Prayers of gratitude and intercession

  • 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

  • Bogotá, Colombia – Throughout the history of the Christian church, followers of Jesus have been transformed and renewed by the living presence of the Holy Spirit. We persevere with hope in the face of overwhelming challenges.

    Today, the churches in the Global South are especially attentive to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The Mennonite World Conference regional representatives from Africa prepared worship resource materials for World Fellowship Sunday 2018.

    MWC World Fellowship Sunday is your opportunity to help the people in your congregation become aware of what it means to belong to a global Anabaptist faith community. It is our annual celebration of worshipping in spirit with Anabaptist brothers and sisters around the world.

    “On this day, we celebrate that, in Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the cultural and national boundaries that separate us have been overcome by the cross,” says MWC general secretary César García.

    The prayers, songs, biblical interpretation, personal stories and cultural suggestions for worship included in the package invite everyone to worship in the style of African Anabaptist churches today.

    “WFS is a special day on which to show that we are living a new life in a new society where we mutually support one another, carry those who suffer, serve the world and interdependently learn from one another what it means to follow Jesus,” says García.

    Download this resource to celebrate World Fellowship Sunday in your local congregation with the global Anabaptist family in January or at whatever time is convenient for your congregation in 2018. Go to mwc-cmm.org/awfs to download the worship resource, photos and videos.

    Mennonite World Conference also invites a special offering to be taken for the global Anabaptist church movement on World Fellowship Sunday. One way to think about this offering is to invite every member to contribute the cost of at least one lunch in their own community to support the networks and resources of our global Anabaptist church family.

    Send pictures and stories from your congregation’s celebration to photos@mwc-cmm.org.

    —Mennonite World Conference release

  • A rediscovery of Scripture was both a root and a fruit of the Reformation, the movement out of which Anabaptism grew. Not that the Bible had been lost, but it was not accessible to the average person. Nor did many people who understood themselves to be Christian have the conviction that the Bible has something to say about how they lived. Anabaptists in particular are characterized by our attention to Scripture, to the point of sometimes even appropriating the moniker “people of the Book.”

    Mennonite World Conference is calling us to recognize the 500 year anniversary of the beginning of the movement that birthed Anabaptism and urged us to examine Scripture for guidance in our everyday lives. It is a remembrance, for though there is much to be celebrated in the Reformation, there was much schism, which is something to be mourned. MWC’s 10-year span of commemoration events is called Renewal 2027.

    The first Renewal 2027 event occurred in February 2017 and was called “Transformed by the Word: Reading the Bible in Anabaptist perspectives.”

    This issue of Courier shares presentations from that first of 10 annual events to mark the birth of the Anabaptist movement.

    What does reading Scripture look like today, 500 years after the Radical Reformation? We may read it on our phones instead of on paper. We may have several translation options to read it in our own language. Some things have changed, but the stories remain the same.

    We have not shaken in our conviction it is the Word of God. However, we may have added to our understanding of how it was written, and how therefore we read it.

    In this issue, Antonio Fernandez Gonzalez of the Peace Commission calls Anabaptists back to the imperative interpretive key: the Word of God, Jesus Christ. God incarnate. The simplicity of written words may tempt us to draw simple pronouncement from what we read, but Gonzalez encourages us to keep Jesus as our guide. God has inspired the Bible, but the Bible is not Godself.

    Valerie Rempel of the Faith and Life Commission challenges Anabaptists to approach the Bible with the radical zeal of the first reformers we admire. But she calls us to do so in full awareness of the world we inhabit. She invites us to live out our faith with a desire to come together with other believers – sometimes different in perspective than us – “to explore, to study, to learn from each other and to spur each other on to love and good deeds.”

    In the Perspectives section, the members of the Young AnaBaptists Committee explored the Word itself. These young leaders representing five continental regions interpret the Great Commission according to their understanding from their surroundings.

    Argentina – first location of Anabaptist mission in Latin America – marks 100 years in 2017. For Courier’s country profile, church leader Mario Snyder tells the story of Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Argentina.

    Every 500 years, American religious scholar Phyllis Tickle suggested, Christianity sees a shift. The Reformation started a 500-year focus on Scripture. Perhaps, has the time come to begin another shift in focus? Some have suggested the next 500 years may be a time when we learn more about the Holy Spirit. Keep tuned for 2018’s Renewal 2027 event in Kenya where speakers will address “The Holy Spirit transforming us”!

    —Karla Braun is editor of Courier and writer for Mennonite World Conference. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada.

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

  • In Europe, when we speak of the future, it can seem a bit bleak. The economic crisis, lack of political vision and religious situation leave little room for hope. Secularization seems to have prevailed over the national churches; alternatively, some anticipate a future in which Islam will be the majority religion on the continent. Talking of the future of biblical interpretation can seem almost senseless.

    One could think that everything has already been said about the ways in which Scripture can be interpreted. Furthermore, secularization tends to set the Bible aside as a text that is barely noteworthy, nothing more than a way to learn about religious forms that are already outdated.

    This decline in the authority of Scripture is not merely a fruit of secularization. The dynamics of traditional biblical interpretation have contributed to this process. In the classic Catholic perspective, the biblical text is the basis for church authorities’ construction of dogma. Over the course of centuries, new layers of knowledge are produced and their authority is added to the original text.

    In the liberal Protestant perspective, authority does not belong to biblical text either. Instead, it is turned over to historical criticism. Authority belongs to cultural and theoretical constructs that judge the text. Over time, contemporary relevance displaces the text and, in the process, negates itself.

    In this context, the “fundamentalist” solution does not offer much hope for the future. It seems to demand a type of intellectual sacrifice, where the “true” believers must break with the scientific culture. The fundamentalist alternative ignores its own process of biblical interpretation. It confuses the Anselmian idea of redemption, or the Arminian concept of grace, or 19th-century opposition to Darwin, or modern speculations regarding the millennium with doctrines that have always existed in Scripture, independent of the context in which they were conceived.

    Of course, some people will always prefer the interpretations offered by religious authorities at the cost of their own responsibility in the interpretive process. Others, disillusioned with religious abuse, reject authoritarianism, reconciling with the dominant culture that itself becomes held in higher regard than Scripture. And, there will always be a fundamentalist niche, because it is human nature to confuse temporary human doctrines with that which it is hoped the biblical text said for once and all.

    However, niches are just that: recesses carved in walls or tombs. They are not places where biblical interpretation can open ways for the future.

    How can we then look toward the future? From my perspective, some of the ways the Anabaptists initially approached Scripture can offer us methods that are worth exploring. We can explore them as relatively new paths, because though often prescribed, they have rarely been practiced.

    Authority of the Word

    Above all, we would do well to remember that, from an Anabaptist perspective, interpretive authority is not primarily an ecclesial authority nor the authority of a “Paper Pope,” as Karl Barth said. Authority is from the Word: the Word made flesh, Jesus himself, the Messiah. Biblical interpretation presupposes not a type of blind acceptance, nor merely cultural or pseudo-scientific acceptance, of the authority of certain texts. Biblical interpretation presupposes the occurrence of an encounter between the believer and his or her Lord, and a confession that this Lord is Jesus.

    Here is revealed the primary character of Scripture as relative: Scripture is relative to the Lord Jesus, and not that the Lord is relative to Scripture.

    And this is what the early Anabaptists of the 16th century said: Scripture is the wineskin, not the wine itself. If Scripture is not the wine itself, its writings are not a timeless doctrinal manual, nor do they need to be replaced by another timeless doctrine. Rather, all doctrine contained within Scripture is ultimately a reference to the Lord, who is the Word par excellence, the authority who bestows upon Scripture the character of the Word.

    The reference of the Word

    The reference or relativity of Scripture concerning Christ Jesus implies yet another essential element of the hermeneutic of the future. We can call this its historical-practical character. The encounter with the risen Lord and the recognition of his authority leads to use of Scripture as a function of following this Lord. You cannot know the Lord if you do not follow him in your life, say the Anabaptists. Scripture, before being a book of theology, is an instruction manual for following the Lord. This is not to deny the doctrinal or worldview dimensions that can be found in Scripture, but to recognize that those dimensions are always in reference to following Jesus. And this is a practical process, historically situated, in which all interpretation takes place.

    Of course, identifying the practical character of all interpretation implies a dose of humility that is necessarily for the unity of the body of Christ. In following Jesus, our interpretations are linked to a specific context. And that context is always layered with significance. Be it the local church context, the broader cultural context or the context of cultural periods, the texts always take on meaning in relation to that context. Recognizing this contextual connection does not mean ignoring the spiritual elements that are present in the interpretive process. It is simply a recognition that the Spirit, in guiding us to Truth, does so via historical means, through people, contexts and concrete situation. If it were not this way, maybe we would not even need a Holy Spirit: it would be enough to have an eternal doctrinal manual, valid for all times.

    The Spirit and the Word

    Of course, biblical interpretation is inevitably a spiritual process. This is easily forgotten when Scripture is confused with a system of doctrine, or when Scripture is evaluated on the basis of more “modern” doctrines.

    The Spirit blows wherever it pleases. Of course this “spiritual” freedom is the same freedom we find in the concrete ways in which Jesus, Paul, and John read the Old Testament. Far from seeking definitive meaning, located in the past, the Holy Spirit opens up new meanings, depending on new contexts, converting dead text into the living Word.

    The process of interpretation

    This means then that the interpretive process is always an open process. Even in the Catholic perspective, which is open to assuming “definitive” interpretations, these same interpretations are submitted to a necessary revision process throughout history. Even in a fundamentalist perspective that identifies Scripture with fixed doctrines, it is impossible to avoid revision or enrichment of past interpretations. And this means that no interpretation can claim to be definitive.

    “Tomorrow, we will have more light,” said the early Anabaptists. And precisely because of this, it is not possible for Scripture to be concealed under a continuous accumulation of new layers of interpretive sediment. The openness of all interpretation relativizes the interpretations of the past, because not one is definitive. And this relativity allows for the transparency of all historical experience, however important, with respect to an original event. However, this original event is not the composition and compilation of the texts that make up Scripture. The original event is Christ himself, the authentic and definitive Word of God.

    The absolute criterion

    For this reason, the openness of the interpretive process does not lead to chaos. All biblical interpretation has an “absolute” criterion for the believer: Jesus himself is the definitive Word of God. Biblical interpretation cannot be reduced to personal interpretation. It is the same Lord whom believers have encountered and met. It is the same Spirit who guides their interpretation.

    The process of biblical interpretation therefore is a communal process, as the Anabaptists well understood. It is not something that can be turned over to a definitive authority. Neither is it a process that can be delegated to official theologians on the payroll of the national church or the state (or new interpretations on the internet).

    The communal ideal

    In the face of all of these perspectives, the Anabaptist ideal of a communal interpretation enjoys enormous relevance for the future. Communal interpretation understands the local church as a hermeneutic agent of the first order, and helps to relativize all human or ecclesial authority as dependent on the definitive authority of the Messiah. Communal interpretation – precisely because it is the interpretation of a concrete community – knows its own historicity and fragility, at least it knows more about them than popes, pastors, and theologians tend to know. Communal interpretation knows in a way that is not definitive, because of its need to always be learning more.

    It also knows its own need for the Spirit, so that whatever interpretation is not converted into an intellectual exercise or a mere struggle for influence. When this interpretation arduously looks for complete agreement within the community, as was the case with the early Anabaptist, the interpretive processes are transformed into an open path, something the future desperately needs. Processes that can open up broader horizons in the ecumenical context, but that do not overlook the truth that following Jesus is walking humbly together with our God.

    —Antonio González Fernandez is a member of the MWC Peace Commission, a pastor in the Brethren in Christ church in Spain and a teacher at Centro Teológico Koinonía.

    He spoke at Renewal 2027 – Transformed by the Word: Reading Scripture in Anabaptist Perspectives in Augsburg, Germany 12 February 2017. This paper been adapted from his presentation.

    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.

    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
     

  • “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.” (Matthew 28:19–20)

    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.

    I grew up in a small village in the Philippines far from cities, close to mountains, lakes and farms. I live in a close-knit community with a modest lifestyle.

    We are relationship-oriented people. We share our things with our neighbours, expecting that someday you can ask for their help when you need them too. Sometimes several generations live under one roof. We tend to be emotional: Filipino has words for different intensities of feelings which other languages may not have.

    In a poor community like ours, when we are in need of certain things, we ask the Lord for it. When a child is suffering from a disease, we pray for healing because it is our only option. When you have nothing, you experience miracles, and you appreciate every small act of God’s grace.

    We have pastors who have barely finished high school, and only few of our church leaders were able to get a formal education. None of them graduated from a Mennonite seminary. I have a dream for our young people to be more exposed internationally, to be properly trained and to be more united in theology.

    That brings me to our text: Jesus’ instructions to his disciples at the end of his time on earth.

    The first step of discipleship is letting Christ own you. Being completely dependent on his will, a boat without a paddle, fully dependent on the wind. Nurturing a heart that is willing to sell all possessions and give it to the poor just to follow Christ – that’s the heart of a disciple. Just like the early Mennonites, willing to die for their faith, willing to leave everything behind to live a peaceful life in other parts of the world.

    The second step of discipleship is about training, a process of learning to follow Christ. One does not immediately become a mature disciple after baptism.  

    Thirdly, being a disciple means you are responsible to make disciples. Discipleship is a mandate to every single believer, not just the pastors. It’s your destiny as a follower of Christ. Jesus intentionally looked for disciples, asking them to follow him, teaching them, taking care of them – and afterward, asking them to do the same and make more disciples. It’s not a gift that only few have, it’s everybody’s responsibility.

    The passion for discipleship comes from our deep understanding and full experience of God’s power and grace.

    Mentoring or teaching others should be undertaken with a systematic approach.

    In our Mennonite youth organization in the Philippines, we realized young people were leaving, so we created a system. In the past few months, it has doubled the number of our youth attendees and created a lot of leaders. The concept is a cycle of mentoring and teaching that promotes relationships and accountability with each other.

    We select a few young people who are involved in ministry. We start training them how to be a good leader, how to teach, how to take care of new believers and how to handle a small group. As they are equipped and encouraged, they start taking care of each other, inviting friends, conducting their own Bible studies, reaching their parents, siblings and their friends, making more disciples for Christ.

    My hope is that we can have a culture that encourages everyone to mentor and to have accountability to one another. And I ask those who are graduates from seminary, those who are theologians, those who have more experience – would you please share your knowledge?

    If we really want to stay relevant in this world to be the voice and ambassadors for peace in this world, we need to be more intentional on our approach in obedience to Christ’s command! We must deeply soak ourselves in the love of Christ to discover unspeakable passion for discipleship. We Asians multiply by birth, but as a church, we multiply through discipleship.

    —Ebenezer G. Mondez is a member of the YABs committee (Young AnaBaptists). He is from Lumban Mennonite Bible Church in the Philippines.

    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.” (Matthew 28:19–20)

    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.

    As we are approaching 500 years of Anabaptism, it seems fitting that we should address the Great Commission with renewed vision and zeal. After all, this commission was central to the life and mission of the early Anabaptists during the Reformation. From the beginning, evangelistic preaching was a strength of Anabaptism, along with practical and applicable discipleship and a strong emphasis on community.

    In the USA, Christianity has fallen asleep in Christ’s call to “make disciples of all nations.” Christians from the Global South are coming to evangelize the West, white Christians are no longer the majority and people who have never heard the gospel are coming to areas that are regarded as “Christian” instead of missionaries going to the unreached.

    Today, without leaving their own cities, all believers can love and serve immigrants and international students who may have never heard the gospel.

    Threats to faith

    Two of the biggest threats to American Christianity, in my opinion, are pluralism and materialism. Is Jesus the only way? Is Jesus more valuable than anything in this world? Living in a comparatively wealthy, comfortable, individualistic and materialistic society, I have struggled with my answers. But I think the more our hearts say “yes,” the more we will be drawn to mission with joy.

    In a pluralist, multicultural and secular society, we have become more sensitive to proselytization, and tend to regard faith as personal and private. People think that individual beliefs can be simultaneously correct and different – as long as they don’t infringe on the well being of others. “Missions” has become taboo for my generation, almost synonymous with imperialism and Western colonization.

    All of us have limited beliefs about God and about how to live a holy life. My Mennonite upbringing has been challenged and stretched over the years as I have interacted with Christians from other backgrounds, and also with Muslims, Hindus and atheists. There are some things that people from other cultures understand better about God than we do. Yet despite our differences, Jesus’ message remains the same: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

    How can we claim to know absolute truth? The answer to this question lies in our relationship with a person, and not in a system of thought or morality. We must present Jesus humbly without reducing his message to our own cultural traditions and baggage.

    Together on the journey

    What has encouraged me most is Jesus’ promise to be with us on the journey. We are not able to fulfill his call on our own. “No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me,” Jesus said (John 6:44). Sharing the gospel with others in word and in deed comes down to the reality of whether we believe Jesus is who he says he is. Do we believe that he is the Son of God, the fullness of life on earth and for eternity? Do we believe that the gift of knowing him is greater than anything else?

    It is the work of the Holy Spirit to move in people’s hearts and convict them, drawing them to the Father. Our job, as ambassadors of Christ, is to be faithful to his calling. We may have grown complacent in our faith, but our sovereign God continues to draw people to himself. Will we heed Paul’s reminder: “…But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?…” (Romans 10:13–15)

    God continues to reveal himself to those who are truly seeking (Jeremiah 29:13). God doesn’t need us, but works through us if we are willing. Our choice is to allow him to use us to bring people into his glorious kingdom.

    —Larissa Swartz is a member of the YABs committee (Young AnaBaptists). She is from London Christian Fellowship, a Conservative Mennonite Conference church in Ohio, USA.

    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.

    I grew up in Zimbabwe, in Southern Africa, where Christianity was brought to my ancestors along with civilization and commerce. In that context, I never felt obliged to pass on the message of Christ to anyone.

    The Great Commission was for the elite – those who were ‘‘called’’ to do so. As a member of the body of Christ, I simply had to do away with sin, read the Bible, pray and wait to get into heaven. Spreading the message was the obligation of those who brought Christianity to our churches in Zimbabwe. A missionary was someone whose skin was lighter skin than mine; who spoke in a language that was regarded as superior to mine because it had no clicks; who had come from a place far way. I never thought there would be any need for a black man or woman to even think about being a missionary.

    A command to follow

    Today, I realize that once you have repented, you have an obligation to fulfill, a command to adhere to, and that is to tell others about Jesus Christ.

    As Christians, once we begin to follow in Jesus Christ’s footsteps, we also desire to love like him, to live like him, and above all, to share about the kingdom of God just as he did when he walked this earth. Our duty is to help the lost by introducing them to Jesus, so that he can save them.  

    My understanding of Matthew 28:19 is centred on the fact that the Great Commission is a command to every follower of Jesus Christ. And this command is instrumental in the expansion of the kingdom of God.

    Making disciples

    Making disciples is an action process that calls us out of our usual routine. It involves stepping out of your comfort zone. Sometimes you will have to approach strangers and tell them about Jesus Christ. In my country, the reception varies. If you attempt a one-on-one form of sharing the message of Christ, you may be mistaken for a thief or someone who has nothing important to do. In my context, you might share the message of Christ at crusades or outreach programs where the response is usually positive.

    Making disciples also means that followers of Christ are not selective about whom we share with. The gospel is for everyone. There is no segregation when it comes to the message of Christ, neither those sharing it nor those receiving it: Jesus Christ instructed us to go and make disciples of all nations. Regardless of race, tribe, language, gender or age, you are never too young or too old to tell someone about Christ.

    Our perception of others and our view of their world should never affect our decision whether they are worthy to receive the message of Christ. You can never be either good enough or too bad to receive God’s grace – it is a gift. The Holy Spirit will transform each person as they walk their journey of faith.

    As you walk on the face of this Earth, are you adhering to Christ’s command? Once we all understand that this is a matter of eternal life and eternal punishment, we will be vigorous in our quest of making disciples, with the goal to tell as many people as we can about Jesus Christ. If you are being selective as to whom or where you will preach the message of Christ, think carefully and pray, because the kingdom of God is open to everyone!

    —Makadunyiswe Ngulube is a member of the YABs committee (Young AnaBaptists). She is from Mount Pleasant Brethren In Christ Church, a congregation of Ibandla Labazalwane kuKristu eZimbabwe in Harare in Zimbabwe.

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