NSTEAD OF First Words, we should call this little introductory column Last Words. With the completion of this issue, I also complete my service as your editor.
My fmal issue simply continues the tradition we've tried to maintain all these years: to exhort the church to love and good deeds and to report how the church is trying to carry out that mandate.
On the exhortation side, we explore the topic of stewardship, specifically as it relates to that generation of people we call baby boomers. And that's the message we hope to communicate: that stewardship does apply to all of us who fall in that age bracket. Jon Wiebe tells us how in a wide-ranging conversation about affluence, faithfulness and commitment (page 4).
Then, Lauren Sill describes how she and her husband grappled with the issue (page 10). We may not all reach the conclusions they did, but I would wish for all of us the intensity of the self-evaluation process they undertook.
On the reporting side of our work, you'll fmd coverage of Celebrate '98, the biennial U.S. Conference convention held last month in La Mirada, Calif. (page 18). I am personally indebted to Connie Faber, who handled the primary reporting responsibilities, and to Ellynoe Wiebe, a freelance writer who assisted us. They did a good job of reflecting the events of that weekend.
With the encouragement of the Board of Communications, I attended the convention primarily as an observerand as a reCipient of generous affirmation from those who attended. Though it was difficult to say goodbye to so many people who have come to mean a lot to me during my 20 years at the Leader, I am grateful for the opportunity to have done so.
One thing you will not fmd in this issue is another page of "thank yous" to the editor. At least I don't think you will. Staff and board worked covertly to hijack last month's issue without my knowledge. After I got over the surprise and embarrassment, I did manage to savor the kind words offered there. My thanks to all who have blessed me with your love and support all these years.
On behalf of the staff that will continue the ministry of journalism here, keep following the Christian Leader as it seeks to follow Christ. -DR
COMING
• NOVEMBER 6-S-Central District Conference convention, Lustre, Mont. Speaker: Larry Martens, pastor of North Fresno MB Church, Fresno, Calif
• MARCH 20-23, 1999-Estes 99, the quadrennial national Mennonite Brethren youth convention, Estes Park, Colo.
In this interview with the Leader ed itors, Jon Wiebe talks about his generation and their stewardship of the unprecedented material blessings they enjoy
A self-inventory of time and possess ions led one Kansas couple to make significant changes in light of God's call upon their lives LAUREN SILL AS TOLD TO NATALEE
• CELEBRATE '98 COVERAGE: Unity i n La Mirada 18
• Harvey MB Church celebrates 100 years 25
• Farewell to Dan Friesen, a 'man for all people' 26
• Church notes 28
ART CREDITS: Cover and page 4, Skjold Photographs; page 10, line art by Dynamic Graphics, photo of Sills by Natalee Roth ; pages 18 through 24, Leader photographs by Don Ratzlaff; page 25, courtesy photo, Harvey MB Church; page 26, Leader file photo.
Don Ratz laff
Con ni e Faber
BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS : Noe ll e Dick inson, cha ir ; Phil Neufe ld , Da lto n Reimer, Herb Schroeder, Kathy He inr ichs Wiest
MANDATE .' THE CHRISTIAN LEADER ( l ssN 00095149), organ of the U S Confe rence of Mennon ite Brethren Churches , is pub lished month ly by the U S Conference Board of Com m un ications, 3 15 S Linco ln, Hill sboro, Ks 67063 The Christian Leader see k s to inform Mennon ite Brethren members and churches of t h e events , act iv it i es, de ci sio ns and issues of their denom ination, and t o instruct, insp ire and initiate dialog so members w ill asp ire to be f ait hful disciples of Christ as unders to od in the evangelica l! Anabaptist theolog ica l tradi ti on
EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions of our writers and advertisers are thei r own and do not necessa r ily represent the posit i on of the Chris tian Leader, the Board of Communications or t he Mennonite Brethren Church The editors invite free -lance article submissions, but ask tha t each submission be accompanied with a SASE The editors reserve the right to edit , condense or refuse all copy submitted for pub lication ; anonymous contr ibutions wi ll not be published
READER PARTICIPATION : The editors encourage readers to interact w ith our articles through letters to the editor and essays to Forum, our op-ed co lumn Letters for What Readers Say must inc l ude the author' s name and address Forum is open to members or attenders of Mennonite Brethren churches Essays to Forum can address any is sue of relevance and interest to the faith and life of the Mennonite Brethren Church The essay shou ld be no longer than 800 words and should i nclude the home church, occupation and a clear photo of the wr iter
COMMUNICATION: All correspondence shou ld be addressed to Christian Leader, Bo x V, Hillsbo ro , Ks 67063 Phone : (316) 947 -5543 Fax : (316) 947-3266
E-mail : chleade r @southwind net
ADVERTISING : Clearinghouse ads should be submitted in writing Cost : $ 40 per word Send no advance payments For d isplay-ad rates, contact the editor.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Rates : $16 for one yea r, $30 for two years, and $42 for three years ($20 , $38 and $54 in Canada) ; $1.50 per copy
ADDRESS CHANGES: Send both old and new address to Circulation Secretary, Box V, Hillsboro, Ks 67063 Allow up to one month for transit ion.
MEMBERSHIP : The Christian Leader is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and Meetinghouse, an associat ion of Mennonite and Brethren in Chr ist editors
PRINTING : The Christian Leader is pr inted by Va ll ey Offset Print i ng, Valley Center , Kan
POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to The Chri stian Leader , Bo x V, Hi llsboro , Ks 67063 Period ica l s postage pa id at Hillsboro, Kansas
JON WIEBE is in his first year as president of Mennonite Brethren Foundation, the stewardship ministry of the U.S. Conference. Only 34 years old, Wiebe brings to the job a special interest in the financial faithfulness of his own generation, the group we have come to call "baby boomers." He resists the notion that concern for biblical stewardship is reserved primarily for "builders," the generation near or in retirement. Being boomers ourselves in a culture of unparalleled affluence, we invited Jon to talk with us about what it means for Mennonite Brethren of our generation to live as faithful kingdom stewards.-the editors
CHRISTIAN LEADER: Why do boomer-generation Christians need to think about stewardship?
JON WIEBE: How we use our money is our clearest statement of what's really important to us. If we claim that Jesus, church, ministry and service are what is important, then we need to put our money where our mouth is.
CL: How do you think we're doing?
JW: The majority of us boomers struggle with budgeting and being disciplined in what we spend. It seems like most of us are flying by the seat of our pants. Even though we may be very disciplined people in other areas of our lives, money issues seem to be the exception.
I'm not sure most boomers have really dealt with the issue of stewardship. We have to lay it on the table and wrestle with it personally from time to time . How do we make our money? How do we spend it? Is it done in a way that pleases God?
CL: How would you describe the boomers' attitude about money?
JW: Many of us have the mentality that money grows on trees, but we also have this perception that from month to month we don't have enough money.
Most boomers can't quite make it through the month. Yet, if you look around at our houses, the kinds of things we do, our lifestyles, entertainment, activities-we don't seem to be wanting for much.
CL: What are the key issues boomers should consider in managing their personal finances?
JW: The first practical thing people need to do is to set goals. I'm not talking just about financial goals, but about life goals as a couple, a single person or a family.
If we don't look at the bigger picture, I don't think we're going to really achieve what we hope to achieve. What do we want to accomplish in life? Are there dreams we want to fulfill? Are there ministry opportunities that we think God is calling us to? Lifestyle changes? Education?
How does retirement fit with these goals? When is retirement going to happen? What is it going to look like? For example, setting the goal of pursuing a work-fot-room-and-board type of ministry for 10 years from age 65 to 75 would change how we plan for retirement.
Once we talk about life goals, then we need to talk about consumer debt and credit cards.
CL: Ouch. What effect has "easy credit" had on our generation?
JW: It's been a money monster for boomers. The builder generation use credit cards as a tool and not as a means to get things. They tend to pay them off on a monthly basis, so credit-card debt is not an issue for them.
But we boomers use credit to get the things we want. We don't have the patience to save money for a purchase; credit becomes an easy way to solve that problem. But if cash was already tight last month, won't it be tight again this month? Buying on credit just compounds the problem.
"Many of us have the mentality that money grows on trees, but we also have this perception that from month to month we don't have enough money. II
CL: So what's your advice to Christians about credit?
JW: Learn to live within your means. It is a contentment issue. The first rule of financial planning is: Don't spend more than you make. Some people desperately need to address that concem first-then move on to other issues.
CL: You mentioned that builders-our parents' generation-tend to use credit cards differently than we do. In what other ways are we boomers different from our parents when it comes to stewardship?
JW: I sense that what the experts say is true: The builder generation gives out of loyalty while boomers pay for something when they see value in it .
Many of us between the ages of 20 and 40 haven't been taught stewardship. We simply pay for the services we receive. If we don't see value in something, or perceive that an organization doesn't impact us, we don't support it financially.
The builder generation literally built the conference ministries and schools they are now supporting. Their families have strong connections and they feel a lot of ownership. But the question now is: How do you pass on those kinds of values to the next generation?
CL: What aspect of Christ's teaching about money is most relevant to boomers?
JW: Simply this: "You cannot serve God and money." Now, if someone would ask any of us if we serve money, we would say no. But what would it look like if I did? What charac-
"First and foremost, stewardship has to be a heart attitude, a worshipful response to God. 1#
teristics of my lifestyle would expose that reality? I think we ignore these kinds of questions because we're afraid of the conclusions we might come to.
Self-discipline in our giving and spending will help us get through weak emotional moments-just like saying the words "I love you" to your spouse gets you through those times when the emotions aren't there. But, fIrst and foremost, stewardship has to be a heart attitude, a worshipful response to God. It's more than a matter of exercising self-discipline with our money. It's a spiritual issue.
CL: So what factors should we boomers consider when we ask ourselves how much is enough when it comes to possessions?
JW: The apostle Paul talks about being content whether rich or poor, and that he's learned to live in both situations. I don't think it's a specillc amount of money; it's more a mental attitude that says the material things
Pontius' Puddle
we've been blessed with are still God's, to be used for him, not accumulated and hoarded for ourselves.
We need to ask: Where is my faith and my trust? What things do I hope for? These questions are hard to ask and even harder to answer. In my role with MB Foundation, I can't answer the questions for you, but I can help ask the questions. Hopefully that will help you wrestle with whether you serve God or money.
CL: Our generation, in this country, lives in unprecedented affluence. In such an environment, how do we know if we've become materialistic?
JW: I like what Ron Blue says when he talks about God putting things in our hands. When we won't allow God to take it back just as freely, then our possessions have become too important to us. The minute we start holding on to our possessions too tightly and won't allow God to give and take, then we've crossed the line.
CL: What's the most difficult concept for a boomer to truly hear when it comes to stewardship?
JW: That stewardship is an all-of-life discipleship issue. It's a spiritual issue. As a disciple of Christ, we need to understand that money is the only thing about which Jesus says, "You must choose between me and this."
. I think Jesus identilled money as a competing god because he knew it can control us like few other things can. We just don't under-
stand how deeply we're entrenched in our culture's approach to material possessions. The power of money and the challenge that money is to the very core of our heart is something I think boomers need to seriously consider.
CL: In your experience, are Mennonite Brethren any different than the culture when it comes to the stewardship of our possessions?
JW: Stewardship in terms of giving to the church, yes Even though we Mennonite Brethren aren't giving up to our potential, we're still giving more to charity than our nonChristian counterparts. But I'm not sure if we're acting in a more stewardly fashion in regard to savings and the kind of spending we're willing to justify. That's a concern to me.
CL: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being "skinflints" and 10 being "extravagant," how would you rate the way we boomers give to the church in relation to our income?
JW: That's a hard one for me to place on a scale. Some of the things I've been reading suggest that giving 10 percent to the church should be the minimum goal. If so, then 10 percent should deftne a "skinflint" Christian. "Extravagant" giving would, by the world's standards, be unrealistic amounts. Looking at it that way, I'd rate us as a 4.
Past studies show that Mennonite Brethren give, in general, 6 to 7 percent of their income . But I have a gut feeling that those numbers are skewed by a lot of builders who give more than 10 percent. My guess is that a lot of Mennonite Brethren boomers struggle simply to give the national average, which is more in the 2 to 3 percent range.
CL: Is it reasonable to assume we boomers will start giving more when we're older?
JW: There is often a perception among the boomers that the builders can give now because they've raised the kids, have the nest egg and are close to retirement. "I'll be there someday and then I'll give at just the same levels as they are," they say.
In fact, national studies show that isn't
true. If you're not giving when you are young, you're not going to give in great amounts when you're older. Our giving patterns start when we are younger.
Boomers will have more discretionary income when we're older, so we won't be giving less than the previous generation because we have less. We will likely give less because we haven't learned to make giving a priority.
CL: What prompts a boomer to give to a charitable cause like the church?
JW: Studies have shown that boomers are sporadic in their giving. They're emotional and give in response to what they're receiving and to speciftc needs That's why "project giving" works. Boomers are also very undisciplined in their giving. They're giving leftovers as opposed to ftrst fruits.
Builders are just the opposite. They have a much more disciplined approach, they give consistently and generally off the top. Sometimes they give too much out of duty and obligation and not enough out of worship, joy and generOSity. So there is work to be done on both ends of the spectrum.
CL: For many boomers, getting the kids through college and not being too far in debt are primary concerns as we think about the future. Saving for retirement seems like a pipe dream. Is there some truth to our fear that we won't have much to give away when we're older?
JW: I think we have the potential to be better off than our parents are, but because
a disciple of Christ, we need to understand that money is the only thing about which Jesus says, 'You must choose between me and this. II'
"We at MB Foundation 'If/ould be willing to talk one-on-one with people and help them evaluate specific issues, attitudes and areas of potential change."
many of our parents had a frugal mind-set and a consistent and disciplined approach to finances, they may have more at the end than we will. Financial planners tell us that we can all be millionaires if we plan ahead. But most people don't believe it's possible.
CL: If a young family wants help in evaluating their spending habits and personal financial management, what advice do you have for them?
JW: I would encourage anyone looking for fmancial advice for the frrst time to talk to someone with a reputation for integrity. Some of the material out there can steer you, in my opinion, in an incorrect or incomplete direction.
Materials by Ron Blue, Larry Burkett and Howard Dayton of Crown Ministries are solid. We at MB Foundation would be willing to talk one-on-one with people and help them evaluate specific issues, attitudes and areas of potential change. We can help people define goals and put together budgets.
CL: You were a banker before you joined the MB Foundation staff. Do you see things differently now that you've become a church-related "stewardship guru"?
JW: In a lot of ways no, and a lot of ways yes. Even before I understood what my motivation was, things like frugality and budgeting have been part of who I am. I'm an analytical person. I write things down. I track. I've never paid a dollar in interest on credit cards. That's just who I am. So in that sense, I haven't changed much.
MB Foundation resources on personal finances for individuals & churches
THE
GIVING PROJEOT
' A OhristJan View of Money - biblical study of the Christian beliefs and practices regarding money
, • Teachlnga Christian View of MoneyOUtlines seven practical inltlallves for inteQratihg this new (see above) belief system Into the heart of congregatlonallife
VIDEO (VHS) SERIES
II. Master Your Money - In these six $$$$iOns Ron Blue spells out the biqlioal principles he has diseoyered and put into practice through his Christian financial planning firm (Walk tM.I the Bible Ministries)
• How to Manage Your Money - In this 12· part (six hours) Bible study,larry Burkett teaches the foundations for personal financial management. (Christian Financial Concepts)
• the Financial Planning Workshop - This video series provides practical bu(fgeting advioe in an eight-part, four-hour presentation by Larry Burkett (Christian Financial Concepts)
• Beyond the News ; Money - Ten six-minute
segments des1gne4 to lay 8$Ide the taboo on discussing what we do with our money and to encourage us to talk tOgether abOUt how we make Jegai'dlng money matters (Mennon1te Media)
OPTIONS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
• Above listed video_lies .
• A Ohristian View of Money referenced under The GMng Project. A teacher's guide is available from Me-Foundation
• Crown Ministries SMail Group Financial Study
• The stewardship serie$ Bible study by Larry Burkett
BOOKS ON STEWARDSHIP
• A Biblical Theology of Material Possessions by Gene A Gell (Moody Press,1990) A theolOgiCal work whioh clearly outlines the biblical (espons&- to material possessions and proVides guidance for Church leaders and lay people who want to apply the material in their ChurCh.
• Your FinsfJC(t$ In Changing Times by Larry Burkett (Moody Press. 1975). A complete
• What the Bible Says About Money by larry Burkett (Wohlgemuth & Hyatt, 1989) A • topical concordance contalninf1 every verse in the Bible related to money and personal financial matters
• FinanCial Parenting by Larry Burkett..and Rick Osbome (Viotor Books, 1996). Gives solid, practical advice to parents on teaChing their children biblical financial mafl1lgement
• Master Your Moneyby Ron Blue (Thomas Nelson, 1986). A step-by-step plan for financial freedom
• Taming the Money Monster by Ron Blue (Focus on the Family, 1993) Five steps to conquering debt.
• Your Money Counts by Howard Payton (Tyndale, 1996) The biblical guide to e!lfOing, spending , saving, investing, giving and getting out of debt.
• The Christ/an 's Guide to Worry-Free financial Management by Daniel Busby Kent Barber and Robert Temple (Zondervan, 1994)
What has changed is my attitude-how I look at other people and their stewardship. I'm less judgmental about others and focus more on my own attitude. Am I still trusting God when the balance of my savings account grows a little bit or am I trusting my nest egg? ? What is my motivation for giving and saving? Am I the best steward I can be of what God has enabled me to make?
CL: In addition to working with individuals, what resources do you offer congregations?
JW: So many of the materials that we've talked about deal with stewardship within the family. But are congregations modeling stewardship in the way that they do church? Most churches have at least a few weaknesses they can address.
We have several resources in our library that we make available to congregations (see resource list). I invite churches to use them in Sunday school or small groups.
We also do diagnostic weekends for congregations participating in The Giving Project. This seminar deals with the organization of the church and how it's either consciously or unconsciously communicating values about money.
Some of our long-held practices communicate values and we don't even realize it. For example, for many congregations, the offering is simply a time for regular attenders to support the building and the staff as opposed to viewing the offering as a vital part of worship. We encourage churches to communicate
stewardship principles to families in specific, verbal, hands-on ways-through seminars, Sunday school classes, Bible studies, etc.
CL: How can the local church help us with this process?
JW: I think that within the church we need to create opportunities to discuss these kinds of issues.
We've gotten to the point that we don't talk about money in church-even though we talk about it everywhere else. We talk about fmancial issues in the world, but we don't often counter what we hear there with the principles offered in the Word.
Small groups can provide a caring environment where believers can challenge each other in regard to contentment, our attitudes about possessions, and whether we're really serving money or God.
From the pulpit, we need to talk about our use of money in all of life-not just what we give to the church, but what we spend on ourselves, how we pay our taxes, what kind of employee/employer relationships we foster. Stewardship is so much more than what we give to the church.
I think one of the big challenges in the church today is to understand that stewardship deals with 100 percent of what we've been blessed with.
It's not just whether I paid my bill to God and gave him the 10 percent he may require. God is also concerned about what we do with the other 90 percent. •
Wayne and Lauren Sill
For one Kansas couple, getting serious about stewardship meant trading in their dream home ... and gaining a rich blessing from God in the process
I sluff'
BY LAUREN SILL AS TOLD TO NATALEE ROTH
"IS MY DREAM
home, Lauren," my husband, Wayne, told me excitedly. "This fits the picture I have of what I want. I couldn't have built it better myself."
We were house shopping and had stumbled upon this one in the new part of town. The ranchstyle house had plenty of space, a large garage and yard, and all the amenities a home could offer.
We didn't stop to consider whether God wanted us to buy this house. We just knew we could afford the payments-we weren't tithing at the time-so we jumped at the opportunity.
We had everything together as far as material possessions, but in our marriage we were pulling in different directions. We each had our own goals and we were fighting a lot. I was into competitive cycling, which takes a lot of time, money and energy. I was selfish with our resources. Meanwhile, Wayne spent lots of time away from home officiating sports. He did this year round for high school, college and semi-pro teams.
About six months after moving into our new home, we decided something had to change.
"Wayne, I'm tired of all the stress, the frustration, the fights," I said. He agreed.
We started attending church regularly at Buhler Mennonite Brethren Church. Soon we made a recommitment to the Lord and to each other. After nearly 10 years of marriage, we were ftnally pulling in the same direction. Growth was taking place in a lot of areas of our lives
But we continued to keep our activities separate most of the time. Last summer, I planned a solo bicycle trip from our home to Lake Louise near Banff in Alberta, Canada-about a 2,100-mile ride. The night before I left, my bike was parked in front ofthe house. I looked at it and thought, "Everything I need for 30 days except for foodall the clothes, shelter-it's all right there on that bicycle." Then I looked at our huge house and three cars, and thought, "Man, something doesn't seem quite right here."
I took off on my bike the next day. During the next 30 days, the Lord showed me how important it was to rely on him. He taught me a multitude of lessons.
One day I was just crawling up a mountain on my bike at 11,000 feet It was so hot and windy, and I was hoping I'd make the next 75 feet . Rather than ask God for strength to keep pedaling, I wanted to ask God to change the wind Then it occurred to me that the same thing applied to my life: I usually asked God to fIX things rather than asking him for enough energy to press on in the place where he's taken me.
I called Wayne nearly every other day to tell him about the trip and about the insights I was receiving from God. He was happy to hear God seemed to be working in my life and that I was being protected.
During the trip I got to spend entire days studying and praying. Riding down the road by myself, I had lots of time to talk to God. I realized I had been filled with anger, bitterness and selfishness during most of my marriage.
The time I spent with the Lord gave him an opportunity to work on me He really changed
my perspective . God was teaching me what's important in life, and it was very evident to me that it wasn't the "stuff" we had accumulated back home. Rather, it's relationships, it's pouring my life into people, it's how I share my life experiences with others. It's serving God.
When I ftnally reached my destination, Wayne drove up to meet me and we spent a week backpacking We had a great time together enjoying nature and sharing our lives .
Back home again, I started asking myself, "What about my life is going to make a difference? What's going to last?" I decided I wanted God to use me to make a difference. I wanted my life to be worth something in the long term for somebody else.
Irealized more and more that our house was the biggest "thing" that tied up our time and finances It was also an indicator of where our hearts were. So a couple of weeks later I dropped on Wayne what he considered to be a bomb.
"What do you think about selling the house?" I asked him.
He looked at me like I was crazy. "No," he said firmly So I dropped the question for awhile, but kept praying about it.
Meanwhile, we continued to attend church regularly. We'd made tithing a priority, but hadn't thOUght seriously about stewardship in any other way.
Then in the fall, Jon Wiebe, president of MB Foundation, talked in our Sunday school
Back home again, I started asking myself, "What about my class about the Christian view of life is going to make a differmoney. What he said really struck a chord with Wayne and me. We'd never realized before that stewardship isn't just about finances; it's about time, energy and lifestyle, too. Wayne and I decided this was an area we needed to think about and make some changes.
Later, we made an appointment to talk to Jon about stewardship and our lifestyle. He affirmed us for tithing and for
ence? What's going to last?" I decided I wanted God to use me to make a difference. I wanted my life to be worth something in the long term for somebody else.
our desire to increase our giving. He suggested we talk about prioritizing and establishing financial goals so we could have more flexibility at the end of each month We also talked about ways to downsize and eliminate some of the debt we had accumulated with our house and vehicles.
As the conversation drew to a close, I ventured one last thought. "By the way, we came up with this idea about selling the house. What do you think?" Wayne got this big frown on his face; I could tell he still wasn't too sold on the idea . When Jon voiced some affirmation of the idea, I felt like I'd scored big.
But then Jon slowed me down a little bit and cautioned, "You both have to be on the same page here." I agreed to wait When we were tied up in Wayne and I prayed about our stewardship goals and continued to talk more seriously about selling the house. It was our biggest debt; we really didn't have a lot of debt otherwise.
our possessions, we didn't receive God's intangible rewards Now, those In January, Wayne concluded that selling the house was the right thing to do. "God gave us the opportunity to have our dream house," he said, "but I can see that he's saying now, 'Do you really need this rewards have far outweighed anything we have given up. house? Will you give it up?'"
A few months later, Jon Wiebe came to our church and presented The Giving Project, a financial stewardship program for congregations. We were able to participate, and that affirmed the changes we had made and gave us some ideas for more improvements. The program allowed us to look at stewardship not just as it applies to us, but as it applies to the church.
Afterward, Wayne and I talked about what we had heard. Wayne thought it was eye-opening to learn that stewardship is a form of worship It encompasses our time, talent and tithe Ifwe're stingy even in one area, we still don't meet the requirements that God in Christ gave to us. We understood that God wanted us to grow closer to him. It 's not something we can earn-it's God's gracious gift.
I thought it was a real practical revelation that what we need, what we think we need and what we want are all different things.
We continued to make gradual changes in our lifestyle. We rearranged our schedules so we'd have more time to get involved in church and with other people. God began to open our eyes to opportunities to serve him.
And we actually started scheduling time together Though we're still involved in some separate activities , we try to spend more time as a couple. We try to share our home with other people and we also loan things more easily than we used to, without worrying about what might happen . After all, it's just stuff.
That doesn't mean we still don't struggle sometimes, especially me. For example, one day we cracked the front windshield in the van Then Wayne was trimming weeds in the yard and blew out the rear window of the van. Then the mower bit the dust. All in the same day. We were looking at a couple thousand dollars worth of repairs. Had this happened a year ago, I would have blown up. Instead, I simply said, "Oh well. " Only the Lord could make that kind of change in my life. The stress I had always felt is replaced with peace. I have a deep joy now that I hadn't known before Wayne and I don't have to rely on ourselves and work an extra job or work extra hours to stay financially afloat. Yes , we have to do our part, but at the same time, we don't feel we have to rely only upon ourselves. God is watching over us.
spring we casually let a local real estate agent know we were interested in downsizing. Before we had even put the house on the market, the agent called and said someone was interested in seeing it. They liked the house and agreed to pay about what we wanted for it. Soon after, we got a contract and recently purchased a smaller house. We plan to move in October.
Our goal now is to look at our resources differently. We ask, "What should we spend on ourselves? What should we be giving? What can we spend on things that are going to benefit other people?" That doesn't mean we've stopped spending money on ourselves, but we look at it differently. Instead of asking, "Can I afford this?" we ask, "Is this the best way to utilize this money? Would God approve of this?"
God's work of stewardship in our lives has been a rich blessing. We've found that we're not really "giving up" stuff; we're simply letting go. We've found that it's really an exchange that takes place between us and God. When we were tied up in our possessions, we didn't receive God's intangible rewards. Now, those rewards have far outweighed anything that we have given up We sold our dream house, but we're gaining some fmancial freedom, emotional freedom, and freedom of time. We still have a nice roof over our heads with all the space we need. It will be every bit as much of a home as our other one because home isn't a building, it's where the heart is •
Teachers by profession, Lauren and Wayne Sill attend Buhler (Kan,) MB Church.
BOTH NEED AN ESTATE PLAN.
It may be a simple will , a living trust, perhaps a creditshelter trust...but some kind of plan is needed. A will or trust allows you to accomplish many good things:
• Name a personal representative or trustee to manage the distribution of your estate.
• Name a guardian for the care of m inor children or family member with a special need
• Possibly reduce or eliminate estate taxes.
• Make a charitable gift to support the ministries you value.
No document in human affairs is more important than your estate plan, whether a will or a living trust. Such an instrument speaks with authority as to how your family should be cared for and how your assets should be distributed. It is the final and finest expression of your real character, love for family, and love for God.
Please send me the leaflet, "Your Legacy Planning for a Better Tomorrow."
Please send me the leaflet, "Understanding Living Trusts."
_ Please send me information on making a planned gift to a ministry or charitable cause I value.
_ I1We have already included a Mennonite Brethren ministry in our estate plan in the following way:
_ Please contact me by phone. The best time to reach me is: _____
BY PHILIP WIEBE
Millenium bugged
The thought that modern life could be so thoroughly derailed by a computer glitch proves that our culture has come to rely far too heavily on technology.
TALK IS GOING around that the world will end in a little over a year. Or at least the world as we know it. I'm
already warned me, "Don't fly on January I!" Not that I ever have.)
• Businesses may fail, causing a recession or even depression. referring to the coming of the new millennium, of course, that fast -approaching day when the calendar will hit the year 2000.
But my reference to the end of the world has nothing to do with visions of Armageddon or the Second Coming, events that will undoubtedly be prophesied with increasing frequency over the next 16 months. What I'm talking about is the "millennium bug" that may strike down many computers at the tum of the century.
The problem, I gather, is that a lot of older software applications were written with inadequate date codes. When programs without four-digit year designations go from "12/31/99" to "1/1/00," the theory goes, they will become confused about the true date and cease to function properly.
Quite a bit of speculation persists about what might be the result Some experts believe, according to a Time article I read, that "millions of computer systems could go haywire, shutting down life as we know it and turning our information age into a digitally dysfunctional society."
Here are some other reports on what could happen:
• The power grid could be severely affected, causing widespread blackouts
• There could be a run on and/or closure of banks
• The food-distribution system could collapse and supermarkets be boarded up.
• The air traffic control system could crash. (Several people have
• A wave of hospital deaths may occur when computerized medical apparatus fail.
• Owning by far the most computers and potentially problematic software, government could literally shut down (perhaps causing some to wonder, as they did when the government closed a few years back for lack of money, "Will anyone notice?").
Reactions I've seen to all this run from apathetic to paranoid. One retired computer engineer, undoubt- . edly speaking for many, claims he is stockpiling food, gold coins and guns in preparation for the coming global famine and economic collapse .
By contrast, a researcher looking into this matter has said "there will be some extremely annoying, disruptive failures . But it's not going to be the apocalypse. "
A few people I've talked to about the situation have also given a range of responses. Someone I visited within the computer information business didn't seem too worried His feelings : Sure, there could be some problems, but nothing that can't be fixed .
Another person I talked with, whose business relies only marginally on computers, though, displayed more than a little anxiety over the possibilities, even admitting plans to stockpile emergency rations, cash and other supplies, just in case.
As I reflect on the portended millennium meltdown, my first thought
is that I wouldn't want to take too lightly the potential problems it could cause. People could be hurt. What would merely be inconvenient for me-the possible interruption of power, banking, information, transportation, supply and other servicescould cause genuine hardship for others.
But my second thought, I admit, is that a temporary technological shutdown may not be such a bad thing. The thOUght that modem life could be so thQroughly derailed by a computer glitch is living proof that our culture has come to rely far too heavily on technology. In many ways it has become our god. We bow down to it for provision, guidance , safety, comfort, companionship, entertainment and a host of other needs.
Anyone who doubts it only needs tune into the series of "We Love TV" ads currently being run by a major network. "If it wasn't for television," one ad quips, "how would we know where to put the sofa?" Indeed, if it wasn't for technology, we could ask of today's society, where would we center our lives?
One of the ultimate celebrations of Old Testament Israel was the Year of Jubilee. "Consecrate the fiftieth year," says Leviticus 25:10, "and proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all its inhabitants." Debts were to be canceled and slaves set free; property was to be resumed to original owners and the land left fallow. It was to be a year of rest and renewal for the land and the people .
In a similar way, maybe we should declare 2000 the "Year of Technology-Free." Rather than resisting the millennium meltdown, we could go with it by unplugging the TV, logging off the computer, disconnecting the phones and faxes, shelving the airline tickets, and enjoying a refreshing year of peace and quiet. But that will never happen, of course. We'll probably work out the bugs with minimal difficulty, and life will go on.
In this case I wonder if that's such a good thing after all.
AIncreasingly, people who fellowship with Mennonite Brethren congregations say they do not want to join as formal members. Their reasons include not agreeing with everything in the Confession of Faith, having been baptized as an infant and feeling offended (sometimes it's the family who is offended) at the idea of believer's baptism, or having had bad experiences in other denominations where they were members.
According to the Confession of Faith-and our practice through
Ii\QUlRINCi Mri\DS
BY MARVIN HEIN
ences of those Christ-followers in the Book of the Acts. When people were saved, they lost little time in gathering in homes and small groups with other believers. Those groups fostered a tight kinship among the believers. They were responsible to one another.
When Ananias and Sapphira deceived the church about their fmancial stewardship, they did not lie only to God. Peter made it clear they had deceived their brothers and sisters as well. And it was through this local group (congregation) that judgment was carried out.
We cannot deny that the New Testament speaks about a universal church. All who are redeemed belong to that church. But most often the Scriptures speak about a local congregation. The universal church is rooted in local real- more than 100 years in the Mennonite Brethren Church-new believers come into the fellowship of the church through baptism, and baptism without membership is not in keeping with the New Testa-
liTo avoid linking by membership with a local ities. To avoid linking by membership with a local congregation is probably more congregation is probably more often an excuse than anything else. It takes commitment to join. It costs something to unite with other believers. To refuse to join is to take the easy road. ment.
Likewise, we have
often an excuse than anything else. " historically urged those who come to our churches from other evangelical churches to "join" the church as a sign of their desire to become part of a community of faith where members not only support each other, but are accountable for each other.
That is the reason why, when many of us oldsters were brought into the church membership, we were asked: "Are you prepared and willing to be admonished and to extend admonishment?" It was no small matter to affiliate with the local church.
But is local-church membership biblical? Not explicitly. But it is certainly implied by the earliest experi-
Early Anabaptists took seriously the matter of associating by radical commitment with other members of the spiritual family
A final thought. If we could find no solid biblical support for church membership, would it mean we should not practice it? After all, no solid biblical support exists for Sunday school, youth groups, stewardship committees, or men's and women's organizations.
The New Testament does not give detailed outlines of organizational structures for the church. Many of our activities are based on man-made arrangements, but they arise out of inferences we discover in the Word.
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to '1nqutrlng Minds," c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727
I'm not too worried about the biblicity of a membership roll
QWhat is your answer to the person who reads 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 and concludes that these verses clearly proclaim universal salvation? (CALIFORNIA)
AThe passage to which the inquirer refers says: "For Christ's love compels, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again."
If Jesus died for "all," are not all saved?
If this were the only verse in the Bible that speaks of salvation, you might consider the idea of universal salvation. But the New Testament is replete with passages that indicate the necessity of having to respond by faith to Jesus Christ. Much of what the Bible says about heaven and hell, being born again, and walking the broad and narrow paths would be nonsense if everybody automatically goes to heaven The one who hears and believes shall be saved. Salvation is available to all, but not all appropriate the grace of God.
A leading minister of the Lutheran Church in Finland recently declared that hell does not exist and everyone will end up in heaven. Even though only 15 percent ofthe 85 percent of Finns who belong to church attend regularly, most of them are angry about the minister's bold remarks. They have termed his views heresy. If mostly unchurched persons reject universalism, how much more should we?
ON THE JOURNEY
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Shopping for the Lord
What really amazed me was how I was directed by an inner voice to stop at certain stores and check their sales from time to time.
IT ALL STARTED with a quick stop at a department store on my way home from school. I wanted to check out an adver-
an official of the children's home asked me, "How in the world do you find these fantastic buys?"
tised sale for polo shirts since my 8-year-old "The Lord and I are doing this together," I replied. son needed a shirt Sure enough, the name brand shirts were marked down from $10 to Another thing that amazed me was how the Lord provided the money for all this shopping. We $2 each. There was a whole stack ofthem, different colors, but all the same size I bought one and drove home
While fixing supper, I kept think· ing about those beautiful $ 2 shirts and who else might be able to use one, but none of my friends had children that size . Finally, I called a children's home I knew of and asked them if they could use some new polo shirts
"With over a hundred children here, we can always use them," I was told "New clothes are especially welcome, since we mostly get used ones donated here ."
The next day I went back to the store, bought what was left of that stack of shirts and mailed them to the children's home.
At that time a new shopping center was opening up in our city and a number of stores were planning to relocate to the new facilities. Rather than move their inventory, they featured fantastic pre-moving sales I found children's clothing and toys often 60 to 80 percent off their regular price I bought only top quality stuff-things that I would buy for myself or my family and would not be ashamed to wear or use.
What really amazed me was how I was directed by an inner voice to stop at certain stores and check their sales from time to time. At one point
were on a tight budget at the time, but somehow the extra money was there when need· ed . Finally, the sales were over and my shopping came to a halt .
However, over the years I've tried to keep my heart and eyes open. Like the time I heard of a children's home that needed boys' white dress shirts for school uniforms I had just been to a local department store the day before and had seen a stack of exactly what was needed in various sizes at a greatly reduced price
After we moved to Western I noticed an ad one day for an unusual auction The owner of a "mom and pop" department store died unexpectedly and the entire inventory was up for sale. Curious, I went to see what was available. There was so much stuff that the auctioneer sold everything by the "bunch" or "shelf' or "pile," but bidding that evening was slow. I jumped in when the bidding stalled at 50 cents per item, or a dollar, or sometimes even no bid at all.
By the time the evening was over, my car was packed with new clothes and shoes. Most items were sent to a children's home which took what it could use and distributed the rest to the needy in the community
I haven't done too much of this kind of shopping in the last few years-until something happened several weeks ago. While shopping in a discount department store the word "sale" taped to a shelf half way down the aisle caught my attention. Uppn investigation, I found six very nice single bed linen sets-the best quality the store had-on sale They were marked down from $16 to $6 per set
Now, I didn't need any single bed linens so I didn't buy them. I left the store but couldn't forget about them The inner voice telling me to buy them was so strong that several hours later I made a special trip back to town and purchased all six sets.
Later that evening, I received a phone c all from a friend who is associated with a crisis pregnancy center in a major U.S. city. During the conversation, at one point I said to her, "I don't know where I'm going with this, but " I told her about my strange purchase of bed linens several hours earlier.
"You won't believe thiS," she replied, "but we have a home for unwed mothers that has just added some new beds and is almost ready to open. We need sheets for them "
"How many new beds are there?"
I asked "Six," she replied.
Chills went up and down my spine as we spoke. Now I understood the events of the day and where the bed linens had to be sent.
I've had some serious arguments with myself about writing this column. On the one hand I don't want readers to think I am bragging about what I've done. But on the other hand there might be people interested (or called?) to do something similar. Maybe I can provide the encouragement for you to take the plunge, as I did.
Is God calling you to do some shopping for him? Jesus said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Mt. 25 :40, NlV).
WHAT READERS SAY
Beyond the comfort zones
My husband and I are with Wycliffe Bible Translators, working in Irian Jaya, Indonesia . Our January issue of the Christian Leader arrived not too long ago and, as usual, I sat right down to look through it.
I want to thank you for including the regular articles by Burton Buller on Media Matters. He brings up good issues and asks very appropriate ques· tions about how Christians should live in a world filled with "the media."
We have lived in Indonesia since 1983, and each time we return to the United States for a furlough, we are struck by the subtle ways the media (television, movies, videos, music, books, etc.) have worked to change and shape the attitudes and thoughts we see within the churches we relate to and our family and friends. Expo· sure to the world is easier than ever, and walking in the Light continues to draw more persecution-even within Christian circles .
Buller consistently asks us to be a people who live in the world, but are not a part of it. To know what is there and to be prepared to answer the questions it raises. To know who we are in Christ and to stand firm in himbut to also know the world's vernacu· lar so we can use it to bring other people to him.
Please keep challenging us to break out of our comfort zones and live like Jesus. Gale Fields
Irian Jaya, Indonesia
Peter Stearns and Jim Goldring wrote letters which outlined Mormon beliefs that most Christians would consider to be pretty strange and dif· ferent (June issue). I can remember not so long ago the articles that would frequently appear in Protestant journals pointing out the strange beliefs of Roman Catholics. Of course, Mormons aren't Catholics. At the same time, allow me to look at something from a little different perspective . For several summers, my wife and I taught at a summer music camp in Northern Michigan. Some Mormons were in attendance, including some
students from Brigham Young University. I could not help but notice the many things that the Christians at the camp had in common with the Mormons. I found the Mormon students to be hard workers, from whole families, regular in church attendance, students who did not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs, and people who did not go to the rooms of the opposite sex after hours. Two students were involved in a pro-life organization in Northern Michigan.
One summer, a young woman from the University of Illinois started a Wednesday night Bible study and invited the Mormons. Most of them attended regularly. A different topic in the Bible was studied and discussed each week. At the end of the eight weeks, I believe the Christians and the Mormons learned a lot about each other, from each other. The meetings were open, friendly and supportive. God knew each heart and I believe God was at work. It was an experience I will remember for a long time. Perhaps we might include in our theology not only an understanding of the things that are very different between us, but also respect and honor for the things we have in common as a way of allowing God to do his work.
Stan George Tulsa, Okla.
Words of appreciation
Many times I have wanted to write you to tell you how much we appreciate the work you have done there. You have shown such insight, maturity, discernment and skill in dealing with myriad issues. You will be greatly missed.
We wish God's blessing upon you and your family as you move on to another ministry.
Leonard and Grace Thiessen Dinuba, Calif.
Afunny sign from God
It was an unusually windy day even for the suburbs around the "Windy City. " I walked out of the store and pushed a shopping cart across the parking lot to my car Having stowed
my purchases, I took the cart back to the area near the store. My clothes were flapping around me and my hair blowing across my face.
I backed the car out of the parking space and, with no other cars around, I picked up speed. Glancing to my left, I noticed with surprise that the shopping cart I had parked near the store had been loosed from its moorings by the wind and was now proceeding along the driveway at exactly the same speed and in a perfectly straight line parallel to my car.
It was a funny sight and I chuckled to myself, but I didn't plan to stop because the cart would soon be blocked by a fence on the side of the driveway It was then I saw a small package in the bottom of the cart that I had forgotten there.
When I stopped the car and retrieved my package, I felt the wind of God's Spirit blow through my spirit. Delight in God's humor and a reminder of God's loving care came together in that moment. As C.S. Lewis describes it so well, I was surprised by joy. It was to me a sign of God's constant presence in my life.
The small package would have been no great loss to me; the importance of what happened was in the sign. A sign points to somethingsomething beyond itself. The rainbow was such a sign. It pointed to a covenant that God made with the earth and the promise to Noah and his family that God would never again destroy all living beings with a flood (Gen. 9:12-13, NRSV).
That windy day, the traveling shopping cart was my sign that God was right beside me all the time.
Frances F. Hiebert Highland Park, Ill.
The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters of relevance to the Mennonite Brethren Church All letters must be signed and will be edited for clarity and length. Send letters to Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063 ; fax: 316-9473266; e-mail : chleader@southwind.net.
Celebration of unity
BY CONNIE FABER
• Delegates to Celebrate '98 in La Mirada concluded that God is at work in the u.s. Conference .. . and increased their financial commitment to the movement
IT WAS A COURTSHIP of sorts between the U.S. Conference leadership and its constituency . And the courtship paid off-not only financially, but in new relationships and enthusiasm.
Delegates to the U.S. Conference convention, held July 17 -20 in La Mirada, Calif., heard the first report from Mission USA since the launching of four church plants, and witnessed firsthand the fruits of the cross-cultural work of Integrated Ministries.
By the end of the convention, delegates were enthusiastically committed to funding these projects to the tune of almost $650,000-a budget increase of around 20 percent from the previousyear.
The Los Angeles area is a strategic center for two of the conference's cutting-edge ministries: Mission USA and Integrated Ministries. Reports from both entities emphasized the cross-cultural nature of their work.
Church planting
La Mirada is home to the newest MUSA-sponsored church-planting project: Journey Community Church led by Durwin and Beverlee Keck.
A core of about 40 people, many in their 20s and 30s, has been established
Durwin said he feels these young adults are an "unreached people group." So touching people one at a time and offering biblical absolutes is the Kecks' goal.
Journey members who attended the Sunday morning sessions were commissioned with a prayer of blessing. Journey was adopted by MUSA in March and is based on a cell-church model.
Planting the first evangelical congregation in Draper, Utah, is the goal of a three-way partnership between MUSA, the Pacific District Conference and Laurelglen Bible Church of Bakersfield, Calif. Because life in Utah is dominated by the Church of LatterDay Saints, Paul Robie has said he views himself as both a church planter and cross-cultural missionary.
The worship dancing team that put motions to familiar hymns inspired those who attended the banquet and program at the Joong Ang Church.
Robie and his wife, Gini, moved to the area in March, have begun a Bible study with three couples and are aiming to hold public worship services in October.
Two other MUSA church-planting ventures were highlighted and delegates were told of the board's plans to sponsor a fIfth venture-this time in cooperation with the Central District Conference in the Minneapolis/St . Paul, Minn . , area.
• Copper Hills, the MUSA flagship church in Phoenix, Ariz , began public services in March, reported Ed Boschman, MUSA executive director, who with his wife, Carol, are part of the emerging congregation. Pastors Brad Klassen and Wayne Loewen are leading Sunday services that average more than 100 people and are anticipating the congregation's fIrst baptism. The group holds its services in a rented movie theater.
• MUSA board member Loretta Jost described the setting for Rolling Hills Church in Papillion, Neb., a joint church-planting venture with the Central District Conference. This emerging congregation, which is also preparing for a baptism, meets in a facility that also serves as a Christian music store. Rod and Donna Anderson are the pastoral couple.
Given that four years ago MUSA
started at ground zero, news of multiple emerging congregations energized the delegates. In 1994, convention delegates had affirmed the concept of a united, national catalyst for renewal and church planting. A board was appointed and Chuck Buller of Visalia, Calif., agreed to serve as its chair.
In 1996, when the MUSA board gave its fIrst report to convention delegates, the Bosch-
mans were commissioned for their new assignment. The 1996 report outlined their goals in general terms. The church renewal arm would focus on leadership development and would work with specific target churches. Planting new churches would be done in cooperation with district conferences and Phoenix, Ariz., would be the first site Partnerships would be developed with Youth Mission International and the two u S. colleges as well as other agencies.
This year's smoothly choreographed report, beginning with a video highlighting MUSA activities of the past two years, ppt flesh on the skeleton outlined at the previous convention. Delegates learned of a new church-planter residency program initiated by MUSA and to be carried out in cooperation with MB Biblical Seminary, MBMS International and U S. district conferences.
A prayer of blessing was offered on behalf of high school students and
nUl» Llil
Vyacheslav Tsvirinko, pastor from Fresno, describes developments among Slavic churches during the Integrated Miinistries report. Waiting for a chance to speak about their congregations are (right to left) Takao Nakamura, Berhanu Waldemariam and Peter Kulakevich.
Ed Boschman (left photo). executive director of Mission USA. leads a convention-opening concert of prayer that involved youth and adults in large and small group prayers. Youth spent much of the weekend involved in an inner-city immersion adventure in downtown Los Angeles.
their sponsors participating in YMI's new SOAR Midwest program beginning that same day in South Texas.
Church assessments, renewal
In addition to beginntng new churches, training young leaders and forging partnerships with other Mennonite Brethren agencies, MUSA is also committed to helping existing congregations improve their health, Boschman said.
"I'm thankful Mission USA hasn't forgotten established churches," said Gary Wall, pastor of Vinewood Community Church in Lodi, Calif "We can reach lost people, too."
Paul Klassen of Memorial Road MB Church in Edmond, Okla., was introduced as the pastor of the newest MUSA target church . Klassen said establishing small groups and reaching out to their community are the steps the congregation will pursue this next year in cooperation with MUSA.
Representatives from two former target churches talked about their partnership with MUSA. Pine Acres MB Church in Weatherford, Okla., added a pastor of worship and developed a new ministry focus during the past year, said pastor Don Morris . Faith Bible Church in Omaha, Neb., recently became a multicongregational church, reported Clint Grenz,
district minister of the Central District Conference. The inner -city church has also formed a ministry corporat ion called Good Neighbor Ministries to address some of the needs in their neighborhood.
Boschman reported that helping congregations assess their health and look for growth strategies using an evaluation tool called Mission Analysis has been another focus of churchrenewal activities. To date, 28 congregations have participated in the selfstudy, a response Boschman found disappointing .
While all of the congregations which have completed the assessment scored relatively high in all eight categories evaluated, Boschman said the lowest scores were consistently in discipleship and areas of church structure.
To help train pastors and assist churches in their growth, MUSA has formed an "informal partnership " with Church Resource Ministries of Fullerton, Calif. CRM provides a variety of application materials for use by congregations once the assessment is completed and staff members can serve as mentors for individual pastors . Ro land Reimer, Southern District Conference district minister, reported SDC leaders hope to form CRM networks among district pastors.
Cross-cultural ministries
This convention was perhaps the first time delegates interacted with a large number of U.S Mennonite Brethren from myriad cultures. Even the daily Bible studies led by Pierre Gilbert, associate professor of Old Testament at MB Biblical Seminary, had a cross-cultural feel as Gilbert shared "true" tales of life in his native Quebec
Saturday evening, billed as a Mennonite Brethren family gathering, celebrated the rich diversity of the conference. The Los Angeles area is the nerve center for a growing network of Korean congregations that are joining the conference . Integrated Ministries, which works with the adoption and assimilation of new peoplegroup churches, is the primary liaison between these churches and the conference
Delegates and guests were treated to a home-cooked meal prepared and served by members of Joong Ang Korean Church at their facility in neighboring Cypress. The delicious odors of chap chae (potato-starch noodles with vegetables and beef), kung pao chicken and Korean barbecue beef filled the large fellowship hall.
The program that followed in the sanctuary was hosted by Joong Ang's
Dennis Fast focuses his energy upward during a call to prayer on Monday morning.
Dalton Reimer, Fresno. and Kathy Wiest, Kingsburg, Calif., members of the Board of Communications, fill their plates at the buffet provided by members of the Joong Ang Korean Church.
English pastor Alex Pak and senior pastor Hung Ku Shin. The program, featuring both Korean and Slavic music and speakers, illustrated the spirit of unity leaders hope will come to characterize the denomination's -relationship with the 40 cross-cultural immigrant congregations recently added to the conference.
At one point, a Slavic mixed quartet surrounded by Korean praise
Joon Ang Church pursues growth
THEJOONG ANG Church,
which hosted the Saturday evening banquet, has a history in Southern California that reaches back 15 years
They began with services in Korean, but recently have added an English-language service as their ministry has expanded and the Korean community in the Los Angeles area has changed.
"We figured it was going to take a couple generations to assimilate our children to American culture," says Alexander Pak, who joined the staff about five months ago to begin an English service, "but
motion da ncers led the congregation in Singing "Shine, Jesus Shine" in their language of choic e. While English, Russian and Korean were the predominant languages, other l anguages could also be heard.
Pastor Aera Lee of Praise Motion Christian Academy had traveled from South Korea to Los Angeles for the occasion and led a small group of women from the congregation in
graceful mo t ions to illustrate several hymns
The concern immigrant congregations have for their countries of origin also was evident . Sai R. Park, president of Christian Medical Welfare Mission based in the Los Angeles area, told of the agency's medical work in North Korea as well as the tragic condition of the country's citizens. The Joong Ang congregation supports CMWM and the work of Mennonite Central Committee in North Korea
Earlier that morning Peter Kulakevich, of the Slavic Missionary Church in Seattle, Wash , told of his congregation's outreach efforts in the former Soviet Union. Since 1993, this congregation has sent evangelists to their homeland and has seen 20 churches established in northern Russia.
" God is placing us in our ministries," said Walter Ilyin, pastor of Slavic Gospel Church in Bellingham, Wash. Looking at the Korean pastors, he added, "Where we are-let us shine You know North Korea I know the Soviet Union."
Saturday morning delegates heard from pastors of a Japanese and an Ethiopian congregation.
• Takao Nakamura said he had been converted in 1955 thanks to Mennonite Brethren missionaries working in Japan. Today he is the missionary, sent by the Japan Conference
Senior pastor Shim.
it took just 10 years."
Pak began the service last month, and the number of participants has already climbed to 40 Currently, the English-speaking congregation is made up mostly of Koreans, but four Caucasians attend "Through th is min istry,"
Pak says, "we hope to capture
this lost generation "
The Joong Ang Church holds four services each Sunday : two Korean -speaking services in the morning, an early afternoon English-speaking service, and a mid-afternoon praise service to which everyone is invited. The combined membership is about 200
The church is involved in outreach in North Korea .
Samuel Yoon, a church elder and physician, works with Mennonite Central Comm ittee and the Christian Welfare Mission in supporting a 500-bed hospital there Yoon has made several trips to North Korea.
The church h as owned their worship faci lity, a former strip mall, for abo ut f ive years Severa l bus in esses still use t he
property because their leases haven't run out yet. When the leases terminate, the church will use the entire facility.
Currently two other congregations use the facility, including a recent Korean church plant. The senior pastor of Joong Ang Church, Hang Ku Shim, is talking with the group about combining the two congregations
A Spanish congregation rents part of the building, too They want to expand, and the Joong Ang Church plans to continue to allow them to use the building
"We're very gratefu l to the Mennon ite Brethren ," Pak says. "We're blessed to be associated w ith t hem " - Natalee Roth
The Korean praise motion team joins with a Slavic quartet from Bellingham to lead the congregation in a multilingual rendition of "Shine. Jesus Shine" at the Saturday night program.
to Bonita, Calif., as a church planter among Japanese living in the United States.
• Berhanu Waldemariam of Bethel Ethiopian Church in Seattle, Wash., told of his congregation's desire to minister to second-generation Ethiopians living in the U.S. by beginning an evening English service. Their church also sponsors an elementary school with an enrollment of 500 and shares worship facilities with a Slavic congregation in Seattle.
Large budget passes
Funding these ambitious conference ministries could have been a point of debate on the convention floor. A budget of $649,910, requiring an increase of more than 20 percent over funds collected for the 1997-98 fiscal year, was presented by Ken Neufeld, chair of the Board of Trustees. Almost half, or $320,750, is designated for the work of MUSA, almost double the amount requested in 1995-96.
Neufeld also outlined a plan for raising the additional funds. The income budget projects a 9 percent increase in church giving from 199798, a year in which giving already increased by nearly 21 percent from the previous year. The new goal will be $310,000.
Interest and endowment earnings would add $8,500 and district and MB Foundation grants would contribute $65,000. The remaining $266,410 would be raised through fund-raising projects. Fund-raising efforts this last fiscal year generated $184,177; the goal for 1998-99 represents a 44 percent increase.
In the past, MUSA board members and Board of Church Ministries (BCM) members shouldered the lion's share of the special fund-raising. Neufeld noted that in the future, this responsi-
bility would be shared more broadly among all U.S. Conference board members. Conference chair Dennis Fast said the majority of the board members are willing to become involved in fund-raising efforts.
Rather than debate the budget request, delegates primarily discussed ways in which to increase giving from churches . They asked conference leaders to provide resources promoting U.S. Conference ministries, spoke of the need for stewardship education , offered ideas for improving church giving and finally, with few dissenting votes, accepted the budget.
Statements passed
In other bUSiness, three resolutions recommended by the Board of Church Mini stries were approved: a guide for how Mennonite Brethren churches and members should act in disagreements, and statements on homosexuality and lotteries (see July issue).
In all three cases, the statements originated outside of the U.S. Conference. The conflict-resolution statement was borrowed from the General Conference Mennonite Church ana Mennonite Church, while the statements regarding homosexuality and gambling were written for the Canadian MB Conference Board of Faith and Life
Time allowed for discussing the recommendations was limited, but even when opportunity was given, little discussion emerged. Few, if any,
EXPENSES
Outgoing chair Dennis Fast (left) presents the new executive (from left): David Reimer, chair; Rolando Mireles, vice chair; Stuart Pederson, secretary; and Dale Regier, treasurer.
concerns were raised as most speakers supported the statements_ retary For the sake of continuity in the executive , Pederson was allowed to exceed the two-term limit.
New conference workers were elected by affirmation. David Reimer of Reedley, Calif., who had been serving as vice chair, is the new chair. He succeeds Dennis Fast, who was not eligible for reelection following the completion of two two-year terms. Rolando Mireles of Rio Grande City , Texas, was affumed as vice chair and Stuart Pederson was reaffumed as sec-
BCM's intention to present updated conference bylaws met a rocky reception. Delegates challenged BCM to make more sweeping changes that would both reflect current practice and broaden representation on BCM. The need for a stro nger faith and life emphasis on the national level had been raised in previous discussions
BCM has been hesitant to make substantive changes, Fast said, given the current evaluation being conducted by the General Conference task force charged with evaluating all Mennonite Brethren ministries and structures in the United States and Canada.
In the end, delegates passed a motion requiring a representative from MUSA, Board of Communications and Board of Trustees to sit on BCM.
Christians have reason to celebrate, Gilbert says
COMBINING humor w ith exeget ical teaching, Pierre Gilbert, featured Bib le study speaker, challenged delegates to celebrate what God is doing through a series of three messages based on 1 Peter 2:4-12.
In an effort to paint a complete portra it of God and his intentions, Gilbert, associate professor of Old Testament at MB Bibli cal Seminary, encouraged his listeners to celebrate Jesus as Lord, to celebrate a new identity, and to celebrate a new partnership
In his first message, "Celebrating Jesus as Lord," Gilbert focused on proving that Jesus really is worthy of trust. Through incorporating the story of the demon-possessed man from Mark 5: 1-5, as we ll as his own personal pi lgrimage as a boy growing up in Quebec, Gilbert demonstrated what evil does to humans.
"It leaves them al ienated, excluding them from family and society," Gilbert said.
He said the intent of the Mark passage "is to demonstrate the overpowering influence of Jesus Christ in the worst situation " It shows the complete powerless of demons, that even 6,000 demons cannot strip people of their human dignity.
Gilbert asked, "Where are you this morning? Do you have stress, uncertainty,
Gilbert makes a point during one of his three Bible messages.
anguish, fears? This text...reminds us that Christ is bigger than evil, than all the demons of this world, than all our fears."
In his second message, "Celebrating a New Identity," Gilbert described how God offers believers a new identity in Christ. In I Peter 2:9, he said, Peter was addressing both Jews and Gentiles who were feeling alienated from their community as a result of their conversion to Christianity He offered them a new home and a new identity . This message applies to believers today as well. "A sense of belonging is one of the most important needs of human beings," Gilbert said Gilbert brought a deeper
understanding of the despair which evil br i ngs by discussing Matthew 2: 13-23, the story about the massacre of Hebrew boys under age 2. Although this passage shows only anguish, in light of the entire book of Matthew, life comes out victorious, Gilbert said. Jesus Christ had victory over death.
For a society where people are losing a sense of belonging, he added, Christ offers a place to belong. Gilbert reminded his listeners, "Jesus said, 'I go to prepare a place for you.'"
In Christ, God's people can celebrate a new identity. "It is an identity," he said, "where we can be free to iove, to accept a stranger, to dare to
live with hope, with the joy of significance and purpose."
Gilbert's final message, "Celebrating a New Partnership," stressed the nature of a relationship with God, and its implications. "Peter reminds us, " he said, "that in God we find our ultimate other, our partner, our friend."
Referring to Genes is 1:2738 and 2:15-17, Gilbert revealed what he called "a revolutionary concept": God wants to be in a partnership with men and women.
To illustrate this, Gilbert demonstrated the two-fold mandate of Moses. Not on ly was he told to deliver the people from Pharaoh, but God also wanted Moses to bring the Hebrew people into relationship with God. Moses was "responsible in partnership with God to ensure that the newborn people would adopt Yahweh as God, that they would love him and accept him," Gilbert said.
Gilbert reminded his listeners, "[God] is our senior partner. He is the ultimate reason to live and to die. We must live with the certainty that this partnership is a reality now and in the life to come."
As Gilbert closed his final message, he stated, "By committing ourselves to Christ, we have crossed the threshold to a new life, to a new plane." '-Ellynne Wiebe
A weekend of unity
Despite a few minor bumps, a spirit of unity dominated the weekend "In the past, our unity was expressed in our dress, food and
speaks from the floor regarding the lottery issue. The statement on lotteries passed easily.
where we lived. We've grown past that," Fast said in his opening address. "The oneness we experience today is in Jesus Christ This unity is a force to be reckoned with."
The theme of unity was echoed in the prayer time that followed Fast's message. Morning worship times led by Jon Wiebe, president of MB Foundation, and members of CrossWise, a summer music ministry team from Tabor College, were well received. Bible studies presented by Gilbert were thoughtprovoking for both pastors and lay people (see sidebar) . Convention business sessions were kept to a minimum On two occasions, board and agency reports, which included video presentations and a variety of testimonies, were presented around the tables after the noon meal. Saturday afternoon workshops focused on conference ministries and also topics of personal spiritual growth.
The Sunday evening program focused on the three educational institutions of the conference : Tabor College in Hillsboro , Kan , Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary of Fresno An ice cream social after the program honored Don Ratzlaff for his 20 years of
service with the Christian Leader.
While the adults met at the convention center, five junior high and high school young people participated in a cultural immersion experience led by YMI sponsors. Participants walked the downtown streets of Los Angeles, interacting with the homeless and poor
Attendance stabilizes
While the convention venues could have handled a larger crowd, attendance at the biennial convention stabilized . For the past 10 years convention attendance has been steadily dropping, from a high in 1986 of 455 to a low of 212 in 1996. At La Mirada, registered adult participants totaled 216, of which 128 were delegates (see box below).
Convention planners hoped changing the location of the biennial conference from a college campus to a convention center would attract additional delegates. Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo., had been the site of all but one convention since 1986.
To help ease the increased costs associated with a hotel setting, convention planners found several church-related institutions and businesses to underwrite meals and coffee breaks.
Concern was expressed on the convention floor that more lay leaders were not present. Of the 128 registered delegates, 56 were not present by virtue of being a pastor, board member or agency representative-or married to one. u.s.
CONVENTION
Paul Klassen (center foreground), pastor of the Memori al Road MB Church in Edmond, celebrates God's goodness during a morning worship session. Worship was led by Jon Wiebe of MB Foundation and CrossWise, a musical ensemble from Tabo r College.
Dave Gerbrandt, pastor from Shafter, Calif.,
Harvey MB Church celebrates centennial
• Congregation has a unique organizational history in an effort to reach area residents
WHEN THE Harvey (N.D.) MB Church observed its centennial last month, a unique history was celebrated: one congregation became two, then became one again More than 350 people attended the weekend of activities July 10-12.
The story of the Harvey congregation began in 1898 when Mennonite Brethren homesteaders from South Dakota came t o the area and organized a congregation, Harvey MB Church. The group met in homes and selected Christian Reimche as their leader. They later built a wooden house of worship 11 miles southwest of Harvey.
By 1917, the congregation had outgrown their meeting place so a larger facility was built. By the late 1940s, the church building was again too small.
By this time, nearly half of the congregation lived either in Harvey or north of the city. It seemed appropriate to construct the new building in Harvey.
had their own Sunday school p rogram and church council. Yet t he y called one pastor, were served b y t h e same deacons and the women from both congregations formed the Ladies Aid.
In 195 4 , the two congregations voted to become independent , and ea c h call e d a p astor. Me mbership in either ch u rch was n ot det erm ine d geographically , but b y p e rso na l p re ference .
Even though th e Harvey area was served by two Mennonite Br e th ren congregations for the next 2 1 years, t heir r elationship was congenial. Occasionally, Country MB Church and City MB Church met together for spe-
the church has ever experienced, according to Reimche, and helped to blend th e two congregations into one.,
The Harvey c ongregation currently numbers 130 members
Reimche and her husband, Charles, coordinated the centennial celebration, but no ot h er committees were officially established. Instead, individua ls volunteered, formed their own committees and "the Lord made it happen ," according to Reimche.
The Friday evening kick-off focused on the early years of the church. Each scene-foot washing, choir practice, a reenactment of the 25th anniversary celebration-included a poem written by Darlene Filler and a musical number appropriate for the scene depicted by the actors.
The Saturday morning centennial tour included a visit to the first church building, which has been moved twice since its construction in 1899. It is currently owned and maintained by one of the rural districts.
The next stop on the tour was the original church site. Although the building constructed in 1918 had been tom down several years ago, the congregation's cemetery is still located there.
After visiting a similar chapel in another community, Mirad Faul was Inspired to design and construct this chapel for visitors to the Harvey MB Church cemetery. The chapel was dedicated during the congregation's centennial celebration. Faul is pictured with his wife, Deloris, and their daughters Emma, Jean and Denise. A praise service honored the eight charter members and other former members buried
But a concern for the spiritual needs of families living 40 to 50 miles north of Harvey prompted the group to also continue services at the country church when the new facility was finished . In 1950, the congregation began meeting in two locations.
"In planning to build a new church in town, no mention was ever made of closing the church in the country," writes Dolly Reimche, who with her husband, Charles, compiled a book for the centennial.
"They felt this (country) church had a mission to fulfill in the community . There was no other church between Goodrich and Harvey in a 30-mile radius."
Guidelines were developed describing how the two congregations would work both independently and jointly. For example, both groups
cial events such as vacation Bible school, Thanksgiving Day services and mission conferences. The two groups cooperated as hosts for three Central District Conference conventions
Adeclining membership, increas.1"lJng operating costs and the forced relocation of families due to the Lone Tree Reservoir building project prompted the Country congregation to merge with City church in August 1975. The new congregation again called itself Harvey MB Church
"The people of the City Church demonstrated love with a warm welcome and graciously extended the hand of fellowship to those of the Country Church," says Reimche, who was a member of Country MB.
A revival meeting in March 1976, using the Lay Witness Mission model, resulted in one of the greate st revivals
there.
The Saturday evening and Sunday morning programs gave former pastors the opportunity to share memories of the past and words of encouragement for the future. Both services also featured special music including a mass choir.
Twenty pastors have served the congregation during its 100-year ministry. Six served the Country congregation; six served the City congregation; seven served the Harvey MB congregation prior to 1954 and five have served since 1975.
Pastoral couples attending the weekend event were Ben and Esther Zerbe, Walter and Edith Janzen, Walter and Velma Penner, George and Helen Penner, Phil and Judy Glanzer and Gordon and Luise Kroeker.
-Connie Faber
IN BRIEF
APPOINTED : Larry Nikkel ha s been named interim preside nt at Tabor Colle ge Nik kel is pr es ide nt and chie f execut ive officer of Mennonite Healt h Services and chair of the Tabor College Board of Di rectors. He wa s appointed fo ll ow i ng t he resignation of David Brandt , w ho served n early four year s as Tabor ' s pres i- Nikkei dent. Brandt w ill become preside nt of George Fox Un i ver sity in Newbe r g , Ore A sea rch committee has been appo i nted and will begin the search process for the next pre sident immediat ely (TC)
RESIGNATION: John Bergman has res igned as directo r of support serv ic es for MBMS International. Since joining the age n cy in 1995, Bergman oversa w all support services functions . Harold Ens, general di rector, said , "Joh n has been a g reat as set to MBMS Inte rnat iona l over the pa st thre e year s " While an adm in is trativ e structure rev iew is being c o mp leted , other staff in t he Fr esno , Calif , and W innipeg, Man ., offi c es have assume d portions of Bergman's responsib ili ties Jo hn and his wife, Dori, live in Visalia, Calif ., and are members of Neighborhood (MB) Church (MBMSI)
REORGANIZED: The Mennonite Central Commi ttee U S board, meeting in Lancaster , Pa ., June 12-13, approved a statement outlining the organizational de c entr a li zat i on of U S programs Ac c ording to Rich Garber , board c hair , reg i onal offices now will be re sponsible for program operat i on s The bo ard also voted to reorganize it s own structure, cutting the number of members in half . (MCC)
CONFERENCE : Women are invited to attend a conference Nov 7 to celebrate the 50th ann iversary of the Pacific District Women 's Missionary Service The conference will be held in Dinuba, Calif Women from churches that do not belong to WMS are also welcome Details will be sent to each church this fall (PD C WMS)
Dan Friesen,
'a man for all people,' left a legacy of faithfulness, caring and humor
• His death in April ended a life of service that spanned more than four decades of full-time pastoral ministry and conference leadership
" I' D UKE TO BE remembered for loving and caring for people, that I've not' been a stumbling block, » Dan Friesen said in a Leader interview in 1982. When Friesen died April 15 at the age of 87, many would say he had reached his goal.
be of his inclinations toward the pastorate on the night he proposed, long before he entered the ministry. "She said, sure, she'd be willing to be a pastor's wife, " he recalled. "But she also said I was so far from that at the time, she had no fears."
Friesen was a well-known and beloved leader whose full-time pastoral ministry spanned four decades, eight congregations and two countries. He was the only perpreached in his home church and was ordained in Com in 1938. Friesen's first pastorate was in Okeene, Okla., from 1939-1944.
son to chair the three largest district conferences as well as the U.S. and General conferences . .As General Conference chair in 1960, he presided over the merger of the Mennonite Brethren and Krimmer Mennonite Brethren denominations.
But for all his influence as a strong leader, Friesen's legacy was his affinity with the common church member.
"He was a man for all peopIe," says Henry H . Dick, Pacific District minister, who was mentored by Friesen in the early days and became a long-time colleague and friend. "He affirmed people. Anytime I visited with him, I felt as
Friesen was selected for ministry through a "blank election" of the Corn church in 1936 He first
"I've
sometimes doubted my salvation, but I've never doubted my call.
Never."
-DAN FRIESEN
1911-1998
though I was the most important person in the world. He had a way of affirming people. He was one of my best friends to his dying day. »
Friesen was born Feb. 5, 1911, in a dugout near Hooker, Okla. He was one of 11 children. He spent his childhood in Moundridge, Kan., then moved to Com, Okla., where he soon felt a call to ministry After graduating from Southwestern University in nearby Weatherford, he taught high school in Corn and Homestead. He attended the Com MB Church, where he met his wife, Eva. They were married Oct 1, 1933. She died in 1996 after 63 years of marriage.
Friesen said he warned his wife-to-
From there, he was pastor of Mennonite Brethren congregations in Mountain Lake, Minn . (1944-1950); Fresno, Calif., (1950-1955); Reedley, Calif., (19551965); Denver, Colo. (1965-1969); Shafter, Calif. (1969-1972); Canada (1972-1975); and Com (1976-1979). Following his retirement, he pursued interim assignments in Visalia, Calif., Capitola, Calif., and Hillsboro, Kan.
"I feel very strongly
that God emphasizes certain things by changing pastors," he said in defense of their many moves. "We all have our field, our ability, our strength . And God uses it."
Friesen said in 1982 that he had no regrets about his long trail of service "I wouldn't want to live my life over again-I wouldn't have the time. But if I was called as a pastor, I'd do it again. I've sometimes doubted my salvation, but I've never doubted my call. Never."
As a pastor, Friesen was legendary for starting services on time, "so that people who want to come late aren't disappointed that they didn't ."
"I don't think there's ever an excuse for being late to the house of
God," he said "In my life I've started two services when I was the only one in church. I got up and sang a solo There were people on the porch, and when they heard me they came in It happened only twice; that's all it took."
Arthur Flaming, retired Southern District minister, says Friesen was passionate and creative about promoting punctuality.
"When he was the pastor at Mountain Lake MB , one Sunday he switched the order of the service," Flaming says. "He gave the benediction first, then the sermon, then started the worship service and took offering. He told the congregation, 'You people who come late always miss the worship and offering part of the service, so here's your chance to participate.'"
Friesen also made sure he ended services promptly. "I say my messages are like fishing poles-you can break them off at every notch. "
In return for a predictable start and finish, Friesen expected the attention of his parishioners. "I had promised my church once that if I ever saw three people sleeping, we'd have schluss (the end) right there," he said. "One Sunday morning I got up, read my text and looked up. I saw three people sleeping. I said, 'Stand.' The people stood, I pronounced the benediction and said, 'We'll go home and sleep and come back next Sunday.'"
Dick says Friesen believed in preaching short sermons. "If he was at a conference or something and was the last of the speakers, he would recite this poem: 'Violets are bluel roses are redl let's go homel enough's been said.'"
In addition to his blunt honesty, Friesen was known for his ceaseless energy, candor and humor. He said his quick wit came naturally. "I hope I never use humor for the sake of humor," he said in 1982. "But I think humor is something that God has given us. Tears are good, but humor's even better. When humor fits in and is proper, it's good for the soul. I have to hold a lot back at times."
Friesen identified the key to his pastoral success: "I like people " He expressed that in the way he affumed people in their faith but also in his uncompromising commitment to
speak the truth in love
"That's why when we have a speaker in church who is, let ' s say, mediocre or weak, I never say 'Thank God for the message we heard this morning.' No, I say 'It's nice to have this brother with us.' I don't lie about these things I think we've got to learn to be more honest "
Closely Iipked with honesty was Friesen's concern for integrity. One congregation forbade him to attend "worldly" basketball games, even though two of his young parishioners starred.
"I didn't know how I was going to get along without going to a ballgame," he said of that time. "But I'll never forget the one day, behind a hedge, when I settled that with God, and he gave me the grace ."
In the years that followed, he never attended a game. "I never saw our own boys play," he said. "It hurts me to this day. But I made a vow and I kept it."
Friesen said he was influenced by several people. One of his favorites was H.A. Ironside, theologian and prolific writer. "I wanted to be a man like Ironside until I had him in the home When I saw what he was like, I knew it was impossible ."
As a preacher, Friesen spoke often about God's grace. "I think I've helped many people through my preaching and counseling to be liberated from law," he said. "I'm very strong on being liberated from the law, but not to misuse grace. God's love and grace should drive us to do wonderful things for him "
Beyond his pastoral duties, Friesen enjoyed pumping gas, raiSing tumbling pigeons, playing golf and crying a sale. Friesen wrote poetry for much of his life and also wrote a humor column for the community newspaper in Com called "Korn Kernals." His pen name was Tom Fesler.
Dick said the column was popular. "He'd take a risk-he'd talk about people [in the community]. Those who read the paper just waited for it to come out so they could read his column."
Friesen is survived by two sons, John of Reedley, Calif., and Donovan of Sunridge, Ont., and two daughters, Marilyn Wall and Aldene Vogt, both of Reedley. -Natalee Roth
IN BRIEF
RECOGNITION: Tabor College is one of 87 colleges and universities recognized in America 's Best Christian Colleges: 1999 The book cites institutions having the highest academic standard among denomin ationa l and interdenominational colleges and universities . Schools are chose n from an annual national survey of ',658 colleges and universiti es. Se lect i on is ba sed upon the high school grade point average and SAT/ACT scores of the entering freshman class (TC)
GROUNDBREAKING: Fre sno Pacifi c University broke ground June 20 for its new $1 35 million track and field complex The old track was demolished 18 years ago with a prom is e to rebuild , says Dennis Janzen, FPU director of athletic development and chair of the track fund -raising committee " It took longer than we wanted , but we are finally going to get it done , " he said Construction began in July and cou ld be completed by November. (FPU)
HIRED: Natalee Roth, a 1998 graduate of Tabor College , began working full -time July 1 as an editorial assistant at the Christian Leader Her term of service is open -ended, pending the appointment of a new editor to succeed Don Ratzlaff, who Roth reSigned July 31 Connie Faber, assistant editor, has as sumed the role of interim editor Roth , a native of Colorado Springs, Colo , holds a degree in communications with an emp hasis in journalism and a degree in biblical and religious studies She served as an intern at the Leader last fall
RESIGNED: Steve Klassen reSigned as half-time British Columbia church ministries coordinator for MBMS International effective July 1 Kla ssen will continue working half-t ime for the Youth Mission International TREK program, teach a missions course at Columb ia Bible College , and pursue a vision for a mission and discipleship training center in the Abbotsford , B C. , area (MBMSI)
I:'J BRIEF
DECISION: South Calg ary Inter-Mennonite Church has deci ded to w elcom e people " rega rdless of race, gend er or sexual orientatio n ." This means th at practi ci ng homosexual s in a comm itted relation ship are allowed to take part in the c hurch ' s covenanting service-the churc h does not keep a membe rs hip list-a nd participate fully in th e congregati on Th e church wa s started as a Mennonite Bre thren congregati on in 1976, but is now inter-Mennon ite Leaders from the spon soring confe rences have dealt w ith the church jointly This ha s slowed the evaluati o n process, accord ing to a report in th e Mennonite Brethren Herald The leaders hip met twice la st spring and plans to meet agai n i n Septemb er . They will deal w ith issues of accountability, conferen ce confess ions of fa ith and Scripture interpretation . (MBH)
MANUA L: The Mennon it e Brethren General Conferen ce Bo ard of Faith and Life , togethe r with the Bo a rd of Res ource M i nistries ( Ki ndred Produ ctions) , have published a new lead ership manual titl ed Following th e Call. . The manual , the work of several key conference le ader s. was ed i ted by Doug Schulz and Mi(hael Di ck It gives an overview of the pa stor' s w ork and ministry in the local church Th e BFL has provided onE! copy for each church . 'Personal copie s are available from Kindred Productions for $ 19 95 Pius and applicable taxes To order, call 1'-800-545-7322 (8RM)
""fUGEE$: A s diploma ts aro und th e world work to prevent full -scale war in Serbia ' s southern Kosovo p r ovince , North American Mennonites are rallying to help victi m s of the violen ce . MeC is shippjng 15 tons of used clothing' to Tropoje, Albania, where 12 ,000 to 13,000 refugees from Kosovo are being sheltered by local familie s Many refugees fled the ir home s w ith only the clothes on the ir backs When the M CC<donated cloth ing arrives in Albania (lext mQhth , Alban ian churches will repa ckage it into smaller, fam ily-si ze bundles. The cloth ing will go not only to Kosovo refuge es, but also to loca l Albania l'ls who are host ing refu gees, at sacrifi ce (MCC)
• CHURCH NOTES
• Baptism/membership
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-Tonya Goertzen and Doug Miller were received as new members June 21 through transfer.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Parkview)-Kathy Isaac was received as a new member June 14 through transfer.
WICHITA, Kan. (First)-Veronica Doerksen and Jim and Terri Means were baptized July 12 and welcomed into membership July 26
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (Community Bible Fellowship)-Ruth Dalke and Steve and Lori Hortegas were welcomed as new members June 21. Betty Barker and Russ and Linda Knights were baptized and welcomed as new members
FERNDALE, Wash. (Good News Fellowship)-John Muir was baptized and received into membership Jan 4.
HESSTON, Kan.-Sacha Claypool, Tonya Dirksen and Staci Whitcomb were baptized and received into membership June 14 Dave, Joetta and Stephanie Whitcomb transferred their membership
SALEM, Ore. (Kingwood Bible)-Mikayla Allen, Pat Carter and Abby Sweet were baptized recently Rick and Angie Anderson and Pat and Ruth Carter were welcomed into membership.
COLLINSVIllE, Okla. (Westport)-Bill , LaDonna , Christy and Daniel Flagg, Pamela Gutierrez and Charlie Holzer were welcomed as new members June 21 . Stephen Gutierrez , Catie Holzer, Heather Schaefer, Kristin Hisey and Kendra Franklin were baptized and welcomed as new members . Debbie Cornwell was baptized
EDMOND, Okla. (Memorial Road)Megan Roberts and Jill Crawford were baptized and received as new members July 5.
FAIRVIEW, Okla.-Marshalene Koehn , Elaine Garman, Eli Kliewer and Gary Austin were baptized and welcomed into membership June 28 Jeff Graybill was welcomed into membership .
BETIIANY, Okla. (Western Oaks)-Gregg, Debbie, Dustin and Heather Unruh became members June 7 . Brady, Sheldon and Wesley Brown and Daniel and Rachel Foote were welcomed into membership June 14
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)Homer and Marietta Brown, Seth Buhler, Daniel Jensen, Susan Johnson, Roger and
Karen Larson, Cami Mather, Peter and Karen Nalos, Jim and Barbara Opperman, Patricia Richardson, John and Connie Rooke, Lance and Sheila Sondrol and David and Beverly Wong were welcomed as new members June 14 . Steve Mather and Sue Johnson were baptized and welcomed as new members.
DELFI', Minn. (Carson)-Deborah Kroeker, Brian Kroeker, Elisabeth Dick, Tony Dick and Katy Harder were baptized and accepted as members June 28.
HARVEY, N.D.-Kristi Bjorland, Andrew Faul, Danyiele Faul, Whitney Faul, Casey Lautt , Amanda Reimche , and Brandon Seibel were baptized and received as membersJune 21.
FRESNO, Calif. (Butler)-Ryan Braun and Martha Ramirez were baptized and received as new members March 1 R Michael Allen and Denice Carden, Rick Ryan, Becky Higgins and Matthew White were received as new members. Greg and Esther Camp joined the church March 29. Joel and Rosemaria Perez and Roberto and Maria Guerra were baptized June 7.
• Ministry
DINUBA, Calif.-Summer Celebration began July 5 with the congregation 's own Prime Time Players in "Bungee Jumping with God" and other powerful dramas about living on the faith edge .
ENID, Okla.-The church set aside the evening of June 14 as Neighbor Night. Families were encouraged to plan activities with unchurched neighbors in order to build relationships with them
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Lincoln Glen)-The congregation had a joint worship service with Ethiopian Christian Fellowship July 5. All were invited to the annual Independence Day picnic following the service
• Proclamation
FRESNO, calif. (North)-Samir and Lewiza Youssef were guests of the congregation July 5; Samir preached the morning sermon The Youssefs direct lnternational Arabic Ministries with MBMS International. The ministry focuses on the Muslim world. The Youssefs have a radio ministry for the Middle East, direct an Evangelism Training Center for reaching Muslims, and produce an Arabic magazine.
FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-Russell and Elizabeth Schmidt , missionaries to Thailand, shared during the Sunday school hour July 5.
MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn.-Salina Marwa, a Mennonite Central Committee exchange
Through the Eyes of Faith You and Your Church Can Help To Win Some!
"We believe Jesus Christ founded the Christian Church, and continues to empower the church as the body through which people are saved and nurtured. Each person has been given gifts from God, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit to help further God's kingdom."
Mission USA is partnering with churches to encourage health order to win others to a personal and meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe that healthy churches experience effective ministries and growth.
Mission USA is working to help establish new churches across the ' U.S. by partnering with districts and local churches. We are partnering with our conference institutions and organizations to prepare church
planters who can build Christ's church.
rJoin us in working and praying for renewal ( and growth in the local church and the planting of churches that reach lost people. Mission USA encourages and challenges you "to become everything to everyone to win
some'" (1 Corinthians 9:22).
MISSION USA BOARD:
Ed Boschmon, Phoenix, AZ.,
Chuck Buller, V'lSalia, CA.
Ernie Friesen, Wichita, KS
Phil Glanzer, New Hopa, MN
Joe Johns, Weatherford, OK
Lorello Jost, Aurora, NE
Fred Leonard, Oovis, CA
Stephen Reimer, Shafter, CA
(Iarice Rempel, Buhler, KS
Mike Schuil, Reedley, CA
Be a partner in spreading Christ's love throughout our nation. Be encouraged to start with your neighbors. Pray for them and expect opportunities to offer them friendship, encouragement and the good news that Jesus loves them and offers them eternal and abundant life!
Randy Steinert, Bakersfield, CA
Tim Sullivan, Hillsboro, KS
Ex Officio Members: Henry Dick, Fresno, CA.
(linlon Grenz, Bismark, N.D.
Bruce Porter, Fresno, CA
Roland Reimer, Wichila, KS. (linl Seibel, Hillsboro, KS
Jim Weslgale, Fresno, CA
visitor from Tanzania , talked about her experiences June 21
SALEM, Ore. (Kingwood Bible)-Ashley Bergman, Michael Contois , David Crawford, Paige Gasper , Derek Hunt , Jessica May, Mysti Williams and pastor Brent Hudson gave testimonies during the June 28 evening service about their involvement in the Baja '98 mission trip .
FARMINGTON, Minn.-Central District pastors and their families met at a retreat center here Aug. 3·5 for refreshment and renewal. Southern District Minister Roland Reimer and his wife , Lois, were the guest resource people Their presentations focused on marital relationships.
• Workers
DINUBA, CaIif.-Vic and Marty Wiens and their daughters, Bethany, Kristen and Angela , returned June 30 to Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a three·year missions term.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-Phil and Tonya Goertzen and Bryce and Sara Wichert were affirmed June 14 as youth sponsors for the next two years
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)- Phil Stangland was affirmed June 21 to be asso· ciate pastor of discipleship ministries. He plans to begin in mid-August Sheryl Chap· man was selected to fill the part-time position of worship ministries assistant
. DEATHS
BALZER, ARNIE DAVID, Buhler, Kan. , a member of the Buhler MB Church , was born May 16, 1914, to Mary D Franz and David F. Balzer near Inman , Kan ., and died July 10, 1998, at the age of 84. On April 25, 1937, he was married to Martha Thiessen, who predeceased him. He is sur· vived by a son, Loren and wife Jane ; two daughters, Deloris and husband LeRoy Friesen and Judy and husband lloyd Yutzy; a sister , Mary Ann and husband Eldo Regehr of Inman, Kan. ; a brother, Albert and wife Ella Mae of Inman ; nine grand· children and three great·grandchildren.
ESAU, JOHN, Debert, Nova Scotia, a retired MBMS International missionary, was born Jan. 3, 1926, at Kleefeld, Molotschna, U S S.R., to John and Kathari· na Wiens Esau and died May 9 , 1998, at the age of 72. In 1951, he was married to Agnes Suderman, who predeceased him in
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELIS M
IN MINISTRY WITH MBMS INTERNATIONAL
Executive Director· Peter Loewen
C.P E ITINERARY FOR 1998 AND AN INVITATION to born-again Christians under the sponsorship of MBMS International are seeking volunteers for their evangelism outreach to : C tI • os person
Note: * only for nationals from the part icipating countries.
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.
• Canad ian dollars
• Between 800-2,800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord during a two-week CPE campaign Come and be a part of an enriching spiritual experience-discover what God can do thro ugh you
For more information, contact : CPE office : Tel.-Fax : 604-864-3941 , or Evelyn Unruh, 604852·5744 ; or Peter Loewen, 604 -853-3173 or Fax 604 -853-6482
Church Partnership Evangelism is a "church-to ·church " effort that involves lay members in personal evangelism worldwide Your application to participate will be forwarded to the CP.E. Executive Committee for processing PE T ER LOEWEN
1974. In 1975 , he was married to Sophie Quiring, who survives He is also survived by four daughters , Mary Lois of Lake Louise , Alta , Kathy and husband Arnold Thiessen of Lethbridge , Alta , Laurel and husband Art Hiebert of Londonderry, Nova Scotia, and Lillian and husband Bruce Crump of Tantallon, Nova Scotia ; two sons, John Irvin and wife Karin Esau of Chilliwack , B.C. and Carl and wife Marion Esau of Debert ; and nine grandchildren
FLAMING, ELMER "E.W." W., Hillsboro, Kan , a member of the Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro , was born Dec 18, 1904, to George and Elizabeth Wiebe Flaming at Lehigh, Kan. , and died July 9, 1998, at the age of 93 . He was married to Emma Unruh, who predeceased him. He is survived by a daughter , Carol and husband Dave Breese; a bro ther, Vernon of Bakers· field, Calif ; two grandchildren and six great grandchildren .
HARMS,JONAS "JOE" R. , Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Sept . 17, 1904, in Jansen, Neb., to John L. and Elizabeth Rempel Harms and died June 11, 1998, at the age of 93. On April 4, 1926, he was married to Ella Ann Brandt, who predeceased him in 1998. He is survived by a daughter, Phyllis and hus· band Sherman Lovegren of Fresno , Calif ; a son, Don and wife of Reedley; two sisters, Marie Thiessen of Dallas, Ore ., and Alma Enns of Newton , Kan.; four grandchildren and seven great·grandchildren
JANZEN, HENRY P ., Reedley , Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Oct 1, 1909 , to Peter F. and Elizabeth Klassen Janzen in Mountain Lake, Minn , and died June 2, 1998, at the age of 88. On Feb. 15 , 1931, he was married to Elizabeth Dorothy Flaming, who predeceased him in 1984. He was later married to Avis Rhodes , who survives. He is also survived by a son , Ed and wife Marilyn of Visalia, Calif. ; a brother, John and wife Iva of Mountain Lake; a sister, Betty Derksen and husband Albert of Dinuba , Calif ; a sis· ter·in-Iaw, Goldie Janzen of Fresno, Calif. ;
Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C , is looking for a Min ister of MusiclWorship
Bakerview has an attendance of about 600 in 2 services and a pastoral staff pf 5 The position is full-time. The individual must be a team player and give leadership in a broad spectrum of musical styles Preference will be given to ind ividuals with experience Starting time is negotiable , but resumes should be in by Sept. 30
Send applications to : Cha ir, Search Committee
Bakerview MB Church 2285 Clearbrook Rd. Abbotsford , BC V2T 2X4
Phone : 604 -855 -5086 Fax : 604-855 5014
two grandchildren and three great·grand· children
KRAHN, MARTHA WARKENTIN , StJames, Minn , a member of the Mountain Lake (Minn.) MB Church, was born Feb . 10 , 1913, to George D. and Eva Heinrichs Warkentin in Midway Township, Minn ., and died June 22, 1998, at the age of 85 On Sept 8 , 1932, she was married to John Krahn, who predeceased her in 1977. She is survived by two daughters , Mabel Ewy of St. James and Ema and husband Freddie Schroeder of Mankato, Minn. ; a brother, Dietrich and wife Harriet of San Jacinto, Calif ; two sisters , Sarah and husband Harold Angell of Becker, Minn ., and Anne and husband Gene Cashman of St Joseph, Minn ; and a sister·in·law , Anna Warkentin of Humboldt, Neb.
LEPPKE, HAROlD IVAN, Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born April 27 , 1923, to Corney and Susan Leppke at Reedley and died July 6, 1998, at the age of 75 On Oct 12, 1943 , he was married to Margie Reimer, who survives He is also survived by two daughters , Sharon and husband Charles Jones and Susan and husband Dan Ekberg; two sons , Tim and wife Carol and Jon and wife Sheila; a sister, Marylene and husband Ted Thiesen; a sister·ill·law, Peninnah ; and nine grandchildren.
PAULS, PETER "PETE" N., Corn, Okla. , of the Corn MB Church , was born June 13, 1915, to John}. and Susanna Pauls near Inman, Kan., and died recently. On June
16, 1946 he was married to Luella Kliew· er, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, Eugene and wife Sherry Schmidt of Corn and Dennis and Patricia Flaming of Wichita , Kan ; one daughter, Victoria and husband Randall Kenton of Leavenworth, Kan.; and several grandchildren.
WICHERT, LOYD DON , Fairview, Okla ., a member of the Fairview MB Church, was
WILLOW PARK CHURCH
Kelowna Be Invites applications for two ministry positions:
Assoc. Pastor of Women's Ministries
Assoc Pastor of Worship Ministri es (fu ll· time)
Both ministries to begin fall 1998 . Detai ls and more info can be obtained from the church
Please send res um es to: Will ow Park Church Attn : Search Co mmittee 439 Hwy. 33 West Kelowna, BC V1X 1Y2
PH (250) 765·6622 • FAX:
born July 30, 1938, to Albert and Emma Bartel Wichert at Fairview and died June 15 , 1998, at the age of 59. On Nov 7, 1959, he was married to Clara Kliewer, who survives He is also survived by two sons, Jeff of Fairview and Rex and wife Melanie of Benicia, Calif.; a sister, Stella and husband Gene Eitzen of Fairview; and three grandchildren. •
The MIDWEST FIELD REPRESENTATIVE would work out of the Hillsboro, Kan., office and the WEST COAST FIELD REPRESENTATIVE would be located in central California. These are full-time positions, but we are open to a combination of part-time personnel.
DUTIES:
To encourage and assist Christians throughout the U S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in faithful stewardship. Specific responsibilities include stewardship education, individual counseling, planned giving, charitable estate planning and Foundation -related activity.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to communicate
• Aptitude for detail work
• Willingness to learn
• Christian commitment and desire to promote the work of the Men nonite Brethren
DIRECT INQUIRIES TO:
mbfound@8()uthwind.net
CLEARINGHC)USE
Have a position to fill? Looking for a new employment or ministry opportunity? Have a gathering or celebration to promote? Need to sell or acquire property? Reach U.S Mennonite Brethren through a Clearing· house classified ad. The charge is 40 cents per word, with a $15 minimum Withhold payment until an invoice is received The editors reseNe the right to turn down inappropriate material For display (boxed) ad rates, please call us.
POSITIONS
COLORADO-Suburban Mennonite Brethren church seeks experienced candidates for full-time senior pastor Must be willing to lead and mentor in a team ministry and be receptive to outreach through day care, club and sports programs Send profile and letter of interest to : Search Committee, Belleview Acres Church, 12472 W. Belleview Ave ., Littleton, CO 80127 Check out our web - site at www belleviewacres org Phone: 303·973-0163; fax : 303-9737653
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI and related programs-This person reports to the vice president for advancement and provides leadership for alumni and related programs. Direct nominations and inquiri es to: Vice President for Advancement , Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS 67063 ; 316-947-3121; e-mail : jackb@tcnet.tabor edu
OASIS DIRECTOR-Fresno Pacific University seeks applications for executive director of the Older Adult Social Serv ices (OASIS) program. The execut ive director is responsible to and rece ives direction from the OASIS Coord i nating Board Responsibilities include providing administrative and operational oversight of the home care, adult day care, and weekend respite programs. The director is also responsible to write, subm it and defend funding proposals to local social service agencies and appropriate foundations , manage the OASIS budget, recruit, hire, tra in and evaluate staff, represent OASIS to the public , and ensure continuous compliance with all applicable licensing regulations. Required qualifi cations include a bachelor's degree in a social SCience or a related field ; five years of progressively responsible work in program administration and management; successful experience in a caregiving setting ; demonstrated
budgeting, personnel and marketing related skills; and demonstrated leadership , organizat ional and interpersonal skills. Send letter of application and resume to Sue Kliewer, Human Resources Director, Fresno Pacifi c University, 1717 S. Chestnut, Fresno, CA 93702 ; 209-453-2245, e-mail skliewer@fresno.edu
SALES MANAGER-Mennonite Central Committee is actively recruiting for the wholesale sales manager position at Ten Thousand Villages, Akron, Pa Qualifications include a degree in marketing/bus i ness administration (preferred); experience in wholesale or retail management; knowledge of retail merchandising and display pr i nc i ples ; good personnel and adm inistrative skills; ability to supervise the implementation of marketing plans ; knowledgeable about Ten Thousand Villages products and their marketability; and strong support of Ten Thousand Villages mission ; overseas experience helpful. This is a full-time, two-year salaried position For more information, or to receive a copy of the job deSCription, please contact Dwight McFadden or Becky Stahly at (717)8591151, MCC Human Resources, or e-mail djm@mcc.org or rss@mcc.org Applications due Aug. 10, 1998.
VOLUNTEERS-Ten Thousand Villages, a program of Mennonite Central Committee, is looking for persons to volunteer at its headquarters in Akron, Pa Volunteers are needed beginning Aug. 17 or 24 for three to four months. Room and board provided For more i nformation please contact Sherrie Ober at (717)859-8100 or e-mail smo@villages mcc.org Come and be a part of an exciting and rewarding experience.
VOLUNTEERS-Do you want to experience something more in addition to travel? Then investigate the MMAP (Mobile Mi ssionary Assistance Program) experience for the satisfaction you have been looking for. "Follow the Son" and build for eternity while making new friends, enjoyi ng Christian fellowship and encouragement from like-minded Christian volunteers MMAP is a nondenominational and interdenominational Christian, nonprofit corporation with volunteer membership for married couples only We help needy Christian churches, camps and other selected Christian organizations using skilled and nonskilled workers four days a week on a three week per month project. You may request an application from MMAP at P.O Box 725, Calimesa CA 92320 or phone 909-795-3944.
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. in vites applications for the position of
Executive Director
Starting date: July 1, 1999
Location: Akron, Pennsylvania Applications will be accepted through September 15, 1998
Direct inquiries and applications to: Rich Garber, Chair, Search Committee 17270 Northside Blvd., Nampa, ID 83687 Phone: 208-467-3519 • Fax: 208-467-2022 ( "" Mennonite Central Committee
We need your help!
"' The following ministries are currently administered within the structure of the General Conference of Men, nonite Brethren Churches:
• MBMS International , (MBMSI) : facilitates international missions .
• Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (MBBS) : provides theological education and pastoral ,training specific to the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith.
• Board of Faith and life (BFL) : gives practioal interpretaf tion of the Mennonite Brethren Gonfession of Faith, providing ., splrltua1 direction for daily issues
v'
• youth Mission International (YMI) : trains, disciples and provides short-term mission opportunities for youth and young , adults YMI operates as a partnership of MBMSI, Mission USA and Canadian Board of ,Evangelism
' loa,rd of Resource Ministries (BRM) : produces, publishes, markets and distributes resource material for local congregitions and individuals .
I
·
• Ntstorlca' Commission : collects, categorizes and retains archival data
At the General Conference convention at Waterloo, Ont., July 1997, delegates voted to create a "no holds barred" task force to evaluate the structures of the ministries of the General Conference. This task force requests input from individual members of the conference. Please complete the following survey, adding comments where applicable.
About yourself ...
1. How many years have you been a member of a Mennonite Brethren church? __
2. Vour age:
Under 20
20 - 29
30 - 39
40 - 49
50 - 59
60+
4. Have you ever attended a ...
• binational convention?
• national convention?
3. Size of your church: 0-99 Ves Ves
100 - 249
250 - 499
500 - 999
1000+ No No
5. Are you currently serving in a leadership role in your local congregation? Ves No
6. Have you served on a conference board at any level? Ves No
Please answer the questions on the back side of this page, too ••.
About the work we do together...
Choose ONE answer for each question below.
1 . Global mission should be organized
a. internationally
b. through a North American conference
c. by representatives from both Canadian and U S. national conferences
d. through provinces/districts
e. from the local church
2. Graduate-level education for pastors and church leaders should be facilitated by .. .
a. a North American conference structure
b . a North American school at the Fresno facility with a representative board from U.S. and Canadian national conferences
c. both Canada and the U.S. having their own seminary facilities
d. the current seminary facility acting independently of the conference structures with conferences free to make alliances with it and/or other educational institutions
3. Youth Mission International should be administered ...
a. by a joint structure, incorporating input from U.S. and Canadian conferences
b. by MBMS International
c. by the Canadian Conference
d. by the U.S. Conference
e. independently from conference structures
4. Practical issues of applying day-to-day faith to our lives should be addressed by ...
a. a board in the North American conference structure
b. a board with representation from Canadian and U.S. conferences
c. Canada and U.S. having separate boards
d. local congregational interpretation
5. Resource material for churches is ideally
a. published by a jOint board at the General Conference level
b. published by a board of members representing both Canada and U.S.
c. published by Canada for Canadians and U.S. for Americans
d. chosen from generic material already available from Christian publishing houses
6. The Historical Commission should be a centralized under both countries
b. managed separately by Americans and Canadians
c. managed under a global committee
7. Decisions of the General Conference should be made by ...
a. delegate representation at convention
b. allowing each congregation to "vote" on their collective position
c. assigning a number of votes per congregation by membership
d. all members voting directly
8. Conventions of the General Conference should be held ...
a. every other year
b. every 5 years
c. discontinued
d. other:
9. Conventions of the General Conference should focus on
a. business
b. worship
c. teaching
d. fellowship
e. other
10. Do you feel you adequately understand the role that each of the following ministries plays in the General Conference?
Yes No
MBMSI
MBBS
BFL
YMI
BRM Historical Commission
out and mail or fax it with any attached comments by Sept. 30 to:
Building for the Future
General Conference of MB Churches 4812 E Butler Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
Fax : 209-452-1752
Thank you! Please pray with us that God's work may be done effectively.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT A
GUIDE FOR GROUP INTERACTION
SESSION
1 Stewardship and our possessions
Based on "Generational Generosity, " page 4, and "It's Just Stuff," page 10.
GET READY - Getting started
• What's the first thought that comes to your mind when you hear the word "stewardship"?
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What reasons does Jon Wiebe give for the importance of stewardship?
2 . What dynamics make it difficult for many boomers to handle money?
3. Wiebe says money management for believers is a contentment issue. Do you agree? As you skim Matthew 5-7, which verses apply to this issue? Are there others that you would add?
4. What are evidences of serving God rather than money?
5. How do the approaches to giving differ between the boomers and builders?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. What has higher priority in your life; serving God or money? How do you know?
2. In what ways can fellow believers help us deal with money issues?
3. What possessions would you find it most difficult to have God take back?
4. What impresses you from the testimony of Lauren and Wayne in "It's Just Stuff"?
5. In what area of your financial life do you see the greatest need? What is a specific step you could take to remedy that area?
SESSION 2 Technology and faith
Based on Ph'lip Side, page 14.
GET READY - Getting started
• How concerned are you about the computer-glitch warnings?
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. Highlight some of the potential computer-related problems in the year 2000. What is the greatest concern behind all of them?
2. What are some possible positive implications to such a shut down?
3 . In what ways have computers become gods?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. How should Christians respond to such predictions?
2. How does one keep computers and such technology in proper perspective?
3. Do you sense a need for a "year, month or week of Technology-Free" for yourself?
SESSION 3 Church membership
Based on question 1, Inquiring Minds, p 15.
GET READY - Getting started
• If you are a member of a Mennonite Brethren church, when and how did that happen?
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What reasons do people give for not wanting to join in formal membership?
2. What reasons do people give for membership?
3. What does Scripture teach about our responsibility to one another within the church?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. What are the implications of not participating with formal membership?
2. How can we encourage greater mutual accountability and support of one another?
3. Do you agree or disagree with Hein's final thought? Why or why not?
SESSION 4 Listening to God's prompting
Based on On the Journey, page 16.
GET READY - Getting started
• How has God revealed himself to you in the last week?
GET SET - Examining the issues
1. What are the similarities in the encounters these two women had with God?
2 What was necessary on their part in order to recognize the presence of God?
3 What is the difference between coincidence and an act or revelation of God?
GO - Applying ideas to the way we live
1. How can we increase our sensitivity to the work and presence of God in our everyday lives?
2. Why is it difficult for us to believe that such things happen?
3. What is something that you are presently doing for the "least of these" which you are also doing for God?
The final harvest
THE EASIEST EDITORIAL to write is your first, when possibilities and promise lay before you like a vast field of ripening grain. The first bushel of ideas comes easily.
Hang in there long enough-though not all that long, come to think of it-and you learn that the harvest is not always a field of dreams. It sometimes flows, sometimes thins, and sometimes, in spots, disappears altogether. But you keep working at it because that's your assignment. You learn quickly not to look back, only forward.
And now the field is cut, and I am wrapping up this harvest with a final editorial. It is a hard one to bring into the storehouse. Not because there is noth-
evaluate how weill
Others will have to evaluate how well I carried the standard. But I had a great time trying. And I had a lot of help. Myra Schroeder Holmes, Carol Harrison Schmidt, Deborah Penner and Connie Faber served as assistants during my 13 years as editor Little did they know, they could have done my job as good or better than I did. Maybe they did know it, but at least they had the grace not to tell me. Undoubtedly, my task was made easier by the myriad writers who succumbed to my desperate pleas for articles. I always felt voices from within the Mennonite Brethren community added to the integrity of the message. A special thanks to those people who served as regular columnists under my tenure: Katie Funk Wiebe, Jim ing left to say. Rather, it's hard because my tools-words-are suddenly inadequate for Others will have to Holm, Philip Wiebe, Marvin Hein, Rose Buschman and Burton Buller. You folks made the editor look pretty smart. the task. I have too much I want to say, and I don't know how to say it.
Number one on the list is an overwhelming debt of thanks. But where to begin? With God, no doubt, who worked in mysterious ways to lead me from a Kansas farm and into a role I could have never envisioned for myself. God planted within me gifts and interests that defy logical
carried the standard.
But I had a great
time trying. explanation, then gave me people-so many of them-who nurtured, shaped and encouraged those seeds into something useful for God's work. The notion of being a "selfmade man" is laughable to me. I am thoroughly a product of the grace of God and the patience of his people.
Knowing that, the task of thanking all the people who deserve it is daunting. I cannot mention them all because I don't have the space. But I must mention Wally Kroeker, who hired me as his assistant when I was fresh out of college in 1978. In an amazingly short time, he moved from boss to mentor to colleague to soul mate. When he left the Leader in 1985, I succeeded him as editor but never surpassed him.
You were right (as always), Wally, when you said this was the best job in the conference. And you set the standard for how the job should be done. You challenged me to promote Christian fellowship and diSCipleship; to inspire, instruct and inform; to clarify vision; to discern how Mennonite Brethren can be more obedient to Jesus and be living expressions of God's kingdom. You said an editor should be both priest and prophet: as priest, to affirm whenever possible; as prophet, to challenge whenever necessary.
What can I say about you, the readers? Without you, the magazine would have no purpose. We published for you. Even though the Leader is a conference publication, I never saw its role as a publi-
cation of the conference structures. Some have wanted us to be more of a marketing device, a publication that always soothes and affimls, that paints our life together only in positive colors. I understand the desire, but we believed telling the truth-with discretion, fairness and accuracy-was the best strategy for building the church.
And be assured, we made our share of mistakes along the way. Truth is not always clear, not always discernibleone of many lessons I've learned along the way. I hope we published with humility.
Legacy is an interesting notion. Some have asked me what I think mine has been as editor. I'll leave that to others to figure out. For me, the years are a blur. Over time, we addressed a variety of issues, we articulated positions that encouraged some and exasperated others, and we told a lot of stories.
Looking back, though, only one "agenda" preoccupied my decisions as editor: to communicate to you and the world that it is good to be Mennonite Brethren. I say that without qualms, because being Mennonite Brethren, at its best, is to follow the radical light of Jesus in a dark and burdensome world.
You gave me the opportunity to push that agenda for 20 years. May God bless you for it, for God has certainly blessed me. -DR
