CONFERENCE CALL by Ed Boschma n Seriously scary stuff
' LIP SIDE by Ph ilip Wiebe
10 WORD POWER by Julie Morano
Raised in The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints , a young mother struggles with questions and studies the LDS scriptures as directed by church leaders . Finding no answers, Julie turns to the Bible and finds power in God's Word.
12 BIBLE 101 by Mark Dille r Harder
The psalmist invites us to delight in reading and learning Scripture. So how do we learn to find great joy and pleasure in the Bible? Answering four questions can help us grow in our love of God's Word
15 MEMORIZING MARK by Tim Geddert
Memorizing Scripture changed the life of a Bible professor - and his students Now he's convinced that he can memorize any book of the Bible- and so can we.
16 WH Y MEMORIZE ?
MB Biblical Seminary students who have taken Tim Geddert up on his challenge to memorize Scripture share why they are glad they did
18 ETERN AL THINGS by Nathan Gift
A high school student finds guidance for her life from God's Word.
> FiRST WORDS
[from the editor]
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE LORI BELDEN POPE OF REEDLEY, Calif., as a Leader newswriter, and I appreciate her willingness to attend the annual Convencion Hispana on behalf of the magazine. Her report of this annual gathering and a related piece on the history of Hispanic congregations in the Pacific District Conference opens our news department this month .
The majority of news stories Lori is working on for the Leader are about Pacific District Conference congregations. Over the years we have been blessed to work with a number of West Coast freelance newswriters in an effort to broaden our coverage of this region I was pleased when Lori answered our most recent ad. Her readiness to go the extra mile in order to interview people face-to-face enriches her reporting.
Lori, who has attended Reedley MB Church with her family for 15 years, first became acquainted with Mennonite Brethren when attending Wichita (Kan ) State University as an undergraduate student. Lori, who is a speech pathologist by day, brings an enjoyment of research and writing to her work as a reporter. While she is a newcomer to journalistic writing, she has had several devotionals published by Barclay Press in Fruit of the Vine.
I haven't met Lori face-to-face, at least not yet, but we visit regularly via emails and occasionally by phone. Last month we talked about our Father's Day activities and Lori told me that she learned something new about her dad while attending a Father's Day service at which her father was interviewed.
'Though I knew my father read the Word every day, what I did not know is that he had begun making a regular habit of reading the Bible after he came to know the Lord at the age of 10," Lori said. 'Then when he turned 16 he began a habit of reading the Bible every day This is a habit that he has continued to this day. I feel so blessed to have been raised by such a sttong and faithful man."
Does daily Bible reading make a difference? The contributors to this month's feature section say, "Yes!"
The Bible is a powerful source of transformation, but its authority lies dormant in our lives unless we make reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on Scripture a priority. These writers challenge us to let God's Word infiltrate our lives and change us .-Connie Faber
> QUOT ABLE
'They that believe shall mount up with wings as eagles." -A class motto deleted from graduation announcements at McKenzie High School (mascot: The Eagles) in Blue River, Ore., because it was too close to Isaiah 40 :31. The motto, drawn from a classmate's funeral, was replaced with 'Nothing we do changes the past; everything we do changes the future." Source: The Register-Guard
> U P & COMING
• July 23-25 - National Pastors' Conference, W ichita, Kan.
• July 25-27-U .S. Conference National Convention, Hillsboro, Kan .
• Sept. 20-21 - North Carolina District Conference Convention, Lenoir, NC
• Oct. 10-11 - U S Conference Leadership Board meeting
Connie Faber EDITOR
Myra Holmes ASSISTANT EDITOR
Elaine Ewe rt GRAPHIC DESIGNER
MANDATE Th e Chris tian Leader IISSN 0009 - 5149 1is publ ished monthly by the U S Confere nce of Mennon ite Brethren Churches The Chris tian Leader see ks to inform Mennon ite Brethren members and church es of th e events act ivi ties, decision s and issues of th ei r denomination, and to instruct, inspire and initiate dialogue so members will aspire to be faithfu l disci ples of Christ as understood in t he evang elica VAnabaptist theological trad ition
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Seriously scary stuff
Dads play an important role
Not long after hitting the send button on the May Conference Call column, an advettisement promoting a Father's Day project hammered me. It read, "Men are in a battle for their souls and you can help them win." At the top of the page was an in-my-face reminder of some facts I had already encountered along the way, just not collected and presented as they were here:
"For every IO men in your church ...
10 are struggling to balance work and family
9 will have children leave the church
5 will have a serious problem with pornography
4 will get divorced.
I has a biblical worldview" (ltoFree Report.)
Unbelievable! This is big-time trouble for all of us. Recently I had a brief conversation with a grade school teacher in the Bakersfield, Calif., system that has been teaching fifth grade for 19 years. He
was at a piano recital simply to show support for one of his previous students. I was impressed.
"How many more years are you going to do this?" I asked. That's when the conversation took a tum.
"Maybe one more if I can hold on," he said. It is getting harder and
[] Cal1ing it quits
The tsunami of pornography is of epic propottions. And though men are on the front lines, it is worth noting that of late, women are initiating about one-third of porn Web hits. (Perhaps as a result of bad leadership of men?) Many homes are being negatively impacted. Small wonder men need new honesty and the promise of safe haven inside the church when they admit their struggle and band together to take on this insidious enemy. May the likes of Covenant Eyes accountability increase and help to win the day.
Calling it quits on a marriage is hardly ever the right option, but a lot of men are doing just that. While Jesus calls us to repen-
on a marriage is hardly ever the right option, hut ,1 lot of men are doing just that.
\Vhile Jesus calls us to repent,lnce and recondJiation, the world says we can trade each other in.
harder each year. And it is all because parents are abdicating, he said.
A few decades ago I made a conscious decision to be an involved father. I didn't bat 1,000, but I have no regrets that I took a good swing at it. Being there for my kids is one of the things that I am most proud of, in a humble sort of way. Balancing schedules is challenging, but getting this done is something every Jesus-loving dad ought not to sell off for a date with ESPN or the Internet. Maybe every dad ought to call a family council (ala Cosby) and talk this through until it's evident that God is adding his blessing. If a child leaving the church is a symbol of leaving the faith, I'm not sure there is anything more painful to think about To be sure, anti-institutionalism is making another surge, but I don't think that's the centerpiece of this data. This is about kids deciding that they are not willing to commit to the kind of church family that they were raised in. Ouch! Is this about us, our churches or both?
tance and reconciliation, the world says we can trade each other in. And then both parents and kids struggle to heal the wounds. Small wonder our Lord takes a stand against divorce. These days could be a perfect opportunity to demonstrate that Jesus-loving people go extra miles not to represent national divorce data. But let's not forget mercy when divorce does happen. Maybe all these struggles have the life they do because we are not thinking like Jesus would want us to about ourselves and each other, about his church and our world. If only one in 10 of us gets that, we men need to find a new clue. May God help us all! And by the way, he'd like nothing better.
> READERS SAY
Balancing objective, subjective truth
Pastor Steve Bomar's beginning words about truth in a postmodem context in his article titled "Life, Death and Truth" (May zo08) pulled me in immediately. As I reached the end of the article my life was enriched and my mind stimulated.
I agree with Bomar regarding the inappropriateness of offering "descriptions of the objective truth of God's sovereignty or well-formed arguments of God's omniscience or omnipresence" in the moment when faced with bad news . It wouldn't connect with me either. At the same time I would suggest there are moments when a description of the objective truths of the Scripture needs to be expounded, for they become the base upon which a viable subjective experience of God's truth can be built.
Our walk with God requires both. Biblical truth needs to be taught (allegedly what we modems primarily focus on), but truth also needs to be experienced and practically applied to life's situations. I have a strong hunch that had the Bomars not learned the "objective truth of God's sovereignty" earlier in life, their subjective experience of God's sovereign ways would have been less than meaningful in their moment of darkness.
I would push our faith walk one step farther by calling us to also tell others, both Christian and non-Christian, about our encounters with the sovereign God as we walk through the deep valleys of life. I was blessed by Bomar's words just as I was blessed by my recent conversation with an Amish relative related to the October zoo6 Nickel Mines Amish schoolhouse tragedy when 10 young girls were shot.
Like Bomar, Daniel Stoltzfus, the father of one of the five survivors, personally experienced the potential death of a child. Like Bomar he gives witness to both the objective and subjective aspects of God's sovereign ways in times of immense darkness. Just as I was the beneficiary of Bomar's reflection on God's sovereign dealings, I was also blessed by my Amish relative's faith walk Hopefully, such words of witness by both of these fathers will come to my mind when my journey through darkness should come
Lynn Kauffman, Sanger, Calif
Clan of the Comanche Tribe, and we continue to communicate with some of the Native Comanche people at the annual Mennonite Central Committee sale in Enid, Okla., where the Post Oak MB Church serves "Indian Tacos" at one of the food booths.
Dave Gerbrandt, Clinton, Okla.
Ministry to the Comanche
I appreciate your coverage of the fire that destroyed the Post Oak Mission School building at Indiahoma, Okla. (Aprilzoo8). I have continued to take an interest in the happenings of that community, having attended that school for six years while my parents served as missionaries. So I was concerned to see what appears to be an error. The piece you ran describes the school as "a landmark for the Cheyenne people located near Lawton."
In fact, the Native Americans with whom D J. and Linda Gerbrandt worked for 10 years were predominantly Comanche with a few Kiowa and other tribal people The Cheyenne people are located near the Clinton, Okla., area where the General Conference Mennonite Church (now Mennonite Church USA) began several Native Mennonite churches.
The Gerbrandt family was at one point adopted into the Kawadi
The editors invite readers to share their thoughts and opinions on topics relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church using letters to the editor. Letters should be on one topic, not exceed 300 words and include the writer's name and city. Letters will be edited for clarity, appropriateness and length
What about pagan origins
I find interesting the May issue letters to the editor expressing concern in regards to the spiritual discipline of prayer labyrinths mentioned in Tim Neufeld's March article "New Old Spirituality."
I fully agree (and I suspect that Neufeld would as well) with the spirit of both letter writers in that we must carefully examine the practices we incorporate into our personal and community life. As followers of Jesus, it is imperative that we constantly and consistently pull all we do - and think and believe-into the light of God, the history of the church and the community of believers to be examined. We need to wrestle together with questions like: Do these practices reflect the principles and truth in Scripture? Do they, as Neufeld puts it, "draw us into the presence of Christ"? Do they help us learn to rely on and trust God more? Are we increasing in the fruit of the Spirit? Do they help us grow and support body life?
But I find it interesting that most of the concems with the practice of prayer labyrinths seem to focus on the discipline's origins in pagan culture. According to George Barna and Frank Viola in their recently published Pagan Christianity? Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices, many of the practices and ways we believers meet and today were also adapted from pagan and secular cultures over the centuries. The authors posit, for example, that the our church buildings are designed, the order of our worship services, the pastor-driven model of the modem church and even the way we practice the Lord's Supper all have much more in common with practices and elements of pagan and secular practices than the practices and principles we find in the New Testament and the community of believers portrayed there.
Nonetheless, we have adapted and embraced these practices into our personal and community life. Barna and Viola argue that such practices pull us further from the life and practices of New Testament believers; other scholars and church leaders contend that the church is actually redeeming these practices by bringing them under the Lordship of Jesus.
All this makes me think that perhaps a practice's origins in pagan culture-or its absence from biblical text isn'tthe guiding principle for whether we reject or accept it, but rather whether or not it reflects biblical truth and principles and either draws us to Jesus and each other or not.
There are valid arguments and concerns on both sides of these issues, and I think these are important discussions we must undertake. It's imperative that we continue to pull the practices and elements of our personal and community life into such a light. But let's pull it all out there for examination-be it spiritual disciplines like prayer labyrinths or the ways we gather together-and prayerfully consider together which practices are, as Paul puts it, "beneficial" (I Cor. lO :z3) . We might just be surprised at what we discover . Carmen Andres, Woodbridge, Va.
Tabor, MBBS hold spring graduations
Nikkel honored as "president emeritus"
Tabor College, the Mennonite Brethren liberal arts college headquartered in Hillsboro, Kan., and MB Biblical Seminary, the North American MB denominational seminary for theological education, commissioned students into their future work and ministry during spring commencement exercises.
In all, 34 students graduated from MBBS during ceremonies in Langley, B. c., and Fresno, Calif. MBBS's Langley campus graduated 14 students with their master of arts degrees during an April 19 ceremony. Larry Perkins, president of Northwest Baptist Seminary, a member of Associated Canadian Theological Schools and part of the team that helped develop the consortium, gave the graduation address. Perkins told graduates, "By living consciously as part of the body of Christ, we maximize our ministry and together can do great things for God."
The Fresno commencement ceremony was held May 18 at Fresno First Baptist Church Twenty students graduated with master's or diploma degrees. Raymond O. Bystrom, retired MBBS professor of pastoral ministries, gave the commencement address, "The Dance of the Liberated." Bystrom implored the new alumni to 'bring a little bit of heaven to birth on earth."
Some 130 students from Tabor's Hillsboro and
Wichita, Kan., campuses received diplomas at commencement exercises May 24. Eighty-seven students who attended classes at the Hillsboro campus received bachelor of arts degrees; 19 graduates from the School of Adult and Graduate Studies in Wichita received bachelor of science degrees; and 24 AGS students received bachelor of science in nursing degrees.
Larry Nikkel, recently retired TC president, gave the commencement address, "A Planned Life - A Prepared Life." Nikkel stressed that for Christians, developing a prepared life is more important than being overly concerned with a pre-planned life. Immediately following Nikkel's speech, Tabor College board chairman Lyndon Vix conferted upon him the title "president emeritus," the first time the title has been bestowed in the loo-year history of the college.-Te, MBBS
MDS responding to busy tornado season
is the busiest tornado season in the last 10 years," says Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster Service "It is so hard to put into words "
Volunteers and representatives from MOS, the disaster-response agency of North American Mennonites, are responding or have recently responded to damage from tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas
A recent outbreak of tornadoes that touched down in the Midwest beginning May zz left behind "unprecedented dam -
age," according to MDS As of May 28, as many as 1,191 tornadoes were reported, of which 594 have been confirmed More than 400 homes were damaged and 2 ZZ were demolished by the storms' paths This makes zooS the deadliest tornado year since 1998. according to the Weather Channel.
The outbreak included an EF3 tornado that touched down May Z2 in Windsor, Colo , and left an imprint 30 miles long and one mile wide Del Fast representing MDS in Colorado. reports that nearly 80 volunteers cleaned up debris, walked fields and worked
through rain to help with cleanup MDS representatives are also investigating damage from May 29 tornadoes in Buffalo County, Neb and Parkersburg, Iowa which one report says is "30 percent destroyed. "
Although it can take up to a year for unmet needs to arise, especially from those on the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. MDS will be assessing the next stages for long-term rebuilding, focusing on the most vulnerable population : the uninsured. underinsured, unemployed, single parents and the elderly.-MDS
Tabor College head baseball coach Chad Newhard, center with graduates Jordan Lago, American Canyon, Calif., left, and Chris Brown, Grass Valley, Calif., following May 24 commencement ceremonies.
MWC unveils program
Mennonite World Conference is promoting a new way for individual congregations of MWC member churches to participate in and be supportive of the global church and MWC. Called Global Church Congregations, this new initiative had its "trial run" at the 2006 General Council meetings in Pasadena, Calif. For the Pasadena gathering, a dozen congregations-all of them from North Americamade financial contributions to the MWC travel fund, sent participants to the General Council meetings and agreed to host delegates from churches in other countries after the Pasadena meetings.
GCC is again operating in connection with MWC's Assembly 15, scheduled for July 14-19, 2009, in Asuncion, Paraguay. Instead of just North American churches, the goal is for at least 30 congregations from throughout the world to participate. Congregations from different parts of the world will be paired to establish a congregational communication and
prayer link with each other and with MWC; send a delegate from each congregation to MWC gathetings; study one of the '1\nabaptist Shelf" book selections; and agree upon and make an annual per member contribution to MWC.
Two new staff members joined MWC June I to help with the effort. Beatrice Kalaki, a member of the Congo Mennonite Brethren Church, will serve as coordinator of the GeC program from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Albert C. Lobe, most recently interim executive director of Mennonite Central Committee, will serve full-time as MWC Global Church Advocate in North America.
GeC is seen as a natural continuation of MWC's emphasis on global gift sharing. While it is not intended to be primarily a "sister congregation" program, GeC will allow congregations from different cultures to discern together how they can both participate more fully the work of the global community through the sharing of gifts.-MWC
New funds to Gulf Coast
An interfaith partnership, which includes Mennonite Mutual Aid, announced the launch May 15 of The Isaiah Funds, the first national interfaith funds for long-term domestic disaster recovery. The Isaiah Funds will initially focus on post-Katrina/Rita hurricane recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast.
MMA, an Anabaptist stewardship and insurance organization, is one of six partner institutions that created the investment funds to provide low-cost capital to revitalize the economies of these communities affected by disasters. By early 2009, The Isaiah Funds will make $4.5 million in loans and grants to nonprofit organizations and community development financial institutions in the Gulf Coast, supporting affordable housing, small business development and the construction of community facilities
"Economic redevelopment is a vital, and often overlooked, second stage to disaster recovery," says Mark Regier, MMA's stewardship investing services manager. MMA Community Development Investments (MMA COl) plans to invest up to $500,000 in the funds by 2009, with additional investments to be considered later. The Isaiah Funds are designed for institutional investors. Individual investors in the MMA Praxis Mutual Funds will participate in The Isaiah Funds through the mutual funds' one percent commitment to community development investing made through MMA COL Individuals can also support The Isaiah Funds' work by donating to MMA COl's Deka Fund.
For more information, visit www.MMA-online org.- MMA
SHEWEY JOINS MBF
Andy shewey has begun work as a representative for MB Foundation, the stewardship ministry of the U.S. Conference located in Hillsboro, Kan. "Andy brings vast experience in assisting individuals and families in meeting their financial objectives. We look forward to his application of these skills to help individuals and ministries meet their financial and charitable objectives," says MBF president/CEO Jon Wiebe As a representative, shewey will encourage charitable giving through current giving, estate planning and lifetime gift plans. He will also provide MBF programs and services to individuals and ministries throughout the Central and Southern districts.-MBF
SEIBEL TO TEACH AT MBBS
MB Biblical Seminary has named Cory Seibel the new assistant professor of pastoral ministries. The position, open since Raymond Bystrom's retirement in spring 2007, will be based on the Fresno, Calif., campus. Seibel comes to MBBs from Sioux Falls (SO) Seminary where he was instructor of Christian leadership and director of contextual learning. "Cory's strengths include an engaging presence that connects well to young leaders, a broad understanding of contemporary church culture and experience with contextual learning," says academic dean Lynn Jost. At MBBs, Seibel will direct pastoral ministry education including supervised ministry experience. He is slated to begin with courses on Christian worship and church conflict in the fall. MBBs is the North American MB denominational seminary for theological education.-MBBS
A young mother is transformed when she reads the Bible
My NAME IS JULIE MORANO AND I LIVE IN mE Salt Lake City, Utah , area with my husband, Aaron, and our children, Skyler, who is from my previous marriage, and Sasha. I was born in Canada and raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My family moved to Utah when I was 12, and when I was 15 my parents divorced.
The divorce tore our family apart. My mom was caught up in her grief, my Dad loved his new single life, and I was left to my own defenses. I stopped attending church and began making some really bad choices. I felt alone in the world so I turned to men, drugs and alcohol - anything to fill the void. I married someone who was not kind to me just so I wouldn't be alone anymore . That marriage ended, and still I did not have peace.
In 2003 Aaron and I had a baby that died shortly after he was born. This turned our lives upside down I was desperate for anything to make the pain go away. The LDS faith was all I knew so that was what I turned to. Aaron was baptized LDS in zoo6, and I thought this would unify our family.
In February 2007 I started to have a lot of questions and doubts about the doctrines of the LDS church I prayed, fasted and studied the LDS scriptures, but did not receive an answer. For the fitst time in my life I started reading the Bible and really studying it. I continued to attend the LDS church, but I hated being there.
In July I that Aaron was having doubts too. We talked to our LDS bishop who told us that if we read the LSD scriptures for two weeks straight we would receive our answer.
In the meantime we decided to try coming to Shadow Mountain, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in West Jordan, Utah. The first service we came to was awesome . We really enjoyed the message and felt right at home.
The second time we attended Shadow Mountain, Pastor Cory Anderson started a series of sermons on the Trinity. It was so hard for me to hear, and it made me angry because it was opposite of what I had learned in the past. I just wanted to run out of the building.
I spent a lot of time that week crying and venting at my husband I told him we were never going back. As I continued to study the Bible over the next week and a half I began to discover a lot of things that were contradictory to the
teachings I grew up with . My husband spent a lot of time e-mailing Pastor Todd McCall and Pastor Cory with the questions I had and was more than patient with me.
My sister-in -law and I met for a Jamba Juice, and we talked for a while about the things I was struggling with as well as her beliefs One thing she said hit me hard . She shared with me some of her struggles and experiences before becoming a Christian and said that she had to let go of everything she thought she knew and believed and let God in to speak truth. I went home and prayed like never before I prayed for God to help me let go and be open to his truth. To let me know what direction my life should take from here and that if the Trinity was truth God would open my heart and mind to understand it.
I opened my Bible and every passage I read spoke to my heart. There it was in plain sight that Jesus is not only my Savior but he is God. I promised that I would follow him and asked Jesus to come into my heart and forgive my sins. At that moment Jesus forgave me of all my sins. The guilt and shame I had felt for all those years was taken from me I thank God that his mercy is new every day because I know that I make a lot of mistakes After I gave my life to Christ, the next service I attended started to make sense to me.
I read and study the Bible, and I am learning that everything I need to live a godly life is all found there Whenever I have a question or if something doesn't make sense to me, the Bible is where I tum first. I have peace in my life now that was always missing because I didn't have Jesus. I love learning about him and loving him more each day
I have turned my life over to God and know that I am never alone, no matter what. I want to be baptized to show Jesus my love and commitment for him . It is the smallest token I can give back for something I can never repay I am thankful for all of those who prayed on my behalf. I know firsthand that God answered those prayers .
Julie Morano shared this testimony with the Shadow Mountain congregation prior to her baptism October, 200 7
eUn earthing th e living language of Scriptu re
"How SWEET ARE YOUR WORDS TO MY TASTE, sweeter than honey to my mouth Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path "
HI delight in th e way of your decrees. I will meditate on your precepts, fix my eyes on your ways. I will not forget your word."
"Truly I love your commandments more than gold, more than fine gold Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts Your decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them " - verses from Psalm II9.
How appropriate that the Psalmist, in so many ways, values and cherishes the language of our faith But is this how we regularly talk about the Bible-about its language or its message? I find the language of Psalm II9 so refreshing and inspiring. There is a true love of the text .
My prayer is that we may all delight in reading and learning from Scripture, this book that is the central vessel for holding and explaining our faith. In an effort to engender that delight, I want to explore four questions with you
I. Where does the Bible come from?
When you hold the Bible in your hand, it's easy to think of it as a single composition that plopped down from heaven, maybe even in English. But the Bible has one of the longest development timelines of any book-almost 2,000 years. There is the Old Testament-the Hebrew Scriptures dealing with the history of the people of Israel; and the New Testament-stories about Jesus and the birth of the Christian church.
Both testaments started out as oral history before they began to be wrirten in different stages by many different authors. There was no one bringing some of our modem historicallcritical methods and questions to bear on what happened. There were no newspaper reporters or cell phone cameras to capture the action. We get descriptions, history, stories and poetry that answered what people in that culture and time were interested in-how they were experiencing the presence of God in their lives and making sense of that.
The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, with some Aramaic; the New Testament was written in Greek. Through the centuries, scribes carefully copied and recopied the original manuscripts, none of which exist today. Some of the earliest fragments we have-from discoveries like the Dead Sea Scrolls-are on papyrus and parchment from the second to fourth centuries.
Sometimes scholars and scribes had to piece together text from various sources to create the complete Hebrew and Greek testaments our Bibles contain today. It was not until the Refonnation, and the invention of the printing press, that more widespread translations of the Bible came into being-Martin Luther's German New Testament in 1522 and William Tyndale's English New Testament four years later.
Even now, there are always newer translations, like the New Revised Standard Version in use in many Mennonite churches, that try to go back to the early documents and capture the best in that complicated process of translating while dealing with modem language that is ever-changing. There are also more loose translations, or paraphrases, like the Good News Bible or The Message, that try to put the stories and words into a more contemporary language while still maintaining the essence of each passage.
Two related issues need to be wrestled with here in tenns of the writing of the Bible. One is with the process of how the books of the Bible were chosen and declared to be the Word of God. This is sometimes called canonization-choosing what's in and what's out. The other deals with what it means for the Bible to be written by human writers over this long history and yet be fully inspired by God.
By the time of Jesus, the books of the Old Testament were already well established and accepted. In A.D. 90, there was a Jewish conference in Jamnia that officially declared the Hebrew Scripture, with its 39 books, closed.
It is interesting to note that one early influential church leader wanted Christians to throw out the entire Old Testament; Marcion said it was a different story and different God than the Jesus of the
D ILL E R H A R D E R
New Testament. That view, thankfully, was rejected. As the New Testament itself proclaims, Jesus is in continuity with, and comes out of, the Jewish history and story.
For the New Testament it was a long process to discern what would be considered Scripture-the 27 books we have now. Chronologically, the earliest documents are the letters of Paul, starting around A.D. 50, and then the four Gospels. Probably written somewhere between A.D. 60 and 90, the Gospels start with Mark, then Mathew and Luke, and lastly John. One of the gifts of the four Gospels is the diversity within them, the different perspectives and stories they have preserved. Then there is Acts, the other letters-known as epistles-and the Book of Revelation.
There were many other religious documents that emerged in the first and second centuries-some of which included very odd and fanciful descriptions of Jesus' ministry and childhood. The Gnostic writings, including the "Gospel of Thomas" and the newly discovered "Gospel of Judas," gave a very different theology of Jesus, denying his humanness and making faith a secret other-worldly spiritual state only available to an elect few.
Over the first few centuries the church began trying to sort out which books were the Word of God. It debated and discerned which books were receiving a broad recognition and acceptance. It was not until near the end of the fourth century-through a series of councils-that the final canon was accepted.
The Bible we have today has both been tested and discerned by that early church and gives us such a rich source of God's Word in our world. Human beings brought their experiences of God and their own personalities and understandings to the writing of Scripture. And yet we claim that these humans were inspired by God and were guided by the Holy Spirit as they wrote. It is like the mystery of Jesus being both fully human and fully divine. Our Scriptures are both fully shaped by human intention and fully inspired by God.
z. What kind of book is the Bible?
It is a book filled with many different kinds of writing that cannot be read in the same way. There are lots of narrative passages that simply tell the stories of creation, the calling of a people, the exodus, the Promised Land, the judges and kings, the exile into Assyria and Babylon, the return to Jerusalem, and, of course, the stories of Jesus and the early church.
But there are also passages of laws and commandments, and places with wonderful poetry and praise, like the Psalms. And then there are prophetic passages, wis-
dom literature, places of pure worship, letters - written to real New Testament congregations with their problems and issues-apocalyptic literature-like the books of Daniel or Revelation - that look to the future, as well as sermons, parables, sayings, exhottations and songs.
In other words, there is this rich range of literature about people 's experience of God and faith This gives me delight. I can try to understand what part of the Bible a passage is coming from and how it might spea k to me today. Depending on what I need , a different literary style or a message from a particular place in the Bible will speak to my situation.
3. How can we study and engage the Bible?
2 Timothy 3:16 says, 'l\Il Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work."
Just like there are many different styles and forms of writing in the Bible, there are many ways to study and engage with Scripture. One of the key insights of the early Anabaptists was that the Bible is not only to be interpreted by the pastors or the teachers, but by everyone in the community, the "priesthood of all believers "
One approach to Scripture is to do some serious study of it Have a commentary or Bible dictionary in your home to help you understand the context, history and original meaning of the languages.
But that is not the only way. Scripture is experienced in worship or by hearing a story dramatized or sung. Congregations need to keep working at presenting Scripture well in worship. Scripture can be read in group settings and Bible studies, with discussion or guiding questions.
Some people memorize Scripture, which comes back to them at significant points in life. Others meditate or pray the Scriptures, spending time in contemplation and allowing the words to speak very directly to their situation
One of the most interesting ways I experienced the Bible was at a young adult retreat, where each person was given a short story about Jesus from the Gospels. We read the story and then tried to imagine what character we were in the story- a person being healed, a family member, a member of the crowd or one of the disciples. Then each of us was put into the town square - as those characters-and we went around talking to each other about what had just happened: "Did you just see what Jesus did?" "I was healed." "I experienced forgiveness." "I saw Jesus
Pontius ' Puddle
show compassion on that outcast of society."
Whatever way we approach Scripture, one of the challenges is to bridge that gap of the millen nia since the books of the Bible were written. We live in a different culture and world, so we sometimes need to do some research to understand those biblical worlds .
The Bible does not talk about all the issues and concerns we face today It is a voice from outside of our normal understandings that can challenge, change and transform us. It can offer a counter-cultural message to what we see and hear in our cultu re and media. It can give us an alternative understanding of reality
In a sense, we read the Bible-bringing our life to it- and the Bible also reads us, bringing its powerful challenge into our lives
4 . H ow can we make the Bible come alive fo r us today?
Two things are vital for this to happen. First, we need to read it, know it and become familiar with its language, stories and message. If we keep the Bible on the shelf- never reading or engaging it - we limit the influence it can have on our lives. It is when we keep the Bible in front of us, that, in the words of the Psalmist, we delight in it-like fine gold, like sweet honey.
A second aspect is to see the Bible as the story of God and to try to put our story into God's story. My prayer is that as we continue studying and learning and engaging with the Bible, that it bears fruit in our relationship with Jesus Christ and in how we live our lives.
Mark Diller Harder is co-pastor at St Jacobs (Ont.) Mennonite Church. This article is adapted from a sennon and was first printed in the Canadian Mennonite, a publication of Mennonite Church Canada.
B
Memorizing Mark
Learn a book of the Bible by heart and faU in love
"WE'LL DO IT!" SAID THE FIVE seminary students who came up to me after class, almost tripping over each other. "We are going to memorize the book of Mark." "You are?" I gasped in disbelief.
One student replied, 'Well, if you can do it, we can do it!"
I had to admit that was plausible.
Each year I open the very first period of my Mark course with prayer, a brief glance at some of Mark's hidden gems and a review of the syllabus. The goal of the course, I always insist, is not academic work. It is falling in love with Mark's Gospel, discovering its many hidden treasures, being shaped by its message of hope
and challenge and discovering ways to preach and teach it in the church. "But this is a graduate school," I say. "We also have to do the academic work."
After making sure everyone is clear on the details listed in the syllabus, in the past I would say, somewhat jokingly, "Unless of course you would rather just memorize the book of Mark. 111 count that as your assignment for the course!" And the students would all laugh. And then they would set out to read the books and write the papers.
No students had taken me up on the challenge to memorize Mark-until 10 years ago. That year five students memorized the Gospel of Mark; four memorized in English, one in German. Four students recited the book to me in my office; one had memorized it to music so she brought a small audience along and sang it.
The next time I taught the course, four students memorized the book; the rime after that it was six. This year seven students memorized the Gospel of Mark, beginning to end. I have heard it recited in English from about seven different
translations, in German, in Japanese and in Amharic. Devising ways to check for accuracy was a challenge when I didn't know the language. Now please, do not be too impressed because my students and I memorize entire books of the Bible. If your reaction is: "Wow! That's amazing! I could never do thad" let me suggest a more appropriate reaction. How about: "Hey, that's a great idea. I think 111 pick a Bible book to memorize as well!" I am convinced I can memorize any book of the Bible, and so can you.
And, if you use good strategies, it will probably take less time than you might suspect. Some of my students have memorized Mark in 75 to 80 hours. More typically it takes 100 hours, sometimes a bit more. Then they are ready to recite the entire book of Mark without help, virtually perfectly. It takes about 90 to 100 minutes to recite it!
Memorizing Mark is what made me fall in love with this Gospel in the first place. That led to unending adventures with this amazing book. I've written a dissertation on it, written a commentary on it, preached and taught from it a thousand and my fascination with this book just keeps on
Why memorize?
These testimonials from seminary students suggest many benefits that come from memorizing an entire book of the Bible.-TG
" Priests in the Ethiopian Orthodox church are expected to learn the Book of Psalms from memory, just as Rabbis did in Israel. I was privileged to be encouraged to memorize a gospel. Each morning, when my mind was not yet distracted by the day's activities , I spent between one and two hours memorizing about 30 verses, usually in blocks of about six to eight verses During the day I reviewed the chapters I had already memorized
As the word entered deeper and deeper into my mind and spirit, I sometimes found myself crying or shouting or praying The Holy Spirit used the book of Mark to
growing. Sometimes I quote my sermon text from memory; occasionally I have quoted longer passages. Ive never publicly presented the whole book, but a number of my students have done so, sometimes quite dramatically with costumes and acting to go with it.
I've been amazed what benefits flow from focusing on just one Gospel at a time rather than mixing all the Gospels together as we often do, intentionally or otherwise. The story of Jesus comes alive. We learn what Jesus says and does. And what God inspired the evangelists to teach us through the unique way each one tells the story.
So how did I get started memorizing Scripture? I started in Sunday school, in kids' clubs at church and in a Bible memory program in our elementary school. At that time it was always individual verses. We had to recite the Scripture reference along with the verse, but I wonder today why that was important. If we know it from memory, why do we still need to be able to find it? And if we are going to take it out of context anyway, who cares which context it comes from?
Memorizing Scripture this way is not a bad thing, but I strongly, strongly favor memorizing Scripture passages. Context is terribly important if we want to understand Scripture faithfully and apply it appropriately. Whole chapters or at least whole "stories" (individual parables,
strengthen, comfort and challenge me . Since memorizing Mark, I have preached mostly from this gospel. Now I plan to continue memorizing books of the Bible, for the rest of my Iifel" - Bekele Tulu , Ethiopian church planter and theological educator
"I learned about the memorizing option several weeks before the class started and got started right way Unfortunately I started with a hard-to-memorize translation, and so I slowly converted over to my own translation, melding my Greek studies with other English ttanslations
One of the reasons I chose the memorizing option was because I figured this unique assignment would prompt more personal gtowth than just another traditional research paper This turned out to be the case
Another benefit has been the opportunity to perform parts of the gospel to various groups For example, I am the junior high pastor at a local church, and I have been blessed with the opportunity not only to perform Mark, but also to lead some great theological discussions And the high school pastor has already planned on me coming in and performing for that group. "- Tye Ferdinandson, high school teacher and lay preacher
' We almost always experience the Gospels broken up into little pieces We read the Christmas story; we read the story of Jesus healing the paralytic who was let down through the roof; we read the Parable of the Sower; we read the crucifixion story These are all great stories, of course, even when we read them on their own But we lose something when we
miracle accounts, etc ) are recommended. Or else, of course, whole books.
A friend of mine encouraged me to memorize whole books, as he had done. I started with I John and James. Later I added Philippians, the Sermon on the Mount, significant sections of John, Romans and Ephesians and a few other chapters here and there I never memorized an Old Testament book, but I did memorize the creation account, quite a few Psalms and a few favorite passages from prophetic books.
I decided to memorize a Gospel shortly after graduating from seminary. I learned quickly that even as a church planter and pastor, unless I adopted an appropriate discipline it was quite possible to go a whole week without significant contact with the Scriptures. I decided to take up Bible memory again.
I decided it was time to memorize a Gospel because I graduated from seminary without seriously studying the Gospels. I picked Mark entirely for its length, or rather its brevity. Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels-the only one I thought I could memorize.
It was easier to do than I feared it would be. And you can do it, too. There are lots of methods that work. One can memorize a verse or two at a time and slowly move on,
never get a chance to see how the Gospel writers wove these little stories into Gospels. Something wonderful happened when I got to the point in my memorization where I began to recite the Gospel of Mark from beginning to end Suddenly I started to experience it as a single story. I began to feel the rhythm and the cadence of Mark's story:
I experienced the initial excitement and wonder in Galilee, the growing conflict with the religious establishment, the doubt and confusion of the disciples as Jesus started talking about his death . I felt the disciples' failure and shame and sorrow when they abandoned Jesus , and I felt the tinge of new hope when the angel at the empty tomb spoke of meeting the risen Lord back in Galilee The story came alive , and with repetition it took root in me in a new way And I suspect that
always reviewing material already memorized. Or one can work hard at larger blocks of material and only go back to review after memorizing large portions of the book. The later method requires more discipline, but is far more efficient.
111 gladly share the details of the method I recommend, as well as helpful tips, like those quoted with this article, from students who have joined me in this adventure. Request these from me at tgeddert®mbseminary.edu.
Have you ever memorized a book of the Bible? If so, write and tell me about your experience Or write the Christian Leader and tell thousands of people about it. Maybe your responses will challenge me to pick up Bible memory again. I still have about 98 percent of the Old Testament and almost 80 percent of the New Testament to go!
Tim Geddert is professor of New Testament at the MB Biblical Seminary Fresno, Calif, campus. Send your Bible memory stories to the Christian Leader by e-mailing editor@usmb.org or writing us at Box 220, Hillrboro, KS 67063.
speaking the story aloud had something to do to with this new experience ."- Ryan Schellenberg. a student now working on his doctorate in New Testament
"I purchased a digital voice recorded and memorized while driving . Shortly after I got started, the pastor of our church began a sermon series on Mark He invited me to dramatize the book of Mark for the scripture reading each Sunday morning
Thus the next few months , I began to rememorize the book with dramati zation in mind This greatly improved the retention rate because to be presented, it must be memorized well enough to be recalled in front of 200 people, and the images needed for dramatization created pictures that my mind used to associate with ea ch phrase, verse and situation
There are lots of benefits During times of depression, I immediately begin reviewing the Mark passage that I am working on for the day It is a way of conttolling or disciplining my mind to "set my mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth ." I found joy in imagining the human actions and emotions of Jesus
And my dramatizations were a blessing to many people One person wrote me , this: 'Thank you for the wonderful experience of your dramatization of Mark chapters one through eight. It was so much more than what I expected, a simple recitation The way you acted it out made the expressions of Jesus more real. Your dramatic presentation of the stories of Jesus made them come alive . The words of Jesus made a great impact on me "'- Grant Jones -Wiebe, computer technician and committed evangelist
Eternal things
The death of a teen changes everything
ACriSiS struck our small town in March. High school student Myranda Mason and four of her friends were headed to a city park at lunch. The car ran a stop sign and was broadsided by an 18-wheel tanker. Myranda, her cousin, Veronika, and another passenger died instantly A fourth died later. The driver survived.
Myranda was a bubbly spirit on the high school cheerleading squad. She enjoyed concert choir. However, Myranda's spirit was bound up, longing to be set free. She suffered emotionally. Family relationships were strained. She struggled with addictive behavior, a sign of inner turmoil.
When I baptized Myranda last July I knew that she entered the water by faith, trusting the Holy Spirit to transform her life. She knew she could not do it alone. Her worldliness was visible to her and to those who knew her. However, she longed for the peace of Christ to rule in her heart.
After the accident, I learned many encouraging things about how Myranda's faith developed significantly in the weeks prior to the accident. She called and texted her friend and mentor Josh Gill day and night. Early on, Josh was deeply concerned with some of the topics she shared with him
Within a few months after her baptism, the tone changed. When reading her Bible, she would often text, "Dude!" and they would discuss it together.
For instance Marthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me ...and I will give you rest and you will find rest for your souls " She wondered, "Is 'rest' literal or a metaphor?" She concluded, "Life is too precious for people to fight about small stuff."
A majority of the verses Myranda underlined in her Bible related to the black and white nature of what she knew it means to follow Christ. Generally we call it holiness , separating ourselves from worldliness. These passages provide insight into what God taught her.
She was intrigued that one has to pass through the narrow gate before beginning to walk the road to life (Mart 7:13-14). "So what's the gate?" she asked. Josh answered, "Jesus."
Myranda valued loving and being loved (Matr 7:1-2). 'That's what I like about you, Josh (and wife, Sarah); you never judged me " She really respected those who did not judge her. She just wanted to know, "Do you love me?" At Myranda's funeral, Josh shared that they discussed Romans 12:9-21 at length . She sought unconditional love and found a vivid understanding of it.
About a month before the accident, Myranda was invited to the Women of Faith Revolve Tour event in Denver.
She finally consented when someone from our church donated her trip fees. The message transformed her.
Myranda was a fun-loving kid at heart and still not perfect. But along the narrow road she began to share Jesus' love with those who would listen. She shared Scripture with friends and invited them to church. Some of them ridiculed her. A pregnant teenage friend was one who listened. Her cousin, Veronika, was another. They came to church every week together.
The last two services they atrended were the Good Friday Communion service where we examined the New Covenant, bread and cup and Easter Sunday worship. A family friend reported Veronika was a noticeably different person after Easter.
How comforting it is to know that our salvation does not depend upon our perfection but Christ's within us through his broken body, spilled blood and the power of his resurrection . We call it "grace." By grace we are saved through faith-and this not of ourselves. It is God's gift to us.
People in Ulysses are thinking about eternal things. Life is short. If Myranda was brought back from the dead and authored this article, I wonder what she would say. I wonder what she regrets, what she might confess. If she had but one more day, week or year, how might she have lived? Myranda's dad said, 'This changes everything. Doesn't it?" I pray it truly does.
Nathan Gift is currently pastor at Ulysses (Kan.) MB Church. Myranda's friend Joshua Gill has finished his second year at Tabor College, majoring in Christian ministries. A Myranda Mason Memorial Endowment is being established at Ulysses MB Church to send young people to conferences and the mission field . For more information you may call the church office at 620 -356 -2515.
Hispanic convention draws hundreds
Spanish-language congregations gather in Reedley
From as far as Portland. Ore .• and Los Angeles. Calif.• members of Hispanic Pacific District Conference congregations assembled May 23 at Reedley (Calif ) MB Church for the Convencion Anual Hispana. two days of worship. instruction and fellowship.
Juan Wall. pastor of Iglesia Fuente de Vida in nearby Parlier. opened the conference with prayer. Founded in 1956. the Parlier congregation is the oldest PDC Hispanic church. Wall. like many other Hispanic church pastors. is bi-vocational. He is employed full time as a counselor at a county juvenile detention center and preaches a bilingual message on Sunday mornings .
Ray O 'Neil. one of the pastors of the host congregation. welcomed the assembly to Reedley His remarks were followed by comments from Dora Resendez. who reminded everyone that RMBC is the church that helped plant the first PDC Hispanic congregations . Samuel Resendez. pastor of Iglesia La Roca in Sanger. Calif.• preached the first message - a call to service from the book of Mark. The message followed a spirit-filled time of
worship and praise led by musicians from local churches. Saturday's schedule included preaching. presentations and workshops as well as worship Offerings were taken to offset convention expenses. Pastor Sabino Franco of Torre Fuerte in Modesto, Calif., preached a powerful message in word and song on equipping oneself for service.
The five workshops included a presentation from Mark Baker, of MB aiblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif., on the distinctions of Anabaptist doctrines Miriam Cardenas, of EI Faro Community Church in Reedley and representing Mennonite Central Commitree, gave a workshop on immigration services. Her presentation highlighted the currently bleak outlook for immigrants wishing to obtain legal status.
A workshop by Ramon Arguello, pastor of Hispana Primera Iglesia Ebenezer of Portland, Ore .• focused on helping parents to discipline children according to Scriptural principles. Pablo Gradin,
Convencion Anual Hispana was hosted by the Reedley MB Church in May. The congregation was recognized for their leadership in Hispanic church planting more than 50 years ago.
also of Portland's Ebenezer Church, spoke on the topic of stewardship Oscar Luna, worship and youth leader of Iglesia 13 Roca, made use of the sunshine and nice temperature to meet with about 60 young people on the church lawn.
Between 300 and 400 men, women and children gathered in the fellowship hall at noon to make and renew friendships over a catered meal of chili verde, rice and beans.
A group from Modesto's Torre Fuerte provided musical praise for the afternoon ses-
sion. A highlight of this session was recognizing approximately 40 students. Elizabeth Tiezen, director of the Leadership Development Program and a missionary who served in Colombia for 41 years, presented students with certificates for specific courses in a variety of disciplines. The students had completed courses under the auspices of the Pacific District Conference, Fresno Pacific University and Facultad Latino America Educacion Teologia. (FLET)
The local Mennonite Central Committee store had items on display and
Don Enns, representing Choice Books, had a display of Christian books in both English and Spanish. Pastors were given books for their church.
Rafael Paz Ramirez, pastor of Iglesia Senda Antigua in Pacoima, Calif., gave the closing message. The Pacoima congregation has been instrumental in planting six churches, including one in Lancaster, Calif., which was dedicated May II. Paz encouraged his listeners to serve in evangelism in church planting and in their local congregations.-
Lori Belden Pope
It started with a chiropractor
It began rather modestly more than 50 years ago thanks to a Reedley, Calif., chiropractor who grabbed hold of the vision for an outreach ministry to Hispanics living in the Central Valley. Today that outreach effort has grown into an association of 40 Mennonite Brethren Spanish -speaking churches that share the same vision: reaching neighhorhoods and communities with the good news of Jesus Christ.
"Our churches exist to invite people to come to Jesus," says Glorio Palacios, a member of Iglesia de Restaurancion La Senda Antigua in Pacoima, Calif , a congregation that has been instrumental in planting six churches
As early as 1910, California's large and diverse agricultural enterprises drew laborers from Mexico The work was seasonal. Some workers returned to Mexico when the harvest was completed, while others moved from area to area, following the crops. Many settled into communities like Reedley and Dinuba and raised their families . The 1960 California census indicates that residents with Hispanic surnames numbered 1,500,000.
In 1950, Reedley MB Church became "concerned
about the spiritual welfare of the Mexican -American people in the surrounding community," writes Ruby Dahl in her 1969 master's thesis tracing the history of Spanish MB churches in the Central Valley. The church searched for Spanish-speaking workers and established a special fund, writes Dahl, but no one stepped forward to initiate the outreach effort
Then in 1955, Reedley chiropractor Arnold W Schlichting and his wife, Ann, took on the task. Their team from Reedley MB Church - a song leader, several Sunday school teachers and a pianistdistributed written Spanish invitations for a Sunday school to be held in a rented dance hall in nearby Parlier.
From this beginning, Iglesia Fuente de Vida was born By the end of the first year, the Parlier congregation had experienced at least one Sunday with an attendance of 130 As the congregation grew, others from RMBC participated, including Don Enns, a Reedley teacher who worked with the teens . After serving the Parlier congregation for six years, Schlichting resigned due to poor health.
Not one to be idle in retire -
ment, Schlichting and his wife met with a group of Spanishspeaking children in the garage apartment of their Reedley home. When they outgrew that room, the group moved to the backyard and had Sunday school under a walnut tree. This was the beginning of Reedley's El Faro Church
In 1963, the El Faro church sent Don Enos, who with his wife had worked in the Parlier and Reedley churches, to work with a ministry started by Darlene Reimer, a schoolteacher in Orosi, Calif. The Orosi group met in Reimer's front yard and then under a tree at another home before moving into a remodeled home in east Orosi. Sam Resendez served as assistant pastor, interpreting and leading the singing. Within a short time Orosi's Templo La Paz had five Sunday school classes taught by Spanish-speaking teachers.
Also in 1963, Templo Calva rio was planted when Dinuba MB Church, together with members of the Reedley and Orosi churches, began the first Hispanic Sunday school in Dinuba. Two years later, church planters went to Orange Cove, Calif , and Iglesia El Buen Pastor was established.
Schlichting next became interested in pursuing a ministry
in the small town of Traver, south of Reedley. Since church planters were few, Schlichting went himself while also working with the Orange Cove congregation His heart was in Traver, said Schlichting. but most of the time his body was in Orange Cove . The Traver church is today called Templo de Oracion Don Enns, the RMBC member who taught in the first Hispanic church and who continues to work with the ministry, says that the PDC Hispanic ministry grew as congregations planted daughter churches and the Mennonite Brethren adopted established Spanish-speaking congregations.
In 1987, the PDC Hispanic church leaders formed the Hispanic Ministries under the leadership of Juan F. Martinez, presently a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. This group of 15 churches set their sights on having 30 participating member churches by 2000 In 1991 , the Hispanic Council was formed and became an official body of the Pacific District Conference . The Council currently includes 40 congregations and holds the annual Convencion Hispana, drawing large numbers from congregations in Oregon and California - Lori Belden Pope
Two birds, one stone
Congregation initiates outreach to meet neighbors. feed hungry
It's not every day that a local church ministry kills two birds with one stone, as the old saying goes . A new outreach effort at Corn (Okla.) MB Church attempts to meet two goals with one effort: connect with neighbors and feed the hungry. As an added bonus, the outreach is lowcost, welcomed in the community and requires minimal time commitment.
Neighborhood Connections Thru Canning Hunger uses a seties of door-todoor canned food drives to help church members get to know their neighbors and, hopefully, introduce them to the church.
Church participants define a section of their neighborhood, pray for each household and then distribute door hangers announcing a food drive on a given day.
On the designated day, church volunteers knock on doors, collect the food and suggest that the initiative become a regular neighborhood project. Food is then donated
to a local food pantry. Subsequent food collections give opportunity to build relationships, ask for prayer requests and further introduce the church.
Pastor Tim Sandy says that as he began to learn about Neighborhood Connections, he knew it was something worth trying. "It made real good sense to me," he says.
"By using this strategy, we hope to meet new neighbors who have moved into the community, develop relationships and pray for our neighbors," explains church secretary Ginnie Warkentin. 'J\n added blessing is that we provide food for those in need in our area "
About 20 people from the congregation collected 919 food items during Corn MB's first effort with Neighborhood Connections March 29. Sandy, who went door-to-door in one area of town with his wife, Carla, says the response was without exception positive. Those few who declined to donate said they
actively participate in other food ministries
Oklahoma winds blew away many door hangers announcing the collection, but even unprepared homeowners were open to the idea and invited the collectors back. One church participant says homeowners even invited her in to choose items from the pantry.
In several cases, Sandy says, he was able to make contact with people he wouldn't have met otherwise. One retired couple was eager to donate, but when the Sandys knocked on the door to collect, they learned that the wife was in the hospital. They were able to pray for the couple and later visit with them. Sandy points out that, apart from the contact from Neighborhood Connections, they would never have known of this couple's need.
Sandy guesses that about 40 percent of the contacts made so far through Neighborhood Connections are with folks
Carla Sandy and Angela and Landen Smith survey food items collected by Corn MB Church volunteers.
who have no readily-observable affiliation with a local church. One man, a self-declared gnostic, sought Sandy out after seeing a door hanger, and the two had a lengthy conversation on faith.
Sandy says that Neighborhood Connections is helping church members begin to build relationships. "It's beginning to do what we hoped it would do," Sandy says.
For some church members, especially those who have been in . Com long enough to have preconceived ideas about who their neighbors are, knocking on neighbors' doors has been eye-opening. Sandy says, "It's been sort of a surprise that our community may not be what we pictured it to be."
Karen Gossen, who has lived in Com about 30 years, says the town is changing as older generations pass on and new folks move in. She says that participating in Neighborhood Connections has given volunteers the opportunity to get to know some of those newer peopie in town
Sandy says that it's been healthy for church members to get out into the community. In fact, he says "our need to get out of our four walls and get into the community" was a strong motivation for giving Neighborhood Connections a try. "It's been eye-opening for our people to see who is in our community, and it's building that bridge," he says.
A second collection date May 10 resulted in fewer donated food items and less personal contact with neighbors, which may be due to Mother's Day and graduation events that same weekend. A third collection date is scheduled for July 12, at which time church participants plan to invite prayer requests from their neighbors. Com MB plans to continue with the program for at least a year. In that year, they hope to place information about the church in every home.
The bulk of the collected food was donated to the Clinton Mission House in nearby Clinton, Okla , since Com currently has no food pantry or similar ministry. Sandy notes that monthly updates from the Mission House indicate that requests for help with food are steadily increasing.
Since the congregation wanted to meet needs in Com as well, five boxes of food from the first collection were kept at the church for local needs. Sandy says those boxes were claimed quickly More boxes were kept after the second collection but haven't been spoken for as quickly. Sandy says Com MB once had a food closet for local needs; the congregation is using Neighborhood Connections to explore the need for and feasibility of re-establishing such a ministry.
Sandy says Neighborhood Connections could be a good strategy for other MB churches, especially those in larger communities. "It is a good way to get to know your community and to do a great ministry for your community," he says
More information about Neighborhood Connections Thru Canning Hunger is available on their Web site, www neighborhoodconnections.info.- Myra Holmes
Ordinations of 1
Questions about practice
This spring, Grace Kim, of Pacific Grace MB Church in Vancouver, BC, and Bev Peters, of Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, BC, became the first women to be ordained for pastoral ministry by the Canadian Mennonite Brethren church, sparking discussions across the country.
Many are celebrating the event and see it as a direct outcome of the 2006 Calgary resolution on women in ministry leadership, which blessed individual churches to call and affirm gifted women and men to serve in ministry and pastoral leadership, according to their own discernment of Scripture, conviction and practice. That affirmation of women now includes ordination.
"It seems like a logical extension to me that if a congregation would seek to call and affirm a woman as its lead pastor that it would also have the freedom to bless that individual through an ordination process," says Ken Peters, chair of the Canadian Conference Board of Faith and Life.
But the practice of ordination-whether for women or men-is not common in today's Canadian MB churches. 'We've seen a radical decrease in the number of formal ordinations in recent years across Canada in our conference," says executive director David Wiebe.
Peters encountered some controversy at Northview when she announced her intention to be ordained-not only because she was a woman but because ordination itself was debatable.
"It made us talk about the issue," says Peters "It's been a good joumey for our whole church."
Although the BFL encourages pastors to receive their credentials with the conference (which includes attendance at a Pastors' Credentialing and Orientation event and completion of an application and interview process with the BFL), there is no obligation to be ordained.
''As a denomination, we aren't entirely clear about the purpose and place of ordination," says Wiebe .
(
3 Canadian women revive discussion
dination for men and women surface
Some wonder if the practice of ordination is biblical; others worry that ordained ministers will abuse their power privilege;srill others see ordination as an act that unnecessarily divides clergy and laity. Some disagree about whether or not ordination presumes a lifetime commitment In fact. several pastors have declined their congregation's call to ordination based on their theological convictions.
However. there are points of agreement. Ordination is a marker by the congregation and conference that a person's call to ministry is recognized. Any request for ordination must be made by a congregation, not an individual. to the BFL. The rite includes a public laying on of hands. often by a conference leader. Ordination is usually requested for pastors after they've served for a period of time and exercised their gifts.
According to a 1995 BFL statement on ordination, there should be "instruction both for the leader and congregation, indicating that such affirmation is not designed to confer status but affirmation for sacrificial service."
Mennonite Brethren women were not always excluded from the practice of ordination. In the early 1900s. the North American General Conference ordained women but only for the task of overseas mission work. From 19 19 - 1954. 37 Canadian women. 19 of whom were single. were ordained as missionaries. Their work often included teaching men. planting churches. administering programs and participating in policy-making boards . Some. including Paulina Foote. an early MB missionary to China. even preached.
The General Conference rescinded the ordination of women in 1957. after which time. affirmation for overseas mission was simply called "commissioning." In 1981 General Conference delegates resolved that. "while we recognize that women played a significant role in the early church - something we would encourage them to do in our
day as well-we do not believe that the Mennonite Brethren Church should ordain women to pastoral leadership."
Over the next 20 years. the church 's attitude towards women serving in pastoral roles began to change. both in North America and around the world. In 2003, the MB Church of Congo ordained Mama Kadi Tshinyama. A widow Mama Kadi was acknowledged for significant contributions to her church and country in the areas of spiritual formation, economic development and theology. To date, three other women theologians have been ordained in Congo and more are scheduled for this year.
Congo's willingness to come to a resolution about this issue appears to have influenced the global MB family. 'We thank the church of the Democratic Republic of Congo for having accepted the ordination of female pastors In light of this decision. we propose that the Church of America and Canada follow this example." said a 2003 recommendation by a Mennonite Brethren group in Kikwit.
The recent ordination of two Canadian women suggests North American MBs have turned a comer in their discussion about this issue, with women now willing to accept
expanding roles in kingdom ministry and churches publicly affirming them.
'L\ll of a sudden. you become more free, more serious." says Peters, who has served the Northview congregation for 20 years. 13 as a volunteer and seven on staff. Her primary area of responsibility is women's ministry.
"Recognition implies valuation." says David Wiebe. "Something that's valued is usually an encouragement for others to participate. I hope this will encourage future leaders to listen to God's call for pastoral ministry."
Some suggest that this encouragement for women to pursue pastoral ministry couldn't have come at a better time. with many MB churches struggling to find pastors .
As well. the Canadian BFL has recognized its need to revisit the question of ordination and has included the topic on its agenda for this month. "The BFL plans to look at it and hopefully redefine it so as to fit today's postmodem context. with a biblical/Anabaptist mooring, says Wiebe.-Laura Kalmar, editor of the MB Herald This article. first published in the MB Herald. has been adapted and reprinted by permission .
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will people live?"
Mennonites partner in relief efforts
l1lil1li p eoPle were screaming and running out of buildings," Eunice Clark recalls. 'That's how I knew there was an earthquake. 1 was in a taxi, which had a lot of movement and bumping, but 1 knew something was wrong when 1 saw people running out onto the street."
Clark, who worked in China from 2001 to 2007 with Mennonite Partners in China, was on a three-week visit to Sichuan, China, when the 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck May 12. MPC, a joint program of Eastern Mennonite Missions, Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Church Canada Witness and Mennonite Mission Network, is supporting relief efforts in China following the devastating earthquake. News reports estimate that the quake killed more than 50,000 people.
"I had just returned that day from Jiangyou which was closer to the epicenter of the earthquake," Clark says. "I had taken the train from Jiangyou and was in a
taxi in Chengdu when the quake struck. It was unusual in that the shaking lasted almost six minutes."
Mer the quake, Clark, who was staying with friends, lived on the streets for a couple of days. "It rained the day after the quake, so people sat outside on stools holding umbrellas. They played games and chatted with neighbors. It was pretty amazing that people were so calm. The sidewalks, squares and parks were full of people."
Many people were afraid to go back into their homes and apartments, Clark says. The cement and brick six-story apartment building she was staying in developed a big crack from the top floor through to the bottom.
"We actually slept indoors," Clark says. "But we slept in shifts so we' could wake the others if things appeared unsafe. Many people slept in cars or on the street."
The city of Jiangyou faired much worse than Chengdu, says Clark, who had taught
at Jiangyou Teacher's College for six years.
''I've had contact with two of the teachers there," Clark says. 'They had been living in tent cities. The college has been closed and all the students were sent home for the rest of the semester."
Jiangyou is one of the four most damaged cities in Mianyang (which has a very high death toll), located about 90 miles north of Chengdu. Jiangyou is also very close to hard-hit Beichuan where 80 percent of the buildings were destroyed and the remaining buildings may be unsafe.
'Tm worried about the small church plants from Jiangyou Gospel Church," Clark says. "I haven't talked to anyone from those locations, which are outside of the city."
Clark says, 'There are so many damaged or collapsed buildings everywhere. , Where will people live?"
An estimated 5 million people are homeless. says Myrrl Byler, director of MPC. "Obviously when a disaster of this magnitude
Earthquake survivors sleep outside in Nanchong, a city in China's Sichuan province, after a May 12 earthquake destroyed and damaged millions of homes. Right: Pastor Peter Yuan distributes instant noodles, medications and supplies in a village near Mianzhu, China.
occurs, it is difficult to keep the needs and what one can accomplish in perspective. Fortunately the Chinese government and many international organizations are responding in a very major way. Since we are present in the area, we also want to respond with our brothers and sisters in Sichuan as they reach out to the community."
The local church in Jiangyou is reaching out by handing out food and water to its neighbors, Clark says . She says Peter Yuan, a pastor and seminary professor from Chengdu, was organizing relief efforts for those places hardest hit.
'Through the Chinese church providing relief, it gives 'a face' to the church," Clark says. "Even local people in China aren't aware that the church exists in their own cities. When the church can help people, it shows that the church cares."
One of Clark's former students, a young woman named Taylor, told her, "Christian prayers are so different. You don't pray for just yourself, you pray for others." She sees Christians as a very unselfish community, Clark says.
'This is a great time for us to say, 'We care about you ; we are not your enemies,"' Clark says. "By providing financial assistance for food, medicine and the basics, we are showing that Christians are a global community If people can see the love of Christ through the church, it would be a positive outcome from such a disasrer."
According to Mennonite Central Committee, the relief, peace and service agency of North American Mennonites, MCC and MPC are providing $100,000 to churches in Sichuan and to the Amity Foundation, a Chinese humanitarian organization, to purchase and disttibute food, medicine and temporary shelter materials ro people affected by the quake Conttibutions for this response should be designated "China emergency assistance" and may be made online at www mcc.org/donate or through any of the other MPC partner organizations - Linda Moffett for EM M
COMMENTARY...
The recent earthquake in the Chengdu region of western China has filled our TV screens once again with images of devastation and suffering. Thousands of people have lost everything they own and those they love the most. We have had a ream in the area responding through the distribution of clothing, plastic tarps, water buckets and essential survival items
We have been able to shelter children who have lost their families and face a new life of uncertainty. Our team is currently assisting the establishment of a home for these earthquake orphans and displaced families, and we would invite you to join us in that response if you feel prompred to give.
Many more families have lost their homes in the aftershocks Thousands are sleeping outside for fear of further quakes The hospitals are overflowing and those who are not injured live with fear and uncertaipty about the future Compassion in the face of disasrer is our strongest witness to the reality of God's love when there seems to be no hope. Earthquakes and other disasters will continue to plague our world It is at times like this that the world asks us for the reason for the hope that is within us. If you would like to join us in this hope-filled response, please designate your gifts to COl40, our urgent relief fund Please pray that this crisis will draw people into the arms of God. - Randy Friesen, MBMS International general director. First published in the June edition of the MBMSI electronic newsletter.
Theologians author global study of faith
Writers a who's who of MB theologians
The list of writers for Knowing and Living Your Faith, a commentary and study guide on the Confession of Faith for the International Community of Mennonite Brethren, can be described as a global who's who of Mennonite Brethren theologians and church leaders.
The majority of the 16 writers are educators from almost a dozen institutions of higher education, including MB Centenary Bible College in Shamshabad, India, MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif., Evangelical University of Paraguay in Asuncion and The Missiology University Center in Kinshasa, Congo.
The contributors represent eight of the current 18 national Mennonite Brethren conferences Three of the authors pastor Mennonite Brethren congregations and many have served their national conference in leadership positions
These Mennonite Brethren church leaders come from a variety of backgrounds. Menno Joel, professor and registrar at MB Centenary Bible College in India, was born into a Christian home; his grandfather was a pastor. Takashe Manabe, pastor of Ishibashi Christ Church in Osaka, Japan, and president of Evangelical Biblical Seminary in Osaka, is a convert from Buddhism.
Just as the ICOMB Confession of Faith is divided into two sections, so are the chapters of Knowing and Living Your Faith. The first five chapters tell of God's work in the world and the second group of six chapters reviews how Mennonite Brethren respond to God's purpose. Each chapter includes discussion questions , a resource list for further study and the confession of faith article addressed by the chapter. Five of the II chapters were written by co-authors, ofren from different countries.
Writers for the first section are co-authors B.J Premaiah, of India, and Lynn Jost, of the U.S ; Nzuzi Mukawa , of DR Congo, and Elmer A Martens, of the U S.; and Alfred Neufeld and Elfriede Veron, both of Paraguay. Takashe Manabe, of Japan, and Arthur Dueck, of Brazil, also wrote for the first section.
Co-authors for chapters in the second section are I.p. Asheervadam, of India, and Peter J. Klassen, ofthe U.S.; and Nzash Lumeya, a Congolese living in the U S., and Menno Joel, of India . David Ewert and David Wiebe, both of Canada, Victor Wall, of Paraguay, and Cesar Garcia, of Colombia, are also chapter authors.
The commentary and study guide is written in narrative form, a reflection of the Asian and African emphasis on storytelling. Cesar Garcia, president of the Mennonite Brethren Churches of Colombia and professor of Bible and Theology at the Center for Ministty Development, Bogota, writes the chapter on reconciliation and peacemaking. He begins with a story of Javier, a high-ranking soldier who became a pacifist.
Knowing and Living Your Faith is a 130-page book now available for Sunday schools and small groups In an effort to strengthen the global unity of Mennonite Brethren, the ICOMB executive committee encourages all Mennonite Brethren churches around the world to study this book sometime between September 2008 and December 2009, a Is-month window. The book is available from Kindred Productions, www.kindredproductions.com or 1- 800 -545-7322 - ICOMB
Tabor biologist to research cancer
Henderson granted leave to study regulator gene
scholars about their research and youll probably discover they have a personal conection to the topic. For Tabor College biologist Jeffrey Henderson, a family history of colon cancer contributes to his intrigue of cancer genetics. For the next year, Henderson will follow that interest and conduct cancer research at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, Mo. Tabor College, the Mennonite Brethren college located in Hillsboro, Kan., has granted Henderson, associate professor of biology, a year's leave of absence beginning this month to research genetic mutations related to breast cancer.
Henderson , after earning his doctorate at Ohio State University, spent five years in post-doctoral research at the St Louis school where he examined how cellular proteins are involved in colon cancer.
"It was kind of appropriate because my father was diagnosed with colon cancer the first year of post-doctoral work," Henderson says. "I was always interested in cancer genetics. I could just never get my way to there."
Well, he's gotten his way there now. At Washington U, Henderson will work as a staff scientist alongside cancer researcher Jason Weber. Weber has been studying a particular genetic pathway related to cancer for seven years and has received three grants to continue his research.
Henderson's position at Washington U will be the equivalent of being an instructor of medicine, although he won't have faculty status. "111 be doing pure research," he says.
Henderson's research will involve studying protein 53, a master regulator gene. "(P53) regulates this huge number of proteins that are involved in protecting the cell from becoming cancerous," Henderson says.
But when the gene becomes mutated, cancer often develops because other genes controlled by P53 are also disrupted.
Henderson's research will involve looking at human diseases that are modeled in mice.
'i\nimal models are a nice way to test hypotheses because we can't do human tests," he says "So mice are good for that."
The same genes-which are mutated in humans and cause cancer-when mutated in mice also produce cancer, though not always in the same part of the body, Henderson says. For example, he explains, the genes in colon cancer when mutated in mice result in cancer in their small intestines.
Using the cutting-edge technology of "gene silencing," Henderson will isolate particular genes from mice and study how the genes respond when altered.
''The human genome project has been key to developing (gene-silencing) technology," he says. 'l\ll the money the government poured into the human genome project is now paying off in big ways "
A database houses the sequencing of genes. 'We can use that information (to manufacture genes)," he says. 'We don't have to reinvent the whee!."
Henderson says he wants to get more experience in these emerging technologies, and he expects the hands-on experience will be invaluable.
"I understand the theory of it but I've not done it myself," he says. "It's important to actually do the experiment. It makes it easier to teach the students when I've actually done it myself."
At Washington U, he also hopes to do some teaching as wella cancer biology class.
''I've always wanted to do some graduate teaching," he says. "Hopefully it will help me broaden my teaching ability and get me more immersed in my own field and get me more immersed in cancer genetics, which I've always wanted to do."
While gone from Tabor, Henderson will be keeping a blog of his experiences in St. Louis and staying in touch with Tabor student Audrey Schellenberg. Henderson is working with Schellenberg on her senior research project, a genetics project that involves looking at apoptosis, or the natural death of cells .
"She's about halfway done," he says.
Henderson has set several goals for his leave of absence.
"I really would like to bring back to Tabor, if possible, the silencing-gene technology," he says . "I have not used that technology for several years . To be able to use that technology at Washington University and be able to bring it back here to Tabor College would really be helpful in my own research."
At some point, he says he would like to offer a cancer genetics class as an elective at Tabor, so teaching the class at Washington University would give him experience in developing and teaching such a course.
'Tm hoping 111 not only use the new technology but also help Jason's lab understand more about what's happening with the pathways," Henderson says, adding he also wants to complete at least one publication about his research.
With an unpaid leave of absence, his position will be held at Tabor. 'Tm very grateful that Tabor has given me this opportunity," Henderson says.
Henderson is also hoping his work with animal models will help Weber and his staff at Washington U add to the knowledge of how the genetic pathways affect breast cancer.
Because of his five years of research experience, Henderson expects his learning curve in the lab will be shorter than someone who has a newly completed PhD.
"So I'm expecting within the first six weeks 111 already be doing experiments-that's my goal," he says. 'That's a lot for one year, but I can at least get them on that pathway."
Cancer research is both long and arduous
'The (genetic) networks get very, very complex," Henderson says. "People always say, 'When are we going to cure cancer?' Well, we always find more and more genes that are mutated or are disregulated in cancer and there's no simple way to treat these. It just gives us new ways to treat it."Aleen Ratzklff. This article is reprinted with permission from the Hillsboro (Kan.) Free Press newspaper
Jeff Henderson, pictured in a Tabor College science lab, is researching cancer genes.
In us the de$ire to participate in His missfon. · We respond and come to God 'SeekiRg to know His will. God reveals His will to us, alerting us to He desires."
-Henry Blackaby In Experiencing God
Mission USA believes God is calling us to plant many new Mennonite Brethren churches right now. We need financial partners to follow this calling! Would you help us reach more people for Jesus? It's an investment in eternity -Please help us
No to NAFTA
Suffering on both sides of the border
NAFfA, an acronym for the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been in the news lately. Implemented in 1994 to facilitate trade between Canada, the u.s. and Mexico, it was supposed to lower tariffs and boost the economies of all three countries. Jobs were supposed to increase and everyone would live happily ever after. This has not happened. As one foreign minister of Mexico remarks, "NAFTA was an agreement for the rich and powerful in the U.S., Mexico and Canada; an agreement that effectively excludes the ordinary people of all three societies."
A recent TV program detailed just what has happened as a result of NAFTA in one U.S. city A well-known vacu-
When we drive into Mexico on our ministry trips we pass the manufacturing sites of many companies whose names and products are well-known in the U.S. Several years ago I met a retired American businessman who was visiting the colonia where we were working. He was going shack to shack to make sure workers knew what their rights were. Evidently some American and Canadian bosses were trying to circumvent local laws and cheat their employees even further. They were adding insult to injury by denying workers basic rights. Have they no shame?
Since it costs a month's wage to send a child to school in Reynosa for one year, families have to choose which child they will send. They certainly can't afford to send all of them. This is why our ministry supported 147 children last year with school supplies, backpacks, uniforms um cleaner company moved its operations from the Midwest to a border town in Mexico. The American workers who had been making $15 an hour plus $5 in benefits lost their jobs overnight. The prospects for
;. : Defenders of argue that the to worker s in all three countries is eX ;;lggerated. I d0l1t th'-ink so ...
these workers to find any comparable-paying jobs in their area are bleak. Now families are left without a viable income, no health insurance and a difficult, uncertain future.
When this company relocated in Mexico they hired workers there at approximately $1.57 per hour. Benefits include lunch and bus fare to work. This translates into a monthly income of approximately $250 to $300. These vacuum cleaners still cost just as much or more in the U.S. So who gets the windfall profits? It must be the company's top brass and the stockholders.
This is not an isolated case. This has happened over and over again in the 14 years that NAFTA has been in existence. Communities and workers in both Canada and the U.S. have been devastated.
I have seen the negative effects of NAFTA in the Mexican border city of Reynosa. I have been to some of the shantytowns where many of these workers and their families live in abject poverty. Many live in oneroom shacks they have built using scrap materials. These shacks are located on undesirable land that floods every time there is a heavy rain. Children playing near polluted water-filled dump sites are in danger of falling in and getting hurt, becoming sick or drowning Food is scarce, and children have to scrounge to find something to eat.
and shoes so they could go to school. This month we will be there again helping more children find a way out of the grinding poverty in which they live.
Defenders of NAFTA argue that the damage to workers in all three countries is exaggerated. I don't think so-certainly not from what I've seen. NAFTA was supposed to make things better for workers. This has not happened. Things are worse instead.
Is it any wonder that Mexican workers cross the border illegally in search of a better life? Earning $6, $7, $8 or more per hour is a fortune compared to the $1.57 they can earn at home. I believe the tide of illegals would be greatly reduced if they could earn a living wage in their own country. Many who do come to the U.S. don't really want to be here, but conditions are so bad back home that they feel forced to risk everything, even their lives, to come.
One of my former students told me that her mother came here illegally so she, the daughter, could get an education. Her mother was planning to return home as soon as her daughter graduated from 12th grade. I met a pastor in Reynosa who spent seven years as an illegal in the U.S. so he could earn enough to provide a home for his family. He is now back in Mexico.
To those who claim illegals are lawbreakers and need to be deported I offer Jesus' words: "If anyone of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone" (John 8:7). It is easy for us to condemn others for sins we don't commit ourselves.
This is a complicated problem requiring understanding and compassion. There are no easy, quick-fix answers. We need to be less condemning and more Christlike in finding solutions.
BAPTISM/MEMBERSHIP
Newton, Kan. (Koerner Heights)-Steve and Crystal Bacon were baptized June 8 and received as members.
Edmond, Okla (Memorial Road)-Will Bones. Chad Friesen. Jake Friesen. Heather Hendricks. Amanda Ishmael and Wyeth Leslie were bapt ized and received as members June 8 Michael and Angela Jones and Amanda Schaefer were received as members
Fresno, CaUf. (Mountain View Community) - Josias Escobedo. Katrina Kennedy. Lisa Messenger. Jake Owens. Charlene Paez. Joseph Paez and Mark Schmidt were baptized June 1
Enid, Okla.- Shaylin Regier. Taylor Hurst. Blake Highberger and RacheUane Olson were baptized June 1
Clovis, Calif. (College Community) - Andrew Myovich and Emily Schellenberg were baptized and received as members May 25. Sarah Bergen and Julia Reimer were received as members May 25. Matthew Insley was received as an associate member June 1
Shafter, Calif.-Katelyn Riley. Elizabeth Wittenberg and Joshua Wittenberg were baptized and received as members May 18 Steve and Sara Paul and Stanley and Sharon Voth were rece ived as members.
Cordell, Okla. (Bible)-Dyllen Carmen. Hailey Carmen and Susie Dyck were baptized May 18.
Buhler, Kan.-Kendra Goertzen and Joseph Trego were baptized May 18
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglen)-Christine Scott. Kevin Scott. Ben Walker. Doug Walker and Brienna Watson were baptized the weekend of May 17-18. Dana Culhane. Christine Scott and Kurt Sturz were received as members the weekend of May 31-June 1
Henderson, Neb.-Alex Block. Jennifer Goossen and Abby Regier were baptized May 18
Minot, ND (Bible FelIowship)-Megan Buchholz and Jhondarr Lopez were baptized and received as members May 11 Luella Barke. Leiya Crawford. Eric and Jennifer Hentnik. Louise Lopez. Cory and Janelle Nissley and Merlin Schnase were received as members.
Balko, Okla. (Crossroads Bible Fellowship)-David Schoenhals. Logan Hoover. Reagan Hoover, Dylan Hoover. Anna Epp and Joshua Epp were baptized May 4 John and Gail Creason and Shawn and Monica Hoover were received as members
FELLOWSHIP
Lodi, Calif (Vinewood Community)-July 25 is planned as a build-your-own sundae and game night. The event is one of several family-oriented summer events at the church
Clovis, Calif. (College Community)-Young families were invited to a pool party June 29
Shafter, Calif. - The church's annual backpack trip for families was scheduled for June 27-29
Blaine, Wuh.(Birch Bay Bible Community)-Seniors took a day trip to Seattle Wash • June 21 The day included a three-hour lunch cruise
Kingsburg, Calif.- "Family Fun Nights" are scheduled throughout the summer The first. June 18. was a fou r -mile family bike ride around town using a map and clues Other scheduled activities include a Water Baseball game. BBQ with guest speaker and artist Rick Alonzo. movie night and swimming.
Phoenix, Ariz. (The Bridge on Glendale)- "Beat the Heat" summer events are planned for select Saturday evenings.
Topeka, Kan. (Cornerstone Community)-Sunday school children served a brunch to their fathers June 15
Collinsville, Olda. (Discovery Bible Fellowship)-A Father's Day celebration at the church included jousting boxing and a mechanical bull. as well as inflatables and face painting for children
Rapid City, SD (Bible Fellowship)-A series of men's events this summer includes a breakfast June 14. burgers and golf June 22. a golf outing July 11. a hike Aug 10. and a men's retreat Sept. 19.
Eugene, Ore (North Park)-A Father's Day celebration June 15 honored all -Tool Men "
Clovis, Calif. (Eagles Harbor)-This church plant hosted a family-friendly movie night at a local amphitheater June 13
Bakersfield, Calif (Laurelglen)-Seniors dressed up in "hobo" clothes for a luncheon June 12.
Minot, ND (Bible Fellowship)-A men's fishing derby was held June 7.
Wichita, Kan.(First)- "A Summer Connection" event June 3 for women included desserts and a devotional on "Invade My Home Lord Jesus."
Sioux Falls, SO (Christ Community)- The congregation attended a minor league baseball game together June 1.
Papillion, Neb. (Shadow Lake)-An ice cream social June 1 provided information about small groups to those interested
Fresno, Calif. (Butler)-A church picnic June 1 included an all -church water balloon toss bocce ball. volleyball. soccer, kids' games and swimming
Olathe, Kan (Community Bible)-A mother-daughter "Fun Night" May 23 included make-your-own pizza. a craft. sharing. a movie and ice cream sundaes,
Buhler, Kan.-A "Comedy and Coffee Night" May 18 included a video of Christian comedian Kenn Kington. coffee and popcorn
MINISTRY
Eugene, Ore. (North ParkJ-Beginning Aug. 1. the church will offer childcare at church one Friday evening each month to allow parents a night out. Children's time will include dinner. games. singing. stories. activities. movies and art projects.
Capitola, Calif IShorelife)-Volunteers plan to distribute water bottles to race officials and personnel during a community Wharf to Warf Race" July 27.
West Jordan, Utah (Shadow Mountain)-Church volunteers participated in a community Independence Day celebration by manning a booth. passing out water bottles and entering a float in the parade
Papillion, Neb (Shadow Lake)- The church participated in the ·Papillion Days" festival June 12-15 with a booth with water and fliers and a bounce house for kids. They offered an outdoor church service held in cooperation with two other churches at the end of the festival.
Centennial, Colo. (Trailhead) - Volunteers helped with tornado disaster relief in Windsor. Colo • for the congregation 's regular "Second Sunday" service project June 8
Hays, Kan. (North Oald-Two teams from the church participated in "Relay for Life: an all-night event to raise funds and awareness for cancer. June 6-7
Bakersfield, Calif.lThe Bridge)-As a show of appreciation. small groups are providing weekly Friday lunches for the construction crew that is working on the church's new facility.
Topeka, Kan. (Cornerstone Communily)-Eight people went on a short -term mission trip to Chicago May 24-31
Minot, ND (Bible Fellowship)-A May 21 cookout in the parking lot for the community had record attendance.
Kingsburg, Calif. - The congregation participated in community centennial celebrations May 16- 18 by passing out water bottles and providing cakes The congregation collected funds this spring to provide Bibles to children who attend Happy Days. the church's preschool.
PROCLAMAnON
San Jose, Calif. (Blossom Yalley Bible)- World evangelist Luis Palau was the scheduled guest speaker July 13
••• CHURC H news · ••
Gettysburg, SD (Grace Biblel-Salik John, a Pakistani evangelist, was the guest speaker May 25 Mano, Olda. (New Hopedalel-A seminar titled 'You Can Tell It, " a live seminar that equips individuals with a method for sharing Christ, was recently presented. The choir from Pine Acres Church, Weatherford, Okla ., presented the musical "One Lord, One Faith;' in April.
WORKERS
Bakersfield, CaUf. (The Bridgel-Eric Simpson begins July 14 as the congregation 's pastor of community transformation, a new staff position
Bakersfield, calif. (Heritage Biblel-David Newton began work as pastor of children 's ministries June 2.
Weatherford, Okla. (Pine Acresl-James Camden is serving as a summer youth intern.
Fresno, calif. (Butlerl-Amber Bailey is serving as a summer youth intern.
Huron, SD (Bethesdal-Wes Nelson is serving as part-time interim youth pastor:
Clovis, calif. (College Communityl-Elisabeth Shaum is serving as summer pastoral intern. WORSHIP
Bakersfield, Calif. (The Bridgel-Volunteers are compiling a binder of personal stories and testimonies of God's faithfulness, to be shared among those who attend the church
WIChita, Kan. (Firstl-Youth pastor Ben Marquez offered a workshop for fathers of teens May 21. Hillsboro, Kan. (Ebenfeldl-The June 15 worship service was led by i268, aTabor College ministry team, and held in a local park. A picnic lunch followed.
Buhler, Kan.-A women's choir sang June 15 to honor fathers.
Sioux Falls, SD (Christ Communityl-Two fathers, drawn at random, enjoyed the service from the comfort of easy chairs on Father'S Day, June 15
Kingsburg, Calif.-The focus of the June 8 service, called "Back to Basics," was on men. All men and boys were invited to bring photos of their favorite toy, hobby, outdoor activity or sporting event to post on a bulletin board. Lunch followed.
Henderson, Neb.-Grateful Heart, a Southern Gospel quartet, provided music June 8
Dinuba, CaUf.-A summer sermon series titled "Go for the Gold " is described as "a spiritual workout plan" based on the book of James. Topics include trials, temptation, anger, the Word of God, money, faith, speech, wisdom, pride and humility, patience and prayer.
Bakersfield, calif. (Heritage Biblel-Worship was held in a local park June 1, with guest speaker and Christian comedian Nick Arnette The service was followed by a family picnic
Clovis, calif. (College Communityl - Members of the Spanish -language congregation, El Buen Pastor of
Orange Cove, Calif., joined in the service June 1, followed by a Mexican lunch fundraiser for a youth service trip to Mexico
YOUTH
Glendale, Ariz. (Copper Hills Communityl- The church is partnering with Missoula Children 's Theatre, a nonprofit theater organization , for a Christian performing arts camp July 21 -26 for children in grades 1-6. The "Summer Stage Spectacular"' ends with two performances of "Hansel and Gretel:
Eugene, Ore. (North Parkl- The church is hosting a 5-Day Club through Child Evangelism Fellowship July 7-11. Volunteers from the church invite neighborhood kids; CEF provides the staff The week ends with a Friday night picnic and movie
Edmond, Okla. (Memorial Road, ProvidencelHigh school youth from the two congregations gather weekly for worship and Bible study, called "Menno-nights:
Fresno, calif. (Butlerl-Children ages six through 12 are participating in art, music, sports and learning through a "Big Adventures· program June 16-Aug 8
Buhler, Kan.-The church partnered with other area churches for vacation Bible school June 9-13 using Power Lab curriculum.
Hillsboro, Kan (Ebenfeldl-Thirteen youth and three sponsors participated in a week of service with DOOR-San Antonio, Texas, June 14-21
Bakersfield, calif. (Laurelglenl-High school youth put on the first annual "Barbie Bowf" June 8. The powder puff football game raised money to buy beds for families in need through Love INC, a local ministry.
Balko, Okla. (Crossroads Bible Fellowshipl-The church hosted a community-wide vacation Bible school May 27-31.
Clovis, calif. (College Communityl-Graduates were honored with a brunch May 18.
Fairview, Okla.-A team of 40 youth and leaders helped with post-hurricane cleanup in New Orleans the week of May 18.
Deaths
ENNS, DANIEL, Fresno, Calif., member of College Community Church, Clovis, Calif , was born Nov. 2, 1916, near Delft, Minn., to John P and Elizabeth Harder Enns and died April 29, at the age of 91. In 1942 he married Viola Seibel, who predeceased him. On April 9, 2000, he married Verna Richert, who survives. He is also survived by a daughter, Roberta Carter, two granddaughters and three great-grandchildren.
EPP, VERNA MAE REGIER KLIEWER, Henderson, Neb , member of Henderson MB Church, was born April 29, 1918, to John H. and Sarah Nachtigal Regier near Henderson and died May 17, 2008, at the age of 90 On Aug. 23, 1936, she married Herman Kliewer, who predeceased her June 27, 1960. On Aug 12, 1972, she married Adolph C. Epp, who survives She
is also survived by two sons, Richard Kliewer of Hesston, Kan., and Ardean and wife Jacki of Moorhead, Minn ; two stepdaughters, Sharon and husband David Orr of Lincoln, Neb , and Janet and husband Orin Kliewer of Stockham, Neb.; one son-inlaw, John Penner of Colleyville, Texas; two sisters, Edna and husband John Ediger of Reed ley, Calif., and Elsie Richert of Tahlequah, Okla., seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
HARDER, VERA ALICE, Hillsboro, Kan ., of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Dec 4, 1917, to Peter and Caroline Suderman in Hillsboro and died May 1, 2008, at the age of 90 She married Edwin Harder, who predeceased her. She is survived by two sons, Jerry and Jay; one daughter, Janet; one brother, Edwin Suderman; six grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren.
KLASSEN, ELIAS T., Inman, Kan., member of Zoar MB Church, Inman, was born May 8, 1914, to J.J. and Agatha Thiessen Klassen at Inman and died May 13, 2008, at the age of 94. On Sept. 22, 1935, he married Mary Willems, who predeceased him July 7, 1980. On Sept. 19, 1981, he married Edna Wiens, who predeceased him Aug 24, 2003. He is survived by children, Janice and Marvin Flickinger of Wichita, Kan., Joanne and Al Witzke of Hutchinson, Kan., Tom and Carolyn Klassen of Garden City, Kan., Randy and Linda Klassen of Nixa, Mo , Don and Martha Jean Wiens of Garden City, Larry and Suzanne Wiens of Newton, Kan., Marcy and Stan Vogt of Hesston, Kan.; two sisters, Kathryn Willems of McPherson, Kan. , and Lynda Goertzen of Buhler, Kan , 20 grandchildren, 45 greatgrandchildren and two great -great-grandchildren
KLIEWER, BERTHA, Henderson, Neb , of Henderson MB Church, was born May 9, 1923, to Henry F. and Agnes Schierling Neufeld and died May 29, 2008, at the age of 85 On Oct. 3, 1987, she married Bernard G Kliewer, who predeceased her. She is survived by a stepdaughter, Beverly and husband Lonn Richards of Hillsboro, Kan ; two stepsons, Larry and wife Karen of Hampton, Neb , and Eugene and wife Wynette of Lachorerra , Panama, seven step-grandchildren and five step-great -grandchildren
MARTENS, JOHN FRANK, Henderson, Neb ., member of Henderson MB Church, was born Jan. 20,1914, to Frank J. and Agnes Kornelson Martens near Lushton, Neb., and died May 8, 2008, at the age of 94. On Oct. 21, 1934, he married Gertrude J. Goertzen, who predeceased him. He is survived by two sons, Wayne and wife Alma of Bakersfield, Calif., and John and wife Karen of Henderson; one daughter, Lucille and husband Max Lindsey of Springfield, Mo.; one sister-inlaw, Goldie Friesen of Aurora , Neb.; one brother-inlaw, Leo Warkentin of Bakersfield, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren
MUELLER, MABEL EILERS, Meno, Okla , of New Hopedale Church, Meno, was born Aug 15, 1918, and died March 22, 2008, at the age of 89 On Sept. 15, 1946, she married Rowland A Mueller, who predeceased her. She is survived by one son, James of Enid,
Okla.; two daug hters, Lana Dugard of Lenexa, Kan., and Larita Ga lusha of Va n Buren, Ar k.; one brother, Wesley Eilers of Hesston, Kan , and six grandchi ldre n
PAULS, OTTO N" Fresno, Calif., membe r of Butle r MB Church, Fresno, was born May 23,1915, to Jacob and Anna Pauls in Inman, Kan , and died Oct. 15,2007, at the age of 92. In 1943 he married Winona Vot h, who predeceased him Dec 3, 2006. He is survived by one son, Ken of Bakersfield, Calif.; one daughter, Judy and husband Bill Cockerham of Fresno ; four brothers, Nick and wife Esther of Roseville, Ca lif., Albe rt and wife Laverna of Fresno, Harry and wife Connie of Santa Clarita, Calif , and Chet and wife Irene of Fresno and four grandchildren.
PAULS, WINONA M" Fresno, Calif., member of Butler MB Church, Fresno, was born Sept. 2, 1918, to Henry and Anna Voth in Hillsboro, Kan , and died Dec 3, 2006, at the age of 88 In 1943 she married Otto Pauls, who died Oct 15, 2007. She is survived by one son, Ken of Bakersfield, Calif ; one daughter, Judy and husband Bill Cockerham of Fresno; three sisters, Ann Ratliff of Lodi, Calif , Lyd ia and husband Sam Barkman of Fresno, and Ellenora and husband Glenn Hjalmer of Lodi, and four grandchildren.
SCHELLENBERG, ORVILLE A., Hillsboro, Kan., of Hillsboro MB Church, was born April 28, 1921, to Abraham and Helena Schellenberg in Jansen, Neb., and died April 22, 2008, at the age of 86. On Dec 7, 1943, he married Rosella Reddig, who predeceased him. He is survived by two sons, Gene of Wichita , and Marv and wife Andrea of Wichita; three daughters, Darlene and husband Bob Loewen of Hillsboro, Barb and husband Marv Harms of Lincoln, Neb , and LaVon and husband Randy Friesen of Wichita, Kan.; 20 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren
VOGT, ALFRED J" Corn, Okla , of Corn MB Church, was born Feb 17, 1924, to Jacob and Lizzie Kliewer Vogt near Corn and died May 17, 2008, at the age of 84 He married Verna Mae Kroeker, who predeceased him. He is survived by one son, Buddy and wife Mickey of Weatherford , Okla.; one daughter, Edith and husband Jerry Hiebert of Richardson, Texas; three brothers, Jake and wife Norma Jean of Corn, Paul and wife Emma Lou of Clinton, Okla , and Jim and wife Aldene of Kingsburg, Calif ; two sisters, Clara Johnson of Corn, and Joyce and husband Jim Hinz of Corn; one sister-in-law, Yonzell Vogt of Weatherford, and four grandchildren.
WENGER, RUTH WARKENTIN, Hillsboro, Kan., member of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Aug. 27,1917, to Gerhard M. and Helena Klassen Warkentin near Lehigh, Kan., and died April 30, 2008, at the age of 90 On Sept. 18, 1938, she married Norman Wenger. She is survived by one son, Cecil and wife Lois of Manhattan, Kan ; two daughters, Jeanenne and husband Loren Koslowsky of Mesa, Ariz., and Beverly and husband Hershel Pack of Athens, Ala ; three sisters , Helen Thiessen and Mary Thiessen of Hillsboro, and Lydia McDonald of Tulsa, Okla.; in-laws,lke Thiessen , Ella Warkentin, Eldo and Bertha Miller, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren
Student Ministry Pastor: En id Mennonite Brethren Church in Enid, Okla., is seeking a full-ti me Student Ministry Pastor This person will oversee and work with students grades 7-12 and will work with a sen ior and an associate pastor. EMBC is a congregation of approximately 300 members and is located in north central Oklahoma Resumes can be sent to Search Team, Enid MB Church, 2500 N Van Buren, En id, OK 73703 or by email to searc h team chair Wa rre n De ll at warren_delUo hotmail.com We wi ll begin reviewing resumes July 15 (1/1)
Pastor of Children'S Ministries: Belleview Community Church of Littleton, Colo., is seek ing a part-time Pastor of Children's Ministries This person will oversee our "Celebrate Kids" Sunday school program, Sunday morning nursery, organizing child care for special events and Summer Vacation Bible Adventure This person will serve as a "player coach" for our Children's Ministry Team and adult volunteers. We desire a holistic approach to children and youth that recognizes the importance of the family If interested in accepting this challenge, please call Deb He ller at 303-973-0163 or Betty Wretling at 303973 -9062
Lead Pastor: Hillsboro MB Church, a congregation of 400+, is seeking a lead pastor with a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. The successful candidate is expected to bring spiritual vision and direction for the church's mission and programs, have positive relat iona l skills and a strong preaching/teaching ministry. The lead pastor is one who desires to lead, develop and partner with other members of the pastoral staff and lay leadership team. This intergenerationa l church is located in a progressive college town Seminary graduate preferred. Please send resume to Pastoral Search Committee, Hillsboro MB Church, 300 Prairie Pointe, Hillsboro, KS 67063 or e-mail inquiries to: hmbcsearchlllyahoo com (3/12)
Lead Pastor: Good News Fellowship, located in Ferndale, Wash., is a Mennonite Brethren church of approximately 200 attendees with a heart to reach their community for Christ. We are seeking a qualified lead pastor to serve as part of an effective Elder Team that provides leadership in all areas of pastoral and
Stewardship Solutions
congregat iona l care. Visit our Web site at www.goodnewsfe llowshi p.org prior to e-ma iling your resume to searchteamlllgoodnewsfellowship.org and look for the Good News Fellowship Pastoral Candidates link, or you may send your resume to GNF Search Team, P.O. Box 1733, Ferndale, WA 98248. (5/71
Senior Pastor: Kingwood Bible Church, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in Salem, Ore , is seeking a Sen ior Pastor who can grow our congregation and help us reach out to the unsaved in our city Kingwood is a congregation of approximately 100 members and is located on t he west side of Salem Besides the senior pastor position, we have one full-time youth pastor, a part-time Children's Ministry coordinator and a part-t ime church office secretary. We seek to grow our church through evangelism and discipleship At least six years experience as a pastor is preferred Mennonite Brethren background/ordination is also preferred, but not required If interested, send a resume to: Dave Davis, co-chairman, Pastoral Search Comm ittee, 2225 Dorchester Drive S., Salem, OR 97302 ; phone 503-581-9507; e-mail davyactslllaol.com. A packet of information on our church and the surrounding area is available upon request. (7/12)
Youth Pastor: Bethany Church in Fresno, Calif , is seeking a strong leader who is passionate about students, grades 7-12. Resumes can be sent to Bethany Church, attn : Youth Pastor Search, 9161 N. Maple Ave. Fresno, CA 93720, or officelllbethanychurchonline.com . (7/12)
Human Resource
Committee in Akron, Pa , is a Christian relief and development organization with a strong commitment to peacemaking. MCC is seeking qualified applicants for a Human Resources Director to lead a 16-member department and facilitate a network of practitioners across the agency A bachelor's degree and five years of personnel experience are required. A job description is avai lable at www.mcc org/serve Send resume and letter of interest to : MCC Human Resources, PO. Box 500, Akron, PA 17501 Application review begins July 14.
MMA, an established, church-related organization, is seeking sales professionals to provide insurance and financial solutions to one of the industry's most loyal markets.
MMA is a highly trusted organization setving individuals and businesses primarily associated with Mennonite and other Anabaptist-related denominations. Excellent income potential and generous benefits . To learn more, visit www.mma-online.orglcareers. Fax or e-mail resume to (574) 537-6635 or hr@mma-online.org.
Not what I expected
Surprises come with anticipating disappointment
When someone talks about some item or situation that was "not what I expected," the person usually means it in a negative way The movie isn't as good as advertised, or the trip isn't as fun as it looked in the brochure or the thing purchased over the Internet turns out to be cheesy. Stuff like this happens all the time.
Sometimes the disappointment is more serious. Someone studies hard for a career path he or she ends up hating. Another person dates someone who seems nice but after the wedding there are compatibility problems. Someone else suffers a tragedy or loss that seems completely unfair. Whether mundane or monumental, there are things we can all think of that didn't tum out like we expected.
As a naturally skeptical person I tend to expect the worst. So I guess you could say that if things don't tum out
Along similar lines, I thought by now I'd be pining for the good old days before our culture went down the tubes and all the rock bands got lousy. I had a discussion on this subject during which someone insisted that today's bands are terrible compared to groups she liked when she was young. This person was 24 years old! That made me giggle. But it also inspired me to avoid getting set in my ways and to try to stay open to fresh ideas, changing styles and new ways of doing things. Good thing there are a lot of new bands out there that I like. Not that I mind the stuff I listened to in the '80S, I just don't want to go back and live there.
[J Imagine my surprise, then , to realize that ;;1 numher of events in my lite are not unfolding like I foresaw ,]f 111. I n other words, these things ..u e turning out pretty wel1.
like I expect, that's probably what I expect. I know that doesn't compute, but there you go.
It can be a pain for my wife "I need to talk to you about something," Kim will say. I reply, 'What? What's wrong? What happened?" Kim rolls her eyes and shares something harmless. Afterward I tell myself to loosen up and be more optimistic. So the next time Kim has something to tell me, of course, I say, 'What? What's wrong? What happened?"
You'd think it would be hard in my case for things to not tum out like I expect, since I'm always expecting them to not tum out like I expect. Imagine my surprise, then, to realize that a number of events in my life are not unfolding like I foresaw at all. In other words, these things are turning out pretty well.
As the birthdays pile up, for example, I've been expecting to get more sour and cranky. That seems to be the cultural convention for aging citizens, even though studies show older folks to be generally happier than younger people. I know plenty of people my age and older who are perfectly happy, but I always counted myself as a likely candidate to become crotchety. It has been a relief to notice that instead of getting grouchier, I seem to be lightening up . This past weekend, for instance, I had so much work to catch up on I dealt with it by playing tennis and golf. It's highly unusual for me to put off work in favor of having fun, but I kind of liked it. I may even try it again in a few years.
In another tum of events I didn't expect, I've suddenly stopped being critical of celebrity do-gooders. I used to react with a smirk when I read about movie stars attending charity events, adopting third-world children or saving the environment. Phony publicity junkies, I would think. This was, like, a month ago. Then I had a change of heart. It came from reading the Apostle Paul's words in Philippians about preachers with questionable motives. 'What does it matter?" Paul writes. 'The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached" (1:18)
Ouch! This knocked me out of my critical mindset. What's the problem if cures are being discovered, destitute people are being rescued and natural resources are being protected with the substantial help of seemingly superficial celebrities? Since I don't even make as much money as many of these people donate, I am hardly one to judge.
Finally, I've been experiencing some personal and spiritual growth in a manner I didn't expect. That's because it started to happen at the point I gave up. I had gone through a period of striving and sweating and serving that wore me out. And not only was all the effort not helping, I felt like I was going backward.
Finally I said, "God, this isn't working. I really don't know whatto do. But you know. So do it." And what do you know, God did Now there is something that didn't tum out like I expected that I really should have expected.
If I were Oprah
What is Connie's "gospel"?
The Christian newspaper headline caught me eye: Oprah's "Gospel." I'm not one of the millions who daily watch 'The Oprah Winfrey Show" but that doesn't mean I don't know "0." I have read books from the Oprah Book Club list, bought 0 Magazine and seen her television movies.
But I didn't realize the depth of Oprah's pocket book and the breadth of her influence Her Angel Network has raised more than $50 million to fund nonprofit organizations worldwide. In 2005 Oprah became the first black person listed by Business Week as one of America's top 50 most generous philanthropists, having given an estimated $303 million.
Oprah is credited with changing the way we think about culture and interpersonal communication. The Wall Street Journal coined the word "Oprahfication" to describe "public confession as a form of therapy." Jet magazine uses "Oprah" as a verb : "I didn't want to tell her but she Oprah'd it out of me." Politicians hold "Oprah-style" town meetings to gauge the mood of their constituents.
One of the most controversial aspects of her cultural influence stems from the emphasis Oprah places on religion and spirituality. In 2002 Christianity Today said she 'bas become one of the most influential spiritual leaders in America." CT writer LaTonya Taylor describes Oprah as a "postmodern priestess-an icon of church-free spirituality" with a "congregation" of 22 million viewers
Oprah retains elements of her Baptist upbringing. But the spiritual quest she began in her 20S has resulted in a belief system made up of a smorgasbord of religions and ideas. Taylor writes, "Oprah clearly believes that part of her role as a talk show host is to call her audience to some sort of higher plane The theological nature of that higher plane and her methods for getting there are what sound alarms for many of her Christian critics."
Reflecting on Oprah's amazing influence prompts me to wonder: What would I do if I woke up tomorrow with Oprah's clout? What if "0" became "C?"
On the one hand, the answer is easy. As a Christian talk show host I would graciously visits with audience members and special guests about parenting. fashion, food, health and selfimprovement and would do so from an evangelical Anabaptist perspective I would nurture authors who write from a Christian worldview, and everyone would read these novels thanks to Connie Book Club. The nonprofit charities of my choice would be anything connected with Mennonites.
On the other hand, thinking about this question is convicting Because, in fact, every morning I - like you - wake up
as a person of influence. It's just that my sphere of impact is smaller than Oprah's. The truth of the matter is that the daily and seemingly mundane choices I make communicate Connie's "gospel."
We know something about Oprah's "gospel" by the authors she recommends, the experts she invites on her television and radio shows and what she says about spiritual things. In fact, Oprah's search for spiritual truth tells us something about her faith-maybe that she still hasn't found what she's looking for.
So what do my choices in these areas proclaim? My reading selections don't make an author famous, but as a regular visitor at our public library I make lots of picks. If you printed out a list of all the books I've read this past year what would that list tell you about me?
I frequently consult experts and recommend them to others. As a parent of three teenagers, I'm always on the lookout for good parenting advice I peruse magazines for home decorating ideas and new recipes. I buy a magazine if the cover suggests an article can help me lose weight
But determining how these experts can reflect my faith isn't easy. In some situations, the expert's faith is foundational to the advice they offer and the faith connection is obvious. But sometimes obviously Christian experts don't give very sound advice while "worldly" experts offer counsel that is essentially based in a Christian worldview.
Now when it comes to talking about spiritual things, I have no doubt that my conversation is more orthodox than Oprah 's. But even her ctitics commend Oprah for her genuine compassion. Do people say that about me? Do my actions reinforce my words?
Our secular American neighbors are spiritually hungry and long to see their lives change. I know that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will give people what they long for. But how do I convey this conviction? Do I have the attitude of a life-long learner or do I come across as a spiritual know-it-all? Evangelical believers can learn from Oprah-from her willingness to be open about spirituality and her committnent to call for change.
You and I are not Oprah, but we are people of influence. Every day we come into contact with people who need to experience the transforming power, grace and love of Jesus Christ. We will influence them The question is how. - CF
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