THE PROCESS of "finding" people who need the Lord and his church is hard enough for most of our congregations. That makes "keeping" the ones we attract all the more important if we want to grow numeri· cally and spiritually. When it comes to newcomers, too often for us it's in one door and eventually out the other.
The technical jargon for "keeping" is actually "assimilation." All it means, though, is making people feel they are full members of the group and have something to offer the rest of us. One denominational study suggested that 75 percent of church attenders who became inactive did so because they didn't feel they belonged. They did not feel needed, wanted, cared for or loved.
This issue addresses some of the dynamics and questions involved in keeping people. Whether it be making visitors feel welcome when they come (page 4), closing our back door (page 6), ministering to those who become inactive (page 10), or keeping our own children on the path of faith (page 12), the unifying factor is simply this : You can make the difference In your church. Your attitude, your willingness to love and to reach out beyond your comfort zone is the bottom line here.
In this issue of the Leader, my prayer is that you'll find practical ways to help people feel they belong in your congregation. It begins with an honest resolve that we really want them to belong.-DR
COMING
• FEBRUARY 24-26-u.s. Conference joint board meetings, Wichita, Kan.
• MARCH 5-Rural churches seminar, Memory Lane Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan. Speaker: Henry Schmidt.
• APRIL 7-9-Consultation '94: "Ordaining, using and misusing authority in the church," Denver, Colo. Sponsored by the General Conference Board of Faith and Life.
• APRIL 22-23-"Hope for the Journey," MCC regional conference on sexual abuse and family violence, hosted by the Hillsboro MB Church.
• JULY 23-26-Biennial convention of the u.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, Colorado Springs, Colo.
QUOTABLE
• "It Is not customary that an intelligent person clothes and cares for one part of his body and leaves the rest naked. The intelligent person is solicitous for all his members. Thus it should be with those who are the Lord's church and body. All those born of God are called into one body and are prepared by love to serve their neighbors." MENNO SIMONS, 1552
FEATURES - Theme: Finding and keeping people
4 Spirit ma kes the difference
Buildings, programs and preaching all help bring people to your church door, but it's the attitude of the people inside who bring them back. BY MARLIN
E. THOMAS
6 Closing t he back door
Wonder where all those newcomers went? Stemming the "back door syndrome" will take some soul-searching and commitment to change. BY HENRY
J SCHMIDT
10 Why I left the church
The story of one person's drift away from the church-and the caring gestures that brought her back. It helps to stop, look and listen. BY
MARILYN D. BRENDEN
12 Our kids: Are they livin g or le aving the faith?
Few th i ngs hurt more than to see our children walk away from the faith. How can we keep them on the path? BY LEE BALZER
DEPARTMENTS
Forum by Wilmer Thiessen 16
• Why I go to prayer meeting
Ph'lip Side by Philip Wiebe 17
• High (comedy) finance
Education .................. by Kathy Heinrichs Wiest 18
• Under the hood (6): Delores Friesen
Inquiring Minds by Marvin Hein 20
• Critical issues facing the church
Body life..................................... " 22
• The ministry of Huntington House 22
• Our churches survived the L.A. earthquake 23
• MDS flood response continues 23
• BFL speaks on women in leadership 24
• BRM appoints an executive secretary 2 5
• New hymnal due in January '95 '25
• Political help needed in Zaire 26
• Loan program helps Vietnam's poor 26
• MCC's sexual abuse and family violence conference 27
Musi ng s by Jim Holm 29
• Questions of vision Miscellanea. 30
Editorial by Don Ratzlaff 32
• Help for the struggle
ART CREDITS: Cover and page 6, Rohn Engh; pages 4, 9, 11, 12 and 13, Skjold Photography; page 18, MBBS; page 22, MCC photo by Emily Will; page 24, MCC photo by Lowell Detweiler; page 28, MCC photo by Earl Martin. THE
EDITOR Don Ratzlaff
VOLUME 57, NUMBER 2
ASSISTANT
BOA RD OF CO M MUNICATIONS : David Reimer, chair; Harold Franz, Jeanie Klaassen, Malinda Nikkel, Dalton Reimer
MAN DATE: THE CHRISTIAN LEADER (ISSN 00095149), organ of the U S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, is published monthly by the U.S Conference Board of Communications, 315 S Lincoln, Hillsboro, KS 67063. The Christian Leader seeks to inform Mennonite Brethren members and churches of the events, activities, decisions, and issues of their denomination, and to instruct, inspire and initiate dialog so that they will aspire to be faithful disciples of Christ as understood in the evangelical!Anabaptist theological tradition
EDITORIAL POLICY: The views and opinions of our writers and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Christian Leader, the Board of Communications or the Mennonite Brethren Church The editors invite free-lance article submissions, but 'ask that each submission be accompanied with a SASE. The editors reserve the right to edit, condense or refuse all copy submitted for publication; anonymous contributions will not be published.
READER PARTICIPATION: The editors encourage readers to interact with our articles through letters to the editor and essays to Forum, our op-ed column. Letters for What Readers Say must include the author's name and address Forum is open to members or attenders of Mennonite Brethren churches Essays to Forum can address any issue of relevance and interest to the faith and life of the Mennonite Brethren Church. The essay should be no longer than 800 words and should include the home church, occupation and a clear photo of the writer.
CO MM UNI CATION: All correspondence should be addressed to The Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063. Phone: (316) 947-5543. Fax: (316) 9473266
ADVERTISING: Clearinghouse ads should be submitted in writing. Cost: $.25 per word. Send no advance payments. For display-ad rates, contact the editor.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Rates: $16 for one year, $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 six weeks for transition
MEMBERSHIP: The Christian Leader is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and Meetinghouse, an association of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ editors.
PRINTING: The Christian Leader is printed on recycled paper by Multi Business Press, Hillsboro, Kansas.
POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to The Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063 Second·class postage paid at Hillsboro, Kansas
CHRISTIAN
Buildings, programs and preaching all help, but when it comes to attracting people to your church. ..
MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
by Marlin E. Thomas
OU COULD HAVE CALLED US PROFESsional church shoppers. After moving to Colorado Springs about a year ago to begin a church consultation ministry, Jan and I resolved to visit as many local congregations as possible. We wanted to experience the many ways God works (or is stifled) through the churches he has called into existence.
We visited small churches and large churches; growing churches and stagnant churches. When we were done, we reached one undeniable conclusion: buildings, preachers, music programs, worship styles, location and finances don't really make or break a church. What matters most is spirit.
We have talked with many people over the years who have described churches they visited as cold, warm, friendly, unfriendly, caring, uncaring. We have sometimes been tempted to do that, too But as we observed carefully, we noticed something that went deeper. I can only describe it as spirit. Those churches which attracted us imparted a sense of knowing what their vision and mission was all about. One Sunday we attended a fairly large downtown church. As we walked in, we noticed groups of people chatting cheerfully all around us. Several stopped their conversation long enough to greet us and welcome us. Then as we moved on, they resumed their earlier conversations. Others
met us with an upbeat, cheerful greeting and told us how wonderful this or that Sunday school class was. We just had to try it sometime. It was easy to see their vision and mission was people.
Another time a neighboring family picked us up, took us with them to Sunday school and worship, invited us to join them for Sunday dinner out, and then took us to an afternoon Christian concert. There wasn't a moment of silence during the entire experience. They told us all about their church and its convictions and commitments in the community. They literally shared with us their "church family secrets." By the time the afternoon faded, we felt we knew them and their church inside out.
A spirit of welcome
These and other attractive churches we attended didn't rely only on greeters, bulletin announcements, lapel ribbons, banners, pastoral welcome letters, telephone calls and Tuesday evening visits to let us know we were important to them. They did those things too. But the spirit of wel-
come, love and care just oozed everywhere. We couldn't help but notice it We felt connected and in touch with God.
Another unmistakable characteristic about attractive churches was that evangelism was an every-person function. It wasn't programmed-at least it didn't appear so. It seemed a natural part of their church life.
In one congregation, hosts and hostesses greeted us on the front steps, invited us in, showed us to the reception table, and then volunteered to walk across campus to show us where the class we chose to attend was meeting. That was the official part. But on the way we visited-just visited. It wasn't part of the official act. It was real. People we met in that Sunday school class were real, too They didn't put on an act-they were just being themselves. We felt "the coat really fit," even though at that time we weren't even shopping!
We became aware that in many of those warm and growing churches, the evangelism program actually was finely tuned and well oiled. Letters went out on time, telephone calls
Ever wonder where all those new attenders went?
CLOSING THE B K D R
by HENRY]. SCHMIDT
LMOST EVERY ISSUE OF
the Christian Leader carries encouraging reports of members being added to Mennonite Brethren congregations. I praise God for those new members, but I also breathe a prayer because I can't shake an honest question: Where will these new members be in a year from now? Will they be on the active or inactive membership roll? Incorporated or isolated? Significantly involved or passively observing? Excited about the church or disillusioned?
If these questions trouble you as they do me, I invite you to reflect on your local church. How successful is your congregation at growth and retention? Does your family of believers have a drop-out problem? Or does your church effectively integrate new people into its mainstream?
Despite regular reports of new members, the overall annual net growth of Mennonite Brethren in the U.S. has remained at a disappointing .05 to 2 percent during the past two decades. More impassioned evange· lism is not the only solution Missiologist G.W. Peters points out that Mennonite Brethren are not lagging in
winning people; our more serious problem-like many churches across the country-is retention. We are suffering from what I call the "backdoor syndrome," where members come in through the front door and leave through the backdoor
How can your church close that backdoor and incorporate new members as active, committed participants in your church? A place to begin is to ask yourself four probing questions about your congregation:
IWhere is our church inclusive and exclusive?
The usual response to such a questions is, "Our church doesn't exclude anyone. Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is welcomed. We are an open, friendly church." Invariably this is the perspective of an "insider" who feels both needed and included. But what about testing that response with the visitors who came to a service once or twice but never returned? Or those who joined the church and within one year became inactive? And what about those former members who changed churches even though they had not changed residence?
Every church has to face the realities of inclusiveness and exclusiveness. Factors which give a church a sense of identity, direction and cohesiveness-like nationality or ethnic language, social class, common theology, kinfolk ties, the personality of a church leader, church programs, congregational lifestyle, and so on-are the same factors which can cause potential members to feel excluded. In fact, the stronger the inclusive and cohesive factors, the more likely the average newcomer will not feel welcomed
IHow does our church bridge the gap between "pioneers" and "settlers"?
There are several differences between these two groups . Pio-
neers (older members) may have joined the church originally for a variety of reasons, but they have remained members because they have built deep relationships with the people of the church and with that particular sacred place.
Settlers (new members), on the other hand, do not have that sense of history or relational experience. They tend to join a church because it offers a meaningful response to personal and family needs Furthermore, young newcomers tend to be more future oriented and thus are more open to innovation and new ideas. Older, long-term members tend to perpetuate the status quo and protect the institution.
The implications of these differences are significant. For example, do long-term members view newcomers as threats or as assets? Since new members tend to be enthusiastic about the church and more future oriented, are we making room for these people on our evangelism committees and other policy-making boards?
IIs my church a "Winnebago" or "Volkswagen" church?
Church growth specialist Ray Sells uses those metaphors to differentiate between a single-cell and a multi-cell congregation. He says the small, single-cell church is like a Winnebago: one large family where everyone belongs and all ride together. There are no strangers aboard. Everyone is a full partner in the journey.
Churches with larger memberships are usually multi-cell congregationstoo large to board one Winnebago. Instead, several smaller groups-Volkswagens-serve as the vehicle for fellowship and belonging. These groups can hold only a certain number of people and, like Volkswagens on the highway, members wave as they pass each other but they feel no compelling reason to know every person in every group
Winnebago churches face serious obstacles in absorbing new people
because they place a high premium on "knowing everyone" or "knowing about everyone." Winnebago churches can assimilate replacement members to take the place of members who move away, drop out or die, but rarely are they able to grow.
On the other hand, a Volkswagen (multi-cell) structure allows for greater growth while giving each believer the opportunity to have meaningful relationships with many people even though they will not know everyone in the entire congregation. Volkswagen churches have more potential for growth than do Winnebago churches.
IIs our evangelism strategy warmly relational and does it have a strong nurture system?
We tend to avoid salespeople who do not stand behind the merchandise they sell. The same principle applies to the church. If the church sees evangelism as a process of communicating certain facts and theology without emphasizing significant relationships, dialogue and exposure to Christian people, you can expect dropouts.
According to church growth specialists Charles and Win Am, dropouts are created when a church's evangelistic process includes the following emphases: (1) a focus on "decision making" instead of "disciple making;" (2) a call for response during the first presentation of the gospel; and (3) a gospel presentation that does not build relationships with the local church, its programs and its ministry
The above factors help us understand, for instance, why a follow-up study of the much-lauded "Here's Life" campaign of several years ago revealed that 97 out of every 100 "decisions" were never incorporated into the church. It is clear that when the events leading to a non-ChristIan's profession of faith occur outside of any relationship with people of the local church, the perceived need for involvement in the church is low . Without caring relationships with
people within the church, newcomers find the path to full assimilation to be rugged and steep.
In the light of these questions, what can be done? If the church is to close the backdoor, every member will have to assume greater responsibility both for the problem and the solution.
What we can do
A commitment to these six priorities will enable your church integrate new people in your church.
1. Personal friendships.
If new members do not immediately develop meaningful friendships in the church, their only options are to continue their old friendships or to build new relationships outside the church. Each church member must work at two levels: being friendly and extending friendship. Why not make a point of talking with two or three new people after church on Sunday instead of huddling with familiar friends? In addition to family and regular guests, how about including new members around your dinner table several times a month? Who among us will develop an eye and a heart for newcomers in the church that goes beyond the welcoming committee and foyer conversation?
As a church body, planning friendship-building events is another helpful idea. Such events (which would include food, music, laughter, informal fellowship and some structured activity) provide opportunities for non-Christians and new Christians to be exposed to a variety of established believers. It becomes both a good evangelism strategy and an excellent way to expand the friendship circle of new members.
2. calculated commitment.
The church must raise its expectations of new and established members. This implies a clear articulation of the church's history, theology, philosophy of ministry, vision and involvement in the world Whether
this information is provided through church membership classes or covenant renewal services, people oUght to be challenged to make a calculated commitment to the church. Commitment without adequate information is unrealistic
3. Expanding group life.
New members can be incorporated more easily through involvement in small groups than through large Sunday morning worship experiences. How many face-to-face groups does your church have for each 100 members? What percentage of your congregation regularly participates in such a group?
One church-growth strategist suggests there oUght to be six or seven relational groups-places where
Why not make a point of talking with two or three new people after church on Sunday instead of huddling with familiar friends?
friendships are built-for every 100 members. These different and overlapping groups could include choirs, Sunday school classes, church boards, youth groups, social functions, home Bible studies, women's groups and ministry committees.
It is important that these groups contain a mix of new and long-time members. Because a group tends to reach a saturation point between the ninth and 18th month after formation and no longer assimilates new people, new groups must be formed on a continuing basis. Of every five relational groups in your church, how many have been started in the past two years? If the answer is zero, it is a good indication that new members are not being incorporated into your church family.
4. Meaningful involvement.
"I know I'm wanted when I know I'm needed" is the common sentiment of most new members. Commitment grows by involvement. The more quickly a church can respond to new persons by opening up service opportunities, the sooner new members will feel a part of the family.
Since a common cry in churches is the need for workers, one would expect that new members would easily find a place for significant ministry. That is not true because (1) most of the tasks in the church are performed by a few people who take on several tasks; (2) most churches are not prepared to create enough new tasks beyond the four walls of the church, so new members-those with the greatest zeal and likely the most nonchurched contacts-remain unmobilized; and (3) qualification for church boards is frequently linked to tenure of church membership.
What task, role or group opportunities are available to new members in your church? How many of your present board and committee members have joined the church within the past two years?
5. Congregational bonding.
Frequently new members are successfully assimilated in a church through a sequence of commitment (or bonding): first to the pastor, then to a small group and finally to the whole congregation. But when that sequence is not carried beyond the . first stage it is predictable that when the pastor moves away, so will a large number of new members.
Three things are important if a church is to maximize the pastorgroup-congregation bonding sequence: (1) long-term pastorates; (2) adequate pastoral staff to care for needs (a ratio of one staff person for every 150 members is a good guide); and (3) pastors who have a vision for the bonding sequence, the time and skill to facilitate it, are personally secure enough to rejoice in the transfer from pastor to group, can organize face -toface groups with new members, and
enjoy building relationships with strangers.
How is the sequence working in your congregation?
6. Keep track of new members. Churches need to develop a system for absorbing new members and assessing traffic patterns of new people. One church has placed the primary responsibility for monitoring new members into the hands of a membership committee. The committee regnlarlyevaluates the progress of new members in such areas as worship attendance, task involvement, smallgroup membership and participation in orientation classes.
Another church has developed a strong shepherding system in which small groups meet weekly for study, sharing, prayer and encouragement. Attendance is not required, but 90 percent of the new adult members of this church belong to a group. The" groups help new members build friendships and expose them to longtime members .
Win Arn has said that within one year every new member of a church becomes one of three things: (1) a member of some group; (2) a participant on some board or committee; or (3) inactive. In what category our new members will find themselves in the next year will be determined by our commitment to deal with the backdoor syndrome.
In the battle for world evangelization it is not enough to win people to Christ. Jesus said: "Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded." This means closing the backdoor. This means making disciples in the context of the local church. tf2
Henry Schmidt is president of the MB Biblical Seminary, Presno, calif. We first published this article In 1985.
ALOVE CHAPTER
From the first epistle to the Corinthians, according to Vincent Twothousand*
ANO NOW I WILL SHOW YOU the most productive remedial way for Mennonite Brethren
If I speak about the evils in our nation, like banning prayer in public schools, but do not make assimilating new people into my church a priority, I am a waste.
If I have the gift to be so disciplined that I read the Bible and pray for 30 minutes every day, and tell of my great pious insights in between humbly confessing, "I am still not trying hard enough to be spirituai," I am a zero
If I clean out my closet and anonymously pass my seldom-worn clothes into the unattended box at the thrift store , send donations to the right causes without wanting recognition, and sign the dead-guy-donor line on my driver ' s license-but do not show people my concern face to face, then I have no face
Love is patient Love seeks out people It shows new people that it is thrilled, fascinated, and respectful of their lives. It does not boast of personal achieve- #ments, or subordinate spending time with them to spending time with life-long friends
Love constantly looks for new friends, searches for ways to affiliate with people who need affiliation with God's people. Love values people as people, not as evangelism projects the week before VBS
Where there is good inductive Bible study, it will end. Where people figure out life from the perspective of little intimate groups, this too will die Thank goodness!
When Jesus returns he will show us perfect assimilation of people, people who are new to me or different from me When I was a kid, I was not sensitive to people who were new or different. I did not want any more friends. I liked my little group I made decisions that caused busyness in my life so when I thought about inviting a new person to my house, I could easily dismiss the thought. But you see, I did not own responsibility for my decisions Now, Jesus has given me a more mature way of looking at people.
I do three things: I study the Bible, run with people I know, and I assimilate newcomers. And the best way to devote my time for God's kingdom is to assimilate newcomers .
*Vincent Twothousand is a pseudonym for a Mennonite Brethren living on the West Coast.
WHYI lIEIFi THE eJHIUleJHI
The good newsmembers who are inactive don't have to be lost to the church forever.
By Marilyn D. Brenden
T WAS A HOT AUGUST NIGHT. HIGH humidity, the whir of the window fan, and the distant laughter of drunken bar patrons blocked my sleep. I hadn't wanted to move. I hated my new apartment. Now, I feared I'd never be able to rest in this place. When the alarm went off the
next morning, I decided to ignore it. After all, who would really miss me at church if I stayed home?
The decision seemed innocent enough. I hadn't missed many Sun· days in the nine years since I became a Christian. What difference could one day make?
The next Sunday I again ignored the alarm, and by the third Sunday I knew exactly what was happening. I was leaving the church.
For the past few years, I'd felt increasing pain, loneliness and anger toward God. But I hadn't realized how strong these feelings had become, because I'd held them inside, denying them.
Four years earlier, I'd had a close brush with violence. Terrifying anxiety attacks followed. Then, less than a month later, a family member became seriously ill.
I grew dependent on medication to relieve stress. I wanted to turn to someone for help, but who? One thing was clear-I wasn't getting support from my church As a single
young adult, I felt isolated in the congregation. Many other people in their twenties and thirties had left.
My loneliness and disillusionment grew when a friend died in a car accident, just as he was beginning his studies for the ministry. If this was how God treated his friends, how could I trust him not to abandon me at my point of need?
But the final blow came when I was forced to move from the house I'd been renting. Compared to the losses I had suffered earlier, this may seem like a flimsy reason to leave the church. Yet for a disillusioned member, a symbolic loss is often the final straw.
Years later I learned that my father's decades of absence from the church began with a similar event. During the Depression, his parents almost lost their farm . In this case, the church played a direct and negative role. The congregation fell heir to the mortgage and called for immediate payment in full. No one ever talked about the experience again, yet
FINDERS & KEEPERS
somehow my heart was sensitized to the pain of being uprooted.
While loss and anger were the forces that took me out of the church, it was shame that made me continue to stay away. I'd failed to live up to my own standards of faith. I thought that the members of my congregation would look down on me for having abandoned my beliefs.
Yet the very people whose caring I questioned made it possible for me to return to the church.
I'd been inactive for nearly two years when my aunt celebrated her 80th birthday. The party was held at my church.
I dreaded talking to other members after so long an absence, so I tried to avoid most of the people I saw. But a couple who had once been close friends of mine came right up to me. Not only were they delighted to see me, they invited me to their house. Over a meal a few weeks later, they simply listened as I brought them up to date about the past two years.
Soon I was enrolled in a self-image improvement course. At first I was irked by the instructor's prayers and the unexpected emphasis on Christ. But after three sessions, I became aware of the spiritual void in my life
I wanted to return to faith and the church, yet I felt afraid and powerless
to make a fresh start on my own. I prayed for God's help, and a week later the new pastor of my church came to call. He listened patiently as I described my pain, then he invited me to return. Going back wasn't easy, but with his encouragement I found the courage to begin again.
Members who become inactive, as I did, do not have to be lost to the church forever. The most effective way to reach out to people who have left the church-or are thinking about leaving-is to remember advice you probably learned as a child: stop, look, and listen.
• STOP. Give up traditional approaches that have proved ineffective. Stop sending stern letters threatening to remove inactives from membership if they fail to return by a certain date. Stop making perfunctory visits only to pressure them to return. Stop sending them fund-raising letters or visiting them only when the congregation is conducting a stewardship campaign.
• LOOK. Learn to recognize when members are moving toward inactivity. Try to reach out to them before they leave.
In the book Reopening the Back Door (Tebunah Ministries, 1992), Kenneth C. Haugk points to half a dozen signs of "pre-inactive" behavior.
These include: negative talk about the church; leaving after church events without greeting other members; and dropping out of activities the person normally would take part in. Other signs are: reduced financial giving; expressions of pain; and reduced dependability in carrying out church responsibilities.
A cluster of these behaviors suggests that a person is disengaging from church.
It's important to notice quickly when someone stops attending Inactive members who receive care within 6-8 weeks of their initial absence are very apt to return. Those who are overlooked early are much less likely to come back
• LISTEN. Be ready to hear the pain an inactive member is carrying. Don't focus on persuading him or her to return to church. Instead, show your love and compassion. Work to build a relationship of trust.
Effective listening doesn't just happen-it has to be learned. Training can help you master the appropriate skills.
Caring members - together with God's grace- can unlock the door to people who have left the church. 62
Marilyn Brenden Is a free -lance writer from Silverton, Ore.
FINDERS & KEEPERS
.As a young adult, Karen has made a crucial decision . She decided against a faithful Christian life of what she perceives as social loneliness and sexual frustration. Instead, she opted for a life of impurity and compromise for the sake of companionship-regardless of the quality or cost.
Karen has left the church and her Christian friends She chose the route of singles bars and lousy night spots in order to meet guys-any guys . She is living with a man she met this way, but they are not married.
The story of Karen is true, though her name is not Karen Her family is not Mennonite Brethren, but it could be. Her story is not unfamiliar in our families and churches and on our college campuses But why do young people leave the church and seemingly reject their faith in Jesus Christ? And what can we, the families and churches who love them and grieve for them, do about it?
For his new book, Why Christian Kids Leave the Faith, evangelical church leader Tom Bisset interviewed Karen and many "dropouts" like her. He discovered four primary reasons young people leave the Christian faith :
• They have troubling questions that remain unanswered. Some young people feel they can't get satisfactory answers to their questions. Others say they feel rejected or put down even for asking "dangerous" questions.
• They feel their faith is not working Many people feel their faim lacks real meaning and they are not experiencing the peace and joy they are told they should be experiencing. So why hang in there?
• They become distracted by things that draw them away from Jesus Christ. Common distractions include business successes (or failures), pleasure, materialism and ungodly relationships.
• They have never personally "owned" their faith in Jesus Christ. Bisset relates the story of an evangelist's son who, for a time, did everything to help his father's ministry. Eventually, though, the son rebelled and walked away from it all . Why? Because his whole life was controlled by his father, including an arranged marriage (which failed, not surprisingly). To a greater or lesser extent, many parents try to dictate the spiritual development and involvement of their children.
Bisset found several lesser factors, too, some of which are related to the four primary ones Personal appearance, personality, tragedies, church conflicts and division, sexual
orientation, home life crises-all can serve as triggers , separately or in combination with each other, to draw youth away from the faith
We need to keep in mind that between the ages of 13 and 24, young people pass through the most critical stage of their development in determining the direction of their faith Some evidence indicates that the college years (whether the person is in college or not) of ages 18 through 22 are the most critical years of all . From 30 years of experience in working with young people in church and college settings, I would certainly confirm that
Keep in mind also that these patterns of rejection do not excuse young people from the faith decisions they make lTItimately, they and only they can decide for or against Jesus Christ. Still, families and churches can gain a lot by understanding more clearly why young people choose to grow in Christ or to walk away
So, what can we do to negate the influences which draw our kids from Christ? Here are some positive responses to those four primary reasons young people leave the faith
• FACING HARD QUESTIONS
1. Be open• .Ask our young people questions and then listen to their responses. Invite questions At the very least, we must not put down the tough questions they ask. "Is there really a God?" or "Why should I follow Jesus?" or "Why do I have to miss all the fun in life?"these are all legitimate questions You probably asked many of them when you were young, though they may have been repressed.
2. Be practical. Let ' s talk openly about what's really best for u s as h u man beings and why Talk practically about why a Christian lifestyle is superior to one that ignores God and his precepts Don't make Jesus sound abstract, negative or judgmental.
3. Encourage exploratio n. We can acknowledge the existence of tough questions by referring to books like Tony Campolo's 20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch. Don't be too quick to oversimplify answers. When you're not sure how to respond to a question, admit it-and then search together for a response
4. Interact with media. To spark dialog about life's hard questions, take in seminars, plays, selected movies and television showswith the kids Use those occasions to talk about the choices characters make, whether healthy or unhealthy, and why they were made
Some evidence indicates that the college years (whether the person is in college or not) o/ages 18 through 22 are the most critical years o/all.
S. Find young-adult models. Another suggestion is to put children in contact with thinking friends, especially young "model" adults. These friends not only exemplify positive Christian values, but can become confidants with your children when the generation gap strains your communication lines. Use the larger family of faith to enhance your own.
6. Think about college. I would be remiss if I didn't add that parents should think hard about the place of a Christian college and Chris-
tian mentors in the lives of their young person. Remember, it is during the college years when young people struggle with the most difficult questions and make life's most crucial decisions about their futures.
• NIEANINGFUL FAITH
1. Be real. Once again, honesty and openness are key. Don't try to fake a vibrant spirituality. A thin veneer of holiness is a turn-off, especially for young people who are already skeptical.
2. Model Jesus's love. Make your love obvious by the choices and priorities you set for your own life - the good deeds, kindness, patience, gentleness, understanding, acceptance and forgiveness that you exhibit from day to day. When backed up with a reasonably consistent lifestyle, love carries a real punch. Without the lifestyle, claims of love are perceived as selfish manipulation.
3. Turn faith into action. Faith that's just church talk isn't very convincing, especially to the skeptic. But a lifestyle of caring service has great depth and clearly gives satisfaction beyond shallow self-centeredness.
For example, following a fire that destroyed a home in my community, a mother and her young child worked together to gather clothes for the victims. In the process, the child asked her mother: "Are we doing what Jesus told us to do?" That's a case of a lesson being taught and caught.
4. Think about college. Again, I would challenge our parents to think seriously about our Mennonite Brethren colleges At both Fresno Pacific and Tabor, students are continually challenged to make their faith real through service projects and person-to-person ministries. The effect of a hands-on faith can be life-changing
• HANDLING DISTRACTIONS
How do we handle distractions like drugs, sexual promiscuity, materialism and peer pressure? What about sports, gangs, music lessons and part-time jobs? Obviously, some of these choices are much better than others, but what if faith is in danger of getting buried? What can we do?
1. Encourage positive alternatives. We can guide our children into safe havens like Young Life and the local MBY group for regular support from Christian friends and guidance
and teaching from trusted leaders.
2. Provide a "safe" home. Make your home a safe haven for Christian friends to gather. Home must be a place of openness, unconditionallove, doing things together, talking about important ideas and building self-esteem.
3. Make home a place of learning. Studying the Bible, learning about who God is, what God says and what God expects-all these contribute to the intellectual development of your child's faith life. Teach about the church and about important people, past and present. Have good books around.
4. Model a balanced life. If home is dominated by the television set or by a non-stop rush of activity, perhaps we're setting up our young people to bury faith with distractions. Take time for relationships, refreshment and solitude.
5. Think about college. When secular universities are known to be hotbeds of sexual promiscuity, drug abuse and negative peer pressure, do we really want that environment for our children during their crucial years? At Christian colleges like Fresno Pacific and Tabor, providing opportunities for positive spiritual and emotional development is at the heart of our mission.
• OWNING THE FAITH
What if faith is never fully owned? How can we reduce the danger of our children developing a shallow and superficial faith?
1. Discuss important questions. An authentic relationship with Christ requireS that Jesus Christ be part of one's answer to questions like:
• What kind ofperson do I want to be?
• What Is most important to me?
• How do my deetsions match what I say?
These questions show the importance of letting young people make choices, even if some of those choices are poor ones. That is exactly what real life and faith are like. Teach and model the faith you believe in. Then take initiative to discuss it with your adolescents and young adults.
2. Give freedom for important choices. Ufe isn't real without practice in making decisions. As parents who care, we feel vulnerable if we allow our children to decide about their own welfare. That is an appropriate feelingand certainly parents must set some limits . But don't underestimate the value of allowing them to participate in the process
One case in pOint. Many evangelical church families in our time struggle with whether to allow their child to decide about attending school dances. Rather than deciding for them, I would suggest that the young person should certainly be a participant in such a family decision-making process. Remember, an authentic faith is at stake.
3. Make sure responsibility accompanies freedom. Our college staff counselors often find that some forms of recurring irresponsible student behavior are accompanied by parents who defend their children and thus exempt the children from taking personal responsibility.
As parents we must stand firm against ungodliness and rebellion and we cannot carry the responsibility of our adolescent and youngadult children. We must tell our kids they are responsible for their decisions and then make sure they live with the consequences.
When our efforts don't bear fruit
Our challenge is to teach, model, motivate, cajole and stimulate our young people in the life of faith. We simply cannot force it, impose it or carry it for them. Their faith has to be their own and they must understand that they are clearly responsible (or the decisions they make .
This is no easy task. Even doing our very best to implement these suggestions does not guarantee our children will embrace faith in Jesus Christ. For those parents who have done their best but are disappointed in the results, I offer a few reminders:
• Most young people who appear to walk away from their faith return to it later in life.
• We all experience failure, and the life and teaching of Jesus certainly emphasizes forgiveness-both for our children and for ourselves.
• If you struggle with guilt over a rejecting child, remember that each person is ultimately responsible for his or her own decision. Each of us accepts or rejects Jesus Christ and is responsible for that decision.
• Remember, Jesus loves and cares for each one of his children. He loves them and pursues them. Most will respond some day.
At the core of parenting is the promise that God's love is adequate for all our needs. Each one of us, together, plays an important role in guiding the faith-life of our young people. By God's grace, the family, congregation and Chris· tian college are all situated and equipped to minister together to the needs of our precious children. ef2.
Our challenge is to teach, motivate, cajole and stimulate our young people in the life of faith. We simply cannot force it, impose it or carry itfor them.
FOR FURTHER STUDY 81 HELP
• Bisset. Tom. Why Christian Kids Leave the Faith (Thomas Nelson, 1993).
• Fischer, John True Believers DMi't Ask Why 1989).
• Graham, Ruth Bell. Prodigals and Those Who Love Them (Focus on the Family, 1991 ).
• Steele, Les. On the Way: A Practical Theology of Christian Formation (Baker, 1991)
Lee Balzer is the president o/Tabor College In Hillsboro, Kan.
Why I go to prayer meeting
I'M A BUSY PERSON. I have many things to do and often complain because I can't get them all done in the time available to me. So, when someone asked me why I spend all that time preparing for and attending prayer meetings at our church, I had to think about it.
After all, I pray at home every clay often, even. My wife and I begin each day with devotions and prayer. Whenever something unusual comes along during the day, I pray about it.
But really, my discipline at prayer is not that great. Frankly, I need someone to encourage me to pray-really pray-about certain concerns. It isn't easy for me to do this alone, or even when my wife and I are together. We need others around us to stimulate and encourage us, and to remind us of the prayers that need to be prayed.
At times I wonder why I should pray because so little seems to happen when I do. Sometimes I think of prayer as a nice pastime with good friends. But then I remember the examples of prayer in the life of Jesus, the patriarchs, the apostles, and the many people whose prayers are recorded in the Scriptures. People worked hard at prayer and prayers were answered-buildings shook and other marvelous things happened.
Jesus commanded his followers to pray. His command implies that some good things won't happen unless we do.
So, suddenly, I have many more reasons to go to prayer meetings ....
I may not be a pastor, so I don't preach and cause people to make mighty changes in their lives. I don't visit all those people who wait for the pastor to come to comfort them. I don't attend all those meetings where
Forum is a column of opinion and comment on contemporary issues facing the Mennonite Brethren Church. Manuscripts expressing an opinion for Forum should aim for a length of 800 words. Authors must sign articles, identify their church membership and vocation, and include a clear photo of themselves.
BY WILMER THIESSEN
jesus commanded his followers to pray. His command implies that some good things won't happen unless we do. "
the pastor influences the outcome of many great ideas. I may not be a pastor and do the tasks he does, but I can pray for my pastor, so he can be more powerful and effective in his ministry. My prayers can actually empower him to be great when otherwise he might not be
I may not be an elder, so I'm not involved in the discussions that govern the work of my congregation. I don't sit in on those meetings where the doctrinal decisions are made. I'm less likely to be on the front line contending for the faith. It isn't my place to be there when they counsel the suffering saint or correct the erring one. I may not be an elder, but I can pray for the elders of my church to make them wise and strong in their work.
I may not be a musician, so I can't be counted on to inspire the congregation with my voice. But I can pray for the choir leader so that the morning service will resound with the wonderful spirit-filled music of the soul. I may not be a musiCian, so I can't offer to play the piano or the organ or any other instrument. But I can pray for those who are gifted and serve the church with their musical talents. I may not be a musician, but I can pray for those who are.
I may not be a teacher, so I'm not the one who inspires people with the deep truths of the Scripture from week to week. My Sunday school class doesn't depend on me to teach the facts of the Bible. I'm not the one to lead adults on Wednesday nightsor the AWANA, the MBY or other youth groups. I may not be a teacher, but I know many people who are and I can pray for them.
I may not be business minded, so I
may not be asked to work with the trustees. I can't volunteer to do the accounting. I don't have what it takes to raise funds for certain projects. I may not be business minded, but I can pray for those who are. I can pray for the trustees, the treasurer, the accountant-that they might be the most efficient business people ever.
I may not have the skills to be an office worker, so I won't be on the church staff. I can't run a computer or even the copying machine. I may not be an office worker, but I can pray for those who are, that they can be effective in their supporting role.
I may not have been appointed to any of those positions, but I have a high calling to one job: to pray for those who are. And this task does not come naturally for me. The discipline of prayer challenges me. But then I know all the other jobs listed above carry their own set of challenges too. Not one of them is easy.
But the prayers of a righteous person accomplish much I have been appointed to do this work of prayer, and the One who has appointed me has promised to compensate me when he comes back to complete the work. I look forward to that.
Won't you join me in this effort? You probably have opportunities for corporate prayer in your congregation too. The group here meets every Wednesday night, and we tackle some weighty projects that span the globe. We could use your help. fS2
In addition to various civic involvements, Wilmer Thiessen sells property insurance and helps run a familyowned bookstore. He attends the Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan.
High (comedy) finance
ONE REASON SAVING money is so hard, I've found, is because spending money is so easy. With easy credit, I can spend all my money before I even earn it. It's like being a kid again. "When I get paid for weeding," I used to think to myself, "I'm gonna buy two Tootsie Roll Pops and a comic book. Or maybe three Tootsie Roll Pops, one for each hand."
So I was lousy at math as a kid. But I don't think I've gotten much better as an adult. I still like to spend my money before I earn it. "When I get paid for this article," I think, "I'm going to buy two books and a software program. Or maybe three books, one for each eye. "
Of course, I'm smart enough (or maybe dumb enough) to know I don't have to wait until I get paid. Not in a culture where "Charge!" isn't a call to arms, but a call to the mall.
But I'm not willing to shred my credit cards yet. Except for the times they climb out of my wallet and charge things I don't need without my knowledge, cards can be useful. Like for trips, when carrying cash can be dangerous (meaning, I might spend it all by the second day). Plastic is also great for emergencies, such as when I have to jimmy open the front door when I lock myself out. Or when I'm forced to charge my car repairs in order to drive to work in order to make enough money in order to pay off my car repair charges . See llow credit makes life easier?
One thing that worries me, though, is those computerized card scanners that tap into some mysterious data bank whenever I charge some· thing. Who knows what kind of personal infor· mation those high·tech, laser·shooting cash reg· isters come up with?
Salesperson: Hmm, what have we here?
Me: What? Is there a problem with my card?
Salesperson: No, your purchase is approved, but your cholesterol seems a little high. Are you sure you should have eaten that extra piece of cherry cheesecake last night?
Under these conditions, it's probably wise to limit credit card purchases. Well, I suppose it would also be wise to limit credit card purchas· es in order to not spend money we haven't earned yet But I haven't seen a lot of people lining up to exercise this kind of wisdom.
But there's plenty of other sound money
management advice floating around out there, and if you looked closely at our finances, you would discover that my wife and I haven't taken any of it. But I will tell you a few things we have learned:
1. Always keep a budget. I keep mine right in the front of my file cabinet, so I can regularly see how well I'm not sticking to it.
2. Never purchase big-ticket items without first calculating your "price range." That way you'll know exactly what to go "way beyond."
3. If you write a check, always subtract it from your balance. A certain college student once insisted that she couldn't have been over· drawn, because while she had indeed written a number of checks with a zero balance, she was waiting to subtract them in her ledger until she made a deposit.
4. Try to take advantage of big sales, because like the ads say, "The more you spend, the more you save!" And if you believe that, I'd have a great piece of swampland I'd like to offer
5. The whole idea of "investing" is to make more money. So don't believe your spouse for a second if he says he's going to "invest" in new golf clubs. Buying golf clubs is like stuffing time and money into a paper shred· der.
6. Plan for your retirement. Personally, I plan to buy new golf clubs and shred time into confetti.
7. If you find a flve-dollar bill along the road, don't throw it back. I once did this as a youngster on a family camping trip. Pulling the bill out of a mud puddle, I dropped it right back in and said, "Yucky!" The way my brothers and sisters dove in after it, I must have been righter than I knew.
So then, if you heed these tips, I can tell you most certainly that I have no idea what will happen. Kim and I have been vowing to get better control of our fmances every year since our marriage, and they still seem to confound us at every comer. We put something into save ings, and the transmission falls out of the car. We get debts paid off, and our house's cranky old electrical system decides to take a vacation.
But I suppose that's just the flaky nature of high finance.
Or in our case, high comedy finance. tf2
I suppose it would also be wise to limit credit card purchases in order to not spend money we haven't earned yet. But I haven't seen a lot of people lining up to exercise this kind of wisdom.
Philip Wiebe lives in Salem, Ore.
disabled member. "I want my students to put their learning together with real life situations," she said.
Friesen says her parents' example of caring for people's emotional and spiritual needs also inspired in her a compassionate counselor's heart. Though her undergraduate work was in education she frequently found herself in counseling situations "I did an incredible amount of counseling in the African theological schools, training pastors," she said.
As missionaries, the Friesens would find themselves doing informal counseling, too, as they hosted guests in their home, helping them deal with pastoral issues, parenting and marital concerns
Opportunities to speak in churches also came during their work in Africa. "Sometimes Stan would be invited to speak at a church we'd never been at before and after he would finish they would say, 'Now Mrs. Friesen will bring us a word from the Lord. ,,, She stepped to the pulpit breathing a prayer of thanks for her childhood training in public speaking through 4-H Club and for the opportunities her church had given the youth to prepare and present biblical talks on Sunday evenings. After her first impromptu talk she always came prepared.
Although they don't work together as closely as they did as missionaries or on the pastoral staff, Stan and Delores Friesen are still a ministering team at College Community Church, where he serves as a pastor. "She has a pastor' s heart," said seminary student Joan Martens, "and 1 see her very much complementing her husband in ministry."
Hans Denk said, "No one can truly know Christ unless he follows him in life."
Our tour leaders will tell you what else Hans said.
South America, Mar. 7-24, Cal & Freda Redekop Anabaptist Vision for the 21 st Century, June 20-July 8, Rod Sawatsky, John Ruth, Wilmer Martin European Anabaptist Heritage, Aug 1-18, Cal Redekop & Henry Landes
Lands of the Bible, Sept. 6-20, Ken & Kass Seitz European Fall Harvest, Sept. 22-0ct. 6, Wilmer Martin, John Ruth ,
Box 37 Scottdale, PA 15683 412 887 -5440
Albert Street Waterloo, ON N2L 3S2 800565-0451/519885-2522 (Reg #1567624)
"Tabor has offered me a chance to find out what I believe and who I am."
Friesen is pleased with the opportunities that her seminary position have afforded in adding more pieces to her patchwork of experience. Her role in identifying with the seminary's female students, the many counseling opportunities on and off campus, and invitations to lead retreats and speak at conferences and workshops are among the many ways she joyfully continues to exercise the gifts God has given her.
62
Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, a free-lance writer from Kingsburg, Calif, is a member of the Kingsburg MB Church.
QWhat are the critical issues facing the Mennonite Brethren Church in the coming decade?
AThiS question wasn't submitted by a Leader reader, but was the subject of a lengthy discussion at this year's orientation for new pastors held recently in Fresno, Calif. It seems appropriate to address that question here too.
The orientation drew 25 pastors and spouses from three provinces and two states, plus a half dozen resource persons. Ordinarily, orientation leaders suggest what most of the challenging issues are. But this time the leader of this particular session
depends on your notions about how the church should relate to culture.
Another critical issue is individuality versus community. Our theology says we believe in the interrelatedness of believers. But our culture says individuals should be strong and independent. Shall each congregation go its own way and minimize conference connections?
The trend today definiteiy is against "from-the-top-down" management. Drastic cuts in the budgets of almost every evangelical and also asked the participants for their list.
They didn't hesitate to respond. One person reported near the end of the session that he had heard 19 different ideas. Later, it occurred to me that all those ideas could be organized under two headings: (1) our view of church and culture; and (2) our view of spirituality.
My analysis may be superficial, but I think the bottom line is that we Mennonite Brethren struggle to know how to relate to our society or culture. We want to be biblical, but are
We must accommodate to culture in some ways, but we shouldn't surrender
to it.
mainline
denomination nationwide indicate this cultural swing has had great effect. Do we accommodate (go as far as we can without compromising principle) or do we surrender to that movement in culture that at points seems to be contrary to Scripture?
In preaching, "storytelling" is in vogue. Exposition seems to take second place. Why? The culture says preachers need to be as relevant and entertaining as television.
I think we need to often forced (?) to be pragmatic or practical. Let me offer several examples.
First, we recently revised our Confession of Faith regarding the Lord's Supper to allow non-baptized believers to participate. But we added a footnote recognizing that the New Testament pattern indicates believers were baptized before they participated in communion.
Why do such a seemingly contradictory thing? Because of pragmatics The truth is that two thirds of our congregations were already permitting non-baptized believers to take communion. The issue boiled down to whether we wanted to accommodate to culture or surrender to it. In this instance, I define "accommodation" as a healthy approach. But your view
accommodate to that, but when do we begin compromising? Will we raise a generation of church-goers who will have heard good stories that illustrate biblical truths but wind up not knowing much about Bible content and theology? Your answer depends on your view of the relationship between culture and church. Broken families and dysfunctional people are a challenge in our day. We want to be biblical, but we also want to minister to hurting and broken people. How can we do that if we do not marry and receive into membership those many people who are divorced and remarried? Shall we answer theologically or pragmatically?
My second suggestion is that our response to the critical issues of today
Do you have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference poUcy, or other spiritual issue? Send It to "Inquiring Minds, » c/o Marvin Heln, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.
and tomorrow will depend on our view of spirituality Like many other groups, we struggle with worship styles. Culture favors singing short, catchy choruses and songs. But for some Christians, that style simply smacks of "Hollywood" and the secular world. The "mike-in-mouth" syndrome of worship teams, in some minds, originates in the popular music styles of our day that spring out of our pagan culture. Are we accommodating or surrendering to culture when we follow suit?
I am not saying singing choruses is wrong! Nor do I suggest that repeating songs numerous times in succession is wrong. But where does it originate? I'm confident you will find the source in our contemporary culture So it becomes a matter of relating to culture and our views of spirituality. Shall we major in testimonies or sermons in our services? Shall we raise our hands or sit stiffly in the pew when we sing? Should our worship experiences involve a great deal of emotion or should the emphasis be on intellectual truth? Is it dogmatics or pragmatics?
I'm not suggesting that one is right and the other is wrong. We must accommodate to culture in some ways, but we shouldn't surrender to it. We must be "seeker-sensitive" in worship but we must also recognize down what roads some of our practices may be taking us.
It isn't an "either-or" matter. But somewhere we must find the precarious balance between surrendering and accommodating. Those are critical issues we face in the yea r s t o come. ef2
l\oward \.,. p,rennetnan president
Working together like a family
MEMBERS IN MISSION
• Huntington house parents help extend the circle of Christian community
SOMETIMES THE best thing for a person with needs is a partner, not merely a helper. Huntington House of Fresno, Calif., provides social services to four men with developmental disabilities-two sets of brothers-who live there, enabling them to live as independently as possible in an intentional community.
That community also includes the ]. and Lisa Epp family and John "Bud" Klassen, all of the North Fresno MB Church. They live at the house and serve as partners-peer-counselors and friends-to the four men.
The Epps, who have been at Huntington House since July 1992, function as the community's "parents" and house managers. In addition to their work at the house, Lisa is employed full time, and]. is a full-time student at MB Biblical Seminary and cares for their two children, ages 3 and 5, when not in class.
According to George Harper, volunteer executive director of Central California Mennonite Residential Services which oversees Huntington House, the goal is "to create a community in which no more than 50 percent of the residents are people with developmental disabilities-and
nity," says Harper. "Having Huntington House here makes a statement that people with disabilities should live in the best possible conditions."
The men especially cherish their with Bud Klassen, who models single adult male behavior. On weekends, he takes them to special events, such as motorcycle races and air shows. Reimer all feel an integral part of the community." Huntington House is also affiliated with West Coast Mennonite Central Committee.
Thus, instead of a "home" in which staff come and go every eight hours, Huntington House aims for a true family environment: a spacious home complete with sofas, a baby grand piano, plants and fireplace.
They are very forgiving and accepting people and I wish I could be accompanies Klassen to his basketball games and helps referee. Klassen has also started the men raising rabbits in the back yard.
Says Klassen, "The men can observe my life and hopefully pick out that way.':o
When resident Marvin Reimer arrives home from his job at a Fresno post office and sits down in an easy chair, 3-year-old Caleb Epp runs up and playfully snatches his baseball cap . "Children are a big part of commu-
-Bud Klassen
parts that are good." And he has learned something from them, too. "I've felt affirmed by the fact that they enjoy being around me. They are very forgiving and accepting people and I wish I could be that way "
In addition to Klassen and the Epp family, the men also interact with a "loose" intentional community of about 40 Mennonites a block away, providing a supportive neighborhood environment. When the men walk to the store, they are greeted by people they know.
Klassen has widened their world by introducing the men to his friends . "Most of my personal friends really enjoy communicating with the men," he says "And it goes both ways-the men enjoy it too. They know my friends by name and exactly where they live, although they couldn't tell you how to get there. "
The four men work during the day, two at a sheltered workshop and two at local businesses. They prepare their own breakfasts, pack their lunches, do their own laundry and get around town by bus or bicycle.
"We've seen the men make incredible progress, but it's been hard at times too," says Lisa Epp . "For example, the men's parents were at first hesitant to allow them to go out on
Bud Klassen, left, gently hands a bunny to Lewis Regier from a hutch in the backyard.
bus or bike alone. "
According to J. Epp, one man can go alone to have special lifts put into his shoes and another to the eye doctor to get his glasses fixed. "These seem like little advances, but they aren't little," J. says. "These are new and scary things that they can do now."
Eighty-five to 90 percent of Huntington House's budget comes from state funds and Social Security, the remainder from private individuals.
"If any two words could describe our mission, they are 'community' and 'interdependence,'" Harper says.
"We work like a family, but with self-determination," J . Epp says . "We want the men to gain as much self-sufficiency as pOSSible, but we also want to do things as a family. Sometimes it's hard to build the individual aspects while still building the community aspects-there's a tension there."
"To deny [the residents] self-<letermination is to deny growth," Harper says. "But that brings up the question of whether we can live with choices that don't conform to our expectations or the men ' s parents' expectations "
One example is the men's choice of where to attend church-or to
attend church at all. According to Epp, residents are free to attend a non-Mennonite congregation - Tim Regier goes to the Methodist church his beloved doctor belongs to-but he and the other house parents struggle with the no-church option.
From its beginning in 1987, Huntington House has experienced a serious struggle for acceptance by some of its non-Mennonite neighbors , says John Heyerly, developmental disabilities director for West Coast MCe.
The struggle has frustrated Bud Klassen during his three years at Huntington House. "Outside people who see what is going on at the house for the first time don't always understand," he says. "It is frustrating to communicate with them what the program is all about. I've learned that it just takes time. "
And, with time, acceptance usually comes. According to Heyedy, some neighbors-even some who were vocal opponents initially-have recently stated and demonstrated their appreciation of Huntington House.
In addition to Klassen and the Epps, a number of other Mennonite Brethren are closely associated with the Huntington House program Wilfred Martens , a member of College
CHURCHES SPARED FROM EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE
Alive and mostly well in L.A.
MENNONITE Brethren
churches fared relatively well in the Jan. 17 earthquake which caused enormous damage in parts of the greater Los Angeles Basin.
According to a report from the Council of Anabaptists in Los Angeles (CAL) , IgleSia Discipulos de Cristo, an emerging church in San Fernando , may have sustained the most damage. The report did not detail the extent of the damage , but did say Central Valley hispanics are assisting in relief, coordi-
nated by CAL and Mennonite Disaster Service.
According to Pacific District Conference headquarters, Cristo Es La Respuesta in Arleta reportedly suffered only a few broken windows in the quake. Some members , though, were forced from their homes.
Meanwhile, the City Terrace Bible Church and Iglesia Evangelica Bet-EI , sharing facilities in Los Angeles , survived with "not even a book off the shelves ," City Terrace pastor Louis Samudio reported to the POe.
Community Church (MB) of Clovis, Calif., is board president of Central California Mennonite Residential Services, Inc., the organization that formally oversees the house. David Dickie, vice president, and Carl Loewen, treasurer, are both members of North Fresno. Leland Wiens, secretary, is a member of College Community , and member Lee Hiebert is part of the Bethany Church in Fresno.-MCC release, with Leader staff
SERVICE
Still knee deep in flood damage
• MDS maintains efforts to clean up Mississippi mess
MORE THAN 2,200 Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers have contributed about 6,000 work days to clean up flooded communities in Iowa, Missouri and Illinois.
"That doesn ' t even count the initial clean-up effort or the significant work done in surrounding states; hundreds of people have been helped and some were back in their homes for Christ-
The Living Hope Church in Downey did not sustain significant damage either.
One other Mennonite Brethren conn e ction: A Mission Training Institute immersion tour from MB Biblical Seminary was housed at William Carey University in Pasadena when the quake hit The area was only mildly shaken and the 34 participants continued the tour with only a few traffic delays, according to an MBBS source.
CAL reported to the Mennonite Board of Missions that no members of the 26 CAL churches, or volunteer workers , were hurt None of the churches
reported major damage to members ' homes or church buildings
Mennonite Disaster Service , meanwhile , will respond with volunteers at some point but they may not be able to assist in major ways for at least several weeks " Earthquakes always take longer to respond to because , compared to floods or hurricanes , there's relatively little initial clean-up," says Lowell Detweiler , MDS executive coordinator. Rebuilding must always await engineering studies , assessments of structural damage, permits and other requirements.
"But thousands still live in trailers or other temporary quarters; many people are still debating whether to fix up their homes or rebuild in higher, safer locations," Detweiler adds. "And hundreds of farms are still waiting for help in clean-up, while their owners wonder whether there will be
Alexandria, Mo. None of the 131 families who lived in the town before the flood has returned to their homes.
"This town is by far the worst I have seen; it looks like a war zone," Gingerich says. "Everything is covered with several inches of mud, and homes (many are mobile homes) have shifted off foundations, some resting against trees. "
Gingerich says most of Alexandria's inhabitants are elderly and poor. Many want to reestablish themselves in Alexandria, while some want to relocate. MDS hopes to help both efforts.
litter what was a farmhouse kitchen near Hull, III. Hundreds of farms await clean-up. Gingerich says both skilled and unskilled workers are welcome. "Many of the houses that are salvageable are stripped down and ready for carpenters and skilled labor, but there is also a lot of mud to haul out and yards to clean, " he notes.
a crop in 1994."
While giving deep thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who have assisted MDS effort in the Midwest, Detweiler says significant needs remain. MDS will work at three or four locations during the winter and return to others in the spring.
Marlin Gingerich of Riverside, Iowa, is heading up MDS efforts in
PASTORAL
LETTER
DFL on women: A confession about process, a call to 'respectful solidarity'
The General Conference Board of Faith and Life requested we publish the f0Uowing statement as a "pastoralletter" from the board to the churches. It was written by Gerry Ediger, chair, on behalf Of the board.-Eds
SEVERAL MONTHS HAVE PASSED since we gathered in convention as a General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. We have had opportunity to reflect on the decisions we made together at Winnipeg, Man. For some, post-convention analysis has been strongly focused on our decision regarding gender and congregational leadership. The Board of Faith and Life (BFL) has also reviewed its part in the July convention and has decided to share some of these reflections with the conference at large.
We realize that in rejecting the BFL resolution to allow congregations to call women into senior pastoral leadership roles , convention delegates were acting out of deep and strongly held convictions. The decision was neither simple nor easy. While the resolution was defeated by a decisive majority, it was also clear a significant minority wanted the resolution to pass.
In retrospect, it appears that some actions by the BFL
Detweiler says persons can get the latest word on Midwest volunteer needs by calling the MDS central coordinating office in Hannibal, Mo., at (314) 248-1717.
itself may have contributed to our inability to find a strong consensus on one side of the question or the other For example, some were dismayed that the BFL was not treating the matter of gender and leadership as if it were a fundamental confessional issue . For some , the real issue was how we read and interpret the Bible Some believed we should come to a common biblical conviction on gender and leadership and not allow for local diversity. Others were confused by the suggestion that in this instance congregations should exercise local autonomy while the BFL has also been decrying the erosion of conference solidarity on other issues. The BFL regrets its inability to sponsor a process leading to a clearer sense of resolution on this issue.
The BFL also regrets that the 1981 resolution and its subsequent interpretation have resulted in ambiguity regarding the admissibility of women to senior congregationalleadership roles. Still, one thing is clear. The resolutions of 1981 , 1984 and 1987 all encouraged congregations to expand the role of women in ministry. We wish we could have done more to facilitate the proactive implementation of this conference decision.
Our decision regarding gender and leadership has confirmed several realities. The conference has now decided that women may not be commissioned as leading pastors in Mennonite Brethren congregations. The debate on the convention floor sharpened poSitions and produced hurt and pain among those holding egalitarian convictions Others felt a sense of relief and vindication The result is that unity on the issue of gender and leadership continues to elude us.
Cornstalks
ZAIRE
Humanitarian aid won't solve crisis
• Political change is Zaire's most pressing need
HUMANITARIAN assistance cannot take the place of a political solution in Zaire, Mennonite representatives told U.S. government officials in January.
Several Mennonites were part of a 20-person church-agency delegation invited to meet with U.S. government officials in Washington D.C. Jan 5 to discuss the continuing desperate situation in Zaire.
what resources might enhance their work.
Keith Gingerich of Mennonite Central Committee U S., Washington Office, Richard Derksen of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission and others
told officials that although humanitarian aid is an effective and essential way to help Zaire, it cannot take the place of a political solution. They stressed that no political solution is possible as long as President Mobutu remains in power.
Since seizing power in III•• 1965, Mobutu's corrupt government, supported by the U.S. for many years, has mismanaged Zaire's natural resources and driven the country into bankruptcy. The price offood and other basics has soared beyond the reach of much of the population.
Jennifer Ward, senior director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, called the meeting to learn what private agencies are doing in Zaire, what constraints they face, and Gingerich and Derksen reported
" RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT
SMALL LOANS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
Buy a pig, feed a family
THIS PIG FEEDS our family!" Surely Mrs. Thiet had meant to say,
"Our family feeds this pig ." We were standing by her newly-built pig sty near mounds of chopped banana stalks waiting to be fed to the family hog.
But the young Vietnamese mother explained, "I mean, when we fatten and sell this pig, our family will be able to eat better. "
Over the past 18 months, some 1,000 families in Tam Dao district, including Mrs. Thiet's, have received Mennonite Central Committee loans, ranging from about $20 to $50. Recipients demonstrated good faith by saving $1 or $2 from their meager incomes to obtain the loans.
Mrs. Thiet's $30 loan purchased the small pig and fertilizer for her rice paddy. In six months, she plans to sell her fatted pig and pay back the loan into
obstacles their agencies face as they work, including harassment by security forces, general lawlessness, problems with communication and transportation and the need to work in a survival mode
The delegates repeatedly stressed that relief and development agencies in Zaire work in a highly charged political climate and their work cannot be separated from larger political and public policy issues.
They suggested concrete actions by the international community, such as freezing Mobutu's assets-estimated at
hundreds of millions of dollars-diplomatic sanctions and an arms embargo.
Derksen, who has served with AlMM since 1977 and is currently in Canada on a one-year North American assignment, recounted advice his children gave him before the Washington
the revolving fund With an anticipated $20 profit, Mrs. Thiet will buy rice for her family and a new piglet to fatten.
The Thiets, like most Tam Dao families, live at subsistence levels. They have only one-fourth acre on which to grow rice and a few vegetables. Traditionally, rural Vietnamese banks refused to give production loans to such poor farmers without collateral. Now, with the MCC loan program off to a good start, the local Tam Dao bank has begun giving non-collateral loans.
Mrs. Thiel's original loan was miniscule by North American standards , representing perhaps one restaurant meal for a U.S. family. But this small amount helped draw Mrs. Thiet ' s family into the participatory, community loan program.
A Vietnamese MCC staff person, Dang Ngoc Quang,
administers the loan program. Growing up during the war in the impoverished North Vietnamese countryside instilled in Mr. Quang a commitment to assist his rural compatriots . He has spent hundreds of hours with local farmers, organizing loan groups and teaching bookkeeping and basic accounting skills.
The group's keen enthusiasm has bolstered MCC's hope that the micro-savings and loan program can become truly revolving and sustainable for years into the future, even after MCC is no longer involved in this district.
The Tam Dao familylevel loan program represents a new stage in MCC's work in Vietnam. As the Vietnamese government ' s trust increases, MCC North American and Vietnamese staff are able to work directly with farmers instead of through government agencies.-Earl Martin
meeting: "Tell them [U.S. officials] to stop helping Mobutu and start helping all the kids in Zaire," his 8-year-old said. "And the adults too," added his
In addition to working with Zairian churches in long-term development, MCC and AIMM have sent relief following the pillaging in major cities by Zaire's security forces and the arrival of displaced persons from Shaba, in the southeast, to the Kasai Provinces in south central Zaire.-MC4 AIMM
ABUSE
Hope for victims of family violence
• Hillsboro church to host MCC regional conference
HOPE FOR THE JOURNEY" is the theme for a Mennonite Central Committee regional conference on family violence and sexual abuse. The event, open to survivors of abuse as well as pastors, professionals, caregivers and friends, will be held Apr. 2223 at the Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church.
Carolyn Holderread Heggen, author of Sexual Abuse in Christian Homes and Churches, will be the main speaker. Theatre AKIMBO will present several drama presentations. Workshops on topics related to abuse are scheduled and books on the subject will be available for purchase.
The stated purpose of the conference is to increase awareness of the types of abuse which exist in our society and churches, to increase knowledge about abuse and ways to prevent it, and to bring hope that there can be healing from past abuse.
Prairie View, Inc., of Newton, Kan., will provide continuing education credit for psychologists, social workers, nurses/LHMT, and certified counselors who attend the conference.
On Sunday, Apr. 24, the host congregation will focus morning worship on "Celebration of Hope with Christ's Return." All who attend the conference are invited to join the service.
BODYLIFE
For more information, contact Dana Neff at MCC Central States, P.O. Box 235, North Newton, Kan., 67117, telephone: (316) 283-2720.
. CHURCH NOTES
• Baptism/Membership
WICIHTA, Kan. (First)-Grace Bontrager, Tricia Franz, Myron and Rochelle Funk, Tim and Jane Johnson and Bob and Marsha Richardson were welcomed into membership Jan. 16.
FAIRVIEW, Okla.-Terre Wiens, Terry and Karen Murphy, Michael Cornelsen, Megan Burlison, Kelli Wiens and Travis Kliewer were baptized Jan. 9. Kenneth Eitzen, Rick Wiens and Norma Jean Eitzen were received as members by transfer that day.
• Celebrations
SHAFTER, calif_-Bill and Thelma Lachenmaier celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 25.
HILlSBORO, Kan.-Pete and Alice Ediger marked their 60th wedding anniversary Jan. 16 with a reception at Parkside Homes.
• Ministry
CORN, Okla.-Christian education director and farmer Stacy Reimer traveled to Albania with the Send International organization Jan. 13-29. He was part of a group who taught modern farming techniques to Albanian farmers.
• Proclamation
ULYSSES, Kan.-David Froese, pastor of Westport MB Church of Collinsville, Okla., is the scheduled speaker for a Mid-Winter Bible Conference to be held Feb. 19-20.
NEW HOPE, Minn.-Delbert Wiens, who teaches history, philosophy and humanities at Fresno (Calif.) Pacific College, is the scheduled speaker for a Bible conference Feb. 11-13.
FAIRVIEW, Okla.-Interim pastor Leonard J. Vogt was the speaker for the Week of Revival in Prayer Jan. 2-7.
HILlSBORO, Kan.-Ray Bystrom, assistant professor of pastoral ministries at the MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif., was the guest speaker at a Bible conference held Jan. 30-31.... The local ministerial association and the Tabor College Multicultural Student Union sponsored a communitywide celebration of Martin Luther King's message of racial unity at the church Jan. 23. Pastor Leonard Gray and the Second Baptist Church Choir of Newton, Kan., participated, as well as the Molinas family of Wichita, Kan.
• Teaching/Nurture
HENDERSON, Neb. -A video featuring John Maxwell, titled "God's Master Game
Plan," was shown Jan. 2. Maxwell, senior pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, Calif., is a nationally recognized motivational speaker on topics such as discipleship, recruitment and leadership.
WIClHTA, Kan. (First)-Christian recording artists Steve and Annie Chapman will be featured at an afternoon seminar and evening concert Feb. 12. The seminar "Married Lovers, Married Friends," will show Christian couples how to turn their relationships into lifelong romances. The evening concert will focus on Christian family relationships.
CORN, Okla.-Rod Smith, minister of music at First Baptist Church, Altus, Okla., presented a vocal concert Jan. 15. Smith, a song writer and recording artist, has also hosted a weekly television program, "The Rod Smith Music Special. "
OMAHA, Neb. (Millard Bible)-Senior pastor Leonard Reimer and outreaCh worker Darrell Scott invited children of the church to "Visit the Pastor's Office" recently to help them understand the pastor's job. Participants helped with mailing, typing, filing, cleaning, photocopying and folding bulletins. Corn dogs and chips were served and the kids were rewarded with a new pencil and a pack of Lifesavers.
EDMOND, Okla.-The Southern district Christian education commission presented a workshop at the church Jan. 29.
• Workers
LODI, Calif. (Vinewood Community)Walt Friesen completed more than 20 years of congregational music ministry in December. In 1968, Friesen directed the Christmas choir cantata, leading to the job of sanctuary choir director in 1970. He also directed a men's chorus and the Vinewood Singers. The congregation presented Friesen with a gift of appreciation for his "service.
BUHLER, Kan.-The congregation designated Jan. 9 as "transition" Sunday. Brent Warkentin, who until recently served as associate pastor, was installed as senior pastor during the morning service. That evening, the congregation celebrated the ministry of Nick Rempel, former senior pastor who is now taking the role of associate pastor, and Jim Bartel, current music minister. A refreshment time followed the evening service.
CIMARRON, Kan. (Valleyview Bible)Marlin Hiett and his wife, Michelle, have accepted a call to serve as the senior pastoral couple, beginning sometime this spring. Hiett is currently associate pastor of the Kingsburg (Calif.) MB Church.
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (Garden Valley)Steve Prieb and wife Ruth have been
Questions of vision
LAST ISSUE I WROTE in this space about the plan to make church planting and renewal the priority of the Mennonite Brethren in the United States. Called "Mission 2000" by some and "Vision 2000" by others, the plan hatched in Los Angeles by conference leaders in December seeks to marshall all the resources available to U.S. Mennonite Brethren in order to renew the church and to build the kingdom of God.
While Mission USA looks good on paper, several important questions need to be raised about it. Perhaps this one is the most significant: Does all this emphasis on evangelism and church planting really distract us from the more important concerns of revival and holiness? In our planning and processing, are we neglecting weightier matters, matters that come by the action of the Holy Spirit? One author has pointed out that after emphasizing evangelism for so many years, Mennonite Brethren still have not increased much in number because we have focused on the 'wrong thing-numerical growth instead of spiritual maturity.
The question should not be posed in terms of either/or, but more along the lines of both/and. Clearly, revival cannot be orchestrated. It comes by action of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, too, holy living must become our objective To expect God to bless his church with growth while those who claim to be his people do not live lives of holiness is foolish. Any leader of our denomination should never overlook these things.
Furthermore, revival and a holy lifestyle cannot be assumed as given, thus allowing us to go to other kinds of grandiose plans . Specific attention must be focused on praying for the movement of the Spirit among us, and humbling ourselves so that his movement might begin.
At the same time, when we read the Great Commission, it seems reasonable to ask, "How do we make disciples as Jesus commanded?" Our plan called Mission USA is a plan to make disciples, a plan to make every Mennonite Brethren church in our country a discipling center. Our prayer is that this will not be a plan devoid of the action of God's Spirit, but energized by him and by our holiness of character.
There's another question raised about Mission USA: "How will this be different from past efforts?" The unspoken word here is "fIZzled," as in, "How will this be different from past jiz-
zled efforts?" Those old enough to remember those efforts may recall the slogan "Double in a Decade." That plan, designed for the decade beginning in 1965, did not reach a successful conclusion. Is this new idea just another tinkering with the old machinery-an adjustment here, a tune-up there-but basically a more intensified effort from existing entities?
Only time will tell the results of Mission USA, but I'm encouraged by the way our two colleges, the seminary, and district conference leaders have signed on. Since I wasn't present at the start of "Double in a Decade," I don't know the degree of cooperation which was pledged at that time, but the spirit today seems to be one of eagerness and commitment. Even the financial aspects appear to be coming together. I hope the enthusiasm demonstrated so far carries us through the difficult days of change ahead.
Speaking of those days of change, what lies ahead for Mission USA? If this idea of church planting and renewal is to work, what will make it happen? First, it must be explained to the people of the churches. That process is already beginning, as you've been reading in these pages. Any plan of renewal must be owned by all of us. We need to talk about it together.
Second, the plan should be adopted by the delegates at the U.S. convention in Colorado Springs this summer. The wisdom of the brothers and sisters who will gather in Colorado will be essential to determine if the new directions proposed are indeed from the Lord.
By now most of the people living in this country have heard the words "paradigm shift." A paradigm shift is a change from one way of looking at things to an altogether different way of seeing. Many believe that the Mennonite Bre,thren in the U.S. need to make a paradigm shift. Up to now we have operated as a conference without a clearly defined center or set of priorities. Each institution or agency has promoted its own agenda, and cooperation between entities has been low. But now, perhaps, our spirits will be committed to one purpose, the goal of church renewal and church planting, founded on the work of God's Spirit in producing a holy life in us.
If Christ is in this-indeed, if he is at the center-this could be the dawning of a new day. Perhaps we will say, "The best is yet to come."
Does all this emphasis on evangelism and church planting really distract us from the more important concerns of revival and holiness?
Jim Holm is from Reedley, Calif.
New faces in Canada
Two leadership changes have occurred recently within the provincial Mennonite Brethren conferences of Canada:
• Aaron Schmidt resigned as director of church extension for the Ontario Conference to accept a call to be interim pastor of the National Capital Community Church in Ottawa, Ont., effective Nov. 1, 1993.Schntidthad held his provincial position since 1988.
• Nick Dyck has been appointed interim conference minister for the British Columbia MB Conference. He began working on a half-time basis Jan. 1. His primary responsibilities will be administrative; he will also be working toward a personal vision of T,",05£ WHO -n·UN<'rS !-tAPPEN
building a network of prayer support for the conference.
Dyck retired in 1987 after serving 14 years as director of church extension for the B.C. Conference. Since that time he has served interim pastorates in a number of churches and served as a church-growth consultant.
The conference has been without a conference minister since Ed Goertzen left that post at the end of October.
FINDING & KEEPING
A better way to reach youth
THEFOLKS AT Barna Research Group have discovered that the "Socratic" method of evangelism, not impersonal preaching, works best with reaching youth with the gospel. Socratic evangelism means asking probing, thought-provoking questions, just as Jesus did with the Pharisees in Mark 3:1-4 and 11:27-33.
The Barna report says, "Young Americans do not enjoy being preached to, nor are they 'joiners.' They are not likely to respond to altar calls that single them out in crowds_ They tend to build their worldviews quietly, by themselves, one piece at a time, mixing and matching philosophies, ideologies, values and beliefs as they see fit. They are unlikely to find someone else's readymade belief system compelling." (Group Magazine)
T"'O$E W!oiO C.RITICI'%.E wHAT HA?9ENS
WONDER WHAT HAPPEt-IEP
The conference executive hopes to have appointed a full-time replacement by next summer. (MB Herald)
What's in a phrase?
"In the name of Christ" or "A Christian resource for meeting human need. " Which of these phrases should appear on some 265,000 cans of meat that Mennonite Central Committee yearly ships around the world?
The difference between the two phrases can be loaded with significanceboth to people who can the meat and some who receive it. The MCC U.S. executive committee dis-
cussed the issue at a December meeting.
Meat canning committees view their efforts as a direct faith witness. They feel "A Christian resource ... " appears weak and watered down.
"In the name of Christ, " though, disturbs some of MCC's church partners because of historic tensions between Muslims and Christians. Cans sent to Iraq and Egypt in 1993 had labels removed to avoid aggravating tensions between the two religious groups.
MCC's decision? To use the "A Christian resource ... " phrase only on cans destined for countries in which the other label would be offensive. (MCC U.S.)
DID YOU KNOW?
The three largest U.S. district conferences reported the following about sources of membership gains and lossesfor 1992-93:
(420)
(164)
(165)
SOURCE: DIstrict reports
Young people in British Columbia think Mennonite Central Committee is boring, old, too low-key and out of touch, according to a recent survey of Mennonite youth pastors in that province.
"MCC clearly has an image problem," says MCC B.C. executive director Waldo Neufeld, who talked to 14 Fraser Valley pastors. They told Neufeld that the best way for young people to become excited about MCC is through short-term service opportunities.
Neufeld also heard that youth do not feel loyalty to institutions. "Youth have no idea why things like MCC and conferences exist," said one youth pastor.
B.C. views may not prevail everywhere. MCC Manitoba executive director Peter Peters says he finds "a lot of enthusiasm for MCC in rural Manitoba."
(The Mennonite)
A first for Muslims
Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad was sworn in Dec. 3 as the fIrst Muslim chaplain of the u.S. armed forces. He reported for duty Jan. 10. Muhammad, 41, is an Mrican-American associated with the segment of Black Muslims wfo have relinquished black nationalism in favor of a more traditional form of Islam.
According to government statistiCS, 2,500 members of the armed forces identify themselves as Muslim. Since recruits are not required to report their religious affiliation, the fIgure could be higher. Of the
3,150 chaplains now active in the armed forces, Muhammad is the fIrst who is neither Christian nor Jewish. (Christian Century)
Equal protection?
A new advertising campaign designed to promote condom use was unveiled Jan. 4 by the Clinton Administration. The television and radio campaign, aimed at ages 18-25, explicitly promotes condom use.
One television ad shows an animated condom that leaps from a dresser as a couple-whose gender is unclear-is about to engage in sexual activity. The condom charges across the room and under the covers with the couple, while the announcer says, "It would be nice if latex condoms were automatic. But since they're not, using them should be."
The three major television networks have announced different responses to the campaign. CBS will not air the commercials at all, ABC will air the spots after prime time with an added line that abstinence is the best way to avoid AIDS, and NBC will run the spots unedited. (EP)
END QUOTE
"I am convinced that it is Cnlcial for Christian families to plant their roots deep into a local church If they remain shallow in this area of commitment, they will lose out on the support of other Christians when the storms of life hit." -Evangelist Luis Palau, quoted in the MB Herald
FINDING & KEEPING
No hurdle too high? HERE
ARE SOME of the situation s a congregation may face that can place barriers before newcomers - with suggested responses.
1. Large family networks. Relatives often are so busy taking care of family need s, little time remains to con sider the needs of outsiders. Respon se: (1) tactfully alert members of these families to the potential problems; (2) outgrow the family circle with new growth
2. Existing friendships. The fellows hip of churche s known for friendliness and care sometimes can be difficult to crack. Even pulpit statements about friendliness can irritate newcomers. Response: Structure a time for greeting newcomers to share warmth beyond already-established circles.
3. Facilities. The design of building s, especially poor layout of the foyer and other entrances, can be an obstacle . Response: Provide readable si gn s giving clear directions; consider remodeling projects that enhance a sense of connectedness between members and with stage leaders.
4 A church's history. Continual references to past events, leaders and members communicate that a church isn ' t looking ahead. Excessive denominationalism hinders assimilation too Response: Focus on people's need for spiritual help today
4. Special events. Some folks fail to stick because the event that first attracted them is not part of the church's regular diet. Response : People attracted to a church by special events likely will stick only if the kind of ministry that first attracted them is sustained-a difficult undertaking.
5. Philosophy of ministry. Churches that see Sunday morning worship as their primary assimilating tool tend to draw people who align themselves with the pastor, not the congregation Response: Emphasize interaction among members and shared ministry.
6. A reputation of tension. Newcomers quickly pick up strife among members Animosity is a poor advertisement Response : Work at forgiveness and reconciliation.
7. Confusing service styles. Much of what we do in our services, though familiar to members, intimidates visitors. Response : Have the elements of worship-lyrics, Scripture passages, etc -readily accessible to all Excuse guests from participating in the offering.
8. Class and cultural distinctions. While differences shouldn't affect how people interact, they do affect how comfortable outsiders feel when they come into a church. Response: Sensitize insiders to the need to make everyone welcome while recognizing that a church's growth likely will reflect its cultural and social composition.
9. Poor attitudes. They can come from many quarters, but no matter how they are expressed, even if by a few, they freeze newcomers out of the church. Response: Try sensitizing the congregation to newcomers by including them on church committees The interaction between oldtimers and newcomers can be refreshing
From "The Velcro Church" by Calvin C. Ratz, Leadership, Fall 1990.
Help for the struggle
IN mE OcrOBER 1993 issue of Perspectives magazine, writer Kathryn Lindskoog begins an article on Christian joy with two quotations. One is from e.s. Lewis, the great defender of historic Christianity (and the subject of the new movie, "Shadowlands"), and the other from Karl Marx, the father of godless communism. As Lindskoog suggests, both quotations bear careful attention.
Here's the first one: "Union with Christ imparts an inner elevation, comfort in affliction, tranquil reliance, and a heart which opens itself to every-
youth. The college years may be the most critical ones for setting spiritual direction, but for many adult believers the back door of faith is never nailed permanently shut.
Maybe I am the only adult believer who occasionally considers that back door, but I doubt it. More likely I am merely one of the few who is foolish enough to admit it publicly. The church, as a rule, doesn't deal well with members who testify to doubts, questions and vulnerability-the barren landscape of a spiritual wilderness. We'd rather hear of the view from the thing noble and great not for the sake of ambition or desire or fame, but for The college years the sake of Christ. Union with Christ
mountaintop and fertile field. After all, the Christian life is to be victorious and fruitful, isn't it? produces a joy known only to the may be the most simple and childlike heart, united with Christ and through Him with God, a joy which elevates life and makes it more beautiful."
This is the second one: "You know, I think, that I believe in no religion There is absolutely no proof for any of them, and from a philosophical standpoint Christianity is not even the best. All religions, that is, all mythologies to give them their proper name, are merely man's invention-Christ as much as Loki. Primitive man found himself surrounded by all sorts of terrible things he didn't understand [A]nd so Christianity came into being-one mythology among many."
critical ones for setting spiritual
direction, but for ' many adult
believers the back door offaith
is never nailed permantently shut.
Lindskoog then writes that these two statement s were made when Lewis and Marx were still quite young and not so really settled in their beliefs as they sound here. The first statement, you see, was written by Marx and the second by Lewis.
Lindskoog uses the two quotations as a starting point to retrace Lewis's journey from atheistic cynicism to Christian joy. But I find myself pondering the spiritual trek of both men and cOming to an obvious yet disconcerting conclusion: The search for joy and meaning is an unpredictable pilgrimage and certainly a two-way street. While we Christians celebrate the notion that atheists and hell-raisers can be won to the faith through the work of the Holy Spirit, we avoid the truth that believers who appear spiritually well-grounded at one point in their life can also be transformed-by the lure of a more insidious recruiter.
To embrace that truth is to add a note of urgency to the discussion about why Christian kids leave the faith (page 12). But let's not r estrict our attention only to
And so we who struggle-alone, we assume-plaster on the smile of Christian courtesy, nod knowingly at Sunday school wisdom that bypasses our reality, and otherwise pantomime the walk of faith as we are told it should appear.
Unless God quickly and mercifully intervenes, one of two outcomes is inevitable: (1) we keep up the charade long enough that we begin to believe it ' s the best we can expect and so settle for a passionless spiritual routine, or (2) we mutter, "Forget this," and walk away from it all in disgust.
Suffice it to say neither option leads to the abundant life Jesus intended for
us.
I believe with all my heart that God, through the Holy Spirit, is at work in every believer to will and to act according to his good purpose. I believe the Bible is a living and dynamic Word that can lead us to salvation. But if we desire renewal and growth, whether personal or corporate, we also need churches that are communities of openness and honesty, where vulnerability is as legitimate an expression of the Christian experience as is victory, where questions are as welcome as answers, and where people can absorb the warmth of a human hug when God feels distant and cold.
In his firs t book of Christian apologetics, The Problem of Pain , Lew is wrote: "All your life an unattainable ecstasy has hovered just beyond the grasp of your consciousness. The day is coming when you will wake to fmd, beyond all hope, that you have attained it, or else, that it was within your reach and you have lost it forever."
And a community of faith that undergirds the struggle with love , acceptance and forgiveness can make all the difference.-DR
