u.s. MBs come from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities. With so many differences, what challenges do we faceand how can we overcome them?
• Diverse leaders for a diverse mission PAGE 24 • Beyond sightseeing PAGE 28
FIRST WORDS ••• from the editor
IREALIZE NOW THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to cover the range and variety of backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures that make up the u.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in one issue of the Leader. We have room to proftle only six of the (at least) 11 cultures and ethnicities that make up MB churches in this country. In addition, we could only begin to touch on the issues and challenges that face us as a national church body whose members come from diverse backgrounds and practice different ways of living out our faith.
But I hope it provides a beginning. I hope this issue provides you with a glimpse of the brothers and sisters that make up local MB churches. I hope this issue gives you insight and appreciation of our rich variety of heritages and cultures. I hope this issue challenges you to consider your own preconceptions and misunderstandings about our brothers and sisters. But most of all, I hope this issue encourages you to move beyond the pages of a magazine and into an embrace with the people in our churches, communities and neighborhoods-no matter what background or culture they come from.
I'd like to thank the many people who worked to put this issue together-the writers, those who shared their experiences and insights, those who gave us feedback and encouragement. It couldn't have happened without you. Thank you for your patience, hard work and willingness to accept that we can only cover so much in 36 pages.
Blessings. -CA
COMING
• AUGUST 3-5-Southern District Conference Convention, Branson, Missouri
• SEPTEMBER 28-30-North Carolina District Convention, Laytown MB Church, Lenoir, NC
• OCTOBER 25-27-Spiritual Warfare Study Conference, Calgary, Alta.
• OCTOBER 26-28-Central District Conference Convention, Lincoln Hills Bible Church, Sioux Falls, SD
• NOVEMBER 9-10-Pacific District Conference Convention, Reedley MB Church, Reedley, Calif.
ART CREDITS: Cover, design by Carmen Andres and photos by PhotoDisc; Page 4, Naol and her daughters-in -law by Gustave Dore;
Each generation of MBs must decide how to relate to their increasingly diverse family. This Old Testament story lends us some insight. BY JEANINE YODER
A denominat ion that started as Northern European immigrants now embraces at least 11 ethnic groups. BY CARMEN ANDRES
6 Hispanic churches add to the bea uty of M B "mosaic" BY
TAMMY REGIER
8 MB Slavic believers total almost 8, 000-mostly on the West Coast BY AMELIA PATRIE 10 From Ethiopia to America: Ministry never stops BY CARMEN ANDR
11 MB faith foundation attracts the Korean churches BY
North Carolina's 200 members serving God BY SARA COOK 13 Love and loyalty strong in Japanese MB ch urches BY KATHY HEINRICHS WIEST
God wants us to be an all - nat ions church , but how do we do tha t ? What challenges do we face- and how can we overcome them? Read what eleven MBs have to say
Learning from a church in Ki nsasha BY NZASH
LUMEYA
BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, chair; Peggy Goertzen, Harold Loewen, Phil Neufeld, Dalton Reimer.
The Christian Leader (ISSN 0009-5149) is published monthly by the U.S Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 315 S. Lincoln, Hillsboro, KS 67063. The Christian Leader seeks to inform Mennonite Brethren members and churches of the events, activities, decisions and issues of their denomination, and to instruct, inspire and initiate dialogue so members will aspire to be faithful disciples of Christ as understood in the evangelical/Anabaptist theological tradition However, the views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Christian Leader, the Board of Communications or the Mennonite Brethren Church.
The editors invite free-lance article submissions, essays to Forum and letters to the editor Forum is open to members or attendees of Mennonite Brethren churches The essays can address any issue of relevance and interest to the faith and life of the Mennonite Brethren Church and should be no longer than 800 words and i nclude the home church and occupation of the writer A SASE must accompany articles and forum essays.
The Christian Leader is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and Meetinghouse, an association of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ editors.
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LESSONS FRO M
Tut our years ago I moved into a neighboras the reputation of being the toughest city of Fresno. Some people thought I thers thought me noble. I was neither. live there because I wanted to share my wi e from other cultural backgrounds. Initially, I worked in the neighborhood with World Impact, an inner-city agency. But I came to believe that the best way to learn what it means to be a neighbor with people from diverse ethnicities was to become a part of their community. When Jesus desired to reconcile the world to himself, he "moved into the neighborhood," becoming one of us.
On my first day in the neighborhood, I heard a knock on my door. It was Koy, a Southeast Asian teen, holding a bowl of salad in her hands . Eating together that day began a friendship that lasted until her death two years later.
Koy wasn't unique. My neighbors in this "dan-
The changing Mennonite
Brethren profile
u. many denominations, the Mennonfte BJethren formed out of a partteular tt , pIaoe and ethnic this caee, In 1860 among men 1n *"'*'" em Russia who started Immigrating to the U.S. In the late 18oos.. Tlui!se11l8ll and women possessed a heart·feIt passton-to MCaPture the faith and Ufe of the N$w Testament church, and that
tnclUded __ring the call to take th. JCtSR8I to all nations From the start, MB$ were Iy mlsslolHnlnd4Ml'. 'I':heI fervor ltd to tmi MB becoming the Ia Anabaptist denoml tlon In the world In Just years. Today, there are 17 national MB conferences, with African andJndlan MB$ far outnumbering those In North AmerIca.
B
Y JEANINE Y 0 D E R
gerous" part of town model a type of communal spirit that I've never experienced before in the United States They watch out for me. I feel safer here than I do in other parts of town. Because I have chosen to live among people whose cultural backgrounds are different than my own, I have grown in my own understanding and experience of God and community.
Churches also have this opportunity. MB churches in the United States are comprised of at least 11 different ethnic groups Each new generation of Mennonite Brethren must decide how they relate with their increasingly culturally diverse family It may seem easiest to follow our own cultural scripts-relate with those who are similar to us and keep to ourselves. But we have a choice. We can do what seems safe and build relationships within our own ethnic group, or we can step outside of our cultural scripts and comfort zones and enter relation-
ships across cultural lines where we covenant to journey together as one.
Lessons from three women
In the Old Testament book of Ruth, we read about three women who model intercultural relationships. Naomi-a Jewish woman-leaves the culture she knew and moves to Moab, a place her own people looked upon with disdain. She risks this journey with her husband and sons in search of food when there was a famine in her hometown, Bethlehem. Her family not only discovers food, but they also meet two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah, who enter the scene when they marry Naomi's sons
One by one all the husbands in this family die, leaving the women to choose who will return to Bethlehem. All three pack their belongings and set out on the dangerous journey They were returning to Bethlehem empty-handed and their future was
light some Of the churches and people groups In our national denonIlnation. While It Is far from comprehensive, It pr0vides a small glimpse Into the changing proftle of the Menl» nICe Brethren In the U.S.
real challenge extsts for those of Northam European ancestry who have historically held power and staffed the strue> ture of the denomination• •. • It ie a great challenge to be accountable to one another, Individually and as congrega. tiona, In the splrft of God's
othcms, ftndmg ways to Share our materlaI wealth and privileged position WIthout being manipulative. We have trern 0pportunity WIthin denomlnatlopal structures tc; be Ii reconciling presence and healing light tn Vet, while we are beginning tc; change, we have a ways tc; go. In the recently published ConfetIsIon 01 Faith C0mmentary. the MB authOJs say, "A
love for us. We must recognize . our temptation to control others and trust God to work In
an age full of theitarknees of racIsfn, sexism and olaselsm. We are called to beoome'the church of Rev 7:9-'a great multitude from every nation.'" I have traveled through most or our districts 1befe Ie a divine richness that comes from a family that Incl..- new Inm ants and peOple of varlous baokgroul'lds and ethnfCI. ties. By trying to 1Ind ways to joumey together In right tIonehlP8, we 08rl become WItnesses to the WOItd As .leai nine Yoder .. ln th.. 1ssUe, "as ethnically dIvetIe gatIon$ covenant on earth, we win provide a living example to the world of Jeeus' IOYflt " -by Carmen Andres. editor
bleak without husbands . Suddenly, Naomi stops on the road and pleads with her daughters-in-law to tum back and abandon the
journey. Although Orpah loved Naomi, she was not obligated by the law to stay with Naomi after her husband died. Her choice to return to Moab was decent
Hispanic churc hes addto the beauty of MB "mosaic"
Although traditionally Mennonite Brethren churches In the United States have been made up of Anglo people with European roots, currently HIspanic churches make up approximately 23 percent of the U S Conference
Jose and Mary Elizondo prefer to see It like a beautIful piece of artwork, with each ethnic group bringing Its own beauty and significance to the whole picture
"We need to see It not as a melting pot, but a mosaic where we are different, but we do work together," says Mary, who partneIs with her husband Jose, associate dlstrtct ministerfor the Paclfto DIstrtct.
C.llfomla churches
Jose and Mary attend the Sanger M B Church In Sanger, calif , a church that Is In the process of combinIng the Anglo service and the HispanIc service Into one
blended congregation
The Hispanic church Is currently part of the Hispanic Council, a branch of the Paclf. Ic District that Includes 31 Hispanic churches In california, Oregon and Washington. The first Hispanic MB church In Callfomla was the Parlier Church, which was started by Arnold Schlichting 47 years ago. He began by teaching Sunday school classes to children In the neighbor-
churches have contemporary worship services and others have very charismatic styles of worship, say Mary and Jose
The Hispanic congregations also have differences In nationalities. Some are predominantly made up of MexIcan Americans, while the members of other churches come from Central America . In comparison to the Anglos, the structure of the Hispanic service Is less formal.
and we win accept the beet of your culture," Mary sap.
FInances ... the ...... conoem for the Hispablo COJ)o
Most of the churchee do not have tug.. tlmepasto
"For a 'Church to ,. putofnpally to be full tIm.tt," says Mary
churches In the area
WIthin the Hispanic Council, differences abound. Very recent Immigrants mingle with third or fourth generation Americans. Some churches use only Spanish, some have bilingual services and some conduct services aliin english
The worship style also varies Some of the churches have traditional services with hymns and organs, while other
The churches don't always have a bulletin for the service and the time frame Is flexible.
Many of the Hispanic con".tlons are part of the Me denomination because the MB people reached out to them
Jose and Mary hope that the larger denomination of MBa will have patience with the athnlc groups that.. coming Into "Don't tat us lose our roots, but let us slowly evolve
churches of the latin ..... can Mennonite IINtIINIt (LAMB) DtatrIct In South Te)(88.
'"" Is ........ u.,d eIgfYt chprohes ber8. It was _lied When pe0.ple from the SoUtham DlItrIct decided to f88ch oUt to 'the Hispanic peopIeJn South Texas Harry $8rah Neufeld were fht ary couple In the .... TMy began their work 1n tII8
and expected. While Naomi was weeping at the departure of her dearly loved daughter, Ruth clings to her side. In spite of the risk and cost of traveling on with
mer of 037. The first oItuNh, ,-'Danos, hekt .. fIr8t Jan-...,_,19_.'"
.....,. ChurCh Is no .............. ohurcti. It.omblhed WIth two churches to ....... tInancIaIIy ..... IIUIIeIent. ftnancIallJ If. eutIIoIent .,..,. one malnetfor" t:AMJf district, andoMI , .... d...... fofthe LAMB IIIR'Ict. OnIY1Wo IIa'Wt fun.tIme .,..,..
other ....... fofthe LAMB datrIot InClude the lINd fer l18W'and ,......,... lpand tile IIMdto",an ............. tor .......,.... and spiritual ..,.MI ..... lIopesthe LAMB dIetrIot's ...,. evalultlon that Is cur......., ........... wlll help them who ' tbey , where they oamefromand the, .........
Most of the churches hold their"""'"" ... In spanish, and the yeuth and ohlldnN'l'.
....., ........... of the LAMB district .... attracted to the .B ....,.,""natIon ...... ott... toc...
teaching.
"Everything they were belng,taught was In the Scripture," says Mireles.
They were also Impressed with the Idea of Immersion baptism, having a personal rei. tIonehlp wIth 'a living God and being part of a spiritual community.
Although the LAMB district churches meet regularly and work together 88 a district, says one of the IIIImIOt'S biggest struggtes Is seeing them"""88 part of the whole denomination of MBs while having the dealre to work together
Mireles believes that the best way for all ethnic groups In the U.S Conference to work together Is If everyone has the attitude of Christ, seeing others as equal to themselves, and offers what he or she can to the whole body of believers
"We need to aft see ourselves through Christ and be able to say, 'What can I do wIih the gifts God has given me to edify the chlltC.h?'" Mireles says "If.an sees I1imseIf ....1' Hispanic an AQCIo, he Is Qhtl"t\O!1It of It. And It appttM all ethnic arouda. " -by
Naomi, Ruth says nothing will separate her from Naomi. Ruth made a powerful covenant to Naomi and her God that would impact the rest of her life
We need each other
Though they came from different cultures, Naomi and Ruth began a journey of sharing their very lives with one another. They needed each other. Not only did they share deep feelings, but they also shared their assets in order to help each other. Naomi advised Ruth about how to work in the fields (2:22), remain safe (2:23) and how to act in a culture with which Ruth was unfamiliar Ruth's work provided Naomi with her need for food (3: 17) . While Ruth's need for a husband became Naomi's responsibility, Ruth's marriage would give Naomi security.
like Ruth and Naomi, we need each other. As congregations from various cultural backgrounds interact with each other, we discover we all have valuable resources to both give and receive. For example, American culture leaves many Anglos with a burning need to know and experience true community. Those from other ethnic backgrounds generally have a deep understanding of community. One way we can grow in this area is to intentionally learn from brothers and sisters from other ethnic groups. Many from other ethnic backgrounds also know suffering intimately. I have seen people from ethnic minorities experience societal injustices. These times provide an opportunity for others to join them in speaking out for righteousness and justice.
The church is called to unite and share each other's experiences . Jesus himself said just that. Just hours before his trial, Jesus met with his followers for one last meal. Before leaving, he prayed for those who would believe in the future, saying, "Father, may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me" Oohn 17:23). The world will understand that his Father sent him to reconcile the world when they see his followers living in unity Oohn 17:21, 23)
This proved to be well-needed instruction for the early church. When the Holy Spirit came to the disciples after Jesus' death , one of the first things to happen was that people from a variety of cultural backgrounds understood the Good News in their own languages (Acts 2: 1-13) In fact, many were so convinced of the truth they heard that they believed and were baptized (Acts 2 :41).
We read descriptions of this diverse group throughout Acts as they struggled and grew together to know Jesus and make him known The Jewish believers had difficulty accepting Gentile converts, thinking they must become like the Jews before God would accept them (Acts 15) It was only when they
tensions will be felt in the future. The closer we become the more painfully aware we become of our differences.
heard stories about how God was miraculously moving in the midst of the Gentiles that Jews could embrace them as brothers and sisters .
It seems that when people's eyes are focused on cultural differences, potential for criticism and conflict abounds. However, when we fix our eyes on Jesus and recognize that there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:5-6), unity is possible. This is the key to celebrating our Savior together in the midst of diversity.
Unity in Action
Ruth declares her covenant to Naomi, binding mother and daughter-in-law together throughout their lives. What could this look like in a local church-in your church?
I attend Butler MB Church, located in a Fresno neighborhood that contains many different ethnic groups. Last Sunday, we had a combined service of our four congregations, including members predominately from Khmu, Lao, Anglo and Hispanic backgrounds.
Believing that Jesus calls us to reflect the ethnic diversity in our neighborhood, we chose to be four distinct congregations functioning as one body, sharing the same vision, space, budget and challenges We have been told that choosing a multicultural model for our church family will cause us to grow four times as slow as monocultural churches. However, we decided that we want people around us to come to know Jesus because they see us living in unity.
We have experienced the richness of living as one body. When we have joint services and people from a variety of ethnicities share their life stories before being baptized, we all celebrate. We also know what it means to hurt with each other. When one of our congregations experiences loss or conflict, we struggle and learn to come alongside each other and own the pain as our own. We also struggle together about reaching our neighbors. Our neighborhood has a large African American population but few attend our church, and we all wrestle with what we can do to be more inviting.
As a church, there are ways you can seek to unite with believers across different cultures and ethnic backgrounds:
• Rent or share your facility with a church from a different ethnic background Consider what it would mean for you to covenant with them Merging into one church with two congregations is also a possibility
• Intentionally bOOd ties with churches from other ethnic backgrounds in your neighborhood. You expand your experience of God's kingdom. Join in special celebrations or meals, share in music , testimonies or preaching, and seek counsel
and encouragement between leaders Through these experiences, spaces are created where relationships are built and nurtured
Unity demands a price
Forming covenant relationships between diverse peoples, however, does not come without cost
Ruth was a Moabite and Naomi a Jew. Neither woman could communicate with each other in their mother tongue . Neither understood firsthand the other's culture. Being a Jew, Naomi would have been taught to despise people from Moab and likely had to make a concerted effort to overcome her own prejudices. Yet, in the midst of these elements, Ruth clings to Naomi and refuses to break the relation-
MB
Slavic believers total 8,OOO-mostly on the West Coa'st
In the 1980s, PresIdent Reagan signed an act allowing specIal Immigration prlvileg. to Slavic Evangelicals and Jews Since then, 1.6 million Slavic refugees from the former Soviet -Union have Immigrated to the United States, ..,. Loyal Funk, director of Integrated MinIstries, the U.S Confer· ence ministry to immIgrant churches and peoples.
Many persecuted Christians settled In Callfomla, Oregon and Washington, forming about 100 con.,... tiona on the West · Coast. Forty of these congregations, totaling about 8,000 Individuals, have affiliated or are In the process of aff;'IlIatlng with the U. S. Confef.
Sea_, W , where he and Pastor Pete, Kulakevlch tead a congregetlon of 300 "'He Ie a gift to our people froin the Lord. He shows us love and under$taildI The MBa need to know Loyal someone w&om the Lord has used because he was to the Lord's plan to bring us together Beca he has spent so mucb time wltlJ us, aad We be" knOwn hl.",o, a period of time, the Slay.. Ic mlnlsters have approved Loyal as a real minister. No matter what congregation he
ship It is transformed into something so permanent that only the outside force of death could end it
When Ruth decides to stay with Naomi on that road to Bethlehem, it would seem appropriate for Naomi to celebrate Ruth's covenant with shouts of joy and thanksgiving Yet there is no recorded celebration, no expressions of gratitude, no cries of delight-only silence In fact, the reader is left wondering if Naomi was grateful at all .
This is not so hard to understand when we look at our own experiences
Four years ago I toured with a singing group from Congo named Esengo, the most diverse group of which I have ever been a part If you looked at the group of 12, you might think 11 were Congolese
and one was Canadian. However, although the Africans looked the same, our group represented 11 different ethnic groups and over 30 languages
I was committed to being a loyal member in this group-but that didn't come without a price One day, one of the choir members thought I was making decisions without taking her voice into consideration She called me a dictator. That is very powerful language coming from someone whose country was run by an unjust and evil president. Feeling misunderstood, my first instinct was to defend myself, but I knew that I must first look at my soul to see if I was operating out of a pOSition of power or prejudice I also needed to listen to her frustrations as her anger may have resulted from larger, systemic issues
days; and' we wiD estabIlsb a In It. PeteNburgthls 1au. AndltbrQUlh combined effort$ of sevet8I Slavic MB chuJctMfs<8nd World R.Ifef, we have started a pdvate Chrfs. tI8n school", Seattle.
Chemyetsky explains. "Some with a Baptist background have choirs, share testimonies, and listen to a few S8m'IOn& preached by more than one minister Slavic congregations with a Pentecostal heritage bave members who ·
............ fortbe second c0mIng of the 1Md. The signs around us sbowthat the Lord Is. yery " try to focus .. attention on prfodQes. We to. ready aJ' the time " speak In tongues, particularly during prayer The churches of Mennonite backgrounds will not have speaking In tongues unless there Is an Interpreter. as we believe that Is a pers0nal worship experience In Slav· ic churches, we prey loudly, and usuallY aU the people pray. this Is different than ln the American churches.
"One difference Is a very
sensitive Issue Slavics never sit and pray It doesn't sIIow respect to God We believe the Bible teaches this The AmerIcan leaders are eh.... In, their view of this " Chemyetsky smiles "'like It when tbey are open "
But more Important than the worship Style Is the MB ' peacemaking emphasis, says Ohemyetsky. "The "'!llCe movement ls very Important, because many, many of our leaders In the past suffered because they refused to bear arms. They were sent to SIberia. this Includes me. my father and grandfathers the Mennonite Brethren have a herttage In Ukraine, and that just seemed like a natural match "
Ohemyetsky believes Oh.... tlana should work to be the kind of chul'Ch the New Testament calls us to "We can pray together, we can pray for each otber, we Qan love each We Qan su port the ministry of others In any way that we might suppOrt as one body It doesn't matter what denomination a Christian belongs to. We need to work together so thatothera can knoW Christ."
-by Amelia Patrie
From Ethiopia to America: Minist[y never stops
Foot·tapplng, melodic songs. spontaneous dancing and shouting. SInging punctuateel with high, trilling, joyful sounds of victory called tas." This spllit..fliled worship Is part of Sunday rnornIrtIIts at most Ethiopian Christian churches In North AmerIca.
This joyful, expte88lve ceJ. ebratlon stands In staIt< c0ntrast to the hard life expert. anced by many Chrlatlan Ethiopian Immigrants.
When the communist regime took over In Ethiopia In the mld-1970s, the govern. ment targeted th4' evangelcal
Christians wereldlled The Christian churCh went underground and chfls.. tlans were scattered across the world, most fleeing to PIe neighboring countries of Sudan, Kenya and Eventually, Christians began emigrating from tries to the U.S.-fi they began amlng ChUrce,s
"The bellevel'$, wherever they went, started getting together," says End.haw Kelkele, pastor of t;thIOPIln Evangelical Church, an MB congregation of about 300 Ethiopian Immigrants lrJ·Oft. ver, Colo. The Denver c"itt't gregatlon Is one of six U S. Conference Ethiopian gregatlons located In Seat· tie, Portland, Sacramento, Denver, Kansas City and San Jose.
Most Christian Ethiopian churches, says Kelkele, are Independent and without denominational affiliation
Why, then , did Ethiopian Evangelical, which began In 1989, choose to affiliate
with the MBa In 1999 after 10 years on Its own?
It started with a rec0mmendation from P.tor Bemanu waklemailan of Bethel Ethiopian Church of Seattle (W ), a COl lion that joined the confer. ence In 1988 told me the Mils .. a people of nteItfty as far 88 their faith statement IS ooncemed He-teld me that what u,.y. and what they do f@ihe same," Kelkele rtcaltt.
K"kele and "Is church
For example, many In Kelkele'. conaregatIon have tamHy In a and COII'Imit much of their time and finances to he them Many work two jobs-evan more, says K k "One peNOn may be I'88ponIIbIe b the whole family back home," he says "So, we try;to them to tnaat GOd for the of pe0ple back home and life ......"
The Alneltcan culture and I ...., nt chaJ.
far the conaregatIon
looked 0". the MI oonfee. slon of faltlt and Invited MB to t"-Ir church-and they were It'npresaed with wbat they heard. .,.. of1he thInIt they I{ept over and over was living a holy [that] we must have a 11(8 consistent with Scripture," Kelkele explains, add" that the life of the leaders they've seen so far have lived up to that Ideal. "We wet$ to Join a group like this. "
LIfe of ........... Many EthloplaprJmml. grants face cfliI..... unknown to most Americans.
"When bonI here, the family CUlture and chIkhn'. culture em," KeIIutIe says, adding that<'8S. reIUIt many chIIdntn didn't like CCJJNnj to chuIoh. "In my cIuch, God has pr0vided with ..,... ........ for the chIII:lntn'. mInI8tIy. He Ie teaohII.. the chIIdIen ..... the context of the AmerIoat ......."
It ...... to be WOIklng, Kelk saye "The Idd8 started IIkIna ehurch. "
congregations with which they associate primarily focus on one mlsslon-to reach for ChrIst the over 10,000 ethiopian immigrants living In North AmeItca More are c:orn.. every clay, Kelkele says.
He IS passionate when It comes their mission, callIng up the Image of Joseph going to E&YPt In the Old Testament
"We are a unique people with • culture, and we al80 hay-e a unique call," aye K kele of the Ethiopian In North America. "We know we are rI&M In the center of God ' • 1lnowIng that helps us to work h8rd "
TheIt' mission doesn't atop tIIer& once immigration eIows clown, KeIkeIe's COI1If&jIIans to reach out to the rest of their community. Our second goal Is to m8ke an EngI' peaklng ohurch where we can meet -people In the cfty," he $aY• •
Un'- In ..lnIstry
Beln. a part of the MB denomlnatfOl'l and the $outhem DIstrIct-Conference Is helping Kelkele'. c0ngregation meet their goals.
"Being I(ldepeOdent. It Is not easy to fulfill our mi• sIon," says Kelkele "That Is why we looked to be a part of the Mennonite Brethren."
"CommIitIca:tIng our needs and askINJ questions has bIOuaht 80 many blessthat we were not eXpoeecI to," he explqln$. "There Ie opportunity and .......... In ....... dIvereIfted yet In unity In mInIItty withothers. -by Carmen Anclres
Throughout our relationship, we sometimes needed to apologize and forgive. Other times, we listened to each other's frustrations and became sounding boards for each other while not taking the content personally. We pressed through our conflicts and by the end of our year together, we cried when we spoke our farewells. We both paid great costs in building our relationship, but she eventually taught me more than did any other member in that group about love, loyalty and looking at the darkness in my soul.
Fonning and living out covenant relationships is costly. Differences, prejudices, chaos and hurts present challenges. As tensions were experienced in the past, so new tensions will be felt in the future. The
closer we become the more painfuUy aware we become of our differences.
Interwoven as one
While in India with Youth Mission International, I asked an MB professor what it would take for the global church to live in unity.
"We are like two vines that weave together as one," he replied. "We are interdependent, even to the degree that I am ready to lay down my very life for my brothers and sisters."
I went away from that conversation wondering if I would be able to reply in the same manner. I think this professor knows something about unity that I am
he Korean churches
desire to reach them for the gospel," says Funk. "Not all the Immigrants are believers, so they have a tremendous passion to reach their culture's Immtgrants who are lost. That Is where their growth comes from."
, But Shlm stresses that hey are not only concerned WIth their own culture Unity IVlth other ethnic groups Is imperative, he says "In America., all ethnic churches must be In unity."
Nine 1(orean coogregatlonS-wlth individual memberthlp ranging between 70 currently part Of d uaS. Conference with levefar more In deve'c?pmept, fi.J$ Funk.
Most Of u.e churches me style of woreI1lp and leadership. "Th9re Is always order-we always know Where we are going In a Korean church," says Funk. "But It Is also very Inspirational, and most b8ve good choirs " They.also share an Infer· " mal workitqJ relationship, .ays f'Unk. "They get together te.ders/' Cil1nen Andres
North Carolina's 200 members serving God
Challenging the then-present attitudes of racism and segregation, the KrImmer Mennonite Brethren of Kans and South Dakota answered a call 100 Jears ago that would later, result In the formation of the North Carolina District Conference
Mldstof
Two schools were built In Elk Park, N.C -one t6r blacks and one for whitesbecause state law pfolllbited the two races to ¥ COlli! blned. After Menry V. and Elizabeth Wiebe had tauaht
there for-a year, bornele8$black children
Carolina were not hindered from birthing the conference, which then Included 11 co grepttofts. WhenKMB c0nference merged with the Mennonite Brethren In 19fC), the North Caronna c.,.,.,..
corlfeflenc• •bf'the lI S Co
James JebeU, gating at their home,ln need reoebtl, a, retired of a place to stay Thus the .olie MB Chureh Salem Mission Acaclemy'of J8fVed all six churches ..... Elk Park, a school an.. t""'l$ 30 years of .."I$by, orphanage for chlldreR1tgecl Jines of: OO$munlthree to 18, was born. cation ar• Open despite Despite confrontattons. the miles between the conwith the Ku Klux Kia,! al11t g,.g.uons later, the closing of laiem Me says lhe dlstrJctl,e-goy.. Mission Academy In 1tJ:2, "'Ing board., plustthe pasearly missionaries-In NorJh toitt and
lar manner as he did while growing up, although the r· vices are slightly becoming more contemporary In style. MaUl It's an pointing back to OUr faith and our belief In WItat Ohrlst has done for us,"
Jt back to the belief In the triune God, the most cheIIstied and emph. o sized portion of the Come. sloft ol fralth "Everything Is b on"- that part of the Contest!on of Faith tells .verybody that we serve not 0'" ortwo. ".,. we serve the triune-God," says Isbell. Me hopes tt:ae confer· an InspiratiOn to surrounding churchthey will "see someIfferent than what seeing at other especially In the .rea with the three largest churohes." -by Sara Cook
only beginning to learn. While he understood the costly nature of unity, he did not seem to be afraid of it. In fact, believing that Christian unity ran deeper than polite exchanges, he was committed to the other to the degree that he would even give his life.
Christians on earth will never fuUy taste the unity that is to come in heaven, where there will be people "from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb" (Rev 7:9). However, as ethnicaUy diverse
o Love
congregations covenant on earth, we will provide a living example to the world ofJesus' love .•
Jeanine Yoder works in constituency relations at MBMS International, the North American MB mission agency, and is a coordinator with Youth Mission International, a short-term mission program with MBMSI. She has lived in the Congo, India andJapan and holds a master oj divinity in Christian community development from MB Biblical Seminary.
strongin Japanese MB churches
• *
Sunday Is more than a , day for worship rvIc;es at the Bonita Japa Bible Church In San .,..." Calif. WhIle church """,,bena at most Anglo MB churc go their separate ways after , the benediction 18 thlft Japanese MB congregation _11.10,._ extended trme of fellowstItp every Sunday. N.arIY everyone stays for a A shared' mhl and fellOwshl ialldng;I8-.lng, " .nd Pra)I_ t.,...,.
sons," notes Nalaimura. The Japanese work hard at buildIng up a strOng local church, h thl& .. patieJIcct and p8rsIstence because evanpI ..... the " • AccordIna to fujII, the lapanese cuIbn makes Chrfstfanlty .: ftcuIt.: etUtJtian practIce& conIIIct with cultur-
- WOISIJIp. qmstfanIty'sofWOlSfdp, _Ita Is one da'j . aI
Ja...... tweM9Rlt. JS...thren c;hlanmeS lit the US
_ 9f cloSe feI.. 4oWsh1lJ tblitc'h8rac\erlZe 'tfitl, o n•• Ml4onference.
· 1 :'" bet sl.. 'f'retiiO (calif ) .,.,.. mlielone "·, of MB chum....'n Japan, .....n tuB cJ.th.nn., .ron It$ otJto" ...,eJI..
CJn $ who stat '*, ftist Japan ... th,t ,.95OJ. ....,Talc8oNdamura Oftbe and
tie&. ' cluhl.n,. the: J.,.,... face 18 mlnlst.rIng' who are In different ,t..6f aselmtlatlon to A,merlcan life. <Some of their members are temporary residents of the Urdted stites and are stili flllly Jipaneu tn outJJI". Others ". Immlgtaft\S who are adj....tlng to ,,',hi ...,...,..... to
A church member's loyal- GUS .xtente, -Pt.ct HmJt ty to ltIs or ber oongrel8tJqi1" AmerIcan walt .,-Iri A nina deep In the Japanese third are J who h.v. married Ala..... "Membena call Ir 4 can."'Or'" at«8 poli1Uv1l•• _reh the 'mot , church,' ••, CQpstde, and seldom move to anottle, tho. ibiIr her$pecIaI re. It Japinese. "
WheII .....res ....
American and Japa ways can clash within the church as wei' as In rei. tiona between these congre. gatlone and the predomInantly Anglo conference.
Beyond the obvious Ianguag. barriers are the patterns of relating AmerIcan ways can seem brash and ov.r-emotlonal to the more reurved Japanese, while ' Atnerlcane might be frustrat· ed at having to "react between the lines" when they experience the Japanese Indirect approach to conuqunlcfttlng.
Another point of dIfreIence Nakamura not_18 thfii.contrast between AmeItcane' IndlvlduailsnunCI Japanese emphasis qn community.
"Th. Japanese chtlst1an t.nds to .mphaslze a cooP.ratlv. spltlt wblle Americans t.nd to be selfreliant." h. explalna, adding that the Bible calls Chtl 1tans to do both Japanese and Anglo churches Jeam from eacH ot)ler In thl8 attar, .... - by Kathy H,mriC/)1f
cultures and ethnicities. But how do we do that in the U.S.? How do we deal challenges involved in becoming a church that truly embraces different cultures and preferences, beliefs and habits when it comes to living out our faith?
What obstacles are we facing? How can we overcome them?
We asked some Mennonite Brethren to offer their thoughts and insights. Here is what eleven of them had to say.
Glen Balzer:
Representing the kingdom of God
If someone asked me what my vision for the MB church is in the new millennium it would be this: that we would have the courage to rise above our own prejudices and misconceptions for what the church can be.
Some people think that the backbone of today's church is the suburban middle-class church. Our denomination 's evangelism strategies seem to support that, with a disproportionate amount of our church planting dollars and efforts directed to the white, rich and powerful.
Any casual reader of Scripture, however, soon discovers an ethic towards the poor and the oppressed. As a matter of fact, one could even say that if you wanted to find the heart of God you would find it among the marginalized.
Can we be a church, a denomination, that represents the diversity of the kingdom of God? The answer is yes!
But in order to get from where we are to where we need to be we will have to reprioritize. At a conference level we will need to include people of color in significant leadership positions. Mission USA (the U S. Conference church planting and renewal ministry) will need to intentionally redirect its efforts from reaching white middle-class to planting more churches among the urban poor Local churches will need to distinguish between cultural preferences and biblical mandates. Individually, we will need to move beyond our "Mennonite" imperialism that subtly says people should look like us and believe like us if they are going to be a part of our fellowship. It is my hope and prayer that we can move beyond being the Anglo church , the Hispanic church, the African Ameri-
become the church that we have the opportunity to become-a church that on Sunday morning reflects not only the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country we live in, but of the kingdom of God as well. It will not be easy. It will not be simple Things will have to be done differently-but it will be the right thing to do -Balzer is a part-time copastor at Garden Park MB Church, an MB church located in an ethnically diverse neighborhood in Denver, Colo.
Ed Boschman
How we are working for Jesus' dream
The variations of language and culture sometimes necessitate unique and properly contextualized ministries-our U.S Conference Integrated Ministries serves as an example of that. Socioeconomic realities may also predetermine, to some degree, ministry approaches that are effective in particular demographics.
These realities, however, are not reasons for us to behave in exclusivist or prejudicial ways Having said that, my sense is we would do well to admit that our human tendencies are to do so Thank God that Jesus can help us work through our struggles to get ready for the ultimate eternal party where race, language, tribe and nation will really not mean anything.
One way in which Mission USA ministries are responding to the dream of Jesus for his church to be blind to color and culture is that we see at least some people of varying nationalities and cultural realities worshipping and ministering together in both the existing and new churches we work with . That works where there is common language and enough flexibility in form and style to be inclusive
Another MUSA focus is to be increasingly wholistic and intentional about partnering with our transcultural brothers and sisters in the North Carolina and Latin American MB Conferences. Interactions and discussions have resulted in plans to strategize together about how we can partner more effectively "to win some" and thereby grow the Kingdom of Jesus. -Boschman is the executive director of Mission USA, the u.s. Conference church planting and renewal ministry.
Mary Elizondo
A iovine ' eart needed for embrace
Embrace is a descriptive word. I see two persons with arms around each other For this to be comfortable , both persons need to feel a familiarity and a mutual understanding. Some people will accept it sooner than others, and still others will shy away and refuse it altogether
The embrace can't be one sided or come too soon in a relationship. I remember as little girls, my sisters and I would have a disagreement and my father would make us say we were sorry and hug each other When you don't want to embrace someone, it is a most awkward thing.
The story of Naomi and Ruth is alive and well in many of our churches Some of our Hispanic pastors have Anglo wives. While they don't always understand the language and some cooking styles, they are nevertheless embracing the Hispanic culture and the churche s are embracing them.
Statistics say that one in 10 Hispanics will marry out of their e thnicity As this happens, there is a chance that we will lose some of our beautiful culture and traditions. I would regret that.
But do we have to lose our uniqueness?
I like to say that our differences make a mosaic pattern rather than a melting pot where you get a glob Our cultures and traditions can mix together. This Easter at our church refreshment table, someone said that we needed to have "paska" (a German bread), and I said we can also have "capirotada" (a Hispanic bread pudding).
Our differences can bring us new joys. I have grown up singing traditional songs from a song but I have several young adults in my family on the worship team Because I love them, I am learning to sing "off the wall"-and enjoying it . In the same way, you don't need to ask me to stop singing my songs in my way After hearing your songs, I may want to sing them as well . You may want to Sing my songs, too .
We can preach acceptance until we are blue, but to embrace we need to have a very lOving heart like 'Ruth.To follow Naomi's people and her God, we need to have a vertical relationship with God and then we can reach across to our brothers and sisters.
I believe that love is the answer to breaking barriers-not the media kind of love but the 1 Cor. 13 kind of love . The kind of love that is intentional and does not seek rewards -Elizondo works in the West Coast Mennonite Central Committee Office In Reedley, Calif. She also serves among the Hispanic MB churches In the Pacific District Conference with her husband, Jose, who Is the PDC associate district minister.
Loyal Funk Biblical counterculture of unity
In the U S MB Conference, the portfolio known as Integrated Ministries has been charged with making the conference an all-nations church. Over 60 1M churches have affiliated with us in just over one decade and about another 20 are in process . A number of local churches do extension ministries with ethnic groups in a variety of ways
Every human, including MB believers, has blind spots in his or her cultural patterns that consciously or subconsciously discriminate to the disadvantage of other people groups. Our challenge is to join together, in purpose statements and practice, with other believers to provide a radical biblical counterculture of unity in Christ. This will result in both mercy and justice . It will cause us to passionately seek the lost in every people group knowing that God is not a respecter of persons and we are to follow the God-man Christ and his teaching in the Great Commission. -Funk is the conference minister for the U.S. Conference and the director of Integrated Ministries, the U.S. Conference ministry to immigrant churches and peoples
Maribel Ramirez Hinojosa and Felipe Hinojosa Confronting power and privilege
Speaking specifically about our U.S. context, historically the church has not done well in welcoming or embracing different cultures and ethnicities; this trend of exclusion continues even today. The church instead has used its international experiences to cloud the obvious racism and segregation it has and continues to practice today at home in Kansas, California and other regions as well.
The question of how we begin to embrace our "next door" neighbors (Hispanics, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, etc.) must be, we believe, through the lens of America's racist history and how the church has contributed to the perpetuation of the demonic force of racism. Embracing other cultures does not mean eating Mexican food once a week, inviting an African-American choir to sing at your church or allowing an Hispanic group to sing in Spanish at the youth convention in Estes, Colo , and it certainly does not mean holding hands on Cesar Chavez or Martin L. King, Jr., day and singing "we shall overcome " It's more than that. White people must come to the realization that their whiteness gives them power and privilege in this country that people of color do not receive
So in working or worshipping with people of different cultures, power and privilege dynamics must be recognized or else we will continue to play what intercultural facilitator Roberto Chene calls "pretend
diversity." - Maribel and Felipe live in Edinburg, Tex. Maribel graduated.from Menrwnite Brethren Biblical Seminary in 2000 and CU1Tently works as a psychotherapist. Felipe is a 1999 graduate ofFresno POOf Ie University, an MB university located in Central Calif ornia, and currently works for Mennonite Central Committee as tbe Southern Tier staffassociate.
Phone Keo Keovilay Tranformecl into a new creation
Often times, I imagine how the kingdom of God looks and how I could serve his kingdom When I
read these passages (Luke 14, John 4 , Acts 1:7-8, Rev. 5:9), it seems to me that the kingdom of God is like the communities of faith gathering as one fam ily (Eph 2:11 -22,4:1-16), and Jesus is head of those communities. Jesus came to the world to save the lost (Luke 5:27-32) and, as his followers, we restore the poor into God's kingdom (Luke 14: 12-14)
A Southesast Asian congregation, we break through our culture's structure to become the family of God. We know that we might lose our identity as Laotian or Khmu, but in Jesus Christ, we have been transformed into the new creation Then in new cre-
Learning from a church in Kinshasa
In the 19908, I was Involved In urban crosa-cultural evangelism In KI shasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. this cosmopolitan city of 5 million people Is the largest French speaking city on the continent of Africa
Ten percent ofthe 84.000 Congolese MennonIte Brethren live In Kinshasa, and their vision has been to reach out to non-Christlans beyond traditional targeted ethnic groups In the province of Bandundu
Kltambo Missionary Church (120 members) was planted In order to further God's kingdom beyond ethnic, spiritual, cultural and II gulstlc barriers. Members of this local church came from eight nationalities: Canada, Central African Republic, Congo, Ghana, Rwanda, Sudan, Sweden, Uganda and the U.S. Even though French and Arable were chosen for our public worship, English was admitted In Bible studIes and prayers.
8y God's grace Christina, my wife, and I became deeply Involved In the life of this local church God has
used It to communicate his good news of Jesus Christ within and outside the Democratic Republic of Congo
More than 11 missionaries have gone from Kltambo to witness Christ to the rest of the world through nurturing and service Some of thesa missionaries were trained at Centre Universltaire de MI. slologle (70 students) led by some leaders of Kltambo Missionary Church
As one of the leaders In multf..raclal, Inter- and Intra-ethnlc church, Ileamed that we Christians are not perfect. To be filled by the Holy Spirit did not prevent us from disliking some parts of each qthers cultures or table habits The length of sermon and worship tended to divide our church. Some members-the "tIme orlented"preferred a one hour service Including a 20 minute sar·
"event oriented"- felt the need of a longer time for worship Through prayers and friendly discussion, we found a compromise In mix· Ing three short worship ser· vices with one long service This fong service was held at
the beginning of each month
The Lord's supper and a common meal were part of this service During the meal, some were using their hands, others their utensils Some wanted to speak In the language of their heart Others disliked It and preferred French Instead These hostile attitudes needed to be addressed and not spiritualized The Issue was not "to be or not to be a multl-ethnlc church" but how to relate to each other in a healthy and mature Christian way
Our faith In Christ helped us to cross our ethnic, racial, linguistic and cultural differences Our effort at living as a reconciled body of Christ conveyed a strong countercultural message against ethnocentrism The local culture around us noticed an Im-pllcatlon of being a new creature In Christ. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins by his Father stili affects today's woman and men. The Scriptures affirm that on the cross of Calvary Christ became sin so that those who repent might be raco
clled with God and with one another (PI. 103:11-12; Matt. 18:18; 16-20; John 3 :1-21; Acts 1:8; Eph 2:14; 2 Cor. 5:17·21, Heb 10:1922 and 1 John 1:9)
When the Congolese Mennonite Brethren Church In Kltambo understood that It Is a sent Christ-centered community of faith both locallY and globally, It acted accordingly We agreed to obey Christ Individually as well as communally. God the HolY Spirit opened to us the cosmopolitan doors through Muslim dialogues, door-todoor evangelism, confe ences, community services, relief activities, peace semInars and radio programs. Some professionals accepted the call to move out of Kinshasa and witness cros&culturally through words and deeds Congo changes but Christ remelns -by Nzash Lumeya Lumeya holds a joint position with the MB Biblical Seminary and MBMS International, the North American global mission agency He is the recent director of the School of MIss i ology, a school in Kinshasa which he founded In 1.990
We need to see ourselves through Christ, realizing we are who we are by the grace of God. We need to ask ourselves,
What can we do with the gifts God has given us to edify the church of Christ? What can we do through Christ within our conference to further his kingdom? What can we do to begin to understand our brothers or sisters next to us?
ation, we are one in Christ (Eph 4:11-24)
We know that we come from different races, cultures and nationalities, but in Christ we are no different I love my nationality, but God comes first in my life. -Keovilay is pastor of Butler Ave MB Church's Southeast Asian congregation, located in Fresno, Calif.
David Loyola and Rolando Mireles
Starting at home
We must realize that we need to embrace the different cultures and ethnicities that we find within the U.S. ifwe are to work together to have the church as God intended it to be. We need to see ourselves through Christ, realizing we are who we are by the grace of God. We need to ask ourselves, What can we do with the gifts God has given us to edify the church of Christ? What can we do through Christ within our conference to further his kingdom? What can we do to begin to understand our brothers or sisters next to us?
We need each other to carry out his work together. It's not what can the Hispanics, Russians, Koreans, Ethiopians , etc. do, but what can we through Christ do to work together to win many for Christ in the U.S.
How can we change how we see other peoples cultures and ethnicities? We can start at home . When our church hosts Youth Mission International groups coming from many US and Canadian homes, we feel blessed just to have them come and to realize that we can do many things for Christ together We can make a difference through Christ. We see potential within our MB conference to be a church for all people. -Loyola is the pastor of La Grulla (rex.) MB Church and Mireles is the Latin American Mennonite Brethren District 's moderator. Youth Mission International is a short-term mission program for youth and is part of MBMS International, the North American MB global mission agency.
David Reimer
Change is taking place
God intends the church to be an all-nations church, and it is indeed. The Holy Spirit described in Acts did in fact spread the church to the comers
of the earth. This spirit gave believers the power to speak the language of different people groups, and evangelism took place . But, while there was success in evangelism, there was not a successful blending of cultures and languages in the life of individual congregations.
Our churches today reflect the same struggles. In the past, language and location were factors However in the past several years, our nation's neighborhoods have become increasingly diverse As a result, our continued monocultural ecclesiology is becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
Within our denomination, we have seen change taking place The Butler MB Church, located in Fresno, Calif., is a fascinating model of life in a multicultural body of believers. Four different congregations of different ethnic groups use the same building and worship together once a month I believe multicultural church plants like this may be effective in our increasingly diverse society.
In the area of denominational work, at the last U.S . convention, the message from the floor was clear. The Board of Trustees took note and will be bringing bylaw revisions that reflect our desire to include participation of all districts. Presently, we call for representatives to leadership boards and ministries from each of the three largest districts, which are predominantly wQite, and at-large representatives that "may" be from the Latin American Mennonite Brethren District, predominantly Hispanic, or North Carolina, predominantly African American. This will change to include a more representative leadership.
Color is not the only cultural identifier. Generations also tend to cluster To my parents, contemporary Christian music was the smooth harmonies of the Gaithers. To my wife and me, it was presence of the electric guitars played by the likes of Randy Stonehill or Larry Norman To our children it is the rhythm of the Newsboys . Today, we accommodate more generations with multiple worship services where we can allow though we may not attend. That is affirming, but we need to work harder at fostering relationships. - Reimer is the chair of the U.S Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and lives in Reedley, Calif. •
-David Loyola and Rolando Mireles
BY PHILIP WIEBE
An almost-environmentalist
Even ifyou don 't want to be known as an environmentalist, that doesn't mean you shouldn't care about the environment-just as its Creator certainly does.
For a long time I've considered myself to be an environmentalist-even before that term became widely used-but recent developments have changed my thinking
consuming than needed And so on.
I see these kinds of earthfriendly, life-valuing pursuits to be self-evident in our call to be servants of Christ and stewards of God's creation A lot of Christians haven't agreed with me in the past, and some may still not. But fortunately, attia bit. I don't mean I have any less (or different) environmentalist tendencies than before But it seems to me that the term is getting more difficult to pin down
In my own thinking, when I say I'm an environmentalist I mean some very simple things We should nurture and sustain God's creation rather than exploit and destroy it Certainly we should cultivate and enjoy the many resources of God's earth, as Scripture directs, but absolutely not in the c1earcutting, strip-mining, environment-polluting way that has characterized our behavior over the last two centuries . We should try, as best we can, to fix the damage we've done and avoid making the same mistakes We should explore and develop alternative, environmentally-friendly energy production, building materials and transportation methods We should permanently preserve large tracts of old-growth forest, pristine seashore, prairie and desert lands, mountain and river and canyon lands in their original state (and also develop other lands in responsible, sustainable ways-I don't see it as an either/or proposition)
On a personal level, we should take advantage of local opportunities to save resources and live less wastefully. Recycle Use paper and office products made with post-consumer materials. Tum off the lights and heat when not in use Walk and bike more Buy quality, long-long lasting rather than "throwaway" items. Be careful about owning vehicles and homes that are three times larger and more energy-
tudes are changing
Among the reasons that some Christians have difficulty sympathizing with environmentalist agendas are the tactics and lifestyles of extremists who make the news And it's true , sadly, that some of these are very poor spokespeople for their own cause. While they preach and work for "peace with the environment," as we Anabaptists might put it, many extremists live and act in abusive and violent ways involving drugs, property destruction and hatred toward those who disagree with their cause It isn't the kind of behavior believers want to be associated with.
But we Christians wouldn't want to be judged solely by the hypocrites among us, of course, and neither should we judge environmentalism by the appalling behavior of a few. Even from those on the edge we can learn some things. In Portland last year, a young man lived literally on the edge to publicize an environmental cause-he camped out on the ledge of a building for a number of days. Rather than smirking and rolling my eyes at the situation, as many did, I found this man's passion intriguing. Could I ever have been that sold out to any cause, even one involving my faith? I wondered Perhaps I was committed to my own comfort more than any notion of greater good Frankly, what concerns me more than the behavior of environmental extremists is the lack of interest many
Christians display toward environment-related issues. Not long ago when such an issue came up in a discussion, I mentioned something about the greenhouse effect . The person looked at me blankly and inquired, "What's that?" When I mentioned that it had to do with global warming, I realized there was a spark of recognition regarding the general subject, but only a vague sense of what it all meant.
Now, I realize there are those who would like to dismiss or ignore the whole idea of global warming, but quite honestly it's getting harder to do. Someone once observed that the reason these issues don't capture the attention of more people is because they are too big to fit on a 1V screen. There's probably a lot of truth to that . While crime and school violence make dramatic footage that causes much concern, a melting polar ice cap merely brings on yawns.
Even so, I can understand it when Christians are hesitant to be known as "environmentalists. " In fact, I've been wondering if that term even applies to myself anymore I have no great desire to get back to nature or stop using my car or chain myself to a tree . I'm not planning on discontinuing my use of electricity or computers or cell phones I think there can be a reasonable balance between the use of resources and preservation of the land.
Maybe in the current scheme of things I' m more of a "sustainist"somewhere in the middle between the c1ear-cutters and tree huggers. There's a place for cultivating and developing the land; there's also a need to preserve and nurture it . Unfortunately I think too many Christians , both past and pre sent, have fallen more into the camp of "exploitationist." Use it up and never mind the consequences Eve n if some Christians don ' t want to be known as environmentalists, however, that doesn ' t mean they shouldn't care about the environ me nt-just as its Creator ce rtainly does .
INQUIRING MINDS
BY MARVIN HEIN
QWhat is the real truth about Weigh Down Workshops? Should Christians follow a program founded by one who reportedly denies the Trinity? (California)
A"Oh, if I could only talk you into going to God for all that you want and need When we leave God out of our lives, what we are left with is an endless black hole Food never gives back-it only takes. God always gives back."
That quote from Gwen Shamblin's book The Weigh Down Diet (taken from the wdworkshop.org Web site) sounds not only harmless but helpful. Equally fascinating is Shamblin's statement in the book Exodus Out of Egypt: "This Weigh Down Workshop seminar is teaching people on a daily basis how God can transfonn their hearts and minds so that they can rise above the magnetic pull of the refrigerator " Or how about this one: "You can learn how to replace head hunger with the will of God so that you can transform this desire for a pan of brownies to that of hungering and thirsting after righteousness." As a love of chocolate, I can resonate with that.
Shamblin's Tennessee-based Weigh Down Workshop, founded 10 years ago, enrolled 125,000 persons in 1999 Her book Weigh Down Diet has sold more than 1 million copies The course consists of 12 weekly classes, using workbooks, videos and tapes, and costs just over $100 . Many report remarkable results as they are delivered from slavery to pounds . One Murfreesboro, Tenn., couple lost 200 pounds. One of my friends enrolled twice and lost 20 pounds Almost half of the participants take the class a second time at a reduced rate.
So far, so good. Last fall, Shamblin shocked much of the evangelical world by stating on her website that she does not believe in the Trinity. She believes Jesus and God are two separate beings but they are not equal. She maintains
that the doctrine of the Trinity came out of a society that believed in polytheism and was intended to make sure that people did not think Christians worshiped several gods. As a result, Thomas Nelson Publishers canceled publication of what was to be an upcoming book. Large churches, including Moody memorial Church in Chicago and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, are reviewing whether or not to continue hosting the workshops.
In the meantime, Shamblin and her husband, along with several other fumilies, have founded a new church called Remnant Fellowship. There are no pastors, no elders, no deacons, and no church officials of any kind. More than a third of the 100 staff workers of Weigh Down Workshops have left the organization, saying they were pressured into joining the new church if they wanted to remain employed.
Should believers participate in Weigh Down Workshops? I would not condemn anyone who finds this method effective for weight-loss. Most of us profit at times from methods and programs espoused by those with whom we do not agree theologically. For example, many Christian schools and organizations use Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, a strictly secular book. I, along with millions of other evangelicals often consult William Barclay's commentaries even though he doesn't believe in the Virgin birth. Many believers have profited from the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, which until recendy taught only a "higher being" kind of God. We can probably be too finicky about accepting or rejecting the wisdom of those with fallacious theology.
On the other hand, we should be aware of the dangers. The new kind of church Shamblin espouses hints at some danger signals. The insistence that employees belong to her church begins to sound almost cultic So, if you pay your hundred bucks for a workshop,
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? E-mail Marvin at mheinl@jresno edu or send your question to "Inquiring Minds, "c/o Marvin Hein , 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727
make sure your guard is up. I'm all for the weight loss, and more Bible and less fat in the diet will no doubt help. Even without the Weigh Down Workshop.
QWhat are acceptable means of challenging someone in their POsition (in the church), especially if they seem to be appointed for life? (address withheld)
AThe inquirer refers specifically to deacon or elder pOSitions. Mennonite Brethren polity holds that "exits" and "entrances" into the church and into the church's work occur through the action of the church body. You become a member through church action; leaving should also be affirmed by the church We many well have defaulted on the latter. In the same way, a person's exit from service in a pOSition, assuming that person is not living in accord with the biblical requirements for service, should come by the action of the church body, or its representatives (church council, elder board, spiritual ministries board, etc.).
An individual may well voice his or her dissatisfaction with a member in office, but the course of action comes through the larger body, the church. The inquirer asks if a disillusioned member's only recourse in the event of dissatisfaction is to leave the church. Perhaps, yes If he or she is not heard, or the church body disagrees with the person's assessment, departing from the church may not be the ideal resolution, but sometimes the only practical remedy.
ON THE JOUHNEY
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Answering the call
As Christians we are all needed and we are all called. The question is, 'itre we listening to the call of God in our lives?"
As we enter the airport in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua, New Guinea, the first sign that greets us is "Welcome to Paradise " And the sign is right-at least as far as the scenery is concerned.
This country has beauty overload. In a hotel in which we overnight, there are huge bouquets of bird of paradise flowers, four-headed amaryllis, caUa lilies and other exotic blooms. I look out of my window and see every shade of green imaginable. I see the bright red leaves of a poinsettia bush and several trees loaded with big bunches of yeUow flowers whose name I don't know
The seacoast capital greets us with a steam bath, reminding us that we are in the tropics. When we reach the Wycliffe center up in the highlands at 5,000 feet, the temperatures are much more temperate. There is lush vegetation everywhere. We have some humidity but it is not as oppressive as at the coast.
I am in Ukarumpa as part of a mission team with Wycliffe Associates. We are here to provide a two-week vas Day Camp for 170 missionary children while their parents attend the biannual conference for all the Wycliffe members in this area.
We are here to serve others, but I am amazed at how many serve us.
I think of the missionary drivers who drove to Goroka to pick us up. The road between this city and the mission compound was indescribable. It took potholes, road washouts and rickety bridges to new levels of meaning. At one point during our journey, we drove in the ditch (it was smoother) and saw the edge of the road go by our side windows. We bumped and slid around, hit the ceiling and scraped bottom on the vehicle more times than I could count
At one particularly bad pothole, two women in our team bumped heads togetherleaving a goose egg on the side of one woman's head and the most impressive black eye I've ever seen on the other. We were all relieved to
arrive at the mission station after our two and a half hour ride. We made the trip once, but our drivers had to do it twice just to get us here
At the guesthouse where we are staying, again there are those who serve us. For the first few days a retired Korean couple from Denver on a short-term assignment took care of our needs . Our current host and hostess returned from a short trip and are most helpful as weU. They are a retired couple from Wisconsin who are here on a fourmonth assignment There are also several national women who clean and cook. The meals are great and the accommodations very nice.
Several other missionaries bend over backwards to provide us with the supplies we need and help us at the vas site. One even loaned us her laptop computer (which I used to write this) so that we would have email access with our families and churches back home
We are told that it takes 40 people to provide all the services needed to support one Bible translator in the field. I can see why that is true. I think of all the people who gave their tithes and offerings so that this guesthouse could be built and furnished . Then there were the people who came to build it . Other volunteers built the bed I sleep on each night and still others contributed the bed linens, towels and dishes we use .
Many people pray for us each day and daily we see answers to prayer. It is an answer to prayer that we as a group
have been remarkably healthy so far with only short-term minor difficulties. It was a big "praise the Lord" that our group of 12 all made it to the airport in Los Angeles on time for the flight to Sydney, Australia. Then it was a big "thank you, Lord" when we arrived at our final destination with all of our luggage intact
For me, personally, a special answer to prayer occurred on the 14-hour overnight flight from Los Angeles to Sydney. I had had a very busy two weeks before I left and then was too excited to sleep much my last night at home. I was very tired and dreaded the ordeal of sitting up the entire time in the cramped airline seat As it ended up mine was the only area of the plane where there were two empty seats. This meant that I could actually lie down across three seats and get some muchneeded rest.
I am impressed by the many people who are here serving the Lord in so many different ways. Some live in the viUages and work on Bible translation and literacy. Others live and work at the mission compound providing transportation, computer systems, technical support, medical services, housing, banking, maintenance, education for the children and many other services. Several missionaries work and stock a store that provides groceries, hardware, dishes, toys, office supplies and much more All are vital to the Lord's work here.
As Christians, we are all needed and we are all called. Some of us are called to go and some to stay. Others are called to support with prayer and/or finances those who "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every nation" (Mark 16:15).
The question is, "Are we listening to the call of God in our lives?"
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Many individuals and families utilize the personally prepared Will to communicate specific wishes- including the permanent support of charitable organizations.
This charitable bequest can be made in a number of ways, including a fixed amount, specific property, or a percent of the estate.
For information on how to include a charitable bequest in your Will, we invite you to write us using the response form or call our office at 1-800-551-1547.
Diverse leaders for I a diverse mission I
Four soon-to-be graduates of the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary share why they want to do ministry and their vision for the future
BY DARREN DUERKSEN
This month, from a small comer in southeast Fresno , Calif., a new wave of leadership vision and energy will be unleashed. Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary will be graduating 25 people from six different countries with degrees in counseling, theology and divinity and church ministries
What brings people from places as diverse as the U.S ., Ethiopia, Singapore, Germany, China and Japan to study together in Fresno? We caught up with four of these soon-to-be graduates to
get further insight on who these people are, what their vision for the future is and why they came to MBBS .
Forging Ethiopian partnerships Tesfai Tesema
When Tesfai Tesema left Ethiopia in 1978, he had little idea about whether he would return. "I wasn't a Christian when I left the country," says Tesema "I left Ethiopia because of the Communist political situation and my connection with certain political organizations ." Tesema moved from country to country as a political refugee, eventual-
I IIy traveling to Saudi Arabia. While there, a man from Singapore led Tesema to faith in Jesus. He joined an underground church where he met his wife Abeba, who is also from Ethiopia.
Tesemaand his wife came to San Jose in 1984, where he enrolled in San Jose Christian College. After graduating, he was asked to pastor Ethiopian Christian Fellowship , the first of several Ethiopian MB churches
Tesema pastored the church
• A ge: 45
• Home countryI city: Ethiopia, then San Jose, Calif
• HOllie church: Ethiopian Christian Fellowship (MB)
• Family: wife Abeba; children Abel and Daniel
• Previous education: BA from San Jose Christian College
• MBBS Degree: Master of Divinity in Pastoral Leadership
for 12 years After several years of ministry, however, he felt he needed more pastoral training He decided to enroll at MBBS because of the MB theological
training as well as the financial support that was offered to MB members. In spite of the three-hour commute between San Jose and Fresno, Tesema remained in San Jose and continued as the pastor of his church.
Though he plans to stay in San Jose for several years, Tesema's long-term vision has turned back to Ethiopia. "My main motivation now is to return to Ethiopia in the future and get involved in leadership training," he says "I have been in and out of Ethiopia quite frequently and have seen the need for leadership training . It is very critical."
To further equip himself for this goal, Tesema may pursue doctoral studies . "Further education would help me fulfill my desire to go back home and be involved in leadership training 1 could teach in Bible colleges and seminaries. "
As part of his vision, Tesema would like to encourage North American MB agencies and churches to partner together to do leadership training and mission work in Ethiopia. He has already been instrumental in helping Ethiopian congregations in the U S join the MB conference and hopes for even more partnerships
Tesema explains , "I would like for myself and our Ethiopian churches (here in the U.S.) to be a connection for the MBs to the Ethiopian people. We can be a link to missions work in Ethiopia and provide a way for MB churches to be involved in the Great Commission. I believe this is a reason for this connection with the Ethiopian congregations (in the U S.)."
Going back t o h is roots
Nathan Gift
Like Tesema, Nathan Gift has been receiving on-the-job training while at seminary. In addition to being a fulltime student, he has been the pastor of Waukena Community Church, a Brethren in Christ congregation outside of Fresno. This experience has helped prepare him for his upcoming pastorate with the MB church in Ulysses, Kan "We are really excited about the possibilities in Ulysses and what the Lord has for us ," says Gift
The return to the Midwest is a homecoming of sorts for Gift Though he grew up in Visalia, he spent ove r 14 years in Kansas, where he attended Tabor College and met his wife, Cherylen, who is originally from Nebraska
After sensing a call to be a pastor, Gift decided to attend MBBS. "I felt the Lord wanted me to be trained, especially in the area of preaching as well as in the many other facets of pastoring," says Gift.
Studying at MBBS has had many highlights for Gift "I've sometimes come out of the classroom floating two feet off the ground because a whole new world has been opened ! up through the instruction," he says.
Part of this "new world " for Gift has been the rediscovery of his Anabaptist roots "MBBShas helped me to
• Age: 36
• Hometown: Visalia. Calif.• then Hillsboro. Kan.
• Home church: Ebenfeld MB Church. soon to pastor Ulysses MB Church
• Fallllly: wife Cherylen; children Erin (7). Sara (6). Philip (2). Nicholas (10 months)
• P revious education: BA in church ministries from Tabor College
• MaaS Degree: Master of Divinity in Pastoral Leadership
understand why I am a Mennonite Brethren. It's not that the seminary tells you what to believe, but as they teach about the kingdom of God and the world around us, it points me towards (Anabaptist) beliefs such as the peaceful, frugal, compassionate way of life, as well as an emphasis on the word of God as highly authoritative "
While at MBBS, Gift has been able to reflect on the nature of leadership in the Bible. "Out of a study on Hebrews 13:7-17, I realized that the North American church in general needs to grow in the area of leadership and 'followership,'" says Gift, who looks forward to calling out new leaders in the congregations he pastors. "If we were good fol- . lowers we would trust the leaders that we appoint. Likewise if we were good leaders we would be better at taking the responsibility that's been given to us and be faithful with it."
Co-ministers to a new _ation
Dave and Heidi Gray
In spite of their MB undergraduate educational experiences, as young peo-
pie Dave and Heidi Gray weren't sure whether to stay with the MB denomination long-term Then came the summer of 1992, a pivotal time for each of them as they served with Youth Mission International
"We saw some exciting things happening in YMI and the MB churches where we served," says Heidi. "A lot of our friends were leaving the denomination but we each felt that it was important for us to stay "
Dave says, "I remember being in a small prayer time with quite a few of the conference leadership in Canada and seeing these men and women praying and crying out before God, asking him to move among the denomination ," he says "It gave me a real sense that God is doing something and there was a future for the Mennonite Brethren."
Dave and Heidi's work with YMI confirmed not only a call to pursue ministry with the MB denomination, but to also gain further training. "That (experience with I YMI) formulated in me a desire to stay (with the MBs) and to come to MBBS," says Dave.
Both Dave and Heidi decided to pursue degrees at the same time and this has been one of the highlights of their seminary experience. "If people were flies on our wall they would probably think we were a little bit off our rocker because we're always talking about theolo-
• Previous Education: Heidi. Fresno Pacific College; Dave. Columbia Bible College
• MaaS Degrees: Master of Divinity in Pastoral Leadership
gy and church history," says Heidi "But it has been really good to bounce those ideas off each other and to formulate our view of ministry and the church together. "
Dave and Heidi would like to minister together and to help the MBs grow in relating more effectively to the needs and questions of young men and women. Heidi would like to encourage more mentors and role models for women. "I would not be in seminary today if it were not for some women who mentored me and pushed me to clarify and strengthen the gifts God has given me," she says. "We need more people who are willing to invest time in that type of ministry "
Dave says, "We're also interested in being involved in some MB churches here in North America that may be trying new strategies to reach Gen X type people. My passion is summed up in different individuals that I've encountered over the last few years.
"These people are in the church, tend to be under 30, and are working through some tough questions about the nature of Christianity and how it relates to (cultural) issues," Dave continues. "They really don't feel at peace in the church anymore. 1would like to foster a sense of openness to those people so that they could come to a safe place in a community of believers, committed to worshipping God and living out the teachings ofJesus, but with freedom to not have all the answers {to questions of faith) " •
What do you think about
NOTE: Dates may be subject to some changes, pending further confirmation of some campaigns
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door-to-door
• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful
• Between 800 and 2800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord during a two - week CPE campaign . Come and be part of an enriching spiritual experience-discover what God can do through you
For further information , contact:
Church Partnership Evangelism office: telephone/fax: 604-864-3941
Peter Loewen (residence) fax: 604-853-6482
Church Partnership Evangelism is a "church -to-church" effort that involves all bornagain Christians in personal evangelism worldwide. Your application to participate will be forwarded to the CPE Executive Committee for processing
PETER LOEWEN
CPE Executive Director
HAROLD ENS
MBMS International General Director
MetroNet 2005
MetroNet 2005 Begins
As
Church Planting Team Locates in Phoenix.
MertroNet 2005 is the vision of Mennonite Brethren to plant 20 new churches in our nation by the year 2005. Church planters,
national constituency to reprioritizing the winning of lost people who are within our personal spheres of influence into the
family Jesus calls his own here on earth." states Ed Boschman, Executive Director of Mission USA. "We as a US Mennonite Brethren people have affirmed that goal and the Mission USA team has established a bold vision for the next five years of ministry. As a part of MetroNet 2005, Phoenix has been selected as the first Target City with a goal Mike and Ruth Harrison, daughter Grace and Scott and Amy Huska, their daughter Emily, Callie, and Betsy have moved to Phoenix and are beginning to cast vision and prepare for the launch of The River, the new Phoenix church plant. Jimmy and Linda Blinn along with Chris Sullivan will also be moving to Phoenix and assisting in the new church plant.
"Mission USA has committed to lead our
of five new churches planted in the next five years . The first of those five is about to begin its pre-launch phase."
(L-R) Scott & Amy Huska and Ruth & Mike Harrison.
Holy Land tour builds bridges
North American and Batswana Christians go beyond sightseeing as they share a pilgrimage experience
DBY CONNIE FABER AND JEANINE YODER
ale and Teresa Regier of Hillsboro, Kan ., wanted to "create a memory" for their 25th wedding anniversary and while their recent trip abroad wasn't "romantic", they agree it was a significant and meaningful experience .
The couple traveled throughout IsraeI!Palestine March 2-14, 2001, with other members of the Intercultural Bible Lands Learning Tour led by Elmer Martens, president emeritus of MB Biblical Seminary. This unique study tour, sponsored by Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, highlighted church-ta-church partnerships between African and
North American Christians.
Tim Bertsche, an AIMM Bible teacher assigned to Botswana, conceived of the trip to give his Batswana colleagues and former Bible college students the opportunity to see the land of the Bible in the company of their North American counterparts . AIMM is the agency with which MBMS International and four other Mennonite mission agencies cooperate in evangelizing Africa.
The Regiers were the first to sign-on for the tour that would grow to include 14 North American leaders from Mennonite, Lutheran, Methodist and Baptist backgrounds and 10 Batswana bishops, archbishops, pastors and lay leaders
from the African-Initiated Church (see "Faith the African Way, " next page).
Cross-cultural sharing key
While the tour was intended to inform participants about the land of the Bible and the region's current political and religious Situation, partnering North American and African Christians was an important element of the tour.
Beginning the first evening of the tour, when participants shared clothes with two Batswana whose suitcases were temporariIy lost in transit and an African pastor helped a North American pastor repair his glasses until the last evening when personal gifts were exchanged and a communion service was held, sharing and friendship took place across denominational and cultural lines
"In the body of Christ, each part supplies what is lacking in the other," says Martens. "In the end, we learned about the church, Christ's body, as well as about the land ofIsraeI!Palestine "
North American and Batswana travelers who were without their spouses paired up as roommates for the first week. Mary Anne Isaak, associate pastor at College Community Church in Clovis, Calif., says she was impressed with how similar she and her Batswana roommates were.
"My roommates and I shared a sense of humor. Laughing together goes a long
Getting the terms right
A variety of terms are used In this article to refer to this country and Its people.
• Botswana - name of this southern African nation with the highest rate of AIDS In all of Africa with one In three adults Infected.
• Batswana - the plural word used in reference to people from Botswana
• Motswana - the singular term for people from Botswana
• Satswana - the language of the country of Botswana
way toward bridging cultural differences and breaking stereotypes," she says. ''We talked about our families, our churches, our understandings of God and our questions about the injustice we witnessed in the land we were visiting ."
Travelers invited to participate
Throughout their travels, tour members from both continents were invited to share formally and infonnally with one another. Because most team members were comfortable speaking English, participants could take turns leading morning devotions and share each evening about the day 's experiences and what they'd learned.
"We could not sit back and just be tourists," says Dale Regier. "We had to participate, thanks to Elmer. He'd come down the aisle of the bus and he'd talk to everyone on the bus 'Where would you like to have devotions? Would you like to add some infonnation about this particular site?'"
Many tour participants agreed that an especially meaningful experience occurred in Caesarea Philippi, the place where the Apostle Peter made his confession that Jesus is the Son of God. Two pastors, one North American and the other Motswana, took turns posing the question : "And who do you say Jesus is?" The group members responded in tum, giving their personal answers to the question
"This was one of the many times, in addition to group singing and frequent prayers, that the group bonded tightly in common confession," says Martens.
The Bible comes alive
The stop at Caesarea Philippi was one of several that the Regiers say will help them read their Bible in a new way. In this case, for Teresa it was seeing that the setting in which the conversation between Jesus and Peter took place was the site of a pagan alter. "I could imagine why he would have asked that question there," she says.
"God's word became alive when I saw some of the archaeological excavations," says Phillip Mothetho, one of the Batswana participants. "Seeing the Pool of Bethesda and the tomb of Lazarus gave me a new appreciation for these stories. The tour made a profound spiritual impact on my life as I walked where God actively intervened in the lives of many men and women. "
North American tour participants also learned about some of the practices unique to their African counterparts The importance Batswana AlC Christians place on water became clear when the group visited the Jordan River and several Batswana took the opportunity to baptize themselves and one another to rededicate themselves to I God and to re-purify themselves.
Later that evening, Archbishop Joseph Motswasele, pastor of the Spiritual Healing Church and overseer of 31 congregations with a membership of some 30,000, took the group through the Scriptures to show how water represents healing and cleansing
"The most enriching element of the trip for me was our interaction with the Batswana le aders ," says Martens. "Hearing their 'take' on biblical symbolism
such as water was particularly significant for me "
Safety in spite of tension
Another unique aspect of this group's tour was the timing of their visit. The group traveled throughout Israel/Palestine during the weeks in which power in the Israeli government shifted to Ariel Sharon. This shift sparked an increase in violence in some locations but the group did not witness any of these acts
One particularly tense moment came when the group was initially denied access to Bethlehem because their safety could not be guaranteed In the end, the Israeli guard allowed members to walk some 50 yards across the patrolled area to meet a local bus on the other side . A few in the group expressed ini-
Faith the African way
African Independent Ohurch congregations, now numbering thousands of congregations with memberships In . the tens of millions, are found across Sub-Sah. ran Africa.
The AIOs are Independent of the Roman Oathollc, Protestant, Evangelical or sectarian churches and denominations planted by Westem missions. Healing, liberation, spirItual combat and divine mystery, as well as the Importance of the laity, are shared themes In these churches
In Botswana, there Is a history of tension between churches established by North American missionaries and those founded by Africans When AIMM began working In the country 30 years ago, a decision was made that rather than planting new
churches, Mennonites would work with existIng AlOs that had asked for assistance In the area of leadership trainIng AIMM workers have been dlsclpllng believers and joining others in bulldtngup strong Ohrist-llke leaders In AIOs since the 1970s. Ourrently Tim and Laura Bertsche and MIMSI missionaries Bryan and Teresa 10m are teach-
ers with the AIOs. AtMM Is the agency for mission In Africa for five Mennonite Oonferences In North AmerIca: Evangelical Mennonite Ohurch, Evangelical Mennonite Conference, EvangellcaJ Mennonite Mission Conference, General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Brethren Church -by Jeanine Yoder
I BomL111
COMMUNITY
PALM VILLAGE
tial reluctance to enter Bethlehem, but chose to honor the desire of the group
Later that day, Isaak talked with her African friend about the woman's fears of visiting Bethlehem. The woman shared that she had seen people killed in the streets of South Africa where she used to live.
"She had been in a situation where the threat of violence was right in front of her," Isaak says. "I realized that we experienced Bethlehem in very different ways: I was a tourist and pilgrim with unconscious expectations of safe· ty, she was identifying with the vulnerability of people who live there."
The tour group was educated about the country's complex political situation by Palestinian and Messianic (Jewish) Christians. The speakers also gave witness to the reconciliation efforts of both Palestinian and Israeli Christians.
Salim Munayer, founder of Restoring Trust Ministries, takes groups of Christian youths - both Jewish and Palestinian - out into the desert for five days of sharing the same large Bedouin tent, sweating, working, eating and riding camels together to break down barriers .
Munayer's presentation helped Teresa Regier realize the challenges facing Christians living in the region - people who share the same faith but are of different races. "If its so hard for Christians to reconcile," she wonders, "how can we expect the rest of the population [representing different faiths 1to do it?"
One Palestinian Christian said, 'We are brothers who can't share the same
house But the solution is not to kick one another out. We have got to learn how to live together "
While the situation in Israel/Palestine is one of tension and violence, Christians in the region remain optimistic.
The Regiers recall one Palestinian Christian telling the group that "God will surprise us with peace one of these days."
Although the current political climate created tensions during the 12day tour, it benefited the AIMM group in at least one way: the lack of lines at popular tourist spots
"In Bethlehem and elsewhere we were almost the only tour group," says Martens. 'We had the large Bethlehem Basilica of the Nativity virtually to ourselves, a most unheard of thing since long lines of tourist groups ordinarily wait in line," he says. This made it possible for the group to worship undisturbed at the grotto for almost 20 minutes.
The group also enjoyed other times of worship: on Mount Tabor, communion by the Galilee sea, a prayer time below Damascus Gate at the old city of Jerusalem and a Sunday morning worship service at the Garden Tomb Because of their connection with Mennonite Central Committee, the group was able to visit the Gaza strip to view the work of MCC in the area. In addition to visiting some 40 sites, the group also ate a meal in keeping with Bible times customs hosted by the Biblical Resources Center and toured Nazareth Village, a project to reconstruct life in the 1st century A.D •
ACADEMIC MB JOURNAL GOES ONLINE
Direction web site available
Direction journal, the academic publication of Mennonite Brethren postsecondary schools in Canada and the U S., announces that
Fresno Pacific University, and MB Bib-
lical Seminary in the
U S. sponsor the
journal.
Douglas B.
Miller of Tabor
collegeiSthegen-
eral editor, Marilyn
addressing biblical, theological, ethical, pastoral, educational and evangelistic concerns, from international as well as from local perspectives. The MB Board of Resource Ministries, Columbia Bible College, Concord College, and Bethany Bible Institute in Canada, and Tabor College, its new web site is now available at www.directionjoumal.org. The site includes indexes with author, tide, and subject information, and tables of contents from the journal's inception in 1972 to the present. Searchable full-text articles from the spring and fall 2000 issues are now on the site, with issues from the 1990s expected by summer. Eventually the
Hudson of Kindred Productions the managing editor, and Richard Kyle whole corpus will be included. The site also contains a description and history of the journal, a Site Guide, a subscription template and contact information.
of Tabor the book review editor. Published twice annually, Direction is guided by an editorial council composed of representatives of the supporting institutions. -BRM Direction provides a forum for FIRST DISTRICT FORM ED ON ETHNIC LINES
Slavic district approved
Mennonite
Brethren Slavic congregations are in the process of forming the Slavic District of the U.S. Conference. This will be the first U S. Conference district to be formed along ethnic rather than geographic lines. Delegates to the 2000 U S. Conference convention in Denver approved
Spiritual warfare study conference announced
All Mennonite Brethren es in Canada and the U.$. are Invlt ed to send delegates to a study conference on spiritual wartsre to be held Oct 2S-27, 2001, in ear.. gary, Alta
Participants will hear presentations from theologians and tloners Guided round-table disc..., slons will enable participants to study the Scriptures together. ,ea. tured speakers Include Rand), Friesen, Pierre Gilbert, ru.ash Lumeya and John Allan Toews. A maxlniLlln of three delegatel Is allowed per congregatJon. Detailed Information will be dt. trlbuted to churches - U S COnferenoe Board of Faithsftd Life
constitutional changes that were designed to make such a change possible
The Slavic congregations are united by a common desire to effectively meet the needs of Slavic people
in the U.S. and to reach out to their people in the former Soviet Union, says Loyal Funk, director of Integrated Ministries, the U.S Conference ministry to immigrant churches and peoples
The district will be officially formed this fall, and will be the largest district in the U S Conference with
BREAKING GROUND: Fresno (Calif.) Pacific UnIversity, an MB university, broke ground for the AIMS Hall of Mathematics and Science the first weekend In March. The two-story, 20,097 square-foot facility will feature laboratories for computers, general science, physics/electronics, chemistry and research as well as classrooms, offices, a library, conference room members. -CL and safe storage space for chemicals and specimens. Construction Is set to begin next fall. -FPU
o NEWS
Alumnus returns
-Paul Mlcu has been named dIrector of alumni and church relations at Fresno Pacific University_ Mlcu began his new duties March 1. Micu returns to FPU after four years as outreach coordinator for the University of California, where he promoted connections with middle schools, high schools and community colleges throughout the Valley. Prior to that Mlcu spent more than five years as an admissions counselor at FPU, where he was also a freshman mentor. He earned a bachelor's and master's degrees from the university. Micu's church work Includes managing a traveling music ensemble and speakIng to congregations, youth groups, camps and retreats. Mlcu and his wife, Amy, have three children. -FPU
Annual meeting
-The Mennonite Central Committee board will hold Its annual meeting In Akron, Penn., June 15 and 16. This Is the first major meeting taking place at the new Welcoming Place facilities due to be completed June 1. MCC board members discuss and approve program plans and budgets for the coming year. The MCC board consists of 38 elected representatives from 15 Mennonite and Brethren In Christ conferences, MCC Canada, MCC U.S. and members at large. Also attending the meeting will be MCC workers from Palestine and Burkina Faso. Program Initiatives being brought to the MCC board Include advocacyon Iraq sanctions, the Incorpor. tlon of MCC U S , Joint ventures with Mennonite World Conference and developing a new personnel policy framework. - MGG
W O RKING TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY IN CHINA
MEDA, MCC tackle poverty
Two Mennonite agencies, Mennonite Economic Development Associates and Mennonite Central Committee, are at the midpoint of a five-year $7.5 million poverty alleviation project. The Canadian International DevelopmentAgency and the Amity Foundation, the only Christian-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) in China, are also assisting with the project.
The project has four thrusts: agricultural production and marketing, basic health, nutrition and gender equity; basic education and literacy; and economic diversification, including micro-finance.
Mennonites should work in China for several reasons, says MEDA's Henry Fast. "The Chris-
Itian church in China is experiencing rapid growth but is hampered by a severe lack of leadership and resources, due in large part to poverty conditions," says Fast China is now estimat-
ed to have more than 15 million Protestant Christians and 50,000 churches/meeting points (including house churches) . An average of six new churches/meeting points are formed every day. The growth rate of the Christian population has been three times faster than the growth rate of the total
population of China since the 1950s.
MCC's executive committee recently approved a recommendation to expand its work. For example, MCC is currently helping 13 students from China's northeastern Sichuan Province pay for theireducation.
tl Local :;; govemment officials are E so impressed "! with the program that they, together with the schools, have offered to match MCC funds so more students can be sponsored.
MCC plans to expand its China program this spring and is looking for additional sponsors. Church groups, schools and government officials in Sichuan are already recommending needy students. -MEDA/MCC
LOOKING AT MODELS FOR TRANSFORMING JUSTICE
Restorative justice conference
The Center for Fresno, Calif. of communltlet. Zehrof ___ Peacemaking This year the Speakers Mennonlte' Un'" and Conflict conference Include Allan verslty; and Studies at Fres- focuses on mod- MacRae from author Jim no Pacific Un elsfrom New Wellington, New OOnsedlne. verslty Is host- Zealand, Canada Z_and; Rose- R tratlon Ing Its annual and the U.S. for mary Rowlands Infotmatkm Is restoratlVG Jus- transforming Jus- of the Wolf Clan available by call;. tlce conference tlce and healing In Whitehorse, 1..,1-800-.... June 1-2 In the social fabric Yukon; Howard
....-FPU
CHURCH
Baptism/membership
SURPRISE. Ariz. (Desert Valley Bible)-Dick and Judie Amen, Connie Rinkoff, Wilma Malaska, Molly Magnusson and Mary Kepil were we lcomed as new members April 8
REEDLEY, Calif -David Bacci, Ruben and Hilda Baltazar, Simon Dueck, Jared Hajik, Lauren Hajil<, Lisa Herman, Leeann Pauls, Shawna Payseno, Audra Penner, Autumn Penner, Juan Ruelas, Jared Rutledge, Kelyn Schellenberg, Betty Simmons, James Stevens, Matthew Stevens, Anika Wiebe and Jordan Wiebe were baptized and received into membership April 1. Also welcomed into membership were Charlie and Dorothy Harper, Johan and Judy Loewen, Peter Loewen, Martin and Michele Moreno, Bill and Paula Olinger and David and Chamaine Silva.
HillSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld}-Ty Klein and Joy Dalke were received into membership by testimony March 25. Also joining by testimony in April were Jeff and Carissa Funk and Scott and Jennifer Profitt.
LITTLETON, Colo. (BeHeview Aaes)-Skip Masse was baptized and received into membership March 18
DINUBA, Calif.-Marlin, Michelle and Matthew Hiett were welcomed as new members March 4
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (Garden Valley)-Roger and Tina Bellows, Dale Pulkrabek, Brad Stucky and Bryan Stucky were baptized March 4.
SHAFTER. Calif.-Melissa Arnold, Robert Arnold, Denise Gonzalez, Rachel Onsum, Stephanie Unruh and Dan Waterhouse were baptized and accepted into membership Feb 25.
REEDLEY, Calif. (EI Faro)-Larry Whitefield, Dionicio Sandoval, Maria Moreno, Tony Andres, Lissette Salgado and Philip Ranallo were baptized and received into membership Aug 20 Also received into membership were Curt and Carmen Escobar, Marcello and Rita Rosales, Susan Ranallo and Janilyn Andres. Rigo Rios and Sylvia Garcia were baptized and welcomed into membership Feb 25 Ridis and Blanca Tolpeninkas, Myra Tovar and Raul Trejo were also received as members
Celebrations
SURPRISE. Ariz. (Desert Valley Bible)-Nine people drove to Kykotsmovi, a village on the Hopi reservation, April 28 to attend the dedication celebration of the recently completed church building. The group also met with missionaries Russ and Cindy Toews and Harley and Diane Nuttley
HIWBORO, Kan (Ebenfeld)Leander and Helen Loewen were honored with a 60th wedding anniversary open house April 1
Fellowship
aoVlS, Calif. (CoHege Community)-A half-day Lenten prayer retreat led by Libby Caes was held March 24. Events included fellowship, Scripture meditation, silence, prayer, singing and journaling. Graduates were honored during the Sunday school hour brunch April 29.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (Bible FeHowship)-Women who participated in Ladies Night Out March 26 were invited to dress 50s style for the night of bowling followed by devotions. The evening was designed as an outreach opportunity.
Ministry
DINUBA, Calif.-The Mexico mission team was commissioned April 1 The team was gone April 6-14, and after their return, were scheduled to bring the morning message April 22
ULYSSES, Kan.-Rick and Esther Eshbaugh were commissioned March 25 for their ministry with Church Resources Ministries
NEW HOPE, Minn.-A work group from the congregation assisted Habitat for Humanity March 17 The congregation provided some of the building materials and Helen Loewen, Mennonite Mutual Aid advocate, applied for an MMA Sharing Funds grant to provide additional funds.
WEATHERFORD, Okla (Pine Aaes)-Aprill was declared "One Day Sunday" by the Weatherford ministerial alliance in hopes that every citizen would be in a church The congregation was encouraged to
NEWS FROM OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
invite people to attend Pine Acres
SHAFTER. Calif -The Mexico Missions Trip Team asked for help in gathering supplies for kids they worked with at the ministry site April 6-14.
BAKERSRELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)Ron Erickson, the new executive director of Children to Love; Russ and Dina Kowal, new workers with New Tribes Mission; Karen McDuff, education specialist with Campus Crusade for Christ; and Lloyd and Faith Roedel, workers with Good5eed International, were commissioned for service during the annual missions conference March 11.
Proclamation
H1WBORO, Kan. (Parkview)-pastor TIm Sullivan and Jon Wiebe, president of MB Foundation, joined together to present a three-week stewardship series during February and March.
WICHITA, Kan. (United at the Cross)-MB Foundation president Jon Wiebe spoke on stewardship during the morning service February 25.
HARVEY, N.D.-Spring renewal meetings were held April 8-9. Minot First Baptist Church senior pastor Kent Hinkel spoke on lifestyle evangelism.
BUHLER. Kan.-The Bible conference March 17-18 featured guest speaker Pastor Terry Hunt of Bushtown MB Church, Lenoir, N.C. He spoke at the men's wild game dinner Saturday night and for both Sunday morning and evening services
aOVl5, Calif. (College Community)-MB Biblical Seminary academic dean James Pankratz and MBMSI program directors Pakisa Tshimika, Franz Rathmair, Russell Schmidt and Tim Bergdahl met March 13 to discuss the role North Americans should play in training new church leaders around the world Miguel Forero, an MB pastor in Bogota, Colombia and current Latin American Program Director with MBMSI, was the special speaker during the morning service March 18.
WICHITA, Kan (First MB)-The congregation welcomed Otonas Belciunas, co-founder of Lithuania Chris-
tian College and chairman of the Lithuania Christian Charity Fund, as guest speaker March 18
TeachingiNurture
RAPID CITY, S.D. (Bible FeHowship)-Children interested in going to church camp and older youth planning on missions trips and serving as camp counselors are being offered scholarships by the Christian Education Commission. Interested students must quote 36 verses (24 verses if under the age of 8) by June 3.
FREEMAN, S.D. (salem MB)-A youth sponsor training event cosponsored by Salem MB and Grace Bible Church, Gettysburg, was held March 31 and April 1. Dick Helming spoke.
HARVEY, N.D.-A new Sunday school class met March 4 to begin the Navigators Topical Memory System in which attendees will learn how to memorize Scripture and apply it to their lives
Workers
SHAFTER. Calif.-An appreciation dinner was held in honor of interim pastoral couple Bob and Wanda Kroeker March 25 A potluck supper and grocery shower was held April 1 for new pastoral couple Pat and Lisa Coyle and children Ben and Kathryn DELA, Minn. (Carson MB)-An installation service was held for John and Anita Klassen March 11, not Feb. 25 as announced earlier in the Leader. Central District chairman Ron Seibel was the guest speaker. Refreshments were served following the service.
FRESNO, Calif (Fig Garden Bible)After completing six years of ministry, Henry Pauls has resigned as lead pastor effective May 31. He has accepted the call to serve Fresno's Central Community Church as associate pastor for discipleship ministries, beginning June 1
Worship
SURPRISE, Ariz. (Desert Valley Bible)-An Easter sunrise service that included a time of praise and a meditation was held April 15 on the lot
the congregation recently purchased.
MOUNTAIN LAKE. Minn.-A dinner-<alled "Celebration of Life"was held April 22 with guests Tony and Maryann Randall, pastoral couple from South Dakota. They shared the story of how they came to know Christ.
BEWNGHAM, Wash. (Community Bible in the Passover," a celebration ofthe Lord's Supper, was led by Alan Shore April 12 Shore related how different items in the meal relate to Jesus and the New Testament. The Passover meal, intended for families, was eaten in different stages according to Jewish tradition.
WICHITA, Kan. (First Maundy Thursday service targeted to children and families was held during Holy Week The service included a review of the events of Easter, the meaning of the Last Supper, time for families to pray and talk around the cross and a performance by the Kid's Choir.
ULYSSES, Kan.-The church choir, along with members of the First Southern Baptist Church choir, presented the cantata "Jesus Christ is Lord" April 8.
MOUNTAIN LAKE. Minn.-Worship was largely devoted to giving opportunities for mutual encouragement and inspiration April 1 Attendees were encouraged to come prepared to share an experience of God's faithfulness in their lives.
FREEMAN, S.D. (Salem annual pre-Easter services, held with Neu Hutterthal Mennonite Church, began March 25. Services were held Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Lincoln multimedia program featuring various instruments playing classical themes, hymns and praise songs combined with slides was held March 25.
Youth
FREEMAN, S.D. (Salem MB)-MBY members Jen Wollman, Audrey Weidenbach, Roselyn Pollman, Naomi Pullman and Ben Wollman led the morning worship service March 25. The meditation was given by Jen Wollman.
CLOVIS, CaUf. (College CommunI. special time of worship was designed and led by Glenn DeVoogd March 11, 18 and 25, for children grades 3-6. It included a sermon based on the same Scripture that the adults studied. There was also a discussion and response time which offered the choice of a form of dramatization of the scripture, painting, drawing, or songwriting
HILLSBORO, !Can.
"Friendship 911," an eight-week study for youth created by Josh McDowell, was launched as was the five-week study for adults entitled "Disconnected Generation." Both studies are part of the Project 911 curriculum designed to build and strengthen relationships.
Deaths
BORN. JACOB H Newton, Kan., a member of Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan., was born June 2, 1909, to Jacob and Kathrina Lentzner Born at Petrovka, South Russia, and died March 8, 2001, at the age of91. On Sept. 26,1929, he was married to Tabea Goossen who survives.
He is also survived by two sons, Floyd and wife Bertha of Elbing, Kan , and William "Bill" and wife Helena of Wasco, Calif.; two daughters, Myrtice and husband Roy Schultz of Hinsdale, Mont., and Norma and husband LeRoy Goentzel of Denver, Colo.; two sisters, Katie Enns of Sarasota, Fla., and Elizabeth Friesen of Glasgow, Mont., 14 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.
HODEL, INA MAY HBER BERGMAN. Bakersfield, Calif., a member of Laurelglen Bible Church, Bakersfield, was born May 18,1915, to Andrew and Marie Heier at Bakersfield, and died March 7, 2001, at the age of 85 On Oct. 17, 1937, she was married to Oscar Curtis Bergman who predeceased her. On Sept. 2, 1995, she was married to Henry W. Hodel who survives. She is also survived by one son, Curtis Bergman and wife Carol of Bakersfield; one daughter, Nancy and husband EI Kessler of Kingsburg, Calif.; one step daughter, Judy and Rich Bacciocco of Cloverdale, Calif , nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren
JUST, AUCE, Fairview, Okla , a member of Fairview MB Church, was born Jan. 31, 1909, to John and Minnie Nickel Duerksen at Hillsboro, Kan., and died March 15, 2001, at the age of 92. On Oct 13, 1929, she was married to Clifford Just who predeceased her. She is survived by one son, Loren and wife Janice of Plano, Texas; one daughter-in-law, Mary Lou Just Wiens of Isabella, Okla , four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
cob's Journey is the true story of a German y living in Russia during the early years of unism. But when the revolutionary rnment demanded impossible financial and onal sacrifices, Jacob and Helena Neufeld realized it was time to leave.
Thus began a series of incredible escapes from persecution, marked by hunger, suffering and pain. As narrated by author Herb Neufeld, the youngest son of Jacob and Helena, we follow the ever-expanding family (nine boys and two girls) on its exodus to freedom.
You will cheer Neufeld's heart-felt tribute to the indomitable spirit of his courageous parents.
Neufeld has presented the story of his family's flight to freedom to captivated audiences who have urged him to write this book. He resides in Bakersfield, Calif., and is a member of the Laurelglen Bible Church
KROEKER. VERNON G., Shafter, CA, a member of Shafter MB Church, was born May 6, 1922, to Peter H and Selma Kroeker at Reedley, Calif , and died Nov 21, 2000, at the age of 78. On May 23, 1942, he was married to Katherine Isaak, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, Dennis and wife Debbie, of Willamina, Ore., and Jay and wife Carol of Shafter, Calif.; one daughter, Janice and her husband, Jaryl of Hesston, Kan.; one sister, Charlene Booth, six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
PENNER. CARRIE WAHL, Corn, Okla., a member of Corn MB Church, was born Dec. 27,1905, to August and Helena Neufeld Wahl at Fairview, Okla , and died March 14, 2001, at the age of 95 On Jan 21, 1923, she was married to Henry Penner, who predeceased her. She is survived by three sons, Marion and wife Irene of Corn, Wayman and wife Adalou of Tulsa, Okla , and Harvey and wife Kaylin of Weatherford, Okla.; one daughter, Maralea and husband Roy Kliewer of Corn; two sisters, Lizzie and Paulena Wahl of Fairview, 15 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren.
QUIRING, ALMEDA FRANZ. Salem, Ore., of Kingwood Bible Church, Salem, was born at Mountain Lake, Minn., and died February 22,2001. She was married to Jack Quiring who predeceased her. She is survived by two sons, Jim of Silver Lake, Wash., and John of Upland, Calif.; one daughter, Rachael Dawn of Hood River, Ore ; and one sister, Ella James of Mendota Heights, Minn •
Correction from the March 2001 issue: Survivors of Tena Fischer of Los Angeles, Calif., include her sister Ann Neufeld of Shafter, Calif. We apologize for omitting the last name.
Clearinghouse
rt nit 7 Have a gathering or celebration to promote? Reach U.S.
Have a pOSition to fill? Looking for per word with a $15 minimum. Withhold payment until Mennonite Brethren assl Ie a.. e c 't'o announcements be eligible for a no-cost ad. Contact the editor an invoice is received. MB institutions advertising vacancies or POSI I n for more information.
EMPLOYMENT-CHURCH
Associate Pastor for Youth and Worship
The Memorial Road Mennonite Brethren Church is seeking an associate pastor for a fulltime position serving with youth and MRMBC is a vibrant, growing congregation with 105 members and an average Sunday attendance of 135. This suburban church, with a new facility ideally located between Oklahoma City and Edmond, is making a growing impact for Christ in the surrounding neighborhoods and the greater metro area. The candidate should have the ability to develop, implement and evaluate programs, specifically in the area of youth and worship. The candidate should have a bachelor's degree or a minimum of three years experience in a related positio.n Direct all inquiries to Pastoral Search Committee, Memorial Road Mennonite Brethren Church 4201 E. Memorial Road, Edmond, Okla. 73013; phone (405) 478-1652. Application review will begin April 30.
Pastor
The Mennonite Brethren Church of Pharr, Tex ., needs an English-speaking pastor to "bind us together." He needs to have part of his support. Our membership has increased from four to nine in the last month. A member has a one bedroom furnished house available for several months. Please write to: Joe Suderman, 420 North Palm Dr., Pharr, Tex. 78577-3516; or call (956) 781-1930.
Senior Pastor
Lustre Mennonite Brethren Church, a rural church with a congregation of 100+ spanning all ages, is seeking a full-time pastor who will be responsible for preaching, visitation and leadership. Lustre has a community base with quality schools, strong emphasis on and the raising of children with a sound spiritual, mental and physical foundation. We are looking for a pastor who has a "heart for God," .a desire to build up the church and encourage It to mature. Send your resume to: Pastoral Search Committee, Lustre Mennonite Brethren
Church, HOO Box 2127, Wolf Point, Montana 59201, e-mail actoews@nemontel.net
Senior Pastor
Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church is looking for a senior pastor. We are a Iished friendly multigenerational church With a attendance of 300+ who worship in a "blended style" service. We are seeking a visionary leader with strong preaching and pastoral skills and 10+ years of experience. We are blessed with a 75-year history and an excellent building in a visible part of an active city. At KMB we desire to strengthen the building up of the believers, to increase our outreach into the community and to continue to " glorify God by loving Him passionately and following Him faithfully." Direct all inquiries/resumes to Pastoral Search, Kitchener MB Church, 19 Ottawa St N., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2H 3K2 or e-mail: kmbc@golden.net.
EMPLOYMENT-EDUCATION
Leadership Studies
MBBS, a partner in the Associated Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS), invites applications for a full-time faculty position in Leadership Studies. The position is 1, 2001. The successful candidate Will coordinate the Leadership Studies seminars and courses at ACTS and teach leadership and ministry courses Expertise in some of the following areas is required: team-building, conflict resolution, mentoring, spiritual direction, vision building and planning, leading through change, cross-cultural leadership, a understanding of organizations and behaVior, personal and professional ethics. will be given to candidates who are committed to evangelical-Anabaptist theology as expressed in the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith; have pastoral experience and a completed doctoral degree in this tea.ching area; demonstrate a biblical understanding of leadership. Resumes and inquiries should be directed to: Dr James Pancratz, Academic
Dean , MBBS, Frosmark Center, 7600 Glover Road, Langley, BC V2Y 1Y1 (e-mail mbbsbc@twu.ca); or 4824 E. Butler, Fresno, Calif 93727 (e-mail mbseminary@aol.com).
EMPLOYMENT-MINISTRY ORGANIZATIONS
Service Program Coordinator
Looking for new opportunities to serve others? This summer MCC needs a service program coordinator to serve in Florida. MCC also needs country representatives to serve for a year, preferably longer, in Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia. Country representatives need to have worked and lived in a culture other than their own for at least a year. Please contact Charmayne Brubaker, 717-8591151, cdb@mcc.org, or the MCC office nearest you to apply for any of these five leadership positions open this summer.
ANNOUNCEMENT-CONFERENCE
Restorative Justice Conference
Join us for the 8th Annual Restorative Justice Conference on June 1 and 2 at Fresno Pacific University. The theme of the conference is "Restorative Justice and Systemic Change: Alternative Models from New Zealand, Canada & the United States". The conference will address the question: "To what extent can restorative justice practice help transform the way we do justice and heal the social fabric of our communities?" Top practitioners in the field including Howard Zehr, (US), Allan MacRae (New Zealand) and Rosemary Rowlands (Yukon Territory, Canada) will look at the current state of this question providing analyses of problems and prospects, and narratives of hope. Join us May 31 for the Restorative Justice Pre-Conference Training. Prices: Pre-conference: $50, Conference: before May 17 - $75, after May 17 - $90. For more information contact Restorative Justice Project at the Center For Peacemaking (559) 455-5840, (800) 909-8677; fax (559) 252-4800; e-mail rjp@fresno.edu , web site www.fresno.edulpacslrjp/ .•
In July, the Leader will take a look at television.
And we'd like to hear from you:
• What do you think about TV? How can we be responsible viewers?
• Do you have a favorite show you would recommend to other Christians? Which one? Why would you recommend it?
• Do you work in the television industry? Do you know MBs who do? E·_II your response to chleaderOjps.net or fax to (253) 369·9423
Learning a new language
My husband and I are taking a trip to Mexico this summer. I've been to Mexico almost half a dozen times, but this time I've decided that I will learn some rudimentary Spanish. So, I've borrowed a set of conversational Spanish tapes from a friend and begun listening to them at the gym.
Recently, I decided to try out my basic greetings on the kids at the Ark Way Learning Center, my church's after-school program for neighborhood kids.
"Buenos tardes, " I said boldly, giving the Spanish version of "good afternoon" as my sixth-graders scrambled for seats.
One girl looked at me and cringed.
Her response was completely understandable. She knew Spanish well, and what she heard was probably some of the worst she'd ever encountered.
You see, I lack utterly the ability to master accents. When my husband and I took a French class in college, he informed me that my French accent sounded something like Swedish My Spanish is no exception, unfortunately.
But I didn't let that daunt me. I pushed my tongue forward and this time I rolled my r's, something I have a hard time doing.
"Buenos tar-r-r-r-r-des, " I said again.
This time, she rolled her eyes and sighed.
"I'm going to Mexico," I offered in lame explanation.
Her last look before she sat down informed me that she felt very sorry for any Mexican who'd have to endure my Spanish.
Learning a new language is both fun and frustrating for me, but I'm committed to learning to roll my r's and put together sentences. Hopefully, by the time I get to Mexico this summer, I will speak well enough so people won't cover their ears in horror.
As we put this issue of the Leader together, I realized that there are some similarities between learning a new language and learning about the different cultures in our denomination
• First, learning a new language takes time, effort and practice. It can't be learned all at once. It is a process, and you must start from the most basic.
It helps to have a good teacher. For me, learning Spanish from tapes is much harder-and takes much longer-than learning French in a classroom. My college French teacher loved the language, and she loved to teach it. She inspired me.
I had a similar experience last year when I spent a couple of weeks with Mennonite Central Committee in South Texas and Central CalifOrnia, learning first-hand about the struggles facing Mexican immigrants. I spent time with a Hispanic woman who worked with MCC, and I quickly came to respect and adore her. It didn't take long before my ignorance about Hispanic and immigrant cultures became apparent, yet she was patient and encouraging as ] asked questions and struggled to understand. While challenging me on the preconceptions and misunderstandings I had about her culture and heritage, she never made me feel stupid or self-conscious. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher.
We need to take time to get to know one another. We need to be patient and open to learning about the struggles and ways of the different cultures of our brothers and sisters. It will take time, patience and encouragement, but it can-and has been-done
• Learning a new language is like learning a new way of thinking. I have to reorient myself. While some words are similar to English-restaurant and restaurante, for example-many are brand new to me. Also, the way you say sounds and put words together is different. Many words encapsulate the meaning of several English words Some words have no equivalent. I get bogged down if I try to relate every word to an English one. Instead, I must begin to "think" in the language in order to speak it.
As I spent time in South Texas and Central California, I realized that there were some things of which I had no real understanding. Poverty began to be more than a word or concept. Immigrants became real faces with real lives rather than images on TV. I began to see things from a different perspective.
To truly learn about another culture, we must be open to seeing the world from a different perspective. As Christians, we all have decided to live as diSCiples of Jesus, but how we live out our faith differs.· Instead of filtering another culture through our own experiences or ways of thinking, we need to deliberately open ourselves to looking through the eyes of another. We need to be willing to examine our own culture as well. This is how we begin to truly understand and love each other.
• Learning a language is best done in the company of others. Learning to speak Spanish requires that I speak it to others so that [ retain my ability and learn to speak more fluently.
Reading about the cultures and faith practices of our brothers and sisters is good, but it is not enough. We need to spend time talking, celebrating, struggling and working with each other in order to understand each other.
We have many opportunities for that. Jeanine Yoder's models are a good start (see "Ruth, Naomi and Orpah, "page 4). We would also benefit from regional or national gatherings designed to allow us to share our experiences and concerns with each other. We've scheduled a study conference on spiritual warfare. Why not one bringing everyone to the table to work through the challenges and struggles we face as a multicultural denomination?
My tongue has to work differently when I speak Spanish. Sometimes I feel stupid and self-conscious. Sometimes I get so frustrated that I turn the tapes off and swear I'll never turn them on again, but I do.
Learning about each other's cultures is-and will beuncomfortable, frustrating and even painful. But it also opens new worlds as well If we make the effort to learn about each other and truly embrace each other, we will learn a new language-the language of the love that Jesus told us we must have for each other as fellow disciples -CA
