2019-06 RALPH_EN by VIANOVA

june - august 2019

R LPH Road journal

editorial - living by proxy or by participation? p.2 one for all - all for one p.4 a new team of directors for vianova p.5 EXPRESSĂŠ, a place for participation p.11

| EDITORIAL

Living by proxi or by participation? Yann Parodi AGORA Team

As parents of four young children, my wife and I have been able to observe, from when we had our first little one, that their desire to participate in what is going on begins very early in life. In our home, this was first apparent at mealtime. We had to let her participate as best she could when she wanted to equip herself with the spoon to address the task at hand. Too bad for what that meant for the cleaning of the corners of a highchair that was manifestly not conceived for the first such experiment by the uninitiated. We learned the hard way that to refuse this act of freedom was to provoke an instinctive rebellion--a hunger strike. The mouth shuts, the body wriggles, as if to say: “If I can’t participate, I won’t eat!” Paradoxically, we discovered the opposite phenomenon just a few months later. I remember this stage especially with our second child. He had been feeding himself with the spoon for several weeks when he looked at me and said, “Oh, I’m tired, will you feed me?” What had happened? It was if he had lost interest in the task, as if he had just needed to know that he could do it himself but still preferred us to do it for him.

Our life in the West is like this. We like to live an adventure, but we are in the habit of experiencing it through the heroes of our novels, films and TV series. Are we not equally in the habit of living by proxy through a missionary that has been sent out… in my place, the evangelist who evangelises... in my place, the prophet who exhorts… in my place, the pastor who cares for the flock… in my place, the teacher who reveals the treasures of the Scriptures… in my place? What effect can this have on a community in the long term? Unfortunately, we know the answer only too well, don’t we? Might we not allow these ministries to EQUIP the Community, so that it can participate rather than doing it all ourselves (Eph. 4 v.12)? And we who are in the ‘ministry’, are we not in danger of equipping the uninitiated who is on the journey with “his spoon”? What would happen if a Christian organisation were to deliberately choose participation as its core value?

RALPH Norton founded the Belgian Evangelical Mission, renamed VIANOVA in 2019. The quarterly column written by different ladies in our organisation is called EDITH, after his wife. This magazine is like a road journal that will bring you along on our journey as we see a thriving movement of integrated Communities of disciples of Jesus throughout Belgium.

Editor Jan Wisse Painting (cover page) Wendy Bartel Subscription Trimonthly magazine - free Subscribe/unsubscribe: info@vianova.be Production Quality Dots B.V. RALPH | 2

Contact Romboutsstraat 7 1932 Zaventem - BELGIUM Tel: +32(0)2/241.30.15. E-mail: info@vianova.be Website: www.vianova.be • Facebook: vianova.be Twitter: vianova_be • YouTube: VIANOVA Privacy We protect our subscribers’ privacy: https://www.vianova.be/fr/declarationvieprivee (FR)

Erik Hartman joined VIANOVA in March to strengthen the PR team with video material. Erik, 21, studied design and production technology at university. After completing his education, he decided to follow a six-month programme of Mission Discipleship Training in South Africa before launching his career. During these six months, Erik formed his personal vision. He decided to work 4 out of 5 days as a mechanical designer and for a mission organisation in Belgium 1 day a week. His motto is: “Missions is a lifestyle, wherever I am.” This motto makes it clear that vacation from the mission Jesus gives us doesn’t exist. Erik wants to pass this on to young people in particular, that the mission of Jesus must shape their daily lives.

We look back with deep gratitude on the special anniversary day on May 11th, where we celebrated 100 years of the Belgian Evangelical Mission. We thanked God with all our heart for His faithfulness! We are also thankful for the anniversary book, Your Word is the Truth, which was presented during the celebration. It felt a bit like the birth of a (bilingual) child, who was finally born after a long pregnancy. “Yet I don’t see it as my book”, says Henk van Dorp, the author. “It recounts a special spiritual legacy of missionary work in Belgium. It is intended to inspire us all to seize the opportunities that God gives us today.” Thank you also for your enthusiastic response to this book: more than 300 copies have already been ordered and sold!  www.vianova.be/nl/uw-woord-is-de-waarheid-blog  www.vianova.be/fr/ta-parole-est-la-verite-blog

| NEWS IN BRIEF

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… LIFT OFF! We are about to switch on the engines. Destination: the International Space Station! This summer, we enter into the test phase of the brand new programme from ‘La Courte Echelle’ (Boost)* -To Infinity. The launch base for astronaut L. Nowak will be set up in the Ganshoren area and in Herstal, but will the rocket really be able to take off? It looks as if the spacesuit will not be available in time… The astronaut is afraid. To whom can she turn? Who knows every star and holds her life in his hands? * VIANOVA’s children’s department RALPH | 3

participation

One for all - all for one The musketeers’ watchword is so close to the vision of the church, well, to two rather different visions… The first reflects the distortion of the ecclesiastical institution that puts the clergy at the centre: a priest, a pastor, to serve all the faithful, and all the faithful following (and perhaps financing) a leader. It’s a consumer church, like a restaurant where you come to ‘be fed’ by a professional who does it all, who prepares it all, who looks after everything, who has everything in hand. The second underlines Paul’s superb image: Jesus, Who alone is Saviour for us all1, to make of us one body, the church, where we all serve, each taking his part2, one Lord, Christ, Head of the Church, His Body3. It’s a church of par-

ticipation, from the kitchen workshop where each brings his own contribution to ‘feed the others’, each according to that which he has received of the Lord for the common good4.

But finally, we are all participating in God’s work in this world and in the church; we may plant and another may water, but it is God who makes it grow. We are fellow-workers in His field5.

And the expression ‘one another’ appears more than 50 times as though to reveal as many facets of reciprocity among the disciples of Jesus brought together in His Body, to love each other, to encourage each other, exhort each other, correct each other, confess to each other, submit to each other…. And what of the leaders then? They also are members of the body, but at the service of others to train, to facilitate, to coordinate, to supervise, to motivate everyone to play their part. These are the Christian Communities that we want to see developing, Communities of disciples of Jesus committed to the service of others, all flourishing in the role given them by God.

And VIANOVA is only one of the contributors who participate in God’s mission in our country. Each of our partners in Belgium and abroad, each donor, missionary or volunteer, Community leader, or one of the faithful, each of our ministries, churches, café, Bible-expo, groups of bikers, children, or seniors, each is carrying out the particular task that God has given them. Together, all for One. Rom. 5:15-17 Rom. 12:5 3 Eph. 5:23 4 1Cor. 12:7 5 1Cor. 3:5-9 1

Eric Zander RALPH | 4

A NEW TEAM OF DIRECTORS FOR

A new era and a new vision also require new leadership. In addition to this new management, we also looked for a new way of working. Whereas in the past we split Belgium into French-speaking and Dutch-speaking parts with a director and a council for each, we now opt for one management team for the whole of Belgium. Each director has different responsibilities covering the entire country. We hope that this will result in more unity and clearer policies.

strategy and general operation within VIANOVA, while the management team has more of an executive function.

We also appointed a new legal board. We sought wise men and women, searched among our partners and to keep ties with the Mission, we also looked among our members. Our goal is to always have a balanced 1/3-1/31/3 ratio. We are still looking for people (especially women) to strengthen this board. The board monitors the vision,

• Kurt Maeyens who takes care of everything to do with human resources, such as pastoral care within VIANOVA, recruitment, applications and placement.

Our transition year is now completed, as the new management team was appointed on 27 April. The team consists of four directors: • Peter Hartman who leads the VIANOVA administration team. This includes finances, legal responsibilities, resources and contracts.

• Eric Zander who is responsible for the vision, and new Christian communities, research and innovation are also

included. • Jan Wisse who is responsible for policy, existing ministries and for domestic and foreign partners. Jan is also the executive director and the direct point of contact for VIANOVA. In addition to the management team and the new board, we also want to appoint three coordinators. We have already found a coordinator for the literature ministry - we are going to merge Het Goede Boek and Le Bon Livre into one ministry. We are looking for a coordinator for all PR within VIANOVA, including fundraising. We hope to find someone with extensive experience in this field. Finally, we hope to appoint a coordinator for AGORA - this is the research, study, equipping and development department.

Jan Wisse

Peter Hartman

Kurt Maeyens

Eric Zander

Ministries

Administration

Human resources

Strategy

RALPH | 5

CELEBRATION - BEM Anniversary We are so thankful! Thankful that we could celebrate 100 years of the Belgian Evangelical Mission. Thankful that on this day we could begin a new chapter. The name of our organisation is now VIANOVA, a new way. Thankful for everyone that could celebrate together with us. Thankful for everyone who worked hard to make this event possi-

RALPH | 6

ble. Thankful for the great workshops, the wonderful time we had together, the praise evening with InSalvation. . . but above all, we thank God for the great things that He has done through the years in this country. We look forward to the future, because God will bring to completion what He has begun.

RALPH | 7

RECRUITS ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT (PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME) You enjoy working with figures, you have had training (and/or experience) in accounts, you are motivated and you want to serve the Gospel as part of our administrative team…? We are looking for an assistant for the daily accounts and the regular financial reports of our registered charities.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME) You enjoy following through the administrative side of a project, you enjoy correspondence, telephone contacts, translation. You are at ease with the IT tools used for administration, you have had training (and/or experience) in office work, you are motivated and want to serve the Gospel as part of our administrative team? We are looking for a multilingual administrative assistant, French/English and/or Dutch/English.

A TEAM MEMBER TO TAKE ON CO-RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CAFÉ EXPRESSÉ You have a heart for the folk around you, most particularly for those who do not (yet) know Jesus, you share our motivation for learning how to share the Gospel by means of natural and deliberate relationships, you are looking to join a team consecrated to incarnating Jesus in the heart of the town….? Our Café Expressé (in Gosselies) is looking for someone willing to take on co-responsibility for the development of the concept and for the supervision of the team.

APPRENTICE ENTREPRENEUR/DEVELOPERS OF COMMUNITIES You feel called to meet with those who don’t yet know Jesus and dream of accompanying them on the way of Jesus, you long to bring them together into Communities of authentic faith, you have a desire to learn and to serve…? We are looking for apprentices to learn together, with our experienced coaches, how to initiate and develop integrated Communities of disciples of Jesus.

Interested? Questions?  info@vianova.be RALPH | 8

i at cip

i rt pa in ce

ti ac pr

Anne & Déborah

Léa

Jérémie

knowing yourself better

waking up

keeping connected

articipation is both a basic value for La Courte Echelle (VIANOVA’s children’s department) and an aspect that we want to continue to develop. We supply the churches with tools for reaching out to children; we don’t do the activities for them, so they are obliged to participate! This means that the whole community can get involved. We have received a lot of feedback from those who have used our programmes witnessing to their amazement at being able to involve the adolescents or the older folk… everyone can join in! That’s when unsuspected talents come to light: one person is really gifted for drama, another for organising a game, yet another for telling the stories… Apart from participation from the communities, we aim at involving the children. We don’t aim at bringing them the Gospel ‘on a silver platter’, we want them to discover it for themselves This happens through the games, the welcome, the smiles, the love that we have for them, and, of course, thanks to the sketches and the Bible stories. And even in those, we try to imagine ways in which the children can participate in the stories and grasp for themselves the message for their lives. That is our challenge!

Interview: Eunice Parodi

omeone has said, “You won’t discover new oceans unless you dare to lose sight of the shore.” That’s why I am on ‘L’Autre Rive’ (the Other Bank). Why leave? Why leave the warmth of the Ans-Alleur church that I have known nearly all my life? Was it to make comparisons? Not at all. “When comparison comes through the door, love goes out of the window.” I left to go and meet a young community that values being embraced, supported, encouraged. The Sunday morning where you were welcomed with refreshments was enjoyable and then came the shock! Instead of the silent listener, more or less attentive, that you had been all your life, you became an actor, participating 100%. A song, a poem, a film clip, you are thrust right to the heart of the message--challenged, made to think, to change position, a message that must change our lives. We meet Bible people who have the same fears, the same weaknesses as ourselves, but for whose life God has a plan. A message that teaches us that, in our own lives, it’s not all about us but about God and our neighbour. A Christian community of both young and not so young who are sensitive to the needs of both those who are within the community and those outside. To love means learning to listen to the differences of others. Experiencing a service in Hannut is dynamite. Why not where you are? Participating means waking up!

n the beginning we were just eight adults. Now, seven years later, new folk have joined us and, especially, lots of children have been born! So then how can we allow for the responsibilities and the limitations of one and another, while still facilitating the kind of Christian community life that favours participation beyond the Sunday service? First tool – the app Viber that we have all downloaded onto our smartphones. We use our Community’s private group to share this and that - not just the practical info for the next agape – I regularly share a Bible passage or a song that has touched me. Someone will share a thought about the Sunday sermon, another will mention a subject for thanksgiving. And with Viber I can arrange a good time to meet up with someone so that we can continue our discussion, for nothing can replace ‘real’ meetings. Second tool – the live broadcasting system for our Tuesday evening groups. There are young parents. Some of our folk live a long way away or always arrive home late. So that these friends can still participate, our discussions are livestreamed; you only need to know the password in order to connect and take part using the associated chat box. Once again, this is a means, not an end. And I find more pleasure in getting together with my brothers and sisters over a cup of tea than when I am “adding my stone to the building” behind my screen…with 20 seconds delay! RALPH | 9

EDITH Share with me a ‘Peter moment’ (Acts 10:34)

Drienie Lombard VIANOVA Borgerhout

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Augustinus said, “You are to pay special attention to those who by accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into a closer connection with you”. Ostend 1999. On the Eben-Haëzer ship. Two South African teams (18 people) on board. As usual, dinner is a party! Suddenly a strange voice sounds from the doorway: “Good evening, you friendly people!” There stands a 25-year-old man. He gives us a friendly smile. Johan, from the South African team, invites him to come to our table. There is an immediate click between them. As the evening progresses we get to know this young man better. His name is Bert. Bert suffered brain damage and physical injury after a car accident. After this meeting, Bert became a daily guest on the ships. One morning Bert came with an unusual request: “Ma’am, can I help you distribute the packages today?” He looked at me with pleading eyes. What? That’s impossible! I had to say no, but an inner whisper stopped me. Hesitant and uncertain, I told Bert that he could set off with us. Our team leader thought this was a bad idea. “We don’t even know if Bert is a Christian! Surely a non-Christian can’t help spread the Gospel?!” I suggested that Bert go with me to the city and that I would take care of him. The team leader accepted the proposal and allowed Bert to come with me. No sooner said than done. I started distributing packages together with Bert. What an incredible day! Bert was known and loved everywhere. His childish kindness opened hearts and doors. Never have I had so many conversations with so many people accepting the packages! I was extremely grateful that I was allowed to see God at work through Bert. That same evening. A prayer meeting on the ships. There are many people on board. Church members from everywhere come to pray with us. During the coffee break, I hear whispers behind me. I turn around. I am so surprised. I see Bert standing in a corner with his hands raised. His lips move, tears roll down his cheeks. Our eyes meet. Bert comes towards me. He grabs my hands and whispers: “Ma’am ... ma’am ... I was able to talk to the Lord for the first time!” At Your feet Lord, we become one through Your grace and Your love binds us together. RALPH | 10

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A PLACE FOR PARTICIPATION Hello Geneviève, two years ago, when RALPH announced the Expressé project, you opted for a double black espresso, no milk or sugar. After months and months of work, have you changed your choice of fuel? No, it is still my daily choice. Except that it has been given the name ‘Doppio’ at Expressé. And now that we roast the coffee ourselves here, it is even better! And now Expressé is open. Your ten-year dream is finally underway. How do you feel? What are your impressions? I am impressed by the enthusiasm of a good number of the folk who live, study or work in the area. Many have said that they have felt a sense of peace, of harmony, of calm. For these first weeks the team has been concentrating on the practical aspects of running the café, but we have already been able to establish relationships, to discuss deeper, even intimate things, including faith. You are working with a team of volunteers. Can you describe in what way their presence reflects the concept of ‘participation’ so dear to VIANOVA? The volunteers come from several different churches in the region. It is lovely to know that we are brothers and sisters in Jesus. One same Spirit unites us, while still allowing for our differences to enrich the group. Some of them, too shy to talk to the customers, prefer to serve in the kitchen. Others like to keep active (cleaning, preparing the drinks) while yet others like to just sit and chat or play Scrabble with the customers. Training in counselling for several team-members has already shown itself to be useful. The various activities that we will soon be offering will also allow the team and certain customers to use their gifts to the benefit of the group (board games, floral art, foreign language conversation…).

| INTERVIEW Do other individuals participate in the life of the café? Yes, the watercolourist whose work is currently on display brings an artistic touch. One lady, a new customer, wants to suggest a floral art workshop, another board games for children. We have put out a suggestion box, and all proposals and requests are welcome. We are not short of ideas. However, it all needs wise management. And the readers of RALPH, can they participate? Yes, of course! We need help to cover the cost of the renovations. You can always come and drink a coffee/tea/ smoothie etc. and pray a silent prayer. If you know folk who live or work in the region, you can give them a gift voucher to introduce us to them. Another possibility – join the team.

From Wednesday to Saturday 11:00 - 18:00 Place Albert 1er, 6 6041 Gosselies  www.expresse.org calvairegosselies

Interview: Eunice Parodi RALPH | 11

OPENING - 21st september 2019 We have officially moved to the Romboutsstraat in Zaventem and have left the Norton Houses behind! We are enormously grateful to God for our new headquarters. The building offers many possibilities with a

lot of potential to accommodate new projects. We would like to invite you to come and see our new building for yourself. The door is wide open for everyone on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 . In

addition to viewing the building, there will also be some special activities. Keep an eye on our website (www. vianova.be) to find out more about this celebratory opening. Hope to see you at Romboutsstraat!

donation@vianova.be United States BEM Inc PO Box 2255 Buford , GA 30515 Tel: 001 404.248.7868 USBEM@bellsouth.net Lisa_rob_clark@bellsouth.net Bank info: Routing: 061000227 Account: 2000127122209

United Kingdom Belgian Evangelical Mission – UK PO Box 617 Epsom, Surrey KT17 9JQ Bank account: CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ Sort code: 40 52 40 Account Number: 00008831

“The Belgian Evangelical Mission – UK is a registered charity n°247192 and a registered data user”