July 1995

THE CHRISTIAN

FIRST WORDS .•• from the editor

I'M BACK. I won't ask if you missed me. My five·month sabbatical was refreshing, but it's good to be "home" again. lowe a lot to Katie Funk Wiebe, whose gifted service as interim editor made my sabbatical possible. Thankfully, her impact will be felt for some time in the magazine. In this issue she writes our provocative lead article on the church-and-family contract . You'll also want to read her insightful profile of our Carson MB Church (page 20).

Ministries that strengthen marriages are a cornerstone of any church that wants to be pro-family. Ronald Vogt shares insights he's learned in his work with Recovery of Hope (page 11).

One more word about transitions. Connie Faber, our assistant editor, is taking a three-month leave of absence to care for her newborn son, Harrison James Nicholas Faber, who entered this world June 12 at a healthy 8.5 pounds. Connie's duties will be covered in the interim by Aleen Ratzlaff, who teaches communications at Tabor College. I think we'll get along fine .-DR

COMING

• JULY 6-9-60th convention of the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, Fresno, Calif.

• OCTOBER 27-29-Central and Southern districts meeting jointly for their annual convention; hosted by Tabor College.

• Pacific District Conference regional rallies:

• Oct. I-Good News Fellowship, Ferndale, Wash.

• Oct. 8-IGngwood Bible Church, Salem, Ore

• Oct. 15-Greenhaven Neighborhood Church, Sacramento, Calif.

• Oct. 22-Lincoln Glen Church, San Jose, Calif.

• Oct. 29-North Fresno MB Church, Fresno, Calif

• Nov. 5-Heritage Bible Church, Bakersfield, Calif.

• Nov. I2-Dinuba (Calif.) MB Church

QUOTABLE

"We've taken a concept of artistry and have put it up the rung of celebrity when really it should be at the bottom in terms of the concept of stewardship. It's like, 'Oh my goodness, you mean God has called me to the creative process? Surely not me. ' It should be more like Jeremiah or Moses saying, 'Who am I? Who am I to create? God is Creator! Who am I to interpret His word and His world for His people through music, through poetry? I'm not sufficient for this. ' But we don't see that attitude, do we? Not a lot. " -MUSICIAN MICHAEL CARD ON THE TENDENCY TO IDOLIZE CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIGURES, IN THE MAY ISSUE OF CCM

4 The church's contract with the family

The church needs to be proactive in strengthening the family. Here are several commitments the church should make if it is to minister to the various family models of the 1990s. BY KATIE

FUNK WIEBE

11

Revisiting the state of the union

A marriage therapist identifies four key characteristics of a healthy marriage. BY RONALD VOGT

DEPARTMENTS

• The high call of communion

• Up the Creek?

Mind s

• All that "devil talk"

• Are convention votes binding?

Conditional forgiveness

' by Jim Holm

• PROFILE : Carson MB Church, Delft, Minn. 20

• Hispanic Assembly draws 700-plus 22

• John E. Toews to leave MBBS 23

• Two Korean churches to join PDC 24

• MBMjS and India work at reconciliation 24

• Dinuba couple leads MDS effort 26

• MCC funds sent to fight Ebola virus 27

• Mennonites consult in Moscow 28 • Laurelglen Bible Church plans

• Am I any smarter?

ART CREDITS: Cover, pages 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 12, photos by Cleo Freelance Photography; page 23, Juan Wall; page 27, MCC; page 29, Jenny Jackson.

EDITOR Don Ratzlaff

VOLUME 58, NUMBER 7

ASS'T ED. Aleen Ratzlaff

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Connie Faber (on leave)

BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS : Ron Braun (chair), Noelle Dickinson. Jeanie Klaassen. Herb Schroeder. Kathy Heinrichs Wiest

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MERICANS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES. AND they should be. Trends indicate the continuing deterioration of the physical, mental and emotional well-being of Standardized test scores fell between 1960 and 1988. Teenage suicide and homicide rates more than doubled. Obesity increased by 50 percent. Children below the poverty line increased from 15 to 20 percent since 1970. Twenty percent of children ages 3 to 17 have a developmental, learning or behavioral disorder. By ages 12 to 17, one in four adolescents suffers from at least one of these disorders. One in three teenage boys have one of these disorders (Don Browning and Ian Evison, Christian Century, July 14-21, 1993).

Browning and Evison attribute part of this deterioration to changes in cultural values: increasing individualism, growing preoccupation with individual fulfillment, wider tolerance for divorce as a solution to marital problems, and more general acceptance at all social levels of the high rates of out-of-wedlock births and single parenthood.

A strong, stable family unit is important to the development of the child and to the welfare of our society. Strong families are important to church strength. Churches that are pro-family openly make a contract with the family instead of preaching and programing only for individuals.

Dennis B. Guernsey, director of the Marriage and Family Counseling Program at Fuller Theological Seminary, told the Mennonite Brethren School for Ministry in January 1990 that family ministry is "the church's empowering the people of God to relate to one another as if they are family, especially if they are [italics mine]."

What are the key elements in the church's contract with the family?

ITEM ONE: The church will intentionally develop a theology of family to monitor and discipline its family ministries.

As Mennonite Brethren, we have well-developed theologies of salvation, evangelism and missions, but a strong family theology so far has eluded us. Bits and pieces show up here and there, frequently based on isolated texts. We, like many other evangelicals, tend to rely on the teaching of leading family practitioners and theorists, such as James Dobson, for what we believe

As Mennonite Brethren, we have well-developed theologies of salvation, evangelism and missions, but a strong family theology so far has eluded us.

about family instead of working through a theology of family for ourselves

Don and Carol Browning, writing in Christianity Today (Feb. 6, 1995), suggest that on family matters, both religious conservatives and liberals need to use the Bible with a greater sense of context to develop a family theology The Brownings' concern is that both liberals and conservatives bring to their understanding of family theology a presumption that "Christian family" can be equated with the nuclear family (working father and an at-home mother) The nuclear family is a pattern that developed with the industrial age and lasted until the 1960s, when it began to be displaced by other structures.

While the church should support and promote the intact mother/father unit, this is not the only family structure. Once it involved the extended family Today it has been joined by single-parent , the step- or blended·family of remarriage, childless, empty-nest and intergenerational families.

The emphasis upon the family in the New Testament went far beyond the maintenance of the nuclear family, or the extended family for that matter, states Guernsey. "Christianity, if it is going to work, must work in the most intimate of relationships between husband and wife,

between parents and children, between siblings, between believer and believer, and between believer and unbeliever As the people of God we paint a family portrait as we demonstrate the real presence of Christ in the world through our love for one another "

Among other things, a theology of marriage would include the following:

• That marriage and family are a calling of the highest sort, not just another lifestyle choice. God calls men and women to marriage as he calls people to other callings. This is to be a lifelong monogamous relationship

• That procreation should be confined to marriage.

• That fathers are not dispensable to strong family life.

• That sacrifice of self is a key element in parenting. This involves sacrifice of time, energy, space, material things, sometimes even of career and especially of self-fulfillment and independence.

• That a prime task of parents is to protect children from the destructive values of a consumer SOCiety, especially television

• That the prevention of family disruption is as important as treating fractures after they occur.

After the ball bouncing and singing are over...

Prom ise Keepers changed my husband. and our family

IHAD HEARD THE NAME "Promise Keepers " from a friend once before because this friend thought it was good. I thought it would be a good thing for my husband, Michael , to go to. Nothing ever came of it until one year later.

Michael's father called and asked him to go to a Promise Keepers meeting and Michael said yes At the time I wasn 't aware that Michael was only going because his dad had asked him and that he thought it was "no big deal."

But his attitude changed quickly. I could hear and feel the high he was on when he called me after the first evening. He promised to call the next night. I couldn ' t wait to hear from him but he didn ' t call, because of the late hour.

When he drove into the driveway Sunday afternoon, I could see he was still on a high. Usually , after these meetings the high lasts a few days , but with Promise

Keepers , it is still there two years later

His first comment was , "You haven 't worshiped God until you ' ve wors hiped with 50,000 other men. You could feel the Holy Spirit moving ." But what happened after that is even better. Michael changed and our marriage and family changed.

Michael relies on God to control his life and our life together. He is aware of the kids and me and our needs. He spends quality time with the family and God. Christian and Cassie , our children , have experienced Michael praying over them He started that the night he got home and has continued ever since. If he isn ' t home when the children go to bed, they ask him to come in when he gets home, even if they're sleeping.

Our family and individual lives continue to grow as we trust in God and as Michael continues to guide us by following the Seven Steps of a Promise Keeper.-Sharon Gerken, First MB Church, Wichita, Kan.

Sacrifice of self is a key element in parenting. This involves sacrifice of time, energy, space, material things, sometimes even of career and especially of selffulfillment and independence.

• That opportunities for training children are not squandered by age 5

ITEM TWO: The church will revise its understanding of marriage as a public contract, not a private one . The new understanding must also include the church body. Today, Christian marriages are considered a covenant before Christ between a man and woman, with parents sometimes offering their support at the wedding. Yet it remains essentially a private family affair

The minister performing the ceremony is often someone connected to the family through blood lines or friendship. The guests are family and friends Such a wedding then focuses on blood ties to the neglect of the body of Christ. Christian marriages today no longer are viewed as a public commitment to society, but a private affair between the couple and God . Neglected is the thinking that a marriage represents a new unit in socie ty and and has purpose in relation to the husband and wife and their chil-

Could your church sign this contract?

o ... intentionally develop a theology of family to monitor and discipline its family ministries.

o ... revise its understanding of marriage as a public contract, not a private one.

o ... offer premarital coun seling to help coup les decide if they are ready for marriage-not just to complete wedding plan s.

o ... make teaching about family life a strong emphasis.

o ... promote support structures for specia l needs.

o ... see every member of the church fami ly as an important person, with no one group more important than the other

THE PRO-FAMILY CHURCH WILL. .•

dren, and also to the family of God

Marriage once was a church ordinance administered by the church leaders in full view of the entire congregation, not just a select group of friends and family. Would present trends in marriage breakups be lessened if marriage were moved back into the life of the entire church body?

This would mean the minister who married the couple would be the pastor of the church which the couple attends or belongs to. Present at the wedding would be the entire church family, not just family and friends. Having a large part in the service would be sponsors to welcome the couple into the family of faith. The intent would

Intentional about families

'We

would rather take a family an inch than an individual a mile'

THE NORTH FRESNO CHURCH is committed to the development of strong families. Within the last three years the church made two strategic decisions which symbolize that commitment. We were concerned to strengthen the ministries to children and students Often , however, needs which children have are symptomatic of deeper concerns within the family. So we were also concerned with nurturing mothers and fathers in their parenting responsibilities.

In fall 1992 the church called Tim Neufeld to serve as pastor of student and family ministries. Neufeld oversees the ministry to students, junior high through college, and their families.

In summer 1994 , the church called Janice Porter to serve as pastor of children and family ministries. Porter oversees the ministry of children , birth through grade six, and their families.

Features of the family focus have included Sunday school classes and small groups that deal with parenting issues and marriage enrichment. A popular four-week Sunday school series is held each spring for parents and their teens. Last fall pastor Larry Martens preached a sermon series on marriage and family. A group for single parents is also being planned and support groups for struggling marriages are being formed. The church is also investing in video materials that can be used as a resource by families.

Families are the cornerstone of our society. Our families nurture, preserve and pass on to succeeding generations the values and faith we share and cherish Pastor Tim Neufeld says , "We would rather take a family an inch than an individual a mile ." The North Fresno Church is committed to help mothers and fathers fulfill their God-given roles to nurture their children to love God and follow him in their lives.-Lany Martens, pastor, North Fresno Church, Fresno, Calif.

be to bring marriage back into the public domain of the faith community rather than leaving it a private affair with the blood-family.

ITEM THREE: The church will offer premarital counseling to help couples decide if they are ready for marriage-not just to complete wedding plans.

Larry Martens writes in Direction (Spring 1990) that churches and pastors "increasingly realize that their calling is not to perform weddings but to nurture marriages Indeed, in many cases the church has contributed to the increase of divorce rates by marrying people who are inadequately prepared for marriage." The church is not just a blessing machine Martens cites the example of the action taken by church leaders in Modesto, Calif. They adopted a community-wide marriage policy to make it more difficult to get married. The policy mandates a four-month minimum waiting period, extensive counseling and a concentrated period of preparation for marriage Seventy-three ministers signed the covenant representing more than 30 Protestant, Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches and Modesto's only Jewish synagogue. Because a major trend of family life is the absence of fathers (sometimes physically, often emotionally), the church that is pro-family will make boys and young men a major target for teaching parenting ideals, skills and responsibilities before they marry.

ITEM FOUR: The church with a family ministry will make teaching about family life a strong emphasis.

This objective means much more than showing a series of ftlms on parenting and a sermon on marriage. It would include:

• Building library resources in which books are intentionally selected for all age groups, including parenting titles, is important.

• Offering parenting classes that empower parents to make their own decisions and not feel obligated to look for the latest word from some family expert to give them permission how to parent their children. According to Vange Willms Thiessen (Direction, Spring 1990), the "ultimate goal of parenting is a self-motivated, self-disciplined, responsible young adult." A maturityempowering model of Christian parenting incorporates a parenting style that attends to the developing needs of children and an empowering approach assists children in progressing from dependency toward autonomy and mature independence.

help and receive it in the church with a family ministry.

• Blended families: 46 percent of all marriages involve at least one partner who has been married before (many of whom have children.

• Programs for mothers of small children that give them opportunity to study and fellowship with other women and a well-worked out program of activities for their children.

• Parents cannot be replaced by institutions such as childcare centers and schools, church programs, as good as they are. Yet, offering this support to mothers who work lightens the load. Both mothers and fathers will find participation in church activities more inviting when childcare is offered for some events.

• Men's programs such as Promise Keepers, a large-scale mobilization of men to counter the problem of estrangement of men from their roles as husbands, fathers and moral leaders.

• Families outside the normal church structures, as when one member is in prison, the armed forces or similar situations.

ITEM SIX: The church will see every member of the church family as an important person, with

Bringing young and old together

'Re la tionships between generations are bas ic to being alive and being we ll '

Ono one group more important than the other_

Older adults are often pushed to the fringes as are singles, the disabled, and minorities. The church that is pro-family has no fringe members; here members of the body of Christ without blood relatives still have a family. Parents without children or children without parents still have a family. Older adults without grandchildren or grandchildren without grandparents still have a family. The family of faith becomes the family of those who don't fit the dominant family patterns.

A common practice in some congregations is to divide by age and gender when the family enters the church door. Yet a pro-family congregation never forgets that children are not isolated units, but always members of families and some of those families have unique strengths-and also sometimes failings.

The apostle Paul's teachings were radical for his time, especially as they related to the relationship of husband and wife (husbands were to love and sacrifice themselves for their wives, an unheard of idea in the Roman world) and parents were to love their children. But the result of this radical teaching was to show the world that the body of Christ, of which the family was a part, was the best witness of discipleship. This family feeling can come through family night or other all congregation activities in which the whole family of God worships, serves and plays together. "Becoming family to one another" means the entire congregation is involved, not

NE OF THE MORE EXCITING intergenerational programs of the 80 located in Kansas, according to the Kansas Intergenerational Network, is Whitestone on Wednesday (WOW), which is a part of the Whitestone Mennonite Church located in Hesston. On most Wednesday evenings throughout the school year, Whitestone brings together children as young as 6 along with adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, and retirees. On the typical evening there are about 110 individuals present-sharing a meal, working on crafts-while all the time encountering God in a variety of settings. just parents with young children, as is sometimes the case.

In my time at WOW, I sense a high level of enthusiasm (liberally, "to be filled with God"). I see people from across the age span interacting with each other. Often, when I walk into Whitestone meetinghouse when another evening of WOW is just beginning, I feel a tremendous electricity in the air. Seldom do I sense this feeling in other social settings.

Relationships between generations are basic to being alive and being well. These relationships give an account of where we have come from and, sometimes, give direction to where we are going.-Excerpted from a longer article in the Wichita Eagle by Dwight E. Roth, social science instructor, Hesston (Kan.) College

The church helps when it deliberately gives generous wholehearted support to and protection of family rituals and celebrations by not scheduling activities that separate family even more by gender, age, and family structure.

Dennis Guernsey points out that secular literature suggests strongly that "something important happens when persons create and maintain intimate, caring relationships with one another. If this is true in human relationships in general, how much more so is it true when the people of God become family to one another." i2.

Katie Funk Wiebe, well-known Mennonite Brethren author and speaker, recently completed a term as interim editor of the Leader She is a member of First MB Church, Wichita, Kan.

REVISITING THE STATE OF THE UNION

A marriage therapist for Recovery of Hope sees understanding, initiative, self-disclosure and sacrifice as keys for an enduring and endearing marriage

VER SINCE THE DAY I SLIPPED THAT RING ON MY WIFE'S finger, my hunger to master the complexity and the elegance of marital dynamics has steadily grown. Suddenly I began to enjoy doing marriage therapy. I started encouraging my married clients to bring in their spouses. During this time, my wife, Laurie, was finishing her graduate training in marriage and family therapy at Fuller Seminary. We would talk endlessly about classes, concepts, and clients. We dreamed about becoming a husband-and-wife marital therapy team.

Soon after Laurie's graduation, we received a call from Philhaven and our dream became a reality. We accepted positions here in Pennsylvania to become c-directors of Recovery of Hope, a program offering marital therapy in an intensive week-long format. In the space of a few years, I'd become a "marriage expert." Now I work with marriages for a living.

As I look back, I realize I have learned much from my own marriage and also from working with couples so exclusively and intensely. I have developed some convictions about how couples should and should not relate to each other. Those convictions are capsulized in four concepts: understanding, initiative, self-disclosure and sacrifice .

UNDERSTANDING

By far the most powerful intervention we employ in helping a couple get past the impasse

by RONALD VOGT

coach clients to use self-disclosure-for example, "When you left the door open, I felt angry." This statement, because it is direct and vulnerable, facilitates understanding and empathy. We have seen remarkable healing take place in couples who gain awareness of their language patterns and shift from making "you" statements toward self-disclosure .

Self-disclosure is more than sharing feelings, however. One of the "rules" we often institute with a couple is that all feelings must be followed up with a request. When a person self-discloses feelings, we prompt them to fmish with "and the behavior I would like from you is ... ." In this way, his or her partner is assisted in knowing how to respond.

INITIATIVE

The best predictor of marital satisfaction and growth, say researchers, is a ratio of greater than five to one warm moments to hurtful moments between husband and wife. Successful therapy seems to be closely tied to the initiative our clients take as a result of our work together to increase the pleasurable moments between them and to decrease the hurtful exchanges. For instance, during our intensive week with couples, we encourage and guide them to make interventions into the problem areas in their marriage Mer exploration and self-disclosure, a couple mutually agrees to take some initiative to address the problem. For one couple, her particular hurt related to being taken for granted. They decided that whenever they were out together, he would always open the car door or building door for her. They report that this intervention has been amazing in increasing warm moments and decreasing hurtful moments between them. Initiative, however, takes effort. I remember all the attention I gave to Laurie early in our marriage to nurture and care for our relationship . It came so effortlessly. What happened? One explanation is that I've moved from trying to secure the relationship to being secure in the relationship. Now it has become all too easy to take our love for granted. But just as it requires attention and care to have good children, it takes attention and care to have a good marriage . Often marriages that are in distress remind me of two people in a canoe drifting down a river without any oars-just drifting along and feeling at the mercy of outside forces The only initiative seems to be attacking one's partner Part of the success of our program in helping hurting couples is due to the couple's willingness to seek help Another factor is their commit-

ment to spend an entire week together in therapy working on their marriage. These conscious decisions are healing in and of themselves. There is hope for any marriage where at least one partner is intentional, deliberate and proactive. Initiative means dropping an oar in the water and rowing, even if it is to a therapist's office.

SACRIFICE

Frequently the couples who come to Recovery of Hope for the intensive week are separated and are conSidering divorce. Over and over, it is the issue of sacrifice that makes or breaks the decision to recommit to the marriage . All the communication techniques and wise interventions we can bring to bear cannot overcome a heart that is not open to reach out beyond itself and extend care to the other.

When I met Laurie, I thOUght I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from a relationship, especially since I was a therapist Was I in for a surprise! That first year of marriage was rough As I would confide what was going on inside of me, most of my married friends would just smile. They knew.

Often my own desires, dreams and expectations for myself and for our marriage had to give way in order to love and care for my wife. I had my vision of how to love and care for Laurie, but she didn't always experience those behaviors as loving If our marriage was going to survive, I realized I had to begin to love and care for Laurie in ways that she would experience as loving . Many times my frame of reference had to be sacrificed to maintain the relationship.

From that first year of marriage, I learned something of what Jesus meant when he said, "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed . But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it." I learned flfSthand what my professor meant when she said those who wish to share in the rewards of relationship must also accept the responsibility of relationship. For me in my marriage, accepting the responsibility of relationship means sacrifice. Sacrifice, for me , means I must acknowledge Laurie's right to make a claim on all that is dear to me The reality of this goes down hard sometimes, but in so doing, I have tasted the flfStfruits of what heaven must be like i2

Ron Vogt is a psychologist specializing in marriage therapy He is a graduate of Tabor College and MB Biblical Seminary. He and Laurie live in Mt. Gretna, Pa.

The high call of communion

BY DONNA VOTH JOST AND LYNN JOST

EVERY SUNDAY morning, in thousands of congregations, millions of believers hear the words, "This is my body " and "This is my cup ... ", and they celebrate communion. Every Sunday, there are undoubtedly hundreds of exceptional cases like the one David Wiebe described in his article, "When Is My Child Ready for Communion?" (May). Adults with mental challenges celebrate without the benefit of full understanding. People with glowing facades but bitter spirits participate . Unattended children sneak communion wafers in a grand cathedral. The point is this: The doctrine of the Lord's Supper is not designed to accommodate exceptional cases. Why is communion controversial?

• All Christians eat the Lord's Supper. Orthodox and Anabaptist. Catholic and Evangelical. It's no wonder we have differing views.

• The Lord's Supper is important. Together with baptism, communion symbolizes our Christian identity . And the Lord's Supper is loaded with meaning.

• Practice varies. Although the Bible is clear about many things, biblical teaching of communion leaves room for local variations.

In his article, Wiebe asks, "Why do I think children should take communion?" The question itself raises other questions. Wiebe is writing for the church, but the question is couched in individual terms. The push for participation by young children is part of a cultural shift. Even the church is asking, "What's in this for me?" Individualism threatens to replace the community of faith.

Forum is a column of opinion and comment on contemporary issues facing the Mennonite Brethren Church. Manuscripts expressing an opinion for Forum should aim for a length of 800 words Authors must sign articles, identify their church membership and vocation, and include a clear photo of themselves .

Partaking in the cup of our Lord should be the conscious choice of one who is also ready to die with Jesus.

Unhooking baptism from the Lord's Supper presents two problems. First and foremost, the separation is unbiblical. Acts 2:41-42 reports mass conversions, followed by baptism and Christian nurture, including "the breaking of bread." The recently changed Confession of Faith states, "The normal pattern in the New Testament was that baptism preceded participation in the Lord's Supper "

Second, the distinction between the Lord's Supper for all believers and baptism for mature, committed believers is the logical outcome of this separation The Bible nowhere allows for such differentiation into a two-class system. The Didache, the first Christian literature after the New Testament, describes the early church's procedure. New believers awaiting baptism are not included in communion. The supper is a meal for the corporate body. Initiation into the covenant community is marked by the symbol of baptism; membership is celebrated by the symbol of communion.

Doesn't this position reflect hardnosed suppression of children? Aren't we making too big an issue of an occasional symbol?

The God-given religious liberties which we enjoy may blur our understanding of the Lord's supper. The cup of thanksgiving is also a cup of suffering. When James and John requested seats of honor at the messianic banquet, Jesus asked, "Can you drink the cup I drink?" (Mk. 10 :38). Partaking in the cup of our Lord should be the conscious choice of one who is also ready to die with Jesus. Both baptism and the Lord's supper symbolize believers' commitment to their Lord.

Children can be taught to love Jesus and to experience his love with-

out rushing them into an "adult" commitment. Wiebe's sidebar, "Tips Toward a More Kid-Inclusive Communion," could be modified to help children feel at home in the family of Jesus. Church fellowship meals (and Passover events) linked with the Lord's Supper could be designed to include the unbaptized believer without breaching biblical guidelines.

The clear focus of communion is on community In our individualistic world, the Lord's supper is especially essential. At the table we commit. We renew our bonds of covenant with the people of God We share burdens. We meet physical needs We give offerings to assist distant sisters and brothers (Gal. 6:2).

At the table we gently confront sin and forgive the sinner in the name of the Lord (Mt. 18:15-20). We confess that Jesus is Lord, that our sins are forgiven and healed Gas. 5:16). We proclaim that in this world of death, our Lord gives life. We shout the glorious good news (1 Cor. 11 :26).

At the table we become one. Black and white Male and female. Rich and poor. Barriers are erased when we come to serve one another on the only level ground in the universe-at the foot of the cross (Gal. 3:28).

Let's make the Lord's Supper all our Lord wants it to be by including all who are baptized into the covenant community. Like the Emmaus disciples, may our eyes be opened to covenant unity in the breaking of the bread.

62

Donna Voth fost is pursuing a master's in special education at Vanderbilt University. Lynn, who teaches Bible at Tabor College, is on doctoral leave there They are members of the Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church.

five Canadian provinces and at least eight U.S. states. This is what I observed:

Never before have our members, generally speaking, lived in nicer homes-and owned so many of them

Never before have our members done more traveling, including cruises, trips to Europe, and winters in warm, sunny climates.

Never before have Mennonite Brethren spent so much money on eating out-and driven more expensive cars to get there.

Never before have so many Mennonite Brethren owned investments in mutual funds, IRAs, government bonds, or other forms of securities.

Never before have our local church buildings been as comfortable, spacious and expensive.

Never before have so many Mennonite Brethren households had two good incomes and the resulting increase in financial resources . Mennonite Brethren used to be maids; they didn't hire maids.

I find nothing necessarily wrong with any of the above indulgences. But I cannot accept the argument that we who have such things don't have the very small sums of money needed to underwrite our conference ministries.

I'm aware, of course, of some standard rejoinders to this sort of analysis.

"It won't last," say some critics of our current economic well-being. Perhaps, but we are dealing with the present.

"There's less money available for charities," is another frequent comment . But government data suggest charitable donations have never been higher than now.

"The older people have the money," is a common one. This may be partly true. But God requires from us that we give as we are able to give. If it's the seniors who have the most resources, so be it.

As a conference of committed Christians, we need to maintain a balanced perspective We need to ask ourselves tough questions, contemplate realities carefully, give honest answers, avoid rationalization-and then reject unwarranted ministry reductions.

John H Redekop Abbotsford, B.C.

Doing justice to 'justice'

The notion of justice to which Marvin Hein referred when answering a question about war in the Old Testament (Inquiring Minds, April) bears a second look, especially in view of Donovan Ediger's letter (May). Ediger thinks that to give priority to justice instead of to the value of human life, implies that sinful people, by anyone's definition, can be "dispatched" as "expendable." Not so.

The Western mindset, to oversimplify, thinks of "justice" as punishing the bad guys and rewarding the good guys . The Bible, by contrast, holds that righteousness and justice are the foundation of God's throne. "Justice" means a wholesome, harmonious relationship between persons defined along the lines of what is right.

When humans so violate a "just" relationship that excessive hurt and destruction result, the fabric of "justice" is tom; it is kaput. In reading about war, as ordered by God with the reSUlting loss of life, we quickly bemoan the death of persons as though their existence were of greatest worth, but these persons have already abandoned justice. What is to be done then? God, not we, must decide. Sure, life is valuable. The same God who said, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" Oer. 31 :3), also said, "I, the Lord, love justice" (Is. 61:8).

Brother Ediger might consider how a God who is committed to justice (wholeness of right relationships) as well as to the value of human life (God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked [Ezek. 33:11)) is to proceed when the life that is valued is totally unraveled through evil.

Brother Ediger's too hasty conclusion that we take justice-Americanstyle-into our own hands and dispatch "whoever" is beside the point. The point is that we take God's definition of justice into our hands, so to speak, and establish wholesome relationships all around.

Elmer Martens Fresno, Calif.

Aname for all of us?

I suggest that all of our Mennonite groups adopt the umbrella name "Mennonite Church of Christ " We need to keep our current denomina-

tional names, but the umbrella name would unify us as one denomination. Our witness to the world would be one of unity.

To be called the Mennonite Church of Christ would be an incentive to live up to that name . Christ's church is one, not divided. When we recognize the variety of gifts within the church and that we need each other, competitiveness and jealousy would be minimized. The healing ministries of the church need to be open to all who need them-the emotionally ill, military veterans, homosexuals, persons of all races, etc.

Mennonite Central Committee is already a model of the Mennonite Church of Christ. Eighteen Mennonite and Brethren in Christ groups belong to it. Our mission is to feed the body and soul of people

The Mennonite Church of Christ could identify closely with the Mennonite World Conference, lifting us from our provincialism to a church with a global vision . All our current periodicals could remain as they are, except that they should also include the umbrella name, Mennonite Church of Christ The same could be true of various conferences, organizations and schools . Let's pull together now as one church, the Mennonite Church of Christ.

Geraldine Gross Harder North Newton, Kan.

Agood name game

Thank you, George Nachtigall, for expressing your thoughts about our name change in Phoenix (April).

The original Palm Glen Neighborhood Church of the Mennonite Brethren, an alias of Palm Glen Mennonite Brethren Church over the past 31 years, is officially known now as Desert Valley Community Church of the Mennonite Brethren.

The name change was the best thing to happen to this area in years. Oh yes, Mr. Nachtigall, I learned a new word-"karoake"- and its meaning.

Thank you for all letters-pro and con. We believe God's kingdom will be furthered because of the concern and prayers on our behalf.

Ola Mary Frey Phoenix, Ariz.

BY MARVIN HEIN

QWe hear lots of "devil" talk these days. Can Satan read our thoughts? Do we have to speak aloud for Satan to hear? How much emphasis should be placed on "enemy" talk in church discussions and sermons? (CALIFORNIA)

A"Spiritual warfare" and "power theology" are favorite topics in some evangelical circles. It is clear that the New Testament speaks of our being in conflict with spiritual powers. Since we cannot deny that such powers exist, to downplay the importance of "spiritual warfare" almost automatically calls into question our spirituality. We have, however, also been urged to "test the spirits," which would assume that not everything is necessarily as it is preached, even when it sounds very scriptural.

First, I doubt that Satan can read our thoughts. 1 Corinthians 2: 11 would seem to indicate that the Spirit has been given the capacity to know the thoughts of men and women. That is why the Spirit can intercede for us Satan is not all-knowing. He doesn't have unlimited access to our thoughtworld.

But we can open our minds to Satan. One of the despicable things about using mind-altering drugs is that minds become susceptible to outside influences and can come under Satan's attack, which can result in treacherous consequences.

As for speaking to the devil, James says we should "resist" him, and draw near to God. The Bible offers evidence that demons were cast out by speaking to them in the Lord's name. What is more clear is that we can be guilty both of too little and too much talk about demons . In some circles, no one wants to talk about demon possession. At the same time I'm convinced that possession is more prevalent than we want to believe On the other hand, some people seem to see a demon under every rock or bush . We need to keep a balance . We need a healthy respect for Satan. He goes about like a roaring

lion, and you neither ignore lions nor brag about your safety from them. So I suggest that we don't go around boasting about our power against the demonic worldthat may be teasing the lion. Nor do we walk in fear of the demonic power-that may be minimizing the power of the Spirit who lives within us .

A friend has suggested that in spiritual warfare, we ought to see the war as a "truth encounter" rather than a "power encounter." Many spiritual warfare battlers exercise a kind of egotistical warfare because they major on the "power " My friend contends it is "truth" that sets us free, reveals Satan's lies and exposes him for who he really is. The Word of God frees people in bondage . That's why it is so important to know and use the Word in doing battle with Satan.

When persons struggle with demons and are delivered by "power," they may well have recurring battles. When the victory comes through God ' s Word, reliance rests upon the ever-present Word and not upon the "power broker."

To be sure, if ever we are agents of deliverance to those bound by Satan, we should make sure the released person knows it was the Word that delivered, not us.

QEvery General Conference convention seems to have a hotly debated issue. A vote is taken. After the dust settles, nothing much seems to change. Are General Conference resolutions binding? Or just guidelines? How are they enforced? (CALIFORNIA)

ASome of us are old enough to remember when convention decisions were considered binding. Records indicate that noncomplying persons or churches were confronted. Admittedly, some rather unloving actions were taken in the name of conference fidelity.

Today we have moved to the other

Do you have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds, " c/o Marvin Rein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.

extreme. Too often we hear, "The convention can vote as it pleases, but we will go home and do what we want." Two sins are revealed in that attitude: a great big dose of intoxicating American individualism, and an absence of appreciation for the body, the church . The same spirit causes people in the local church to vote with their feet . They walk away if they do not agree. The result is a lot of church "transplanting ."

I doubt that we realize how far down the road of rugged individualism we have come. When I read, for instance, the suggestions coming across my desk about people's views on projected revisions of articles of the Confession of Faith, I'm depressed. We all know best. We all want to do it our way. We trust very few others . We can find fault with anything. We threaten to leave if we don't get our way. We sound a lot like little children who throw tantrums if they cannot rule the household .

So, inquirer, you are more correct than I want to admit The closest we can come to passing along directives is "guidelines." We pass motions and then I sense that even the most faithful among us often disregard them.

My, isn't that a bit negative? Yes, I plead guilty. Some churches look to the conference for guidance. Some even look for ultimatums, especially if they coincide with their views.

No, all is not lost. Among us remains an honest desire to work as a cohesive body of churches, but we struggle because it has become so easy to be "conformed to this world" and want our own way . $2

Envisioning a rural future

• Demographic challenges motivate Carson MB Church to rethink ministry focus

WHAT MEASURES can a rural church take to keep from dwindling and eventually dying under the pressures of urbanization? Farms grow larger and farm families smaller. In a rural community, life has fewer headlinemaking events The city beckons young people with its economic, academic and cultural opportunities.

Carson MB Church, Delft, Minn., has faced a declining attendance for some years. From a high membership of about 200 in the 1940s and 1950s, attendance today is fair· ly stable in the upper 70s. What lies ahead for such a congregation?

"We are not ready to give up," says Ed Eytzen, moderator. "There is a definite future for this church."

Pastor Herb Schroeder's study of the demographics of the church, which he recently presented to the church, doesn't look encouraging. But even that doesn't deter Eytzen.

"Even though the facts in our community and in the Central District are not encouraging, I believe God has put us here to be a light for him in this community and to reach into homes in the area God can and will turn this thing around for us if we do our part."

"This thing" that needs turning around includes:

• An overall declining membership. The Carson church is located in the small, unincorporated town of Delft, which has a population of about 60. People leave the area because there are few economic opportunities for them . The church is made up of primarily two age groups. One is working people age 30 to 40 with families who are mostly farmers and agribusiness people. The other group is senior citizens (65 plus). Sev-

by KATIE FUNK WIEBE

CHURCHGOING in the 19905

era! teenagers are poised to leave for work or college in the next few years. The congregation has no one in the 20-something age group.

• Older adults are retiring to the larger community of Mountain Lake.

Millard Bible Church in suburban Omaha, Neb , Lincoln Hills Bible Church in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Washington Heights Community Church in Bismarck, N.D.-all new and flourishing congregations. Pressure is on older rural congregations to think of heading for the city.

But there's lots on the other side to weight the scales for Carson MB Church to buck the trend and move toward growth:

• A pastor who feels called to a rural church ministry. Herb Schroeder, who came to the Carson MB Church in 1993, sees himself as a rural pastor. A rural church is not his stepping stone to a larger urban church.

"You have to be content with slow visible results and be willing to

redefine

your measure of success."

-HERB SCHROEDER

• People feel a relentless push to become urban because that's where church growth seems to take place in this decade. Of all Mennonite denominations, Mennonite Brethren are the most urbanized, according to sociological studies made in recent years. Mennonites in western United States, who are largely German-Russian background, are roughly twice as urban as Mennonites in eastern America, who are largely of Swiss background (Mennonite Encyclopedia, V) The first members of the Carson church were Russian-German Mennonites from the Ukraine.

Schroeder's ministry with the church began in September 1993 Prior to that he was pastor of the Post Oak MB Church of Indiahoma, Okla., for 11 years His ftrst pastorate was the Community Bible Church of Olathe, Kan , where he served more than four years. The Carson church had contacted 13 other prospective pastors before him; none was willing to candidate for the position.

"I was happy to candidate at Carson," says Schroeder, "and am thrilled that the Lord opened the way for me to

What are the traits of a rural pastor? "You have to be content with slow visible results and be willing to redeftne your measure of success.You have to be able to live with long-term traditions and take the church as it is. Change comes slowly "

Schroeder's personal goals are tied to his ministry goals: to grow in Christ personally and to guide others in their own spiritual growth and development. "My primary spiritual gift is

In the Central District, eyes are on come here. I believe I am God's man for this church at this time. I am able to function well and feel comfortable in small rural churches where many others could not serve."

The Carson meetinghouse forms a dominant presence in the Delft community.

FELLOWSHIP

Hispanic Assembly draws 700-plus in celebration of growth and service

• Reedley hosts fourth annual gathering of poe churches

MORE THAN 700 people gathered to celebrate God's greatness during the fourth annual Hispanic Assembly held May 27-28 at the Reedley (Calif.) MB Church. The annual assembly, convened for the hispanic churches of the Pacific District Conference, is intended to celebrate God's faithfulness which is evidenced in changed lives.

"The annual event is a reminder that growth is a process," says Juan Wall, associate director of Hispanic Ministries in the Pacific District. "We have not yet arrived, but we have grown and will continue to grow."

This year's gathering drew people from churches as far north as Portland, Ore., and as far south as Los Angeles .

For the first time, the assembly met for two days. Saturday afternoon featured workshops dealing with personal enrichment as well as church development. Several hundred people attended the Saturday evening banquet that, according to Wall, had "a

spirit of camaraderie, excitement and celebration. "

At the four-hour Sunday afternoon service, a group of young people from the churches, using a contemporary style, led worship and praise . In contrast, a choir from the churches sang traditional songs.

"People enjoyed both styles as they lifted their hearts and minds in praise to Jesus," Wall says.

Testimonies evidenced changed lives . One young man told how, months ago, he and his best friend came to Reedley in a stolen car. They had stolen the car for fun and ended up at the home of Juan Montes, pastor of the Mennonite Brethren church in nearby Parlier. Since then, both young men have made commitments to Christ and play instruments in the worship services of their local church. They actively reach out to other young people who need the Lord .

"Throughout the hispanic churches, God's grace has changed people's lives," Wall says.

The assembly concluded with a message from Carlos Calera, an international evangelist. He challenged the people to walk with the Lord and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading When a closing invitation was given, about 50 people came forward to rededicate their lives to the Lord and his service.

The annual assemblies evidence the continuing development of hispanic congregations in the Pacific District.

In the late '50s, six tnission churches were established by individual congregations to respond to needs among hispanic farm workers in the Central San Joaquin Valley. In time, the district became more directly involved. Iglesia Los Hechos, San Jose, Calif., was the first church started under the umbrella of the district.

In 1987, a group of hispanic leaders began to function under the loosely defined term Ministerios Hispano (Hispanic Ministries). As time passed, this group of leaders became more organized and took on more responsibility for the ministry of the hispanic congregations.

From 1988-92, the number of hispanic churches grew from eight to 24 They were scattered from the Mexico border to San Jose The paradigm shifted from older churches primarily located in small towns to new churches established in urban centers. Since

An interchurch youth group. directed by keyboard player Oscar Hernandez. leads the assembly in contemporary-style worship

1992, the number of hispanic churches has remained stable.

The Hispanic Assembly, which designates the hispanic Mennonite Brethren congregations as a whole, was formed in 1993 when the Pacific District modified its bylaws. Groups, based on ethnic identity, were freed to organize themselves within the conference. Members of the Hispanic Council, a group of hispanic leaders who provide guidance to the assembly, serve on the district boards.

The hispanic churches continue to grow. During the 1994-95 fiscal year, congregations averaged an 11 percent increase, excluding the new churches added during the year. The Hispanic Assembly has adopted the goal of a minimal 10 percent annual growth, stressing its commitment that churches be motivated and equipped to reproduce themselves.

"The hispanic churches are encouraged," Wall says. "They will continue to grow through the power of the Holy Spirit as they share the grace of God through Jesus Christ with their neighbors. May the Lord show his support for the work that gives eternal results." -from a report by Juan Wall

TRANSITION

Toews accepts call to Conrad Grebel presidency

• MBBS mainstay to leave current post Jan. 1, 1996

OHN E TOEWS, professor of New Testament at MB Biblical Seminary since 1977, has submitted his resignation, effective Jan. 1, 1996. Toews has accepted the presidency of Conrad Grebel College in Waterloo, Ont.

"The call from Conrad Grebel College came at their initiative, and as a complete surprise," Toews wrote in his resignation letter to president Henry Schmidt. "It would have been easier to stay in Fresno and complete our ministry here . But calls are gifts of grace; they give affirmation and present new opportunities and challenges."

Toews had been contacted by the college last year, but was unable to consider the move because of health concerns for his wife, Arlene.

Schmidt told faculty and staff he received the letter of resignation with mixed emotions-thankfulness for Arlene's recovery and a challenging opportunity for John, but acknowl-

edgement of the "enormous loss" to MBBS.

"I thank God for his contribution as administrator (12 1/2 years as academic dean and one year as interim president), teacher, scholar, directional leader, curriculum developer, writer and denominational leader," Schmidt said.

"On the other hand, his resignation is an enormous loss to the Seminary and to denominational leadership, particularly because of his leadership strengths and the other faculty transitions at MBBS this year."

This spring the retirement of Elmer Martens and the resignations of Howard Loewen and Toews have ushered in a major faculty tranSition, Schmidt said, which can be attributed to the aging of faculty and career moves of faculty in their 50s, and to the caliber of MBBS faculty.

"It is not surprising they receive invitations from other institutions," Schmidt said. "It is a compliment to the quality of faculty MBBS has developed over the years. "

Toews's teaching career includes assignments at Fresno Pacific College, Conrad Grebel, Tabor College and MBBS. He was also academic dean at Conrad Grebel from 1971 to 1973 and academic dean at the seminary from 1980 to 1992 He served as interim president between the administrations of Larry Martens and Schmidt.

In the Mennonite Brethren denomination, Toews has served on the General Conference Board of Faith and Life since 1984, and the U.S Board of Church Ministries (1980-86). He has also chaired task forces on peace education, women in ministry, new pastor orientation, internationalization, Confession of Faith revision and long-range planning

IN BRIEF

• Mennonite Brethren institutions were not among the many religious and nonprofit agencies caught by the fraudulent schemes of Foundation for New Era Philanthropy. New Era , which promised to double the fund -raising of such organizations through matching gifts of anonymous donors, declared bankruptcy May 15 after the Wall Street Journal reported that the organization appeared to be operating an enormous financial scam. Sources at MB Biblical Seminary and Fresno Pacific College say school leaders had been aware of New Era, but had not pursued the matter. The board of Tabor College had discussed submitting a proposal to New Era, but had not done so The list of charities and institutions who were promised funds from New Era reads like a who's who of Christian ministries Among them are Christian College Coalition, Focus on the Family, Mission Aviation Fellowship, World Vision and Youth for Christ. Christian colleges involved include Biola University, Fuller Theological Seminary, Moody Bible Institute, John Brown University and Wheaton College.

• Increased giving by U.S. churches enabled the u.s. Conference to finish the 1994-95 fiscal year in the black and to come closer to meeting its guaranteed subsidy to MB Biblical Seminary The churches gave $258,737 to U.S. Conference ministries, a 16 percent increase from the previous year. When all income sources were totaled , the U.S. Conference finished $12,769 above expenses. Meanwhile, the churches gave $228,249 toward the MBBS subsidy, an increase of 15 percent. Other income raised the amount forwarded to MBBS to $280,813. The amount guaranteed for 1994-95 was $296,416, leaving a shortfall of $15,603. Past years' shortfalls of $134,406 were also reduced to $46,978 by individual gifts and a large grant totaling $87,428 The total accumulated deficit owed MBBS stands at $62,581. "We are grateful for the increased giving and want to encourage additional increases for the coming year as Mission USA begins charting new directions for U.S. Mennonite Brethren," says Dale Regier, treasurer

Toews

IN BRIEF

• Around 1 , 000 me mb ers o f the Japan MB Confe re nce's 27 chur ches gath e re d in Osaka May 5 t o ce le bra t e th e 4 5th an ni ve rs ar y of Me nn on it e Bre thre n mi ss io n wo rk in th at cou nt ry. Wors hi p, mu sic, inte rnat io nal re po rts a nd mess ag es by Edmund Janzen, mode rator of th e North Ame ri ca n Conf e re nce, f ill ed ou t a n inte nse six-hour program ( MBM/S)

• Parti ci pa nts in Est es '95, the U.S. Me nnonite Brethr e n youth conferen ce, raise d $11 ,925 in an offering tak e n March 28 at th e ir fin al asse mbl y. Co nfe re nce pl a nn e rs ha d ho ped t o ra ise $ 5, 000 fo r a Yo uth Mi ss ion Int ernati ona l summ e r proj ect No dec ision has been ma d e a b o ut th e ove rfl ow, acco rd ing t o Greg Schmidt , director. Th e off e ring t ot al t oo k a sign ifi cant ju mp w he n th e so und t ec hni cia n hired for th e wee ke nd do na ted 10 percent of hi s pay t oward th e goa l.

• Me nn o nit e Br e thr en, Bre thr en in Chri st a nd Easte rn Me nnonite mi ss io nari es co nve rg ed on Ba ngkok, Thailand , Ma y 5-8 fo r th e first Anabapti st mi ssiona ry re tr eat in So uth ea st As ia Ten fa mili es pa rti ci pated, including Russell and Elizabeth Schmidt, MB Mi ss ion s/ Se rvices w ork e rs in Thailand , and Mark Siemens , Men no nit e Ce ntral Co mm ittee vo luntee r in Th a il a nd "Th e re tr ea t was an att e mpt at dr aw ing t ogeth e r Ana bapti st wo rk e rs in So utheast Asia , rega rd less of w hat organ ization th e y ar e wo rking wi th ," says Sc hm idt, w ho was a n org an izer of th e event "Becau se of th e co mmon he ritage that we a ll sha re, we we re abl e to bond as a mutu a ll y edifying group very quick ly All we re e nco uraged and would like to co ntinu e a nnual retreats of this kind. " (MBM/S)

• Three team s fro m Fres no Pa ci fi c Co llege compete d in th e NAIA Nati o nal Champion ships thi s year : wo me n's vo lleyball, wom e n's bas ketball a nd me n's basketball Thi s was th e fir st tim e a California NAIA sc hoo l se nt both me n's and women's teams in the same spo rt to the national tournament in th e same year, reports Jeff McAlister, FPC sports promotion director. (FPC)

GROWTH

Two Korean groups to affiliate with Pacific District

• Anabaptist confession attracts independents

THEETHNIC MIX of the u. s. Conference continues to be enriched with the pending addition of two Korean congregations in the Los Angeles area.

Loyal Funk, u.s. Conference minister, reports that the two emerging but already self-supporting groups have applied for affiliation with the Pacific District Conference.

Cho Dai Church, pastored by Joshua Carl, is located in the heart of Korea Town in the Wilshire/Hollywood area of central Los Angeles. Funk says the group has about 60 attenders with a vision to minister to the Korean immigrants who are joining the more than half a million Koreans living in the area.

The second congregation, Bethany Korean Church of Orange County, is about the same size as Cho Dai Church and is led by John Song and Joshua Song.

"These churches have chosen to become Mennonite Brethren to have a fellowship with our Anabaptist confession," Funk says He adds that the Confession of Faith has been translated into the Korean language to serve these and other interested congregations

Funk says several other indepen-

dent Korean congregations are also considering affiliation. "It is likely, if we can meet the needs for biblical interaction, this is the beginning of a strong Korean fellowship of churches in our conference."

The Korean Mustard Seed Church, Denver, Colo., was the first Korean congregation to affiliate with the Mennonite Brethren, joining the Southern District Conference in 1993 .

RECONCILIATION

Negotiations lessen MBM/S tension with India Conference

• Mission to release some suspended subsidy funds

FOLLOWING

MORE than two years of tense relations, a delegation representing the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, including MB Missions/Services, flew to Hyderabad, India, to meet with the Governing Council of the India Conference, May 26-June 1 The ensuing negotiations about the troubled partnership were especially productive.

As an immediate result of the talks, Harold Ens, MBM/S general director, and Neil Fast, board vice-chairman, released some of the subsidy funds that had not been sent to the India Conference since June 1994. Monthly subsidies, which help support about 75 village evangelists and Bible teachers, have now been resumed.

Prior to their arrival, Edmund Janzen, General Conference moderator, spent several days in discussions with the Governing Council and an opposing faction. The priority of reconciliation was agreed to by both sides, and both groups committed themselves to ongoing mediation. (See accompanying story.)

"God 's Spirit was most gracious in allowing opposing brothers to express themselves in a tolerant manner," Janzen says.

Also participating was Takashi Manabe of the Japan MB Conference Both he and Janzen sit on the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren, the body which acts as an informal

Funk (center) poses with the leadership team from Bethany Korean Church.

board of counsel in matters involving interconference relationships.

On May 31, Ens read an "Open Letter to the India Church" from MBMjS to 60 to 70 leaders and workers . The letter acknowledged tension between the Governing Council and MBMjS and expressed the board's hope for reconciliation.

"Our desire was and is to work in partnership and harmony with the leadership of the India MB Church," the letter stated. "We regret that our actions may have brought hurt and misunderstandings contrary to our intentions. The Board has also been frustrated and hurt by actions relating to the India leadership. However, we declare ourselves willing to build bridges of mutual and pennanent forgiveness. We, and no doubt you, most sincerely want a wann spirit of cooperation and partnership."

After being translated into Telegu, the letter generated much discussion and led to the resumption of the partnership between MBMjS and the India Conference.

The sides reached a new agreement later in the day and signed it. In response to the resumption of subsidies, the Governing Council committed itself to establishing term limits for officers and adhering to defined procedures of accountability regarding use of MBMjS funds. "This is an answer to prayer," Ens says.

To facilitate continuing dialogue and maintain the positive momentum of the new covenant, MBMjS will place a representative in India, perhaps as early as September. The board will seek to name the individual at its July 5 meeting, the day before the General Conference convention in Fresno. (MBM/S)

'Hurt and ache' is conflict's l egacy

Editors' note: Edmund Janzen wrote this perspective on the India situation as part of a larger journal of his recent travels in Asia.

OUR SECOND LARGEST Mennonite Brethren conference in the world (numbering about 65,000 members) is badly split because of internal leadership squabbles. We have discovered that the history of this crisis is deeply rooted and complex. It goes all the way back to the time in the mid-1970s

when our mission board turned over its properties to the national conference. The infighting for control and use of the money generated by these properties has resulted in a series of lawsuits and countersuits that have not honored God and have hurt the church's reputation.

When Christians go to court their witness is badly impugned, and usually all parties lose-even those who think they are vindicated. God's people hurt and ache with embarrassment at the fallout of such behavior. We have discovered that many, many believers-both in India and around the world-have been seriously fasting and praying that somehow God might intervene, and that healing might come again to this fractured church conference.

After much consultation with the Governing Council and with the Opposing Group, we managed to invite both sides to come together for two hours in one room. Needless to say the meeting was intense; yet God was gracious, enabling us to at least begin the reconciliation process-for both sides agreed that reconciliation was indeed apriority, and both agreed to further mediation. It is but a start, yet a positive ftrst step.

Just as all India waits for the refreshing rains of the Monsoon season to come, so we in the church wait for the renewing touch of the Holy Spirit in the India Conference. We have sensed that many are spiritually hungry and desperate for renewal. It was amazing to hear that in the Gadwal district some 8,000-10,000 people showed up for a dedication of a new Mennonite Brethren church! Please continue to pray for the leaders of our India MB Conference, that peace and unity might be fully restored

IN BHIEF

• Elmer Martens , professor of Old Testament and former president of MB Biblical Seminary, and his wife, Phyllis, were honored at a retirement party April 19. Martens was a member of the first class at MBBS, graduating in 1958. After serving as a church pastor for eight years he joined the MBBS faculty and has taught for 25 years. He served as president from 1977 to 1986. Following his official retirement from fulltime teaching at the end of the current semester he hopes to continue his travels and is under contract to write three books. Martens has been granted professor emeritus status by the MBBS faculty and will continue to teach classes on a year-by-year basis. (MBBS)

• Jacob Funk joined MB Communications, Winnipeg, Man., May 1 as producer and host of its German program division Funk was most recently a teacher at Swift Current Bible Institute, Swift Current, Sask He has also served as a pastor and with the radio ministry of Radio ZP-30 in Paraguay. (MBC)

• The former East Wichita (Kan ) Fellowship facility at Oliver and 10th streets has been sold to True Word Baptist Church, an emerging congregation. The mortgage and outstanding bills were covered by the sale leaving a modest balance for ministries agreed on by the congregation and conference. Five acres of choice land near Woodlawn and 29th in northeast Wichita remain available for future church planting. The former Open Bible Church property in southwest Wichita is under consideration for a new church plant involving World Impact, an interdenominational inner-city missions organization.

• The remaining two church -based Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) training programs for 1995 will be held July 13-15 and Oct 3-5 at the Fresno (Calif.) VORP office Ron Claassen, founding director of Fresno VORP and the Center for Conflict Studies and Peacemaking at Fresno Pacific College, will be the primary resource person. More information is available from Kathy Stuck at 1-800-909-VORP.

Janzen

IN BRIEF

• Anita Andresen , dean of th e pr of essio na l d eve lo pm ent d iv ision at Fr esno Paci fi c Co ll eg e, w as named "W om an Ad mini str at o r of th e Yea r " by Ce ntral Va ll ey A dm ini strati ve W o men in Edu cat io n M ay 19. In announ cing th e award , Diane Yerkes , Californi a St at e Uni ve rsity of Fr es no, call ed A ndrese n " a ' d oer: a highl y successful and pr of ess io nal edu cator, a person w ho pur sues qual ity and exce ll e nce in all acti v it ies f o r w hi ch she is res po nsibl e " ( FP C)

• Three stud ents w ho att e nd M ennon ite Br ethr en co ll eg es w ere ac ce pt ed t o th e Pew Yo unger Scholars Program f o r summ er st udy at th e Universit y of Notr e Da m e. Tab o r College stud e nt s Brent G r aber , a se nio r fr o m Mt Pl easant, Iowa, and Debra Faszer, a juni or from Sio u x Fall s, S. D , parti cip at ed in thre e-week se minars. Scott R. T raub , a juni o r at Fre sno Pac ifi c Coll eg e, was award ed a grant f o r th e eight wee ks o f stud y The summ er pr o gram bring s stud e nt s to th e Notre Da me ca mpu s f o r int e n sive gradu at e-s t y le r ese ar ch se m i n a r s t a ught b y p ro min e nt Chri sti an sc h o lars Th e se min a rs ar e stru ctur ed a r o u nd maj o r co nt ex tual di sc iplin es, such as hi story , th eo logy, lit erature, sc ience and econ o mi cs. Stu de nts earn upp er-le ve l undergradu ate credit hours fr o m Notre Dam e. ( TC, FPC)

• Slav ic Chri sti an Publi shing ( SC P) o f Brok e n A rrow, Okla ., re cently release d its fir st boo k in Engli sh, titled In sid e th e N ew Ru ssi a. Th e 3 33- pag e b oo k contain s m aps, st ati sti cs, illu str ati o ns, and articl es abou t th e religi o n , bac kground , hi st o ry , custo ms, and characte ri sti cs of all th e n ation s in th e f or m e r Sov i et Uni o n SC P, found ed in 1990, is mainly in vo lve d in the tran slati o n of Chri stian literature fr o m En g li sh into Ru ss ian and Ukrainian It also publi sh es b o ok s by Ru ss ian Christi an wr iters in Ru ss ian and Engli sh la nguages. A ll staff m emb er s at SC P's headquart ers are memb ers of th e Sl av i c Mi ss ion a r y Chur ch , w h ic h h as r ecen tly affili at ed w ith th e M e nno nit e Bre thren conf erence. Th e co mpany ha s severa l assoc iat es ac ross th e co untry Vitaly Mi chka is exec uti ve director Th e mail ing address f o r SC P is P. O . Bo x 28 4 5, Bro k e n A rr ow, O K 7 4013 -2 84 5. (SCP)

Dinuba couple finds friends, fulfillment during MDS earthquake cleanup work

• 'We have received much more than we gave"

A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE rumbled .l'l..through southern California Jan. 17, 1994, leaving widespread destruct ion in its path. My husband, Roger, and I heard the terrible news on television, but never imagined how this event would impact our lives-all the way up to the Central Valley farming community of Dinuba . Roger had recently sold his plastering business to our son, and we were beginning to enjoy the freedom of retirement. We had thought about applying for future service with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), but we first wanted to travel and relax

In late February, Wes Heinrichs, MDS director for California, asked if we would coordinate the MDS cleanup in Los Angeles We had not even submitted our application as yet, let alone been accepted

When we went to Los Angeles to look over the situation, the devastation shocked us and the people's needs tugged at our heartstrings. After we prayed about it and talked to our pastor and children, we decided we needed to become MDS volunteers.

The day after we arrived, we and some other volunteers visited one of the Red Cross stations set up in a tent As we walked in, we heard, "The Mennonites are here. Now we will get something done." The reputation of MDS had preceded us, and now it was up to us to maintain that reputation.

The experiences of the past year have been rewarding and interesting One woman was still living in her garage with her dogs four months after the quake. The disaster had so devastated her that she was afraid to even clean up her house, let alone move back into it or trust someone to help her.

When the volunteers arrived, four women spent six hours cleaning up inside the house All her glassware and porcelain was lying broken on the floor. One volunteer even repaired her television Other volunteers over time

made it liveable again. "It's a miracle," she said . She was able to smile again. Her last comment to me was "I'm sure glad you didn't give up on me, and kept talking to me until I let you come "

Most of our work has been with the elderly and with single mothers, although we also helped a former actor on several well-known shows, a diabetic, a leg amputee , and a legally blind person. A number asked why we gave of our time to help them. That gave us the opportunity to share our faith with them. One even started going to church with us.

Many wonderful people volunteered time and talents with MDS in Los Angeles. We have made many new friends during our time here and have gained a new appreciation for the larger Mennonite family, of which we are a part Most of all, we have counted it a blessing to serve those in need "in the name of Christ. " We received much more than we gave . -Barbara Friesen

Eds. note: Barbara and Roger Friesen are members of the Dinuba (Calif) MB Church. Barbara worked at a college bookstore for 20 years; Roger is a retired plastering contractor The Los Angeles MDS project closed April 1, 1995.

Rewarding: The Friesens pose in front of the MDS headquarters in L.A.

EPIDEMIC

MCC funds to fight Ebola virus in Zaire

• Medical supplies from Kansas aid effort

MENNONITE Central Committee (MCC) has contributed $6,000 to the efforts of the Zaire MB Church to prevent future epidemics of the Ebola virus that killed some 200 people in Zaire over the past months.

Half the MCC money will go to purchase medicine in Zaire, to supplement medical supplies, valued at $75,000 sent by the medical community and other people in Kansas in early June. MB Missions/Services agency facilitated this shipment.

These supplies are now being distributed by the Zaire MB Church to various secular institutions and to church-operated health centers in the Kikwit area and to the Mennonite Brethren hospital in Kajiji. Kikwit, a city of 600,000, was the center of the latest Ebola outbreak. It is also the city where the Zaire MB Church headquarters is located.

Another portion of the MCC money will go to transport medical kits and infonnational pamphlets to Mennonite Brethren medical facilities closer to the Angola border. When the dry season begins, young men from Kikwit often travel toward Angola to dig for diamonds. The medical kits, which contain gowns and gloves, can be used if medical personnel suspect someone is infected with the Ebola virus.

The remaining MCC funds will go to print pamphlets telling how to take precautions against the Ebola virus, which kills some 80 percent of those infected Ebola is spread through bodily fluids. It has no known cure but can be contained if people caring for the sick take adequate protective measures. Unfortunately, many Zairian hospitals suffer from lack of basic equipment and supplies, such as gloves.

Other pamphlets, in both French and a local language, will explain how to prevent and treat paratyphoid . Although it received less international attention than Ebola, a recent epidemic of paratyphoid has killed as many and perhaps more people than Ebola. Paratyphoid, however, can be treated with antibiotics. (MCC)

IN BRIEF

• With , th e A nabapti st youth m agazin e endorse d by the General Co nference of M ennonite Brethren Church es, r ece ntly r e ce i ve d a w ard s from th e Evang elical Pr ess A ss ociation . " No on e can eve r kno w," an articl e by Greg Hatcher, rece ive d a third -pla ce aw ard in th e cat ego ry of fir st -per son articl e " Faith ," a poe m by Lela Marie De La Garza , rece ive d a fourth -pla ce aw ard i n th e cat egory o f po et ry. (Ge n era l Co nfere nce M enn o nite Ch urch)

• Th e Kan sas M ennon it e M en's Choru s ha s r ecen tl y publi sh e d a book chro nicling its minis try. We Sing That Oth ers May Live reco unts th e story of th e choru s fr o m it s beginn ing in 1969 through th e 25 th anni ve rsa ry co nce rt in 1994 "A lth o ug h it tr aces th e hi st ory of KMM C, it' s much more th an a hi st ory bo o k ," says Irvin Pauls , publi city chairman " Th e boo k is fu ll o f st o ri es and pi ctur es fr o m o ur trip s, co ncert s and ex pe ri e nces as a ch o ru s." O n e c hapter i s a tr i but e t o M e nn o ni te Brethren Paul Wohlgemuth , lon gtim e KMM C dir ec t o r w ho was k ill e d in a traffi c acc id ent in 1987. Th e bo o k was w ritt en by Car ol Du erks en and is availa bl e through Chri stian bo ok st o r es. (KMM C)

• So m e 100 , 000 pound s o f ri ce helped ease the hunger pang s of mo re than 7,2 00 Liberian s la st mon t h Th e aid repr esented a joint effort of mo re than 1 5 6 ind e p e nd e nt c hur c h es in Monro via , Lib eria 's capit al, and t wo Mennonite ag encies- M enn o nite Ce ntral Committ ee and M enn onit e Bo ard of Mi ss ions. More than 70 perce nt of Liber ia n s, or 2 1 million peo pl e, w ill nee d f ood aid thi s ye ar du e t o on go ing civil w ar . (M CC)

• Th e Ka nsas St at e Board of Edu cati on, To peka , has renewe d th e acc reditati o n of Tabo r Co ll eg e's edu ca ti o n pr o gram . Th e renewa l f o ll owe d an o n-s ite visit by an eva lu ati o n t ea m o f edu cat o rs " I bel ieve th e [ eva lu ati o n] co mmitt ee's repo rt gi ves our teac her edu cati o n pr ogram a str o ng vo t e of co nfid en ce," say s Gordon Wiebe , chairman o f th e tea ching edu cati o n d e partm ent and prof ess or of elementary edu cation Th e renewa l is valid unt il 1999 (TC)

TENSION BREAKER: Lori Enns and her students share a humorous moment outside of class at the College of Theology in Gindiri, Nigeria. As MCC teachers of pastors-in-training and their wives, Lori and husband, Phil, Mennonite Brethren from Ontario, Canada, seek to foster mutual understanding, openness and respect as tensions continue to grow between Christians and Muslims Lori teaches English and library research methods to the women and Phil teaches classes in theology and philosophy of religion. (MCC)

IN BRIEf

• Tim a nd Darlene Ratzloff have re s ign e d th ei r pos iti o ns at Tabor College to a cce pt an ass ignment with th e Ch ristian and Mi ssi onary All ian ce in Cambodia . Th eir ass ignment begin s in August. Tim , who se rved one yea r as director of the annual fund , ha s been executive director of ad van ce ment since 1993. Darlene taught Engli sh as a Second Language and dir ect e d the career services offi ce . The Ratzl offs will establish an ESL program at th e Uni ve rsity of Phnom Pe nh , Cambodia 's onl y university. Th ey will al so ass ist establi shed Cambodian churches. ( TC)

• Zamb ian s and Zimbab wea ns, still s truggl ing t o recove r fr o m sea ring drought in 1992, ha ve o nce again see n their crops with e r du e t o a bove-no rmal dry and warm weath e r. In cons ul ta t io n w ith church lea ders fr om th e two co untr ie s, Me nn o nit e Cen tral Committee w ill suppl y food for existing church-run food -for-wo rk programs in Zambi a th at w ill feed so me 6, 000 peo pl e during thi s next year . MCC will also provid e 1,600 metri c tons of mai ze to suppl e me nt th e d ie t s o f 100 ,000 Zimb a bwe an s over the next six months. (M CC)

• Plans to hold the next assembly of Mennonite World Conference in Calcutta, India, Jan . 7-12, 1997, ha ve prompted feelings of anticipation and anxiety among organizers. Anticipation stems in part from the warm hospitality extended by the hosts , Mennon it e Christian Service Fe ll owship of India, at a recent MWC organizational meeting . The anxiety comes from the questi o n of whether assembly goers w ill be ready to enter into a gathering with fewer amenities and more pote ntial s urprises than past assemb lies Raul Garcia , MWC pres id e nt fro m Arg e ntina , e nco urages pa rti cipa nts to be willing t o lea rn , be fl exibl e and be res pectful. "India 1997 can be, if we choose, an experi e nce of un de rst a nd in g, of so lidarity," sa ys Gar ci a. Th e wo rld wid e gathering wi ll be he ld in t wo ph ases: t he "a sse mbly gathered " will be held in Ca lcu tta ; the "assembly scattered " will in vo lve traveling to various areas of th e co unt ry w here Mennonite congr eg ation s mini ster. (MWC)

CONSULTATION

Moscow meeting focuses Mennonite activity in Russia

• Native Russians key to future ministry efforts

TRANSLATORS deciphered the exchanges between some 40 delegates who spoke Low German, H'igh German, Russian and English. It seemed as if the group was meeting under the sign of Babel, but it was actually the Inter-Mennonite

system is universally rejected, and organized crime bosses and their goons strut about with AK47s as the real law of the land?

The consultation's tone was noticeably muted compared to the confident voices that called for big visions and budgets only four or five years ago.

Some of those big programs have come and gone Others have become established, such as schools in St. Petersburg and Lithuania, and a radio ministry based in a Moscow studio. As late as 1990 there had still been a vision for growth and expansion of the Soviet Mennonite churches, even as external Mennonite agencies seemed to be creating many new partConsultation held May 7-10 One conclusion nerships. This now was an opportunity to take stock. in Moscow, Russia. was most obvious: any serious ministry in this vast country will

It was the first official meeting of Mennonite representatives in Moscow since the fateful "martyrs conference of 1925," so named because many church leaders who attended died under Stalin's persecution.

Participants spent the first day discussing the changing context for ministry in the former Soviet Union. Once a major world power, the country is now drifting through economic, political, social and spiriturequire learning al chaos. Quick fixes are

North Americans repre- Russia's senting different agencies language and involved in the former Sovino longer in sight, including the notion of widespread .conversion to evanet Union have consulted culture. annually since 1978. This year the groups met for the first time in Russia, where Russian partners shaped the context.

One conclusion was most obvious: any serious ministry in this vast country will require learning Russia's language and culture; yet the North American missionary invasion of the past five years has forced native Russians to learn the imperial languageEnglish.

The speakers described the new Babel in the former Soviet Union. The internationalist vision of communism, where workers would unite, was understood as the path to a utopia of peace and the withering away of the state Perestroika, a Russian word meaning " rebuilding," which followed, was interpreted internationally as "Gorbachev is bringing democracy." But since 1990, many have renamed it "catstroika" or simply "catastrophe "

What can be built when money is nearly worthless, people live as if there is no government and the legal

gelical Christianity.

The present Mennonite program includes relief shipments to Moldava, radio work, camping, small business training, sponsorship of teachers, student scholarships, peacemaking and social work training.

During the final discussions, the majority of church leaders urged cooperation with existing denominations, especially the Baptists, though some called for Mennonite church plants. A large number of Russian Mennonites have emigrated to Germany and the organized Mennonite church in the former Soviet Union has virtually ceased to exist.

Several evangelical Baptists and one Russian Orthodox guest kept repeating that they hoped the Mennonites would stay a long time. With deep regret, they acknowledged the exodus of most active Mennonite Christians to Germany during the past eight years. One Baptist seminary rector said they are now realizing that they feel theologically close to Mennonites Many Russian partners stressed their appreciation of Mennonite

• Fellowship

HESSTON, Kan.-Menno Koor, a 90-plus voice choir from The Netherlands, presented a concert of sacred music May 14

CORN, Okla.-On May 21 Ron Phelps, chaplain at University Hospital in Okla· homa City, shared his experiences connected with the April 19 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.

ENID, Okla.-Pakisa Tshimika, MB Mis· sions/Services secretary for Zaire/Angola, presented slides and an update of the cur· rent situation in Zaire May 28

HENDERSON, Neb.-Jason Quiring and Scott Goossen were commissioned for ministry as summer interns at the church June 4.

ENID, Okla.-The church board approved the adoption of Russell and Elizabeth Schmidt, MB Missions/ Services workers to Thailand, as their "adopted" church mis· sionaries.

OMAHA, Neb. (Lincoln Hills)-Increasing attendance has necessitated the need for more space for Sunday worship, Christian education and weekly children ' s and youth ministries. The congregation decid· ed unanimously to build an addition to the existing structure. The church council estimates that $45,000 must be raised to undertake the project. The congregation is making financial commitments to help make this happen.

REEDLEY, Calif. (EI Faro)-The Hispanic Youth Leaders sponsored a car wash and tamale·making fiesta to raise money for

This team of high schoolers from Laurelglen Bible Church. Bakersfield. Calif.• traveled to Tijuana. Mexico. to teach daily Bible classes and repair a local church during their spring break One evening. team members participated in a prayer tour with local Christians. driving to different spots where the group prayed for political. spiritual and social concerns related to those specific locations. The group plans to return to Mexico at the end of July.

will be ministering to children in Africa for three weeks this summer.

• Teaching/Nurture

DELFT, Minn. (Carson)-Pastor Herb Schroeder completed a Sunday evening series on spiritual gifts May 28.

• Workers

members Emilio and Sylvia Alanis, who WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres) -

BETHANY BIBLE INSTITUTE

Hepburn , S as katchew a n is inviting applications for a full-time f ac ulty position

This position involves classroom instruction in Bible and theology. The successful applicant will have a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and be committed to an Anabaptist orientation . Preference will be given to an applicant with a suitable master's degree The starting date is negotiable, but could be as early as August 1995

Please submit resumes to:

President James Nikkel

Bethany Bible Institute

Box 160

HEPBURN, SK SOK 1 ZO

Phone : [306) 947-2175

FAX : [306) 947-4229

Don and Jean Roberts are serving a three· month assignment as interim pastoral cou· pie at Community Bible Church in Okla· homaCity

COLLINSVILLE, Okla. (Westport)-Mike Yutzy, Tabor College senior, is serving as intern pastor of worship and music this summer.

HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-Mark Dick, a Tabor College student from Henderson, Neb , was installed as half-time youth pastor of the church June 18 His initial term is 15 months.

OLATHE, Kan. (Community Bible)-Phil Plett, who has pastored the church since 1982, has resigned effective June 30. Fol· lowing a three·month sabbatical, he is open to further ministry.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Heritage)-John M. Scoggins Jr. was installed as senior pastor April 2 The special speaker was Curtis Mitchell, Scoggin's former professor and mentor from Biola University, Los Angeles

A luncheon attended by 400 people was held following the service.

FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-Brenda Davis is working as a youth ministry intern this summer.

YALE, S.D. (Yale)- Elton and Ella Berg concluded their 17·year pastoral ministry at Yale June 30. The Bergs plan to travel, visit

family and take time for renewal. They have ministered in various churches for 37 years. A farewell dinner was held July 2.

• Youth

EUGENE, Ore. (North Park)-Children and youth participated in "Worship Warm-up Hour," a six-week alternative Sunday school program during April and May. Activities included singing, topic discussions, miniseminars, drama and special music.

BUHLER, Kan.-Fifth to eighth graders attended vacation Bible school June 6-8. Called "Jesus' Kids Totally H.I.S. (Heroes In Service)," the program focused on serving people in their community. Seventh and eighth graders provided a moming of free babysitting; fifth graders picked up recyclables from area residents; and fifth through eighth graders sponsored a community giveaway, collecting and sorting items that were donated to the Et Cetera Shop and Salvation Arroy.

. DEATHS

GERBRANDT, ANNA WIENS, Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Aug. 1, 1909, to Henry J. and Elizabeth (Harder) Wiens in Henderson, Neb., and died Feb. 11, 1995, at the age of 85. On Aug. 21, 1928, she was married to Abe Gerbrandt, who survives. She is also survived by three sons, Richard, Ken and Gordon; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

ISAAK, JOHN J., Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Sept. 2, 1924, to John P. and Maria D. Friesen Isaak in Salvgorod, Russia, and died May 15, 1995, at the age of 70. On Jan. 27, 1950, he was married to Marjorie Warkentin, who survives. He is also survived by a sister, Olga and husband Vernon Brandt; his mother-in-law, Tina Warkentin; two sons, Tony and wife Susan of Chowchilla, Calif., and Jerry of Reedley; and four grandchildren.

KOOP, IRA NA11IANIEL, illysses, Kan., a member of the Ulysses MB Church, was born April 17, 1929, to John J. and Maria Heinrichs Koop in Fairview, Okla., and died April 28, 1995, at the age of 66. On Aug. 19, 1950, he was married to Louise Martens, who survives. He is also survived by three sons, Ivan and wife Sheila, Tim and wife Tracy, all of Ulysses, and Ed and wife Anita Jo of Olathe, Kan.; two daughters, Carol and husband Randy Burnum and Janice and husband Tom Keaton , all of Ulysses; two brothers, John of Monclova, Cauhulia, Mexico; and Paul of Howard , Kan.; one sister, Maria Lois Paul of Dinuba, Calif ; 13 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.

To order please write to: Slavic Christian Publishing Post Office Box 2845

Broken Arrow, OK 74013-2845

A nation robbed of its past cannot look forward to a good future. It was God's will that the history of Mennonite Brethren be closely intertwined with the history of Russia and with the nations that inhabit the largest country in the world. For hundreds of years this country was an earthly homeland for many Mennonite Brethrenforefathers of today's readers of this magazine. Rephrasing an American saying we ask: "How can one die without getting acquainted with the land and the people from where he came?"

Reading this book you will find yourself in the world of your forefathers This book presents the culture, religion, and traditions of more then a hundred nations of the New Russia.

HOT off the Herald Press

and th e

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''Thank you for creating a wonderful tool for churches!"-Ruth Detweiler, mental health advocate, Akron, Pa. Paper, $10.95; in (anada $15.75.

NEW fro m Corrie Bender!

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COMMUNITY

Palm VIllage is more than a retirement communitr. It's a communitr of neighbors living and working together.

Located in the smaIl town of Reedley, Calif., Palm Village serves more than 250 residents in nursing, residential care and independent living accommodations. For more information, call DAVID REIMER EXECUTIVE

(209) 638-6933

KROEKER, HENRY, San Jose, Calif., a member of the Lincoln Glen MB Church, was born July 25, 1912, near Enid, Okla., and died April 29, 1995, at the age of 82 . On Nov. 16, 1943, he was married to Adelia Penner, who survives. He is also survived by his brother David and two sisters, Anna Kroeker and Tillie Reimer; a son Loren J. and wife Patty; a daughter, Janet K. Roman; and four grandchildren

TSCHETfER, BERTHA E. NIKKEL, Den· ver, Colo., was born Sept 20, 1906, to Bernhard and Katharina Nikkel in Joes, Colo , and died May 14, 1995, at the age o(

Mennonite Health Services invites applications for the position of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

• Qualifications include Christian commitment and participation in an Anabaptist congregation ; administrative, organizational and marketing skills ; budget experience; comfort with many publics; enthusiasm and energy.

• Responsibilities include providing visionary leadership and expanding services for MHS, an organization which relates to health providers (including hospitals, retirement facilities, mental health, and developmental disabilities providers) Some overnight travel required.

Send letter of interest and resumes by August 8 to: Arlene M. Mark, 29222 Frailey Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514-1121.

88. On June 16, 1929, she was married to Paul G. Tschetter, who survives. She is also survived by two daughters , Lois and husband Les Hjelmstad and Janis and hus· band Fred Schoonmaker of Englewood, Colo.; a son, Paul N and wife Renee Tschetter of Englewood, Colo.; her sister Martha Millsap, California; four brothers, Leonard and Joe of Denver, Paul of Col· orado Springs, Colo., and Bill of Florida; 17 grandchildren, 25 great·grandchildren and two great·great·grandchildren

TSCHETfER, MARY, Emery, S D., a memo ber of Salem MB Church, Bridgewater, S D , was born Mar 20, 1906, to William]. and Maria Hofer Walter, and died May 18, 1995, at the age of 89 On Oct. 20, 1935, she was married to Joe H. Tschetter, who predeceased her in 1973 She is survived by a sister·in law, Arpa Tschetter

WILLEMS, ALICE BUHLER, Reedley, Calif . , a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born on Oct. 26, 1902, to Peter P. and Helena Nachtigall Buhler, and died May 6, 1995, at the age of 92. In 1927 she was married to Henry Willems , who predeceased her in 1985. She is survived by four sons, three daughters·in-law, 12 grand· children and 17 great·grandchildren. tf2

LOBBYING

The politics of family

THE CHRISTIAN COALITION, a conservative political action group with strong evangelical ties, unveiled its 1O-point "Contract with the American Family" in May. Here's what they feel a "pro-family" governmental strategy should include:

1. Passing a religious equality amendment which would permit voluntary prayer in public schools, allow religious symbols such as nativity scenes in public places, and generally end discrimination against religious expression.

2. Limiting abortions after the 26th week of pregnancy, and ending public funding of groups which advocate or perform abortions.

3. Abolishing the federal Department of Education, and transferring its funding to local school boards.

4. Establishing a school voucher program to allow parents to choose between private and public schools.

5. Ending the "marriage penalty" in income tax, a $500 per child tax credit, a flat tax, and IRA deductibility for homemakers.

6. Restricting pornography on cable TV and the Internet.

7. Ending federal funding of public broadcasting and cultural institutions, including the National Endowment for the Arts.

8. Increasing tax deductibility of charitable contributions "as a first step toward transforming the bureaucratic welfare state into a system of private and faithbased compassion."

9. Passing parental rights laws to prevent government interference in the family, including the provisions of the United Nations "Convention on the Rights of the Child."

10. Requiring criminals to compensate their victims, plus increased money for prisons and for programs that encourage work study, and drug-testing for prisoners. (EP)

POSITIONING

An alternative voice

A coalition of Christian leaders joined together in Washington recently to present an alternative to the agenda of the Christian Coalition and religious right The group met with political leaders and held a prayer vigil to promote "Cry for Renewal," a statement signed by more than 75 religious leaders The statement says, "We believe that the old political language and solutions of right and left are almost completely dysfunctional now and helpless to lead us into a different future But if politics will be renewed more by moral values than by partisan warfare, the religious community must playa more positive role. " The statement embodies many of the ideas in The Soul of Politics, the latest book by Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine Tony Campolo, speaker, writer and founder of Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, is also among those who signed the statement . (EP)

HOMOSEXUALITY

Drawing the lines

The church's response to homosexuals and homosexuality continues to be an issue among the two largest Mennonite groups:

• The Eastern Distric t Conference (EDC) of the General Conference Mennonite Church (GCMC) passed a human sexuality statement in May that would deny leadership cre -

dentials to people who advocate or practice homosexual, premarital or extramarital sexual conduct. The EDC statement is similar to the GCMC 1986 statement on human sexuality in that it clearly states that premarital, extramarital and homosexual sexual activity is sin; the prohibition regarding leadership credentials, however, differs from the GCMC statement.

• In April, two Mennonite Church (MC) area conferences placed a total of three congregations, also affiliated with the GCMC, on what amounts to probation status. The Franconia Conference demoted Germantown Mennonite Church, Philadelphia, to membership and gave it two years to end its acceptance of homosexual practice or face the possibility of expulsion. The Illinois Mennonite Conference took similar action against the Oak Park (Ill.) Mennonite Church and Maple Avenue Mennonite Church, Waukesha , Wis

• Meanwhile, the steering committee for the Supportive Congregations Network (SCN) recently recognized 32 Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations as "accepting and publicly affirming" churches. Formed in 1991, SCN is an independent network of MC, GCMC and Church of the Brethren congregations which welcome gay, lesbian and bisexual members. According to an SCN news release, the network is designed so that congregations can join at a place which matches their current level of dialogue "Accepting congre-

Pontius' Puddle

gations" accept gay, lesbian and bisexual persons as full members; "publicly affirming congregations" have adopted a written and public statement of welcome; and "exploring congregations" are discussing the issue of welcoming gay, lesbian and bisexual members. (Mennonite Weekry Review, The Mennonite, SCN)

SURVEY

Afaith slump?

Christianity is a faith at risk, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by the Barna Research Group. Examining 13 measures used annually to evaluate the health and stability of evangelical Christianity in America, the organization reported...

• three measures declined: Bible reading, which reached a new low in the nine years Barna has studied it, adult Sunday school attendance (another record low) and identification as a Protestant.

• nine measures remained statistically unchanged: church attendance, church volunteerism, four measures of belief in Christian doctrines, the proportion of adults who claim to be born again, the proportion who are evangelicals, and the percentage who

YEAH. MOST OF US HA\l1:: 8EEN RETRtATlN6

OUR CO('t\l'-\lito\ENT5 SINCE THE 140NE.Yto\OON ENt)EO

embrace a biblical defInition of God.

• one measure showed an increase: the number of adults involved in a small group which meets for Bible study, prayer or Christian fellowship, other than a Sunday school class or 12-step group . (EP)

SERVICE

Donation Grant-ed

Singer Amy Grant donated $45,000 toward a service project that will occur at Wichita '95, the July 2530 convention of the General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Church. Coordinated by Mennonite Housing and Habitat for Humanity, the project aims to build 20 new homes for low-income and working families with the help of volunteers and donations. Recipients of the houses pay for their houses over a period of time. Grant is a long-time sponsor of Habitat for Humanity International. She heard about the Wichita service project during a February concert in Wichita. Her contribution covers the cost of one home. (GCMC)

BIBLE

The winners are... Israel's Kind David and Prophetess Deborah are

the most interesting figures in the Old Testament, according to a survey published in the March-April issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. The survey

attracted more than 8,000 responses. David narrowly edged out Moses in the polling for most interesting man, by a margin of 31 percent to 29 percent. Abraham came in third with 19 percent, followed by Joseph (11 percent), Jacob (5 percent) and King Saul (4 percent). Deborah received 27 percent of the vote for most interesting woman, followed closely by Rachel (26 percent), Eve (15 percent), Miriam (13 percent) and Hagar (7 percent) (EP)

HUMOR

Toward a pro-church family?

VIP BURKE, writing with tongue in cheek in the August issue of New Man magazine, offered eight ways to create "church kids":

1. Since you have to wear that stinking necktie to church, your kids ought to be uncomfortable too. Make them dress to stress.

2. Stomp and scream to get everybody ready for church, so your kids can see how important punctuality is.

3. Choose a youth leader who won't keep your kids out late. eat too much pizza or infect them with that rock noise.

4. Speaking of Christian rock, forbid your kids to listen to any. Everybody knows God hasn't inspired a musician since Fanny Crosby.

S. Relentlessly note any real or imagined flaws in your minister's character, demeanor, style or appearance.

6. Kids need to be in church every time the doors open. (They'll understand your hunting-season and early tee-time exemptions.)

7. Duct tape their squirming fannies to the pew, if that's what it takes, but keep your children in the adult service.

8. Always act religious at church, so your kids see how special Sunday is as opposed to the rest of the week.

Am I any smarter?

so, ARE YOU any smarter now than you were?"

The question has come to me more than once since returning last month from my five-month sabbatical. The hopeful expression behind the question always gives me pause. I know how badly they wish it to be so. "Well," I tell them, "my knowledge base is a little broader than it was, but I'm not sure I'm any smarter."

And I mean it. Sure, I could feign higher intelligence by waxing eloquent on First Amendment values and articulating the elements of libel law. I could name-drop a few of the leading communication theorists and at least approximate some of their key ideas. I mean, 12 hours of graduate studies in mass communication oUght to be good for something, right?

But am I smarter? I don't know. In

Solomon's insight into what makes for greatness in life suggests to me he was wiser than most of us to begin with. I have to admit, though, I've oftery wondered why, having access to God's bottomless wisdom account, he did so many dumb things toward the end of his life. It was Solomon who said fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (prov. 9: 10). Disregarding the Lord is probably the beginning of the end of it. Solomon's life would attest to that; so would our society.

So I return to this job not sure if I'm any smarter than I was. I never thought I was smart enough to be editor to begin with. The fact that I accepted the role 10 years ago probably confirms that. But God and you readers have been patient and gracious. I can't imagine a better, more fulfilling, job than this one this Information Age, the accumulation of knowledge, facts and data is calculat- I don't want to be has been.

the

person who sails through a ed as prestige and power. But I yearn for something more. The pursuit of knowledge alone is ultimately empty . I don't want to be the person who sails through a game of Trivial Pursuit but can't recognize an insensitive remark or game of Trivial an unjust act.

But it also seems more challenging than ever. I'm not talking about the daily tasks of editing materials or even of trying to maintain readership in an increasingly nonreading age. I see a bigger challenge. We Mennonite Brethren are at a crucial point in our pilgrimage. Who we are and what will be as a people of God seem largely up for grabs these days I'm realistic enough to know that this publication and its editor will play a role in determining that-not the leading role to be sure, but still a role of some influence. Positive or negative.

I want more than knowledge I want Pursuit but can't to be smarter, which to me means being recognize an able to apply knowledge to everyday situations in such a way that my life, rela- insensitive remark tionships and commitments "work" better, make more sense, contribute some- or an unjust act. thing positive beyond myself. So I want to be smart enough to

The Bible calls this commodity "wisdom." The word seems almost quaint anymore. We don't hear much clamoring for wisdom in our society. No, most decisions are based on expediency, determined by information Politicians consult "the numbers" to decide what policies are worth supporting-for the moment. Moves and risk are always "calculated." The common equation: survey results x PAC contributions x media attention = "bold initiative."

Wisdom, in contrast, implies a broader view and a deeper foundation. Wisdom casts issues in terms of the greater good, not selfish advantage. Its goal is not so much seeking an immediate solution as a lasting resolution . Wise strategies are evaluated not so much by what works as by what is right. Wisdom and justice walk hand-in-hand.

When God gave Solomon the opportunity to receive anything he wanted, Solomon asked for wisdom

know what kind of publication we need for these times. I want to make editorial decisions that will build the church-even when God's design for it is not always clear to me. I need wisdom to know which contentious issues are worth addressing for the sake of faithfulness, and which ought to be left alone for the sake of unity I want to know when to push for open and honest reporting , even when the news is less than flattering, and when to opt for discretion . I want to be wise enough to realize when to comfort the afflicted and when to afflict the comfortable.

I may not be as smart as I'd like to be, but I'm smart enough to know I can't accomplish these things on my own resources. The Book of James says anyone who lacks wisdom ought to ask God for some . So I'm asking. And I'd be obliged if, when you think of it, you might do the same.

For me, yes, and for all us. Together.-DR