February 1998

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Developing a ministry in the marketplace / p4

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T'S EASY to compartmentalize our "Sunday life" from our "Monday life." Issues of doctrine and faith we discuss at church sometimes seem so far removed from the gritty realities of our employment. The role of the Holy Spirit seems like a more appropriate topiC for church than the role of our business's tax accountant - even though the latter may be absorbing far more of our immediate attention.

In our lead article, Wally Kroeker tries to strengthen the connection between church and marketplace by encouraging pastors to be bridge builders between the two. How would the church's approach to the work-world change if pastors saw it as their members' most significant opportunity for ministry? Wally, a former editor of this magazine, offers a few provocatIve suggestions.

Following that, Alan Kauffman reminds us of the freeing power of grace. We readily acknowledge the role God's grace plays in our salvation, but we aren't always aware of the role grace plays in our daily walk with God. Here's a teaser from his article: "With the Spirit of God alive and working in us, we are now free to do whatever we want!"

In BodyLife, we have several stories you'll fmd encouraging. In the second installment of a series of congregational proftles we're calling "Churches on the growing edge," Connie Faber tells the remarkable story of the newly named Memorial Road MB Church in Oklahoma City (page 16).

Sometimes building a new facility can rip a church apart.

Here's a-case where it instilled new vision and vigor.

You'll also want to read about our new Mission USA church plant in Phoenix (page 21), an Oklahoma congregation's experience with death and transition (page 22), and a worship ministry that's uniting youth and adults in a rural Kansas community (page 24).

We think you'll be encouraged by these stories. We know we were. -DR

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COMING • FEBRUARY 22, 1998-"Peace Sunday" for U.S. Conference churches.

• MARCH 13-15, 1998-Annual meeting of U.S. Conference boards, Phoenix, Ariz.

• MARCH 15, 1998-First public worship service of Copper Hills Community Church, the new Mission USA church plant in Phoenix, Ariz .

• JULY 17-20, 1998-U.S. Conference biennial convention, LaMirada, Calif.

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1998

VOLUME 61, NUMBER 2

FEATURES

4 When the marketplace becomes ministry The ministry of a church can be revolutionized when pastors and membeers realize that ministry for most people begins "out there" in the workaday world. BY WALLY KROEKER

9 Amazing grace Despite knowing that faith in Christ sets us free, many of us are tempted to use it to control others. We need to hear Paul's message again: We are free indeed! BY ALAN KAUFFMAN

DEPARTMENTS What Readers Say . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12 Ph'lip Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

by Philip Wiebe 13 • Getting the Word

Inquiring Minds ...... . ........ .. ... by Marvin Hein 14 •

How well do we address "service"?

On the Journey..... . .. .

by Rose Buschman 15

• Books that influenced me

BodyLife ....... .. ... . . . .... . ....... . .. . ... . .... 16 • PROFILE: Memorial Road MB Church 16 • Copper Hills is taking root in Phoenix 21 • Tulsa church faces tough transitions 22 • Worship ministry grows in Hillsboro, Kan. 24 • Confession of Faith: Article 4 on 'Evil and Sin' 26 • Floods ravage Peru ... again 28 • Church notes 29 • Deaths 30

Media Matters .....

by Burton Buller 34

• 'The Apostle' looks at faith

Let's Talk About It........ . . . ............ . ....... 35 Editorial ................. .. . .. . . ..... .. .... ... 36 • Investing for the kingdom

EDITOR Don Ratzlaff

ASSISTANT EDITOR Connie Faber

BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Noelle Dickinson, chair; Phil Neufeld, Dalton Reimer, Herb Schroeder, Kathy Heinrichs Wiest MANDATE: 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 members will aspire to be faithful disciples of Christ as understood in the evangelical! Anabaptist theolog ical tradition.

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ART CREDITS: Cover and pages 4-7, Skjold Photographs; pages 9 and 10, CLEO Photography; pages 16-19, Jeanie & Perry Klaassen and Nancy Laverty; pages 22 and 23, Parkside MB Church; pages 24 and 25, leader photos by Sarah Donahue.

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W H EN THE

AR TPLACE BECOMES INISTRY The church can boost its impact by helping members recognize a ministry ((out there" BY WALLY KROEKER N HIS BOOK, THANK GOD, IT'S MONDAY, WILLIAM DIEHL DESCRIBES an unusual church. Above every door leading out is a sign saying "Servant's Entrance." The signs are on the inside, precisely where most buildings would have a sign saying "Exit." The signs bear an important message: the real ministry of the church is not "in here" but "out there."

Diehl goes on to lament that in his 30-year professional career as sales manager for Bethlehem Steel his church never suggested to him that there should be any type of accounting of his onthe-job ministry to others.

"My church has never once offered to improve those skills which could make me a better minister, nor was I ever asked if I needed any kind of support in what I was doing. There has never been an inquiry into the types of ethical decisions I must face, or whether I seek to communicate my faith to my coworkers. I have never been in a congregation where there was any type of public affirmation of a ministry in my career.

In short, I must conclude that my church really doesn't have the least interest in whether or how I minister in my daily work. " Religious language and structures often suggest the work of the church is what goes on within the walls of the meetinghouse. When Christians talk of "lay ministry" they often mean lay involvement in liturgy. Paul Stevens, in Liberating the Laity, says there are two types of lay 4 · THE

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ministers, one in the world and one in the church. He calls these Type A and Type B, or outward and inward laypersons. The outward types are those who see their career as the "church in dispersion." Inward types are essentially voluntary clergy who are more concerned about the "church gathered." Church members get plenty of help with what Stevens calls "come structures" -lay ministry training that teaches members to encourage others to "come and hear" or "come and see." What is also needed, he suggests, is "go structures" which dispatch Christians into the world to be the presence of the kingdom.

This, of course, means more than having a Bible in the lunch kit or witnessing verbally to coworkers. Christians who want to bear Christ's image to a needy world, an image of compassion, justice and redemption, will need more "go structures" to send them confidently into their places of work where they spend the bulk of their waking hours. That's where most Christians actually "confront the powers" (competition, conflict, injustice, to name a few).

This kind of emphasis would, in Stevens's words, help thaw out "the frozen assets of the church," for if we are always focusing inward on a congregational or even denominational program, a large resource is left paralyzed, hanging suspended in a block of ice.

John H. Redekop, writing in Faith Today, says the average worker spends 40 percent of his or her time on the job, and the average Christian spends less than 2 percent of his or her time at church during the working years. Yet the church pours most of its energies and finances into the 2 percent, directing almost nothing at the 40 percent.

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growing "ministry of daily life" movement is calling Christian workers to understand their work as part of mission.

How can Christian educational institutions, including seminaries, encourage this movement?

Seminaries, for instance, strive to equip ministers for local church ministry.

Less clear is the extent to which they also encourage emerging pastors to understand the ministry of the church as something "out there," and not only as the liturgical activity of the congregation within the confines of the church building. By training pastors to equip working folk for "ministry in dispersion, " they can further thaw the assets of the church so that all workers - blue-collar, professional and businesspeople -

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By training pastors to equip working folk for "ministry in dispersion, "they can further thaw the assets of the church so that all workers - blue-collar, professional and businesspeople - see themselves as vital parts of the kingdom thrust. see themselves as vital parts of the kingdom thrust.

While business and the church are not as polarized as they once were, they are not as close as they could be in the common pursuit of kingdom goals. Many clerics still regard the contribution of the business community primarily as a cash cow to fund church programs. Fewer are able to encourage business folk to infuse their world of work with the mind of Christ.

A survey a few years ago showed that businesspeople in general ranked clergy ninth, behind even "no one," when asked whom they consult in making decisions about business (including, presumably, those decisions having to do with ethics).

While serving as business department chair at Eastern Mennonite University, John W. Eby conducted a similar survey and found that only 9.4 percent of the businesspeople in his community would consult their pastors in dealing with financial difficulties. "That says something ah0ut our relationship to the church, " Eby wrote. ··It FF.B

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also says something about the church's relationship to business."

Pastors are often accused of not understanding the role of capital, return on risk, and the pressure of meeting a payroll in a competitive economy. Businesspersons are accused of being individualistic and unsympathetic to persons who cannot make money.

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he reasons for these differences are myriad. One is that pastors and businesspeople often have basic differences in worldview.

Their varying goals are not always equally measurable by the same yardstick (i.e., profit/ loss statements, kingdom values). Pastors may be more comfortable with "process" while businesspersons may be more interested in measurable results.

Pastors with a keen concern for biblical justice may speak the language of "wealth redistribution," while a businessperson with a concern for justice may speak of "wealth creation." A businessperson may disdain the dependency generated by "charity," preferring instead to alleviate

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poverty through the use of "productive capital."

How can pastors be encouraged to feel more comfortable in the world of the workplace, which is often their parishioners' most significant social reality? How can prospective pastors be encouraged to get to know their parishioners in the context of their work? Ministers are often taught how to make hospital visits, but how about workplace visits? Ministers learn liturgies for weddings and funerals; could they also learn liturgies to commission Christian teachers, plumbers, lawyers and business folk?

Affluent business folk are naturally expected to contribute generously to church coffers and to serve on boards of trustees and building committees. But must their contribution stop there?

Many businesspeople do not in fact make their best contribution in the "money areas" of congregationallife. Indeed, many pastors complain that business folk who are reputed to be innovative "risk-takers" in business can be stubbornly conservative when they sit on a church board.

Businesspeople may have other things to offer, such as the ability to evaluate and motivate

Ten ways to support ministry in the workplace

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HERE IS the church on Tuesday? Do our church members view themselves as agents of the kingdom of God where they work?

How can a congregation better affirm and mobilize its pewsitters in ministry within their jobs? Here are 10 ideas for a church to serve its members:

1. Dedicate or commission members from various industries on a given Sunday. One option is to design worship on Labor Day around the responsibilities and positions your members have Monday through Friday.

2. Include intercession and/or thanksgiving for key 6·THE

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industries. Pray for particular difficulties such as a downturn in business, a strike, disaster or a major challenge it might be facing .

3. Clergy should visit members at work. just as they visit the sick. bereaved or homebound. This will enlighten and enrich their counseling and preaching, while affirming members.

4. Study workplace issues in Sunday school. study groups. seminars or evening institutes.

Some could be formed around specific industry groups (educators, managers, government work, health care, law and justice,

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Pastors are often accused of not understanding the role of capital, return on risk, and the pressure of meeting a payroll in a competitive economy. Businesspersons are accused of being individualistic and unsympathetic to persons who cannot make money. staff, coordinate resources and set goals.

On the other hand, some pastors may become so enamored of business that they fall into the "let's be businesslike" syndrome. TItis is often most visible when a congregation's outreach plans become market driven. "Let's give the people what they want" may produce temporary numerical growth but carries the danger of diluting the gospel and turning the church into a religious supermarket. There is often a fine line between

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ manufacturing, retailing, etc.) while others could be around workplace responsibilities (supervision, finance, administration, sales, ethics, philanthropy, management, leadership, etc.).

5. Develop small groups around workplace affinities in industries or responsibilities.

These could meet for breakfast, happy hour, weekends or even within the Sunday school time for prayer, accountability, encouragement, study, case studies and problem solving. Pastors could attend as advisors and learners.

6. Sponsor employment helps - such as a career guidance event, a job hunting and availability bulletin board, a care group for the unemployed or transitioning members, or internships for young people at members' places of work.

7. Feature news about members' work in the church

newsletter or bulletin.

S. Sponsor special events about the workplace and faith development - such as seminars, mini retreats or workshops on various themes about work.

9. Equip the church library or resource center with helps on work and faith connections.

Good books on the subject include The Monday Connection

by William Diehl (Harper Collins, 1993); Liberating the Laity by R. Paul Stevens (InterVarsity Press, 1985) and Faith Dilemmas for Marketplace Christians, by Ben Sprunger, Carol Suter and Wally Kroeker (Herald Press, 1997).

10. Do a sermon series on workplace themes from the Bible. It could be profiles of various people (Lydia in the clothing trade, Daniel, Deborah or Joseph in government, Nehemiah and Ezra in construction) or feature various themes and issues such as

money, power, ethics, witness, management, service, conflict, etc.

We need to help the church function seven days a week. Our members are the delivery system for the kingdom's salt and light.

The recognition and support of the workplace ministry of our people is a challenging and rewarding venture that deserves all the affirmation, understanding and guidance we can muster. • Excerpted from "The Salt and Light Delivery Company, " by Pete Hammond (Nov/Dec. 1995, The Marketplace, Mennonite Economic Development Associates). Hammond directs the Marketplace Division for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship; he is the keynote speaker at Equip '98, a seminar on faith and work sponsored by MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif., March 5-7.

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good church management and selling out to consumer forces, and prospective ministers need enough business savvy to know the difference. Is seminary the place to cultivate this savvy?

Curricula are already crowded at most seminaries, and there are endless add-ons that special interest groups could request. Nonetheless, perhaps room could be found for a seminary course on economics and finance , covering macroeconomic issues as well as congregational and even personal finances.

Equipping the laity is theme of MBBS conference

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HEN HE LEFT his first church after seven years of pastoral ministry, Ray BYstrom scored himself "a 'D' or T" in terms of his contribution to that congregation.

"People repeatedly asked for help in connecting faith to their daily lives," says Bystrom, who left a teaching position at Vancouver's 'Regent College to take his first pastorate in a Canadian Mennonite Brethren church .

"I thought I was doing that, Bystrom but on reflection I realized that I hadn't done a very good job."

He vowed to reverse that at his next church. "In everything I did I tried to find a way to focus on the everyday life of the person in the pew," he says. "In teaching and preaching I tried to find biblical perspectives that would help people at work, school and in the home. I wanted to help people see that they had an important ministry outside the church from Monday to Saturday."

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Pastors can't be expected to become familiar with all the trades and professions in their churches. But they can realize that for most of their members, ministry doesn't end with the Sunday morning benediction. That's really where it begins.

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Wally Kroeker, former editor of the Christian Leader, is now editor of The Marketplace, published by Mennonite Economic Development Associates.

ministry at MB Biblical Seminary According to Pete Hammond, find(MBBS), to organize a March 5-7 coning ways to build bridges between ference for pastors called "Equip '98 what happens on Sunday and what Doing Church Differently: With and happens the rest of the week is high on Through the Laity Where They Live, the agenda for many North American Work and Play."

Christians today. Unfortunately, he The conference features keynote says, the church isn't doing a good job speaker Pete.l=lammor:ld-Qf- Inter.:var-si-- - -Qf GooneGtir:19-tf:le two. "Ninety-nine ty's Marketplace Division. Other speakpercent of the church spends 60 perers include Randy White of InterVarsity, cent of its energy at their places of author of the book Journey to the Cenwork and with family. How well does ter of the City; Wally Kroeker, editor of the kingdom of God connect with work The Marketplace, published by and family today? Quite poorly, it is sad Mennonite Economic Developto say." ment Associates; and Bystrom .

Hammond thinks that an old way of One of the things that thinking about how to do church is Bystrom did differently in his keeping Christians from being effective second church was visit his in ministry to their friends, neighbors members at work. "For most and colleagues. "We've compartmentalpeople, this was a totally new ized ministry into things that professionexperience; they had never had al clergy do and things that the rest of a pastor visit them in their us do," he says. "But we're all called to workplace before." For be ministers not just paid clergy or misBystrom, the visits offered a window sionaries." into the worlds of his members. "It Failure to break out of these boxes helped me learn more about their daily will be very harmful for the church, he lives, how they were struggling to find believes. If people don't find that the ways to connect their faith and work," message of the church is connecting he says. with their everyday lives, "they will vote with their feet," he says. ystrom also created a display in the "The witness of the church is absochurch foyer which contained a city lutely dependent on the laity," he says. map which showed where members "Setting them free to be ministers in worked and lived . "The display raised their everyday life is the work of the awareness about where we spent most church." of our ti me representing Christ out of For more information about Equip church, at work and in our homes."

'98, contact MBBS at 1-800-251 -MBBS .

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With the Spirit of God alive and working in us, we are free to do whatever we want!

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F ALL THE PASSIONATE, ongoing struggles the Christian church has had throughout the centuries, the debate over how to properly respond to the gift of God's grace is like a bare wire-sparks fly, emotions flare up, and religious fervor flames.

Like a close-knit family that suddenly becomes warring factions over the free gift of an extravagant inheritance, the family of God continues to battle over how to properly respond to God's free gift of extravagant grace.

Many of the problems addressed in the New Testament epistles were rooted in perverted responses to God's grace. One such response was legalism, which Paul angrily attacks in his letter to the Galatian churches. A brief survey of Paul's New Testament letters reveals a Galatian letter that is unenviably unique. Galatians is Paul's only letter without an expression of thanksgiving. The church had responded to grace legalistically, leaving Paul thankless.

By contrast, Paul thanked even the Corinthians, whom I've often imagined were the most problematic of all of Paul's converts. Paul's thanks came "because of his [God's] grace given [them] in Christ]esus" (1 Cor. 1:4, NlV) . Despite all their problems, Paul could still thank the Corinthiansperhaps because many of their problems grew out of trying to take God's grace to heart and to FEBR U ARY

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short of the glory of God by sinning. If keeping the laws and rules was the way to establish and maintain a relationship with God, it would always be a superficial relationship. It could "When men never be an intimate relationship; sin and women get would always create an impassable barrier between us and God. their hands on But when he discovered God's religion, one of grace and the freedom that comes in not needing to perform, Paul discovthe first things ered that we are acceptable to God they often do is only because God has first freely turn it into an accepted us and not because we have finally cleaned up our act enough to instrument for make ourselves presentable to the Holy controlling One. After having experienced the rigid restrictions of Judaism and then others, either discovering God's grace, Paul's putting them or response to his new life in Christ must keeping them have closely resembled the nowfamous line of Martin Luther King Jr., 'in their place. "' "Free at last, free at last, thank God I'm free at last!"

And what Paul experienced, he proclaimed. express it in new and fresh ways. In some cases He took his freedom message to places like these expressions of grace proved to be culturally Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Rome, and Galatia, unacceptable, requiring Pauline reproof. preaching and teaching the wonderful message of But the Galatian response to grace was differgrace that had embraced him: "Throw off the ent; it left Paul thankless but not speechless. Paul shackles of the 'thou shalts' and the 'thou shalt had to respond, for he knew where this legalistic nots;' escape from the confines of culture; be free response to grace would lead them. He had been of the fear of failure." there himself. Paul knew what it was to be bound In Galatians 5:1, Paul writes, "It is for freedom tight, suffocated, and mummified by religion. Paul that Christ has set us free. Stand fum, then, and had grown up a Jew. He had been drilled in the do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke Old Testament law and the traditions of Judaism of slavery." In other words, Christ has set us free by one of the most brilliant and honored scholars from the crushing weight of the law. Freedom in of his day, Gamaliel. Paul likely knew every "thou Christ through God's grace was at the heart of the shalt" and "thou shalt not" there was to know. He gospel message that Paul preached. had zealously attempted to live his life so as to dot every "i" and cross every "t." It was a demanding d most of Paul's churches embodied this and rigid life with no room for flexing-a straitfreeing grace of God. But the Galatian jacket religion. hurches were different. Sometime after And then one day, on his way to silence more Paul left Galatia, some religiOUS leaders (likely of those wayward religiOUS folks in Damascus, Jews who had become Christians) moved in and Paul (who was then Saul) met and experienced questioned Paul's views and his authority. They Jesus. His life was radically converted from suffointroduced a Jewish·Christian theology-a gracecating to breathing in new life; from mummified law mix. And they quickly herded all these freeto totally free; from blindness to scale-free eyes dom-loving Christians back into the corral of relithat could really see. gious rules and regulations.

In the days and weeks that followed, Paul Maybe they said things like this: "You gullible became convinced that we can do nothing to save Galatians!

How could you ever fall for Paul and his ourselves; one is saved by God's grace alone. With magical sounding message of 'all-grace-and-nohis new eyes, Paul realized that all the laws in law'? Don't you see what he's doing? He's a peoJudaism would save no one. They were lifeboats ple-pleaser, just trying to get a following so he can full of holes, because humanity would always fall

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raise some funds for the churches in Jerusalem.

Who wouldn't like a guy who comes waltzing into town with a cheap watered-down version of God's demands?"

It must have made a pretty convincing argument, especially since Paul was not around to refute it. Slowly but surely the wave of legalistic preaching and teaching eroded away the gracefilled living; the Galatian churches began succumbing to a shackled, tightly bound, straitjacket religious mix of legalistiC grace. The Galatian church became a Christian embryo encased in a thick shell of Jewish legalism. And, to borrow an idea from C. S. Lewis, "You cannot go on indefinitely being an ordinary egg-you must either hatch or go bad."

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ith the shell of Jewish legalism enveloping this YOll1lg Christian embryo, Paul did not have much time to act. The Galatians were either going to break out of the legalistic shell that bound them, or they would go bad and die and no longer be an authentic Christian congregation.

So Paul sent a letter meant to penetrate the thick suffocating shell. It was a scorching letter to awaken the Galatians from their lethargic, sober piety. It confronted the very heartbeat of the gospel: "DidJesus come to bind us to countless laws of dos and don'ts, or did Jesus come to set us free from the law?"

The answer was obvious to Paul, and he offered arguments in his letter to the Galatians to reinforce the point. Jesus came to offer us a new and different way-the way of grace given to us as a free gift. And when we accept that gift of grace from God through Jesus Christ, we are freed from the law and are no longer bound to the old system.

To experience the radicalness of this message, consider this: With the Spirit of God alive and working in us, we are now free to do whatever we want! That statement most likely scares us as much as it frightened the first-century Jewish Christian leaders.

It scares me to make such a liberating statement because total freedom is such a delicate, fragile gift that must be handled with care. It is easily perverted, fumbled and dropped, leaving little more than shattered fragments of what was meant to be.

But Paul's message was this total, radical freedom. He could state it with such unwavering confidence because when we have been touched by the pure, unconditional love of God and experi-

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enced the euphoria of forgiveness from an unmanageable, out-of-control debt, we as grace-filled people want to do what is radically different from what we would want to do if we were still trying to beat the rule-keeping system or if we were still trying to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

With the Spirit of God in us, producing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, we are free from the law and can do whatever we want!

Eugene Peterson, in his introduction to the book of Galatians in The Message, writes, "When men and women get their hands on religion, one of the first things they often do is turn it into an instrument for controlling others, either putting them or keeping them 'in their place.' The history of such religious manipulation and coercion is long and tedious. It is little wonder that people who have only known religion on such terms experience release or escape from it as freedom.

The problem is that the freedom turns out to be short-lived. " As I read our church periodicals, I notice a reminiscent longing to return to the good old days of the Mennonite church, when sin was a sin and we called it so. Embedded in these desires is an accusation that the church is redefining sin these days, that what was a sin in 1958 is no longer a sin in 1998.

While I think I understand how the modern church could be interpreted by some as redefming sin, I find part of what the church is about these days is not redefining sin but redefining grace.

We are not narrowing the list of sins; in fact, in some ways we are enlarging the list to now include everybody as sinners, not just a select few, as in the past. We are broadening the potential boundaries of God's grace to everyone who has received and who is attempting to live the freeing and liberating message of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I rejoice as I see grace being redefmed.

Paul was begging the Galatian churches to let freedom ring. We are to continue sounding that message to a world-and sometimes to Christians in bondage. Christianity is not a religion of rules by which to live; it is the experience of a love that liberates us to freely respond to God's gift of grace.

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Alan Kauffman is a Mennonite pastor living in Accident, Md. He and his Wife, Nancy, have two teenage sons, Nate and Matt. His article first appeared in the Gospel Herald.

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WHAT READERS SAY

No to the death penalty

I commend you for your open and firm editorial position against capital punishment (January editorial).

The day after I received the January issue of the Christian Leader, the Wichita Eagle also carried several articles on the same subject in the religion section, giving both pro and con positions.

I found interesting the statements by major religious bodies on the subject. Of the nine statements, only two condoned capital punishment: The Baha'is and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Briefly, the statements were as follows: Baha'i Faith: The communities must punish the oppressor, the murderer, the malefactor, so as to warn and restrain others.

Buddhism: No killing is one of the five precepts of Buddhism.

Hinduism: Killing is not the answer.

Islam: Even the taking of one life in retribution is too many.

Judaism (four branches): There is no crime which justifies the taking of a human life by society.

Mennonite Central Committee: We oppose the death penalty because it violates the teaching and spirit of Jesus Christ. It does not deter crime.

National Association of Evangelicals: From the biblical perspective, if capital punishment is eliminated, the value of human life is reduced and the respect for life is correspondingly eroded.

National Council of Churches: The penalty of death should not be imposed, in any case, on any person, as punishment for wrongdoing.

U.S. Catholic Bishops: Our society should reject the death penalty and seek methods of dealing with violent crime that are more consistent with gospel visions of respect for life and Christ's message of healing love.

Some 20 years ago when I was teaching at Tabor College, one of our convocation speakers, Warden Duffy of San Quentin prison, proved to me that the death penalty is no deterrent 12 • THE

C H R 1ST I A N

to crime. Furthermore, it is a form of racism.

So thank you for your open statement in your editorial that shows where New Testament believers should take their stand.

Katie Funk Wiebe Wichita, Kan.

Sitting on the fence

I wish to commend you and your staff on the fair and even-handling of the conflict-charged subject of capital punishment. I have a me on this subject which includes most of the references used in your presentations.

They are well prepared documents that say what most of us say. Some Christians fmd in favor of capital punishment and some fmd against and "between us and them a great chasm has been fixed .... " I have determined for myself that I could not sit on a jury that might sentence a person to death, yet I would not actively protest that sentencing. I guess part of the problem for me lies in the fact that "they" keep letting the murderers out!

If we could sentence someone to prison for life with the assurance that the person would never be back on the streets, I would be more inclined to support the abolition of the death penalty. A study of current events shows that is not the case. What could add more to the grief, anger and frustration of a family that has lost a loved one to the act of murder than to find out that the murderer was released from prison where he was serving a sentence for murder!

The strongest argument for abolition is redemption and the strongest argument for inclusion is justice and I am perched here on this fence. I suspect I am not alone.

Robert F Lewis Reedley, Calif.

Selective prosperity The December issue and several previous issues repeat an attitude which indicates ignorance.

In Ph'lip Side, the writer suggests "we" citizens of the United States, or LEA D E R

church members, are well off fmancially compared to those in other countries. "We have material provisions far beyond our need," he writes.

This is certainly not true for me, unless you think that I need no transportation, food or medicine. I am a disabled (unable to work) single mom on Aid to Families with Dependent Children. I am facing cuts to my grant next month of about $100, and am applying for Social Security Insurance, a process that takes well over a year.

The editorial on the back page states that "security, freedom and prosperity are our birthright." I would like legal references for the security and prosperity if you can give them to me. I appreciate very much the freedom of religious choice.

Please make an effort to be more inclusive if you wish to grow as a church or denomination, rather than being blind to who we are. Financially, your reports show less giving. Perhaps "we" Christians are not as well off as the major media would like us to believe.

Maybe we are in denial and tend to live in clumps of better neighborhoods, putting the less fortunate like me in subsidized housing in clumps that are out of sight and out of mindseparate but not equal to your implied single-family homes with pets, yards and vacations.

I understand a significant percentage of U.S. citizens are living below the poverty level, and those numbers are increasing. Let's face the facts, admit our denial and tum things around before there is no "middle class."

Nancy Keating Aptos, Calif.

The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters of relevance to the Mennonite Brethren Church . All letters must be signed and will be ed ited for clarity and length . Send letters to Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063 ; fax : 316-9473266; e-mail : chleader@southwind .net.

PH'UP SIDE BY

PHILIP

WIEBE

Getting the Word Our devotional methods aren't nearly as important as our soil conditions. Are our hearts hard or soft?

W

guides, devotional books, desk calendars, software "Growing in God's Word," I was programs and other items alarmed to discover how many of every possible descrip· tion and slant. devotional aids I had on the premises. There So I became intrigued, were several study Bibles of various translaas I considered what to share about "Growing in tions, a number of daily devotional collections God's Word," with the aimed at different audiences (women, men, inspired simplicity of families, kids), and a few of those "Through the Jesus's Parable of the Sower. "A farmer went out Bible in a Year" types of guides. And these to sow his seed, " Jesus weren't even counting the two Bible software said, the seed being the Word (Mk. 4:3,14). In programs on my computer or the stack of describing what happens books on deepening one's spiritual life. to the seed as it falls on the soil of human hearts, the Have all these devotional aids parable shows how the Word can been helpful? To some degree. take root and grow in our own lives.

Oswald Chambers's classic My And it has little to do with devotionUtmost for His Highest definitely al aids, quiet times, or the "canned had an impact in my early 20s, as did spirituality" we often try to apply The One Year Bible in my early 30s. here and there. It has everything to Various other guides and collections do with the way we live and believe. have proven useful at other times.

Some seed fell on the path, the And I defmitely got a lot of mileage parable says-the hard place where it out of my NIV Study Bible before couldn't penetrate. This tells us that retiring it to my shelf in favor of a if we want the Word to take hold in smaller, lighter Bible with (gasp!) no our lives, we must be pliant. Not study notes or cross references. hard, like so many in our cold, cyniSuch a Bible isn't easy to fmd cal age. Even the church has these days. Study Bibles are the acquired a stony heart and flinty thing. I could joke that they've even facade, evident in its politics of divicome out with new "Seinfeld" and sion and culture of condemnation.

"ER" study Bibles, but for all I know Can God's Word live in such an envithis could be true. What seems ronment? Not according to Jesus. ridiculous today often becomes reality tomorrow. ther seed fell in rocky As for my own collection of devoplaces. Unlike the path, tional aids, I was surprised at how there was a bit of workable many I'd accumulated. And of soil here. But not enough for roots course my little selection doesn't to dig down . A little heat wilted the even scratch the surface of what's plants away. This tells us that if we available out there. You can find want the Word to stick, not just shelves and shelves of Bibles, study linger momentarily on the surface, HILE PREPARING to give a talk on

O

we must be deep. And I don't mean "deep" in the sense we tend to think about it, as in brilliant or philosophical like Einstein or Aristotle.

Being deep depends less on brains than on taking time to make connections, to reflect beyond the moment, to see the bigger picture.

That's why we live in a shallow age.

Who takes time for anything? We run breathlessly from one thing to the next, without breathing in meaning. Can God's Word grow in such a situation? Not according to Jesus.

More seed fell among thorns.

Plenty of soil here, but it was too crowded with competing plants.

The seed began to grow, but was soon choked out by "the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things" (v.

19). This tells us that if we want the Word to change us, we must simplify. How quickly our lives get crammed with a hundred options and entertainments competing for our attention. Can God's Word last in such an atmosphere? Not according to Jesus.

Finally, some seed fell on good soil. Not hard, shallow, or choked with weeds, but rich and ready. And the seed produced a crop, "thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown" (v. 20). As we seek to be pliant, deep and centered, God's Word will grow in us and produce fruit -character fruit in our own lives and kingdom fruit in the lives of others drawn to God by the "Word made flesh" in us.

Devotional aids have their place, and there's nothing wrong with quiet times and other traditional ways to "do devotions." But our devotional methods aren't nearly as important as our soil conditions. Are our hearts hard or soft? Our minds superficial or thoughtful? Our eyes distracted or focused? As God sows his Word along the road of life, where it lands makes all the difference in the world.

FEBR U ARY

1998

13

INQUIRING MINDS BY

MARVIN

HEIN

present arrangement, though. I ference of Mennonite Brethren sense we are robbing ourselves of churches in that region," he says.

"Our efforts in both India and the much fruit by not having some kind Congo have included major commitof active voluntary service program ments to both medical and educawhere young people have opportutional ministries. We continue to nities to plug into the work of the support those efforts today through church and develop both interest and skills in kingdom work. partnerships with the national In the days when we had one churches. Our work in Peru and board (General Welfare) assigned Panama has included a major effort this responsibility, I think we reaped to help indigenous people groups obtain education for their children more benefits than we will ever know. Scores of young men and and rights to their lands. We are women entered service for one or committed to assist partner conferences in the conceptualization and two years, either domestically or Our present arrangement abroad, and became involved, somedevelopment of social ministries so sometimes makes it difficult to times for life, in some form of kingas to demonstrate a Christlike condetermine which segments of our work abroad are "evangelistic" cern for the whole person." domwork.

I know we had problems with One of my privileges as executive and which are "social." That may be such programs. They were somesecretary of the General Conference fortunate if we believe that the times expensive. I underis receiving minutes of gospel of Christ means you can't stand that administering separate feeding the poor from givall MBM/SI meetings. In Jesus did not such programs was often a the latest accounts of ing them the good news. Jesus did the administrative com- appoint two headache. But no pain, no not appoint two committees-one to gain! hand out the loaves and fish, and mittee meeting of committeesYoung people have hunanother to give the evangelistic MBM/SI, I noticed a dreds of options with myriappeal. So we should probably be couple of items. Interna- one to hand out ad organizations today to tional news has recently the loaves and very careful in evaluating how well give weeks or months or described the burning we are carrying out the two phases fish, and another even years of free time to of a Mennonite church ofthis ministry. to give the the work of Christ. Mennobuilding in Indonesia Harold Ens, MBM/SI general secnite Central Committee con(Lampung). MBM/SI retary says: "In addition to our major evangelistic agreed to send a sizable tinues to be an avenue of focus on planting multiplying sum to help finance the appeal. service for some of our church movements among young people. But more and unreached peoples and on training rebuilding of that sanc· tuary. That is relief (general welfare) more we encourage our children to leadership for those churches, our as we knew it several decades ago. get into the business world and global mission guidelines say the folmake a living. No one from within In the same set of minutes, a decilowing: 'MBM/S considers social our churches is urging them to consion was made to send several thouministries to be integral in the buildsand dollars from the Urgent Relief sider using their gifts for a time for ing of churches that glorify God and the sake of the church and the Ministries fund to be used in Peru witness effectively to the Kingdom gospel. of God. We therefore want to attend where people have suffered losses as I'm not suggesting this is necesa result of heavy rains caused by EI to the needs of the whole person sarily within the scope of MBM/Sl's wherever we present the gospel, Nino. work. Nor am I oblivious to the fact So, yes, our present arrangement particularly in situations of poverty, that it would be a difficult assignfor combining the two aspects of the and appropriately address issues of ment. But we are losing an imporinjustice, seeking peace. '" gospel is working. Whether we give tant avenue of training for service in as much attention to one or the Ens says our initial witness in northern Peru came in response to a other as we ought is another questhe church.

We emphasize our adult voluntary request for flood disaster relief foltion which I have no way of answerservice program (V-SERV), which I ing. lowing the El Nino events of 1982heartily endorse. But I sense an I do have one concern with our 83. "Today there is a growing conabsence of a passion to teach the young the thrill and satisfaction of Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other SPiritual working in the kingdom. issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds," c/ o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.

Years ago the General Conference had a Board of Welfare and Public Relations which concerned itself with the relief and social justice aspects of our mission. That work was subsumed under the Board of Missions and Services, which is now MB Missions/Services International (MBM/SI). Does the present arrangement adequately address the "service" portion of that assignment? (CALIFORNIA)

A

14 • THE

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LEA 0

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ON THE JOURNEY BY

ROSE

BUSCHMAN

Books that influenced me For two hours I dug through my bookshelves looking for the books that have had a lasting impact on me. "

W

HAT IN THE world is going on?" my husband asked in a rather perplexed voice. I

was sitting on the floor beside our bed pulling

when my husband found me.

Here is an abbreviated list of 10 books that have had a major impact on my life:

books out of my bedside bookcase and stacking them into various piles.

"I'm sorting my books," I replied, "and looking for those that have been most influential in my life."

"Whatever for?" he wanted to know.

"Because Eugene Peterson said I should." My husband shook his head and walked out of the room with that knowing look which said, She's at it again.

It started out as a quiet Sunday morning. I woke up much earlier than usual and couldn't go back to sleep.

So I got up, made myself a cup of coffee and sat down to read. Looking through a stack of books I came upon Spiritual Reading: An Annotated List

by Eugene H. Peterson. In this book he made a list of 144 books that have shaped his life, spirituality and thinking. In the introduction to the book, Peterson challenges his readers to make a list of their own.

As I scanned the list I realized I had read only seven of the books on it.

Obviously, his list was not my list. He has been a pastor for many years and I have been a math teacher. He is Presbyterian and I am Mennonite. He is male and I am female. We have different needs and perspectives on life so we have read different books.

For the next two hours I dug through my bookshelves looking for the books that have had a lasting impact on me. Before long I had piles everywhere. That's what I was doing

Spiritual • The Bible. Although my first introduction to the Bible came when my parents read to me from Luther's translation in the German language, my own early reading and memorizing of Scripture came from the King James Version. Over the years I have read a variety of translations. Presently, I am especially enjoying Peterson's paraphrase of the New Testament, The Message . He has a refreshing way of applying the Bible to current everyday life. The Bible is the cornerstone of my life.

• The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His distinctions between "cheap grace" and "costly grace" have stayed with me over the years since I flfSt read the book.

• The Mustard Seed Conspiracy

by Tom Sine. After reading this book I realized that in spite of how overwhelming the world situation is, as an individual I can make a difference, one person at a time.

• Celebration of Discipline by Richard]. Foster. Taking care of my spirituality is something I need to take seriously and not leave for the church to do. Spiritual growth requires that I practice the spiritual disciplines.

• Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life by Henri].

M. Nouwen. This book was especially helpful to me in my pilgrimage from loneliness to solitude. I learned that my need to be alone was essential for my spiritual and personal growth.

Professional • Frames of Mind by Howard Gardner. For a number of years I had been using a variety of manipulatives, games and puzzles to teach math to reluctant learners who were way behind their peers in their learning. I had a lot of success with this method, even though some of the so-called experts said it couldn't work. When Gardner's book was published in 1983, I was vindicated. Here was the research and much more to validate my approach to teaching mathematics.

• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

My professional life needs to be guided by principles of honesty, integrity, fairness and human dignity if I am to do my best as a teacher. These principles give me the ability to adapt to change and to make the necessary paradigm shifts in a changing world.

Personal • Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist who survived three years in Nazi concentration camps, wrote of his experience: ".. .everything c:an be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. " I may not be able to change my circumstances, but I am in control of my attitude.

• Try Giving Yourself Away by David Dunn. By giving myself away instead of demanding that others give to me, I have found that my life is much happier and, I hope, I have been able to make the world around me a better place to live.

• Border Crossing: A Spiritual Journey by Katie Funk Wiebe. As a result of reading this book I have changed my attitude about the prospect of growing older. I will do so with dignity and grace. Retirement will be a new chapter in my life, something to look forward to.

Well, here's my list. Now it's your tum. What books have had a major impact in your life?

FEBR U ARY

1998

15

BODyLIFE MENNONITE

BRETHREN

NEWS

Miracles on the way to Memorial Road

BY CONNIE FABER

second in a series of profiles

• The process of relocating has led a struggling congregation to new vision and spirit

T

HE INTERSECTION of Coltrane and Memorial Road in Edmond, Okla., is busy yet unassuming.

But when Chuck Haftman, moderator of Memorial Road MB Church, looks at it, he sees the Promised Land.

The congregation, until recently known as the Edmond MB Church, will dedicate their new facility on Memorial Road Feb. 22. like the children of Israel, the congregation has waited a long time - three years - to take possession of their new home.

And like the Israelites, they've grown a lot along the way.

"We're on a journey," Haftman says. "Compared to where we were, we are in the Promised Land. And there 's a lot more milk and honey on

this property than there was on the other one, I can tell you that. And now we're on the verge of stepping over."

The congregation began the journey Feb. 25, 1993, when a long-range planning committee of five people met for the first time. For the first several months, the committee primarily prayed . Then they began the task of defining the mission Pastor Paul Klassen (right) leads in a prayer of thanksgiving as the of the church.

Their report, pre- congregation celebrates the acquisition of its new property. sented to the congregation in early June, included 20 rec- the congregation continue worshiping ommendations focused on helping the at their facility on 33rd Street. congregation become a growing Although the lot across the street was church. The recommendations includ- an open field, the church's closest ed reorganizing the administrative neighbor was a large Wal-Mart store stmcture, encouraging outreach, train- and continued commercial developing worship leaders and increasing ment seemed likely. The sanctuary participation in small groups. felt crowded, classroom space was Even though relocating was justi- limited and the roof leaked when it fied, the report recommended that rained.

But their property had been assessed in 1992 at $125,000 - significantly less than the congregation felt it needed to relocate . So, at the task force's recommendation, the congregation began planning to remodel.

B

y 1994, Edmond had reached a population of 60,000 and new development surged, Haftman says. In one year alone, 25 restaurants opened in the city . The area around 33rd Street was becoming a growing commercial center.

That spring, plans to remodel came to an abrupt halt when pastor Paul Klassen received an unsolicited phone call from a real estate broker. A restaurant owner was interested in purchasing the property.

Two weeks later, the congregation voted to sell their property for no less than $350,000. But then God stepped in, says Haftman, and Haftman negoti·

A team of volunteers works on the roof of the new building.

16 •

THE

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LEA 0

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Bo!)'\ 1.11 I

ated the sale for $385 ,000. "God 's hand is so obvious in this whole plan, " he says.

With their facility sold, the congregation began praying for affordable property on which to build a temporary meeting place . Nancy Laverty, chair of the building committee, says the answera to those prayers were miraculous. (See sidebar.)

After purchasing five acres of land on Memorial Road, the congregation decided to construct the building

themselves. Laverty says that was the biggest miracle of all. "It was God's way that we build this facility," she says.

The congregation has been involved with the process from the beginning, Haftman says. The architect met with the membership, leadership teams and other groups to understand what the congregation wanted.

The facility emphasizes three areas of church ministry: worship, fellow-

ship and equipping or education, Klassen says. At the center is a formal sanctuary. Extending from it are two wings, the fellowship hall to one side and the education wing to the other.

It has taken three years to build the facility - twice as long as anticipated.

"We would have liked to do it in a year," Laverty says. "But with a small number of people, you only have so much energy."

Haftman adds: "We don 't have a building built by a select few people.

Challenged from the start • Memorial Road's legacy both hindered and helped its development through the years

M

EMOR IAL ROAD MB Church began in 1965 as a typical Mennonite Brethren co ngregati on , but its development has been unique among urban congregations in the Southern District Conference.

Memorial Road, formerly known as the Edmond MB Church, is a daughter congregation of Western Oaks MB Church in Bethany, Okla. The first members were primarily people with roots in other Oklahoma Mennonite Brethren congregations who lived north of Oklahoma City.

Pastor Paul Klassen believes the personality of the congregation was profoundly affected by the events of the cong regation ' s "adole scen t" years in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The young adults who joined during those years brought with them the same anti-institutional attitude found in American culture at the time.

"Those were stormy times," Klassen says, "and not the happiest of times. The church was really struggling to find its identify. In the course of that struggle, people left."

In the midst of the difficulties, Klassen believes God was at work for good. The willing-

ness of the congregation even today to accept people struggling with faith, traditionalism and the relevance of the church can be traced to those years.

Jeanie and Perry Klaassen have been members of the church since the 1970s. They have seen the congregation struggle in a variety of ways, including leadership and finances.

Until the arrival of Paul and Gladys Klassen in 1983, the congregation had had what Jeanie calls a string of pastors . " The conference didn't think we were much of a church," Klaassen says. "It's unfortunate but true that we'd get young and inexperienced pastors."

I

n addition to a lack of mature pastoral leadership, the congregation felt a dearth of older people in church leadership . Younger people who might not have been given leadership positions in other congregations assumed leadership of the Edmond congregation, Jeanie says.

"Sometimes it felt like we were an island," she recalls , "and no one cared what happened to us."

A significant step was

Friendliness and acceptance have always been hallmarks of the congregation. Here. George Miller. Cheryl Devoe. Jay Blough and Paul Klassen enjoy a meal celebrating a church event.

taken in 1989 when the congregation decided to no longer receive financial help from the district. "We knew we needed to get off subsidy if we were going to be a church." Jeanie says.

Perry Klaassen sites three factors that kept them going .

First, while other small and struggling congregations in the community closed , the Edmond congregation persevered and even welcomed families from these congregations into their church family.

A commitment to prayer was another factor . As the congregation became more committed to prayer, a group of four people began praying for the church . " The Lord honored those prayers," Jeanie says. The group recently disbanded after meeting regularly for six years.

Perry also sites Paul Klassen as the third reason the church has flourished . His

stable pastoral leadership has benefited the congregatio n and the congregation ha s benefited Klassen, Jeanie says.

"Our church gave Paul the freedom to work through his own struggles, " she says , "and through it he has become a big man of God ."

The congregation has not only seen their pastor grow personally but has also seen him grow as a preacher and worship leader, she says.

The congregation has been blessed by dramatic changes in the last five years, but the caring spirit that was imprinted on the congregation 40 years ago remains . " I ' ve always liked our church," Perry says. "I liked the way we were at 20 people and I like the way we are now. People will come (to our church) no matter what we do. Our warmth and friendliness will be there." - CF

FEBRUARY

1998

17

Hom 1.111

Everyone has been involved."

Two individuals who gave extensive time to the project are Laverty and Bill Mast, a home contractor by trade who was hired as the only fulltime builder. A total of five individuals were on the payroll at one time or another throughout the project , Klassen says. The majority of the work - clearing the lot, laying blocks , installing heating and air conditioning, landscaping and construction - was done by volunteers from the congregation.

G

od brought several families to the congregation just when they were needed, says lay leader Jeanie Klaassen, including Laverty and her husband, Russell. "Nancy and Russell had the vision that we could do more," she said . "They brought courage and a feeling of success and growth - that yes, we could be more than a struggling church of 100."

Klaassen says that perspective is unique because a number of people have come to the church from small, struggling congregations that were forced to close. A small-church mentality has come naturally for the group.

In addition to a fresh perspective, Nancy Laverty brought her experience as a member of the building committee at the Fairview (Okla.) MB Church. "I can't believe I have had the opportunity to be part of this twice,"

Laverty says. "I feel very blessed to see a building being constructed and to also see people grow and become friends."

Almost every family contributed to the building project by supplying food for the volunteers, Klaassen says. For about 12 months, meals were brought to the site each night Monday through Friday and on Saturday noon. A snack was served daily for three The building effort involved members of all ages, years. "It was a way to show including Rachel Detweiler on sweep-up duty. that we were supportive and involved in the building of the Brethren congregations. They includchurch, " she says. ed Floyd Winter of the Hillsboro The tone for volunteerism was set (Kan.) MB Church, Eli Pamel of First the first summer when a group met MB Church in Wichita, Kan., and Marregularly after work at the building vin Martens of the Fairview MB site and labored until dark. The regu- Church. lars were diverse in age as well as in In most cases, the Edmond voluntheir affiliation with the congregation. teers just needed enough help to gain "(fhe building project) has brought confidence in their ability to do the people together and given a place for work, Laverty says. Area building people to take hold who weren't com- tradesmen have noted the high quality fortable in teaching or other areas," of their workmanship.

Klaassen says.

Several Mennonite Brethren conPaul Klassen adds: "In the midst of gregations sent work teams to all the diversity that is part of this Edmond, including Fairview, Corn, church, we've been able to work Hillsboro and Wichita. Mennonite together for a common goal and work Brethren pastors from Oklahoma shoulder to shoulder even though we came to work one day. In addition to don't all agree with each other. It has volunteer labor, construction costs brought strength to the church. " were reduced as church members The volunteers were trained by donated goods, services and equipprofessionals from other Mennonite ment, say Jeanie Klaassen and Haftman.

"When something was needed, it came along, " Laverty says. "People with the right skills or right materials - God's timing was just there."

M

Glen Detweiler, Jay Blough and Paul Klassen (left to right) enjoy a relaxed moment during a church outing. Working together strengthened relationships between men, they say.

18·

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embers of the congregation agree that God has provided for them in many ways over the past five years. "That a church with an annual budget of about $65,000 in 1993 and a $125,000 building would have a million-dollar property five years later says something about the Lord's provision," Haftman says. "He provided more than we had ever hoped or imagined. " Paul Klassen says: "An awareness of God's workings and God's guidance and provision have been stamped deep into our psyche. It affects the way we look at ourselves as a church and gives us a great deal of strength

and courage as we look ahead."

Haftman says the congregation has built more than a building. "We wanted to grow," he says, "but it's more than a building that has grown."

Jeanie Klaassen and her husband, Perry, have been members since 1973. "Jeanie and I have more joy in

the church now than we ever had," Perry says . "We have grown ourselves."

One area of growth has been in financial stewardship. In addition to raiSing $225,000 for the building project, the congregation has also assisted families with special needs on

three or four occasions in the last three years and has increased its giving to conference ministries.

"I think a lot of families have reevaluated their financial resources and how they invest the money God has given them to use,» Haftman says.

"There has been some real spiritual

God intervened to give them a new home, members say • Acquiring land at a tenth of its appraised value and tlie generosity of a sister church point to God

T

HE PAST FIVE years have seen a string of miracles for Memorial Road MB Church.

The first was unexpectedly seiling their property and another was building their new facility themselves, says Nancy Laverty, chair of the building COrYlmittee. Sandwiched in between is the remarkable story of purchasing land and finding temporary housing.

• New property. When the congregation began ing for property to buy in 1994, five acres in Edmond was selling anywhere from $400,000 to $1 million. When the group noticed a five-acre vacan't wooded lot at the corner of Coltrane and Memorial Road, church member Russell l.averty, who acted as the ..group's negotiator, contacted the owners in July.

Pushed to name a price, an e.rflbarrassed Laverty passed 1Qn an offer of $75,000. Two Weeks later, the company' s r-epresentative informed him they would .sell the land to the for $65,000.

"We knew at that point that either this was a toxic . waste- site that they were looking for somebody to take, or that <Sod had once again inter¥ened in a very dramatic way," Paul Klassen, pastor.

The sale hit a snag when the corporation went through a period of downsizing. During the next mOnths, the corpo-

rate representative, who was a Christian, stayed in touch with Laverty, encouraging the group to wait and be patient.

Perry Klaassen, a longtime member of the congregation, believes the ability to tru st each other is a strength of the congregation. "We'd sold the land and Russell kept leading us on , saying it ' s going to work out. Russell says no one ever mistrusted him or said we're going to end up w ith nothing . We didn't know where we were going . We trusted him. Russell says that was frightening."

The sale was officially transacted in December 1994. The next winter, the building permit was issued. The congregation spent three years building their new meetinghouse with volunteer labor.

Because their new facility technically is now located in Oklahoma City, not Edmond, the congregation changed its name . The group chose Memorial Road MB Church because it reflects their desire to reach out to a broader community, says Chuck Haftman, church moderator.

The new meetinghouse will be dedicated Feb. 22 - three years to the day when the building permit was issued.

• Temporary housing.

Once the sale of their property on 33rd Street was finalized, the congregation began look-

After the sale was finalized in December 1994, the congregation met at its newly acquired location on "Site Celebration Sunday."

ing for temporary housing .

Locating something suitable

by Nov. 1, 1994, wasn't easy.

They contacted a number of churches about sharing facilities, but with no success. They thought they had located a storefront in a strip mall, but that fell through, too.

With just weeks to go, Klassen received an unsolicited phone call from the Leland Clegg Methodist Church. They had heard about the situation and invited Edmond MB to look at their facility.

"Once again there was a very dramatic sense of knowing the Lord had intervened and was once again providing when we had exhausted our resources, " Klassen says.

The two congregations agreed to share facilities for the 18 months the Mennonite Brethren congregation anticipated it would take them to build . As it turned out, the groups shared facilities for three years. " Thi s (Methodist) church ha s been a mod el to us of

Christian hospitality," Klassen says. "They have welcomed us and been patient for much longer than they or we anticiThey have given us a wonderful gift" While the facilities were lesnhan i<;leal. Klassen says his congregation flourished in their temporary home. Three Sunday school classeS were adQed and average attendance grew from 70 to 100.

Klassen anticipates the new facility will pass the required inspections in January SQ that the first service can take place Feb. 1. Plans can for the congregation to begin their worship that Sunday With the Methodist congregation at their facility. Then the MennO(liteBrethren congregation will travel to their new home, entering the sanctuary "as an act of worship."

The following Sunday, the Memorial Road MB Church will serve the Leland Clegg congregation an appreciation dinner in their new fellowship

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growth and one of the fruits of that has been that people have become better stewards."

The increase in giving to conference ministries was a gradual one. "As a church we felt we needed to support our conference," Haftman says.

"We purposely increased our budgets over time to where this year we are giving 100 percent of the norms ."

That accomplishment is all the more significant because until 1989, the congregation had always received fmancial assistance from the Southern District Conference.

The congregation has grown numerically and in their commitment to each other. Between 1993 and 1997, membership increased by 15 percent, worship attendance by 29 percent and Sunday school attendance by 60 percent. Commitment among men has increased noticeably as friendships were strengthened on the construction site.

A n expanded core of adults has .1"\..bolstered the congregation, says Paul Klassen. He came to Edmond as pastor in 1983. For the first six or seven years, he kept track of. people who left the congregation for primarily job-related reasons. He stopped counting at 120 names.

"The mobility of the population in this area was a part of the struggle for survival that this church went through," Klassen says. "While we still experience the mobility issue, it doesn't tear at us as hard as it did when we were a much smaller church. It's not quite as painful now that we have a stronger core."

Part of the long-range plan was a reorganized committee structure. A group of 15 individuals now serve the congregation and are divided into five leadership teams: care, evangelism, worship, equipping and administration. The church board, chaired by Haftman, is composed of all members of the administrative team plus the four other team leaders.

Klassen says until now the congregation had focused on basic ministries such as Sunday morning worship and Sunday school. But during the last five years, a women's ministry has developed and a college-and-career program and a men's ministry have made a tentative beginning.

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Member John Savoia enjoys a few moments with some young friends: Caleb Wichert, Tiffany Canfield and Kelsey Wichert (left to right) at a "Christmas Connection" event. Older people in the church bake peppernuts and entertain the children, freeing their parents for a night out_

An enhanced children'S ministry is a high priority. The congregation currently has more than 40 children.

Adding a midweek Bible club program with an emphasis on outreach is likely. Interest exists for serving a weekly meal to families.

"God has brought us here," Haftman referring to their new location. "But when I look at where God has placed us - in the middle of very affluent neighborhoods - I wonder why we are here."

It would be easy to be intimidated, given the size and price tag of some of the homes in the area, but "you don't need a cathedral to worship God," Haftman says.

Haftman is glad their new church home is located where people live rather than where they work. Members have already had opportunities to talk with folks in the neighborhood.

They agree people are searching for things a relationship with Jesus Christ and the church can provide.

M

emorial Road MB Church is a family and that's important in a city, Laverty says. "When there is a need, people will be there for you.

That's unusual in a city and people hunger for that."

Memorial Road is known as a caring and welcoming congregation, say its members. "There was something stamped in the personality of this church early on that has continued to affect the way it views people and

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welcomes people into the life of the church," Paul Klassen says.

The openness of the congregation is reflected in the way the new facility is constructed, Klassen says, noting that the building appears to have embracing arms. The glass entryway and large spacious foyer is visually welcoming arid the number of the trees retained in the building process makes the lot attractive.

Perry Klaassen is confident the congregation will be blessed with continued numerical growth - not only because they have planned outreach activities, but because they have made the needs of their new neighbors a matter of prayer.

Paul Klassen sees in his members a new boldness to move beyond their comfort zones. In mid-March the congregation will host a children'S party and open house for neighborhood families. A Youth Mission International team assisted the congregation with a similar event last fall. Before Easter, they will canvass the 400 homes surrounding the church and distribute copies of the "Jesus" video. "It's a way of introducing ourselves and our Lord," Klassen says.

As members look out the front windows of the church building, they can see the busy Coltrane and Memorial Road intersection . The view can remind them of their purpose, says Jeanie Klaassen. "We face the world.

Our mission is to reach that traffic that goes by. "

Laying claim to a rich ministry in Phoenix's Copper Hills • The new Mission USA and poe church plant seems to be finding early success as it heads for its formal launch in mid-March

T

they believed in God, but less than 50 percent said God interacted or directed their lives on a daily basis.

"They're God-fearers, but they don't have a God relationship," he said.

The biggest surprise for Klassen was the number of people who had never considered church as an option in their lives. "That happened many times, and I'd walk away saying, man, we really are in a postChristian generation. And yet in their souls they are crying out for something deeper, something more. " Klassen says he is up-front about his connection to the Mennonite Brethren Church. "Who you are is on a lot of people's minds," he says.

"But that works to our advantage because we can say we're not a flyby-night organization. We have a history. We have a solid team of people behind us."

Inevitably, they ask who Mennonites are. "We cast it in terms of there's a whole spectrum of people who come under the term 'Mennonite' -anywhere from the horse-andbuggy folks who are really conservative, all the way through to Mennonites who are theologically very liberal. And we're kind of in the middle. Theologically, we're conservative, but when it comes to methodology, we'll do whatever it takes.

We're a contemporary group of people who love Jesus and want to connect with our community. (Being Mennonite Brethren) has not hurt us at all. It has helped us."

In September , the Klassens launched a community home group

HEY CALL IT Copper Hills, but the potential for a prosperous Mennonite Brethren church plant in the northwest valIey of Phoenix seems at fIrst blush to be solid gold.

At least that 's the preliminary report of the chief "prospector," church planter Brad Klassen.

Copper Hills Community Church, a joint venture of Mission USA and the CHCe's logo: Creating an identity.

Pacific District Conference, is still more than a month away from its for· Within six months of his arrival, mal mid-March launch. But already, Klassen says he visited 390 homes, some 40 people are involved in com- using a survey as a conversation munity home groups, 65 to 70 have starter. In about 180 cases, no one declared their intent to be was home. But of the part of the "launch team," a remaining contacts, about meeting place has been liThe harvest half asked to be included miraculously secured, and a is out here on a mailing list and about second full-time person has 30 expressed interest in and we have joined the pastoral team. joining a small group.

"The harvest is out here the privilege "Every one of those peoand we have the privilege of being ple we connected with, of being commissioned to whether they wanted to be a part of that," Klassen commissioned know anything about our to be a part says. "It's flat exciting." church or not, had a perNatives of Ontario, Brad of that. I I sonal story and journey in and Elfie Klassen arrived in -BRAD KLASSEN their life," Klassen says.

Phoenix last June after "Some of them have an completing five months of interest in God and some of studies at MB Biblical Seminary in them think they don't, but they really Fresno, Calif. In mid-July they moved do." into the new Arrowhead Ranch area Klassen said 85 percent of those of Phoenix and began making door-to- who responded to the survey said door contacts with their neighbors.

He describes the community as being comprised of middle-class, professional, two-income families with adults between the ages of 30 and 40.

Going door-to-door wasn't a comfortable assignment. "Everything inside me says this is nuts," Klassen says. "You're going to be connected with every other group that does that, from people who sell air conditioner units and water softeners, to Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon missionaries. So you knock on the door and you say, 'God, who's behind that door? You know them.' I'm initimidated, I'm scared like crazy . But God Mission USA board members Tim Sullivan, Fred Leonard (far left), Steve Reimer (back to cam· era) and Mike Schuil participate in a commissioning service held last fall for Brad and Elfie blessed us. " Klassen and Debbie and Wayne Loewen.

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on Thursday nights with five other couples, some of whom had expressed faith in Christ and some who had not. Ed Boschman, executive director of Mission USA, and his wife, Carol, led a second group with three couples on Wednesday nights.

"Those Thursday nights became really significant in the lives of these people because they, to a person, had not experienced that kind of community before," Klassen says. "There was tolerance, there was acceptance, there was genuine love for them. " The groups began to grow as members began inviting friends to join them. This month, the Klassens plan to spin off three new groups with the 27 adults who have been coming to their Thursday night gathering.

Also in February, Klassen plans to begin meeting on Sunday evenings with community home group members as well as several other people who have expressed an interest in being part of the new church when it formally begins in March. This group of 70 or so is Klassen's "launch team."

Klassen says he has been praying for a core group of 120 people when the church is launched next month.

He says he picked 120 because the early church began with that number in the Book of Acts. "It seemed like a cool number," he says. "It worked in the Bible."

Copper Hills will be able to accommodate many more people than that when they hold their first service in the comfort of a neighborhood theater. Klassen says the facility is an answer to prayer after initial efforts to rent space in schools didn't pan out.

Initially, the theater owner was reluctant to give up Sunday morning space because of potential conflicts with early matinee showings during Christmas break and summer.

Eventually, the owner changed his mind-and then some. Copper Hills now has a one-year lease for full use of the I O-theater complex on Sunday mornings, and the owner even offered them storage space during the week.

"I fell off my chair because that was such a change in his heart and attitude," Klassen says. "Initially it was such a business approach. I think God softened his heart and prepared him for that."

A creation of love: Several members of the work crew constructing the coffin. Pictured are (left to right) Art Dalke, Kurt Bryant, Robert Davenport, Gary Esau and Joel Winter.

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Joining the Klassens in January as a full-time staff member were Wayne Loewen and his wife, Debbie. He was on the pastoral staff of a successful and growing Mennonite Brethren congregation in British Columbia when Brad, acting almost on a whim, asked Loewen to come south to begin a new church. Loewen initially turned him down, but changed his mind in response to God's prompting.

Klassen says the Loewens' arrival has been an affirmation of God's involvement in the Copper Hills project. "I was thinking I wanted an asso-

ciate or an assistant," Klassen says.

"But what my heart was really crying for was a partner-someone who would just come in, roll up his sleeves and say, 'We're just going to do this for the kingdom. ", The Klassens and the Loewens are supported finanCially by funds that come through Mission USA, the Pacific District, and from friends and associates of the two couples. "I have sensed such support from Mission USA and the conference as a whole," Klassen says. "This truly is a team effort." -Don Ratzlaff

Member's passing unites a congregation facing a challenging transition of its own • Tulsa, Okla., church says farewell to a friend and a facility

lV!HEN SOMEONE in a congregaW tion dies, fellow members usual-

ly offer the grieving family words of comfort and, in many cases, meals.

When Don Cline, a member of the Parkside MB Church, Tulsa, Okla., died late last fall, the congregation responded with a more unusual loving act: they built his coffin.

Cline died suddenly Nov. 22. He had left instructions regarding his burial and memorial service, including a request that a friend, Wayman Penner, oversee the construction of a sim-

pIe pine coffin for his burial.

Penner, a vocational technical administrator whose teaching expertise is in cabinetmaking, had been the key person in building caskets twice before. "It isn't an easy thing to do," Penner says. Constructing a small coffin for the burial of a young boy was the most difficult of the three.

Penner and seven volunteers began working Sunday afternoon and continued into Monday morning, completing their task by 3 a.m.

"In the hustle and bustle of the

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city, it's unusual for men to gather for that amount of time to do that work," says Mark Isaac, Parks ide pastor. "It wasn't done out of duty, but out of Christian love. It was a bonding time for the men who had lost a friend."

"It was a labor of love," Penner says. Their families had been friends for more than 35 years, their children had grown up together. Cline and his wife, Ardette, are the parents of four daughters while Penner and his wife have three daughters.

Aside from the warm personal affection, Cline had had a significant impact on the congregation, Isaac says. "Don's personality was truly magnetic, Wayman Penner at work at the band saw. in a Christian sense. He had gravity-you couldn't walk by him attention away from people moving here from other Mennonite communiwithout getting a hug. " Cline's death came at a time when ties to people living in Tulsa." Current the Parkside congregation had membership stands at 60.

Isaac came to Parkside four and reached a crossroads. The congregation was in the midst of fmding tem- one-half years ago and has encouraged porary meeting quarters and discern- the congregation to address its identiing its future focus. Two days before ty and purpose. In 1994, the congrehis death, Cline had volunteered to gation initiated a stewardship camserve as chair of the Parkside reloca- paign to retire their debt, then restructured their committees to allow tion task force . themselves to focus on "Don was in IIDonls funeral took expanding their ministries. charge of finding "Paying off the debt and our church a new us off the details of downscaling was not done to home," Isaac says. selling the building make it easier for us to sur"But heaven was vive," Isaac says, "but to free not quite what and moved us to ourselves to face the future." we had in mind what was really In May 1997, the congreyet. His vibrant important about our gation's leadership board life helped spawn began discussing a shift from new life for the church and in our what Isaac calls buildingchurch. It's hard Christian livesto pull the two people. II -MARK ISAAC based ministry to life-based ministry. At one board meetapart-his untimeing during this process, ly death and the Cline, who was a deacon in the rebirth of a church."

Parkside was begun in 1957 to serve church and a builder by trade, Mennonites moving to the city for recalled with emotion that even employment, Isaac says. That strategy though he had helped build the faciliworked for 10 to 15 years. The meet- ty, and it had been the wedding site inghouse was located just one block for all four of his daughters and the off Route 66, a major east-west high- funeral site of one daughter, Christianway. In the late 1970s the congrega- ity wasn't about buildings. tion had a membership of about 145.

"He said how dear the b4ilding had "But as the new generation was been to him and his family ," Isaac being raised here in Tulsa, the purpose says. "But in the end ... Don said he was never adequately adjusted to meet would gladly say good-bye to the the changing dynamic of the group," building to continue to grow personalIsaac says. "We never really turned our ly and in ministry as a church."

Even though selling Parkside's facility had been discussed twice in the 1980s, Isaac says selling their property on East 10th Street was not a top priority in 1997.

"We were more interested in a change in the style of ministering and what we valued-our relationship with others-than selling the building."

Then, in early September, a local realtor told Isaac that another congregation was interested in purchasing the facility. The location fit the group's desire to minister to prostitutes and drug addicts, the people living along what was once Route 66.

The Parks ide congregation made it clear the building was not for sale, but they did allow representatives from the group to walk through it. The next day, Parkside received a letter of intent to purchase the facility from the second group. Six weeks later, Parkside voted to sell.

"The mpnth of November for the church was really difficult," Isaac says.

"The questions weren't really answered. Was this the end of Parkside? Where would we go? Who would be part of us?

"Don Cline was the key person in leading to the answers. He lead in gentleness and with energy," Isaac says.

By voluntarily calling around to locate a temporary meeting place, Cline communicated his belief in the future ministry of the congregation.

What Cline didn't know was that his funeral would be the last conducted in the facility. According to Penner, the number of former members who attended Cline's funeral helped bring closure to the congregation's presence in the neighborhood.

Isaac agrees. "Don's funeral took us off the details of selling the building and moved us to what was really important about our church and in our Christian lives-people," he says.

Parkside held their last service Dec. 28 on 10th Street and began meeting in a warehouse Jan. 4. In late January, Parkside leaders met with members of the Southern District Conference Church Extension and Evangelism Committee to talk about becoming partners with the district to start in a new location and with a new purpose.-Connie Faber FEBR U ARY

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Contemporary worship ministry unites youth and adults in a historic setting

ing, (youth) didn't always know what Sunday it was going to be on or where it was going to be held," Trapp says.

After a few months of changing locations and varying attendance, Jost • Area Wide Worship crosses denominations, ages in Hillsboro and Trapp decided to try something N THE OUTSIDE, the small, Parkview MB Church. The pair sensed different. "We knew we needed to do white clapboard church building, that interested youth might benefit (Area Wide) and we didn't want to sitting on the edge of a silent ceme· from experiencing worship in a peer· give up," Trapp says. "We had a vision tery, reflects the simple and subdued based setting that reflected the musi· and God really opened a lot of doors for us." worship experiences of the pioneer cal styles they enjoyed during the rest forbearers who built it. of the week.

One door that opened was the one Inside, though, the wooden struc· "We had some worship happening to the Historic Church. "It seems a lit· ture throbs with the contemporary on Wednesday nights (the traditional tle odd to meet in this setting, since pulse of guitars, keyboards and drums. night for church youth groups in it's a historical landmark that was Young people, enthused and intense, Hillsboro), but often only a portion of intended to be kind of a museum, " raise their hands and move to the call each group was really Trapp says. But Trapp and Jost of lively choruses. interested in singing," lIAs much as say they've gotten positive The clash between past and pre· Jost says. "We thought feedback from older people sent is jarring. But in the midst of it, a this would be a good we thought who appreciate the purpose of profound continuity: A house of wor· way to bring together Area Wide was Area Wide Worship. ship remains a house of worship. those in each group who A turning point in the min· a good ideal The Historic Mennonite Brethren were interested. ' istry came three years ago, Church, built in 1893 and believed to The idea also was sup· we couldnlt when Hillsboro hosted a gath· be the oldest existing Mennonite ported by youth workers foresee all the ering of about 100 interna· Brethren meetinghouse in North in other churches in this tional participants in a Men· America, was moved onto the Tabor rural community of benefits. II nonite Central Committee -VANN TRAPP trainee program. The group College campus in Hillsboro, Kan., a about 3,000 people . few years ago as a monument to the From the beginning, accepted an invitation to join faith of generations past. But the organizers . decided Area Wide Wor· an,Area Wide gathering. The service building is now home one night a ship would be open to the entire that night didn't adjourn until around midnight. week to an innovative, cross·denomi· community, regardless of church afm· national worship ministry as contem· iation-or age, for that matter.

"The trainees, who represented all porary as today's youth culture.

They began gathering in various kinds of backgrounds and nationali· Area Wide Worship, a weekly Sun· churches on one Sunday night a ties, told us they had never experi· enced worship like that before," day night event, was begun four years month. Attendance was sporadic at ago by two local Mennonite Brethren first, drawing anywhere from eight to Trapp says. "And our local kids were youth pastors, Rod Jost of the Hills· 25 participants. "Because we didn't just totally enthused. They told us, boro MB Church and Vann Trapp of have a lot of continuity in the schedul· 'We need to keep this going.'"

So organizers decided to hold Area Wide Worship every Sunday night instead of only once a month. Atten· dance began to rise. Services now draw a consistent crowd of 75·100 Tabor, high school and junior high students.

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Area Wide Worship focuses on cognitive worship that allows the Spirit to work, say organizers.

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ncreasingly, Area Wide has been attracting young people from sur· rounding communities-some even from Wichita, located almost an hour away. On many nights, a sprinkling of adults participate too, including mem· bers of Good News Fellowship, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in nearby Marion.

A typical Area Wide service starts at 7 p.m . After an hour or more of singing, youth gather in small groups to pray together about school or other issues. The service usually wraps up

Trapp says. "We work really hard not to do that. We try to communicate a pretty cognitive understanding of worship, but also to allow the Spirit to move. " Jost says having an outlet like Area Wide has enabled churched young people to "hang in" with their own congregations even when Sunday morning worship doesn't always reflect their stylistic preferences . "Kids are more patient with what's happening at home," he says. "And now, when they're asked to help to lead worship on Sunday mornings, they're eager to step in."

Worship leaders Carlin Regier, a high schoo1 senior, Rod "I love Area Wide because Jost and Vann Trapp lead a session of singing. you can feel free to express your love for God however around 9 p.m ., ending with more you want and not have to worry about what others think," says Jessica singing.

From the beginning, Trapp and Jost Clark, a Hillsboro High School senior.

Her classmate, Naila Kunantaeva have tried to communicate the goals of Area Wide Worship to leaders in agrees. "It's really fun and a great their congregations and others. to worship God and pray with other "We've explained to leadership that youth." we weren't taking kids away from he unity high school students existing services, but trying to include feel at Area Wide has also people who weren't attending Sunday night church programs," Trapp says. emboldened them to be stronger witThey say Area Wide actually nesses in the local high school. One strengthens the ministry of congrega- year, students followed a "See You at tions by providing a "transition" step the Pole" rally at the beginning of the for some youth who would otherwise school year with a gathering they feel uncomfortable in a traditional called "Increase the Peace," where church setting. students prayed for relational needs Another goal of Area Wide has within the school.

"We didn't know all this would been to involve youth in planning and leading services . Jost and Trapp transpire when we started," Trapp believe this kind of involvement will says. "As much as we thought Area translate into greater participation in Wide was a good idea, we couldn't the local church, too. foresee all the benefits."

"We hope to see people start rising The vision behind Area Wide Worto positions of worship leaders and ship has caught the attention of worship team members in their churches in other areas, including churches," Trapp says. "We hope we some Mennonite Brethren congregacan be a resource for developing tions in Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Trapp and Jost have been invited to them."

Jost and Trapp believe Area Wide lead worship in various settings and Worship has helped to deepen partici- to explain the ministry of Area Wide pants' understanding of worship. to other groups.

They say they try to avoid stereotypi"If this has helped others to develcal notions of "contemporary wor- op a vision for worship in their conship" that characterize choruses as gregations or communities, then we shallow, repetitive and manipulative . are grateful to God," Trapp says.

"It 's not a matter of entrancing them, where you work up emotions," -By Sarah Donahue & Don Ratzlaff

T

IN BRIEF RELIEF REQUESTS: Mennonite Disaster Service is requesting contributions to help cover costs of aiding victims of the ice sto rm that hammered New York and Quebec the first week of January. In northern New York, four counties suffered damage with extensive power outages from downed power lines. MDS Region I director Paul Brubacher reports that while power companies focused on getting towns and industry up and running , many dairy farmers did not have generators and urgently needed power to feed , water and milk cows and to keep milk cool. MDS volunteers provided some 70 generators for farmers' use. Contributions to cover stor m-related costs should be sent to MDS, P.O. Box 500, Akron , PA 17501, designated for northeast ice storm. (MDS)

CONCERT: The Tabor College Concert Choir has been invited to participate in the prestigious 1998 New York International Choral Festival next month which brings together the most talented choirs f rom around the world . Participation is limited to 15 choral groups chosen by audition. Tabor's choir will perform at the first concert March 13, sharing the stage with two professional choirs and a university choir . The concert is being recorded for National Public Radio. Jonah Kliewer, who will retire at the end of this academic year, has directed the choir since 1975. (TC) MEDICAL HELP: Thanks to the generosity of a Jordanian pharmaceutical company owner who says he believes in God and in serving others, Mennonite Central Committee will be able to provide life-saving medicines to 50 Iraqi children - twice the number originally planned. MCC is supplying 10 different leukemia medicines to Iraq's main pediatric hospital. With the price reduction, a two-year treatment course w ill now cost about $2,000 . Iraq 's pediatric leukemia rate is currently five times higher than before the Persian Gulf War. Reasons for the increase are unclear. Childhood leukemia can usually be successfully treated when medicines are administered regularly in proper dosages. Without treatment, children with leukemia die. (MCC)

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VISION

REVISION

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Article on sin highlights personal and corporate dimensions of evil The General Conference Board of Faith and Life (BFL) is in the process of revising the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith. The board is now gathering feedback about its initial draft. BFL invites your participation. This is the third in a series of articles written by Lynn jost, BFL chair, on selected articles of the revised confession. Responses can be sent by regular mail to BFL, c/o Lynn jost, Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS 67063; the e-mail address is lynnj@tcnet.tabor.edu.-Theeditors

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IN IS A REAllTY. Article 4 of the revised Confession of Faith defmes sin as the rejection of God's purpose.

Humans sin both in word and deed, in doing what is wrong and in leaving undone what is right. Sin breaks one's relationship with God. Sin is more than an individual's sins. Sin acts as an evil force. It involves groups and organizations.

Economic systems, government powers, even family systems are susceptible tp sin's destructive power. Sin is corporate.

Sin enslaves people. Even when they want to turn from evil, sin grasps

people within its power. Sin dominates human relationships and ultimately produces death.

Even though sin is powerful, we confess that Jesus is more powerful.

Jesus was tempted in every way but defeated sin by obeying God. Through his death, Christ Jesus demonstrates God's saving power, a hope explored in Article 5 on "Salvation."

Practically, the article makes several points about sin. First, humans are responsible. Even though we are slaves to sin, Christ's example demon-' strates that sin can be resisted. We can't dodge responsibility by claiming

MENNONITE BRETHREN CONFESSION OF FAITH

Article 4: Evil and sin Sin violates God's purposa. We believe that sin is the defiant opPOSition to God, the rejection of God's good purposes for humanity and the created order. Satan is the adversary, leading the rebellion against God and deceiving humankind. Sin can be either active or passive. The Bible describes sin as alienation, idolatry, law-breaking, waywardness, unrighteousness, ungodliness, Injustice, and the like.

Sin Is evil power. Sin is the evil force that rules ali humanity and the created order. In seeking to be like God, Adam and Eve unleashed sin's power in the world. Sin produced physical and spiritual death_Subsequently, all humans submit to sin's domination and are unable to overcome its power.

Sin is rebellion, Seeking freedom , individuals turn against God and find themselves enslaved by sin. Bent on satisfying their own desires, people attempt to live as if they were God. As a result, they have marred the image of God with which they were created and live in alienation from God and creation.

Sin Is corporate. Although humans commit sins of word, deed, thought and attitude, sin goes beyond individual guilt. Evil is individual, corporate and cosmic. Principalities and powers seek to establish a system independent of and in rebellion against God. Humans sin corporately by participating in the evil systems of the world.

Jesus overcame evil. Though Jesus entered a world ruled by sin, he chose not to submit to its evil power, resisting sin's appeal. By his obedience, Christ reversed Adam's curse, demonstrated God's saving power, and overcame death with life.

Gen. 3; Ps. 14; 36:1-4; 52:1-7 ; 58; 82; Is. 5:7-23; 53:6; Amos 1-2; Rom. 1-8; Eph. 2:8-9

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"the devil made me do it."

Second, the power of evil is demonstrated in two arenas. On one hand, every human sinful act is a sin.

We sin by what we do, what we say, and what we think. We sin both by doing evil and by neglecting good.

On the other hand, the "principalities and powers" work within human institutions, often for evil. Even when individuals would prefer to do what is just, the systems often harm innocent victims. An example is the problem of world starvation. Even though food production is sufficient to feed the world, political and economic factors inhibit adequate food distribution. Sin

Even though sin is powerful, we confess that jesus is more powerful. Jesus was tempted in every way but defeated sin by obeying God. is both individual and corporate.

Third, sin's enslaving power demands divine emancipation. It is not enough for our sins to be forgiven. God must set us free from the strong tendency to continue in evil patterns. We need to be freed from sin's power.

Questions to consider: 1. Does the article adequately define the nature of sin? Is the relationship of sin and evil clear? Do we agree that the Bible teaches that sin functions as an evil force in society?

2. Do we clearly express the corporate nature of sin? Do we agree that evil systems in the world enlist human participation?

3. Can we confess that Jesus was tempted by sin but reversed sin's power through his obedience to God? 4. Do you suggest specific Scriptures that could be used to support this article?

The full draft of the revised Confession of Faith is available in your church office or at the following web site: http./ / www.mbconforg/mbc.

Meet the Pastors of CHCC

A place to conned with God and People It is the cry of the human heart to believe, but also to belong. It is our desire that CHCC will be a community of people where both happen. We believe in and teach the great news of the message of the Bible. Our Community Home Groups are gatherings of people who are learning to understand and apply the Truth of the Bible and how to grow in faith. We are also discovering what it means to belong to a community of friends who accept each other, care for each other and have a lot of fun sharing life together.

Trivia ••. If everyone in Phoenix decided to go to church this Sunday, there would be room for only 3% of the people•.• CHCC is live on the WEB! www.copperhills.org

Brad Klassen and Wayne Loewen are teaming up to introduce a vibrant new church in the northwest corner of Phoenix, Arizona. Brad left an M.B. church in Waterloo, Ontario where he had been for seven The CHCC Mission years before is: liTo help the moving people we love with his become confamily to nected and comGlendale in mitted to the God June of we love. March 1997, 15 marks the date following a of our first Celebration Service. semester at We believe it is a MBBSin significant step in Fresno, seeing this misCalif. Brad sion fulfilled. Pray and his wife that many would Eifie have come to Christ been through CHCC. married for 18 years and have three children. Wayne just recently resigned as Worship and Music Pastor in Abbotsford, B.C., where he had been in an M.B. Church for eight years. He and his wife Debbie have been married for 14 years and have two daughters. Both families live in the community of Arrowhead Ranch in Glendale, which is "ground zero" in the target area. Brad and Wayne desire that CHCC will be a catalyst in the community for building authentic relationships with each other and with God. II

MISSION USA BOARD: Ed Boschman, Phoenix, AI., Chudc Buller, V"lSOlia, CA. &nie Friesen, YrKhiIo, KS Tim Geddert, Fresno, CA Phil Glanzer, New Hope, MH

Joe Johns, Weatherford, OK Loretta Jost, Aurora, HE Fred Leonard, Oovis, CA Bruce Porter, Fresno, CA Stephen Reimer, Shafter, CA

Clarice Rempel, Buhler, KS Mike Schuil, Reedley, CA Oint Seibel, HiUsboro, CA Rondy Steinert, Bakersfield, CA Tim SuHivan, Hillsboro, KS

Ex Offldo Members: Henry Dick, Fresno, CA. (linton Grenz, Bismark, N.D. Roland Reimer, Wichita, KS.

BOD) LlIl '

IN BRIEF PREACHING: Lynn Jost, assistant prof esso r of biblical and religious studies at Tabor College, will give a keynot e ser mon as part of " Proc laiming th e Word : A Symposium on Preaching in t he Mennonite Tradit ion " at Beth el College in North Newton, Ka n., Feb .

22-24 . Howard Keirn, assist ant professor of communications at Tabor College, w ill focus on t he mechanics of preaching during his keynote add ress and Roland Reimer, Southern District Conference minister, will lead a workshop on deal ing w ith difficult t opics and t exts. Pastors and laype rsons are invited to campus to hear five keynote speakers and to attend workshops led by a dozen pastors and seminary profe ssors. Evening wors hip services in Bethel College Mennonite Church are open to the public. Pastors and layperson s intere sted in attend ing should contact Dale Schrag at Bethel College (3 16-284-5356), or send an e-mail message to drs@bethelks.edu . (BC)

AID TO UKRAINE: A Mennonite Central Committee conta iner of materials sh ipped to Make evka , Ukrain e, in December w ill all ow two age ncie s there to aid children and families. The sh ipment of meat , used clot hing and shoes; soap, detergent and lice shampoo; sports equipment; school, healt h, newborn and sew ing kits; and hand tools w ill be distributed by the Shelter of the Good Shepherd which cares for some 30 children at a t ime, and Light of the Resurrection , an orga ni zation that provides both material aid and Christian literature. (MCC) CORPORATE TI THING : M enn onite Mutual Aid has changed its corporate t ithe policy so the organization can give up to 30 percent of it s net f inan ci al gai n to fraternal program s. The t ith e w ill go to bu ild up f und s f or MMA's Sharing Fund and other fraternal benefits for members and churches. MMA is currently tithing 10 percent. The MMA Board of Directors approved the policy change at its December meeting. MMA offers insurance, fi nancial services and charit able programs fo r Mennon ites and ot her Anaba pt ists in the United St ates. (MMA)

28·

T H E

C H R 1ST I A N

Prather. "Six years ago, at the time of the last major flooding in Peru, most of the qurent church leaders were new Christians," he says. "Now, they are working to share Christ's love by • Homes have been lost and caring for their neighbors in a time of crops destroyed, says MBM/SI great need."

In 1992, MBM/ SI provided $30,000 ennonite Brethren in Peru are responding to recent flooding for food aid after similar flood damage in the country by attempting to help in Peru. This resulted in many Peruthose in greatest need, whether in vian people coming to Christ in the their own churches or in the larger following years. Mennonite Brethren in Peru now number over 450 Chriscommunity.

Emergency food stations to be run tians in 10 churches.

Mennonite Brethren in Canada and by local Mennonite Brethren churches will be set up in the Lower Piura and the United States are encouraged to continue supporting the Lower Chira river regions, people of Peru in both reports MB Missions/Services MBMjSI prayer and financial assisInternational. encourages tance, says Brad Recent heavy rains and Thiessen , secretary for swollen rivers in northern Peru churches and have destroyed homes and individuals to communications and media. Forecasts call for flooded agricultural areas, leavcontinued rains in Peru ing many people without food contribute to for at least the next two or adequate shelter, according months . In time, major to MBM/ SI. Farmers have lost relief efforts. roads may be washed up to 80 percent of their crops, out, making the distribution of food cutting off both their main food and other supplies extremely difficult. source and future sources of income.

MBM/SI encourages Mennonite The Peru churches have appealed to their partner churches in North Brethren congregations and individuAmerica for financial aid to provide als to contribute financial aid to the relief efforts of the church in Peru. food until the rains and flooding stop.

MBM/SI has responded with two Checks designated to Peru relief rounds of funding to date. Funds efforts can be sent to MBMS Internaamounting to $2,200 have already tional at 4867 E. Townsend Avenue, been used to provide over 25 families Fresno, CA 93727-5006.

- from a report by Brad Thiessen with tin roofing to cover at least a portion of their homes . Another $10,000 from the agency's emergency relief fund will be A request for prayer used for food purchases . An HE CHURCHES in Peru ask for prayer in four additional $20,000 or more may be needed over the next three areas: months if rains continue.

1. That they would be a strong t estimony MBM/ SI worker Jeff Prather for Christ as they distribute food to their neighestimates the funds will provide bors; enough food for 500 people for 2. That the complex task of transporting and one month. Peru's church con- distributing food to those in the greatest need ference executive members would be accomplished efficiently and fairly; 3. That the church would be strengthened Julio Mendoza, Miguel Reyes, Jorge Otero, and Marco Gutier- during difficult t imes. Several members have rez have traveled to most parts evacuated their home for fear of flooding, othof the affected regions to assess ers have seen their adobe homes dest royed by the need for relief. Prather will heavy rainfall. now work with them to deter4. That God would prevent the rains f rom mine how to use the funds to beco mi ng excessively inten se or frequent . meet the greatest needs.

Northern Peru is a dry, mostly desert region The church in Peru has expe- without the necessary infrastructure to handle rienced great spiritual growth in heavy rainfalls. the past several years, says

Floods lead to relief efforts by Peru MBs

M

T

L E A D E R

. CHURCH NOTES •

Baptism/membership

WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)Trent Ratterree was baptized Jan. 11.

LODI, Calif. (Vinewood)-Twenty-one members were recently added to the church. The were Joanne Boos, Scott and Jennifer Evans, Eve and Lloyd Holsinger, Marie Kelley, Sean and Lori Murphy, Roy and Peggy Reimche, Ginny Bradshaw, Mark Bradshaw, Jerry Grauman, Tom Hyzdu, Lindsay Lemburg, Ryan Lemburg, Jeff McAlexander, Andrew Robison, Jon Shinn, Jeremy Stafford and Trudy Smith.

FRESNO, Calif. (North)-Robert and lone Radtke were welcomed into membership Dec. 14. Art and Gena Martinez, Tong Yang and Steve and Jennifer Sadler were baptized and welcomed into membership Dec. 21. David and Kathy Fang, Jim and ' Jane Lindberg and Holly Mattos were also welcomed as new members.

DINUBA, Calif.-Bart, Suzi and Anna Grunau were welcomed as new members Nov. 30. Susan Thiesen was baptized and received into membership Dec. 14.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Memorial Road)-The congregation will dedicate their new facility Feb. 22. Moving to their new facility at 4201 East Memorial Road has prompted the group to change their name to Memorial Road MB Church.

CORN, Okla.-The children of Rhiney and Annie Lee Graf hosted a 50th wedding anniversary reception for their parents Dec. 28. Vernon and Marjorie Reimer celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 7.

INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)-Flowers in the sanctuary Dec. 21 marked the 60th wedding anniversary of Harry and Viola Bettin.

REEDLEY, Calif.-Sanctuary flowers Dec. 21 honored the 60th wedding anniversary of Dave and Mary Braun.

•

Fellowship

RAPID CITY, S.D. (Bible Fellowship)Marge Frantz spoke at the women's retreat

CORRECTION NOTED: The insert provided to the Christian Leader by the General Conference of MB Churches (January issue) contained an error in moderator Ed Boschman's back-page statement. The first subhead should read "Innocence and Wizendry."

Jan. 16-17. Frantz and her husband, Mike, are the pastoral couple at Waterloo (Ont.) MBChurch.

BUHLER, Kan.-The guest speaker at the women's retreat Jan. 23-24 was Peggy Goertzen, who used dolls to illustrate her life story. Goertzen is director of the Center for Mennonite Brethre n Studies in Hillsboro, Kan.

FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-The Children's Ministries Department organized a father/ son night Jan. 23 for boys in the first through sixth grade.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-John Fischer, popular Christian singer, author and humorist, was the guest speaker at a

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couples retreat Jan. 9·11 at Tenaya Lodge on the edge of Yosemite National Park. Fis· cher also presented a concert Jan. 11 at the church. The outreach event included a coffeehouse fonnat.

WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)Speakers for the women's retreat Jan. 16 .

17 were Cole Dewey, a woman who was not expected to survive a car wreck while in high school, and Beth Kautz, a single parent. The retreat was he;d near Lake Thunderbird in Nonnan, Okla .. .. Supper groups are being organized during January for the purpose of reaching visitors and .,.ewcomers and encouraging others to rejoin the congregation.

HENDERSON, Neb.- Nineteen individuals were affirmed as congregational care givers Jan. 4. The care givers, who work individually and as couples, are overseen by the deacons. They will "watch over" six families, allowing deacons to focus on cri· sis care, spiritual oversight and pastoral support, according to pastor Stuart Peder· son.

•

Workers

BAKERSFffiLD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-Associate pastor Paul Robie has resigned in

order to serve as a church planter with the Pacific District Conference and Mission USA. Robie, his wife, Jini, and their two sons will move to Draper, Utah, in March.

They intend to "provide a gracious alterna· tive to the Latter Day Saints Church" as well as the unchurched. The Robies will be moving to a community that has 14 Monnon wards, one Catholic church and no Protestant churches.

HIll.SBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-Senior pas· tor Gaylord Goertzen was given a three· week leave Jan . 5·26 for the purpose of personal renewal and Bible study.

REEDLEY, Calif.-Michael Trostrud is serving as interim associate pastor.

HILLSBORO, Kan. (Parkview)-Vann Trapp resigned as associate pastor, effec· tive Feb. 1. Trapp, who was involved pri· marily in the areas of youth and worship, has not announced his plans.

SHAFTER, CaUf.-Jason and Miriam Hofer are serving as youth pastor couple. Hofer is a 1997 graduate of Tabor College.

HIll.SBORO, K.an. - Bob Fenstennacher was commissioned for service in the area of senior adult ministries during the Jan.

"China! Maybe now's the

time," I said.

-Lois Unrau, who volunteered to teach in Shenyang, China, for MCC.

26 worship service. He will work parttime on an interim basis until August. The congregation is currently reviewing staff needs.

. DEATHS DUERKSEN, WESLEY, Hillsboro, Kan., a member of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born March 8, 1921, at Inola, Okla., and died Dec. 28, 1997 at the age of 76. On Oct. 15, 1943 he was married to Martha Lovisa Wiens, who survives. He is also survived by a daughter, Janet and husband Herman Franz of Wichita, Kan .; three sons, Ronald and wife Fran of Lehigh, Kan., Randol Pete and wife Carol of Hillsboro, and Rodean and wife Michelle of Newton, Kan.; two sisters, Edna and husband Lloyd Regehr and Ethel Bartel, all of Hillsboro; a sister-in-law, Lydia Duerksen of Hillsboro; and 11 grandchildren.

ESAU, LINDA, Buhler, Kan ., was born May 24, 1918, to Ted and Martha Goertz Heidebrecht at Inman, Kan., and died Jan .

6, 1998, at the age of 79. On Dec. 19, 1937, she was married to Jacob T. Esau, who predeceased her in 1997. She is survived by three sons, Jarold and wife Judy of Kansas, City, Mo., Dwight and wife Laura of Parachute, Colo.; and Dwayne and wife Michaela of Kernersville, N.C.; a sister, Ruth and husband Ron Crowe of Turon, Kan.; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

FAST, EUZABEm EPP, Fairview, Okla., was born April 2, 1898, to August F. and Elizabeth Patzkowsky near Isabella, Okla., and died Jan. 16, 1998, at the age of 99.

On May 4, 1919, she was married to Henry ). Fast, who predeceased her in 1975. She is survived by a son, Wilmer Dean and wife Naomi Fast of Hennessey, Okla.; one granddaughter and one great-grandson.

GOLBEK, ESmER KATHERINE, of Reed-

Interested in serving with MCC? Want to know what MCC workers do? Visit Lois and other MCC workers in China, Bolivia, South Africa and in several North American locations. For free loan of A day with six MGG workers, contact the ( "" Mennonite MCC office nearest you. .. Central Committee Mennonite Central Committee 21 South 12th Street. PO Box SOO. Akron, PA 17S01 ·0500 (717) 859· 1151

Mennonite Central Committee Canada 134 Plaza Drive, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9 (204) 261 ·6381

ley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Sept. 17, 1918, to John and Martha Fast EIrich in Reedley and died Dec. 9, 1997, at the age of 79. On Sept.

17, 1937, she was married to Jacob Golbek, who survives. She is also survived by a son, Ron and wife Tina of Kingsburg, Calif.; a daughter, Joanne and husband Ron Schneider of Squaw Valley, Calif.; four sisters, Elsie Kliewer of Fresno, Calif., Leona Baker and Frances EIrich of Visalia, Calif., and Lucille Wiebe of Clovis, Calif.; five brothers, Clifford of Petaluma, Calif., Harvey, Richard and Louis of Bakersfield, Calif., and Calvin of Dinuba, Calif.; five grandchildren , four great·grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

ISAAC, CLARENCE A., of Dinuba, Calif., a member of the Dinuba MB Church, was born April 12, 1922, in Meade, Kan., to

30·

THE

CHRISTIAN

LEADER

BOD] LIII

John F. and Anna A. Isaac and died Nov. 11, 1997, at the age of 75. On May 6, 1945, he was married to Edna Johnson, who sur· vives. He is also survived by a daughter, Judy and her husband Bill Regehr; a son, Stan and wife Ann; two brothers, George A. Isaac and wife Agnes of Kingsburg, Calif., and Pete A. Isaac and wife Erma of Dinuba; one sister, Anna and husband Johnny Siebert of Lincoln, Neb.; one sister-in-law, Helen Isaac of Dallas, Ore.; four grandchil· dren; and two great·grandchildren.

husband Byron McCarty of Hillsboro; a sister, Dorothy Schapansky of Reedley, Calif.; a brother, Jerome of Clovis, Calif.; and four grandchildren .

KOHFELD, HENRY AUGUST, of Shafter, Calif., a member of the Shafter MB Church, was born April 6, 1899, to Henry and Elizabeth Unruh Kohfeld in Indiahoma, Okla., and died Dec. 5, 1997, at the age of 98. In 1924, he was married to Bertha "Bea" Bergen, who predeceased him in 1978. He is survived by a son, James and wife Vir· ginia of Santa Monica, Calif.; a daughter, Katherine and husband Gene Bunnell of Klamath Falls, Ore.; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Join Wilmer & Janet Martin for

LANGE, PAUL EVERETT, Hillsboro, Kan., a member of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born Aug. 14, 1927, to Peter R. and Susan Reimer Lange in Hutchinson, Kan., and died Dec. 29, 1997, at the age of 70.

On May 28, 1955, he was married to Betty Harder, who survives. He is also survived by a son, Byron and wife Darla of Shawnee, Kan.; a daughter, Wendy and

PANKRATZ, ROSELLA, of HIllsboro, Kan., a member of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born June 1, 1911, to Andrew). and Anna Bushman Pankratz at

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BOD'} LIn

Mennonite Brethren Foun dation invites applications for the position of

Field Representative Seeking a Field Representative to work primarily in the Pacific District area with a focus on encouraging and assisting Christians in faithful stewardship. Specific responsibilities include stewardship education, planned giving, charitable estate planning and Foundation-related activity.

Qualifications include an ability to communicate effectively and a desire to assist people in achieving their stewardship objectives.

Direct inquiries to: Attn: J on Wiebe PO Box V Hillsboro;· KS 67063

CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELISM (CPE)

Invitation: TO: Born-again Christians King Road MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C., is seeking volunteers for its Church Partnership Evangelism outreach to....

Cost/person" 1. PHILIPPINES - Manilla . .. . .. . . ...... . . . Jan. 16 - Feb. 2, '98 . .. .. . $1,200 2. INDIA - Mahabubnagar .... . ... . ........ Jan. 16 - Feb. 9, '98 . . . , .. $1 ,600 3. PHILIPPINES - Davao, Cebu, Roxas . . . . . . Feb. 8-25, '98 . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,200 4. NICARAGUA - Managua ..... . .... . . .... Feb. 28-March 16, '98 ...... $1,200 5. PERU - Sullana, Trujillo . . ............... April 4-27, '98 . .. . . .. . ... . $1,200 6. UKRAINE - Kiev, Tchernovtsky, Odessa .. . . May 2-25, '98 . . ..... . . . .. $1,200 7. CONGO - Kinshasa, Kikwit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1 - June 1, '98 ....... . $2,000 8. CUBA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. June 5-22, '98 . . ......... $1,000 9. FIJI ISLAND - Labasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 5-22, '98 .... . .... . . . $1,300 10. PARAGUAY - Asuncion, Chaco .. . ...... . July 4-20, '98 . . ... .. ... . . $1,500 12. NICARAGUA - Managua . . . .... .. .. . . . .. July 4-20, '98 . . .. . .... . .. $1,200 13. UKRAINE - Novomoskovsk, Pavlograd Berdyansk, Alexandria, Kirowograd . . . . . . . July 25 - Aug. 18, '98 .... . . $1,600 14. PERU - Chiclayo, Talara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug. 1-24, '98 .. . ... . .. . .. $1,200 15. NICARAGUA . ..... . .......... .. . .. . .. Nov. 8-23, '98 .. .......... $1,200 16. INDIA .. .. . . .. . . . ..... . ..... . . . .... . . Nov. 7-30, '98 .. . . . .... ... $1,600 Note: Dates may be subject to change, pending further confirmation of some campaigns.

'Canadian dollars

• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.

• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.

• Between 800-2,800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord during a two-week CPE campaign . Come and be a part of an enriching spiritual experience-discover what God can do through you.

For more information, contact: CPE office: Tel.-Fax : 604-864-3941, or Evelyn Unruh, 604852-5744; or Peter Loewen, 604-853-3173 or FAX 604-853-6482 Church Partnership Evangelism is a "church-to·church" effort that involves lay members in personal evangelism worldwide. Your application to participate wiff be forwarded to the C.P.E. Executive Committee for processing.

Peter Loewen CPE Promoter

32

•

THE

C H R 1ST I A N

Harold W. Ens MBMIS Int'l General Director

LEA D E R

Hillsboro, and died Dec. 16, 1997, at the age of 86. She is survived by 12 nieces and three nephews.

PAULS, FRANK, of Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, died Dec. 4, 1997, at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife, Pauline; three sons, Melvin of Dinuba, Calif., DeVem of Yucaipa, Calif., and Larry of Fresno, Calif.; and seven grandchildren.

REIMER, ESTI:lER ROSE HUWA, of Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born May 16, 1923, to Edward and Molly Huwa in Keenesburg, Colo., and died Dec. 29, 1997, at the age of 74. On April 2, 1944, she was married to Paul Reimer, who survives. She is also survived by three daughters, Jane and husband Johnie Tomsen of Kingsburg, Calif., Carol and husband Tim Leppke of Reedley, Calif., and Laurie and husband Tim Franz of Fresno, Calif.; three brothers, John Huwa, Daniel Huwa and Jerry Huwa, all of Colorado; a sister, Ruth and husband Bob Miller of Colorado; and 11 grandchildren.

WAHL, OLGA, of Harvey, N.D., a member of the Harvey MB Church, was born June 21, 1908, to Ferdinand and Maria Rosenau near Goodrich, N.D., and died Jan. 3, 1998, at the age of 89. On Sept. 21, 1929, she was married to Jacob Wahl, who predeceased her in 1988. She is survived by a daughter, Joyce Synder of Leesburg, Fla.; two sons, Bruce of Harvey and David of Arlington, Va.; a sister, Emma Leppke of California; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

CLEARINGHOUSE Have a pOSition to fiff? Looking for a new employment or ministry opportunity? Have a gathering or celebration to promote? Need to self or acquire property?

Reach U.S. Mennonite Brethren through a Clearinghouse classified ad. The charge is 40 cents per word. with a $15 minimum. Withhold payment untif an invoice is received. The editors reserve the right to turn down inappropriate material. For display (boxed) ad rates, please calf us.

POSITION AVAILABLE STAFF NEEDED: Neighborhood Church is occupying new facilities on 20 acres of land in March 1998. We are looking for staff members to help us best fulfill our mission in these facilities : (1) a full -time custodian, beginning March 1998; (2) a full-time children's pastor, beginning July 1, 1998; (3) a volunteer young families pastor, beginning as soon as possible. If you are interested, please contact Neighborhood Church at 209-732-9107. We would be pleased to supply you with a job description.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR : MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif. , seeks a program adm inistrator, starting by fall 1998 for its On·Site Counseling Program . Qua lifications : administrative experience, licensed psychologist or MFCC counselor, five years' experience as therapist or supervisor. Contact: Pierre Gilbert, MBBS, 4824 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727; 209-452-1768. Equal Opportun ity Employer.

FORES T GROVE COMMUN IT Y C HU RC H WIENS, ALICE KARBER, of Fairview , Okla., a member of the Balko (Okla.) MB Church, was born Sept. 19, 1906 , to Henry H. and Frena Penner Karber near Fairview and died Jan. 7, 1998, at the age of 91. On Aug. 31, 1931, she was married to Arthur E. Wiens, who predeceased her.

She is survived by a son, Cliff and wife Laura of San Jose, Calif.; two daughters, DeeAnn and husband Herb Hofer of Huron, S.D., and Carolyn and husband Ken Regier of Broken Arrow, Okla.; a sister, Cecille and husband Arthur Almquist of Turlock, Calif. ; two brothers, Reuben Karber and wife Agnes of Enid, Okla., and Vernon Karber and wife Edythe of Bellingham, Wash .; seven grandchildren and 10 great -grandchildren.

WILLEMS, HELEN LENA, of Reedley, Calif. , a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Feb. 1, 1918, to G.D. and Anna Block Willems near Inman, Kan., and died Dec. 7, 1997, at the age of 79.

She is survived by a brother, john of Reedley; four sisters, Ann and husband jake Isaac of Reedley, Eva and husband Andrew Classen of Fresno, Calif., Martha and husband John Klema of Kansas City, Mo., and Esther Willems of Reedley; two sisters-inlaw, Anna Willems of Reedley and Fern Willems of Carthage, Mo.; and many nieces and nephews.

•

(A member of the Canadian Conference of MB Churches) is inviting applications for the position of

SEN IO R PASTOR • Saskatoon is a growing city with a population of about 200,000. It has a vibrant economy based on agriculture, mining, resources and biotechnology.

• Our congregation has an average attendance of 1,000. Our building is located about one mile from the University of Saskatchewan, adjacent to a major traffic artery, and situated in the fastest-growing sector of our city.

• The congregation is a mix of young families, a 'Iarge number of youth and college/career people and a significant group of adults 50 and over. Our present ministry staff includes three associate pastors, four ministry directors and an interim senior pastor.

• The major areas of ministry for the Senior Pastor will include preaching and providing vision, leadership and mentoring for the pastoral and administrative team .

• Qualified candidates will include those with experience leading a church with a multiple staff environment.

• Starting date negotiable.

Interested candidates may send their resume and requests for more information to:

Pastoral Search Committee c/o Erwen Siemens Forest Grove Community Church 502 Webster Street Saskatoon, SK S7N 3P9 E-mail: fgcc@sk.sympatico.ca

FEB R U A R Y

1 998

33

MEDIA MATTERS BY

BURTON

BULLER

'The Apostle' looks at faith For those of us in leadership, Duvall's film wields a two-edged sword. The sharper edge challenges us to shut up and let God do more of the talking.

R

OBERT DUVALL ranks as one of America's great actors. His performances are gut-wrenching with humorous overtones. America tuned in and turned on to his portrayal of Gus McCrae in the 1989 television series "Lonesome Dove."

In 1984, Duvall wrote a script based on a personal experience he had with a pastor. Now, more than 10 years later, that script reaches the screen as "The Apostle."

"The Apostle" tackles religion head-on, asking complex and uncomfortable questions along the way. Unfortunately, for an actor with Duvall's stature, one expects a film of much higher quality than "The Apostle" turns out to be.

Written by, directed by, largely funded by and starring Duvall, he may be too close to the material to be objective in its presentation. The film suffers from a host of serious dramatic flaws that will limit its mass appeal. Likely, you won't see this film in a theater near you. You'll have to wait until it hits the shelf in your local video store.

So why bring it up at all? Because this film is notable in its portrayal of faith in a compelling and respectful manner.

If one puts aside expectation created by Hollywood filmmaking and rather chooses to view "The Apostle" as a docudrama, it becomes a powerful statement on the state of evangelical Christianity near the end of this century. In this film, the church as a local institution exists as a powerful and meaningful presence in the community. You will see church services portrayed with a warm and respectful realism. To capture this realism, 34·

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Duvall chose ordinary churchgoers rather than professional actors to fill the pews in his cinematic church. Watching these scenes is like actually being there. Worship style is fast-paced and participatory. One senses the presence of God in these recreations.

Squeaky clean, with no offensive language and almost no violence, this film unfortunately moves too slowly to be a successful theatrical release. Characterization is too weak to carry the plot alone.

The story centers on a preacher who feels profoundly called by God to the ministry. He is gregarious and working hard enough that he is neglecting his family. Fed up with the neglect, his wife (played by Farrah Fawcett) has an affair with a parishioner. After discussing the situation with God, the preacher decides not to shoot the lover. But a chance encounter so enrages him that he takes a baseball bat to the man, placing him in a coma.

This, of course, sets up the end of his ministry in the local church.

Forced from the pulpit and not sure about how the law will deal with his violent outburst, he leaves town. As he flees, he constantly talks to God, discussing his situation, searching for guidance.

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nable to shake his past, the preacher feels God calling him to change his identity. Rebaptizing himself, he takes the name E.F. Apostle. In a small southern town, E.F. discovers a retired pastor whose heart condition no longer allows him to lead the congregation in the LEADER

high-energy, pumped up style of preaching that the community demands. E.F. convinces the pastor to allow him to reopen the shuttered church.

In no time, the church is a thriving, spirit-filled congregation. Relationships are healed, the community is being won to Christ, and E.F. Apostle becomes a respected member of the community in which he ministers. He begins a radio ministry.

E.F. discovers that the man he clubbed has died and that the police are looking for him. His radio program leads the authorities to his church where he is preaching his most powerful sermon ever. On this particular day, a young man he has befriended comes under conviction and accepts Jesus as his savior. As the service ends, the police arrest the preacher for murder.

There is a lot in this film with which evangelical Christians of all stripes will identify. But the way in which the preacher is portrayed is troublesome. He is not someone we can love, or root for. This preacher has allowed his calling to be overtaken by his own ego. He is accountable only to himself. God doesn't get a chance to get a word in edgewise.

Therefore, his ministry is really a well orchestrated sham.

Tough issues keep popping uplike abuse of power and excessive manipulation. He seems to mistake his ability to manipulate people for the leading of the spirit. By juxtaposing a preacher running a sham operation with a sincere, respectful portrayal of God's presence during the church service, Duvall seems to be asking how broken a vessel must be before it can no longer be effectively used by God. For those of us in leadership, Duvall's film wields a two-edged sword. It is comforting to be reminded that God can indeed use us in spite of our brokenness and shortcomings. But the sharper edge challenges us to sit back, shut up and let God do more of the talking.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT A

GUIDE

FOR

GROUP

INTERACTION

SESSION 1 Training work-friendly pastors

SESSION 3 Evangelism and social action

Based on "When the marketplace becomes ministry," page 4.

Based on Inquiring Minds, page 14.

GET READY - Getting started

GET READY - Getting started

• How many hours did you spend in the "marketplace" this week?

• As you reflect on the past week, which events or activities would you label as evangelistic and which as social action?

GET SET - Examining the issues GET SET - Examining the issues

1. What is Diehl's complaint about the relationship between the church and his job at Bethlehem Steel?

2. Review the differences between type A and B laypersons.

3. What are the results when the assets of the church are frozen?

4. What are the reasons that pastors are thought to not understand business?

1. Why is it so difficult to distinguish between the two aspects of ministry?

2. Can you add to the examples given in which Mennonite Brethren combined both social action and teaching the gospel?

3. What concern does Hein have with our present arrangement?

GO - Applying ideas to the way we live

GO - Applying ideas to the way we live

1. Have you ever experienced a time when a church's business approach to ministry became detrimental? In what ways?

2. Which of the 10 ways to support ministry in the workplace is most needed in your congregation?

3. In what ways can your church be affirmed for encouraging ministry in the workplace?

1. Would you agree or disagree that "we are not training our young people for leadership in the church"?

2. How are both interest and skill for kingdom work encouraged in your congregation?

3. Identify several people you know who have needs.

Would their overall need be met best by offering your service, sharing Scripture with them, or both?

SESSION 2 LIving In grace

SESS ION 4 "Th e Apostle"

Based on "Amazing Grace," page 9.

Based on Media Matters, page 34.

GET READY - Getting started

GET READY - Getting started

• If you were free to do anyone thing you wanted towithout fear of consequences- what would it be?

• Which, if any, Robert Duvall movies have you seen?

GET SET - Examining the issues

1. As you review the story of "The Apostle," how are Christians and the church positively portrayed?

2. What issues are raised by the movie that the church shou ld consider?

3. Would Scripture support E.F. Apostle's decision to start another church?

4 . How is it possible that one can go from being "profoundly called by God" to being a murderer?

1. Why is the fami ly of God prone to battling over how to properly respond to God's grace?

2. What were and are the resu lts of a legalistic response to grace?

3. As you look through the letter to the Galatians, highlight the verses that define and describe grace.

GET SET - Examining the issues

GO - Applying ideas to the way we live 1. How can we free ourselves and others to serve because of grace, but not feel a need to perform in order to gain God's favor?

2. Do you agree with and rejoice in Kauffman's suggestion that grace is being redefined?

3. What has had the greatest impact on your understanding of grace?

111\ Til K ABOUI II

GO - Applying ideas to the way we live 1. How does one guard against this possibility?

2. Do you think the issues of integrity and sincerity are greater for preachers and church leaders than for others within the church?

3. Are there ways in which you run and hide from God? What would give you freedom?

is a project of the Christian Leader and the Southern District Christian Education Commission. Questions by Nadine Friesen .

FEBR U ARY

1998

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EDITORIAL

Investing for the kingdom

J

ESUS SEEMS to have been a "work-friendly" pastor. He • "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ' often used images from the workaday world to communicate spiritual truth. I wonder, though, how adept • "Love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you." we have been at catching the intended truth.

Jesus's Parable of the Talents is a case in point. In • "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourself that will not wear out, where no thief Matthew's version, a rich master entrusts three servants comes near and no moth destroys. " with varying amounts of "talents," then holds them accountable for how they use them. This parable has an • "Whatever you do for the least of these brothers of mine, you do for me." important message for us in the world of work, but perhaps it's not the ones we often ascribe to it.

• "Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the One school of interpretation takes this parable quite litmerciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who erally: The parable teaches that God gives to people varying are persecuted for righteousness sake ...." abilities to make money and expects us to These talents, these secrets, are part of multiply our wealth. Of course, nothing every Christian'S job description, no matcould be further from the truth. By defmition, Kingdom secrets parables are not literal teachings; rather, they ter the job or role we assume from 9 to 5 tend to tum each working day. Paul made it clear: "Be employ common images to communicate a imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved deeper meaning. The Parable of the Talents is conventional children and live a life of love, just as no more about becoming successful success strategies Christ loved us and gave himself up for entrepreneurs than the Parable of the Sower us ... " (Eph. 5:1-2). To be imitators of God means all Christians should be grain farmers. upside down. means that we may teach, sell, manufacA second, more common, interpretation ture, build or farm for a living, but our fulltakes off on the word "talents." In the New time job is to love as God loves.

Testament setting, a talent was a common unit of money.

Tragically, we tend to think that only those people who But we often apply that word as our culture defines it: as a pursue church-related professions-like pastors and missionspecial gift or ability we've received from God. So the application becomes clear: Christians should "invest" their spearies-are called by God to their work. These are wonderful roles in God's kingdom. But each of us who claims allecial ability-whether it's managing, counseling, craftsmanship, teaching-for God's glory. If we develop our talent, giance with Christ is called to our job if we see it as an God will "bless" our efforts (preferably with fmancial and expression of our primary vocation. The kingdom needs professional success). pastors and missionaries, but the kingdom also needs: That interpretation may carry an element of truth, but • businesspersons who see the well-being of people as it still misses the point Jesus was trying to make, writes having greater value than a bulging profit margin; Donald Kraybill in The Upside-Down Kingdom. He says the • schoolteachers who see students as vulnerable souls commodity in this parable is neither money nor natural loved by God, not just faces behind a desk; abilities. It is our knowledge of God. Jesus was asking his • lawyers who work for justice rather than status; Jewish audience a simple question: "How well have you • farmers who strive to feed the hungry and not simply to build bigger barns; invested the truths God had entrusted to you?"

The question is relevant for us, too. How are we invest• employers who see themselves as servants of their employees-and employees who do their jobs as unto the ing the truths of kingdom living we have received through the years? Those secrets won't mUltiply our stock portfolio Lord.

If God gives us the grace to do so, each of us can be or help us win friends and influence people as we climb the career ladder. No, kingdom "secrets" tend to tum confull-time ministers in the kingdom of God, whatever our job ventional success strategies upside down: happens to be. And then we will hear God's commenda• "Whoever wants to be great among you must be tion: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." -DR slave."

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