24 Mennonite Brethren share in shaping future of MCC
10 THE PROBLEM IS MY BROTHER NORMAN
by Pierre Gilbert
We human beings are uniquely valued by God After all, we are created in his image, and the reflection of God can be seen in everyone- even someone like Norman, who couldn't stand, sit or even tum his head.
13 CELEBRATING KENTON 'S VICTORIES
by Lori Belden Pope
Neglected and likely abused because he was not "perfect," Kenton Vladimer lived in a Russian orphanage until he came to the United States and joined the Pope family For more than a decade now, Kenton and his family have celebrated many milestones, including his rebirth as a child of God.
14 GROWING WITH JACOB
by Amie Hardt
Raising a son with special needs, even when you prayed for the opportunity to bless such a child, is a growing experience. It can help you appreciate the simple things in life and how to love every moment- even the hardest moments - because that's where we see Jesus most clearly.
15 KILL HIM
by Joanna Felts
The account in Exodus of two midwives who bravely stand up to Pharoah encourages us to hold firm to our conviction that life, as created by God, is to be valued and not extinguished at our own whims and for our own convenience.
17 THE CHOICES WE FACE
by Jennifer L. Johnson
Throughout our lives, we face a litany of bioethical choices concerning technology with implications for the sanctity of life and human dignity. What do we need to consider as we face these choices?
> FiRST WORDS
(from the editor)
IN THIS ISSUE YOU WILL READ ABOUT GRULLA MB CHURCH and some of the folks who have helped this Mennonite Brethren congregation in the small town of La Grulla, Texas, impact their community in new ways . As Kathy Heinrichs Wiest worked on this story, she was repeatedly encouraged to talk to Alex Bazan, someone whose life has been transformed by Jesus Christ.
Bazan was a successful construction businessman in La Grulla who cared about his workers and took seriously his responsibility to provide an income for their families He was a good man, a regular at Catholic mass and an active lay worker Then three years ago, just after his 50th binhday, his business came tumbling down amid lawsuits and old tax liabilities. He closed the business and sold everything he could to payoff his obligations.
Alex Bazan (rightl and Rolando Mireles, Sr. Desperate for work, Bazan, are in a small group together at Grulla MB. leaving his wife, Cynthia, behind in La Grulla, joined his son on a crew building refineries in the Virgin Islands. The work was physically demanding and the protective gear he wore magnified the oppressive heat. How had his life come to this, he wondered.
When Bazan returned after several months, he learned that Cynthia was attending Grulla MB Church, and eventually Cynthia persuaded her husband to attend with her And that's when Bazan's whole life changed for the second time.
'The first time I went I broke down and cried," says Bazan "(Pastor Aaron Hernandez) asked that whoever wanted spiritual help to go forward and I just got up and walked forward. I went up to the front right there on the step and he staned praying for me "
Bazan is at a loss for words to describe the experience that Sunday morning as the members of congregation joined Hernandez in laying hands on him and praying for him But he clearly understands and is thankful for the change that has come about in his ·life and his family's life since that moment. 'They caught me before I fell all the way," says Bazan, reflecting on how Grulla MB stepped in when his world was coming apan. "Back then .. .! had material things," says Bazan, "but now I have God."
Bazan's full story, told by Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, is published online at www.usmb.orglchristian-Ieader.
> UP & COMING
• April 19-21, 2010 - National Pa stors' Orientation. Phoenix. Ariz.
• April 21-22, 2010 -U SC Board of Faith and Life meeting. Phoenix. Ariz.
• April 22-23, 2010 - Leadership Summit. Phoenix Ariz.
• April 24-25, 2010 - U S Mennonite Brethren Leadership Board mtg. Phoenix. Ariz.
• July 12-18. 2010 -U. S MB Convention /lsoth MB Anniv. Celebration. Vancouver
• April 16-19. 2011 - National MB Youth Convention. San Anton io.lexas
Connie Faber EDITOR
Myra Holmes ASSISTAN T ED ITOR
Shelley Plett GRAPHI C DESIGNER
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Rethinking what we say in church
Common phrases reflect poor theology, lack of faith
Have you seen the latest Larry Osborne book called 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe? Osborne confronts 10 myths and spiritual urban legends that keep showing up in the way that many Christians think about life and God This summer, I plan to preach a sermon based on one of these errant convictions. It will be interesting to figure out how much I need to repent- or be converted I have not spent a lot of time trying to collect or articulate this kind of straying among us as a family of churches, but I have been keeping a mental list of another kind.
Like the children Art Linkletter interviewed on his television show, "Kids Say the Darndest Things," when we meet as the "gathered church," we sometimes say the darndest things. Perhaps it is because we are not thinking when we speak, or maybe we didn't plan ahead Maybe we've said these things so many times that we really believe they are the right things to say, or maybe we are on the program to say something and this is all we know to say I'm not taking a shot at sincerity or at motive, but I wonder if we might benefit from thoughtfully reviewing some common phrases.
When we pray as the gathered church we often say things like : "Be with us as we We invite you to be here with us today .... Please honor us with your presence today .... " Or more colloquially, 'We are asking you to show up today .... "
For a very long time now, this kind of prayer has given me pause and even made me squirm. Wasn't it God in the flesh who said he would be with us always? That he would be present wherever two or three of us gather? That the Spirit would be in us? So why it is that we think we should invite him in or that we have to persuade him to show up?
Instead, what if we thank him for being present in us and among us? And praise him for his commitment never to leave us? And offer him gratitude for his willingness to allow us to live in his presence?
When I tried out this concern of mine on our national leaders and pastors in my monthly e-note, Larry Nikkel, our Board of Faith and Life chair, chimed in by suggesting that asking God to be with us must leave God asking, "Where do you think I've been all these years?" Pastor Mike Andrews responded, "These prayers reflect either an inadequate theology or a lack of faith in the promises of Jesus."
Here's another example of a common phrase to rethink . When we gather as the local church, we say things like: "OK,
let's worship together It's time now for us to worship
Later in our service we will have a time of worship We will have our worship at the end of the service this morning." Most all of which mean that we are going to make music together when the time for "worship" comes.
There is no doubt that music can and should be an avenue or opportunity for worship, but saying these things infers that worship is happening only when we make music, and eventually we begin to believe this. Or even that worship can happen only when we are gathered . This is not what the Bible says when it defines worship as fully life encompassing, as the giving of our entire lives to sacrificial service (Rom. 12:1 - 2).
Grant Norsworthy, formerly of Sonic F100d, quit the band recently because he understood God's Spirit asking him to deliver a new message to the family of God : 'Worship is not an adjective Nowhere in the Bible is the word used that way." He quips that when he now leads music among believers he usually says something like, "I sure hope you all are not going to start worshipping now or quit when we are done singing "
This sounds like a good wake-up call. Why not invite folks to "sing together to our God" as Pastor John Szablowski suggested in response to my e-note. Pastor Denny Hartford opined that "there are no quick fixes to the problem." He went on to say we could benefit from "excellent role models and the willingness to work at personal improvement" through thoughtful preparation and deliberate evaluation.
Agreed! We probably should not deploy "church speak" Nazis At least I'm not going there. But we can do better. Let's aim to mean what we say because we've thought it over, and it syncs with the Bible.
'1J Post your comment on this column at usmb orglchristian -leader
Join us in blessing a new partnership
The MB Biblical Seminary will have a new home but not a new mission.
Effective June I, 2010, the new home will be Fresno Pacific University. The mission will remain the one stated in 1955 when the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary was established: to train pastors and church leaders for Mennonite Brethren churches in the United States and the Central Valley of California .
Fresno Pacific University did not ask for this new mission. In fact, when the MBBS Board originally approached FPU in the fall of 2008 to talk about partnership, the university said "no" because of its own financial pressures. With the nation already slipping into what has become known as the Great Recession, FPU encouraged MBBS to continue the conversation it had initiated with Fuller Theological Seminary, which has significantly greater resources and financial capacity.
When Fuller said "no" and MBBS came back with an urgent request that Fresno Pacific reconsider, the university re-thought its position and agreed to embrace the mission of MBBS. With humility and enthusiasm, Fresno Pacific accepts the mission of providing graduate level theological education for the denomination's pastors and church leaders. It is committed to carrying on the pastoral and church leadership training mission of MBBS as well as the marriage and family counseling program. The partnership with FPU brings administrative efficiencies and economies of scale that the small size of MBBS did not petrnit.
FPU is a regional undergraduate university with a national graduate program . It plans to use its technology infrastructure to expand the teaching capacity of MBBS to multiple centers in the Mennonite Brethren constituency through broadband video and online programs. This will help serve the training needs of Mennonite Brethren churches and leaders throughout the U.S and also in Canada.
FPU is currently providing professional development courses through distance learning to students across the nation and abroad. (You may be interested to know that currently, FPU's largest group of professional development students is found in Pennsylvania. Distance matters much less than it did before .) The university would love to provide that same service to Mennonite Brethren pastors and students throughout the U.S. Conference and beyond.
An advisory council will provide guidance on how to best develop and deliver theological education. This group will be led by Dr. Larry Martens, fotrner MB pastor, MBBS professor, MBBS president and FPU board chair. Although Fresno Pacific will have financial responsibility for the seminary, we want to work closely with the other Mennonite Brethren higher educational institutions such as Tabor College to deliver graduate education programs. Tabor College President Jules Glanzer previously served as a seminary dean at another institution where he pioneered some new and creative approaches. Fresno Pacific wants to collaborate more closely with Tabor through the application of distance learning. At this point, it's not clear what this might look like, but it could involve some new degree programs and delivery systems. U.S. Conference Executive Director Ed Boschman will be convening a summit th at will bring our district ministers together with the institutional leaders from Tabor and FPU to explore these options.
The seminary program within FPU will build on the current faculty of MBBS who would otherwise be teaching at MBBS next year if this change had not been implemented Lynn Jost will serve as the leader for this school. Although the seminary has not yet been named, it will function as a separate "school" with its own budget, leadership and donors It will continue to carry accreditation from both the Association of Theological Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The assets MBBS is transferring to Fresno Pacific will be used exclusively to continue the current graduate level theological education and counseling programs within FPU; they will not be used to fund other university programs . Although FPU will provide the oversight and infrastructure for the seminary, donations received for the seminary program within FPU will be used solely for this purpose, not to fund other activities at FPU. A separate account will be established to receive funds designated for the seminary program .
MBBS President Lynn Jost and I invite you to join us in blessing this partnership designed to facilitate the training of church leaders for the Mennonite Brethren Church both in the United States and throughout the world
D. Merrill Ewert. President Fresno Pacific University
MDS celebrates 60 years of sharing
Half million days of service totalled by volunteers
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), the disaster relief agency supported by Mennonite Brethren, marked 60 years of service at their annual All - Unit Meeting held Feb. 12-13 at Wannan Bergthaler Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, Sask.
"MDS's anniversary represents 60 years of people sharing their gifts for the glory of God," says Cathie Kearsley, director of human resources. "For the past 60 years, volunteers and communities have pulled together resources to impact, change and develop deep personal lifelong relationships that would otherwise seem improbable orimpossible "
Looking back on 60 years of service, Kevin King, MDS executive director, quotes Martin Luther King Jr , who said, "Life's most urgent and persistent question is: What are you doing for others?" King adds, "I believe MDS is one way to answer that question." MDS was bom from a small group of people in Hesston, Kan. , in 1950. During Sunday school and "picnics in the park," they gathered at Whitestone Mennonite Church to express their common desire to "seek opportunities to be engaged in peaceful, helpful activity-just where we find ourselves "
These meetings grew into Mennonite Service Organization, which later became MDS and now includes Anabaptists from across Canada and the United States MDS volunteers have given more than 500,000 days of service since 1950. In 2009, some 3,856 volun-
MDS volunteers clean debris after 1955 Kansas tornado.
teers gave a total of 28,536 days of service. Volunteers come from many theological streams, including Old Order Mennonites, Amish , Brethren in Christ, Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Brethren, as well as non-Anabaptist related communities At the February meeting, Jerry Klassen , MDS disaster response coordinator, spoke on the meeting's theme, from I Cor 3:9, comparing the mission of MDS to the Apostle Paul's words about God's field and saying, "I think that in MDS our diversity is our strongest asset." - Brian Pipkin for MDS
Celebration 2010 features global speakers
When Mennonite Brethren from the United States and Canada gather this summer to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Mennonite Brethren Church, they will hear a global perspective through three international MB speakers . Mennonite Brethren around the globe began celebrating the anniversary Jan 6. National celebrations are taking place throughout the year in India, Panama, Brazil, Japan, Paraguay and in Germany, which will host International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) meetings and celebrations.
North America will host Celebration 2010 : The I50th Anniversary of the Mennonite Brethren, July 12 - 18, in British C olumbia. Celebration 2010 participants will hear three international Mennonite Brethren on Wednesday and Friday evening. Nzuzi Mukawa is academic dean and professor at the School of Missiology in Kinshasa,
DR Congo, and associate pastor of Batela MB Church of Kinshasa. He was born and raised in a Mennonite Brethren family and church in Kinshasa. Mukawa's passion is to "see the Anabaptist family united, sharing resources to fulfill the great commission by reaching the unreached of the world."
John Shankar Rao is the director of evangelism and church planting within the India MB Conference. He brings a fresh perspective on mission as he serves the largest mission field in the world India has 4,000 people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ. The third international speaker, whose name is not being printed here for security reasons, serves Arabic-speaking communities in North America and beyond through radio, television and printed materials. He is well known in North Africa and is commitred to a peaceful witness to Muslims. - USCICCMBC
MCC responds to violence in Nigeria
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is planning a relief effon to respond to the needs of thousands of people forced from their homes by violence in the city of Jos and outlying areas of Nigeria's Plateau State MCC is the global peace, relief and service agency of Nonh American Mennonites and is supponed by many Mennonite Brethren.
Simmering tensions between Christians and Muslims in Jos erupted into violence Jan. 17 and escalated through the following days. Buildings and homes were burned, more than 400 people were killed and thousands were forced to flee. MCC is providing an initial $17,390 to help meet the needs of displaced people, working through Emergency Preparedness Response Team, an interfaith network of 10 Nigerian organizations that responds to and mediates conflicts in Plateau State.
'With the curfew and cold weather, it will be imponant to respond with immediate emergency items, such as food, blankets, mats and kitchen utensils," says Willie Reimer, MCC's director of food , disaster and material resources.
MCC , which has worked in Jos since 2001 to promote peace-building and to address tensions between groups of people including Christians and Muslims, was instrumental in helping form the EPRT in 2005. MCC Nigeria representative Brenda Hanman-Souder says EPRT members have registered 34,000 internally displaced people and are working to coordinate a relief effon. Nigeria's population is almost equally divided between Christians and Muslims, and Jos is between the predominantly Muslim nonh and the south, where Christianity and traditional religions are practiced. Violence may be perpetrated along religious lines, but it is deeply rooted in political tensions and access to resources and political power. Riots killed some 1,000 people in Jos in 2001 and hundreds more in 2008. -Marla Pierson Lester for MCC
Canadian staff resign
Two key staff members for the Canadian Conference of MB Churches (CCMBC) have submitted their resignations. 'This puts us into search mode," says Don Petker, CCMBC assistant moderator. "It will take a lot of energies." The CCMBC executive board accepted the resignation of the conference's executive director, David (Dave) Wiebe, at its Jan. 29 meeting. Director of communications Cam Rowland submitted his resignation Jan. 8.
Wiebe and Rowland plan to serve until after Celebration 2010, a binational convention marking the 150th anniversary of the MB church to be held in July. Wiebe will continue through the end of the year if a new executive director has not been found by then.
Wiebe joined the CCMBC staff in 1989. He served as director of Christian education until 2000, then as executive minister until 2004. After restructuring in 2004, Wiebe's official title became executive director .
"Dave is known for his humble, gentle and caring leadership style," says conference moderator Jascha Boge. "His smile and willingness to always go the extra mile in the service of his Lord will be greatly missed."
Rowland's name is familiar to many U.S Mennonite Brethren since he served in admissions and constituency relations at the MB Biblical Seminary's Fresno, Calif., campus prior to his work for CCMBC . He began serving the conference in 2003 as executive director for discipleship ministries, then moved to the area of communications and church health and assumed his current title in 2007 - CCMBC
SPRING 2010 ENROLLMENT STRONG AT FPU
Fresno Pacific University, the Mennonite Brethren university in Fresno, Calif., repons that enrollment for spring semester remains strong. According to February repons, spring enrollment rose for both traditional, undergraduate and graduate programs; projections for degree completion programs predict increases as well. Official enrollment for the current academic year is 2,649, up II percent over the past two years. FPU points to efforts to open more classes, increase financial aid and more quickly process applications as reasons for the success Stephen Varvis, vice president for enrollment management, credits the cooperation of faculty and staff at the main campus and centers in Nonh Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield. 'They showed that enrollment is everybody's business," he says -FPU
RECORD SPRING ENROLLMENT AT TC
An all-time record number of students are enrolled for a spring semester at Tabor College, the Mennonite Brethren college in Hillsboro, Kan. Total head count for all programs on the Hillsboro and Wichita campuses is 621 students, compared to 590 students last spring. Total full-time equivalency is 561 students, compared to 543 students a year ago. Overall enrollment at the college grew almost 4 percent from the 2009 spring semester to the 2010 spring semester "Having record enrollment requires the grace of God, the hard work of many people, and the strategic decisions of those in leadership," says President Jules Glanzer. The record-setting spring enrollment is bolstered by a concurrent rise in student retention.TC
enesis tells us that God created man in his image, breathed life into human form and called it good. The creation story is the basis for our belief that God values human life and that part of our stewardship mandate as his disciples is to nurture and care for this life. The articles that follow celebrate life and the fact that all of us - regardless of our weaknesses and Iimitationsare precious in his sight. - CF
The creation story affirms that we are infinitely more than animals
One of my two brothers died at age IS· His name was Nonnan, and he was a thalidomide baby. Thalidomide was a medication briefly prescribed to pregnant women to help them deal with morning sickness . Unfortunately, the medication had catastrophic teratogenic effects It caused severe birth defects in infants exposed to the medication during pregnancy. Among other things, my brother was hydrocephalic. His condition was so severe he had to be immediately institutionalized.
I don't remember much about Nonnan. At some point, I was so disturbed by his appearance that I refused to go see him . Large head. Small body. Useless limbs. He couldn't stand, sit or even tum his head. He couldn't feed himself. He couldn't talk.
And yet, that boy lived way beyond his life expectanCY- IS years! And I think I know why. Nonnan was loved. The hospital where he lived was run by Roman Catholic nuns . They were a group of unassuming, humble women who devoted their lives to loving those who had no hope of being loved. They loved him and took care of him He lived and thrived.
Those dear nuns loved him because every time they looked at him , they saw a glimpse of the glory of God. It wasn't obvious to everyone, but it was to them.
A WHereot story
Sadly, there are some who see humanity as an affliction on the earth, a virus, a parasite to be eradicated.
For example, in March 2008 a disabled fishing trawler collided with some ice as the Coast Guard was towing it. The trawler capsized in the dark, killing three seal hunters and leaving one lost at sea and presumed dead. Unfortunately, not everyone thought the loss of human life was the greatest misfortune of this story.
Paul Watson, chief of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, issued a news release saying that "the deaths of four sealers is a tragedy, but Sea Shepherd also recognizes that the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seal pups is an even greater tragedy "
Two views
There are basically two ways to look at human beings There are those who view men and women as having intrinsic worth and dignity, separate from the rest of creation. This view of humanity is unique to the Judeo-Christian faith, which establishes a distinction between God and nature and between humanity and nature.
The second view is that human beings are a commodity to be used, exploited and discarded, eliminated when circumstances seem to require it. This position, which reflects a pantheistic outlook, sees no intrinsic difference between humans and animals.
With the gradual eradication of the Judeo-Christian faith, the second perspective is increasingly gaining traction. Without the influence of the Christian worldview on culture, the distinction between humanity and nature slowly disappears When this process is completed, culture becomes ripe again for the kind of conditions that gave rise to the horrors of Nazi Gennany.
And so, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society sees little difference between human beings and seals Environmentalist John Feeney expresses similar beliefs about human beings in an article that appeared in November 2007 on the BBC News Web site: "We must end world population growth, then reduce population size. "
The least we can say about radical environmentalists such as Paul Watson and John Feeney is they have less than a glorious view of humanity and don't have much faith that we can find a solution to our problems that doesn't involve culling the human herd.
Shortcomings of secular humanism
And it's no wonder. Under the umbrella of secular humanism, people are hard pressed to find a reason to proclaim the intrinsic value and dignity of all human beings, although they try.
Some argue that human beings have unique DNA. However, every living creature, including the despicable cockroach, has a
1'\orman
God, benefiting from the worth and dignity and infinite potential that's intrinsic to that reality. Second, we must treat everyone with the utmost respect because the people with whom we live, work and play are created in God's image
Let me offer a final example of what can happen when this Christian worldview is allowed to transform society March 25, 18°7, at a time when slavery was considered a fact of life - and had been considered so for thousands of years across the entire planet- British backbencher William Wilberforce persuaded Parliament to pass the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.
Wilberforce didn't simply contribute to the eradication of an ugly and immoral institution. He contributed to changing an entire
hJd no identifiable lTIJrkcrs. There WJ S no evidence he co uld love . think or he cre ative. Acc ordin g to the humanists' criterion, he had 110 valu e.
unique DNA sequence. Does that impart the insect with intrinsic worth and dignity? Of course not!
Others base their belief in human value on our remarkable accomplishments and attributes or on a number of identifiable markers such as intelligence, ability to love, creativity, empathy and speech.
So, what's the problem with this definition? The problem is my brother N orman N orman had no identifiable markers. There was no evidence he could love, think or be creative. According to the humanists' criterion, he had no value.
Thus, secular humanism has no solid basis to declare the intrinsic value and dignity of human beings.
Moving toward a biblical worldview
There's only one rationale that's sufficient to resist and overcome the forces of pantheism and human reductionism in our culture and that's the declaration of an authoritative statement that affirms the unique value of human beings.
We find this statement in the opening chapter of the Bible: "So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them ; male and female he created them" (Gen. 1:27).
This text establishes the intrinsic worth and dignity of human beings, not through some distinctive DNA structure or in specific attributes but in the simple fact of our belonging to the human race. It's a declaration that applies to all those who belong to the human family.
My brother Norman had intrinsic worth by virtue of the fact that he was a member of the human race, formed in the image of God When the nuns looked at Norman, they didn't see an animal; they saw the glory of God shining through
So what?
So what are some implications of this biblical truth?
First, each one of us must realize we're made in the image of
worldview. Millions of men and women have been the beneficiaries of this transformed worldview brought about by a humble British parliamentarian who chose to be faithful to God's calling in his life.
Wilberforce's example is a powerful reminder to all Christians about the responsibility we bear. It's our task to remind men and women that our God is all-powerful. moral and loving It's our task to res ist what C. S. Lewis calls "the permanent natural bent of the human mind " To oppose the siren call to embrace pantheism, which today expresses itself through a retum to superstition, and the tragic collapse of the distinction between humanity and nature as witnessed, in part, by radical environmentalist circles .
It's our task to declare the intrinsic value of human beings and to resist the ever-present forces that threaten to reduce humans to the status of animals. Only the church can effectively oppose the forces of human reductionism in our culture.
Some people sometimes express concem about the inconsistency between a high view of humanity and our stewardship of the earth's resources. While the concem is legitimate, it is ultimately misplaced. Secular humanism offers no compelling and ultimate rationale for a responsible exploitation of the earth
Genesis 1:27-28 does. This text reminds us that while the earth and all of its resources were created for our benefit, in the end, they belong to God. The human race is accountable to God the creator for its wise use.
In the long run, I am convinced the best way to ensure earth's well-being is indeed to view humanity's relationship to the world in the perspective of the divine mandate found in the C reation account.
Pierre Gilbert is associate professor of Old Testament at MB Biblical Seminary's Winnipeg campus and Canadian Mennonite University .
'1J Post your comments at www usmb orglchristian -leader Study questions are available at www usmb orglchristian -leader
.-I W hY would anyone want such a useless child?" the judge in the Russian adoption court asked. Vladimir, like countless thousands of other children all over Russia, was a throwaway, condemned to an orphanage by a mother and a culture that found no use for a child who was less than perfect.
By God's grace and the dedication and determination of a family in our church, Vladimir left the orphanage on his sixth birthday to come to America where he joined our family as Kenton Vladimir. He came with scabs still visible ftom his bout with chicken pox. He came with brittle hair, bones and emotions . He came with an arm and leg atrophied by cerebral palsy, crossed eyes and a lopsided grin that allowed saliva (and dinner) to run down his chin. He also came with determination honed to a sharp edge by the basic need to survive.
He came with only a little suitcase but lots of 'baggage" gathered from years of neglect and probably physical abuse. He came without a real understanding of love. Not only did he not know how to give love, more tragically he did not know how to receive it. When he hurt himself, he ran away from us instead of to us for comfort. He did not know God. He did not have a word for God in his small vocabulary, but he said, "Nit God!" (No God) vehemently when someone would try to discuss the Almighty with him
After he had been in our home for about six months, equipped with different life experiences, Sunday school lessons and a lot more English he asked, "Why do people in Russia not love God?" To which I answered, "How do you know that
CELEBRATING Kenton 5 Victories
they don't love God?" He shot back, "Because if they loved God , they would have told me about God "
Physical, occupational, speech and vision therapy filled our schedules already crammed full with jobs, the needs of our biological son and a new baby who arrived th e same week as our Russian son. Sometimes I felt that I needed "therapy" to help with th e stress of juggling schedules, therapy, medical appointments and raw emotions .
Sometimes we felt that we needed therapy for the sttess of the misunderstandings that surfaced almost daily with our friends , neighbors and family who did not comprehend the enormity of the daily struggles we experienced with even the most mundane activities For instance, a child with only one good arm cannot tie his own shoes or cut his own meat. A child with no depth perception falls frequently. A boy with no normal reflexes to catch himself sustains injuries on a regular basis. We began to think we deserved a personalized parking place at the emergency room.
Our son, who had always lived with a strict routine and then experienced such a drastic change in his life, could not tolerate any kind of change in his schedule, and friends and family were offended when we could not flex to accommodate simple things like visits or birthday surprises.
Our son had sleep disorders, eating disorders and disorders with names we could not pronounce. Our hours of sleep as well as our bank account became greatly diminished.
In a few weeks, we will celebrate Kenton's 18th birthday It is a huge milestone but not nearly as important as the one nine years ago when we celebrated his new birth in Christ.
Kenton is now a junior at a Christian high school where, with good teacher support, he achieves an average grade point average in regular education classes. With the help of understanding coaches, he has played on the tennis team, the soccer team and currently is on the swim team, though we have not figured out how he manages to swim in a straight line with only one good arm. This winter he learned to ski.
Our son has had many victories but that is not to say that they have not come without cost or that his or our lives are or will be easy. We are grateful that he can volunteer at the local Mennonite Central Committee store and that he is applying for summer jobs
Kenton is now counting on attending college. When a career counselor from a secular agency asked him what he wanted to do for a career, he said "Whatever God wants me to do." Not bad for a kid who once was thought to be "useless "
Lori Belden Pope is a speechllanguage pathologist who lives in Reedley, Calif , with her husband, Kevin, their three children- Lyle, Kenton and Annalisa - and a houseful of pets They attend Reedley MB Church
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Growing with
l1li M ost days I wish I had never even kept you. You are such a burden in my life!" I was 15 years old when I heard a mom yell this at her special needs daughter. I worked with special needs kids all through high school, and it broke my heart to see how awfully even their own parents treated the kids.
Hearing this mom say such hurtful things to her daughter really bothered me. That night I talked with my parents about what I could do, and they encouraged me to just keep loving every one of the children I worked with. When I went to bed I asked God to please one day give me a special needs child, because I would love him or her no matter what I told my husband, David, about my prayer before we were married II years ago. He said that if that was God's plan for us then God would give us all the strength we needed to make it through.
God waited seven years to answer my prayer. March II, 2001, David and I were blessed with a little boy we named Jacob. When Jacob took his first breath his underdeveloped throat collapsed, and he turned blue. The number of people in our room doubled, and we were instantly frightened. But we can honestly say we felt Jesus there in that room with us.
It took the doctors some time to figure out Jacob's situation. He was in the hospital for three months before he came home. As brand new parents we were scared to death, but we knew God was doing a great work in us, trusting us with such a gift. There were some very hard days and some seemingly unbearable nights But God revealed himself to us in more ways than I can count.
There were times after Jacob's birth that I regretted my prayer. I wondered if my prayer caused this, or if it was my fault that Jacob suffered so much . Because of Jacob's handicaps we have had many challenging times with Jacob and in our marriage But as Jacob has grown, so have we
Today Jacob is a third grader, attending a regular mainstream school where he is in special education and has a nurse and a sign language interpreter to assist him He has had nine major operations and almost died three times. He is deemed deaf but has partial hearing in his left ear. He is clinically diagnosed with a midline disorder, meaning that Jacob has a lot of complications in the midline of his body
I could go on and on about all of his medical stuff, but what I want you to know and wish you could see is Jesus in this little boy. You can't be around Jacob for too long without realizing the miracle that he is. Everyday is a gift because we have Jacob, and he shows us how to appreciate the simple things in life and how to love every moment-even ·the hardest moments because that's where we see Jesus most clearly.
God has also blessed us with another miracle - Jacob's sister, Taylor. Many of Jacob's doctors didn't think it would be wise to have more children since Jacob's complications could be genetic. And when Taylor was born four years ago she was five weeks early and had trouble breathing. So we came home again from the hospital without our baby. Taylor was only in the hospital for two weeks; her little lungs just needed more time to develop.
I can't begin to explain what a gift it is to have a child with special needs. God has blessed our family immeasurably, and he continues to teach us and grow us through the circumstances he has blessed us with. I hold fast to Psalm 62:5- 8: "Find rest, 0 my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken . My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, 0 people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge "
Amie Hardt lives in Bakersfield, Calif, where she and her husband, David, lead a couple's Bible study at The Bridge Bible Church , a daughter congregation of Amie's home congregation, Laurelglen Bible Church. Hardt is fluent in sign language, has been a short -term mission volunteer and enjoys coffee with friends.
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him"
What we can learn from two women who stood up to Pharaoh
As we travel through the Bible and find examples of how we are to live today we find an inconspicuous little narrative (Exod 1:1-21) that elps us think clearly about how much God values human life Joseph was at one time the most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh himself. Had God not placed Joseph in a caravan of traders headed to Egypt and brought him to Pharaoh's attention. the Israelites and Egyptians would have starved when a severe famine came to "all the world" (Gen 41 :56 ) Joseph is famous but not royal - he is not in the line of the Pharaohs - and so his fame passe s Th e King James Version states. 'There came a king who knew not Joseph " (Exod 1:8)
Too many Israelites
The Israelite nation took its mandate to become as sands of the sea literally. Exodus 1 notes that after Joseph 's generation dies. there are lots and lots of Hebrew babies that grow into adults that reproduce babies that grow into adults that reproduce babies This new Pharaoh sees the great congregation of the Hebrews as a force to dread He fears that this large assembly of people will take over Egypt and so he tries to annihilate the Israelites
First. he makes them his slaves They work hard in the burning heat
of the sun to build the palaces and great storage chambers of the Egyptian cities They work in the quarries they make blocks. and they build the great cities of ancient Egypt by the sweat of their brow.
But the more they are oppressed the more they multiply Pharaoh adds to their tasks but still the babies come . And so Pharaoh devises another scheme more horrible than the others - the genocide of the babies
For many years in our own culture, doctors have sworn to uphold the Hippocratic Oath . This pledge challenges doctors to put the needs of the patient first and to do his or her best to care for the patient Pharaoh has no such compulsion
Ordered to kill
Shiphrah and Puah are midwives to the Hebrew women and because of Pharaoh's murderous quest against the H ebrews he orders the two women to kill the baby boys - the girls are of no consequence- as they are born " .If it is a boy. kill him ." says Pharaoh (Exod 1:16) And thus, the Israelites will cease to multiply.
Not only is Pharaoh asking these two women to destroy life, which had already been established as precious to God (Gen 1:31; 9:6) Not only is he asking them to go against the very nature of their vocation - being a midwife is to help bring life into the world not to take life Pharaoh is asking them to disobey Elohim. the creator of all life .
It seems unlikely that these are the only two midwives among the great numbers of Israelites, so some have assumed that these were the "charge nurses" among the midwives This would mean that Pharaoh intends for Shiphrah and Puah to pass these instructions on to the other midwives : Kill all the baby boys. even as the mothers are birthing these children
But Pharaoh reckoned without the backbone that infuses those who serve the living God These two women feared God more than they feared Pharaoh . The word "fear" for 21st century Americans means primarily " to be afraid of; terror; or worry." And in many instances the biblical rendering of fear conforms to this definition That is why
there is a comfort phrase that often follows the account of humans seeing angels or other messengers of God: "Do not fear " However. there is another meaning of the word that we often forget when reading the Old Testament That meaning of fear is "reverence; stand in awe of " Whether these two women were reverencing Yahweh. were afraid of him . or both. the result was that the baby boys lived.
Consequences
The two midwives experience direct consequences to their actions ftom two sources. Pharaoh does not appreciate their refusal to obey him When Pharaoh finds out that the baby boys are alive and well. he summons Shiphrah and Puah for testimony.
they. like many others. wished for and longed for tbeir very own place and their very own children And in this instance God immediately granted the longings of their heart
Sometimes God's promises and rewards are given long after we have accomplished the tasks he sets for us . But sometimes he gives his rewards immediately. In this case. God gives the reward without delay and establishes tbe two midwives so that everyone, perhaps even including Pharaoh could see that obeying God rather than men is a most important ambition
Value life
In our society today, little value is placed upon life - either that of children or adults . While the story of Shiphrah and Puah
Life, as created by God, to hc valued and not cxtinguished at our own whims ;]nd for our own convenience. Pharaoh was looking to annihilate a nation; today ..He simply looking to annihilate . . an mcon\'cmencc.
To his questions about why the baby boys were alive, the midwives respond, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women ; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive" (Exod. 1:19).
Some scholars regard these women as liars because of this statement. However. there doesn't seem to be a real reason to second -guess their honesty Women who are used to daily. demanding labor, especially those who work hard in the fields. generally give birth more easily than women who are not physically strong Maybe the midwives simply responded slowly to the calls for help in birthing the babies because of their fear of God. which meant the Israelite women had time to give birth before the midwives arrived .
There is another possibility We serve a God who is capable of speeding up the birth of a child when necessary, just as he is capable of growing a plant or building a mountain He is the author of the birth process. and so there is the distinct possibility tbat while the midwives were on notice to kill the baby boys, God intervened miraculously and gave swift birthing processes to the Hebrew women .
The second direct consequence these women face comes from God himself God accepts their sacrifice and in tum gives them "houses of their own" according to Exodus I ::U in the New King James Version or "families of their own" according to the New International Version . This wording suggests that up until then they had not had houses or families of their own Maybe
does not deal specifically with abortion or assisted suicide. it does deal with infanticide, a practice in many societies even in the 21st century. Life. as created by God, is to be valued and not extinguished at our own whims and for our own convenience. Pharaoh was looking to annihilate a nation; others today are simply looking to annihilate an inconvenience God is looking for those among his people who will step out and take the consequences for obedience to him and his Word There may be earthly consequences, including derision from those we regard as friends. But the heavenly consequences for valuing life as God values it- now that is of incomparable worth
In Malachi po God says we should test him and see if he is able to pour out blessings upon those who obey him This principle still holds true God blesses those who follow his precepts. as Shiphrah and Puah did . And when we find and uphold those in our communities who work to sustain life. God will bless our efforts
Joanna Felts is a freelance writer in Fresno. Calif She serves beside her husband in their home church - he as the pastor and she as the ministries coordinator She is a 2004 graduate of MB Biblical Seminary and was the interim editor of Witness MBMS International's mission's magazine. She writes the online discussion questions for each issue of the Christian Leader.
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The choices we face
Does technoLogy glorify God or the from the machine"?
Susie, a pregnant Christian woman: undergoes gen.etic testing of the fetus at the doctor s recommendatIon. She learns that the baby will have Down syndrome and is given the option to terminate the pregnancy.
Mark's father has a stroke, and Mark must decide whether his father should be removed from the technology keeping him alive, knowing that his father will likely never walk, talk or eat again .
Throughout their lives, many Christians face a litany of bioethical choices concerning technology with implications for the sanctity of life and human dignity. We must ask ourselves which technologies are necessary and beneficial and which can be used to create a society we do not wish to be a pan of
Technology should be integrated into society in an ethical way that is beneficial to mankind and preserves human dignity Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter at an atomic level, could potentially remove individual malignant cells to avoid the side effects of chemotherapy, create anificial blood cells and remove atherosclerotic plaque to prevent strokes and hean attacks. Cybernetics, the use of computers in biological systems, provides hope to the blind
However, these technologies should only be used to correct function rather than to augment it. We must be especially careful about altering our biology or the biology of future generations for fear of redefining what it means to be human. Cybernetics, although beneficial to those with disease, can also be used in ways that could redefine human nature. It has the potential to blur the line between humans and machines and make us vulnerable to manipulation and control by others.
We need to view life as beginning at conception and evaluate technologies in light of this, eliminat-
ing embryonic stem cell use, in - vitro fenilization and cloning of organisms We also need to view these new technologies in light of their implications for social justice. Although genetically-modified crops could theoretically be used to provide extra nutrients and to grow crops in regions that are typically infenile, more than likely, they will be used to line the pockets of wealthy businessmen . Therefore, we need to make sure that this technology is disseminated to those who need it most.
Although it is currently not possible to create a "designer baby," it is possible to choose embryos based on their genes through in-vitro fenilization. When we choose traits, we take natural selection into our own hands and make judgments about which traits are beneficial and which should be eliminated This sets up society for a possible eugenics movement or creates sub -classes of humans: the superior class screened for the best traits and the inferior class formed the way God designed them . Eliminating traits from a population, either through in-vitro fenilization or
Jthrough genetic engineering, tells a group of people their lives are worthless and removes traits that may one day be beneficial. When technology is introduced , we must first ask what Christ would say about it.
Does it glorify God and respect his handiwork, or does it glorify the Deus Ex Machina - god from the machine-and the
voices heard in legislation and in research facilities by being educated, voting and speaking out about important issues. Though technology holds the power to cure disease, feed the poor and improve the standard of living, it also holds the power to destroy life, human dignity and free will. C.S Lewis states in The Abolition of Man, "Each new power won by man is
Throughout their lives, many Christians face a litany of bioethical choices concerning technology with implications for the sanctity of life and human dignity.
human hand manipulating it? We must ask ourselves if the technology would protect human dignity or destroy it further. If technology compromises dignity or free will, it does not benefit society To evaluate a new technology, we must weigh carefully the benefits and potential consequences of it.
For instance, selecting beneficial traits could create a society of healthy, intelligent, athletic and possibly even spiritual people. However, it would sacrifice free will. We must look at all the possible consequences and secondary effects before we can determine whether a technology is truly beneficial.
As Christians, it is our duty to make individual bioethical choices in light of our faith, but it is also our duty to make our
a power over man. Each advance leaves him weaker as well as stronger." We must make sure that we are using technology to the benefit of man and not giving technology the upper hand Jennifer Johnson will graduate this May from Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, Calif, with a bachelor of science in Pre - Health Sciences and a pre-M.D. emphasis and a minor in psychology. Johnson, who is from Fresno, is the co -president of the pre -medical club and a member of Alpha Chi. She plans to attend medical school this fall
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Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith
Article 14: The Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that all human life belongs to God. Each person is created in the image of God and ough t celebrated and nurtured Because God is creator, the author and giver of life, we oppose all action s
Ml<lptltitudes which devalue human life . The unborn, disabled, poor, aging and dying are particularly vulto such injustices. Christ calls the people of all nations to care for the defenseless . God values human life highly. Ultimate decisions regarding life and death belong to God . Therefore, hold that procedures designed to take life, including abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, are an to God's sovereignty We esteem the life -sustaining findings of medical science, but recogni ze that are limits to the value of seeking to sustain life indefinitely. I n all complex ethical decisions regarding we seek to offer hope and healing, support and counsel in the context of the Christian com -
You r Mennonite Brethren
Texas church asks for a second look
Age 64 is often a time for cutting back, retiring from a life's work, looking to coast into retirement. But for a 64-year -old Mennonite Brethren Church in La Grulla, Texas, new life is springing up, and this congregation is working harder than ever.
Come getto know us again Sixty-four-year-old Grulla (Texas) MB Church is inviting its community to take a second look.
Local school teacher David Zarate took them up on the offer and liked what he saw.
Zarate remembers looking at the church as an outsider : "I thought, hey, they're the good people, the chosen people ." But while he respected them, he was also intimidated As a new Christian he didn't feel he could live up to that perfection This was a church to admire from the outside, not a place where he would fit in.
Grulla MB, established in 1946 as a Spanish-speaking congregation, has been a pillar of the small La Grulla community for many years. The church is well known for its quality teachers and school administrators. Many who grew up in the town have been students under at least one teacher from the church
It is also a mission-minded church, sending its members with gifts of food and clothes across the border to serve the needy and plant churches in Mexico and partnering with MBMS International to host short-term mission groups through the SOAR program.
The La Grulla community knew about and respected the members of Grulla MB, but the church's stagnant atrendance num -
bers, hovering around 80 to 100, showed that local people didn't envision it as a place where they could belong.
Meanwhile, changes were in the works among the church leadership . Young Pastor Aaron Hernandez arrived in 2006 with a vision . He saw strength in the congregation, but he also saw that their focus needed to tum outward into their community. They needed to open the doors - pouring their resources into the community and putting out the welcome mat to neighbors in need of a family of faith
A perfect opportunity to show they cared came last summer when a major community event found itself in a crisis. The annual fund-raising event for the Muscular Dystrophy Association was having trouble mustering enough volunteers. The labor-intensive event raised nearly $20,000 each year with a carnival, horse trail ride along the Rio Grande and a popular barbecue cook-off. But without the volunteer workers, they couldn't do it. Grulla MB took the opportunity to show their community spirit. They stepped in to take charge of the carnival and help cook the dinner for the trail riders. The church 's energy and enthusiasm re-invigorated the fundraiser .
The big event gave the church community visibility and built new relationships The same thing happens in smaller ways every month with the church's Second Saturday Service Team. The 30member team will take on anything from roadside landscape maintenance to home repair . They dream of someday building a whole house
Part of the Second Saturday team worked in Grulla MS's Sunday school wing to remove the walls, making a large assembly area for children's church out of several small classrooms.
for a needy family just like the 'IV show, Extreme Makeover. "Someday we want to say 'Move that bus!''' says Hernandez. In the meantime, the church keeps a list of requests from the community. Everyone who makes a request is added to the list. The team prays over the list and chooses the ones they can do. (Go to www.usmb orgfora slide show of a major refurbishing job the team did during spring break 20 0 9 )
The dirt-under-the-fingemails ministry was something David Zarate could relate to. Even though he is a school teacher by profession, he's a tradesman at heart, he says, and loves the chance to do some carpentry or lawn mowing for someone in need That spirit of service is what he wanted for his family, too, especially as his children entered their teen years . Two years ago the Zarate family became active members of Grulla MB . 'The church has provided so many opportunities for everyone to serve," Zarate says.
The transition to this outward focus has been challenging at times, says Hemandez, 'The first time I presented this was about three years ago and I didn't get no high-fives for it," he recalls. He credits the encouragement and support of Mission US8s Don Mottis for helping him persevere until his vision caught on with the congregation Mission USA is the church planting and church renewal ministry of U.S. Mennonite Brethren.
Mottis's experienced counsel helped Hernandez see that he was on the right track and remain commitred to the vision God had given him, even when he faced discouraging times . "It's been a two-sided process," says Hemandez, "convincing the church and convincing the community. These things are part of the church. We have to go
through these things to get to what God has for us "
Along with regular encouragement from Mission USA- Morris visits La Grulla two or three times a year - the conference agency also provided funding for Grulla MB to hire a part-time worship minister, Adiel Lauar. A gifted musician himself, Hemandez had been leading bilingual worship evety Sunday which was a "heavy load" along with his other pastoral responsibilities. (For a video cl ip of Hernandez leading a bilingual worship time, go to usmb.org/grulla -mb -church.) Now Lauar is taking the lead in worship and has helped the church transition to two worship services, one in Spanish and one in English.
Church leader Rolando Mireles, Jr., says that having two pastors who are fully bilingual and biculrural has been key in opening the church's doors to the community. For many years the church functioned exclusively in Spanish under pastors who were recent immigrants from Latin America. Hemandez and Lauar come out of the South Texas community themselves They can relate to the congregation's Mexican roots as well as the younger generation and local professionals and business leaders who function bilingually and reflect a culture that blends Latin and North American values. Don Mottis agrees that Hemandez is uniquely gifted to bridge across the cultures that La Grulla represents: "He has a real ability to connect with the Hispanics that are wanting to move past some of the traditional ways of doing things, but still being able to connect with some of the more tradition al. "
Gru ll a MB hel d a special servic e Feb. 7 to celebrate what God is doing and to renew their commitment to reaching the community. Four men stood in front of the congregation that moming - a testimonial to how God is using the church to touch and transform lives: One was a prominent businessman who had fallen on hard times Church members reached out to him at a low point and he recognized that he needed to give his life to Christ. Now they are walking with him through the legal and financial issues, and he is committed to working through those issues with Christian integrity.
A second man had been hired to do some welding on a church staircase. For his labors he received much more than a paycheck- he found people who cared about him as a person. Soon he too became part of the church and embarked on a process of healing and reconciliation with his family
The third man, a school teacher, responded to an invitation from some fellow teachers to come to Grulla MB . It has been a process for him as he has drifted in and out of the church , but he stood in front of the congregation committed to working on his marriage and to following Christ with the support of his small group
Another school employee, a maintenance worker who is on dialysis, has experienced the care and support of church members . Their hands -on love opened the door to talk to him about bigger issues. 'This is about much more than your kidneys," one member had told him, "It's about your life " He stood in testimony of God's work in his life
Hemandez is committed to seeing the church serve its community in practical ways, but he is also clea r that these changed lives are
Mira Cantu and Annie Villareal advertise free water bottles that church members gave away at the main intersection in La Grulla on Election Day. The bottles were imprinted with the church name and Jesus· words about living water. The group gave away over 500 bottles of water.
GRULLAM.B. ---(HUIr(/-I--
Seiong.ng, (hanging Slldfll19
The Grulla MB sign hangs prominently on the dining tent for the Muscular Dystrophy event. Behind the sign, church volunteers serve lunch for the trail ride participants.
really what the church is all about. "Our final goal is for them to know Jesus Christ, but first we have to let them know that our doors are open " More than 150 now attend Grulla MB on a typical Sunday and their circle is widening as others come for special events and begin to make connections with the church.
The church's small group ministry called Life Groups offers a place for new believers to be mentored in their faith and creates a welcoming place for new people to enter the church. Zarate, who is the coordinator for the Life Groups, was introduced to Christ through a home Bible study five years ago
'When I was a nonbeliever I wouldn't dare walk into the building because it was a church," he recalls, but a Bible study group allowed him to pursue his interest in Christ in an environment that felt safe. Life Groups, he said, "serve our community in the places where normal church wouldn't be - in the houses "
MBBS-Fresno transfers U.S . • seminary program
Transfer to be completed by June 1
After an almost Is-month search for a ministry partner, MB (MBBS) is in the process of transferring the semmary s Fresno programs to Fresno Pacific University (FPU). FPU is the Mennonite Brethren university owned by the Pacific District Conference and located in Fresno, Calif., on a campus adjacent to MBBS- Fresno. Approved by the seminary and university boards and announced Feb. 5, the transfer is to be completed by June I. 'We really believe we are better together," says FPU President D. Merrill Ewert, adding that the ministry of both institutions will be empowered by the integration . "In some ways we're going back to the future . The seminary and university have always shared a mission of academic excellence and service to the church We operated a national pastoral training program under one corporate structure from 1955 to 1966, and just as there were advantages to separation then, there are advantages to unification now," he says
Both the U.S. Conference Leadership Board and the Canadian Conference Executive Board approved the transfer during late January board meetings.
'The ministry, the core reason for being, is alive and well in the lives of our national leadership team and staff," says Ed Boschman, U.S Conference (USC) executive director. 'We're enthusiastic about the next chapter and working together with key stakeholders."
Distance graduate theological education - including online classes and teleconferences - will expand into a major outreach . Seminary classes will be offered at FPU centers in North Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield, in addition to the main campus.
"We are doing a good job of serving the MB churches within 50 miles of MBBS, where about 25 percent of our students come from," says Lynn Jost, MBBS president. ' We are having increasing difficulty serving Midwest and Canadian students in Fresno These students prefer closer to them or online.
"Until now MBBS has lacked the infrastructure to mount an aggressive distance education program," says Jost. "FPU will help us with that.
Heinrichs
Wiest
Grulla MB is inviting La Grulla to give the church a second look. Extending that invitation is a passion for the congregation. Members put feet to their passion, working hard in the homes and neighborhoods to show that they care and creating a place where new people are welcomed and supported in a walk of faith. Hernandez sums up their commitment: 'We1l do whatever it takes, as long as it's not sin, to reach our community for Christ." - Kathy
'The general consensus of those involved is that this new approach, with its emphasis on distance learning, will better carry out the mission of preparing leaders for North American MB churches, the MB church worldwide and the evangelical community in
California's Central Valley. To better reflect this intention, MBBSFresno exr:cts to eventually adopt a new name.
Ten current MBBS faculty and staff members. including Jost who will continue to oversee the seminary's work as part of the FPU adminwill move with the seminary to FPU.
Jost says the presence of these individuals will help the seminary retain a "distinct identity within FPU." Jost says, 'This program transfer will continue MBBS's tradition of biblical theology with an evangelical Anabaptist perspective. I am pleased we are creating a very
theological institution. says Jost. 'We are reducing costs by maximizing administration structures already in place at FPU and bringing over a strong reserve and endowment to apply to our mission "
The "most painful part" of the transfer says Jost, is that eight MBBS- Fresno staff positions in accounting, student aid, recruiting and maintenance have been eliminated. 'This is a pastoral concern for the board." says Jost. 'i\ll these people have served us well, with character and dedication - three have served the seminary for 15 years or more. When they heard the news. they were extremely gracious." strong program that will serve both new and historical constituencies across the U.S "
The university is forming an Advisory Council to promote the mission of the seminary. Former MBBS President Larry Martens will chair the council.
Talks with the Association of Theological Schools are underway to ensure that the seminary's programs remain accredited and that students will be able to complete their degrees.
FPU has purchased the seminary's four-acre residential seminary campus at the comer of Butler and Chesmut, and it will become part of the neighboring 42-acre FPU main campus. Financial assets of the Fresno campus will be divided between the U.S. and Canada
The u.S -based endowment assets of $2 4 million will support faculty chairs and student scholarships. "FPU is committed to serving the MB church with the seminary's endowments and the Fresno campus." says Jost. The program transfer reduces the cost of running a graduate
Change has marked the development of MBBS over the past 55 years (see accompanying timeline) Declining enrollment and changes in the national landscape prompted this current transition. The Association of Theological Schools. of which MBBS is a ·member. reportS that the average member school spends 60 to 70 percent of its budget on institutional support and only 30 to 40 percent on educational programs Jost says these statistics fit MBBS
This model is not sustainable. and "seminaries are going to have to rethink their economic model and focus on strategies that have greater sustainability." Daniel Aleshire, ATS executive director, says in a February article in Christian Century. One solution. says ATS, is for small. denominational seminaries to join with universities and regional giants.
During 2009. MBBS actively pursued a partnership with Fuller Theological Seminary (FTS), an evangelical. multidenominational seminary located in Pasadena. Calif When this possibility did not material-
7955 - u.s. Board of Education establishes a U S Conference seminary in Fresno, Calif MBBS opens in with six fa culty members, merging staff from Tabor College and Pacific Bible Institute (PBI). B J Braun serves as the first president. and the curriculum has a theologically dispensational bent.
7958 - A 53 -acre cotton field at the corner of Butler and Chestnut avenues is gifted to the sem inary and PBI (now Fresno Pacific University! to build their campuses A vintage 1916 mansion on the site becomes the seminary 's administrative offi ces .
79605 - Under the leade rship of J B Toews, MBBS establishes itself as an Anabaptist learning center, emphasizing bibli cal theology and .practical congregational ministry.
7966 - MBBS gains its own charter, separating corporately from FPU
7975 - During H H Dick 's tenure as president, the Canadian MB Conference becomes a partner and joint owner of the seminary, as the larger North American General Conference assumes responsib ility for MBBS By this time, the seminary boasts of international reach , with several students coming from India and Europe .
7980 - A library addition is completed John E Toews. the seminary's longest -serving dean, urges fa culty to publish
7982 - A classroom addition is completed
7985 - The Center for Training in Mission and Evangelism is established, training a strong North American missionary force
7990 - The MB student loan fund begins
7999 - MBBS-BC becomes part of the Associated Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS! consortium located at Tr inity Western University in Langley. B C , under President Henry Schmidt's leadership
7999 - Divestiture of the North American General Conference · takes place . Canadian and U.S. Conferences assume joint of MBBS
2007 - MBBS -Winnipeg begins cooperation with Canadian Mennonite University and the Winnipeg ' Centre for Ministry Stud ies
2009 - MBBS - Fresno explores partnership op·portunities with several higher education institutions
2070 - Under the leadership of President Lynn Jost, MBBS -Fresno separates organizationally from MBBSBC and MBBS-Winnipeg and is transferred back to Fresno Pa cific University Along with classes offered on the FPU campus, plans are made to expand distance education, including online classes and teleconferences . The three MB sem inary sites how to cont inue working fraternally together.
ize, MBBS fonned two task forces late last year-one to focus on Canadian concerns and the other on new U.S. partnerships.
The U S. task force resumed earlier conversations with FPU and Tabor College, the denominational school owned by the Southern, Central, North Carolina and Latin America District Conferences and located in Hillsboro, Kan. These discussions led the seminary to conclude that FPU was the 'logical and practical choice for more efficient administration and shared distance education technology," says Jost. While FPU had previously been hesitant to accept the seminary program, "they knew the denomination needed this, and they're keen to serve the national MB church," says Jost.
MBBS board chair Jack Falk says MB students in both the U.S and Canada will benefit from this new U.S. arrangement.• "Moving the Fresno campus of our seminary to (FPU) will go a long way in protecting our mission and will add a significant dimension to the region . I look forward to future collaboration between FPU, Canada and the Midwest U.S. in the delivery of distance education," says Falk.
While the details of exactly how this North American collaboration will play out are unclear, those involved say they are committed to working together. Initially, cooperating across national lines will be aided by the ongoing presence of MBBS, Inc., the corporate structure of the seminary.
For the time being, MBBS, Inc. will have representation on the FPU Board of Trustees and will continue to coordinate the Canadian programs. It will be "business as usual" on the Abbotsford, B.C., and Winnipeg, Man., seminary campuses, although MBBS-Canada will continue to look at delivery and 'program needs as well as issues growing out of the change in Fresno.
Cooperation among U.S. partners to provide a national seminary program is a priority. 'We are committed to using the MBBS assets for the U.S . Mennonite Brethren church," says Jost. 'The USC Leadership Board, the MBBS Board and the FPU Board have all committed to work with other institutions, especially with Tabor College, to deliver a single program to U.S MB churches ."
Steve Schroeder, of the USMB Conference Leadership Board, is enthusiastic about this new approach. "I am delighted the seminary is joining forces with FPU and open to working closely with Tabor College to develop a national pastoral training program," he says . "I fullyanticipate that this kind of partnership will better serve the entire U.S MB family of churches."
Boschman agrees, adding that flexibility and collaboration is important. "My dream is that we will work from the Fresno -based campus and strategically partner with Tabor College to deliver the renovated pastoral training that we antiCipate," he says. Boschman describes a decentralized, hybrid approach that provides both fonnal and infonnal training. one that "effectively hooks to our national vision of transfonnation." -Connie Faber
MB Biblical Seminary President Lynn Jost (front row left) and Fresno Pacific University President D. Merrill Ewert (front row center) signed a Memorandum of Understanding February 5 outlining the transfer of MBBS-Fresno to FPU. Also pictured are (back row) Larry Martens, former MBBS president and current FPU board member who will chair FPU's Advisory Council charged with promoting the mission of the seminary; Gary Wall, Pacific District Conference minister; Ed Boschman, U.S. Conference executive director; and (front row right) Ken Fransen, FPU board chair.
Mennonite Brethren share in shaping future of MCC
Variety of opinions led to "interesting discussions"
Mennonite Brethren were among the dozens of stakeholders around the world who took part in a major review and discernment effort for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) . Entitled "New WinelNew Wineskins: Reshaping MCC for the 21st Century," the comprehensive review addressed the organi23tion's vision and structure and calls for significant changes in how MCC organizes itself.
Klassen notes that this is the first time the words "in the name of Christ," which have expressed MCC's Christian wimess for decades, are incorporated in the organi23tion's foundational statements.
Placing priority on MCC's work of meeting human need was another issue of concern for Boschman . "Need-meeting and relief ministries are the core values that MCC delivers for (the Mennonite Brethren)," he says, because those activities tie in most directly with the church's call to evangelize. "I recognize that (MCC's) mandate is not evangelism," he says, but Mennonite Brethren value the work of MCC that can "directly connect to the redeeming message of Jesus."
Other voices at the table called for an equal emphasis on peace and justice work, making for what Boschman called "interesting discussions." In the end, both values were reflected in the document. While Boschman was disappointed that relief work was not given the higher priority, he felt that his concerns were heard and shared by others on the task force.
MCC priorities identified through the New Wine/New Wineskins process are: justice and peace-building, disaster relief, and sustainable community development. The new statements, explains Klassen, both reflect MCC's historic committnent to relief, develop-
, 0 "Thc convcrsations havc led us to J clearcr sense 01 thc church bcing front and center. \Vc want to he a pJlt of the worldwide community .... " - Ron FJ..lming
The 18-month discernment process produced seven foundational statements to guide the work of Mcc. The statements were adopted last summer in a final New Wineskins summit and MCC binational (U.S. and Canada) board meetings held at Hillsboro (Kan ) MB Church. By the end of 2009 each of MCC's regional and national boards had also endorsed the summit results.
U.S. Mennonite Brethren executive director Ed Boschman represented the U S Mennonite Brethren churches on the 34-member Inquiry Task Force (ITF) that served as the clearinghouse for the broad input MCC received . "My part on the ITF put me into the mainstream," Boschman says, "and gave me the opportunity to speak in behalf of our family to press some of the core values we hold dear to be integrated into the ministry "
Included in the summit results is a new purpose statement for MCC's work around the world: "MCC endeavors to share God's love and compassion for all ' In the Name of Christ' by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice."
'This is the statement that people should memorize," says Arli Klassen, executive director of MCC binational. 'This is what we believe God has called MCC to do in its history and in the future. Now we have found shared words to express it."
Boschman says he pushed hard to ensure the inclusion of the phrase "in the name of C hrist" as part of the core. From an MB perspective it was a "nonnegotiable " He was encouraged to see that other participants also felt strongly about the centrality of a Christian wimess at the core of MCC 's work .
ment and peace and clearly state that peace cannot be built without addressing injustice.
Boschman was also among the voices calling for a statement of faith under which MCC should function. A global Anabaptist statement of "Shared Convictions" adopted by Mennonite World Conference in 2006 became part of the summit results. "Shared Convictions" lists seven beliefs that unite Anabaptist churches around the world. Issues addressed include: God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the authority of the Bible, the global community of faith, salvation and peacemaking.
This is the first time MCC has had a statement of faith, Klassen says, noting that it has always drawn theology from the churches to which it is accountable. Many churches, she says, expressed strong affirmation for including these shared Christian faith convictions in MCC's foundational statements.
Strengthening MCC's connection to churches was one of the goals of the New Wineskins process . Boschman saw evidence that this had been accomplished and says that, "it resulted in a new culture of ownership for the churches" and a "reconnection with the church conferences. "
Beyond making connections with the North American churches and conference, the New Wineskins process was specifically designed to bring the global church into the conversation . Over 2,000 people from 50 countries met in 60 meetings where leaders listened to people reflect on MCC's impact and envision MCC's future
MCC wants a closer relationship with all of its supporting churches, leaders say. 'The churches feel they don't have enough say in what MCC is doing," Klassen says, 'That's churches all over the world, not just North America. We needed to find a way to be more responsive."
The process was reflective of MCC's approach in all its work around the world. MCC does its work in partnership with churches and other partner agencies and builds bridges to connect people and ideas across cultural, political and economic divides 'We don't do our work just by giving out financial grants-we work at building relationships," Klassen says.
Ron Flaming, MCC's director of international programs, says: "The conversations have led us to a clearer sense of the church being front and center. We want to be a part of the worldwide community. What form that will take is still a question."
While the form is yet to be decided, the process is clearly leading to major changes in the structure that undergirds MCC's work globally. The plan calls for ending MCC binational, the part of MCC that administers a $36.76 million budget for ministries in 65 countries. International programs would be transferred to MCC U.S., MCC Canada and Anabaptist service agencies in other countries as they develop
Replacing MCC binational would be a new central office that would lead the entire system of MCC organizations, which currently include the U.S and Canadian national MCCs, plus four U.S regions and five Canadian provinces
Klassen estimates a new central office, probably not in the United States, could be established in three to five years Currently MCC binational is in Akron, Pa., where MCC U.S. is also based. The MCC system-wide endorsement of the foundational statements is encouragement for the next step in the process - consensus on the revised structure, Klassen adds Structural recommendations are expected to be endorsed in 2011 and fully implemented in 2012. 'There were points of despair or frustration in this re-visioning process, but there also was always a sense of commitment to listen to God through the voices of the faith community. I believe the Holy Spirit has been at work, leading MCC," Klassen says .- Kathy Heinrichs Wiest with MCC News Service and a Meetinghouse report by Paul Schrag
MCC executive director Arli Klassen, right, pictured with Marguerite Jack, Mennonite Church Canada representative on the MCC binational board at the June meeting in Hillsboro, says this is the first time the words "in the name of Christ" are being incorporated in MCC's foundational statements
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LEADERS WHO SHAPED US
Insights into the lives of 25 leaders from 1910-2010 Why they matter for us today
What readers are say ing :
" rich and powerfu l sto ries, almost iconic .. ." - Brian Still er, cha nce llor, Tyndale University Co ll ege & Se minary
" adds living colour to ou r history " - Laura Kalmar, editor, MB Herald
" .. .a mu st read for young le ade rs .. ." - Willy Reimer, pastor, S unwe st Chri s tian Fellowship , Calgary
" rich history, a delightful birthday celebration ... " - Lynn lost , preside nt , Mennonit e Bre thren Biblical Seminary
MCC leads Mennonite re ief efforts in Haiti
Donations top $8 million
Before the ground in Haiti stopped shaking. Mennonites were helping The magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Jan 12 near the capital of Port-au -Prince . Called the worst quake in Haiti in 200 yeats . the quake killed over 200.000. injured at least that many and displaced over a million .
Mennonite Central Commitree (MCC). the global peace. relief and service agency supported by North American Mennonites. has worked in Haiti since 1958 and at the time of the quake had 23 staff in the country These workers began to help immediately where they could ' We didn't sleep last night as we were pulling and digging people out of crumbled houses in our neighborhood " wrote MCC worker Alexis Depp in an e-mail the day after the quake . She and her husband. Benjamin Depp. then searched for missing friends and coworkets . 'We're definitely in shock and can't begin to describe what the last day and a half have been like here. " Depp wrote
MCC immediately com mitred $100 000 for emergency help and began organi2ing for a long -term recovery anticipating a multimillion dollar response over multiple yeats As of Feb 12 contributots have given an estimated $8 .3 million. the majority of which will be used for rebuilding once the initial crisis has passed .
MCC quickly sent 1.000 water filters and about $53 000 in cash to MCC Haiti and its partners to be used in the first days of relief efforts. The Mennonite churches in the Dominican Republic also donated and delivered food and supplies .
In addition to monetary donations. MCC called for 20.000 relief kits 10 000 heavy comfortets and 10.000 sheets for earthquake survivots Two shipments containing 2.688 relief kits. 4 591 comfortets. medical
an
supplies. 250 tarps and 192 boxes of water bottles. flashlights and deodorant were scheduled to arrive in Haiti by the end of February A total of 140.000 pounds of meat have also been shipped MCC expects to supply an additional 9.000 tarps before the rainy season begins in April. Significant obstacles have slowed delivery of relief supplies Ports operate at only a fraction of their previous capacity. and airlifts are prohibitively expensive. MCC representatives say.
Susanne Bradley Brown. a pediatrician and healthcare legislation analyst from Albuquerque. NM, will lead MCC's long -term response to the Haiti earthquake Her three-year assignment begins this month .from Mee reports
Jfj :ON THE WEB
Responding to Chile quake
Mennonite-related chutches in Chile report that members are Safe but many homes are damaged follOwing an 8 8 magnitude earthquake that struCk the country Feb 2.7: Mennonite Centnll C ommittee does not have programs Or personnel in Chile. the global relief agency has allocated $150,000 for an earthquake respOnse. MCC personnel are talking with colleague organizations to determine how best to respond in a coordinated effort For more on the Chile earthquake, visit usmb orglchristian-leader
Serving Haiti's children
The plight of l::taiti's children captured of many North Americans following tile January earthquake. Read about missionary Jennifer Ebenliack, a member of EbenfeJd MB Church of Hillsboro. Kan ., who with her husband. Jarred. have worked with Haiti's orphans. Adopting their three Haitian children following the earthquake is a Story of God's grace and goodness Read their story online only atwww usmb orglchristian-leader
MB volunteer dies in quake
Yvonne Martin. a member of Waterloo (Ont.) MB Church. was among the 230,000 people killed in the Haiti earthquake. The 67-year-old retired nurse had just landed and settled into a guesthouse in Port-auPrince with her team of seven other nurses from Kitchener, Ont. -based Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC) when the quake struck and the house collapsed . Martin's colleagues escaped but she was buried under the rubble. The EMCC has been providing relief, development and compassionate care in Haiti for many years. This was Martin's fourth trip to Haiti with an EMCC medical team . She is survived by her husband Ron . three sons and 10 grandchildren .
Deis Succes, left, and Ryan Schlangen unload cases of MCC's canned meat for distribution through
MCC partner, the Christian Center for Integrated Development in Port-au-Prince (MCC Photo by Ben Depp)
MB volunteers with MCC
"Heart to help " key qualification
When a friend e-mailed Ralph Rempel, a structural engineer from Littleton, Colo , suggesting he join a Mennonite Central Committee (M C C) team of structural engineers helping with post-earthquake work in Haiti, he responded quickly: "I'm too busy."
But God kept working on his heart
Rempel, a member of Belleview Community Church in Littleton, happens to have a skill set well-suited to MCC 's goals for the team : to evaluate earthquakedamaged buildings and determine if they're safe, can be repaired or must be abandoned . Rempel has 28 years' experience as a structural engineer, including experience with "seismic design "- that is, designing or retrofitting buildings to withstand earthquakes In addition , he 's had 12 years of training with Colorado's Urban Search and Rescue team , a task force funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to respond to local and national disasters (www co-m org)
More importantly, he has "a heart to go see if I could help them " As he thought about the hundreds of thousands of Haitians living on the street, afraid to go back into buildings after the Jan . 12 quake, he couldn't ignore the need . So Rempel joined the team in Haiti Jan 29 -Feb 13
MCC, the peace, relief and service agency of North American Mennonites, plans to keep a rotating team of four engineers in Haiti as they assess needs and make long -term relief plans The first MCC engineers arrived in Port-au - Prince Jan . 23 to begin evaluating houses and other buildings . Each engineer will work two to four weeks, then be replaced by new engineers . Rempel worked with engineers from the U.S ., Canada and the Netherlands .
The team used the MCC office building in Port-au - Prince as their home base; it had relatively minor damage and was usable Each day, the engineers went out in pairs to assess the buildings of orphanages, schools, churches and various ministry organizations, then gave recommendations as to the building's safety and usability
The big question in the minds of the Haitians seemed to be, "Is it safe?" Rempel says the answer wasn't always simple . Most buildings weren't originally built to withstand an earthquake, so even if they survived this quake, he explains, they might not survive an aftershock or another quake Sometimes, the best answer he could offer was, "Its strength isn't significantly redu ced from what it was before ."
Ralph Rempel. surrounded by children living at Gift of God Orphanage. volunteered with Mennonite Central Committee to assess damage to ministry - related buildings in Port- au - Prince. Haiti.
Rempel saw God at work in a couple of ways during his assignment. He notes several instances of God' s protection duting the quake One orphanage they evaluated was heavily damaged : "It was amazing it was still standing." The rambling, multilevel facility housed children with mental and physical disabilities who could not have been evacuated quickly. Miraculously, the building did not fall, and none of the children were killed
Rempel also noted God's presence as the team visited worship services at a Mennonite church Although he didn't understand the language, he says. "God was definitely with those people "
Rempel is glad to have been able to offer concrete help in a time of such need And. by the way. getting the time off went smoothly and he didn't return to an insurmountable pile at work. For an engineer who thought he was too busy, that, too is a miracle - Myra Holmes
-1J To read M CC's press release on the work of th e structural engineers in Haiti : http ://mcc orglstories/news/structural-engineers-assess-building-damage -haiti
-1J To read a firsthand report from another structural engineer serving with M CC: http://mcc orgIstories/news/site-whichbuildings-are-safe.
MB schools support Haiti relief efforts
Twenty-six high school students from across th e United States and Canada sorted and filled 60 Mennonite Central Commirtee relief kit buckets with supplies gathered by MB Biblical Seminary students. faculty and staff on the Fresno. Calif , campus The students were participating in Ministry Quest, a MBBS student mentoring program. and were in the Fresno area Feb 11-16 for a MQ retreat The story attracted the attention of all four Fresno television news stations. A Feb. 12 Haiti benefit concert was sponsored by the Fresno Pacific University Office of Spiritual Formation and MCC West Coast. Among the performers were Jon Shabaglian, a recording artist and worship leader from the Fresno area ; Crosswind, an FPU vocal -instrumental ensemble; and a community gospel choir made up of members of the FPU and New Beginnings Church gospel choirs . The event attracted about 300 people and raised more than $3,500 A university shoe drive collected more than 200 pairs of shoes
Tabor College students initiated several fund -raising opportunities
on the Mennonite Brethren college campus located in Hillsboro, Kan ., that raised a total of $660 PAX, the campus peace and social justice group, collected contributions for Haiti Lifeline Ministries, a ministry headquartered in Hesston, Kan ., that supports an orphanage, school and free health clinic in Dargout, Haiti . PAX also teamed up with The Carson House, one of several "theme
Tabor cheerleaders Katie Gerber and Nicole Wright help pack dry meals for Numana, Inc houses" on the campus, to sell T-shirts to benefit Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti The TC Cheer Squad was among 2.,600 volunteers who volunteered with Numana , Inc., an international hunger relief organization that partners with the Salvation Army, to package 250,000 dry meals for Haiti .- From MBBS, FPU and TC reports -1J To learn more about these relief efforts, visit www usmb orglchristianleader.
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No contradictions
Do we offer conflicting reports on God?
Ikeep receiving conflicting reports on God. A few weeks ago I heard Pat Robertson - who called Hurricane Katrina "God's punishment" on America - blame the tragic Haitian earthquake on Haiti's «pact with the devil." Apparently, unlike Katrina. God didn't actually send the natural disaster to Haiti. but allowed the devil to do the dirty work this time.
It seems that every conversation with my Vedic. Buddhist, Jesus-loving. ultra-postmodem friend Adam gives me a new picture
much to do with eschatology (end times) as it does with theology. Our world is one where God's kingdom has been established through Jesus Still. God's kingdom hasn't come in its fullness and will not until the return of Jesus. And until that day when we see God face to face, we will continue to receive conflicting reports about who God is.
For a person to have an accurate report on theology. he is going to need a tight grip on hope . Much of what we know and believe
o Conflicting reports on God come from self -appointed fi gureheads of the Evan ge lical church, from postmodern seekers, from Calvinists and Arminians, from yo u and fr om me. I think we're all wrong , and an right. And mayhe
of who he thinks God is and how God works in the world To Adam. we know God by recognizing God in ourselves-we become one with God internally to know who God is.
From my friends, I hear that we have a sovereign God who numbers and directs our days. controls all things. chooses us (or doesn't choose us) as the elect. all the while gives us free choice everyday.
My own thoughts and actions reveal fickle and often conflicting views of God. I usually follow statements like "I believe that God desires to be in right relationship with us and is a loving and forgiving God" with thoughts of new ways to hide from God. I believe that God will judge the righteous and the unrighteous. but my life shows that I'm relying much more on God's forgiveness.
Conflicting reports on God come from seH-appointed figureheads of the Evangelical church. from postmodem seekers, from Calvinists and Arminians. from you and from me.
I think we're all wrong, and we're all right. And maybe that's all right.
When we look at the biblical text. we realize that even those who long to truly see God in fullness are denied. God says to Moses, "You cannot see my face. for no one may see me and live" (Exod. 33:20). Here lies the paradox: We so desperately want to have a full picture of God but couldn't handle it if we saw it.
What is more, to us God's nature seems paradoxical and sometimes even contradictory. Often times the biblical picture of God doesn't match up with our life experiences, which surely results in conflicting reports on God. When we say God is sovereign but look at the Chilean earthquake reports. we cannot help but scratch our heads and wonder in our hearts.
Yet we continue to confess God. who we believe God to be. in spite of reports in our world. Our proclamation of who God is has as
that's all right.
God to be and what we see in our world are strikingly disparate. So we hope We hope for the further incoming of God's kingdom in our world. And we hope for the return of Jesus Christ, who will fi nalize his project of making all things right.
In the meantime. we continue to proclaim who we believe God to be.
Our Confession of Faith (Article I) provides a beautiful portrait of this This is our confession: 'We believe in the one. true. living God. Creator of heaven and earth. God is almighty in power. perfect in wisdom. righteous in judgment. overflowing in steadfast love. God is the Sovereign who rules over all things visible and invisible. the Shepherd who rescues the lost and helpless. God is a refuge and fortress for those in need. God is a consuming fire. perfect in holiness. yet slow to anger and abounding in tender mercy. God comforts like a loving mother. trains and disciplines like a caring father. and persists in covenant love like a faithful husband We confess God as eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
This is what we believe in and in whom we hope.
May we. this month, hope in the one true God. in spite of conflicting reports about God. And may we participate in the ki ngdom and by doing so provide for someone else an accurate report about who God is through lives that point to God.
'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord tum his face toward you and give you peace" (Num. 6:24-26).
"eJ Post your comment on this column at usmb.orglchristian -leader
MB prison church builds God's kingdom
Ministry grows under leadership of ex - con
There is a saying: «When life throws you a lemon. make lemonade." A Mennonite Brethren church in Asuncion. Paraguay. has done just that.
About 25 years ago several young men from this church got in trouble with the law and landed in TacumbU. the largest prison in the city. This brought some of the church leaders into the prison in a new way
Among other things. they asked prison officials for permission to show Christian movies in the prison. Attendance was voluntary These were so well accepted that soon Christian services were held.
who was not an ex-con left after several years As the church talked and prayed about finding a new evangelist. the MB church leaders became convinced that Felix. a former inmate. would be an excellent choice. Talk about taking a lemon and making lemonade!
Felix was a criminal. into drugs and the occult who ended up in jail because he was involved with two other men in a criminal activity that resulted in the death of another man. Facing a death sentence. he decided to end his life. Felix had nothing to live for nothing to do but wait for his execution.
During this time Felix's wife. Elena. accepted Christ at meet-
o Felix a cri minal. into drugs and the occult, w ho was involv ed in ;;1 criminal acti v ity th .:11 resulted in the d eath of another man . Facin g ..1 death sentence , he decided to end his life.
Again. attendance was voluntary Eventually. a young evangelist was commissioned to hold services in the prison with support coming from the German-speaking Mennonite Brethren church in the area.
Inside the prison things began to change. The size of the group grew. and prison officials gave permission for an old carpentry room to be turned into a church meeting room The German MB church provided the renovation materials. and the inmates did the work. They even built a baptistery. A church was organized. and soon 300 inmates were worshipping there. holding periodic baptisms as they became believers. The prisoners chose the name Libertad (Freedom) for their church Regularly scheduled small groups eventually drew more than 600 men into weekly Bible studies.
Eventually the young Mennonite men were released from prison. but the ministry continued The church leaders expanded their ministry to include a halfway house to help ease released inmates back into society.
Prison officials saw what was happening to the men that were part of this church. and asked the church leaders to take over the administration of one block in the prison. Prisoners could request a transfer to this block and had to agree to abide by established rules These included requirements for personal behavior and attendance at Bible study and church services. This program was so successful that soon prison officials expanded the number of blocks in this section. TacumbU has become a model for other prisons.
A key component of the program's success is the current evangelist who has been with the church for the past 18 years. The first evangelist.
ings held in Asunci6n by Argentinean-born evangelist Luis Palau. Her Mennonite counselor helped Elena visit the police station where her husband was being held . She took him a care package that included fruit and the Billy Graham book. Peace With God . Elena told her husband what had happened to her and urged him to read the book. Felix did and accepted Christ. For the next sixand-one-half years he studied the Bible. visited with counselors and grew in his Christian faith He became active in the prison church. And then he was released from prison by a judge who was impressed with his rehabilitation.
It was at this time that the German MB church in Asunci6n was looking for an evangelist to lead the prison church. The more they prayed the more convinced they became that Felix was the right person for the job. When asked if he would be their missionary to the prison. he agreed and has made it his life's work.
The whole program. as envisioned by the church leadership. is evangelism-centered with an emphasis on discipleship training. It is working very well. There is a very low return rate to prison (6 to 7 percent) of those who are baptized members of Libertad Church. Some prisoners have gone on to further their education. one even worked on a bachelors degree in theology. Others have trained for social work.
What started as a sour lemon has turned into a dynamic refreshing ministry with positive results for the inmates. their families and their communities I think this is what Jesus has in mind when he says. "I was in prison and you came to visit me" (Matt. 25:36).
-11 Post your comment on this column at usrnb.orglchristian -leader
BAPTISM/MEMBERSHIP
Grant, Neb. (New Life Fellowshipl - Ashley Kemling. Tiffany Hoaglund, Chris Hoaglund. Bobby Kugler and Kev in Kugler were bapt ized Feb. 28.
Hays, Kan (North OakJ - Kara Olmstead , Dustin and Sheila Rupke and Isaac Hecker were baptized and received as members Feb 21 Paul Florquist and Eddie Olmstead were received as members
Fresno, Calif. (North FresnoJ-Keila Henson, Amish Karanjit, Jenny McGill and Amarina Pugh were baptized and received as members Feb 7 Mike and Harriet Groft, Lynne Hawkins, Cindy Martens and Terron Nolan were received as members
Bakersfield, Calif (The Bri dgeJ - James Barker, Danny Uribe, Jr , Chase Chavez, Matt and Jennifer Henry, Andy and Ely Garcia , Brian Taylor, Jennifer Takag i, Alysa Frias, Kevin and Dianne McNe ce and Mark Nessia were baptized Feb 7
Reedley, CaUf.-Steve and Becky Coldren, Loren and Andrea Enns, Bryan and Lori Goossen and Craig and Lori Walker were rece ived as members Jan. 31
Huron, SD (BethesdaJ- Tom and Steph Glanzer were received as members Jan 17.
Bakersfield, Calif. (LaurelglenJ - Scott and Amy Barks, Jason and Gina Jordan, Adalia Luevanos and Eric and Lialani Parks were received as members the weekend of Jan. 16 - 17
Hillsboro, Kan.-Robert and Joyce Wall and Elton and Ella Berg were received as members Dec 6
FELLOWSHIP
New Hope, Minn.-The congregation continues to function as a church house family since the sale of their church fac ility in 2007 , meeting monthly under the name " New Hope Connection " Gatherings consist of a meal, mutual support, singing and Bible study Recently member Greg Stoesz presented a pictorial report of his mission trip to Guatemala Members of the group volunteered at the local Mennonite Relief Sale this winter.
Capitola, Calif. (ShorelifeJ-A Wii tournament for men was planned for March 26.
Rapid City, SD (Bible FellowshipJ-An all church bowling night was held March 20
Centennial, Colo. (TrailheadJ-A women 's small group used a blog to share during Lent.
Fresno, Calif (Bethanyl - A father and son night March 19 featured former professional football player Lorenzo Neal. A "touchdown celebration " for mothers and sons Jan 29 featured an inspirational speaker, obstacle course, craft and dessert
Fresno, Calif. (North FresnoJ - Spring events for senior adults include an illusionist, a world-renowned chef and culinary artist who creates food sculptures and dinner with musical program
Wichita, Kan. (FirstJ - The theme for the winter women's event Feb 27 was "Crazy Love " Speaker Lori Walsh encouraged attendees to "show the same kind of crazy love to our Lord that he shows us ." A new women 's "Girlfriends Group" offers help with computer skills
Topeka, Kan.(ComerstoneJ - "Candid Conversations " was the theme for the women 's retreat Feb 26 - 27
Hillsboro, Kan. (EbenfeldJ-An all-church birthday party Feb 21 featured Christian illusionist David Lee Wolfe and a dessert buffet.
Eugene, Ore. (North ParkJ - Women held a retreat Feb 18-20
Harvey, ND-Women hosted a Valentine 's dinner on Feb 14 at a local restaurant.
Enid, Okla.-Local writer, pastor, spiritual director and educator Charles Bello spoke to newly-chosen leaders Feb 3.
Cimarron, Kan. lValleyview BibleJ-A "Souper Bowl" gathering Feb 7 included a contest for best tasting and most original soups.
Draper, Utah (South MountainJ - The South Mountain Daybreak and Draper campuses came together to host a "Daddy Daughter Hoedown " Feb 5. Fathers and daughters enjoyed a Texas Roadhouse meal and a country hoedown with music by The Andy Browning Band .
Hesston, Kan. - A father/son retreat was held Jan 29-30
Inman, Kan. (ZoarJ-Women spent the evening Jan 26 at a local pottery studio .
Reedley, Calif.-Women brought gently-used purses, books, candles, toys or fashion accessories to trade at a Jan 25 "Soup and Swap
Fresno, Calif. (Butlerl-As a part of a focus on simplicity, attendees of the Kingdom Tide congregation brought no-Longer -needed items to a free community swap meet Jan 24
Olathe, Ka n. (Community BibleJ - A men's retreat Jan 15-16 was called the "G4 Summ it : Guys, Growth , Grub and Guns "
MINISTRY
Wich ita, Kan. (Fi rstl - The congregation dedicated the ir new worship center March 3 and began holding worship services in the building March 7
Enid, Okla - A team of four went to Vancouver, B.C ., to work with "More Than Gold " at the Winter
Paralympics Games March 12- 21 Another team is headed to Guadalajara, Mexico, May 29 - June 6 to serve alongside MBMS International missionaries
West Jordan, Utah (Shadow Mountainl-A team of eight planned to go to Guadalajara, Mexico, in March. They were involved with sports camps, evangelism, vacat ion Bible school and service projects
Fresno, Calif, (Bethanyl - Women worked with a local ministry and an elementary school for a day of community service March 6.
Draper, Utah (South Mountainl - An old-fashioned carnival Feb 20, with hot dogs, cotton candy, a cake walk, face painting, games and prizes, raised money for Ha iti relief
Bakersfield, CaUf (The Bridgel - A "Treasure Sale" Feb. 20 concluded a sermon series on "pruning" things such as material goods for greater fruitfulness Proceeds from the sale supported a local ministry and disaster relief in Haiti. A small group is collecting children 's books to be distributed in one of the poorest parts of town.
Reedley, Calif. - Nine men jOined a team serving in Guatemala Feb . 19. Eleven women and one child served in the Dominican Republic the week of Feb 7
Fresno, Calif (ButlerJ- The Kingdom Tide congregation hosted a Valentine 's dinner for residents at a local senior care center Feb 14
Omaha, Neb. (Iglesia Agua Vival - The congregation has recently planted two new churches, one in North Omaha and one in Council Bluffs, la
Fairview, Okla -A team of six adults went to Uganda in February to work on projects that a Fairview team started last year
Denver, Colo. (Garden ParkJ - The church held a canned soup drive on "Souper" Bowl Sunday, Feb 7.
Topeka, Kan. (Comerstonel-Volunteers collected "white goods" -toilet paper, facial tissue, paper towels-for the local rescue mission in February.
Huron, SD (BethesdaJ - A team of three men served in Liberia Jan. 21-Feb 1
Grant, Neb. (New Ufe FellowshipJ - A team served in Uganda Jan. 13-27.
Gettsyburg, SD (Grace Biblel-Church volunteers will be gardening around the town's "welcome" signs this spring as a service to the community
PROCLAMATIO N
Wi chita, Kan. (FirstJ - The church hosted a seminar on "Every Man's Battle, Every Man 's Family, Every Man 's Marriage " by writer and conferen ce speaker Fred Stoeker March 27 Jon Wiebe , from MB Foundation, preached Jan 31, and following a light
lunch, MBF representative Andy Shewey lead a workshop on biblical estate design.
Huron, SD (Bethesda) - Brian and Tami Classen, lead pastoral couple at Shadow Lake Church, Omaha, Neb , were the guest speakers for a Spiritual Emphasis Weekend March 18-21 The weekend included a church leadership dinner and workshop, men's and women's breakfast/lunch, ministry workshops and teaching sessions
Fa irview, Okla. - Larry Martens, former MB Biblical Seminary president, was the guest speaker for the annual spring Bible conference March 7-9 that focused on healthy churches with Colossians as the text.
Bakersfield, Calif. (The Bridg el - Pastor Jeff Gowling was invited to preach in the Philippines via live radio Feb 26 thanks to a Philippine pastor and radio host who heard Gowling's teaching through the church 's Web site.
Fresno, Calif. (Mou ntain Viewl-A spiritual renewal conference, "Establishing Divine Strongholds in Your Church," was held Feb 19-20
Hend erson, Neb -Jules Glanzer, Tabor College president, spoke on "Building bridges to an emerging generation " for the church's Bible conference Feb. 14-15
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglen)- The church hosted "Recovering from Loss, Crisis and Trauma " seminar led by well-known counselor and author H. Norman Wright, Jan. 30
Fresno, Calif. (North Fresnol-Jon Wiebe of MB Foundation preached on "Giving Meaning to Money" Jan 24. A leadership luncheon highlighted the value of stewardship education in the local church and the church's role in planned giving
Clovis, Calif. (College Comm unityJ-Albert Lobe of Mennonite World Conference spoke Jan 17
Meno, Okla. (New HopedaleJ - District minister Tim Sullivan was the guest speaker for the church's annual Harvest/Thanksgiving Sunday. A cast of 22 presented "Getting Ready for the Miracle" for the annual Christmas Eve pageant.
TEACHING/NURTURE
Capitola, Calif. (ShorelifeJ- The church offered a Good Fri day prayer labyrinth April 2.
Fresno, Calif. (ButlerJ-The March 3 midweek meal for families celebrated Purim , a traditional Jewish commemoration of the deliverance of the Jewish people through Queen Esther. The event included a dramatic telling of the story of Esther by the youth and a traditional Jewish treat called Hamantashen.
Kingsbury, Calif.-Representatives from MB Foundation, Mennonite Insurance Services, Mennonite Mutual Aid and Pacific Mennonite Aid Society shared their expertise at a stewardship weekend, Feb. 19-21 . Tulsa, Okla (The HeartJ- Two women talked Feb 21 about using coupons to stretch the family budget.
Hillsboro, Kan -Men gather weekly to pray for Pastor Brian Allen . In addition, men sign up for a day each month to pray especially for the pastor
Collinsville, Okla (Discovery BibleJ-A self-defense class began Feb 4
Peoria, Ariz (Copper HillsJ - A four-week "Life Training " class, led by a life coach, offered tools to be
healthy in mind, body and soul and began Jan 31.
Buhler, Kan. - A group met weekly Jan. 12-April 6 to work through grief issues with "GriefShare."
Draper, Utah. (SMCC iii Daybreak)- Campus pastor Rod Jost is teaching an eight -week introduction to Christianity
Weatherford, Okla (Pine AcresJ - A new, twicemonthly Sunday evening forum, "Digging Deeper," will further explore the Sunday morning topics
WORKE RS
Blaine, Wa sh. (Birch Bay Bible) - Pastor Rick Eshbaugh has reSigned. A farewell potluc;k was held for him and his wife , Esther, March 7 Associate pastor Tim Thiessen will serve as interim senior pastor.
Hesston, Kan. - Associate pastor Brad Burkholder will be on sabbatical May-July
Enid, Okla.-Jerred Unruh has accepted the call as youth pastor. He began March 1
Edmond, Okla. (Memorial RoadJ - Jeremy Jordan and his wife, Amy were installed March 21 as associate pastor of student ministries.
YOUTH
Huron, SD (BethesdaJ - The church hosted an event March 27 for high school girls presented by a team from the Pure Freedom Organization and based on the book And the Bride Wore White, by Dannah Gresh Bakersfield, Calif. (Rosedale)-A team of high school youth and leaders planned a mission trip to Los Angeles during Easter break A Valentine's dinner included the "Not -50 -Newlywed Game:
Cimarron, Kan ,lVal leyview Biblel - The church cooperated with other area churches to host a Beautiful Unique Girls pajama party for teen girls Feb 13.
Hesston, Kan.-Youth joined teens from Belleview Community Church, Littleton, Colo , for a ski weekend in Colorado Feb. 12-13.
Olathe, Kan.(Community BibleJ-The church hosted a Beautiful Unique Girls pajama party for teen girls Feb 8 Jessica Isaak was the featured recording artist.
Bakersfield, Calif. (Heritage BibleJ - Youth raise funds through a regularly-scheduled "Drive Thru Dinner" in which pre-order hot meals are available for pickup in the church parking lot on the given day. Money raised at the Youth Missions Auction March 21 will support youth participating in mission trips.
Hillsboro, Ka n (EbenfeldJ-G2G (Generation to Generation) is an ongoing mentoring program that pairs adult volunteers with seventh and eighth grade youth
Kingsburg, CaUf. - Teens and adults are being matched by interest or hobby and encouraged to meet regularly to share that interest and build relationships.
Reedley, CaUf. - A new Sunday school class for children with special needs began Jan. 3
Inman, Kan. lZoar) - The high school youth hosted a Valentine 's banquet Feb. 13 that included a "NeWlywed Game. " Youth celebrated the New Year with a lock-in Dec 30-31 and senior high youth did the same Jan 3-4.
DEATHS
BARTEL, DOREEN BETH, 77, Bakersfield, Calif., member of Rosedale Bible Church, Bakersfield , died De c.
27, 2009. Spouse : Marvin Bartel, deceased. Parents: Menno F. and Martha Reimer. Children: Timothy, Jeannine Guiffre; three grandchildren
KOEHN, SUSIE E., 96, Meno, Okla ., of New Hopedale Mennonite Church, Meno, died Dec. 4, 2009. Spouse : Lowell O. Koehn, deceased Parents: Henry and Katie (BoeseJ Schmidt. Children: Ron; two grandsons; four great-grandchildren
KOOP, MARVIN JAMES, 80, Fresno, Calif. , member of North Fresno MB Church, died Jan 28, 2010. Spouse: Evelyn Buller Parents : Abraham and Anna (Nickel) Koop. Children : Karen Campbell, Russ; six grandchildren; one great -granddaughter
NEUFELD, ANNA B. , 86, Bakersfield, Calif , member of Rosedale Bible Church, died Feb. 16, 2010. Spouse: Wesley Neufeld, deceased Parents: John D and Tina (Regier! Quiring Children: Carol Whaley, Gerald, Ronald; six grandchildren; seven great -grandchildren
PATZKOWSKY, DOROTHY MARGARET, 93, Reedley, Calif , member of Reedley MB Church, died Feb. 2, 2010. Spouse: Wilber Cornelsen, deceased; Lavene Patzkowsky Children: Doyle Comelsen ; two grandsons, three great -grandchildren
PAULS, IKE, 85, Buhler, Kan, of Buhler MB Church, died Feb 6, 2010 Spouse: Linda Regier. Parents: Henry and Marie (Friesen) Pauls. Children: Lonnie, Diane Elder, Kenneth; five grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren.
PENNER, DANIEL C., 81, of Albuquerque, NM, died Feb 3, 2010 Spouse: Martha Eitzen. Parents: Cornelius and Tina (Martens) Penner Children : Steven, Douglas; four grandchildren.
REGIER, PAUL, 50, Fresno, Calif., member of North Fresno MB Church, died Feb 6, 2010 Spouse : Lori Jantzen Parents: Leland and Jane Regier. Children : Jacob, Jeremy, Kristina.
SCHROEDER, AUCE PEARL, 81, Buhler, Kan., member of Buhler MB Church, died Dec 31, 2009. Spouse: Dan Schroeder. Parents: Rudolph and Selma Gaeddert Children : Karen Anderson, Neva Skinner; two granddaughters.
SCHROEDER, EMMA LOEWEN, 89, Buhler, Kan., of Buhler MB Church, died Jan. 8, 2010. Spouse: David Schroeder. Parents: Isaac T. and Maria (Ratzlaff) Loewen. Children: Duane, Katherine Marshall; five grandchildren; 13 great -grandchildren
SCHROEDER, THEORA, 66, Lakewood, Colo , member of Garden Park MB Church, Denver, Colo. , died Jan. 25, 2010. Spouse : Richard Schroeder. Parents: John and Frieda (Stucky) Pauls Children: Myra Holmes, Mike; four grandchildren.
STEWARD, HAROLD G., 83, Bakersfield, Calif., member of Laurelglen Bible Church, Bakersfield, died Dec 9,2009. Spouse : Norma Petker Steward Children: Jan Wolfe, Thomas, Cindy Meek; eight grandchildren
WALTER , ISAAC I, JR., 89, Freeman, SO, member of Salem MB Church, Freeman, died Nov. 3, 2009
Spouse: Martha Mendel. Parents : Isaac I. and Elisabeth (WollmanJ Walter. Children: Terry Cooper.
WOLLMAN, REUBEN AARON, 84 Freeman, SD, member of Salem MB Church, Freeman, died Dec 1, 2009
Spouse: Alma Hofer. Parents : Andrew and Barbara (Glanzer) Wollman Children: Belva Laughlin, Cheri Hansen, Merle; four grandchildren
A little sincerity, please
Prog ressing from real, to authentic, to genuine - now sincerity
Recently I realized that my character needs improvement. So I've decided to become sincere. This would be in contrast to last year, when I tried to be genuine. I thought being genuine was a good thing. kind of like being sincere but more, uh, genuine.
I guess I was wrong. When I shared with someone my desire to be a genuine person, he replied, 'That's dumb. Sounds like you're describing a diamond or something And you're no diamond "
I couldn't really argue with that. But I'd only changed to genuine because I was told I needed to quit being authentic. For a long time I was sold on authenticity and even claimed that my goal as a music leader was to create an authentic worship experience. It seemed like a concept everyone could relate to.
patch together a little of this kind of spirituality and a little of that kind of ideology, then change it a week later to suit their needs
The statement about being sincerely wrong, I like even less. I hear it a lot from Christians. Some Christians who say this, however, have nothing but negative opinions about cultural trends they don't like, political platforms they don't agree with and people who don't look or think like them . They come across like everyone is wrong but themselves I don't think that's the attitude Jesus had in mind when he encouraged believers to develop sincere love for God and others.
The fourth concern I have about becoming sincere is that we live in a highly insincere society. The other day someone came by
o Sincerity hasn't eX;,lctly been a popular qUJ1ity in our
society. Irony and SJTCaSm are the cuhuml tnlits of Ollr time.
My bad. At one point somebody griped, "It bugs me when you talk about being authentic. It means you're going to pull out a guitar and make me sing annoying praise choruses."
All right then. Before I switched to authenticity, I was trying to be real. One time when I mentioned this, the person I was talking to almost spit out his coffee. "You want to be real? What, are you some kind of hippie?"
Unfortunately, I wasn't. I wanted to be when I was younger and even had the long hair for it. But my hippie dreams ended one day when my parenrs and I ran into a friend of theirs. "So," the lady inquired, "is this your daughter?"
There are concerns I have about becoming sincere . First, it's an old-school trait, from the days when people signed letters with "Sincerely Yours " You know, letters? Those paper thingies people used to write with pens? I know it's hard to remember back that far. Second, sincerity hasn't exactly been a popular quality in our society. Irony and sarcasm are the cultural traits of our time. Earnest people tend to get criticized and derided . If you are a sincere person who happens to become famous, you will likely get mocked on YouTube and Web sites with names such as SincerePeopleSuck.com.
Third, the two statements I hear most often about sincerity aren't that great. One is that it's all right to believe in anything as long as you're sincere. The other is a reaction to that: You can be sincerelywrong!
I don't like either of these sayings. Believing in whatever you want isn't really sincere, just kind of vague and self-absorbed. People
my house and asked if I wanted a free inspection of my windows and a demonstration of his company's amazing new miracle windows. I politely replied I did not. The salesman asked why. I said I didn't want to spend thousands upgrading windows that were perfectly fine.
The salesman looked shocked. "You must have misunderstood," he said. "Our technicians only want to do a demonstration and give you some helpful advice. We're not trying to sell you anything ."
Uh, right. The salesman seemed like a nice guy, but his pitch was essentially insincere. Of course he wanted to get his people in and sell me some windows . Why pretend otherwise?
This is the kind of society we live in. Advertisers pretend to care about our needs, politicians make promises they can't keep, celebrities try to appear earnest and charitable while living lives of debauchery, bloggers make fun of everything and everybody, Christians tell others how to live while not living that way themselves.
How can we get everyone to be more sincere? Well, we can't. I can only start with me. And I want to be filled with sincere love for God and all the people in my life. I want to sincerely care about those who are hungry, hurting and lost. And if that love and care also tum out to be genuine, authentic and real, that would be groovy too
-1l Post your comment on this column at usmb.orgIchristian-leader
It's complicated
Whe re do we draw the line when protestin g abortion?
One of seven options on Facebook for describing the relationship with your significant other is, "It's complicated." It's an honest response to the somerlmescomplex nature of romantic relationships . "It's complicated" can also be the most straightforward response when it comes to theological questions like the ones posed by sanctity of life issues, including abortion
The Bible teaches and our Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith (COF) affirms a clear-cut conviction: We should oppose action that takes someone's life. The COF is very clear on abortion: 'We hold that procedures designed to take life, including abortion ...are an affront to God's sovereignty" (Article 14).
The Confession of Faith Commentary and Pastoral Application elaborates on this belief, saying that it is God who gives value and transcendent worth to human life - we can't acquire or earn it. 'The sanctity of life is independent of the value that can be placed on a person by virtue of efforrs, accomplishments, talenrs or any other measure," it says. The commentary goes on to emphasize that in giving our lives value, God does not distinguish berween the righteous and the unrighteous (Matr. 5:45).
This is where it gers complicated. How far do I go to stop someone who has decided that he has the right to kill another person? Someone like late-term abortion doctor George Tiller
Tiller came to the nation's attention in the summer of 1991 when the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue blockaded Tiller's Wichita, Kan., clinic for 46 days, resulting in more than 2,600 arrests of 1,7 00 protesters. The "Summer of Mercy" drew national attention when a federal judge ordered u.S. marshals to keep the clinic open
The Christian Leader reported on the two-month Operation Rescue campaign and for months the magazine received letters both supporting and critiquing editor Don Ratzlaff's comments on abortion in general and Operation Rescue more specifically. While Ratzlaff and his readers agreed that God stands for life and grieves the loss of unborn children and the circumstances that prompt the decision to abort, they did not agree on the best way to combat abortion . And it's likely that we still don't agree, two decades later. Some of us work to change abortion laws while others of us focus on reducing the number of women who seek abortions. There are those who prefer to do nothing while others believe we should at the least pray, contribute resources or campaign for appropriate candidates.
As we prepared this focus on the sanctity of human life, we found several Mennonite Brethren congregations that are personally involved in addressing this issue - offering support to women who have had abortions, partnering with a local children's home and creating a home for unwed mothers. We plan to highlight some of these ministries in future CLs
The COF Commentary and Pastoral Application suggests thinking of this array of responses as a continuum. It is along this continuum where we most often find ourselves disagreeing. Our passion for the value of life can cause us to judge the actions and words of others and to simplify a complex issue to the point of being black or white, all or nothing Instead, we should willingly acknowledge, "It's complicated," and agree to disagree - an approach that can require humbly admitting that I don't have all the answers even though I have plenty of emotion to go with my convictions.
At the far end of the continuum are actions that oppose abortion in ways that break God's law, and if asked, most of us will say that Christians should draw the line here But do we walk the edge of that line in our thoughts and sometimes even our words? We wouldn't pull the trigger ourselves, but we don't have a problem saying that an abortion doctor who is murdered had it coming. That he deserved to die. That it's better to kill one man than to have that man continue killing unborn children.
That line of thought is why some Christians support Scott Roeder's decision to kill George Tiller at close range May 31, 2009 , while Tiller was serving as an usher at his church in Wichita Roeder says he killed Tiller to protect the unborn
"From conception forward , it is not man's job to take a life," Roeder said from the witness stand. 'The only exception I even struggle with" is when the life of the mother is at stake. 'These babies were dying every day. I felt if something was not done, (George Tiller) was going to continue If someone didn't stop him, they were going to continue to die." Asked if he regretted killing Tiller, Roeder said, "I do not "
This admission fills me with deep sadness, as I think it should all followers of Jesus Christ. May we always side with God when it comes to the value of human life Let's challenge one another to watch what we say about the value of another person Even when it's complicated, let's remember that God values each of us and that he intends us to nurture life rather than end it - CF
CLearing HOUSE ··
ment: Agen9'
Executive Director: The Canadian Conference of MB Churches is searching for an Executive Director The Executive Director works from the CCMBC offices in Winnipeg, Man , providing leadership for the national staff to serve the churches; extensive travel is required The Executive Director reports directly to the CCMBC Executive Board and is comm issioned by the CCMBC. The successful candidate is expected to develop the strategic plan in collaboration with the Executive Board and implement it. A Master's degree or equivalent in leadership disciplines, with Bible or theology background is preferred Candidates will possess strong administrative skills related to strategic plan ning, team lead ing and internal management. Exemplary leadership, interpersonal. communication and organizational skills are required Start date : October-November 2010 The full job notice and job description are posted online at www.mbconf.ca Please send inquiries or resumes to : edsearch0mbconf ca
mployment: Church
Lead Pastor : Willow Park Church, Kelowna, B.C , is a reproducing, multi-site church seeking to impact 10 percent of the region through neighborhood congregations. With five campuses under one leadership, bound by common vision, values and mission, we are seeking a visionary leader to fill our newly designed lead pastor role Candidates should have senior pastoral leadership experience in a multi-faceted dynamic ministry organization Excellent interpersonaVcommunications skills are required to build and lead the team, cast vis ion and occasionally preach/teach The lead pastor will ensure that the mission, vision and values of WPC are modeled across our communities and provide oversight to the WPC organization For more information, or to apply, interested applicants may submit their resume and philosophy of ministry to searchcommittee0willowparkchurch com or to Willow Park Church, 439 Hwy 33 W, Kelowna B.C , VIX lY2 Children/Family Ministries Pastor : Meadow Brook Fellowship is a vibrant congregation found in the most southern part of Canada Leamington, Ont., is an ethnically diverse community situated on the North Shore of Lake Erie , The church has a strong commitment to community, both in the church and at large. MBF is seeking a passionate, creative, Christ-centered individual to come alongside families and encourage them as they carry out their Godgiven mandate to train up their children Those desiring to make an impact on the lives of families in our church and community can apply for the position of Children & Family Ministries at family0meadowbrookfellowship com or send resumes to 219 Talbot Street East, RR#3 Leamington ON , N8H 3V6 Event
WCMMC Concerts: Come hear the marvelous 17 5 voice West Coast Mennonite Men ' s Choru s, directed by Robert Plett. Concerts will inclu de special music by the Boy 's Choir and a Men's Trio This terrific men's chorus is known for excellenc e
in 4- part harmony, You will love the concerts! Offerrings will be taken to raise money for MCC 's Global Family Program. This program provides education for impoverished children throughout the world 2010 Concert Schedule : March 28, 2010-Laurelglen Bible Church, Bake rsfield, Calif , 5:00 p.m. ; April 11, 2010-People's Church, Fresno, Calif., 6:00 p m.; May 2, 2010-Calvary Chapel, Visalia, Calif., 6:00 p.m
For information or recordings , contact Ken Elrich : 559-2513345, mrkerajuno com log
Biblical answers tuned to primarily answer international students ' questions, exercises for seniors. Blog dealing with the victorious and fruitful Christian life , Visit henrysanswers.info 12/61
The Waters Run Deep:
by J Wesley Gunther
The conference, marking the 350th anniversary of the first publication of the Anabaptist martyrology Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians , will feature plenary speakers James Lowry, Julia Spicher Kasdorf, Patrick Erben, and Sarah Covington It will include presentations on spirituality, accounts of women, translation from Dutch to German, history of the first edition in America, and the work's reception among Anabaptist groups, as well as background on author Thieleman van Braght an d illustrator Jan Luyken, For more information or to register, visit www etown edU/youngctr, e-mail youngctr@etown.edu, or call 717 -361 -1470.
CENTE R JIOa ANAMmST AND PlET1ST S1VDIES Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA 17022
inSide
The Seminary Tra nsition to Fresno Pacific Univ e rsity
Questions and Answers
Transition Perspectives
Alumni News
Ataide named 'Top Influencer'
Remembering Allen Guenther
Faculty Transitions
Jon Isaak
Delores Friesen
ODD
Dear Partners and Friends,
Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary has begun its "reinvention." This is an ing time that holds great potential for our denomination and our seminary. In this issue of In Touch we hope to describe this process and address questions you may have about the future.
The purpose of the seminary is to pre pare missional pastors, teachers , counselors, and leaders for churches and ministries, and to do so from an evangelical Anabaptist, biblical perspective. Making progress toward this goal motivates us to make significant and fundamental changes to our institution. We are responding to the call to make nary learning available across the continent and around the world through new distance delivery models. While we value students who move to Fresno to study, many other prospective students prefer to study while remaining in their home communities and ministry positions. The change I will describe addresses that.
On June 1, 2010, the Seminary's Fresno assets will be transferred to Fresno Pacific University, a school of the Mennonite ren Pacific District Conference. Seminary faculty and programs will be governed by FPU administration and board. A new inary Advisory Council chaired by former MBBS President Dr. Larry Martens will give direction to the seminary. The Council's first task will be to generate a strategic plan to strengthen the Seminary's ministry in the Fresno region and to develop creative ery methods to serve Mennonite Brethren in the US Midwest, across the continent, and beyond. We expect to offer study grams through hybrid courses (online study combined with intensive weeks of study on campus), online courses, and encing. A from the Wabash tute will help to fund this planning.
Spring/Summer 20 10
The change moves the Fresno campus into a partnership comparable to its two Canadian delivery centers. ACTS Seminaries in Langley, BC, a consortium of five seminary ners, serves about fifty MB students each semester with two MBBS faculty and six MB adjuncts. Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg is home to our Winnipeg Center for Ministry Studies run with four Anabaptist institutional and five Mennonite denominational partners serving as many as twenty MB students.
In Fresno, the Seminary will be a distinct theological school within the university ing its current academic courses and degree programs . I will be the seminary's chief tional officer. Accreditation for the seminary will remain with the Association of cal Schools (ATS) and through the University with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Donors will still be able to make contributions directly to the Seminary.
Though "reinventing" the seminary will produce changes and present challenges, the primary mission of preparing leaders for the church will continue. Rather than ing, our seminary is preparing to engage its ongoing mission with new structures, new strategies, and new energy. I am excited about the potential this change has to empower God ' s people for ministry in God's kingdom.
Lynn Jost, President
Transitio and
Seminary President Lynn Jost answers 10 often-heard questions about MB Biblical Seminary's transition to Fresno Pacific University
1
Why is this happening now? Could it have waited? . ., . '.
Though MB Biblical Seminary enrollment has declined since 2003, the Seminary continues to have a solid financial base. It is strategically important to make this change while we remain in a strong position. Individual donors are giving more. We needed to act in order to immediately address recruitment issues as well as to get started with distance education. "significant dimension to FPU and the region it se rv es."
.
"I think that moving the Fresno Campus of our semina ry to this established university will go a long way in protecting our mission and will also add a
- Jack Folk, Chair, MB Biblical Seminary Board
2
What will be the same and what will be different?
Seminary students will continue to have the same quality faculty, same evangelical Anabaptist theological perspective, and same Mennonite Brethren community as now. Our mission remains to serve the MB constituency. The primary difference will be in governance as the FPU Board will oversee the Seminary and its accreditation.
3
What were the factors prompting this decision for the Seminary?
Though it has regained some this spring, enrollment recently reached its lowest point in 20 years at the Fresno campus. Because enrollment affects income, the Seminary's
"My primary concern is to prese rv e the mission of the seminary to train men and women for Kingdom mission and ministry. In some w ays nothing has changed, yet everything will change. I am grateful that the mission remains. The forms and delivery systems, however, will be innovative and dynamic." - Larry Martens, Chair, MB Biblical Seminary Advisory Council
budget has been reduced. Along with many seminaries across the continent, MBBS has downsized and searched for alternative methods of carrying out its mission.
4 How will the merger with FPU strengthen the Seminary's ability to fulfill its mission in the US and Canada?
The merger allows MBBS to take advantage of FPU's advanced technological infrastructure for on-line, video-instruction, and distance learning. Such distance education formats are
"The ministry, the core reason for being, is alive and well in the lives of our national leadership team and staff. We're enthusiastic about the next chapter and working together with key
central to future seminary programming. The merger also gives MBBS the advantage of FPU's strong reputation in the Central Valley and nationally in distance education. stakeholders." - Ed Boschman, Executive Director, U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
5 Who will stay on at the Seminary?
The MBBS faculty that were planning to return for 20 1 11 will continue to teach for the Seminary. They include Tim Geddert, Mark Baker, Valerie Rempel, David Rose, Cory Seibel, and Lynn Jost. Staff members that have been offered work by FPU include Advancement staff Mark Isaac and Steve Prieb and Enrollment Director Andy Johnson. Eight staff members will have their positions eliminated and will work through May 31, then receive severance. Jon Isaak and Delores Friesen are the faculty members whose positions will be eliminated for 11 in a move announced by the Board in 2009.
6 Was the dissolution of the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches a factor for the seminary?
Yes. One of the effects of the divestiture of the Seminary by its owners in 2002 was the diverging of Canadian and US directions in regard to structures and programs for theological education and leadership training. There remains a willingness to work interdependently, however. This merger does not negate the opportunity for the Seminary to serve both nations. Becoming part of FPU keeps MB Biblical Seminary within the Mennonite Brethren family.
"Based on 35 productive years of doing seminary together, I am optimistic that this solution will continue to be attractive to a number of Canadian and worldwide Mennonite Brethren students."
- David Wiebe, Executive Director, Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
7 Will contributions from churches and individuals still be needed for the Seminary?
Yes. While this new relationship with FPU eliminates the Seminary's need to run its own institution and thereby cuts our operating costs, it doesn't mean we no longer need the support and prayer of churches and individuals. In fact, continuing contributions to the Seminary are exactly what we need to reach more students in more regions. A higher percentage of each ongoing gift to the Seminary will more directly benefit our students, faculty, and course offerings.
Transition Q A and (continued)
"We MBs in Canada support this change. While it will enable Canadians to concentrate efforts to build the MBBS locations in Langley, B.C., and Winnipeg, Manitoba, we are also hopeful the distance education initiatives will serve the leadership development needs of both countries." - Jascha Boge, Moderator, Canadian Mennonite Brethren Conference
8 How will Seminary alumni be served in light of this transition?
Alumni can be assured that there will be ongoing services, a preservation of records, and a place to come home to, along with new opportunities for expanded access for ongoing education and an alumni website.
9 How does a merger with FPU reduce costs?
Affiliating with FPU significantly reduces overhead costs by eliminating positions that are duplicated on both campuses (e.g., registrar, accounting, financial aid, maintenance). In addition, there are efficiencies in sharing facilities and faculty.
10 What kinds of changes are envisioned for the Seminary's buildings and grounds?
The Seminary buildings will continue to be used primarily for the Seminary enterprise. We expect to invite the University biblical studies faculty to join the Seminary's theologica l faculty in the Administration building. We also expect to have FPU's psychology department move into the North Wing with the Seminary counseling faculty. Classrooms will be full with University as well as Seminary classes. The classrooms will be outfitted with technology for video conferencing. Students will continue to experience the campus as Seminary,friendly, Seminary,first.
"I am delighted the seminary is joining forces with FPU and open to working closely with Tabor College to develop a national pastoral training program. I fully anticipate that this kind of partnership will better serve the entire US MB family of churches." - Steve Schroeder, Pastor of Parkview MB Church , Hillsboro, Kansas and Chair, USMB Conference Leadership Board
in the Nevvs
Beloved professor Allen Guenther passes away
Allen R. Guenther, professor emeritus of Old Testament at MB Biblical Seminary, died December 23, 2009, at the age of 71. A service of worship and praise to God for Allen's life and ministry was held on December 30,2009.
After graduating from Columbia Bible Institute in British Columbia, Dr. Guenther received his theological degree from Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg in 1962. He earned a MA in New Testament from Wheaton College, an MDiv from Gordon Divinity School, and a PhD in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Toronto.
Allen was a pastor, teacher and churchman who authored several books and articles includ, ing his Believer's Church Bible Commentary on Hosea and Amos. He
joined the faculty of MB Biblical Seminary in 1981. To his students he was a mentor and friend, remembered for his signature course on biblical backgrounds.
Diagnosed in 1984 with Early Onset Parkinson's disease, he and wife Anne battled it together, '
"making lemonade out of the lemons," as he was known to say. With others he established the first Parkinson's support group in California's central valley, chairing it for ten years.
Dr. Guenther was named Professor Emeritus by MB Biblical Seminary in 1998.
MBBS Alumnus Randy Ataide named Top Influential
Randy Ataide, an MB Biblical Seminary Alumnus and former board member, has been named by the San Diego Daily Transcript publication and online web news source as one of San Diego's Top Influential's for 2010.
Ataide is Director of the Fermanian Business Center at Point Lorna Nazarene University and a professor of entrepreneurship teaching MBA students. He was instrumental in forming the Economic Institute at Point Lorna earlier this year and recruiting a former Bank of America executive as the chief economist.
Ataide was born and raised in Fresno, California. In addition to a Master of Arts, Theology degree from MB Biblical Seminary, he
earned a BA in Speech Communication and a law degree, then went on to Stanford University's Executive Management program and later, the Owner, President Management Program at Harvard.
For the past twenty years, Ataide has co,owned Mountain View Cold Storage, Mountain View Fruit Sales and Summeripe Worldwide, one of the largest tree fruit companies in the United States. He has served on the Farm Credit Administration, Kaiser Permanente, MBBS Board of Directors, and other organizations.
"I've always been curious and felt that lifelong learning is necessary," he said. "The hallmark of the new generation is going to be this trend."
Ataide and wife Ruth live in San Diego.
m o re n ews o n page 7
faculty Transitions
At the end of the academic year, Jon Isaak and Delores Friesen will transition from their roles as faculty members at MB Biblical Seminary. Jon's position as Associate Professor of New Testament was eliminated as part of Seminary staff and faculty reductions announced in 2009. Delores will remain an adjunct professor in the Marriage, Family and Child Counseling program.
Jon Isaak: Scholar, Teacher, Missionary, Friend
Certain students are persons of habit. In the classroom they will choose the same seat throughout the semester. Jon was one of those . In the class on Old Testament theology, held in the California room with the tables in four square formation, Jon sat in the third seat on the table to my left.
A scholar is forever inquiring. I once explained a position taken by Professor B. S. Childs of Yale, as well as a counter position by Professor James Barr. The explanation failed to satisfy Jon. He took up correspondence with Professor Childs, who answered Jon in handwriting After a few exchanges, Childs wrote, saying in effect, "You understand me better than my challenger, James Barr."
"I have exp e ri e n ce d Jon Isaak as a v alu ed tr eas ure o f MB Bib li ca l Se min ary.
Jo n' s acco m p li shm e nts a n d serv ice a t MBB S h ave b ee n st e rlin g. Jo n is a t eac he r wh o rece ives hi g h m arks fr o m his stu de nts w ho c o mm e n d hi s g rasp of th e a ca d e mi c fi e ld , hi s famili a rit y w ith th e acade mi c reso urces, and h is Chri sti a n conv ict io ns. Jo n is la ud e d f o r hi s d o wn -to -e arth st y le, hi s dep th , a nd hi s p ass io n . He is kn ow n fo r hi s a tt e nti o n t o de t a il, hi s o p e nn ess t o stud e nts, a nd hi s t eac hin g skill Jo n has le ft hi s m ark w ith a co mmitm e nt t o care deep ly f o r stud e nts a nd t o t e a c h God ' s Word w ith j o y o us v igo r " - Pr es ide nt Ly nn Jos t
Jon's scholarship is evident in that his Ph.D. dissertation on Hebrews, written at McGill University, was published with the title Situating the Letter to the Hebrews in early Christian History (2002). Such an honor comes only to the best of scholars. Jon has been hard at work on a monograph on New Testament theology. Again, to be publishing such a work early in his career on a subject many leave to the final years of their teaching
is testimony to a vigorous and industrious scholar.
Not all scholars are good communicators in the classroom. Jon is one who is. He is articulate. He teaches with passion, eliciting viewpoints from students and parleying with them in search of firm foundations. His office door is open to students. Often as I passed by his door I saw him in animated discussion with a student. His graying hair sends a message that wisdom is to be found here. Without question he is solicitous for the well-being of each of his students.
Some of that interpersonal skill derives, no doubt, from his missionary experience. I first met Jon and his wife in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo. He and Mary Anne were teaching in the MB Christian High School. I watched them both as they exchanged information and pleasantries with a young Congolese couple. Later they served also in Russia. Experiences of this kind are invaluable for teachers in an MB school; for the DNA of MBs, one likes to think, is mission.
Jon has endeared himself to me as a friend in many ways. Of special note are his extensive labors in envisioning and producing a volume of essays in my honor: The Old Testament in the Life of God's People, published in 2009 by Eisenbrauns. Such a publication is a testimony to Jon's disciplined and indefatigable efforts. My life, like that of many others, has been enriched by this devoted servant of God.
- Elmer A Martens, President Emeritus and Professor of Old Testament Emeritus, MB Biblical Seminary
Delores Friesen: Faithful Servant
Delores Friesen has faithfully served the Lord at MB Biblical Seminary for the past 22 years. She has been a gifted, resourceful, creative and hardworking professor, primarily in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy, but also in pastoral training courses. Together with her husband, Stan, Delores has also generously shared her gifts of hospitality and international service.
Delores has a deep passion for the church, for mission, and for people in need everywhere. Within the counseling department at MBBS, Delores has been an administrator, a faithful teacher and an effective recruiter. Though Delores will not teach full time beyond May 31, we are delighted that she will continue to teach on an adjunct basis, and we wish her many years of joy and strength as she continues to serve the Lord in the future.
- Tim Oeddert, Academic Dean, MB Biblical Seminary
in the News
Retired professor leaves legacy
To celebrate former MB Biblical Seminary professor Dr. James Westgate's 50th year of urban ministry, he is donating his entire urban ministry library to the Fresno Institute for Urban Leadership. The Institute will name it's new state of the art classroom in their Leadership Training Center in Westgate's honor. Jim and his wife Nancy are spearheading the fund raising needed to complete the project in downtown Fresno, California.
MB Biblical Seminary Degree Program s
Master of Divinity-90 units
Master of Arts degrees-60 unit s
- Christian Minist ry - Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling
- Old Testamen t -N ew Testament - Theology - Intercultural Mission
Diploma Programs-30 unit s - Christian Studi es - Evangelism and Church Planting - Integratio n - Congregational Care
- Women in Minist ry - Anglican Studi es - Presbyterian Studies
Certificate Programs-IS units
Apply today to maximize scholarship and financial aid opportunities for Fall 2010 semester.
To learn more, visit www.mbseminary.edu
Administrative Team and Faculty Members
Lynn Jost, PhD President; Associate Professor of Old Testament
Tim Geddert, PhD Academic Dean; Professor of New Testament
Valerie Rempel, PhD Dean of Students (Fresno Campus); Associate Professor of History and Theology
Linda Bowman, BS Chief Financial Officer
Mark Isaac, MDiv Director of Advancement and Constituency Relations
Mark Baker, PhD Associate Professor of Mission and Theology
Doug Berg, PhD Associate Professor of Leadership Studies; Associate Dean, MBBS-ACTS
Delores Friesen, PhD Professor of Pastoral Counseling
Pierre Gilbert, PhD Associate Professor of Old Testament; Program Coordinator, MBBS- Winnipeg
Bruce Guenther, PhD Associate Professor of Church History; Associate Dean, MBBS-ACTS
Jon Isaak, PhD Associate Professor of New Testament
David Bruce Rose, PhD Associate Professor of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling
Cory Seibel, PhD Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministries
Mary Shamshoian, MA Director of On-Site Counseling Program
