Conference to be special and this year is no different. It is certainly true that conference offers a little something for
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Ryan Smith is the Brethren Leadership Development Coordinator, and resides in Nappanee, IN.
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“Whether conservative or liberal, the best way to seek to do the right thing is by remaining loyal to our original deposit of faith.”
J. AL LEN MILLER: AN A SH L AN D B RETHREN PROTOYPE Jason Barnhart
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n March 27, 1935 the campus of Ashland College was silent. The Brethren Church responded in disbelief as news spread across the country of Dr. J. Allen Miller’s death. Dr. Miller’s leadership, alongside his wife Clara Worst Miller, had taken a college on the brink of bankruptcy and closure and charted a new chapter for both it and the newly founded seminary. William H. Beachler, a Brethren minister, shared of Miller what many already knew: “As a teacher, Dr. Miller was human. By which I mean that his fine and broad learning never isolated him from the common run of us. Dr. Miller’s life and bearing lent convincing proof that the highest educated can be simple, and at home, among the simple and common people. I shall remember Dr. Miller as a man who lived on earth among folks, and who kept his feet securely on the earth. He was not a “know it all” teacher. His fine modesty was always outstanding in his life and work as a teacher. I cannot recall that Dr. Miller ever impressed me as a man who had complete control and possession of all truth. Dr. Miller could concede to those who even differed with him, some things, and it seemed possible for him to conceive of
others being sincere even if they differed with him much. I like to remember just this about him. It was a proof of his broadmindedness, fairness, and courtesy, just as it was proof that in the presence of the endless fields to be explored he considered that not one of us is more than a child. He was a humble, modest, unassuming teacher.” Charles A. Bame, another Brethren minister, capturing the late Miller’s qualities for leadership in both college and church, wrote in The Brethren Evangelist that “Miller was learned without pomposity; keen without being cutting; good without being sanctimonious; strong despite weakness; strict without being severe; different without being queer, he could love without palaver, disagree without bombast, oppose without quarreling. All this begat in him the great qualities of leadership we know he had.” A brief article written later described the impact of Miller on both Ashland College (now University) and the Brethren Church. The biographer wrote that Miller “wanted for himself and his students an intelligent and reasonable faith. His Lord was Christ and his book was the Bible
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and his faith was that of the Brethren. The first third of the century has been dominated by his Christocentric faith, scholarship and devotion.” The biographer continues: “Thus it is that this man more than any other epitomized historic Brethren ideals in the years following the 1883 division. He illustrated the tension Brethren have experienced between Spirit and Word, the internal and external, faith and obedience, personal faith and corporate responsibility, the Christ of faith and the Jesus of history…. His philosophy of life was that this is God’s world and he had a plan for it and he will not permit it to fail. It is a plan in which good is intended for his people, and he will bring it to pass.” Standing at five feet six inches, J. Allen Miller (1866-1935) was not a commanding presence when he entered a room but his ability to inspire and challenge his students to think critically is well documented. Described as friendly, personable, with a slight air of superiority, his leadership and teaching revealed a man humble about his respective opinions and beliefs but confident in the intellect and faith that brought him to his theological conclusions. Miller’s very persona was shaped by the dialectical (both/and) interplay of Pietist emphases of Spirit, individuality, and openness in tension with Anabaptist emphases of outward form, community and order. Examples of Miller’s dialectical theology are seen in his response to the developing FundamentalistModernist divide plaguing American churches of the early twentieth century. Challenging the denomination he wrote: “To sell out the Brethren birthright in order to be “contemporary” would be to disown a set of truths which the modern world itself needs to hear…. At the same time, however, the church must not be so tied down to culturally defined aspects of its Christian life…that it avoids interaction with the
movements and issues of its day and thereby fails to offer a message for society’s pressing needs. This commitment to both tradition and contemporary mission can be balanced only by comparing both with the standard of Scripture and by being sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.” Miller embodied this tension allowing the fulcrum to be the revelation of the Living Word of Jesus as revealed through the cooperation of Word and Spirit in the life of community—a witness that is entirely Christocentric. “The eternal purposes of God,” he wrote, “are centered in Jesus Christ. It is Christ that has perfectly manifested the will of the Father. It is Christ who affected man’s redemption by his atoning death. It is Christ who assists man to first see his infinite possibilities.” In an article in a December 1928 issue of The Brethren Evangelist entitled “The Sure Foundation,” Miller stressed the centrality of Jesus Christ for Brethren theology (indeed biblical Christianity): “Jesus Christ came into our world as God’s son, incarnate in perfect man; Jesus Christ spoke for God to men; he revealed the will of God to Men; Jesus Christ commanded men to hear his message, believe it and obey it. This message which he revealed personally and through chosen men is the New Testament; as such record it is God’s revelation given through Inspiration.” The ‘why’ to Jesus’ appearance among humanity is seen in the revelation of God’s kingdom to humanity. If Jesus is the ‘why,’ then the kingdom is the ‘what,’ and the Church is the ‘how.’ Miller views the kingdom as the greatest theme of the New Testament. Everything there looks forward to its realization. Christ’s personal return will precipitate the final crisis which will usher in the age to come.
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The centrality of Jesus, revealed through Word and Spirit, for the believing community is essential to Miller’s theology. Stressing the Word over the Spirit leads to legalism—an accusation that was playing out with Fundamentalists of the period. To stress Spirit over Word leads to a hyper-mysticism that is so inward that outward evidences of faith can be lost—an accusation played out with Modernists of the period who were confusing Holy Spirit with the spirit of the age. For Miller, the purpose of the dialectic between Word and Spirit is not just for Bible study or an emotive worship experience. Instead, these two symbols, held in tension, produce the mystical reality of Christ’s presence. With such a revelation, the Church need not fear cultural engagement within the larger marketplace of ideas. Yet Miller was adamant that the Church not be underprepared when it dialogued with the ideas of the surrounding culture. Nor should the Church be apologetic about its witness and mission. Writing again in his article “The Sure Foundation”:
“We must hold a faith that is reasonable, intelligent and compelling. We ought never as ministers and teachers of the Word of God have to beg the question when asked for the grounds upon which our faith rests by replying evasively or charging our questioners with unbelief…I plead for an informed and intelligent ministry. I covet a ministry for the Brethren church that knows the grounds upon which faith can be rested—grounds that can not be shaken by any discovery of history, science, or philosophy.”
Below: The 1911 Ashland Theologs
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Miller’s confidence stemmed from his understanding of the authority of the New Testament. “The New Testament is and must remain our ultimate source of information and the final word of authority,” he wrote. “One must of necessity hold some philosophic worldview. But there must be consistency in one’s thinking and one’s conclusions ought not to contradict this philosophy and dare not be contrary to the Teachings of Christ and the New Testament Revelation.” With this deep appreciation for the authority of the New Testament, Miller challenged the Church, “to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ and interpret it anew to the men of our times in the terms of the life of our day. Here we have made mistakes in the past and are still making them. Such mistakes continued will be all but fatal to any marked degree of success in the days to come. Now it is not with the Gospel that we have to find fault. It is with our handling of the gospel that we must break…What I am insisting upon now is that we should be less held by man’s apprehension of the Gospel and his interpretation thereof than by the Gospel itself. We must take the Gospel as it comes from Jesus and give it to men as we find them today.” Not buying into the false dichotomy of the time that posited that righteous conviction was at odds with cultural engagement, Miller allowed the foundation of the New Testament to provide preachers of the day a different posture. Commitment to the whole Gospel, Miller argued, “makes us doctrinal preachers. Mark the words and their order—belief, conviction then character. Also these words in their order, the truths of the Gospel, their unequivocal acceptation, then their fearless proclamation to men. This means that character cannot be divorced from conviction and conviction grows out of one’s beliefs. Therefore it does make all the difference possible what a man believes.”
Such a commitment was evidence of Miller’s Anabaptist-Pietist faith and how he remained free from the trappings of both liberal and fundamentalist systems. He was bound only by his unwavering commitment to Scripture and the philosophical/theological world view developed by a reason enlightened by the Word and the Spirit. Miller’s leadership posture occurred in an era of great anxiety. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were marked by great duress among American Protestants. The urbanization of society, scientific progress, and the boom of the industrial age revealed a fissure between agreed upon understandings of reality as understood biblically and societally. The reality was a schism occurring because of an inability to differentiate truth as revelation and truth as reason. The resulting polarization of Fundamentalism and Liberalism, or Modernism, became a battle for the great idol of American society—certainty. Both sides embodied great anxiety regarding their certainty, as long held signifiers gave way to ambiguity and debate. While Fundamentalists would champion the authority of the inerrant Bible, they failed to see how inerrancy was a rational defense of holy Scripture against the onslaught of rationalism. Meanwhile, as Protestant Liberals assailed the ghettoization of theology into archaic propositions known as The Fundamentals (c. 1910), they unknowingly established a cult/ religion to reason which postmodernism would begin to unravel in the latter half of the twentieth-century. At the heart of the conflict were competing theological epistemologies. It is important to define what is meant by “epistemology” and how it relates to both revelation (God revealing himself to humanity) and the authority of Scripture (a tool through which God reveals himself ). While Scripture is always a tool through which God reveals himself, Miller departs from earlier Brethren with his acceptance of reason as a tool for God’s
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revelation. With the inclusion of reason Miller departs from the purely fideistic epistemologies of earlier Brethren and develops a distinctly Ashland Brethren epistemology. Epistemology is an investigation into what differentiates justified belief from opinion. Epistemology explores how we know what we claim to know. Fundamentalism stressed biblical inspiration and the infallibility (and often inerrancy) of Scripture, the virgin birth of Jesus, a belief that Christ’s death was the atonement for sin, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and the historical reality of the miracles of Jesus. Theological liberalism sought to accommodate the faith to scientific progress. Miller’s challenge was living in the land between the extremes of Fundamentalism and Liberalism. Fundamentalism was quickly making the Bible’s authority synonymous with inerrancy and a suspicion of reason. Liberalism took the Brethren’s traditionally more optimistic view and stress upon the life of Christ and made it synonymous with immanence absent any sort of transcendence and an ethic focused on justice over and against discipleship. Miller quickly rejects any theology that pits incarnation against atonement as the two go hand-in-hand. Miller argued for the complexity of the search for truth. He advocated for the diversity of directions that people approach truth, even Christian understandings of truth. Contrary to bounded set belief systems where one believes the right things and is in the organization (like Fundamentalist insistence on creeds and statements of faith), Miller espouses a centered set, seeking to affirm each believer’s approach to Christ. This disruption from a movement that just 50 years prior had boundary markers, such as plain dress and separation from society, is the dialectical genius of Miller. He stays committed to the authority of the Bible and Church all while allowing his tethering to those sources of authority to offer room to roam and explore. This is what made Miller a trusted
scholar and leader while simultaneously serving as a prophetic voice to the Brethren Church. Under his prophetic words, however, is a deep concern for the Brethren to know who they are and why they exist. Miller’s convictions resonate with this commitment to the life of the Church. Miller is first and foremost a churchman and his overarching desire is to develop leaders for the Brethren. In the end, no theological label can be attached to Miller. His childlike faith, centered on Christ, gave him the confidence to avoid even the categories of Fundamentalist and Modernist and to be simply Brethren. W.D. Furry, president of Ashland College from 1911-1919, came closer than most in depicting Miller’s theological position: By inheritance, as he often and with a high degree of satisfaction expressed it in private conversation and public address, by temperament and ingrained character of mind, he could be best labeled neither conservative nor liberal alone in all moral and religious matters but rather a liberal conservative… This characteristic was…evident in his doctrinal positions and churchmanship. Always on both these points he was conservative. Yet again in these sermons and addresses [in Christian Doctrines] as well as in discussions on the floor of district and general Conferences he would express himself with views of surprising breadth. Perhaps Furry was articulating what Miller would often say: “After all, whether conservative or liberal, the best way to seek to do the right thing is by remaining loyal to our original deposit of faith.”
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Jason Barnhart is the Director of Brethren Research and Resourcing. He lives in Ashland, Ohio with his wife Allison.
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WH Y WOR K M AT TERS Jamie White
“Be as salty as you can be. Be with people as much as you can be.”
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here is a gentle humility that emanates from him that draws one in, longing to know more of his story. His full name is Luis Ivan Barron Ruiz, but he goes by Wicho. Or Luis. Or Ivan. Or really anything you call him. He doesn’t mind that his 2-year old daughter doesn’t know his given name; it’s not important. Other things gain his attention, and arguing over a name is not one of them. I met up with him on a cold, yet sunny (an anomaly for Ohio winters) Thursday to talk about his work and learn more about what a senior web developer does. The corporate offices reminded me of a hospital, complete with multiple buildings, cement walkways, a cafeteria, and perfectly lined trees. The inside of the main building boasted modern staircases and perfectly polished floors. After acquiring a visitor’s badge (did I mention it reminded me of a hospital?), I was ushered into a coffee-bar area to talk with my friend Wicho. As I poured my coffee (a brand of the company), I started to inquire about how he arrived at such a place from his humble roots in Chihuahua, Mexico. Wicho moved to the United States in August 2017 with his wife, Aleesa, and their daughter, Sammie. He attended a local technical college to study electronics and finished with a degree in computer science with the dream to live well and earn a lot of money. But when he became a Christian, he says “God messed up my dreams.” He smiled, thinking back on this. He no longer felt like he could live for himself solely, but rather for the greater good of the kingdom. “A lot of people think to glorify God you have to be a pastor,” he stated. “But what would happen if everyone were a pastor? Or everyone was a computer nerd?” He shook his head and laughed.
This question harkens to the gospel of Luke when John baptizes tax collectors and soldiers, the most despised of professions. They ask now “what should we do?” (3:12). Instead of sending them off to become students or rabbis, he instead sends them back to their jobs. Armed with a new life, these tax collectors and soldiers are charged to be a different kind of tax collector and soldier. No longer will they extort money, instead they are sent back to be salt and light to their peers and co-workers. Wicho began to use his skills to help missionaries in India who were having computer problems and started building websites. After moving to America, it didn’t take long for his talents to be discovered by such a large corporation and he quickly obtained a job as a senior web developer amongst the 2000+ employees in this giant company, nestled in a small town. While he used phrases like “prep for code” and “v.3 to v.5” and “speed up migration process,” it was the way he talked about the spiritual value of his work that caught my attention. “I’m just a Christian trying to live my life,” he stated after I questioned how he brings God to work with him. He realizes that a great thing about working is how you’ll see the same people day in and day out and they will recognize you in all your humanity, from your daily errors to your achievements. It gives teeth to his testimony. And it has come to fruition already in many ways. One day he remembers a co-worker who had been struggling with family problems. Wicho felt the need to send her a message merely stating the truth found in Zephaniah 3:17, “The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Unaware of how this would help, he obeyed, and the co-worker cried tears of relief. She had been judging herself a lot
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Above: Wicho Ruiz poses in the large lobby of the giant corporation he works for. lately and felt that God was frowning upon her. Wicho’s obedience made a significant impact in the life of that co-worker, providing light in the darkness. And isn’t that what we are called to do as followers of Christ anyway? He shared his motto for being an impactful Christian: “Be as salty as you can be. Be with people as much as you can be.” If we live out our faith in this way, there will be a substantial change in the world around you. Wicho says he is thankful that this job gives him the contact to be salty. As I glance around the bustling lobby, I see that he indeed has this contact. Employees walk in pairs up the stairs, utilizing their name badges as door access passes. People dress in everything from business suits to jeans and range in age, gender, and ethnicity. The possible thousands of people he might see in a day is impressive. And if he can add just a little bit of the salt and light to those offices, then he is doing just what God has called him to at this moment. “If I had all the money in the world,” Wicho stated, “I would keep working.” Wouldn’t it be amazing if all Christians valued their work as much as he does? If we could all bring a little salt and light to our jobs, then suddenly working is not simply a means to an end. So whether you are a senior web developer or a teacher or a graphic designer or a farmer, work matters because, like Wicho has found out, it can be the beginning of our mission field.
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Jamie White is a church planter with Radial Church in Canton, Ohio, and is leading Brethren Academy, a oneweek intensive into Brethren identity and college life for high schoolers.
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WH E N M AR R IAGE FEELS HA RD Jelise Ballon
“God’s design for marriage is sacrificial.”
I
recently read an article by Joanna Gaines talking about her marriage to her husband Chip (hosts of the show “Fixer Upper,” among other things). In the article, she talked about how she has never wanted to go on a girl’s weekend or spend time away from her husband, how being with him gives her energy and she thrives on their togetherness. I believe she is being sincere when she says that, and Chip and Joanna Gaines are an adorable couple who appear happily married and in-love. But my marriage looks nothing like theirs. I can’t relate to Joanna’s desire to spend all of her time with her husband. You see, I do enjoy a good girl’s weekend. I desire alone time. I get energy from these things and sometimes I crave them desperately. The honest truth is that there are moments when being married drains me. It can leave me feeling weary and depleted. Because you know what? Marriage can be hard. Now, don’t get me wrong…I truly love my husband with every ounce of my being. I love date nights and I especially love a weekend away with the man who has been my one and only for over 20 years. We need those moments to reconnect and remember why we fell in love in the first place. We are really good together and still genuinely enjoy each other’s company. However, there are also nights that I lie awake feeling frustrated and angry, praying for God to give me peace and sleep. There are days that I feel like we just can’t get it right…that we still have the same fight we’ve been having forever. There are moments when I feel resentment or jealousy and wonder if it’s really supposed to be this much work. And in those moments, it’s so, so easy to look at my marriage and compare it to others and worry that maybe we got it all wrong. It’s easy to look at the couple at church who still stare at each other adoringly after 30 years; to see the
couple on Facebook posting about how blessed they are to be married to their best friend; to see the couple on TV who spends every minute together and lovingly talk of their perfect partnership in life and business — and then compare these marriages to my own and think that my marriage doesn’t measure up. And I get that what I see of other marriages is only a glimpse of reality…the public face of their marriage. Yet often when I speak to people who left their marriage or have been unfaithful they cite how marriage was just too much work; they always had the same fight, they didn’t feel happy, they fell out of love, and I wonder: by what standards and expectations are we measuring love and marriage? How many of us are looking in the public face of seemingly “happily married” couples and weighing our own marriage against it? How many of us have accepted the mainstream, Hollywood or Disney version that lasting relationships end with “happily-ever-after?” How many of us feel unsatisfied in our own marriage and even give up because we decide it doesn’t look like these other marriages, so it must not be meant to last? This is a problem. Because this is not how God designed love and marriage. Nowhere does God promise real love will be effortless or come to us easily. In fact, He actually says the opposite. He says love requires some hard work. It requires patience and humility. It requires we stop envying what others have and that we cast-off our own self-seeking motivations (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Nowhere is it written that marriage is about happilyever-after. God’s design for marriage is sacrificial. It’s about a husband giving himself up to his wife, and caring for her in a way that puts her above all else. It’s about a wife respecting and loving her husband with reverence and humbleness. It’s about both leaving behind their individual selves and becoming one
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(Ephesians 5:22-33). And that last part might sound romantic at first, but when you realize that becoming one means dying to self and striving to love another the way Christ loves…it suddenly gets very real and feels nearly unattainable. Paul even declares it to be a “profound mystery.” God didn’t promise us happily-ever-after. He never said a healthy marriage happens with ease. In fact, He made it pretty clear that there would be some real intentional work involved. And this is why I think it’s important that we acknowledge that sometimes marriage feels hard. It’s supposed to! A healthy marriage does not equal a marriage without conflict. A healthy marriage does not mean you desire to be by your spouse’s side 24/7, or that you never get on one another’s nerves. It is OK to admit that some days working through conflict with your spouse drains your energy and zaps your patience. We are human beings after all. And, no offense to the Gaines’s, but I believe that couples who publicly perpetuate the idea that their marriage is always harmony and sweet togetherness, are actually doing a disservice to the reality of what a divinely-appointed marriage is supposed to be.
married to her takes a lot of energy.” OR “Loving my husband the way God calls me to love is not easy today.” Because if we are in a community of believers where we feel safe to be honest about our challenges, we can find strength and encouragement within each other. We can say, “Me, too. I’ve been there. I know how you feel. It will be OK. God will see you through this.” So here it is. My moment of truth and honesty. This week marriage has felt hard. So, I’ve been turning it over to God. Because while He never promised me it would be easy, He did say that if we invite Him into our marriage it will remain strong. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” – Ecclesiastes 4:12. If your marriage feels like hard work right now, know you’re not alone. But more importantly, know that it is not an indication that your marriage is unhealthy or failing. Get off Facebook, turn off the TV and stop comparing your marriage to everyone else’s.
This is not to say we should publicly complain, shame, or belittle our spouses. I absolutely believe we should be building each other up. But it’s OK to say, “you know what? I love my wife, but some days being
Volume 140 No. 01 March 2018
Jelise is an educator, writer, and speaker. Jelise has been leading Bible and small group studies for youth and adults for over 15 years and serves as the head of Women’s Ministry at Compass Community Church in Winchester, VA. She writes regularly at neitherheightnordepth.com
AROUND THE GLOBE UPDATE S ON OU R G LO B A L PA RT N E R S
(Above) The Brethren Church at Puerto Maldonado is celebrating the baptisms of 2 new believers. To date, 25 people have been baptized through the ministry of this church. The church also continues to provide economic assistance for 25 adults per week, and around 26 children each week. Like many churches in the world, they offer a Sunday morning worship service, and Sunday school following. The church also holds prayer meetings on Tuesday evenings and a Bible study on Thursday evenings.
(Above) The Brethren Church in Lima, Peru celebrated the recent Winter Olympics by holding their own “Olympiad” for kids in the church and around the neighborhood. A small contingent led by Linda and Keith Immel recently visited India, primarily to celebrate Prasanth and Nirmala Kumar’s 50th wedding anniversary. One of the vital development efforts operating in Rajahmundry is the Brethren Sewing School. At the school, poor and destitute women in the community are taught skills that will allow them to gain employment and economic stability. If the women stick with the program through graduation, they receive a sewing machine at that point. Throughout the program, many women hear and experience the Gospel through others, and often students come to faith in Christ. The team took sewing kits donated from Brethren Churches around the United States and delivered them to the sewing school. Your efforts in collecting the kits are sincerely appreciated! (At left) Traveling with the Immels were Hannah Strickland (Ashland, OH) and Marissa Vance (Berlin, PA)
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MOMENTS TR AN S IT ION S IN T H E B R E T H R E N C H U R CH Dane Mauslein, a recent graduate of Ashland Theological Seminary, has accepted the pastorate at Hammond Avenue Brethren Church (Waterloo, IA). Dane grew up in the Falls City First Brethren Church (NE).
Pastor Dane speaks with church members at Hammond Avenue
The Aspinall Family in 1963
Ray Aspinall has retired from pastoral ministry. Most recently, Ray was serving as Assistant Pastor at Smithville Brethren (Smithville, OH). Ray was ordained in that church in May of 1959, and served as a Brethren missionary to Argentina from 1963-1993 with his wife Marilyn. Ray has also served congregations in Glenford, OH, Lanark, IL, Bryan, OH, and South Bend, IN. Ronald W. Waters has recently retired from full-time pastoral ministry, serving most recently at First Brethren Church (North Georgetown, OH). Ron has served in a number of roles in The Brethren Church, and has been a faithful example of Christ’s love in each of them. While he retired from the pulpit, Ron seems discontent to sit around; he’s recently taken a part-time position in development with the Brethren Church National Office.
Wes Lewis has concluded his ministry at Vinco Brethren Church (PA).
Luke Kelley will be concluding his ministry at Cornerstone Brethren Church (Muncie, IN) in May. Ron Waters addresses General Conference in 2017
Pastor Todd Crowder has been called to lead the congregation at Mauertown, VA. Todd has resided in the Mauertown area, and recently pastored a Church of the Brethren congregation.
Clair Lathrop retired in late 2017 from First Brethren Church (Lanark, IL). In true Dunkard fashion, Clair concluded his minstry at Lanark with the baptisms of 5 believers. He and Marcia reside near family in Spokane, WA. Todd Crowder smiles after a church picnic. Who doesn’t?
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Brethren Global Partners is offering some exciting international, short-term missions opportunities this summer.
Second, in partnership with Group Mission Trips, take a group to serve in the recovery and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico.
Take a group and serve in Pucasano, Peru, alongside our Brethren church there. Buildling improvement projects, and sports ministry opportunities with kids are available for groups on those trips.
Funding is available through Brethren Relief to help offset the cost of hurricane-related short-term mission trips.
To inquire about short-term missions, contact Scott Soden at 419-289-1708. To apply for Brethren Relief Funds, visit brethrenchurch.org/relief
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The Maker’s Mart is a place to showcase our fellow Brethren and the crafts they hone, whether it be homemade soaps, handcrafted cards, wood carvings, and more to show support morally and financially. This year’s market will be held during General Conference on Wednesday, JULY 18TH FROM 3-7PM. If you would like to participate, please fill out this VENDOR APPLICATION.
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WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS? Please send completed form by June 1 to: Jamie White 1247 10th St NW Canton, OH 44703 or email to: zwytedesign@gmail.com
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Carrying the Gospel into the Future
Join us in providing for new churches now and tomorrow. The Brethren Church has established an endowment for starting new churches. Your financial gift can ensure that resources are available for new churches as they carry the Good News into the world. Please, consider the Church Planting Endowment through The Brethren Church in your financial planning. Give generously, and ensure the continued growth of the Gospel through the work of Brethren Church Planting. Learn more at www.brethrenchurch.org/missio-endowment in partnership with
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END NOTES FROM EXECUT IVE D I R ECTO R ST EVE N CO L E
A few weeks ago, I had coffee (as I often do on Tuesday mornings) with many leaders, young and old that live and work in our area. The question arose in the group, “Why did you choose to be Brethren?”
This is some of the beauty of our denomination being more familial than hierarchal. In hierarchies, you always know where you officially stand. In familial groups, if you’re with us, you’re with us!
Many answered that they had been Brethren all their life; they were born into it. Others described a sense of belonging, “It just felt like home” when they began attending their particular church.
I would encourage us, as Brethren, to make sure we’re inviting others into the family! Let people know we consider them one of the family, and how much we love them being with us, just as I did to this young leader. Sometimes, it only takes telling someone, “Hey, you’re one of us!” to give them a sense of belonging.
There were even a few who said they weren’t sure if they were Brethren. They are committed attendees at a Brethren church. They were serving in leadership roles. I would even describe them as leaders who fully embody our values, and love the Brethren story. Naturally, I asked them, “Why aren’t you sure if you’re Brethren?”. One of them answered, “I guess I just haven’t done anything formal or official.”
There’s been a lot of change in The Brethren Church National office at the start of 2018. You can see in the National News section of this magazine that there were quite a few staff changes and additions as we work to retool our staff to meet the needs of our local churches better. I hope you’ll join me in expressing my sincere gratitude to our former staff members who have served our denomination well. It’s been a privilege to serve with them.
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My staff and I spent much of 2017 listening. Listening to local churches and leaders to seek out what is needed to fuel the vital kingdom work each one of you does. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who, united in Christ, embrace and reflect God’s love and live in the transforming presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The role of the national staff is to put as much resource and effort as possible behind the efforts to accomplish this mission. We are changing our structures and behaviors to make sure this happens.
We have begun creating an advancement team that will help us secure long-term financial stability for the resources you need, and the ministry you’re doing. I have heard the need for resources on training leaders to lead in a “Brethren Way,” as well as the need to help new members and attendees understand the Brethren story. Our team is already working on resources that will be delivered later this year. At the end of February, we sent a group of 22 church planters to Orlando to train, gather and be renewed in their ministry efforts. This group included two church planters who are interested in planting Brethren churches, and one who experienced a call to Brethren Church planting during the trip. I hope you’re as encouraged by this as I am! We know that God is moving and shaping His Church for His Kingdom advancement. All that we do and all we are striving for is to see God’s Kingdom be planted, nurtured and grown in the towns and cities around our country and the world. I hope you will continue to be in prayer for our Church and be active in leadership at all levels of our Church. Most of all, I hope you’ll help people from all walks of life find a place to belong in God’s Church. God is moving, and it is exciting to be a part of the work to which He has called us all!
Steven Cole is the Executive Director of The Brethren Church. He lives in Ashland, Ohio with his wife Beth, and their two children, Maggie and Patrick.
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The Brethren Evangelist (SSN 0747-4288) is published quarterly by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 telephone: 419-289-1708; communications@brethrenchurch.org Authors’ views are not necessarily those of The Brethren Church. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren Church members; $15.00 per year to others. Member, Evangelical Press Association. Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio or additonal mailing office at Mansfield, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Brethren Church, 524 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
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