This month Mennonite Brethren congregations will hold services remembering the events of the last week of]esus' earthly life and celebrating his resurrection. For some congregations the celebration of Resurrection Sunday will include baptism, the public declaration of ones affiliation with Christ and his teachings. It seems appropriate in the context of our Easter celebrations to think about discipleship. Christ's final words to his followers instructed them to make disciples.
The articles in the feature section this month focus on how we do that, particularly on the important role one-on-one relationships play in discipleship We begin with Bruce Campbell's testimony, a story that illustrates the miraculous domino affect a mentoring relationship can have on an individual and his family. Campbell shares his story as a challenge to us , that we remember God has called each of us to be disciplemakers. Author Katie Funk Wiebe believes in mentoring relationships and encourages congregations to foster cross-generational relationships Educators Jjz Selzer and Norm Thiesen are helping congregations to apply principles found in the popular phenomena known as life coaching Articles from these three individuals explore the biblical basis for one-on-one relationships and offer practical suggestions for congregations looking to foster intentional relationships. May this collection of articles encourage us to become more like Christ in our relationships.
This issue also includes a review by former Leader columnist Burton Buller of Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ Buller is among those who are surprised by the evangelical community's support of Gibson's violent depiction of the last hours of Christ's life . A quick review of church newsletters and bulletins indicate that we Mennonite Brethren have enthusiastically supported this film Some MB congregations have organized group trips to the local theater while others have purchased tickets for members to give away. Last month at least one congregation rented the entire local theater one Sunday morning in order to corporately view the film While he commends Gibson for this powerlul depiction of faith, Buller is concerned with the ultra-violence. We invite your feedback to the movie as well as information about how you or your church used this movie as an outreach tool.
Also in this issue are excerpts of the Leader 's interview with newly appointed MB Biblical Seminary president Jim Holm and a report highlighting March U.S. Conference board meetings at which a proposed restructuring of the U.S. Conference was affirmed and is being forwarded to convention delegates for action this summer. Reports of the fire that destroyed the Hillsboro MB Church building and of the 2004 Latin America MB Conference convention are also included -CF
COMING
_ APRIL 25, 2004-Inauguration of MB Biblical Seminary President Jim Holm
-JULY 21-23, 2004-National pastors' convention, Salt Lake City, Utah
_ JULY 23-25, 2004-U S Conference convention, Salt Lake City, Utah
_ JULY 25-26, 2004-55-Plus Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah
4 Following Christ's footsteps
Jesus called his followers to make disciples This is the story of how one man's willingness to follow that call impacted the life of another. BY BRUCE CAMPBELL
7 Touching the future
We pass our faith as individuals and congregations from one generation to the next When congregations intentionally help older and younger adults and children develop mentoring relationships we pass the faith to new keepers. BY
KATIE FUNK WIEBE
11 Coaching believers for spiritual fitness
The concept of coaching has taken the business world by storm. Since coaching is based on solid Christian principles, it can help build the body of Christ and reach non-Christians. BY
LIZ SELZER AND NORM THIESEN
DEPARTMENTS
Forum by Burton Buller 14
• Something m issing in Gibson's Passion
Ph'lip Side by Philip Wiebe 16
• Generations that work together
Inquiring M inds by Marvin Hein 17
• Mennonites as the "lost tribes" and capital punishment On the Journ ey . by Rose Buschman 18
• A life lived in service to others Chuck's Corn er .
• Vitality depends on calling a new
• A discussion worth repeating
VOLUME 67, NUMBER 4
by Chuck Buller 19
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Following •
Jesus called his disciples to make disciples. This is the story of how one man's willingness to follow that call impacted the life of another.
DISCIPLESHIP
By Bruce Campbell
Pastor Brad Klassen was lookingfor a way to cultivate leaders at Copper Hills Community Church, a 6year-old congregation in Phoenix, Ariz. Traditional methods did not seem to be working Then Klassen stumbled on a leadership development strategy that is now intentional. Followingjesus' example, Klassen began pouring himself into gifted people before they knew Christ. As these individuals accepted Christ and grew in their faith, they began taking on a leadership role at CHCC. Bruce Campbell is one of those people.
After his crucifixion and resurrection Jesus was leaving his disciples to join his Father in heaven The last instruction Jesus gave his disciples is recorded in Matthew 28. History proves the significant impact of these words and Jesus' parting words are still impacting lives to this day.
"Then the 11 disciples went to Galilee, to the mou ntain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus carne to them and said, authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age'" (Matt 28: 16-20).
Here Jesus officially hands the baton to his disciples It was now up to them, and the Holy Spirit through them, to lead others in follOwing. I am living proof that countless people today answer God's call. That they reach out their hands and with the wisdom, strength and courage they receive from their Father, they lead others to follow in their footsteps, in his footsteps
My prayer is that my story will inspire you to consider the impact Jesus' calling placed on one man ' s he art and how that individual has impacted my family and me. To consider how th at impac t will continue for generations to corne, and to co nsider if God is calling you to do something similar
My story begins long before Brad Klassen, pastor of Copper Hills Community Church in Phoenix, Ariz ., entered my life. I have discovered that for me the course of my life and decisions I have made have often been influenced by my willingness to accept and to follow absolute truth or to deny it. The truth is discovered within the inspired word of God . Jesus testified to that truth by dying for us all on a bloodstained cross . Satan promulgates the lies and they run contrary to God's truth I look back and realize that I sold out to the lies at a very young age.
In spite of my parents' best efforts to influence me in
a positive way and to steer me towards the truth, I bought the lies and at the age of 14 began to pursue a life of complete escape. My rampant insecurity, confusion and fear turned me toward anything that would provide a temporary escape from the reality of my feelings . I found solace in the mind-numbing escape of drugs and alcohol.
For the next 15 years I ran from my world Desperately insecure and afraid, I hid my feelings behi nd a mask, emboldened only by the temporary highs achieved by drugs and alcohol. Too insecure to eve r feel comfortable and with no one pointing me to Chris t , the one true Savior, I turned toward any mechani sm th at would help me to escape. Addiction arrested my emotional developme nt and with no moral compass my corresponding behavior in all aspects of my life was, to say the least, destru ctive. I lived for the approval of the world, fed my flesh and chased every known thing this world had to offer. The path of destruction is long and wide and is full of countless individuals harmed along the way. Today, by God's grace, I understand the outpouring of grace and mercy in my life .
As the years of addiction and abuse took their toll on my mind and body, I began to experience more frequent and longer periods of blackout and became less able to function. I had no concept of love. I was bankrupt in every way possible-relationally, morally, ethically, emotionally and physically Eventually the addiction caused the demise of my first marriage and left a young son alone with his mother-essentially fatherless.
Looking back now I can see that God was carrying me the entire time. However, at the time I was painfully u naware of his presence. God first intersected my life in a meaningful way 13 years ago through a 12 -step recovery program. At the age of 29 and at the recommendation of my then wife, I began to surrender to the possibility that there was another way to live. On the Monday evening of the 1991 Super Bowl, I took the first step on a journey that would forever change the course of my life Thanks to the people I met through the recovery program, for the first time in my life I felt truly loved, accepted and appreciated For the first time I was open to the concept of a loving God and of surrendering to his will
I am grateful that someone cared enough about me to continue to challenge me to get better I am sure that there were countless times before that people had made attempts. God had prepared the ground. God had made me ready to finally hear the message. Over the next seven years I continued to grow in my recovery, met my current wife Angela and started our family.
It was nearly six years ago when Brad first intersected my life Brad reached out as he was launching Copper Hills . As part of his early approach to planting the church
he went door-to-door in
I was engaged by the passion that Brad exuded. He was
live for Christ fully and I am our neighborhood meeting with neighbors, talking with them about their faith and sharing what God had placed on his heart. Our door was one he knocked on. He was real. He was passionate He clearly loved God and took his calling seriously. We simply weren't ready to respond.
It was two years later that we walked through the doors at Copper Hills They had successfully launched the church, subsequently moved into our neighborhood and were holding services at Highland Lakes Elementary School. I was engaged by the passion that Brad exuded. He was genuine, sincere and his family clearly reflected his beliefs. His life was a living example of what he
spoke. He modeled faith in action.
genuine, sincere and his family clearly reflected his beliefs.
His life was a living example of what he spoke. He modeled faith in action.
He reached out again by asking if I was interested in being personally mentored. I was amazed by the gesture. That he was willing to take time to personally mentor me was unimaginable. No one had ever taken that level of interest in my life. For over a year he poured countless hours of edification into my life. He introduced me to a God I had never fully understood, to Christ's role as our redeemer and to Christ in us-the Holy Spirit.
I began to surrender in an increasing way and desired to have the richness of a personal relationship that Brad had with his Lord and Savior. Brad lOvingly challenged me to lay it all down, to discover what it really meant to live life to its fullest. Having finally surrendered, I gave my life to Christ Feb. 24, 2001, in a public display of baptism at Copper Hills The iCing on the cake was that my wife of nearly 10 years had decided to do the same. We were now equally yoked with Christ as the head of our family.
Brad wasn't finished and he has continued to mentor me. He continues to model for me what it means to
grateful for his example. Angela and I were reflecting recently on the impact this transformation has had in every aspect of our life. The impact it has had on us as individuals, on our marriage, our children, our extended family and our respective circles of influence is truly amazing.
As I write these words, I sit in a hotel room in Colorado Springs, Colo., while attending the Focus on the Family Crisis Pregnancy Center Conference . The footnote to my story is that in April 2003 I was led to become the executive director of Crisis Pregnancy Center of Greater Phoenix, a 22year-old faith-based organization ministering to the needs of young women experiencing a crisis pregnancy in the hope that they
would choose life for their unborn child. We share the message of hope, forgiveness and healing that only comes from Christ via a bloodstained cross. I now have the privilege of living out what Brad spoke of so many months ago. God's calling on Brad now lives on through me.
Gary Wall probably said it best at the Pacific District Conference convention last year after Brad and I had the privilege of sharing this story with the delegates. "What gets a guy from being lost in alcoholism to standing in front of a bunch of Mennonite Brethren?" We know the answer. Brad answered God's call on his own life, reached out to me and lovingly challenged me to do the same. My prayer is that these words may inspire you to consider if God is calling you to do the same .•
In addition to his work with the Greater Phoenix Crisis Pregnancy Center, Bruce Campbell and his wife Angela, along with their children, Shealyn, Austin, Madison, Joshua and Dylan are involved in ministry at Copper Hills. Together Bruce and Angela lead a small group focused on marriage and parenting. They also teach Sundays in the children's ministry and Bruce leads the Thursday morning men's Bible study
By • Kat i
oue In e u ure
When older adults develop intentional relationships with younger adults and children, they hand on the faith to new keepers.
My drealllfiin high school was to be a writer Living in a small immigrant comm unity in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, made t hat seem an impossible dream. I knew riters and writing was n ot held up as an option to someone coming out o f t he Depression years You didn't make money writing. Not until years later did I realize how much a real-life writing mentor-coach would have helped me.
Mentoring is needed to learn the skills of Christian diScipleship as well as specific skills. Most people who follow God's call come face-to-face, consciously or unconsciously, with a person or an image that embodies the concept of discipleship as they believe it should be lived. That person becomes their inspiration. Another person did it. They can do it also.
The traditional meaning of a mentor is a trusted counselor or guide. The word comes from ancient Greek mythology. Mentor became the loyal friend and adviser of the Greek hero Odysseus and the guardian and teacher of his son Telemachus . Erik H. Eriksen in Childhood and Society writes that mentors voluntarily commit themselves to guiding new generations and younger associates. In the Christian community it is a way of handing on the faith to new keepers. It is a way of touching the future.
A mentor may be a parent, friend, relative or teacher; but also a character in a novel or biography, or a public figure like a political or religious leader My first mentor was a purely symbolic fictional figure, which is true for many aspiring writers. It was the character Jo in Alcott's Little Women. The tomboyish, bookish Jo whispered, "Go ahead, write . You can do it ." This irascible sister dared to be true to her muse. She inspired me to be true to mine I never found a real-life writing mentor, but later I often
turned to writers like A. W Tozer and Elton Trueblood whose ideas, style and forthrightness I admired.
The task of a mentor varies. A mentor is a combination of teacher, counselor, sponsor, guide and model. Primarily, the mentor oversees the development of the younger man or woman in one or more areas of life for a time, not often for extended years.
A mentor is a transitional figure who cuts away the underbrush during crucial periods in the younger person's life and makes room for him or her to move forward The mentor helps Jane or George shape her or his vision for life and encourages the young person to reach for the stars. Mentors help younger persons to have confidence in their own judgment, abilities and gifts. They help them sort through problems and plan strategies to solve them
Mentors help the inexperienced youth to withstand group and societal pressures to conform to their values; for example, not to tolerate false images of femininity or masculinity. They model an integrated attitude toward work, play, career and relationships. Mentors encourage the younger person to risk, because of the possibilities for personal growth and service, not because of the guarantee that will happen.
Above all, a mentor is a trusted voice of authority that says, ''You can do it-keep mOving! I've been over this way. I know where some of the hurdles are Use me as your model." Students used to tell me that they never really believed their essay was worth an 'W' until I wrote 'W' on it. In the same way a mentor writes a big 'W' for "you can do it" over a younger person's life
Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonian church that just as he had been their model or mentor they were to mentor others: ''You know how we lived
among you for your sake . You became imitators of us and of the Lord .... And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia" (1 Thess. 1:5-7) He was giving them a big 'w.' for living out their faith in Christ after the model he gave when it was an unusual way to live.
Mentoring is a type of servant ministry with the older person letting go of power in order to make more room for the younger one. The process of mentoring breaks down when one generation refuses to let go of its roles and responsibilities and the next generations must beg, plead or grab for opportunity.
Mentoring can lead to a stronger sense of peoplehood as the younger person is introduced to church ministry. In the process of making room for him or her to develop and exercise gifts of the Spirit, self-indulgence on the part of the older person must give way to a spirit of generosity, and the spirit of Christ has opportunity to lead.
The benefits of mentors extend in several directions. The younger generation is well served when a community includes a range of mature and generative adults, write Evelyn Eaton Whitehead and James D Whitehead in Christian Life Patterns. Some young people may not want an older person interfering in their lives, yet the benefit of a mentor always gives the individual a head start in life, they state.
On the other hand, the older person who voluntarily nurtures younger men and women will find the experience enriching and freeing. Giving up power with dignity and deliberately transferring it to the next generation is renewing for the middle-aged or older person It is a way of reproducing oneself, of generating one's life and finding freedom from self-indulgence. And the thread of continuity between the generations remains unbroken.
Who needs a mentor?
Boys and men need mentors. The role of mentor used to be restricted to the business, academic and professional world, particularly to young men, for they were expected to push ahead into new areas of thOUght and leadership. Young men were coached and groomed for a higher position.
Girls and women need mentors also Decades ago women had mentors too, but they weren't usually considered formal mentors for they were mothers, aunts, friends, and grandmothers . Young wives and mothers were guided or encouraged by an older woman through the crises of early homemaking and childcaring. Today, the media who offer advice and encouragement on every aspect of home living has taken over that mentoring function even more . The number of publications
and programs for beautifying and improving homes and gardens has proliferated. But something is missing-the personal relationship or the influence of one life on another through intimate contact.
Mentors are needed in church life. Specifically, mentors are needed to guide both men and women into pastoral work at a time when this role is no longer sought as highly. Results from The Samuel Project, a study by the Mennonite Church in Canada and the U.S. to tell the church community why and how youth respond to the call of God and the church to serve as pastors, showed that Mennonite youth do not flock to church vocations because of a lack of specific encouragement. Encouragement is not intentional. Years ago this was referred to as "tap on the shoulder" of the younger man by an older man. Today it is needed for both men and women
Children need mentors. Mennonite sociologist Dwight E Roth cites Urie Bronfenbrenner who wrote in 1970 that the "phenomenon of segregation by age and its consequences for human behavior and development pose problems of the greatest magnitude for the Western world in general and for the American society in particular."
Bronfenbrenner concludes that "if the current trend persists (and it has), if the institutions of our society continue to remove parents, other adults and older youth from active participation in the lives of children (and who will not admit that they do), and if the resulting vacuum is filled by the age segregated peer groups, we can anticipate increased alienation, indifference, antagonism, violence on the part of the younger generation in all segments of our society-middle-class children as well as the disadvantaged." These are words to heed.
Adults need mentors. When I was newly widowed I yearned to have an older widow show me the way through this unstable territory I didn't want to traverse. Young parents, especially those separated from their own families because of geographic distance and single parents, need the wisdom and steadiness of older men and women assuring them of God 's grace for the most trying problems of family living. Yet our closely graded Sunday schools, especially in large congregations, make it almost impossible for different generations to become close friends.
The creative young person needs a mentor. The developing writer, poet or artist needs an affirmer of gifts not always readily accepted by the broader church body. The presence or absence of such a role model, mentor or hero has an enormous impact on the development of the one who is testing the unknown limits of
creativity. The truly creative person often scares people in the church by moving outside the accepted structures . A mentor can encourage creative persons to know their gift, speak openly about it and commit themselves to using it to extend the kingdom of God. To find your gift means you hold yourself responsible before God for all that you are.
Retirees need a mentor. Another category where mentors are needed is those adults making the transition into a new life after completing their work careers. When I was getting ready to quit teaching I wanted to talk about aging with those who had traveled this path ahead of me. No one wanted to talk about growing older. Old, of course, was a taboo word . "It's too frightening to talk about," said one. "Aging is a tough proposition," came from another. No one invited me to grow old along with them
When I turned to books on aging and retirement I found that many of them had been written by young professionals who had all kinds of theoretical action plans for successful aging. They suggested how to make finances last, how to look after health , how to find the best housing and how to untangle legal affairs . Too few were written by people who knew that suddenly to find you are not immune to arthritis or other ills is like a slap in the face, that gray hair equals incompetence in the minds of some people, that the lions of the later years crouch close to your door if you are not watchful. I wanted to know where my older friends found grace and spiritual strength for living. I have since found that other elders are looking for spiritual mentors as they enter the afternoon of life.
What does it take to be a mentor?
Mentoring is a biblical concept. Consider the examples of the great prophet Elijah who tutored his student Elisha and at the end left him his mantle and his prophetic commission (1 Kings 19) The veteran missionary Paul counseled his untested worker Timothy (1, 2 Timothy) Naomi gave her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth advice when her kinsman Boaz showed a marrying interest in her (Ruth). Elizabeth, older cousin to Mary, encouraged the younger woman during her perplexing pregnancy
(Luke 1). The priest Eli counseled the young boy Samuel when he came to the older man perplexed about how to respond to God's call (1 Samuel 3). In each case there was a close relationship between mentor and mentee.
Mentors may not always have great academic knowledge in psychology and the sciences but they do have the skills of living and through consistent close encounters they can pass these on. Grandparents can mentor all agegroups. Adults can mentor young people. High school students can mentor grade school students.
Educators agree that a key element in mentoring is frequent long-term contact and a warm, loving relationship in a variety of life settings in which the mentor exhibits consistent behavior and values . The best format is a regular, natural exchange of values and experiences regardless of age
Mentors make themselves vulnerable by freely
exposing their inner lives, and where there is a comfortable fit, sharing the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible study Can they honestly say they have a regular devotional period? What is the role of prayer in their lives? How did they learn to forgive? To be patient? To resist the temptation to smoke? To give up smoking? To sleep with a girl or boyfriend? How did the mentors overcome the hurts caused by family wounds? What values have they discarded over time and why? Which have they kept? Does their theology, whatever it may be, work in real life, not just on paper in beautifully worded statements? If so, where? What tasks are still incomplete, like forgiveness of a parent or sibling?
This transparency in relationship may take a while to develop, but it bonds the two together more closely. Sociologist Roth writes that for 20 years he has had students in his Helping Relationship class at Hesston College spend one hour a week visiting with elders in the community in a grandparent adoption program. "These relationships usually prove to be very powerful for participants," he writes "The elders and young people seem almost magnetically drawn to each other." On occasion when alumni return to the Hesston campus they visit the elder who 10, 15, or even 20 years ago was their adopted grandparent while they were a student at the college.
Mentees need reassurance, comfort, and support to give them a sense of stability and courage to move ahead But they also need an older person to encourage their vision of their own potential. A mentor or sponsor helps a younger person, whether a boomer or Genera-
tion Xer, to withstand societal pressures to become a cookie cutter replica of what society upholds as the ideal person instead of developing his or her own gifts and talents . Mentors are role models of faith in Christ. They are not perfect people but those who show by life and word that they are on a pilgrimage of faith, and are ready to keep learning. Mentors say to the younger person, "There is a spirit needed in society other than the selfish one that dominates. It is the spirit of caring and reaching for long range goals rather than short term satisfaction."
A friend of mine volunteered to help with set construction for the drama class at a local high school. One high school student had never operated any kind of power tools, so Fred taught her to drive screws into drywall with a power drill At the cast party she told Fred she had had a good time that day with her father because she had learned to drill screws. Fred told me he never imagined he had done anything special for her. He had He had touched the future and his touch was appreciated. The cast told him so when they surprised him with a birthday cake.
Katie Funk Wiebe is professor emerita of Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., where she taught Eng/ish for 24 years. She has written hundreds of articles and authored or edited 16 books on aging Ibis article is adapted from a chapter in her book "Bridging the Generations" published in 2001 by Herald Press. Wiebe is a member of First MB Church in Wichita, Kan.
Mentoring across the generations
Looking for a way to bridge the generations in your congregation? Consider these options
• "GrandFriends " matches older adults from the congregation with children to build a friendship between the generations. Each child chooses an older member of the congregation to be their special GrandFriend. The child and older person exchange cards and personal information about themselves . They are asked to pray for one another. Early in the school year, pairs meet face-to-face. Children are encouraged to ask their GrandFriend for specific information , say, about their personal experiences and memories during a specific time in history.
• One congregation has what is called the "Every Student with a Shepherd " program It provides training for adult volunteers and matches them with young people This has been especially effective for young people who don ' t have Significant adults in their lives
• Phone Pals is a program designed to help students when they are alone before or after school. The older adult calls the student every day either before or after school and sometimes both times . Parents , children and phone pals and other family members get together three times a year for parties
• Midweek church suppers offer excelle nt opportunities for young and old to mingle at the table Church meals are a good setting for intergenerational interaction if those who attend don ' t clump in age groupings - KFW
By Liz Selzer and Norm Thiesen
The concept of coaching has taken the business world by storm. Since coaching is based on solid Christian principles, this concept can help us build the body of Christ and reach out to non-Christians.
e Wi rd \CO ach " conjures up a number of pictures that often include sports , whistles , nd yelling The idea of a coach , however, has generalized over the past decade to also mean a person that encourages , promotes and holds others accountable so that hey ca "be all that they can be ."
life coaching is the new mental health phenomena of the 21st century. The idea of coaching has taken the business world by storm through high-powered consultants that provide valuable guidance to executives and their businesses. These coaches help the executive or the business aim for optimal performance . Recently, the concept of coaching has moved into the counseling field in the form of positive or growth psychology. Personal or life coaches help individuals reach their desired goals in their personal, professional or community life. Coaching has become a real impetus for change in the secular world. So it was just a matter of time before the capabilities of coaching practices lent themselves to the Christian arena. After all, much of our ministry time is spent encouraging positive change in people so that they can reach their full potential in Christ.
Coaching grounded in Scripture Is coaching just another fad? It doesn ' t appear to be . Coaching is based on solid biblical principles that have been around since ancient times. iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend" (prov. 27: 17 NL1)
Christian coaching helps people grow in all aspects of their lives, the goal being Christ-like maturity (phil. 3: 13-14) Coaching encourages the building of community and the strengthening of relationships (Mark 10:43, John 15:12-13, 17). Christian coaching pro-
motes putting faith into life (1 Cor. 10:31,2 Cor. 10:1718, 1 Tim. 6: 12, 1 Pet 1:7). It believes that there is a purpose God desires for our lives (Jer 17:7, Eph. 2: 10, 5:17), and that the Holy Spirit is an active change catalyst (Ezek. 36:27,John 14:16-17, Rom. 8:5, Gal. 3:3, 5:25, 2 Pet. 1:21).
It encourages the utilization of spiritual gifts, abilities and talents (Rom 12:16, 1 Cor. 12:4-7, 11, Eph. 4:7). Christian coaching promotes the appreciation of past pain for the learning and passion that it can provide (Rom. 5:3-5, 2 Cor. 1:4, James 1:2-4) but utilizes it for growth. It also supports the finding of appropriate areas of service for all members of Christ's church (1 Cor. 12 :6, 1 Pet. 4: 10). People realize that they want more in life than what secular society offers. They want to align themselves with God relationally, profeSSionally, emotionally and spiritually. They want to get out of the rut they are in and on the road to spiritual maturity Christian coaching is one avenue to help them accomplish these goals. The coach becomes the champion, helping another reach the highest potential that God envisions for his or her life.
Defining Christian coaching
Christian coaching can trace its roots to five movements: 1) the helping professions and positive psychology, 2) consulting and organizational development firms, 3) personal development training, 4) athletics and training coaches and 5) Christian mentoring programs. Gary Collins, author of Christian Coaching, defines coaching as " the art and practice of guiding a person or group from where they are toward the greater competence and fulfillment that they desire. Coaching helps people expand their vision, build their confidence, unlock their potential, increase their skills and take practical steps toward their goals. Unlike counseling or
therapy, coaching is less threatening, less concerned about problem solving and more inclined to help people reach their potentials one of the clearest forms of servant leadership."
Christian coaching uses the principles of life coaching and emphasizes Christian principles. Unlike a typical secular coaching scenario, Christian coaching believes that God, not the human mind and will, is the center of the Christian and thus becomes the true source of all work done in Christian coaching. Christian coaches will often include some of the spiritual disciplines as an important part of the process. One of the key aspects to coaching in the Christian arena is to understand how God has built us and how this makes us uniquely qualified for certain types of life work and lay or professional ministry. Appreciating our godly purpose here on earth is a large piece of the coaching puzzle. The popularity of Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life speaks volumes to people's desire to understand God's purpose in their lives
Energizing our churches
Christian coaching can energize our churches. It can help us in four areas to fulfill Eph. 4: 1, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
• Dynamic leadership development
In The Next Generation Leader, Andy Stanley lists coaching as one of the "five essentials for those who will shape the future." His words to young leaders apply to all ages. "Self-evaluation is helpful, but evaluation from someone else is essential. You need a leadership coach .. .You will never maximize your potential in any area without coaching. It is impossible ." Both lay and profeSSional staff can benefit from the dynamics of coaching.
• Power charged mentoring programs
Christian coaching has a few similarities to mentoring: Both are accountability partnerships and use strong relationships as part of the ministry. Christian coaching is, however, different in a few important ways Coaching focuses on process. By the use of questions, assessments, etc., people work to understand their strengths and possible resources to accomplish whatever goal they have established. Christian coaching has growth as its agenda It relies on sound tools that help promote change. The "athlete" rather than the coaches sets the agenda and goals for the coaching
They are the authority on their life.
• Significant purpose in life ministries
God calls us to grow in stewardship of our gifts and talents. Our life experience, personality, learned skills, values and passions also playa part in what life ministry(s) we should be pursuing. Coaching can help us understand our uniqu,eness and celebrate it. Coaching can help us hone in on areas of service to God that fit us in the special way we were created. If we are called to participate in the body of Christ, coaching is a powerful tool to help us discern the specific direction.
• Positively inspired counseling scenarios
Many churches have lay counseling programs to aid with those who are hurting. While there is an important place for helping those in need, there is also a vital place for encouraging growth in the rest of the congregation. Christian coaching takes a different view of people than counseling does. Coaching sees the client as whole rather than as problem-filled. Coaching is future focused and concentrates on new beginnings and growth. Counseling tends to focus on past pain and achieving normalcy. In coaching the relationship is collegial, rather than expert/patient. As a ministry model, coaching fits the activities of the church like a glove.
Bringing it home to my church
There is a plethora of coaching "how to" books on the market. If you read through three or four of them, you will get the basic idea of what coaching is all about. Gary Collins has written a particularly good book on coaching as it specifically relates to Christian principles.
When we first heard of life coaching it resonated with our personal beliefs and professional experiences. We both immersed ourselves in books and training to better understand and equip ourselves to utilize the knowledge and techniques of this growing young field Because we share a passion for the church, we also immediately looked for applications to the church and found that curriculum in this area was not available. So we developed a curriculum to help churches train lay coaches We believe that in order for learning to be comprehensive, it must be applied to three areas: what we know, who we are and what we do. The curriculum includes exercises that touch on these three areas and is organized into six topical sessions of about two hours each.
Gary Collins also points out in his newsletter (Issue 86, Feb. 12, 04) that churches may want to consider providing free life coaching to the secular community. This would involve helping people " discover their visions, clarify their values, get results and never stop learning
through community." Coaching may become one aspect of friendship evangelism and ministry to the world in the 21st century. Because coaching can
Coaching
can help coaching also lends itself to a US understand our number of special applications that traditional counseling or mentoring could not fulfill. It transcends time and location boundaries . Applications include anything from working with those in the mission field, to helping students who have just started college, to giving hope to elderly shut-ins. People are no longer limited to those in their immediate area for support.
uniqueness and celebrate it. Coaching can help us hone in on areas of service to God that fit us in the special way we were created.
Churches who are interested in impacting their congregations and community should take a good long look at life-coaching as a ministry option. We believe that utilizing coaching principles will help the church to spiritually grow and minister and impact the world in the 21st century. •
Liz Selzer is adjunct professor of theology at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. She is presently pursuing a doctorate in education, specifically performance enhancement and change. She can be contacted at ehselzer@aolcom. Norman Thiesen is professor of counseling at Grace University in Omaha and has a life coaching practice at drnorm@lifecoach.com. This article is based on a Christian coaching workshop Selzer and colleagues Diane Lee and Denise Nebeker presented at the 2003 Central District Conference convention.
READER ESSAYS
Something missing in Gibson's Passion
BY BURTON BULLER
In his The Passion of the Christ, Catholic filmmaker Mel Gibson preaches a hell-fire and brimstone sermon punctuated with visual aids only Hollywood and its dollars could create.
In this film, Gibson makes hi.S case for returning worship to the ancient languages, bringing back iconography as the authentic way to experience the divine and identifying with the broken body of Christ as the ongoing basis for a relationship with Jesus.
Gibson takes a minimalist approach to the story of Christ's final hours. Story line and plot get scant attention. Told in Aramaic with a few English subtitles, Gibson depends on the action to carry the story. Normally the preferred way of visual storytelling, the visuals Gibson offers are mono-dimensionally violent. They fail to provide the breadth of information needed to tell the multidimensional story ofJesus' life and ministry.
Gibson finds inspiration for his violent imagery in ancient Catholic iconography. During the portrayal of Jesus' scourging and his forced march to Golgotha, the camera lingers in still frame close-up on his bloodied and battered face, stills that when separated from the story look eerily like the icons one sees in ancient Catholic or Orthodox churches. Even by themselves, these icons appear brutally gruesome. The Hollywood treatment greatly enhances their gruesomeness.
Gibson's theology as expressed in this film seems to begin and end with blood sacrifice. One comes to the realization during the 40 minutes or so that the Christ character is graphically tortured and beaten, that he is lOSing a lot more blood than any human could possibly contain. As the Roman officers brutalize him with whips, blood sprays from his wounds onto the gathered bystanders.
Flesh torn from his back with iron hooked cat-o'-nine-tails bathes his tormentors. Gibson's theology demands that a lot of blood must flow to cover the sins of the entire world.
And that is basically where the story ends We know from the special effects that something supernatural is taking place. The earth quakes. The sun goes dark. The Roman garrison hastens from Golgotha, while a crow eats the eyes from the criminal on the cross next to Jesus.
We see a very brief scene of the stone rolling away from the grave, followed by rolling credits.
Told in this way, the salvation story is incomplete. Jesus' death was a necessary journey toward resurrection. New life is embodied not in Christ's battered and bloodied body, but in His triumph over death. It is a part of the salvation story Gibson chooses mostly to omit.
Along with such fare as the gratuitous Pulp Fiction and the graphic Saving Private Ryan, this film is destined to join many of the "most violent films ever produced" lists. Violence is certainly integral to the pasSion story. Christ's sacrificial death deserves a truthful telling. But Gibson's over-the-top approach ends up erecting a barrier between the audience and the story. What began as a great opportunity to tell a sensitive and compelling story degenerated into an extended smeckfest of violence. Its main course serves up what I feel may be the most violent fare ever offered by mainline cinema. Once the audience becomes aware of this, it may refuse to participate further in the story.
Gratuitous violence is a shortcut filmmakers use to elevate the emotional pitch of the audience. It also runs the risk of boomeranging when the audience, recognizing it is being set up by unnecessary and gratuitous violence, dis-
engages from the story. It happened to me about 10 minutes into 40 minutes of continuous beating and bloodletting. I soon recognized that not only was Gibson intent to tell the violent story of Christ's final hours, he was also beating up on me to make sure I came around to his point of view. This show needed to work a lot harder at the truth Christ offered by his life, death and resurrection, and remove Gibson's personal passion from Passion of the Christ.
Does this film bear a message worth savoring? For those who experience salvation primarily as identification with Christ's suffering, it may be meaningful. For those experiencing redemption as newness of life, it may be less so. If you are drawn to ultraviolent imagery, you'll love this show. If extreme violence upsets you, get ready to be sick.
Young teens once discouraged from seeing R rated movies by their concerned parents are attending this one with their blessing. This is the show that is set to introduce thousands of Christian young people to R rated films It is indeed ironic that a Hollywood representation of the death of the Prince of Peace lowers the bar of what is considered acceptable violence on the big screen. And it does so with the blessing of many of the nation's leading conservative Christian spokespeople. Hollywood has once again worked its magic! •
From 1996 to 1998, Burton Buller's column "Media Matters" appeared regularly in the Leader. Originally from Henderson, Neb., from 1996 to 1999 Buller was executive director of Mennonite Brethren Communications, a media ministry of the Manitoba MB Conference now known as Family Life Network and headquartered in Winnipeg, Man. Since 1999 he has been director of Mennonite Media.
March issue commended
Thank you, thank you for the March 2004 issue of the Christian Leader. In my opinion it is one of the best. It is my prayer that the MB family will take the feature articles to heart and share Christ with one person in his or her world. Together, let's identify one person in our sphere of influence and pray for that person each day, build a bridge of friendship, start a spiritual conversa-
LEADER
Sharing Christ witt!' the world tion, serve that special person and share the greatest news the world has ever known in both word and deed. Together, let's expand the family!
PeterJohn Thomas Arden,NC
In this day when it seems that East is so very far from West and political debate sends the u.s. reeling, journalistic tolerance and objectivity is so very welcome. The Republicans won't change their minds and the Democrats want to change everything. The March issue of the Christian Leader is quite commendable, especially Rose Buschman's column.
Don Heinrichs Weatherford, Okla.
WHAT READERS SAY
The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters on topics relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church. Letters to the editor should be brief - 300 words or less - and on one subject. Letters must be signed and include the writer's city and state. Letters will be edited for clarity, appropriateness and length. Letters will be published, as space allows, unless marked "Not for publication. " Send letters to Christian Leader, P.D. Box 220, Hillsboro, KS 67063 (e-mail: editor@usmb.org),
E-mail mystery solved
There's nothing that draws response like others knOwing more than a column writer does. In the March 2004 "Inquiring Minds" column I asked who was looking over my shoulder, censoring some of my emails and suggesting that my keyboard might need its mouth washed out with soap
About a half dozen of my friends helped to enlighten me. Eudora 5.2, the program I use for my e-mail, has a built-in "Mood Watch," It looks for words that might be offensive and "flags" the whole message with bright red chili pepper icons. It delays sending those messages, but given time they usually go through. An example of an offensive word is a pu .. ,ishment, as in capital pU .ishment. (I'm not writing the full word to avoid the chili peppers.) I've also been instructed as to how to cancel Mood Watch, but I haven't conquered those instructions yet.
MarvinHein Fresno, Calif.
Helping the homeless
I wish to affirm the article and the spirit of humble confession expressed by Danette Baltzer Roland in "Called to Freedom" (February 2004). She confesses her own enslavement, in this case to money, and seeks to actively show trust in God's provision.
I would like to address one part of her method of demonstrating her new view toward money (giving directly to the homeless on the comer) and provide some inSight. I am somewhat heSitant, as I don't want to undermine the overall mes-
sage of her article or the spirit of transformation it can bring, but I want to suggest there may be a better way to accomplish the same goal.
I've had the opportunity to work with and around homeless and financially dependent people for some time both as a deacon and police officer, I have seen firsthand that money given directly to individuals is used for activities that only prolong their situation and is detrimental to their well-being. In fact, direct giving can counteract services meant to provide long-term help.
Given that fact, I have suggestions to all readers who want to extend God's grace to those who are so obviously in need. Give to your church's benevolent fund . Give to any of the many social services and/or church-related services that specifically focus on homeless advocacy and help, or volunteer time at an agency that serves the homeless. Further, if you see a sign reading ''Will work for food," give that person the opportunity to have dignity in follOwing through with that offer. If you desire to give directly to a person in need that you see, I would suggest thin you give some nonperishable grocery items or mildly used clothing or blankets. This avoids having the items returned for cash and then used nonproductively and the potential for robbery. Robbery between the homeless is rampant and the potential for theft increases if a new item was given.
Giving to the homeless is only a small portion of an article that focuses on acting in a countercultural and Christcentered way, and on stifling me-first thinking that is prevalent in western society. Let us live in the freedom of God's grace and joyfully trust him.
Bob Froese SanJose, Calif.
BY PHILIP WIEBE
Generations that work together
Different perspectives on the what and how of church are healthy
A number of years ago after a church meeting in which some generational differences surfaced, I overheard a longtime member comment, "That's why they call them baby boomers, because they're crying all the time."
I suppose I could have taken offense at that, since I'm a late boomer myself But it inspired a couple of other responses. On one hand, I could see where the longtimer was coming from Boomers were known for being "me-first" sorts, creators of the whole consumer church mentality that still influences the spiritual landscape . On the other hand, the comment made me sad. If church members could pass off an entire generation with a cutting comment, then we were really missing the point of Christ's call to reach all people for him.
Society has developed a tendency to categorize and label everything, including people. We hear quite a bit about boomers, generation X, generation X and there are various other tags bandied about for pre-boomers, post-Yers, and so on.
Are these generational labels helpful? I think it depends I've tended to shy away from using them, because they seem to bring a lot of false assumptions. Think of the baby boomer comment I overheard . It assumed that all boomers were self-centered complainers, which of course isn't true . Or, think of the common perception today of Gen Xers being slackers and lacking a work ethic . What an insult to the large numbers of young men and women who are hard workers and responsible citizens Especially in the church, we need to avoid labeling generations in a way that fools us into believing we know all about people without really knowing them at all.
However, it can be helpful to understand some of the predominant generational tendencies and ways of thinking
This should not be for the purpose of slamming people or passing them off; but to figure out ways to work together and to reach people for Jesus.
On the subject of working together and promoting understanding between the generations, I read an insightful article that deals with this in the business environment. The piece begins, "The generations frequently disagree on company loyalty, job rewards, authority, tenure, teamwork, work/life balance, career sacrifices and more." If you changed the categories, this would also be true in the church. There are disagreements on how to do the mission of the church and even what the mission should be .
According to the article, in the workplace different generations can bring different perspectives to the job, which can cause misunderstandings. Boomers are described as those "used to dominating every trend and every marketplace. They're generally optimistic and often idealistic, a legacy of the 196Os." They also tend to be "process oriented," believing that "business results and relationships are intertwined "
The article says that Gen Xers, by contrast, tend to be more skeptical and can be wary of relationships in the workplace, partly because many of their boomer parents got downsized after being loyal to their companies. This makes them distrustful of traditional hierarchies. "They prefer more informal arrangements" and tend to "judge on merit rather than on status."
The point the article makes is that company effectiveness can be strengthened when generational tendencies are meshed rather then fought against. The boomer focus on good process and relationships is important, for example, but it must lead to meaningful results . The Geh X interest in results is valid, but certainly
good relationships can enhance the outcomes.
We could relate all this to life in the church Though one needs to be careful of being too Simplistic, the perspectives of the three main adult generations in the church could be described in three distinct ways First is the "duty" generation (pre-boomers), second is the "process" generation (boomers) and third is the "results" generation (Gen Xers) . The first tends to focus on ''what we do, " the second "how we do it," and the third "what gets done."
This is reflected in the complaints that go back and forth between the generations . Some longtimers might say the younger folks lack commitment ("It's about what we do"). Those in the middle may contend the longtime members lack passion ("It's about how we do it')
Younger believers might complain that nothing relevant is happening ("It's about what gets done"). Looking at it that way, you can see where everyone is coming from.
I would argue that in a healthy church, all of these perspectives should be present. There should be strong commitment, but not without noticeable passion and measurable results-what the Bible calls "fruit." Passion should be apparent, but without loyalty and effectiveness it's just passing emotion. Results, or fruit, is what Jesus expects from his followers, but the end doesn't justify the means. Faithfulness, integrity and love inform the process on the way to results.
Too often the generations look at each other and say, "They're out of touch" or "They have no heart" or "They're not committed " At times these statements may be true . But often such complaints may simply reflect a failure to understand wht:re the other is coming from •
BY MARVIN HEIN
Questions about faith Be life
Claims that Mennonites are from the "lost tribes" and capital
QYou probably know about the e-mail articles sent by Maria Wiens. I have thought of cutting her off, but she does come out with some interesting stuff at times. What are your thoughts? (Kansas)
AThis question, accompanied by an e-mail article by Maria Wiens , was only one of almost a half dozen letters I have received in recent weeks regarding Wiens. I am well acquainted with the regular Saturday mailings of this person who refuses to give her address. I have been receiving them for a year or more. One thing is clear. She is not the Marie Wiens some of us know in Kansas.
Wiens addresses all her page-long letters to "fellow Mennonites and companions." She writes that God has appointed her as a "prophet" to reveal to us Mennonites that we are part of the Old Testament's 10 lost tribes and that we must repent of our lawless and idolatrous ways . In one letter she was more specific and said Mennonites were the biblical tribe of Gad, to which one of my shocked friends in Oklahoma remarked in an e-mail message, "e-gads!" Another friend observed that if this lady keeps the Sabbath as part of the Torah's commands she should not be working on Saturday sending all these missives I would presume "prophets" can legitimately work on the Sabbath .
Wiens says "the ground is being prepared for the eventual reunion of Israel (the northern tribes) withJudah. What
most Protestant Christians don't realize is that they embody the so-called 'lost tribe of Israel. '" She believes that Mennonites, as part of God's chosen people, should repent, apply the Torah fully to our lives by keeping the feasts, etc., take a literal interpretation of prophecy and prepare for the earthly millennial reign where Elohim (God) will reign with Jerusalem as his capital.
In a recent letter Wiens quoted Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) saying that "about the times of the end a body of men will be raised up who will tum their attention to the prophecies and insist upon their literal interpretation in the midst of much clamor and opposition." Maria adds , "that amazing prediction is coming true in our day "
I will leave judgment of these matters to my readers. Wiens is more gracious than are many e-mailers. She regularly offers to "unsubscribe" anyone who does not wish to receive her mailings. It is interesting that increasingly in our day and among Mennonites there are calls to return to Old Testaments rituals and laws. Perhaps we need a revival of Anabaptist teachings concerning the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.
QDo the Mennonite Brethren have an official position on capital punishment? (Montana)
ANeither the U.S. nor Canadian Conferences has an official position on the issue of capital pun-
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? E-mail Marvin at mhein1@fresno.edu or send your question to "Inquiring Minds, " c/o Marvin Hein, 3036 East Magill Avenue, Fresno, CA 93710.
ishment. I can recall a General Conference study conference where two papers-one pro, the other con-were presented, but no official action was taken. When the Confession of Faith was revised in 1999 an initial draft included capital punishment in Article 14, "The sanctity of human life." When this was circulated in the churches there was a very strong reaction from local churches suggesting we were undermining biblical teaching as found in Genesis 9.
Those of us who would vote against the taking of a life as the price for a capital crime would say that the Old Testament must always be read in light of the New Testament. Otherwise we would find ourselves killing rebellious sons. At the same time, Romans 13 does give government the right to use the sword to punish evildoers. Some would say that even then the Christian should stand on the side of hope for restoration and forgiveness. God forgave Paul for his murderous acts. Since recent DNA evidence has shown that many innocent people have been executed, it would seem that government, having the authority, should think twice before snuffing out the lives of criminals.
The debate can become very complex. There are those who hold a "pro" position on the basis of differentiating between the words used in the Old Testament for "murder" and "kill. " I am not knowledgeable enough in this area to discuss that argument. My U.S. readers should be aware that this issue is not nearly so keenly felt in Canada since long ago they outlawed capital punishment.•
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
A life lived in service to others
Mother Teresa's dedication to poor is an example/or all of
Most of us have heard her name. She is well known among the famous and common people of the world She spoke before great audiences including the U.S Congress. Although she was born into a wealthy family, as an adult she chose a lifestyle of poverty. The world knows her as Mother Teresa
She was born Aug. 27, 19IDAgnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in what is now Skopje, Macedonia to Albanian parents. At an early age she had a keen desire to serve God She often accompanied her mother on visits to minister to the poor in her community. During her teen years she searched diligently to know what God's will for her life was. Mission stories about India fascinated her and increased her desire to go there. She even began studying the English language. After much prayer and counsel with her family and church leaders, she joined a religious order in 1928 and chose for herself the name Sister Mary Teresa.
She was first sent to Ireland for a short time of preparation and then on to India. Her studies and spiritual formation activities continued. After a few years she began teaching in her order's school for upper class girls in Calcutta. Eventually she became the head of her convent and received the title of Mother Teresa. During this time she learned two Indian languages, Bengali and Hindi.
Teaching history and geography was her assignment but the poor of the city were her passion. By 1946 she was convinced that God was calling her to a mission among the forgotten poorest people of Calcutta. In preparation for this she began spending time in a hospital to receive as much medical training as possible.
Finally in 1948 the Catholic Church granted her permission to leave her convent and work among the poorest of the
poor That same year she became an Indian citizen. She felt it was most important that she live in the poorest slums and dress like an Indian woman. Her rough cotton sari with its distinctive blue stripes became her uniform. Life was very difficult at first but she relied on God to supply her needs-and he did.
Her first project was to start a school for street children. She taught them the alphabet, manners, cleanliness and religion. She also found food to feed them. Soon her work expanded to include a dispensary where free medical care and medicines were available. Later came a shelter where those dying on the streets of Calcutta could be cared for during their last days. Some of the work she and her sisters did was very unpleasant. Mother Teresa always believed that those wretched people were the body of Christ and that was the only way she could do what she did. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these . .. ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25 :40 KJV).
Many stories abound as to how she managed to get items necessary for her work. The need for medicines was ongoing. One day she ran out of all medical supplies and made a long list of what she had to have. She took it to a nearby pharmacy but the pharmacist refused to give her anything on the list because she had no money. She sat down in the middle of the store and began praying, appealing to a higher power. After a while the pharmacist gave up, ruled several big bags with medicines and brought them to her. "Here are your medicines. Now please leave," he exclaimed
In 1950, as part of her ministry she founded a religious order called the Missionaries of Charity. They took a vow of serious poverty. Mother Teresa and her ' sisters had two changes of clothes-one to wear and one to wash. Each one
owned a mat to sleep on and a bucket to wash with That was it.
Mother Teresa died Sept. 5, 1997, just six days after Princess Diana's accident While the world focused on Diana, Mother' Teresa was laid to rest with much less fanfare. Some critics complained that she did not get her share of world attention. Somehow, I think Mother Teresa would not have wanted it. Her aim in life was to quietly serve God and not seek unnecessary attention.
Today her legacy lives on in the lives of the sisters who continue to provide food for the needy and operate hospitals, schools, orphanages, youth centers and shelters for lepers and the dying poor. They now have branches in 50 Indian cities and 30 other countries
I found it very difficult to put down Mother Teresa's biography. Sometimes I smiled and laughed. I even cried Several things about her life really impressed me. The example she had from her parents obviously shaped her life . They were committed to share what they had with the poor in their community and often took her along to help Furthermore, throughout her life she focused on her complete dedication to God. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20 KJV)
Rick Warren, in his book The Purpose Driven Life, writes on what it means to live a life of serving others. He asks, "Imagine what could h;tppen if 10 percent of the Christians in the world got serious about their role as servants?" It is mind-boggling to me to think of the impact we could have if we took as seriously as did Mother Teresa the servant's role to which God has called each one of us .•
BY CHUCK BULLER U.S. CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Vitality depends on calling a new generation of pastoral leaders
Rick Bartlett Ministry
One of my privileges in ministry is to act as something of a "networking agent" in our denomination. I meet people and ministries that our larger church family would do well to better understand. Rick Bartlett from MB Biblical Seminary is one such person. He is the director of our seminary's Ministry Quest program, a leadership development focus that is about calling out a new generation of pastors in our denomination. We know for a fact that we must do better at this task, and do it in real partnership between local churches, colleges, districts, nation and seminary. How we do at this task has as much to do with the vitality of our denomination as any other single factor.
Our mission as a U.S. Conference is to be a "growing and healthy evangelical/Anabaptist denomination." To do so requires leaders, and those leaders should be people who come from all walks of life. Some will make the transition in mid-life after other careers. Some will hear a "call" as a child or teenager and will need to be guided through the appropriate phases of that call. Ministry Quest is one denominational effort to help with this type of calling among our young people. I've asked Rick Bartlett to describe this program and how you can be part of it. Here's what Rick said.
"MB Biblical Seminary's Ministry Quest program is designed to help churches discern, develop and 'call' high school students into leadership. Ministry Quest isn't a program as much as it is a journey for high schoolers exploring opportunities in pastoral, congregational and missionalleadership. It features leadership retreats, church-based mentoring ' reIatio11$hips, a short-term ministry assign-
MB Biblical Seminary's Ministry Quest program is designed to help churches discern, develop and "call" high school students into leadership.
ment and a church ministry observation.
''We are finding in our MB churches that many high school students are active in Christian service . Some have demonstrated significant leadership ability and some are considering pastoral leadership . or missions as a vocation. Some teenagers haven't really thought about ministry, but clearly 'have what it takes' for church leadership and Simply need someone in the church to help them discern their abilities.
"Our program is broken into two independent stages Compass, the first stage of the program, is geared towards helping teenagers understand that the most important part of ministry is loving Jesus. The retreat includes spiritual formation , exploration of 'calling' as a personal theological journey and ministry awareness.
"The second stage is called Charting Your Course. This stage focuses more on 'who you are ,' exploring an understanding of spiritual gifts, temperament, leadership styles and building on what was learned during Compass.
''What I really love about Ministry Quest is its relationship to the local church. In order to participate, a young person must be nominated by their local
church . After the retreat the participant returns to the church for 13 sessions of mentoring from a member of the congregation. These mentors are chosen by the church to guide and help the young person process the books they are reading, the discussions at the retreat and to provide someone to talk with about God's call on their lives. We're finding a real need for mentors; we have more young people wanting to participate than we have mentors to walk alongside them.
'Mter the mentoring season, the participant , mentor and pastor meet together to discuss the young person 's continued participation. If all are in agreement, the church nominates the young person for stage two. Charting Your Course also has a mentoring component as well as a ministry experience (like Youth Mission International's SOAR or leadership at a summer camp). One overarching piece throughout the Ministry Quest experience is that the young person observes ministry. Ministry observation allows the participant to see a wide variety of church ministries along with the pastor: weddings, funerals, hospital visitation, sermon preparation, worship planning, etc.
"I'm excited that Ministry Quest is participating in the National Pastors Convention this summer We are offering 15 registration scholarships for churches that would like to bring a high school student along with the pastor or youth pastor for this event. I'm hoping that by getting to 'rub shoulders' with pastors from across the U.S ., these high schoolers will also catch a vision for the calling God has placed in their lives."
For more information, please go to www.ministryquest.com •
Soul Tender
Holm committed to nurturing souls for leadership
Jim Holm will be inaugurated April 25 as the next president of MB Biblical Seminary in a ceremony to be held in Fresno, Calif. Holm , who served as interim president since June 2003, began his duties as president Nov. 1,2003.
Holm is no stranger to the seminary, having served as dean of students, director of constttuency relations and as a teacher. He is also an alumnus, having earned his master of divinity from the seminary in 1975. He augmented his education with a doctor of ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2003.
Holm is no stranger to the Mennonite Brethren church either. He pastored local MB congregations for 23 years and has served in a number of conference leadership roles, including moderator of the U.S. Conference and chair of the Pacific District Conference'S Board of Faith and Life, among others. He was also a Leader columnist during his term as conference moderator.
He is married to Shirley, a /irst -grade teacher, and has two grown sons and one granddaughter.
Leader writer Myra Holmes recently had an opportunity to talk with Holm about what he calls "the best job in the Mennonite Brethren conference" and why he is enthusiastic about this opportunity. Following are excerpts from that interview.
CL: What attraded you to this institution?
JH: There's a long story behind that I was ready to take a break from pastoral ministry, and the seminary offered me a poSition as director of con-
stituency relations and dean of students. So I joined the seminary administration at that time. I also taught a bit. What seminary proved to be for me was what I would call a "Psalm 23 experience." Those years prior to assuming the presidency were years of green pastures and still waters and real refreshing in my own soul and spirit after years of pastoral ministry.
CL: What do you look forward to as president?
JH : I look forward to equipping, preparing and training people for our church leadership. And, I look forward to
training them in three respects First is to give them tools for ministry-to help them preach better or counsel better or do pastoral care better. Secondly, I hope we can equip people to be community builders By that I mean to build a sense of community within a local congregation, but also to work in the community in which the church is located to effect change in the community. My third goal in the seminary is to develop spiritual depth in the individual students that pass through here Character fonnation, if you will-helping people to have a deep per-
sonal experience with Christ and to consistendy grow in that experience .
CL: Do you have any fears going into this assignment?
JH: Yes, certainly. Will this be the right vision? Can we together develop a vision that the Mennonite Brethren can coalesce around and support and endorse? Will churches continue to call out men and women for leadership training? Will the seminary be able to sustain its ministry in light of the economic difficulties that lots of nonprofit organizations are facing? So, those kinds of both philosophical and practical concerns are things that I think about.
CL: Why is it important to draw out young leaders for a specifically MB theological education?
JH : The first thing to say, of course, is that there are lots of fine seminaries, and I don't suggest for a moment that we're the only option that people ought to consider. But I think there is a place for a denominational seminary even in a day when denominations are in decline and when people don't particularly care what the label is on a church as long as it meets their needs. I think there is something to be said for trying to emphasize those values which have proven to have lasting qualities and have made good contributions in the larger kingdom of God in the last over 500 years that the Anabaptists have been around.
CL: The seminary board has announced three mandates for your term as president. The first is longterm financial vitality, but an institution that can boast of 17 consecutive years of balanced budgets doesn't sound like it's ailing financially. Explain what financial vitality means in that context.
JH: The seminary essentially lives by the success or failure of its annual fund drive: For the last number of years, the fund drive has been successful. But we ' have not laid a solid enough foundation for stability if the annual fund drive would ever falter. With the guaran-
God generally doesn't interfere where he's not invited, and busy people don't have much time to invite him in.
teed subsidy now removed (because of the divestiture of the General Conference), .. .we clearly need to raise more money annually than we have ever had to before So our goal in terms of economic stability is to build the supporting foundation of the seminary financially so that we are not so dependant every year on raising ever-increasing amounts in annual giving to make it work. There will always be annual fundraisers-that will never go away-but if we are receiving more in wills and estates and trusts and so on, that would ease some of the pressure. ,
CL: What about the second mandate: vision and strategic implementation?
JH: The vision part is simply to say, how does the seminary best train leaders for 2005 and 2006 and 2010 and 2016 and so on? We cannot automatically assume that the methods and the style and the objectives that we had in leadership trainlng in 1980 and 1990 and 2000 will be the same that we need in the future, , " We have to ask ourselves, "How is the semi-
nary going to meet the needs of the churches for quality leadership in the next five to 10 years?"
CL: And the third mandate-governance issues-what does that mean?
JH: That's a response to (General Conference) divestiture When we went through divestiture, we wrote a new set of bylaws and a new set of operating guidelines . . . . So the mandate given to me by the board is to say: What are the practical steps to take (in) this governance structure which has been created (to) make it function well-efficiendy and effectively-in connecting the seminary with its two owners and in making sure that the voices where the campuses are located are heard.
CL: You called your coming to the seminary a nPsalm 23 experience. n Does that aHect how you lead?
JH: I mentioned that one of the things I want to see happen is spiritual formation or spiritual depth .... That passion for spiritual depth, for a personal, spiritual centering on God, comes out of my own experience And also my approach to the presidency. I am determined not to be overwhelmed by the presidency and not to be consumed with the responsibilities and the pressures of this assignment, but to maintain a balance spiritually so that I can effectively lead and can have something to contribute to other people over the long term.
CL: Have you built in times of refreshing for yourself?
JH: Yes. If we're going to effectively minister in the kingdom-any of us, not just pastors or seminary presidents-we all have to be conscious that we tend to our own soul, because (and this is a deeply held belief on my part) God generally doesn't interfere where he's not invited, and busy people don't have much time to invite him in . . .. I have a whole course I teach on spiritual formation. I continue to teach that one course, and I want to continue to teach that course during the time I am president because I want to emphasize those things to students.•
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Ordination highlights LAMB convention
Discipleship key to th e tra nsf ormed church says Beltran
The call to discipleship was heard and acted on as members of the Latin America Mennonite Brethren Conference congregations gathered at La Grulla MB Church, Grulla, Tex , the first weekend in February for the annual IAMB Conference convention.
Times of celebrating God's work in the past year, along with discussions and plans regarding ministry opportunities for the future were centered around the theme "The Transformed Church "
A significant element of the convention was the ordination and licensing service of Rolando and Laura Mireles Jr., new MBMS International missionaries to Guadalajara, Mexico. Josue Contreras, pastor of La Joya MB Church, led the standing-room-only service attended by more than 300 people. The La Grulla MB Church is Rolando 's home congregation
The couple is joining a church planting team and will be working with youth and training young leaders The focus of their ministry will be "to set in motion a movement of churches in Guadalajara that will eventually reproduce itself into other churches within the city and country," according to the MBMSI worker directory.
The convention speaker was Alfredo Beltran, former pastor from the Colombia MB Conference now serving under joint appointment with the Colombia Conference and MBMS International as team
leader for the Guadalajara church planting project With 1 Thessalonians as the scriptural basiS, Beltran stressed that an individual's initial acceptance of salvation is only the beginning of the ministry of the transformed church. God has called the church to on-going discipleship.
The IAMB District Conference is made up of 10 churches in Texas. At the February convention, Miguel Flores became the new district chair, follOwing Moises Tagle who had served previously.-from a LAMB report
Seeking a place in global context
group will join worldwide mission cooperative
Anew era has begun in Mennonite mission work, and North Americans are trying to figure out how they fit into it.
Churches around the world that once received missionaries now are sending them. International relationships of equality are emerging, creating a desire for cooperation and ending the exclusive leadership of North Americans.
Seeking to adapt to these changes, leaders of North American Mennonite mission agencies metJan. 30-31 and made plans to form a regional mission fellowship that will take its place alongside similar bodies being formed in Africa, A<>ia, Europe and Latin America.
Each region is a subgroup of the Global Mission Fellowship, created last August at the Mennonite World Conference assembly in Zimbabwe. About 50 conferences and agencies around the world, including MBMSI, have joined the GMF, whose purpose is to strengthen international cooperation in mission work.
North America already has an inter-
Mennonite mission forum, the Council of International Anabaptist Ministries. MBMS International, the global mission agency of Mennonite Brethren in Canada and the U.S., as well as MB Biblical Seminary are CIM members. But the members of CIM, whose annual meeting in Chicago drew about 70
participants, decided the North American part of the GMF needed a fresh start. So they appointed Janet Plenert, executive director of international ministries for Mennonite Church Canada Witness, to lead the formation of a North American regional mission fellowship.
"I thank God for God's moving among us," Plenert said after accepting the assignment. "I'm both
grateful and overwhelmed by the task ahead."
Plenert said creating a regional fellowship might help people see mission work in a new way. "It breaks down the image that we've always had that mission happens only out there," she said. "It challenges us to see North America as one of the global mission
MBMSI's Ens promotes global partnerships
MBMS International general director Harold Ens is an advocate for global mission partnerships and over the past seven years he has given time and energy to that vision
Ens traces the current shift in global mission efforts to the 1997 Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Calcutta. At that time , Ens sensed a growing interest in cooperative mission work among the worldwide Mennonite community. Ens and other North American Mennonite mission agency staff members found their annual Council for International Anabaptist Ministries to be very valuable "Can
we do something like this globally-something like CIM with the whole world?" Ens says was their question.
The answer was yes , and in 2000 about 200 people from some 50 countries met in Guatemala City for the Global Anabaptist Missions Consultation. It was the first mission meeting held on such a farreaching scale for Mennonites and Brethren in Christ around the world The gathering was cosponsored by CIM and Mennonite World Conference and held in conjunction with the MWC General Council meeting Ens was a member of the plan-
ningteam
That gathering laid the foundation for a second global meeting of Mennonite mission agencies held this past summer prior to the 2003 MWC Assembly in Zimbabwe. At the Zimbabwe gathering representatives formed the Global Mission Fellowship.
MBMSI , represented by Tun Bergdahl, became a charter member of the new Global Mission Fellowship. A committee with representatives from various continents was formed in Zimbabwe and that group is working to further develop the new fellowship. Mennonite BrethrenJohannes Reimer, with
the German mission agency Logos International, represents Europe on that board.
Ens also speaks with enthusiasm about the growing interest among Mennonite Brethren worldwide in cooperative global mission work. One example Ens cites is the cooperative efforts in the Ukraine of missionaries from Canada, Germany and the U S
"ICOMB (the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren) is also working on a global mission level," says Ens This summer ICOMB will meet in Paraguay and Ens anticipates cooperative mission work will be on the agenda.
frontiers. "
At the meeting of representatives from 20 agencies, conferences and institutions, the mission leaders often spoke of the changes brought by the globalization of ntissionwork.
''We (North Americans) have seen ourselves as central to the global Christian mission movement," said Richard Showalter, president of Eastern Mennonite Missions . "That day, however, is over We are , in many respects, running to catch up."
What North Americans are catching up to is a growing web of mission efforts crisscrossing the globe.
"I feel uncomfortable now Sitting in an area committee (of CIM) and deciding how missions in Africa should be done," said Harold Ens, general director of MBMSI, the global mission agency of North American Mennonite Brethren "Because I know the Brazilians are sending mis· sionaries to Africa, too."
Ens also cited the examples of German Mennonites doing mission work in Brazil and Paraguay, Colombians evangelizing in Peru, Mexico and Panama and Japanese in Thailand
''We're in a totally different world in terms of interna· tional mission," he said. "It's very complex "
North America, too, is an international mission field Indonesian and Honduran Mennonites have planted churches in North America. Representing the Honduran church at the CIM meeting was Javier Soler, who chairs the GMF planning committee. Soler is president of Amor VlViente, or Living Love, a group of churches in Honduras that grew out of work by Eastern Mennonite Missions, the Lancaster Mennonite Conference mission agency.
Amor Viviente, founded in 1974, planted a church in New Orleans in 1983 and now has 12 established congrega· tions in North America and two more in formation.
"We're just a small part of this movement of God," Soler said. "Our work here in the U.S. is a good example of how a mission, EMM, relates to a church that sends mis· sionaries. "
Participants called attention to how North American Mennonites' growing ethnic diversity strengthens the church. Samson Lo, a Chinese pastor and director of cross· cultural ministries for Mennonite Church Canada Witness, said 40 congregations in British Columbia represent cuI· tures and ethnic backgrounds that are new to MC Canada
Agency leaders at the CIM meeting said they were tak· ing just the first steps toward greater changes to come A regional mission fellowship in North America might eventu· ally replace CIM, Plenert said. The most important thing will be to respond to God's leading in a new day for fulfill· ing the Great Commission.
"For us in North America, the challenge is how to part· ner effectively with the evangelistic vision that has emerged in churches around the world," said Len Barkman, repre· senting the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. "It is good to see the doors open to a greater level of cooperation in international mission."-by Paul Schrag/or Meetinghouse
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Delegates to vote on new U.S. Conference structure
Board members give nod of approval to proposal
WWhen u.s Conference board members and leaders of denominational ministries met March 4-5 in Fresno, Calif., one agenda item dominated the gathering: the proposal for a new conference structure . Throughout the two-day gathering board members discussed the pros and cons of moving to a governance model that is staff driven and that centralizes the decision making process in one board.
Participants seemed to agree that while the proposal has certain limitations, it also has the potential to do some things better than does the current structure. So after reviewing the feedback from conference board members, the Board of Church Ministries unanimously voted to present the proposal to U.S. Conference convention delegates in July for their approval. One board-one
mission
Under the proposed model, one board rather than multiple boards as is currently the case would be elected by convention delegates biennially and charged with "setting the priOrities and
values" of the U.S. Conference. This ninemember Leadership Board would replace the current Board of Trustees, Board of Faith and Life, Board of Communication and Mission USA as the "functional board" responsible for those areas of national ministry. BCM responsibilities would also move to the Leadership Board.
The proposed model is also different from the current structure in that it is staff led. Staff members would function as a team. As needed, staff members would develop project teams to "work at projects with definitive roles and timelines," according to the draft proposal circulated at the March meeting. The proposal lists staff members as the executive director, Leader editor, director of Mission USN!ntegrated Ministries, a secretary and an accountant.
The proposal also addresses how the Leadership Board would work with other incorporated denominational ministries. MB Biblical Seminary, MBMS International and MB Foundation would report annually to the Leadership Board. Representatives from these three agenCies along with the
district ministers and representatives from Tabor College and Fresno Pacific University would also meet annually "for mutual encouragement and support and to raise significant agenda for the U.S. Conference," says the proposal. USC executive director Chuck Buller and BCM members Lynn Jost, Don Morris and Nick Rempel comprise the task force that fine-tuned the March proposal.
A history lesson
BCM discussion Thursday evening as well as all-board discussions the next morning began with an explanation of "how we got here." Thursday evening former U.S. Conference chair David Reimer described the model used during his tenure (1998 to 2002) as similar to riding a bicycle when one of the two tires is not lined up properly.
"The bike doesn't run easily," said Reimer. "It's hard work." Reimer said that since the vision and responsibility of BCM as well as various program boards "wasn't well defined," BCM became a decisionmaking body and that resulted in frustration. "Good people were working extra
hard to get along, " said Reimer
Tentative plans to restructure the conference were made, he said . Then in 2002 when divestiture of the General Conference meant that bi-national ministries were to be integrated into the U.S Conference , restructuring became a priority.
"New wine skins"
Using Jesus ' words from Matt. 9 : 17 that one should "pour new wine into new wine skins , " Friday morning Buller outlined those "new things " that suggest it is time for a new conference structure . He noted that the cultural shift to being purpose-driven "demands we know our purpose .. . . Organizations are best when they are purposeful," he said. The new structure includes a set of guiding vision statements approved by BCM in 2003, said Buller. The&e statements will give focus to the work of the usc.
The divestiture of the General Conference is a second reason to restructure. "We are only beginning to understand the implications (of divestiture) ," said Buller "We have to ask the question: How do we become a growing healthy conference with these various incorporated bodies (MBBS , MBMSI and MBF)?"
A new approach to volunteerism is affecting boards, said Buller. Potential board members are interested in doing a specific job and then taking a break from
volunteer work , said Buller. "We need to tap into this large group of 45-year-oldplus people that is more project driven ," said Buller and the project team fonnat allows for this . The addition of an executive director and denominational giving patterns also suggest that a new governance model is needed.
II At the table"
BCM began its discussions about the proposed structure Thursday evening by talking with representatives from MBF, MBBS and MBMSI, all incorporated agencies of the U.S. Conference. MBF president Jon Wiebe reported that although an independent board governs MBF, the recommended structure would affect how MBF board members are elected The need to address this matter was raised again Friday morning in the all-boards discussion
MBBS president Jim Holm, MBMSI general director Harold Ens and MBMSI board chair Dennis Fast said that the divestiture of their respective ministries has impacted their work in pos itive and negative ways. "Divestiture has opened all kinds of ideas and possibilities," said Fast. As the consequences of divestiture continue to play out, leaders from both institutions said their desire is to work cooperatively with U.s . Conference and Canadian leaders in developing governance structures. Although independent
boards govern MBMSI and MBBS, Holm and Ens emphasized their desire to actively participate in the national conference decision-making process the major leadership training ground, we want to be at the table ," said Holm . Ens and Holm advocated a U.s. Conference governing model that keeps the mission agency and seminary closely tied to and identified with the denomination. They spoke of the need to prevent the development of a parachurch mentality.
"We have come to the conclusion that (MBMSI) is not a parachurch ministry. We are not interested in that," said Ens . Because "global mission is at the heart and core ofthe u.s. Conference," MBMSI "exists to help the local church ," he said
The question of how best to include incorporated ministries into the u.s. Conference governance structure emerged again Friday morning. In that discussion the important contributions leaders of these agencies can bring to the Leadership Board and how best to structure the annual institutional board summit so that the connection between the USC and these ministries is strong was emphasized . Common con ce r ns emerge
Restructuring discussions continued Friday morning in an all-boards setting and began with participants talking as individual ministry boards Summaries of those
Morris and Faber appointed to vacant positions
lWo individuals have been Sept. 1 while Faber will assume and church planting ministry of prior to that worked at Tabor appointed by the Board of her new position June 1 the U S Conference , and Inte - College , the denominational Church Ministries to fill U.S Morris , a MB Biblical Semi- grated Ministries , the confer- college located in Hillsboro Conference staff vacancies , nary graduate , is "one of the e nce 's ministry with transcul- The appointment of Morannounced Chuck pastors who has helped tural congregations 1M direc- ris and Faber completes the Buller, USC executive a struggling church tor Loyal Funk will be retiring team of U.S Conference staff director, late last become a really healthy in]uly and his responsibilities members described in the promonth. Don Morris , place ," says Buller. Mor- will be shared for a time by posed U.S. Conference strucpastor of Pine Acres ris 's commitment to Morris and Buller ture recommended to deleChurch in Weather- church renewal and his Faber has served as the gates at this summer ' s convenford , Okla. , has been belief that church plant- interim editor since April 15 , tion for their approval Morris appointed director of ing grows out of healthy 2003. In recommending her for and Faber join Buller and Mission USA and Inte- congregations are the editor 's pOSition , Buller Donna Sullivan of Hillsboro, grated Ministries and Connie strengths Morris brings to his commended Faber for her Kan ., who serves as the USC Faber of Hillsboro , Kan. , has new work, says Buller. commitment to the church . administrative secretary. For been appointed Leader editor. Morris will oversee Mis - She has been a member of the the present , an accounting finn Morris will begin his new duties sion USA, the church renewal Leader staff for nine years and will assume accounting duties .
tinctives," said Jost, representing BFL. "Where does theological reflection take place on the national level, " asked MUSA member Skip Suess. " District BFLs don't get to the bigger issues They do the daily stuff."
Several possible answers ................. emerged. One suggestion was that MBBS oversee theological matters and use the annual institutional board
discussions were provided to the group by BOC chair Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, BFL chair Lynn jost, MUSA chair Loretta Jost and BOT chair Dale Boese and member Ken Neufeld. Members of the restructuring task force responded to the various concerns and engaged the group in further conversation about several issues.
Common concerns emerged. The process used to select Leadership Board members and their qualifications were emphasized . "We are asking for a high level of commitment from these folks," said Gary Wall, Pacific District Conference minister. Developing a list of "elder qUality " qualifications for Leadership Board members was stressed.
The group debated asking each leadership Board member to give special focus to a certain area, i.e. theological reflection or magazine publication "We want to have non-competing perspectives on the (leadership) Board," said BOT member Ken Neufeld. Countered BOC member Phil Neufeld, "Expertise in a subject matter is different than competing interests "
A place for theological reflection
The question of one board adequately representing areas now covered by four boards and various commissions was raised Of particular concern were theological matters. "Our primary concern is the weakening of theological watch care and maintaining confessional integrity and dis-
summit as the avenu e for raising theological issues. Task force members suggested that the Leadership Board could give its entire agenda over to theological discussions when needed. How best to hold the Leadership Board accountable was also discussed and again multiple options were suggested. "The diversity among the board is a check and balance," said Morris, "and convention delegates hold the authority over the Leadership Board." Buller suggested that the annual institutional board summit could hold the Leadership Board · accountable.
Staff leadership key
The shift from a board-driven structure to one that is staff-driven was discussed. MUSA member Joe Johns affirmed the move saying, "A staff-driven model creates synergy for the denomination."
Wiest spoke to the importance of filling staff vacancies and MUSA's Jost noted the important role staff members will play. "The U S. Conference is only as good as our staff," Jost said. "It's good now but what about the future?" Nurturing future national conference workers was a related concern. "Where do we raise leaders?" asked Jost. Speaking to the opportunities available to MUSA board members she
said, "Lay leaders will only work in their district. We need interaction and cross-pollination "
"We came here to listen"
Members of the restructuring task force repeatedly acknowledged the validity of concerns raised They commended the group for sharing possible solutions. "Ideas are developing as we talk," said Jost. Task force members noted that some suggestions made by board members were also options they had discussed and then put aside in favor of strategies that would support a new paradigm.
While BCM voted unanimously to approve the restructuring proposal, the board wrestled to develop a timeline for working out the details of the proposal. BCM asked the restructuring task force to incorporate changes noted during the allboards discussion into the draft to be presented to delegates for their action BCM discussed bringing new by-laws to the U.S. Conference convention and decided it would instead ask delegates to approve the new structure in concept with the understanding that a final proposal with supporting by-laws would be acted on at the 2006 convention. Provisional acceptance provides a trial period in which strengths and weaknesses can be identified and addressed, they said.
Recalling Reimer 's opening image of riding a bike with poor tire alignment, more than one BCM member remarked on the unity and ease that marked the 2004 all-boards gathering. "Your conversation was God-honoring," USC chair Rolando Mireles told board members Friday morning . "We came here to listen and to do. This feels good," Rempel said that evening.-by Connie Faber
II God has something new for us"
fire
destroys Hillsboro MB Church building
ASunday afternoon fire in early March destroyed the building of the Hillsboro (Kan ) MB Church, one of Kansas' largest Mennonite congregations and a historic leader in the national MB conference. The building, comprised of a sanctuary, education wing and offices, had an assessed valued of $2.3 million . The nearly 600-member congregation has an active worship attendance of about 450 Bruce Porter is the lead pastor.
In the days following the fire, the congregation grappled with the meaning of "church ." HMBC members interviewed by local news media emphasized that a church is more than a building and that the congregation would move fOlWard "Thank goodness the church is people and not a building," said Lou Thurston.
"The building is burned, but we ' re still here-and so is God," Porter told the congregation one week later when they met for worshi p March 14 at the local high
school gymnasium, a gathering that also drew area news media. They, Porter reminded them repeatedly during the service, are the church and not the building, no matter how beloved and full of memories.
Nevertheless, the congregation also recognized how significant the loss of their meetinghouse was for them and for the broader community.
"It is a building with a lot of memories," church trustee Darrell Driggers told the Newton Kansan. " We loved this facility. We look at this facility as part of us. We're really a church community and we have a great loss here."
Smoke was reported coming from the sanctuary at 3:49 p.m by members of the Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus, which was practicing in the building Within minutes the volunteer Hillsboro fire department was on the scene. But not even fire departments from 10 communities, between 80 and 100 firefighters and an
estimated 1 million gallons of water were enough to save the downtown landmark.
Hillsboro fire chief Ben Steketee says that at no time did the fire departments have an upper hand on the inferno. "We realized fairly qUickly that the sanctuary was lost, so we were just going to try to save the rest of the church," Steketee told the Hillsboro Free Press. Within 90 minutes of the first report, the entire sanctuary was engulfed in flames. With the loss of the sanctuary, firefighters turned their attention to the north portion of the church building.
Meanwhile, a persistent wind challenged firefighters and threatened to spread the fire to neighboring homes Residents from 15 homes were evacuated While firefighters were able to save all but one home, efforts to save the remainder of the church building were in vain. By 6:30 p.m. the fire had spread to the north educational wing
Firefighters remained at the scene
through Sunday night, spraying water as the fire continued to spread and bum No one was injured in the blaze. For the next three days fires continued to flare and a fire crew kept watch through Wednesday. Growing concern that the sanctuary walls and one portion of the education wing would collapse prompted crews to demolish those walls late Thursday morning. Investigators have listed the cause of the blaze as "undetermined."
"We grieve the loss of a beloved building," HMBC moderator Don Ratzlaff told the Free Press, "but we look to the future with a lot of optimism and anticipation. We choose to believe God has given us a unique opportunity to refocus our vision and ministry."
Raltzlaff says the congregation will rebuild and has begun gathering information pertinent to that process They are working to settle insurance matters and are in conversation with city leaders regarding zoning regulations for their current location, Porter told the Leader.
The Hillsboro community qUickly responded to HMBC's need for meeting places Sunday morning services are currently being held at the Robert C. Brown Gymnasium on the Hillsboro High School campus and the district has offered its facilities for Sunday school classes as well. A local congregation that meets with another church for midweek classes has offered its facility for Wednesday night Bible classes. The church staff is working from offices on
the Tabor College campus
"We are so amazed and so thankful at the response of the community," says Porter. "It is humbling that people would want to assist us."
Porter says that often churches struggle to find opportunities to witness in their communities and that one consequence of the fire is that it has focused the community's attention on the HMBC congregation "We are a witness now," Porter told his congregation March 14. He challenged members to continue to love God and each other, even when the initial emotional energy wears thin. "People are watching us, to see how we will respond," he said.
HMBC was founded in 1881 and the building that burned was built in stages between the late 1940s and early 1960s. The sanctuary was dedicated in 1959. The HMBC structure was a historic site for the MB conference , and the congregation played a leading role in denominational history, says Peggy Goertzen, director of the Tabor College Center for MB Studies.
Over the years the large sanctuary has been used for a variety of Tabor College, community and denominational events "We are saddened that right now the community no longer has a venue for big events that our church provided," says Porter.
"It was a wonderful gift," preached Porter of the old building, "but now God has something new for us. "-by Connie Faber
Medical centers in India and Congo I Dueck appointed Historical report improvements, new projects
MBMSI health ministries impact communities
New opportunities are on the horizon for MBMS International-supported health ministries in India and the Congo
Through prayer and financial support, Doug Cressman and the staff he works with have seen positive changes at the MB Medical Center in Jadcherla, India over the last four years. A full-time husband and wife chaplain team has been found within the India MB church to serve the hospital's staff and patients. A strategic plan has been formed outlining the hospital's development over the next five years. Over $45,000 CDN from MB churches and individuals has been used to buy needed equipment in the last year and the number of patients treated each day has risen from less than 60 to over 170.
Cressman will soon have two new colleagues in MBMSI missionaries Dale and Teresa Regier. Dale will serve as the hospital accountant and Teresa as a nurse practitioner
The Libota Clinic, a MB health center in Kinshasa, D R.Congo, has recently taken steps to become a training center The Mennonite Mission
Health Association has approved a project that will bring the Libota Clinic to an acceptable standard so that quality education can be offered to students and residents.
Support has been raised through MBMSI which has allowed the clinic to complete some housekeeping projects including repair of the facility, payment of outstanding utility bills and state fees that have gone unpaid since 1998 for lack of funds. In addition , the clinic administrator attended a course, the pharmacy has been restocked and two nurses were sent for surgical training.
The Libota Clinic has had new management for a year. A new board that includes community members has also been chosen and is starting to meet.
Murray Nickel, MBMSI missionary, is doing some consultation alongside recent graduates from the medical school in addition to developing relationships with local specialists in general surgery, gynecology, internal medicine and pediatrics with the hope that they will consult at the clinicMBMSI news service
C
- - d- t
I ommlsslon Irec or
The MB Historical Com- The Historical Commismission has appointed Abe Dueck of Winnipeg as its next executive secretary. Dueck, who began his new duties last month, comes to the position follOWing 12 years of service as the director of the Center for MB Studies in Winnipeg and over 20 years as professor and academic dean of the former MB Bible College in Winnipeg
sion is responsible for fostering historical understanding and appreciation within the MB Church in the U.S. and Canada. It coordinates preservation of historical documents, publishes books and audiovisuals and sponsors conferences and symposia related to MB history. Previous directors include J.B. Toews and Paul Toews.-HC
MORE NEWS
publishes mystery
Fonner MB Herald editor and award-winning writer James R. Coggins has released his first fiction book. Who's Grace?, published by Moody Publishers of Chicago, Is a suspense novel featuring John Smyth, an unassuming family man and magazine editor who finds himself the chief suspect In a baffling murder Investigation. Coggins has also written two nonfiction books and lives with his family in British Columbia.
Haiti artisans supported r during unrest
When the United Nations Issued an embargo against Haiti In June 1993, the nonprofit retailer Ten Thousand Villages continued Its relationships with Its HaitIan artisans. Although products could not be exported to the U.S. at that time, lTV continued to place orders regularly, certain that when the ports reopened, the products would sell Despite the recent civil unrest In Haiti, the continued relationship with lTV gives Haitian artisans hope for their future. "One of the main goals of fair trade Is to build consistent purchases over the longtenn," says Paul Myers of lTV. "We've been working in Haiti since 1978. When we talk about our partners In Haiti, we're talking about longtime friends and colleagues. We're very concemed about their well-being." lTV buyer Doug Lapp says, "The unrest will certainly affect orders coming to the United States, but we are committed to maintaining consistent orders." Ten Thousand Villages has a history of maintaining relationships with artisans, despite difficult clrcumstances. - MCC
MWC continues to support Zimbabwe Christians
Mennonite World Conference continues to stand in solidarity with the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe and to engage in "sharing gifts in suffering and in joy," the theme of Africa 2003 held in Bulawayo last August.
MWC officers and executive staff met in Akron, Penn , in January to follow up on events and actions since the 2003 conference and to begin planning for the next five years, including the assembly in 2009.
In Zimbabwe, the General Council issued a statement committing MWC to prayer and to join the BICC in monitoring social and political developments in the country. Since then , the BICC has created a Peace and Justice Committee chaired by Danisa Ndlovu, bishop of the BICC in Zimbabwe and vice-president of MWC. This committee is networking with BIC churches and groups within Zimbabwe as well as connecting with the global church and with Mennonite Central Committee.
The Peace and Justice Committee is
monitoring the impact of changes in Zimbabwe on the daily lives of people, particularly the BIC people, as the country continues in a downward economic spiral and political uncertainty. The committee is conSidering how the global church might respond
The officers and staff also reviewed MWC's financial picture follOwing Africa 2003 and began planning for the next assembly. MWC finances at the end of 2003 showed a positive Assembly Fund balance of $47,000 despite challenging projections two years ago. European and North American registrations, which are charged higher fees, were good, special contributions for Mrica 2003 were strong and costs were carefully controlled.
MWC has received invitations for Assembly 15 in 2009 from MWC-member churches in Paraguay to hold the assembly in that country and from the u.S to come to eastern Pennsylvania. Following feaSibility studies, a decision will be made in summer during executive meetings in Strassbourg, France -MWC
MCC meat to N. Korea
This month nine containers or some 135 metric tons of canned meat from Mennonite Central Committee will arrive in North Korea . This is MCC's largest single shipment of meat in more than a half century of canning history.
"The need was there , and yes , we could address it," says Paul Pereverzoff, MCC's material resources manager "North Korea could easily absorb 100 containers of canned meat We can ' t supply all they need , but we will supply all we possibly can. "
April begins a particularly difficult time of the year in North Korea , when food stores from the previous year ' s harvest begin to run dry.
MCC's meat canning has steadily grown , with 456 ,906 cans of meat prepared during the 2002-2003 canning season , which runs from October to May. Pereverzoff anticipates an increase in the number of cans produced this year. "
CHURCH NE
Baptism/Membership
Denver. Colo. (Garden Park}-Jenny Bishop was welcomed into membership Feb. 1.
Cordell. Okla. (Bible}-M i key Mayfield was baptized and received into membership Feb 8 Buhler. Kan -Stacey Smithwick was baptized and received into membership Feb 15 Lisa McConaghy, Erin Heizelman, Lauren Pauls, Elise Wedel, Taylor Wedel and Andrea Zahn were baptized and welcomed into membership Feb 22 Dale and Jody Anderson , Courtney Duerksen and Bob and Peggy Krehbiel were also received as members Ryan Spitler was baptized Feb 29 Bak ersfield. Calif. (Lau rel gl en}-Ryan Bean, Michelle Brierley, Randi Pedigo, Allison Risley, Darren Scott, Cheryl Scott and Laura Sturm were baptized the weekend of Feb 1415
Wichi t a. Kan. (Fi rst MB}-Stephanie Carmichael was baptized the weekend of Feb 14-15 Also baptized and welcomed into membership were Marilyn Knudsen , Debbie Mann and Shawn Bestvater Others received into membership include Sally Bestvater, Bob and Mary Lou Bushnell, Gene and Kay Woodard ,
NEWS FROM OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
Dave and Sal Regier and Sandra Heinrichs
Lawton. Okla. (Faith Bible}-Nathan, Courtney and Joanne Gutierrez, Linda Allen and AI White were baptized and received as members Feb. 29 Cathy White and Shane and Amanda Brashears were also welcomed into membership
Shafter. Calif -Amy Bergen, Katie Bloemhof, Peter Grant, Alison Groves, Zachary Hockett, Rebecca Mairs, Zachary Toews and Ryan Watts were baptized and received into membership Susie Richards was also welcomed as a new member
Fellowship
Buhler Kan.-Th e third annual cooking class was held in January during which participants learned about different cuts of meat and how to prepare them A meal to sample the foods was also part of the event.
Bakersfield. Calif. (Heritage Bible}In an attempt to encourage church members to check their mailboxes more regularly, a special gift was placed in one mail box and people were encouraged to check to see if they were the winner
Ministry
Visalia. Calif. (Neighborhood}Women's Ministries sells cinnamon rolls the first Sunday of every month to raise money for ministry projects i n the church.
Shafter. Calif.-Zwieback are part of the women's ministry program in the Shafter congregation to assist in raising funds for various ministries People within the church , as well as the community, are encouraged to place orders a week in advance. Zwieback sell for $4 per dozen.
Harvey. N.D.-The congregation has been asked again to coordinate a Good News Club held in the Harvey Elementary school, beginning in February for children kindergarten through sixth grade. Last year the congregation ministered to 20 children with 10 acknowledging their need for salvation. Volunteers from the congregation help to lead the activities, make snacks and serve as prayer partners.
Tea ching/Nurture
Ferndale. Wash. (Good News Fellowship}-Understanding Your Teenager, a seminar for parents, was held April 3, with nationally
known speaker and author Wayne Rice. The goal of the seminar is to encourage parents, offer practical ideas and an opportunity to interact with other parents Other churches in the area were invited to join Good News Fellowship for the event
Reedley. Calif.-As part of a commitment to raise up and train the body of Christ to build, enrich and reconcile marriages, the congregation has written a mission statement for marriage ministry and trained 14 couples to relate to couples preparing for marriage.
Chicago. III (Lakeview}-A decision to sell the Lakeview church was made at the Central District Ministries Council in September. The church has been a part of the Central District Conference since 1915 when it began as a mission by the Krimmer MB Conference. In 1963 its focus changed and it became a church ministering to the people in downtown Chicago As years went by, several members of the church moved to the suburbs and the church declined in numbers; recent attendance has been between five and 10 Fergus and Joanne Furlong were the pastoral couple at Lakeview
Yale. S D. (Bethel}-A Bible study is
being held during the spring quarter Sunday school hour for all women of the church. Except for one beginners class, all others, including the nursery, are being taught by men during that time 50 that women can attend the Bible study Christian Education leaders are also looking into changing to a curriculum that uses the same Scripture passage for all levels with age appropriate methods for each. CE worker Helene Wedel says, "It's fun to 'shake things up' once in a while--even in the country! Keeps things fresh and exciting and keeps us on our toes "
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglen}--A class on understanding baptism and the Lord's Supper was held for elementary through junior high aged children and their parents The purpose was to help children make informed decisions about being baptized and participation in communion. At least one parent from each family was urged to attend with their child.
Lawton, Okla. (Faith Bible Church)-Eight club members participated March 6 in the Awana Games at McAlester, Okla , and won first place for Division 3.
Workers
Uttleton, Colo. (Belleview Community)-- Carlin Regier, a 2004 graduate of MB Biblical Seminary, was affirmed Feb. 8 as pastor of worship and will begin her ministry in August.
Minot. N.D.-Duane and Linda Deckert began serving as pastoral couple in mid-March
Wo r ship
Corn, Okla.-Feb. 1 Pastor Ken, together with his wife Lil Gardner, gave a message on marriage.
Wichita, Kan. (United at the Cross Community}--Gracia Burnham was the guest speaker Feb. 15. Burnham and her husband Martin served as missionaries in the Philippines. When taken hostage, Martin was killed in a rescue attempt. UATC is a small church plant sponsored by the Southern District Conference and World Impact. Other well-known believers who have come to speak to the church include David Bruce from Hollywood Jesus and Burt Rosenberg.
Deaths
DELI(, CLIFFORD, Hillsboro, Kan , member of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Nov. 19, 1917, to Jacob C. and Katie Seibel Delk, near Beaver City, Okla., and died Feb. 2, 2004, at the age of 86 On Aug. 8, 1940,
he was married to Evelyn Warkentin, who survives. He is also survived by four daughters, Kathleen and husband Phillip Schmidt of Park City, Kan., Margaret and husband Martin nce of Marion, Kan ., Beverly and husband AI Flaming of Pagosa Springs, Colo., and Pam and husband Donnie Abbott of Hillsboro; one son, Jim and wife Elaine of Hillsboro, 12 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
HIEBERT, RUBENA ANN, Orland, Calif , member of Country Bible Church, was born Jan. 24, 1931, to Peter and Hanna Plett Willems in Hillsboro, Kan. and died Jan. 23, 2004 at the age of 72 . She was married to William G Hiebert who survives. She is also survived by two daughters, Jenyce and husband Joel Danley of Willows, Calif., and JoAnn and husband Bob Heidebrecht of Oakhurst, Calif.; one brother, Edwin Willems of Houston, Tex., one sister Ethel Kleinsasser of Reno, Nev., and five grandchildren
HOFER. RUSSELL RAY, Huron, S.D , of Bethel MB Church in Yale, S.D , was born June 11, 1931, to Jacob Emil and Mary Hofer, near Carpenter, S.D., and died Feb. 9, 2004, at the age of 72 . On June 1, 1957, he was mar-
ried to Monica
Gross, who survives. He is also survived by his mother of Huron; four sons, Scott and wife Michelle, Corey, Todd and wife Amy, all of Sioux Falls, S.D., Guy and wife Nancy of Huron; one brother, Jerane and wife Pearl of Huron; two sisters-in-law, Lila Hofer of San Diego, Calif., and Rosemary Hofer of Milwaukee, Wis., and six grandchildren
KROEKER, ESTHER REIMER, Hillsboro, Kan , member of Hillsboro MB Church, was born May 27,1911, to Isaac W. and
Margaretha Reimer in Steinbach, Man., and died March 6, 2004, at the age of 92. On May 20, 1932, she married John D Kroeker, who predeceased her. She is survived by one son, Raymond and wife Esther; three daughters, Laverna and husband Jack Braun, Eileen and husband Dean Hiebert, Sylvia and husband Eddie Unger; four sisters, two brothers, 16 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.
NEUFELD, VlaOR MARVIN, Fairview, Okla., member of Fairview MB Church, was born Aug 5, 1915, to Harry C. and Kathryn Janzen Neufeld north of Fairview and died March 7, 2004, at the age of 88. On Oct. 11, 1936, he was married to Elda Esther Kliewer, who survives. He is also survived by one daughter, Carolyn Vogt-Winter of Fairview; two sons, Leon and wife Karen and Byron and wife Lucy, all of Fairview; one daughter-in-law, Nancy Neufeld of Kingsburg, Calif.; two brothers, Isaac "Ike" and wife Eva of Fairview and Orville and wife Ida of Monument, Colo.; one sister, Norma Jean and husband Ben Boehr of Fairview, one sisterin-law, Lillian Nickel of Fairview, 10 grandchildren and 17 great grand · children
r> MI
DIsdpIe Making Intematlonlll
REGIER, DOUG W , Hillsboro, Kan., member of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Sept. 30, 1954, to Wes and Evelyn Regier in Goessel, Kan., and died Feb. 28, 2004, at the age of 49. On May 21, 1977, he was married to Debbie Ratzloff, who survives He is also survived by his , parents; mother-in-law, Bonnie Ratzloff; one son, Matthew, of Newton, Kan.; two daughters, Sarah and Bethany of the home; a foster son, Joey Smallwood; one sister, Karleen and husband Jerold Vogt of Hillsboro; brother-in-law, Mike Ratzloff and family; sisters-inlaw, Laurie Creamer, Jamie Hopkins and Sharon Terrel and their fami, lies
WALLMAN, JEANETTE U JAN," Yale, S.D., member of Beth el MB Church of Yale, was born Sept 24, 1946, to Marvin H. and Lillian Wipf Walter in Huron and died Aug. 8, 2003, at the age of 56. On June 25, 1965, she was married to Willard Wallman, who survives. She is also survived by her mother of Huron; two sons, Jeremy and wife Kristi of Yale and Rusty of Howell, Mich. ; one sister, Nita Walter of Phoenix, Ariz.; and two brothers, Errol and wife Bonnie Walter of Huron and Marty and wife Karla Walter of Conway, Ark
Traver with a Purpose
Join DMI on a 2-3 week person-to-person international mission experience.
PH IUPPINES FeB l8- MAR 8
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* U GAN DA A PR 12 - 24
GERMANY A PR 14-MAY 3
NIGERIA A PR 21-MAY 10
* PeRU A PR 26-MAY 7
Fm ( STUOEl"fTS ) MAY 3 - JUN 7
*El SALVADOR MAY 6-8
RUSSIA MAY 12-31
UKRAINE MAY 12 - 31
PARAGUAY MAY 31 - JUN 12
$2700 N/A N/A
$2600 Co NGO PeRU BRAz iL I NDONESIA ECUADOR UKRAINE T HAILAND MEXICO CoLOMBIA INDIA JUN 1-21 $3600 JUN 2-21 $2600 JULY 14 - AuG 2 $2600 AUG 4-23 $2700 AUG 18-5EP 6 $2600 5 EP 2-20 $2800 5 EP 9-27 $2900 5 EP 29 - Ocr 18 $2400 Nov 3 - 22 $2600 Nov 10 - 29 $2900 • THESE CAMPA.lGN'S AR.C FOR CQU,VTRY NATTONAI..S ()/Illy ALL PRICES AR E IN CANADIAN DOLLARS. PLEASE CALL F"OR THE US EQUIVALENT. CAMPAIGNS MAY BE ADDE D, RESCHEDULED OR CANC ELLED BASED ON PARTICIPANT RESPONS E. CHURCHES ARE ENCOURAG ED TO SPONSOR MEMBERS ON THESE SHORT-TERM DM! MISSIONS
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Nikkel, OMI Director
· .Creating A Sunrise At
Every year, we receive news of new "sunrises" created by the thoughtful planning of individuals who include their favorite charities in their estate plans and wills. These gifts appear on the horizon as beautiful expressions of a new day for these charities.
For example, consider Martha Esther Bartel of Enid, Oklahoma. Thanks to thoughtful charitable gift and estate planning, three ministries she prayed for and highly valued benefited from gifts exceeding $800,000 upon her death in March of 2002.
These gifts are indeed like sunlight to Com Bible Academy (Com OK), Oklahoma Bible Academy (Enid OK), and MBMS International (Fresno CA). They provide the warm and comforting knowledge that financial resources are available as they fulfill their God-given mission.
Meet Esther
Esther was born in 1911 near Com, Okla. At the age of thirteen she accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, was baptized, and became a member of Com Mennonite Brethren Church. Later she would become a member of the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church.
Throughout her life, Esther touched the lives of many people. She taught and influenced many students at Com Bible Academy, Oklahoma Bible Academy, Enid Public Schools, Bacone College and Phillips University. She also accepted several young people into her home while they were pursuing their college education. She gave strong encouragement to young people to consider the ministry or missionary service as their calling from God. One of her pastors stated, "Esther was the first person (as a VBS teacher) to challenge me to consider the call of God upon my life."
Esther served her church and her Lord as a Sunday School superintendent, organist, and was a member of various committees. She also served for a period of time as music director in an Indian Baptist mission. Esther was also involved in a variety of educational associations, the local Chamber of Commerce, and other community organizations.
Painting a Sunrise at Sunset
Mennonite Brethren Foundation was privileged to assist Esther in reviewing options to fulfill her charitable intent. Several years ago, Esther gifted a piece of land to Mennonite Brethren Foundation in exchange for a life income through a charitable gift annuity. The increase in income from the annuity over the net-farm income resulted in a win-win situation for her and the ministries, which would ultimately benefit from her gift. As a result of the grace of giving and good investment practices by her trustee, her estate grew. At the sunset of Esther's life, gifts in excess of $800,000, from a gift annuity and bequest, provided a new "sunrise" for three charities.
Would you like to paint a sunrise at the sunset of your life? It is as simple as including the correct language in your will, or utilizing one of many charitable gifting options available through Mennonite Brethren Foundation, where we look forward to encouraging and assisting individuals in faithful stewardship for the benefit of Mennonite Brethren and MB organizations.
Easter passion
Thanks to Mel Gibson's The Passion o/the Christ, this Easter season many of us have new and sobering insights into the pain and suffering Christ experienced as he was crucified for the sins of mankind, ours included. But because Gibson's film is the story of Christ's passion, it does not emphasize the excitement and thrill of the resurrection. A letter to the editor in the March 1 issue of Newsweek speaks to this point. A pasSion drama tells only half the story; writes Robin Albing of Readington, N.]. "Noone denies that crucifixion is a horrible death, but death on the cross is not what makes Jesus unique .... Jesus is important because of how he lived and lived again." Amen to that! How Christ lived and that he lived again is where we evangelical Anabaptists hang our faith.
This leads me to a question. How do I get passionate about the resurrection?
Passion dramas like Gibson's make Christ's death very real. How can I make Christ's resurrection and the power of that event equally real? Gibson's movie draws out the details of Christ's death . How does one offer similar details about the resurrection? We can explain death. Shoot, we know how to bring it about. But giving life is another matter. Resurrecting something or someone is a miracle-death is not. I have never heard anyone say,
"It's a miracle she died." Miracles surround the giving of life, not the taking of it. How do I explain the miracle of the resurrection?
I can't. But I know Jesus Christ died for my sins, rose again and is alive today. How do I know this? I speak with him each and every day.
Often when a person dies suddenly or unexpectedly becomes ill we express our disbelief at the news by saying something like, "But I just talked to him." We assume that since we so recently talked with this individual, he or she must be alive and healthy. How can this person have died or be hospitalized when we just spoke to him or her?
Jesus' disciples saw him beaten and hung on the cross. They saw his body laid in a tomb. He was dead. Then Mary Magdalene brought some astounding news-she had seen and even spoke with Jesus. "This can't be," the disciples said. "We saw him crucified and buried. He cannot be alive." Mary's reply was probably quite simple and her evidence convincing: "But I just talked to him."
My evidence for Christ resurrected echoes Mary's: I talk to him. Our daily conversations are a testimony to his miraculous resurrection. How am I passionate about the resurrection? I speak with my risen Savior each and every day.-CF
A discussion worth repeating
This summer when delegates meet for the 25th U.S. Conference convention, they will take action on proposed changes in the governance structure of the conference. After more than a year of research, the proposal represents current thinking on the best way to provide for denominational ministry services that are not offered by other national agencies.
Last month members of U.S. Conference boards were invited to talk with the Board of Church Ministries about the proposed structure. The format of the meeting was that after getting feedback from boards and from an "all-boards" discussion BCM would determine what recommendation it would forward to delegates. The suggested changes are significant and, as is often the case in such a Situation, there were as many opinions regarding those changes as there were board members present. The proposed structure is staff driven and centralizes authority in a single board that will focus its attention on confessional matters, producing a magazine, planning denominational gatherings and adopting, planting and renewing congregations.
The all-boards discussion proved to be an honest one. There was an open exchange of ideas. Board members worked hard to
think outside the box and were not overly concerned about maintaining their own turf The merits and weaknesses of the proposed structure were addressed. There was a spirit of humble give and take. You may have attended meetings at which people didn't feel free to say what they thought or participated in discussions in which it felt like the moderator wasn't really listening. This meeting wasn't like that. In fact, the group began to brainstorm possible solutions to the concerns they had raised. And when the Board of Church Ministries met to review the feedback, the sense of unity that emerged led to a unanimous vote affirming the proposal. The spirit of unity was such that the final BCM meeting ended three hours earlier than expected.
It would be good in July if delegates would emulate the gracious tenor of the all-boards and BCM discussions. When delegates have a healthy discussion about how best to structure national ministries the agreed upon governance structure has a better chance of working. And if the two-year trial period reveals unexpected problems, a healthy conversation will make that situation easier to manage. Most importantly, a healthy conversation honors God.-CF
