December ‘17 - Issue 68 - trimonthly magazine - P206948
R LPH Magazine of the Belgian Evangelical Mission
BEM presents its new book p.4 kurt and the king p.8 Christmas column p.10
Zalig Kerstfeest Joyeux NoĂŤl Frohe Weihnachten Merry Christmas
This is a joint edition of BEM United Kingdom and BEM Inc. United States
editorial
Throw your net on the other side
Kurt Maeyens
In B.E.M. at this time we’re actively engaged in trying to understand how God wants to use our mission to bring the Gospel to contemporary society. While considering this question, we were struck by the verse in John Chapter 21 verse 6 ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ Just imagine,- the disciples are fishing on the Sea of Galilee and have caught nothing. And someone shouts from the shore, “Have you got any fish to go with my bread?” “No” they yell back. “Then throw your net on the other side.” And they do it, even if they’ve fished all night to no avail, and even if they still don’t know who it is who’s speaking to them. Jesus calls us to leave our comfort zones and to throw our net on the other side. God wants us to be His hands and His feet. He wants our identity in Him to shine out to everyone around us. He wants our hearts to be moved by the destiny of all those don’t yet know God. He grieves that we’re ‘consumers’ Sunday after Sunday, that our top priority is our own well-being. He calls us to throw our nets on the other side.
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Can’t we see those in the world who are lost? We need to get out of our comfortable ‘bubbles’! Isn’t this the example Jesus gave us when He came down to earth? (Philippians 2 v.5-8) Christmas teaches us that Jesus left the glory of heaven, His comfort zone, to take on the form of a frail little baby. He put aside all His divine rights to come and save a lost world. Moved by our plight, God gave what was dearest to Him– His own Son. The Triune God ‘threw His net on the other side.’ He calls us to do the same. Throw your net on the other side. Don’t be afraid to leave your own little Christian world and go out into the world. Go and find the hearts that God has prepared in advance. Ask Him where He wants you to make a difference. My deepest desire is that we might have an impact for good on the society in which we live, because we’re placing our trust in God, because we’re loving our neighbour. Happy Christmas!
refers to Ralph Norton. Ralph and his wife Edith founded the Belgian Evangelical Mis-
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sion in 1918. The BEM has a desire to bring the Gospel to the Belgian population. This magazine keeps you posted on our work and our workers.
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Editor Luc Salsac
Team Eunice Parodi - Ciara Goossens Kathy Oost - Jan Willem Vink
Contact Bd Lambermont, 158 1030 Brussels Tel: +32(0)2/241.30.15. E-mail: information@b-e-m.org Website: www.b-e-m.org Facebook: Belgian Evangelical Mission
news in brief Expressé, update New calendars and much more… The 2018 calendars have arrived! Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our bookshops to order any of these terrific tools for sharing gospel truths in a very attractive format. And for your Christmas gifts, think BEM bookshops (LBL or HGB). There’s a wide choice of Bibles, books for young and old, in addition to beautiful watercolours, or attractive mugs with bible verses -all waiting for you in our bookshops in Brussels, Courtrai, Ghent, Genk, Liège and Leuven. For further details go to www.hetgoedeboek.be or www.lebonlivre.be
Renovations are going full steam ahead in the former café which is gradually being transformed into a welcoming space where the fragrance of Christ can be shared - but it’s all taking longer than expected. For example, the roof needs to be completely redone. This is not all bad, it gives us the opportunity to re-focus our priorities, let the neighbours see who we are and begin to establish good relationships with them... So in one sense the ministry has already begun. Please pray for the necessary finances, for willing and capable volunteers, and for God to send a missionary to work here either full-time, or nearly full-time.
André Cools, 40 years in Arlon
New children’s club in Gembloux
Hoogstraten becomes independent
On September 1st 1977, André Cools moved to Arlon. The fellowship was small, rather sad, and there were no young people. But this just made André more determined. Today the church welcomes young and old alike and looks after their spiritual growth. As a result of André and Annie’s hard work the BEM mission post in Arlon is well-known locally, gets involved with the community, and is open to outsiders while remaining focussed on the essential; sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. To find out more, visit www.b-e-m.org
The super heroes of ‘Boost’ landed in Gembloux this summer, and they’ve stayed on! We’re pleased to say that the enthusiasm generated by a week of evangelism this summer is still going strong, with the BEM mission post in Gembloux holding a Saturday afternoon children’s club once a month. And on top of this, amazingly, the local authority is providing the premises completely free of charge. The full version of the story can be found on our website www.b-e-m. org
After twenty three years as pastoral couple in Hoogstraten, Corneel and Lia Crezee are handing over to three elders. The mission post is joining the Flemish Free Church denomination (the VEG) which includes over 31 churches. Asked about their future, Corneel and Lia replied: “Our wedding text was Jeremiah 17 v. 7-8. Its message that the one who trusts in God bears fruit even in a dry season has always been the guiding principle of our life. We want to continue building his Kingdom in Belgium.” RALPH | 3
BEM presents its new book
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#PRAY 4
BELGIUM
The B.E.M. centenary is coming up fast, and in view of this we’re publishing a book entitled #Pray4Belgium. Published in Dutch in November 2017, we’ll let you know when the French, English and German versions become available. This short book tells the stories of ten B.E.M. workers, not just pioneers and visionaries of the past, but also some missionaries of today. #Pray4Belgium is in fact the shorter version of the book Your Word is Truth, by Henk van Dorp, (BEM pastor in Brakel) due to come out in 2018. Let’s hear what he has to say.
Henk, your book Your Word is Truth is almost finished, and #Pray4Belgium has already come out. How are you feeling at the end of two years of research – ecstatic? euphoric? Not exactly euphoric perhaps, but I’m certainly thankful to have been able to give so much time to this. I didn’t have much confidence in my own ability when I was asked to write a book. But I’ve been putting my trust in God, knowing He would help me.
“I realised there were many inspiring stories just waiting to be told, so I decided to try and put them down on paper.”
It’s been full on! But I’ve treated it a bit like being on a spiritual retreat, and it’s really challenged me to grow
in my faith. Why two books? The aims are different. One is a longer book, quite detailed which treats the subject more in-depth. It tells the story of the first 100 years of BEM, and is addressed to those with a special interest in the history of missions. The other book is more accessible. It includes shorter versions of the biographies from the first book, along with testimonies from today’s missionaries. The shorter book is a joint effort, written in collaboration with several colleagues.
“It talks about what God has done in Belgium, and brings the story right up to date.”
Can you describe #Pray4Belgium in four words? It’s informative – it talks about what God’s been doing in Belgium, and brings it right up to date. Next, involvement: we want to encourage people to give financially and to pray for the BEM. Thirdly, the book is a thank-offering to honour God. And lastly, it promotes mission– because a lot of people find it difficult to believe that Belgium is actually still a mission field! Which chapter of #Pray4Belgium would you specially recommend? It’s difficult to choose one chapter, because it’s the whole story that makes the book so fascinating. But the story of Hilde is very special. She’s a Belgian woman who received a call from God,
to which she responded by dedicating her life to Him, but at enormous personal cost. That chapter is definitely one to recommend. (You can find part of Hilde’s testimony on page 10) What motivated you to write this book? In 2009 Johan Lukasse, a former Director of the BEM, gave a talk during which he recounted several amazing anecdotes about the Mission. I’d been in the Mission for years, but I’d never heard these before. I realised there were many inspiring stories just waiting to be told, so I decided to try and put them down on paper. Several books have already been written about the history of the BEM – why do we need another one? It’s true that, since the beginning of the BEM, a few dozen books have been written about the Mission but they were often aimed at American or English supporters. Or sometimes they dealt with one particular period of our history. Up till now, nothing’s been written in Dutch or French covering the whole history of the BEM. So that situation was crying out to be remedied!
“My aim is that these two books change people’s lives: I want them to come to know God better.”
What is the aim of the two books? I think it’s quite normal for any organ-
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isation to celebrate their hundredth anniversary. So that’s the aim of Your Word is Truth – it’s a book which brings together the whole story and makes it available to everyone. My aim is that these two books change people’s lives: I want them to come to know God better. And I also hope that non-Christians will read them, and be impressed by what God can do... Do you plan to write another book in the future? Yes, writing’s become a passion for me, one that I’ve only discovered in the past few years. So yes, I’d love to write the story of the development of the ministry God’s given my wife Trijnie and me. But I hope, above all, that my work will encourage others to put pen to paper and write their own stories.
■ To receive your copy At present #Pray4Belgium is only available in Dutch. We’ll keep you informed about the date of publication in French, English and German. But if you’d like a copy in Dutch, follow these instructions: To cover the cost of publishing and postage, we ask you to make a gift of at least 5€. Please go to www.b-e-m.org/nl/#pray4belgium-nl to sign up. If you don’t have internet access, please send your contact details to the BEM, 158 Boulevard Lambermont – 1030 Bruxelles-Belgium. ‘Your Word is Truth’ is due to be published in 2018. In order to respect privacy laws we commit ourselves to ensuring that your address will only be used to keep you informed about the work of the BEM. Your details will not be passed on to a third party. RALPH | 6
Photo abdij: RiB
This is what the Lord Almighty said: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another (Zechariah 7:9)
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KURT and the king This month, we celebrate Christmas. We remember Jesus, born in a stable in Bethlehem. We celebrate the Incarnation, God becoming Man. Jesus came to bring hope to a broken world. In working on the new strategy for the BEM, we’ve been reminding ourselves of this key moment of the Incarnation, and reflecting on how we can make the Gospel relevant to our contemporaries. One result was that on September 28th, the BEM organised a study day for the Flemish leaders, in partnership with the organisation Compassion, on the theme of social justice (see photo page 7).
In his last Christmas message, King Philippe underlined the link between hope and social justice. At the close of a year marked by terrorist attacks in Brussels and Zaventem, he said, “The events of this last year, in Belgium, in Europe and elsewhere in the world, make us very uneasy about the future. Many are worried about their jobs, their income, their security. But today, I want to bring you a message of hope. Right across the country, the Queen and I have been impressed by a number of quite remarkable projects, to which citizens commit themselves without reserve, motivating others to follow suit. I see men and women who dare to interact with others in sincerity and
“Right across the country, the Queen and I have been impressed by a number of quite remarkable projects, to which citizens commit themselves without reserve.” truth. I saw it for myself on the occasion of a recent visit to an institution offering a family-type environment to adults with mental deficiencies. Meeting others without prejudice, and with tenderness; recognising the other perRALPH | 8
son’s frailties, as well as one’s own. I was impressed and overwhelmed by the energy liberated by this approach in the lives of the individuals concerned. Gentleness is a strength.” “I was touched by these words”, explains Kurt Maeyens, Flemish Director of the BEM. “They made me think again about the way I’m involved in the world, about my reactions to the poor, the vulnerable, the widows, the refugees.” During this special day for leaders, Kurt described his struggle with the issue of social justice. “It’s an enormous privilege to serve the Lord full-time as BEM director. It’s wonderful to work with Christians, to guide them, to encourage them in their lives as disciples, to help them trust God entirely. I’m very grateful for it. However, I can’t help asking myself if I’m using my time in the best way. “For Jesus, the Gospel works in two ways, bringing the Good News to people and being concerned about my neighbour as a person in his own right, by helping him in a given situation. Evangelism is the proclamation of the Gospel going hand in hand with social justice.” “To be really honest, I would say that our evangelism often comes from our deep desire to bring souls to Christ, but
we can overlook the question of their well-being. As we try our best to make the Good News accessible and comprehensible to all, our message can sometimes be reduced to a kind of fire insurance policy. Once you’ve got the contract in your hand, your soul is saved, so to speak and the pressure appears to us to be off so we relax. However, proclaiming the Gospel is much more than just talking about the Good News.”
“As we try our best to make the Good News accessible and comprehensible to all, our message can sometimes be reduced to a kind of fire insurance policy.” “In order to better understand and experience a fraction of what poverty really means, one day I walked into a supermarket with no shoes on. At that moment I felt the unconditional love of God and His care for the world. I had the
conviction that I should not only speak about the message of hope, but become myself a message of hope.” “Throughout its history the church has seen Christians rising up to do good in the heart of their society; bringing in education for all, for example, the creation of orphanages, the abolition of slavery, care for the vulnerable.” Kurt told of the growing desire of his local church, the mission post in Aalst, ‘Het Kruispunt’(‘The Crossroads’), to become involved in the local community. They’ve already met with the local authority and asked about specific needs, and how the church could help. They were told of teenage mothers, mostly of African origin. Since then, the church has set up a working group to evaluate what they can do practically. “In Luke 4 v.14-21, we read that Jesus came to announce the Good News to the poor, to proclaim freedom to the prisoners. Jesus challenges me; he invites me to follow him and do likewise.”
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O
the edith column Eunice Parodi
To be taken with a pinch of salt! There are those who love Christmas celebrations, and there are those who can’t understand why ever people are making such a fuss§. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you which side of the fence I’m on! For me the excitement begins when I bring the Christmas decorations down from the attic on the 25th November. Ah! One whole month to remember the coming of Christ to earth…. I’m champing at the bit waiting for the Christmas trees to be put on sale. Perhaps we’d do better to buy an artificial tree next year, then I could already be getting on with emptying my box of tree decorations and putting it away. To help pass the time, I get busy in the kitchen; I try out every traditional Christmas recipe on the planet – Plätzchen, brune kager, mince pies…. On December 1st, the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world reigns in our living-room. The Christmas crib is perched up on the sideboard. It would be such a pity if the children were to break any of the little figures. The Advent calendar, with the daily treats, is ready to hand; it’ll take us right up to the day of Jesus’ birth. On the eve of December 6th, quiet as a mouse, I place by the fireplace the St. Nicholas gifts that I’ve taken a whole month to choose. It’s so difficult to know how to keep the right balance between St Nicholas gifts and the Christmas gifts! I find it such a challenge: how do you manage it? The next morning we mustn’t forget the home-made speculoos biscuits for the teachers. At tea-time there’s hot chocolate with Chantilly cream topped with grated hazelnut, and we munch a biscuit. Then we make home-made gifts for the grandparents and watch a Christmas classic on Netflix. In the following weeks I finish the shopping – we mustn’t forget anyone. The Christmas event at church is fast approaching and I’ve been asked to contact everyone who’s taking part in the programme, a task right up my street. Oh, it is such a joy to celebrate Christ’s birth in church! But who’s providing the cougnous* and the cocoa this year? A few days later, I’m drawing up the menu for the ‘Réveillon’ our Christmas Eve dinner. It’ll be quite simple (after all our children are still small) but it has to be perfect, of course. And then on the morning of December 25th we’ll give a (bit of ) moment’s thought to Jesus again. Well, after all,-this whole month – it is in honour of Him, isn’t it? * Delicious Belgian Christmas buns – nothing like the buns sold as ‘Belgian buns’ in England! RALPH | 10
“ ne evening, I cried out to God from the depths of my heart; ’God, can anybody help me? If anyone exists, it can only be You, but where are You?’” You’ll find this poignant cry from the heart in the testimony of Hilde Deleebeeck, part of the book “Pray 4 Belgium.” Here’s an extract just to whet your appetite.
I was a cheerful child and, like my mother, a real chatterbox. This did not, however, stop me from taking life very seriously and from thinking deeply. At twelve, I already knew that I wanted to be a maths teacher and it looked as if nothing could stop me from realising my dream. I was happy and had a lot of friends at school. But when I was 16 or 17, something changed. Doubts came crowding in: ‘Should I really become a maths teacher? What if I make the wrong choice, will I be happy? Suppose I can’t find a job? And then if I find one, what if I don’t enjoy it? What if I marry?
extract from Pray4 Belgium
And what if I don’t?” I was completely lost. I longed to be happy, but how could I be sure of being happy? What was the way ahead? I realised I couldn’t control my future. I found that so difficult to accept! From a young girl so full of life, I gradually changed into a silent, insecure adolescent. I plunged myself frantically into my studies and then developed an eating disorder. And when I failed my exams, my parents and friends really began to worry. Several people close to me tried their best to help me, but I couldn’t see the way out. Nobody seemed to have an answer to my questions. One evening, I cried out to God from the depths of my heart; ‘God, can anybody help me? If anyone exists, it can only be You, but where are You?’ I had always believed in God but I’d always thought of Him as far away. I decided to take advantage of my three month school holiday to read the whole Bible. Being sure that my R. E. teacher, a priest, would not mind, I planned to read it in one go rather than in smaller portions every day. I started with Genesis and kept going till I reached Leviticus. Then I put the book aside exclaiming – ‘This doesn’t make any sense!’ I didn’t understand any of it! Fortunately, there was a solution; a classmate told me that two students were organising weekly bible studies during the lunch break. I was touched from
the very first moment. Listening to these students, I saw that, to them, God was not distant but present, and that for them the Bible was their guide for their everyday lives. I knew this was what I’d been looking for and what I needed. It was as if the book opened up to me and the Word became alive and spoke to me personally. I felt as if I was on cloud nine. The dark valley I’d been wandering in for the last few years had disappeared. I felt so happy! Would you like to know what happens next? For more details see page 6.
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Working with the B.E.M. ■ Secretary/receptionist He or she should be Dutch-speaking with a good knowledge of French and English. He or she must enjoy working with people and also enjoy doing administration.
■ Full-time accountant for the Mission office
We are looking for a new colleague who is trained in accountancy and financial administration and has a good working knowledge of the field.
for the Bible-Expo ■ Coordinator We need someone with a gift for organisation, coordination and communication.
Do you have a heart for Belgium? In B.E.M. we want to be passionate about answering Jesus’ call to proclaim the Good News in Belgium. And we want what we do to be relevant to our contemporaries. Jesus sees the hopelessness of the situation of people who are cut off from God, alienated from Him. From this same compassion comes our longing to bring people into contact with Jesus. He is the way to the heart of God. A colleague told me recently that he’d been visiting churches with a photo of someone in a terrible state: hungry, under-nourished, and sick. He told church members that Belgium is a rich country; but that paradoxically, the spiritual state of 98.5% of Belgians is just like the physical state of the man in this photo. Doesn’t this immediately make you want to serve God with your gifts? There are different ways to do this, of course. One of them is to join the BEM – either fulltime, part-time or as a volunteer. Join our team Do you want to give your life to God’s service? Do you want to use the gifts He’s given you by joining us in proclaiming the Gospel in Belgium in words and deeds? You do? Then you’re the person we need!
Details are available on our website: www.b-e-m.org Peter Hartman - Office Manager
donation@b-e-m.org 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”