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Evangelis
Vol. 118, No. 1
A newsletter for Brethren people
January 1996
General Conference Moderator Richard E. Allison explores:
Lessons on leadership in the Book of Nehemiah
THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH in
the Old Testament begins with a
sob (1:4) and ends with a shout of joy
(12:43). In between is a very inter-
esting study in leadership.
The popular view of Nehemiah is
that he was the restorer of the walls
of the city of Jerusalem. But this is
only half the story. A more balanced
view sees Nehemiah as both a build-
er of walls and a builder of people.
Background
The situation was this. The Baby-
lonians had overrun Jerusalem,
destroying the walls and carting off
the people. Babylon, in turn, had
been conquered by the Persians.
Under the domination of the latter,
Jerusalem's walls remained in rub-
ble and the practice of worship in
the Temple at Jerusalem was non-
existent.
Nehemiah used two resources to
turn this situation around. First
and foremost was the divine call
J A Prayer for the L
New Year
Our Father,
Help us in the year to
come so to live that at
the end of it we shall
not only be one year
older, but that we shall
also be one year nearer
Thee.
l The
iLz
William Barclay;
J
(2:12) — the Lord God put it into his
heart to rectify this situation. Sec-
ond, he used the political and eco-
nomic assistance of the great Per-
sian king Artaxerxes. Nehemiah
went to Jerusalem with the
call to (1) restore the wall of
the city and (2) restore the
religious practices of the peo-
ple. In doing so, he demon-
strates four important princi-
ples of leadership.
Principles of leadership
First, Nehemiah actively
modeled his dream. He be-
gan doing so by taking the
risk of stating his case direct-
ly before the king (2:2^5). For
this he was rewarded with the
king's support. Having thus Dr.
gained political support, he planned
carefully. He secured the necessary
construction materials (2:7-8).
Then he scouted the construction
site, sizing up the needs (2:11-16).
He proceeded by developing an or-
derly plan for rebuilding the walls
of Jerusalem. He built in a counter-
clockwise fashion (3:3-32). At the
same time, he provided for the de-
fense of the city (4:13-23). Next, he
renewed the worship practices
(13:4-29). All the while he refused
to fellowship with the enemies of
Jerusalem (6:1-3).
Second, Nehemiah was a great
encourager. The walls were rebuilt
in 52 days! This testifies to his ability
to inspire people to keep at a seem-
ingly impossible task. He maintained
morale and developed a healthy
group climate (ch. 3; 4:15-23).
Third, he delegated effectively.
Thus many shared not only his bur-
den but also his calling. This is im-
portant for developing future lead-
ers. He used both men and women;
skilled and unskilled workers; city
dwellers and country people; builders
and defenders.
Fourth, he
gave positive
reinforcement.
He led the peo-
ple in the cele-
bration of their
accomplishment,
at the same time
guiding them to
remember their
dependence upon
God (12:43). Ne-
hemiah knew
both the signifi-
Richard Allison cance of celebra-
tion and the means to accomplish
it. Nehemiah gives us that great
insight when he says, ". . . the joy of
the LORD is your strength" (8:10).
As we seek to develop strong lead-
ers in The Brethren Church, the
example of Nehemiah provides us a
biblical model of some basic princi-
ples of leadership. [ft]
In this issue
Lessons on leadership .
Questions and ideas . .
Toward spiritual maturity
Preparing for a sermon .
Understanding the Bible
What you should know .
Living with gusto ....
Ministry pages
Around the denomination
The Women's Outlook Newsletter
is in the center of this issue.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
What kind of impact are we
making on our world?
At the General Conference Ex-
ecutive Council (GCEC) meeting
on December 1, 1995, members of
the council discussed the follow-
ing questions:
1. How is the world different
as a result of the existence of The
Brethren Church at the national
level (including the National Of-
fice, the Missionary Board, and
General Conference)?
2. How is The Brethren Church
at-large different as a result of
The Brethren Church at the na-
tional level?
3. In one sentence, what would
you say is the purpose of The Breth-
ren Church at the national level?
Results from this discussion
will be shared in a later issue of
the Evangelist. But first, GCEC
wants to give you an opportunity
to provide your input. How would
you answer these questions?
GCEC would welcome your per-
sonal insights.
In addition, GCEC encourages
Sunday school classes, Bible study
groups, youth groups, Men of
Mission and WMS organizations,
and other groups in the church to
spend all or part of a meeting dis-
cussing these questions.
Please send your answers to
these questions (either your per-
sonal observations or those from
your group) to: Questions, The
National Office, 524 College Ave.,
Ashland, OH 44805.
Editor's note: It might also be a
worthwhile activity for the main ad-
ministrative board (the official board,
board of administration, or deacon
board) and other groups in your local
church to discuss similar kinds of
questions concerning your congrega-
tion. (For example, How is your com-
munity different as a result of the ex-
istence of your congregation? How are
the lives of the members of your con-
gregation different? In one sentence,
what would you say is the purpose of
your local congregation?).
Ideas that are working:
Enhancing the Communion service
at Linwood Brethren Church
THIS PAST AUGUST, when Gen-
eral Conference delegates from
our church reviewed the denomina-
tional statistical report, they were
surprised to discover that our con-
gregation— the Linwood, Md., Breth-
ren Church — ranked ninth highest
in percentage of members attending
Communion. Following Conference,
our deacon board began to analyze
why this was so, and they came up
with a couple of reasons.
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monthly (excepl July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; E-mail: Brethrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
First, before each Communion
service, the members of the deacon
board call all members of the congre-
gation to remind them of the service
and to see if they will have a problem
getting there.
Second, we have begun making our
fall Communion, held on Worldwide
Communion Sunday, a part of our
Sunday morning worship service.
This is a full, Three-Fold Communion
service. This gives our older people
who don't go out at night and the
regular visitors we have on Sunday
mornings an opportunity to be a part
of this wonderful service. The service
runs just a little longer than our usual
Sunday worship service, but people
understand this and plan for it. As a
result, our attendance has grown.
Several years ago we began form-
ing a circle in the sanctuary at the
close of our Communion service.
When we began doing so, we didn't
have enough people to go all the way
around the sanctuary, but now we
have to crowd together to get every-
one into the circle.
This past fall we added a third fea-
ture that may contribute to greater
Communion attendance — and that is
hand-washing. Now those who are
no longer able to get down on their
knees and wash feet and those who
for medical reasons cannot participate
in feetwashing do not have to sit back
in the pews. They are able to partici-
pate in a meaningful way with others.
Three very simple things — calling
members before Communion; holding
a Communion service on Sunday
morning; and a hand-washing service
for those unable to wash feet — but
they have brought deeper meaning to
those who participate in the Lord's
Supper. We observe Communion only
twice a year, so we make every effort
to get a large percentage of our mem-
bers to participate to the fullest. Our
spring Communion is always held on
Maundy Thursday, which corre-
sponds most closely to the time when
Jesus washed the disciples' feet, ate a
supper with them, and gave them the
broken bread and the cup (which is
perhaps more meaningful to us than
it was to them).
Let us continue to experiment with
new ways to enhance something old,
which must be kept forever new and
significant in our hearts and minds
until Jesus comes again.
— Pastor Robert Keplinger
Pontius' Puddle
oor chorcm should go oot iht0 twet streets
*md imvvte imtwe poor, the .sick, the
kvalformed, the drug- at>d\cts, the:
destitute --rut eramkly, v/e're aera\p.
The Brethren Evangelist
Growing toward spiritual maturity
By Ronald W. Waters
WHERE IS GOD leading in The
Brethren Church? If we can
identify that, it may be easier for
us to approach a changing future
with more openness and anticipa-
tion of how God may use us in the
process.
During the past couple of months
we've been exploring The Brethren
Church "Priorities for the Nine-
ties." In November we examined
where God is leading us in starting
new churches. Last month we
looked at the changing concept of
ministry in the church. This month
we'll discuss spiritual growth and
maturity.
The priority — Becoming Like
Christ (Spiritual Formation).
To foster inner spiritual development
that leads to outward action, by a
deepening relationship with the Lord,
through a lifelong maturing proc-
ess, toward a life of obedience to
Christ, lived among persons of need.
You may be a relatively new fol-
lower of Jesus Christ or perhaps
you have been a Christian for many
years. Though many believers can
identify a specific time when they
made a profession of faith, becom-
ing a Christian is more than an
event or an end in itself. It is also a
process of becoming like Christ in
all that we are and do.
Both inward and outward
Some of the phrases in this prior-
ity focus on our inner spiritual de-
velopment. "Fosterling] inner spiri-
tual development" emphasizes per-
sonal spiritual growth that results
in "a deepening relationship with
the Lord." The Christian faith is not
so much about our relationships
with others, even though these re-
lationships are important and can
help us in our spiritual development.
Progressing in our spiritual devel-
opment "toward a life of obedience
to Christ" is our ultimate goal if we
are to be fully devoted followers of
Jesus Christ.
But the result of this spiritual
growth and development is not in-
ward focused. Spiritual formation
January 1996
has an important outer dimension
as well. Becoming like Christ "leads
to outward action . . . lived among
persons of need." We live in a con-
text, not in a vacuum that isolates
us from life or from people all around
us. If our inner spiritual develop-
ment fails to result in an outflowing
toward others, we may become like
the Dead Sea — always taking in
rich minerals but becoming stag-
nant and putrid.
Where is God leading us?
So where is God leading us in re-
gard to spiritual formation?
First, God is leading us to foster
a revitalized ministry among men
and women in the church. Women's
Missionary Societies and Brethren
Men of Mission (Laymen) groups
have existed for years in many of
our churches. For the most part,
these organizations have had a tre-
mendous impact on the women and
men who have been part of these
groups. We can be thankful for their
past and continuing ministries.
But our world today emphasizes
choices and options. Many of our
congregations are offering addi-
tional ways to help women and men
become more like Christ. Some ex-
pressions of that leading are found
in the growing Promise Keepers
movement among men and Precept
Bible Studies for women. In our
own denomination, the Brethren
Way of Christ offers opportunities
for both men and women to develop
Spiritual Maturity
Spiritual maturity is the proc-
ess of transforming the entire
character of the believer into the
image of Christ. He is the source,
the focus, and the goal of this
process. Christians mature as
they practice a vital devotional
life, use their gifts, share their
faith, and demonstrate the fruit of
the Spirit. The result is a charac-
ter marked by wisdom, balance,
and, above all, love.
— From The Centennial Statement
of The Brethren Church.
spiritual disciplines for use in every-
day life. Other approaches have in-
cluded combined Bible study/craft
groups, sewing circles, mothers' clubs,
and woodworking clubs.
Second, the multiplication of
small groups will help us grow
strong in our relationships with
others as we are accountable to one
another. The cell church — where
the small group functions as the
church — is one approach to apply-
ing this accountability to the whole
church. The new Greenwood Breth-
ren Fellowship and the Carmel
Brethren Church are examples of
growing cell churches in the Indi-
anapolis, Indiana, area. These are
churches where the small groups
have an inward focus and a clear
outward dimension as well.
Third, God is leading us in be-
coming like Christ in personal de-
votional life. I'm hopeful you are
one of many who are devoted to a
daily or regular time alone with
God and the Scriptures. Growing
deep in the truth of God's word and
in communion with Him will lead
us to become more and more like
Him. A multitude of study helps
are available, but nothing is more
effective than simply spending time
meditating on a passage of scrip-
ture and listening for what God has
to say.
How is God leading you?
How is God leading you in becom-
ing more like Christ? What are you
doing to nurture your own spiritual
growth and the spiritual growth of
others in your church? How are you
letting your own spiritual growth
overflow and touch other lives with
the good news of saving faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ?
Drop me a note and let me know
what has been helpful to you. You
can write me at The Brethren
Church National Office, 524 College
Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805, or you
can send me an e-mail message at
Brethrench@aol.com. [ft]
Rev. Waters was, until January 1,
1996, Director of Brethren Church
Ministries, and he continues to serve the
denomination as a consultant in evan-
gelism. This is the fourth in a series of
five articles developed from an address
he presented during a business session
at the 1995 General Conference.
How to get the most out of a sermon
By Thomas E. Schiefer
THE QUESTION caught me off
guard? In the midst of a social
gathering, when my mind was far
from the subject, one of our senior
high young people asked, "How long
do you spend preparing a sermon?"
There are instances when the Lord,
through many means, enables me
to put the message together quickly.
Other times it is a long, laborious
process. In either case, I never sense
that I have spent enough time in
preparation.
Many times I feel I have short-
changed the word-study or the his-
torical context or the devotional
reading. I am the most frustrated
when I start work on the text late
in the week. Then the pressures of
deadlines seem the greatest. But
what is worse, when I get a late
start I tend to miss some of the
things the Lord wants to reveal to
me in the text. I have found that
when I begin to survey the text for
the message early in the week, I see
more illustrations of the truth that
the scripture is communicating.
Hence, I try to get into the passage
as early in the week as possible.
The Lord deserves the best of my
devotion to the proclamation of His
word. But even in those times when
I feel I have not done my best for
the Lord, He has still spoken to me
in the preparation process. There is
the crux. It is not my effort that is
important, but my being open to
the Lord's voice.
What about you?
I encourage you to ask your pas-
tor this same question. But when
you do, be ready to respond when
you are asked, "How long do you
spend preparing for the sermon?"
For you see, as part of the congre-
gation, you also have a responsibil-
ity to prepare yourself to hear God's
word as you attend worship.
Those involved in athletic pur-
suits know that they are not able to
do their best when they do not pre-
pare by knowing the rules, focusing
on the purpose of the contest, and
warming up before participating.
In the same way, worshipers will
not get the most out of a service if
they do not prepare for the event.
So how long do you spend prepar-
ing for worship and for hearing a
sermon? Some writers suggest such
things as laying out your clothes
the night before and getting enough
rest. But I urge you to consider pre-
paring all during the week.
Ways you can prepare
Pray, meditate, and prepare your
soul to remove all the preconcep-
tions that form a barrier to the Lord
speaking to your heart. Ask your
pastor for a list of upcoming mes-
sage texts and read the appropriate
passage before the service. Write
down things that the Lord reveals
to you about the passage and any
questions that come to you about
the text. Be in prayer that the Lord
will communicate His message to
you and that He will use the pastor
or speaker. (The prayers of God's
people are of great benefit to the one
preaching.) Then come to worship
and allow the Lord to speak to you.
When the congregation gathers for
worship and both pastor and people
have prepared, then the participa-
tion begins. Worship is the partici-
Two more suggestions
for listening to a sermon
• Look at your pastor as he speaks.
Making eye contact is important to
you as a listener and to the pastor
as he shares his message.
• As you listen, smile, nod your head
in agreement, or even say a hearty
"Amen" when appropriate. This
will encourage your pastor and en-
liven his preaching.
pation of the entire body focusing
its attention on the object of wor-
ship— Jesus Christ. Each of us is
responsible to help the rest of the
body focus on our Lord and Savior,
and that includes during the sermon.
The pastor is called to proclaim the
word of God boldly. The assembled
congregation is called to be active
recipients of that proclaimed word.
The active engagement of the body
is extremely important for the wor-
ship of the church.
We need to tune our ears to the
word, following God's own pattern
as set forth in Psalm 116:2 (NIV).
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
Listening is not to be passive, but
intentional and focused. Start by
opening your Bible and following
along in the text. Then work to dis-
cover the manner best suited to
your learning style. If you are an
"underliner," then underline. If you
listen best by taking notes, then
take notes. If you hear something
you do not understand, make a note
of it and ask the pastor about it
following the service or later in the
week. If you are convicted by the
message, do not hesitate to pray.
Beware of these situations
If you hear something you dis-
agree with, the tendency is to tune
out. This is a critical time when you
need to go before God and ask Him
to search your heart and reveal if
He is challenging your ideas or pre-
conceptions.
If the text is not communicating
something to you on a particular
morning, do not assume that it is
not communicating to anyone. Pray
for the one who needs to hear that
particular message from God. And
never stop praying for the pastor as
the message is being presented. The
enemy would like nothing better
than to prevent God's word from
being proclaimed and received.
Preaching is a two-way obliga-
tion. It is enhanced when both pas-
tor and people prepare adequately
for the proclamation of God's word.
So how long do you spend prepar-
ing for the sermon? [ft]
Rev. Schiefer is senior pastor of the
Smoky Row Brethren Church in
Worthington, Ohio.
The Brethren Evangelist
Why do we need theology?
By Dale R. Stoffer
HAVE YOU EVER found your-
self wondering why we can't
use just the simple words of Scrip-
ture and avoid all the complicated
issues raised by theologians and
scholars? As appealing as this may
seem, none of us ever works at this
level. This is true for several reasons.
First, whenever we begin to string
together various Scriptures based on
a given theme, we have moved into
the realm of doctrine and theology.
Second, many of the terms and
even beliefs that are accepted by
evangelicals and Brethren are de-
rived not from the plain words of
Scripture but from reasoned theo-
logical reflection on Scripture. Ex-
amples include the doctrines of the
Trinity, the incarnation, original sin,
and the substitutionary atonement.
Scripture does affirm these truths,
but to fully formulate them, we
must engage in theology.
Third, if we are to respond to the
controversial issues of our day — like
abortion, homosexuality, and secu-
larism— we must be sufficiently
knowledgeable about the whole of
Scripture that we can draw princi-
ples from various passages to de-
velop a reasoned response that is
true to God's word. Such a process
requires theological reflection.
We all have a "theology"
It is thus simplistic to believe
that we can have a non-theological
approach to Scripture. We all have
a "theology" by which we order our
thoughts about Scripture. The only
real choice we have is between be-
ing theologically naive and thereby
having little impact on the world
around us, or being theologically
self-conscious and thereby seeking
to bring God's word to bear on all
aspects of our life in the world.
The derivation of the words doc-
trine and theology is instructive.
Doctrine comes from a Latin word
whose Greek equivalent is didaska-
lia. This latter word means teach-
ing, and it refers both to the act of
teaching and to what is taught.
January 1996
Theology comes from a Greek
word which means the study of or
about God. Theology should have
as its primary focus, therefore, the
desire to know God and His will for
us. It is essentially, as one medieval
theologian expressed it, faith seek-
ing understanding. In this sense,
all Christians are theologians.
Theology has gotten a bad name
because of the impression, rightly
deserved at times, that it is abstract,
philosophical, and removed from
the concerns of everyday life. Theol-
ogy properly understood, however,
should always have as its primary
goal the practicing of truth. The ul-
timate test for any theology is
whether it affects how we live be-
fore God and in the world. Thus the
end of theology should be worship,
obedience, and service, never idle
speculation.
Cautions for theologizing
As we engage in the study of God
and His word, we must observe cer-
tain cautions.
First, we must realize that the
Bible does not teach doctrines sys-
tematically. No chapter in Scrip-
ture, for example, gives a complete
discussion of the doctrine of end
times. What we do find in Scripture
is God's truth being revealed in re-
sponse to various historical situations
and life issues. The Apostle Paul
has thus been called a "task theolo-
gian," because the specifics of his
theology were worked out as he was
forced to deal with issues that arose
in the various churches he served.
Second, our doctrinal truth is only
partial. No one except God has com-
plete knowledge of divine truth. As
Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians
13:12, "Now we see but a poor re-
flection; then [when perfection
comes] we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall
know fully, even as I am fully
known." Only when God brings all
things to His perfect conclusion will
we have a complete understanding
of God's "big picture."
Third, we should avoid specula-
tion in order to fill in gaps in re-
vealed truth. Where Scripture is
silent, we should either be silent or
avoid dogmatism.
Fourth, when developing a doc-
trinal position, we must not simply
overlook what does not fit. For ex-
ample, any discussion of the doc-
trine of assurance must not over-
emphasize either God's sovereignty
or human responsibility. A doctrine
of assur-
Understanding
the Bible
ance that
stresses
God's sov-
ereignty
may end
up with a
view of
"eternal
security"
that con-
veniently
downplays passages in Scripture
warning against unfaithfulness and
disobedience; a doctrine of assur-
ance that stresses human responsi-
bility may develop a doctrine of fall-
ing from grace in which God's pre-
serving power is all but overshad-
owed by the constant fear of com-
mitting an unpardonable sin.
Fifth, we should beware of proof-
texting (citing Scripture passages
to support one's view) that does not
take into consideration the context
of passages. When reading a doc-
trinal work, look up references. A
book is not necessarily true to Scrip-
ture just because it cites Scripture.
Sixth, we must not develop a
dogmatic, contentious attitude to-
ward those who disagree with us.
Humility is a prerequisite for doing
theology, especially because of the
second point above.
Only God's word is inspired
Above all we should remember
that no theology is inspired, even
our own. God's word alone is in-
spired. Theology is human words
seeking to understand and apply
God's word to our lives. Until the
day of perfection comes, however,
we all continue to be theologians,
because our faith inevitably seeks
understanding. [ft]
Dr. Stoffer is assistant professor of
historical theology at Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary.
What you should know before you go
By James R. Black
A NUMBER of years ago, while
attending Ashland Theological
Seminary, I was privileged to have
as one of my professors a gentle-
men still remembered by a number
of Brethren — Dr. Edwin Board-
man. Professor Boardman had
served as a Brethren missionary in
Argentina and as a pastor and was
now teaching at the seminary. He
was a man of genuine conviction,
completely dedicated to Christ and
the church. He was not, however, a
man I could ever picture being out
on the street or going door-to-door
handing out gospel tracts.
An evangelistic tract
Imagine my surprise, therefore,
when I saw on the desk in his office
what I thought to be an evangelis-
tic tract. I wasn't snooping. I was
taking a make-up test in his office
and the "tract" was just there on his
desk and I saw it. It was a colorful,
attractive piece with the title, "What
You Should Know Before You Go."
I finished the test and, while wait-
ing for my professor to return,
picked up and opened the tract
with considerable anticipation. But
when I did so, I discovered that it
was not an evangelistic tract at all,
but rather an information piece put
out by some airline informing trav-
elers of what they should know be-
fore they go — baggage limitations,
time schedules, passport informa-
tion, and other such details.
Our divine appointment
Not to be so easily discouraged, I
prepared and delivered a message
soon thereafter entitled "What You
Should Know Before You Go." I used
as my text the Apostle Paul's words
in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must
all appear before the judgment seat
of Christ, that each one may receive
what is due him for the things done
while in the body, whether good or
bad" (Nrv). I emphasized the cer-
tainty of our divine appointment
with the Lord of the universe.
Recently that title has taken on
yet another meaning for me. In pre-
paring a workshop on Stewardship
and Planned Giving, I was again
reminded that there is something
we need to know before we go. It
should be our desire that when we
die, we leave behind something be-
sides an empty pew. I understand it
was Aristotle who said, "To give
away money is an easy matter and
in any man's [person's] power. But
to decide to whom to give it, and
how large and when, and for what
purpose and how, is neither in any
man's power nor an easy matter."
What is stewardship?
Understanding the meaning of
stewardship is likewise not an easy
matter. A good place to begin is
with this definition: "Christian
stewardship is the practice of sys-
tematic and proportionate giving of
time, abilities, and material posses-
sions, based on the conviction that
these are trusts from God to be used
in His service for the benefit of all
mankind in grateful acknowledge-
ment of Christ's redeeming love."
But where do we go from here?
Since according to this definition,
stewardship encompasses all of life,
it of necessity includes proper use
and disposition of material posses-
sions (wealth). Therefore any dis-
cussion of stewardship must in-
clude talking about finances. And
such a discussion cannot be di-
vorced from the teachings of Scrip-
ture. Stewardship encompasses all
those many and varied aspects of
how we live as Christians, and the
Bible is our guidebook.
Sources of money
One important consideration,
therefore, is the sources of money —
how we get our money. Two of the
main sources of money are the per-
son at work (earning wages or sal-
ary) and the person's money at
work (earning interest or dividends).
Stewardship involves an under-
standing of both of these.
Ways of giving
Just as there are various kinds of
income, there are also different
ways of giving. Giving may be
"revolutionary," "evolutionary," or
"traditional."
"Revolutionary" refers to "one- shot"
giving, when a person chooses to
give in response to a special appeal.
'Traditional" giving refers to giv-
ing through tithes and offerings.
Many Christians could use some
solid biblical teaching about the
tithe, 'The Sin That Nobody Wants
to Talk About" (see Malachi 3:8-10).
"Evolutionary" or planned giving
includes such considerations as liv-
ing memorials, living trusts, chari-
table remainder trusts, and gift an-
nuities, just to name a few.
Basic to a discussion of evolution-
ary giving is an emphasis on the
preparation of a will. A will is your
instructions in writing about how
your property shall be distributed
when you die. It is the most eco-
nomical means of controlling the
disposition of your wealth. John G.
Watts speaks of the folly of dying
without a will (intestacy) in his
book, Leave Your House in Order.
He writes, 'The most expensive
route to go home to be with the
Lord is by way of intestacy."
For more information
In an article of this length, it is
possible only to scratch the surface
of these important subjects. But I
would be happy to explore them
further in a workshop or seminar in
your church, or by talking with you
personally. To schedule a workshop
or seminar, set up a personal ap-
pointment, or receive addition in-
formation, contact me at the Office
of Stewardship and Planned Giving
at The Brethren Church National
Offices, 524 College Ave., Ashland ,
OH 44805 (phone 419-289-1708). [t]
Rev. Black is Director of Stewardship
and Planned Giving for The Brethren
Church.
The Brethren Evangelist
Hfte Women's Oxitlook^9{erivsletter
A publication of the brethren Women s Missionary Society
January-February 1996
Volume 9, Number 3
"The
President 's
"Sen
Dear Ladies,
A New Year — 1996! I'm sure
1995 went as fast for you as it did
for me. As we begin a new year, it
is a good time to talk about ABC
#2, 'Personally invite at least one
non-member, including high school
girls, to your regular meetings."
We all know at least one woman
in our church who does not attend
W.M.S. And how about our young
girls? Could we include them in
one of our meetings? I've heard
some of our older women talk of
going to W.M.S. meetings with
their mothers and today they are
active women in our societies.
In my society, our president brings
her second grade daughter and she
sits quietly and colors or reads a
book. Mollie is a joy to have in our
meeting, and afterward, when we
have refreshments, she will talk
and visit with us. I am sure she
listens as we have our program
and our business meeting. Are we
nurturing a future W.M.S. member?
In the book The Friendships of
Women (which is one of our read-
ing books), the author gives this def-
inition of a mentor: "One Christ-
mas Eve, a deep San Francisco-
style fog kept our car crawling
blindly along the road. Suddenly
another car pulled onto the road
ahead of us. Because we were now
following a set of beautiful twin
tail lights, we could safely increase
our speed from 15 to 25 miles an
(continued on page 4)
THE STATE OF THE SOCIETY
In January the President of the
United States gives his State of
the Union message, as do gover-
nors, mayors, and other elected of-
ficials. The WMS Board is ahead of
their schedule. On October 21, 14
members met to evaluate the 1995
Conference and to plan the 1996
Conference.
Because you are the Women's
Missionary Society, I want to re-
port that we are alive and well! It
was an enjoyable day of reporting
and brainstorming.
Highlights of the meeting are
these:
A. Conference dates are August
5-9, 1996, at Ashland University.
B. The WMS sessions will have
a more relaxed atmosphere. All la-
dies are invited to attend.
C. The luncheon will be at the
AU Convocation Center.
D. Delegates will have the op-
portunity to vote on the use of the
funds held in trust from the Na-
tional Sisterhood of Mary and
Martha (NSMM). At present, the
fund of $8,000 is invested in the
Brethren Home Mission Revolving
Loan Fund (HMRLF), helping to
build new churches and earning
4% annual interest. This interest
of $320 is given annually to the
Summer Crusader program.
To you who attended the 1995
Conference, you will remember that
this fund was discussed. Opinions
ranged from keeping the fund in-
vested as it is to withdrawing the
total amount of $8,000 from the
HMRLF and giving it all away. Sug-
gestions included: (1) Summer Youth
program, (2) Maria Miranda's ra-
dio program, (3) when National
SMM is re-born, take $8,000 from
the WMS budget to reinstate this
fund, or the Lord will provide.
A decision is in abeyance, giving
time for you ladies to discuss this
in your local societies and report to
your district president, who, in
turn, will report to the Executive
Board. Some responses were re-
ceived following the Conference
discussion.
The Executive Board did some
background work and learned this
information regarding these sug-
gestions: (1) The budget for the
Summer Crusaders is less than
$8,000; this amount would replace,
not supplement, their funds; (2)
Annual costs for Maria's radio pro-
gram are approximately $100,000
or average $8,333 per month. The
$8,000 would not cover the cost of
one month. (3) If you read the
WMS budget, you will note what
comes in one year is budgeted out
the next year. We do not have any
pocket of hidden funds. Once the
$8,000 is withdrawn from the
HMRLF and given away, it is gone.
It was noted that, since 1988
when the $8,000 was entrusted to
the WMS, $2,560 has been given to
the youth program, while the prin-
cipal of $8,000 continued to work
in the HMRLF on loan for new
churches.
(continued on page 3)
W.M.S. DIRECTORY — 1996
NATIONAL W.M.S. OFFICERS
President — Mrs. Shirley Black, 102 High
St., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-289-
0370
Vice President — Mrs. Marilyn Aspinall,
13108 County Road C, Bryan, OH 43506.
Phone: 419-636-2065
General Secretary — Mrs. Nancy Hunn,
555 W. Market St., Nappanee, IN 46550.
Phone: 219-773-5578
Ass't. Secretary — Mrs. Trudy Kerner,
1209 King Rd., Ashland, OH 44805.
Phone: 419-289-2833
Financial Secretary — Mrs. Joanne Kroft,
608 Twp. Rd. 1151, RD 5, Ashland, OH
44805. Phone: 419-962-4679
Treasurer — Mrs. Jo Ann Seaman, 1314
Davis Rd. Ashland, OH 44805. Phone:
419-281-0027
Literature Secretary — Mrs. Kathleen Mack,
121 E. Liberty St., Ashland, OH 44805.
Phone: 419-289-3057
Ass't. Literature Secretary — Mrs. Doris
Shultz, 455 S. Countryside, Ashland, OH
44805; 419-289-0202
Editor of the Outlook Devotional Guide —
Mrs. Jeanette Sullivan, P. O. Box 626,
Milledgeville, OH 61051. Phone: 815-225-
7570
Editor of the Outlook Newsletter — Mrs.
Joan Ronk, 1325 Coachman Ct., Ashland,
Ohio 44805. Phone: 419-281-3050
Subscription Secretary — Mrs. Ginny Hoyt,
728 Davis St. Ashland, OH 44805. Phone:
419-281-5300
Sewing and World Relief Coordinator: Mrs.
Joan Merrill, 9300 S. St. Rt 3, Muncie, IN
47302. Phone: 317-289-2384
DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS
Florida
Acting President — Helen McConahay,
2736 Bradenton Rd., Lot 18, Sarasota, FL
33580. Phone: 813-351-1409. Summer ad-
dress: 4718 Egypt Rd., Smithville, OH
44677. Phone: 216-669-2944
Southeastern
President — Susan Kidd, Rt. 1, Box 24,
Bridgewater, VA 22812. Phone: 540-828-
4987
Vice President —
Secretary-Treasurer —
Ass't. Secretary-Treasurer —
Pennsylvania
President — Adele Ritchey, RD 3, Box 252,
Berlin, PA 15530. Phone: 814-267-3880
Vice President —
Secretary-Treasurer —
Ass't. Secretary-Treasurer —
Ohio
President — Wanda Powell, 9 Oakwood,
Beloit, OH 44609. Phone: 216-938-3291.
Vice President — Lois Barnhart, 123 Paula
Dr., Germantown, OH 45327
Secretary-Treasurer — DeAnn Oburn, P. O.
Box 72, Williamstown, OH 45897
Ass't. Secretary-Treasurer — Joanne Kroft,
608 Twp. Rd. 1151; Rt. 5, Ashland, OH
44805
Indiana
President — Susie Stout, 502 US Bus. 31 S,
Peru, IN 46970. Phone: 317-473-3455
Vice President — Leona Long, 5455 N. 600
E., Howe, IN 46746. Phone: 219-562-3074
Secretary -Treasurer — Joy Zook, 2029 E.
4th St., Tiosa, Rochester, IN 46975.
Phone: 219-223-6669
Ass't. Secretary-Treasurer — Cynthia
Stout, Rt. 1, Box 215, Frankfort, IN
46041. Phone: 317-566-3217
Financial Secretary — Linda Immel, 401 E.
3rd St., North Manchester, IN 46962.
Phone: 219-982-8238
Ass't Financial Secretary — Matilda Stout,
Rt. 2, Box 10, Peru, IN 46970. Phone:
317-473-7901
Central
President — Melva Staples, P. O. Box 296,
Milledgeville, IL 61051. Phone: 815-225-
7132
Vice President —
Secretary-Treasurer —
Midwest
President — Carolyn A. Tucker, 1500 Com-
munity Dr., Derby, KS 67037
Vice President —
Secretary —
Treasurer —
Southwest
President — Marie Fanning, 5772 E.
Seneca, Tucson, AZ 85712. Phone: 602-
885-3398
Vice President —
Secretary-Treasurer —
Northern California
President — Grace Tolentino, 8118 Kiltie
Way, Stockton, CA 95210. Phone:
Vice President —
Secretary-Treasurer
LOCAL SOCIETIES
Names and Addresses of
W.M.S. Presidents
Florida District
Sarasota Day — June Shaw, 625 Caruso
PI., Sarasota, FL 34237
Sarasota Evening — Eileen Higgins, 3176
Aspinwall St., Sarasota, FL 34237
Southeastern District
Bethlehem Mary and Martha — Susan
Kidd, Rt. 1, Box 24, Bridgewater, VA
22812. Phone: 540-828-4987
Cumberland — Vergie E. Greenawalt, 917
Maryland Ave., Cumberland, MD 21502.
Phone: 301-724-1105
Hagerstown — Mary "Jackie" Rogers, 122
S. Locust St., Hagerstown, MD 21740.
Phone: 301-797-4334
Linwood — Virginia M. Hook, 3046 Old
Washington Rd., Westminster, MD
21157. Phone: 410-848-5587
Maurertown — Elsie Mogle, 636 Moose Rd.,
Woodstock, VA 22664. Phone: 540-459-3204
Mt. Olive — Mabel Bailey, Rt. 1, Box 285,
Port Republic, VA 24471. Phone: 540-249-
5175
Oak Hill — Amy Crouch, 140 Virginia St.,
Oak Hill, WV 25901. Phone: 304-465-8380
Southeast Christian Fellowship — Helen B.
Cooksey, 1111 Clark Ave., Waldorf, MD
20602. Phone: 301-843-8994
St. James — Donna Rowland, 18013 Hen-
Lane, Boonsboro, MD 21713. Phone: 301-
582-3268
St. Luke — Sharyl Finneyfrock, 463 Kern
Springs Rd., Woodstock, VA 22664.
OPhone: 540-459-3425
Pennsylvania District
Berlin — Edith Hoffman, Rt. 1, Berlin, PA
15530. Phone: 814-267-3609
Brush Valley — Judy Kickendall, Rt. 1,
Adrian, PA 16210. Phone: 412-545-7157
Cameron — Joy Anderson, Rt. 1, Box 169,
Aleppo, PA 15310. Phone: 412-428-5238
Fairless Hills — Alice Zimmerman, 171 S.
Myrtlewood Ave., Langhorne, PA 19047.
Phone: 215-757-6228
Highland —
Johnstown II —
Johnstown III — Dolores Golby, 402 Nor-
wood Gardens, Johnstown, PA 15906.
Phone: 814-255-5477
Masontown — Mary Davis, 400 Locust
Ave., Masontown, PA 15461. Phone: 412-
583-7818
Meyersdale — Helen Courtney, 236 North
St., Meyersdale, PA 15552. Phone: 814-
634-5721
Mt. Olivet — Madlyn Davis, Rt. 1, Box 249,
Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone: 302-0934-
7032
Pleasant View — Nancy McGraw, 1491
Hancock Ave., Apolla, PA 15613. Phone:
412-567-7235
Raystown — Bonita Chamberlain, Rt. 1,
Box 46 B, Saxton, PA 16678. Phone: 814-
928-5149
Sarver — Marsha Nulph, 361 Stoney Hol-
low Rd., Cabot, PA 16023
Sergeantsville — Doris L. Culbertson, Box
67, Sergeantsville, NJ 08557. Phone: 609-
397-3120
Valley — Vera Schroyer, Rt. 3, Box 449,
Acme, PA 15610. Phone: 412-593-2364
Vinco — Barbara Hagerich, 121 Teal St.,
Mineral Point, PA 15942. Phone: 814-322-
1638
White Dale — Rita Varner, P. O. Box 414,
Kingwood, WV 26537. Phone: 304-329-2533
Ohio District
Brethren Bible —
Fremont — Co-presidents: Maria Miller,
216 S. Park Ave., Fremont, OH 43420.
Phone: 419-332-0531; and Judy
McLaughlin, 1815 James St., Fremont,
OH 43420. Phone: 419-334-4887
Garber — Martha Weaver, 1115 Cleveland
Ave., Ashland, Ohio 44805
Gratis — Ruth Focht, 8947 S. Preble Co.
Line Rd., Germantown, OH 45327.
Phone: 513-787-3860
Gretna Gleaners —
Gretna Lamplighters — Phyllis Jerviss,
4632 SR 274 W, Huntsville, OH 43324.
Phone: 513-686-5322
New Lebanon Afternoon — Jane Metzger, 1
Lawson Ave., New Lebanon, OH 45345.
Phone: 513-687-1186
New Lebanon Evening — Marva Phelps,
11329 Little Richmond Rd., Brookville,
OH 45309
North Georgetown Afternoon — Evelyn
Romigh, 26009 N. Georgetown Rd.,
Homeworth, OH 44634
North Georgetown Evening — Diane Hill,
440 Royal Oaks Circle, Sebring, OH
44672. Phone: 216-938-0039
Park St. Faith — Marceal Zimmerman,
1116 E. Bank St., Ashland, OH 44805.
Phone: 419-281-3982
Park St. Hope — JoAnn Seaman, 1314
Davis Rd., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone:
419-281-0027
Park St. Joy — Janet Rufener, 128 Lilac
Lane, Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-
289-0465
Smithville —
Trinity Sr. — Thelma Watkins, 1706 Wash-
ington Blvd., Louisville, OH 44641.
Phone: 216-875-2288
Trinity Jr. — Sharon L. Dixon, 633 Buck-
waiter Dr., SW, Massillon, OH 44646.
Phone: 216-832-2074
West Alexandria — Marilyn Ward, 2356
New Market Banta Rd., West Alexandria,
OH 45381
Williamstown — Barbara Main, 67681 SR
12 W, Findlay, OH 45840. Phone: 419-
422-3069
Indiana District
Ardmore — Kathy Galbreath, 13674 State
Rd. 2, South Bend, IN 46619. Phone: 219-
232-6169
Women's Outlpok Newsletter
Brighton Chapel — Leona Long, 5455 N.
610 E, Howe, IN 46746. Phone: 219-562-
3074
Bryan Susannah — Ann Cummins, 17420
County Road 17F, Bryan, OH 43506.
Phone: 419-636-4054
Bryan I — Anna M. Moore, 620 S. Walnut
St., Bryan, OH 43506. Phone: 419-636-
2856
Burlington — Mary Stout, Rt. 1, Box 350,
Flora, IN 46929. Phone: 219-967-3208
College Corner — Tamie White, 2817 W.
850 S., Wabash, IN 46992. Phone: 317-
981-4557
Corinth — Lois Thomson, 5751 N. Cy. Rd.
800 E, Logansport, IN 46947. Phone: 219-
664-2729
Dutchtown — Sandra Sharp, 6881 E. May
St., Leesburg, IN 46538. Phone: 219-834-
4601
Flora — Co-Presidents: Mildred Mullen-
dore, 8709 S. Willow, Flora, IN 46919.
Phone: 219-967-3806; and Kathleen
Brummert, Rt. 4, Box 39, Delphi, IN
46923. Phone: 317-564-4172
Goshen — Co-Presidents: Betty Gray, 516
S. 7th St., Goshen, IN 46526. Phone: 219-
533-1691; and Joann Troeger, 1105 W.
Wilkinson, Goshen, IN 46526. Phone:
219-533-2752
Huntington — Carol Tucker, 1054VS2 First
St., Huntington, IN 46750. Phone: 219-
358-9742
Loree I — Doris Deisch, Rt. 1, Box 89, Peru,
IN 46970. Phone: 317-473-6052
Loree Charity — Cindy Lorenz, Rt. 1, Box
169, Peru, IN 46970. Phone: 317-395-7801
Meadow Crest — Susan Bobbitt, 7261 Lake-
ridge Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46819. Phone:
219-478-9514
Mexico — Sue Brooks, Box 411, Mexico, IN
46958. Phone: 317-985-2205
Milford — Clariece Stump, P.O. Box 566,
Milford, IN 46542. Phone: 219-658-4644
Nappanee — Jeanie Dudley, 702 E. John
St., Nappanee, IN 46550. Phone: 219-773-
4331
New Paris — Bea Bischof, 69197 CR 23,
New Paris, IN 46553. Phone: 219-831-2335
North Manchester Hadassah — Helen Con-
rad, 504 Hawthorn Trail, North Manches-
ter, IN 46962. Phone: 219-982-4855
Oakville — Jeanette White, 11304 S. CR
200 W, Muncie, IN 47302. Phone: 317-
755-3572
Peru — Rosie Roller, 470 W. 14th St., Peru,
IN 46970. Phone: 317-473-7096
Roann — Rosella Layton, 430 Adams St.,
Roann, IN 46974. Phone: 317-833-2626
Roanoke — Sharon Williams, Box 33,
Roanoke, IN 46783. Phone: 219-672-3252
South Bend — Beverly Baker, 1127 Byron
Dr., South Bend, IN 46614. Phone: 219-
291-1212
Warsaw — Lee Bair, 619 Nancy St., War-
saw, IN 46580. Phone: 219-267-2649
Wabash — Nancy Snyder, 518 Glen Ave.,
Wabash, IN 46992
Central District
Cerro Gordo — Elaine Dresbach, Box 254,
LaPlace, IL 61936. Phone: 217-677-2171
Hammond Ave. — Ruby Williams, 1930
Howard, Waterloo, IA 50702
Lanark — Carolyn Miller, 27088 U.S. High-
way 52, Lanark, IL 61046. Phone: 815-
493-6232
Milledgeville Beacons — Dorothy Ruth Glenn,
201 Meyers Ave., P.O. Box 385, Mill-
edgeville, IL 61051. Phone: 815-225-7417
Milledgeville Priscilla — Wendy Wiersema,
Rt. 2, Box 216, Chadwick, IL 61014
Midwest District
Falls City — Linda Berkley, Morrill, KS
66515. Phone: 913-459-2539
Mulvane — Dorothy Mills, 504 Emery,
Mulvane, KS 67110. Phone: 316-777-1510
January-February 1996
Southwest District
Tucson Faith, Hope, Charity — Freda
Lawson, 3328 N. Richey Blvd., Tucson,
AZ 85716. Phone: 520-323-0257
Tucson Evening — Iris McKinney, 6717
Calle Mercurio, Tucson, AZ 85710. Phone:
520-747-2253
Northern California District
Stockton — Audrey Steyer, 3634 Monitor
Circle S., Stockton, CA 95219. Phone:
209-477-2357
(Missionartj
State of the Society
(continued)
Consensus of the Executive
Committee is:
(1) to provide feedback concern-
ing this fund to the local societies
via the Newsletter,
(2) to request additional responses
from you members, and
(3) at the May or August Board
meeting, prepare a recommenda-
tion to the WMS delegates and
give them the ballot for a vote.
E. Many ideas were shared con-
cerning reshaping local societies
and programs. This information
was like pop corn — spontaneous
and good! Ideas included:
• announcements throughout the
church and personal invitations
on purple paper, which is "the"
WMS color
• keep prayer and missions emphases
• have only brief quarterly business
meetings for the entire society;
monthly items are cared for by the
officers in a separate meeting
• include a craft project with simple
supplies available or kits pre-
pared
• include music; i.e., group songs
and special music
• simplify or omit refreshments
• use four empty frosting cans for
special offerings (each member
has these at home marked "dis-
trict project, national project,
thank offering, ATS"). Bring the
appropriate can on the designated
month for that offering.
• don't be afraid to try something
new. If it fails, at least you tried!
The Board will meet again in
May; we would like to hear your
new ideas.
<^JMiscdlcutij
Allen Baer in Buenos Aires is the
January Missionary-of-the-Month.
As a tentmaker, he teaches, and
serves the church in many roles.
The February missionaries are
Arch and Connie Nevins, church
planters in northern California.
Their address is:
360 Covey Lane
Tracy, CA 95376
March is World Missions month
and focuses on two couples: Miguel
and Sonia Antunez in Peru, SA, and
Juan Carlos and Maria Miranda in
Columbia, SC.
National Project
The national project is the
purchase of a church site and
building for the mission in
Peru, where Miguel and Sonia
and their son, Carlos, minister.
The goal for two years is
$25,000.
THE WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
NEWSLETTER
Published bimonthly in January,
March, May, July, September, and
November by the Women's Missionary
Society of The Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dorman Ronk, Editor
1325 Coachman Court
Ashland, Ohio 44805
Subscription price, $7.50 per year in
advance.
Send all subscriptions to Mrs. Robert
Kroft, 608 Twp. Road 1151, RD 5, Ash-
land, OH 44805.
President's Pen (continued)
hour. A mentor is someone further
on down the road from you, who is
going where you want to go and
who is willing to give you some
light to help you get there."
Are you mentoring anyone in
your church, your neighborhood, or
at work? It's possible you are men-
toring someone and don't realize it.
I think with some women it is
natural to be a mentor; with others
of us, it is something we need to
work at a long time. Try to invite
a friend to one of your meetings
and truly be a friend to her.
Here is a poem that I kept from
a copy of Our Daily Bread of 1983.
The Master's will, for this I pray,
Whatever it may be!
I do not want to miss Your best;
Reveal it, Lord, to me.
My own desires may lead me
wrong,
I must consult my God;
His counsel will be justified
When all the way I've trod.
0 soul of mine, delight in Him!
If I am in God's will,
The lives of others will be helped
His purpose to fulfill!
My all, O Lord, I give to You,
My body, mind, and soul;
May all the days that lie ahead
Be under Your control.
— Frances Hess
May the words of this poem be a
guideline for the New Year for you!
1 wish for you a New Year full of
many rich blessings and good
health to each of you.
God Bless You All,
Shirley Black
Tk 'Editor's Biditw
Dear Friend,
In the directory, you will notice
some blanks. Incomplete informa-
tion was received on the statistical
reports last summer. As new infor-
mation is received, I will inform
you, so you can fill in the blanks.
Your Thank Offering
For many years, WMS and Sis-
terhood members used the mite
box — the little white cardboard box
which served as the "bank" for
thank offerings. And boxes were
used for project offerings, too.
I remember those bulging boxes!
Sometimes we had to reinforce the
seams with tape to keep the coins
inside. The box represented the
blessings of that year — a good har-
vest, a promotion, a passing grade,
a new baby, your pastor, teacher,
the first or the last snowfall, and
the beauty that surrounded us.
The "mite box" name was named
for the widow, who gave all she had.
I think the use of mite-boxes was
discontinued when we realized the
box couldn't hold enough to repre-
sent God's blessings. However, it is
easy to write a check or put a few
bills in the offering without realiz-
ing all that we want to be thankful
for. With a box, it was a conscious
effort to put in coins expressing
our thankfulness. Are we now lax?
The use of the thank offering re-
mains about the same as when it
originated — to share with various
ministries of the denomination.
The present benevolent uses are:
Riverside Christian School in Lost
Creek, KY; Campus Ministry and
the scholarship at Ashland Univer-
sity; World and Home Missions.
Some have replaced the mite box
with a large band-aid box or an-
other container. The receptacle
isn't what counts. It is the gift and
the prayerful attitude in which the
gift is given.
The thank offerings received at
General Conference were
$9,860.47. Isn't it wonderful where
our gifts help?
We are wonderfully made
I am always interested in the
parts of the body which are de-
scribed in the Bible — this is a very
selective list: "how beautiful on the
mountains are the feet" (Isa.52:7);
"the tongue is a smart part of the
body" (James 3:5); "your right hand
upholds me" (Psa. 63:8); and "he
who has an ear to hear" (John
11:15). We need to be attuned to
God for His message.
In contrast, think of "itching ears"
(II Tim. 4:3). Some are so anxious
for juicy gossip that it is a sin. This
passage is used in the ordination
service for pastors, and it is writ-
ten about us! Paul emphasizes to
Timothy that "they will turn their
ears away from the truth and turn
aside to myths" (v. 4). In that con-
text, Paul spoke about sound doc-
trine vs. myths. Frequently in
modern days, it is truth vs. mali-
cious gossip. And to this, I'll add
"avoid every kind of evil" (I Thes.
5:22), which is seen as well as felt,
heard, and experienced.
Passing along gossip to those
with "itching ears" may come un-
der the guise of "I think you should
know this" or "so you can pray about
this." Sound familiar? Please don't
misinterpret me — some prayerful
women are very sincere when they
share a concern. But the one whom
we remember is the gossiper. I
liken this to all the correct notes I
play, but the one which is long re-
membered is the wrong one!
Have your spiritual hearing tested.
Stay attuned to God's voice; turn
off the volume when morsels for
itching ears are circulated, and then
practice doing as well as hearing
God's message. Don't misuse these
parts of our body, because "we are
fearfully and wonderfully made"
(Psa. 139:14).
Your friend,
Joan
Women's Outlook Newsletter
The secret to living with gusto
By Ken Davis
THERE IS a well-kept secret
that can put men and women
on the track to gusto living. Actu-
ally, it's no secret at all — but it's a
concept so foreign to our society that
few people even consider it an op-
tion. This is the secret: Life's great-
est fulfillment comes from serving.
Ironic, isn't it? The meaning and
purpose we seek in life come from
giving what we are and what we
have rather than living to get
everything we can. Just as we de-
rive meaning and value from being
loved by our Creator, we in turn
were designed to love those around
us and, by doing so, to draw them to
Him. That love is more than just a
warm, gooey feeling. It is expressed
in action, and that action is called
service.
The way we operate best
Service, believe it or not, is the
way we operate best — the way we
were designed to operate. In our re-
lationship with God and with other
people, a spirit of sacrifice and com-
passion leads to abundant life.
Jesus Himself spoke of this truth
many times throughout Scripture.
When the disciples were arguing
about who among them was the
greatest, "Jesus called the Twelve
and said, 'If anyone wants to be first,
he must be the very last, and the
servant of all' " (Mark 9:35, Niv).
If the focus of life is to accumu-
late wealth, power, and prestige,
then life is truly in vain, because in
the end, we gain nothing. After the
death of John D. Rockefeller, a man
asked his accountant, "How much
did he leave?" The accountant re-
plied, "He left everything."
It makes little sense to waste life
accumulating what you cannot keep.
If you were told today that you had
only a few days to live, it's not likely
that you would frantically try to ac-
cumulate more stuff in the short
time available. Relatively speaking,
we do have only a few days to live.
January 1996
Yet far too many of us waste those
precious moments in pursuit of
things that can never satisfy.
It's tempting to respond to that
dilemma, as many throughout his-
tory have, by saying, "So what? If I
There
are two
kinds
of people in
the
world:
Givers and takers.
The takers
eat
better.
The
givers s
better.
leep
can't take it with me, then I might
as well enjoy as much of it as I can
while I'm here. I'll eat, drink, and
be merry, for tomorrow I'll die any-
way." That philosophy leads to a
foolish waste of your life in seeking
empty pleasures. If you're searching
for gusto living — maximum living
— you won't find it there. True ful-
fillment in life comes not from tak-
ing everything you can get, but
from giving whatever you have.
Why don't we change?
It's obvious that in our culture
many of us have made the foolish
choice to seek pleasure rather than
meaning in life. Why, if the life of the
self-centered pleasure-seeker is so
empty, don't we change our lifestyles
and begin living to serve others?
First, it's because our thinking
has been short-circuited by the mis-
taken ideas of servanthood that are
so prevalent in our society. We be-
lieve that only the weak serve. The
thought of living to serve anyone
but ourselves is almost repulsive.
In our culture, servants are per-
ceived as lower-class, less-capable
people. Serving others is consid-
ered undignified.
Second, we've been disconnected
from the power source that would
enable us to live the difficult life of
a servant. Like an unplugged re-
frigerator, we take up space but
can't keep things fresh. Sin has had
a devastating impact on the environ-
ment and on the moral tenor of the
world, but some of its greatest dam-
age has been to our ability to love
God and to serve each other.
Only those who are free to live
with nothing to prove, nothing to
hide, and nothing to lose can even
come close to tasting the sweetness
that a life of service brings. But this
truth, even though it's relatively easy
to talk about (or even to write about),
is so very difficult to act upon.
The real test of faith
Breaking free from the hold of
this world's values and actually liv-
ing a life of service is the real test of
faith. Progress can be agonizingly
slow, but each tiny step brings us
closer to what God wants us to be.
Only in the last few years have I
been able to even consider making
such an effort. I still cling to so many
of the superficial things in life.
If we can find the courage to trust
God to enable us to live lives of
service, not only will we begin to
move closer to our fullest potential,
but our families, friends, and busi-
ness associates will look at us in a
different light. They may not un-
derstand our behavior — they may,
in fact, wonder whether we have
lost touch with reality — but some-
where deep in their souls, they will
know who is behind this inexplica-
ble behavior. Somehow they will
know that we follow Him.
Jesus, the one who claimed the
greatest victory of all time, did so
by becoming a servant. He wants to
share that victory with you. [ft]
Mr. Davis is an award-winning author
and popular speaker. This article is ex-
cerpted from his book, Fire Up Your
Life (Zondervan Publishing House,
1995). The article was provided by the
publisher.
Ashland Theological Seminary
Charting an Unknown Course
By Dr. Frederick J. Finks
SOMEONE approached me
early last year and asked how
the seminary was doing. My re-
sponse was extremely enthusias-
tic. God had blessed us beyond
measure, and it was indeed a joy
to serve Him through the ex-
panded ministry offered by Ash-
land Theological Seminary.
Indeed, everything was going
well. Our student population was
continuing to grow; the faculty
was unified in purpose and vision;
our community of faith was strong
and vibrant; the academic integ-
rity of the seminary was at a high
point; and general support from
our friends and the church had
been affirming. I could not have
asked for a better place in which
to work and serve.
Signs that all was not well
Then came the first signs that
caused me to question. Two of our
senior level faculty members,
both in biblical studies and both
members of the United Methodist
Church, were asked to consider
Dr. Frederick J. Finks, President
Ashland Theological Seminary
teaching at another seminary.
While my personal philosophy
had always been that no one is
indispensable or irreplaceable,
suddenly I found myself begin-
ning to ask God why He was al-
lowing this to happen. I spent a
great deal of time in prayer,
wrestling with the possibility of
losing two fine professors and
what their leaving would do to
the seminary.
God was working His will
God answered me: "My hand is
upon this place and I can do what
I desire and it
will still be
upon this
place." I rose
from my
prayer time
refreshed and
enlivened. I
had been
made aware
by God that
the future did
Dr. David A. deSilva not depend
one iota on me. It was God who
was working His will.
Later both men chose to accept
positions at this other seminary.
But we were
able to move
with delib-
erate progress
to find two
equally out-
standing pro-
fessors, Dr.
David A.
deSilva and
Dr. L. Daniel
Hawk, who
have already
endeared themselves to both stu-
dents and other faculty members.
They have also brought fresh
ideas and new perspectives to the
Daniel Hawk
seminary that have enabled us to
move forward.
Then in early August of last
year Dr. Mary Ellen Drushal,
who had taught at the seminary
since 1984 and who had served as
academic dean for the past four
years, was given an opportunity
to serve Ashland University as
acting provost. Mary Ellen had
desired such an opportunity for
some time, and this seemed like
an open door for her.
A message from God
I again found myself question-
ing what God was doing. A friend
later stopped by with a "message
from God." She informed me that
during her prayer time God had
impressed upon her that she
should share with me a passage of
scripture — Psalm 127:1-2.
I read and contemplated these
words: "Unless the Lord builds
the house, they labor in vain who
build it; unless the Lord guards
the city, the watchman keeps
awake in vain." God was again
communicating to me that He is
in charge and that anything that
is done apart from Him would not
succeed.
Many other such occurrences
have come into my life this year,
impressing upon me the signifi-
cance of God as He charts the
course for our future. At times I
must confess that I am merely
hanging on for the ride. [ft]
The Brethren Evangelist
Ashland Theological Seminary
ATS News and Updates
Twenty Brethren students
enrolled at the seminary
GRADUATION last May saw
one of the largest groups of
Brethren students ever to gradu-
ate from Ashland Theological
Seminary. Fortunately, nine new
Brethren students enrolled for
classes in the 1995-96 academic
year to make up for some of those
who graduated. We now have a
total of 20 Brethren students at
the school. Here are several note-
worthy items about these stu-
dents: four are from one congre-
gation— the Pleasant View Breth-
ren Church of Vandergrift, Penn-
sylvania, pastored by Rev. Keith
Hensley; three are from the
Southwest District (Arizona);
and one (Eduardo Rodriguez) is
from Argentina. Eight of the cur-
rent Brethren students will
graduate in May.
Search under way for
new academic dean
A SEARCH COMMITTEE has
been working diligently, re-
viewing applications for the posi-
tion of academic dean recently
vacated by Dr. Mary Ellen
Drushal. A national advertise-
ment has resulted in applications
from a number of candidates. Sev-
eral candidates are under consid-
eration and an announcement of
a new dean should come after the
first of the year.
Several trips planned
through the seminary
INDIVIDUALS with a taste for
travel can join students and
friends of Ashland Theological
Seminary on one of several excit-
ing trips planned for 1996. The
Seminary Foundation is sponsor-
ing a trip March 10-17 to Eng-
January 1996
Brethren Students
Janet Aguiar
Park Street
John Allison
Derby
Eric Bargerhuff
Mexico/University
Don Belsterling
Park Street
Doug Cunningham
Milledgeville
Tim De Laughter
N. Manchester
Corky Fisher
Park Street
Annalee Hoover
N. Georgetown
T.J. McLaughlin
Pleasant View/
Fremont
Ed Miller
Pleasant View/
Fremont
Ron Miller
Linwood
Chris Moellering
Winding Waters
Arnold Owens
Pleasant View
Joyce Owens
Pleasant View
James Pflugfelder
Northwest Chapel
Karen Robins
Tucson First
Eduardo Rodriguez
Colon, Argentina
Eric Schave
Milledgeville
Paul Sluss
Roanoke/
Louisville Brethren Bible
Louise Waller
Northwest Chapel
land and Scotland. A trip to the
Holy Lands is planned for May.
It will be led by Drs. Fred and
Grace Holland. During the
month of June, a study tour of
England, Scotland, and Ireland
will be led by Dr. Luke Keefer.
Anyone interested in one or more
of these trips should contact the
seminary for more information.
I. Howard Marshall to speak
during spring lecture series
DR. I. HOWARD MARSHALL
from Aberdeen, Scotland, is
scheduled to speak at the ATS
1996 spring lecture series, to be
held March 11-12. His topic will
be "The Christian Life in the
Pastoral Epistles."
Dr. Marshall has been professor
of New Testament exegesis at the
University of Aberdeen since 1979.
He is well-known as a New Testa-
ment scholar and is the author of
numerous books in New Testa-
ment studies. He has lectured ex-
tensively in many countries, in-
cluding Norway, Sweden, Den-
mark, Finland, Germany, the
Netherlands, Singapore, Hong
Kong, the Philippines, Australia,
Canada, and the United States.
Attendance at the lectures is free.
Persons may also receive continu-
ing education credits or seminary
graduate credit hours by partici-
pating in the conference. In such
cases, a fee is required. Contact
the seminary at 419-289-5161 for
more information.
Ron Waters to join
seminary faculty
REV. RONALD W. WATERS,
who has served the Brethren
Church National Office as Direc-
tor of Brethren Church Ministries
since July
1989, will join
the ATS fac-
ulty this sum-
mer. Ron, who
is completing
a Doctor of
Missiology de-
gree from As-
bury Theologi-
cal Seminary,
will hold the
new chair in evangelism recently
established at the seminary. He
will bring to his new position at
the seminary many years of
strong leadership experience.
The seminary will also make Ron
available to continue to provide
leadership to the denomination
in the area of evangelism.
Churches encouraged to
provide Fair Share support
THE SEMINARY depends on
each Brethren church to pro-
vide annual support through the
Fair Share approved by General
Conference. The Fair Share for
each congregation is $12.00 per
Church Growth Index point. A
congregation's Church Growth
Index is determined by adding its
membership, average morning
worship attendance, and average
Sunday school attendance, then
dividing this total by three. [ft]
Ronald W. Waters
Group in Tracy, Calif.,
to become a class
Ashland, Ohio — The General
Conference Executive Council voted
at its December 1, 1995, meeting to
recognize the West Valley Brethren
Life Church of Tracy, California,
as a Brethren class. Becoming a
class is the first step in becoming
a Brethren church.
Last August a group of people be-
gan meeting in Tracy under the
leadership of church planter Rev.
Archie Nevins. In addition to hold-
ing weekly meetings for training
and fellowship, the class began
sponsoring a number of community
activities, including a flag football
ministry to the City of Tracy (with
a presentation of the gospel during
half-time) and a men's basketball
program. In October, three cell
groups were formed. Activities for
youth are also conducted.
West Valley Brethren Life Church
is the first phase of a vision to start
a number of churches in Northern
California — three congregations by
the year 2000. Brethren from the
Northgate Community and Stock-
ton Brethren Churches are work-
ing with the Nevins family in this
outreach project.
NAE Convention
"Reaching America for Christ" will
be the theme of the 54th Annual
Convention of the National Associa-
tion of Evangelicals to be held
March 3-5 at the Hyatt Regency in
Minneapolis. Speakers will include
Leith Anderson, Jill Briscoe, Bill
McCartney, and Luis Palau. Pro-
gram and registration information
is available by calling NAE at 708-
665-0500 (e-mail: nae@xc.org).
Exterior of the church building of the Corinth Brethren Church, with the addi-
tion built in 1991-92 in the foreground.
Corinth Church burns mortgage on
addition constructed in 1991-1992
Twelve Mile, Ind. — Members of
the Corinth Brethren Church cele-
brated paying off the indebtedness
on an addition to their church
building with a mortgage-burning
service on Sunday, October 22.
Moderator Dennis Moss and
eleven committee members were in
charge of the afternoon mortgage -
burning program. Rev. Bill Brady
of Tucson, Ariz., who was pastor of
the Corinth Church when the addi-
tion was built, was the speaker for
the event. Rev. Brady's wife,
Lynne, also participated, playing
several piano selections and lead-
ing the congregation in a sing- along
of favorite hymns.
Piano selections were also played
by Corinth young people Sarah Moss
and India Staller. In addition, the
Caston School Swing Choir sang
several songs during the program.
The Corinth Brethren stepped out
in faith and broke ground for this
addition on June 6, 1991. Wolf Con-
struction of Logansport, Ind., built
the shell of the building, and car-
penters in the congregation did
much of the interior work. The
women of the church helped with
painting, putting up wallpaper, and
finishing woodwork. The building
was dedicated on April 26, 1992.
The addition contains a pastor's
office, five classrooms, a foyer, an
extension of the fellowship hall,
and two bathrooms. Cost to con-
struct the building was approximate-
ly $100,000, plus a lot of donated
materials and labor. The final pay-
ment on the loan was made on Sep-
tember 1, 1995.
— reported by Viola Peter, cor. secretary
Briefly
Noted
Dr. Charles Munson recently be-
gan serving as interim pastor of the
Flora, Ind., First Brethren Church.
Dr. Munson taught for many years
at Ashland University and Ashland
Theological Seminary, and he served
for a time as dean of the seminary.
Now retired from the seminary, he
continues to serve The Brethren
Church as an interim pastor. He
served the Winding Waters Breth-
10
ren Church of Elkhart, Ind., and
The Brethren Church in New Leba-
non, Ohio, before going to Flora
First Brethren.
Dates have been set and the place
selected for the second Great
Western Brethren Roundup, a
gathering of Brethren from the
California, Southwest, and Midwest
Districts of The Brethren Church.
Roundup II is scheduled for July
10-13, 1997, at the Glorieta Con-
ference Center near Santa Fe, New
Mexico.
The Brethren Evangelist
.oodjhep,
Commission discusses key
areas of church development
Ashland, Ohio — The New Church
Development Commission dis-
cussed several key areas of church
development when it met Novem-
ber 8, 1995, in Ashland.
The commission was of consensus
that the Missionary Board should
begin a search for a new director of
Home Missions in 1996. Commis-
sion members believe this person
should play an active role as a cata-
lyst for new church starts.
The commission also agreed that
prospective church planters should
go through an assessment program
to evaluate their gifts and that they
should attend a church-planting
"boot camp" to help prepare them to
begin a new church.
Several ideas were presented
with regard to construction of fa-
cilities for new churches. They in-
cluded continuing a partnership with
Brethren Men of Mission in the
construction of affordable facilities;
the need for each new church to
work with an architect to develop a
comprehensive site plan; the explo-
ration of less costly construction op-
tions; and the construction of facili-
ties that reflect Brethren beliefs.
The commission recognized the
significant level of cooperation that
now exists between the mission
boards of various districts in The
Brethren Church because of the work
of Rev. Russell Gordon, former di-
rector of Home Missions. In order
to continue this cooperation, a
Church Planting Summit was set
for March 14, 1996, at Park Street
Brethren Church.
Recognizing the importance of hav-
ing a comprehensive strategy for
church planting in The Brethren
Church, the commission set this
topic as the main focus of discus-
sion for its next meeting.
— reported by Dale Stoffer
Commission Chair
Economic factors force closing
of Brethren Printing Company
Ashland, Ohio — The General Con-
ference Executive Council, during its
regular meeting on December 1,
took action to close the Brethren
Printing Company and to liquidate
the assets of the corporation. The
decision was made because of the in-
debtedness of the company and the
difficulty in operating it profitably.
The Brethren print shop was op-
erated for many years as part of the
Brethren Publishing Company, a
not-for-profit entity which publish-
ed The Brethren Evangelist and
other Brethren publications. On
November 1, 1989, the print shop
was spun off as Brethren Printing
Company, a for-profit corporation
that was wholly owned by The
Brethren Church, Inc.
The company operated profitably
for a few years, serving both the
church and the community. But
changes in the community and in
printing clientele, rising paper
costs, and differing needs of print-
ing customers threatened increas-
ingly the profitability of the com-
pany. Efforts were made to broaden
the client base of the company, to
meet the needs of the community,
and to update equipment and serv-
ices, without sacrificing quality.
Manager Tim Mills worked dili-
gently, doubling as pressman, to
meet the demands of the printing
community. When a major client
started its own in-house printing
department, the Printing Company
was hurt significantly. This was
compounded by the opening of an-
other printing company in Ash-
land, creating an even more com-
petitive printing market.
Manager Mills and his staff
worked many long hours to over-
come these obstacles in an effort to
turn the corner toward profitabil-
ity. Their labor of love, dedication,
and commitment continually met
with disappointment as economic
realities set in. The board of direc-
tors of the company also struggled
diligently with the situation, look-
ing for a solution.
After considerable discussion,
weighing of options, and prayer,
the General Conference Executive
Council decided that it would ulti-
mately be in the best interest of all
involved to close the company. The
final day of operation will be De-
cember 31, 1995.
The Board of Directors acknow-
ledges with great appreciation the
hard work and dedicated efforts of
Manager Tim Mills and his staff.
The board also expresses its thanks
to The Brethren Church and the
Ashland community for their many
years of support for the Brethren
Printing Company.
— Ralph Gibson, President, Brethren
Printing Company Board of Directors
Who'll do the printing?
Question: With the closing of
Brethren Printing Company, how
will the Evangelist and other Breth-
ren publications be printed?
Answer: In addition to the over-
riding concern for the employees, an-
other factor that made it difficult to
decide to close Brethren Printing
Company was the convenience of
having in-house printing. It will now
be necessary to find a commercial
printer to print the Evangelist,
Morning Star, Insight into Brethren
Missions, and other Brethren publi-
cations. There are a number of print-
ers in the Ashland area (some with
Brethren people in the ownership
and/or management), so we will seek
one of these to do our printing.
The changeover to outside printing
will not be as difficult as it once
was — for two reasons. First, typeset-
ting and page make-up, which were
once done by the print shop, are now
done on computers in our offices. So
instead of depending on someone else
to do much of the preparatory work,
we can now take publications to a
printer that are almost ready for the
press. Second, a lot of our smaller
printing jobs that were once done on
a small press are now done on a high-
speed, high-quality copier. We still
have this copier available even with
the closing of the Printing Company.
So while it certainly will not be as
convenient with the Printing Com-
pany gone, the situation should still
be workable.
— Dick Winfield, Editor
January 1996
11
In Memory
Marion M. "Mickey" Mellinger,
72, a member of the Ashland Park
Street Brethren Church, died De-
cember 14,
1955, at her
home in Ash-
land. She
served for
more than 15
years as Ad-
ministrative
Assistant for
the Mission-
ary Board of
the Brethren
Church, retir-
ing February 28, 1979. In this posi-
tion she was known for her con-
geniality, remarkable abilities,
knowledge of missions, and gen-
eral helpfulness. Preceded in
death by her husband, Delbert
(July 24, 1987), she is survived by
their two children, Claudia (Co-
lumbus, Ohio) and Herman (Fort
Wayne, Ind., where he is modera-
tor of the Meadow Crest Brethren
Church). Services were conducted
by Dr. Arden Gilmer, pastor of
Park Street Brethren Church.
J. Michael Drushal to oversee
operation of the National Office
Ashland, Ohio — J. Michael
Drushal has been called to serve
as interim Director of Brethren
Church Ministries, effective Janu-
ary 1, 1996.
Drushal is assuming on a part-
time basis the position formerly
held by Rev. Ronald W. Waters.
Waters resigned at the end of 1995
in order to complete work on a Doc-
tor of Missiology degree in prepara-
tion for becoming assistant profes-
sor of evangelism at Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary later this year. He
will be available for several months
to work with Drushal a few hours
per week on a consultant basis.
In addition to this new position,
Congratulations!
To: Dr. Harold Walton, pastor of
the Wayne Heights Brethren
Church of Waynesboro, Pa., who re-
ceived a Doctor of Ministry degree in
1995 from Trinity International
University, Deerfield, 111. His major
project for the degree was "Princi-
ples of Revival."
To: Vivian Barkdoll and Dolo-
res Kline, members of the Wayne
Heights Brethren Church, who were
ordained as deaconesses for the
Wayne Heights congregation in Sep-
tember.
Racial Reconciliation
Sunday
The National Association of Evan-
gelicals, the National Black Evangeli-
cal Association, and Zondervan Pub-
lishing House have established the
Sunday before Martin Luther King,
Jr., Day as an annual Racial Reconcili-
ation Sunday. This year that day is
January 14. The goal of this obser-
vance is to build a grass-roots cam-
paign among evangelical churches
for national racial reconciliation.
Information about Racial Recon-
ciliation Sunday and suggestions for
observing it were sent to pastors and
moderators in Leadership Letter.
Whether or not your church observes
this occasion, two of the suggestions
for doing so are things that each of us
can do individually and throughout
the year to promote racial under-
standing. They are (1) develop a
friendship with an individual of an-
other race, and (2) commit to persist-
ent prayer regarding racial reconcili-
ation. As we begin this New Year,
these would be worthy commitments
for each of us.
*****
The true body of Christ has no color
distinctions, only a commitment to
Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The
suffering of the African-American male
part of the body is to the detriment of
the whole body; accordingly the entire
body has a vested interest in the sal-
vation and restoration of African-
American males.
— John M. Wallace, Jr., in Men to
Mem Perspectives of Fifteen African-
American Christian Men; Lee N. June,
editor (Zondervan, 1996).
Drushal is
assistant
professor
of business
administra-
tion and
chair of
the business
administra-
tion depart-
ment at
Ashland
University.
He is not
new to the *?• Michael Drushal
Brethren National Office, for he
served as office overseer and Gen-
eral Conference coordinator from
1987 to 1989.
Because of the current process of
reorganization of the Brethren de-
nominational ministries, a decision
was made not to hire a full-time
replacement for Waters until a new
organizational structure has been
approved by General Conference.
In the meantime, Drushal will
oversee operation of the National
Office and care for basic responsi-
bilities of the Director of Brethren
Church Ministries.
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( The Brethren )
Fuwforburg Library
WASTER COLLEGE
North Mar :hester, IN 46962
Evangelist
^*>*>
^CH^
Vol. 118, No. 2
A newsletter for Brethren people
February 1996
Brian H. Moore, chair of the Spiritual Formation Commission, looks at:
How to provide pastoral care in the local church
UNTIL RECENTLY, when the
subject of pastoral care was
mentioned, people thought of the
nurturing and shepherding care
that pastors give to the members
of the church. Pastoral care was
one important segment of the pas-
tor's ministry. It included such
things as counsel, encouragement,
admonition, advice, and prayer.
A new definition
Today, because of fortuitous cir-
cumstances, pastoral care is begin-
ning to have another meaning: tak-
ing care of the pastor. The former is
done by the pastor; the latter is
done for the pastor.
A few years ago most church peo-
ple would have given little consid-
eration to the validity of this kind
of pastoral care. (Those in a per-
petual state of denial still don't!)
Until recent-
ly, it was
almost un-
thinkable to
assert that
pastors need
care just like
everyone
else. After
all, pastors
aren't like
everyone
else. They
live in the Dr- Brian H Moore
rarefied atmosphere of holy things
and are untouched by the common-
alities of others.
Pastors are "set apart," and that
has come to mean "set apart from
ordinary existence." If any chink
appears in a pastor's ministerial
armor, it is a sure sign of spiritual
deficiency or at
least of inade-
quate seminary
training. (It's
strange how
seminary train-
ing gets blamed
for so many
problems!)
This kind of
thinking lives on
and is, in fact, at
the root of much
of the denial. It is
also responsible
for the pastoral
pretense and the
subsequent lone-
liness. Pastors
must maintain
the image of be-
ing "together,"
otherwise how can they help any-
one else? But the only way to suc-
cessfully maintain that image is to
remain aloof. The problem is one
developed and shared by pastors and
laity alike. It is sometimes referred to
as "the pedestal." Perched securely
on their pedestals, pastors are
spared the problems of ordinary life.
But it's lonely on that pedestal, high
and lifted up.
Termites of the spirit
So while pastors try to avoid giv-
ing any impression of humanness,
and while congregations keep in-
sisting on the superhuman unique-
ness of pastors, the foundations are
being eaten away by termites of the
spirit. When signs of erosion or de-
cay begin to appear, some rush in
and wonder "Why?" while others
stand afar off and beat their self-
righteous breasts saying, "I'm glad
that I am not like other men, like
this pastor over there."
Is anyone going to come out into
the open and admit that pastors need
to be cared for, protected, encour-
aged, helped, blessed, affirmed, and
otherwise loved — just as much as
any other human being (and perhaps
even more so)? For this to happen,
pastors must lay down the phony,
invulnerable image, and congrega-
tions must reconsider their super-
human expectations of pastors and
begin to be real, honest, and caring.
The Spiritual Formation Com-
mission of The Brethren Church
sponsored a goal for Brethren
churches for 1996:
By October 1, 1996, create a viable
pastoral care committee. ..."
This goal was adopted by General
Conference last August. Its aim is
to help provide care for pastors and
their families. The concept goes
beyond what is usually called the
"Pastoral Relations Committee,"
whose task it has been not only to
encourage the pastor but also to hear
grievances from the congregation
and the pastor and to attempt to re-
solve those grievances. In practice,
(continued on page 3)
In this issue
Providing pastoral care . . .
What are you singing? . . .
Where Brethren are located .
Understanding the Bible . .
Faith-sharing as a way of life
Ministry pages
Around the denomination . .
1
2
4
6
7
8
10
Do you know what you're singing?
THE HYMNS we sing in wor-
ship often contain biblical al-
lusions. If we don't know the bib-
lical background of these allusions,
we miss a lot of the rich meaning
of these hymns.
Here are a few such biblical
allusions chosen from several
familiar hymns. Do you know
their biblical contexts? Test your-
self. If you don't know the answers,
look up the biblical references. In
fact, you might want to look up all
the references anyway, for they
all are meaningful passages.
1. One of the most well-known
worship hymns is "Holy, Holy,
Holy." The second verse has these
words: "All the saints adore Thee,
casting down their golden crowns
around the glassy sea." This is an
allusion to:
a. Isaiah's vision of the LORD
(Isaiah 6).
b. The anointing of David as
king of Israel (2 Samuel 5).
c. John's vision of God's throne
(Revelation 4).
2. A favorite prayer hymn is
"Sweet Hour of Prayer." One verse
of this hymn has these words: Till,
from Mount Pisgah's lofty height, I
view my home, and take my flight."
This reference to seeing our heav-
enly home at the time of death
has as its background:
a. Elijah's journey to heaven
in 2 Kings 2.
b. Moses' view of the Promised
Land in Deuteronomy 34.
c. The death of Stephen in
Acts 7:54-60.
3. Another popular worship
hymn is "Crown Him with Many
Crowns." It begins, "Crown Him
with many crowns, the Lamb upon
His throne." This reference to
Jesus Christ as the Lamb upon
the throne is an allusion to:
a. John's vision in Revelation 5.
b. The Shepherd Psalm (Ps. 23).
c. Instructions concerning the
Passover Lamb (Exodus 12).
4. The hymn "I Know Whom I
Have Believed" is unusual in that
the words of the chorus are taken
directly from the Bible. The words
"I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that He is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto Him against that day" are
the testimony of:
a. John the Baptist in John
1:29.
b. Peter in Matthew 16:16.
c. Paul in 2 Timothy 1:12.
5. The hymn "Praise Him!
Praise Him!" says that "Like a
shepherd Jesus will guard His
children." Jesus called Himself
"the good shepherd" in:
a. John 6:35.
b. John 10:11.
c.John 11:25.
6. One verse of the Christmas
hymn "Joy to the World" has
these words: "No more let sins
and sorrows grow, nor thorns in-
fest the ground; He comes to
make His blessings flow far as the
curse is found." The background
for these words is:
a. The parable of the four
kinds of soil in Matthew
13:1-9.
b. God's words to Adam and
Eve in Genesis 3:16-19.
c. God's curse on Cain in Gen-
esis 4:10-12.
7. The hymn "Come, Thou Fount
of Every Blessing" has a number
of biblical allusions (including the
title!). In the second verse of this
hymn we find the words, "Here I
raise mine Ebenezer; hither by
Thy help I'm come." "Ebenezer"
means "stone of help" and refers
to a memorial set up as a testi-
mony to God's helpfulness. It is
an allusion to:
a. The stone Jacob set up after
he dreamed about a ladder
reaching from earth to
heaven (Genesis 28:10-19).
b. The stones the Israelites set
up after they crossed the Jor-
dan River and entered the
Promised Land (Joshua 4:1-9).
c. The stone Samuel set up
after the Israelites routed
the Philistines in battle
(1 Samuel 7:10-13).
8. In the hymn "All Hail the
Power of Jesus' Name!" the last
verse says, "O that with yonder
sacred throng we at His feet may
fall!" This reference to a sacred
throng is to:
a. The Israelites who worshiped
God when the Temple was
dedicated (1 Kings 8).
b. The people who worshiped
Jesus on "Palm Sunday"
- (Luke 19:28-38).
c. The great multitude from
every nation, tribe, people,
and language seen by John
(Revelation 7:9-17).
Our worship through singing is
enriched when we understand the
biblical allusions in hymns. I hope
this quiz makes these hymns more
meaningful to you.
— Dick Winfield, editor
Answers: I.e.; 2.b.; 3.a.; 4.c; 5.b.; 6.b.; 7.c; 8.c.
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monlhly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; E-mail: Brethrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
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The Brethren Evangelist
(continued from page 1)
this committee was often reduced
to recommending the pastor's sal-
ary for the annual budget or to con-
ducting "gripe sessions" based on
anonymous criticisms.
Not a financial issue
The concept being introduced in
this goal is not focused on financial
needs or problem situations. Pas-
toral care means giving attention to
and encouraging the spiritual, in-
tellectual, physical, emotional, and
social well-being of the pastor and
the pastor's family.
The need for this emphasis is the
result of complex dynamics which
are beyond the scope of this article.
Suffice it to say that being a pastor
is more difficult now than in former
times because society is under great-
er stress. The widespread breakdown
of authority and of structures that
once gave stability to our society
deeply affects pastoral work in all
its dimensions. New needs keep ap-
pearing. The toll in stress and con-
flict and the strains on family life
are great. "All we have to do is look
around and see that preachers and
rabbis and priests are dropping like
flies, leaving their ministries or let-
ting the stress erupt into headlines."*
Pastors can seldom escape by leav-
ing the ministry (worst case scenario),
because there is no place to go. The
best scenario is for pastors and con-
gregations to address pastoral care
so that ministry will be enjoyable
and the pastor will keep growing,
have family time, be well-rounded,
and be generally at peace. Pastors
who serve under these conditions will
be a blessing to their congregations.
I have a few suggestions to get us
thinking about ways to begin pro-
viding care for our pastors. In mak-
ing these suggestions, I exaggerate
somewhat to make my point. I hope
we can get the point and adjust it to
fit our individual situations.
1 . Move the parsonage!
If the parsonage is adjacent to
the church building, the pastor will
inevitably tend to become the care-
taker and night watchman. In addi-
tion, being so close to one's place of
*Bill Self in "Ministers Under Stress"
by Hank Whittemore, Parade, April 14,
1991, p. 4.
February 1996
work makes it easy to keep work-
ing. I live 30 paces from the church
building. I have allowed myself to
be the above (caretaker and night
watchman) and do the above (keep
on working). I have little sense of
going home for the day because
home is so close to where I do so
much of my work. This has been
true for all 29 years of my full-time
pastoral service in four congrega-
tions. There are two sides to the
convenience of living on the church
property. Pastoral care may re-
quire discussing "the other side."
2. Give more vacation time
Some of us pastors are terrible
abusers of our vacation. We don't
go away long enough! One reason
for this may be that we don't feel
that we have enough vacation left if
we take two weeks at one time. We
want to save some time off for
Thanksgiving and some for Christ-
mas, so we fragment our vacation
time and find that it provides little
personal benefit. Having an addi-
tional week of vacation (which could
be divided up around Thanksgiving
and Christmas) might help.
Along with that, consider a way
to establish a vacation fund for the
pastor, to be distributed only when
that extended vacation is taken. For
most of us pastors, it requires all
we make (and maybe more, hence
working wives) just to keep up with
everyday living expenses. The re-
sult: not enough ready money to take
two weeks of vacation at one time
(unless we go to our parents' home
and live off them). What a difference
a thousand-dollar gift would make
come vacation time!0 But attach a
string to it; it can only be used for
a get-away vacation with family. "If
you don't use it, you lose it!"
3. Give a sabbatical
Many professions offer a sabbati-
cal leave. A modified version could
be offered to pastors. Perhaps for
every five years of service the pas-
tor could be given a two-month,
fully-paid leave-of-absence for
study, travel, rest, and personal de-
velopment. This is not a vacation
but a time for growth and personal
°Check with an accountant to deter-
mine if this can be done without addi-
tional tax on the pastor's salary.
refreshment. The details for ar-
ranging such a venture are many. I
recommend Sabbatical Planning
for Clergy and Congregations by A.
Richard Bullock (The Alban Insti-
tute: Washington, D.C., 1987) to
help plan a sabbatical.
4. Emphasize self-care
No committee can provide all the
care for the pastor and the pastor's
family. The pastor must practice
self-care. He* must be the one to
give himself permission to "back off"
from the stresses of pastoral life.
But perhaps the committee can en-
courage him to do so and even build
in some accountability for it. En-
courage good eating habits and rest
patterns; the development of friend-
ships; an occasional mini-retreat or
a day away for solitude and prayer.
At each meeting of the Pastoral
Care Committee, ask what the pas-
tor has been reading and what he
plans to read. Encourage him to at-
tend local seminars in order to keep
abreast of issues and to develop min-
istry skills. Work together to de-
velop a plan of self-care and then
make a joint effort to work the plan.
5. Begin with this article
If your committee has not yet been
formed, take steps to get it formed.
Then take this article and interact
with its premises and its sugges-
tions. Undoubtedly an active com-
mittee will be able to do "greater
things than these."
I believe that showing this kind
of practical interest in our pastoral
families will help us have healthier,
happier pastors as well as better
pastoral relations in local congre-
gations. I believe that with better
pastoral care, pastoral tenures will
lengthen and churches will reflect
the well-being that is developing in
the pastoral leadership. More could
be said — and done — but I hope that
this much will help our pastors and
their wives and children begin to
get the attention they need. [ft]
Dr. Moore is pastor of the St. James,
Maryland, Brethren Church. Pastoral
health and care were the focus of his
major project for his recently received
Doctor of Ministries degree.
'Masculine pronouns are being used since
The Brethren Church currently has no
women serving as pastors of local churches.
Where Brethren Are Located
M,dwe8,K' Si*
Percentages are the percent of
total Brethren Church member-
ship in each district. They are
based on 1994 membership
reports. (Total does not equal
100% due to rounding.)
Brethren congregations in each district
Northern California District
Hope Fellowship (Stockton)
Northgate Community (Manteca)
Stockton*
West Valley Life (Tracy)
Southwest District
(currently only in Arizona)
Northwest Chapel (Tucson)
Tucson
Midwest District
(currently Wyoming, Nebraska, and
Kansas)
Cheyenne (Wyo.)
Derby (Kans.)
Falls City (Nebr.)
Fort Scott (Kans.)
Mulvane (Kans.)
Central District
(currently Iowa and Illinois)
Cerro Gordo (111.)
Hammond Ave. (Waterloo, Iowa)
Lanark (111.)
Milledgeville (111.)
'Identifying name and location (town or city) are
the same, except where noted otherwise.
Indiana District
(Includes one church in northwestern
Ohio% and one in Michigan®
Ardmore (South Bend)
Brighton Chapel (Howe)
§Bryan (Ohio)
Burlington
Carmel
Center Chapel (near Peru)
College Corner (near Wabash)
Corinth (near Twelve Mile)
Cornerstone (near Muncie)
County Line (near Lakeville)
Dutchtown (near Warsaw)
Elkhart
Flora
Goshen
Greenwood
Huntington
Jefferson (Goshen)
Loree (near Bunker Hill)
^Matteson (near Bronson, Mich.)
Meadow Crest (Ft. Wayne)
Mexico
Milford
Mishawaka
Muncie
Nappanee
New Paris
North Manchester
Oakville
Peru
Roann
Roanoke
South Bend
Teegarden (near Lapaz)
Tiosa
Wabash
Warsaw
Winding Waters (Elkhart)
Ohio District
Columbus
Fremont
Garber (Ashland)
Gratis
Gretna (near Bellefontaine)
Hillcrest (Dayton)
Louisville Bible
Louisville First
Medina
Mt. Zion (near Cleveland)
The Brethren Evangelist
Newark
New Lebanon
North Georgetown
Northview Life (near Franklin)
Park Street (Ashland)
Pleasant Hill
Smith ville
Smoky Row (Columbus)
Trinity (North Canton)
University (Ashland)
Walcrest (Mansfield)
West Alexandria
Williamstown
Pennsylvania District
(Includes two churches in New Jersey,
two in West Virginia,* and one in
Delaware.^)
Berlin
Brush Valley (near Adrian)
^Calvary (near Quakertown, New
Jersey)
*Cameron, West Virginia
Fairless Hills-Lewittown
Highland (near Marianna)
Johnstown Second
Johnstown Third
Main Street (Meyersdale)
Masontown
§Mt. Olivet (near Georgetown,
Delaware)
Mt. Pleasant
Pittsburgh
Pleasant View (Vandergrift)
Quiet Dell (Green City)
Raystown (near Saxton)
Sarver
^Sergeantsville, New Jersey
Valley (Jones Mills)
Vinco (near Mineral Point)
Wayne Heights (Waynesboro)
*White Dale (near Terra Alta,
West Virginia)
Southeastern District
(currently includes churches in Ken-
tucky, West Virginia, Maryland,
Virginia, and Washington, D.C.)
Bethlehem (near Harrisonburg,
Va.)
Covenant Community (Fredericks-
burg, Va.)
Cumberland, Md.
Drushal Memorial (Lost Creek,
Ky.)
Gateway Fellowship (Hagers-
town, Md.)
Gatewood (near Oak Hill, W. Va.)
Haddix (near Jackson, Ky.)
Hagerstown, Md.
Kimsey Run (near Lost River,
W. Va.)
Krypton, Ky.
Liberty (Quicksburg, Va.)
Linwood, Md.
Mathias, W. Va.
Maurertown, Va.
Monta Vosta (near McGaheys-
ville, Va.)
Mount Olive (Pineville, Va., near
McGaheysville)
Mountain View (Frederick, Md.)
Oak Hill, W. Va.
Rowdy (near Lost Creek, Ky.)
Saint James, Md.
Saint Luke (near Woodstock, Va.)
Southeast Christian Fellowship
(Washington, D.C.)
Waterbrook (Edinburg, Va.)
Florida District
Bradenton
Bloomingdale (Valrico)
St. Petersburg
Sarasota
Iglesia Hispana (Sarasota)
STAKE (Saturation of the Target
Area for Kingdom Extension,
Orlando area)
The real Valentine's Day message:
No Greater Love!
By David Oligee
IN HIS NOVEL A Tale of Two Cities, Charles
Dickens tells of a young Englishman who was
caught trying to flee France with his family during
the French Revolution. Because of the hatred of the
French for the English, the young man was sen-
tenced to death on the guillotine.
An hour before the man was to be executed, he
was visited by a French friend. The guard remained
with the two for a few moments and then left. "Quick,"
said the friend, "you must change clothes with me."
"But I cannot," the Englishman protested.
"Please," begged the Frenchman, "you must. Your
wife and child are waiting in a carriage at the door."
Moments later the guard returned and, unknow-
ingly, escorted the Englishman safely outside the
prison to his waiting family. An hour later, the
Frenchman died in the place of his friend.
"This is My commandment, that you love one an-
other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one
than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends"
(John 15:12-13; Bible quotations are from the New King
James Version). What a glaring reminder of the great-
est news to ever pulsate across this planet: "For
God so loved the world that He gave . . ." (John 3:16)!
". . . God was in Christ reconciling the world to
Himself ..." (2 Cor. 5:19). "But God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). "[God] made
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor.
5:21). "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one's life for his friends"!
That's an awful lot of love. Or perhaps it's just a
different kind of love. Far beyond the ordinary, the
expected, the routine, the everyday kind — you know,
family and close friends (even very, very close
friends!). We are talking life and death — laying
down one's life.
Of course, it has happened innumerable times in
history. Dicken's Tale is in reality no mere tale. But
it's an awful lot to ask. It really is. Just ask Jesus.
He's the One who said, "I lay down My life for the
sheep" (John 10:15). It was He who said, "Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they do"
(Luke 23:34). His death was far different from that
of any other. It was for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6). It was
for me; it was for you.
That, my beloved, is the heart of the message we
have been directed to share. Whatever you may do;
wherever you may go; whomever you may see or be
with; don't forget — He came to die in your place, [ft]
Rev. Oligee is pastor of the First Brethren Church of
West Alexandria, Ohio. This article first appeared in the
newsletter of the West Alexandria Church and is used here
with Pastor Oligee's permission.
February 1996
Lessons we shouldn't learn
from our Brethren forebears
By Brenda B. Colijn and Dale R. Stoffer
IN THIS SERIES on "Understand-
ing the Bible," we have often used
the early Brethren as examples of
faithfulness to Scripture. They have
much to teach us. But they weren't
infallible, and we don't want to fol-
low their example in everything.
Some of their ways of interpreting
and applying the Bible were mis-
takes from which we can learn.
Insufficient regard for context
Like other Christians of the time,
the Brethren used Scripture, espe-
cially the Old Testament, without
enough regard for its historical con-
text. They read the Bible practical-
ly and devotionally, as most believ-
ers do today, and most of them were
not well-grounded in biblical history
and languages. One result of this
was that Alexander Mack and other
early Brethren used Old Testament
Apocryphal books such as Ecclesi-
asticus, the Wisdom of Solomon, and
Tobit, apparently giving them the
same authority as the canonical books
of Scripture. Mack even made use
of a New Testament Apocryphal book,
the Gospel of Nicodemus, although
he cited it as a historical source
rather than as a scriptural one.
In his use of both Old and New
Testament Apocrypha, Mack was
following the lead of Mennonites
who had done so. He accepted these
books in a straightforward, uncriti-
cal way that has both positive and
negative features. When applied to
Scripture, such an uncritical ap-
proach is willing to take the Bible
at face value and obey it without
question. But it can also lead to an
acceptance of dubious authorities.
Christians today make the same mis-
take when they give their favorite
Bible translation or the study notes
in their Bibles the same authority
as the text of the Bible itself.
Because of their lack of historical
knowledge, the early Brethren (like
other groups of their day) overused
typology — the interpretation of Old
Testament people and events as pat-
terns that point forward to Christ
and to the Christian life. For exam-
ple, Mack argued that circumcision
on the eighth day showed that bap-
tism need not be administered to
children (the eighth day being a pre-
figurement of the age of account-
ability). Peter Nead believed that
the Passover lamb of Exodus 12 was
a type of the doctrine of Christ. Just
as the Israelites were commanded
to eat the entire lamb, including
the head and legs, Christians are
called to obey all the doctrines of
Christ, not just those we like.
Some Christians today are very
attracted to typology, writing books
that interpret the spiritual signifi-
cance of the tabernacle, for exam-
ple. God does sometimes work within
history in such a way that earlier
people or events point forward to
later ones. (See the book of Hebrews
for examples.) But we should be
cautious about finding types in
Scripture. We want to be sure that
we're discovering a connection that
God intends, not inventing some-
thing out of our imaginations.
In our practical and devotional
use of the Bible (which is an essen-
tial part of Christian life and growth),
we should commit ourselves to
studying passages in their biblical
and historical contexts, so that we
don't miss any of the truth God has
for us by neglecting the setting in
which He communicated that truth.
Legalism and formalism
More than other Christian groups
of their time, the early Brethren
were drawn to legalism and formal-
ism in their application of Scrip-
ture to the Christian life. This is
always a danger for believers who
emphasize the importance of obedi-
ence to the Christian life. Alexander
Mack regarded the New Testament
as the book of rules and laws given
by God the Householder through
His Son to the household of faith.
Peter Nead called Scripture the
"one law book" of the church.
In the early days of the movement,
the congregation in Krefeld, Ger-
many, put the biblical principle of
separation into practice by excom-
municating a member for marrying
outside the faith — that is, for marry-
ing a Mennonite. This decision split
the congregation. By the middle of
the 19th century, in their desire to
obey the biblical principle of non-
conformity (Rom. 12:2), the Breth-
ren had decided that all Brethren
must non-
conform
to society
in exactly
the same
manner.
They pre-
scribed
the de-
tails of
dress to
be worn,
Understanding
the Bible
practices to be allowed, and appli-
ances to be used. In their zeal to
follow the Bible, they shifted the
focus of obedience from the heart
attitude of love toward God and
neighbor to a list of external "do's
and don'ts."
This idea of nonconformity through
uniformity was challenged by the
Progressive movement. Henry
Holsinger and others argued that
uniformity was not required on
matters not clearly taught in Scrip-
ture. We modern-day Progressives
probably need to be reminded of
nonconformity and obedience more
than we need to be warned against
legalism. But we can still fall into
legalism whenever we focus pri-
marily on the externals rather than
on the heart attitudes that lead to
our actions. Jesus reminded His
disciples that what comes from the
heart makes us clean or unclean,
not the details of our conformity to
the law (Matt. 15:18-20).
As we attempt to be faithful Breth-
ren at the end of the 20th century,
let us learn from the faithfulness of
those who came before us. Let us
also learn from their mistakes, as
(by God's grace) our children will
learn from ours. [ft]
Dr. Colijn and Dr. Stoffer, professors
at Ashland Theological Seminary, are
members of the Committee on Doctrine,
Research, and Publication, which is
preparing this series of articles.
The Brethren Evangelist
Making faith-sharing a way of life
By Ronald W. Waters
WHERE is God leading The
Brethren Church in evangel-
ism? One of The Brethren Church
"Priorities for the Nineties" relates
to this very subject.
The priority — Sharing Our
Faith (Passing On the Promise).
To burden, stimulate, and equip
persons to share the good news of
Jesus Christ through both words and
actions through local church imple-
mentation of the Passing On the
Promise outreach process, leading to
Brethren people sharing their faith
in a lifestyle of friendship evangelism.
Words and actions
This priority says that we "share
the good news of Jesus Christ
through words and actions." We
Brethren and other evangelicals
have been critical of the so-called
"social gospel," so we've been cautious
about embarking on ministries to
meet social needs. At the same
time, we've talked a good line about
evangelism. But in reality, we have
not done that very well either.
Some of us are learning, and we're
doing better in reaching out to others
through words or by deeds of kind-
ness. But to be effective at sharing
our faith we need both dimensions.
The goal of this priority is clearly
stated: "Brethren people sharing
their faith in a lifestyle of friend-
ship evangelism." The goal is not
button-holing our friends nor con-
fronting total strangers. Rather, it
is to find natural ways of sharing our
faith with those whom we encoun-
ter daily — our family, friends, work
or school associates, and neighbors.
How will we accomplish this pri-
ority? By burdening, stimulating, and
equipping one another. We will not
become more active or effective in
sharing words of faith or in doing
acts of lovingkindness merely by
chance. Rather, we need to nudge
one another along in reaching out
to others. And we need to learn ways
of sharing our faith through both
words and deeds from one another.
Where is God leading us in
sharing our faith?
February 1996
First, churches participating in
Passing On the Promise (POtP)
have completed or will soon be com-
pleting the process. For those of us
who have been part of this process,
we need to fully implement the
ideas and the learnings we have de-
veloped. Some may be relieved that
"Passing On the Promise is finally
over. Now we can go on to other
things." In reality, the process
should never end. Its goal is for
sharing our faith to become a way
of life for all of us as individuals
and as congregations.
Second, God is leading us to
know ourselves and know our com-
munities. POtP churches conducted
an extensive self-study in the first
year of the process. It is now time to
update that self-study of ourselves
as congregations and of our com-
munities. Churches that have not
conducted a self-study recently should
do so. It offers an opportunity to
listen to our own members to dis-
cover their needs and desires. It
also helps us to listen to the un-
churched all around us in our com-
munities. Lee Strobel's book, Inside
the Mind of Unchurched Harry and
Mary, is another way to gain a
clearer understanding of the long-
ings of those living without Christ.
Third, God is leading us to in-
crease entry points into our congre-
gations. A church has many "doors."
"Front doors" are the major services
of the church, such as Sunday morn-
ing worship and Sunday school. For
Evangelism
God has reached out in love through
the person and work of Jesus to re-
deem a lost world. He demonstrated
the heart of evangelism by sharing
the good news with all whom He
met. Christ promised abundant life
to those who respond in obedient
faith. Following His example, each
believer, grateful to God and bur-
dened for fallen humanity, shares
with others the new life in Christ.
— From The Centennial Statement
of The Brethren Church
many people — especially those who
like anonymity — this is the major
entry point into a church. "Side doors"
are other services and ministries
of the church, such as small home
Bible studies, twelve-step groups,
work projects, sports teams, or sim-
ilar activities. Many churches focus
only on the major events of their
church as entry points. But "side
door" entry points draw upon the
natural relationships that church
members have with their un-
churched friends and relatives.
Fourth, in addition to opening
entry points, we need to find ways
to close the "back door. ""Back doors"
are where people sometimes "slip
out" while no one is watching. We
must be carefully attuned to church
members and regular attenders
who exhibit a change in their at-
tendance patterns. Sometimes the
best way to close the "back door" is
to take preventative steps. We de-
crease the likelihood that people
will silently slip away by helping
new attenders and members de-
velop a growing number of relation-
ships with others in the church and
find meaningful ways to become in-
volved in ministry.
Finally, we must be continually
equipping our people to share their
faith and to discover their individ-
ual styles of evangelism. Evangel-
ism training programs such as
"Living Proof," "Love Your Neigh-
bor to Life," and many others pro-
vide the tools for helping members
learn to share their faith in non-
threatening ways.
Whether you or your church have
been involved in the Passing On
the Promise process is immaterial
at this point. What is important is
that each of us make sharing our
faith one of our priorities in life.
God wants His lost sheep found and
brought into the fold of faith and of
a local church. When faith-sharing
becomes a way of life, it will con-
tinue to be a priority long after the
end of the 1990s. [tf]
Rev. Waters was, until January 1 of
this year, Director of Brethren Church
Ministries, and he continues to serve the
denomination as a consultant in evan-
gelism. This is the final article in a series
of five which he developed from an ad-
dress he delivered during a business
session at the 1995 General Conference.
Brethren Church Ministries
A Conspiracy of Kindness
Evangelism for the ninety percent of people who do not
have the gift of evangelism.
By Ronald W. Waters
YOU SAY you can't be a witness
for Jesus Christ. That you be-
come tongue-tied just trying to say
your name. That you can't remem-
ber long outlines of evangelistic
presentations. That your testi-
mony isn't dynamic enough. That
talking to strangers is difficult for
you. That you certainly don't have
the gift of evangelism. So you think
that excuses you from being a wit-
ness to your faith in Jesus Christ.
NOT!
Most of us find sharing our faith
to be difficult. Many of us (espe-
cially us guys) have trouble sharing
deep feelings or beliefs. And many
methods of evangelism do seem to
be overly complicated for the average
person. After all, most people find
it awkward to talk about issues
that are as personal as their faith.
Many leaders in the study of
spiritual gifts have said that per-
haps only ten percent of all Chris-
tians have the gift of evangelism.
People having that gift find it easy
and natural to share the good news
of the gospel. In fact, at the end of
the day they are disappointed if
they have not shared the gospel
with at least one non-believer. Also,
when they do share their faith, an
unusually large percentage of peo-
ple pray to accept Christ as their
saving Lord. I don't know about
you, but that does not describe my
life experience!
So what are the other 90 percent
of us to do? Are we to abdicate any
responsibility for sharing our faith?
A new approach
Steve Sjogren (pronounced show'-
grin) has found a new approach to
sharing the love of Christ that he
says is "no guilt, no stress, low risk,
and high grace." He calls it a "Con-
spiracy of Kindness" and describes
it in a book by the same title (Ann
Arbor, Mich.: Servant Publications,
1993). Sjogren is senior pastor of the
8
Vineyard Christian Fellowship in
Cincinnati, a church that some have
included among the 25 fastest-grow-
ing churches in the United States.
Sjogren says that "God is looking
for people who are willing to par-
many practical tips on how to begin
such a ministry. He includes one
chapter on how to use this outreach
concept with children and youth. In
another chapter, he shows how small
groups may use this approach to
break or prevent an inward focus.
So what are the "deeds of love"
that are part of the servant evan-
gelism formula? They can be al-
most any act of kindness that
meets a deep human need or that
simply offers a "cup of cold water in
Jesus' name." Sjogren lists more
than 100 ideas in an appendix to
his book, with detailed suggestions
n
ticipate in acts of love and kindness
to those outside their present cir-
cle. He is looking for people who
believe that a humble demonstra-
tion of love plants a seed of eternity
in the hearts of others that will
blossom into faith in Christ" (p. 1 1).
Servant evangelism
The way to demonstrate that love
is through "servant evangelism,"
which Sjogren defines as "demon-
strating the kindness of God by
offering to do some act of humble
service with no strings attached"
(pp. 17-18). Doing intentional acts
of kindness in the name of Christ is
especially effective with people who
"have heard too much 'God-talk'
and not seen enough 'God- activity' "
(p. 22).
The formula for the conspiracy of
kindness is this (p. 22):
Servant _ deeds words adequate
evangelism " of love of love time
Words of love must follow acts of
kindness for the person to hear them.
Deeds of kindness often elicit ques-
tions about "what kind of Christians
are you?" Words without deeds are
often empty. But deeds without
words are equally hollow. And ade-
quate time to truly consider the
claims of Christ is vital if the com-
mitment made is to be long-lasting.
In his book, Sjogren offers a ra-
tionale for servant evangelism and
for 58 of these. Servant evangelism
projects that he suggests include:
• Washing cars
• Washing windshields in parking
lots
• Cleaning toilets for businesses
• Washing windows
• Raking leaves
• Offering Gatorade™ on jogging or
- biking trails (cont. on next page)
Learn more about the
"Conspiracy of Kindness"
The Brethren Church and The
Andrew Center are joining the Ohio
Mennonite Conference in sponsor-
ing a one-day workshop on servant
evangelism. Speaker will be Steve
Sjogren, author of Conspiracy of
Kindness.
The workshop will be held Satur-
day, April 20, 1996, at Park Street
Brethren Church in Ashland from
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost of the
workshop is $15 per person, including
registration, materials, and lunch.
Bring a large group from your
church to learn more about this ex-
citing, low-cost, low-risk, and high-
grace approach to sharing the good
news of Jesus Christ.
Sjogren also "publishes" a quar-
terly FAX newsletter that is entitled
"se-mail" (for "servant evangelism
mail"). To receive this free resource,
send your FAX number in a facsim-
ile to 513-671-2041. Mention that
you heard about "se-mail" in The
Brethren Evangelist.
The Brethren Evangelist
Brethren Church Ministries
• Shoveling snow
• Wrapping Christmas gifts
• Giving away Mother's Day carna-
tions
• Feeding parking meters
• Providing a lawn mower tune-up
clinic
• Giving umbrella escorts at gro-
cery stores
All these acts of kindness are
done for free — no donations are
ever accepted. Frequently, little
cards are given with the church
name and a map, plus a statement
that the service is provided as a
practical way to show God's love.
Persons being served are told,
"We're doing a free community
service project to show God's love in
a practical way."
You may be saying, "Sure, I can
see how these acts of kindness can
be used to give people a lift. But is
it biblical?"
Jesus had something to say about
that in His parable of the sheep and
goats in Matthew 25: "As you have
done it unto one of the least of
these, you have done it unto me."
And when Jesus wanted to express
"the full extent of His love" to His
disciples, He washed their feet
(John 13:1). What would He do to-
day? Maybe He'd wash their cars as
a symbol of His love!
Sjogren affirms that individuals
can become regularly involved in
such ministries on their own, but
they have more impact when they
are entered into by a group or by a
church as a whole.
He admits that servant evangel-
ism is not the only approach a
church should undertake, but it
does sow seeds of the gospel in a
hurting world. In fact, it reaches
out to people in the softness of their
hearts rather than taking a frontal
approach through the intellect.
Once a person's heart is softened,
that person will be more receptive
to the message of the gospel.
Sjogren concludes his book this
way:
There is only one more thing you
need to do to join God's conspir-
acy of kindness. Put this book
down, pick up a squeegee, and
start washing windshields. I
would enjoy sharing more with
you about bringing God's love to
your community, but I've run out
of time. In five minutes I'm
meeting some friends to go and
wash windshields at a grocery
store parking lot. If you were
here I'd offer you a squeegee and
have you come along. We'd have
great fun!
I highly recommend that you
read Conspiracy of Kindness by
Steve Sjogren. Or better yet, pick
up a squeegee! [ft]
February is
"Have a Heart for the Lost"
P1!
1EBRUARY
J-' is the month
in which we
annually empha-
size evangelism in The Brethren
Church. We encourage you to
sponsor a "Have a Heart for the
Lost" Sunday in your church to
celebrate the lives who have
come to faith in Jesus Christ
during the past year. It can also
be an opportunity for us to "urge
one another on to love and good
works" in the ministry of sharing
our faith.
"Have a Heart" month also of-
fers you an opportunity to sup-
port the ministry of evangelism in
your local church and in The
Brethren Church at large. Con-
gregations are encouraged to take
a "Have a Heart" offering during
February. Local churches may
keep up to one-half of this offer-
ing for local outreach ministries.
The other half is sent to The
Brethren Church for denomina-
tional evangelism ministries.
Brethren people are urged to give
$5.00 per person or $10.00 per
family for this offering.
Month
What denominational ministries
are supported by this offering?
1. Passing On the Promise.
The Brethren Church has spon-
sored this three-year process and
covered many of the "behind the
scenes" costs, including training
of field staff, subsidizing the
annual Evangelism Leaders
Academies, writing and produc-
ing study materials, and general
oversight of the process. Ronald
W. Waters, former Director of
Brethren Church Ministries, con-
tinues to serve as the national
coordinator for Passing On the
Promise. The process formally
concludes in June 1996, with final
expenditures this year.
2. The Andrew Center. The
Brethren Church is a partner in
this multi-denominational re-
source and training center for
evangelism and congregational
growth. As part of the denomina-
tional budget, The Brethren
Church has provided a grant to
The Andrew Center that allows
all Brethren congregations to join
the center for free! (If your church
is not already a member of The
Andrew Center, call 1-800-774-
3360 and ask about your compli-
mentary Brethren Church mem-
bership.)
3. Joint Project with Ash-
land Theological Seminary.
The Brethren Church has entered
into a joint project with the sem-
inary. Beginning this fall, Ronald
W. Waters will join the seminary
faculty as assistant professor of
evangelism, carrying a three-
quarter teaching load. Ron will
devote his remaining one-quarter
time as Brethren Church consult-
ant for evangelism and church
growth. For the first year, The
Brethren Church will cover one-
quarter of the salary and benefits
for this position plus related ex-
penses. Thereafter, the seminary
will provide all salary and bene-
fits, with the church covering
only the related expenses for con-
sulting services.
Your gift to the "Have a Heart"
offering will assist with the ex-
penses of these ministries. If your
church takes an offering this month,
we urge you to give generously. If
your church does not take an of-
fering, you can still have a part by
sending your gift to The Breth-
ren Church, 524 College Ave-
nue, Ashland, OH 44805, desig-
nated for "Have a Heart." [ft]
February 1996
4<28g&sk
Ministry of Helen Shively
continues after her death
Ashland, Ohio — Helen Shively,
known to many Brethren from her
presence at 76 General Conferences
and her 33 years as literature sec-
retary for the National Women's
Missionary Society, worked her en-
tire career at Ashland University
as a librarian.
Now, more than a year after her
death in April
1994, Helen has
made yet an-
other contribu-
tion to the uni-
versity. Recently
a check for
$84,000 from her
estate was pre-
sented to AU in
order to further endow a scholar-
ship she had begun in the name of
her parents. Her father, U.J. Shively,
served for many years on the AU
Board of Trustees. And her mother,
Nora Shively, served from 1926-52
as president of the Women's Mis-
sionary Society and successfully led
the planning, funding, and construc-
tion of Memorial Chapel.
In addition to the endowed scholar-
ship, Helen donated a Hummel col-
lection with an estimated value in
excess of $17,000 to the university.
Helen was also an active member
of Park Street Brethren Church in
Ashland and served the Lord through
that congregation in various ways.
As with the university, her service
to her church did not end with her
passing. The church received a gift
of $79,346 from her estate. In life and
in death, Helen gave generously of
herself and her means to both the
university and her church. [ft]
10
New Brethren church holds first services;
plans to break ground on Easter Sunday
Muncie, Ind. — A new Brethren
congregation, Cornerstone Brethren
Church and Ministries, held its first
services on Sunday, October 1, 1995,
with 110 people in attendance.
Cornerstone is one of two congre-
gations formed from the First
Brethren Church of Oakville, Ind.
The congregation currently meets
Sunday morn-
ings at Cowan
Elementary
School for wor-
ship and a Disci-
pleship Hour.
Rev. Bob Mas-
sie, a Baptist
minister from
Greenwood,
Ind., is pastor-
ing the congre-
gation. A gradu-
ate of Southern
Baptist Theo-
logical Seminary
in Louisville,
Ky., Rev. Massie
served a Baptist
congregation for several years, but
now has a telemarketing business
in Indianapolis and also conducts
Christian seminars.
Pastor Massie is leading the con-
gregation in a study of the Gospel
of John, with an emphasis on how
to use this Gospel as an evangelis-
tic tool. According to church report-
er Roberta Covington, he is a won-
derful Bible teacher.
In addition to Sunday morning
services, a number of cell groups
and youth groups are meeting in
the homes of various members. The
congregation also uses a meeting
room at the Cowan Fire Station for
Communion services, business
meetings, and other special occa-
sions. Although meeting in tempo-
rary facilities has been a challenge,
Mrs. Covington reports that these
meeting areas have served them
well. "With practice, we are now
able to set up and tear down with
minimal hassle," she said.
But the congregation looks for-
ward to having its own building
next year. The group has pur-
chased 22 acres of ground near
Cowan, just three miles south of
Muncie. Ground-breaking for a new
building is scheduled for Easter,
with the building to be completed
by Easter of 1997. The first phase
of the building will include a large
all-purpose room which will be
used for worship, fellowship, and
Standing by the sign on the site of the future building of the
Cornerstone Brethren Church and Ministries are (I. to r.)
Jerry and Roberta Covington, Pastor Bob Massie, Sandra
and Haldon Ashton, and Nancy and Steve Ruster.
recreation. Around this all-purpose
room will be classrooms, toddler
and nursery areas, administrative
offices, and a kitchen. The building
will also include a large foyer and
rest rooms. A prayer room designed
to be accessible 24 hours a day is
also planned.
The master plan for the building
includes a worship center in phase
2, an educational annex and school
in phase 3, and a full-size gymna-
sium in phase 4.
In addition to its plans for build-
ing a physical structure, the con-
gregation is attempting to build its
ministry structure. Programs are be-
ing established for shepherding, hos-
pital visitation, visitor response, and
outreach to the community. The
emphasis is on equipping and train-
ing the people to do the ministry of
the church rather than expecting
the pastor to do all the work.
Mrs. Covington writes: "We are
very excited and are looking for-
ward to serving the Lord in our new
congregation, Cornerstone Breth-
ren Church and Ministries." [ft]
The Brethren Evangelist
Briefly
Noted
The Brethren Retreat Center
at Shipshewana, Ind., recently pur-
chased 12 acres of property adja-
cent to the recreation field on the
retreat grounds. The land was pur-
chased in order to expand and im-
prove this Christian camping facil-
ity of the Indiana District of The
Brethren Church. The purchase price
was $120,000, and efforts are now
being made to raise funds to pay off
the indebtedness on this land.
The Oak Hill, W. Va., First
Brethren Church held an ordina-
tion service on December 31 for two
deacons and two deaconesses. Con-
secrated for this special ministry in
the church on that day were David
and Jennifer Bowling, Jeanette
Nuckels, and Mike Pomeroy.
The STAKE church-planting
team in the Orlando, Fla., area be-
gan a Kids Club at the end of last
year. Three children came to the
first meeting and 20 to the second.
Later, 13 children and 13 adults went
Christmas caroling together.
Recycle your extra Bibles
Do you have extra Bibles you
never use? Why not recycle them?
No, I don't mean that you should put
them at the curb for the recycling
truck to take! I mean send them to
someone who is longing to read
God's word.
"But who would I send them to?"
you ask. The Bible League can an-
swer that question. In fact, The Bi-
ble League has a Recycle Your Bible
project and would be happy to send
you a Recycle Your Bible kit. Then
you can send your extra Bibles to
them and they will send each one to
someone in need.
For more information call 1-800-
7727-2900, or write The Bible
League at 16801 Van Dam Rd.,
South Holland, IL 60473.
— Dick Winfield, editor
Bonnie Munson concludes ministry
at Brethren House in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Fla. —
Bonnie Munson concludes
her ministry at Brethren
House in St. Petersburg this
month (February) and will
leave the Florida District on
February 9, just four months
short of 25 years from her
arrival at Brethren House.
She will be moving to
Greencroft, a Mennonite re-
tirement community in
Goshen, Ind., close to her
friends Dr. Jim and Judy
Hollinger. When her father,
Dr. Charles Munson, com-
pletes his interim pastorate
in Flora, Ind., he too will
move to Goshen, and eventu-
ally into Greencroft.
While in St. Petersburg,
Ms. Munson served in many
capacities through Brethren
House. Her chief ministries
were teaching in the neigh-
borhood Bible teaching programs
and helping to plan and conduct
teacher-training workshops
throughout the United States. Her
gifts of teaching and listening, as
well as her organizational exper-
tise, made her a vital member of
the Brethren House team.
It was her vision that initiated
the idea of sharing teaching ideas
via a newsletter and workshop. It
was her ability to keep track of
things that made this sharing pos-
sible. She developed a scheme of
packing and unpacking the dozens
of boxes taken on tour so that the
team could roll into church parking
lots, set up the 20 or more banquet-
sized tables in church fellowship
halls of various sizes and shapes,
conduct workshops, and be ready to
move on to the next destination in
less than 24 hours. She also pre-
sented information and enthusi-
asm for teaching that equipped and
inspired both new and experienced
church educators to do a better job.
She was also the computer expert
on the Brethren House team. As
such, she was in charge of the mail-
ing operation, including a list of peo-
ple that reached as high as 11,000.
February 1996
Bonnie Munson, holding a plaque she re-
ceived in February 1995 in recongnition of her
community service. Bonnie has been confined to
a wheelchair for much of her life as a result of
having polio as a child.
Ms. Munson also served in other
capacities while in Florida. She
was a valued member of the Dis-
trict Ministry of Administration,
serving for a time as secretary. In
addition, she served on various
committees at Bayfront Medical
Center in St. Petersburg, where
she was loved and valued by staff,
volunteers, and patients. For sev-
eral years she helped train volun-
teers in the pastoral care program
at the medical center. She gave sig-
nificant input when the chapel
there was reconstructed, particu-
larly in making it handicapped-
accessible. In 1995 she received an
award from the National Council of
Tampa Bay for her volunteer serv-
ice to the community.
Brethren House fellow team mem-
ber Jean Lersch writes, "We're sad to
see Bonnie go. But we're glad that
there are other friends and other op-
portunities for service waiting for her
in Goshen. She will have miles of side-
walk to roll [her wheelchair] around
on and many new friends there. We
grieve her leaving, but cherish the
wonderful memories of our team
work these past nearly 25 years."
— reported by Jean Lersch
11
P^^lcfe
Dolls rehabilitated by
Meadow Crest women
Fort Wayne, Ind. — The women
of the Meadow Crest Brethren
Church in Ft. Wayne sent more
than 100 rehabilitated dolls to
Lost Creek, Ky., last fall to be dis-
tributed to area children for
Christmas.
The project was initiated by Diane
Elwood, a member of the church,
who learned late last summer of a
woman in New Haven who had 200
forlorn dolls in need of loving ten-
der care. Diane's dream was that
these dolls might be fixed up and
taken to Riverside School so that
any girl around the school or in the
Lost Creek area who wanted a doll
for Christmas would have one.
Diane and other women of the
church spent many hours washing
and repairing more than 100 of the
dolls, fixing their hair, and giving
them new dresses. Then on Novem-
ber 24, Diane and her family — along
with Roger Bracht and Rev. Rich-
ard Austin, pastor of the Meadow
Crest Church — took the dolls, as well
as clothing and various other items,
to Riverside to be distributed at the
school and in the community. [ft]
Speaker/musicians to head program
at Brethren pastors' and wives' retreat
Johnstown, Pa. — The 1996 re-
treat for Brethren pastors and
wives will be held April 16-18 at
the Best Western Inn of State Col-
lege, Pennsylvania, in the heart of
the Keystone State.
The program will feature speaker/
musicians Dennis Letts and Mark
Barnett and include "everything
from bluegrass to Beethoven and
Bach." Letts has served as a pastor,
missionary to Mexico, college pro-
fessor, and musical evangelist.
Barnett has been a headliner at
Opryland USA for 21 years and is
a member of the Grand Old Opre.
They have served the Lord as a
team for 28 years and have
preached and played throughout
the U.S.A. and Mexico and have
even twice gone to Russia.
In addition to being Spirit-filled
speakers, Letts and Barnett play
14 musical instruments. They will
put some of these into service on
Wednesday afternoon of the retreat
in a "front-porch-sitting, music-
playing, glory-shouting, Jesus-
praising hootenanny."
The program will include a spe-
cial speaker for women (details in-
complete at press time). Activities
are also planned for young chil-
dren, including trips, games, and a
time for Bible study. BYIC mem-
bers Jeremy Tarr and Renee Higin-
botham will be in charge.
Muncie, Ind. — The First Brethren Church of Muncie is a little more visible
now, thanks to a new church sign recently installed on the church property. The
new sign is larger, brighter, and more easily read from the road than the
former one. It was purchased with money donated by Mrs. Ruth Lamb in
memory of her husband, Ralph. — reported by Allyson Rurtkel; photo by Wayne Smith
Check-in time will begin around
3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, and
the retreat will open with the eve-
ning meal at 6:00 p.m. The gather-
ing will conclude with a soup and
salad lunch at noon on Thursday.
The cost is $110 per person or
$200 per couple, which includes the
program, lodging (double occu-
pancy), and meals. Lodging for chil-
dren is free; cost for meals is $33.50
per child for children ten or older
and $16.50 per child for those under
ten. Suites with refrigerators and
small stoves are available at no ex-
tra charge for families with infants.
Reservations are due by March 1
to Jim Saunders, 186 Spring St.,
Johnstown, PA 15906 (make checks
payable to Pennsylvania District
Pastors of The Brethren Church).
For more information call Pastor
Saunders at 814-539-8246 or Pas-
tor Curt Nies at 412-583-0279.
Editor's note: The lead article in this
issue is about "pastoral care. " Another
way of caring for your pastor (in addi-
tion to those suggested in that article) is
to provide time off and finances for him
and his wife to attend the annual Breth-
ren pastors' and wives' retreat.
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( The Brethren )
Evangelist
Funterburg Library &&
MANCHESTER COLIJ&E
lofih Manchester, !fc4
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^CH
Vol. 118, No. 3
A newsletter for Brethren people
March 1996
Two former pastors of small-town churches ask:
What's so special about the small church?
By Ron Klassen and John Koessler
HAVE YOU ever thought about
why pictures of little country
churches often grace Christmas
cards, but megachurch facilities
never do? Or why it is such a com-
pliment for a visitor to a big subur-
ban church to say, This feels like a
small church"? Yes, there is some-
thing special about the small church.
Why then do so many small
churches feel inferior to larger
churches? That's easy to answer.
It's because big churches can do so
much more. After all, what small
church can put together a mass choir?
How many small churches can hire
a youth pastor, a children's director,
a director of senior adult ministries,
or a full-time minister of music?
Both of us, as pastors of small-
town churches, have at times tried
to imitate larger suburban churches.
The result: our churches didn't feel
like big churches, and in the proc-
ess of imitating something else, we
lost some of what makes the small-
town church so special. We discov-
ered that big churches can do some
things better and small churches
can do other things better. For any
church to be all it can be, it has to
make the most of its strengths.
Big tractor, little tractor
Many farmers have at least two
tractors, one large, one small. The
big tractor is better for some jobs,
the little tractor for other jobs. Try-
ing to mow a ditch with a big trac-
tor is an exercise in frustration, but
doing it with a small tractor is easy.
Plowing a large field with a small
tractor would take forever, but do-
ing it with a large tractor makes
quick work. The smart farmer uses
each tractor for the jobs it does best.
Just as it is foolish to use a small
tractor to do a big tractor's job, it is
counterproductive for small churches
to imitate large-church programs.
The small church that tries to be-
come a scaled-down version of a big
church will become a pale imitation
of a big church.
The small church is at its best
when it makes the most of those
qualities that make the small church
special — intimacy and involvement.
The first / — intimacy
While the large church scrambles
to find ways to encourage warmth
and personal relationships, the small
church, if it is healthy, naturally
has a family atmosphere. Large
churches work to create small-
group ministries; in the small
church, many small-group dynamics
occur spontaneously. In the large
church, many faces are unfamiliar;
in the small church, everyone
knows everyone else.
In a large church an usher passes
a note to the pastor, who then an-
nounces: "A brown Ford, license
TM-3527, has its lights on." The
pastor of a small church looks out
Small churches
in The Brethren Church
Of the 121 congregations in The Breth-
ren Church:*
• 45 (37%) have less than 50 members
• 72 (59V2%) have less than 100 members
• 97 (80%) have less than 150 members
• 24 (20%) have more than 150 members
*Based on the 1994 statistical report. Com-
plete statistics for 1995 are not yet available.
the window and says, "Jim, you left
your lights on."
Anyone who has belonged to a
healthy small church has many
memories of warmth and intimacy.
One of our favorites is of the holi-
day we (Ron and Roxy) awoke to
find ourselves snowed in with no
electricity or phones. Church
friends had invited us to spend the
day at their home, but with the
road buried under knee-deep snow,
we resigned ourselves to spending
a lonely day at home.
We were feeling depressed and
disappointed, when — about noon —
we heard a knock at our back door.
There stood the 21 -year-old son of
our friends. He and his dad had
spent the last four hours on two
tractors clearing the way from their
In this issue
The small church 1
Symphony of triumph 3
Understanding the Bible ... 4
Daring journey to freedom . . 5
Ministry pages 7
Around the denomination ... 10
The Women's Outlook Newsletter
is in the center of this issue.
ranch to the main road so that they
could get to our house. This warm
friendliness is a big part of what
large churches are hoping to re-
create when they try to cultivate a
small-church atmosphere.
The second / — involvement
As an organization gets larger,
the level of participation usually
goes down. Eighty percent or more
of the members of a small church
often have specific ministry respon-
sibilities, while most larger congre-
gations feel fortunate if 30 to 40
percent of their members accept as-
signments.
Before Scott and Lyn began wor-
shiping at Valley Chapel, where I
(John) was pastoring, they attended
a larger congregation of about 300
members. Though they had grown
up in that church, neither had been
very involved in its ministries. When
I asked why, they said that they
hadn't felt needed.
They both quickly got involved in
Valley Chapel. Lyn worked with
several of our children's ministries
and later volunteered to type the
church bulletin. Scott became a
leader in our mid-week children's
program and used his mechanical
skills to keep the church's lawn-
mower in shape.
To some extent, intimacy and in-
volvement happen spontaneously
in the small church, but a church
can also intentionally build on
these qualities.
Using your two I's
We have often heard pastors of
small churches complain about
what their churches cannot do in
their worship services because of
their size. But the small church
makes a mistake if it tries to copy a
large-church worship style. Rather,
the small church needs to shape its
The Brethren Evangelist (issn 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monlhly (excepl July and August issues are
combined) by The Brelhren Church, Inc. 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; E-mail: Brelhrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Aulhors' views are nol necessarily Ihose
of The Brelhren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brelhren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brelhren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
worship to capitalize on what the
small church does best.
In no other area is the small church
tempted to feel inferior to the large
church than in the area of music.
We look at the megachurches' big
choirs, keyboard artists, and great
talent, and we think, "If only we
had just a little bit of that in our
church."
True worship, though, is not a
performance. A friend of ours who
has served as the minister of music
"For any church
to be all it can
be, it has to
make the most
of its strengths.
in several large churches points out
that some large churches fall into a
trap of approaching their music
with a performance mentality that
hinders worship.
Good worship is not a fancy
sound system or talented soloists or
professional instrumentalists. The
best worship takes place when all
the people participate in ascribing
worth to God. How can a small
church encourage everyone to par-
ticipate in worship?
• Special vocal music. The big
church only lets people on the plat-
form if they can sing well. The small
church that follows that policy will
seldom have special music. Plus
this flies in the face of maximizing
involvement. Warren Wiersbe de-
scribes the attitude called for in the
small church:
If the players and singers are
doing their best, and seeking to do
better, then God accepts their "sac-
rifices of praise" and so should we.
. . . Whenever I am listening to a
below-average presentation, I imag-
ine my Lord receiving it and pre-
senting it to the Father; and that
changes my attitude completely.*
• Special music by children.
The small church should invite chil-
dren to play instruments or sing,
even though their music is less than
perfect. Everyone forgives children
when they make mistakes. Plus, par-
ents will think, "If our family were
in a large church, they would not
let my daughter play a piano solo."
• Special music by families.
Both of us have heard family music
presentations that, though full of
imperfections, connected powerfully
with the congregation. To the small
church's credit, the congregation is
more interested in giving people op-
portunities to participate than it is in
judging those who participate.
• Congregational singing. The
small church cannot have a mass
choir, but neither can the large
church sing around the piano. The
informality of the small church can
make congregational singing some-
thing special. Instead of always
announcing a hymn, then asking
everyone to stand to sing it, sing
several songs or choruses in a row.
Choose the most singable songs —
"The small
church is at its
best when it
makes the most
of those qualities
that make the small
church special — intimacy
and involvement."
whatever your congregation sings
best. Slides or an overhead projec-
tor get people to look up to sing
rather than burying their heads in
hymn books. (continued on next page)
*Warren Wiersbe, Real Worship (Nash-
ville: Oliver Nelson, 1986), p. 172.
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The Brethren Evangelist
Symphony of Triumph
By Jeff Kahl
WE ARE ALL part of a great
symphony, which the Com-
poser skillfully conceived at the be-
ginning of time. Some of us are the
melody, with our loud and confi-
dent voices ringing out the message
of the music. Some are counter-
melody, adding movement and
variety and enhancing the melody
with our bold originality. Some of
us are the bass line, not outspoken
or original, but steadfast and sup-
portive, without which the melody
would have no stability. All of us,
playing our respective parts, make
the symphony a triumph.
The symphony is full of tension
and struggle, but in the Composer's
wisdom and design, the tension al-
ways resolves in a climax of joy.
Furthermore, the parts of the sym-
phony that are the most difficult to
play are also those that challenge
our abilities and make us better
musicians.
As we play the symphony, we
must always keep in mind three
things. First, we must strive to glo-
rify the Composer by sticking to the
musical score, and not seek to glo-
rify ourselves by improvising or
adding ornamentation. For the
closer we keep to the score, the
more the audience will be convicted
by its meaning.
Second, with the guidance of the
Sound Man, we should always
strive to blend our parts harmoni-
ously in order that our performance
may be a true reflection of the Com-
poser's art.
Finally, and most importantly,
we must always keep our eyes on
the Conductor, who — with His nail-
pierced hands — directs all of us to
follow Him.
As we each play our individual
parts, we must be confident in this:
When the concert is over, every
member of the audience, whether
he or she wants to or not, will give
the Composer a kneeling ovation.
The Conductor will embrace us each
warmly and congratulate us on a
great performance. And the Com-
poser, sitting in the balcony, will
wipe the tears of joy from His eyes
as He recognizes once again that
His creation is very good. [D"]
Mr. Kahl, a student at Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary, attends The Brethren
Church of Medina, where he serves as
the keyboard player. He wrote this arti-
cle prior to a morning worship service
and later read it during the service.
Thomas Sprowls, pastor of the Medina
congregation, submitted the article to
the editor, saying: "I felt profoundly
moved by what he wrote and blessed
that God had given this shy gentleman
such a great gift of writing. I thought I
would share this with you and that you
might find it useful in The Brethren
Evangelist."
The small church
(continued from page 2)
• Leading worship. Consider
forming a worship team to share in
leading worship. Encourage broad par-
ticipation in all parts of the worship
service, such as reading scripture,
praying, and taking the offering.
Young people especially should be en-
couraged to take part. This is excellent
training for future ministry.
• Times for sharing. Small
churches can easily include times
in their services for sharing and
testimonies. In our impersonal
world, people feel a deep need to
have a place to share their experi-
ences, yet such sharing is almost
impossible in a large-church wor-
ship service. In the small church,
personal sharing in the service can
lead to powerful ministry.
What's special about the small
church is its two Fs — intimacy and
involvement. In a world where
most people feel like faces in a
crowd, many are longing for inti-
macy more than polished perform-
ance; for involvement more than
spectator status; for small rather
than big. By focusing on what it
does best, the small church can be
there for people who are hungering
for a personal touch in an imper-
sonal age. [ft]
This article is adapted with permis-
sion from NO LITTLE PLACES: The
Untapped Potential of the Small-
Town Church by Ron Klassen and
John Koessler (Baker, 1996). After many
years of pastonng small-town churches,
Rev. Klassen is now General Director of
the Rural Home Missionary Association
in Morton, III., and Rev. Koessler is as-
sistant professor of Pastoral Studies at
Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
March 1996
How to practice church discipline
By William Kerner
DISCIPLINE means soundness
of mind, self-control, orderly con-
duct. The Apostle Paul told young
Timothy, "God did not give us a
spirit of timidity, but a spirit of
power, of love and of self-discipline"
(2 Tim. 1:7;* see also Rom. 12:3;
Tit. 2:6; and 1 Pet. 4:7).
The church as portrayed in the
New Testament is a community of
redeemed people gathered round
the living Christ as committed dis-
ciples— a people whose identity is
different from that of the rest of the
world and whose life-style is differ-
ent from that of non-Christians.
The church is made up of people
who love the Lord Jesus Christ and
are eager to follow His teachings.
(See Tit. 2:11-14.)
Growing in God's grace and love
requires discipline. Holiness of life
comes through personal discipline.
The teachings of Christ as set forth
in the Sermon on the Mount are
certainly binding upon all Chris-
tians, and the church is obligated to
uphold the standards of our Lord.
We must strive to be nothing less
than His redeemed people so that
we may be salt and light to a dark-
ened world.
Purpose of church discipline
The purpose of church discipline
is to assist people to live a life that
glorifies Christ and witnesses to
the power of the gospel. It deals
with the contradiction between
New Testament teaching and the
way believers may actually live.
The need for church discipline is
made clear by the Apostle Paul:
Do you not know that the wicked
will not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be deceived: Neither
the sexually immoral nor idolaters
nor adulterers nor male prostitutes
nor homosexual offenders nor
thieves nor the greedy nor drunk-
ards nor slanderers nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God. And
that is what some of you were. But
you were washed, you were sancti-
*Quotations from the Bible are from the
New International Version.
fied, you were justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the
Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. 6:9-10
A study of this passage makes us
realize that the church is called to
make decisions when confronted
with unrighteousness. Where there
is no discipline, the church loses its
distinct witness as the people of
God. The result is that those in the
church are little different from
those outside the church.
Church discipline grows out of a
love and concern for the spiritual
well-being of the church community.
An excellent example of the need
for discipline within the church is
found in the congregation at Corinth.
A member was living in an incestu-
ous relationship and refused to re-
pent. The Apostle Paul instructed
the church of its responsibility (see
1 Cor. 5:1-5, 11-13). Later he gave
equally clear instructions on how to
respond to the person after he had
repented (2 Cor. 2:6-11).
Church discipline is a process
that should include:
• compassion (Hebrews 12:6)
• confidence (Titus 3:10, 11)
• clarity (Matthew 18:15-17)
• conviction (1 Corinthians 5:11)
• consistency (2 Thessalonians
3:6, 14)
• love (Galatians 6:1, 2).
Method of church discipline
The method of church discipline
is outlined by Christ in Matthew
18:15-17). This outline can be used
for both personal conflicts between
people and for moral failures among
members.
Step one: If someone has of-
fended or troubled you, go talk to
that person. It may be a misunder-
standing. Talk it out. (Matt. 18:15;
Eph. 4:2, 32)
Step two: If the situation cannot
be resolved between you and that
person, take one or two other people
with you and go and talk to the per-
son again. (Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1)
Step three: If the problem is still
not resolved, bring it before the group
within the church that is responsi-
ble for caring for discipline. (Matt.
18:17; 1 Cor. 1:10; Heb. 12:14)
Step four: If differences still
cannot be resolved, then one or per-
haps both of those involved in the
disagreement will be considered to
be in disharmony with the church
and with the teachings of Christ.
(Matt. 18:17)
Moral failures can be described
as intentional acts or choices that
Understanding
the Bible
are
against
God's
standards
for Chris-
tian liv-
ing. Scrip-
ture de-
scribes
moral fail-
ures in 1
Corinthi-
ans 6:9, 10 and in Galatians 5:19-
21. Reports of moral failures among
members should be handled by the
deacons or elders of the church. If a
report is found to be true, the dea-
cons or elders should proceed to fol-
low the steps outlined in Matthew
18:15-18. If the report is found to
be false, they should make every
effort to set the record straight.
Discipline is a matter of an indi-
vidual's response to the word of God.
It is also the church's responsibility
in bringing individuals to repentance
by pleading for a decision of faith.
Discipline is the privilege of restor-
ing in love a believer to faith.
In church discipline, as in evan-
gelism, the good news of the gospel
is presented as a means by which to
be liberated from the power of
Satan by coming under the rule of
Christ and walking with Him.
Therefore, it makes no sense to de-
clare the good news of liberation
from sin to those outside the church
if we do not declare the same good
news of liberation from sin to those
inside the church. The gospel is not
just good news by which the sinner
can be converted. It is also the good
news by which Christians can live.
Therefore, church discipline is an
act of love to fellow believers. [ir]
Rev. Kerner, a retired Brethren elder,
is a member of the Committee on Doc-
trine, Research, and Publication, which
is preparing this series of articles.
The Brethren Evangelist
A daring journey to freedom
By Kurt Stout and Han Kok Ping
TWO YOUNG MEN. Two journeys. Two hearts changed. The first
journey was mine. I traveled across oceans by plane. The second was his.
He traveled over mountains by foot. I knew where my journey would end.
He did not even know if his journey would end. But both travelers returned
home changed, certain that their lives were better for having dared to
journey.
For three months my wife Heidi and I participated in a short-term
mission project. We taught village children in the Philippines, played with
orphans and built a training center in India, performed in Singapore, and
started a youth ministry in Malaysia. A year has now passed since this
mission trip, but my mind often floods with such memories that my heart
longs to embrace those experiences again.
In the final days of our mission, Heidi and I met a young man we will
never forget. His name was Han Kok Ping, and he was the other young man
who dared to journey. His experiences were different from mine, but their
impact was equally dramatic. From conversations I had with Han Kok
Ping and a translated copy of a letter from his hand, I have reconstructed
his journey to freedom. This is his story. — Kurt Stout
IN EARLY 1990 I started my
wandering life and began a jour-
ney in search of happiness and
peace. I was certain that there was
more to life than what I was ex-
periencing in my small town in
China, but I had no idea that my
discovery would be so profound.
For years I lived under Communist
rule and for years I was denied
Truth. My heart longed for free-
dom— not just physical freedom,
but freedom to think, to feel ... to
live. As a result, I began my lonely
journey to freedom.
The truth is, I love my country —
China — and I love even more my
own people and family. But I de-
spise the political system under Com-
munist control. I found it too diffi-
cult to accept, and I faced an un-
bearable anguish because of this
political group. I felt as though I
were living in a large jail, wasting
my valuable life and energy.
A difficult decision
Therefore, after much considera-
tion and much wrestling with ex-
treme feelings of sorrow, I decided
to leave my family, friends, class-
mates, and girlfriend in order to see
the outside world and, hopefully,
relieve my tension.
A classmate joined me on this
journey, and together we broke out
March 1996
of bondage. Had we known in ad-
vance what we would endure to be
free, neither one of us would have
dared to begin the journey. But in
our innocence and courage, we faced
an unknown challenge and survived.
We estimated that our journey over
the mountains would take us about
three days by foot. Plans were
sketched; provisions collected; cour-
age examined.
When the day finally came for us
to make our move, no one sus-
pected. There were no goodbyes. No
warnings. Without a trace we left
behind our educational training
program and a life
that seemed full of
bitter pain and
hopelessness. We
dared to be free.
When we reached
the border between
China and Burma,
we successfully
avoided the security
check by the sol-
diers. But the real
challenge lay before
us, for several
mountains still
separated us from
freedom. With great
risk we began our
adventure. The
journey took much
longer than we had anticipated,
and our supplies dwindled. The
challenge became merely to sur-
vive. We were forced to hunt for
food in the forest and to sleep hug-
ging each other in order to keep
from freezing to death. Half a
month later we arrived in Burma,
hungry and weary.
Our dreams began to shatter im-
mediately. We were caught by local
police and thrown into jail. But we
were so exhausted from our journey
that we didn't even care. At least
we finally had food and shelter.
During the next 17 days in jail we
wondered what our end would be.
This was not the freedom we had
envisioned.
A glimpse of freedom
Yet through our misfortune we
did catch a glimpse of freedom, for
while in that Burmese jail we were
visited by several Catholics from
Thailand who began to tell us about
the freedom found in the Bible
through Jesus Christ. This was
completely foreign to me, yet my
heart and spirit began to stir with
this good news. Could freedom
really be found in a person and not
in a place? Miraculously these new
friends arranged for us to be
released into their care, and they
took us to Thailand with them.
The months and even years that
followed were filled with much won-
dering and searching. I had gone
my own way, but in the back of my
mind I still remembered those
words about a Savior and Redeemer
BURMA
THAILAND
MALAYSIA
LAOS
VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
aaao^gp? ^^P
A small section of Han Kok Ping's let-
ter, showing his signature and his seal.
of all. I traveled throughout Burma,
Laos, and Malaysia in search of
peace and freedom, but to no avail.
I concluded that these countries did
not suit me. Consequently, I re-
solved to return somehow to my
own country.
Then, finally at the end of my
rope, I discovered what I had been
looking for all along. While in
Malaysia I was introduced to Rev.
David Chew, pastor of the Brethren
church in Penang. We talked exten-
sively about a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ and the freedom
found in His love and forgiveness.
I was so deeply impacted by the
Holy Spirit and God's word that I
immediately de-
sired baptism and
as much theologi-
cal training as pos-
sible. So on Febru-
ary 12, 1995, Pas-
tor Chew baptized
me at the beach,
and I became the
first member of
The Brethren
Church to come
from China. But
most importantly,
I joined brothers
and sisters from
around the world
as part of God's
heavenly family.
True freedom gained
During the five years since I left
China I have had many unforget-
table, scary, romantic, and valuable
experiences, which I will always re-
member. A few pages of paper are
not enough on which to fully de-
scribe all that I experienced during
this time of my life. Yet I do not
regret what I have endured to bring
me to this point.
If I were to evaluate my life from
a worldly perspective, it would
seem that I have lost much. But I
have converted to the Father and to
Jesus Christ. I am no longer con-
trolled by this world. I truly recog-
— —
Kurt and Heidi Stout (2nd & 3rd from I.) with Brethren
missionary Rev. David hoi (I.), Rev. David and Lily Chew
(r.), and two young women who were baptized while the
Stouts were in Malaysia.
nize what I have gained. What I
have gained is true freedom and
deliverance. By the blood of Jesus
Christ, I now have an abundant
life. I have obtained an imperish-
able heavenly heritage and re-
ceived a priceless promise through
Christ Jesus. What I have is the
most valuable!
— Han Kok Ping
Han Kok Ping (I.) with David Chew,
on the beach where Han Kok Ping was
pastor of the Brethren church in Penang,
baptized.
In the January "Prayer and
Praise" list sent out by the Mission-
ary Board of the Brethren Church,
Rev. David Loi indicated that Han
Kok Ping had safely returned to
China, and he requested prayer for
this young man's growing faith. For
a long time I wondered if Kok Ping
had successfully evaded officials at
China's border. I knew that if cap-
tured, he would be forced to endure
much persecution and hardship.
But the fact that he crossed the
border safely does not insure his
safety. I am certain that daily Kok
Ping faces the threat of personal set-
backs and abuse. Yet in the midst of
his large "jail" he has freedom, and
he is seeking to share the truth
about that freedom with his own
people, who are caught in the
chains that once bound him.
Kok Ping returned to China with
the dream of starting a church. And
I am certain that with his determi-
nation and the strength of the Lord,
he will effectively bring hope to the
darkest regions of China. My prayer
is that The Brethren Church in
America will be as bold and daring
as this one man in China.
— Kurt Stout
The Brethren Evangelist
Hfie 'Women's Outloofc^O^ewsletter
51 pu6tication of the (Brethren 'Women's Missionary Society
March-April 1996
Volume 9, Number 4
"The
(President 's
(Pen
(District (Doings
^*JL^
Dear Ladies,
Well, here we are in the month of
March — three months into the new
year. Did you make a "resolution"
to lose a few pounds this year? I
think many of us did just that!
It's difficult to eat in moderation,
isn't it? I read of a magazine arti-
cle that tells of an advertisement
for an MTV special, 'The Seven
Deadly Sins." The article said,
"Lust: where would we be without
it?" An MTV commentator said
that "a little lust, pride, sloth, and
gluttony — in moderation — are fun
and that's what keeps your heart
beating." Now that's really double
talk!! Gluttony in moderation!
How can we practice excess in
moderation? We eat goodies marked
"lite," "low-calorie," and "cholesterol
free." But there is no such thing as
"light lust" or 'low-calorie greed."
Sin is wrong in any amount. Mat-
thew 5:29 tells us, "If your right
eye causes you to sin, pluck it out."
'There is no such thing as
'light lust' or 'low-calorie
greed. ' Sin is wrong in
any amount."
We need to be careful of the "lit-
tle sins" that can creep into our lives
(continued on page 3)
This is the listing of the SOUTH-
EASTERN DISTRICT Officers.
Please fill in your copy of the WMS
Directory in the January-February
issue of the WMS Newsletter.
President — (Susan's informa-
tion is correct)
Vice President — Mary Garver,
407 Main St., New Windsor, MD
21776
Secretary-Treasurer — Virginia
Hook, 3046 Old Washington Rd.,
Westminster, MD 21157
Ass't. Secretary-Treasurer —
Sandy Miller, 22918 Berry Circle,
Smithburg, MD 21783
The new president of the HAG-
ERSTOWN society (Southeast Dis-
trict) is:
Julia Humelsine, 324 Avon
Road, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
Phone: 301-773-8680.
Thanks, Susan, for sending the
updated information. Additional
information is still needed from
other societies.
CENTRAL DISTRICT
I received a copy of the LANARK
cookbook, Circle of Friends, at
Christmas and it is a beautiful
collection of kitchen- and family-
tested recipes. Send your check for
$12.50 (not $12.95, as I previously
stated) plus $4 for shipping and
handling to Friendship Circle, c/o
Joyce Michael, 31456 U.S. High-
way 52, Lanark, IL 61046.
During August the MILLEDGE-
VILLE Priscilla Circle instigated the
church project of helping Dave and
Diane Kerner get established in the
United States, after serving many
years as missionaries in Colombia.
In response to the church's "Thank
You, Kerners," Diane wrote: "We
have certainly been overwhelmed
by your generous giving. We were
able to begin living in our new
home without even making a trip
to the grocery store because of
food, cleaning supplies, and other
*]l^
&£<
household goods given by your con-
gregation. . . . The checks have ar-
rived in times of urgent need.
Thank you so much for caring. The
gift certificates for JCPenney will
be used for mini blinds, warm
clothing, and other needs as they
arise. . . . We thank you for your
love, support, and prayers."
It's evident that this is a loving,
generous, and caring congregation.
OHIO DISTRICT
October 13-14 marked the dates
for another wonderful women's
retreat at Camp Bethany. Betty
Deardurff shared that this was
very likely the 25th anniversary of
Ohio Brethren women meeting for
just such a time together.
This reporter (DeAnn Oburn, dis-
trict secretary) didn't arrive until
8:00 p.m. Friday, Supper was over
and all were getting ready for the
evening session together. As I en-
tered Cedar Lodge, I heard (from a
dear friend, looking right at me),
(continued on page 2)
District Doings (continued)
"Supper was absolutely wuuuun-
derful!" Well, rub it in for being
late! But that told me that the
Hoffmans were doing their food
magic again, and I would get in on
at least two meals-worth on Satur-
day. We had an enjoyable evening
sharing skits, songs, and time to-
gether in small groups for prayer.
Saturday was a rainy, rainy day,
but spirits and atmosphere were
not dampened as we gathered to
hear our speaker, Carolyn Brandon
of the North Georgetown Brethren
Church. Our theme was "Count It
All Joy," and Carolyn shared that
principle of scripture with us.
In giving her testimony, Carolyn
pointed out that we will have
trials, but we can have joy on the
journey through them. We may not
know the end of our trial or why,
but we need to maintain our confi-
dence in God, for that is where the
joy lies. Carolyn cited many scrip-
tural examples of joy in times of
trial — the road has been trod be-
fore us and we are not alone if we
belong to Christ.
After lunch, our District Presi-
dent, Wanda Powell, presented
some business. The five recipients
of the Marge Fund were an-
nounced: Christy Bechtel and
Michelle Deaton of Ashland Park
St., Rachel Walk of Fremont, Kelly
Hurley of Gretna, and Lori Robin-
son of New Lebanon.
Carolyn introduced Kim New-
hart, also of North Georgetown.
Kim shared her heart-rending tes-
timony of her family's journey of
faith as they face an uncertain fu-
ture with two sons who are hemo-
philiac. They have learned that
truly only the Lord is their
strength in it all.
Our retreat came to a close beau-
tifully as April Lowmaster shared
her very special gift of music and
we prayed together.
Thirty-eight women came to-
gether for this spiritually uplifting
weekend. We had a great time and
all of us want to encourage all
Ohio Brethren women to join us.
Never mind if you are not a mem-
ber of a WMS group, the Retreat is
for you, too! Mark your calendars
for October 11-12, next fall's retreat
dates. We'd love to see you at
Camp Bethany!
The ASHLAND GARBER KOI-
NONIA FELLOWSHIP presented
Jan Eagle at their January meet-
ing. Jan and Tim, her husband,
served two years as missionaries
in Mexico City, and at this time
Jan shared her life on the mission
field. The ladies sponsored the
Sweetheart Supper in February,
which was open to the church.
INDIANA DISTRICT
The HUNTINGTON society
chose two teams at their Novem-
ber meeting for a fundraising con-
test. The purpose is to raise money
for the two-year WMS, national
project: the purchase of a site and
building for the mission in Peru,
South America. The ladies reported
that 122 benevolent calls were
made during the month.
Their annual Christmas meeting
began with a salad bar. Following
their devotional study, they pre-
sented a monetary thank offering
in celebration of the Lord's birth.
Three rallies were held in Octo-
ber. According to Emma Lee Stal-
ler, the CORINTH society hosted
77 members, 7 guests, and 6 chil-
dren. "Footprints of Jesus" was the
theme for the day; the guests fol-
lowed the footsteps up the stairs
and into the foyer for registration
and the hospitality treats.
Musicians for the day were Shir-
ley Easter, Emma Lee Staller,
Delores Hattery, Susie Stout, and
Kathy Carter, presenting piano,
organ, and flute selections.
Lois Thomson welcomed the
ladies, and Vera Graft from Loree
gave the devotions, based on the
theme. She asked each one to con-
sider "whom did you follow as a
child, as an adolescent, as a young
adult, and as an older person."
Humor before the morning offer-
ing portrayed Jane Hattery as the
harried treasurer, frantically
working at her calculator to find
the needed dollars to meet the in-
coming bills.
Adelle Campbell, the speaker, was
introduced by Frances Beckley of
Corinth. Mrs. Campbell, a widow
and mother of two teenagers, shared
her life's experiences and how,
through each situation — accident,
surgeries, frequent hospitaliza-
tions, change of wage-earner roles,
and death — her family's faith was
strengthened and sustained them.
At the afternoon session, Mrs.
Campbell entitled her speech,
"Walking in Freedom." She read
Hebrews 12:14-15 and stated that
forgiveness is the key to walking in
freedom.
Joy Zook and Norita Kuhn of the
Tiosa society presented the memo-
rial service, remembering three
ladies. The district project of re-
ceiving an offering for the sem-
inary students totaled $467.
(continued on page 3)
THE WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
NEWSLETTER
Published bimonthly in January,
March, May, July, September, and
November by the Women's Missionary
Society of The Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dorman Ronk, Editor
1325 Coachman Court
Ashland, Ohio 44805
Subscription price, $7.50 per year in
advance.
Send all subscriptions to Mrs. Robert
Kroft, 608 Twp. Road 1151, RD 5, Ash-
land, OH 44805.
Women's Outlook Newsletter
March is World Missions Month
and the missionaries-of-March are
two families: (1) Juan Carlos and
Maria Miranda. Juan is the con-
sultant for the Missionary Board
to South America and Maria con-
tinues her very popular Spanish-
speaking radio program. (2) Miguel
and Sonia Antunez and their son,
Carlos. They are leading the Breth-
ren mission in Lima, Peru. This is
the focus of our national project.
The Greenwood Brethren Fel-
lowship near Indianapolis is the
April missionary-of-the-month
emphasis. Tom and Tiona Conrad
provide the pastoral leadership,
assisted by Gene and Georgia Bell
and Keith and Marjorie Bennett.
Prasanth and Nirmala Kumar
and their son, Sudhir, in India are
the May missionaries. It is their
hope that Sudhir will attend Ash-
land Theological Seminary and
then return to help more capably
in the India mission. To date, per-
mission for him to enter the U.S.
has been denied.
Like the late night neighbor (Luke
11:5-8), who was persistent with his
knocking and was finally rewarded,
be persistent with your prayers for
our missionary friends. God re-
ceives our needs anytime. Pray,
too, for the Missionary Board staff
and more missionary candidates.
District Doings (continued)
Mary Haupert reported that 60
members, 4 guests, and 2 children
attended the ROANN rally.
LuAnn Layman and Eunice
Brower registered the guests,
Norma Trump presented the piano
prelude, and Rosella Layton wel-
comed each one. Mary Ellen Miller
gave the devotions, based on II
Corinthians 5:17-18, and prayer.
Norma Trump was the program
speaker. Her theme was "Jesus,
the Master Recycler"; she related
her talk to the scripture which
Mrs. Miller used: "When anyone is
joined to Christ, he is a new being:
the old is gone, the new has come."
So, in turn, we should recycle any-
thing possible, in order to preserve
the earth which was created for us.
She described the Master Recy-
cler's changing the caterpillar into
a beautiful butterfly similar to a
person changing after receiving
Christ as Savior and Lord. From a
large garbage can, Norma showed
many items that can be recycled in
our lives for good. She sang solos,
"God Recycles Zeros," "Jesus Name"
medley, and "Jesus, Jesus" to the
tune of a "Bicycle Built for Two."
She concluded with a Bible por-
trayal of Peter's mother-in-law.
The rally offering was $577.84.
Alice Horn, secretary in ARD-
MORE, reported their rally. 54
members and 11 guests attended.
Their offering totaled $682.85.
President's Pen (continued)
so quickly. As Christians, we need
to continually examine our inner
thoughts and motives. We can en-
joy a few "lite" desserts, but do not
think that a little sinning is all
right, if done in moderation. Sin is
sin, and those who are watching us
will look for just that kind of thing.
Good luck on those diets!
In the last several letters, I have
been talking with you about the
ABC's of WMS. This time we are
ready for No. 4, which reads, "Spon-
sor a special ministry, service, or
activity in which:
A. The purpose of WMS is pro-
moted and
B. An offering is received for the
Seminary.
We do not use the term "Public
Service" any more. Societies can do
whatever they choose as long as
WMS is promoted and an offering
is taken for the Seminary. If you
live close to Ashland, I encourage
you to contact the Seminary and
ask for someone to come and speak
or do a program. I feel if the offer-
ing is going to the Seminary, we
should use Seminary staff, if at all
possible. You may have a seminary
student in your congregation who
might be very happy to bring a
"If the offering is going to
the Seminary, we should
use Seminary staff if at all
possible.*'
program to your church. At my
church last year, our three circles
had a musical program and served
refreshments afterward. We had
musicians from the Seminary. We
had a great time in the Lord (and
a good attendance). Be creative and
come up with a unique program.
Be sure to write to Joan Ronk
and let her know what your group
is doing.
God Bless You.
Shirley Black
March-April 1996
Cjood%
ewsi
Joanne Kroft, the national WMS
financial secretary, reported that
WHITE DALE, PA, was the first
society to send their dues and sub-
scription list!
She stated that the COLUM-
BUS First society has increased
their membership by 500%, from 1
to 6! Good for Pat Morris!
Twenty-three other societies
have increased their memberships
by the number in the parenthesis:
Brighton Chapel (2)
Bryan Susanna (2)
Canton Sr. (1)
Cerro Gordo (1)
Columbus First (5)
Derby (1)
Falls City (1)
Fremont (2)
Gretna Gleaners (1)
Highland (1)
Meadow Crest (2)
Meyersdale (2)
Milledgeville Priscilla (3)
Mulvane (2)
Newark (1)
North Georgetown Mercer (1)
Park Street Faith (1)
Smithville (1)
St. Luke (3)
Stockton (4)
Tucson Evening (1)
Valley (1)
Vinco (2)
Warsaw (2)
Welcome to all the
new members!
TkZktor's Biding
Dear Friend,
A few snowy evenings were good
times to read Jill Briscoe's book of
poetry, Heartbeat. We were fortu-
nate to hear Mrs. Briscoe at the
WMS luncheon last summer and
equally fortunate to use her book
as a reading circle book.
Since I haven't any copyright
permissions, I can't copy her poems,
but I suggest to you who are the
leaders in March or April to in-
clude one or some of her Easter
poems (pp. 106-129) in your devo-
tional meeting. I liked especially
"Easter Prayer'' on page 112.
Several phrases throughout the
book appealed to me. In "Over-
taken with Joy," she wrote, "I've
been running away from God for
years, but I discovered He has
longer legs than I have." In "Ever-
green," Mrs. Briscoe wrote of
friends of the evergreen, "Myrtle,
Rose, and Holly," who were "so
busy having fellowship, that they
had no time to grow." And on page
62, "Love Listens," she wrote,
"Love is watertight — never leaking
the confidences . . . ."
If you haven't spent time with
this book, I encourage you to do so.
NEIGHBOR HELPING NEIGHBOR
Probably you have heard the
commercial, "Like a good neighbor,
State Farm is there." The reason-
ing behind this is obvious; you can
rely upon the dependability and
responsibility of this insurance
company. I know, too, how many
neighbors are; they have all the
above characteristics in addition to
love, generosity, kindness, and
thoughtfulness.
This is the thinking behind the
basic commitment No. 10: Re-
emphasize the importance of being
a model of Christ's love. Show
Christian love and service to your
neighbors and their families.
Who is your neighbor? Reflect on
Joan
Luke 10:25-37, what we commonly
call the account of the Good Samar-
itan. Right away, that is a mis-
nomer! Samaritans were not con-
sidered good. However, the obvious
"good" people — the priest and his
assistant (both of whom always
took care of people's needs) looked
at the victim and passed by.
Then came the Samaritan, who
also looked but did the good deed.
He administered first aid, trans-
ported him to the inn, paid for his
care, and assured the innkeeper
that additional expenses would be
paid. The answer to the ruler's
question, "Who is my neighbor?"
was obvious to him and to us — the
one who sees a need and fills it.
LOOK!
President Bush called this pro-
gram "Points of Light" and he rec-
ognized 1,000 Points. In Jesus'
words, "Go thou and do likewise."
Hence, using Commitment 10,
"Like a good neighbor, [insert your
name] is there!
Consider this, too: Do you minis-
ter to "felt" needs or to "true" need?
A felt need is helped by AA and
similar social agencies. True need
is sharing God's gift of salvation,
which is for all of us.
Your friend,
Women's Outlook Newsletter
Brethren World Missions
The foundation for Brethren missions
By Reilly R. Smith
THE GREAT COMMISSION of
our Lord Jesus Christ provides
the foundation for Brethren mis-
sions.
Go into all the world and preach
the good news ....
. . . make disciples of all nations ....
As the Father has sent me,
I am sending you.
. . . you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19,
John 20:21, Acts 1:8 (NlV)
Missions is the business of the
church. The essence of missions is
disciple-making. That includes
evangelizing people, establishing
them in the faith, equipping them
for service, and encouraging them
in ministry.
Missions people evangelize others
one by one in personal relation-
ships, in small and large groups by
distributing literature, sharing
their faith publicly, conducting
evangelistic campaigns, or finding
any way possible to tell people
about our Lord Jesus. They organ-
ize Bible studies, fellowships, small
groups, and congregations. They
provide training in Christian living,
church ministry, community service,
and communicating the good news
about
Jesus
Christ
to others.
Finally,
they
encourage
new
Chris-
tians to
grow in
Christ
and to
serve him
in the
world —
locally,
regional-
ly, cross culturally, and globally.
Missions people love our Lord Jesus
Christ. They love people, too. They
love enough to act out their faith in
the Lord. They seek the lost for
Jesus Christ to save. They seek the
sick and brokenhearted for Jesus
Christ to heal. They serve the
saints, sinners, and the poor as
their Lord did before them. Their
Rev. Reilly Smith is Ex-
ecutive Director of the Mis-
sionary Board of the Breth-
ren Church.
passion comes from His love flow-
ing through them by the work of
the Spirit in their hearts.
The following articles tell what
mission people are doing on three
Brethren mission fields. Brethren
people are making disciples in
other countries as well — in Colom-
bia, Djibouti, Mexico, Paraguay,
and Peru. Our churches face many
challenges, but they continue to
grow because of the vision and zeal
of our mission people.
The Missionary Board is working
to develop more training opportuni-
ties for mission people. We are
working with the seminary to ex-
pand the missions program. We
hope to attract missions-minded
students to The Brethren Church
and missions-minded Brethren to
the seminary. We want to train
people from other countries (like
Eduardo Rodriguez, Jr.) to become
trainers of missions people in their
own countries.
We want to develop people who
will evangelize the lost, establish
new believers in the faith, equip
them for service in the church and
the world, and encourage them in
ministry. This is why we exist.
Are you one of those mission peo-
ple? Can you help us with gifts of
time, talent and/or resources?
Please contact the Missionary
Board by mail, phone, or fax. [ft]
( ■■'--sf \~i- -■■■-■■ r )
lilr ^v l
V /ARGENTINA FN.
/ / Buenos Aire* Ar-3_^
Project 2001 :
Preparing for the challenge
of a new millennium
t£.S ^^^
By Allen Baer
H^^x -3**^
Brethren missionary to Argentina
AS WE ARE frequently reminded,
the present millennium ends
in four years. Project 2001 is a plan
to prepare a strong, mature church
in Argentina to face the challenge of
the new millennium. The immedi-
ate goal of this Project is to double
the number of Brethren churches
in Argentina by the year 2001.
This will demand a lot of hard work,
March 1996
but the Project has the advantage
of low cost because it will be an
extension of the local churches
themselves. The Argentinean lead-
ers have perceived that the major-
ity of local congregations want to
multiply, but they are unable to do
so because they are small and fre-
quently isolated. The plan is to
unite efforts and talents.
The existing congregations have
been grouped into four zones. The
Missionary Committee and the sem-
inary students, working closely with
all the other national committees,
will direct and give logistical sup-
port to each of these zones through
a Project director.
Basically, the Project has five
stages: (1) training courses for
workers; (2)
preparation
of the tar-
geted field;
(3) evangel-
ism; (4) dis-
cipleship;
and (5) con-
solidation.
The Project
will be car-
ried out si-
multaneous-
ly in all four
Allen Baer
Brethren World Missions
zones, although in different stages.
A mechanism of reporting and ac-
countability between the zones and
the national leaders will make it
possible to analyze results and
make necessary changes.
The final objective of the Project is
25 new, self-supporting congrega-
tions, each with more than 15 bap-
tized members. It should be noted,
however, that this does not neces-
sarily include the support of a pastor.
In addition to Project 2001, The
Brethren Church in Argentina has
taken another bold step — employ-
ing a full-time national supervisor.
This is separate from Project 2001,
but closely related to the work of
extension.
The various national committees
Jose Rivero with his daughter Mar-
cela during their visit to General Con-
ference in Ashland in 1992.
enthusiastically named Jose Rivero
to that new position. Brother
Rivero has faithfully and devotedly
served as national church presi-
dent for several years. His position
will not be a desk job. It will mean
frequent visits to local churches to
encourage, advise, and make deci-
sions as the need arises.
The Brethren Church in Argen-
tina feels accompanied and encour-
aged in these endeavors by the Mis-
sionary Board in Ashland and by
the U.S. Brethren in general be-
cause of the long-term cordial part-
nership enjoyed in the extension of
God's kingdom. [ft]
JOhOi Boru
SINGAPORE
Malaysia: highlights of 1995
By David Loj Lee-Hoot
Brethren missionary in Malaysia
GREETINGS to you all in the
blessed name of our wonderful
Savior and Lord Christ Jesus. On
behalf of our family and The Breth-
ren Church in Malaysia, we thank
you for all the love you have shown
us and especially that this love is
possible because we share one
Lord. Thanks to all who have sent
cards and letters.
As we write, we are thinking that
it won't be long before we see you in
the U.S. during the summer. In the
meantime, it is our pleasure to write
about the mission work here and
how our Lord is using us for His
glory. The following are some of the
highlights of 1995.
April 29
On this date, Miss Magdelene Khoo
and Mr. Terence Ee were married
in the church hall of the Penang
Baptist Church. Pastor David Chew
officiated at the ceremony, and I
was invited to deliver the message.
Both Miss Khoo and Mr. Ee are
members of the Penang Brethren
Church, but their family members,
relatives, and friends are non-
Christians. I thank God that I had
this opportunity to share with them
that our God is the creator and
matchmaker of marriages. About
600 people attended the wedding
dinner that evening. During the
dinner the young couple shared
their testimony and sang a Chris-
tian song for all the guests.
Because of this wedding, we be-
came acquainted with Terence's
family members. For several years
his mother has had difficulty sleep-
ing. The most she can sleep is two
hours. We have been praying for
her, and her condition is improving.
Pastor Chew and some of the
church members also went to her
home to pray for her. As a result,
she has begun to have faith in the
Lord and to experience joy in her
heart. We hope that she will leave
the idol she has worshiped in the
past and put her faith fully in the
Lord. Since she is the head of the
family (Terence's father passed
away), if she receives the Lord
other family members (15 to 20 of
them) will also commit themselves
to the Lord. We pray
mercy on this family.
for God's
August 20
On this day (the day before our
son Stephen left Malaysia to study
in the U.S.), we had a very special
thanksgiving service. The service was
in celebration of the baptism of our
daughter, Rebecca, which took place
one week earlier (on August 13).
This service also marked the 21st
year of our missionary service for
our Lord and for The Brethren
Church. We rejoiced in Him who
has given us strength during these
past years.
We also took this opportunity to
celebrate my mother's 72nd birth-
day. She did not want to have a
birthday party, since there was no
birth date on her identity card. (In
olden times many people did not
report their births. Her card only
recorded that she was born in 1923.)
But on this occasion she accepted
this date as her birthday, so we could
celebrate this happy occasion.
(continued on next page)
1
The April 29, 1995, wedding of Magdelene Khoo and Terence Ee provided op-
portunities to witness and minister to their families and friends.
8
The Brethren Evangelist
Brethren World Missions
September 29
On this date a special service was held at the home of
Mr. Ng Ke-Lai to celebrate his mother's 85th birthday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ng and their family are members of the
Johor Baru Brethren Church. Mr. Ng invited all his
brothers and sisters and their families and relatives to
this party, hoping that during the party his non-Christian
relatives would have an opportunity to hear the gospel.
These are a few highlights of our year. Again we
thank you so much for your love and support. We look
forward to seeing you all during the coming summer, [ft]
We are so grateful that our son Stephen was able to go
overseas to study. [Stephen is a freshman at Ashland
University.] We know that it was all because of God's
guidance. With the Lord's help, Stephen got good grades
on the school examination and also on the upper secon-
dary level (high school ) examination given by the Min-
istry of Education of Malaysia. He also passed the
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), which
is an admission requirement for those who intend to
study in the U.S., and he was granted a visa on his
second interview. We are so thankful for this.
Evangelistic Efforts in India
By K. Prasanth Kumar
Director, Brethren Mission in India
THE EVANGELISTIC EFFORTS
of Nirmala and me along with
that of the pastors and lady evan-
gelists in the cities of Rajahmun-
dry, Hyderabad, and Vizag (Vishak-
hapatnam) and in the villages have
drawn many idol-worshiping people
into Christ's fold. From April 1, 1995,
to January 31, 1996, 198 people
were baptized, bringing the total
number of baptized members of the
Brethren Mission in India to 4,438.
Following are some of the ways in
which this evangelism is being car-
ried out.
Women's evangelism
The women's fasting prayer fel-
lowship on every Friday of the week
forms the foundation on which the
women's ministry is built. In addi-
tion Women's Revival Meetings
were held in connection with the
Anniversary Day of the Sewing
School. Revival meetings were held
in Rajahmundry on April 30, 1995;
in Vizag on May 1; and in Hydera-
bad on June 2. Many Hindu women
attended these meetings and heard
about the Savior. Most of the
women who attend the Sewing
Schools are Hindus, and some are
Muslims. They receive daily en-
lightenment in the gospel as well as
learning how to sew.
Youth evangelism
Living as an open Christian is
very difficult for young people in
India. We conduct Youth Fellow-
ship meetings for the young people
March 1996
at Rajahmundry and Vizag on al-
ternate Sundays. Nirmala and I,
along with other speakers, regu-
larly share with them what the
Bible teaches. In addition to these
regular meetings, we conducted the
Brethren Youth Retreat on October
7, 1995, at Rajahmundry.
We are highly pleased to see the
young people grow in the grace and
wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And they are also sharing their
faith. Last May and again in Au-
gust some of the young people went
on Youth Gospel Team trips to the
city of Vajayawada and to some of
the villages.
Village evangelism
We had a rewarding ministry in
many of the villages during the
past year. With money provided by
Brethren churches and individuals
and by a Methodist congregation in
Korea, church buildings were com-
pleted in the villages of Kedari-
lanka and Samistragudem. Church
buildings are in progress in
Narkedimilli and Sankili, and
prayer huts were built in Tim-
mapuram and Pujaripalem.
Literature evangelism
The monthly magazine Suvarthi-
kudu (Evangelist) is reaching 1,000
homes with special messages for
youth, women, and everyone. We
receive heaps of letters of apprecia-
tion from the readers. Gospel tracts
and other literature are given to
patients at the Brethren Mission
Hospital, to people in their homes,
on the streets, and at every possible
place. The Brethren Reading Room
at Bommuru, near Rajahmundry,
is also of great help to people.
Radio and TV evangelism
A television broadcasting station
invited me to give messages. The
Asia Network as well as the State
Network broadcast my Christmas
messages on December 25, 1995.
This is a great opportunity that the
Lord has provided.
Orphanages
The 30 boys in the Brethren Boys
Orphanage and the 20 girls in the
Brethren Girls Orphanage enjoy
their new buildings. They serve the
Lord with their singing, by distrib-
uting gospel tracts, and by playing
musical instruments.
Bible institute
In 1994-95, 20 students were
trained in the Brethren Bible Insti-
tute. Thus far a total of 260 stu-
dents have been trained at the in-
stitute, and 20 more began their
training on June 1, 1995.
Mass evangelism
The Brethren Convention was held
in the village of Samistragudem on
January 26-28, 1996. The conven-
tion included early morning devo-
tions, morning gospel meetings, and
evening revival meetings, with Spirit-
filled messages by the speakers. A
special meeting for youth was con-
ducted on Saturday afternoon and
a women's revival meeting was
held on Sunday, at which Nirmala
spoke. The three-day convention
yielded a very good harvest for the
Lord, and I baptized 18 people on
the closing day of the event. Praise
to God's holy name! [ft]
*c^&»
James R. Black resigns as
Director of Stewardship
Ashland, Ohio — The National
Leadership Council recently an-
nounced that Rev. James R. Black
has submitted
his resignation
as Director of
Stewardship
and Planned
Giving for The
Brethren
Church, effec-
tive March 31.
Rev. Black
has served in
this position on
a part-time basis since his retire-
ment as Executive Director of the
Missionary Board last May.
Along with this announcement
comes one from Trinity Brethren
Church of North Canton, Ohio, that
Rev. Black has accepted a call to
serve as pastor of that congrega-
tion. He had served the church on
an interim basis since last October,
but in early February the congrega-
tion called him to become its regu-
lar pastor, effective immediately.
The National Leader-
ship Council expresses
its appreciation to Rev.
Black for his pioneer-
ing efforts in the role of
Director of Steward-
ship and Planned Giv-
ing and wishes him
well as his pastor's
heart leads him back to
the pastoral ministry.
The council will meet in
the near future to de-
termine its recommen-
dation with regard to a
successor.
Florida District conference attenders
Sarasota Hispanic congregation hosts
19th annual Florida District conference
Sarasota, Fla. — It was a historic
occasion on Sunday, February 11,
when Iglesia de los Hermanos, the
Spanish-speaking Brethren congre-
gation in Sarasota, hosted the 19th
annual conference of the Florida
District. It was the congregation's
first time to host the conference.
More than 50 adults attended the
afternoon business sessions, with
more people coming for the evening
worship service. Moderator Paul
Yoder dispatched the necessary
business (reports from district and
denominational ministries, elections,
and other items) quickly and effi-
ciently. The rest of the day was
spent in worship and fellowship.
Praise in music was led by host
pastor Daniel Rosales and family,
Carolyn Solomon, and Mary Louise
Robbins. Robert Christin, a guest
from Ohio, provided special music.
More than a dozen youth partici-
pated in a special program directed
by Rev. Bill and Theresa Cruz,
which included an address by Dr.
William Benz, president of Ashland
University.
A delicious Spanish-style meal
was prepared by the members of
the host church.
Speaker for the worship service
was Rev. Reilly Smith, Executive
Director of the Missionary Board of
the Brethren Church. Speaking on
the conference theme, "Stand Firm
Then" (from Eph. 6:14), he examined
three meanings of "stand": (1) Stand
up for Christ and be counted; (2)
Stand firm against the real enemy,
Satan; and (3) Be prepared to stand
before the judgment seat of Christ.
The message was translated by Rev.
Ray Aspinall for Spanish-speaking
members of the audience.
Rev. David Stone, pastor of the
Bloomingdale Brethren Church,
was installed as the new modera-
tor. Elected by the conference were
Leo Elliott, moderator-elect; Martha
Stone, secretary; Sarah Garrett,
treasurer; and Robert Geddes,
Lynne Shrock, and Buck Garrett —
representatives to the Ministry of
Administration.
— reported by Martha Stone, District
Secretary, and Ronald W. Waters
David Hartzfeld named dean of
Ashland Theological Seminary
Ashland, Ohio — Dr. Frederick J.
Finks, president of Ashland Theological
Seminary, has announced the appoint-
ment of David F. Hartzfeld as academic
dean of the seminary.
Dr. Hartzfeld served as dean of faculty
and professor of Old Testament at Alli-
ance Theological Seminary from 1989 to
1993 and as adjunct professor of ethics at
Nyack College from 1993 to 1996. He has
also had other teaching experience, pas-
toral experience, and served as a mis-
10
sionary in Vietnam
(1969-73).
Dr. Hartzfeld has
degrees from Nyack
College, Bethel and
Pittsburgh Theologi-
cal Seminaries, and
a Ph.D. from the
University of Shef-
field in England.
He and his wife
Linda have three
daughters, one married, one in graduate
school, and a senior in high school.
They will relocate to Ashland in July.
The Brethren Evangelist
Sun Printing shines on
The Brethren Evangelist
Ashland, Ohio — With the closing
of The Brethren Printing Company
at the end of December, Sun Print-
ing of Mansfield, Ohio, has begun
printing The Brethren Evangelist.
Sun Printing printed the Febru-
ary issue of the EVANGELIST (the Jan-
uary issue was done by Brethren
Printing) and also did the February
issue of Morning Star, the Breth-
ren Youth in Christ newsletter.
Diane Brown, a member of the
Walcrest Brethren Church in Mans-
field, Ohio, is one of the owners of
Sun Printing and takes an active
part in running the business. Her
partner, Keith Greene, lives in Ash-
land and picks up and delivers our
printing (convenient for us!).
The change to an outside printer
has been smooth and — to our sur-
prise— more cost-effective.
Park Street Church expresses appreciation
to its pastors, staff, and many volunteers
Ashland, Ohio — Sunday, Febru-
ary 11, was "Pastors, Staff, and
Volunteers Appreciation Day" at
Park Street Brethren Church in
Ashland.
During the two morning worship
services, the pastoral staff, Chris-
tian education director, and wor-
ship team were given the morning
off so that they could sit with their
families. Dr. John Shultz, a Park
Street member and professor at
Ashland Theological Seminary, de-
livered the sermons. His message,
"Who Needs a Body?" based on 1
Corinthians 12:12-17, stressed the
importance of being part of the
body of Christ (the church) and of
serving together in this body.
A special feature during each of
the worship services was the view-
ing of a video showing Park Street
staff and volunteers serving in
various capacities in the church.
The sound track for the video was
the Christian song, 'Thank You."
The video was filmed and edited by
Tim Rowsey. Tim and his wife
Sandi served as co-chairs of the
Appreciation Day and spent many
hours preparing for the event.
Following the services, an Appre-
ciation Dinner was enjoyed by ap-
proximately 280 church members
and friends. The meal was catered
by Park Street members Frank and
Janet Hoffman of Royal Catering.
Cakes baked by Park Street mem-
ber Bev Summy and decorated with
the words "Thank you" in various
languages were the dessert.
At the conclusion of the meal,
Tim Rowsey presented gifts from
the congregation to Dr. Arden Gil-
mer, senior pastor; Rev. Bob Buford,
associate pastor; Don Belsterling,
Pastor of Youth Discipleship; and
Sherry Van Duyne, Director of
Christian Education and Music.
Appreciation was also expressed to
Erica Weidenhamer (director) and
other members of the staff of the
Park Street School. And special rec-
ognition was given to the numerous
volunteers in the congregation in
appreciation for their many hours
of dedicated service.
— reported by Margaret Hess
Cynthia Stout traces spiritual journey
of Burlington First Brethren Church
Burlington, Ind. — After seven years of meticu-
lous research, Cynthia Stout has produced an in-
depth account of the spiritual journey of the
Burlington, Ind., First Brethren Church.
Mrs. Stout's 222-page book, Our Spiritual Family
Tree: A History of the Burlington Brethren Church,
began as an attempt to identify and write about the
charter members of the Burlington congregation.
But it ended up to be much more than that.
The book begins with a sketch of the history of
Christianity from the time of
Christ to the Reformation
and a glimpse at the Anabap-
tists and Pietists. It then
tells how the Brethren came
out of this background, fol-
lowed by a brief overview of
Brethren history in Europe
and colonial Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Stout then traces one
vein of the western move-
ment of Brethren into Ohio
and Indiana and looks at developments among the
"Tunkers" (Brethren) that resulted in the birth of the
Burlington Church. Chapters follow on charter mem-
bers, very early members,
and the first meetinghouse.
Included among the remain-
ing chapters are ones on the
Sunday school, pastors, deacons
and deaconesses, and auxilia-
ries of the Burlington Church.
The book is full of pictures.
An effort was made to identify
every person in the photos,
even in the many group pic-
tures, including one taken of
the congregation around 1920. Cynthia Stout
Mrs. Stout is an active member of the Burlington
Church and she and her husband Allen serve as
deacon and deaconess for the congregation. Their
son, Kurt, is associate pastor of the North Manches-
ter, Ind., First Brethren Church (see pp. 5 and 6).
Many Brethren who have no direct connection to
the Burlington Church would find the book interest-
ing. For information about getting a copy, call Mrs.
Stout at 317-566-3217, or the Burlington Church at
317-566-3265.
March 1996
11
Briefly
Noted
Correction: In the list of Breth-
ren churches in last month's EVAN-
GELIST (pp. 4&5) Quiet Dell Breth-
ren Church in the Pennsylvania
District was placed in Green City,
Pennsylvania. It is actually in
Green County, Pa. The church is
located three miles east and two
miles south of Cameron, West Vir-
ginia, in the southwest corner of
Pennsylvania.
Addition: It was reported last
month that Ashland University re-
ceived $84,000 from the estate of
the late Helen Shively and that
Park Street Brethren Church re-
ceived $79,346 from her estate. In
addition, the Missionary Board of
the Brethren Church also received a
bequest from the estate of $79,346.
Average worship attendance at
Park Street Brethren Church in
Ashland, Ohio, was 420 in 1995,
and average Sunday school attend-
ance was 330 — both of which were
the highest in the history of the
church. In fact, this was the first
time that worship attendance aver-
Ashland Theological Seminary
to build new academic center
Ashland, Ohio — The Ashland Uni-
versity Board of Trustees has given
unanimous approval for the con-
struction of a new academic center
for Ashland Theological Seminary.
The 9,500-square foot facility will
include classrooms, a computer lab,
a student center, a 156-seat audito-
rium, and office space. The pro-
jected cost is $875,000, and fund-
raising efforts are now underway.
According to Dr. Frederick Finks,
president of the seminary, "The
continued growth of the seminary
has necessitated this project. The
additional facility will greatly
enhance the learning environment
and help us in preparing men and
women for Christian ministry."
The new academic center will be
located on High Street next to the
Shultz Academic Center and will be
connected to the Shultz Center by a
glassed-in walkway.
Ground will be broken for the new
building this spring, and it is ex-
pected that construction will be com-
pleted by December.
aged above 400. In addition, 45 peo-
ple were baptized in 1995, and 53
new members were added to the
congregation during the year.
Last month's Evangelist (p. 12) carried an article about dolls that Diane
Elwood and women at Meadow Crest Brethren Church in Ft. Wayne, Ind.,
rehabilitated and sent to Lost Creek, Ky. Pictured above with some of the dolls
are (I. to r.) Doran Hostetler, principal of Riverside Christian School at Lost
Creek, and the Elwood family — Larry, Diane, Keith, Katie, and Curtis.
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( The Brethren j
Evangelist
Funderhurg Library 1
MANCHESTER COLL^
■ rth Manchester, IN&6
f^CH
Vol. 118, No. 4
A newsletter for Brethren people
April 1996
Charles W. Colson draws some interesting contrasts between:
Watergate and the Resurrection
OLIVER STONE'S much bally-
hooed film about Richard Nixon
opened the week before Christmas.
It may sound strange, but this ren-
dition of the Watergate cover-up
reminds us that it would have
been impossible for the greatest
story ever told not to be true.
There have always been people
who denied that Jesus even lived.
But archaeologists and historians
have uncovered enough documen-
tation in recent decades that Jesus'
existence is no longer in question.
But Christians believe not only
that Jesus lived and died, but that
he was also raised from the dead.
Here is where Oliver Stone comes
in. His film on the Nixon years re-
minds us once again that there was
a political scandal called Watergate,
in which I played a major part.
A group of rogue political operatives
orchestrated a break-in at Demo-
cratic National Headquarters in 1972.
On March 21, 1973, White House
Counsel John Dean walked into the
president's office and for the first
time told Nixon all that was involved
in Watergate. At that moment
Nixon knew all — and the White
House cover-up began in earnest.
The cover-up is doomed
By April 8 Dean fled to the pros-
ecutor's office, and the rest, as they
say, is history. Why did Dean bar-
gain for immunity? In his memoir,
Blind Ambition, Dean acknowledged
with refreshing candor that he did
so not to save the Constitution, but
to save his own skin. When that hap-
pened, other aides scrambled to
make deals. Nixon and the cover-
up were doomed.
So, 12 of the most powerful men
in the world couldn't contain a lie
for three weeks.
Compare this with the acts of the
11 apostles who professed to have
seen the resurrected Jesus. While
the Nixon circle enjoyed the protec-
tion of the most powerful man in
the world, these apostles were ordi-
nary men; they had no protection
whatsoever.
They had seen the risen Christ
And so, for possibly as long as 60
years, members of this group were
hounded and tortured for their
faith. All but one died a martyr's
death. Yet not one of them ever re-
nounced his belief that he had seen
the risen Christ.
How could this happen? After all,
as Stone shows us, it takes no time
at all for powerful men to crack un-
der pressure to save their skins.
But the powerless apostles didn't
change their tune. The reason?
They had seen God in the flesh and
could not deny it.
Had they not, the Apostle Peter
would have been just like John
Dean. After all, he had already
turned on Jesus three times.
Non-believers may dismiss the
apostles as just religious fanatics,
but that misses the point: Men will
die for what they believe to be true.
But they will not die for something
they know to be false.
There is also the evidence of how
Christ changes lives today. In my
many trips into the world's prisons
— some of which are so horrid that
Americans would be arrested if
they left their dogs in similar cir-
cumstances— I have seen astonish-
ing transformations. Scoffers tell
us that these prisoners, trapped in
hell-holes, have every incentive to
comfort themselves with illusions.
They tell us that religion blinds us
to the true nature of life.
But they are wrong. It is Christi-
anity that leads thousands of vol-
unteers into the prisons — week af-
ter week, year after year — to con-
front the horror of our fallen world.
Prisons are not the only destina-
tion. Christianity has led countless
people far from the comfortable
studies where scoffers reign, to
serve those who are the least of us,
always at the cost of comfort, some-
times at the cost of life. [ft]
Mr. Colson, former special counsel to
Richard Nixon, served a prison term for
his role in the Watergate scandal. He now
heads Prison Fellowship International,
an evangelical Christian ministry to the
imprisoned and their families.
©1995 Religion News Service
In this issue
Watergate and the Resurrection
Frogs in a kettle
Why do we need revival?
Understanding the Bible
Table Talk 1 996
God's word on our hearts
Ministry pages
Around the denomination
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
10
Frogs in a kettle of lukewarm water
By Timothy Eagle
You are the salt of the earth. But if
the salt loses its saltiness, how can it
be made salty again? It is no longer
good for anything, except to be thrown
out and trampled by men.
You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither
do people light a lamp and put it un-
der a bowl. Instead they put it on its
stand, and it gives light to everyone
in the house. In the same way, let
your light shine before men, that they
may see your good deeds and praise
your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16, Niv
A FRIEND gave me a magazine
article to read. The title of the
article was, "Are we frogs in luke-
warm water?" The article discusses
how we are becoming immersed in
the "trash talk" of television and
radio and how this is affecting us
morally and spiritually.
The author used the illustration of
a frog. When a frog is placed in a
kettle of boiling water, it will jump
out to save itself from boiling to
death. But if the frog is placed in a
kettle of water at room temperature
and the water is heated two degrees
at a time, the frog can eventually be
boiled to death without its trying to
save itself.
Heated up by the media
I began to think about how the
media (television, radio, magazines,
newspapers, etc.) have a great in-
fluence upon our culture. We rely
on the ideas, images, and sounds
they bring us and we are affected
by them.
I wonder if we as Christians are
sometimes being so "heated up"
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monthly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; E-mail: Brelhrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
that we do not realize that we could
be in great moral and spiritual dan-
ger. Has this culture influenced us
to such a great extent that we fol-
low its guidelines rather than the
biblical guidelines we as Christians
should follow? The Bible does give
us specific moral rules which Chris-
tians should follow. (See Romans 1;
Galatians 5:13-26; Ephesians 4:17-
32; Colossians 3-17; 1 Peter 4:1-11;
Revelation 22:12-15).
Bringing flavor and light
In the passage of Scripture printed
at the beginning of this article,
Jesus calls us to be salt and light to
our world. Salt flavors food. So we
are to be flavoring our society with
biblical moral values. We are to be
"light" in the darkness. Our lives
are to be a testimony, like a big city
on a hill at night so that even non-
believers will be grateful
and praise and thank God
for us.
Are Christians doing that
in American culture to-
day? Are we truly being
salt and light to our soci-
ety? Whatever we believe
about the affects of Chris-
tianity on this nation, we
always need to remember
our responsibility as
Christians to influence
our society and culture,
just as salt flavors food
and light overcomes dark-
ness.
How do we do that? In a
representative democracy
we have much greater re-
sponsibilities than our Christian
brothers and sisters had in the
past. We can vote, write letters,
make phone calls, and even send
faxes or e-mail to leaders. We can
volunteer for agencies or charities
to help those who are less fortunate
than we are. We can give time or
money to organizations that sup-
port Christian causes. The possi-
bilities are great.
Can one person do it all? No, but
many persons working together
through God's power can help to
"flavor" and "enlighten" society to
biblical principles and values.
What can you do? Ask the Lord and
let him show you. Each of us is
gifted in different ways, and I am
sure that He can show you how to
be salt and light to our community
and culture. And once He shows
you, go and do that. Don't be that
"frog in a kettle." [ft]
Rev. Eagle is pastor of the Garber
Brethren Church in Ashland, Ohio.
This article originally appeared in the
Garber Church newsletter and is re-
printed with permission.
Five Dimensions of
Church Growth
• Churches grow warmer through
fellowship.
• Churches grow deeper through
discipleship.
• Churches grow stronger through
worship.
• Churches grow broader through
ministry.
• Churches grow larger through
evangelism.
— The Purpose-Driven Church
by Rick Warren (Zondervan, 1995)
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The Brethren Evangelist
Why do we need revival?
By Harold Walton
ACCORDING to David Bryant,
more people are living today
than have died in all of human his-
tory. Billions of people need to be
reached with the gospel. But the
church seems unable to respond to
this need. We need revival in order
to further the fulfillment of the
Great Commission. A revival em-
powers the witness of the church.
We need a revival that more of the
lost will be won.
Another indication of our need for
revival is the lack of impact that
the evangelical church is having on
our society. In 1983 Dr. Kenneth
Kantzer wrote in Christianity To-
day magazine:
Evangelicalism is weaker now
than it was fifteen years ago, or
fifty years ago. The influence of
evangelical faith and evangeli-
cal ethics is less. As a culture,
our nation and, indeed west-
ern Europe, are moving away
from biblical Christianity.
Most people don't realize that
one hundred years ago the
mainline denominations were
all evangelical.
Abortion, pornography, divorce,
the homosexual lifestyle, drug
abuse, and crime all abound.
Rather than exerting a preserving
influence upon our culture, the
church seems largely to be ignored.
We need the supernatural power of
God, says Martyn Lloyd-Jones, to
break through the resistance to the
gospel and impact our generation.
Revival moves us in that direction.
The judgment of God
That our country faces the judg-
ment of God because of our sins is
certainly reason for us to seek
God's renewal of the church. The
Bible says that nations that forget
God will be turned into hell (Ps
9:17). John Dawson declares that
"We are living in a time of certain,
but postponed, judgment." Yet
there is still time to turn to the
Lord. Perhaps as with Nineveh,
God will turn from the judgment he
has purposed (Jonah 3:10).
Finally, we need revival that
God's name would receive the honor
it deserves. When the church fails
to have a Christ-exalting testimony
to the world, God's name is not
properly recognized and respected.
He "loses face." A revival super-
naturally "authenticates" the gos-
pel of Christ before a skeptical
world. Francis Schaeffer once
wrote, "If the Church does not show
forth the supernatural in our gen-
eration, what will? . . . There must
be something the world cannot ex-
plain away."
Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached that
The Christian Church would have
been dead and finished centuries
ago and many times over were it
not for revivals." Many are calling
out to God in this dark hour in North
America for God to send a mighty
awakening to the church and bring
God the glory and praise that He
deserves. It is our only hope. ["3"]
Dr. Walton is pastor of the Wayne
Heights Brethren Church of Waynes-
boro, Pa. His major project for his
Doctor of Ministry degree, which he
received last year, was "A Study in the
Principles of Revival."
National TV-Turnoff Week!
COULD YOU GO a week without watching tele-
vision? "Sure!" you reply. Then maybe you'd like
to take that challenge the last week of this month
(April 24-30) during National TV-Turnoff Week.
(Quick, grab the TV-
Guide and see what spe-
cial programs are on that
week! I'm sure glad the
NCAA basketball tour-
nament is over!)
More than one million
people participated in the
first TV-Turnoff\ast April,
and that figure is expect-
ed to double this year. Many of those who partici-
pated in last year's Turnoff say that they and their
families are watching much less television now than
before, and some report that their TVs are still off.
"National TV-Turnoff Week moves far beyond the
old debate about content and the current noise sur-
rounding the v-chip," says Henry Labalme, executive
director of TV-Free America, sponsor of the event.
'The more important issue is not what we watch, but
how much we watch."
According to 1996 A.C. Nielsen Co. surveys, the
average American watches four hours of TV per day
(the equivalent of two months of non-stop watching
per year!). By the time he or she graduates from high
school, the average American child has spent more
time watching TV than in school classes. And at the
rate of 4 hours per day, by age 65 a person will have
spent (wasted?) ten years of his or her life watching
television.
But merely turning off the television isn't enough.
TV-Free America suggests using that extra time for
more family interaction, reading, volunteering, exer-
cising, enjoying nature, playing sports, taking part
in community affairs, thinking, creating, and doing.
And perhaps we could add such activities as reading
God's word, praying, memorizing Scripture, and
sharing our faith.
National TV-Turnoff Week is endorsed by the
American Medical Association, American Psychiat-
ric Association, National Association of Elementary
School Principals, Congress of National Black
Churches, Family Research Council, and Literacy
Volunteers of America, to name just a few. And for
what it's worth, it's also endorsed by the editor of the
EVANGELIST. What about you. Are you up to the chal-
lenge of spending a week without TV? [ft]
— Richard C. Winfield, Editor
April 1996
Baptism: The Watery Grave
By Brian H. Moore
ONE SUBJECT that has been
both dear to and controversial
for the Brethren over the years is
baptism. Probably no other single
subject has so commanded the at-
tention of the Brethren throughout
the 288 years of our existence! In
fact, German Baptist Brethren was
our early name!
Granted, the Brethren have not
been alone in the struggles regard-
ing baptism. To this very day, de-
nominations and church unions are
dealing with difficulties regarding
baptism, especially on three fronts:
(1) Who are proper subjects for bap-
tism? (2) How is baptism to be ad-
ministered and by whom? (3) What
are the effects of baptism on the
one being baptized?
For the purposes of this article, I
am not particularly interested in
any of these questions. I am sure,
however, that I will be unable to
escape them completely, since my
position on these issues will become
evident as my writing unfolds. In
fact, for most Brethren the answers
to these questions are "givens." In
this article, however, I will be limit-
ing myself primarily to a discussion
of Romans 6:1-14, which I will be
approaching from historical, bibli-
cal, and practical considerations.
Historical
In addressing questions pertain-
ing to baptism, the Brethren have
rushed to Romans 6 (as well as to
Matthew 28:19-20) as one defini-
tive source for our understanding.
Before the Brethren became a dis-
tinct movement, its leaders studied
the writings of the Pietist author
Gottfried Arnold (1666-1714), includ-
ing his views on baptism. Arnold,
based on his understanding of Ro-
mans 6, believed baptism was a
pledge "to die to the world and sin and
live for righteousness."1 Baptism
was a sign that the work of conver-
'Dale Stoffer, Background and Develop-
ment of Brethren Doctrines, 1650-1987
(Philadelphia: Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc.,
1989), p. 33.
sion had already begun, thus it ef-
fected nothing of itself. But it was
definitely a sign of the new birth.
Alexander Mack (1679-1735), the
acknowledged founding leader of the
Brethren movement, drew heavily
from Arnold's teaching about bap-
tism. Baptism, among other things,
"symbolizes the burial of a person's
sins and, according to Romans 6:2^4,
his burial into death and his arising
to newness of life in Christ Jesus."2
The preoccupation of Brethren with
baptism is evident from the outset
in that in Mack's Rights and Ordi-
nances, of the 59 questions pro-
posed, 29 of them deal with ques-
tions about baptism. The histori-
cal situation largely contributed to
this apparent imbalance.
In America, one very influential
person among the Brethren in the
nineteenth century was Peter Nead
(1796-1877). Nead was emphatic in
addressing the issue of believer's
baptism by threefold immersion, a
subject which dominated his writ-
ings. Nead relied upon Romans
6:3-5 to establish his teaching that
baptism was by immersion, since
Paul is speaking about burial and
resurrection in that text.4
Most Brethren writings about
baptism have been arguments de-
fending our mode of baptism. This
emphasis has often put us in peril
of teaching baptismal regeneration
(that baptism itself brings new life).
The Brethren did not want to say
this, but their insistence that trine
immersion was the only proper
form of baptism, the only method
that God approves, led them very
close to this inescapable conclusion.
As a result of their preoccupation
with mode, they often missed the
point of what Paul was teaching in
Romans 6.
Biblical
Understanding the context is the
most important principle of biblical
2Ibid., p. 78.
3lbid.
4Ibid., p. 127.
interpretation. Ignoring the con-
text is probable the most frequent
violation of proper biblical interpre-
tation.
The context of Romans 6 is Paul's
discussion about how to sail through
the narrow passage between justifi-
cation by law (legalism) on the one
side and lawlessness on the other.
Paul's critics were apparently ac-
cusing him of advocating lawless-
ness in Christian ethics. Since
grace is
"greater
than all
our sin,"
some criti-
cized Paul
for en-
couraging
Understanding
the Bible
sin in or-
der to am-
plify grace
(6:1).
To Paul the idea was preposter-
ous! Shame on anyone for such pre-
sumption! But it is a serious accu-
sation. Paul answers his critics by
providing three illustrations to
demonstrate why the accusation is
unfounded.
The first illustration is baptism
(6:1-14). The second is taken from
the practice of slavery (6:15-23).
And the third is drawn from the
marriage relationship (7:1-6).
Looking at the passage from this
perspective, we realize that Romans
6:1-14 is not primarily about bap-
tism; it is about Christian living. It
is about what we sometimes call
sanctification, the development of a
holy life. Understood in this way,
baptism is "a serious call to a de-
vout and holy life."
Baptism is a profound illustra-
tion of what happens when a per-
son comes to faith in Christ, espe-
cially with reference to how that
person lives out the implications of
that response. Baptism is a watery
grave! It is the place where the old
self is buried. But baptism is also
about an empty grave, because the
believer is resurrected into a new
life.
Baptism, however, is more than
an illustration; it also represents
identification with Christ. The bur-
ial is burial with Christ, and the
rising to new life is resurrection
with Christ. In God's eyes, we are
The Brethren Evangelist
"united with (Christ) in his death"
and "in his resurrection" (6:5). In a
kind of timelessness, the baptized
believer is identified with Christ
and His resurrection.
Paul's point, then, is this: how
can anyone who has died to the old
self continue to honor its will and
practice its morals? Baptism is a
dividing point — a boundary marker
— separating the old life from the
new. The believer has crossed over
into a new life; how can there mor-
ally be a going back? Karl Barth,
who at this point would have made
"a good Brethren," summarizes the
idea this way:
What baptism portrays ... is a su-
premely critical happening — a real
event whose light and shade fall
upon the candidate in the course
of His baptism. . . . With [Christ]
this particular individual died eter-
nally. . . . But with Him also this
particular individual rose from the
dead for evermore. . . . He is now
dead to sin, but has become alive
unto God for an existence in His
service.5
5Karl Barth (translated by Ernest Payne),
The Teaching of the Church Regarding Bap-
tism (London: SCM Press, 1948), p 11.
Practical
If baptism is an illustration of mak-
ing the break with the dominion of
the sinful self, does it not follow
that the moral life is incumbent
upon the believer? In baptism, the
believer "signs on for the cross."6
Baptism, then, is the beginning of
the road of discipleship, of faith-
fully following Jesus Christ. If this
is not a reality in the life of the
baptized person, that baptism is
misunderstood and becomes a
meaningless ritual.
Granted, baptism signifies only
the beginning of the new life; the
new believer has much growing to
do. There will be multiple signs of
weakness and struggle. "In bap-
tism, our 'old Adam' is drowned.
But as Luther says, old Adam is a
mighty good swimmer."7 Neverthe-
less, the basic direction of one's life
has been changed.
As the church on the brink of the
21st century continues to struggle
with nominalism and the integrity
6William H. Willimon, The Service of
God: How Worship and Ethics are Related
(Nashville: Abingdon, 1983), p. 102.
^bid., p. 108.
The Choice
by Charles R. Swindoll
YOU AND I have been called to
operate in the sphere of spiritual
progress. God has called us to be in a
spiritual growth pattern. Sometimes
we're up . . . sometimes down. Some-
times we're more victorious than
other times. But the progress is a
movement forward and higher. God
certainly has not called us for the pur-
pose of impurity, even though we
continue to live in a world socked in
by a moral fog.
Two options
Actually, you have two options.
First, you can choose to live your life
in a horizontal fog. If that is your
choice, the results are predictable.
You will continue to drift in a fog of
moral uncertainties. Your disobedi-
ence will result in a series of rationali-
zations that will leave you empty.
Guilt and grief will be your compan-
ions. You can choose to live like that.
If you do, you open up a door of mis-
ery for yourself. You'll play at church.
You'll toss around a few religious
words. But before very long, your life-
style will match the atmosphere
around you. Your eyes will no longer
tear up. Your conscience will no
longer sting. Your heart won't beat
faster. You may even stop blushing. A
jaded, horizontal lifestyle is an option.
But it has those consequences . . .
those terrible consequences.
Why? The Avenger. God doesn't let
His children play in the traffic without
getting hurt. Your disobedience will
result in increasing personal misery.
Second, you can choose to live your
life vertically on target. The benefits?
You will honor the God of moral ab-
solutes. And your obedience will re-
sult in greater personal confidence and
habits of holiness. It will begin to
come supernaturally. You'll find
yourself stronger, more secure, pos-
sessing a healthy self-image. [ft]
From the booklet Moral Purity: Affirm-
ing the Value of Godliness by Charles R
Swindoll (Zondervan Publishing House,
1995). Provided by the publisher.
of church membership, baptism
serves notice to all who participate
in it (as well as to all who adminis-
ter it) that this matter of following
Christ is serious business. It is a
life-and-death issue!
In order to accommodate the
modern American mind, we some-
times tend to downplay the radical
Correspondence Welcomed
Questions or comments about this
series of articles or suggestions for
future topics may be sent to the Com-
mittee on Doctrine, Research, and
Publication in care of The Brethren
Evangelist, 524 College Ave., Ash-
land, OH 44805.
nature of discipleship. We tend to
remove the cross and to replace it
with something more palatable. But
the cross is not an option for the
Christian; it never was! Dying to
self and rising to new life are basic
to the very essence of what it
means to be a Christian.
In my opinion, this aspect of the
meaning of baptism far outweighs
in importance any discussion of
how a person is to be baptized. The
historic Brethren mode of baptism
may best illustrate its meaning, but
unless our practice is accompanied
by genuine, heartfelt, vigorous dis-
cipleship, it matters little what
form our baptism takes. [ft]
Dr. Moore, pastor of the St. James,
Md., Brethren Church, chairs the
Brethren Church's Spiritual Formation
Commission and also serves on the
Committee on Doctrine, Research and
Publication, which is preparing this se-
ries of articles.
The great
Easter truth
is not that
we are to
live newly
after death
— that is not the great thing —
but that we are to be new here
and now by the power of the res-
urrection; not so much that we
are to live forever as that we are
to, and may, live nobly now be-
cause we are to live forever.
— Phillips Brooks
From The Compete Speakers
Sourcebook by Eleanor Doan (Zon-
dervan, 1996)
April 1996
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TABLE TALK 1996
By Tina Ross
THE COMMISSION for Evan-
gelism & Church Growth is ex-
cited about hosting the first Table
Talk during this year's General
Conference.* We have created a
list of topics we would like to see
discussed and are looking for
Brethren volunteers who would be
willing to lead the discussions.
Please look over the following list
of topics to see if you or someone
you know may have any experience
in these areas. If so, determine if
you or that person would be willing
to lead an 18-minute discussion on
that topic during General Confer-
ence or would sit at a booth where
you could share your ideas on this
topic with others. Remember that
*See page 9 of the December Evangelist
for a more detailed explanation of what
Table Talk is all about.
the central focus for each topic is to
be on Evangelism & Church
Growth. Feel free to add any topics
to the list that we may have
missed.
Topics
1. Creative Marketing for the
Church: Using the Media
2. Beginning a Community Out-
reach to Children
3. Making Your Church Facilities
Accessible to the Handicapped
4. Using Sports Activities as Out-
reach
5. Getting First-Time Visitors in
the Front Door
6. What Makes a Good Church
Brochure
7. Tapping into Multi-Housing
Communities
8. Effective Use of Name Tags
I would like to (circle one): volunteer/suggest the name of a person
to do the following (circle one): lead a discussion/be responsible for a booth
on the following topic:
Select a topic from the above list or suggest another topic related to Evangelism & Church Growth
Name
Your name or the name of the person you are suggesting
Street Address
Your address or the address of the person you are suggesting
City/State/Zip Phone #
If you are suggesting someone else above, please complete the following:
Your name Phone #
Please complete and mail by May 1 to:
Cindy Smith
The Brethren Church National Office
524 College Ave., Ashland, Ohio 44805.
9. How Musical Styles Impact
Evangelism
10. Using Worship as Outreach
11. How to do Visitor Follow-up
12. Characteristics of Working
Greeter Programs
13. Targeting Ministry to the Busy
Family of the 90s
14. Ushering as a Ministry
15. Making the Nursery an Out-
reach Program
16. Turning Youth into Evangel-
ists
17. Using Summer Camp for Out-
reach
18. Ministry to the Physically-
Challenged Person
19. Ministry to the Emotionally
Handicapped
20. The Working Role of an Evan-
gelism Board or Ministry
21. The Pastor of the 21st Cen-
tury: Changing Roles in Evan-
gelism
22. Using a Church Newsletter for
Outreach
23. Turning Visitors into Members
24. Small Groups: Ends or Means?
25. Discovering the Evangelistic
Styles of Church Members
26. Reaching People Not Like Me
27. Outreach to the Retired Person
28. Blending Worship Styles to
Meet Needs
29. Working Welcome Classes
30. Block Parties as Community
Outreach
31. The Role of Deacons in Evan-
gelistic Responsibility [ft]
Mrs. Ross is a member of the Bloom-
ingdale Brethren Church of Valrico,
Fla., and serves on the Evangelism &
Church Growth Commission.
Evangelism Explosion Inter-
national recently became the
first Christian organization in his-
tory to establish its ministry in all
211 nations of the world (includ-
ing one African country that is
99.8 percent Muslim).
Founded in 1962 by Presbyte-
rian minister Dr. D. James Ken-
nedy, Evangelism Explosion seeks
to "equip the Body of Christ world-
wide for friendship, evangelism,
discipleship and healthy growth."
It does this by equipping pastors
and local believers who, in turn,
train others and multiply the
number of witnesses within their
own communities and countries.
The Brethren Evangelist
Writing God's word on our hearts
By Susan Lingo
GOD has carefully and firmly
set forth mighty commands
concerning Scripture memorization.
God said, "Fix these words of mine
in your hearts and minds; tie them
as symbols on your hands and bind
them on your foreheads. Teach them
to your children, talking about
them when you sit at home and
when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you
get up" (Deut. 11:18-19, NIV).
Our heavenly Father did not sug-
gest that we try to recall His words,
nor did He intimate that we should
read them once and forget them.
Instead, God commanded us to im-
press His holy words upon our
hearts, souls, hands, and minds —
and upon those of our children.
Four key things
In these two important verses of
Scripture, we're commanded to do
four key things with God's word:
• Fix God's word in our hearts
and minds. "Fix" in this verse
comes from the Hebrew word
sin, meaning "to place or put."
God desires us to place His word
in our hearts and minds, to fix
and lock it deep in our inner-
most parts, and cradle it close to
the very essence of our lives.
There can be no mistaking God's
intention of the word fix — God
wants us to memorize His word!
• Tie God 's word to our hands.
God has commanded us to put
His holy word into action. Only
when we have fixed Scripture in
our hearts and minds can we
apply God's word in our lives.
Even Jesus used Scripture to
actively rebuke Satan's tempta-
tions.
• Bind God's word to our fore-
heads. God commands us to
keep Scripture foremost in our
Bill Bright wins 1996 Templeton prize
Dr. William R. "Bill" Bright,
founder and president of Campus
Crusade for Christ International,
was recently awarded the 1996
Templeton Prize for Progress in
Religion.*
Dr. Bright (74) and his wife Von-
ette sold a budding food-specialties
business in 1951 to begin Campus
Crusade for Christ at the Univer-
sity of California at Los Angeles.
Today Campus Crusade serves on
more than 650 university cam-
puses in the United States and ap-
proximately 470 campuses over-
seas. The organization has as its
ultimate goal to help evangelize
every single person on earth.
In 1956 Bright wrote Four Spiri-
*The Templeton Prize for Progress in
Religion is the world's largest financial
annual award, this year totaling more than
$1 million. It is awarded each year to a
person who has shown extraordinary
originality in advancing humankind's un-
derstanding of God and/or spirituality.
Past winners have included Billy Graham,
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Charles Colson,
and Mother Teresa, to name a few.
tual Laws — a booklet giving a four-
point outline on how to establish a
personal relationship with Jesus
Christ. The booklet has been
printed in nearly 200 languages and
is likely the most widely-dissemi-
nated religious booklet in history.
Among the most ambitious of
Campus Crusade's efforts has been
JESUS, a feature-length film
documenting the life of Christ.
Since its debut in 1979, it has been
translated into 355 languages and
viewed by an estimated 750 million
people in 217 countries.
Bright's latest projects emphasize
mobilizing millions of Christians to
fast and pray for worldwide spiri-
tual revival. He believes that fast-
ing with biblical prayer is the most
enriching and energizing of all
Christian disciplines and can ac-
complish more for God's glory than
anything else Christians can do.
He plans to use the money from the
Templeton prize to educate church
leaders worldwide to the spiritual
benefits of fasting and prayer. [ft]
minds, for when we know what
God's word says, we're able to
make godly choices in our daily
walk and readily proclaim God's
truth, wisdom, and love to others.
• Teach God's word to our chil-
dren. Who can add more? God
commands us to teach Scripture
to our children in all we do and
wherever we go! And this teach-
ing is threefold: memorizing,
comprehending, and applying
God's word in our lives every day.
Fix. Tie. Bind. Teach. Com-
manding words of commitment and
action. The challenging act of
memorizing Scripture is obedience.
It's our responsibility. And Scrip-
ture memorization can be an im-
mense portion of our Christian joy.
Jesus gave us an example
Jesus acknowledged that Scrip-
ture is lifeblood that flows through
our veins when he said, "Man does
not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth
of God" (Matt. 4:4, NIV). If Jesus
memorized and quoted Scripture,
shouldn't we?
Sadly there are some who dis-
agree. Their arguments range from
"It's too difficult!" to "Words are just
words — it's action and under-
standing that count!" Yes, compre-
hension and application are vital
and God-commanded, yet how can
comprehension and application oc-
cur without knowing God's word
and exactly what it says? Remem-
ber "fix, tie, bind, teach'?
Fix, tie, and bind are words of
commitment and memory; they
precede teaching, which is where
application begins! We don't have
to choose between comprehension,
memorization, and application.
There simply isn't a hierarchy of
importance between these aspects
of Scripture. They're meant to be
inseparable and integral parts of
one another. [ft]
Ms. Lingo, an associate senior editor
for Group Publishing in Loveland,
Colo., was an elementary teacher for
more than 14 years and has written
more than 20 children's books. This ar-
ticle was taken from her new book,
Written on Our Hearts (Zondervan
Publishing House, 1995), and was pro-
vided by the publisher.
April 1996
Brethren World Relief
Our Love
Reaches
Around
the World
Thanks in part to the
Brethren, World Relief
brought help and hope
to people in 29 coun-
tries in 1995.
AFRICA
Burkina Faso: Life Loans for
poor families; agricultural train-
ing for improved food produc-
tion; health education.
Liberia: Reconciliation confer-
ences and workshops; Life
Loans for poor women; health
education; emergency relief for
flood victims.
Malawi: Training church leaders
to carry out development pro-
jects and AIDS ministries.
Mozambique: Provided 78 wells
for drought-prone communities;
seeds and tools for 25,000 farm-
ing families; Life Loans for 900
poor families.
Rwanda: Reconciliation minis-
tries; food and supplies for dis-
placed people; reconstruction of
medical clinics; roofing for wid-
ows' homes.
Sierra Leone: Food and medicine
for displaced victims of war.
Zaire: Food, medicine, and sup-
plies for Rwandan refugees; care
for orphans and children sepa-
rated from parents; reconstruc-
tion of school building; reconcili-
ation ministries.
ASIA
Bangladesh: Blankets and warm
clothes for poor families during
cold weather; health education
for mothers; immunizations and
vitamin A for children; small
8
loans for poor families; support
for infants' and women's health
center.
Cambodia: Life Loans for 2,138
poor women; health education
for mothers of young children;
immunizations for young chil-
dren; health education and
evangelism/Christian education
for 1,600 older children.
India: Emergency food and sup-
plies for flood victims; support
for Brethren Mission's minis-
try of food distribution, mo-
bile medical clinics, and con*
struction of wells.
Indonesia: Support for indige-
nous church ministry providing
goats and ducks for poor fami-
lies.
Japan: Emergency food, clothing,
shelter for earthquake victims;
financial support for pastors.
Pakistan: English-language train-
ing for Afghan refugees.
Thailand: Agricultural coopera-
tive for farmers in northern
Thailand.
Vietnam: Clean water project;
vocational training for blind and
handicapped adults; equipment
for medical clinic; loans for poor
women.
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
Antigua and Virgin Islands:
Shipping costs for delivery of
food and emergency aid to vic-
tims of Hurricanes Luis and
Marilyn.
Cuba: At U.S. Naval base on
Guantanamo Bay, provided voca-
tional education, adult educa-
tion^ health and social services
for more than 25,000 Cuban and
Haitian refugees.
El Salvador: Children's health
program; support for indigenous
church ministry to poor families.
Guatemala: Support for local
churches' community develop-
ment ministry.
Haiti: AIDS education for church
leaders; assistance for refugees
returning to Haiti.
Honduras: Life Loans for 9,400
poor women; support for local
churches' mother-child health
ministry.
Nicaragua: Agricultural assis-
tance and training for 2,000
poor farmers; reforestation pro-
ject; health education and train-
ing for 24,000 women; immuni-
zations, nutrition assistance,
and vitamin A for 20,000 young
children.
Peru: Life Loans for 450 poor
Quechua Indian families; sup-
port for Luke Society child
health ministry.
UNITED STATES
Family Ministries: Parenting
education for single mothers; lit-
eracy training; ministry to home-
less families.
Oklahoma City: Trauma counsel-
ing for victims of April 19 bomb-
ing.
Refugee Ministries: In 31 cities
provided English-language train-
ing, employment services, and
other resettlement ministries to
10,799 refugees.
EUROPE/OTHER
Bosnia: Emergency food, medi-
cine, shelter for refugee families.
Croatia: Emergency food, cloth-
ing, counseling for war refugees;
reconciliation ministries; sup-
port for evangelical church min-
istries.
Iraq: Assistance for churches in
northern Iraq to provide shelter,
food, and medicine for Kurdish
refugees.
Serbia: Refugee assistance in Bel-
grade and surrounding areas.
The Brethren Evangelist
Brethren World Relief
World Relief giving lowest in 8 years!
WORLD RELIEF GIVING in
The Brethren Church in 1995
totaled $64,532. On the positive
side, this is a considerable sum of
money and actually more than the
minimum Fair Share for the de-
nomination as a whole (approxi-
mate $61,175). On the negative
side, it was the lowest total since
1987, and nearly
20 percent less
than the total for
1994 ($80,358).
In his financial
report to the Gen-
eral Conference
Executive Coun-
cil, Ronald W.
Waters suggested
that part of the
reason for this
drop in support
for World Relief
may have been
the lack of any publicized disasters
during 1995. A look back to 1994
lends support to this, for giving
that year was only average until
August, when Brethren were in-
formed of the crisis in Rwanda.
Then Brethren responded with an
outpouring of gifts that resulted in
the total for the year of $80,358.
But the sad truth is that just be-
cause no major disaster was in the
World Relief Contributions*
1987 through 1995
1987 $60,665
1988 $66,541
1989 $98,892#
1990 $79,357
1991 $86,114
1992 $88,477
1993 $71,828
1994 $80,358
1995 $64,532
'Excluding contributions sent directly
to World Relief of NAE.
included a $22,216 bequest.
news in 1995 did not mean that
great needs did not continue to ex-
ist! In fact, the need always exceeds
the resources. And when giving
falls off, this only makes the situ-
ation worse.
World Relief Corporation of the
National Association of Evangeli-
cals was able to meet many needs
and to help thou-
sands of people in
1995. (See the infor-
mation on the preced-
ing page). But it
could have helped
many more people if
it had only had the
resources to do so.
It certainly must be
very difficult to go to
an area where thou-
sands of people are in
desperate need and
only be able to help a
few hundred of them. Or to receive
an appeal for help from another
area of the world and to be unable
to respond because of lack of funds.
So this year, let's not wait for
some major disaster to strike be-
fore we dig into our pocketbooks.
Let us respond generously, out of
love and compassion, to the many
around our world who are already
in need. [t]
World Relief multiplies our gifts
£$1+ WRC = a$
WHILE it doesn't begin to com-
pare with the way Jesus took
a few loaves and fishes and mul-
tiplied them to feed the 5,000,
World Relief of the National As-
sociation of Evangelicals is, never-
theless, able to multiply the money
it receives several times in order
to help many more people. By
seeking matching funds from
government, business, and pri-
vate sources, World Relief is able
to increase each dollar's impact.
In 1995, for example, each dol-
lar donated to World Relief pro-
vided $3.84 in lifesaving help. So
if you donated $5.00 to World Re-
lief, you were helping to provide
$19.20 in assistance. Just think
how much assistance you can
provide this year if you donate 10,
20, or 50 dollars! [*]
Causes of Hunger
Cause 1: Violence
Hunger and poverty breed vio-
lence. Violence, militarism, and
warfare almost inevitably lead to
hunger.
Cause 2: Powerlessness
Hunger is fundamentally a po-
litical question. People are hun-
gry because their voices are not
heard in the halls of power.
Cause 3: Poverty
Hungry people are almost al-
ways poor. Very poor people are
chronically hungry.
Cause 4:
Environmental
overload
Overconsumption by affluent
people and rapid population
growth add great strain on the
environment and contribute to
hunger and poverty, especially in
poor countries.
Cause 5: Discrimination
Racism and ethnocentrism un-
derlie many situations of unequal
access to resources, and often
lead to violent conflict and hun-
ger. Women, children, and eld-
erly people are often denied ac-
cess to decisions and opportuni-
ties which affect their well-being
and development, fostering the
cycle of hunger.
Response: Values
and voting
Hunger in a world of plenty is
an indictment of the moral condi-
tion of modern society. Humani-
tarian values need to be ex-
pressed not only in the family, but
in the community — nationally and
internationally as well. Affluent
people need to join with low-
income people in voting for those
values which lead to the elimina-
tion of hunger.
Source: Bread for the World In-
stitute, 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite
1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910
April 1996
0oocTf/T©
Solomons put faith into action
in visit to Dominican Republic
Beavercreek, Ohio — Former
Brethren missionary Jan Solomon
and her 11 -year-old daughter Lisa
spent 12 days in the Dominican
Republic in January putting their
faith into action.
The two were part of a group of
27 from Dayton Christian Schools
who traveled to the Caribbean na-
tion to work, play, and pray with
the Dominicans. The primary pur-
pose of the trip was to work on a
clinic in the village of Juan Tomas.
The group painted, spread mortar,
mixed cement, and helped dig a ditch.
The students also presented skits,
mimes, and puppet shows drama-
tizing the love of Jesus Christ.
Mrs. Solomon, who served as trans-
lator for the group, teaches Spanish
and is a guidance counselor at
Xenia Christian High School. Lisa
is a sixth grader at the Xenia ele-
mentary campus of Dayton Chris-
tian Schools. A bonus of the trip for
the Solomons was the opportunity
to meet two children their family
sponsors through World Vision.
GCEC approves working document
for denominational reorganization
Ashland, Ohio — Consideration
of a working document for denomi-
national reorganization was the
major item of business at the Gen-
eral Conference Executive Council
(GCEC) meeting held Friday,
March 15, at Park Street Brethren
Church in Ashland. Following a
lengthly discussion, the document
was unanimously approved.
The proposal is the culmination
of joint efforts by the Missionary
Board* and GCEC over the last two
years to discover an organizational
arrangement that would (1) pro-
vide a clear, unified vision and
leadership for denominational min-
istries; (2) assure that our mission-
ary focus remains strong and
highly visible; and (3) provide flexi-
bility to address God-directed pri-
orities and ministry opportunities.
A copy of the proposal has been
mailed to each Brethren pastor and
the proposal was also included with
the April 5 issue of Leadership Let-
ter, which was mailed to all Breth-
ren elders and pastors, district
moderators, local church modera-
tors, and other denominational and
district leaders. Regional forums
are being held to give interested
Brethren an opportunity to discuss
the proposal, ask questions, and
provide feedback.* GCEC is hoping
for a broad response from Brethren
people regarding the proposal.
*The Missionary Board also discussed the
document earlier in the week and voted its
approval.
At press time regional forums to discuss
the reorganization proposal were scheduled
In other business GCEC ap-
proved a working budget for 1996,
adopted a policy statement for en-
dowment funds, accepted a policy
statement for planned gifts, and
also received other routine reports.
The working budget projected to-
tal support (Fair Share and other
contributions) in 1996 of $358,500
and total revenue (fees, investment
income, miscellaneous income) of
$213,500, for total income of
$572,000. Expenses were projected
at $648,200, plus a one-time esti-
mated cost of closing the Brethren
Printing Company of $15,000, to
put total expenses at $663,200.
Both the total support/revenue
figures and the total expense figure
(without the cost to close the Print-
ing Company) are lower than the
corresponding figures in the 1995
working budget. (The actual opera-
tion figures for 1995, which were
also reported at the meeting, were
total support and revenue of
$589,814 and total expenses of
$629,564, for a shortfall of $39,750.)
A new Brethren congregation was
also recognized as a "class" during
the meeting. The group is Hope
Brethren Church of Stockton, Calif.
The new class is a Filipino congre-
gation that meets in the facilities of
the Stockton Brethren Church.
— reported by Editor Dick Winfield
for Nappanee, Ind., at 3:00 p.m. on April 21;
at the Valley Brethren Church, Jones Mills,
Pa., at noon on April 27; at the Smoky Row
Brethren Church, Columbus, Ohio, at 1:00
p.m. on April 27; and in Peru, Ind., at 3:00
p.m. on April 28.
Moore twins lead team to
state championship game
St. James, Md. — Brad and Alan
Moore, identical twin sons of Pas-
tor Brian and Amanda Moore of
the St. James Brethren Church,
led the Williamsport (Md.) High
School basketball team to the
Maryland State Class 1A cham-
pionship game in March.
Unfortunately, the team lost the
game, but even so it had one of the
most successful seasons (22-6) in
Williamsport's history. The team
had made it to the state semi-finals
Alan Moore
Brad Moore
the previous two years, but lost on
both occasions. The twins played
the guard spots on the team those
two years as well.
Both twins were selected to the
all-league team this year. Alan,
who played point guard and aver-
aged 11.8 points per game during
the season, made first team all-
league; Brad, who averaged 10.2
points, made second team.
According to their father, the
twins are also very good soccer
players.
10
The Brethren Evangelist
>\2
Briefly
Noted
Kerry and Dana Stogsdill
were installed as deacon and dea-
coness at the Warsaw, Ind., First
Brethren Church on Sunday,
March 10, 1996. Kerry is the son of
Rev. Claude and Jane Stogsdill.
Rev. Stogsdill presented the mes-
sage for the service and assisted
Warsaw pastor Rev. Mitch Funk-
houser with the ordination.
Grace Hause, a member of the
Meadow Crest Brethren Church of
Ft. Wayne, Ind., was featured in a
full-page article in the magazine
section of the Fort Wayne News-
Sentinel. Calling Mrs. Hause (81)
"everybody's grandma," the article
focused on her volunteer work at
East Wayne Street Center's Head
Start program and and as a Foster
Grandparent at the YWCA's sum-
mer camp. "I love children, and
they like me," the article quotes
Mrs. Hause as saying. According to
Rev. Richard Austin, pastor at
Meadow Crest, Mrs. Hause was a
member for many years of the
Brighton Chapel (Howe, Ind.)
Brethren and "Her love [for] the
Brighton congregation and [former]
Pastor John [Long] goes beyond
measure!" He went on to say, "Dur-
ing the past seven years she has
organized two different weekly Bi-
ble studies that I have led. Grace
Hause is indeed an 'angel of light'!!"
Jim McGraw, a member of the
Pleasant View Brethren Church of
Vandergrift, Pa., was recently rec-
ognized for his volunteerism by the
Mutual Benefits Association, an in-
surance group started by the for-
mer Pennsylvania Railroad. In ad-
dition to spending much time work-
ing at Pleasant View Church, Mr.
McGraw cooks one day a week for
the Vandergrift Meals-on- Wheels
and has donated nearly 15 gallons
of blood.
Ohio Brethren focus on unity in Christ,
care for business at district gathering
Franklin, Ohio — "Unity in Christ,
That the World May Believe" was
the theme of the Ohio Conference
meeting held Saturday, March 9, at
the Northview Brethren Life
Church near Franklin.
The conference opened with a
time of worship led by host pastor
Mike Sove and his worship team.
J. Michael Drushal, moderator-elect,
gave the keynote address and
spoke on the theme. He chronicled
his own spiritual pilgrimage, not-
ing how his understanding of unity
had moved from legalism to unity
within diversity. He said that in his
earlier years he saw the Christian
life as living from a performance
orientation, of trying to get out in
front of the race. "But that does not
lead to unity," he said.
Instead, he has moved to an un-
derstanding of unity whereby our
goal individually and corporately is
to strive toward Christlikeness.
"With this view, the race takes on a
different appearance," he said. Not-
ing the definitions of infinity and
eternal, he said, "Based on infinity,
I'm no nearer the finish line than I
was when I started the race. ... no
matter how hard we've worked or
how many rules we've obeyed."
This has an impact on a perform-
ance-based approach that results
in us seeing ourselves running as
part of the "pack," spurring one
another on in love and good deeds.
Drushal proposed three recom-
mendations, two of which are con-
tinuations of Moderator Lynn Mer-
cer's recommendations from last
year: (1) to seek ways to cooperate
with other churches of other de-
nominations in our communities to
foster unity; (2) continuing the Dis-
trict Day Apart started last year;
and (3) continuing the Ohio Prayer
Letter.
Moderator Lynn Mercer led the
business session, which consisted
of district and national reports,
adoption of the 1996 budget, and
election of officers. Drushal became
the new moderator with his instal-
lation at the end of the day. Other
officers for the current year are:
L. Eugene Oburn, moderator-elect;
Shirley Bowers, secretary; DeAnn
Oburn, assistant secretary; Stanley
Gentle, treasurer; William Walk,
assistant treasurer; and Dorman
Ronk, statistician.
During the afternoon, two sem-
inars were held: "Prayer: The Lan-
guage of Friendship with God," led
by Dr. Jerry Flora; and "Peace-
making in the Church," led by Rev.
David Cooksey. Auxiliaries also
held sessions during the afternoon.
The 1997 conference will move to
April — Saturday, April 26 — at the
Louisville First Brethren Church.
— reported by Ronald W. Waters
Spiritual Formation Commission
plans Conference presentation
Ashland, Ohio — At its March 14
meeting in Ashland, the Spiritual
Formation Commission continued
making plans for its presentation
at General Conference and dealt
with other matters related to per-
sonal spiritual growth. Topics to be
addressed in the Conference pres-
entation, which will be made on
Wednesday morning, will include
Promise Keepers, Brethren Way of
Christ, women's ministries, pas-
toral sabbaticals, and retreat op-
portunities— topics which are the
major emphases of the commission
at this time. The commission will
also be sponsoring several EVAN-
GELIST articles and book reviews.
Members of the commission are
Brian Moore (ch.), Fred Brandon,
Carolyn Cooksey, Jerry Flora, and
Marlin McCann.
— reported by Brian Moore
I've always loved Jesus' analogy of
evangelism as "fishing," but I've had
one hesitation about it: Fishing is just
a hobby for most people, something
they do in their spare time. No one
sees fishing as a responsibility. Yet
fishing for men is serious business.
It's not a hobby for Christians; it is to
be our lifestyle!
— The Purpose-Driven Church
by Rick Warren (Zondervan, 1995)
April 1996
11
What's happening in your church?
Some people have gotten the im-
pression that since the EVANGELIST
has become a newsletter, we no
longer accept local church news.
That's incorrect. We just want to be
more selective.
So if you have an exciting event,
an interesting ministry, or some
good news to share from your con-
gregation, please send a report to
the editor.
In Memory
Rev. Bobby R. Van Hoose, 54, a
former Brethren pastor, died Febru-
ary 27 after a battle with cancer.
Rev. Van Hoose served the William-
stown, Ohio, First Brethren Church
from 1977 to 1984. At the time of his
death he was pastoring Liberty
Christian Center in Piqua, Ohio. He
is survived by his wife Janet and
their three grown children.
Central District's Davenport Conference
considers where the church is headed
Bettendorf, Iowa — "The Breth-
ren Church Today: Where Is it Go-
ing?" was the theme of the Central
District's annual Davenport Confer-
ence, held February 23-24 at the
Jumer Castle Hotel in Bettendorf.
Roy Andrews, associate pastor of
the First Brethren Church of Nap-
panee, Ind., was the guest speaker
for the conference. He used pas-
sages from the Book of Acts to re-
veal the pitfalls and promises that
are in store for the future of The
Brethren Church.
The event began Friday evening
with a buffet meal provided by the
capable hotel staff, followed by a
praise-song session led by Eliza-
beth Garrett, wife of Pastor Jim
Garrett of the Lanark, 111., First
Brethren Church. Then Pastor An-
drews spoke on the power of prayer
over adversity, as illustrated in the
choice of Judas' replacement in
Acts 1:24-26. He stressed the im-
portance of prayer whenever deci-
sions are made or conflicts arise.
The session on Saturday morning
Mulvane, Kans. — Several Christian education workers at the Mulvane
Brethren Church recently participated in a Red Cross training program called
"Till Help Arrives." Topics covered in the course included rescue breathing,
temperature extremes, choking, burns, and animal and insect bites. The Board
of Christian Education selected this course to help prepare teachers, nursery
helpers, and youth leaders to handle emergencies. Shown in the photograph
are (I. to r.) Janie Heird, Carolyn Tucker, Shirley Parker (standing), Shirley
McCoy, Pastor Bob McCoy, Dean Mills, Dorothy Mills, Lacey Schlereth, and
Red Cross presenter Gary Scheiffelbein. Also taking the course but not in the
picture was Tamara Schlereth. — reported by Tamara Schlereth
began with a huge buffet breakfast,
followed by songs of praise led by
Rev. Bob Schubert, associate pas-
tor of the Lanark First Brethren
Church. Then Pastor Andrews
again brought a message from the
Book of Acts. He spoke about the
importance of both numerical and
spiritual growth in the church;
about the limited amount of time
we have to do the work of the Lord,
which means that we must sepa-
rate essentials from non-essentials
when committing our time; and
about the necessity of working for
unity of Christians in Christ Jesus.
Following his message, the confer-
ence concluded with prayer and the
singing of "He Is Lord."
The annual Davenport Confer-
ence of the Central District, attend-
ed this year by 40 people, is de-
signed to be a time of fellowship,
sharing the word of God, and
charging of spiritual batteries. The
initial conferences were held in
Davenport, Iowa (thus explaining
the name), but are now held in vari-
ous locations.
— reported by Ellis Boughton
Central District moderator-elect
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( The Brethren)
Evangelis
r^CH
Vol. 118, No. 5
A newsletter for Brethren people
May 1906
Reilly R. Smith, Executive Director of the Missionary Board, asks:
Why plant new Brethren churches?
THE BRETHREN CHURCH is
a close-knit fellowship of about
125 local congregations. We have
difficulty filling our pulpits and sup-
porting our pastors. We struggle to
identify and recruit leaders for
local, district, and national com-
mittees, commissions, task forces,
etc. We scratch to meet our local,
district, and national budgets. We
must strengthen existing congrega-
tions. So why plant new churches?
I propose several reasons.
Past examples
The early Christians planted
churches. The book of Acts is full of
examples. Philip started a church
in Samaria. Paul discovered that a
church had been planted in Damas-
cus. Peter began a church in the
household of Cornelius at Caesarea.
Jews planted a church in Antioch
that reached out to the Gentiles so
successfully that Barnabas went to
help them. He even asked Paul to
come and assist him.
Later Paul and Barnabas planted
churches on Cypress and through-
out Asia Minor. Paul and Silas
planted more churches in Asia
Minor and new congregations in
Macedonia and Greece. Believers
planted a thriving church in Rome
before the apostles even got there.
The early Brethren, seeking to
emulate the early church, were
among the most aggressive church
planters of the 18th Century, both
in Europe and America. Their zeal
in church planting caused the
Brethren movement to grow from
eight people in 1708 to tens of thou-
sands by 1800 and to more than
200,000 by 1900.
Brethren churches planted since
1939 have been responsible for
most of the growth in The Brethren
Church during the past 57 years.
Our older congregations have gen-
erally declined in membership and
attendance.
Church planting is the most effec-
tive way to evangelize unchurched
people today. The talent and energy
expended to start a new congrega-
tion attracts unchurched people
when established churches do not.
People enjoy and appreciate new,
exciting adventures. Sometimes
they even get saved and discipled.
New opportunities
New churches enjoy opportuni-
ties to adapt their ministries to the
community in ways that estab-
lished churches can only do with
great difficulty. For example, at the
next business meeting of your
church, suggest that home Bible
fellowships might be a more effec-
tive way than Sunday school to
make disciples in your community.
Church planting energizes estab-
lished churches that participate in
starting new congregations, caus-
ing Christians to focus their atten-
tion on outreach. They begin to pray
and give more, to work harder, and
to discover joy in ministry. These
things can revitalize an established
church.
Church planting also may be the
solution to some of the challenges
stated in the first paragraph of this
article. New churches mean new peo-
ple who will bring new resources to
The Brethren Church: gifts, talent,
workers, pastoral and missionary
candidates, and financial blessing.
If we can plant churches and con-
centrate on God's kingdom and right-
eousness, then He will add every-
thing we need to continue his work.
Sowing and reaping
In 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Paul de-
scribes the principle of sowing and
reaping. Church planting is sowing
with the expectation of harvest. If
we sow generously, we will reap a
bountiful harvest. Some of the
"seed" may fall along the pathway.
(continued on next page)
In this issue
Why plant Brethren churches? 1
What's happening now? ... 2
Understanding the Bible ... 3
What is Promise Keepers? . . 4
You will never be the same! . . 6
Ministry pages 7
Around the denomination ... 1 1
The Women'* Outlook Newsletter
is in the center of this issue.
Some may fall on rocky soil. Some
may fall among thorns. But some
will fall into good soil, producing a
bountiful harvest. We can afford
neither to hoard our seed, nor to
sow sparingly. We must broadcast
pur seed generously in church
planting, if we want to reap a boun-
tiful harvest. Those Brethren who
participate will reap blessing.
Those who refuse will not. I believe
it's really that simple. [ft]
What's happening
NOW
in church planting?
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year
makes! In March of 1995 the
New Church Development Com-
mission of the Missionary Board
sponsored the first Church Plant-
ing Summit. Each of the nine
Brethren districts shared what at
that time were mostly dreams
about church planting. That sum-
mit was such a source of inspira-
tion and challenge that we agreed
we must meet again.
The second Church Planting
Summit was held March 14, 1996,
at Park Street Brethren Church.
All nine districts of the denomina-
tion were again represented. The
summit began with devotions from
Isaiah 54:1-8 and a time of prayer,
led by Rev. Reilly Smith, Executive
Director of the Missionary Board.
Dr. Dale Stoffer, chair of the New
Church Development Commission,
spoke on the concept of the church
in the Anabaptist/Brethren tradi-
tion and gave practical suggestions
for planting churches that reflect
this heritage. He also looked at why
the typical Brethren congregation,
based upon a fellowship model of
the church, finds it difficult to grow
beyond 125 to 150 people.
Church planter Rev. Tom Con-
rad talked about the expanding min-
istry taking place in Indianapolis
through "Winning the Race Minis-
tries." He presented the concept of
building new churches using a cell-
group approach. We shared his ex-
citement and praise to God as he
told about the powerful way God is
working through the cell ministry.
The time we all eagerly looked
forward to was when the district
mission board representatives
gave their reports. What had been
a dream for the California district
last year has now become reality
with the start of West Valley Breth-
ren Life in Tracy. In addition, a
Brethren Filipino congregation has
begun meeting at Stockton. The Cen-
tral and Pennsylvania Districts,
which had no definite plans for
church planting last year, are now
in the midst of laying plans for
church starts in the near future.
The Midwest District is committed
to moving ahead with the work in
the Denver area yet this year.
The Ohio and Southeastern Dis-
tricts continue to support their ex-
isting works while planning for ad-
ditional church starts in the next few
years. Indiana is still concentrat-
ing on Indianapolis; the Southwest
District is considering a Hispanic
work in Tucson; and Florida is work-
ing with the STAKE volunteers.
What a difference a year makes!
Several times during the day we
were reminded of the need for
focused prayer for our home mis-
sion congregations. They are on
the front lines of spiritual warfare
and need the prayer support of the
entire Brethren family.
We look forward to what the
Lord will do in the coming year. Be
in prayer for the church-planting
efforts going on in your district and
in the denomination.
— reported by Dale Stoffer
World Relief director
evacuated from Liberia
World Reliefs Liberia Director
Brian Johnson and his family
were evacuated from Monrovia on
April 12 when violence broke out
anew in this West African country.
The renewed violence in Monrovia
in early April ended eight months
of relative peace in Liberia after a
six-year-long civil war.
Johnson chose to evacuate his
family after numerous confronta-
tions in their home with armed
rebels, during which his teenage
daughters and other women who
had taken refuge in the Johnson
home were threatened. The heli-
copter carrying the Johnson fam-
ily was fired on several times as it
lifted off. A number of SIM mis-
sionaries were also evacuated.
Most of World Reliefs 15 Libe-
rian staff were able to remain in
the country and were unharmed.
Johnson planned to proceed to
Liberia's border areas and to con-
tinue directing World Reliefs
work from there. "Through our
Liberian staff and the churches,
World Reliefs distribution system
is still in place, so we intend to
continue emergency relief work as
soon as security allows," said
David van Vuuren, World Reliefs
Africa Director.
World Relief has carried out re-
lief, development, and reconcili-
ation work in Liberia since 1990,
working with a network of Libe-
rian churches. Brethren have sup-
ported this work through their giv-
ing to the World Relief program of
The Brethren Church. Special
donations for Liberia relief may be
made through your local church or
sent directly to The Brethren
Church National Office, 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805. [ft]
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monthly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; E-mail: Brethrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
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The Brethren Evangelist
Nonconformity: conformed to Christ
By Brenda B. Colijn
"DOMANS 12:1-2 is an important
JLY/passage for the Brethren. It is
the basis of the historic Brethren
doctrine of nonconformity. It's
worth a closer look in our series on
biblical interpretation.
Context
Paul wrote his letter to the Ro-
mans to introduce himself and his
gospel to the Roman church. As the
apostle to the Gentiles, he hoped to
visit the Christians at Rome and
to have a fruitful ministry among
them, as he had among other Gen-
tiles (1:11-13). He also hoped that
they would support him in his
planned missionary trip to Spain
(15:23-24). As the Jewish apostle to
the Gentiles, he writes to the Ro-
mans about the place of Jews and
Gentiles in God's plan of salvation.
The climax of this discussion occurs
in chapters 9 — 11, where Paul shows
that God has made both Jews and
Gentiles without excuse in order to
show mercy to them all (11:32).
A Living Sacrifice
In Romans 12:1, Paul draws a
conclusion from his previous argu-
ments: "Therefore, I urge you,
brothers, in view of God's mercy, to
offer your bodies as living sacri-
fices, holy and pleasing to God —
which is your spiritual worship"
(niv). Because of God's mercy of-
fered to them in Christ (as Paul has
discussed in chapters 4 — 11), they
should offer themselves to God in
return. Given the grand sweep of
God's acts on their behalf, how can
they respond?
Unlike both Jewish and pagan
worshipers, they cannot offer ani-
mal sacrifices in worship. But they
can offer the one sacrifice that God
desires — themselves. (In this case,
the body stands in for the whole
person.) It is not their death God
wants, because they have already
died with Christ (6:3-4), but their
ongoing everyday life. As they offer
themselves to God, they are made
"holy," set apart for God's use. This
May 1996
is the kind of worship that is truly
"spiritual" or "rational" or "reason-
able"— that is, the worship that is
appropriate to them as recipients of
God's mercy.
Nonconformity
Paul expands on the meaning of
the living sacrifice in verse 2: "Do
not conform any longer to the pat-
tern of this world, but be trans-
formed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God's will is — his
good, pleasing and perfect will." Be-
cause the Romans have experi-
enced God's mercy, their lives
should begin to take a different
shape. Paul's command ("Do not
conform any longer") suggests both
that they have conformed in the
past and that they have the power
to stop conforming now. This is the
challenge for believers who have to
live as redeemed people in an un-
redeemed world.
J. B. Phillips' translation of this
verse is justly famous: "Don't let
the world around you squeeze you
into its own mold, but let God re-
mold your minds from within
Rather than letting the standards
of the fallen world shape their char-
acter and conduct, they are to be
shaped by their renewed minds —
the opposite of the depraved minds
Paul described in 1:28. Paul doesn't
state the source of this renewal of
the mind, but his discussion in chap-
ter 8 would suggest that it comes
from the Holy Spirit. This agrees
with Titus 3:5, the only other place
in the New Testament where the
word for "renewal" occurs. He also
doesn't say here what shape we
should be conformed to, but in 8:29
he identifies this as Christ.
Paul is contrasting two kinds of
change: one that occurs because of
pressure from without and one that
occurs because of transformation
within. Don't let the world change
you from the outside in, Paul says;
let God change you from the inside
out. As they are re-formed, the Ro-
Understanding
the Bible
man believers will be able to see for
themselves the validity of God's
will by testing it out in their lives.
The context of the following verses
suggests that Paul has something
particular in mind when he men-
tions God's will. He gives an illus-
tration in verse 3: "For by the grace
given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more high-
ly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment . . . ."
The renewed minds of the Roman
Christians will give them an appro-
priate evaluation of themselves.
Paul had already warned the
Gentile
believers
not to be
arrogant
toward
those
Jews who
had not
accepted
Christ,
because
they
themselves are dependent upon the
Jewish "root" of the people of God
(11:17-21). Now he narrows the fo-
cus from the sweeping plan of God
to the need to get along with one
another in day-to-day life. He pro-
poses the image of the body of
Christ as a model for the diversity-
in-unity of believers in Christ,
whether they be Jewish or Gentile
(12:4-6). This model serves as a
foundation for the ethical instruc-
tions that Paul presents in the rest
of this letter.
Application
So how does Romans 12:1-2 ap-
ply to us? The nineteenth-century
Brethren struggled with how to ap-
ply Paul's instructions about non-
conformity, partly because of their
desire to be biblical and partly be-
cause of their reluctance to aban-
don their familiar German culture
and embrace an alien English one.
Our look at Paul's focus on charac-
ter and conduct in Romans 12 sug-
gests that our Brethren forbears'
plain dress was a less important ex-
pression of nonconformity than their
reputation for integrity, discipline,
hospitality, and mutual support.
The Progressive Brethren were
(continued on page 5)
What is this organization
called Promise Keepers?
By Gary Diehl
SOMETHING'S HAPPENING
to men around our country who
are seeking deeper meaning in their
lives and in their relationships
with God, family, and community.
It's called Promise Keepers.
Perhaps you've heard of the or-
ganization, or maybe you've talked
to someone who returned all ex-
cited from a "PK" conference. Possi-
bly you've attended one of these
conferences yourself and caught a
glimpse of this powerful movement
of God that's challenging today's
Christian male population.
On the other hand, maybe you
are one of many sincere believers
who have doubts — or even fears —
about this so-called "men's club" of
the Christian world. Wherever you
are in your knowledge about this
phenomenon called Promise Keep-
ers, you will probably find yourself
confronted with the ideals and de-
sires of the group as it continues its
explosive growth and outreach.
Some basic questions
What is Promise Keepers? Where
did it come from? Where is it going?
These are the kinds of questions be-
ing asked as this "movement" gains
powerful momentum and even na-
tional exposure in such magazines
as The National Inquirer. Is it for
real? Or is it just another para-
church group out to undermine the
true worship of God? Perhaps a few
facts and a personal observation
will help shed some light on these
questions.
The organizational engine behind
Promise Keepers was founded in
March of 1990 by Bill McCartney,
former head football coach at the
University of Colorado. Coach Mac
shared his burden for today's men
with a longtime friend, Dave Wardell,
on a drive from Denver to Pueblo,
Colorado. He sensed a deep need in
his own life to connect with other
men of God — men who would chal-
lenge one another to live up to the
promises they've made to their Lord
and their families. They discussed
the difficulty men have in establish-
ing vital relationships that go beyond
the surface of everyday life. From
those initial discussions, the Prom-
ise Keepers concept was born.
The first Promise Keepers confer-
ence was held in June of 1991.
Forty-two hundred men were a
part of that conference, which was
held in Boulder, Colorado. By June
1993, the Boulder stadium was
packed with 50,000 men who were
hungry for the teaching and inspi-
ration offered by men of God like
James Dobson, Charles Swindoll,
E.V. Hill, and others.
Dramatic growth
Since then the conference sched-
ule has grown dramatically. Thir-
teen major Promise Keepers events
were held throughout the country
in 1995, with attendance approach-
ing three-quarters of a million men
from all racial, ethnic, and denomi-
national backgrounds. They came
together with one common denomi-
nator— the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The basic tenants of the organi-
zation are designed to promote ac-
tive spiritual growth in the lives of
men through building vital rela-
tionships, mentoring, Bible study,
and accountability. When someone
becomes a "Promise Keeper," he is
asked to agree to the following
seven commitments:
Seven commitments of a PK
1. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to honoring Jesus
Christ through worship,
prayer, and obedience to His
word, in the power of the
Holy Spirit.
2. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to pursuing vital
relationships with a few
other men, understanding
that he needs brothers to help
him keep his promises.
3. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to practicing spir-
itual, moral, ethical, and
sexual purity.
4. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to building strong
marriages and families
through love, protection, and
biblical values.
5. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to supporting the
mission of the church by
honoring and praying for his
pastor and by actively giving
his time and resources.
6. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to reaching beyond
any racial and denomination-
al barriers to demonstrate
the power of biblical unity.
7. A Promise Keeper is com-
mitted to influencing his
world, being obedient to the
Great Commandment (see
Mark 12:30-31) and the Great
Commission (see Matthew
28:19-20).*
These simple statements tell
much about the "what" and "why" of
the PK movement. Their simplicity
and their call for integrity in all
areas of life in no way contradict
what sincere students of the Bible
would espouse. The fact that PK
advocates the building of strong
mentoring relationships among
men of faith demonstrates the
desire to go beyond the "spiritual
mountaintop" of a conference. It
provides a structure that draws
men into ongoing fellowship and
that encourages them to become
accountable to one another.
A personal glimpse
Perhaps a personal glimpse into
one of the major events can shed
some light on the remaining ques-
tions. A group of nine men from our
congregation attended the Promise
Keepers conference in Detroit, Mich.,
in April 1995. Having been to pep
rallies, business rallies, and relig-
ious concerts before, I felt I knew
what was about to confront me.
The Pontiac Silverdome was
jammed to the ceiling with more
than 72,000 men and boys. Before
the program started, the atmos-
phere was similar to that at a foot-
*From Raise the Standard, a booklet dis-
tributed at the 1995 conferences.
The Brethren Evangelist
ball game, minus the alcohol, pro-
fanity, and smoke. There were pa-
per airplanes, Frisbees, and beach
balls being sailed and bounced from
all corners of the arena. But when
the Maranatha Praise Band began
the introductory music, all eyes,
ears, and hearts turned to worship.
That I did not expect!
Evangelist Luis Palau was the
opening speaker. His message on
the theme "Jesus Christ is the
Standard" was powerfully deliv-
ered and produced astonishing re-
sults. More than 7,000 men and
boys — some of them fathers and
sons who had been struggling to
understand each other for years —
went forward at the invitation.
Many admitted they were making
their first-time decision for Christ.
Others made rededication commit-
ments. Everyone, whether he stepped
out of his seat or not, was chal-
lenged to renew his efforts to make
Jesus the ultimate standard for life.
The teaching sessions and praise
music continued from 6:30 p.m. on
Friday evening until 9:00 p.m. Sat-
urday. Speaker after speaker put
forth the challenge to live the life
Christian men are called to live.
Man after man allowed the Spirit of
God to break down the walls that
separated him from God, from fam-
ily, and from others.
One of the most inspiring moments
came when Dr. Joseph Stowell,
president of Moody Bible Institute,
closed his message on a man's rela-
tionship with his children. He be-
gan singing the Lord's Prayer with-
out musical accompaniment. As he
motioned for everyone to join in, all
72,000 men rose to their feet,
clasped the hands of those on either
side, and held them high in the air .
The Silverdome echoed to the raf-
ters— not with shouts for a football
team but with the united voices of
men pouring forth praises to their
Father in Heaven.
Criticisms of Promise Keepers
Some who are concerned about
the Promise Keepers movement
criticize its emphasis on "breaking
down the walls" of denominational,
racial, and ethnic differences. They
fear that "we who are right" might
be led astray by those in the more
liberal (non-evangelical) denomina-
tions. The reply of Promise Keepers
has been to emphasize the funda-
mental thing we have in common —
the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our
lives. Possibly the words of a slogan
made popular more than a hundred
years ago by the Progressive Move-
ment of the Brethren apply to what
PK seeks to promote: "In essentials
unity, in nonessentials liberty, in
all things charity."
I don't pretend to have all the
answers for the criticisms leveled
at Promise Keepers or their doc-
trine. Is the organization flawless?
No. What earthly group is? Is God
using it despite its flaws? You'd bet-
ter believe it! He's using it to draw
men to Himself and to challenge
them to change the way they relate
to one another, to their families,
and to the world in which they live.
In response to questions about
the impact of Promise Keepers, I
would echo the sentiment of the
blind man whom Jesus healed on
the Sabbath by putting mud on his
eyes and telling him to go wash in
the pool of Siloam (John 9). When
the Pharisees questioned this man
about Jesus, he replied, "Whether
he is a sinner or not, I don't know.
One thing I do know. I was blind
but now I see!" (John 9:25, Niv). For
growing multitudes of men around
the country who long to have their
spiritual eyesight restored, this
same Jesus is making a new batch
of mud from an unlikely group
called Promise Keepers. [ft]
Mr. Diehl is an active member and
deacon in the First Brethren Church of
North Georgetown, Ohio. He is employed
as coated products manager at A.J. Os-
ter Foils, Inc., in Alliance Ohio. He and
his wife Nancy have four adopted chil-
dren. Since attending the Promise
Keepers convention in Detroit last year,
he has organized a group that meets
every other Saturday at a local restau-
rant for breakfast, fellowship, Bible
study, and accountability.
Understanding the Bible
(continued from page 3)
right in their insistence that non-
conformity is first of all an inward
matter. It begins with the renewal
of the mind. This suggests that
monitoring what we put into our
minds is a good place to start. One
important way to do that is by
monitoring our television viewing,
since television is one of the most
powerful forces of social conformity
ever invented.
Too often, however, we Progres-
sives have allowed the idea of non-
conformity to degenerate into an
individual, private freedom of con-
science that doesn't require out-
ward expression and doesn't permit
mutual accountability. The noncon-
formity Paul is talking about ex-
presses itself in concrete social
ways, in how we treat one another
and in how we behave toward those
outside the church. It is also some-
thing Paul expects us to do together
— to present our bodies (plural) as a
living sacrifice (singular in Greek).
Living by a biblical standard
Most of our churches today aren't
faced with the problem of how to
unite Jews and Gentiles in Christ.
But we have other barriers of race,
language, gender, culture, politics,
and economic status for our re-
newed minds to work on. Too often
we think that we have avoided con-
forming to the world because we
listen to different radio stations
and shop in Christian-owned
stores. Have we simply traded one
set of human cultural standards for
another — or perhaps just run
worldly standards through a more
familiar and comfortable filter?
We shouldn't be satisfied with con-
forming to any set of cultural norms
or with being different simply for
the sake of being different. In
either case, we're letting ourselves
be molded by the world. Instead, we
should live by a different standard
entirely — a biblical standard. We
should be willing to let the Holy
Spirit make us utterly Christlike,
however socially awkward that might
be. Only then can we live the kind
of lives that will be different from
the world and that will really make
a difference in the world. [ft]
Dr. Colijn, a member of the Smoky
Row Brethren Church of Columbus,
Ohio, is assistant professor of theology
at Ashland Theological Seminary. She
chairs the Committee on Doctrine, Re-
search, and Publication, which is pre-
paring this series of articles.
May 1996
You will never be the same!
By Jerry Flora
WHAT do a Quaker professor,
a Catholic monk, an Episco-
palian editor, and an Alliance pas-
tor have in common? Well, if their
names are Foster, Lawrence, Kidd,
and Tozer, they have written in a
way that feeds and fuels our spirits.
Last year the Leadership Devel-
opment Commission asked for the
titles of books that would help Breth-
ren workers in their devotional life.
Four were suggested. This article
will give a brief overview of two of
them, and a follow-up article next
month will look at the other two.
Richard J. Foster
Richard J. Foster burst on the
scene in 1978 with his first book,
Celebration of Discipline. The Chris-
tian world soon discovered that this
young Quaker was a rich gift to us.
With that one book Foster rekin-
dled in many hearts the fire of
obedience to God through ordinary
means of space, time, and matter.
He produced several other fine
works, and then for nearly a decade
we heard nothing. At last, in 1992,
came Prayer: Finding the Heart's
True Home. It was worth the wait.
Here in about 250 pages Foster gives
us what may be this generation's
best all-around book on prayer.
"For a long time I have wanted to
write on the subject of prayer," he
begins.
To do so, however, would have been
to commit the sin of presumption. I
was not ready. I had more — much
more — to learn, to experience. . . .
Prayer ushers us into the Holy of
Holies, where we bow before the deep-
est mysteries of the faith, and one
fears to touch the Ark. The years have
come and gone, and while I am still a
novice in the ways of prayer (who
can ever master something in which
the main object is to be mastered?), I
somehow sense the divine nod of ap-
proval. Now is the time. And so I am
writing, and in my writing I am speak-
ing for all the prayerless persons I
have been and all the prayerful per-
sons I hope to become. (p. xi)
In twenty-one graceful chapters
Foster describes (1) moving inward
(seeking transformation), which
focuses on God the Son as our sav-
ior and teacher; (2) moving upward
(seeking intimacy), focusing on God
the Father, our high king and holy
lover; and (3) moving outward (seek-
ing ministry) with God the Spirit,
who empowers and evangelizes.
Here is a book to read, mark, savor,
reread, pray through, and live out.
You will never be the same again!
Brother Lawrence
In Foster's chapter on "Unceasing
Prayer," he refers more than once
to the western church's classic book
on that subject, The Practice of the
Presence of God. The book's author,
Nicolas Herman (better known as
Brother Lawrence of the Resurrec-
tion), was a lay monk in a Parisian
monastery from about 1650 until
his death in 1691. Like many peo-
ple in our day, he went through a
series of career changes until he
found his true calling at about age
forty. Then for more than ten years
he tried to advance in the life of
We will never have pure enough
motives, or be good enough, or know
enough in order to pray rightly. We
simply must set all these things
aside and begin praying. In fact, it
is in the very act of prayer itself —
the intimate, ongoing interaction
with God — that these matters are
cared for in due time.
— Richard J. Foster, Prayer: Find-
ing the Heart's True Home, p. 8.
prayer. Sometime in his fifties he
came to experience the loving peace
of God in a way that never left him.
He called it the practice of the pres-
ence of God.
The book by that title is really a
report of four interviews that one
of his superiors had with Brother
Lawrence. Most editions also in-
clude sixteen letters by him col-
lected after his death. The entire
book is so small that some versions
can slip into purse or pocket with-
out creating a bulge. The Image
Books edition (Doubleday, 1977) in-
cludes an excellent introduction by
the outstanding contemporary writer
Henri Nouwen. The Paraclete Press
edition (1985) contains all available
material and is beautifully illus-
trated.
"It is not necessary to be always
in church to be with God," he wrote
in his Fourth Letter.
We can make a private chapel of our
heart where we can retire from time
to time to commune with Him,
peacefully, humbly, lovingly; every-
one is capable of these intimate con-
versations with God, some more,
others less; He knows what we can
do. Let us begin. . . . You are almost
65 and I am approaching 80; let us
live and let us die with God. . . .
Three weeks before his death he
wrote, "If we wish to enjoy the peace
of paradise in this life, we must ac-
custom ourselves to an intimate,
humble and loving conversation with
[God]; we must prevent our minds
from wandering away from Him on
any occasion . . ." (15th Letter).
And how in this process can we
keep our thoughts from drifting
while we pray? "One way of easily
recalling the mind during prayer
and keeping it at rest is not to let it
wander during the day" (8th Let-
ter). How very wise!
I have seen pastors and laypeople
alike become excited at the mes-
sage of this "saint of the common
people," which is: keep it simple!
Try what he says. You will never be
the
same:
ra
Dr. Flora is professor of New Testa-
ment Theology and Spiritual Forma-
tion at Ashland Theological Seminary
and is a member of The Brethren
Church's Spiritual Formation Com-
mission.
The Brethren Evangelist
^he forum's OutCool<i9{eiusCetter
A publication of the brethren 'Women's Missionary Society
May-June 1996
Volume 9, Number 5
"The
President s
Pen
v^-.::::"""'"1^;"::,—^
Dear Ladies,
The months seem to fly by so
quickly and it is soon time for an-
other letter. This month I want to
mention No. 6 of our ABC's. ABC 5
concerns our offerings and dues
and is pretty much self-explanatory.
We've had articles recently in the
Newsletter explaining our offerings.
ABC 6 says, 'Promote World Re-
lief and follow suggestions in the
WMS Service Guide for other
benevolence." The Service Guide
was revised by Joan Merrill last
August, and all WMS groups should
have a copy. If not, you could get
one from Joan at Conference. There
are many suggestions in the Serv-
ice Guide.
I have heard of many groups
regularly sending packages to
India. My group at Park Street
has sent sewing and school kits to
India as well as personal items for
the Kumars. We have also sent
packages to Colombia. Lost Creek,
Kentucky, has a "needs" list and
many groups regularly send boxes
to them.
Check out the Service Guide for
more ideas. There are many local
organizations that are being
helped by WMS groups. If your
group has done something special
for benevolence, please drop a note
to Joan Ronk, and she will share
your ideas through the Newsletter.
I read an article in the magazine
Women Alive about prayer. The
(continued on page 4)
WHAT IS FAITH?
Devotions given by Ruth Focht, Ohio District WMS
Conference in Franklin, March 9, 1996
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto
him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth
at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto
him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said,
Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but
speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Matthew 8:5-8 (kjv)
WHAT FAITH! This man be-
lieved that Jesus could heal his
servant without even going near
him. Some people need aids to
their faith. They would find it
much easier to expect healing if
Jesus would lay hands on the man,
anoint him with oil, or at least stand
over him and pray. "Just say the
word and my servant will be healed"
expresses sublime faith indeed.
Jesus praised the faith of the of-
ficer, saying, I tell you the truth, I
have not found anyone in Israel
with such faith (Matt. 8:10, Niv).
In everyday life we use faith in
many ways. When we flip the light
switch, we have faith the light will
come on. The same when we turn
on the water faucet. How about a
car? We have faith that the engine
will start. The other evening after
a ball game, my husband turned on
the switch in the car. Nothing hap-
pened. What an odd feeling that
was. These examples and many
others are faith in material things.
Our faith with the Lord works
differently. He has said that He
will never leave nor forsake us, but
do we say the same thing to Him?
FAITH BRINGS LIFE. We all
know John 3:16 — For God so
loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
Note that "everlasting life" is for
"whosoever believeth." In John
6:28, some people asked Jesus,
"What shall we do, that we might
work the works of God? Jesus an-
swered, This is the work of God,
that ye believe on him, whom he
hath sent.
Faith not only brings life, but it
also brings the personal fulfillment
that makes the Christian life the
more abundant experience of
which Jesus spoke in John 10:10.
Over and over again in the
Scriptures we read about the faith
of the people whom Jesus helped:
(1) the man so sick he had to be
carried and couldn't get in the
house through the crowded door,
so they let him down through the
roof. When Jesus saw their faith,
he said, Friend, your sins are for-
given. (2) The woman who was sick
for 12 years who just touched His
garment. (3) Jesus once healed ten
lepers, of whom one returned and
thanked Him. To that one, Jesus
said, Arise and go, your faith has
made you well.
On the basis of the evidence, we
can trust in Christ. We can live by
faith daily and receive the bless-
ings God delights to give to those
who trust Him. We can have
within us a river of living water
not only to satisfy our own needs,
but to flow out to others.
Recipes from the (District (Presidents
CHICKEN CASSEROLE
1 chicken, skinned, cooked, and
boned
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can Eagle Brand con-
densed milk
1 pkg. Stove Top dressing
After chicken is cooked and
boned, cut into bite-size pieces.
Add soup, condensed milk, and
dressing. Mix together and bake
covered at 350° for 1 hour; uncover
and continue baking 20-30 min-
utes.
CHERRY CREAM SALAD
1 small can Eagle Brand con-
densed milk
V4 cup lemon juice
1 can cherry pie filling
1 small can crushed pineapple
3 bananas
1 can mandarin oranges
small bunch of grapes
1V4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup nuts
1 8-oz. Cool Whip
Combine all ingredients except
Cool Whip. Fold in Cool Whip care-
fully and chill.
Wanda Powell, Ohio
TURKEY SALAD
1 large turkey breast, diced (5
cups)
V4 cup green pepper, sliced and
chopped
V2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cups pineapple chunks, drained
W*l cup slivered almonds
Brown almonds with V4 cup
sugar, cool.
DRESSING
2Vz cups Hellmanns mayonnaise
1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple
with juice
V4 cup sweet 'n' sour sauce
2 Tblsp. celery seed
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. white ginger
1 tsp. salt
Vz tsp. white pepper
V2 tsp. garlic powder
Vl tsp. celery salt
V4 tsp. red pepper
Combine dressing ingredients,
pour over salad ingredients. Chill
before serving.
Melva Staples, Central
CHICKEN PALATSCHINKEN
For chicken: Cover with water 4
medium chicken breasts or one
whole chicken, 1 whole carrot, 1
large celery stock, 1 bay leaf. Cook
until tender, skin and de-bone
chicken, cube. Discard vegetables,
strain broth, and set aside.
For white sauce:
10 Tblsp. butter or margarine (<V4
cup)
10 Tblsp. flour
IV4 tsp. salt or to taste
5 cups milk or a combination of
milk and chicken broth
1 large can Parmesan cheese
Melt butter/margarine over low
heat. Blend in flour, salt, dash of
pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook
quickly, stirring constantly, until
mixture thickens and bubbles. Re-
move sauce from heat when it bub-
bles. (If sauce cooks too long, it
becomes too thick and the butter
separates.) Add Parmesan cheese
and stir until well blended. Set
aside.
For Palatschinken (German Pan-
cakes):
1 cup milk (cream, if desired)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
Beat egg. Add milk and beat.
Add flour (a small amount at a
time), beat after each addition.
When all the flour is thoroughly
mixed into the egg/milk mixture,
the consistency should be of heavy
cream. Heat a small skillet (8 or
10") until moderately hot, add
small amount of oil. Rotate the oil
around in the skillet, coating the
bottom and sides thoroughly. Pour
approximately V4 cup of the batter
into the middle of the skillet and
rotate the skillet until the batter
coats the bottom and halfway up
the sides of the skillet. Reduce
heat (you don't want to scorch the
mixture) and cook until dry with a
few bubbles on top. Gently loosen
the pancake from the sides and
bottom and turn it over. Cook until
set and slightly brown. Put on
plate, stacking until all are cooked.
Cover and set aside.
In a 9" x 13" baking pan, ladle
several ladles of the white sauce
over the bottom of the pan. Take a
pancake, lay flat on a separate
plate, spoon a small amount of
chicken in the center, spoon a
small amount of white sauce over
the chicken, roll it up and tuck in
the ends. Place in the pan; con-
tinue until all pancakes are used
or until pan is full. Ladle the re-
mainder of the sauce over the
filled pancakes.
Bake at 350° approximately 30
minutes. Serve with a tossed
salad, french or garlic bread, broc-
coli, carrots, or any strong-flavored
vegetable, and fruit or ice cream
for dessert.
Carolyn Tucker, Midwest
YUM YUM CASSEROLE
1 whole bunch celery, cleaned
and chopped
1 lb. ground beef, browned and
drained
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans cream soup (chicken, cel-
ery, or mushroom)
V2 soup can water
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 can Chinese noodles (reserve
some)
In a greased casserole, combine
celery, beef, onion; add soup,
water, soy sauce, and noodles. Mix
well. Sprinkle remaining noodles
on top. Bake 30-45 minutes at
350°.
Adele Ritchey, Pennsylvania
Dates for General Conference
are August 5-9 in Ashland.
THE WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
NEWSLETTER
Published bimonthly in January,
March, May, July, September, and
November by the Women's Missionary
Society of The Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dorman Ronk, Editor
1325 Coachman Court
Ashland, Ohio 44805
Subscription price, $7.50 per year in
advance.
Send all subscriptions to Mrs. Robert
Kroft, 608 Twp. Road 1151, RD 5, Ash-
land, OH 44805.
Women's Outlook Newsletter
PANCIT MOLO OR WON-TON
SOUP (SIMPLIFIED)
Wrapper:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 egg yolks
enough water to make a paste
Place flour and salt in bowl;
make a well in the center and add
eggs and water. Mix into a paste
and knead until smooth. Roll paper-
thin with cornstarch and cut into
triangles 3 inches on two sides and
shorter on the third side.
Filling:
3/A lb. ground pork
3 Tbsp. shrimp, chopped
1/2 cup water chestnuts, canned,
finely chopped
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. vet-sin (monosodium gluta-
mate)
1 egg
2 dashes sesame oil
salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients of the
filling; wrap into the won-ton wrap-
pers: place 1 tsp. of filling mixture
at one angle of the triangle-shaped
wrapper and fold down one corner
of wrapper, fold it another time,
and a third time. Take up the two
free ends and press them firmly to-
gether with a little water, bringing
them up to a point.
Broth:
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 lb. shrimp, shelled and de-
veined (optional)
4 Tbsp. patis (flour, optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. vet-sin
12 cups chicken broth
1 chicken breast, boiled and
flaked
3 Tbsp. chopped spring onions
Saute the garlic and onion in
cooking oil. Add salt, pepper, and
vet-sin. Add chicken broth and
bring to boiling. Drop in the
stuffed wrappers and boil for 15
minutes. Serve in soup bowls and
sprinkle with freshly chopped
spring onions.
Karen Best, Stockton, CA
UNUSUAL SHRIMP SALAD
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 8-oz. cream cheese
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup minced onion
1 small can shrimp, chopped
V4 cup green olives, chopped
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
In microwaveable bowl, heat
cream cheese, mayonnaise, soup,
and gelatin on Hi-Med for 30 sec-
onds. Stir and repeat twice again,
or until smooth.
Fold in other ingredients. Put in
oiled fish mold (3-cup size) and
chill 4 hours. Unmold on plate and
add slice of green olive with red
pimento for eye. Serves 8-10.
Clara H. Stigers, Southwest
BRAN MUFFINS
Mix together in bowl
1 cup oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 qt. buttermilk
In a larger bowl, combine
21/2 cups wheat germ
1 cup quick oatmeal
1 cup Quaker natural cereal
\3/4 cup sugar
6 cups (rounded) Post Raisin Bran
5 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
<V4 tsp. each ginger, cloves, nut-
meg (according to your taste)
1 cup raisins
1/2> cup pecans, chopped (optional)
Add wet mixture to the dry in-
gredients. Fold in raisins and nuts.
Chill in refrigerator at least 48
hours. Bake at 400° for 15 min-
utes. Mixture will keep in refrig-
erator 2 weeks and can be baked
at different times.
Marie Fanning,
Southwest Vice President
FAYE'S CAKE
Cream until light:
3 cups sugar
1 cup margarine
1/3 cup shortening
Add 5 eggs (one at a time), beat
well after each one.
Add the following and mix until
smooth:
1 cup milk
3 cups flour
pinch salt
Add 1/2 tsp. baking powder and
mix only until blended. Pour into a
tube pan and bake at 350° for 30
minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°
and bake one additional hour or
until done. Cool 30 minutes before
removing from the pan. Freezes
well.
Susan Kidd, Southeast
'District Doings
Adelle Ritchey wrote that in
spite of the deep snows and floods,
she helped to start a new WMS
group in Wayne Heights. God bless
you!
Ladies in the Midwest District,
according to Carolyn Tucker, are
doing well, active and busy with
work for missions. The Cheyenne
church has two ladies fellowship
groups.
Grace Tolentino, California dis-
trict president, and Karen Best,
the pastor's wife in Stockton, re-
ported on the district conference,
which the Stockton church hosted
in February. The WMS ladies
served the meals, "but we didn't
have to be 'Marthas' the whole
time. The women from the other
churches helped with food prepa-
ration, which gave us time to be
'Marys' and take part in the semi-
nars offered by Carolyn Cooksey
entitled 'Women's Ministries in the
Brethren Church' and by Holly
Finks on 'Stress Management.' "
Every month their mission offer-
ing is designated for a different
mission area. In March they have
an annual soup luncheon for World
Relief. The Pancit Molo or Won-
Ton Soup recipe, which they sent,
is a favorite.
The soup lunch fund-raising
event for World Relief started in
the early 1970s, when the late Jen-
nie Lietsch was WMS president.
She had the idea of a sacrificial
soup luncheon. The ladies an-
nounce the soup luncheon to the
congregation and friends, and
those who come pay what they
would normally pay for a hearty
meal at a restaurant. This menu
consists of a bowl of soup, a roll,
and a beverage (hence the term
sacrificial). The money is desig-
nated for World Relief.
May-June 1996
CMisswnayij
Allen Baer of Argentina and
David and Jenny Loi of Malaysia
will be in the United States on fur-
lough this summer. They will all
be here for General Conference in
August. Begin praying now for
their safe travel and good health,
as well as for the national workers
who will continue ministries dur-
ing their absences.
West Valley Brethren Life
Church in Tracy, CA, pastored by
Archie Nevins, had its first Sun-
day morning seeker service March
24. Approximately 100 people at-
tended! Praise the Lord and con-
tinue to pray for the Nevins family
and other workers.
The Kumars are the May Mis-
sionary-of-the-Month family. The
India missions have been estab-
lished for more than 25 years, un-
der the ministry of Prasanth and
Nirmala. In addition to evangel-
ism, church planting, and voca-
tional training, the Kumars have
medical clinics and two orphan-
ages for the boys and the girls.
Their son, Sudhir, provides leader-
ship in music and youth ministry.
Continue to pray that God will
open doors for him to attend the
Ashland Theological Seminary.
Until then, he attends an Indian
seminary.
The June Missionary-of-the-
Month family is Daniel and Kathy
Rosales and their four children of
the Sarasota Hispanic congrega-
tion in Florida. Between April 17-
28, Daniel and Kathy conducted an
evangelistic campaign in Chile,
South America. In addition to eve-
ning evangelistic meetings, they
spoke daily over the radio and held
a youth rally.
David and Jenny Loi of Malaysia
are the July missionary family.
Their daughter, Rebecca, is almost
a teenager. Stephen, their son, is
concluding his freshman year at
Ashland University. Think of their
happy reunion this summer!
The President's Pen (continued)
author said that sometimes when
we pray, we may not feel like pray-
ing. We pray simply because we
want to be faithful. Then there are
times we find it easy to pray. We
might sense a great need or we are
aware of how much God loves us.
Those are the times it's easy to
pour our heart out to the Lord. For
whatever reason, we feel in touch
with God.
"In our busy lives, we some-
times find it difficult to
just be quiet and listen.*'
Ephesians 6:18 tells us "always
pray in the Spirit." The Holy Spirit
within us is a "spirit of grace and
supplication." If we pray with the
help of the Spirit, our attitudes of
prayer will be those of the Holy
Spirit. We need to be quiet and lis-
ten to the Holy Spirit. Psalm 46:10
says, 'Tie still and know . . . ." In
our busy lives, we sometimes find
it difficult to just be quiet and lis-
ten. We seem to be on the go and
it is hurry most of the time. But if
we will take the time to just quiet
ourselves, it is so good to feel the
presence of the Lord and allow
Him to speak to us.
It won't be long until our Gen-
eral Conference. My next letter
will have some information about
the WMS Conference. Until then,
God Bless You.
Shirley Black
Sewing Update
Joan Meirill plans to have a quilt
top ready for quilting at confer-
ence. Her idea is to use the Hearts
of Praise picture and words from
the devotional book on the center
square and surround that with
quilt squares. If someone desires
to buy a tote bag or apron at the
auction, let Joan know. Donated
auction items are always appreci-
ated; she knows of one making a
beautiful eagle cross-stitch picture.
That's a good idea!
TkZliftr's Btdwg
Dear Friends,
When members of the WMS
Board meet, we pray and discuss
many concerns of the missionary
organizations and try to view these
concerns from your viewpoints. It
is good when your district presi-
dent or representative can meet
with us. Usually she conveys your
thoughts very adequately.
However, our meetings are not
all work. We also laugh and eat.
Usually the Ashland ladies provide
the lunch, but we know everyone
there is a good cook, and some of
you have asked for recipes to be
included in the Newsletter. Hence,
this issue. The response was 100%.
Some came via mail, others by
telephone, FAX, and Fed Ex.
Thanks to all of you.
The Bible has frequent refer-
ences to food. None of these recipes
related to locusts, but more closely
resemble manna, fish, bread, and
honey. Angel food comes with other
recipes next time.
You know I am a typical woman
— I change my mind. When the
new printing company reported
that they could print our Newslet-
ter on yellow paper at no addi-
tional cost, I was delighted. I hope
you like it, too.
The WMS Board will meet May
11 in Ashland to complete General
Conference plans (and to eat
again). The listing of recommended
reading circle books will be sent to
your president for your selection
before your delegates come for con-
ference.
Please remember to return the
statistical report to Nancy Hunn,
555 W. Market St., Nappanee, IN
46550 before June 30, so your re-
port can be counted in the total.
Include the name and address of
each officer, even if they are
elected for two years.
Your friend,
Joan
Women's Outlook Newsletter
Summer Ministries Program
Announcing:
The 1996 Brethren Church
Summer Ministries Participants
An exciting summer of ministry is ahead as
forty-five young people and adults will participate
in service opportunities across the United States
and into Mexico in this year's Summer Ministries
program, sponsored by The Brethren Church.
Four mission teams will be sent out, one to
serve in our nation's capital and another in Mex-
ico's capital. A third team will minister in Juarez,
Mexico, and the fourth in Appalachia, U.S.A.
Five District Crusader teams will minister in
camps and local churches in three of our denomi-
nation's districts. Two teams will serve in Penn-
sylvania, two teams in the Southeastern District,
and a one-person "team" in Ohio.
Eight persons will also serve as Young Adult
Ministry Interns as part of the 1996 Summer
Ministries program. Two of these will intern in
local-church settings and six in district camps.
Juarez, Mexico, Team
For the third summer in a row, a
team will travel to Juarez, Mexico.
This year the team will work with
Paschall ministries and will par-
ticipate in street evangelism, chil-
dren's ministries (including work-
ing with a local orphanage and do-
ing puppet shows), drama/mime,
and worship services.
Jennifer Thomas John Howenstine
Jennifer Thomas from the Park
Street Brethren Church in Ash-
land, Ohio, will serve as team
leader, assisted by John Howen-
stine, youth pastor at the Elkhart,
Andrew Leasure Bethany McMillan
May 1996
Mission Teams
Ind., Brethren Church. Nine young
people complete the team: Andrew
Leasure, Bethany McMillan, and
Ben Leasure, all from the St.
Ben Leasure
Karen Corbitt
James, Md., Brethren Church;
Karen Corbitt from the Waterbrook
Brethren Church in Edinburg, Va.;
Meredith Graber from the Goshen,
Ind., First Brethren Church;
Trisha Stevens, Jamie Weaver, and
Meredith Graber Trisha Stevens
Jeff Estep from the Elkhart, Ind.,
First Brethren Church; and Jackie
Shipman from the Hammond Ave-
nue Brethren Church in Waterloo,
Iowa. All team members are first-
year participants except Jennifer,
Jamie Weaver
who served as
team leader the
previous two
summers, and
Jackie, who
served with last
year's team.
Following two
days (June 20,
21) in Ashland
for training,
the team will fly to Juarez, where
they will serve from June 22 to 29.
Jeff Estep
Mexico City Team
Four young women will work
with Todd and Tracy Ruggles in
Mexico City this summer. They are
Amber Corbitt from the Water-
brook Brethren Church, Edinburg,
Va.; Stephanie Dreyer from the Tuc-
son, Ariz., First Brethren Church;
Christina Godefrin from the Sara-
sota, Fla., First Brethren Church;
and Stefanie Grindle from the
Wabash, Ind., First Brethren Church.
The team is (top of next page)
Summer Ministries Program
Amber Corbitt Stephanie Dreyer
scheduled to serve from June 19 to
29. Tentatively scheduled activities
include mime/drama presenta-
Christina Godefrin Stefanie Grindle
tions, sports outreach, ministry to
street kids, and working with chil-
dren who live in a garbage dump.
Washington, D.C., Team
Three youth and three adults will
make up an intergenerational team
that will serve in Washington,
D.C., from July 20 to 28. Rev. Tim
and Jan Eagle will serve as the
team leaders. Tim pastors the Gar-
Reu. Tim and Jan Eagle
Missy Allen Jenna Bowen
ber Brethren Church in Ashland,
Ohio, and Jan serves as a substi-
Faith Schumacher
Jeff Lewis
District Crusaders
Ohio District
Angela Cummins, a member of
the Gretna Brethren Church near
Bellefontaine,
Ohio, will serve
as the lone Dis-
trict Crusader
in the Ohio Dis-
trict. Following
counselor train-
ing, she will
serve from June
14 to 29 as a
counselor at
Camp Bethany.
Angela Cummins
Pennsylvania District
Two teams will serve this sum-
mer in the Pennsylvania District.
Team One
Team One will help with vaca-
tion Bible schools at the Cameron,
W. Va., and Sarver, Pa., Brethren
Churches and also serve as coun-
selors at the Pennsylvania Junior
Camp. Monica Hoffman, a second-
year District Crusader from the
Berlin, Pa., Brethren Church,
will captain the team. Serving
continued on next page
tute teacher in area school systems.
The three youth on the team are
Missy Allen and Jenna Bowen from
the Oak Hill, W. Va., First Breth-
ren Church; and Faith Schumacher
from the Fremont, Ohio, Brethren
Church. The other adult on this in-
tergenerational team is Jeff Lewis
from the Meadow Crest Brethren
Church in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Appalachian Team
A team of five will work with a
group work camp in Brownsville,
Tennessee, from June 30 to July 6.
The team will be led by Tony and
Geneva Price from The Brethren
Tony Price Geneva Price
Church in New Lebanon, Ohio. Tony
serves as youth pastor at the church
and both he and Geneva teach in
the Dayton Christian Schools sys-
tem. Three
young people
complete the
team. They are
Kristopher
Mellinger from
the Meadow
Crest Brethren
Church in Fort
Wayne, Ind.;
Betty Jo Gordon,
Kristopher Mellinger who is also from
The Brethren Church in New Leba-
non; and Christina Godefrin from
the Sarasota, Fla., First Brethren
Church.
~r^#
<
f
f
Stew
Betty Jo Gordon Christina Godefrin
The Brethren Evangelist
Summer Ministries Program
District Crusaders
Pennsylvania District Team One cont.
with her on the
team will be
first-year cru-
saders Melissa
Shaffer from the
Valley Brethren
Church, Jones
Mills, Pa.; and
Michelle Davis,
also from the
Berlin Brethren
Church. Monica Hoffman
Melissa Shaffer Michelle Davis
Team Two
Pennsylvania District Team Two
will be captained by Kimberly Cus-
ter from the Berlin Brethren Church.
Shannon Logan from the Mason-
town, Pa., Breth-
ren Church and
Jill Philip, also
from Berlin, will
serve with Kim-
berly. All three
are first-year
Crusaders. This
team will serve
at the Pennsyl-
vania Junior
Camp and help Kimberly Custer
with vacation Bible Schools at the
Wayne Heights, Pa., and Berlin
Brethren Churches. Both Pennsyl-
vania teams will also assist at the
District Youth Conference.
Shannon Logan
May 1996
Jill Philip
Southeastern District
Two crusader teams will also serve
in the Southeastern District.
Team One
Jenna Bowen, a third-year District
Crusader, will serve as captain of
this team. Jenna is from the Oak
Hill, W. Va., First Brethren Church.
Second-year Crusader Missy Allen,
also from the Oak Hill Church;
first-year Crusader Alex Wiedel from
Missy Allen Jenna Bowen
the St. James, Md., Brethren Church;
and first-year Crusader Kimberly
Fox also from Oak Hill comprise the
rest of the team. They will serve at
the Southeastern Middler Camp and
help with vacation Bible schools at
the Hagerstown, Md., and St. James,
Md., Brethren Churches.
Alex Wiedel
Kimberly Fox
Team Two
Team Two in the Southeastern
District will be captained by Rachel
Pennington, a second-year District
Crusader who is also from the Oak
Hill First Brethren Church. Other
Rachel Pennington Jason Crouch
members of the team are second-
year Crusader Jason Crouch, Oak
Hill First Brethren; Erin Swisher,
a first-year Crusader from the St.
James Brethren Church; and Kelly
Fox, a first-year crusader who is
Erin Swisher Kelly Fox
also from Oak Hill First Brethren.
This team will serve at the South-
eastern Junior Camp and assist
with vacation Bible schools at
Gateway Brethren Fellowship (a
new Brethren class in Hagerstown,
Md.) and at the St. James Brethren
Church.
Young Adult Ministry Interns
Andrew Crum
Andrew Crum
Andrew, a
third-year par-
ticipant in the
Young Adult
Ministry intern-
ship program,
will serve from
May 13 to July
28 at Greenwood
Brethren Fel-
lowship under
the supervision
of church-planter Rev. Tom Conrad.
His responsibilities will include
many of the tasks that are involved
in planting a church. Andrew is a
member of the Burlington, Ind., First
Brethren Church.
Stephanie Dreyer
Stephanie, a first-year participant
in the internship program, will serve
from June 10 to August 3 at the
Northgate Community Brethren
continued on next page
Summer Ministries Program
Ministry Interns continued
Church in Man-
teca, Calif. She
will work under
the guidance of
Rev. Roger Stogs-
dill, pastor of the
congregation.
She will help
with camp and
vacation Bible
school prepara-
Stephanie Dreyer tion and work
with the youth program. Stephanie
is a member of the Tucson, Ariz.,
First Brethren Church.
Jaime Gillespie
Jaime, a mem-
ber of the Vinco,
Pennsylvania,
Brethren
Church and a
student at Ash-
land University,
will serve from
June 12 to July
13 as an intern
at Camp Beth-
Jaime Gillespie any in the Qhio
District. She will work under the
supervision of Tracy Whiteside.
Amber Dolby, Christy Van Duyne, Toni Huff,
Aaron Hollewell, Chad Geaslen
These five young people will serve
as Ministry Interns at the Brethren
Retreat Center in Shipshewana,
Indiana, this summer. They will
serve under the direction of Rick
Miller, director of the Center.
Amber Dolby is from the North
Manchester, Ind., First Brethren
Church. She is
a sophomore
at Manchester
College.
Christy Van
Duyne is a mem-
ber of Park
Street Brethren
Church in Ash-
land, Ohio. This
fall she will be a
Amber Dolby sophomore at
Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind.
Toni Huff is from the Nappanee,
Ind., First Brethren Church. She
will be a freshman at Ashland Uni-
versity in the fall.
Aaron Hollewell is a member of
the Lanark, 111., First Brethren
Church. He also plans to enter Ash-
land University in the fall.
Chad Geaslen attends the Univer-
sity Church in Ashland, Ohio. He is
a May 1996 graduate of Ashland
University.
Christy Van Duyne Toni Huff
Aaron Hollewell Chad Geaslen
You and the Summer Ministries program
THE SUMMER MINISTRIES
program is important to The
Brethren Church. Many past and
present Brethren pastors, mission-
aries, and other full-time Christian
workers in The Brethren Church
got their first real taste of Chris-
tian ministry in the Summer Min-
istries program — as Summer Cru-
saders, Interns, on Missions Teams,
or in some other kind of special
summer ministry. This is a train-
ing ground for Christian service.
You may not be able to serve as a
crusader or intern or go on a mission
trip, but you can still be a signifi-
cant part of the Summer Ministries
program. How is this possible?
Be a prayer warrior
One way you can be a part of this
program is by your prayers. Prayer
plays a vital role in this ministry.
You may have already signed up to
be a Summer Ministries prayer war-
10
rior. If so, you will receive informa-
tion soon about the person or team
you are to pray for. Be diligent in
your prayers for that person or team.
If you did not get a chance to sign
up to be a prayer warrior, you can
still join this army of intercessors
by calling (419-289-1708) or by writ-
ing The Brethren Church National
Office (address below). Or you can
simply choose one of the people on
these four pages (perhaps one from
your church or district); or you can
pray for all of them! Pray for their
safety and well-being as they travel
and serve, that they will minister
effectively, and that they will both
bless and be blessed by this sum-
mer experience.
Be an encourager
Another way you can be a part of
this ministry is by speaking a word
of encouragement to those who are
serving. If one of the participants is
from your church or serves in your
church, tell the person that you ap-
preciate this ministry and that you
are praying for him or her.
Be a supporter
It takes finances to carry on the
Summer Ministries program. Basic
support for this program, like all
ministries of The Brethren Church
National Office, comes from Breth-
ren Fair Share giving. So as your
church gives it Fair Share, it is sup-
porting the Summer Ministries
program.
But during the month of May,
Brethren are also provided an op-
portunity to give an offering direct-
ly for the Summer Ministries pro-
gram. Thus you have the privilege
of knowing that you are sharing di-
rectly in this important ministry.
You may give your gift for Summer
Ministries through your local
church; or you may send it directly
to Summer Ministries, The Breth-
ren Church, 524 College Ave., Ash-
land, OH 44805. [*]
The Brethren Evangelist
4C88g=&SU
Positive things happening
at Fairless Hills-Levittown
Levittown, Pa. — Rev. C. Wil-
liam Cole, pastor of the Fairless
Hills-Levittown Brethren Church,
reports that this congregation is
"very much alive and well."
Noting that the congregation had
some deep wounds in the past and
was once termed "impossible," Pas-
tor Cole states, "Yet I owe the church
praise after 14 years [of ministry
here]." He adds, "We are very ac-
tive, meaning that the active part is
red hot."
Some positives he notes include:
• a good Sunday Bible class with
three men teachers taking turns;
• a good attendance of 34 (about
60% of the congregation) at the
Palm Sunday Communion;
• giving is better in 1995-96, "a
church-wide response," after
nearly going bankrupt in 1994;
• an active, well-funded Women's
Missionary Society that deco-
rates the fellowship hall every
month according to a monthly
theme, with most of the W.M.S.
attending the mid-week service;
• five persons received as members
last December, nearly a 10 per-
cent increase in membership;
• the men keep up the repair work
on the building and grounds;
• harmony in the body;
• two choirs of small children on
Easter "whose almost uninhibi-
ted singing stirred our hearts";
"Our prayers are for all of the
Brethren churches and our mis-
sionary work in other nations,"
Pastor Cole declares. Let us uphold
our Christian brothers and sisters
at the Fairless Hills-Levittown
Brethren Church as well.
May 1996
1996 Pastors' and Wives' Retreat
proves to be a musical occasion
State College, Pa. — An assort-
ment of stringed musical instru-
ments greeted retreat participants
when they walked into the opening
(Tuesday evening) session of the
1996 Brethren Pastors' and Wives'
Retreat, giving promise that this
was going to be a musical event.
The promise was fulfilled.
During this opening session, musi-
cians Dennis Letts and Mark
Barnett demonstrated their skill as
Mark Barnett (I.) and Dennis Letts — pickin' and strummin'.
they played a variety of music —
Christian and secular, classical and
country — all to the glory of God.
They also sang and gave opportuni-
ties for the audience to sing. And
they shared some "corn" as well as
their testimonies. Rev. Letts then
concluded the session with a mes-
sage from God's words on looking to
the rainbows of God and the cove-
nant promises they guarantee.
A similar format was followed
during the Wednesday morning,
Wednesday evening, and Thursday
morning sessions of the retreat. Rev.
Letts' messages for these gather-
ings were on overcoming discourage-
ment (Wed. a.m.); guarding against
physical, emotional, and spiritual
stress (Wed. p.m.); and relying on
the faithfulness of God (Thur. a.m.).
Both Dennis Letts and Mark
Barnett are trained Bible students
as well as professional musicians.
Rev. Letts has pastored, taught in
Bible colleges, served ten years as a
missionary in Mexico, and traveled
extensively as a musical evangelist.
He is presently starting a new
church in Columbia, S.C.
Mr. Barnett is a musician par ex-
cellence with a testimony for Christ.
He has played stringed instru-
ments all of his life and has been
called the greatest five-string banjo
player in the world. He played at
Opryland, USA., for 21 years and
still appears on the Grand Ole
Opry. The two men have served the
Lord as a team for 28 years and
have preached and played through-
out the U.S.A.
and Mexico and
have traveled
twice to Russia.
In addition to
the four sched-
uled sessions
with the two mu-
sicians, some of
the Brethren
joined them for a
hootenanny on
Wednesday af-
ternoon. Other
retreat atten-
ders spent the
afternoon sightseeing or shopping,
and a number of dedicated golfers
hit the links in the less than ideal
weather.
The retreat was held April 16-18
at the Best Western State College
Inn and was hosted by the pastors
of the Pennsylvania District. Forty
seven men (pastors, other elders,
and seminary students), 30 wives,
and 9 children attended the gather-
ing. The wives met in a separate
session on Wednesday morning led
by Gloria M. Robine of Johnstown,
Pa. Ms. Robine, president of Par-
ents Involved Network (PIN), spoke
about developing support groups for
parents of the mentally challenged.
Immediately prior to the Thurs-
day lunch that concluded the re-
treat, a discussion period was held
on the proposed plan for denomina-
tional reorganization.
Next year's retreat will be held
April 15-17 at Sandy Cove, a Chris-
tian resort area near North East,
Md. It will be hosted by the pastors
of the Southeastern District.
— reported by Dick Win field
11
^cigyg^
Alice Kensinger honored
by N. Georgetown Church
North Georgetown, Ohio —
Alice Hieronimus Kensinger was
honored by the North Georgetown
First Brethren Church on Sunday,
March 17, for her many years of
service to the congregation.
Mrs. Kensinger has served the
church faithfully in several capaci-
ties. March 18 was the 40th anni-
versary of her ordination as a dea-
coness, and on that date she retired
from active service as a deaconess.
During the March 17th morning
worship service, Mrs. Kensinger
gave her personal testimony, and
several members of the congrega-
tion gave testimony to how she had
touched their lives. Several of her
favorite hymns were sung, and
Marty Dye dedicated a special
number, "Shepherd Boy," to her.
The Deacon Board presented her a
picture of the Good Shepherd and
the sheep. Twenty members of her
family attended the service.
At a carry-in meal that followed
the service, Pastor Fred Brandon
presented Mrs. Kensinger with a
corsage. She was also honored with
a cake with the inscription, Thanks
for 40 years of faithfulness," which
was enjoyed by all.
Before moving to the North George-
Alice Kensinger with cake thanking
her for 40 years of faithfulness.
town area, Mrs. Kensinger was a
member of the Quiet Dell Brethren
Church in Pennsylvania.
— reported by Pastor Fred Brandon
Mary Ellen Drushal named
Ashland University provost
Ashland, Ohio — Dr. Mary Ellen
Drushal, former academic dean at
Ashland Theological Seminary, who
was named acting provost at Ash-
land University last August, has now
become the university's new provost.
Ashland University President
Dr. G. William Benz announced the
selection of Drushal, following the
recommendation of AU's Provost
Search Committee. He said that
Dr. Drushal was selected from
among four finalists.
"Since assuming the position of
Jones Mills,
Pa. — Vera
Schroyer (I.) and
Penny and John
Zylka were or-
dained to the
diaconate of the
Valley Brethren
Church in a
service held
Sunday, March
24. Conducting
the ordination
service were
(back row, I. to
r.) Rev. Bill Yoder, pastor of the Valley Church; Rev. Glenn Grumbling; and
Rev Robert Hoffman. — reported by LaVerne Keslar
acting provost last fall, Dr. Drushal
has brought great leadership skills
to the academic area and has dem-
onstrated her ability to get things
done," Dr. Benz said. Convinced that
Dr. Drushal has the strong support
of a high percentage of the faculty,
administrators, staff, and students at
AU, Dr. Benz added, "I am also con-
vinced that she and I will be able to
work well together and that we have
very similar goals and aspirations
for the future of Ashland University."
Dr. Drushal
grew up in
The Brethren
Church and is
currently a
member of the
University
(Brethren)
Church. She
served as Gen-
eral Confer-
ence modera-
tor in 1990 Dr. Mary Ellen Drushal
She joined the seminary faculty in
1984 and held various positions be-
fore becoming academic dean in 1991.
Her husband, J. Michael Drushal,
currently serves The Brethren
Church as interim Director of Breth-
ren Church Ministries. He is also
an assistant professor at Ashland
University and chairs AU's Depart-
ment of Business Administration.
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Vol. 118, No. 6
A newsletter for Brethren people
June 1996
Brad Whitehead and Dave Kline talk about:
Three-way calling and the call of God
D
ID YOU HEAR the phone ring
just now?" . . . "There was
some static on the line; could you
make out what she was saying?" . . .
"You were on the extension. What
do you think he meant by that?"
We all receive calls every day. In
spite of all the advances in commu-
nication technology, we often need
a little help receiving and interpre-
ting these daily messages. The more
significant the call, the more crucial
it is that we get the message right.
A new service offered by the phone
company may help us. The service
is Three-Way Calling. According to
the latest phone directory, 'Three-
Way Calling lets you hold a three
way conversation with friends, rela-
tives, or business associates. You
can decide who, where, and when
all in one smart call." Getting a
third person on the line can help
clarify the message for all involved.
"Three-way calling" is not new to
God. For thousands of years He has
been using this method in the lives
of His people to clarify His call to
ministry (see Acts 9:1-18).
"Is God 'calling' me? Are these just
my own crazy ideas, or does God
really want me to serve in some
special way? If I could just ask
someone else for confirmation. . . ."
God
often calls
a third
party
alongside
an indi-
vidual He
has cho-
sen for ■
service in
order to
reaffirm
His di-
rection
in that
person's
life.
That's
exactly
what
took
place
with
Brad Whitehead and Dave Kline
from the Goshen, Indiana, First
Brethren Church.
While God was busy changing the
seasons in the spring of 1995, He
made it clear to me that He is also
busy changing lives. Just as the
birds have their focus and direction
adjusted by their sovereign Creator
when it's time to fly north, in much
the same way I was being redirected
by the Lord to whom I had surren-
dered my life just a year earlier.
After the first year of my Chris-
tian life, God went to work on my
heart once again. He realigned my
priorities, altered my desires, and
challenged the way I looked at the
new life He had given me. By plant-
ing in me a new sense of urgency
for spreading the gospel, He enabled
me to see that He had a lot more in
store for me.
Suddenly, the thought of serving
God thrilled me. Visions of ministry
and a life of service began consum-
ing my thought life. But I had a
hard time believing that He would
use somebody like me: a 31-year-old
man with a wife, three children, a
house, two cars, and a job that I've
been at since 1988. These thoughts
caused me a great deal of confusion.
I can recall wishing many times that
I would hear a loud and distinct
voice from God that would spell out
everything for me. I simply wanted
to know, "How do I really know?" I
prayed and sought God for answers.
Up to this point, I had kept all of
this to myself. As a result, I was
nearly ready to explode. Finally, after
a Wednesday night Bible study, I
was compelled to consult with our
associate pastor, David Kline. I had
to speak to someone about all of the
issues that were on my heart.
Dave:
Following
the Bible
study that
Wednesday
night, I
went to my
office to
wrap up a
few things
(continued on next page)
In this issue
Three-way calling 1
God of the little things 2
You will never be the same! . . 3
Invitation to spiritual renewal . 4
Understanding the Bible ... 5
General Conference preview . 6
Around the denomination ... 9
Note: A special supplement in
the center of this issue presents the
denominational reorganization pro-
posal that will be considered at
General Conference and answers to
commonly-asked questions about
this proposal.
before heading home. I heard a gen-
tle rap at my door and looked up to
see Brad standing there.
"Do you have a few minutes?" he
asked.
Showing him a chair, I puzzled
over what he wanted to discuss, my
curiosity aroused by his serious ex-
pression and quiet intensity.
"How do you know when you're
being called into ministry?" he
blurted out.
I related my own spiritual jour-
ney, telling him how God had placed
an unmistakable call on my life at a
memorial concert for Christian
singer Keith Green. Brad then
shared with me all that God had
laid on his heart over the last year.
We prayed together and agreed to
keep praying for God's direction
and guidance in the weeks ahead.
In parting that evening, I gave him
the best counsel I had ever heard
concerning a call to ministry: If you
can do anything else in life and
have God's peace, then do it. If it
truly is God's call on your life, "the
Hound of Heaven" will not let you
rest until you submit.
Brad:
I knew that I had to trust it all to
God, so I earnestly sought Him in
prayer. All of the negatives — the
what ifs — kept crowding into my
mind. "Will I have to quit my job?
Sell my house? Move? Go back to
school?" But something inside was
pushing me forward. As hard as I
tried, I could not picture myself go-
ing anywhere but forward. I found
myself more willing to submit to
the leading of the Spirit than to
submit to my own doubts and fears.
Approximately two weeks follow-
ing my meeting with Dave, and
after many prayers, Pastor Don
Rowser preached a ministry re-
cruitment sermon. At the conclu-
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monlhly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 Col-
lege Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; E-mail: Brelhrench@aol.com; fax: 41 9-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
sion of the sermon, he called for
men and women of the congrega-
tion to commit their lives to Chris-
tian service. God made that call
crystal clear to me, and I responded
to the invitation. The Holy Spirit
moved me to go forward, and He
enabled me to formally commit my-
self to a life of ministry, serving the
Lord Jesus Christ all the days of my
life or until the day of His return. A
life that revolved around preaching
the truth, reaching out to the lost,
and equipping God's people became
my passion. I am currently serving
as a lay pastor and outreach minis-
ter for the local church.
One thing I've learned is that a
call to ministry does not necessarily
mean God wants you to become a
professional pastor (though for some,
that's exactly what He wants).
Rather, God calls every believer to a
dedicated life of service, no matter
what your education, location, or ex-
perience. If you feel God tugging at
your shirt tail, don't shake Him off;
pursue the call.
Dave:
Remember, God also has "call-
forwarding." Just ask Jonah! [ft]
Mr. Whitehead is a member of the
Goshen, Ind., First Brethren Church and
a Life Work Recruit. Mr. Kline, youth
pastor at Goshen First Brethren, serves
as Brad's "Authentic Disciple" (mentor).
Note: June is Ministry Emphasis
Month in The Brethren Church. Each
year the first Sunday of June (June 2
this year) is designated as Ministry Re-
cruitment Sunday. It is also the month
for promoting the Ministerial Student
Aid Fund, a fund used to provide finan-
cial help to students preparing for full-
time Christian ministry in The Brethren
Church.
God of the Little Things
By Joni Eareckson Tada
Verse: Psalm 103:13
IS GOD CONCERNED about
the details of your life? Does
He care about the "little things"?
Piles of dishes need to be done.
The washer leaks a big soapy
puddle on the floor — and you've
got people coming in an hour.
Little things.
Nobody else seems to notice or
pay that much mind ... so why
should God? After all, isn't He the
God of the BIG things? Isn't He the
one who spoke swirling galaxies
into the vast frontiers of space,
who measured the waters in the
hollow of His hand and calculated
the dust of the earth (Isaiah 40:12)?
Why should this great, awesome
God notice the tears that came to
my eyes this morning at break-
fast— when no one else noticed?
Why should the Creator of the
universe care about the worries
that kept me awake until two in
the morning? Why should the
mighty Sovereign of eternity be
concerned about the fact that I'm
late for an appointment and can't
find a parking place?
Sure, the Bible says He has
compassion for His people. But
isn't that sort of a "general" com-
passion for human-kind? Isn't
that an arms-length kind of com-
passion? Just how intimately is
God involved in our small, petty
problems? David says He has the
compassion of a father.
I remember my father having a
(continued on next page)
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The Brethren Evangelist
You will never be the same!
Part two _ , _.
By Jerry Flora
LAST YEAR the Leadership De-
velopment Commission asked
for titles of books to help Brethren
workers in their devotional life.
Four books were suggested. Two of
those were reviewed in an article
in last month's EVANGELIST, and this
article will look at the other two.
Sue Monk Kidd
Sue Monk Kidd is a professional
writer and editor who works for
Guideposts magazine. She is the
author of five books and has writ-
ten many articles that have ap-
peared in such publications as
Reader's Digest, Living Prayer, and
Weavings. Her 1990 book, When the
Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for
Life's Sacred Questions, received
the Book of the Year award from
Virtue magazine. It deserves that
label from Brethren as well. She
writes:
I've tried to open up a path before
you, one grounded in the Bible, in
centuries of Christian spiritual writ-
ing, and in contemporary spiritual
direction and developmental psy-
chology. I've tried to offer down-to-
earth truths from my own life, as
well as profound truths from the
great tradition of Christian spiritual-
ity. It has been my task to weave
them together to make a tapestry of
storytelling and teaching that might
open your eyes to the transforming
Christ-journey we're all called to
make. (p. x)
Kidd's book lives up to its goals.
It is about cocoons and waiting and
new life. It is about separation and
transformation and emergence. It
is about mid-life and children's
stories and the good news of the
gospel. Almost every page contains
deep wisdom gracefully expressed.
After you have read it, life's dry
times, empty times, in-between
times will be different for you.
Pastor Lynn Mercer believed so
strongly in the value of this book's
message that, as moderator of the
Ohio District, he recommended
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that all Brethren read it. I can't
state its value any better than that.
A. W. Tozer
Aiden Wilson Tozer was one of
the last generation's most powerful
Christian writers in North America.
As a pastor and as editor of The Alli-
ance Witness, he poured out a stream
of sermons and books until he died
in 1963. Writing with a pen dipped
first in fire, then in ice, he seemed
to be a prophet to the evangelical
churches. Nearly a generation after
his death, 40 of his books are still
available, most of them from Chris-
tian Publications (Camp Hill, Pa.).
It was Harper & Brothers, how-
ever, who first published The Knowl-
edge of the Holy when it came out in
1961. The fruit of a lifetime of
study, musing, and prayer, it dis-
cusses "the attributes of God: their
meaning in the Christian life."
Much of what we say, pray, and do
as believers is thin because we
think and believe so poorly about
God. Tozer challenges us to "think
rightly about God," and in 23 short
chapters he gives us one of the best
theological books I have ever seen.
By "theological" I don't mean pon-
derous, boring, or dull. I mean this
is a book about God — the Lord God
Almighty who created the heavens
and earth, entered human history
for our healing, and will eventually
make all things right. This is the
Infinite Sovereign Mystery whom
we hope to worship for all eternity.
What does that mean? Tozer an-
swers:
"From everlasting to everlasting,
thou art God," said Moses in the
Spirit. "From the vanishing point to
the vanishing point" would be an-
other way to say it quite in keeping
with the words as Moses used them.
The mind looks backward in time till
the dim past vanishes, then turns and
looks into the future till thought and
imagination collapse from exhaus-
tion; and God is at both points, un-
affected by either. (p. 45)
Here is a book to expand (ex-
plode?) our small ideas about God,
and thus about worship, about min-
istry, and about life. But be warned:
reading this book can be hazardous
to your health. If it blows up how
you think about God, you will never
be the same! [ft]
Dr. Flora, professor of New Testament
Theology and Spiritual Formation at
Ashland Theological Seminary, is a
member of The Brethren Church's
Spiritual Formation Commission.
God of the Little Things
(continued from page 2)
kind of intimate, heartfelt com-
passion with me. Often when my
dad would be busy at his easel, I'd
sit on the floor at his side with my
crayons and coloring book. Some-
times he'd set his brushes aside,
reach down and lift me into his
lap. Then he'd fix my hand on one
of his brushes and enfold his
larger, stronger hand around mine.
Ever so gently, he would guide my
hand and the brush, and I would
watch in amazement as, together,
we made something beautiful.
This is the kind of love our God
has for us. Fatherlove. The kind,
gentle compassion of a dad who
deeply cares for his sons and
daughters. Maybe you never had
a dad like that . . . but you do have
such a Father.
Let God's big hand close gently
over yours. With His help, even
the discouraging scribbles of your
life can become a masterpiece.
Nothing would delight a father's
heart more. [ft]
— From Women's Devotional
Bible 2 (Zondervan Publishing House).
Article provided by the publisher.
June 1996
An invitation to spiritual renewal
By Marlin L. McCann
SHORTLY AFTER moving to
North Manchester, Indiana, I
was approached by several men of
the church who asked if I would be
interested in attending a Cursillo
weekend sponsored by the Lutheran
church. I asked some questions about
the weekend and after receiving
some vague answers decided I wasn't
interested. Fortunately for me, the
men persisted. So I decided, "What
have I got to lose?" and I went.
What a significant weekend I
had! While I wasn't totally aware of
all that was going on, I experienced
the grace of God and the love of a
special community.
Out of that Cursillo, now called
the Lutheran Via De Christo, has
come a movement called the Breth-
ren Way of Christ, which is a co-
operative venture between The
Brethren Church and the Church
of the Brethren in Indiana.
Background of the movement
To explain the basic premise of
this movement, let me share some
of its history. The movement began
in 1940 in Majorca, Spain. It was
initiated by some men who wanted
to bring the light of Christ to their
world.
. . . the Cursillo . . . (little courses in
Christianity) was not just a well
worked out human product. It grew
in the climate of spiritual renewal.
It was developed by men of prayer
who were seeking to serve the Lord.
It was formed by the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit working in men who
had dedicated themselves to bring-
ing others to a knowledge of Christ.
The Brethren Way of Christ is
a three-day school that takes a New
Testament look at Christianity as a
lifestyle. It is a highly structured
weekend designed to strengthen
and renew the faith of Christian
people, and, through them, to re-
new their families, churches, and
the environment in which they live
and work. It is a united effort of
laity and clergy to aid congrega-
* LEADER'S MANUAL, The Cursillo Move-
ment (Dallas, Tex., 1988), p.2.
tions in developing Christian lead-
ers who will renew the church.
A Brethren Way weekend
Let me give you a brief glimpse of
what happens on a Brethren Way
of Christ weekend. The retreat be-
gins on Thursday evening and con-
cludes Sunday night. During the
weekend, candidates attend morn-
ing chapel services and celebrate
Communion. They pray, sing, enjoy
fellowship, eat delicious food, make
new friendships, and discuss talks
given by lay persons and pastors.
The talks center on the grace of God,
the reality of grace in one's life, how
to live the life of grace, and how to
impart grace to others.
Each participant experiences the
weekend a little differently, but all
come into a closer relationship with
Jesus Christ. Each person ends the
weekend feeling loved and blessed.
Following the three-day weekend,
those who have taken part are en-
couraged to enter into the Fourth
Day, which is the rest of their lives.
They are to expand their inner
spiritual lives through study and
church participation and to live out
their faith by becoming more active
Christians in their daily lives. One
means that helps them to achieve
this is a Reunion Group of two to
five friends who meet together
weekly for spiritual growth and en-
couragement. A second means is
the Ultreya, a reunion of many
groups. Meetings of the Ultreya are
held quarterly at various churches
throughout the district.
My Reunion Group meets every
Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. at a
dentist's office. Six men are in the
group; two of us are Brethren, two
are Lutherans, one is a Methodist,
and one is from Brethren Charity
Fellowship. We endeavor to hold
one another accountable in our
Christian walk as we share what
has happened in our lives during
the week. Time is spent in prayer
for the joys, sorrows, and concerns
of our families and friends. My
wife, Lila, has been meeting with
three other women every week in a
Reunion Group.
The North Manchester First
Brethren Church has more than 50
members who have experienced
this kind of weekend. A number of
Reunion Groups meet weekly in
our church and in other locations,
which are attended by those who
have gone through a weekend. I
have seen how it has impacted the
lives of these people as well as the
ministry of this church!
Let me tell about one couple who
came through the Brethren Way of
Christ. This young couple had been
struggling in their marriage. He
was a control freak; he had been
before their marriage and he con-
tinued to be so. They had tried
counseling but without success.
He went on a men's weekend.
When he got home Sunday night,
he took his wife into the kitchen,
placed her on a chair, got out a ba-
sin, filled it with water, and began
washing her feet. As he did so, he
confessed his controlling nature
and asked for her forgiveness. She
was so puzzled and confused about
what had happened to him that she
was afraid to go the women's re-
treat the next weekend. But she
went anyway.
From caterpillar to butterfly
I remember her apprehension,
because I was serving on the team
that weekend as a spiritual direc-
tor. During the weekend I saw how
she was transformed from a cater-
pillar into a butterfly. This couple
has since shared their testimony with
other candidates for the Brethren
Way of Christ. They are but one
example of the changes that can
take place in the lives of people.
One of the priorities of The Breth-
ren Church for the nineties is
spiritual formation. The Breth-
ren Way of Christ is one avenue
whereby Christians can deepen
their commitment to Christ and be-
gin to share that commitment with
those around them. I would espe-
cially urge Brethren in Indiana to
get involved in this unique method
of going deeper in the Lord. [ft]
Rev. McCann, pastor of the North Man-
chester, Ind., First Brethren Church, is
a member of The Brethren Church's
Spiritual Formation Commission.
The Brethren Evangelist
How do Brethren view the Eucharist?
By Dale R. Stoffer
I AM SURE that I was not alone
in believing that the distinctive
part of the Brethren practice of
threefold Communion was our ob-
servance of feetwashing and the love
feast. I had assumed that our un-
derstanding of the Eucharist — the
bread and the cup — was similar to
the view of many other Believers'
churches. With many of these
churches we share the conviction
that the Eucharist is a memorial of
Christ's atoning death for us. Like-
wise, we hold the common belief that
Christ is in some sense present
with us in the Communion service.
Two years ago I volunteered to
write a study paper on the Breth-
ren view of the Eucharist for a Be-
lievers' Church Conference hosted
by Ashland Theological Seminary.
During my research, I discovered,
much to my surprise, that the
Brethren view of the Eucharist has
several features that make it no
less distinct than our practice of
feetwashing and the love feast.
Two surprising discoveries
Two things struck me as I was
doing my research. First, until re-
cently Brethren have given little
discussion to an issue that has been
the major point of debate among
Christian groups since the Reforma-
tion; namely, in what sense is Jesus
Christ present in the "elements" of
the bread and cup. Views range from
the Catholic position that the bread
and wine are actually transformed
into the body and blood of Christ; to
the Lutheran position that Christ is
present bodily "in, with, and under"
the elements; to the Reformed posi-
tion that Christ is spiritually pre-
sent as we commune with Him.
Brethren writers, for the most part,
seem uninterested in this debate.
Second, the words of institution
that we use (the Scripture passage
we recite) as we take the bread and
cup are not derived from the pas-
sages that nearly every other body
of Christians recite — either the Gos-
pel tradition found in Matthew, Mark,
June 1996
and Luke or Paul's account of the
Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians
11:23-26. Rather, we have gener-
ally recited Paul's statement in
1 Corinthians 10:16, rephrasing it
as an affirmation: "The bread which
we break is the communion of the
body of Christ; the cup which we
bless is the communion of the blood
of Christ." Significantly, Paul's main
point in this passage is not even
about Communion; rather he uses
his view of the bread and cup to
illustrate an entirely different point.
In studying the context of this
verse, I became convinced that the
Brethren originally selected it be-
cause it reinforces some of the same
truths that feetwashing and the
love feast reinforce and because it
reflects our commitment to commu-
nity. This passage shows that the
Eucharist, like feetwashing and the
love feast, has both a vertical and a
horizontal significance. It speaks of
the relationship both between God
and the believer and between the
believer and the community of faith.
In verse 17 the community theme
that is so important to Brethren is
powerfully portrayed: "Because there
is one loaf, we, who are many, are
one body, for we all partake of the
one loaf." (Should we use a common
loaf at times to symbolize our one-
ness as Christ's body?)
In the ensuing verses (18-22), Paul
warns against eating sacrificial
meals at pagan temples. He does so
not because the sacrifice and the
idol themselves are anything, but
because in a real sense one partici-
pates in or fellowships with the de-
mons to whom the sacrifices are of-
fered. In fact, Paul reinforces his
argument by citing his view of com-
munion— there is real fellowship
with Jesus Christ when we partake
of the bread and cup.
Important implications
The fact that our conception of
Eucharist is drawn from 1 Corin-
thians 10:16 has some important
implications. (1) It means that the
Eucharist is never just a personal
or individual encounter with Christ,
but involves a community encoun-
ter with Him as well. This commu-
nal aspect reminds the church, as
Christ's body, that He is the source
of its life and that the body, in all
its members, needs to live in unity
with Christ and with one another.
(2) This concern for the unity of
the body is the rationale behind the
call by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:
17-34 for
self-exam-
i n a t i o n
prior to
sharing in
Commun-
ion. The
Brethren
historical-
Understanding ly insisted
the Bible that self-
examina-
tion, reconciliation of interpersonal
conflicts, and corporate discipline,
if necessary, must occur before the
body can come together in Com-
munion. Brethren congregations
would sometimes postpone the ob-
servance of the Lord's Supper if
there were unreconciled issues in
the body.
(3) For Brethren, the concept of
Christ's presence in the Eucharist
is clearly governed by these per-
spectives. The issue for us is not the
presence of Christ in the elements
but the presence of Christ in His
body, the church. How fully do the
gathered people of God reflect their
Lord in holiness, purity, integrity,
love? Communion is the time when
the community of faith unites with
her living Lord both to remember
and thank Him for His sacrificial
love and to receive anew His gra-
cious blessings and love.
The next time you take the bread
and cup in Communion, remember
the significance of the words you
recite: 'The bread which we break
is the communion of the body of
Christ; the cup which we bless is
the communion of the blood of
Christ.
[♦]
Dr. Stoffer is associate professor of
historical theology at Ashland Theolog-
ical Seminary and serves on The Breth-
ren Church's Committee on Doctrine,
Research, and Publication, which is
preparing this series of articles.
General Conference Preview
1996 General Conference Schedule
Theme: "Partners in the Gospel" (Philippians 1:3-11)
August 5-9 at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio
Monday, August 5
8:30 am — Leadership Seminar
(reservation required)
4:00 pm — New Delegate Briefing
6:30 pm — Opening Celebration
including BYIC greetings
and featuring address by
Moderator Richard E. Allison
8:30 pm — Reception
Tuesday, August 6
8:00 am — Devotional/Prayer Time
8:20 am — Business Session
10:30 am — Evangelism Workshop,
led by Evangelism Commis-
sion and Rev. Paul Mundey
1:30 pm — Auxiliary Sessions
(WMS, BMOM, NABCE)
4:30 pm — Lawn games and Pic-
nic, celebrating the 50th
birthday of Brethren Youth
(reservation required)
7:00 pm — Worship Service, led
by Evangelism Commission
and featuring a message by
Rev. Paul Mundey
Wednesday, August 7
7:00 am — Pastors' Wives Fellow-
ship and Breakfast (reserva-
tion required)
8:00 am — Devotional/Prayer Time
8:20 am — Business Session
10:30 am — Workshop, led by Spiri-
tual Formation Commission
12:30 pm — Women's Luncheon
(reservation required) featur-
ing message by Barbara Hess
12:30 pm — Men's Picnic (reserva-
tion required)
7:00 pm — Worship Service, led
by Ashland Theological
Seminary
Thursday, August 8
8:00 am — Devotional/Prayer Time
8:20 am — Business Session
10:30 am — Conflict Resolution
Workshop, led by Doug Little
12:30 pm— World Relief Soup Lunch
(reservation required)
2:00 pm — Auxiliary Sessions
5:00 pm — Missionary Board Ban-
quet (reservation required)
7:00 pm — Worship Service, led by
Missionary Board, followed
by a quilt auction
Friday, August 9
8:00 am — DevotionaVPrayer Time
8:20 am — Business Session
10:30 am — Closing Session featur-
ing Youth Convention report
and challenge by new Mod-
erator John Shultz
Paul Mundey, Director of The Andrew Center,
to speak at General Conference
PAUL E. R. MUNDEY, Director
of The Andrew Center, will
speak twice at the 1996 General
Conference. We are especially hon-
ored to have him participate in
this General Conference, as we
celebrate God's blessing through
Passing On the Promise.
He will present a seminar Tues-
day morning during the evangelism/
church growth special emphasis. The
theme of the seminar, "Unlocking
Church Doors," will address strate-
gies for bringing about change in
established congregations.
His second message, "Does the
Future Have a Church?" will ad-
dress current trends, challenges,
and opportunities for the church. It
will be presented during the Tues-
day evening worship service. The
service will include a celebration of
evangelism in The Brethren Church
and of Passing On the Promise.
Mundey has been director of
evangelism and congregational
growth for the Church of the Breth-
ren since 1983 and concurrently
director of The Andrew Center since
its founding in 1994. He was the
architect behind the design of Pass-
ing On the
Promise and
The Andrew
Center. Pass-
ing On the
Promise is a
36-month proc-
ess focusing on
evangelism
and congrega-
tional growth.
One-third of
Brethren con-
gregations
have partici-
pated in this
process. The
Andrew Center Rev- Paul ER- Mundey
is a multi-denominational resource
center whose mission is "to multi-
ply the number of persons turning
to Jesus Christ by multiplying the
number of leaders and congrega-
tions spiritually alive and evangel-
istically effective." The Brethren
Church is a partner denomination
of the center.
Prior to his national staff posi-
tion, Mundey pastored the Friend-
ship Church of the Brethren in Bal-
timore, Md. During his ministry the
congregation more than doubled its
worship attendance in six years.
A native of Hagerstown, Md., he
completed his bachelor's
degree in history at Towson
State College, Baltimore,
Md., and his Master of Di-
vinity degree at Fuller
Theological Seminary.
Mundey is the author of
several books: Unlocking
Church Doors: Ten Keys to
Positive Change (to be re-
leased by Abingdon Press
in January 1997); Change
and the Established Con-
gregation (The Andrew
Center); and Riding the
River: Congregational Out-
reach and the Currents of
the 21st Century. He is also
the co-author of two books: New
Life for All (with Timothy K. Jones
and Terry Hatfield) and Including
and Involving New People (with
Robert Dell).
He lives in Elgin, 111., with his wife,
Robin, and their two children, [ft]
The Brethren Evangelist
Denominational Reorganization Proposal
for The Brethren Church
Formal Proposal — May 17, 1996
Introduction
WHAT FOLLOWS is a pro-
posal for denominational re-
organization. It is the result of joint
efforts over the last two years by
the General Conference Executive
Council (GCEC) and the Mission-
ary Board of The Brethren Church.
Organizational issues have been
the focus of discussion since 1993,
when General Conference acted to
commission an outside study of our
denominational organization and
finances. Since receiving that report
in early 1994, GCEC and the Mis-
sionary Board have been discussing
and praying over the best way to
implement the facilitator's recom-
mendations for unified vision, re-
sponsible stewardship, and mission-
focused organization. The delegates
to General Conference provided in-
put in 1994 and 1995.
Based on the facilitator's recom-
mendations, board discussions, and
input from Conference, a working
document of this proposal was pre-
pared. In March, both the Mission-
ary Board and GCEC voted unani-
mously to approve that working
document. A preliminary draft of
the proposal that follows was sent
to all Brethren pastors, elders, local
church moderators, and district
officers. They were encouraged to
duplicate the preliminary draft and
distribute it to members of their
congregations. Regional forums were
held in many districts. Feedback
received from the regional forums,
from congregations, and from indi-
viduals was reviewed. A number of
the suggestions were incorporated,
and the preliminary draft has been
revised by GCEC. A section ad-
dressing commonly asked ques-
tions has been incorporated to clar-
ify a number of issues raised.
The following proposal is now be-
ing sent to local Brethren church
leaders and is being published in
The Brethren Evangelist. This pro-
posal will be presented as a formal
recommendation to General Con-
ference in August 1996. It is the
hope of both the General Confer-
ence Executive Council and the
Missionary Board that action on
this proposal will be taken at this
General Conference.
Please read this revised document
carefully. Discuss it together as a
congregation. Attend one of the re-
gional forums held in your area. If
you have further questions, we would
be happy to provide answers for
them. Questions may be addressed
to your regional forum presenter or
to Mike Drushal, Interim Director
of Brethren Church Ministries, The
Brethren Church, 524 College Ave.,
Ashland, OH 44805; 419-289-1708;
e-mail Brethrench@aol.com; FAX
419-281-0450. Questions submitted
by July 15 will receive a response in
writing, by telephone (please pro-
vide your telephone number), or by
e-mail.
Denominational reorganization will
impact the future of The Brethren
Church. Thank you for giving it your
careful and prayerful considera-
tion. And please be in prayer that
God will guide General Conference
delegates in August as we make de-
cisions regarding this proposal.
Functional Responsibilities
The reason we have a denomination is to facilitate the work of the
local churches, to accomplish together what local churches cannot do
separately, and to foster unity on the essentials of doctrine and on the
practice of the ordinances.
The purpose of our national organization is to promote a unified
vision for ministry and to provide motivation and resources to achieve
that vision at the local, district, national, and international levels.
We understand the following functions of the national organization
in light of this purpose.
Congregational Ministries
Equipping for Outreach
Evangelizing one-to-one
Evangelizing our communities
Serving people in need
Discipling Brethren People
Educating children, youth, and
adults
Strengthening personal piety
Enhancing worship
Fostering Brethren identity
Growing in stewardship
Peace-making
Training Growth Leaders
Equipping God's people for
ministry in the church, the
community, and the world
Enhancing Pastoral Leadership
Continuing education
Caring for pastors
Beginning, continuing, and con-
cluding pastoral-congrega-
tional relationships
Revitalizing Local Churches
Assessing
Advising
Assisting
Missionary Ministries
Forming New Churches
Assessing
Training
Evangelizing
Developing strategies
Planning
Implementing
Supervising
Partnering with districts and
local churches
Advancing World Missions
Assessing
Training
Evangelizing
Starting churches
Supervising
Partnering
Supporting World Relief
Partnering
Promoting
(continued on next page)
Reorganization Proposal, Page One
Functional Responsibilities (cont.)
Administrative Services
Financial Management
Planned Giving
Order Processing/Filling
Sunday School
Brethren Publications
Statistics
Computer Management
Communications/Publications
Addressing/Mailing
General Conference
Bulletins
Personnel Management
Proposed Model for Denominational Organization
Brethren Churches and Districts
General Conference
Executive Board
Congregational
Ministries
Council
Missionary
Ministries
Council
Executive Board
Major Goal — with the leader-
ship of the Executive Director,
casts a unified vision for The Breth-
ren Church and its ministries
Composition — the board would
consist of eleven members, eight
voting and three non-voting:
• the Moderator of General Confer-
ence (elected by the Conference),
who chairs the board (voting)
• the Executive Director (voting,
except on issues related to this
position) and the two directors of
ministries (non-voting)
• six persons (all voting), three
elected by each of the ministries
councils from among its members
(one from each council elected
each year for a three-year term to
coincide with the person's term
on the ministries council)
• the President of Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary or the Presi-
dent's representative, who repre-
sents both Ashland University
and Ashland Theological Semi-
nary (non-voting)
Tasks
• serves as the corporate board of
The Brethren Church, Inc.
• serves as the corporate board of
the Missionary Board of The
Brethren Church
• acts on behalf of General Confer-
ence when the conference is not
in session
• selects, employs, and evaluates
the performance of the Executive
Director of The Brethren Church
and has authority to terminate
employment for just cause
• selects and employs the directors
of ministries, upon the recommen-
dation of the Executive Director
and the appropriate ministries
council
• elects a secretary from among its
own members, who will also
serve as secretary of General
Conference and will oversee the
recording of the minutes
• appoints a temporary chair if
needed to serve in place of the
Moderator
• adopts major policy, including
budgets proposed by the minis-
tries councils
• proposes denominational priori-
ties to General Conference
• nominates trustees of the Retire-
ment Fund, Inc., for approval by
General Conference
• conducts an annual meeting with
the boards of directors of wholly
owned subsidiaries (e.g., The
Carpenter's Shop) and elects
those boards of directors
• plans General Conference
Ministries Councils
(Congregational and Missionary)
Major Goal — implements the
vision of The Brethren Church by
carrying out the priorities and
functions assigned by the Execu-
tive Board.
Composition — each council would
consist of thirteen members, all
with voting privileges:
• its director
• three persons elected at-large by
General Conference to serve stag-
gered three-year terms; these per-
sons may serve two consecutive
terms plus any unexpired term;
thereafter, they become eligible
for re-election after one full term
has passed
• nine persons elected by General
Conference, one to represent each
of the nine districts, with stag-
gered three-year terms; these per-
sons may serve two consecutive
terms plus any unexpired term;
thereafter, they become eligible for
re-election after one full term has
passed; districts will nominate two
persons; General Conference will
elect from among district nomi-
nees with no nominations from
the floor of General Conference
Tasks
• elects one person annually to serve
a three-year term on the Execu-
tive Board, that term to coincide
with the person's term on the min-
istries council
• with the Executive Director, rec-
ommends to the Executive Board
a person to serve as director of its
ministries
• proposes annual budget for that
council for approval by the Ex-
ecutive Board
• advises its director on implemen-
tation of priorities and ministries
• forms commissions and task
forces as deemed necessary from
among its own membership or
from the church at large
Reorganization Proposal, Page Two
• assists in the raising of annual
funds for its ministries and in iden-
tifying persons for planned giving
• elects a chair and a secretary
from among its own members
• nominates its own at-large mem-
bers for election by General Con-
ference, with nominations ac-
cepted from the floor of General
Conference
Moderator
Major Goal — chairs the busi-
ness sessions of General Confer-
ence and the Executive Board. (The
Executive Board acts for General
Conference when the conference is
not in session.)
Relationships — is elected to a
three-year term by General Confer-
ence and is a member of the Execu-
tive Board; may serve two consecu-
tive terms; thereafter, becomes eli-
gible for re-election after one full
term has passed.
Responsibilities and Authority
— is responsible to chair the busi-
ness sessions of General Confer-
ence and the Executive Board;
serves as any other member of the
Executive Board concerning com-
mittees, task forces, etc.; is not re-
sponsible to represent the denomi-
nation at district conferences, ad-
dress General Conference, develop
conference themes, set agendas, etc.
Nominating Committee
The General Conference Nomi-
nating Committee will have two
tasks: 1) nominating a Moderator
once every three years or sooner in
the case of a vacancy in the posi-
tion; and 2) nominating persons for
General Conference committees
annually (thus assuming the re-
sponsibilities of the present Com-
mittee on Committees).
Executive Director
Major Goal — gives visionary
leadership to The Brethren Church
and guides and coordinates staff in
fulfilling the priorities and minis-
tries of The Brethren Church.
Relationships — is employed by
and is responsible to the Executive
Board; functions as the chief execu-
tive officer of the corporation; leads,
manages, and evaluates all other em-
ployees of the denominational offices.
Appointment and Term — is
selected by the Executive Board,
Staffing Chart
Executive Director
Director of
Congregational Ministries
Director of
Missionary Ministries
Associates & Staff,
such as Director
of Pastoral Ministries
Administrative
Services
Staff
Associates & Staff,
such as Director
of Church Planting
subject to a vote of affirmation by
General Conference. The role of the
Executive Board is to: 1) screen ap-
plicants for the position, selecting
the one person it believes will best
lead The Brethren Church; 2) an-
nually evaluate the director's per-
formance in fulfilling the major
goal; and 3) based on that evalu-
ation, decide whether or not to re-
tain the Executive Director in that
position. The role of General Con-
ference in affirming the person se-
lected as Executive Director is to
express confidence or lack of confi-
dence in the person chosen for this
position by the Executive Board.
No person shall be employed by
the Executive Board as Executive
Director who does not first have a
positive vote of affirmation by Gen-
eral Conference. In case of a va-
cancy in the position of Executive
Director, the Executive Board may
appoint an interim until Confer-
ence shall have opportunity to give
a vote of affirmation to a new Ex-
ecutive Director. Conference will
have the opportunity to give a vote
of reaffirmation every six years.
Responsibilities and Authority
— is responsible for the key result
areas set forth below and has the
authority to fulfill them within the
limits of the Articles of Incorpora-
tion of The Brethren Church and of
the Missionary Board of The Breth-
ren Church, the Manual of Proce-
dure, and the policies established
by General Conference and the Ex-
ecutive Board; may delegate por-
tions of those responsibilities and
the proportionate authority to ful-
fill them, consistent with estab-
lished policies and procedures, but
may not delegate or relinquish any
portion of accountability or respon-
sibility for results.
Key Result Areas
1 . Vision — leads the Executive Board
in casting a Spirit-led vision for
the advancement of the kingdom
of God through The Brethren
Church and communicates that
vision throughout the church.
2. The Executive Board — guides
the board in long- and short-range
planning for The Brethren Church
as a whole, and for denomina-
tional ministries specifically; in-
forms the board fully on the status
and progress of denominational
ministries; prepares the agenda
for Executive Board meetings and
General Conference in consult-
ation with the Moderator; advises
the board in decision-making;
and implements the board's deci-
sions and policies.
3. Ministries — coordinates Congre-
gational and Missionary Minis-
tries and oversees their directors.
4. Communication — creates and
maintains channels of communi-
cation between local, district, and
denominational levels; favorably
represents the General Confer-
ence, Executive Board, and the
ministries of The Brethren Church
to employees, other denomination-
al leaders, The Brethren Church
as a whole, and the larger Chris-
tian community; and presents an
annual message to General Con-
ference on the present state and
the future direction of The
Brethren Church.
5. Administrative Services and Per-
sonnel— provides for administra-
tive and management services
for the denominational office.
6. General Conference — guides the
Executive Board in planning Gen-
eral Conference; promotes and
implements actions taken by Con-
Reorganization Proposal, Page Three
The Reorganization
Reason for proposed
reorganization:
To address three issues recom-
mended by the facilitator:
1. Unified vision
2. Mission-focused organization
3. Responsible stewardship
Proposed changes:
1 . Executive Director — one senior-
level executive with the tasks of
• giving visionary leadership to
the church
• guiding and coordinating all
denominational staff
2. Executive Board — one board that
will, with the leadership of the
Executive Director, cast a unified
vision for The Brethren Church and
its ministries
3. Congregational Ministries and Mis-
sionary Ministries — two ministries
councils to implement the vision
and maintain our mission focus
4. Moderator — role changes from
that of leader of the denomination
to that of chairing business ses-
sions of General Conference and
the Executive Board
5. Administrative functions — combining
duplicated services so as to operate
more efficiently and effectively
Proposal at a Glance
Advantages of
proposed changes:
1 . Giving greater district ownership and
accountability through direct nomina-
tion of ministries council members
2. Combining two national boards —
the General Conference Executive
Council and the Missionary
Board — into one functioning unit
3. Devoting one ministries council to
home and world missions to insure
that this focus is not lost
4. Employing an Executive Director
who will be able to be out among
Brethren people, in churches and
district conferences, to hear grass-
roots needs and concerns and to
communicate a common direction
for the church
5. Creating greater flexibility in the de-
nominational organization to better
respond to financial challenges
and changing ministry needs
What will not change:
1 . Strong commitment to world mis-
sions and to starting new churches
in the United States
2. No authority or "control" of national
offices over local churches
ference; monitors and assists Con-
ference committees in the com-
pletion of their responsibilities.
7. Liaison — consults regularly with
the executive staff of Ashland
University and Ashland Theologi-
cal Seminary to maintain com-
mon purpose and goals as they
relate to The Brethren Church;
represents The Brethren Church
on the Board of Directors of the
National Association of Evan-
gelicals and among other groups
and denominations.
8. Self-improvement — maintains and
improves professional and inter-
personal skills; develops a grow-
ing awareness and understand-
ing of all ministries of the church.
Directors of Ministries
Major Goal — guides and coordi-
nates staff in implementing the pri-
orities of the ministries as directed
by the Executive Director
Relationships — is employed by
the Executive Board upon recom-
mendation of the Executive Direc-
tor and ministries council; is re-
sponsible directly to the Executive
Director and through him/her to
the Executive Board; works coop-
eratively with the director of the
other ministries.
Responsibilities and Authority
— is responsible for key result areas
mutually agreed upon with the Ex-
ecutive Director; may delegate por-
tions of these responsibilities and
the proportionate authority to ful-
fill them, consistent with estab-
lished policies and procedures, but
may not delegate or relinquish any
portion of accountability or respon-
sibility for results.
Key Result Areas — [Key result
areas will be developed mutually
by the Executive Director and each
ministry director.]
Associates and Staff
Additional staff positions have
not been identified in an effort to
allow the greatest amount of flexi-
bility to the Executive Director, the
Executive Board, and the minis-
tries councils.
Associate positions for each min-
istry would ultimately be deter-
mined by the Executive Board
based on recommendations of the
Executive Director, the ministries
director, and the ministries council.
Ministry priorities would be the
major guiding factor in identifying
associate positions. All associates
and staff would be directly account-
able to the directors of their respec-
tive ministries and, through that
director, to the Executive Director.
Associates (such as director of
pastoral ministries and director of
church planting) and staff (such as
administrative assistants and sec-
retaries) would be selected by the
Executive Director and each direc-
tor of ministries based on current
and projected needs.
Administrative services staff
would be determined by the Execu-
tive Director in consultation with
the Executive Board and the direc-
tors of ministries. This may include
such positions as a treasurer/comp-
troller, director of stewardship and
planned giving, director of commu-
nications, office manager, and re-
ceptionist, with decisions based on
current and projected needs.
Funding and Cost Projections
Funding of the denominational
organization is an important issue.
However, we are not prepared to
recommend a change from the pre-
sent system of Fair Share Support.
We do recommend that a task force
be formed to study this issue. Re-
gardless of the financial support
system, any designated contribu-
tions will be used solely for the pur-
pose designated by the donor.
It is nearly impossible to project
actual costs involved with the pro-
posed changes without specifying
in advance all positions to be cre-
ated or eliminated and without set-
ting salary levels. Implementation
of this proposal is based on funding
the new organization without increas-
ing the current Fair Share Support
figures. Any increase in costs can
initially be covered from other assets.
The new Executive Board (with the
recommendation of the two minis-
tries councils) would have responsi-
bility for determining what positions
should be created or eliminated (if
any), setting salary levels, and look-
ing into long-range funding options.
General Conference will annually
approve a projected budget and
Fair Share Support figures. [ft]
Reorganization Proposal, Page Four
Answers to
Commonly Asked Questions
1. How does the proposal ad-
dress the facilitator's recommen-
dations for unified vision, re-
sponsible stewardship, and mis-
sion-focused organization?
Unified vision: It brings together
the General Conference Executive
Council (GCEC) and the Missionary
Board in a single organization with a
single Executive Board and a single
Executive Director. This will make it
much easier to establish and imple-
ment a unified vision for denomina-
tional ministries. The two ministries
councils can meet together if neces-
sary to facilitate cooperation. The Ex-
ecutive Board can set priorities for
denominational ministries according
to the unified vision. The Executive
Director will be in the districts and in
the churches to receive input and
communicate the vision.
Mission-focused organization:
The unified vision and single organi-
zation will help keep the denomina-
tion on task in carrying out the mis-
sion of the church. Functional re-
sponsibilities of the national organi-
zation have been identified (see page
2 of the proposal). One of the minis-
tries councils is specifically devoted
to the tasks of home and world mis-
sions to ensure that this emphasis is
not in any way diminished. The
greater flexibility provided by this
model will enable the national or-
ganization to be more responsive to
changing ministry needs.
Responsible stewardship: The
unified structure should help ensure
that resources are used as effectively
as possible. Combining administra-
tive services will create greater effi-
ciency in this area. The first step
taken at the national level to address
the issue of stewardship was the es-
tablishment of an office of steward-
ship and planned giving. Encourag-
ing growth in stewardship will con-
tinue to be one of the functional re-
sponsibilities of the national organi-
zation. Both ministries councils will
be involved in the raising of funds for
denominational ministries. The Ex-
ecutive Director and other staff per-
sons will be in the districts and
churches to enhance communication
about denominational activities. Dis-
trict representation on the ministries
councils should increase local owner-
ship of national programs.
Ultimately, there is only so much
an organizational structure can do to
address these three issues. The pro-
posed model will make it easier to
address them in two ways: 1) by tak-
ing positive steps toward unity, mis-
sion priority, and flexibility; and 2)
by eliminating the structural obsta-
cles we currently have because of
separate organizations, conflicting
perspectives, and duplication of effort.
2. What do you mean by vision?
Who will develop it?
George Barna has defined vision as
follows: "Vision for ministry is a clear
mental image of a preferable future
imparted by God to His chosen ser-
vants and is based on an accurate
understanding of God, self, and cir-
cumstances" (The Power of Vision:
How You Can Capture and Apply
God's Vision for Your Ministry, Ven-
tura: Regal Books, 1992, page 28).
Vision is "a picture ... of the way
things could or should be in the days
ahead. . . . Vision entails change.
Vision is never about maintaining
the status quo. . . . Vision concen-
trates on the future. It focuses on
thinking ahead rather than on dwell-
ing upon or seeking to replicate the
past. . . . Vision for ministry is a re-
flection of what God wants to accom-
plish through you to build His king-
dom. . . . God has gifted certain indi-
viduals to serve as leaders. It is to
those people that He can trust one of
His most precious and treasured
gifts: vision. . . . God chooses those
leaders carefully and provides each of
them with a vision tailored to their
circumstances" (pages 29-30).
Based on this proposal, the Execu-
tive Director will have the primary
role in a collaborative process of dis-
cerning, developing, and communi-
cating a vision for The Brethren
Church.
3. What are the elements of a
vision?
Joel Arthur Barker says vision has
four key ingredients. First, it is de-
veloped by leaders. Certainly leaders
begin by consulting the leading of the
Lord, as Barna notes above. But
Barker says that, in addition, "good
leaders talk to their people. By the
way, they listen and explore the
world as well. But, it is the role of
leadership to take all that input and
focus it and bring it into a coherent,
powerful vision" (Facilitator's Guide
to The Power of Vision, Burnsville,
Minnesota: ChartHouse Interna-
tional Learning Corporation, 1993,
page 168).
Second, vision is shared by the
members of the organization. A vi-
sion must have the support of the
members or it will have little impact.
The leader must direct the process of
developing consensus among the
members about the vision God is im-
parting. Members join together with
their leader to fulfill that God-given
vision.
Third, vision "must be comprehen-
sive and detailed. Generalities just
won't do. . . . To have a vision, we
must know how and when and why
and what with enough precision so
that each member in the vision com-
munity can find his or her significant
and important place in the vision"
(ibid.).
Fourth, "vision must be positive
and inspiring. A vision should have
reach. It should challenge each and
every one of us to grow substantially,
to stretch their skills, to reach be-
yond their ordinary reach. A vision
must be worth the effort" (ibid.).
Vision is more than a dream.
Barker says, 'Vision without action is
merely a dream. Action without
vision just passes the time. Vision
with action can change the world"
(ibid., p. 171).
4. But aren't we a grass-roots
church? Shouldn't the vision
arise from the local churches?
Certainly vision must be shared at
the grass-roots level. And certainly
all members of the body of Christ
make an important contribution to
the development of vision. But a
clearly defined statement of vision
rarely emerges out of a group without
the clarifying work of a leader.
5. Is this idea of visionary lead-
ership biblical?
Take, for example, the children of
Israel in bondage in Egypt. They had
been in slavery for over 400 years
before God gave Moses the vision of
freeing the people of Israel. They all
certainly wanted to be free. But they
Reorganization Proposal, Page Five
might have languished in slavery for
another 400 years if God had not
given his vision to a leader.
Take, for example, Nehemiah. God
burdened him with the vision to see
the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. All
the Israelites wanted to see the city
rebuilt and restored to its former
glory. But God gave the vision — a
dream and accompanying action — to
one person: Nehemiah. Because of
his God-given vision and leadership,
the walls were rebuilt in just 52 days.
Or take the Apostle Paul. Our Lord
Jesus gave his vision for the spread-
ing of the gospel to the apostles. It
was a vision shared by many people.
But that vision was achieved when
God also gave that vision to a leader
who inspired others to join the task.
6. Why do we need an Execu-
tive Director to develop a unified
vision? Why can't the Executive
Board do this?
The Executive Board will be sig-
nificantly involved in the process of
developing vision. But it is difficult
for a group of volunteers which meets
three or four times a year to have the
primary responsibility to lead in the
development and communication of
vision. This process needs to be
directed by a dedicated full-time
person.
The Missionary Board and all the
former cooperating boards have oper-
ated with an Executive Director
model. The Executive Director would
lead a collaborative process of vision
setting and would be accountable to
both the Executive Board (through
annual reviews) and to General Con-
ference (through periodic reaffirma-
tion). Delegates to General Confer-
ence in 1995 indicated a broad consen-
sus in favor of an Executive Director.
7. It sounds like it puts a lot
of authority in the hands of one
person.
It does. Yet this proposal does not
propose a leader who is a maverick or
a "loose cannon." The writer of Prov-
erbs said, "Where there is no counsel,
the people fall; but in the multitude
of counselors there is safety" (11:14).
A visionary leader will always verify
Transition Process
In anticipation that General Con-
ference will approve this proposal in
August 1996:
l.The General Conference Execu-
tive Council and the executive com-
mittee of the Missionary Board will
select a person to direct the transi-
tion process. This person will also
serve as the interim Director of Con-
gregational Ministries during the
transition process. The current Ex-
ecutive Director of the Missionary
Board would assume the role of Di-
rector of Missionary Ministries until
at least January 1998.
2. The executive committee of the
Missionary Board and the General
Conference Executive Council will
present nominees for the two minis-
tries councils for election by General
Conference this year, with nomina-
tions permitted from the floor of Gen-
eral Conference. Nominees in future
years will be presented according to
the proposal.
3. There will be no election for
Moderator-Elect this year. Current
Moderator-Elect John Shultz will be-
come Moderator for a one-year term
as usual.
4. Conference will elect a Nominat-
ing Committee. A Committee on
Committees will not be elected, since
that committee's responsibilities will
be assumed by the new Nominating
Committee.
5. As soon as possible after their
election, the two ministries councils
will organize themselves and appoint
their representatives to the new Ex-
ecutive Board.
6. The two ministries councils will
assume their full responsibilities
upon their election. The Executive
Board will assume its full responsi-
bilities as soon as it has been consti-
tuted.
7. The new Executive Board will
immediately initiate a search process
for the first Executive Director. Their
selection will be presented to the
1997 General Conference for affirma-
tion or rejection. If affirmed, the new
Executive Director would assume of-
fice no later than January 1, 1998.
Should General Conference reject
this organizational proposal:
1. Nominations for all positions
(GCEC, Missionary Board, the Re-
tirement Board, commissions, and
Conference committees) will be pre-
sented for election as normal.
2. Based on the nature of the re-
sponse by Conference to this pro-
posal, GCEC will determine how to
proceed with selecting a new Director
of Brethren Church Ministries.
the vision to be certain it is God-given
and that it inspires the support of the
rest of the body. The Executive Direc-
tor will develop a vision for the
church in consultation with the Ex-
ecutive Board, the ministries coun-
cils, the directors of ministries, and
other staff. The director will also
travel to district conferences and
among the churches, gaining valu-
able insights that will inspire the
development of the vision and its re-
finement.
This proposal does not change the
polity of The Brethren Church to a
hierarchical system. The Executive
Director will be able to lead the
church only to the extent that dis-
tricts or individual congregations
freely and willingly follow because
they recognize God-given leadership.
8. Shouldn't each local church
have its own vision? Why do we
need a denominational vision?
Most definitely, every congregation
should discern its own vision, tailor-
made by God to its own circum-
stances and opportunities, discerned
by its pastor as leader of the church,
and based on the gifts of the people.
No one is suggesting that the de-
nominational vision will supersede
the need for each congregation to dis-
cern and implement God's vision for
it. The same is true for districts, for
auxiliaries, and for other ministries.
But by our commitment as congre-
gations and districts to being a part
of The Brethren Church, we are ac-
knowledging that we share a broader
ministry than simply that accom-
plished in our local communities. If
we believed that as separate congre-
gations we could fulfill all God's min-
istry in the world, we would sever our
denominational ties and exist simply
as individual congregations. The Great
Commission convinces us that we can-
not do it all as single congregations.
By the way, it is because we recog-
nize that The Brethren Church at the
national level is still not able to fulfill
God's complete mission for the
church that we are co-laborers with
other parts of the body of Christ, such
as the National Association of Evan-
gelicals, World Relief Corporation,
The Andrew Center, and national
churches around the globe.
9. How will the Executive Di-
rector and the administrative
services staff positions be
funded?
Reorganization Proposal, Page Six
All staff will work as one unit. Staff
whose primary responsibilities relate
to Congregational Ministries will be
paid out of the Congregational Minis-
tries budget. Staff whose primary re-
sponsibilities relate to missions will
be paid out of the Missionary Minis-
tries budget. For salaries and ex-
penses associated with the Executive
Director, administrative services
staff, and any other employee who is
not primarily working in one of the
two ministries, a formula will be de-
vised so that proportional amounts
will come from Congregational and
Missionary Ministries.
10. Why does the Executive Di-
rector have a vote on the Execu-
tive Board? Why do the directors
of ministries have a vote on the
ministries councils? Doesn't this
create a conflict of interest?
As the leader of The Brethren
Church and as an officer of the corpo-
ration, the Executive Director should
be a full participating member of the
Executive Board. This follows the pat-
tern typical in most churches where
the pastor is a voting member of the
officiaVadministrative board. However,
the Executive Director will not vote
on personnel issues that directly re-
late to that position (such as setting
salary, determining employment, and
so forth). The two directors of minis-
tries will function as full participat-
ing members of their ministries coun-
cils as the leaders of those councils.
Again, they will not have authority to
vote on personnel matters relating to
themselves. Because none of these
staff members will vote on any busi-
ness related to their own employ-
ment, there is no conflict of interest.
It may be helpful to know that de-
nominational boards generally make
decisions after reaching a consensus
of opinion. Rarely are important mat-
ters decided by such narrow margins
that one vote would sway the result
one way or another. And, on matters
of top importance, denominational
boards at times extend voting privi-
lege to non-voting members as a
means of demonstrating the active
support of executive leaders for deci-
sions that are made.
11. Will the Executive Director
be Brethren?
The intention of this proposal is that
the Executive Director will be chosen
from among members in good stand-
ing of a local congregation of The
Brethren Church. No person shall be
employed as Executive Director who
does not first have a positive vote of
affirmation by General Conference.
12. This proposal leaves a lot of
unanswered questions about
staffing. Why don't you clearly
specify all the staff positions?
For an organization to be able to
respond to its God-given vision and
fulfill his priorities for the church, it
needs to have flexibility to staff to
meet those needs. We have tried to
strike a balance between specifying
no staff positions — leaving the greatest
level of latitude to the Executive
Board — and writing into the proposal
every possible staff position — leaving
limited or no latitude.
For example, we all recognize the
importance of assisting congregations
and pastors to develop effective min-
istry relationships. This organizational
proposal allows for the continuation
of that function. If, however, God di-
rects us to fulfill that function in
some other way in the future, it al-
lows the flexibility to change staffing
to better meet the need.
13. Is this reorganization pro-
posal really that different from
what we have now? Haven't you
just "rearranged the furniture"?
Some aspects of this proposal are
similar to the existing organization
simply because many areas of minis-
try will continue. However, the pro-
posed organization differs from the
present organizational structure in
four fundamental ways: 1) The
Brethren Church will have one recog-
nized and accountable leader who
works with one board that is directly
accountable to General Conference,
thus bringing a unified leadership
and focus to what we do as a denomi-
nation; 2) there will be organiza-
tional unity between Congregational
Ministries and Missionary Ministries
rather than two separate organiza-
tions (GCEC and the Missionary
Board); 3) the new structure will
have enough flexibility to adjust
staffing needs as denominational
priorities and financial resources may
change without requiring the kind of
multi-year reorganization process
that we are presently enduring; and
Time Table
May 1996— GCEC makes final
modifications in proposal; sends final
proposal to pastors and moderators;
selects nominees for the Congrega-
tional Ministries Council (in anticipa-
tion of General Conference approval);
selects nominees for Brethren Church
Ministries commissions (in the event
that General Conference rejects or
defers action on the proposal)
May 1996 — The executive commit-
tee of the Missionary Board selects
nominees for the Missionary Minis-
tries Council (in anticipation of Gen-
eral Conference approval); selects
nominees for expiring terms on the
Missionary Board (in the event that
General Conference rejects or defers
action on the proposal)
May-August 1996 — A director of
transition process is selected by Na-
tional Leadership Council composed
of the General Conference Modera-
tor, Moderator Elect, Past Modera-
tor, Interim Director of Brethren
Church Ministries, and the Executive
Director and President of the Mis-
sionary Board; GCEC publishes pro-
posal in The Brethren Evangelist
and conducts regional forums to clar-
ify any questions about the proposal
and to help delegates prepare to vote
August 1996 — Denominational
Reorganization Proposal and Manual
of Procedure changes presented to
General Conference for action
If approved by General Conference:
August 1996 — Ministries councils
elected; Executive Board formed
November 1996 — First formal
meeting of Executive Board and min-
istries councils held; Executive Board
forms search committee for Executive
Director; requests nominations and
applications
February-April 1997 — Search com-
mittee screens applicants and pre-
pares recommendation
May 1997 — Executive Board approves
candidate for Executive Director
August 1997 — General Confer-
ence votes to affirm Executive Direc-
tor; ministries councils form search
committees for directors of ministries
November-December 1997 — Min-
istries councils and Executive Direc-
tor screen candidates and recommend
candidates for directors of ministries
January 1, 1998 (or sooner if possi-
ble)— Executive Director begins service
February 1998 — Executive Board
approves candidates for directors of
ministries
June 1, 1998 (or sooner if possible)
— Directors of ministries begin service
Reorganization Proposal, Page Seven
4) districts will have greater owner-
ship of national ministries through
direct nomination of members of min-
istries councils.
14. This proposal looks pretty
top-heavy with regard to execu-
tive staff. How does it compare to
the present situation?
That is a fair question. It is difficult
to make comparisons because some
executive staff positions are now
vacant (Director of Brethren Church
Ministries and Director of Home Mis-
sions). But based on full-time staff as
of the 1995 General Conference, we
had three senior-level executives
(Director of Pastoral Ministries, Direc-
tor of Brethren Church Ministries,
and Executive Director of the Mis-
sionary Board) and three middle-
level executives (Editor of Publications,
Assistant to the Executive Director of
the Missionary Board, and Director
of Home Missions).
This proposal specifies only three
executive staff positions: one senior-
level executive (Executive Director)
and two middle-level executives
(Director of Congregational Minis-
tries and Director of Missionary Min-
istries). It allows for the addition of
other executive staff members as nec-
essary. It does not require a larger
number of executive staff than we
presently have.
Interestingly, the high-water mark
in denominational employment was
in 1976 when we had five senior-
level executives, three middle-level
executives, and at least six full- and
part-time support staff. Today we
have a total of eight full-time denomi-
national employees (two senior-level
executives, two middle-level execu-
tives, and four support staff) and
three part-time employees. Even if
all existing positions were presently
filled, we would have fewer employ-
ees today than we had 25 years ago.
The facilitator's report (page 10)
found that we are not overstaffed at
the national level. We have about the
same number of staff as other de-
nominations of similar size.
15. It seems like you are just or-
ganizing like a business rather
than a church.
At the national level, The Brethren
Church is quite different from a local
church. For example, we do not have
a pool of volunteers to do most of the
ministry, as a local church does.
Much of the ministry we do is accom-
plished by paid staff. And because of
the breadth of the ministry of The
Brethren Church at the national
level, it is essential that we organize
to carefully manage the resources en-
trusted to us by God and by congrega-
tions and individuals. In 1995, the
combined budgets of The Brethren
Church National Office and the Mis-
sionary Board totaled nearly $1.7
million. An operation that large re-
quires that we operate much like a
business, even though our "business"
is doing ministry.
16. Why are you rushing this
proposal through so fast? We
need time to fully digest it. Would
another year really make that
much difference?
Actually, we have been working on
proposals for reorganization for over
three years. Work on this topic has
consumed a great deal of time and
has, no doubt, diverted some atten-
tion from ministry. Elements of this
proposal have been discussed at the
last two General Conferences (1994
and 1995). While reorganization has
not been a "front-burner" issue for
most Brethren people, it has been a
significant issue for some time.
There is no attempt to "push
through" a reorganization proposal.
However, we all recognize that we
must get on with life and ministry.
Additionally, this is a significant
opportunity for change in denomina-
tional organization. Because we have
key positions open at the present
time, it is less painful in terms of the
lives of employees to make changes
now. However, we cannot delay fill-
ing some of these positions indefi-
nitely. For example, starting new
churches is one of our priorities. This
priority is being impacted by the fact
that we do not now have a Director of
Church Planting. It would be unfair
to hire executive staff with the possi-
bility that within a couple of years,
the position might be eliminated.
So while we do not want to rush
a decision, we also cannot afford to
debate reorganizational matters in-
definitely.
17. Why are we taking so long
to deal with these organizational
issues? We should make a deci-
sion and get on with the work of
ministry.
It's true that we have been discuss-
ing reorganization for several years
now. But we have the opportunity to
make significant changes that will
have a positive impact on our ability
to minister. We want to do the best
we can with this opportunity. It takes
time to build consensus for change. It
took time for the Missionary Board
and GCEC to come to consensus on a
proposal. The discussions at the 1994
and 1995 General Conferences sug-
gested a developing consensus in
some areas and raised further issues
to discuss. We have tried to solicit
input from the Brethren at various
stages of the process, in the hope that
any proposal brought to Conference
would have broad support.
We would all like to bring organiza-
tional discussions to a resolution and
get on with the work of ministry. But
we hope that if we do the job carefully
now, any changes we need to make in
the future will not require such a
lengthy process.
18. What are the real advan-
tages of this proposal?
The advantages include the follow-
ing: 1) there will be greater district
ownership and accountability through
the direct nomination of ministries
council members; 2) it will bring
together the two national boards,
the General Conference Executive
Council and the Missionary Board —
organizations that have been per-
ceived at times to be working on dif-
ferent agendas — into one functioning
unit, a unit that will be directly
accountable to General Conference;
3) the Executive Director will be free
to be out among Brethren people and
in Brethren churches and district
conferences to hear grass-roots needs
and concerns and to communicate a
common direction for the church; and
4) a flexible national organization
that can better respond to financial
challenges and changing ministry
needs.
19. This proposal calls for sev-
eral significant changes. What
will not change?
At least two things will not change:
1) our strong commitment to world
missions and to starting new churches
in the United States will continue;
and 2) the national offices will have
no authority or "control" over local
churches — in fact, local churches
(through their General Conference
delegates) will have greater control
over the national organization by
having the ability to affirm (or reject)
the Executive Director. [ft]
Reorganization Proposal, Page Eight
General Conference Preview
The 1996 BYIC CONVENTION
Theme: "Attitude Check" (Philippians 2:5)
August 5-9 at Ashland University
HIGHLIGHTS of this year's
BYIC Convention will include
the 50th birthday celebration of
Brethren Youth; a concert by the
Christian singer, Ian; Youth Com-
munion; a missions banquet; and
participation in service projects.
The missions banquet will be
held on Wednesday evening and
will feature the Loi family, Breth-
ren missionaries who serve in their
native land of Malaysia.
Other events on the BYIC Con-
vention schedule include an open-
ing get-acquainted session; canoe-
ing down the Mohican River; an in-
formational session; seminars; age-
appropriate activities; a Coffeehouse;
as well as the daily Morning Praise
sessions and Share and Prayer
groups.
The youth will also join the
adults for worship on Monday eve-
ning; at the all-conference picnic on
Tuesday afternoon, during which a
50th birthday celebration for
Brethren Youth will be held; and
for the closing worship service on
Friday morning. Except for these
sessions, the BYIC Convention will
be independent of the adult Confer-
ence.
All youth attending the BYIC Con-
vention must pre-register (no walk-
ins will be accepted at the Conven-
tion). Registration information was
mailed to advisors and pastors in
May. The last date to register is
July 15, and a discount is available
to those whose registrations are
postmarked before July 1. Addi-
tional discounts are available if
youth are National BYIC members
or have memorized Philippians 2.
All youth at the Convention must
stay on campus, and attendance is
mandatory at all Convention events.
The registration fee includes four
nights of housing (Monday through
Thursday); therefore, any youth or
adult sponsors who will arrive on
Sunday must register with adult
housing for Sunday night. [ft]
Conference Registration Information
Every person planning to attend
Conference must complete a regis-
tration form (next page) — even if you
live in Ashland or are not planning to
stay on campus.
General instructions:
1. Room rates do not include sheets
and towels (this is a change from past
years). Bring your own, or order a linen
packet on the registration form. You
will need to bring your own pillow.
2. We must pay for every bed used,
but children accompanying parents may
sleep on the floor in their parents' room
at no charge. No linen will be provided.
Bring a pad or sleeping bag. Single
rooms have floor space for only one
child, doubles for two, triples for three.
Register early to assure getting your
desired accommodations. A limited
number of triple rooms are available.
3. Tickets for meals served in the
university cafeteria Tuesday through
Friday are usable any day. Since no
refunds are given, order only as
many tickets as you will need for the
week. Meal tickets may also be pur-
chased at the door. The price is the
same.
4. The Women's Luncheon, World
Relief Soup Lunch, and Missionary
Board Banquet will be held at the Uni-
versity.
5. In addition to the children's pro-
gram listed on the registration form,
baby-sitting for infants through pre-
June 1996
schoolers will be available in the Kem
Hall preschool rooms during morning
and evening sessions. Activities are
also planned for children 4 years old
through 6th grade on Thursday during
the Missionary Board Banquet (ap-
proximately 4:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.).
Children must eat before going to the
Thursday evening activities.
Other information
Housing — The housing desk will be
open Sunday evening from 6:00 until
9:00 p.m.; Monday from 10:00 a.m. un-
til 6:00 p.m. and after the evening pro-
gram; and at other times listed in the
program book. The housing desk will be
located in the Convocation Center
lobby.
Camping — Available at Ashland
County Fairgrounds, 2042 Claremont
Ave., Ashland; $10.00 per night; pay on
arrival. No advance reservation is re-
quired.
Credentials — General Conference
delegate credentials should be submit-
ted in person at the earliest possible
time. Credentials will be received in
the Convocation Center lobby Monday
2:00-6:00 p.m. and following the eve-
ning program; Tuesday through Fri-
day, 8:00-8:20 a.m.; and Tuesday
through Thursday, 6:30-7:00 p.m.
Non-Delegate Guests — Non-dele-
gates are welcome to attend Conference.
Please complete a reservation form. Non-
delegates are asked to check in at the
credential table and pay a fee of $10.00.
Each guest is then entitled to a guest
name badge and a Conference packet.
New Attenders — A briefing for
new attenders will held at 4:00 p.m.
Monday in the main auditorium. Even
though this briefing is specifically for
those attending General Conference for
the first time, anyone is welcome to
attend. The briefing will include a
general orientation to Conference plus
specific information about business
sessions and procedures.
Travel Subsidy — Delegates who
travel more than 1,500 miles to attend
Conference are eligible for travel sub-
sidy. Travel subsidy forms should be
picked up at the credential table when
registering. [ft]
Leadership Development Seminar
A valuable experience awaits those
who come to Conference early. On
Conference Monday, Sherry Van
Duyne, director of Christian educa-
tion at Park Street Brethren Church,
will lead a personal leadership de-
velopment seminar, sponsored by the
Leadership Development Commis-
sion. Participants will discover the
biblical qualities of an effective
leader and learn how to maximize
their potential as Christian leaders.
Registration is $20, which covers
a booklet and lunch. The seminar will
be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
at Park Street Church. Registration
forms were sent out in Leadership
Letter. See your pastor or church
moderator for a copy.
See instructions on previous page.
Theme:
"Partners in the Gospel"
Name
Address
City/State/Zip
1996 General Conference
Registration Form
Monday, August 5, through
Friday, August 9
Please reserve only one room per form. YOUTH are to
register through the National BYIC if staying in YOUTH
DORM. If staying with adults, use this form. NOTE: Reg-
istration with prepayment by July 21 results in guaranteed
reservation.
Housing:
Ashland University Dormitory
Floor: Women's restroom Men's
Rates**
Single
Double
Prepaid by
July 21
$18.00
26.00
Upon
arrival
$22.00
33.00
Housing costs calculation
No. nights x rate/night
x - $
Room type: Single
Double
Triple
Nights staying: S M T
Other preferences:
W
Triple 36.00 43.00
*no charge for children not sleeping in a bed
Th
Note: Rates above do not include linen this year; see linen rates at right.
Linen packet (2 sheets,
2 towels, 1 wash cloth)
No. of packets x rate
x $2.50
Total Housing
Meal Tickets
Meals served in University cafeteria; tickets usable any day; o
need for the week. No. tic
Breakfast Adults
Children under 12
der <
kets
X
X
X
X
X
X
?adlir
. afte
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
(o
X
Enc
as many as you
$3.90 - $
$1.95-
Summary Totals
Total Housing - $
Total Meals
Lunch Adults
Children under 12
$5.15-$
$2.58 =
and Banquets = $
Total Children's
Dinner Adults
Children under 12
$6.45 - $
$3.23 -
Program - $
Banquet Reservations
Reservations for following events are a must due to early d(
ordered after July 21 subject to availability. No meal refunds
Tues. 5:00 p.m. — Picnic (celebrating the Adults
les. Tickets
r August 1.
$7.00 -
Total Enclosed - $
Make checks payable to
General Conference Housing
50th birthday of Brethren Youth) Children under 12
$3.50 -
Send to:
Wed. 7:00 a.m. — Pastors' Wives Continental
$4.25 -
General Conference Housing
Breakfast/Fellowship
Wed. 12:30 p.m. — Women's Luncheon Adults
$6.50 -
524 College Avenue
Ashland, OH 44805
Children under 6
$3.25 -
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:
Reg. #
Date rec.
Amount rec.
Check #
Children under 3
free
$6.00 -
Wed. 12:30 — Men's Picnic
Thur. 12:30 p.m. — World Relief Soup Luncheon
ffering will be taken)
$9.50 =
Thurs. 5:00 p.m. — Missionary Board Banquet
Total Meals and Banquets
losed - $
CHILDREN'S PROGRAM (ages 4 years through completed 6th grade):
Tuesday through Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Fri., 8:15 a.m. to noon.
Lunch provided Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Family Rates Week Day
1 child $46.00 $15.00; 2 or more children
Child's Name
Week
$70.00
Age/Grade
Completed
Day
$24.00
Days (circle)
T W Th F
T W Th F
T W Th F
for Children's Program
$
$
$
Total
$
Mail this form as soon as possible with payment in full (but no later than July 21).
Send to: General Conference Housing, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805
8 The Brethren Evangelist
0oocTtfie
N. Manchester First Brethren
co-sponsoring Habitat house
North Manchester, Ind. — The
First Brethren Church of North
Manchester has entered into a
covenant agreement with Habitat
for Humanity of Wabash County to
co-sponsor, in partnership with the
Zion Lutheran Church of North
Manchester, the building of a house
for a family in need.
Each church will contribute half
of the $30,000 needed to purchase
building materials for the house, and
volunteers from the two churches
will help with construction of the
dwelling. Ray DeLancey, a member
of First Brethren, will serve as
construction foremen.
The ground-breaking ceremony for
the house was held Sunday, May 5
(in a heavy rain!), with approxi-
mately 30 people in attendance. Of-
ficiating at the ceremony were Pas-
tor Marlin McCann of North Man-
chester First Brethren and Pastor
Jeff Hawkins of Zion Lutheran. They
were assisted by the co-directors of
the project, Leonard Pyle of First
Brethren and Darell Yankey of
Zion Lutheran. By the date of the
ground-breaking, each church had
met its first-half goal of $7,500. The
remaining $7,500 per church is to
be raised by September, as construc-
tion of the house nears completion.
When finished, the house will be
occupied by Hilda Garza and her
two children. Ms. Garza will assume
a no-interest mortgage to cover the
cost of materials used to build the
house. This money will go into the
treasury of Habitat for Humanity
of Wabash County and will be recy-
cled in the building of other houses.
— reported by Arlene Clark DeLancey
June 1996
Indiana Conference focuses on
ways to do "M.O.R.E" together
Shipshewana, Ind. — Together
We Can Do M.O.R.E. (Managing
Our Resources Effectively, Effi-
ciently)" was the theme of the Indi-
ana District Conference, held May
2-4 at the Brethren Retreat Cen-
ter in Shipshewana.
The conference opened Thursday
evening with a Concert of Prayer
and Praise, in observance of the
National Day of Prayer. Michelle
Rhude of the Jefferson Brethren
Church led the concert, which had
as its theme TOGETHER We can
Reach Up and do M.O.R.E."
A Pastors' and Lay Leaders' Re-
treat was held Friday morning and
afternoon, led by Steve Clapp, an
author (more then 30 books) and
church consultant who is affiliated
with the Andrew Center. In the
three sessions of this retreat, he
Facts about the Indiana District*
Number of congregations
36
Total membership
4,418
Average worship attendance
3,740
Worship attendance as a per-
centage of membership
84.7%
Average S.S. attendance
2,111
S.S. attendance as a per-
centage of membership
47.8%
Members gained in 1995
215
Members lost in 1 995
193
Net membership gain
22
Average giving per member
$685
Average giving per family
$1 ,220
*Source: the 1995 statistical report for
the Indiana District. All figures are for the
1995 calendar year.
dealt with "Change and Conflict in
the Church" (two sessions) and took
"A New Look at Stewardship."
A worship service Friday evening
focused on missions, with the theme
"We can Reach Out and do M.O.R.E."
The service included presentations
and special music by Winning the
Race Ministries (the ministry of
which Greenwood Brethren Fellow-
ship is a part); a spotlight on Breth-
ren missions by Rev. Reilly Smith,
executive director of the Mission-
ary Board of the Brethren Church;
and the conference keynote address
by Steve Clapp, who spoke on "Be-
coming Welcoming Congregations."
Saturday morning began with
auxiliary sessions, followed by wor-
ship, which focused on district and
denominational Unity (TOGETH-
ER We can Reach In M.O.R.E.").
The service included a denomina-
tional spotlight by Rev. Dave Cook-
sey, Director of Pastoral Ministries
for The Brethren Church; special
music by a quarter from the Peru
First Brethren Church; worship led
by the Nappanee worship team;
and the moderator's address by
Rev. Tim Garner, pastor of the Elk-
hart First Brethren Church. In his
address, "Extending Our Reach,"
Moderator Garner challenged the
Indiana Brethren to be active in
winning people to Christ.
A business session rounded out
the morning and another began the
afternoon. Business included re-
ports from district officers and min-
istries, action on the moderator's
recommendations, elections, and
other conference matters. In elec-
tions, Rev. Richard Austin, pastor
of the Meadow Crest Brethren
Church in Ft. Wayne, was chosen
moderator-elect; and Billy Hesketh,
pastor of the Milford First Breth-
ren Church, was elected as the dis-
tricts new treasurer.
Following the afternoon business
session, a time of worship focused
on developing disciples ("We can
Reach Within M.O.R.E."). The serv-
ice included special music by Chad
Gorrel of Roanoke, a spotlight on
Ashland University and Ashland
Theological Seminary by Rev. Dave
Cooksey, and an address ("Closing
the Church's Back Door") by Steve
Clapp.
Rev. Reilly Smith presided over
the installation of officers. Then the
new moderator, Rev. Gene Ecker-
ley gave a challenge in which he
introduced the new conference
theme: "In Christ We Can! We
Must! We Will!" The conference
concluded with a banquet.
Next year's conference is sched-
uled for June 6-7, with the option
of using the evening of June 5 for
prayer.
— reported by Ron Burns, District Sec.
Lee and Wilma Bungard with the gift
he received from the Cameron Church.
Lee Bungard honored for
40+ years as S.S. teacher
Cameron, W. Va. — Lee Bungard
was honored February 4 by the
Cameron First Brethren Church for
his more than 40 years of service
as a Sunday school teacher.
The Cameron congregation sur-
prised Mr. Bungard with a special
gift during the morning worship
service. He was also the guest of
honor at a fellowship dinner follow-
ing the service.
Mr. Bungard and his wife, Wilma,
have actively served the Cameron
First Brethren Church for more than
50 years. Mr. Bungard has been a
deacon during those 50-plus years,
and he also served as Sunday school
superintendent, trustee, encourager,
and mentor. He helped build the
church building and has helped
maintain it through the years as
roofer, painter, and carpenter.
Mrs. Bungard has served the con-
gregation as Sunday school teacher,
church secretary, and treasurer. She
has also held every office in the
local Women's Missionary Society.
The Bungards have been married
for 60 years — years of dedicated
service to the church. The members
of the Cameron congregation are
very grateful to the Bungards for this
service, as demonstrated by the spe-
cial recognition for Mr. Bungard.
10
A few Stockton Brethren Church members join some of the members of Hope
Brethren Fellowship for a photo. Pastor Bernie Tuazon of Hope Fellowship is in
the center of the front row, and Stockton Pastor Randy Best is behind him.
Hope Brethren Fellowship receives
its class charter on Easter Sunday
Stockton, Calif. — Hope Breth-
ren Fellowship of Stockton re-
ceived its charter as a class in The
Brethren Church on Easter Sun-
day morning during a combined
worship service with the Stockton
Brethren Church.
Presenting the charter were
Stockton Moderator Wes Steyer,
deacon board members Harlin and
Avis Lawrence and Pat Urbano,
and Stockton pastor Rev. Randy
Best and his wife, Karen.
Mr. Bernie Tuazon pastors the
new Filipino-American congrega-
tion, which meets Sunday evenings
in the facilities of the Stockton
Brethren Church. He is assisted by
Rev. Best, and he in turn assists
Rev. Best with the Sunday morning
services of the Stockton Church.
Pastor Tuazon is a licensed Breth-
ren pastor preparing for ordination
under the guidance of the Northern
California District Ministerial Ex-
amining Board.
In recent months five people have
accepted Christ as Savior and sev-
eral people have joined the Hope
Brethren Fellowship congregation.
Invite a Friend Day a success
at Hammond Avenue Church
Waterloo, Iowa — More than 50
visitors attended the Hammond
Avenue Brethren Church in Water-
loo April 14 on Invite a Friend Day.
This was the first attempt at a
Friend Day by the Hammond Ave-
nue Church, and the initial response
of church members was, "I don't
know anyone who does not go to
church that I can invite." So Pastor
Ronald L. Waters decided that this
first Friend Day would be a time to
drive home to the congregation the
fact that Christians need to make a
concerted effort to reach out into
the community and make contact
with the unchurched.
Despite their initial response, the
Hammond Avenue Brethren did dis-
cover some unchurched friends, and
approximately 40 of the visitors on
Friend Day were unchurched. In
addition to the worship service, the
visitors were invited to a catered
meal following the service. And the
next day members of the congrega-
tion made a brief visit to the homes
of all who visited, taking them a
plate of cookies.
Total attendance for Invite a Friend
Day was 181 (compared to the
church's average worship attend-
ance in 1995 of 65). Approximately
95 people stayed for the meal. Ac-
cording to Pastor Waters, "It was a
glorious day!"
Kind words are jewels that live in
the heart and soul and remain as
blessed memories year after year,
long after they have been spoken.
— Marvea Johnson
The Brethren Evangelist
*&£&*&
Seven Brethren students
receive degrees from AU
Ashland, Ohio — The following
seven Brethren students received
degrees May 11 during Ashland
University's annual commence-
ment ceremonies.
Carrie Cooksey, daughter of Rev.
and Mrs. David Cooksey of Ash-
land, received the Bachelor of Arts
degree and majored in philosophy/
sociology. She attends the Univer-
sity Church in Ashland.
Robert Lynn Fox, a member of
the Ashland Park Street Brethren
Church, received a Bachelor of Sci-
ence in Nursing degree.
Chad Geaslen, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Gene Geaslen of Englewood,
Ohio, received the Bachelor of Arts
degree with a major in religion. He
attends the University Church.
Carrie R. Lucas, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. James Lucas of Ashland,
received the Bachelor of Science in
Education degree with an elemen-
tary education major. She gradu-
ated summa cum laude and Gamma
Alpha Kappa. She is a member of
Park Street Brethren Church.
Jason Roblin, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Roblin of Nova, Ohio, re-
ceived the Bachelor of Arts degree
with a business administration ma-
jor. He is a member of Park Street
Brethren Church.
Evan Weidenhamer, son of Rev.
and Mrs. Bradley Weidenhamer of
Ashland, graduated cum laude
with a Bachelor of Science degree
in criminal justice. He is a member
of Park Street Brethren Church.
Lori Holzworth-Brohm, a member
of Park Street Brethren Church,
received a Master of Business Ad-
ministration degree with a major in
Executive Management.
A total of 661 undergraduate
students and 832 graduate stu-
dents received degrees from Ash-
land University on May 11.
— reported by Joan Ronk
Breaking ground for the new academic center at Ashland Theological Seminary
are (r. to I.) Dr. Thomas Gibson, representing the Ashland Ministerial Association;
Mayor Doug Cellar, representing the Ashland community; Dr. Jerry Flora, repre-
senting the seminary faculty; Hsin-Chang (Daniel) Su, representing the seminary's
international students; Nadine Rosser, representing the seminary student body;
and Christina Watson, representing the future.
Ashland Seminary breaks ground
May 10th for new academic center
Ashland, Ohio — Ground was
broken May 10 for the new aca-
demic center at Ashland Theologi-
cal Seminary.
An initial service in the seminary
chapel included an invocation and
welcome by seminary president Dr.
Frederick Finks; brief remarks by
Ashland University President Dr.
G. William Benz and Board of
Trustees chairman Harvey Young;
congregational singing; and a choir
anthem. Then the choir led the con-
gregation in a procession to the
groundbreaking site.
The ceremony at the site included
a responsive reading led by Dr.
John Shultz; a prayer of blessing
offered by Dr. O. Kenneth Walther;
scripture read by Dr. David Baker;
brief comments by the six persons
chosen to break ground; and the
groundbreaking itself. The cere-
mony concluded with the singing of
"Holy Ground," followed by the
benediction, given by Thomas Stof-
fer, vice chairman of the Board of
Trustees.
The new 9,500-square foot aca-
demic center will include class-
rooms, a computer lab, student cen-
ter, 156-seat auditorium, and offices
— at a projected cost of $875,000.
Construction is scheduled to begin
in July and is expected to be com-
pleted by December.
Cheyenne, Wyo. — Who is this per-
son in the picture at the right? Is it
Elijah? or Jeremiah? or one of the
other prophets? No, it's Rev. G. Emery
Hurd, pastor of the Cheyenne Breth-
ren Church, doing his annual imper-
sonation of one of the Bible
characters. This year he did indeed
choose one of the prophets. He stepped
back in time to put on the costume
and character of the Prophet Isaiah.
And in that likeness he reflected on
the meaning of Christ's life, death, and
resurrection during the Easter sunrise
service at the Cheyenne Church.
— reported by Alice M. Tharp;
photograph by Sue Hurd
June 1996
11
Briefly
Noted
Rev. Bill and Mrs. Gene Skel-
don of Oak Hill, W. Va., traveled to
Minneapolis, Minn., in early May
to attend a Billy Graham School of
Evangelism. They were among
1,000 people from 43 states and 14
countries representing 57 denomi-
nations who attended the school.
Twenty-five speakers spoke during
the 3V£ day school, with classes be-
ginning at 7:30 a.m. and running
until 9:30 p.m. Cliff Barrows led
singing and George Beverly Shea
sang during the event. The Skel-
dons said that they very much en-
joyed the school and that they
gained a lot from it. Rev. Skeldon is
pastor of the Oak Hill First and
Gatewood Brethren Churches.
Even if you are too deaf to hear
the preacher, the church is still a
good place for listening to God.
— John A. Holmes
Rosaleses spend 12 days in Chile
conducting evangelistic services
Sarasota, Fla. — Rev. Daniel
Rosales, pastor of Iglesia de los
Hermanos, the Brethren Hispanic
church in Sarasota, and his wife,
Kathy, spent 12 days in April in an
evangelistic mission to Chile,
South America.
From April 17 to 21 they held
services in the city of Iquique,
where they saw people come for-
ward every night to give their lives
to Jesus or to recommit themselves
to Him. On Saturday, April 20,
Mrs. Rosales spoke to the youth
about sexual purity, and that night
Rev. Rosales spoke on the same
theme at the local sports arena,
Art Gay resigns as
president of World Relief
Wheaton, 111. — Dr. Art Gay has
announced his resignation as presi-
dent of World Relief of the National
Association of Evangelicals, effec-
tive July 19, in order to return to
local church ministry.
Dr. Gay has served as president
of World Relief since 1991. He was
the speaker at the Brethren World
Relief soup luncheon at the 1994
General Conference.
Cheyenne, Wyo. — Two young men, Scott Soden and David Cuthbert, re-
sponded to the call to pastoral ministry during the Palm Sunday worship
service at the Cheyenne Brethren Church. Shown here are Scott (I.), with his
wife, Barbara, and their son David; and David, with his wife, Shannon, and
their two daughters, Kimberly (standing) and Sarina. The two men will un-
dergo a three- to five-year period of training under Cheyenne pastor Rev. G.
Emery Hurd to prepare for pastoral ministry. — reported by Alice M. Tharp
where about 1,300 people heard
God's word.
They then traveled (on April 23)
to Arica, the northernmost city in
Chile, where Rev. Rosales preached
two nights at a church to about 120
people each night. This was fol-
lowed by four nights of evangelistic
services at a movie theater that the
church rents for its weekend meet-
ings. Average attendance at these
services was 550, and a total of 170
people came forward to make per-
sonal decisions, with about a third
of them making first-time decisions
for Christ.
These services were also aired
live over a local radio station that
reaches much of northern Chile
and even into neighboring Peru.
The response to these broadcasts
was also gratifying, with many
people calling the radio station to
share prayer concerns or to say
that they had prayed to receive
Jesus as their Savior.
The Rosales returned to the
United States praising God that He
had enabled them to minister to the
spiritual needs of so many people in
Chile.
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^CHESTER COLLEGE^
Manchester, IN 4^62'
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Vol. 118, No. 7
A newsletter for Brethren people
July/August 1996
Indiana District Moderator Timothy Garner talks about:
Extending our reach into the world
AS I TRAVELED to churches in
our district this past year, I
took a rope with me. The rope, first
used at the Indiana District Con-
ference last year, illustrated that
throughout human history God has
woven a cord of truth. Previous
handlers of that truth have faith-
fully given that rope to us. Our call
continues. We must pass on the
rope of truth, love, and grace.
Together we can do M.O.R.E. I
believe that we are doing M.O.R.E.
together as Indiana Brethren, as
we continue to Manage Our Re-
sources Effectively/Efficiently for
the sake of the Kingdom of God.
At this conference, as I sit in this
rowboat with life preserver, oars,
and fishing poles, I have exchanged
the rope for a "new line." There's a
bumper sticker that summarizes my
new line. It's the one that says, "I'd
rather be fishing." The Lord Jesus
has called us to be "fishers of men."
He would desire nothing more than
for the church to rediscover a pas-
sionate desire to "fish."
A rowboat is an effective way to
fish. But when fishing from a row-
boat, it's important that you know
how to use the oars.
The oar of prayer
I'd like one of the oars to repre-
sent prayer. In his letter to the
church at Ephesus, Paul says that
he kneels before the Father on be-
half of the Ephesians (3:14-21). He
does this for at least two reasons:
Prayer unites
1. Prayer unites believers under
the name of the Father. We have a
meaningful existence because we
have a name. We are "somebodies."
We are members of God's family.
Prayer allows the Spirit who resides
within the heart of every believer to
meet the spirit within other believ-
ers. Bound by the name from whom
"the whole family on heaven and
earth derives its essence" (v. 14),
prayer improves our spirit-to-spirit
communication and causes our love
for one another to deepen.
I believe the Spirit can bring
unity not only to local bodies of be-
lievers, but also to districts, de-
nominations, and across denomina-
tions. How often do we pray for
unity in the body of Christ? Do it
MORE and we will extend our
reach into the world.
Prayer awakens
2. Prayer awakens the dormant
"glorious riches" (v. 16) into action.
Paul prays that believers would be
strengthened and grow spiritually.
How often do we pray that individu-
als or groups of people will grow
deeper in their faith and in their
faithfulness? Let's do it MOREl The
strength to live the Christian life
comes from within the believer (v.
16). Prayer gives the Spirit freedom
to operate. It unleashes the glori-
ous riches. It widens, lengthens,
heightens, and deepens our love.
Prayer is to the believer what
water is to a fish. Get out of it for
very long and you're dead.
I recommend that every church
create ever increasing opportunities
for corporate prayer via concerts of
prayer, prayer retreats, and prayer
vigils. I challenge each congrega-
tion to host at least one more of
these events by next year's confer-
This is an abridged and edited ver-
sion of the moderator's message given at
this year's Indiana District Conference.
Moderator Tim Garner presented the
message from a rowboat.
ence than they hosted in the past
year. During these prayer times, I
recommend that churches specifi-
cally ask the Lord to raise up labor-
ers— those called to full-time Chris-
tian service — and to raise up those
who would cheerfully provide the
finances through large and small
In this issue
Extending our reach 1
Forgiveness for a murderer? . 3
Understanding the Bible ... 4
Whistling while we worship . . 5
General Conference preview . 6
Around the denomination ... 8
The Women's Outlook Newsletter
is in the center of this issue.
donations, estate planning, and reg-
ular and consistent tithing, so as to
advance the kingdom of God through
The Brethren Church. We have not
because we ask not!
I further recommend that pastors
and key lay leaders meet quarterly
for prayer and support. I believe
that part of our lack of cohesiveness
comes because we lack face-to-face
interaction. Seminars and work-
shops have their place, but "the
family that prays together stays to-
gether." Pastors, we need to model
the greater community of Brethren.
We need to make prayer time to-
gether a priority. We need to be
M.O.R.E. supportive of each other.
The issue in our denomination and
our district is trust. The mistrust of
authority and of those in power
that is common in all levels of soci-
ety is also present in the church.
How my gut churns when I hear
the integrity of the leadership in
Ashland questioned. How sad I be-
come when the spiritually stunted
gripe about Ashland and yet will
not get involved in the processes
that may improve the situation.
How I long for someone to step up
to the plate with the fire and the
passion of Henry Holsinger and lead,
unabashedly yet intelligently. How
I long for someone to cast a vision
for the next 25 years and then pur-
sue that vision with enthusiastic
abandonment. How I long for
Brethren to be awakened by a tug
on the line that indicates the fish
are biting, so that we get busy be-
ing "fishers of men." How I long for
pastors who build each other up and
who are triumphant over the com-
petitive spirit and jealousies that
limit our effectiveness.
How I long for Christians who cheer
as vigorously for the Lord as they
do for sports heroes and superstars.
How I long for church members
The Brethren Ewngbjst (ISN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monthly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524
College Ae., Ashland, CH 448053792 (telephone:
419389-1708; email: Brethrench@d.ccm; fax: 419-
281-0450). Ajthors" y'ews are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Rchard C Wn-
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Rostage: Ra'd at Ashland, Chio Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Aenue, Ashland, CH 448053792.
who invest in the kingdom as read-
ily as they do in the lottery, cable
television, or the latest technology.
How I long for the Lord to grab hold
of our passions, our priorities, and
our pocketbooks so that in our daily
lives we sing, "I've surrendered all;
all to Him I've freely given."
Do you long for this? Will you
pray that we will spend M.O.R.E.
time coming together so that we
spend less time coming apart?
The oar of love
Now before you accuse me of not
having both oars in the water, let
me move on to the second oar, which
represents love. Paul prays that
the Ephesians will be rooted and
established in love (Eph. 3:17). We
are to spend our lives praying that
we might learn to live the depth of
love Christ has shown to us.
The oar of love is balanced by the
oar of prayer. Pull only one oar and
we just spin in circles. All love with-
out the divine empowerment that
prayer provides causes us to spin in
circles. Prayer propels (provides di-
rection), while love compels (pro-
vides passion). Prayer without the
passion of love degenerates into rit-
ual. Love without the direction pro-
vided by prayer results in purpose-
less activity producing burnout.
Pulling with equal force on both oars
gets us where God wants us to go.
Paul raises four questions by his
statement in verse 18. Do I grasp
how wide, how long, how high, and
how deep is the love of Christ?
1. How wide? How wide is your
vision? How wide is your love?
There's a wideness in God's mercy,
like the wideness of the sea. You're
in a boat with Jesus as your Life
Preserver because of that mercy. Does
your love have breadth? Can you
allow others room to navigate? Will
you allow them the freedom to get
in your way? Will you seek to bring
others on board, or will you narrow
your focus and leave them alone?
2. How long? To what lengths
will you love others? Will you talk
to those whose boat looks as though
it's rotting and in disrepair? To those
who drink beer while on the lake of
life? To those who have a new boat
and motor, the best of the best?
Some of us need to allow our com-
fort zones to be pushed. To what
lengths will you go so that others
may hear about the love and grace
of Jesus Christ?
3. How high? To what height
have you raised your fishing abili-
ties? People study all kinds of top-
ics to improve their abilities. Some
people study fishing magazines and
go to fishing seminars to get the
latest tips. We in the church do this
also, but often we just sit on the in-
formation. We've become more knowl-
edgeable fishers of men but haven't
spent more time on the water!
Learning more without doing more
results in guilt and frustration. But
when we use our abilities to fish,
we cast farther and win more.
4. How deep? How deep are you
fishing? Last summer I took my son
fishing. We rented a rowboat, went
out on the lake, and began fishing.
We caught nothing in several feet
of water. When we moved closer to
shore, however, we caught a num-
ber of small bluegills while fishing
in about a foot of water.
Likewise, when fishing for the Lord,
you've got to be ready to receive
what the Lord brings. Are you ready
to cast where the fish are? Some-
times this means going deeper.
Other times it means going into
shallower water or even into the
(continued on next page)
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FORSAKING ALL, SOJOURNING TO FAR-
OFF COMMENTS, BRAVING
SNM^E-INFESTED J0N&LES
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The Brethren Evangelist
Forgiveness even for a murderer?
By Corky Fisher
FORGIVENESS— a familiar word
to Christians. We have received
the gift of forgiveness through the
death of Jesus, and we readily ac-
cept that gift. We express our words
of praise and thanksgiving to God
for His gift of forgiveness; we sing
about that forgiveness in hymns and
choruses; we even wear jewelry
that proclaims it. But how readily
do we give that same gift to some-
one whom we feel has wronged us?
As children we learned to pray,
"And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors." Matthew's Gos-
pel continues, "For if you forgive
men when they sin against you, your
heavenly Father will also forgive
you. But if you do not forgive men
their sins, your Father will not for-
give your sins" (Matt. 6:14, 15; Niv).
It sounds easy. But is it? How often
do we hear comments like, "He'll get
his." Or, "Someday I'll get my chance
to get even." Moreover, how often
do we let these feelings consume us
to the point that forgiveness be-
comes almost impossible?
We are admonished throughout
Scripture to practice forgiveness.
Jesus tells Peter to forgive "seventy
times seven." He concludes the para-
ble of the unmerciful servant by say-
ing we must forgive from the heart,
or as Peterson translates it in The
Message, "unconditionally." Our mo-
tives must be pure; we must truly
forgive, not so God will forgive us,
but because He forgives us. In
Ephesians 4:32, Paul says, "Be kind
and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ
God forgave you" (NIV).
A lesson in forgiveness
I recently experienced a lesson in
forgiveness. A young woman came
into the Christian bookstore where
I work to buy a Bible. Her voice
quivered as she asked me to show
her a Bible "easy to read, and not
too expensive." She explained to me
that her sister had been murdered
and that she wanted to buy a Bible
to give to her sister's murderer.
July/August 1996
This woman and another sister
were to be present at the man's sen-
tencing. At that time they would be
given the opportunity to say any-
thing they wanted to say to the
murderer. She told me that she had
written the man a three-page letter
telling him that she had forgiven
him and that she wanted him to
know about God's forgiveness. She
bought the Bible and had his name
imprinted on it so that it would be
"special for him."
The woman and I prayed together
before she left the store. I asked her
if I could request others to pray for
her as well. Many of us prayed for
this young woman and the mission
which God had entrusted to her.
Months passed before I saw her
again. When she returned to the
store, she shared with me that
blessings have abounded. The man
cried when she gave him the Bible.
He told her that he had begun go-
ing to a Bible study in prison and
that he did not have a Bible of his
own. He was given the lightest pos-
sible sentence the law allowed.
As the woman and her family left
the courtroom, they were surrounded
by members of the media who asked
them why they were not bitter
about the outcome of the sentenc-
ing. They were able to share Jesus
with the media.
What this woman did took cour-
age. But she felt that she was sim-
ply doing what the Lord wanted her
to do. She looked beyond her own
loss and grief to reach out with
forgiveness to someone whom most
people would only look at with hate,
someone upon whom most people
would only wish evil. Perhaps she
understands better than most of us
what Jesus meant when He said
from the cross, "Father, forgive
them " [tf]
Ms. Fisher, a member of Park Street
Brethren Church, is an employee of
The Carpenter's Shop, the Brethren
bookstore in Ashland, Ohio.
Extending our reach
(continued from page 2)
weeds. What are you willing to do to
extend your reach?
There's a story about a man
named Billy Joe who had his own
fishing method. He would go out on
the lake in his motorboat, light the
fuse on a stick of dynamite, and toss
the dynamite into the water. After
the explosion, he would putt-putt
around the lake netting all the
stunned fish.
One morning a park ranger hap-
pened to be at the lake when Billy
Joe was fishing. Hearing an explo-
sion, he motored out to Billy Joe
and asked him what he was doing.
Billy Joe said he was fishing and
invited the ranger to come aboard
and join him. Before the ranger could
even object that what he was doing
was illegal, Billy Joe picked up a
stick of dynamite and lit the fuse.
He held it a moment then handed it
to the ranger, saying, "So, you
gonna fish or just think about it?"
How about us? Are we gonna fish
or just think about it? In Romans
1:16 Paul declares that he is not
ashamed of the gospel because it is
the power of God to bring salvation
of everyone who believes. The
Greek word for power reminds us of
the English word dynamite. We've
got God's dynamite. Are we going to
fish or just talk about it?
Before I rock the boat or make too
many waves, let me conclude with
some new words to an old song.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life's more than a dream.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently towards the lost,
To be faithful we must try
To win them at all cost.
Row, row, row your boat,
Before you fish please pray,
Otherwise you will find
Your love just ebbs away.
Row, row, row your boat,
Pull the oars together,
Otherwise you will find
You're off God's course forever!
Row, row, row your boat,
I'm running out of rhyme
Get my point, land tfie fish
Before our Lord calls, TIME!" [ft]
Rev. Gamer is pastor of the First Breth-
ren Church in Elkhart, Indiana.
Feetwashing and radical obedience
By Kenneth Sullivan
"rpHEY DO WHAT? They wash
JL feet at Communion!" That was
my mother's response when I told
her about Brethren feetwashing.
I had been raised a faithful Pres-
byterian. Now, in my late teen years,
I discovered that the Christian faith
is more than doctrine, religious tra-
dition, and church attendance.
In my search for spiritual growth,
God brought two very important peo-
ple into my life. The first was the
woman who became my wife, who
was a member of the Akron Fire-
stone Park Brethren Church. As our
relationship grew, she introduced
me to the second person, her pas-
tor, Rev. James Black. He, in turn,
introduced me to Brethren teachings.
First impressions
I will never forget the first Breth-
ren Communion I attended. Since I
was not a member of the church, I
was not permitted to participate. I
remember two very distinct im-
pressions. First, Brethren Com-
munion was incredibly beautiful in
the biblical truth and symbolism it
portrayed. Secondly, Jim forgot to
take me with him to the room to
observe the feetwashing. This over-
sight aroused my curiosity. I wanted
to know what those Brethren did
behind closed doors.
As I grew spiritually, I experi-
enced an inner transformation and
a reckoning with scriptural truth
that pushed me into the Brethren
camp. During my first year in col-
lege I was rebaptized and brought
into the membership of the Fire-
stone Park Brethren Church. A few
weeks later I was a first-time par-
ticipant in a Brethren Communion,
including feetwashing.
Correspondence Welcomed
Questions or comments about this
series of articles or suggestions for
future topics may be sent to the Com-
mittee on Doctrine, Research, and
Publication in care of The Brethren
Evangelist, 524 College Ave., Ash-
land, OH 44805.
As I attempted to alleviate my
mother's concerns about these
"quirky Brethren" and their strange
practices, I searched for a defense
of my new-found beliefs. I did not
understand the principles of a dis-
tinctively Brethren hermeneutic (the
way we interpret Scrip-
ture), nor did I fully under-
stand the reasons for feet-
washing.
What appeared to my
mother as a silly and out-
dated practice was for me
an issue of faithfulness
and obedience. I knew that
Jesus modeled it for His
disciples and commanded
them to continue the prac-
tice (Jn. 13:14, 15). I would obey
even if I didn't understand. Jesus
was central to my life and thinking.
He became the filter through which
every biblical truth would be inter-
preted.
For Brethren, Jesus is always the
starting point in our attempts to
understand the Bible. Our approach
springs from a heart devoted to God
and faithful to Christ. Every truth
of Scripture is meant to be an en-
gagement with the living God. We
read Scripture with the intention of
obeying our Lord in all things and
of adjusting our lives to each new
encounter, even if it means wash-
ing feet.
Earlier Brethren called it radical
obedience. Our interpretation of
Scripture flows from the require-
ment to obey our Lord in all things
and to conform to the living Word,
Jesus Christ. In other words, we
obey the commands of Scripture
and follow the example of Christ.
The Bible can be fully understood
only by someone willing to submit
and conform to its teachings.
What did Jesus intend?
Some Christians argue that there
is little evidence that Jesus intend-
ed to make feetwashing a religious
observance. Many believe He was
only offering a lesson in humility
Understanding
the Bible
and that He was not mandating its
actual practice.
Jesus said, ". . . you also should
wash one another's feet" (Jn. 13:14,
NIV, italics added) The word should
carries greater weight than mere
suggestion. It implies an indebted-
ness toward the expected outcome.
A similar passage in 1 John 4:11
tells us that ". . . we also ought to
love one another" (italics added). The
indebtedness in this passage is our
love for others, just as washing feet
is our indebtedness in John 13:14.
Jesus also said, "I
have set you an ex-
ample that you
should do as I have
done for you" (Jn.
13:15, Niv). In this
verse Jesus com-
pounds His com-
mand by His exam-
ple. Basically He was
saying, "I washed
your feet; now prac-
tice the same thing with each other."
If we follow the principle of radi-
cal obedience, we make every effort
to obey Christ's teachings and com-
mands. When He draws attention to
His example as a clarifying stand-
ard, we follow in like manner. In so
doing we remain true to the sim-
plicity and clarity of the Bible while
not spiritualizing biblical passages
without clear scriptural precedent.
Understanding God's truth becomes
the by-product of our obedience.
Blessings from feetwashing
There are blessings that flow
from the feetwashing service (Jn.
13:17). We are reminded of God's
forgiveness, of the need for intro-
spection and confession, and of the
promise of cleansing from sin.
But even more incredible is this
truth. When we are on our knees
washing the feet of others, all hu-
man pretense is stripped away. In
those moments we stand on com-
mon ground as fellow sinners re-
deemed through Christ. On that
level we are all servants with only
one Lord. In that act all differences
disappear; we are all the same. We
are Brethren! [ft]
Rev. Sullivan is pastor of the Mill-
edgeville, III., Brethren Church and
serves on the Committee on Doctrine,
Research, and Publication.
The Brethren Evangelist
Whistling while we worship
By Dale Hanson Bourke
WHEN MY HUSBAND went to
pick up our youngest son af-
ter church recently, he found him
interrogating his Sunday school
teacher. The second graders are
learning the church creeds, and
Tyler is a little confused. "How come
I can say 'hell' in church, but not
on the playground?" he was asking.
Tyler, my always-pushing-the-
limits child, likes to know exactly
where the lines are so he can wave
as he skips past them. He's not a bad
child; he's just not one to accept rules
without questioning their necessity.
When he was four years old, he
accompanied us to the church's ma-
jestic Easter service, where he showed
off his new skill by whistling to the
hymns with great emphasis. I knew
we had found the right church
when the associate pastor, a grand-
motherly figure, identified him as
the source of the sounds, then gave
him a broad, approving smile.
A place to be ourselves
I'm glad Tyler feels comfortable
questioning and whistling in church.
And I hope that, as he grows older,
the church will be a place where he
can come to express joy and sorrow,
frustration and outrage.
Too often the places where we
worship are places where we feel a
need to be polite and reserved. We
spend six days a week expressing
ourselves honestly — shouting, cry-
ing, giggling, swearing — and one day
acting as if we hope God doesn't
remember what we are really like.
We sit quietly and primly, talk in
hushed tones, and wear plastic
smiles. And then we wonder why we
get so little out of the experience.
If we want our houses of worship
truly to be places where we connect
with God, we have to be willing to
be honest about who we are and
where we struggle.
A friend of mine, a recovering
alcoholic, once observed that AA
meetings should be the model for
church services. We should all walk
in admitting our problems, acknowl-
July/August 1996
edging our struggles, and asking for
the support of other fellow journeyers.
Sadly we often feel — or are made
to feel — as though we have to have
our act together before we walk in
the door of a sanctuary. And even
more perplexing is the notion that
if we are on our best behavior, God
will pat us on the head like a dot-
ing, hard-of-hearing grandfather
and dismiss our transgressions as
cute or playful.
A place to bring our concerns
Life is tough. It is hard to raise
children, deal with work stresses, and
find enough money to pay the bills,
let alone cope with unexpected ill-
nesses or other traumas. It is diffi-
cult to act with integrity, to care
about others, to be patient in a fast-
paced world.
Where we go to meet God should
be a place to bring all of these con-
cerns. It should be a place to deal
with the messiness of life; a place to
ask all of our questions and praise
God with whatever talents He has
given us.
For those of us who have a place
to worship God honestly and openly,
it is a great opportunity to renew
ourselves and our faith. For those
who don't have such a sanctuary, it
is worth seeking out.
Going to weekly services is not
something to do out of guilt or a
sense of goodness. Church is a place
to go for help and hope.
During Jesus' ministry, well-
meaning disciples tried to protect
Him from the children who flocked
to Him. I imagine they suspected
that the children had dirty hands,
would ask embarrassing questions,
and might do such immature things
as whistle.
When Jesus said, "Let the little
children come to me," He surprised
the adults, who thought He would
have no time for such encounters.
And when He explained that they
would have to "become like little
children" if they wanted to enter
the kingdom of God, He must have
confused them even more.
A place to know God honestly
As I watch my son Tyler worship
God in his own way and experience
acceptance in our church, I am grate-
ful. He is growing up in an atmos-
phere that will allow him to know
God honestly. And for the adults
among us who are less than perfect,
it is comforting to know that there
is a place to which we can come as
we are and become more than we
ever hoped to be. [D1]
Dale Hanson Bourke is the publisher
of Religion News Service and author of
Turn Toward the Wind.
© 1996 Religion News Service
The value of self-discipline
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
Proverbs 6:6, Nrv
HERE THE ANT is offered as
an example of unsupervised,
uncoerced self-discipline. Without
any outside pressure, this tiny
creature both stores and gathers
provisions to see it through future
days when food will be scarce.
The writer suggests there is
wisdom in hard work motivated
by a spirit of foresight and dili-
gence. By avoiding procrastina-
tion and doing what we ought to
when we ought to, we'll discover a
great deal of freedom from a fear
of the future. We'll worry much
less about scarcity and needs.
The sluggard, however, is lazy,
short-sighted and destined for
poverty and want. Such a person
avoids taking responsibility for the
future, shuns hard work and even
lacks motivation to get out of bed.
Though these verses focus on
the human side of success, other
verses in Proverbs underscore the
importance of a commitment to
the Lord. Following God is the
primary quality of one who is suc-
cessful in God's eyes. [ft]
— From The Quest Study Bible (Zon-
dervan Publishing House); used by
permission.
General Conference Preview
A rundown of what's in
store during Conference week
August 5-9 at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio
Theme: "Partners in the Gospel" (Philippians 1:3-11)
Monday Evening
The opening celebration of Gen-
eral Conference on Monday evening
will begin with a Youth March, fol-
lowed by a slide presentation de-
picting 50 years of the national
Brethren Youth organization. This
will be the kickoff to a week-long
celebration of the 50th anniversary
of Brethren Youth.
The evening will also feature a
message by Dr. Richard Allison,
moderator of the Conference, who
will speak on
the Confer-
ence theme,
"Partners in
the Gospel."
Since 1974
Dr. Allison
has taught
at Ashland
Theological
Seminary,
where he is a
leader in the
*• i j e Moderator Richard Allison
Christian education. From 1980 to
1994 he also served as director of
the seminary's Doctor of Ministry
program.
A 1961 graduate of the seminary,
Dr. Allison served as a Brethren
pastor before joining the ATS fac-
ulty. He pastored successively the
Wayne Heights (Waynesboro, Pa.),
Goshen (Ind.) First, and Jefferson
(Goshen, Ind.) Brethren Churches.
He has been an active leader in The
Brethren Church and also served
as Conference moderator in 1969.
He and his wife, Emily, have four
grown sons.
Tuesday
Tuesday will be Evangelism Day
at Conference. From 10:30 a.m. to
noon, the Evangelism & Church
Growth Commission will conduct
"Opening DOORS to the World"
(Dynamic Outreach Opportunities
Related to Service), a multi-faceted
workshop. Paul Mundey, director of
The Andrew Center, will speak on
"Unlocking
Church
Doors."
(More infor-
mation about
Rev. Mundey
appeared in
last month's
Evangelist.)
Table-talk
presenta-
tions and
discussions
Rev. Paul Mundey on evangel.
ism, church growth, and church-
planting topics will also be offered
during this session.
Celebration of the 50th anniver-
sary of Brethren Youth will con-
tinue on Tuesday afternoon at an
all-Conference picnic scheduled to
begin at 4:30. Lawn games, other
activities, and a birthday cake are
planned for the picnic.
Evangelism will again be the
focus during the Tuesday evening
worship service. This service will
be a celebration of what God is do-
ing through evangelism in Breth-
ren churches, especially through
Passing On the Promise. Rev. Mun-
dey will deal with the question,
"Does the Future Have a Church?"
Wednesday
The Wednesday morning pro-
gram will feature a workshop spon-
sored by the Spiritual Formation
Commission. Members of this com-
mission will look at spiritual forma-
tion opportunities available through
Promise Keepers, the Brethren
Way of Christ, Life Spring, and
Ashland Theological Seminary.
The workshop will also include seg-
ments on Spiritual Formation for
Women and on Pastoral Care in
The Brethren Church.
At 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, one
Dr. Fred Finks
of the highlights of the week for
women will take place, the annual
Women's Luncheon sponsored by
the national W.M.S. Speaker for
the luncheon will be Barbara Hess,
a retreat and Bible study leader
from Akron, Ohio. While the
women are having their luncheon,
the men will be enjoying their an-
nual Men's Picnic, sponsored by the
Brethren Men of Mission.
Wednesday evening will be sem-
inary night, with Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary in charge of the
worship service. The theme for the
evening will be servant leadership,
and the service will feature a mes-
sage by
seminary
president
Dr. Fred
Finks enti-
tled "Lead-
ing from a
S ervant's
Heart." The
service will
also include
a prelude by
Grace Su, a
seminary
student from Taiwan; music by Dr.
Ron and Linda Sprunger, and se-
lections by a choir of ATS students
and alumni.
Thursday
Thursday morning will again fea-
ture a workshop. Dr. Doug Little,
professor of psychology at Ashland
Theological Seminary, will lead
this workshop, which will deal with
the subject of conflict resolution.
The annual World Relief Soup
Lunch will follow at 12:30 p.m.
During the lunch, Martin Hartog,
Midwest Area and Senior Repre-
sentative for
World Relief
of the Na-
tional Asso-
ciation of
Evangelicals,
will speak .
Born in
Amsterdam
shortly be-
fore World
War II, Har-
tog experi-
enced as a Martin Hartog
(continued following the Outlook pages)
The Brethren Evangelist
Ifte Women's OutCoot<i9{eiusCetter
A publication of the brethren Women's Missionary Society
July-August 1996
Volume 9, Number 6
"The
President 's
<£en
Dear Ladies,
Well, here we are in the middle
of summer. This past year has
gone by so quickly.
We have been talking about the
W.M.S. ABCs. No. 7 is to "corre-
spond regularly with Home and
World missionaries." Our mission-
aries truly enjoy hearing from each
of us and enjoy meeting those who
write, when they come to the States
for a visit. You will really be blessed
by writing to them.
ABC 8 is to "support the growth
of the children and/or youth minis-
tries of your church with prayer,
finances, and leadership." This is
an easy commitment, as there are
so many ways to meet this ABC.
Many of you are Sunday school
teachers, nursery workers, youth
leaders — the list is endless. I'm sure
each church has ways of finan-
cially helping with the many youth
ministries.
As you are reading this, your
W.M.S. group should already have
sent your report to the District
President (ABC 9). And No. 10 is
one we really need to work on all
the time — to be a "model of Christ's
love; to show Christian love and
service to our neighbors and their
families." Do you have a neighbor
who is difficult to get along with?
Show Christ's love to her/him by
doing something nice. Keep a smile
on your face and do things in love.
You will be surprised how this will
(continued on page 4)
WE CAN DO M.O.R.E.
Excerpts from the President's Address by Susie Stout,
Indiana District Conference, May 4, 1996
I can do all things through Christ,
Who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
Ladies, our theme this weekend
is "We Can Do M.O.R.E." This was
meant by the district board to mean:
M-manage O-our R-resources
E-Effectively. The W.M.S. chose for
our theme, We Can Do MORE . . .
"through Christ Who strengthens
n
me.
Let's take a look at our resources.
They may include our Time, our
Money, and our Talents or Abili-
ties.
Our Time
It is much easier for me person-
ally to budget my money than it is
my time! Do you take time to wit-
ness to others? Remember when
you pass an unsaved person that
you may be to blame for his condi-
tion. In Ecclesiastes 3, the writer
tells us about a time for everything,
some of which we have no control.
Remember as we do works in the
name of Jesus that we are to bear
fruit. Colossians 1:10 says, "Bear-
ing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God."
Blessed is the person who is too
busy to worry during the day and
too sleepy to worry at night.
Our Money
Have you ever said or even
thought, "Well, God, if I had more
money, I'd be able to do so much
more for others'? Many references
in the Old and New Testaments refer
to money: in Deuteronomy 16:17,
we read, "Every man shall give . . .
according to the blessing of the Lord
. . ."; Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed
to give than to receive"; and we all
know II Corinthians 9:7: "God
loveth a cheerful giver." I have heard
it said that plenty of people are will-
ing to give God credit; yet few are
willing to give Him cash!
Our Talents or Abilities
We must be willing to share our
talents and abilities with others.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "And
the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily I say unto you, Inas-
much as ye have done it unto the
least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me." And Jesus con-
tinued, "Then shall he answer them
saying, Verily I say unto you, Inas-
much as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me."
For all of this to work, we need
to be "plugged" in to our source,
our source is Jesus Himself. I read
about a youth minister who was an
excellent ventriloquist. It really
seemed as though his dummy was
real when a conversation was car-
ried on with it. Suddenly the min-
ister placed the dummy on a stool
and walked to the other side of the
stage and continued to try to joke
with the dummy. Of course, it didn't
answer. We are like that dummy
when we aren't being used by God.
Nothing comes out right if we aren't
living within His will.
Surely there isn't one person you
can think of whom you would
like to see go to hell. Ladies, this is
serious business*.
In John 14 Jesus promised that
(continued on page 4)
READING CIRCLE BOOKS
When the Executive Board of the
W.M.S. met May 11, one of the items
of business was to choose books for
you to read next year. From a sug-
gested list of 12, these are recom-
mended for you to choose. The goal is
for each member to read two books;
however, you and I know that if we
read more than the minimum, we
will be benefited more.
The resume of each book is given
by Kathleen Mack, literature sec-
retary.
Books will be available at Gen-
eral Conference.
THE QUILT by T. Davis Bunn;
$11.50
This is the story of an elderly
grandmother, whose gnarled arthri-
tic hands have a beauty all their
own. Mary felt a gentle yearning in
her heart, the whisper of melody she
strained to hear. There was some-
thing left undone.
GLADYS AYLWARD (mission
book) by Catherine Swift; $4.50
The China Inland Mission con-
sidered her to be too old to learn
the Chinese language. She scraped
and saved every penny she could
earn and booked an overland pas-
sage to China. She spent more than
20 years of service with the Chi-
nese people.
LEAH by James R. Shott; $8.50
Leah is the "other" sister, the
homely one. Her name means "wild
cow." She is awkward, introverted,
and almost blind, and she is in love
with Jacob.
GOD'S VITAMIN 'C FOR THE
SPIRIT by Kathy Collard and D.
Larry Miller; $12.50
100% Pure, All-Natural God's
Vitamin 'C with "tug-at-the-heart"
stories to fortify and enrich your
life.
JACOB THE BAKER by Noah
Ben Shea; $10.00
Few books touch both heaven and
earth. These tiny stories are not
only to be read, but also carried in
a circle around your heart . . . feed-
ing you hope and humanity when-
ever loss of God threatens.
SOPHIE'S HEART by Lori Wick;
$10.50
A warm contemporary story of
God's tender mercies and loving in-
tervention in the life of one family.
ANGELS AROUND US by
Douglas Connelly; $9.50
Douglas Connelly has studied
what the Bible says about angels,
and you may be surprised at what
is there.
ONE BRIGHT SHINING PATH
by W. Terry Whalin and Chris
Woher; $9.50
High up on a steep mountainside
in the Peruvian Andes, an Indian
shepherd boy watched his flock.
Though he could never have imag-
ined it, God had chosen him for a
remarkable task. God's plan would
take a nearly illiterate boy, handi-
capped by a learning disability, and
eventually place him at the head of
a team of scholars translating the
Bible into the Quechua language.
CMissionarij
^SMiscdlany
David and Jenny Loi are the
July missionaries of the month.
They will attend the Conference
and we will hear first-hand reports
about their work in Malaysia. They
will do some deputation, too; per-
haps they will be in your area. Pray
for Rebecca, who will not be with
them, and for Stephen, who will be
a sophomore at Ashland University.
Tom and Debbie Sprowls are the
home missionaries for August. They
are the pastoral team in Medina,
Ohio. Their young son was born in
February.
The September missionaries are
Todd and Tracy Ruggles in Mexico
City. They received their work
visas in Mexico, which eliminates
their need to return to the U.S.
every six months. Now they can
work legally as missionaries in
Mexico. This is answered prayer.
*]t^
(tA>
Dear Women of the Missionary
Society,
It is a pleasure to write to you
with thanks for your generous
scholarship gift last fall. At the
time I was considering taking a
semester off, due to financial reasons.
Then your letter came. What a bless-
ing! It reaffirmed that I needed to
return for the fall semester. Be-
cause I did, I was placed at a local
elementary school with a wonder-
ful Christian staff. The teacher I
was placed with, also a Christian,
provided me an excellent example,
not only of how I want to teach, but
also of how I want to live my life. I
look to her, not only as a teaching
mentor, but as a life-style mentor.
My fall semester truly reaffirmed
that God has given me a special
gift to be in the classroom. It also
reminded me how fortunate I am
to have a family of believers that
have helped support my emotional
and physical needs throughout. It
truly is a great testimony of the
plan God has for each of His chil-
dren's lives and the special people
He places in our lives to help
achieve the ends.
I graduated in December and am
now substitute teaching several days
each week at the local schools. I
feel I am doing what I love the
most and am very happy. Thank
you for making this all possible!
In His love,
Carrie R. Lucas
THE WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
NEWSLETTER
Published bimonthly in January,
March, May, July, September, and
November by the Women's Missionary
Society of The Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dorman Ronk, Editor
1325 Coachman Court
Ashland, Ohio 44805
Subscription price, $7.50 per year in
advance.
Send all subscriptions to Mrs. Robert
Kroft, 608 Twp. Road 1151, RD 5, Ash-
land, OH 44805.
Women's Outlook Newsletter
Recipes from the 'Executive lioarcC
BRAN MUFFINS
Corrected recipe
An error was printed in Marie
Fanning's recipe. Please replace
the previous recipe with this:
Mix in large bowl:
4 beaten eggs
1 c. oil
1 qt. buttermilk
In a larger bowl, combine:
2V2 c. less 2 tbsp. whole wheat
flour
V2 c. wheat germ
\3/4 c. sugar
5 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
<^4 tsp. each of ginger, cloves,
nutmeg
1 c. quick oatmeal
1 c. Quaker natural cereal
6 c. (rounded) Post raisin bran
cereal
1 c. raisins (or less)
Vz c. chopped pecans (optional)
Add wet ingredients to dry. Let
stand in refrigerator at least 2
days. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.
Mixture will keep in refrigerator 2
weeks and can be baked at differ-
ent times.
JELL-0 SALAD
2 3-oz. boxes orange Jell-0
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 pint orange sherbet
Mix Jell-0 with 2 cups boiling
water. Add pineapple with juice. Stir.
Add about 1 pint orange sherbet.
Mix until sherbet is melted. Re-
frigerate until set.
This may be served on a lettuce
leaf, if used as a salad. For a des-
sert, add a dollop of whipped cream
on each serving.
Shirley Black, president
GRAPE NUTS
6 c. graham flour
2 c. buttermilk
1 c. light Karo
1 c. mild molasses
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
Combine ingredients and put in
pie pans. Bake 1 hour in moderate
oven. When cold, break into pieces,
grind, and dry or roast.
Marilyn Aspinall, vice president
July-August 1996
OVERNIGHT COOKIES
Cream together:
3 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
V% c. oleo
Vl c. shortening
Add and mix:
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Sift, then add:
\Vl tsp. salt
6 c. flour
1 Tbsp. soda
1 Tbsp. cream of tartar
After 4 cups of flour mixture is
added, you'll have to work the rest
in by hand. Form into 2 long loaves
and let stand in refrigerator over-
night. Slice and bake 12 min. at
350°. Yield: approximately 5 dozen.
Susie Stout, Indiana
NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE
1 c. hot water
1 3-oz. lemon Jell-0
1 8-oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 can Milnot
For the graham cracker crust:
Roll graham crackers into crumbs.
Add 1/4 c. sugar and V2 c. melted
oleo, mix well, press into 9" x 13"
pan or dish.
Dissolve Jell-0 into hot water.
Whip Milnot into whipped cream
and add sugar. Without cleaning
beaters, combine cream cheese and
dissolved Jell-O. Pour cream cheese/
Jell-0 and whipped Milnot together.
Mix well and pour into graham crack-
er crust. Chill. Makes about 15 serv-
ings. Extremely light and delicious.
You may use any flavor of Jell-O.
With lemon, you may top with a
fruit pie filling, such as cherry or
blueberry.
Susie Stout, Indiana
ANGEL CAKE
Mi
ix:
1 3-oz. box instant vanilla pudding
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
Fold in 9-oz. Cool Whip.
Slice 1 angel food cake into 3 lay-
ers. (Use a store-bought cake, those
baked at home are usually too
large.) Spoon some whipped cream
mixture between layers, frost out-
side of cake. Refrigerate.
Joanne Kroft, Financial Secretary
STUFFED PASTA SHELLS
1 lb. lean ground beef or mild,
bulk pork sausage
1 jar (28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
15 oz. ricotta cheese
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 tsp. parsley flakes
large pasta shells (approximately
Vl box cooked, rinsed, drained)
grated Parmesan cheese
In large saucepan, brown meat.
Remove half of meat and set aside.
Stir spaghetti sauce into remain-
ing meat. Simmer 15 minutes.
In medium-sized bowl, combine
the remaining meat, ricotta cheese,
2 c. mozzarella cheese, egg, and
parsley. Pour 1/3 of the spaghetti
sauce mixture into a 9" x 13" bak-
ing pan. Stuff shells with ricotta
mixture and place on top of sauce.
Top with remaining sauce, mozza-
rella cheese, and sprinkle with
Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered
at 350° for 20 minutes.
Nancy Hunn, general secretary
CHERRY CHEWBILEES
Crust:
1V4 cups flour
V*Z cup brown sugar, packed
V2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup nuts, chopped, divided
Filling:
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, sof-
tened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cans (21 oz. each) cherry pie
filling
Combine flour and brown sugar;
cut in shortening until fine crumbs
form. Stir in V£ c chopped nuts.
Reserve V2 cup crumb mixture for
topping. Press remaining mixture
into a greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake
at 350° 12-15 minutes.
For filling, beat cream cheese,
sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Spread over hot crust. Bake 15
minutes at 350°. Spread cherry pie
filling on top. Combine remaining
crumbs and nuts, sprinkle over
cherry filling. Bake 15 minutes at
350°. Cool. Refrigerate until serv-
ing time. Yield: 20 servings
Joan Merrill, Sewing and
World Relief Coordinator
district Qoings
Nancy Lentz reported how the
NAPPANEE W.M.S. has met ABC
10. They honor a different older
woman each month. "At each meet-
ing, we choose the person to honor
and decide what would be special
to her. We started with W.M.S. shut-
in members and continued with
other women of the church.
"One woman had a garden that
needed weeding, so several women
met to do that on a hot summer
evening. We have taken a meal to
some in their homes or the nursing
home and a few members join them
for lunch. We have taken some of
the honorees out to lunch at a res-
taurant, and we gave a gift of a
silk flower arrangement to one. We
held a surprise Saturday brunch for
the one in charge of the sewing
group. She is still a very active
member of the W.M.S."
The LINWOOD society hosted a
Spring into Goals rally for the
SOUTHEAST District May 18.
Susan Kidd reported that four
societies were represented by 23
members. The day was full of spe-
cial music, group singing, and a dis-
cussion about the societies and how
they are meeting their goals. The
St. Luke ladies used the Program
Guide for their devotions and read
the Mission Statement from the
W.M.S. Constitution. That helped
set the mood for the day. Their dis-
trict project is for Maria Miranda's
radio ministry, Para ti Mujer.
The officers were reelected for a
two-year term and were installed
by Pastor Bob Keplinger. He com-
plimented the ladies for being CEO's:
Cute, Energetic, Organized!
We Can Do M.O.R.E.
(continued)
the faithful have a special place
prepared for them. Sometimes we
get so tired, but please be encour-
aged by the thought of what is in
store for us. Oh, that God can say
of us, "Well done, thou good and
faithful servant: Thou has been faith-
ful over a few things, I will make
thee ruler over many things. Enter
thou into the joy of thy Lord."
The President's Pen (continued) Recipes (continued)
change an attitude. My family has
tried it and it works!! How about
sharing your garden "goodies" with
them, or pick them a bouquet of
flowers, offer to take them to the
grocery store, or to baby-sit. I know
that many of you are doing all of
these things and so you are meet-
ing ABC 10.
One evening when my grand-
daughter, Randi, was at our house,
she asked Grandpa if he had to go
to his office to work. He said, "No,"
and Randi said, "Good, because I
haven't been spending enough time
with you." So that evening, Grandpa
spent some time with Randi on the
porch swing, telling her a story.
That made me think of the times
spent with the Lord. Do we go days
without reading our Bibles or tak-
ing time to talk with Him? Do we
feel Him saying, "You haven't been
spending enough time with me
lately?" I think we can tell when
that happens, and we realize things
are not working well in our lives.
So we need to stop and take time
to talk to and with the Lord. Fel-
lowship with God is the most blessed
experience known to man. It brings
peace and refreshment to the most
weary soul. I John 1:3 speaks of
this: ". . . our fellowship is with the
Father and with His Son Jesus
Christ."
Conference is August 5-9. We
have a very good speaker scheduled
for the W.M.S. luncheon on Wednes-
day. Her name is Barbara Hess from
Akron, Ohio. She is busy all year
doing women's retreats and teach-
ing Bible studies in the area. This
luncheon is for all ladies (not just
W.M.S. members), and the cost is
$6.50. If you have a women's group
at your church, encourage them to
attend Conference and the lunch-
eon. I know several churches that
have a group of women who are
meeting under a different name than
W.M.S. This is a good time to get
them acquainted with other women
of the denomination.
I look forward to seeing you at
Conference. God Bless You.
Shirley Black
NEIMAN MARCUS CAKE
1 yellow cake mix with pudding
Prepare as on package. Bake
specified time (this works well as a
sheet cake). Cool 15 minutes.
Punch holes in cake with fork.
Combine:
1V5 c. milk
V2 c. sugar
Vz c. coconut
Boil 1 minute. Spoon over cake.
Cool.
Fold V$> c. coconut into 8 oz. con-
tainer Cool Whip and spread over
cake. Sprinkle 1 c. coconut on top.
Doris Shultz, assistant
literature secretary
ti'Joiitbrs hiding
Dear Friend,
With this issue a few more rec-
ipes from the Executive Board are
included.
I hope you have tried some of the
recipes from the previous Newslet-
ter and will use these also. Please
disregard the bran muffin recipe
from the last issue and use the one
in this issue. This will be much
better!
With Marilyn Aspinall's recipe for
Grape Nuts, she wrote, "It occurred
to me that an old family recipe for
homemade Grape Nuts cereal
would be different. At the price of
cereal these days, it might come in
handy to other cereal lovers. I can
still smell my mother's kitchen
when I remember these. They're
quite easy to mix up and better
than the real thing!"
I can only emphasize the Confer-
ence information which Shirley gave
in her column. Missionary reports,
music, devotions, important busi-
ness decisions, and those informal
gatherings in the hall or following
a Conference session — these are
General Conference. We want you
to be a part of the week.
Your friend,
fl*p~€t — v *
Joan
Women's Outlook Newsletter
General Conference Preview
child the heavy price paid by vic-
tims of war and hardship. From
that experience he gained an ap-
preciation for freedom and food and
the ability to identify with victims
of famine.
His family emigrated to Canada
in 1952 and Martin became a
Christian in 1957. In 1980, when
World Relief opened a European
office in Amsterdam, Hartog, with
his wife and two daughters, re-
turned to the Netherlands to take
charge of that office. In 1988 he was
relocated to World Relief headquar-
ters in Wheaton, 111., where he has
been involved in a variety of minis-
tries. During his years with World
Relief, he has traveled to more than
45 countries, enabling him to gain
valuable insights about the world-
wide activities of World Relief.
Brethren Missions will be the
focus on Thursday evening, with a
Missionary Board banquet at 5:00
and the Missionary Board service
at 7:00. World Missions will be the
emphasis of the banquet, and the
special guests will be Brethren mis-
sionaries Allen Baer (home on fur-
lough from Argentina) and David
and Jenny Loi (visiting from Malay-
sia). The program will include greet-
ings and brief times of sharing by
the special guests and a short ad-
dress on the future of Brethren Mis-
sions by Rev. Reilly Smith, executive
Director of the Missionary Board.
Brethren Home Missions will be
in the spotlight in the worship serv-
ice that follows the banquet, and
special guests for this service will
include the following Home Mis-
sion pastors and workers: Thomas
(T. J.) and Judy McLaughlin (Penn-
sylvania. District), Tom and Debbie
Sprowls (Medina, Ohio), Mike and
Pam Sove (Franklin, Ohio), Tom
and Tiona Conrad (Greenwood,
Ind.), Gene and Georgia Bell (Indi-
anapolis, Ind.), and Keith and Mar-
jorie Bennett (Greenwood, Ind.).
Conference
business sessions
Conference business sessions will
be held each morning, Tuesday
through Friday, beginning at 8:20
a.m. and lasting about two hours.
Discussion of and action on the
Denominational Reorganization
Proposal for The Brethren Church
will be the major business item of
the Conference. This proposal was
included in last month's Evangel-
ist, and copies were also sent to
pastors and church moderators.
Delegates, please read and
study this proposal before coming
to Conference. Answers to 19 com-
monly asked questions were
printed at the end of the proposal
to help clarify as many issues as
possible.
A formal presentation of the pro-
posal will be made during the
Tuesday morning business session.
At noon on Tuesday, facilitators
will be available in the Convoca-
tion Center cafeteria to help organ-
ize those in favor of and those op-
posed to the proposal into groups
that can prepare statements sup-
porting their respective positions.
These groups will also choose rep-
resentatives from their groups to
present their position statements
during the Wednesday business
session. Please note that this is not
an attempt to stifle discussion of
the proposal. Rather it is an effort
to provide for an orderly discussion
while eliminating the repetition (a
number of people coming to the
microphone and saying essentially
the same thing) that often occurs
during Conference discussions of
this nature. A vote on the proposal
is scheduled for the Wednesday
business session.
Elections: Two different slates
of nominees are being prepared for
this Conference. One slate will be
used if the reorganization proposal
is approved and will contain nomi-
nees for those positions that will
need to be filled in the new organi-
zation (Congregational and Mis-
sionary Ministries Council mem-
bers). The other slate will be used
if the reorganization proposal is
voted down, and it will contain
nominees for those positions that
need to be filled in the present or-
ganization (moderator-elect, some
GCEC members, and commission
members).
Whichever slate is used, delegates
will have an opportunity to make
nominations from the floor. Persons
so nominated must have given
their consent to serve if elected.
The worship service will be led by
the worship team from the Living
HOPE Brethren Church in Medina,
Ohio (formerly called the Brethren
Church of
Medina).
The service
will include
a special re-
port from the
new Home
Mission out-
reach in
Tracy, Calif.
The message
for the serv-
ice will be
Dr. Arden E. Gilmer presented by
Dr. Arden E. Gilmer, pastor of the
Ashland Park Street Brethren
Church and president of the Mis-
sionary Board.
Friday
The closing session of the Confer-
ence, which begins at 10:30 on Fri-
day morning, will feature a report
from the
Brethren
Youth In
Christ of
their Con-
vention. It
will conclude
with a chal-
lenge by the
new Confer-
ence mod-
erator, Dr.
John Shultz,
who will in- Dr- John Shultz
troduce the 1997 Conference
theme. Dr. Shultz is professor of
pastoral counseling at Ashland
Theological Seminary and operates
a private counseling practice in
Ashland. [t]
Auxiliary sessions
Meeting times for the national
Women's Missionary Society,
the Brethren Men of Mission,
and the National Association of
Brethren Church Elders have
been set for 1:30 p.m. on Tues-
day and for 2:00 p.m. on Thurs-
day. Auxiliaries will also have
an opportunity to meet after the
Women's Luncheon and Men's
Picnic, scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
on Wednesday.
July/August 1996
Evangelical groups call for
response to church burnings
Carol Stream, 111. — The National
Association of Evangelicals (NAE),
the National Black Evangelical As-
sociation (NBEA), and World Re-
lief of NAE have issued a joint
"Call for Action" condemning the
bigotry and violence that lies at
the root of many of the 33 fires at
African-American churches in the
south during the past 18 months.
The statement calls on churches
to stand united, in word and deed,
with the victims of these atrocities.
It also announces that a fund has
been set up to assist the rebuilding
efforts of the victimized churches.
"We cannot stand silently on the
sidelines and allow our brothers and
sisters in the faith to endure this
trial alone," the joint statement
reads. 'To this end, the National
Black Evangelical Association and
the National Association of Evan-
gelicals have asked World Relief,
the assistance arm of the National
Association of Evangelicals, to
establish a fund to assist the
churches that have been destroyed
in their rebuilding efforts. We urge
our member denominations and
churches to join us in sharing the
resources God has provided to us
with these brothers and sisters who
have suffered great loss."
Brethren wishing to contribute
to the NBEA/NAE World Relief
Partnership Fund to Rebuild the
Churches may send their donations
to The Brethren Church National
Office at 524 College Ave., Ashland,
OH 44805. Checks should be made
out to The Brethren Church, Inc.,
with "World Relief— Rebuild the
Churches" on the notation line.
8
College Corner Church concludes
POtP with "Celebration Sunday"
Wabash, Ind. — 'To God Be the
Glory" was the theme of "Celebra-
tion Sunday," held May 19 at the
College Corner Brethren Church to
mark the end of the church's third
year in the Passing On the Prom-
ise Process (POtP).
During the service, Mike Shoe-
maker and Linda Faust gave testi-
monies of God's faithfulness. Pas-
tor James F. Black brought a mes-
sage on "Overcoming Low Energy
Syndrome," in which he emphasized
the need to develop and maintain
an attitude and atmosphere of hope
as the church moves forward.
Special recognition was given to
Ruby McClain during the worship
hour for her service as the POtP
co-coordinator during the entire
three-year process. Nancy Grum-
bling, wife of former pastor Rev.
Glenn Grumbling, served as the
other co-coordinator at the begin-
ning of the process. When the
Lord's call took the Grumblings to
the Second Brethren Church in
Johnstown, Pa., and brought the
Blacks to College Corner, Susie
Black, wife of the present pastor,
became co-coordinator.
A "full-basket" dinner followed the
worship service. After the meal, a
mime group, under the direction of
Susie Black, presented a pantomime
on the need to welcome newcomers
into the fellowship of the church.
This was followed by a time of dis-
cussion, reflection, celebration, and
"dreaming." Key developments of the
discussion included
hosting a "Community
Festival," with vari-
ous types of music
groups presenting the
gospel; a bike tour of
the local Mississi-
newa Reservoir; ath-
letic activities for
community youth;
and developing a
clown ministry.
A major celebration
occurred when it was
announced that the
two-year growth goal
established in June Getting at the heart of Passing On the Promise.
The Brethren Evangelist
Ruby McClain, with Pastor Jim and
Susie Black, holds a plaque honoring
her for three years of service as co-coor-
dinator of the Passing On the Promise
process at the College Corner Church.
1994 — adding 17 new people — was
reached and exceeded by 9.
The good news since "Celebration
Sunday" is that many people have
stepped forward to take leadership
roles in the efforts needed to bring
to fruition the activity and ministry
ideas that were generated. A spirit
of unity and community is also mo-
tivating people to reach out and in-
vite unsaved neighbors and friends
to "Come, give us a try."
According to Pastor Black, the
Lord has really been blessing the
College Corner congregation. "I
look forward to being a part of the
church's ministry in the coming
year as we continue to 'Pass On the
Promise,' " he said.
— reported by Pastor James F. Black
Briefly
Noted
The Bradenton, Fla., Brethren
Church marked the 20th anniver-
sary of the dedication of its building
on Sunday, April 14, with a special
celebration. Dr. J.D. Hamel, Pastor
Emeritus of the Sarasota, Fla., First
Brethren Church, was the guest
speaker for the morning celebration
service. Rev. Russell Gordon, for-
mer pastor of the Bradenton con-
gregation, was the guest speaker at
an afternoon service, which followed
a noon fellowship meal. An added
feature of the afternoon service was
a mortgage-burning ceremony for
the mortgage on the building.
After eight months without a full-
time pastor, the First Brethren
Church of Huntington, Ind., has
called Chris Moellering to serve
the congregation. Pastor Moellering,
originally from the Winding Waters
Brethren Church in Elkhart, Ind.,
is a 1996 graduate (M.Div.) of Ash-
land Theological Seminary. He be-
gan his ministry at Huntington on
May 1. He and his wife, Leslie, are
both graduates of Ball State Univer-
sity. They have two children, Katie
(3) and Abbie (1). Chris pastored the
Brethren Bible Church in Louisville,
Ohio, for a time while in seminary.
Midwest Brethren challenged to
further God's kingdom in district
Cheyenne, Wyo. — More than 35
Brethren from Wyoming, Kansas,
and Nebraska gathered in the fa-
cilities of the Cheyenne Brethren
Church June 21 to 23 for the Mid-
west District Conference in order
to envision the future. More than
20 youth gathered at the same time
for a District Youth Conference.
During the opening session on Fri-
day evening, Moderator G. Emery
Hurd challenged the Brethren to
forget what is behind and to press
on toward the prize of furthering
the kingdom of God in the Midwest.
He looked at several barriers to for-
getting, including the "I remember
when's," the "If only's," and the "I've
arrived's," and suggested ways to
overcome these barriers.
Following the moderator's address,
Doug Wathen, vice president of the
Rocky Mountain chapter of Chris-
tian Illusionists, gave a demonstra-
tion of Christian illusion. Then the
drama team Qmega from the Chey-
enne Brethren Church, presented a
drama entitled 'The Champion."
During the business session on
Saturday, delegates adopted a new
set of by-laws to more clearly define
and streamline the administration
of district business. Plans for plant-
ing a new church in the Denver,
Colo., area were also further devel-
oped. Candidates are currently be-
ing interviewed and moneys are be-
ing released for start-up expenses.
Rev. Reilly Smith, Executive Di-
Rajahmundry, India — Selections by the Brethren Choir of India were in-
cluded in television broadcasts aired on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The
ten-minute programs, which were broadcast all over Asia by Gemini TV, also
included brief messages by Brethren missionary Rev. K. Prasanth Kumar.
rector of the Missionary Board of
the Brethren Church, gave the in-
spirational message of the morn-
ing. Then during the afternoon ses-
sion, he shared the denominational
reorganization proposal, which was
met with hearty discussion.
Elections resulted in the follow-
ing officers: David Cuthbert — mod-
erator-elect; Carolyn Tucker — sec-
retary; Steve Medved — treasurer;
and Marilyn Minor — assistant sec-
retary/treasurer. This year's mod-
erator-elect, Floyd Minor, pastor of
the Fort Scott, Kans., Brethren
Church, is the new moderator.
The Saturday program concluded
with a full-meal Communion serv-
ice, with the pastoral couples serv-
ing as deacons and deaconesses.
This was followed by a refreshing
time at the community college
swimming pool.
The conference continued with
services on Sunday morning, dur-
ing which Rev. David Cooksey, Di-
rector of Pastoral Ministries for
The Brethren Church, gave a mes-
sage and installed the district offi-
cers. The conference concluded
with a luncheon, after which out-of-
state delegates and youth began
their journeys home, each with a
bottle of Cheyenne sarsaparilla re-
ceived as a parting gift.
Next year's conference is set for
June 20-22 at the Fort Scott, Kans.,
Brethren Church.
— reported by Rev. G. Emery Hurd
Billy and Ruth Graham receive
Congressional gold medal
Washington, D.C. — Evangelist
Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth,
were awarded the Congressional
Gold Medal — the highest honor
Congress can bestow on a citizen —
at a special ceremony held May 2 in
the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
The Grahams were recognized for
"outstanding and lasting contribu-
tions to morality, racial equality,
family, philanthropy and religion."
Mr. Graham is only the second clergy-
man to receive this award for minis-
try, and the Grahams are only the
third couple to be so honored.
July/August 1996
9
0pd [the
Dr. J. D. Hamel honored
for service to community
Sarasota, Fla. — Dr. J. D. Hamel,
Pastor Emeritus of the Sarasota
First Brethren Church (which he
pastored from 1961 to 1989), was
honored recently by Sarasota law
enforcement agencies for his out-
standing service to the community.
Dr. Hamel has been the official
chaplain for the Sarasota police
and fire
depart-
m e n t s
and the
Sarasota
County
Sheriff's
Office for
more
than 30
years.
He is
also
chaplain
for the Chaplain J. D. Hamel
Florida State firefighters' association.
Special tribute was paid to Chap-
lain Hamel during the annual Law
Enforcement Memorial Service in
Sarasota, held May 15 in conjunc-
tion with National Law Enforce-
ment Memorial Week. He was pre-
sented a distinguished service
medal and several plaques of com-
memoration during the tribute.
In addition, he was given scores
of letters written for the ceremony
by family members and friends who
shared memories of his ministry.
Some recalled how Dr. Hamel had
led their children or friends to
Christ. Others remembered special
moments they'd shared with him,
like accompanying him to police
emergencies or getting escorted
around town in his car.
Hamel's special skills have been
invaluable to Sarasota County's
law enforcement agencies, accord-
ing to Sheriff Geoff Monge. While
officers and deputies are trained to
10
Brethren students who received degrees from Ashland Theological Seminary in
May were (I. to r.) Chris Moellering, Darrell (Ed) Miller, Thomas (T. J). McLaugh-
lin, Eric Bargerhuff, James Pflugfelder, Paul Sluss, and Eric Schave.
Seven Brethren students receive degrees
from Ashland Theological Seminary in May
Ashland, Ohio — Seven Brethren
were among the 141 students who
received degrees from Ashland
Theological Seminary on May 26.
Eric Bargerhuff, from the Mex-
ico, Ind., First Brethren Church
(and the University Church, where
he served as associate pastor while
in seminary), received the Master
of Divinity degree. Eric has ac-
cepted a resident housing position
with Greenville Bible College in
Greenville, Ind. He also plans to
pursue doctoral studies.
Thomas (T. J.) McLaughlin,
from the Pleasant View Brethren
Church in Vandergrift, Pa. (and the
Fremont, Ohio, Brethren Church,
where he co-pastored while in sem-
inary), received the Master of Di-
vinity degree. T. J. has accepted a
J. D. Hamel honored (cont.)
rescue and protect people, not all of
them know how to deal with peo-
ple's spiritual and emotional needs.
"He provides a whole added dimen-
sion that we don't have," Sheriff
Monge said.
Following the service in which he
was honored, Chaplain Hamel ac-
companied police on calls for a do-
mestic dispute and a disturbance at
a nursing home caused by a fren-
zied man posing a threat to resi-
dents. He prayed for everyone in-
volved, and he even endured a
small shot of pepper spray on the
second call.
call to serve as a church planter in
the Pennsylvania District.
Darrell (Ed) Miller, also from
the Pleasant View Brethren
Church (and the Fremont Brethren
Church, where he co-pastored
while in seminary), received the
Master of Divinity degree. Ed will
continue to pastor the Fremont
congregation.
Chris Moellering, from the
Winding Waters Brethren Church
in Elkhart, Ind., received the Mas-
ter of Divinity degree. Chris has ac-
cepted a call to pastor the Hunt-
ington, Ind., First Brethren Church.
James Pflugfelder, a member
of the Garber Brethren Church in
Ashland, Ohio, and former member
of Northwest Brethren Chapel in
Tucson, Ariz., received a Master of
Arts degree in Christian education.
James is computer network man-
ager for Ashland University. He
also works with youth at the Gar-
ber Brethren Church.
Eric Schave, from the Mill-
edgeville, 111., Brethren Church, re-
ceived the Master of Divinity de-
gree. He has accepted a position as
pastoral intern at the Milledgeville
Brethren Church.
Paul Sluss, from the Roanoke,
Ind., Brethren Church, received
the Master of Divinity degree. Paul
began serving the Louisville, Ohio,
Brethren Bible Church while in
seminary and continues to pastor
that congregation.
The Brethren Evangelist
Raystown Church finds blessing
in the midst of devastating flood
Saxton, Pa. — A devastating flood
struck Bedford County, Pa., and
surrounding counties on January
19 and 20 of this
year. Heavy rains
and melting snow
(about two feet of
the white stuff)
caused rivers and
streams to over-
flow their banks
and flood roads
and highways as
well as homes and
other buildings.
One of the build-
ings so flooded was
the meeting place
of the Raystown
Brethren Church,
located between
Saxton and Rid-
dlesburg, Pa., along State Route 26.
The building, which is situated
across the road from the Raystown
Branch of the Juniata River and
beside a creek that flows into the
river, was deluged with water. The
water filled the basement and
reached a depth of three inches in
the sanctuary. Practically every-
thing in the finished basement, in-
cluding the kitchen, was destroyed.
In the sanctuary, the carpet, in-
stalled just a year earlier, was wet,
mud-covered, and smelly. The con-
gregation was heartsick.
A call to the insurance company
revealed that nothing in the base-
ment was covered but the furnace
and structural damage. And no tell-
ing when the insurance adjuster
might be able to come and assess
the damages. The congregation de-
cided they couldn't wait. They be-
gan to work and to pray. And as is
so often the case when adversity
strikes, they experienced God's spe-
cial blessing in many ways.
Pastor Alfred Chamberlain and
his family opened their home for
services on January 21 and 28 and
February 4 and 18. Two local
Churches of the Brethren offered
their buildings for the congrega-
tion's use as well.
Many individuals and churches
July/August 1996
of various denominations, both
from within and outside the com-
munity, sent donations of money.
Cleaning out the basement.
Some of the donations came from
complete strangers. Many other
people came to help with the clean-
up and remodeling, giving many
hours of their time and energy.
Some donated kitchen appliances,
utensils, and lighting fixtures. The
local Women's Missionary Society
provided folding tables and many
other kitchen items.
"We are so thankful to each one
and to God for His great provision
and encouragement," says Rays-
town member Susan Weimert. "It is
f^^SJh
such a great feeling to know that
people truly care! The Lord an-
swered prayer and blessed us abun-
dantly. The basement looks better
than it ever did. The good Lord saw
that we had enough money and do-
nations to make all the repairs and
improvements to the interior. We
still have some outside repairs and
a few interior finishing touches to
be done. Just a matter of doing
them."
By Easter the congregation had
the basement ready for the annual
sunrise service breakfast. Ironi-
cally, the flood insurance check ar-
rived the day before Easter. (The
insurance adjuster visited the
church on February 25, more than
a month after the flood.) The con-
gregation plans to put the insur-
ance money toward a new roof for
the building.
The congregation held an open
house on Saturday, June 29, to
commemorate the completion of the
restoration of the building.
"God has turned this trial into a
blessing in many ways," said Ms.
Weimert. "We know He wants us
here and that He has a work for us
to do within this community."
— reported by Susan Weimert
The remodeled kitchen: better than before.
11
«o^sy^%
In Memory
Dr. J. Ray Klingensmith
Dr. J. Ray Klingensmith, 88,
pastor for 69 years and professor of
religion at Ashland College and Sem-
inary for 40 years, died at his home
on June 24 following a short illness.
He was born in Hundred, W. Va.,
October 8, 1907, the son of Barney F.
and Harriett Klingensmith, and grew
up in
north-
ern Cali-
f o r n i a ,
graduat-
ing from
Long
Beach
Poly-
technic
High
School.
He was
a 1931
graduate
of Ash-
land Col-
Dr. J. Ray Klingensmith je an(j
a 1934 graduate of Ashland Theologi-
cal Seminary. While a college student
he established a mission in the north-
ern part of the city of Ashland that
grew into two successful churches.
He pastored the Oakville, Ind.,
First Brethren Church (1934-36), the
Elkhart, Ind., First Brethren Church
(36-40), and the Washington, D.C.,
Brethren Church (53-56). From 1940
to 1945 he served as General Secre-
tary of the Missionary Board of the
Brethren Church.
Rev. Klingensmith joined the Ash-
land College faculty as professor of
religion in 1956. He served as religion
department chair for 18 years and was
a member of the Ashland Theological
Seminary faculty for 35 years. Fol-
lowing his retirement in 1977, he
continued to teach Bible classes at
the college on a volunteer basis, doing
so until just weeks before his death.
During his years in Ashland he also
pastored several area churches.
He was named Ashland College's
teacher of the year in 1963, given an
honorary degree by the college in
1977, named outstanding alumnus in
1980, and presented the Distin-
guished Service award by the college
(university) in 1995.
On June 21, 1934, he married
Christine C. Witter, who survives
him. He is also survived by his
daughter, Janet (Rinehart), and son-
in-law, Dr. Donald R. Rinehart, and
by three grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held June
26 in the Ashland University Memo-
rial Chapel with Dr. Klingensmith's
son-in-law, Dr. Donald Rinehart, offi-
ciating, assisted by Dr. Arden Gil-
mer, pastor of the Ashland Park
Street Brethren Church.
Memorials may be made to the
J. Ray and Christine Klingensmith
Scholarship Fund at Ashland Uni-
versity, or to Hospice of North Cen-
tral Ohio, Inc., 1605 County Road
1095, Ashland, OH 44805.
In Memory
Rev. Ralph E. Mills
Rev. Ralph E. Mills, 71, died May
17 at the Brethren Home at Cross
Keys, Pa., from complications of Pro-
gressive Supranuclear Palsy. Rev.
Mills served as a Brethren pastor for
41 years, 34 of those (1956-1990) as
pastor of
the Ber-
lin, Pa.,
Brethren
Church.
Ralph
Mills was
born Sep-
tember 6,
1924, at
Hagers-
town,
Md., the
son of
John and
Mary
Turner
Mills He ^ev- Rulph &• Mills
became a member of the St. James,
Md., Brethren Church. He was a
graduate of Ashland College and also
attended the University of West Vir-
ginia, Frostburg University in Mary-
land, the University of Pittsburgh,
and Zenia Theological Seminary in
Pittsburgh.
He began his pastoral ministry at
the Uniontown, Pa., and Highland
(Marianna, Pa.) Brethren churches
in 1949, serving both congregations
from 1949 to 1952. He pastored the
Pittsburgh First Brethren Church
from 1952 to 1956, and the Berlin
Brethren Church from 1956 until his
retirement on December 31, 1990. He
was greatly loved not only by mem-
bers of the Berlin Brethren Church
but also by many other people of the
community.
In 1946 Mills married Miriam
Rohrer, also of Hagerstown, who sur-
vives him. Also surviving is a daugh-
ter, Beverly S. Kreeger, and her hus-
band, Austin, of Kirkwood, Pa.; a son,
Gary, and his wife, Edith, of Colum-
bia, Md.; and one grandson. He is
also survived by three brothers, one
of whom — John — is a Brethren pas-
tor, currently serving the Hager-
stown First Brethren Church.
The funeral service for Rev. Mills
was held at Bast Funeral Home in
Boonsboro, Md., with Rev. Robert
Stahl, pastor of the Main Street
Brethren Church (Meyersdale, Pa.)
officiating. A memorial service was
held Sunday afternoon, June 2, at the
Berlin Brethren Church, with several
area pastors participating and spe-
cial music provided by the Senior
Choir and Adult Handbell Choir of
the Berlin Brethren Church.
Memorial donations may be made
to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy,
Inc., 601 N. Caroline St., Baltimore,
MD 21287.
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( The Brethren/)
Evangelist
^CH
Vol. 118, No. 8
A newsletter for Brethren people
September 1996
General Conference Moderator Richard E. Allison explores:
Possibilities Through Partnership
OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT is
Philippians 1:1-11. Philippians
is a progress-oriented and not a
problem-solving letter. It is the
most joyous of Paul's letters. It also
overflows with affection.
The purpose of the letter is to en-
courage a spirit of unity. Evidently
the Philippian Christians were ex-
periencing some disunity, some power-
seeking, and a lack of humility.
Notice how many times Paul men-
tions "all of you" in verses 1-11 (in
verses 1, 4, 7, 8). Then in chapter
two he presents that exalted picture
of Jesus Christ, who is one with the
Father. Third, there is the phrase
in verse 5 reminding them that
they are 'Partners in the Gospel."
Partnership
This is the phrase I want to focus
on, 'Partners in the Gospel." Let us
consider the 'Possibilities Through
Partnership."
This word "partner" is actually
koinonia, our word for fellowship.
We usually interpreted it as coffee,
donuts, and casual conversation. But
Luke 5:10 says that James and John
were Peter's partners in the fishing
business. In 2 Corinthians 8:23 Paul
calls Titus his partner.
Marriage is a partnership. My wife,
Emily, and I have a partnership that
has lasted over 45 years. It has been
more than coffee, donuts, and cas-
ual conversation.
*This is an abridged and edited version of
the General Conference moderator's address.
The complete address is available on audio
cassette for $4.00 (plus $2.00 for shipping
and handling) from the National Office, 524
College Ave., Ashland, Ohio. It will also be
included in the General Conference Annual,
which will be printed later this year.
Dr. Richard Allison emphasizes a point
during his moderator's address, which he
presented during the "Opening Worship
and Celebration" on Monday evening of
General Conference.
This word koinonia occurs five
times in Philippians. In verse 5 it's
translated "partnership." In verse
seven it's translated "share." In 2:1 it's
"fellowship." In 3:10 it's "partaking"
in the sufferings of Christ. In 4:15
it's "sharing" in giving and receiving.
A partnership is not coffee, donuts,
and casual conversation. Biblically
it requires an intimate relationship,
such as marriage. It implies whole-
hearted, active participation in every
way. Koinonia means being as com-
mitted to one another as you are to
Christ. It is a relational word. It
involves persons in relationship and
in having or sharing something in
common.
This partnership is in the gospel.
The word "gospel," of course, means
"good news." The good news as Paul
understood it was that God has
acted to save His people from their
sins and has reconciled them to
Himself through Jesus Christ. It is
God's power by which people are
changed (Romans 1:16).
Now what are the areas in
which we need to discover the
"Possibilities through Partner-
ship."
Prayer
The first area is prayer. We see
this in verse 4 (twice) and in verse
9. Two different words are trans-
lated prayer in these verses. The
word used for prayer in verse 4
refers to specific prayer for specific
situations. This is intercessory
prayer, someone pleading before
God to supply something that is
lacking. Paul prays for specific items,
such as recalling them with joy,
encouraging them to unity, re-
questing a heightened humility and
mutual concern.
In verse nine the usual word for
prayer is used. It is also important
to note that the passage begins and
In this issue
General Conference Rep<
Moderator's address .
Business sessions . .
art:
1
5
7
9
11
13
14
15
16
Tuesday's activities . .
Wednesday's activities
Thursday's activities .
Friday's activities . . .
Andrew Sunday
Understanding the Bible
Around the denomination
The Women's Outlook Newslette
is in the center of this issue.
r
concludes with prayer. Everything
we do needs to be undergirded and
supported by prayer.
We often look upon prayer as a
means of getting things for ourselves.
The biblical idea of prayer, however,
is that we may get to know God
Himself. When I was a child I
thought prayer was asking for things.
As an adolescent I learned it was
conversation. As an adult I have
discovered prayer as enjoying the
presence of God.
According to Jesus, the most im-
portant thing about prayer is to keep
at it. He spoke of prayer in terms of
a host whose visitors arrive at mid-
night and who has to go and awaken
his neighbor to plead for provisions
(Luke 11:5-8). Or He says prayer is
like a widow who keeps yammering
at a judge until he gives her justice
(Luke 18:1-8).
Evangelism
The second area in which we need
to discover the 'Possibilities Through
Partnership" is in evangelism. Broth-
ers and sisters, the Great Commis-
sion is not a divine suggestion. It is
an assumption that as you go through
life, you will make disciples of all
ethnic groups (nations).
If you have good news, it is self-
evident what you do with it. You
share it. You don't sit on it. You
share it or it isn't good news. The
nature of good news is that it is to
be shared. The world's greatest gift
dare not become the world's great-
est secret.
In the U.S. there are 262 million
people. George Barna says 187 mil-
lion have not accepted Christ. That
means that 588 persons could be
added to every church in the U.S.
Brothers and sisters, we haven't
been good at evangelism. There are
several reasons for this.
First, we expect 19th century re-
The Brethren Evangeust (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monthly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524
College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; e-mail: Brelhrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
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Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
vival services to work in the 21st
century. They don't! And a church
that uses methods that don't work
is not faithful to Christ.
Second, we're better at fellow-
ship and at building community. This
creates a "come" structure, and what
we need is a "go" structure.
Third, we believe any person is
ripe for the gospel. We need to real-
ize that unbelievers are at various
stages in their development. We need
to communicate on the unbeliever's
wave length and not broadcast on a
different channel.
Unbelievers think that church is
boring; that it's the place where bread
is turned to stones. The problem is
that boring services lead people to
think that God is boring. Unbeliev-
ers also believe that the church is
unfriendly to visitors. The termi-
nology is strange; the music is from
the dark ages and another conti-
nent; and the rituals are ridiculous.
In addition, they see the chief inter-
est of the church as being in their
money. The church asks for it every
time the door opens.
Fourth, we don't discern our tar-
get. Imagine what would happen if
a radio station tried to play every
body's music. A radio station selects
a target audience.
Jesus had a target. He went first
(and sent His disciples first) to the
lost sheep of Israel. Paul went first
to the synagogue, and only when
expelled there did he go to the mar-
ketplace. A church without a target
is like a photographer shooting pic-
tures out of focus.
Discipling
Discipling is not the same as evan-
gelism. Evangelism leads persons
to accept Christ as their savior and
lord. Discipling takes converts and
leads them into Christian matur-
ity. Evangelism deals with believ-
ing; discipling with belonging.
After persons become committed
to Christ, they need to grow up in
Christlikeness. The New Testament
continually calls us to be growing
up in our Christian life (Gal. 4: 19 —
"until Christ be formed in you"; Rom.
8:29 — "conformed to the likeness of
his Son"; Eph. 4:13 — "attaining the
fullness of Christ"; Col. 1:28 — "per-
fect in Christ."
We need to have in place a proc-
ess whereby Christians can mature.
The ultimate goal of that process is
Christlikeness. This means that we
are:
1. committed to Christ
2. belong to a body
3. identify our spiritual gifts
4. involved in a ministry
The only thing we'll take with us
into eternity is our Christian char-
acter. Our character is of greater
concern to God than our comfort.
Therefore, we shouldn't focus on
growing a church with programs but
rather focus on growing people with
a process. This means:
1. bringing them in as members
of His family
2. building them up to maturity
to model His character
3. training them for ministry of
His grace
4. sending them out in mission
with a message of love
Leadership development
Verse 1 of the first chapter of Phil-
ippians identifies church function-
aries as bishops and deacons. These
are interesting terms. Note first that
they were distinguished from the
congregation, therefore they had
some official status. Second, since
the terms are plural, there was no
chief executive officer. Third, Paul
didn't address them over the head
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The Brethren Evangelist
Monday night video presentation kicks off
50th anniversary celebration of Brethren Youth
A15-MINUTE VIDEO presen-
tation providing an overview
of 50 years of the national Breth-
ren Youth organization was one of
the highlights of the Monday eve-
ning worship service at General
Conference, along with the mod-
erator's address by Dr. Richard E.
Allison. The video presentation was
part of the 50th anniversary cele-
bration of Brethren Youth that took
place during Conference week.
The script for the video was writ-
ten and narrated by Ashland Uni-
versity student Jaime Gillespie, a
member of the Vinco, Pa., Breth-
ren Church. Jaime serves on the
Brethren Youth In Christ (BYIC)
steering committee and edits the
youth magazine Morning Star. She
was assisted in preparing the video
by Jennifer Thomas, the BYIC
Convention coordinator; and by Ed
Strickling, a member of the Ash-
land Garber Brethren Church, who
edited the video and added special
effects.
The video traced the source of
the Brethren Youth organization
back to three young men, Gilbert
Dodds, Woodrow Brant, and Archie
Martin, who, in 1940, had a
dream of an organization to
unite Brethren Youth around
the world. In 1941 an organi-
zation was formed, but it was
five years later, in 1946, that
the first Brethren Youth con-
ference was held.
It was at that conference
that the Brethren Youth or-
ganization was formally rec-
ognized by the church and a
youth board formed. "This
conference, 50 years ago this
month, became the start of
what would be a half a cen-
tury of joy, tears, fun, and fel-
lowship— 50 years full of
memories . . . ." The remain-
der of the video used pictures
from old issues of the Evan-
gelist, past youth maga-
zines, and other photographs,
along with the narration by
Jaime, to depict some of these
memories.
One of the historical nuggets in the
video was a reminder that Charles
Munson served as the first national
director of Brethren Youth. In recog-
nition of the key role he played in the
Dr. Charles Munson receives a plaque and a
hug from Jaime Gillespie in recognition of his
service as the first national director of Breth-
ren Youth (1948-53).
history of Brethren Youth, Dr.
Munson was given a plaque by
Jaime and a standing ovation by
Conference attenders at the con-
clusion of the video. [ft]
of the congregation, but in fact ad-
dressed them only secondarily.
Fourth, these are individuals iden-
tified for the function they perform,
not for the ordained office they fill.
The function of a bishop is to over-
see or supervise. A deacon was
responsible for beneficent activities
such as taking care of the needs of
the poor, the sick, and the incarcer-
ated. Fifth, some scholars translate
the phrase "bishops and deacons"
as "bishops who serve." This em-
phasizes the function and not the
office. Somewhere we've gotten off
the track.
The New Testament presents a
unique view of leadership. The New
Testament model is that of servant
leadership (Mark 10:41—45). Seven
times it says in the Gospels that if
persons really want to be great, they
must become servants (Matt. 20:26-
28; 23:11; Mark 9:35; 10:43-14; Luke
9:48; 22:26-27; John 13:14).
Jesus is the primary example.
Following His baptism, which many
September 1996
scholars believe was His ordination
to ministry, He was led by the Spirit
into the temptation experience. What
kind of leader would He be. Would
He adopt the "pleasure principle,"
and be satisfied to spend His life
meeting obvious personal needs,
turning stones into bread? Would
He adopt the "power principle," and
rule all the kingdoms of the world
by military force and political in-
trigue? Would He adopt the "parade
principle" of leadership, and create
a magic show to arouse public curi-
osity, as He leaped from high build-
ings into angels' arms. Or would He
choose the "service principle'?
He defined His leadership princi-
ple before His hometown crowd,
when He read from Isaiah:
God's Spirit is on me;
he's chosen me to preach the
message of good news to
the poor,
Sent me to announce pardon to
prisoners and
recovery of sight to the blind,
To set the burdened and battered
free,
to announce, "This is God's year
to act."
And when He then announced:
This scripture has just now come
true in this place.
The servanthood approach of Jesus
surfaces when two of His followers
ask to be the secretary of state and
the secretary of defense in the mes-
sianic regime. The other disciples,
feeling outflanked, become angry.
Jesus responds with three princi-
ples for servant leadership.
First, the common, cultural view
of leadership is not His. Leaders are
not over but among. Second, service
is the measure of Christian leader-
ship ("whoever would be great must
be your servant"). Third, Jesus mod-
eled servant leadership, "for he came
not to be served but to serve and to
give his life a ransom for many."
Philippians 1:1 is the only place
in his letters where Paul includes
V-v»»=»^vi\ I .*,'<> -w-
*
V
raer National Brethren Youth
Directors Charles Munson (v.),
Phil Lersch (2nd from I.), and
Marlin McCann (I.), to blow
them out. Helping them was
Ron Waters (2nd from r.), who
oversaw the youth program
during his years as Director of
Brethren Church Ministries.
Celebration of
50th anniversary of
Brethren Youth,
which began on
Monday evening of
Conference (see pre-
vious page), contin-
ued Tuesday after-
noon with an all-
conference picnic/
birthday party.
Keeping the can-
dles on the birth-
day cake lit was
somewhat of a
challenge in the
open air, but a few
of them stayed lit
long enough for for-
another person (Timothy) as a slave
or bondservant with him. He allows
Timothy to share the same platform.
I find this interesting. Evidently the
Christians at Philippi needed to learn
that relationships of co-laborers were
not those of authority, superiority,
or inferiority, but of humble equal-
ity. Slave language implies abase-
ment, subservience, total submis-
siveness. A slave's will is totally sub-
jected to that of another. A slave
has no right to personal choice. A
slave had no rights, no freedom. A
slave's service was not voluntary but
forced. The opposite of slave is mas-
ter or lord.
Paul is attacking their selfishness
and disunity. He is saying that sen-
iority and high calling do not place
one Christian above another. He is
saying that church leaders by vir-
tue of their office are called to serve.
Church planting
Philippi was a new church start.
Paul had many memories of that
experience:
• the girl who had a demon problem
• the jailer who beat him and later
4
received Christ
• the slimy wall of a cell to which
he was chained
• the earth that quaked beneath him
• the skilled business woman, Lydia
• the group of faithful women who
met for prayer
Paul had chosen this place care-
fully. He had bypassed the port city
of Neapolis and gone nine miles in-
land to Philippi. The city was lo-
cated on the superhighway that led
from Rome to Asia. It was a Roman
city, which meant that Roman law
prevailed, Roman officials ruled, and
Roman citizens received special priv-
ileges. This meant that a Roman
citizen couldn't be beaten without a
trial nor be expelled from the city.
That's why Acts 16:39 says, 'They
came to appease them and escorted
them from the prison, requesting
them to leave the city." Philippi was
Rome in microcosm, populated main-
ly by Romans.
Brothers and sisters, the churches
that will lead us through the 21st
century haven't even been started
yet. Look around the denomination;
the leading Brethren congregations,
with a couple of exceptions,
have been started within the
last generation and a half.
Why should we start new con-
gregations? First, because a new
church releases new leaders to
use their skills. Second, because
a new church has fewer psycho-
logical barriers to overcome in
reaching a new generation.
Third, because numerical growth
is attained with less expendi-
ture of effort and resources in a
new church. Fourth, because
new churches offer the un-
churched a wider variety of al-
ternatives from which to choose.
The church is the continua-
tion of the ministry which Jesus
began and which is carried out
in the power of the Spirit. The
church is not so much like a
train on a track riding the rails
that lead over a predetermined
route to a very predictable des-
tination as it is like a rocket that
is on a trajectory that requires
faith that takes into account
the invisible, the unexpected,
and the untried.
Repentance is required of the
church that has exchanged its
birthright for the fast food of cul-
tural relevance. Repentance is re-
quired of the church that is found
opposing the mission of God by cling-
ing to its own institutional and tra-
ditional forms.
I'm sure that if you were going to
the Cleveland Clinic for brain sur-
gery, you'd want everyone working
on you to be in partnership. The
diagnosticians need to be accurate
in their findings and reporting. The
admissions people need correct in-
formation to pass along. The anes-
thesiologist, the neurosurgeon, the
endochrinologist, the recovery room
people, the intensive care unit, the
nurses, dietitians, housekeeping de-
partment, and the therapists have to
work in concert. I'm sure you would
not want any factions, but total unity.
And if the Lord above smiled down
on all of this, you could walk out a
new person, just in time to hear
from the accounting department.
Brothers and sisters, as we strive
together to do the work of the Lord
in The Brethren Church, let us re-
member that in this "operation," we
are 'Partners in the Gospel." [t]
The Brethren Evangelist
General Conference Report
Conference Business Sessions
CULMINATING a process that
began approximately ?>V2 years
ago, General Conference delegates
voted decisively (234 in favor, 47
against) to implement the denomi-
national reorganization proposal
(which required a V?, majority to
pass). The vote was taken only af-
ter delegates were given ample op-
portunity to consider the proposal
at the Conference.
The process
During the Tuesday business ses-
sion, Dr. Brenda Colijn, a member
of the General Conference Execu-
tive Council (GCEC), reviewed some
of the main features of the proposal
(which had been printed in the
June EVANGELIST and also distrib-
uted directly to pastors and other
elders, local church moderators,
district officers, and other leaders).
Then a panel of people who have
worked closely with the proposal
(Ronald W. Waters, Reilly Smith,
Arden Gilmer, Ray Aspinall, and
Brenda Colijn) answered questions
about the proposal.
In this question-and-answer
period, some opposition to the pro-
posal emerged. A major point of op-
position was the feared cost of the
new organization — that it would cost
more to implement than the pre-
sent organization, which is already
running deficits. Another concern
was that this organization has a
pyramid type of authority struc-
ture, which is being rejected by the
secular world and which reportedly
has been ineffective in other Chris-
tian denominations.
During lunch on Tuesday, those
in favor of and those opposed to the
reorganization proposal had an op-
portunity to meet separately and to
prepare statements suppporting their
respective positions. A representa-
tive from each of these two groups
then presented the group's position
during the Wednesday morning
business session. Following these
presentations, the floor was opened
for anyone to speak to the issue.
At this time, one amendment was
made to the proposal, namely, that
September 1996
district representatives to the two
ministries councils (Missionary and
Congregational) be elected directly
by the districts (rather than nomi-
nated by the districts and elected by
General Conference). This amend-
ment was passed, and shortly there-
after the proposal as amended was
approved, as reported above.
Elections
In order to implement the new
organization, all members of the
two ministries councils (both at-
large and district members) were
elected by this General Conference
(some for one-year terms, others for
two-years, still others for full three-
year terms. In future years, all rep-
resentatives will be elected for three-
year terms, and district represent-
atives will be elected by their dis-
tricts (as noted above). (See the two
boxes on this page for the results of
these elections.)
Moderator: There was no elec-
tion for moderator at this Confer-
ence. John Shultz, who served as
moderator-elect during the past
year, was installed as the new mod-
erator and will serve for a one-year
term. At the 1997 General Confer-
ence, a moderator will be elected
for a three-year term.
Executive Board
On Friday morning of Conference,
the two ministries councils met and
appointed their representatives to
the Executive Board.
Congregational Ministries
Council
Term ending in 1997
Bill Yoder, Pennsylvania
Tina Henderson, Southeastern
Karen Best, California
Brian Moore, At-large
Term ending in 1998
Brenda Colijn, Ohio
David West, Southwest
Tina Ross, Florida
Marlin McCann, At-large
Term ending in 1999
Ken Hunn, Indiana
Jeanette Sullivan, Central
G. Emery Hurd, Midwest
Warren Garner, At-large
The members are:
From the Congregational
Ministries Council:
Tina Henderson, 1997
Brenda Colijn, 1998
Ken Hunn, 1999
From the Missionary
Ministries Council:
Arden Gilmer, 1997
Cathy Britton, 1998
Fred Miller, 1999
Other members of this board in-
clude Moderator John Shultz; the
Executive Director (yet to be se-
lected); Reilly Smith, Director of
Missionary Ministries; J. Michael
Drushal, Interim Director of Con-
gregational Ministries; and Dr. Fred
Finks, president of Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary. This board is
scheduled to have its first meeting
on November 8. The two ministries
councils will also meet on that date.
Missionary Ministries Council
Term ending in 1997
Arden Gilmer, Ohio
Bill Curtis, Southwest
Dave Stone, Florida
Dale Stoffer, At-large
Term ending in 1998
Jim Hollinger, Indiana
Richard Hutchison, Central
Cathy Britton, Midwest
James F. Black, At-large
Term ending in 1999
Jim Kirkendall, Pennsylvania
Fred Miller, Southeastern
Randy Best, California
Kitty Winfield, At-large
One of the first tasks of the new
organization is to select a person to
direct the transition process, who
will also serve as Interim Director
of Congregational Ministries dur-
ing the transition. Be in prayer for
this selection process.
In addition, the Executive Board
will initiate a search process for an
Executive Director. This is a major
prayer concern, for this person will
play a key role in the new organiza-
tion. The person needs to be a vision-
ary leader who is able to guide and
coordinate staff members in fulfill-
ing the priorities and ministries of
The Brethren Church. The timetable
calls for this person to be presented
for affirmation at the 1997 General
Conference, and if affirmed, to be-
gin serving by Janaury 1998.
(continued on next page)
General Conference Report
Business Sessions cont.
New congregations
Three groups of Brethren were
given official recognition by this
General Conference. Cornerstone
Brethren Church and Minis-
tries of Muncie, Ind., a new congre-
gation that came out of the First
Brethren Church of Oakville, Ind.,
was given official recognition in the
denomination as a church.
The Brethren Church of Medina,
formerly a class, was given official
recogntion as a mission congrega-
tion, with the name Living HOPE
Brethren Church.
Likewise, Greenwood Brethren
Fellowship, formerly a class, was
official recognized as a mission con-
gregation, with the name "Win-
ning the Race" Ministries.
On the other hand, Pastor Mark
Britton reported to the Conference
that as of June 15, 1996, the Derby,
Kans., Brethren Church closed its
doors to the community temporar-
ily to allow for a time of evaluation
and "retooling." The church has
changed its name to New Heights
Christian Fellowship and antici-
pates reopening on December 1,
1996. Pastor Mark Britton asked
Brethren to keep the church in their
prayers as the congregation seeks
God's direction and strives to be-
come more sensitive to ministering
in the Derby area.
Fair Share recognition
Special recognition was given to
the 51 churches that contributed 100
percent or more of their Fair Share
support for Brethren Church Min-
istries in 1995. The churches were:
Bloomingdale, St. Petersburg, Beth-
lehem, Hagerstown First, Liberty,
Linwood, St. James, St. Luke, Cal-
vary, Cameron First, Fairless Hills-
Levittown, Johnstown Second, Mt.
Olivet, Pittsburgh First, Raystown,
Sarver, Wayne Heights, Garber,
Gretna, Louisville First, Newark,
New Lebanon, Park Street, Smith-
ville, Smoky Row, Williamstown,
Brighton Chapel, College Corner,
Dutchtown, Elkhart First, Goshen
First, Huntington First, Jefferson,
Loree First, Meadow Crest, Mexico
First, Nappanee First, New Paris
First, North Manchester First, Oak-
ville First, Roanoke First, Tiosa,
6
Ron Waters honored
Ronald W. Waters received a
standing ovation from the Confer-
ence during the Wednesday morn-
ing business session as an expres-
sion of appreciation for his dedi-
cated service and leadership dur-
ing the past seven years as Direc-
tor of Brethren Church Ministries.
Ron resigned from this position
at the end of 1995 in preparation
for joining the faculty of Ashland
Theological Seminary as assistant
professor of evangelism, where he
begins teaching this month (Sep-
tember). Though teaching at the
seminary, he will not be lost en-
tirely to denominational work. He
will carry a three-quarter time
load at the seminary and serve the
denomination one-quarter time as
consultant in evangelism/church
growth.
In addition to this expression of
appreciation from the conference,
Ron was the guest of honor at a
dinner hosted by the General Con-
ference Executive Council in May.
At this dinner he was presented a
plaque and a gift certificate by the
Executive Council on behalf of the
denomination.
Wabash First, Warsaw First, Lan-
ark First, Milledgeville, Hammond
Avenue (Waterloo), Cheyenne, Mul-
vane, Northgate Community, and
Stockton. Three additional churches
— Bryan First, Peru First, and North-
west Chapel — were commended for
giving 90 percent or more of their
Fair Share; and Greenwood Breth-
ren Fellowship (now "Winning the
Race" Ministries) was honored for
giving $130 for Brethren Church
Ministries, when, as a class, it was
not required to give anything.
Budget
Because of the many changes in-
vovled in the denominational re-
organization, it was not feasible to
prepare a 1997 budget to present to
this Conference. Therefore, Confer-
ence authorized the Executive Board
to use the 1996 budgets of the Mis-
sionary Board and of The Brethren
Church, Inc., as guidelines for de-
veloping a 1997 budget.
Looking to Estes Park
Brethren are looking ahead to Con-
ference 2000, to be held in Estes
Park, Colorado. Expressing a de-
sire that this be a significant gath-
ering, Conference instructed the
new Missionary Ministries Council
to plan for a tangible mission out-
reach at that Conference.
To help finance travel to that
Conference, the Monday and Tues-
day evening offerings at this year's
gathering were designated for the
Conference 2000 travel fund. A
total of $1,287.10 was received.
Delegate totals
A total of 396 delegates regis-
tered for Conference (213 lay, 159
elders, 23 district, and 1 cooperat-
ing board). This was up slightly
from last year's total of 389 (208
lay, 153 elders, 23 district, and 5
cooperating board).
Next year, Conference will make
one of its rare moves, with the
gathering to be held August 4-8 at
St. Mary's College in South Bend,
Ind. The following two years Con-
ference will be held in Ashland as
usual (Aug. 3-7 in 1998 and Aug.
2-6 in 1999), before the big move to
Este Park, Colo., in the year 2000
(Aug. 7-11).
New working relationship
Rev. Reilly Smith, Executive
Director of the Missionary Board
(now the Missionary Ministries
Council), announced during the
Tuesday business session that the
Missionary Board has entered into
an agreement with Dynamic Church
Planting International (DCPI)
whereby Dr. Paul Becker, director
of DCPI, will assist The Brethren
Church in developing and imple-
menting a comprehensive church-
planting strategy. [ft]
The Brethren Evangelist
General Conference Report
Tuesday: "Evangelism Day'
TUESDAY was "evangelism day"
at General Conference, and what
an exciting occasion it was! The
excitement began at mid-morning
with a learning fair sponsored by
the Evangelism & Church Growth
Commission in cooperation with the
New Church Development Com-
mission.
Entitled 'Opening DOORS to the
World" (DOORS = Dynamic Outreach
Opportunities Related to Service), the
learning fair offered Conference at-
tenders a smorgasbord of learning
opportunities in evangelism, out-
reach, church growth, and church
planting. They could attend a 40-
minute seminar by Rev. Paul Mun-
dey, director of The Andrew Cen-
ter, plus two of the 31 Table Talk"
discussion groups. Or they could
choose to attend four of the 18-min-
ute Table Talk discussions.
Rev. Paul Mundey
In his seminar, "Unlocking Church
Doors," Rev. Mundey, himself a bun-
dle of excitement, presented strate-
gies for bringing about change in
established churches. Such change
is needed, he said, because we live
in a changing world. Not only is
change taking place, but the rate of
change is increasing — speeding up
all the time.
Among his many suggestions for
effecting change were:
Start small. Small change can be
very significant. "Most of us over-
estimate what we can accomplish
in a year and underestimate what
we can accomplish in five years."
When possible, add rather than
change. For example, add a new
Sunday school class rather than
trying to change an existing one.
Recognize the relationship between
tenure and change. Leaders need to
"waste time" with people in order to
develop trust.
Work toward creating a "learning
congregation." "Most congregations
are not changing because the per-
sons within those congregations are
not changing."
Suggest a trial period for some-
thing new. "It's amazing what peo-
ple will adopt if it's only for 30 days!"
Table Talks
The 31 Table Talks discussed topics
from A almost to Z (Art as Outreach
to Working Welcome Classes). All but
one were led by Brethren people.
Evangelism, of course, entails out-
reach, and Table Talks dealt with
A buzz of excitement filled the room as Brethren discussed various means of
promoting evangelism, outreach, church growth, and church planting at the 31
"Table Talks" held Tuesday morning of Conference.
September 1996
outreach through sports, worship,
nursery, block parties, art, and
visitation. Other topics included
Reaching People Not Like Me, Tap-
ping into Multi-Housing Communi-
ties, Support and Recovery Groups,
Evangelistic Small Groups in the
Workplace, Reaching Out to the Illit-
erate, and many more — so many, in
fact, that most people found it diffi-
cult to choose which ones to attend.
Evening service
The excitement continued during
the evening worship service, which
began with dynamic singing led by
guitar-playing Rev. Brad Hardesty,
backed by eight guitar-playing Breth-
ren pastors* and four backup sing-
ers. Interspersed throughout the sing-
ing were testimonies of exciting
things happening in three Brethren
congregations. The service also in-
cluded another exciting message by
Rev. Mundey. (See next page.)
The first testimony was given by
Jim Garrett, pastor of the Lanark,
111., First Brethren Church, who told
about that church's experiences
with Passing On the Promise. He
praised the process for being both a
tremendous learning experience
and its flexibility — so flexible, in
fact, that after the first year his
congregation dropped both the name
and the timeline, while continuing
the process. He spotlighted two high
points in the process in the Lanark
Church, the completion of handi-
capped-accessible restrooms during
the first year; and evangelistic serv-
ices led by Rev. Rickey Bolden at
the beginning of the third year (quite
a shock to that rural, white commu-
nity). He concluded by saying that
Passing On the Promise opened their
eyes, showed them their heart, and
revealed their need for a love for
God.
Roger Stogsdill, pastor of the North-
gate Community Brethren Church
in Manteca, Calif., said that God
used Passing On the Promise as a
mirror to show that congregation
what they really were. They thought
they were a nice little church, but
God revealed their shortcomings.
Then God replaced the mirror with
(continued at bottom of next page)
*Pastors Pat Velanzon, Roger Stogsdill, Bryan
Karchner, Tom Schiefer, Jim Miller, Dave
Stone, T.J. McLaughlin, and Keith Hensley
General Conference Report
Paul Mundey asks, "Will the Future Have a Church?
jj
Rev. Paul E. R. Mundey
WE ARE LIVING in transitional,
questionable times, Rev. Paul
Mundey told Brethren in his Tues-
day evening message. It is a time
when the future of the church as
an established institution in this
country is uncertain, as our culture
shifts from a church culture to an
unchurched, secular, pagan culture.
"The question is not whether the
church will have a future, but
whether the future will have a
church? Will those caught in a secu-
lar value system have an opportu-
nity to discover the grace and the
freedom and the justice of Jesus
Christ?"
"It is my opinion that the future
will have a church," Mundey contin-
ued, "if we alter our mindset, if we
alter our way of thinking and make
three movements . . . ." In the mes-
sage that followed, he stated and
elaborated on those movements.
The movement from
atrophy to adventure
"I think that the central reason
why churches are not changing is
because the people in the churches
are not changing," Mundey said.
The church exists for one primary
purpose, life-change in and through
Jesus Christ — to change toward the
likeness and stature of Jesus
Christ. This opens us to a wonderful
realm of new possibilities. A sense
of new possibilities empowers peo-
ple. Life isn't about limitations, it's
about options.
The role of the church is to infil-
trate the world and give people op-
tions through Jesus Christ. "I can
guarantee you that if we start
preaching the gospel of options and
empowerment, the world will be
turned upside down and the church
"I stand before you tonight
with an unshakable con-
viction that the church is
the last great hope for the
world. "
— Paul Mundey
will be renewed. Yes, the future will
have a church if we move from atro-
phy to that kind of adventure and
that kind of proclamation."
The movement from
rigidness to relevance
Most Americans no longer feel
strong bonds to the religious tradi-
tion in which they were raised. Peo-
ple don't go to a church because
they were born into it but because
they like it. Congregations only
have a future if they remake them-
selves. Family and ethnic ties will
not hold people.
Renewal is possible. Churches
need to appeal to more than one
generation. This is particularly true
of music.
The movement from
hostility to hospitality
We will never reach the mission
field which is now at our doorstep
unless we learn a new spirit of
openness and genuine welcome to
the stranger who is not yet within
our midst. Most of us in American
culture have been taught to fear the
stranger. If we can't get beyond this
fear, we will be unable to reach
those whom we need to reach. We
are called to show hospitality to
strangers.
Mundey concluded his message
by turning again to the question,
"Will the future have a church?"
"Will the future have an alterna-
tive to the violence and the confu-
sion and the inequity that marks
our culture?" he asked. Will the
future have an opportunity to
know something other than the lust
and the greed of the dominant
value system around us?
"It will, brothers and sisters, if
we adopt the outlook of outreach;
if we adopt the mindset of mis-
sion; if we adopt, like never before,
the spirit and the conviction of an
adventurous, relevant, hospitable
people, unapologetically rooted in
Jesus Christ, who is our Lord, who
is our Savior, but also the Savior
of the whole world." [t]
glasses, and they saw the people
around them and their needs.
The third testimony was given by
Bob Keplinger, pastor of the Lin-
wood, Md., Brethren Church. This
congregation, located in a village of
40 people (41 with a recent addi-
tion!), has a membership of 140 and
an average attendance of 100. Over
the past few years, God has called
three men into ministry from this
congregation — Ron Miller, who
served as assistant to the pastor for
two years before entering Ashland
Theological Seminary last fall; Scott
Robertson, who currently serves as
assistant to the pastor; and Jim
Frado, who will enter the seminary
in January. (Jim's wife, Karen, will
also take courses at the seminary,
beginning this fall).
Following the message by Rev.
Mundey, the service ended with the
spirited singing of "Shine, Jesus,
Shine." This song, which asks the
Holy Spirit to "set our hearts on fire"
and expresses the desire, "Mirrored
here may our lives tell Your story,"
was an appropriate finish to a day
that focused on evangelism. [ft]
Audio Cassettes Available
The two messages by Rev. Paul Mundey
(his morning seminar and his evening ad-
dress) are available on audio cassettes, as
are the other messages and workshops
presented at Conference — moderator's
address, Spiritual Formation Workshop,
W.M.S. luncheon speaker (Barbara Hess),
Dr. Fred Finks, the Conflict Resolution
Workshop (led by David Cooksey), the
World Relief Luncheon, the Missionary
Board Banquet, Dr. Arden Gilmer, and
the new moderator's challenge. Send
$4.00 per cassette (or $30 for all 1 1 cas-
settes) plus $2.00 per order (not per tape)
for shipping to The Brethren Church, 524
College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805.
The Brethren Evangelist
rffie Women's Oxittoof^O^ewsletter \
J? publication of the 'Brethren Women s Missionary Society
September-October 1996
Volume 10, Number 1
"The
President s
'Sen
Dear Ladies,
A story is told by author Leo
Buscaglia about a 4-year-old child.
The child's neighbor was an elderly
gentleman who had recently lost
his wife. When the child saw the
old man sitting in his yard crying,
the boy went over and climbed onto
his lap and just sat there. When
his mother asked her son what he
had said to the old man, the little
boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him
cry." That's love!!
You ladies have all shown so
much love to me recently. As most
of you know, I have been diagnosed
with breast cancer. After several
days of tests and a biopsy, no can-
cer was discovered anyplace else in
my body. How thankful we were! I
have had so many people praying
for me that I have felt no fear. I
had such a peace through the weeks
of tests and waiting for results.
The doctors at Cleveland Clinic
have decided to give me chemo-
therapy (4-6 treatments) to shrink
the tumors; then they will do sur-
gery. My treatments are three
weeks apart. By the second week
after chemo, the white cells have
been destroyed and make me very
vulnerable to infection.
I was not able to attend the
Thursday W.M.S. session, but
Marilyn Aspinall, Vice President,
did a great job of conducting the
meeting, so I am told. At about the
time for the meeting to start, my
(continued on page 4)
PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL
Devotions presented by Carolyn Brandon, August 6, 1996
And now, Lord, . . . grant unto thy servants, that with all
boldness they may speak thy word.
Acts 4:29
Our partner as we share the
Gospel has to be the Holy Spirit;
we can do nothing apart from the
work and person of the Holy Spirit.
Peter was not effective until after
Pentecost and the infilling of the
Holy Spirit. As believers, we know
the Holy Spirit comes to take up
residence in our heart, but for
many believers we only let the
Holy Spirit work through us in a
small way.
I have been a believer since 1948,
but it wasn't until 1975 that I sur-
rendered my entire life to the Holy
Spirit to be used by Him as He de-
sired. Since 1975, I have been on a
continual journey, learning more
and more about the Third Person
of the Trinity. He gives me the
strength I need to do what God
calls me to do; He gives peace in
the midst of storms.
In April I had a mammogram and
then a recall for another mammo-
gram, followed by a surgeon telling
me I needed to undergo surgery to
remove a lump from my left breast.
On June 3 I arrived at Aultman
Hospital for my scheduled surgery,
only the Holy Spirit had prepared
a smooth road. Not only did I have
a truly supernatural peace, I had
at least three Christian nurses, a
Christian anesthetist assistant, and
a Christian surgeon. The whole
procedure was less painful than re-
moving a sliver from my finger!
By early afternoon I was home
and the following Friday I received
the news: No Cancer! I praised God
all night and I still praise God for
the presence of the indwelling
Holy Spirit. Does He have all of
you? Is He your partner in the
spreading of the Gospel? Do you
know how to give Him free reign in
your life? Let's look at a few scrip-
tures that will help us understand
how to do this.
"After they prayed, the place
where they were meeting was
shaken. And they were ALL filled
with the Holy Spirit and spoke the
Word of God boldly." This is inter-
esting. They were all filled after
they prayed and the Holy Spirit
gave all of them the ability to
speak the Word of God boldly. Verse
33 says "With GREAT POWER the
apostles continued to testify to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
much grace was upon them ALL."
In Acts 1:7-8 Jesus' last words
as He left them to return to the
Father were, "It is not for you to
know the times or dates the Father
has set by His own authority. BUT
you will receive POWER when the
Holy Spirit comes on you, and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea, and in Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
Who is our partner as we share
the Gospel? It is the Holy Spirit of
God. He is real; He brings God's
power to work in our lives; we can
do nothing apart from Him. The
booklet My Heart Christ's Home
explains how we give all of our
hearts to Jesus.
After Peter and John were re-
leased from prison (Acts 4:23),
(continued on page 4)
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE W.M.S. CONFERENCE
We thank God for blessing us
during every facet of the General
Conference. Every action was in
place, which was necessary to help
the Conference run smoothly. From
the business sessions and worship
services to the beauty of the grounds,
one could see God at work.
When I realize that Barbara
Hess was scheduled in May to be
the speaker for the luncheon
Wednesday noon, I am amazed.
Barbara's answer was delayed a
few weeks because she was just
starting chemo treatments for
breast cancer. Before committing
to speaking in August, she wanted
to be sure of her schedule. No one
but God knew what an inspiration
she would be to several ladies at
the luncheon, including our presi-
dent, Shirley.
Barbara recounted "My Incred-
ible Journey on a Flat Tire." She
likened her cancer to a flat tire,
the timing of which is always in-
considerate and inconvenient.
She read from Jeremiah 29:11,
For I know the plans I have for
you, . . . plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future. She did not
have the spirit of fear, but of
power, love, and a sound mind.
Tears and laughter were min-
gled when she described daily ex-
periences which could have been
problems, had it not been for God.
She reminded us that He walks
with us through the valley. God al-
lows such times for testing. How
do we react? Resist or rest? Dread
or anticipate? For Barbara, rest
and peace canceled out her fear.
Following her talk, I was sur-
prised at the number of ladies who
spoke with Barbara and Shirley,
reassuring or seeking reassurance.
This was a blessing.
Here is another indication of
God's arranging details: Barbara
was a member of the Masontown
Brethren Church. Later she and
her husband were members of the
Akron Firestone Brethren Church
when Jim Black pastored there.
She and Shirley have been friends
for many years. Isn't God great?
The Milledgeville ladies made
the beautiful bird feeders for the
table decorations. They used in-
verted flower pots, which were
painted shiny white and decorated
with flowers. The saucer of the
flower pot was glued on top and
was filled with bird seed and a tiny
bird. The whole thing sat on a
small wreath. It was lovely and
much nicer than my description!
The attractive programs were
made by Nancy Hunn.
Musicians
DeAnn Oburn (Williamstown)
and Marsha Nies (Masontown) were
the song leader and pianist respec-
tively. The theme song, "Will you
let me be your servant?" had mean-
ingful words. Even if you don't know
the tune, study the title. Marsha
provided quiet music at other times,
which was always appropriate.
Special musicians for the week
presented beautiful music for God's
glory. Tuesday afternoon "Well-
spring" from the Gretna W.M.S. sang
a medley "I'd Rather Have Jesus"
and "Make Us One." They spoke of
our talents and finances as a grain
of mustard, and sang "Little is
much when God is in it." Phyllis
Jervis, Dianna Hauck, and Mary
Hess were members of the trio.
Music at the Wednesday lunch-
eon was presented by the ladies'
ensemble from the Louisville
Brethren Bible Church: Elaine
Kerstetter, Shirley Clapper, Penny
Knopf, Audrey McAllister, Lou
Ring, Karen Moran, and Dee Ben-
shoff (an alumna). They sang
"Shut da Door" and "A Perfect
Heart." Later Elaine taught us the
"My Peace" chorus.
Thursday afternoon Charlene
Rowser from Goshen sang "How
Lovely are Thy Dwellings," based
on Psalm 84. She was accompa-
nied by Dee Keplinger. You may
remember that Charlene wrote the
devotional study in August and re-
ferred to this solo.
Special services
The Goshen society received the
project offerings. Esther Mishler
gave the geographical and histori-
cal background of Peru, and Diane
Kerner gave the prayer. Charlene
Rowser called for the offerings. We
were reminded that, as we give,
our circle includes Lima, Peru.
Members of the Joy Circle in North
Manchester presented the memo-
rial service Tuesday afternoon. As
Helen Garner read the names of
the deceased ladies and Joyce
McBride played music quietly,
Linda Immel and Lila McCann
lighted a candle for each lady.
Linda read the poem "What
Heaven Means to Me" and Helen
closed with prayer.
Thursday afternoon the Smith-
ville ladies (Wanda Glasgo and
Edna Fleming) received the thank
offerings. They reminded us that
God uses us — our commitments
and fulfillments. All of life is a
stewardship of giving. As we give
gratitude for the past and present,
we are excited for the future. After
the offerings were received, the
ladies closed with prayer.
(continued on page 3)
THE WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
NEWSLETTER
Published bimonthly in January,
March, May, July, September, and
November by the Women's Missionary
Society of The Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dorman Ronk, Editor
1325 Coachman Court
Ashland, Ohio 44805
Subscription price, $7.50 per year in
advance.
Send all subscriptions to Mrs. Robert
Kroft, 608 Twp. Road 1151, RD 5, Ash-
land, OH 44805.
Women's Outlook Newsletter
HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
Missionaries
Greeting missionaries is one joy
we anticipate at Conference. It was
a pleasure to hear Nancy Hostetler
from Lost Creek, Kentucky, and
Jenny Loi from Malaysia speak of
God's goodness in their work.
Nancy said that God continues to
strengthen in spite of their difficul-
ties. This was the week before
school and the enrollment was
lower and they lacked a few teach-
ers. However, she received phone
calls during the previous week
from two former students who at-
tributed the wonderful change in
their lives to God at work and
their education at the Riverside
School. This was God's blessing
and strength! The Hostetlers are
very thankful for your support: the
Mile of Pennies, soup labels, per-
sonal items for the staff, work
groups, and prayers.
Jenny and David Loi are on fur-
lough and may speak in a church
near you. Make every effort to
hear them. They are laboring un-
der very difficult circumstances,
even though they serve in their na-
tive country. The government re-
strictions are very severe.
Jenny thanked the ladies for their
financial support for seminary
training of two students to help in
their ministry. Until coming to the
States in July, Jenny was the head
nurse in a maternity hospital.
With that rigorous schedule and
helping David in the church minis-
try, she needed Christ's reassur-
ance found in Matthew 11:28:
Come unto me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. Her favorite hymn
became "I Need Thee Every Hour."
(Think of Jenny when you read this
verse and sing.) Jenny said although
growth is slow, they see spiritual
growth in the people. She asked for
prayers for God's protection with
the youth and children, as well as
for their daughter, Rebecca, and
David's mother.
BUSINESS
The following committees served
during the week:
Nominating: Trudy Kerner and
September-October 1996
Janice Rowsey (Ashland Garber) and
Bonnie Gibson (Ashland Park St.)
Auditing: Helen Dickson (County
Line) and Bonny Summy (Ashland
Park St.) This committee exam-
ined the books of the financial sec-
retary and the literature secretary.
All records were in good order. The
treasurer's books were examined
by a certified CPA and approved.
Credential: Betty Deardurff
(Gretna) and Janet Rufener (Ash-
land Park St.) A total of 102 cre-
dentials were received and
delegates seated.
Election of Officers: With the
Constitution changes approved last
year, the four elected officers serve
two-year terms. The vice president
and treasurer are elected in the
even-numbered years.
Therefore, Marilyn Aspinall and
JoAnn Seaman were reelected for
two years.
The Conference approved re-
appointing the following officers:
General Secretary, Nancy Hunn
Assistant, Trudy Kerner
Sewing and World Relief Coordi-
nator, Joan Merrill
Editor, Newsletter, Joan Ronk
Editor, Devotional Guide,
Jeanette Sullivan
Subscription Secretary, Ginny
Hoyt
Literature Secretary, Kathleen
Mack
Assistant, Doris Shultz
Moderator Richard Allison led
the installation service, basing his
remarks on 1 Corinthians 12 — 13.
Finances:
With JoAnn Seaman's treas-
urer's report, she presented the
National Sisterhood fund of $8,000
and asked the ladies to vote if the
fund should continue to be in-
vested with the Brethren Home
Mission Revolving Loan Fund
(BHMRLF) or if the funds should
be spent. By a wide majority, the
vote was to continue investing the
money with the BHMRLF. This is
a win-win situation! Not only does
this benefit the BHMRLF, but also
earns $320 interest annually, which
we give to an area of need.
Thursday the Board recommend-
ed two areas which were the con-
sensus of several suggestions made
since the 1995 Conference. The two
suggestions were summer ministries
for youth and the girls' orphanage
in India. The vote was to give the
interest of $320 to the girls' or-
phanage.
JoAnn presented the budget for
1996-97, based on funds received
during the past year.
Benevolences $16,015
ATS $3,660
World/Home
Missions 8,355
Campus Ministry 1,500
Riverside Christian
School 1,500
Scholarship, AU 1,000
Publications $6,900
Newsletter
Devotional Guide
Other Expenses $2,185
Administrative
Social Security
Gifts and Conference
Total $25,100
The Conference adopted the
budget.
Offerings:
Joanne Kroft reported the pre-
liminary total for the project offer-
ing was $11,743.78. This is the
first of a two-year project to pur-
chase a church site in Lima, Peru.
The two-year goal is $25,000. An
early total for the thank offering
was $9,029.16. Next year this will
be allocated for benevolences.
Scholarship: Kelly Hurley was
awarded the $1,000 scholarship for
her senior year at Ashland Univer-
sity. Kelly is a member of the Gretna
Brethren Church and has been ac-
tive in youth activities.
General Secretary:
Nancy Hunn updated the statis-
tical report. She noted the paid
membership in 1995 was 1,262
and in 1996 it was 1,290! One new
society at the Cornerstone Church
in Muncie was organized; three
were disbanded, which gave a net
loss of two societies.
Commitments :
These are the same as last year.
Since 'There's nothing new under
the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9), we need
to try a new means of achieving
the goal. Don't be stuck in the pro-
verbial rut.
The President's Pen (continued)
doorbell rang. There at the door
was a delivery man with a beauti-
ful bouquet of flowers from the Na-
tional W.M.S. I shed some tears
and thanked the Lord for loving,
caring people.
It was hard for me to stay home,
but I knew I must listen to the doc-
tors. I had to miss church on Sun-
day as well. I'm not as tired as I
thought I would be, but I am thank-
ful I can stop and rest as soon as I
feel tired. My boss at the Univer-
sity has been just super. She in-
sists I stay home if I am tired. We
have moved into our new Student
Center and today I have been busy
unpacking boxes. All of my things
were moved during the days that I
had to stay at home.
I have another treatment on Au-
gust 22 and subsequent treatments
every three weeks. I will appreci-
ate your prayers that all treatments
will go as smoothly as the first one.
A scripture my son, Jim, sent me
is 1 Peter 4:7: Cast all your cares
upon Jesus, for He cares for you.
I know the Lord can completely
heal me, if He chooses. But if He
chooses not, then I am prepared to
take the journey He will take me
on. Thanks to so many of you that
have sent scriptures that have meant
a lot to you. I treasure them.
Well, another Conference year is
over, and I trust that you who were
there will share with those who could
not attend. The W.M.S. luncheon
was great! The speaker, Barbara
Hess, has been a friend of mine for
many years. Neither of us knew at
the time she was contacted that
our lives would be so close —
health-wise. Isn't God just great?
He knew we needed Barbara as
our speaker. There is a tape avail-
able if you would like to hear Bar-
bara. Write to the Brethren Church
National Office.
We have talked about prayer
and how important it is for each of
us. Luke 18:1 says, Men always
ought to pray and not lose heart.
Prayer is everyone's privilege. The
gift of prayer is offered to all and
we can all call on the power of our
almighty God. The disciples asked
Jesus to "teach us to pray." Some-
times we casually mention to some-
one, "I'll pray for you." When we
say this, we had better be serious
and remember that person in
prayer. What an opportunity we
have to pray for someone, to make
definite, individual, personalized
requests! If we pinpoint our prayers,
we will have reason to praise God
for particular answers.
Let's pray for our W.M.S. too.
We need to find a way to reach the
younger women of our churches.
Try something different at your
next meeting. Each invite a guest.
Pray and ask the Lord to give you
a name of someone to invite. Let
me know what happens.
God bless you each as we begin a
new year together in W.M.S.
Shirley Black
Partners in the Gospel
(continued)
they went to their own people and
reported everything to the believ-
ers. Verse 24: "When they heard
this, they raised their voices to-
gether in prayer to God."
Let us pray together. Please re-
peat after me as I pray for each of
us to receive the Power God has
for us:
"Hello, God,
"We are here in your presence
and we are emptying ourselves of
all our hangups. We come to you,
Father, in Jesus' Name. We are a
hungry people. We ask for you to
fill us with the same power the
early apostles received. We want to
receive from you, Jesus, the Holy
Spirit, so each one of us can speak
the Word of God boldly. We stretch
out our hands for you to fill them.
We give you our hearts that every
hidden room may be revealed and
opened to the infilling work of the
Holy Spirit. We thank you. We
praise you. We have received. In
Jesus Name, Amen."
Now, tell someone, "I am a part-
ner with the Holy Spirit to speak
the Word of God boldly."
ChAissionaSy
<^jMiscdlany
The Missionaries-of-the-Month
for September are Todd and Tracy
Ruggles, serving Christ and the
church in Mexico City. That city's
population is equal to all of the
state of Ohio! In October the Mike
and Pam Sove family are the mis-
sionary family. Mike and Pam
have five sons. They pastor the
Northview Brethren Life congrega-
tion in Franklin, Ohio. This is a
new and young congregation. All of
them need your prayers and en-
couragement.
November is Home Missions
month and features Doran and
Nancy Hostetler at Riverside Chris-
tian School in Lost Creek, Ken-
tucky, and Phil and Jean Lersch at
Brethren House in St. Petersburg,
Florida. The third part of this
team, Bonnie Munson, retired to
Goshen, Indiana, last winter. In-
clude her in your prayers, too.
tiloiifor's Buty
Dear Friend,
Conference is likened to a family
reunion — great! The preliminary
work is worthwhile and needed so
that the event proceeds smoothly.
Throughout the W.M.S. meetings,
it was evident that people and God
were at work.
Next year's Conference will be at
St. Mary's College in South Bend,
Indiana, August 4-8. In a different
location, all will be new. Vice
president Marilyn invited volun-
teers for the Conference — pianist,
special musicians, devotions, com-
mittee appointments, or using your
special gift. To volunteer, send her
a note: Route 4, 13-108 RD C, Bryan,
OH 43506.
Your friend,
A/*p— ct_-* — **
Joan
Women's Outlook Newsletter
General Conference Report
Wednesday: "Spiritual Formation"
OPPORTUNITIES for "spiritual
formation" — growing in the
mind and spirit of Christ and in
outward action and service — were
shared in a workshop sponsored by
the Spiritual Formation Commis-
sion on Wednesday morning of
Conference.
Commission member Rev. Fred
Brandon introduced Tim Rowsey, a
lay member of the Ashland Park
Street Brethren Church, who spoke
about Promise Keepers. Tim serves
as an "Ambassador" for Promise
Keepers in Ohio.
He spoke about the two focuses of
Promise Keepers: (1) stadium meet-
ings, where thousands of men meet
together to praise and worship
Christ; and (2) small-group meet-
ings back home, where men pray
together, encourage one another,
and hold one another accountable.
While the stadium meetings are
the most visible part of Promise
Keepers, the small groups are
where men get the challenge and
encouragement needed to keep
going in their Christian walk. It is
these small groups that can make
the difference between being a
promise maker and a promise
keeper. Tim stressed the impor-
tance of both men and women be-
coming involved in small account-
ability groups that provide spir-
itual support.
Brethren Way of Christ
In the next segment, commission
member Marlin McCann, pastor of
the North Manchester First Breth-
ren Church, spoke about the Breth-
ren Way of Christ as a means of
individual transformation. The
Brethren Way of Christ is a three-
day weekend experience in which
30 men or 30 women draw apart for
mutual support and to experience
the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
Like Promise Keepers, the experi-
ence does not end with the three-
day weekend, but continues with a
"fourth day" — regular participation
in an accountability group. In the
September 1996
North Manchester Church, where
more than 50 people have attended
the Brethren Way of Christ, "It is
making a difference," Rev. McCann
said. Thus far the Brethren Way of
Christ has been held mainly in
northern Indiana, but the members
of the Spiritual Formation Com-
mission hope that it will spread
throughout the denomination.
ATS and Life Spring
Spiritual Formation opportuni-
ties through Ashland Theological
Seminary (ATS) and through Life
Spring were presented next by
commission member Jerry Flora,
professor of New Testament Theol-
ogy and Spiritual Formation at the
seminary. We are fortunate in hav-
ing a seminary where the admini-
stration believes that the devo-
tional side is just as important as
the academic side and where spir-
itual formation is not only a part of
Seminary service focuses on servant leadership
THE Wednesday evening worship
service at General Conference
was led by Ashland Theological
Seminary, with special music by the
seminary choir under the direction
of Dr. Ron Sprunger. A unique fea-
ture of the service was interpre-
tive dance during several of the
congregational songs and selec-
tions by the choir. The dance was
performed by Kim Beveridge and
Rosie LeHew of the River of Life
Community Church in Butler, Ohio.
The service included greetings
from Dr. David Hartzfeld, the sem-
inary's new academic dean, who was
introduced to the Brethren by Dr.
Fred Finks. Dr. Hartzfeld expressed
his appreciation that Ashland
Theological Seminary has not only
an academic side (which he called
"Back to the Future"), but also a
strong emphasis on the spiritual
side ("spiritual formation"), which
is missing in many seminaries.
"Leading from a Servant's Heart"
was the message given by Dr. Fred
Finks, president of the seminary.
Philippians 2:5-1 1 was his text. Dr.
Finks challenged today's church to
get back to the New Testament in
order to rediscover principles that
can energize and empower the
church to be the instrument that
God wants it to be to change the
world. The church must discover
those characteristics of the early
church that have remained rele-
vant throughout the ages regard-
less of time or culture.
First and foremost, he said, the
church is a gathering of those who
identify with Jesus and His ser-
vant ministry. Servanthood was at
the very core of the early church.
Leadership was not an office, but
an opportunity to serve. Service
was understood to be every Chris-
tian's obligation. Jesus was the
role model for servanthood. He told
His followers, "I am among you as
one who serves" (Luke 22:27).
Dr. Finks described Jesus' king-
dom as a kingdom turned upside
down. In the world, rulers lord it
over their subjects. In Christ's
kingdom, those who would be rul-
ers must be slaves and serve their
subjects. Dr. Finks used the ac-
count of Jesus' washing the disci-
ples' feet from John 13 to show how
Jesus set the example of servant-
hood. In this act, Jesus revealed
His true identity to His disciples.
He was a slave, a slave of God.
Dr. Finks challenged the church
of today to recapture and apply the
principles of servant leadership.
He encouraged pastors to set the
pace by seeking to become servant
pastors. And if pastors set the
pace, the church must be quick to
become servant people.
He closed with a challenge to re-
discover the role of servant by re-
fusing to use power, wealth, posi-
tion, or strength to control people,
pastor, or the church. Instead, with
bowed head and humbled heart, let
us serve one another in the name
of Christ. Then and only then can
we lead with a servant's heart, [ft]
— reported by Corky Fisfier
Ms. Fisher, a member of Park Street
Brethren Church, is a student at
Ashland Theological Seminary and
an employee of The Carpenter's Shop
(Brethren bookstore) in Ashland.
General Conference Report
what happens but is the heart of
what happens, he said. ATS not
only has regular chapels and small
groups meetings, but also an aca-
demic major in spiritual formation,
with courses on prayer, spiritual
disciplines, the spiritual classics,
devotional reading of the Bible, and
others. A two- week course on spir-
itual guidance will be offered next
summer, making it accessible to
Brethren who might want to attend.
Life Spring is a school of spiritual
formation jointly sponsored by
Mennonites and The Brethren
Church. Once a month over a two-
year period, a group of 20 men and
women meet for a 6V£-hour mini
retreat of quiet time, worship, and
talking together in small groups.
Care of the pastor
Dr. Brian Moore, chair of the Spir-
itual Formation Commission, pre-
pared a presentation stressing the
need for churches to care for the
well-being of their pastors.* To ac-
complish this, every congregation
should have a working pastoral care
committee that takes responsibility
for assuring the spiritual, physical,
emotional, intellectual, and social
well-being of the pastor.
He noted several ways a congrega-
tion can show its love for its pastor
(notes of appreciation, pastor ap-
preciation day, improving his work-
ing environment, giving the pastor
and his wife funds for a trip), but he
focused on one in particular — the
sabbatical. This is a period of six
weeks or longer for the pastor to be
away from the daily demands of the
congregation. It is not a vacation,
but a planned study leave, a time
for professional rejuvenation, a
time to grow and experience re-
newal of hope and vision.
Women in ministry
Carolyn Cooksey, the lone woman
on the Spiritual Formation Com-
mission, led the next section of the
workshop — on women in ministry.
She began by giving a brief over-
view of what women have done and
are doing in The Brethren Church.
She then invited seven Brethren
women involved in special minis-
tries to share their stories.
*Dr. Moore was unable to attend Confer-
ence, so Dr. Flora gave the presentation.
10
Cindy Smith, who has chaired
the Evangelism & Church Growth
Commission for the past two years,
said that the reason she was in that
position is because she didn't say
"No." She has learned that by say-
ing "Yes" to opportunities for serv-
ice, she has allowed God to open
and close doors as He sees fit, even
though she has had to move beyond
her comfort zone. She challenged
others to likewise say "Yes" to the
opportunities God puts before them.
Cathy Britton from New Heights
Christian Fellowship in Derby, Kans.,
sells Mary Kay products. She be-
gan her segment with a sales pres-
entation similar to ones she gives
for Mary Kay products, but "selling"
Jesus. She emphasized that our
ministry as Christians crosses all
areas of our lives. She is a member
of the New Church Development
Commission and also chairs the Mid-
west District Mission Board. While
she did not believe that her heart
and her gifts were in missions, she
nevertheless found she is able to
use other gifts that God has given
her in these positions.
Ann Miller, from the Carmel, Ind.,
Brethren Church, told about an evan-
gelistic Bible study she and her hus-
band, Jim, have been conducting in
their home for the past 10 months
with some of Jim's coworkers. Jim
does most of the leading, while Ann
cares for logistics, prays for the
group, and provides "comic relief
during the meetings. Some from the
group have accepted Christ, and Ann
has experienced the joy of bringing
people to Jesus. She asked others to
consider whether God was calling
them to this kind of ministry.
Julie Schiefer from the Smoky
Row Brethren Church in Columbus,
Ohio, told about several groups she
is part of that spend at least half
their meeting time praying. By this
experience, she has learned that God
not only answers prayers, but He
also changes the pray-ers. She has
also begun keeping a notebook of
prayer requests and their answers —
a history book of God's faithfulness.
She challenged others to make prayer
a more significant part of their lives.
She also invited serious pray-ers to
consider joining a network of peo-
ple in the denomination known as
"Pray-ers Anonymous." (Contact
Julie or Carolyn Cooksey for more
information.)
Vicky Taylor from Northwest
Brethren Chapel in Tucson, Ariz.,
spoke about the need to put Christ
first in our lives. Too often we put
Christ first, "except for . . ." She said
that at her church they have been
seeking to focus on God, and as a
result they are learning to listen to
God and to go where He leads, with-
out first making excuses. They are
seeking to build their relationship
with Christ and then to share that
relationship with non-believers.
Joyce Owens from the Pleasant
View Brethren Church in Vander-
grift, Pa., and her husband, Arnie,
are students at Ashland Theologi-
cal Seminary. She also serves with
her husband in a team ministry in
Florence, Ohio. Before this she
served seven years in the military
as a chaplain assistant alongside
her husband. As she continues her
studies, she looks forward to being
able to combine her skills with
those of her husband to serve The
Brethren Church. She sees many
possibilities for women through
team ministry.
Sherry Bowling is originally from
the Oak Hill, W. Va., First Breth-
ren Church but now lives in Ash-
land. She shared what doors for
ministry have opened for her in
The Brethren Church and some of
the struggles she has faced. Called
to full-time youth ministry seven
years ago, she attended Ashland
Theological Seminary and received
a Master of Divinity degree. She
has filled pulpits, directed camps,
and now serves as Coordinator of
Student Advising at Ashland Univer-
sity. God has call her to other tasks,
but the doors have been closed. She
does not believe it was God who
closed those doors. She believes
there are other ministries women
can perform and she challenges The
Brethren Church to open its heart
and doors to all ministries provided
for women — single women as well
as those who can serve with hus-
bands. She also reminded women
that there is a cost for service and
that they need to count the cost, [t]
The Brethren Evangelist
General Conference Report
Thursday: Missionary Ministries
MISSIONARY MINISTRIES
were in the spotlight on Thurs-
day of General Conference. The day
included the World Relief Soup
Lunch at midday, the Missionary
Board Banquet in the evening, and
a worship service with a missions
emphasis to conclude the day.
Approximately 175 people attended
the World Relief Soup Lunch, where
the emphasis was not on eating but
on hearing about the hurts and needs
of others in our world. Those in at-
tendance also heard special music
by Stephen Loi, son of Brethren mis-
sionaries David and Jenny Loi, who
played two Chinese Christian songs
on violin. Stephen is a sophomore
at Ashland University.
The announced speaker — Martin
Hartog, Midwest Area Senior Rep-
resentative for World Relief of the
National Association of Evangelicals
— yielded most of his time to Brian
Johnson, director of World Reliefs
work in Liberia, West Africa. John-
son and his family just recently re-
turned to the U.S. after being evac-
uated from Liberia because of the
violent civil war in that country.
Johnson told of the desperate
plight of the people in Liberia,
where 175,000 have been killed in
the seven-year civil war and where
2.3 million of the country's total
population of 3 million are dis-
placed. Disease and malnutrition are
prevalent, and no educational insti-
tutions are operating.
In addition to providing food and
other needs, World Relief has been
working with churches in Liberia to
bring about reconciliation. Thank-
fully, the churches have begun put-
ting aside tribal and denomination-
al differences and are working as
reconciling agents in the country.
Johnson said that he would be
returning to Liberia the week after
Conference to help with food and
shelter projects and to continue the
community banking program. He
During the World Relief Soup Lunch,
Stephen Loi played the violin; Brian
Johnson, director of World Reliefs
work in Liberia, West
Africa, told about that
country's desperate
plight; and Martin
Hartog, Midwest Area
Senior Representative
for World Relief, pre-
sented an "Open
Hands Award" to The
Brethren Church (ac-
cepted on the church's
behalf by Dick Win-
field {I.}). The award,
was given to Brethren
"In recognition of your
compassion towards
the world's hungry
and homeless."
September 1996
asked for prayer that the reconcili-
ation process would continue and
expressed his thanks for Brethren
support of World Relief, which has
helped make the relief efforts and
the community banking program in
Liberia possible.
In his comments, Martin Hartog
emphasized the close relationship
between World Relief and The Breth-
ren Church. Wherever World Relief
is at work, The Brethren Church is
there. He also set forth a challenge
that at least ten Brethren churches
would adopt a "Fifty Fifty" commu-
nity banking project in Liberia by
contributing the $2,500 necessary
to provide 50 women LifeLoans of
$50 each for their small businesses.
This has proved to be an effective
method of rebuilding not only indi-
vidual lives and families, but also
local communities.
The offering at the World Relief
Lunch was designated for the com-
munity banking program. The total
of $2,489 was almost enough to fund
one of the "Fifty Fifty" projects.
Missionary Board Banquet
World Missions was the empha-
sis at the Missionary Board Ban-
quet, attended by approximately
300 Brethren. The brief program
included greetings from Malaysian
missionaries Rev. David and Jenny
Loi; and from Allen Baer, mission-
ary to Argentina.
Also bringing greetings were
Mariela and Eduardo Rodriguez,
who had just returned to Ashland
following a visit to their homeland
of Argentina. In Ashland they will
continue their studies at Ashland
Theological Seminary, where they
are preparing for greater service in
the Argentine Brethren Church. Rev.
Reilly Smith, director of Brethren
Missions, announced that the wor-
ship team from the Colon Brethren
Church, where Eduardo's father is
pastor, has been invited to come to
the U.S. and to lead the missionary
service at the General Conference
in Estes Park in the year 2000.
Rev. Smith also made a few re-
marks about the future of Brethren
missions. That future, he said, is
very bright. He sees exciting pros-
pects both in the United States and
around the world. There are the be-
ginnings of new stirrings of revival
11
General Conference Report
in Malaysia, where for the first
time we have a church building (a
building was never allowed before).
The gospel is exploding in Latin
America. The population of Mexico
City alone is greater than that of
the entire State of Ohio, offering
our mission work in that city un-
limited potential. The Hispanic
population in the U.S. also affords
us a great opportunity for ministry
among Spanish-speaking people.
And we are going to take advantage
of that, he said.
He is also excited about the possi-
bilities for other ministry in the
United States. He said that our
new relationship with Dynamic
Church Planting International will
help us gain the expertise that we
need to do an effective job of plant-
ing churches into the next century.
He concluded his remarks with a
reminder that the harvest is plenti-
ful, but the workers are few. And he
requested that Brethren pray with
him that the Lord would raise up
workers for the harvest.
Worship service
The emphasis of the evening wor-
ship service was on Brethren Home
Missions. The praise and worship
time for the service was led by the
band from the Living HOPE Breth-
ren Church of Medina, Ohio, the
newest Home Mission Church in
the Ohio District.
During a sharing time, Tom
Sprowls, pastor of the Living HOPE
Brethren Church, and Mike Sove,
pastor of the Northview Brethren
Life Church of Franklin, Ohio, told
how the Lord is working in their
churches. In addition, Rev. Roger
Stogsdill, speaking on behalf of
Gracing Gen-
f^fr '
eral Conference
this year were
JtsS
Brethren mis-
It t y Jl
sionaries Rev.
David and
^ flloi ^gjt ^ l|||
Jenny hoi,
visiting from
^K **"*'* *ltop\ !■■!»■
Malaysia; and
m£>i
K^^atSi 1
Allen Baer, on
^^B
furlough from
I
llllml»d{B^H i B
Argentina. All
three brought
greetings dur-
■^•T^JM^B
ing the Mis-
sions Banquet.
Is your church a "mission" congregation?
IS YOUR CHURCH a "mission"
congregation? That's the question
Dr. Arden Gilmer, president of the
Missionary Board, asked the Con-
ference Thursday evening. He told
of a church in suburban Chicago
that hired a student from a near-
by seminary to begin a youth min-
istry. In four months he brought
in 200 youth — and the church fired
him! Dr. Gilmer asked, "What
would your church have done?"
For churches to be "mission"
churches, they must have "mis-
sion" leaders, Dr. Gilmer said. He
challenged his hearers to return
home from Conference and be mis-
sion leaders in their congregations.
Then, basing his remarks on the
Apostle Paul's words in Romans
1:13-17, he defined four charac-
teristics of a mission leader.
Paul said that he desired to "have
a harvest among you" (v. 13). That
was his vision. Mission leaders need
a vision of the harvest; not just any
vision, but a great vision.
Second, Paul said, "I am obligated
. . ." (v. 14). He had a duty to give
the gospel to all. We, likewise, are
obligated to reach the lost. It's our
duty. Jesus says, "Report for duty."
Third, Paul was "eager" to preach
the gospel (v. 15). He was ardent,
avid, vigorous, and positive. He had
a proper attitude. A mission leader
in a mission congregation will not
be a complainer. He will have in-
stead a joy-filled, servant attitude.
Finally, Paul said, "I am not
ashamed of the gospel" (v. 16). Paul
had conviction. He knew that the
gospel has the power to transform
lives. He had experienced that
power. Mission leaders must share
that conviction. [ft]
— reported by Doug Cunningham, a
student at Ashland Theological Seminary.
Pastor Archie Nevins (who was un-
able to attend Conference), told
Dr. Arden Gilmer and Rev. Reilly Smith offer prayers for Home Missionaries
T.J. and Judy McLaughlin (1.) and Pam and Mike Sove (r.) during the commis-
sioning service held as part of the Thursday evening worship service.
about the progress of the work in
West Valley Brethren Life Church
in Tracy, Calif. And Pastor T.J.
McLaughlin gave a progress report
on preparations for the start of a
new Home Mission outreach in
Cranberry Township, Pa.
A commissioning service was also
held for Mike and Pam Sove and
T.J. and Judy McLaughlin, setting
them apart for and praying the bless-
ing of the Holy Spirit upon their
missionary ministries at North-
view Brethren Life Church (Soves)
and in Cranberry Township, Pa.
(McLaughlins). This was followed
by the evening message, presented
by Dr. Arden Gilmer (see above), [ft]
12
The Brethren Evangelist
General Conference Report
Friday: Concluding Session
GENERAL CONFERENCE fin-
ished with a blast, when the
youth who had attended the Breth-
ren Youth In Christ (BYIC) Con-
vention the same week joined the
adults for the concluding session.
While most of the adults showed
signs of fatigue (and a number of
them had already left for home!),
the youth were present in full
strength and at a peak of enthusi-
asm. And because enthusiasm is
contagious, it was soon caught by
the adults as well.
The youth marched into the ses-
sion to the strains of the theme song
of the Olympics. When they were in
place, a spokesperson announced,
'The Olympics may be over, but the
Olympics for Christ have just be-
gun." To prove the point, a few of
the youth sponsors gave an enter-
taining demonstration of their
Olympic prowess(?).
In the minutes that followed, the
young people reported the high-
lights of their Convention, pre-
sented a skit, and gave awards to
youth groups that had outstanding
achievements during the past year.
From time to time during these ac-
tivities, a spokesperson would cry
out, "Attitude Check" (the theme for
the week, based on Philippians 2:5),
and the youth would enthusiastically
respond, "Praise the Lord!" The
youth portion of the session con-
cluded with the installation of the
newly elected BYIC Steering Com-
mittee (see below).
Next Rev. David Cooksey installed
the newly-elected General Confer-
ence leaders, after which Dr. Rich-
ard Allison passed the moderator's
gavel to the newly-installed mod-
erator, Dr. John Shultz. In doing
so, Dr. Allison expressed his pleas-
ure with Conference this year,
noting that he had "seen some
unity and harmony that I
have never experienced before
in a General Conference." The
new moderator then con-
cluded the session with a mes-
sage in which he introduced
the 1997 Conference theme.
New moderator's challenge
Dr. Shultz began his mes-
sage with a story about people
trapped in a deep pit and the
efforts of rescuers to pull
them from that pit. He said
that as time went on, the res-
cuers became less interested
in pulling people from the pit and
more concerned with equipment,
life-saving techniques, and them-
selves. Moderator Shultz concluded
the illustration with the statement,
"I would challenge The Brethren
Church to remember that it exists to
pull people from the pit."
Noting that we have not been very
successful at this, he continued,
"I'm convinced that one of the great-
est problems we have is a lack of
vision." We've become so accustomed
to doing the same things the same
way that there is no space for any-
thing new. Or anyone new. We're
and with old age often comes diffi-
culty seeing. And if you can't see,
it's difficult to have much vision.
Because we need this vision, the
theme for next year's Conference,
Dr. Shultz said, will be "Grasp the
Vision," based on Philippians 3:12-16.
Paul was a man of vision. He was
converted by a blinding vision of
Jesus and led by a vision to one who
would disciple him. In addition, he
growing older as a denomination,
Rev. David Cooksey installs the 1997 BYIC Steering Committee members, (I. to
r.) Aaron Hollewell, Jenna Bowen, Jeremy Tarr, Jaime Gillespie, Jerrod Furlong,
Christy Van Duyne, and Nichole Caughell.
September 1996
New moderator Dr. John Shultz (r.) receives
the moderator's gavel and a handshake from
outgoing moderator Dr. Richard Allison.
had a personal vision of becoming
all Christ wanted him to be; a vi-
sion of the church growing and ma-
turing in Christ; and a vision of
people everywhere being pulled
from the pit.
Paul did not feel that he had at-
tained his vision. He wrote that he
was "straining toward what is
ahead." This prompted Dr. Shultz
to ask, "I wonder where most of the
straining in The Brethren Church
occurs?"
Paul was "press [ing] on toward
the goal." He had no spiritual cata-
racts, no lost contacts that would
keep him from having a clear pic-
ture of his direction. Furthermore,
Paul said, "All of us who are mature
should take such a view of things."
To which Dr. Shultz added, "Cer-
tainly we are old enough to be ma-
ture. The question is whether or
not we are wise enough."
We have a God who is able to do
immeasurably more than we can ask
or imagine, according to his power
at work within us. Therefore, "go
find your glasses, get your ropes [life-
lines] out of their packages, and come
to South Bend next year with some
people who are fresh out of the pit,"
Dr. Shultz concluded. [ft]
L3
Invite a
Friend
on
Andrew
Sunday
HAVE YOU been waiting for an
opportunity to invite a friend,
a relative, a work associate, a class-
mate, or a neighbor to attend church
with you? You will have a special
opportunity to do so this fall on
Andrew Sunday.
Andrew Sunday is another name
for an "invite a friend Sunday." The
suggested date for this special em-
phasis is Sunday, October 27, in con-
junction with National Friend Day.
Churches are free, however, to select
another date that will be more con-
venient for them.
Andrew Sunday gets its name
from Jesus' disciple, Andrew. When-
ever Andrew is named in the Gos-
pel of John, he is always introduc-
ing someone to Jesus. He serves as
our model for inviting others to Jesus
and to the church.
What is involved?
What is involved in inviting some-
one to church on Andrew Sunday?
1. Discover when Andrew Sun-
day will be held in your church.
Ask your pastor or watch your bul-
letin for an announcement.
2. Decide whom you should in-
vite. You may have someone in mind
already. If so, great. If not, make a
list of the persons in your "circle of
contact" — people you already know
and with whom you have a rela-
tionship who are not actively in-
volved in a church or do not know
Jesus as their saving Lord. In mak-
ing your list, use the following cate-
gories as thought-starters.
• neighbors
• newcomers to the community
• relatives
• newlyweds
• families with a new baby
• hobby, hunting, or fishing
buddies
Ronald W. Waters
• people you work with
• close friends
• people you know in clubs or
community organizations
3. Give the invitation. It is best
to offer your invitation in person. A
phone call or a letter is less per-
sonal but can be effective. Give them
a card or flier from your church, if
one is available, listing the date and
time. Say something as simple as,
"We're having a special Sunday at
our church when we are inviting
our friends to attend with us. There
will be a lot of guests present that
Sunday. Because you are my friend,
would you [and your family] attend
with me as my special guest?"
4. Secure a commitment, if pos-
sible. You don't need to be pushy,
but people are more likely to attend
if they make a commitment to join
you. If they say they'd like to think
about it or need to talk it over with
a spouse, grant them that opportu-
How Can Our Church
Get Involved?
Call The Andrew Center and re-
quest an Andrew Sunday Resource
Kit. The kit provides you practical
ideas, resources, and a strategy for
your congregation, no matter the size.
The resource kit includes: a video
and discussion guide on faith shar-
ing and inviting others to church; a
poster and bulletin inserts for pro-
moting the day; a booklet containing
a time line and step-by-step ap-
proach to planning the day; a sheet
of additional ideas; and worship re-
sources and two sermon outlines.
Cost of the resource kit is $19.95,
but Andrew Center member congre-
gations receive the kit for $15.00.
(This is a great time to sign up for
your free Brethren Church member-
ship if you've not already done so!)
To order call 1-800-774-3360 today.
nity. But ask them when it would
be good for you to check back with
them. Then be sure to do so!
5. Be prepared to answer ques-
tions your friend may have. Ques-
tions like: "What should I wear?"
(Be honest so the person won't be
embarrassed by being dressed too
casual or too formal. Tell your friend
what you normally wear to church.)
"What should I bring?" (You might
offer to bring a Bible for your guest,
if that seems appropriate.) And "What
will it cost me?" (You might indicate
that an offering will be taken but
that guests are not required to give.)
6. Offer to pick up your friend
or to meet at the church. Taking
friends with you makes it less
intimidating for them when they
arrive at the church. Also, by taking
them, you can help them find their
way around and introduce them to
other friends. Even if your vehicle
is not large enough to hold every-
one, offer to meet your friends at
their home, and they can follow you
to the church in their car. If neither
approach is possible, arrange to meet
them at a prominent place at the
church, and be sure you arrive be-
fore they do.
7. Invite your friend to join you
for a meal after the service. This
will be a valuable opportunity to talk
about the experience and to answer
questions your friend may have.
8. Don't forget to invite your
friend to join you again the next
Sunday. Church attendance habits
are developed one Sunday at a time.
As many as 75 percent of persons
who attend a second, third, or fourth
time become members of the church.
What if your church is not hold-
ing an Andrew Sunday this fall?
You can still invite a friend to be
your guest any Sunday. But every-
one is more comfortable — both in-
viters and guests — when they know
that many other new people will be
present.
So tell your pastor that you would
be willing to serve on a planning
team for Andrew Sunday. The An-
drew Center has developed a step-
by-step procedure for planning such
a day. You might be surprised how
many people will meet your special
Friend Jesus through the simple plan
of inviting them to be your guest for
Andrew Sunday this fall! [t]
14
The Brethren Evangelist
Baptism: Pledge of a Good Conscience
By Brenda B. Colijn
FIRST PETER 3:21 has always
been an important text for the
Brethren understanding of baptism.
Like the Anabaptists before them,
the early Brethren understood
baptism to involve the believer's
commitment to a life of disciple-
ship. Like Romans 6:3-11 (discussed
by Brian Moore in an earlier arti-
cle in this series), 1 Peter 3:21 sug-
gests that baptism marks a turn-
ing point in a person's life. After
this public commitment to Christ,
the believer has the obligation (and
the ability) to live a new life in the
power of Christ.
Context
Let's look first at the context of
this verse. This section of 1 Peter
deals with the ethical behavior God
expects of His people in light of the
coming judgment. Because they are
"aliens and strangers in the world,"
believers should "[live] such good
lives among the pagans that, al-
though they accuse you of doing
wrong, they may see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day he visits
us" (1:11-12; Niv).
To this end, Peter advises believers
to submit themselves responsibly
to social institutions (2:13 — 3:9),
live in harmony with one another
(3:8), and be eager to do good, even
in response to evil (3:9-13). Even if
they suffer as a result of doing what
is right, they should not fear, be-
cause they are blessed (v. 14). In
their hearts, they should "set apart
Christ as Lord" and be prepared to
give a defense of their faith when-
ever necessary (v. 15-16). Their ex-
ample in suffering for the benefit of
others is Christ, the Righteous One,
who died for the unrighteous in or-
der to bring them to God (v. 18).
Verses 19-22 appear to be an aside
in Peter's argument, but they do
continue the theme of redemption
in the midst of judgment. In chap-
ter 4, Peter again exhorts his read-
ers to follow the example of Christ
(v. la). Bodily suffering has the bene-
fit of strengthening the believer
September 1996
against sin (v. lb-6). Judgment is
near, and believers should live ac-
cordingly (v. 7-11). In a time of judg-
ment, God's people should expect to
suffer, but they should entrust
themselves to their faithful God
and continue to do good (v. 12-19).
Text
In this context of the suffering of
believers, Peter directs his readers'
attention to the hope they
have in Christ. He has
died for their sins and
risen from the dead (v. 18).
He is exalted in heaven, at
God's right hand, having
triumphed over all angels
and spiritual powers (v.
22). This resurrection
power is available to His
people (v. 21).
As an illustration of
Christ's triumph, Peter mentions His
preaching "to the spirits in prison"
(v. 19-20). This statement has been
much debated. Some interpreters
think it refers to the announcement
of Christ's triumph either to the
fallen angels or to the people of Old
Testament times. Other interpret-
ers think it refers to Christ preach-
ing the gospel to those who lived
before His coming. In any event,
Peter uses the reference to Noah's
day to show God's redemption of
His people in a time of judgment.
Peter draws a parallel between
God's rescue of Noah's family and
His spiritual redemption of believ-
ers: "In [the ark] only a few people,
eight in all, were saved through
water, and this water symbolizes
baptism that now saves you also"
(v. 20-21). This way of using the
Old Testament is called typology.
Peter sees a pattern in the way God
cares for His people: just as He
saved His faithful people through
water in the ark, He also saves His
people through water in baptism.
Peter goes on to explain how this
salvation comes about: "not the re-
moval of dirt from the body but the
pledge of a good conscience toward
Understanding
the Bible
God. It saves you by the resurrec-
tion of Jesus Christ" (v. 21). Water
may cleanse the body, but it doesn't
save. The work of Christ ("the res-
urrection of Jesus Christ") is what
saves. We respond to that completed
work with faith and faithfulness (our
"pledge of a good conscience toward
God"). In fact, it's the work of Christ
(for us and in us) that makes our
faithfulness possible.
Without the work of Christ and
the response of faith, baptism is
only a bath. As an act of obedient
faith, however, baptism allows be-
lievers to participate in Christ's tri-
umph. Through Him, they can be
victorious over the forces of sin and
evil in their own lives,
even in the midst of
their own suffering
and the judgment of
the world. Baptism,
like the ark in Noah's
day, is a sign to be-
lievers that God has
not left them alone,
but has acted to re-
deem them.
Verse 21 has two
particular problems we should look
at. First, the word translated
"pledge" by the NIV can be trans-
lated in other ways — for example,
as "appeal" (NRSV). Evidence from
ancient sources suggests that this
word was used in contracts to refer
to someone's promise to keep the
obligations of the contract. The
early Brethren, following Luther
and the Anabaptists, understood
this word to mean "covenant" and
viewed baptism in those terms.
Second, the phrase "of a good con-
science" could mean two different
things- — either a pledge that comes
from a good conscience or a pledge
to maintain a good conscience in
the future. The immediate context
doesn't help us choose between these.
The broader context, in which Peter
urges believers to continue to do
good even when they're suffering,
suggests that the second interpre-
tation is more likely. Peter refers to
their baptism to remind his readers
(continued on next page)
Dr. Colijn, assistant professor of tfieol-
ogy at Ashland Theological Seminary,
chairs the Committee on Doctrine, Re-
search, and Publication, which is pre-
paring this series of articles.
15
Understanding the Bible cont.
of the pledge they had made to God
to live lives that were pleasing to
Him. The idea of a pledge to keep a
good conscience also fits the way bap-
tisms were conducted in the early
church. As part of the service, con-
verts promised to give up the ways
of paganism and live a Christian life.
Application
This understanding of baptism as
a pledge is the reason why Breth-
ren don't baptize infants but only
those old enough to understand the
commitment they are making. To
be faithful to this verse, we should
be careful not to let baptism become
a mere formality, even for those who
grow up in the church and come to
Christ as children.
Like other evangelical Protestants,
we Brethren often think of baptism
as an outward symbol of what has
already occurred inwardly — that is,
a person's being born again and be-
ing cleansed from sin. We must re-
member that baptism is not just a
symbol of what has already hap-
pened, but also our promise of what
is to come — our pledge of a lifetime
of following and obeying Christ. This
passage shows that baptism repre-
sents not only our receiving Christ
as Savior, but also our commitment
to Christ as Lord. [t]
Stockton Church honors Hope 0. Rigunan
Stockton, Calif. —
The Stockton Breth-
ren Church paid trib-
ute during the wor-
ship service on July 21
to Hope O. Rigunan
for his outstanding
service to the Lord
and the congregation.
Mr. Rigunan serves
the church as finan-
cial chairman and
secretary and also as
a Sunday school
teacher.
Mr. Rigunan was
given a plaque during
the service by Caro- HoP e &e™™ Wlth
, t-> .. a j top hat ana cake.
lyn Bennett; Audrey
Styer read a poem she had written
in his honor; and Moderator Wes
Styer presented him a silver top
Living HOPE Brethren Church
holds first baptismal service
Medina, Ohio — The Living HOPE
Brethren Church of Medina, a Home
Mission congregation begun in No-
vember 1994, held its first baptis-
mal service on Sunday, August 11.
Eight people were baptized by Pas-
tor Tom Sprowls in the swimming
pool of Tom and Cheryl Vunderink
— Barbara White, Cheryl and Tom
Vunderink, Randy Roeper, Corryn
Wright-Stasko, and Jeff, Diana, and
Corrie Combs. They will be received
into church membership upon com-
pletion of the church's Spiritual For-
mation Seminar. (Photo below.)
pastor
silver
of the
hat and a cake. Spe-
cial music was shared
by Tony Ubaldo, a
concert pianist; Dr.
Jose Galvez, the
"singing doctor"; and
Frances A. Galvez, an
international artist.
After the service a
luncheon was held in
Mr. Rigunan's honor,
with members of the
Filmaps Chorale as
guests. This group, of
which Mr. Rigunan is
a member, often sings
for special programs
at the church.
Rev. Randy Best is
Stockton Church.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Rev. C. William
and Joanne Cole on their 50th wed-
ding anniversary on September 20.
A celebration will be held Sunday,
September 22, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30
p.m. at the Fairless Hills-Levittown
Brethren Church, where they serve.
During their years together they
also served the Ardmore, Vinco, and
Wabash Brethren Churches. Their
current address is 29 Jadewood Rd.,
Levittown, PA 19056.
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( The Brethren/)
Evangeli
rburg Library
IESTER COLLEGE
{.Chester, IN 46962*;
Vol. 118, No. 9
A newsletter for Brethren people
October 1996
1997 General Conference Moderator John Shultz challenges Brethren to:
"Grasp the Vision" (Phiiippians 3:12-16)
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO
a group of people was walking
down the road. As they walked along,
the people came upon a huge sink-
hole at the side of the road. It was
a deep pit, and as the people peered
over the edge, they were horrified
to see a group of people trapped at
the bottom.
They immediately began to dis-
cuss this situation and soon discov-
ered two things: First, they had all
been rescued from a pit themselves
at one time or another; and second,
the pit is not a good place in which
to be. Even though there is food and
water at the bottom of the pit and
even though it is quite tasty, it is
not very satisfying and the people
there quickly become hungry and
thirsty again.
Life in the pit
The pit is also not a good place in
which to be because the longer peo-
ple are there, the meaner they be-
come. In fact, even as they were
looking in, the people saw a bomb
go off in a crowded place and an-
other one explode in the cargo hold
of an airplane, causing more than
200 people to be killed when the
plane crashed into the ocean.
Life in the pit is also not very
fulfilling. The group saw lots of peo-
ple in the pit using various drinks
and pills to help them feel better.
That the pit is a terrible place in
*This is an edited version of the mes-
sage Dr. Shultz gave at the conclusion
of the 1996 General Conference, follow-
ing his installation as the 1997 Confer-
ence moderator. Dr. Shultz is professor
of pastoral counseling at Ashland
Theological Seminary.
which to be is shown by the fact
that almost half of the women there
will have an abortion by the time
they are 45. Many children are
neglected and abused. There are
drive-by shootings. And
you wouldn't believe the
number of families falling
apart down in the pit!
Rescue operations
Well, the group immedi-
ately began lowering ropes
over the edge and pulling
people to safety. Of course
it wasn't long until the
folks who had been rescued
began to join in the efforts,
and the group above began to
grow and thrive.
But a strange thing hap-
pened. As the years went
by and the group grew larger and
larger, the group's members became
less interested in the people of the
pit. They spent more and more of
their time discussing merits of vari-
ous kinds of knots. They tried to
determine whether hemp, nylon, or
polypropylene rope would be best
for rescue operations.
They built nice buildings in which
to store the ropes and rescue slings
and in which to discuss the rescue
Manual. Furthermore, while they
met regularly to thank the Rope
Maker and the Author of the Man-
ual, as they should have done, they
forgot the purpose of the rope and
the reason for the Manual.
Meanwhile, out by the edge of the
pit, a few of the group continued res-
cue operations. But they had trouble
keeping up, and more and more
people died without being rescued.
J would challenge The Breth-
ren Church to remember that it
exists to pull people from the pit.
The reason the Rope Maker called
us together was to be part of the
search and res-
cue team.
Last year 67
Brethren
churches had
zero adult con-
versions. Why
do these congre-
gations even ex-
ist? More impor-
tantly, how did
they get that way
and what can
we do about it?
I'm convinced
that one of the
greatest prob-
lems we have is a lack of vision. We
have become so accustomed to go-
ing to the same church at the same
time on the same day saying the
same things to the same people in
the same ways and going home do-
ing the same things we've always
done that there is no space for any-
thing new. Or anyone new.
Have you ever dreamed about the
day when Ashland University
would not be the Conference site
John C. Shultz
In this issue
"Grasp the Vision"
1
World Relief "Fifty-Fifty" projects
3
Congregations without kids . .
4
Conflict resolution in the church
6
Conference commentary . . .
7
AU Campus Ministry
8
Around the denomination . . .
10
because it is too small? In your mind's
eye, have you ever seen the sanctu-
ary of your local church full? Have
you ever thought about whether you
would go to the first, second, or Sat-
urday night service if there wasn't
enough room for everyone in one
service on Sunday morning?
Have you ever longed for the day
when we had a couple churches in
every major metropolitan area? And
one or two Directors of Pastoral
Ministry in every district? Why is
524 College Avenue still big enough
to house our national offices — with
room left over to rent?
Do we have eye problems?
We're getting older as a denomi-
nation, and with old age often come
difficulties with the eyes. We spend
more time than ever in our homes
searching for misplaced glasses.
The aging process makes it difficult
for us to see well enough without
glasses to read or watch television.
I wonder if we as a denomination
aren't having trouble finding our
glasses as well. Sometimes we ap-
pear to be very nearsighted, and at
other times we appear to have cata-
ract problems.
The reason for denominational re-
organization is to put a structure
and people in place that can help us
find our glasses — people who will
challenge us to dream and to put
those dreams into action. I am feel-
ing a heavy burden as I think about
the reorganization of the National
Office. The decisions regarding per-
sonnel and programs in the next
two-to-three years will no doubt de-
termine the destiny of this denomi-
nation for a long time to come. We
need to be in prayer about the
selection of these people.
As we consider vision, it would be
appropriate to ask the question,
"What is vision?" I like the defini-
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monlhly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524
College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; e-mail: Brethrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
tion given by Bob Logan:
Vision is the capacity to create a
compelling picture of the desired
state of affairs that inspires people
to respond; that which is desirable,
which could be, should be; that
which is attainable. A godly vision
is right for the times, right for the
church, and right for the people. A
godly vision promotes faith rather
than fear. A godly vision motivates
people to action. A godly vision re-
quires risk-taking. A godly vision
glorifies God, not people. *
Aubrey Malphurs in Developing a
Vision for Ministry in the 21st Cen-
tury says that a vision is a clear,
challenging, mental picture that is
future oriented. It can be; it must be.
1997 Conference theme
Allow me, then, to introduce next
year's General Conference theme.
It is "Grasp the Vision" and is based
on Philippians 3:12-16.
It should be no surprise that the
text for next year would be taken
from Paul's writing. Paul was cer-
tainly a man of vision. He was:
• Converted by a blinding vision of
Jesus
• Led to the one who would disciple
him by a vision
Furthermore, Paul had:
• A personal vision of becoming all
that Christ wanted him to be
• A vision that the church would
grow and mature in Christ
• A vision of people everywhere
being pulled from the pit
His vision certainly fits our defi-
nition. This vision:
— promotes faith rather than fear;
— motivates people to action;
— requires risk-taking;
— glorifies God, not people.
We come now to the text: In Phi-
*Quoted by George Barna in his book,
How to Find Your Church, p. 104.
lippians 3:7-11, Paul has been de-
scribing his personal vision of ac-
quiring righteousness in Christ. He
has said, "I want to know Christ,
the power of his resurrection, and
share in his sufferings."
In verse 12 Paul writes, "Not that
I have already obtained all this, or
have already been made perfect, but
I press on to take hold of that for
which Christ Jesus took hold of me."
He apparently has in mind the
Olympic runner who is clearly
focused on — has a vision of — the
finish line. He understands that
there is no such thing as status quo
in the Christian faith. If we are not
moving forward, we are inevitably
moving backward. His motivation
in this race is that Christ has
pulled him from the pit and handed
him the rope.
What will we say when Christ
asks us what we've done with the
rope He used to rescue us?
On my boat is a 3/fe-inch by 50-foot
rope that is in a nice plastic pack-
age. It is there for emergency use
only. In technical boating terms, it
is called a rope as long as it is in the
package or is coiled. As soon as it is
put to use — connected to an anchor
or tied to the dock — it is called a
line. Paul challenges us to turn our
ropes into lifelines. We are to put
them into use rescuing others from
the pit.
Straining toward to goal
Paul's picture of the runner con-
tinues in verse 13, where he writes,
"I do not consider myself yet to
have taken hold of it. But one thing
I do: Forgetting what is behind and
straining toward what is ahead, I
press on toward the goal to win the
prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus."
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The Brethren Evangelist
trate this verse is that of three
women straining for the finish line
in the 100-meter dash at the Olym-
pics in Atlanta. The effort Paul is
describing might be similar to that
of Gail Devers, who managed to
lean forward at the last instant of
the race to win the gold medal.
I wonder where most of the strain-
ing in The Brethren Church occurs?
Do we strain harder:
• to get up and down in the pew or
up and down the street spreading
the gospel?
• over the church budget or over
coffee with an unbelieving
neighbor?
• to clean the building or to clean
people stained by sin?
• to pay utility bills for the building
or to bring light into a dark world?
In verse 14 Paul states, "I press
on toward the goal to win the prize
for which God has called me heaven-
ward in Christ Jesus." There are no
cataracts here, no lost contact lenses
that would keep Paul from a clear
picture of his direction.
Verse 15 says that those who are
mature should take this same view
of things. Certainly we are old
enough to be mature. The question
is, Are we wise enough?
About 350 years ago a shipload of
travelers landed on the northeast
coast of America. The first year they
established a town site. The next
year they elected a town govern-
ment. The third year the town gov-
ernment planned to build a road
five miles westward into the wil-
derness. In the fourth year the peo-
ple tried to impeach their town gov-
ernment because the people
thought it was a waste of public
funds to build a road five miles
westward into a wilderness. Who
needed to go there anyway?
Here were people who had the
vision to see three thousand miles
across an ocean and overcome great
hardships to get there. But in just a
few short years they were not able
to see even five miles out of town.
They had lost their pioneering vision.
With a clear vision of what we can
become in Christ, no ocean of diffi-
culty is too great. Without it, we
rarely move beyond the edge of town
— or even the edge of our pew.
Paul encourages the vision of the
church at Ephesus with these words
in Ephesians 3:20-21:
Now to him who is able to do im-
measurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, to him be
glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen.
Now go find your glasses, get your
ropes out of their packages, and
come to South Bend* next year with
some people who are fresh out of
the pit. [ft]
*This is in reference to the 1997 General
Conference, which is to be held at Saint
Mary's College in South Bend, Ind.
See your World Relief dollars at work
through a "Fifty-Fifty" project
By Editor Richard Winfield
HAVE YOU EVER WISHED
that you could know who was
helped by your offering for World
Relief and what kind of help they
received? This is now possible
through "Fifty-Fifty" projects admin-
istered by World Relief of the Na-
tional Association of Evangelicals.
How do the projects work?
A "Fifty-Fifty" project is a partner-
ship between your church, World
Relief, and 50 women in Liberia,
West Africa.* Your church provides
a one-time gift of $2,500. World
Relief uses that $2,500 to set up a
Community Bank in Liberia.
Fifty women are chosen to be-
*Notes: (1) "Your church" could be the
church itself or some group within the
church such as the W.M.S., Men of Mis-
sion, or a Sunday school class. (2) Some
LifeLoans have been given to men, but
since most Community Banks are made up
of women, "women" and "woman" have
been used throughout this article. (3) World
Relief sets up Community Banks in vari-
ous countries, but at General Conference
Martin Hartog of World Relief challenged
Brethren to provide support for "Fifty-
Fifty" projects in Liberia.
come members of that Community
Bank. Each woman is given a
LifeLoan of $50 to provide funds to
start or expand a small business
(food stand, vegetable shop, sewing
business, etc.). As she earns money,
each woman makes regular pay-
ments on her loan, with a portion of
each payment deposited into that
woman's savings account.
Once the Community Bank, as a
unit, has met its collective obliga-
tions, the members are eligible for a
second loan. After several cycles, a
typical member has enough savings
that she no longer needs a loan.
How is the bank administered?
Several members of each bank
are elected by the other members to
administer the bank. World Relief,
in turn, monitors the national man-
agement staff by means of periodic
project visits. Presently, the repay-
ment rate in this program runs an
impressive 90 percent.
What are the benefits?
One of the obvious benefits for the
women is more income, which they
can use to meet their families' needs
for food, medicine, and education.
(Many of the women who receive
LifeLoans are widows with chil-
dren). LifeLoans enable families to
move from dependency to self-suffi-
ciency, resulting in an increased
sense of dignity. Many recipients
have learned to read and write, and
some have become Christians and
are now attending a church.
What will we receive?
World Relief will send you group-
photographs of the women partici-
pating in your "Fifty-Fifty" project.
You will also receive information
about the progress of the Commu-
nity Bank. Thus you will have a
sense that you are personally in-
volved in the lives of these women.
How do we get started?
To initiate your "Fifty-Fifty" pro-
ject, or to get more information about
doing so, contact Martin Hartog,
Midwest Area Senior Representa-
tive for World Relief, by phone (630-
483-7731), fax (630-483-7739), e-mail
(102336.3500@compuserve.com), or
letter (2109 Glasgow Court, Hano-
ver Park, IL 60103). It is not neces-
sary to have the $2,500 up front to
begin the project. Once a commit-
ment is made, the money can be
raised throughout the year. [ft]
October 1996
What's a
plant closings
congregation to do when
result in the loss of young
families to the church?
congregations without kid
By Pastor Jim Saunders
TODAY MANY CONGREGATIONS
find themselves in the same
situation in which Johnstown Third
Brethren Church found itself a few
years ago: a shrinking congregation
with at least two generations miss-
ing from the pews, located in a neigh-
borhood that no longer resembles
the one that nurtured the original
congregation.
Due to the closing of the Bethle-
hem steel mills and a general eco-
nomic downturn in the Johnstown,
Pennsylvania, area, many people of
working age had to go elsewhere to
find employment. As a result of this
exodus, as well as some unwise de-
cisions concerning the transfer of
leadership to people of the younger
generations, the Johnstown Third
congregation soon found itself with
a membership whose average age
was over 60 and with only four chil-
dren in the church (a teen, a pre-
teen, a five-year-old, and a toddler).
Attrition by death alone made this
a declining congregation.
The one thing these beloved Chris-
tians did not do was throw up their
hands and say this must be God's
will. They decided to do something
about the situation. But what?
First, they did their homework.
With help from The Brethren Church
National Office in Ashland, they held
a series of discovery meetings to
find out what their strengths and
weaknesses were. What did they have
to offer the neighborhood, the com-
munity, and God's Kingdom? They
also took into consideration what they
could do about their shortcomings.
With a clearer picture of what they
had to do and the resources they
had to do it with came a sense of
direction, if not a plan. They knew
they needed to make their building
and the congregation itself more at-
tractive. They also knew they had
to be more active in evangelism.
Becoming more attractive
So they did some repair work on
the building, as well as some paint-
ing and redecorating. They also made
the building wheelchair accessible.
Furthermore, they began to put
more emphasis on greeting visitors
and on making them feel welcome
and at home. And special efforts
were made to invite people to wor-
ship services and to Sunday school.
This is about the time I arrived
on the scene — after all the ground-
work had been done and a good
foundation had been laid. The con-
gregation was now ready for an out-
reach program. But as is the case
with most Brethren, evangelism is
an art they had never had to prac-
tice. Membership increase had al-
ways come from Brethren children
having children. But now their chil-
dren were no longer here, having
moved out of the area in order to
find employment.
Learning how to evangelize
So the congregation had to learn
how to evangelize, especially how
to evangelize a neighborhood that
was not pro-Brethren or even pro-
church. To be sure, there were plenty
of kids running around the neigh-
borhood, but as was stated repeat-
edly, "I think they're all Catholic or
something." Members of the congre-
gation were quite willing to invite
people to Sunday school and worship
services, but actually witnessing to
a person with the goal of leading
that person to make a commitment
to Jesus Christ was a skill they still
needed to learn.
So the second step was to learn
how to evangelize and to unlearn
practices that didn't work. Classes
on evangelism were held. During
these sessions we came to the reali-
zation that as long as we were only
trying to fill our pews and to in-
crease the money in the offering plate,
we would not succeed. Through
Bible study and prayer we realized
that if we would put the Kingdom
of God first and work to bring the
saving grace of Jesus Christ to
every individual we meet, then God
would see to our increase. As Mat-
thew 6:33 says, "But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to
you as well."
This is so important that I must
repeat it. When we stopped trying
to win people to the Third Brethren
Church and started witnessing in
order to win them to our Lord Jesus
Christ, then we began to gain. It is
only when you sacrifice your con-
gregation to God and begin to work
for the salvation of God's lost chil-
dren, no matter what congregation
they end up in, that you begin to
see God's increase in your own con-
gregation. We have worked with peo-
ple who ended up as Methodists,
Southern Baptists, Presbyterians,
The Brethren Evangelist
and even Catholics. But they are all
Christians, and that's what counts.
Another thing we had to learn is
to change. As Ron Waters has said,
"Change is not a four-letter word."
That old excuse, "We've never done
it that way before," has to be buried
and forgotten. If the smaller con-
gregation is to survive in this day,
it has to change. I don't mean that
we should sacrifice our biblical
principles, but we do have to adapt
our methods to fit those whom we
are trying to evangelize.
By the way, did I tell you that we
now have more than 40 kids in our
youth program? They range in age
from toddlers to young people just
out of high school, and none are
related to other members of our
congregation. We were able to send
17 to church camp, and nine made
professions of faith while they were
there. Five others had previously
accepted Jesus as their Lord and
Savior and joined our congregation.
We also have five new families in
the congregation, which make up
for three families that left.
How did we do it?
There is an old practice in the
South for catching wild pigs. First,
select a spot in the forest where
there are pigs and put corn or other
feed at that spot every day. It won't
be long before the pigs find it and
begin gathering there to eat. Then
build a fence along one side of the
area and continue to put out the
corn. Next, extend the fence along a
second side. After a few more days
of feeding, install the fence on the
third side. When the pigs get accus-
tomed to that, build the fence across
the fourth side, with a large, open
gate through which the pigs can en-
ter in order to continue to eat. Wait
a couple of more days until the pigs
are feasting, and quietly close the
gate. Instant pig farm!
Third Brethren Church did some-
thing like that. The first year I was
at the church, I insisted that we
sponsor the federal Summer Feed-
ing Program. This brought kids to
our building every day, five days a
week. They soon got to know our
building. We also held our own va-
cation Bible school. (Previously the
congregation had joined with other
churches.) We made it a point to get
October 1996
acquainted with as many children
as we could. We handed out 1,200
invitations to our vacation Bible
school and passed out VBS litera-
ture to those who came to eat.
That first year we had 48 chil-
dren in our vacation Bible school,
which was held just a couple of weeks
before regular school started. This
gave us a mailing and visitation
list, which we used in the fall to
invite parents and children to other
church functions. The second year
we again did our own VBS, and we
had 62 students ranging in age from
preschoolers to high-schoolers.
Next, the congregation began a
Bible Club for the kids that oper-
ated just like vacation Bible school,
except that it was held only one
night a month. At the Bible Club
the children met together to sing,
play games, and do crafts. Then we
divided them by age groups for
Bible stories for the little ones and
Bible study for the older ones. The
amazing thing was that the chil-
dren kept coming back for more.
After nearly two years of this
"feeding and fence-building" (inclu-
sive, not exclusive fences, of course),
the older youth began getting rest-
less with the once-a-month meet-
ings. So we had to decide what to do
next and who would do it.
Prayer: our foremost activity
Did I mention that prayer was
the foremost activity in everything
we did? Many a prayer was offered
before God's throne concerning
whom we would get to lead the youth.
I am happy to say that prayer pro-
duces miracles. One day a young
man came into my office and asked,
"Preacher, would you have any ob-
jections if I started a BYIC here?"
At the first meeting there were
twelve young people! And it's been
getting bigger every week since.
In order to get parents involved,
we have had special programs nearly
every month to which everyone in
the family was invited. These have
been from moderately to very suc-
cessful. As a result, we now have
four of these families that are at-
tending occasionally and one that
has moved its membership to our
church. Our worship attendance is
now around 55, up from 45, and we
have had as many as 15 children in
worship at one time.
Some of the children have been
drawn into our Sunday school, but
this is proving to be slow (though
encouraging). Teachers are ready
every Sunday to teach every age
group from kindergarten to high
school, whether a child of that age
attends or not. That way whoever
comes has a Sunday school class.
A mentoring program
We are now in the process of try-
ing to start a mentoring program
for these children, because so few of
them are from churched families.
We are asking the adults in the
congregation to attend two or three
BYIC meetings in order to get ac-
quainted with the children and to
let the children know that they are
loved and welcome. We hope that
eventually every child can be paired
with an adult mentor.
Will this work everywhere? I doubt
it. It's worked for us, however, and
we submit our experience with the
hope and prayer that it will start
you thinking about what you can do
in your situation.
Warning: Forget about numbers!
Remember that our primary mis-
sion is to bring boys and girls, men
and women to a saving knowledge
of Christ Jesus. When we work for
the increase of our own attendance,
we fail. Our only goal must be to
win people to Christ Jesus. That
much we have learned for certain.
Remember the words in James 4:3:
"When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives,
that you may spend what you get
on your pleasures." It is only when we
pray for and work for the increase
of God's Kingdom that God sees to
it that we increase and have every-
thing we need to do His work. [ft]
Conflict resolution in the church
From a workshop by David Cooksey
On Thursday morning of General Con-
ference, Rev. David Cooksey, Director
of Pastoral Ministries for The Brethren
Church, led a workshop for the Confer-
ence on "Conflict Resolution." The fol-
lowing article was gleaned from that
workshop.
An audio tape of the workshop ses-
sion is available for $4 (plus $2 for
postage) from The Brethren Church
National Office (524 College Ave., Ash-
land, OH 44805). Also available (free)
is a 9-page handout that was distrib-
uted at the workshop. The material for
the handout was taken from the book
The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
(Baker, 1991), which Rev. Cooksey
highly recommended.
— Editor R.C. Winfield
CONFLICT, according to Ken
Sande, is an opportunity to glo-
rify God. That is primary. But con-
flict is also an opportunity, accord-
ing to Sande, to serve others and to
grow in Christlikeness. These three
truths are basic to our understand-
ing of how we should deal with con-
flict and how we should deal with
one another in conflict.
In spite of these truths, one of the
primary responses of the church to
conflict is to overlook it. This is
unfortunate, for unresolved conflict
destroys the witness of the church
and occupies the minds of its mem-
bers, keeping them from doing the
things the church should be about.
The church has been guilty of over-
looking a lot of things in the lives of
its members which should be dealt
with. Unacceptable behavior and
false statements are glossed over
with the excuse, That's just the way
that person is." If it's really the way
the person is, then the person needs
to change!
It is very important that we learn
how to deal with conflict in the
church and that we use conflict as
an opportunity to glorify God, serve
others, and become more Christlike.
What the Bible says
The following scripture passages
give us some principles for dealing
with conflict.
Romans 12:18 says, "If it is pos-
6
sible, as far as it depends on you, live
at peace with everyone." This pas-
sage makes conflict-resolution the
responsibility of every Christian.
One of the main reasons we have
abandoned discipline in the church
is because of our own guilt. But this
is not an excuse.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8 chastises
Christians for taking their disputes
before civil authorities. Paul asks,
"Do you not know that the saints
[Christians] will judge the world?
And if you are to judge the world,
are you not competent to judge triv-
ial cases? Do you not know that we
will judge angels?" This passage as-
sures us, as Christians, that we are
capable of dealing with conflict,
even though we aren't lawyers or
judges. As godly people, we are
qualified. When we turn to the
word of God for direction in dealing
with these matters, we can usually
handle the situation well.
Matthew 18:15-17, an impor-
tant passage in Brethren tradition,
gives a three-step process for deal-
ing with personal conflict. First, go
to the person and attempt to re-
solve your differences. If that doesn't
work, then, second, take along one
or two others to help you work out
the problem. If the situation is still
not resolved, then, third, take the
matter before the church. What
usually happens is that we don't
start with the first step. We begin
with step two or three, by involving
other people or the church.
Romans 14:19 enjoins us to
"make every effort to do what leads
to peace and mutual edification."
One of our problems when we are
offended is that we find it hard to
let go of the hurt. We want the per-
son punished.
In Luke 6:27-36 Jesus tells us
to "love your enemies, do good to
those who hate you, bless those
who curse you, pray for those who
mistreat you. . . . Do to others as
you would have them do to you. . . .
Be merciful, just as your Father is
merciful." We all do that, don't we?
That's a description of The Breth-
ren Church across the country, isn't
it? If so, why do we have so many
problems?
God forgives us of everything,
every time, unconditionally. Is this
what we do? Is it our goal? Unfortu-
nately, it's often not what happens
in the church, and problems con-
tinue because of our failure to for-
give and forget.
Expectations of the pastor
Pastors don't have a lot of author-
ity in The Brethren Church, mak-
ing it difficult for them to really
lead. They are put on a short leash
— allowed to do some things but
yanked back when they reach be-
yond certain limits. People often tell
the pastor, "You take care of spiri-
tual matters but keep your hands
off the building and the budget."
But these are spiritual matters too!
People have different expectations
of the pastor depending on their age
compared to that of the pastor (older
or younger) and when they became
members of the church (before or
after the pastor came). People older
than the pastor who were members
of the church before he came are
often the least receptive to the pas-
tor's leadership, while people younger
than the pastor who joined the
church during his pastorate are his
strongest supporters. When conflict
comes that involves the pastor,
members often choose "sides" ac-
cording to these categories.
The people at the center of con-
flict in the church (particularly when
it involves the pastor) are fre-
quently the members of the deacon
board (who are usually older than
the pastor and were members be-
fore he arrived). In our denomina-
tion, we have put responsibilities
on deacons and deaconesses that they
do not need to have and should not
have. Deacon boards in our churches
have become centers of power. In
fairness to them, one reason for this
is that they have been left with the
responsibility of keeping the church
going through difficult times.
Levels of conflict
Conflict in the church, if it is not
resolved, passes through several
levels. It begins with (1) natural dif-
ferences. People are challenged but
not competitive; differing viewpoints
The Brethren Evangelist
are respected; resolution is possi-
ble. Sometimes, however, (2) polari-
zation begins. An uneasiness devel-
ops; people begin to choose sides on
the issue, although the good of the
order is still paramount.
At the next level, (3) competition
begins. Persons have become iden-
tified with positions. The main goal
is to win rather than to resolve the
conflict. Meaningful communication
between the sides has come to a
halt. If the conflict continues, it (4)
goes system-wide, spreading to
other members of the congregation
besides those originally involved.
Feelings are viewed as facts; spe-
cific issues melt into vague princi-
ples and ideology. The situation may
get so bad that the parties to the
conflict (5) can't stop fighting. At
this level violence sometimes occurs
and legal force is necessary. An out-
side party may be required to offici-
ate over the dismantling of the or-
ganization.
Causes of conflict
James 4:1-3 gets at the root of
serious conflict in the church. "What
causes fights and quarrels among
you? Don't they come from your de-
sires that battle within you?" Unre-
solved conflict is the result of sin —
pride, selfishness, wanting to be right,
wanting to have one's own way, un-
willingness to change.
This sin manifests itself in vari-
ous attitudes: "Look out for number
one." "I'll forgive you, but I won't
forget." 'This is my church." "I'll be
here long after you're gone."
We need to remember that the
church doesn't belong to an individ-
ual. It belongs to the congregation
and to God. We try to take owner-
ship of something that isn't ours to
own. We make issues out of things
that aren't issues. We make rules
and draw lines that are of our own
design and not of the Bible.
Centers of conflict
Because of his position of leader-
ship, the pastor is often at the cen-
ter of conflict. This will depend in
part on whether he has the attitude
of a servant leader or of a dictator.
The pastor's personality or the per-
sonality of his wife can also be a
source of difficulty.
Deacons are also a significant
source of conflict in The Brethren
Church. Sometimes they are thrust
into conflict because others in the
church expect them to act. Dea-
cons, however, are not to be the
authority in the church. They are to
be servants.
Moderators, trustees, organists,
choir directors, Sunday school super-
intendents, in fact, anyone in a posi-
tion of leadership can be a source of
conflict in the church. This usually
happens when leaders try to exer-
cise some kind of control rather
than serving the church by per-
forming the function to which they
were called.
Managing conflict
Every church needs to establish
policies on how to deal with conflict
and discipline problems when they
arise. These policies should spell out
what is expected of members of the
congregation, what happens to mem-
bers if they do not meet these expec-
tations, and who will deal with disci-
pline problems and conflict when
they arise. There also needs to be a
consistency about discipline.
Thankfully, our churches and pas-
tors are dealing much better with
conflict now than they did in the
past. [ft]
General Conference Commentary
By Kenneth Sullivan
THE BRETHREN CHURCH is
venturing forth where no Breth-
ren have gone before. The structure
of our denomination, at the nation-
al level, has undergone a radical
change.* We have created a single-
board system with the intent of
providing singleness of vision and
ministry, greater accountability,
and better stewardship of re-
sources and ministry opportunities.
It needs to be emphasized that
while these changes greatly impact
the national level in its work and
missions, our district and local
structures remain the same and
function as they always have.
Our national structure will have
*These comments are in reference to the
denominational reorganization proposal im-
plemented by General Conference in August.
See page 5 of the September Evangelist
for an article about the action of Confer-
ence and the middle of the June issue for a
copy of the proposal itself.
a single Executive Board creating a
unified vision for The Brethren
Church. There will be two Minis-
tries Councils — a Missionary Minis-
tries Council and a Congregational
Ministries Council — charged with
implementing this vision in these
two areas of concern.
An Executive Director will be em-
ployed by the National Office to im-
plement and guide the National Of-
fice in the fulfillment of these goals.
All other National Office executives
and staff and all national ministries
will be accountable back through
the Executive Board.
It is important to note that the
restructuring has been done in such
a way as to preserve and protect both
past and future giving to the mis-
sion work of The Brethren Church.
Money invested in the Revolving
Fund, designated gifts and giving,
as well as all mission fair share ap-
portionments will always go directly
to the funding of mission works.
The one change that Conference
delegates made to the proposal was
the requirement that all district
representatives be elected at their
respective district conferences.
What is significant about this
change is that for the first time
every area of national concern has
the potential to work in harmony
and singleness of direction.
This new structure is more than
just business and form. It is about
people — having the right people in
place, obedient to God, with servants'
hearts. Pray that those hired for na-
tional positions are godly in charac-
ter and divinely called to those posi-
tions. Pray for those who will be
assigned to the search committee to
hire the new Executive Director.
Pray that they will be open to God's
direction and God's choice. [ft]
Rev. Sullivan pastors the Milledge-
uille, III, Brethren Church. This article
appeared in the September issue of the
Milledgeville Church's newsletter and
is reprinted here with permission.
October 1996
Ashland
University
Awaiting an explosion of God's power
By Dr. Mike Gleason, Director of Religious Life
accomplish in a couple of hours had
been achieved by the dynamite in a
moment. Male bonding was at its
best as the stump discovered the law
of gravity and found its way back to
earth, leaving only a large hole.
Now to him who is able to do im-
measurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that
is at work within us, to him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever
and ever! Amen.
— Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV
IT WAS SPRINGTIME in the
beautiful Kiski Valley of western
Pennsylvania. Several volunteers
from the Pleasant View Brethren
Church had gathered early one
Saturday morning for some signifi-
cant "male bonding."
The task: take out a large tree
behind center field of our church
baseball diamond. The tools: coffee,
donuts, chain saws, axes, chains, and
several four-wheel-drive trucks.
The tree was easy; the stump was
not. After about two hours of effort
the stump would still not budge,
"I believe that the Christian or- |
ganizations here at AU have helped
me to mature in my Christian walk,
develop leadership skills, and grow
closer to God." — Cindy, a senior .
even when the best that Ford and
Chevy could produce were chained
to its base and pulled together. At
this point the male bonding was not
quite as meaningful as we thought
it would be.
Then came Jamie, about three
hours late, a cup of coffee in hand,
driving a truck full of explosives that
were bouncing around in the cargo
area behind him. "Don't worry," he
would often reassure his passengers,
"they can't go off without a blasting
cap." Most of us were not greatly
comforted by this information.
Several very tired men greeted
Jamie, who requested a try at the
stump. He buried a wad of plastic
explosives, with, of course, a blast-
ing cap, under the tree's base,
stretched a wire just about to home
plate, and hit the plunger. A very
stubborn stump immediately took
its first flight into space. What the
combined efforts of man and Detroit's
finest machines had been unable to
8
"The Christian programs at AU
have helped me grow spiritually,
apply my faith, and share it around
campus. All of these things have
helped to strengthen my walk."
— Derek, a junior ,
Now to him who is able to do im-
measurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us . ..." In
the Greek original of this verse, the
word for "power" is dunamis, from
which we get our English word dy-
namite.
All of our best human efforts in
Campus Ministry are sadly inade-
quate to accomplish that for which
we yearn. Only God's vast power is
able to move in such an explosive
way that the very roots of evil are
torn out and students by the score
are brought to a saving knowledge
of Jesus Christ. This is indeed the
heart of our prayer, that the power
of God would explode on the Ash-
land University campus bringing a
revival that is "immeasurable more
than all we ask or imagine."
In just a bit I will relate how God
worked at a college in the past, so
that both your faith and your
prayers on our behalf might be
strengthened. But first I want to
tell about some of the labor that is
'The programs here helpmeto*
have a devotional time. They keep
me on track and challenge me every
week. " — Bryan, a junior
being expended in this field of min-
istry by devoted men and women
who are serving in prayerful expec-
tation of the dunamis of God.
Joe Maggelet serves as Assis-
tant Director of Religious Life. He
raises the majority of his salary as
a full-time Navigator staff person
and works in cooperation with our
department. He and his volunteer
staff have more than 60 students
involved in upper level discipleship
groups, the greatest number ever
committed to this rigorous study.
Janie Niswonger, secretary to
the Religious Life Department and
a part-time seminary student, as-
sists with these discipleship groups.
The Fellowship of Christian
Athletes, which Joe advises, has
likewise seen strong evidence of the
winds of the Spirit in its first four
meetings this fall. Joe also coordi-
nates the Critical Concern Series,
which brings to the dormitory lob-
bies discussions and presentations
of such issues as sexuality and ra-
cism from a distinctively Christian
perspective.
In the spring, Nathan Harri-
son will join our efforts as another
self-supporting Navigator staff per-
son. Nathan was strongly discipled
while a student here at Ashland.
Phil Foss, our volunteer Adven-
ture Club advisor, has done an ex-
ceptional job of providing rugged
"I think one of the greatest ways
that the Christian programs here at
Ashland have helped me is that
they have challenged my faith and
made me think about what I really
believe. And not only do they chal-
lenge me, but they constantly make
me evaluate where I am with the
Lord£ — Heather, a junior j
outdoor experiences for students.
Student chaplains provide devo-
tional meditations at the various
events, with corresponding Bible
studies offered to interested par-
ticipants. Numerous students with-
out any faith background are at-
tracted to this club.
Dr. Don Rinehart, in his second
year as advisor to the Religion
Club, has filled a unique niche by
providing a group primarily aimed
at the Christian student who de-
sires a deeper level of dialogue on
issues related to the Christian faith.
Interest has been growing!
The first "Meal and More" chapel
service this fall was attended by
numerous guests and regular at-
tendees, who gathered to worship
and hear a devotional meditation
by Dr. Lee Solomon. Although not
The Brethren Evangelist
all speakers are Brethren, Shirley
Black and Joan Ronk will be among
those bringing messages this year.
The University Church has like-
wise seen advancement in various
areas under the leadership of Dr.
Lee Solomon, assisted by seminary
student interns Karen Robins,
Kerrie Lehman, and Eric Biscoh,
plus a host of student, faculty, and
staff volunteers. Services this fall
have nearly filled the lower chapel
to capacity. Thanks be to God!
A strong movement of God's Spirit
was sensed at the initial meetings
of HOPE Fellowship this fall. Stu-
dents have also shown a wide inter-
est in HOPE's various ministries
(share groups, missions, drama, out-
reach, intercession, fellowship,
worship, and special events). Jack
Miller is serving a second year as a
HOPE graduate intern, and Jaime
Gillespie is bringing renewed leader-
ship to the Gospel Teams ministry.
At the recent Fall Convocation
a near-capacity crowd in Memorial
Chapel heard an inspirational chal-
lenge by President G. William Benz,
greetings from Provost Mary Ellen
"The Christian programs at AU '
have given me a sense of stability,
provided the opportunity to learn
from role models, and have encour-
aged me in the struggles of my
faith. I am the co-leader of the Mis-
sions Team, so when we participate
in projects in the community, it re-
ally stretches my faith and chal-
lenges me to reach out to other peo-
ple. The overall programs, the lead-
ership, and the members of the
Christian groups are extremely sup-
sportive." — Shawn, a junior _
Drushal, and a beautiful selection of
sacred music by the university choir.
Convocations are also planned for
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
As one can see, these ministries
are well-staffed by devoted men and
women who are sacrificially at work
in God's field here on the Ashland
University campus. I give great
thanks to God for each of them and
for the numerous hours they will-
ingly share in service. Campus
Ministry at Ashland University is
strong and is moving forward.
Yet in spite of all this good news,
October 1996
as I mentioned in my report at Gen-
eral Conference this past August,
we deeply desire to see the immeas-
urable power of God do more than
we even ask or imagine on our cam-
pus. We desire, with the yearnings
^ ^ "■ ^.
'The way that the programs here
at AU have helped me in my Chris-
tian walk is to challenge me. The
programs are very Christ-centered
and biblically-based. I can come to
our meetings each week and know
that I will be challenged to get to
know Christ better in my life. I think
that the advisors and leaders in all
the programs have really encouraged
people to get involved. I am glad I
got involved." — Jodie, a junior ,
of our hearts, for an outpouring of
His Spirit that will accomplish in a
semester what we could not hope to
accomplish with a lifetime of labor
— conversions numbering a thousand
and backsliders soundly restored.
History tells us that the great
works of God we desire on our cam-
pus are well within His range of
power. Consider what happened,
for example, nearly 200 years ago
when God walked on the campus of
Yale College, and you'll see what I
mean. Yale had the same problems
we have in our culture. Here is an
excerpt from a student diary writ-
ten around 1802:
The college church was almost ex-
tinct. Most of the students were
skeptical, and rowdies were plenty.
Thank You!
My heartfelt thanks for your support
of the Ashland University Campus
Ministry accompanies this article,
along with my earnest request for your
ongoing prayers. To assist in enabling
this second request, the Department
of Religious Life will be providing a
monthly prayer flier in Leadership Let-
ter entitled The Trumpet Call, which
will provide a current listing of prayer
requests as well as God's answers to
prayer requests previously shared. It
is my hope that hundreds within our
denomination will join in intercessory
prayer that God might do "immeasur-
ably more than all we ask or imagine"
at Ashland University, so that next year
at General Conference my report might
be an interlude of praise and adoration!
— Mike Gleason
Wine and liquors were kept in
many rooms; intemperance, profan-
ity, gambling, and licentiousness
were common. I hardly know how I
escaped. . . .
Now hear what happened when
the Holy Spirit of God was poured
out in great power that same year
in an excerpt from another student
letter describing the event:
Yale college is a little temple: prayer
and praise seem to be the delight of
the greater part of the students
while those who are still unfeeling
are awed into respectful silence.
Can you picture that? Of note is
the fact that of the 230 students
then at Yale, about one-third were
powerfully converted, with nearly
half the new believers embracing a
call to ministry. All of this occurred
in a period of less than six months!
Twenty years later Yale experi-
enced another revival of equal pro-
portions, during which an addition-
al 900 persons in the surrounding
community of New Haven were also
"I have met people in the Chris-
tian groups at AU who have chal-
lenged my Christian walk. They are
smarter in the scriptures than I am
and have taught me what they know.
They have shown me what God is
about and all that He has to offer us.
Through weekly HOPE Fellowship
meetings, the speakers, the fellow-
ship, and the praise and worship, I
am finding out how others have got-
ten to be so strong in the Lord and
am discovering what God wants to
^do in me." — Rachel, a junior J
soundly converted. What a wonder-
ful 1997 Conference statistical re-
port that would be if 900 were added
to various Brethren churches,
soundly converted through a genu-
ine movement of God's Spirit!
These are only two accounts out
of hundreds that illustrate what
the dunamis of God can accom-
plish, not only within the context of
a university campus, but also within
a community such as yours!
Now to him who is able to do im-
measurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that
is at work within us, to him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus
througliout all generations, for ever
and ever! Amen. [ft]
N\\od the
Former Mormon to preach
in The Brethren Church
West Alexandria, Ohio — Elbert
Sorrell, a member of the West
Alexandria First Brethren Church,
was set apart as a licensed minis-
ter on Sunday, June 9, during the
worship service. Pastor David Oligee
conducted the licensing service.
Before becoming a Christian in
1985, Elbert had been a member for
six years of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, had
spent \V% years as a Mormon mis-
sionary, and was an ordained Mor-
mon elder. He received Christ as
his Lord and Savior at special serv-
ices held at the Sandusky, Ohio, Bap-
tist Temple on September 8, 1985.
The following year he surrendered
his life to preach God's word.
Since coming to the West Alexan-
dria First Brethren Church in July
1993, Elbert has worked in the
church's youth ministry and nurs-
ing home ministry, preached on
occasion, taught Sunday school
classes, and currently serves as a
deacon. Last year he reorganized
and trained visitation teams for
personal evangel-
ism, and he contin-
ues to be involved in
this work. His wife,
Marnita, serves as
church secretary
and also works in
the children's
church ministry.
Elbert believes
that God is leading
him into full-time
Christian service,
and he is open to a
call to the pastorate.
— reported by Audrey Gilbert
North Georgetown Church celebrates
completion of sanctuary renovation
North Georgetown, Ohio —
Members of the North Georgetown
First Brethren Church celebrated
the completion of their sanctuary
renovation project on Sunday, May
19, with a service dedicating the
remodeled sanctuary to the Lord.
The purposes of the project were
to increase seating capacity and to
beautify the sanctuary. A wall at
the back of the sanctuary was re-
moved to enlarge the room, and the
platform at the front of the sanctu-
ary was shortened to make space
for more seating. In this way the
seating capacity was increased by
60. In addition to this work on the
inside of the sanctuary, a ramp was
A view at the back of the remodeled
wall was removed, showing upholstered
In Memory
Jasper "Jap" Price, 76, died September 5 at his
home in Tucson, Ariz. Price and his wife, Betty,
served from 1979 to 1987 at Riverside Christian
School in Lost Creek, Ky., where Jasper did mainte-
nance work for the school. He had been a member
successively of the North Liberty (Ind.) First, Papago
Park (Tempe, Ariz.) (where he was also a deacon),
and Tucson First Brethren Churches. A memorial
service was held at the Tucson Church of the Breth-
ren, where he had been a member the past several
years, with Rev. William Curtis, pastor of the Tucson
First Brethren Church, giving the message. He is
survived by his wife and their five children. Memo-
rial contributions may be made to Riverside School.
constructed on the east side of the
building to make the sanctuary more
accessible to the handicapped.
Once the remodeling was done,
the redecorating began. New carpet
was installed, the pews were pad-
ded and upholstered, the walls were
painted, and the windows were
adorned with new blinds, lace cur-
tains, and swags. A lighted cross
was hung at the front of the sanctu-
ary, and new pulpit furniture placed
on the platform. Forty padded,
stackable chairs were purchased to
provide part of the new seating.
Most of the work was donated by
members of the congregation, with
Wilfred Mercer overseeing the work
crews. Sandy
Marsh lined up
workers and
also coordi-
nated the selec-
tion and pur-
chase of carpet,
chairs, and the
upholstery for
the pews. The
project was be-
gun February
7, 1995, and
completed
March 18, 1996,
at a cost of
about $28,000.
Pastor Fred
Brandon led
the dedication
service, and
sanctuary, where the Pete Hill Dea-
pews and new chairs. con Chairman,
offered the dedication prayer.
Others participating in the service
included Ken and Sandy Marsh,
Wanda Powell, Randy Greenawalt,
Chris Latham, Sam and Diane Hill,
and Dave and Sharon Heestand.
In addition to completing this proj-
ect, the North Georgetown congre-
gation recently purchased property
to the east of the church for extra
parking and for possible future ex-
pansion. Since 1990 average Sun-
day morning worship attendance at
the church has risen from 65 to
approximately 115.
— reported by Diane Hill
10
The Brethren Evangelist
P^^Ch
Briefly
Noted
Joan Ronk was recognized for
25 years of service to Ashland Uni-
versity during an all-institutional
meeting at the beginning of the school
year. She was presented an Ash-
land University wristwatch and a
certificate of recognition and appre-
ciation for her "conscientious, loyal,
and faithful service" to the univer-
sity. Mrs. Ronk began working at
Ashland College as secretary to the
dean. In the years that followed,
she served as secretary (later ad-
ministrative assistant) to various
vice-presidents, and she currently
serves as researcher/writer for the
university. Mrs. Ronk is also editor
of the Women's Outlook Newsletter,
which is included every other month
in the EVANGELIST.
An "exciting and uplifting" Home-
coming was held August 24-25 at
the Vinco Brethren Church in
Mineral Point, Pa., according to cor-
responding secretary Ethel Cobaugh.
The observance began with lunch
on Saturday, followed by a hymn-
sing — with messages by former
pastor Rev. Jim Tomb and former
member Rev. Bill Walk — and con-
tinued with a campfire in the eve-
ning for "youth" of all ages. Events on
Sunday included the worship serv-
ice, with a message by
former pastor Rev. C.
William Cole and re-
marks by former pas-
tor Rev. Woody Brant;
a carry-in dinner with
175 in attendance; and
an evening service at
which Rev. Brant spoke.
Large crowds, including
former members and
friends from several
states, attended the
various events. Rev.
Jerry Fike pastors the
Vinco congregation.
Linwood Brethren celebrate 100 years of
Sunday school in the Linwood community
Linwood, Md. — A celebration
marking the 100th anniversary of
Sunday school in the Linwood com-
munity was held Sunday, July 21,
by the Linwood Brethren Church.
The centennial celebration began
at 4:00 p.m. with an old-fashioned
baptism in Little Pipe Creek, where
Rachael Schuster, Bruce Wilkinson,
and Jack Linott were baptized by
Scott Robertson, assistant pastor of
the Linwood Church. Following the
baptism, a parade — featuring an
antique car and led by trumpeter
Paul Albaugh III followed by a
rhythm band of Sunday school chil-
dren— wound its way through the vil-
lage of Linwood. A wagon pulled by
a team of mules carried those un-
able to hike the parade route. Linwood Assistant Pastor Scott Rob-
The parade made two stops, first ertson baptizes Rachael Schuster in
at the Linwood Trading Company, Little PiPe Creek-
which was formerly
a lumberyard where
the Sunday school
was founded and
met for its first two
years. The second
stop was at an old
schoolhouse next to
the Linwood Church
building, where the
Sunday school met
prior to becoming a
part of the Linwood
Church. At each
stop, Linwood Pas-
tor Bob Keplinger
gave a little of the
Linwood Pastor Bob Keplinger leads a wagonload of history of the Sun-
people to Little Pipe Creek for an old-fashioned baptism. (jav school
The parade concluded at the Lin-
wood Church, where the celebra-
tion culminated in the annual Sun-
day school picnic of the Linwood
congregation.
The Linwood Union Sunday
School was founded on November
19, 1896. It was an ecumenical
school, where Quakers, Methodists,
Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and
Episcopalians all came together in
a spirit of brotherhood. The Union
Sunday School continued until
1918, when it merged with the Lin-
wood Brethren Church, which was
founded in 1905.
Coming Events
October 26 — National Concert of Prayer.
Thousands of Christians across America will
join together to pray for spiritual awakening in
America, and especially for the youth of our
nation. Concerts of prayer will be held in many
cities and churches. If a concert is held in your
area, plan to attend. If no concert is planned in
your locale, spend time that Saturday evening
praying with a group of friends or alone, know-
ing that thousands of others are praying as well.
October 27 — Andrew Sunday. This is a day to
invite a friend to church. See page 14 of the
September Evangelist for more information
about this special outreach opportunity.
October 1996
11
0pd the
In Memory
Former Brethren pastor Rev.
Bruce Carl Shanholtz, 83, died
August 21 at his home in Hager-
stown, Maryland.
Born March 15, 1913, in Levels,
W. Va., he was ordained in 1943 at
Wiley Ford Church of the Brethren.
He pastored three Brethren congre-
gations, the Johnstown, Pa., Sec-
ond Brethren Church (c. 1953-54),
the Lin wood, Md., Brethren Church
(c. 1955-60), and the Cumberland,
Md., First Brethren Church (c.
1969-74). He held various offices in
the Southeastern District and served
two terms on the General Confer-
ence Executive Committee.
He is survived by his wife, Thelma
Cowgill Shanholtz, whom he mar-
ried on December 24, 1935; by a
daughter, N. Lois Curry of Mel-
bourne, Fla.; a son, Kenneth L. Shan-
holtz, Sr., of Maugansville, Md.;
five grandchildren; and five great-
grandchildren.
Services were held August 24, at
the Hagerstown, Md., First Breth-
ren Church, where Rev. Shanholtz
had been a longtime member, with
Pastor John Mills officiating.
Central District seeks God's direction
with Concert of Prayer and Worship
Waterloo, Iowa — A Concert of
Prayer and Worship on the open-
ing evening of the Central District
Conference — held July 12-13 at the
Hammond Avenue Brethren Church
in Waterloo — set the spiritual tone
not only for the conference but also
for the district in the year ahead.
The time of concerted prayer was
held at the request of the Central
District Mission Board, which is
seeking the Lord's direction regard-
ing church planting in the district.
It is the desire of the board that the
district move forward with a uni-
fied expectation in the Spirit, and
the Concert of Prayer was a time of
submission before the Lord so that
He might show the steps He has
prepared for the district to take.
The conference had opened earlier
that evening with a banquet. Fol-
lowing the meal, Rev. G. Emery
Hurd, pastor of the Cheyenne, Wyo.,
Brethren Church, spoke about the
General Conference to be held in
the year 2000 in Estes Park, Colo-
rado, and gave a beautiful slide pres-
entation showing the area and the
facilities where the Conference will
be held. Then, prior to the Concert of
Prayer, Eric Schave, who has been
gathering logistical information on
several communities in northern
Illinois as possible church-planting
Shipshewana, Ind. — Senior Brethren in the Indiana District enjoyed a
blessed time of worship, Bible study, fellowship, fun, and games (especially
Skip-Bo!) at the annual Golden Age Retreat held August 26-29 at the Brethren
Retreat Center. Special guests were Rev. David and Jenny hoi, Brethren mis-
sionaries from Malaysia. Also attending was Rev. Reilly Smith, Director of
Missionary Ministries for The Brethren Church, who led a missions seminar.
Golden Agers are invited to attend next year's retreat (August 25-28, 1997) for
four days of inspiration and fun, and other districts are encouraged to plan
their own Golden Age retreats. — reported by Dolly Zerbe, secretary
locations, presented his results and
answered questions.
On Saturday morning, Modera-
tor Gary Turner opened the busi-
ness portion of the Conference and
conducted the morning business
session. Business included recom-
mendations from Moderator-Elect
Ellis Boughton, election of officers,
accepting of reports, and an update
on the Hammond Avenue Brethren
Church by Pastor Ron Waters.
Following lunch, prepared by the
ladies of the host church, the busi-
ness session continued. Business in-
cluded passing the district budget
and resolutions; reports from The
Brethren Church National Office, the
national Missionary Board, and Ash-
land University and Theological Sem-
inary; and installation of officers.
Next year's conference will be
held July 11-12 at the Cerro Gordo,
111., Brethren Church. Officers for
the year ahead are Ellis Boughton —
moderator; Kim Millhouse — moder-
ator-elect; Doris Geisz — secretary;
Virginia Hutchison — assistant sec-
retary; Sue Michael — treasurer; and
Marti Deets — assistant treasurer.
— reported by Moderator Ellis Boughton
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Evangelist
lderburg Library
;HE3TE& COLLEGE
lar.chester, IN 4698£?
Vol. 118, No. 10
A newsletter for Brethren people
November 1996
Jaime Gillespie presents an overview of:
Fifty years of Brethren Youth*
IN 1940 three young men — Gil-
bert Dodds, Woodrow Brant, and
Archie Martin — had a dream. They
dreamed of starting an organiza-
tion to unite Brethren youth around
the world, with the focus of the or-
ganization being Christ Jesus. They
dreamed of a conference specifically
designed for the youth of The Breth-
ren Church. Little could they have
known at that time how their dream
would blossom over the next 56 years.
In 1941 the Brethren Youth or-
ganization was formed. At first it
struggled, having to replace the
interdenominational youth organi-
zation Christian Endeavor, which
had been in place in The Brethren
Church for 40 years.
Official recognition
During the next five years, through
prayer, hard work, and determina-
tion, the Brethren Youth program
picked up speed. The first Brethren
Youth Conference was held in 1946
at Ashland College, with Gil Dodds
serving as Con-
ference director.
At this Confer-
ence, the Breth-
ren Youth or-
ganization fi-
nally gained for-
mal recognition
by the church,
and a Youth
Board was cre-
ated. This Con-
ference, held 50
years ago this
past August, An announcement that appeared in the March 6,
was the begin- sue °f tne ^HE Brethren Evangelist.
Gharles Tlflunson Balled
lllli
to be
first Ylational (Director
of
1948, is-
Brethren Youth Conference
Ashland College, Ashland, Ohio, Aug. 19-25
... a wonderful week, with wonderful young people
En
ft RECREATION ft SPECIAL MUSIC
ft CAMPFIRE MEETINGS
ft SPEAKERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
ft BIBLE STUDY
Room and Board for Conference Period {11.00
Send Registration with $1.00 to:
A. Glenn Carpenter, Ashland College, Ashland, Ohio
An announcement of the first Brethren Youth Conference,
held August 19-25, 1946.
ning of what would become a half
century of joy, tears, fun, and fel-
lowship— 50 years of memories
that will forever fill the hearts and
minds of all those whose lives were
touched by Brethren Youth.
The first year after the 1946
Youth Conference proved difficult
and frustrating. The newly formed
Youth Board had been given few
guidelines, little power, and no fi-
nancial support.
But even though
the youth pro-
gram struggled
that year, the
youth never lost
faith.
In a speech to
the Ohio District
Conference in
June of 1947,
Charles Munson
summed up the
attitude of the
youth — that we
will never have
any progress as
long as we cry
s
RUTH O.APPCR
about our present situation. Brother
Munson's speech, "You Can't See
the Sun When You're Crying," is as
relevant today as it was 49 years ago.
We have been crying, a lot of us,
but don't you see it's not in what we
do not have, but in the way we use
what we have. . . . Weeping will
never help us to see the sun.
next page
*This is the script of a video that was
shown at General Conference as part of
the celebration of the 50th anniversary
of Brethren Youth. Jaime Gillespie, who
produced the video, is a member of the
Vinco Brethren Church (Mineral Point,
Pa.), a sophomore at Ashland University,
and a member of the Brethren Youth In
Christ (BYIC) Steering Committee.
In this issue
Fifty years of Brethren Youth . 1
Brethren Home Missions ... 4
A prayer of thanks 6
Together in the ashes 7
Around the denomination ... 8
The Women's Outlook Newsletter
is in the center of this issue.
February 1949 (behind) and August
1955 issues of The Brethren Youth maga-
zine. The publication, which has un-
dergone many changes in format over
the past 48 years, is now called The
Morning Star.
At the next General Conference,
the youth did make use of their tal-
ents by providing special music for
the adult Conference. This exposure,
plus the successful youth Conference
held that year, helped Brethren
Youth forge out a name for them-
selves within The Brethren Church.
After this, the youth gained finan-
cial and spiritual support from the
adults. Also at this Conference, the
fourth Sunday in May was estab-
lished as Youth Day.
First national director
The youth movement began to
grow. It sparked so much enthusi-
asm and excitement among the
youth that the Youth Board could
no longer provide the leadership
needed to run the organization suc-
cessfully. So in March 1948 the Na-
tional Board of Brethren Youth an-
nounced the calling of Charles Mun-
son to be the first National Director
of Brethren Youth.
Under Brother Munson's leader-
The Brethren Evangelist (issn 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monlhly (except July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524
College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; e-mail: Brethrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rales: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year to others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
ship, the Youth program flourished.
In November 1948 The Brethren
Youth magazine was begun. This
magazine, though it has undergone
many changes since then, contin-
ues today as The Morning Star.
Local youth groups began to grow.
Youth teams were formed and sent
out during the summer to work at
various churches and camps. This
program has likewise survived the
years, adapting to fit the needs of
the times. It became known as the
Summer Crusader program and
presently is called the Summer Min-
istries program. National Youth Con-
ference became an annual event,
which young people throughout the
denomination looked forward to.
The Brethren Youth organization
was well on its way.
In 1951 the Brethren Youth or-
ganization became know as Breth-
ren Youth Crusaders (BYC), a name
that stuck until 1990. By 1953, when
Clarence
Stogsdill re-
placed Charles
Munson as
National
Youth Direc-
tor, Brethren
Youth had be-
come an inte-
gral and up-
lifting part of
the struggling
Brethren
Church. Evangelist Editor St.
Clair Bens ho ff wrote in 1953:
No one can doubt, in the least, the
worthiness and the value of Breth-
ren Youth. . . . The record of amaz-
ing projects, of increased youth
attendances at our Conferences,
and the dedication of youth to
Christian service, speaks for itself.
We see, in 1953, in Brethren Youth,
an organization that has proved it-
Clarence Stogsdill
self in the Brethren Church. From
a humble beginning 8 years ago, it
has come today to a status of
achievement which speaks well for
the faith, vision and purpose of its
founders and workers.
Brethren Youth in 1953, in serv-
ice, encouragements and accomplish-
ments, is giving more to the Brethren
Church than it is getting from it.
In 1956 Phil Lersch took over the
reins of the Brethren Youth pro-
gram, and
for the
next four
years he
continued
the tradi-
tion of
excellence
started by
the foun-
ders. By
1960 the
Brethren
t h
NfcW NATIONAL YOUTH RM6CTOH
R.overcnd ?*hil Ler;ch
You
program had expanded to include
youth rallies, retreats, the Breth-
ren Youth maga-
zine, district and
national youth
conferences, Life
Work Recruits,
Summer Crusad-
ers, and the Am-
bassador Quartet.
In 1960 a new
name,"Billy Booth
of Brethren
Youth" — other-
wise known as
National Breth-
ren Youth Direc-
tor Marlin McCann — became asso-
ciated with the organization. * Under
*Editor's note: The character "Billy Booth,
The Brethren Youth" was actually introduced
in 1956. Marlin McCann became National
Youth Director in 1960.
Billy Booth,
The Brethren Youth
Pontius' Puddle
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The Brethren Evangelist
Mtirlifl MtCann
Now BreHiim Youtn JHreelor
Brother
McCann's
leadership,
with the
help of
secretary
Beverly
S u m m y ,
who later
became di-
rector, the
youth pro-
gram con-
tinued its
rapid growth and progress. Sum-
mer Crusader teams were sent to
Lost Creek, Ky., and the Brethren's
Home in Flora, Ind., as well as to
churches and camps across the
country. The first all-girls' music
team was sent out and the Ambas-
sador Quartet continued.
In 1966 the Brethren Youth Board
and the Sunday School Board merged
to form the Board of Christian Edu-
cation. Then in 1967, Fred Burkey
began eleven years of service as the
Director of Christian Education. In
the following years, a new constitu-
tion and by-laws were written and
accepted. An extensive Summer
Crusader program was developed,
which included music, camp, vaca-
tion Bible school, missions, and
Bible ministries teams. A musical —
Discovery — was produced and per-
formed at the Youth Conference. In
1970 a National BYC Council was
formed to increase organizational
strength and communication.
Council today continues to link the
districts and make decisions for the
Brethren Youth.
In 1976 a new Brethren Youth
logo (see next column) was created,
which symbolized the new thrust
for the young people and their na-
tional organization. This logo char-
acterized the
boldness,
growth, and
unity generated
by the Brethren
Youth at that
time.
Throughout
the remainder
of the 70s and
the 80s, under
the leadership
of Charlie Beek-
ley, the Breth-
November 1996
ren Youth program continued to
thrive. Summer Crusaders were
sent all over the country. The
Brethren Youth Convention became
an annual highlight for youth. With
memories of 'The Big Red Ball,"
Bible quizzes, and "Anything Goes,"
youth who attended would not soon
forget these conventions.
In 1990 the Brethren Youth pro-
gram once again underwent major
changes. With the merger of the
various boards into one denomina-
tional organization, responsibility
for the youth ministry came under
the leadership of Ron Waters, the
Director of Brethren Church Minis-
tries. The name of the youth pro-
gram was changed from Brethren
A\ NATIONAL
Egg
Qren YOUTH CRUS&
Past and present Brethren Youth logos.
Youth Crusaders (BYC) to Breth-
ren Youth In Christ (BYIC). And
instead of electing national officers,
as in the past, the youth began choos-
ing seven BYIC members to form a
national BYIC Steering Committee.
This committee took on more re-
sponsibility for the planning and
programming of youth activities. A
new Covenant was written, and the
old Constitution was discarded in
favor of a Statement of Structure.
The new design of the youth pro-
gram allowed for more fellowship
time at Convention, as Steering
Committee and Council took over
most of the business matters. Con-
ventions now included concerts by
well-known Christian artist, excit-
ing praise and worship serves, and
more time to spend sharing with
friends or one-on-one with God.
As The Brethren Church experi-
enced more change in the early 90s,
the youth program once again
shone through the confusion. Reg-
istration numbers increased every
year, ingathering skyrocketed to
the point that the youth could give
money back to the adults, and
those who had been leaders in the
youth began to prove themselves as
leaders in the church as a whole.
These people became important fig-
ures on the mission fields and as
pastors, youth leaders, and Chris-
tian business men and women.
The Summer Crusader program
had to be adapted to fit the needs of
young people and the churches. Be-
coming the Summer Ministries pro-
gram, it now includes District Cru-
saders, Missions Teams, and Young
Adult Ministry Interns. The Breth-
ren Youth program, as it always
has, continues today to train young
people to do the Lord's work.
The past 50 years of Brethren
Youth have proved that in order to
have a strong
church tomor-
row, there must
be a strong
youth program
today. The
years have
shown us how
much the youth
can accomplish — with the right at-
titude. As Brother Munson said in
his speech 50 years ago:
There is a bright future for our church,
but it depends on our attitude now.
. . . Brethren Youth challenges us to
manifest a hope and a courage and
a faith in our own church. [ft]
Copies of the Brethren Youth video that
was shown at Conference will soon be
available for purchase. Price and order
information will be announced later.
Throughout the 50-year history of Brethren Youth, the Summer Crusader/Summer Ministries pro-
gram has been an important part of both Brethren Youth and The Brethren Church. Some of the
hundreds of Crusader alumni are shown in this picture, taken at the 1979 General Conference..
Brethren Home Missions
More Than Gold in Tracy, Calif
By Reilly R. Smith
MORE THAN GOLD is an out-
reach program that was de-
veloped by Sports Outreach Amer-
ica for use at the 1996 Summer
Olympic Games in Atlanta. It was
designed to be a powerful, easy-to-
use program that Christians could
use in their evangelism efforts at
the Olympics and that local churches
across the United States could use
to reach out to their communities.
Several pieces of literature were
used to assist in the process. One of
these, An Interactive Pocket Guide
(Dime Publishers), described each
of the Olympic events and the lead-
ing competitors in that event, and
provided a place to record the ac-
tual medalists. The Guide also in-
cluded a presentation of the gospel
in the middle of the booklet.
The International Bible Society
developed a tract, More Than Gold,
that included the testimonies of the
best Christian athletes in the world.
The Society also developed a spe-
cial More Than Gold edition of the
New International Version of the
New Testament. Olympic evangel-
ists used Sports Spectrum Chris-
tian magazine, too.
Outreach through sports
When Rev. Archie Nevins, pastor
of the West Valley Brethren Life
Church in Tracy, California,* saw the
material for More Than Gold, he
knew it would be useful in his work.
As part of the outreach strategy for
planting the West Valley Church,
Pastor Nevins works with the City
of Tracy recreation commission. He
and leaders from his congregation
directed flag football, basketball,
and other athletic programs for
children, youth, and adults during
the 1995-96 school year. Pastor
Nevins planned to use a summer
Olympics as part of the summer
program. More Than Gold dove-
tailed beautifully into that plan.
Pastor Nevins preached a special
series of sermons that started about
*Tracy is located about 60 miles directly
east of San Fancisco. It is the third fastest-
growing area in the State of California.
six weeks
before the
Tracy
Olympics
and that
continued
for about
six weeks
after the
event. The
series tied
principles of
sportsman-
ship to the
fruit of the
Pastor Archie Nevins
Spirit. His messages
spoke of winning, building teamwork,
playing with passion, etc. Pastor
Nevins worked towards helping
people to see, desire, and acquire
the necessary skills to begin living
victoriously and to win the final race.
West Valley members distributed
over 25,000 pieces of More Than
Gold literature in Tracy. They sent
them by direct mail to their pros-
pect list from last year's mass
media outreach event, and they
passed out brochures and fliers at
the Tracy Bean Festival. They also
handed out a More Than Gold tract
and Sports Spectrum magazine to
every athlete who participated in
the Tracy Olympics, and to many of
the spectators as well. They even
went door-to-door in their neighbor-
hoods handing out literature.
Creating interest
In addition, Pastor Nevins sent
news releases to newspapers and to
radio and television stations. He was
also interviewed by a television
newscaster. The West Valley Church
purchased newspaper ads, too.
Olympic news created enormous
interest in the church. As a result,
West Valley Brethren Life Church
received new visitors every week
from the beginning of the outreach.
Seven local sponsors paid for the
entire event, so that the West Val-
ley Church would not be burdened
A New Era
of Church Planting
IN SEPTEMBER, Brethren Mis-
sions entered a new era of
church planting (starting new
churches). With the assistance of
Dynamic Church Planting Interna-
tional of San Diego, Calif., we are
creating a new paradigm for plant-
ing churches. Rev Paul Becker,
president of the organization, will
serve as our chief consultant.
Over the next five years, Dynamic
Church Planting (DCPI) will help
us create an atmosphere for church
planting through conferences, con-
sultations, and regional forums.
DCPI will also help us:
• recruit, assess, train, and men-
tor church planters;
• develop a network of trained
mentors;
• recruit, train, and encourage
churches to mother new congre-
gations;
• identify and train a director of
church planting for Brethren
Missions;
• plant ten new, reproducing,
Brethren churches.
Dynamic Church Planting Inter-
Rev. Paul Becker
national is a
team of ex-
perienced
church plant-
ers, mentors,
and special-
ists. The team
has had
hands on ex-
perience in
church plant-
ing and
church ministry. Each team mem-
ber has a heart for church-planting
leaders and reflects our values of
Christ-centered Bible teaching,
compassion, reproductive training,
cooperation, evangelism and disci-
pleship, multiplication, and loyalty.
Paul Becker has planted four
churches. He also directed a re-
gional association in planting 16
additional new churches — in four
years. He joined the staff of
Church Dynamics (part of Campus
Crusade) and founded the church
planting division. This division
later became the separate entity:
Dynamic Church Planting Interna-
tional. Paul also wrote the manual,
Dynamic Church Planting: A Com-
plete Handbook, which we will use
for planting churches. [ft]
The Brethren Evangelist
Brethren Home Missions
with this expense. The Brethren
churches in Manteca and Stockton
were two of the sponsors. Four other
Christian-run businesses, three
with Brethren connections, also
contributed. The seventh sponsor
was Ritz Camera, part of a national
chain. Thank God for the sponsors
and their commitment to the people
of Tracy.
The Tracy Olympics included
children's track and field events,
volleyball, and flag football. In ad-
dition to the competition, each event
featured a Christian testimony.
Most events also included devotion-
al times, which were conducted at
half-time, between games, or at some
other convenient stopping point.
Awards were presented and clos-
ing ceremonies were conducted at a
wrap-up brunch, which was held
during worship time on a Sunday
morning. When the special speaker
failed to attend, Pastor Nevins pinch
hit for him. The West Valley Church
gave special Bibles from the Ameri-
can Bible Society to ten of the ath-
letes who attended this event.
A second wrap-up was also held,
with Darin Jordan of the San Fran-
cisco 49ers as the speaker. Jordan
brought an autographed team ball
to this wrap-up, which was given to
one of the lucky visitors.
Seeing results
Pastor Nevins reports that more
than 400 athletes and spectators
participated in the Tracy Olympics.
The congregation was a little disap-
pointed that this number was not
greater, but they are rejoicing in
the number of visitors who have at-
tended the church (at least one
family every week since July). The
visitors have all said that it was the
Olympic materials that drew them
to West Valley Brethren Life Church.
Two families have joined the
church because of the Olympics,
and three more families are consid-
ering joining. In addition, one man
received Christ at the end of the
Olympics!
Both the City of Tracy and West
Valley Brethren Life Church want
to hold an Olympics again next
summer. Praise God! [ft]
Rev. Smith serves as director of Mis-
sionary Ministries for The Brethren
Church.
I AM Pastor Thomas John (T.J.)
McLaughlin. This is my wife,
Judy, and our two daughters, Traci
(r.) and Tricia. We are new church
planters in the Pennsylvania Dis-
trict. I say we because the entire
family is involved in this ministry.
Following three years at Ashland
Theological Seminary, I graduated
this past May with a Master of
Divinity degree. After much soul-
searching and intense prayer, I re-
signed as co-pastor of the Fremont,
Ohio, Brethren Church. It was not
an easy decision, but a necessary
one. It meant leaving behind a
church family that we loved dearly
and also our partners in ministry, Ed
and Marcia Miller. Then we moved
back to Pennsylvania to accept a new
call — starting a new Brethren church
in Cranberry Township (located in
western Pennsylvania, about 15
miles north of Pittsburgh.
Let me take a moment to tell you
about our ministry for the next year.
The first part of our journey will be
to share our vision with as many
Brethren churches as possible. We
are focusing primarily on churches
in the Pennsylvania District. We are
assembling a team of prayer and
financial supporters to join with us
in the ministry at Cranberry. The
response thus far has been encour-
aging.
We will spend the next year build-
ing the core of this new church. We
intend for the core group to be made
up mostly of new believers. We hope
to have many opportunities to lead
people to Christ. We are also aware
of several Brethren people in the
area. Two families are currently
praying about coming on board with
the ministry. Praise God!
We will launch the new church
with our first public worship service
after the core is developed — some-
time after September 1997. In the
meantime, our greatest need is to
find workers who will be involved in
starting this new church. The next
great need will be to identify and
train leaders for the new church.
After a very busy summer, Judy,
the girls, and I are finally getting
settled in Cranberry. I spent the
month of September studying the
socio-economic groups living in this
area. I am trying to identify their
wants and needs.
The main thrust of our ministry in
the Cranberry area will be in reach-
ing the lost. Our demographic stud-
ies indicated that 35 to 40 percent of
the population of this area do not
have any faith involvement. But
after living in the area for the past
three months, I believe that the per-
centage is even higher. I estimate
that there are 15,000 people living
within a five-mile radius of where we
live who are not involved in a church.
God has given us a tremendous op-
portunity to share His love by start-
ing a new Brethren church.
I know no greater joy than sharing
Jesus Christ with nonbelievers.
Brethren Missions is committed to
making disciples of Jesus Christ in
the United States and around the
world. Starting new churches is one
very effective way to do it. You can
become part of the team by support-
ing or becoming involved in this min-
istry. Why not ask God what you
should do? [ft]
November 1996
A Prayer of Thanks
Oh, Lord, I thank you for the privilege
and gift of living in a world filled with
beauty and excitement and variety.
I thank you for the gift of loving and
being loved, for the friendliness and un-
derstanding and beauty of the animals on
, the farm and in the forest and marshes,
for the green of the trees, the sound of a .*«£§
waterfall, the darting beauty of the trout in
the brook.
I thank you for the delights of music
and children, of other men's thoughts and
conversation and their books to read by
the fireside or in bed with the rain falling
on the roof or the snow blowing past
outside the window.
LOUIS BROMFIELD
An unusual opportunity
for Christian service
Opportunities for full-time Chris-
tian service come in many forms,
not just the traditional ones — pas-
tor, missionary, Christian teacher,
or denominational worker.
One such opportunity is now
available at the Brethren Retreat
Center in Shipshewana, Ind. It's
for a food service director.
The Brethren Retreat Center is a
year-round ministry that serves
nearly 2,500 guests a year, includ-
ing six summer camps, Indiana Dis-
trict Conference, the Golden Age
Retreat, and many other retreats
and gatherings. Providing meals for
these groups is an indispensable
part of the ministry of the Center.
The position of food service direc-
tor requires a people-oriented per-
son with culinary arts training and
experience, administrative experi-
ence, and supervisory skills. Respon-
sibilities include menu-planning,
food-preparation, purchasing,
maintaining sanitation routines,
and presenting ways of improving
the food service.
A full-time, year-round person is
preferred, but the Center would be
willing to consider an individual
who would assist on a short-term
basis (January-March). If you be-
lieve that God might be calling you
to this kind of ministry, call the
Retreat Center Director, Rick
Miller, at 219-768-4519 for more
information about this full-time
Christian service opportunity.
^0af^^00^^Z
■ :5Sl'K^'
![A'|;
!H*1II \
New
video
tells
story
of Brethren beginnings
By Water and the Word (The
Birth of the Brethren) is a new
video produced by the Church of
the Brethren that should find wide
use in The Brethren Church.
The 25-minute video recounts the
birth of the Brethren movement in
Europe in the early 1700s. It por-
trays how early members sought a
vibrant spirituality and a visible
community of Christ's followers.
Views of historic Brethren sites
in Europe, colored drawings, re-
enactments, comments by Breth-
ren historians (including Dr. Dale
Stoffer from our denomination),
quotations from Alexander Mack
and Alexander Mack, Jr., and a
running narration tell the story of
the early Brethren. The video is
very well done.
Topics covered include Anabap-
tist and Pietist influences on the
Brethren, the religious situation
at the time, Alexander Mack and
his family, early Brethren bap-
tisms, growth of the Brethren,
counting the cost, persecution, the
place of women, seeking refuge in
the Netherlands, and migrations
to America in 1719 and 1729.
The video would be useful in
Sunday school classes (junior high
through adult), membership and
welcome classes, an evening wor-
ship service, or for individual
viewing. A study guide amplifies
some of the points in the video and
asks question to help viewers re-
late the truths of the video to the
church today and to their individ-
ual Christian lives.
The video can be purchased for
$19.95 plus postage and handling
from the customer service depart-
ment of the Church of the Breth-
ren offices (1-800-441-3712). Or it
can be borrowed from the Breth-
ren Church National Office in
Ashland (419-289-1708).
The Brethren Evangelist
ITie 'Women's OutCoof^9{ezasCetter
A publication of the brethren 'Women's Missionary Society
November-December 1996
Volume 10, Number 2
"The
(President s
Ten
Dear Ladies,
The beautiful fall season is going
so quickly. It's Thanksgiving and
Christmas time and it seems as
though I just put away all the
decorations! I trust you had a good
summer, with some time to rest
and relax.
Have you ever felt as though your
burdens were more than you could
carry? While cleaning out my desk
the other day, I found a story I
kept from one of the Daily Bread
booklets. "The story is told of a
man shopping in a grocery store.
He was followed closely by his
small son. The boy was carrying a
large basket, and the father was
loading it with one item after an-
other. He put in canned goods,
sugar, flour, meat, and a variety of
vegetables. A customer who was
watching began to feel sorry for
the struggling youngster. Walking
up behind him, she said quietly,
'That's a heavy load for a little
chap like you to carry, isn't it?' The
boy turned to her as if surprised
that anyone needed to be told.
Then he smiled patiently and said,
'Oh, don't worry. My dad knows
how much I can carry!' "
God is concerned about our frail-
ties. He made us, so He knows our
weaknesses. The Lord cares for us
when we are overwhelmed by our
burdens. When we prayerfully look
to Him in our troubles, He will
never allow our burdens to become
(continued on page 4)
PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL
Devotions presented by Carolyn Brandon, August 8, 1996
Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are;
help us to spend them as we should.
Psalm 90:12, TLB
Dear Father,
Help us not to become discour-
aged, but to keep on persevering.
Amen.
Our conference theme is "Part-
ners in the Gospel." In our pre-
vious devotions, we prayed for the
Holy Spirit to fill us with the
POWER to fulfill the Great Com-
mission. Without the Holy Spirit in
our lives, we will be ineffective wit-
nesses.
Please turn to Deuteronomy 33:
25b-27. We read in the blessing
Moses gave the people of Israel be-
fore his death, ". . . may your
strength match the length of your
days! There is none like the God of
Jerusalem — He descends from the
heavens In majestic splendor to
help you. The eternal God is your
Refuge, And underneath are the
everlasting arms."
In verse 12 of the only Psalm
that Moses authored (Psalm 90),
we read, Teach us to number our
days and recognize how few they
are; help us to spend them as we
should."
We want to be doing God's work
as long as we have the strength to
do it. God says He will match our
strength with the length of our
days. His promises never fail, so
let's get busy. We all have neigh-
bors, friends, and family members
who are unsaved. Whom do you
know who are unsaved, and are you
praying for them? What can you
and I do about it?
First, we must be women of prayer.
We only accomplish as much for
God as we spend time in interces-
sory prayer for that person's soul.
We need to be bold, not afraid to
give our personal testimony to the
lost. What Jesus has done for us
and in us has a great impact on a
nonbeliever. Write your testimony
on paper, read it over and over, get
very familiar with it, then share it
when the Holy Spirit gives you an
opportunity. Leading a soul to Jesus
Christ is so rewarding! With the
Holy Spirit as our partner, we can
make a difference. People need the
Lord.
Do we understand our mortal
condition? Again in Psalm 90, in
verses 3-11, Moses describes living
wisely. We need to come to grips
with our own mortality and the
mortality of others. We must be
keenly aware of both sinfulness
and God's displeasure over sin. As
wise Christians, we know our
Creator (Psalm 90:1-2). God is in-
finite, eternal, and holy. He is a
compassionate Creator who does
good things for His frail creatures.
He wants everyone to hear and re-
spond to His call, as we are part-
ners in the Gospel. Let's not take
for granted the time we have left
here on this earth. Only when we
(continued on page 3)
NATIONAL
BIBLE WEEK
November 24-30, 1996
Thanksgiving Week is also Na-
tional Bible Week, a designation
since 1969. No matter which presi-
dential nominee was elected, he,
his Cabinet, and we as citizens
need to hearken to the words in
2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people,
who are called by my name, will
humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways, then will I hear from
heaven and will forgive their sin
and will heal their land."
God in heaven is willing to help
our nation, but notice what we
must do: become humble, pray,
seek Him, and turn from evil. The
repetition of "and" in the verse
adds emphasis. The way to turn
from evil is to turn to God, and we
do this through daily commitment
to Him. Jesus said that we should
take up our cross daily and follow
Him (Luke 9:23).
Encourage your family members
and friends to begin a regular con-
versation with and daily commit-
ment to God. National Bible Week
is a good time to begin.
God encourages us to talk with
Him, and, for many, Bible reading
(God talking to us) and prayer (our
talking to God) are companions —
they belong together. The following
anonymous story was in a spring
issue of the newsletter from the
Garber Brethren Church.
"Have you ever discovered that
you're neglecting someone for whom
you should be praying? A Chris-
tian woman worked out her solu-
tion to this problem. Holding up
her left hand, the woman ex-
plained: When I'm ready to pray, I
look at my hand. I notice that my
thumb is the finger closest to me.
This reminds me to pray for those
near me — my family, my friends,
my neighbors.' Pointing to her in-
dex finger, she added: 'My teachers
used to point at us in school. Some-
times the preacher points at us, so
as I come to this finger, I pray for
my teachers, the preachers, and
others who have been my guides.
My middle finger is my largest
one. It stands above the others.
This brings to mind the rulers of
our country, the officials of our
city. So I pray for them. The next
finger is called the weak finger.
When I come to it, I think of the
weak, the sick, those who are poor
and need help. I ask God to help
them.' Coming to her little finger,
she concluded: 'Last is my little
finger. This stands for me. I finish
praying for myself and the things I
need.' "
There are many patterns for
prayer, and I like this one.
t**^1
This year's quilt auction at Gen-
eral Conference raised $1,000 for
the new church building in Penang,
Malaysia. Special thanks go to the
ladies who so diligently quilted dur-
ing Conference week to get the quilt
done. And very special thanks to
Tom McConahay, the auctioneer.
He makes it fun!
Thanks also to everyone who
donated items for the auction —
Precious Moments squares from
Milledgeville and quilted by the
Linwood ladies, and personal
items contributed — I really appre-
ciate all of you.
As is usual after Conference, I
am very low on quilt squares.
Again, here are the guidelines for
the squares.
(1) Use all cotton fabric. Please
be sure that the finished size is at
least 8V2" with the design less
than 8".
(2) Make your designs needle-
work (embroidery, cross-stitch,
applique, pieced, etc.). Do not use
fabric paints, etc. The needlework
adds to the beauty of the finished
projects.
(3) Squares can be sent anytime
to me at 9300 S. St. Rt. 3, Muncie,
IN 43702.
God bless all of you.
Joan Merrill
Sewing and
World Relief Coordinator
fk 'Manorum
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the
death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
The lives of these sisters in
Christ were remembered during
the Memorial Service on Tuesday
at General Conference:
INDIANA
Corinth
Blanch Easter
Flora
Helen Henry
Huntington
Jenna Mae Paul
South Bend
Mary Porte
Sylvia Powers
Edna Taylor
Warsaw
Mabel Schaaf
Mexico
Irene Martin
OHIO
Newark Eileen Hughes
Williamstown Eulala Tombaugh
CENTRAL
Cerro Gordo Georgianna Martin
Hammond Ave. Wilma Bunn
PENNSYLVANIA
Brush Valley Edna Hooks
Johnstown III Mary Blaugh
Masontown Mae Chepes
Main Street Anna Walker
Mary Catherine Witt
Dorothy Hornig
Vinco Ora Smith
SOUTHEASTERN
Hagerstown Edith Cushen
Maurertown Turzah Kohne
Margaret Lantz
MIDWEST
Mulvane Mona Rattley
At the conclusion of the reading
of these names, Linda Immel read
the poem "What Heaven Means to
Me" by Helen Steiner Rice.
THE WOMEN'S OUTLOOK
NEWSLETTER
Published bimonthly in January,
March, May, July, September, and
November by the Women's Missionary
Society of The Brethren Church.
Mrs. Dorman Ronk, Editor
1325 Coachman Court
Ashland, Ohio 44805
Subscription price, $7.50 per year in
advance.
Send all subscriptions to Mrs. Robert
Kroft, 608 Twp. Road 1151, RD 5, Ash-
land, OH 44805.
Women's Outlook Newsletter
(District (Doings
The No. 9 commitment reads
"Evaluate your society's accomplish-
ments and send your report to your
district president." These reports
are forwarded to me and, in turn,
back to you. Here is a selected list
of your accomplishments:
Many, many serve meals for serv-
ice organizations, funerals, election
boards, and wedding receptions.
Profits are used for diverse purposes.
INDIANA
Church-wide collection of new
clothing for redistribution; adopt
an older lady in the church; birth-
day parties for nursing homes;
make and sell blankets in school
colors; earthly treasures/trash and
treasure sales; baby showers for
Right to Life and Birthright; donate
toiletries to community outreach
center; secret sisters from another
society; honor an older lady in the
church each month; give Christ-
mas and Valentine plates to shut-
ins; sponsor sewing days for com-
munity centers, nursing homes,
and overseas missions; secret
prayer sisters within the society.
SOUTHWEST
Use profits from a rummage sale
for missions and church needs;
sponsor Christmas tea for all la-
dies of the church.
MIDWEST
Sent 50 Spanish Bibles for Miguel
and Sonia Antunez in Lima, Peru,
and two cases of vitamins to the
Kumars in India; clothing and schol-
arship money to Riverside Chris-
tian School in Kentucky.
SOUTHEAST
Monthly letters to shut-ins, ab-
sent members, and anyone who
needs encouragement; maintain
the prayer chain; make palm
crosses; joint picnic with another
society; supplied Blessing Closet
for Shepherd's Staff; gave a com-
ical fashion show for Mother-
Daughter program, "Festival of
Fashion," following with devotions
based upon God, the first creator
of design and fashion; profits from
candy-making to Malaysia.
November-December 1996
PENNSYLVANIA
Made and sold 100 quarts of
mincemeat; quilted several quilts;
gave funds for a replacement win-
dow in the church; started a Min-
istry Student Fund for five pro-
spective ministerial students for
their books, materials, and other
needs; supported Release Time in
the public school with money and
volunteers; supported pastor with
a card shower; provided camp pay-
ments for newly-formed youth
group; regularly visit nursing
homes with refreshments and boo-
ties; sponsor an annual Christmas
party for women and girls; pro-
vided two sewing machines and
thread for the girls' orphanage in
India; supplies to Allen Baer;
clothing to Kentucky.
CENTRAL
Organized, printed, and sold
cookbooks; made and sold cherry
pies; pack CARE boxes for college
students' Valentines; sewed bags
for nursing home walkers and
wheelchairs; took Sunday school
children to nursing homes for sing-
ing and visits with the residents;
sewed "ugly quilts" for the home-
less shelter; revamped monthly
meeting with business only quar-
terly; monthly emphasis is devo-
tional, missions, and an activity to
meet either the needs of the
women or the needs of the commu-
nity; placed children's Christian
books in town library; sewed lap
robes and rolled bandages; distrib-
uted Christmas and Easter gifts to
shut-ins.
OHIO
Used a sunshine calendar in
April; actively participated in
Passing on the Promise program;
mentored girls; held a bakeless
bake sale — distributed an empty
envelope and a tea bag, instructed
each member to fix herself a cup of
tea, rest, pray, then give! made
fresh/pressed flower-framed pic-
tures and sent some to home mis-
sionaries; sponsored a toy party
with toys sent to Lost Creek.
CALIFORNIA
Sponsored World Relief soup
lunch and PHILMAPS choir
(Philippino Medical Society).
Partners in the Gospel
(continued)
are convinced of the brevity of life
will our minds and hearts be turned
toward eternal issues. Because life
is short, we should value each min-
ute and reach out to win the lost.
This week, restructure your
schedule so you can spend more
time in prayer with your family.
Take time to listen, to play together,
to hug, and to say, "I love you." Take
time to visit an unsaved neighbor.
"Because life is short, we
should value each minute
and reach out to win the
lost."
Encourage your family to come
to grips with these issues as well.
Life is short; live it for Jesus; live
wisely.
Let us pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
In Jesus' name I come. I have no
power to change anyone. I ask for
the Holy Spirit to give me boldness
to share my testimony with the
unsaved people I meet every day.
Keep me humble, keep me honest,
and help me to have a deep con-
cern for eternal issues.
If we don't have a testimony, give
us one; whatever it takes, let us
take up our cross and follow Jesus.
When we meet next year, may
we have many conversion reports
to share. Oh, God, you are an awe-
some God; I worship you; I praise
you; I honor you. Fill me this day
and all of my sisters in Christ, both
here and at home, so we can wit-
ness to the lost.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
3fcsswna?y
^Miscellany
November is Home Missions
Month and emphasis is on Doran
and Nancy Hostetler at the River-
side Christian School in Lost Creek,
Kentucky, and Phil and Jean
Lersch in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Bonnie Munson was the third
member of the Brethren House
team and now resides in Goshen,
Indiana. Continue your prayers
and greeting cards to all of them.
They appreciate your encourage-
ment and support.
The December missionary couple
is Mark and Chantal Logan, serv-
ing in Djibouti. Their birthdays are
in December. When you send notes,
use your home address, not any
church affiliation. They are teach-
ing in a non-Christian country.
National Project
The national project is the pur-
chase of a church site and building
for the mission in Lima, Peru,
where Miguel and Sonia Antunez
and their son, Carlos, minister.
The goal for this two-year project
is $25,000.
The President's Pen
(continued)
greater than we can carry. He un-
derstands how much each of us
can take. So, if you have heavy
"burdens to bear," take them to the
Lord. Psalm 103 tells us that He
cares for us.
How is your W.M.S. year going
so far? Have you done anything
different in your meetings? We
talked about doing exciting meet-
ings and making some changes. It
would be great to share those things
with other groups. Please write and
let me know.
We enjoyed having David and
Jenny Loi in the states for their
three-month furlough. We saw
them often when they were in Ash-
land, and I hope you had an oppor-
tunity to hear them. The work in
Malaysia is beginning to grow, and
they need our prayers, as well as
our financial support.
My heavenly Father
knows how much I
can carry.
Our W.M.S. project for last year
and again this year is to purchase
property in Peru, which will greatly
help in the work there. India mis-
sions continues to grow with the
expansion of the boys' orphanage
as well as in other areas. Word from
the Ruggleses in Mexico shows
that growth is happening there
also. You as a W.M.S. member had
a part in all of these projects. We
need to continue to raise funds for
our various projects and continue
to pray for the missionaries who
labor in the different countries.
I trust you enjoyed Tracy Rug-
gles's article in the Devotional Guide
for the August meeting. It was
very heart-warming. Pray for our
missionaries and write to them. They
love to hear from us.
Here's an update on my health
problems. I am writing this in Sep-
tember and so far have had three
chemo treatments. I had antici-
pated six, but was told three would
be sufficient. Surgery is scheduled
for October 15, so when you read
this, surgery will be all over. I am
trusting in the Lord to keep me
strong and have faith that every-
thing will work out as He plans. I
am looking forward to having all of
our family home for the Christmas
holidays.
My sincere thanks to all of you
for the beautiful encouragement
cards and for all of your prayers.
They mean so very much to me.
God Bless You,
The, Zliftr's Biduy
Dear Friend,
Thanks to all of you who have
shared your ideas with all of us
this year. We appreciate hearing
from you, and your suggestions will
be helpful to another.
Use some of these ideas to
change an ordinary year into an
extraordinary year.
One day when I was driving
back to the office, I struggled with
the thought of sending a thank-you
note to one who had ministered with
extra time and TLC to a mutual
friend, or should I wait until I see
her and personally thank her. Dur-
ing that five-minute ride, the voice
on the Moody radio station gave the
Bible verse of the week, Proverbs
3:27: "Do not withhold good from
those who deserve it, when it is in
your power to act." To me, that
was God's affirmation that I
should not hesitate any longer. I
sent the card, and it arrived on her
down day!
I was reminded of the free trans-
lation of the proverb, "Don't put off
until tomorrow what you can do
today. You might like it and can do
it again!" This applies to our Com-
mitment 10. In many cases, the
only thing people need is encour-
agement.
Thanks for writing
to me. I am
always glad
to receive your notes.
I hope you have a joyous Christ-
mas season. God's Gift to us is why
it is joyous! And, of course, if we
didn't have His Gift, we wouldn't
have Christmas. Keep it holy.
Your friend,
fl*&~eL-^~ — '
Shirley
Joan
P.S. This is 8 days after Shirley's
modified mastectomy. She sends a
sincere thank you for all your
prayers, cards, thoughts, calls, and
visits. Every gesture has helped
her recovery. Thanks to God for
another miracle of healing.
Women's Outlook Newsletter
Standing together in the ashes
By Samuel K. Atchison
IN DECEMBER 1955, Robert
Graetz was an idealistic 27-year-
old minister, five months into his
first pastorate. Like most young
pastors, he, his wife, and their two
children were adjusting to a new
church, a new town, and a new en-
vironment.
An unpopular role
But for the Graetz family, there
was an additional complication: They
were white, their congregation was
black, and the town in which they
had settled was Montgomery, Ala.
Thus was the stage set for Graetz's
role as the only white pastor involved
in the Montgomery bus boycott.
Considered the dawn of the mod-
ern civil rights movement, the
year-long boycott by local blacks of
the city's segregated public transit
system made household names of
people like Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Ralph Abernathy, and Rosa Parks.
It also served to alienate Graetz
and his family from Montgomery's
white community.
"I got used to being called a 'nig-
ger lover,' " he said during a recent
telephone interview. Little wonder.
Arriving in Montgomery in June 1955
as the pastor of Trinity Lutheran
Church, he enraged many whites
by choosing to live in the church's
parsonage in the black section of
town.
Yet the response of the white citi-
zenry to his choice of residence was
nothing compared to their reaction
in December of that year when he
endorsed the bus boycott — from the
pulpit — and began chauffeuring
members of his congregation to and
from work. His home was bombed
twice, as were the homes of King,
Abernathy, and others. Several black
churches were bombed as well.
Forty years later, in the wake of a
series of black church arsons, Graetz
says that we still have not solved
the basic social issue that paralyzes
our nation. What he sees in the bomb-
ings is "an expression of racism, not
by an organized group, but by a
November 1996
series of individuals." The fact that
most of the fires appear unrelated
to each other makes addressing the
problem "much harder to deal with,
because you're dealing with the un-
derlying layer of racism that really
exists within everybody."
In Graetz's opinion, the copycat
nature of the arsons means that
firebombing is currently in vogue
with racists. "It's the thing to do,"
he says.
Still, Graetz believes that today's
arsonists constitute only a small
fraction of the white community.
The same was true, he says, of
Montgomery 40 years ago. Most
whites, he says, are not actively in-
volved in racism; they're just not
doing anything about it. As a re-
sult, the nation is "facing the same
kind of inertia among whites now,
as we did then."
Such inertia underscores the im-
portance of actions taken recently
by the Christian Coalition, the Na-
tional Conference of Catholic Bish-
ops, the American Jewish Commit-
tee, and the National Council of
Churches.* By publicly denouncing
the arsons and raising funds to re-
build the burned sanctuaries, these
disparate faith communities are
presenting a much-needed united
front to the secular world.
Building local bridges
Yet, as Graetz suggests, public
declarations and fund-raising ef-
forts are important, but constitute
only the first step toward racial rec-
onciliation. Ultimately, bridges be-
tween the races must be built at the
local level.
An article in the June 1996 issue
of the Covenant Companion, the
monthly journal of the Evangelical
Covenant Church, provides a case
in point. In "Meeting at the Wa-
ters," Steve Duin, a member of a
Covenant church in Portland, Ore.,
*Also by the National Association of Evan-
gelicals, the National Black Evangelical As-
sociation, and World Relief. See the box at
the right.
describes a worship service in which
two racially disparate congregations
in his community come together
to celebrate their common faith
through the sacrament of baptism.
The baptismal service was the
culmination of a relationship that
had been established by the pastors
of the two churches eight years ear-
lier. In coming together, one of the
pastors tells those gathered, "We
have a bond that transcends time
and transcends distance. . . . We
are joining our voices with Chris-
tians across the centuries. We are
connecting with those who went
through John in the river Jordan."
A good place to start
In other words, though their races
are different, their faith is the same.
Such was the message of Jesus to
his disciples. "Love each other," he
says in the Gospel of John, "as I
have loved you."
As we stand together in the ashes
of ruined sanctuaries searching for
an answer to the race problem, this
kind of love between God's people
might be a good place to start. [ft]
Mr. Atchison is an ordained minister
and has worked as a policy analyst
and social worker to the homeless. He
currently is a prison chaplain in Tren-
ton, N.J.
©1996 Religion News Service
Helping Burned Churches
World Relief of the National Asso-
ciation of Evangelicals is helping two
African-American congregations —
Gay's Hill Baptist Church near Mil-
len, Ga., and New Outreach Chris-
tian Center in Charlotte, N.C. —
whose buildings were burned in ar-
son attacks within the past two years.
In cooperation with the National
Association of Evangelicals and the
National Black Evangelical Associa-
tion, World Relief is helping these
churches rebuild or relocate and is
working with them to strengthen their
ministries to their communities.
"By walking alongside these two
churches as they go through the
process of rebuilding their [build-
ings] and ministry, we demonstrate
Christ's love for the body of believers
and the unity he desires of us," says
Arne Bergstrom, World Reliefs Dis-
aster Response Director.
Additional churches may also be
helped as funds premit.
0pd the
Emanuel "Buzz" Sandberg
to direct transition process
Ashland, Ohio — In early Octo-
ber Dr. Emanuel "Buzz" Sandberg
accepted a call to serve as Director
of Transition
and Interim
Director of
Congrega-
tional Minis-
tries for The
Brethren
Church. In
this position
he will help
implement
the organiza-
tional struc- Emanuel "Buzz" Sandberg
ture that was approved at General
Conference in August.
He brings to this position a wealth
of administrative vision and back-
ground as well as a love for the Lord.
He is a member of the Linwood,
Md., Brethren Church, and has at-
tended the University Church since
moving to Ashland last year. He is
also an Ashland University trustee.
Prior to his retirement in 1987,
Sandberg served in various execu-
tive level positions in the private
and governmental sectors, with spe-
cific experience in strategic plan-
ning, research and development, and
organizational management. From
1984-87 he was president of Heri-
tage Health Systems, Inc., a national
health maintenance organization.
From 1975-76 he was consultant to
the Office of Health Maintenance
Organizations of the U.S. Depart-
ment of Health, Education and Wel-
fare. He holds a Ph.D. degree from
the University of Colorado.
He and his wife, Elizabeth Ann,
have 8 children and 11 grandchildren.
8
Indiana District Missions Fair
provides a missions experience
Shipshewana, Ind. — Brethren
from the Indiana District trekked
to the Brethren Retreat Center on
a beautiful August day (Aug. 24) to
see, hear, and taste missions at the
district's annual Missions Fair.
They got to see missions at the
various mission displays. They also
had the opportunity to see Breth-
ren missionaries David and Jenny
Loi and Allen Baer as well as for-
mer missionaries Bob and Bea Bis-
chof and Ray and Marilyn Aspinall,
all of whom were special guests at
the event.
They got to hear missions in a
report from John Howenstine and
Jeff Estep of their trip to Juarz,
Mexico, this past summer; by lis-
tening to David and Jenny Loi, as
they told of their work in Malaysia;
any by receiving the greetings that
Allen Baer brought from the Breth-
ren in Argentina.
They got to taste missions by
sampling the ethnic foods provided
by several of the district churches,
foods that represented the countries
where past and present Brethren
missionaries have served. The coun-
tries represented included Argen-
tina, Colombia, Mexico, Malaysia,
Nigeria, and the United States
(Home Missions).
Having seen, heard, and tasted
missions, the Brethren were chal-
lenged, in an inspiring message by
Rev. Reilly Smith, Director of Mis-
sionary Ministries for The Breth-
ren Church, to keep missions in
their hearts and minds. The Breth-
ren even raised some money for mis-
sions— more than a $1,000 in fact —
at an auction at the fair. Half of
this money was designated for the
new church building in Malaysia,
and the other half was designated
for World Relief.
The Indiana District challenges
Brethren in other districts to see,
hear, and taste missions at a mis-
sions fair of their own.
— reported by Cindy Hanson
and Judy Eckerley
Jefferson Church tries something new
at recent Communion service
Goshen, Ind. — Several months
ago, some of the men from the
Jefferson Brethren Church went
to a Promise Keepers rally in
Indianapolis. While they were
there, they saw one of the speak-
ers bring his wife onto the stage
and wash her feet. They were so
moved by this that they later
asked if they could wash their
wives' feet at Jefferson's Com-
munion service.
So at the fall Communion serv-
ice, in addition to providing a
feetwashing area for men and an
area for women, several Sunday
school rooms were equipped with
basins and water where a mar-
ried couple could go and wash
one another's feet.
Of the 110 people in attend-
ance at the Communion service,
approximately half elected to
wash the feet of their spouse.
Some parents first took their
children to the men's or women's
area, then returned and went
with their spouse to one of the
rooms for couples.
During the testimony time that
followed the feetwashing service,
some very moving testimonies
were given. This simple act of
washing one another's feet drew
husbands and wives closer to-
gether and enabled them to take
their marriages to a deeper spiri-
tual level. Many of the couples
took extra time in the rooms to
pray together.
According to Dr. Dan Lawson,
pastor of the Jefferson Church,
The Holy Spirit was felt in a pow-
erful way [during the Commun-
ion service], and church members
are still talking about it."
The Brethren Evangelist
*g^3k
Missionaries help with
redecorating at Newark
Newark, Ohio — When Brethren
missionaries Rev. David and Jenny
Loi visited the Newark Brethren
Church in August, they did more
than report on the progress of
their mission work in Malaysia.
They also helped with the redeco-
rating of the Newark Church
building. They were handed paint
brushes and spent a long day
painting clothes racks and trim in
the hall of the building.
With the help of the Lois, the
Newark Brethren have nearly com-
pleted a major renovation of their
church building. The project has in-
cluded removing the platform in
the sanctuary and leveling the
floor; taking out the pews and re-
placing them with new chairs; put-
ting down new carpet throughout
the building; installing an air-con-
ditioning unit donated by the Sec-
ond Brethren Church of Johnstown,
Pa.; painting most of the interior of
the building; installing a new sound
system that includes a wireless
microphone and all new speakers;
and painting the baptistery, includ-
ing a mural at the back of the pool
Thomas E. Sprowls ordained an elder
September 29 at service in Medina
Medina, Ohio — Thomas E. Sprowls,
Jr., was ordained a Brethren elder
and his wife, Deborah, was conse-
crated as the wife of an elder at a
service held
Sunday morn-
ing, September
29, at the Liv-
ing HOPE
Brethren
Church in
Medina, where
Rev. Sprowls is
the pastor.
Approximate-
ly 50 people
from the Berlin
Pa., Brethren
Church — Tom
and Debbie's
home congrega-
tion — attended
the service,
most of them
Rev. and Mrs. Thomas
coming on a
chartered bus.
Among this number was the Berlin
Church Bell Choir, which pre-
sented special music at the begin-
ning of the service. A number of
visitors also attended from Ashland.
Rev. Bryan Karchner, pastor of
the Berlin Church, presented the
message for the service and led the
ordination ceremony. Rev. David
Cooksey, Director of Pastoral Min-
istries for The Brethren Church, and
Rev. Dale Stoffer, associate pro-
fessor of historical theology at
Ashland Theological Seminary,
assisted with the ceremony.
Brethren elders Ronald W.
Waters, Robert Holsinger, and
Richard Winfield joined them
David and Jenny Loi demonstrate their
painting skills and their servant hearts.
November 1996
done by a Christian artist in
memory of Eileen Hughes, a
faithful member of the church
who died this past spring. Ac-
cording to Pastor Stephen Cole,
the renovation of the building is
designed to serve the church
into the 21st century. The con-
gregation plans to celebrate the
completion of the project at its
Homecoming on November 10.
— reported by Pastor Stephen Cole
for the laying-on-of-hands and
prayers for the couple.
Tom's dad, Thomas, Sr., who is
moderator of the Berlin congrega-
tion, traced
some of the
events that led
to his son's call
and ordination.
Other partici-
pants in the
worship service
included Diana
Combs of Medi-
na, who gave a
welcome and
announcements;
the HOPE
Band, which led
the times of
praise and wor-
ship; Martie
Sprowls, sister-
in-law of Tom
and Debbie,
Sprowls, Jr., and Luke. who gang. and
Jeff Combs, who also sang.
A dinner was served for all in at-
tendance following the service.
Tom was born in Washington,
Pa., and grew up in Berlin, where
he became a member of the Berlin
Brethren Church at an early age.
He is a 1983 graduate of Indiana
University of Pennsylvania, and
from 1983 to 1991 he served as an
officer in the U.S. Army. While in
the military, he committed himself
to the Lord's service, and in 1992 he
entered Ashland Theological Sem-
inary, from which he received a
Master of Divinity degree in May
1995. In 1994 he was called to serve
as the church-planting pastor of a
new church in Medina, Ohio, which
held its first service in November of
that year. This Home Mission con-
gregation currently averages
around 40 in attendance.
Like her husband, Debbie grew
up in Berlin and in the Berlin
Brethren Church. She is a gradu-
ate of Penn State University. Tom
and Debbie were married Decem-
ber 19, 1992, and they have one
child, Luke Thomas, born February
16, 1996.
Centennial celebration planned
The New Paris, Ind., First Breth-
ren Church will celebrate its 100th
year of ministry in the New Paris
community on Sunday, November 24.
Dr. Charles Munson will be the guest
speaker for the 10:00 a.m. worship
service. A carry-in dinner will follow,
with the celebration continuing after
the dinner with a musical program
by Tab Beachler. All former pastors,
members, and friends are invited to
come and celebrate with the New
Paris congregation.
Thomas A. Smith ordained June 16
at Muncie First Brethren Church
Muncie, Ind. — Thomas A. Smith
was ordained an elder in The Breth-
ren Church and his wife, Paige, was
consecrated as the wife of an elder
in a service held June 16 at the
First Brethren Church of Muncie,
where Rev. Smith serves as pastor.
Rev. Gene Eckerley, Indiana Dis-
trict Elder, gave the message for
the service. Other Brethren elders
participating in the service were
David Cooksey, Director of Pas-
toral Ministries for The Brethren
Church, and pastors Rev. Jim
Miller and Rev. Jim Thomas.
Deacon Wayne Smith read the
action of the Muncie Church calling
Do you recognize
this man?
If not, let me give you a couple of
hints.
He is a Brethren missionary.
He serves in Mexico.
His wife's name is Tracy.
By now you probably know that
this is Todd Ruggles.
If you are surprised that you
didn't recognize Todd, it's probably
because you have never seen him
without a mustache and beard (and
perhaps not even without glasses).
Until recently, even Tracy, had
only seen him beardless once, and
never without a mustache.
So why the clean-shaven look? Is
it because of the heat in Mexico
City? No, it's "for the sake of the
gospel," to quote the Apostle Paul.
David, a Mexican teenager, kept
asking Todd when he was going to
shave off his beard. Todd finally
told him, The day that you finally
break down and accept Jesus, I'll
shave my beard!" Todd made it
clear to David that his conversion
had to be sincere — that he couldn't
accept Christ just to get Todd to
shave his beard or because of the
Christian girl he was dating.
Praise the Lord, around the first
of July David made a profession of
faith in Christ! So off came Todd's
beard (and the mustache as well).
Aside from this picture, we may
never actually see Todd without fa-
cial hair, however, for he immedi-
ately left his beard grow back.
Perhaps next to be shaved off
will be Todd's hair (although he
says he's loosing it fast enough as
is). Todd told the Mexican young
people that if they could succeed in
raising attendance at their youth
group to 25 before December 31,
1996, he would shave his head.
He's not too worried that they
will achieve this goal, for the rules
are that the young people have to
accept Jesus Christ and attend
studies regularly. Even so, Todd
says, 'They may still achieve that
goal. God has a great sense of hu-
mor, and He may just do it to make
me walk around baldheaded." To
which he adds, "I hope so!" We, like-
wise, hope that after the first of the
year, we will have a picture of a
baldheaded missionary to print in
the Evangelist!
Pastor Smith I
to ministry.
Eugene Bell
presented
special music,
and Darlene
Moorehead
played the
prelude and
postlude.
Born July
30, 1950, in
Knox, Ind., Elder Tom Smith
Rev. Smith is a graduate of LaPorte,
Ind., High School, attended Ball State
University and Bethel Bible College,
and is a 1995 graduate of Ashland
Theological Seminary (with a Mas-
ter of Divinity degree).
He was licensed for ministry in
the United Brethren Church in 1985.
In 1989 he became pastor of the
Denver, Ind., First Brethren Church,
where he served for two years.
While in seminary, he pastored the
Albion St. John's Community Bible
Church in Albion, Ohio. Following
his graduation from seminary, he
became pastor of the Muncie First
Brethren Church in July 1995.
Mrs. Smith, the former Paige C.
Binns, was born in Lansing, Mich.
She attended Taylor University in
10
Rev. David Cooksey (I.) gives the dec-
laration of authority as an elder to Rev.
Tom Smith, as Paige Smith looks on.
Upland, Ind. The Smiths have four
children, Jennifer (23), Thomas II
(16), Joseph (14), and Elizabeth (8).
A reception in honor of the Smiths
was held following the service.
— reported by Moderator Jerry Garrett
The Brethren Evangelist
In Memory
Former Brethren missionary Jane
King Byler, 73, died October 16 at
the Westminster Asbury Manor in
Bradenton, Fla. Jane and her hus-
band, Robert (Rob), who survives
her, served as Brethren mission-
aries in Argentina.
Jane was born December 2, 1922,
in St. James, Md., the daughter of
Brethren pastoral couple Rev. L.V.
and Bessie King. She attended ele-
mentary school in New Lebanon,
Ohio, and Mexico, Ind., and high
school at Cowan High School near
Oakville, Ind. She also attended
Ashland College, receiving an A.B.
degree in 1945.
Married in August 1945, Jane
and Rob spent the first two years of
their life together in the pastorate
of the West Alexandria, Ohio, First
Brethren Church. Feeling called to
missionary service, they spent a
year in preparation, then sailed for
Argentina on October 8, 1948. In
Argentina, Jane's college majors,
Bible and Spanish, as well as her
musical abilities on the piano,
organ, and accordion proved ex-
tremely helpful. The Bylers served
in Argentina until 1966.
In addition to her husband, Mrs.
Byler is survived by four of their
five children: Susan Batle of
Madrid, Spain; Stephen of Floyd,
Va.; Betsy Blanchard of Canberra,
Australia; and Rebecca Abuid of
Bradenton, Fla. Another son,
David, died in 1973 in a motorcycle
accident in Guatemala while en
route to South America. Also sur-
viving are four sisters — Mary
Pensel of Lake George, N.Y.; Janet
Fox of Galena, Ohio (Jane's twin
sister, who served as a missionary
in Nigeria); Beatrice Bischof of New
Paris, Ind. (who also served as a
missionary in Nigeria); and Bernice
Dersch of Sequim, Wash. — and 10
grandchildren.
Memorial services were held at
Westminster Asbury Manor and at
November 1996
Robert Kettering to head Andrew Center
Elgin, 111. — Robert D. Kettering
has been appointed interim direc-
tor of The Andrew Center, replac-
ing Paul E. R. Mundey, who resigned
as director of The Center in Sep-
tember to return to the pastorate.
The Brethren Church is a part-
ner denomination in The Andrew
Center and provides free member-
ships for all Brethren churches
that choose to join The Center.
Kettering's appointment is for a
16-month period, through Decem-
ber 1997. His position will combine
his prior roles in networking and
training for The Center, as well as
his responsibilities in New Church
Development for the General Board
of the Church of the Brethren.
A native of Hershey Pa., Ketter-
ing is a graduate of Elizabethtown
College, Elizabethtown, Pa., and of
Associated Mennonite Biblical Semi-
naries, Elkhart, Ind. He has served
in various church leadership roles
in the Church of the Brethren.
Paul Mundey,
who initiated
The Andrew
Center and
served as its di-
rector from its
inception in
1994, resigned
this position in
order to become
senior pastor of
the Frederick
Church of the
Brethren in
Frederick, Md.
This is the larg-
est congrega-
tion in the
Church of the
Brethren, with
more than
1,000 members.
Many Brethren
will remember
Mundey as a featured speaker at
General Conference in August.
The Andrew Center is a resource
center for church vitality. Its pur-
pose is "to multiply the number of
persons turning to Jesus Christ by
multiplying the number of leaders
and congregations spiritually alive
and evangelistically effective." The
Center offers four types of assis-
tance to local churches:
• Resourcing — a smorgasbord of
programs and resources for the
local church, including people,
books, study guides, banners;
• Consulting — nationally- and
regionally-known authorities for
on-sight consultations with
member congregations;
• Training — high-quality train-
ing events at regional locations
and affordable prices;
• Networking — interaction be-
tween churches in similar situ-
ations for mutual support and
idea-sharing.
Flora, Ind. — Rev. Kenneth Madison was installed as
pastor of the Flora First Brethren Church on August 25
during the morning worship service. Rev. Gene Eckerley,
Indiana District Elder, officiated at the service. Rev.
Madison accepted a call to serve the Flora Church in May
of this year, after serving more than six years as a chap-
lain in the United States Army. Rev. Madison (I.) is
shown here with his wife, Donna, and Rev. Eckerley.
In Memory continued
Missionary Village in
Bradenton. Memorial
donations may be
made to Brethren Mis-
sionary Ministries, 524
College Ave., Ashland,
OH 44805.
Coming Event
July 12-25, 1997 — Brethren Heritage Tour. A
tour of sites of Brethren, Anabaptist, and Pietist sig-
nificance in Switzerland, France, Germany, and the
Netherlands, sponsored by the Brethren Encyclope-
dia, Inc. Contact Don Durnbaugh, P.O. Box 484,
James Creek, PA 16657 (phone/fax 814-658-3222)
for brochure and more information.
11
0odfr)e
Briefly
Noted
The Mission Board of the Cen-
tral District believes in the impor-
tant of putting prayer first as the
district prepares to begin efforts in
church planting. The Mission
Board is sponsoring three prayer
events this fall. The first, a day of
prayer and fasting, was held Octo-
ber 17. Also planned are a concert
of prayer on Sunday, November 17;
and a week of prayer, with a printed
prayer guide, December 1-7.
Members of the Pleasant Hill,
Ohio, First Brethren Church
voted September 24 to adopt a pro-
posal from the church's Building
Committee for a 2,400 square foot
addition to the church building.
The addition will include a new en-
trance and hallway, pastor's study,
secretary's office, a multipurpose
classroom, restrooms for both men
and women, a utility room, and a
lift and stairway into the existing
foyer of the sanctuary. The congre-
gation decided to have 30 percent of
the cost of the project in hand be-
fore construction begins. The Build-
ing Committee is seeking bids on
the project.
The St. James, Md., Brethren
Church recently paid off the mort-
gage on a major building program
that was carried out in 1989. The
ten-year loan was paid off in 7Vz
years. The congregation celebrated
this accomplishment September 8
(Rally Day) with a mortgage-burn-
ing ceremony and a catered dinner
for the church family. Not content
to rest on their laurels, the St.
James Brethren are looking to the
future. At a recent business meet-
ing, approval was given for the de-
velopment of a comprehensive site
plan that will enable the church to
make the most efficient use of its
property in the years ahead.
Ashland University dedicates student center
Ashland, Ohio — "One of the most
exciting things that has happened
on the Ashland University campus
over the course of the last several
years," says AU President Dr. G.
William Benz, "is the planning and
construction of the new Hawkins-
Conard Student Center. It is a
spectacular addition to the cam-
pus, and I am convinced it will
serve the needs of our students
well for many years to come."
The formal dedication ceremony
for this building was held Satur-
day, October 12, during homecom-
ing weekend at the university. AU
President Emeritus Dr. Glenn L.
Clayton, who initiated the vision
for this building during his admini-
stration, offered the prayer of dedi-
cation during the ceremony.
The brick and glass building sits
in the "point" formed by the conver-
gence of Claremont Avenue and King
Road and ties together the various
parts of the university campus —
the main campus which lies east of
King Road; the two athletic build-
ings to the southwest of the new
student center; and the four build-
ings on the northwest side of Clare-
mont Avenue. A pedestrian bridge
across Claremont Avenue provides
direct access into the building from
that area of the campus.
The 55,000-square-feet, two-story
building houses offices for various
student services and student or-
ganizations, a large bookstore, a
computer lab, meeting rooms, an
auditorium, several lounges, a mail
room, a food bar and dining area,
an exercise room, and a recreation
center/game room. Many of the inside
walls are covered with photographs
and mementos from AU's past.
Total cost of the building was $6.7
million, which includes $5.5 million
for construction, $830,000 to furnish
the interior, and $372,00 for the new
pedestrian bridge.
A little over $5.2 million has al-
ready been raised, from 1,250 do-
nors. Lead donations came from Earl
and Betty Hawkins, owners of sev-
eral area supermarkets, who con-
tributed $1 million; and from the
John and Pearl Conard Foundation,
which gave $500,000. The Kresge
Foundation also awarded a challenge
grant of $600,000, which required
that the university raise $1.2 mil-
lion in matching funds. AU faculty
and staff pledged $240,000 toward
the building. AU officials expect the
building to be paid off in three years.
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( The Brethren J
Evangelis
^CH
Vol. 118, No. 11
A newsletter for Brethren people
December 1996
Roy Andrews and Ken Hunn turn the spotlight on:
Integrity in the ministry of the church
INTEGRITY is a key issue in to-
day's world. Trust has been eroded
by numerous errors in leadership
at every level of our society. The
church needs to lead the way in
the area of integrity. Jesus taught
that our "yes" and our "no" should
count for something, that we need
to be deserving of people's trust. In
this regard the local church staff,
officers, and all who represent the
church should make commitments
to integrity in the following areas:
copyright laws, financial matters,
and moral purity.
Copyright laws
Church offices must be careful not
to abuse the copy machine. Most
authors are quite willing to allow
churches to copy their magazine or
newspaper articles or portions of
books for limited distribution within
a local congregation. But the church
should obtained the author's permis-
sion before making multiple copies
of a particular work.
With the advancement of technol-
ogy, however, copyright laws no
longer cover just the printed word.
Copyrights must now be seen as the
"owner's" right to be compensated
Because the copy machine makes it
so easy to make copies of sheet music,
articles, arid other publications, it's easy
to forget that we may be doing some-
thing illegal and unethical.
for any original idea in areas such
as music, audio and video cassettes,
and computer software.
Many churches now make use of
songs and choruses that are not in
their hymnals. These are often shared
with the congregation by means of
an overhead projector, video projec-
tor, or printed bulletin insert. In
order that song writers, composers,
and publishers might be compen-
sated for the use of these songs and
choruses, Christian Copyright Li-
censing, Inc., (CCLI)* was formed.
This agency collects fees from local
*Christian Copyright Licensing, Inc., 17201
N.E. Sacramento St., Portland, OR 97230
(phone, 800-234-2446; fax, 503-257-2244).
Why not copy?
1. It's illegal. Copyright laws pro-
tect the rights of writers, composers,
publishers, recording artists, record-
ing companies, computer software
producers, etc.
2. It's unethical. People who make
illegal copies may never get caught
and prosecuted, but they neverthe-
less have done something wrong.
They have acted unethically.
3. It is unchristian. It violates at
least two biblical principles:
a. Workers deserve their wages
(Luke 10:7). When someone makes
an illegal copy of a piece of music, an
audio cassette, a video, or a com-
puter program rather than buying a
copy, the people (composers, artists,
programmers) who produced these
things are deprived of their "wages."
b. Love your neighbor as yourself
(Matt. 22:39). Reproducing the printed
or recorded material of others with-
out their permission and without
giving them appropriate compensa-
tion is not acting in Christian love.
churches based on their size and
the number of songs they use, then
pays royalties to the various art-
ists, composers, and music publish-
ers whose works have been used.
A similar agency, but one not so
well known, is Motion Picture Licens-
ing Corporation (MPLC). This agency
arranges for the legal showing and
lending of videotapes through church
libraries. MPLC is also a reasonably-
priced service that likewise bases its
fees upon church size.
A third area of copyright integ-
rity pertains to computer software.
Although many churches lag behind
the business world in their use of
computer technology, we can be on
the cutting edge of computer soft-
ware ethics. Software is copied and
shared with others at an alarming
rate, and the church must be in-
formed of such abuses in order to
avoid them.
In most cases, software is sold with
the understanding that it will be
used on only one computer. If this
is the case, and a church makes a
copy to use on a second computer or
to share with someone else, it has
Motion Picture Licensing Corporation,
5455 Centinela Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90066
(phone, 800-462-8855; fax, 310-822-4440).
In this issue
Integrity in church ministry . .
1
Love came down at Christmas
3
Owners & readers of the Word
4
In the valley of Dr. Death . . .
5
Escape from Liberia
6
Brethren Church Ministries . .
8
Around the denomination . . .
10
acted unethically (and illegally). It
should be noted that there are myr-
iad software companies in the mar-
ket, each with its own licensing agree-
ments, so consult your particular soft-
ware company about its guidelines
and conform to them voluntarily
and joyfully.
Financial matters
In the area of financial integrity,
many safeguards can be built into a
system to help reduce the possibil-
ity of errors in the handling of the
Lord's money.
First, more than one person should
be involved in the collection, count-
ing, and disbursement of funds. This
insures accountability and mini-
mizes the possibility of one person
abusing the trust of the church.
Second, record-keeping and report-
ing should be regular and thorough.
Some reports should be made weekly
or monthly, while others need only
be done on a quarterly or annual
basis. Often times a Finance Com-
mittee can help with the above-
mentioned areas. The Finance
Committee can serve as a pool of
volunteers that gives guidance in
decision-making as well as provid-
ing the human resources for the
mechanics of church finance.
A less used church committee
that has important accountability
and legal value is the Auditing
Committee. The role of this com-
mittee is to assure legal financial
credibility. This committee should
be distinct from, but work in con-
junction with, the Finance Commit-
tee to help develop proper financial
systems for the church. After help-
ing with the development of these
systems, the Auditing Committee
conducts a quarterly audit to attest
that the church has maintained
financial integrity.
A final thought about financial
The Brethren Evangelist (ISSN 0747-4288) is pub-
lished monlhly (excepl July and August issues are
combined) by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524
College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone:
419-289-1708; e-mail: Brethrench@aol.com; fax: 419-
281-0450). Authors' views are not necessarily those
of The Brethren Church. Editor: Richard C. Win-
field. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren
Church members; $14.50 per year lo others. Mem-
ber: Evangelical Press Association. Second Class
Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send
address changes to The Brethren Church, 524
College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
integrity: when working with a vol-
ume of funds from varying sources
over long periods of time, it is inevi-
table that errors will occur. If the
guidelines suggested above are fol-
lowed, it will be evident that much
care and effort is being given to be-
ing good stewards of the moneys
received, and credibility will be en-
hanced. When credibility has been
established, errors can be handled
in a healthy atmosphere without
eroding the integrity of the church.
Moral purity
Finally, the most sensitive area
of integrity is that of moral purity.
While it is a very sensitive and
potentially devastating aspect of
church ministry, it must not be
avoided or pursued as a private is-
sue. Here, as in other areas where
integrity is either gained or lost,
the key is accountability. Two ma-
jor areas seem to require the most
accountability.
The first is counseling. The rela-
tionship between counselor and
counselee is especially problematic
if certain guidelines are not followed.
Those counseling can maintain in-
tegrity by following a few time-
tested guidelines. (1) Counseling
should never be done with a mem-
ber of the opposite sex unless some-
one else is on the premises. (2) The
number of counseling appoint-
ments with a member of the oppo-
site sex and the duration of those
appointments should be limited.
Church boards can often help
those doing counseling by setting
reasonable limits and by holding
counselors accountable to those
limits. Also, a small but practical
step that can be taken is to install
windows in all church office and
classroom doors. This allows for
both confidentiality (the door can
be closed) and accountability (those
in the room can still be seen).
A second area of moral integrity
is the growing concern over the
qualifications of those who work
with children and youth in the
church. All staff and volunteers
should complete an application
that inquires about past involve-
ment with sexual molestation and
physical abuse. Workers who have
had a problem in these areas
should be screened from working
with children and youth to avoid
negligence on the part of the
church. These few individuals can
serve in other capacities within the
total ministry of the church.
"May the Brethren Church
be a light of integrity in
the darhness of our world
so that others might see
Christ in us and thus com-
mit their lives to Him!"
Another safeguard is to require
that at least two adult workers are
always present when working with
children or youth. This provides an
extra measure of accountability.
Some people may think that these
procedures are extreme and that we
in the church do not need to be overly
concerned about such matters. But
the Scriptures remind us that such
pride precedes a fall. We all need
the grace, love, and accountability
of both God and His people in our
quest for integrity in ministry. May
The Brethren Church be a light of
integrity in the darkness of our
world so that others might see
Christ in us and thus commit their
lives to Him! [ft]
Mr. Andrews is associate pastor of
the Nappanee, Ind., First Brethren
Church, and Rev. Hunn is senior pas-
tor of that congregation.
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Love Came Down at Christmas
By Brian H. Moore
The Bible says, "God is
love." We also read in the
Scriptures that Jesus is Em-
manuel, "God with us." If we
combine these two truths, we
conclude that "Love Came
Down at Christmas" (as the
title of a Christian musical
states it).
Christmas is not the begin-
ning of the greatest love
story ever told, but it is one
of the greatest chapters in
that story. It is not the begin-
ning of the story of God's
love for a lost human race,
but it is a major turning point
in that unfolding drama.
We have heard the Christ-
mas story again and again.
Yet the wonder of that story
never seems to wear off.
Even though we may sigh a
bit when we think of all the
added activities that go with
the Christmas season, we still
get excited all over again when
we remember that in an ut-
terly unique way, God came
to earth to live among us!
The world is hurting. Some
say that it is terminally ill.
According to some, the peo-
ple in the world can be clas-
sified into three categories:
the oppressed, the oppres-
sors, and the callused who
don't care. No matter what
our station in life is, every;
one of us needs to hear once
(or again) how divine love
took human form in order
that we could get close to
God and begin to pay atten-
tion to one another with re-
spect, dignity, and worth.
Since love came down to
us at Christmas, I have a
Christmas challenge for each
of us: let us each make a
special effort this Christmas
season to reflect God's love to
at least one person whom we
have ignored, or perhaps even
hurt, during the past year.
Christmas is no time for
barriers. God broke through
to us. Will we make an effort
to tear down the barriers
that seem to keep getting in
the way of our relationships
with others? If we meet this
challenge, I can guarantee
that both you and that other
person will have a happier
New Year.
Dr. Moore Is pastor of the St.
James, Md., Brethren Church.
Let us at all costs avoid the temptation to make our Christmas
worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a
realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ
came, into the city where there was no room for him, and into a
country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king.
He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world
but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us
away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us
peace — his peace — in our hearts, by which we may be calmly
steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn
world the healing that is peace.
— William Temple
The essential point, as I see it,
about Christ's birth is that it was so
poor and humble. The Son of God
was born into the world, not as a
prince, but as a pauper. So, to
deck out the legendary scene of
this nativity with precious hang-
ings, pictures, glittering lamps, and
other ornamentation, is to destroy
whatever valid symbolism it might
otherwise have. Truly, we human
beings have a wonderful faculty for
thus snatching fantasy from the
jaws of truth.
— Malcom Muggeridge
Jesus Rediscovered
We need to see afresh the stark
humility of God's irreversible deci-
sion to become man. We need to
see with clear fresh eyes that we
live on a visited planet and that by
God's choice God and man are
irrevocably joined together. Only
the Christian faith dares to state
that God really became man, that
from the time of that event, now
nearly two thousand years old,
God has identified himself with
man. Our values, our treatment of
our fellows, our quality of living,
indeed our whole attitude towards
life and death derive ultimately
from what happened in the stable
of an inn. That is why with rever-
ent imagination and with humble
minds we must year by year look
backwards to the first Christmas.
— J.B. Phillips
Backwards to Christmas
December 1996
Owners— and readers— of the Word
A RECENT SURVEY by Barna
Research Group confirmed
what many of us already knew:
most Americans own a Bible, but
a lot of them never read it. The
nationwide phone survey of 1,000
adults was commissioned by Tyn-
dale House Publishers in conjunc-
tion with its introduction of the
Holy Bible, New Living Translation.
The survey found that nine out of
ten Americans own a Bible, but near-
ly half (45 percent) seldom or never
actually read it. (I wonder what a
survey of 1,000 Brethren across
the nation would have revealed?)
Americans clearly value the Bible.
Survey respondents named it as
the "most influential" book in the
course of human history by an over-
whelming margin (80 percent). Dr.
Spock's Common Sense Book of
Baby and Child Care and Darwin's
Origin of the Species were a distant
second and third, with five and four
percent of the votes respectively. But
despite the Bible's perceived value,
only one in five adults turn to it at
least once a week, and only one in
six adults (17 percent) read it daily.
Why it's not read
The top three most common rea-
sons for not reading the Bible are:
1. Not enough time — 59 percent.
One wonders if they have time to
watch television and/or read the
newspaper. Perhaps it's a matter of
priorities. Besides, it only takes
five to ten minutes to read a chap-
ter; most people could find that
much time each day.
2. It's too difficult to understand
— 40 percent. Nobody said it was
going to be easy, but things of value
often aren't. Nevertheless, a con-
temporary translation can help —
which is one of the reasons Tyndale
has published the Holy Bible, New
Living Translation. Some other ver-
sions that make the Bible more un-
derstandable are Today's English
Version, The Living Bible, and The
Message. And lots of Bible helps are
also available.
3. It's irrelevant to my life — 36
percent. It's obvious that those who
said this have not read and under-
stood the Bible. God's word deals
with the ultimate issues of life, both
for time and eternity.
What would it take?
When readers and non-readers
were asked what would make them
more likely to turn to the Bible,
"personal crisis" topped the list at
62 percent. (And we wonder why God
allows misfortune to enter our lives!)
Sixty-one percent said "practical
ideas for living a better life" might
cause them to turn to the Bible. (The
Some suggestions for
getting started
with daily Bible reading
1. Decide to do it. Daily Bible
reading begins with an act of the
will. Say to yourself (and to God),
This is something I'm going to do."
2. Set a time to do it (allow at
least 10 to 15 minutes). If you don't
put it into your daily schedule, you
won't get around to it. Some people
prefer morning, but any time of
day is okay. The best time is a time
when you are at your best (not
when you're groggy or sleepy).
3. Use a version you can under-
stand. See the main article for
some suggestions.
4. Start in the New Testament.
In fact, the Gospel of Luke is a good
place to begin, followed by the Book
of Acts. Then continue with another
Gospel (perhaps John), followed by
some of the shorter letters of Paul.
Then dip into the Old Testament
(one or more of the following — the
Psalms, Genesis, Exodus, Joshua,
Ruth, Proverbs), followed by more
of the New Testament.
4. Work your way through a book;
don't jump around. This is the best
way to understand the message.
5. Read slowly, thoughtfully, in
order to understand what God's
word says, not in order to read so
many chapters a day. But try to
read at least one chapter daily.
6. Ask God to help you under-
stand and live by His word.
How do you read the Bible?
Are you a regular reader of God's
word? If so, you are invited to share
your method of doing so with others.
Perhaps they can learn from you.
In a few paragraphs, tell about such
things as how you got started, when
during the day you read, how much
time you spend, how many chapters
you read a day, your reading method,
what version you use, and any Bible-
study helps you use. Also share some
of the blessings you have received.
Send to Editor, The Brethren Evan-
gelist, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH
44805 for possible publication.
Bible is full of such ideas!) Nearly
half — 48 percent — would read it if
they "had more free time." (Maybe
they need to pay the price to make
that free time.) And 46 percent
would be more likely if it were writ-
ten "in a language which was easier
to understand." (Have they checked
out any of the new versions?)
What about you?
What about you? If you had been
contacted for this survey, how
would you have answered these
questions? Are you part of the 17
percent who read the Bible daily? If
so, praise the Lord! Keep it up.
Are you in the 20 percent who
read it at least once a week but not
every day? If so, you've made a good
start, but we "urge you in the Lord
Jesus to do this more and more," as
the Apostle Paul said in a somewhat
different context (1 Thess. 4:1, Niv).
Work at finding the time — and the
will — to read it every day.
Or are you in the 80 percent who
read it less than once a week or
even among the 45 percent who read
it rarely or never? If so, why?
Which of the common reasons for
not reading the Bible given above
would you claim? Or do you have
some other answer?
Whatever your reason, is it valid?
Or is it just an excuse? Maybe you
ought to reconsider (see suggestions
at left). After all, the Bible itself
talks about the joy and happiness
of those who delight in God's law
(His word), who meditate on it day
and night (see Psalm 1 in some easy-
to-read version). You just might be
missing out on a good thing. [ir]
— Richard C. Winfield, editor
The Brethren Evangelist
Walking in the valley of Dr. Death
By Charles W. Colson
Editor's note: Most of us know of
Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who has become
famous (infamous) for helping people
end their lives. But few of us have
heard of Cardinal Adam Maida, who
is seeking to counteract Kevorkian's
deadly work. Cardinal Maida's exam-
ple reminds us of the good going on
around us and challenges us to do
more about the evil in our world
than just wring our hands.
THERE IS NO PLEASURE walk-
ing in the shadow of Dr. Death,
whose proficiency with carbon mon-
oxide and lethal chemical compounds
has made him the stuff of legend
in the news pages. Yet such is the
fate of Cardinal Adam Maida, arch-
bishop of Detroit. While Jack Kevor-
kian has been busy dispatching the
despairing, Maida is taking enor-
mous risks to snatch Kevorkian's
potential clientele from his fatal
ministrations.
Maida's story is unfamiliar to
most Americans, save those in the
Detroit area, where he is going
head-to-head with Kevorkian. This
is largely explained by the fact that
the nation's premier exterminator
has slowly but surely become some-
thing of a folk hero, even to the
point of being held up as a coura-
geous pioneer — a Meriwether Lewis
for the culture of death. One almost
forgets the gruesome nature of Kevor-
kian's one-man mission, which is
doing much to bring about the day
when "assisted suicide" gives way
to full-blown euthanasia.
A story of real courage
All this, by comparison, makes
Cardinal Maida's story compelling.
His is a story of real courage — the
courage to face life's unavoidable
pain and tragedy without giving in.
On the very day Kevorkian as-
sisted in the suicide — a.k.a. execu-
tion by lethal injection — of his 33rd
patient, Maida publicly invited
anyone in the Detroit area who was
depressed enough to seek the serv-
ices of either Kevorkian or an abor-
tion clinic to call the archdiocese
first. Those who did would not re-
December 1996
ceive a scolding or a lecture. In-
stead, the cardinal had promised to
do "whatever it takes" to help call-
ers choose life over death.
It is at this point that the cynics
will say "Gotcha!" What does the
cardinal plan to do, for example,
when a terminally ill pregnant
woman rings up? Quite simply, he
will pay her medical bills and make
arrangements for the child to be
cared for after the mother's death.
What if the archdiocese is flooded
with calls from pregnant teenagers
who can't afford a child? The cardi-
nal is ready, he says, to lose it all.
"If the public takes me seriously,"
he says, "we'll go broke."
The public is taking him seriously.
Over about a two-month period,
more than 500 people in various
stages of desperation have sought
help. One assumes that among those
experiencing sleepless nights in
Detroit is the archdiocese's asset
manager.
A terrible slander
A favorite canard of the abortion
conglomerate is that pro-lifers are
only interested in children before
they're born and that they are quite
content to abandon them to a hos-
tile and uncaring world after they
come to term. As one who almost
daily works with people whose lives
are dedicated to helping others,
even to the point of physical and
f *
"Maida and his allies are not
only fighting for individuals.
They 're fighting for the soul
of our nation . . . . "
> /
financial exhaustion, I have a par-
ticular antipathy toward this terri-
ble slander.
Yet I'm afraid that by ignoring
good works like those of the cardi-
nal, the media often do nothing to
remind us of how much good goes
on around us. Make no mistake:
This is not merely the story of one
man's supreme effort against the
forces of despair. The cardinal has
had little trouble finding allies in
the war against Kevorkian.
Maida has mobilized a number of
church social agencies, including
three health care providers, to co-
ordinate a united effort called Proj-
ect Life. When people in crisis call
the project's hotline, they are di-
rected to the appropriate agencies
for medical, emotional, and finan-
cial assistance.
So fifteen Detroit women have cho-
sen to give up their babies for adop-
tion rather than terminate their
pregnancies. At this rate, Maida and
his volunteers will soon have saved
more people than Dr. Death has dis-
patched. Perhaps Zero Population
Growth will lodge a complaint.
Stranger things have happened.
We should remember that Maida
stands in a long tradition of Catho-
lic public service, and that his plea
has recent precedents. Two years
ago at the National Prayer Break-
fast in Washington, D.C., Mother
Teresa pleaded with women consid-
ering abortion. "Please don't kill the
child. I want the child. Please give
me the child." Skeptics would say
that this was mere grandstanding,
yet Mother Teresa's life story of at-
tending to the poorest of the poor
makes clear that it was not.
A special urgency
We will need many more Teresas
and Maidas in the years to come.
For there is now, to my mind, a
special urgency in pleading the pro-
life case. We live in an age in which
there already exist some categories
of human life that can be legally
exterminated: life in the womb, for
starters, and Kevorkian's willing
clientele, many of whom seem to be
suffering from depression.
It is my fear, in times of future
crisis, that there will be attempts to
expand these categories — first to the
elderly, then perhaps to the handi-
capped, and from there to history's
traditional scapegoats. Maida and
his allies are not only fighting for
individuals. They're fighting for the
soul of our nation, whose darkest
nights may lie just ahead. [ft]
Charles W. Colson fieads Prison Fel-
lowship International, an evangelical
Christian ministry to the imprisoned
and their families.
Copyright © 1996 Religion News Service
ESCAPE FROM LIBERIA
By Bonne Steffen
Ruth and Brian Johnson at General
Conference this past August.
Editor's note: Brian Johnson, the sub-
ject of the following article, spoke at the
World Relief Soup Lunch at General
Conference this past August. Liberia,
where he serves, is the focus of a special
World Relief emphasis in The Brethren
Church. At Conference, Brethren were
challenged to sponsor "Fifty-Fifty" proj-
ects through which $50 is loaned to each
of 50 Liberian women to enable them to
operate small businesses. (See page 3 of
the October issue for more details.)
The article below first appeared in the
November/ December 1996 issue of Chris-
tian Reader and is reprinted here by per-
mission of that magazine. Bonne Steffen
is an editor for that publication.
THE 8 x 10 family photograph for
sale in the Monrovian market-
place in May 1996 looked familiar to
the family friend of World Reliefs
Liberian Director Brian Johnson. On
a second glance, the truth hit: It is
the Johnsons with their four children!
The Johnsons' friend knew it was
one possession that the family treas-
ured— taken at gunpoint from their
home during six days of terror. But
with no money to buy it, the photo-
graph soon disappeared into some-
one else's hands. The memories of
what had happened weeks before as
war ripped through Monrovia would
take much longer to fade away.
More than two-and-a-half years ago,
Brian Johnson, 47, returned to Liberia
with Christian agency World Relief.
He and his family had been forced to
leave in 1989 when civil war erupted
after the unsuccessful attempt of
rebel Charles Taylor to overthrow
Liberian President Samuel Doe.
Eventually Doe would be murdered
by another disgruntled tribesman.
Johnson had first come to the coun-
try as a missionary in 1973. He met
and fell in love with Ruth, a Liberian,
when she volunteered to help him wash
his clothes by hand. They married
and raised four children in Liberia
and enjoyed the peaceful times. But
with political instability, they braced
themselves for what could happen at
a moment's notice.
After the 1989-90 civil war, the
Johnsons returned to Liberia. Hope
for a unified country was strong.
Ruth was busy assisting Brian and
home-schooling their two daughters,
Keyshia, 14, and Kristina, 15. Two
older children, Tangie and Nyutu,
were in college in the United States.
A dangerous role
But Brian's new role with World
Relief was dangerous. His assign-
ment was to get the country's tribal
and factional leaders to work to-
gether peacefully as well as challeng-
ing the churches to do the same. At a
December 1994 reconciliation confer-
ence, nearly 700 church leaders from
16 tribal groups and 23 denomina-
tions assembled. This conference suc-
cessfully launched the Association of
Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL) into
relief and development work, an in-
stitute for missions, and programs
geared to church renewal.
Politically, in 1990 ECOMOG, a
West African peacekeeping group,
stepped in to quell the hostilities. But
violence continued randomly through-
out the country. In May 1995, Ruth
Johnson's father, aunt, and two cous-
ins were murdered in a village raid
two hundred miles from Monrovia —
three weeks before another reconcili-
ation conference.
The West African peacekeepers
proposed a new strategy in March
1995: ask three factional leaders and
three civilians to move to Monrovia
and work together as the country's
collective leadership for a year. At
the end of that year, a national elec-
tion would determine who would run
the country. Johnson admits the pro-
posed political change seemed strange:
putting warlords into leadership
roles didn't seem to be a step in the
right direction. His hunch was right.
As each warlord arrived in the capi-
tal, each gradually brought heavily-
armed fighters. Monrovia swelled
with young thugs — some only eight
or ten years old. They were made to
feel grown-up with a steady supply of
drugs and weapons. It was only a
matter of time before trouble ignited.
The struggle intensifies
Less than a year after the six-mem-
ber State Council was established,
men were killed near the house of one
factional leader. The others in power
tried to arrest him on a murder charge,
but he wouldn't surrender. His claim
was that all warlords were guilty of
murder. If he were arrested, every
warlord should be arrested. When
they attacked his house, he escaped.
The struggle for control intensified.
The stakes were high. Liberia is a
country rich in resources. The areas
teeming with diamonds, gold, timber,
and rubber were all held by different
factions. Selling resources — most
traffic coming into Liberia from the
Ivory Coast — fed the power-hungry
warlords, who bought weapons.
Though Johnson rejoiced at the
changed lives witnessed at the
reconciliation conferences, he knew
his work was facing a formidable
foe — the business of war.
The tension builds
At first the fears were mentioned
only in discreet conversations, as
atrocities in the country's interior
were reported on the radio. But in
March, a warlord's son (a longtime
family friend) visited the Johnsons at
their home, seven miles from Mon-
rovia. When daughter Tangie (visit-
ing from the States) came out with
water for him, a teenage boy ran over
from a nearby basketball court,
knocked the pitcher out of her hand,
and said angrily, "You didn't give me
a drink. Why are you giving water to
a murderer's son?" Trying to remain
calm but shaking inside from the
vicious verbal exchange, Tangie ex-
plained that he was a friend. Nothing
more happened.
Tension was rapidly building. The
Johnsons' shortwave radio tuned to
The Brethren Evangelist
the embassy station continually re-
peated, "All Americans stay home to-
day. Don't go into the streets."
But there was work to be done. The
first week of April, Brian was helping
unload 12 World Relief food contain-
ers waiting in port, supplies which
would be looted by rebels in th*1 next
few days. With the tribal leaders in
Monrovia, he hoped the city would
avoid violence. Then, as hundreds of
rebels poured into Monrovia's streets,
shooting erupted, and anarchy ruled.
A terrifying game
Brian managed to get safely back to
his house. Young rebels with familiar
faces — children and teenagers whom
the Johnsons had fed and
clothed — now began to harass
the neighborhood. First, they
came for vehicles. Carrying AK-
47s, huge knives, and anti-air-
craft weapons, they called each
other by Hollywood names like
"Rambo." To the Johnsons' horror,
the rebels seemed to be playing
a game, boasting of how many
people they had killed. Most of
them were high on drugs.
Over the next three days, dif-
ferent warring bands came to
the house ten times to demand
possessions. Day or night, the
Johnsons never knew when the
next band of rebels would ap-
pear. Meanwhile, missionaries and
people from different tribes sought
shelter in the Johnsons' home, in-
cluding some from the tribe that had
murdered Ruth's family.
When a gang of rebels came to the
house, Brian would step out in front
of the house to hear their demands,
knowing that if they discovered who
was inside, everyone would be killed.
Befriending people from other tribes
and factions was now deadly.
Over the radio, the Johnsons could
hear people throughout the city plead-
ing for help. Their cries mingled with
the prayers of the Johnsons and their
friends, scattered in every room, in
the hallway, away from any windows.
Without weapons, everyone in the
house knew they couldn't resist the
rebels' demands. After everything
had been looted, one gang made a
more frightening threat: "We'll be
back for your women."
That night, Wednesday, April 10,
three rebels, each about 18 years old,
came to the Johnsons' porch. Brian,
as he had done previously, came out
and sat down. He didn't want the gun-
December 1996
men to simply walk into the house.
For 45 minutes no one said any-
thing. One rebel was smoking mari-
juana; a second stood with head down,
exhausted; the third was sitting near
Johnson. All cradled AK-47s on their
laps. Johnson closed his eyes and
silently prayed.
After an hour, he couldn't stand the
strain any more. He slowly stood up
and went into the house. No one
moved.
At first, Johnson stood behind the
door, thinking the gunmen would try
to break it down. Then he lay down
on the floor, praying for four hours.
At daybreak, to Brian's surprise, the
gunmen simply walked away.
Brian knew he had to get everyone
to move, and move quickly. On the
mission compound was an old bus.
Groups of looters had noticed it, but
though each group had talked about
stealing it, none had. The tires were
flat, and Brian knew it took a half
hour to warm up. But it was their
only hope.
Thirty people jammed into the bus.
Amazingly, when the driver turned
the ignition key, the motor started
right up. He drove across the street to
the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM)
and radio station ELWA compound.
A ten-minute warning
Brian told the driver to go around
to the mission's air pump and fill the
tires. Just when everyone got inside,
the American embassy radioed a
message to SIM: "You have ten min-
utes to prepare for evacuation. An
armed convoy will arrive at the mis-
sion to get any foreigners out. If
you're not ready in ten minutes,
you'll be left behind."
Brian couldn't believe God's timing
and provision — the prompting to
leave early that morning with bags
packed and the "miracle bus." And
they were able to take other mission-
aries, too. Without the bus, the mis-
sionaries would have been stranded.
Within ten minutes, the embassy
convoy arrived.
Keep up or else
"We're going to drive very fast and
you must keep up with us," the leader
said. "If you don't keep up, we can't
wait for you."
Now behind the wheel, Brian
placed himself in the middle of the
20-vehicle convoy. They careened
through the back streets of Monrovia
amid heavy shooting and the smoke
from burning buildings. The
seven-mile ride to the military
base seemed to last forever. Ar-
riving unharmed, they waited
until the next day before a heli-
copter arrived to make the final
evacuation to Sierra Leone.
The Johnsons were among the
last Americans to be airlifted
out of Liberia. They had lost all
their belongings and left Ruth's
family and friends behind. More
than six months later, Ruth
Johnson still thinks every day
about the people left behind,
homeless and starving. She
misses little items — the draw-
ings her children made, the fam-
ily photos. Important documents that
were stolen will be difficult to replace.
There are moments when Keyshia
and Kristina can laugh over the ab-
surdity of what they went through,
but they also miss their Liberian
friends. In June, a suitcase full of
home-schooling books that had to be
left behind during the evacuation
found its way back to the Johnsons.
The two teenagers were able to com-
plete their studies this summer.
Brian has returned to Liberia twice
since April to help with relief pro-
jects. Faced with the enormity of the
country's losses, he just wants to do
what he can to relieve the suffering.
Each time he returns to the U.S., it's
a culture shock from the painful real-
ity of what he sees in Liberia. Trying
to get back to a "normal American
life" isn't important.
Liberia's current interim govern-
ment vows to disarm the country by
the end of this year and prepare for
free elections in May 1997. Johnson
and the countless relief workers who
are in and out of the country pray for
healing on this land. [ft]
Brethren Church Ministries
Brethren Ministries in Transition
By Emanuel Sandberg
IN AUGUST 1996, General Con-
ference approved a proposal to
change the organizational structure
of The Brethren Church at the de-
nominational level. Instead of hav-
ing a General Conference Executive
Council and a Missionary Board of
the Brethren Church, both answer-
able to General Conference, the
new organization consists of one
Executive Board that oversees the
work of two ministries councils, the
Congregational Ministries Council
and the Missionary Ministries
Council. The Executive Board, un-
der the leadership of the Executive
Director, is responsible to cast a
unified vision for The Brethren
Church and its ministries.
Implementing the organizational
changes approved by General Con-
ference will be a relatively straight-
forward administrative process. For
example, the accounting, person-
nel, and budgeting systems will be
integrated. Some staff assignments
will be modified.
Communication and accountably
When the organizational changes
are complete, I believe it will be
easier for Brethren to understand
all operations at the National Office.
Our communication with Brethren
churches and members should be
improved, and program efficiency
should also be enhanced. As changes
are made, budget review and pro-
gram accountability should also be
Current Model for Denominational Organization
Brethren Churches and Districts
General Conference
Executive Board
Congregational
Ministries
Council
improved. However, we all know
that organizations do not solve
problems, people do.
Our common purpose
The purpose of Brethren Church
Ministries has been to do those
things together that we are unable
Dr. "Buzz"
Sandberg is
Director of
Transition
and Interim
Director of
Congrega-
tional Minis-
tries for The
Brethren
Church.
to do as separate congregations — to
expand the ministry of Christ in
the world, to disciple Brethren peo-
ple toward spiritual maturity, and
to equip them for ministry to their
communities and the world. In the
new organization, that purpose will
be fulfilled through Congregational
Ministries programs under the fol-
lowing functions:
• Equipping for Outreach
• Discipling Brethren People
• Training Growth Leaders
• Enhancing Pastoral Leadership
• Revitalizing Local Churches
It is my plan, as the Director of
Transition, that the National Office
will operate as a "service center" to
the local churches, and it is my
hope that the
National Office
programs and
staff will be
utilized by the
local congrega-
tions to help
local churches
do God's work.
The National
Office does not
supervise or di-
rect the minis-
try of the local
churches, their
pastors or
members. It is
Missionary
Ministries
Council
my vision that the National Office
will function as a servant leader to
the denomination, and that with
the individual congregations we
will see ourselves as a community
committed to one another, using
our joint spiritual gifts to build up
the body of Christ.
We are accountable to you. If we
are busy but do not serve congrega-
tions that need and want help, we
are wasting God's gifts; if we offer
programs that do not serve the
whole congregation, we are ignor-
ing the needs of the congregation;
and if we balance our budget but do
not serve the needs of our congrega-
tions, we have not been good stew-
ards with God's resources.
I believe that being busy, offering
programs, or balancing our budget
is not how you should measure our
effectiveness. The questions you
should ask us are, "How many con-
gregations did we serve? Was our
service active or reactive? Do the
congregations feel they are indi-
vidually served?" Of these ques-
tions, the last one is the most im-
portant.
A survey of needs
In our focus on the individual
congregation, it is critical in consid-
ering new program initiatives that
we know what the needs of each
congregation are, as seen by the
pastor, lay leaders, and individual
members of the congregation.
Therefore, in the near future, you
will be asked to identify the needs
of your congregation and the com-
The Brethren Evangelist
Brethren Church Ministries
munity in which you worship and
serve. Your candid participation is
necessary to our developing a posi-
tive, active service program. This
survey of needs will be conducted in
January.
Brethren and the Great Commission
As a people who love God, Bretb -
ren have voiced their support for
the Great Commission that Jesus
gave to His disciples: "Go, then, to
all peoples everywhere and make
them my disciples: baptize them in
the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, and teach
them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And I will be with
you always, to the end of the age"
(Matt. 28:19-20, TEV). But it ap-
pears that our action in support of
this mandate has been weak. Con-
sider these results in the ten years
from 1985-1995:
• Membership in the denomination
showed a net loss of almost 1,000
(about 7 percent)
• More than 60 percent of our
churches lost members
• When defined as a ten percent mem-
bership gain over the ten-year
period, less than one third of all
Brethren churches were growing.
We do not expect individual mem-
bers and local congregations to be
concerned primarily about overall
church growth in the denomination.
But we do expect them to be con-
cerned about whether their own con-
gregations are growing or declining.
We need to address our perform-
ance in carrying out the Great Com-
mission and ask ourselves, "Where
have I represented Christ? Whom
have I told about Jesus? How have I
helped someone to grow? How have
we supported the evangelism and
church-planting programs of our
denomination and of our district?"
We expect that when local con-
gregational needs become more
clearly defined, there will be new
program developments that will be
offered to Brethren pastors, lay
members, and congregations. Al-
ready we are taking the first steps
to initiate the following:
• A schedule of "in service" or "con-
tinuing education" programs, de-
veloped in cooperation with our
seminary, designed to help pas-
December 1996
tors and lay members become
more effective servant leaders in
their congregations.
• The development of staff and cur-
riculum at our seminary to sup-
port the planting of Brethren
churches and to offer programs in
evangelism designed to help indi-
vidual congregations and clusters
of local churches to reach the un-
churched in their community. (In
the process we will serve God —
and amass the resources we need.)
• A new Brethren student fellow-
ship for all Brethren students cur-
rently in Ashland attending
either our university or our sem-
inary. The ideas is to encourage
Manager of Stewardship
and Planned Giving
James M. Frado, Jr., joined the
National Office staff on December 1
as Manager of Stewardship and
Planned Giving Services. The focus
of this
part-time
position
will be on
providing
assist-
ance pro-
grams
and con-
sultation
services
to indi-
v i d u a 1
James M. Frado, Jr. Brethren
congregations, as well as coordinat-
ing denomination-wide stewardship
programs.
Jim has a 17 -year history of ac-
complishment in the financial serv-
ices industry. In assignments with
banking and insurance companies,
he successfully developed and man-
aged a variety of investment/insur-
ance programs. He holds licenses in
professional investment as well as
in life and health insurance. He was
educated at the University of Mary-
land at Baltimore County and at the
American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Jim, his wife, Karen, and their
three children moved to Ashland in
September from Linwood, Md.,
where they were members of the
Linwood Brethren Church. Both Jim
and Karen are enrolled in the Mas-
ter of Divinity program at Ashland
Theological Seminary. The family
attends the Ashland Park Street
Brethren Church, where Jim plays
keyboard with the praise band.
friendship with other students
with a Brethren background, but
also to help our students become
servant leaders.
• Appointment of a professional staff
person to assist the local churches
and the National Office in the
areas of stewardship and planned
giving. This part-time position
was authorized by the Executive
Board at its November meeting.
(See box below at left.)
Sources of financial support
The Brethren Church National
Office and ministries are supported
financially through several sources:
$ Fair share support from
Brethren churches
$ Individual gifts
$ Special offerings
$ Sale of publications and
Sunday school materials
$ Income from the Home Mis-
sions Endowment Fund and
Brethren Church Founda-
tion Endowment Fund
$ Dividends from The Carpen-
ter's Shop, our subsidiary
$ Wills, bequests, and other
special gifts
December is one of the months
throughout the year when we focus
on the denominational-wide minis-
tries of The Brethren Church. Your
gift this month in support of Con-
gregational or Missionary Minis-
tries will be sincerely appreciated.
As we near the end of this cen-
tury, I see wonderful opportunities
for Brethren to serve each other,
their communities, and most impor-
tantly, to serve God. It is time for
us, individually and as a denomina-
tion, to re-evaluate and adjust our
goals to fit the possibilities before us.
Our denominational theme for the
coming year is "Grasp the Vision."
It is time for us to experience a
profound renewal of our vision as a
denomination. We have so many
reasons why we can't do things —
we think small, we act small, and
we dream small. But God is calling
The Brethren Church to be a leader
in the evangelical movement and
to be a Great Commission Church,
advancing God's Kingdom. I pray
that we will quit playing church,
and — with faith in the future —
start serving God! [ft]
ic&SggLct
Search beginning for
Executive Director
The Executive Board of The
Brethren Church has begun the
search for an Executive Director, a
new position created by the de-
nominational reorganization plan
approved at General Conference
in August.
The Executive Director will be
expected to give visionary leader-
ship to The Brethren Church and to
guide and coordinate National Of-
fice staff in fulfilling the priorities
and ministries of the denomination.
Both nominations and applica-
tions for this position are invited.
Qualifications include: member in
good standing of The Brethren
Church; a love for the church; ex-
emplary Christian character; ad-
vanced academic degree; past suc-
cess in demonstrating visionary
leadership; appropriate manage-
ment and leadership style; posi-
tive references.
Applications and nominations
will be received until January 10,
1997. They should be addressed
to: Search Committee, The Breth-
ren Church, 524 College Ave.,
Ashland OH 44805. All persons
nominated will be contacted and
given an opportunity to apply for
the position. For more informa-
tion, write to the above address or
call the national office at 419-289-
1708 and ask for Berniece Miller.
The Search Committee will re-
view the applications and select
candidates whose applications will
be presented to the Executive
Board. The candidate selected by
the board will be presented to
the 1997 General Conference for
approval.
Executive Board, Ministries Councils
Meet November 8 and 9 in Ashland
Ashland, Ohio — Every district
of The Brethren Church was repre-
sented at the November 8 and 9
meetings of the Executive Board,
Congregational Ministries Council,
and Missionary Ministries Council.
These were the first full meetings
of these newly formed groups, which
met only briefly at General Confer-
ence to organize. Following are
highlights of the meetings:
Executive Board
Dr. Emanuel ("Buzz") Sandberg
was introduced as the Director of
Transition. (See page 8 of the Novem-
ber Evangelist for information about
Dr. Sandberg). He reviewed plans
for the transition to the denomina-
tional organization approved by
General Conference in August and
outlined basic changes being made
to create an administrative serv-
ices unit in the National Office to
care for financial, publication, and
stewardship services.
A committee of five members
(Fred Finks, Arden Gilmer, Doug
Little, John Shultz, and Lee Solo-
mon) was appointed to implement a
survey of congregational needs. (See
page 8 for more about this survey.)
A search committee (Brenda Colijn,
Arden Gilmer, Buzz Sandberg, John
Shultz, and Reilly Smith) was ap-
pointed to begin the selection proc-
ess for an Executive Director of The
Brethren Church. (See box at left.)
The board approved the sale of
the three Brethren House proper-
ties in St. Petersburg, Fla., owned
by the Missionary Board.
The Director of Transition was
authorized to recruit and employ a
person part time to fill the position
of Director of Stewardship and
Planned Giving. (See page 9.)
Missionary Ministries Council:
This council reviewed the budget
prepared by its budget committee
and recommended it to the Execu-
tive Board for approval.
Director Reilly Smith reported that
Brethren House Ministries is closed.
The council forwarded two resolu-
tions and a recommendation to the
10
Executive Board in order to facili-
tate the sale of the properties.
Director Smith also reported that
he and Dr. Juan Carlos Miranda
will go to Colombia, South Amer-
ica, in December to evaluate the
field and to begin preparations for
the arrival of Marcelo and Adriana
Ferreri, missionaries from The
Brethren Church in Argentina.
The council's working relation-
ship with Dynamic Church Plant-
ing International (DCPI) was re-
viewed. The council will work with
DCPI to: develop a national strat-
egy for starting new churches; cre-
ate a climate for starting churches;
recruit, assess, and train church-
planting pastors and mentors; re-
cruit a director of new church de-
velopment; and develop an ongoing
assessment and training program
for The Brethren Church. The coun-
cil will also work with Ashland Theo-
logical Seminary to establish an
academic chair in church planting.
The Kumars and Todd and Tracy
Ruggles will be in the United
States in 1997. Sudhir Kumar is
studying in India and may go to
Australia for a year before attempt-
ing to come to the United States to
study at Ashland Theological Sem-
inary. The Living HOPE Brethren
Church in Medina, Ohio, will be the
Growth Partners project for 1997.
Five Brethren congregations from
the Peru, Ind., area plan to start a
new Brethren church in the Eagles
Pointe community at Grissom Air
Force Base in Indiana.
Congregational Ministries Council:
Dr. Sandberg was introduced as
the Interim Director of Congrega-
tional Ministries, in addition to his
responsibilities as Director of Tran-
sition. He reported to the council
about the survey commissioned by
the Executive Board. The council
will use the results of this survey to
help determine its programming
initiatives for 1997.
The council approved the continued
existence of the Committee on Doc-
trine, Research, and Publication. The
(continued on back page)
The Brethren Evangelist
0odJ/ie
Sarasota, Fla., names park
in honor of Dr. J.D. Hamel
Sarasota, Fla. — The City of Sara-
sota showed its appreciation to Dr.
J.D. "Bud" Hamel, former pastor
and now Pastor Emeritus of the
Sarasota First Brethren Church,
for his 37 years of volunteer serv-
ice to the Sarasota community by
naming a park in his honor. On
Veterans Day (November 11) the
area around the Veterans Memo-
rial in Sarasota was named Chap-
lain J.D. Hamel Park.
The ceremony to name the park,
which followed the Veterans Day
parade, included speeches by the
mayor, the chief of the Fire Depart-
ment, the vice-president of the Viet-
nam Veterans of Sarasota-Manatee
Counties, and Janet Solomon,
Hamel's daughter. A male quartet
including Hamel's son, John, sang
"A Few Good Men," and the Sailor
Marching Band from Sarasota
High School performed.
Hamel was honored for his volun-
teer service as chaplain of the City
Fire Department, the State Fire De-
partment, and the Sarasota Police
Department, as well as his
other ministry to the peo-
ple of Sarasota. Hamel, 73,
who is suffering from ter-
minal cancer, was able to
attend the ceremony in his
chaplain's uniform. He
even surprised the mayor
by standing and saying a
few words.
The ceremony was more
than a personal honor for
Dr. Hamel. Through his
words, the speech of his
daughter Janet, and the
music of the quartet, the
gospel of Jesus Christ was
presented to the crowd of
hundreds in attendance.
God was glorified because
His servant was faithful.
— reported by Rev. David Stone
Bloomingdale Brethren to help
build church in the gates of Haiti
Valrico, Fla. — The Bloomingdale
Brethren Church wants to do some-
thing to help the suffering people of
Haiti and to further the spread of
the gospel of Christ in that country.
Therefore the men of the church
plan to assist with construction of
a worship and education facility
for a non-denominational church
in a suburb just outside the capital
city, Port-au-Prince.
The building is being fabricated
by volunteers from a local Baptist
church and will be shipped to Haiti
by Agape flights, a non-profit cou-
rier that helps missionaries in the
Caribbean. In late January or early
February, 20 people from the United
States will be needed to go to Haiti
and spend a week constructing the
church building and working on
other projects for churches there.
Haiti is an economically depressed
country with the lowest per-capita
income of any nation in the West-
ern Hemisphere. It has been politi-
cally oppressed since colonial days,
going from a succession of oppres-
sive dictatorships to near anarchy.
It is also a spiritually oppressed,
country, with voodoo prevalent.
The cost of the trip will be ap-
proximately $600 per person. Firm
costs and dates will be determined
Bloomingdale pastor David Stone (r.) with
Jean Petit Frere, pastor of the church in
Haiti the Bloomingdale men will assist.
when the building parts are shipped
and an arrival date is known.
If you have been looking for a way
to get personally involved in mis-
sions, this may be your opportunity.
The Bloomingdale Brethren are look-
ing for people who would be able to
spend a week in Haiti. They are also
looking for those who cannot go but
would like to sponsor someone who
is going. If you sense the Lord call-
ing you to either of these options,
contact Pastor David Stone at 1310
East Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico, FL
33594 (phone 813-653-1320).
— reported by Rev. David Stone
Following the
ceremony, Dr.
Hamel was
interviewed by
a reporter from
TV channel 40
in Sarasota.
Surrounding
him (I. to r.) are
his son John,
grandson Mark
(who marched
in the parade
before the cere-
mony), and his
daughter Janet
Solomon. Be-
hind them is
the Veterans
Monument,
which is in the
center of the
Chaplain J.D.
Hamel Park.
December 1996
11
*3Gfi»)o
Fred and Alice Horn honored
by Ardmore Brethren Church
South Bend, Ind. — The Ardmore
Brethren Church held a special cele-
bration on Sunday, September 15,
to honor and say Thank you" to
members Fred and Alice Horn for
their service to Jesus Christ and
the Ardmore congregation.
Mr. Horn has served Christ and
the Ardmore church as deacon,
moderator, Sunday school teacher,
and member of various boards and
committees. He currently chairs the
Ministry of Stewardship. He also
served the Brethren denomina-
tion from 1974 to 1984 as secre-
tary of General Conference.
Mrs. Horn has served Jesus and the
church as Sunday school and VBS
teacher, choir member, and in vari-
ous hospitality ministries. She cur-
rently chairs the Ministry of Women.
Married in 1939, the Horns have
four children, eight grandchildren,
and eight great-grandchildren.
The celebration honoring the
Horns began during the morning
worship service, attended by many
members and friends of the Horn
family and featuring a variety of
special music. The celebration con-
tinued after the service with a fel-
lowship meal.
Congregational Ministries Council
(continued from page 10)
major task before this committee is
the completion of a video course on
The Brethren Church. The council
also voted to continue support for
The Andrew Center in 1997. Thus
Brethren congregations who want
to join the center will be able to do
so free of charge. Finally, the coun-
cil agreed that the Life Work Re-
cruit program should be continued
and strengthened. This program
seeks to identify and encourage
those who sense God calling them
to full-time Christian service.
Two devastating cyclones strike Indian
state in which Brethren work is located
Rajahmundry, India — Two dev-
astating cyclones, one in mid Octo-
ber and the second on November 6
and 7, struck
Andhra Pradesh,
the state in
which Brethren
mission work in
India is located.
Approximately
350 people were
killed by the first
cyclone, and
more than 1,000
by the second.
Many villages
were totally de-
stroyed. It is also
estimated that one third of the un-
harvested agricultural produce was
destroyed in Andhra Pradesh, a
state heavily dependent on farming.
According to Brethren missionary
Dr. K. Prasanth Kumar, around 50
Brethren congregations in East
and West Godavari Districts were
affected by the second cyclone.
Some of the church buildings were
badly damaged, and prayer huts
were either completely demolished
or partially destroyed.
itiftundty
DHRA PRADESH
(Stats)
Ministry opportunity available at
Pennsylvania District Camp
The Pennsylvania District Camp
Board is seeking a committed Chris-
tian individual to serve as man-
ager for Brethren Camp Peniel
from April 1 to September 1, 1997.
The board is seeking someone
with church camping and educa-
tion leadership experience and
skills, who is able to relate well to
people, especially children and
youth. The person will be required
to reside on the camp premises
during the four weeks of camp in
July and during the BYIC confer-
ence. Room and board will be pro-
vided plus a stipend.
For more information or to ap-
ply, write to Nancy Wilson, Camp
Board Secretary, at 204 N. Wash-
ington St., Masontown, PA 15461.
Applications are due by January
15, 1997, with the selection to be
made on January 18.
Nevertheless, he found reason to
be thankful. "We praise the Lord
for protecting the orphan children,
pastors, and the congrega-
tion at Rajahmundry and
in the villages, and keeping
us alive," he said.
The Brethren Mission to
India received $10,000 —
$5,000 after each of the two
cyclones — from World Relief
of the National Association
of Evangelicals to use in re-
lief work. The money is being
used to provide food, cloth-
ing, water containers, and
cooking utensils to families
who lost everything.
Kumar asked Brethren to
pray for those who are suffering be-
cause of these cyclones and to pro-
vide finances to help Brethren af-
fected by the disaster with food,
clothing, medicine, and the funds to
repair the church buildings and to
reconstruct the prayer huts of the
Brethren Mission in India.
Contributions may be sent to the
Missionary Board of the Brethren
Church, designated for India Cy-
clone Relief.
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