13 minute read
FREEDOM FOR ALL
By Jennifer Colosimo
How CBF field personnel in Slovakia empower students from the U.S. to advocate for human rights issues all over the world
For the past 17 years, CBF field personnel Shane McNary and his wife, Dianne, have lived more than 5,000 miles away from home ministering to the Roma people in Slovakia and Czechia. From teaching English and serving children to spearheading missions teams to helping the poor and starting churches, they’ve worked to encourage local believers and make a difference for this large minority facing multi-faceted forms of discrimination; but their impact also includes an effort that reaches beyond those borders.
Amid his work with the Roma population, McNary began serving in 2013 as an advocate for freedom of religion and belief for people of all faiths. In this role, he represents the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) at the United Nations in Geneva and serves as chair of the European Baptist Federation’s (EBF) Freedom & Justice Commission.
Under these titles, McNary’s work includes gathering research on cultures, religions and ways of life in the surrounding countries (and continents) where he lives and works. He submits that research to the United Nations via partnerships with the EBF, BWA and in conjunction with 21 Wilberforce, an initiative named for 19th-century British parliamentarian William Wilberforce who led the movement to end slave trade. 21 Wilberforce aims to empower people of faith to expand the freedom of religion, belief and conscience. Their shared goal is to effect change in the decisions being made about refugees
CBF field personnel Shane McNary (left) began serving in 2013 as an advocate for religious freedom for people of all faiths, representing the Baptist World Alliance at the United Nations in Geneva and serving as the chair of the European Baptist Federation’s Freedom & Justice Commission.
seeking asylum, on the rights of minority religious groups, advocating for education for women and girls who are part of religious minorities, and more.
He’s a leader in those efforts across Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Central Asia; but McNary is most proud of the way he’s been able to share what he does with the next generation. A year ago, CBF’s student missions program, Student.Go, sent the latest group of interns to work with the McNarys in Slovakia. The McNarys have worked with interns for years, but, of course, this time, by “sent” it meant students in the United States would work virtually with Shane from behind their computer screens. Anyone with Covid-conversation fatigue might let out a subconscious sigh about that, but McNary will stop you short.
“I can’t say enough about the way Taisha Seabolt runs the Student.Go program, and the way she is able to fulfill my requests,” McNary said of CBF’s Global Missions Personnel and Training Manager. “With what I was looking for this time, I thought that maybe she would be able to find someone who, in some way, was interested in these subject matters. I had written a request looking for one person to study Nigeria and another African country, and wanted them to have contextual knowledge of the area.
“Whether that meant they had lived there for a period of time, or had done African Studies in school, something—I just was hoping for someone with an understanding of the area,” he added. “But then we got Sylvester, who is amazing and is actually from Kenya.”
Sylvester Ngonga is a native Kenyan studying for his Master of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity, and gave what McNary called a unique, empathetic, and first-hand perspective for the research he was doing.
“I have gained a lot of knowledge pertaining to religious literacy and human rights through this internship,” Ngonga said. “I hope that my research findings about the state of freedom of religion and belief in Nigeria and Kenya will contribute to human rights advocacy and the realization of freedom of religion or beliefs in these countries.”
In fact, Ngonga’s research on Nigeria and their freedom of religion or belief (referred to as FORB) will be shared with 21 Wilberforce to provide the initiative with background information and outreach advocacy efforts related to religious freedom on behalf of BWA.
“I intend to incorporate the experience, knowledge and skills gathered in this internship into my future professional development goals. As a budding missiologist, I am focused on global missions, and this position offered me the chance to research matters related to [that].”
Cayden Norman was another pleasant surprise for McNary. An International Studies student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, she was looking for opportunities to further develop her research and writing skills. This internship would help fine-tune her experience on the political and legal aspects of her major—not to mention it was in a field she was eager to learn more about.
“I really hope that my research can be used as a tool for policymakers, activists and organizations involved in protecting religious freedom,” said Norman, who worked on research surrounding Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as Syria. “I think I was able to obtain enough information to provide a helpful suggestion for what I believe the governments of these countries need to do moving forward.”
The information she gathered on Syria will update information for the BWA and, if approved by the people of Syria, will be used in EBF’s formal report to the United Nations. Both interns’ research will contribute to the growing library that allows 21 Wilberforce to disseminate clear, fresh information about what the FORB situations are in each of the countries they studied. It’s also used as background info for additional research, including where it intersects with the UN’s sustainable development goals for each country.
“One of the things with my work that I’m often involved in is teaching others,” McNary said. “I am helping others find out what in the world God wants them to do when they ‘grow up.’ I’ve been able to help these interns discern if this type of work—research and human rights work—is what God is calling them to do. I get to see them grow, to see them experience something and move forward with it.”
With exceptional student help, he’s also able to cover more ground, gather more research and leverage a new, fresh perspective that often comes with younger eyes, minds and hearts.
“They’re life-giving to me,” McNary said. “It’s about their interest and their questions—it brought me joy to be able to teach and interact with these young spirits and to see them interact with something new and apply it right away in research.
“As Baptists, freedom of religion or belief for all goes back to our beginning,” McNary added. “That’s the deepest root of our Baptist story. It’s an understanding of who we have been; and to be able to see a new generation take that historical mantle and move it forward is wonderful. For me, my greatest joy is connecting these young folks with CBF and seeing it as a place where they might be able to live out their missional calling one day—whether it’s in freedom of religion and belief and human rights advocacy, or not at all. At least they know what they’re capable of as a part of it.”
And that’s something that’s life-giving on a much bigger scale.
For more than 17 years, CBF field personnel Dianne and Shane McNary have served among Roma people in Slovakia and Czechia—teaching English, hosting mission teams, serving children, helping the poor, starting churches and building community. They have worked to encourage local believers and make a difference with this minority community while also engaging in efforts to advocate for minorities around the world through religious freedom work.
Opportunities to
JUNE 2021
Education Advocacy
In Worship: Children’s Moment
MISSIONS EDUCATION RESOURCE: The following resource is designed for use with a group of children in a worship setting. Photocopy permission granted.
CBF field personnel Angel Pittman serves as an educational advocate in Miami, Fla., helping parents struggling to get adequate support for their children in school.
Learn more at www.cbf.net/pittman
Prepare by reading “In-Town Angel” about the ministry of CBF field personnel Angel Pittman on pp. 6-7 of this issue of fellowship! Obtain or print a copy of the magazine to share photos from the article with the group.
Say: I’m going to list 3 jobs, and I want to see if you can guess what they have in common. Here are the jobs: teacher, librarian, school principal. Can you guess what all of those jobs have in common?
Allow the children to share their ideas
Say: Raise your hand if you know a teacher, a librarian or a school principal.
Encourage children to point to someone in the congregation who is an educator or works at a school.
Say: Teachers, librarians and principals all work to help kids learn. Today I want to tell you about another person who helps children succeed at school. Her name is Angel Pittman. Angel works in Miami, Fla., with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as an educational advocate.
Share pictures of Angel Pittman from fellowship! magazine.
Ask: Does anyone want to guess what an educational advocate does?
Encourage children to take a guess even if they are not certain of the right answer.
Say: Those are good guesses. Being an educational advocate means that Angel helps children and parents know how to get assistance and resources they need to do their best at school. Some days, that means helping low-income families with special needs. Other days, she talks to lawmakers about how they can help children and schools. And sometimes she even helps churches and other field personnel learn how to be good educational partners. Say: Being an educational advocate sounds like a big and important job, doesn’t it? One way we can help Angel and other educators like teachers and principals is to pray for them. So let’s pray for them together.
Pray: God, thank you for these children and the bright futures you have given them. Thank you for teachers, librarians and principals and everyone else who help us to learn. Thank you for Angel Pittman and her work helping kids succeed in school. Help her ministry to grow and stay strong. Amen.
Opportunities to
JULY 2021
Religious Freedom
In Small Groups
MISSIONS EDUCATION RESOURCE: The following outline is designed for small groups or Bible studies to engage Scripture and missional action. Photocopy permission granted.
CBF field personnel Dianne and Shane McNary serve among Roma people in Slovakia and Czechia and engage in advocacy for religious freedom around the world.
Learn more at www.cbf.net/mcnary
Prepare by reading the article about the ministry of CBF field personnel Dianne and Shane McNary on pp. 26-28 of this issue of fellowship! Obtain or print copies of the magazine for the group.
Say: The article deals with Shane McNary’s work on issues of religious freedom, serving alongside organizations and students. Shane notes that passion for freedom of religion or belief (FORB) is deeply rooted in our Baptist history.
Ask: What are some ways our church talks about or addresses religious freedom? Do you think the value of religious freedom is growing or fading in our community?
Say: Shane McNary works with 21 Wilberforce to advocate for refugees seeking asylum, the rights of minority religious groups and education for women and girls who are part of religious minorities.
Ask: Can you recall any recent news stories that touch on the oppression of asylum seekers, religious minorities or women? What are some ways Christians could bring hope and light to these situations? Say: Another important aspect of Shane’s ministry highlighted in the article is his work with college and seminary students who serve as interns through CBF’s Student.Go program. Shane describes this work as “life-giving.”
Ask: What are some ways our faith community intersects with Baptist college students and seminarians? Why do you think working with young Baptists is particularly energizing for churches and ministers?
Say: Contextual knowledge of Africa was an important quality Shane sought for one particular internship. Sylvester Ngonga, a native Kenyan studying for his master of divinity at GardnerWebb University School of Divinity, applied for and received the internship.
Ask: Why is local knowledge of an area so important? How can paying attention to local traditions or history help us share the love of Christ more effectively?
Say: Providing tools for policymakers and advocates is a key aspect of Shane’s ministry. The article noted that both interns’ research will contribute to a growing library that allows 21 Wilberforce to disseminate clear, fresh information about what the FORB situations are in various countries.
Ask: Why is it important for Christians to have accurate information about religious freedom around the world? How knowledgeable do you feel about global religious freedom?
Say: Shane notes that he enjoys helping students discern where God is leading them. He says: “For me, my greatest joy is connecting these young folks with CBF and seeing it as a place where they might be able to live out their missional calling one day.”
Ask: Who are some people who have helped you discern God’s calling in your life? What are some ways we can do this for others?
Close the session in prayer, thanking God for the ministry of CBF field personnel Dianne and Shane McNary, Student.Go interns like Sylvester Ngonga and Cayden Norman and the work of 21 Wilberforce.
Opportunities to
AUGUST 2021
Offering Hope & Hospitality
In Worship: A Litany
MISSIONS EDUCATION RESOURCE: The following resource is designed for use in a worship setting. Photocopy permission granted.
One: God of Creation, you have filled the Earth with wonder and beauty. You have filled it with people made in Your image. Help us to be good stewards of all You have created. As your children, help us to create the justice and peace You desire.
Many: Touch our minds. Help us to be partners in renewing your world.
One: Lord Jesus, You showed us how to cross borders. The dividing lines between religions, races, classes and genders were not dividing lines for You. Instead, You broke down every barrier we have constructed to discriminate and exclude.
Many: Touch our eyes. Help us see your reflection in the face of every person.
One: Spirit of God, You enliven our souls. You share the gifts and wisdom that help us to reflect the love of Jesus. Like rain falling on a thirsty land, You shower Your gifts in abundance.
Many: Touch our hands. Help us share with others in a spirit of generosity.
One: Holy God, You have adopted us as Your own. You have loved us beyond all boundaries and welcomed us into Your family.
Many: Touch our hearts. Help us to welcome others the way You have welcomed us. Amen. CBF field personnel Mira and Sasha Zivanov offer hospitality and hope to refugees and immigrants in St. Louis, where they minister through a food pantry, translation services and tutoring.
Learn more at www.cbf.net/ogm
160 Clairemont Avenue, Suite 500 Decatur, GA 30030 www.cbf.net (800) 352-8741
