> College hosts convention 22 > Congolese Mennonites hold national forum
23 > Preparing African women to lead the church
24 > MB couple write MWC book on shared convictions
26 > Supporting peacemakers
27 > Report documents human rights violations
27 > Living politics
28 > Hein remembered for local, global influence
FEATURES
[Forgiveness]
10 AMISH FORGIVENESS . AND THE REST OF US by
Steven M. Nolt
The world didn't quite know how to respond when the Amish community in Nickel Mines, Pa., forgave Charles C. Roberts IV just days after he shot 10 school girls, killing five. The decision to forgive may have come quickly, but there was nothing simplistic about it. How do the Amish understand forgiveness, and what can the rest of us learn from them?
14 DESTINATION: FORGIVENESS by Wilma Derksen
Thirteen-year-old Candace Derksen disappears on her way home from school. The community searches valiantly until her body is found seven weeks later. Her parents say they forgive the person who murdered their daughter, and that is how Wilma and Cliff Derksen begin their journey toward forgiveness. But now, 22 years later, a man is charged with her murder. Forgiving is different now that Candace's killer has a name and a face. Is it still possible?
16 FORGIVE FROM THE HEART by David Faber
In the parable of the unmerciful servant, Jesus tells us that God will forgive us only to the degree that we forgive others. So we Christians need to be in the business of forgiving one another and to do so "from the heart," as Jesus says in Matthew lB. What do I need to do when I have wronged someone? Is it enough to say, ''I'm sorry'?
> FiRST WORDS
(from the editorl
THIS MONTH LEADER READERS ARE INTRODUCED TO Alfred Neufeld, an educator and church leader from the German-speaking Mennonite Brethren conference of Paraguay. Neufeld, assisted by his wife, Wilma, has written What We Believe Together, the 2007 selection to the Global Anabaptist/Mennonite Shelf of Literature. Neufeld's book explores the meaning and implications of seven convictions shared by Anabaptists worldwide.
Neufeld is a busy man who didn't really need another thing to do when Mennonite World Conference leaders invited him to write this book. He is dean of the Faculties of Theology and of Education and Social Work at the Evangelical University of Paraguay. He preaches and teaches in congregations on weekends. He serves as president of the Mennonite Brethren board overseeing the Guarani TV network, which does 24-hour programming Neufeld believes that creating and nourishing worldwide connections is important to the future of the church and has given considerable time to faceto-face relationships. He spent three years working on the International Community of Mennonite Brethren confession of faith. He was a plenary speaker at the June 2007 ICOMB consultation on higher education. Neufeld is a member of the Mennonite World Conference General Council and currently chairs the National Coordinating Council for the next MWC Assembly, Paraguay 2009.
'The whole Mennonite zoo is present in Paraguay," Neufeld tells Phyllis Pellman Good, a communication consultant for MWR. "Our different species are very beautiful and representative of God's creation. But we must keep finding ways to communicate and relate and appreciate each other." Writing this book that fleshes out the convictions shared among the global Anabaptist community is one way Neufeld is doing his part to help the Mennonite "zoo" become an interconnected, global community of faith.
Six months ago Leader columnist Marvin Hein submitted his final column with the request that we publish it after his death. We do so this month. (See his obituary on page 28 and Inquiring Minds on page 30.) While Marvin's body was succumbing to the cancer, his mind continued to work just fine. And Marvin continued to think and to write, mostly about dying, death and heaven. We will be publishing his reflections on these topics in our May issue. After being our resident answer man for 15 years, I appreciate Marvin's willingness to share his final questions and answers with the rest of us.-CF
> QUOT ABLE
"Christ's communication was to make God experience-able. God's effort at communicating has always been toward being understandable." -Alfred Neufeld, author of What We Believe Together, in an interview with Phyllis Penman Good.
> UP & COMING
• Feb. 1-3-Latin America District Conference convention
• Feb. 15-17-U S Conference Leadersh ip Board meeting. Denver. Colo
• March 31-April2-National Pastors' Orientation, Phoenix Ariz.
• April 18-19- U.S. Conference Leadership Board meeting and MB Leadersh ip Summit, Denver, Colo
• July 23-25-National Pastors' Conference. Wichita Kan
• July 25-27- U.S. Conference convention, Hillsboro, Kan
Connie Faber EDITOR
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Do you have commitment issues?
Being committed to making others' lives better
The Nov/Dec issue of REV! Magazine cited a recent Barna Group study that was checking commitment issues among the 72 percent of Americans who claim "they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ which is important in their lives today." Among the results was the report that only 44 percent say they're committed to "personally make the world and others' lives better."
What occurred to me first aher
reading this was that Bonhoeffer's warning about cheap grace has come to seed. That was a more rational thought. My emotional response was exasperation along the lines of: 'What are the other 56
Can't Make It On Your Own, I was reminded that there is good reason why God said that it isn't good for man to be alone. It occurred to me first that this is cause to be grateful for a life's partner. Then my thoughts evolved to the fact that Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Good thing! Eventually I landed on the aloneness that my neighbors are no doubt feeling, some without a spouse, some without a family, some without friends and without the Lord.
C: ] For J hu ge number of Ollr neighhors. life is bo rderJine awful. \Vas it not the "bonus"
c omm <l nJm e nt, right after 10vin g God. that we love ;,lnd care for our neighbor s ?
percent thinking? What is the Lord going to do with all the self-identified Christians who don't give a rip?"
Maybe you are thinking I've got on green glasses-that my rant is about taking better care of the physical world. But I don't think that's what Barna was measuring. (For the record, Carol and I are on the recycling bandwagon. We fill a big blue bin every couple of weeks and roll it out to the curb in spite of the inconvenience and the cost.)
Others of you might be thinking that I'm inferring we should be pursuing some way to help folks escape the rigorous realities of their lives. Nope. But one of the things that Jesus modeled for us and calls us to is being involved enough to do life with, provide appropriate sympathy for and be appropriatelyempathetic to others.
What has me riled up is that people who call themselves actively and personally committed to Jesus flat out declare that they're not willing to live like leaven in the lump, like salt and light in the world. To live as hands and feet for Christ's kingdom, as messengers of love and peace of soul to a world of people drowning in their need for exactly those things. For a huge number of our neighbors, life is borderline awful. Was it not the "bonus" commandment, right aher loving God, that we love and care for our neighbors?
While listening to U2 sing, Sometimes You
So I'm back to whether or not that's important to us. Is it conceivable that more than half of us don't believe that it matters? Or is it that we are unmotivated or unwilling (or both) to do anything about it? And does that call for another more foundational question-that of the genuineness of our (workless) faith? Is that why people have now and again said that they'd be happy to give Christianity a good look if they ever met the real deal?
So let me ask you flat out: Do you give a rip? I hope and pray you do. Over the past several months, it has been a joy to meet people throughout our national denominational family who do. Like the guy whose eyes welled up when he was telling me about several young men choosing to give their lives to Christ in trust-follow relationship in his ministry world. Like the guys who dropped everything to rush to the hospital to be with their buddy's wife as she waited for word about whether her husband would live or die.
This morning, I prayed with that guy and a band of his buddies as we met to ask each other about plans to grow as followers of Jesus this year It was sobering, and we were pretty open about the fact that we had not yet arrived but that we would press on and grow forward. We are choosing not to be among those who don't give a rip.
Mea culpa-My apologies to the MB Foundation board and stafffor averlooking them in the ministry team review (Conferencce CaU, December 07). The Foundation plays a vital role!
> COMMON MUS N G S
editor ... "
Everyone loves a well-written letter to the editor
What do editors talk about when they get togeth-
readers really think we aim to .;hield them from the best parts er? One thing is letters. We love 'em The let- of anyone's writing and give them something bland instead? ter is one of the great forms of communication. (That would make it difficult to sensationalize, which we A third of the New Testament, and a good deal of its doc- also are accused of doing. It takes a creative genius to sensatrinal teaching, come to us as letters tionalize bland.)
Letters to the editor are churchly democracy in
Most churchly editors love putting out an issue with action. Even the unhappy ones show that readers care plenty of letters. But that doesn't mean anything goes. about our publication. Editors dread being ignored and
Readers love letters, too. Many will say, 'The first thing I tum to is the letters to the editor."
Sometimes we have to cut off debate and that rankles sometimes wonder, "If an article falls in the forest and no readers, especially those who waited too long to send one writes a letter, has it really been read?" own comments. Editors rarely invoke the cutoff. Trust me on : Letter ') to the editor JTC churchly ucmocr'3c\' in '3ction this-:-they really want , < < • deprIve you of matenal that IS ('Nen the unhappy on e s rc luCr"i C;.1[C thout ollr interesting, instructive and inspipuh1icJtion. rationaL But periodically they have to ask, "Will yet another letter on Topic A, no matter how precious it may seem to the writer, make readers' eyes glaze over with boredom?" One more letter may indeed hold the last great insight that no one else has yet considered, but sometimes it's just another fly buzzing over a horse long dead .
I received some memorable missives when I was a denominational editor, like the one that began, "Dear pacifist puke" (unsigned, of course). Another, dripping with venom, closed with, "In the bonds of Christian love."
Then there was this cryptic note: "Normally I don't write letters to the editor, but in this case I felt I had to ." End of letter.
One "pen pal" was a meek and gentle soul who became transformed when writing to editors. The act of sitting down before a keyboard seemed to pull out the stopper of decorum, releasing a gush of bile from his fingertips.
Another writer sent a generally thoughtful letter marred by two profanities, One was a nontheological reference to an unpleasant afterlife and the other was a barnyard term. When I deleted them the writer complained that I had "cutoutthe best parts." I couldn't help replying, "You mean _ and _ were the best parts of your letter?"
Well, what about the charge that editors cut out the best part? Do people really think that when a letter or article arrives we read it over carefully, searching for the best part? And when we find it, we pounce, exclaiming, "Aha, there it is - the best part. Out it comes." Do some
Essays published as part of Common Musings are submitted by Mennonite Brethren or inter- Mennonite agencies.
Want to be an effective letter writer?
1. Keep them short. Can you say it in 200 words or less? That takes work As Samuel Johnson wrote to a friend, 'Tm sorry to send you such a long letter I didn't have time to write a shorter one " A Mennonite editor recently received a I,8oo-word '1etter" with strict instructions not to edit. Ever compliant, she didn't edit a single word. Nor did she print it.
2. Sign your name. Only in rare cases will editors publish a "name withheld."
3. When signing off don't cite your employer or institution unless there's a good reason.
4. Before you hit"send," take one more look, maybe set it aside for a bit Not to spoil your fun, but is this "a word fitly spoken" (Prov. 25:n)? Will it persuade anyone? Think about the last time your mind was changed by a letter to the editor. What worked best-a rant or reasoned discourse? Getting something off your chest may feel good for an hour, but how will it look when you see it in public print?
Ask if you have simply reacted or if you've actually advanced and illumined the discussion. Learn to do that and editors will love you - and will be happy to open your e-mail the next time you write.
Wally Kroeker is editor of Marketplace, a publication of Mennonite Economic Development Associates, and wrote this essay at the request of Meetinghouse, an association of Mennonite magazine editors.
Working to bring peace in Kenya
Mennonite workers, church leaders ask for prayer
resolve their differences peacefully, says George Wachira, a senior research and policy adviser. Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa is an international peace-building organization that has mediated conflicts in Sudan, Liberia and other African countries. MCC worker Harold Miller helped to form the organization in 1984 under the earlier name of Nairobi Peace Group.
Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa worked with Kenyan organizations, government officials and religious groups to promote peace in the months before the elections, says Wachira. While the campaigning and voting were largely peaceful, the conflicts over election results and fraud allegations could grow even more serious in the coming days, says Wachira. 'We are hopeful but at the same time still very worried," he says.
No MCC staff members were harmed in the recent violence, according to Catherine Bowman, an MCC Kenya representative. MCC is the peace, relief and service agency of North American Mennonites.
Hundreds of Kenyans have died in widespread violence following national elections Dec. 27, according to news reports.
Tensions continue as the incumbent, Mwai Kibaki, claims a
narrow victory in the presidential election and the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, alleges voting fraud. In the wake of this postelection violence, Mennonite Central Committee is supporting a Kenyan organization that is working to bring peace.
Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa, an MCC partner organization, is working with Kenyan mediators to urge the conflicting patties to
Eastern Mennonite Missions, a mission agency supported by the Mennonite Church, also has several workers in the country. One reports, 'We are safe but a bit depressed by the news." EMM has also been in contact with Kenyan church leaders. 'The Kenyan leaders all say they have never seen such turmoil and request our earnest prayers for peace," says Clair Good, representative to Africa for EMM. 'i\J.l these EMM partners are actively working for peace and reconciliation in their communities. Some are risking their own safety as they shelter refugees from 'enemy' tribes." -MCC, EMM
Churches work to alleviate hunger in Zimbabwe
Members ofthe Brethren in Christ Church , with help from Mennonite Central Committee, are distributing 25 metric tons of sorghum and maize seeds to 2 , 000 farm families in Zimbabwe ' s Matabeleland South province . A seven -year drought has caused crops to fail in the region, leaving households with little food or seed to plant for the coming year, according to Prosper Dube, the BICC food relief coordinator.
The national economy in Zimbabwe has collapsed, putting most Zimbabweans out of work and making money virtually worthless Families are divided as able -bodied adulrs leave to seek work in neighboring South Africa Children and older adulrs are often left behind to take care of themselves, Dube says .
MCC provided the BICC food relief program with $25 ,000 to purchase and distribute seeds The targeted area includes 16 BICC congregations whose members face
the same economic challenges as their neighbors, Dube says
MCC is also providing about $500,000 for food distnbutions in Zimbabwe in parmership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank
The Canadian International Development Agency is matching this contribution to increase the total project funds to $2 5 million Through the project, relief workers are distributing a six-month supply of com, beans, cooking oil and other food to about 120,000 people in areas throughout Zimbabwe. - MCC
FPU holds commencement
The achievements of 220 students were celebrated Dec. 7 during Fresno Pacific University's fall commencement. FPU is the Mennonite Brethren university headquartered in Fresno, Calif. In all, 41 students were eligible to receive their master's, and 179 were eligIble to receive their bachelor's127 through degree-completion programs and 52 through the traditional fonnat.
'This is always a very special event because a higher proportion of graduates will typically be adult learners whose entire families have made significant sacrifices so that their spouses, parents and even grandparents can complete their academic programs," President D. Merrill Ewert says.
Fonner state senator and assemblyman Charles "Chuck" Poochigian, now
an artorney in Fresno, gave the commencement address. Material gain is not success, he said 'i\s you pursue your goals, it's important to have balance and be guided by the knowledge that there is more to life than a fast car, expensive car and a second home."
Graduates should seek others, said Poochigian, "because they have value beyond being a stepping-stone over somebody else who may share your goals." Integrity, adaptability, endurance, respect, humility and genuineness are the foundation of true success. "It's who you are, not what you have that determines your worth," Poochigian said. Commencement can be viewed online at www.fresno.edulcommencement.-FPU
MCC provides food for Congo
Mennonite Central Committee, the relief. peace and service agency of North American Mennonites, is helping to provide food to about 30,000 people who have been displaced by recent violence in the troubled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Fighting between govemment and rebel forces has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians in Congo's North Kivu province since August, according to the United Nations. With financial support from MCC, relief workers are distributing a 20-day supply of beans, corn, rice, cooking oil and salt to recently displaced people in North Kivu and neighboring provinces. ACf International is also providing plastic sheeting, water cans, sleeping bags and other needed items for displaced households.
Food has become scarce throughout North Kivu because fanners have fled their land, according to Kawaya N genda, a coordinator for the aid organization ACT International, which is carrying out the food distribution Militants
have looted and pillaged many villages, causing their residents to relocate to safer areas, Ngenda writes in an e-mail. Most people fled with few possessions and are currently living in makeshift grass huts that are inadequate to withstand the season's heavy rains.
A peace conference began Jan. 6 in Goma, North Kivu's provincial capital. It is hosted by the Congolese government and includes representatives from regional militia groups, civil society, religious communities and the international community. The peace process is complicated by the presence of numerous rebel groups in the area. International observers report that various rebel groups are at war with each other as well as with the central government, and some factions are supported by neighboring countries.
Ngenda believes that much is at stake in the peace efforts. If they fail, the fighting could escalate further, dragging one of Africa's largest and poorest nations into a devastating regional war, he writes -MCC
GLOBAL BUSINESS SEMINAR PLANNED FOR 2009
A two-day, by invitation seminar for global Mennonite businesspeople will coincide with the 2009 Mennonite World Conference Assembly 15 in Asuncion, Paraguay. The seminar is planned for July 12-13, immediately prior to the July 14-19 Assembly Five Anabaptist businesspeople will be invited from each of the five MWC continental regions to explore the challenges facing Anabaptists in business. Sponsors are Mennonite Economic Development Associates, MEDA Paraguay and MWC. 'We want to spend two days reflecting and learning about the unique opportunities and challenges facing Anabaptist businesspeople around the world," says MEDA vice-president Howard Good. To be considered for invitation, contact Good at hgoodfameda.org by March 30, 2008.MEDA,MWC
MBBS LAUNCHES ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS
MB Biblical Seminary, the MB institution for theological education headquartered in Fresno, Calif., has launched regional alumni associations i n order to connect alumni in specific regions with each other, current seminary personnel and students through activities and various forms of communication. "Regional alumni associations allow for the highest participation of our alumni in a way that does not require them to always travel to one of our campuses to connect," says Megan Richard, director of alumni relations. MBBS launched the first regional alumni association in California this fall. The association coordinator for this region is Bobbi Trask, a 2006 graduate. MBBS hopes other alumni will come forward to lead associations in their area. For more information, visit www.mbseminary.edu/alumni.-M88S
f WAS A CHILD, I THOUGHT m SOrrY' and '"':1 forgive you" were Jt ,n to., , words that would make everything right agaiD. As I got older, I realized I was wrong. Forgiveness is complicated, and saying sorry often doesn't repair the damage I've done. As a follower of Christ, I know that forgiveness is central to living as his discipl e, but that doesn't mean I truly understa nd or willingly practice forgiveness as I should. This month our feature articles explore radical forgiveness, particularly in the con text of violence. Thes e articles may raise more questions than answers, b ut my hope is that we will affirm with Wilma and Cliff Derksen th at forgiveness, even in the face of unthinkable brutality, is the des tination of choice.-CF
Amish forgiveness ... and the rest of us
What we can learn from the Amish about forgiveness
MONDAY, Ocr. 20, 20006, WAS A BRIGHf, SUNNY DAY in Nickel Mines, Pa., a day typical of the autumn beauty in that parr of Lancaster County. Shorrly after 10 o'clock on that cloudless morning, however, something horrifying began to unfold at the West Nickel Mines Amish school. A non-Amish man backed his pickup truck up to the front door of the one-room schoolhouse and entered the building. Inside were 26 students and five adult women-the young teacher and four of her relatives who were visiting that day.
The intruder, Charles C. Roberts IV; was a local milk truck driver whom the students and adults immediately recognized. This morning, though, his demeanor was frighteningly different, and he
But within 48 hours the media story shifted from one of lost innocence to one of bewilderment and even consternation. The victimized Amish community, it seemed, was reacting in strange ways to the violence that had visited it. Their grief was intense But the Amish did not converr their grief and shock into calls for retribution. True, the killer was dead, but the Amish did not engage in the most common form of revenge: attacking his character or degrading his memory. While other neighbors said they hoped he was enjoying burning in hell, the Amish said they trusted he had met a merciful God. Nor did they imply that his apparent
Six days later, when most non-Ami sh neighb or s sta yed away from Roberts' burial, local Amish people-including Amish parent s who had buried their own daughters the day before - comprised half of th e mourners who came to the graveside service.
was heavily armed. He ordered everyone to lie on the floor and suggested that he intended to molest the children. The teacher and another adult dashed for a side door and escaped for help.
Stanled by their depanure and apparently sensing that his plan was going awry, Roberts ordered the remaining adults and boys out of the school. He then nailed the doors shut, pulled the blinds to darken the room, and proceeded to tie together the legs of the remaining 10 girls, who were still lying on the floor at the front of the room. He told them that he was angry at God-that he had been for years-and that he could not forgive God, and he could not forgive himself.
By this time, police had begun arriving at the school, responding to a phone call the distraught teacher had made after running a half mile to a neighboring farm. Realizing the police were asking him, through a bullhorn, to surrender, Roberts himself called 911, telling the responder that he would shoot everyone if the police did not leave. Moments later he opened fire, getting off 13 shots in eight seconds. The rampage killed five of the girls and severely injured the other five After firing a shot through a window at the police, he killed himself
The surprise of forgiveness
Within an hour these shocking events became news literally around the world. Not, we might note, because violence against girls was deemed newsworrhy - that theme, in fact, was assumed to be commonplace. Instead, the story that American and BBC journalists first beamed around the globe was that the last safe place the rest of the world had imagined - rural Amish schools - had just been added to the growing list of school shootings sites. Now no one was secure, not even the Amish.
mental illness was a moral failing - again, as some others did. Instead, they spoke of him as a troubled human being whose survivors needed love and compassion.
Within just a few hours of the shooting, members of the local Amish community had visited Roberrs' widow, his parents and his parents-in-law, extending sympathy and assuring his family that the Amish would not scapegoat them for what he had done.
Six days later, when most non -Amish neighbors stayed away from Roberts' burial, local Amish people - including Amish parents who had buried their own daughters the day before-comprised half of the mourners who came to the graveside service. The funeral director, who had panicipated in thousands of funerals in his career, had never seen anything like it and believed he "was witnessing a miracle."
About the same time, an ad hoc Amish committee set up to oversee funds that poured in for the victims announced that they would be giving some of the money to a second fund for the Roberts family.
A response of seemingly instant forgiveness expressed in both word and deed, now that was news. But it was a development for which reporrers and the public at large was unprepared and with which they struggled to make sense. In the aftermath of Nickel Mines some commentators praised Amish forgiveness and jumped to apply its example to a host of other social and political issues . Others denounced Amish forgiveness, condemning it as too fast, emotionally unhealthy and a denial of innate human need for retributive justice
What did Amish forgiveness mean?
In the months that followed, two colleagues and I sought to understand, intellectually and personally, the dynamics of what happened in the wake of the Nickel Mines shooting We came to the story as people who knew Amish culture. We came as parents and a grandparent of young children We came as Anabaptist Christians who believe forgiveness is a good thing but a difficultplex thing
But there was a lot we did not know . Take the phrase, '''The Amish forgave the killer." What did that mean? And why, exactly, did they forgive?
It turns out that the Amish have a far from simplistic understanding of forgiveness . True. some things were clear to them from the start: The decision to forgive came quickly, instinctively. The Amish knew they wanted to forgive knew it so clearly that they could express it immediately and publicly even if and when they didn't feel that way. One Amish grandmother laughed when we asked if there had been a meeting to decide if the gunman should be forgiven. No. she and others said, "forgiveness was a decided issue" long before the events of October 2 raised the occasion for forgiveness .
At the same time, this grandmother and others made clear that forgiving is hard work, emotionally, and that deciding to forgive and expressing that desire with words and actions are only first steps in a longer emotional process of forgiveness. A grieving grandfather asked by reporters less than 48 hours after two of his granddaughters had been slain if he had forgiven the killer, responded, "In my heart yes." His words conveyed a commitment to move toward forgiveness. offered with the faith that loving feelings would eventually replace distraught and angry ones. ness paved the way for their ongoing al forgiveness.
Many of those close to the use of professional counselors and year later continue to work with Most used biblical, not clinical, Iangtfctge explain their journey. Jesus said that eYf
offenses need to be forgiven 70 times seven, they point out, suggesting to them that forgiving takes time and is not a once-and-done event.
Indeed, it's important to clarify what the Amish believe forgiveness is not. It's not pretending that nothing happened or that the offense wasn't so bad. Nor is it a pardon that says actions should not have consequences. Had Charles Roberts lived, the Amish almost certainly would have supported his confinement for the sake of everyone's safety.
Instead, the Amish understand forgiveness as a form of giving up: giving up one's right to revenge, giving up feelings of resentment, bitterness and hatred. They also believe that forgiveness involves positive, practical compassion toward the offender and caring about his or her relatives.
Speaking the folk wisdom of experience, Amish people told us, 'The acid of hate destroys the container that holds it," and "It's not good to hold grudges. Why not let go, give it up and not let the person (who wronged you) have power over you?" The Amish understand that forgiving involves some degree of self-denial, but they don't see that as unhealthy. They affirm that forgiving is good for the forgiver and not just for the one being forgiven.
Why did the Amish forgive?
If the Amish explanation of forgiveness is more complete than many of the popular media presentations of their responses-presentations that suggested the Amish stoically stuff their feelings in a boxwe might still ask why the Amish forgave their children's killer? Why did they act in ways many observers found hard to comprehend?
Without exception, the first things they say are that Jesus tells us to forgive. They point to Jesus' parables on forgiveness, to his
example of forgiving those who crucified him and especially to the Lord's Prayer with its key line, 'l\nd forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12). This phrase ri ngs loudly in Amish ears because the Lord's Prayer is central to their spirituality. It's not uncommon in the Lancaster settlement for Amish people to pray the Lord's Prayer eight times a day. "It's the first thing you learn as a child," one Amish father explained. "Parents teach and drill their children to say it." A mother added, "My husband quotes it when he puts the children to bed, and they could quote it before they went to school."
The Amish also point out that forgiveness is the only part of the Lord's Prayer that Jesus underscores . Immediately following the prayer Jesus tells his disciples, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your ttespasses" (Matt. 6:14-15), thus adding emphasis to what the Amish see as a key theological truth.
Indeed, the Amish believe that God's forgiveness of them is dependent, in some way, on their forgiving others. Not that the Amish try to manipulate God into forgiving them or that they believe that they initiate grace. 'The main forgiveness was when Jesus gave his life for our sins," one Amish person affirmed in the newspaper soon after the shooting. Nevertheless they understand their relationship with God and with others as so closely related that they see divine and human forg iveness as interdependent.
But forgiveness is not just a religious obligation that stands alone as a cold command to be borne in isolation. It is woven into Amish culture, supported by hundreds of years of examples, including frequently told stories of Anabaptist martyrs who prayed for their persecutors.
Forgiveness is also tied to Amish life in quite ordinary ways. To the degree that forgiveness involves giving up-giving up grudges, giving up a right to revenge-it fits the everyday pattern of Amish living.
In many ways, giving up is the essence of Amish life: giving up self to God and giving up individual choice to the wishes of the church. From how one dresses to how one travels and the kind of employment one can hold, Amish life is shaped by routines of self-surrender.
That does n't mean that the giving up involved in forgiveness is easy for the Amish But it does mean that for the
Amish forgiveness is closely connected to the rest of life. It may be hard. but it doesn't seem unnatural. In contrast. for many of us in larger society forgiveness is not just difficult. it's downright foreign since mainstream culture resists the idea of giving up and celebrates getting one's due.
Amish forgiveness and the rest of us
Certainly the Amish never anticipated the horror of Nickel Mines, but their convictions and culture prepared them to respond as they did long before they needed to. That affirmation. though. raises the question of what. if anything, the Nickel Mines story means for the rest of us. If Amish forgiveness is rooted so deeply in the specifics of who they are. is there anything here for those of us who are not Amish?
Moreover. even for the Amish. forgiveness in this case took a particular shape because of the specific nature of this offense: the killer was known to the community, and he was now dead. Some Amish folks said that it would be harder to forgive Charles Roberts if he were still alive and they had to face him in person. Others said it would have been more difficult to forgive him if he had molested the girls.
Nor does it diminish the terror of the Nickel Mines schoolhouse to recognize that the violation here was different from situations in which an offense-even a less severe one-is repeated again and again. Such situations pose different challenges to forgiveness.
For all these reasons, I'm cautious about extracting and applying
creatively to shape cu ltures that nurture grace and forgiveness. There are no simple answers as to how to do so, though any answer surely will involve the habits we decide to value, the images we choose to celebrate and the stories we remember.
In fact. despite the popularity of the phrase "forgive and forget, " fo rgiveness is really more about remembering-remembering in ways that bring healing. When we remember we take the broken pieces of our lives-lives that have been dismembered by tragedy and injustice-and we re-member them into something whole . Forgetting an atrocious offense may not be possible, but all of us can and do make decisions about how we remember what we cannot forget-and how we re-member our brokenness without dismembering others.
I'm cautious about extracting and applying l es sons of Nickel Mines in a simpLe, one-size-fits - aU fashion But this much i s clear: If Amish forgiveness springs from who th ey are in the deepest sen se, so t oo do our practices.
lessons of Nickel Mines in a simple. one-size-fits-all fashion. But this much is clear: If Amish forgiveness springs from who they are in the deepest sense, so too do our practices.
Unfortunately. even many North American Christians have been formed by a culture that nourishes revenge and mocks grace. Hockey fans complain that they haven't gotren their money's worth if the players only skate and score without a fight. Bloody video games are everywhere. and the ones that seemed outrageously violent 10 years ago are tame by today's standards. Blockbuster movie plots revolve around heroes who avenge wrong with merciless killing.
And it's not just the entertainment world that acculturates us into a graceless existence. Lawyers encourage victims to get their "due." In fact, getting our due might be the most widely shared value in our hyper-consumer culture. In such a world, forgiveness goes against the grain.
In their own way. the Amish have constructed cultures that go against that grain. The challenge for the rest of us is to use our resources
Remembering that encou rages forgiving is deeply countercultural and requires more than individual willpower. It takes spiritual discernment and discerning communities of worship. Theologians and psychologists agree: If you want to become a forgiving person. surround yourself with forgiving people Learn the small habits of forgiveness before you face unspeakable offenses In a world saturated with revenge that breeds bitrerness, perhaps there is no more critical mission for the church than to demonstrate and cultivate authentic grace and forgiveness.
Steven M. Nolt is a professor of history at Goshen (Ind.) College. Along with Donald B. KraybiU and David L. Weaver - Zercher, he is the author of Amish Grace: How Forg iveness Transcended Tragedy (Jossey - Bass, 2007) This article is adapted from a campus lecture he gave Oct I , 2007, the day before the one-year anniversary of the Nickel Mines Amish sch oolh ouse sh ooting
• Forgiveness
to another These stories of violence are not that far removed . I remember my own grandmother crying for her sister was murdered in the Russian revolution .
As a people, the Mennonites must have learned very early that murder, like an earthquake, has an aftershock that can be as catastrophic in nature as the first act of violence " These days we recognize that aftershock as a kind of posttraumatic stress disorder, an insidious emotional condition that has the ability to rob people of their souls and tum them into the living ,dead
I think the Mennonites encountered this aftershock back in the 16005 and those who survived learned that '1etting go" was a·gOod counter-intuitive coping skill and that not fighting pack somehow a1lowed them to survive in a very hostile anJi get on with life, even flourish , They rlfuS'falso have that letting go of malice must be dOne gtlicldy. When the aftershock of an earthquake develops into a tsunami there Isn't much time to deliberate, >SO they ' developed an emergency 4 reflex action to1Vi9llnce . This response eventually became a teaching passe8 dJ\in through the generati()t$, which why both my husband and I were innateJY Yamiliar with the aftershock when our daughter was mut.,. anticipated it and instinctively felt the need to climb onto higher grp.und to prepare for 1t.
For Cliff . me there were some very real dis;tdvantages in coming QUt with a statement about wanting to furgive so in Oll grief, mainly the around our stance. some folks feared we were'f6rgivjrtg " 100 early and that we rru t stifle the naturalprocess of grief. OtbetS that we were making a jqdgment on anyone wIlo eiJ?!essed angel or that we were being distPis sive Qf any Still others assumed that our response was made out,of weakness , th,at it Was Jess tItan smcere, that,we wenJ de in denial. Some ' eve.!] accusecf;us of our heer enough to
demand justi<;e. '.
But there wete also many:adviantages. Cui statement " of forgivene ss f as a mission nt throughout i:lj gnevtng proc , .It U$;a :desriflanon, I infontted those who wanted to support us of where we
intended to go and became a rallying point for those who were struggling with the same issues.
It helped us to re-engage in life quickly at a time when we didn't have much time to lose. We had two other small childten who needed our attention and love; we didn't have time or energy for hate. It also allowed us to move the aftershock of violence from the woundedness of our hearts to the saner and safer places in our minds, where we are more
In many ways this dark abyss was familiar, but this time the word forgiveness, which had served me well for the last 22 years, didn't reach over the abyss. From all the stories that I have heard from families impacted by murder over the years, I have always suspected the word would fall short And it did.
It is one thing to let go of revenge but it is totally another thing to try to envisage living with this new truth. How do I live with this new face that was now sharing the television screen with my daughter?
(Forgiveness) allowed us to move the aftershock of violence from th e woundedness of our hearts to the saner and safer places in our mind s, where we are more capable of understanding the complexities of the issues. 'But even as we chose forgiveness we were under no illusions that the journey w as over.
capable of understanding the complexities of the issues. But even as we chose forgiveness we were under no illusions that the journey was over.
Seismic shift
Then came what felt like a seismic shift: We learned the identity of the man charged with killing Candace. After 22 long years of not knowing who murdered our daughter, my husband Cliff and I thought we would spend the rest of our lives living with this mystery. When the police visited our home in February last year to announce that a new Cold Case Unit had a sttong suspect, we found it hard to believe them We were in shock when they told us the morning of the May 16 press conference that they had arrested Mark Grant, a man known as a violent sexual predator.
We were thrilled at the breakthrough in the case and found it easy to express our gratitude towards the police and their attention to our case. It felt good knowing that Winnipeg was now a little safer for women.
It was especially wonderful to see my husband emerge from the shadow of suspicion and embrace the empathy and affirmation of the community, so well deserved. It was truly inspiring to hear our own children, Syras and Odia, and some of Candace's friends tell their stories. It was comforting to see all those pictures of Candace again, always bubbling with happiness and excitement. And after the announcement, the pouring out of support and encouragement was comforting.
But it was quite another thing to stare at the picture of the suspect and to sift through all the information that was available to us now for the first time. I have always said that the unknown person who took Candace's life had become like an extended member of our family. People were alway s inquiring after him. Now it felt as if we were meeting this mysterious member for the first time And I must admit it took me to very dark plac es.
It felt as though I was free-falling again . I knew I needed a stronger word than "forgiveness" to be my North Star this time, but I honestly did not know what it would be until late one night, a week after the announcement was made. I was aching for sleep and my mind and emotions were tumbling downward. It was then that I found the phrase '10ve your enemies" in the Bible. Almost immediately the tumbling stopped, and the tears began to flow.
I knew the word '10ve" was important. Love is something broad that encompasses and does not negate the fundamental values and widely held virtues of forgiveness, justice, accountability, mercy, remorse, goodness, sacrifice and peace.
In keeping with my Mennonite teachings, with my new appreciation for the word love, I have found the definition of forgiveness that completes my understanding. Living the forgiving life challenges us to '10ve first; judge later." We tend to judge first and love maybe. It is counter intuitive to put love first and judgment later. This intention to love first will demand much of us.
The place Ive decided to start is with prayer. I remember the first person that said they were going to pray for the suspect-and the immediate resentment I felt. I wanted all prayer to focus on our family.
With this new purpose - to respond in love - I am attempting to pray for this person, and I encourage all those who continue to pray for us to include him in their prayers as well. I believe in prayer and I believe prayer will lead us through this next stage-the challenge of doing justice in love. I'm glad the tumbling has stopped even though the tears haven't.
Wilma Derksen is the director of VICtims' Voice, a Mennonite Central Committee Canada program. She is the author of Have You Seen C andace? (1985) and Confronting the Horror: The Aftermath of Violence (2003) and co -author of the study guide Unsettled Weather: How Do I Forgive? (2005) . Her first novel, The Emerald Angel. was released by Herald Press last month This article is adapted from a series of articles published in 2007 by The Messenger, the publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference.
for followers of Jesus. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus tells us that we should ask God to forgive us only to the degree that we forgive others (Matt. 6:12) Jesus makes the same point in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:21-35) .
In response to Peter's question, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me?" Jesus tells the story of a servant who owed his king a huge sum of money, more money than an ordinary worker could repay in 1,000 lifetimes. The king is settling his accounts. The servant cannot pay, so the king orders that the servant, his family and all of his possessions be sold to pay the debt.
The servant begs for more time to pay the debt. The king is moved by the servant's plea and does more than the servant asked Instead of simply giving the servant more time, he cancels (that is, forgives) the servant's debt. The servant is no longer chained down by his debt; he has been released, freed. unchained.
Payment on demand
But the story does not end here. The servant who has been forgiven meets a fellow servant who owes him some money. perhaps three or four month's wages. The amount is not insignificant. but it is far less than what the first servant owed the king The forgiven servant demands payment of the debt. The fellow servant is unable to pay the debt and. despite a plea for more ti me the forgiven servant has his fellow servant thrown into prison. Outraged. other servants report to the king what has happened. The king resci nds his forgiveness of the massive debt and sends his servant off to prison
Jesus concludes this parable with these words: 'This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive you r brother or sister from the heart " Again. we see that we are forgiven on ly to the degree that we forgive others.
What. then. is forgiveness? First. we need to remember that forgiveness involves a person who wrongs someone else. Because of the wrongdoer's guilt his relationship with the victim has been damaged. Forgiveness is needed.
In this article. I am going to keep things simple and assume that one person is clearly the wrongdoer and another person is clearly the victim But in most cases each person is both victim and wrongdoer.
Christian philosopher Richard Swinburne suggests that the wrongdoer must do at least three things to try to undo his wrong Of course, no one can literally undo the past. but the first thing that the wrongdoer should do is to try to repair whatever damage was done by his action. Suppose that I back into your car and severely dent the front fender, simply out of negligence I have wronged you by damaging a valuable bit of property. Our relationship has been damaged. I am in need of forgiveness. It is fairly easy to imagine what undoing the past means: Since I don't know how to fix a fender, I pay a body shop to fix it.
In prin ci ple, th e proce ss of undoing a past wrong is straightforward. But in r ea l life, this process is anyt hing but simple. Each element of the pro cess is fraught with difficulty.
While oversimplification can make things clear, we should not think of ourselves exclusively as victims. As we often say, there are two sides to every story.
Responding to wrong
Let's begin by distinguishing forgiveness from some other responses to wrongdoing. Sometimes we condone wrongdoingwe do not acknowledge the behavior in question to be wrong. A second type of response is to excuse the wrongdoing. When we excuse a wrong we acknowledge that there are circumstances that explain the behavior in question, that these circumstances make it inappropriate to view the person as guilty, and tha t the action should not damage our relationship with that person.
We can also pardon a wrong. Pardoning is closer to fo rgiveness than either condoning or excusing, but it is not the sam e thing. When we pardon someone, we do not take away his or her guilt; we acknowledge the guilt, but we take away the appro pri ate puni shment. It may seem that pardoning is what takes place in the parable of the unmerciful servant. But if that were the case, the serva nt wou ld still owe the debt but would not be requi red to pay it back. I n the parable the debt is canceled; it is eliminated So, there is more than pardon at work in this parable
Forgiveness is part of something bigger tha n pardon . Forgiveness is part of a process of undoing the wrong th at was do ne. Both the victim and the wrongdoer participate in th is process; th e traditional theological term for this process is atonement. As might be expected. the wrongdoer has more responsib ility in this process than the victim.
But repairing the damage is not enough to eliminate my guilt and to restore our relationship. I must also take responsibility for the past. Part of taking responsibility is apologizing to you In apologizing I both confess that I wronged you and I express regret for having done so. If I simply repair the car fender, but don't show that I regret having damaged your car, you are right in remaining annoyed with me.
The third element of undoing my wrong is for me to repent of the action. To repent is to make an inner commitment to changing the kind of person one is. Our actions arise from our character Perhaps I am a careless person and th is led to my backing into your car For me to repent is to make a commitment to be a more careful person. If you continue to believe that I will continue to be careless, our relationship will not be restored.
If I, the wrongdoer, repair your car, apologize for damaging it and repent of the character flaws that led to the damage , then I have done what I can to undo the wrong that I have done to you. And it seems natural that you, the victim, would now forgive me. My guilt is removed and our relationship is restored.
Anyth ing but simple
In principle, the process of undoing a past wrong is straightfotward . But in real life, this process is anything but simple. Each element of the process is fraught with difficulty In many cases, perhaps most, reparation for the past
wrong is not so easy. This is one of the things of which the parable of the unmerciful servant reminds us. Some debts ca nnot be paid; some wrongs cannot be undone.
Suppose that after backing into your car, I drive off and when you later confront me about it, I deny having caused the damage Now I have not only physically damaged your car, I have also damaged our relationship by lying to you. I need to not only repair your fender, I also need to repair your trust. And it is much harder to repair trust than fenders.
The parable of the unmerciful servant reminds us that sometimes-and usually in the most important situations - the wrongdoer cannot repair the past wrong. The victim must bear the cost-psychologically more often than physically- of repairing the wrong that was done to her.
In our example, I cannot repair the trust that is broken when I lie to you about damaging your car. You alone can repair the trust between us by taking the risk of trusting me later on But the cost - in this case making yourself vulnerable to being lied to - is borne by you, the victim, not me, the wrongdoer.
Mirroring God's actions
We are familiar with this idea. We are unable to repair the wrongs that we have done to God. God bears the cost of repairing the damage done by our sin We traditionally call this vicarious atonement. The parable of the unmerciful servant shows us that we, too, can-and should-vicariously repair those wrongs done to us. Our attitude toward those who wrong us should mirror the attitude God shows to us.
This brings us to a second observation regarding how the real-life process of undoing a wrong and reconciling a relationship is more complicated than the simple example with which we started. In many cases, we never receive an apology from a wrongdoer. If I pay for the repair of your car, but never confess that I am responsible for the damage and I don't express regret, then you most likely will continue to be angry with me . And you would be right in feeling this way.
Ongoing anger is consistent with vicarious atonement. Jesus atones for the sins of all people, but God also requires that people confess their sin. Traditional doctrines of everlasting punishment hold that
there may be some people who will not be reconciled to God because they have not confessed their sin, even though Jesus atoned for their sin.
Questions
This raises some questions. What if the person who wrongs me never apologizes? Am I obligated to remain angry with that person? Am I supposed to carry a grudge until the person apologizes? Won't carrying grudges tum me into a bitter and joyless person?
These are important questions. Many of us know people who have become embittered because they cannot release a past wrong. The solution to this problem, however, is not to simply reconcile with the wrongdoer who has not apologized. The Bible provides for another way of releasing wrongs that have been done.
Wrongs are to be punished and the punishment lies with God, not with us. The apostle Paul reminds us of the Old Testament teaching that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Rom. 12:19). We can release our anger towards a wrongdoer by giving our desire for punishment to God If we carry a grudge, we take on ourselves the responsibility for seeing to it that the wrongdoer is punished. Echoing Jesus, Paul suggests that we respond to the person who has wronged us-this enemy-by doing good to that person.
But what about the person who habitually wrongs another and then apologizes, for instance an abusive husband? Do I have to vicariously atone for that person's wrong, accept his apology and thereby subject myself to more abuse? Rob Bell calls someone like this toxic. How do I deal with a toxic person?
Such a person is not able to repair the wrongs he has done and so repairing the wrongs lies with the victim But there are consequences to being toxic, to not changing. In the case of an abusive husband, it is right for the victimized wife to separate herself from the husband . The husband needs to do more than just apologize; he needs to repent. He needs to allow his character to be changed so that he is not the type of person who abuses others. Only after such a character change is the possibility of undoing the past possible.
Forgiveness is the culmination of a complex process of undoing the wrongs that people suffer in a fallen world. The parable of the unmerciful servant reminds us that God has released us from the debts we cannot pay We should imitate God by releasing those who wrong us from the unpayable debts we are owed. Releasing those debts does not guarantee that reconciliation will take place, but reconciliation is impossible without that release
David Faber is professor of philosophy and religious studies at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan He is a member of Ebenfeld MB Church of rural Hillsboro
Your Mennonite Brethren
Readytolookfonward
2008 convention will celebrate the past , plan for the future
Once every two years, u.s. Mennonite Brethren gather for a convention. On a very basic level, as U.S. Conference executive director Ed Boschman poinrs out, 'We need to conduct business " Even more, he says, the convention is "an opportunity for teammates to be together," a chance for a diverse and scattered denomination to get acquainted and re-acquainted.
But the 2008 USC convention, to be held July 2526 in Hillsboro, Kan ., is expected to be more than business, more than a team meeting. Those who gather will both celebrate a rich history and look forward to new ministry. Poised between "a proud past" and "a promising future," the 2008 convention is billed as a "transition point" for good reason
The convention will be held in conjunction with the looth anniversary of Tabor College, the MB liberal arrs college in Hillsboro, Kan. (See sidebar, p 21.) Both the landmark occasion and the historically rich location provide natural points to review the history of Mennonite Brethren in the U.S
The theme, appropriately, for Friday's convention events is "Celebrating our proud past. " Delegates can tour the college and other historical sites, and a Friday evening banquet, anniversary celebration and reception will highlight the college's century of influence.
'This is an opportunity to lean in on celebrating the fact th at God has given us a good history, " says Boschman
Delegates and guests at the 2006 U S. Conference convention in Boone, NC, enjoyed times of worship led by the North Carolina District Conference. The 2008 convention will be held in Hillsboro, Kan
After Saturday's reports from the various U.S. Conference ministries-another opportunity to review the USC's journey thus far-the convention theme will transition to «Celebrating our promising future." Recent USC history has been heavily influenced by the 2000 divestiture of the binational General Conference . The USC had work to do as a result of divestiture-establishing conference identity. defining relationships with ministry agencies and restructuring conference leadership and governance-and the 2004 and 2006 conventions worked at these foundational issues .
Although some details still need to be tweaked. a new foundation is now in place. Boschrnan says. "Our previous leadership was effective in putting that together. Now. we have that foundation on which we can
build our future." It's fair to say the USC is ready to look forward in a new way.
Business session agenda in 2008 will look to the future. Delegates will be asked to approve a slate of names for a national Board of Faith and Life. and the USC Leadership Board will be rolling out a national vision statement and strategic plan.
Responsibility for theological leadership. along with other board and committee responsibilities, was consolidated in the work of the national Leadership Board during post-divestiture restructuring. But it quickly became apparent that, as "people of the Book," U.S. Mennonite Brethren wanted and needed the theological guidance of a national Board of Faith and Life. Preliminary plans for a national BFL were brought before delegates at the 2006 con-
vention; delegates at the 2008 convention will be asked to approve the final board and slate of members.
In addition, delegates will be asked to approve a national vision statement and strategic plan. what Boschman calls «a national, collective battle cry." Boschrnan says a national vision and strategy is key to a promising future. because it will clarify priorities. maximize efficiency and unify the various ministries and churches.
'We want to be working together. We want to make a kingdom difference together." he says. "Painting a picture of how we do that will help us all to work together for those purposes."
The USC Leadership Board, as well as leaders of all ministries and agencies connected to the USC, will be hashing out details of the vision statement and strategic plan over the next few months and finalizing the proposal at a Leadership Summit scheduled for April.
USC leaders will also be unveiling what Boschman calls 'branding"-short. memorable vision and goal statements. perhaps a revamped USC logo-and presenting Memos of Understanding to clarify specifics of the USC's relationship with the Canadian Conference and those agencies which the two conferences support together.
To build on the theme of 'iransition point," Dan Southerland has been chosen as keynote speaker. As founder and director of Church Transitions. Inc., Southerland is something of an expert in helping churches manage transitions. While he served as lead pastor of Flamingo Road Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the church made major changes in focus and grew dramatically.
Since then, Southerland has "worked extensively helping churches to reposition themselves from inward to outward focus," Boschman says. In addition to this personal experience. Boschman says Southerland is an engaging speaker and will be available for a limited number of consultations with pastors and church leaders.
Southerland will also be the keynote speaker for the third national Pastors' Conference. which will precede the convention July 23-25 at the Hyatt Hotel in nearby a:: Wichita. Kan.
Boschman hopes that pastors and spouses who attend will be refreshed both spiritually and emotionally, as well as take away one or two practical ideas to use in their local congregations . He says the gathering is a significant opportunity to meet colleagues, to share concerns and vision and to encourage and challenge each other.
"It's a huge opportunity and a huge privilege to know with whom it is that we are locking arms in ministry," he says.
In addition to teaching by Southerland, the Pastors' Conference will feature a concert and worship led by musician Danny Oertli, a familiar face to those who attended the 2007 Southern Disttict Conference Oertli will also lead a seminar on "Ministering with spiritually authentic sincerity." A session specifically for ministty wives, titled "She Can't Even Play the Piano," will be led by Joyce Williams, co-founder of Shepherds Fold Ministties, a renewal ministty for pastors and their families.
Central Kansas features a number of unique attractions for families to enjoy during free time and before and after the conference and convention A listing of area attractions as well as sites of Mennonite historical interest is available on the USC Web site.
Playing off the weekend theme, plans are underway for a family:..oriented "transition event" from the Pastors' Conference in Wichita to the convention in Hillsboro. Boschman speculates that the journey may include a caravan led by Boschman and Southerland on motorcycles, with stops along the way for refreshments or visits at historic sites. Details will be announced as they develop.
Throughout both the Pastors' Conference and the convention, age-appropriate activities will be provided for children and youth. Lodging for the convention will be available at several hotels in the Hillsboro area, at Tabor College and in homes. The convention will conclude with Sunday worship in one of about 10 area MB churches.
Current convention details can be found on the USC Web site, www.usmb.org, and USC leadership will continue to communicate with local churches as convention details develop . The Christian Leader will also be reporting convention developments and will publish reports in the June pre-convention issue -Myra Holmes
College hosts co nvention
Tabor plans extended centenn i al celebration i n 2008
By no location and timing of th e 2008 U.S Conference conventlon - durmg the 100th ann iversary of Tabor Coll ege in Hillsboro, Kan .-will provide an oppo rtu nity to celebrate a ri ch histo ry.
When some 10,000 Mennonite Breth ren im migrated to th e U.S. in the late 1800s, good farm land made H ill sboro among th e favorite areas to settl e In due time churches we re found ed , and H ill sboro becam e a sott of unoffi ci al capital of M ennonite Brethren in the U S
As MB settlers be ca me more establi shed, thei r de sire to train future generations grew and eventually res ulted in th e fou ndati on of a small college in 1908. The school was named "Tabor," after the mountain on which C hri st's transfiguration is believed to have occ urred, to ind ica te th e God -glorifying transformation that founders hoped would result from the school. And , many would contend, Tabor College ha s indeed been an in strum ent of tran sformation in the lives of individuals , in ch urches and in the world .
Today Tabor is an acc redited liberal arts college with 574 students enrolled at two campuse s: the original Hillsboro campus and an extens ion campus in Wichita, Kan , which offers a master's and several degree-completion progra ms True to its roots , th e college still sttives to be "dec idedl y C hristi an," integrating spiritual transformation into academics and preparation for work and service . Tabor College will host an extend ed celebration of its centennial, beginning with the May 9 inauguration of the college 's new president, Jules Glanzer, and continuing through Home coming weekend in fall 2009 Among the many events being planned to mark the ce ntenni al are the dedi cation of a sculpture in Centennial Pla za, a Tabor history book an d a historic al tou r of Mennonite areas of Poland and the Ukraine .
U SC convention attendees will ha ve opportun ity to join the cel eb ration with a Friday evening ce ntenn ial showcase , featu ring a multi media presen tation, mus ic reminiscent of the school's 100 years and a reception , complete with birthday cake . More information on the Tabor College centenn ial celeb ra tion is available at www tabo r edu - MH
Congolese Mennonites hold national forum
Inter-Mennonite relationships emerge as priority
Fifty Congolese from different parts of the world's second largest concentration of Mennonites gathered Nov. 2225, 2007, in Kinshasa, DR Congo, for the first National Forum of the Congo Forum for Conversation (CFC). The CFC is a process facilitated by Mennonite World Conference to encourage reflection among Congolese Mennonites about the future of their churches. Its particular goal is to reflect on new models for relationships with other parts of the global Anabaptist-related community.
The group embodied a diversity that has rarely been seen before at Mennonite church gatherings in Congo. Made up of an equal number of women and men, the participants included young and old and came from places like Panzi, Tshikapa, Mbuji Mayi, Kajiji, Kikwit, Kananga, Kahemba and of course the capital, Kinshasa. Each of the three Mennonite denominations in Congo-Congo Mennonite Brethren Church, Congo Evangelical Mennonite Church and Congo Mennonite Churchwas strongly represented. Most participants were lay people, but leaders from the three denominations were also invited.
While the CFC is an ongoing process, already there have been some surprising results. Foremost of these has been the interest in Congolese inter-Mennonite relationships. 'The group was unanimous in citing this as a marter of central importance," says Toss Mukwa, consultant to the process and a member of the Mennonite Brethren church. "It also came as a great surprise to us as organizers, outside of our expectations."
Participants expressed a strong desire for greater awareness of the Anabaptist/Mennonite heritage and values and greater unity and cooperation among Mennonites of the three Congolese denominations. This was reflected in the group's
Congolese Mennonites from throughout DR Congo gathered in Kinshasa Nov. 2224 for their first national forum
decision to change the name of the process to " Congolese Inter-Mennonite Forum for Conversation" (CIFC)
"For me, it was a particular joy to experience for the first time a sense of communion and inter- Mennonite fellowship which I had long awaited," says Jean Ngolo of Kinshasa. "This opportunity offered by MWC allowed my brothers and sisters and me to return to our roots, to our identity and to our values, which have seemed in the past to be only empty words."
The CIFC evolved from discussions over a period of several years among the Mennonite denominations of Congo, Mennonite World Conference, mission and agencies with history of involvement in Congo and churches in other parts of the world interested in developing relationships with Congolese Mennonites. All the parties noted that in Congo as in many other parts of the world, models for relationships between churches that served in the past are no longer effective or desirable.
It is important to construct new models of relationship with input and ideas from all sides, including especially those parts of the global church from which ideas are often not heard and nurtured. It is hoped
that the CIFC model may be useful in similar efforts elsewhere.
The primary structure of the CIFC is 10 "reflection groups" made up of IS persons each, in 10 different locations around the country. Each group includes Mennonites from all of the denominations present in the particular location. For the past year these groups have been meeti ng quarterly to discuss a common set of questions. Participants have answered questions such as: What have you learned from the history of relation ships of your church with miss ion and service agencies, and what were the results of these relationships? What are three or four contributions that Congolese Mennonites can bring to the global Mennonite community and vice versa? What is the appropriate role or roles for central church leadership in a church where the membership plays an active and engaged role? Reflect, discuss and describe the desired models and roles for future relationships among Congolese Mennonite communities.
The November National Forum was an attempt to synthesize and analyze the findings of the various groups and to plan for the second year of reflection group meetings. Four representatives of each of the 10 groups
attended the Kinshasa meeting The CIFC is scheduled to continue for another two years of reflection group meetings and an annual foru m.
''This gathering was unique because it brought together for the first time members of the grassroots," says Germaine Kazadi of M b uji Mayi. "In observing the atmosphere of our work together during these three days, I was struck by the enthusiasm of the participants. They freely expressed their ideas, and they gave the best of themselves in pursuit of changes between the Mennonite churches of Congo on one hand and the global Anabaptist community on the other."
Currently the costs of the CIFC process are shared by a variety of churches and agencies including Africa InterMennonite Mission, Mennonite Church Canada Witness, Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Mission Network, Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite World Conference All churches, agencies and congregational or interest groups are welcome to make use of the CIFC structure and/or findings . Regular quarterly reports are available on request from MWC - Tim C Lind , MWC Church - to-Church Relations coordinator
Preparing African women to lead the church
Goal is 20 trained theologians by 2009
Aision for providing theological training to African women brought an 'nternational committee together Nov 13-15 for its first meeting in three years. The group celebrated the progress achieved through its partnership with Mennonite Women USA, a parmership facilitated by Mennonite World Conference. The committee, meeting in Kinshasa, DR Congo, continued the slow work of creating an organization that will support women as they seek to respond to God's call
At their last gathering in November 2004, which took place in Nairobi, Kenya the African Anabaptist Women Theologians Committee set a goal that by 2009 at least 20 additional Mennonite and Brethren in Christ women across Africa will be trained for church leadership. Mennonite Women USA created a Sister-Link parmership with the committee to help achieve this goal by providing scholarship funds and walking with the group as it organizes itself.
In addition to seven women from the original five African countries - Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe - this year's participants included a guest from Ethiopia. Her presence represented a shift in the Ethiopian church, which has decided to participate in the African Anabaptist Women Theologians process and to encourage greater use of women' s gifts in the years since the Mennonite World Conference assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Eleven Congolese women theologians , pastors and theology students plus Tim Lind, of Mennonite World Conference, Suzanne Lind, of Mennonite Central Committee, and Mennonite Women USA executive director Rhoda Keener were also in attendance
Toward the goal of training 20 women, two women have graduated from theological
programs and two are in their final years; a fifth selected woman was unable to study as hoped In Kinshasa, the leaders decided that the next scholarships would be awarded to women in Angola, Congo and Tanzania and in churches that presently have few or no theologically educated women leaders.
While few women in the African churches have formal theological training, thousands exemplify practical theology, the group noted. "It's about putting our faith in Jesus into our everyday life," says Rebecca Osiro of Kenya. "Women who are involved in ministry are doing theology. These women can be a doorway for other women to do theology "
The Congo Mennonite Brethren Church has led the way among African Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in opening opportunities for women in ministry Four Mennonite Brethren women theologians have been ordained and more are scheduled for ordination next year. Although some other African denominations in the Mennonite World Conference family have accepted the principle, few have actually ordained women to date .
The African Anabaptist Women Theologians Committee believes that ordination will open more doors for women in ministry They observed that ordination of women is still an issue in North American churches as well . The committee asked MWC to write to African denominational leaders on their behalf, urging that MWC churches do more to use the gifts of women
Most of the costs for the gathering were covered by Mennonite Central Committee's African C hurch Leaders Capacity Building fund A portion also came from Mennonite Women USA .-Cathleen Hockman -Wert forMWC
MB couple wri te MWC book on share d convictions
Mennonite Brethren educator and church leader Alfred Neufeld of Paraguay has authored the 2007 selection for the Global Anabaptist/ Mennonite Shelf of Literature. Each year Mennonite World Conference, a global fellowship of Anabaptists, selects one book that helps member churches nurture a common Christian faith. The 2007 selection, What We Believe Together, explores the meaning and implications of centra l Anabaptist beliefs.
'Tm convinced that the future of the church is face-to-face, through friendships," says Neufeld. "With this book, we're creating basic reference points, which I hope will strengthen our connections. Nurturing these connections is essential to our future together."
Some years ago, MWC's Faith and Life Council asked member conferences to submit their confession of faith to MWC. The council reviewed them, looking for key common points. From that extensive research, an international group of seven leaders drafted a document of "shared convictions." The paper was to be short; the points were to be stated simply
The MWC General Council reviewed an initial statement at the 2003 MWC Assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and deliberated a revised statement in 2006 when the General Council next met, in Pasadena, Calif. As instructed, the resulting document, "Sha red Convictions of Global Anabaptists," is short, 325 words, and simply states seven shared convictions. Lynn Jost, MB Biblical Seminary academic dean, cur-
rently represents the U.S. Conference on the MWC General Council and was involved in the 2003 and 2006 meetings.
MWC leaders then wondered: How can the statement be useful to churches that would like to explore the rich meaning of its simple language? To answer that question, MWC commissioned Neufeld, a seminary teacher and church leader in Asuncion, to write a book about the seven convictions. He was asked to give theological and historical background to the seven points, to find their Scriptural roots and to offer ideas about how they might be lived and expressed through the world today.
Neufeld is a teacher by nature and by training. He's taught Bible and theology for 10 years in a university in Asuncion and before that in Bible institutes. An ordained minister, he teaches and preaches in congregations on weekends. He's written many position papers on behalf of the board of elders for the German-speaking Mennonite Brethren of Paraguay.
The church-around-the-world has also had Neufeld's attention. "I worked for three years on a global confession of faith for the International Community of Mennonite Brethren. Living in Paraguay, we experienced the need to build local communities and local ways of reading the Bible, but within a global awareness of the church," says Neufeld.
"Our Mennonite situation in Paraguay is a miniature Mennonite universe," he says. 'We are establishing family identity and boundaries across 20 different Mennonite groups. For our own future together in Paraguay, we need to learn to say things to each other, based on our common faith," says Neufeld.
"As I worked on this book, I kept wondering: To what extent is 'global theology' helpful to our worship and our life together?
Working together, Albert and Wilma Neufeld researched and wrote a book on shared Anabaptist convictions in seven weeks and in three languages.
I think our shared convictions will contribure to our sense of being a global community of faith, which will enrich our worship and our faithfulness."
Neufeld is a member of the MWC General Council and participated in fashioning the shared convictions statement. "It was quite inspiring to see that common ground could be found," he says.
Neufeld agreed to write the book conditionally. ''Taking on the project was fairly spontaneous," he says. "I said I would do it, but I would need three things: to do it in our summer (December and January), to get away to do the writing and to have Wilma's help."
Wilma, Neufeld's wife, is trained as a nurse, and Neufeld says she is a "theologian by instinct." Neufeld says, "If she's cautious about a case I'm building or a statement I'm making. I'm cautious to proceed." Wilma created the writing timeline, giving the couple seven weeks to write seven convictions as well as an introduction and closing.
The couple spent two weeks at MWC's office in Strasbourg. France, so that Neufeld could read the archives of material MWC had received from the churches. 'Then we went to a friend's house in the Bienenberg (Switzerland) forest and spent five weeks there, along with two kilos of mate (Paraguayan tea)!"
Neufeld is fluent in Spanish, German and English, moving effonlessly from one to the other. For this project, he decided to write first in Spanish. "I wanted to find the basic expression in Spanish. I wanted the worldview, the way of relating implicit in Spanish. I wanted to conceive the book in the way I would present the material to beginning theology students ."
He and Wilma established a rigorous daily routine. "In the late afternoon and evening. I did the necessary background reading and made notes. I had a good night of sleep. In the morning I look a long walk with mate. Then, from 8:00 until 12 noon, I wrote a major portion "
It was in the "writing" that the couple's teamwork played out. "I dictated while Wilma typed," says Neufeld. 'i\nd if something didn't sound right, she said so "
Wilma says: "I had to get the timing
right. I tried not to lose my thought as he finished what he was saying . I didn't interrupt, but I did suggest re-wording if I thought it would be helpful."
Neufeld put himself through another discipline - preparing the text in both German and English. "In the early afternoon of each day, I tra nslated the text, revising as I went. Trying to restate the words and ideas in German and then in English allowed Wilma and me to review the content and to make sure I had gotten it right. "
Seven weeks after they had left home, the couple returned to Asuncion with three completed man uscripts-one in Spanish, one in German and one in English
''The best pan of the book is about the coming of the heavenly Jerusalem," says Neufeld. ''The church is called to give a glimpse of that, to be the place where things happen in the way God wants them to hap-
pen. Of course, that means we in the church need to have the hean of Christ, to be the p resence of God. We must be present and understandable to the world."
Saying complicated things in simple ways was Neufeld's goal in writing What We Believe Together: Exploring the Shared Convictions of Anabaptist- Related Churches. "When we speak to the church, we should do it in a way that all may understand," he says.
What We Believe Together is currendy available in English from Good Books (www.GoodBooks com.) Study questions prepared by editor Phyllis Pellman Good at the end of each chapter offer entty points for groups to discuss the material. Negotiations are in process for printing Spanish, French and German editions.-Phyllis Pellman Good, reprinted from Courier, the MWC quarterly publication.
Supporting peacemakers
Iraq i seminary hosts MCC worker
AJid changing conflicts in I raq. Mennonite Central Committee is nding more opportunities to help Iraqi peacemakers bring healing to their divided and traumatized soc iety. In November. MCC placed its first worker in Iraq since 2003. John Filson. of Laguna N iguel. Calif.• moved to the northern Iraqi city of Erbil to teach English and conflict transformation at a Chaldean Catholic college and seminary.
MCC usually had one or two workers in Iraq from 1998 to 2003 but withdrew its personnel after the U.S.-led invasion. MCC's partner organizations asked MCC not to place workers in the country because they conside red it unsafe to be closely associated with foreigners at the time. says Daryl Byler an MCC regional representative.
The seminary's openness to hosting Filson is one sign of the new possibilities for MCC to work in Iraq. Byler says. He and his wife. Cindy Byler. who is also a regional representative. traveled to northern Iraq in late November to connect with community organizations and churches.
MCC has committed $400.000 to fund projects in Iraq over the next two years. including workshops on conflict resolution and aid for communities where people have been displaced by violence Additionally. MCC has shipped relief supplies worth more than $1.2 million to Iraq since March I. 2007. including more than 30.000 blankets. MCC partner organizations are currently distributing many of these items in northern Iraq.
While reports of violence have decreased in Iraq over the last three to six months. the country remains deeply divided .
Conflicts have displaced an estimated 2.4 million people within Iraq and many more have fled the country. Byler believes that one reason for the decrease in violence is that so many Iraqis have fled conflict areas.
Iraq's historic Christian communities, which are mostly Catholic and Orthodox, are struggling to maintain their presence, Byler says. An estimated 350.000 of Iraq's 800,000 Christians have fled the country since 2003 because of interreligious tensions and violence MCC is looking for ways to support Iraqi churches through conflict resolution training and job creation projects.
'There is an openness and receptivity to peace-building principles. and the sense is that now is the time." Cindy Byler says
Since 2000. MCC has sponsored about 15 Iraqi men and women to attend Summer Peacebuilding Institute. a peace and conflict studies program at Eastern Mennonite University. Daryl Byler says that MCC staff members are currently reconnecting with Iraqi SPI participants. most of whom are Muslims. in order to find new ways to support conflict resolution in Iraq.
According to Byler. institute participants say that Iraqis need peace -building skills. especially in the current climate of religious and ethnic tension.
'The thing that stands out to them about peace-building concepts is that we don't need to see our identity as a source of being superior to others. but rather as a lens for how we see the world." Daryl Byler says. "As Sunni or Shia or Christian. we each bring something wonderful to the table ."Tim Shenk for Mennonite Central Committee.
John Filson, an MCC worker teaching at Babel Seminary, stands with semi nary president Father Bashar Warda, looking at a construction project on the seminary cam-
Report documents human rights violations
Report offers Colombian stories of suffering, hope
Some Colombian government statistics would suggest that human rights violations are improving in Colombia, but the chu rches offer a fuller version of what is currently happening. Justapaz, a Colombian Mennonite peace and justice organization, and the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia released their second report on the violence suffered by the Protestant churches.
MCC worker Janna Hunter-Bowman coordinates a documentation and advocacy program that records the suffering and hope of the Colombian Protestant churches. HunterBowman says the report indicates that there is still "a long way to go in achieving peace and the conflict can't be solved militarily."
This report on international humanitarian law and human rights violations against church and church members documents findings from all of 2006. It also contains cases that occurred in 2004 and 2005 but were not published in the first report. Like the first report, it includes examples of how churches are working for peace.
Regional team members and church members are being trained in an ongoing process to gather testimonies from victims, their family members and church leaders The information collected included 16 homicides and many cases of people who were
Living politics
forced to flee, used as human shields, tortured or submitted to other human rights violations. Death threats were the most common form of aggression.
The anned groups perpetrating these violations belong to guerrilla groups, paramilitaries and government forces.
Many who shared their stories were deeply afraid, Hunter-Bowman says. They didn't know if their sharing would bring more persecution to their families. There have been assassinations to silence those who speak out about violent incidents. In spite of the intimidation, the survivors still speak.
Further concerns about safety were raised when the offices of Justapaz were burglarized June 14, 2007. Two computers containing information important to the report were stolen. Hunter-Bowman is grateful for the support of the international church community after the robbery. Justapaz has continued its work of reporting without further harassment. HunterBowman attributes this in part to the "grace we experience because of the prayer and advocacy on the part of the church."
While others focus on war and weapons, some courageous congregations focus on hope by responding to the victims' needs. In addition to humanitarian work, they provide psychosocial recovery and legal
advice. The churches work for transformation through repentance , reconcili ation and justice.
Javier Pinzon, whose testimony is in the report, is an example of this transformation. A colonel in the military for 28 years, he resigned because he "in no way could continue taking up arms and preparing for war." He found the Mennonite Brethren Church and committed his life to Christ. Today Pinzon is farming with the goal of creating an Anabaptist community to serve the rural community of EI Rodeo. With others he is starting a program to teach children to care for the land
The report calls for the international community to respond in a number of ways. April 27-28 have been designated as Days of Prayer and Action. Concrete action suggested in the report includes sharing the report testimonies in churches and in advocacy letters to government officials. The report addtesses changes that are needed in Colombian, Canadian, U.S. and European policy.
The report is supported by Mennonite Central Committee, Diakonia Sweden, Christian Solidarity, Kairos Canad a and Church World Service. A copy of the report is available from Andrea Mendes at 717-859115I or AndreaMendes@mcc org - Cathryn Clinton for MCC
Colombi a n A nabaptists talk about political advocacy
w e don't talk about politics, yet at the same time there are people in ou r churches who are living it passionately," says Manuel Mosquera, a Me nnonite Brethren from Colombia Mosquera and 36 leaders and members of Colombian Anabaptist denominations gathered in Bogota, C olombia, to
share their perspectives and vision of political advocacy. The gathering in Bogota was sponsored by Mennonite C entral Committee and brought together representatives from the Mennonite C hurch, Brethren in C hrist Church and Mennonite Brethren Church Guest speakers shared their perspectives on Colombia 's
political and social realities, touching on topics such as poverty, hunger, unemployment, corruption, democratic insecurity, the armed conflict and the recent emergen ce of evangelical churches as a social and political force . Panel discussions focused on the biblical basis, models and values for political advocacy
Panelists from the three deno minations spoke on thei r experiences of working on peace -bu ilding, reconciliation and soci al transformation. Anuro Orrego of the Brethren in Chri st Ch urch as ked participants to recogn ize th at in politics taki ng a neutral stance is the sam e as ta ki ng a po sition of silent approva l.Sha lom Wie be for M CC
Hein remembered for local, global influence
Marvin Hein: 1925 to 2008
Marvin Hein , of Fresno, Calif., Mennonite Brethren pastor, writer, educator and denominational executive, died Jan. 5, at the age of 83. His 35-year pastoral career is unique in that he served only two congregations: Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church for 24 years and North Fresno MB Church of Fresno, Calif., for II years While these congregations were his primary focus, his influence extended beyond them. .
Hein is perhaps best known among u.s. Mennonite Brethren as the outspoken "Inquiring Minds" columnist for the Christian Leader. At the request of editor Don Ratzlaff, Hein began writing this monthly column in 1992, the year after he retired from full-time pastoral ministry His willingness to candidly answer questions submitted by readers made his a well-read column. Shortly afrer being diagnosed with leukemia in August, Hein wrote his final column, published this month on page 30, that answers the question: What does it feel like to be dying?
Hein shaped the collective life of U.S. Mennonite Brethren as chair andlorvice chair of the Southern District Conference, U.S . Conference and General Conference executive boards. He served on various denominational theological boards and on governing boards for Tabor College, Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary. In 1980 he was awarded the Tabor College Alumni Merit Award and in 1989 MBBS awarded Hein its first honorary doctorate.
Following his retirement, Hein was appointed executive secretary of the binational General Conference. For II years he traveled the U.S. and Canada preaching, representing the conference in numerous ways and finally heading the committee that arranged for the dissolution of the General Conference in 2002.
"For many people, Marvin represented the life and thought, a perspective of how Mennonite Brethren thought of ourselves as a people," says Peggy Goertzen, U.S. Conference archivist and director of the Center for MB Studies at Tabor College. "He was a bit of a risk taker because he felt the freedom to ask questions. He was not afraid of discussion and dialogue, and people respected that because of his longevity and stability."
As a young man, Hein did not anticipate a life of ministry. Following their wedding Sept. 1,1946, Marvin and Mary Helen Martens Hein setrled on the family farm near Fairview, Okla., anticipating they would spend the rest of their lives there. The couple attended Sout h Fairview MB Church where the congregation had the tradition of choosing two of their members to serve as farmer preachers. Hein was surprised to be chosen as a third preacher, but he took the congregation's call seriously and prepared fo r the ministry
Hein graduated from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan ., and from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kan. In 1956, Hein was invited to return to Hillsboro as a half-time Tabor College faculty member and the Hillsboro M B Churc h half-time assistant pastor Three years later Hein accepted the call as HMB C sen ior pastor, and continued teaching at Tabor as an adjunct instructor.
While serving the Hillsboro congregation, preaching was an almost full-time job for Hein. He counted more than 2,000 sermons, 200 marriage meditations and an average of a funeral every three weeks. For 24 years he also regularly taught Sunday school and a Wednesday evening Bible study. So it is not surprising that Hein published two books based on his sermons and wrote 24 weeks of meditations for Rejoice!, the inter-Mennonite devotional publication.
Hein was also actively involved in the broader global Christian community. He served as a member of the Mennonite World Conference General Council for 17 years and as North American vice-president for several terms. His connection with MWC enabled him and his wife, Mary Helen, to travel to more than 50 countries.
Hein served on the National Association of Evangelicals Board and chaired the Kansas Board of Evangelicals. He represented Mennonite Brethren on the Council of Inter-Mennonite Moderators and Secretaries and served on the board of Herald Publishing Company.
Hein's lifelong interest in working alongside Christians of all traditions can no doubt be traced to his Civilian Public Service experience in Idaho and Nebraska, where he was part of a unique unit designed to nurture young farmers. While in CPS, Hein matured in his faith and learned to know Christians from a variety of denominations.
Hein was born April 12, 1925, to David and Marie Suderman Hein near Fairview. He is survived by his wife, Mary Helen of Fresno, Calif.; three daughters, Patricia of Wichita, Kan., Penelope and husband David Unruh of Sherman Oaks, Calif., and Holly and husband Scott Taylor of Aptos, Calif.; one sister, Frances Wahl of Fairview, and two grandchildren. - Connie Faber
>ON THE Journey by
Lost love
Rose Buschman
When being politically right is wrong
They told me that the culture shock of returning home to the U.S. would be more difficult to deal with than the culture shock of learning to live in a North African environment. Going overseas I expected a big change with major adjustments required on my part, but coming back home I expected things would
and unfortunately we Christians are a part of that polarization Is this right?
In looking through my files recently I came across an article entitled "Do They Know Us by Our Love?" written by John Ortberg and published in Christianity Today (May 1997). He compares what happened in Jesus' time to what was happening in be more or less the same as they were before I left. They were right and I was wrong. After living overseas for three years we returned home in 1992.
The first thing I had to relearn was how to use the self-serve gasoline pumps.
I'm ahaiu that we get so c;.ul ght up in our need to b e ri ght .. to be on the right s id e and to fig ht for our right s that \ve for get WhM w e arc to be about.
After three years of someone else doing it for me, I was out of practice. On my first stop at a gas station, I pulled over to the side of the parking lot and watched as other drivers filled their tanks. After a while I felt confident that I could try it. I did and it worked! Eventually I even learned how to pay at the pump with a credit card.
I was totally unprepared for the culture shock I experienced within the Christian community. I soon discovered that there was a religious culture war going on. Shortly after my return, I was part of an informal discussion group. I don't remember the details of our discussion, but I will never forget the admonishment.
In a sharp voice someone said, "Be careful, Rose, that you don't lose your salvation."
I was stunned. We weren't talking about salvation issues. It was July of an election year and we were talking about politics. Obviously I said something others in the group disagreed with . I learned very quickly to keep my thoughts and ideas to myself as I listened and learned more about what was going on.
As I write this, the 2008 election process is in high gear. It is the time of party caucuses and primary elections. The country is in the process of choosing the candidates for the presidential election in November.
I find myself dismayed at how negative the U.S. political process has become. I cringe at the name calling to which people resort. In some circles, if you really want to put someone down you call them a left-wing liberal. In other circles, the ultra right-wing conservative designation works quite well. Our country is very polarized politically,
1997. He suggests that the Pharisees were part of the Religious Right of Israel and held to the "right" moral values. Most of them could not accept Jesus' radical claims and actions in light of their reading of the holy Scriptures. Ortberg suggests that the biggest problem they had was that they had lost their ability to love. Furthermore, they considered themselves to be morally superior and were deeply offended when Jesus said they were far from the kingdom of God.
Ortberg suggests that love is the first casualty of our emotioncharged religiouslpolitical culture war. He says, "It is possible to be so caught up in the joy of being right, in the thrilling sense of being morally superior to those who are 'not right' that you become more wrong than your most degraded opponent." You can't love.
Jesus had a lot to say about love and about loving each other, our neighbors and even our enemies. He said we should 'love the Lord your God with all your heart...and your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:30-31). He went on to say that" by this will all men know that you are my disciples if you love one another" (John 13:35). Paul said that no matter what else we can do and even if we get everything right, if we do not have love we are nothing and gain nothing (I Cor. 13:2b, 3b).
I'm afraid that we get so caught up in our need to be right, to be on the right side and to fight for our rights that we forget what we are really supposed to be about. Jesus never said anything about all this "rights" and "being right" stuff. He said our primary responsibility is to "make disciples" (Matt. 28:19).
Today we are still in a serious tug-of-war of moral values and political viewpoints. Have we become the Pharisees of today? Have we lost our love, or can we still love those with whom we may not agree? I wish we could learn to be more kind and loving to those whose political views are different from our own. Paul admonishes us "as much as possible to live at peace with everyone" (Rom. 12:18). Throughout this election year, will we Christians be known for our love?
by Mar v in Hein
Dying at an increasingly rapid pace
Columnist considers one final question
QWhatdoe, ;, leellike to be dymgl
AI am tired. I am dying. I have been dying for a long time-in fact, ever since I took my first breath more than 82 years ago . But last Friday (Aug. 10) when the hematologist/oncologist reported that I had acute leukemia, that any treatment at my stage in life was highly
.... now
Spirit says to me: "Relax, Marvin, that man along with everybody else around you has no way of knowing what's really, really important."
What does it feel like to be dying? Sad to say, church services become troublesome. Every hymn and Scripture passage seem to be pointing fingers at me. This morning, the first Sunday after my diagnosis, I went to church and sat in one of the back pews while the announcement was made about my plight. The sermon text from Luke 24 was about hating moth-
minu of mine ,;ays "\1iste r, I had from you're complaining about is of no import.lnce when you're three weeks elvin!!. I lit the road and let me om of here.-' to three '-' months to settle my affairs, I have been dying at an increasingly rapid pace
What does it feel like to know you are dying? I have an increasingly bitter taste for the all-so-common ·question: "How are you?" I know people mean well, but with a good bit of carnality left in my spirit I'm tempted to say: "You wouldn't want to know." Or, "Don't even ask; I feel lousy!" Or, "Just wait until you know you're dying and ask yourself that question." Little better are the cheery words of the Pep Boys cashier who takes my money for an oil filter and sends me on my way with , "Have a good day!"
What does it feel like to be dying? I see a healthy man or woman walking briskly down the sidewalk or street and I say to myself: "I wish a had a body as fit as that." Then I quickly remind myself that I had a healthy body like that for more years than I deserved. And I tell myself that I have no idea what other lurking shadows may possess the person whose body I momentarily envy.
What does it feel like to be dying? I'm in line at a store and someone ahead of me is complaining to the cashier about something and delaying my exit. And this now self-possessed mind of mine says inwardly: "Mister, what you're complaining about is of no importance when you 're dying. Hit the road and let me out of here. " And then that tender voice of the
er, father and children for the sake of the gospel. But I heard something in the text I had never heard before. It talks about loving yourself-your body-more than Jesus. So I took the sinner's place.
While sitting in that next-to-the-back pew, we were asked to stand to sing. I remained seated. An unknowing but well-meaning elderly man tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Stand up for Jesus!" Moments later a woman left her seat, came to the almost empty pew where I was sitting and without any words joined me and held my hand for a few minutes. There was a load of pastoral history behind that move. After the worship service most of the members of our small group Bible Study surrounded me and expressed their love. Knowing you are dying isn't all that bad!
What does it feel like to know you're dying? A sense of extreme gratefulness overwhelms me when I receive calls, emails and personal visits from friends around the world. I'm reminded that the good Lord has not only enabled me to minister to churches and people around the world but has given me friends in every part of the world -people who love and appreciate me more than I deserve. "My lines have fallen in pleasant places" is not just the title of my memoirs but a Godgiven treasure for which I am intensely grateful. Today a longtime friend flew 3,000 miles to pay me a last visit. I'm grateful.
God uses a variety of people as messengers of love. I walked into the golf pro shop to pay my green fees and the pro said, "Mr. Hein, come into my office." He took a card and wrote on the back, "Marv Hein - Green fees and cart - unlimited golf" and signed his name.
co n t i nu ed page 32
CHURCH NEWS AND NOTES
Cordell, Okla. (Biblel-Steve and Jennifer Ed ler , Kayla Kennedy and Kyle Tull were baptized Jan . 13 and received as members. Tyesha Cole and Isaac Merkey were also receive d as members. Glen and Terri Garoutte, Joe Garoutte and Tim and Jo Schmidt were received as members Dec 16
Huron, SD (Bethesdal-Hannah Reinders and Paige Canterbury were baptized Dec 30 Art and Paige Canterbury were received as membe r s
Enid, Okla.-McClain Clemens and Sam Clemens were baptized and received as members Dec 30 Janet Burgess and Barbara Calivas were al so received as members.
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglenl-Marcia Cates, Charles and Debbie Clayton, Mark Mi ller, Tim and Jan Nord, Shirley Poley, Cindy Se l fr idge, Heather Stevenson, Butch and Linda Stewart and Joan Wright were received as members Dec 15 -1 6.
Fresno, Calif. (North Fresnol-Leon and Jolene Thiessen and Matt and Bev Ford were received as members Dec. 2.
Yale, SD (Bethell-Urby Friesen was received as a member Dec. 9
Hillsboro, Kan. (Parkviewl-Del and Debbie Gray, Nathan and Lynette Hiebert and Dan and June Mount were recently accepted as members FELLOWSHIP
Fresno, Calif. (Mountain V'1eW1- "Changed by His Power" was the theme of a women 's retreat Feb 1-3
Eugene, Ore. (North Parkl-A women 's retreat Jan. 24-26 centered on the theme, "Prepare to Shine. "
Denver, Colo. (Garden Parkl-Jan 20 was Friendship Sunday, and attendees were encouraged to invite family and friends. A local police officer spoke Dec 4 on safety during the regular lunch for seniors from the chu rch and commun ity.
Rapid City, SD (Bible Fellowshipl- The women's retreat Jan. 18-19 focused on, " Becoming Wholly Captivated by our Heavenly Father. " Singles from the church and community held a Christmas banquet Dec. 8.
Fresno, Calif. (North Fresnol-Grandchildren of sen iors put on a talent show for church seniors Jan 17, The congregation held their annual Christmas carol sing - along Dec. 9
Sanger, Calif (Grace Communityl - Wome n we re invited to a tea Jan. 6.
WIChita, Kan (Firstl - The church sta ff hos ted a come-and-go receptio n Jan. 6.
Dinuba, Calif. - New Yea r 's Eve was ce leb rat ed with
MB NEWS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES]
a service at the church and with bowling at a local fac ili ty Women held a Christmas brunch Dec , 11
Littleton, Colo. (Belleviewl-Women gathered at the church to wrap Christmas presents together Dec. 20.
Cordell, Okla. (Biblel-A wome n's Ch ri stmas party Dec , 20 included a Secret Siste r gift excha nge.
Weatherford, Okla (Pine Acresl-Col l ege students were invited to a st udy break at the you t h pastor's home Dec . 17.
Huron, SD (Bethesdal-Senior adults toured area Christmas lights Dec 14.
Mountain Lake, Minn. (Community Biblel-Women had a Christmas sa l ad supper Dec. 13
Olathe, Kan. (Community Biblel-Co llege students and young adults held a progress ive dinner Dec 8.
MINISTRY
Enid, Okla.-The congregation collected items for care packages for college students in late January. Sanger, Calif. (Grace Communityl- The church began hosting Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered 12-step program, Jan 4, The start of the program coincides with an eight-week se r mon se ri es by pastor Sam Estes called "The Road to Recovery " Fresno, Calif. (North Fresnol- The church hosted a workshop Jan. 3 for children 's ministry vo l unteers from the church and community, The topic was working in Sunday school with children who have special needs
San Jose, Calif. (Lincoln Glenl- The children's choir sa ng and distributed baskets of personal care items at a homeless facility Dec. 22. The church 's Christmas decorat ions included 35 lighted Christmas trees on the lawn, all pointing to the manger scene
Kingsburg, Calif.-During December the congregation collected items for Christmas care packages for the missionaries they support
Hillsboro, Kan. (Ebenfeldl-Women donated Christmas - themed sweaters, vests and sweatshirts, which were distributed to women at a local longterm care center.
PROCLAMATION
Corn, Okla.-Frank Ca r mica l , fro m Awana International, spoke on missio n work with children and youth ages 4-14 during the serv ice Jan , 27 Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglenl - The church hosted a grief seminar Jan 26 presented by nationallyknown speaker and counse lor Norm Wright.
Kingsburg, Calif. - Jill Lud l ow, a singer, teacher and st oryteller with Full Sai l Mi nistries , gave a concert Jan. 20
Dinuba, Calif.-Christmas programs included a children's program Dec. 23 and a Dec. 9 choir cantata, "I n the Fullness of Time," followed by dessert Cordell, Okla. (Biblel-Christmas programs included an adu lt choir presentation of "A Carol to the King " during the service Dec 23 and a children's Christmas program Dec 16.
San Jose, Calif (Lincoln Glenl-Chi l dren presented " No Wonder" Dec 21.
Weatherford, Okla. (Pine Acresl - The choir presented the musical "There Is Peace in the World Tonight," Dec. 9, and the children presented the musical "The Mystery of the Manger" Dec 16
Buhler, Kan.- The choir presented the cantata "Joyful and Truimphant" during the service Dec 16, and the children presented 'The Christmas Present " in the evening.
Fairview, Okla.-Children presented "Christmas at Bethlehem Gulch" Dec 16.
TEACHING/NURTURE
CloviS, Calif. (College Communityl-Adult education classes and even ing sessions focused on Mennonite Brethren history during January, the anniversary of the origin of the Anabaptist movement. A "Christmas Service of Mourning" for those who have experienced loss was held Dec 23.
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglenl- The church is offering a nonthreatening Sunday morning class specifically for those new to church. Grandmothers began Jan 9 to gather weekly to pray for their grandchildren
San Jose, Calif. (Lincoln Glenl-A memorial service was held Dec 9 for those grieving a family member or friend during Christmas A memory tree was decorated with ornaments in honor of loved ones
Huron, SD (Bethesdal-A " Missionary of the Month " curio cabinet has been set up in the foyer to help the congregation get to know the missionaries supported by the church
WORKERS
Sanger, Calif. (Grace Communityl-Stephen Kodur is the new student min istries director.
YOUTH
Clovis, Calif. (College Communityl - Youth hosted a Mennonite heritage dinner Jan. 6 in recognition of the founding of the Mennonite Brethren church in Russ ia in 1860 Funds raised will support a service and learning trip to Mexico.
Hays, Kan.(North Oakl - High school youth participated in a prayer summit at the church Jan. 4- 5. Ch ildren in kindergarten thro ugh fifth grade partici-
pated in "Mystery Camp " Jan 2, with a mystery field trip and movie, followed by supper with parents and family members.
Rapid City, SO (Bible FeUowshipl-Youth celebra ted New Year's Eve with an all-night lock-in Reedley, Calif.-Junior high youth dressed as Christmas ornaments for their Christmas party and movie night Dec 19
Olathe, Kan. (Community Biblel-Youth served as bell ringers for the Salvation Army at a local WalMart Dec. 20
San Jose, Calif (Uncoln Glenl-Youth held a food drive between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Wichita, Kan. (Firstl-Volunteers presented a live nativity, including a donkey, for Sunday school children Dec 16
Fresno, Calif. (Bethanyl-Children from the 3rd and 4th grade Sunday school class recently raised over $700 for the needs of orphans with AIDS in Thailand DEATHS
BRANDT, EVELYN S., Reedley, Calif , formerly of Garden City MB Church, Garden Valley, Kan , was born Feb 15, 1919, to Henry and Maria Siemens and died Sept. 15, 2007, at the age of 88 On Sept. 12, 1940, she married Edward Brandt, who predeceased her in 1960. She is survived by one son, Stan; one daughter, Kathleen , and several grandchi ldren
BULLER, FRANCES ELIZABETH, San Jose, Calif., a member of Lincoln Glen MB Church, San Jose, was born April 18, 1921 , and died Dec 19,2007, at the age of 86 She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Elmer Buller. She is also survived by three daughters, Linda Buller, Sandra and husband Roger Neufeld, and Sharon and husband John Pope, four
INQUIRING MiNDS cont.
What does it feel like to be dying?
When I read yesterday's Rejoice! devotional I was reminded that God is intimately in tune with my needs. Amy Dueckman writes. "In God's answering service I never hear a busy signal." I am reminded of my life's theme verse in I Cor. 4:7. "what do you have that you have not received." and I become aware that even my physical life is a gift It has been loaned to me. The loan is maturing.
I haven't been through Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief. I haven't been angry with God I have no quarrel with him. He is a good God. I resonate with the words of Michael Behe who was quoted in a July 31. 2007 issue of WORLD magazine: 'Tm a Christian who believes strongly in an active, loving God. Yet as AsIan is 'not a tame lion: God answered Job' s complaint of suffering not by denying it. but by his majesty and transcendence. God did not place us in a toy
grandchildren and one great-grandchild
BULLER, LEROY, Dinuba, Calif., of Dinuba MB Church, was born March 23, 1941, to Sam and Helen Buller in Reedley, Calif., and died Dec 15, 2007, at the age of 66 In 1961 , he married Joanne Krause, who survives. He is also survived by his father: two sons, Martin and John: one daughter, Lisa: two brothers, Reinhold and Harold : one sister, Wilma, and seven grandchildren
EDIGER, KATHRYN, Reedley, Calif. , of Reedley MB Church , was born Oct. 10, 1917, and died July 29 , 2007 , at the age of 89 She is survived by four stepsons, James Friesen and wife Rachel of Clovis, Calif. , Gordon Friesen and wife Carol of Fresno, Calif., Eldon Ediger and wife Patty of Springville, Calif , larry Ediger of Fresno, and one brother, Ed Ra tzlaff of Reedley
GOERTZEN, HELEN, Dallas, Texas, a member of Reedley [Ca lif I MB Church, was born July 2, 1912, to George W and Margaret Thiessen in Inman, Kan , and died Nov 11, 2007, at the age of 95 On Feb 28, 1937, she married Peter H Goertzen, who predeceased her Sept. 7, 1991. She is survived by one son, Larry and wife Ruth : one daughter, LaVonne and husband Charley Dean: one brother, George: four sisters, Marie Klassen, Martha Hofer, Verna Ford and Edna Siemens, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren
GOLBEK, MARIE DRIEDGER, Reedley , Calif , of Reedley MB Church, was born Aug 20, 1910, to Peter and Sara Redekop Driedger in Hooker, Okla., and died Dec. 2, 2007, at the age of 97 On Oct. 18, 1931, she married Ezra Golbek, who predeceased her Aug. 20, 2000. She is survived by three sons, Joel and wife Charlene, Lloyd and wife Carol, and Darrell and wife Lila : two sisters, Elsie Flaming and Frances and hus-
world, with all the sharp edges removed. Rather. along with the pleasant. he designed a world containing real physical danger: tigers with claws and remarkable parasites with sOphisticated molecular technology We Christians especially should expect to suffer in this life and. much worse. to wimess those dear to us suffer. Yet our faith assures us that through the mystery of suffering with Christ. God will draw out much good ."
Writers use the number 30 to indicate the end of an article. This is "30" for this Inquiring Minds author. By the time you read these lines I will have all the answers to all the questions you might ever ask. But youll need to wait to find the answers!
Editor's note: Marvin Hein submitted this his final Inquiring Minds column. Aug. 16. 2007 He requested that it be published after his death . Marvin died Jan. 5. 2008.
band Vernon Dick, seven grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren
JAVORSKY, KENNETH DALE, Cordell, Okla., a member of Bible MB Church, Cordell, was born Feb 5, 1940, to Adolph and Lea Wedel Javorsky near Bessie, Okla ., and died Dec 9, 2007, at the age of 67. On Dec. 29, 1959, he married Carolyn Gossen, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, Keith and wife Racque l and Kenton and wife April, all of Bessie: one daughter, Cathy of Edmond, Okla .; two sisters, Inez and husband Emery Sude rman of Cordell, and Iris and husband Ed McNeil of Silverthorne, Colo. , and five grandchildren
MARTENS, ROSEY, Fairview, Okla ., a member of Fa irview MB Church, was born Oct. 19, 1919, to Wilhelm and Nett ie Regier Harms in Enid, Okla , and died Dec 22, 2007 , at the age of 88 On April 4, 1940, she married Benjamin P Martens, who predeceased her in 2002 She is survived by one son , Lowell of Newton , Kan .; two daughters, Gweneth Christensen of Coffeyville, Kan , and Gaylene ' Seibel of Lawrenceville, Ga ; one sister, Emma Voth of Oklahoma City, Ok la , eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren
PORTER, DOROTHY WARD, Fairview, Okla., of Fairview MB Church, was born Dec 9, 1912, to Earl and Lessa B. Ellison Ward in la Junta , Colo , and died Dec 17,2007, at the age of 95 On July 14,1930, she married W Rolland Porter, who predeceased her April 29, 1995. She is surv ived by one daughter, Sylvia Lee Moore of Chickasha , Okla., two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
SIEMENS, MATILDA NIKKEL, Corn, Okla , a member of Corn MB Church, was born Oct. 16, 1908, to John P. and Agnes Nikkel in Oklahoma and died Dec 24, 2007, at the age of 99 On June 9, 1929, she married J E Siemens, Sr:, who predeceased her She is survived by two sons, J E. Jr:, and James, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild
TH ESMAN, ANNA RUTH , Enid, Okla , a member of Enid MB Church, was born Aug 3, 1918, to George and Anna Franz Janzen in Kremlin, Okla and died Nov. 28, 2007, at the age of 89 On Oct. 31, 1941, she married Herbert Thesman, who predeceased her July 18,1996 She is survived by two daughters, Jan and husband Jim Goeller of Tucson, Ariz , and Vicki and Rod Dougan of Houston , Texas: one brother, Louis and wife Jean: two sisters, Helena and husband Bill Toews, and Eldora and husband Henry Wiebe: five sisters-in-law, Sophia Thesman, laVina Janzen, Bertha Ann Toews , Leora Thesman, and Gladys Regehr, and three grandchildren.
TOEWS, ED , Phoenix , Ariz ,member of Reedley [Calif.! MB Church, former Mennonite Brethren pastor, was born June 3, 1934, in Hampton , Neb., and died Oct. 8, 2007 at the age of 73 On May 21, 1954, he married Bonnie Huebert , who survives He is al so survived by one son, Bryan and wife Rhoda of Avondale, Ariz : one daughter, Coleen ToewsCabezut of Ce nterville, Virg.; two sisters, Mary Ann Friesen of Portland, Ore ., and Betty and husband Vern Ens of Prather, Cal if : one brother, Joel, and one grandson
WWJS
Declaring what Jesus would say is tricky
There is a bumper sticker I occasionally see on cars around wife, however, is very relevant. That's something I can get town that says, "Who would Jesus bomb?" For some reason my mind around. that always tickles me. Not so much because I agree with the
The tricky thing about asking what Jesus would say, sentiment (though I do, being pretty Mennonite about the peace- though, is that sometimes it's hard to tell. Jesus was always making stuff) but because I wonder what Jesus would think about saying things people didn't expect. Just when his disciples seeing his name on a bumper sticker. or the religious leaders or the crowds thought they had
In our day when pop culture dominates public discourse, Jesus him pegged, Jesus would come up with something entiregets his name bandied about a lot. Some of the folks doing the Iy new to get them scratching their heads and straining bandying, however, don't seem to know him very well. their brains. Unfortunately, this even includes church people . Certain thoughts
That's the trouble with reducing Jesus to easy sloand ideas attributed to Jesus seem to be taken out of context or are gans and convenient acrostics. He doesn't fit into tidy litconnected only to the fads of the moment. tle boxes.
When the WWJD fad hit a few years ago, I thought that was
When I consider what Jesus might say about some of today's pressing questions, I wonder Th e tricky thing ;.lbout ..l s kin g wh.]1 Jesus wou ld how different his answers wo uld be than say. thou g h , is that sometimes it's h ..rrd t o tell. je S lI S expected. I'm not talking about what WJS alw..1Ys sa ying thing.·" p e opl e didn't e xp ec t . he'd order at Starbucks but more serious . - '-' issues. What, for instance, would Jesus cool. What would Jesus do? That was, and still is, a great question to ask. But the whole thing could be taken too far. I actually heard straight-faced discussions on topics like: What would Jesus drive? Who would Jesus vote for? What songs would Jesus put on his iPod? I sympathize with the attempt to apply spiritual wisdom to daily choices. But come on. There are no definitive answers for some things. Since cars, music players and voting machines didn't exist in Jesus'time, who can really say for sure what Jesus would do with that stuff?
Yet people are always trying to declare that Jesus would definitely say this or do that or feel a certain way about something. Often such statements are based on limited understanding of what Jesus already did and taught, however. Strangely, some of the worst offenders in this realm are Christians.
In my own journey with WWJD, I've gone through various stages. For awhile I preferred WJD (What Jesus did) for the guiding principle. Later WWJWMTD (What would Jesus want me to do?) seemed more appropriate. I thought that got away from broad generalizations and made things more personal. But WWJWMTD was kind of long for a wrist band or necklace bead, so I let it go.
More recently I've been thinking about WWJS: What would Jesus say? For some aspects of my life it doesn't sound quite right to ask what Jesus would do Pondering how Jesus would behave in a marriage relationship seems weird, for example, because he wasn't married Thinking about what Jesus would say regarding how I should treat my
say about politics? The way people keep dragging his name into political discussions, you'd think he'd have a lot to share.
But I wonder if that's true. In his own time, in a political climate more controversial than ours, Jesus rarely broached the subject. When politics did come up he usually turned the discussion to spirituality. I wish we Christians would do the same. Church people talk too much about politics these days and not enough about that other kingdom where God reigns with love and grace.
On another subject, what would Jesus say about entertainment? I sense many Christians believe he wouldn't say much. The general feeling is that entertainment choices are personal and don't have much bearing on spirituality. But I think Jesus would have plenty to share on the subject Just like he taught about money and material things, Jesus would likely urge us to consider what we're running after. Entertainment is a major competitor for our time and attention these days. I can hear Jesus asking, "Is that where your heart is, or is loving and following me your greatest passion?"
I could go on, but you get the idea. If we're really going to ask WWJD, or WWJS, or WWJWMTD, we want such things to be more than slogans, passing fads or momentary thoughts And we need to be prepared for the unexpected answer. And most of all, we want to be ready to do something about it.
The forgiveness workout
Bu il ding our forgiveness muscle requires daily exercise
When I was a kid, getting my very own - although smallheart-shaped box of chocolates on Valentine's Day was a big deal. So I have made a habit of giving our kids individual boxes of Valentin e chocolates, and I promise not to snitch any for myself. One summer afternoon several years ago I found in the pantry a forgo tten but full Valentine box of assorted filled chocolates I figured the statue of limitations on my promise not to eat their candy had expired and ignoring its discolored appearance, I took one. Th e candy was hard and didn't taste very good anymore; I threw the box away.
In Ephesians 4, Paul reminds us that our hearts are best when they are li ke good chocolates-soft. After writing about the importance of unity in the body of Christ, Paul instructs us to put on a "new self. " Being new means we will want to be like Christ, and Paul says that includes cultivating certain attitudes and actions while avoiding others. The chapter concludes with this encouragement: 'i\.nd be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Eph. 4:32, NASB) .
Paul says that if I have put on a "new self" I will, among other have a tender or soft heart. In his commentary on Ephesians, Bible scholar Francis Foulkes says the word "kind" as it is used here implies practical actions.
And by adding the word "tenderhearted, " Foulkes says Paul is reminding his readers that the practical deeds we do for others should flow from a heart motivated by sympathy and love.
The goal is to keep our hearts soft, and Paul warns that an unwillingness to forgive can keep us from that. The obstacles we most often encounter when it comes to being authentically kind are the grudges we hold and the feelings we carry of being wronged It seems that forgiveness and a tender heart are one of those "which comes fi rst - the chicken or the egg" things When our lifestyle is characterized by forgiveness, our hearts will be tender and when our hearts are tender, forgiveness will typify our lives .
As far as I know, there is no way to guarantee that a box of Valentine chocolates will stay soft and edible forever, but there is a way to keep our hearts forever tender.
We decide to forgive, not just once, but every day.
The Amish know this to be true. The book Amish Grace tells the story of Joel Kime. In 1991, 17-year-old Kime was driving a car that killed Sarah, a young Amish woman married just five days to Aaron Stoltzfus. The day after the accident, Kime's parents took him to the Stoltzfus home. Aaron's grandmother and his father as well as Sarah's parents all hugged Kime and expressed their forgiveness . He also met Aaron, who also greeted Kime with open arms. "(Aaron) simply forgave me," says Kime. 'We hugged as the fteedom of forgiveness swept over and through me."
The relationship between the Kime and Stoltzfus families continues. They get together for a meal about once a year. Kime says, "I came to realize that my relationship with Aaron and the rest of the Stoltzfus family has grown into a legitimate, normal relationship. They had forgiven me and never went back on that decision. Five years after the accident I invited them to my wedding, and they came for the ceremony and reception, bearing gifts." The Stoltzfus family financially supported Kime and his wife when they were missionaries . Kime says, "Forgiveness, they taught me, is not a one-time event."
In his article on page 10, Steven M. Holt writes, "Learn the small habits of forgiveness before you face unspeakable offenses." I am thankful that so far in life, my opportunities to practice forgiveness have been small. God has not asked me to wrestle with the murder of a child or the death of a spouse. These situations require extreme forgiveness.
I know about forgiveness in the context of family life, with my friends or in a work situation. Forgiving in these everyday settings is not headline news, but that doesn't make forgiving any less important. It also doesn't make forgiving any easier. Forgiving the small offenses we encounter still requires us to choose to forgive.
When the Nickel Mines Amish school shooting took place, reporters talked with Robert Enright, a noted expert in forgiveness research When asked why the Amish could forgive so easily, Enright said it was because the Amish have spent years building their "forgiveness muscle."
I encourage you to give your forgiveness muscle a good workout this month. Take advantage of every opportunity to forgive the people you live with, worship with and work with . Choose to forgive . - CF
Clearing HOUSE
Employment: Church
Senior Pastor: Kingwood Bible Church. a Mennonite Brethren congregation in Salem. Ore .• is seeking a Senior Pastor who can grow our congregation and help us reach out to the unsaved in our city Kingwood is a congregation of approximately 100 members and is located on the west side of Salem Besides the senior pastor position. we have one full-time youth pastor. a part-time children 's ministry coordinator and a part-time church office secretary We seek to grow our church through evangelism and discipleship. At least six years experience as a pastor is preferred Mennonite Brethren background/ordination is also preferred. but not required. If interested. send a resume to: Dave Davis. co-chairman. Pastoral Search Committee. 2225 Dorchester Drive 5., Salem. OR 97302; phone 503581-9507; E-mail davyactslaaol.com. A packet of information on our church and the surrounding area is available upon request. [2/12J
Youth Pastor: Bethany Church in Fresno, Calif , is seeking a strong leader who is passionate about students. grades 7-12 Resumes can be sent to Bethany Church. attn: Youth Pastor Search. 9161 N. Maple Ave. Fresno. CA 93720, or officelabethanychurchonline.com. [2/12J
Events
Symposium: " Paul and Politics" 2008 Janzen Lectureship in Biblical Studies with John E. Toews and Symposium celebrating Toews' work. March 27-28. 2008. Fresno Pacific University/ Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary campuses. Fresno. Calif Contact FPU [5591 453-2000 or lrobertslafresno.edu for more information.
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