October 1997

• Giving church visitors a reason to stay / p10

• Revisiting the women's issue / p18

CHRISTIAN

OCTOBER 1997

FIRST WORDS ••• from the editor

WHEN A BELIEVER becomes entrapped in sinful behavior, the results can be tragic. In this issue's lead article, Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower suggests that Jesus's teaching in the well-known Matthew 18 passage is not so much about resolving conflicts as it is restoring the fallen brother or sister. Her fresh perspective can encourage us to respond to human weakness-in ourselves as well as others-with the love of Christ.

I remember the old come-on, "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" The real question, of course, is whether we who claim to follow the radicalJesus really live significantly different than our unbelieving neighbors when it comes to the dominant values of our materialistic, self-centered culture. Katie Funk Wiebe essentially asks the same thing in her provocative article that begins on page 7.

I'm confident none of our churches purposely drives visitors away, but we might be surprised how easy it is to send an "unwelcome" message, even unintentionally. Charles Am helps us think through the way we relate-or don't relate-to guests who visit us from Sunday to Sunday (page 10).

The General Conference Board of Faith and Life (BFL) signaled at this summer's convention in Waterloo, Ont., that the issue of women in leadership is not settled for many Mennonite Brethren, and that perhaps it's time to consider ways to talk to each other about it again. In our Bodylife section, Connie Faber reports the result of two BFL surveys regarding the involvement of women in our congregations and conferences. She also interviews Lynn Jost, BFL chair, about the board's view of the present and future (page 18).

As if that wasn't enough, our regular columnists are all on board again with good insights to share.

Enjoy.-DR

COMING

• NOVEMBER 7-9-Southem District Conference convention, Ramada Plaza Hotel, Edmond, Okla.

• NOVEMBER 7-8-Pacific District Conference convention, hosted by Bethany Church, Fresno, Calif.

• NOVEMBER 14-16-Central District Conference convention, Minneapolis, Minn.

• FEBRUARY 22, 1998-"Peace Sunday" for U.S. Conference churches.

• FEBRUARY 27-28, 1998-Annual meeting of U.S. Conference boards, central Kansas (specific site to be determined)

• JULY 17-20, 1998-U .S. Conference biennial convention, LaMirada, Calif.

Jesus's words in Matthew 18 are aimed at restoring sisters and brothers who stray from the narrow path Can we exercise love instead of punishment? BY CLARE

ANN RUTH-HEFFELBOWER

7 Subversive faith

Do we challenge the dead-end values of our world by the life choices we make from day to day? A desperate world is watching and hoping. BY KATIE FUNK WIEBE 10 Giving visitors a reason to stay

Sometimes you just can't do enough to make a visitor feel welcome in your church. But sometimes you can. Do you know where to start? BY

CHARLES ARN

No

Minds

• Can the Bible and science coexist?

Christians in political office

• Surveys quantify the participation of women leaders 18

• New book showcases the preaching gifts of women 18

• District conferences plan annual fall gatherings 21

• MB colleges begin year with service trips 21

• MCC India remembers Mother Teresa 22

• Church notes 22

• Deaths 24

Don Ratzlaff

Connie Faber

BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS : Noelle Dickinson, chair; Phil Neufeld, Dalton Reimer, Herb Schroeder, Kathy Heinrichs Wiest

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WHEN SOMEONE ELSE

BY CLARE ANN RUTH-HEFFELBOWER

Jesus calls us to hang in there with people who are hurting and pulling away from the family of God.

'VE BEEN READING "CALVIN AND year-olds . We use the legal system to straighten things out. But we try to make sure we get what's coming to us-and so do our opponents. -..-.,,""

Hobbes" cartoons again. One has Calvin standing behind a box with Or sometimes we work at getting revenge on our own. Although nice people like us usually work at doing it in a "nice" way-which some call passive aggressive. We just nicely and sweetly and behind

"Life 5¢" written on the front. Susie walks up and says, "All right, here's a nickel. What do I get?"

Calvin, nickel in hand says, "Nothing. I just ripped you off. " "What?!" shrieks Susie. "That's life!" replies Calvin.

The last frame shows the box smashed and the sounds of a fight going on Calvin and Susie act out a fantasy that probablyall of us have from time to time. Someone takes advantage of me, hurts me, does me in-and I get even with him or her Or at least I "make things right," then let others know I've been wronged and who did it . Usually we're a little more civilized than 6-

someone's back do something that we know will hurt them.

The end result of dealing with conflict in this way is usually some kind of distance from those who hurt us. We just don't have anything to do with them anymore. Sometimes that's the first and only thing that happens. You hurt me and you don't exist anymore as far as I'm concerned I don't have to see you. I don't have to talk to you . And if I do, we'll keep it very formal and polite

As we all know, these aren't necessarily the healthiest ways to deal with conflict . Jesus gives us some other guidelines for handling conflict and enemies. In Matthew 18: 15-20, he gives spe-

cific directions for dealing with conflict among Christians. It is often referred to as the "Matthew 18 pattern" and consists ofthree steps:

• First, if a fellow Christian wrongs you or sins against you-some early manuscripts don't even have the "against you" phrase, just "sins"you go to them in private and talk about it. If reconciliation comes at that stage, great! You've regained a brother or sister.

• If it doesn't work, go on to step two. Take one or two other people along to talk with the offender again. This comes from the Old Testament teaching that in any dispute a person couldn't be convicted on the basis of one person's complaint Two or three witnesses were required (Deut. 19:15). So you take a few other people along to try to talk things through.

• If this doesn't work, Matthew says, then report it to the church. Make it a matter of public knowledge and let the church deal with it. If reconciliation still can't be brought about, then treat the offender like an unbeliever or tax collector. Disconnect!

pr=dure has been followed by the church at times with varying results, often

_. not very good ones. The process of excommunication developed out of this teaching. The practice of shunning or avoiding someone who is seen as disobeying the church's teaching has its roots here. Groups that have strict rules have tended to be the ones who disconnect from those who question the rules.

Stories we hear about this kind of thing usually involve great pain on the part of the one being excommunicated or shunned. The problem has been that one can easily get sidetracked from the intent of Jesus's teaching here and end up becoming excessively judgmental and punitive.

Jesus is not describing this process to show us how to punish someone He is not describing a process aimed at making sure that we get heard and our rights are respected. The main purpose of this teaching is not even to show us how to resolve disputes, although we can learn some things about that here. What Jesus is concerned about is maintaining and restoring relationships between brothers and sisters in God's family and between people and God .

The entire chapter is talking about relationships in the church. The parable of the lost sheep is placed just before the passage we read today. "What would you do," Jesus asks, "if you had a hundred sheep and one of them wandered

off? Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and look for the one that had wandered away?" Jesus goes on to say that God doesn't want anyone to be lost from the flock.

Then comes the teaching that we are focusing on today. Jesus recognizes how one person's wrongdoing tends to separate him or her from the flock. And he points out that it is the responsibility of the rest of the family to fmd them and bring them back.

Often when people are having trouble holding their lives together or when they are unable to follow Jesus faithfully, they do go away Most churches wouldn't even have the chance to excommWucate or shun them if they wanted tothey have already left. But that leaves us in exactly the of the shepherd with 99 sheep on the hillsidf=: and one that wandered off. It is up to us to work at finding the lost sheep and restoring the broken relationships.

What Jesus is talking about here is like a family trying to do everything within its power to help a member who is struggling. We hear heroic stories of a brother or sister giving a kidney to a sibling who needs a kidney transplant. In some families, one member struggles with insecurities, IN MATTHEW 18 ... fears, handicaps or learning disabili- Jesus is not describing this ties and the rest of the family hangs process to show us how in there, trying to get whatever kind of special help is necessary . This is what Jesus is talking about Hanging in there with people who are hurting and pulling away from the familyofGod.

Now, if we are going to try to I do that which Jesus has told ! ' us to do, it calls for some special attitudes on our part.

First, we need to care enough about others to want to draw them back in. This may be hard. Sometimes people who have difficulty and pull away are people who aren't very much fun to be around. Their problems are real. Caring enough about others to want to restore relationships is especially difficult if they have hurt us along the way

If we do genuinely care about others in this way though, we have made a major step toward being able to approach them out of love

to punish someone. He is not describing a process aimed at making sure that we get heard and our rights are respected. The main purpose of this teaching is not even to show us how to resolve disputes, although we can learn some things about that here. What Jesus is concerned about is maintaining and restoring relationships between brothers and sisters in God's family and between people and God.

and concern , the only way there can be any hope of reconciliation This can be harder than we think because we can say the words of love and concern but the feelings that really motivat e us often tend more toward selfrighteousness or anger.

Self-righteousness allows us to operate from a pOSition above the muck. It highlights the person's sin for us and makes us want to do something to help them, while blinding us to our

Self-righteousness allows us to operate from a position above the muck. It highlights the person's sin for us and

makes us want to do something to help them, while blinding us to

our own sins or our own role in the problem.

own sins or our own role in the problem

Anger is often connected to a need we have to see someone corrected. We want to make them realize how much they have hurt someone, or make them pay in some way. Although we usually don 't allow ourselves to think in those terms, those motivations are often still there.

The only way we can avoid getting caught by some of these traps is to live with an ongoing sense of humility and a clear awareness of our own weakness and sin. We also need to remem-

JESUS:

"Ifyour brother sins-against-yout go and show him his fault, just between the two ofyou. If he

ber that we are forgiven and we depend on God in all of our living. Along with all this , we need a willingness to forgive and the ability to own our part in a conflict and to let go of the hurt that has been done to us by someone else.

Now with all of this, we may tend to say "I can't do this It's beyond me. I'm too imperfect to deal with anyone else's imperfections unless it has to do with hurting them back. No one but God can judge. So I'll just stay out of it . " That is what

many Christians and churches in today's world have tended to do.

But that is not what Jesus tells us to do. He tells us to go out and look for that lost sheep. We are to do whatever we can to avoid losing a brother or sister from the family of God. Jesus calls us to do what we can to help people be healthy, whole people who have healthy relationships in the family of God.

t may sound impossible. But it's not, as long as we allow Jesus to help us with the process. The famous promise from verse 20, "Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you," was given specifically for this situation. It is not just a general promise about Christ's presence in worship or small-group gatherings-although Jesus is present there too , listens to tOU, )tou have won your brother over.

But listen, take one or two others A along, $0 that matter may be established bJ{ the testimony o/two or th ree witnesses, If he rilus'i?s to listen to them, teU it to the chut'di; and tine re/U$6s to listen even to the treat him tl$ you would a pagan 'Or a , collector;" - Mt. 18:15-17, NW

What Jesus is talking about here is that when we as brothers and sisters take on the difficult task of reaching out to someone who is pulling away, someone who has hurt others and is probably hurting themselves, Jesus is there, empowering us in a special way. Jesus is there to help with our attitudes, to help us be caring people, to help us be humble people.

With Jesus's help, miraculous things can happen. The lost sheep can be found, people within the family of God can have healthy and whole relationships Jesus calls us to be here for each other.

•

Clare Ann Ruth-He./felbower is a graduate of MB Biblical Seminary. She is a Mennonite pastor living in Clovis, Calif. Her article is adapted with permission from All Are Witnesses, a collection of sermons by Mennonite Brethren women published by Kindred Productions (1996)

Are we daily planting suspicion that there is something beyond what our culture says is worthwhile and final?

BY KATIE FUNK WIEBE

HEN

I TAUGHT THE PSALMS IN OLD

Testament Literature classes at Tabor College, I asked my students to write their own psalms. Part of a lament includes looking back on life and identifying the working of God. This was hard for them.

It was easier for a student to see what money can do for a family. It buys a house, cars and pickup trucks, Nikes , TVs and computers , vacations away from home, and much more . But to tell how God had worked in their family was a challenge because God sightings are usually acts of grace , not keys to a car .

After Sir Henry Stanley located the great missionary David Livingstone, lost in the African jungle, he spent considerable time with him . He said, "If I had been with him any longer, I would have been compelled to become a Christian-and he never spoke to me about it at all." He saw God in Livingstone's life . The appeal was almost irresistible

Today we are encouraged to reveal that God works in our lives through modem marketing tactics such as bumper stickers ,' T-shirt slogans, listings in Christian directories, placing Scripture on everything we own (even wear), citing statistics of growth, and lots of God-talk

("The Lord really blessed me today," "The Lord is leading us to fmd a new church"). This is a kind of in-your-face Christianity. The words you hear and the slogans you read are what you get . Eugene Peterson talks about another way of revealing that God is at work. He writes about the Christian as the bearer of secret messages, daily planting suspicion that there is something beyond what the culture says is worthwhile and final. He suggests becoming subversive about our faith

Subversion is usually thought of as a negative concept. Spies infiltrate, tear down from the inside, and undermine the strength and structure of an organization or nation College professors

If our hope lies only in what we can accumulate and consume in this life, there is no secret message going out about our hope in Christ even if our T-shirt says "Jesus is my boss."

know what subversive action is like. Usually one student, afraid she won't get an A, solicits one or two other students to start a whispering campaign That means your course is done and over. Subversive action can be devastating.

Subversion, according to Peterson, can also be a positive concept. It means working from the inside, from underneath, doing what is not expected of you. It means bringing an alternative message to the one that society offers.

What secret messages does the Christian c,!rry?

• Our society says Coke is the real thing. Our secret message is that hope in Christ is real. The message coming at all the time is that stereos, CDs, Dockers, pizza, Adidas, are the real thing. If you can count it, weigh it, hold it in your hand, carry it in a shopping bag, or deliver it to the bank, it is real.

The blatant message our culture sends us is that owning and consuming more of the glut of junk available today is better. We consume ideas, we consume news (some people need a news fix morning, noon and night), we consume the latest gadget, we consume electronic data as if it were more important than life itself. Sometimes we consume people, littering them like an empty McDonald's container when they don't fit into our current plans.

If our hope lies only in what we can accumulate and consume in this life, there is no secret message going out about our hope in Christ even if our T-shirt says "Jesus is my boss."

Where is there help? When we recognize that we cannot live by bread alone. We cannot live by the things we haul into our homes and dispose of in the trash cart or through garage sales. Jesus said: "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you" On. 6:7).

I know it makes little difference to the starving in North Korea if you don't buy your children the latest video or another Beanie Baby. Yet, every time you make even the smallest decision to push against consumerism, you send a secret message that Coke is not real. There is more to life

• A second secret message that is more powetful than a bar graph showing numerical growth is simply: "I forgive you because forgave me."

Our culture shouts loudly that we should always demand our rights when we are offended

or taken advantage of. We should look for opportunities to sue. Paul wrote to the Colossian church, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you." We send secret messages when by our forgiving spirit we show that Christ's forgiveness is available to all.

Lewis Smedes writes that forgiveness is "God's invention for coming to terms with a world of messy hfunan relationships. Forgiveness is the moral right not to go on being hurt by hurts that weren't fair in the first place. Forgiving is an opportunity to claim your right to stop hurting."

Forgiveness is another word for peacemaking. The father in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 11) had every right to be unforgiving. His son had squandered his hard-earned money and besmirched his name. Yet Jesus says the father forgave. To hang on to an unforgiving spirit means to hang on to pain. Forgiveness allows you to let go of the pain.

In our city, a young man shot a young woman working in a convenience store in an attempted robbery. In an interview with the parents of the young woman, they revealed that though the court case was out of their hands, they freed themselves from the pain of anger by forgiving the young man. As Christians, they did not want to continue the cycle of violence. Their simple statements to the press made a stronger impact, I think, than if they had shouted for revenge.

The story of the prodigal son is about reconciliation, about holding together. We Christians have learned from childhood the big sins to aVQid, like drinking, smoking, dancing, premarital sex, gambling and so forth. We have never learned well enough that a broken relationship is the greater sin-in family, congregation, or community.

The secret message of the subversive Christian is that Christ's love holds together, gives grace to forgive, reconciles.

• A third secret message has to do with the church, the body of Christ. We are bearers of God's love when we commit ourselves to the church over the long haul, not just when we like the music, the preaching, the Bible studies and the coffee conversation.

A subversive Christian doesn't pull out of the body when life in the church no longer seems satisfying. An arm can't say to the body: "I don't like you. I'm going to join another person 's body." A Christian sticks with the church

through good times and bad. And keeps working to strengthen other Christians and build the kingdomofGod.

As Christians, we are not just a group of individuals who gather on Sunday morning and occasionally during the week to enjoy our private faith in God. Faith in God is both private and corporate. We are not just building up ourselves in the faith; we are building the kingdom of God. Our personal spiritual development is not our only concern .

We send secret messages to our culture when we are willing to struggle through difficult theological questions together, such as attitudes toward human sexuality.

We send secret messages of love when we become involved in needs beyond our own family's needs.

We are subversive when we continue a faithful commitment of service to the church, week after week, month after month, year after year. I hear repeatedly how hard it sometimes is to fmd church workers because people no longer are willing to commit themselves to long-term assignments

The person who is recognized for 30 or 40 years of teaching Sunday school, leading a women's organization, or working on a board, sends a strong secret message not only to new church workers but to those who shared in this ministry

• We send secret messages when we work for justice for those suffering injustice. Our God is a just God You don't need a bumper sticker to help a weaker person.

Life isn ' t fair. We learn this as children. We experience it even more so as adults Someone else gets the promotion Your house is flooded repeatedly. An accident causes you to lose the use of a leg and your job.

Though life isn't fair for you, it is important to try to make life fair for others, writes Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest. When we make life fair for others, we free them to take their rightful place in society. Jesus came to "release the oppressed" (Lk. 4:18).

The big question is how to work for justice when we in situations far removed from the great injustice of society. There is a way.

Some in my congregation work with prisoners in EI Dorado, some with the homeless through Venture House, some with pregnant young women or women with families in difficult circumstances, some with a new multiracial church in the community, some with the Red

Cross and Mennonite Central Committee The number involved isn't overwhelming, but these people are adding their efforts to make life more fair.

My advice is to identify your spiritual gift and then commit yourself to a particular concern in your sphere of influence and spread the news of God's love in whatever way you can.

A few years ago I decided to become the cheering section for the older adult, sometimes a marginalized group. I don't wear a short pleated skirt and wave pompoms , but I study issues related to aging and speak up for this age group as I can. This is within my sphere of influence.

I send messages that this period of life is not a stage of obsolescence and despair, but can carry a strong message of hope in Christ to the younger generations . Older adults have a role to fill in church and society. Their task is to pass on their wisdom and life attitudes to encourage young adults.

Strong, courageous older adults who are given a place in the life of the church send the secret message that hope in Christ is real , for if the gospel isn't good news at this time of life, it is not good news .

InJanuary, an implosion brought down the Allis Hotel in Wichita. This 21-story hotel that probably had taken years to build was brought down in six seconds in a cloud of smoke. I watched the event on television .

In an implosion , dynamite is placed at strategic structural points in the building to make sure the strongest points will break first. In the Christian life, if Satan can attack us at points of structural strength in our personal and lives, we are doomed.

The marketing ploys of our society can never build a church. The church must be founded on the recognition that collecting stuff at the mall is not real; God ' s kingdom is real. That forgiveness in Christ brings people together That church membership is a commitment to the body of Christ over the long haul, not just to a group of likable people. That God asks us to never let up in the battle against sin and evil.

I always hoped that these were the kinds of God-sightings my students would write about in their psalms. Always a few did Then I praised God. •

Katie Funk Wiebe is a well-known Mennonite Brethren writer and speaker She is a member of First MB Church , Wichita, Kan.

My advice is to identify your spiritual gift and then commit yourself to a particular concern in your sphere of influence and spread the news of God's love in whatever way you can.

Giving visitors a reason to stay

Your church can increase the number of visitors who return ... and eventually find a home.

BY CHARLES ARN

HAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE

who first visit the worship service of a growing church

become regular attenders in the following year? Fifty percent? Seventy-five percent? Ninety percent?

The answer might surprise you. Most growing churches keep only 21 percent of their first time visitors-two out of 10

The difference in churches that are not growing might also surprise you. Where the worship attendance is not growing, frrst-time visitor retention rate is just under one in 10 (9 percent). But the difference between growing churches and nongrowing churches-two of 10 versus one of lO-is enough to make a difference . If you average only two of every 10 visitors becoming active, your attendance will most likely grow.

A prerequisite

Before we begin, it is necessary to review one important assumption, namely, that your service is worth coming back for. The best follow -up strategies in the world will be useless if the message is irrelevant, the music inap-

propriate, and the experience unpleasant . But if you have a positive and relevant service, there are ways to increase the number of visitors who return.

What do you call them?

First, I recommend that you don't call your visitors "visitors." A visitor is defined as : "a person who resides temporarily one who goes or comes to inspect ...one who makes a short stay at a place for a particular purpose "

Rather, refer to your newcomers as "guests ." Introduce this term into the vocabulary of your church leaders as they discuss and describe those who are attending for the first (and second and third) time. A guest is defined as: "a person welcomed into one ' s house ; a person to whom hospitality is extended; a person held in honor who is due special courtesies. "

It is surprising how our language affects our perc eptions of others; which, in affects our behavior toward them .

Who greets your guests?

Most churches that welcome new attenders station "greeters" near the front door of the church or the sanctuary entrance. A nice gesture, but not very helpful to seeing guests return.

The definition of greeter is: "one who meets or extends welcome in a specified manner; one who gives a formal salutation at a meeting "

Let me suggest you use a new term which implies an entirely different role and relationship: "Host." This term is defined as "one who receives or entertains sOcially... one who opens his or her home for a special event one who takes particular care and concern that guests are well accommodated ."

GROWTH

Research indicates the most important question guests are asking during their first visit is, "Is this a friendly church?" And the primary way they determine the answer is through the number of people who

initiate a conversation with them. First impressions begin the moment your guests drive into your parking lot. It's an important moment because you'll never have a second chance for a good first impression I encourage churches to deploy "parking hosts" where people will be exiting their cars . This includes porticoes where passengers are dropped off, street parking areas, public parking, church parking lots. On rainy days parking hosts should have umbrellas to distribute and escort those who need help . Parking hosts should be well acquainted with Sunday school classrooms, the nursery, restrooms, and general directions. A map of the church campus should be given to any newcomer who seems to need one.

Once your guests are inside another group should be ready to extend the welcome mat-"foyer hosts " These people take overcoats or umbrellas and hang them up for guests. They may escort a child to a classroom or a mother to the nursery. They may even sit with guests during the service if it seems appropriate. Obviously more than just several foyer hosts will be necessary to effectively welcome all guests.

Service hosts

Faith Community Church (Covina, Calif ) h41s developed an effective way to welcome newcomers. "Service hosts" take their positions in the sanctuary 10-15 minutes prior to the service. A team of two service hosts are responsible for one designated zone of pews.

The task of the service hosts/hostesses is to greet anyone who sits in their block of seats. They welcome newcomers/ guests, engage them in conversation and introduce them to others sitting near them. Immediately following the service they are the first ones to thank the visitors for coming and encourage them to return.

After the service

Interviews with visitors indicate

there is a lO-minute window in their overall visit when they are most (or least) impressed with the church's "friendliness." That moment is the 10 minutes following the service. During this brief window, more than any other, newcomers are assessing whether the church is genuinely friendly

If you do not have "service hosts" (as des c ribed above), I encourage you to have "after-service" hosts who function during the 10 minutes immediately following the service. Their job is to seek out newcomers, engage them in conversation, and introduce them to others in the church. Intentionally extending a "welcome" at this moment will bring some of the greatest benefit in increased visitor return rate

Coffee and refreshments

This hallowed moment on Sunday morning can be one of the most effective-or one of the most destructivetimes for extending a welcome to newcomers. Consequently, I suggest you have a fourth set of hosts following your service: "coffee hosts. "

Coffee hosts stay in the coffee and cookies area (you should have no trouble finding volunteers) and are constantly on the lookout for newcomers standing alone Their task is to engage these people in conversation and not leave them alone until they have introduced the guests to someone else.

Following up your new contacts

Following up newcomers is not necessary to grow a church. Many megachurches don 't follow up visitors with even a letter, let alone a phone call. But when churches implement an effective follow -up strategy, our experience indicates they increase their visitor return rate by 20-25 percent . Here are five important follow -up principles that will help you increase the number of newcomers who eventually become active . The more of these principles you practice, the

higher will be your visitor retention rate.

1. The time principle: Contact guests within 48 hours of their visit. The fust two days are your best window for a follow-up contact. The longer you wait beyond the first two days, the fewer people will return the following week. The follow-up contact need not (and increasingly these days, should not) be an unannounced visit to the home. In most communities a stranger knocking at the front door is an anxiety-provoking event. The risk of offending your recent guest with an unannounced visit is far greater than any benefit of a face-toface contact. The medium of choice is the telephone. It is nearly as personal, less intimidating and more efficient.

2. The purpose principle: The goal of the follow-up contact is to see newcomers return. Here is an important insight: the more often a person visits, the more likely he/she is to eventually join. Whether a church is a nongrowing church (less than 5 percent annual growth) or a growing church (more than 5 percent annual growth), the likelihood of a visitor becoming a regular attender almost doubles every time he or she returns. A guest who visits your new service two times is twice as likely to eventually be a regular attender as a person who visits only once. And a person who visits three times in a relatively short period of time is even more likely to be active than a two-time visitor. Your goal in the follow-up contact with guests is simply to see them back the next week.

3. The personnel principle: Laity should make the follow-up contacts. Visitors' return rates double when a lay person makes the followup contact. Or, to put it more depressingly, when the pastor makes the follow-up calls, return rates drop by half.

Why would more guests return when invited by a lay person than by church staff? A pastor once answered this question in one of my seminars by musing, "Preachers are paid to be

GROWTH

Visitors' return rates double when a lay person makes the follow-up contact.

good; lay people are good for nothing!" In a sense, he was right. When newcomers are contacted by a pastor, they know the pastor is being paid, and he's just doing his job.

In contrast, when a guest is contacted by a lay person, the experience is processed as much more "believable." A church member bragging about the pastor is one of the best ways to raise the stature of the pastor in the eyes of the newcomer. Of course, the opposite kinds of comments about a pastor are given equal Validity. (pastors: choose your callers carefully!)

4. The entry path principle: Create opportunities for nfwcomers to get involved. Here are two similar but different terms that come from the church growth movement: "entry event" and "entry path." An entry event is a high-visibility activity, sponsored by the church, for the purpose of inviting and attracting newcomers. A good church outreach strategy will include a variety of entry events (community festivals, parenting seminars, Christmas cantata, vacation Bible school, pancake breakfast, divorce recovery seminar, health fair, etc.)

But entry events do not, by themselves, grow churches. Entry events introduce the church to people, but if that's all the church offers for newcomers, they generally remain observers. You also need a way for

people to get involved in activities where they can begin feeling comfortable and build relationships with others in the church. These are called entry paths. An entry path is a small group, a special class, an ongoing activity in which people can be participants, not just observers. It is through entry paths that people become assimilated into the church fellowship.

5. Infrastructure principle: The more small groups you provide, the more newcomers will get involved. Small groups are the best "entry path" you can create for newcomers to become active members. They supplement one's spiritual growth, as well as build the relationships that are the key to assimilation. But most churches need more small groups than they presently have to effectively assimilate newcomers. Do you have enough? Here are three ratios to help youfmdout:

• Small-group ratio-7:100. For every 100 active members, a church should have seven small, face-to-face groups.

• Newcomer involvement ratio8: 10. Eighty percent of all new members should be involved in a small group within six months.

• New-group ratio-l:5. Twenty percent of the groups in your church should have been started within the last two years.

The ultimate goal of the churchas given by Christ himself-is to reach people with the good news of Christ's love. Being good stewards of those new men, women, and children that God has brought into your life demands the same caring and intentional priority that Jesus, himself, gave to those people who came into his path. •

Charles Arn is president of Church Growth, Inc., in Monrovia, Calif. He has authored six books, including How to Start a New Service published by Baker Books (August 1997) This article is excerpted with permission from that book.

WHAT READERS SAY

Keep the vision clear

If we Mennonite Brethren hope to reach today's USA, we will do well by not confusing ourselves at the outset. The Leader's May editorial ("Reaching today's USA") may have unwittingly contributed to that confusion by making a rather questionable comparison that I fear will more likely blur our vision than sharpen it.

The article's enthusiasm for the present ministry of Integrated Ministries (1M) contrasted by its criticism of Mission USA (MUSA) was rather disturbing. It served to illustrate the real danger of confusing adoption growth with conversion growth by embracing it as church growth.

The stated purpose of MUSA is to plant "successful new churches that reach the unchurched." In view of that stated purpose there is no "mixed message" in passing 1M oversight to another board for the time being given the fact that was stated-that 1M has been mostly involved in adopting whole congregations rather than church planting. This is not reaching the unchurched and MUSA is wise in not getting tied up in this ministry until its own goals are more widely implemented.

We most defmitely should have the welcome mat out for any congregation, of whatever cultural origin, that wishes to embrace our Confession of Faith and thus affiliate with the Mennonite Brethren. But we owe it to ourselves, and especially to those of us who have most recently joined, to have a clear vision and strategy of how we hope to reach the lost in the United States.

Jeff Prather MBM/S church planter Piura, Peru

Blending the music

I recently listened to four musical programs. Three of them-one on the Beatles, one on Elvis Presley and one a performance of "Rain Dance"-were on public television. The other, a Promise Keepers conference, was at the Los Angeles Coliseum . What struck me was that all four

programs were rooted in the natural, unstudied music of the common people . Also, all were first presented to local audiences with little intent to rise into prominence.

I was surprised to realize the Beatles' songs have great, creative harmonies, very interesting modulations, incredible word pictures and understandable words.

Elvis Presley, with some exceptions, took simple music and packaged it in an interesting manner. But he did not confme himself to any specrnc musical type. Rather, he was the first singer to blend southern hymns, country and western, jazz and black and southern gospel into a new style which became known as rock and roll.

"Rain Dance" was put together for a regional celebration. Someone had the insight to see that if a simple dance of 10 to 20 people was done by 80 to 100 people, performed slightly faster, more precise and in a program format, it might be more fun. Is it ever! It makes football look like turtles on ice.

The Promise Keepers music, meanwhile, violates every rule of good presentation. It's nasal and boringly repetitious. It's sung with eyes closed, thus no eye contact with the audience. No one directs it and the words are often hard to understand. Yet it has men singing! Harmonies, quartets, voice training, strong stomach muscles, focused lips and proper breathing have failed to do what songs for common voices with simple tunes and lyrics have accomplished: turned on hundreds of thousands of young men to singing. Singing, like quiche, is for men! How novel, how creative, how revolutionary, how exciting!

Music is often seen as theirs/ours, black/white. Black is all colors and white is no color. Color is the division and blending of the two. Likewise, music is neither black nor white. It is "rainbow" and, as such, all styles should blend in all services .

Perhaps "traditional" and "contemporary" services exist because we in

the church haven't taken the time to blend the many hues of musical expression. The church has such a tremendous mosaic of musical expressions-some of them quite ordinary-· ready to prepare the hearts of people for a message from God. The church needs to take the ordinary musical mosaic-like the Beatles, Presley, "Rain Dance" and Promise Keepers did-and package it to meet a comprehensive contemporary need. Let's not just look for the musically gifted people, let's look for the ordinary singers, too.

I have a friend who daily runs the treadmill at his local club. His daily pace is one mile in 7.5 minutes. Once or twice weekly he ups the pace to 6.5 minutes. He says that at 7.5 minutes, no one will run within two treadmills ·of him; at 6.5 minutes, they stay at least four treadmills away. His speed intimidates other runners.

Our "7.5 and 6.5 minute" singers, in the belief that God deserves only our best, may be intimidating the others. God may want us to use the church's talents just as they are-well prepared, yes, but not perfected. God may also prefer that we use all the talents of all of his people, all the time, all services.

I'm excited by the new interest of men singing because of Promise Keepers. Let's take those beautiful tunes and all those new singers and praise God for this new musical interest.

Paul Flaming Dinuba, Calif.

The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters of relevance to the Mennonite Brethren Church All letters must be signed and will be edited for clarity and length Send letters to Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063; fax: 316-9473266; e-mail: chleader@southwind.net

BY PHILIP WIEBE

No comparison

Even such a benign activity as flipping through a friendly Better Homes and Gardens magazine can be an exercise in frustrating comparisons.

FROM TIME TO TIME my wife will gripe good-naturedly about her "figure flaws," though I personally haven't

hair color, it seems, will not only make you look younger and slimmer, but will also whiten your teeth and soften your skin. noticed any flaws during the dozen years I've been admiring her figure.

It used to puzzle me that Kim 's view of herself was somehow less scenic than my view, but finally I realized her vision was being clouded by the dreaded Amalga-Woman Amalga-Woman draws her secret debilitating powers from omnipresent images of female perfection that dominate visual media Armed with this amalgam of ideal beauty which doesn't actually exist in nature, Amalga-Woman lures real -life women into falsely believing that they don't measure up.

Incidentally, that lithe, touslehaired hunk sometimes seen with Amalga-Woman is Amalga-Man, who tries to expose the inadequacies of us regular, less-than-perfect guys. But Amalga-Man has always been a second-rate Ken to Amalga-Woman's Barbie; his powers simply can't compete with hers . But I digress. In reality, there is no comparison between my beautiful wife and the devious Amalga-Woman . To think that Kim would feel even remotely inadequate next to a false ideal is aggravating. Yet we live in a culture that encourages us to feel inadequate in every possible way . Even such a benign activity as flipping through a friendly Better Homes and Gardens magazine can be an exercise in frustrating comparisons. Near the beginning of the latest issue received at our house , for example, is an ad for hair color featuring three gorgeous models Using this brand of

Imagine the surprise of everyday people who use this hair color and find that the only thing changed is the color of their hair.

On the next page is a health care ad picturing a middle-aged guy who appears to have just finished his regular 30-mile mountain-bike ride How like my life, in which I try to bike my 30 miles somewhere between picking up my son from school at 2:45, chasing a major deadline at 3: 15, and making the big meeting at 3:30 .

Afew pages later I see a living .r1.room layout identified as "furniture that goes with your kids." Snapshots show kids eating, playing, reading, and so on. In the middle of it all lies a pleasing photo of a room that has obviously contained no kids for at least a year. Items are crisply arranged on the bookshelf, cushions and pillows remain at attention on the sofa, and popcorn sits neatly on the end table , all of it in the bowl. Even more amaZing, one toy lies on the floor-a photogenic wooden train . Please. If nothing else, comparing this imaginary paradise with my own child-intensive living room inspires a hearty laugh

I could go on, but this mostly represents the contents of the magazine, which seems overpopulated with the kind of tasteful rooms , lovely gardens and perfect people that aren ' t readily apparent in real life.

This is no COincidence, of course . More than 40 years ago, a brutally

honest department store head said, "It is our job to make women unhappy with what they have " Today, the advertising biz has gotten beyond that Its job is to make everyone unhappy with what they have "Advertising is intended to expand the pool of desires, " one researcher has written, "manufacturing wants that would not otherwise exist Advertisers sell not artifacts but lifestyles, attitudes and fantasies, hitching their wares to the infinite yearnings ofthe soul ."

It could be said that "to compare is human ." We all have a restless streak, a desire to achieve more, attain more, be more . Even Paul said we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly to participate in the glory God has in store for all creation (Rom 8 :23) But so much in our culture pushes us into comparing as an exercise in defeat , discontent, envy, self-condemnation.

Recently while reading Richard Foster's Prayer, I was jolted into facing how insidious the habit of comparing really is. In response to the Romans 12 :1 passage that urges us to offer ourselves as "living sacrifices to God," Foster writes : "The offering of ourselves can only be the offering of our lived experience, because this alone is who we are . And who we are-not who we want to be-is the only offering we have to give."

That hit me hard. How susceptible we are to the debilitating forces of Amalga-Christian, that ideal image of American faith which somehow combines an attractive consumer lifestyle with a flawlessly committed spirituality. Armed with this amalgam of perfect faith which doesn't actually exist in humans , Amalga-Christian lures average Christians into believing they don't measure up

But they do . When I look at my wife, Amalga-Woman is nowhere to be seen I only have eyes for Kim. In the same way, God only has eyes for us . For God, there is no comparison between a fake spiritual ideal and his real, flawed, belove d c hildren .

INQUIRING MINDS

BY MARVIN HEIN

QHow should we deal with the struggle between science and the Bible? Will they forever be enemies? Is there a place in the field of science for those of us who are evangelicals? (CALIFORNIA)

AI believe neither science nor Christianity should claim all knowledge about the mysteries of creation. I am not bothered when science claims that some form of microevolution has enabled plants and animals to adjust to environmental differences in small, ongoing ways-if it is assumed that God is the master designer of it all But to claim, without adequate proof, that humans developed from a single cell apart from a God-creator seems to me to be unscientific if the goal of science is the discovery of truth . In other words, I'm not bothered by the notion of microevolution, but the claim of macroevolution is far less plausible.

On the other hand, I'm not comfortable with Christians who view the Bible as the place to discover all scientific truths. Scripture has been given to reveal God and his son, Jesus Christ. Science is the art of discovering what God has created. I have no doubt that if science and Christianity both discovered full truth, the two would not disagree. But we so often forget that the Bible was not given to reveal all the scientific secrets in the world And science is too proud to admit that not everything they "prove" is necessarily true even though they frequently are shown to be wrong.

Yes, science and Christianity will probably be at odds in the future as they have in the past We believers should not invest a lot of energy in searching the Scriptures in order to prove science wrong. That will happen without our feeble efforts. Neither is it our task to "prove" the Bible has scientific answers. That

will be futile as well. Our effort should go toward discovering what the Bible says about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and what he wants from us when we become his followers.

At the same time, we believers can make some "scientific" assertions We can say with confidence that the world is orderly and logical. The Genesis account of creation tells us at least that much And truth-seeking scientists should not argue with us at that point

We can also agree that we can know some things about the universe because we know the Creator. Paul says as much in Romans 1: 1920. Surely science should not argue with us at this point, except that many scientists do not make room for God .

I would also contend that we have a perfect right as Christian believers to be motivated to discover God 's order in the universe. We have been taught to master the earth, fill it and subdue it. For that reason it seems to me that science is not forbidden ground for Christian believers who have gifts and interests in the field of science.

Yes, the struggle will continuethat is, unless both scientists and believers swallow a huge dose of humility. I'm not too confident that will happen .

QDoes a Christian politician have a chance to succeed in the kind of world in which we live? (CALIFORNIA)

AThis question arose because of an incident in the city where I live. The morning headlines stated recently: "City Gave $75,000 to Promise Keepers " The article charged that Promise Keepers told city officials that the cost of holding the organization's two-day rally in Fresno this summer was too high-

Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds, " c/ o Marvin Hein, 4 812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727

other cities would welcome hosting the convention for $75,000 less. In response, the mayor (an evangelical) appropriated $75,000 to Fresno State University, who then deducted that from the amount charged to Promise Keepers for renting the university stadium

The mayor's rational was simple: the Promise Keepers event was estimated to generate $7-10 million revenue for Fresno. The bed tax from the more than 5,000 hotel rooms booked by Promise Keepers generated more than $500,000 dollars. The mayor's view was that $75,000 was a small price to pay for the resulting income.

Some antagonists of Christians say the issue is the separation of church and state. I won't debate that issue here, except to say that I think some interpretations of that concept do not reflect what the architects of the Constitution had in mind.

I cite the foregoing information simply to illustrate that I don't think Christians will often be appreciated, let alone lauded, for their political decisions when they act in keeping with biblical principles. I'm not especially fond of some of our mayor's actions in politics, but I respect him for his Christian convictions and I'm persuaded he would be criticized mercilessly for almost any valid decision simply because he is known as an evangelical.

I become increasingly aware that we Christ-followers do, indeed, live in two kingdoms. These two kingdoms are frequently in conflict. Jesus wasn't just mouthing empty words when he suggested that if his disciples were primarily citizens of an earthly kingdom, they would fight. Aside from the question of nonviolence, Jesus was emphasizing that believers would experience hostility when these two kingdoms collide. "In the world you will have trouble" On 16:33).

You need not be a politician to experience it, but in that arena it may be inevitable

BY ROSE BUSCHMAN

Walking on hallowed ground

Amid all the symbolism evident in the old ruins I was especially impressed by the inscription: 'To the Glory of God this Cathedral Burnt'

WHEN I SAID good-bye to Gillian at the airport in Casablanca, I promised to visit her "sometime" in her home in England. Even though it was

apparent this was what God wanted me to do.

Gillian, a member of the Protestant Fellowship in the city, came to my rescue. She helped me find a place to live and taught me the survival skills I needed to make it on my own. Gillian and I became close friends and over time I was also just after sunrise on that September morning in 1991, the airport was already a busy place. We had time only to unload her bags, give her a farewell embrace and promise we would see each other again.

Gillian and I had met several years earlier in Morocco under rather difficult circumstances for me. My husband and I had arrived there in September 1989. He was to participate in an international agricultural research project and I planned to take a study-at-home sabbatical. For several months he went to work each day and I walked the floors in our upstairs apartment with literally nothing to do. No TV, no radio during the day, no books, no English-speaking person to talk to-nothing! All the reading materials and other projects I had planned to work on were still in transit because of a major shipping blunder. Furthermore, I was so overwhelmed by the shock of living in that foreign culture that I seldom ventured out of our apartment on my own.

When a math pOSition opened at the American School in the capital city, my husband urged me to apply. I hesitated because the school was two hours away from our place. Taking this position would mean I would have to go to the city to live since distance and traffic conditions precluded that I commute on a daily basis. I was terrified of striking out on my own, even though it eventually became

able to help her, such as take her to the airport.

After I returned to the United States, the promise I made at the Casablanca airport surfaced from time to time. Finally, earlier this spring as I sat in my office one day, it became apparent to me that if I was to fulfill my promise I had to do it this summer. It was now or never So I made reservations and in July flew to Coventry, England, for a week's visit.

Mypersonal objective was to see where and how Gill lived, meet her friends, attend her church and learn more about the mission projects she is engaged in. Doing the "tourist thing" was not high on my agenda, although her suggestion to take in a Shakespearean play at Stratford-upon-Avon sounded just fme to me.

When, on my first day there, she suggested that I "must visit the local cathedral," I reluctantly agreed. OK, I thought, one cathedral and one castle-but that's all. Little did I know what God had in store for me that afternoon.

The city of Coventry, in central England, was the first major city to be bombed by the Germans during World War 2 and the only English

city to have its cathedral destroyed. On that fateful Thursday night, Nov. 14, 1940, Coventry was devastated A total of 568 people died and many more were severely injured. As the city burned, so did its cathedral. Personal and corporate losses were huge.

In spite of the devastation, longterm flames of bitterness and hatred toward the Germans did not materialize, in large part due to the inspired leadership of the Provost of the Cathedral. He led his people toward a spirit of reconciliation rather than hatred.

The ruined, burned-out shell of the cathedral, open to the sky, remains to this day. A cross made from two charred roof timbers stands at one end with a sign "Father Forgive" behind it and an altar of reconciliation built in front of it. Every Friday noon, prayers of penitence and reconciliation are said, and at dawn on Easter, communion is celebrated at this altar. Directly beside the ruins, a new cathedral has been built to symbolize the resurrection of new life.

As I walked around the charred remains, I began to feel a special sense of God's presence. I knew I was on hallowed ground.

The greatest legacy of this cathedral is its ministry of international reconciliation, which began following the tragedy and continues to this day through an organization called "The Community of the Cross of Nails." It began by reaching to the German people after the war and continues by being involved in areas of conflict, including Northern Ireland and Central America.

Amid all the symbolism evident in the old ruins and the new cathedral, I was especially impressed by the inscription: "To the Glory of God this Cathedral Burnt." Do people really believe that? I wondered. My friend assured me they do.

I left with some disturbing questions Could I pray "Father, forgive them" if I were to suffer as they did? Could I "love my enemies" in the face of such horror?

Mission USI:

Mennonite Brethren Accepting the Challenge to Reach Our N ation w ith the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The concept for MISSION USA began when Mennonite Brethren leadership met in Kansas for the Wichita Consultation in February, 1993. As they shared heartfelt concerns at this and subsequent meetings, they agreed that our churches needed renewal and a common mission with national evangelism as the goal. Encouraged by the recognition that God had given Mennonite Brethren resources, experiences and visionaries that could equip, challenge and inspire the denomination, their discussion led to action. The result was MISSION USA, a movement that would focus on renewal, evangelism and church planting.

As the vision grew, the Mission USA Board was formed and held its first meeting in February, 1995 in Dinuba, Calf. One of the board members present at that meeting, Mike Schuil, of Reedley, Calif. said, "I was excited about some positive changes that were taking place in my church and wanted to implement some of those changes on a national level. Serving on the board keeps me focused on the mission of the church, keeps me praying for our denomination and surrounds me with tremendous people to work with."

Tim Sullivan, Hillsboro, Kan. cited basic beliefs as reasons for joining the board: belief in the denomination and belief that God desires His church to be involved in making disciples for the kingdom. Sullivan says that board involvement "has given me a broader knowledge of God's work in our country, a great appreciation for the heart of pastors and laypersons to see people come to Christ, and a commitment to being relevant to the changes our world undergoes."

MISSION USA offices were

MISSION USA BOARD :

Ed Bosdunon, Phoenix, AI.

Chuck Buller, V'1S01io, CA

Rick Eshbaugh, Topeka, KS

&rue Friesen, WKhita, KS

Tim Geddert, Fresno, CA

Phil Glanzer, New Hope, MN

loreDo Jost, Aurora, NE

Fred 1.eoIKfd, Oovis, CA

Howard Loewen, Fresno, CA

Stephen Reimer, Shafter, CA

established in Phoenix, Ariz. in the fall of 1996, with Ed Boschman as Executive Director. Boschman, who is strongly committed to the same goals, was a natural fit for the position.

"In order for the MB denomination in the USA to have a healthy future, we need to begin a church renewal/refocusing and church planting movement," Boschman said. "God gave me a passion to try to challenge and help us to do that. My involvement in MISSION USA has totally changed the focus of my ministry. It has built into me a sense of ' we must do this or we are in danger of demise.'"

Shirley Nachtigall was already living in Phoenix when she and her husband, Dale, learned that MISSION USA offices would be located in their city They began to pray about her working for the organization in 1996 and she became secretary that year.

"It is exciting to be a part of the staff of MISSION USA," she said. "Each day as I interact with church staff people from the district and our board members, I am grateful for the awareness of churches that want to move forward and reach their neighborhoods for Christ."

Everyone's participation is needed "Being a part of the MISSION USA Board has enlarged my vision for what must be done," said Loretta fost of Aurora, Neb. "The Board can help focus the vision, but the mission belongs to us all. We must not be discouraged by the size of the task, but encouraged, knowing that working together, with God's help, we can meet the challenge."

MISSION USA invites you to pray, support and participate in the various projects and ministries it encourages. For more information write to Ed Boschman, MISSION USA, 12630 N. 103 Ave., Suite 215, Sun City, AZ 85351 or call (602) 972-1604.

Clarke Rempel, Buhler, KS

Mike Schuil, Reedley, CA Ex OffiOo Members:

Gnt Seibel, HiHsboro, KS

Randy Steinert, Bakersfield, CA

Tim Sullivan, Hillsboro, KS

Henry Dick, Fresno, CA

Onton Grenz, Bismark, NO

Roland Reimer, Wichita, KS

Surveys show 'no great move' for women

• Post-Water/oo, BFL looks for an effective way to address women's role in leadership

THE N UMBER of Mennonite Brethren women serving in ministry positions in North American congregations and denominational boards has increased in recent years, but only marginally , according to two surveys commissioned by the General Conference Board of Faith and Life (BFL)

The two surveys were completed within the past year The nrst survey focused on the number of women currently in pastoral staff roles , while the second sought to determine the number holding leadership positions at congregational and conference levels over the past 16 years.

The pastoral-staff study shows that in 1996, women held 7.9 percent of pastoral staff positions in U. S. and Canadian Mennonite Brethren congregations . "Although the General Conference decisions permit the appointment of women to certain kinds of

women are free to work , " he says, "and at points it is disappointing to see that we've actually digressed "

In 1993, General Conference delegates defeated a BFL recommendation that would have allowed each congregation to determine what areas of pastoral positions, there has been no great move lIt is sobering to in that direction , especially not in the United States , " says John H

discover what a long way we Redekop, author of the have to go. I report

" It is sobering to discover what a long way

ministry were open to women, including the role of lead pastor. The recommendation was defeated by a vote of 6 1 percent to 39 percent. Some saw the vote as a

At any rate, Jost says, the 1993 vote left "too many jagged edges ."

"On the one hand it sounds like a

-LYNN lOST clear statement on the we have to go," says Lynn Jost, BFL chair He adds that some areas of congregational leadership, primarily music and Christian education, are more open than others . "It is interesting to see there are areas in which role of women ; others said some of the opposition was toward the idea of congregational autonomy.

New book 'Witnesses' to the preaching voices of MB women

• Book aims to share faith clear/y, biblically

THE GROWING emergence of women ' s involvement in speaking and preaching ministries in Mennonite Brethren churches has been showcased in a book published earlier th is year by Kindred Productions

All Are Witnesses , edited

Friesen by Delores Friesen , a member of the MB Biblical Sem inary faculty, is the first published collection of sermons delivered by Mennonite Brethren women. The book features 42 sermons of varyi ng lengths and topics from 42 contributors Two of the women are from beyond North Amer ica : Karuna Shri Joel of India and Mama Kadi of Congo (fo rmer ly Zaire)

"I felt it was a wonderful opportun ity to expl icate the decision of the denomination to encourage the full use of women's gifts in the church," Friesen says of the book "Obviously, here's a gift that women are using in the church that has been very much appreciated, but it has never received much encouragement or visibility "

The idea for the book grew out of an unrelated effort to gather and publish sermons from women of various Anabaptist roots, Friesen sa id She was asked to f i nd contributions from Mennonite Brethren women and she "soon had a whole deskful." A lot of the sermons we re of excellent qual ity , Fr iesen says , but didn't f it with in t he t opic al paramete rs of the large r pro-

ject. "I asked myself, why not do our own book? "

She organized what she calls a "grassroots" effort to find contributors She sent letters to about 60 women who were known to be preaching, then asked them to forward the letter to others as well.

In the end, she and her editing team collected sermons from more than 80 women Most of them contributed more than one piece She says about 90 percent of the submissions were presented as sermons, but she also opened the door for devotional and retreat talks For reasons of economy and quality, Friesen and her editorial team dec ided to limit the number of contributors and contributions

"We tried from the beginning to have as broad a representation (of women) as possib le, " Friesen says . "But (the book) was never intended to be, and is not , the book of Me n non ite Brethren women

who are preac hing ."

She said women seem to approach preach i ng somewhat differently than men " Women tend to preach about what they've seen and heard," she says "Many of the sermons are much more of a witness type of sermon, rather than so po lem ic, a rgumentative or apologetic. I don ' t wan t to say they are not biblical or exegetical , because some of them are excellent work in that regard. But they tend to be a bit more toward the experiential and pract ical."

The sermons i n the book are organ ized accord i ng to four themes :

• " All are w itnesses to what we have seen and heard ; "

• "All are witnesses of God's redeeming lo ve;"

• "All are witnesses of Christ' s empowering grace ;"

• " All are witnesses to the Spir it's reconcil ing power " "We are w itness not only

decisive rejection of women in senior pastoral ministry," Jost says "But on the other hand, the vote was very painful for quite a number of people-women and men "

In the wake of the rancorous 1993 floor debate, BFL announced its intention to let the issue rest for a while.

But at this summer's convention in Waterloo, Ont., BFL "served notice" that it was time to talk again, Jost says, because "the problem hasn't gone away ."

BFL had planned to come to this year's convention with a recommendation that would mandate churches and conferences to involve women in leadership roles, Jost says . Instead of having delegates debate and vote on that issue, the Executive Council recommended that BFL simply declare their position: women are encouraged to do anything in the church except senior pastoralleadership

(about the role of women), " Jost says. "It's a very uneven history (regarding) what our official position is on women in ministry We accepted the decision by the Executive Council, but we were glad we had the survey ready as well ."

"We've never affirmed anything Jost says BFL has wrestled with the

worldwide and cosmic w itness to God ' s power and redemption above and beyond - but inc luding perso nal salvation," Friesen says.

" That's why there are sermons also on reconc iliation, th e environme nt , p rej udice and t hose kinds of issues."

to what peop le need to do-to come to know Christ-but we are also witnesses to what God is doing in our lives and what God is doing in the world ," Friesen says .

For example, she says, one sermon, submi tted by Nadine Pence Frantz, was inspired by the fa ll of the Berlin Wall That sermo n , in turn, inspired the artwork by Jani ce Leppke wh ich graces t he book's cov er

"We tried very hard in t he se sermons to show a

In addition to the breadth and depth of subject matter, Friesen says she is pleased by the solidly biblical basis of the sermons. 'That was a very important purpose in the book," she says "I think we're hearing more and more sermons in this day and age that in my opinion do not have much bibl ical content. Here are sermons that are rich in biblical content. And that's the kind of preaching I would like to encourage "

But why a book of se r mons by women? " Pa rtly because they're no t widely heard," Friesen says "There are places

challenge of trying to encourage the group who "feels they've been betrayed " by the negative vote without alienating those who feel the issue is settled. BFL decided that a "benchmark" survey would be helpful as a way to describe the present reality.

The second survey, covering 1980 to 1995, indicated an increase in the number of women holding leadership positions at the various conference levels and in congregations In 1980, 118 women held such positions Fifteen years later, that number had almost tripled to 349.

Most of the increase came in Canada, where the number of women in leadership jumped from 53 in 1980 to a high of 242 in 1995 , nearly a four-fold increase.

In the United States, 65 women held such positions in 1980, compared to 107 in 1995 and a high of 142 in 1991.

"The approximate doubling of female participation over 16 years is

where women preach regularly, but there are other places where people don't have the opportun ity (to hear women preach) because they don't have women who are trained, or the women don't feel comfortable preaching.

"We weren't trying to make a political statement," she adds "We were just trying to encou rage a fu ll er use of women's g ifts. So we took the gifts that were offered and tried to mold them into a useful piece that would be readable, artistic and of high quality. We wanted something that would share our faith clearly and boldly and really g ive glory to God That was our goa\."

Friesen said the response to the book has been positive , if not overwhelming "I have been surprised by the lack of responses," she adm its Marilyn Hudson, manag ing ed itor of Kindred Produ ction s, said the book sold well in the months following its public

release at Mennonite World Conference in India, but sales have since tapered off "It seems to be a book that sells with a personal touch," she says "People buy it when they hear the story behind it."

Hudson and Fr iesen both say they hope the book encourages more women to exercise their communication gifts in the mission and ministry of the church

"I would like to see many more women take the work of writing and preaching more seriously," says Fr iesen. "The book had from the beginning the purpose of inviting and encouraging more women and men to share in the witness to what they had seen and heard of God's redeeming love, Chr ist's empowering grace and the Spirit's reconciling power "

All Are Witnesses is available for $15 .95 (plus postage and handling) from Kindred Produ ctions, Box V, Hillsboro , KS 67063 - Don Ratzlaff

John Warkentin, BFL member from Wichita, Kan_, reported on the women's issue at Waterloo. The Executive Council recommended that BFL back away from its desire to mandate more involvement of women in church leadership.

IN BRIEF

• OUTREACH: Staff member s at Faith Pr oj ect , Fre sno , Calif , an outrea ch ministry o f th e Paci fi c Di stri ct Co nfe re nce , r e p o rt a bu sy summer W eek ly programs incl uded a child ren 's cl ub, tu t oring prog r am , men 's Bible study and " Fe Cafe ," a Fr id ay night teen outrea ch A SOAR te am from Yo uth M issi on Intern ational p r ovided a wee klong Va cat i on Bible Schoo l. carnival and regul a r c omm u n i ty outr eac h Rep airs cont i nue on th e build i ng ; a group o f Fr es no Pacifi c Un i ver sity fre shm en painted as a se rvi ce proj ect. Thi s f all a Bibl e st udy f or w o men and po ssibly a hom emak ing skill s cla ss w ill be o ffered Th e City of Fre sno will op erate a fr ee lun ch pr ogram for th e nei ghborhood children at Fa ith Proj ect Org anizers hope to h ave a clo thing thrift shop ready by winter. (FPU)

• SCHEDULED : Le aders of th e U.S. Co n ference of Mennonite Breth re n Churches have determined the pl ace and date for next year 's bienn ial co nvention . The event will be held at t he Holiday Inn Gateway Hotel in LaMirada , Calif , July 17-20 , 1998, acco rding to Lynford Becker, adm inistrative se cretary Th e conv enti on will begin with a 6 p m banquet on Fr iday and end around 11 a m on Monday (U 5MB C)

• ENROLLMENT: A large increa se in teacher education students and in other graduate programs boo sted enrollment at Fresno Pacific University th i s fall , while undergraduate enrollment show s mo des t growth As of Sept. 17 , graduate sc hool enrollment was 27 per cent ah ead of la st year Teacher educat i on enrollm e nt increased from 98 stud ents in f all 1996 to 191 th is year. The increa se is largely driven by state -mand ated cl assroom siz e redu ction to 20 students in grades kindergart en through 3 Trad i tional undergraduate enrollment is at 60 2 compar ed with la st year's 59 2 . A larg e senior cla ss graduated last year , but a strong transfer enrollment k ept th e numbers stable The fre shm an cl ass total s 149 student5,-e xactly equ al t o la st year' s fr eshman cla ss The Cente J:for Degr ee Complet i on h as 159 students enr o ll ed, compared with 161 at thi s time la st year (FPU)

still only a modest increase," Redekop writes.

Jost said the survey revealed some unexpected results. "One of the surprising things was that in British Columbia, which we tend to think of as one of the conservative provinces (on the women 's issue), there are a lot of women on staff," he says. "This tells us there is a growing awareness that women have gifts and can use them. It really does become, then, that biblical leadership question: Can women exercise final authority in a church as senior pastor?"

The study surveyed boards and committees at four levels: binational (General Conference), national (U.S. and Canadian conferences), district (U S.) and provincial (Canada), and the local church. Boards and committees which have traditionally been the domain of women were excluded at the congregational level, according to Redekop . Those committees included Women's Missionary Service and nursery and library committees.

The report does not include data from congregations not formally affiliated with a district/provincial conference.

Figures for the three largest U.S. district conferences figures changed relatively less over the 16 years than did the figures for provincial conferences in Canada, Redekop says.

According to the report, the Pacific District Conference has seen the greatest increase-from four women on district boards and committees in 1980 to 19 women in 1995. In 1980, three women served on Southern District committees. That number grew to seven by 1982 and has more-or-Iess remained at that level.

A low rate of participation among women on Central District boards and committees is especially noteworthy, according to Redekop . Women have served on CDC committees for five of the 15 years studied. During three of these years, only one woman held office; in 1994 and 1995, four women held CDC offices.

Jost, though, says several congregations in the CDC have church positions filled by women, especially in music and Christian education. Jost also notes that most Central District congregations, because they tend to be smaller, do not have multiple staff.

The survey also indicated that women who are selected for denominational boards and committees are seldom asked to lead them. Since 1980, no woman has served as moderator or assistant moderator of the General Conference, U S or Canadian conferences or any district/provincial conference. In fact, Valerie Rempel, who currently serves as General Conference secretary, is the first woman in the past 15 years to serve as an executive officer at the binational level. The Canadian Conference has had a woman serve as secretary during that time, but the U.S. Conference has not had a woman among its executive.

BFL referred to the study in their oral report at the Waterloo convention. Copies of the results are available upon request from the Centers for Mennonite Brethren Studies in Fresno, Calif. , Hillsboro, Kan., and Winnipeg, Man

lost encourages interested individu· als to study the report and draw heir own conclusions . "We want to hear from people as well," he says. "How else can we move toward unity on this issue?"

Jost and other BFL members are disappointed at the apparent lack of interest on the part of women in pursuing the various roles now open to them

"Canada is ahead of the United States in terms of engaging women in provincial and national positions," Jost says. "I don't think it's a theological difference because I think (both countries) have the same diversity of opinion. It may be that U S. women have chosen to do other things." He adds that in his experience, women's ministries are stronger in the United States than in Canada.

"And it may be that women have found more productive ways to use their energy than in conference positions ," he says . "It seemed that in the mid-1980s there was more interest. Maybe because of the discussions and dissension, women have chosen to retreat, or just decided it just wasn't quite worth the hassle . I don't really think we have a large group of women trying to beat down the door to get into these (conference) positions. "-Connie Faber

u.s. districts prepare for annual conventions

• Agendas designed to enhance appeal for attenders

LEADERS of the three largest u.S. district conferences are hoping new locales and user-friendly agendas will attract delegates to their annual fall conventions.

The Southern District will be meeting Nov. 7-9 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Edmond, Okla. "Opportunities for fun interaction and encouraging fellowship are important ingredients in the success of a convention and a hotel setting makes this more likely," says David Froese, SDC chair.

Froese says he hopes the theme "Generations Seeking God's Face" will describe the essence of the weekend. "My desire is that this gathering will provide an atmosphere and program that will attract the younger leaders in our churches and also be a blessing to longtime delegates," Froese says.

Duffy Robbins, a 22-year veteran of youth ministry and speaker at the national Mennonite Brethren youth convention in 1991, will be the featured speaker Cathy Faszer, director of music and worship at First MB Church, Wichita, Kan., will lead the worship times. Barry Raugust, also of Wichita, will be master of ceremonies.

The weekend schedule includes a time of fellowship and celebration with the Edmond MB Church on the completion of their new facility. Delegates can also choose to participate in a golf outing or tour the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, Bethany Church of Fresno, Calif., will be hosting the Pacific District's convention Nov. 7-8.

"Beyond the Comfort Zone" serves as the convention theme, drawn from Colossians 4:5. Speakers include Ed Boschman, executive director of Mission USA, who will be speaking Friday evening at the annual home missions banquet and Saturday afternoon. Allen Carden, new president of Fresno Pacific University, will speak Saturday morning .

Several seminars will be offered Saturday on topics such as bridging generation gaps in the church, chil- ·

dren's ministry and cross-cultural understanding.

The Central District Conference will hold its convention Nov. 14-16 in Minneapolis, Minn. New Hope Church will host this three-day event, which begins Friday evening with Jim Westgate of MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, speaking on the theme "Recapturing the Vision."

CDC Chair Leonard Reimer says of the weekend, "One of the highlights will be the Russian church of Minneapolis singing on Saturday afternoon, followed by a Russian meal on Saturday evening."

Reimer encourages churches to make it possible for as many delegates as possible to attend .-Sarah Donahue

Colleges kick off year with service projects

• Orientation agenda includes investing energy for others

Educators at Mennonite Brethren colleges believe serving others is an integral part of the education process.

For that reason, service activities were again included this fall during orientation events at Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, Calif., and Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan.

More than 150 first-year students and faculty advisers joined community people at two local churches and several houses in southeast Fresno where the university is located. They scraped painted, cleaned, swept and weeded and during the annual university service day Aug. 23.

"Service is an important part of the university experience," says John Navarro, director of student outreach ministries at FPU.

"We want our students to experience leadership opportunities in their communities, churches and careers," he adds "And service is one of the first steps to becoming a leader. By working together, serving together and living in community we

can express unity by helping our neighbors and each other. "

For the past five years, Tabor College has included a service project as part of new student orientation.

This year, more than 140 students, along with faculty advisers, boarded busses Aug. 30 bound for Wichita, the largest city in the state located 50 miles away.

Work responsibilities varied at the seven work sites. Some students played with children at the Wichita Children ' s Home, while others cleaned, mowed and read to residents at a nursing home.

Students attracted the attention of two Wichita television stations and were featured on the evening news broadcasts.

"These service projects set the tone for active involvement in service - developing in new students the desire and commitment to serve others," says Ken Christie, who coordinated the project in his role as director of career services and leadership training

"We take service seriously and consequently plan it as the first major activity for freshmen."

Fresno Pacific University students Casey Chapman (standing) and Iris Heiss (to right) scrape paint off pillars on the front porch of Faith Community Church during community service day.

IN BRIEF

• STARTING : Rodney Reed , m os t re ce ntly of Andover , Mi ch , is the new campu s pa stor at Fre sno Pa ci f ic University Reed ea rned a ma st er of divini t y degree at Beth el Theologi cal Sem inary in Arde n Hill s, Mi ch He wor ke d mo st re ce ntly as ass o ci at e pa stor of youth and young adult s a t Elim Ba pti st Chu rch in An oka, M ich (FPU)

• SPEAKERS: Bob and Susan Gulack, MB Mission s/ Se rvi ces wor kers in lithuani a, and Carol Boschman , represe nt ing the Pa ci fi c Di stri ct Co nf er ence Home M ission s Board and serving in Phoenix, Ari z., will be gu est speak ers at th e Nov . 8 PD C Women ' s M issi on ary Servic e program Th e me et ing begin s at 8 :3 0 a m and is host ed by Nor th Fr e sno MB Church . Regi str atio n materia ls are available at loc al churche s. (PO C)

• REFUGEE AID : Mennonite Centr al Committe e is colle ct i ng " Comfort ' n Joy bundle s" to se nd this fall to refugees in Bos nia and Serbia, to arrive in time for Chri stma s. Bre ad of Life , MCCs Christian partn er ag ency in the r egion , w i ll distr i but e th e bundles MCC hope s to colle ct at lea st 4 , 000 bundle s from the Unit ed States and Ca n a d a. Informat i on and delivery d eadlin es are availabl e from regional M CC off ices Bundle s incl ude a comf o rter or bl anket, deod or ant st ick, ha irbru sh and comb, bath t o w el , toothpaste, f o ur toothbru shes , f our bars of b a th so a p , pa c kag e of dis p os abl e ra zors , pair of mitten s or wa rm glove s, hard candy , a new small stuffed animal, and a Christmas card w i th f lat ornament/photo (optional) (MCC)

• RESOURCES: Mennonit e Centr a l Committee will provid e ass i stan ce t o the Sambong farming community in North Korea MCC is c ontributing $200 , 000 to buy seed s and fertili zer for planting fall vegetables , winter barley and crops in next year 's growing sea son Th e money will also be us ed t o raise mo re small animals and t o buy spar e part s and repla cements for farm equipm ent. Rice, oil, sugar and other es sential food were provided by M CC to feed Sambong ' s infants , children and the elderly until this month's harvest. (M CC) ,

MCC India admired the love of Mother Teresa

• MCC and Mother Teresa

shared a heart for India's poor

MMother calmly and nondefensively responded that she believed that there was a need for her way of working and a need for the kind of work MCC did. She considered both approaches to be valid.

Juliana Chaudhuri, women's pro-

ENNONITE Central Committee jects officer, remembered Mother India staff persons were among Teresa as a spontaneous person. She the thousands who stood in line in the did not write project proposals bright sunshine Sept. 10 to pay ....,., -="...., requesting aid. She simply asked final respect to Mother Teresa for help in a convincing way MCC India and Mother Tere- and people responded. sa shared a bond of mutual

resources.

Mother Teresa had planned to participate in the opening worship at the Mennonite World Conference, but was unable to do that because of illness.

MCC never required her to admiration that dates back to submit a report for how she utithe '50s. Mother Teresa ad- lized resources given to her. mired the Mennonites for their Mother Teresa ' s integrity was work in relief and develop- such that there was never any ment, .for their readiness to Mother Teresa concern about misuse of give her material resources such as milk, soap, clothing, blankets, leprosy and tuberculosis medication when her supplies were depleted and for their peace witness. MCC staff admired Mother for her selflessness, compassion, blindness to caste or creed, and her ability to see Christ in every person.

Julius Devadason, MCC forestry projects officer, remembered Mother's willingness to write letters of recommendation for MCC that expedited getting material resource shipments past customs officials. A letter from Mother swayed even the most recalcitrant officials and saved MCC thousands of dollars in additional import duty .

Donald Kessop, manager of the MCC Global Family Program in India, remembered Mother Teresa's willingness to meet and talk with visitors . She typically asked visitors if they had seen her work and told them that her work was more important to see than she was.

Kessop recalled that Mother frequently quoted from Matthew 25:40, "Whatever you have done to the least of these thy brethren, you have done it unto me." He fondly recalled the day when she came to the MCC office to conduct morning devotions for the staff.

Cynthia Peacock, projects coordinator, recalled the time that an MCC director discussed with Mother Teresa his concern that her approach of providing food and shelter perpetuated the dependency of the poor and did not do anything to eradicate root causes of poverty.

MCC India staff will miss Mother Teresa. It was always a unique pleasure, privilege and inspiration to interact with her and to support her work.

Sister Nirmala, Mother Teresa's successor, can count on MCC's continued support -Fern Gerber, MCC India country representative

• Baptism/membership

HENDERSON, Neb.-Adam Block, April Bradley, Christina Friesen, Katherine Jensen, Cody Jost, JeSSica Peters, Jeffrey Regier and Erland Thieszen were baptized Aug. 24. Christina Estep, Mike Friesen, Tim and Darla Klopfenstein and Ruth Ann Thieszen were welcomed as new members .

DINUBA, Calif.-David and Julie, Jessica and Cameron Toews were received as new members Aug. 31 .

INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)- Tiffany Neufeldt , Julie Willems, Joni Buller, Ashley Harshberger, Michelle Franz, Ryan Klassen , Sam Thiessen, Travis Rife, Joel Wiens and Aaron Pauls were baptized and welcomed into membership Aug. 24.

• Celebrations

DELFT, Minn -The family of Waldo and Rachel Wiens hosted a 50th wedding anniversary celebration Aug. 9

ENID, Okla.-The family of Karl and Helen Unruh hosted a 50th anniversary reception Aug 16

MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn.-John and Margaret Rempel celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 17 John and Dina Klassen provided the floral arrangement Aug. 24 in honor of their 55th wedding anniversary

INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)-Floyd and Ferne Klaassen provided flowers Aug. 17 in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary.

CORN, Okla.- Two wedding anniversaries were recognized Aug. 24. Henry and Frieda Regier celebrated 60 years of marriage and Corney and Susie Adrian celebrated their 65th anniversary.

HILLSBORO, Kan.-Flowers in the sanctuary and an afternoon open house Aug. 31 marked the 50th wedding anniversary of Emice and Lydia Hein.

BUHLER, Kan.-In honor of their 50th wedding anniversary, the family of Elmer and Lovella Adrian hosted an open house Aug. 31.

DINUBA, Calif.-The evening service Aug. 3 began with a bike rally-either a 16-mile challenge or a family ramble. The evening concluded with a testimony from international baseball player Mike Carlson, an awards ceremony, skit and root beer floats

IllLLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)- Cathy Faszer, minister of music at First MB Church , Wichita, Kan., was the guest clinician for the adult choir fall retreat Sept. 12-13.

BRIDGEWATER, S.D. (Salem)-Ron Seibel, pastor of the Silver Lake MB Church in Freeman, S.D., spoke at the Christian education appreciation dinner Sept. 14

•

ENID, Okla.-Ryan and Kristin Gerbrandt were commissioned for missionary work Aug . 17. They will serve for two years in Romania with Evangelical Free Church Mission.

HILLSBORO, Kan.- Long-term MB Missions/Services workers Jon and Juana Pritchard were commissioned for work in Mexico City.

COLLINSVILLE, Okla. (Westport)-The congregation began holding two worship services in September. The first, more contemporary service is held in the fellowship hall. After the education hour, a more traditional service is held in the sanctuary. The change was made to relate more closely to the range of people in the congregation and community and may be modified overtime.

BLAINE, Wash. (Birch Bay Bible Community)-Youth pastor Jim Fowler, along with Larry Nace and Chris Callow, accompanied 20 junior and senior high youth on a five-day service trip to Republic, Wash., Aug. 19-24. The group helped remodel and landscape the home of a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) youth pastor.

BRIDGEWATER, S.D. (Salem)-Joy Pullman and Tabitha Dowden reported Aug. 31 on their ministry experience with SOAR, a cross-cultural missions program for high school students sponsored by Youth Mission International.

WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)-Ed Boschman, Mission USA executive director, preached on "Target Church Sunday" Sept 7 The congregation has been designated a Mission USA and Southern District Conference target church. Boschman also spoke at a morning men's breakfast Sept. 6 which was followed by a golf outing.

INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)-Harold Nickel of Santa Paula, Calif , presented "Emotionally Free," a seminar on dealing with life's problems, Sept . 21-22 .

Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church Ministry Positions

Associate Pastor of Worship & Christian Education

Individual desiring to serve with the senior pastor in pastoral duties. Specifically responsible for leading worship and directing the Christian education program.

Youth Pastor

Individual responsible to lead and direct the youth program.

Send resumes to:

Associate Pastor Search Committee c/o Wendell Short

Youth Pastor Search Committee c/o Kendall Brashears

Mennonite Brethren Church 1600 East State Road Fairview, OK 73737 Phone (405) 227-4730

• Workers

MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn.-Ron Seibel has accepted a call to serve the congregation as pastor beginning Dec. 10 He and his wife, Kathy, will continue in their current role as pastoral couple for the Silver Lake MB Church in Freeman, S D , through Nov. 2.

DINUBA Calif.-Brent and Teresa Cummings accepted a call to youth ministry. Brent has served as youth pastor at the Shafter (Calif.) MB Church for the past five years.

OLATHE, Kan. (Community Bible);Justin Kenas began serving as a youth Sept . 1. He is a full-time student. at western Baptist Theological Semmary m Kansas City and has ministered with Youth Mission International for several summers.

HURON, S.D. (Bethesda)- Matt Leopold has joined the pastoral staff as director of youth and discipleship He is a graduate of Tabor College and Master's Seminary. He is joined by his wife, Pam

CLEARINGHOUSE

Have a position to fill? Looking for a new employment or ministry opportunity? Have a gathering or celebration to promote? Need to sell or acquire property? Reach U S. Mennonite Brethren through a Cleannghouse classified ad The charge is 40 cents per word, with a $15 minimum Withhold payment until an invoice is received The editors reserve the right to turn down inappropriate material For display (boxed) ad rates, please call us.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED POSITION HAS DEADLINE MOVED UP Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is seeking applicants for the of co-director for Africa, focusing on Southern Uganda and Tanzania This is a three-year, full.-tlme, salaried position based in Akron, Pa , available December 1, 1997 Applicants should be fluent In English, have social , political and cultural knowledge of Africa and be Willing to travel. A elor's degree is required and overseas experience preferred Applications ?u.e 1,1997

Mennonite Central Committee is seeking applicants for the country representative position in Dhaka, Bangladesh This is a four to five year volunteer commitment available January 1998 Applicants should have a college degree, overseas experience in projecVprogram management, personnel and leadership Skills and ability to relate to a Wide variety of people. Applications due December 1, 1997.

For all MCC positions qualifications include a mitment to Christian faith, active church membership and nonviolent peacemaking For more information about these jobs, or to receive job please contact Dwight McFadden or Sandra Franklin at MCC Personnel Department, 21 South 12th Akron, PA 17501, phone: (717) 859-1151 or e-mail: SLF@mcc.org

.DEATHS

BERG, NORMAN LEE, Bakersfield, Calif., a member of Heritage Bible Church, Bakersfield was born July 24, 1928, at Hillsboro, Kan.: to Peter H. and Tina C. Berg and died Aug . 17, 1997, at the age of 69. On July 20, 1948, he was married to Betty Ann Frantz, who survives. He is also survived by a son, Charles and wife Rosemarie; a daughter, Candace and husband Myron Tiede; a brother, Alfred and wife Lydia of Wichita, Kan.; and four grandsons.

HOUK, LENARD EDWIN, Eakly, Okla , who attended Corn (Okla.) MB Church, was born Dec . 25, 1921, to William Nelson and Lillie Mae Motley Houk at Cowden, Okla., and died Aug. 24,1997, at the age of 75. On Jan 31, 1942, he was married to Louise McGee who survives . He is also survived by three Jimmy Lynn of Oklahoma City, Okla., William Eugene and wife Brent of Carrolton, Texas, and Dennis Michael and wife Darla of Fay, Okla.; one daughter, Peggy Dianne and husband Jr. Stephens of Alfalfa, Okla.; an adopted family, Dewey and Teresa Johnson and their children; four sisters, Luceil and husband Hubert Duncan of Chula Vista, Calif., Letha Wells of Hinton, Okla., Berniece and husband B.A. Morris of Chanute, Kan., and Pauline of Lakewood, Calif.; one brother·in-law, Clyde and wife Marge McGee of Atlanta, Ga.; two sisters-inlaw, Clara and husband Paul Carney of San Jose, Calif., and June and husband Paul Howard of Borrego Springs, Calif.; 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and four adopted grandchildren.

ISAAC, JEFFREY SEAN, Reedley, Calif , a member of the Reedley MB Church, was

OMANCHES AND

MENNONITES

A. J. & Magdalena Becker and the Post oak Mission

Marvin E. Kroeker

A very readable story of the tenacious,loving spirit of the Beckers.

born July 16, 1970, to Leon and Carol Isaac in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and died Sept 8, 1997, at the age of 27. On Aug. 13, 1994, he was married to Bridgette Harris, who survives. He is also survived by his parents; two children, Chantelle A. and Spencer D. of the home; a sister, Tammy and husband Andy Mounts of Fremont, Calif.; a brother, Greg of Reedley; and grandparents Jake and Ann Isaac and Barney and Helen Schmidt, all of Reedley.

JANZEN, DEBORAH ANN, Colorado Springs, Colo., was born March 22, 1950, to William and Martha Epp Goertzen and died Aug. 12, 1997, at the age of 47 . On March 8, 1969, she was married to Ken Janzen, who survives. She is also survived by two daughters, Leslie Mclean of Denver, Colo . , and Karen of Golden, Colo.; a son, Robert of Colorado Springs; a sister, Chris Prine of Visalia, Calif ; two brothers, Bill Goertzen of Juneau, Alaska, and Mike Goertzen of Shafter, Calif.

LEPP, MARY, of Mountain Lake, Minn., a member of the Carson MB Church, was born Sept. 16, 1915, to David and Agatha Berg Ewert in Carson Township, Minn , and died Aug 19, 1997, at the age of 81. On Dec. 18, 1940, she was married to Theodore Lepp, who survives. She is also survived by three daughters, Vera and husband David MacDonald of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia Carolyn and husband Stephen Lessing of Sacramento, Calif , and and husband John Niessen of Cambndge, Mmn.; two sons, Orville "Butch" and Loren and wife Marcia all of Galt, Calif.; four sisters, Susie Schroeder and Margaret and husband John Rempel all of Mountain Lake, and Anna Ewert and Lena Ewert of Bingham Lake, Minn.; four brothers, William Ewert

and wife Enna of Berlin, Ohio , Jake Ewert and wife Linda of Hillsboro, Kan., Abe Ewert and wife Delora of Bingham Lake, and Adam Ewert and wife Alice of Galveston, Texas; three sisters-in-law, Elma Ewert of Eureka , Calif , and Minnie Ewert and Matilda Ewert, both of Mountain Lake ; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren

LOEWEN, GERTRUDE, Bellingham, Wash., a member of the Birch Bay Bible Community Church , Blaine, Wash., was born Apr 6, 1918, to John and Gertrude Peters at Quincy, Wash , and died Aug 30, 1997 , at the age of 79 On July 19, 1936, she was married to Frank Loewen She is survived by two sons, Harold of Kenai, Wash , and Frank and wife Kathy of Shoreline, Wash ; three daughters , Francis and husband Gerald Duim of Manor, Wash ., Shirley and husband Gene Cornelius of Snohomish, Wash , and Mary and husband Jay Barnes of Shoreline ; 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren , four sisters and two sisters-in-law.

SCHROEDER, AUGUST, Fairview, Okla. , a member of the Fairview MB Church, was born Aug 17, 1917, near Lehigh, Kan., to Peter K. and Anna Nickel Schroeder and died Aug. 18, 1997, at the age of 80. OnJuly 3, 1940, he was married to Opal Lee , who survives . He is also survived by a daughter, Patricia and husband Carroll Germany of Tahlaquah, Okla.; a son, Jim of Yukon, Okla ; three sisters , Minnie Schwalk, Mary Miers and Lula Wichert ; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren

UNRUH, LEVI, Hillsboro, Kan , a member of the Hillsboro MB Church, was born July

Teaching and Research Position in Missiology

Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary is seeking applications for the position of missiologist. The successful applicant will be primarily responsible to MBBS, but will also work in close cooperation with Mennonite Brethren Missions/Services Starting date: Fall,1998.

Please call or write for information on qualifications and responsibilities.

Dr Pierre Gilbert, Academic Dean, MBBS 4824 E Butler • Fresno, CA 93727 (209) (209) 452-1763

E-mail : pgilbert@fresno.edu

29, 1922, at Tampa , Kan., to Tobias and Lydia Ratzlaff Unruh and died Aug. 16, 1997, at the age of 75. On May 21, 1951, he was married to Mariann Duerksen, who survives He is also survived by a son, Douglas and wife Loretta of OCCidental, Calif ; a daughter, Jennifer of Hillsboro; a brother, Reinhart ; and a sister, Margaret and husband Irvin Dirks of Hillsboro

WIENS, GERTRUDE

Fresno, Calif , a member of the Butler Avenue MB Church, Fresno , was born March 20, 1902, at Eakly, Okla , to Peter A and Anna Bergen Buhler and died in August 1997 at the age of95 On Dec. 30, 1920, she was married to A.K. Wiens, who predeceased her in 1977. They were fonner missionaries to China. She is survived by a son, Victor and wife Hilda of Fresno; and four sisters-in-law , Mary Wiens Fruit of Porterville, Calif , Helen Wiens Kleinsasser of Iowa , Lydia Wiens Kleinsasser of Colorado, and Julia Wiens Hodges ofEI Cerrito, Calif •

HARVEY MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH

will be celebrating its lOOTH ANNIVERSARY

July 10-13, 1998

Anyone who has been a part of this congregation is invited to come "Home" and celebrate 100 years of God's faithfulness to us.

Harvey MB Church 220 W. 9th Street

Harvey, NO 58341

Phone: (701) 324-2408

Invitation: TO: Born-again Christians

King Road MB Church in Abbotsford, B C. , is seeking volunteers for its Church Partnership Evangelism outreach to. Cost/person.

1. RUSSIA - Tjumenj, Tobolsk

Oct. 16-31, '97 $1,600

2. INDIA - Shamshabad Oct. 31 - Nov. 26 , '97 $1,600

3. ARGENTINA - Cordoba Nov. 15-30, '97 $1,600

4. PHILIPPINES - Manilla, Roxas City Jan 16 - Feb 9, '98 $1,200

5. INDIA - Mahabubnagar Jan. 16 - Feb 9, '98 $1,600

6. PHILIPPINES - Davao Feb 9-25, ' 98

7. NICARAGUA - Managua

Feb. 7-23, '98

,200

8. PERU - Lima March 7-23, '98 $1,200

9. PERU - Sullana, Trujillo April 4-27, '98 $1,200

10. UKRAINE - Tchernovtsky, Alexandria, Odessa May 16 - June 8, '98 $1 ,600

11. CONGO - Kinshasha May 1-25, '98 $2,000

- Asuncion , Chaco

NICARAGUA - Managua

4-20, '98 $1,200

15 UKRAINE - Novomoskovsk, Pavlograd Berdyansk July 25 - Aug. 18, ' 98 $1,600

16. PERU - Chiclayo, Talara Aug 1-24, '98 $1,200

17. NICARAGUA Nov. 8-23, '98 $1 ,200

18. INDIA Nov 7-30, '98

Note: Dates may be subject to change, pending furthe r confirmation of some campaigns 'Canadian dollars

• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door

• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.

• 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 enriching spiritual experience-discover what God can do through you

For more information, 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 CPE Executive Committee for processing.

Peter Loewen CPE Promoter

Harold W Ens MBMIS General Director

MEDIA MATTERS

BY BURTON BULLER

What does it mean?

Unless one "reads" the symbolic representations, one can miss the meaning given these films by their creators.

DURING my college days, I studied

French Often my professor had me

read a paragraph aloud in French, then immediately translate it into sp(lken English. Sometimes my translation caught something of the original meaning. More often it did not.

I had come to recognize French when I saw it. But when I placed the symbols (words) of which the French language is composed end to end, I often could not decipher the meaning intended by the writer.

Years later, a Hutterite colony set aside their prohibition on watching ftlms to view one in which they briefly appeared. For nearly everyone gathered in the communal dining hall, this would be their first film-viewing experience. As the ftlm began, those present began pointing and loudly commenting on what they were seeing The commentary that had been so painstakingly coordinated with the pictures by the producers faded into the general hum of excitement from the colony members.

When a dissolve or a fade appeared in the film, they were sure I, as editor, had made a mistake. How could preacher Paul Mandel appear in South Dakota and in North Dakota at the same time? A shorthand called "cinematic language" allowing mmmakers to compress time was a foreign language to them. Cinematic symbols like dissolves or fades were meaningless. Without basic media literacy, the intended message of the filmmakers was lost on this audience

Growing up with the media, most of us don't have too much trouble understanding the basic conventions of cinematic language. But what about the sym· bolic representations that challenge us to a deeper engagement with the media?

In television and film, the producers

offer messages created by makeup, set design, music, lighting, props as well as the actions and words of the actors. Anyone of these elements by itself can completely alter the apparent meaning.

In this way, programs with no verbal discussion of God can hold deeply religious meanings. Conversely, mms claiming to be religious can easily become parody or satire.

In 1953, George Stevens directed a mm that has come to be regarded as the western by which all other westerns are measured. "Shane" tells the story of a farmer oppressed by evil ranch hands intent on driving him from his land. A lone gunfighter happens onto Joe Starret's farm, witnessing the strong-arm tactics of the local cowhands. He decides to stay around to help Joe and his family through the tough times.

Doesn't

sound like that much of a plot, does it? Yet the mm is a classic precisely because of the strong symbolic representations provided by the landscape, Shane's gun as young Joey Starret learns the way of the gun at a time when he seeks entrance into manhood , a stump that represents the impediments to a successful future. Joe's wife, Marion, symbolically represents western civilization-something men must protect while at the same time resist being seduced by, because a domesticated (civilized) man is powerless to protect that civilization when the need arises

Years later, Clint Eastwood remade "Shane " into a more contemporary tale. In "Pale Rider," the gunfighter is a guntoting preacher dressed in the garb of the American icon, Uncle Sam. The stump is replaced by a large boulder, the farmers are now small-time, family-ori-

ented gold prospectors and the oppressors are large business interests that are destroying the land through more efficient mining methods. These big miners need the small-time gold prospectors out of the canyon so they can complete their rape of the landscape and return a good investment for their investors. The preacher saves the family prospector's camp while vanquishing big business. During the course of this ftlm, the story of David and Goliath gets a contemporary retelling. The preacher comes to stand for an ephemeral belief system consisting of a composite of American religious and political ideals.

These are highly value-laden tales. They are part of that mythical body of popular culture that teaches us what it means to be a member of North American SOciety.

On the surface, one might say these films are "only entertainment: Unless one "reads" the symbolic representations, one can miss the meaning given these films by their creators . The meaning may still work on us, but at a sub· conscious level . Today's producers use the same techniques. The role westerns played in teaching us about ourselves has been largely replaced by science fiction movies. Here too, the hero, the galactic setting, the villains, the technological hardware are all symbols repre· senting subtle meanings.

Are we, like the Hutterites, so enamored of the pictures and the story being told that we miss the real meaning? Are we, like a beginning foreignlanguage student, able to identify the symbols, but miss their meaning? Or have we worked to develop our media literacy skills enough to fully understand the intent of the creators?

For Christians, understanding symbolic representations is a powerful tool. With this tool mastered, we can better manage the impact media messages make on us and our families. And when we decide to critique a television program or a mm, we can do so with an integrity born out of the fact that we know what we are talking about.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT

A GUIDE FOR GROUP INTERACTION

SESSION 1 Subversive Christian s

Based on "S ubversive Faith, " pag e 7.

GET READY - Getting started

• What images come to mind when you hear the phrase "se nding secret and subver sive mes sages"?

GET SET - Examining the issues

1 What messages does society send regarding the consumption of people , news and material things?

2 In what ways do Christians send m ixed messages regarding those things and the truth of the gospel we say we believe?

3 The second secret me ss age involves forgiveness Do you agree with Smedes's definition of forgivene ss?

4. For a believer , what is the tension between one ' s " rights " and forgiveness?

5. What do we need to remember in order to live out the third secret message ?

GO - Apply ing idea s to the way we live

1 What motivates us to want to send po sitive subversi ve message s of truth , rather than to live the negative subversive messages of the world ?

2 . How can we let go of an unforgiving spirit toward someone ?

3 . Name one specific way you o r your congregation could send a secret message of justi ce

4 What kind of God -s ightings could you write about from your experience?

SESSION 2 Receiving new people

Ba sed on "Giving Visitors a Reason to Stay, "page 1O.

GET READY - Getting started

• Share your experience about choosing a church

GET SET - Examining the issues

1. What are the differences between "vi sitor s" and " guests " and al so " greeters" and " hosts"?

2 How and when are first impressions formed when people visit a church?

3. VYhat is the task of the service host?

4 . What are the keys to friendliness after the service?

5 Rr vi ew the five follow -up principles What is the key element of ea ch?

GO - Applying ideas to the way we live

1 How is steward ship related to the issue of welcoming guests?

2 . Review each section of the article and apply it to your local congregation In what ways can you affirm your

church? Where is there room for growth and change? What specifi c things could be done to improve your reception of new people?

SESSION 3 The power of reconciliation

Based on On the Journey, page 16

GET READY - Getting s tarted

• Share a per sonal story about a " new " experience

GET SET - Examining the issues

1 What seemingly negative things are referred to in the article, both in Buschman 's initial arrival in Morocco and in the event s surrounding th e bombing of the cathedral in England?

2 . What are the posit ive rays of light and hope that occurred in those same situations?

3 Study 2 Corinthian s 5 :11 - 6 :2 What are the biblical principle s that apply to the issues of the article?

GO - Applying idea s to the way we live

1 How do you relate your life to the iss ues of promi ses kept , God -sent en couragement in times of discouragement , and resurrection out of destruction?

2 Spend som e time praising God for his faithfulne ss

3 A sk God to show you if there is a person or situation where your m inistry of reconciliation is needed

SESSION 4 The Bible and sCience

Based on question 1, Inquiring Minds, page 15.

GET READY - Getting started

• Does the top ic of science and the Bible interest you? Why or why not?

GET SET - Examining the issu es

1 Why does Hein differentiate between microevolution and macroevolution?

2 . What does it mean for both sc ien ce and Christianity to become more humble?

3 . What is the ultimate purpo se of Scripture? What happen s when we use it for other purposes?

GO - Applying ideas to the way we live

1 How do you think the Bibl e and science are related?

2 If your church addresses the se issues, how and where do they do so? Does the issue need more or less attention in your congregation?

3 In what ways have you recently observed the marvels of God's creative work from creation itself , Scripture or scientific reading?

by Nadine Friesen.

Two women who touched the world

THE DEATH OF Britain's Princess Diana has awakened what Billy Graham calls an "unprecedented international preoccupation with the uncertainty and brevity of life." Graham adds, "More than any other time I can recall, the global village has stopped to reflect-not just on her death, but on our own mortality."

One week to the day after Princess Diana's "unique funeral for a unique woman," India honored Mother Teresa, Calcutta's "Saint of the Gutters," with a state funeral.

"As Princess Diana was a queen of the hearts of millions of people, so Mother Teresa was a queen of the spiritual hearts of countless individuals on every continent. We admire both of them in different ways," Graham says.

Diana was a celebrity longing for love and

one who loved life," Carey said. "She was deeply committed to people, to issues, to causes."

I don't agree with everything for which these women stood. And I realize only God knows where they will spend eternity. However, I wish I could better imitate these twoseeing God in everyone as Mother Teresa did, and personally caring for and embracing the maimed, sick and dying with little regard for social pOSition as Princess Diana did. I need a share of that blind love. Both women saw the ugly outcasts of our world and touched them-physically as individuals and corporately as a cause to be promoted.

Mother Teresa said poor people don't die of hunger because God forgot them, but because "neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she acceptance. She was a princess who used her status to draw the world's attention to causes she cared about most-the homeless, cancer and AIDS patients, people with leprosy, sick children, and at the time of her death the campaign against land mines.

In contrast, Mother Teresa became a celebrity because she had a heart full of love

International figures needed."

What they needed, she said, .was God. like Princess Diana and Mother Teresa can "You will be surprised to know that in the poorest neighborhoods ... the fIrst thing (peol pIe) ask for is not bread or clothes They ask

inspire young people ,; us to teach them the Word of God. People are hungry for God. They long to hear His Word ." to minister to the I'm thankful Mennonite Brethren take seriously Christ's call to discipleship and its demand that we demonstrate concern and for God and people-the "poorest of the poor." needs of people.

I admire both of these women because they helped people most of us wish to ignore. For all their human frailties, they are wonderful examples of service-minded individuals.

Christians have been critical of both women. Protestants are put off by Mother Teresa's enthusiasm for Catholicism. We recognize her good works but wonder if she is really a Christian. The British writer Adrian Plass answers that question with one of his own: "Ah yes, but how many fLIthy beggars have you washed this week?"

Billy Graham says Mother Teresa "has taught Christians of all persuasions many lessons of humble sacrifice, vision and dedication to the Person of Christ. She has taught us the true meaning of love ."

Christians point out that Princess Diana was fascinated by astrology, psychics and New Age thinkers in spite of being raised' an Anglican Conservative columnist Cal Thomas suggests -that Diana had "lost her soul," a matter overlooked by the English clergy in their rush to commend her good deeds, according to Thomas.

Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey said that while the princess had faith in God, she was not the type of woman who wore her religion on her sleeve. "I knew her as some-

compassion for the needs around us. Our two colleges believe this and, as reported elsewhere in this issue , include service activities as part of new student orientation.

MB Missions/ Services focuses on evangelism, leadership training and church planting outside North America. Mennonite Central Committee offers humanitarian aid "in the name of Christ." Both approaches are valid.

International fIgures like Princess Diana and Mother Teresa can inspire young people to minister to the needs of others. I hope young women in particular will consider their · example. Today it is difficult for North American Mennonite Brethren to fully accept the gifts of service offered by women The General Conference Board of Faith and Life informed delegates this summer that we will need to contino ue to discuss this issue . I pray that when they are grown, our daughters will fInd acceptance as they serve our congregations and conferences.

Whatever the institutional challenges Christians face, Jesus's challenge to discipleship remains the same. Christ calls us to visit the sick, feed the hungry and take in the stranger. "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me ." -CF