Our marriages mirror the nature of God . Nothing in the universe, other than Christ and the Church, displays the nature of God mar!:) cleariy and attractively.
FIRST WORDS ••• from the editor
OUR SON'S FAVORITE pastime the last couple of days has been "kitchen sliding." In this activity the participant, dressed in long pants and socks , runs at top speed across the living room and through the kitchen doorway, drops down to one knee, stretches the other leg out behind and sli-i-i-i-des.
Sliding across a linoleum floor is one thing. The articles in this month's feature section show biblically and practically why we can't let our marriage commitments slide.
In the first article, Allen Guenther reminds us that marriage is a lifelong covenant between two individuals , entered into before family, friends and God Almighty Both Guenther and Ruth Isaac Wiederkehr argue that because a marriage takes place before witnesses, we witnesses have a responsibility to the married couple to nurture a healthy marriage.
We know God designed marriage to be a lifelong commitment, but what should we do when a marriage fails? Four articles tackle this question. Years of counseling has shown pastor and Mennonite author John Dresher that realistically imagining life after divorce can help couples reconsider that option. Staff writer Natalee Roth profiles a video series that helps individuals who have experienced divorce. Educator and speaker Tony Campolo reflects on his experience dealing with divorce and remarriage. Pastor John H. Unger shows us why forgiveness is such a necessary ingredient in healthy relationships
Our top news stories concern our changing institutional and denominational relationships. We offer an update on the work of the five-member General Conference restructuring task force on how best to structure the denomination in Canada and the United States . Decisions made at the September General Conference joint board meetings also signal changes for MB Biblical Seminary and MBMS International
This issue of the Leader invites us to work harder at our marital relationships; to not let things slide. The same encouragement is also true of our denominational relationships. -CF
COMING
_ NOVEMBER 6-7 - Pacific District Conference convention, Dinuba, Calif.; celebration ofWMS 50th anniversary.
_ NOVEMBER 6-8 - Central District Conference convention, Lustre, Mont.
_JANUARY 14-16 - U.S. Conference joint board meetings, Wichita, Kan.
_ MARCH 20-23 - Estes '99, the quadrennial Mennonite Brethren youth convention, Estes Park, Colo.
_JULY 8-10 - Biennial General Conference convention, Wichita, Kan.
_JULY 11-14 - International Committee of Mennonite Brethren consultation, Buhler, Kan.
ISAAC WIEDERKEHR
When couples consider the far-reaching consequences of divorce, they may discover it isn't the best
DRESCHER
We know the Bible teaches the permanence of marriage, but what should the church do when a marriage fails?
Several of our congregations use the "DivorceCare" series to help meet the needs of divorced individuals
When we forgive each other, we do something that is both difficult and unnatural-but for our good BY
DEPARTMENTS
• Filling t he
• General Conference task force prepares report 20
• General Conference convention bound for Wichita 26
• Weight-loss program good for more than waist 28
• Civil war affects Congolese MBs 29
• Short-term MBMSI workers evacuated from Congo 30
• Tieszen retires after 41 years in Colombia 30
• Tribal leaders key to church understanding 31
• Church notes 33
• Deaths 34
• Dispose or recycle?
ART CREDITS: Cover, D iane Steiner, Print Sour ce Direct with photo s by Orley Friesen and Ed Wallowitc h; pages 5 , 11 and 14, CLEO Photography; page 7 , Skjold Photog raphs ; page 8, Orley Friesen ; page 13 CLEO Photography; page 20 , MB Herald; page 28 , Pr int Sou rce Dire ct; page 31, MBMS I.
BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Kathy He i nrichs Wiest, chair; Peggy Goertzen, Ph i l Neufeld, Dalton Reimer, Herb Schroeder
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Connie Faber
Natalee Roth
covenant
BY ALLEN GUENTHER
Marriage is a covenant witnessed by Godnot a contract-and as such it can never be broken
Male and female are as different as the Father, Son and Spirit. Marriage mirrors that difference in the beauty and strength of unity. The Genesis writer declares: "Marriage is the most perfect picture God has given us of himself."
Is it any wonder that the writers of Scripture found marriage so apt a picture of God's love for his people (Hosea 1-3; Eph 5:21-33)? Why else hold out the marriage feast of Christ and the Church as the foretaste to the eternal consummation of our mutual love with God?
That is why we are to guard our marriages and those to which we act as witnesses. Our marriages mirror the nature of God. Nothing in the universe, other than Christ and the Church, displays the nature of God more clearly, brightly, and attractively. The ultimate witness to God's grace and glory appears in two becoming one flesh
Marriage, the way God intended it, helps us discover ourselves, to know who we truly are in ourselves and in relation to the rest of the world The differences make us whole. There's the rub. Those differences can drive us apart if we are unable to look honestly at ourselves and one another. On the other hand, they have the power to weld us indivisible if we allow God time to mature his love in us.
As we consider God's intention for marriage, it is helpful to consider the Old Testament concept of marriage as a covenant
AN EVERYDAY CONCEPT, A UNIQUE APPLICATION
The language of leaving and cleaving is special. We know it as covenantal language. Elsewhere in the Scripture, marriage is specifically called a covenant:
• (Wisdom) will save you from the adulteress, from the wayward Wife with her seductive words,
who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God (prov. 2: 16-17).
• In that day you will call me, "My husband. " 1 will make a covenant for them I will betroth you to me forever; in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD (Hosea 2:16-20) .
• (God no longer pays attention to Israel's sacrifices because) the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the Wife ofyour youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the Wife ofyour marriage covenant (Mal. 2:14)
• "The time is coming, " when I will make a new covenant with the house ofIsrael and with the house ofJudah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of EgyPt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," (fer. 31:31)
Covenants sealed relationships between Jacob and Laban (Gen. 31:45-55), Israel and the Gibeonites (Joshua 9), Jonathan and David (1 Sam. 18:1-4; 20:8,12-17,42; 23 :15-18), God and his people (Gen. 15, 17; Ex. 19-24)
The uniquely covenantal character of Hebrew marriage legislation becomes apparent in the contrast between the marriage laws of Deuteronomy and those of the Babylonian King Hammurabi (1750 B.C.) The Babylonian laws and marriage contracts as well as those of Egypt, Greece and Rome are centered on economics . Here is what the marriage covenant has in common with the other covenants. God declared marriage to be a covenant; people everywhere reduced it to a contract, an exchange of goods and services.
A SOLID CORE: LOVE AS COMMITMENT
Covenants are affirmations of love. They describe the creation and means of maintaining a healthy, fulfilling , peaceful and mutually supportive relationship. The people entering into covenant affirm that they will care for one another. They promise to root out destructive attitudes and unloving acts. They promise to forsake all others and to be faithful to the covenant partner. Of Jonathan and David we read, "And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself" (1 Sam 18 :3).
Sometimes intimate and affectionate love is present from the beginning. At other times covenantal love takes the form of a commitment which can develop into strong and even passionate ties Covenants consist of promises to keep on learning to know and honor and love one another m the many circumstances of life until one of the covenant partners dies
The root of covenantal love is the will to love. Love is commitment Feeling is secondary. A marriage can be strong and beautiful even though it is not intensely passionate. Passion is not in itself evidence of covenantal love, though we were not meant to exist without passion .
Adam and Eve were naked and were not ashamed Simple in its beauty, this remark places divine honor on the human body. Indeed the Song of Songs celebrates the human body and sexual love. It is passionate throughout. Amazingly, it has no mention of children.
Unlike animals, sexual relationships between husband and wife are intended first as a means of expressing love and unity Sexual intercourse is conversation of whole persons, reserved for the members of the marriage covenant It reflects the most intimate fellowship between God and his people, between Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:25-33) .
MEANING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME: RITUAL AND SYMBOLS
Covenants are formal and public acts. The covenant partners exchange or set up symbols (personal weapons, vows, stone heaps, altars, rings and other jewelry) The commitments are not made privately They are sealed in some formal ceremony or ritual. In the Ancient Near East, that most often took the form of a celebrative meal. In weddings it included a public home-bringing and a private sexual consummation of the marriage. While the symbols and procedures may vary, any set of symbols commonly accepted in the culture as representing the covenant seal is appropriate.
The public aspect of covenant making includes the role of witnesses. If everyone is party to the covenant and there are no other people around to act as witnesses, even stones can serve that role Should one of the partners violate the covenant, the stones would cry out against them. Where human witnesses are present, they are expected to help sustain, bless, and ensure the preservation of the covenant commitments.
All covenants are made before God. He is witness. That is why a covenant with another person can be called a "covenant of God" (Prov. 2:16-17). In marriage , people of faith invite God as witness through their solemn promises, through prayer, and by identifying with the people of God as witnesses The Bible does not prescribe the marriage symbols or procedures
God declares marriage to be a covenant In that respect, marriage is an institution for humans, not merely for Christians That is why God holds
If everyone is party to the covenant and there are no other people around to act as witnesses, even stones can serve that role. Should one of the partners violate the covenant, the stones would cry out against them.
non-Christians and Christians equally accountable for their marriage covenants. God is a witness to every marriage, even those entered without consciously recognizing God as witness. In God's eyes, that covenant is equally as binding as the covenant consciously made in the presence of the Lord.
EXCLUSIVE AND PERSISTENT
All covenants are for life: as long as both live. Some covenants may be extended to include future generations. Covenant partners shall leave all others and cleave to one another. The leaving is as important as the cleaving. Husband or wife who remain tied to their parents as their primary
bond are violating their covenant with the spouse. Things, former relationships, new attachments-these can all become intruders on holy ground. The transition of detachment and attachment takes time, but unless it happens, a marriage remains emotionally incomplete.
Marriage covenants are exclusive relationships--no others may intervene. And let no one encourage covenant violation of any kind . It is a serious matter to violate a covenant-your own or someone else's. If that happens, the witnesses' role is to call the partners to renewed faithfulness . If witnesses fail to fulfill their role, they are equally responsible with the covenant violators.
Notice, we are speaking of violating, not
A marriage vow for th e congrega_t_i _ O _ D
_ ·
BY RUTH ISAAC WIEDERKEHR
A congregation
has the responsibility to nurture marriages it has witnessed
'VThat is the church 's role in the marriages of W those who form the church? The role is one of both privilege and responsibility, both joy{ul and difficult
The church is the place where the happy event of a wedding often takes place . But the struggles to le arn how to be marrie d wen are also familiar to the church And it 's no secret that even marriages in the church falter and deteriorate and crumble into divorce
In other words, the church parddpates in ce lebrating mamages and also in witne ssing their breakup
What are the church's responsibilitie s to marrie d couples? How much does the church aid me mbers in this most holy and earthy , challenging and often private journey? How might we do better?
The church is the context in which a marriage can grow toward being Christian in character In the church family, persons grow toward the wholen e ss God intends through mutual sharing and receiving of nurture and healing
God intends marriage to be a lifelong, mutual covenant relationship b e tween one man and one woman This covenant is made in Christ, in the context of the church The church is both to aid and challenge couples in strengthening the ir marriage relationship, and to encourage reconciliation in times of conflict. When persons are in difficult family relationships , the church is to be a truthful and compassionate sanctuary offering healing and
hope for families
How do we do this? How and why do we have weddings in the church? A Christian wedding is a public worship service which recognizes the commitment of two people who cove nant to faithfully love each other within God's love, for their mutual benefit. God joins the couple, but by their presence, and by parddpation in the singing of hymns and other such activities, the gue sts agree to offer the couple ongoing encouragement and support. In some tian weddings, the guests e ven pledge their praye rs, counsel and continued frie ndship-that is, to do aU in their power to uphold this new marriage-during the vow-making part of the service
Additionally, it is important that the minister officiating at the wedding develop a pastoral relationship with the couple This relationship should include premarital counseling and planning for the wedding service, and early follow-up during the months after the wedding Marriages are worth such deliberate investment on the part of the church
Therefore, whe n a couple marries in the church their mamage rests on a three-fold foundation: 1) their love for and commitment to each other, 2) God who makes covenants and keeping them a possibility, 3) the community who cares for them
The community is made up of families , friends, their congre gation(s): persons whom they invite to witness and share in the celebration of the beginning of the ir marrie d life
breaking covenant. The Scriptures teach that only death ends, breaks o r annuls a covenant (cf. Rom. 7:1 -3 ; I Cor. 7:39; Gal. 3:15). It will help us think correctly about marriage if we distinguish between violating a covenant and annulling a covenant In our sinful humanity we all fail. We violate covenants. The provision is forgiveness.
Repent! Confess! Forgive!
Reconciling love can and does heal even the deepest wounds. That's God's remedy for the less than ideal. •
Allen Guenther is professor emeritus at ME Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif, where he was professor of Old Testament from 1981 to 1998.
What special gifts can the church offer when a couple marries within it?
One of the facets of marriage is spiritual, for a marriage is to be a shared spiritual journey. When a couple marries in the church, they do so literally surrounded by their community of support This physical gathering of love and care is a Sign of what we are called to be not only on the wedding day, but throughout the couple 's lifetime
To look at it in another way: those who gather at a Christian wedding affirm, by their presence, the direction the couple is setting out on. Their journey will be spiritually healthy only if they travel in company with those who are heading in the same direction, and who can offer support when they are weary To offer such support is part of the baptismal promise of spiritual care for believers. A couple has the right to draw on those promises
How does a congregation support marriages? Routine feeding is vital, through Sunday school classes, worship services, retreats, promoting marrlage-enrichment seminars, and helpful books in the church library.
But marriages break down despite a nurturing environment. In those circumstances, do we keep our wedding-day promises to couples? In myexperience, when the going gets rough in a marriage, couples tend to withdraw, or at least to attempt to mask the difficulty from the church . It's tough to acknowledge the deep, sometimes embarrassing pain when our marriages flounder Even if we see SOmeone else's marriage in distress, it can be awkward and baffiing to know how to be present to them, how much to intervene, how much to offer.
Our congregation has worked with several faltering marriages in recent months In the case of one couple , individuals have simply listened to, viSited with , and otherwise cared for the couple as they struggled In the case of the other, a smaIl group also met with the couple to help them think
"One of the blessings of belonging to the community of believers the church, is that there is mutual accountability and encouragement to abide by the commitment of our spoken vows. I encourage all of you here, therefore, to accept the responsibility for encouraging and pra ying for the bride and groom's marriage in the days and years to come."
of further options for working together and to help them talk through areas of "stuckness ." In both cases , we've grieved much with these people, which has been costly, but it has assured them they are not alone in this struggle-filled time . Since all of us in the church are sinners, we cannot hope to be adequate in our support of each other in the faith commitment of marriage . Nevertheless, we can, as we grow and struggle in our own marriages, help each other along the way.
•Ruth Isaac Wiederkehr is a member of the Council on Faith and Life for the Conference ofMennonites in Canada and was most recently interim pastor at Welcome Inn Church in Hamilton , Ont This article first appeared in the Canadian Mennonite and is adapted and reprinted by permission
- Wedding Ceremony from Following the Call: A Leadership Manual for Mennonite Brethren Ch urches
Thinking about Stop and imagine t h e f u tu r e
While divorce is easy from a legal standpoint, its devastating emotional impact on the couple and their families should prompt a careful preview of life after divorce
BY JOHN M. DRESCHER
AsurpriSingly large number of very happy couples experience a crisis in their relationship and marriage. A recent study indicated that a good quarter of the couples surveyed had thought of leaving their spouses. Some had actually packed their bags and gone. But they returned and came to experience a love they never imagined possible. At one time they thought divorce was the only answer, but these marriages survived and flourished because two people were willing to change, to make adjustments and work together in their relationship
Among the important lessons I have learned in years of counseling is the value of helping a couple considering divorce image what is ahead Separation and divorce are never the concern only of two people The pain, stigma, and ramifications reach far and are lifelong A couple considering divorce should visualize in vivid detail what their lives will be like after the divorce. This imaging should be thought through together or one partner may wish to reconsider and the other may be at a different place.
THE COUPLE
Image first what happens to the man and woman involved Breaking a fundamental relationship, even after the initial slashing, leaves scars for life and sometimes the open wounds never heal.
a-THE CHRISTIAN LEADER
One will never be the same .
In a lO-year study of 60 divorced couples, conducted by Judith Wallerstein, executive director of the Center for Family in Transition in Corte of Madera, Calif., only 10 percent of the couples felt that both the husbands' and wives ' lives had improved .
Consider carefully the loneliness of life after divorce. Many times the loneliness is worse than death because persons still live on but are dead to each other. Many times painful loneliness is a major factor in leading persons into hasty second marriages .
Imagine the loss and the broken dreams divorce always brings. Not only are promises and vows broken, but the hopes and dreams of the years growing up and of entering into a lifetime commitment are suddenly shattered, never to be realized.
In addition, image some of the happiest times, the most loving times you've had together The memory of past happiness always points the unconscious mind toward similar happiness possible in the future. Many times with a clear, steady image of the kind of marriage which is possible, husband and wife are helped to work through difficulties and to see hope again.
Image the possibilities for happiness in marriage after divorce. Recent studies have shown that 65 percent of second marriages, after divorce, will fail again, and if children are involved, over 75 percent will end in separation and divorce There is an increasing refrain from many of those who divorce and remarry, that it would have been
Many
children living in the presence of an unhappy or unhealthy marriage, yet one must also recognize divorce has severe consequences for children who are tom apart. Any couple contemplating divorce should take time to image the effects, now and in the future, upon the children and grandchildren caught in the middle.
Image the hassles of relating to two sets of families, the pressures of financial agreements, and tensions generated in the adversarial attitudes divorce generates and often sustains.
times with
a clear, steady image of the kind of marriage which is possible,
husband and wife
are helped
to
work
through difficulties and to see hope
again.
easier to work through reconciliation, even after marital unfaithfulness, in the first marriage, than to make the second marriage work.
THE FAMILY
Image the effect upon children. It is not true, as some counselors tell parents, that children will adjust easily. Some may appear to do so. They are remarkably resilient . But they may live with deep, hidden scars.
Children of divorce often carry feelings of guilt, thinking that they are at least in part the cause for the separation. Many children, for the rest of life, live with a sense that a part of their life is missing. They may feel that they in some sense were deserted and that they have been robbed of love.
Image long-term effects felt on special occasions such as high school graduation, weddings, and family reunions
While one might argue that damage is done to
Image what happens in the fam-
ilies on both sides of a divorce. In a real sense we do not marry only a spouse. The family of each spouse is deeply involved in the happiness, unhappiness, emotional, and even physical results of such a separation.
Family and friends are all affected by those who divorce, now and in the years to come.
Image also what happens, even if we seek to deny it, in the work world, church, and community. Something serious and unexplainable happens in the minds of everyone when people divorce. While divorce is easy from a legal standpOint, its devastating emotional impact is no easier to take. The side effects such as depreSSion, feelings of failure, and low self-esteem can last a lifetime.
Happiness does not come by dodging problems. There may be a rare exception when it is necessary for health or survival that persons get out of an abusive marriage. But many couples would benefit from recognizing that love matures as we face our problems and learn to grow in overcoming them.
John M Drescher served 11 years as editor of Gospel Herald, the official weekly magazine of the Mennonite Church prior to the merger of the General Conference/Mennonite Church He taught for more than a decade at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, has served as the denomination's moderator, and as a bishop in three conferences of the Mennonite church. Drescher has written 35 books and has conducted many family retreats, seminars, and preaching ministries across denominationallines in North America and numerous other countries
When
it comes to divorce, the church
needs
to let people know God is a God of second chances and of forgiveness. On the other hand, people need to understand that the principle of lasting marriage is to be upheld.
Most married couples inevitably come to a time when they wonder why they ever got married in the first place and think that it would be a relief to be "free" again. There comes that morning when the guy wakes up and looks across the bed to see his wife still asleep, her hair hanging down over her face and her mouth half open, and he asks, "How did I get into this?" Or perhaps she wakes up first to see her unshaven husband with (as in my case) no hair hanging down over his face, and she asks, "Is this what I'm stuck with for the rest of my life?"
I believe it may be what one decides at that first moment of disillusionment that determines whether or not the marriage will succeed or fail, be happy or sad. If two people decide to make their marriage work in the face of disappointment and confusion, they probably will succeed. It is the task of society and certainly the responsibility of the church to keep people married by creating a climate in which the decision to make the marriage work is the expected one.
Divorce is contagious. If those who are divorced speak glowingly about their recovered freedom and consider their divorces to be among the smartest things they have ever done, beware. They will have a negative influence upon those who are having difficulties in their own marriages.
What is crucial is the attitude of those who are divorced. I can see no problem if they view their divorces as tragedies and if they look on those who are able to save their marriages as fortunate. It is only when divorced people are cynical about marriage and positive about divorce that they become dangerous for married people to be around
I do not want to give the impression that all
marriages should be maintained-no matter what. Obviously there are some marriages that oUght to be ended because they are destructive and/or dangerous. I believe that in such situations divorce, while extremely regrettable, is just, and it would be Wise counsel to encourage physically abused spouses to get out of these kinds of marriages. And there are times when the same counsel must be given to victims of psychological abuse.
There are others who ought to get divorces because ending their marriages is essential for the psychological and physical well-being of their children. Many children have had to endure sexual abuse and other forms of dehumanizing treatment because parents have maintained marriages that oUght to have been ended.
It must be noted in such cases that the Bible speaks specifically not so much against divorce as it does against remarriage. I believe that the Lord affirms the right to divorce when there is overpowering evil that will continue as a result of one's staying in the marriage.
Sometimes Christian people are divorced against their wills. Given the state of contemporary divorce laws, Christians can find that their mates are able to get out of marriages and into new ones without their consent or cooperation. Needless to say, there can be no condemnation of those who are pushed out of marriages through no decisions or desires of their own.
I believe that when we are married, we are married until death do us part To me that means that when people take the wedding vows, they make a commitment to care for each other for the rest of their lives. Thus, even if these people cannot live
with each other, the obligation to provide for the care and well-being of one's mate remains a firm requirement
Even after a marriage is legally ended, Christians are not divorced from looking after their former spouses. Thus, care for former marital partners is viewed as a responsibility to be carried out regardless of what the other person does. For Christians, a marital breakup does not mean a divorce from loving concern and service I know this is not a widely held view, but it seems to me that such obligations are wrapped up with the marital vows and that even divorce does not end them.
And that , of course, brings up the tantalizing question as to whether or not Christians who have suffered a divorce can ever remarry. Some have argued that in one place in Scripture there seems to be some approval for divorce, providing the case is adultery:
"And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Matt. 19:9)
When such is the case, they contend that remarriage is a viable option
This attitude scares me because often adultery is a reaction to neglect, and the person who appears
wronged may be more guilty than we are apt to see. Many people are driven to divorce by unloving mates who deflate their egos and make them easy prey to adultery with any who will build their self-esteem.
Furthermore, I am worried over the possibility that such teachings will make people too ready to seek divorces in the face of unfaithfulness. Vast numbers of marriages that have been hurt by adultery have been healed. I also worry that some may see implied in this particular doctrine that adultery means the end to a marriage when it does not have to be.
I have struggled with the question of the remarriage of divorced persons. When I was serving as a pastor, the issue was raised unpleasantly time and time again.
On the one hand, I knew the teachings of Christ and had a desire to be uncompromising in holding to His words on this subject. On the other hand, I always came back to the painful reality that what I believed put a major proportion of the population-both inside and outside the membership of the church-beyond the realm of God's grace.
I believe that there are circumstances that warrant remarriage, but I think that deciding when it is good and right to go ahead and perform the wedding ceremonies may be too arbitrary a deci-
sion for (the pastor alone) to make, and that it would be better decided by the authority of church leadership.
Each case should be analyzed, studied, and prayed about by the leaders of the church along with the pastor. I believe the decisions about remarriage should be made on a case-by-case basis. The failures and sins that led to the ending of the earlier marriages should be examined, and repentance, when in order, should be made. The couples to be married should be well aware of the heavy deliberations and struggles that go on There must be no hint of a "taken-for-granted" attitude.
The reason that I suggest this plan is that I want to hold two important beliefs in diametrical tension. On the one hand, I want to communicate that our God is a God of second chances and of forgiveness. On the other hand, I want people to understand that the prinCiple of lasting marriage is to be upheld.
Video series
helps people
SWhat I have suggested may give the church the opportunity to do both of these things. AllOwing remarriage for divorced persons only after prayerful deliberation and approval by the leaders of the church gives hope for remarriage without taking the whole process too lightly. This is a way of affirming people who need another chance while not accepting without question the belief that divorce and remarriage is a right of Christians. When all is said and done, I tend to be more accepting of remarried divorced persons than a strict adherence to biblical codes might allow. There may be those who will use such a statement to attack me as some kind of theological liberal who has abandoned the teachings of SCripture. But before such judgments are made , perhaps the following real-life case should be considered.
A couple came to me explaining that they were in a horrible predicament. Each of them had been married before and then divorced. They had met
deal with divorce, find support
BY NATALEE ROTH
everal Mennonite Brethren congregations are addressing the needs of divorced people through the "DivorceCare" video series
The curriculum is a 13-week video series Each video focuses on a different topic , such as anger, children, and what the Bible says about divorce Each week class members watch a short video segment, then discuss what they watched "[DivorceCare) is powerful stuff," says Central District Conference minister Clinton Grenz . "It is an absolutely outstanding video It oUght to be in eV'ery church and every church ought to be using it," says Grenz, who recently facilitated a city-wide workshop in Bismarck, N D ., that attracted 20 people from a variety of denominations "I look at our church roster and about onefourth of the people have been touched by divorce," says James Mason , pastor of adult ministries at Topeka (Kan.) MB Church . "And that doesn't include people whose parents were divorced ." Mason and church member Connie Hiebert, who also had a vision to begin a divorce
support group , cofacilitate a DivorceCare group which started meeting in Sept In addition to receiving biblical teaching , Mason says the gt9up at his church functions as a support group
Herb Schroeder, pastor of the Carson MB congregation in Delft, Minn ., has used the video series three times and believes DivorceCare to be an excellent program "It gives us the best of both worlds, " Schroeder says . "It giV'es us the opportUnity to have very high-quality input from experts in marriage and counseling, along with the personal affirmation and support that you get in the small group People are able to share how they're deal· ing with the same issues ."
Sue Noll facilitates a divorce support group at North Oak Community Church in Hays , Kan., and is also supportive of the DivorceCare curriculum "This is by far the most thorough that I'V'e seen," she says, adding that the videos promote discussion and have a clear biblical emphasis Partici· pants in the Hays groups have included people from a variety of denominations as well as people
at a ski resort in Colorado, fallen in love, and married. They had brought three children into the world and had a well-established family.
A year earlier, both of these people had become Christians and were now seeking to live in obedience to Scripture. They had come across the teachings ofJesus on this subject and were very much under conviction
They wanted to know what they should do now. Should they separate, since living together could be said to be living in adultery? And what could they do about their former mates, since in both cases these persons had remarried and had children in their new marriages.
1 prayed with this couple and urged them to seriously repent of the mistakes and sins which had led to the ending of their former marriages. They did so There was even an effort on the part of each of them to contact their former mates and plead for forgiveness. For the husband, the
without a church background
Many congregations, like NC?rth Oak in Hays, use the DivorceCare program as an outreach into the community.
Southern District Conference minister Roland Reimer says, "I think it could be one of those ways in which those people who may not be in the church realize that the church is not only for those who are without problems." He says he has found DivorceCare to be comprehensive, and that facilitators could adapt the curriculum as is needed . "There's a great need in the community, " says Mason "People are willing to come into the church if they know that it's for support." Mason and Hiebert have advertised the divorce group in a local Christian newspaper and on the radio In addition, an apartment-complex manager offered to distribute the church 's brochures about DivorceCare along with his monthly apartment newsletter. The Topeka group began with two people but has grown
Grenz says DivorceCare is best publicized by word-of-mouth . "It's friend inviting friend and saying, 'Look, let's learn together,,,, he says "You really have to be aware of people who are hurting in your community and then you have to personallyinvite them ."
While Schroeder had hopes of making DivorceCare an ongoing ministry in the Delft community, making that dream a reality has been difficult Finding and attracting couples community-wide is a challenge, he says. Schroeder had hopes that as the
approach made to his former wife was most constructive . She was married and , along with her new husband, had become a Christian The confeSSing of the sins which had led to the divorce provided great release for all concerned.
I went on to tell this troubled couple that the grace of God was sufficient to cover what had happened. This did not make the new marriage "right" in the fullest sense, but I told them that God would cover whatever was wrong. I told them that this was what the grace of God is all about. And I believe that!
Tony Campolo teaches at Eastern College in St. Davids, Pa. This article has been adapted with permiSSion from the book 20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch, Tony Campolo, 1988, Word Publishing, Nashville, Tenn., All rights reserved
sessions were repeated each year, word-of-mouth would keep attendance growing.
To some degree, that strategy worked for the first two sessions Schroeder says most people who attended the group the first time also joined for the second session "They found out that they learned more the second time than the first, " he says . "Because you 're at different places and something may meet a need that you weren ' t ready to deal with before."
Schroederjustrecendy advertised the start of another DivorceCare class
Grenz also encourages pastors to be active in preventing divorce He says the producers of the DivorceCare series also have a second series designed for couples thinking about divorce The Central District office have both series available . Congregations in the Southern District may check out the DivorceCare video series through the SDC video lending library housed at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan
Unnolu(ol ocl \
Forgiveness may • J> I our of but it 'is . necessary for our well-being
In a scene straight out of "Macried".with Children," husband and wife were discussing his shortcomings in a spirited way when she stopped and said, "You know, I think it's pretty amazing that I forgive you for some of the dastardly things you've done!"
We chuckle in recognition; we've been there. But her insight into the nature of forgiveness makes us stop and think. Forgiveness is an unnatural act which goes against all laws of nature. Dolphins do not forgive sharks for eating their playmates Forgiveness goes against the laws of the playground. Imagine an umpire saying, "You're OUT! But I'll forgive you for missing the base. You can be safe." Forgiveness violates our sense of justice, and the wife mentioned above was protesting its blatant unfairness.
We used to consider forgiveness a religious issue, the specialty of pastors and priests . But research shows that forgiveness is necessary for everyone 's mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
WHAT IT IS NOT
Before we go on, let's clear up some misconceptions. There are several things that forgiveness is not.
• Forgiveness is not saying, "It's okay; it doesn't matter." If it doesn't matter, we don't need forgiveness. Forgiveness is necessary precisely because it is not okay, it does matter.
• Forgiving is not forgetting. Whoever said, "Forgive and forget"? Some hurts last a lifetime. With time, we may forgive, but we may never be able to forget.
• Forgiveness does not excuse nor give permission for continuing hurtful behavior. Forgiveness names the offense and holds the offender responsible.
WHAT IT IS
If forgiveness is not saying, "It's okay, no big deal, it doesn't matter, we'll forget about it," then what is forgiveness?
Forgiveness is an act of "release-and-Iet-go."
When we forgive, we are saying, "What you did was not fair. I did not deserve it It hurt me deeply. But I will no longer hold it against you in our relationship I will not carry the grudge or harbor resentment I will absorb the pain and release you. I choose to let go."
The amazing thing is that when we release someone else , we ourselves are released. All the
backlog of pent-up anger, bitterness and resentment that clogs up our lives and poisons our relationships is cleared away. Forgiveness sets us free
Forgiveness is a process . Like peeling an onion, you take off the skin, only to discover another layer, and another, until, many tears later, you've peeled it down to the core.
When there has been a massive betrayal of trust, a great and lifelong injury, do not expect to forgive in a moment It takes time to recover from shock, to understand the magnitude of what happened, to touch the bottom of our pain. We may say, "I intend to forgive you, to release and let go, but please understand that this will take time."
WHY FORGIVE
If forgiveness is so difficult, why bother? What does it accomplish?
• Forgiveness breaks the cycle of violence and blame. England, 1979 People are waiting for the train. In a classic case of one-thing-Ieads-toanother, someone threw a french fry. That led to words Words led to blows. At the end of a huge brawl, seven men aged 18-29 received jail terms of three to four years.
When we get caught in a vicious cycle of escalating violence, forgiveness offers an exit. Instead of digging in, forgiveness allows us to walk away with our dignity intact.
• Forgiveness loosens the stranglehold of gUilt. In 1990, East Germany had just elected its first free Parliament. Its first official act was to vote on a motion asking all the Jews of the world to forgive East Germans for the humiliation, expulsion and murder ofJewish men, women and children. The decision was unanimous
So, what did that act accomplish? The motion could not bring a single person back to life. No, but it helped begin to loosen the stranglehold of guilt that had pressed against the necks of East Germans for nearly 50 years.
• Forgiveness gives a second chance to allow change, growth and improvement. Several years ago , a Japanese pilot flew his aircraft into San Francisco Bay, well short of the runway. At the inquest, his first words were, "I screw up " Everyone expected him to be fired, never to fly again But the company forgave him. "Why should we fire him?" they asked. "He will become our best pilot "
Other companies are discovering that a forgiveness policy is necessary in order for employees to risk new or creative ideas. Forgiveness means failure is not fatal; it offers a second chance It lets us try again
• Forgiveness can transform a life. In Victor
Hugo's novel Les Miserables, Jean Val Jean is hard and tough after serving 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. With a convict's identity card, no innkeeper will let him spend the night. For four days, he wanders, seeking shelter, until a kind bishop invites him in, gives him supper and offers him the most comfortable bed of his life. That night Jean Val Jean steals the household silverware.
In the morning, three policemen knock on the bishop's door. With them is Jean Val]ean, bowed and bound, caught with the silver.
But the bishop does what no one expects "So here you are!" he cries. "I'm delighted to see you. Have you forgotten that 1 gave you the candlesticks as well? They're silver like the rest, and worth a good 200 francs. Did you forget to take them?"
"This is not a thief," the bishop tells the gendarmes. "The silver was my gift to him "
When the gendarmes finally leave, the bishop gives the candlesticks to Jean Val Jean, now speechless and trembling "Do not forget, do not ever forget," says the bishop, "that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man."
Jean Val]ean's life is transformed. This naked encounter with forgiveness melts his defenses. He keeps the candlesticks, but spends the rest of his life helping others in need.
We've often said, "To err is human, to forgive divine." Perhaps, also, the possibility offorgiveness makes us human. Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, "It is not our capacity to think that makes us different from all animals, but our capacity to repent and to forgive. Only humans can perform that most unnatural act and so transcend the relentless law of nature."
The woman at the beginning of this article was right. That we forgive each other for some of the dastardly things we've done is truly amazingand truly human
John H. Unger is pastor of Richmond Park Mennonite Brethren Church in Brandon, Man. This article is an adaptation of a speech and is reprinted with permission from the MB Herald For this speech, Unger received first place in Division C (western and northern Manitoba) of the Hi-Noon Toastmasters International Speech Contest. Resources used by Unger in developing this speech include Forgive and Forget by Lewis Smedes and Forgiving the Unforgivable : Overcoming the Bitter Legacy of Intimate Wounds by Beverly Flanigan. Unger gives credit to the authors of a variety of clippings and articles, including Phillip Yancy.
Forgiveness IS an unnatural act which goes against all laws of nature.
BY PHILIP WIEBE
Filling the marriage page
I've learned that my own marriage involves both me and my wife it's amazing how many couples get fouled up on that point.
IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME to share everything I've learned about marriage during my dozen years of matrimonial bliss, I might be tempted to follow the lead of an about marriage
• It's a relationship, not a remodeling project. I've been astonished recently to see several books and articles reinforcing an old stereotype I thought had author who produced a book titled Everything I Know About Women.
All the pages are blank.
But since I probably can't get away with a blank page here, I will humbly claim, despite my status as a relative nOvice, that I have learned a few things about marriage. I've learned that my own marriage, for instance, involves both me and my wife. Which may seem rather elementary, but it's amazing how many couples get fouled up on that pOint.
This leads to the first of a number of insights that, in the interest of matrimonial advancement and filling up this page, I'd like to share about marriage:
• It's a partnership, not a power struggle. While discussing his upcoming wedding, an acquaintance of mine once told a group of us married guys that his wife-to-be had no problem with the "honor and obey" part of traditional wedding vows. As we stared at him in disbelief someone exclaimed, "She must really be oldfashioned!"
I thOUght he was only joking, but these days I wonder. Why is marriage so often viewed and depicted as little more than a test of wills? Paul could hardly have made the true goal of the relationship clearer when he summarized it for the EpheSian Christians: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (5:21).
Which leads to my next point
disappeared long ago: that a wife's prerogative is to reform and refine her hayseed husband. One popular title on the shelves right now is called, A Woman's Guide to Changing Her Man. Haven't we gotten past all that?
Apparently not. And here I thought the aim of matrimony was found in building a life together, not in pounding away to shape the other more to our liking.
Which brings us to another realization about marriage
• It's not fair. I read a column in which the author had asked readers to share their wisest relationship advice for the benefit of others. I was shocked at how much of the advice was negative One person wrote, "The best way to get over a broken heart is to break someone else's." Another urged, "Never love anyone more than they love you."
Certainly, couples need to develop a sense of equilibrium in their marriages, but these extreme examples of pursuing "fairness" point to the problematic side of the concept. If we're always wondering what's fair-am I getting as much as I give?-we're hardly upholding the spirit of biblical love, which is "not self-seeking" and "keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Cor 13 :5). Someone insightfully wrote that often marriage isn't fair, nor should it be. At various times and places one spouse or the other will give more, simply because he or she
has more to give. That's the beauty of it.
It's taken me awhile, but I've also learned another thing about marriage
• Not everything needs to be ("lXed. For the first few years of our marriage, the fact that my wife tended to be a morning person and I a night person was an occasional source of irritation. Kim thought I should be more cheerful about facing the day at 7 a.m., and I thOUght she should be more alert to talk about the day at 10 p.m. We agreed to work on it.
A dozen years later, I'm no more cheerful at 7 a.m., and by 10 p m., Kim is usually snoozing on the sofa while I read or watch the news. A failure? Not at all. We simply got to the point of wondering, why were we trying to fIX this? All we really needed to do was give each other more freedom and space to wake up or fall asleep, whichever the case may be. Sometimes that's all minor irritations or misunderstandings or bad moods need-a little room to work themselves out.
And finally, on a related subject, I've learned in my own marriage that
• There's a time to try harder and a time to take it easier. In a committed marriage, there is a tendency to think that hard work on relational and spiritual growth is far more important than, say, holding hands. In reality, both are needed. Hard work is crucial, but often it's in the leisurely moments that I feel most connected with my wife Taking a stroll, driving somewhere, Sitting on the sofa reading, being together in silence-these fill the pages of our marriage with a richness that goes beyond words.
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QHow do you explain the action of God in 1 Samuel 16:14 when it says: "Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him?" (CAliFORNIA)
AGod has a strange and fascinating way of letting us, manufacture our own judgment and still make it appear as if he is arbitrarily clobbering us for our sins. Recorded in I Samuel 16 is the progressive deterioration in the character of Saul. This was not a judgment that came because Saul had committed an evil deed or even a couple of vicious sins . The actions of Saul were so consistently evil that there came a time when God could no longer stomach his wickedness and the Bible records that God's spirit was taken from him and replaced with an evil or tormenting spirit
David, no stranger to sin and disobedience, had it right! In his famous plea for forgiveness (Psalm 51) he prays: "Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me (v. 11). That is precisely what had happened to Saul.
The passage cited by the inquirer might well be taken more seriously by the Christian Church in a day when God seems to be all sweetness and light. We may well have majored in the past, in error, on the transcendent, judgment-delivering God who brings terror and fear. In our time, however, we may well have allowed that pendulum to swing precipitously to the other extreme, and now "grace" is our all-consuming vision of God. We cannot sin with impunity and think God will always say "I forgive." A so-called tireless God sometimes gets tired of our disobedience. He never tires of forgiving repentant people, but neither does he always allow them to go unpunished for their sin, even when he forgives.
Grace and judgment is not an
INQUIRING MINDS
BY MARVIN HEIN
either-or matter with God; it is both/and. The passage before us reminds us that consistent disobedience brings drastic judgment. The episode which immediately precedes this passage is Saul's quarrel with Samuel. As a result of that experience, along with previous acts of disobedience, Saul develops a bad conscience and a consequent break with the man who had been instrumental in bringing him to the throne .
The sense of the passage indicates a spiritual explanation for Saul's troubles. We may have here a good illustration of the New Testament parable of the empty house, where the building was vacated by its rightful owner and occupied by a usurper This was more than a case of Saul's nervous instability. He was reaping the harvest that comes from consistently abandoning God's will.
The one bright note in the passage follows in verse 16 and following. David and his harp became good medicine for Saul. So the story is not all negative. And here is where the "grace" enters There is healing possible. Redemption from the worst of misbehavior is available in Christ. It's a case of "bad news" and "good news." The Christian believer needs to remember that both are a part of God's character. The good news can never come unless the bad news (sin and condemnation) is first recognized.
QWhen the New Testament speaks of the "kingdom of God" does it refer to something in the present or in the fUture? (CALIFoRNIA)
AAfter Jesus was baptized, his mission is described in Mark as "preaching the gospel of God, and saying, 'the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand'" (1:14-15). Matthew says much the same when he says Jesus was preaching the kingdom of God (Mt. 4 :23)
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds," c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, 0193727.
Scholars have differed in their views about the time of the kingdom of God Augustine and the reformers said the kingdom was to be equated with the Church. Old time liberals saw the kingdom as the pure prophetic religion taught by Jesusfatherhood of God, brotherhood of man, infinite value of the individual soul and the ethic of love. Others have taken the position that it is totally present and still others maintain it is totally future.
For me the kingdom of God is in some sense both present and future. It seems apparent from scripture that the kingdom awaits consummation. That would mean something future - the age to come. But it is also plain that in the New Testament the most distinctive thing about Jesus' teaching was the presence of the kingdom. That was and is here and now.
The coming of the kingdom, for which we pray in the Lord's Prayer, means that God's will be done on this earth. Jesus asked us to pray that his rule would be perfectly realized on earth.
I'm well aware that it may be puzzling to some to think that the kingdom can be both future and present. I would answer: God is now king, but he must also become king. Two things are true: (1) inheriting eternal life (conversion) means entrance into the kingdom of God and 2) the fullness of God's kingdom will mean final and total destruction of the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:31).
Jesus said that the Isaiah passage about the coming of the "day of the Lord" was fulfilled in the day that he spoke (Lk. 4:21).That sounds like his kingdom was present at that moment. Again he said: "but if it is by the spirit of God that I cast out demons then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Mt. 12:28) With this evidence I maintain that the kingdom is present today wherever Christ is proclaimed and received, and the kingdom of God in all its fullness will reign in the world to come. It is both present and future
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Understanding the violence
Teachers, students and school officials are faced with a serious increase in violent incidents.
IT WAS THE LAST class of the day My ninth-grade math students were trying to finish their algebra assignment Suddenly,
cle was adapted from a lecture he gave at Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., in April 1998 two of the boys in the class started wandering As a resident ofJonesboro, Ark., and as a parent of a child in one of the middle schools there, he knows first hand the results of a tragic school shooting. He is also a military expert who has spent around the room, using inappropriate language and keeping other students from working. Without a phone in tlle classroom, I couldn't call for help. All I could do was watch carefully, and hope that a fight wouldn 't start
After class was over I called the parents of both boys and described to them what had happened. ''I'm only human," I told them. "I can't handle what happened in class this afternoon If the boys don't settle down and behave I will have to request that they be removed from my class. This means they will fail algebra." Both parents admitted that their sons were out of control at home, too I also reported the problem to the administration.
The next mOrning, a principal came to warn me that one of boys was reported to have brought a gun to school. Could I be the intended target? I immediately locked my door and covered my window with paper Administrators searched the school and alerted the police to the problem An hour later I was very relieved to be informed that the gun had been found, the boys arrested and removed from campus.
Teachers, students and school officials today are faced with a serious increase in violent incidents, shootings and killings We are all alarmed by what has happened in the past and what might occur in the future
David Grossman, in a recent article in Christianity Today, speaks to this issue and asks the question, "Are we teaching our children to kill?" The arti-
a lot of time studying the methods and psychological effects of training army recruits to kill fellow human beings.
Grossman cites some alarming statistics. In the second half of this century, since 1V was introduced, the murder rate has doubled in the USA and the aggravated assault rate (people attempting to kill other people) has gone from about 60 per 100,000 to 440 per 100,000. If it wasn't for the fuct that we have greatly increased our imprisonment rate for violent offenders and have improved our medical technology so that we keep more people alive, these statistics would be much higher.
He makes the point that killing "your own kind" is unnatural throughout much of the animal world and is very difficult for most humans to do, even in a war situation. During the Civil War, the number of soldiers actually firing their loaded muskets was very low. In one battle, of the 27,000 muskets picked up from the dead and the dying, 90 percent were still loaded Some had multiple loads in them Men just couldn't bring themselves to kill other men. In an effort to improve this "killing rate" the military has devised strategie s to train men and women to kill.
Grossman sees a lot of similarity
between military training and what we in our culture are doing to our own children. He insists that we are training our children to kill in a number of ways. For starters, we are desensitizing them to violence. There is so much violence on 1V and in the movies that, after a while, it's just something else to watch. Children learn that violence is okay and killing is appropriate. And when children watch such horrible stuff while eating popcorn, drinking pop and watching "fun commercials" they learn to associate violence with good feelings. Violence becomes entertainment
Furthermore, children are learning to shoot to kill through playing violent video games. They are trained to automatically respond and to shoot and kill in a similar manner that airline pilots are trained to instinctively respond in the event of an in-air emergency, or police officers are trained to shoot in a life-threatening situation. Grossman points out that in military and lawenforcement worlds, the right option at times is not to shoot. But this is never a choice in violent video games Children who play these games learn to shoot to kill, often with deadly accuracy. He cites examples of "kids who have never picked up a gun in their lives and then pick up a real gun and are incredibly accurate ."
Research shows that when young children are exposed to 1V or when TV is introduced into a region for the first time there "is an immediate explosion of violence on the playground and within 15 years there is a doubling of the murder rate. Why 15 years? That is how long it takes for the brutalization of 3-to 5-year olds to reach 'prime crime age .'" That's frightening.
So what are we to do? What can we do?
In my next column I will discuss some solutions to this serious problem. In the meantime, read Grossman's article in the Aug. 10, 1998, issue of Christianity Today. Churches and individuals may wish to order reprints for distribution This is too serious an issue to ignore.
Restructuring task force nears final report
BY CONNIE FABER
• Recommendations will be passed on to Executive Council in early December
FOR THE PAST 10 months the fivemember General Conference task force has been wrestling with a tough assignment: to review all levels of North American Mennonite Brethren conference and church activity with the goal of restructuring the management of denominational ministries.
In a September report to the General Conference Council of Boards, the task-force did not comment on the anticipated direction or content of their final report. They did say that their recommendations will be given to the Executive Council in early December.
"[Task force members] have been cautious not to indicate early on what they think will happen or their personal views," says General Conference moderator Ed Boschman. "I think that's what has given the process integrity."
Boschman admits he would be pleased to have an indication from the task-force as to the direction of their final report. But both Boschman and Marvin Hein, General Conference executive secretary, say they understand the task force's decision to not comment until all the data has been collected
Hein describes the task force 's work to date as being a "listening ear " Hein says task-force members have given no indication as to what they will be proposing because they want to "listen to everybody" before they report.
"Their latest listening device is a letter to pastors and church leaders which was mailed out just prior to our meeting, " says Hein.
Boschman says when the task force submits their final report and recommendations, their work is done.
"Once they deliver the repor t to the Executive Council, the Executive Council has the respo n sibility of
carrying it forward," says Boschman The Executive Council is comprised of the General Conference moderator, assistant moderator, secretary, executive secretary, the five board chairs, and the U.S. and Canadian Conference moderators
According to Boschman, the two national leadership boards will discuss a draft of the restructuring recommendations at their respective board meetings in January. "We will have an Executive Committee meeting in early February to finalize our proposals. Then we will communicate to the constitutency at large by late winter or early spring," says Boschman.
"In February it's going to be taken out of our hands," says task-force chair Pete Penner "The Council of Boards can then do whatever they want."
"At that point we will own it," says secretary Valerie Rempel. The final recommendations will then be discussed by delegates to the 1999 convention as part of the on-going discussion of the binational structure, says Rempel.
The restructuring task force began meeting in December, 1997. In addition to Penner, who is from Reedley, Calif., task-force members are Jascha Boge of Winnipeg, Man., Gayle Goossen of Mississauga, Ont., Lyndon Vix of Wichita, Kan., and John Wiebe of Abbotsford, B.C
Delegates to the 1997 General Conference convention in Waterloo, Ont., approved a recommendation calling for the formation of a task force to accomplish three things: facilitate a "no-holds-barred" review of all levels of conference ministries; prepare an appropriate realignment/restructuring of the management of ministries; and provide for a way to strengthen relationships with other national Mennonite Brethren conferences. The task force was charged with bringing a final recommendation by March 1999.
Hein says the "no-holds-barred" directive was a mandate for the task force to not only review General Conference ministries but also national and provincial ways of doing things.
Penner says this goal has been met. Task force members hosted listening sessions at both national conference conventions and talked with members of the national boards. In September, the task force spent time with each of the General Conference boards and requested input via a mailing to pastors, moderators and church leaders.
The task force also surveyed members of the denomination using questionaires distributed in the
Moderator Ed Boschman leads the discussion regarding restructuring the 1997 General Conference convention in Waterloo. Onto
Delegates to the Waterloo convention report about the round-table discussions concerning the future of the bi-national conference.
five North American denominational magazines: the Leader; The MB Herald, the Canadian English-language magazine; Le Lien, a French publication; The Mennonitische Rundschau, a Canadian German-language magazine; and the Chinese Herald.
The task force has identified three objectives to guide them in analyzing the incoming data and in framing their recommendation, says task-force member Gayle Goossen. The objectives are to enhance the effectiveness of conference ministries; to build "connectedness" between the local church and conference ministries; and to streamline administrative functions.
"One of the messages we continue to get from everyone is, 'We like what the conferences have done,'" says Penner. "We certainly don't want to stop the theological process with seminary training. We need somebody to tell us what we believe. We believe in the mission program-you can tell by the support they're getting. And we need someone to develop resource ministries. We're finding that it's not the program that people are concerned about.
"I guess we have to ask ourselves, is the question structure or style? The message we got to begin with was that we had too many conference meetings-that maybe we were duplicating." says Penner. "But that isn't the whole equation either."
Penner says the task force has also wrestled with how to evaluate the importance of shared ministry between the United States and Canada and the style and method of communication between the two national conferences
The task force has chosen to limit its focus in two areas, says Penner. "We agreed that we were going to leave the structure of the provincial and district conferences alone," says Penner. "But that doesn't mean that we aren't looking at them as well to see if there's maybe something we can encourage them to do as well. I've not heard a lot of complaints about the regional and district conferences "
Regarding their charge to explore strengthening relationships with other national conferences, Penner says the task force was advised to let the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) and MBMS Interna-
tional continue their work on internationalization.
As the task force has listened to the various constituencies, they have heard a variety of opinions regarding realigning denominational ministries and Penner says these differences cross generational lines. Given these differences will the task force be able to craft a of recommendations that will please everyone?
"I think it depends on what pleasing is," says Penner. "Besides pleasing, we need to make sure that we're doing something that is going to be good for 10 or 15 years. And it may not be pleasing to everyone at all. It may not even be pleasing to the majority. But we're going to have to recommend something that is going to make a better group of churches "
According to Penner, the task-force members recognize the serious mandate they've been given. "Anytime you take a leadership role you take a risk," says Penner. "That's one thing all of us [on the task force I have had to do.
"When you have to sit down and start making deciSions, you look at the program and wonder what you can change," says Penner. "There're going to be some tough calls we're going to have to make."
Penner says one challenge facing North American Mennonite Brethren is communicating a common goal to the congregations. "How do you communicate the fact that we're together-or ifwe aren't together, why we aren't together-to the 17,000 people in the U.S. How do you deal with those issues? How do you bring these people to all think alike? Maybe not all agree, but to think alike."
Penner says a review of the denominational ministries is timely. "It's been 40 years since we've made any changes," says Penner. "We've tweaked it here and there but we haven't made any changes. So we've looked at this and said, 'Now what can we do differently.'"
Task force members agree that listening and collecting information has been the easy part. "The next step is the most difficult and requires wisdom and discernment," says Goossen. "We covet your continued prayers as we strive to complete our task and develop a recommendation that best serves the work ofthe Kingdom."
IN BRIEF
OPENING: South Mountain Community Church of Draper, Utah, had its first public worship service October 11 . Paul Robie, pastor of this Mission USA church plant, was pleased with the service and the attendance Among the 65 people who attended were some who had no church background , some who had been searching for a church home and others who had left Mormonism (Paul Robie)
MISSIONARIES: Jonathan and Alice Bartel left Oct 3 for Komaki, Japan, to serve as church planters for six months at the invitation of the Japanese MB Conference They first went to Japan as MBMS International missionaries in 1952, and worked there for 31 years with Harry and Millie Friesen. The Friesens began the church -planting work in Komaki last year and recently returned to the United States The Bartels retired in 1983, and since 1991 , have been active in planting a Japanese church in Denver, Colo , initially using the Garden Park MB church facilities The church now has a Japanese pastor and meets in another facil i ty (Jonathan Bartel)
ENROllMENT: Preliminary fall enrollment statistics at MB Biblical Seminary indicate 149 credit students, down three from late September last year Enrollment on the Fresno, Calif ., campus fell from 137 to 133, while enrollment at the seminary ' s British Columbia Centre went from 15 last fall to 16 this fall (MBBS)
RESIGNATION : Ron Geddert has resigned as director of MB Biblical Seminary's British Columbia Centre, effective Dec 31 As of Sept 1, he has been working half-time for the Centre while moving into a staff position for a new church plant in Abbotsford, B C. MBBS President Henry Schmidt says Geddert's work has laid a good foundati o n fo r ongoing expansion He says the search for a new director has begun and inquiries are welcome . (MBBS)
MBBS board addresses training of Canadian MB s tudents
• B. C. Centre to be partner with ACTS; board looks to open "Winnipeg Centre. "
THEMB BIBLICAL Seminary Board of Directors fall meeting Sept. 2325 was focused on one primary agenda-changing the seminary training delivery system for Canadian Mennonite Brethren.
The board passed two recommendations that signal new directions The first: "That MBBS (British Columbia Centre) become a full partner in the Association of Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS, located on the Trinity Western University campus) subject to successful negotiation with TWU and approval by the General Conference of MB Churches and the British Columbia MB Conference." And second, "That the MBBS Administration begin negotiation with the Mennonite University to build a "Winnipeg Centre," a graduate theological education partnership, as that Consortium develops."
President Henry J Schmidt said, "The model we envision is MBBS delivering theological education in partnership with other seminaries and graduate schools in Canada at two potential locations : B.c. and Winnipeg It is not about developing three independent, free-standing seminaries
"We are addressing four emerging realities: 1) A need to train leaders regionally where Mennonite Brethren have a larger critical mass, 2) a desire
to partner with existing theological institutions where possible, 3) a commitment to strengthen MBBS' B.C . Centre in Abbotsford, and 4) the reality that fewer Canadian Mennonite Brethren students are uprooting for seminary training at MBBS, Fresno .
"The latter is not because of the quality of education," Schmidt said, "but because of financial concerns, work schedules, and the stage of life of their families Today's seminary students tend to be older and more parttime in all North American seminaries "
The B.C. Centre is in its fourth year of operation. Currently it is a churchbased model, which partners with Regent College and ACTS in course work and library resources. In the current arrangement students complete one year through the B C. Centre; one year at ACTS or Regent; and one year at MBBS-Fresno (a requirement by the accrediting association).
During the past four months MBBS has explored the option of locating its B.c. Centre at Columbia Bible College or at TWU/ACTS, Schmidt said. Two meetings were convened with a broad base of B.C. leaders to seek their counsel on the location issue. Their strong counsel was to locate in a closer partnership with ACTS/TWU, mainly because of: the critical mass of seminary students, working with peer graduate institutions, accreditation and residency requirement issues
Though initial negotiations focused on an ACTS-based option short of full partnership, MBBS Board Chairman Ron Toews of Calgary, Alberta, pointed out that full partnership has several points in its favor, including the good
"We are addressing four emerging realities:
(1) A need to train leaders regionally where Mennonite Brethren have a larger critical mass;
(2) a desire to partner wit h existing theological i nstitutions where possible;
(3) a commitment to strengthen MBBS' B.C. Centre i n Abbotsford;
(4) t h e reality that fewer Canadia n Mennonite Brethren students are up r ooting for semin ary trai n ing at MBBS, Fresno "
-HENRY J. SCHMIDT, PRESIDENT
will of most B C. pastors toward ACTS, the potential for supplying more MB pastors, a model of cooperation rather than competition, financial feasibility, an invitation by ACTS administration, the potential of reducing the Fresno residency r e-quire me nt , and the high profile of ACTS in B C.
Schmidt noted that good progress had been made in initial negotiations with TWU /ACTS, but he made it clear to the MBBS Board and General Conference Council of Boards (the Conference in interim) meeting in Fresno Sept. 26, that major issues remained to be resolved, such as : maintaining our theological identity as Mennonite Brethren, governance, curriculum, Association of Theological Schools residency requirements, and the financial cost of being a full ACTS partner
A second major recommendation passed by both the MBBS Board and the General Conference Council of Boards was "that in the light of the current negotiations with ACTS/TWU and the Task Force review, we request that the binational funding formula not be reviewed before June 1, 2001. This recommendation now goes to the Canadian and U.S MB Council of Boards meeting in January/February, 1999, for further discussion
Other decisions made by the MBBS Board included : major discussion with the General Conference Task Force on Restructuring and the implications for MBBS in the event of the dissolution of that Conference structure; the reappointment of two faculty, Delores Friesen, Associate Professor of Pastoral Counseling, for a four-year term, and Valerie Rempel, Assistant Professor of History and Theology, for a two year term; and a recommendation to the General Conference Executive Council and the Board of Faith and Life that "in order to facilitate unity and theological cohesion, the credentialing bodies of the MB Conferences in North America require of all full-time pastoral staff members the completion of at least three approved courses-including MB hiStory, theology and polity-within two years of their appointment . This assumes completion of the ministry questionnaire and interview with the credentialing board "MBBS is willing to facilitate place , time and content of these courses," Schmidt says - Kent H. Gaston, MBBS
BODyIJI
Doors Open for Worship at South Mountain Community Church
On Oct . 4, the South Mountain Community Church of Draper, Utah opened its doors for its first Sunday morning worship service. The following Sunday they celebrated their public opening service with 65 people present. Embraced by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, Draper lies just south of Salt Lake City. Partnering in the planting of this new church are Mission USA, the Pacific District and the Laurelglen Bible Church of Bakersfield, Calif.
Giving leadership to the church's vision "to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all people" are Lead Pastor Paul and Jini Robie and Music Pastor Mike and Joani Bell.
MISSION USA BOARD:
Ed Boschman, Phoenix, AI..,
Chuck Buller, Visalia, CA.
Karin Enns, Dinuba, CA
Phil Glanzer, New Hope, MN
Joe Johns, Weatherford, OK
Loretta Jost, Aurora, NE
Brad Klassen, Glendale, AI.
Nancy Laverty, Jones, OK
Stephen Reimer, Shafter, CA
Randy Steinert, Bakersfield, CA
The South Mountain Community Church task force met prior to the Oct. 4 service to pray for the emerging church and pastors. The task force provides guidance and leadership during the initial stages of the church's growth.
TIm Sullivan, Hillsboro, KS
Gary Wall, Lodi, CA
Ex Officio Members: Henry Dick, Fresno, CA.
(linton Grenz, Bismark, N.D.
Bruce Porter, Fresno, CA
Roland Reimer, Wichita, KS .
(lint Seibel, Hillsboro, KS
Jim Westgate, Fresno, CA
Board approves changes to MBMS International administrative structure
a need we have heard from our missionaries," says General Director Harold Ens. "To minister globally in the twenty-first century requires that we have a staff member committed to
• Regional offices created, administrative offices combined comprehensive training, ongoing counsel, and attention to the individual needs of our missionaries."
IN A MOVE designed to adapt to the needs of missionaries and churches as well as the ongoing challenges of global mission, the board of MBMS International approved several major structural changes at its meetings Sept. 23-25.
The changes will see new staff positions, a greater commitment to direct relationship with churches, and the creation of a management center. All three of the major decisions came out of recommendations of an Administrative Structure Review commissioned by the agency.
"Our director of programs, Dave Dyck, gave notice in spring of his intention to resign effective June 30, 1999," says board chair Neil Fast "The board saw the vacancy as an opportunity to evaluate our structure and see how it could be improved "
The ftrst decision was the creation of part-time "mission mobilizer" positions in Winnipeg, Man., Abbotsford, B.C., and Wichita, Kan . These new staff will work with churches in building greater awareness and support of missions, as well as caUing people to active service.
The new positions are part of an ongoing effort to relate to supporters. This effort started several years ago with the appointment of volunteer
Regional Mission Advocates (RMAs) , who communicate to churches the role the agency plays in spreading the gospel globally
At its meetings, the board heard that in the past two years , the five RMAs
"By centralizing our leadership staff to one location we hope to
increase teamwork between departments,
The second change give clearer responses to requests, and plan strategically for the
be completed and pOSitions relocated by June 30, 1999.
Ens says, "By centralizing our leadership staff to one location we hope to increase teamwork between departments, give clearer responses to requests, and plan strategically for the future ."
The third major board decision was the creation of a management center to house the new Administrative Council The expanded office, to be situated at the current Fresno, Calif., location, will made over 285 visits to approximately 160 Mennonite Brethren churches in Canada and the United States. An additional RMA was recently appointed with seven more sought throughout North America
This consolidation of staff will mean that two pOSitions currently in the Winnipeg -HAROLD ENS office will be moved to Fresthat comes out of future." the report's findings is the reorganization of key leadership roles in the mission agency. A five-member administrative council has been created to . include the general director and directors of four central functions: program , personnel services, finance and support services, and constituency relations
The new personnel position will be responsible for recruitment , applicant processing, missionary and staff training, as well as coordinating the care of missionaries.
"The personnel position responds to
no However, the Winnipeg office will continue to process funds received from Canadian supporters. As well , the half-time director of Asia programs will be located in Wichita and will also be the Mission Mobilizer for the Central and Southern districts.
The board has also begun the process of searching for an associate director for finance and support services and assistant director of personnel ser· vices, to begin work Nov . 1 or once the positions are filled . -Brad Thiessen, MBMSI
Staff changes and openings announced at MBMSI
• Schmidt appointed to administrative post; Dyck, Olfert resign
SEVERAL MAJOR administrative staff changes were announced recently by MBMS International, the global mission agency of the MB church in Canada and the Uni ted States.
New p osition created
The Board of MBMS International announced at its September meeting the creation of a new administrative posi tion , assistant director for personnel services.
The pe rs onne l position will be
responsible for recruitment, applicant processing, missionary and staff training, as well as coordinating the care of missionaries. It was created as part of wider administrative restructuring to meet training , counseling, and other needs of missionaries and staff.
"Cross-cultural mission work can be quite demanding for our missionaries," says Harold Ens, general director. "This new position will allow us to provide greater attention to the needs of each individual and family on our team."
A search committee has been formed for the personnel position, as well as for the position of associate director for finance and support ser· vices. Both positions will be located in Fresno, Calif. beginning Nov . 1, 1998.
New staff appointed
Russell Schmidt has been appointed to fill two half-time positions, as assistant program director of Asia as well as mission mobilize r for churches in the midwestern United States He will work
Schmidt Dyck
out of an office in Wichita , Kan.
In his role as mobilizer, Schmidt will work with churches to build greater awareness and support of missions, and will encourage churches to call members to active service.
As program director for Asia, he will develop and evaluate MBMSI mission efforts in Asia and will work with missionary team leaders to coordinate the work of missionaries throughout Asia
Schmidt assumes the position after serving for six years as an MBMSI missionary a ,mong the Khmu people in Thailand, where he and his wife Elizabeth developed agricultural projects, assisted church planters, and trained church leaders. Prior to that, he worked with immigrant Khmu people at Butler MB Church in Fresno, Calif., for four years.
"Russell's range of experience will contribute to both of his new responsibilities," says Ens. "As a former missionary, he is in a strong position to work with both missionaries and churches. "
The Schmidts ended their overseas misSionary service in May 1998, and are currently reporting to churches . The new position will be phased in this fall , with the Wichita office opening in January 1999
Resignations
The MBMSI board announced recently the resignation of Dave Dyck as director of programs He will remain with the agency until June 30, 1999 , and will return as acting general director while Harold Ens goes on sabbatical from September 1999 to February 2000.
During his tenure with the agency, Dyck has played a central role in furthering mission partnership with national churches and conferences around the world
It was under his leadership that Pak-
isa Tshimika from Congo, Franz Rathmair from Austria, and Miguel Forero from Colombia (effective Jan 1, 1999), were hired as the first three international members of the agency' s administrative team.
Dyck's initial responsibility was as secretary for development, relief and related ministries , where he integrated social ministry with evangelistic and church-planting ministries
"We deeply appreciate Dave's 10 years of dedicated service," says board chair Neil Fast "He was instrumental in advocating the soc ial ministries that have been a vital part of our church planting and leadership training efforts around the world."
Prior to serving with MBMS I, Dyck worked for MCC , including many years as coordinator of Canadian programs and three years with his wife, Millie, both as teachers in Zambia
Dave and Millie attend River East MB Church in Winnipeg, Man
The board has also announced the resignation of John Olfert as secretary for finance effective Nov 1. Olfert has left to accept a new private-sector job in Winnipeg, Man ., at the same time as his position has been consolidated into the associate director of finance and support services.
The new pOSition, which is currently unfilled, will be based out of the office in Fresno, Calif.
Since joining MBMSI in June 1996, Olfert updated the agency' s computerized accounting systems, including setup of a computer network.
He created a donor database , reorganized the reporting system for Canadian and U.S. donations, and Simplified both administrative budgeting and financial reporting by missionaries .
"John played a vital role in creating more efficient accounting systems that allow us to better track expenses throughout the organization," says Ens. "We have benefited greatly from his range of expertise and commitment to excellence. "
Before joining MBMSI, Olfert was controller for Youth for Christ for two years and mutual fund accountant for Investors Group for three years. He graduated from University of Winnipeg in 1991
He and his wife, Br enda, are members of McIvor MB C hurch in Winnipeg -Brad Thiessen, MBMSI
IN BRIEF
CO N SULT A TIO N: This sum m er the Ind i a MB Conf e r e n ce ' s Boa r d of Evangelism and Church Ministri es, along with its Miss ion s Committe e organi zed a consultat i on on for de l egates f r om lo cal chur ches and students at the M en non i te Br ethren post - seconda r y sc hools Board d i rector Dr R S Lemue l and committee head Rev V K Rufus gave ma j o r leadersh i p to the consu ltation The Missions Committee h as shown a serious interest in Muslim ministry and is looking fo r na ti onal workers who will take up the challenge The Mennonite Brethren o f India tend to be on good term s with their Muslim neighbors, and many learn the Urdu language of the Muslims i n order to converse w ith them , says Gordon Nickel, MBMSI Muslim Ministry Team leader (MBMSI)
DIED : Following a life rich with m ission service, D i ck Gerbra n dt died Aug 24, 1998, at the age of 87 Dick and his wife , Li nda , served as a past o r al co u ple to chu rc hes in San Jose, Calif ., and Sawyer, N.D., and establishe d t hree cong r ega t ions in the Oklahoma City a r ea In 194 5, they accepted an a ss ignment to serve with Mennonite Brethren m iss i ons as missionaries to the Coma nc he Indians at Post Oak Mission , Ind iahoma, Okla Twice they served with MBMS International i n Mexico The Gerbrandts were able to return to Oklahoma for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Post Oak MB Church in 1995 Dick said shortly befor e his death that this brought him great joy (MBMSI)
RECORD : Better financial aid and more personal attention contributed to this year ' s record number of freshmen at Fresno Pacific University, according to the registrar's office Almost all parts of the university report an in crease in student s, but the largest g r owth is among new freshmen The class totals 167 ; the past three -year average is 120 freshmen The avera g e SAT score for the top 25 pe r cent of the freshman class is also up t o 1.294 f rom 1.238 . (FPU)
General Conference convention will be held in Wichita next July
• Restructuring, Confession of Faith will be among the "monumentous" agenda items
DELEGATES TO the 1999 General Conference convention July 8-10 in Wichita, Kan., will participate in a gathering that is not only important for its business agenda but unique in its international flavor.
"We can expect the business agenda to ask delegates to make decisions on significant, if not monumentous, questions," says moderator Ed Boschman .
The revised Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith and ongoing dis-
cussion about the structure of the binational conference are two significant agenda items that will take center stage.
Denominational leaders met Oct. 29-30 in Calgary, Alta., to discuss the second revision of the proposed Confession of Faith.
Prior to the consultation, Board of Faith and Life chair Lynn Jost anticipated that additional changes will be made to the Confession after the leadership meeting.
Jost hopes a final draft will be ready by February.
Jost says while some articles will see minor changes as a result of the Calgary meeting, there are a few articles that could require substantial revisions. He also believes some issues will continue to be debated at the July convention.
Board announces new youth curriculum series
• First product, on the book of Mark, due in December
A NEW YOUTH DEVOTIONAL series was initiated by the General Conference l\soard of Resource Ministries at their September meeting The series is being created within the youth Bible study product line and the first book is slated for release in December, says Michael Dick, BRM executive secretary It is a study of the book of Mark called "A Walk on the Wild Side."
The new series will provide a thematic approach to devotional study, says Dick. A study on prayer will be an upcoming release in the series
The board also agreed to do a second recording of worship music written and pe:formed by Mennonite Brethren artists . "There are songwriters within the Mennonite Brethren conference who are making a significant contribution to the contemporary worship music scene, " says Dick. "Resource Ministries wants to make these songs available for use by the larger MB constituency."
"More Than Music ," the first worship recording, was released in 1997 along with an accompanying songbook and has received much positive response , says Dick.
"The Confession is open to the work of the delegates," says Jost.
Regarding anticipated proposals about the conference structure, Boschman says, "It's important to remember that the issues will deal with the management structures and delivery systems of our ministries rather than with the entities themselves. We will likely not be asking whether we wish to continue our ministries but how best they can be managed in the future."
Because the convention precedes the annual meeting of the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren, a number of delegations from other national conferences may attend the General Conference convention as guests. ICOMB will be meeting July 1114 in Buhler, Kan.
"The ICOMB guests will bring a wonderful global flavor to the convention," says Boschman. 'We're going to work at making them available to our delegates for interaction in several ways though they won't be part of our formal programming."
Brian Stiller, former director of Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and current president of Tyndale Seminary in OntariO, will give two keynote addresses
The convention theme is "A distinct presence: The aroma of Christ" taken from 2 Corinthians 2 :14-17.
The convention will be hosted by the First MB Church of Wichita and will take place on their campus in west Wichita . Convention registration material and a schedule of events will be available in late spring Activities for children and youth are also being planned.
The Wichita, Kan., First MB Church facility will become a convention center when General Conference delegates gather next July.
BOTH NEED AN ESTATE PLAN.
It may be a simple will, a living trust, perhaps a creditshelter trust. .. but some kind of plan is needed. A will or trust allows you to accomplish many good things:
• Name a personal representative or trustee to manage the distribution of your estate.
• Name a guardian for the care of minor children or a family member with a special need.
• Possibly reduce or eliminate estate taxes.
• Make a charitable gift to support the ministries you value
No document in human affairs is more important than your estate plan, whether a will or a living trust. Such an instrument speaks with authority as to how your family should be cared for and how your assets should be distributed. It is the final and finest expression of your real character, love for family, and love for God.
___ Please send me the leaflet, "Your Legacy Planning for a Better Tomorrow."
___ Please send me the leaflet, "Understanding Living Trusts."
___ Please send me information on making a planned gift to a ministry or charitable cause I value.
___ IlWe have already included a Mennonite Brethren ministry in our estate plan in the following way :
___ Please contact me by phone. The best time to reach me is:
Weight-loss program
good for more than the waistline
• Weigh Down Workshop is a weight-loss program that teaches responsibility and aids spiritual growth
BY NATALEE ROTH
Weight-loss programs are everywhere. Famous people endorse them, doctors recommend them, but seldom does the church become involved in the quest for trimmer tummies. The Weigh Down Workshop, founded by registered dietitian and Christian, Gwen Shamblin, has changed that and several Mennonite Brethren congregations now sponsor Weigh Down Workshop (WDW) classes.
"I just felt like [Weigh Down] was a good program and 1 wanted it in our church," says Judi Harms Harms is a two-time facilitator for the WOW pro-
gram sponsored by Pine Acres MB Church in Weatherford , Okla.
At each WOW session, participants watch a short video, in which Shamblin talks about how to replace a focus on food with a focus on God. The videos also include testimonies from people who have lost weight-they share how God has changed their lives. Participants then discuss that week 's video and the struggles and victories of the past week. They are also given audio cassettes and a workbook, which includes a diary section for recording what God is doing in their life.
Does WOW work? Yes, says Pine Acres pastor Don Morris. "I have seen many people in our church that have benefited from it," he says. "I think as far as a biblically-based program, it's one of the better ones around. People are growing spiritually as well as learning principles for being responsible about their physical health and their weight."
Morris says many people who have gone through the program agree that WOW is more than just a diet program. "It's helped them to grow spiritually and to have more of a quiet time So in
that respect, if you can do that, that's better than a lot of other kinds of programs around, or even Bible studies. It's been good for us," he says.
The results have also been positive when it comes to the scale. Harms says the majority of the people who have participated have lost weight and kept it off. "People are able to keep it off because there're no rules or diets or diet foods," she says "The whole idea is to stop when you're full and only eat when you're hungry."
But Harms says obedience to God also plays a big role in the success of the program.
"What's so important is that you're supposed to go to God rather than to food," she says. "It's dying to your will and obeying God. Food is like an idol we need to break away from."
Mitzi lePere, a WOW leader at Laurelglen Bible Church in Bakersfield, Calif., has found that WOW principles can help people struggling with other problems.
LePere says the workshop can be used for reasons other than to lose weight. She used to smoke and had tried to quit, but would smoke when she was upset "[God] was saying, 'Mitzi, why are you going to cigarettes when you could come to me?'" The same principle applies with food, she says. LePere has also lost weight and kept it off, and has learned about obedience to God.
She says other participants have different reasons for coming to the workshop . "One lady was a peoplepleaser and she's felt she's overcome that," she says. LePere has heard of alcoholics using WOW to quit drinking She says others have come because of a food issue, but found that God pointed out another issue in their lives, such as finances.
Laurelglen Bible Church in Bakersfield, Calif., began hosting the workshop two years ago. As many as four groups have met simultaneously. Currently, two groups are meeting and LePere leads one . She says an average of 15 to 20 people usually participate in each group.
Harms and LePere agree that WOW is a good outreach ministry. "I think it's a neat hook that God uses, that people are really interested in their weight and their appearance, and they get in and
discover that God has so much more in store for them, " LePere says.
Roger Poppen, senior pastor at Laurelglen Bible, and his wife participated in one of the WDW sessions. "We found it to be a biblically-based program addressing many issues in life, one of which is how we treat our bodies," he says.
He has baptized two women who recommitted their lives to the Lord after going through the program . "We have found that it has been spiritually beneficial to many people . Perhaps even more so than physically."
Le Pere encourages people to raise questions about what Shamblin teaches but to avoid taking Shamblin's principles out of context. "For example, Shamblin says that everything God made is good, so you can eat whatever you want," says LePere. "They think she ' s saying you don't need to pay attention to your diet and you can just eat chocolate all day. But that's not what she's saying."
LePere says Shamblin advises people to listen to what their bodies crave. People crave those things that they have denied themselves during diets , because that ' s what the body needs . The cravings eventually balance out LePere says people may participate in the workshop as many times as they like. "When I first started I thOUght it was just a 12-week program and then you were done with it," she says. "Then I found that it is a lifestyle. Not that you have to go through it repeatedly-there should be a graduation date for everybody."
The cost of the workshop covers a workbook, audiocassettes and the videos watched during group sessions. After people complete WDW a second time, they are considered alumni and may attend as many times as they want , at no charge LePere says many complete the course more than once-they find the encouragement that comes from being with other people who are trying to lose weight to be helpful.
People interested in leading a WDW class are asked to work with their pastor and church leaders . Befo r e a church can sponsor the WDW, the pastor and deacon board must view a video about the program supplied at no charge and give their approval, says Harms.
Civil war in Congo impacts MB Church; MBMSI sends aid
• At least six Mennonite Brethren have been killed in crossfire fighting in Kinshasa
MENNONITE
Brethren lives and property have been lost during the most recent resurgence of fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This past month the capital city of Kinshasa, home to about 40 Mennonite Brethren congregations with about 8,375 members, has been the scene of fighting as rebel forces clash with the army of President Kabila
Pakisa Tshimika, MBMSI regional secretary for Africa, reports that 19 Mennonite Brethren were wounded, nine were reported missing and six were killed in the crossfire. Twenty-eight MB church members' homes were looted and 17 homes were hit by mortar shells.
shasa Furthermore, prices have skyrocketed and people can't afford to buy the food that is available
MBMSI is forwarding $15,000 for food distribution and medical supplies, as part of a $50,000 project sponsored by the three North American agencies working in the country: Africa InterMennonite Mission, Mennonite Central Comm ittee and MBMSI.
Donations to replenish MBMSl's Urgent Ministries Relief Fund are being accepted and can be sent to the Fresno office marked "Congo Food."
One of the issues faCing MB Congolese is pacifism, says Tshimika "One MB pastor in Congo I talked to says it has been hard for the people. The people are saying it's time to defend our country from foreign invasion "
"The people are saying it's time to defend
Tshimika was in North invasion."
-TSHIMIKA America when the first wave of fighting broke out in early August. He and his wife, Linda, were scheduled to leave in August, but their return flight was canceled.
Nationalism is growing among MBs in Congo, he says. In early September Tshimika said MBMSI's social development, leadership training and evangelism programs were finding it difficult to access funds from banks due to the tensions in the country. Tshimika also noted that the distribution of our country from foreign
funds could be a problem if transportation were impeded.
In early October,Tshimika was trying to obtain air transportation back into Kinshasa from the United States . Due to the fighting, it has been difficult to get fresh food supplies into Kin-
Pascal Kulungu, health administrator in a Kajiji MB hospital, is completing his studies at Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, Calif. Because of the war in Congo, he, his wife and two children will need to find employment or an internship in Fresno and get an exten-
Prayer requested for the Congo
In an Oct 9 p raye r alert, MBMSI req uests p r aye r fo r t he Democrati c Republic of Congo in three areas
1) Pray for peace Specifically pray that military forces of neighboring countries, especially Rwanda, will withdraw and that President Kabila and his cabinet will focus on rebuilding the country
2) Pray for the suffering people of the Congo Specifically, pray for the hungry and sick
3) Pray for the MB believers in Congo They are cont i nuing to be a witness, but just to survive takes so much of their energy Also pray that they will be able to love even their enemies and not react with violen ce
IN BRIEF
DIED: Alvin Voth, 71, a form er nurse and MBMS International mi ssionary, died July 13 Harold Ens, MBMSI general direct o r, says Alvin and his wife, Vera , were d edicated se rva nts of God and t ru e p ioneer m iss ionaries "Alvin was will i ng t o take on many roles that were required within the church and community, whether in Colombia or North America," Ens says As a young man, Voth stud i ed at Winkler MB Bible School for three years He and his wife later were missionaries to Colombia and Alvin served as nursing supe r visor in senior ci tizens' facilities in Canada (MBMSI)
ASSISTANCE : MDS has been assigned to help Hurricane Georges victims in the mountains around Aibonito , Puerto Rico by the Federal Emergency Management Agency The Sept 21 storm caused damage throughout the island Julio Vincenty, MDS unit representative from Puer t o Rico, reports , "You can poin t yo ur finger anywhere on the isla nd and you'll find destructibn . " The hurricane is described as the worst in 60 years MDS requests funds and prayer for the many Puerto Rica n s who remain homeless Checks designated for the respon se can be sent to MOS, P O Box 500, Akron, PA 17501 MCC is responding with material aid and emergency financial support in Haiti and the Dominican Republic (MOS and MCC)
CONFERENCE : The Canadian MB Conference convention July 9 - 11 focused on a plan to aggressively plant churches in Canadian cities Calgary was approved as the first "key city, " with the goal of planting 10 churches there in five years The conference welcomed 14 new churches during the biennium, but membership grew by only 1.5 percent Also addressed was the debate about disciplining South Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church for accepting as members practicing homosexuals The Alberta MB Conference has met three times with the church and will vote on the i ssue at the 1999 provincial conve nti on (MB Herald)
sion on their visas, Tshimika says . Meanwhile, Mennonite C entral Committee workers in Kinshasa evacuated Aug. 11 to South Mrica Among the MCC workers evacuated is Stefani Barg from Grand Forks, B.C., who was in Congo for a one-year assignment working in an inoculation program at an MB Health Clinic. -From the MB Herald and MBMSI and MCC reports
Short-term MBMSI workers evacuated from Kinshasa mission
• Winnipeg couple forced to cut short medical assignment because of civil unrest
FERDINAND AND Ruth Pauls, members of Portage Ave. MB Church in Winnipeg , Man., arrived in Kinshasa Aug. 1 to start a three-week term with MBMS International. He is vice-president of medical affairs at Grace General Hospital and a former mission worker in Congo. His task was to review how best to work with the Congolese MB Church in me medical field.
At 9 a.m. on Aug . 3 the Paulses were told that everyone should stay at home because of a skirmish in Kinshasa. During the week, everyone in Kinshasa was under a 6 p.m. curfew.
While information was confined to local news radio broadcasts, they had some contact with people in other countries through the use of cell phones. On Aug. 4 the u.s. embassy asked that all nonessential expatriates leave the country.
With the help of the Mennonite Brethren Church they were allowed to stay until Saturday. Because the Paulses were not allowed to venture out, their appointments came to see them and their contacts checked up on them. They were very much encouraged because of this, Ferdinand says.
Pauls also said that they had heard singing one night and were not sure who was singing-government soldiers or the rebels.
In the morning, they learned that the singing had come from a group of Christians who had been praying all night. He said that the fighting was very close to where they were staying, but they never felt afraid. The only concern
they had was not knowing what would happen next.
On Friday, Aug. 7, they learned that they were 20th on a waiting list of 50 for a flight out of Kinshasa. Not knowing whether they would be allowed to board the plane, they showed up at the airport the next morning. They were quickly cleared and had to wait 45 minutes for the p lane.
Those were anxious moments, he said. There were soldiers all over the airstrip and in the airport. The Paulses then boarded the plane and noticed the flight attendants were not very happy about the presence of the soldiers. About two hours later the plane finally left for Johannesburg.
The churches in Congo are under a lot of pressure, Pauls said, but the church is continuing its efforts in outreach.
Pauls said that during a joint ArabicFrench Sunday worship service in an MB church in Kinshasa they heard about a joint MB Congolese-Sudanese outreach to Muslims; 29 Muslims had converted to Christianity.
Within a year in Kivu, an MB group of believers had into three more groups. He said the Sunday worship service had been upbeat and positive despite the uncertainty that existed. -Peter Woelk, MB Herald
Tieszen retires from
• • •
1D1SStOnary servtce after 41 years of service
• Worker believes personal contact was her most effective ministry in Colombia
AFTER 41 YEARS of missionary ser:vice in Colombia, Elizabeth Tieszen has worked her way out of a job. The Mennonite Brethren conference that she watched grow from a handful of young churches is now an independent body with their own mission vision.
Tieszen remembers being called to missions when she was 12 years old. She enjoyed the missionary reports she heard in church, and loved to read missionary stories in the Sunday school or vacation Bible school papers.
When she was a young woman, the Mennonite Brethren mission board called Tieszen to service in Colombia.
"When I said farewell to the churches, I noticed that all of my activities had not been of the greatest importance. What they appreciated was who I had been." -Tieszen
Since that time, she has had many responsibilities, including coordinating elementary schools in the churches, directing the Colegio Americas Unidas school, asSisting as advisor for women's and youth work and organizing youth camps and adult retreats
"Through her gentle nature and her abilities as an educator and leader, Elizabeth provided a positive influence to several generations of Colombian students and churches," says Harold Ens, general director of MBMS International . "We deeply appreciate her years of humble service "
Tieszen reports that she watched missionary work progress from being directed from North America to being nationally based.
"In 1957, we had Missionary Council Meetings that made all the plans, objectives, and strategies," she remembers. "Later, we had a committee of missionaries and Colombians; then an Administrative Committee of all Colombians and one missionary as an advisor. Today, a board of Colombian pastors guides the work of both Colombian and North American missionaries."
The Colombian Conference has grown to 30 churches and 2,400 members. Beginning next year, a Colombian, Miguel Forero, will be MBMSI's regional secretary for Latin America, and a Colombian couple will go to Peru as missionaries.
Looking back, Tieszen says it was personal contact that was her most effective ministry. "When I said farewell to the churches, I noticed that all of my activities had not been of the greatest importance," says Elizabeth . "What they appreciated was who I had been."
After visiting MB churches in the Central District of the United States this fall, Tieszen plans to settle in California. -Brad Thiessen
Nanerige tribal leaders key to successful mission effo rt
• MBMS/'s Phil and Carol Bergen help with Bible translation in Burkina Faso
Bringingthe message of Christ to a people group that has no multiplying church can take years of dedication.
Add to that the difficulty of translating Scriptures into a language filled with nuances that take many years to learn, and the process can seem too daunting to be worth the attempt. Sometimes, however, the Gospel can take root in just such a situation.
Dan and Kathy Petersen moved to N'dorola, Burkina Faso in 1984 , with the goal of planting a church among the Nanerige people under Africa InterMennonite Mission (AIMM). Four years ago, MBMS International missionaries Phil and Carol Bergen joined them.
A local Christian, Maliki Loze Watara, has worked with them to bring the Gospel to N'dorola and the surrounding area Watara began working as a linguistic assistant with Dan Petersen about ten years ago, to coordinate the translation of Scriptures into the Nanerige language. As Watara learned the Scriptures over a period of
seve ral years, he came to accept Christ. "Maliki is a very important figure to his village and for us as a translation team, " says Petersen "For years he has been the only local Christian. He is also one of the few people to have gone away to atta in a high school education, and the n return to live in his home village."
In April o f this year, the dedication of Watara and the missionary team paid off when eiders in the neighboring village of Silorola accepted Christ.
Petersen and Watara had recorded onto cassette tapes a translation of Scripture selections from Genesis to the death and resurrection of Jesus, to the ascension and Pentecost After gaining permission to speak to the village eld'ers-made possible because Watara was from the village-they played a group of passages at each visit, stopping after each one to discuss teaching questions
Petersen relates that after the first session , the village elders asked him and Watara to return every third day until they had finished the whole series of passages
The elders' initial reaction, according to Watara, was, "We have always thOUght that God made the world just as it is today, the good with the bad. But now we understand that God did not want the illness, the death, and all the other evils that seem so much a part of our lives . That was not his plan,
Bur)) LiFF
IN BRIEF
PARTNERSHIP : Africa Inter- Mennonite Mission and the Mennonite Board of Missions of the Mennonite Church are forming a partnership with the Friends of the Wolof, a network of congregations, businesses and interested individuals committed to establishing a church -planting movement among the 3 million Wolof people in Senegal. The Wolof are a historically Muslim people living in West Africa The mission partners are sending a team of people to live in Senegal to befriend the Wolof people and demonstrate Christian love Jim and Paula Hanes, members of Calvary Mennonite Church in Washington, ilL, left Sept 11 for Dakar, Senegal, to begin a four -year term . MBMS International is a supporting AIMM agency (GCMC)
FELLOWSHIP: Mennonite World Conference invites Mennonite and Brethren in Christ congregations worldwide to share a common worship experience Jan 24, 1999 World Fellowship Sunday offers the opportunity for all congregations to center their worship services on the same biblical passages, hymns, prayers of confession, requests for intercession and sermon notes . Materials are being completed by the European Mennonite churches While the worship suggestions are designed to be used in a wide variety of cultures, and are broadly "Anabaptist" in their themes, they also reflect the specific churches from which they come (MWC)
RELIEF : MCC is launching a campaign to remove famine's shadow from North Korea and Southern Sudan Over the past three years, 1 to 3 million North Koreans are believed to have died from hunger-related causes In southern Sudan, 2 4 million people are now at risk of starving In North America, MCC hopes to collect 1, 000 metric tons of corn for a Christmas shipment to North Korea MCC needs donations of corn and cash to help people in both count ries . (MCC)
but it was the result of our own rebellion and refusal to obey him."
Over the following weeks, Petersen, Watara and Phil Bergen returned to Silorola and eventually played through all the tapes. After the second-to-Iast session, Petersen asked Watara if the message was having an impact on the elders.
He asked, "Haven't you noticed that during all of these sessions there are some who never miss, while others come and go?"
Watara responded, "That's because the light was shown on their lives, and some have found it too bright, and they can't come back unless they change their life But the ones who have been
Spirit," says Petersen. "We hope that once God's Word is written on the hearts of a few, then the mustard-seed principle starts to work."
It is now hoped that the elders themselves will share the Gospel, with the missionaries acting as resources. Because each elder represents one family in the village, those who have embraced Christianity are in a position to share the message with several hundred people.
"When you look at these wise,
conservative, intelligent, strong leaders, you are looking at the birth of a truly indigenous church."
PHIL BERGEN
During the last session, the group heard about the death and resurrection of Christ
"The last verse we had translated was Acts 2:39," says Petersen. "The tape stopped there with Peter's words that God's promise is for all people, even those who are far away. Upon completion of the tape the elders initially responded by saying, ' When will we have more of this ready to listen to? This isn't enough-we need more!'"
The elders were told it will be up to them to organize whatever follow-up they want to do in the village with these same passages. The elders consulted together and decided they would share the passages with whoever wished to listen, so that each person in the village could decide for himself whether to accept the message.
Petersen relates that part of the reason they were successful in bringing the Gospel to the village, when others have failed over the years, is that they went directly to the village elders
"Through the message-which was nothing more or less than God's Word in their language-we were able to bring about a meeting between a room full of Nanerige elders and the Holy
wise, conservative, intelligent, strong leaders, you are looking at the birth of a truly indigenous church and another step towards the fulfillment of God's intention to call himself people from every tribe."
Bergen states, "Their comprehension of the work ofJesus was complete Their acceptance of this message of peace and restoration of the relationship between God and humanity was complete. When you look at these coming regularly are the ones who have already decided that they want to stay in the light. They already believe, and their lives are already changing When we go back to Silorola to play the last tape, the only people in the room will be those who already want to walk the path behind Jesus."
The village elders asked Petersen and Bergen to pass along a message. "They asked you, who sent us to them, to pray that they
would be strengthened so that they could put into practice the teachings of Christ because these would bring peace to their families," says Bergen. "They also asked you to pray for those who will cling to the old darkness that they have known rather than accepting this new light that comes from God."
The work of the Petersens and Bergens is a result of partnering between Mennonite agencies, coordinated by AIMM. The Petersens are supported by the Evangelical Mennonite Church. The Bergens are jointly sponsored by MBMSI and the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference Mennonite Church.
The Petersens have now begun a one-year North American aSSignment The Bergens continue studying the local languages, with Phil taking a test in November that will qualify him to carry on the work of translating Bible passages into the Nanerige language.
This joint release of AlMM International, MBMSI, EMC and Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference Mennonite Church was written by Brad Thiessen of MBMSI
•
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ( Northwest Community)-Denise Nielsen, Adam Nielsen, Priscilla Watts and Brittany Watts were baptized Aug 31.
BETHANY, Okla , (Western Oaks)-Tom and Jenny Hedglen were baptized Aug. 2 and joined the church Sept. 13
REEDLEY, Calif.-Kevin and Pam Goossen were received into membership Sept. 13
FRESNO, Calif (Bethany)-Dewitt and Doris Bumgarner, Tim and Michele Dodson, Jennifer Endicott , Leroy and Diane Goossen, Melissa James , Linda Kliewer, Stan and Martha Peters , Ronette Schwartz, Phyllis Toews, Ge Xin and Emily Goertzen were welcomed into membership Sept. 20.
EUGENE, Ore. (North Park Community)-Paul and Betty Gross recently transferred their membership to NPCC.
LENOIR, N.C. (Laytown)-Four new members were baptized July 5.
WICHITA, Kan (First)-Cal and Betty Friesen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Oct. 4 at the church.
• Fellow s hip ,
MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn.-The congregation was invited to join in a family bike ride Sept. 27 at Okoboji bike trails.
REEDLEY, Calif.-A dessert social was held Sept. 20, as a get-acquainted reception for Dennis and Connie Fast and their family Fast is the new pastor of the congregation
HENDERSON, Neb -The congregation celebrated communion Oct. 4 with its sister churches in the community
SALEM, Ore .-The WMS sponsored a family praise banquet Sept 20 with an evening of music by the Dan and Julie Aughenbaugh family.
DELFT , Minn (Carson)-Phil Glanz er spoke at the Harvest Fest Oct. 18.
BAKERSFIELD , Calif (Laurelglen Bible)-
The congregation held a Harvest Celebration Oct 25, with dinner and a praise service
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Heritage Bible)Women in the congregation enjoyed a dessert social and craft activity Oct. 1.
BALKO , Okla -The annual harvest mission festiva l was he ld Oct. 3 1-Nov 1. H erb and Ruth Friesen were resource speakers at the event.
FRES NO, Calif (Bethany)-The Fall Family Festival, a Halloween alternative , was held Oct 31.
WICHITA, Kan . (First)-Men were invited to a fellowship breakfast Oct. 3. The guest speaker was Wich ita State Universi-
ty basketball coach Randy Smithson. The women ' s fall friendship festival Oct 13 featured former Miss America Debbie Barnes-Miles as the speaker
EUGENE, Ore . ( North Park Community)-A prayer enrichment seminar was held Sept 13-16
BAKERSFIELD, Calif (Laurelglen Bible)Potter's Clay, a program for fathers and their 1st-6th grade children, began Sept. 30. Fathers share responsibility for presenting lessons and leading activities.
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELISM
IN MINISTRY WITH MBMS INTERNATIONAL
Executive Director - Peter Loewen
POSSIBLE C.P.E.ITINERARY FOR 1999 AND AN INVITATION
to born-again Christians under the sponsorship of MBMS International are seeking volunteers for their evangelism outreach. C tJ * os person
1. INDIA
2. PERU - Arequipa
3. PHILIPPINES - Palawan
4. MEXICO - Mexico City
5. PERU - Huancayo Trujillo
6 UKRAIN E.
7. UKRIAN E
Jan 15-Feb. 8, '99
Jan 15-31 , '99
Feb 12-March 1, '99 $1 ,200
Feb 12-March 1, '99 $1,000
March 12-29, '99 ?
April 23-May 10, '99
April 3O-May 23, '99 $1,650
8. NICARAGUA - Boaco, Chinandega May 14-31 , '99
9. RUSSIA - Omsk
10. PARAGUAY - Asunci6n
June 3-28, '99 $1,800
July 9-26, '99
14. PERU - Cuzco, Lima Sept. 2-20 , '99
RUSSIA - Orenburg
PHILIPPINES.
17. CUBA - Orientes
Note : * only for nationals from the participating countries
7-25, '99
8-25 , '99
15-Nov. 1, '99
'99
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.
,500
,800
,200
• Between 800-2,800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord during a two-week CPE campaign Come and be a part of an enrichi ng spir itual experience-discover what God can do through you
For more inform ati o n, contact: CPE office: Tel. -Fax : 604-864-3941, or Evelyn UnrUh , 604852-5744 ; or Peter Loewen, 604-853 -3173 or Fax 604-853 -6482
Church Partnership Evangelism is a "church-to -church " effort that involves lay members in personal evangelism worldwide Your application to participate will be forwarded to the CP.E. Executive Committee for processing
PETER LOEWEN
HAROLD W ENS
CPE Executi ve Director MBMS Int'! General Di rector
BOln 1.11 I
FRESNO. Calif. (Bethany)-Lyman Coleman, founder of the Serendipity Bible study curriculum, will be the speaker at a Serendipity smaJl-group leadership seminarNov.9.
GARDEN CIlY, Kan. (Garden VaJley)The health ministry committee of the congregation offered a disability seminar Sept 20.
• Workers
CORDELL, Okla. (Bible)-Roland Reimer spoke at a Sept. 27 installation service for Leonard Reiss as senior pastor of the congregation.
HILLSBORO, Kan.-David Plett, veteran Mennonite Brethren pastor, has begun serving as interim pastor of the church He has agreed to serve through March 1, 1999.
Tour
is accepting applications for FIELD REPRESENTATIVE
This full-time position is responsible for our activity on the West Coast and would be based in Central California.
DUTIES:
To encourage and assist Christians throughout the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in faithful stewardship. Specific responsibilities include stewardship education, individual counseling, planned giving, charitable estate planning and Foundation-related activity.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to communicate
• Aptitude for detail work
• Willingness to learn
• Christian
• DEATHS
BARKMAN, BETIY JANE, Hillsboro, Kan., a member of the Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro, was born Sept. 4, 1934, to Tom and Helen Jost Barkman at Lehigh, Kan , and died Sept. 11, 1998, at the age of 64 She is survived by a daughter, Megan of Hillsboro; two brothers, Kenneth and wife Beverly of Longmont, Colo ., and Jerry and wife Margery of Dallas, Ore ; two Sisters, Joan and husband Henry of Inman, Kan ., and Judy and husband Lonnie of Amarillo, Tex.
the majesty, the heartache and the hope of Ireland.
led by John and Naomi Lederach March 19-30, 1999 sponsored by:
BRANDT, ELIZABETH, Hillsboro, Kan., of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born Feb 26, 1906, to John and Katherine Fast Friesen at Janzen, Neb., and died Sept. 23, 1998, at the age of 92 In 1929, she was married to Peter P Brandt, who predeceased her in 1960 She is survived by three sons, Harold and wife Jean, and Elmer, all of Garden City, Kan., and Robert and wife Peggy of Hillsboro; a sonin-law, Willard Hett of Marion , Kan.; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
CLASSEN, MARTHA K. FRIESEN, Hillsboro, Kan., a member of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born June 18, 1911, to Henry H. and Katherine Friesen at Meade, Kan., and died Sept. 13, 1998, at the age of 87. On April 3, 1938, she was married to David J. Classen, who survives. She is also survived by a son, Paul and wife Judy of Newton, Kan.; a daughter, Janice and husband Steve Fast of Bakersfield, Calif , a daughter-in-law, Jocelyn Classen of Marion; one brother; four sisters, and five grandchildren.
GUENTHER, ELSIE, Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Jan. 1, 1910, to Daniel P. and Tena Reimer Guenther near Corn, Okla , and died Sept. 4, 1998, at the age of 88. She is survived by two brothers, Herman and wife Laverne and Frank and wife Christene, all of Fresno; two sisters, Freida and husband Elmer Kusch and Betty and husband Harold Kroeker, all of Reedley; and many nieces and nephews.
LOEWEN, SADIE, Salem, Ore., a member of the Kingwood Bible Church, Salem, was born May 28, 1911, to Abraham and Nettie Loewen at Alsen, N D., and died
Butler MB
Church is
accepting applications for DIRECTOR OF SMALL WORLD PRESCHOOL
Location: Fresno, CA, near Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary.
Starting date: June 1, 1999
Application deadline: Dec. 20 until filled
Job Description and Qualifications: Available upon request.
Send letter of inquiry to: Chair, Small World Search Committee
Butler MB Church 4884 E. Butler Ave. Fresno, CA 93727
July 17, 1998, at the age of 87 She was married to Peter "Pete" Loewen, who predeceased her in 1984. They had two daughters, Shirley and Arlene.
TOEWS, EVELYN F. LOEWEN BOESE, Salem, Ore., a member of the Kingwood Bible Church, Salem, was born Jan. 18, 1917, to Abraham and Nettie Loewen at Alsen, N.D., and died April 8, 1998, at the age of 81. On Oct. 20, 1935, she was married to Herman Boese, who predeceased
her in 1966. On May 13, 1989, she was married to John Toews, who survives. She is also survived by two sons, Dale and Max; two daughters, Sheryl Steinke and Bonnie Waesche; a stepdaughter, Ruth Dolezal; a stepson, John Ireland; three sisters, Edna Boese, Sadie Loewen and Betty Lowen; brothers, Earl and Allen; a sister-in-law, Agnes; seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, four step grandchildren and one step-greatgrandchild. •
Dispose or recycle?
WOULD .YOU throwaway a computer you bought only two years ago? In a recent issue of Newsweek, Michael Meyer reports on the newest must-have for society: a disposable computer. Retailers' goals are to produce a computer that sells for $200 by the end of 1999. Meyer says that the computers are "so cheap that you just toss them in the attic like an old blender as they trend toward obsolescence." The computers cannot be upgraded and are not as fast as their higher-priced counterparts, but "they are adequate for almost any computing need."
I like the idea of disposable items, for the most part. They're
ing experience instead of disposing-of experiences at jobs I don't particularly like. If I recycle my experiences, I'll be a better employee in future careers.
I've also learned not to view certain things as disposable, such as my relationships with other people. Many people do see relationships this way, and miss out on richer relationships. They simply dispose of relationships when disagreements or hard times come.
The relationship most tragically affected by the "throwaway" mentality is the marriage relationship. The idea of a marriage covenant, as Allen Guenther and Ruth Isaac Wiederkehr discuss in this issue, has become somewhat like the convenient, and when I dispose of one, I get a new one that's better. For example, when my pen runs out of ink, I'm happy to throw it away and get a new one. But I don't like the idea of throwing my computer into a landfill along with thousands of other disposable computers. New items are nice to have when things lose their usefulness, but throwing away a computer seems wasteful. Retailers are catering to our desire for the newest, best items. What we really need are items that can be recycled instead of wasted.
Recycling transforms something ugly or useless into something new and useful.
Some Christians
have disposable computer. When it's obsolete-
chosen to believe that relationships
cannot be recycled, just as disposable
computers cannot be upgraded or recycled.
Recently, I received a list from the local recycling center telling me what can and can't be recycled. Now I check the list before throwing something away, and often I find I can recycle it. I enjoy thinking about what these items will become when I recycle them, even though they're no longer of use to me. Some kinds of plastic can be melted down and made into soft carpet, and no one would ever guess its origins. And recycled newspaper can become insulation for homes. Unfortunately, some people don't know the difference between disposable and recyclable items, and trash is thrown away when it could be made into something new.
Making things new is a concept I recently learned to apply to other areas of life besides trash. During my senior year of college, I worried myself sick because I thought I had to choose my lifetime career before I graduated. But my parents and other mentors often reminded me that my first few jobs out of college could be viewed as recyclable. I need to view each job as a learn-
when one or both partners are no longer happy with the relationship-just get a divorce. Some Christians have chosen to believe that relationships cannot be recycled, just as the disposable computers cannot be upgraded or recycled. In other words, couples throwaway the opportunity to improve their marriage by seeking help and accountability from pastors, counselors and other believers. Instead, they simply dispose of their marriage partner and may even get a new one.
I'm amazed when I think of how many disposable items we have today. Marriage has become one of those items, though it didn't used to be. My grandparents and others in their generation knew on their wedding day that they would be together for the rest of their lives, until one partner died. Divorce was not an option, no matter how trying the times. In fact, they used those trying times to make their relationships new and better than before.
As a single person, I want to learn to reCYcle-I don't want to see marriage as disposable. Instead, I want to learn from every experience i have so I can recycle those experiences in later relationships. I want to learn to take seemingly ugly, useless things and seek ways to recycle them, making them new.
As I observe wise people, I realize that maintaining covenants takes courage and persistence. It means swallowing my pride and choosing to use experiences to change the ugly, useless areas of my life into beautiful, useful characteristics . -Natalee Roth
