!SUPPOSE every job has its share of dull moments, frustrations and disappointments. Even mine. For the record, my sunny days far outnumber the cloudy ones. On those duller days, though, I remind myself how fortunate I am to have a job that is so ultimately satisfying. I pity those who force themselves out of bed day after day with only a paycheck and the weekend to look forward to. Whether you love your job or merely tolerate it, this issue will challenge you to look at it with a new lens: Your work is God's work-or can be. Eddy Hall and Gary Morsch debunk the myth of secular work (page 4), while Ray Bystrom reminds us that whatever our occupation, Christians share the same vocation (page 8).
In the midst of those two articles we scattered a few vignettes from the faithfully employed among us. Talking with them piqued our curiosity about other Mennonite Brethren out there who see their jobs as an extension of their spiritual commitment. What difference does being a Christian make in the way they do their job? If you know about other Mennonite Brethren who do some "out of the ordinary" things because of their faith convictions-let us know. We'd like to share their stories.
In Bodylife, we've got two articles dealing with a familiar topic in our corporate life: money and ministry. Mostly the lack of the former and the abundance of the latter. But a fairly dramatic thing has happened in regard to Mission USA, the renewal and church planting thrust of our U.S. Conference. Don't miss the news, beginning on page 19.
So, let's get to work.-DR
COMING
• MARCH 31-APRIL 2-"Engaging the Powers," MCC Washington Office Spring Seminar .
• JULY 22-26-Basic Institute in Conflict Management and Mediation, sponsored by the Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies; held at Fresno Pacific College
• JULY 26-29-U.S. Conference biennial convention, Colorado Springs, Colo.
QUOTABLE
'7n nothing has the Church so lost her grip on reality as in her failure to understand and respect the secular vocation. She has allowed work and religion to become separate compartments, and is astonished to find that, as a result, the secular work of the world is turned to purely selfish and destructive ends, and that the greater part of the world)s intelligent workers have become irreligious, or at least, uninterested in religion. ))-Dorothy L. Sayers
The of SECULAR WORK
by EDDY HALL and GARY MORSCH
God doesn't view work the way our culture does
AN LUNDY runs a lllinistry organization, but you W"on't find it listed in the YelloW" Pages under that heading. You'll have to look under "Laboratories." Her business, Precision Histology, is a llledicallaboratory in Oklahollla City W"hich prepares lllicroscope slides of tissues frolll W"hich doctors diagnose patients' illnesses.
Precision Histology has been going for 10 years now. As the world measures success, it hasn't made much of a splash. For the first few years Jan had to reinvest all her earnings into the company to buy equipment, and today she earns only a modest wage. But that's OK with Jan because Precision Histology is succeeding at what it was created to do.
"From the beginning, our main purpose has been to help people," Jan explains. This happens in various ways. Jan hired lab technicians with little or no technical skill and gave them on-the-job training. Often these were mothers from lowincome families who lacked the resources to pay for formal training. One technician she hired was
already trained but was recovering from drug addiction and not physically able to go back to work in the hospital.
Jan also made it possible for employees to keep their children with them at work by providing a play area at the lab and, when necessary, hiring a childcare worker at no cost to the mothers.
Karen, one of Jan's first trainees, has recently returned to work for Jan full-time after gaining hospital experience. "Jan gave me a job when I had no job and no training to get a job," she says. "Christy was just six weeks old then, and because Jan made it possible for me to keep Christy with me at work I was able to nurse her."
Jan relates to her employees not just as individuals, but as families, including spouses and children in company social events. And, of course, in all these relationships, she tries to show God's love and share her faith in appropriate ways.
As part of its ministry, the lab has prepared slides at no charge for three local nonprofit clinics serving low-income patients. But, at its most basic, the lab ministers through the services it is paid to provide. As the name she chose for her company implies, Jan insists upon work of the highest quality, both from herself and her employees. "I treat each slide as though it is for a member of my own family," Jan says. "After all, each one is for somebody)s mother, brother, or sister."
Once when a lab employee delivered slides to a client, the doctor noticed a problem with one of them. He told the employee, "I know Jan will take care of this because she's very religious." That doctor recognized that the conscientiousness he had come to expect from Precision Histology was a direct expression of Jan's faith.
"Caring whether people have a good diagnosis is very important to me," says Jan. "Doctors need to be able to interpret slides easily and accurately. If my slides enable them to do that, I am ministering to the patients whether they know it or not. " Most of the people to whom Jan and her coworkers minister, then, are people they never meet, but that doesn't make their ministry any less real or important.
Secular or
God doesn't view work the way our culture does. Our culture identifies a few vocations-those involving "professional ministry" -as sacred. Other vocations-such as accountant, sanitation
God does not want us to divide life into the secular and the holy. God calls us to so live that our entire lives are sacred.
worker, homemaker, and mechanic-it labels secular. These jobs, according to the conventional wisdom, are not concerned with religion.
But God does not want us to divide life into the religious and nonreligious, the secular and the holy. God calls us to so live that our entire lives are sacred. Paul writes, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). God calls us to do everything we do, from eating breakfast in the morning, to working during the day, to playing with our kids in the evening, with the purpose of bringing glory to God-causing others to think more highly of him. For the Christian, every aspect of life, every moment of every day, is to be holy.
Ministering our work means more than simply ministering while at work. Looking for appropriate opportunities to talk about faith with coworkers, clients, or customers is important, but ministering through our work goes beyond this. Modeling such Christian virtues as honesty, respect and diligence in workplaces where lying, putdowns, and loafing are the norm can be a powerful witness. But ministering through our work goes still further.
Ministering through our work means minister-
on the job
WE WERE interested to know how being a Christian affected the way Mennonite Brethren do their jobs. So we unscientifically rounded up a cross section of folks who are respected in their respective occupations and asked them two questions:
1. What difference does being a Christian make in the way you do your job?
2. What ethical challenges do you face on the job and how do you resolve them?
Ycu'll find their responses in the following pages.
itself becomes more than a job; it is transformed into ministry.
The people you serve
When you work-whether at home, in an office, or in the cab of an I8-wheeler-who is it you are serving? Whose needs are you meeting by the product or service you help to provide? If you can answer that question, you are halfway toward having a ministry job rather than a secular job.
To go the other half of the way, you simply have to do your work for those people. Your goal, as you work, is to serve them, to meet their needs.
A Christian builder prays for the family that will live in the home he is building. A quilter prays for the family that will spend cold nights snuggled under her quilt. These workers have found a way to remind themselves who it is they are serving. They are inspired that their work will minister to specific people though they have not yet met. Not only are they lovingly preparing a house and a quilt for their future owners, but by their prayers they are also releasing God's blessing into the lives of those they serve.
Remembering who it is you are serving can tum ordinary tasks into ministry. One mother we know confesses that when her baby demands to
on the job
The difference: The way I do my job as a Christian goes back to my training as a youngster. My parents always instilled in me that I was answerable to God for my actions. I have to answer to my family, my wife and to God for my actions at work-in the pilot's seat or on layovers. Everything I do reflects on my witness as a Christian.
We work with a lot of gay people in the flight attendant ranks. I don't agree with their lifestyle, but I still treat them as people God loves.
Ethical challenges: Ethics at work includes honestly giving my employers a good day's work. I get paid a salary and I should give them the best that I have. That means studying to prepare for the flight, showing up on time, and not calling in sick when I'm not. Ethics also includes the relationship between crew members. In our company it's called cockpit resource management: if you don't know the answer bring it up to the flight crew. Respect them and their knowledge.
WORK
on the job
Pat Jost, retirement community administrator, Reedley, Calif.
The difference: I recognize that God led me to this job. His faithfulness to me is a constant reminder of how I am an instrument of enacting his faithfulness to others.
Ethical challenges: The most common issues that arise involve deciding whether the care and welfare extended to one individual should be sustained, even though the condition or behavior of that individual affects other's care and welfare negatively. I do my best to be tolerant and understanding. However, balancing one person's needs against the needs of the entire group is often a heartrendering and burdensome challenge.
be held, she is tempted to feel like she's wasting time. As she rocks her baby, she isn't getting lunch cooked. She isn't getting the laundry done.
But one day, as she was impatiently rocking her baby, she remembered the last sentence of a magazine article she'd read. It said, "A baby needs to be held when a baby needs to be held."
That line reminded her that she was engaged in one of the most important ministries in the world-showing love to her child. She was then able to relax and concentrate on "doing love," confident there was no better way to invest her time.
How can you remind yourself of who it is you're serving with your work? By putting a picture of a representative customer on the wall above your desk? By praying for the person who will receive each package you ship out of the shipping room? By offering a warm smile and a kind word to each customer you wait on? Whatever your reminder is, allow a vision of the people you serve through your work to inspire you to add the secret ingredient of love to every task. When love for those you serve inspires your daily work, your work becomes ministry.
No Christian should do "secular" work-work that is not sacred. Whether paid or unpaid, performed at home or the office or the factory, any legitimate work can glorify God and serve other people. Every Christian's work can be holy. •
Gary Morsch, a physician in Olathe, Kan., is founder and director of the Center for Lay Ministry. Eddy Hall is a fulltime free-lance writer and editor from Goessel, Kan. This article is taken from their recently released book The Lay Ministry Revolution: How You Can]oin (Baker 1996).
Calvin Dahl, commercial pilot, Minneapolis, Minn.
o n em
by RAY BYSTROM
The Bible indicates that whatever your occupation, God has a vocation in tnind for you
o YOU FEEL CALLED by God in your present occupation?
Whether you are a' pastor or pipe fitter, tnissionary or tnechanic, doctor or dietitian, hoW" you ansW"er that question says a lot about your effectiveness as a Christian.
At least that's what William Diehl concluded. A few years ago, Diehl asked that question to almost 200 Christians in the marketplace. He wanted to discover what made some people more likely to connect faith with daily life. In his book, In Search of Faithfulness: Lessons from the Christian Community, Diehl reports that only 30 percent of the people he interviewed answered his question affirmatively. For the most part, these same people were also more intentional about prayer, Bible study, spiritual growth, Christian community and support groups, the use of money and time, and the quest for justice on and off the job.
Diehl learned that a sense of vocation-a sense of call from God-is a critical factor in shaping a person's response to Christ in the marketplace.
That's a biblical notion, too. In his letter to
the Ephesians, Paul links our calling as God's people with the endeavors of daily life: "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" (4:1). God first calls us to himself, Paul says, then invites us to match our daily living with our identity as God's people. In other words, we may have different occupations, but we have the same vocation: to be the people of God wherever we work, live or play.
But Diehl learned that fewer than one out of three persons surveyed possessed a sense of God's calling in their occupation-the area of our lives where many of us spend at least half of our waking hours. What a tragedy! I believe we can recover that sense of vocation by rediscovering a biblical understanding of our vocation. That understanding is rooted in three biblical images of God: as our vocational example, our vocational director and as our vocational model.
God as vocational example
Paul winds up his argument about linking our calling to daily life with these words: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us " (Eph. 5:1-2). To be imitators of God means that our primary vocation is not to teach, sell, manufacture or clean. Rather, our fulltime job is to love as God loves. Maybe the business card of a Christian should read this way: "Jane Doe. Occupation: Sales. Vocation: Loving as God loves."
Ralston Young had that kind of notion about his vocation. Young was employed as a baggage porter at Grand Central Station in New York. He knew his primary vocation was loving the people whose bags he carried. He once said: "Everybody taking a train out of Grand Central Station isn't going on a honeymoon. Many are going to funerals. Many are about to be separated from family and friends for a long time. Some are going to prison." So Young held a noon prayer meeting three days a week in a cold, unlighted railroad car on track 13. All sorts of people showed upbusinessmen, secretaries, janitors. While carrying bags, Ralston Young exercised his vocation of loving people in the style of Jesus.
Betty, my wife, has a sense of Christian vocation. She is the head nurse of a clinic at Valley Medical Center in Fresno, a hospital that serves the poor in our city. Her staff is culturally and economically diverse. Betty's occupation is nursing management, but she sees her vocation as humaniZing the workplace, making it a place of
WORK
If we accept our God-given Christian vocation, we will accomplish a great deal with our life.
justice and love for all persons. Betty says: "I am concerned about relationships in the workplace. That's why we have potluck lunches so often-like on Emancipation Proclamation Day, when the African-Americans bring their ethnic foods. It all helps to improve relationships on the job."
Tony Campolo is right to urge God's people to make the workplace a holy place, a place of love and justice so non-Christians can experience a taste of God's kind of community. Campolo says the relevant churches of the 20th century will be
on the job
The difference: I have 29 employees that work for me in one way or another; some of my employees are Christian and some are not. To a certain degree, I have to lead by example. In order to set a good example, I have to follow the example Jesus set for us. Leading by example lets employees know where I stand on a lot of issues, not just the day-to-day routine things, but in an overall perspective on life.
Ethical challenges: Anytime you deal in the business environment there are opportunities for misdeeds to occur on a regular basis. It may be as simple as a kickback from someone for doing business with them. We had an architect who was doing work with the university and he underbilled me. It would have been very easy for me to close out that account and save the university between $15,000 and $20,000. I have a bottom-line responsibility to the university. But as a Christian I have to live with myself.
Oftentimes our students are faced with challenges that make it difficult or impossible for them to pay their bills. We have standard policies, but situations come up which demand a compassionate review and understanding. I try to make sure I treat people with a sense of fairness.
Randy Doerksen, college administrator, Wichita, Kan.
church planters because their work connects so readily to God's work as reconciler, redeemer and transformer. For the rest of us, the workplace is perceived as a sort of farm-club for the "real work" of God. About the only "spiritual" thing workplace folks can do for God is witness to their coworkers and tithe to the church, right?
Wrong. God's work is far broader than Christ's work of reconciling people, or helping them grow together in faith and obedience. Yes, God is employed in the pivotal work of redeeming, reconciling and transforming, but God is involved in a wide range of trades, such as creator, sustainer, and preserver of order in a world too prone to fall apart. God works as the provider who distributes good things to all people and brings good out of evil. God works as the lawgiver who established a moral structure for his people. God is into justice work too.
But these are only a few of God's jobs. In his book, God the Worker, Robert Banks explores 15 of God's occupations that we rarely talk about: God as composer and performer, metalworker and potter, garmentmaker and dresser, gardener and orchardist, farmer and winemaker, tentmaker and camper, builder and architect. Too often we focus on the more familiar aspects of God's work and ignore the rest-to our detriment.
Here's the point: All of Godls work can be correlated with legitimate human work. The work of a teacher reflects God's work as revealer of truth. The work of doctor reflects God's work as healer. The work of musician reflects God's
Too often we focus on the 11l0re fatniliar aspects of God's work and ignore the rest-to our
detritnent.
on the job
Wilbur Unrau, farmer/rancher, Wolfe Point, Mont.
The difference: When you're in farming, so many different kinds of disasters can happen it can get discouraging. Just recognizing that God is sovereign and in control gives me hope. I also realize that God has more for me than to just farm the land. He has given me responsibilities to my family and to the community of believers and the world around me. For that reason my work isn't all I live for.
Ethical challenges: To be honest in our dealings. When I make a verbal commitment to do something I must follow through and be true to my word.
I am challenged to recognize the importance of relationships with other people. I try not to make decisions only in terms of the economic issue but also in terms of how it affects people around me. For example, if my neighbor is leasing a certain piece of ground, I don't try to outbid him and take it away from him because it affects him and my relationship with him.
work as creator. The work of the secretary, who schedules appointments and monitors schedules, reflects God love of order. If we are involved in legitimate human work, we can all say, "My work is God's work!"
The concept of God the worker has tremendous implications for the church in our culture;- especially when it comes to conveying the Christian message to those outside the church. If we bypass the world of work, we miss one of the most fruitful points of contact we have with them.
For almost all people today, work is a central feature of their lives. People think, worry, dream and talk about work. We have an opportunity to show people that God is highly interested in work, that God understands the possibilities and frustrations of work, that God knows the complexities involved in depending on others in work, that God is also concerned to balance work and rest. Above all, we can show people that the world of work is not strange to God. God is a worker.
So, are you called to your present occupation? Many Christians are learning that a sense of vocation, a sense of calling from God, is a critical factor in shaping a person's response to Christ in the marketplace.
Ray Bystrom teaches in the area ofpastoral ministries at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif. He is working on a book about Christians in the marketplace.
•
Conscience, not quotas
I was challenged by the article on racism in the January Christian Leader. Although my feeling toward a situation may be right, it is amazing how slow I am to respond to negative racist remarks. I have room for improvement.
A number of things in the article "Who? Us, racist?" need a response. The recommendation to have a quota for minorities on church and conference boards seems to me to fly in the face of getting us to look at each other as individuals with value instead of groups of people.
Our culture would tell us to have quotas, but isn't really the ultimate insult to individuals to suggest they are not adequate for the job in and of themselves, that they need some special help?
It may be more appropriate for those of us in leadership to put our reputation on the line by nominating and publicly supporting the election of those who may not have had opportunity to demonstrate leadership to a larger group but show potential.
Although Jesus condemned groups of people it seems he raised up individuals.
The other thing I would question in the article is the clamor for power. The organizational structure of our conference, and in most of the churches in the districts, has almost eliminated the ability of anyone person getting anything of significance accomplished. Ask those who have tried! We are much more responsive to one with a servant's heart and an ability to articulate vision.
It is this drive for power that Jesus so soundly condemned and so should we. Many a move to promote gender and minority issues has failed because of a perceived desire for power and not on the merits of the issue itself.
The ability of the Mennonite Brethren to show the way in the area of racism will not be by quotas and power but by obedience to conscience. Daryl Toews Lustre, Mont.
WHAT READERS SAY
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b I was bothered by the article, "Who? Us, Racist?" To label everyone of us as being "racist" may be going a bit too far. Granted, many of our midwestern churches are not located in areas with large populations of hispanics, Chinese, Slavics, Europeans, and other groups, but to say we have been unable to free ourselves of "Low German" encumbrances may not be accurate. The following quotes from the article bothered me:
• "An inability to share power with those outside the Low German circle speaks for itself. "
• "We still worship a tribal god with Low German traits."
• "We aren't yet ready to hand over the ownership of the Mennonite Brethren Church to people, regardless of how strong and pure their faith, who can't trace their roots to the early 'brethren' who struggled in southern Russia in 1860 to gain doctrinal purity coupled with discipleship."
I'd be the first to admit that our local church is not perfect. However, with names like Cunningham (senior pastor), Brashears (church moderator), McLain and Whiteneck (deacons), we hardly seem like a church that requires a Low German background to qualify for leadership roles. These men are not only accepted, but are admired and very much appreciated for their service.
I'm sure the same could be true in many of our Mennonite Brethren churches. The blending together of different-ethnic backgrounds can work to our advantage in reaching others for Christ.
On another note, some of our members of non-Low German back-
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ground are proud of the fact that they belong to a church whose founding fathers were willing to endure hardships and even death to establish a church that believes that Colossians 3: 11 applies to us. One such melnber has for several years taught classes in our church as well as a sister church on Mennonite history.
No doubt some "racism" exists in all our churches, but let's not let that issue cause us to lose our focus on what the mission of the church is: to bring the gospel of Christ to all peoples, regardless of race, creed or color.
Gene Eitzen Fairview, Okla.
Inappropriate blame
Edward Warkentin is correct to remind us that our motive for giving to the church and its ministries should be pure (Forum, November). However, I think he attacks the wrong target when he condemns the church's agencies for the misplaced priorities of individuals.
I write in several interested capacities. I am a retired officer of Fresno Pacific College. I have been involved in Christian ministry and Christian higher education for many years. I am a continuing donor to FPC and my name (with that of my wife) is on one of those plaques in MacDonald Hall on the FPC campus.
Warkentin's thesis, it seems to me, contains several errors of judgment. First, it fails to acknowledge that giving is a ministry/service. Both the Old and New Testament make clear that giving is a natural element of the Christian life. The church, in all its form and agencies, necessarily calls us
FRIENDSHIPS
Palm Villagers
Greeting places.
Things in common. A commtmity of neighbors gathering in work or play.
For more information, call
DAVID REIMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
to share in this ministry. Interestingly, the same issue of the Leader included an article clearly expressing the viewpoint that "ministry" takes many forms. Among the friends of FPC are many donors who support the college as part of their ministry involvement.
Second, the essay fails to acknowledge that the New Testament sets a pattern for recognition of faithful service.Matthew 6: 1-4 is not the only passage of Scripture which speaks to the issue he raises.
Many names are engraved in the pages of Scripture in recognition of their giving and other ministry services. Acts 4:36-37 records that Barnabas sold a field and gave the proceeds to the church. Romans 16 says Phoebe was "a great help to me;" Priscilla and Aquila "risked their lives for me;" Mary "worked very hard;" Andronicus and Junius were "outstanding among the apostles;" Tryphemas and Tryphosa "work hard in the Lord." Paul also identifies and commends 19 other persons. These recognitions will far outlast the engraved plaques in any campus building.
Third, Warkentin fails to acknowledge the distinction between recognition and motivation, attributing an unworthy motive to donors and assuming that they give only "to be seen of men. "
It is not the response of the col-
leges, but the motive of the donor which should be addressed. Admittedly, some give with improper motives but I am persuaded that this was not the case with most of those whose support made it possible for Warkentin to experience FPC.
Rather than fault the church's colleges for recognizing donors, Warkentin should focus his analytical abilities on asking donors about their motivations. As donors we appreciate the recognition, but we do not give in order to be honored. We are also laying up treasures in heaven, but that fact is not our primary motivation either. We give to invest in a cause which we consider to be vital to the life of the church.
Gerald G. Winkleman Prescott,
Thanks for the hymnals
Ariz.
We, the pastors and congregation of Closer Walk MB Church (Boone, N.C.), would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Parkview MB Church (Hillsboro, Kan.). The hymnals which they sent are being put to great use!
We would also like to thank our brothers and sisters who are praying for our newly planted church in the North Carolina District.
Pastors Jerry Shull & Robert White Boone, NC.
by Mary-Lynn Chambers
A fun-filled resource fulfilling all the aspects parents desire to have during a devotional time with young children. Creative communication and practical application are part of the 52 devotionals. These devotionals will gro,\v '\vith your children.
Ron Penner Associated Professor of Church and Family Ministries at MBBS stated, "A great resource for parents ,vith young children. The time frame is right - short; fonnat action oriented (varied at that); and scripture is woven naturally." Paper, 87 pages, $11.95
Available at your local bookstore or by calling the Kindred office at 1-800-545-7322
PHILIP SIDE
BY PHILIP WIEBE
A flood of ideas
In a real struggle for the world suddenly gets bigger and less predictable than we thought.
IWRITE THIS just a few days after evacuating my house during Oregon's worst flooding in 13 years. As it turned out, the evacuation was brief and the rising river never did reach my door. But had early predictions panned out, I might have been typing this ankle-deep in water. Or at least with a great river-front view of the Willamette, which normally flows at least a half mile from my house.
But my floor is dry and my computer screen reflects a slice of sunshine slanting through my office window. It seems strange how recently I was glancing out nervously at the growing lake in my driveway.
The flood never got in my house, but like most Oregon residents, I did often find it on my mind. A variety of thoughts floated by with the river:
• For years TV stations and newspapers have argued back and forth about which medium more effectively conveys the day's news. During Oregon's flooding, the clear winner was ... radio. Television showed me what was happening, which was dramatic but not very helpful. The newspaper evaluated what could happen, which was helpful but was not always current. It was my radio that told me what I needed to know when I needed to know it.
As I worked in my office all week, a local station kept me abreast of the latest road closures, water safety reports, evacuation notices, and so on.
I was especially struck by the contrast one morning when I tuned in to TV's flood coverage early, then switched to radio when I went to
work. During an hour of TV news I saw miles of awesome video, but not one shred regarding the status of my local area.
On the radio I got the information within five minutes.
Once I read that television isn't very good at covering real news, because real news isn't always photogenic. Our flood provided a good example. High water made for some great shots of TV reporters sloshing around in hip waders on what used to be Main Street. But for concrete information on what to do and what to expect, my radio and newspaper were the places to go.
• I'm amazed how natural disasters bring out the best in human nature. People who would just as soon run each other off of the freeway and frown each other off the sidewalk are suddenly helping to sandbag each other's houses and rescue each other's cats. I speak simplistically, of course, knowing there are many people who are helpful in all situations and many who are helpful in none. Yet there's no doubt that natural disasters change people's perspectives for a time. Often for the better.
I think it's because they knock us from our misplaced faith that we're this close to being in total control. A failing deluge and rising flood level will quickly wash away any delusions of grandeur. Interviewees who sandbagged homes and helped out neighbors kept smiling with odd serenity and saying things like, "We're doing what we can, but the
rest is out of our hands."
Not a bad attitude to have all the time, but one that often gets lost in the grim struggle for daily survival. Funny thing-what we call daily survival isn't really a struggle for survival at all, but merely a scramble to keep up with the oversupply of demands we place on ourselves. In a real struggle for survival, the world suddenly gets bigger and less predictable than we thought. We're forced, to our benefit, to reflect on life beyond the minutiae of our daily routine.
• The first neighborhood in our area to get an evacuation order was across the river to the north of us. Included was a large section of pricey homes built along the wooded lowlands of a golf club. As I listened to my radio, I was astonished to learn that the closer the hour of evacuation came, the more that neighborhood became choked with a traffic jam ofU-Haul moving vans.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. If I'd had a house full of expensive furniture, clothing and art, I probably would have hightailed it to the nearest U-Haul outlet too . As it was, our car had ample room for the stuff we decided was irreplaceable: a firebox with important documents, family photo files and albums, a briefcase of current office papers, and my guitar. We didn't even bother taking the computer equipment; at a year-and-a-half old, it was already long obsolete.
Granted, our house was on the fringe of our neighborhood's flood zone and the worst we probably would have gotten was soggy carpets. But it was refreshing to realize we didn't have all that much valuable stuff to worry about. Kim and I often talk about wanting to keep our priorities straight, to not get overly attached to material things and worldly pursuits. Yet sometimes in the rush to make a living, we wonder if we mean it.
The flood showed us that maybe our hearts are in the right place after all.
ON THE JOURNEY
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
From Ramadan to Lent
Muslims have Ramadan. What would happen of we had a similar time offasting and spiritual emphasis for Christians?
FOR NEARLY 1.1 billion people in the world today, the observance of Ramadan has great religious significance. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims believe that it was on the 27th of that
month that the Qur'an was revealed to the prophet Mohammed.
This winter, Ramadan began Sunday, Jan. 21, and ended on Monday, Feb. 19 (with some slight variations in certain countries). Since it follows the lunar calendar, the dates for Ramadan change each year. It comes about 11 days earlier than the year before.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is required of all Muslims. It is seen as an act of faith and worship to Allah. Each day of fasting begins as soon as it is possible to distinguish between a black and white thread in the early morning light and ends at sundown. After 30 consecutive days of fasting, Ramadan is followed by several days of feasting and celebration.
Fasting, for Muslims, means no food or drink, including water, is to be consumed during the period of the fast. Smoking and sexual activity are also prohibited. Fasting is required of all adults beginning at about age 15, but may be waived for the sick, elderly, travelers, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Anywhere you go throughout the Muslim world, everybody knows when it's Ramadan. Restaurants are shut down during the day, except in tourist areas catering to non-Muslims. However, food cooked during the feast time may not taste as it normally would since cooks can't taste
it to check for appropriate seasoning. Most businesses and professional offices have shortened hours. Daytime 1V programs are replaced by lengthy readings from the Qur'an. In the evening, just after sunset, roads are almost completely deserted, since people are in their homes enjoying a "break fast" meal. Feasting and visiting with family and friends continue into the early hours of the night.
During our three-year stay in Morocco, my husband and I lived through Ramadan several times. As we watched our Moroccan friends and neighbors experience Ramadan, we wondered what would happen if we had a similar time of fasting and spiritual emphasis as Christians. Would our faith be strengthened? Would our commitment to follow Christ have a higher priority? Since our return to the United States I have looked around for a Christian counterpart to Ramadan. The closest I found was the practice of Lent.
Lent is part of the liturgical tradition in some churches. It is intended to be a time for self-discipline and spiritual enrichment. The 40 days of Lent are meant to be a time of inner reflection and of spiritual renewal leading to the celebration of Easter. However, Lent was not part of my Christian experience until just recently .. It was not something we did in our Mennonite churches when I was growing up.
Last spring I overheard a discussion between several ninth graders in one of my math classes. Two girls were discussing what they were giv-
ing up for Lent. One of the boys interrupted their conversation and rather self-righteously said, "I don't do Lent. You're not supposed to work for your salvation, so you shouldn't do that." The two girls gave him some bewildered looks, shook their heads and proceeded with their conversation. I took a deep breath and walked away. This boy obviously did not understand what Lent meant to these two girls. The girls didn't understand his point of view either, except to think, "there he goes again."
I was able to find some excellent Bible study books with a Lenten emphasis and used these as my private spiritual guides. And, yes, I decided to give up something for Lent. I down-loaded my favorite computer game and put the disk away. I was soon amazed at how much extra time I had, since I was no longer playing this game on a regular basis. I actually had to think of things to do to fill the time.
I set my alarm earlier than usual, and found that I always woke up before it actually rang. These early morning studies became precious , times of communion for me. My Bible study took me through an indepth study of the Beatitudes. Within the context of Lent, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Mt. 5:6), took on a special meaning. Lent 1995 was a time of spiritual renewal for me which I treasure.
This year Lent began Feb. 21 and will end with Palm Sunday. With great anticipation I look forward to another mountain top experience of spiritual growth.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it best for ,me, "The holiest of all holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart: the secret anniversaries of the heart."
Lent is my special treasure. I'm glad I found it.
INQUIRING MINDS
BY MARVIN HEIN
QWhat are we to say or think about recent reports that prayer increases the possibility ofphysical healing in the body?
(CALIFORNIA)
AI suppose the question arises not because we have traditionally failed to believe in physical healing, but because a variety of sources, many of them secular, are now suggesting that prayer may have something to do with healing the body. I have seen rather recent reports in newspapers where writers have suggested that scientific studies reveal some connection between prayer and healing. Such reports should not startle those of us who believe what the Bible says. It is clear that James instructed us to pray for the sick. I have anointed with oil and prayed over a number of people. I have seen some rather remarkable results from this process. I have never seen a dramatic, immediate, complete physical healing in such instances but I do know of cases in our churches where people have experienced such healing.
attack in 1994, when his heart was restarted more than 25 times, doctors predicted he would simple vegetate until another attack would claim his life. the night of his attack he was anointed with oil by an elder from his Reformed Church, by a charismatic pastor and by Orthodox priests while 100 young people prayed in the halls.
Chilton's response to this was: "I don't want to get into a 'bidding war' over whose prayers worked; but I will say that the reason David Chilton is alive today is because of the prayers of God's people."
While we continue to trust in prayer for healing, we also need to guard against flagrant uses of prayer for healing.
What may concern the inquirer most is that the call to prayer for healing today comes from such strange sources. I share that concern. I suppose that even within the New Age Movement there is teaching that if a person meditates (a form of prayer) and discovers the god inside him/herself, healing takes place. Should we be troubled when non-Christians discover the connection between prayer and healing?
David Chilton, a contemporary Christian writer, recently reported how prayer accomplished healing in his body. After a massive heart
While we continue to trust in prayer for healing, we also need to guard against flagrant uses of prayer for healing. In our pluralistic society we find calls very similar to ours. You can purchase popular booklets that will tell you prayer will help you to be more successful, save a tangled marriage or even lose weight.
There is some truth in what the worst of sources tell us. I suspect that if you want to lose weight, not eating like a pig may be more helpful than praying. But knowing how much I like to eat, perhaps I should pray that my inner discipline will be strengthened by God. Moreover, we should make certain we are praying to God, not some "higher being" or "earth's cosmic healing energies" as current literature suggests.
To be sure, prayer should always begin with the recognition that God is the creator and we are his creatures.
Baal's followers prayed to a false god and found no answer. There is power in prayer for healing, but the crucial issue is to which God we're praying.
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to UInquiring Minds, JJ c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.
QCan one find any biblical position that would prohibit cremation as opposed to burial at death? (CALIFORNIA)
AI have addressed this question before but I continue to receive questions on this topic, so here goes.
I find nothing in the Bible against cremation. We know God will one day resurrect our physical bodies. It will hardly be a problem for God to accomplish that whether he has to do it from ashes, dust, bones or flesh.
The average cost of an American funeral today is about $6,000. Cremation costs average about $800. Widows and families quite often impoverish themselves with our traditional funeral practices and the end result is still "ashes to ashes and dust to dust."
One caution: It seems to me that there is value in being able to go to a place where memories can be maintained and strengthened. Having the ashes of a loved one strewn over an ocean, mountain or garden may be satisfying to the person who plans his/her own cremation. However, it is good to have a place to which the survivors can go and gratefully remember.
Such a place of memory does not demand burial of a physical body. The ashes resulting from cremation can be buried or stored in an urn above ground.
Theoretically we perhaps should not need something physical to which we go for memorial purposes. But most of us are human enough to find it advantageous to be able to feel or see or sense in some tangible way something that represents the life we loved.
To be sure, given sufficient time in the earth, our bodies will all turn to dust. While I will probably not choose the cremation alternative, I see nothing unbiblical or unspiritual about hastening that process at the time of death.
Mission USA to receive fuel for launch
•A bold funding plan assures startup funds for renewal/outreach thrust
LIKE THE CHICKEN and the egg argument, which comes first when launching a major ministry initiative: funding or staff? Funding is necessary to hire staff; a staff person is necessary to generate funding.
That was the key dilemma facing the boards of the U.S. Conference during their annual meeting Feb. 15-17 in Wichita, Kan. Mission USA, the newly launched renewal and church-planting thrust of the U.S. Conference, had reached that critical crossroads in its development. Given current giving trends, generating enough funds to secure an executive director and begin projects did not seem likely.
So, acting creatively and boldlyand acknowledging the risks-the joint boards unanimously approved a proposal from the Board of Church Ministries to launch Mission USA in a way many other worthy ventures begin: by borrowing start-up capital. The plan essentially provides Mission
((We
... remain committed to the fact that the future of the u.s. Conference lies with the success of Mission USA and our vision for church renewal and church planting.
JJ-DENNIS FAST
USA and the U.S. Conference with a $200,000 line of credit for the coming year through MB Foundation.
"We realize there is a funding shortage in the U.S. Conference, but the Board of Church Ministries-and the entire joint boards-remains committed to the fact that the future of the U.S. Conference lies with the success of Mission USA and our vision for church renewal and church planting," Dennis Fast, conference chair, said later. "Even though the risks seem high, we felt we wanted to do whatever we could to giveMission USA a strong two-year commitment to really get started."
The vision that became Mission USA was born three years ago when leaders of various conference agencies and institutions gathered in Wichita to discuss funding shortages.
MB Foundation's capital idea
THE BOLD funding proposal MB Foundation offered at the joint boards meeting included the following:
1. The U.S. Conference will receive a $40,000 grant for fiscal year 1996-97.
2. MB Foundation approved a $200,000 loan at 7 percent interest t6 capitalize Mission USA with the following conditions:
a. Mission USA will hire a full-time director prior to receiving the loan.
b. Mission USA will implement a fund-raising program to generate $140,000 in fiscal year 1996-97. These funds are to be used to pay the loan and interest.
c. After one year, the remaining principle balance will be fully amortized over 10 years at 7 percent interest.
3. MBF will add to the original loan if needed at the beginning of year two; the total loan is not to exceed $160,000 at that time.
4. After two years, the IIMission USA Fund-raising" line ($140,000) and the "Special Fund-raising" line ($60,000) will be merged into one budget line to avoid " res tricted ll and "unrestricted" dichotomy in Mission USA funding.
The group agreed the U.S. Conference needed renewal and growth, and pledged to make such a thrust a priority for the entire conference through at least the year 2000. A formal proposal to launch the program as "Mission USA" was adopted by the 1994 national convention.
"Even though it was launched two years ago and a board formed a year ago, without funding an executive director, Mission USA was not able to move ahead at the pace that we had envisioned," Fast said. "We decided to go this route because we feel that once we have a strong director in place, his leadership will be the key to both funding and carrying out the vision. We felt stymied until we could do one of those two things. They had to happen together, in a sense."
Chuck Buller, chair of the Mission USA board, agreed. "We came to these meetings not knowing whether we had the funding to carry out the mandate the conference had given us. It isn't hyperbole to say that without this generous decision, Mission USA couldn't get off the ground."
The funding shortage has been rooted in good intentions. In the early stages, planners envisioned that other Mennonite Brethren institutions-such as MB Missions/Services, Fresno Pacific and Tabor colleges, and MB Biblical Seminary-would indicate their support for Mission USA by contributing funds to the cause.
But those contributions have been mostly "in-kind" -providing services, funding or personnel for specific components within the broader vision. That has left little discretionary money available to implement basic programming goals-like hiring an executive director.
IN BRIEF
• ADOPTION: A group of. largely Puerto Rican immigrants in the Hayward, Calif., area have affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren, thanks to contacts made by Jerry Stauffer and Aram Garabedian of New Life Christian Fellowship (MB) of Union City, Calif. and pastor Jose Natal of tglesia Evangelica Encuentro (MB), Shafter, Calif. The group, Iglesia Evangelica El Shaddai Christian Fellowship, had been meeting in a house church setting until Jan. 28 when they had their inaugural service. That day about 40 met for Sunday school and 50 for a worship service. The aim of the new group is to reach the hispanic population in Union City. (US Conference)
• CONSTRUCTION: The Fresno Pacific College Board of Trustees approved construction Jan. 17 of an energy distribution system and central plant with cogeneration equipment valued at $1.8 million. It is estimated that about 85 percent of the colfege electricity needs wilt be provided by the co-generation plant, producing an estimated savings of $200,000 annually. (FPC)
• GATHERING: The 1995 Canadian MB Conference-sponsored youth conference held in Banff, Alta., Dec. 30 to Jan. 2, attracted 860 young people. Featured speaker Blayne Greiner, a youth pastor from Munroe, Wash., shared the speaker's podium with his wife, Betty, and co-worker, Nate LaCoss. Some features of the weekend represented a shift from previous conferences. The alternative Christian band Audio Adrenalin (no "moshing ll allowed) proved to have a wider appeal than band choices from previous years. Worship times led by a band and dancers from The Meeting Place (MB) in Winnipeg, Man., were well received while a decision to hold a New Year's Eve dance drew a mixed response. The Feb. 9 issue of the MB Herald carried a brief statement from the planning board. Noting diversity on the issue of dancing, it stated: "We apologize for the offence this caused, and also for putting people into a difficult position as parents and leaders, especiarly because of the lack of advance notice." (MBH)
"We found it was difficult to recruit the kind of person we were looking for without the assurance that we could fund the position for at least a few years," Buller says. "Now we have that assurance."
Buller said his board has interviewed several strong candidates who are interested in taking on the role of executive director for Mission USA. He is hopeful that an appointment can be announced within a few weeks.
Because it is a line of credit more than a loan, the $200,000 may not even be needed if an executive director is hired and contributions to the U.S. Conference increase accordingly, according to Ken Neufeld, who presented the plan on behalf of MB Foundation. After one year, whatever principal balance that remains will be fully amortized over 10 years at 7 percent interest.
Budgets to spend and raise
Acting as the conference in interim, the boards approved a U.S. Conference expense budget of $569,140 for 1996-97-an increase of $141,000 from the current 1995-96 budget. The breakdown of expenses included:
• $18,380 for Board of Church Ministries responsibilities, which includes planning for the national convention this summer in Colorado Springs, Colo.;
• $121,540 for the Board of Communications, primarily for producing the Christian Leader;
• $72,000 for the Board of Trustees, which includes sharing the expenses of a full-time fund-raiser with MB Biblical Seminary; the fundraiser's primary task is to help raise the conference's guaranteed subsidy, which amounts to almost $280,000 in 1996-97;
• $80,200 for Integrated Ministries, the cross-culture component of Mission USA which is temporarily under the jurisdiction of the Board of Church Ministries;
• $277,000 for Mission USA, which, in addition to hiring an executive director, will be initiating projects in Phoenix, Ariz., Papillion, Neb., and Topeka, Kan.
The boards also endorsed a plan presented by the Board of Trustees for raising the necessary funds:
• $260,000 from U.S. churches, based on past performance;
• $8,500 in interest income and endowment earnings;
• $140,000 through Mission USA fund-raising, including tapping the MB Foundation line of credit if necessary;
• $160,640 through special fundraising, which includes a $40,000 grant from MB Foundation, $25,000 from the three largest district conferences, $36,400 from BCM and U.S. Conference fund-raising and as much as $60,000 of the remaining MB Foundation line of credit, if necessary.-
Don Ratzlaff
Shortfall for MBMjS shrinks, but some projects may be cut
•
MBM/S general director asks: fWhat are the churches saying to us?'
N
ORTH AMERICAN Mennonite Brethren churches are still behind in their giving commitment to MB Missions/Services, but they may be catching up.
In January, MBM/S submitted ad copy to the Christian Leader for an "urgent letter" announcing that constituent giving was 7 percent behind a year ago. By the time the ad ran, the number had been reduced to 5.4 percent. The ad ran in February.
In late January, Harold Ens, general director, sent a letter to each U.S. and Canadian church warning of a potential budget shortfall of $500,000. The letter raised the possibility of recalling workers in order to balance the budget. Ens also asked congregational leaders to fill out a questionnaire that would advise MBM/S about its financial strategy.
In' mid-February an MBM/S memo indicated the shortfall had shrunk to 4.7 percent.
By late February, Ens was cautiously hoping for a black year. "If we can spend less, and if the giving keeps going in the direction it has gone since January, we might make it in the black," he says.
But, barring a significant increase
(it looks like we won Jt send out any new workers this year. That will be the first time in about five years that has happened. JJ -HAROLD ENS
in gIVIng, a balanced budget will come at a price. "We're not going to lay anybody off," Ens says, "but we hope to spend about $200,000 less than we budgeted. It looks like we won't send out any new workers this year. That will be the first time in about five years that has happened.
"We've scrutinized our budget and found some places where we can freeze or delay spending-things we're able to hold back on that won't stop completely a ministry or program."
Despite the overall dip, total giving from u.s. churches and individuals is actually ahead of last year's pace. Canadian giving continues to lag behind due to a sluggish economy and weak dollar, Ens notes.
U.S. churches and individuals have contributed just over $1.24 million from June through January. That's a4 percent increase over last year and the highest amount in six years.
Total revenue from churches and individuals in the u.s. and Canada as
of Jan. 31 was $3,185,535.
"We're not out of the water yet," cautions Ens. "We built a budget 5 percent bigger than last year. So to fund this whole budget we need to be 5 percent ahead of last year's giving. So we're actually over 9 percent behind budget."
The MBM/S board, meeting in midMarch, will decide what other cuts may be necessary. "If the numbers are behind, we have to cut numbers in terms of people out there because that's the main part of our budget," Ens says.
Ens believes the MBM/S board has listened and responded to the wishes of its constituents. That's why he finds the current budget shortfall so confusing.
"Fresno '95 [the most recent General Conference convention] came on a year when we had turned around," Ens says. "No one even raised a question about going for 5 percent more. The delegation was overwhelmingly And yet when we came to
Shortfall will have an impact in Mexico
THE MENNONITE BRETHREN congregation in Leon, Mexico, needs a worship center. In fact, they've found a suitable building in a good location. About $20,000 and a team of North American volunteers is all that is needed to make the building a reality for this congregation numbering about 40 people.
MB Missions/Services had included $100,000 in its 1995-96 budget for just this kind of situation. "It's really poor stewardship to spend $40,000 a year supporting a missionary family for three or five years as they pioneer a new church without planning for a way to supply a facility to keep that work moving," says Harold Ens, MBM/S general director. "So we put some money into our budget to do that."
With the current giving shortfall, MBM/S has decided not to send out funds for building construction. This may have jeopardized the opportunity for the church in Leon to acquire a building. "We'll try to find some projecttype of givers, but that depends on finding people who want to give money outside of their budget giving," Ens says.
The Leon congregation was begun by Enrique and Manuela Rodriguez in 1992. MBM/S vocational missionary Jim Harrison is a key participant in the group.-CF
the end of December we were 10 percent behind on the giving track. That causes us to ask: What are the churches saying to us?"
The 75 responses to the MBM/S questionnaire have not been fully tabulated, but Ens reports that "overall there is strong affirmation of what we're doing."
"Quite a few of the early returns suggest that missionaries should raise a portion of their support," says Ens. "Our board looked at that some years back and said they did not want to abandon guaranteed support for missionaries.
"We will look at it again in the sense of getting our missionaries into more of the churches and to think of them as our primary fund-raisers, if you could call it that." -Connie Faber
If cash was there, so would new workers
If MB MISSIONS/SERVICES received its full $4.85 million for 1995-96, it would be recruiting workers for a variety of new assignments:
• In Portugal, a church-planting couple is needed to accomplish the goals and projects of the team's fiveyear plan.
• Miller and Isabella Zhuang have worked to near exhaustion for two terms in Venezuela, says Harold Ens, MBM/S director. MBM/S needs Chinese-speaking replacements during the Zhuangs' home ministry who will then stay on as coworkers when the Zhuangs return.
• As a full partner with Africa InterMennonite Mission, MBM/S has a responsibility to promote and recruit for the four current AIMM openings in education. AIMM hopes to begin a ministry to Muslims in Senegal in the near future and MBM/S is responsible to join other Mennonite members in recruiting for that effort.
Given the present financial situation, no new workers have been recruited, Ens says. In fact, calling home current MBM/S missionaries is still a possibility if giving takes another dip.-CF
IN BRIEF
• DEBATE: The Ontario MB Conference continues to deal with the fallout of a sexual abuse case in a home for mentally disabled adults. Clyde Landsell, a psychologist at Bethesda Home, which is owned by the Ontario Conference but funded by the government, was accused of sexual misconduct in 1992. Bethesda promptly fired Lansdell, reported his conduct to th-e police, sodal service agencies and the licensing board, and made the policy and procedural changes requested in a government investigation. However, Bethesda's professional and legal obligations kept it from dearly reporting to the conference what Lansdetl had done, sparking a debate in the conference about who is responsible for church agencies funded by the government but owned by the conference. (MB Herald)
• RELIEF: North Koreans suffering from hunger wilt soon receive food from Mennonite Central Committee. The agency will contribute $86,500 toward the purchase of 1,000 metric tons of rice. The food emergency in North Korea is the result of severe flooding last summer. It is estimated that 130,000 North Koreans are on the brink of starvation. (MCC)
• SHIPMENT: "I felt I was being 'attacked' by Jove the minute I opened the box, II a Bosnian refugee said after receiving a refugee kit from Mennonite Central Committee. The kits, part of a new project begun in August, contain 17 items for personal care and hygiene. In December, some 3,870 kits were shipped to the former Yugoslavia. Though many people in the region are returning to their homes, hundreds of thousands remain displaced and in need of refugee assistance. (MCC)
• SLAUGHTER: Up to 1,000 people a month are being killed as Burundi's civil conflict intensifies, reports Mennonite Central Committee Africa administrator Eric Olfert, who visited the country in late December. MCC has had peace presence teams in Burundi for a year. Recent violent incidents targeting four foreign nongovernmental agencies have raised questions about MCC workers' safety. (MCC)
• CHURCH NOTES
• Baptism/Membership
ROSEVILLE, Calif. (Oaks Community)Jennifer Buller and Fonzie Kingsbury were baptized Dec. 10. Brad and Jennifer Buller, Mike and Cecelia Kingsbury, Ken and Debbie Palamar and Dorothy Graham have been recently welcomed into membership.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Heritage)-Eric and Debra Mansfield, Jim and Dianna Penrose and Melanie Russ were welcomed as new members recently.
DINUBA, Calif.-Tony and Heidi Willems were received into membership Jan. 21.
SHAFTER, Calif.-Roger and Leella Riley were received as new members in December.
ORLAND, Calif. (Country Bible)-Marjorie Middleton was welcomed into membership Jan. 7.
OMAHA, Neb. (Agua Viva Church)-Karla Hernandez, Alejandra Jimenez, Myra Jimenez, Jose Luis Jimenez, Hector Jimenez and Hector Jimenez Jr. were baptized and accepted into membership Jan. 28. Anastacio and Ana Ventura were also received as new members.
• Fellowship
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)Souper Brainstorming Sunday Jan. 28 offered people grade 7 through adult the opportunity to brainstorm ideas for the church's building needs. Morning discussion groups, a worship time, and group discussions were part of the discernment process. A soup and sandwich lunch was served before the final afternoon session The church hosted an evening service Jan. 22 as part of the community wide "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity." Members of the community learned about the host church and had a time fellowship at each service hosted by three churches throughout the week.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-The church hosted a Promise Keepers "WakeUp Call" Feb. 8. Rally events included PK worship music, personal testimonies and speaker Izzy Vega of the PK state office.
FRESNO, Calif. (Butler)- The Spanish congregation hosted a community breakfast Feb. 18 Women of the congregation participated in a craft night Jan. 29. Crafts were donated to the Mennonite Central Committee relief sale.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-An allchurch box social was held Feb. 22. Children and adults brought decorated boxes
filled with a cold supper. The boxes were auctioned to raise money for Mennonite Central Committee and women's ministries.
CORN, Okla.-Gospel singer Clinton Bell of Clinton, Okla., gave a concert and shared his testimony Feb. 25.
FRESNO, Calif. (North)-Women from the congregation met for an "Encouragement Retreat" March 1-2. Participants shared words of affirmation and reviewed promises found in God's Word.
GETTYSBURG, S.D. (Grace Bible)-Six groups of five men meet weekly for prayer, edification and fellowship. The goal of the ministry is to reach men of the community.
DALLAS, Ore.-A Saturday night sing-along meets each week at the home of Lowell and Sue Entz.
• Proclamation
DELFT, Minn. (Carson)-Central District minister Clint Grenz preached the sermon Jan. 7. During the weekend he led the church leadership in a vision workshop.
SAN JOSE, Calif.-Peace Sunday Jan. 21 was celebrated with a joint service with Ethiopian Christian Fellowship. Pastors Travis Reimer and Tesfai Tesema spoke and a combined choir performed.
EUGENE, Ore. (North Park)-Pacific District minister H.H. Dick preached the morning sermon Jan. 28.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-Following the morning message Jan. 28, members of the congregation were invited to give gifts of service. Opportunities included nursery care, providing pulpit flowers, sharing a testimony, and hospitality.
VISALIA, Calif. (Neighborhood)-Brent Warkentin, pastor of the Buhler (Kan.) MB Church, preached the morning sermon Feb. 11.
• Teaching/Nurture
ULYSSES, Kan.-Bill Faye, evangelist with Hope Ministries of Englewood, Colo., was the resource person for an evangelism seminar Feb. 4.
HENDERSON, Neb.-A Christian Education Prayer Walk was launched Jan. 21 with tours of the classrooms. Participants were informed about children, youth and adult ministries and prayer requests were shared. After the tour, people could go to a classroom and pray for a specific class.
FREEMAN, S.D. (Silver Lake)-Three area churches, including Silver Lake, are again cooperating to offer a three-month mid-
desired. Fresno Pacific College is a dynamic Christian liberal arts college of the Mennonite Brethren Church. All candidates for faculty positions must share the college's Christian commitment. For full description and application form, write or phone Dr. Howard J. Loewen, Academic Vice President, Fresno Pacific College, 1717 S. Chestnut, Fresno, CA 93702; (209) 453-2023. Women and members of minority groups are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be evaluated beginning April 1, 1996, and appointment will be made as soon thereafter as a suitable candidate is secured. Position is contingent upon final administrative approval.
FRESNO PACIFIC COLLEGE seeks a Career Resources Center director. The director manages the Career Resources Center, providing placement services, career counseling, career workshops and general advising. Specific responsibilities include: managing development and implementation of career services including career and academic counseling, and skill/interest testing and job search assistance for students and alumni; developing and administering programs for internships, cooperative education and graduate and summer employment; assisting students in selecting appropriate graduate programs; preparing and monitoring department budget, developing policies and procedures, and evaluating program and placement outcomes; and coordinating oncampus employment opportunities. The successful candidate will have a bachelor's degree, excellent communication and presentation skills, four or more years successful experience in counseling, student personnel or related experience, and demonstrated organization and administrative skills. A master's degree in an applicable field is desired. Send letter of application, resume and transcripts to: Sue Kliewer, Personnel Director, 1717 S. Chestnut, Fresno, CA 93702. Fax (209) 453-2245. E-mail: sbkliewe@fresnO.edu.
PHYSICIAN NEEDED at corporate level. Mennonite Mutual Aid is seeking a physician to provide medical expertise in the development and administration of insurance products. This half-time position, at MMA's headquarters in Goshen, Ind., includes helping to make underwriting decisions and determining the medical necessity of services, supplies and treatment. This individual will also serve as the chief spokesperson for MMA on medical matters. The candidate must have a current state medical license and at least three years of experience in a specialty. As a church-affiliated insurance and financial services organization, MMA serves people all over the United States who are associated with churches that have roots in the Anabaptist tradition. MMA offers excellent working conditions and benefits. For further information, call Jerry Troyer at 1-800-348-7468, or write P.O. Box 483, Goshen, IN 46527.
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE is accepting applications for Mennonite Conciliation Service staff associate in Akron, Pa. This three-year, full-time volunteer position is available June 1996. Qualifications include a commitment to Christian faith, active church membership and nonviolent peacemaking. Applicants should have basic training and experience in dispute resolution/mediation; organizing, managing information systems and word-processing skills; newsletter production experience; well-developed writing, speaking, reflective listening and problem-solving skills. Interested persons in the United States contact Goldie Kuhns, 21 South 12th Street, P.O. Box 500, Akron, PA 17501-0500, phone (717) 859-1151. In Canada, contact MCC Canada Personnel Services, 134 Plaza Drive, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9, phone (204) 261-6381. Applications due April 30, 1996.
BOYS RANCH-Lives Under Construction Boys Ranch is a Christian nonprofit residential program serving at-risk youth. If you are interested in working with strong-willed boys and have experience in work job supervision, farm, construction, or child care, contact Ken Ortman, HCR 1, Box 458A, Lampe, MO 65681; (417) 779-5374. Salary plus board and room.
A Special Menno Simons SOOth Anniversary Tour
(Amsterdam, Friesland, Hamburg, Bad Oldesloe, Gdansk and Berlin)
July 15 - 26, 1996
Leader: John L. Ruth
All our 1996 European tours feature this special SOOth anniversary.
Menno Simons SOOth Anniversary Tour June 10 - 26 European Fall Harvest September 26 - October 11
22 King St.S., Suite 401, Waterloo, ON N2J 1N8 Reg. #1567624 Call 1-800-565-0451 today for a brochure or to make a reservation.
TOUR MAGINATION
1011 Cathill Road, Sellersville, PA 18960
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELISM (CPE)
Invitation:
TO: Born-again Christians; FROM: Evangelical churches
King Road MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C., is seeking volunteers for its Church Partnership Evangelism outreach to
1. PHILIPPINES, Manila
2. NICARAGUA, Managua
3. UKRAINE, Kirowograd .
4. PARAGUAY, Asuncion and Interior
5. FIJI ISLANDS
6. PERU, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Piura or Talara ..
7. CANADA, Manitoba
8. ZAIRE, AFRICA, Kikwit
9. INDIA, Hyderabad & Jongoan NOTE: Dates may be subject to change.
April 8-25 / 96
April 30 - May 16 / 96
June 3-22 / 96
July 1-18 / 96
July 14 - Aug. 2/96
July 22 - Aug. 15/96
Sept. 9-26 / 96
Oct. 13-31 / 96
Nov. 10-28/96
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the country's language is helpful.
• Similar campaigns have resulted in 200 to 400 conversions. Come and be part of an enriching spiritual experience, discover what GOD can do through you.
For more information, contact: Evelyn Unruh, 604-852-5744 or CPE 604-864-3941
Peter Loewen, 604-853-3173 or FAX 604-853-6482
Maybe you are interested in one, two or more campaigns. Please let us know if you find this to be valuable work for the Lord. I would ask you to bring this information to your friends and churches. We will need many volunteers in 1996.
Peter Huebert Missions Committee President
Peter Loewen Promoter
COUNSEL
The president's mentor
Bill Hybels, senior pastor of the Willow Creek Community Church, the "seeker-sensitive" congregation of 15,000 in suburban Chicago, has begun meeting monthly with President Bill Clinton. The purpose of the meetings is "personal spiritual mentoring," according to British-born journalist Dan Wooding. In Wooding's "Strategic Times" column, Hybels explains, "It is a nonideological, nonpolitical series of conversations. It is about his own attempts to develop spiritually. It is to encourage his understanding of God's Word and how he needs to apply that to his life and to his being a father and a husband and a leader. And, typically we do end our times together in prayer."
Hybels says he disagrees "quite dramatically" with some of Clinton's policies, but he believes it is the responSibility of all Christians to "genuinely pray for Bill Clinton and his family" and to "discipline themselves to talk and act respectfully" about him, even if they disapprove of his policies. (EP)
COMMUNISM
Legacy of oppression
For the first time, the Russian government has published figures related to the persecution of Christian churches and of other religions since the Communist revolution of 1917.
By 1985, 200,000 church leaders had been murdered by the Soviet
MISCELLANEA
MB Circles ... b Lorlie Barkman
YOU'RE RIGHT! IT'S NOT IN
Union; 300,000 Christians were imprisoned; and 40,000 churches and "half the mosques and more than half the synagogues" were destroyed. (EP)
INTOLERANCE
Gentlemen's bigo!ry
Gentlemen Js Quarterly magazine took a decidedly ungentlemanly swipe at the Christian men's movement Promise Keepers in its January issue.
The magaZine's article about the movement called Promise Keepers founder Bill McCartney a "raving lunatic" and a "lop-eyed loon" and compared him to Adolph Hitler. It compared evangelical Christians to Islamic terrorists, and called the Promise Keepers movement the "snake oil of
tent revivalism." Men who join Promise Keepers were dismissed as "thick-necked jugheads" and "fanatics."
In a letter to the editor of the magazine, Ralph Reed, executive director of the Christian Coalition, denounced the article as a "blatant example of antiChristian bigotry at its ugliest and most intolerant."
Last year Promise Keepers drew 725,000 men to 13 sold-out stadium conferences, and hosted some 35,000 clergy at the largest clergy gathering in history Feb. 13-15. (EP)
HEALTH
An AIDS reprieve?
The United States seems to have turned a corner in its battle against AIDS. This year, about 10,000 more
Americans will die of AIDS than will catch it, meaning that the number of Americans living with the AIDS virus is decreasing, according to a report delivered by Robert Biggar of the National Cancer Institute.
An estimated 600,000 Americans are infected with HIV, and half of them have developed AIDS. Researchers say the spread of AIDS has been falling since the early 1980s. In 1982 an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 Americans became infected with AIDS, but by 1983 the number was down to about 40,000.
Heterosexual transmission of AIDS is increasing, but has not yet caught up with homosexual transmission of the disease.
Between 1987 and 1992,
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT A GUIDE FOR GROUP INTERACTION
SESSION 1: Faith and work
Based on "The myth of secular work" (page 4)
GET READY -Getting started
• Other than the job you have, what other job might you like to try?
GET SET-Examining the issues
1. What are some ways in which we divide our lives into secular and holy categories?
2. What determines whether one is really ministering through their work?
3. How do 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Philippians 2: 1-11 apply to our employment?
4. Are some jobs inappropriate for a believer? If so, what might they be? What criteria are you using?
GO-Applying ideas to the way we live
1. How can a congregation encourage and support those who see their profession as ministry?
2. How can a congregation help members nurture a servant spirit in their daily activities?
SESSION 2: Faith and work
Based on "In God's employment" (page 8)
GET READY -Getting started
• What factors or influences led you to your present work?
GET SET-Examining the issues
1. What ingredients or characteristics constitute a call from God?
2. According to the article, what is our primary vocation as Christians? In addition to Ephesians 5: 1 2, what other Scriptures would support that idea?
3. In what ways is God reflected in the roles suggested by Robert Banks (p. 11)?
4. What difference does it make-to us and others-if we view our work as a calling from God?
GO-Applying ideas to the way we live
1. Identify people you know who seem to model the "called" perspective in their daily work? How do they express it?
2. How would you answer Bystrom's question, "What are you hoping to accomplish in your life?"
3. How has this article broadened or affirmed your understanding of "God's work"?
SESSION 3: Congregational guidance
Based on Forum: "Time for career counseling in the church?" (page 72)
GET READY -Getting started
• What significant decisions have you made for which you received help from the church?
GET SET -Examining the issues
1. Summarize the importance of the five issues which can influence career direction? What others would you add?
2. With the help of a concordance, review Scriptures dealing with peace and identity. How do these Scriptures relate to the five issues?
3. Identify some careers that might "depersonalize relationships."
4. How does discontinuity in our lives lessen our sense of peace?
GO-Applying ideas to the way we live
1. In what ways may we need to resist conformity in order to live as peaceful people with integrity?
2. How can we encourage each other to value the faith community's concern and interest in our career choices-as both givers and receivers of input?
3. In what ways do the five issues suggested in the article relate to all members of the congregation and not just youth? What kind of positive examples have been passed on?
SESSION 4: Crises in life
Based on Ph'lip Side, "A flood of ideas" ( page 15)
GET READY -Getting started
• If you could save only three items in your home from flood waters, what would they be?
GET SET-Examining the issues
1. What experiences have forced you to reflect on life beyond lithe minutiae of our daily routines"?
2. Identify promises from Scripture that you claim when "flood waters" are rising.
3. Are "flood stage" conditions necessary for us to face our own limitations and lack of control?
4. What are some benefits of difficulties?
GO-Applying the ideas to the way we live
1. How can we work together to sort through Wiebe's statement, "What we call daily survival isn't really a struggle for survival at all, but merely a scramble to keep up with the oversupply of demands we place on ourselves"?
2. "We do all we can, but the rest is out of our hands." How does this apply to your personal life of discipleship?
A different journalism?
WHAT DIFFERENCE does being a Christian make in the way you do your job? We hope that question sticks with you long after this issue of the Leader becomes bird-cage liner-er, I mean long after you have carefully filed away this issue for posterity.
The question pokes at me with some frequency. It pops up in the midst of deadlines, and I make it a point to address it in the occasional journalism class I teach at Tabor College. Why? Partly because it's an important question for anyone to ask about their work. But also because I think a lot of people are surprised that journalism and Christianity mesh at all.
On the one hand, I frequently encounter Christians who think all journalists-the proverbial "media" -are liberal, cynical, power-tripping trash mongers who use sensationalism and bias to sell subscriptions and pad their egos.
On the other hand, I meet journalists in the secular field who seem less than impressed when I explain my field is religious journalism. Their look tells me, "Too bad you're not a real journalist. Have fun writing devotional pap and looking up proof texts all day. Must be nice to be paid to ignore the pain of the real world and the hypocrisy within the church."
Word, isn't it?
My other conviction is that the basic principles and methods of "secular" American journalism are appropriate and necessary for "religious" journalism too. To be specific:
• Journalists need to be advocates for the greater good of the community, not guardians of the interests of those in authority. In our society, a "free press" is considered so essential for community life that it is guaranteed by the Constitution; in the church, the nature of the relationship is rarely articulated and often confused.
At its core, journalism is about delivering truthfulaccurate, complete, useful-information so that a definable group ofpeople can make responsible decisions about
their personal and corporate life.
With each camp-the Christian critical of journalism and the journalist critical of Christianity-I beg to disagree. What difference does being a Christian make in the way I do my job as a journalist? My answer is succinct: Not much, I hope.
I say that because of two strong convictions. The first is that journalism-whether the context is secular or religious-reflects an aspect of God's activity in our world. To piggyback on Ray Bystrom's notion (page 8), journalism is one of "God's jobs."
Specifically, journalism, when it's done right, performs at least two sacred functions: it reveals truth; it builds community. Both are elusive commodities. Both are goals more than achievements. This side of heaven, we will never experience either in their fullest and clearest form. But we work at it. At its core, journalism is about delivering truthful-accurate, complete, usefulinformation so that a definable group of people can make responsible decisions about their personal and corporate life.
Sort of what God has provided for us through his
• With freedom comes responsibility. Pure "objectivity" is a myth, but journalists have an obligation to be fair and accurate.
• Revealing truth means reporting the bad news along with the good. Stifling the truth is as deceptive as distorting it-and both undermine the trust-glue that holds a community together.
• Journalists, encourage constructive dialogue because unity is not the absence of differences, but the acknowledgment of a common purpose.
Not everyone feels comfortable with a "free press" model, whether the context is society or the church. The apprehension is deserved. Journalists are a notoriously human lot. Even with the best of intentions, our insights are sometimes inadequate, our judgment impaired, our motives mixed.
That's why, particularly in the church context, I would moderate the "world's" model of journalism with a healthy dose of two Christian virtues: mutual accountability and selfless service. Good journalists have to want to be "right" badly enough that they welcorne correction as much as affirmation.
Well, almost as much.
I tell you these things not because I think everyone should be journalists. Or because I think journalism is a more sacred calling than yours. I share these things because, for the time being at least, you have entrusted me with the privilege of producing your magaZine. You have a right to know how I envision this assignment. No occupation is an end to itself. As Ray Bystrom points out, the diverse occupations we fill are but different paths to pursue the single vocation we share: to love as God loves. And I would add this: Occupation and vocation both deserve our best effort. Not for our glory, but God's.-DR
