Saturday, February 21
Welcome and Announcements—S.
Joan Hershey, Coordinator, New Life Ministries
Worship (Summary)—Linford
Stutzman, Director of the John Coffman Center and Assistant Professor of
Culture and Mission, Eastern Mennonite University
We live in a culture with many worldview. Pluralism is a
good context for an authentic representation of the gospel. Where the
religious control of a monoculture is possible, authentic representation of
the gospel suffers and eventually dies. Control, co-existence, and competition
are three basic options facing Anabaptists within pluralism. Competition is
the only option that is authentically Christian and authentically Anabaptist.
The Shema—Deuteronomy 6:4-8—represents a
"portable" worldview: a method of shaping a worldview over
generations among the people of God wherever they went. It is the concept of a
pilgrim people, a worldview meant for invasion, competition, and victory, but
not for preservation or to be static.
As Anabaptist Christians, we do not live in Christendom
but, as with the Jewish people, we live in "Babylon." Babylonian
society did not reinforce what the parents taught their children about reality—it
competed with it. This is the situation we face within pluralism.
"Babylon" has invaded our homes and our hearts.
Competition is threatening. Two options can be
attempted. Control is an option for some: to create isolated communities where
worldview may be managed. Co-existence is another option: to adapt,
synthesize, modify, reinterpret in order to accommodate. Neither is faithful
nor effective if Jesus is the standard of measurement. We must, like Jesus,
learn to compete.
Secular "shemas" are opposite and compete with
the kingdom worldview: "Hear, oh people, there are multiple images of
reality, many truths, equally valid worldviews. You can love and serve any one
of these, for all reality, values, and authority are relative, optional,
specific, and personal. No truth is absolute or universal."
Contemporary culture, the media, and the entertainment
industry are build on two strong American (Western) ideals: free expression
and free enterprise. Free expression uplifts freedom of speech and expressive
individualism. Free enterprise is driven by technology: 98% of US households
own a color TV, 80% own a video cassette recorder (used 7.32 hours per day),
65% have cable TV (average of 102 channels), and 35% own computers. Such
technology impacts our worldview.
We must become worldview missionaries, competing in
order to win. In the Old Testament, God commanded a deliberate shaping of the
worldview of children. Likewise, the local congregation must be motivated and
equipped to respond in new and powerful ways to counteract the worldviews of
modern culture.
We can compete successfully at the level of authenticity—we
must be like Jesus. Youth are hungry for authenticity and righteousness. My
congregation (Immanuel) invites persons to join a congregation "where it
is difficult to be a member and easy to be a Christian—not the other way
around." College students are flocking to it.
These are the characteristics of congregations that will
be faithful and relevant in the future:
— Authentic: the Jesus preached is the Jesus
practiced
— Integrity: honesty within and without;
Christians are not Jesus, but we know and confess the truth, the life, the
way of Jesus unapologetically
— Vibrant: experiential, emotional, exuberant,
confident; in a word, passionate
— Relevant: know the meaning of the language,
symbols, and rituals of pluralism, but also know the meaning of
Anabaptist/Christian language, symbols, and rituals and how this is making
a difference in the local community
— Demanding and demonstrating sacrificial life:
where people are called to give rather than receive, and this is
demonstrated by adults
I would like to advocate a new type of congregationalism—one
where congregations compete with each other seeking to win youth to the most
authentic expression of discipleship.
Here are three features of a competitive congregation
within postmodernity:
1. Confidently confessional—faithful to the
message of Jesus as Lord, way, truth, life; honest in agreeing that truth
of Jesus and the reality of the kingdom of God; consistent; relevant so
that the reality of the kingdom of God is related to life as experienced.
2. Entrepreneurial congregation—creative,
innovative, risk-taking.
3. Powerful congregation—unapologetic in what it
claims about Jesus; persuasive in its message and life; attractive to the
point of being invitational; and loving, full of grace and truth.
Consider this Anabaptist "shema" in the
"Babylon" of postmodernity:
Here, oh Anabaptists. The God revealed in Jesus is
Lord alone in all cultures, including pluralism. You shall love the Lord
your God as Jesus demonstrated: with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your might. Do not forget that the words Jesus commanded you
are for his followers in all times and places. Talk the talk and walk the
walk before your children and your neighbor's children; when you are at home
and when you work and travel, when you are in the privacy of your home and
with others in the church and the world. Let your hands and your hearts be
consistent with what you say about your faith. Love the people of your
community and the world as you love your own heritage and your own people.
Get Acquainted—Ronald
W. Waters, Assistant Professor of Evangelism, Ashland Theological Seminary,
and Consultant for Evangelism/Church Growth, The Brethren Church.
[break]
Introduction of New Life
Ministries—S. Joan Hershey, Coordinator, New
Life Ministries
After sharing an "Essay on Life" (illustrated
with a box of Life cereal), Hershey shared the mission statement of New Life
Ministries: to multiply the number of persons turning to Jesus Christ by
multiplying the number of leaders and congregations that are spiritually alive
and evangelistically effective. This mission statement is lived out in four
ways:
1. Promote uniqueness of Anabaptist/believers'
church tradition
2. Produce quality materials to empower
3. Provide consultations, networking, and training
events
4. Propagate alliances
New Life Ministries was formed at the beginning of 1998
as the successor to The Andrew Center. New Life Ministries is administered
through a staff that oversees day to day operations; a management team that
assists in setting the operational direction; a board of directors that
establishes policy broadly; and the Anabaptist Evangelism Council that offers
opportunity for evangelism, church vitality, and church planting agencies to
gather for networking and working together on common ministries.
Current (supporting) partners in New Life Ministries are
the Mennonite Church, General Conference Mennonite Church, Church of the
Brethren, The Brethren Church, and Shalom Foundation. Funding comes from
partner contributions, sales, seminars, and contributions. Currently, New Life
Ministries is redesigning the LIFE (Living in Faithful Evangelism) process for
congregations who may or may not have participated in LIFE/Passing On the
Promise. Future plans call for establishment of communication vehicles,
training seminars, and the possibility of a satellite office in Canada.
Focus for the Anabaptist
Evangelism Council—Marilyn Miller, Director
of Outreach Ministries, Commission on Home Ministries, General Conference
Mennonite Church
Referring to the Church of the Brethren motto
("continuing the work of Jesus peacefully, simply, together"),
Miller noted that every denomination has some light and salt to share with all
other churches. The unique contribution of Anabaptist denominations may be
that there is another way of living. The question we must ask ourselves: Are
we sharing our community with others?
The composition of this council recognized that we need
both scholars and practitioners to share resources and listen to one another
on this issue: What does God want us to do together in evangelism and
outreach?
The purpose of this meeting is to envision a model for
Anabaptist witness which will enable our congregations to more consistently
reflect the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ in our postmodern society. It
will also provide us an opportunity to share how each of us is doing
evangelism in the contemporary context.
Teaching/Reflection on Mark
1:14-15—"Christian Evangelism: Revealing the Heart of the
Gospel"—Robert J. "Jack"
Suderman, Executive Secretary, Resources Commission, Conference of
Mennonites in Canada
Suderman began by recalling a comment by George Brunk
III at a May 1997 consultation that gave rise to this council: For 70 years
Anabaptists have worked together around the world in social ministry under an
umbrella organization. But when it comes to church planting, congregational
renewal, and evangelism in the "home" sense of the world, we have
found it a lot more difficult to work together. It's about time we do.
Can we assume that as North American Anabaptists that we
agree on the gospel that we wish to communicate to our culture? Some might
agree that we do; others might agree that we do but might also disagree as to
what the answer might be. It is clear that we do not agree on everything. But
we need to have a common understanding about out task: 1) that we understand
the forces at work in our cultures well enough to speak God's truth with
relevance to it; and 2) that we understand the Christian gospel well enough so
as to not preach an acculturated version of nationalism, capitalism, or other
"isms" prevalent in our societies.
Suderman then led participants in an individual exercise
to identify three key words that should be included in a basic understanding
of what the gospel is for our society. He followed this with a group exercise
of sharing the three words and developing a definition of the Christian gospel
from the words shared. Frequently mentioned words included: Jesus/Christ,
Scripture, atonement, confession, body, discipleship, formation,
transformation, incarnation, peace, life, conversion, eternal, Bible,
lifestyle, Trinity, cross, faith. Some of the statements shared included:
— Jesus the indwelling word of love and grace
offers forgiveness for sin and discipleship
— The repentance cross and faith . . . leads to
the life and resurrection of the church in the kingdom of God
— Jesus the word proclaims peace, love, and
reconciliation
— Eternal salvation
— As revealed in scripture, Jesus one of the
Trinity
— God has brought us salvation in Jesus Christ . .
. to be lived in community . . . a sign of the reign of God
Suderman followed these activities with a look Mark
1:14-15 as a possible definition of the gospel, including two emphases:
proclaiming the gospel of God and believing in the gospel. Jesus came
preaching the message, the good message, the positive message. What is the
content of this message? Time has been fulfilled; the kingdom of God is at
hand. This message invites reaction, and it has a sense of urgency. God's rule
and the reign of God has come into our midst and is present where we are. That
is a good message. It encourages response, it asks for repentance, it asks for
belief.
I wish to suggest that the coming of the kingdom of God
was Jesus' working definition of the heart of the gospel of God. The
announcement that God's rule/God's power is in our midst, that the world is
within the hands and the control of God, this is good news. It is good for
those who would like to see people be transformed to be more like God. It is
the message of possibility. It is a message of possibility. It is a message of
probability. It is a message of reality. It is a message of realism.
It is good news for those who are interested in seeing
the world change to reflect more the character of its maker. For those who
look forward to change and transformation, this is good news. it is news of
possibility and of necessity.
Believing this message will align efforts in different
directions. It is good news for the poor, the suffering, the marginalized, the
victims. It means that new power for transformation is available for all.
I wish to propose that if this working definition of the
gospel was good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for us. What might
it mean for evangelism in North America today?
I wish to propose that the entire Gospel of Mark can, in
a sense, be read as an expansion of Mark 1:14-15. It details the
possibilities, the conflicts, the reactions, the characteristics, and the
dimensions of what it means that God's rule has become present in the person
of Jesus Christ in Palestine. The gospel of Jesus Christ demonstrates to us
what it means to live intentionally within and responding to the presence of
God's rule in Palestine and on earth.
Suderman then assigned different chapters from the
Gospel of Mark to groups to determine how the text amplifies and clarifies
Mark 1:14-15. The groups then shared their findings. Suderman then summarized
this biblical study as follows:
God's time has been fulfilled. God's reign is here. This
news calls for response. Repent. Turn around. Life your life in accordance
with the reality of God's reign in your midst. Believe that it's true that
God's power and rule are present. Live accordingly. How does one change one's
life now that we know about the presence of this reign? Gather a community
dedicated to living according to this news (Mark 1:16-19). Confront other
spirits that occupy people's lives (1:21-2:23). Discover how this principle
means that Christ's Lordship is over all (2:18-3:35). Understand how this
Lordship and this kingdom are present and grow (4:1-41). Respond to the power
of this presence in the world (5:1-43). Proclaim the presence. Confront the
idols. Provide the alternatives. Overcome the fears. Be committed even through
suffering, pain, threat, and death. Be assured that the power of the
resurrection is greater than the power of death. Live your lives with this
knowledge.
[dinner]
Mission Focus of Groups
Attending—Ed Bontrager, Mennonite Board of
Congregational Ministries, The Mennonite Church
Each of the organizations represented shared a summary
of their current activities. Many shared handouts describing their ministries.
Reports were presented by the following organizations:
— Canadian Mennonite Bible College—Titus
F. Guenther
— Conference of Mennonites in Canada—Tym
Elias
— General Conference Mennonite Church,
Commission on Home Ministries—Gilberto Flores
— Ashland Theological Seminary—Fred
Finks
— The Brethren Church—Emanuel
"Buzz: Sandberg
— Mennonite Board of Missions—James
Kraybill
— Christian Community—Joan Hershey
on behalf of Steve Clapp
— Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary,
Mission Training Center—Walter Sawatsky.
— Brethren Revival Fellowship—James
Myer
— Eastern Mennonite University and Seminary,
John Coffman Center—Linford Stutzman
— Church of the Brethren General Board—Stafford
Frederick
— Bethany Theological Seminary and Brethren
Academy for Ministerial Leadership— Harriet Finney
— Eastern Mennonite Missions—Dave
Witmer
— General Conference Mennonite Church,
Commission on Education—Ken Hawkley
— Shalom Foundation—Dick Benner
— Mennonite Board of Congregational
Ministries—Ed Bontrager
— New Life Ministries—Joan Hershey
[adjournment for the day]
Sunday, February 22
Worship—Worship
Leader: David West, Director of Congregational Ministries, The Brethren
Church; Speaker: Fred Finks, President, Ashland Theological Seminary
Finks spoke on the theme, "Renew My Spirit,"
based on Psalm 51:1-12. Based on a dictionary definition of "renew,"
he identified and spoke on these topics: revive, restore, regenerate, rebuild,
repeat, resume, and repent. He concluded by asking, "What is God pointing
his finger at in your life?"
Teaching Event—Moderator:
Bob Kettering, Member of the Board, New Life Ministries
The teaching event included presentations from five
persons representing each of the partner denominations of New Life Ministries.
Each presentation focused on the theme of understanding postmodern North
American culture and ways for our denominations to discover our unique
evangelization roles as Anabaptists.
Manuscripts or summaries of the presentations appear in
the booklet, Anabaptist Witness in a Postmodern Society: Presentations to
the First Annual Meeting of the Anabaptist Evangelism Council.
Presenters were:
— Anabaptist
Evangelism in the Context of Modernity and Postmodernity – Lois
Barrett, Executive Secretary, Commission on Home Ministries, General
Conference Mennonite Church
— Anabaptist
Evangelism in a Postmodern World – Dale Stoffer, Associate
Professor of Historical Theology, Ashland Theological Seminary
— Anabaptist
Witness in a Postmodern Society: A Canadian Case Study – Titus
Guenther, Assistant Professor, Canadian Mennonite Bible College
— Understanding
Postmodern North American Culture and Ways for Our Denominations to
Discover Our Unique Evangelization Role as Anabaptists – Paul
Mundey, Senior Pastor, Frederick, Md., Church of the Brethren
— Concluding
Comments – Linford Stutzman, Director of the John Coffman Center
and Assistant Professor of Culture and Mission, Eastern Mennonite
University
[lunch]
Teaching Event: Responses and
Discussion—Moderator: Bob Kettering, with
the presenters as a panel
A lively time of discussion ensued among the council
participants and the panel of presenters.
Visioning Session for Future
Cooperation—Moderators: S. Joan Hershey and
Marilyn Miller
The stated purpose of this session was: "What are
the ways in which we can strategize together and resource one another for a
more effective Anabaptist witness in evangelism?"
An example was given: as Hitler was entering Poland, the
Polish cavalry with horses and rifles found themselves facing Hitler's Panzer
divisions— a complete paradigm shift in military warfare. We must equip our
churches or otherwise we will find ourselves facing a similar situation with
our world.
The moderators shared a list of potential modules under
consideration for development by New Life Ministries. Participants were asked
to indicate any additional topics that should be considered and indicate any
of the topics on which they/their organizations have worked or are working.
They were also asked to prioritize the four most important issues to address
first.
Question: What more can
we do together?
• Respect our different organizations: provide
one-page bullet type reports. For future council meetings, consider sharing
in advance position statements (1-2 pages), followed by focus groups around
particular/key questions, then shared corporately; then reconfigure focus
groups to have another round at it.
• Evangelism/church planting: seems many of us see
church planting as a tool of evangelism. Rebuild through evangelism and
church planting.
• Work together in church planter assessments,
common coaching; encouraging churches to plant churches
• Mennonite Board of Missions urban directors have
moved to different locations, on-site to where someone is doing
ministry/training. Place of our meeting may be equally important.
• Hold meetings at a church plant; have local people
come teach us.
• Praxis
• Learn from mistakes; summit may be valuable to
bring together like-minded groups to dialog
• English speakers always start a church among
Hispanics. How do we define what is Hispanic? When one begins a church,
often do so because of an enthusiastic group that will do so. Agencies often
think, "This is a cultural thing, let them do it." Therefore
Hispanic churches in US have least sense of identity in this country, not
only in theological but also missiological and ecclesiological terms; not
incorporated into bigger ecclesial project, an appendage, dangerous. This
leads to accusations that Hispanics are not formal. Suggest a project where
we would create materials to help agencies understand the Hispanic reality.
The General Conference Mennonite Commission on Home Ministries has some
materials that may be helpful, in English, done by a specialist who is both
a theologian and a pastor, and it may help the agencies understand the
profile of Hispanic churches in the United States
• Fastest growing group in Eastern Mennonite
Missions is the Spanish group (Samuel Lopez— Hispanic training center)
• Several churches in Church of the Brethren
South/Central Indiana District are talking about becoming sister churches
for renewal and church planting; networking congregations with similar
interests—partner church networking
Question: Is a gather
such as this council worthwhile?
• Difficulty of finding readily available models;
can turn to other movements more aligned with dominant model, more readily
available. Find some compatible synergy within the Anabaptist movement.
Without getting together, we don't have people power and money individually
[to find or create these models]. Need to find ways to cooperate to build
that energy.
• In Brethren Church we have been overly influenced
by evangelicalism. Would like to see us develop connectedness with other
groups who share our convictions. Forum like this and connectedness is very
important. Too small to have all these resources ourselves.
• Iron sharpens iron.
• Bringing together academics and practitioners is
important. Comments from academic institutions?
Question to those from academic communities: Is
this helpful to you, and would you want to be a part of something like this
in the future?
• Very valuable to me, will share with colleagues.
With students, reach them through small nudges; easier to guide students
when aware of what agencies are doing
• Also find it helpful, especially with regard to
Brethren/Bethany Academy. More we can share about transforming church
leadership, we will find more ways to influence congregations and church
planting.
• Voice of other parts of the church is so loud, our
voice will be lost if we do not gather to keep it alive; amplify this voice.
The "competition" is so well organized and pervasive.
• Hope to get more Church of the Brethren people
involved in conference on pluralism; easier if it is under the umbrella of a
council such as this
• Need to come together to reinforce each other in
light of all the other things out there. Understanding the Anabaptist
tradition is more experienced that articulated.
• Reinforced what another said about coming into
this tradition by choice; stronger because of coming in from outside. Also,
call from a pastor who just learned about The Andrew Center/New Life
Ministries. Works in mediation; recognizes many congregations not healthy
enough to enter into LIFE process.
• Work at partnering churches to work at
renewal/bringing churches back to health.
• We have to be careful about developing techniques
for church growth; if healthy, evangelism would take care of itself;
dynamic, passion.
• This meeting reinforced that institutions and
agencies do not operate by same vision. If we have a common vision, it would
help us all move forward together. Congregational leadership is shaping our
institutions.
Question: Would
you see New Life Ministries as primarily a resource to your congregations or
a resource to your agencies and institutions that work with congregations?
• In Church of the Brethren, better to connect with
congregations directly, based on what I am hearing.
• How will agencies feel if group bypasses agencies?
• Need is so great, bless anyone who can help
congregations.
• Issue of control is a critical issue. In Church of
the Brethren, we have deployed Congregational Life Teams and are still
vulnerable.
• Noted that New Life Ministries is trying to work
with Congregational Life Teams by bridging to them. Want to build the trust
level and pass along people to the specific denominational representatives.
• Does not see Canadian Mennonite Bible College as
being in this loop.
• Each denomination may have different expectations.
New Life Ministries is set up so denominational people with responsibility
sit on the management team and exercise some control over the
"valve" about involvement with congregations. The Andrew Center
experience has proved effective.
• Must see that evangelism is not either/or but is a
part of all that we do, not separate from other activities
• Denominations need to continually communicate with
congregations and other denominations so that territorial issues will not be
so strong
• One New Life Ministries congregational advisor
reported on efforts to send copy of communications with congregations to
appropriate conference mission staff person to let them know that
communication is taking place
• We in denominational agencies have thought of
ourselves as the "general store" where every church
"shops." Reality is that we are not the only provider;
ever-expanding resource providers. Many other groups, however, have
Anabaptist values (even if not in the Anabaptist circle). Churches will go
wherever they can get done what needs to be done.
• A lot of the basic need is rather generic for jump
starting congregations.
• We must be aware of a postdenominational
mentality.
• How to have a mission concern at the heart of
Mennonite integration. Assembly element of LIFE program brought people
together. Is content to be shaped by stage in LIFE process? Or accumulation
of churches for vision building? Is this possible?
• Yes, but challenge of finding what is the proper
vehicle.
• Going to an academy for that length of time was
costly, time-consuming. Possibly have a regional planning team (Canadian
plan) to plan/conduct one-day event/shorter term, regional. Rather than
top-down, consultant to regional planning team.
• While people are working piecemeal, there is the
same vacuum of a long term relationship. Congregations looking for longer
term relationship. When process ended, long-term relationship missing was
missing.
• Longing for community is great. People found it in
Evangelism Leaders Academies. In congregations, the glue that holds us
together also keeps people out.
Question (based on hearing affirmation for getting
together again): Theme? Where? When? Who else?
• Affirm move out of this type of setting to more of
an active ministry setting/"case study"
• At Mennonite Board of Missions, just finished
evaluation of outreach training materials. Mission communicators ask
questions about what is agenda of the world. We heard internally about
issues of worship and spirituality as a high priority/themes and trends in
the church. Help equip congregations to think about missions within the
context of spirituality and worship. How do we connect with things going on
in some congregation? What is energizing churches? What resources should we
build?
• Richness of variety of denominations. Need to
become more multi-ethnic and gender diversity. Networking is a real value.
One of the most valued results will be the listing of names.
• International Conference Center in Chicago is
close to ministries we might want to be in touch with.
• Perhaps alternate between Chicago and
Baltimore/Washington area.
• Newport News area also suggested
• Valuable of in and out over two days. Concern
about amount of time to view other ministries.
• On-site could provide worship experience and eat
with people and not extend length.
• Perhaps have group split up and share reflections.
• Do we need to draw from other schools of thought?
Are we prepared to challenge our market economy? Mass media? What do we mean
by democracy, globalization? How does that differ from the tower of Babel?
Must not let what we believe become isolated from the reality of the world
around us—something outside of that to which we respond.
Question: This year's
presentations were all four our tradition. Would it be helpful to draw on
leadership from within other traditions?
• A lot of opportunities to get input from other
places, but not as many opportunities to get perspective we've had here.
Lean toward our own group.
• Agrees, especially during this formative time.
Next Council Meeting:
Time—February
20-21, 1999.
Place—to be
established by New Life Ministries Management Team
Who else to invite?
Grace Brethren
Worship and Sending—Jim
Myer, Brethren Revival Fellowship
Myer began by telling the story of Brethren in Christ
Bishop Henry Ginter. At a combined community worship service held during a
snowstorm, he opened the meeting by saying, "Welcome to the Mennonite
Brethren in Christ Church of the Brethren Fellowship." In many ways, that
is what we have experienced here.
He based his study on Hebrews 6:7-8. The thistle and
thorn seed God scattered after the Garden of Eden has gotten around. On
agronomy reports, there is never a place to record what the briar patch did.
When neglected, thistles, briars, and thorns grow.
The ground is often used to describe our lives and
influences that come upon our lives. He told about a waiter who had his thumb
on piece of fish to keep it from sliding off the plate . . . again. How
quickly things can go wrong. We've had another opportunity to be cultivated,
to be rained on. Soon we go to await the harvest. Here are three lessons from
agriculture to take with us:
1. Don't stop after you plant the seed
2. There are enemies to deal with—be alert to the
enemies of the Christian life
3. Remember the importance of nurturing the plant
The Bible challenges us to water our lives in order to
be fruitful (John 15).
Adjournment—The
council close by singing a hymn as a personal prayer—"Savior of My
Soul."
