| EDITORIAL
Tie together what God gives!
Peter Hartman Director of Administration
As a child I grew up among the flowers. My father had a rose nursery with different varieties, colours and sizes. There were always flowers in our home. Later, as a teenager, I did holiday work at a flower wholesaler. There I came into contact with hundreds of varieties of flowers, and bouquets from different varieties of flowers were assembled. At one of the seminars during the AGORA100 symposium last November in Leuven, we were asked to draw a picture of our thoughts on the word “community”; I drew a large bouquet of flowers in a vase. Every person is like a beautiful flower; there are so many different varieties, sizes and colours. But if you don’t put a flower in water, it doesn’t bloom but withers very quickly. Jesus is the source of living water and He calls us to come and drink from Him (John 7:37, 38). If you become a disciple of Jesus, you receive the living water from Him freely (Rev. 22:17).
Editor Jan Wisse artwork cover page Benny Raemdonck Subscription Trimonthly magazine - free Subscribe/unsubscribe: info@vianova.be Production Quality Dots B.V. - Printed on FSC paper
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You receive, as it were, a place in His vase of water. One flower in a vase does bloom, but it does not form a beautiful bouquet. Moreover, the flower is starkly alone. God wants nothing more than that many different flowers together form a beautiful bouquet. Together the flowers show something of God’s beautiful creation and radiate His love. A community of disciples of Jesus Christ makes an aspect of God visible to the world. That is what we want to do as VIANOVA: bring disciples of Jesus Christ together in community like a florist combines different flowers into a bouquet. God provides all the materials: the vase, the flowers and the water. We want to make sure that the bouquet is always in sufficient water, always connected to the source of living water, so that it can constantly absorb water and blossom.
Contact Romboutsstraat 7 1932 Zaventem BELGIUM Tel: +32(0)2/241.30.15. E-mail: info@vianova.be • ralph@vianova.be www.vianova.be • facebook.com/vianova.be • vianova.be/youtube Privacy We protect our subscribers’ privacy: www.vianova.be/fr/declarationvieprivee (FR)
? Question ? & Answer ? A Q F ? A Q ? A ?F Q ? A ? F ? Q? A? F?
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WHAT DOES MEAN IT TO ‘JOURNEY’ WITH PEOPLE TOGETHER?
IS THE NEW VISION ONLY FOR MISSIONARIES? HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED?
After people have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus, a journey of discipleship and sanctification follows that goes on for the rest of their life. The story does not end with conversion. When we have passed through the narrow gate, we have not yet reached our final destination. The narrow gate is followed by a narrow road. We must keep moving and travel further on the narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14).
VIANOVA wants to stimulate and encourage people who have a desire to start communities. We want to bring together people who long to make disciples where they are. Our new vision is not just for missionaries, but for everyone who feels called and supports this vision. Do you want to reflect Jesus at work, in your neighbourhood, in your swim club ...? Do you want to make disciples of Jesus and bring them together in communities? Then please contact us! We look forward to exploring together how we can help each other.
No matter at what point on the road someone is, we are all on the road together and we help each other to follow Jesus. We also want to take those who have not yet entered the gate with us on our journey so that more and more of ‘Jesus’ can be seen in their lives. Our focus is no longer on a moment of conversion but on the journey towards Jesus.
info@vianova.be
Do you have questions for us, or comments? Is there something you are not clear about or would you just like to send us a compliment? Whether you have a simple question or something more difficult to ask about the new vision, the
new strategy, please don’t hesitate to email us at ralph@vianova.be . Each time, we will include a selection of your reactions together with our answers. We will be writing this section with you!
trimonthly magazine - Issue 76 P206948
December 2019 - February 2020
R LPH Road journal
3D
Editorial - Radical obedience
| p.2
Second Stage: shaping disciples
| p.6
The AGORA100 Symposium
| p.9
Living in 3 Dimensions
| p.11
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| NEWS IN BRIEF
Camp de Limauges
BETHELD
CAMP LIMAUGES Who has never been to camp in Limauges? Many of us came to know the Lord Jesus there. But a lot has changed. The buildings have been renovated and have undergone a transformation, but also the legislation has changed to such an extent that it was necessary to bring in an expert. We found such an expert in the Bettelt group. They work in the Netherlands but were on
the verge of internationalisation when we knocked on their door. We found that they were willing to take over the operation of the camp. It is important that in our partnership, the operation of the camp still comes first, while the business (and the legalities) are not forgotten. Be sure to take a look at the new website of Betteld Limauges!
www.betteld-limauges.be
DRIENIE LOMBARD - BAIE DANKIE! Drienie came to Belgium from South Africa in 1998, after a clear call from the Lord to share the Gospel in our country. She supported congregations in evangelism activities and coordinated the South African teams that came to our country. Drienie also coordinated the Bible-Expo for many years and in 2001 began a study on how the BEM could reach the Moroccan population in Belgium. This ministry grew and soon Drienie focused on all people from an Islamic background. She taught believers about evange-
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lism among Muslims and in 2010 she founded De Brug/Al Jeser, a meeting place around culture and faith. After 22 years of working in Belgium, Drienie returned to her homeland at the age of 74. “God provided, opened doors and gave a vision for a new ministry in South Africa. I continue with His mission: to share the Gospel and encourage people to grow in the Lord. But first I will take a moment to catch my breath and reintegrate into South Africa,” said Drienie.
PRAY FOR OUR
WORKERS
Hilde Deleebeeck has completed her ministry in Brakel and has moved to Heusden-Zolder. Together with Reiner & Angela Jursch and a local team she wants to make a difference in Heusden-Zolder. She wants to be part of the village and reflect Jesus in the place where she lives. Will you pray that Jesus will be seen and that people will come into contact with Him?
Jochem & Febe Beunckens are a young couple who signed up to work at Het Goede Boek in Genk. They are currently in the process of building up their team of financial supporters. Pray that they may experience God’s guidance and encouragement in this.
William & Lyssa Bode moved from Genk to Sint-Stevens-Woluwe (Brussels). They have been appointed to coordinate the reorganisation within Het Goede Boek and Le Bon Livre. Pray for wisdom and strength. Pray that they may quickly feel at home and that they may find courage and strength to learn French.
Jonathan Kerckhof is a wonderful young man who has been working at Le Bon Livre in Brussels since September 2019. We welcome him as a new VIANOVA worker and pray for God’s blessing and guidance!
Jonathan & Sarah Weber have completed their ministry in Zoutleeuw and are currently in the preparation phase to start a new VIANOVA project in Sint-Truiden. Pray for peace, pray that doors will be opened and that they may hear God’s voice.
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Restaurant or Family? What shall I eat? Italian, Chinese, Greek? In our excessively consumer-oriented and individualistic culture, everything revolves around me. My opinion, my food and clothing preferences, my style of music, my shampoo for my type of hair, my personal fulfillment, … and besides, “I’m worth it.” Facebook and Google constantly analyse me to make sure that the products they propose to me reflect my sensibilities and my personality. It is not surprising, therefore, that faith is often conjugated or even appropriated in the first person singular. I tell my personal testimony, how I decided to follow Jesus, my new birth, my faith in my Savior, the moment where “I took my baptism”, my personal worship, my church, with my pastor. Moreover, I evaluate my church as a function of my personal development. If I am not well-nourished, not touched enough by the worship time, not sufficiently cared for or encouraged, I sense that the Lord is leading me to another fellowship, more adapted to my needs. Thus, we make church a place of consuming what satisfies my personal preferences, somewhat like a restaurant that seeks to satisfy the tastes of the client. And the restaurant plays the game well of striving to retain its regular customers, all the while seeking to attract new ones.
Eric Zander
Yet, we’re faced with a paradox when we see a gathering of Jesus’ disciples in integrated community together, which is the third stage of our strategy. This stage is indispensable because a movement of the gospel would not exist in our country without the element of community. On the one hand, the Bible counters this consumer-oriented adaptation of a restaurant by describing a participative integration of a family. “The Church of God” is never presented as an institution, or a commercial enterprise, but as “the family of God” 1. And this impacts relationships within and without, as well as the process of integration. The integrated Community of Jesus’ disciples, the local expression of the Church of the living God, is rather the antithesis of individualistic consumerism. In this family, the “we” prevails over the “I”, the interests of others are placed ahead of my own 2. In this family, participation replaces consumption, “one another” rather than my rights and my expectations. Even “my salvation” signifies much more than a personal adoption by my heavenly Father: it incorporates me into a family around “one God and Father of all” 3. Thus, salvation, walking with God, being transformed into the image of Jesus is much more of a collective process. The Church is not an institution at my service. The Church is us at the service of others.
C
The family of God becomes the preferred place for both personal and collectif growth and blossoming, from the welcoming of the new “child in Christ” to the growing of each one into a mature adult in the image of our big brother, Jesus. The family of God is also a space where lost children, prodigal sons, can experience the love of the Father in action. The Gospel must become once more a family good news. On the other hand, and this is the paradox, if the Church as a family, instead of having as a vocation to please its clients will integrate its children, she therefore naturally reflects their cultural identity. Each family is different. Each family distinguishes itself by its habits, its history, its traditions, but also its roots in its context. The manner of expressing and of living out brotherly love colors the cultural context. Family love expresses itself differently in a germanic, latin or asian culture. Therefore, the family of God in its particular expression, local or tribal 4, will integrate cultural codes in its own context. The integrated Community of Jesus’ disciples will manifest its authenticity from its relationship to the Father and to its context. So there you have it, the third stage of our strategic movement. After the incarnation of the gospel of Jesus in the world that surrounds us, as a result of walking with and shaping disciples, naturally comes the
Gather in Communities
gathering of disciples in integrated Communities. In response to the prevailing individual consumerism, we want to live this reciprocity of God’s family, at the heart of our culture, like a foretaste of the Kingdom that’s coming.
I - Incarnate Jesus D - make Disciples C - gather in Communities
D
C
I
1 Timothy 3:15 - 2 1 Corinthians 10:24 - 3Ephesians 4:6 A tribal Community gathers itself around a common interest, passion or common life situation (for example, motorcycle club, students, retirees, business men/women, etc.). 1
4
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C01 – COMMEMORATION | Ralph & Edith Norton
C02 – RENEWAL | BEM becomes VIANOVA
C03 – CELEBRATION | Our 100th Birthday
C04 – OPENING | The VIANOVA Center
We celebrated our 100th anniversary in 5 chapters! C05 – REFLECTION | AGORA100 symposium
Relive these beautiful moments and check out the videos & photos !
www.vianova.be/100th
DEC 2018
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EDITH And Do Good
Angela Jursch
feb 2019
c02
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VIANOVA Heusden-Zolder
Thirty years ago, my first husband and I, fresh from the Bible Institute, headed for Belgium in order to plant a church. Nearly five years later, my husband passed away from a brain tumor. While I kept repeating this question, “Why Lord? What do I do now?”, God spoke to me by Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.”
may 2019
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And I remained at Eupen as a missionary. Three years later, I met a man who today is my husband. In 2001, we moved to Flanders in order to work with BEM/VIANOVA. Psalm 37:3 not only answered my question, it equally put me in God’s training program and gave me a direction for my life. •
“Trust in the Lord.” Even in the moments where I wasn’t always understanding, God never abandoned me. In His faithfulness, He gave me an extraordinary husband and two beautiful children.
sep 2019
challenge for me: was I going to do well with the language? were we going to find a house? were the children going to handle the
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Each time we moved to a new part of Belgium it was a new
changes? God remained faithful. It is worth keeping hold of Him. •
You also, stay faithful! To God, of course, but also to the call of God, which He has given you. The things that God called me too often happened unperceived. But if we are faithful in the little things, He establishes big things for us. As such, I have participated in the birth of a church at Eupen,
Nov 2019
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and in the growth of various existing Christian communities. •
At times, we wait for a particular calling. I have learned, though, that what God waits for from me is fairly simple: do good. Easier said than done. But once I open my eyes wide, God shows me where people are that need my help, a listening ear or a caring word. Once we had settled into our home in Heusden-Zolder, God clearly asked us to pray for the city and to look for the good we could do. I reflected on the way that I could obey Him, and I landed in front of a table, sorting out clothes. While several of us work away at our tasks, a discussion about faith takes place. In this way, I do good all the while talking about Jesus.
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| INTERVIEW
FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME… … you know what follows. Would you like to live the presence of God? Get together with other brothers and sisters. For this interview, I contacted several colleagues and I must confess that their responses made me jump with joy. God is at work in our country, in diverse sections of the population, in diverse ways. These three narratives, unique in their genre, describe the same thing: people, believers or non-believers, getting together to discover who God is. Here, we’re not talking about the local church, but of communities, each with its own peculiarities. I will let you discover. Growing According to God’s Plan Several years ago, the path seemed clear for Reiner and Angela: move to another region to take over a church planting project. But reality doesn’t always conform to theory. Forced to move a little further away than planned, they had to, a little while later, grieve a new ministry that was slipping through their fingers. What to do? After a lot of prayer and long discussions, the Mission leadership said, “Find yourselves a team.” While continuing to pray, Reiner and Angela were “recharging their batteries” in a local church where they met a couple living in their small town. These were the first foundational stones of a community which has since continued to grow in number. Every two weeks, the participants gather together to read the Bible, share, listen and worship God. Other private moments are reserved for prayer, 3D (*) groups or informal activities as a community such as a
stroll in the woods or a meal. Other members of the group are involved in several social and cultural projects, and are looking for ways to help those in their circle of friends. They desire to become disciples of Jesus who, as Luther said, “seek the good of the town” so that their small community would increase and blossom according to God’s plan.. Welcome to Your Place When someone talks to me about a trailer park, I imagine vacations spent in a bungalow or in a mobile home. But then, you have Willy and Sue who live there all year long. Their chalet, which was intended to be a cushy retirement home in the middle of the woods, has become the point of departure of a new community. One could compare the 100 permanent residents to a ‘tribe’, identified by a common interest: unwind in the great outdoors. Friendships are formed without effort, while out for a walk or from the exchange of a few words between neighbors. Let’s count 200 extra people during the weekends, a number that could increase to 600 at the height of the vacation season. Do you see it, the opportunity? By choosing to stay faithful to their convictions, to do good around them and to live with the refusal by many to address the things of faith, Willy and Sue have seen some surprises. For example, this lady who didn’t want to hear anything about faith and then, one day, knocked on their door to learn more about Jesus. After several months of Bible studies every two weeks, she accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized in their inflatable pool! A baptism (*) see the December 2019 RALPH
Eunice Parodi
“ We were going
through the same phase of life, the same questions; and we met regularly for prayer, to grow in Christ and to share meals ”
Reiner & Angela
Willy & Sue
that had positive repercussions on other residents from the park. On another note, Willy and Sue offer their friendship and their time to current and former prison inmates they met when Willy was a prison chaplain. People who often have difficulty reintegrating into society and who find in our friends a point of reference for their new life. Some start to study the Bible, sometimes accompanied by their family, they meet the Lord and get baptised. Several desire to move near the chalet in order to continue to live life together. Even if it looks like little has changed in their ministry, Willy and Sue have evolved in their manner of approaching people. The traditional “welcome to our place” offered to new visitors to a meeting has been replaced by “welcome to YOUR place” ever since they have fully integrated the two “tribes”. The result? An expanding group of participants and a growing interest to meet other Christians. The church is there, she lives. If by some wild imagination she were to go public, that would be by a divine plan. God at the Center Several months after our marriage, my husband and I latched on spiritually to another young married couple. We were going through the same phase of life, the same questions; and we met regularly for prayer, to grow in Christ and to share meals. Since then, our quartet has grown to be-
Benny & Berit
coming today a small group of believers desiring to better understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. That was in Wallonia a little over ten years ago. When my colleague, Benny, spoke to me about his group that meets on Fridays, I felt like I was seeing us back then. This time, it’s in Flanders and it’s happening now. Benny and Berit meet every Friday with two young couples living in the same town. This personal initiative, parallel to their life in the local church, assembles six disciples sharing the same season of life. Fellowship around a meal, recap of the week, free worship, prayer and spontaneous reading of the Word, moments of silence, no time limit: tailor-made community evenings that permit the new generation to let God fashion their marriages and their future families. It’s Your Move VIANOVA’s vision is quite simple: gather disciples in community who are not afraid to reflect the character of their Master where they have been placed. You can start small, with some friends that share your passions, or simply with your neighbors. Your group might never evolve into a local church, but maybe that isn’t necessary. What is vital is that believers in Belgium fully assume their position as disciples of Jesus, that they gather together in one or more communities where they can grow spiritually, so that the reign of God would be established in our country. So, when will you start?
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