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The power of God at a funeral wake
Africa One of the events that bring people together among our people are funeral wakes and funerals. Sometime last year, we had one of our church leaders have his wife taken to be with the Lord. It was a challenging time not only to the man, his family and the church, but the community as…
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Discipleship in the family
Indonesia My wife and I have pastored together for 25 years at a church in downtown Jakarta with a congregation of around 250 people. We really enjoy our ministry’s call to grow together with the congregation we pastor. We have one daughter who is now in her sixth semester of medical school preparing to become…
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The gospel without walls
Colombia Called and chosen for God’s purpose on earth. Where there is vision there is provision. When the intention is to bring heaven to earth, it has God’s full support. Thirty-three years ago, we heard a call for evangelism and church growth. We began to participate in the Mennonite congregation in our home town Anolaima.…
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A rich and satisfying life
Uruguay In these last few years that I’ve been involved with Mennonite World Conference and particularly the Young AnaBaptists (or YABs) it has been awesome to connect with people from around the world and be enriched by their perspectives and ways of living their faith. This has opened my eyes and shown me Jesus in…
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AMBS-MWC collaboration forms leaders for the global church
ELKHART, Indiana (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) — A collaboration formalized in 2020 between Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, USA, is opening doors for people across the world to gain Anabaptist pastoral and leadership education. Through existing programs and new initiatives, pastors and church leaders are taking…
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The unity of the Spirit
About the Faith & Life Commission Anabaptist churches around the world live their faith diversely, addressing local challenges and opportunities while adhering to Shared Convictions. The Faith & Life Commission enables MWC member churches to receive and provide counsel on Christian faith and practice, as well as on Anabaptist witness in the world today. This…
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Continuous movement and a contrite heart
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind so that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NRSVUE). Renewal is the name that Mennonite World Conference has given to a decade of regional events around the…
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Holding space
Netherlands We live in a society – in Western Europe – that does not speak our language anymore. We have been the dominant culture for ages and ages…be it Roman Catholic, Protestant or Mennonite. The Christian language, Christian imagery, Christian norms and values were absolutely dominant within the Dutch culture. And within a generation that…
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Telling others what you have tasted
Why is the Meserete Kristos Church the fastest-growing Mennonite church? Ethiopia is a multiethnic, multireligious and multilingual nation with more than 120 million people, the second most populated country in Africa. Located in northeast Africa, Ethiopia is a landlocked country. European powers did not colonize Ethiopia. However, internal conflicts tore the country apart and broke…
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Courier 2024 / 39.2-3
Perspectives Resources General Secretary Inspiration and reflection Sharing the food of life “Anyone who tasted Jesus is good should tell others what he/she tasted.” Evangelism is a scary word for many of us, but this simple advice offered by pastors in Ethiopia helps to simplify the task. Although we each bear responsibility to share the…
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One God and Spirit: a bond of peace
“…Making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). A global fellowship, 109 national churches, 58 countries, some 10 000 congregations, 1.4 million members, 45 languages: can that ever be unified? The church is often called the body of Christ. A physical body needs different organs to…
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Not just a tour; a pilgrimage
Indonesia It was 7 October 2023. Husband and wife Simon Setiawan and Sarah Yetty, members of Jemaat Kristen Indonesia (JKI) church from Indonesia, were in Egypt, leading a tour group of more than 40 people from Indonesia and the United States intending to enter Israel-Palestine. They heard about the Hamas attacks on Israel in the…
