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Prayers of gratitude and intercession

  • “The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers” (Psalm 24:1–2).

    “Climate change”: these two words often generate anxiety concerning the future of not only humanity, but the entire planet.

    The effects of climate change have undoubtedly become more evident. Scientific studies in the last 100 years show that if global temperatures increased beyond 1.5º Celsius, there will be negative impacts on ecosystems all over the world.

    This small change causes rainfall patterns to shift, temperatures to change, and a higher risk of heatwaves, flooding, melting ice sheets and glaciers resulting in sea level rise.

    Climate change poses a risk to human societies and natural ecosystems. A disruption in the ecosystem equilibrium is already measured in plant and animal species that are changing physiologically. With effects such as a decreased crop yield, climate change will cause higher rates of poverty.

    While scientific evidence presents many negatives, the church can highlight positives. As a Christian, currently studying environmental science, I believe we can look to science for solutions and still exalt God for his greatness because he created the world and bestowed us with the desire to understand it. 

    The engagement of the church is vital. Here, I offer action points using the acronym CHANGE.

    Change

    Many of us need to change our mindset, perspective and attitude about climate change. This is not a problem solely for politicians, scientists and experts. It is everyone’s problem, including the global church.

    Although we hope for eternal life through Jesus Christ, while we walk on the earth we are its custodians. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” God instructed people to look after his creation.

    How to…

    The issue is not whether climate change is a true phenomenon or not, but how we as members of the global church are involved in adapting our communities to the changes. It is a global issue, one that should be tackled by joint effort rather than individually.

    The global church, fostering a spirit of togetherness and community engagement can help bring people closer to Christ, and steer their communities in a positive direction.

    Action and Awareness

    As the church, we can be a place where people look for accurate information on what climate change is, who it impacts, and how to adapt and mitigate its effects.

    The global church could help not only financially but also spiritually to understand the dynamic between developed and developing countries. Inhabitants of developing countries will suffer the impacts of climate change more than those of developed nations. As a global body, we could be a conduit for region-specific information.

    Local congregations could promote conservation strategies that start at community level. The church could offer resources on improving efficiency in both energy and food systems, building green infrastructure and nurturing green spaces in urban and rural areas.

    Nature

    Take time to appreciate nature and see God’s greatness in it. Remember that as the climate changes, so will certain aspects of it.

    God

    We must keep God as the centre. Where scientific evidence disappoints us, God’s Word remains a true guide. Prayer is a powerful tool that connects us to God and each other.

    Expect anything.

    We are living in a world full of turmoil. Scientists rely on evidence and projections to predict future scenarios, but it can never be 100 percent accurate. However, as believers, our consolation resides in God as our peace in a time of chaos and uncertainty.

    Our lives are rooted in Christ. Whatever happens, God is always with us. This is not an excuse to sit back and watch the chaos unfold, rather, it is a time to CHANGE. As the global church, we can embrace this opportunity to reach out to those who are lost.

    —Makadunyiswe Ngulube is YABs Representative for Africa. She is a member of Mount Pleasant BIC Church Zimbabwe. She is studying environmental science at Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia, Canada.

     

     

    Sources used (in English):

    Global warming of 1.5ºC. An IPCC Special Report, https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/

    D. Lobell, M. Burke, C. Tebaldi, M. Mastrandrea, W. Falcon, and R. Naylor. “Prioritizing climate change adaptation needs for food security in 2030” in Science (2008).

    Terry L. Root, Jeff T. Price, Kimberly R. Hall, Stephen H. Schneider, Cynthia Rosenzweig, & J. Alan Pounds. “Fingerprints of global warming on wild animals and plants” in Nature (2003).

  • At Renewal 2027  – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018, several people shared a testimony of experiencing the Spirit’s work changing people in the church. The columns in this section have been adapted from their presentations.

    It was time to come together for a church community day and celebrate – but celebrate what? God’s faithfulness in the past in our long history despite the threat of decline in the present days? Our rich heritage still present in the churches today?

    For the last 15 years, there had been no such gatherings in the Swiss Mennonite churches. The preparations for this one took two years.

    We dedicated much time to find a theme to focus of our celebration.

    • Someone thought that as we gather together, all the distinct identities of our 14 churches should become visible, a landscape of profiles displaying the richness of the gospel of Christ incarnate in many forms of church communities, each quite different one from the other.
    • Someone else suggested that we model the letters to the seven churches in John’s revelation. Churches would be invited to write a letter imagining God would say about their church today: dangers, their strengths and weaknesses.
    • Someone else said that our churches need encouragement to step into renewal, to cast a vision for the future that would guide us in the years to come.

    We listened to each other. We took home what was discussed, prayed it through, discussed it in other groups. 

    When we came together again, the idea of writing a letter stuck with us. But we had concerns about taking the letters in Revelation as a model. Who can speak from God’s perspective? This might encourage us to judge one another.

    Following the threads of what was in our hearts for our churches, we finally decided that we would indeed invite the churches to write a letter to all the other churches in our denomination.

    But it should be a letter about hopes. Imagining 10 years into the future, they would look back on the time that now lies ahead. They would describe how God led them, what paths they travelled, what changes they went through. 

    We invited them to write down their dreams for the future growth of their churches.

    Would the churches respond? Would they show themselves so vulnerable before the others? We were not sure whether they were ready to do this work.

    We took the risk.

    The theme of the day would be “Morning Air.” Through the letters, we hoped to take in a fresh breath, an aroma of the future that God had laid on our hearts.  

    The morning-wind of the coming kingdom of God was already present as a scent in our dreams.

    The response was amazing.

    • Some churches asked if they could write two letters because they were about to found a new church.
    • Many churches gathered to discuss how they saw the 10 years ahead of them.
    • Most churches wrote a bold story, full of courage. They knew the challenges lying ahead. But they saw these coming changes as a birth of something new they were looking forward to.

    This was a first transformation by the Spirit. We followed a scent already in the air. The faithful God weaving our future came to meet us in the present.

    For our community day, we printed out all the letters on banners. With great curiosity, people from all churches gathered to read what others had written.

    This day became the churches’ pledge to each other: We will pray for you, that God will fulfill what he has laid on your hearts, even if it is very different from what we imagine for our own future.

    This was a second transformation. We recognized and affirmed that God is incarnating his gospel in many ways that complement each other.

    At the end of the day, I asked the congregations to come forward with the panel displaying their letter. As the banners moved through the room, I suddenly saw that they were like sails, ready to catch the wind of God.

    In the two years since, we have seen some of these dreams come to be realized.

    As a conference, we are discovering common hopes that unite us. Some differences may create tensions that threaten our unity and need to be discussed. But the openness and sincere prayers of these letters ignite a renewed love for each other so that we can approach difficult questions that otherwise might break our unity.

    Through a process of listening to each other, what God has laid on each heart, both on the level of local churches and conference leadership, we experienced God’s Spirit transforming us.

    —Jürg Bräker is a member of the Deacons Commission. He is general secretary of Konferenz der Mennoniten der Schweiz (Alttäufer)/Conférence Mennonite Suisse (Anabaptiste), the Anabaptist church in Switzerland.

    He spoke at Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us – in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018. This paper been adapted from his presentation.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2018.

  • At Renewal 2027  – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018,several people shared a testimony of experiencing the Spirit’s work changing people in the church. The columns in this section have been adapted from their presentations.

    The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). That is what my church, Brethren In Christ (BICC) in Zimbabwe teaches. We cannot see the Holy Spirit with our eyes, but we see God in action through his Spirit, and the outcome is always astounding and awe-inspiring.

    When I was a little girl, we were taught about God the Father, and Jesus, the great friend of children, and our Saviour. The Holy Spirit was hardly mentioned, although we sang songs that espoused the power of this comforter and teacher. 

    We went to church to worship God with other believers through prayer, Bible study/Sunday school, hymns (praise and worship), offering and the sermon. 

    For many years, our churches taught the Bible well, but our actions in worship, though proper in form, did not match the ethics, particularly in giving of tithes and offering as well as any other giving. 

    Then came teachings about the person of the Holy Spirit. I began to witness attitudes changing. 

    When a church allows the Holy Spirit’s transforming power, we see the fruits of love, joy, peace, kindness, longsuffering, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23). 

    Prayer time has become a time of truly communing with God. 

    During praise and worship, the team is genuinely worshipping God, able to lead the rest of the congregants into the presence of God. The lyrics of the hymns take on new meaning. 

    Giving is improving. Worshippers are no longer giving tithes and offerings because of obedience of the law; but out of love, joy and grateful hearts. Giving generously as did the Macedonians in 2 Corinthians 8 does not come easy with most people, but we keep witnessing transformation that we can only put to the work of the Holy Spirit.

    One example of the Holy Spirit at work happened in 2011, during the BICC women’s conference at Mtshabezi Mission. 

    On the last day of the conference, evangelist Silibaziso Nhliziyo based her message on Genesis 9:17–26. This beloved woman of deep faith challenged the church to care for our spiritual parents, our pastors and leaders who are exposed by lack and want.  

    She came closer home: “Mam Bishop Ndlovu visits the sick and bereaved and does a lot of church errands on foot, or by commuter taxis. Yet we live in comfort and drive good cars. Is that right? Today, we are going to give, so that our Mam Bishop can buy a car. Give, women: sow a seed to ease Mam Bishop’s life as she serves God. 

    “We are going to give $5,000 to buy the vehicle. What you do for her, you are doing for God.” 

    That seemed like a tall order for many who usually gave the barest minimum. 

    Surprise of surprises, women brought forward pledges that surpassed the amount stated. We all agreed the Holy Spirit was at work. To date, the 10-seater vehicle we purchased is used by the Bishop’s wife and other church ladies as they go about the business of women’s ministry. 

    Silibaziso continued: “I feel in my spirit that there are women who are having a problem conceiving. Your hearts are crying for children. Some of you are giving up. Never give up on God!” 

    Many women flocked to the front for prayers.

    Six years later, during the annual BICC women’s conference, Lovewyn Mhlanga, a gifted teacher and conference speaker, married to a minister of the gospel at BICC Lobengula in Bulawayo, gave a personal testimony.  

    “I met with my Jesus in a special way at Mtshabezi [the 2011 women’s conference],” she said. 

    “I was reluctant to go forward. I had had four miscarriages. Many prayers had been prayed for me before, but my hope had been dashed many times. 

    “I reluctantly found myself walking to the front, tears rolling down my face. God touched me as prayers were said. 

    “Soon after, I had a pregnancy that I nursed with joy and anxiety wrapped in one. After nine months, I went into hospital for a Caesarean-section birth. I heard my baby cry while I was still in theatre and I said, ‚ÄòGod, you are so good! You are faithful. You are Jehovah and you deserve all the worship!’ 

    “As you sit here, there are things you believe God for. Believe that God will bring a breakthrough in your life,” said Mhlanga. “I had my baby girl, Princess. I prayed for another baby, and God gave me a son, Prince Joshua.” 

    Is the Holy Spirit in our midst transforming lives and situations? Yes, the Spirit is! The same Holy Spirit who brought missionaries who gave us the gospel that came with schools and hospitals is the same Spirit at work today, building the kingdom of God.

    ‚ÄîBarbara Nkala is MWC regional representative for Southern Africa. She is a member of the BIC church in Zimbabwe. She spoke at Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us – in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018. This paper been adapted from her presentation.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2018.

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  • Three reasons the Holy Spirit is relevant to the church today

    Len RempelFifty days after Passover, the Jewish community gathered in Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks. At the same time, the followers of Jesus gathered in a room awaiting the promise of the Holy Spirit.

    As they were waiting, “suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting… All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages” (Acts 2:2,4). Jesus’ followers miraculously start to speak languages they hadn’t known before.

    Soon, the news of the followers speaking in different languages spreads throughout Jerusalem. People are bewildered, amazed or skeptical.

    Then Peter – the same Peter who 50 days earlier had denied any associations with Jesus – stands and preaches his first sermon. Now, with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, Peter stands in front of thousands who had crucified Jesus. The crowd that could not stand Jesus 50 days ago now attentively listens to a sermon in defence of Jesus.

    Reportedly, 3 000 people believed in Jesus and were added to the church that day.

    Peter interprets the events of that morning in light of a prophecy of the prophet Joel.

    In Joel 2:28–29, God promised to pour out God’s Spirit on all flesh. God promised to empower all people to exercise divine power. And this prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. That is how the day of Pentecost became the day of the birth of the church.

    Two millennia later, why does it matter to us that the first Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit? What could the church learn from the events of Pentecost?

    1. The Holy Spirit continues to empower the church

    In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised his disciples the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to witness. Before Pentecost, disciples are scared and direction-less. After, they boldly present themselves as followers of Jesus.

    The empowerment they received did not end with the day. They do powerful acts of healing, raising the dead, and witnessing in the Sanhedrin. They live with boldness, most to the point of execution.  

    The Holy Spirit continues to empower the church today. Christian institutions work to tackle major issues such as human trafficking, displacement, poverty and hunger, violence and war.

    Individual members of the church risk their lives to live out their faith.

    Greta Lindecrantz from Colorado, USA, chose jail over supporting death penalty.

    Sang-Min Lee from South Korea refused to complete the government’s mandatory military service and spent 15 months in prison as a conscientious objector.

    Mennonite youth from Colombia have refused to join the armed groups because they believe “it is incompatible with the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ.”

    In India, believers follow Christ in the midst of growing religious intolerance and persecution.

    This is possible only due to the power of the Holy Spirit.

    2. The church is diverse and inclusive in nature

    On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit enabled the gathered believers to “declare the wonders of God” in languages they had not spoken before. This miracle symbolically reinforced the diverse nature of the church: multilingual, multiracial and multicultural.

    From there onward, instead of a homogenous group of Galileans, the church became a community of people of all nations, drawn together by love for Christ.

    In his sermon, Peter quotes the prophet Joel to interpret the events of that morning:

    “In the last days it will be, God declares,
        that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
    and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
        your young men shall see visions,
        and your old men will dream dreams.
    Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
        in those days, I will pour out my Spirit;
        and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17–18).

    The day of Pentecost was a historic event because God fulfilled the prophecy given hundreds of years ago.

    In the days of the Old Testament, the Spirit was almost always poured out only on prophets, priests and kings. This changed with the day of Pentecost. All believers were empowered by the Holy Spirit regardless of their age, gender and economic status.

    The church became a place where all people – young and old, men and women – mattered. And everyone received the power to contribute to the life and mission of the church.

    3. The church displays a foretaste of the kingdom of God

    Acts 2:42–47 shows what the kingdom of God looks like on earth.

    The first church lived together in one accord. They fellowship with each other; they devote themselves to the teachings of the apostles. They pray and break bread together. They sold their property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. The Lord blessed them by adding “to their number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

    Len Rempel

     Characteristics of the kingdom were present in the first church.

    There was unity in midst of diversity; there was satisfaction – a desire to fellowship and learn instead of dividing and dominating; There was sharing and caring for each other with glad and sincere hearts, with no place for greed; and a desire to praise God.

    The first church is a template for us to follow. It is a model for us to examine how the characteristics of the kingdom are present among us.

    The table before us

    John Driver, in his book, Life together in the Spirit, gives us a beautiful picture of a “table of fraternal communion.”

    Through MWC, a table of fraternal communion is set before us. At this table are people from around the world, sharing stories of the work of Holy Spirit – empowering the church; declaring the wonders of God; and uniting and including us in the body of Christ.

    As we partake of these stories, may we be inspired to have faith in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and submit ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

    The problems glaring at our generation call for an active intervention by the church. It is not possible to tackle these problems by mere human efforts. The Holy Spirit’s empowerment and a spirit of oneness within the Global Anabaptist Family is needed for the church to raise up a standard that bears a witness to the world; that bears the values of the kingdom.

     

    —Elisabeth Kunjam is a member of the Mennonite Brethren church in India. She served on the Deacons Commission (2015–2018).

    She spoke at Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us – in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018. This paper been adapted from her presentation.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2018.

  • Many written testimonies of the early Anabaptist movement point toward the work of the Holy Spirit as the central driving force. The Holy Spirit goes to people who are awaiting. It was the case in Pentecost (Acts 2) while the disciples were praying; it was the case in Reformation times; and it is the case today.

    The Holy Spirit from the time of the apostles to Luther

    Anabaptists and Protestants in general have to be careful in remembering that the Christian church did not start with them. There had been 1 500 previous years with many manifestations and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Let us remember the early Christian martyrs, who by the strength of the Spirit were willing to give their lives and be faithful through torture unto death. There are the many mystics who in monasteries, deserts, caves and often in important church leadership positions sought to be filled with the Holy Spirit and acted by the Spirit’s power and wisdom. And then there are the missionaries who brought the gospel to Europe, Russia, India and North Africa, evidencing that God’s Spirit is a sending one, eager to cross all cultural barriers.

    The Holy Spirit in Reformation times

    Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin all pointed toward God’s Spirit when they rediscovered and redefined the biblical gospel of grace. Not only a deep experience of spiritual peace and comfort, but also a very strong sense of “freedom from religion” and “freedom from social oppression” came with it. Thomas Müntzer, although tragically misled at the end, applied the work of the Holy Spirit to the questions of social justice and the rights of the poor and marginalized. Melchior Hoffman related with a very special spiritual sensitivity the outpouring of the Spirit to the coming New Jerusalem.

    A memorial stone to Anabaptist martyrs drowned in the Limmat River in Switzerland. Photo: Roland zh, Wikimedia CommonsThe Holy Spirit and the Anabaptist dissent in Zurich 1525

    The group of young scholars around Zwingli related in a very early stage the authority of Scripture to a church practice under the guidance and leadership of the Spirit. In the October debates of 1523, they challenged Zwingli to subordinate the decision of the city council to the authority of the Spirit. Conrad Grebel put it this way: “The Spirit of God has made a decision already.”

    In the night of 21 January 1525, “15 brethren were gathered in prayer in the house of Felix Manz after the mandate of the Zurich council forbade the future propagation of their faith. We are told that they rose from prayer and, moved by the Spirit, George Blaurock asked Conrad Grebel to baptize him on the confession of his faith…”

    Very soon the Anabaptists again got caught in a different problem: Does Swiss nationalism or European security stand above God’s mandate toward nonviolence and love of enemies? The Anabaptist believers in Switzerland exhorted Thomas Müntzer and those joining the Peasants’ Revolt not to take the sword, but to trust in the intervention of God’s Spirit.

    And when Michael Sattler wrote the Schleitheim Confession, the congregation made it clear that Christians renounce the physical sword by taking the “sword of the Spirit.” At his death trial, Michael stated that he preferred to be killed by a Muslim to being part of a “Christian army” that kills them.

    So, the peace witness and the power of the Spirit are very closely linked in the Anabaptist tradition.

    The Holy Spirit in our day

    When Mennonites and Pentecostals met in Pasadena 2006 to celebrate 100 years of the Azusa Street Revival, they realized that renewal movement and the Anabaptist one have a considerable number of things in common, including missions, nonviolence, the doctrine of the new spiritual birth and Spirit baptism.

    Conclusion

    In my opinion the Anabaptist movement recovered three crucial dimensions on the theology and practice of the Holy Spirit:

    • The Spirit leads to truth and a new life in Christ.
    • The Spirit gives strength in weakness and persecution.
    • The Spirit breaks down barriers (cultural, social, national) and moves toward mission.

    Paul sums up this experience in 2 Timothy 1:7–8: “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but of power, and of love, and of discipline. Be not ashamed, therefore, of the testimony of our Lord.”

    —Alfred Neufeld was chair of the Faith and Life Commission (2009–2018). He recently served as rector of Universidad Evangélica del Paraguay in Asuncion, Paraguay. He is a member of Vereinigung der Mennoniten Brüdergemeinden Paraguays (Mennonite Brethren).

    He spoke at Renewal 2027 – The Holy Spirit Transforming Us – in Kisumu, Kenya, 21 April 2018. This paper been adapted from his presentation.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2018.

  • Is there a way to make a living without killing the environment?

    For a country that sees thousands of deaths every year due to exacerbated effects of super-typhoons, this is a major question. Lives have been claimed and billions worth of infrastructure have been damaged due to intense floods and landslides brought by forest denudation, river siltation, excessive garbage pile-up and indiscriminate extractive industries.

    Right now, the forest cover in the Philippines loses 262,500 hectares every year. Agricultural practices in the Philippines are mostly mono-cropping, slashing trees in exchange for cash crops which are heavily reliant on inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. People know the destruction they are wreaking on the environment but “is there an alternative?”

    This is an issue that Peacebuilders Community Inc. (PBCI) encounters in most communities it works with. An outgrowth of the work of Mennonite Church Witness workers Dann and Joji Pantoja, PBCI started in 2006 in Mindanao, the southern part of the Philippines, which faces decades-long of armed conflict. Non-state armed groups are very active there fuelled by corruption, unequal wealth distribution, discrimination and historical injustices that started in the colonial conquest and continues until now.

    As PBCI engages with the communities there, the people ask, “how can we talk about peace when our stomachs are hungry?” Thus the need to search for solutions to address the economic need of the people and at the same time taking care of the environment in accordance to the biblical definition of peace which is:

    • Harmony with the Creator – spiritual transformation
    • Harmony with the being – psychosocial transformation
    • Harmony with others – socio-political transformation
    • Harmony with the creation – economic-ecological transformation

    One of the solutions that came out was coffee production. PBCI noticed that Christians, Muslims and lumads (Indigenous peoples in Mindanao) offer coffee to their visitors. Coffee then became an icon of peace because these three groups that are usually at odds with each other has this in common. Thus, Coffee for Peace Inc. was conceptualized in 2008.

    Furthermore, coffee thrives best in a balanced ecology since coffee absorbs flavour from its environment. Coffee then, encourages reforestation and environmentally-friendly farming practices.

    Using fair trade principles to create a just, sustainable value chain, PBCI trains the farmers on peace and reconciliation, coffee production and processing, fair trade, and social entrepreneurship.

    In the central part of the Philippines, the community of Immanuel Christian Assembly of God Church (ICACG) in Pres. Roxas, Capiz experienced the wrath of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. As a result, their sources of income and houses were terribly damaged. They needed to rehabilitate their economy and at the same time build up their own capacities so that they can immediately help when another disaster strikes. They also needed to address the forest denudation of their hills which are mostly planted with corn.

    In February 2017, ICACG invited PBCI to train them. As of December, they have reforested the hills with 5,000 coffee trees which is expected to bear fruit in 2020. To help in their everyday needs, they intercropped various vegetables in their coffee farm without using inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. In the next five years, ICACG will reforest 25 more hectares with 25,000 coffee trees. They are being asked by four nearby barangays (villages) who have the same issues of poverty and intensive deforestation to teach them the principles of organic faming and the peace and reconciliation framework.

    These communities are living testimonies that we do not have to kill our environment in order to live. We can be in harmony with the creation just as the Creator had commanded us to do.

    —Twinkle A. Bautista is a missionary for peace and reconciliation in Kalinga, the Philippines, where she works with the Anabaptist-rooted Peacebuilders Community Inc.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2018.

  • “The plane! The plane!” This was how a TV program began that I used to watch as a child in Bogotá. It was about an island where all the desires of those that arrived there would be fulfilled. In English it was called Fantasy Island.

    It is possible to live on Fantasy Island right now, hoping that all our material wants will be fulfilled. Many television commercials say: “Would you like to have this or that? Well then, the only thing you need to do is …”. Marketing strategies, social media, the media and even churches sow desires in us dressed up as needs that did not exist before.

    Our consumption patterns are important to God. Our lifestyle – as well as what we consume – always preaches a message. Jesus himself warns us about the risks that we run with material things. To possess them – or not to have them – can create such longing and anxiety that it can even displace God. How difficult it is to distinguish among true needs, wants and luxuries!

    In our Anabaptist tradition, we believe that how we manage money and what we consume is profoundly spiritual. It is for this reason that the concept of “simplicity” developed very early on in our communities. “To live simply” means adopting a lifestyle that runs contrary to so much that our society teaches.

    One person who has had a profound effect on me in this regard is a member of one of our churches in Canada. As the owner of a large and successful company, he decided to limit his director-level salary and donate the additional company profit to church-based projects. His life is a concrete example of rejecting the accumulation of material wealth and voluntarily opting to live simply!

    Even so, I have also come across people in our churches and institutions that have misunderstood what “simplicity” is. Sometimes simple living is confused with poverty. However, not everyone who lacks financial resources lives simply and as such those who have less also need to opt to live simply. It is very different to live simply because you have decided to do so and to do so because there is no other option.

    Living simply is also sometimes confused with a lack of cleanliness and order. Sometimes, wanting to appear to be living simply leads to personal neglect, dirtiness, untidiness and poor taste. Even so, the appearance of simplicity does not always imply the cheapest option. How wonderful it is to meet people and organizations that practice a simplicity that is aesthetically pleasing due to its order and cleanliness!

    Simple living encompasses many things. It has to do with how we manage our time and our money. It shows us that less really can be more. The practice of simple living affects our priorities, the use of credit, the goal of saving, the way in which we manage our time at work and our time for rest. It invites us to be generous and re-evaluate the notion of “possession.” Simple living has to do with the environment, which in turn is related to sustainable development, fair trade, organic agriculture and recycling, among other things.

    In this issue of the Courier, we have chosen to focus on this last aspect: creation care. Over the last couple of years, many of our churches have suffered due to natural disasters. Without a doubt, our consumerist desires end up negatively affecting whole societies in other parts of the world, including members of our own faith family that live in those places.

    It is for this reason that we need to remember that individualism, egotism and consumerism are the opposite of simple living. All these “-isms” reinforce the idea that you are the most important person on the Earth, pushing you away from Jesus and his message of compassion. This message invites us to focus on others and to extend compassion to all of creation.

    We do not need to legislate simple living and compassion. Jesus does not call us to make a universal list of what to wear, what to spend and what to consume. It is not the same to live simply in the rural areas as in the city; nor is it the same to live simply in the Majority World as in the Minority World. These are decisions that need to be context specific. It is the responsibility of each church to discern what it means to live simply in their context by depending on the Holy Spirit and dialoguing with other faith communities.

    It is my prayer that this issue of Courier contributes toward ongoing growth with this goal in mind.

    —César García, MWC general secretary, works out of the head office in Bogotá, Colombia.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2018.

  • Bogotá, Colombia – We are grateful for the steady flow of contributions in support of Mennonite World Conference, whether from our national member churches, local congregations, or individuals. We are somewhat surprised that giving is slower this year than average, resulting in being behind budget at the end of August. Contributions from individuals and from congregations are lagging the most compared to normal trends. It is a challenge for us to anticipate how much we will receive when so many of the contributions are received in December.

    Please consider how you might continue to support MWC’s ministry and presence now, especially in these years between global Assemblies.

    See mwc-cmm.org/donate

    —Len Rempel, chief operating officer

    Contributions received as percent of budget as of 31 August 2016

    Total 2016 budget

    $663,451
     

    Contributions received

    $256,740
    39%

    Average donations by month

    January–August 52%
    September–November 22%
    December 26%

  • Early Anabaptists in Augsburg, Germany, paid a high price for meeting at the large white house (left) in this picture. German Mennonite historian, theologian and peace activist Wolfgang Krauss retells the story to modern Anabaptists who toured historic sites in Augsburg during meetings of Mennonite World Conference Executive Committee in February 2017.

    On Easter Sunday 1528, 100 Anabaptists met secretly in this house to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Some escaped when they learned that the authorities were watching, but 88 remained. Police raided the building, and took all worshippers away in chains. Authorities expelled those visiting from outside Augsburg, and whipped locals. They tortured some, and executed the group leader who refused to recant.

    “Thankfully, Anabaptists are not persecuted today,” someone commented – which drew an immediate reply from a man from another continent. “Yes, we are!” he said.

    Conversation turned to costly choices Anabaptists make today to follow Jesus in countries where Christians are a despised or marginalized minority.

     J. Nelson Kraybill, MWC President

  • “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    At Renewal 2027  – Transformed by the Word: Reading Scripture in Anabaptist Perspectives in Augsburg, Germany 12 February 2017, the YABs committee (Young AnaBaptists) reflected on Matthew 28:19–20 from their local perspectives. The columns in this section have been adapted from their presentations.

    There are many tasks assigned to us by God. It is forbidden to steal or kill (Exodus 20:15,13). We are instructed not to be jealous (Exodus 20:17), and to live a life of peace and truth (Romans 12:18).

    Many of those instructions require us to change our way of life – to act better, be more generous, forgive those who have wronged us.

    Other assignments focus more on the lives of others – to take care of the poor, those who are hungry or need clothes (Matthew 25:34-36).

    But what about the task Jesus gave his disciples in Matthew 28:19–20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

    Many Christians, including Mennonites, see this assignment as one of the most important in all of Scripture. Thanks to this commandment, there are many Christians in the world today. Imagine if the disciples had returned to their families and their day jobs. Maybe they would have occasionally thought about the great times they had with Jesus, but the teachings of Jesus likely would have slowly slipped away.

    Instead, we find gatherings of people committed to the teachings of Christ in all parts of the world. Together we share our hopes, faith and vision for love and peace, and find fellowship in associations like MWC.  

    A multicultural society

    But, coming from the Dutch context, I have a few problems with carrying out this assignment. The Netherlands is a multicultural society. As with many other Western countries, the number of immigrants has steadily grown since World War II. This has given us many good things. Our culture has been enriched as we learned to know other faiths.

    How should Jesus’ instructions be understood in a multicultural world?

    Is it my task to go to my Muslim neighbour and ask him or her to convert to my faith? Is it my job to tell my Jewish friends that they are wrong? That I will teach them what is good? That doesn’t sit well with me.

    I love to talk about my faith with people from all backgrounds, cultures, religions. But my faith is also personal. There are many differences even among Mennonites; sometimes there are as many commonalities between a Muslim friend and me as between another Christian and me. Am I supposed to tell others I am right?

    It seems better to me to follow the example of Jesus with the Samaritan woman in John 4. As they sat and drank water together, they shared stories, and in that way, they also shared their faith. I believe that is an example of living in harmony together from all nations.

    A secular society

    However, not only do I live in a multicultural world, I also live in a secular world where many people feel that the “institution of the church” is outdated, and faith has no meaning anymore. So, I tell everyone who wants to hear it that I am a lay preacher in our Mennonite church. I invite people to come and listen, to see whether they are interested in my kind of faith and becoming a Christian as well.

    Most of all, I believe that your actions are the most powerful way of letting people know what it means to have faith; to create a better and peaceful world all around you. So I live the other final words of Jesus:

    “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

    By caring for my neighbours, by always acting kinder than I feel and helping those who are in need, I try to give hands and feet to this assignment. We all can.

    —Jantine Huisman is a member of the YABs committee (Young AnaBaptists). She is from Doopsgezinde Kerk Joure (Mennonite church Joure), an Algemene Doopgezinde Societeit congregation in the Netherlands.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2017

     

  • “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    At Renewal 2027  – Transformed by the Word: Reading Scripture in Anabaptist Perspectives in Augsburg, Germany 12 February 2017, the YABs committee (Young AnaBaptists) reflected on Matthew 28:19–20 from their local perspectives. The columns in this section have been adapted from their presentations.

    This text is a commission from Jesus to his disciples. Jesus wanted the gospel to reach all nations and for that he decided to use people. In the first instance, he used his disciples. These, in turn, made more disciples, who had the same charge: “to go and make disciples.” Thus, the mission of the church, as a group of disciples of Christ, was to reach other people with the good news.

    The word “go” is active. Jesus did not say, “Wait for me to send you people to make disciples,” but said, “Go and make disciples.” Therefore, if the disciple of Christ wants to make more disciples, he or she needs to be proactive. Instead of waiting for other people to approach the church, we need to go into the world to share the good news with our neighbours.

    Now the question is, how am I going to share the good news with the people around me?

    There are several methods for evangelism. The three most well-known and used in South America are house-to-house evangelism, mass evangelism and friendship evangelism. Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages, especially when considering the time and depth of work. However, all are valid methods that can be used according to context and need.

    In the case of the Mennonite Brethren church of Paraguay, a method used is that of social impact. The church members are dedicated to establishing homes for needy children; starting hospitals, schools and churches – always depending on the need of the area. In addition, the church established a radio station to transmit the gospel and Christian values.

    Through these organizations, we seek to provide a basic service to the people around them, so that we can share the gospel with them.

    One method used in our youth group and in some other churches in Paraguay is soccer. In Paraguay, you can not play volleyball, basketball or baseball; there is only “football” – and everyone plays it! That is why some churches, including ours, choose to play soccer on Saturdays and in the evenings on Sunday to attract people. The primary purpose of these event is not to listen to a preaching or to sing spiritual songs but to play football and to make friends with new people. We hope that these people will then be encouraged to go to youth meetings and accept Christ as their Saviour.

    When these people feel comfortable with the community, they are invited to youth meetings or a Bible study group. Sometimes they also come on their own. Some of these people accept Christ as their Saviour through a friend, others during a worship service or camp.

    In Latin America we believe that evangelization must be adapted to the culture and context in which each church lives. Regardless of the method, believers are motivated to naturally and actively transmit their personal faith in Christ.

    For us, evangelizing does not mean being intolerant. We believe that Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross is the only way to the Father and to heaven, and that is why it is our duty to share this message of grace and salvation with the people around us.

    —Dominik Bergen, a member of the Mennonite Brethren church in Paraguay, represented Latin America on the YABs committee from his appointment at the Global Youth Summit with Assembly 16 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA, in July 2015 until the Executive Committee meetings in Augsburg, Germany. Embarking on seminary studies in Germany, he stepped down from his position to ensure local representation for Latin America. Oscar Suàrez from Colombia is now the Latin America representative.

    This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier October 2017