The Messenger a publication of the Evangelical
Mennonite Conference
Volume 54 No. 07 July/August 2016
The Apostles’ Creed Through 2016:
Christ the Judge: Our Hope and Future 6 page
The Holy Spirit is Okay With Being Listed Last 10 page
DESIGNPICS
ALSO INSIDE:
My Blameless Life: Reflections on Psalm 26 13 page
$2.00
Editorials
And Yet They Served
I
n 1946, just after the Second World War, EMCers and other Christians worked together to plant churches in Sask., Man., and NW Ont., through the Western Gospel Mission (WGM). The WGM lasted till 1961 when the churches that had developed joined the EMC or EMMC. The WGM helped a somewhat resistant, changing EMC to gain experience in planting churches in Canada. Mistakes were made and lessons learned, but what was steady was the commitment of people. Ben and Luella Andres served in Pelly, Sask. Decades later a leader from Pelly said to me that the church had been “naïve” about meeting their needs. Yet Ben and Luella Andres served. Henry and Ramona Klassen were hospitable, but when a guest asked for butter, they had none; they
could not afford it. Yet Henry and Ramona Klassen served. Ben and Henrietta Friesen, and their young family, slept in the back of a church building that, at first, had frames without windows. When Ben took a job to better provide for his family, this placed his church position at risk—despite a history of ministers being at least partly self-supporting. Yet Ben and Henrietta Friesen served. The EMC’s current Church Planting Task Force and Board of Missions are both descendants of the Western Gospel Mission. More churches have been successfully planted since and, hopefully, workers better treated now because of the WGM. I hope that a new WGM-like period of intense church planting in Canada is just ahead of us. – Terry M. Smith
The EMC’s current Church Planting Task Force and Board of Missions are both descendants of the Western Gospel Mission.
••
A Gentle Protest Against ‘No Funeral’
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bituaries are read for many reasons. I look at them to gain a sense of a person’s life and to see how they related to the Christian Church. Sometimes it’s stated, “At [their] request, there will be no funeral service.” Why was that decision made? The person who requests no funeral might not believe they personally matter, or that the community is important, or that a Christian funeral is significant. One wonders: if they are isolated in death, how isolated were they in life? Years ago some pious Christians decided to avoid “polluting” contact with the world. They lived atop pillars where they prayed and taught those who listened. Yet without people who brought them food, they would have starved. The irony might have been lost on
them: those who sought to be pure depended on the supposedly dirty work of others. While a person lives, they are a part of a community; when they die, the community needs to gather. No one exists without a community. No one exists except in God’s presence: “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). And a community’s judgment does not have the final word; that lies in another’s nail-scarred hands. “The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them” (1 Tim. 5:24). Whatever the circumstances of a person’s life, those who gather need the comfort of a public funeral. The Christian faith is needed at such times. – Terry M. Smith
No one exists without a community. No one exists except in God’s presence
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Table of Contents Features
Columns
6
Christ The Judge: Our Hope and Future
4
Focus On
29 A Reader's Viewpoint
10 The Holy Spirit is Okay With Being Listed Last
5
Window on Missions
30 Poetry
– Shannon Doerksen
– Dwight Plett
13 My Blameless Life: Reflections on Psalm 26 – Dr. Ed Neufeld
Those Who Have Ears to Hear... God's Vision for the EMC – Tim Dyck Caring Cross-Culturally: Essentials for Third Culture Support – Dr. Daryl Climenhaga
Voices: Hebrews 11 and EMC History – Terry M. Smith
2
Editorials
23, 31 Writings Shared
3
Pontius’ Puddle
27 Further In and Higher Up
17 With Our Churches 24 News 32 In Memory 33 Shoulder Tapping
page
For The Beautiful Boy – Janet Zacharias
34 Here and Far Away Fear Overcomes Fear – Jocelyn R. Plett
16 Archives Alcove
Departments
Ben Eidse: Missions Scholar, Pioneer – Faith Eidse
Is Your Congregation the Real Church? – Layton Friesen
35 Stewardship Today Joy Proposition – Dori Zerbe Cornelsen
36 Kids’ Corner
Your Favourite Place – Loreena Thiessen
28 Been Thinking About Your Pastor's Preaching – Ward Parkinson
17
page
29
page
20
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3
The Messenger Volume 54 No. 07 July/August 2016
EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH
ASSISTANT EDITOR ANDREW WALKER
Submissions to The Messenger should be sent to messenger@emconf.ca. The Messenger is the publication, published nine times per year, of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. It is available to the general public. Its purpose is to inform concerning events and activities in the denomination, instruct in godliness and victorious living, inspire to earnestly contend for the faith. Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed. Unpublished material is not returned except by request. Views and opinions of writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the position of the Conference or the editors. Advertising and inserts should not be considered to carry editorial endorsement. The Messenger is published by the EMC Board of Church Ministries, 440 Main St, Steinbach, Man., and is a member of Meetinghouse and Canadian Church Press. Subscription rates 1 year $24 ($30 U.S., $45 foreign) 2 years $44 ($55 U.S., $85 foreign) 3 years $65 ($82 U.S., $125 foreign) Manitoba residents add 8% PST. Digital only subscriptions: $15 per year. Single copy price: $2 Subscriptions are voluntary and optional to people within or outside of the EMC. Subscriptions are purchased by the Conference for members and adherents.
Change of address and subscriptions Undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions should be addressed to: 440 Main St, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Phone: 204-326-6401 Fax: 204-326-1613 E-mail: messenger@emconf.ca www.emconference.ca/messenger Second-class postage paid at Steinbach, Manitoba. ISSN: 0701-3299 Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40017362
Advertising The Messenger does not sell advertising, but provides free space (classified and display) to enhance our Conference, its churches, boards, and ministries; inter-Mennonite agencies and educational institutions; and the wider church. Ads and inquiries should be sent to messenger@emconf.ca. THE MESSENGER schedule: No. 08 - Sept. 2016 issue (copy due Aug. 22)
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Column • Focus On
Those Who Gave Ears to Hear. . . God’s Vision for the EMC
E
MC Convention 2016 focused on the theme of God’s vision for our Conference. Three pastors from by Tim Dyck EMC churches EMC General spoke about speSecretary cific aspects of our vision, each with a challenging message. We delighted in our times of gathering as Ministerial, Conference Council, at inspirational sessions, and as youth and children. All three inspirational sessions were live streamed, providing even greater access to Convention. The three inspirational sessions were filled with wonderful worship music, inspiring stories of faithful living from the churches in the region, motivating reports from church planters and missionaries serving in our Conference, and ending with a challenging message from our guest speakers. Each session also included a short video to explain how God helped us develop the vision for our Conference. Garry Koop unpacked the main statement of our Vision on Friday evening: “EMC is a movement of people advancing Christ’s Kingdom culture as we live, reach, gather and teach.” His excitement and enthusiasm was contagious, and we were inspired by the vision that God has placed before us.
The Convention weekend was encouraging to all who attended. Don’t miss out on this fantastic event!
Darryl Klassen presented the case on Saturday evening for how we “teach the gospel with a Christ-centred approach to Scripture, affirming Anabaptist convictions.” He reminded us that the gospel is much more than personal salvation – it is the story of Jesus within the entire story of Scripture. Dylan Barkman provided a challenge on Sunday morning from the letter to the church in Laodicea, reminding us that the only way for us to be truly rich is to follow the pattern that Jesus provides: repent, listen, open the door, invite Jesus in, and enjoy real and personal communication with Him. Then we will awaken the “life-changing experiences when we gather.” Offerings were taken on Friday evening for the support of SBC ($5,970), on Saturday evening to offset Convention expenses ($5,373), and for Missions projects on Sunday morning ($17,850). More donations are still being received. A special thank you is extended to all of the volunteers who gave generously of their time and expertise to make Convention a special time of gathering. The Region 8A churches participated enthusiastically, and Lloyd and Marilyn Plett provided solid leadership in planning Convention. Thanks also to SBC for providing a wonderful venue for our gathering. We are also grateful to the national staff, who are dedicated to the ministry of our Conference, including the Convention event. The Convention weekend was encouraging to all who attended. Don’t miss out on this fantastic event! Make your plans to attend Convention next year in Morweena, Man., from June 9-11, 2017.
Column • Window on Missions
Caring Cross-Culturally: Essentials for Third Culture Support
T
MHI
he need for the body of Christ to support and care for His cross cultural workers as they mobilize to and repatriate from the field is enormous. This need has become more apparent and increasingly urgent in recent years. God has raised up groups of people across Canada who are calling the body to serve our workers cooperatively. In Manitoba, passionate people with mission training and sending organizations have responded to the need by working closely together to accomplish something they were unable to do alone. A vision for Expatriate Care, born out of difficulty, pain and loss, has translated into a vision for a Third Culture Care Centre in Manitoba— a network to provide care for missionaries and their families following overseas assignments. Our first Symposium at Providence (2015) raised the awareness of the need for such care with 42 people in attendance. Recently our second Symposium (May 2016) strengthened the call to join together and serve. This year 110 people attended events at Fort Garry MB Church and Providence, representing 20 mission organizations and three churches. “Third Culture people” are those who come from one culture and live a significant portion of their lives in another. Providing supportive care for these people requires resources beyond the capacity of any one organization.
The symposium focused especially on families in cross cultural assignments, with a goal of moving towards a centre or network that can help to provide spiritual, emotional, and mental care for the workers we send out. Duncan and Olwyn Westwood from the Missionary Health Institute in Toronto were the resource people for a wonderful and intense weekend. Using their personal stories as a framework, they delivered insights with practical ways to apply their teaching. With a PhD in expatriate care, Duncan taught at Providence Theological Seminary (1997-2000) and is now psychologist on staff with the Missionary Health Institute (2000-present). Duncan spoke about risk and resiliency in the missionary task. A key insight is his statement, “There can be risks without resiliency, but there can be no resiliency without risk.” Problems can overwhelm us, but we cannot grow unless we work through the problems of life. We are planning a third symposium for May 26-27, 2017, with the focus on the creation of a Third Culture Care centre/network being birthed. We invite questions and expressions of interest from anyone who wants to know more. Contact me at daryl.climenhaga@prov.ca, Paul Dyck at pdyck@outreach.ca, or Charis Kehler at cckehler@gmail.com Mission sending and training organizations represented at 2016 Symposium: EMC, AIM Canada, Avant Canada, CMU, Canadian Missionary Kid Network, EMMC, EFCC Missions, Focus on the Family, GEM, MB Mission, MCC, MC Canada, MissionFest Manitoba, Missionary Health Institute, Northern Youth Programs, OM, Outreach Canada, Providence University College and Theological Seminary, Teach Beyond, NTM. Churches represented at 2016 symposium: Blumenort EMC, Niverville Community Fellowship, Winnipeg Evangelical Free Church.
by Dr. Daryl Climenhaga, PTS missions professor
The body of Christ needs to care for cross cultural workers as they mobilize to and repatriate from the field. A third symposium is planned for May 26-27, 2017.
Dr. Duncan Westwood, a former missionary, served as a resource person.
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6 The Messenger • July/August 2016
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS: CHRIST THE JUDGE BY LAURENT DE LA HYRE (1606–1656).
The Apostles’ Creed Through 2016
CHRIST Our Hope THE and Future JUDGE:
by Shannon Doerksen
“A
nd He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Where do we find ourselves in the Creed? The Apostles’ Creed says very little about humanity. The historicity of Jesus’ life is made clear through the mention of people like Pilate and Mary, but other than that we only show up as the collective object of God’s relationship and work. We are the people with whom the Triune God has to do. We are his creation, the object of his judgment, the body of the forgiven constituted by the Spirit, who anticipate a physical resurrection and everlasting life.
The End of the World?
Does the Creed say anything about “the end of the world”? When we think of the Second Coming of Christ as Judge, we are in the realm of eschatology, or the last things, what is
sometimes referred to as the “end of the world.” This describes the destination to which creation is directed, the fulfillment of God’s redemptive work for us. Pertaining to the last things, we confess in the Creed that Christ is coming again, that he will judge, and who or what it is that he will judge. The latter ideas are what we are considering here. (Later in the Creed we confess our belief in bodily resurrection and everlasting life.) Referring to the last things as “the end of the world” is a problem, as it is merely the end of the sin and death that distort God’s creation. “The end of the world” conjures up the idea that the created world is disposable or that humans are not a part of it and as such have no legitimate investment in it. Neither of these things is borne out in Christian thought—the world is God’s beloved creation, and it anticipates the Second
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Coming of Christ and the establishment of his judgment as we do (Rom. 8:22). The world is our home and the location of our responsibility to it and to each other (Gen. 1–2).
Who is Saved?
Does the Creed say anything about who is saved? The Creed does not give us a rule for judging either ourselves or others as “in” or “out.” The identity of the Saviour and Judge is where we place our faith, not a checklist of isolated principles by which we believe him bound to
the work has been marred over time and defaced with graffiti. To restore the art so that it reflects the artist’s intention once more, the layers of grime and graffiti that obscure it need to be stripped off and discarded. This work is not undertaken by someone who has no care about or investment in the work of art. It is rather the artist’s son, who was present and actively involved when the painting was created in the first place, who works on the restoration. Judgment is a terrifying word to many. It is often presented synonymously with ideas of condemnation, punishment, even damnation. This rendering of
By confessing Christ as Judge, we remind ourselves that the exercise of judgment is rightly his, not ours. The Creed tells us who saves us, not who is saved.
Who is “he”? He is Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. And if we confess that he is coming again, we confess that he has come already. And just as he came, bodily, born of the virgin Mary and suffering under Pilate, we can expect him to come again, incarnate Emmanuel. He does not change; he is still in his Second Coming God-with-us. Our hope and security in view of judgment lies in the identity of the Judge.
judgment tells only a small part of the story. Judgment, really, is the setting to rights of all things—a vindication of those things that are good and reflective of God’s intentions for his world, and a final, decisive rejection and snuffing out of those things that are not. Judgment is the establishment of God’s justice. It is indeed a scary prospect, as we know ourselves to be sinners. We know ourselves to collude with and benefit from injustice in myriad ways. We know ourselves to distort God’s image in ourselves and our fellow humans. Again, however, the identity of the Judge is our hope. Our Judge is also our Saviour, our Priest (Heb. 4:15), the One who offers his own righteousness as our own before God the Father.
To Judge
The Living and the Dead
DESIGNPICS
operate under. By confessing Christ as Judge, we remind ourselves that the exercise of judgment is rightly his, not ours. The Creed tells us who saves us, not who is saved.
He Will Come Again
One helpful way we can conceptualize judgment is like an art restoration. The artist’s intention for
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The identity and scope of those who are to be judged—everyone and everything, from every time
We are invited to live in ways that correspond with God’s justice, that make the world better reflect the intention of its Creator. and place. There is nothing and no one over which Christ’s Lordship does not extend. In Scripture we read that Christ is Lord of the living and the dead (Rom.14:9). And here in the Creed, we confess that we believe in the future realization, the undeniable visibility, of what is already true and accomplished in Christ’s death and resurrection, his Lordship over all things. As even death does not separate us from Christ’s love (Rom. 8:39, Psalm 139:8), so the dead are yet under his authority.
Shannon Doerksen (Fort Garry), BA (Humanities), is enrolled in the MATS program at Providence Theological Seminary. She is married to Russell, and blogs at smallbutbrave. wordpress.com. They live in Otterburne, Man.
Why Does this Matter?
It matters because there is a point, a telos, toward which we are moving. We have something to hope for and even to work towards. Our confession of the coming judgment of Christ means we wait for the decisive establishment of God’s justice in his world. This reminds us that the injustices we see in the world presently are the flailing lashes, the death rattles, of a defeated foe. The future of God’s people and his world is secure. This does not mean that we have nothing to do but sit on our hands and wait for the Second Coming. Rather, we are free to work with Christ towards this end, knowing that our fledgling efforts are not in vain because he himself secures the victory. We are, then, invited to live in ways that correspond with God’s justice, that make the world better reflect the intention of its Creator. He has shown us what is good, and what he requires of us—to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).
TRU Train • Refresh • Unite EMC Youth Leaders Retreat October 28–30, 2016 Wilderness Edge Retreat Centre Pinawa, Manitoba
Speaker: Dr. Chris Marchand
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The Apostles’ Creed Through 2016
The Holy Spirit is Okay With Being Listed Last by Dwight Plett
“I
believe in the Holy Spirit.” When we recite the Apostles’ Creed we affirm our belief in God the Father as the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. And Jesus is accorded a comprehensive (albeit short) biography. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is given only a passing mention, like one more item on a list. I sometimes wonder how He feels about that. It’s not like the Bible is lacking content where the Holy Spirit is concerned. He plays such an incredibly important role in the story of the Church and in our lives, but He always comes third; and no matter how Trinitarian we are in our theology, we’re inclined (consciously or subconsciously) to think of Him last. I’m pretty sure He’s okay with that, but we’ll get to that. It seems strange to talk about the Holy Spirit having feelings, doesn’t it? I remember encountering this idea in my first year of Bible college. I guess I’d never given it that much thought. Of course, when I thought about it and considered what Scripture has to say, it made perfect sense. And it’s not like I hadn’t thought about the Holy Spirit much before. I had. In fact, the fact that He didn’t come up much in the sermons and Sunday school discussions of my younger years only served to pique my curiosity. If He actually was a co-equal and co-eternal member of the Trinity, I reasoned, it would make sense that He should be getting more airplay.
It seems strange to talk about the Holy Spirit having feelings, doesn’t it? Growing up I got the impression that people were uncomfortable with the One Jesus called “Comforter” (I grew up with the King James Version). When He did come up in conversation the references tended to be oblique and guarded and I sensed a certain hesitance to talk about Him at all.
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DESIGNPICS
Thinking About the Spirit
A Spectrum
Later on, when I heard about the kinds of things that were going on among some of our more “charismatic” brothers and sisters, I began to understand why the tradition I grew up in tended toward a more reserved theology of the Holy Spirit. And so we have a spectrum. Among some believers there’s a tendency to emphasize certain dramatic aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry and among others there’s the reciprocal tendency to react by resisting the thought of a Holy Spirit who sometimes behaves in embarrassing ways. So there’s a divide. And that’s a shame. And I’m sure it grieves the Holy Spirit to think that He has become the source of disunity.
DESIGNPICS
I’m afraid there’s trouble at either extreme. There’s also the problem of being merely “theological” in our approach to the Holy Spirit. We can carefully search the Scriptures to assemble a theology of the Holy Spirit, but miss seeing and enjoying the forest for the trees. It’s happened before. Remember Jesus’ rebuke of the scholars in John 5:35—they were searching the Scriptures looking for Life and He was standing right in front of them. I suspect that the Holy Spirit would rather be known than be known about. I don’t suppose He’d be particularly impressed by our ability to list all the gifts and all the fruit of the Spirit if we aren’t experiencing His power or His influence in our lives.
excitement of power and signs and miracles, and the book of Acts and the writings of Paul give us ample reason to do just that. If the Holy Spirit has power to offer us, who are we to refuse it or even downplay its importance in our lives? Acts tells us what the Holy Spirit looks like when he moves through and among his people in a context of power and signs and miracles. The gospel of John approaches the subject from a slightly different angle. In John 14 Jesus promised His disciples another helper, advocate, comforter. This is what He said this about Him: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (v. 26).
I suspect that the Holy Spirit would rather be known than be known about.
Power of the Spirit
Speaking of power, it’s natural and reasonable to talk about power when we talk about the Holy Spirit. After all, when Jesus promised his disciples in Acts 1:8 that the Holy Spirit was coming, He also promised them power. And Paul, too, made a definite connection between the Holy Spirit and power. In Romans 15:19, for example, he says, “By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit.” So it’s easy to get caught up in the
His Primary Work
I’m quite convinced that this is the primary work of the Holy Spirit. After all, what could be more important for followers of Jesus than to know Him and understand His Word? And without the Holy Spirit’s supernatural work in their lives that would be an impossibility. Think of how many times Jesus marveled at His disciples’ inability to understand what he was trying to teach them. For example,
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DESIGNPICS
remember Jesus’ words to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25). Those disciples had the benefit of three years of observing all the miracles and absorbing all the teaching of Jesus, and yet it wasn’t until the Holy Spirit came that they finally understood. So here’s my thesis in a nutshell “If we understand anything at all about Jesus and what He came to accomplish on earth, that is our best evidence that the Holy Spirit is active in our lives.” This is the amazing and exciting and humbling truth about the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. His main job is to point us to Jesus. And that’s why I think He’s okay with always being listed last. And in this He is our example. He exemplifies the humility of a Jesus-focused life, and He invites us to join Him in pointing others to Jesus.
So Much More
There’s so much more that really needs to be said that I haven’t even touched on. It seems like a shame not to even mention His groaning on our behalf (Rom. 8:26). Let me end with this thought. Remember how Jesus described to Nicodemus what it is like
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when a person has been born of the Spirit? “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). We have this inclination to try to define the Holy Spirit and even, God forbid, contain Him by defining how He may or may not manifest Himself. If the Holy Spirit is indeed a person, then He also has volition and, just like the wind, He cannot be contained or neatly defined or pinned down in the pages of a systematic theology textbook like a dead butterfly. But we can experience His work in our lives, and we must allow Him the freedom to move in us and through us according to His own will. Dwight Plett has roots in Landmark, grew up northeast of Arden, and has spent most of his adult life north of Riverton, all in Man. He is the son of Art and Margaret Plett, the husband of Lorna, and the father of Caleb and Nathanael. He is a baker, a farmer, and a preacher who is currently on the ministerial team of the Mennville EMC.
My B L A M E L E S S Life: Reflections on Psalm 26
CREATIONSWAP
by Dr. Ed Neufeld
I
n Psalm 26 the writer asks God for help because he leads a blameless life. “Help me, God, because I do what is right.” We’re surprised. Can anyone ask God for help because they’ve been blameless? But that’s how Psalm 26 opens: “Declare me innocent, LORD, for I have led a blameless life.” And it closes: “I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me” (v. 11). God put this in his songbook, his prayer book for us. He wanted the Israelites and us to come to him with these words. Israelites were not more righteous than we are. So why could they pray and worship this way and we cannot? That’s the right question.
As a young man I could not live up to what I was taught and my relationship with God centred on my own failures. I believed God was often upset with me, ready to punish, and did not like me. It is a hard way to follow God, though common. Then I learned that God was gracious, full of mercy; he forgave all our sins freely. Our sins were put on Christ and Christ’s righteousness was put on us, and now we have peace with God. This made a huge difference.
I believed God was often upset with me, ready to punish, and did not like me. It is a hard way to follow God, though common.
Not Their Problem
Eventually something else became clear: the people in the Bible did not have this problem. I learned this from Scriptures like Psalm 26. Those people were not always
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discouraged because of sin. They sinned, but there was no steady shame or guilt among God’s people, as often among us. Even when Paul points out sin in his churches, he never tells them to confess this to God and be forgiven. He just explains why this does not fit with belonging to Christ and urges right living. They were not better than us, God’s Old and New Testament people; about the same as us. No regular guilt, though. There are 150 psalms. Five of these confess sin and plead forgiveness. Only five! If we wrote 150 honest psalms, fifty would confess sin and plead forgiveness. And the scriptural Psalms have at least eleven others like Psalm 26, all claiming personal godliness. We would never put any like that in our psalms. If we heard someone pray like Psalm 26, “God help me because I’m blameless,” we’d think them misguided and proud. If our worship leaders introduced such a song we’d have trouble singing it, even though God gave it to us. That’s because a dark lie entered the Church, a poisonous deception. Ellen Charry notes this in By the Renewing of Your Minds. She thinks the problem began about 600 years after Christ. Before that, people who feared God’s judgment and anger came to Christ, they believed and were baptized, and did not fear it again. Beginning in the 600s, though, Christians themselves began to worry about God’s judgement and displeasure. This should never have happened, but it did, and continues to the present. It’s a durable deception. It comes from the
DESIGNPICS
God help me because I'm blameless.
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father of lies and robs us of our joy and confidence in God.
Truth Mixed In
There’s truth mixed in, as with all the dangerous lies. The lie is that each failure on our part destroys our peace with God, especially repeated failures, which we all have. The truth is that we all fail in many ways (James 3:2). The lie is that this leaves us defiled and guilty before an irritated God. But God’s people in Bible times never heard this lie. We’ve learned it since. And that is why we cannot pray Psalm 26. But let’s try! In Psalm 26, David gives us three traits to offer God as evidence of our blameless lives. We’ll go over them; many of you could claim these just as freely as the ancient Israelites who used this in their worship. If these three are true of you, you’re blameless, according to Psalm 26.
I Depend on You, God
First: I depend on you, God. In the words of Psalm 26:1–3, “I keep trusting in you, LORD; I count on your unfailing love, I rely on your faithfulness.” This kind of faith was normal for David, normal for ancient Israelite worshippers that sang this to God, and among you readers as well.
I Don’t Partner With Your Enemies, God
Second: I don’t partner with your enemies, God (vv. 4–5). “I don’t spend time with liars, or go along with hypocrites. I hate the gatherings of evil people, and I won’t join with the wicked.” This is not about
If we heard someone pray like Psalm 26, “God help me because I’m blameless,” we’d think them misguided and proud.
temple (1 Cor. 3:16). I worship you with your people. The three characteristics of a blameless life in Psalm 26 are: I depend on you, God. I don’t partner with your enemies. I worship you in your house. The final verses (9–12) end with the prayer. “Do not take away my soul along with the sinners. I do what is right, I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me.” The logic of Psalm 26 is: “I don’t partner with those people and I don’t live like them, so don’t treat me like one of them. I do what is right, and I have shown my loyalty to you, so please show your loyalty to me.”
DESIGNPICS
The three characteristics of a blameless life in Psalm 26 are: I depend on you, God. I don’t partner with your enemies. I worship you in your house.
whose company I enjoy. This is spiritual alignment and loyalty to God. When I meet such people I will be considerate, but I will not go through life in their company. (Paul calls New Testament followers to the same thing in 2 Cor. 6:14–18.) If you keep trusting in the Lord, and you don’t partner with God’s enemies, then you are two out of two on blameless living. And if a voice in your mind says, “Actually, I don’t always trust in the Lord,” then you’ve just heard the condemning lie from the liar himself. Of course you don’t always trust in the Lord, but neither did David, nor did centuries of Israelites who prayed this psalm. But God invited all those people to claim a blameless life and pray this way to him, and he heard their prayer. Don’t let the lie rob you.
I Worship in Your House
Third trait of a blameless life: I worship you in your house (vv. 6–8): “I worship around your altar, LORD, I sing a hymn of thanksgiving and tell of your wonderful deeds. I love your sanctuary, LORD, the place where your glorious presence dwells.” This is a group setting. Trait two describes the evildoers that the blameless person avoids, and trait three provides the alternative—a sacred assembly, which is congregational worship. In the New Testament, the church body is the
A Prayer
To change our thinking and attack the lie, let’s pray this way: Father in heaven, judge in my favour. Have mercy on me and rescue me, because I do what is right. I trust in you. I turn to you again and again. I count on your love. I don’t partner with those who ignore or defy you. I worship you with your people, Father. I meet in your presence and praise you with your congregation. I am as blameless as the Israelites you gave Psalm 26. Don’t treat me as one of your enemies. I have shown my loyalty to you. Please show your loyalty to me. Help me, rescue me, and have mercy on me. Amen. Dr. Ed Neufeld is a professor of biblical studies at Providence Theological Seminary and pastor of Kleefeld Church Community, a congregation within the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada. The book referred to is Ellen T. Charry, By the Renewing of Our Minds: the pastoral function of Christian doctrine (Oxford, 1997).
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15
Columns • Archives Alcove
Voices: Hebrews 11 and EMC History
“T
Church history, Protestant history, Anabaptist history, Evangelical history, EMC history—all are given to instruct and, ultimately, encourage us.
16 The Messenger • July/August 2016
EMC ARCHIVES
Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary
herefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us thrown off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1-12). The history of Old and New Testament believers—leading to and reflecting the wonder of Jesus—are provided “so we will not grow weary Dr. Archie Penner in a teaching pose. The EMC needs to preserve the and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3). Church history, Protestant history, Anabap- stories of members well-known and not well-known. tist history, Evangelical history, EMC history—all are given to instruct and, ultimately, Wouldn’t it be interesting today to hear the encourage us. voice of Klaas Reimer, the founder of the KG? Is this how you think of the stories within the Sadly, his voice is lost. We need to retain more EMC Archives? I hope so. voices of women and men in our EMC today. Do you need more encouragement? We Church secretaries, send us once a year a colneed more stories. What encouragement are we lection of church bulletins, board minutes, and missing out on? We need to keep our voices for yearbooks. Retired board members, send us future generations. your copies of church minutes. (Remember that Yes, many stories are preserved. Thanks to sensitive material can be restricted in how and many people who helped us, we have complete when it will be used.) Photos are welcome. sets of The Messenger and Christlicher FamilDon’t dismiss your stories because, in your ienfreund. Each issue contains many stories that eyes, you are not prominent. The EMC Archives have encouraged generations. is to preserve the faith stories of its members. We do have gaps, though, in the historical It is open to all. The EMC Archives for people records of our churches. We have too few stories who have been faithful within their calling— of Christ’s grace within the lives of men, women, mechanic, housewife, farmer, professor, minister and children individually and together. or missionary. It is the collection for the “great Yes, not all stories can be collected! Yet too and small” within humanity in Christ. few are stored within our EMC Archives. Is this The EMC national office cannot control what good stewardship of the past? materials are sent to us. We can, though, weep Churches in the EMC, please work with us inwardly over voices that are lost. to help to preserve the stories of your communiThe voices, though, that appear in the Bible ties of faith. instruct and encourage us. Similarly, we are Retired pastors, don’t throw away your serencouraged by the voices we have preserved in mons. Give some of them to us! Churches who the EMC Archives. record their pastors’ or ministers’ sermons can To individuals, families, and churches who give us copies. It’s wonderful to hear a perhave provided us with materials: Thank you for son’s voice with its passion, inflection, and sharing your faith, your history, your encourageindividuality. ment, your voices.
With Our Churches Pansy Chapel
Child-parent dedication service held
PANSY
PANSY, Man.—Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate family. And what better way than to have our child-parent dedication service on the same day (something we like to do more often). May 8 was such a day and turned out lovely on both counts. Up for the dedication service were, left to right, Tristan and Nancy Harder with Hayley Hope, Keith and Rita Penner with Zaydin Tait and Joel Edel, Dustin and Rebecca Hiebert with Joel Michael and Jada Rose Rupert and Gus
and Tara Durksen with Kiley Jordana. Several grandparents and other loved ones joined them for prayer support, and the whole congregation stood for their share of commitment as well. Pastor Dylan Barkman is on the far right. The Mother’s Day service was based on Proverbs 31, with a bit of a different twist—none of the threat that chapter often poses for women. And the abundant roses were a pleasant take-home gift. Some are still blooming on my coffee table (May 13). – Betty Barkman
•• Braeside EMC
Sarah is baptized WINNIPEG, Man.—On April 24, 2016, Sarah Harris was baptized by Pastor Kim Stoesz at Braeside EM Church. Sarah is the daughter of Tammy and Ed Harris, active members of the Braeside community. – Caroline Loewen
Join with Christ in shaping our
WORLD
BRAESIDE
Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Missions 204-326-6401 info@emconf.ca www.emconference.ca
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17
With Our Churches Pelly Fellowship Chapel
Children learn about Jesus, race cars in Pelly
PELLY
PELLY, Sask.—“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57). Greetings from Pelly on this beautiful spring morning. We are rejoicing with spring on the way. As most of you know we have had a resident pastor since December 2015. The Kim family, Pastor Frankie (Hyoungjin), Minju, and their six-year-old daughter Choah came from the big city of Toronto to the village of Pelly.They have been active in all the various functions of the Chapel since their arrival. Beginning in Feb. we held a weekly Kids’ Klub. There were 12 regular attendees, with a few others that came periodically. The children came directly from school. Pastor Frankie would have a little game time with them, allowing them to be active and energetic for the first ten minutes. During this time the children were arranged in groups of four. Then he had a short devotional time with them. Then it was time to go up to the main auditorium and watch a video. The video was on the life of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew.
Check out the newest issue of
Theodidaktos Find it at your church or on the EMC website: www.emconference.ca
18 The Messenger • July/August 2016
Then it was back down to the lower hall where they picked up their snack and sat at a table in groups with a leader. The next time slot was for discussing the video, answering questions, learning a memory verse, and just spending time with the children. Craft time was always a busy and sometimes a noisy time. The first session the children were given a piece of wood. They were to draw a design on a piece of paper as they wanted it to be shaped. Some had cars; some had trucks. A gentleman that does good woodwork cut them according to the design so they were ready for the next week. From then on it was up to each child to sand, undercoat, paint, and decorate the vehicle as they chose. The wind-up party was April 8 when parents and friends came to watch the children race their cars. During these weeks the children were given talents based on attendance, behaviour, knowing the memory verse, and the workmanship of their cars. When the racing was all finished the children could go to a table with prizes. There they spent their talents on gifts according to how many talents they had received. The evening was enjoyed by all. We would like to thank our Sunday School superintendent Brenda Bellows. The Lord has given her a heart for ministering to children. – Vivian Anfinson and Rhonda Brodeur
With Our Churches Blumenort EMC
BEMC 101 classes, baptisms held
BLUMENORT
BLUMENORT, Man.—We have had many exciting things happening here at the Blumenort EMC. Just lately there has been what we called the BEMC 101 classes, which were held for two consecutive Sundays as informational classes of the BEMC history, vision, goals, and purpose. Those who attended these classes made the decision to become members in the Blumenort congregation. Their names are: Robert and Janice Harder, Cori Swenarchuk, Renae Brandt, Scott Reimer, Arnold and Karen Abrams, Josh and Marla Hildebrand, Adam Krahn, James and Irene Maendel, Scott and Steph Reimer, Melanie Frayle, Chelsea Plett, Henry Teichroew, Zach and Brittany Friesen, Emily Reimer, Johnny Dyck, Desiree Driedger, Esther Berard, Ron and Anita Petkau, Lisa Unger, Chris and Jenn Brandt, Agatha Grant, Tony and Jenna Wall, Arianne Reimer, Mark Thiessen, Peter and Kristle Falk, Sarah Falk, George and Esther Wiebe, Henry and Elena Abrams, and Conroy and Joneva Penner. We also welcomed Cade Penner and Tyrin Kehler to the church by way of baptism on Sunday, May 22. Please
Tyrin Kehler, Cade Penner, and Pastor Vince Kehler
pray for these two young servants of Christ as they journey through life’s trials. On that same day we voted to move our youth pastor, Vince Kehler, to the position of Community Life pastor. With the vote being nearly unanimous, he accepted the position and will continue to serve the church in this new role. Now we will start the search for a new youth pastor. Prayers for this transition to go smoothly and to find the right person for this position would be much appreciated. We are also getting ready for a fun summer at Eagle Lake Bible Camp! There are many young campers very excited to spend their weeks of summer here and many volunteers who put so much of their time into getting everything ready. We send them off with prayers for safety and for establishing a good relationship with each other and Christ through this experience. – Janice Harder
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19
With Our Churches Many Rooms Church Community
Takin’ It To The Street
MRCC
WINNIPEG, Man.—Many Rooms folk are quite comfortable with worshipping in our cozy living room settings. But for the major events in our church calendar we like to gather our cluster of house churches together and it can be daunting to squish into a home. This year for Easter we met in a local playground. For Pentecost we joined with nearby churches to host a coffeehouse in a neighbourhood bar. These events give us the chance to think creatively about using the public spaces of our daily lives to worship and to witness. – Jennifer Kornelsen
•• Picture Butte Mennonite Church
Nine are baptized at PBMC
PBMC
PICTURE BUTTE, Alta.—On the beautiful morning of May 29, nine people publically declared their faith and were baptized and accepted into the membership of Picture Butte Mennonite Church. Four individuals were baptized by pouring and the other five chose baptism by immersion at a local lake. The church held a sandwich potluck afterwards for the candidates and their families to celebrate this special time together. It is always exciting to see young people choosing to take this important step in their spiritual lives, and we as a church look forward to helping these new members develop their gifts as they continue to serve with us in Arnaldo Froese, Billy Wiebe, Isaac Hiebert, Neta Penner, Nancy Neufeld, God’s kingdom. – Desiree Krahn Mary Wall, Anton Penner, Mary Thiessen, and Chrissy Enns
20 The Messenger • July/August 2016
With Our Churches Fort Garry EMC
Jazz for a cause WINNIPEG, Man.—Our annual general meeting was held in late January. The highlight for all of us that Saturday, as we sipped our tea and coffee, was the affirmation of the decision to sponsor a refugee family through MCC. The first fundraising event on Jan 31 gave congregants an alternative to watching the Super Bowl or staying home on a blustery snowy winter night. Our sponsorship and settlement committee planned a Coffee House with a warm, cozy atmosphere and well over 100 people attended. The committee was overwhelmed by the amount of pledges and donations received. Our ears were treated to jazz, classical and contemporary music. All the musicians had some connection to our congregation. The amazing array of desserts was a delight for all of our taste buds. On March 20 the committee announced that our
church has been matched with a family of refugees from Angola, who have lived in a refugee camp for many years. The family includes parents and four teenage children. They are French speaking and this certainly made many of our French Immersion youth students’ eyes sparkle. They look forward to being able to practice the language they have studied in school. The next step on the journey is finding a home for this soon to arrive family. Our Passover Sunday came alive with the help of Laura Barron who visited us from Jews for Jesus. She captivated us with her story style teaching of the symbolism of the Passover supper and how that relates to our celebration of the Lord’s Supper. We are confident in God’s faithfulness as we embark on new adventures in 2016. – Elaine Kroeker
•• Crestview Fellowship
Open doors What if we were to do church on Friday night instead and try to bridge this gap? So we did, and saw that it was good. No, great! The church celebrated Betty’s birthday. The evening of Friday, April 29, started off with The Third Annual Chili Challenge. Congratulations to Irene for taking home the trophy. Great music, scripture reading and a message (on What is Church?) followed. Bodies and minds were fed and hopefully some misconceptions of church were broken down. – Sharron Straub CRESTVIEW
WINNIPEG, Man.—One Sunday morning last fall a young lady was standing in the parking lot trying to decide whether or not to enter our church. She was encouraged to come in and was assured that she would be welcome. Imagine her joy when she came in and found that there was someone who could communicate with her in her language of Mandarin. Bonnie is from China, now living in Canada, and attending a local high school. She has been faithfully joining in worship with us and has made many new friends. Her ready smile lights up her face and blesses all with whom she comes into contact. She celebrated her 18th birthday earlier this year and the church shared birthday wishes and cake with her. So Sunday morning is the time for church service, right? Not necessarily. Pastors Darrel Guenther and Kevin Pauls felt there was a disconnect between the youth who meet on Friday nights and the general membership who gather on Sunday morning.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21
With Our Churches Community Bible Fellowship
SWAN RIVER, Man.—We are still continuing the radio work. A new station in Saskatchewan took on our program, so now we have to do four programs per week. We have set up a prayer team every week at Tuesday 8 p.m. We ask for prayer for the people who have come to the Lord to be discipled. We have some young men who are well learned in computers to do work for us to get the Gospel out. I use the computer quite a bit to teach on topics in in the Bible or to answer questions people have. We have a new tent and trailer to use for the Gospel in communities. It’s good to be connected to men as Len Barkman in the ministry, and others in Prince Albert. Our son and his wife have launched out into full-time ministry. I will be teaching them on how to do things. They will be under the umbrella we are under from Thompson. They ask for prayer in their new endeavour. God bless you all. – Fred and Charlotte Evans
Ready to Join the Team? Mexico
Ministry involvements among the professional demographic include sports and recreation, marriage and finance workshops, grade-school employment, evangelism and discipleship, prayer ministry and much more.
Bolivia
Ministry involvements include guesthouse services, community development, grade-school employment, evangelism and discipleship, marriage counselling, prayer ministry and much more.
Terms Start January 2017 Find more information at: www.emconference.ca/ministries
22 The Messenger • July/August 2016
CBF
Fred and Charlotte Evans continue their outreach
Charlotte and Fred Evans
Column • Writings Shared Kierkegaard: A Christian Missionary to Christians, Mark A. Tietjen (IVP Academic, 2016). ISBN 9780830840977. 166 pp. $20 USD. Reviewed by Terry M. Smith, an EMC minister and executive secretary to the BCM.
I
ntrigued since college by Soren Kierkegaard, who rejected his fiancé because he felt inadequate to be responsible for another’s soul, I eagerly awaited this much-praised look at his thought and life. Tietjen effectively reminds us of how Kierkegaard (1813-1855), with what amounts to a doctorate in theology, was deeply concerned about church culture in Denmark at a time when being a Dane and a Christian were commonly equated, and where the church’s extraordinary teachings about Jesus (the God-man) seemed too easily accepted by many and too little acted upon. Tietjen shows us Kierkegaard’s life-long passion, as a committed critic, was to call the Church of Denmark back to discipleship after Christ. The author looks at how Kierkegaard is a friend to Christians (Soren’s perspective is rooted in Christ); the wonder of Jesus as the
God-man (a powerful chapter); the human self; Christian witness (using indirect approaches to challenge those too familiar with “Christian” teaching); and how faith, hope, and love relate in the Christian life. Don’t go looking for what I wanted: even more on Kierkegaard’s life and his specific criticisms of the state church and its pastors (useful for next time). Tietjen brings out a key thought of Kierkegaard’s: unless we proclaim what must be offensive—that the lofty God became a lowly human for our salvation—we have not proclaimed the gospel. I ask, do we evangelicals take this for granted? Then let’s heed the Dane’s warnings through Tietjen: don’t lose its wonder or be content to admire Jesus, rather than imitate (follow) him.
•• Twenty Big Questions: Toward a Biblical Worldview for Restless Truth-Seekers, Arden Thiessen (self-published, 2016). 221 pp. $10. No ISBN. Reviewed by Eric Isaac, senior pastor of Morweena EMC.
I
recommend this book partly because I recommend this author. I have always found conversations with Arden Thiessen, as well as his sermons and lectures, intellectually stimulating and spiritually uplifting, and this book is no different. In this book Thiessen seeks to answer twenty big questions about topics such as God’s Word, sin, God’s sovereignty, the Holy Spirit, heaven and hell. This is not a theology textbook—it is an introduction to Christianity for those who do not own one. The short chapters (most are ten pages or less) and the easy to follow writing style enable Thiessen to effectively communicate with those who are asking important questions, but have not studied in a Bible college classroom. Most readers will find some ideas in this book controversial, but different readers will
find different ideas controversial. For example, in his chapter on creation Thiessen explains why he’s comfortable with “theistic evolution” or, as he prefers to call it, “progressive creation” (32). Sally might disagree with this, but Johnny might appreciate this. However, Johnny might disagree when Thiessen says it is biblical to speak of people being eternally lost (141) and Sally might agree with this and his argument against annihilation (142). In general, I appreciated the whole book, but especially found the chapters about God’s sovereignty, loving the world, and loving the earth most helpful. If you appreciate it when people ask, “What does the Bible really say?” and enjoy conversations seasoned with hope and grace, then I recommend this book (and the author).
To order, contact ardenths@gmail. com or the EMC national office.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23
News
Unsung heroes in the national office Admin Assistants help make the EMC’s national wheels go ’round STEINBACH, Man.—There are five key people in the national office whom you need to meet. They smile at you (in person or through the phone), respond to questions and needs, carry out many duties. They help to ensure that some of the national wheels of the EMC go ’round by Christ’s grace. Three of the five are administrative assistants to the EMC’s five national boards: Erica Fehr (Board of Leadership and Outreach, General Board), Diana Peters (Board of Missions, Board of Trustees), and Andrew Walker (Board of Church Ministries). Two others are accountant Wannetta Fast (the longest-serving worker in the national office) and designer Rebecca Roman. Among their many duties, they help to develop and carry
out projects that benefit our churches. The projects are often envisioned in collaboration with executive staff members and translated into text, photo, and design together. If you’ve gotten a mailing at your church, it’s likely come through their hands. (On the other hand, if you get too many mailings, don’t blame them; blame their bosses.) Terry Smith has nicknamed them Diana Peters the “AA group,” in honour of another group that has helped so many people. It’s fitting because they are a support to one another as they respond to real needs. We’re fortunate to have them. – EMC
••
Tournament raises $60,000 for SBC STEINBACH, Man.—The gift of perfect weather was much appreciated by the 156 golfers who enjoyed SBC’s 6th Annual Golf Tournament June 7 at Steinbach Fly-In Golf Course. Strong community support resulted in the tournament reaching sold-out status a full two months early and in raising $60,000 for the on-going mission of Steinbach Bible College. On-course games like “Beat the President’s Shot” and “Closest Shot to the Pin” added to the competition and fun for the golfers. Board members and SBC staff members facilitated the games and had the opportunity to tell their SBC stories while golfers waited for their turn to tee-off. After the game, golfers gathered back at SBC for our famous steak dinner, catered by SBC chef, Gil Drolet, and to take part in a silent auction featuring $4,000 worth of prizes. Steinbach Bible College wishes to thank the many sponsors, golfers, and prize donors for their generous support and encouragement. It is because of our faithful partners that we are able to continue in empowering servant leaders to follow Jesus, serve the church, and engage the world. – SBC
24 The Messenger • July/August 2016
SBC
Sold out two months in advance
News
89 graduate from CMU on April 24 Sacouman urges ‘compassionate and principled leadership’
CMU
WINNIPEG, Man.—Canadian Mennonite University honoured 89 graduates during the university’s annual commencement exercises that took place on April 24. The Sunday graduation service culminated with CMU President Dr. Cheryl Pauls conferring 84 undergraduate degrees, four Master of Arts degrees, and one graduate certificate in Biblical and Theological Studies. Pauls awarded President’s Medals to Jonas Cornelsen, valedictorian, and Kathleen Bergen in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.
Sister Lesley Sacouman
Earlier in the service, Sister Lesley Sacouman delivered the graduation address. Sacouman, who co-founded Winnipeg’s Rossbrook House, which has provided a safe haven for tens of thousands of children, urged listeners to consider the question: “Where for you does your deep gladness and the world’s hunger meet?” “Graduates, the world needs you. The world needs compassionate and principled leadership,” she said. “May God’s merciful gaze embolden you to walk through the door of mercy and embrace the…suffering Christ in your midst.” – CMU
••
EILEEN KLASSEN HAMM
Sask. News
Eileen Klassen Hamm is the new executive director of MCC Saskatchewan. She has been employed by MCC Saskatchewan since 1992 in various roles, including Program Director since 2007 and Interim Executive Director since December 2015.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25
News
People, Pentecost, and MWC
She was a foreigner. We do not know much about her ancestors, relatives, country or culture. However, she became one of the fkorebears of Jesus. Her story is told in the book of Ruth in the Bible. That book is read in the Jewish Tradition during the time of Pentecost. It is the story of how a Gentile became part of God’s people. It is the story of how a person became unified with others regardless of their differences. I am writing these lines from one of the traditional Mennonite places in North America. Here there are many people that are considered “ethnic Mennonites.” In comparison with them, I am clearly a foreigner: My skin colour, mother language, last name, culture, and customs are different from theirs. However, in spite of these differences, I have been accepted and welcomed as one of them. As a matter of fact, today I share many convictions and even my own identity with many of them. My being has been shaped by the particular understanding of Jesus from the Anabaptist GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY The GSTM is a special place that helped me—by its faculty who care and think, students from different traditions, and subject matter that stretched the soul— to serve in the Church. The bursary for EMC students helped a lot, too. David Kruse MA (Theological Studies), 2011grad
A bursary for graduate students from the Evangelical Mennonite Conference is available. For more information contact mkrohn@cmu.ca.
cmu.ca/gstm CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY
26 The Messenger • July/August 2016
MWC
“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” –1 Peter 2:10, NRSV
Tradition. I have even been called to serve as a leader of this global church today. Many others from many cultures have heard and joined us in the same call to serve. Today the majority of Mennonites do not have what was once considered a “typical Mennonite” last name. Today celebrate that the presence of the Holy Spirit among us has made the story of Ruth a reality for many people around the world. Let’s express our gratitude to God for inviting all of us to be part of this family of faith. Let’s thank the open spirit of our Anabaptist forebears who have welcomed us into this family. Let’s keep the same attitude that Boaz had towards Ruth, an attitude of accepting in his own family those who do not have land, people or relatives. Let’s remember that in Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, no rich or poor, no male or female (Gal. 3:28); that the wall that separates us from others has been destroyed (Eph. 2:14). Let’s celebrate today that in Christ we are one together with people from other cultures, thanks to the Holy Spirit who lives among us and has made Pentecost possible. – César García, César García MWC General Secretary
Column • Further In and Higher Up
M
ennonites are known for huge potlucks, vast church foyers, informal intergenerational worship and camaraderie in hands on ministry. For us, Church is synonymous with congregation, the warm, local fellowship of believers where we see, hear and touch each other. Mennonite congregations may choose to be affiliated with other bodies, such as a conference, MCC, the Mennonite World Conference, or any number of para-church organizations if they find that helpful. And that’s a problem: we have this rich theological account of congregational fellowship, but when it comes to these broader expressions of the Church we fall back into secular ways of thinking. We tend to treat anything beyond the congregation as beyond the body of Christ: abstract affiliations that may come in handy or merely human partnerships we pick and choose. If these connections no longer feel “relevant” to us in an immediate, congregational sort of way, we are tempted to dump them. Has the Spirit orchestrated our conference to be the body of Christ on Earth? When Christ spoke to “the angel of the church in Sardis” (Rev. 3:1) was he talking to a congregation or a city full of congregations? I believe the latter. Why is a congregation more the “real” Church than Mennonite World Conference or Union Gospel Mission? Who says “Church” is primarily about the people I see in worship on Sunday morning? This is especially problematic in an age where more and more of the Church’s work is done by Christian organizations untethered from congregational oversight. Congregations increasingly farm out their work to colleges, counseling groups, campus ministries, hospitals, and independent mission societies. Congregations have become places to nurture the soul once a week and find friendship. And the same questions come up on the other side. Most parachurch groups bristle when they are referred to as “just another parachurch looking for money.” They like to think of themselves as an integral part of the body
DESIGNPICS
Is Your Congregation the Real Church?
of Christ. But how many of them require their employees or workers to be baptized by a local congregation? Do they incorporate practices of worship and Scripture-reading into their daily routines? How many actively seek oversight and input from local congregations or pastors? Some do and some don’t. What Mennonites need is a theology of the communion of the saints that includes, but is not restricted to the local congregation. It's high time to invite parachurches back into rather than alongside the Church. Let’s broaden our understanding of Church to include special “task forces” sent out on specialized missions of education, evangelism and mercy. It seems to be the Spirit’s intent to set the Church teeming with connections, covenants, partnerships, conferences, denominations and affiliations all connected in Christ, from whom the whole body is joined and knit together by every ligament (Eph. 3:16). How could this look practically? First, congregations should be intentional about who they covenant with. Fewer organizations on the budget, but more intentional, active participation should be the goal. Take those connections seriously. Provide them with board members, building space, staff time, money and weighty discernment. Pray for them on Sunday morning. The bottom line is not building up the congregation, but furthering the organization’s Churchly vocation in the world. Second, organizations should work to take on Churchly form—worship, daily Scripture reading and prayer, even the Lord’s Supper— these can be woven into daily ministry with the help of local pastors. The connection is Christ, the head of our saintly communion.
by Layton Friesen
What Mennonites need is a theology of the communion of the saints that includes, but is not restricted to the local congregation.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27
Column • Been Thinking About
Your Pastor’s Preaching
P
DESIGNPICS
by Ward Parkinson, Conference Pastor
astor Andrew pushes away from his desk on this Thursday afternoon and rubs his tired eyes. He is feeling a vague combination of frustration and anxiety. He is frustrated that, for some reason, his sermon preparation this week has flowed like molasses in January. The going is so slow it’s been hard to even get excited about preaching this text. Am I even hearing anything from God? Have I been lazy on this one? Why the lack of inspiration? That’s when anxiety elbows its way in. If God’s not speaking to me, should I stand up in front of the church at all? Andrew checks his phone’s calendar. Tomorrow is booked with a morning meeting and then the kid’s band concert in the evening. I am seriously running out of prep time. Sunday’s coming! Not quite sure whether it’s desperation or wisdom, Andrew feels urged to pray. He gets up and walks to the church sanctuary—his favourite place to get alone with God—and there he pours out his nervous heart before the throne of heaven. Then the quiet. He was half hoping for a lightning bolt filling him with the spirit of Charles Spurgeon, but nothing. Just silence. Not an awkward silence, but one flowing with peace. Andrew stands in this sacred stillness for several minutes. He smiles. How often have I told others about this Philippians 4 “peace that passes understanding,” and yet today it’s what I really need. Thank you, Jesus. Walking slowly around the rows of chairs as he prays, Andrew pictures the people of his flock, and where they usually sit on Sundays in this particular “pasture.” He prays for them by name. One is battling cancer. Another is overloaded at work.
Walking slowly around the rows of chairs as he prays, Andrew pictures the people of his flock, and where they usually sit on Sundays in this particular “pasture.”
28 The Messenger • July/August 2016
The young couple that just brought home a new baby. The widower who buried his wife last year. The college student who just started attending recently. The housewife who is close to giving up on her marriage. Andrew checks his watch. An hour has gone by. He heads back to his office, back to his laptop where the dry bones of a half-finished sermon are awaiting the breath of God. Suddenly, it occurs to Andrew that this hour of prayer is perhaps the best sermon preparation he can make. Or at least a necessary ingredient. This sermon is no longer just a text to be rightly divided. It is a word from the Holy Spirit. Andrew’s calling is to connect the words of Scripture to the lives of those dear people in the chairs. For some, the needed word is encouragement; for others it is challenge; and for still others, persuasion. Andrew realizes, of course, his inadequacy for this task. He can indeed prepare, but only the Holy Spirit can turn his words into a needed balm of healing, sword of conviction, or springboard of motivation. With this realization comes a sense of release. He will work hard to finish his preparation, but in so doing he will pray, and trust that if Jesus can work wonders with a few loaves and fishes, he can also work with molasses.
Column • A Reader's Viewpoint
Ben Eidse: Missions Scholar, Pioneer
B
by Faith Eidse, writer and daughter
HOPE WIEBE
en Eidse grew up harvesting wheat on the Manitoba prairie, raised by KG/EMC parents who spoke High German and Low German. Eidse honed a linguistic expertise, which he used in serving Ukrainian settlers on the Saskatchewan prairie during his first assignment with Western Gospel Mission. He pedalled a bicycle, played guitar, taught Bible classes and preached at a nearby First Nations reserve. He married his high Ben and Helen Eidse stayed at Rutherford House and used public transportation school sweetheart, Helen Reimer, a registered nurse, on during his studies at New College, Edinburgh. March 30, 1952. Their first of African Studies. All the while, Helen supported four daughters arrived in 1953, the same year they him by providing home care to several elderly were accepted as the first overseas missionaries of shut-ins of Edinburgh. She would often run ahead the EMC Board of Missions. of him to stop the buses since Eidse had sustained The board was formed especially to send them a crippling neck injury while in Congo. However under Congo Inland Mission (now Africa Interin 1996, after their return to Canada, Helen sufMennonite Mission). They were committed to fered a major stroke, and he became her primary the Anabaptist message of peace and the unity caregiver for nearly 16 years. of Mennonite churches to serve a people eager During this time, Eidse was named SBC’s to hear God’s Word. They worked among the first chancellor and the Eidses received a LifeLunda-Chokwe of southern Congo, helping them time Service Award from the Association of build a medical-church-education centre and Anabaptist-Mennonite Missiologists. planting 100 churches. Together, they faced lifeEidse also promoted healing through his threatening disease, revolution, and disability. counseling and prayer ministry; and the Eidses In 1969, Eidse was selected by American compiled their life stories in Light the World: The Bible Societies to lead in translating the Bible Ben and Helen Eidse Story as Told to Faith Eidse into a modern, dynamic Chokwe. The transla(Friesen, 2012). tion team was also asked to write a lesson book After his wife died, Eidse completed and on the Christian disciple’s response to sorcery, published his thesis manuscript, The Disciple both the fear of it and the temptation to use it to and Sorcery: The Lunda-Chokwe View (Camharm others. Eidse also mentored several Unibridge Scholars Publishing, Inc., 2015). versity of California anthropology students. Eidse said, “I am grateful for the rich contriEidse next accepted a position as president of butions of scholarship and discussion during my Steinbach Bible College in Manitoba. He served studies at New College. I enjoyed sharing our life three terms, 1983-92, contributing significantly emphasis on Anabaptist theology and biblical to the scholarship and practice of missions and discipleship and how that shaped our life work emphasizing servant leadership. in southwestern Congo. I have been influenced He was then granted a sabbatical and was by all my professors at SBC, Goshen, Wheaton accepted by New College as a doctoral student in and New College.”
Ben Eidse: “I enjoyed sharing our life emphasis on Anabaptist theology and biblical discipleship and how that shaped our life work in southwestern Congo.”
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 29
Columns • Poetry
For The Beautiful Boy Though you tasted cruelty The sweet gift of you Scorned
Where is the heart who grieves you? Who counts your days? Mourns your good work undone? The lonely paths that will not hear your feet The tools never raised to build a life
Your Father grieves He counts Stand strong and loved at His side
Where are the flowers Watered by tears Tended by your mother?
Beloved boy You will not be alone Love, Janet Zacharias
Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me
Janet Zacharias (Abbeydale) wrote this poem in honour of a child whose abortion was filmed.
Conference Pastor Sought
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Living in God’s Kingdom: a practical study guide on the Christian life is an introduction to the Christian faith, suitable for baptism/ LIVING IN membership and other classes. Lessons include: God and revelation, Jesus Christ and salvation, Holy Spirit and discipleship, the kingdom and the future, church and mission, and Anabaptist history. A leader’s guide is available.
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30 The Messenger • July/August 2016
a practical study guide on the Christian life
The EMC is in the process of seeking whom God is calling next to join in ministry with us as our Conference Pastor. The person we feel God is leading to us will have strengths in: Job Skills, Knowledge and Requirements: mediation/conflict resolution, relationship and relationship building with a variety of people, effective communication both written and oral, strong support of the conference vision, a background in Anabaptist understanding, agreement with the EMC Statement of Faith, credentialed or able to be credentialed with the EMC. Personal: willing to travel to visit pastors and churches; an emotionally balanced disposition, especially in times of conflict; actively and passionately involved in pursuing growth in own personal faith; actively pursues and exhibits Christian leadership attributes as defined in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 3, 2 Tim. 2, Titus 1, Gal. 5, 6). If you feel that God is leading you to minister with us in this role, please submit your resume and cover letter before Aug. 31, 2016, to: efehr@emconf.ca.
Columns • Writings Shared Twenty Big Questions: Toward a Biblical Worldview for Restless Truth-Seekers, Arden Thiessen (self-published, 2016). 221 pp. $10. No ISBN. Reviewed by Donovan Dueck, youth pastor of Morweena EMC.
T
he book’s concise, yet thought-provoking nature will appeal to some; others may wish for more. Not one to often read on theology, I found it proved to be a good refresher and stimulator to explore these topics. It had a down-to-earth feel, and you find yourself nodding as Thiessen talks about everyday issues and struggles. The book feels more like dialogue. Its concise nature adds to this and is appreciated. He does a good job at making the topics approachable for readers with different levels of understanding. Yet while he wished for a book to give his grandchildren entering university, this version still remains a little inaccessible for most teenagers and young adults. Thiessen addresses some of the issues and topics that are relevant today, especially inside
the church (end times, hell, Holy Spirit). An example is on the earth and its sustainability. He ties in his thoughts on how Creation, Fall, and our “dominion” over creation play into this; it gives some great discussion for people. Personally, I appreciate all the Bible study that Thiessen has done in life and that led to this book. This book is filled with great insights from throughout the Bible, and I especially appreciated this in conjunction with his chapter on “what we know about God.” While reading the book, you might be encouraged and become more hopeful, be convicted and desire to know more, or perhaps disagree with something. However you might see it, I found this book helpful and a great tooI to aid in the understanding of God, His Word and our faith.
•• Historical Atlas of the East Reserve, Ernest N. Braun, Glen R. Klassen, eds. (Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society, 2015). 256 pp. $50. ISBN 97809973687750. Reviewed by Don Kroeker, chair, EMC Archives.
A
t a time when our increasingly diverse Conference spans five provinces, it is sometimes useful to reflect on how it was born in a specific geographical setting. This elegant coffee table book provides an attractive and informative introduction to that setting, the eight townships that made up the East Reserve in southeastern Manitoba. The East Reserve was one of two portions of land granted to Russian Mennonites who emigrated to Manitoba in 1874. The heart of the book consists of new detailed maps of the eight townships. A concerted effort was made to locate the sites of the original Mennonite villages in the East Reserve. These villages were originally designed to duplicate those left behind in Russia and featured communal settlements with the land divided up
to ensure that each settler had access to equal amounts of good and poor land. This system immediately came under pressure and by 1889 it had been formally abolished with the villagers scattering to take up residence on their individual farmsteads. According to the authors, one factor contributing to the breakup of the village system was “the more individualistic spirit prevalent in this new North American environment.” Did this “individualistic spirit” also pave the way for our conference’s eventual embrace of evangelical theology and its accompanying emphasis on mission work and church planting? This book reminds us that we should not overlook the part that geography played in the formation of the legacy passed down to us.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 31
In Memory
Loraine Elizabeth (Neufeld) Hiebert 1933-2016
I was born on January 25, 1933, to Peter K and Elizabeth (Toews) Neufeld in Steinbach, Man. At the age of ten I memorized 300 Bible verses which gave me the opportunity to go to the Canadian Sunday School Mission Camp. The following three years I did Bible courses which further allowed me 10 days each year at Bible camp. This laid my spiritual foundation and was where I learned what it means to be a Christian. I was baptized on confession of my faith in the
Steinbach EMC on May 16, 1948, by Rev P. D. Friesen. My most earth-shaking experience was when my mother passed away in 1949. Through it I discovered that God was with me and could give me songs in the night. After Dad remarried, I followed my dream of going to Steinbach Bible Institute. I graduated in 1955 and completed teacher training at the Manitoba Normal School that summer. I spent the following year teaching in Lavenham, Man. After arguing and debating with Henry Hiebert for years, we decided to get married on August 18, 1957. Our first year of marriage was spent co-teaching at Anama Bay Reservation on Lake Winnipeg. Henry provided a home of security, love, and a lot of learning by osmosis. Our family of three children, Beth, Merle and Margruite, have always been our most precious possessions. We have worked together, prayed together and discussed many serious issues. My husband’s scholastic pursuits and career in education took us to
••
Norman Penner Thiessen 1931- 2015
Norman was born on March 3, 1931, to Peter and Maria Thiessen at his home in Ste. Anne municipality. He went to school in Ridgewood, Man., and Saskatoon, Sask. At 19, Norman accepted Christ as his Lord and 32 The Messenger • July/August 2016
Saviour and was baptized. He met the love of his life, Leora, and they were married on Sept. 14, 1952. In 1958, they moved to Maryfield, Sask., where he lived his life doing what he loved most—farming and carpentry. Norman passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, at the Wawota Deer View Lodge. He was predeceased by his son Byron in 2013. Norman is survived by his wife Leora; his children Dale (Janet), Cheryl (Harold)Friesen, Rhonda (Tim) Sweeting, Myra (Wes) Kroeker, Brian (Frieda), Steven (Leanna); seventeen grandchildren and spouses and ten great-grandchildren. – His Family
various places in Canada and the U.S. Many friendships were developed in these places. One of my dreams was fulfilled in Edmonton when I was asked to teach Grades 1-12 Bible at the Edmonton Christian Academy. We also served as a pastoral couple in eight Manitoba and Alberta churches. (Loraine was a faithful partner in this ministry through hospitality, women’s ministry, youth and children’s work.) Loraine passed away on April 1, 2016. She is survived by her husband, Henry; children Beth and Loren Koehler (Katrina, Victoria and Priscilla), Merle and Yvonne Hiebert (Andre and Madeleine), Margruite and Paul Krahn (Genevieve, Sara and Tyler Voth, and Rebekah); one brother, Wayne and Moira Neufeld; and numerous relatives and friends. Loraine was predeceased by her parents; parents-in-law; three brothers, Harry, Art and Bill; two sisters, Margaret and Helen; five sisters-inlaw and three brothers-in-law. – Loraine Hiebert and Her Family
Calendar Manitoba September 24
32nd Annual MCC Relief Sale 8:30 am - 2:00 pm Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB www.mccmanitoba.ca
October 22 Project Builders/MFCSeminar 9:30 a.m. - noon Appointments available in the evening. Heartland Church Landmark, MB lfbarkman@gmail.com
October 28-30 TRU 2016
Shoulder Tapping *With any applications for EMC church pastoral positions, candidates are expected to also register a Ministry Information Profile with the EMC Board of Leadership and Outreach, which can be obtained through Erica Fehr, BLO Administrative Assistant, at efehr@emconf.ca or 204-326-6401.
EMC Positions* Steinbach EMC is seeking an energetic director of worship arts to function in a half-time capacity within the team environment of pastoral and support staff. Responsibilities and qualifications include the following: Oversee all worship arts ministries; lead a music team; coordinate worship activities (including planning the order of service) in cooperation with the lead pastor; oversee all music-related groups as needed; recruit, develop, and position people in their most optimal role related to worship arts; strong administrative support. Applicant needs to be in agreement with the SEMC’s Statement of Faith, which can be found at www.semconline.com. Submit resume and cover letter to: worship.arts.director.search@semconline. com or SEMC, Attention: Chair, Director of Worship Arts, Search Committee, 422 Main Street, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5. Ridgewood EMC, in southeast Man., is seeking a full-time youth pastor. The youth pastor will provide spiritual leadership and direction to the junior high, senior high and young adult programs. The youth pastor will also be expected to participate in the regular preaching schedule. College or seminary training is a definite asset. Starting date is flexible and salary will reflect EMC guidelines. Send resumes to Stan Hamm at stan.hamm@prov.ca or call 204-326-6304. Taber EMC is seeking a full-time youth/associate pastor. Candidate should have the ability to plan and oversee a comprehensive youth ministry and oversee associate pastor ministries as arranged by the church leadership. Valuable assets would be skills in sports and music. Contact church board chair Abe Klassen at 403223-0588 or 403-331-9563. Send resumes to Taber EMC, Box 4348, Taber, AB T1G 2C7 or taberemc@yahoo.ca.
Mennville EMC, a rural congregation with an attendance of about 90, located in Manitoba's Interlake region, seeks a full- or part-time pastor. The pastor will work within a ministerial team as the church seeks to renew and grow. College or seminary training and pastoral experience are definite assets. Starting date is flexible and salary will reflect EMC guidelines. A candidate should be a collaborative leader (team player), comfortable in the pulpit and in pastoral care, familiar with the EMC Statement of Faith, and respectful of various cultures and rural living. Contact minister Terry Dueck at frontier104@ hotmail.com.
High Level Christian Fellowship (HLCF) is seeking a full-time pastor. HLCF is a diverse but well established congregation serving in a community where oil and gas, farming and forestry are the driving industries. HLCF has an average attendance of 130 members and adherents. The successful candidate would be able to relate and work well with people working together towards building an active community of believers. If God is directing you in this mission please forward your resume to either Jake Neufeld at j.neufeld@peacecountrypetroleum.com or Greg Derkson at gregderkson@gmail.com or by phone Jake (780-821-9432) or Greg (780-926- 9553). Abbeydale Christian Fellowship, Calgary, seeks a full-time lead pastor to work alongside our current associate pastor and leadership team. The ideal candidate has served at least ten years as pastor (five as lead), is a good preacher and communicator, and relates easily with people of all ages. He works well in a team and as a mentor, has relevant education, and will require EMC approval. The ministry focus is discipleship through preaching, teaching, encouraging small groups, and prayer. He will also lead in pastoral care. We are an urban congregation of 125 with an informal atmosphere. We are committed to love through service to one another and to our community. Please see the full profile at http://abbeydale. org/index.php/careers, and then apply in confidence to search@abbeydale.org. Vanderhoof Christian Fellowship (VCF) is seeking a permanent full-time youth/associate pastor. The candidate should have leadership aptitude along with excellent communication skills (including preaching), the ability to support a multi-generational church and have the ability to work with others in teams and unity. The candidate must have a personal commitment to following Jesus; a passion for youth; and have experience in leading and training volunteers. The position would include planning and developing an effective youth ministry and a discipleship program that will teach and strengthen commitment to faith in Christ. It would also include being able to mentor, teach and coach Ministry Team leaders and volunteers in leadership principles. Please see the full job profile at www.vcfemc.com. If you sense the Lord leading you to consider becoming a part of VCF’s ministry team please submit your resume to vcfemc@telus.net or Box 377, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0. MacGregor EMC in MacGregor, Man., is seeking a full time lead pastor. Applicants must have a love for God and the Church, a commitment to Anabaptist beliefs centred on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and be characterized by an attitude of servant leadership and personal integrity in following Jesus. The successful candidate will preach regularly; visit and support individuals in the congregation; advise the ministerial, board and other participants on matters of faith. This position is available starting summer 2016.
We are a church of about 100 attendees in a town of about 1000, located on Hwy 1 halfway between Winnipeg and Brandon. For further information, feel free to browse our church's website www. macgregoremc.com and check out www.northnorfolk.ca on what our town has to offer. To submit an application, please email a resume with three references to Dan Sawatzky at dsawatzky@gmail.com. To request information, email Dan Sawatzky or call him at 204-685-2252. Blumenort EMC is inviting applications for the position of full-time youth pastor. We are looking for someone who has a heart for reaching out to young people, with a vision to see them grow and mature in their faith. Experience in youth ministry and Bible college training would be preferred. The candidate must be in agreement with our EMC Constitution and Statement of Faith. For a full job description or to send in a resume, please contact Anthony Reimer at anthony.reimer@blumenortemc.ca or 204-326-1644.
Other Positions Youth for Christ (YFC) Winnipeg, a non-denominational evangelical organization located in Winnipeg, Man., seeks to fill many positions: a youth centre director (Stonewall, Man.), climbing wall/wilderness adventure director; fitness centre director; counselling ministry director; youth centre program coordinator (Arborg, Selkirk, and Carman, Man.); soccer program coordinator; skateboard ministry program coordinator. YFC is dedicated to communicating the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to young people. For more information about YFC Winnipeg, or these opportunities, please visit us at yfcwinnipeg.ca. Your work will have deep significance. You will be paid a competitive salary and be eligible for YFC’s group insurance program, which includes life insurance, long-term disability, dental, and health insurance, plus later eligibility for YFC’s pension plan. For more information about YFC Winnipeg, or these opportunities, please visit us at yfcwinnipeg.ca. A long-term pastor is sought for the church in Hacienda Verde, Bolivia, a small but vibrant congregation with about 70 to 80 people attending. Requirements: Speak and write Low German and Spanish, good Bible knowledge, some pastoral experience, and good references from congregation and wider community. For information, please contact Bill Kehler, Bolivia field director, bill@gomission.ca; Abe Giesbrecht, missions facilitator, abe@gomission.ca; 204.253.7929.
Where are position ads to be sent? Please send all position ads, including pastoral search ads, to messenger@emconf.ca. All ads are to be 150 words or less. All ads can be edited. Please advise us when it is no longer needed.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 33
Column • Here and Far Away
Fear Overcomes Fear
I
DESIGNPICS
by Jocelyn R. Plett www.writewhatyousee. wordpress.com
struggle with anxiety that has, at times, entirely overwhelmed and disabled me. It’s terribly annoying to be controlled by something within me that cannot be fought back. It’s a tricky, frightening thing to be sure! Yet recently in my search for greater freedom, and—I believe—at the prompting of the Spirit, I’ve taken to looking this fear-beast straight in the face. I’ve examined it intricately, and—strangely—laying it out beside the fear of the Lord to compare the two. What an interesting spiritual exercise! The fear of the Lord, as we know, is the beginning of wisdom (Pro. 9:10). Normal experience, I suspect, is that anything fear-related is negative. Certainly the gut-boiling anxiety that comes without precursor in my experience is not a pleasant encounter. The reading I’ve done on anxiety indicates that fear tends to lie to us, teaching us to avoid the perceived source of anxiety, thereby preventing the occurrence of fear, which in turn bolsters the idea that avoiding this form of suffering is good practice. Taken to extremes, this fear management tactic backs me into a small room of supposed safety, locks the door, and throws away the key. The fear of the Lord, on the other hand, leads me into volatile circumstances with courage and peace. When I stand in worship of the Almighty and Awesome God, singing praises together with the Church, Christ’s Bride, I catch glimpses of this Holy fear. Singing songs that ask the Spirit to lead me out into ocean waters where my feet fear to tread, where the love of God ‘”crashes over me,” these are not songs or requests that are about safety and peace, yet they impart peace to
They held onto the fear of the Lord with greater strength than to the fear of the world. For me, this is what Christ’s “overcoming the world” means.
34 The Messenger • July/August 2016
me within the paradox of the message. They also lend courage, and build the thrill of facing giants with the assurance that my God will enable me to defeat them. It is because God and His Gospel are so magnificent that to walk in the fear of the Lord through the valley of the shadow of death helps me to fear no evil. Fear banishes fear. Ha! How delightful! And powerful! And so typically upside-down-Kingdom-esque. Reading stories of Scripture where people of God followed His lead into what was assuredly terrifying circumstances, even assured of God’s presence with them, I believe their physical bodies still felt the burbling bowel-syndrome of terror associated with the knowledge that life-threatening circumstances engender. Yet they walked into the fiery furnace, or into the lion’s den, or into the King’s chamber without invitation, knowing that this moment could be their last. They held onto the fear of the Lord with greater strength than to the fear of the world. In my experience, that choice involves a conscious dismissal of one’s perceived threats. It involves acknowledging that you see them, but disregarding them as true reality, taking up the mysterious sight that sees God as triumphant within what seems anything but victorious. For me, this is what Christ’s “overcoming the world” means.
Column • stewardship today
Joy Proposition
I
by Dori Zerbe Cornelsen
DESIGNPICS
n my childhood home, we had a unique red velveteen bag. When you pressed on the bag in the right place, you heard the sound of someone laughing, really guffawing. The recording went on for at least a full minute and you could almost hear the person wiping the tears from their eyes. We often invited guests to press the bag, and when the sound of the recorded laughter would start it would inevitably cause smiles and giggles. Sometimes we would challenge each other to listen to the recording and try to keep a straight face. Even though we knew what was coming, it was hard to resist laughing along. One of the benefits of giving is that generous people are happier people. Harvard Business School Professor of Business Administration, Michael Norton, has studied the relationship between money and happiness. In a TEDx talk, he says, “If you think money can’t buy happiness, you’re not spending it right. You should stop thinking about which product to buy for yourself and try giving to other people instead.” Perhaps this is obvious to Christians, given Jesus’ encouragement in Matthew 6 to not store up treasures for ourselves, but to live instead with generous eyes as the lamp of our body. The alternative, according to Jesus, when we store up treasures for ourselves, is to have bad or envious eyes that keep us in darkness. Sounds like Michael Norton and Jesus may be on the same page on the connection between money and happiness. An added benefit of giving is that it is contagious—or contajoyous as I like to say it. Studies show that when a person acts generously, it inspires others who witness it to also be generous toward others. Likely we have all heard of pay it forward stories in a local coffee shop when someone chooses to pay for the order of the next customer. Remember the news reports about the Dec. 21, 2012, phenomenon at a Tim Hortons in Winnipeg where for three hours and 228 orders, customers picked up the tab for the people behind them in line? There was something
contajoyous going on! This is what Paul wanted for the church in Corinth when he wrote to them about the generosity of the Macedonian churches in 2 Cor. 8. “Out of the most severe trial,” says Paul, “their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” Just like them, “See that you also excel in this grace of giving.” Paul not only wanted the Corinthians to support his project, he also wanted them to be infected by the joy of giving experienced by the Macedonian churches. Speaker and writer Brian Kluth writes, “Some people say, ‘Give till it hurts.’ But God recommends that we give until it feels good.” In Canada, we live in abundance and it’s important to be reminded that it feels good to give. When we live generously, we walk a road of joy and may inspire others to do the same. Next time you find yourself laughing because someone else is laughing, remember that giving is contagious (contajoyous) in the same way. To see more about the benefits of giving, check out the resources tab on the MennoFoundation.ca website. Your example may inspire someone else to experience the joy of giving.
Next time you find yourself laughing because someone else is laughing, remember that giving is contagious (contajoyous) in the same way.
Dori Zerbe Cornelsen is a stewardship consultant at Mennonite Foundation of Canada serving generous people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. For more information on impulsive generosity, stewardship education, and estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office or visit MennoFoundation
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 35
Column • kids’ corner
Your Favourite Place
36 The Messenger • July/August 2016
DESIGNPICS
D
o you have a favourite place? Is it a quiet spot where you can read a book and think your own thoughts, where your brother or sister won’t barge in and want your attention or your stuff? Is it your room? A tree house? A garden bench surrounded by tall rustling trees and sun flowers that sway in the breeze, their faces to the sun? Or maybe your favorite place is your by Loreena Grandma’s house. Thiessen Your Grandma’s house is special. When school is out you visit and stay over for a few days. It has her things in it, things she has saved and collected. They could be from her childhood or from places she has travelled. Perhaps there’s an attic or a room filled with treasures you like to explore. Your Grandma is a special person. She takes time to listen to you. She tells you stories or reads with you. Maybe she helps you bake cookies or teaches you how to knit, sew a blanket, plant seeds, or play a game special to her. Activity: You may go swimInterview your Grandma. ming, or ride a bike with her. She may Need: even take you shopnotebook, pencil, drawing paper, crayons, ping and give you camera time to look at things. Your Grandma Ask questions like: is important. Her house is a gathering Where did she grow up? place. It’s where you Who was her best friend? go on holidays, like What did they play? Christmas, Easter and Where did she go to school? birthdays. Your aunts What was her best subject? and uncles and cousHow did she meet your Grandpa? ins are there too. You What was her work as an adult, at home, as share the day catching a career? up and eat good food. Where did she travel? Your Grandma What was her favourite place to visit? is kind. You see how she cares for her cat Take notes, draw pictures and record the and even the squirinterview. This is a project for you and your rels and the birds in Grandma. Have fun. her garden. When
her friends drop by for tea you see how she chats with them. Your Grandma is wise. She knows things from her own life and experiences. She has the patience to listen to you and teach you. She can give you advice when you have a question or a problem. You may have asked, why is there war, and why hurt people have to leave their homes and find a new place to start over. Your Grandma may be able to talk about it with you. Or you may have a friend who has a problem. She can talk about that too. As you spend time with your Grandma you may find there are things you both do or like in the same way. You share this similarity. And as she tells you the history of your family you can see how you fit right in. You are one part of the whole. In Bible times people were taught to honour and respect their elders, people who had lived longer. One of the commands God gave Moses for the people is in Exodus 20:12: "Honour your father and mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." In Ephesians 6:1–3 Paul repeats the same command: "Children obey your parents… honor your father and mother… that it may be well with you…." This includes grandparents. The Messenger Evangelical Mennonite Conference 440 Main St., Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Publications Mail Agreement #40017362