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(  The  Brethren/) 

Evangelis 


*CH 


Vol.  120,  No.  1 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


January  1998 


Executive  Director  Dr.  Emanuel  Sandberg  asks: 


Are  Brethren  ready  for  renewal? 


THE  BRETHREN  CHURCH  is 
in  need  of  renewal.  I  include  my- 
self in  having  that  need.  The  renewal 
I  am  talking  about  is  a  renewal  of 
love  within  Christian  believers  that 
results  in  sinners  being  awakened, 
backsliders  being  reclaimed  for 
Christ,  dying  churches  being  re- 
vived, the  lost  being  converted, 
and  society  being  reformed. 

Church  leaders  often  call  for  re- 
vival rather  than  renewal.  But  my 
problem  with  the  word  revival  is 
that  it  conjures  up  visions  of  a  tent 
meeting  or  of  a  series  of  meetings 
in  our  churches  during  the  year  in 
which  we  focus  on  reaching  the  lost 
in  our  community.  To  be  sure,  such 
meetings  are  often  successful  in 
bringing  the  lost  to  Christ. 

A  visit  from  God 

But  what  I  want  to  give  primary 
attention  to  at  this  time  is  the  work 
of  God's  Spirit  among  those  who 
already  know  God  and  His  Son.  I 
want  to  focus  on  the  explicit  work  of 
God  in  restoring,  reviving,  and  re- 
directing His  people  by  bringing  the 
Holy  Spirit  down  upon  the  Breth- 
ren— our  churches,  our  districts,  and 
our  denomination — in  such  a  way 
that  it  results  in  our  communities, 
our  states,  and  our  whole  country 
being  reformed.  In  short,  what  we 
need  is  a  visit  from  God! 

Do  you  think  you  have  a  close, 
personal  relationship  with  .Jesus? 
Do  you  think  the  Brethren  as  a  whole 
have  a  close  relationship  with  God 
and  His  Son?  Judge  for  yourself.  Is 
there  evidence  to  suggest  that  your 
walk  with  God  has  cooled?  Con- 
sider the  following  in  terms  of  your 
personal  relationship  with  God: 


•  To  what  extent  have  you  adopted 
the  world's  lifestyle? 

•  How  important  to  your  life  is  the 
acquisition  of  money  and  things? 

•  What  are  the  dominant  events  in 
your  life? 

•  What  part  does  prayer 
play  in  your  life? 

•  Are  you  continually 
seeking  biblical  truth? 

•  Do  you  employ  your 
knowledge  of  biblical 
truth  in  your  daily  life? 

•  Do  you  avoid  spiritual 
discussions? 

•  Do  you  accept  the  spiri- 
tual condition  and 
moral  decline  of  your 
community  and  coun- 
try as  a  fact  of  life  you 
cannot  change? 

•  Is  your  heart  cold  to 
human    suffering    so 
that  you  do  nothing  to  aid  the  sick 
and  the  poor? 

•  Do  you  focus  on  other  people's 
faults  and  failures? 

•  Do  you  find  it  difficult  to  share 
spiritual  beliefs  and  needs  with 
others? 

•  Are  you  concerned  that  you  not 
sin  or  just  that  no  one  find  out 
about  your  sin? 

•  When  you  pray,  do  you  ask  God  to 
serve  you,  or  do  you  ask  how  you 
can  serve  God? 

•  Do  you  think  you  are  a  sinner? 

•  Do  you  think  you  need  renewal? 

What  about  the  church? 

What  about  The  Brethren  Church? 
Consider  these  facts: 

•  We  have  fewer  Brethren  churches 
and  fewer  members  today  than  we 
had  ten  years  ago. 


•  More  than  75  percent  of  our  Breth- 
ren churches  have  plateaued  or 
declined  in  membership. 
I  think  we  can  conclude  that  each 
Brethren  church  is  simply  a  reflec- 
tion of  its  mem- 
bers,  and  that 
The     Brethren 
Church  is  a  re- 
flection of  the 
churches    that 
make  up  our  de- 
nomination. 

How  did  we 
get  this  way? 
We  did  so 
slowly . . .  pain- 
lessly .  .  .  un- 
aware that  we 
had  allowed  God 
to   be    crowded 

out  of  our  lives. 
uel  (Buzz)  Sandberg     In  Qur  churches 

and  in  our  daily  lives,  we  have 
become  desensitized  to  the  moral 
decay  and  declining  social  stand- 
ards we  live  with  and  accept.  We 
have  lost  our  passionate  desire  for 
a  close,  personal  relationship  with 
Jesus  and  with  our  heavenly  Father. 
Do  I  believe  we  are  lost?  No,  I 
(continued  on  page  3) 


Inside  this  issue 


Snapshots 2 

Ashland  Theological  Seminary  4 

Seeking  help/sharing  hope   .  .  6 

Spiritual  disciplines 7 

Denominational  meetings  ...  8 

A  visit  to  Lima,  Peru 9 

Around  the  denomination  ...  10 


The  Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 
is  In  the  center  of  this  issue. 


SNAPSHOTS 

By 
Michelle  Rhude 


HOW  DOES  your  family  choose 
its  Christmas  tree?  I'd  love 
to  collect  stories  of  such  family 
experiences.  If  you  have  one  to 
share,  please  send  it  to  me  at 
shellrhude@aol  .com. 

I  was  talking  to  someone  re- 
cently who  described  his  family's 
yearly  outing.  It  might  sound 
somewhat  familiar  to  you. 

Tree-choosing  time  again!  The 
family  piles  into  the  van  and  the 
hunt  begins.  As  they  enter  the 
tree-acquisition  zone,  they  scan 
their  surroundings  intently.  They 
jump  from  the  vehicle,  eyes 
searching  for  the  first  glimpse  of 
IT — the  perfect  tree.  Each  mem- 
ber of  the  family  wants  to  be  the 
one  to  find  it. 

As  they  scatter  in  different  di- 
rections, they  evaluate  each  tree, 
scanning  it  for  major  defects,  ex- 
amining it  more  closely  if  no  huge 
flaws  are  immediately  apparent. 
The  timing  is  tricky.  If  one  is  too 
picky,  someone  else  may  find  IT 
first.  If  one  is  not  picky  enough, 
ridicule,  sneers,  and  embarrass- 
ment will  follow  the  tree's  presen- 
tation to  the  rest  of  the  family. 

As  each  person  presents  a  tree, 
the  remaining  family  members 
immediately  assume  judgmental 
attitudes,  seeking  defects  that 
will  disqualify  this  tree's  nomina- 


tion. Is  it  the  right  size?  The  right 
kind?  Is  it  perfectly  symmetrical? 
Are  the  branches  properly  aligned? 
Are  there  any  bare  spots?  Each 
tree  is  judged  according  to  the 
Christmas  ideal.  All  losers  are 
cast  aside.  Only  the  perfect  is 
good  enough. 

Oops,  a  flaw  is  found!  How 
could  you  want  this  tree?  Are  you 
crazy?  Not  wanting  to  admit  de- 
feat, the  family  member  attempts 
persuasion,  desperately  trying  to 
talk  the  others  into  accepting  his 
or  her  choice.  In  reality,  the  tree 
is  not  the  real  goal.  It's  the  per- 
sonal victory  of  having  found  IT 
that  is  important.  So  each  person 
lobbies  for  his  or  her  candidate, 
promising  that  it  will  look  perfect 
on  the  tree  stand.  Finally,  in  or- 
der to  keep  the  competition  from 
getting  out  of  hand,  Mom  decides. 

God's  way  is  different 

Aren't  you  glad  that  God  doesn't 
choose  His  sons  and  daughters 
this  way?  (For  God  does  not  show 
favoritism.  Rom  2:11)  Aren't  you 
glad  that  He  doesn't  hold  us  up 
side  by  side  and  debate  our  flaws 
before  the  heavenly  host?  Aren't 
you  thankful  that  our  imperfec- 
tions don't  disqualify  us?  I  am! 

And  yet,  I  continue  to  hold  things 
up  to  an  imaginary  ideal  and  func- 


tion as  a  judge.  Christmas  trees 
may  be  one  example,  but  they  are 
unimportant  compared  with  ap- 
plying the  same  practice  to  peo- 
ple. What  gives  me  the  right  to 
judge  anyone  else  in  any  way?  My 
perfect  ideal?  I  don't  think  so.  My 
brothers,  as  believers  in  our  glori- 
ous Lord  Jesus  Christ,  don't  show 
favoritism  (James  2:1). 

The  perfect  Christmas  tree  and 
those  left  on  the  lot  into  January 
are  all  trees.  Each  was  created  by 
God.  Likewise,  the  privileged,  the 
educated,  the  beautiful  people  are 
no  more — and  no  less — valuable 
in  God's  eyes  than  the  uneducated, 
the  underprivileged,  and  the  un- 
attractive. 

This  year,  pray  for  God's  eyes, 
that  you  might  see  each  person 
you  come  into  contact  with  (in- 
cluding the  ones  you  live  with)  as 
God  sees  them — and  that  you 
might  have  the  courage  to  love 
them  as  God  does.  Can  you  live 
that  way?  If  you  do,  you  will  have 
a  very  happy  and  very  blessed  New 
Year.  I  pray  that  you  will.  ["8*1 

"Snapshots"  is  a  monthly  column 
that  seeks  to  illuminate  our  relation- 
ship with  God  by  focusing  on  some  of 
the  everyday  experiences  of  life.  Mrs. 
Rhude  is  a 
member  of 
the  Jeffer- 
son Breth- 
ren Church 
of  Goshen, 
Ind,  and 
takes  an  ac- 
tive part  in 
the  life  and 
ministry  of 
that  congre- 
gation. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  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:  brethren@bright.net;  fax:  419-281- 
0450).  Authors'  views  are  not  necessarily 
those  of  The  Brethren  Church.  Editor: 
Richard  C.  Winfield.  Subscription  rates: 
Sent  free  to  Brethren  Church  members; 
$15.00  per  year  to  others.  Member:  Evan- 
gelical Press  Association.  Postage:  Paid  at 
Ashland,  Ohio.  Postmaster:  Send  address 
changes  to  The  Brethren  Church,  524  Col- 
lege Avenue,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792. 


d?K  Pontius'  Puddle 


X  JOST  HAD  A  rAAJoR  INSI&HT.  Ir4 
SPtTE  OF  OOR  D\CPEREr4fcES,  'SUCK 
AMDWmTE,  ARAS  AWD  JEW,  KALE 
AMD  FEWM.E,  PROTESTANT  AND 
CATHOLIC  SHARE  ONE THlKl&lrJcomoM. 


OREKT.  AMD 
WHffT'STHAT' 


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AM  EXTREME 

KISTROST  POR 

ONE  ANOTHER. 


R5KOIVE  OS, 
LORD.    IT'S 
OOST  A  PHASE 
WE'RE  CrO\H(r 
THROUGH  ••• 
rAORTAUTy. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Fumterburg  Library 
MANfiHFSTFE  COLLEGE 


Ready  for  renewal? 

(continued  from  page  1) 

believe  we  are  asleep.  It's  not  the 
first  time  God's  people  have  de- 
parted from  Him!  The  Old  Testa- 
ment has  account  after  account  of 
God's  people  going  astray,  only  to 
be  revived  and  brought  back  to  a 
renewed  relationship  with  God 
through  the  intervention  and  grace 
of  our  Sovereign  Lord.  The  same  is 
true  in  New  Testament  times.  And 
in  the  years  since  the  time  of  the 
New  Testament,  the  church  has  de- 
parted repeatedly  from  its  close,  in- 
timate relationship  with  God. 

A  continuing  cycle 

The  facts  of  church  history  sug- 
gest that  the  Christian  Church  has 
been  in  a  continuing  cycle  of:  (1) 
closeness  to  God;  (2)  departure 
from  God;  (3)  spiritual  awakening 
to  God's  love;  (4)  repentance  by 
God's  people;  and  (5)  renewal  and 
closeness  to  God.  Consider  some  of 
the  spiritual  awakenings  that  have 
occurred  during  the  last  500  years: 

•  The  reformation  of  the  16th  cen- 
tury, with  the  great  reforms  led  by 
Luther,  Calvin,  Zwingli,  and  Knox. 

•  The  Puritan-Pietistic  awakenings 
of  the  17th  century. 

•  The  Moravian  renewal  and  the 
18th-century  ministry  of  John  and 
Charles  Wesley  (after  their  con- 
version by  the  Moravian  Breth- 
ren) and  of  George  Whitefield. 

•  America's  second  great  awaken- 
ing during  the  18th  century. 

It  is  important  to  note  that  while 
humans  seem  to  cycle  from  being  in 
a  close  relationship  with  God  to  de- 
parting from  Him  and  turning  to 
worldly  substitutes  for  His  love  and 
purposes,  God  remains  faithful  to 
His  promises  and  faithfully  loves 
His  people. 


Create  in  me  a  pure  heart, 

OGod, 

and  renew  a  steadfast  spirit 

within  me. 

*    *    *    *    * 

Restore  to  me  the  joy 

of  your  salvation 

and  grant  me  a  willing  spirit, 

to  sustain  me. 

Psalm  51:10  &  12;  NIV 


Where  is  The  Brethren  QhmvkmX 
this  cycle?  It  seems  to  me  we  are  at 
a  critical  point  in  our  history.  Will 
we  wake  up  and  call  out  to  God  for 
help?  Will  we  repent  from  our  sins 
and  our  useless  "dead  works"? 


North  Manchester,  IN  46312 
— LhaL  reveal  Llie 


"The  point  I  want  to  make 

is  this:  Renewal  comes 

from  God*s  intervention, 

not  from  man's  good 

works.  We  can,  however, 

be  agents  of  God's  will 

and  facilitators  of  God's 

action.  And  this  year, 

that  is  what  we  are 

going  to  try  to  be. 


When  will  we  who  desire  change 
in  our  lives  be  able  to  renew  our 
intimate  relationship  with  God? 
Looking  at  the  pattern  traced  by 
history,  the  only  hope  for  renewal 
rests  in  believers  becoming  deeply 
disturbed  by  the  events  in  their 
lives,  personally  distressed,  and 
humbled.  Awakening  will  occur  when 
Christians  believe  that  the  only 
hope  is  the  sovereign  grace  of  God. 
As  Brethren,  as  Christians,  if  we 
believe  that  renewal  is  necessary 
for  the  reformation  of  our  society 
we  must  agonize  and  pray  for  a  visit 
from  God.  We  need  a  spirit  of  prayer. 
God  is  sovereign,  and  His  Spirit  in 
grace  will  bring  us  to  renewal. 

The  point  I  want  to  make  is  this: 
Renewal  comes  from  God's  inter- 
vention, not  from  man's  good 
works.  We  can,  however,  be  agents 
of  God's  will  and  facilitators  of  God's 
action.  And  this  year,  that  is  what 
we  are  going  to  try  to  be.  I  pray  that 
we  will  seek  God's  intervention  in 
our  lives  to  revive,  renew,  and  re- 
form our  lives  and  our  churches. 

Actions  we  must  take 

I  believe  there  are  actions  that 
we,  as  Brethren,  must  take  if  we 
want  God  to  hear  us.  We  need  to: 

•  pray  as  believers  in  unity,  with 
power  and  praise,  for  spiritual 
awakening; 

•  acquire  a  passion  for  spiritual  for- 
mation; 

•  reevaluate  and  change  our  priori- 
ties; 

•  encourage  our  pastors  to  deliver 
powerful  expositions  of  the  Bible 


iwesomeness 


of 


God's  heavenly  power; 

•  assemble  and  train  for  ministry 
members  who  love  nothing  but 
God,  hate  nothing  but  sin,  and 
seek  only  the  glory  of  God; 

•  develop  and  provide  programs  that 
center  on  the  felt  needs  of  the  con- 
gregation and  do  God's  work  in 
God's  way. 

Are  we  as  Brethren  prepared  for 
spiritual  awakening — for  spiritual 
renewal?  The  truth  is,  the  future 
depends  on  you!  Remember,  renewal 
is  a  gift  from  our  sovereign  God. 
But  we  can  facilitate  His  action 
through  prayer  .  .  .  and  by  address- 
ing the  priority  actions  noted  above. 

Programs  to  facilitate  renewal 

The  Brethren  Church  at  the  de- 
nominational level,  in  cooperation 
with  the  districts,  will  offer  several 
programs  to  facilitate  renewal.  For 
example,  we  will  have: 

•  At  least  two  one-day  or  weekend 
retreats  covering  critical  pro- 
grams such  as  Becoming  a  Pray- 
ing Church;  Renewal — Family, 
Marriage,  Spiritual,  and  Pas- 
toral; Knowing  and  Working 
God's  Plan;  etc. 

•  Three  or  four  regional  seminars 
covering  such  subjects  as  Jesus- 
Style  Leadership;  Finding  My 
Place  in  the  Body  of  Christ;  The 
Winning  Ways  of  Jesus  and  the 
Early  Church;  etc. 

•  At  least  one  workshop  at  each  dis- 
trict conference  (dependent  upon 
the  district's  decision  and  the  time 
available)  on  topics  such  as  Wor- 
ship Ministry;  The  Time  of  Your 
Life;  Gaining  God's  Heart  for  the 
Lost;  The  Incredible  Power  of 
Planning;  Becoming  a  Happy 
Church  Family;  Improving  Con- 
gregational Stewardship;  etc. 

A  list  of  the  subjects  to  be  offered 
and  the  dates  and  locations  where 
they  will  be  presented  will  be  sent 
to  each  church  on  a  quarterly  basis. 

An  open  door 

The  door  is  open  for  us.  Will  we 
enter  that  door?  My  desire  is  that 
every  member  of  The  Brethren 
Church  will  experience  renewal, 
resulting  in  a  deeper  relationship 
with  God  and  with  His  Son,  Jesus 
Christ.  I  pray  that  this  is  your  de- 
sire as  well.  [ft] 


January  1998 


Ashland  Theological  Seminary 


Reshaping  Theological  Education 

By  Frederick  J.  Finks 


Dr.  Frederick  J.  Finks,  President, 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary 

A  FEW  YEARS  ago  a  study  was 
conducted  among  theological 
seminaries  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  United  States.  The  pur- 
pose of  the  study  was  to  determine 
what  changes  those  seminaries 
had  enacted  to  address  the  current 
needs  of  churches  and  Christian 
ministry  in  that  area  of  the  coun- 
try. The  findings  of  the  study  were 
alarming. 

Unchanging  curriculum 

First  of  all,  most  of  the  seminaries 
that  were  surveyed  had  made  little 
or  no  change  in  their  theological 
curriculum.  Most  had  maintained 
the  curricular  pattern  established 
more  than  100  years  ago.  They  con- 
tinued to  teach  the  age-old  disci- 
plines associated  with  theological 
education. 

The  findings  of  this  study  were 
picked  up  by  the  Associated  Press 
and  printed  in  newspapers  across 
the  country.  Editors  and  religious 
commentators  were  quick  to  point 
accusatory  fingers  at  seminaries, 
lumping  them  all  into  the  same 
category  and  judging  them  irrele- 
vant to  today's  world. 

Failure  of  seminaries  to  respond 


to  the  changing  patterns  of  Ameri- 
can church  life  is  in  fact  inexcus- 
able. Seminaries  that  are  guilty  of 
such  behavior  certainly  deserve  to 
be  called  "ivory  towers,"  "cemeteries," 
and  "monasteries." 

Not  answerable  to  the  church 

A  second  finding  actually  con- 
cerned me  more  than  the  fact  that 
seminaries  for  the  most  part  had 
neglected  the  changes  taking  place 
in  the  church.  This  second  finding, 
which  I  find  quite  appalling,  is  that 
seminaries  took  the  position  that 
they  can  teach  whatever  they  want 
to  teach  and  that  they  are  not  sub- 
ject to  the  demands  of  the  church. 

The  argument  of  some  of  the  sem- 
inary leaders  in  this  study  was  that 
they  are  being  true  to  the  ancient 
disciplines  that  are  a  part  of  higher 
education.  For  them  it  is  more  im- 
portant to  hold  to  a  set  of  standards 
than  to  change  the  curriculum  in 
order  to  better  serve  the  church. 

When  I  received  a  copy  of  this 
report,  I  was  thankful  that  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary  had  not  held 
to  this  same  philosophy.  While  it  is 
true  that  certain  disciplines  must 
not  be  forsaken  (theology,  biblical 
studies,  commitment  to  Greek  and 
Hebrew,  church  history,  etc.),  never- 


theless for  theological  education  to 
be  relevant  and  in  fact  beneficial  to 
the  church,  we  must  learn  how  to 
integrate  education  and  ministry. 
The  historic  disciplines  are  very 
important,  but  so  are  the  practical 
disciplines  that  address  the  current 
culture  of  the  church. 

We  are  attempting  to  keep  theo- 
logical education  out  of  a  vacuum 
by  integrating  it  with  spiritual  for- 
mation and  faith  community.  Spiri- 
tual formation  involves  developing 
a  "right  heart"  with  God.  Faith  com- 
munity means  developing  a  "right 
relationship"  with  fellow  Chris- 
tians. When  all  three  are  blended 
together,  theological  education 
finds  its  context  within  the  life  of 
the  church  and  within  an  intimate 
relationship  with  God. 

A  servant  to  the  church 

It  is  the  responsibility  of  sem- 
inaries to  teach  Christian  leaders 
not  only  how  to  "accurately  handle 
the  word  of  truth,"  but  also  how  to 
apply  that  truth  to  everyday  living. 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary  views 
itself  as  a  servant  to  the  church. 
Because  this  is  true,  we  will  con- 
tinue to  rethink  and  to  reshape  our 
curriculum  in  order  to  better  serve 
the  church.  [D1] 


Giving  Fair  Share  Support 


One  of  the  ways  in  which  Breth- 
ren churches  contribute  to  the  over- 
all ministry  and  mission  of  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary  is  by 
giving  their  Fair  Share  support, 
as  approved  by  General  Confer- 
ence. The  current  recommended 
Fair  Share  amount  is  $12  per 
Church  Growth  Index*  point. 

Giving  to  the  Seminary  by  Breth- 
ren churches  totals  approximate- 
ly $80,000  each  year.  This  is  far 

*A  congregation's  Church  Growth  In- 
dex is  calculated  by  totaling  its  member- 
ship, average  worship  attendance,  and  av- 
erage Sunday  school  attendance,  and  then 
dividing  that  total  by  three. 


below  the  full  Fair  Share  amount." 
By  supporting  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  we  are  support- 
ing The  Brethren  Church,  for  by 
our  gifts  we  are  helping  to  train 
and  prepare  future  ministers, 
missionaries,  and  ministry  lead- 
ers. We  must  have  the  vision  to 
see  beyond  our  immediate  situ- 
ation and  plan  for  the  future.  En- 
courage your  church  to  contribute 
its  Fair  Share.  [ft] 

* Editor 's  note:  The  total  Church  Growth 
Index  for  The  Brethren  Church  at  the  end 
of  1996  was  10,844.  Thus  the  total  Fair 
Share  support  to  our  seminary  should  be 
$130,128. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Ashland  Theological  Seminary 


Answering  God's  Call 


IT  OFTEN  TAKES  a  bold  vision 
to  move  an  immovable  object.  It 
often  takes  a  miracle  to  convince 
the  unbelieving.  But  it  only  takes 
God  to  change  the  world. 

During  General  Conference  last 
August  in  South  Bend,  Ind.,  a  vi- 
sion of  what  The  Brethren  Church 
could  become  began  to  take  hold. 
This  bold  vision  included  planting 
churches  and  equipping  leaders.  That 
in  itself  was  not  new,  but  the  out- 
pouring of  God's  Spirit  in  so  many 
visible  ways  was  enough  to  convince 
many  that  this  time  is  different. 

More  than  30  people  came  for- 
ward on  Thursday  night  of  Confer- 
ence to  commit  their  lives  to  full- 
time  Christian  ministry.  Further- 
more, seven  Brethren  men  have  en- 
rolled in  Ashland  Seminary  since 
August  to  prepare  for  pastoral  min- 
istry. This  was  in  addition  to  those 
who  had  applied  for  admission 
prior  to  General  Conference. 

The  Seminary  has  made  a  commit- 
ment to  provide  a  full-tuition  schol- 
arship to  any  Brethren  student  pre- 
paring for  full-time  pastoral  minis- 
try (who  is  enrolled  in  the  Master  of 
Divinity  program)  and  who  agrees  to 
serve  at  least  five  years  in  Brethren 
ministry.  This  amounts  to  approxi- 
mately $6,000  annually. 


We  are  convinced  that  the  church 
will  respond  to  the  need  to  train 
and  equip  its  future  leaders.  Breth- 
ren have  responded  generously  in 
the  past  and  have  made  it  possible 
to  give  scholarships.  We  are  con- 
vinced that  God  will  touch  lives  to 
make  it  possible  in  an  even  more 
dynamic  way.  [ft] 


Establishing  Scholarships 

In  1982,  the  entire  scholarship  en- 
dowment for  the  Seminary  totaled 
only  $172,000.  Today  that  endow- 
ment totals  $2,350,600.  It  produces 
approximately  $176,000  in  annual 
scholarships  for  700  students. 

Several  Brethren  churches  and 
many  individuals  have  established  en- 
dowed scholarships  in  memory  of  or 
in  honor  of  loved  ones.  To  endow  a 
scholarship,  contact  Dr.  Lee  Solomon 
at  the  Seminary. 


Many  Ashland  Theological  Seminary  students  are  married  and  have  children. 
Here  Professor  John  Shultz  (I.)  shares  a  few  light  moments  with  Brethren  students 
Karen  Frado  and  John  Allison  and  their  sons,  both  of  whom  are  named  Michael. 


Ashland  Theological  Seminary  Professor  Ron  Waters  (r.)  chats  with  Brethren 
students  (I.  to  r.)  Gerry  Weiss,  Bruce  Wilkinson,  and  Wes  Glass. 

January  1998 


Brethren  Students  at  ATS 

Currently  22  Brethren  students  attend 

Ashland  Theological  Seminary.  They  are 

(home  church  in  parentheses): 

John  Allison  (Derby) 

Debra  Bixel  (Park  St.) 

Bob  Buford  (Park  St.) 

James  Frado  (Linwood) 

Karen  Frado  (Linwood) 

Wes  Glass  (Linwood) 

Annalee  Hoover  (North  Georgetown) 

Anthony  Keim  (Mt.  Olive) 

Brian  Maurer  (  Garber) 

Ron  Miller  (Linwood) 

Adrianne  Owens  (Mt.  Zion) 

Arnold  Owens  (Pleasant  View) 

Joyce  Owens  (Pleasant  View) 

Dianna  Park  (Pleasant  View) 

David  Reeves  (Sarasota) 

Tim  Solomon  (Sarasota) 

Tony  Price  (New  Lebanon) 

Glenn  Sprunger  (Park  St.) 

Louise  Waller  (Northwest  Chapel) 

Gerry  Weiss  (  Park  St.) 

Tracy  Whiteside  (Smoky  Row) 

Bruce  Wilkinson  (Linwood) 


From  Seeking  Help  to  Sharing  Hope 

By  Larry  R.  Baker 


MOST  PEOPLE  have  a  mental 
picture  of  their  preferred  fu- 
ture. But  frequently  life  does  not 
play  out  like  the  mental  picture. 
When  this  happens,  some  people 
lose  their  sense  of  purpose  and 
their  hope.  But  it  doesn't  have  to 
be  that  way.  God  uses  available  peo- 
ple. People  who  may  be  hurting  and 
in  need  of  help  can  offer  hope  to 
others.  Rev.  Bob  Stafford  is  a  great 
example  of  just  such  a  person. 

In  1988  Bob  Stafford  was  pastor- 
ing  the  Teegarden,  Ind.,  Brethren 
Church  and  working  with  children 
in  a  psychiatric  hospital,  when  he 
was  diagnosed  with  breast  cancer. 
His  mental  picture  of  his  preferred 
future  was  altered  drastically. 

He  had  surgery  for  the  cancer, 
but  in  1991  it  began  to  spread.  By 
1993  he  was  forced  to  retire  be- 
cause of  the  disease  and  the  side 
effects  of  chemotherapy. 

Bob  discovered  that  many  people 
were  surprised  to  learn  that  a  man 
had  breast  cancer.  When  he  at- 
tended breast  cancer  support 
groups,  women  were  usually  uncom- 
fortable with  his  presence.  Besides, 
the  clothes  modeled  in  the  style 
shows  at  these  meetings  weren't  his 
type!  He  was  often  the  lone  male  at 
breast  cancer  survivor  events. 

As  a  result,  he  began  spend- 
ing more  time  at  his  hobby — 
computers  and  surfing  the  in- 
ternet. He  found  information 
about  breast  cancer  on  the  in- 
ternet, but  very  little  about 
male  breast  cancer.  He  de- 
cided to  join  a  breast  cancer 
discussion  list.  His  first  post 
was,  "I'm  a  man — will  I  be  ac- 
cepted here?"  He  was  accepted,  and 
many  were  curious. 

Opportunities  for  ministry 

When  others  on  the  discussion  list 
learned  that  Bob  had  been  a  pastor, 
some  of  them  sent  questions  to  him 
privately  about  spiritual  matters. 
Some  wanted  to  make  sure  where 
they  were  going  when  they  died. 
Others  wanted  to  discuss  their  fears. 


Bob  has  been  able  to  share  the 
gospel  privately  and  to  lead  people  to 
Christ  over  the  internet!  What  began 
as  a  search  for 
help  is  now  an 
opportunity 
for  ministry! 
What  began  as 
a    search    for 
help  has  blos- 
somed      into 
full-time  min- 
istry. 

Since  1995, 
Bob  has  been 
the  webmaster 
for  the  award- 
winning  Male 
Breast  Cancer 
information 
site  on  the  internet  (http  ^interact, 
withus.coin/interact/mbc/).  He  is  the 
"owner"  of  a  Male  Breast  Cancer  Dis- 
cussion List  with  more  than  45  mem- 
bers, and  a  Cancer  Patient  Chris- 
tian Online  Support  List  (space  for 
which  was  donated  by  an  atheistic 
Jew).  Often  he  will  post  Bible  stud- 
ies on  the  Christian  support  list. 

Since  January  1996,  he  has  also 
managed  the  Caring  Parents  Forum 
on  the  St.  John's  University  server, 
which  helps  parents  of  children  with 


per  day  reading  and  responding  to 
e-mail  and  to  posts  on  the  forums, 
in  addition  to  the  time  he  spends  in 
prayer  for  many  of  these  concerns. 
He  also  sends  follow-up  material 
to  new  Christians.  And  when  a  mem- 
ber of  a  support  group  dies,  Bob 
facilitates  an  on-line  memorial  serv- 
ice of  that  person's  life.  Further- 
more, he  mentors  other  Christians 
by  e-mail,  so  that  they  can 
help  with  this  ministry.  Re- 
cent topics  in  one  forum  were 
"What's  Bob's  Life  Worth?" 
"life  &  death,"  "our  journey," 
and  "Why  survive?"  It's  a  tre- 
mendous opportunity  to  offer 
hope  to  people  who  are  hurt- 
ing and  seeking  help. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this,  Bob 
has  retained  his  tremendous 
sense  of  humor  as  well  as  his 
concern  for  the  global  church 
of  Christ.  Many  of  us  receive 
jokes  and  prayer  concerns  from 
Bob  on  a  regular  basis.  He  has 
Cyber-Pastor  Bob  Stafford     made  television  appearances  on 


local  news  shows,  on  NBC's  Today 
show,  and  on  Dateline.  Robert 
Schuller  would  say  that  Bob  has  let 
God  "turn  his  scars  into  stars." 

Opportunities  on  the  internet 

Bob  wants  other  Christians  to  real- 
ize the  tremendous  opportunity  for 
ministry  presented  by  the  internet. 
He  says,  "You  can  be  a  world  mis- 
sionary for  $20  a  month.  You  are 
dealing  with  the  'movers  and  shak- 
ers' of  the  world.  They  are  the  ones 
who  are  online."  He  is  con- 
vinced that  the  internet  is  one 
way  to  help  fulfill  the  Great 
Commission  to  "Go  and  make 
disciples  of  all  nations."  He 
sees  the  internet  used  for 
evangelism,  devotionals, 
prayer  chains,  missions  news, 
research,   and  for  offering 


hope  to  hurting  people.  It's 
lal  graphic  on  the  Male  Breast  Cancer  website.       algo  ft  place  where  shut.ins 

critical  illnesses.  In  addition,  he  helps 
manage  a  support  forum  just  for 
kids  who  are  critically  ill. 

Bob  receives  more  than  300  pieces 
of  e-mail  per  day.  (His  e-mail  ad- 
dress is  bstafford@skyenet.net.)  He 
is  Cyber-Pastor  to  people  all  over 
the  world — Peru,  Canada,  the  United 
Kingdom,  Singapore,  Germany, 
Iceland,  Russia,  Japan,  Turkey, 
etc.  He  spends  four  to  five  hours 


and  the  handicapped  can  minister. 
Perhaps  your  mental  picture  of 
your  preferred  future  has  also  been 
damaged  or  shattered.  If  so,  don't 
lose  hope.  God  can  still  work  though 
you  in  exciting  ways,  just  as  He  has 
worked  through  Cyber-Pastor  Bob 
Stafford.  [ft] 

Rev.  Baker,  pastor  of  the  South  Bend, 
Ind.,  First  Brethren  Church,  is  a  close 
friend  to  Rev.  Stafford. 


6 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


T/te  Women's  OutCoo^9\[ezvsCetter 

A  pu6Cication  of  the  (Brethren  Women's  Missionary  Society 


January-February  1998 


Volume  11,  Number  3 


C~~  'miiimumi  """"tj 


Ike 

(President 's 
Ten 

Dear  Ladies, 

Christmas  is  over  and  we  have 
begun  the  new  year  of  1998.  I  have 
finished  my  chemo  treatments  and 
will  now  see  my  oncologist  every 
three  months  for  two  years  and 
then  every  six  months  for  three 
years.  I  feel  great  and  am  so 
thankful  for  all  the  prayers  on  my 
behalf.  I  have  faith  that  the  cancer 
is  gone  and  will  not  return. 
Thanks  again  for  your  prayers. 

The  year  1997  was  a  year  of  new 
experiences  for  me.  It  was  the  first 
time  I  had  radiation,  the  first  time 
I  're-grew'  my  hair — two  times. 
(This  time  it  is  coming  in  black!!) 
Those  new  experiences  happened 
and  my  life  went  on.  Through  all  of 
this  I  met  some  wonderful  people. 
Many  were  Christians.  I  always  told 
them  of  the  many  friends  who  were 
praying  for  me  and  of  my  faith  in 
the  Lord's  healing.  I  have  had  the 
opportunity  to  talk  to  others  with 
cancer  and  to  tell  them  of  the  won- 
derful power  of  prayer. 

There  may  be  times  when  life 
seems  unbearable.  It  could  be 
physical  pain,  difficult  decisions, 
death  of  a  loved  one,  or  other  life- 
shaping  problems.  Sometimes  we 
become  fearful  or  have  doubts.  We 
may  even  find  it  difficult  to  pray. 
But  if  we  know  the  Lord  through  a 
personal  faith  in  Christ,  we  can  ex- 
perience peace  of  mind  and  a  calm- 
ness of  spirit. 

We  read  in  Philippians  4:6-7, 
(continued  on  page  3) 


In  Appreciation 

But  my  God  shall  supply  all  your  need 
according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus. 

Philippians  4:19 


Since  10  years  ago,  when  the 
W.M.S.  Outlook  took  on  a  new  ap- 
pearance, Jeanette  Sullivan  has 
been  an  integral  part  of  the 
change.  In  1987  Jan  was  appointed 
editor  of  the  Devotional  Guide  and, 
with  her  ideas  and  suggestions, 
she  has  improved  the  format  of  the 
monthly  programs. 

Jan  found  new  ladies  to  write  their 
experiences  and  opinions  on  vari- 
ous topics  and  themes.  We  became 
acquainted  with  ladies  throughout 
the  denomination  who  serve  the 
Lord  with  the  same  purpose. 

Jan's  program  ideas  have  em- 
phasized what  we  all  know — that 
W.M.S.  must  meet  the  needs  of  the 
women  while  we  keep  the  message 
that  we  serve  missions.  The  mis- 
sion may  be  in  a  neighborhood  or 
around  the  world. 

Jan  spent  much  time  in  prayer 
before  the  first  letter  was  written 
to  begin  the  next  Devotional  Guide. 
Her  publication  was  bathed  in 
prayer  and  then  she  followed  God's 
leading.  This  explains  why  it  is 
such  a  valuable  tool  for  our 
monthly  meetings. 

When  she  chose  the  1997-98 
theme,  "Joy  in  our  Journey,"  she 
had  no  clue  that  at  times  she 
would  have  to  hunt  for  joy  in  this 
year's  journey.  Jan's  husband, 
Ken,  was  her  prayer  partner  and 
worked  with  her  in  the  layout  of 


the  publication.  After  his  sudden 
death  in  May,  Jan's  daily  strength 
came  from  knowing  that  in  all  things 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  with  her. 

After  a  difficult  summer  of  mak- 
ing decisions:  where  to  live,  what 
to  do,  what  is  best  for  Dianne  (her 
daughter)  and  for  herself,  Jan 
made  the  decision  to  move  to  Ak- 
ron, Ohio,  where  she  will  be  near 
her  sister  and  Ken's  mother,  closer 
to  Chris  and  her  family  (Jan's 
other  daughter),  and  placement 
and  employment  opportunities  for 
Dianne  and  Jan. 

Jan's  new  address  is  919  Lind- 
say Avenue,  Akron,  Ohio  44306. 
Telephone:  330-724-3780. 

Jan,  W.M.S.  appreciates  all  your 
hopes  and  efforts  you  have  given. 
Your  years  of  ministry  as  editor 
concluded  in  August,  but  the  ef- 
fects are  not  finished.  You  have 
planted  seeds  for  growth,  and  the 
rest  of  us  will  cultivate  your 
plants.  Thanks  for  being  a  woman 
who  serves.  We  love  you  and  con- 
tinue our  prayers  for  you. 


W.M.S.  DIRECTORY  — 1998 


NATIONAL  W.M.S.  OFFICERS 

President  —  Mrs.  Shirley  Black,  102  High 

St.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone:  419-289- 

0370 
Vice  President  —  Mrs.  Marilyn  Aspinall, 

13-108  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.  JoAnn  Seaman,  1314  Davis 

Rd.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone:  419-289- 

0027 
Ass't.  Treasurer  —  Mrs.  Janet  Rufener,  128 

Lilac  Ln.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone: 

419-289-0465 
Literature  Secretary  —  Mrs.  Penny  Knouff, 

5299  Clay  St.,  NE,  Louisville,  OH  44641 
Editor  of  the  Devotional  Guide  —  Mrs. 

Nancy  Hunn,  555  W.  Market  St.,  Nap- 
panee, IN  46550.  Phone:  219-773-5578 
Editor  of  the  Outlook  Newsletter  —  Mrs. 

Joan  Ronk,  1325  Coachman  Ct.,  Ashland, 

OH  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,  Mun- 

cie,  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:  330-669-2944 

Southeastern 

President  —  Susan  Kidd,  Rt.   1,  Box  24, 

Bridgewater,  VA  22812.  Phone:  540-828- 

4987 
Vice  President  —  Mary  Garver,  407  Main 

St.,  New  Windsor,  MD  21776 
Secretary-Treasurer  —  Virginia  Hook,  3046 

Old  Washington  Rd.,  Westminster,  MD 

21157 

Pennsylvania 

President  —  Barbara  Hagerich,   121  Teal 

St.,  Mineral  Point,  PA  15942.  Phone:  814- 

322-1638 
Vice  President  —  Jane  Yoder,  RD  1,  Box 

44,  Jones  Mills,  PA  15646.  Phone:  412- 

593-2396 
Secretary  —  Vera  Schroyer,  RD  3,  Box  449, 

Acme,  PA  15610.  Phone:  412-593-2363 
Treasurer  —  Marsha  Nulph,  361   Stoney 

Hollow  Rd.,  Cabot,  PA  16023.  Phone:  412- 

352-3528 

Ohio 

President  —  Mrs.  Wanda  Powell,  9  Oakwood, 
Beloit,  OH  44609.  Phone:  330-938-3291 

Vice  President  —  Sharon  Dixon,  633  Buck- 
waiter  Dr.  SW,  Massillon,  OH  44646. 
Phone:  330-832-2074 

Secretary-Treasurer  —  Betty  Deardurff,  116 
Buckingham  Ave.,  Bellefontaine,  OH  43311 

Ass't.  Secretary-Treasurer  —  Joanne  Kroft, 
608  Twp.  Rd.  1151,  RD  5,  Ashland,  OH 
44805.  Phone:  419-962-4679 

Indiana 

President  —  Cynthia  Stout,  7412  S.  800  E, 

Frankfort,  IN  46041 
Vice  President  —  Susie  Stout,  502  US  Bus. 

31  S,  Peru,  IN  46970.  Phone:  317-473-3455 


Secretary-Treasurer  —  Joy  Zook,  2029  E. 

4th  St.,  Tiosa,  Rochester,  IN  46975. 

Phone:  219-223-6669 
Ass't.  Secretary-Treasurer  —  Emma  Lee 

Staller,  CR  9587  E.  375  N,  Logansport, 

IN  46947.  Phone:  219-664-3589 
Financial  Secretary  —  Linda  Immel,  401  E. 

3rd  St.,  North  Manchester,  IN  46962. 

Phone:  219-982-8238 
Ass't.  Financial  Secretary  —  Sandra  Sharp, 

681  E.  May  St.,  Leesburg,  IN  46538. 

Phone:  219-834-4601 

Central 

President  —  Melva  Staples,  P.  O.  Box  296, 

Milledgeville,  IL  60151.  Phone:  815-225- 

7132 
Vice  President  —  Anita  Hollewell,  RD  2, 

Box  11,  Lanark,  IL  61046 
Secretary-Treasurer  —  Gini  Hutchison,  5085 

Otter  Creek  Dr.,  Milledgeville,  IL  61051 

Midwest 

President  —  Carolyn  Tucker,  1500  Commu- 
nity Dr.,  Derby,  KS  67037.  Phone:  316- 
788-4913 

Vice  President  —  Shirley  Powell,  Rt.  1,  Box 
118,  Longton,  KS  67352 

Secretary-Treasurer  —  Marilyn  Minor,  Rt. 
3,  Box  440,  Fort  Scott,  KS  66701 

Southwest 

President  —  Clara  Stigers,  4160  E.  Burns 

St.,  Tucson,  AZ  85711.  Phone:  520-323- 

0215 
Vice  President  —  Marie  Fanning,  5772  E. 

Seneca,  Tucson,  AZ  85712 
Secretary-Treasurer  —  Ina  Williams,  4359 

E.  Blanton  Rd.,  Tucson,  AZ  85712 

Northern  California 

President  —  None 

LOCAL  SOCIETIES 

Names  and  Addresses  of 
W.M.S.  Presidents 

Florida  District 

Sarasota  Day  —  June  Shaw,  625  Caruso 

PI.,  Sarasota,  FL  34237.  Phone:  941-955- 

9241 
Sarasota  Evening  —  Betty  Renneker,  1412 

Colgate  Ave.,  Bradenton,  FL  34207. 

Phone:  941-756-3697 

Southeastern  District 

Bethlehem  Mary  and  Martha  —  Kathy 

Velanzon,  Rt.  1,  Box  931,  Port  Republic, 

VA  24471 
Cumberland  —  Vergie  Greenawalt,  917 

Maryland  Ave.,  Cumberland,  MD  21502. 

Phone:  301-724-1105 
Hagerstown  —  Julia  Humelsine,  332  Avon 

Rd.,  Hagerstown,  MD  21740.  Phone:  301- 

733-8680 
Linwood  —  Virginia  Hook,  3046  Old  Wash- 
ington Rd.,  Westminster,  MD  21157. 

Phone:  410-848-5587 
Maurertown  —  Elsie  Mogle,  636  Moose  Rd., 

Woodstock,  VA  22664.  Phone:  540-459- 

3204 
Oak  Hill  —  Lois  Robinson,  105  Miller  Ave., 

Oak  Hill,  WV  25901.  Phone:  304-469-4806 
Southeast  Christian  Fellowship  —  Helen 

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  —  Bettie  Cook,  1039  Wisman  Rd., 

Woodstock,  VA  22664.  Phone:  540-459-3963 

Pennsylvania  District 

Berlin  —  Edith  Hoffman,  Rt.  1,  Berlin,  PA 

15530 
Brush  Valley  —  Irene  Tarr,  Rt.  1,  Adrian, 

PA  16210 


Cameron  —  Jean  Rayle,  93  Penn  Ave., 

Cameron,  WV  26033.  Phone:  304-686-3782 
Fairless  Hills  —  Alice  Zimmerman,  171  S. 

Myrtlewood  Ave.,  Langhorne,  PA  19047. 

Phone:  215-757-6228 
Highland  —  Marilyn  Reynard,  583  High- 
land Ridge  Rd.,  Marianna,  PA  15345. 

Phone:  412-267-3445 
Johnstown  II  —  Nancy  Grumbling,   179 

Bond  St.,  Johnstown,  PA  15905.  Phone: 

814-288-6115 
Johnstown  III  —  Delores  Golby,  402  Nor- 
wood Gardens,  Johnstown,  PA  15905. 

Phone:  914-255-5477 
Masontown  —  Mary  Davis,  400  Locust  St., 

Masontown,  PA  15461.  Phone:  412-583- 

7818 
Meyersdale  —  LeeAnn  Yoder,  Rt.  3,  Mey- 

ersdale,  PA  15552.  Phone:  814-634-5107 
Mt.  Olivet  —  Madlyn  Davis,  Rt.  1,  Box  249, 

Georgetown,  DE  19947.  Phone:  302-934- 

9122 
Pleasant  View  —  Aldine  Young,  Rt.  1,  Box 

183,  Vandergrift,  PA  15690 
Raystown  —  Bonnie  Chamberlain,  Rt.   1, 

Box  46B,  Saxton,  PA  16678.  Phone:  814- 

928-5149 
Sarver  —  Marsha  Nulph,  361  Stoney  Hol- 
low Rd.,  Cabot,  PA  16023.  Phone:  412- 

352-3528 
Sergeantsville  —  Doris  Culbertson,  Box  67, 

Sergeantsville,  NJ  08557.  Phone:  609- 

397-3120 
Valley  —  Sheila  Neiderhiser,  Rt.   1,  Box 

315N,  Acme,  PA  15610.  Phone:  412-593- 

2324 
Vinco  —  Brenna  Mackall,   178  Mackall 

Ave.,  Mineral  Point,  PA  15942.  Phone: 

814-322-1420 
Wayne  Heights  —  Lorinda  Schildt,  222  S. 

Oiler  Ave.,  Waynesboro,  PA  17268.  Phone: 

717-762-5786 
White  Dale  —  Rita  Varner,  P.O.  Box  414, 

Kingwood,  WV  26537.  Phone:  304-329-2533 

Ohio  District 

Brethren  Bible  —  Connie  Solomon,   1241 

Baier  Ave.,  Louisville,  OH  44641.  Phone: 

330-875-2666 
Fremont  —  Marcia  Miller,  216  S.  Park 

Ave.,  Fremont,  OH  43420.  Phone:  419- 

332-0531 
Garber  —  Donna  Stoffer,   1509  Old  Post 

Rd.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone:  419-281- 

3710 
Gratis  —  Ruth  Focht,  8947  S.  Preble  C. 

Line  Rd.,  Germantown,  OH  45327.  Phone: 

937-787-3860 
Gretna  Gleaners  —  Nettie  Hudson,  4653 

CR  11,  Bellefontaine,  OH  43311.  Phone: 

937-592-9163 
Gretna  Lamplighters  —  Andi  Jenkins,  6686 

Co.  Rd.  56,  Huntsville,  OH  43324.  Phone: 

937-686-3661 
Newark  —  Florence  Crist,  66  Roe  Ave., 

Newark,  OH  43055 
New  Lebanon  Afternoon  —  Jane  Metzger,  1 

Lawson  Ave.,  New  Lebanon,  OH  45345. 

Phone:  937-687-1186 
New  Lebanon  Evening  —  Lori  Metivier, 

152  N.  Diamond  Mill  Rd.,  New  Lebanon, 

OH  45345.  Phone:  937-837-3332 
North  Georgetown  Afternoon-Carrie  Stoffer 

—  Alice  Kensinger,  33  Boxwood  Dr.,  Be- 
loit, OH  44609.  Phone:  330-938-9133 

North  Georgetown  Evening-Evelyn  Mercer 

—  Nancy  Diehl,  4066  S.  Mahoning  Ave., 
Alliance,  OH  44601.  Phone:  330-821-5625 

Park  St.  Faith  —  Pauline  Benshoff,  1317 

Lake  Dr.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone: 

419-962-4646 
Park  St.  Hope  —  Shirley  Black,  102  High 

St.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone:  419-289- 

0370 


Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


Park  St.  Joy  —  Jane  Solomon,  24  Samari- 
tan Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Phone: 
419-281-3298 

Smithville  —  Edna  Fleming,  339  N.  Ella 
St.,  Orrville,  OH  44667 

Trinity  Jr.  —  Sharon  Dixon,  633  Buckwal- 
ter  Dr.  SW,  Massillon,  OH  44646.  Phone: 
330-832-2074 

Trinity  Sr.  —  Donna  Barnes,  3204  Cleve- 
land Ave.  S,  Canton,  OH  44707.  Phone: 
330-484-3387 

West  Alexandria  —  Marilyn  Ward,  2356 
New  Market  Banta  Rd.,  West  Alexandria, 
OH  45381 

Williamstown  —  Barbara  Main,  6781  SR 
12  W,  Findlay,  OH  45840.  Phone:  419- 
422-3069 

Indiana  District 

Ardmore  —  Kathy  Galbreath,  23674  St.  Rt. 

2,  South  Bend,  IN  46619.  Phone:  219-232- 

6179 
Brighton  Chapel  —  Leona  Long,  5455  N. 

610  E,  Howe,  IN  46746.  Phone:  219-562- 

3074 
Bryan  I  —  Anna  Moore,  620  S.  Walnut  St., 

Bryan,  OH  43506.  Phone:  419-636-2856 
Bryan  Susannah  —  Gina  Dietrich,  03482 

Ney-Williams  Center  Rd.,   Ney,   OH 

43549.  Phone:  419-658-2101 
Burlington  —  Tonya  Powell,  Box  327,  Burling- 
ton, IN  46915.  Phone:  765-566-3432 
College  Corner  —  Tamie  White,  2817  W. 

850  S,  Wabash,  IN  46992.  Phone:  765- 

981-4557 
Corinth  —  Lois  Thomson,   5751   N.   CR 

800  E,  Logansport,  IN  46947.  Phone:  219- 

664-2729 
Cornerstone  —  Joan  Merrill,  9300  S.  SR  3, 

Muncie,  IN  47302.  Phone:  765-289-2384 
Dutchtown  —  Pat  Sattison,  6600  E.  South 

Barbee  Dr.,  Warsaw,  IN  46580.  Phone: 

219-594-3068 
Flora  —  Co-presidents:  June  Clem,  126  W. 

Walnut,  Flora,  IN  46929.  Phone:  219-967- 

3973;  and  Kathleen  Brummett,  7182  W. 

Division  Line  Rd.,  Delphi,  IN  46923. 

Phone:  765-564-4172 
Goshen  Chantal  —  Maggy  Garber,  16170 

CR  138,  Goshen,  IN  46526.  Phone:  219- 

642-4535 
Goshen  Jeanette  — 
Goshen  Regina  —  Esther  Mishler,  41  Green 

Way  Dr.  Goshen,  IN  46526.  Phone:  219- 

533-4995 
Huntington  —  Lois  Fox,   1515  Hedd  St., 

Huntington,  IN  46750.  Phone:  219-356-0309 
Loree  I  —  Anita  Bucher,  Rt.  5,  Box  44, 

Peru,  IN  46970.  Phone:  219-626-2816 
Loree  Charity  — 
Meadow  Crest  —  Lisa  Hawthorn,  6552  St. 

Joe  Center  Rd.,  Fort  Wayne,  IN  46835. 

Phone:  219-486-5335 
Mexico  —  Marion  Bargerhuff,  P.O.  Box 

234,  92  Walnut  Ln.,  Mexico,  IN  46958. 

Phone:  765-985-3560 
Milford  —  Lois  Scott,  P.O.  Box  525,  411 

Catherine  St.,  Milford,  IN  46542.  Phone: 

219-658-4876 
Nappanee  —  Sue  Hinton,  701  N.  Williams, 

Nappanee,  IN  46550.  Phone:  219-773-5603 
New  Paris  —  Gerry  Swartz,  601  E.  Pick- 
wick Dr.,   Syracuse,  IN  46757.  Phone: 

219-457-3343 
North  Manchester  Hadassah  —  Helen  Con- 
rad, 504  Hawthorn  Tr.,  North  Manches- 
ter, IN  46962.  Phone:  219-982-4855 
North  Manchester  Joy  —  Toni  Ayres,  1298 

E.   1200  S,  Claypool,  IN  46510.  Phone: 

219-982-8137 
Oakville  —  Teresa  Blevins,  8453  N.  CR 

50  W,  Springport,  IN  47386.  Phone:  765- 

755-3776 
Peru  —  Rosalyn  Roller,  470  W.   14th  St., 

Peru,  IN  46970 
Roann  —  Rosella  Layton,  430  W.  Adams 

St.,  Roann,  IN  46974.  Phone:  317-833-2626 

January-February  1998 


Roanoke  —  Sharon  Williams,  P.O.  Box  33, 
Roanoke,  IN  46783.  Phone:  219-672-3252 

South  Bend  —  Bev  Baker,  1127  Byron  Dr., 
South  Bend,  IN  46614.  Phone:  219-291- 
1212 

Tiosa  —  Joy  Zook,  2029  E.  4th  St.,  Tiosa, 
Rochester,  IN  46975.  Phone:  219-223-6669 

Wabash  —  Nancy  Snyder,  518  Gillen  Ave., 
Wabash,  IN  46992.  Phone:  219-563-6300 

Warsaw  —  Lois  Garber,  715  E.  Clark,  War- 
saw, IN  46580.  Phone:  219-267-5272 

Central  District 

Cerro  Gordo  —  Elaine  Dresbach,  Box  254, 
LaPlace,  IL  61936.  Phone:  217-677-2171 

Hammond  Ave.  —  Carolyn  Waters,  303 
Meadowbrook  Lane,  Waterloo,  I A  50701. 
Phone:  319-2344-6910 

Lanark  Neoma  —  Carolyn  Miller,  13433 
Center  Dr.,  Lanark,  IL  61046.  Phone: 
815-493-6232 

Milledgeville  Beacons  —  Marian  Haugh, 
220  W.  8th  St.,  P.O.  Box  663,  Mill- 
edgeville, IL  61051.  Phone:  815-225-7741 

Milledgeville  Hearts  of  Praise  —  Jane 
Long,  21932  Fulfs  Rd.,  Sterling,  IL  61081. 
Phone:  815-336-2492 

Midwest  District 

Fort  Scott  I  —  Carole  Minor,  1421  S.  Mar- 
grove,  Fort  Scott,  KS  66701.  Phone:  316- 
223-1938 

Fort  Scott  II  —  Shirley  Powell,  Rt.  1,  Box 
118,  Longton,  KS  61352.  Phone:  316-642- 
2024 

Mulvane  —  Thelma  Adams,  Rt.  2,  Box  162, 
Udall,  KS  67148.  Phone:  316-782-3508 

Southwest  District 

Tucson  Evening  —  Iris  McKinney,  6717 
Calle  Mercurio,  Tucson,  AZ  85710.  Phone: 
520-747-2253 

Tucson  Faith,  Hope,  Charity  —  Marie  Fan- 
ning, 5772  E.  Seneca,  Tucson,  AZ  85712. 
Phone:  520-885-3398 

Northern  California  District 

Stockton  —  Delores  Soderfelt,  518  Arc  Ave., 
Stockton,  CA  95210.  Phone:  209-477-0888 


The  President's  Pen  (continued) 

"Do  not  be  anxious  about  anything,  but 
in  everything  by  prayer  and  petition, 
with  thanksgiving,  present  your  re- 
quests to  God.  And  the  peace  of  God, 
which  transcends  all  understanding, 
will  guard  your  hearts  and  your  minds 
in  Christ  Jesus."  So,  if  you  feel  over- 
whelmed by  your  troubles,  fix  your 
mind  on  the  Lord.  Ask  for  His  help. 
Trust  Him.  Let  Him  give  you  peace  in 
your  storm. 

In  your  meetings  this  year,  get 
the  ABC's  out  and  go  over  them — 
one  by  one.  Would  you  like  to  see 
any  changes?  Any  additions? 
Maybe  some  need  to  be  rewritten. 
Please  send  me  the  suggestions 
your  W.M.S.  group  might  have.  We 
plan  to  discuss  the  ABC's  at  our 
next  W.M.S.  Board  meeeting. 

We  have  some  changes  in  our 
Board  members  for  this  year. 
Janet  Rufener  has  been  appointed 
assistant  treasurer;  Penny  Knouff 


has  been  appointed  literature  sec- 
retary; Nancy  Hunn  will  be  the 
editor  of  the  Devotional  Guide. 
More  about  each  of  these  ladies  in 
a  future  Newsletter. 

Please  read  carefully  Linda  Im- 
mel's  letter  about  starting  a  new 
W.M.S.  group.  This  is  exciting!  Her 
message  to  those  who  know  noth- 
ing about  W.M.S.  can  be  easily 
duplicated  in  other  churches.  She 
began  with  prayer  and  a  desire! 

The  following  poem  is  for  you  to 
read  and  maybe  put  on  your  refrig- 
erator or  some  place  where  you 
will  see  it  often.  Then  do  an  act  of 
kindness. 

It  Only  Taf^es  a  Moment 

It  only  takes  a  moment  to  watch 

a  butterfly 
Glide  gracefully  on  gossamer  wing 
Across  the  blue  of  sky. 

But  oh,  the  sheer  enjoyment  that 

such  a  moment  brings; 
Its  beauty  lifts  my  spirits  high. 
All  day  my  glad  heart  sings. 

It  only  takes  a  moment  to  give  a 

friendly  smile, 
To  pay  a  lovely  compliment, 
Or  share  a  thought  worthwhile. 

Yet,  little  acts  of  kindness  can 

cheer  some  soul  along, 
And  plant  within  a  lonely  heart 
A  joyous,  vibrant  song. 

—  Beverly  J.  Anderson 
God  Bless  You. 


Shirley  Black 


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. 


LOOK! 


A  note  from  Linda  Immel  in 
North  Manchester,  Ind.,  brought 
this  good  news. 

I  am  so  excited  to  share  with  you 
what  GOD  is  doing  with  this  new 
ladies'  fellowship  group.  He  is  so 
faithful  when  we  are  obedient  to 
His  call.  After  General  Conference 
I  sent  personal  letters  to  ladies 
who  were  new  to  The  Brethren 
Church,  introducing  them  to 
W.M.S.  I  invited  them  to  a  meeting 
in  my  home,  so  I  could  further  tell 
them  about  W.M.S.,  introduce 
them  to  missionary  families,  and 
answer  questions  they  might  have. 
There  were  nine  at  that  meeting. 

We  went  on  a  treasure  hunt  (I 
used  the  September  program  idea 
in  the  Devotional  Guide)  and  made 
some  great  discoveries  about  the 
needs  of  these  young  gals.  They 
really  have  the  need  and  desire  to 
"serve  the  Lord."  We  made  plans 
to  invite  others  to  a  brainstorming 
meeting  in  October. 

When  we  met  in  October,  I  in- 
vited Cynthia  Stout,  the  Indiana 
District  president,  to  come  and 
share  why  W.M.S.  is  important  to 
her  and  to  encourage  the  ladies  in 
this  endeavor.  She  was  great! 
These  young  ladies  are  very  local 
and  community  service-oriented, 
so  we  may  not  send  checks  for 
national  offerings  and  projects  this 
first  year,  but  I  believe  it  will  hap- 
pen, as  they  learn  more  about 
these  special  offerings. 

They  have  already  been  encour- 
aged by  the  JOY  Circle  and  the 
Hadassah  Circle  (societies  already 
established  in  the  North  Manches- 
ter Church),  because  these  societies 
have  paid  this  year's  dues  for  them. 
We  also  have  a  new  Indiana  goal  of 
participating  in  the  Society  Sister 
Program,  and  our  Society  Sisters 
are  from  the  Goshen  Chantel  Cir- 
cle. They  sent  us  such  an  encour- 
aging card  and  letters  last  month. 
These  young  gals  truly  have  felt 
loved  by  other  W.M.S.  ladies.  What 
a  blessing! 

We  got  so  involved  in  our  plan- 
ning last  month  that  we  didn't 
even  get  around  to  deciding  on  a 
name,  but  we  are  going  to  get  one 


soon.  It  has  to  be  just  right,  you 
know.  We  decided  to  wait  to  elect 
officers,  too,  so  we  plan  to  do  that 
at  our  Christmas  party. 

I  ask  that  you  would  pray  for  me, 
as  I  seek  to  follow  God's  leading  for 
this  group.  These  girls  are  mostly 
young,  non-Brethren,  so  I  really 
want  to  give  them  a  love  for  Breth- 
ren missions  and  W.M.S.  work. 
And  I  want  this  group  to  meet  the 
needs  of  these  girls  and  be  in  God's 
design,  not  mine. 

In  His  Service,  Linda 

(Should  you  want  to  send  encour- 
agement or  questions  to  Linda,  her 
address  is  401  E.  Third  St.,  North 
Manchester,  IN  46962.) 

(Missionary 

Each  of  these  items  is  in  need  of 
your  daily  prayers: 

•  Claudio  and  Karina  Castelli  are 
missionaries  from  the  Argentine 
church  to  Paraguay. 

•  Sudhir  Kumar's  wedding  date  is  in 
January  1998.  He  and  his  father, 
Prasanth,  are  looking  in  Vijaya- 
wada  (vi-jay-a-wada),  the  new  city 
where  Sudhir  has  worked  for  sev- 
eral months,  for  a  place  for  Sudhir 
and  his  wife  to  live  as  well  as  a 
center  for  worship. 

•  Mark  and  Chantal  Logan,  living 
in  Djibouti,  East  Africa,  reported 
an  unusual  amount  of  rain.  Dji- 
bouti is  a  dry  country,  so  torren- 
tial rains  cause  severe  problems: 
huge  mudholes  and  puddles 
which  are  stagnant,  polluted,  and 
breeding  places  for  mosquitoes 
and  flies.  This  leads  to  the  spread 
of  diseases.  An  epidemic  of  chol- 
era has  already  caused  many 
deaths.  Prayers  are  needed  for 
this  Muslim  country. 

•  Jen  Thomas  is  affiliated  with  Spear- 
head and  works  with  Todd  and 
Tracy  Ruggles  in  Mexico  City  as 
well.  Jen's  father  died  unexpect- 
edly during  Thanksgiving  week, 
which  necessitated  a  trip  home  to 
Canton,  Ohio.  Within  the  past  three 
years  her  mother  and  her  grand- 
mother also  died.  Help  her  to  be 
comforted  and  to  know  God's  love. 

•  Three  ministerial  couples  are 
raising  start-up  funds  for  new 


church  groups.  Watch  for  develop- 
ments from: 

(1)  Jim  and  Elaine  Thomas  and 
the  Eagle's  Nest  Christian  Fel- 
lowship in  Peru,  Indiana; 

(2)  Mike  and  Barbara  Woods  in  the 
Winchester,  Virginia,  area;  and 

(3)  Jim  and  Stephanie  Boyd  in 
Vista,  California. 

Prayers  may  be  sent  directly; 
financial  gifts  may  be  sent  to 
Brethren  Missions,  524  College 
Ave.,  Ashland,  Ohio  44805. 

Missionaries-of-the-Month  for 
JANUARY  are  missionaries  in  Ar- 
gentina: Allen  Baer,  and  Eduardo 
and  Mariela  Rodriguez.  Allen,  the 
senior  missionary,  serves  The  Breth- 
ren Church  in  many  capacities  in 
Buenos  Aires.  Eduardo  and  Mariela 
came  from  Buenos  Aires  in  1995  to 
attend  Ashland  Theological  Sem- 
inary. In  August  they  returned  to 
Argentina  to  reopen  Eden  Bible 
Institute,  a  Brethren  theological 
school  which  was  closed  in  the 
1970s.  The  need  for  a  theological 
school  is  great,  and  the  partnership 
of  The  Brethren  Church  in  Argen- 
tina and  The  Brethren  Church  in 
the  United  States  is  strong! 

The  FEBRUARY  missionaries 
are  home  mission  pastors:  Mike 
and  Pam  Sove  at  the  North  view 
Brethren  Life  Church  in  Franklin, 
Ohio;  and  Tom  and  Debbie  Sprowls 
at  the  Living  HOPE  Brethren 
Church  in  Medina,  Ohio.  Both  are 
young  families  who  pastor  young 
congregations. 

The  MARCH  missionaries  are  in 
South  America:  Miguel  and  Sonia 
Antunez  in  Lima,  Peru;  and  Claudio 
and  Karina  Castelli  in  Paraguay. 

Tniftkftr's  hiding 

Dear  Friend, 

Much  work  goes  into  making  the 
Directory  correct.  Should  you  see 
an  error  or  an  omission,  please  send 
me  a  note  so  our  records  can  be 
complete.  The  information  comes 
from  the  statistical  report  which 
you  submit  in  June  to  the  general 
secretary.  We  appreciate  your  com- 
plete and  accurate  reports. 
Your  friend, 

ft      Joan 
Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


Spiritual  Disciplines  for  Ordinary  People 


By  John  Ortberg 


FOR  MUCH  of  my  life,  when  I 
heard  messages  about  following 
Jesus,  I  thought  in  terms  of  trying 
hard  to  be  like  Him.  Spiritual  trans- 
formation is  not  a  matter  of  trying 
harder,  but  of  training  wisely. 

This  need  for  preparation  applies 
to  a  healthy  and  vibrant  spiritual 
life  just  as  it  does  to  physical  and 
intellectual  activity.  Learning  to 
think,  feel,  and  act  like  Jesus  is  as 
demanding  as  learning  to  run  a 
marathon  or  play  the  piano. 

Following  Jesus  means  learning 
from  Him  how  to  arrange  my  life 
around  activities  that  enable  me  to 
live  in  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  Disci- 
plines are  valuable  because  they 
allow  us  to  do  what  we  cannot  do  by 
willpower  alone.  Disciplines  that  are 
spiritual  are  simply  those  that  help 
me  live  in  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit. 

The  danger  that  arises  when  we 
don't  experience  authentic  trans- 
formation is  that  we  will  settle  for 
what  might  be  called  pseudo-trans- 
formation. We  know  that  as  Chris- 
tians our  faith  and  spiritual  com- 
mitment should  make  us  different 
somehow.  But  if  we  are  not  marked 
by  greater  amounts  of  love  and  joy, 
we  will  look  for  substitute  ways  of 
distinguishing  ourselves  from  those 
who  are  not  Christians. 

If  we  do  not  become  changed  from 
the  inside-out,  we  will  be  tempted 
to  find  external  methods  to  satisfy 
our  need  to  feel  that  we're  different 
from  those  outside  the  faith.  If  we 
cannot  be  transformed,  we  will  settle 
for  being  informed  or  conformed. 

Jesus  spoke  to  the  deepest  long- 
ings of  the  human  heart  to  become 
not  simply  conformed  to  a  religious 
subculture  but  transformed  into  "new 
creatures."  Instead  of  focusing  on 
the  boundaries,  Jesus  focused  on  the 
center,  the  heart  of  spiritual  life. 

A  boundary-oriented  approach  to 
spirituality  focuses  on  a  person's 
position:  Are  you  inside  or  outside 
the  group?  A  great  deal  of  energy  is 
spent  clarifying  what  counts  as  a 
boundary  marker.  But  Jesus  focused 
on  people's  center.  Are  they  moving 
toward  the  center  of  spiritual  life 

January  1998 


(love  of  God  and  people),  or  are  they 
moving  away  from  it? 

Our  primary  task  is  not  to  calcu- 
late how  many  verses  of  Scripture 
we  read  or  how  many  minutes  we 
spend  in  prayer.  Our  task  is  to  use 
these  activities  to  create  opportuni- 
ties for  God  to  work.  Then  what 
happens  is  up  to  Him. 

We  need  the  freedom  to  discover 
how  God  wants  us  to  grow,  for  His 
design  will  not  look  quite  the  same 
for  everyone. 

C.  S.  Lewis  once  surmised  that 
each  person  is  created  to  see  a  dif- 
ferent facet  of  God's  beauty — 


something  no  one  else  can  see  in 
quite  the  same  way — and  then  to 
bless  all  worshipers  through  all 
eternity  with  an  aspect  of  God  they 
could  not  otherwise  see. 

Whatever  our  season  of  life,  it  of- 
fers its  own  opportunities  and  chal- 
lenges for  spiritual  growth.  Instead 
of  wishing  we  were  in  another  sea- 
son, we  ought  to  find  out  what  this 
one  offers.  Life  counts — all  of  it. 
Every  moment  is  potentially  an  op- 
portunity to  be  guided  by  God  into 
His  way  of  living.  Every  moment  is 
a  chance  to  learn  from  Jesus  how  to 
live  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  [ft] 

This  article  is  taken  from  the  book, 
The  Life  You've  Always  Wanted  to  Live 
(subtitled  Spiritual  Disciplines  for  Ordinary 
People)  by  John  Ortberg  (Zondervan, 
1997).  The  article  was  provided  by  the 
publishers  and  is  used  by  permission. 


Bucking  the  Trend 

By  Sam  Shultz 


WHAT  WOULD  JESUS  DO  .  .  . 
if  He  were  in  my  situation? 
Many  people  wear  the  WWJD 
bracelet,  and  that's  good.  But  do 
they  really  understand  what  it's 
all  about?  Do  they  know  that  the 
whole  concept  began  in  the  1890's? 

Charles  M.  Sheldon  wrote  a  book 
called  In  His  Steps  that  became  very 
popular.  It  was  based  on  the  princi- 
ple, "What  would  Jesus  do  if  He 
were  in  my  situation?"  It  was  about 
a  pastor  who  experienced  a  situa- 
tion in  which  a  sick  and  dying  man 
needed  help  getting  a  job.  All  the 
pastor  said  was,  "I  hope  you  find 
something  soon,"  and  something  to 
the  effect  of  "I'll  pray  for  you."  The 
man  later  died  in  the  pastor's  home. 

The  pastor  spent  a  long  time  in 
thought,  and  then  he  challenged 
his  congregation  to  go  a  whole  year 
asking  the  question  before  every 
decision,  "What  would  Jesus  do?" 

The  book  goes  on  to  tell  what  hap- 
pened to  each  member  of  the  church. 
I  encourage  you  to  read  this  book  to 
obtain  an  overall  understanding  of 
the  whole  concept  of  WWJD. 

Jeff  Crowder,  my  best  friend, 
says  he  hates  "trendies."  Trendies 
look  dumb  just  following  the  crowd. 
Well,  I  think  that  wearing  the 
WWJD  bracelets  is  getting  to  be  a 
trend.  Come  on,  I've  seen  a  gas  sta- 
tion selling  these  things.  I  agree 


with  Jeff.  Many  people  wear  them 
for  fashion  reasons  or  because  a 
friend  gave  them  one.  Hey,  if  you 
want  to  look  slick  with  this  fad, 
forget  WWJD;  try  WD-40  instead. 

Other  people  wear  the  bracelets 
because  they  make  them  feel  good. 
They  remind  them  of  God.  If  they 
really  remind  you  of  God,  that's 
great.  But  is  that  all? 

I  wore  the  ever-popular  Salva- 
tion Bracelet  for  this  same  reason. 
It  reminded  me  of  God,  and  people 
asked  about  it.  I  quit  wearing  it. 
Why?  Because  I  found  something 
better  to  do.  I  talk  to  God  now  in- 
stead of  just  thinking  about  Him. 

If  there  is  something  you  need  to 
remember,  you  tie  a  string  around 
your  finger.  If  you  have  to  keep  re- 
membering that  God  is  there  every- 
day, then  you've  got  a  problem.  The 
more  you  get  to  know  Him,  the 
more  evident  He  becomes  and  the 
less  you  need  a  string. 

I  encourage  you  to  think  about 
your  WWJD  stuff.  Ask  yourself, 
"What  good  is  it  doing  me?"  [ft] 

Sam  Shultz,  a  member  of  the  Jef- 
ferson Brethren  Church  (Goshen, 
Ind.),  is  a  senior  at  Fairfield  Junior/ 
Senior  High  School,  where  he  writes 
a  column — "Samthing  to  think 
about"— for  The  Talon,  the  school 
newspaper.  This  was  his  column  for 
the  December  4,  1997,  issue. 


Executive  Board,  Ministries  Councils  meet 

to  provide  vision  and  direction  for 

the  ministries  of  The  Brethren  Church 


CONSIDERATION  of  a  vision 
statement  prepared  by  Dr. 
Emanuel  (Buzz)  Sandberg,  the 
new  Executive  Director  of  The 
Brethren  Church,  was  one  of  the 
important  items  of  business  con- 
ducted by  the  Executive  Board,  the 
Missionary  Ministries  Council,  and 
the  Congregational  Ministries 
Council  when  these  agencies  each 
met  in  Ashland,  Ohio,  last  Novem- 
ber 11  and  12.  These  were  the  first 
full  meetings  of  these  agencies  since 
Dr.  Sandberg  was  appointed  Ex- 
ecutive Director  at  the  1997  Gen- 
eral Conference. 

One  of  the  major  responsibilities 
of  the  Executive  Director  is  to  give 
visionary  leadership  to  The  Breth- 
ren Church.  His  vision  statement  is 
one  means  of  providing  that  leader- 
ship. A  draft  of  the  statement  was 
presented  to  the  Executive  Board 
and  to  the  two  Ministries  Councils. 
Members  of  the  three  agencies  not 
only  offered  their  comments  and 
suggestions,  but  they  also  took 
shared  ownership  of  the  statement 
as  their  vision  for  The  Brethren 
Church.  The  statement,  "A  Vision 
for  the  Future,"  was  printed  in  last 
month's  issue  of  the  EVANGELIST 
(see  page  1  of  the  December  issue). 

These  meetings  were  also  the 
first  that  Rev.  David  West  attended 
as  Director  of  Congregational  Min- 
istries and  as  Director  of  Church 
Planting,  since  taking  these  posi- 
tions in  October.  He  met  with  all 
three  groups  during  the  course  of 
the  two  days  of  meetings. 

Following  are  some  of  the  actions 
taken  by  each  of  the  three  agencies. 

Executive  Board 

Acting  on  a  recommendation  from 
the  Congregational  Ministries  Coun- 
cil, the  Executive  Board  voted  to 
enter  into  a  two-year  partnership 
(for  1998  &  99)  in  New  Life  Minis- 
tries, involving  a  commitment  of 
$12,500  per  year.  New  Life  Minis- 
tries, which  replaces  The  Andrew 
Center  (in  which  The  Brethren 

8 


Church  was  also  a  member),  has  as 
its  purpose  "to  multiply  the  number 
of  persons  turning  to  Jesus  Christ 
by  multiplying  the  number  of  lead- 
ers and  congregations  that  are 
spiritually  alive  and  evangelisti- 
cally  effective."  Denominational 
membership  in  New  Life  Ministries 
includes  free  membership  for  all 
local  Brethren  congregations  giving 
them  access  to  the  services  the 
agency  provides.  The  Executive 
Board  also  named  Rev.  David  West 
as  The  Brethren  Church's  repre- 
sentative to  the  board  of  trustees  of 
New  Life  Ministries. 

Acting  upon  a  recommendation 
by  the  Missionary  Ministries  Coun- 
cil, the  board  set  a  policy  that 
when  an  executive  employee  makes 
an  official  trip  of  two  weeks  or  more, 
the  employee's  spouse  may  accom- 
pany the  employee  as  a  designated 
representative  of  The  Brethren 
Church,  with  the  National  Office 
responsible  for  the  spouse's  cost  of 
travel.  Also  at  the  recommendation 
of  the  Missionary  Ministries  Coun- 
cil, the  board  revoked  the  class 
status  of  West  Valley  Brethren 
Life  Church  of  Tracy,  Calif.  This 
action  was  taken  because  West  Val- 
ley no  longer  functions  as  a  Breth- 
ren class  and  because  its  class 
status  had  already  been  revoked  by 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  North- 
ern California  District. 

The  board  began  making  plans 
for  the  1998  General  Conference. 
The  Conference  will  have  a  renewal 
emphasis  and  be  primarily  a  cele- 
bration. Plans  are  being  made  for  a 
concert  of  prayer,  workshops,  Table 
Talks,  auxiliary  times,  and  special 
sessions  for  men  and  women. 

Two  task  forces  were  formed  by 
the  board.  One  will  consider  district 
operations  and  structure.  Appointed 
to  this  task  force  were  Roy  Andrews, 
Larry  Baker,  Mike  Drushal,  Emery 
Hurd,  Dale  Stoffer,  and  Buzz  Sand- 
berg (chair).  The  second  task  force 
was  formed  to  promote  General 
Conference  2000,  which  is  to  be 


held  at  Estes  Park,  Colorado.  Mem- 
bers of  this  task  force  are  Cathy 
Britton,  Jim  Frado,  Emery  Hurd, 
and  David  West  (chair). 

Congregational  Ministries  Council 

Since  this  was  his  first  meeting 
with  the  council  as  Director  of  Con- 
gregational Ministries,  Rev.  David 
West  took  time  at  the  beginning  of 
the  meeting  to  share  his  core  val- 
ues and  what  he  hopes  to  accom- 
plish in  his  new  position.  He  said 
that  he  believes  prayer  is  founda- 
tion; he  is  not  afraid  of  failure  so  is 
willing  to  try  new  things;  he  be- 
lieves in  excellence;  and  he  is  com- 
mitted to  teamwork.  He  sees  him- 
self as  an  agent  to  help  lead  The 
Brethren  Church  through  retooling, 
revitalization,  and  repurposing. 

Recognizing  the  value  of  e-mail 
as  a  communication  tool  within  The 
Brethren  Church,  the  council  is 
encouraging  Brethren  pastors  and 
churches  to  get  "on  line"  as  quickly 
as  possible.  The  council  provided 
information  about  a  free  e-mail 
service  in  the  November  28  issue  of 
Leadership  Letter. 

The  council  discussed  the  need  to 
strengthen  ministries  for  women 
and  men  in  The  Brethren  Church. 
To  this  end,  the  council  requested 
that  the  Executive  Board  provide  a 
specific  time  on  the  1998  General 
Conference  schedule  (different 
from  the  meeting  times  for  auxilia- 
ries) for  dialogue  on  women's  and 
men's  ministries. 

The  council  plans  to  again  spon- 
sor Table  Talks  at  the  1998  Gen- 
eral Conference.  Council  members 
Tina  Henderson,  Emery  Hurd,  and 
Tina  Ross  agreed  to  coordinate  plan- 
ning for  these  discussion  groups. 

Ten  to  twelve  churches  will  be 
involved  in  the  initial  "class"  of  the 
leadership  initiative,  with  these 
churches  to  begin  consultations 
with  their  mentors  early  in  1998. 
District  and  regional  seminars  and 
workshops  are  being  planned  for 
churches  not  currently  involved  in 
the  leadership  initiative. 

Missionary  Ministries  Council 

Church-planting  opportunities 

are  growing.  The  building  of  the 
former  Walcrest  Brethren  Church 
of  Mansfield,  Ohio,  will  be  used  as  a 
facility  for  a  new  Brethren  Church. 

The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Ron  Miller,  a  senior  at  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary,  and  his  wife 
Sandy  have  been  assessed,  trained, 
and  approved  for  deployment  to 
lead  this  new  church  start. 

Two  church-planting  events 
are  planned  for  1998 — a  Mother/ 
Daughter  church-planting  confer- 
ence, and  a  multiple-track  church- 
planting  summit.  The  summit  will 
include  training  for  district  mission 
board  members,  church  planters, 
potential  mother-church  pastors, 
as  well  as  general  plenary  sessions. 

Executive  Director  Buzz  Sand- 
berg  presented  his  vision,  priorities, 
and  goals  for  The  Brethren  Church 
to  the  council.  Church  renewal  is  at 
the  top  of  his  list.  Identifying,  re- 
cruiting, training,  and  deploying 
Brethren  people  in  a  variety  of  min- 
istries is  part  of  his  vision  as  well. 

In  World  Missions,  The  Breth- 


ren Church  in  Argentina  has  re- 
established its  Bible  institute.  This 
is  a  joint  effort  of  the  Argentine  Breth- 
ren Church,  The  Brethren  Church 
in  the  U.S.,  and  Ashland  Theologi- 
cal Seminary.  Claudio  and  Karina 
Castelli  from  The  Brethren  Church 
in  Argentina  are  the  new  mission- 
aries in  Paraguay.  Dedicated  lay 
people  in  Paraguay  kept  the  church 
going  for  several  years,  with  the 
help  of  supervisors  from  Argentina. 
Dr.  Juan  Carlos  Miranda  has 
resigned  as  consultant  to  the  Mis- 
sionary Ministries  Council,  effective 
December  31,  1997.  He  is  taking 
one  more  trip  to  Colombia  for 
Brethren  Missions  this  month 
(January)  to  help  the  Ferreris,  a 
missionary  family  from  Argentina, 
get  established  in  the  work  in 
Colombia.  Allen  Baer,  who  has 
served  many  years  as  a  Brethren 


missionary  in  Argentina,  is  also  re- 
signing, effective  at  the  end  of  his 
term  in  August  1998.  He  will  retire 
to  Arizona  after  doing  deputation. 

Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Mis- 
sionary Ministries,  will  be  visiting 
India  and  Malaysia  for  about  four 
weeks  in  January  and  February.  He 
will  participate  in  the  ordination  of 
K.  Sudir  Kumar  and  dedicate  the 
new  mission  center  in  Vijayawada, 
India.  His  wife  Cindy  will  travel 
with  him,  thanks  to  donations  from 
several  districts  and  the  Lanark, 
111.,  First  Brethren  Church. 

The  council  plans  to  host  a  mis- 
sionary banquet  this  year  at  Gen- 
eral Conference  and  to  sponsor  sev- 
eral Table  Talks. 

The  next  meetings  of  the  Execu- 
tive Board  and  the  two  councils  are 
scheduled  for  March  1 7-18  in  Ash- 
land, Ohio.  [%] 


Missions  Director  Reilly  Smith  re- 
ports on  his  recent  visit  to  Breth- 
ren mission  work  in  Lima,  Peru. 

I  HAD  a  very  enjoyable  time  in 
Peru,  South  America,  in  Decem- 
ber, when  I  traveled  there  to  visit 
our  Brethren  mission  workers, 
Miguel  and  Sonia  Antunez. 

I  flew  to  Lima  on  December  10, 
where  Miguel  and  Sonia  met  me  at 
the  airport  about  midnight  and  took 
me  by  taxi  to  their  house.  In  past 
visits  to  Peru,  I  stayed  in  a  hotel, 
but  this  time  I  stayed  in  their  home. 
I  truly  enjoyed  my  time  with  them, 
for  they  are  wonderful  hosts.  Their 
home  is  humble  but  very  nice.  We 
enjoyed  sharing  meals  together  in 
their  home  and  also  eating  out.  I 
really  feel  as  though  I  know  this 
couple  much  better  now. 

The  Brethren  Church  in  Peru 
faced  many  obstacles  during  1997. 
Several  Catholic  families  revoked 
permission  for  their  children  to  at- 
tend Sunday  school  and  worship 
services.  A  few  Brethren  stopped 
being  faithful.  One  teacher  with- 
drew from  ministry  because  of  fam- 
ily problems.  Others  became  preoc- 
cupied with  earthly  careers.  Miguel 
and  Sonia  also  faced  some  family 
problems  with  their  son,  Carlos.  As 
a  result,  they  were  discouraged. 

I  was  able  to  encourage  them  dur- 
ing my  brief  visit.  I  pointed  out  that 
despite  these  setbacks,  attendance 


is  stable.  They  still  need  to  build  or 
remodel  their  building  in  order  to  fit 
more  people  into  the  services. 

I  accompanied  Miguel  as  he  went 
about  most  of  his  daily  activities.  He 
speaks  to  everyone  everywhere  he 
goes.  He  shares  his  faith  with  any- 
one who  will  listen.  He  knows 
everyone  in  the  neighborhood:  their 
names,  spouses,  children,  even  most 
of  the  pets!  He  loves  them  all,  and 
they  know  it!  I  pointed  these  things 
out  to  him. 


Carlos  called  while  I  was  there. 
He  is  moving  home  to  finish  college. 
Miguel  and  Sonia  rejoiced  in  this. 

Sonia  gave  me  a  tour  of  the  Chris- 
tian school  where  she  teaches.  The 
school  is  a  ministry  of  a  local  Bap- 
tist church.  It  is  just  like  the  Ash- 
land Academy  of  Learning  that  my 
daughter,  Catrinna,  attends.  They 
are  both  Schools  of  Tomorrow  which 
use  the  A.C.E.  method  of  individual- 
ized programmed  learning.  The  only 
difference  is  that  Sonia's  materials 
are  in  Spanish. 


Miguel  and  I  visited  the  academy 
where  he  teaches  English.  One  of 
the  two  women  Miguel  works  with 
attends  the  Brethren  church.  The 
other  woman  is  not  a  Christian,  but 
she  will  be!  Several  of  the  students 
asked  Miguel  to  start  a  Bible  study. 
Attendance  is  growing. 

In  addition,  some  of  Miguel's  for- 
mer students  who  are  now  in  the 
business  world  have  invited  him  to 
teach  English  at  their  businesses. 
Sometimes  he  is  asked  to  speak  to 
the  employees  about  Christ.  One 
secular  business  school  asked 
Miguel  to  bring  his  drama  group  to 
present  a  musical  play  for  Christ- 
mas. They  also  wanted  him  to  share 
the  gospel  at  the  end  of  the  play. 

Opportunities  for  the  Brethren  in 
Peru  are  almost  limitless.  While  I 
was  there,  I  preached  on  Sunday 
evening.  I  emphasized  our  responsi- 
bility to  reach  people  for  Jesus 
Christ.  We  must  help  people  meet 
Christ,  know  Christ,  love  Christ,  and 
follow  Christ.  I  presented  the  gospel 
from  these  four  perspectives. 

I  am  so  grateful  for  the  opportu- 
nity to  learn  more  about  our  mis- 
sion fields  and  especially  our  mis- 
sionaries. Each  trip  provides  me  with 
new  growth  experiences.  Every- 
where I  go,  I  find  that  God  is  good. 
The  Brethren  are  faithful.  And  we 
are  blessed  more  than  we  know 
here  at  home.  I  pray  that  God  will 
create  a  greater  desire  in  us  to 
share  our  blessings!  [ft] 


January  1998 


9 


Rev.  Kurt  and  Heidi  Stout 

Kurt  Stout  ordained  an  elder 
at  North  Manchester  Church 

North  Manchester,  Ind.  —  Kurtis 
A.  Stout  was  ordained  an  elder  in 
The  Brethren  Church  and  his  wife 
Heidi  was  consecrated  as  the  wife 
of  an  elder  in  a  service  held  Sun- 
day afternoon,  October  12,  at  the 
North  Manchester  First  Brethren 
Church,  where  Rev.  Stout  serves 
as  associate  pastor. 

The  ordination  was  a  "family  af- 
fair," with  members  of  the  new 
elder's  family  participating  in  the 
service.  Kurt's  parents,  Allen  and 
Cynthia  Stout,  gave  a  'Parents'  tes- 
timony and  dedication";  one  of  his 
two  sisters,  Katrina  Rathbun,  read 
scripture;  and  his  other  sister, 
Kathryn  Carter,  played  a  flute  solo. 

Scriptural  charges  were  pre- 
sented by  two  of  Kurt's  former  pro- 
fessors— Faye  Chechowich,  profes- 
sor of  Christian  education  at  Taylor 
University;  and  Dr.  Grace  Holland, 
professor  of  missions  at  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary.  Brethren 
elders  participating  in  the  service 
were   Marlin   McCann,    Dennis 

10 


Putting  vinyl  siding  on  the  Lousiville  Brethren  Bible  Church  building  are  (I.  t.  r.) 
Dan  Moron,  Damon  Moran,  Armand  Rex,  Steve  Critean  (on  tall  ladder),  Paul 
Critean,  Ben  Solomon  (on  short  ladder)  Tom  McAlister,  and  Pastor  Ralph  Gibson. 

Brethren  Bible  Church  building  gets  face  lift 


Loviisville,  Ohio  —  Members  of  the 
Louisville  Brethren  Bible  Church 
recently  completed  a  much-needed 
face-lift  of  their  church  building. 

Three  years  ago  a  new  roof  was 
put  on  the  building.  Then  some  re- 
landscaping  work  was  done.  The 
last  project  that  needed  to  be  com- 
pleted was  to  repair  or  replace  the 
deteriorating  siding. 

After  receiving  estimates  exceed- 
ing $9,000,  the  trustees  decided  to 
undertake  the  project  themselves,  at 
a  savings  of  approximately  $5,000. 
So  under  the  leadership  of  Paul 
Critean  a  member  of  the  church 
who  is  an  experienced  builder,  ten 
men  of  the  congregation  worked  on 
the  project.  Four  Saturdays  and 
three  week  nights  in  late  August 
and  early  September  were  all  the 
time  it  took  to  complete  the  project. 


Not  only  did  the  men  get  the  work 
done,  they  also  enjoyed  the  time  of 
Christian  fellowship.  The  women  of 
the  church  got  involved  as  well, 
serving  the  men  lunch  each  Satur- 
day. Others  in  the  congregation 
also  got  involved  by  contributing  to- 
ward the  $4,009  needed  to  pay  for 
building  materials.  Special  gifts 
were  received  totaling  $4,100. 

"We  praise  the  Lord  for  the  many 
blessings  we  received  through  this 
project,"  said  Ben  Solomon,  mod- 
erator of  Brethren  Bible  Church.  "We 
also  praise  the  Lord  as  we  enjoy  our 
new  pastor  and  his  family.  Ralph 
and  Bonnie  Gibson  began  their  full- 
time  ministry  here  the  first  of  Au- 
gust. We  are  excited  about  the  Gib- 
sons' calling,  and  we  look  forward 
to  their  exciting  new  ministry!" 

—  reported  by  Ben  Solomon 


Sigle,  Duane  Dickson,  and  David 
Cooksey.  Additional  special  music 
was  presented  by  the  North  Man- 
chester Church  Bell  Choir  and  by  a 
youth  trio  (Nate  Little,  Greta  Miller, 
and  Kim  Shumaker). 

Kurt  was  born  August  28,  1969, 
in  Kokomo,  Indiana.  He  attended 
the  Burlington  First  Brethren 
Church  with  his  family,  where  in 
1974  he  gave  his  life  to  Jesus.  He  is 
a  1988  graduate  of  Kokomo  Chris- 
tian School  and  a  1992  graduate  of 
Taylor  University  with  a  B.A.  de- 
gree with  majors  in  Biblical  Litera- 


ture and  Christian  Education  and  a 
certificate  in  Youth  Ministry.  He 
also  attended  Ashland  Theological 
Seminary,  from  which  he  received  a 
Master  of  Divinity  degree  in  1995. 

Kurt  and  Heidi  (the  daughter  of 
Randy  and  Sharon  Fruitt  of  North 
Manchester)  were  married  August 
27,  1994.  Heidi  is  a  student  at  Man- 
chester College,  from  which  she 
will  receive  a  Secondary  English 
Education  Degree  in  May. 

Rev.  Stout  has  served  as  associ- 
ate pastor  at  North  Manchester 
First  Brethren  since  1995.  [*] 

The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Rod  Schuler  ordained  at 
Corinth  Brethren  Church 

Twelve  Mile,  Ind.  —  Rodney 
Schuler  was  ordained  an  elder  in 
The  Brethren  Church  and  his  wife 
Nancy  was  consecrated  as  the  wife 
of  an  elder  in  a  service  held  Sun- 
day, November  16,  at  Corinth  Breth- 
ren Church,  where  Rev.  Schuler 
serves  as  pastor. 

Rev.  Gene  Eckerley,  pastor  of  the 
Mishawaka  Community  Brethren 
Church  and  the  Indiana  District 
Elder,  gave  the  ordination  mes- 
sage. Also  participating  in  the  serv- 
ice were  Brethren  elders  Jim  Naff, 
Ron  Burns,  and  Marlin  McCann; 
Rev.  George  Swank,  a  retired  pas- 
tor under  whom  Rodney  formerly 
served;  and  Larkin  Beecher,  mod- 
erator of  the  Corinth  Church. 

Shirley  Easter  and  Lynn  Schmid 
were  musicians  for  the  service,  and 
Cyrena  Staller  led  singing.  Special 
music  was  presented  by  Four-Given 
(Julie  Fred,  Margaret  Hubenthal, 
Cyrena  Staller,  and  Jill  Zartman). 


Rev.  Rodney  and  Nancy  Schuler 
with  their  children  (I.  to  r.)  Christina, 
Sarah,  Jonathan,  and  Stephanie 

Rodney  was  born  December  6, 
1959,  to  George  and  Lois  Schuler 
and  grew  up  on  a  farm  outside 
Dows,  Iowa.  Nancy  (Eastman)  was 
born  in  Sault  Sainte  Marie,  Mich., 
but  spent  most  of  her  childhood  in 
South  Bend,  Ind.  Both  Rod  and 
Nancy  committed  their  lives  to  the 
Lord  during  high  school,  and  both 
attended  Fort  Wayne  (Ind.)  Bible 


f&SS&sk 


College,  where  they  met.  They  were 
married  July  3,  1982. 

After  graduating  from  college  in 
1983,  Rod  and  Nancy  served  as 
church  planters  with  the  Mission- 
ary Church  in  Portage,  Ind.  In  1985 
Rod  became  associate  pastor  of  the 
New  Paris,  Ind.,  Missionary  Church, 
and  then  in  1988  he  began  pas- 
toring  the  Tippeecanoe,  Ind.,  Com- 
munity Church.  During  this  time 
(1986  ff.)  he  began  attending  Grace 
Theological  Seminary  in  Winona 
Lake,  Ind.,  receiving  his  Master  of 
Divinity  degree  in  1994.  In  1993, 
while  finishing  his  work  at  Grace 
Seminary,  he  became  pastor  of  the 
Corinth  Brethren  Church. 

The  Schulers  have  four  children — 
Jonathan  (11),  Sarah  (9),  Stephanie 
(7),  and  Christina  (4).  [ft] 


Darrell  Ed  Miller  becomes 
Brethren  elder  at  Fremont 

Fremont,  Ohio  —  Darrell  Ed  Miller 
became  a  new  Brethren  elder  and 
his  wife  Marcia  was  consecrated  as 
the  wife  of  an  elder  at  a  service 
held  Sunday,  November  9,  at  the 
Fremont  First  Brethren  Church, 
where  Rev.  Miller  serves  as  pastor. 

Rev.  Lynn  Mercer,  pastor  of  the 
Gretna  Brethren  Church  (Belief on- 
taine,  Ohio)  was  the  speaker  for  the 
service.  Also  participating  in  the 
ordination  were  Brethren  elders 
Dave  Cooksey  and  Bill  Kerner; 
Rev.  Bob  Moore,  pastor  of  a  church 
in  the  community;  and  Ron  Diehl, 
moderator  of  the  Fremont  Brethren 
congregation. 

Kay  Ellis  presented  two  vocal 
solos;  Marcia  Miller  played  the 
postlude;  and  the  worship  team 
(Brian  Burkett,  Marcia  Miller,  Kay 
Ellis,  Stephanie  Patterson,  Bob  Gill, 
Roberta  Patterson,  Dan  Ellis,  and 
Ed  Miller)  led  the  music.  A  fellow- 
ship dinner  followed  the  service. 

Ed  (as  Darrell  is  better  known) 
was  born  February  25,  1960,  in  Kit- 
tanning,  Pa.,  son  of  the  late  Darrell 

January  1998 


Rev.  Darrell  (Ed)  and  Marcia  Miller 
with  daughters  (I.  to  r.)  Carrie,  Amy, 
and  Laura. 

and  Bessie  Miller.  He  graduated 
from  Kittanning  High  School  in 
1978,  then  worked  in  the  construc- 
tion and  limestone  mining  indus- 
tries as  a  mechanic,  heavy  equip- 
ment operator,  truck  driver,  and 
laborer  until  1994.  He  returned  to 
college  in  1991  and  began  attend- 
ing Ashland  Theological  Seminary 
in  1993,  graduating  with  a  Master 
of  Divinity  degree  in  Biblical  Stud- 
ies in  May  1996. 

Marcia,  daughter  of  Howard  and 
Shirley  Woodside,  was  born  near 
Ford  City,  Pa.  She  and  Ed  met  as 
a  result  of  their  participation  in 


music  and  square  dancing  at  the 
Armstrong  County  League  of  Arts. 
They  were  married  August  5,  1978. 

They  were  active  members  of 
North  Buffalo  Grace  Brethren 
Church  until  1988,  when  they 
joined  the  Pleasant  View  Brethren 
Church  of  Vandergrift,  Pa.  Here  Ed 
and  three  other  men  were  men- 
tored  and  encouraged  by  Pastor 
Keith  Hensley  to  prepare  for  minis- 
try. In  1994,  Ed  and  T.J.  McLaugh- 
lin (one  of  the  other  three  men)  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  co-pastor  the  Fre- 
mont First  Brethren  Church.  In 
1996,  Pastor  McLaughlin  accepted 
a  call  to  another  ministry,  and  Pas- 
tor Miller  continued  to  serve  the 
Fremont  congregation. 

Mrs.  Miller  is  Ed's  ministry  part- 
ner, playing  keyboard  with  the 
worship  team  and  participating  in 
the  Ministry  of  Outreach  and  in 
W.M.S.  She  also  is  employed  in  the 
kitchen  at  Bethany  Place  retire- 
ment center. 

The  Millers  have  three  daugh- 
ters, Carrie,  a  sophomore  at  Fre- 
mont Ross  High  School;  Laura,  an 
eighth-grader  at  Fremont  Junior 
High;  and  Amy,  a  sixth-grader  at 
Hayes  Elementary  School.  [ft] 

11 


0od_f/is 


Berlin  Church  building 
is  now  accessible  to  all 

Berlin,  Pa.  —  Like  many  older 
church  buildings  (and  some  newer 
ones),  the  Berlin  Brethren  Church 
presented  formidable  obstacles  to 
anyone  in  a  wheelchair  or  who  for 
whatever  reason  has  difficulty  go- 
ing up  and  down  steps. 

You  couldn't  enter  the  building 
without  going  up  steps  or  a  ramp. 
In  addition,  many  of  the  congrega- 
tion's functions  (Communion  serv- 
ices, fellowship  dinners,  social  ac- 
tivities) take  place  in  the  fellowship 
room  in  the  basement,  accessible 
only  by  going  down  some  rather 
steep  steps.  Furthermore,  the 
church  library  and  some  of  the  Sun- 
day school  classrooms  are  in  a  bal- 
cony, up  some  equally  steep  steps. 

But  all  that  changed  this  past 
year  when  the  Berlin  Brethren 
completed  a  two-year,  $125,000- 
renovation  project  that  included  in- 
stalling an  elevator  and  providing 
handicapped-accessible  restrooms. 
Now  all  levels  of  the  building,  in- 
cluding the  balcony,  can  be  accessed 
by  the  elevator.  And  this  spacious 
elevator  (with  a  capacity  of  3,500 
pounds),  can  be  used  by  anyone,  not 
just  the  handicapped.  Thus  people 
who  can  go  up  and  down  steps  but 
who  have  difficulty  doing  so  are 
more  likely  to  use  it.  The  elevator  is 
also  available  anytime  the  church 
is  open,  not  just  for  church  services. 

The  Berlin  Church  was  in  par- 
ticular need  of  this  elevator.  Not 
only  does  this  congregation,  like 
most  churches  in  our  "graying" 
country,  have  a  growing  number  of 
elderly  people  in  its  membership, 
but  it  also  has  an  unusual  number 
of  people  with  special  needs.  The 
Berlin  community  has  several 
group  homes  where  persons  with 
physical  disabilities  are  housed  and 
cared  for.  A  number  of  these  peo- 
ple— sometimes  as  many  as  a  dozen 
— attend  Sunday  school  classes  and 


The  entrance  to  the  elevator  at  the  Berlin  Church  is  at  ground  level.  All  levels  of  the 
building  are  accessible  from  the  elevator — the  basement,  main  floor,  and  balcony. 


worship  services  at  the  Berlin 
Church.  Several  of  them  have 
joined  the  congregation  and  attend 
regularly.  Not  only  have  these  peo- 
ple been  made  to  feel  welcome  in 
the  church,  they  have  also  been 
given  the  opportunity  to  join  a  spe- 
cial hand-chimers'  group,  organ- 
ized and  directed  by  Jan  Menhorn. 

A  dedication  for  the  elevator/ 
restroom  renovation  project  was 
held  June  7  of  last  year.  The  dedi- 
cation included  a  special  service  at 
the  elevator  site  followed  by  a  din- 
ner in  the  church  basement.  After 
the  dinner,  a  special  musical  pro- 
gram was  presented  in  the  church 
auditorium. 

The  renovation  project  was 
headed  by  Ellis  Kimmel,  chair  of 
the  renovation  committee,  and 
Jack  Brant,  who  served  as  the  liai- 
son with  the  several  contractors  in- 
volved. Other  members  of  the  reno- 
vation committee  were  Bob  Gless- 
ner,  Penny  Deem,  Jeff  Hoover, 
Scott  Landis,  Tom  Sprowls,  Sr., 
and  Pastor  Bryan  Karchner.  The 
project,  which  is  paid  for  in  total, 
has  been  a  major  factor  in  the 
Lord's  work  in  the  growth  of  the 
Berlin  Brethren  Church. 

—  reported  by  Tom  Sprowls,  Sr. 

Editor's  note:  The  Berlin  Brethren 
have  set  an  example  for  other  Brethren 
churches  in  providing  for  the  special 
needs  of  those  with  handicaps  and  in 
making  them  feel  welcome  in  their  con- 
gregation. They  are  to  be  commended 


(and  imitated!)  for  this.  Last  year,  when 
I  attended  the  Berlin  church,  a  woman 
in  a  wheelchair  sang  a  solo.  This  is  the 
only  time  I  can  remember  ever  seeing 
a  person  in  a  wheelchair  present  spe- 
cial music  during  a  worship  service! 


I" 

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(  The  Brethren  J 

Evangelis 


*cn 


Vol.120,  No.  2 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


February  1998 


"Fill  Our  Thirsty  Souls  .  .  ." 


THE  BRETHREN  CHURCH  has 
registered  its  intent  to  embark 
on  an  incredible  journey.  It  is  a  jour- 
ney that  has  only  one  course.  It  has 
only  one  goal.  And  only  one  vehicle 
will  get  us  there. 

The  journey  is  one 
of  renewal.  The 
"course"  necessary 
for  this  journey  is 
the  path  of  surren- 
der. We  need  to  trade 
in  our  desire  for  self- 
rule  and  accept  God's 
rule.  We  need  to 
renounce  our  will 
and  surrender  to 
God's  will.  It  is  on 
this  course  of  sur- 
render that  the  goal 
of  renewal  can  be 
achieved  ^ev-  David  West 


By  David  L.  West 

comes  from  the  Holy  Spirit.   The 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  promised  gift. 

The  church  today  needs  the  em- 
powering, enabling,  gifting  Spirit  of 
God  if  it  is  to  be  renewed.  I  am  not 
suggesting  that  we 
need  another  Pente- 
cost. What  I  am  sug- 
gesting is  that  we  too 
often  attempt  to 
renew,  revive,  and 
retool  His  church 
through  the  inventions 
and  intentions  of 
human  wisdom.  It  is 
time  (again)  for 
Brethren  to  seek  a  new 
light  from  the  Holy 
Word  of  God  through 
the  Holy  Spirit's  sover- 
eign illumination.  His 
church      needs      His 


I  believe  the  ultimate  goal  is  that 
His  church  be  fully  empowered  to  be 
light  in  an  increasingly  dark  world. 
His  church — renewed,  vibrant,  fo- 
cused, purposeful,  in  love  with  Jesus, 
effectively  taking  the  Gospel  of  Sal- 
vation to  a  lost  and  dying  people — 
that  is  what  we  want.  That  is  the 
goal  of  a  people  on  a  journey  of 
renewal. 

The  "vehicle"  to  renewal 

The  "vehicle"  that  will  carry  us  on 
this  journey,  that  will  enable  us  to 
reach  that  goal,  is  simply  and  sover- 
eignly the  Spirit  of  God.  Renewal 
requires  the  Holy  Spirit!  Jesus 
Himself  commanded  His  followers 
to  wait  for  the  gift  promised  them 
by  the  Father.  From  what  we  glean 
from  Acts  1:4-8,  it  is  apparent  that 
the  power  needed  to  become  His 
witnesses    throughout    the    world 


Spirit.  If  we  are  to  be  renewed,  the 
vehicle  needed  to  get  us  there  is  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

A  starting  point 

I  have  pondered  this  whole  con- 
cept of  renewal  for  myself  personal- 
ly and  for  His  church  corporately  I 
would  like  to  suggest  a  starting 
point  from  which  to  embark  on  this 
journey  of  renewal.  I  would  like  to 
suggest  that  renewal  starts  with 
prayer.  It  is  through  prayer  that 
we  maintain  an  intimate  relation- 
ship with  Christ  as  Savior  and  God 
as  Heavenly  Father.  Prayer  is  the 
communion  of  seeking  and  know- 
ing. His  Word  tells  us  that  it  is  in 
prayer  that  we  can  know  Him  and 
His  will  for  us. 

Dr.  Neil  T.  Anderson  and  Dr.  Elmer 
L.  Towns  have  co-authored  a  mar- 
velous new  book  entitled  Rivers  of 


Revival  (Regal  Books,  1997).  In  the 
book  (p.  67)  they  offer  these 
thoughts: 

Nothing  is  more  important  than 
knowing  God.  Nothing  will  change 
your  life  more  than  an  encounter 
with  Him.  Sad  will  be  the  results 
if  we  send  people  into  the  world  in 
obedience  to  His  Word,  but  with- 
out them  knowing  Him  in  a  deeply 
personal  way.  Great  will  be  the 
results  of  those  who  know  God  as 
their  heavenly  Father  and  minis- 
ter from  the  overflow  of  their 
sanctified  hearts.  It  is  the  differ- 
ence between  being  driven  and 
called,  between  burnout  and  bear- 
ing fruit.  We  are  no  threat  to  the 
devil  if  we  have  only  the  words  of 
Christ  and  not  the  life  of  Christ. 

Renewal  will  come  when  we  meld 
the  knowledge  of  His  Word  with  the 
spirit  of  His  life.  Prayer  urged  by 
His  Spirit  is  the  crucial  first  "step" 
of  knowing  and  loving.  We  must 
know  and  love  if  we  ever  hope  to 
"be"  and  "do."  Prayer  is  the  founda- 
tion, and  we  have  already  witnessed 
some  of  its  importance  since  our  last 
General  Conference. 

Vivid  in  my  memory  is  the  simple 
(continued  on  page  3) 


Inside  this  issue 

Snapshots 

2 

Make  prayer  occasional 

4 

Buttefly  parishioners 

4 

Love:  a  fact  of  God's  nature 

5 

Evangelism  ministries 

6 

The  trainee 

8 

Around  the  denomination 

9 

The  Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 

is  in  the  center  of  this  issue. 

SNAPSHOTS 

By 
Michelle  Rhude 


WHAT'S  the  most  stressful 
part  of  getting  married?  Is 
it  contemplating  "until  death  do 
us  part?"  Or  making  10,000  deci- 
sions? Or  making  10,000  decisions 
with  one's  soon-to-be-related-for- 
ever in-laws?  Or  making  10,000 
decisions  with  one's  in-laws,  one's 
parents,  and  one's  future  spouse — 
under  constraints  of  both  time 
and  money?  Or  maybe  it's  the 
"that-pastor's-going-to-ask-me- 
personal-questions"  premarital 
counseling  sessions. 

I  became  engaged  in  June  of 
1989  and  didn't  bother  making 
any  actual  wedding  plans  until 
finding  out  that  my  future  hus- 
band was  being  unexpectedly  and 
immediately  transferred  across 
the  country.  We  put  the  wedding 
together  in  just  over  six  weeks,  so 
much  of  it  remains  a  blur  to  me. 

I  do,  however,  remember  three 
details  very  clearly  about  the  pas- 
tor and  the  premarital  counseling 
sessions.  First,  I  was  not  a  Chris- 
tian at  the  time,  and  I  remember 
being  very  nervous.  Second,  the 
pastor  who  married  us  became  di- 
vorced within  six  months  of  our 
marriage,  and  that  was  a  little 
unsettling. 

The  third  detail  was  one  par- 
ticular question  the  pastor  asked 
us.  It  wasn't  the  most  important 


question  we  discussed,  I'm  sure — 
although  I  don't  remember  any  of 
the  others.  It  was  a  question  I 
would  have  liked  to  have  pre- 
pared for,  to  have  thought  about, 
to  have  had  a  good  answer  for, 
because  my  parents  deserved 
that  I  give  a  good  answer.  The 
question  the  pastor  asked  was  this: 
"What  do  you  consider  to  be  the 
most  important  thing  your  par- 
ents ever  taught  you?"  He  asked 
it,  and  then  looked  right  at  me. 

I  remember  thinking,  "No  fair! 
This  isn't  about  marriage.  Do  all 
pastors  ask  this  question?"  But  I 
said,  "That  every  one  of  my  ac- 
tions has  a  consequence,  and  I  am 
responsible  for  those  consequences." 

After  I  said  it,  I  thought,  "Wow, 
that  was  pretty  good  for  a  pop 
quiz!"  Then  I  noticed  the  pastor's 
expression.  That  obviously  wasn't 
the  answer  he  was  hoping  for, 
and  he  wasn't  impressed  at  all. 

I  thought  about  that  question  a 
lot  afterwards,  but  then  forgot 
about  it  for  several  years.  It  came 
up  again  in  a  long-winded,  long- 
distance telephone  call  I  had  with 
my  sister  several  years  after  I 
had  become  a  Christian.  We  dis- 
cussed the  question  and  her  belief 
that  training  a  child  to  understand 
the  implications  of  actions,  conse- 
quences  and  responsibility  is 


foundational  for  an  understand- 
ing of  the  Gospel. 

It  was  easy  for  us  to  understand 
and  accept  that  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death,  because  we  believed  that 
our  actions  have  consequences.  It 
was  easy  for  us  to  see  that  our 
eternal  destiny  was  our  own  re- 
sponsibility, because  we  believe  that 
we're  responsible  for  the  conse- 
quences of  the  actions  we  choose. 

Personal  responsibility  for  con- 
sequences is  not  a  popular  idea  in 
our  culture  today.  We  much  pre- 
fer to  play  the  blaming  game. 

Parents,  if  you  are  struggling  to 
teach  this  concept  to  your  chil- 
dren, be  encouraged.  You  fight  an 
important  battle.  Keep  at  it.  Teach 
your  children  the  Gospel  message, 
but  also  teach  them  the  concepts 
that  will  help  them  believe  it! 

For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death, 
but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal 
life  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 
Rom.  6:23,  niv  [%] 

Editor's  Note:  This  is  the  final  arti- 
cle in  "Snapshots."  Over  the  past  14 
months,  Michelle  Rhude  has  illumi- 
nated our  relationship  with  God  by 
focusing  on  some  of  life's  experiences. 
She  now  finds  it  necessary  to  conclude 
the  column.  As  she  does  so,  I  person- 
ally, and  on 
behalf  of 
her  readers, 
express  sin- 
cere thanks 
to  Michelle 
for  her  in- 
sightful and 
enlighten- 
ing articles, 
and  wish 
her  God's 
blessing. 


The  BrethrbjEwngbjst  (IS3SI 07474288) 
is  published  rrmthly  (except  JLiy  and  Axjust 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren 
Church,  Inc.,  524  College  Ae.,  /^hland, 
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^Ponlius'  Puddle 


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TMEDLSMANS  HAVE  WAt>E 
SCRIPTURE  TOO  DiCFICOLT  TP 
UNDERSrAHfc   BfcltfGr  WE  A 


faith  siwpi~y. 


lcs/e  the;  low>  w/tot 
all  you*  heart;  vwR 

HEIGHB0*  AS  VoftSELf; 
AMD  (HVCG-ErtCffcOUSJ-V 
^7  to  TUEFO&R 


OWM.  OU  SECOND 

ffAC*  THE       [ 
TXCO  L0<HA.MS- 


KA, 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


prayer  our  brother  Hal  Seed  chal- 
lenged us  to  start  praying:  "God,  I 
don't  ask  You  for  much  today;  I  just 
ask  that  You  give  me  Your  heart  for 
lost  people."  Since  August,  I  have 
heard  this  prayer  offered  many 
times.  I  have  witnessed  lives  surren- 
dered throughout  the  church  as  peo- 
ple have  courageously  prayed  this 
prayer.  Lives  have  been  changed.  Life 
courses  have  been  altered.  And  the 
passion  of  purpose  has  been 
renewed  within  His  church.  This 
prayer  is  the  lens  that  corrects  the 
myopic  vision  of  our  hearts  and 
enables  us  to  start  seeing  things 
through  God's  eyes. 

A  haunting  melody 

There  is  a  song  by  Jimmy  and 
Carol  Owens  that  has  been  rever- 
berating throughout  my  heart  and 
soul  of  late.  The  same  melody  that 
puts  me  to  sleep  at  night  is  there 
waiting  for  me  in  the  morning.  It 
has  laid  claim  to  my  consciousness. 
I  sing  it,  hum  it,  speak  it  in  my 
mind,  declare  it  publicly,  pray  it,  but 
cannot  get  rid  of  it.  The  portion  of 
the  song  that  has  caused  all  the  con- 
sternation is  this: 

Lord,  make  us  a  holy  people. 
Turn  our  hearts  to  righteousness 

again. 
Take  away  our  sin. 
Fill  our  thirsty  souls  again. 
Visit  us  with  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  the  beauty  of  holiness  descend, 
Like  a  mighty  wind. 
Fill  our  thirsty  souls  again. 

Come  like  fire,  or  come  like  the 

gentle  rain, 
But  fill  our  thirsty  souls  again. 

The  sentiment  of  that  song  re- 
flects my  heart's  desire  and  that  of  a 
growing  number  of  other  Brethren 
as  well.  I  know  there  are  those  who 
will  feel  that  renewal  is  passe.  Some 
will  doubt  whether  or  not  our 
churches  can  be  sold  on  the  idea  of 
renewal. 

But  what  if . . .  ?  One  of  my  favorite 
definitions  of  friends  is  people  who 
allow  me  to  think  aloud  with  them. 
So,  my  friends,  what  would  happen 
in  God's  church  called  Brethren  if 
we  covenanted  to  pray  in  renewal? 
What  would  happen  if  we  agreed 
together  that  every  church  would 
set  aside  the  first  Sunday  evening  of 
every  month  to  ask  God  to: 


Come  like  fire,  or  come  like  the 

gentle  rain, 
But  fill  our  thirsty  souls  again? 

What  do  you  suppose  the  effect 
would  be  if  each  of  us  as  Brethren 
would  pray  one  day  a  week  for  the 
quenching  of  our  souls?  We  could 
very  easily  have  people  praying 
every  day  of  every  month  for  the 
Spirit  of  renewal  to  come  upon  The 
Brethren  Church. 

Epaphras  project 

The  Apostle  Paul  wrote  the 
Colossians  about  a  fellow  saint  and 
servant  of  Christ  named  Epaphras. 
Colossians  4:12  speaks  of  Epaphras 
as  one  who  "...  is  always  wrestling 
in  prayer  for  you  ..."  Apparently, 
when  Epaphras  prayed,  he  agonized 
for  his  brethren.  Are  we  willing  to 
do  that? 

I  would  like  to  challenge  the 
Brethren  to  pray  in  renewal  for 
God's  church.  I  ask  that  individuals 
and  churches  across  our  denomina- 
tion contact  me  if  you  would  be  will- 


ing to  be  part  of  an  Epaphras  Proj- 
ect. (A  form  is  printed  below  for  your 
convenience.)  The  purpose  of  this 
project  will  be  to  mobilize  and  co- 
ordinate a  prayer  force  for  renewal. 
Write  me,  phone  me,  e-mail  me,  or 
use  any  method  you  choose,  but  let 
us  unite  in  prayer  for  the  renewal  of 
His  church. 

Lord,  make  us  a  holy  people. 
Turn  our  hearts  to  righteousness 

again. 
Take  away  our  sin. 
Fill  our  thirsty  souls  again. 
Visit  us  with  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  the  beauty  of  holiness  descend, 
Like  a  mighty  wind. 
Fill  our  thirsty  souls  again. 

Come  like  fire,  or  come  like  the 

gentle  rain, 
But  fill  our  thirsty  souls  again. 

Renew  us,  O  Lord!        [ft] 

Rev.  West  is  Director  of  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  for  The  Brethren 
Church  and  also  serves  as  Director  of 
Church  Planting. 


Epaphras  Project 

Epaphras,  who  is  one  of  you  and  a  servant  of  Christ 

Jesus,  sends  greetings.  He  is  always  wrestling  in  prayer 

for  you,  that  you  may  stand  firm  in  all  the  will  of  God, 

mature  and  fully  assured.        Colossians  4:12,  NIV 

I  would  like  to  know  more  about  the  Epaphras  Project 
and  how  I  can  become  involved  in  "wrestling  in  prayer"  for 
personal  renewal,  renewal  of  my  church,  and  denomina- 
tional renewal. 


Please  send  information  to: 


Name: 


Address: 
City:   _ 


State  and  Zip  Code: 
Telephone: 


E-mail  address: 


Clip  and  mail  to: 

Rev.  David  L.  West 

Brethren  Church  National  Office 

524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805 

Phone:  419-289-1708  -  Fax:  419-281-0450  -  E-mail:  Brethren@bright.net 

I 1 


February  1998 


rr 


Habits  of  Highly  Ineffective  Christians: 

Make  Prayer  Occasional 

By  Chris  Fabry 


In  the  lead  article  in  this  issue, 
Rev.  Dave  West  emphasizes  the  im- 
portance of  prayer  for  renewal  in 
The  Brethren  Church.  Sometimes  a 
message  penetrates  our  minds  more 
forcefully  when  it  is  also  presented 
conversely,  especially  if  that  presen- 
tation holds  a  mirror  up  to  our  lives 
and  makes  us  laugh.  You  may  find 
that  to  be  the  case  in  the  following 
article,  which  takes  a  different 
approach  to  prayer. 

The  article  is  reprinted  from  the 
book  The  77  Habits  of  Highly  Ineffec- 
tive Christians  by  Chris  Fabry;  ©1997 
by  Christopher  H.  Fabry.  It  is  used 
by  permission  of  InterVarsity  Press, 
P.O.  Box  1400,  Downers  Grove,  IL 
60515. 

COMMUNICATION  is  one  of 
the  most  important  aspects  of 
any  relationship,  and  that  is  why 
you  should  make  prayer  some- 
thing occasional  in  your  life. 

If  you  were  to  see  your  union 
with  God  as  something  vital  and 
living,  you  would  desire  constant 
communication.  After  all,  to  know 


you  can  speak  to  the  King  of  Kings 
at  a  moment's  notice  is  truly  a 
staggering  thought. 

But  ineffective  Christian  living 
will  make  this  communication 
sporadic,  or  simply  an  option 
that's  tacked  on  at  dinner  and 
during  worship  services. 

As  I've  said  earlier  in  this  vol- 
ume, you  should  pray  only  about 
the  large  decisions  in  life,  like  who 
to  marry,  what  college  to  attend 
and  whether  to  get  tinted  glass  in 
your  minivan.  But  true  mediocrity 
demands  even  less.  What  you 
must  actually  do  is  make  up  your 
mind  about  the  decision  that  faces 
you,  and  then  subtly  conform  the 
will  of  the  Almighty  to  your  own. 
This  not  only  justifies  whatever 
choice  you  make  but  also  makes 
you  feel  spiritual  since  you  can 
rightly  say,  "I  prayed  about  it." 

Prayer  should  be  something  that 
comes  not  from  the  heart  but  from 
the  head.  You  must  pray  the  same 
things,  the  same  phrases,  over 
and  over,  for  this  will  make  you 


more  comfortable,  and  comfort  is 
always  the  goal  of  the  ineffective 
Christian.  During  the  worship 
service  it  is  fine  to  bow  or  even 
kneel,  but  your  mind  must  not  be 
on  the  words  you  are  praying  but 
on  the  mental  images  of  your  ball- 
game,  your  dinner  or  the  depart- 
ment store  you  could  visit  while 
the  kids  are  in  Sunday  school. 

Since  you  think  about  so  many 
other  things  when  you  pray,  keep 
your  prayers   short  and  to  the 

point.    "I   want  and 

.  In  Jesus'  name,  Amen." 


Scripture  to  Avoid: 

1  Thessalonians  5:17 

Ineffective  Hymn: 

Szoeet  Minute  of  (Prayer 

Sweet  minute  of  prayer,  sweet 

minute  of  prayer, 
That's  just  about  all  that  I  can 

spare. 
I  have  regrets  and  lots  of  sin 
So  I'll  see  if  I  can  squeeze  them 

in. 
In  sea-sons  ofdis-tress  and  grief 
My  greatest  prayer  is  quick  relief. 
But  things  are  swell,  I've  no 

despair, 
I'll  just  spend  half  a  minute  in 

prayer.  [ft] 


VV 


Butterfly  Parishioners 

By  Dale  Hanson  Bourke 


LOYALTY  is  fleeting  in  today's 
world.    No    one    knows    that 
more  than  retailers  and  pastors. 

Merchants  call  them  "butterfly 
customers,"  because  they  flit  from 
store  to  store  in  search  of  better 
service.  In  fact,  Butterfly  Cus- 
tomers (Wiley)  is  the  title  of  a 
book  by  Susan  O'Dell  and  Joan 
Pajunen  that  describes  the  trend 
in  the  erosion  of  loyalty  that  his- 
torically kept  people  coming  back 
to  do  business  with  those  they 
knew  and  trusted. 

Pastors  may  not  have  a  name 
for  this  kind  of  person,  but  they 


see  a  surprisingly  similar  trend  in 
churches:    People   come   and   go 
from    congregations    with 
remarkable  frequency. 

Some  even  attend  more 
than  one  church  at  a  time, 
going  to  the  worship  service 
at  one  and  a  Bible  study  or 
Sunday  school  at  another.  One 
minister  told  me,  "I  have  people 
in  my  church  who  like  our 
Protestant  Sunday  school,  but 
then  leave  to  go  to  Catholic  Mass." 

The  trend  is  frustrating  to  pas- 
tors, who  strive  to  build  a  congre- 
gation that  can  function  as  a  com- 


munity. And  it  creates  a  tendency 
among  churches  to  "compete." 

All  of  this  might  sound  like 
more  evidence  of  consumer-driven 
theology,  except  that  the  needs  of 
any  one  family 
may  be  more  than 
any  one  church 
can  satisfy. 

Take    my    own 
family,  for  exam- 
ple. My  husband, 
the    intellectual, 
likes      a      church 
where  the  preacher  delivers 
a   reasoned,   well-prepared   ser- 
mon. I  prefer  a  practical  applica- 
tion and  value  the  diversity  of  a 
city-oriented  church. 
We  had  finally  found  a  church 
(continued  on  next  page) 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


& 


VS= 


w    iLf;r     LOVE:  The  Inescapable  Fact 


<«•  Cotf  i  £  Loy^ 


of  God's  Nature 

By  Kenneth  Sullivan 


A  MAN  riding  in  the  country 
saw  on  a  farmer's  barn  a 
weather  vane  on  which  were  in- 
scribed the  words,  "God  is  Love." 
He  went  to  the  farmer  and  asked 
him,  "What  do  you  mean  by  that? 
Do  you  think  God's  love  is  change- 
able— that  it  veers  about  as  that 
arrow  turns  in  the  winds?" 

The  farmer  replied,  "Oh,  no!  I 
mean  that  whatever  way  the  wind 
blows,  God  is  still  love." 

It  is  difficult  in  our  culture  to 
comprehend  or  accept  God's  love. 
We  live  in  a  time  when  love  has 
been  reduced  to  hormones,  infatu- 
ation, manipulation,  and  distor- 
tion. It  is  viewed  as  a  temporary 
emotion,  which  is  abandoned  as 
quickly  as  one  would  discard  a 
Kleenex  tissue. 

By  contrast,  the  Bible  presents 
God's  love  as  an  absolute  of  His 
character — unchangeable,  con- 
stant, and  relentless  in  its  pursuit 


of  each  person.  God's  love  for  each 
individual  is  the  inescapable  fact 
of  His  divine  nature.  It  is  the 
power  of  His  love  reaching  out  to 
us  that  gives  us  the  capacity  to 
love  and  to  be  loved.  "We  love," 
the  Bible  teaches,  "because  he 
first  loved  us"  (1  John  4:19). 

Surrounded  as  we  are  by  the 
selfishness  and  self-centeredness 
of  the  human  condition,  we  find  it 
difficult  to  imagine  a  Being  who 
would  love  us  unconditionally.  Yet, 
God  reaches  through  our  sin  and 
brokenness  to  embrace  each  of  us 
with  His  grace  and  to  extend  to 
every  one  of  us  the  wonder  of  His 
love  in  Christ. 

The  Apostle  Paul  wrote,  "May 
the  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into 
God's  love  and  Christ's  persever- 
ance" (2  Thess.  3:5,  NIV).  The 
Greek  word  for  "direct"  implies 
the  removal  of  any  barrier  that 
would  prevent  you  from  experi- 


encing God's  love.  At  the  cross  of 
Christ,  God  spread  wide  His  arms 
to  receive  and  embrace  you,  to  for- 
give your  sins,  to  fill  you  with  life, 
and  to  make  you  His  own. 

As  we  stand  before  Christ's 
cross,  all  we  can  offer  God  are  the 
shattered  remnants  of  an  empty 
life,  the  sin  that  enslaves  us,  and 
the  faded  image  of  divine  purpose 
within  us.  But  because  of  Christ's 
death  for  our  sins,  His  resurrec- 
tion, and  His  intercessory  min- 
istry, God  fills  the  empty  hands  of 
faith  with  the  power  of  His  saving 
grace  and  love. 

May  the  Lord  "direct  your 
hearts  into  God's  love."  May  you 
know  and  experience  it  in  all  it's 
fullness.  And  may  God's  love 
touch  others  through  you.  [ft] 

This  article  by  Rev.  Ken  Sullivan 
appeared  in  the  February  1997 
issue  of  The  Brethren  Monitor, 

the  newsletter  of  the  Milledgeville, 
III.,  Brethren  Church.  It  was  writ- 
ten by  Rev.  Sullivan  while  he  was 
pastor  of  the  Milledgeville  congre- 
gation. Ken  died  unexpectedly  a  few 
months  later,  on  May  21,  1997.  He 
has  gone  on  to  experience  the  imme- 
diate presence  of  God's  love. 


4 


(continued  from  previous  page) 
that  satisfied  both  our  preferences 
when  our  children  began  to  have 
ideas  of  their  own. 

My  teenage  son  began  to  notice 
that  several  of  his  friends  attend- 
ed a  suburban  church  of  the  same 
denomination.  It  has  a 
youth  program  with  non- 
stop activities,  a  huge 
Sunday  school  class,  and 
enough  weekend  trips  to 
keep  him  entertained  in 
a  wholesome  way  all 
through  high  school.  He 
has  decided  he  wants  to 
attend  that  church. 

Of  course,  any  parent  is  thrilled 
to  hear  a  teenager  actually  asking 
to  go  to  church,  but  his  interest 
has  created  a  dilemma  for  the 
family.  Do  we  drop  him  off  at 
Sunday  school  and  race  into  town 
to  attend  our  church?  Or  do  we  all 


attend  the  suburban  Sunday 
school  and  then  go  to  the  city 
church  to  worship? 

Do  we  continue  to  support  the 
city  church  because  we  value  what 
it  stands  for,  or  do  we  embrace 
the  suburban  church  because  it 
values  our  children? 
I  have  immense  loyalty  to  our 
current  church,  yet  no  parent 
can  underestimate 
the  value  of  a 
group  that  encour- 
ages teens  to  partici- 
pate in  positive  activi- 
ties. In  short,  our  family 
has  joined  the  rank  of 
church  butterflies,  flitting 
back  and  forth  between  churches, 
frustrated  by  our  own  lack  of  loy- 
alty but  unsure  of  how  to  resolve 
the  situation.  Like  every  other  day 
of  the  week,  Sunday  now  has  to  be 
coordinated  to  be  sure  we  arrive 


at  the  right  place  for  the  right 
activity.  I've  been  honest  with  our 
current  pastor,  and  to  his  credit  he 
has  not  tried  to  talk  us  out  of  our 
commute.  But  he  is  saddened  by 
it,  he  says,  and  so  am  I. 

Butterfly  customers  may  frus- 
trate retailers,  but  they  don't 
cause  real  harm.  Butterfly  parish- 
ioners, however,  fly  in  the  face  of 
what  congregations  are  meant  to 
be,  undoing  the  very  fabric  of  a 
church  community  and  creating  a 
smorgasbord  approach  to  worship. 

It's  not  good  for  a  church  or  a 
family.  But  at  least  for  now,  we 
have  joined  the  ranks  of  congrega- 
tion hoppers,  grateful  for  what  we 
receive  from  both  churches,  apolo- 
getic for  what  we  take  away,      [ft] 

Dale  Hanson  Bourke  is  the  author 
o/"Turn  Toward  the  Wind  and  publish- 
er of  Religion  News  Service. 

©1997  Religion  News  Service 


February  1998 


Brethren  Church  Ministries:  Evangelism 


"Behold,  I  make  all  things  new" 

Ronald  W.  Waters  explores  opportunities 
for  renewal  in  The  Brethren  Church. 


IN  THE  BOOK  of  the  Revelation, 
the  Apostle  John  reports  that  he 
saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth. 
Our  Lord,  the  one  seated  on  the 
throne  of  heaven  and  the  universe, 
told  John,  "See,  I  am  making  all 
things  new"  (Rev.  21:5). 

The  Apostle  Paul,  writing  to  the 
church  in  Rome  (Rom.  8:18-30),  de- 
scribed the  groaning  of  creation  for 
the  time  described  by  John — the 
time  when  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
will  return  and  restore  all  of  crea- 
tion to  its  rightful  condition. 

I,  too,  long  for  that  great  day 
when  "Christ  shall  come,  with 
shout  of  acclamation."  Do  you? 

Christ  is  tarrying  for  a  reason 

But  in  the  meantime,  I  believe  our 
Lord  is  tarrying  for  a  particular  rea- 
son. Again,  in  the  book  of  the  Reve- 
lation, John  records  an  important 
moment  in  the  future. 

After  this  I  looked  and  there  be- 
fore me  was  a  great  multitude  that 
no  one  could  count,  from  every 
nation,  tribe,  people  and  language, 
standing  before  the  throne  and  in 
front  of  the  Lamb.  They  were 
wearing  white  robes  and  were 
holding  palm  branches  in  their 
hands.  And  they  cried  out  in  a 
loud  voice:  "Salvation  belongs  to 
our  God,  who  sits  on  the  throne, 
and  to  the  Lamb. " 

Revelation  7:9-10,  niv 

I  believe  the  delay  in  Jesus'  re- 
turn is  to  allow  for  more  people  to 
be   introduced   into   His   kingdom. 


And  He  has  entrusted  to  us,  His 
church,  the  opportunity  to  be  mak- 
ing those  introductions. 

Unfortunately,  too  few  churches 
are  engaged  effectively  in  evange- 
lism and  outreach.  In  the  United 
States,  81  out  of  every  100  churches 
is  either  on  a  plateau  or  declining. 
Of  the  19  churches  that  are  grow- 
ing, 18  are  growing  largely  through 
persons  transferring  in  from  other 
congregations.  That  leaves  only  one 
church  out  of  every  100  that  is  ef- 
fectively reaching  the  unreached 
with  the  good  news  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Brethren  Church  National  Of- 
fice is  partnering  with  congregations 
in  a  variety  of  ways  to  encourage  re- 
newal and  revitalization  that  leads 
to  the  unsaved  hearing  and  respond- 
ing to  the  gospel.  These  include: 

•  The  Leadership  Mentoring 
Project.  This  spring  ten  Brethren 
congregations  have  been  paired 
with  an  outside  mentor  to  work 
through  a  revitalization  project. 
Though  all  will  begin  with  a  com- 
mon process,  it  will  be  adapted  to 
meet  local  needs.  Through  this 
process,  congregations  will  study 
the  sources  of  authority  for  the 
church;  develop  a  congregational 
identity  statement;  formalize  a  list- 
ing of  the  congregational  core  val- 
ues, leading  to  writing  a  mission 
statement  and  developing  a  philoso- 
phy of  ministry;  devise  a  congrega- 
tional and  community  profile  that 
will  help  in  formation  of  a  vision 
statement  for  the  next  5-10  years; 


"Have  a  Heart"  Month 

February  is  the  month  for 
the   annual   emphasis   on 
evangelism  in  The  Brethren 
Church.  In  addition  to  con- 
ducting   special    outreach 
ministries,      congregations 
are   encouraged   to  take   a 
"Have  a  Heart  for  the  Lost" 
offering.  One-half  of  this  of- 
fering is  used  for  local  church 


outreach  ministries.  The  other  half 
is  given  to  The  Brethren  Church 
National  Office  to  support  denomi- 
national evangelism  emphases. 
If  your  congregation  does  not 

receive  an  offering,  you  may  send 

a  contribution  to: 

"Have  a  Heart"  Offering 
The  Brethren  Church 

524  College  Ave. 

Ashland,  OH  44805 


and  result  ultimately  in  short-  and 
long-range  plans  for  congregational 
ministry  within  the  surrounding 
community. 

This  pilot  program  will  be  ex- 
panded next  year,  with  the  goal  of 
making  it  available  eventually  to 
every  Brethren  church. 

•  LIFE  Process.  This  two-year 
process,  described  in  an  adjoining 
article  (see  next  page),  will  help  con- 
gregations grow  in  their  under- 
standing of  and  heart  for  reaching 
their  communities  for  the  Lord. 

•  New  Life  Ministries.  We  have 
entered  into  a  partnership  with 
three  other  denominations  for  re- 
sourcing in  evangelism,  church 
growth  and  vitality,  and,  possibly  in 
the  future,  resourcing  for  church 
planting.  In  addition  to  working  to- 
gether to  develop  the  LIFE  process, 
New  Life  Ministries  partners  are 
developing  a  series  of  regional  sem- 
inars and  training  events  and  train- 
ing modules  addressing  specific  con- 
gregational needs.  New  Life  Minis- 
tries is  the  successor  to  The  Andrew 
Center  and  will  expand  our  re- 
sources for  congregational  outreach. 

•  One-day  workshops  and  re- 
treats. These  training  events  are 
being  developed  by  the  national  of- 
fice staff  and  will  be  offered  in  part- 
nership with  districts  for  the  bene- 
fit of  congregations  and  individuals. 
Watch  for  announcements  of  train- 
ing events  in  your  district  during 
the  next  year. 

The  National  Office  staff  and  the 
Congregational  Ministries  Council 
want  to  work  with  your  church  in 
discovering  new  life  and  vitality. 
Please  take  advantage  of  these  min- 
istries, or  call  us  to  talk  about  how 
we  may  work  with  your  church  to 
discover  the  resources  or  services 
that  will  meet  your  particular 
needs.  Our  goal  is  to  serve  you,  so 
that  together  we  may  be  part  of  the 
renewing  work  of  Christ  on  earth. 

The  Brethren  Church 
National  Office 

524  College  Ave., 

Ashland,  OH  44805 

419-289-1708  (phone) 

419-281-0450  (fax) 

Brethren(5'bright.net  (e-mail) 

For  questions   specifically  about 
evangelism/church  growth,  call: 
419-289-5771 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


The  Somen's  Out(oo/(JA(ezvs(etter 

A  publication  of  the  'Brethren  'Women's  Missionary  Society 


March-April  1998 


Volume  11,  Number  4 


Dear  Ladies, 

"Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  has 
blessed  us  with  every  spiritual 
blessing  in  the  heavenly  places  in 
Christ"  (Ephesians  1:3).  I  read  this 
verse  in  a  book  that  my  son  and 
daughter-in-law,  Glenn  and  Sarah, 
gave  me  for  Christmas.  The  title  of 
the  book  is  Joy  in  the  Journey.  It 
made  me  think  of  the  many  bless- 
ings I  receive  every  day. 

I  have  had  the  flu  and,  since  my 
immune  system  is  still  weak,  I  can't 
fight  off  things  as  quickly.  I  got  an 
ear  infection  along  with  the  flu,  and 
the  cough  I  had  lingered  on  for 
three  weeks.  I  missed  one  week  of 
work  and,  each  day  as  I  laid  in  bed, 
I  tried  to  count  my  blessings.  Being 
thankful  for  Tylenol®,  cough  syrup, 
and  antibiotics,  I  tried  to  remind 
myself  that  this  soon  would  pass 
and  that  I  really  had  a  lot  to  be 
thankful  for,  even  as  I  laid  in  bed 
and  coughed! 

I  counted  it  a  blessing  when  I  was 
able  to  return  to  work.  I  reminded 
myself  that  there  were  many  people 
in  hospitals  really  sick.  Sometimes 
we  only  think  on  the  negatives  and 
forget  all  of  the  positives. 

We  sing  the  song,  "Count  Your 
Blessings": 

Count  your  many  blessings, 
Name  them  one  by  one 
And  it  will  surprise  you 
What  the  Lord  has  done. 

Do  we  ever  stop  and  list  our  bless- 
ings (count  them)?  Yes,  we  will  be 
(continued  on  page  4) 


The  Many-Sided  Christ 

"But  whom  do  you  say  I  am?" 


Our  Christ  challenges  the  world 
by  His  many  sides.  He  meets  the 
needs  of  all  classes  and  conditions  of 
men.  As  deep  answers  unto  deep,  so 
does  He  respond  to  the  moving  of 
each  soul  of  mankind. 

If  we  were  to  call  the  roll  of  the 
world's  workers  today  and  ask 
them,  "What  think  ye  of  Christ?" 
their  answers  would  be  something 
like  these: 

To  the  artist,  He  is  the  One  Alto- 
gether Lovely. 

To  the  architect,  He  is  the  Chief 
Cornerstone. 

To  the  baker,  He  is  the  Living 
Bread. 

To  the  banker,  He  is  the  Hidden 
Treasure. 

To  the  doctor,  He  is  the  Great  Physi- 
cian. 

To  the  educator,  He  is  the  Great 
Teacher. 

To  the  farmer,  He  is  the  Sower  and 

the  Lord  of  the  Harvest. 
To  the  florist,  He  is  the  Lily  of  the 

Valley  and  the  Rose  of  Sharon. 
To  the  geologist,  He  is  the  Rock  of 

Ages. 

To  the  judge,  He  is  the  Righteous 

Judge. 
To  the  lawyer,  He  is  the  Counselor, 

the  Lawgiver,  the  Advocate. 
To  the  newspaper  man,  He  is  the 

good  Tidings  of  Great  Joy. 

To  the  philanthropist,  He  is  the  Un- 
speakable Gift. 

To  the  philosopher,  He  is  the  Wis- 
dom of  God. 

To  the  preacher,  He  is  the  Word  of 
God. 


To  the  lonely,  He  is  a  Friend  that 
sticketh  closer  than  a  brother. 

To  the  servant,  He  is  the  good  Mas- 
ter. 

To  the  toiler,  He  is  the  Giver  of  Rest. 

To  the  sorrowing,  He  is  the  Com- 
forter. 

To  the  bereaved,  He  is  the  Resur- 
rection and  the  Life. 

To  the  sinner,  He  is  the  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world. 

To  the  Christian,  He  is  the  Son  of 
the  Living  God,  Saviour,  Re- 
deemer, and  Lord. 

Author  Unknown 

But  whom  do  YOU  say  that  I  am? 
"Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
Living  God."  Matthew  16:16 


Jesus  is  Lord 


This  reading  was  found  in  a  book 
bought  at  Helen  Shively's  auction 
by  Nancy  Icenhour.  The  reading 
bears  the  notation,  "Copied  from 
the  scrapbook  of  Mrs.  J.  Milton 
Bowman,"  who  is  another  saint! 


4n  'Mmorum 

Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  his  saints.    Psalm  116:15 

Two  faithful  leaders  of  the  Na- 
tional Women's  Missionary  Society 
and  prior  to  that  of  the  National 
Sisterhood  of  Mary  and  Martha  are 
now  with  the  Lord. 

Mrs.  Delbert  Flora  (Romayne) 
died  January  19,  1998.  Mrs.  Flora 
was  the  representative  from  the 
W.M.S.  to  the  Missionary  Board  of 
the  Brethren  Church  and  served  as 
treasurer  for  over  a  dozen  years. 

Mrs.  J.  Ray  Klingensmith 
(Christine)  died  February  2,  1998. 
Mrs.  Klingensmith  was  the  national 
patroness  of  SMM. 

Both  ladies  were  members  of 
W.M.S.  as  long  as  their  health  per- 
mitted; their  interest  and  concern 
never  waned.  To  many,  they  were 
mentors  and  examples  of  a  Christ- 
ian walk. 

We  are  thankful  for  their  lives. 


SOCIETY  SISTERS 

In  the  January-February  News- 
letter, Linda  Immel  wrote  about  the 
love  and  support  the  new  society  in 
North  Manchester  received  from 
their  Sister  Society  in  Goshen,  the 
Chantal  Circle.  Cynthia  Stout,  the 
district  president,  submitted  this  in- 
formation about  Society  Sisters: 

"Last  summer  the  Indiana  Dis- 
trict initiated  the  'Society  Sisters' 
program.  Slips  of  paper  with  the 
name  of  each  W.M.S.  in  our  district 
were  placed  in  a  'hat.'  The  district 
officers  randomly  picked  pairs  and 
these  societies  became  'sisters.' 

"This  brainstorm  of  the  district 
officers  has  many  objectives.  Our 
primary  desire  is  for  the  ladies  to 
become  better  acquainted  through 
correspondence  and  joint  meetings 
(for  societies  who  live  near  one  an- 
other). The  ladies  will  have  special 
opportunities  to  fellowship  together 
during  District  Conference  1998.  It 
is  suggested  the  ladies  share  photos 
and  information  about  their  society 
and  each  member.  We  also  would 
like  the  sisters  to  share  ideas  for 
programs,  mission  projects,  raising 
money,  community  and  local  church 
service  projects,  ideas  for  public  ser- 
vice programs,  and  Mother-Daugh- 


ter banquets.  The  ladies  are  encour- 
aged to  share  prayer  and  praise  con- 
cerns and  to  generally  uplift  one  an- 
other. 

"I  was  privileged  to  visit  our 
newly  formed  society,  'Circle  of 
Friends,'  in  North  Manchester. 
What  a  thrill  it  was  when  they 
shared  notes  they  had  received  from 
their  society  sister,  Goshen  Chantal 
Circle.  This  is  just  one  example  of 
how  the  'Society  Sisters'  program 
can  bless  individual  societies  as  well 
as  the  district  as  a  whole.  If  the 
ladies  of  the  Indiana  District  feel 
that  this  program  is  beneficial,  then 
we  will  draw  from  the  'hat'  again  at 
District  Conference  and  each  society 
will  receive  their  new  'Sister'  for 
1998-1999. 

"I  want  to  encourage  other  dis- 
tricts to  try  this  program  or  some- 
thing similar  to  draw  the  local  soci- 
eties closer  to  one  another.  Distance 
is  not  a  barrier;  the  groups  do  not 
have  to  meet  together.  The  U.S. 
Postal  Service  is  a  wonderful  tool  to 
bridge  the  miles  between  our  dear 
ladies.  God's  Word  gives  us  this  ex- 
ample through  Paul's  letters.  God 
bless  you,  as  you  draw  closer  to  Him 
and  closer  to  each  other." 


NATIONAL  DAY  OF 
PRAYER 

The  United  States  is  the  only 
country  which  observes  a  National 
Day  of  Prayer.  The  specific  day  set 
aside  is  the  first  Thursday  of  May; 
this  year  the  date  is  May  7. 

Always  our  country  needs  prayer. 
Now  things  seem  more  critical  than 
I  remember  in  other  years.  Should 
your  community  be  organized  in  ob- 
servance, I  ask  you  to  support  in 
every  way  you  can.  However,  if 
nothing  is  planned,  you  do  it!  Begin 
in  your  self,  your  home,  neighbor- 
hood, or  church.  The  organization 
part  can  be  simple.  Pray  specifically 
for  our  national  leaders,  the  Cabi- 
net, the  Supreme  Court  justices, 
your  governor  and  state  leaders, 
your  local  officials,  commissioners, 
City  Council,  your  school  board. 
Satan  is  wiggling  into  all  facets  of 
our  country  through  his  evil  ways. 
We  need  to  pray  that  these  elected/ 
appointed  leaders  depend  upon  the 
Lord  for  guidance  and  wisdom. 


Ladies,  I  am  pleased  to  introduce  to 

you  .  .  . 

NANCY 

Nancy  Hunn  is  the  new  editor  of 
the  W.M.S.  Devotional  Guide.  Nancy 
has  a  Master's  Degree  in  Music  from 
Indiana  University,  but  works  in  her 
own  computer  desktop  publishing 
business,  Image  Communications. 
She  does  design  and  layout  for  news- 
letters, brochures,  business  cards, 
etc.  Perhaps  you  have  seen  two  of 
her  Brethren  projects:  the  Andrew 
Center  magazine,  New  Beginnings, 
and  the  cover  of  Dr.  Jerry  Flora's 
book,  The  Message  of  Faith. 

Nancy  uses  her  music  abilities  in 
the  church  as  organist/pianist  and 
choir  member.  Her  hobbies  include 
making  crafts  of  all  kinds,  reading, 
and  painting  watercolors. 

Nancy  is  married  to  the  Rev.  Ken- 
neth Hunn,  pastor  of  the  Nappanee 
First  Brethren  Church,  where  they 
have  served  for  about  7V2  years. 
They  have  three  children:  Andrew, 
17;  Carol,  16;  and  Jonathan,  13. 

Nancy  has  served  the  W.M.S.  as 
general  secretary.  Upon  the  resigna- 
tion of  Jeanette  Sullivan  last  sum- 
mer, the  Board  appointed  Nancy  to 
fill  the  editor's  position  of  the  Devo- 
tional Guide.  She  is  responsible  for 
selecting  the  program  theme  for 
next  year,  asking  writers  to  comply 
with  her  request  of  preparing  an 
article  pertaining  to  the  theme,  and 
then  coordinating  articles,  artwork, 
and  other  program  suggestions  with 
the  appropriate  month.  This  is  not 
an  easy  task! 

We  ask  you  to  support  Nancy  with 
your  prayers  and  encouraging  notes. 
Should  she  ask  you  to  help  in  any 
way,  we  hope  you  will  say  "yes." 

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 


Societies'  Activities 


Annually  each  W.M.S.  is  asked  to 
submit  a  written  report  of  their 
ministry  during  the  year.  These  are 
some  of  the  examples  which  show 
that  we  are  Women  Meant  to  Serve: 

INDIANA 

Bryan  Susannah  — 
Sponsored  a  community  ladies'  day 
with  Marilyn  Aspinall  as  speaker 

Burlington  — 
Sponsored  the  Mother-Daughter 
banquet  with  Emma  Fritz  from 
Warsaw  speaking  from  the  Word  of 
God  and  demonstrating  her  artwork 
of  decorating  eggs 

College  Corner  — 
Baby   quilts    were    made    and    lap 
quilts    were    made    in    local    high 
school  colors.  Proceeds  were  given 
to  the  district  project 

Corinth  — 
Each  member  was  a  secret  pal  for 
the  senior  high  youth.  They  finally 
met  each  other  at  a  special  supper 

Flora  — 
Assisted  in  several  activities  in 
Brethren  Healthcare:  sewing,  fish 
fry,  July  birthday  party  and  Christ- 
mas program  with  refreshments; 
Christmas  cheer  plates  to  shut-ins 
and  church-affiliated  servicemen; 
work  at  local  Thrift  shop  and  Car- 
roll County  food  pantry 

Huntington  — 
The  Mother-Daughter  banquet  was 
a   spaghetti   dinner   prepared   and 
served  by  the  men 

Loree  I  — 
Continued  their  annual  ornament 
exchange,  sponsored  a  Sr.  Citizens 
ice  cream  social,  silent  auction,  and 
World  Relief  potato  bake 

Meadowcrest  — 
Proceeds  from  a  holiday  bazaar  sup- 
ported their  orphan  child  in  India 

Mexico  — 
Used  skits,  geographic,  and  cultural 
studies  of  missionary  fields  to  spark 
interest  in  their  meetings 

Milford  — 
Raised  missionary  offerings  by 
sponsoring  silent  auction  and  white 
elephant  sales;  other  offerings  are 
given  to  Greenwood  Fellowship  and 
an  abused  women  shelter 

Nappanee  — 
Prepared  and  served   the  Mother- 
Daughter  dinner  for  another  church, 
used  the  theme  "Gifts  and  Fruit  of 

March-April 


the  Spirit"  for  their  Mother-Daugh- 
ter banquet,  served  the  father/son 
breakfast  and  used  a  sports  theme, 
prepared  and  gave  Christmas  gifts 
and  dinner  to  a  family 

North  Manchester  — 
Sponsored   a   soup   luncheon   after 
worship;  proceeds  from  the  free-will 
offering  were  designated  for  the  na- 
tional project 

Oakville  — 
Made  Christmas  gifts  for  the  resi- 
dents at  Brethren  Healthcare 

Peru  — 
Made  and  sent  bibs  and  lap  robes 
for  nursing  homes,  sewing  kits  and 
school  kits  for  International  Aid; 
proceeds  from  selling  quilts  go  to 
different  mission  fields. 

Roanoke  — 
Prepared  and  sold  apple  dumplings 

Wabash  — 
Provided  periodic  breakfasts  for  the 
men's  fellowship 

FLORIDA 

Sarasota  — 
Visited  the  Crisis  Center  for  unwed 
girls  and  gave  baby  items 

ARIZONA 

Tucson  — 

Held  two  rummage  sales,  pro- 
ceeds were  designated  for  missions 
and  church  needs 

CENTRAL 

Milledgeville  — 

Sponsored  a  craft  night  to  encour- 
age outreach:  2  or  3  projects  were 
suggested  which  could  be  completed 
in  one  evening;  made  "ugly  quilts" 
for  an  organization  in  Sterling,  gave 
lap  robes  to  a  nursing  home  and  to 
the  shelter  for  battered  women 

SOUTHEAST 

Bethlehem  — 
Instead  of  a  traditional  Mother/ 
Daughter  program,  they  had  a 
women's  dinner  at  a  restaurant  and 
each  invited  an  unchurched  friend 
or  co-worker;  encouragement  cards 
are  signed  at  each  meeting  for  ab- 
sent members  and  friends;  personal 
notes  are  written  to  others 

Hagerstown  — 
Made  palm  crosses  for  entire  church 
membership  and  nursing  home  res- 
idents for  Palm  Sunday;  combined 
picnic  with  St.  James  society  and 
families 


Linwood  — 
Used  a  "Stay  at  Home"  tea  theme 
for  the  World  Day  of  Prayer,  appro- 
priate materials  were  provided  and 
members  were  encouraged  to  spend 
specific  prayer  time  for  world  and 
national  needs,  but  to  stay  at  home 

Maurertown  — 
"School  Days"  was  the  W.M.S.  ban- 
quet  theme,   decorations   included 
lunch  pails,  yearbooks,  and  miscel- 
laneous items  from  bygone  days 

Oak  Hill  — 
Sponsored   a   rummage   sale   with 
proceeds  designated  for  remodeling 
the  ladies  restroom,  SE  camp  pro- 
gram, and  Riverside  teachers'  gifts 

St.  James  — 
Sold  candy  and  contributed  funds 
for  two  prayer  huts  in  India  and 
training  of  an  Indian  pastor,  hosted 
a  baby  shower  for  the  Crisis  Center 

OHIO 

Gretna  — 
Focused  on  one  missionary  family 
for  the  year  in  an  effort  to  become 
better  acquainted  with  them;  225 
dozen  Christmas  cookies  were  sold 
with  proceeds  designated  for  the 
church  mortgage 

New  Lebanon  — 
Sold  hanging  baskets  for  Mother's 
day;  used  "Mother  Goose  Reborn" 
theme,  based  on  Christian  Mother 
Goose  by  Marjorie  A.  Decker,  for 
their  mother-daughter  banquet 

Park  Street  Joy  — 
Used  four  special  speakers  to  en- 
hance devotional  programs:  a  coun- 
ty commissioner,  a  food  expert,  a 
tight-waddery  specialist,  and  a  dried 
flowers  and  potpourri  specialist 

Trinity  Jr.  — 
Participated    in    Passing    on    the 
Promise,  an  exciting  program! 

Trinity  Sr.  — 

Contributed  cookies  and  packed 
boxes  with  cookies  and  personal 
items  for  each  member  of  the  Philo- 
matheon  Society  of  the  Blind  at 
Christmas 

Williamstown  — 
Sponsored  a  toy  shower  for  children 
at  Riverside  school 

MIDWEST 

Mulvane  — 
Supported  the  Sisterhood  organiza- 
tion.   The  girls  prepared  Christmas 
(continued  on  page  4) 


3/Ussionarfj 

Congratulations  to  Tom  and  Deb- 
bie Sprowls  in  Medina!  Their  twins 
were  born  Friday,  January  30.  Leah 
Rose  weighed  7  pounds  and  Levi 
Paul  weighed  6  pounds,  9  ounces. 
Luke,  the  big  brother,  is  happy. 
They  are  a  marvelous  answer  to 
hundreds  of  prayers! 

Reilly  (Director  of  Missionary 
Ministries)  and  Cindy  Smith  visited 
India  and  Malaysia  on  a  missionary 
tour  in  January  and  February.  They 
attended  the  annual  conference  in 
Rajahmundry,  India;  Prasanth 
Kumar  baptized  107  people  follow- 
ing the  conference! 

The  Prayer  and  Praise  bulletin 
from  the  Missionary  Ministries  Coun- 
cil highlights  new  mission  locations 
in  Ohio:  Mike  and  Pam  Sove  at 
Northview  Brethren  Life  Church  in 
Franklin;  Tom  and  Debbie  Sprowls 
at  the  Living  HOPE  Brethren 
Church  in  Medina;  Ron  and  Sandy 
Miller,  who  are  leading  a  church 
planting  team  at  the  Living  Waters 
Community  Church  in  Mansfield; 
and  a  site  in  Delaware  County. 
These  are  the  February  missionaries- 
of-the-month. 

In  addition  to  these,  other  dis- 
tricts are  also  planting  churches. 
Arizona:  Jim  and  Ann  Miller  will 
move  from  Carmel,  Indiana,  to 
Phoenix  in  the  summer  to  plant 
Oasis  Community  Church.  Joining 
them  will  be  Glenn  and  Sarah  Black 
from  Nappanee.  Indiana:  Jim  and 
Elaine  Thomas  at  Eagle's  Nest 
Christian  Fellowship  at  Grissom 
AFB;  California:  Jim  and  Stephanie 
Boyd  at  Rock  Springs  Community 
Church  in  Vista;  Southeast:  Mike 
and  Barbara  Woods  of  Grace  Com- 
munity Church  in  Winchester,  Vir- 
ginia. Continue  your  prayers  for 
each  church  planter  and  team. 

The  March  missionaries  are  Kari- 
na  and  Claudio  Castelli  in  Paraguay. 
Also  in  March  are  Sonia  and  Miguel 
Antunez  in  Peru. 

The  April  missionaries  are  the 
Thomases  at  Eagle's  Nest  (men- 
tioned above)  and  the  pastors  at 
Winning  the  Race  Ministries  in  In- 
dianapolis: Tom  and  Tiona  Conrad 
and  Keith  and  Marjorie  Bennett. 


President's  Pen  (continued)      Ml  WXVOf'S  J&UWJtfl 

ciirnnoonll  T.ot'c  nnt  lot  nur*  f rwiihloc  ^J 


surprised!!  Let's  not  let  our  troubles 
crowd  around  us  so  that  we  cannot 
see  the  many  blessings  we  daily 
receive  from  the  Lord.  In  Proverbs 
10:22,  we  read:  "The  blessing  of  the 
Lord  makes  one  rich  and  He  adds 
no  sorrow  with  it." 

We  received  word  from  Prasanth 
and  Nirmala  Kumar  in  India  that 
their  son,  Sudhir,  was  married  on 
January  10.  They  also  wrote  that 
their  son-in-law,  Vincent,  is  attend- 
ing a  seminary  in  Pittsburgh,  Penn- 
sylvania. This  was  a  surprise  to  us. 
His  wife,  Shanti,  was  born  in  Ash- 
land while  Prasanth  was  a  seminary 
student.  Shanti  and  their  daughter, 
Shirley-na,  will  join  Vincent  later. 
We  are  very  excited  to  see  them. 
More  blessings  from  the  Lord!! 

We  are  half  way  through  our 
W.M.S.  year.  It  won't  be  long  before 
we  begin  talking  about  National 
Conference.  Vice-President  Marilyn 
Aspinall  has  been  busy  for  months, 
planning  for  the  devotional  speaker, 
special  music,  and  the  luncheon. 
Mark  the  dates:  August  3-7. 

What  are  some  things  you  are 
doing  in  your  local  W.M.S.  group?  I 
do  wish  you  would  share  with  us. 
We  really  want  to  hear  from  you. 
Something  you  are  doing  may  be 
just  what  another  W.M.S.  group 
needs  to  encourage  their  members. 
Wouldn't  you  like  to  be  an  encour- 
ager?  OK,  send  a  note  to  Joan  Ronk 
and  she  will  put  your  suggestion  in 
the  W.M.S.  Newsletter. 

Remember:  Count  Your  Blessings! 

God  Bless  You. 


Shirley  Black 


Societies'  Activities  (continued) 

stockings  for  the  Care  and  Share 
ministry  for  the  needy,  fixed  pack- 
ages for  the  homeless  men  at  the 
Rescue  Mission  in  Wichita,  they  per- 
sonalized John  3:16  and  prayed  for 
each  one  as  he  received  his  package; 
made  school  kits  through  World 
Vision;  sent  vitamins  to  the  Kumars 
and  50  Bibles  to  the  Antunez  family. 
And  many,  many  more  outreach 
opportunities!  Yes,  we  are  Women 
Meant  to  Serve. 


Dear  Friend, 

Conference  missionaries  will  be 
Allen  Baer  from  Argentina  and 
Marcelo  and  Adriana  Ferreri,  who 
were  sent  by  the  Argentine  church 
to  serve  in  Colombia. 

In  Shirley's  letter  you  have  read 
her  desire  to  share  your  activities. 
The  information  you  submitted  last 
year  is  compiled  into  this  issue,  so 
you  may  learn  what  other  societies 
did.  We  were  busy  ladies!  But  don't 
stop  there!  Much  work  needs  to  be 
done  and  whatever  you  do,  do  it  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord.  If  you  see  a 
need,  fill  it.  Sometimes  we  wait  for  a 
committee  or  an  organization  to  say, 
Do  this  or  Do  that.  You  be  the  one  to 
doit! 

At  this  time,  Shirley  is  undergoing 
radiation  treatments  for  a  tumor  in 
her  brain.  She  had  concluded  her 
treatments  following  the  masecto- 
my  last  year  and  we  rejoiced  in  her 
healing.  We  rejoice  again  in  knowing 
that  the  bone  scan  did  not  reveal 
any  other  spot.  Continue  to  pray  for 
her  healing  and  complete  recovery. 
Her  faith  in  the  Great  Physician  is 
strong. 

Cynthia  Stout's  report  of  Society 
Sisters  is  an  easy  idea  to  duplicate 
in  every  district.  And,  in  districts 
which  are  small,  societies  can  cross 
district  lines  and  become  sisters. 

If  you  have  read  Barbara  John- 
son's Living  Somewhere  Between 
Estrogen  and  Death,  you  know  she 
includes  lots  of  sense  and  nonsense! 
Refer  to  page  40  before  you  plant 
your  garden  this  spring.  If  you  want 
to  do  something,  read  page  65  and 
then  begin.  Pages  110-111  give  wis- 
dom for  you  who  "want  to  make  a 
difference  in  the  world,"  as  suggest- 
ed by  Max  Lucado,  and  be  a  mentor. 
On  page  154,  read  the  encouraging 
paragraphs  about  encouragement. 
Barbara  continues  to  tell  you  how  to 
be  an  encourager.  It's  easy. 

Remember  the  project  offering  for 
this  year  is  designated  for  the  Eden 
Bible  Institute  in  Argentina. 

Your  friend, 


Joan 

Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


Brethren  Church  Ministries:  Evangelism 


Introducing  LIFE 

(Living  in  Faithful  Evangelism) 
By  Ronald  W.  Waters 


AS  CHURCHES  were  completing 
the  Passing  On  the  Promise 
(POtP)  process,  many  people  were 
asking  if  there  would  be  life  after 
POtP  We're  happy  now  to  announce 
a  resounding  "Yes,  there  is  LIFE 
after  Passing  On  the  Promise!" 

In  fact,  you  could  say,  "LIFE  is 
Passing  On  the  Promise  for  a  new 
generation!" 

LIFE  (Living  in  Faithful  Evan- 
gelism) is  a  new,  two-year  congrega- 
tional growth  process,  similar  to 
Passing  On  the  Promise — but  with 
totally  new  study  materials  and 
themes.  The  Brethren  Church  is  a 
major  partner  in  developing  this 
new  process,  along  with  evangeli- 
cals from  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  the  Mennonite  Church, 
and  the  General  Conference  Men- 
nonite Church. 

The  new  process  will  be  available 
for  congregational  implementation 
beginning  in  September  1998. 

LIFE'S  four  themes 

The  LIFE  process  moves  through 
four  themes  that  invite  us  to: 

•  Discover  a  vision  for  personal 
and  congregational  outreach; 

•  Welcome  new  people  to  come  to 
Christ  and  the  church; 

•  Share  the  joy  and  blessing  of 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ  with  others; 

•  Expand  our  experience  of  Christ- 
ian community  among  ourselves 
and  with  persons  new  to  the 
faith  and  the  congregation. 

Living  in  Faithful  Evangelism  is 
designed  to  help  an  entire  congrega- 
tion develop  a  lifestyle  that  is  com- 
mitted to  reaching  persons  in  its 
community  with  the  message  of 
Jesus  Christ.  To  that  end,  the 
process  includes  these  features: 

1.  Lay  leadership — the  congre- 
gation will  select  two  persons  to 
serve  as  congregational  co-coordina- 
tors to  guide  the  church  through  the 
process.  The  pastor  is  a  vital  part  of 
the  team  serving  as  a  key  facilitator 


and  an  "up-front"  cheerleader  for 
the  process.  But  the  lay  co-coordina- 
tors give  direction  to  LIFE. 

2.  Community  and  congrega- 
tional self-study — LIFE  includes 
a  tool  for  developing  a  pro- 
file of  the  church  and  the 
community,  completed  by 
a  special  task  force.  After 
gathering  data,  the  task 
force  develops  an  initial 
analysis  of  the  findings. 
Then  an  outside  consul- 
tant will  review  the  find- 
ings and  make  sugges- 
tions to  assist  the  church 
in  developing  its  own  outreach 
strategy. 

3.  Study/action  modules — the 
two-year  process  includes  four 
study/action  modules.  Each  module 
includes  three  elements:  1)  a  theme 
emphasis  event  to  introduce  the 
module  and  to  build  interest;  2)  a  13- 
week  curriculum  designed  for  use  in 
adult  Sunday  school  classes  and/or 
special  study  groups  (may  also  be 
used  in  older  youth  classes);  and  3) 
a  congregational  outreach  activity 
to  put  the  learning  into  action. 

4.  An  annual  growth  work- 
shop— at  the  conclusion  of  each 
year  of  the  LIFE  process,  the  con- 
gregation conducts  a  church-wide 
growth  workshop.  This  workshop 
provides  an  opportunity  to  incorpo- 
rate the  learning  from  the  previous 
study/action  curriculum  units  and 
the  self-study  research  in  devising 
specific  ministry  and  outreach  plans 
for  the  coming  year. 

Who  should  consider  LIFE? 

The  LIFE  introductory  materials 
include  a  LIFE  Readiness  Assess- 
ment to  help  congregational  leaders 
consider  whether  this  is  the  appro- 
priate time  to  begin  the  process. 

Certainly  churches  that  did  not 
participate  in  Passing  On  the 
Promise  should  consider  the  LIFE 
process.  In  many  cases,  Passing  On 
the   Promise   churches   came   to   a 


new  commitment  among  their 
members  to  evangelism  and  com- 
munity outreach.  A  process  such  as 
LIFE  helps  a  congregation  as  a 
whole  move  together  toward  such  a 
commitment.  In  many  cases,  it  has 
also  resulted  in  numerical  growth. 

Churches  that  participated  in 
Passing  On  the  Promise  may  also 
consider  the  LIFE  process  for  one  of 
these  reasons:  1)  If  the  congrega- 
tion did  not  take  full  advantage  of 
POtP,  failing  to  use  the  study  cur- 
riculum among  a  large  percentage 


of  it  members,  LIFE  will  allow  an- 
other opportunity  for  broad-based 
exposure  to  growth  and  outreach 
training.  2)  If  the  congregation  has 
reached  many  new  people  since 
Passing  On  the  Promise,  LIFE  will 
provide  the  means  to  build  an  out- 
reach and  growth  mindset  in  these 
folks  as  well.  3)  Some  congregations 
find  that  repeated  exposure  to  a 
process  such  as  LIFE/Passing  On 
the  Promise  enhances  attitudes  and 
behaviors  regarding  evangelism  and 
church  growth. 

Because  the  curriculum  materials 
are  all  new,  churches  who  partici- 
pated in  Passing  On  the  Promise 
can  enter  into  the  LIFE  process 
without  repeating  previous  courses. 

A  helpful  LIFE  introductory  pack, 
including  an  informative  video,  is 
available.  Ask  your  pastor  if  your 
church  has  requested  this  introduc- 
tory pack.  If  not,  contact  the  Breth- 
ren Church  National  Office  (524 
College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805; 
419-289-1708;  FAX  419-281-0450; 
or  e-mail  at  Brethren(abright.net) 
for  your  free  copy.  Or  you  will  find 
the  introductory  material  (but  not 
the  video)  on  the  Internet  at  http:// 
www.ashland.edu/~rwaters/life.htm.     [ft] 

Rev.  Waters,  assistant  professor  of 
evangelism  at  Ashland  Theological  Sem- 
inary, serves  The  Brethren  Church  as 
Consultant  for  Evangelism/Church 
Growth. 


February  1998 


"T 


OE,  I  hope  you  will  be  part  of 
our  evangelism  class  starting 
this  Wednesday,"  my  pastor  said  to 
me  as  we  chatted  after  the  morning 
services. 

I  hardly  gave  his  request  a  serious 
thought,  and  yet,  Wednesday  night 
found  me  in  the  evangelism  class. 
For  some  reason  that  I  could  not 
explain,  I  felt  I  should  be  there. 

That's  how,  after  a  few  weeks  of 
training,  I  found  myself  standing 
beside  my  pastor  as  we  made  our 
first  home  evangelism  call  together. 
My  pastor  had  called,  and  the  fami- 
ly had  agreed  to  "talk  with  us." 

The  presentation 

After  a  few  minutes  of  pleasant 
conversation,  my  pastor  smiled  and 
very  gently  said,  "I  would  like  to 
talk  with  you  about  something  very 
important.  Would  that  be  okay? 

The  young  couple  nodded  and 
said,  "Sure." 

My  pastor  called  them  by  name 
and  said  in  a  soft  but  serious  tone  of 
voice,  "Some  day  every  person  who 
has  ever  lived,  including  Joe  and  I, 
will  stand  before  God.  When  that 
happens,  we  will  be  welcomed  into 
heaven  or  cast  into  hell." 

To  me  it  seemed  to  get  very  quiet. 
There  was  a  long  silence.  I  began 
looking  for  the  door,  just  in  case  we 
needed  to  leave  in  a  hurry. 

Then  my  pastor  softly  and  gently 
asked,  "Would  you  like  to  know  for 
sure  that  when  you  die,  you  will  go 
to  heaven?" 


They  both 
nodded  yes. 

I  relaxed 
and  listened 
as  my  pastor 
opened  his 
well-worn 
Bible  and 
began  to  ex- 
plain how 
they  could 
know  they 
were  going  to 
heaven.  He 
read  Acts 
3:19,  "Re- 
pent, then, 
and  turn  to 
God  . .  .  ."  He 
then  ex- 

plained that 
everyone  has 
he  showed  them  Ro- 
.  .  all  have  sinned  and 


sinned,  and 
mans  3:23,  " 
fall  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 

As  the  mother  and  father  listened 
intensely,  the  two  small  children 
grew  restless.  I  quickly  slid  from  the 
couch  onto  the  floor  and  played  with 
them  quietly. 

My  pastor  then  turned  to  John 
3:16  and  read,  "For  God  so  loved  [us] 
that  he  gave  his  one  and  only  Son, 
that  whoever  believes  in  him  shall 
not  perish  but  have  eternal  life." 

"The  key  word,"  he  explained,  is 
'believe.'" 

Next  he  showed  them  1  John  1:9, 
which  states  that,  if  we  confess  our 
sins,  God  will  forgive  us. 

From  John  1:12  he  shared  that 
they,  too,  could  receive  Christ.  He 
looked  up  from  his  reading,  smiled, 
and  asked,  "Would  you  like  to 
receive  Christ  tonight?" 

I  flinched.  Kinda  pushy,  I  thought. 

But  mom  and  dad  were  nodding 
their  heads  as  they  shed  tears  of 
repentance!  As  my  pastor  led  them 
in  prayer,  I  wept  too  and  asked  God 
to  forgive  me  for  my  lack  of  faith. 

New  creations 

My  pastor  turned  in  his  Bible  to 
2  Corinthians  5:17  and  showed 
these  new  converts  that  they  were 
now  new  creations.  "The  old  is 
gone,"  he  said,  "and  now  you  are  a 
new  creation  in  Christ." 

As  we  left  rejoicing  that  night,  I 
had  a  new  zeal  to  become  a  soul- 
winner,  like  my  pastor. 


It  was  several  weeks  later,  after 
more  training  and  Bible  study,  that 
my  pastor  told  me  it  was  my  turn  to 
take  the  lead  and  talk  to  people 
about  how  they  could  know  they 
were  going  to  heaven. 

"I'm  not  ready  yet,"  I  responded. 

"I'll  be  right  there  with  you,  and 
I'll  be  praying  for  you,"  he  reas- 
sured me. 

As  we  approached  the  house,  I  had 
an  urge  to  turn  and  run.  I  felt  ner- 
vous and  uncertain.  I  looked  at  my 
pastor,  standing  behind  me.  He  was 
smiling.  I  knew  I  could  not  let  him 
down.  He  had  confidence  in  me. 

I  rang  the  doorbell,  hoping  that  no 
one  would  be  at  home.  But  the  door 
opened,  and  we  were  invited  in. 

We  visited  for  a  little  while.  Then 
I  looked  at  my  pastor.  He  nodded 
and  smiled.  It  was  time.  I  swallowed 
hard  and  breathed  a  silent  prayer. 

I  didn't  do  as  well  as  I  had  hoped 
I  would.  I  stumbled  and  stammered 
sometimes.  But  I  could  see  my  pas- 
tor praying  for  me,  so  I  continued. 
When  I  asked  them  if  they  would 
like  to  receive  Jesus  as  their  Savior, 
I  was  pleasantly  surprised  when 
they  said,  "Yes." 

Some  continue  to  say  "Yes" 

It's  been  several  years  now  since 
that  first  time.  I  have  had  some  peo- 
ple say  yes  and  some  say  no  in  that 
time.  A  few  people  have  refused  to 
let  me  in.  Some  have  told  me  to 
mind  my  own  business.  And  a  few 
have  even  been  rude.  But  thank 
God,  some  continue  to  say,  "Yes!" 

I  am  now  retired  and  have  moved 
to  a  different  state,  but  I'm  still  ask- 
ing those  same  questions.  And  I'm 
still  getting  some  people  who  say  yes 
and  some  who  say  no. 

As  you  read  this  article,  you  too 
can  receive  Jesus  Christ  as  your 
Savior  and  become  a  new  creation  in 
Jesus  Christ! 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  are 
already  a  new  creation  in  Jesus 
Christ,  then  perhaps  it's  time  for 
you  to  become  a  "trainee"  in  an 
evangelism  class.  Acts  1:8  says, 
"You  will  be  my  witnesses  ...  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth."  [ft] 

Mr.  Seay  is  a  free-lance  writer  who 
lives  in  Greenbrier,  Arkansas.  The 
method  of  evangelism  he  describes  is 
just  one  of  many  ways  of  "Having  a 
Heart  for  the  Lost. " 


H 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


0nd  the 


New  pastor  welcomed 
by  Cornerstone  Church 

Muncie,  Ind.  —  Members  of  Cor- 
nerstone   Brethren    Church    and 
Ministries   recently   welcomed   Dr. 
Tim  Dwyer  as  their  new  pastor. 
Since  1990,  Dr.  Dwyer  has  been  on 

the  fac- 
ulty of 
nearby 
Ander- 
son Uni- 
versity as 
professor 
of  Old 
and  New 
Testa- 
ment, 
where  he 
continues 
to  teach. 
Prior  to 
that,  he 
pastored 
in  California,  served  as  a  jail  chap- 
lain, and  taught  at  Azusa  Pacific 
University. 

He  is  a  graduate  of  San  Jose  City 
College,  Azusa  Pacific  University, 
Talbot  Theological  Seminary,  and 
has  a  Ph.D.  degree  in  New  Testa- 
ment from  Aberdeen  University  in 
Scotland. 

For  the  past  14  years,  Pastor  Dwyer 
has  been  married  to  Paula  Rosine 
Dwyer.  Mrs.  Dwyer  is  a  writer  and 
an  aerobics  and  aquatics  instructor. 
They  are  the  parents  of  two  sons, 
Peter  (7)  and  Philip  (4). 

Cornerstone  Brethren  Church 
and  Ministries  held  its  first  meeting 
October  1,  1995,  and  dedicated  its 
first  worship  facility  October  5, 
1997  (see  November  Evangelist  p.  9). 
—  reported  by  Roberta  Covington 


Dr.  Tim  Dwyer 


Participating  in  the  commissioning  service  for  Robert  French  (c.)  and  Timothy 
Lewis  (2nd  from  r.)  were  Rev.  T.J.  McLaughlin  (I.),  Rev.  Robert  Hoffman  (2nd 
from  I.),  and  Rev.  Bryan  Karchner  (r.). 

Timothy  Lewis,  Robert  French  commissioned 
for  ministry  at  Brush  Valley  Brethren  Church 


Adrian,  Pa.  —  Timothy  Lewis  and 
Robert  French  were  commissioned 
as  Ministers  in  The  Brethren 
Church  in  a  service  held  December 
7  at  Brush  Valley  Brethren  Church, 
where  both  men  are  members. 

Rev.  Bryan  Karchner,  pastor  of 
the  Berlin,  Pa.,  Brethren  Church 
and  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania 
District  Board  of  Oversight,  con- 
ducted the  commissioning  service. 
He  was  assisted  by  Brethren  Elders 
Robert  Hoffman  and  T.J.  McLaugh- 
lin, and  by  Rev.  Terry  Music,  inter- 
im pastor  of  the  Brush  Valley  con- 
gregation. 

As  Commissioned  Ministers  Mr. 
Lewis  and  Mr.  French  are  autho- 
rized to  preach  and  teach  the 
Gospel,  to  assist  with  Communion 
services,  to  conduct  funeral  ser- 
vices, to  do  pastoral  calling  (as 
directed  by  an  ordained  elder),  and 


to  receive  the  confession  of  faith  of 
new  believers. 

Timothy  Lewis  (45)  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Brush  Valley  Church 
for  about  12  years.  He  serves  the 
congregation  as  moderator,  trustee, 
and  deacon.  He  is  employed  at  For- 
ringer  Truck  and  Auto  Parts,  where 
he  is  manager.  He  and  his  wife 
Debbie  have  three  daughters  rang- 
ing in  age  from  24  to  8. 

Robert  French  (46)  has  been  a 
member  at  Brush  Valley  since  child- 
hood. He  is  assistant  moderator  and 
a  deacon  and  has  also  served  the 
congregation  as  trustee,  Sunday 
school  teacher  and  youth  leader.  He 
is  employed  as  a  transportation 
team  leader  for  Allegheny  Power  and 
attends  Geneva  College,  from  which 
he  will  graduate  this  summer.  He 
and  his  wife  Diana  have  three  sons 
ranging  in  age  from  22  to  15.        [ft] 


Eagles'  Nest  becomes  a  class 

Bunker   Hill,   Ind.   —  Eagle's 

Nest  Christian  Fellowship,  the 
new  Brethren  church  being  start- 
ed at  the  former  Grissom  Air 
Force  Base  near  Peru,  Ind.,  was 
granted  a  class  charter  by  the 
Executive  Board  of  the  Brethren 
Church  at  its  November  meeting. 
Class  status  is  the  first  step  in 
becoming  a  Brethren  church. 


Rev.  Jim  Thomas  and  his  wife 
Elaine  are  the  church  planters  for 
this  new  congregation.  They  are 
currently  raising  support  and 
developing  a  core-group  of  people. 
They  expect  to  launch  public  serv- 
ices in  the  fall  of  this  year. 

Eagle's  Nest  Christian  Fellow- 
ship will  be  a  Brethren  church 
serving  a  broad-based  community 
where  no  other  churches  now 
exist.  [ft] 


February  1998 


Oood_£e 


Retreat  planned  in  April  for 
Brethren  pastors  and  wives 

Lanark,  111.  —  Interlaken  Resort 
and  Country  Spa  near  Lake  Geneva, 
Wisconsin,  will  be  the  site  of  this 
year's  retreat  for  Brethren  pastors 
and  their  wives,  which  will  be  held 
April  28-30. 

The  retreat  will  be  a  time  of  both 
spiritual  enrichment  and  relax- 
ation. The  featured  speaker  will  be 
Dr.  David  Reese,  a  medical  doctor 
who  is  a  member  of  the  Lanark,  111., 
Brethren  Church.  Dr.  Reese,  a  stu- 
dent of  both  science  and  Scripture, 
will  speak  on  the  biblical  account  of 
creation,  providing  a  fresh  under- 
standing of  this  narrative. 

The  cost  of  the  retreat  is  $230.00 
for  couples  and  $180.00  for  singles, 
which  covers  two  nights  at  the 
resort,  two  breakfasts,  and  two  din- 
ners. The  retreat  will  begin  Tuesday 
afternoon,  April  28,  and  conclude  by 
noon  on  Thursday.  Registration  forms 
have  been  sent  directly  to  pastors. 
For  more  information,  contact  Pas- 
tor Jim  Garrett  at  815-493-2390. 

Churches  are  encouraged  to  pro- 
vide time  off  and  financial  assis- 
tance so  that  pastors  and  their 
wives  can  attend  the  retreat.       [ft] 


Christians  urged  to  pray  for  revival  and  spiritual 
awakening  during  PrayUSA!'98,  March  1— April  9 


Houston,  Tex.  —  Hundreds  of 
America's  Christian  leaders  are  call- 
ing for  40  days  of  fasting  and  prayer 
for  revival  and  spiritual 
awakening  during 
Pray  US  A!  '98,  March 
1  to  April  9. 

On  March  1,  1998, 
participants  will  begin 
synchronized  praying 
through  a  40-day 
prayer  calendar.  The 
prayer  focus  will  be  on 
America's  churches, 
their  pastors,  and 
Christian  leaders. 

Participants  will  be 
urged  to  fast  as  well  as 
pray.  The  biblical  dis- 
cipline of  fasting  has 
seen  renewed  interest 
in  recent  years,  as 
pastors  and  laypersons 
alike  forgo  food  for  one 
to  40  days  to  develop  a 
more  intimate  relationship  with  and 
deeper  dependence  upon  God. 

The  need  for  a  national  fast  stems 
from  a  lack  of  obedience  to  God  in 
today's  society.  Bill  Bright  recently 
said,  "There  has  never  been  a 
greater  need  in  all  of  history  for 
Christians  to  fast,  pray,  repent,  and 
seek  the  face  of  God.  We're  asking 
God  to  send  revival  to  our  nation 
and  the  world  to  enable  us  to  help 
fulfill  the  Great  Commission." 


Pray  USA!  '98 

PRAYING 

AMERICA 

BACK 


GOD 


March  I  -  April  9 


40  -  DAYS 

PRAYER  &  FASTING 


PrayUSA!  Coordinator  Eddie 
Smith  said,  "This  year  we  are  seek- 
ing to  initiate  a  praying  presence  in 
every  U.S.  zip  code."  He 
is  requesting  that 
Christians  adopt  their 
zip  code,  or  a  portion 
of  it,  for  prayer.  They 
are  being  asked  to  reg- 
ister their  intention 
with  the  national  reg- 
istry and  to  begin 
praying  for  and 
prayer-walking 
through  their  zip  code 
area  with  the  ultimate 
goal  of  praying  for 
every  person  by  the 
end  of  the  year  2000. 
(To  register,  call  913- 
438-7303  or  visit  the 
website  at  wwwmap4 
JESUS.org.) 
Any  church  or  indi- 
vidual can  participate  in 
PrayUSA!.  Single  copies  of  the  40- 
day  prayer  calendar  are  available 
free  from  The  Brethren  Church 
National  Office  (call  419-289-1708). 
Quantities  (at  $3.00  per  dozen)  may 
be  ordered  from  PrayUSA!  by  call- 
ing 1-888-FASTING  (1-888-327- 
8464).  A  PrayUSA!  resource  kit  is 
also  available  for  $10.00. 

PrayUSA!  is  an  annual  initiative 
sponsored  by  Mission  America 
Celebrate  Jesus.  [ft] 


Pastor  takes  congregation 
out  for  Christmas  dinner 

Quicksburg,  Va.  —  Forty-nine 
members  and  friends  of  the 
Liberty  Brethren  Church  were 
treated  to  a  buffet  dinner  on 
Sunday,  December  14,  after  the 
morning  worship  service  by  Pastor 
Doc  Shank  and  his  wife  Jean. 

This  is  an  annual  Christmas 
event,  by  which  the  Shanks  show 
their  appreciation  to  the  Liberty 
congregation.  By  coincidence,  this 
year's  dinner  fell  on  Mrs.  Shank's 
birthday 

Loy  Didawick,  a  local  vocalist, 
provided    entertainment    during 


the  meal,  which  was  held  at  the 
Johnny  Appleseed  Restaurant  in 
New  Market,  Va.  According  to  re- 


porter Ramona  Davis,  the  dinner 
and  special  entertainment  were 
very  much  enjoyed  by  everyone,  [ft] 


Rev.  Doc  Shank  (at  left  in  left  photo)  entertains,  while  his  wife  Jean  (at  right  in 
right  photo)  enjoys  the  meal. 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


In  Memory 

Doris  R.  Stogsdill 

Doris  R.  Stogsdill,  72,  died  Jan- 
uary 17  in  Tucson,  Ariz.,  after  a  val- 
iant struggle  with  cancer.  Mrs. 
Stogsdill  was  the  widow  of  Brethren 
pastor  Rev.  Clarence  Stogsdill,  who 
died  May  26,  1992. 

Wilma  Doris  Roy  was  born  Janu- 
ary 26,  1925,  in  Hamdon,  Missouri, 
the  daughter  of  Alber  and  Edna 
Roy.  She  and  Clarence  were  mar- 
ried December  23,  1946. 

She  served  the  First  Brethren 
Church  in  Tucson  for  29  years 
(1963-92)  along  side  her  husband, 
as  he  pastored  that  congregation. 
She  was  also  by  his  side  when  he 
served  the  Gretna  (Bellefontaine, 
Ohio),  Trinity  (Canton,  Ohio),  Johns- 
town (Pa.)  Third,  and  Milledgeville, 
111.,  Brethren  Churches. 

In  addition  to  her  service  to  the 
church  and  to  her  family,  she  worked 
as  payroll  supervisor  and  as  secre- 
tary to  the  vice  president  in  charge 
of  finance  of  Krueger  Manufactur- 
ing from  1963  until  1990.  Her  chil- 
dren remember  her  as  a  woman  of 
steadfast  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  of 
faithful  prayer,  and  of  constancy  of 
love  for  her  family. 

She  is  survived  by  her  two  chil- 
dren and  their  spouses — Gwen  and 
Scott  McKinney,  and  Roger  and 
Kimberly  Stogsdill — and  by  four 
grandchildren  (Seth  and  Ryan 
McKinney  and  Tiffany  and  Adam 
Stogsdill).  Roger  is  the  current  pas- 
tor of  Tucson  First  Brethren. 

Her  funeral  service  was  held 
January  23  at  the  Tucson  Church. 

Kay  M.  Long 

Kay  Maureen  Long  (60),  wife  of 
Brethren  Elder  Norman  D.  Long, 
died  December  2  in  Ypsilanti,  Mich., 
of  pancreatic  cancer. 

Born  Kay  M.  Chaney  on  Decem- 
ber 9,  1936,  in  Sterling,  Colo.,  she 
was  raised  in  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren, as  was  her  future  husband.  They 
were  married  June  17,  1956.  After 

February  1998 


Christians  challenged  to  saturate  America 
with  the  Gospel  by  end  of  this  millennium 


Minneapolis,  Minn.  —  As  the  mil- 
lennium draws  to  a  close,  Chris- 
tians are  being  challenged  to  take 
seriously  the  call  to  reach  America 
with  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Thousands  of  Christians  are  ac- 
cepting the  challenge  to  make  a 
concerted  effort  over  the  next  three 
years  to  pray  for  their  family  and 
friends  and  then  seek  ways  to  share 
Jesus  Christ  with  them. 

Celebrate  Jesus  2000,  a  national 
evangelism  initiative  of  the  Mis- 
sion America  coalition,  is  remind- 
ing Christians  that  the  greatest  rea- 
son to  celebrate  the  new  millennium 
is  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Celebrate 
Jesus  2000  asks  Christians  to  work 
collaboratively  to  do  what  Jesus 
Christ  commanded  His  disciples  to 
do — to  go  and  make  disciples. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  our  na- 
tion is  in  great  need  of  spiritual 
awakening  and  renewal.  There  is 
no  better  time  for  Christians  to 
come  together  to  reach  the  nation 
for  Christ  than  in  the  twilight  years 
of  the  20th  Century. 

Dr.  Larry  Lewis,  national  facili- 
tator of  Celebrate  Jesus  2000  says, 
"This  is  the  first  time  in  the  history 
of  our  nation  [that]  we  have  come  to 
the  end  of  a  millennium.  We  won't 
have  that  opportunity  [again]  for 
another  1,000  years.  Certainly  it 
behooves  us  to  'redeem  the  time'  by 
doing  our  best  to  fulfill  the  Great 
Commission  mandate  to  evangelize 
our  nation." 

Never  before  in  the  history  of  the 
American  church  have  so  many 
members  of  the  Body  of  Christ 


come  together  for  the  purpose  of 
evangelism.  Already  52  denomina- 
tions have  pledged  to  be  a  part  of 
Celebrate  Jesus  2000  by  promoting 
it  in  their  local  churches.  More 
than  150,000  local  congregations 
are  expected  to  participate. 

Dr.  Lewis  says,  "If  every  one  of 
those  churches  will  do  its  part, 
bathing  its  church  mission  field  in 
prayer  and  sharing  the  Gospel  in 
every  home,  we  can  saturate  Amer- 
ica with  the  Gospel.  The  Mission 
American  goal  of  praying  for  and 
sharing  Christ  with  every  person  in 
America  is  reachable  and  doable. 
And  if  we  can  do  it,  we  should  do  it!" 

Celebrate  Jesus  2000  recognizes 
that  prayer  is  the  most  essential 
and  the  most  effective  resource  in 
evangelism.  Therefore  Christians  are 
being  asked  to  pray  for  family,  friends, 
and  neighbors,  and  then  to  seek 
ways  to  share  the  Gospel  with  them 
through  a  brief,  friendly,  "threshold 
witness"  or  by  lifestyle  evangelism. 

Public  events  such  as  city-wide  or 
individual  church  crusades  also  will 
be  held.  An  important  part  of  this 
effort  is  effective  follow-up  with  new 
believers  to  involve  them  in  new  or 
existing  congregations  for  disciple- 
ship  and  fellowship.  Christians  will 
also  be  involved  in  demonstrating 
"love  in  action"  by  serving  those  in 
need  in  their  communities. 

Resource  materials  and  sugges- 
tions for  involvement  in  Celebrate 
Jesus  2000,  including  a  Church 
Mobilization  Kit,  are  available 
through  Mission  America.  For  more 
information,  call  800-995-8572.      [t] 


serving  congregations  in  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  her  husband  ac- 
cepted a  call  in  1972  to  pastor  the 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  First  Brethren 
Church.  They  served  there  for  15 
years.  They  later  moved  to  Ypsi- 
lanti, where  Rev.  Long  served  for 
91/2  years  as  a  chaplain  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan  Hospital  in  Ann 
Arbor.  (He  retired  last  September.) 
Surviving  Mrs.  Long  in  addition 
to  her  husband  are  a  daughter, 
Cindy  McCarthy  and  her  husband 
Bill;   a  son,   Lloyd  and  his  wife 


Coral;  three  grandchildren;   and 
three  step-grandchildren.  [ft] 


World  Relief  Update 

Malawi,  Africa  —  World  Relief  is 
providing  emergency  food  and  shel- 
ter to  300  families  made  homeless 
by  heavy  rains  in  Malawi,  a  country 
in  southeastern  Africa. 

When  the  rainy  season  ends  in 
March,  World  Relief  hopes  to  help 
villagers  plant  sweet  potatoes,  an 
early-maturing  crop  that  will  pro- 
vide much-needed  food.  [1>] 


11 


o^od_^e 


In  Memory 

Rev.  Ronald  B.  Ritchey 

Brethren  pastor  Rev.  Ronald  B. 

Ritchey,  65,  of  Berlin,  Pa.,  died  of 

cancer   December   21    at   Meadow 

View  Nursing  Center  in  Berlin.  He 

was  pastor 
of  the  Cum- 
berland, 
Md.,  First 
Brethren 
Church 
until  his 
illness 
prevented 
him  from 
serving. 

He  was 
born  on 
March  18, 
1932,  in  Johnstown,  Pa.,  the  son  of 
Paul  and  Rae  Lucille  (Thomas) 
Ritchey.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Berlin 
High  School  (1950),  Ashland  Col- 
lege (1954),  and  Ashland  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  (1957). 

In  addition  to  the  Cumberland 
Church,  Rev.  Ritchey  served  Breth- 
ren congregations  in  North  Liberty, 
Ind.,  and  Johnstown,  Pa.  (Third 
Brethren).  He  also  served  several 
churches  in  other  denominations, 
including  Trinity  United  Church  of 
Christ  in  Roxbury,  Pa.,  which  he 
served  while  pastoring  the  Cumber- 
land First  Brethren  Church.  He  also 
taught  school  for  a  time  in  Ohio. 

He  served  on  the  board  of  River- 
side Christian  School  in  Lost  Creek, 
Ky,  worked  with  the  school,  and 
took  more  than  100  loads  of  donat- 
ed items  there.  While  serving  in 
Johnstown,  he  was  president  of  the 
Johnstown  ministerial  association 
and  chaplain  for  the  city  council.  In 
Berlin,  he  served  as  an  EMT  with 
the  Hyndman,  Pa.,  rescue  squad. 

He  was  married  for  37  years  to 
the  former  Margaret  Adele  Linsley, 
who  survives  him.  Also  surviving 
are  their  three  children  and  their 
spouses — Paul  and  Deb  Ritchey  of 


Ashland;  John  and  Toni  Ritchey  of 
Baltimore,  Md.;  and  Adele  and 
David  Merkel  of  Hyndman — as  well 
as  three  grandchildren. 

Rev.  Ritchey  donated  his  body  to 
science  for  research.  A  memorial 
service  was  held  December  27  at  the 
Berlin  Brethren  Church  with  Pastor 
Bryan  Karchner  officiating  and  re- 
marks by  Rev.  Norman  Nightengal. 
Memorial  contributions,  which  will 
be  given  to  various  mission  works, 
may  be  sent  to  the  Berlin  Church. 

Romayne  K.  Flora 
Viavi  Romayne  K.  Flora,  92, 

died  January  19  at  Good  Shepherd 
Nursing  Home  in  Ashland,  Ohio. 
Mrs.  Flora  was  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Delbert  B.  Flora,  a  Brethren  elder, 
pastor,  and  then  professor  and  dean 
at  Ashland  Theological  Seminary, 
who  died  August  31,  1995. 

Romayne  Keyes  was  born  August 
21,  1905,  in  Goshen,  Indiana,  the 
daughter  of  Harrison  and  Laura 
Greer  Keyes.  She  graduated  from 
Peru  High  School  in  Indiana  and 
worked  for  about  four  years  as  a 
bookkeeper  in  a  bank.  She  was  a 
lifelong  member  of  The  Brethren 
Church,  baptized  into  Brethren 
Church  membership  in  1914  and  a 
member  of  Ashland  Park  Street 
Brethren  Church  from  1946  until 
her  death.  She  received  a  diploma  in 
music  from  Ashland  College  and 
later  studied  at  the  Cleveland 
Institute  of  Music. 

She  was  married  to  Delbert  Flora 
in  1929.  They  served  Brethren 
churches  in  Cerro  Gordo,  111., 
Masontown,  Pa.,  and  Elkhart,  Ind., 
before  her  husband  joined  the  sem- 
inary faculty  in  1946. 

Mrs.  Flora  taught  piano  in  the 
Ashland  College  music  department 
from  1947-49.  She  continued  to 
give  private  piano  lessons  for  30 
years,  teaching  a  total  of  nearly  200 
students.  During  her  husband's 
years  at  the  seminary,  she  was 
active  in  the  seminary  wives  associ- 
ation, giving  wise  counsel  to  many 
future  pastors'  wives.  She  also  trav- 
eled with  her  husband  to  Europe 
and  the  Middle  East  five  times  to 
study  the  historical  origins  of 
Christianity. 

She  was  a  longtime  member  of  the 
Women's  Missionary  Society  and 
served  as  the  W.M.S.  representative 


to  the  Missionary  Board  of  the 
Brethren  Church  from  1950-63  and 
as  treasurer  of  that  board  from 
1951-61. 

She  is  survived  by  three  sons  and 
daughters-in-law,  Jerry  (a  professor 
at  Ashland  Theological  Seminary) 
and  Julia  Flora  of  Ashland;  Guy  and 
Patricia  Flora  of  Cardington,  Ohio; 
and  John  and  Donna  Flora  of 
Urbana,  Ohio;  and  by  10  grandchil- 
dren and  nine  great-grandchildren. 

Her  funeral  service  was  held  at 
Van  Hove  Funeral  Home  in  Ashland 
with  Park  Street  pastor  Dr.  Arden 
Gilmer  officiating,  assisted  by  Dr. 
M.  Virgil  Ingraham. 

The  family  suggests  that  memo- 
rial contributions  may  be  made  to 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary,  Park 
Street  Brethren  Church,  or  a  chari- 
ty of  the  donor's  choice. 


The  crime  in  human  cloning  is 
that  it  transforms  procreation  into 
production  where  human  children 
are  the  products. 

—  Gary  Bauer,  president, 
Family  Research  Council 


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(  The  Brethren  ) 

Evangelis 


Vol.120,  No.  3 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


March  1998 


How  Can  We  Experience  Renewal? 

By  Reilly  R.  Smith 


THE  THEME  for  The  Brethren 
Church  in  1998  is  renewal.  I  have 
prepared  an  acrostic  for  renewal  in 
missions  (see  box  at  right)  based  on 
the  letters  r-e-n-e-w-a-1  and  the 
vision  path  set  by  the  Executive 
Board  of  The  Brethren  Church.  In 
the  following  article  I  will  elaborate 
on  that  acrostic. 

It  starts  with  love 

First  of  all,  we  Brethren  need  to 
Rediscover  that  our  purpose  for  liv- 
ing is  found  in  the  Great  Command- 
ments. That  purpose  is  to  love  God, 
to  love  our  neighbors,  and  to  love 
one  another  (see  Matt  22:34-40  and 
Jn.  13:31-35). 

The  first  Great  Commandment  is 
to  love  God  completely — with  every- 
thing we  are  and  have — all  our 
heart,  soul,  mind,  and  strength.  We 
desperately  need  God.  And  He  des- 
perately wants  our  hearts.  When  He 
has  them,  renewal  is  under  way. 

The  second  Great 
Commandment  is  to 
love  our  neighbors 
as  we  love  ourselves. 
Our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  made  an  in- 
teresting application 
of  this  command- 
ment in  the  parable 
of  the  Good  Samari- 
tan (Lk.  10:25-37). 
A  religious  person 
wanted  to  justify  his 
attitudes  and  actions 
toward  others.  Jesus 
pulled  the  man's 
smug  rug  out  from 
under  him.  Our  neighbors  are  every- 
one we  meet.  We  must  minister  to  all 
people  because  God  loves  them  all. 

The  third  Great  Commandment 


Renewal  in  Missions 

Rediscover  our  purpose 
Embrace  our  responsibility 
Nurture  spiritual  vitality 
Evangelize,  establish,  equip, 

and  encourage 
Work  to  include  and  equip 

youth 
Activate  new  systems  of 

educational  support 
Lift  to  new  heights 


Rev.  Reilly 


also  calls  for  total  commitment.  We 
must  love  one  another  with  the 
measure  of  love  Christ  shows  us.  He 
gave  His  life  for  us.  We  must  live  for 
one  another  (see  Phil.  2:1-5).  God 
tells  us  to  look  out  for  one  another 
and  to  develop  the  attitude  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  toward  His  people. 
Love  is  the  core  of  Christian 
living.  Love  is  the  fruit 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Re- 
discovering love — for 
God,  for  our  neighbors, 
and  for  one  another — 
is  the  beginning  of 
renewal. 

Second,  we  must 
Embrace  the  Great 
Commission  to  make 
disciples  for  Jesus 
Christ  (Matt.  28:18- 
20).  This  is  our  work 
for  the  Lord.  He  really 
only  gives  us  four  com- 
mandments in  the 
Smith  New   Testament.    The 

first  three  are  outlined  above.  The 
fourth  is  to  evangelize  people,  estab- 
lish them  in  the  faith,  equip  them  to 
live  and  work  in  the  world,   and 


encourage  them  in  service.  Another 
way  to  say  this  is  that  we  must  help 
people  meet  Jesus  Christ,  know 
Jesus  Christ,  love  Jesus  Christ,  and 
follow  Jesus  Christ. 

The  heart  of  missions 

Making  disciples  is  the  heart  of 
missions.  It  starts  at  home  and  ex- 
tends around  the  world  (Acts  1:8). 
Everyone  who  has  not  put  his  or  her 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ  as  Savior  and 
Lord  is  a  potential  disciple.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  told  us  to  go  everywhere  in 
the  world  and  tell  the  Good  News  to 
everyone  (Mk.  16:15).  Embracing  our 
responsibility  to  make  disciples  is  the 
beginning  of  renewal  in  missions. 

We  also  need  to  Nurture  spiritual 
vitality  among  growing  Christians 
(2  Tim.  3:14 — 4:5).  We  must  recover 
the  vitality  of  the  early  church.  In 
1995  our  General  Conference  theme 
was  "The  Devoted  Church  . .  .  Grows," 
taken  from  Acts  2:42-47.  Verse  42 
contains  the  secret  for  renewing 
spiritual  vitality  among  us.  The 
early  Christians  devoted  themselves 
(with  heart,  soul,  mind,  and  strength) 
to  four  things:  the  apostles'  teach- 
ing, the  fellowship,  the  breaking  of 
bread,  and  prayer.  The  early  Chris- 
tians lived  out  these  principles  in 
(continued  on  next  page) 


Inside  this  issue 

When  Jesus  comes  to  town 

3 

Treat  God  like  a  pal 

3 

Ready  or  not 

4 

Old  Testament  God  of  love 

5 

Brethren  World  Missions 

6 

A  view  from  the  pew 

9 

Hallowed  ground 

10 

Around  the  denomination 

11 

balance.  They  not  only  heard  the 
word,  they  did  it  (cf.  James  1:22-25). 
They  gave  themselves  to  one  another 
selflessly  (w.  44-45).  They  shared 
their  lives  together  in  the  church 
and  in  the  community  (w.  46-47). 
When  they  prayed,  they  shook  the 
earth  (Acts  4:23-31).  And  God 
added  to  their  number  daily  (v.  47). 

Devotion  to  the  living  Lord 

Our  devotions  must  become  devo- 
tion to  the  living  Lord  Jesus.  We 
must  love  and  obey  His  word. 
Studying  it  is  only  a  small  part.  We 
must  love  to  communicate  with  Him 
about  everything  so  that  we  can 
grow  in  our  relationship  with  Him. 
Then  He  can  direct  and  empower 
our  efforts.  We  must  love  the 
church,  the  body  of  Christ,  enough 
to  make  it  our  priority.  We  must  also 
love  one  another  enough  to  spend 
time  together  outside  of  the  church. 
Nurturing  spiritual  vitality  will 
renew  growing  Christians  and  build 
growing  churches. 

We  must  also  Evangelize,  Estab- 
lish, Equip,  and  Encourage  all  kinds 
of  people  wherever  they  live.  Execu- 
tive Director  Buzz  Sandberg  sees  "a 
multi-ethnic,  multi-racial,  and  multi- 
national Brethren  Church."  Our 
Lord  Jesus  saw  the  same  thing  (cf. 
Acts  1:8).  God's  purpose  from  the 
beginning  was  to  bless  people  of 
every  tribe  and  language  and  people 
and  nation  (Rev.  5:9,  7:9,  and 
14:6-7).  He  doesn't  want  anyone  to 
be  lost  (2  Pet.  3:9). 

God  renews  us  in  missions  when 
we  deliberately  reach  out  to  all  peo- 
ple, whether  they  live  across  town, 
across  the  continent,  or  across  the 
ocean.  God  renews  us  in  missions 
when  we  reach  out  to  and  welcome 
people  who  are  not  like  us  as  well  as 
those  who  are.  He  loves  all  people. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 
(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450); 
e-mail:  brethren@bright.net.  Authors'  views  are 
not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
Editor:  Richard  C.  Winfield.  Subscription  rates: 
Sent  free  to  Brethren  Church  members;  $15.00 
per  year  to  others.  Member:  Evangelical  Press 
Association.  Postage:  Paid  at  Ashland,  Ohio. 
Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  The 
Brethren  Church,  524  College  Avenue,  Ashland, 
OH  44805-3792. 


Our  love  for  and  work  among  many 
different  people  groups  will  be  a 
sign  that  He  is  renewing  us. 

Another  thing  we  must  do  is  Work 
to  include  and  equip  our  youth  as 
servant  leaders.  In  one  sense,  this  is 
simply  an  extension  of  the  last  para- 
graph. Our  children  are  people  too. 
They  must  become  growing  disci- 
ples when  they  accept  Christ,  not 
just  when  they  become  adults.  We 
need  their  spiritual  gifts  to  operate 
in  the  body  of  Christ  now  (1  Cor. 
12:12-27). 

Paul  reminded  Timothy  that  he 
should  not  allow  others  to  despise 
his  youthfulness  (1  Tim.  4:11-14). 
Young  people  possess  energy,  ideal- 
ism, dedication,  talent,  and  spiritual 
gifts.  We  injure  the  body  of  Christ 
when  we  fail  to  use  them.  They  can 
do  God's  work  effectively.  Working 
to  include  and  equip  our  youth 
guarantees  that  God  will  continue 
renewing  us  in  missions. 

We  must  also  Activate  new  sys- 
tems of  educational  support  for  pas- 
tors and  church  leaders  (Eph.  4:11- 
16).  We  need  to  invest  heavily  in  our 
pastors  and  teachers.  The  body  of 
Christ  will  not  function  well  if  those 
who  lead  us  are  not  functioning  well. 
Our  pastors  and  leaders  need  to  be 
continually  inspired,  refreshed, 
equipped,  and  growing,  both  for 
their  own  sakes  and  to  prepare  us 
for  ministry. 

Developing  ministering  saints 
who  reach  out  to  a  growing  number 
of  different  kinds  of  people  requires 
new  skills  and  special  inspiration. 
Activating  new  systems  of  educa- 
tional support  for  our  pastors  and 
leaders  will  enable  them  to  develop 
new  human  resources  for  renewal  in 
missions. 

A  kingdom  of  priests 

And  finally,  we  need  to  Lift  men 
and  women  to  new  heights  of  min- 
istry and  leadership  (1  Pet.  2:9).  We 
are  God's  people.  He  called  us  to  be 
a  kingdom  of  priests  serving  our 
world.  Each  of  us  received  special 
gifts  and  abilities  when  we  were 
born  again.  Each  of  us  will  give  an 
account  before  the  judgment  seat  of 
Christ  for  the  ministry  we  per- 
formed (2  Cor.  5:6-10). 

We  also  enjoy  God's  constant  pres- 
ence and  empowerment  (Matt. 
28:20;  John  1:12,  7:37-39;  and  Acts 


1:4-8).  God's  people  are  God's  plan. 
He  intended  that  the  whole  nation 
of  Israel  should  spread  His  glory 
throughout  the  nations.  The  priests 
and  prophets  were  to  prepare  the 
nation  to  do  so. 

Today  He  intends  the  whole 
church  to  spread  His  gospel  and  His 
glory  over  all  the  earth.  His  pastors 
and  leaders  must  prepare  the  people 
to  do  so.  But  now,  as  then,  God's 
work  belongs  to  God's  people — all  of 
us  working  together,  filled  with  His 
Spirit,  being  renewed  by  Him  daily. 
Lifting  men  and  women  to  new 
heights  of  ministry  and  leadership 
will  mean  that  God  is  renewing  the 
whole  church  for  missions. 

The  gospel  is  not  difficult 

The  gospel  is  not  difficult.  It  is  not 
a  complicated  philosophical  concept. 
It  doesn't  come  from  a  faraway 
place.  People  who  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord  of  their  lives  and  who 
believe  that  God  raised  Him  from 
the  dead  will  be  saved.  But  in  order 
to  believe,  they  have  to  hear.  And  in 
order  for  them  to  hear,  someone  will 
have  to  preach  to  them.  All  will  have 
to  testify.  Some  will  have  to  go. 
Some  will  have  to  send.  Everyone 
needs  to  hear  (Rom.  10:5-18). 

Renewal  in  Brethren  Missions 
will  happen  when  we  love  God 
enough  to  do  His  will.  It  will  happen 
when  we  love  our  neighbors  enough 
to  make  sure  they  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  hear  and  respond  to  the  gos- 
pel. And  it  will  happen  when  we  love 
one  another  enough  to  stop  playing 
church  and  start  being  the  church — 
making  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ  in 
our  homes,  in  our  communities, 
throughout  our  regions,  across  our 
nation,  and  around  the  world. 

We  will  know  God  is  renewing  us 
when  He  calls  many  Brethren  men 
and  women  to  plant  churches  in  the 
United  States  and  in  other  lands. 
We  will  know  that  God  is  renewing 
us  when  we  have  enough  funds  to 
expand  our  current  ministries  and 
to  finance  new  ministries.  We  will 
know  that  God  is  renewing  us  when 
the  Great  Commandments  and  the 
Great  Commission  are  the  central 
issues  in  The  Brethren  Church.   [^] 

Rev.  Smith  is  Director  of  Mission- 
ary Ministries  for  The  Brethren 
Church. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


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When  Jesus  Comes  to  Town 

(What  is  our  reaction?) 

By  Brian  H.  Moore 


WHEN  JESUS  rode  into  Jeru- 
salem on  what  we  call  Palm 
Sunday,  His  arrival  caused  quite 
a  few  reactions. 

First,  of  course,  was  the  cele- 
bration of  joy  and  anticipation  by 
His  supporters.  They  shouted 
"Hosanna!"  (meaning  "Save 
now")  and  threw  branches  and 
cloaks  along  the  way.  A  very  fit- 
ting arrival  for  a  King! 

This  action  set  off  a  reaction  by 
the  guardians  of  the  status  quo, 
who  said  (in  my  words),  "Teacher, 
tell  your  fanatical  followers  to 
pipe  down!"  Their  reaction  was 
one  of  a  combination  of  jealousy 
and  fear.  They  were  jealous  be- 
cause He  was  getting  the  atten- 
tion they  thought  they  deserved, 
and  they  were  fearful  because  it 
looked  too  much  like  an  uprising. 
The  status  quo  would  be  changed 


and  they  would  lose  what  little 
control  they  thought  they  had. 

Then  there  was  the  reaction  of 
the  uninformed  multitude,  who, 
seeing  all  this  commotion,  asked, 
"Who  is  this?"  For  whatever 
reason  or  combination  of  rea 
sons,  these  were  the 
people  who  had  had.-j-*^ 
the  same  advantages  y^l 
as  the  others  who 
lived  in  that  area,  but 
who,  somehow,  had 
never  bothered  to  take  notice  or 
to  stay  informed.  Granted,  some 
of  the  out-of-town  folks  who  were 
there  that  day  couldn't  have 
known,  but  even  among  the  local 
people  there  was  widespread  ig- 
norance of  just  who  this  Rabbi 
from  Nazareth  was.  Theirs  was  a 
reaction  of  curiosity,  not  of  gen- 
uine inquiry.  But  at  least  He  got 


their   attention   for   a   few   mo- 
ments. 

His  reaction?  When  He  drew 
near  the  city,  He  began  to  weep! 
Joy  in  the  crowd — sorrow  in  the 
Christ!  He  saw  all  the  variant  re- 
actions, but  He  also  saw  through 
all  of  them.  What  He  didn't  see 
was  repentance  and  faith.  What 
He  didn't  see  was  a  willingness  to 
be  embraced  by  the  love  of  God. 
Jesus  still  comes  to  towns  and 
countrysides,  and  He  still  gets 
an  assortment  of 
reactions: 
Some  get  all 
excited  (without 
quite  knowing 

why).  Some  get 
angry  and  feel 
pressure  to  change 
(which  they  are  un- 
willing to  do).  Some  keep  their 
distance  or,  at  best,  ask  curious 
questions.  And  Jesus  still  weeps 
for  the  lost.  [ft] 

Dr.  Moore  is  pastor  of  the  St. 
James,  Md.,  Brethren  Church. 
This  article  first  appeared  in  the 
St.  James  Church  newsletter. 


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Habits  of  Highly  Ineffective  Christians: 

> 

Treat  God  Like  a 

Pal 

By  Chris  Fabry 

Some  of  us  are  already  pretty  in- 
effective Christians,  although  we 
could  probably  be  even  less  effective 
if  we  really  tried.  Chris  Fabry  tells 
us  how.  Of  course,  if  your  desire  is  to 
be  a  better  Christian,  you  should 
probably  try  doing  just  the  opposite 
of  what  Fabry  suggests. 

Fabry's  suggestions  are  taken 
from  his  book,  The  77  Habits  of  High- 
ly Ineffective  Christians  (©  1997  by 
Christopher  H.  Fabry),  and  are 
reprinted  here  by  permission  of 
InterVarsity  Press,  P.O.  Box  1400, 
Downers,  Grove,  IL  60515. 


A 


LMIGHTY.  OMNIPOTENT.  The 
Great  I  Am.  Awesome  Lord. 
These  are  terms  you  must  not 


use  or  think  about  if  you  are  to 
maximize  your  ineffectivity.  Do 
not  exalt  God  as  Lord  over  all  in 
your  life.  Instead  you  must  bring 
him  down  to  your  own  level.  You 
must  think  of  God  as  your  heav- 
enly pal. 

The  Good  Lord.  The  man  up- 
stairs. My  Big  Buddy.  Mr.  Jesus. 

You  must  take  the  gospel  song 
"What  a  Friend  We  Have  in  Jesus" 
to  the  extreme.  When  you  are 
tempted  to  sin,  do  not  picture  God 
sitting  on  his  throne,  surrounded 
by  worshiping  angels  and  beings 
too  wonderful  to  describe.  Do  not 
picture  him  in  his  blinding  righ- 
teousness, or  yourself  filled  with  awe 


as  you  shrink  from  his  presence. 

Picture  him  in  a  cardigan  and 
jeans,  putting  his  arm  around  you 
and  saying,  "Hey,  that's  okay,  bud. 
Don't  sweat  the  little  sins,  I'll 
take  care  of  it."  By  doing  this  you 
will  treat  the  sacrifice  he  made  on 
the  cross  as  something  one  busi- 
ness partner  would  do  for  another. 

Think  of  God  as  a  loving,  doting 
grandfather,  complete  with  rock- 
ing chair  and  beard.  Pray  casually, 
and  without  reverence,  beginning 
your  prayers  with  something  like 
"Hi  God,  it's  me." 

If  you  focus  your  mind  on  mak- 
ing the  Almighty,  Omnipotent 
Master  of  the  Universe  seem  like 
any  other  person,  you  will  be  well 
on  your  way  to  a  wonderfully  in- 
effective life. 

Introspection  Corner:  How  have 
you  treated  the  Big  Guy  like  a  pal 
this  week?  [ft] 


March  1998 


V 


Ready  or  Not 

By  Elizabeth  Cody  Newenhuyse 


J 


Sometimes  we  think  that  we  can- 
not witness  to  others  or  share  our 
faith  until  we  "get  our  own  house  in 
order. "  The  following  article,  though 
not  specifically  about  evangelism, 
speaks  to  this  way  of  thinking. 

I  USED  TO  THINK  that  before  I 
reached  out  to  others,  I  had  to  be 
complete  within  myself,  all  prob- 
lems solved,  and  wearing  a  size  six 
to  boot. 

It's  a  little  like  our  house.  For  a 
long  time  I  didn't  want  to  entertain 
visitors  because  our  house  isn't 
Martha  Stewart  perfect.  Our  dining 
room  chairs  don't  match,  for  in- 
stance. Oh,  we  started  out  our  mar- 
ried life  with  matching  seating,  but 
then  the  upholstery  got  kind  of 
grungy  and  the  crosspieces  or  what- 
ever you  call  them  fell  out  and  .  .  . 
oh,  never  mind.  So  over  time  we've 
acquired  various  chairs. 

Some  of  our  friends  from  church 
have  huge,  baronial  dining  rooms 
with  something  like  twelve  match- 
ing chairs,  and  when  you  eat  there 
you  expect  some  minion  to  tri- 
umphantly bring  in  a  boar's  head  on 
a  platter.  Our  dining  room  is  all 
right,  but  it  isn't  baronial. 

And  then  our  house  is  also  small. 
It  has  peeling  patches  on  the 
kitchen  ceiling  and  various  other 
flaws  that  in  my  mind  have  grown 
into  hideous  eyesores  that  no  one 
can  possibly  miss.  But  I  like  to  cook 
and  I  like  people,  and  Amanda's  an 
only  child,  so  somewhere  along  the 
line  I  decided  that  my  qualms  were 
ridiculous  and  if  I  waited  until  my 
house  was  perfect  before  extending 
hospitality,  our  friends  would  all 
require  special  bland  diets  and  a 
wheelchair  ramp  up  to  the  front 
door.  We  still  have  to  bring  in  a  mot- 
ley assortment  of  chairs  to  accom- 
modate everyone  in  the  dining 
room,  and  I  still  have  to  pull  the 
shower  curtain  to  hide  the  hard- 
water  stain  in  the  tub,  but  so  what? 
We  have  fun,  and  nobody  goes  away 
hungry. 


In  the  same  way,  when  I  began 
speaking,  I  developed  a  message 
about  friendship  and  loneliness.  At 
first  I  thought,  Why  would  people 
want  to  hear  from  someone  who's 
struggled  so  much  with  this  issue  ? 
But  as  I  told  stories  about  my  strug- 
gles, the  audience  would  laugh,  be- 
cause they'd  been  there.  I  think  it 
made  more  of  an  impact  than  if  I 
had  presented  myself  as  one  smooth 
and  unbroken  by  life — as  Billy  Gra- 
ham says,  as  if  I  had  been  "set 
apart,  untouched,  like  a  piece  of  fine 
china  in  a  locked  cabinet." 

What  could  be  more  moving  than 
listening  to  Christopher  Reeve 
speak  between  breaths  from  his 
ventilator?  What  if  he — or  Joni 
Eareckson  Tada — had  waited  until 
they  could  walk  before  beginning 


their  work  on  behalf  of  the  disabled? 
What  if  Dave  Dravecky  only  boasted 
about  his  pitching  exploits  and 
never  mentioned  his  cancer?  Or  re- 
member Dave  Roever,  who  was  in- 
jured in  Vietnam?  In  an  interview, 
he  told  the  host  that  the  last  time  he 
had  appeared  on  the  program,  sev- 
eral years  before,  he  was  still  con- 
templating suicide,  still  in  the  midst 
of  the  emotional  fire  while  he  was 
speaking  of  God  to  others. 

How  costly!  How  Christlike! 

What  if  Paul  never  spoke  of  his 
sins  or  boasted  of  his  weakness? 
What  if  the  Gospels  never  spoke  of 
Peter's  denial  of  Christ? 

We  struggle.  Christ  touches  us 
through  our  pain.  We  then,  out  of 
the  overflow  of  our  gratitude,  go  on 
to  touch  others.  We  give  as  much 
out  of  our  redemption  from  pain  as 
we  give  out  of  the  pain  itself.        [ft] 

Excerpted  from  the  book  Cooked 
to  Perfection  by  Elizabeth  Cody 
Newenhuyse  (Zondervan  Publishing 
House,  1997).  Article  provided  by  the 
publisher. 


% 


Table  "Talkers"  needed 

Preparations  are  well  underway  for 
General  Conference,  and  some  excit- 
ing things  are  planned!  More  about 
that  in  next  month's  Evangelist. 

But  in  the  meantime,  the  Congre- 
gational Ministries  Council  is  happy 
to  announce  that  it  will  again  sponsor 
Table  Talks,  which  have  been  so  pop- 
ular at  the  past  two  Conferences. 

A  council  task  force  is  now  in  the 
process  of  lining  up  topics  and  pre- 
senters for  these  Table  Talks.  Pre- 
sentations are  to  focus  on  ministry 
ideas  that  work,  with  the  emphasis 
this  year  particular  on  ministries  that 


relate  to  personal  and  church  re- 
newal. Table  Talks  may  be  led  by 
anyone — pastor,  lay  person,  or  both. 

If  you  have  a  topic  on  which  you 
would  be  willing  to  lead  a  Table  Talk 
dicussion,  or  if  you  have  a  sugges- 
tion of  someone  else  who  ought  to 
be  a  presenter,  please  contact  Cindy 
Smith  and  give  her  this  information. 
You  may  write  to  her  c/o  the  Brethren 
Church  National  Office  (524  College 
Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805),  or  e-mail 
her  at  reillyrs@bright.net. 

The  task  force  needs  to  hear  from 
you  by  May  1  at  the  latest.  Thanks 
for  making  this  work  so  well! 

—  Tina  Ross 


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Molly  woob  twkt  mo  studio 

V/OULb  FiMAMCE  (T 1 


MAYHEM  • 

MASS     _ 

OCCOLT \ 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


The  Old  Testament  God 
of  Love 

By  Norman  Styers 


MANY  PEOPLE,  even  many 
Christians,  have  picked  up  the 
idea  that  the  God  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment is  a  disagreeable,  mean-spirited 
God  who  enjoys  catching  people  in 
a  lapse  so  He  can  punish  them.  He 
especially  enjoys  ordering  His  peo- 
ple to  commit  genocide  against  the 
ungodly.  But  then  Jesus  came  and 
somehow  deflected  the  wrath  of  this 
vengeful  God. 

The  truth  is,  God  has  always  been 
a  God  of  love.  There  is  not  one  God 
in  the  Old  Testament  and  another, 
"nicer"  God  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  Old  Testament  is  already  a  "cov- 
enant of  love"  (Neh.  1:  5),  and  God 
has  always  wanted  His  people  to  be 
a  people  of  love  and  compassion. 

The  greatest  commandment 

When  Jesus  was  challenged  to 
pick  which  commandment  was  the 
greatest,  He  chose  a  passage  that 
would  have  been  familiar  to  all  the 
Jews — a  passage  from  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Even  today,  in  every  syna- 
gogue service,  the  Jews  recite  Deu- 
teronomy 6:4,  a  verse  called  (from 
its  first  word  in  Hebrew)  the 
Shema:  "Hear,  O  Israel:  The  Lord 
our  God,  the  Lord  is  one."  The  most 


Gratefulness 

Jesus  healed  ten  lepers 
And  sent  them  on  their  way: 

But  only  one  of  them  came  back 
To  thank  the  Lord  that  day. 

How  often  we  unthinking  go 
Along  our  own  sweet  way; 

When  all  the  while  we  overlook 
How  God  has  blessed  our  day. 

A  little  prayer  with  words  of 
thanks 
And  praise  to  Him  convey; 
Let's  slow  our  rush,  retrace  our 
steps 
And  thank  our  Lord  today. 

—  H.  L.  Wood 


important  commandment  in  the 
Bible  is  the  verse  that  follows: 
"Love  the  Lord  your  God  with  all 
your  heart  and  with  all  your  soul 
and  with  all  your  strength." 

The  second  greatest  command- 
ment, which  Jesus  said  was  like  the 
first,  is  also  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment— from  Leviticus  19:18:  "Love 
your  neighbor  as  yourself." 

The  Psalms  are  full  of  expressions 
of  love  for  God:  "As  the  deer  pants 
for  streams  of  water,  so  my  soul 
pants  for  you,  O  God"  (Ps.  42:1). 
But  more  important  than  the  love 
we  feel  for  God  is  the  love  that  God 
shows  to  us,  for  "We  love,  because 
he  first  loved  us"  (1  Jn.  4:19). 

God's  love  for  Israel 

All  of  God's  dealings  with  Israel  in 
the  Old  Testament  display  His  love 
for  them.  God  chose  Israel  because 
of  His  love  for  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob:  "Because  he  loved  your  fore- 
fathers and  chose  their  descendants 
after  them,  he  brought  you  out  of 
Egypt  by  his  Presence  and  his  great 
strength  .  .  ."  (Deut.  4:37).  And  His 
love  was  not  based  on  any  special 
quality  or  goodness  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  possessed.  "The  Lord 
did  not  set  his  affection  on  you  and 
choose  you  because  you  were  more 
numerous  than  other  peoples,  for 
you  were  the  fewest  of  all  peoples. 
But  it  was  because  the  Lord  loved 
you  and  kept  the  oath  he  swore  to 
your  forefathers  that  he  brought 
you  out  with  a  mighty  hand  and  re- 
deemed you  from  the  land  of  slavery, 
from  the  power  of  Pharaoh  king  of 
Egypt"  (Deut.  7:7-8). 

God's  love  for  the  undeserving 

Two  entire  books  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament are  devoted  to  the  theme  of 
God's  love  for  the  undeserving.  The 
prophet  Hosea  had  a  wife  who  was 
unfaithful  to  him,  but  God  told  him, 
"Go,  show  your  love  to  your  wife 
again,  though  she  is  loved  by  another 
and  is  an  adulteress.  Love  her  as  the 


Lord  loves  the  Israelites,  though  they 
turn  to  other  gods  ..."  (Hos.  3:1). 

God  compares  Himself  to  a  hus- 
band who  feels  deep  pain  when  his 
wife  has  been  unfaithful  to  him,  and 
yet  God  shows  us  through  Hosea 
that  He  continues  to  love  us  in  spite 
of  our  response  to  Him.  Hosea  11:4 
describes  God's  care  for  us:  "I  led 
them  with  cords  of  human  kindness, 
with  ties  of  love;  I  lifted  the  yoke 
from  their  neck  and  bent  down  to 
feed  them." 

God's  love  for  the  Gentiles 

God's  love  extends  not  only  to 
Israel  but  also  to  the  Gentile  na- 
tions. God  told  the  prophet  Jonah  to 
go  and  warn  Nineveh,  capital  of  the 
cruel  Assyrian  Empire,  that  it 
would  be  destroyed  in  forty  days  be- 
cause of  its  great  wickedness.  We 
often  pay  so  much  attention  to  the 
early  part  of  the  book,  in  which 
Jonah  rebels  and  tries,  without  suc- 
cess, to  run  away  from  God,  that  we 
ignore  the  latter  part  of  the  book. 

When  the  people  of  Nineveh  re- 
pented, God  spared  them.  Indeed, 
Jonah  complained  that  he  had 
known  all  along  that  this  would 
happen.  "That  is  why  I  was  so  quick 
to  flee  to  Tarshish.  I  knew  that  you 
are  a  gracious  and  compassionate 
God,  slow  to  anger  and  abounding 
in  love,  a  God  who  relents  from 
sending  calamity"  (Jon.  4:2).  God's 
question  to  Jonah  that  ends  the 
book — "Should  I  not  be  concerned 
about  that  great  city?" — expresses 
His  compassion  not  only  for  the  peo- 
ple of  Nineveh,  but  for  the  animals 
as  well. 

God  set  the  same  standard  for  Is- 
rael. They  were  to  love  not  only  God 
and  their  neighbor,  but  "outsiders" 
also:  "And  you  are  to  love  those  who 
are  aliens,  for  you  yourselves  were 
aliens  in  Egypt"  (Deut.  10:19). 

It  is  true  that  God,  in  His  desire  to 
protect  Israel,  takes  some  measures 
that  strike  modern  sensibilities  as 
stern  and  harsh.  But  that  does  not 
negate  the  fact  that  it  is  the  God  of 
the  Old  Testament — the  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob — who  is 
the  Father  who  sent  Jesus  into  the 
world  for  our  salvation.  I  -/ 1 

Rev.  Styers  is  a  free-lance  writer 
and  former  pastor  who  lives  in 
Bethany,  Oklahoma. 


March  1998 


Brethren  World  Missions 


Brethren  Mission  in  India: 

A  Bright  Spot  in  a  Dark  Place 

By  Reilly  and  Cindy  Smith 


INDIA  IS  A  LAND  of  contrasts.  It 
is  elegant,  but  littered  with  trash. 
It  is  beautiful,  but  also  ugly.  India 
has  many  wealthy  neighborhoods, 
but  also  many  slums.  It  smells  of 
fragrant  flowers  and  of  open  sewers. 

Many  Indian  people  speak  three 
or  four  languages,  but  many  cannot 
read  or  write.  Indian  villages  have 
television  antennas  on  grass  huts. 
Many  Indian  people  have  never  seen 
a  white  man  or  woman  in  person, 
but  they  watch  mostly  western  tele- 
vision and  movies  at  home,  despite 
the  fact  that  India  has  the  second 
largest  movie  industry  in  the  world — 
second  only  to  Hollywood. 

India  is  also  a  land  of  extremes. 
Indian  drivers,  for  example,  take 
road  rage  to  new  heights.  They 
drive  every  way  you  can  imagine — 
on  the  wrong  side  of  the  road,  with 
bright  lights  only  or  sometimes  with 
no  lights  at  all,  unless  they  are  pass- 
ing. Whatever  vehicle  is  the  largest 
or  most  persistent  wins.  The  horn  is 
the  most  important  piece  of  auto 
equipment  and  is  used  more  than 
the  clutch.  To  make  matters  worse, 
the  roads  are  used  by  everyone  and 
everything — dogs,  pigs,  cows,  goats, 
water  buffalo,  rickshaws,  three- 
wheel  taxis,  bicycles,  buses,  trucks, 
motorcycles,  cars,  and  people. 

Gods  that  offer  no  hope 

The  Indian  people  also  take  reli- 
gion to  new  heights  (or  new  lows). 
In  Rajahmundry,  six  million  idols 
clutter  the  hearts,  minds,  souls,  and 
eyes  of  the  people.  Among  these  mil- 
lions of  Hindu  gods,  not  one  offers 
any  hope.  But  the  people  worship 
them  feverishly  anyway.  Their  zeal 
has  resulted  in  actual  battles  be- 
tween Hindu  and  Islamic  extremists 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  country. 

Human  language  fails  to  ade- 
quately describe  India.  She  is  too 
complex,  too  overcrowded,  too  con- 
tradictory to  be  described.  There  are 


too  many  sights,  sounds,  and  smells 
and  too  much  activity.  We  are  at  a 
loss!  Words  fail  us.  Pictures,  slides, 


^/TJew  Delhi,     C. 

V       INDIA,,  „  \ 

r^      **•                                  Calcutta  ,\ 

/Bombay  visakhapatnam^/ 

Wderabdd    ^y^Rajahmundry 
\           j       •j^Vijayawada 
\       L      *fANDHRA  PRADESH 

V         *  Madras 

even  videos  fail  to  convey  what  we 
would  like  to  say.  We  never  wanted 
to  leave,  but  we'll  be  glad  to  be 
home.  We  love  the  Indian  people. 
Their  needs  are  tremen- 
dous, but  so  are  the  oppor- 
tunities to  spread  the 
gospel  among  them. 

Brethren  Mission  is  a 
very  bright  spot  in  a  very 
dark  place.  The  headquar- 
ters is  in  Rajahmundry. 
Other  centers  are  located 
in  Hyderabad,  an  Islamic 
stronghold,  and  in  Visak- 
hapatnam,  a  seaport  and 
important  Hindu  center.  A 
new  center  was  recently 
opened  in  Vijayawada, 
home  to  the  busiest  train 
station  in  India. 

God's  Spirit  is  moving  in 
southern  India.  Many  peo- 
ple are  coming  to  Christ 
daily,  just  as  they  did  in 
the  book  of  Acts  (see  Acts 
2:47.)    Brethren    Mission 


plays  a  very  significant  role  in  the 
advancement  of  God's  kingdom  in 
Andhra  Pradesh,  a  state  located  in 
southeastern  India  (see  map). 

Brethren  Mission  in  Rajahmundry 
maintains  a  city  church  and  dozens 
of  village  churches.  It  is  our  largest 
ministry  center.  The  Rajahmundry 
church  operates  two  orphanages, 
one  for  boys  and  one  for  girls.  The 
children  receive  food,  clothing,  shel- 
ter, education,  and  (most  important) 
salvation.  Many  former  orphans 
have  become  pastors,  teachers,  and 
Brethren  Mission  workers. 

The  Bible  Institute 

The  Bible  Institute  also  operates 
out  of  the  Rajahmundry  church. 
Currently,  the  Bible  Institute  runs  a 
Theological  Education  by  Extension 
course,  training  20  or  25  students 
annually.  These  students  start  20 
new  village  churches  every  year 

A  special  gift  has  provided  the 
funds  to  open  a  residential  school  on 
the  third  floor  of  the  boys'  orphan- 
age. This  school  will  house  20  more 
students  selected  from  among  the 
brightest  and  best  of  our  pastors. 
Before  this  school  can  be  used,  $5,000 
is  needed  for  furnishings  and  books, 
and  the  students  will  need  sponsors 
for  fifty  dollars  per  month. 

The  Rajahmundry  church  also 
runs  sewing  and  typing  schools, 
which  provide  poor  people  with  the 
skills  they  need  to  pass  government 
certification    exams.    People    with 


Recent  additions  to  the  Brethren  Mission  team  in  India 
are  K.  Sudhir  Kumar,  son  of  Brethren  missionaries 
Prasanth  and  Nirmala  Kumar,  and  his  wife  hatha. 
The  two  were  married  January  10,  1998,  and  on 
February  1,  1998,  Sudhir  was  ordained  and  hatha 
was  consecrated  for  Gospel  ministry.  Reilly  and 
Cindy  Smith  participated  in  the  ordination  service. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Brethren  World  Missions 


P    4$  BRETHREN  MISSION 


During  their  visit  to  India,  Cindy  and  Reilly  Smith  joined  Prasanth  (I.),  Nirmala 
(3rd  from  r.),  Sudhir,  and  hatha  in  opening  and  dedicating  a  new  Brethren  Mis- 
sion center  in  Vijayawada,  where  Sudhir  and  hatha  will  serve. 


government  certificates  are  able  to 
get  work  that  enables  them  to  sup- 
port themselves  and  their  families 
well.  The  Rajahmundry  church,  in 
cooperation  with  World  Relief,  also 
provides  the  community  with  safe 
drinking  water  and  free  medical 
treatment.  The  medical  clinic  is  also 
taken  to  the  villages  in  the  Brethren 
Mission  van.  This  van  is  now  in  dire 
need  of  replacement,  because  it  has 
been  used  so  much. 

The  center  at  Visakhapatnam  also 
has  a  city  church  and  dozens  of  vil- 
lage churches.  Attendance  at  the 
Visakhapatnam  church  is  approxi- 
mately 250  on  Sunday  morning, 
about  half  the  attendance  at  Rajah- 
mundry The  Visak  church  also  oper- 
ates sewing  and  typing  schools. 

The  Hyderabad  center  contains  a 
city  church  and  sewing  and  typing 
schools.  The  church  is  smaller  but 
growing. 

A  new  mission  center 

We  helped  to  inaugurate  and  ded- 
icate a  new  center  in  Vijayawada.  It 
will  start  with  a  sewing  school. 
Later,  Brethren  Mission  will  plant  a 
church.  This  is  the  way  all  of  the 
centers  start.  We  call  this  servant 
evangelism  in  the  United  States. 
Brethren  Mission  in  India  has  been 
operating  this  way  for  nearly  30 
years.  Rev.  K.  Sudhir  Kumar  will 
supervise  this  new  center.  He  will 
teach  Bible  in  the  sewing  school  and 
plant  the  first  church. 

Historically,  more  than  80  percent 
of  the  women  who  graduate  from 
the   sewing  schools   accept   Christ 


during  their  studies.  Since  each  of 
the  four  schools  trains  30  students 
per  year,  nearly  100  women  will  re- 
ceive both  a  government  sewing  cer- 
tificate and  salvation  in  Jesus 
Christ  in  1998.  Another  15  or  20 
will  likely  receive  Christ  later.  Many 
husbands  and  children  also  accept 
Christ  as  Savior  and  Lord  because 
of  the  sewing  schools. 

One  of  our  trip's  highlights  was 
meeting  Mrs.  K.  Sudhir  Kumar — 
Latha — a  beautiful,  intelligent,  gift- 
ed young  woman  with  a  winsome 
smile.  She  is  already  a  solid  addition 
to  the  Kumar  family  ministry  team. 
She,  like  her  mother-in-law  Nirmala, 
has  the  gift  of  hospitality.  She  also 
works  very  well  with  Sudhir  and  her 
in-laws.  She  has  a  master's  degree 
in  English,  so  talking  with  her  was 
no  problem.  In  fact,  she  and  Sudhir 
speak  English  at  home,  since  they 
speak  different  regional  languages. 

Reilly  partici- 
pated in  the  or- 
dination service 
for  K.  Sudhir 
Kumar,  preach- 
ing the  ordina- 
tion message 
and  pronounc- 
ing the  official 
words  of  ordina- 
tion. Sudhir  is 
now  the  Rev.  K. 
Sudhir  Kumar. 
The  ceremony 
was  wonderful! 

Both  Sudhir 
and  Reilly  wept 
when  Reilly  pre- 


sented Sudhir  a  silver  Communion 
tray  that  had  been  given  to  Sudhir's 
great-grandfather  in  1938.  Great- 
grandfather had  then  passed  it  to 
Sudhir's  grandfather  in  1940,  who 
passed  it  to  Prasanth  in  1969.  The 
Communion  plate  represents  four 
generations  of  Christian  ministers 
in  Dr.  K.  Prasanth  Kumar's  family. 
It  was  a  very  touching  moment. 

Cindy  had  the  honor,  with  Nir- 
mala, of  praying  the  dedication 
prayers  for  Latha  during  the  ordina- 
tion service.  Cindy  and  Latha  grew 
close  during  our  time  in  India. 


We  are  very  thankful  to  have 
taken  this  trip.  During  our  time  in 
India  we  spoke  in  all  four  Brethren 
Mission  centers,  at  the  three  city 
churches,  and  in  many  villages.  One 
of  the  villages  was  so  remote  that 
some  of  the  Hindu  people  there 
asked  if  we  were  going  to  present  a 
drama,  since  two  of  us  had  painted 
ourselves  white. 

We  also  visited  the  orphanages,  all 
the  sewing  and  typing  schools,  the 
medical  clinic,  the  mobile  medical 
clinic  in  a  remote  village,  and  the 
Brethren  Reading  Room  in  Rajah- 
mundry. We  felt  honored  and  hum- 
bled every  place  we  went.  We  were 
greeted  graciously  and  listened  to 
attentively.  Brethren  Mission  in 
India  does  much  for  many  people, 
and  they  are  very  appreciative.  We 
are  rightly  proud  of  our  mission 
work  in  India.  [ft] 

Rev.  Smith  is  Director  of  Missionary 
Ministries  for  The  Brethren  Church. 
Rev.  and  Mrs.  Smith  visited  India 
from  January  22  to  February  12,  1998. 


Another  highlight  of  the  Smiths'  visit  to  India  was  participat- 
ing in  the  dedication  of  a  new  church  building  in  the  village  of 
Patthikayavalasa.  Funds  for  construction  of  the  building  were 
provided  by  Rev.  Robert  and  Alberta  Holsinger  of  Ashland,  Ohio. 


March  1998 


Brethren  World  Missions 


A  Vision  for  Theological  Education 
in  South  America 

By  Harley  Gerber 


IN  OCTOBER  1997,  I  had  the 
privilege  of  traveling  to  Argentina 
with  Dr.  Buzz  Sandberg  and  Dr. 
Fred  Finks  to  participate  in  the 
organizational  meeting  for  a  new 
Brethren  biblical  institute.  I  have 
just  returned  from  a  second  visit  to 
continue  that  work. 

The  South  American  Theological 
Seminary  (S.T.S.)  is  the  vision  of  the 
Argentine  Brethren  to  meet  the 
growing  need  for  training  of  Chris- 
tian leadership  throughout  Argen- 
tina and  other  parts  of  South  Amer- 
ica. At  its  formative  meeting  in 
October,  I  was  asked  to  serve  on  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  new  S.T.S. 
As  a  businessman,  I  felt  I  could  offer 
some  assistance  to  provide  under- 
lying support  for  the  new  school. 

My  primary  intent  at  this  meeting 
was  to  gain  a  better  understanding 
of  how  things  are  done  in  Argentina 
and  to  seek  avenues  to  provide  fund- 
ing for  its  future.  I  was  at  a  distinct 
disadvantage  and  felt  totally  un- 
qualified because  of  my  inability  to 
speak  Spanish  or  to  understand  the 
culture.  But  God  is  very  capable  of 
filling  the  gaps  of  both  communica- 
tion and  understanding. 

These  beginning  board  meetings 
are  fundamental  to  the  success  of 
the  school.  A  lot  of  time  and  many 
long  hours  of  discussion  were  need- 
ed to  unify  all  of  us  in  what  is  need- 
ed, what  is  expected,  and  what 
would  actually  be.  In  the  end,  it  all 
came  together,  and  we  were  of  the 
same  mind  and  heart. 

I  was  able  to  meet  with  some 
Brethren  leaders  in  Argentina  about 
plans  to  provide  business  support 
that  would  help  provide  scholar- 
ships for  students.  I  will  continue  to 
offer  whatever  advice  and  assis- 
tance I  can  to  assist  their  efforts. 

We  have  returned  to  the  United 
States  believing  there  is  a  real  need 
for  the  establishment  of  the  South 
American  Theological  Seminary. 
Mariela  and  Eduardo  Rodriguez  are 
totally  committed  and  qualified  to 
lead  the  school.  The  development  of 
a  balanced  budget  within  three  years 


will  be  an  enormous  task,  since 
about  80  percent  of  the  students 
will  need  scholarship  help.  The 
school  will  officially  open  on  March 
15  with  a  correspondence  program. 
Approximately  80  students  are  cur- 
rently registered. 

While  it  is  easy  to  be 
overwhelmed  with  a  pro- 
ject of  this  nature  and 
scope,  we  are  at  the  same 
time  believing  that  with 
God's  help,  South  Ameri- 
can Theological  Seminary 
will  become  a  great  insti- 
tution of  learning  of  the 
same  nature  as  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary. 

The  Brethren  in  Ar- 
gentina are  very  thank- 
ful for  everything  the 
Brethren  are  doing  or 
have  done.  They  are  gra- 
cious people  with  a  great 
love  for  God.  Colon,  Ar- 
gentina now  has  a  special 


place  in  my  heart,  and  I  expect  to  re- 
turn pronto. 

As  a  Mennonite  brother,  I  consid- 
er it  a  privilege  to  be  involved  with 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary  and 
now  also  with  South  American  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  [ft] 

Mr.  Gerber  lives  in  Dalton,  Ohio, 
where  he  and  his  son  and  son-in-law 
operate  a  livestock  feed  business.  He 
and  his  wife  were  major  donors  to  the 
new  Gerber  Academic  Center  at  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary. 


A  special  blessing  for  Mr.  Gerber  during  his  visit  to 
Argentina  was  the  opportunity  to  visit  one  of  the 
neighborhood  food  centers  of  the  Colon  Brethren 
Church,  where  lunch  is  served  to  children  in  need. 


Transitions 

Two  members  of  the  Brethren  World 
Missions  family  are  making  some 
changes. 

Dr.  Juan  Carlos  Miranda  resigned 
as  consultant  to  Brethren  Missionary 
Ministries 
effective 
December 
31,  1997.  Dr. 
Miranda 
served  the 
Missionary 
Board  in  vari- 
ous positions 
and  capacities 
for  26  years. 
His  decision  to 
resign  is  based 
Juan  Carlos  Miranda  on  his  in- 
creased responsibilities  as  Director  of 
Church  Planting  and  Director  of  the 
Doctor  of  Ministries  program  at 
Columbia  International  University.  Dr. 
Miranda  still  plans  to  assist  Brethren 
Missions  in  any  way  he  can.  He  also 
continues  to  serve  as  President  of 
the   Board   of  Directors   of  Hispanic 


Education  Association,  "Para  Ti  Mujer" 
radio  program. 

Allen  Baer,  who  has  served  as  a 
missionary  in  Argentina  for  the  past  15 
years,  plans  to  resign  in  June,  at  the 
end  of  his  present  term  of  service.  Allen 
has  served  faithfully  in  Argentina  as  a 
"utility"  mis- 
sionary.    His 


responsibili- 
ties have  in- 
cluded teach- 
ing, leading 
services,  play- 
ing piano, 
preaching 
occasionally, 
translating 
documents, 
bookkeeping, 
helping      with  Allen  Baer 

administration,  and  doing  anything 
and  everything  else  that  needed  to  be 
done.  Upon  his  return  to  the  United 
States  and  following  deputation,  he 
will  live  in  Arizona. 

Juan  Carlos  and  Allen  will  both  be  at- 
tending General  Conference  this  sum- 
mer in  Ashland.  [ft] 


8 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


A  View  From  the  Pew 

By  Tom  Ehrich 


TWENTY-EIGHT  MONTHS  after 
moving  from  pulpit  to  pew,  I 
have  come  to  three  conclusions 
about  church,  two  of  them  probably 
heretical. 

First:  The  view  from  the  pew  is 
different,  and  views  within  the  pews 
are  even  more  in  conflict. 

Second:  Our  facilities  are  both 
blessing  and  curse,  but  mostly  curse. 

Third:  A  rigid  orthodoxy  is  crip- 
pling the  Christian  movement. 

I  want  to  address  the  first  of  those 
conclusions. 

Pastors  and  lay  people  would  get 
along  better  if  they  accepted  how 
differently  they  see  the  Christian 
enterprise.  Pastors  are  proprietors 
of  an  institution,  but  lay  people  don't 
necessarily  see  themselves  as  mem- 
bers of  an  institution.  A  few  do,  just 
as  an  energetic  few  become  highly 
invested  in  PTA  or  soccer  league. 

Most  laity,  however,  come  seeking 
something  of  God.  Institution — and 
its  annoyances — are  a  price  to  be 
paid,  not  a  primary  purpose. 

A  search  for  meaning 

Pastors  feel  a  call  to  convert,  prod, 
and  instruct.  Laity  don't  necessarily 
feel  a  need  to  be  converted,  prodded, 
or  instructed.  Sitting  in  the  pews  on 
Sunday  are  an  amazing  collection  of 
needs:  broken  marriages,  lost  jobs, 
financial  stress,  troubled  children, 
failing  health,  loneliness.  Some 
want  soothing,  but  even  more,  folks 


in  the  pews  want  meaning:  are 
these  trials  leading  to  life  or  to 
death?  Where  is  God? 

The  greater  tension  in  congrega- 
tions, however,  is  between  the  ener- 
getic few  and  the  many  whose  life- 
focus  is  elsewhere. 

The  energetic  few 

Any  volunteer  organization  de- 
pends on  an  energetic  few.  If  they 
are  running  the  candy  sale  or  re- 
cruiting coaches,  they  deserve  spe- 
cial benefits,  like  a  relationship  with 
the  principal  or  a  moment  on  stage. 

We  treat  church  as  another  volun- 
teer organization.  Pastors  spend  in- 
ordinate amounts  of  time  tending  to 
the  energetic  few.  The  few,  in  turn, 
develop  a  proprietary  attitude  to- 
ward church,  seeing  it  as  theirs  to 
enjoy,  protect,  and  control.  They 
wish  that  many  others  shared  their 
enthusiasm  for  institutional  life. 
"What  can  we  do  to  get  more  people 
involved?"  they  ask. 

But  church  is  different.  Church 
exists  for  the  stranger,  for  the 
wounded,  to  proclaim  Good  News  to 
the  poor,  to  welcome  outcasts,  and 
to  incarnate  the  non-hierarchical  love 
of  God  (cf.  Lk.  4:18).  Being  present 
is  the  height  of  being  "involved." 
Drinking  at  the  well  and  then  going 
out  to  live  and  to  serve  is  reason 
enough  for  the  faithful  to  gather. 

Instead  of  focusing  on  the  ener- 
getic few  and  their  needs  for  control 


Appreciation 

"It  is  virtually  impossible  to  over- 
state the  positive  impact  of  regular- 
ly expressing  appreciation  to  one 
another  in  the  family  unit.  Time 
and  again,  studies  of  strong  families 
reveal  that  affirming  one  another 
is  a  basic  cohesive  factor  in  every 
truly  happy  family." 

"True  appreciation  in  the  family 
looks  beyond  each  member's  faults 
and  mistakes  to  celebrate  all  that  is 


unique  and  special  about  that  per- 
son ....  The  focus  is  on  the  positive. 
As  Matthew  Fox  observes,  'Healthy 
families  remind  each  other  of  their 
goodness;  unhealthy  families  re- 
mind each  other  of  their  failings.'" 

From  30  Days  to  a  Smart  Family 
Booklet:    "Building  Bridges"  by 

Paul  Lewis  and  Thorn  Black  (Zonder- 
van,  1997). 

Editor's  note:  If  these  things  are 
true  of  the  family,  are  they  not  also 
true  of  the  church  family? 


and  applause,  the  church's  energy 
ought  to  be  outward,  toward  the 
many  and,  beyond  them,  the  world. 

I  think  of  the  cookie  monitor  who 
stood  beside  a  serving  line  to  en- 
force the  one-cookie-per-person  rule. 
From  an  institutional-management 
perspective,  her  hovering  made 
sense.  But  it  communicated  two 
messages:  Grace  is  in  short  supply, 
and  the  institution  needs  to  be  pro- 
tected against  me. 

God's  kingdom  isn't  a  closed  econ- 
omy, however.  Our  model  is  the  feed- 
ing of  the  5,000,  where  the  Twelve 
distributed  food  whose  existence, 
availability,  and  abundance  weren't 
theirs  to  control.  The  cookie  moni- 
tor's role,  if  she  wanted  to  have  one, 
was  to  find  more  cookies,  not  to  pro- 
tect an  artificially  limited  supply. 

As  a  pastor,  I  recruited  and  re- 
warded cookie  monitors.  Now  that  I 
sit  in  a  pew,  hungry  for  God's  food, 
I  find  cookie  monitors  an  annoy- 
ance, not  just  because  I  wanted  two 
cookies  and  she  stood  in  my  way, 
but  because  my  approach  to  God  is 
already  tentative,  shaped  as  it  is  by 
my  sins,  my  needs,  and  the  confu- 
sion that  getting  anywhere  close  to 
God  inevitably  inspires.  I  don't  need 
one  more  barrier.  I  need  arms  so 
improbably  and  irresponsibly  open 
that  I  know  this  place  is  of  God,  not 
of  the  world. 

A  protective  attitude 

Cookies  are  a  small  item,  of  course. 
But  I  observed  her  proprietary  atti- 
tude, her  defend-the-gates  posture, 
her  focus  on  the  cookie  plate  and 
not  on  people  seeking  food,  her  dis- 
trust of  children  and  the  uninitiat- 
ed, and  her  enjoyment  at  having 
this  measure  of  control,  and  I  saw 
the  entire  enterprise  more  clearly. 

With  our  rules  about  who  can  re- 
ceive Communion,  the  creeds  we  de- 
mand people  to  sign  before  joining, 
and  the  club  atmosphere  we  create 
with  our  focus  on  the  inner  circle, 
churches  protect  their  integrity 
against  the  motley  herd.  But  the  job 
Jesus  gave  us  was  to  pass  out  food 
to  anyone  who  is  hungry.  [ft] 

Tom  Ehrich,  an  episcopal  priest 
living  in  Winston- Salem,  N.C.,  is 
an  author  and  former  Wall  Street 
Journal  reporter. 

©  1997  Religion  News  Service 


March  1998 


Hallowed  Ground: 


JUDGES  AND  LEGISLATORS 
who  exhibit  confusion  about  the 
constitutionality  of  acknowledg- 
ments of  God  in  (and  on)  public 
buildings  should  get  out  of  their 
stuffy  chambers  and  go  visit  some  of 
our  national  treasures.  Just  one  day 
spent  traversing  the  Mall  in  Wash- 
ington, D.C.,  would  expose  them  to 
an  undeniable  fact  of  American  his- 
tory. Biblical  and  religious  quota- 
tions, including  the  Ten  Command- 
ments, adorn  nearly  every  signif- 
icant building  and  monument  in 
our  nation's  capital,  inscribed  and 
enshrined  there  as  the  natural  pub- 
lic conversation  of  America's  lead- 
ers in  every  generation. 

Indeed,  the  role  of  faith,  family, 
and  freedom  in  American  history  is 
inscribed  on  monuments  across  the 
length  and  breadth  of  Washington, 
D.C.  For  instance,  the  words  of  Lin- 
coln's Second  Inaugural  Address, 
carved  in  granite,  thunder  from  in- 
side the  Memorial  that  bears  his 
name,  praying  that  the  "mighty 
scourge  of  war  may  speedily  pass 
away"  but  recalling  that  "the  judg- 
ments of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righ- 
teous altogether." 

From  the  Lincoln  Memorial,  a 
perfect  line  of  sight  connects  you 
with  the  magnificent  obelisk  of  the 
Washington  Monument.  The  form 
of  the  Monument  recalls  ancient 
Rome  and  Greece,  but  at  its  top- 
most point,  inscribed  on  the  alu- 
minum tip  of  the  capstone,  is  the 
Latin  phrase  Laus  Deo  —  "Praise 
be  to  God."  Along  the  stairway  to 
that  height  are  190  carved  tributes 
donated  by  states,  cities,  individu- 
als, associations,  and  foreign  gov- 
ernments. The  blocks  resound  with 
quotations  from  Scripture  —  "Holi- 
ness to  the  Lord"  (Exodus  28), 
"Search  the  Scriptures"  (John  5:39), 


Washington's  Monuments 
to  Faith,  Family,  and  Freedom 

By  Charles  Donovan  and  Christina  Darnell 


"The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed" 
(Proverbs  10:7)  —  and  such  invoca- 
tions as,  "May  Heaven  to  this  Union 
continue  its  Benefice." 

Farther  east,  along  the  Mall's 
north  side,  stands  the  National 
Archives.  No  building  in  Washing- 
ton, save  perhaps  the  Library  of 
Congress,  is  more  emblematic  of 
this  nation's  desire  to  preserve  its 
history  as  the  key  to  a  secure  fu- 
ture. Carved  in  stone  adjacent  to 
the  entrance  of  the  Archives  are  the 
words  "What  is  past  is  prologue," 
appropriately  introducing  the  origi- 
nal parchment  of  the  United  States 
Constitution  inside.  Inlaid  at  the 
Archives'  entrance  is  a  bronze 
medallion  of  the  Ten  Command- 
ments, surrounded  by  four  winged 
figures  representing  Legislation, 
Justice,  History,  and  War  and  De- 
fense, a  testament  to  the  Archives' 
architects'  bold  witness  to  the  cen- 
trality  of  biblical  truth  to  the  Amer- 
ican experience. 

The  U.  S.  Capitol  also  bears  public 
witness  to  the  legacy  of  biblically  in- 
spired faith  that  Americans  have 
passed  on  from  generation  to  gener- 
ation. New  England  statesman  and 
orator  Daniel  Webster  was  voted  by 
the  United  States  Senate  in  the 
1980s  as  one  of  the  five  greatest 
senators  ever  to  serve  in  that  cham- 
ber. In  1851,  when  the  new  House 
and  Senate  wings  of  the  Capitol 
were  begun,  Webster  gave  a  speech 
that  was  deposited  in  the  corner- 
stone. Its  final  words  are  these: 

If  therefore,  it  shall  hereafter  be  the 
will  of  God  that  this  structure  should 
fall  from  the  base,  that  its  foundations 
be  upturned  and  this  deposit  brought 
to  the  eyes  of  men,  be  it  then  known, 
that  on  this  day  the  Union  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  of  America  stands  firm,  that 
their  constitution  still  exists  unim- 
paired, and  with  all  of  its  original 
usefulness  and  glory,  growing  every 
day  stronger  and  stronger  in  the  affec- 
tion of  the  great  body  of  the  American 


people,  and  attracting  more  and  more 
the  admiration  of  the  world.  And  all 
here  assembled,  whether  belonging  to 
public  life  or  to  private  life,  with 
hearts  devotedly  thankful  to  Almighty 
God  for  the  preservation  of  the  liberty 
and  happiness  of  the  country,  unite  in 
sincere  and  fervent  prayers  that  this 
deposit,  and  the  walls  and  arches,  the 
domes  and  towers,  the  columns  and 
the  entablatures,  now  to  be  erected 
over  it,  may  endure  forever. 

From  the  plaza  of  the  Capitol 
look  west  across  the  Mall  to  the  hill- 
sides of  Arlington  Cemetery,  where 
lie  the  remains  of  generations  who 
kept  the  pledges  of  life,  fortune,  and 
sacred  honor  to  keep  our  nation 
free.  Each  hour  the  guard  is 
changed  at  the  tomb  where  rests  "in 
honored  glory  an  American  soldier 
known  but  to  God." 

From  cornerstones  to  capstones, 
from  cornices  to  colonnades,  from  the 
halls  of  Congress  to  the  hallowed 
hillsides  of  Arlington  Cemetery,  a 
mighty  causeway  of  faith  courses 
through  the  landscape  of  the  na- 
tion's capital.  To  eliminate  that 
causeway  would  require  more  than 
the  intellectual  dishonesty  of  judges 
and  legislators;  it  would  require  the 
wielding  of  chisels  and  jackham- 
mers  against  marble  and  granite. 
The  dramas  playing  themselves  out 
in  Alabama  and  other  communities 
across  the  nation  do  not  yet  feature 
such  tools  of  historical  revisionism, 
but  their  implication  is  the  same:  To 
blot  out  the  acknowledgment  of  God 
in  our  public  life  is  to  change  the 
meaning  of  America.  [ft] 

Charles  A.  Donovan  is  Vice  President 
for  Program  Planning  at  the  Family  Re- 
search Council.  Christina  Darnel  was  a 
Witherspoon  Fellow  at  the  Family  Re- 
search Council  during  the  summer  of 
1997.  This  article  is  adapted  from 
"Washington's  Monuments  to  Family, 
Faith  and  Freedom"  by  the  same  au- 
thors, which  originally  appeared  in  the 
October  3,  1997,  Washington  Times. 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


<&£si^3*. 


W.M.S.  at  Mulvane  making 
"ugly  quilts"  for  homeless 

Mulvane,  Kans.  —  The  Women's 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Mulvane 
Brethren  Church  has  a  mission  in  its 
community — making  "ugly  quilt" 
sleeping  bags  for  the  homeless. 

The  women  are  using  an  idea  that 
started  several  years  ago  with  Jim 
and  Flo  Wheatley,  who  felt  a  need  to 
help  others.  The  group  began  mak- 
ing "Brothers'  Keeper"  quilts,  and 
in  1994  gave  away  5,300  of  these. 

The  women  have  involved  the  rest 
of  the  church  family  by  asking  for 
donations  of  old  blankets,  mattress 
pads,  and  bed  spreads  to  use  in  the 
quilts.  They  also  seek  donations  of 
towels,  wash  cloths,  stocking  hats, 
and  gloves  to  put  with  the  sleeping 
bags  when  they  are  presented. 

As  the  women  make  the  sleeping 
bags,  they  pray  that  God  will  bless 
those  who  receive  them  to  know 
that  they  are  loved. 

Anyone  desiring  more  informa- 
tion about  making  "ugly  quilt" 
sleeping  bags  may  contact  Thelma 
Adams,  president  of  the  Mulvane 
Church's  W.M.S. 

—  reported  by  Sara  Hanna 


Maria  Miranda  speaks  at  women's  conference 
in  Lima,  Peru,  to  prepare  for  Graham  crusade 


Columbia,  S.C.  —  Brethren  Radio 
Missionary  Maria  Miranda  was  in 
Lima,  Peru,  February  12  and  13 
speaking  to  the  largest 
Christian  event  for 
women  ever  held  in  that 
city. 

Mrs.  Miranda  spoke  at 
a  two-day  women's  con- 
ference that  was  held  in 
preparation  for  a  March 
4-7  evangelistic  crusade 
in  Lima,  at  which  Dr. 
Franklin  Graham  was 
the  speaker.  Mrs.  Miran- 
da was  invited  to  speak 
at  the  women's  confer- 
ence by  the  Billy  Gra- 
ham Evangelistic  Asso- 
ciation and  by  the  Christian  radio 
and  television  stations  in  Lima. 

More  than  7,000  women  heard 
Mrs.  Miranda  during  the  two-day 
conference — the  largest  crowd  ever 
to  participate  in  this  kind  of  event 
in  Lima.  The  conference  focused  on 
how  a  woman  can  find  peace  in 
today's  turbulent  and  difficult 
times.  Peru  is  a  country  that  has 
been  torn  by  guerrilla  warfare  and 
violence,  and  which  is  now  suffering 
natural  disasters  as  a  result  of  the 
El  Nino  weather  patterns. 

The  audiences  responded  enthusi- 
astically to  Mrs.  Miranda's  advice 
on  ways  to  help  others,  how  to  re- 
store values  and  priorities  in  the 
family,  and  how  to  make  changes  in 
the  home  that  produce  changes  in 
communities  and  society. 

"There  is  a  tremendous  desire  to 


Work- 
ing on 

"ugly 

quilt" 

sleeping 

bags  are 

(I.  to  r.) 

Thelma 

Adams, 

Dorothy 

Mills, 

and 

Jo  Ann 

Belcher. 


Maria  Miranda 


change  and  improve  family  life," 
said  Mrs.  Miranda,  "and  women  can 
make  a  significant  transformation 
in  today's  society,  start- 
ing with  the  family. 
Women  can  provide 
moral  values,  priorities, 
and  guidelines  for  daily 
family  life  as  established 
in  the  Bible." 

Mrs.  Miranda  is  a  vet- 
eran of  radio  broadcast- 
ing. For  the  past  19 
years  she  has  been  writ- 
er and  speaker  for  the 
radio  program  "Para  Ti 
Mujer"  ("For  You  My 
Dear  Lady").  This  pro- 
gram   is   broadcast   by 


more  than  900  stations  and  has  lis- 
teners in  23  countries  (Latin  Amer- 
ica, U.S.A.,  and  Europe).  The  audi- 
ence is  calculated  to  be  in  the  tens  of 
millions  daily,  making  Mrs.  Miran- 
da, according  to  World  Vision  Maga- 
zine, "the  most  listened-to  woman 
in  Latin  America." 

"Para  Ti  Mujer"  was  a  1997  win- 
ner of  the  Covenant  Award,  a  tangi- 
ble expression  of  commendation  to 
producers,  programs,  networks,  sta- 
tions, and  individuals  who  have 
made  outstanding  contributions  to 
faith  and  family  values  through  the 
media.  The  Covenant  ministry, 
which  makes  the  awards,  was 
founded  by  the  Radio-TV  Commis- 
sion of  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention. "Para  Ti  Mujer"  won  the 
award  in  the  Spanish  Ministries 
Radio  Division. 

Maria  Miranda  and  her  husband, 
Juan  Carlos  (seep.  8)  ,  who  produces 
the  radio  program,  are  originally 
from  Argentina,  where  they  served 
in  the  Argentine  Brethren  Church. 
They  now  have  lived  for  many  years 
in  the  United  States,  where  they  have 
continued  to  serve  The  Brethren 
Church  in  various  capacities.        [ft] 


All  the  doors  that  lead  inward  to 
the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High 
are  doors  outward — out  of  self — 
out  of  smallness — out  of  wrong. 

—  George  MacDonald 


March  1998 


11 


.c^Sl% 


In  Memory 

Christine  C.  Klingensmith,  92, 

died  February  2  in  Ashland,  Ohio. 
Mrs.  Klingensmith  was  the  wife  of 
the  late  Dr.  J.  Ray  Klingensmith,  a 
Brethren  elder,  pastor,  Missionary 
Board  executive,  and  professor  at 
Ashland  University  and  Seminary. 

She  was  born  March  5,  1905,  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  the  daughter  of 
Louis  and  Caroline  Witter.  She  was 
a  1930  graduate  of  Ashland  College 
and  taught  first  grade  in  Washing- 
ton, D.C.  (while  her  husband  pas- 
tored  the  Washington  Brethren 
Church),  and  then  for  14  years  in 
Ashland  until  she  retired  in  1973. 
She  was  a  member  for  many  years 
of  Park  Street  Brethren  Church  in 
Ashland  and  served  for  a  time  as 
national  patroness  of  the  Sisterhood 
of  Mary  and  Martha. 

She  was  married  June  21,  1934,  to 
J.  Ray  Klingensmith,  who  died  June 
24,  1996.  Surviving  are  a  daughter 
and  son-in-law,  Janet  and  Dr.  Donald 
Rinehart  of  Ashland;  three  grand- 
children; and  two  great-grandchildren. 

A  memorial  service  was  held  in 
the  Ronk  Memorial  Chapel  at  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary,  with  Dr. 
Rinehart,  Dr.  Arden  E.  Gilmer,  and 
Rev.  Walter  H.  Schuman  officiating. 

Memorial  gifts  may  be  made  to 
Brethren  Care  Village/Brookwood 
Place  in  Ashland,  or  to  the  J.  Ray  and 
Christine  Klingensmith  Scholarship 
Fund  at  Ashland  University.         [ft] 


New  Wheels  for  Bonnie  Munson 


Golden  Anniversary 

Former  Brethren  missionaries  Rev. 
Robert  and  Beatrice  Bischof  will  cel- 
ebrate their  50th  wedding  anniversary 
on  May  30th.  Their  children  and  the 
New  Paris  First  Brethren  Church  will 
host  an  open  house  in  their  honor  on 
May  31  from  2-5  p.m.  at  the  church 
facility.  The  Bischofs  served  as  mis- 
sionaries in  Nigeria,  West  Africa,  from 
1952-65,  after  which  Rev.  Bischof 
pastored  Brethren  churches  in  Hunt- 
ington and  New  Paris,  Indiana. 


Goshen,  Ind.  —  Bonnie  Munson  is 
known  by  many  Brethren  across 
our  denomination  and  is  loved  by  all 
who  know  her.  For  25  years  she 
served  our  Lord  at  Brethren  House 
in  St.  Petersburg,  Fla.  During  that 
time  she  worked  with  Phil  and  Jean 
Lersch  in  a  neighborhood  ministry, 
participated  in  Christian  education 
workshops  across  the  United  States, 
and  helped  develop  a  variety  of 
teaching  resources. 

For  health  reasons,  Bonnie  (54) 
decided  two  years  ago  to  move  from 
Florida  to  Goshen,  Ind.,  where  she 
now  lives  in  an  apartment  at  Green- 
croft  Village,  a  retirement  facility 
operated  by  the  Mennonite  Church. 

When  Bonnie  was  seven  years  old, 
she  contracted  polio.  For  the  past  47 
years  she  has  been  confined  to  a 
wheelchair.  Recently,  her  physical 
condition  has  helped  her  make  a 
decision  to  get  a  new  wheelchair,  so 
that  she  can  remain  independent  as 
long  as  possible.  Post  polio  syn- 
drome has  weakened  her  muscles. 
When  she  sits  in  her  present 
wheelchair,  she  leans  to  one  side 
and  is  unable  to  breathe  properly. 

Bonnie  is  considering  a  wheel- 
chair made  in  Sweden  that  should 
meet  her  needs.  The  back  reclines 
and  the  footrest  lifts,  so  that  when 
she  becomes  tired  during  the  day 
she  could  recline  in  the  chair  and 
breathe  more  easily.  Now,  if  she 
wants  to  lie  down,  she  has  to  get  out 
of  her  wheelchair  and  into  bed, 
which  wears  her  out  completely. 

Bonnie  is  applying  for  help  from 
Medicare  to  purchase  the  chair. 
Medicare,  however,  will  cover  only 
part  of  the  cost,  which  is  approxi- 
mately $24,000.  The  Goshen  First 
Brethren  Church  is  helping  Bonnie 
with  the  purchase  of  this  chair  and 
has  appointed  a  committee  to  over- 
see this  project. 

The  Goshen  Brethren  believe  that 
other  Brethren  might  also  want  to 
help  with  this  project.  Those  wish- 
ing to  do  so  may  send  their  gifts  to 
the  Goshen  First  Brethren  Church, 
215  W.  Clinton,  Goshen,  IN  46526. 
Checks  may  be  made  out  to  the 
church  and  should  indicate  that  the 
gift  is  for   "Bonnie's   Chair."   The 


Bonnie  in  her  present  wheelchair. 

church  hopes  to  have  the  money 
available  by  the  first  of  April. 
—  submitted  by  Rev.  Donald  Rowser, 
Senior  Pastor,  Goshen  First  Brethren 


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— *WlfiHESTEi  COOKE 
North  M  :nctiestar,  IN  46982 


Evangelist 


^CH  - 


Vol.120,  No.  4 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


April  1998 


Pastoral  and  Leadership  Renewal 

By  David  Cooksey 


RENEWAL  has  many  definitions. 
I  found  two  definitions  in  the 
dictionary  that  were  particularly  in- 
teresting to  me  as  they  relate  to  pas- 
toral and  leadership  renewal.  The 
first  of  these  two  definitions  of  re- 
newal was  "to  give  new  spiritual 
strength  to."  The  second  was  "to 
replace  or  refill  with  a  fresh  supply." 

Pastors  in  the  90s 

Being  a  pastor  in  the  90s  is  in 
many  ways  very  different  from  what 
it  was  25  years  ago,  when  I  entered 
the  pastoral  ministry  in  Kokomo, 
Indiana.  What  pastors  are  called  to 
do  has  not  changed.  And  the  mes- 
sage they  are  to  proclaim  has  not 
changed.  But  the  context  in  which 
pastors  serve  is  very  different. 

The  spiritual  strength  of  pastors  is 
sapped  by  the  many  problems  of 
church  people,  by  uncommitted  lead- 
ership in  the  church,  and  by  the  lack 
of  respect  pastors  now  encounter.  In 
addition,  pastors  today  are  experi- 
encing stress  levels  never  before 
experienced  in  pastoral  ministry.  In 
order  for  pastors  to  stay  above  these 
pressures,  they  need  to  experience 
renewal — new  spiritual  strength 
and  a  fresh  supply  of  God's  power. 

We  read  in  Psalm  51:10-13  (KJV): 

Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O 
God;  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  me.  Cast  me  not  away  from 
thy  presence;  and  take  not  thy  holy 
spirit  from  me.  Restore  unto  me 
the  joy  of  thy  salvation;  and  up- 
hold me  with  thy  free  spirit.  Then 
will  I  teach  transgressors  thy 
ways;  and  sinners  shall  be  con- 
verted unto  thee. 

You  probably  know  the  back- 
ground of  this  psalm.  David,  king  of 
Israel,  had  been  confronted  by  the 


prophet  Nathan  about  his  sin  with 
Bathsheba.  This  psalm  is  David's 
own  account  of  how  he  responded 
after  Nathan  held  this 
"mirror  of  truth"  be- 
fore him. 

Can  you  imagine  the 
things  that  went 
through  David's  mind 
before  this?  Like  any- 
one in  leadership,  King 
David  was  over- 
whelmed with  things 
to  do,  judgments  to 
render,  meetings  to 
attend,  etc.  But  in  the 
back  of  his  mind,  along 
with  all  this  clutter, 
was     the     knowledge 


In  recent  months,  I  have  been  in- 
troduced to  the  internet.  I  am  fasci- 
nated by  the  way  you  can  use  a  com- 
puter to  click  on 
certain  words  that 
take  you  into  a 
whole  new  level  of 
information,  which 
goes  on  and  on  and 
on.  Psalm  51  also 
has  words  in  it  that 
you  can  "click  on" 
that  take  you  deeper 
and  deeper  into 
David's  experience 
with  sin,  repentance, 
and  renewal. 

For    example,    in 
verse  3  David  says, 


that  he  was  not  right 


Rev.  David  Cooksey 


"I   know  my  trans- 


with  God.  He  had  a  nagging  feeling 
of  guilt  that  something  was  wrong. 

The  process  of  renewal 

Nathan's  confrontation  was  a 
classic  "log-in-your-eye"  revelation 
for  David.  It  convicted  him  of  his  sin 
and,  at  the  same  time,  set  in  motion 
the  process  of  renewal.  David  was 
now  free  to  say  to  God: 

Have  mercy  on  me,  O  God, 
according  to  your  unfailing  love; 

according  to  your  great  compassion 
blot  out  my  transgressions. 

Wash  away  all  my  iniquity  and 
cleanse  me  from  my  sin. 

Psalm  51:1,  2,  NIV 

David  received  new  spiritual 
strength  and  was  refilled  with  a 
fresh  supply  of  God.  A  "clean  heart" 
and  a  "right  spirit"  were  now  with- 
in him.  What  a  great  experience  this 
must  have  been  for  him,  even 
though  he  went  through  a  great 
deal  of  pain  getting  there! 


gressions,  and  my  sin  is  always  be- 
fore me."  Obviously,  he  knew  what 
was  wrong,  but  he  chose  not  to  do 
anything  about  it  until  Nathan 
came  and  confronted  him. 

I  have  also  observed  this  in  The 
Brethren  Church  and  among  its 
leaders.  People  know  their  sins,  but 
they  overlook  them  for  a  "bigger 
cause,"  like  "being  right."  David 
also  said  that  God  does  not  delight 
in  sacrifices,  but  "The  sacrifices  of 
(continued  on  next  page) 


Inside  this  issue 

Are  you  a  saint? 

2 

What  will  save  you? 

3 

Conference  speakers 

4 

Moral  weight  of  leadership 

5 

Brethren  at  work 

6 

Facing  today's  issues 

8 

Around  the  denomination 

10 

The  Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 

is  in  the  center  of  this  issue 

Renewal 

(continued  from  page  1) 
God  are  a  broken  spirit;  a  broken 
and  contrite  heart"  (v.  17). 

Everything  that  David  shares  in 
this  psalm  is  a  picture  of  what  needs 
to  happen  to  us  in  order  for  us  to 
experience  renewal.  Sin  is  very  real 
in  the  life  of  the  church  and  in  the 
lives  of  those  who  are  a  part  of  the 
church — sins  like  rebellion,  pride, 


disrespect,  and  many  more.  In  order 
for  renewal  to  take  place,  we  must 
confess  our  sin  and  experience  for- 
giveness. We  must  allow  God  to 
create  in  us  a  new  heart  and  to 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  us. 

Self-examination  is  the  hardest 
task  most  people  have  to  do.  We  are 
seldom  willing  to  admit  that  the 
process  of  change  and  renewal  has 
to  start  with  us.  But  the  fact  is  that 


nobody  else  can  do  it  for  us. 

Imagine  what  would  happen  in 
The  Brethren  Church  if  every  pas- 
tor and  every  church  leader  experi- 
enced renewal  this  year.  God  would 
be  pleased  to  see  us  with  a  new 
heart  and  a  new  spirit.  And  it  would 
do  all  of  us  a  world  of  good!  [ft] 

Rev.  Cooksey  is  Director  of  Pastoral 
Ministries  for  The  Brethren  Church. 


Are  You  a  Saint? 

By  Kurt  Stout 


WHEN  MOTHER  TERESA 
died  in  September,  discus- 
sions began  to  surface  immediate- 
ly about  sainthood.  The  Roman 
Catholic  Church  has  a  process  of 
evaluation  to  determine  if  a  person 
is  qualified  to  become  a  saint. 

There  is  little  debate  that  Moth- 
er Teresa  should  be  included  in  the 
list  of  great  spiritual  figures  of  his- 
tory and  that  she  should  be  called 
Saint  Teresa.  If  the  process  of  "can- 
onization" (declaring  her  a  saint) 
is  rushed,  this  recognition  may  even 
come  by  the  end  of  this  century. 

Requirements  for  sainthood 

This  raises  the  question,  What 
must  a  person  do  to  be  become  a 
saint?  According  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  for  a  person  to 
become  a  saint  that  person  must 
have  performed  at  least  four  mira- 
cles; the  person's  writings  need  to 
be  above  suspicion;  and  the  per- 
son's holiness  must  have  been 
manifested  in  heroic  virtue. 


These  criteria  for  sainthood  may 
appear  a  bit  overwhelming.  But  let 
me  offer  some  words  of  hope  for 
those  of  us  who  do  not  meet  such 
high  requirements. 

Biblical  sainthood 

Over  and  over  again  in  Scrip- 
ture, those  who  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ  are  called  saints.  So  I  want 
you  to  know  that  even  though  you 
may  not  feel  like  it;  and  even 
though  you  may  not  act  like  it;  if 
you  have  committed  your  life  to 
Jesus  you  are  a  saint. 

The  word  "saint"  actually  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  being  "set 
apart"  or  "holy."  When  a  person 
makes  a  decision  to  follow  Jesus 
Christ,  that  person  is  set  apart  by 
God  for  the  purpose  of  bringing 
honor  and  glory  to  the  Lord.  In 
calling  us  saints,  God  clearly  is 
offering  us  a  glimpse  of  hope  and 
purpose.  God  sees  us  through  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  and  He  plans  to  use 
us  accordingly. 


I  find  the  first  few  verses  of 
many  of  the  New  Testament  books 
very  interesting.  Several  books, 
particularly  Paul's  letters,  begin 
with  a  declaration  similar  to  the 
one  found  in  Romans  1:7 —  "To  all 
in  Rome  who  are  loved  by  God  and 
called  to  be  saints."  Even  when  the 
Lord  chastises  the  church  for  its 
behavior  and  its  attitude,  He  be- 
gins by  reminding  church  people 
who  they  are  in  Christ  Jesus. 

God  is  also  reminding  us  that  we 
are  His.  We  have  been  "set  apart" 
for  righteousness,  holiness,  and 
His  good  pleasure.  Let  us  not  for- 
get who  we  are  and  whose  we  are. 
We  are  saints,  called  by  God. 

Live  like  saints 

So  now  that  we  know  this,  let's 
start  living  like  saints  and  honor 
the  Lord  through  our  lifestyle,  our 
attitude,  and  our  worship.  And  re- 
member that  when  the  world  calls 
us  names  and  pushes  our  failures 
in  our  faces,  God  still  calls  us  by 
another  name—  "  SAINT. "         [ft] 

Rev.  Stout  is  associate  pastor  of 
the  First  Brethren  Church  of  North 
Manchester,  Ind.  This  article  origi- 
nally appeared  in  the  newsletter  of 
the  North  Manchester  Church. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
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Pontius'  Puddle 


love  yoor 
enemies,  'cause 

TO  DRlVET 
THE*  MOTS 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


What  Will  Save  You? 

By  Dan  Lawson 


ONE  of  the  strangest  experi- 
ences I  have  had  occurred  dur- 
ing a  week  of  summer  camp  at  the 
Brethren  Retreat  Center  in  Ship- 
shewana,  Indiana.  The  campers 
were  fifth-  and  sixth-graders,  and 
I  was  their  Bible  teacher  for  the 
week. 

For  reasons  known  only  to  the 
Almighty,  one  of  the  boys  started  a 
rumor  that  a  necklace  that  an- 
other camper  had  brought  with 
him  was  demon-possessed.  It  was 
a  Chicago  Bulls  necklace  with  the 
head  of  a  bull  attached  to  a  long, 
thin  leather  cord.  The  bull,  red- 
dish in  color,  had  long  horns  and  a 
devilish  look,  and  it  seemed  ready 
at  any  second  to  snort  fire  and 
smoke.  It  was,  indeed,  a  fearsome 
looking  creature. 

The  rumor  spreads 

Once  the  rumor  got  started,  it 
spread  throughout  the  camp  like 
wildfire.  Girls  began  to  have  night- 
mares, and  campers  were  afraid  to 
be  left  alone,  even  in  broad  day- 
light. Stories  of  demonic  appari- 
tions began  to  plague  the  camp,  as 
little  minds  developed  vivid  imagi- 
nations. Needless  to  say,  staff 
members  had  their  hands  full. 

One  evening  late  in  the  week, 
things  seemed  to  have  calmed 
down.  The  campers  were  in  bed, 
and  it  appeared  that  we  would 
have  a  peaceful  night.  But  appear- 
ances can  be  deceiving. 

All  of  the  sudden  one  of  the  boys 
— in  that  blurry  state  of  conscious- 
ness one  experiences  just  before 
dropping  off  to  sleep,  sprang  up  in 
bed  and  shouted  that  a  demon 
with  the  head  of  a  bull,  snorting 
fire  from  its  nostrils,  had  just  run 
past  his  bed.  Pandemonium  imme- 
diate broke  out  among  the  20  other 
boys  in  the  room,  who  raised  a 
commotion  that  could  have  raised 
the  dead. 


The  staff  counselor  who  slept  in 
that  room  tried  to  calm  the  mass 
hysteria,  but  he  might  as  well  have 
tried  to  raise  the  Titanic.  Almost 
immediately  the  noise  attracted 
the  attention  of  a  nearby  coun- 
selor, who  quickly  dispatched  a  plea 
for  help  from  the  rest  of  the  staff. 

'Many  people  mistakenly 
believe  that  their  physical 
presence  in  a  church 
building  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing will  save  them." 
v s 

When  several  other  staff  mem- 
bers and  I  arrived  on  the  scene,  we 
found  most  of  the  boys  cowering 
near  the  head  of  their  beds  in  the 
fetal  position.  They  were  whim- 
pering and  crying,  while  clutching 
their  Bibles  in  front  of  themselves 
as  a  shield  against  demonic  at- 
tacks. It  took  quite  some  doing  to 
calm  their  fears  and  to  restore 
sanity  to  that  room.  Eventually, 
we  were  able  to  convince  the  boys 
that  when  Christ  is  with  us,  no 
one  can  harm  us.  One  by  one  the 
boys  finally  dropped  off  to  sleep  in 
a  state  of  exhaustion,  many  still 
clutching  their  Bibles. 

As  I  left  the  boys'  dorm,  it  oc- 
curred to  me  that  these  boys  were 
clutching  their  Bibles  to  them- 
selves in  the  hope  that  this  Book 
would  provide  them  physical  pro- 
tection. The  truth  they  needed  to 
know,  however,  is  that  it  is  not 
holding  the  Bible  that  protects  us, 
but  rather  believing  what  the 
Bible  says.  I  then  realized  that 
many  adult  Christians  have  the 
same  misconception. 

A  mistaken  idea 

I  believe  that  many  people  have 
a  mistaken  idea  about  what  will 
save  them.  In  the  case  of  the  fear- 


ful campers,  they  thought  the 
physical  presence  of  the  Bible 
would  save  them,  when  what  they 
really  needed  was  the  presence  of 
Christ  in  their  hearts. 

Likewise,  many  people  mistak- 
enly believe  that  their  physical 
presence  in  a  church  building  on 
Sunday  morning  will  save  them. 
Others  have  the  mistaken  belief 
that  all  they  need  in  order  to  be 
saved  is  to  have  their  name  on  the 
membership  list  of  a  church.  Still 
others  think  that  just  being  a  good 
person  will  save  them.  All  these 
people  have  left  Jesus  on  the  out- 
side of  their  lives  looking  in,  as 
they  treat  His  church  as  though  it 
were  just  another  social  club  in 
which  they  will  participate  when- 
ever it  suits  their  fancy. 

In  chapter  16  of  the  book  of 
Acts,  we  read  the  account  of  the 
miraculous  release  of  Paul  and 
Silas  from  prison.  Finding  the 
prison  doors  open,  the  jailer  was 
about  to  kill  himself.  But  Paul 
stopped  him.  The  jailer  brought 
the  two  men  out  and  asked  them, 
"Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  Paul's  immediate  reply 
was,  "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
and  you  will  be  saved"  (v.  31). 

Only  one  thing  will  save 

People  have  placed  their  trust 
for  salvation  in  many  things:  in 
traditions,  church  membership, 
church  attendance,  good  moral  liv- 
ing, integrity,  even  in  other  people. 
They  believe  that  if  they  go 
through  all  the  right  motions  and 
do  all  the  right  things,  God  will 
honor  their  goodness  and  give 
them  a  secure  place  in  heaven.  But 
in  the  end,  there  is  only  one  thing 
that  will  save  you,  "Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

The  words  of  that  great  old  hymn 
still  ring  true  today:  "My  hope  is 
built  on  nothing  less  than  Jesus' 
blood  and  righteousness."  Where 
have  you  placed  your  hope?        [ft] 

Dr.  Lawson  is  pastor  of  the  Jef- 
ferson Brethren  Church  of  Goshen, 
Indiana.  This  is  the  first  of  a  series 
of  articles  by  Dr.  Lawson  in  which 
he  will  apply  Bible  truth  to  our  per- 
sonal lives. 


April  1998 


Plan  now  to  hear  these  speakers 


at  General  Conference  in  August 


J 


VISUALIZE  RENEWAL  will  be 
the  theme  of  General  Confer- 
ence August  3-7.  Daily  themes  will 
focus  on  renewal  of  heart,  relation- 
ships, spirit,  a  heart  for  the  lost,  and 
the  church.  A  week  of  celebration  is 
planned,  with  the  hope  that  all  who 
attend  Conference  will  go  home  as 
changed  individuals. 

The  Conference  will  feature  four 
special  inspirational  speakers.  Each 
will  address  some  aspect  of  renewal. 

Leading  off  Monday  night,  and 
bringing  a  second  message  Friday 
morning,  will  be  Dr.  Terry  Wardle, 
who  has  just  joined  the  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary  faculty  as  as- 
sociate professor  of  church  planting. 

Before  coming  to  the  seminary,  Dr. 
Wardle  was  director  of  the  Spring 
Meadow 
Retreat 
Center,  a 
ministry 
of  renew- 
al and  res- 
toration 
for  Chris- 
tian lead- 
ers, which 
he  found- 
ed in  1996. 
He  is  also 
an  exper- 
i  e  n  c  e  d  Dr  Terry  Wardle 

church  planter,  having  begun  the 
Risen  King  Community  Church  in 
Redding,  California  in  August  1989. 
Today  that  congregation  numbers 
more  than  900  and  has  planted  two 
daughter  congregations. 

From  1985  to  1989  he  served  as 
director  of  the  Center  for  Evange- 
lism and  as  associate  professor  of 
evangelism  and  practical  theology 
at  Alliance  Theological  Seminary. 
He  is  the  author  of  four  books,  the 
most  recent,  Draw  Close  to  the  Fire: 
Finding  God  in  the  Darkness,  pub- 
lished this  spring  by  Chosen  Books. 

The  speaker  for  Tuesday  evening 
will  be  Dr.  Bruce  H.  Wilkinson, 
founder  and  president  of  Walk  Thru 
the  Bible  Ministries.  In  addition  to 


his  Tuesday-evening  message,  Dr. 
Wilkinson  will  lead  an  all-confer- 
ence workshop  on  Wednesday  morn- 
ing, and 
then  lead 
a  seminar 
especially 
for  men. 

Dr.  Wil- 
kinson is 
recognized 
as  one  of 
the  most 
appreciat- 
ed and  re- 
s  p  e  c  t  e  d 
communi- 
cators of  ^K  Bruce  Wilkinson 
biblical  truth  in  the  Body  of  Christ 
today.  He  is  a  frequent  speaker  at 
pastors'  conferences,  teachers'  con- 
ventions, and  at  churches,  camps 
and  Christian  organizations. 

He  also  serves  as  a  Promise  Keep- 
ers stadium  speaker  and  has  spoken 
to  more  than  350,000  men  across 
America  in  the  past  three  years.  At 
the  request  of  Promise  Keepers,  he 
developed  the  video  curriculum  Per- 
sonal Holiness  in  Times  of  Tempta- 
tion as  part  of  "The  Biblical  Man- 
hood" series.  He  has  authored  and 
co-authored  numerous  books,  in- 
cluding First  Hand  Faith,  Talk 
Thru  the  Old  Testament,  Talk  Thru 
the  New  Testament,  and  Talk  Thru 
Bible  Personalities. 

Dr.  Richard  L.  Parrott,  director 
of  the  doctoral  studies  program  at 

Ashland 
Theologi- 
cal Sem- 
inary, will 
be  the 
speaker 
for  the 
Wednes- 
day eve- 
ning sem- 
inary serv- 
ice. Before 
joining  the 
seminary 
Dr.  Richard  Parrott        a  d  m  i  n  i  s  - 


tration  last  year,  Dr.  Parrott  served 
for  23  years  as  a  pastor  in  the 
Church  of  the  Nazarene,  serving 
most  recently  as  pastor  of  the 
Northwest  Church  of  the  Nazarene 
in  Columbus,  Ohio.  He  is  the  author 
of  two  books  and  numerous  other 
publications. 

Thursday  evening  the  focus  will 
be  on  missions,  and  the  speaker  for 
this  service  will  be  Dr.  Clive  Calver, 
president  of  World  Relief  Corpora- 
tion of  the  National  Association  of 
Evangelicals.  Dr.  Calver  will  also 
bring  a  message  at  the  World  Relief 
Soup  Lunch  that  same  day. 

Before  taking  up  the  reins  at 
World  Relief  last  year,  Dr.  Calver 
lived  in  London,  England,  where  he 
served  for  14  years  as  director  gen- 
eral of  the  Evangelical  Alliance  of 
the  United  Kingdom.  Under  his 
leadership,  this  Alliance  experi- 
enced unprecedented  growth  (500%) 
and  unity.  Calver  successfully  chal- 
lenged Alliance  members  to  move 
beyond  the  comfort  of  their  build- 
ings to  love  their  neighbors  on  the 

streets 
and  in  the 
homeless 
shelters.  A 
gifted 
communi- 
cator, he 
was  heard 
by  mil- 
lions of 
people 
through 
the  daily 
newspa- 
pers, on 
the  radio,  and  in  high-profile  televi- 
sion debates,  in  which  evangelicals 
earned  a  prominent  voice  and  a  pub- 
lic witness.  He  is  also  author  of  six 
books  and  co-author  of  13. 

More  information  about  other 
parts  of  the  General  Conference 
program  will  be  presented  in  next 
month's  issue  of  the  Evangelist. 

Note:  Because  of  a  Mid-Ohio 
stock  car  race  scheduled  for  the 
same  week,  motel  accommodations 
in  the  Ashland  area  will  be  at  a  pre- 
mium during  Conference.  Anyone 
desiring  to  stay  off  campus  is  ad- 
vised to  make  reservations  soon. 
There  will  be  plenty  of  room,  how- 
ever, in  the  dormitories  on  the  Ash- 
land University  campus.  [ft] 


Dr.  Clive  Calver 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


The  Moral  Weight  of  Leadership 

By  Billy  Graham 


Dr.  Billy  Graham  has  received  a 
number  of  inquiries  about  his  perspec- 
tive on  the  moral  dimension  of  leader- 
ship in  the  context  of  current  White 
House  controversies.  The  following 
statement  by  Dr.  Graham  appeared  as 
an  Op-Ed  article  in  the  Tuesday,  March 
17,  edition  of  The  New  York  Times.  A 
copy  was  sent  to  the  Evangelist  by  the 
Billy  Graham  Evangelist  Association. 
It  is  reprinted  by  permission.  Note  the 
emphasis  on  renewal  at  the  end  of  the 
statement. 

REGARDLESS  of  the  outcome  of 
the  present  investigations  into 
President  Clinton's  alleged  miscon- 
duct, the  controversy  swirling  around 
him  has  raised  one  question  that 
must  not  go  unanswered:  should 
those  in  positions  of  leadership  be 
held  to  a  higher  standard  of  moral 
and  ethical  conduct  than  ordinary 
citizens? 

Admittedly,  on  the  one  hand,  those 
of  us  who  affirm  historic  Judeo- 
Christian  moral  values — values 
based  on  what  we  believe  to  be 
God's  will  as  revealed  in  the  Ten 
Commandments  and  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount — assert  that  wrong  is 
always  wrong,  no  matter  who  com- 
mits it.  The  Bible  teaches  that  sin  is 
the  breaking  of  God's  moral  law.  It 
always  has  repercussions;  "be  sure 
your  sin  will  find  you  out,"  the  Bible 
says  (Numbers  32:23) — either  here 
or  in  the  next  life.  None  of  us  can 
claim  to  be  exempt.  The  Bible  says, 
"There  is  no  difference,  for  all  have 
sinned  and  fall  short  of  the  glory  of 
God"  (Romans  8:22-23). 

However,  those  entrusted  with 
leadership — whatever  their  field — 
bear  a  special  responsibility  to  up- 
hold the  highest  standards  of  moral 
and  ethical  conduct,  both  publicly 
and  privately.  Jesus  words  in  His 
parable  of  the  faithful  and  wise  man- 
ager are  still  true:  "to  whom  much 
is  given,  of  him  much  will  be  required" 
(Luke  12:48).  Those  who  have  the 
greatest  standing  in  society — 
whether  clergy,  politician,  business 
person,  labor  leader,  athlete,  enter- 
tainer or  anyone  else  who  is  a  role 


model — also  have  the  greatest  need 
of  personal  integrity. 

The  question  is  asked,  Why  can't 
we  just  ignore  personal  character,  as 
long  as  a  person  does  the  job? 

Simply  stated,  it  is  because  the 
stakes  are  too  high  and  the  impact 
on  society  too  far-reaching.  John 
Donne  reminded  us  that  no  man  is 
an  island;  what  happens  to  each  of 
us  affects  the  whole.  No  leader  is  a 
moral  island,  either,  and  the  greater 
the  visibility,  the  greater  the  impact. 

Influences  of  moral  character 

A  leader's  moral  character,  first  of 
all,  influences  the  way  he  or  she  does 
his  or  her  job.  There  simply  is  no 
such  thing  as  an  impenetrable  fire 
wall  between  what  we  do  privately 
and  what  we  do  publicly.  Can  some- 
one who  consistently  lies  or  deceives 
or  cheats  in  his  personal  life  be 
trusted  in  a  business  deal  or  a  court- 
room or  a  political  agreement?  Should 
someone  who  takes  bribes  or  har- 
bors deep-seated  racial  animosities 
be  given  judicial  or  political  power 
as  long  as  he  keeps  his  behavior  or 
his  feelings  private?  Of  course  not. 

A  leader's  moral  character  also 
influences  those  who  look  up  to  him 
or  her — particularly  young  people. 
Why  is  teen-age  pregnancy  so  ram- 
pant? Why  are  our  schools  and 
streets  all  too  often  gripped  by  vio- 
lence and  drugs?  Why  are  the  youth 
of  today  filled  with  cynicism  and  de- 
spair? Surely  one  reason  is  that  they 
have  so  few  positive  role  models  to 
follow.  The  moral  meltdown  in  our 
country  in  part  results  from  a  fail- 
ure of  leadership. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  to  know 
ten  Presidents,  some  as  close 
friends.  I  knew  most  of  them  before 
they  ever  became  President  and 
have  been  in  their  homes  and 
glimpsed  their  family  lives.  I  have 
had  long  talks  with  them.  All  faced 
temptations  and  pressures  most  of 
us  can  barely  imagine. 

Don't  get  me  wrong;  most  of  the 
Presidents  I  have  known  were  dedi- 
cated and  thoughtful  men  who  sin- 


cerely sought  to  serve  their  country. 
When  I  learned  later  of  moral  fail- 
ures or  compromises  in  some  in- 
stances, it  grieved  me  deeply. 

It  also  made  me  search  my  own 
heart.  I  feel  that  people  have  put  me 
on  too  high  a  pedestal;  we  do  the 
same  with  other  leaders.  I  know, 
however,  that  I  am  not  as  good  as 
some  people  think  I  am.  I  have  seen 
men  in  the  depths  of  wickedness, 
and  I  have  thought  to  myself, 
"There  I  go,  except  by  the  grace  of 
God."  I  have  to  depend  on  God  every 
day  to  help  me  live  as  I  should. 

Only  time  will  tell  whether  Presi- 
dent Clinton  has  betrayed  the  trust 
we  have  placed  in  him  as  our  leader. 
All  politicians  have  a  special  respon- 
sibility because  the  people  have 
voted  them  into  office. 

I  have  known  President  Clinton 
as  a  personal  friend  for  many  years. 
I  led  the  inaugural  prayer  at  both  of 
his  inaugurations.  He  first  came  to 
hear  me  preach  when  he  was  a  boy. 
I  hope  and  pray,  for  his  sake,  the 
sake  of  his  family  and  the  sake  of 
our  nation,  that  he  is  not  guilty  of 
the  thing  he  is  alleged  to  have  done. 

We  need  to  pray  fervently  for  him, 
for  everyone  involved  in  this  contro- 
versy and  for  our  country.  The 
Scripture  says,  "Righteousness  ex- 
alts a  nation,  but  sin  is  a  disgrace  to 
any  people"  (Proverbs  14:34). 

I  know  this  issue  cannot  be  re- 
solved in  a  few  paragraphs,  or  by 
television  sound  bites,  which  seldom 
allow  time  for  balanced  discussion 
and  thoughtful  reflection.  We  must 
not  be  tempted,  however,  to  divorce 
character  from  leadership.  That 
would  be  tragic. 

But  ultimately  the  question  of  moral 
character  comes  down  to  us  as  indi- 
viduals, and  to  the  decision  we  each 
must  make  about  our  own  moral 
and  spiritual  foundations.  When  we 
point  a  finger  at  the  President,  let's 
point  another  finger  at  ourselves  for 
our  sins.  Jesus  taught  that  if  we 
even  think  an  immoral  act,  it  is  the 
same  in  God's  sight  as  the  act 
itself — and  that  includes  all  of  us. 

The  greatest  need  in  America  at 
the  moment  is  for  a  moral  and  spir- 
itual renewal.  This  comes,  I  believe, 
only  as  we  turn  in  repentance  and 
faith  to  the  living  God,  who  stands 
ready  to  forgive  and  renew  us  from 
within.  [ft] 


April  1998 


Brethren  at  Work 


v 


A  report  of  the  March  17  &  18  meetings  of  the 
Ministries  Councils  and  Executive  Board 


J 


BRETHREN  from  across  the  na- 
tion converged  on  Ashland,  Ohio, 
March  17  and  18  to  spend  two  days 
seeking  ways  to  more  effectively  ful- 
fill the  ministries  of  the  Brethren 
denomination.  They  were  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  Min- 
istries Council,  the  Missionary  Min- 
istries Council,  and  the  Executive 
Board.  The  two  councils  met  on 
Tuesday  and  Wednesday  mornings, 
and  the  Executive  Board  took  the 
afternoon  shifts.  Following  is  a  sam- 
pling of  what  took  place. 

Congregational  Ministries  Council 

To  set  the  tone  for  the  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  Council  meeting, 
Rev.  David  West,  Director  of  Con- 
gregational Ministries,  reminded 
council  members  of  the  seriousness 
of  their  task  by  calling  to  mind  that 
the  church  needs  to  be  in  the  life- 
saving  business.  We  need  to  find  the 
best  ways  to  do  the  work  of  God  in  a 
world  that  is  dying,  he  said. 

Plans  for  General  Conference 
were  reviewed  and  discussed  (see  p. 
4).  This  council  will  again  sponsor 
Table  Talks,  which  have  been  very 
popular  the  past  two  years.  Confer- 
ence attenders  will  be  able  to  choose 
from  30  different  25-minute  Table 
Talks,  which  focus  on  ministry  ideas 
that  work. 

Nine  Brethren  churches  have 
made  commitments  to  participate  in 
the  pilot  program  of  the  Leadership 
mentoring  process.  The  nine  are 
North  Georgetown,  Ohio;  Northview 
Brethren  Life  (Franklin,  Ohio);  Sara- 
sota, Fla.;  St.  Luke  (Woodstock,  Va.); 
Elkhart,  Ind.;  Bloomingdale  (Valrico, 
Fla.);  Gretna  (Bellefontaine,  Ohio); 
Huntington,  Ind.;  and  Smoky  Row 
(Columbus,  Ohio). 

The  purpose  of  this  process  is  to 
build  and  strengthen  congregational 
leadership,  and,  through  that  lead- 
ership, to  revitalize  congregational 
ministry  The  process  works  by  es- 
tablishing a  mentoring  relationship 
between  church  leadership  teams 
(pastor  and  lay  leaders)  and  other 


experienced  leaders.  If  the  pilot  pro- 
gram is  successful,  other  churches 
will  be  given  the  opportunity  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  process.  In  the  mean- 
time, district  and  regional  workshops 
and  seminars  are  being  held,  which 
provide  training  opportunities  for 
leaders  from  all  churches. 

Rev.  West  expressed  concern 
about  the  need  for  additional  pas- 
toral care  in  The  Brethren  Church, 
especially  in  the  areas  of  education, 
prevention,  intervention,  and  res- 
toration. Council  shared  this  con- 
cern, not  only  for  pastoral  care  but 
also  for  the  care  of  lay  leaders. 
Council  authorized  formation  of  a 
task  force  or  committee  to  study  the 
issue  of  leadership  care. 

Council  approved  a  recommenda- 
tion by  Rev.  West  that  a  National 
Discipleship  program  be  established 
for  Brethren  youth  that  would 
engage  them  in  intentional  disciple- 
ship training.  This  would  be  a  three- 
stage  discipling  process  that  would 
allow  for  training,  teaching,  and 
mentoring  at  every  stage. 

Rev.  West  also  recommended  that 
a  candidate  for  Assistant  Director 
for  Youth  Programming  (or  Nation- 
al Youth  Leader)  be  identified, 
called,  and  employed.  The  council 
included  funding  for  this  position  in 
its  recommended  budget  for  1999. 

District  Crusaders  will  be  serving 
this  summer  in  the  Ohio,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Southeastern  Districts. 
Short-term  mission  trips  are  being 
planned  to  Memphis,  Tenn.;  Mexico 
City,  Mexico;  Juarez,  Mexico;  Ja- 
maica (the  first  "overseas"  mission 
trip);  and  possibly  Washington,  D.C. 

Missionary  Ministries  Council 

In  its  meetings,  the  Missionary 
Ministries  Council  dealt  primarily 
with  United  States  missions  on 
Tuesday  morning  and  with  interna- 
tional missions  Wednesday  morning. 

Northview  Brethren  Life  Church 
and  Vineyard  Christian  Fellowship, 
both  of  Franklin,  Ohio,  have  joined 
to  form  Vineyard  Community  Church. 


Co-pastors  Mike  Sove  and  Chuck 
Wolfinbarger  are  both  committed  to 
The  Brethren  Church.  Attendance 
since  the  merger  in  January  has 
averaged  235. 

The  Southeastern  District  Mis- 
sion Board  requested  that  Gateway 
Brethren  Fellowship  of  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  be  upgraded  from  a  class  to  a 
mission  congregation.  The  council 
recommended  this  change  to  the 
Executive  Board  {which  approved  the 
change). 

Rock  Springs  Community  Church, 
the  new  Brethren  congregation 
being  planted  by  Pastor  Jim  Boyd  in 
Vista,  Calif,  had  a  "soft  launch"  on 
March  15  that  went  very  well.  The 
grand  opening  service  is  planned  for 
October  4,  1998. 

Rev.  Gene  Bell,  director  of  an 
inner-city  work  in  Indianapolis, 
Ind.,  has  been  authorized  by  the 
Indiana  District  Mission  Board  to 
raise  funds  for  personal  and  pro- 
gram support  among  the  Indiana 
District  churches.  Rev.  Reilly  Smith, 
Director  of  Missionary  Ministries, 
will  write  a  letter  of  endorsement. 

Jeff  Kaplan,  who  has  been  called 
by  the  Midwest  District  to  serve  as  a 
church-planter  in  Douglas  County 
Colo.,  met  with  the  council  and 
shared  his  plans  and  needs. 

Director  Smith  reported  on  his 
recent  overseas  trips.  He  said  that 
highlights  of  the  trip  to  India  were 
having  his  wife  Cindy  along,  seeing 
the  growth  in  Sudhir  Kumar,  meet- 
ing Latha  Kumar  (Sudhir's  bride), 
ordaining  Sudhir,  dedicating  a  new 
church  building  donated  by  Bob  and 
Alberta  Holsinger,  watching  the 
mobile  medical  clinic  in  action,  and 
seeing  107  people  baptized  following 
the  Indian  annual  conference. 

Highlights  of  the  Malaysian  leg  of 
this  trip  included  getting  to  know 
Pastor  David  and  Lilly  Chew,  dedicat- 
ing the  new  church  building  in  Penang, 
and  working  with  the  Loi  family. 

Highlights  of  his  January  trip  to 
Peru  included  staying  with  the 
Antunezes  in  their  home,  seeing  the 
growth  of  the  church,  and  watching 
Miguel  minister  in  the  community. 
He  is  an  active  personal  evangelist 
everywhere  he  goes. 

Rev.  Smith  reported  that  he  would 
visit  Brethren  mission  work  in 
Colombia,  South  America,  March 
19-23.   The  purposes  of  this  trip 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


The  'Women's  Outfool^Jh[ezvs[etter 

Si  pn6(ication  of  the  'Brethren  'Women's  Missionary  Society 


May-June  1998 


Volume  11,  Number  5 


Dear  Ladies, 

Last  month  I  wrote  about  "Count- 
ing Our  Blessings."  Before  you  read 
it,  you  received  word  that  my  cancer 
had  returned  with  a  "mass"  on  the 
right  side  of  my  brain.  But — guess 
what — I  am  still  counting  my  bless- 
ings. I  have  finished  15  radiation 
treatments  and  lost  my  hair — again! 
I  am  back  to  wearing  my  wig.  Other 
than  being  tired,  I  feel  good.  I  have 
started  back  to  work  full-time  and 
am  keeping  busy.  I  have  seen  all  of 
my  doctors,  had  another  MRI,  and 
now  I'm  waiting  for  further  word 
from  the  doctors  as  to  what  they 
will  do  after  they  look  at  the  MRI. 

Thanks  to  all  of  you  for  your  beau- 
tiful cards  and  meaningful  notes. 
They  mean  a  lot  to  me.  Also,  thanks 
for  all  of  the  many  prayers.  I  can 
feel  them  each  and  every  day.  Keep 
praying! 

We  have  "talked  about  prayer"  in 
the  past.  I  read  in  a  book  that 
"Prayer  is  not  merely  going  to  God 
with  a  shopping  list  for  things  we 
want  Him  to  do  for  us  and  for  our 
families.  Rather  it  is  being  in  a  rela- 
tionship with  Him,  listening  to  Him 
and  sharing  our  hearts  with  Him." 
We  are  talking  to  the  Almighty  God. 
He  is  the  God  who  hears,  the  God  of 
peace,  the  God  who  forgives.  He  is 
in  control.  His  love  is  perfect  so, 
when  we  pray,  we  need  to  take  time 
to  listen  to  Him,  to  hear  what  He  is 
saying  to  us.  In  I  Thessalonians 
5:16-18,  we  read,  "Rejoice  always. 
(continued  on  page  4) 


The  30th  Anniversary  of  W.M.S. 
in  Argentina 


Two  Trip  Reports  .  .  . 

.  .  .  first  from  Marilyn  Aspinall: 

Last  year  about  springtime  I  re- 
ceived an  emotional  letter.  It  was 
from  a  special  friend,  Doris  Silvestri, 
an  Argentine  W.M.S.  board  member, 
extending  an  invitation  for  me  to 
speak  at  the  Annual  W.M.S.  Confer- 
ence in  October.  They  would  be  cel- 
ebrating 30  years  of  the  organiza- 
tion and  work  of  the  W.M.S.  in  Argen- 
tina. I  had  had  the  privilege  of  being 
there  with  the  original  organizers,  and 
had  also  been  the  invited  speaker  on 
their  25^n  anniversary  just  before 
we  left  Argentina  as  missionaries. 

I  was  humbled,  thrilled,  moved, 
and  felt  a  rush  of  indescribable  emo- 
tions, but,  at  the  time,  I  really  saw 
no  possibility  of  going.  A  letter  was 
sent  to  acknowledge  the  invitation 
and  to  thank  them.  I  asked  them  to 
pray,  but  gave  little  hope  of  being 
able  to  join  them  for  such  a  special 
celebration. 

Time  passed  as  I  shared  with  fam- 
ily and  friends  all  that  I  was  experi- 
encing .  .  .  and  hoping.  In  a  conver- 
sation with  Kathy  Rosales,  my 
daughter,  she  said,  "Mommy,  if  you 
don't  make  known  a  need,  no  one 
can  supply  it." 

I  responded  that  I  have  never 
asked  for  money  and  that  it  would 
be  hard  to  do.  Her  words  echoed  in 
my  mind,  until  I  could  stand  it  no 
longer.  I  prayed  and  asked  God  to 
guide  my  words  as  I  wrote  and  sent 
out  a  letter  to  a  few  people. 

In  the  meantime,  I  was  asked  to 
teach  Spanish  again  at  a  nearby 
Christian  school  in  the  area.  At  the 
same  time,  I  heard  Jim  Thomas  tell 
about  his  vision  for  "Eagle's  Nest." 
The  Lord  put  it  on  my  heart  to  give 
my  first  paycheck  to  that  project.  I 


spoke  softly  to  Him,  explaining  that 
I  had  a  dream  and  a  project  on  my 
heart  too,  but  that  I  had  heard  Him 
loud  and  clear.  I  slipped  my  first 
paycheck  in  an  envelope  and  took  it 
out  to  the  mailbox  early  the  next 
morning.  At  noon  in  our  box  there 
was  a  check  toward  my  trip  from  a 
friend  in  Bryan,  not  even  a  member 
of  our  church.  She  said  that  the 
Lord  told  her  to  give  me  this.  The 
next  day  I  received  another  offering, 
and  those  two  gifts  more  than  paid 
back  my  salary,  which  was  on  its 
way  to  "Eagle's  Nest!" 

To  shorten  the  story,  God's  Word 
to  us  in  Malachi  is  a  promise  which 
I  experienced  as  funds  began  to  roll 
in.  My  ticket  plus  the  ground  travel 
for  both  me  and  my  good  friend  and 
traveling  companion,  Louise  Bish- 
op, were  abundantly  covered,  in  ad- 
dition to  gifts  to  some  loving  and 
kind  hearts  in  Argentina,  which 
could  be  left  mostly  anonymously 
God  is  so  good!  His  promise  of 
"abundant  life"  is  real! 

The  details  all  began  to  go  togeth- 
er rapidly.  The  very  fact  that  we  had 
just  finished  an  extensive  study  on 
the  book  of  James  with  a  ladies' 
group  in  my  home  supplied  me  with 
material  for  practical  Christian  liv- 
ing, which  I  shared  happily  in  my 
"heart  language."  Louise  shared  a 
short  devotional  also  in  one  of  our 
meetings.  The  ladies  loved  her  for 
who  she  is — a  sister  in  the  Lord — 
and  because  she  began  by  saying 
"Buenos  Dias,  Amigas!" 

There  were  over  200  present  at 
the  Eden  Camp  for  the  conference. 
Then  there  were  well  over  300  at 
the  Saturday  night  banquet  at  the 
local  "Club"  in  the  "pueblo"  of  Sol- 
dini.  Space  won't  allow  for  sharing 
(continued  on  page  2) 


30th  Anniversary  (continued) 

exciting  details  of  all  that  went  on 
.  .  .  What  a  refreshing  time! 

A  plus  was  that  I  was  able  to  visit 
places  I  had  never  been  able  to  see 
all  those  years  we  lived  in  Argen- 
tina, including  the  only  Brethren 
Church  I  had  never  been  privileged 
to  visit  as  well  as  the  lovely  new 
Colon  Church. 

The  VV.M.S.  is  "alive  and  well"  in 
Argentina.  They  have  their  strug- 
gles too,  but  they  know  and  serve 
the  same  powerful  God  we  serve  .  .  . 
and  He  is  able.  I  repeat,  "God  is  so 
good."  Both  Louise  and  I  are  so 
thankful  for  all  we  experienced  be- 
cause of  the  generosity  and  prayers 
of  many  here,  as  well  as  the  good- 
ness of  God's  people  in  Argentina.  I 
can  only  say,  "Praise  the  Lord!" 

.  .  .  And  from  Louise  Bishop: 

The  Lord  is  so  very  good!  He 
blessed  me  by  allowing  me  to  be  the 
traveling  companion  (October  7-23, 
1997)  of  Marilyn  Aspinall,  who  was 
the  speaker  at  the  ladies'  30^n  an- 
niversary conference  of  the  Argen- 
tine W.M.S.  Not  only  did  Marilyn 
know  the  country  and  the  language, 
but  she  has  great  influence  also. 
Because  of  her  contacts,  our  names 
were  mentioned  twice  on  the  radio, 
so  everyone  around  Buenos  Aires 
knew  of  our  presence. 

In  addition,  there  was  an  article 
in  the  "El  Pueblo"  concerning  our 
participation,  along  with  Rev.  Reilly 
Smith,  Dr.  Buzz  Sandberg,  Dr.  Fred 
Finks,  and  ATS  friend  Harley  Ger- 
ber,  at  the  beautiful  church  in  Colon. 

As  we  were  greeted  at  the  airport 
by  our  hosts,  Alberto  and  Irma 
Sotola  and  their  daughter,  Lizzie  (a 
journalist),  I  commented  on  their 
friendliness  and  loving  spirit.  Some- 
one said,  "Everyone  in  Argentina  is 
like  this."  They  were  right. 

At  the  conference  I  found  every- 
one loving,  friendly,  open,  accepting, 
and  always  giving  gifts.  Many  spoke 
English,  but  were  hesitant  at  first. 
Their  love  and  devotion  to  the  Lord 
were  very  evident.  It  was  an  honor 
to  share  devotions  with  this  group. 
The  love  and  devotion  to  their  fami- 
lies were  examples  that  we  should 
adopt  in  North  America.  I'm  not 
very  adventuresome  in  my  choice  of 
food,  but  everything  was  delicious, 
fresh,  and  beautifully  served. 


Eusebio  and  Doris  Silvestri,  ad- 
ministrators at  Camp  Eden,  were 
excellent  hosts,  making  us  feel  at 
ease  by  supplying  our  every  need, 
going  out  of  their  way  to  feed  and 
entertain  us  during  our  stay  at  Sol- 
dini.  I  experienced  part  of  their  cus- 
tom at  the  women's  banquet.  It  was 
scheduled  to  begin  at  9  p.m.  At 
10:15  we  were  served  a  full  course 
by  appropriately  dressed  waiters. 
Another  custom  that  was  easy  to 
follow  was  the  afternoon  "siesta!" 

I  noticed  the  crowded  conditions, 
with  most  homes  gated  or  surround- 
ed by  walls.  And  housewives  went  to 
the  local  market  every  day.  In  the 
midst  of  these  crowded  conditions 
(and  terrific  traffic!))  there  were 
many  small  parks  with  green  grass 
where  families  gathered,  especially 
on  weekends.  I  was  told  that  they  do 
not  cut  down  trees  for  new  or 
widening  highways,  but  that  they 
move  them. 

We  were  privileged  to  worship  at 
the  Soldini  and  Colon  Churches, 
and  at  the  Olivos  Church  in  Buenos 
Aires,  which  meets  in  the  home  of 
Pastor  Rodriguez.  The  Colon  Church, 
which  is  one  of  the  fastest  growing 
Brethren  churches  in  Argentina,  is 
filled  with  people  enthusiastic  for 
the  Lord.  We,  along  with  the  group 
from  Ashland  and  missionary  Allen 
Baer,  were  served  a  lovely  dinner  in 
the  church's  dining  hall.  Rooms  are 
available  for  overnight  guests.  They 
have  nurses  available,  an  emer- 
gency room,  and  an  ambulance, 
which  was  provided  by  the  city  of 
Rockford,  Illinois. 

We  were  privileged  to  be  guests  at 
a  meal  with  Daniel  Rosales'  parents 
at  Villa  Constitution.  I  can  see 
where  Daniel  gets  his  heart  for 
evangelism,  as  his  mother  is  a  beau- 
tiful, humble  Christian  with  a  de- 
sire to  share  her  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

I  was  humbled  as  I  thought  about 
these  lovely  people  who  live  in  a  dif- 
ferent land  and  culture,  and  speak  a 
difference  language.  We  all  worship 
the  same  God  .  .  .  the  same  God  that 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  wor- 
shiped. God  is  so  great!  I  thank  God 
for  allowing  me  to  witness  the  great 
reunions  that  took  place  between 
Marilyn  and  her  friends  of  many 
years.  One  woman  said,  "Pinch  me, 
Marilyn.  I  can't  believe  you  are 
here." 


district  Qoityji 


Susan  Kidd,  the  SOUTHEAST- 
ERN District  President,  has  sent 
the  reminder  of  their  special  day, 
Saturday,  April  25,  hosted  by  the 
Hagerstown  W.M.S.  ladies.  The 
day's  program  begins  at  9:00  and 
concludes  at  3:30.  A  special  speaker, 
lunch,  and  a  craft  afternoon  are  in- 
cluded in  the  registration  fee  of 
$10-15.  This  is  a  good  day  for  you  to 
invite  unchurched  friends  and  other 
ladies  in  your  church  who  do  not  be- 
long to  W.M.S. 

A  brief  business  meeting  is  neces- 
sary to  (1)  review  and  accept  the  dis- 
trict goals  for  1998-99;  (2)  choose 
the  Ashland  Theological  Seminary 
scholarship  recipient;  (3)  elect  offi- 
cers; (4)  receive  the  project  offering 
for  the  new  work  starting  in  Win- 
chester, VA,  by  Mike  and  Barbara 
Woods  and  Chris  and  Heather  Scott; 
and  (5)  receive  the  district  dues  of 
$2.00  per  member. 

From  the  MIDWEST  district, 
Sara  Hanna  wrote  about  the  Ugly 
Quilt  sleeping  bags,  which  the  ladies 
of  the  Mulvane,  Kansas,  Brethren 
Church  make  for  the  district  proj- 
ect. This  "Brothers'  Keeper"  quilt- 
ing was  introduced  several  years 
ago  by  Jim  and  Flo  Wheatley  and  is 
a  real  blessing  when  they  distribute 
the  sleeping  bags  to  the  homeless  in 
the  community  for  their  warmth. 


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 


Ladies,  I  am  pleased  to  introduce  to 

you  .  .  . 

PENNY 

Penny  Knouff  is  the  literature 
secretary.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  George  (Jessie)  Solomon. 

Penny  writes,  "I  praise  the  Lord 
for  my  Christian  home  and  upbring- 
ing. I  also  thank  God  for  my  Christ- 
ian husband,  David.  We  have  been 
married  31  years  and  serve  as  dea- 
con and  deaconess  at  the  Brethren 
Bible  Church.  I  chair  the  finance 
and  pastoral  relations  committees, 
as  well  as  serving  on  our  social  com- 
mittee and  being  president  of  the 
W.M.S.  This  year  my  daughter, 
Holly,  and  I  are  co-directors  of  our 
Vacation  Bible  School." 

In  addition  to  David,  Penny's  fam- 
ily includes  her  married  daughter, 
Holly,  a  son,  one  granddaughter,  and 
two  surrogate  grandsons. 

Penny  and  Holly  have  started 
their  own  business  called  Heavenly 
Messengers.  They  make  many  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  angels  and  sell  them 
through  a  crafters  shop  and  craft 
shows.  They  wanted  the  business  to 
serve  the  Lord  in  a  special  way,  so 
each  angel  carries  a  Scripture  verse 
to  tell  the  purchasers  about  the 
Lord's  love  for  them.  Her  other  in- 
terests are  sewing  and  reading. 
David  says  that  when  Penny  starts 
to  read  a  good  book,  she  forgets  the 
world  around  her!  Prior  to  begin- 
ning Heavenly  Messengers,  Penny 
managed  two  different  bookstores. 

Penny  concludes,  "I  love  the  Lord 
and  want  to  serve  Him  to  the 
fullest.  I  have  enjoyed  preparing  the 
1998  book  list  and  appreciate  the 
opportunity  to  serve  as  the  litera- 
ture secretary."  Penny  and  her  fam- 
ily live  in  Louisville,  Ohio. 


and  .  .  . 


JANET 


Janet  Rufener  is  the  assistant 
treasurer.  Janet  was  born  and  lived 
in  Warsaw,  Indiana,  until  she  fin- 
ished fifth  grade.  During  those 
years,  she  was  reared  in  the 
Brethren  Church  and  was  baptized 
by  the  Rev.  Robert  Holsinger.  When 
Janet's  older  sister,  Beverly,  started 
Ashland  College  as  a  freshman,  the 
entire  family  moved  to  town. 

In  time,  Janet  enrolled  at  AC  for 
night  classes,  while  working  during 


the  day  at  the  Brethren  Publishing 
Company  and  then  the  Seminary 
library.  When  Janet  began  to  work 
for  General  Telephone  Company, 
she  made  a  decision  that  she  later 
regretted — she  quit  college.  She  met 
her  future  husband,  Ken,  at  GTE. 
Janet  has  also  worked  at  a  farm  im- 
plement store  and  is  currently  an 
accounts  receivable  clerk  for  Mans- 
field Plumbing  Products  in  Perrys- 
ville,  Ohio.  She  and  Ken  have  one 
son,  Christopher,  one  of  God's  bless- 
ings. He  will  graduate  from  Ashland 
University  next  year. 

Janet's  hobbies  and  interests  are 
varied:  counted  cross-stitch,  books, 
music,  growing  things,  and  travel- 
ing. She  is  a  member  of  the  Joy  Cir- 
cle at  Ashland  Park  St.  Like  many  of 
us,  after  a  hard  day  at  work,  she  is 
tired  and  ready  to  stay  at  home, 
instead  of  attending  the  meeting. 
However,  "I  am  always  blessed 
when  I  attend.  We  have  wonderful 
programs  and  we  do  good  work  for 
the  Lord  and  He  blesses  us  greatly!" 
Janet  and  her  family  live  in  Ash- 
land. 


LOOK! 


SEWING  AND  WORLD  RELIEF 

Joan  Merrill,  coordinator,  re- 
minds you  to  send  quilt  squares. 
Here  are  the  guidelines: 

(1)  Use  all-cotton  fabric.  Please  be 
sure  the  finished  size  is  at  least 
8y2"  with  design  less  than  8". 

(2)  Make  your  designs  needlework 
(embroidery,  cross-stitch,  ap- 
plique, pieced,  etc.).  Do  not  use 
fabric  paints,  etc.  The  needle- 
work adds  to  the  beauty  of  the 
projects. 

(3)  Squares  can  be  sent  anytime  to 
Joan  at  9300  S.  St.  Rt.  3, 
Muncie,  IN  43702. 

Thanks  to  all  of  you  who  have  al- 
ready sent  your  squares.  I  am  begin- 
ning to  plan  for  this  year's  auction. 

God  bless  you, 


Qfassiona/ij 

Reilly  and  Cindy  Smith  had  a  very 
enjoyable  time  visiting  in  India  and 
Malaysia.  They  appreciated  all  your 
prayers  for  their  health  and  safety 
while  traveling.  Highlights  of  their 
trip  were  meeting  Sudhir  Kumar's 
bride,  Latha;  participating  in  Sud- 
hir's  ordination;  and  dedicating  the 
new  worship  center  in  Penang  with 
David  and  Jenny  Loi. 

Reilly  recently  returned  from  a 
short  trip  to  Medellin,  Colombia, 
where  he  met  with  Marcelo  and 
Adriana  Ferreri  and  other  church 
leaders.  The  church  which  Marcelo 
pastors  was  "packed  out"  and  Reilly 
was  able  to  be  of  encouragement. 

Pray  for  Todd  and  Tracy  Ruggles, 

as  they  are  in  the  process  of  trying 
to  adopt  a  baby  in  Mexico.  They 
hope  to  hear  something  very  soon. 

Jennifer  Thomas  has  decided  to 
stay  on  with  Spearhead  in  Mexico 
City  for  another  year!  She  is  cur- 
rently helping  the  Ruggles  in  their 
ministry. 

Please  keep  Tom  and  Tiona  Con- 
rad in  your  prayers.  Tom's  father 
recently  passed  away;  his  mother  is 
in  poor  health;  and  his  brother  died 
approximately  one  year  ago.  Please 
pray  for  their  comfort  and  healing. 

Continue  to  pray  for  Tom  and 
Debbie  Sprowls  and  their  little 
family.  Their  young  congregation 
and  their  young  children  need  TLC. 

The  South  American  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  had  its  opening  serv- 
ice on  March  15  and  classes  began 
March  16!  Eduardo  and  Mariela 
Rodriguez  have  worked  hard  at  this 
task.  Please  keep  them  and  the  stu- 
dents in  your  prayers. 


Joan  Merrill 


May^June,  1998 


President's  Pen  (continued) 

Pray  without  ceasing.  In  everything 
give  thanks:  for  this  is  the  will  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus  for  you." 

When  you  read  this,  the  weather 
should  be  warm  and  we  should  be 
thinking  about  planting  our  flowers. 
I  hope  this  will  be  true.  I  am  ready 
for  some  sunshine  and  warm  weath- 
er. Watching  new  life  in  the  trees, 
flowers,  and  other  things  that  will 
be  blooming  is  really  a  beautiful 
sight  to  see.  This  is  a  time  we  need 
to  thank  God  for  so  many  things.  To 
be  able  to  SEE,  SMELL,  AND 
HEAR  all  of  the  things  of  Spring- 
time— what  a  blessing. 

There  are  so  many  things  we  take 
for  granted  each  day.  I  am  having 
some  trouble  walking,  but  I  remem- 
ber how  much  I  took  for  granted 
being  able  to  walk  to  and  from 
work.  I  will  no  longer  take  that  for 
granted. 

In  several  districts,  Conferences 
and  Rallies  are  soon,  while  in  others 
they  are  past.  These  are  good  times 
to  renew  acquaintances  with 
friends.  Make  sure  you  send  a  re- 
port of  your  rally  or  district  meeting 
to  Joan  Ronk.  We  all  love  to  read 
what  other  districts  are  doing. 

Marilyn  Aspinall,  the  W.M.S.  na- 
tional vice  president,  has  asked  for 
names  of  anyone  who  would  help  at 
General  Conference.  Marilyn  needs 
names  of  volunteers  for  special 
music,  devotions,  and  pianist  for  the 
W.M.S.  meetings.  I  am  also  looking 
for  "volunteers"  to  serve  on  the  nom- 
inating, credential,  and  auditing  com- 
mittees. Please  let  either  Marilyn  or 
me  know  if  you  can  help.  Putting 
together  the  conference  program  is 
not  an  easy  job,  so  your  volunteer 
service  will  be  very  helpful. 

I  hope  you  enjoy  your  summer 
and  I  look  forward  to  seeing  all  of 
you  at  Conference  in  Ashland  the 
week  of  August  3. 

God  Bless  You, 


PS.  I  was  just  ready  to  mail  this  to 
Joan,  when  my  husband  called  and 
said  one  of  my  doctors  had  called  to 
say  the  MRI  looked  excellent!  The 
tumor  had  shrunk,  the  fluid  was 
gone,  and  there  were  no  new  le- 
sions. He  said  the  doctors  will  meet 


again  next  week  and  discuss  this 
again.  As  it  looks  now,  they  will  not 
do  anything  for  three  months. 
Praise  the  Lord!  Thanks  again  for 
your  prayers. 

Shirley  Black 

%t  fiitbr's  Btduy 

Dear  Friend, 

The  W.M.S.  year  is  nearly  over, 
and  now  is  the  time  to  check 
progress  on  your  commitments:  for 
your  personal,  spiritual  growth,  re- 
member your  daily  devotions.  I  hope 
several  of  you  have  read  more  than 
the  suggested  two  reading  circle 
books.  They  are  outstanding.  Con- 
centrate on  visitors  and  prospective 
members — spring  and  summer 
months  are  good  times  to  acquaint 
others  with  your  organization. 
Schedules  aren't  so  crowded  and 
your  meetings  may  be  informal. 

Election  of  officers,  reports,  and 
decisions  of  conference  offerings  are 
items  which  need  consideration. 
The  names  of  your  officers  (even  if 
they  are  re-elected)  and  reports 
need  to  be  sent  to  the  general  secre- 
tary, Nancy  Hunn,  555  W  Market 
St.,  Nappanee,  IN  46550,  by  June  30. 

Your  offerings  are  used  in  this 
manner:  thank-offerings  are  distrib- 
uted to  Campus  Ministry,  Riverside 


SEE  THIS 

The  W.M.S.  Directory  (January- 
February)  needs  minor  corrections. 

Under  NATIONAL  W.M.S.  OFFI- 
CERS, Sewing  and  World  Relief  Co- 
ordinator, the  area  code  for  Joan 
Merrill  should  be:  765. 

In  the  SOUTHEASTERN  Dis- 
trict, the  S_t  Luke  society,  Bettie 
Cook's  address  should  be:  1049  Wis- 
man  Rd. 

In  the  INDIANA  District,  Nappa^ 
nee  society,  Sue  Hinton's  phone 
number  should  be:  219-773-7272. 
For  the  New  Paris  society,  the  zip 
code  for  Gerry  Swartz  should  be: 
46567-2035. 

Nancy  Hunn,  the  editor  of  the  De- 
votional Guide,  seeks  ideas  for  dif- 
ferent or  unusual  meetings,  as  well 
as  refreshment  suggestions.  Please 
send  your  ideas  to  Nancy  at  555  W. 
Market  St.,  Nappanee,  IN  46550. 


Christian  School,  and  the  W.M.S. 
Scholarship  at  Ashland  University. 
The  offering  from  the  special  min- 
istry or  service  helps  to  underwrite 
the  dean's  chair  at  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary;  dues  are  used  for 
publications  and  other  expenses. 
The  project  offering  is  designated 
for  the  Eden  Bible  Institute  (now 
called  South  American  Theological 
Seminary),  a  Brethren  theological 
school  in  Argentina. 

The  very  first  commitment,  "Have 
personal  daily  devotions,  including 
Bible  reading  and  prayer,"  is  the 
most  important  commitment.  The 
time  of  day  or  evening  doesn't  mat- 
ter, so  fit  this  time  into  your  person- 
al schedule.  If  too  much  confusion 
interferes,  read  the  Scripture  aloud 
to  yourself.  You  don't  need  to  be 
"preachy;"  it  is  a  good  aid  for  con- 
centration. 

May  and  June  are  the  family  spe- 
cial days — days  specified  to  honor 
mothers,  children,  and  fathers. 
They  are  mixed  with  graduations 
and  weddings.  Throughout  the 
Scriptures  we  can  read  guidelines 
for  our  behavior.  Paul's  letters  are 
direct  in  improving  our  relation- 
ships with  family  members,  espe- 
cially Ephesians  5  and  6. 

One  of  the  favorite  or  discourag- 
ing references  for  women  is  Prov- 
erbs 31:10-31.  Annually  part  of  this 
chapter  is  used  as  either  a  tribute  or 
a  challenge.  Changing  from  the 
dread  of  hearing  this  to  admiration, 
Mary  Hunt  {The  Financially  Confi- 
dent Woman,  Broadman  and  Hol- 
man  Pub.)  now  sees  this  section  as 
an  example  worth  emulating. 

This  year,  when  you  hear  these 
verses,  instead  of  being  chagrined  or 
pious,  read  Romans  16.  Paul's  greet- 
ings to  his  friends  in  Rome  include 
women  (Phoebe,  Priscilla,  Mary, 
Tryphena,  Tryphosa,  Julia,  and 
Persis)  who  served.  Sounds  like  the 
original  W.M.S. — women  meant  to 
serve!  So  don't  worry  about  being 
the  virtuous  woman;  be  a  worker  in 
full-time  Christian  service,  whether 
a  plumber,  doctor,  ditch-digger, 
home-maker,  tent-maker.  I  am  a 
full-time  child  of  God  and  my  daily 
work  is  dedicated  to  Him. 

Your  friend, 


(^  Joan 


Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


would  be  to  work  with  missionaries 
Marcelo  and  Adriana  Ferreri,  to  an- 
swer questions  and  offer  encourage- 
ment, and  to  meet  with  the  nation- 
al committee  to  discuss  the  Campo 
Valdes  church  and  other  issues. 

Other  notes  of  interest  about  in- 
ternational missions:  Eduardo  and 
Mariela  Rodriguez  need  a  car  for 
their  work  with  the  South  Ameri- 
can Theological  Seminary,  and  an 
effort  is  being  made  to  help  them 
obtain  one.  Jennifer  Thomas  has 
decided  to  stay  a  second  year  in 
Mexico  City  with  Spearhead.  She  is 
currently  working  with  Todd  and 
Tracy  Ruggles.  Vincent  Edwin,  son- 
in-law  of  Prasanth  and  Nirmala 
Kumar,  is  attending  a  Bible  insti- 
tute in  Export,  Pa. 

It  was  recommended  that  the 
council  provide  financial  assistance 
so  that  Sehor  Jose  Rivero,  President 
of  The  Brethren  Church  in  Argen- 
tina, could  attend  the  second  Breth- 
ren World  Assembly  in  Bridgewater, 
Va.,  this  summer,  as  well  as  General 
Conference  in  August.  {The  Execu- 
tive Board  approved  this  request.) 

Executive  Board 

The  Executive  Board  handled  var- 
ious items  referred  to  it  by  the  two 
councils,  plus  dealing  with  agenda 
items  of  its  own. 

Upon  the  recommendation  of 
both  councils,  Executive  Board 
adopted  as  policy  a  paper  entitled 
"Qualifications  and  Responsibilities 
for  Ministries  Council  Representa- 
tives," to  be  used  in  selecting  coun- 
cil members. 

The  planting  of  new  Brethren 
churches  in  Phoenix,  Ariz.,  Dela- 
ware, Ohio,  and  Douglas  County, 
Colo.,  was  approved,  as  recommend- 
ed by  the  Missionary  Ministries 
Council. 

Upon  the  recommendation  of 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary,  the 
board  voted  to  name  the  seminary's 
new  church-planting  chair  in  honor 
of  the  late  Dr.  J.  Ray  Klingensmith, 
longtime  professor  at  Ashland  Uni- 
versity and  Seminary.  This  chair  is 
being  funded  by  the  seminary  and 
The  Brethren  Church.  Dr.  Terry 
Wardle  is  the  new  associate  profes- 
sor of  church  planting  {see  p.  4). 

Budget  requests  from  both  coun- 
cils were  received  and  approved, 
subject  to  final  adoption  by  General 


Conference.  The  Congregational 
Ministries  budget  projects  income 
of  $563,600  and  total  expenses  of 
$564,255,  for  a  net  loss  of  $655.  The 
Missionary  Ministries  budget  pro- 
jects income  of  $1,011,000  and  ex- 
penses of  $1,006,681,  for  a  net  gain 
of  $4,319. 

The  task  force  for  promoting  Gen- 
eral Conference  2000  at  Estes  Park, 
Colo.,  reported  plans  to  prepare  a 
promotional  video  for  the  Confer- 
ence, a  copy  of  which  will  be  sent  to 
every  church.  It  was  noted  that 
travel  subsidy  in  its  usual  form  will 
not  likely  be  available,  but  that 
some  subsidy  funds  will  probably  be 
on  hand.  Churches  are  challenged 
to  plan  to  subsidize  their  own  dele- 


gates to  the  Conference,  including 
their  youth. 

The  task  force  to  study  Fair  Share 
and  other  alternatives  for  financing 
the  work  of  the  denomination  re- 
ported that  a  questionnaire  was 
being  prepared  to  solicit  input  for 
their  study.  {This  was  distributed 
with  the  April  3  Leadership  Letter.) 

Final  note 

If  you  have  questions  about  the 
work  of  either  of  the  ministries 
councils  or  suggestions  of  ways  they 
might  serve  the  church  more  effec- 
tive, please  contact  your  district 
council  representatives.  They  are 
your  representatives,  and  they  de- 
sire your  input.  [ft] 


New  Life  Ministries  hosts  council  to  consider 
Anabaptist  witness  in  our  postmodern  society 


U  A  NABAPTIST  WITNESS  in  a 

jLjL  Postmodern  Society"  was  the 
theme  of  the  first-ever  Anabaptist 
Evangelism  Council,  hosted  by  New 
Life  Ministries.  The  council  was 
held  February  21-22  in  Elgin,  111. 

Five  members  of  The  Brethren 
Church  were  among  the  29  people 
from  four  New  Life  Ministries  part- 
ner denominations  who  attended  the 
council.  They  were  Emanuel  Sand- 
berg,  David  West,  Dale  Stoffer,  Fred- 
erick Finks,  and  Ronald  W.  Waters. 

The  two-fold  purpose  of  the  meet- 
ing was  to  provide  a  plenary  session 
on  an  evangelism-related  theme,  and 
to  give  agencies  working  in  various 
aspects  of  evangelism  and  church 
vitality  an  opportunity  to  network. 

In  commenting  on  the  impetus 
for  the  meeting,  one  participant  re- 
called the  words  of  George  Brunk 
III  in  an  earlier  consultation — that 
Anabaptists  have,  for  70  years, 
worked  together  in  social  ministry 
around  the  world  under  an  umbrel- 
la organization,  and  perhaps  it  is 
time  for  them  to  do  likewise  in  the 
areas  of  evangelism,  congregational 
renewal,  and  church  planting. 

The  emphasis  of  the  plenary  ses- 
sion was  to  envision  a  model  for 
Anabaptist  witness  that  will  enable 
congregations  to  more  consistently 
reflect  the  transforming  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  our  postmodern 
society.  Lois  Barrett  of  the  General 
Conference     Mennonite     Church 


noted  that  the  Anabaptist  world 
view  is  "extramodern,"  standing 
outside  the  dominant  culture  of 
North  America.  "I  am  not  asking 
how  Anabaptism  might  adapt  itself 
to  postmodernism.  I  want  to  go  be- 
yond contextualization  to  talk  about 
how  we  might  be  both  noncon- 
formed and  engaged  with  the  domi- 
nant culture  around  us,"  she  said. 

Dale  Stoffer  of  The  Brethren 
Church  suggested  that  a  narrative 
approach  to  evangelism,  which  is 
thoroughly  Anabaptist,  may  be  the 
most  effective  approach.  "We  need 
to  be  able  to  tell  three  stories  well: 
God's  story  of  His  redemptive  work 
that  culminates  in  Jesus  Christ;  my 
individual  story  of  how  God's  story 
has  transformed  my  life;  and  our 
community  story  that  shows  that 
God's  story  can  authentically  re- 
shape an  entire  social  group." 

Paul  Mundey  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  emphasized  the  impor- 
tance of  developing  missionary  con- 
gregations and  leadership,  recog- 
nizing generational  preferences, 
accepting  that  we  can  offer  no  easy 
answers  to  the  challenges  of  daily 
living,  and  relating  Christology  to 
the  confusion  all  around  us.  "It's 
time  to  lift  persons  into  the  light. 
It's  time  to  lift  persons  out  of  con- 
fusion into  clarity,  out  of  error  into 
meaning,  out  of  iniquity  into  righ- 
teousness," he  said. 

(continued  on  page  9) 


April  1998 


Evangelical  leaders  face  today's  issues 

at  the  56th  annual  convention  of 
the  National  Association  of  Evangelicals 


HUNDREDS  of  Christian  leaders 
representing  49  evangelical  de- 
nominations gathered  in  Orlando, 
Fla.,  March  2-4  for  the  1998  Evan- 
gelical Summit,  the  56th  annual 
convention  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion of  Evangelicals  (NAE).  Attend- 
ing from  The  Brethren  Church  were 
Dr.  Emanuel  and  Ann  Sandberg,  Dr. 
Fred  Finks,  Rev.  David  Cooksey,  and 
Dr.  Juan  Carlos  and  Maria  Miranda. 

During  the  three-day  meeting, 
NAE  members  were  inspired,  in- 
formed, and  committed  to  united  ac- 
tion on  key  issues  of  the  day. 

At  the  opening  session  of  the  Sum- 
mit, NAE  President  Don  Argue  told 
about  his  meeting — just  days  before 
the  convention — with  Chinese  gov- 
ernment officials.  Argue  visited  six 
cities  in  China  as  part  of  a  delega- 
tion seeking  an  open  dialogue  with 
the  highest  Chinese  officials  about 
religious  freedom  in  China. 

"We  observed  [that]  for  the  'regis- 
tered' church  there  is  freedom  with- 
in the  parameters  of  'normal  religious 
activity'  as  defined  by  the  govern- 
ment," Argue  told  convention  atten- 
dees. "For  example,  those  churches 
operating  under   the   auspices   of 


China's  official  religious  organizations 
can  worship  and  teach  the  faithful 
in  places  designated  for  such  activi- 
ties. They  also  can  publish  some  re- 
ligious writing,  carry  out  works  of 
compassion  and  social  service. 

"But  for  the  'unregistered'  (house) 
churches — which  includes  most  evan- 
gelicals— those  same  freedoms  do  not 
exist.  Those  outside  the  official  sphere 
are  subject  to  pressure,  harassment, 
even  detention  or  imprisonment  for 
their  beliefs,  although  treatment  of 
local  believers  varies  widely  from 
place  to  place,"  he  said. 

"We  learned  in  our  meetings  with 
the  highest  government  officials, 
including  China's  President  Jiang 
Zemin,  that  they  realize  any  Sino- 
U.S.  talks  must  include  discussions 
about  religious  freedom.  That  is  a 
step  which  we  are  happy  for,  but  we 
know  that  we  cannot  let  up  on  the 
issue  because  millions  of  our  broth- 
ers and  sisters  still  cannot  worship 
freely  in  China,"  he  added.  "The 
National  Association  of  Evangeli- 
cals will  continue  to  speak  out 
against  persecution  of  Christians 
and  other  religious  believers  and 
take  action  on  their  behalf." 


Pornography  and  Obscenity 

(Part  of  a  resolution  adopted  by  the 
National  Association  of  Evangelicals) 
***** 
As  members  of  the  National  Asso- 
ciation of  Evangelicals,  we  are 
therefore  [for  reasons  given  in  prior 
statements]  committed  to  educating 
both  our  members  and  the  broader 
culture  about  the  harm  of  pornogra- 
phy. To  facilitate  that  commitment, 
we  encourage  our  member  denomi- 
nations to  take  official  action  at 
their  national  governing  bodies,  and 
to  implement  an  educational  proc- 
ess that  will  protect  God's  people 
from  the  impact  of  pornography. 

We  encourage  pastors  and  congre- 
gations to  protect  their  youth  and 
children  from  exposure  to  these  ma- 
terials. We  call  upon  leaders  of  busi- 
nesses, schools  and  libraries  as  well 


as  parents  to  participate  in  an  effort 
to  protect  children  and  youth  from 
being  harmed  by  these  materials. 

We  also  urge  local,  state,  and  fed- 
eral agencies  to  prosecute  aggres- 
sively those  who  break  the  law  in 
producing  and  distributing  illegal 
pornography  or  who  operate  illegal 
sex  businesses. 

Lastly,  we  call  upon  all  leaders  of 
the  broader  faith  community,  all 
persons  of  goodwill  and  especially 
representatives  of  the  evangelical 
community  to  be  "salt  and  light"  in 
protecting  people  from  the  harm  of 
pornography,  obscenity  and  sex 
businesses.  We  also  call  upon  these 
same  people  to  join  together  in  their 
own  communities  to  win  the  battle 
against  pornography  and  obscenity 
through  education,  appropriate  law 
enforcement  efforts  and  by  helping 
those  who  have  been  harmed.      [ft] 


During  the  convention  other  lead- 
ing evangelicals  also  offered  mes- 
sages of  inspiration  and  challenge  to 
NAE  members.  Author  and  thinker 
Os  Guinness  asked  why  there  are  so 
many  Christians  in  the  U.S.  whose 
faith  has  made  so  little  impact  on 
our  culture.  He  urged  evangelicals 
to  avoid  becoming  panderers  to  pop- 
ular opinions  and  trends.  Christians 
need  to  remember  that  they  solely 
serve  an  audience  of  one:  God. 
When  we  are  concerned  only  about 
serving  God,  then  we  will  have  an 
impact  on  our  world. 

Leonard  J.  Hofman,  retiring  chair 
of  NAE's  board,  challenged  mem- 


Ministry  to  Senior  Adults 

(Part  of  a  resolution  adopted  by  the 
National  Association  of  Evangelicals) 

The  senior  adult  population  in 
the  United  States  of  America  is 
growing  three  times  more  rapidly 
than  the  national  population  rate. 
In  spite  of  this  fact,  only  1%  of  the 
churches  surveyed  have  a  director 
of  adult  ministry,  while  80%  of  the 
same  churches  have  a  volunteer  or 
paid  youth  worker. 

Senior  adults  sometimes  possess 
physical  limitations  yet  one  survey 
shows  that  few  churches  provide 
ramps,  elevators,  large-print  hym- 
nals, or  adequate  sound  systems  to 
accommodate  some  of  those  needs. 
Rather  than  face  such  obstacles  to 
worship,  study  and  enrichment, 
many  senior  adults  just  do  not  go 
to  church. 

The  National  Association  of 
Evangelicals  (NAE),  in  recognizing 
the  needs  of  senior  adults,  issues  a 
call  to  its  constituent  bodies  for  the 
development  and  implementation 
of  aggressive  ministries  to  senior 
adults  which  should  include  the  fol- 
lowing minimum  objectives: 

•  The  development  of  training 
and  methodology  for  reaching 
senior  adults,  both  for  salvation 
and  spiritual  growth; 

•  An  informed  and  sensitive  re- 
sponse to  the  needs  of  senior  adults 
through  the  development  of  diverse 
local  church-based  ministries; 

•  A  spiritually-based  focus  of 
care  for  senior  adults; 

•  The  provision  of  appropriate 
ministry  opportunities  for  senior 
adults.  [ft] 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


bers  to  use  the  association's  net- 
work of  49  denominations  to  speak 
with  a  united  voice  on  current  issues; 
engage  in  racial  reconciliation;  con- 
tribute to  works  of  mercy  beyond 
the  local  church;  and  offer  an  effec- 
tive voice  to  the  U.S.  government. 

Carol  Childress,  a  demographic  ex- 
pert from  the  Leadership  Network, 
called  on  evangelicals  to  employ  new 
methods  to  reach  the  70  percent  of 
the  U.S.  population  born  after  1945 — 


Housing  for  the  Least 
of  These 

(Part  of  a  resolution  adopted  by  the 
National  Association  of  Evangelicals) 

More  than  25%  of  the  world's 
population  lacks  adequate  shelter. 
The  need  for  adequate  affordable 
housing  crosses  all  national  bound- 
aries and  generational  lines. 

Recognizing  the  necessity  to  put 
faith  into  action,  the  National  As- 
sociation of  Evangelicals  (NAE) 
seeks  to  raise  awareness  of  the 
need  for  adequate  shelter  for  fami- 
lies around  the  world.  Therefore, 
we  resolve  to  challenge  our  individ- 
ual members  and  member  organi- 
zations to  become  partners  with 
people  in  need  of  adequate  afford- 
able housing. 

This  partnership  begins  with  a 
commitment  to  regular  prayer  for 
those  in  need  of  adequate  shelter. 
We  also  suggest  participation  in  the 
observance  of  the  International 
Day  of  Prayer  and  Action  for 
Human  Habitat  on  the  third  Sun- 
day in  September  of  each  year. 

Beyond  prayer,  we  also  call  upon 
the  members  of  the  NAE  to  partner 
with  our  relief  and  development 
arm,  World  Relief,  and  other  orga- 
nizations involved  in  housing  ef- 
forts by  providing  labor  and  funds. 

Affirming  that  we  have  been 
called  to  a  living,  active  faith,  we 
seek  to  match  our  words  with  our 
deeds.  We  commit  to  proclaim  the 
good  news  of  God's  redemption  of 
humankind  with  our  mouths  and 
our  hands.  We  will  pray  for  those 
who  suffer  because  of  inadequate 
housing,  we  will  work  together  to 
build  homes  for  families  in  need  in 
our  communities,  and  we  will  give 
financially  so  that  more  families 
around  the  world  will  have  access 
to  affordable  housing.     *  *  *  *     [ft] 


Declaration  for  Public  Education 

(Part  of  a  resolution  adopted  by  the 
National  Association  of  Evangelicals) 

Whereas,  we  as  Christians  recog- 
nize our  biblical  duty  to  teach  our 
children;  and  as  citizens  of  the 
United  States  recognize  today  that 
mothers  and  fathers  desire  a  hope 
and  a  future  for  their  children; 

Whereas,  public  schools  were 
founded  as  one  of  the  means  of  edu- 
cating future  generations  to  be  ca- 
pable of  assuming  their  responsibil- 
ities as  citizens,  discover  truth  and 
develop  moral  character; 

Be   it   resolved,   as   followers   of 


Jesus  Christ,  we  accept  the  respon- 
sibility to  love  all  children  as  we 
love  ourselves,  and  to  pray  for  chil- 
dren, educators  and  public  schools; 

Be  it  further  resolved,  that  we  rec- 
ognize and  accept  our  opportunity 
as  Christians  and  citizens  to  build 
constructive  relationships  with  local 
public  schools,  to  pursue  avenues  of 
support  for  those  involved  in  public 
education  and  to  encourage  and  dis- 
ciple public  school  teachers,  admin- 
istrators and  students. 

Be  it  further  resolved,  this  em- 
phasis on  public  education  is  not  in- 
tended to  compromise  the  value  nor 
question  the  validity  of  private, 
Christian,  or  home  schools.  [ft] 


people  who  are  primarily  unchurched. 
She  described  the  world  in  which 
the  church  is  to  minister  as  one  in 
great  transition.  This  time  of  rapid 
change  requires  evangelicals  to 
reach  out  to  younger  generations  as 
if  they  were  a  mission  field;  focus 
more  on  missions  than  institutions; 
and  offer  people  the  "person"  of  Jesus 
Christ — not  church  programs. 

At  the  closing  banquet  of  the  con- 
vention, Dr.  Clive  Calver,  the  new 
president  of  NAE's  World  Relief, 
called  on  American  evangelicals  to 
mobilize  to  change  and  save  the 
world.  "Changing  nations  for  God  is 
a  present-day  possibility,  but  only 
by  standing  together  will  evangeli- 
cal churches  in  the  U.S.A.  demon- 


strate this  nation-changing  poten- 
tial," he  said. 

During  the  convention,  NAE 
members  took  action  on  several  key 
issues  of  the  day.  They  unanimously 
approved  resolutions  dealing  with 
pornography,  ministries  to  senior 
adults,  housing,  and  public  educa- 
tion. (Portions  of  these  resolutions 
are  found  on  these  two  pages. ) 

At  the  end  of  the  summit,  Chair- 
man Lamar  Vest  announced  that 
NAE  would  immediately  begin  a 
search  for  a  new  president.  This 
follows  Don  Argue's  announcement 
earlier  this  year  that  he  would  be- 
come president  of  Northwest  Col- 
lege in  Kirkland  (Seattle),  Wash., 
after  May  15,  1998.  [ft] 


Anabaptist  Evangelism  Council 

(continued  from  page  7) 
Linford  Stutzman  of  the  Mennon- 
ite  Church  stressed  the  importance 
of  a  powerful  apologetic  in  the  midst 
of  pluralism.  "In  a  free  market,  we 
can  compete  and  win  because  Jesus 
has  a  monopoly  on  truth — He  is 
truth.  He  is  the  way  of  emancipa- 
tion, and  the  church  can  demon- 
strate that,"  he  said. 

During  the  meeting,  the  various 
agencies  that  were  represented  at 
the  council  were  given  opportuni- 
ties to  share  with  one  another  about 
their  ministries  and  how  they  are 
trying  to  address  Anabaptist  wit- 
ness in  a  postmodern  world.  Breaks 
and  meal  times  also  gave  agency 
representatives  a  chance  to  network 
with  one  another  and  to  identify 
areas  of  similar  ministry. 


A  portion  of  the  meeting  was  also 
devoted  to  visioning  how  the  vari- 
ous agencies  might  effectively  work 
together  and  identifying  the  role  New 
Life  Ministries  might  play  in  foster- 
ing inter-denominational  and  inter- 
agency cooperative  ministries. 

At  the  end  of  the  council,  partici- 
pants agreed  overwhelmingly  to 
meet  again,  with  the  next  meeting 
set  for  February  20-21,  1999,  in  the 
Chicago  area. 

New  Life  Ministries,  which  host- 
ed the  council,  is  the  successor  to 
The  Andrew  Center.  The  mission  of 
New  Life  Ministries  is  to  multiply 
the  number  of  persons  turning  to 
Jesus  Christ  by  multiplying  the 
number  of  leaders  and  congrega- 
tions that  are  spiritually  alive  and 
evangelistically  effective. 

—  reported  by  Ronald  W.  Waters 


April  1998 


oodjt)0 


Jesse  Fiant,  at  100,  the  oldest  mem- 
ber of  the  College  Corner  Brethren 
Church,  with  the  two  youngest  "mem- 
bers, "  Michael  Klinger  (I.)  and  Justin 
Lawson.  Above  them  is  a  birthday 
card  for  Mrs.  Fiant  signed  by  members 
of  the  church. 

Member  at  College  Corner 
celebrates  100th  birthday 

Wabash,  Ind.  —  Jesse  Fiant,  the 
oldest  member  of  the  College  Corner 
Brethren  Church,  celebrated  her 
100th  birthday  on  March  3. 

On  Sunday  morning,  March  1, 
members  of  the  College  Corner 
Church  signed  a  huge  birthday  card 
for  Mrs.  Fiant.  Then  after  the  morn- 
ing worship  service,  they  went  to 
her  house  and  sang  "Happy  Birth- 
day" to  her  and  the  "Doxology." 

Despite  her  age,  Mrs.  Fiant  lives 
alone  and  takes  care  of  herself.  She 
is  in  relatively  good  health,  but  is  no 
longer  able  to  attend  church  serv- 
ices. She  joined  the  College  Corner 
Church  on  November  21,  1914. 

—  reported  by  Pastor  Jim  Black 


Rev.  David  West  (c.)  supervizes,  while  Jim  Cunningham  (I.)  and  Bloomingdale 
Pastor  Glenn  Rininger  get  the  floor  ready  for  new  carpet. 

Bloomingdale  Church  improves  its  facilities 
with  view  to  attracting  others  in  the  community 


Valrico,  Fla.  —  The  Bloomingdale 
Brethren  Church  of  Valrico  was 
blessed  recently  with  improvements 
to  its  facilities.  During  the  final  days 
of  February,  new  carpet  was  pur- 
chased and  installed  in  the  fellow- 
ship hall,  classrooms,  and  offices. 

The  church  had  been  collecting  a 
carpet  fund  for  a  number  of  months. 
Then  an  opportunity  arose  they 
couldn't  pass  up.  Rev.  David  West, 
Director  of  Congregational  Minis- 
tries for  The  Brethren  Church,  was 
able  to  negotiate  the  purchase  of 
carpet  at  a  fantastically  reduced 
price.  Furthermore,  Rev.  West  vol- 
unteered to  help  lay  the  carpet. 

West,  who  did  this  kind  of  work 
before  he  entered  the  pastoral  min- 
istry, was  scheduled  to  come  to 
Florida  for  the  Florida  District  Con- 
ference on  March  1.  So  he  arranged 
to  arrive  in  Florida  a  few  days  early 
to  install  the  carpet.  He  brought 
with  him  his  son  Jonathan  as  well 
as  Jim  Cunningham,  a  member  of 
the  national  Brethren  Youth  In 
Christ  Steering  Committee. 

The  finishing  touches  were  put  on 
the  project  when  Mike  Lumpiesz  of 
the  Bloomingdale  Church  painted 
the  fellowship  hall,  and  a  team  of 
men  expanded  one  of  the  classrooms 
by  removing  a  dividing  wall. 


"We  are  so  grateful  to  God  for 
working  out  all  the  details  to  bring 
this  project  about,"  said  Glenn 
Rininger,  pastor  of  the  Blooming- 
dale Church.  "From  providing  the 
funds  to  helping  David  arrange  his 
schedule  and  getting  us  a  fabulous 
price  [on  the  carpet],  the  Lord  has 
really  encouraged  the  church  by 
allowing  us  to  upgrade  our  facility.  " 

This  project  is  part  of  a  concerted 
effort  by  the  congregation  to  make 
its  church  facility  more  attractive  to 
the  surrounding  community.  Plans 
call  for  outside  painting  and  land- 
scaping, as  well  as  a  new  sign. 

Attendance  currently  averages  in 
the  upper  forties  for  Sunday  morn- 
ing worship  at  Bloomingdale.  But 
when  Bloomingdale  Avenue  is 
widened  in  1999,  the  church  will  be 
positioned  physically  to  attract 
drive-by  seekers.  "We  want  to  do  all 
we  can  to  say  to  those  who  see  our 
facility  as  they  go  by  that  we  are  an 
active  and  attractive  place  in  which 
to  worship,"  says  Pastor  Rininger. 

"When  you  come  to  Florida  on  va- 
cation or  business,  please  drop  by 
and  see  us,"  he  urges.  "There  are 
some  great  retirement  home  values 
around  here,  too!"  The  church 
building  is  located  at  1310  Bloom- 
ingdale Avenue,  E.,  in  Valrico.      [ft] 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


0ood£iG 


Janet  Solomon  to  lead 
short-term  mission  trips 

Mansfield,  Ohio  —  Former  Breth- 
ren missionary  Janet  Solomon  will 
lead  four  short-term  mission  trips 
this  summer,  three  to  Mexico  and 
one  to  London.  The  purpose  of  the 
trips  is  to  distribute  recordings  of 
the  gospel  message  to  people  who  do 
not  know  Jesus  Christ. 

In  Mexico,  various  indigenous  In- 
dian groups  will  be  targeted.  In  Lon- 
don, the  focus  will  be  on  reaching 
Muslim  immigrants  with  the  gospel. 
The  gospel  cassettes  are  recorded  in 
the  native  ("heart")  language  of  the 
people  to  whom  they  are  given.  On 
each  trip  recordings  will  be  shared 
with  approximately  300  families. 
Since  families  usually  share  these 
recordings  with  other  family  mem- 
bers and  friends,  the  300  recordings 
have  a  potential  audience  of  30,000. 

Mrs.  Solomon  still  has  openings 
on  some  of  these  trip.  Dates,  desti- 
nations, and  costs  of  the  trips  are  as 
follows:  (1)  May  27^June  14,  Cabor- 
ca,  Mexico,  $777;  (2)  June  24-July 
8,  Baja  Peninsula,  Mexico,  $777;  (3) 
July  9-28,  London,  $1,450;  (4)  July 
29-August  12,  Mexico,  $700. 

For  more  information,  contact 
Mrs.  Solomon  by  phone  at  419-756- 
5900.  [ft] 


California  Court  upholds  Scouts 

In  two  unanimous  decisions,  the 
California  Supreme  Court  ruled  in 
March  that  the  Boy  Scouts,  like 
other  private  organizations,  can 
set  its  own  standards  for  member- 
ship. Thus  Scouts  in  California  will 
not  be  coerced  to  accept  professing 
homosexuals,  atheist,  or  agnostics 
as  Scoutmasters  or  members. 

The  California  ruling  contradicts 
a  New  Jersey  Court  of  Appeals  de- 
cision handed  down  earlier  in  March 
that  compelled  Scouts  in  that  state 
to  admit  openly  homosexual  men 
into  leadership  positions.  [ft] 


California  Brethren  churches  make  history 
with  joint  Sunday  morning  worship  service 


Manteca,  Calif.  —  It  was  adver- 
tised as  "Brethren  History  in  the 
Making."  Three  Brethren  churches 
— Northgate  Community  Brethren, 
Hope  Brethren,  and  Stockton 
Brethren — coming  together  for 
Sunday  worship.  It  happened  on 
March  8,  1998. 

It  seemed  odd,  since  it  had  never 
been  done  before.  But  it  proved  to 
be  a  great  opportunity  to  celebrate 
Jesus  and  to  show  love  and  concern 
for  one  another. 

Pastor  Bernie  Tuazon  of  the  Hope 
Brethren  Church  welcomed  the  con- 
gregations and  brought  them  to 
the  throne  of  grace.  A  choir  of  25 
singers  and  musicians — known  as 
the  Fil-MAPS  Chorale  (Filipino 
Medical  &  Allied  Professional  Ser- 
vices)— provided  special  music  dur- 
ing the  service.  The  music  was  glori- 
ous; the  preaching  by  Pastor  Chuck 
Poindexter  of  the  Stockton  Church 
was  powerful;   and  the  fellowship 


was  loving.  How  good  it  is  for  broth- 
ers and  sisters  to  come  together — 
not  in  uniformity,  but  in  unity! 

Jesus  is  either  our  peace  or  He 
isn't.  We  acted  as  if  He  is.  He  has 
either  broken  down  dividing  walls, 
or  He  hasn't.  We  acted  as  if  He  has. 

The  denominational  focus  on 
World  Relief  Sunday  was  observed 
as  well.  The  offering  was  taken  in  a 
wheelbarrow  accompanied  by  a 
challenge  to  fill  it  up. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  service, 
we  packed  the  Fellowship  Hall  for  a 
soup  and  bread  luncheon.  The  menu 
offered  Philippine  soup,  Cambodian 
soup,  traditional  vegetable  soup, 
and  Navy  bean  soup. 

We  thank  God  for  His  mercy  and 
grace  that  unites  people  of  all  colors 
and  ethnic  backgrounds.  You  should 
have  seen  us — we  looked  just  like 
Jesus! 

—  Rev.  Dan  DeVeny,  Pastor, 
Noi'thgate  Brethren  Church 


To  spank  or  not  to  spank? 

Colorado  Springs,  Colo.  —  Guide- 
lines for  disciplining  children  re- 
leased recently  by  the  American 
Academy  of  Pediatrics  (AAP)  are 
grounded  in  soft  science  and  politi- 
cal correctness — not  solid  evidence, 
according  to  Focus  on  the  Family. 

The  AAP  recommended  that  par- 
ents be  discouraged  from  using 
spanking  as  a  method  of  discipline. 
AAP  recommendations  serve  as 
guides  for  physicians  and  are  often 
quoted,  cited,  and  referenced  as  fact. 

"With  this  statement,  the  AAP 
pulled  the  rug  out  from  underneath 
parents  by  bashing  the  use  of  spank- 
ing and  offering  few  options,"  said 
Dr.  Den  Trumbull,  associated  with 
Focus  on  the  Family  through  the 
Alabama  Physicians  Resource  Coun- 
cil and  a  member  of  the  AAP  "Only 
the  time-out  and  disapproval  are 
offered  as  alternatives  to  spanking 
young  children,  and  for  many  young- 
sters this  is  simply  insufficient. 

"In  producing  this  policy  state- 
ment, the  AAP  largely  ignored  the 
conclusions  from  two  recent  confer- 
ences  of  child   developmental   ex- 


perts on  corporal  punishment,  as 
well  as  established  research  on  the 
issue.  Political  correctness  and  ide- 
ology drove  the  AAP  to  prematurely 
condemn  spanking  in  these  pub- 
lished guidelines.  In  their  quest  to 
curb  parental  options,  they  have 
preempted  future  research  studies, 
and  that  is  highly  irresponsible," 
said  Trumbull. 

Focus  on  the  Family  supports  the 
appropriate  use  of  spanking  as  one 
method  to  help  parents  discipline 
children  between  the  ages  of  two 
and  ten.  According  to  the  Complete 
Book  of  Baby  and  Child  Care,  pub- 
lished by  the  Focus  on  the  Family 
Physician  Resource  Council,  "... 
spanking  is  a  tool  that  can  be  useful 
in  specific  circumstances.  However, 
some  voices  in  our  culture  condemn 
all  spanking  based  on  claims  that  it 
teaches  violence,  perpetuates  abuse, 
damages  a  child's  dignity  and  doesn't 
change  behavior.  These  criticisms  are 
valid  for  abusive  forms  of  corporal 
punishment.  .  .  .  But  when  utilized 
with  appropriate  guidelines,  spank- 
ing can  and  should  be  neither  abu- 
sive nor  damaging  to  a  child's  phys- 
ical or  emotional  well-being.         [ft] 


April  1998 


11 


vodto 


In  Memory 

John  W.  Porte,  82,  a  lifelong 
member  and  deacon  of  the  South 
Bend,  Ind.,  First  Brethren  Church, 
died  March  14. 


From  1959  to 
1967,  Mr.  Porte 
served  in  Ash- 
land, Ohio,  as 
Field  Secretary 
for  The  Breth- 
ren Church. 

A  Brethren 
pastor's  son,  he 
was  born  April 
16,      1915,     in 


John  W.  Porte 


Brighton,  Ind.,  to  Rev.  Robert  and 
Grace  Guthrie  Porte.  He  attended 
Ashland  College  and  graduated 
from  the  Indiana  School  of  Mortu- 
ary Science. 

In  1939  he  joined  the  South  Bend 
Police  Department,  retiring  in  1959 
as  chief  of  the  detective  bureau.  Fol- 
lowing his  years  of  service  for  the 
Brethren  denomination,  he  re- 
turned to  South  Bend  and  worked 
in  the  St.  Joseph  County  Adult  Pro- 
bation Office,  retiring  in  1983  as 
chief  probation  officer. 

On  January  8,  1938,  he  married 
Eleanor  Sholly,  who  survives.  He  is 
also  survived  by  their  four  children, 
six  grandchildren,  and  two  great- 
grandchildren. 

His  funeral  service  was  held  at 
the  South  Bend  First  Brethren 
Church,  with  Pastor  Larry  Baker 
officiating.  Memorial  contributions 
may  be  made  to  the  church  or  to  the 
American  Cancer  Society.  [ft] 


Masontown,  Pa.,  Brethren  Church  is  hosting 
Bible  Released  Time  for  elementary  students 


Masontown,  Pa.  —  The  Mason- 
town  Brethren  Church  has  joined 
hands  with  Child  Evangelism  Fel- 
lowship of  Fayette  County  and  Chil- 
dren's Bible 
Ministries 
of  South 
Western 
Pennsylva- 
nia to  host 
Bible  Re- 
leased Time 
for  Mason- 
town ele- 
m  e  n  t  a  r  y 
students. 

Currently 
33  students 
from  the 
3rd  and  4th 
grades  go  to 
the  church 
building 
once  a  week 


students  to  attend.  Any  Brethren 
church  interested  is  hosting  a  pro- 
gram may  contact  Rev.  Curt  Nies. 

—  reported  by  Pastor  Curt  Nies 


tf^M       n 

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:  13 

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Rip.  :*"       j^ 

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■W  '"* 

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n 

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Helping  with  the  Bible  Released  Time  program  are  (front,  I.  to  r.)  Don 
Lilley,  vol.;  Pastor  Curt  Nies;  (back,  I.  to  r.)  Sherry  Murray,  teacher;  Ed 
Harvey,  vol.;  Kelley  Chahl,  co-ordinator;  and  Janet  Burge,  secretary. 

for  an  hour  of  learning  Bible  stories, 
Christian  songs,  and  memory  verses. 
The  church  is  located  just  IV2  blocks 
from  the  school.  The  class  meets  on 
Tuesdays  from  1:50  to  2:50  p.m. 
Plans  are  to  add  the  5th  grade  to  the 
program  next  year. 

Sherry  Murray,  Child  Evangelism 
Fellowship  Director  for  Fayette 
County,  teaches  the  class.  Judy  Vir- 
gilli  of  Children's  Bible  Ministries 
has  been  a  major  organizer  for  the 
program.  Also  helping  are  Rev.  Curt 
Nies,  pastor  of  the  Masontown 
Brethren  Church,  as  well  as  five  vol- 
unteers from  the  congregation. 

Pennsylvania  state  law  allows  stu- 
dents to  be  released  from  school  for 
a  total  of  36  hours  per  year  for  reli- 
gious education.  Parental  permis- 
sion slips  are  required  in  order  for 


Christian  news  program 
being  aired  in  Russia 

Virginia  Beach,  Va.  —  Would 
you  believe,  a  Christian  news  pro- 
gram on  television  in  Russia?  Well 
believe  it,  because  it's  happening! 

Christian  World  News,  a  weekly 
news  segment  produced  by  Chris- 


tian Broadcasting  Network  in  co- 
operation with  Regent  University, 
has  partnered  with  International 
Russian  Radio  and  TV  to  launch  a 
new  international  version  in  Rus- 
sian. The  first  Russian  segment  of 
Christian  World  News  aired  on  230 
channels  across  the  Common- 
wealth of  Independent  States  at 
the  end  of  1997.  [ft] 


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I-  o>0 

w  «■  sz 


( The  Brethren^) 

Evangelis 


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Vol.120,  No.  5 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


May  1998 


Visualize  Renewal  —  In  Your  Life 


MOST  OF  US  want  to  change 
things  (or  at  least  something) 
in  our  lives.  As  I  wrote  in  the  Jan- 
uary Evangelist,  "The  Brethren 
Church  is  in  real  need  of  renewal."  I 
include  myself  as  among  those  shar- 
ing that  need.  I  want  each  one  of  us 
to  have  a  close,  personal  relation- 
ship with  God.  In  fact,  I  believe  we 
need  a  visit  from  God! 

A  life-changing  Conference 

I  believe  our  General  Conference 
this  summer  will  bring  Brethren  be- 
livers  into  a  new  relationship  with 
God's  Spirit.  The  Conference  is  be- 
ing planned  as  a  Brethren  celebra- 
tion of  God's  power  to  revive,  re- 
store, and  redirect  His  people.  I 
want  you  to  come  and  participate  in 

is  celebration.  I  believe  that  if  you 
do,  your  life  will  never  be  the  same. 

The  general  theme  of  the  Confer- 
ence will  be  "Visualize  Renewal." 
Each  day  of  the  week-long  celebra- 
tion will  focus  on  a  specific  relation- 
ship we  want  to  change: 

Monday — Renew  Our  Heart 

Tuesday — Renew  Our  Family 

Relationships 

Wednesday — Renew  Our  Spirit 

Thursday — Renew  Our  Heart  for 

the  Lost 

Friday — Renew  Our  Church 

The  worship  sessions  will  set  the 
stage  for  great  messages  of  inspira- 
tion. The  speakers  will  move  our 
hearts  and  minds,  as  we  consider 
our  own  lives,  including  the  vision 
we  have  of  the  future. 

•  Dr.  Terry  Wardle,  new  to  the 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary  fac- 
ulty, with  years  of  experience  in 
Christian  renewal  and  restoration, 
will  tell  us  how  God  can  renew  our 
hearts. 


By  Emanuel  W.  Sandberg 

•  Dr.  Bruce  Wilkinson,  founder 
and   president   of  Walk   Thru  the 
Bible  Ministries,  will  speak  to  us 
about      family      and      hus- . 
band/wife        relationships 
and    lead    workshops    for 
families  and  men. 

•  Dr.  Richard  Parrott, 
who  heads  up  the  doctoral 
studies  program  at 
Ashland  Theological 
Seminary,  will  help  us 
see  how  God  can  renew 
our  spirits. 

•  Dr.    Clive   Calver, 
president     of     World 
Relief  Corporation  and 
a  gifted  communicator, 
will  help  us  see  the  need 
for  our  mission  and  relief  services 
throughout  the  world  and  how  we 
can  Renew  our  Heart  for  the  Lost — 
those  who  do  not  yet  know  Jesus. 

•  David  West,  Director  of  Congre- 
gational Ministries  for  The  Breth- 
ren Church,  will  share  his  insights 
with  regard  to  the  potential  of  a  re- 
newed Brethren  Church. 

An  event  to  talk  about 

The  music,  the  worship  sessions, 
the  prayers,  the  workshops,  the 
messages  will  blend  together  in  a 
celebration  of  Christian  love,  chal- 
lenge, and  renewal,  which  I  believe 
will  change  the  mind  and  heart  of 
everyone  who  attends.  You  will  not 
want  to  Go  home — but  when  you  do, 
you  will  go  home  a  different  person. 

I  am  excited!  I  believe  we  are 
going  to  have  an  experience  at  the 
1998  General  Conference  that  will 
renew  lives.  It  will  be  an  event  we 
will  talk  about  for  years  to  come. 

Therefore,  I  urge  you  to  come. 
Bring  your  children,  including  those 


who  have  moved  away  from  home. 
And  bring  families  that  have  moved 
away  from  the  church.  Get  the  new 
families  in  your  church  to  come. 
Urge  anybody  who  wants  to  revive, 
renew,  and  restore  his  or  her  life  to 
join  the  celebration  at  our 
1998  Conference. 

In  the  article  in  the  Jan- 
uary issue  of  the  Evange- 
list that  I  referred  to  previ- 
ously, I  said,  "Renewal 
comes  from  God's  in- 
tervention, not  from 
man's  good  works." 
We  can,  however,  be 
agents  of  God's  will 
and  facilitators  of  God's 
action.  This  year's  Con- 
ference is  being  organized 
with  those  facts  in  mind.  This 
celebration  will  revive,  renew,  and 
restore  our  lives,  with  God's  help. 
The  important  thing  is  that  God  has 
been  invited  to  attend  our  1998 
General  Conference,  and  He  has 
been  invited  to  participate! 
The  door  is  open  for  each  one  of  us. 
Visualize  what  renewal  would  mean 
in  your  life — and  come  to  our  1998 
Conference  to  get  it  started!        [  ft] 

Dr.  "Buzz"  Sandberg  is  Executive 
Director  of  The  Brethren  Church. 


Inside  this  issue 

Thoughts  on  renewal 

2 

Upon  this  rock 

3 

God's  call  to  Phoenix 

4 

A  celebration  in  Argentina 

5 

Summer  Ministries 

6 

Finances  out  of  control? 

8 

Around  the  denomination 

9 

Thoughts  on  Renewal 


v 


By  Robert  Stafford 


The  following  article  by  Rev. 
Stafford  was  received  in  response  to 
earlier  articles  in  the  Evangelist 
about  renewal.  Rev.  Stafford  served  as 
a  Brethren  pastor  until  1993,  when 
cancer  forced  him  to  retire.  He  now 
ministers  to  people  over  the  internet, 
and  is  "Cyber-Pastor"  to  people  around 
the  world.  (See  "From  Seeking  Help  to 
Sharing  Hope"  on  page  6  of  the  Jan- 
uary 1998  Evangelist.) 

I  AM  EXCITED  about  renewal  be- 
ing the  theme  for  The  Brethren 
Church.  I've  gone  by  many  church 
buildings  with  signs  out  front  pro- 
claiming that  there  would  be  "re- 
vival" during  a  certain  week.  I  often 
wondered  how  they  managed  to  trap 
the  Holy  Spirit  into  a  time  schedule 
to  fit  their  calendar.  Renewal  is  some- 
thing that  must  take  place  continu- 
ally within  followers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

But  I  wonder  if  we  really  under- 
stand what  is  necessary  in  order  for 
renewal  to  begin  within  our  individ- 
ual lives.  It  cannot  be  mere  rhetoric; 
it  requires  true  understanding  and 
transformation  within  the  believer. 
We  profess  many  things  with  our 
mouths  that  we  don't  practice  in 
our  daily  lives.  We  talk  about  loving 
others,  but  I  wonder  if  most  of  us 
really  do.  Do  we  really  love  the  un- 
saved? Do  we  have  true  compassion 
for  them  in  their  lostness? 

Recently  I  received  a  letter  from  a 
friend  in  Arizona.  Her  oldest  son 
will  be  released  from  prison  next 
month,  and  her  youngest  son  will 
enter  that  institution  at  the  same 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 
(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450; 
e-mail:  brethren@bright.net).  Authors'  views  are 
not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
Editor:  Richard  C.  Winfietd.  Subscription  rates: 
Sent  free  to  Brethren  Church  members;  $15.00 
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OH  44805-3792. 


time.  But  her  biggest  complaint  is 
that  her  church  "friends"  don't 
spend  time  with  her.  She  knows  that 
she  needs  what  they  have,  but  ac- 
cording to  her,  they  aren't  willing  to 
share  it  with  her. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  we 
probably  don't  love  a  lot  of  people 
the  way  we  should.  A  number  of 
years  ago  I  picked  up  a  refrigerator 
magnet  that  spoke  volumes  of  truth 
in  one  sentence.  It  was  a  picture  of  a 
fat  cat  on  a  purple  background.  It 
said,  "God  loves  you!  And  I'm  try- 
ing." If  we  were  truly  honest  with 
ourselves,  we'd  have  to  confess  that 
this  is  true  of  us. 

Forgiving  and  forgetting 

I  question  many  things.  In  fact, 
I've  often  gotten  myself  into  trouble 
by  questioning  things.  One  thing  I 
question  is  the  statement,  "God  for- 
gives and  God  forgets."  Think  about 
this  for  a  minute.  IF  God  can  forget, 
then  He  doesn't  know  everything 
and  He's  not  omniscient  (all  know- 
ing). I  searched  the  Scriptures  to  see 
if  they  said  anywhere  that  God  for- 
gives and  forgets.  I  couldn't  find  it. 
I  did  find  a  couple  of  verses  that  say 
something  similar. 

"No  longer  will  a  man  teach  his 
neighbor,  or  a  man  his  brother, 
saying,  'Know  the  Lord,  '  because 
they  will  all  know  me,  from  the 
least  of  them  to  the  greatest, "  de- 
clares the  Lord.  "For  I  will  for- 
give their  wickedness  and  will  re- 
member their  sins  no  more. " 

Jeremiah.  31:34,  ntv 

"For  I  will  forgive  their  wicked- 
ness and  will  remember  their  sins 


no  more. 


Hebrews  8:12,  niv 


Scripture  doesn't  say  that  God 
"forgets";  it  says  that  He  will  "re- 
member no  more."  Forgiveness  is  an 
act  of  the  will.  What  the  Bible  says 
is  that  God  will  forgive  our  wicked- 
ness and  not  bring  it  up  again.  This 
is  not  because  God  has  forgotten  our 
sins,  but  because  we  are  in  a  differ- 
ent relationship  with  Him  because 


of  His  forgiveness.  He  chooses  not 
to  bring  up  the  past.  Jesus  never 
brings  up  the  past  sins  or  failures  of 
those  who  come  to  Him  for  forgive- 
ness. By  an  act  of  His  will,  by  an  act 
of  grace,  He  overlooks  them. 

But  I  have  a  hard  time  forgetting 
when  people  have  done  me  wrong. 
Many  years  ago,  in  my  first  pas- 
torate, the  treasurer  and  I  didn't  get 
along  very  well.  Then  one  day  he 
came  to  the  parsonage  and  asked  me 
to  forgive  him  for  all  that  we  had 
gone  through.  Of  course,  you  have 
to  forgive  someone  if  they  ask  you 
to,  don't  you?  But  the  next  time  we 
met,  I  found  myself  in  wild  emo- 
tions. I  realized  that  through  an  act 
of  our  wills,  we  were  in  a  different 
relationship.  I  now  had  to  treat  him 
differently  and  with  a  lot  more  com- 
passion than  before. 

I  think  that  one  of  the  things 
holding  us  back  is  the  past — our 
own  past  and  the  past  of  others  with 
whom  we  have  come  into  contact. 
Most  of  our  churches  are  small,  and 
we  know  most  of  the  people  who  live 
around  us.  Some  of  us  have  been 
"burned"  by  those  in  our  communi- 
ties. What  I'm  afraid  of  is  that  we 
don't  really  care  if  those  who  have 
hurt  us  are  going  to  hell.  We've  lost 
any  sense  of  grace  toward  them. 
We've  forgotten  how  much  we  are  to 
forgive  because  of  the  One  who  has 
forgiven  us. 

Grace  ceases  to  be  grace  if  God 

is  compelled  to  withdraw  it  in  the 

presence  of  human  failure  and  sin. 

Lewis  Sperry  Chafer 

Renewal  will  come  only  when 
three  things  happen  in  individuals 
within  the  church.  We  must  see  God 
as  He  really  is.  We  must  see  our- 
selves as  God  sees  us.  And  we  must 
see  the  world  as  God  sees  it.  Only 
when  these  three  things  happen  will 
there  be  genuine  renewal  within  our 
world.  [ft] 


I  used  to  think  that  God's  gifts 
were  on  shelves  one  above  the  other, 
and  that  the  taller  we  grew  in 
Christian  character,  the  more  easily 
we  could  reach  them.  I  now  find 
that  God's  gifts  are  on  shelves  one 
beneath  the  other,  and  that  it  is  not 
a  question  of  growing  taller  but  of 
stooping  lower.  _  F  B  Meyer 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Upon  This  Rock 

By  Dan  Lawson 


A  WELL-KNOWN  INSURANCE 
company  urges  people  to  "Get 
a  piece  of  the  rock."  A  rock  is  the 
company's  emblem.  It  symbolizes 
strength  and  security.  People  in 
the  company's  commercials  are 
often  asked  if  they  own  a  piece  of 
the  rock. 

Matthew  16  records  an  occasion 
when  Jesus  asked  His  disciples 
who  they  thought  He  was.  Simon 
replied,  "You  are  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God"  (Matt.  16:16). 
Jesus  told  Simon  that  he  was 
blessed,  and  then  He  gave  Simon 
that  name  which  has  since  become 
a  legend,  the  name  "Peter"  (Matt. 
16:18). 

Just  a  little  rock 

A  close  investigation  of  this  pas- 
sage gives  us  unique  insights  into 
our  individual  roles  in  God's  king- 
dom. Verse  18  records  that  Jesus 
told  Simon  that  he  is  "Petros." 
And  then  Jesus  said,  "Upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  church."  In 
speaking  to  Simon,  Jesus  actually 
used  two  slight  variations  on  the 
same  word.  He  calls  Simon  "Pet- 
ros" (Peter),  which  literally  means 
"little  rock."  Then  He  says,  "Upon 
this  'petra'  [meaning  big  rock 
or  many  rocks]  I  will  build  my 
church." 

This  was  no  slip  of  the  tongue  by 
our  Lord  and  Master.  Jesus  was 
very  deliberate  in  what  He  said. 
Peter's  confession  of  faith  in  Jesus 
as  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God  was  just  one  of  millions  that 
would  follow.  This  is  why  Jesus 
said  that  Peter  was  a  little  rock — 
one  of  many  rocks  or  a  little  piece 
of  the  big  rock — upon  which  He 
would  build  His  church. 

If  this  interpretation  is  correct, 
then  Jesus  was  not  making  Peter 
the  first  bishop  of  the  church.  Nor 
was  He  conferring  any  special  title 
on  Peter.  In  fact,  I  think  the  name 


Peter  just  happened  to  be  a  nick- 
name that  stuck  with  Simon  after 
this  conversation. 

What  Jesus  was  actually  doing 
here  was  teaching  all  of  us  how  He 
would    build    His    kingdom.    He 

*• 

"I  firmly  believe  there  is 
someone  you  know  who 
may  not  go  to  heaven 
if  you  do  not  tell  that 
person  about  Jesus. 
Your  confession  of  faith 
is  the  very  thing  that 
person  needs  to  help 
him  or  her  become  part 
of  the  church  that 
Christ  is  building." 

builds  that  kingdom  not  on  any 
particular  person,  but  with  each 
believer's  confession  of  faith.  That 
includes  you  and  me.  Jesus  said 
that  He  would  build  His  church 
upon  the  confession  of  faith  that 
each  of  us  makes  in  Him  as  Christ. 
And  He  still  continues  to  do  this. 

What  this  comes  down  to  is  that 
Jesus  is  building  a  little  piece  of 
His  church  upon  you.  Without 
your  confession  of  faith,  He  has  no 
foundation,  no  basis,  no  rock  upon 
which  He  can  build  His  church. 
Your  confession  of  faith  in  Jesus  is 
the  vital  building  block  that  Jesus 
is  using  today  to  make  His  church 
strong.  If  you  fail  to  confess  Him, 
you  leave  a  hole  in  His  church  big 
enough  for  the  enemy  to  walk 
through. 

Many  rocks  make  a  wall 

While  on  a  mission  trip  to  the 
Dominican  Republic,  I  had  the  op- 
portunity to  help  lay  stones  for  a 
wall  of  a  house.  Laying  a  stone 
wall  is  not  difficult.  The  secret  is 


simple:  many  stones  make  a  wall. 
In  fact,  I  discovered  that  in  build- 
ing a  wall,  little  stones  are  just  as 
important  as  big  ones.  When  we 
look  at  a  stone  wall,  we  notice  the 
big  stones.  But  the  truth  is  that 
the  big  stones  would  not  stay  in 
place  without  the  little  ones.  The 
little  stones  help  prop  up  the  big 
stones.  They  hold  the  big  stones  in 
place  and  fill  in  the  gaps  that  the 
big  rocks  leave. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  church 
that  Christ  is  building.  Each  one 
of  us,  by  our  confession  of  faith  in 
Christ,  is  a  stone  that  He  uses. 
Without  your  stone,  the  wall  just 
might  fall  down.  If  you  withhold 
your  stone,  you  not  only  leave  a 
hole  in  the  wall  big  enough  for  the 
enemy  to  walk  through,  but  you 
let  someone  else  down. 

Without  your  stone,  someone 
else  may  not  become  part  of 
Christ's  church.  I  firmly  believe 
there  is  someone  you  know  who 
may  not  go  to  heaven  if  you  do  not 
tell  that  person  about  Jesus.  Your 
confession  of  faith  is  the  very 
thing  that  person  needs  to  help 
him  or  her  become  part  of  the 
church  that  Christ  is  building. 

The  gates  of  hell 

The  gates  of  hell  swing  open 
wide  to  accommodate  the  souls  of 
the  damned.  Picture  in  your  mind 
those  huge,  foreboding  gates  reach- 
ing out  like  great  arms  that  sweep 
the  souls  of  the  lost  into  hell.  Now 
picture  in  your  mind  a  huge  stone 
wall  built  across  the  opening  of 
hell,  pinning  the  gates  shut  and 
not  allowing  them  to  swing  open. 

Jesus  says  in  Matthew  16:18 
that  this  is  exactly  what  He  is 
doing  with  your  confession  of 
faith.  You  are  a  stone  in  His  wall,  a 
wall  that  will  forever  seal  the 
gates  of  hell  shut.  I  don't  know 
about  you,  but  I'd  rather  be  a  little 
rock  in  that  wall  than  a  boulder 
anywhere  else!  [ft] 

Dr.  Lawson  is  pastor  of  the  Jef- 
ferson Brethren  Church  of  Goshen, 
Indiana.  This  is  part  of  a  series  of 
articles  by  Dr.  Lawson  in  which  he 
applies  Bible  truth  to  our  personal 
lives. 


May  1998 


The  Call  of  God 
Leading  Us  to  Phoenix 

By  Rev  James  Miller 


^ 


GOD  HAS  CALLED  US  to  plant  a 
church  in  Phoenix,  Arizona,  in 
order  to  reach  the  lost  for  Christ.  I 
don't  know  any  other  way  to  say  it. 

Let  me  tell  you  how  this 
came  about.  My  wife,  Ann,  and 
I  love  to  tell  this  story,  and  we 
would  love  to  tell  it  to  you  in 
person.  I  hope  this  account 
will  do  justice  to  the  way  God 
has  worked  this  out. 

Ann  and  I  have  felt  rather 
unsettled  for  some  time,  not 
quite  sure  what  God  wanted 
us  to  do.  Church  planting  was 
always  a  possibility,  but  I  did 
not  feel  any  clear  call  to  that. 
And  Ann  was  ready  for  a  rest 
(floating  in  an  inner  tube  in  a 
mountain  lake,  she  says!). 

But  everything  changed  last 
August  at  General  Confer- 
ence. One  of  the  speakers, 
Rev.  Hal  Seed  from  New  Song  Com- 
munity Church  in  San  Diego,  Calif, 
told  how  God  had  broken  his  heart 
for  lost  people,  and  how  New  Song 
Church  was  started  in  order  to 
reach  those  lost  people.  The  whole 
time  he  was  talking,  I  kept  thinking, 
"Man,  this  is  what  I  have  always 
wanted  to  do.  This  is  the  kind  of 
church  I  have  always  wanted  to  be 
involved  in!"  God  was  reigniting  a 
call  to  church  planting  that  I  had 
felt  way  back  in  1978.  The  next  night 
Ann  and  I  committed  ourselves  to 
pursuing  this  kind  of  ministry. 


Later  that  same  day,  John  Crowe,  a 
friend  from  Phoenix,  showed  up  on 
our  doorstep.  He  began  telling  me 
how  he  and  his  wife  were  at  a  cross- 


plants — and  certainly  not  on  mine. 
It  was  too  far  away!  But  when  John 
left  that  Sunday  night,  I  had  turned 
to  Ann  and  said,  "You  know,  I 
wouldn't  be  surprised  if  we  ended 
up  in  Phoenix." 

At  the  end  of  October,  Brethren 
Missionary  Ministries  sent  us  to 
Dynamic  Church  Planting  Interna- 
tional in  San  Diego  to  be  assessed 
and  trained  as  church  planters.  Two 
days  after  we  got  home,  we  contact- 
ed Glenn  and  Sarah  Black  at  the 
Nappanee,  Indiana,  First 
Brethren  Church  to  ask  them 
to  consider  coming  with  us  as 
full-time  staff  members  of 
this  new  church.  We  told 
them  we  were  considering 
Phoenix  as  a  location. 

"Wow,  that's  interesting!" 
Glenn  replied.  "Sarah  and  I 
have  been  praying  for  the  last 
year  about  church  planting, 
and  we've  been  specifically 
praying  about  the  southwest 
and  Phoenix." 


But  where? 

The  next  question  was,  "Where?" 
Where  did  God  want  us  to  plant  a 
church.  Over  the  next  six  weeks,  we 
prayed  about  several  possibilities, 
some  of  which  were  very  appealing. 
But  God  closed  the  door  on  all  of 
them!  On  Sunday  morning,  Septem- 
ber 25,  feeling  a  bit  frustrated  by 
this  turn  of  events,  I  asked  God  to 
show  us  where  He  wanted  us  to  go. 
I  told  Him  that  we  were  willing  to 
go  anywhere. 

Well,  God  didn't  waste  any  time. 


Rev.  Jim  and  Ann  Miller  with  their  children:  (I.  to  r.) 
Bryan  (14),  David  (11),  Jim,  Luke  (9),  Ann,  and  Annie  (7). 
For  the  past  14  years  Rev.  Miller  has  served  as  pastor  of 
the  Carmel,  Indiana,  Brethren  Church. 

roads  in  their  lives  with  regard  to 
their  church  and  with  regard  to  the 
direction  God  was  leading  them. 

The  whole  time  John  is  telling  me 
his  story,  the  Spirit  is  nudging  me  to 
tell  him  ours.  So  I  did,  telling  him 
about  our  call  to  church  planting. 
Then  I  said,  "John,  I  don't  believe  in 
coincidence.  Could  God  have  put 
you  on  my  couch  tonight  because  He 
wants  us  to  consider  planting  a 
church  together?" 

"Wow,  that's  wild!"  John  replied. 
Then  he  began  to  talk  about  all  the 
possibilities.  We  prayed  about  what 
God  might  do,  and  then  John  left. 

Several  days  later,  I  e-mailed  John 
and  asked  him  to  continue  praying. 
I  told  him  that  I  was  convinced  that 
he  had  been  in  my  living  room  for  a 
reason,  even  if  it  was  not  in  order  to 
help  plant  a  church.  He  e-mailed  me 
back  a  couple  of  days  later  to  say, 
"Let's  do  it!  We're  on  board!  What 
do  you  want  to  do?  Where  do  you 
want  to  do  it?  What's  the  next  step?" 

I  found  myself  praying  about  the 
possibility  of  planting  a  church  in 
Phoenix,  a  place  that  wasn't  on  the 
Brethren   list   of  potential   church 


More  confirmation 

So  now  God  is  beginning  to 

push  us  to  the  southwest.  But 

I    must    have    been    pretty 

dense,  because  more  confirmation 

was  still  to  come. 

Ann  and  I  flew  out  to  Phoenix  in 
November,  seeking  God's  final  con- 
firmation. We  were  asking  God  for 
several  different  things  (for  exam- 
ple, scriptural  confirmation  and  de- 
nominational approval)  so  that  we 
could  be  assured  of  His  will.  Neon 
lights  flashing  a  message  from  God 
would  have  been  good!  But  He  did 
something  even  more  special. 

We  ate  dinner  at  the  home  of  Tom 
and  Jenny  Grumbling,  friends  of 
ours  who  live  in  the  East  Valley 
of  Phoenix.  Tom  told  us  that  his 
brother  Wayne,  knowing  that  we 
were  considering  church  planting  in 
Phoenix,  had  called  Tom  and  asked 
him  if  he  would  be  interested  in 
helping  with  a  new  work  there.  Tom 
said  he  had  told  his  brother  that  he 
wasn't  really  interested  in  doing 
that — unless  God  sent  someone  like 
Jim  Miller  to  start  the  work! 

Isn't  God  good?  And  since  that, 

He's  done  other  things  to  confirm 

His  call — like  having  people  call  us 

and  say,  "We  hear  you're  going  to 

(continued  on  next  page) 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


V 


Argentine  Brethren  celebrate  launch 
of  South  American  Theological  Seminary 

By  Eduardo  and  Mariela  Rodriguez 


J 


ON  MARCH  15,  1998,  at  the 
"Sanctuary  of  Faith"  (the  Breth- 
ren church)  in  Colon,  Argentina,  a 
gathering  was  held  to  celebrate  the 
launching  of  the  South  American 
Theological  Seminary  as  an  aca- 
demic institution  at  the  national 
level  and  to  celebrate  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  1998  schedule  of  classes 
of  the  seminary. 

Present  for  the  celebration  were 
members  of  the  various  national 
committees  of  The  Brethren  Church 
of  Argentina.  Also  in  attendance 
were  groups  of  students,  approxi- 
mately 70  in  all,  representing  each 
local  church  that  will  function  as  a 
center  of  studies  for  the  South 
American  Theological  Seminary. 
The  entire  congregation  rejoiced 
with  these  students,  who,  for  the 
next  three  years,  will  be  dedicated 
to  their  academic  and  spiritual 
preparation  in  order  to  serve  God 
and  The  Brethren  Church. 

It  was  truly  a  time  of  celebration 
for  the  people  of  God.  The  overall 
theme  for  the  evening  was  "Praise 
God  for  His  Faithfulness."  The  occa- 
sion was  an  answer  to  the  prayers  of 
many  brothers  and  sisters  in  The 


Mariela  and  Eduardo  Rodriguez 
Brethren  Church  of  Argentina,  who 
have  desired  for  some  time  an  aca- 
demic program  that  would  suit  the 
needs  of  our  churches. 

Each  group  of  students  had  an  op- 
portunity to  say  a  few  words.  One 
student  expressed  better  than  any- 
one else  the  benefit  of  this  program 
of  studies.  She  said,  "For  the  first 
time,  being  such  a  numerous  group 
of  students,  we  are  going  to  be  unit- 
ed not  only  in  Spirit,  but  also  in  the 
reflection  on  and  study  of  the  Word 


(continued  from  previous  page) 
Phoenix  to  plant  a  church.  Can  we 
come  along?" 

That's  why  I'm  writing  this  ar- 
ticle. I  believe  that  God  is  calling 
people  to  join  the  leadership  team 
that  will  plant  a  church  to  reach 
lost  people  in  Phoenix.  Thirteen 
people  have  already  committed 
themselves  to  serve  on  our  core 
team.  Twenty  to  twenty-five  others 
are  praying  about  the  possibility. 
We  believe  there  are  others  whom 
God  is  calling  to  Phoenix  to  help 
plant  this  church,  others  who 
have  the  same  vision,  the  same 
heart  to  reach  the  lost  that  we 
have.  It  could  be  you! 


If  you  sense  God's  call  to  this 
work,  or  if  you  would  like  more  in- 
formation to  help  you  make  your 
decision,  you  can  obtain  an  infor- 
mation packet  and  a  core  applica- 
tion form  by  calling  me  at  317- 
848-7211,  or  by  e-mailing  us  at 
JimMAnnM  @  aol .  com . 

After  we  shared  this  story  with 
a  couple  here  in  Indianapolis,  the 
husband  said,  "Man,  are  you 
ready  for  what  God  is  preparing  to 
do  there?" 

Whatever  He  does,  He's  now 
paving  the  way  for  a  vital  work 
that  will  impact  lost  people  for  His 
kingdom.  If  He's  calling  you,  we 
want  you  to  be  a  part  of  it.        [ft] 


through  an  academic  program  in 
common." 

The  first  trimester  of  classes  has 
already  begun,  with  excellent  com- 
ments and  responses  from  the  stu- 
dents. In  all,  140  students  filled  out 
the  entrance  application!  The  chal- 
lenge now  before  us  is  for  Brethren 
Missionary  Ministries,  The  Brethren 
Church  in  the  United  States,  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary,  The 
Brethren  Church  of  Argentina,  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  South  Ameri- 
can Theological  Seminary,  and  the 
directors  to  continue  working  to- 
gether to  support  financially  the 
many  who  can  continue  studying 
only  if  they  obtain  scholarships. 

We  cannot  thank  enough  those 
who  participated  in  that  glorious 
evening  at  the  1997  General  Confer- 
ence in  South  Bend,  Indiana.  On 
that  occasion  Dr.  Finks  challenged 
us  to  achieve  something  difficult  to 
believe— an  offering  of  $20,000  to 
help  fund  a  theological  seminary  in 
Argentina.  We  all  know  the  results: 
that  figure  was  reached  and  even 
surpassed.  Even  now,  many  people 
continue  to  participate  by  contribut- 
ing to  the  project. 

The  realization  of  a  dream 

Today,  with  much  happiness,  we 
can  say  that  we  are  beginning  to  see 
realized  what  was  only  a  dream  in 
August  1997.  The  words  of  Paul  to 
the  Corinthians  can  be  ours  for  you: 
"[We]  had  confidence  in  all  of  you, 
that  you  would  all  share  [our]  joy" 
(2Cor.  2:3b). 

May  this  article  go  out  as  an  ex- 
pression of  gratitude  to  the  Lord 
and  to  all  of  the  brothers  and  sisters 
who  have  made  possible  the  birth  of 
the  South  American  Theological 
Seminary.  [ft] 

Eduardo  and  Mariela  Rodriguez 
are  the  directors  of  the  South  Amer- 
ican Theological  Seminary. 


May  1998 


Summer  Ministries  Program 


Summer  Ministries 
and  The  Brethren  Church 


By  David  L.  West 


J 


MANY  PEOPLE  WONDER 
where  the  youth  of  today  are 
heading.  While  I  cannot  speak  for 
all  the  young  people  in  America,  I 
can  tell  you  where  some  of  our 
Brethren  young  people  will  be 
spending  part  of  their  summer. 

This  is  a  new  day  in  our  summer 
short-term  missions  program.  We 
are  going  to  some  new  places  as  well 
as  some  familiar  ones.  For  the  fifth 
consecutive  year  a  team  will  serve  in 
Juarez,  Mexico,  where  Brethren 
having  been  making  a  difference  for 
the  past  four  years. 

The  new  for  this  year  comes  in 
the  form  of  an  inner-city  mission 
work  in  Memphis,  Tenn.,  where  we 
will  partner  with  New  Song  Baptist 
Church  in  touching  the  lives  of 
underprivileged  neighborhood  kids. 
We  also  will  be  making  a  historic 
first  trip  overseas  to  the  island  of 
Jamaica.  On  this  trip  we  will  be 
working  with  Christian  Service  In- 
ternational of  Muncie,  Indiana.  Also 
this  year  we  have  a  number  of 
adults  answering  the  call  to  short- 
term  mission  service.  They  will  serve 
not  only  as  team  leaders  and  chap- 
erones,  but  also  as  team  members. 

In  addition  to  the  mission  trips, 
we  will  also  have  Crusaders  active 
in  three  districts,  and  two  partici- 
pants in  the  Young  Adult  Intern 
program. 

At  this  point  I  want  to  thank  the 
churches  for  your  substantial  re- 
sponse to  the  request  for  Prayer 
Warriors.  Many  people  have  signed 
up  to  pray  for  these  teams  as  they 
serve  God  and  the  people  He  loves — 
the  lost. 

MISSION  TEAMS 

Memphis,  Tennessee 
June  20-27 

Brad  Whitehead,  associate  pastor 
of  the  Goshen,  Ind.,  First  Brethren 
Church,  will  lead  this  team  to  Mem- 


phis. The  team  will  partner  with  a 
small  inner-city  Baptist  church  in 
leading  Backyard  Bible  Clubs  twice 
a  day  for  one  week. 

Team  members  are  Sarah  Davis, 
Elizabeth  Esch,  Tony  Paul,  Adam 
Garner,  Jesse  Davis,  Jeff  Estep,  and 
Jason  Bryant.  All  are  from  the  First 
Brethren  Church  of  Elkhart,  Ind. 
Don  and  Laura  Fisk,  adults  from 
Elkhart  First  Brethren,  will  assist 
Pastor  Brad  and  the  team. 

This  mission  outreach  will  touch 
the  lives  of  young  people  that  live  in 
a  drastically  different  social  and  eco- 
nomical environment.  The  team  is 
expecting  big  things  from  this  trip, 
both  for  themselves  and  for  those  to 
whom  they  will  minister. 

Elizabeth  Esch  put  it  this  way:  / 
hope  to  at  least  reach  out  and  touch 
one  person,  and,  through  God's 
help,  put  a  spark  inside  their  heart 
to  let  them  know  that  He  loves  them 
and  that  He  wants  a  personal  rela- 
tionship with  them.  Elizabeth's  re- 
liance on  God's  strength  is  evident 
throughout  the  entire  team.  As  an- 
other team-member  declared:  With 
God  I  can  do  anything. 

This  mission  trip  will  provide  a 
two-fold  learning  experience  as  the 
team  members  work  together  to 
reach  predominately  unchurched 
kids  with  the  Gospel,  and  as  they 
partner  with  a  church  body  differ- 
ent from  theirs  for  the  sake  of  the 
kingdom.  Adam  Garner's  hope  for 
this  experience  embodies  the  nature 
of  the  Memphis  trip.  His  hope  is 
that  this  trip  will  help  me  .  .  .  become 
an  out-of-state  disciple.  It  will  be 
life-changing! 

Jamaica 
July  6-21 

Tony  Price  and  his  wife  Geneva 
will  be  leading  a  historic  first  "over- 
seas" mission  trip  for  Summer  Min- 
istries. Tony  is  Youth  Pastor  at 
Trinity  Brethren  Church  in  Canton, 


Ohio.  Members  of  this  group  will 
work  with  Christian  Service  Inter- 
national, headquartered  in  Muncie, 
Ind.,  as  they  spend  sixteen  days  on 
the  island  of  Jamaica. 

Those  taking  this  exciting  mis- 
sions trip  will  make  up  two  teams,  a 
Vacation  Bible  School  Team  and  a 
Music  Evangelism  Team.  The  VBS 
Team  is  comprised  of  five  members: 
Sara  Naylor  from  Trinity  Brethren 
Church  of  Canton,  Ohio;  Jeanna 
Osborn  and  Tiffany  Roark  from  the 
Brookville,  Ohio,  Grace  Brethren 
Church;  and  Mandi  Huff  and  Ben- 
jamin Pippen  from  the  Nappanee, 
Ind.,  First  Brethren  Church.  This 
Team  will  lead  Bible  studies  and  help 
with  crafts,  music,  and  recreation. 

The  Music  Evangelism  Team  will 
be  part  of  a  choir  that  will  present 
open-air  concerts  and  minister  in 
orphanages  and  a  prison.  Team 
members  include  Tony  and  Geneva 
Price;  Rev.  Gene  and  Deann  Oburn 
from  Loree  First  Brethren  Church, 
Bunker  Hill,  Ind. ;  and  Patsy  LeMas- 
ter  and  Ernie  and  Dolly  Zerbe,  also 
from  the  Loree  Church. 

The  commitment  and  enthusiasm 
of  this  group  of  servants  is  easily 
caught  as  you  listen  to  some  of  their 
hopes.  /  need  to  share  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  with  others  in  order  to 
grow  as  a  Christian  (Sara  Naylor). 
Ben  Pippen  sees  this  trip  as  my  next 
step  in  my  walk  with  Christ.  They 
desire  to  give  their  all  to  God  in 
Jamaica  (Tiffany  Roark)  in  order 
that  Christ's  Kingdom  will  grow 
larger  (Mandi  Huff). 

Juarez,  Mexico 
July  25-August  1 

This  will  be  the  fifth  consecutive 
summer  that  we  have  sent  a  team  to 
minister  in  Juarez,  Mexico.  The 
team  this  year  will  be  led  by  Ed 
Strickland  of  the  Garber  Brethren 
Church  in  Ashland,  Ohio. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Summer  Ministries  Program 


^HHHHHMMM 


Team  members  at  the  present  are 
Lindsay  Gravatt  from  the  Mt.  Olive 
Brethren  Church  (McGaheysville, 
Va.),  and  Sarah  Austin  and  Nick 
Frank,  both  from  the  Garber  Breth- 
ren Church  in  Ashland.  Other  team 
members  may  still  be  added. 

DISTRICT  CRUSADERS 

Ohio  District 

One  team  will  serve  the  Ohio  Dis- 
trict this  summer.  Emily  Weiden- 
hamer  and  Tim  Hess,  both  from 
Park  Street  Brethren  Church  in 
Ashland,  will  join  with  Kevin  Gibson 
from  the  Louisville,  Ohio,  Brethren 
Bible  Church  to  make  up  the  team. 

They  will  serve  at  the  Ohio  Junior 
High  Camp  and  also  help  with  pro- 
jects at  Louisville  Brethren  Bible 
Church,  Trinity  Brethren  Church 
in  Canton,  and  Gretna  Brethren 
Church  near  Bellefontaine. 

Pennsylvania  District 

Two  crusader  teams  will  serve  the 
Pennsylvania  District  this  summer. 

Team  1  will  help  with  vacation 
Bible  schools  at  the  Valley  (Jones 
Mills,  Pa.),  Fairless  Hills-Levittown, 
and  Berlin  Brethren  Churches.  Team 
members  are  Tiffany  Neiderhiser 
from  Valley  (Jones  Mills),  Melanie 
Johns  from  Brush  Valley  (Adrian, 
Pa.),  and  Bryan  Baker  from  Berlin. 

Team  2  will  be  serving  the  John- 
stown Third,  Wayne  Heights  (Waynes- 
boro, Pa.),  and  Raystown  (Saxton, 
Pa.)  Brethren  Churches.  Team 
members  are  Melissa  Shaffer  from 
Valley,  Carrie  Lingenfelter  from 
Brush  Valley,  and  David  Schrecen- 
gost,  Jr.,  from  Pleasant  View  (Van- 
dergrift). 

Southeastern  District 

Two  teams  will  also  serve  the 
Southeastern  District  this  summer. 

Team  1:  Chris  Pennington  from 
the  Oak  Hill,  W  Va.,  Church,  Emily 
Bowers  from  St.  James,  and  Megan 
Wetzel  from  Waterbrook  (Edinburg, 
Va.)  will  make  up  this  team.  They 
will  serve  at  the  Southeastern 
Junior  Camp  and  will  help  with 
vacation  Bible  schools  at  Gateway 
Brethren  Fellowship  in  Hager- 
stown,  Md.,  and  at  the  St.  James 
Brethren  Church. 


Team  2:  Serving  at  the  South- 
eastern Middler  Camp  will  be  Rachel 
Munson  from  St.  James,  Nichol 
Clark  from  Waterbrook  (Edinburg, 
Va.),  and  April  Watkins  from  Oak 
Hill.  This  team  will  also  help  out  at 
the  Hagerstown  First  and  St.  James 
Brethren  Churches. 

YOUNG  ADULT 
MINISTRY  INTERNS 

RACHEL  PENNINGTON 

Rachel  is  a  member  of  the  Oak 
Hill,  W  Va.,  First  Brethren  Church 
and  an  Ashland  University  student. 
This  year  Rachel  will  take  on  the 
challenging  task  of  serving  four 
churches  in  the  Southeastern  Dis- 


trict—Mt.  Olive  (McGaheysville, 
Va.),  Gateway  (Hagerstown,  Md.), 
St.  James  (Md.),  and  Grace  Commu- 
nity (Winchester,  Va.).  In  addition  to 
her  duties  at  these  churches,  she 
will  serve  at  the  Junior  High,  Mid- 
dler, and  Senior  High  camps  at 
Shepherd's  Springs. 

AARON  HOLLEWELL 

Aaron,  an  Ashland  University 
student  from  the  Lanark,  111.,  First 
Brethren  Church,  will  be  returning 
to  his  home  district  to  serve  in  the 
Cerro  Gordo,  111.,  Brethren  Church. 
He  will  assist  Rev.  Henry  Wilson, 
pastor  of  the  congregation.  Aaron 
will  be  working  specificially  in  the 
area  of  youth  ministries.  [ft] 


Brethren  World  Assembly 
to  be  held  July  15-18,  1998 

"Faith  and  Family  —  Challenges 
and  Commitments"  will  be  the 
theme  of  the  second  Brethren 
World  Assembly  planned  for  July 
15-18,  1998,  at  Bridgewater  College 
(Bridgewater,  Va).  A  Brethren  World 
Assembly  is  an  opportunity  for 
Brethren  from  all  the  groups  with 
roots  in  the  Brethren  movement 
that  began  in  Schwarzenau,  Ger- 
many, in  1708  to  come  together  for 
a  time  of  study  and  fellowship. 

The  Assembly  will  begin  at  1:30 
p.m.  on  Wednesday,  July  15,  and 
conclude  with  lunch  on  Saturday, 
July  18.  Study  papers  will  be  pre- 
sented on  Wednesday  afternoon  and 
Thursday,  with  Dr.  Brenda  Colijn 
and  Dr.  John  Shultz  from  The  Breth- 
ren Church  among  the  presenters. 
At  a  banquet  on  Wednesday  night, 
Carl  Bowman  will  give  the  keynote 
speech,  "A  Sociological  Study  of  the 
Impact  of  Modern  Culture  on  the 
Brethren  Family. "  Thursday  night  a 
worship  service  in  the  new  Bridge- 
water  Church  of  the  Brethren  will 
focus  on  Brethren  family  life  in 
other  parts  of  the  world. 

Friday  morning  panel  discussions 
will  be  held  on  men's  and  women's 
roles  in  the  Brethren  groups.  That 
afternoon,  a  tour  of  historic  sites  in 
the  Linville  Creek  area  will  be  con- 
ducted. A  worship  service  Friday 
evening  will  be  held  in  Cole  Hall  on 
the  Bridgewater  College  campus. 


On  Saturday  morning,  several 
workshops  will  be  conducted,  in- 
cluding Plain  Dress,  Home  School- 
ing, Brethren  Way  of  Christ,  and 
The  Quiet  Place.  The  Assembly  will 
then  conclude  with  worship  at 
11:30  a.m.  in  Cole  Hall. 

Anyone  is  welcome  to  attend  the 
Assembly.  Registration  costs  are 
$50  per  person  and  $25  for  an  ac- 
companying spouse.  Single-day  reg- 
istration is  $20;  Wednesday  evening 
banquet  only  is  $10.  Those  attend- 
ing only  the  Thursday  or  Friday 
night  worship  services  will  not  be 
asked  to  pay  a  registration  fee,  but 
will  have  the  opportunity  to  con- 
tribute to  a  free-will  offering. 

Accommodations  will  be  available 
in  air-conditioned  rooms  in  college 
residence  halls;  meals  in  the  Kline 
Campus  Center.  Room  and  board 
packages  are  available  that  include 
three  nights  lodging,  meals  from 
Wednesday  noon  through  Saturday 
noon,  and  the  tour  on  Friday  after- 
noon. The  package  rates  are  $109 
per  person  for  a  double-occupancy 
room;  $149  for  single-occupancy. 
Single-day  rates  are  $31  for  double- 
occupancy;  $46  for  single-occupancy. 

Brochures  with  more  details  and 
a  registration  form  will  be  sent  to 
Brethren  pastors  and  church  mod- 
erators in  the  next  Leadership  Let- 
ter (at  the  end  of  May).  If  you  would 
like  to  attend  the  Assembly,  ask 
your  pastor  or  moderator  for  a  copy 
of  the  brochure,  or  contact  the 
Brethren  Church  National  Office  at 
419-289-1708.  [ft] 


May  1998 


<_ 


Are  Your  Finances 
Out  of  Control? 

By  Loma  G.  Davies  Silcott 


FOR  MOST  AMERICANS,  credit 
is  a  way  of  life.  Unfortunately,  if 
you  do  not  plan  your  spending  well, 
you  can  be  in  big  trouble  when  the 
bills  start  coming  due.  Below  are  ten 
questions  that  can  help  you  deter- 
mine whether  you  are  heading  for 
financial  problems. 

Danger  signs! 

1.  Do  you  pay  only  the  minimum 
amount  due  on  credit  card  bills 
each  month? 

2.  Is  each  month's  credit  card  bal- 
ance higher  than  the  previous 
month's? 

3.  Do  you  pay  bills  late  or  miss  pay- 
ments completely? 

4.  Do  you  frequently  use  bank 
account  overdraft  privileges  or 
bank  draft  advances? 

5.  Do  you  use  credit  to  pay  routine 
bills? 

6.  Do  you  deplete  your  savings  for 
routine  items  or  have 
no  savings  at  all? 

7.  Are  you  so  far  behind 
on  your  bills  that  you 
receive  dunning  let- 
ters from  your  credi- 
tors? 

8.  Do  you  avoid  talking 
to  your  spouse  about 
money?  Or  is  that  all 
you  talk  about? 

9.  Do  you  depend  on 
overtime  pay,  bonus 
checks,  or  moonlight- 
ing to  cover  regular 
expenses? 

10.  Do  you  take  out  new 
loans  to  pay  off  old 
ones? 

If  you  answered  yes  to  even  one  of 
these  questions,  you  are  starting  to 
experience  financial  problems.  If 
you  answered  yes  to  two  or  three  of 
them,  you  are  in  serious  financial 
trouble.  If  you  answered  yes  to  more 
than  three,  you  need  to  take  a  long, 
hard  look  at  your  financial  situation 
and  possibly  seek  professional  finan- 
cial  counseling.    But   be   assured: 


while  your  situation  is  difficult,  it  is 
not  hopeless. 

Steps  to  recovery 

Here  are  six  steps  to  help  you  get 
your  finances  under  control: 

1.  Put  God  first  in  your  finances, 
both  in  your  giving  and  in  how 
you  use  the  rest  of  your  money. 

2.  Make  a  budget.  A  budget  is  a 
must  for  good  financial  manage- 
ment. If  you  are  married,  sit 
down  with  your  spouse  and  work 
out  a  budget  you  can  both  live 
with.  If  you  don't  agree  on  it,  it 
won't  work. 

3.  If  you  consistently  pay  only  the 
minimum  amount  due  on  your 
credit  card  bill  each  month  and 
each  month  the  amount  you  owe 
gets  larger,  stop  and  reevaluate 
your  credit  card  purchases.  You 
should  strongly  consider  destroy- 
ing the  cards  so  you  won't  be 


tempted  to  add  to  your  bill. 
Learn  to  do  without  things  until 
you  can  afford  them. 
4.  If  you  must  juggle  or  skip  pay- 
ments, sit  down  and  re-figure 
your  budget.  Cut  out  anything 
you  can  live  without.  If  you  still 
do  not  have  enough  money  to 
make  the  payments,  write  to 
your  creditors  and  explain  your 


situation.  Ask  if  they  will  accept 
less  per  month  temporarily. 
Often  a  professional  financial 
planner  can  be  a  real  help  here. 

5.  Frequently  using  overdraft  privi- 
leges on  checking  accounts  or 
bank  draft  advances  falls  into  the 
same  category  as  misusing  your 
credit  card.  You  may  find  you 
must  simply  close  this  kind  of  ac- 
count and  open  one  that  does  not 
offer  these  privileges. 

6.  As  soon  as  possible,  start  a  sav- 
ings account.  Try  to  put  some- 
thing aside,  even  if  it  is  only 
$5.00  a  month.  You  need  to  get 
into  the  savings  habit.  Keep  this 
money  as  a  cushion  for  real 
emergencies,  and,  as  it  accumu- 
lates, for  future  major  purchases. 

If  you  have  not  encountered  any 
of  the  ten  financial  situations  listed 
at  the  beginning  of  this  article,  then 
praise  God!  But  also  plan  ahead  so 
that  you  don't!  Set  up  both  a  short- 
range  budget  and  a  long-range 
financial  plan,  and  stick  to  them. 

As  Christians,  we  are  admonished 
to  be  good  stewards  of  the  money 
God  has  entrusted  to  us.  Good  stew- 
ardship concerns  not  just  our  giving, 
but  handling  all  our  money  in  such 
a  way  that  we  have  a  good  testimony 
before  others.  Anything 
we  do  that  discredits  us, 
discredits  our  Lord. 

Put  God  first 

So  put  God  first  in  all 
that  you  do,  including 
your  finances.  He  has 
promised  in  Malachi 
3:10  to  bless  those  who 
honor  Him  with  their 
material  possessions. 

If  you  are  already  in 
financial  trouble,  follow 
the  six  suggestions  given 
above  to  work  your  way 
out.  It  may  be  a  long, 
slow,  painful  process, 
but  the  end  result  will 
be  worth  it.  You  can  again  be  in 
charge  of  your  finances.  You  will  re- 
gain your  self-respect  and  the  re- 
spect of  your  creditors.  You  will  have 
a  clear  conscience  before  God  and 
others.  And  you  can  again  be  a  real 
testimony  for  Him.  [ft] 

Mrs.  Silcott  is  a  free-lance  writer. 
She  Hues  in  Rapid  City,  South  Dakota. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Missions  made  personal  at 
Indiana  District  men's  retreat 

Shipshewana,  Ind.  —  "A  Call  to 
Missions  —  Not  For  Me!?"  was  the 
theme  of  the  second  annual  Indiana 
District  Men's  Fellowship  Retreat, 
held  April  17-18  at  the  Brethren 
Retreat  Center.  The  purpose  of  the 
retreat  was  to  ignite  a  burning  pas- 
sion among  the  men  for  sharing 
their  faith. 

Thirty-six  men  attended 
the  retreat — not  a  large 
number,  but  twice  as 
many  as  attended  the  first 
retreat  in  1997.  They  en- 
joyed a  great  keynote  ad- 
dress by  Rev.  Reilly  Smith, 
Director  of  Missionary 
Ministries  for  The 
Brethren  Church;  a  hearty 
snack  of  brownies  and  ice 
cream;  an  exhausting 
round  of  basketball;  three 
flavorful  feasts;  and  sever- 
al challenging  seminars. 

They  were  also  asked  to 
consider  whether  they  are 
involved  in  the  Great 
Commission  (as  presented 
in  Matthew  28:18-20)  or 
the  Great  Omission  (omit- 
ting the  call  of  missions 
from  their  lives).  The  chal- 
lenge put  before  them  was 
to  develop  a  burden  for  the 
lost  and  to  allow  God  to 
give  them  a  passion  to 
serve  Him.  This  could  be 
overseas,  in  another  state 
or  city,  at  work,  across  the 
backyard  fence,  or  even 
under  their  own  roof. 
—  reported  by  Rick  Miller, 
Director,  Brethren 
Retreat  Center 


New  Brethren  church  in  Vista,  Calif.,  holds 
"sneak  preview"  service  on  Easter  Sunday 


Vista,  Calif.  —  The  Rock  Springs 
Community  Church  held  a  "sneak 
preview"  service  on  Easter  Sunday, 
and  105  people  attended.  The  atten- 
dance exceeded  the  expectations  of 
church  planter  Jim  Boyd,  who  was 
praying  for  75  people  to  come! 

The  Grand  Opening  for  this  new 
Brethren  church  is  not  scheduled 
until  October  4,  1998.  Pastor  Boyd 
is  still  in  the  process  of  raising  the 
necessary  funding  and  of  growing 
and  training  a  core  group. 

The  purpose  of  the  preview  serv- 
ice was  twofold:  (1)  to  build  excite- 
ment in  the  community  and  momen- 
tum for  the  Grand  Opening  in  the 
fall;  and  (2)  to  provide  a  training 
opportunity  for  the  core  group. 

The  service  included  a  number  of 
contemporary  songs  led  by  the 
group's  band;  an  "Intro  Talk"  de- 


signed to  introduce  the  theme  for 
the  morning;  a  drama  portraying 
Mary  Magdalene  immediately  after 
the  crucifixion;  and  a  straightfor- 
ward gospel  presentation  by  Pastor 
Boyd. 

Following  the  service,  the  core 
group  hosted  a  barbeque  and  "mega" 
Easter  egg  hunt.  Here,  too,  the  re- 
sponse exceeded  expectations,  with 
the  majority  of  guests  staying  for 
both  events.  This  gave  the  core 
group  an  opportunity  to  build  rela- 
tionships with  the  guests. 

Prior  to  the  preview  service,  5,000 
fliers  announcing  the  service  were 
mailed,  and  another  750  were  hand- 
ed out.  An  estimated  25-30%  of  the 
guests  came  as  a  result  of  the  flyers, 
with  the  remaining  70-75%  coming 
as  a  result  of  personal  invitations  by 
members  of  the  core  group.  [ft] 


N.  Georgetown  Church  facility 
transformed  for  Mission  Fair 

North  Georgetown,  Ohio  —  The  Sun- 
day school  classrooms  and  fellowship  hall 
of  the  North  Georgetown  First  Brethren 
Church  underwent  a  major  transforma- 
tion recently,  when  they  became  countries 
for  the  church's  Mission  Fair. 

All  the  rooms  were  decorated  with  great 
creativity  and  color  in  accordance  with 
the  country  they  represented.  There  was 
even  music  of  the  country  represented. 

The  fellowship  hall  was  the  "interna- 
tional food  court,"  where 
samples  of  food  from  the  fea- 
tured countries  were  avail- 
able. There  were  sopapillas, 
tacos,  Masala  Bhat,  hot  dogs 
(guess  which  country  they 
represented!),  and  many 
more.  All  were  very  tasty! 

"Tour  guides"  led  "tour- 
ists" to  the  various  coun- 
tries. As  they  traveled,  the 
tourists  saw  artifacts  from 
each  land,  learned  about 
Brethren  missionaries  serv- 
ing there,  and  were  in- 
formed of  some  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  needs  of  our 
brothers  and  sisters  in 
Christ  in  those  nations. 


A  total  of  134  people  attended  the  Mis- 
sion Fair,  a  large  number  for  a  small  com- 
munity. According  to  Diane  Sanor,  who  re- 
ported this  event  for  the  Evangelist,  the 
fair  was  "a  great  success!" 

"I  urge  all  the  Brethren  churches  to 
have  something  like  a  Mission  Fair,"  Mrs. 
Sanor  said.  "It's  fun,  and  you  learn  a  lot 
about  our  Brethren  missions." 

"We  want  to  express  a  great  big  thank 
you  to  Ashland  for  sending  all  the  pictures 
and  items  and  for  answering  all  our  ques- 
tions," Mrs.  Sanor  added.  "Without  their 
help,  our  fair  wouldn't  have  been  nearly 
so  great."  [ft] 


In  "Malaysia, "  wearing  hats  they  made  themselves,  are 
(I.  to  r.)  Shanda  Clemens,  Courtney  Lockard  (foreground), 
Nathan  Diehl,  Abbey  Latham,  and  Katelyn  Carson. 


May  1998 


Brethren  in  Nigeria,  W.  Africa, 
celebrate  75th  anniversary 

Nigeria,  West  Africa  —  Ekklesi- 
yar  Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria  (Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Nigeria)  celebrated 
its  75th  anniversary  on  March  17, 
1998.  The  celebration  was  held  in 
Garkida,  Nigeria,  near  the  same 
tamarind  tree  where,  75  years  earli- 
er, missionaries  Stover  Kulp  and 
Albert  Holser  held  the  first  Breth- 
ren worship  service  in  Nigeria. 

A  crowd  estimated  at  more  than 
5,000  attended  the  celebration.  It  in- 
cluded 42  representatives  from  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  31  of  whom 
had  come  as  part  of  a  tour  group  es- 
pecially for  the  anniversary  celebra- 
tion. A  number  of  former  missionar- 
ies or  their  children  were  present. 

The  day  was  filled  with  singing, 
prayer,  recognition  of  special  guests, 
speeches  on  the  development  of  the 
church,  and  fellowship.  There  were 
also  performances  of  traditional 
music,  dancing,  and  drumming,  and 
displays  of  costumes  representing 
the  many  tribes  that  are  a  part  of 
the  church.  It  was  a  time  of  thanks- 
giving for  past  blessings  on  the 
church  and  of  praying  for  God's 
guidance  in  the  future. 

From  its  small  beginnings  in  1923, 
the  church  has  grown  to  more  than 
300  congregations  with  a  total 
membership  of  140,000  and  Sunday 
worship  attendances  of  240,000.  It 
is  one  of  the  fastest-growing  Chris- 
tian denominations  in  Africa.  Build- 
ing on  the  foundation  laid  by  the 
missionaries,  the  church  takes  a 
holistic  approach  to  ministry,  with 
programs  in  rural  development, 
health,  and  education,  in  addition  to 
traditional  church  programs. 

From  1948  to  1976,  missionaries 
from  The  Brethren  Church  worked 
with  Church  of  the  Brethren  mis- 
sionaries in  Nigeria.  The  Brethren 
Church  continued  to  send  support 
funds  for  the  work  for  several  more 
years  after  1976.  [ft] 


Adriana  Ferreri  (far  r.)  with  the  Sunday  school  children  she  teaches  each  week. 

Brethren  mission  work  in  Colombia  advancing 
under  the  direction  of  Marcelo  and  Adriana  Ferreri 


Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Mis- 
sionary Ministries  for  The  Brethren 
Church,  made  an  administrative  visit 
March  19-23  to  Colombia,  South 
America,  where  he  visited  with  Mar- 
celo and  Adriana  Ferreri,  missionaries 
to  Colombia  from  The  Brethren 
Church  in  Argentina.  He  gives  the  fol- 
lowing report  of  the  work  there. 

Marcelo  and  Adriana  Ferreri 

described  what  it  is  like  to  live  in 
Medellin,  Colombia.  They  live  in  the 
Ferrara  barrio  (suburb)  of  Medellin. 
They've  been  threatened.  Twice 
they've  heard  gunfire  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  their  home.  Once 
Marcelo  was  standing  only  a  few 
yards  from  someone  who  was  shot — 
while  he  was  there!  Colombians  and 
missionaries  serving  in  Colombia 
live  in  a  very  violent  society. 

On  the  other  hand,  life  in  Medellin 
is  not  all  that  different  from  life  in 
other  major  cities  around  the  world, 
including  the  U.S.  And  Medellin  is  a 
beautiful  city.  It  enjoys  perpetual 
springtime.  The  flora  and  fauna  are 
gorgeous.  The  people  are  generally 
open  and  friendly.  A  few  bad  apples 
may  not  spoil  the  whole  barrel,  but 
they  can  give  it  a  bad  reputation. 

The  Brethren  Church  in  Ferrara 
is  growing.  In  January,  Marcelo  led 
the  leaders  of  the  church  in  a  plan- 
ning retreat.  They  developed  a 
strategic  plan  for  the  next  seven 
years,  which  includes  property  ac- 
quisition and  building  expansion  to 
meet  the  needs  of  a  growing  church. 


On  Sunday,  March  22,  people 
were  standing  in  the  doorway  of  the 
church  because  there  wasn't 
enough  seating  for  everyone.  It  was 
not  because  I  was  there.  Attendance 
is  like  that  nearly  every  week! 

Adriana  supervises  the  children's 
Sunday  school.  She  has  20  children 
enrolled  every  week.  She  is  training 
several  new  teachers  for  all  grades. 
Adriana  also  works  with  a  growing 
women's  ministry,  which  includes 
Bible  study,  prayer,  and  outreach.  In 
addition,  she  leads  the  worship 
team,  which  does  a  great  job. 

Marcelo  recently  taught  a  Bible 
study  called  Abundant  Life  to  21 
people.  Following  the  course,  many 
of  the  21  received  Christ  as  Lord 
and  Savior.  Marcelo  baptized  ten  of 
them.  Now  he's  planning  to  take  the 
entire  church  through  the  course 
and  train  some  new  teachers.  They 
will  use  the  course  for  evangelistic 
Bible  studies. 

Marcelo  is  also  teaching  leadership 
classes  at  the  Campo  Valdes  church 
in  Medellin.  Attendance  is  in  the  up- 
per teens.  He  is  developing  a  posi- 
tive relationship  with  this  congrega- 
tion. He  also  helps  them  with  their 
Compassion  International  ministry. 

I  am  very  excited  about  Marcelo 
and  Adriana.  They  have  accom- 
plished in  just  nine  months  what  I 
expected  them  to  do  in  two  or  three 
years.  Please  pray  for  them.  And  be 
sure  to  meet  them  at  General  Con- 
ference, [ft] 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Dr.  David  Reese  sets  forth  case  for  creation 
versus  evolution  at  pastors'/wives'  retreat 


Lake  Geneva,  Wis.  —  Approxi- 
mately 40  Brethren  pastors  and 
other  elders,  most  of  them  accompa- 
nied by  their  wives,  enjoyed  a  time 
of  worship,  study, 
fellowship,  and 
recreation  at  the 
annual  Pastors' 
and  Wives'  Re- 
treat, held  April 
28-30  at  Inter- 
laken  Resort  and 
Country  Spa  at 
Lake  Geneva. 

The  speaker  for 
the  retreat  was 
Dr.  David  Reese, 
a  medical  doctor 
with  a  family 
practice  in  Lan- 
ark, 111.  Dr.  Reese,  Jewish  by  birth, 
Christian  by  choice,  and  a  member 
of  the  Lanark  First  Brethren  Church, 
presented  four  lectures  on  the  bibli- 
cal account  of  creation  versus  the 
theory  of  evolution.  In  a  fifth  ses- 
sion he  answered  questions  about 
the  material  he  had  presented. 

A  student  of  both  Scripture  and 
science,  Dr.  Reese  believes  that  we 
are  in  a  battle  for  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  our  children.  Our  children 
(and  many  adults  as  well!)  hear  so 
often  that  evolution  is  fact  (rather 
than  theory)  that  they  believe  it 
without  questioning  it.  Scientists 
have  become  our  gods. 

From  his  studies,  Dr.  Reese  is  con- 
vinced that  the  Scriptures  are  true 
and  that  what  they  say  about 
creation  can  be  trusted.  He  believes 
that  the  creation  model  explains  the 
facts  of  our  world  much  better  than 
the  evolution  model.  Some  Chris- 
tians have  tried  to  have  it  both  ways 
by  saying  that  the  Bible  reveals  why 
the  world  was  made,  while  science 
reveals  how.  But  he  believes  that  the 
Bible  reveals  both  how  and  why. 

While  scientists  point  out  prob- 
lems with  the  creationist  view  of  our 
universe,  Dr.  Reese  pointed  out 
problems  with  an  evolutionary  view. 
He  noted,  for  example,  the  many 
missing  links  in  the  fossil  records, 
not  only  between  man  and  lower 
forms  of  life,  but  all  along  the  "evo- 


Dr.  David  Reese  with  his  wife  Lee, 
who  assisted  with  the  visuals  during 
his  lectures  on  creation  and  evolution. 


lutionary  chain."  He  pointed  out 
that  evolution  violates  the  second 
law  of  thermodynamics,  which  says, 
in  essence,  that  things  fall  apart 
rather  than  be- 
coming more  com- 
plex. He  showed 
that  evolution's 
premise  of  the 
survival  of  the 
fittest  is  contra- 
dicted by  the 
facts:  harmful 
mutations  should 
not  accumulate  in 
the  population, 
but  they  do;  or- 
ganisms should 
not  develop  "sui- 
cidal" behaviors, 
but  they  do.  He  also  explained  that 
even  for  the  simplest  building 
blocks  of  life  to  have  developed  from 
water  and  inorganic  matter,  if  possi- 
ble at  all,  would  have  taken  a  much 
greater  length  of  time  than  even  the 
4V2  billion  years  that  scientists  have 
posited  for  the  whole  evolutionary 
process  on  earth. 

Dr.  Reese  believes  that  much  of 
the  "evidence"  for  evolution  (fossils 
and  the  stratification  of  earth's 
upper  crust)  can  be  explained  by  the 
flood  in  Noah's  day,  which  he  be- 
lieves was  a  much  more  cataclysmic 
event  than  most  of  us  ever  imagine. 
He  also  pointed  out  that  the  kinds  of 
geological  changes  that  scientists 
say  take  millions  of  years  (large- 
scale  erosion  and  stratification)  oc- 
curred in  a  matter  of  days  following 
the  massive  eruption  of  Mount  St. 
Helens  in  Washington  State. 

Dr.  Reese  believes  that  it  is  impor- 
tant for  Christians  to  become 
knowledgeable  about  science  and 
creation.  Not  only  is  it  necessary  for 
the  sake  of  our  children  and  grand- 
children, but  it  is  also  useful  as  a 
means  of  evangelism.  It  is  a  means 
of  meeting  the  world  where  it  is.  It 
shows  that  Christians  have  not 
checked  their  brains  when  they 
entered  the  door  of  the  church. 

It  was  not  all  work  and  worship 
and  no  play  at  the  retreat.  In  addi- 
tion to  times  of  good-natured  fellow- 


.cftfydjhe 


ship  at  the  delicious  meals  and  in 
the  evenings  following  the  sessions, 
the  pastors  and  wives  also  enjoyed  a 
free  afternoon.  This  provided  time 
for  sightseeing,  shopping,  reading, 
napping,  and  other  recreational  ac- 
tivities. A  few  avid  golfers  even  hit 
the  links,  despite  the  cool  weather 
and  a  threat  of  rain. 

It  was  a  good  retreat — thanks  to 
the  pastors  of  the  Central  District 
who  planned  and  conducted  it. 

—  reported  by  Editor  Dick  Winfield 


Dianna  Park  commissioned 
at  Pleasant  View  Church 

Vandergrift,  Pa.  —  Dianna  Park 
was  commissioned  for  Christian 
ministry  on  Sunday,  December  28, 
1997,  in  a  service  held  at  the  Pleas- 
ant View  Brethren  Church  of  Van- 
dergrift, where  she  is  a  member. 

Rev.  Thomas  J.  McLaughlin,  pas- 
tor of  the  Pleasant  View  Church, 
conducted  the  commissioning  ser- 
vice. He  was  assisted  by  church 
moderator  Jim  McGraw  and  mem- 
bers of  the  deacon  board. 

Since  joining  the  Pleasant  View 
Church  in  1993,  Ms.  Park  has 
served  the  congregation  as  a  Sun- 
day school  teacher,  worship  leader, 
choir  director,  board  of  Christian 
education  superintendent,  youth 
leader,  and  superintendent.  She  is 
also  a  third-year  student  at  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary,  living 
in  Vandergrift  and  commuting  to 
the  seminary  each  week.  [ft] 


Dianna   Park 
McLaughlin. 


Pastor 


May  1998 


11 


od  the 


David  West  gives  delegates 
at  Ohio  District  Conference 
a  prescription  for  heartburn 

New  Lebanon,  Ohio  —  "I  came 
here  today  to  give  you  heartburn!" 
Rev.  David  West  told  the  81  dele- 
gates who  gathered  at  The  Brethren 
Church  in  New  Lebanon  on  Satur- 
day, April  25,  for  the  Ohio  District 
Conference.  "I  want  your  hearts  to 
burn  with  passion,  the  same  passion 
that  burned  in  the  heart  of  the 
prophet  Jeremiah,"  he  continued. 

Rev.  West,  Director  of  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  for  The  Brethren 
Church,  who  noted  that  this  was  his 
first  visit  to  an  Ohio  District  Con- 
ference, went  on  to  mention  five 
areas  in  which  he  would  like  to  see 
heartburn  increase  among  Breth- 
ren. They  include  (Da  passionate 
burning  for  the  Word  of  God;  (2)  a 
passionate  burning  to  live  authentic 
Christian  lives  that  reflect  the  real- 
ity of  the  inner  Word;  (3)  a  passion- 
ate burning  for  new  insights  from 
the  Holy  Spirit;  (4)  a  passionate 
burning  of  a  holy  fear  of  God;  and 
(5)  a  passionate  burning  for  the 
unity  of  the  Body  of  Christ  that  rec- 
ognizes Christ  as  its  only  head. 

Following  Rev.  West's  message, 
Moderator  J.  Michael  Drushal  capa- 
bly led  the  first  of  two  conference 
business  sessions.  The  session  was 
moving  smoothly  and  swiftly  for- 
ward, with  routine  reports,  action 
on  a  new  budget,  elections,  and 
more  reports.  But  then  it  hit  a  cou- 
ple of  snags. 

The  first  of  these  concerned  a 
change  in  the  district  by-laws  to 
clarify  which  of  two  boards — the 
Board  of  Oversight  or  the  Ministeri- 
al Examining  Board — should  review 
complaints  brought  against  an  or- 
dained elder.  After  considerable  dis- 
cussion, it  was  decided  that  such 
matters  should  be  referred  to  the 
Board  of  Oversight,  but  that  this 
board  should  act  jointly  with  the 
district      Ministerial      Examining 


Board  in  dealing  with  such  com- 
plaints. The  by-laws  were  amended 
accordingly. 

The  other  snag  was  a  request  by 
the  Dayton  Hillcrest  Brethren 
Church  for  approval  from  the  Ohio 
Conference  to  withdraw  from  the 
district.  One  of  the  few  remaining 
Brethren  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion was  at  the  conference  to  pre- 
sent the  case  for  withdrawal  and  to 
answer  questions.  When  it  became 
clear  that  no  informed  decision 
could  be  made  at  this  conference 
session  (the  request  had  been  re- 
ceived less  than  two  weeks  before 
the  conference),  the  matter  was  re- 
ferred to  the  Board  of  Oversight. 

One  of  the  most  exciting  parts  of 
the  conference  occurred  during  the 
"denominational  update"  that  fol- 
lowed the  afternoon  business  ses- 
sion. First,  Ron  and  Sandy  Miller 
shared  their  sense  of  God's  call  and 
their  enthusiasm  for  planting  a  new 
church  in  the  Ohio  District — Living 
Waters  Community  Church — which 
will  use  the  facilities  of  the  former 
Walcrest  Brethren  Church  on  the 
outskirts  of  Mansfield. 

This  was  followed  by  an  upbeat 
presentation  by  Mike  Sove  and 
Chuck  Wolfinbarger,  co-pastors  of 
the  Vineyard  Community  Church, 
formerly  the  Northview  Brethren 
Life  Church  near  Franklin,  Ohio. 
They  told  how  God  brought  togeth- 
er a  small  congregation  with  a  big 
building  (Northview  Brethren  Life) 
and  a  large  congregation  with  no 
building  (the  Vineyard  Church)  to 
form  a  unified  congregation  that 
now  averages  more  than  200  in  at- 
tendance on  Sunday  mornings. 

Following  auxiliary  sessions,  the 
conference  concluded  with  modera- 
tor's observations  and  installation 
of  officers  and  board  and  committee 
members.  Continuing  another  year 
as  moderator  (because  last  year's 
moderator-elect  is  no  longer  a  part 
of  the  district)  is  Dr.  J.  Michael 
Drushal.  The  new  moderator-elect 
is  Rev.  Lynn  Mercer.  Other  officers 
are  Rev.  Ralph  Gibson —  secretary; 
Joan  Ronk — assistant  secretary; 
Stan  Gentle — treasurer;  Rev.  Bill 
Walk — assistant  treasurer;  and 
Dorman  Ronk — statistician.  The 
1999  conference  is  set  for  April  24 
at  the  Fremont  Brethren  Church. 

—  reported  by  Editor  Dick  Winfield 


Dr.  Ron  Williams  performs 
"live  recording  concert" 

Highland  Hills,  Ohio  —  Dr.  C. 

Ronald  S.  Williams  II,  pastor  of  Mt. 
Zion  Fellowship  of  the  Brethren 
Church  of  Highland  Hills  and  an 
accomplished  pianist,  recording 
artist,  and  songwriter,  performed  a 
"live  recording  concert"  with  mem- 
bers of  the  Cleveland  Orchestra  on 
Good  Friday.  The  concert  included 
selections  by  The  Voices  of  Koinon- 
ia,  the  adult  gospel  choir  of  the  Mt. 
Zion  congregation. 

A  crowd  of  1,600  attended  the 
concert,  which  was  held  in  the 
sanctuary  of  the  Mt.  Zion  Church. 
The  concert  was  recorded  on  a  24- 
track  sound  system  and  video-taped 
by  a  professional  video  company. 

After  graduating  from  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary,  Dr.  Williams 
began  the  Mt.  Zion  congregation  as 
a  Brethren  Home  Mission  Church 
in  1982  with  15  members.  Member- 
ship is  now  approximately  2,675, 
and  worship  attendance  runs  be- 
tween 1,600  and  2,000.  [ft] 


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(  The  Brethren/) 

Evangelis 


Nori 


Vol.120,  No.  6 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


June  1998 


Editor  Dick  Winfield  asks: 


Is  it  time  to  get  serious  about  pastoral  recruitment? 


CURRENTLY,  16  Brethren  con- 
gregations are  without  pastors. 
Two  other  churches  are  seeking  as- 
sociates. But  only  five  or  six  Breth- 
ren pastors  not  already  serving  con- 
gregations are  seeking  pastorates 
(not  nearly  enough  to  go  around). 
And  only  one  Brethren  pastoral  can- 
didate graduated  from  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary  this  spring.  Is  it 
time  to  get  serious  about  pastoral  re- 
cruitment in  The  Brethren  Church  ? 

Some  of  these  16  churches  will 
need  to  do  what  many  other  Breth- 
ren congregations  have  had  to  do  in 
the  past  ten  years,  seek  a  pastor  from 
outside  our  denomination.  Some 
will  get  pastors  from  other  Brethren 
churches,  leaving  those  congrega- 
tions without  pastors.  Is  it  time  to 
get  serious  about  pastoral  recruit- 
ment in  The  Brethren  Church? 
"It  has  sometimes  been  suggested 
that  no  church  should  be  entitled  to 
a  pastor  if  that  church  has  not  "pro- 
duced" a  pastor.  If  that  were  the 
practice,  would  your  church  be  enti- 
tled to  a  pastor?  Has  anyone  from 
your  congregation  become  a  Breth- 
ren pastor  in  this  generation? 

Whose  responsibility  is  it? 

Whose  responsibility  is  it  to  get 
serious  about  pastoral  recruitment? 
Obviously  denominational  and  dis- 
trict leaders  in  The  Brethren  Church 
have  a  responsibility.  Pastors  them- 
selves play  a  major  role,  for  they 
have  the  opportunity  to  challenge 
their  members  to  consider  Christian 
service  and  to  mentor  those  who  re- 
spond. And  Christian  parents  cer- 
tainly have  a  responsibility  to  talk 
to  their  children  about  whether  God 
is  calling  them  to  Christian  service. 

Does  that  let  everyone  else  off  the 


hook?  Certainly  not!  Every  Brethren 
person  has  a  responsibility.  Every 
member  of  the  church  needs  to  get 
serious  about  pastoral  recruitment. 
Here  are  five  ways  of  doing  so. 

What  you  can  do 

1.  Treat  the  pastor  you  now  have 
with  respect,  and  encourage  others 
in  your  congregation  to  do  the  same. 
Why  would  anyone,  particularly  a 
young  person,  want  to  become  a 
pastor,  if  he  sees  his  own  pastor  crit- 
icized and  treated  unkindly? 

2.  Do  your  part  to  make  sure  that 
your  pastor  receives  a  more-than- 
adequate  salary.  Suggest  salary  in- 
creases and  vote  for  increases  when 
they  are  proposed.  And  give  gener- 
ously to  your  church  to  help  make 
the  funds  for  increases  available. 

No  one  should  go  into  the  Lord's 
work  for  the  money.  Nevertheless, 
the  Bible  says  that  "the  worker  de- 
serves his  wages"  (1  Tim.  5:18),  and 
"elders  who  direct  the  affairs  of  the 
church  well  are  worthy  of  double 
honor  [pay],  especially  those  whose 
work  is  preaching  and  teaching"  (1 
Tim.  5:17,  NIV).  More  young  people 
(and  older  people,  too)  might  consid- 
er the  pastorate  if  they  knew  that 
they  were  not  consigning  them- 
selves to  a  life  of  financial  hardship. 

3.  Help  your  youth  feel  a  part  of 
the  church.  Suggest  to  your  pastor 
or  worship  leader  that  young  people 
be  asked  to  take  part  in  worship  ser- 
vices by  reading  scripture,  offering 
prayers,  presenting  special  music, 
ushering,  and  in  other  ways.  This 
should  not  be  limited  to  youth  Sun- 
day. Also,  recommend  to  your  congre- 
gation that  a  youth  representative 
be  included  on  the  church  board. 
Some  churches  already  do  this. 


4.  Challenge  and  encourage  young 
people  in  your  church  to  consider 
pastoral  ministry.  Look  particularly 
for  those  in  your  congregation  who 
seem  to  have  the  gifts  that  an  effec- 
tive pastor  need.  Speak  to  them  per- 
sonally, noting  what  you  have  ob- 
served about  them,  and  ask  if  they 
have  every  considered  preparing  for 
the  Lord's  service.  And  don't  over- 
look some  of  the  "rambunctious" 
kids  in  your  congregation.  A  num- 
ber of  pastors  started  out  that  way. 

The  number-one  thing 

5.  Above  all  else,  pray.  Jesus  told 
His  disciples,  "The  harvest  is  plenti- 
ful but  the  workers  are  few.  Ask  the 
Lord  of  the  harvest,  therefore,  to 
send  out  workers  into  his  harvest 
field"  (Matt.  9:37-38,  NIV).  Jesus,  of 
course,  was  talking  about  a  harvest 
of  people  and  workers  to  care  for 
their  needs.  Those  needs  exist  in 
our  churches  today.  So  pray  regular- 
ly, fervently  that  God  will  provide 
pastors.  As  God  leads,  pray  with  spe- 
cific people  in  mind.  And  as  you  pray, 
be  sensitive  to  ways  God  can  use 
you  to  help  answer  those  prayers. 

Is  it  time  to  get  serious  about  pas- 
toral recruitment  in  The  Brethren 
Church?  If  you  agree  that  it  is,  what 
are  you  going  to  do  about  it?         I  -/ 1 


Inside  this  issue 

Hey  Dad  .  .  .  listen  up! 

2 

One  bite  at  a  time 

3 

Financing  new  churches 

4 

Domestic  violence 

5 

General  Conferece  preview 

7 

Around  the  denomination 

10 

The  Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 

is  in  the  center  of  this  issue 

Hey  Dad  .  .  .  Listen  Up! 


V 


By  Walt  Mueller 


^ 


J 


SEVERAL  YEARS  AGO  I  asked 
teens  to  send  me  a  list  ranking 
the  five  greatest  pressures  they  face. 
Sixteen-year-old  Sarah's  list  was 
representative  of  all  the  lists  I  re- 
ceived. At  number  one  she  listed  the 
pressure  for  "looks."  She  was  con- 
sumed with  self-conscious  worry 
about  her  hair,  make-up,  shape,  and 
clothes.  Next,  she  listed  "grades  for 
getting  into  the  right  college."  Third 
was  "drinking,"  with  "sex"  and 
"popularity"  fourth  and  fifth. 

Sarah's  list  was  helpful,  but  the 
real  eye-opener  was  what  followed: 

/  suffer  from  a  combination  of  the 
eating  disorders  anorexia  and  bu- 
limia. It  is  very  hard  to  recover  from 
these  devastations,  caused  largely 
by  the  pressure  to  be  thin  and  to  be 
perfect.  I  hope  that  I  have  helped. 

Sarah's  vulnerability  to  the  pres- 
sures of  adolescence,  risky  behavior, 
and  potentially  deadly  disease  are 
symptomatic  indicators  of  a  deeper 
problem.  Her  description  of  her  life 
sheds  light  on  the  true  nature  of 
that  "deeper  problem": 

/  come  from  an  upper-middle-class 
home.  I'm  a  straight- A  student,  class 
president,  and  an  overachiever  in 
every  way.  I  don 't  really  know  why  I 
am  anorexic,  but  I  think  it's  partly 
because  I  thought  that  if  I  got  really 
sick,  people  would  pay  attention  to 
me.  The  irony  of  it  is  that  my  father 
is  a  psychologist.  He  doesn't  know. 

From  outward  appearances,  this 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
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(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450; 
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not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
Editor:  Richard  C.  Winfield.  Subscription  rates: 
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Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  The 
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OH  44805-3792. 


is  a  kid  who  really  has  it  together. 
But  a  look  through  the  front  door  of 
her  home  reveals  a  different  story. 
Sarah's  problems,  concerns,  be- 
haviors, and  words  are  woven  into 
a  loud  cry  for  help  that  the  most 
important  man  in  her  life  never 
heard.  Too  busy  with  the  demands 
of  his  work  and  time  spent  listen- 
ing to  other  people's  problems,  her 
father's  deaf  ears  were  forcing  his 
little  girl  to  fall  deeper  and  deeper 
into  the  pit  of  adolescent  despair. 
What  Sarah  wanted  and  needed 
more  than  anything  else  was  a  dad 
who  listened  to  her. 

Sarah's  experiences  and  those  of 
millions  of  other  teens  like  her  indi- 
cate that  fathers  often  fail  to  listen 
to  their  teens.  Research  shows  that 
mothers  are  far  more  likely  than 
fathers  to  discuss  problems  and 
have  close  personal  talks  with  their 
teenage  children.  As  a  result,  teen- 
age boys  and  girls  both  say  that  they 
feel  freer  to  go  to  their  mothers  than 
to  their  fathers  to  talk  openly  and 
discuss  problems.  Teenagers  tell 
me  that  they  want  desperately  to 
be  able  to  talk  with  their  dads.  But 
they'll  stop  trying  if  they  think 
that  they  aren't  being  heard. 

Swiss  psychologist  Paul  Tournier 
wrote,  "Every  human  being  needs 
to  express  himself.  Through  lack  of 
opportunity  for  it,  one  may  become 
sick."  No  doubt,  one  of  the  leading 
causes  of  the  crisis  of  sickness  and 
at-risk  behavior  in  Sarah  and  count- 


less other  teens  is  the  absence  of  a 
dad  committed  to  loving  and  leading 
by  listening. 

After  speaking  to  an  assembly  of 
teens  about  dealing  with  the  pres- 
sures of  family  life,  a  girl  walked  to 
the  front  of  the  room  and  silently 
slipped  me  a  neatly  folded  note. 
Later  that  night  I  opened  the  paper 
and  read  these  challenging  words: 

There's  something  I  feel  I  should 
say  to  you — I  don't  know  if  you've 
heard  it  before — but,  when  you  talk 
to  all  those  fathers — tell  them — tell 
them  this:  Love  your  teenagers. 
Always  be  there.  Touch  them.  Hug 
them.  Take  them  out  on  Daddy- 
dates,  and  just  be  their  best  friend.  I 
have  a  wonderful  father  who  does 
these  things,  yet  you  can  never  get 
enough.  A  father  can  never  pay  at- 
tention to  his  teenager  ENOUGH! 
Please  spread  this  if  you're  not  al- 
ready. We  need  it! 
G.L.B.  (15  year-old  in  high  school) 

I've  got  a  message  for  G.L.B. , 
wherever  and  whoever  she  is.  I'll 
probably  never  see  you  again,  but  I 
want  to  tell  you  how  fortunate 
you  are  to  have  a  dad  who  loves 
you  by  listening.  I'll  keep  your 
note  alongside  Sarah's  as  another 
reminder  of  my  24-hour-a-day  need 
to  turn  two  listening  ears  to  the 
words  and  actions  of  my  kids. 
Thanks  for  encouraging  this  dad  to 
always  listen  up!  [ft] 

Walt  Mueller  is  president  of  the  Cen- 
ter for  Parent/Youth  Understanding.  He 
has  worked  with  teenagers  and  their 
families  for  23  years  and  is  the  author 
of  the  award-winning  book,  Under- 
standing Today's  Youth  Culture  (Tyn- 
dale  House,  1994).  He  lives  with  his 
wife  Lisa  and  their  four  children  in  Eliz- 
abethtown,  Pa. 


Pontius'  Puddle 


How  not  to  love  your  teenagers! 


So^ETttAES  X 
SOSPECT  THE 
C«ORCU  \SN'T 
ALL  THAT 
SOPPORTIVE 
OF  OS  VotfrU . 


WOfJSLMSE.THEY 
OOST  PAlt)  OCR 
TRANSPORTATION 
TO  THE  YOUTH  RALiy. 


YEAH,  SOT  TWEy  WRoTF 
THE  BOS  TICKETS  OME  WAV! 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


One  Bite  at  a  Time 

By  Dan  Lawson 


HAVE  YOU  EVER  BEEN  LOST? 
I  mean  really  lost — lost  to  the 
point  of  panic.  I  know  all  you  guys 
will  grunt  and  say,  "Not  me." 
There  must  be  something  glandu- 
lar about  the  male  ego  and  a  man's 
inability  to  admit  when  he  is  lost. 

Have  you  ever  noticed  that  a 
man  will  never  stop  to  ask  direc- 
tions? He  will  just  keep  driving 
around,  hoping  to  happen  upon 
some  landmark  that  will  miracu- 
lously show  him  where  he  is. 

This  isn't  anything  new.  Men 
have  behaved  like  this  for  years. 
Even  Daniel  Boone,  the  great  wil- 
derness explorer,  let  his  male  ego 
get  the  best  of  him.  He  was  once 
asked  if  he  had  ever  gotten  lost 
while  exploring  the  wilderness. 
His  answer  was,  "I've  never  been 
lost  a  day  in  my  life.  There  was  a 
time  when  I  was  bewildered  for 
about  three  days,  but  never  lost." 

How  do  we  get  lost? 

The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  most 
of  us  don't  intend  to  get  lost.  We 
set  out  on  our  course  with  the  in- 
tention of  reaching  our  destina- 
tion. We  don't  want  to  get  lost,  and 
we  don't  intend  to  do  so.  But  for 
some  of  us,  getting  lost  seems 
inevitable. 

This  is  often  true  in  our  spiritu- 
al journey  as  well.  Most  people 
don't  intend  to  sin.   They  don't 
start  the  day  thinking,  "What  evil 
thing  can  I  do  today?"  Deep  down 
inside,  nearly  all  of  us  really 
want  to  be  good.  But  if  we  are 
honest  with  ourselves  and 
with  God,  we  have  to  admit 
that  we  have  sinned  and  fall 
short  of  the  glory  of  God 
(Romans  3:23). 

So  why  do  we  do  it?  Why  do 
we  sin  and  stray  from  God's 
will  for  our  lives?  Perhaps 
the  answer  is  found  in  the 
analogy     in     Isaiah     53:6, 


which  compares  us  to  sheep  who 
have  gone  astray. 

The  Bible  often  refers  to  God's 
people  as  sheep.  Perhaps  we  can 
gain  some  insight  into  our  uncan- 
ny ability  to  get  lost  by  looking  at 
sheep. 

Nibbling  away 

A  farmer  once  described  to  me 
how  sheep  get  lost.  He  said, 
"Sheep  nibble  themselves  lost."  A 

s 

"We  begin  by  taking  a  few 
small  steps  away  from 
God,  thinking,  'What  will 
it  hurt?'  Then  we  take  a 
few  more  steps.  .  .  .  And  a 

few  more  steps." 
v ! y 

sheep  sees  a  tantalizing  clump  of 
grass  just  a  few  feet  away  so  it 
goes  over  and  nibbles  on  it.  Soon  it 
sees  another  and  another,  until  it 
has  nibbled  itself  away  from  the 
flock.  By  the  time  it  realizes  its 
predicament,  it  is  hopelessly  lost. 

I  believe  our  spiritual  condition 
is  similar.  The  sheep  doesn't  start 
off  by  saying,  "I'm  going  to  wan- 
der away  from  the  flock  and  get 
hopelessly  lost 


today."  Neither  do  we.  None  of  us 
get  out  of  bed  and  say,  "I'm  going 
to  defy  God  and  live  in  sin  today." 
But  sometimes  that  is  just  what 
we  do. 

Satan  is  subtle 

The  devil  wants  God's  people. 
Think  about  it.  He  already  has  the 
people  of  the  world.  But  he  also 
wants  God's  people.  He  is  smart 
enough  to  know  that  he  cannot 
snatch  us  out  of  God's  hands.  So 
he  tries  to  lure  us  away  subtly 
with  tantalizing  tidbits. 

We  begin  by  taking  a  few  small 
steps  away  from  God,  thinking, 
"What  will  it  hurt?"  Then  we  take 
a  few  more  steps.  "It  won't  matter 
if  I  miss  church  this  one  Sunday. " 
And  a  few  more  steps.  "The  church 
doesn't  really  need  my  offering." 
Before  we  know  it,  we  are  com- 
pletely out  of  the  presence  of  God. 
At  that  point  Satan  has  won;  he 
has  accomplished  his  objective  of 
separating  us  from  God.  We  are  a 
frog  in  a  kettle  of  lukewarm  water. 
Satan  keeps  turning  up  the  heat, 
and  we  continue  to  adapt  until  it  is 
too  late. 

Preventive  measures 

The  safest  way  to  make  sure 
that  you  are  never  lured  away 
from  God  is  to  stay  close  to  Him. 
Keep  your  eyes  fixed  upon  Jesus, 
the  author  and  perfecter  of  our 
faith  (Heb.  12:2).  Don't  let  Satan 
draw  your  attention  away  from 
God.  Keep  your  mind  focused 
on  the  things  of  the  Lord 
(Phil.  4:8).  Then  you  will 
not  be  so  easily  tempted. 
Read  His  Word  daily,  and  set 
aside  a  special  quiet  time  just  for 
Him  each  day. 

If,  however,  you  find  that  you 
have  wandered  away  from  the  sav- 
ing grace  of  the  Lord,  you  don't 
have  to  stay  there.  Return  to  the 
Lord.  He  will  have  mercy  and  will 
freely  pardon  (Isaiah  55:7).        [ft] 

Dr.  Lawson  is  pastor  of  the  Je 

ferson  Brethren  Church  of  Goshen, 

Indiana.  This  article  is  one  of 

a  series  in  which  Dr.  Lawson 

applies   Bible   truth   to   our 

personal  lives. 


June  1998 


How  are  we  financing 
new  Brethren  churches? 

By  Reilly  R.  Smith 


MANY  BRETHREN  PEOPLE 
are  asking  questions  about 
Brethren  Impact  Church  Planting. 
Some  of  the  most  frequently  asked 
questions  center  on  how  these  new 
churches  are  being  financed,  espe- 
cially on  how  the  method  of  support- 
ing church-planting  pastors  has 
changed.  In  this  article  I  want  to  ex- 
plain what  we  are  doing  financially 
and  why  we  are  doing  it. 

The  way  it  was 

Let  me  begin  by  providing  some 
background.  Church-planting  is 
costly.  The  way  we  planted  churches 
in  the  past  consumed  huge  amounts 
of  financial  and  human  resources. 
For  many  years  Brethren  provided 
support  for  pastors,  for  programs, 
and  sometimes  for  property  for 
home  mission  churches. 

Giving  long-term  support  to  some 
home  mission  churches  often  pre- 
vented Brethren  Missions  from  start- 
ing other  new  churches,  because 
those  congregations  used  up  all  the 
financial  resources  available.  This 
discouraged  potential  church  plant- 
ers, because  they  knew  that  no 
funds  were  available.  It  also  provid- 
ed no  incentive  for  home  mission 
churches  to  become  self-supporting, 
since  the  district  and/or  national 
mission  boards  continued  to  sup- 
port them.  Most  of  our  home  mis- 
sion churches  during  the  past  30 
years  received  support  for  seven  to 
ten  years,  and  a  few  churches  re- 
ceived support  for  twice  that  long. 

The  way  it  is  now 

Brethren  Impact  churches  will  re- 
ceive financial  assistance  for  three 
years.  They  will  need  help  from 
Brethren  groups  and  individuals  as 
well  as  from  district  and  national 
mission  boards,  because  the  budgets 
of  these  boards  are  not  large  enough 
to  provide  complete  support.  The 
positive  side  of  this  is  that  the  sup- 
port base  of  these  churches  will  be 
much  larger,  since  it  will  include  the 
district  and  national  mission  boards, 


local  churches,  groups  within  local 
churches,  and  individuals  whom 
God  touches  with  the  vision  for  the 
new  church. 

Building  a  support  team 

Brethren  Impact  church  planters 
must  raise  from  40  to  60  percent  of 
their  own  support.  They  benefit  by 
doing  so,  because  they  build  a  team 
of  committed  supporters  who  give 
much  more  than  money.  People  who 
invest  in  other  people  or  in  special 
projects  take  a  personal  interest  in 
those  people  and  projects.  They  pray. 
They  provide  encouragement.  They 
get  others  enthused.  Sometimes 
they  also  give  their  time  and  efforts. 
Our  Lord  Jesus  stated  the  principle 
in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount:  "For 
where  your  treasure  is,  there  your 
heart  will  be  also"  (Matt.  6:21,  Niv). 

Our  church  planters  receive  train- 
ing from  Dynamic  Church  Planting 
International  in  how  to  build  their 
support  teams.  Consultant  Jim 
Carpenter  is  training  our  church 
planters  using  People  Raising  by 
William  Dillon  (Moody  Press).  The 
premise  of  the  book  is  that  people 
really  want  to  invest  in  significant 
Kingdom  work.  Church  planters 
offer  the  Brethren  opportunities  to 
participate  in  something  eternal 
through  people  raising. 

The  church  planter  doesn't  pres- 
sure people  to  give.  He  shares  his 
vision  and  invites  people  to  join  the 
support  team.  Those  who  can't  invest 
financially  are  encouraged  to  pray 
for  the  new  church-planting  team. 

Developing  a  plan 

Brethren  Impact  church  planters 
cast  a  vision  and  develop  a  plan  for 
a  new  church.  They  receive  encour- 
agement from  and  are  accountable 
to  a  trained  mentor  and  a  steering 
committee.  Together  the  church 
planter,  mentor,  and  steering  com- 
mittee can  evaluate  the  progress  of 
the  new  church  and  make  timely 
adjustments  when  necessary  to  en- 
sure success.   They  can  also   stop 


projects  which  are  not  working 
before  they  exhaust  the  church 
planter,  the  core  ministry  team,  and 
many  other  valuable  resources. 

Brethren  Impact  churches  will 
start  larger  and  healthier  than  past 
home  mission  churches  did.  The 
planter  builds  a  core  ministry  team 
of  40  to  60  trained  workers  before 
executing  a  massive  outreach  cam- 
paign. The  goal  is  to  launch  public 
worship  services  with  between  150 
and  200  people  and  to  retain  most  of 
these  people. 

These  new  Brethren  churches  will 
be  self-supporting  more  quickly. 
They  will  purchase  their  own  prop- 
erty and  provide  their  own  facilities. 
They  will  also  reproduce  themselves 
within  a  few  years.  And  they  will 
provide  the  lion's  share  of  future 
pastors,  church  planters,  and  mis- 
sionaries for  The  Brethren  Church. 

We  all  receive  frequent  requests 
for  money.  Most  come  from  worth- 
while causes.  But  we  don't  respond 
to  every  request.  We  can't.  We  give 
to  those  people,  projects,  and  orga- 
nizations that  strike  a  responsive 
chord  in  our  hearts. 

No  greater  cause 

No  cause  is  more  important  than 
winning  men,  women,  and  children 
for  Jesus  Christ.  Statistical  studies 
show  that  starting  new  churches  is 
the  most  effective  way  to  evangelize 
lost  people — anywhere  in  the  world. 

If  local  Brethren  churches  will  do 
their  best  to  practice  good  steward- 
ship with  regard  to  district  and 
denominational  support;  if  Sunday 
school  classes,  auxiliary  organiza- 
tions, and  other  local  groups  will 
adopt  church-planting  projects;  if 
individual  Brethren  people  will  in- 
vest in  church  planters  and  new 
churches;  then  God  will  supply 
everything  we  need  to  start  many 
new  Brethren  churches  and  to  win 
many  people  to  Christ. 

No  one  needs  to  do  it  all.  No  one 
needs  to  give  to  every  project.  Pray 
about  which  people  and  projects 
God  wants  you  to  support.  Partici- 
pate as  the  Holy  Spirit  leads  you. 
And  prepare  to  celebrate  God's  bless- 
ing on  Christ's  kingdom  through 
The  Brethren  Church.  [1>] 

Rev.  Smith  is  Director  of  Missionary 
Ministries  for  The  Brethren  Church. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Domestic  Violence: 
A  Christian  Response 


By  Morven  R.  Baker 


This  is  the  first  in  a  series  of  three 
articles  by  Morven  R.  Baker  on  domes- 
tic violence.  This  article  provides  bibli- 
cal and  historical  perspectives  on  the 
problem.  The  second  will  look  at  kinds 
of  domestic  abuse,  and  the  third  will 
look  at  how  Christians  can  respond  to 
the  cries  of  those  who  are  abused. 

Mrs.  Baker  is  a  licensed  profession- 
al clinical  counselor  associated  with 
Cornerstone  Psychological  Affiliates 
in  Ashland,  Ohio.  She  holds  a  Master 
of  Arts  degree  in  Pastoral  Counseling 
and  Psychology  from  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  Her  husband,  David, 
is  professor  of  Old  Testament  and 
Semitic  Languages  at  the  seminary, 
and  they  have  two  college-age  chil- 
dren. They  are  members  of  the  Univer- 
.sity  (Brethren)  Church  in  Ashland. 

THE  DAY  BEFORE  I  was  to  give 
a  presentation  on  domestic  vio- 
lence, the  lid  to  the  washing  ma- 
chine fell  against  my  nose,  breaking 
it.  I  appeared  before  the  audience 
the  next  day  with  two  lovely  shin- 
ers, radiantly  black  and  blue.  The 
laughter  of  the  audience  when  they 
heard  my  explanation  broke  the 
tension  created  by  my  appearance. 
The  bruises,  physical  and  psycho- 
logical, that  come  from  battering, 
however,  are  never  funny. 


In  the  short 
time  it  took  you  to 
read  the  above  few 
words,  at  least  one 
woman  in  the 
United  States  was 
battered.  On  aver- 
age, a  woman  is 
battered  every 
eighteen  seconds. 
Every  day,  at  least 
four  women  are 
killed  by  their 
partners.  One  out 
of  two  women  has 
been  or  will  be 
battered  by  some- 
one she  knows  and 
loves.  Nearly  six 
million  women  are 
beaten  by  their 
husbands  annual- 
ly; 52  percent  of 
all  women  mur- 
dered in  the  Unit- 
ed States  are  mur- 
dered by  their 
former  or  current 
partners. 
An  article  in  the  Ashland  Times- 
Gazette  dated  January  23,  1998, 
quoted  Secretary  of  State  Bob  Taft 
saying  that  "domestic  violence  is  one 
of  our  society's  tragedies.  You  can 
see  this  in  the  over  50,000  domestic 
violence  complaints  filed  in  Ohio  in 
1996.  That  number,  of  course,  does 
not  represent  the  incidents  of  domes- 
tic violence  that  go  unreported."  He 
also  noted  that  more  that  115,000 
adults  and  almost  20,000  children 
were  served  by  domestic  violence 
shelters  in  Ohio  in  1996. 


"But  not  in  Christian  homes!" 

These  statistics  are  difficult  to 
hear,  especially  for  Christians.  If  we 
had  the  privilege  of  being  raised  in 
loving  homes,  we  tend  to  discount 
the  statistics  or  to  say  at  least,  "But 
those  are  not  Christian  homes. 
Domestic  violence  does  not  happen 
in  Christian  homes."  As  a  sister  in 
Christ  and  as  a  counselor  who  works 
primarily  with  women  who  have 
been  battered  and  abused,  I  am  here 
to  tell  you  that  domestic  violence 
does  happen  in  Christian  homes. 
Battering  occurs  at  least  once  in 
two-thirds  of  all  marriages,  Chris- 
tian and  non-Christian  alike.  We  can 
no  longer  deny  this  terrible  reality. 


I  tell  my  clients  that  Jesus  is  our 
ultimate  role  model.  If  we  have 
questions  about  life,  we  should  al- 
ways look  and  see  how  Jesus  han- 
dled these  matters.  In  other  words, 
if  Jesus  said  something,  then  that's 
good  enough  for  me.  In  Luke 
4:18-19,  Jesus  said: 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
me,  because  he  has  anointed  me  to 
preach  good  news  to  the  poor.  He 
has  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to 
the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight 
to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty 
those  who  are  oppressed,  to 
proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the 
Lord.  RSy  emphasis  added 

Here  is  our  model,  but  it  is  not  a 
model  that  society  or  the  church  has 
been  willing  to  imitate. 

In  the  beginning 

To  discover  how  we  have  gotten 
where  we  are  today,  we  need  to  start 
at  the  beginning.  As  time  begins,  we 
have  a  lonely  man,  Adam,  and  a 
loving  God,  who  is  concerned  for 
Adam's  happiness.  So  God  says,  "It 
isn't  good  for  the  man  to  live  alone. 
I  need  to  make  a  suitable  partner 
for  him"  (Gen.  2:18,  Contemporary 
English  Version). 

This  was  God's  original  view  of 
what  marriage  should  be — a  part- 
nership in  which  love  and  respect 
are  mutual.  But  sin  came  into  the 
picture,  and  a  different  view  of  mar- 
riage emerged. 

In  ancient  times,  women  (and 
children)  were  widely  viewed  as  the 
property  of  the  husband,  like  his 
sheep  and  cattle.  Sexual  assault  of  a 
woman  was  considered  to  be  a  prop- 
erty violation,  and  therefore  an 
offense  against  the  husband  (the 
owner  of  the  property)  rather  than  an 
injustice  to  the  wife.  A  hierarchical 
relationship  also  developed  between 
men  and  women.  As  John  Goldingay 
has  said,  "to  love  and  to  cherish  be- 
came to  desire  and  dominate." 

In  Medieval  times,  the  majority  of 
the  clergy  taught  that  the  husband 
had  both  the  right  and  the  obliga- 
tion to  beat  his  wife.  According  to 
The  Rules  ofManiage,  if  a  husband's 
verbal  correction  was  not  effective, 
then  he  was  to  "take  up  a  stick  and 
beat  her,  not  out  of  rage,  but  out  of 
charity  and  concern  for  her  soul  so 
(continued  on  next  page) 


June  1998 


(continued  from  previous  page) 
that   the   beating  would   rebound 
to  your   merit   and   to   her   good" 
(O'Faolain  and  Martines). 

John  Calvin's  position 

During  the  period  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, John  Calvin  gave  this  reply  to  a 
woman  who  wrote  requesting  assis- 
tance in  leaving  her  abusive  husband: 

We  have  a  special  sympathy  for 
poor  women  who  are  evilly  and 
roughly  treated  by  their  hus- 
bands, because  of  the  roughness 
and  cruelty  of  the  tyranny  and 
captivity  which  is  their  lot.  We 
do  not  find  ourselves  permitted 
by  the  Word  of  God,  however,  to 
advise  a  woman  to  leave  her  hus- 
band, except  by  force  of  necessity; 
and  we  do  not  understand  this 
force  to  be  operative  when  a  hus- 
band behaves  roughly  and  uses 
threats  to  his  wife,  nor  even  when 
he  beats  her,  but  [only]  when 
there  is  imminent  peril  to  her  life, 
whether  from  persecution  by  the 
husband  or  by  his  conspiring.  .  .  . 
We  exhort  her  to  bear  with  pa- 
tience the  cross  which  God  has 
seen  fit  to  place  upon  her;  and 
meanwhile  not  to  deviate  from 
the  duty  which  she  has  before  God 
to  please  her  husband,  but  to  be 
faithful  whatever  happens. 

Despite  his  sympathy  for  her  con- 
dition, Calvin's  understanding  of 
Scripture  prevented  him  from  inter- 
vening in  her  situation  or  from  ad- 
vising her  to  separate  from  her  hus- 
band unless  she  was  in  immediate 
danger  of  death.  Furthermore,  he 
interpreted  her  situation  as  "Chris- 
tian" in  the  sense  that  she  should 
view  it  as  following  Christ  in  the 
way  of  His  cross. 


Sadly,  many  pastors  today  have 
not  progressed  very  far  beyond 
Calvin  in  their  response  to  domestic 
violence.  Dell  Martin  in  the  book 
Battered  Women  reports  advice  she 
received  from  her  pastor  when  she 
went  to  him  for  help: 

Early  in  our  marriage  I  went 
to  a  clergyman  who,  after  a  few 
visits,  told  me  that  my  husband 
meant  no  real  harm,  that  he  was 
just  confused  and  felt  insecure.  I 
was  encouraged  to  be  more  toler- 
ant and  understanding.  Most 
important,  I  was  told  to  forgive 
him  the  beatings  just  as  Christ 
had  forgiven  me  from  the  cross. 

Phyllis  and  James  Alsdurf  in  their 
book  Battered  into  Submission  share 
the  following,  which  a  woman  wrote 
to  them: 

I  would  never  in  my  wildest 
nightmares  have  dreamed  that 
my  husband  would  ever  abuse  me, 
but  he  did.  My  husband  is  a  Chris- 
tian, but  his  rage  at  things  is 
unreal.  I  took  our  two-month  son 
and  fled  after  the  fourth  time  he 
struck  me,  but  I  had  received 
counsel  that  it  was  my  duty  to 
stay  and  suffer  for  Jesus'  sake. 

We  have  come  a  long,  long  way 
from  the  loving  relationship  be- 
tween Adam  and  Eve  that  God  in- 
tended. Their  marriage  relationship 
was  to  be  a  picture  of  the  love  rela- 
tionship between  God  and  His  peo- 
ple. The  nation  of  Israel  was  often 
spoken  of  as  the  wife  of  the  Lord 
(see  Isa.  54:5;  Jer.  3:8;  Hos. 
2:16-20).  Likewise,  the  Christian 
church  is  seen  as  the  radiant  "bride 
of  Christ"  (Eph.  5:22-33). 

A  partnership 

God  created  a  partnership  in  the 
garden.  It  was  not  His  intent  for 
one  of  the  "partners"  to  dominate 
the  other.  The  Apostle  Paul  tells  us: 

Husbands  should  love  their 
wives  just  as  Christ  loved  the 
Church  and  sacrificed  himself  for 
her  to  make  her  holy.  He  made  her 
clean  by  washing  her  in  water 
with  a  form  of  words,  so  that  when 
he  took  her  to  himself  she  would 
be  glorious,  with  no  speck  or  wrin- 
kle or  anything  like  that,  but  holy 
and  faultless.  In  the  same  way, 
husbands  must  love  their  wives  as 


they  love  their  own  bodies;  for  a 
man  to  love  his  wife  is  for  him  to 
love  himself.  A  man  never  hates 
his  own  body,  but  he  feeds  it  and 
looks  after  it;  and  that  is  the  way 
Christ  treats  the  Church,  because 
it  is  his  body — and  we  are  its  liv- 
ing parts.  ...  To  sum  up;  you  too, 
each  one  of  you,  must  love  his 
wife  as  he  loves  himself;  and  let 
every  wife  respect  her  husband. 
Eph.  5:25-33,  The  Jerusalem, 
Bible,  emphasis  added 

This  sounds  pretty  straightforward. 
Yet  not  long  ago  I  had  a  young  hus- 
band in  my  office  who  defended  his 
right  to  be  physically  abusive  to  his 
wife  by  saying  that  he  was  the  "priest" 
in  his  own  home  and  that  this  gave 
him  the  right  to  do  whatever  he 
wanted.  This  is  "scripture  twisting." 
It  is  not  what  God  intended. 

Scripture  is  clear.  Exodus  22:22- 
24  tells  us:  "You  shall  not  afflict  any 
widow  or  orphan.  If  you  do  afflict 
them,  and  they  cry  out  to  me,  I  will 
surely  hear  their  cry;  and  my  wrath 
will  burn,  and  I  will  kill  you  with 
the  sword  ..."  (RSV).  Let  there  be 
no  mistake — God  clearly  protects 
women  and  children,  the  most  help- 
less members  of  society. 

Jesus,  our  role  model 

Remember,  if  Jesus  is  our  role 
model,  we  must  follow  His  leading. 
Jesus  gave  people — both  men  and 
women — their  dignity.  He  gently 
chided  His  disciples  when  they 
stopped  the  children  from  coming  to 
see  Him.  He  made  everyone  who 
came  to  Him  feel  special — that  He 
had  time  for  each  one.  He  treated 
the  men  and  women  who  followed 
Him  with  equal  regard.  He  dearly 
loved  both  His  male  and  His  female 
friends.  He  taught  both  men  and 
women  and  illustrated  His  parables 
with  both  women  and  men.  He  an- 
nounced His  Messiahship  first  to  a 
woman,  and  He  made  His  first  ap- 
pearance as  the  resurrected  Christ 
to  women. 

Domestic  violence  is  a  difficult 
subject  to  discuss.  There  are  few 
who  are  willing  to  open  their  ears  to 
hear  the  cries  of  the  afflicted.  But  as 
Christians,  we  have  been  command- 
ed by  Jesus  to  follow  His  example.  It 
is  our  Christian  duty  to  model  to 
victims  of  domestic  violence  the  love 
and  compassion  of  Christ.  [if] 


6 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


The  Women's  Out bol(9{ezvs fetter 

A  puBtication  of  the  brethren  Women's  Missionary  Society 


July-August  1998 


Volume  11,  Number  6 


"The 

'President's 

Ten 

Dear  Ladies, 

It  seems  only  last  week  that  I 
wrote  my  letter  for  the  Newsletter, 
and  here  it  is  time  to  write  another! 
The  days,  weeks,  and  months  are 
passing  too  quickly  for  me. 

We  visited  with  two  of  our  sons 
and  daughters-in-law  over  the  week- 
end in  early  May.  Jim  and  Susie  are 
in  Wabash  and  Susie  was  directing  a 
play.  Both  Matt  and  Nate  were  in 
the  play,  and  we  just  had  to  see 
them.  The  play  was  "A  Connecticut 
Yankee  in  King  Arthur's  Court."  It 
was  a  real  cute  play.  Matt  was  Mer- 
lin the  Magician  and  Nate  was  the 
Jester.  Both  did  good  jobs  and  made 
Grandma  and  Grandpa  proud! 

On  Sunday  we  went  to  church 
with  Glenn  and  Sarah  in  Nappanee. 
They  are  moving  to  Arizona  on  June 
8  and  will  be  part  of  a  new  church 
planting  in  a  city  near  Phoenix.  It's 
very  exciting,  but  farther  away  from 
Ohio.  But  when  I  retire,  Jim  and  I 
can  spend  our  winters  in  Arizona, 
spring  in  North  Carolina,  fall  in 
Wabash,  and  stay  home  in  Ashland 
for  summer.  Sounds  nice,  doesn't  it! 

During  the  morning  worship  ser- 
vice at  Nappanee,  a  young  man,  the 
worship  leader,  gave  devotions 
based  on  Psalm  23.  I  would  like  to 
mention  some  of  what  he  said. 

"The  LORD  is  my  shepherd.  He  is 
really  everything  we  need.  He 
should  be  (and  can  be)  Lord  of  our 
lives.  He  provides  love,  gives  us 
peace,  gives  us  everything  we  need. 
He  is  everything  to  us. 

(continued  on  page  3) 


SPRING  CLEANING 

Devotions  presented  by  Phyllis  Jervis 
at  the  Ohio  District  W.M.S.  Conference,  April  25,  1998 

Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God; 
and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me.   Psalm  51:10  (kjv) 


If  you  are  feeling  like  the  end  of  a 
hard  winter,  God's  joy  can  make  you 
like  a  breath  of  spring. 

I  have  enjoyed  scanning  a  book 
with  household  hints  for  spring 
housecleaning.  Anything  to  make 
this  job  easier  is  for  me! 

Here  are  a  few  miscellaneous 
hints  for  starters: 

—  For  those  yucky  jobs,  like  clean- 
ing the  black  cookstove,  rub  lard 
under  your  fingernails. 

—  For  feather  beds,  place  the 
feather  beds  and  pillows  out  of 
doors  on  the  grass  or  on  a  clean,  flat 
roof,  and  allow  them  to  be  thor- 
oughly drenched  by  a  warm  summer 
rain.  Hang  them  to  the  limb  of  a 
tree  to  dry  in  the  shade. 

—  For  care  of  your  dishcloth,  wash 
it  in  soapsuds  and  rinse  in  cold  water, 
or  add  lemon  juice  and  salt  to  the 
water,  or  a  teaspoonful  of  kerosene.  A 
greasy  dishcloth  affords  a  breeding 
place  for  the  germs  of  diphtheria, 
typhoid,  and  other  filth  diseases. 

Oh,  did  I  tell  you  that  this  book 
was  written  in  1909? 

Here  is  more  general  advice: 
"Spring  house  cleaning  should  ordi- 
narily be  postponed  until  the  weath- 
er has  become  sufficiently  settled, 
so  that  winter  underwear,  draperies, 
carpets,  etc.,  may  be  stored  away  if 
desired,  and  so  the  health  of  the 
household  need  not  suffer  by  reason 
of  the  open  windows  and  dampness 
attendant  upon  scrubbing  floors 
and  walls,  whitewashing,  painting, 
and  the  like.  Most  women,  after  con- 
stant confinement  during  the  win- 
ter months,  are  more  or  less  run 
down  in  the  spring,  and  the  change 
from    the   bracing   temperature    of 


winter  to  the  enervating  warmth  of 
the  first  spring  days  is  like  to  result 
in  a  lowering  of  tone  that  may  ex- 
pose them  to  serious  mischief  from 
overexertion.  For  these  reasons 
there  is  a  gradual  change  of  senti- 
ment in  favor  of  making  spring 
house  cleaning  a  comparatively  sim- 
ple affair,  putting  off  the  heavy  work 
until  the  fall." 

Although  this  author  suggests  post- 
poning heavy  tasks  until  fall,  some 
jobs  need  to  be  done  now.  So,  in  antici- 
pation, let  me  read  how  you  should 
prepare  to  clean.  "Experienced  house- 
wives arrange  for  house  cleaning  by 
preparing  food  in  advance,  boiling 
ham,  baking  beans,  pies,  bread,  and 
cake,  so  as  to  be  spared  as  far  as 
possible  the  labor  of  cooking  while 
house  cleaning  is  going  on." 

In  comparison  to  the  homemakers 
of  the  early  1900s,  we  have  life  pretty 
easy  in  the  late  1900s,  as  modern 
appliances  have  made  our  cleaning 
tasks  much  less  complicated  and 
exhausting.  However,  we  have  made 
our  lives  full  and  sometimes  cluttered 
because  of  all  the  activities  we  do. 

This  housecleaning  job  isn't  im- 
possible if  we  look  for  "Joy  in  the 
Journey"  as  we  move  from  room  to 
room,  removing  the  winter's  accu- 
mulation of  debris. 

While  doing  windows,  see  through 
the  glass  as  God's  light  shines  upon 
our  lives.  Thank  Him  for  the 
sparkling  view  of  His  creation,  fresh 
and  new! 

When  picking  up  after  hubby  and 
children  or  freshening  their  rooms, 
pray  for  them  and  their  special  needs. 

While  doing  mundane  chores  like 
(continued  on  page  4) 


'District  (Doings 


Susan  Barnes  sub- 
mitted this  report  of 
the  Northeast  OHIO 
District  rally,  which 
was  held  at  Trinity 
Brethren  Church  in 
North  Canton  April  18. 
There  were  39  ladies  present,  the 
same  as  last  year.  The  rally  was 
hosted  by  the  Senior  W.M.S.  and  the 
Juniorettes  W.M.S.  of  Trinity. 

Susan  Barnes  welcomed  the  ladies 
and  led  in  prayer.  Everyone  enjoyed 
Melinda  Dannemiller,  the  story- 
teller. She  told  the  story  of  the 
"Rainbow  Crow,"  "I'll  Love  You  For- 
ever, I'll  Like  You  for  Always,"  and 
ended  with  the  audience  participat- 
ing with  sign  language  to  the  song, 
"What  a  Wonderful  World." 

Following  the  stories,  all  joined  in 
for  some  singing.  Oh,  how  beautiful 
the  voices  were!  The  sanctuary  was 
filled  with  music  in  praise  to  our  Lord! 

Some  of  the  young  men  of  the 
Trinity  congregation  served  a  deli- 
cious luncheon  of  chicken/dressing 
casserole,  gelatin  salad,  rolls,  bever- 
ages, and  cake. 

We  reassembled  in  the  sanctuary 
for  the  afternoon  session.  Following 
prayer  by  Susan  Barnes,  Gail  Grif- 
fin led  in  devotions,  using  the  theme 
of  "God's  Promises"  and  what  it  is 
to  be  a  child  of  God. 

Wanda  Powell,  the  N.E.  Ohio  Dis- 
trict president,  conducted  the  busi- 
ness meeting.  A  representative  from 
each  society  told  what  her  society 
did  in  the  past  year  while  the  project 
offerings  were  received.  The  project 
offerings  were  designated  for  the 
Northview  Brethren  Life  Church  in 
Franklin,  Ohio.  Wanda  announced 
that  the  balance  in  the  Marge  Fund 
is  $897.  This  is  a  scholarship  for 
Ohio  Brethren  girls  attending  Ash- 
land University. 

Future  plans  were  announced: 
The  women's  retreat  will  be  held 
October  23-24  at  Camp  Bethany.  The 
Damascus  Road  Trio  will  be  there. 
The  1999  spring  rally  will  be  at  Gar- 
ber  Brethren  Church  in  Ashland. 

Shirley  Black,  national  W.M.S. 
president,  thanked  everyone  for  her 
prayers  and  cards.  She  emphasized 
the  importance  of  attending  confer- 
ence and  asked  for  volunteers  for 


various  committees.  She  reminded  us 
to  be  in  prayer  for  our  W.M.S.  soci- 
eties. The  Mission  Board  needs  us  to 
keep  our  focus  on  missions.  W.M.S. 
is  a  very  important  ministry.  Shirley 
challenged  us  to  think  of  ways  to 
attract  the  younger  women  to  our 
W.M.S.  groups  or  to  form  new  soci- 
eties. Please  be  in  prayer  for  this. 

Carolyn  Brandon  reported  that 
the  North  Georgetown  Church  has 
begun  a  group,  which  is  attended  by 
both  non-WM.S.  and  W.M.S.  women. 
They  meet  on  the  fourth  Thursday 
at  9:30  for  prayer  and  then  a  time  of 
sewing  and  fellowship.  They  are  the 
Dorcas  group. 

The  OHIO  District  W.M.S.  Con- 
ference was  hosted  by  the  New 
Lebanon  Afternoon  and  Evening 
societies  April  25. 

In  the  absence  of  Wanda  Powell, 
president,  Betty  Deardurff  presided. 
Phyllis  Jervis,  a  member  of  the 
Gretna  Lamplighters  society,  gave 
devotions  entitled  "Spring  Clean- 
ing" {see  page  1).  She  read  several 
household  tips  from  a  book  pub- 
lished in  1909.  One  suggestion 
which  is  never  outdated  is  her  re- 
minder to  pray  Psalm  51:10  ("Cre- 
ate in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God"),  be- 
cause we  need  spiritual  cleaning  as 
much  or  more  than  our  house. 

Betty  announced  that  $800  was 
received  at  the  spring  rally  for  the 
district  project.  Gifts  for  the  two- 
year  project,  the  Northview  Breth- 
ren Church,  total  $1,865.  The  ladies 
selected  Living  Waters  Community 
Church  near  Mansfield  for  the  new 
two-year  project.  Sandi  Miller,  the 
pastor's  wife,  spoke  about  their  call 
and  dedication,  as  well  as  the  involve- 
ment of  members  of  their  core  group. 

During  discussion  of  the  commit- 
ments, the  Beatitudes  (Matthew 
5:3-11)  were  chosen  for  the  Bible 
study  next  year.  The  book  Blessed 
Are  We  by  Lawson  was  suggested  as 
a  resource  guide. 

A  few  ladies  reported  special  ways 
in  which  their  societies  show  love 
and  compassion:  cards,  lap  robes,  and 
afghans  sent  to  residents  in  nursing 
homes,  quilts  for  crack  babies,  and 
valentine  boxes  sent  to  their  college 
students. 


In  the  conference  session,  Randy 
and  Karen  Best  reported  from  the 
Riverside  School.  They  gave  their 
appreciation  for  all  the  assistance 
the  churches  give  to  the  school: 
clothing,  coupons,  work  teams,  fi- 
nances, and  especially  prayers. 
Randy,  assistant  principal,  reported 
110  students  were  enrolled  in  school 
this  year.  Seventy  have  accepted 
Christ  as  their  Savior,  others  have 
rededicated  their  lives,  and  some 
have  become  life-time  recruits  for 
their  Lord. 

The  staff  meets  at  7:30  a.m.  daily 
for  prayer.  On  Sundays  the  faculty 
and  staff  go  into  four  different  coun- 
ties for  Sunday  services. 

In  the  previous 
two  issues,  the  idea 
of  Society  Sisters  in 
Indiana  was  intro- 
duced —  who  they 
are  and  what  they 
do.  Now,  look  over 
Joyce  Gaskin's 

shoulder  in  New 
Paris  to  read  what 
she  wrote  to  the  Burlington  W.M.S. 

"Dear  W.M.S.  Society  Sisters, 

"We  feel  honored  to  have  you  as 
our  'Society  Sisters'  for  1998.  This 
will  be  a  wonderful  opportunity  for 
us  to  share  and  encourage  you  as  we 
strive  to  serve  our  Lord. 

"Our  group  is  made  up  of  12 
ladies  and  our  average  attendance  is 
7  to  8,  with  the  exception  of  our 
1997  Christmas  gathering — when 
all  12  attended.  Each  year  we  draw 
(continued  on  next  page) 

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  (continued) 

names  at  our  December  meeting  for 
a  new  'Secret  Sister'  for  the  coming 
year.  At  this  meeting  we  have  a  deli- 
cious carry-in  dinner,  a  wonderful 
Christmas  program  of  carols  and 
readings,  and  then  we  share  a  gift 
with  the  'Secret  Sister'  we  have  had 
for  the  year.  We  have  loads  of  fun  as 
we  try  to  guess  who  our  'Secret  Sis- 
ter' has  been.  In  the  course  of  the 
year,  we  acknowledge  birthdays  and 
anniversaries  as  well  as  cards  of 
love  and  encouragement  to  our 
sister. 

"We  also  have  a  Friendship  Bas- 
ket that  will  normally  circulate  to 
each  member  at  least  once  through 
each  year.  Our  basket  is  a  lovely 
large  white  basket  and,  when  a 
member  receives  it,  she  will  find  it 
has  been  filled  with  nice  surprises 
from  the  member  who  had  it  last. 
The  basket  may  have  anywhere 
from  one  item  to  as  many  as  six  or 
eight  items.  I  have  personally  re- 
ceived a  sweatshirt  (hand  decorated 
by  a  W.M.S.  sister),  candles,  a 
friendship  coffee  mug,  stationery 
and  cards,  candy,  bath  oils,  and 
homemade  goodies,  to  name  a  few. 
After  the  excitement  of  receiving 
the  basket,  a  donation  in  apprecia- 
tion of  the  gift  is  placed  in  a  small 
box  that  stays  in  the  basket.  The 
money  is  then  used  toward  our  mis- 
sion projects. 

"For  our  Christmas  project  we 
sent  $100  to  the  Lost  Creek  River- 
side School  staff.  Our  group  also 
voted  at  the  January  meeting  to 
sponsor  one  of  the  children  in  the 
Kumars'  orphanages  at  a  cost  of  $21 
per  month. 

"Our  study  book  for  this  year  is 
Joshua,  Victorious  by  Faith.  We  are 
sharing  in  the  teaching  responsibili- 
ties as  we  study  this  year.  It  is  a 
good  experience  for  us  as  we  work  to 
become  better  followers  of  our  Lord. 

"We  have  great  expectations  for 
mission  opportunities  for  this  year, 
and  we  know  that  your  group  will  be 
busy  in  His  service,  also. 

"Another  interesting  fact  to  share 
with  you  —  a  former  member  of  the 
Burlington  Church,  Paul  Wayne 
Hendrix,  transferred  his  member- 
ship to  our  church.  His  wife,  Car- 
olyn, is  an  active  member  of  our 
W.M.S.  group.  Paul  and  Carolyn 
have  a  book  of  the  history  of  the 

July-August,  1998 


Burlington    Church.    As    Carolyn 
shares  more  from  this  book,  we  are 
certain  our  relationship  with  our 
'Society  Sisters'  will  strengthen. 
"May  the  Lord  bless  you  and  — 
'TO  GOD  BE  THE  GLORY' 
"New  Paris  First  Brethren  W.M.S. 
Gerry  Swartz,  President 
Edna  VanDiepenbos,  Bea  Bischof 
Margaret  Stump,  Grace  Cline 
Carolyn  Hendrix,  Cindy  Hanson 
Wanda  Miller,  Carol  Smith 
Jan  Tredway,  Marie  Brookins 
Joyce  Gaskin,  Secretary" 

Thanks,  Joyce,  for  sharing  your 
letter  with  all  of  us.  Congratulations 
to  you  ladies  for  serving  the  Lord  in 
effective  ministries.  We  appreciate 
the  Society  Sister  idea. 

The  President's  Pen 

(continued) 

"The  Lord  is  MY  shepherd.  It  is  a 
personal  thing.  He  gives  us  His  un- 
divided attention  when  we  ask  Him. 
We  can  go  to  Him  anytime.  The 
Lord  is  MY  Shepherd. 

"The  Lord  is  my  SHEPHERD.  A 
shepherd  leads  and  cares  for  his 
sheep.  The  Lord  is  always  watching 
over  us  and  guiding  us,  if  we  seek 
His  guidance.  So,  follow  your  "Shep- 
herd." 

How  long  has  it  been  since  you 
read  the  23rd  Psalm?  Read  it  again 
and  think  on  the  words. 

Don't  forget,  Conference  is  the 
week  of  August  3-7  in  Ashland.  I 
hope  that  many  of  you  are  planning 
to  attend.  The  W.M.S.  luncheon  is 
Wednesday  at  12:30. 

Wednesday  morning  Cheryl 
Schmiedt  from  Manteca,  California, 
will  lead  a  seminar  and  in  the  after- 
noon there  will  be  a  panel  discus- 
sion on  her  seminar  topic.  I  hope  we 
have  a  good  turnout  to  hear  God's 
message  through  her. 

Thanks  again  for  your  prayers. 
This  spring  I  have  had  shingles  on 
my  face  and  in  my  mouth,  but  they 
are  almost  gone.  New  medication  is 
available  now  for  shingles,  and  it 
takes  care  of  them  very  quickly. 

I'm  looking  forward  to  seeing  all 
of  you  at  General  Conference. 

God  Bless  You, 


Shirley  Black 


Qdissionarij 

Ginny  Hoyt,  administrative  assis- 
tant of  the  Missionary  Ministries 
Council,  gave  this  information  for 
praise  and  prayer. 

PRAISE 

Allen  Baer  has  served  for  15 
years  in  Argentina.  Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant!  Allen  will  at- 
tend General  Conference,  as  well  as 
Jose  Rivero  of  Argentina  and 
Marcelo  and  Adriana  Ferreri  of 
Colombia. 

Church  planters  Jim  and 
Stephanie  Boyd  of  Vista,  Califor- 
nia, were  praying  for  75  people  to 
come  to  their  Easter  Preview  Ser- 
vice. 105  people  attended!  Praise 
the  Lord! 

PRAYER 

Allen  Baer  concludes  his  min- 
istry and  anticipates  relocating  in 
Arizona.  Pray,  too,  for  the  national 
leaders  who  will  assume  his  respon- 
sibilities. 

Todd  and  Tracy  Ruggles  desire 
to  adopt  a  baby.  Unfortunately,  their 
first  request  was  rejected;  however, 
there  is  hope.  They  have  become 
aware  of  a  Christian  agency,  where 
they  will  continue  to  try. 

Pastor  Tom  and  Debbie  Sprowls 

have  completed  their  ministry  at 
Living  HOPE  Brethren  Church  in 
Medina,  Ohio.  Keep  them  and  their 
three  children  (Luke,  Leah,  Levi)  in 
your  prayers  as  they  relocate.  Their 
new  address  is  207  Broadway  St., 
Berlin,  Pennsylvania  15530. 

Jeff   and   Zenita   Kaplan   are 

attempting  to  sell  their  home  in 
southern  California,  so  they  can 
move  to  Douglas  County,  Colorado, 
to  begin  their  church  plant. 

Church  planters  Mike  and  Bar- 
bara Woods  need  to  find  a  home  in 
Winchester,  Virginia. 

Bob  Pocai,  the  churchman  and 
maintenance  supervisor  of  the  13 
buildings  at  Lost  Creek  Church  and 
Riverside  School,  has  been  diag- 
nosed with  a  mass  on  one  lung. 


n 


Ua*^ 


This  year  the  $1,000  scholarship 
at  Ashland  University  was  divided 
between  two  seniors,  who  are  active 
members  of  their  home  Brethren 
church.  Tracy  Hammond  wrote: 

"Thank  you  so  much  for  the  scholar- 
ship, which  I  received  from  you  for 
this  year.  I  will  graduate  May  9  with 
a  degree  in  elementary  education.  I 
plan  to  work  this  summer  and  look 
for  a  job. 

"Love,  Tracy  Hammond" 

Michelle  Roblin  wrote: 

"I  wanted  to  take  this  time  to 
thank  you  for  your  continued  sup- 
port during  my  last  year  at  Ashland 
University.  Your  generosity  was  in- 
strumental in  helping  me  to  pay  for 
my  education. 

"Right  now  I  am  looking  forward 
to  graduation,  so  I  can  secure  a  teach- 
ing position  to  use  the  knowledge  I 
gained  while  at  Ashland.  As  of  now, 
my  husband,  Jason,  and  I  will  stay 
in  the  Ashland  area  for  at  least 
another  year,  because  of  a  recent  job 
change  for  him.  I  will  pursue  a 
teaching  job  in  or  around  Ashland. 

"I  feel  that  Ashland  gave  me  a 
quality  education  and  am  so  happy 
that  you  continue  to  support  Ash- 
land University  students. 

"Sincerely,  Michelle  Roblin" 

Tracy  is  a  member  of  the  Smith- 
ville,  Ohio,  Brethren  Church  and 
Michelle  belongs  to  the  Ashland, 
Ohio,  Park  Street  Church. 

Spring  Cleaning  (continued) 

dishes,  we  should  whisper  a  prayer 
of  thanks  for  the  food,  since  we  are 
not  going  hungry. 

Sometimes  we  tidy  up  a  couple 
rooms  to  get  ready  for  a  W.M.S. 
meeting  or  for  other  guests.  We  may 
tuck  the  clutter  in  a  drawer,  stuff 
it  in  a  closet,  or  shove  it  under  the 
bed.  The  outward  appearance  of  our 
rooms  is  nice! 

People  see  only  the  outer  appear- 
ance of  ourselves,  too,  as  we  show 
them  our  best  side.  But,  just  as  we 
know  what  is  hidden  out  of  sight — 
in  a  drawer,  the  closet,  or  under 
the  bed — we  know  that  God  sees 
the  secrets  of  our  unclean  hearts. 
"Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God." 


A  WORD  ABOUT  MONEY 

A  Popular  Subject 

Have  you  heard  the  rumor  that 
the  church  is  always  asking  for 
money?  A  few  years  ago,  Dear  Abby 
(Abigail  Van  Buren)  responded  to  a 
letter  from  one  who  attended 
church  "once  in  a  while,  but  every 
time  we  are  hit  for  money.  ...  I 
think  it  is  getting  to  be  a  racket. 
Just  what  do  churches  do  with  all 
their  money?"  This  letter  was 
signed  "Curious"  in  New  Jersey. 

The  gist  of  Dear  Abby's  reply 
was — salaries,  benevolences,  utili- 
ties, construction/upkeep,  etc. 

But  what  about  W.M.S.?  I  have 
heard  the  same  thing — you  take  up 
so  many  offerings.  Why? 

W.M.S.  was  organized  to  do  home 
and  world  mission  work;  therefore, 
we  receive  money  for  both  areas. 
This  year  our  world  mission  project 
is  the  South  American  Theological 
Seminary  (formerly  called  the  Eden 
Bible  Institute).  The  Seminary  was 
closed  for  a  few  years,  but  was  re- 
opened in  March  after  Eduardo  and 
Mariela  Rodriguez  did  intensive 
preparation.  They  anticipated  100 
students  for  the  first  semester. 
Imagine  their  joy  when  133  regis- 
tered! The  project  offering  which  we 
will  give  at  General  Conference  will 
help  to  offset  the  start-up  costs  of 
the  South  American  Theological 
Seminary. 

Because  the  Lord  is  so  faithful 
and  gives  much  more  than  we  de- 
serve, we  respond  with  a  Thank 
Offering.  This  is  given  to  benevo- 
lences: World  and  Home  Missions, 
Riverside  School  in  Lost  Creek,  KY; 
Campus  Ministry  and  the  W.M.S. 
Scholarship  at  Ashland  University. 

An  offering  is  given  to  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary  for  general 
support;  this  is  the  only  seminary  of 
The  Brethren  Church.  The  offering 
is  separate  from  all  other  projects 
and  is  usually  received  from  a  spe- 
cial service  or  activity  in  which  the 
purpose  of  W.M.S.  is  promoted. 

Dues  are  used  for  the  two  publica- 
tions— the  Devotional  Guide  and 
the  W.M.S.  Newsletter — and  for  ad- 
ministrative expenses. 

All  offerings  are  sent  to  Joanne 
Kroft,  financial  secretary.  Then  mis- 
sionary and  seminary  offerings  are 
given  directly  to  those  organizations. 


l/te  filitttr's  Biduy 

Dear  Friend, 

This  spring  our  Share  group  stud- 
ied John's  three  epistles.  John 
wrote  these  letters  to  Christians  in 
80-90  A.D.,  but  his  themes  of  prac- 
ticing love  and  avoiding  false  teach- 
ers are  very  relevant. 

The  verses  in  I  John  3:16-18  co- 
incide with  the  W.M.S.  Commitment 
10:  show  Christian  love.  John  wrote 
about  laying  down  your  life  for  an- 
other (sacrificing  your  life  for  an- 
other to  live,  as  the  teacher  did  in 
Arkansas).  John  continues  that,  if 
the  love  of  God  is  in  us,  we  will  give 
our  material  possessions  (clothing, 
food,  gift  certificates,  blood  at  the 
blood  bank,  etc.)  to  those  in  need 
to  extend  their  lives.  Otherwise,  we 
do  not  have  pity  or  compassion  for 
them. 

That  paraphrase  is  mine,  but 
John's  words  are  in  verse  18:  "Dear 
children,  let  us  not  love  with  words 
or  tongue,  but  with  actions  and  in 
truth."  Then  receive  Christ's  bless- 
ing, "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me" 
(Matthew  25:40,  kjv).  This  is  another 
way  of  finding  Joy  in  the  Journey. 

At  the  May  Board  meeting,  the 
executive  committee  recommended 
reading  circle  books  and  confirmed 
plans  for  General  Conference.  This 
information  was  sent  to  each  presi- 
dent, so  you  have  information  be- 
fore Conference. 

Please  be  sure  to  return  the  com- 
pleted statistical  report  with  your 
officers'  names  and  addresses  to 
Nancy  Hunn,  555  W  Market  St., 
Nappanee,  IN  46550-1924,  no  later 
than  June  30. 

Should  you  have  questions  about 
our  offerings,  please  call  Joanne 
Kroft  (419-962-4679)  or  JoAnn  Sea- 
man, treasurer  (419-289-0027). 

I  hope  many  of  you  will  attend 
General  Conference.  I  look  forward 
to  seeing  you. 

Your  friend, 


Joan 
Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


General  Conference  Preview 


1998  General  Conference  Schedule 

August  3-7  at  Ashland  University,  Ashland,  Ohio 

Theme:  Visualize  Renewal 


Monday,  August  3 

4:00  pm — New  Delegate  Briefing 

6:30  pm — Opening  Celebration,  with  comments  by 

Dr.  Emanuel  (Buzz)  Sandberg  and  featuring 
a  message  by  Dr.  Terry  Wardle 

8:30  pm — Prayer  Time  in  the  auditorium 

8:30  pm — Ice  Cream  Social  (reservation  required) 

Tuesday,  August  4 

8:30  am — Business  Session 
11:00  am — Workshop:  "Natural  Church  Development," 

presented  by  Ronald  W.  Waters 
2:00  pm — Auxiliary  Sessions 
3:30  pm— Table  Talks  and  Workshop 
7:00  pm — Worship  Service,  with  message  by  Dr.  Bruce 

Wilkinson 

Wednesday,  August  5 

7:00  am — Pastors'  Wives  Fellowship  and  Breakfast 

(reservation  required) 
8:30  am — Workshop  led  by  Dr.  Bruce  Wilkinson 
10:30  am — Men's  Seminar  led  by  Dr.  Bruce  Wilkinson 


10:30  am — Women's  Seminar  led  by  Mrs.  Cheryl  Schmiedt 
12:30  pm — Women's  Luncheon  (reservation  required) 
12:30  pm — Men's  Luncheon  (reservation  required) 
2:30  pm — Men  and  Women  panel  talk 
3:30  pm— Table  Talks  and  Workshop 
7:00  pm — Worship  Service,  with  message  by 
Dr.  Richard  Parrott 

Thursday,  August  6 

8:30  am — Business  Session 
11:00  am — Special  presentation  by  "Auca"  tribesmen 
12:30  pm — World  Relief  Luncheon,  with  message  by 
Dr.  Clive  Calver  (reservation  required) 
2:00  pm — Auxiliary  Sessions 

5:00  pm — Missions  Banquet  (reservation  required) 
7:00  pm — Worship  Service,  with  message  by  Dr.  Clive 
Calver,  followed  by  a  quilt  auction 

Friday,  August  7 

9:00  am — Workshop 
10:30  am — Closing  Session,  featuring  Youth  Conven- 
tion report  and  message  by  Rev.  David  West 


General  Conference  Registration  Information 


If  you  plan  to  attend  General 
Conference  and  to  make  use  of  any  of 
the  services  listed  on  the  registration 
form  on  page  9  (housing,  meals,  special 
events,  children's  program,  nursery), 
please  preregister  by  July  18.  Do 
not  wait  until  you  arrive  to  register. 

General  instructions: 

1.  Room  rates  do  not  include  sheets 
and  towels.  Bring  your  own  or  order  a 
linen  packet  on  the  form.  You  will 
need  to  bring  your  own  pillow. 

2.  Every  bed  used  must  be  paid  for, 
but  children  may  sleep  on  the  floor  in 
their  parents'  room  at  no  charge.  Bring 
a  pad  or  sleeping  bag.  Single  rooms 
have  floor  space  for  one  child,  doubles 
for  two,  triples  for  three.  A  limited 
number  of  triple  rooms  are  available. 
Register  early  to  get  your  preference. 

3.  Tickets  for  meals  in  the  university 
cafeteria  are  usable  any  day,  Tuesday 
through  Friday.  No  refunds  will  be 
given,  so  order  only  as  many  tickets  as 
you  will  need.  Please  purchase  meal 
tickets  now  rather  than  at  the  door,  so 
that  the  university  will  know  approxi- 


mately how  many  people  to  plan  for. 

4.  The  Women's  Luncheon,  World 
Relief  Soup  Luncheon,  and  Missions 
Banquet  will  be  held  in  the  Convoca- 
tion Center;  the  Men's  Picnic  in  the 
newly  air-conditioned  Redwood  Hall. 

5.  In  addition  to  the  children's  pro- 
gram for  older  children,  baby-sitting 
will  be  available  for  infants  through 
pre-schoolers  during  morning,  after- 
noon, and  evening  sessions.  A  sched- 
ule will  be  posted  in  the  program 
book.  All  who  plan  to  use  the  nursery 
are  asked  to  indicate  this  on  the  regis- 
tration form  so  that  the  nursery  can 
be  adequately  staffed.  Activities  for 
children  4  years  old  through  6th  grade 
are  also  planned  on  Thursday  during 
the  Missions  Banquet. 

Other  information 

Housing  —  The  housing  desk,  in 
the  Convocation  Center  lobby,  will  be 
open  Sunday  evening  from  6:00  to 
9:00;  Monday  from  9:00  a.m.  to  6:00 
p.m.  and  after  the  evening  program; 
and  daily  throughout  the  week. 

Camping  —  Campsites  are  available 


at  Ashland  County  Fairgrounds,  2042 
Claremont  Avenue  in  Ashland.  No  ad- 
vance reservation  is  required. 

Credentials  —  Delegate  creden- 
tials should  be  submitted  in  person  as 
early  as  possible  during  Conference 
week.  Credentials  will  be  received  in 
the  Convocation  Center  lobby  Mon- 
day 2:00-6:00  p.m.  and  following  the 
evening  program;  Tuesday  through 
Friday,  8:00-8:20  a.m.;  and  Tuesday 
through  Thursday,  6:30-7:00  p.m. 

Non-Delegates  —  Non-delegates 
are  welcome  at  Conference.  Please 
complete  a  reservation  form.  Then 
when  you  arrive  in  Ashland,  check  in 
at  the  credential  table  to  receive  a 
name  badge  and  a  Conference  packet. 
A  $10.00  fee  will  be  required. 

New-Attenders  Briefing  —  A  brief- 
ing will  be  held  at  4:00  p.m.  Monday 
in  the  Convocation  Center  auditorium. 
Though  planned  specifically  for  first- 
time  attenders,  it  is  open  to  anyone.  It 
will  include  a  general  orientation  to 
Conference  plus  specific  information 
about  business  sessions. 

Travel  Subsidy  —  If  you  travel  more 
than  1,500  miles  to  attend  Conference, 
pick  up  a  travel  subsidy  form  at  the 
credential  table  when  you  arrive,    [ft] 


June  1998 


General  Conference  Preview 


The  1998  BYIC  Convention 

August  3-7  at  Ashland  University,  Ashland,  Ohio 

Theme:  Under  Construction 

And  being  confident  of  this,  that  He  who  began  a  good  work  in  you 
will  carry  it  on  to  completion  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.    Philippians  1 :6 


THIS  YEAR'S  BYIC  Convention 
promises  to  be  a  week  of  fun,  fel- 
lowship, and  personal  "construc- 
tion." Many  new  and  exciting  events 
are  planned,  so  please  encourage 
any  youth  in  your  congregation  to 
come  and  be  prepared  to  "build!" 

"Ground-breaking"  for  the  BYIC 
Convention  will  take  place  on  Mon- 
day at  7:00  pm,  with  a  powerful 
opening  worship  service.  Following 
this,  youth  will  meet  up  with  their 
"Construction  Crews"  and  go  on  a 
prayer  tour  of  the  campus.  After- 
wards, the  National  BYIC  Steering 
Committee  will  help  everyone 
loosen  up  and  get  to  know  each 
other  with  a  mixer! 

The  week  will  also  include  a  mis- 
sions fair,  which  will  spotlight  the 
various  missions  fields  of  the  world 
— including  our  schools,  work-places, 
homes,  and  communities,  as  well  as 
home  missions,  foreign  missions, 
and  church  planting. 

We  will  also  be  taking  a  trip  to 


Cedar  Point  Amusement  Park  on 
Wednesday,  then  coming  home  to 
enjoy  an  exciting  concert  by  Nitro- 
Praise! 

Other  highlights  of  the  week  will 
include  Communion,  a  coffeehouse, 
service  projects,  personal  construc- 
tion seminars,  eye-opening  morning 
praise  services,  a  wide  variety  of 
speakers  and  praise  leaders,  the  in- 
formational session  and  Steering 
Committee  elections,  and  much, 
much  more!!!!  The  youth  will  also 
join  the  adults  on  Tuesday  morning 
to  give  a  youth  update;  on  Tuesday 
and  Thursday  nights  to  share  in  the 
worship  services;  and  on  Friday  morn- 
ing for  the  closing  worship  service. 

Post-high  youth  will  have  the  op- 
tion of  attending  the  adult  business 
sessions  on  Tuesday  and  Thursday 
mornings.  If  you  have  post-high 
youth  from  your  church  coming  to 
the  Convention  and  have  extra  dele- 
gate credentials,  encourage  them  to 
get  involved  in  these  sessions! 


Registration  information  was  sent 
at  the  end  of  May  to  youth  leaders, 
pastors,  and  all  youth  who  are  regis- 
tered members  of  the  National 
BYIC.  So  be  looking  for  it  in  your 
mailbox.  All  youth  attending  the  Con- 
vention must  pre-register.  (No  walk- 
in  registrations  will  be  accepted). 
The  last  date  to  register  is  July  9. 
All  youth  will  be  housed  on  campus 
and  must  remain  on  campus 
throughout  the  entire  Convention. 

The  registration  fees  are  outlined 
on  the  registration  forms.  This  fee 
includes  housing  for  Monday 
through  Thursday  nights,  all  meals 
except  for  dinner  at  Cedar  Point  on 
Wednesday,  all  Convention  activities 
and  events,  admission  to  the  Nitro- 
Praise  concert,  and  a  T-shirt. 

If  you  have  any  questions,  or  if 
you  do  not  receive  registration  in- 
formation, please  contact  Jaime 
Gillespie,  the  BYIC  Convention  Co- 
ordinator, at  the  Brethren  Church 
National  Office.  [ft] 


Visualizing  Renewal 
at  General  Conference 

A  GREAT  WEEK  of  celebration  is 
planned  for  General  Conference 
in  August,  focusing  on  the  theme 
Visualize  Renewal.  The  speakers 
for  the  week  were  highlighted  in  the 
April  Evangelist  (page  4),  but  here  is 
a  brief  review. 

Monday  night,  Dr.  Terry  Wardle, 
the  new  associate  professor  of  Church 
Planting  at  Ashland  Theological  Sem- 
inary, will  help  us  visualize  how  God 
can  renew  our  hearts.  {See  the  back 
page  for  more  about  Dr.  Wardle.)  He 
will  also  present  a  workshop  Friday 
morning  on  church  planting. 

Tuesday  night,  Dr.  Bruce  H.  Wil- 
kinson, founder  and  president  of 
Walk  Thru  the  Bible  Ministries,  will 
speak  about  renewal  of  family  rela- 
tionships. Dr.  Wilkinson  is  one  of  the 


most  respected  communicators  of  bib- 
lical truth  in  the  church  today.  In  ad- 
dition to  his  Tuesday  evening  mes- 
sage, Dr.  Wilkinson  will  lead  two 
workshops  on  Wednesday  morning. 

Wednesday  night,  Dr.  Richard  L. 
Parrott  will  look  at  how  God  can 
renew  our  spirits.  Dr.  Parrott,  a  gifted 
speaker,  is  director  of  the  doctoral 
studies  program  at  Ashland  Theologi- 
cal Seminary. 

Thursday  the  focus  will  be  on  re- 
newal of  our  zeal  for  missions.  Dr. 
Clive  Calver,  president  of  World 
Relief  of  the  National  Association  of 
Evangelicals,  will  speak  at  both  the 
World  Relief  luncheon  and  the  eve- 
ning service.  Dr.  Calver,  from  Eng- 
land, delivers  a  powerful  message 
with  a  delightful  British  accent. 

On  Friday  morning  one  of  our  own 
men,  Rev.  David  West,  will  help  us 
visualize  renewal  of  the  church.  Rev. 
West  is  Director  of  Congregation  Min- 


istries and  Director  of  U.S.  Missions 
for  The  Brethren  Church. 

A  previously  unannounced  special 
event  will  occur  Thursday  morning, 
when  two  members  of  the  infamous 
Auca  (now  called 
Waoroni)  tribe  of 
Ecuador  will 
speak.  One  of 
the  two  took 
part  in  the  mas- 
sacre of  five  mis- 
sionaries in 
1956,  and  the 
other  is  the  son 
of  one  of  the 
participants. 
Appearing  with  Mencaye,  one  of 
them  will  be  the  "Aucas"  who  will 
Steve  Saint,  son  sPeak  at  Conference. 
of  one  of  the  five  slain  missionaries. 
The  very  presence  of  these  men  to- 
gether will  be  a  wonderful  visualiza- 
tion of  God's  power  to  renew.  [ft] 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


See  instructions  on  page  7. 

Theme: 

"Visualize  Renewal" 

Name 


1998  General  Conference 

Registration  Form 


Monday,  August  3,  through 
Friday,  August  7 


Address 


City/State/Zip_ 


Please  reserve  only  one  room  per  form.  Youth 
must  register  through  the  National  BYIC  if  staying 
in  the  Youth  Dorm;  if  staying  with  adults,  use  this 
form.  Note:  Registration  with  prepayment  by  July 
18  results  in  guaranteed  reservation. 


Housing: 

Ashland  University  Dormitory 

Rates** 
Single 

Prepaid  by              Upon 
July  18                 arrival 

$18.00            $22.00 

Floor:  Women's  restroom           Men's 

Double 

26.00              33.00 

Room  type:  Single           Double 

Triple 
Nights  staying:  S           M           T 

W 

Triple               36.00             43.00 
no  charge  for  children  not  sleeping  in  a  bed 
Th 

Other  preferences: 

Housing  costs  calculation 

No.  nights  x  rate/night 


Note:  Above  rates  do  not  include  linen.  See  linen  rates  at  right. 


Linen  packet  (2  sheets, 
2  towels,  1  wash  cloth) 

No.  of  packets  x  rate 

x  $3.50     =  $ 

Total  Housing  =  $ 


Meal  Tickets 

Meals  are  served  in  University  cafeteria;  tickets  are  usable  any  day — order  as 
many  tickets  as  you  need  for  the  week.         No  tjckets 

Breakfast  Adults  x  $4.20  =   $ 

Children  under  12  x  $2.10=   $ 

Lunch  Adults  x  $5.60  =   $ 

Children  under  12  x  $2.80  =  $ 

Dinner  Adults  x  $7.00  =   $ 

Children  under  12  x  $3.50=   $ 

Special  Event  Reservations 

Reservations  for  the  following  events  are  required  due  to  early  deadlines.  Tickets 
ordered  after  July  18  are  subject  to  availability.  No  meal  refunds  after  July  24. 


Mon.  8:30  p.m.  —  Ice  Cream  Social       Adults 

Children  under  12 

Wed.  7:00  a.m.  —  Pastors'  Wives  Continental 

Breakfast/Fellowship 

Wed.  12:30  p.m.  —  Women's  Luncheon  Adults 

Children  under  6 
Children  under  3 

Wed.  12:30  p.m.  —  Men's  Picnic 

Thur.  12:30  p.m.  —  World  Relief  Soup  Luncheon 

Thur.  5:00  p.m.  —  Missions  Banquet 


$3.00  = 
$1.50  = 
$4.25  = 

$8.00  = 
$4.50  = 

free 
$8.00  = 


(offering  will  be  taken) 

x  $10.00  =  $ 

Total  meals  and  special  events  reservations  enclosed  =    $ 


Summary  Totals 

Total  Housing  =  $ 

Total  Meals  and 

Special  Events  =  $ 

Total  Children's 

Program  =  $ 

Total  Enclosed  =  $ 


Make  checks  payable  to: 

The  Brethren  Church 

Send  to: 

General  Conference  Housing 

524  College  Ave. 

Ashland,  OH  44805 


FOR  OFFICE  USE  ONLY: 

Date  rec. 


Amount  rec. 
Check  # 


Children's  Program  (ages  4  years  through  completed  6th  grade): 

Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  8:15  a.m.  to  5:00  p.m.;  Thursday,  8:15  a.m.  to  3:30  p.m.; 
Friday,  8:15  a.m.  to  noon.  Lunch  provided  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday. 

Family  Rate:  1  child,  $46/week,  $15/day;  2  or  more  children,  $70/week,  $24/day. 


Will  you  have  small  children  in  the 
nursery?  If  so,   how  many  babies 
and/or  toddlers  ? 


Child's  Name 


Age/Grade 
Completed 


Days  (circle) 

T  W  Th  F 
T  W  Th  F 
T    W    Th     F 


Total  for  Children's  Program      $ 


Mail  this  form,  with  payment  in  full,  as  soon  as  possible  (and  no  later  than  July  18). 
Send  to:   General  Conference  Housing,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805 


June  1998 


0ood_r/2© 


Lilith  Howard  receives  a  certificate 
and  corsage  from  Muluane  pastor  Rev. 
Joseph  Hanna. 


50  years  as  a  deaconess 

Mulvane,  Kans.  —  Lilith  Howard 
was  honored  on  Sunday,  February 
23,  by  the  Mulvane  Brethren 
Church  for  her  more  than  50  years 
of  faithful  service  as  a  deaconess. 

Pastor  Joseph  Hanna  presented 
Mrs.  Howard  a  certificate  of  recog- 
nition and  a  corsage  during  the 
morning  worship  service. 

Mrs.  Howard  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Mulvane  congregation  for  76 
years  and  is  recognized  as  the  oldest 
living  member  of  the  church.  She 
noted  that  she  was  baptized  Febru- 
ary 22,  1922,  76  years  and  one  day 
before  receiving  this  special  honor. 

—  From  the  Mulvane  News  of  2-27- 

98;  submitted  by  Pastor  Joseph  Hanna. 


Attention  Church  Treasurers 

The  Ministerial  Student  Aid  Fund 
Committee  has  a  new  treasurer — 

Rev.  Robert  Keplinger,  516  Country 
Club  Ln.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  Please 
send  contributions  for  this  fund  to  him. 


Bloomingdale  Church  presents  living  portrayal 
of  Christ's  crucifixion  on  Good  Friday  afternoon 


Valrico,  Fla.  —  Paid  in  Full,  a  liv- 
ing portrayal  of  the  crucifixion  of 
Christ,  was  presented  on  Good  Fri- 
day afternoon  from  3  to  6  o'clock  on 
the  lawn  of  the  Bloomingdale 
Brethren  Church. 

Similar  to  a  live  nativity  scene, 
Paid  in  Full  was  a  portrayal  by  the 
members  of  the  Bloomingdale  con- 
gregation of  the  various  characters 
associated  with  the  crucifixion  of 
Christ  on  the  cross.  Portrayed  were 
the  two  thieves,  mourners,  Roman 
guards,  and,  of  course,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Himself. 

The  portrayal  included  no  spoken 
parts  or  dramatic  reenactments. 
Rather,  the  scene  was  a  living  plac- 
ard displayed  alongside  the  major 
thoroughfare  on  which  the  church 
property  is  located.  Passing  traffic 
slowed  during  the  three-hour  portray- 
al, as  drivers  and  passengers  craned 
their  necks  to  get  a  closer  look. 

Dozens  of  cars  pulled  into  the 
church  parking  area,  and  a  number 
of  people  got  out  of  their  cars  to 
meditate,  pray,  and  observe,  while 
sitting  in  an  area  designated  for 
such  purposes.  Each  visitor  who 
stopped  was  given  a  brochure  with  a 
description  of  the  biblical  message 
of  the  crucifixion  and  a  folder  with 
an  invitation  to  the  church's  Easter 
Sunday  services. 

Paid  in  Full  was  conceived  by 
Butch  Humphrey,  a  member  of  the 
church  leadership,  who  came  up 
with  the   idea  when  the  outreach 


committee  was  seeking  for  a  way  to 
impact  the  community  with  the 
Gospel  message  at  Easter  time. 
"Since  we  are  a  small  church,  we 
can't  put  on  the  kind  of  big  musical 
or  dramatic  production  so  common 
during  the  Easter  season,"  said  Pas- 
tor Glenn  Rininger.  "But  we  were 
looking  for  something  that  we  could 
do,  and  the  Lord  really  brought 
together  all  the  components  we 
needed.  Gloria  Keller  made  all  the 
costumes;  several  of  the  men  con- 
structed the  crosses;  and  a  local 
church  of  another  denomination 
even  loaned  us  props  that  we  would 
never  have  been  able  to  afford  by 
ourselves!" 

"Every  single  response  we  had 
from  those  who  stopped  by  was  pos- 
itive," Pastor  Rininger  added,  "and 
several  area  pastors  were  so  im- 
pressed that  they  asked  us  to  let 
them  know  if  we  were  not  going  to 
do  it  next  year,  because  if  we  didn't, 
they  wanted  to!" 

The  Bloomingdale  Church  looks 
forward  to  presenting  Paid  in  Full 
again  next  year,  with  the  hope  that 
the  presentation  can  be  made  more 
effective  by  adding  music  and  more 
people.  This  year  more  than  1,000 
door  hangers  were  distributed  in 
the  days  before  Good  Friday,  invit- 
ing people  to  the  presentation  and 
giving  them  information  about  the 
church.  In  this  area,  too,  the  church 
hopes  to  do  more  next  year. 

—  reported  by  Pastor  Glenn  Rininger 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


ood£fe 


Bonnie's  wheelchair  fund 
goes  well  over  the  top 

Goshen,  Ind.  —  On  Sunday  eve- 
ning, May  3,  the  Goshen  First  Breth- 
ren Church  held  a  fund-raising  din- 
ner to  culminate  its  efforts  to  raise 
funds  for  a  new  wheelchair  for 
Bonnie  Munson.  (See  "New  Wheels 
for  Bonnie  Munson  "  on  the  back  page 
of  the  March  1998  Evangelist.) 

The  kitchen  committee,  assisted 
by  other  women  of  the  church,  pre- 
pared a  lasagna  dinner  that  was  en- 
joyed by  all.  A  free-will  offering  was 
received,  which  totaled  $1,500. 

This  brought  the  total  amount  re- 
ceived that  far  from  churches  and 


Goshen  pastor  Rev.  Donald  Rowser 
presents  a  check  to  Bonnie  Munson  for 
her  new  wheelchair. 

from  many  individuals  across  the 
Brethren  denomination  to  $14,800. 
Since  that  date  an  additional 
$10,415  has  been  received,  bringing 
the  total  to  $25,215.  This  is  more 
than  enough  to  cover  the  $24,000 
approximate  cost  of  the  wheelchair. 
The  extra  money  will  go  into  a  fund 
for  batteries  and  for  maintenance  of 
the  chair.  (continued  at  right) 


Six-thousand  pound  baby  born  singing  praises 
of  its  Father  in  Rockingham  County,  Virginia 


Birth  Announcement 

A  new  church  was  born  at  10:00 
a.m,  May  17,  1998,  in  the  Cross  Keys 
area  of  Rockingham  County,  Vir- 
ginia. It  included  40  siblings — both 
male  and  female — weighing  a  total 
of  approximate  6,000  pounds.  It 
was  born  singing  joyfully  to  its 
Father — God — and  was  christened 
"Cross  Keys  Worship  Center."  The 
newborn  is  the  offspring  of  the  call 
of  God  and  abundant  prayer,  and 
is  the  result  of  much  prenatal  plan- 
ning. Although  still  an  infant,  it  shines 
with  Spirit-filled  life.  With  proper 
care  and  nurture,  it  has  excellent 
prospects  for  life  and  growth. 

Port  Republic,  Va.  —  The  new 

Brethren  church  announced  above 
is  being  planted  by  Pastor  Pat 
Velanzon  and 
a  core  group 
of  12-13  peo- 
ple. Rev.  Ve- 
lanzon was 
pastor  of  the 
Bethlehem 
Brethren 
Church  in 
Harrison- 
burg,  Va.,  for 
17  years  be- 
fore leaving 
that  post  on 
April  26  of 
this  year. 

Services    of 
the  Cross  Keys 

Worship  Center  are  held  in  the 
Cross  Keys-Mill  Creek  Ruritan  Hall. 
Pastor  Velanzon  describes  the  wor- 
ship as  contemporary,  though  he's 
not  comfortable  with  that  descrip- 
tion. He's  a  diehard  rock  and  roll 
fan,  but  the  first  service — by  popu- 
lar demand — featured  bluegrass 
gospel  music. 

Rev.  Donald  Rowser,  pastor  of  the 
Goshen  congregation,  expressed  his 
delight  at  the  response  of  Brethren 
to  Bonnie's  need  for  a  new  and  bet- 
ter wheelchair.  "The  overwhelming 
response  to  [this  need]  proves  again 
that  our  God  can  do  the  impossi- 
ble," he  said,  [ft] 


The  focus  of  the  new  church,  ac- 
cording to  Pastor  Velanzon,  is  three- 
fold: to  worship  God,  to  know  Christ, 
and  to  serve  others  in  His  name. 
Anyone  in  the  congregation  is  free 
to  plan  or  do  anything  that  will  pro- 
vide opportunities  for  doing  one  or 
more  of  these  things.  The  church  is 
developing  three  primary  minis- 
tries: worship,  to  plan  and  coordi- 
nate the  Sunday  morning  worship 
services;  youth,  to  develop  ministry 
for  children  and  teens;  and  out- 
reach, to  promote  evangelism  and 
provide  communication. 

The  congregation  plans  to  partici- 
pate in  the  LIFE  (Living  In  Faithful 
Evangelism)  process  beginning  in 
September,  and  has  set  October  4  as 
the  date  for  its  Grand  Opening.  The 
group  is  looking  forward  to  growing 


The  40  people  who  attended  the  first  worship  service  of  the 
Cross  Keys  Worship  Center  ranged  in  age  from  5  to  75  and  came 
dressed  in  everything  from  khaki  shorts  to  suit  and  tie. 

together  and  being  a  vital  part  of  its 
community.  Goals  for  numbers  of 
conversions  and  average  attendance 
have  already  been  set  for  one,  three, 
and  five  years.  And  when  average 
attendance  reaches  100,  the  congre- 
gation plans  to  plant  a  new  church 
by  sending  out  12  to  15  people  who 
will  grow  again. 

—  reported  by  Kathy  Velanzon,  with 
portions  taken  from  an  article  by 

Luanne  Austin  that  appeared  in  the 
Harrisonburg,  Va.,  News-Record. 


If  God  sends  us  on  stony  paths, 
He  will  provide  us  with  strong 

—  Alexander  Maclaren 


June  1998 


11 


Oodffrg 


Dr.  J.  Ray  Klingensmith 
Chair  in  Church  Planting 
founded  at  the  seminary 

Ashland,  Ohio  —  Missionary  Min- 
istries of  The  Brethren  Church  and 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary  have 
joined  efforts  to  establish  an  en- 
dowed faculty  position  ("chair")  in 
Church  Planting  at  the  seminary. 

The  idea  for  this  position  origi- 
nated with  Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Direc- 
tor of  Missionary  Ministries  for  The 
Brethren  Church.  He  shared  the  idea 
with  Dr.  Fred  Finks,  President  of 
the  seminary,  and  they  began  seek- 
ing funding  to  support  the  position. 
The  Executive  Board  of  The  Breth- 
ren Church  endorsed  the  effort,  and 
the  chair  was  formally  approved. 

An  international  search  for  a  per- 
son to  fill  the  position  was  launched. 
Earlier  this  year,  the  search  com- 
mittee— comprised  of  representa- 
tives from  both  the  seminary  and 
The  Brethren  Church — selected  Dr. 
Terry  Wardle  as  the  first  occupant 
of  the  Chair  in  Church  Planting. 

Dr.  Wardle  comes  to  Ashland  from 
Spring  Meadow  Retreat  Center,  a 
ministry  of  renewal  and  restoration 


for  Christian  leaders,  which  he 
founded  in  1996.  Prior  to  that,  he 
served  as  the  founding  pastor  of 
Risen  King  Community  Church,  a 
congrega- 
tion that 
began  in  Au- 
gust 1989 
with  seven 
adults  and 
now  num- 
bers more 
than  900 
and  has 

planted  two 
daughter 
congregations.      Dr.  Terry  Wardle 

He  has  also  been  a  college  and  sem- 
inary professor  and  administrator, 
and  has  served  as  a  consultant  for 
various  agencies  and  organizations. 
His  teaching  has  focused  on  evange- 
lism, preaching,  and  church  growth. 

The  new  Chair  in  Church  Plant- 
ing is  named  in  honor  of  the  late 
Dr.  J.  Ray  Klingensmith.  A  1934 
graduate  of  the  seminary,  Dr.  Kling- 
ensmith taught  at  ATS  for  many 
years,  and  he  also  served  from  1941 
to  1945  as  head  of  the  Missionary 
Board  of  the  Brethren  Church. 

J.  Ray  Klingensmith  had  a  long 
and  service-filled  life  in  The  Breth- 
ren Church.  He  pastored  Brethren 
churches  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  and 
Washington,  D.C.  He  served  as  di- 
rector of  the  Missionary  Board  dur- 
ing the  critical  period  following  the 
split  with  the  Grace  Brethren. 

In  1956  he  was  appointed  profes- 


Recording  artist  Rich  Rader 
to  travel  to  Macau  in  August 

Mansfield,  Ohio  —  Brethren 
recording  artist  Rich  Rader,  founder 
of  Vision  Ministries,  will  be  taking 
his  1998  "Worship  Time"  tour  to 
the  southeast  Asian  territory  of 
Macau  in  August  (10-31). 

Macau,  a  Portuguese  territory 
scheduled  to  revert  to  China  in 
1999,  is  Vision  Ministries'  first  in- 
ternational ministry  opportunity. 
Rader  will  be  sharing  God's  Word 
through  music,  preaching,  and 
teaching  in  the  area  of  worship. 

Since  his  graduation  from  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary  in  1995, 
Rader  has  traveled  more  than  125,000 
miles  throughout  the  United  States 


playing  more  than  400  concerts  in 
churches,  camps,  conferences,  and 
nursing  homes.  He  has  appeared  in 
a  number  of  Brethren  churches. 

He  currently  has  three  albums  re- 
leased with  Vision  Records,  Jesus  Is 
the  One  (1995),  Truth  (1997),  and 
Grandpa's  Favorite  Hymns  (1998). 
In  addition,  he  will  be  one  of  fifteen 
Christian  artists  included  on  a  new 
compilation  CD  scheduled  for  re- 
lease this  month  (June)  on  the  Bro- 
ken Records  label. 

Rich  and  his  wife  Tiffany  (Flick- 
enger;  from  the  Lanark,  111.,  Breth- 
ren Church)  are  both  1993  gradu- 
ates of  Ashland  University,  are 
members  of  the  Smoky  Row  Breth- 
ren Church  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  and 
live  in  Ontario,  Ohio.  [ft] 


sor  and  department  chair  of  the 
Religion  Department  at  Ashland 
College.  He  taught  Bible  at  both  the 
college  and  the  seminary.  He  loved 
to  teach,  and  even  after  his  retire- 
ment he  continued  to  teach  on  a  vol- 
unteer basis  as  long  as  he  was  phys- 
ically able  to  do  so. 

In  the  citation  naming  the  Chair 
in  Church  Planting  in  honor  of  Dr. 
J.  Ray  Klingensmith,  Dr.  Finks  said: 
"J.  Ray  was  a  preacher,  a  pastor,  a 
teacher,  a  leader,  and  a  statesman 
within  The  Brethren  Church.  He  has 
impacted  more  lives  than  anyone 
could  imagine.  ...  It  is  a  fitting  trib- 
ute to  name  this  Chair  in  memory  of 
one  who  means  so  much  to  The  Breth- 
ren Church,  Ashland  University,  and 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary." 

The  Church  Planting  department 
will  offer  several  options  for  those  in- 
terested in  church  planting:  a  mas- 
ter's degree  with  a  concentration  in 
church  planting,  seminars,  and  in- 
tensive week-long  courses  on  plant- 
ing churches.  For  more  information, 
write  to  the  seminary  at  910  Center 
St.,  Ashland,  OH  44805.  [ft] 


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Vol.120,  No.  7 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


July/ August  1998 


Renewal:  How  will  we  know 
when  it  happens? 


WE  HAVE  BEEN  TALKING  A 
lot  this  year  in  The  Brethren 
Church  about  renewal.  "The  Breth- 
ren Church  is  in  need  of  renewal," 
said  Dr.  Emanuel  Sandberg,  Execu- 
tive Director  of  The  Brethren  Church, 
in  an  article  in  the  January  1998 
issue  of  the  Evangelist.  He  went  on 
to  give  evidence  of  that  need. 

To  meet  that  need,  General  Con- 
ference in  August  has  been  planned 
to  help  facilitate  renewal.  The  theme 
of  the  Conference  is  "Visualize  Re- 
newal," and  each  day  of  the  week 
will  focus  on  areas  of  our  lives  that 
need  to  be  renewed — heart,  family 
relationships,  spirit,  heart  for  the 
lost,  and  the  church.  Again  quoting 
Dr.  Sandberg,  "The  Conference  is 
being  planned  as  a  Brethren  cele- 
bration of  God's  power  to  revive,  re- 
store, and  redirect  His  people." 

A  pertinent  question 

With  all  this  emphasis  on  renewal, 
it  might  be  pertinent  to  ask,  "How 
will  we  know  when  renewal  hap- 
pens?" Charles  H  Spurgeon,  one  of 
the  greatest  English  preachers  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  can  help  us 
with  an  answer.  Spurgeon  described 
several  characteristics  of  genuine 
revival.  I  think  we  could  as  easily 
substitute  the  word  renewal.  Accord- 
ing to  Spurgeon,  revival/renewal  is 
characterized  by: 

1.  An  uncommon  eagerness  to  hear 
the  Word  of  God,  and  an  unusual 
readiness  to  speak  and  be  spoken 
to  about  the  interests  of  the  soul. 

2.  An  unusual  sense  of  sin  and  per- 
sonal unworthiness,  together 
with  a  readiness  to  unite  in 
prayer  for  pardon  and  holiness. 

3.  A  deep  appreciation  of  the  aton- 


Visualize 
Renewal 


General  Conference  theme  logo 

ing  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  a  joy- 
ful acceptance  of  Him  as  person- 
al Savior. 

4.  Personal  consecration  and  cov- 
enanting with  God  in  the  Spirit 
of  grace,  accompanied  by  refor- 
mation of  life  and  manner. 

5.  Great  delight  in  secret  and  social 
prayer,  and  in  all  the  ordinances 
of  God. 

6.  An  uncommon  sense  of  the  near- 
ness of  God,  with  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  abounding  thanks- 
giving and  praise. 

7.  Increased  fervor  of  love  and 
deepening  sense  of  unity  among 
Christians. 

8.  An  extraordinary  concern  for  the 
salvation  of  others,  and  boldness 
in  testifying  to  the  grace  of  God 
in  His  Son. 

It  is  obvious  that  for  Spurgeon  re- 
vival (renewal)  is  more  than  a  re- 
sponse to  an  altar  call;  more  than  an 
evening  (or  week)  of  excitement  and 
emotion. 

Reread  Spurgeon's  list  and  spend 
some  time  thinking  about  it.  Notice 
in  particular  the  following:  an  un- 
common eagerness  to  hear  the  Word 


of  God;  personal  consecration;  refor- 
mation of  life  and  manner;  great 
delight  in  prayer  and  in  all  the  ordi- 
nances of  God;  increased  fervor  of 
love;  deepening  sense  of  unity  among 
Christians;  and  particularly,  an  ex- 
traordinary concern  for  the  salva- 
tion of  others,  and  boldness  in  testi- 
fying to  the  grace  of  God  in  His  Son. 
These  are  not  emotions.  These  are 
life  changes.  It  is  these  kinds  of  ex- 
periences that  we  hope  and  pray  will 
begin  at  this  General  Conference 
and  then  sweep  across  The  Breth- 
ren Church.  And  it  can  happen! 

Come  to  Conference 

Attend  this  Conference  if  you  can, 
even  if  you  have  never  attended  a 
General  Conference  before.  Come, 
praying  that  God  will  send  renewal. 
If  you  can't  come  for  the  whole 
week,  try  to  come  for  a  day  or  two. 

If  you  can't  attend,  then  pray  for 
the  Conference.  Make  a  commit- 
ment to  spend  time  each  day  during 
Conference  week  in  earnest  prayer 
that  God  will  pour  out  His  Spirit  to 
revive,  restore,  and  redirect  His  peo- 
ple. Pray  that  renewal  will  begin  at 
Conference  and  that  it  will  sweep 
across  The  Brethren  Church.  And 
pray  as  well  that  God  will  prepare 
your  heart  to  be  renewed.  [ft] 

—  Editor  Dick  Winfield 


Inside  this  issue 

Impact  through  prayer  week 

2 

You  can't  rest  in  the  nest 

3 

What  is  domestic  violence? 

4 

Church-planters'  profile 

5 

Conference  opportunities 

7 

Faith  partners  for  women 

8 

Around  the  denomination 

9 

Brethren  Impact  Through  Prayer  Week 

Sunday,  September  20,  through  Sunday,  September  27 


THIS  FALL  The  Brethren  Church 
will  inaugurate  an  annual  event 
to  be  known  as  Brethren  Impact 
Through  Prayer  Week.  The  pur- 
pose of  this  annual  week  of  prayer 
will  be  to  focus  our  petitions  on  be- 
half of  our  Brethren  church  planters 
and  the  churches  they  are  planting. 

Significant  dates 

The  dates  for  this  year's  powerful 
week  of  prayer  are  September  20 
through  September  27.  These  dates 
are  significant  in  two  ways:  First, 
they  coincide  with  the  beginning  of 
the  church-planting  season,  which 
begins  in  September  and  runs  through 
Easter.  Second,  they  precede  the 
birth  of  two  Brethren  churches — 
Grace  Community  Church  in  Win- 
chester, Virginia  (September  27),  and 
Rock  Springs  Community  Church  in 
Vista,  California  (October  4). 

The  National  Office  will  provide 
effective  resources  for  all  congrega- 
tions for  this  crucial  week,  to  en- 
courage member  participation.  These 
resources  will  include  kick-off  and 
closing  messages,  an  eight-day  out- 
line of  prayer  requests,  worship  re- 
sources, and  supportive  biblical  ref- 
erences. 

As  Brethren  we  are  committed  to 
serving  Christ  and  each  other. 
Therefore,  we  must  mobilize  every 
church  to  lift  up  those  individuals 
and  families  who  have  committed 
themselves  to  this  Christ-ordained 
ministry  (Matt.  28:19,  20). 

Our  church  plants  are  strategical- 
ly placed  in  areas  of  need  that  pre- 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 
(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450; 
e-mail:  brethren@bright.net).  Authors'  views  are 
not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
Editor:  Richard  C.  Winfield.  Subscription  rates: 
Sent  free  to  Brethren  Church  members;  $15.00 
per  year  to  others.  Member:  Evangelical  Press 
Association.  Postage:  Paid  at  Ashland,  Ohio. 
Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  The 
Brethren  Church,  524  College  Avenue,  Ashland, 
OH  44805-3792. 


sent  many  challenges.  These  areas 
host  pockets  of  lost  individuals  who, 
in  increasing  numbers,  are  finding  a 
false  sense  of  security  in  the  hands 
of  Satan  himself.  Church  planters 
seek  out  these  deceived  individuals, 
who  are  in  need  of  spiritual  awak- 
ening. They  continuously  extend 
Christ's  love  to  these  abused  chil- 
dren, youth,  and  adults,  who  may 
question  the  very  existence  of  God, 
His  love,  and  the  benefits  of  obeying 
Him.  They  do  this  while  at  the  same 
time  fighting  the  battle  which  takes 
place  in  the  spiritual  realm,  where 
powerful  opposition  exists  to  this 
ministry  field  and  its  workers. 

While  carrying  out  this  ministry 
of  seeking  the  lost,  church  planters 
must  also  tend  to  the  needs  of  their 
own  families.  This  includes  main- 
taining a  healthy  marriage  and  a 
loving  environment  for  the  family. 
The  church-planter's  home  is  where 
Satan  hits  the  hardest,  as  he  at- 
tempts to  disable  Christ's  effective 
witnesses. 

Effectual  prayer 

Brothers  and  sisters,  our  church 
planters,  as  well  as  those  they  seek 
to  reach,  can  benefit  by  our  prayers. 
God's  Word  illustrates  for  us  that 
God  can  be  petitioned  to  intervene 
and  effect  changes  in  the  world.  As 
sovereign  Lord  and  Creator  of  the 
universe,  He  gives  us  the  opportuni- 
ty to  participate  in  and  to  have  an 
impact  upon  His  divine  agenda  (see 
Gen.  18:22-33,  Num.  14:12-20;  Acts 
12:5-10). 


We  are  urged  by  Jesus  to  pray 
with  unity,  intensity,  and  watchful- 
ness (Matt.  18:19,  26:41;  Mk.  13:33, 
14:38).  Paul  interceded  for  his 
friends  in  Rome  and  for  fellow 
Christians  in  both  Ephesus  and 
Colosse  (Rom.  1:9,  10;  Eph.  3:14ff; 
Col.  l:9ff).  When  Paul  was  com- 
pelled by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  travel  to 
Jerusalem,  where  he  knew  he  would 
meet  with  many  hardships,  the 
Ephesian  elders  assembled  to  pray 
for  him  (Acts  20:36-38).  And  in 
Tyre,  all  the  disciples,  their  wives, 
and  their  children  gathered  in 
prayer  for  Paul  before  he  continued 
his  journey  (Acts  21:5-6). 

United  in  spirit 

As  Brethren,  let  us  likewise  unite 
in  spirit  and  send  forth  our  church 
planters  with  genuine,  vigilant 
prayer.  Let  us  raise  up  our  eight 
church  plants  with  eight  days  of 
persistent  prayer.  Let  us  recall  how 
Jesus  asked  Peter  three  times,  "Do 
you  truly  love  me  .  .  .  ?"  "Do  you 
truly  love  me?"  "Do  you  love  me?" 
Jesus'  response  to  Peter's  affirma- 
tive answers  was,  "Feed  my  lambs," 
"Take  care  of  my  sheep,"  and  "Feed 
my  sheep"  (Jn.  21:15-17).  We  must 
do  the  same. 

Please  join  us  in  this  week  of  uni- 
fied prayer  for  our  church  planters. 
Contact  Ginny  Hoyt  at  The  Breth- 
ren Church  National  Office  for  re- 
source materials,  which  will  be  avail- 
able at  General  Conference.  [ft] 
—  Karen  Frado 
Ashland,  Ohio 


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The  Brethren  Evangelist 


You  Can't  Rest  in  the  Nest 

By  Dan  Lawson 


I  RECENTLY  LEARNED  that 
when  a  mother  eagle  builds  her 
nest,  she  deliberately  selects  thorns, 
bits  of  broken  glass,  and  other 
sharp  objects  and  carefully  places 
them  in  the  bottom  of  the  nest. 
Then  she  plucks  soft  down  feath- 
ers from  her  own  breast  and  lines 
the  nest  with  these.  After  the  nest 
has  been  cushioned  with  these 
feathers,  she  will  lay  her  eggs. 

As  the  eggs  hatch,  both  the 
mother  and  the  father  eagle  bring 
food  and  care  for  the  baby  eagles. 
When  the  eaglets  are  old  enough 
to  fly,  the  mother  eagle  removes 
the  soft  down  feathers  from  the 
bottom  of  the  nest.  This  exposes 
the  thorns  and  broken  bits  of 
glass,  making  it  very  painful  for 
the  little  eagles  to  rest  in  the  nest. 
As  a  result,  they  begin  perching  on 
the  edge  of  the  nest. 

Learning  to  fly 

Then  the  mother  eagle  does 
something  that  could  be  consid- 
ered very  cruel.  She  flies  over  and 
knocks  an  eaglet  out  of  the  nest. 
The  little  eagle  plunges  recklessly 
toward  the  rocks  below,  screeching 
and  flapping  its  wings  wildly.  At 
the  last  possible  moment,  the 
mother  eagle  swoops  down  under 
the  baby,  catches  it  on  her  back, 
and  carries  it  back  to  the  safety  of 
the  nest.  This  frightening  experi- 
ence is  repeated  over  and  over 
again  until  the  baby  eagle  even- 
tually learns  to  fly. 

To  the  casual  observer,  the  be- 
havior of  the  mother  eagle  may 
seem  abusive.  She  knows,  how- 
ever, that  if  she  allows  the  eaglets 
to  rest  in  the  nest,  they  will  die. 
Eagles  were  created  to  soar  in  the 
heavens.  Without  the  ability  to  fly, 
they  would  starve  to  death.  What 
first  appears  as  cruel  is  actually 
for  the  baby  eagles'  good. 

In   Deuteronomy    32:10-12   we 


learn  that  God  used  the  same  kind 
of  process  to  prepare  Moses  to  lead 
the  Israelites  out  of  slavery.  God 
used  various  circumstances  to  force 
Moses  out  of  Egypt  and  into  Midian, 
where  he  wondered  in  the  wilder- 
ness, homeless  and  alone  except 
for  the  watchful  eye  of  the  Lord. 


"We  must  remember 
that  when  God  pushes 
us  out  of  the  nest  and 
challenges  us  to  grow, 
He  is  also  watching 
over  us,  just  as  the 
mother  eagle  watches 

over  her  baby's  fall." 

V ' 

This  process  may  have  seemed 
harsh  to  Moses.  Like  the  baby 
eagle  plummeting  toward  the 
rocks  below,  there  were  times,  I'm 
sure,  when  Moses  feared  for  his 
life.  Nevertheless,  throughout  this 
whole  process  God  was  watching 
over  Moses,  just  as  the  mother 
eagle  watches  the  frenzied  fall  of 
her  young. 

There  is  a  lesson  to  be  learned 
here.  While  the  baby  eagle  is 
plummeting  toward  the  rocks,  the 
mother  eagle  is  watching  nearby. 
In  fact,  you  might  say  that  her 
entire  attention  is  focused  on  the 
plight  of  that  eaglet.  But  the  baby 
eagle  feels  alone,  frightened,  and 
totally  out  of  control.  As  the  baby 
eagle  struggles  madly  to  stop  its 
fall,  it  is  completely  unaware  of 
the  watchful  eye  of  its  mother. 

Letting  go  of  the  nest 

It  has  been  my  observation  that 
people  are  not  much  different. 
When  God  is  trying  to  prepare  us 
for  some  work  that  He  would  have 
us  do,  we  feel  much  like  the  baby 


eagle.  We  are  out 
of  the  nest  and 
out  of  control. 
We  are  fearful 
and  perhaps 
even  a  little 
resentful  at 
being  pushed 
out  of 
the  nest. 
We  must 
remember,  how- 
ever, that  when 
God  pushes  us  out  of  the  nest 
and  challenges  us  to  grow,  He  is 
also  watching  over  us,  just  as  the 
mother  eagle  watches  over  her 
baby's  fall.  We  may  not  be  aware 
of  His  watchful  eye,  but  He  is  al- 
ways there,  ready  to  rush  in  at  the 
last  moment  and  catch  us  on  His 
pinions.  He  will  carefully  restore 
us  to  the  safety  of  the  nest.  But  if 
we  have  not  yet  learned  how  to  fly, 
He  will  not  let  us  rest  in  the  nest. 
He  will  continue  to  challenge  us 
until  we  have  learned  to  soar. 

When  we  are  left  to  ourselves,  it 
is  our  human  nature  to  be  compla- 
cent, perhaps  even  a  little  apathet- 
ic. We  want  to  rest  in  the  nest.  We 
prefer  not  to  get  out  of  our  com- 
fort zone.  We  like  the  familiar,  and 
we  get  more  than  a  little  per- 
turbed when  we  have  to  make 
changes. 

Living  by  faith 

But  when  we  live  this  way,  we 
are  not  living  by  faith.  And  when 
we  do  not  live  by  faith,  Hebrews 
11:6  tells  us  that  it  is  impossible 
for  us  to  please  God.  We  can  never 
accomplish  great  things  for  God 
when  we  are  resting  in  the  nest. 

Moses  did  great  and  mighty 
things  and  is  still  remembered  as  a 
great  man  of  God.  None  of  this 
would  have  happened  had  he  not 
been  forced  out  of  the  luxury  of 
Pharaoh's  palace  and  into  the 
wilderness.  What  will  it  take  to  get 
you  out  of  the  nest  and  doing 
things  for  God?  [ft] 

Dr.  Lawson  is  pastor-  of  the  Jef- 
ferson Brethren  Church  of  Goshen, 
Indiana.  This  article  is  one  of  a 
series  in  which  Dr.  Lawson  applies 
biblical  truth  to  our  personal  Hues. 


July/August  1998 


Domestic  Violence: 

What  does  it  include? 

Part  two  of  a  three-part  series 
by  Morven  Baker 


WHEN  WE  HEAR  the  words 
"domestic  violence,"  we  tend  to 
think  that  they  mean  physical  abuse, 
such  as  hitting,  kicking,  and  other 
hurtful  physical  acts.  They  do,  but 
they  also  have  a  broader  definition. 

The  "Wheel  of  Violence" 

The  Domestic  Abuse  Intervention 
Project  of  Duluth,  Minnesota,  has 
composed  a  "Wheel  of  Violence"  to 
illustrate  the  wider  scope  that 
violence  includes  (see  below).  The 
Duluth  Project  believes  that  basic  to 
every  act  of  violence  is  a  misuse  of 
power  and  control,  so  these  words 
appear  at  the  center  of  the  wheel. 
Around  this  center  hub  are  eight 
pie-shaped  wedges,  with  each  wedge 
representing  some  form  of  domestic 
abuse.  Following  are  illustrations  of 
the  kinds  of  behavior  represented 
by  these  pie  pieces  in  the  "Wheel  of 
Violence." 

Using  intimidation  refers  to 
making  one's  spouse  afraid  by  using 
looks,  actions,  or  gestures;  by  smash- 
ing things;  by  destroying  her  prop- 
erty; by  abusing  pets;  and  by  dis- 
playing weapons. 

Using  emotional  abuse  includes 
putting  her  down;  making  her  feel 
bad  about  herself;  calling  her  names; 


Domestic  Abuse 
Intervention  Project 


206  W  Fourth  St. 
Duluth,  MN  55806 


making  her  think  she's  crazy;  play- 
ing mind  games;  humiliating  her;  or 
making  her  feel  guilty. 

Using  isolation  is  accom- 
plished by  controlling  what  she 
does,  whom  she  sees  and  talks  to, 
what  she  reads,  and  where  she 
goes;  by  limiting  her  outside  in- 
volvement; and  by  using  jealousy 
to  justify  control. 

Minimizing,  denying  and 
blaming  include  such  behaviors 
as  making  light  of  the  abuse  and 
not  taking  her  concerns  about  it 
seriously;  saying  the  abuse  didn't 
happen;  shifting  responsibility  for 
abusive  behavior  by  saying  that 
she  caused  it.  According  to  this 
definition,  those  who  minimize  the 
pain  a  woman  feels  when  she  dis- 
closes the  abuse  she  has  suffered  are 
also  abusing  her. 

Using  children  refers  to  making 
a  woman  feel  guilty  about  her  chil- 
dren; using  the  children  to  relay  mes- 
sages; using  visitation  of  the  chil- 
dren as  a  means  to  harass  her;  and 
threatening  to  take  the  children  away. 
Using   male    privilege   occurs 
when  a  man  treats  his  wife  like  a 
servant;  when  he  makes  all  the  big 
decisions;   when   he   acts   like   the 
master  of  the  castle;  and  when  he  is 
the  one  who  defines  both  his  and 
his  wife's  roles. 

Using  economic  abuse  in- 
cludes such  behaviors  as  prevent- 
ing her  from  getting  or  keeping  a 
job;  making  her  ask  for  money; 
giving  her  an  allowance;  taking 
her  money;  not  letting  her  know 
about  or  have  access  to  the  family 
income;  and  forbidding  her  from 
having  her  own  bank  account. 

Using  coercion  and  threats 
refers  to  making  and/or  carrying 
out  threats  to  do  something  to 
hurt  her;  threatening  to  leave  her, 
to  commit  suicide,  or  to  report 
her  to  welfare;  making  her  drop 


charges;  or  making  her  do  things 
that  are  illegal. 

The  "Wheel  of  Nonviolence" 

The  Duluth  Project  has  a  contrast- 
ing wheel — a  "Wheel  of  Nonvio- 
lence." At  the  center  of  this  wheel  is 
the  word  equality,  representing  the 
basis  of  the  nonviolent  relationship. 
Around  the  center  are  attitudes  and 
behaviors  that  grow  out  of  this  rela- 
tionship of  equality.  Notice  the  con- 
trast between  these  and  the  ones  on 
the  "Wheel  of  Violence." 


Domestic  Abuse 
Intervention  Project 


206  W.  Fourth  St. 
Duluth,  MN  55806 


Non-threatening  behavior  in- 
volves talking  and  acting  in  such  a 
way  that  one's  wife  feels  safe  and 
comfortable  expressing  herself  and 
doing  things. 

Respect  is  shown  by  listening  to 
her  nonjudgmentally;  by  being  emo- 
tionally affirming  and  understand- 
ing; and  by  valuing  her  opinions. 

Trust  and  support  includes  sup- 
porting her  goals  in  life;  and  re- 
specting her  right  to  her  own  feelings, 
friends,  activities,  and  opinions. 

Honesty  and  accountability 
refers  to  accepting  responsibility  for 
oneself;  not  blaming  others  for  one's 
mistakes;  acknowledging  past  use  of 
violence;  admitting  when  one  is 
wrong;  and  communicating  openly 
and  truthfully. 

Responsible  parenting  entails 
sharing  parental  responsibilities 
and  being  a  positive,  non-violent 
role  model  for  the  children. 

Shared  responsibility  requires 
mutually  agreeing  on  a  fair  distribu- 
tion of  work  and  making  family  de- 
cisions together. 

Economic  partnership  includes 

making  money   decisions   together 

(continued  on  page  6) 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Profile 

of  a 

Church-Planting  Couple 


By  Reilly  R.  Smith 


WHAT  SHOULD  a  Brethren 
church-planting  couple  look 
like?  What  kind  of  personality 
should  they  have?  What  spiritual 
characteristics  should  they  possess? 

One  of  the  goals  of  the  five-year 
strategic  plan  for  Brethren  Impact 
Church  Planting  is  to  develop  a  pro- 
file for  Brethren  church-planting 
couples.  It's  a  difficult  task.  Both 
Brethren  and  church  planters  are 
very  diverse.  God  uses  a  wide  vari- 
ety of  people  to  accomplish  His  pur- 
poses, even  when  He  deploys  them 
in  the  same  job. 

I  like  to  compare  the  apostles 
Peter,  Paul,  and  John  to  illustrate 
my  point.  Their  gifts  and  tempera- 
ments were  quite  different.  Yet  all 
three  were  apostles.  All  three  were 
effective.  So  it  is  with  church 
planters.  And  with  Brethren! 

What  it  means  to  be  Brethren 

Brethren  Impact  church  planters 
must  first  of  all  be  Brethren.  They 
need  not  be  "born"  Brethren.  Many 
who  were  born  into  our  church  are 
not  in  fact  Brethren.  Brethren  are 
believers  who  have  a  living  relation- 
ship with  Jesus  Christ  based  on  the 
Bible  and  who  produce  spiritual 
fruit  and  follow  the  practices  of  the 
early  church. 

Brethren  believe  that  the  church 
is  a  community  of  love  and  faith  in 
which  believers  inspire,  encourage, 
and  empower  one  another  to  live 
godly  lives.  True  members  of  the 
community  have  been  born  again 
into  a  living  relationship  with  God 
through  Jesus  Christ.  These  mem- 
bers also  maintain  an  active  rela- 
tionship with  the  Word  of  God — the 
outer  Word  (the  Bible),  and  the 
inner  Word  (the  Holy  Spirit),  both 
of  which  bear  testimony  to  the  Liv- 
ing Word,  Jesus  Christ. 


This  relationship  produces  a  pro- 
found faith  in  the  truth  of  the  Bible 
and  the  obedience  that  accompanies 
such  faith.  This  faith  produces  spir- 
itual fruit  (Jn.  15:1-8),  which  also  has 
an  inner  and  an  outer  manifestation. 
The  inner  dimension  is  the  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  (Gal.  5:22-23).  The  outer 
dimension  is  a  Spirit-empowered 
testimony  for  Christ  (Acts  1:8). 


Profile  of  a 

Church-Planting  Couple 

(In  brief) 

Personal  relationship 
with  Christ 

Living  relationship 
with  other  believers 


A 

N 


cts  on 
the  word 

otable 
character  traits 

eachings  of  the 
early  church 


Members  of  the  Brethren  commu- 
nity also  follow  the  godly  examples 
of  saints  in  the  early  church.  Three- 
fold communion  and  trine  immer- 
sion baptism  are  the  most  obvious 
manifestations  of  this  to  many  who 
were  "born"  Brethren.  But  the  early 
Brethren  recognized  that  following 
the  practices  of  the  early  church 
meant  living  lives  fully  devoted  to 
God,  to  one  another,  and  to  one's 
neighbors  in  this  world  (Matt. 
22:37-40  &  28:18-20;  Jn.  13:34-35, 
15:17,  &  20:21;  Mk.  16:15;  Lk. 
24:45-49;  and  Acts  1:8  &  2:42-47). 

Brethren  Impact  church  planters 
must  be  committed  to  the  unity  of 
the  body  of  Christ  in  all  these  things. 
They  must  also  possess  a  flexible — 


J 


but  identifiable — mix  of 
character,  calling,  person- 
ality traits,  abilities,  and 
spiritual  gifts. 

Godly  character  is  es- 
sential. All  church  leaders 
should  bear  the  character 
of  Christ  (the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit).  So  a  Brethren  Im- 
pact church-planting  cou- 
ple must  be  growing  Chris- 
tians, born  again  and 
bearing  fruit.  Their  integ- 
rity must  be  above  re- 
proach (1  Tim.  3:1-7  and  Tit.  1:7-9). 
Calling  is  also  essential.  Any 
Christian  involved  in  ministry  must 
believe  that  he  or  she  is  called  to 
work  in  that  particular  ministry. 
The  need  for  that  sense  of  call  is 
even  more  important  for  a  church- 
planting  couple.  They  must  know 
that  God  has  called  them  to  start  a 
new  church.  Church  planting  is  so 
demanding  that,  at  times,  their 
sense  of  call  is  the  only  thing  that 
keeps  them  going. 

Brethren  Impact  church-planting 
couples  must  be  people-persons. 
Their  personalities  must  be  warm 
and  friendly.  Their  demeanor  must 
be  inviting.  Outgoing,  gregarious 
people  have  an  advantage,  but  peo- 
ple who  are  not  naturally  outgoing 
can  start  churches  if  they  are  inten- 
tionally friendly  with  people. 

Church  planting  couples  with  pio- 
neering or  entrepreneurial  person- 
alities also  have  an  advantage.  But 
they  must  have  a  heart  for  lost  peo- 
ple. And  they  must  be  self-starters 
who  don't  need  continual  prodding. 

Skills  and  abilities 

Brethren  Impact  church  planters 
also  need  a  variety  of  natural  and 
developed  skills  and  abilities.  They 
must  be  visionary,  able  to  see  the  big 
picture— the  future  and  the  path  to 
the  future.  They  must  be  good  orga- 
nizers, because  they  will  be  creating 
a  new  entity  out  of  chaos.  In  the  old 
days  church  planting  was  called 
"organizing  a  new  church."  Church 
planters  must  know  how  to  gather 
resources — people,  money,  and  other 
needs.  They  must  also  know  how  to 
build  and  guide  a  ministry  team. 

Brethren  Impact  church-planting 

couples  must  know  and  use  their 

spiritual  gifts.  They  must  be  able  to 

(continued  on  next  page) 


July/August  1998 


identify  and  employ  their  own  gifts 
before  they  can  help  others  use 
theirs.  No  particular  gift  mix  is  re- 
quired for  a  specific  church  planter, 
but  a  broad  mix  of  gifts  is  essential 
for  church  planting.  The  church- 
planting  couple  must  help  people 
learn  to  use  their  gifts  for  building 
up  the  body  of  Christ  (Rom.  12:6, 
1  Cor.  12:7,  and  Eph.  4:16).  The  key 
is  for  the  church-planting  couple  to 
set  an  example  by  openly  using 
their  gifts  as  they  teach  others  to 
use  theirs.  Then  together  they  will 
all  function  as  a  holy  priesthood  of 
believers  (1  Pet.  2:5-10). 

Paul  Becker,  president  of  Dynam- 
ic Church  Planting  International, 
describes  a  number  of  characteris- 
tics of  a  church-planting  couple  in 
Dynamic  Church  Planting — A  Com- 
plete Handbook.  The  first  13  charac- 
teristics he  describes  were  discov- 


Thirteen  Essential  Qualities 
for  a  Churchplanter 

1.  Has  a  vision  capacity 

2.  Is  intrinsically  motivated 

3.  Creates  ownership  of  ministry 

4.  Relates  to  the  unchurched 

5.  Manages  family  well 

6.  Builds  relationships  effectively 

7.  Is  committed  to  church  growth 

8.  Is  responsive  to  the  community 

9.  Utilizes  giftedness  of  others 

10.  Is  flexible  and  adaptable 

11.  Builds  group  cohesiveness 

12.  Is  resilient 

13.  Exercises  faith 

From  Dynamic  Church  Planting:  A 
Complete  Handbook  by  Paul  Becker, 
pp.  36-38.  In  the  Handbook,  each  of 
these  "qualities"  is  followed  by  several 
points  of  definition. 


ered  by  Dr.  Charles  Ridley  through 
his  research  of  successful  church 


planters.  These  13  characteristics 
are  the  backbone  of  most  church- 
planter  assessment  interviews  in 
the  North  American  church  today. 
(See  box  at  left. ) 

Paul  Becker  views  these  13  char- 
acteristics as  essential.  He  also  rec- 
ognizes another  dozen  as  desirable 
and  helpful.  He  further  suggests 
characteristics  which  are  important 
for  a  church  planter's  spouse  to  pos- 
sess. The  complete  list  is  found  on 
pages  36-41  of  the  Complete  Hand- 
book. It  is  not  necessary  to  possess 
all  of  the  characteristics  listed,  but 
it  is  important  that  the  church 
planting  couple  possess  enough  of 
them  to  ensure  a  successful  start  and 
that  they  know  how  to  build  a  team 
that  will  fill  in  the  "gaps."  [ft] 

Rev.  Smith  is  Director  of  Missionary 
Ministries  for  The  Brethren  Church. 


Domestic  Violence 

(continued  from  page  4) 
and  making  sure  that  both  part- 
ners  benefit   from   financial   ar- 
rangements. 

Negotiation  and  fairness 
means  seeking  mutually  satisfy- 
ing resolutions  to  conflict;  accept- 
ing change;  being  willing  to  com- 
promise; and  listening  to  her  side 
of  the  story. 

Tell  me,  which  wheel  represents 
the  way  that  you  want  to  be  treat- 
ed? Which  wheel  did  Jesus  model? 

The  above  explanation  of  vio- 
lent and  nonviolent  relationships 
may  make  perfect  sense  to  you. 
Unfortunately,  this  may  not  be 
the  case  with  a  battered  woman. 
Abused  women  have  often  lived 
with  so  much  manipulation  that 
they  have  become  confused  and 
self-blaming.  They  are  caught  up 
in  what  the  experts  term  "the 
cycle  of  abuse,"  and  they  feel  that 
they  have  no  option  but  to  continue 
in  this  abusive  relationship. 

The  cycle,  like  all  romantic  rela- 
tionships, begins  with  the  "honey- 
moon stage."  This  is  when  the 
man  is  loving  and  thoughtful, 
treating  her  gently,  bringing  her 
flowers.  But  then  things  start  to 
get  a  little  "ouchy."  He  begins  to 
yell  at  her  or  the  children,  blam- 
ing them  for  things  that  are  not 


their  responsibility.  He  may  start 
to  throw  things  or  to  withhold 
necessary  items.  He  begins  to  in- 
timidate. His  level  of  rage  esca- 
lates until  he  begins  to  get  physi- 
cally violent. 

At  this  point,  he  sees  what  he 
has  done,  feels  remorse,  and  begs 
to  be  forgiven.  He  brings  his  wife 
flowers,  says  kind  things  to  her; 
becomes  thoughtful.  He  has  re- 
turned to  the  "honeymoon  stage." 

Sooner  or  later,  however,  the 
cycle  of  abuse  begins  again.  It  may 
take  only  days,  or  it  may  be  weeks, 
months,  or  even  years.  It  depends 
on  the  family  and  their  situation. 
The  cycle  is  exacerbated  when 
alcohol  or  drugs  are  involved. 

As  the  cycle  continues  and  the 
tension  builds,  some  women  actu- 
ally provoke  the  physical  abuse. 
For  them,  the  tension  of  living 
under  the  threat  of  violence  is 
actually  worse  than  the  physical 
pain  itself.  And  they  know  that 
once  the  violence  is  over,  the 
"honeymoon"  will  follow.  [ft] 

Mrs.  Baker  is  a  licensed  profes- 
sional clinical  counselor  associated 
with  Cornerstone  Psychological  Af- 
filiates in  Ashland,  Ohio. 

The  "Wheel  of  Violence"  and  the 
""Wheel  of  Nonviolence"  are  used  with 
permission  of  the  Domestic  Abuse  Inter- 
vention Project,  Duluth,  Minn. 


From  Bonnie  Munson 

Since  1951  I  have  been  very 
aware  of  the  love  and  support  of 
the  beautiful  Brethren  people. 
You  have  supported  and  blessed 
my  family  in  so  many  ways. 

Ten  years  ago  many  of  you 
helped  me  buy  my  first  motor- 
ized wheelchair.  And  then  last 
year  the  women  of  the  W.M.S. 
helped  me  customize  that  chair, 
which  specifically  made  it  possi- 
ble for  me  to  stay  independent 
in  my  apartment. 

And  now  as  that  chair  ages 
and  becomes  unreliable,  you 
have  made  it  possible  for  me  to 
buy  a  wonderful  new  wheelchair 
that  will  not  only  provide  my 
mobility,  but  which  will  also  re- 
cline so  I  can  rest  in  it  as  well. 
This  fund  will  also  help  provide 
for  cushions,  batteries,  and  fu- 
ture repairs.  It  is  hard  to  find 
words  to  express  the  depth  of 
my  gratitude  for  your  generosity. 
A  heart-felt  thank  you.  I  will  al- 
ways be  grateful. 

Bonnie  Munson 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


General  Conference  Preview 


General  Conference  Opportunities 


Elections 

One  council  member  at-large  will 
be  elected  to  each  of  the  two  Min- 
istry Councils  during  elections  at 
Conference  in  August.  Other  mem- 
bers of  the  councils  whose  terms  ex- 
pire this  year  are  elected  by  the  dis- 
tricts they  represent.  Moderator 
John  Shultz  was  elected  last  year 
for  a  three-year  term,  so  no  moder- 
ator will  be  elected  this  year. 

The  Congregational  Ministries 
Council  will  present  the  following 
nominees  for  its  at-large  member: 

Tim  Garner,  pastor  of  the  First 
Brethren  Church  of  Elkhart,  Ind. 

Karen  Best,  staff-member's  wife 
at  Riverside  Christian  School  in 
Lost  Creek,  Ky  Her  husband,  Randy, 
is  the  assistant  administrator.  Mrs. 
Best  was  the  California  District  rep- 
resentative to  the  Congregational 
Ministries  Council  before  she  and 
her  husband  moved  to  Lost  Creek. 

The  Missionary  Ministries 
Council  will  present  the  following 
nominees  for  its  at-large  member: 

Bill  Skeldon,  pastor  of  the  Oak 
Hill  and  Gatewood  Brethren  con- 
gregations in  West  Virginia  and  a 
former  member  of  the  Missionary 
Board  of  the  Brethren  Church. 

Bev  Baker,  secretary  of  the 
South  Bend,  Ind.,  First  Brethren 
Church,  where  her  husband,  Larry, 
is  the  pastor.  She,  too,  is  a  former 
member  of  the  Missionary  Board. 

Jim  Kirkendall,  pastor  of  the 
Fairless  Hills-Levittown  Brethren 
Church  in  Levittown,  Pa.  He  served 
for  a  time  as  the  Pennsylvania  Dis- 
trict representative  to  the  Mission- 
ary Ministries  Council. 

Conference  delegates  will  also  have 
an  opportunity  to  present  nominees 
for  these  two  positions.  Before  do- 
ing so,  however,  they  must  contact 
the  persons  they  wish  to  nominate 
to  make  certain  that  they  are  will- 
ing to  serve  and  that  they  meet  the 
qualifications  and  accept  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  council  representa- 
tives. Nominees  should  be  selected 
from  the  best  leaders  in  the  church, 
whether  pastors  or  lay  people. 

Qualifications:  Members  of  the 
Ministries  Councils  must  be  grow- 


ing Christians,  members  in  good 
standing  of  a  local  Brethren  church, 
and  in  doctrinal  agreement  with  A 
Centennial  Statement  of  The  Breth- 
ren Church.  They  need  to  be  leaders 
with  potential  who  are  open  to  the 
leading  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  dedi- 
cated to  the  local,  district,  and  na- 
tional ministries  of  The  Brethren 
Church.  They  must  be  good  commu- 
nicators, able  to  work  well  with 
others,  and  interested  and  involved 
in  ministry  related  to  the  council  on 
which  they  serve. 

Responsibilities:  Members  of 
the  Ministries  Councils  are  required 
to  prepare  for,  attend,  and  actively 
participate  in  the  meetings  of  the 
councils.  They  must  support  the 
decisions  of  the  Ministries  Councils 
and  the  Executive  Board  and  help 
raise  funds  for  the  programs  of  the 
councils.  They  are  to  serve  as  am- 
bassadors for  denominational  min- 
istries and  promote  unity  between 
the  district  and  national  organiza- 
tions by  maintaining  communica- 
tion and  building  good  relationships 
between  the  two.  They  need  to  at- 
tend General  and  District  Confer- 
ences and  complete  their  assigned 
tasks  in  a  timely  manner. 

In  addition  to  the  two  council 
members,  elections  will  be  held  for 
all  members  of  the  Nominating, 
Conference  Membership,  and  Ways 
and  Means  Committees.  One  mem- 
ber will  be  elected  to  the  Rules  and 
Organization  Committee,  one  to  the 
Church  Polity  Committee,  and  one 
trustee  for  the  Retirement  Fund, 
Inc.  Delegates  will  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  nominations  for  any 
of  these  positions. 

Conference  Offerings 

Each  evening  at  General  Confer- 
ence an  offering  is  taken  for  some 
special  project.  In  the  past,  some 
people  who  were  unable  to  attend 
Conference  have  expressed  an  inter- 
est in  contributing  to  these  offerings. 
Following  are  this  year's  projects. 

Monday's  offering  will  supple- 
ment the  travel  subsidy  fund  of  the 
General  Conference  to  be  held  in 
Estes  Park,  Colorado,  in  the  year 
2000.   Many   more  people   will   be 


traveling  a  long  distance  to  attend 
that  Conference,  thus  a  larger  fund 
will  be  needed. 

Tuesday's  offering  will  help  fund 
a  training  retreat  for  mentors  parti- 
cipating in  the  Brethren  Leadership 
Initiative.  All  Brethren  will  benefit 
as  a  model  is  developed  that  enables 
local  churches  to  help  other  local 
churches  reach  their  full  potential. 

Wednesday's  offering  will  help  ex- 
pand the  library  of  the  South  Amer- 
ican Theological  Seminary  in  Argen- 
tina. If  funds  exceed  the  immediate 
needs,  the  remainder  will  be  used  to 
build  a  scholarship  fund  for  Breth- 
ren students  in  Argentina. 

Thursday's  offering  will  help  our 
church  in  Lima,  Peru,  expand  its  out- 
grown facilities.  Currently,  about  45 
people  jam  into  several  rooms  for 
worship  services. 

If  you  would  like  to  contribute  to 
one  or  more  of  these  projects,  send 
your  offering  to  Conference  with  a 
delegate  from  your  church.  Or  send 
it  directly  to  The  Brethren  Church 
National  Office,  524  College  Ave., 
Ashland,  OH  44805.  If  you  send 
amounts  for  more  than  one  project, 
please  send  a  separate  check  for 
each  project.  Make  a  notation  on 
the  memo  line  or  attach  a  note  indi- 
cating the  specific  General  Confer- 
ence project  for  which  it  is  to  be 
used.  Make  all  checks  payable  to 
The  Brethren  Church,  Inc.     [ft] 


Women's  Luncheon 

Jan  Pletcher  will  be  the  speak- 
er for  the  Women's  Luncheon 
during  General  Conference.  Mrs. 
Pletcher  is  a  faculty  member  in 
Communication  Arts  at  Taylor 
University,  Upland,  Ind.  Having 
experienced  adverse  times,  in- 
cluding the  paralysis  of  her  son 
when  he  was  two  years  old,  Mrs. 
Pletcher  has  developed  a  min- 
istry of  hope  and  encouragement. 
She  also  speaks  on  friendships 
and  stress. 

A  trio  from  the  College  Corner 
Brethren  Church  W.M.S.  will  pre- 
sent special  music. 

The  luncheon  will  be  Wednes- 
day, August  5,  at  12:30  p.m.  in 
the  Ashland  University  Convoca- 
tion Center.  The  cost  is  $8.00, 
and  reservations  are  required. 


July/August  1998 


Introducing  Faith  Partners  for  Women 


Good  Day,  Sisters! 

God  is  always  doing  something 
new.  Praise  His  Name!  We  would 
like  to  share  with  you  one  of  the 
things  He  is  doing  with  us.  Our 
Lord  has  given  us  a  vision  for  a  way 
Brethren  women  can  serve  each 
other,  and  we  would  like  to  invite 
you  to  participate. 

We  are  introducing  Faith  Part- 
ners. This  will  be  a  network  of  con- 
tacts and  services  provided  to  all 
Christians,  and  especially  to  the 
women  of  The  Brethren  Church. 

Our  vision  is  to  encourage  and 
equip  Christians  to  vigorously  pur- 
sue spiritual  growth  and  to  take  up 
the  ministries  to  which  they  are 
called.  It  is  also  our  vision  to  sup- 
port women  who  are  already  in  min- 
istry. We  are  earnestly  seeking  God's 
will  in  these  things,  and  we  want  to 
hear  from  you  about  what  you  need. 
We  hope  God  will  excite  the  imagi- 
nation and  creative  spirit  of  us  all  as 
we  join  together. 

We  encourage  you  to  think  about 
your  relationship  with  God  and  how 
He  is  working  in  your  life.  Then  we 
urge  you  to  share  that  with  others 
for  the  blessing  of  us  all. 

Faith  Partners  will  be  primarily 
a  network  through  which  Christians 
can  serve  and  inspire  other  Christians. 
Through  this  network,  individuals, 
new  local  groups,  established  groups 
like  WM.S.,  and  professionals  offer- 
ing services  can  unite  to  build  each 
other  up  in  Christ. 

Faith  Partners  is  considering 
such  services  as: 

•  a  computerized  data  base  to 
match  gifts  and  skills  with  needs 
and  ministries  across  the  country 

•  workshops,  seminars,  and  speak- 
ers for  conferences  and  retreats 

•  assistance  in  developing  new  min- 
istries, such  as  a  health  ministry 

•  prayer  partners  and  prayer  war- 
rior networks 

•  mentoring  and  class  curricula 

•  newsletters  for  women  in  ministry 

•  reviews  of  books  and  materials 

•  anything  else  you  can  think  of 
that  would  help  you. 

In  addition,  if  you  have  something 
to  offer  to  other  Christians,  we  want 


to  include  you  in  our  network,  so 
that  they  can  find  you. 

We  need  your  input!  Below  is 
a  checklist  of  some  of  the  services 
we  would  like  to  provide.  Please 
check  the  ones  that  you  think 
would  be  valuable  to  you  or  to  your 
group.  Also,  please  add  any  other 
ideas  you  have  of  services  that  could 
be  provided  through  such  a  net- 
work. Thanks  for  your  support! 

Checklist 

A  newsletter  offering  support, 
encouragement,  and  assistance  to: 

□  Pastor's  wives 

□  Women's  groups 

D  Others 

□  I  am  willing  to  serve  in  this  way 
Prayer  teams 

□  I  would  like  a  prayer  partner 

D   I  would  be  interested  in  serving 
as  a  prayer  warrior 

□  Our  group  would  like  to  participate 

□  A  network  for  companionship, 
friendship,  and  support  for  those 
in  ministry 

□  Other  needs  or  ideas 

Ministry  Development 

□  An  idea  exchange;  "one-stop 
shopping"  for  ideas  that  work 

□  Assistance  in  developing  new 
ministries  from  others  who  have 
started  similar  ones,  such  as: 
Health  ministry 
Lay  counseling  ministry 
Other 


A  database  to  match  gifts  and 
skills  to  needs  across  the  country 

G  Training  to  enable  me  to  feel 
more  comfortable  and  confident 
in  starting  a  new  ministry 

Study  Materials 

□  Reviews  by  women  of  Christian 
books — content  and  usefulness 


D  Materials  written  by  professions 
to  address  specific  topics  in  my 
area  of  need 

□  I  am  interested  in  writing  reviews 

□  I  could  write  study  materials 

□  I  would  like  good  materials  on: 

□  Other  needs  or  ideas 


Worship  and  retreat  aids 

□  Drama  or  dance  teams 

□  Retreat  formats  and  curricula 

□  Music  teams 

□  Circulation  for  my  plays,  music,  etc. 

□  Time  at  national  and  local  con- 
ferences for  women's  groups  to 
share  ideas,  needs,  resources 
Other  ideas  or  needs 


□ 


Professional  workshops  and 
retreats  on: 

D  Dealing  with  stress,  anxiety, 
depression 

□  Marriage,  parenting 

□  Health  concerns 

Q  Prayer,  meditation,  spiritual  disci- 
plines 

□  Forgiving,  conflict,  reconciliation 
G  Life  as  a  pastor's  wife 

Q  Dying,  grieving,  and  consoling 
Q  Communication,  Christian 

assertiveness 
Q  Seminary-level  curricula  on  Bible 

topics 

□  Experiencing  God's  love 

□  Women  in  ministry 

□  Other 

Missions 

Q  Needs  exchange  for  missions  in 
cooperation  with  W.M.S. 
Directory  for  women  in  ministry 
We  would  like  a  "sister  church"  to 
support  and  exchange  with 
Other  needs  or  ideas 

Internet 

□  I  would  utilize  a  Website  to  the 
Faith  Partners  network 
I  would  like  to  serve  this  ministry 
with  my  computer  skills 


□ 


My  name 
Address 


Phone 


My  group,  if  any  (W.M.S. ,  Women's  Bible  study,  support  group,  etc.) 

My  church 

□   I  would  like  to  serve  as  a  contact  person  for  my  group  or  church 
Send  completed  form  to:  FAITH  PARTNERS,  c/o  Cheryl  Schmiedt, 
20687  S.  Manteca  Rd.,  Manteca,  CA  95337-9710 


H 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


apd  the  n, 


New  Christian  opportunties 
opening  up  in  today's  world 

Ashland,  Ohio  —  Momentous  move- 
ments of  Christianity  are  taking 
place  in  our  world  today,  according 
to  Dr.  Joseph  R.  Shultz,  former 
president  of  Ashland  University  and 
Theological  Seminary.  Dr.  Shultz 
now  serves  as  a  board  member  for 
International  Institute  for  Chris- 
tian Studies  (IICS),  an  organization 
that  recruits  Christian  faculty  to 
teach  in  universities  and  colleges  in 
countries,  especially  post-Commu- 
nist nations,  around  the  world. 

Dr.  Shultz  reports  that  Sorgei 
Kiriyenko,  the  new  Prime  Minister 
of  Russia,  attended  an  M.B.A.  class 
with  an  IICS  professor,  who  shared 
the  Gospel.  Kiriyenko  accepted  what 
he  heard  and  thanked  God.  "Please 
pray  for  him,"  Dr.  Shultz  said. 

A  school  of  psychology  in  St.  Peters- 
burg, Russia,  wants  IICS  to  take  over 
its  program.  The  head  of  the  school, 
who  is  a  grandson  of  the  Russian 
physiologist  Ivan  Petrovich  Pavlov, 
is  considering  the  claims  of  Christ. 

In  China,  educators  have  asked 
IICS  to  assist  in  the  first  revision  of 
teacher  training  curriculum  since 
the  Communists  took  over  in  1949. 

In  Hanoi,  officials  at  Vietnam  Na- 
tional University  have  welcomed  a 
Christian  professor  and  are  asking 
for  more. 

In  Maiduguri,  Nigeria,  a  city  that 
is  strongly  Muslim,  university  offi- 
cials invited  IICS  to  open  a  depart- 
ment of  Christian  studies. 

Dr.  Shultz  notes  that  there  are 
many  calls  for  Christian  professors. 
For  years,  Christians  prayed  for  the 
fall  of  Communism.  Now  we  must  rise 
to  the  opportunities  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
providing  in  the  world  today.        [ft] 


Former  Brethren  Chaplain  Dan  DeVeny 
receives  a  Doctor  of  Ministry  degree 


Manteca,  Calif.  —  Rev.  Dan  DeVeny, 
pastor  of  the  Northgate  Community 
Brethren  Church  in  Manteca,  re- 
ceived a  Doctor  of  Ministry  degree 
May  23  from  Eastern  Baptist  Sem- 
inary in  Philadelphia.  His  work  for 
the  degree  focused  on  marriage  and 
family  life  counseling. 

Dr.  DeVeny  began  the  Doctor  of 
Ministry  program  at  Eastern  Bap- 
tist in  September  1995,  while  serv- 
ing as  a  chaplain  in  the  U.S.  Army. 
He  officially  retired  from  the  mili- 
tary on  November  1,  1997,  following 
16  years  as  a  chaplain  plus  four 
years  earlier  as  an  enlisted  soldier. 
During  his  16  years  as  chaplain,  he 
served  as  pastor  of  eight  military 
congregations. 

He  notes  that  while  he  served  as 
chaplain,  he,  his  wife  Ann,  and  their 
three  children  (all  three  of  whom 
are  now  adults),  changed  military 
addresses  about  every  three  years, 
as  they  moved  from  one  post  to  an- 
other. At  least  one  of  those  address- 
es was  in  Germany,  in  addition  to 
various  bases  in  the  U.S. 

Dr.  DeVeny  says  that  one  of  his 
special  memories  of  the  chaplaincy 
was  "offering  threefold  Communion 
to  believers  who  had  never  experi- 
enced the  sweetness  of  that  special 
time."  He  recalls,  "Some  were  ap- 
prehensive at  the  beginning,  but  to 
a  person,  they  were  powerfully  moved 
as  they  sensed  God's  presence." 

Explaining  his  focus  on  marriage 
and  family  life  for  his  degree,  Dr. 
DeVeny  says,  "I  have  a  passion  to 


Dr.  Dan  and  Ann  DeVeny  at  the 
graduation  party  the  Northgate  Church 
gave  them  when  they  returned  from 
Dan 's  graduation. 

see  families  function  at  their  best 
....  I  know  I  received  more  from 
the  program,  personally  than  I  will 
ever  be  able  to  give  to  others,  but 
I'm  going  to  try  to  balance  the 
scales  as  best  I  can." 

About  his  ministry  at  Northgate 
Community  Brethren  Church  he 
says,  "Our  intentions  are  to  con- 
tinue marching,  as  they  say  in  the 
Army.  The  ministry  in  Manteca  is 
good  because  God  is  here.  We  share 
the  Good  News  of  Jesus  from  a 
church  with  deep  roots — they  go  all 
the  way  back  to  Calvary. "  [ft] 


Doyle  Paul  a  state  finalist 
for  Teacher  of  Year  honor 

Berlin,  Pa.  —  Doyle  Paul,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Berlin  Brethren  Church, 
has  been  named  as  one  of  12  final- 
ists for  the  1999  Pennsylvania 
Teacher  of  the  Year  award. 

Mr.  Paul  was  selected  by  receiving 
the  top  score  for  nominees  from  Re- 
gion III  in  the  state.  He  was  nomi- 
nated by  John  Krupper,  assistant 
high  school  principal  of  the  Berlin 
School,  where  Mr.  Paul  teaches. 

Mr.  Paul  is  the  agriculture  educa- 
tion instructor  at  Berlin.  He  is  also 


adviser  to  the  Berlin  Brothersvalley 
FFA  and  Young  Farmers  chapters. 

Mr.  Paul  is  a  deacon  in  the  Berlin 
Brethren  Church  and  serves  as  a 
Sunday  school  teacher.  He  is  also 
involved  in  the  community  in  nu- 
merous organizations.  He  is  presi- 
dent of  both  the  Berlin  Volunteer 
Fire  Department  and  the  Berlin 
Brothersvalley  Community  Fair. 

The  1999  Pennsylvania  Teacher 
of  the  Year  will  not  be  announced 
until  October  15.  But  whether  or 
not  Mr.  Paul  is  so  named,  to  be  one 
of  12  finalists  in  the  state  for  this 
title  is  of  itself  a  great  honor.       [ftl 


July/August  1998 


Pastor  Chuck  Wolfinbarger 
named  Citizen  of  the  Year 

Franklin,  Ohio  —  Chuck  Wolfin- 
barger, co-pastor  of  the  Vineyard 
Community  (Brethren)  Church 
near  Franklin  was  honored  recently 
by  the  Franklin  Area  Chamber  of 
Commerce  as  Citizen  of  the  Year. 

Wolfinbarger  co-pastors  Vineyard 
Community  Church  with  Mike  Sove. 
The  church  was  formed  earlier  this 
year  when  Vineyard  Christian  Fel- 
lowship, which  Wolfinbarger  started 
in  1988,  merged  with  Northview 
Brethren  Life  Church,  which  Sove 
pastored. 

Vineyard  Christian  Fellowship  op- 
erates a  summer  lunch  program  in 
Franklin.  The  program  provides 
free  lunches  for  needy  children 
twice  a  week.  The  church  also  start- 
ed a  free  store  called  the  Vineyard 
Downtown.  Families  that  receive 
clothing  or  other  items  do  some 
community  work  in  exchange.  In 
addition,  church  members  clean  up 
the  streets  in  Franklin  every  year 
after  the  city's  Riverdays  Festival. 

Wolfinbarger  also  does  group 
counseling  at  several  schools  for 
boys  in  need  of  adult  leadership. 
And  he  serves  as  a  volunteer  junior 
high  and  high  school  track  coach. 

"Jesus  said  to  love  God  and  love 
your  neighbor,"  Wolfinbarger  told 
chamber  members  when  he  received 
the  award.  "That's  all  we're  trying 
to  do,  and  we  believe  if  you  do  that, 
you  can  make  a  difference."  [U*] 


Hammond  Avenue  Church  breaks  ground 
on  June  7  for  $500,000  Family  Life  Center 


did    not    have 


Sandbergs  and  Finkses  Visit  China 

Ashland,  Ohio  —  Dr.  Emanuel  and  Ann  Sandberg 
and  Dr.  Fred  and  Holly  Finks  made  a  two-week  visit 
to  China  during  June  to  explore  open  doors  for  the 
gospel.  They  traveled  to  Beijing,  Xi'an,  Shanghai, 
Nanjing,  and  Hong  Kong  and  visited  seminaries  in 
Beijing,  Shanghai,  and  Nanjing.  They  had  a  good 
trip  and  returned  to  Ashland  safely  on  June  30.  A 
report  of  their  visit  will  be  included  in  an  upcoming 
issue  of  the  Evangelist. 


Waterloo,  Iowa  —  A  few  years 
back,  two  churches  in  Waterloo — 
the  First  Brethren  Church  and  the 
City  Church  of  the  Brethren — were 
faced  with  similar  problems.  Nei- 
ther church  had  enough.  The  City 
Church  did  not  have  enough  people 
for  its  building,  and  the  First 
Brethren  Church 
enough  building 
for  its  people. 

The  two  con- 
gregations solved 
their  problems 
in  1992  by  merg- 
ing to  form  the 
Hammond  Ave- 
nue Brethren 
Church.  The 
combined  con- 
gregation sold 
the  First  Breth- 
ren Church 
building  and 
meets  in  the 
building  that 
had  belonged  to 
the  City  Church 
of  the  Brethren. 
Now  the  Ham- 
mond     Avenue 

Brethren  Church  again  has  a  prob- 
lem of  not  enough  :  not  enough  space 
for  all  its  ministries.  The  congrega- 
tion is  solving  this  problem  by  adding 
a  $500,000  expansion  to  its  facility. 
The  main  part  of  the  new  struc- 
ture will  be  a  Family  Life  Center.  It 
will  house  a  multipurpose  room  that 
can  be  used  for  basketball,  volley- 
ball, and  other  recreational  activi- 
ties, but  which  can  also  be  convert- 
ed into  a  dining  room  that  will  seat 
200  people  for  a  meal.  The  building 
will  also  contain  a 
new  kitchen  (twice 
the  size  of  the 
church's  present 
one)  and  an  eleva- 
tor. Both  will  bet- 
ter serve  the  needs 
of  the  congrega- 
tion now  and  in 
the  future. 

Ground  was  bro- 
ken for  the  new 
building  on  June  7, 


following  the  morning  worship  ser- 
vice. Church  members  Don  Catch- 
pool  and  Leroy  Lamb  turned  the 
first  shovelfuls  of  dirt;  then  the 
whole  congregation  got  involved. 
Senior  Pastor  Ronald  L.  Waters 
grasped  the  handles  of  a  John  Deere 
walk-behind  plow,  and  the  rest  of 
the  congregation  grabbed  hold  of 


Senior  Pastor  Ronald  L.  Waters  guides  the  plow  while  the 
congregation  pulls  as  together  they  break  ground  for  a  new 
addition  to  the  Hammond  Avenue  Church  building. 

two  long  ropes.  At  the  pastor's 
word,  all  pulled  together  to  break 
the  ground. 

The  construction  crew  started  on 
the  project  the  next  day.  The  addi- 
tion is  scheduled  for  a  December 
completion. 

The  congregation  has  shown  great 
enthusiasm  for  the  project  from  the 
very  beginning.  Even  the  vote  to 
spend  more  than  $20,000  on 
blueprints  was  100  percent.  "God's 
hand  of  blessing  has  truly  been  on 
this  project,"  said  Associate  Pastor 
Bill  Shipman,  "and  we  look  to  the 
future  for  great  things  to  happen  as 
we  all  pull  together." 

—  reported  by  Rev.  Bill  Shipman 


Yesterday  cannot  be  recalled, 
Tomorrow  cannot  be  assured, 
Today  only  is  yours. 
And  if  you  lose  today,  you  may 
have  lost  it  forever. 

—  Jeremy  Taylor 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


World  Relief  News 


Washington,  D.C.  —  Because  of 
its  initiatives  in  bringing  churches 
together  to  respond  to  the  impact  of 
welfare  reform,  World  Relief,  the 
international  assistance  arm  of  the 
National  Association  of  Evangeli- 
cals, was  recently  named  as  a  new 
member  of  the  Welfare  to  Work 
Coalition  to  Sustain  Success. 

The  Welfare  to  Work  Coalition  to 
Sustain  Success  is  a  network  of  vol- 
unteer  and   faith-based   organiza- 


tions that  help  families  successfully 
move  off  welfare  and  into  perma- 
nent jobs.  The  coalition  meets  regu- 
larly to  exchange  ideas  and  study 
successful  program  models. 

"Only  by  our  actions  can  we  earn 
the  right  to  be  heard  and  participate 
in  the  full  transformation  of  lives," 
said  Clive  Calver,  president  of  World 
Relief.  "Living  out  Christianity  re- 
quires a  radical  lifestyle  that  means 
getting   involved   in   the   hurts    of 


The  Brethren  Church  received  a  special  award  from  World  Relief  Corpo- 
ration of  the  National  Association  of  Evangelicals  during  the  association's 
annual  convention  in  Orlando,  Fla.,  in  March.  Dr.  Clive  Calver  (r.),  president 
of  World  Relief,  presented  the  "Open  Hands  Award"  to  Dr.  Emanuel  Sand- 
berg,  Executive  Director  of  The  Brethren  Church.  The  award  recognizes  the 
commitment  of  The  Brethren  Church  to  help  the  poor  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
as  evidenced  by  our  support  of  the  work  of  World  Relief  in  1997.  Thanks  to 
the  partnership  of  The  Brethren  Church,  in  1997  thousands  of  people  re- 
ceived emergency  help  in  the  war-torn  areas  of  Rwanda,  Congo,  Liberia,  and 
Bosnia.  Hundreds  of  thousands  more  in  Africa,  Asia,  Latin  America,  and  the 
United  States  were  able  to  work  their  way  out  of  grinding  poverty  through 
our  partnership.  "By  working  together,  we  can  make  a  difference  and  change 
this  world  for  Jesus  Christ,"  declared  Dr.  Calver. 

Those  attending  General  Conference  in  August  will  have  an  opportunity 
to  see  the  award  we  Brethren  received  from  World  Relief.  They  will  also  have 
an  opportunity  to  see  and  hear  Dr.  Calver,  when  he  speaks  during  the  World 
Relief  Soup  Luncheon  on  Thursday  and  during  the  Thursday  evening  wor- 
ship service.  And,  of  course,  they  will  have  a  chance  to  see  and  hear  Dr.  Buzz 
Sandberg  during  the  week  as  well. 


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others  while  boldly  proclaiming  the 
good  news  of  saving  faith  in  Jesus." 

"The  needs  are  enormous,"  Dr. 
Calver  continued,  "and  only  by 
working  together,  across  denomina- 
tional and  racial  divides  can  the 
church  rise  to  this  historic  challenge 
and  make  a  measurable  difference 
in  the  lives  of  the  poor  in  America." 

In  several  communities  across  the 
country,  World  Relief  is  bringing 
churches  together  to  address  the 
needs  of  families  impacted  by  wel- 
fare reform.  In  Chicago,  churches 
are  helping  homeless  families  be- 
come self-supporting  again,  while  in 
Miami,  90  churches  are  networking 
to  provide  food  to  900  senior  citi- 
zens who  lost  access  to  food  stamps. 

In  Buffalo,  N.Y.,  and  Marion,  Ind., 
World  Relief  is  helping  churches 
create  a  program  model  that  assists 
families  moving  from  welfare  to 
work.  The  churches  are  developing 
training  materials  to  help  churches 
work  together  to  overcome  racial 
and  denominational  barriers  that 
can  keep  them  from  effectively  min- 
istering to  the  poor. 

Relief  work  in  Sudan 

On  another  part  of  our  globe, 
World  Relief  has  responded  to  the 
cry  of  church  leaders  in  southern 
Sudan  and  is  working  with  a  con- 
sortium of  Christian  aid  agencies  to 
provide  emergency  assistance  to  an 
estimated  930,0000  displaced  people 
in  this  African  country.  These  peo- 
ple have  been  forced  to  leave  their 
homes  by  the  long-running  civil  war 
in  this  land. 

World  Relief  is  providing  seeds 
and  tools  to  the  displaced  people  so 
that  they  can  provide  for  themselves 
as  quickly  as  possible. 

"The  church  in  Sudan  needs  to 
know  that  their  brothers  and  sisters 
in  America  have  not  forgotten  them 
and  are  even  willing  to  suffer  with 
them  as  the  Sudanese  continue  to 
cling  to  their  faith  in  Jesus,  who 
brings  them  eternal  salvation,"  said 
Dr.  Calver.  [ft] 


July/August  1998 


11 


ond_f^e 


Doing  something  about 
immorality  in  the  media 

On  Television 

New  York,  N.Y.  —  Are  you  fed  up 
with  the  violence,  vulgarity,  and 
gratuitous  sex  on  television,  and 
wish  you  could  do  something  about 
it?  If  so,  Morality  in  Media,  a  nation- 
al interfaith  organization,  has  pub- 
lished a  handbook  that  can  help  you. 

TV:  The  World's  Greatest  Mind- 
Bender  is  a  48-page  handbook  for 
parents,  grandparents,  and  others 
who  are  deeply  concerned  about 
much  of  the  programming  on  televi- 
sion. "More  than  ever,  TV  viewers 
need  the  'know-how'  at  their  finger 
tips  to  fight  back,"  said  Robert  W. 
Peters,  president  of  Morality  in 
Media.  "That's  why  we  wrote  our 
Mind-Bender  handbook — to  collect 
and  organize  this  'know-how'  into 
one  publication  and  make  it  the  tool 
concerned  Americans  can  use  for 
this  job." 

The  handbook,  which  was  recent- 
ly completely  updated  from  its  first 
edition  in  1992 — includes: 

•  How  to  make  indecency  com- 
plaints to  the  FCC. 

•  A  summary  of  the  laws  against 
indecency  and  obscenity  on 
broadcasting,  cablecasting,  and 
satellite  TV 

•  A  list  of  the  top  TV  advertisers 
and  their  products. 

•  Surveys  and  studies  of  TV  con- 
tent (sex,  vulgarity,  and  violence). 

•  Addresses  and  phone  numbers  of 
key  TV  executives. 

•  Statistics  on  TV  viewing  habits. 

•  Evidence  of  TV's  negative  effects 
on  children,  adults,  and  families. 

•  Answers  to  cliche  arguments  rou- 
tinely used  by  the  defenders  of 
TV  trash. 

•  Results  of  opinion  surveys  on 
what  Americans  think  of  TV 

Copies  of  TV:  The  World's  Great- 
est Mind-Bender  are  available  for 
$5.00  each  from  Morality  in  Media, 


Four  Brethren  among 
ATS  graduates  in  May 

Ashland,  Ohio—  fbur  Brethren 
were  am©ng  ^tri#:  15,0  graduates 
who^received  degrees  May  30  from 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary. 

John  Philip  Allison  received 
the  Master  of  Divinity  degree 
(with  honors).  Allison  is  currently 
serving  as  pastor  of  the  Brighton 
Congregational  Church  near  Well- 
ington, Ohio,  which  he  began  serv- 
ing while  attending  the  seminary. 

Rev.    Eugene   Gregory   Bell 


received  the  Doctor  of  Ministries 
degree.  Dr.  Bell  is  director  of  an 
inner-city  ministry  located  in  Indi- 
anapolis, Indiana. 

Rev.  Rickey  Allen  Bolden 
received  the  Doctor  of  Ministries 
degree.  Dr.  Bolden  is  pastor  of 
Southeast  Christian  Fellowship,  a 
Brethren  congregation  in  Wash- 
ington, D.C. 

Douglas  F.  Cunningham  re- 
ceived the  Master  of  Arts  degree. 
Cunningham,  from  the  Milledge- 
ville,  111.,  Brethren  Church,  is  now 
active  in  the  Ashland  Park  Street 
Brethren  Church.  [ft] 


475  Riverside  Dr.,  Suite  239,  New 
•York,  NY  *TO115  (ph.  212-870-3222). 

On  the  Internet 

Charlotte,  N.C.  —  Pornography  and 
other  unacceptable  content  on  the 
Internet  is  a  serious  problem.  Par- 
ents and  teachers  want  children  to 
learn  to  use  the  Internet,  but  they 
are  concerned  about  the  unwhole- 
some content  so  readily  available. 

One  way  of  dealing  with  this  is  by 
purchasing  and  installing  on  the  fam- 
ily computer  a  software  program 
that  blocks  access  to  objectionable 
material.  But  such  software  pack- 
ages can  be  difficult  to  install,  ex- 
pensive to  maintain,  and,  above  all, 
have  proven  to  be  easily  disabled  or 
circumvented — even  by  children. 

A  Christian  Internet  service 
called  711.NET  is  offering  a  solu- 
tion: Rated-G  Online,  an  Internet 
service  provider  that  keeps  inappro- 
priate or  offensive  content  from 
ever  reaching  your  computer. 

Rated-G  Online  provides  com- 
plete access  to  Internet  content  ex- 
cept to  sites  which  fall  into  one  of 
the  following  categories:  nudity  (ex- 
cept classical  art  or  medical  sites); 
pornography  and  other  sites  labeled 
expressly  for  adults;  depiction  or 
description  of  sexual  acts;  violence; 
drug  use;  vulgarities;  racial,  ethnic, 
or  other  inappropriate  discrimina- 
tion; crime,  tastelessness;  and  high- 
risk  chat  or  newsgroup  sites.  Since 
thousands  of  new  web  sites  come 
online  weekly  on  the  Internet, 
Rated-G  Online's  database  filters 
are  monitored  and  updated  daily. 

Rated-G  Online  currently  offers 


direct  dial-up  services  with  local 
phone  numbers  in  more  than  180 
metropolitan  areas  nationwide,  with 
up  to  1,000  to  be  available  by  the 
end  of  1998.  The  flat-rate  charge  for 
Internet  access  and  e-mail  service  is 
$24.95  per  month.  More  informa- 
tion and  online  sign-up  is  available 
at  the  Rated-G  Online  web  site 
(www.rated-g.com)  or  by  calling  1- 
-711-6381.  [ft] 


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Vol.120,  No.  8 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


September  1998 


Impressions  of  General  Conference 
by  those  who  were  there 


urn 


REMENDOUS  Conference!! 
Best  I've  ever  attended,"  Fred 
Brandon  wrote. 

"This  was  the  most  inspirational 
Conference  I've  attended,"  Brenda 
Colijn  said. 

"Wow!  What  a  spiritual  Conference! 
We  need  more  like  this  one!"  Dee 
Benshoff  exclaimed. 

"Excellent  Conference!  Life-chang- 
ing experiences!"  Cheryl  Schmiedt 
declared. 

"I'm  still  resting  in  the  glory  of 
this  Conference!  In  all  our  years  we 
don't  ever  recall  this  preciousness  of 
His  Holy  Spirit's  presence,"  Ann  De- 
Veny  testified. 

These  are  just  a  few  of  many  such 
comments  received  about  General 
Conference,  which  was  held  last 
month  (August  3-7).  The  comments 
came  on  response  forms  filled  out  at 
Conference  and  in  e-mail  "Reflec- 
tions on  General  Conference"  solic- 
ited after  the  event. 

There  was  widespread  agreement 
among  those  who  responded  that 
this  was  indeed  a  great  Conference. 
This  does  not  mean  that  there  were 
no  negative  comments  about  some 
aspects  of  the  week.  But  even  those 
who  criticized  some  facet  of  the 
Conference  generally  agreed  that  it 
was  a  great  week  overall. 

All  speakers  a  blessing 

Five  main  speakers — Terry  Wardle, 
Bruce  Wilkinson,  Richard  Parrott, 
Clive  Calver,  and  David  West  brought 
messages  during  the  week.  With  this 
many  speakers,  it  is  not  unusual  for 
one  or  more  of  them  not  to  measure 
up  to  the  rest.  But  this  was  not  the 
case  at  this  Conference. 

"All  the  speakers  were  excellent," 
Lynn  Mercer  remarked.  Bill  Musser 


exclaimed,  "Every  speaker  this  year 
was  outstanding!!!"  But  perhaps 
Judy  Eckerley  said  it  best:  "The 
speakers  were  the  best  we  have  had 
in  many  years.  Usually  one  or  two 
bless  me,  but  all  were  just  top  notch." 


jrf'      Visualize 
^^  Renewal 


Many  people  said  that  they  were 
particularly  blessed  by  one  or  two  or 
even  three  of  the  speakers.  But 
some  mentioned  some  speakers  and 
others  mentioned  other  speakers,  so 
that  in  sum  every  speaker  was  a 
special  blessing  to  someone.  Also 
mentioned  among  those  who 
brought  special  blessings  were 
Ronald  W  Waters,  who  presented  a 
workshop,  and  Steve  Saint  and  two 
"Auca"  (Huaorani)  Indians,  who 
made  a  missions  presentation. 

Last  year  many  Brethren  left 
Conference  with  speaker  Hal  Seed's 
prayer  on  their  lips:  "God,  I  don't  ask 
You  for  much;  I  just  ask  that  You 
give  me  Your  heart  for  the  lost."  This 
year  they  went  home  with  speaker 
Terry  Wardle's  words  in  their 
hearts:  "God  is  nuts  about  you!" 

Why  the  great  Conference? 

Why  was  this  such  a  great  Confer- 
ence? A  lot  of  extra  time,  effort,  and 
planning  went  into  it.  A  theme  for 


the  week,  "Visualize  Renewal,"  was 
selected  and  broken  down  into  daily 
emphases — renewal  of  heart,  rela- 
tionships, spirit,  zeal  for  the  lost 
(missions),  and  the  church.  Speak- 
ers were  carefully  selected,  to  ad- 
dress each  of  these  themes. 

Time  spent  in  prayer 

But  perhaps  more  important  than 
the  planning  was  the  time  spent  in 
prayer  for  this  Conference.  In  fact, 
prayer  was  part  of  the  planning.  As 
Conference  approached,  more  and 
more  people  were  invited  to  partici- 
pate in  this  prayer  preparation. 
This  culminated  in  a  call  for  Breth- 
ren across  the  denomination  to  join 
in  a  three-day  fast  (July  27-29), 
during  which  they  would  pray  for 
the  Conference — specifically  for  the 
speakers,  for  a  spirit  of  repentance 
and  renewal,  for  unity  among  God's 
people,  for  God's  voice  to  be  clearly 
heard,  and  for  "visualized  renewal." 

James  Bingle  raised  a  pertinent 
question  about  the  prayer  and  fast- 
ing. He  wrote,  "The  Holy  Spirit,  in- 
deed, has  enabled  us  to  hear  and  see 
the  truth.  Is  it  possible  that  the  call 
for  prayer  and  fasting  before  Con- 
ference was  the  catalyst?"  Sue  Mer- 
( continued  on  next  page) 


Inside  this  issue 


This  entire  issue,  except  for  page 
11 — which  highlights  the  Brethren 
Youth  In  Christ  program — is  devot- 
ed to  coverage  of  General  Confer- 
ence. Regular  features,  including 
recent  news  from  around  the  de- 
nomination, will  return  next  month. 

The  Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 
is  in  the  center  of  this  issue 


cer  affirmed  that  it  was:  "It  was  a 
dynamic  week.  What  was  different? 
I  think  a  three-day  fast  for  the  Con- 
ference." Ann  DeVeny  said  it  more 
forcefully:  "I  believe  the  fasting  and 
prayer  that  preceded  the  conference 
was  important  in  ushering  in  His 
strong  presence."  And  for  Emery 
Hurd,  there  was  little  doubt:  "I  am 
convinced  that  our  time  of  fasting 
and  prayer  prior  to  Conference  was 
the  major  reason  for  this  'fresh 
wind'  of  the  Spirit  at  Conference." 

But  what  about  renewal? 

The  goal  of  this  Conference  was 
that  Brethren  who  came  would  ex- 
perience renewal  from  God.  Did  it 
happen?  Many  people  thought  so. 

Ken  Solomon  wrote,  "There  is 
ample  evidence  that  our  prayers  for 
God's  blessing  on  this  conference 
were  amply  answered  and  that  re- 
newal is  taking  place." 

His  opinion  was  shared  by  Roger 
Stogsdill,  who  said,  "I  was  very 
much  uplifted  by  General  Confer- 
ence this  year.  ...  I  do  feel  renewed. 
From  the  responses  of  the  people 
who  came  with  me  from  this  church, 
they  feel  renewed  as  well."  He  also 
commented  that  during  Conference 
week,  "I  heard  people  all  over  the 
place  talking  about  the  renewal 
being  experienced." 

Jim  Boyd  saw  among  Brethren  at 
Conference  "more  openness  to 
change"  and  a  "willingness  to  try 
new  things"  as  evidence  of  "vision 
renewal." 

One  person  whom  God  renewed  is 
John  Garrett.  He  wrote,  "Coming 
home  from  Conference  renewed  my 
commitment  to  be  a  man  of  prayer, 
seeking  Him  in  all  things  .  .  .  ;  [to 
have]  a  repentant  heart  (especially 
in  the  area  of  pride);  and  [to]  con- 
tinually strive  to  KNOW  Christ;  to 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 
(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450; 
e-mail:  brethren@bright.net).  Authors'  views  are 
not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
Editor:  Richard  C.  Winfield.  Subscription  rates: 
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think  like  Him;  to  talk  like  Him;  to 
love  like  Him;  to  be  compassionate 
like  Him;  to  hate  sin  like  Him;  to 
forgive  like  Him;  to  be  as  committed 
to  the  Gospel  as  He  was  to  bring  it!" 
And  he  adds,  "O  Lord,  bring  re- 
vival— and  let  it  begin  with  me!" 

While  not  using  the  word  renewal, 
Fred  Finks  talks  about  it  when  he 
says,  "I  was  touched  in  some  per- 
sonal and  private  areas  of  my  life 
that  have  set  me  on  a  course  of  re- 
flection, prayer,  and  study  I  trust 
that  this  will  not  [be]  just  a  passing 
moment  of  truth  for  me,  but  will  be 
ingrained  in  the  way  I  think  and 
live."  His  second  sentence  reminds 
us  all  that  renewal  must  be  more 
than  "a  passing  moment." 

Larry  Baker  makes  this  more  ex- 
plicit when  he  says  that  the  long- 
term  indication  of  renewal  is  to  "see 
if  things  change  in  the  lives  of  con- 
gregations and  other  individuals; 
i.e.,  is  the  renewal  transferred  or 
shared  with  others.  We've  got  [to] 
pass  it  on,  and  not  just  be  content 
with  some  warm,  fuzzy  feelings." 

Will  the  renewal  spread? 

His  comments  remind  us  that  the 
goal  for  this  Conference  was  not 
only  that  renewal  would  occur 
among  those  who  attended,  but  that 
this  renewal  would  also  spread 
throughout  The  Brethren  Church. 
Opinions  about  whether  or  not  this 
will  happen  ranged  from  pessimistic, 
through  hopeful,  to  optimistic. 

Jim  Thomas  had  his  doubts.  He 
wrote,  "Personally  I  gained  a  lot  and 
have  experienced  renewal  in  every 
area  of  my  life,  but  I  doubt  that  that 
will  translate  back  to  the  districts  or 
to  many  local  churches." 

Larry  Baker  was  more  hopeful:  "If 
the  renewed  leadership  can  success- 
fully take  this  back  to  the  churches 
and  the  districts,  it  could  filter  down 
to  the  person  in  the  pew." 

Michael  Woods,  who  served  out- 
side The  Brethren  Church  the  past 
two  years,  believes  this  renewal  has 
already  begun.  He  wrote,  "Two  or 
three  times  during  this  week's  Con- 
ference I  turned  to  someone  near 
me  and  asked,  'Where  am  I?'  The 
spiritual  environment  has  changed 
drastically  in  two  years.  This  from 
someone  who  was  away  and  came 
back  home  and  found  a  new  home  in 
its  place." 


He  went  on  to  say,  "I  sincerely 
believe  God  is  doing  something  un- 
predictably wonderful  in  our 
church.  .  .  .  Specifically,  I  believe 
God  is  calling  each  of  us  to  a  pas- 
sionate love  relationship  with  Him, 
expressed  so  well  by  Dr.  Wardle  on 
Monday  night.  The  renewal  in  our 
denomination  is  here.  And  it's  hap- 
pening in  us.  As  the  old  quote  goes, 
'Everybody  wants  to  change  the 
world  .  .  .  nobody  wants  to  change 
themselves.'  Contrary  to  that,  God 
IS  changing  us." 

Sharing  Mike  Woods  conviction 
that  renewal  has  begun  is  Jill  Stone. 
She  wrote,  "I  believe  that  renewal  is 
happening  in  The  Brethren  Church. 
I  know  that  it  has  begun  in  my  life." 
Following  Terry  Wardle's  message 
on  Monday  night,  in  which  he  said 
that  God  loves  us  'passionately,'  she 
responded  by  "saying  to  God  that  I 
am  going  to  be  more  'passionate'  in 
my  relationship  with  Him.  My  heart 
has  been  full  of  Jesus  ever  since." 

She  continues:  "I  had  a  dream  the 
next  day  ....  I  saw  a  flower-lined 
walkway  leading  up  to  a  beautiful, 
ornate  door.  I  was  told  in  my  dream 
that  we  are  now  at  the  place  that  we 
have  been  waiting  for.  I  believe  this 
was  a  true  message  from  God.  All 
we  have  to  do  is  open  this  door  and 
allow  God  into  our  churches,  and  He 
is  waiting  to  bless  us.  God  is  ready 
to  pour  out  His  blessing  on  our 
church!" 

The  Brethren  are  ready 

She  concludes:  "I  believe  that  the 
Brethren  are  ready.  We  have  prayed 
and  fasted  in  advance,  and  I  believe 
that  God  is  moving.  We  are  going  to 
see  great  things  because  we  are 
seeking  God  and  opening  the  door 
for  Him  to  come!"  [ft] 

The  articles  on  the  following  pages 
attempt  to  capture  some  of  the  essence 
of  Conference  in  an  effort  to  spread  the 
spirit  of  renewal.  Audio  cassettes  are 
also  available  of  the  messages  by 
Richard  Parrott,  Cliue  Calver,  and 
David  West,  the  missions  presentation 
by  Steve  Saint  and  the  Huaorani  Indi- 
ans, and  the  church  growth  workshop 
by  Terry  Wardle  ($4.00  each  from  the 
National  Office).  Let's  make  use  of 
these  resources  to  keep  alive  the  "fresh 
wind  of  the  Spirit. "  And  let  us  contin- 
ue to  pray  for  renewal  in  our  lives  and 
throughout  The  Brethren  Church. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


f Sj 

Emanuel  Sandberg  makes 
"Visualize  Renewal"  personal 


5S- 


J 


TO  PUT  the  Conference  theme, 
Visualize  Renewal,  squarely 
before  the  Brethren  attending  Gen- 
eral Conference,  Dr.  Emanuel  (Buzz) 
Sandberg,  Executive  Director  of  The 
Brethren  Church,  zeroed  in  on  this 
theme  in  an  address  he  made  during 
the  opening  celebration  on  Monday 
evening.  His  comments  preceded  a 
message  by  Dr.  Terry  Wardle  (see 
next  page  ). 

Personal  testimony 

Dr.  Sandberg  began  by  witnessing 
to  God's  work  in  his  own  life  during 
the  past  year.  He  shared  two  per- 
sonal experiences,  a  "mountain- 
top"  and  a  "valley"  experience. 

The  mountain-top  experience  re- 
lated to  a  commission  he  received 
from  God  45  years  ago  and  which  he 
has  kept  in  his  heart  ever  since — to 
help  bring  God's  word  to  God's  chil- 
dren in  China.  In  June,  Dr.  Sand- 
berg, his  wife  Ann,  and  Dr.  Fred 
Finks,  president  of  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  and  his  wife  Holly, 
spent  two  weeks  in  China.  They  vis- 
ited five  major  cities,  three  seminar- 
ies, and  talked  to  Christian  leaders, 
teachers,  and  students. 

As  a  result,  three  students  from 
China  will  enter  Ashland  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  this  fall.  These  stu- 
dents will  study  at  Ashland  and 
then  go  back  to  China  as  seminary 
teachers  or  as  pastors.  The  hope  is 
that  these  are  the  first  of  many 
more  students  from  China  who  will 
.follow  in  their  footsteps. 

The  valley  experience  was  sick- 
ness in  the  form  of  prostate  cancer, 
that  resulted  in  surgery.  But  even 
this  had  its  blessings.  Before  he 
went  to  the  Cleveland  Clinic  for 
surgery,  Dr.  Sandberg  was  anointed 
in  a  special  service  led  by  Dr.  Finks 
at  Ashland  Theological  Seminary. 

The  surgery  went  well,  and  three 
weeks  later,  when  Dr.  Sandberg  re- 
turned to  the  clinic  to  get  the 
pathology  report,  he  was  given 
"good  news."  There  was  no  evidence 
that  the   cancer   had   spread,   and 


Dr.  Buzz  and  Ann  Sandberg 

therefore  no  further  treatment 
would  be  necessary.  He  was  also 
given  "bad  news" — that  the  pathol- 
ogy analysis  of  the  prostate  gland 
showed  no  evidence  of  cancer  either, 
despite  the  fact  that  seven  of  nine 
earlier  biopsies  had  shown  cancer  in 
a  relatively  advanced  state. 

The  doctor  was  mystified.  This 
had  never  happened  to  him  before. 
He  was  also  apprehensive.  "You 
probably  think  we  should  not  have 
done  the  surgery."  To  which  Mrs. 

Sandberg  replied,  "Dr.  , 

it  is  a  miracle,  and  it  was  God's 


answer  to  hundreds  of  prayers." 
Having  shared  how  God  had 
worked  in  his  own  life,  Dr.  Sandberg 
then  called  upon  Brethren  to  prepare 
for  God  to  work  in  their  lives  during 
the  week  ahead — a  week  of  renewal. 
He  first  asked  that  they  pray  that 
their  lives  would  be  changed — "In- 
vite God  in;  ask  forgiveness  for  your 
transgressions;  and  pray  that  God 
will  renew  your  life." 

He  then  asked  that  they  consider 
five  areas  of  their  lives  that  would 
be  the  focus  of  the  week — "your 
heart,  your  personal  relationships, 
your  spirit,  your  zeal  to  reach  the 
lost,  and  your  church."  Referring  to 
each  of  these  five  areas  in  turn,  he 
asked  that  they  inventory  the  pre- 
sent state  of  that  area  of  their  lives, 
both  the  pluses  and  the  minuses. 
Then  he  asked  that  they  visualize 
what  this  area  of  their  life  would  be 
like  if  it  were  totally  renewed,  all 
hurts,  all  shortcomings,  all  prob- 
lems gone.  He  also  suggested  that 
this  should  be  a  process  that  they 
continue  throughout  the  week. 

"Take  inventory  of  your  life" 

"I  am  asking  you  to  take  inven- 
tory of  your  life  and  to  visualize  the 
renewal  of  your  life.  We  are  here  to 
celebrate  our  relationship  with  one 
another  and  with  God  and  to  take 
the  first  steps  in  renewing  our 
lives,"  he  said  as  he  concluded.  "Ask 
God  for  a  renewed  life — to  be  'born 
again'  again!  If  you  do,  after  this 
week  your  life  will  never  be  the 
same."  [ft] 


Brethren  at 
Conference 
were  blessed 
by  the  presence 
of  Sehor  Jose 
Rivero  (I.), 
president  of 
The  Brethren 
Church  in  Ar- 
gentina, and 
ofMarcelo  and 
Adriana 
Ferreri  and 
their  daughter 
Jana.  The 
Ferreris,  also 
from  the 
Argentine 
Brethren  Church,  serve  as  Brethren  missionaries  in  Medellin,  Colombia. 


September  1998 


"God  is  nuts  about  you," 
Wardle  tells  Conference 


Terry 


J 


DR.  TERRY  WARDLE*  began  his 
message  during  the  Monday 
evening  service  of  General  Confer- 
ence by  telling  about  helping  to 
build  a  house.  The  walls  and  rafters 
were  up,  and  he  and  other  carpen- 
ters were  working  on  the 
roof,  when  suddenly  the 
structure  shifted  and 
began  to  collapse. 

As  he  and  the  other  car- 
penters hurried  down 
from  the  roof,  they  saw 
many  things  that  needed 
fixed — crooked  walls,  a 
twisted  staircase,  sections 
that  had  fallen  down.  But 
it  wasn't  until  they  got  to 
the  basement  that  they 
found  the  problem.  There 
they  discovered  that  part 
of  the  foundation  had  col- 
lapsed. Other  things  need 
to  be  fixed,  but  the  foun- 
dation was  the  problem. 

Repair  the  foundation 

So  it  is  in  our  Christian 
lives  and  in  the  church.  Other 
things  need  to  be  fixed,  but  first  of 
all  we  need  to  repair  the  foundation. 
"We  need  to  be  attentive  to  the 
foundational  issue  of  our  passion  for 
Christ,"  Dr.  Wardle  said. 

The  starting  point  of  our  love  for 
Christ  is  knowing  His  love  for  us. 
We  need  to  be  able  to  testify  to  the 
passionate  love  of  God  for  us.  As  we 
become  aware  of  how  much  He  loves 
us,  that  love  ignites  in  us  a  furious 
love  for  Him. 

Dr.  Wardle  told  about  a  nun  whose 
priest  told  her  to  spend  some  time 
in  solitude.  When  she  returned,  the 
priest  asked  her  what  God  had  said 
to  her.   "He  said  He's  nuts  about 

*Dr.  Wardle  is  associate  professor  of 
church  planting  at  Ashland  Theologi- 
cal Seminary.  Before  joining  the  sem- 
inary faculty  in  June,  he  was  director 
for  two  years  of  a  retreat  center  for 
renewal  and  restoration  of  Christian 
leaders,  which  he  founded,  and  prior 
to  that  he  served  as  a  church  planter. 


me,"  she  replied.  The  priest  sent  her 
back  for  another  period  of  solitude. 
When  she  came  back  again,  the 
priest  again  asked  her  what  God 
had  said.  She  answered,  "He  told 
me  that  He's  really  nuts  about  me!" 


Following  his  message,  Dr.  Terry  Wardle  took  time  out  from 
chatting  with  the  Brethren  to  pose  with  his  wife,  Cheryl  (at  his 
left),  and  their  three  children  (I.  to  r.),  Cara,  Aaron,  and  Emily. 

"Is  the  foundation  of  your  life 
secure  because  you  know  that  God 
is  passionate  about  you?"  Dr.  War- 
dle asked.  "And  are  you  passionate 
for  Him?" 

Information  or  transformation 

In  John  17:3,  Jesus  prayed  that 
His  followers  might  "know  you,  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  you  have  sent."  We  need  to 
know  Him,  not  just  about  Him,  Dr. 
Wardle  declared.  This  is  a  knowl- 
edge that  brings  about  transforma- 
tion. "Our  churches  are  over  in- 
formed and  under  transformed"  he 
said.  We  give  out  information  and 
pass  over  transformation. 

"Never  place  you  identity  in  any- 
thing you  can  lose,"  Dr.  Wardle 
warned.  "Find  your  identity  in 
God's  love.  That  you  can  never 
lose." 

"But  don't  other  problems  need  to 
be  addressed?"  he  asked.  "Yes,  but 
be  passionate  about  God,  and  all  the 


rest  will  come  out  of  that,"  he  an- 
swered. 

The  key  to  Jesus'  ministry  was 
that  He  did  what  He  saw  the  Father 
doing  (Jn.  5:19).  "For  the  Father 
loves  the  Son  and  shows  him  all  he 
does"  (v.  20).  When  we  are  con- 
vinced that  God  loves  us  and  we 
passionately  love  Him  in  return,  we 
too  will  seek  to  do  the  works  that  He 
is  doing.  Devotion  and  service  go 
together.  Jesus  said  that  if  we  abide 
in  Him  (devotion),  we  will  bring 
forth  much  fruit  (service)  (Jn.  15:5). 
Dr.  Wardle  reported 
that  surveys  of  people 
around  the  world  have 
shown  that  they  are  seek- 
ing two  basic  things:  true 
transcendency  and  true 
relationships.  If  we  know 
that  we  are  furiously 
loved  by  God  and  if  we 
furiously  love  Him  in  re- 
turn, we  have  the  answer 
to  both  these  needs. 

Dr.    Wardle    concluded 
his  message  by  suggesting 
a   simple   prayer,    "Lord, 
transform  my  heart."  He 
said,  "If  we'd  ask  for  it, 
He'd  give  it."  He  invited 
all  who  wanted  that  kind 
of  transformation  in  their 
lives  to  come  to  the  plat- 
form  area   following  his 
message.  The  front  of  the  audito- 
rium was  crowded  with  those  who 
responded.  [ft] 


Dr.  Wardle  also  led  a  workshop 
about  church  planting  on  Friday 
morning  of  Conference.  It  focused 
not  on  methods,  but  on  "Spiritual 
Realities  and  Church  Planting." 

Dr.  Wardle  stressed  the  impor- 
tance of  spiritual  formation  (being 
conformed  to  Christ's  image),  spir- 
itual direction  (discovering  God's 
leading),  spiritual  discernment 
(doing  what  the  Father  is  doing), 
spiritual  warfare  (being  armed  for 
the  battle),  and  spiritual  empower- 
ment (being  Spirit-filled  and  em- 
powered) to  church  planting. 

What  he  said  applies  not  only  to 
church  planting,  but  to  Christian 
ministry  in  general.  The  audio  cas- 
sette of  his  workshop  {available 
from  the  National  Office)  would  be 
of  benefit  to  any  Christian,  not  just 
those  involved  in  church  planting. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


r 


Bruce  Wilkinson  calls  Christians 
to  "move  to  the  first  chair" 


V 


J 


THE  THREE  CHAIRS:  A  Legacy 
to  Live  By  was  the  title  of  Dr. 
Bruce  Wilkinson's*  message  during 
the  Tuesday  evening  worship  service 
of  General  Conference.  The  three 
chairs  of  the  title  represent  three 
generations  of  people  and  three 
kinds  of  relationships  to  the  Lord. 

The  three  generations  are:  chair 
1 — a  generation  of  people  who  know 
the  Lord,  see  His  mighty  deeds,  and 
follow  Him  with  all  their  hearts; 
chair  2 — the  next  generation,  who 
know  about  the  Lord,  hear  about  His 
mighty  deeds,  and  follow  Him  half- 
heartedly; and  chair  3 — the  third 
generation,  who  don't  know  the  Lord, 
are  not  taught  about  His  mighty 
deeds,  and  don't  follow  Him  at  all. 

He  illustrated  the  three  genera- 
tions from  the  history  of  Israel  in 
the  days  of  Joshua  and  following,  as 
described  in  Judges  2:7,  10-12. 

The  people  served  the  Lord  through- 
out the  lifetime  of  Joshua  [genera- 
tion 1]  and  of  the  elders  who  out- 
lived him  and  who  had  seen  all  the 
great  things  the  Lord  had  done  for 
Israel.  .  .  .  After  that  whole  genera- 
tion [generation  2]  had  been  gath- 
ered to  their  fathers,  another  gener- 
ation [generation  3]  grew  up,  who 
knew  neither  the  Lord  nor  what  he 
had  done  for  Israel.  Then  the  Isra- 
elites did  evil  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord 
and  served  the  Baals.  They  forsook 
the  Lord,  the  God  of  their  fathers, 
who  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt. 

Dr.  Wilkinson  also  illustrated  it 
from  Christian  experience.  A  father 
and  mother  are  deeply  committed  to 
the  Lord  and  serve  Him  with  all 
their  hearts.  Their  children  go  to 
church,  learn  about  the  Lord,  and 
serve  him  half-heartedly.  Their  chil- 
dren, in  turn  (the  third  generation), 
seeing  their  parents'  hypocrisy  and 
their  lack  of  commitment,  leave  the 
church  and  do  not  follow  the  Lord. 

He  defined  the  relationship  of  the 
three  generations  to  God  as:  chair 


*Dr.  Wilkinson  is  founder  and  presi- 
dent of  Walk  Thru  the  Bible  Ministries. 


Dr.  Wilkinson  stands  in  front  of  the  three 
chairs  he  used  to  illustrate  his  message. 

1 — commitment;   sold  out  to  God; 
chair  2 — compromise;  living  for  God 
and  self;  chair  3 — conflict;  in  conflict 
with  God  and  living  totally  for  self. 
Dr.  Wilkinson  directed  the  rest  of 


his  message  primarily  to  those  in 
the  audience  living  in  chair  2.  He 
appealed  to  them  to  move  from 
chair  2  to  chair  1  by  making  an  all- 
out  commitment  to  God.  He  said 
that  second-chair  Christians  are 
carnal  Christians — born-again  peo- 
ple who  live  like  they're  not. 

First-chair  Christians  see  God's 
mighty  works  in  their  lives,  and  God 
speaks  to  them.  But  second-chair 
Christians  often  say  their  prayers 
bounce  off  the  ceiling.  "They  don't 
bounce  off  the  ceiling,"  Dr.  Wilkin- 
son said.  "They  bounce  off  the  fact 
that  you  aren't  sold  out  to  God." 

Second-chair  Christians  are  de- 
scribed in  Revelation  3:15,  16  as 
neither  hot  nor  cold.  Jesus  says  to 
them,  "So,  because  you  are  luke- 
warm— neither  hot  nor  cold — I  am 
about  to  spit  you  out  of  my  mouth. " 
But  Dr.  Wilkinson  offered  hope,  for 
later  in  the  passage  Jesus  says, 
"Those  whom  I  love  I  rebuke  and  dis- 
cipline. So  be  earnest,  and  repent." 

Dr.  Wilkinson  concluded  his  mes- 
sage by  calling  on  second-generation 
Christians  to  become  sold  out  to 
God.  "Jesus  is  calling  us  to  give  up 
the  second  chair  and  move  to  the 
first,"  he  said.  The  front  of  the  au- 
ditorium was  filled  with  those  who 
responded  to  his  invitation.  [ft] 


Dr.  Wilkinson  talks  about 
breakthroughs  in  marriage 

IN  ADDITION  to  his  Tuesday 
evening  message,  Dr.  Wilkinson 
presented  a  workshop  on  Wednes- 
day morning  about  marriage.  He 
spoke  about  three  areas  of  mar- 
riage— relationship,  role,  and  re- 
sponsibility— with  the  stated  goal 
that  everyone  in  the  audience  would 
experience  a  breakthrough  in  at 
least  one  of  these  areas. 

Relationship.  His  first  chal- 
lenge was  that  husbands  and  wives 
experience  a  breakthrough  in  loyal- 
ty to  their  relationship — complete 
loyalty  at  all  times.  Noting  with 
alarm  that  recent  statistics  indicate 
that  more  Christians  are  getting  di- 
vorces than  non-Christians,  he  said 
that  marriages  break  down  first  in 
loyalty.  Examples  of  disloyalty  in- 
clude having  an  emotional  or  physi- 
cal affair  with  another  person,  look- 
ing upon  another  person  with  lust, 
and  being  more  devoted  to  one's 


work  than  to  one's  spouse.  Any- 
thing but  complete  loyalty  is  sin. 

Role.  His  second  challenge  was 
that  husbands  and  wives  experience 
a  breakthrough  in  achieving  their 
biblical  roles  in  marriage.  According 
to  Ephesians  5:23,  the  role  of  the 
husband  is  to  be  the  head  of  the 
wife.  That  means  that  he  should 
lead;  should  take  responsibility.  The 
role  of  the  wife  is  to  come  alongside 
her  husband  and  help  him. 

Responsibility.  His  third  chal- 
lenge was  that  husbands  and  wives 
experience  a  breakthrough  in  living 
out  their  responsibilities  in  mar- 
riage. The  responsibility  of  the  hus- 
band is  to  love  his  wife  with  uncon- 
ditional love.  The  responsibility  of 
the  wife  is  to  submit  to  her  husband 
by  practicing  an  attitude  of  respect. 

"What  happens  when  all  three 
breakthroughs  take  place  in  both 
partners?"  Dr.  Wilkinson  asked. 
"Every  dream  you  ever  had  about 
your  marriage  will  be  realized,"  he 
promised.  [ft] 


September  1998 


Richard  Parrott  looks  at  ways 
to  clear  the  clutter  from  your  soul 


J 


DR.  RICHARD  PARROTT*  began 
his  message  on  Wednesday 
evening  of  Conference  with  a  garage 
sale,  a  garage  sale  in  his  soul.  After 
revealing  some  of  the  clutter  that 
resides  in  his  soul  and  the  price  of 
giving  it  up,  he  said,  "I  want  to  talk 
about  taking  care  of  your  soul." 


Gift  Announced 


Dr.  Richard  Parrott — having  a  garage  sale  in  his  soul. 

"Clutter — y our  life  is  full  of  it;  my        demons    can't 
life  is  full  of  it,"  he  continued.  Clut- 
ter touches  every  aspect  of  our  lives, 
including    our    souls — our 
sense  of  who  we  are  at  the 
middle  of  our  being.  "There 
has  to  be  another  way  be- 
sides clutter,"  he  said. 

There  are  two  approaches 
to  life:  the  way  of  clutter 
and  the  way  of  simplicity.  "I 
want  to  suggest  for  you 
tonight  a  bridge  to  move  out 
of  one  and  into  the  other," 
he  said. 

He  found  that  bridge  in 
the  Gospel  of  Mark,  chapter 
one,  which  he  said  could  be 
called  "a  day  in  the  life  of 
Jesus."  It  was  a  very  de- 
manding day,  and  by  its  end 


everyone  was  worn  out.  Neverthe- 
less, Jesus  refused  to  be  a  victim  to 
the  clutter  and  the  clamor  of  His 
world.  He  did  so  by  maintaining  the 
"margins"  of  His  life. 

How  do  we  put  margins  in  our 
lives?  Dr.  Parrott  suggested  three 
ways  from  Mark  chapter  one. 

First,  we  need 
an  evening  in  the 
house  with  Jesus 
(verse  32).  We 
need  a  safe  place, 
a  quiet  time,  with 
special  friends  (for 
where  two  or 
three  are  gathered 
in  His  name,  Jesus 
is  there). 

In  such  a  time 
and  place,  the  ill- 
nesses in  our  souls 
and    the    demons 
that  haunt  us  can 
come  to  the   sur- 
face  and   we   can 
begin  to  deal  with 
them.  Many  of  our 
be   handled   alone. 
"You  need  a  night  in  the  house  with 
Jesus,  where  you  can  talk  it  out, 


pray  it  through,  and  be  free,"  Dr. 
Parrott  said. 

Second,  we  need  a  morning  in  the 
hills  (verse  35).  We  must  spend  time 
alone  in  prayer,  just  as  Jesus  did. 
The  clutter  of  our  souls  cuts  us  off 
from  who  we  are.  Prayer  provides 
us  the  opportunity  to  remember.  At 
such  times  of  prayer,  God  says  to 
our  souls,  "You  are  not  in  control; 
you  were  never  meant  to  be  in  con- 
trol. I  am  in  control."  And  that's  lib- 
erating! During  these  time  of  prayer 
God  also  whispers,  "It's  not  what 
you  accomplish;  it's  you  I  love,"  Dr. 
Parrott  said.  "I  need  that  morning 
in  the  hills  to  reestablish  my  identi- 
ty in  Jesus  Christ,"  he  added. 

Third,  we  also  need  a  new  day  on 
the  road  (verse  39).  After  an  evening 
with  Jesus  and  a  morning  in  the 
hills,  the  demands  of  life  continue. 
Schedules  have  to  be  kept;  decisions 
have  to  be  made.  But  the  difference 
is  the  Pacesetter.  Jesus  accom- 
plished an  amazing  amount  in  His 
three  years  on  earth,  but  you  never 
get  the  impression  that  His  life  was 
a  mad  dash  to  the  cross.  We  need  to 
pray,  "Lord,  be  my  Pacesetter." 

Dr.  Parrott  concluded  his  message 
by  telling  the  story  of  his  own  years 
of  ministry  and  how  he  had  to  learn 
these  truths  in  his  own  life.  He  then 
gave  pastors  and  church  staff  the 
"privilege  and  the  permission"  to 
take  care  of  their  own  souls  by  com- 
ing forward  for  a  time  of  prayer. 
Many  responded.  [ft] 


*Dr.  Parrott,  a  pastor  for  23 
years,  now  serves  as  director 
of  the  doctoral  studies  pro- 
gram at  Ashland  Theological 
Seminary. 


During  the  Wednes- 
day evening  worship 
service  at  General  Con- 
ference, Dr.  Fred  Finks, 
president  of  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary 
(r.),  announced  that 
Mrs.  Frances  Smetzer 
(cen.)  has  made  a  gift  of 
one  million  dollars  to 
the  seminary  to  estab- 
lish the  Ted  and  Fran- 
ces Smetzer  Christian 
Counseling  Center. 

This  is  Mrs.  Smetzer's 
third  major  gift  to  the 
seminary.  She  donated 
$100,000  for  the  Smet- 
zer Auditorium  in  the  new  Gerber  Academic  Center,  dedicated  in  1997,  and  she  then  pro- 
vided a  grand  piano  for  that  auditorium.  Shown  with  Mrs.  Smetzer  and  Dr.  Finks  are  her 
son,  also  named  Ted  (1.),  and  Dr.  Leroy  Solomon,  Director  of  Development  for  the  Seminary. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


^he  'Women's  Out(bo/(JAleuJs(etter 

A  puBCication  of  the  brethren  'Women's  Missionary  Society 


W       W  M.  S. 


c 


*u*<? 


September-October  1998 


Volume  12,  Number  1 


._.-—-";: -J 


The 

President's 

Ten 

Dear  Ladies, 

As  I  write  this,  we  are  in  the  mid- 
dle of  Conference  week.  It  is  always 
so  good  to  see  old  friends  and  meet 
those  who  will  become  new  friends. 

Summer  has  gone  all  too  fast  for 
me.  I  have  been  in  the  hospital  and 
back  and  forth  from  the  Cleveland 
Clinic  for  several  tests  most  of  the 
summer.  I  have  not  had  much  time 
to  sit  on  my  front  porch  swing, 
which  I  have  always  enjoyed. 

We  moved  to  a  new  home  August 
1  just  before  Conference,  and  that 
was  very  exciting.  My  new  address 
is  702  Smith  Road  in  Ashland  (the 
phone  number  is  the  same).  Every- 
thing is  on  one  floor.  It's  great! 

My  sons,  Glenn  and  Jim,  and 
their  wives,  Sarah  and  Susie,  and 
my  daughter,  Barbie,  were  wonder- 
ful. They  put  everything  in  place  in 
my  kitchen  and  worked  on  the  liv- 
ing room  as  well.  They  were  such  a 
big  help!  I  don't  know  what  Jim  and 
I  would  have  done  without  them.  Our 
sons  and  a  group  from  our  Canton 
Trinity  Brethren  Church  moved  all 
the  heavy  "stuff,"  and  the  church  pro- 
vided food  for  the  hungry  movers. 

Well,  enough  of  moving.  In  August 
I  will  go  to  my  45th  high  school  class 
reunion.  That  really  makes  me  feel 
old!  I  am  sure  it  will  be  fun.  Can  you 
imagine  what  it  will  be  like  when  we 
go  to  heaven?  Now  that  will  really 
be  a  reunion — seeing  loved  ones 
and  friends!  I  don't  think  we  will 
recognize  them  as  we  knew  them 
here  on  earth,  but  we  will  know 
(continued  on  page  4) 


OBEDIENCE 

Devotions  given  by  Dee  Grindle, 
Wabash,  at  the  Indiana  District  W.M.S.  Conference,  June  1998 

(The  W.M.S.  theme  was  Being  Obedient  Women 

The  first  letter  of  each  word  spells  BOW, 

and  the  symbol  of  the  conference  was  a  ribbon  bow.) 


Being  obedient  —  How  can  we 

be  obedient  to  our  Father?  You  will 
find  a  key  to  that  question  in  the 
first  part  of  John  14:15,  "If  you  love 
Me  .  ..."  If  we  but  love  Jesus,  obe- 
dience will  come  naturally  We  will 
want  to  obey  Him.  The  more  we 
grow  to  love  Him  and  trust  Him,  the 
easier  it  becomes  to  obey  Him. 

Jesus  told  us  in  Mark  12:30  that 
we  are  to  love  the  Lord  our  God 
with  all  our  heart,  soul,  mind,  and 
strength.  A  few  weeks  ago  our  pas- 
tor reminded  us  that  this  was  every 
portion  of  our  being.  I  understood 
this  to  mean  that  every  ounce  of  our 
energy  should  go  into  loving  God 
over  everything  else.  When  we  turn 
back  to  Proverbs  3:5,  we  read 
"Trust  in  the  Lord  your  God  with  all 
your  heart  and  lean  not  on  your  own 
understanding."  We  need  to  trust  in 
God  in  our  daily  walk. 

Obeying  Him  would  be  our  desire 
if  we  first  love  and  trust  Him  total- 
ly. But  how?  How  do  we  love  Him 
and  trust  Him  with  all  our  being? 

When  we  first  meet  the  Lord,  a 
spark  is  ignited,  a  flame  begins  to 
burn.  We  need  to  keep  that  flame 
burning.  Our  family  vacations  are 
usually  a  wilderness  camping  trip. 
Our  favorite  activity  is  sitting 
around  a  campfire  singing  camp 
songs  and  telling  stories,  while 
watching  the  fire  fairies  dance 
around  the  flames.  For  us  to  contin- 
ue to  enjoy  the  campfire,  it  has  to  be 
fed.  We  have  to  keep  piling  wood  on 
the  coals  for  the  flames  to  feed  on, 
or  the  fire  will  die  out.  Just  as  that 


campfire  needs  to  be  fed,  the  flame 
of  our  love  for  Jesus  needs  to  be  fed. 

How  do  we  feed  those  love  flames 
for  Jesus?  What  is  on  the  menu  to 
build  a  fire  so  strong  it  will  meld  our 
souls  into  obedience?  The  first  meal 
of  the  day  should  be  a  breakfast  of 
prayer,  not  just  any  old  dry  cereal 
prayer  or  pop  tart  chat.  We  are 
breaking  a  fast.  This  meal  has  to  be 
a  hungry-man,  biscuits  and  gravy, 
sausage  and  eggs-type  breakfast. 
One  of  those  stick-to-your-stomach- 
grits  type  of  breakfast.  We  should 
take  our  time  over  this  meal,  savor- 
ing the  aroma  of  God's  cup  of  peace 
and  love  as  we  converse  with  Him 
across  the  breakfast  table  of  prayer. 

As  the  day  moves  along  and  we 
hurry  on  our  way,  we  need  to  take 
time  for  lunch.  Since  we  have  al- 
ready been  filled  with  the  fulfilling 
nourishment  of  prayer,  we  now  need 
something  that  is  low-fat  and  yet 
high  energy  to  boost  us  through  our 
day.  What  is  better  that  a  nice  huge 
healthy  helping  of  God's  Word.  This 
is  a  definite  must  for  everyone's 
diet.  Just  sink  your  teeth  right  into 
a  big  tasty  helping  of  Genesis, 
Psalms,  Proverbs,  or  maybe  one  of 
the  Gospels  or  Revelation.  Fill  your- 
self to  overflowing  with  Galatians  or 
Ephesians  or  one  of  the  other  56 
selections  on  the  buffet.  As  you  con- 
tinue to  feed  on  His  Word,  you  will 
most  surely  lose  weight:  the  weight 
of  stress,  burdens,  grief,  and  sad- 
ness. You  will  even  tone  up  muscles: 
the  muscles  of  Joy,  Faith,  and  Kind- 
ness, Self-control,  and  Patience. 
(continued  on  page  4) 


HIGHLIGHTS  OF  WMS  CONFERENCE 


Each  year  I  write  about  the  out- 
standing features  of  Conference:  the 
inspiration  of  the  messages  and  the 
blessings  we  received  from  worship, 
listening,  and  visiting.  This  year 
excelled!  The  theme  of  General  Con- 
ference was  "Visualize  Renewal," 
which  focused  on  the  aspects  of 
heart,  relationships,  spirit,  zeal  for 
the  lost,  and  the  church. 

In  the  W.M.S.  meetings  we,  too, 
followed  the  same  theme.  The  pro- 
gram cover,  designed  by  David  and 
Penny  Knouff  (Louisville  Bible), 
depicted  a  smiling  light  bulb  obvi- 
ously turned  on  and  shining  with 
the  "Thought  for  the  Week  —  Visu- 
alize Renewal."  In  her  devotions 
Tuesday,  Judy  Eckerley  (Mishawa- 
ka)  presented  Visualize  Restoration 
(Psalm  23:3).  Judy's  devotions  will 
be  printed  in  a  future  issue  of  the 
Newsletter. 

Wednesday's  luncheon  featured 
Jan  Pletcher  from  Taylor  Universi- 
ty, Upland,  IN,  who  used  her  son's 
prayer,  "Jesus,  I  want  to  walk"  as 
the  basis  of  her  talk.  At  age  2, 
David,  Jan's  son,  was  in  a  near  fatal 
accident  and  is  paralyzed  from  the 
waist  down.  When  he  was  4,  David 
prayed  this  prayer  and  sobbed. 
Though  he  is  confined  to  a  wheel- 
chair, David,  now  16,  "walks" 
proudly  and  humbly  as  a  servant  of 
Jesus.  He  bears  his  testimony  for 
Jesus  wherever  he  is. 

Jan  likened  David  to  the  physical- 
ly disabled  person  whose  healing  by 
Jesus  is  told  in  John  5.  "Tell  them 
Who  healed  you,"  Jesus  said,  and  we 
are  to  bear  the  same  message.  We 
are  healed  from  spiritual,  emotion- 
al, and  physical  illnesses. 

Jan  cautioned  us  not  to  tiptoe  or 
stumble,  but  to  powerwalk.  Take 
or  carry  your  friend  to  Jesus;  pick 
up  another's  burden;  be  a  prayer 
warrior. 

The  table  centerpieces,  made  by 
the  Goshen  ladies,  were  miniature 
birdhouses  set  in  a  floral  garden. 
The  Hagerstown  ladies  designed  the 
luncheon  program,  complete  with  a 
bird  and  flowers,  complementing 
the  centerpiece. 


SPECIAL  SERVICES 

The  ladies  from  Pennsylvania  pre- 
sented the  memorial  service  on 

Tuesday.  Jane  Yoder  (Valley)  read 
I  Peter  2:5  and  likened  our  sisters 
now  with  the  Lord  as  living  stones. 
We  need  to  use  them  as  the  firm 
foundation  on  which  we  build.  Bar- 
bara Hagerich  (Vinco)  used  large 
building  blocks  to  illustrate  Sisters 
in  Christ.  While  Marsha  Nies  (Ma- 
sontown)  played,  Jane  read  the 
names  of  the  26  deceased  members 
and  thanked  God  for  their  lives. 


|s|e 

s 

Ml 

v 

HI 

CfH 

R|I 

S   T 

Members  of  the  Park  Street  Joy 
Circle  received  the  project  offer- 
ing after  the  luncheon.  On  each 
table  was  a  small  open  container 
decorated  in  blue  and  white  stripes, 
the  national  Argentine  colors,  which 
represented  the  South  American 
Theological  Seminary  (SATS).  Judi 
Gentle  reminded  us  of  the  re-estab- 
lishment of  the  Seminary.  This  is 
the  cooperative  effort  of  the  U.S. 
Brethren  Church,  Ashland  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  and  the  Argentine 
Brethren  Church. 

The  containers  were  circulated 
around  the  tables  while  Sherry  Van 
Duyne  sang  a  medly  of  "Jesus  Loves 
Me"  and  "Oh,  How  He  Loves  You 
and  Me."  Containers  were  received 
by  Jane  Solomon  and  Karen  Wei- 
denhamer.  It  was  a  joy  to  note  that 
in  addition  to  society  checks,  cash 
gifts  were  also  given.  Perhaps  these 
were  offerings  from  ladies  who  are 
not  W.M.S.  members  or  those  who 
had  additional  love  gifts. 

On  Thursday  Thelma  Morton  and 
Fae  Musser  of  the  Bryan  I  Society 
spoke  of  the  benevolences  which 
would  benefit  from  our  thankful 
hearts.  Marsha  Nies  played  appro- 
priate music  while  the  ladies  pre- 
sented their  thank  offerings. 


MUSICIANS 

Singing  is  always  a  special  part  of 
the  W.M.S.  meetings.  Deanna  Ben- 
shoff  (St.  Luke)  and  DeAnn  Oburn 
(Loree  I)  were  song  leaders,  and 
Marsha  Nies  (Masontown)  was  the 
pianist.  The  theme  song  "To  Be  God's 
People"  was  new  to  me,  but  very 
singable.  It  is  in  the  Word  songbook. 

On  Tuesday  an  Indiana  trio  (San- 
dra Sharp,  Dutchtown;  Esther  Mish- 
ler,  Goshen;  Pat  Lusch,  Huntington, 
accompanied  by  DeAnn  Oburn)  pre- 
sented a  medley  "Mansion  Over  the 
Hilltop"  and  "At  Calvary." 

The  Heart's  Desire  trio  (Susie 
Black,  College  Corner;  Debby  Bev- 
erly and  Diane  Winkler,  both  of  New 
Lebanon)  gave  special  music  at  the 
luncheon.  Their  numbers  were 
"Lord,  Somebody  Needs  You," 
"When  I  Consider,"  "This  Day  is  a 
Blessing  from  the  Lord,"  and  "He 
Looked  Beyond  My  Fault." 

In  keeping  with  the  Missions 
theme  Thursday,  Daniel  and  Kathy 
(Aspinall)  Rosales  (Iglesia  de  los 
Hermanos,  Sarasota)  sang  two 
songs  in  Spanish  with  Daniel's  gui- 
tar accompaniment.  This  was  a  spe- 
cial treat. 

MISSIONARIES 

One  of  the  joys  of  conference  is 
the  opportunity  to  visit  with  the 
missionaries.  They  are  always  gra- 
cious. On  Tuesday  Nancy  Hostetler 
and  Karen  Best  from  Riverside 
Christian  School  (Lost  Creek,  KY) 
expressed  their  sincere  thanks  for 


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 


your  support  to  the  staff  and  school. 
Gift  certificates,  soup  labels,  offer- 
ings, and  especially  prayers  are  ap- 
preciated. Although  the  hot  lunch 
program,  funded  by  the  state,  has 
been  discontinued,  a  hot  meal  is  still 
provided  at  noon  at  a  minimal  or  no 
cost.  Both  ladies  requested  our  con- 
tinuing prayers  for  the  staff. 

Thursday's  missionary  was  Adri- 
ana  Ferreri  from  Medellin,  Colom- 
bia. She  and  her  husband,  Marcelo, 
were  sent  from  the  Argentine 
Brethren  Church  to  Medellin  —  a 
daughter  congregation.  They  have 
been  there  eleven  months.  Their 
daughter,  Jana  (Hannah)  is  2V2;  she 
is  a  dear  child.  Adriana's  greetings 
were  translated  by  Claudia  (As- 
pinall)  Horner.  She  expressed  her 
thanks  for  all  the  cards  and  notes  of 
encouragement.  She  works  with  the 
women  and  children.  In  June  60 
children  attended  the  Bible  School. 
In  addition  to  spiritual  food,  the 
children  received  physical  food  at 
noon.  The  Ferreris  live  and  work  in 
a  very  poor  neighborhood. 

Cindy  Smith  told  of  her  visit  to 
India  in  the  spring,  when  she  ac- 
companied her  husband,  Reilly.  In 
the  city  of  Rajamundry,  with  a  pop- 
ulation of  over  1  million  people,  the 
Brethren  Mission  has  two  orphan- 
ages and  the  church.  Over  the 
church  is  a  large  sign,  lighted  at 
night,  with  the  verse  "Come  unto 
Me.  .  .  ."  (Matt.  11:28-29)  and  the 
praying  hands.  Certainly  this  is  a 
light  in  the  darkness. 

The  Smiths  were  present  for  the 
dedication  of  a  new  church  funded 
by  a  Brethren  couple.  This  is  in  a 
village  of  10,000  people.  Cindy  said 
the  gifts  from  the  W.M.S.  are  evi- 
dent in  many  areas.  She  also  com- 
mented on  Sudhir  Kumar  and  his 
wife,  Latha,  and  their  new  ministry 
in  Vijayawada. 

Tracy  Ruggles  sent  greetings  from 
Mexico  City.  She  appreciates  very 
much  your  prayers,  cards,  and  notes 
of  encouragement. 

BUSINESS 

Although  Shirley  Black  was  pre- 
sent, she  preferred  not  to  preside. 
Marilyn  Aspinall  picked  up  Shirley's 
notes  and  presided  very  efficiently. 

A  total  of  92  delegates  and  11 
guests  were  registered  for  the  con- 
ference. 


The  following  committees  func- 
tioned during  the  week: 

Nominating:  Susan  Kidd  (Bethle- 
hem) and  Carolyn  Waters  (Water- 
loo). 

Credential:  Nancy  Grumbling 
(Johnstown  III)  and  Pauline  Win- 
field  (New  Lebanon). 

Auditing:  Sharon  Williams 
(Roanoke).  She  examined  the  books 
of  the  financial  secretary  (Joanne 
Kroft)  and  the  literature  secretary 
(Penny  Knouff)  and  found  them  to 
be  accurate  and  in  good  order.  Pre- 
siding officer  Marilyn  Aspinall  read 
the  report  from  the  CPA  who  regu- 
larly audits  the  reports  of  the  trea- 
surer (JoAnn  Seaman).  He  said  in 
part,  "The  minutes  and  the  treasur- 
er's reports  indicate  a  high  level  of 
interest  in  the  Women's  Missionary 
Society  by  the  church  and  members 
of  the  W.M.S." 

Notes  of  resignation  from  Marilyn 
Aspinall,  vice  president,  and  JoAnn 
Seaman,  treasurer,  were  received 
and  accepted  by  the  Executive 
Board.  Words  of  commendation  and 
gifts  of  appreciation  recognized 
their  years  of  ministry.  Marilyn 
served  three  and  JoAnn  fifteen 
years. 

DeAnn  Oburn  (Loree  I)  was  elect- 
ed vice  president  and  Janet  Rufener 
(Ashland  Park  Street  Joy)  was  elect- 
ed treasurer. 

The  following  officers  were  ap- 
pointed and  approved  by  Confer- 
ence: 

General  Secretary,  Nancy  Hunn 
Assistant  Secretary,  Trudy  Kerner 
Assistant  Treasurer,  JoAnn  Seaman 
Literature  Secretary,  Penny  Knouff 
Editor  of  the  Devotional  Guide, 

Nancy  Hunn 
Editor  of  the  Newsletter,  Joan 

Ronk 
Subscription  Secretary,  Ginny  Hoyt 
Sewing  and  World  Relief  Coordina- 
tor, Joan  Merrill 

General  Conference  Moderator 
John  Shultz  installed  the  elected 
and  the  appointed  officers.  Basing 
his  comments  on  I  Peter  4:7-11,  he 
challenged  each  one  to  use  her  abil- 
ities unto  the  Lord  that  in  all  things 
He  might  be  praised. 


FINANCES 

Giving  during  1997-98  decreased 
from  the  previous  year,  which 
meant  expenditures  for  this  year  de- 
creased. You  will  remember,  W.M.S. 
allocates  money  received  previously; 
we  do  not  spend  in  advance. 

The  Board  recommended  this. 
1998-99  budget: 

Benevolences  $14,643 

ATS  $3,600 

World/Home 

Missions  7,043 

Campus  Ministry    1,500 
Riverside  Christian 

School  1,500 

Scholarship,  AU      1,000 

Publications  $  6,792 

Newsletter 
Devotional  Guide 

Other  Expenses                   $  2,065 
Administrative 
Social  Security 
Gifts  and  Conference         

Total  $23,500 

The  Conference  adopted  the  bud- 
get. (Some  societies  sent  their  offer- 
ings directly  to  the  Seminary; 
hence,  the  W.M.S.  amount  received 
by  and  granted  to  ATS  was  less.) 

Offerings 

Joanne  Kroft  reported  that  the 
preliminary  project  offering  was 
$10,267.54!  This  was  designated  for 
the  SATS. 

Conference  designated  the  inter- 
est from  the  Legacy  Fund  of  $3,200 
also  for  the  SATS. 

Sewing  and  World  Relief 

Gifts  from  the  auction  were  desig- 
nated for  scholarships  for  students 
at  the  SATS.  In  addition  to  coordi- 
nating the  various  items  for  the  auc- 
tion (quilt,  tote  bags,  wall  hangings, 
etc.),  Joan  Merrill  (Sewing  and 
World  Relief  Coordinator)  revised 
the  Service  Guide.  It  is  an  attractive 
booklet  and  full  of  suggestions  for 
ministry  in  at-home  areas  as  well  as 
abroad.  Needs,  addresses,  and  infor- 
mation about  quilt  squares  are  in- 
cluded in  the  Guide.  Thanks  to  Joan 
and  her  husband,  Dayrl,  who  assist- 
ed her. 

(continued  on  next  page) 


September-October  1998 


Project 

For  the  1998-99  project,  the 
Board  recommended  that  offerings 
be  designated  for  the  ministry  in 
Vijayawada,  India,  where  Sudhir  and 
Latha  Kumar  minister.  Conference 
approved  this  recommendation. 

Scholarship 

Conference  approved  awarding 
the  $1,000  scholarship  to  Jamie 
Gillespie,  a  senior  at  Ashland  Univer- 
sity. Jamie  is  very  active  on  campus 
and  in  the  national  BYIC  program. 

President's  Pen  (continued) 
them  in  a  heavenly  way.  Speaking  of 
heaven,  our  W.M.S.  luncheon  speak- 
er of  two  years  ago,  Barbara  Hess, 
went  to  be  with  the  Lord  on  July  25. 

Many  of  us  are  going  through  var- 
ious problems.  We  need  God's  love 
and  peace.  If  you  read  John  14:27-31, 
you  will  see  that  Jesus  is  the  One 
Who  gives  us  peace  in  the  storms  of 
our  lives.  He  is  our  "security  blan- 
ket" when  we  are  afraid  and  fearful. 
When  we  are  weak  and  upset,  Jesus 
holds  us  and  comforts  our  hearts. 

In  II  Corinthians  1:3-4  we  read, 
"Praise  be  to  the  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of 
compassion  and  the  God  of  all  com- 
fort, who  comforts  us  in  all  our 
troubles  .  .  .  ."  Think  of  a  time  God 
comforted  you  in  a  difficult  situa- 
tion. Thank  Him  for  that  comfort. 

I  am  sure  you  will  enjoy  our  new 
Devotional  Guide.  Nancy  Hunn  did 
a  wonderful  job  with  this.  Please 
read  all  of  the  articles.  You  do  not 
necessarily  need  to  do  this  at  your 
meetings,  but  at  least  read  them  in- 
dividually. These  ladies  put  a  lot  of 
time  and  effort  into  writing  the  arti- 
cles. They  are  full  of  information  of 
each  woman.  Also  note  the  new  for- 
mat of  the  W.M.S.  Commitments  on 
page  46.  All  the  old  commitments 
are  included,  but  condensed. 

I  thank  you  for  your  prayers  and 
all  of  the  beautiful  cards.  I  really  ap- 
preciate them. 

God  Bless  You, 


Shirley  Black 
PS.  I  just  got  a  call  from  my  doc- 
tor. The  doctor  specialists  decided 
they  will  do  the  new  gamma  laser 
surgery  to  "zap"  the  tumor.  [The 
surgery  took  place  on  August  14.] 


Obedience  (continued) 

To  feed  those  hungry  flames  at 
supper,  be  sure  to  include  huge  por- 
tions of  Praise,  Worship,  and  Fel- 
lowship with  other  Christians. 
Praising  God  in  worship  and  fellow- 
ship will  build  our  metabolism,  en- 
abling us  to  fight  off  the  tempta- 
tions to  reach  into  that  cooky  jar  of 
disobedience. 

Making  sure  we  have  had  our 
three  square  meals  (prayer,  His 
Word,  and  worship)  will  build  a  bon- 
fire of  love  in  our  hearts  for  our 
Lord.  With  that  bonfire  burning  so 
strong,  it  will  give  us  the  strength 
we  need  to  refrain  from  the  junk 
foods  of  anger,  hate,  envy,  selfish- 
ness, and  all  those  other  candies  of 
sin  on  the  shelves  of  Satan's  candy 
store. 

Keep  feeding  your  heart's  flame  a 
balanced  diet  of  prayer,  His  Word, 
and  worship.  Add  a  sweet  snack  of 
trust  in  Him  who  loves  you.  Your 
love  fire  will  grow  so  strong  it  will 
meld  a  golden  bar  of  obedience  into 
the  very  depth  of  your  soul.  Make 
this  your  life's  spiritual  diet  and  you 
are  sure  to  become  a  loving,  obedient 
child  of  God. 


Thought  for  Labor  Day  or 
any  day:  Do  whatever  your 
hand  finds  to  do,  for  God  is 
with  you  (I  Samuel  10:7). 

Dear  Friend, 

Annually  I  try  to  convey  Confer- 
ence enthusiasm  to  you  who  could 
not  attend.  It  was  a  good  week! 
Next  year's  dates  are  August  2-6  in 
Ashland.  I  hope  you  can  attend. 

The  Devotional  Guide  was  written 
by  women  about  women.  I  hope  you 
will  study  each  biblical  lady,  profit 
from  her  life,  and  realize  how  you 
may  be  remembered.  It  is  exciting  to 
know  that  women  across  the  de- 
nomination are  simultaneously 
studying  these  outstanding  exam- 
ples! If  we  take  to  heart  their 
Christ-like  attributes,  we  will  be 
changed!  Thank  you,  Nancy,  for 
editing  the  Devotional  Guide. 


The  Spanish-speaking  missionar- 
ies were  one  of  the  highlights.  For 
us  who  speak  no  Spanish,  and  for 
them  who  speak  no  English,  smiles 
give  important  messages  and  a  hug 
means  love  in  any  language. 

Wednesday  was  designated  as 
Men's  and  Women's  Day.  Seminars 
were  held  and  two  were  especially 
meaningful  to  us  women.  One  elab- 
orated upon  Faith  Partners,  which 
is  a  new  opportunity  for  service.  It 
was  first  introduced  in  the  July/ 
August  Brethren  Evangelist.  During 
the  week  the  concept  was  elaborat- 
ed on  in  the  seminar  and  table  talks 
by  Cheryl  Schmiedt  (Manteca)  and 
Carolyn  Cooksey  (Ashland).  Faith 
Partners  is  a  network  of  contacts 
and  services  provided  to  all  Chris- 
tians, and  especially  to  women  of 
The  Brethren  Church.  I  suggest  that 
you  read  p.  8  in  the  July  /August 
Evangelist,  think,  pray  for  guid- 
ance, and  respond  to  Cheryl. 

The  second  seminar,  presented  by 
Barbara  Hagerich,  dealt  with 
women's  health  issues.  She  talked 
about  myths  and  truths  of  cancer, 
menopause,  and  osteoporosis.  Bar- 
bara has  her  Master's  degree  in 
Nursing  and  is  a  Certified  Diabetes 
Educator  as  well  as  the  Pennsylva- 
nia District  W.M.S.  president.  Con- 
tact her,  if  you  wish  information. 

Remember  to  send  dues  of  $7.50 
per  member  and  the  revised  mem- 
bership list  to  Joanne  Kroft  by 
October  31.  Don't  send  a  substitute 
list,  but  return  the  list  you  received 
from  the  National  Office. 

From  the  General  Secretary's  re- 
port we  noted  an  increase  of  16 
members  and  one  new  society 
(North  Manchester  Fellowship). 
Three  societies  have  been  reactivat- 
ed (Ardmore  Abigail,  Columbus, 
and  Fremont).  Will  you  send  these 
four  groups  encouragement  notes? 
Our  membership  is  now  1,212  and 
we  have  86  societies. 

Study  the  commitments  printed 
in  the  Devotional  Guide  on  p.  46.  All 
the  old  commitments  are  included 
in  this  new  format. 

Your  friend, 


Joan 

Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


^ 


Clive  Calver  sees  signs  that 


God  is  at  work  among  the  Brethren 


V 


YOU  ARE  SAYING  THINGS  at 
this  Conference  that  I'm  not 
used  to  hearing  in  the  United  States 
since  coming  from  Britain  last  year, 
Clive  Calver*  told  Brethren  during 
the  Thursday  evening  service  of 
General  Conference.  "I  hear  you  say- 
ing, 'This  denomination  is  changing. 
This  church  is  at  a  moment  in  his- 
tory that  is  crucial  for  it.'  .  .  .  You 
say,  'Something  is  happening  among 
us!'"  A  comfortable  church  doesn't 
say  these  thing,  he  declared.  "But  a 
church  that  is  on  the  brink  of  hear- 
ing God  say  something  fresh  and 
new  and  real  does  say  it!" 

Dr.  Calver  went  on  to  state  that 
what  he  was  hearing  at  this  Confer- 
ence reminded  him  of  what  some 
people  were  saying  in  Britain  in  the 
late  1970s,  when  evangelical  Chris- 
tians made  up  only  1.8  percent  of  the 
British  population.  "You  are  saying, 
'Something  is  happening!'  I  remem- 
ber what  it  was  like  [in  Britain] 
when  we  started  to  say,  'Something 
is  happening!'  We  started  to  grow 
again.  It  was  [19J81,  and  the  growth 
has  been  non-stop  ever  since!" 

Having  acknowledged  these  signs 
of  renewal  in  The  Brethren  Church, 
Dr.  Calver  turned  to  chapter  4  of  the 
Gospel  of  John  as  he  prepared  to 
talk  specifically  about  renewal  in 
mission.  From  this  passage  he  drew 
out  four  conclusions  about  renewal. 

Submit  to  God's  agenda 

First,  if  we  are  going  to  see  re- 
newal in  mission,  we  have  to  get  off 
our  agenda  and  onto  God's.  John 
4:4  says  that  when  Jesus  went  from 
Judea  to  Galilee,  he  had  to  go  through 
Samaria.  Geographically  this  wasn't 
true.  There  was  another  route  He 
could  have  taken.  But  Jesus  had  to 
go  through  Samaria  because  it  was 
the  Father's  agenda  for  His  life.  He 

*Dr.  Calver  is  president  of  World 
Relief  Corporation  of  the  National  As- 
sociation of  Evangelicals.  Before  tak- 
ing this  position  last  year,  he  served  14 
years  as  president  of  the  Evangelical 
Alliance  of  the  United  Kingdom. 


Dr.  Clive  Calver 

was  going  to  meet  a  woman  there 
whom  God  would  use  to  change 
Samaria.  The  agenda  for  her  life 
would  change  as  well.  "If  we  are 
going  to  see  renewal  in  mission,"  Dr. 
Calver  said,  "it's  going  to  be  by  a 
people  submitting  their  lives  to  the 
agenda  of  God." 

Learn  how  to  sacrifice 

Second,  if  we  are  going  to  see  re- 
newal in  mission,  we  have  to  learn 
how  to  sacrifice.  When  Jesus  en- 
tered Samaria,  He  met  a  woman  at 
a  well.  He  broke  all  the  social  con- 
ventions of  the  time  by  asking  her 
for  a  drink.  In  doing  so,  He  made 
Himself  vulnerable.  He  sacrificed 
His  own  position  and  comfort  be- 
cause He  could  see  what  this  woman 


was  going  to  be  in  the  Father's 
hands.  We  need  to  recover  a  word  in 
the  Christian  ministry  and  it  is  the 
word  "sacrifice,"  Dr.  Calver  said. 
"There  are  no  careers  in  Christian 
service.  There's  just  sacrifice." 

Know  who  Jesus  is 

Third,  if  we  want  to  see  renewal 
in  mission,  we  have  to  know  who 
Jesus  is  and  see  ourselves  in  His 
eyes.  When  her  conversation  with 
Jesus  came  too  close  to  home,  the 
Samaritan  woman  said,  "I  know  that 
Messiah  is  coming.  When  he  comes, 
he  will  explain  everything  to  us." 

By  His  response  to  her,  Jesus  re- 
vealed to  the  woman  that  He  is  not 
only  the  Messiah,  but  that  He  is 
God.  "When  you  know  Jesus,  you  do 
what  He  tells  you  to,"  Dr.  Calver 
said.  "When  you  know  Jesus,  you 
use  the  gifts  He's  given  you.  .  .  .  You 
give  what  yow  have  and  are." 

Bring  a  village  to  Jesus 

Fourth,  if  we  are  going  to  see  re- 
newal in  mission,  we  have  to  let  God 
use  us  to  bring  a  village  to  Jesus. 
After  her  encounter  with  Jesus,  the 
woman  of  Samaria  went  back  to  her 
village  and  told  the  people,  "Come, 
see  a  man  who  told  me  everything  I 
ever  did.  Could  this  be  the  Christ?" 
The  people  went  flocking  to  Jesus, 
and  they,  too,  put  their  faith  in  Him. 

If  we  get  off  our  agenda  and  on  to 
God's,  if  we  learn  what  sacrifice 
really  is,  and  if  we  know  who  Jesus 
is  and  see  ourselves  in  His  eyes, 
then  God  can  use  us  to  bring  a  vil- 
lage, a  church,  a  new  area,  or  even  a 
country  to  Jesus  as  well.  "It's  in- 
credible what  God  can  do  through 
you,"  Dr.  Calver  proclaimed.         [ft] 


DR.  CALVER  also  spoke  at  the 
World  Relief  Soup  Lunch  at 
Conference.  He  said  that  World  Re- 
lief Corporation  of  the  National  As- 
sociation of  Evangelicals — the  third- 
largest  relief  organization  in  the 
United  States — is  different  from 
other  relief  agencies  in  that  it  works 
through  churches  in  other  countries 
to  give  relief  to  the  poor  and  suffer- 
ing, rather  than  giving  direct  help. 
He  also  emphasized  the  inseparable 
tie  between  the  Gospel  message  and 
social  action  in  World  Reliefs  work. 
He  then  talked  about  Sudan,  where 


he  had  visited  just  before  coming  to 
Conference.  Using  slide  pictures  he 
had  taken  there,  he  described  the 
terrible  plight  of  the  Sudanese  peo- 
ple, hundreds  of  thousands  of  whom 
are  on  the  brink  of  starvation.  In 
spite  of  this,  the  church  in  Sudan 
is  the  fastest-growing  church  in 
Africa,  as  people  in  their  extremity 
turn  to  God  for  salvation  and  hope. 
Touched  by  his  message,  Breth- 
ren gave  and  offering  of  $6,347.51 
for  Sudan,  the  largest  World  Relief 
offering  ever  received  at  a  General 
Conference.  [ft] 


September  1998 


David  West  looks  at 
the  future  of  our  church 


J 


WHEN  he  was  a  younger  man — 
David  West*  told  Brethren  at 
the  concluding  session  of  General 
Conference — he  worked  as  a  mainte- 
nance person  at  an  excelsior  plant. 
Five  weeks  into  the  job,  he  was 
given  the  task  of  doing  some  weld- 
ing. Even  though  he  didn't  know 
how  to  weld,  he  launched  boldly  into 
the  task,  only  to  discover  that  he 
was  "as  incompetent  as  a  squirrel." 
As  he  worked,  he  suddenly  felt  a 
tap  on  his  shoulder.  When  he  turned 
and  saw  the  maintenance  foreman 
standing  behind  him,  he  was  sure 
he  would  be  fired  on  the  spot.  But 
instead,  the  foreman  put  his  arm 
around  him,  put  his  hand  on  West's 
hand,  and  gently  taught  him  to  weld. 

God  wants  to  teach  us 

"I  really  believe  that  what  hap- 
pened to  me  all  those  years  ago  is 
what  God  is  attempting  to  do  in  our 
lives  today,"  Rev.  West  continued.  "I 
want  to  share  with  you  today  that  I 
believe  that  if  we  get  a  grasp  of  the 
reality  of  God  wanting  to  put  His 
arms  around  us  and  take  our  hands 
and  teach  us  what  He  wants  to 
teach  us,  that  we  will  not  only  learn 
a  skill,  but  we  will  be  empowered 
and  our  lives  will  be  changed  be- 
cause we  will  know  that  in  His  eyes 
we  are  valued." 

Turning  to  Scripture,  he  read  sev- 
eral verses  from  2  Corinthians  1, 
focusing  particularly  on  verse  20: 
For  no  matter  how  many  promises 
God  has  made,  they  are  'Yes'  in 
Christ.  "I  find  that  pretty  amazing!" 
Rev.  West  exclaimed.  "Without  ex- 
ception, no  matter  what  God's 
promises  are,  they  are  'Yes'  to  us." 

"What  is  the  future  of  the  Breth- 
ren? There  are  many  [who  are]  more 
qualified  than  me  to  paint  a  picture 
of  what  that  might  look  like,"  he 
continued.  "What  I  would  like  to  ask 
you  to  think  about  is,  if  all  of  God's 

*Rev.  West  is  director  of  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  and  of  U.S.  Missions 
for  The  Brethren  Church. 


Rev.  West  and  his  wife,  Dawn,  relax 
for  a  moment  following  his  message. 

promises  are  'Yes'  in  Christ,  then 
the  future  of  the  church  lies  in  the 
reality  of  that,  of  how  we  live  that." 

"Think  of  all  the  questions  that 
you  and  I  ask,"  he  said.  "We  ask 
[God],  'Do  you  really  love  me?'  And 
we  learned  on  Monday  night,  'He's 
nuts  about  us!'"  "We  ask,  'Am  I 
truly  forgiven?  Even  the  really  bad 
stuff  I  did?'  .  .  .  God's  promises  in 
Christ  say,  'Yes!  Yes!'" 

"We  ask  the  questions:  'Is  your 
grace  really  sufficient?  Do  you  real- 
ly have  a  ministry  with  my  name  on 
it?  Am  I  really  completely  secure  in 
you?  Are  there  really  purposes  to  be 
found  in  every  circumstance?'  To 
these  and  all  the  other  questions 
you  and  I  might  have,  there  is  a  re- 
sounding 'YES'  in  Christ.!  .  .  .  The 
future  of  our  church  lies  in  the  real- 
ity of  whether  or  not  we  believe  that 
and  live  it,  and  whether  or  not  our 
churches  believe  that  and  live  it." 

Proclaiming  a  "Yes"  message 

But  not  only  do  we  have  that  ever- 
lasting promise  of  "Yes"  in  Christ, 
we  have  the  privilege  of  sharing 
that  promise  with  others,  Rev.  West 
said.  "Our  job,  then,  is  proclaiming 
a  'Yes'  message  in  a  'Maybe'  world." 

Returning  to  the  image  of  God 
putting  His  arms  around  us,  Rev. 
West  said,  "This  is  where  the  future 
of  our  church  lies,  in  whether  or  not 


we  believe  in  the  reality  of  the  'Yes' 
and  'Amen'  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
whether  or  not  we  allow  our  Father 
to  come  alongside  of  us  and  say,  'Let 
me  show  you  how  we're  going  to  do 
these  things.  Let  me  show  you  how 
I  will  lead  and  empower  my  church.'" 

What  would  we  look  like? 

"What  would  our  church  look  like 
if  we  lived  the  integrity  of  this  pas- 
sage?" Rev.  West  asked.  It  would 
become  a  church  of  loving  relation- 
ships. It  would  become  a  church  in 
which  congregations  invested  their 
resources  in  God's  kingdom.  They 
wouldn't  hold  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  dollars  for  a  rainy  day  when  rivers 
of  grace  needing  their  resources  are 
flowing  right  in  front  of  them. 

How  would  living  this  passage  af- 
fect our  attitude  toward  leadership 
care?  "A  church  that  believes  the 
eternal  everlasting  'Yes'  of  Christ 
will  see  leadership  as  a  gift  of  God, 
something  to  be  cared  for,  loved, 
protected,  encouraged,  supported, 
one  of  the  things  that  we  would  go 
to  the  wall  for,"  he  said. 

"A  church  that  really  believes  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  'Yes'  to  every- 
thing will  spend  more  time  celebrat- 
ing and  less  time  commiserating," 
he  said.  "The  church  that  believes 
in  the  future  of  the  'Yes'  and  the 
'Amen'  to  the  glory  of  God  will 
know  that  there's  ministry  for  every- 
body," he  added.  "A  church  that  be- 
lieves in  the  'Yes'  and  'Amen'  will  not 
be  threatened  by  young  men  and 
women  who  come  up  and  say,  T  want 
to  do  ministry.  What  can  I  do?'" 

"[Our  future]  does  not  lie  in  us 
developing  a  plan  and  a  program 
and  a  strategy.  It  lies  in  us  resting  in 
the  power  and  the  presence  and  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  [in  us]  knowing 
and  shouting  a  resounding  'YES!' 
That's  what  the  world  wants  to 
hear,"  Rev.  West  declared. 

"Fill  in  all  the  blanks  of  program 
you  want — I  don't  really  care.  There 
are  tons  of  blanks  to  fill.  But  I  only 
want  one  person  to  fill  them.  God! 
And  for  us  to  seek  Him  and  just  say, 
'Master,  take  my  hand  and  teach 
me.'" 

"How  rigid  is  your  arm?"  he  asked 
in  conclusion.  "Are  you  willing  to 
relax  and  let  the  Spirit  of  God  draw 
you  to  where  He  wants  to  take 
you?"  [ft] 


8 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Conference  Business  Sessions 


J 


BUSINESS  SESSIONS,  held  on 
Tuesday  and  Thursday  mornings 
of  Conference,  were  short  and  to  the 
point,  to  the  delight  of  most  dele- 
gates. Elections  and  approval  of  the 
1999  budget  were  the  only  major 
business  items. 

New  congregations 

One  new  church  was  accepted  by 
the  Conference,  the  Three  Seasons 
Church  of  Berlin,  Pa.  This  new  con- 
gregation is  an  offshoot  of  the  Berlin 
Brethren  Church.  Having  begun  with 
75  to  80  people,  the  congregation  did 
not  seek  class  or  mission  congrega- 
tion status,  but  asked  to  be  recog- 
nized as  an  established  church. 

Moderator  John  Shultz  also  an- 
nounced that  the  Executive  Board 
recently  gave  formal  recognition  to 
three  new  classes:  Rock  Springs 


Community  Church,  a  new  con- 
gregation being  planted  in  Vista, 
Calif.,  by  Jim  and  Stephanie  Boyd; 
Oasis  Community  Church,  a  new 

church  being  started  by  Jim  and 
Ann  Miller  and  Glenn  and  Sarah 
Black  in  a  suburban  area  of  Phoe- 
nix, Ariz.;  and  Iglesia  de  los  Her- 
manos,  a  Hispanic  congregation  led 
by  Rev.  Juan  and  Amelia  Arregin, 
which  meets  in  the  building  of  the 
First  Brethren  Church  in  Tucson, 
Ariz.  He  also  announced  that  Gate- 
way Brethren  Fellowship,  a  young 
congregation  in  Hagerstown,  Md., 
pastored  by  Rev.  Gerald  Barr,  was 
advanced  from  class  to  mission 
church  status  in  March. 

A  total  of  366  delegates  registered 
for  this  Conference.  This  is  12  more 
than  last  year,  when  Conference  was 
held  in  South  Bend,  Ind.,  but  30  less 


Women's  Seminar 

Following  the  workshop  on  Mar- 
riage Relationships  by  Dr.  Bruce 
Wilkinson  on  Wednesday  morning 
(see  page  5),  the  men  and  women 
met  separately.  Dr.  Wilkinson  led 
the  men  in  a  question  and  answer 
time  in  which  he  answered  ques- 
tions related  to  his  presentations. 

Cheryl  Schmiedt  of  the  Northgate 
Community  Brethren  Church  in 
Manteca,  Calif.,  and  her  district's 
representative  on  the  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  Council,  led  the 
women  in  a  seminar  that  focused  on 
the  spiritual  formation  of  women. 

The  theme  of  the  seminar  was 
Luke  10:27 — loving  the  Lord  with 
heart,  soul,  mind,  and  strength. 
Mrs.  Schmiedt  introduced  Faith 
Partners,  a  group  of  people  with  a 
concern  for  the  spiritual  formation 
of  women.  The  group's  goals  are  to 
vigorously  pursue  spiritual  growth, 
to  encourage  women  to  take  up  the 
ministries  to  which  they  are  called, 
and  to  support  existing  ministries. 
Faith  Partners  also  wants  to  estab- 
lish a  network  of  contacts  and  ser- 
vices to  benefit  all  Christians,  and 
especially  Brethren  women. 

The  seminar  also  included  pre- 
sentations by  Carolyn  Cooksey,  Bar- 


bara Hagerich,  and  Louise  Waller. 
Mrs.  Cooksey  of  Park  Street  Breth- 
ren Church  talked  about  loving  the 
Lord  with  our  souls  (commitment  to 
spiritual  formation).  Mrs.  Hagerich 
of  Vinco  Brethren  Church  spoke 
about  loving  the  Lord  with  our 
strength  (focusing  on  health  min- 
istries that  congregations  can  estab- 
lish). Louise  Waller  of  Northwest 
Brethren  Chapel  in  Tucson  (but  liv- 
ing in  Ashland)  focused  on  loving 
the  Lord  with  our  hearts  and  minds 
(teaching  ourselves  to  think  true 
thoughts  about  God  and  ourselves, 
as  well  as  feeling  His  love  for  us). 
All  speakers  emphasized  God's 
power  to  transform  lives. 

The  seminar  ended  with  a  short 
time  of  brainstorming  about  needs 
of  women  in  The  Brethren  Church 
and  resources  to  meet  those  needs. 
Mrs.  Schmiedt  invited  participants 
to  send  suggestions  of  newsletters, 
ministry  ideas,  study  materials, 
worship  and  retreat  aids,  workshop 
and  retreats,  missions,  and  Internet 
ideas.  (Send  to  Faith  Partners,  c/o 
Cheryl  Schmiedt,  20687  S.  Manteca 
Rd.,  Manteca,  CA  95337-9710.  Also 
see  the  response  form  "Introducing 
Faith  Partners  for  Women"  on  page 
8  of  the  July/ August  Evangelist. 
—  reported  by  Dr.  Brenda  Colijn 


than  in  1996,  when  Conference  was 
in  Ashland.  There  were  208  lay  del- 
egates, 142  ministerial  delegates 
(including  24  in  absentia),  13  dis- 
trict delegates,  and  3  delegates  from 
Conference  cooperating  agencies. 

Elections 

There  was  no  election  of  a  moder- 
ator this  year,  since  the  moderator 
now  serves  a  three-year  term.  Mod- 
erator John  Shultz  will  continue  to 
serve  until  the  year  2000. 

A  member  at-large  was  elected  to 
each  of  the  two  councils.  (Nine  of 
the  members  of  each  council  are 
elected  directly  by  districts.)  Rev. 
Tim  Garner,  pastor  of  the  Elkhart, 
Ind.,  First  Brethren  Church,  was 
elected  to  the  Congregational  Min- 
istries Council.  Beverly  Baker,  mem- 
ber and  secretary  of  the  South 
Bend,  Ind.,  First  Brethren  Church, 
was  elected  to  the  Missionary  Min- 
istries Council. 

Steve  Hollewell  was  elected  to  the 
Rules  and  Organization  Committee; 
Dale  Stoffer  to  the  Polity  Commit- 
tee; and  Arden  Gilmer  was  reelected 
as  a  Retirement  Fund  trustee.  The 
new  Nominating  Committee  is 
Robert  Keplinger,  Richard  Winfield, 
Beverly  Baker,  Sherry  Bowling, 
Tony  Price,  and  John  Howenstine. 

Elected  to  the  Conference  Mem- 
bership Committee  were  DeAnn 
Oburn,  Charlene  Rowser,  Rex  Mc- 
Conahay,  Bobbi  McConahay,  Tracy 
Whiteside,  Jill  Stone,  and  Sue  Hurd. 
Members  of  the  Ways  and  Means 
Committee  (who  serve  so  diligently 
during  Conference  week)  are  Virgil 
Barnhart,  Bonnie  Coffman,  Cheryl 
Ennis,  Wesley  Glass,  William  Hes- 
keth,  Ralph  Hurley,  Keith  Immel, 
Linda  Immel,  DeWayne  Lusch, 
Ronald  Miller,  John  Rieger,  Eugene 
Robbins,  Bruce  Wilkinson  (not  the 
one  who  spoke  at  this  Conference), 
and  Gerald  Zook. 

Budget 

A  budget  slightly  over  lVb-million 
dollars  was  approved  for  The  Breth- 
ren Church  in  1999.  Projected  in- 
come is  $1,581,100  ($568,100  for 
Congregational  Ministries  and 
$1,013,000  for  Missionary  Min- 
istries). Projected  expenses  are 
$1,562,521,  ($566,755  for  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  and  $995,766  for 
Missionary  Ministries).  [ft] 


September  1998 


r 


Youth  were  "under  construction" 
at  the  BYIC  Convention 


W. 


J 


WHEN  GOD  decides  to  do  some 
construction  in  our  lives,  He 
does  a  complete  renovation!  That 
was  one  of  many  lessons  the  youth 
learned  at  the  Brethren  Youth  In 
Christ  (BYIC)  Convention 
this  year. 

The  theme  of  the  week 
was  Under  Construction, 
taken  from  Philippians 
1:6 — Being  confident  of  this, 
that  he  who  began  a  good 
work  in  you  will  carry  it  on 
to  completion  until  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ.  And  good 
work  He  did!  Twelve  young 
people  dedicated  their  lives 
to  full-time  Christian  min- 
istry, and  many  others  gave 
in  to  God's  call  to  follow 
Him.  To  cap  off  the  week, 
about  95  percent  of  the 
youth  reported  that  God  had 
really  started  some  con- 
struction in  their  lives 
during  the  week.  Praise  the  Lord! 

"Ground  Breaking"  for  the  Con- 
vention occurred  Monday  evening, 
with  a  special  message  by  Dr.  Mar- 
vin McMickle.  Then  the  youth  were 
led  on  a  prayer  tour  by  Ann  Miller. 

But  this  was  only  the  beginning! 
Other  highlights  of  the  week  includ- 
ed speakers  Skip  Snell,  Eric  Sand- 
berg,  Yummi  Tyler,  and  Ashland 
University's  head  women's  basket- 
ball coach  Sue  Ramsey.  There  was 
also  a  ministry  fair,  where  youth 
learned  about  various  ministries 
offered  by  The  Brethren  Church — 
mission  work,  church  planting, 
camping,  and  summer  ministries. 

A  wide  variety  of  "personal  con- 
struction workshops"  were  also  of- 
fered. The  youth  could  choose  which 
workshops  they  wanted  to  attend,  to 
learn  more  about  a  talent  they  could 
use  in  their  ministry.  Topics  ranged 
from  mentoring,  being  an  effective 
leader,  starting  a  worship  team,  get- 
ting along  with  your  family,  and 
motivating  your  youth  group  to 
fundraising,  starting  a  Bible  study, 
and  using  your  spiritual  gifts. 

Wednesday  was  a  day  to  relax  and 


fellowship  with  others,  as  the  youth 
headed  to  Cedar  Point  Amusement 
Park  for  the  day.  They  returned  in 
time  to  hear  the  popular  Christian 
recording  group  Nitro  Praise  put  on 


BYIC  Convention  coordinator  Jaime  Gillespie  (2nd  from 
I.)  with  three  of  the  youth  who  attended  the  Convention. 

a  concert  that  would  make  Chris- 
tians in  even  the  most  traditional 
congregation  clap  their  hands! 

But  Wednesday  was  only  halfway 
through  the  Convention.  Thursday 
and  Friday  were  filled  with  more 
exciting  events!  On  Thursday  morn- 
ing the  youth  had  the  unique  oppor- 
tunity to  hear  Steve  Saint,  son  of 
slain   missionary   Nick   Saint,   and 


two  members  of  the  "Auca"  (Huao- 
rani)  Indian  tribe  of  Ecuador  share 
their  testimony.  These  men  told 
how  God  had  used  the  lives  of  five 
martyred  missionaries  to  help  bring 
the  once  "savage  killers"  to  a  knowl- 
edge and  acceptance  of  God's  love 
and  forgiveness. 

Following  this  session,  the  youth 
went  on  service  projects  around 
Ashland.  Or  they  attended  a  semi- 
nar to  learn  more  about  the  contin- 
ual construction  God  per- 
forms in  our  lives.  That 
evening  they  were  blessed 
by  the  amazing  talents  of 
some  of  their  fellow  youth  at 
a  "Coffeehouse."  And  the 
day  ended  with  an  experi- 
ence of  the  amazing  accep- 
tance and  forgiveness  of 
Christ  at  Communion. 

Friday,   like  other  morn- 
ings, started  off  with  Morn- 
ing Praise.  Then  the  youth 
joined   the   adults   for   the 
closing  session  of  both  the 
Youth  Convention  and  the 
Adult  Conference.  First  the 
youth  shared  some  of  the 
enthusiasm  and  blessings  of 
their  week  with  the  adults. 
And  then  youth  and  adults  listened 
together  as  Rev.  Dave  West  spoke 
about  the  "Future  of  The  Brethren 
Church"  (see  page  8). 

God  was  hard  at  work  all  week 
doing  "construction"  in  the  lives  of 
our  youth.  As  a  result,  they  returned 
home  with  renewed  spirits  and  a 
passion  to  serve  the  Lord!  [ft] 

—  reported  by  Jaime  Gillespie 


Some  of  the  youth  did  their  service  project  by  planting  trees  on  the  grounds  of 
the  new  Living  Waters  Community  (Brethren)  Church  of  Mansfield,  Ohio. 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Brethren  Youth:  Ready  to  Run 


"Success  requires  the  vision  to  see, 
the  faith  to  believe,  and  the  courage  to  do!' 


IMAGINE  YOURSELF  ready  to 
run  the  biggest  race  of  your  life. 
You  kneel  at  the  starting  line  think- 
ing back  over  the  months  or  years  of 
hard  work  and  dedication  you  have 
poured  into  this  event.  You  rejoice 
as  you  remember  each  small  victory 
along  the  way,  and  also  each  spill 
that  you  took.  You  rejoice  for  the 
hard  times,  for  with  the  wisdom 
that  comes  with  hindsight  you  can 
look  back  and  know  that  even  though 
you  fell,  you  got  back  up,  kept  going, 
and  steadily  crept  toward  success. 

Now  as  your  muscles  tense  in  an- 
ticipation and  your  heart  pounds 
with  excitement,  you  look  confident- 
ly at  the  race  before  you.  You  have 
faith  that  you  can  do  it  and  the  cour- 
age to  give  it  your  best.  All  you  need 
now  is  the  vision  to  see  it  through. 

This  is  exactly  where  Brethren 
Youth  are  today.  We  are  kneeling  in 
the  starting  blocks,  ready  to  spring 
forward  with  excitement  and  enthu- 
siasm. As  an  organization  we  have 
been  "in  training"  for  the  last  56 
years.  Now  we  are  ready  to  use  the 
skills  we  have  learned  to  reach  out 
to  more  youth  in  our  denomination 
and  around  the  world. 

Over  the  years  we  have  under- 
gone many  changes,  some  just  on 
the  surface  and  others  deep  within 
the  organization.  We  have  benefit- 
ted from  strong  leadership  and  have 
grown  into  an  exciting  program.  As 
with  anything,  there  have  been 
some  potholes  along  the  way.  But 
with  God's  constant  love  and  care, 


we  have  managed  to  pull  ourselves 
from  those  holes  and  move  steadily 
toward  our  goal.  That  goal  is  to 
serve  Jesus  Christ — our  Brother, 
our  Mentor,  our  Lord. 

The  youth  program  will  continue 
to  grow  and  change  over  the  next 
few  years.  Instead  of  focusing  so 
much  on  numbers,  it  will  focus  more 
on  helping  youth  mature  into  strong 
Christian  leaders  and  disciples.  Once 
the  youth  have  a  strong  foundation, 
they  will  naturally  bring  other  peo- 
ple to  Christ  by  their  lifestyle  and 
their  love  and  enthusiasm  for  Jesus. 

Goals  for  the  future 

Brethren  Youth  have  many  goals 
as  we  head  into  the  21st  century. 
Plans  are  already  underway  for  the 
1999  National  Brethren  Youth  In 
Christ  (BYIC)  Convention  in  Ash- 
land and  the  year  2000  Convention 
in  Estes  Park,  Colorado.  The  1999 
Summer  Ministry  program  will  un- 
dergo reconstruction  to  focus  more 
specifically  on  training  youth  to  be 
servant  leaders  and  disciples  and  to 
equip  them  with  the  necessary  tools 
to  work  in  the  world  as  servants  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

In  addition,  initial  plans  are  being 
investigated  to  construct  a  youth 
training  center  in  Ashland.  This 
would  be  used  to  train  youth  in  var- 
ious kinds  of  ministry,  such  as  wor- 
ship, puppetry,  mime,  facilitating 
workshops,  and  much  more. 

If  asked  what  areas  of  youth  pro- 
gramming I  personally  think  need 


to  be  improved,  I  would  answer  that 
programs  need  to  be  established  to 
serve  youth  of  all  ages.  The  BYIC 
program  currently  focuses  primarily 
on  junior  and  senior  high  youth.  I 
would  like  to  see  more  quality  pro- 
grams for  younger  children,  post- 
high  youth,  and  young  adults. 

I  would  also  like  to  see  a  broader 
summer  ministries  program,  which 
would  involve  more  people — from 
junior  high  youth  to  adults  and  in- 
cluding families  and  retired  adults.  I 
would  like  to  see  more  districts  and 
local  churches  planning  short-term 
missions  trips  or  work  trips.  And 
most  of  all,  I  would  like  to  see  more 
follow-up  from  all  ministry  opportu- 
nities which  are  offered  through 
The  Brethren  Church. 

I  think  it  is  extremely  important 
to  continually  encourage  youth,  not 
just  during  the  summer  but  all  year 
long.  It  hasn't  been  very  long  ago 
that  I  graduated  from  high  school, 
and  I  can  still  remember  the  excite- 
ment and  fire  I  would  feel  coming 
off  a  summer  of  ministry  as  an  in- 
tern or  district  crusader.  But  then 
winter  would  come  and  the  sparks 
would  slowly  die,  since  they  were 
fanned  only  once  or  twice  at  district 
rallies  and  retreats. 

If  we  could  train  youth  to  serve  in 
the  summer,  then  use  the  skills  they 
have  developed  to  do  ministry  in 
other  areas  throughout  the  year,  I 
believe  they  would  eventually  be- 
come a  raging  fire  for  Jesus  Christ 
that  Satan  could  never  snuff  out. 

God  is  at  work  among  our  youth. 
We  pray  that  you  adults  will  continue 
to  support  the  BYIC  program. 
September  is  designated  as  Youth 
Month  in  The  Brethren  Church, 
and  we  ask  that  you  support  the 
youth  both  financially  and  by  your 
prayers.  If  your  church  doesn't  take 
a  special  offering  for  the  youth  this 
month,  please  send  your  donation 
to  The  Brethren  Church  National 
Office  marked  for  National  BYIC. 

Until  next  time,  "Keep  your  eyes 
open,  hold  tight  to  your  convictions, 
give  it  all  you've  got,  be  resolute, 
and  love  without  stopping"  (1  Cor. 

16:13,  Eugene  Peterson  translation).      [if] 

Ms.  Gillespie,  a  senior  at  AshlaJid 
University,  served  as  coordinator  for 
this  year's  BYIC  Convention  and  con- 
tinues to  work  with  the  BYIC  program 
on  a  part-time  basis. 


September  1998 


11 


Mission  Workers  Honored 


During  the  Missions  Banquet  at 
Conference,  the  Missionary  Minis- 
tries Council  honored  four  mission 
workers  for  their  years  of  service  to 
The  Brethren  Church. 

Rev.  Phil  and  Jean  Lersch  (below) 
were  presented  a  plaque  gratefully 
acknowledging  their  30  years  of  ser- 
vice in  educational  ministry  through 
Brethren  House  Ministries  in  St. 
Petersburg,  Fla.  The  Lersches  con- 
cluded this  ministry  at  the  end  of 
1997.  When  presented  the  plaque,  the 


Lersches  also  acknowledged 
their  team  member,  Bonnie 
Munson,  who  served  with 
them  for  25  years. 

Allen  Baer  (below)  was 
honored  for  his  16  years  of 
service  as  a  missionary  in 
Argentina.  Allen  retired  from 
mission  service  in  June. 

Dr.  Juan  Carlos  Miranda 
(center  of  photo  at  right)  was 
honored  for  26  years  of  ser- 
vice among  Spanish-speaking 


Workshop  looks  at 
"Natural  Church  Development" 

Natural  Church  Development  was 
the  title  of  an  all-Conference  work- 
shop presented  by  Rev.  Ronald  W. 
Waters  on  Tuesday  morning  of  Con- 
ference. During  the  workshop,  Rev. 
Waters  presented  and  elaborated  on 
eight  essential  qualities  of  healthy 
churches.  The  eight  qualities  consid- 
ered were  identified  by  Christian  A. 
Schwarz  through  extensive  research 
around  the  world. 

The  eight  qualities  probably  do  not 
sound  new  to  most  Brethren.  They 
include: 

1.  Empowering  leadership  —  leaders 
equipping  other  Christians  to  do 
ministry. 

2.  Gift-oriented  ministry  —  Chris- 
tians using  their  gifts  to  build  up 
the  church. 

3.  Passionate  spirituality  —  members 
living  their  faith. 

4.  Functional  structures  —  church 
practices  and  structures  are  de- 
signed for  effective  ministry. 

5.  Inspiring  worship  services  —  wor- 


ship is  a  high  point  of  the  week  for 
much  of  the  congregation. 

6.  Holistic  small  groups  —  multiplica- 
tion of  small  groups  that  meet  the 
needs  of  people. 

7.  Need-oriented  evangelism  —  mem- 
bers are  involved  in  evangelistic  ac- 
tivities directed  to  the  needs  of  the 
people  they  are  trying  to  reach. 

8.  Loving  relationships  —  Christ's 
love  permeates  church  activities 
and  members  love  one  another. 

Every  church  studied  that  mani- 
fests all  eight  of  these  qualities  to  a 
substantial  degree  (a  "quality  index" 
of  65%  or  more)  has  been  found  to  be 
a  growing  church. 

Several  resources  are  available  to 
help  churches  learn  more  about  Natu- 
ral Church  Development,  including  a 
book  by  that  title  by  Christian  A. 
Schwarz.  A  Natural  Church  Develop- 
ment survey  can  also  be  administered 
in  a  church  to  determine  to  what  de- 
gree it  possesses  these  eight  qualities. 
Contact  Rev.  Waters,  The  Brethren 
Church's  Natural  Church  Develop- 
ment consultant,  for  more  informa- 
tion (phone  419-289-5771).  [ft] 


people  in  North  and  South  America. 
He  resigned  at  the  end  of  1997  as 
Latin  America  Consultant  for  Breth- 
ren Missions.  His  wife,  Maria,  contin- 
ues her  Hispanic  Radio  Ministry. 

Both  the  Mirandas  and  Allen  Baer 
also  received  plaques  from  the  Argen- 
tine Brethren  Church,  presented  by 
Jose  Rivero,  the  church's  president, 
shown  with  the  Mirandas  (above). 


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Vol.120,  No.  9 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


October  1998 


How  to  Show  Appreciation  to  Your  Pastor 

By  David  Cooksey,  Director  of  Pastoral  Ministries 


DEAR  BRETHREN,  I  want  to  talk 
to  you  about  your  pastor.  Octo- 
ber is  Pastor  Appreciation  Month.  I 
want  to  suggest  some  ways  that  you 
can  show  appreciation  to  your  pas- 
tor not  only  during  October,  but  also 
throughout  the  year. 

The  negatives  of  being  a  pastor 
are  well  known.  The  pastor  and  his 
family  live  in  a  glass  house,  under 
constant  scrutiny  by  members  of 
the  congregation.  Pastors  bear  the 
brunt  of  criticism  for  things  that  go 
wrong  in  the  church.  And  pastors 
almost  always  experience  a  great 
deal  of  stress  in  their  work.  But 
what  I  want  to  convey  to  you  are  not 
the  negatives,  but  how  we  can  im- 
pact the  lives  and  ministries  of  our 
pastors  in  positive  ways. 

Pray  for  your  pastor 

First  and  foremost,  pray  for  your 
pastor.  Pray  that  God  will  give  him 
wisdom  and  strength  of  character. 
Pray  for  his  protection  from  evil  and 
temptations.  Pray  also  for  his  fami- 
ly. Pray  that  his  ministry  will  be  a 
joy,  not  a  chore  or  the  cause  of  ten- 
sions in  his  home. 

Respect  your  pastor.  Show  that 
respect  by  how  you  treat  him  and  by 
what  you  say  about  him.  Never  speak 
negatively  of  him  in  public,  and  cer- 
tainly not  before  non-Christians.  If 
a  person  in  the  Body  of  Christ  ma- 
ligns the  pastor,  this  reflects  badly 
on  all  Christians,  and  especially  on 
those  in  the  local  church. 

Talk  to  your  pastor.  Tell  him  you 
appreciate  him  and  his  ministry. 
Many  times  Brethren  people  have 
told  me  something  good  about  their 
pastor.  But  when  I  mentioned  it  to 
the  pastor,  he  had  no  idea  that  peo- 
ple appreciated  what  he  had  said  or 


done.  If  you  have  a  compliment  or 
kind  word  for  your  pastor,  tell  him. 
Encourage  your  pastor  as  often  as 
you  can.  Just  a  word  of  encourage- 
ment can  make  a  big  difference. 

Take  care  of  your  pastor's  ed- 
ucational needs.  Every  pastor  is 
enriched  by  learning  experiences 
that  feed  his  mind  and  his  spirit. 
The  congregation  benefits  as  well 
when  the  pastor  is  inspired  and 
filled  with  new  ideas  to  use  in  mes- 
sages and  Bible  studies.  So  make 
sure  that  he  is  provided  time  and 
funds  for  continuing  education. 

Pay  your  pastor  adequately 

Look  after  your  pastor's  finan- 
cial needs.  Many  churches  fall 
short  in  this  area.  Paul  gives  us 
these  guidelines  in  1  Timothy 
5:17-18:  "The  elders  who  direct  the 
affairs  of  the  church  well  are  worthy 
of  double    honor,    especially   those 


whose  work  is  preaching  and  teach- 
ing. For  the  Scripture  says,  'Do  not 
muzzle  the  ox  while  it  is  treading 
out  the  grain,'  and  'The  worker  de- 
serves his  wages.'"  In  addition  to  his 
salary,  allot  funds  for  insurance,  re- 
tirement, continuing  education,  at- 
tendance at  the  annual  retreat  for 
Brethren  pastors  and  their  spouses, 
and  other  needs. 

Make  sure  that  his  contract  also 
provides  time  off  for  a  vacation  and 
time  to  spend  with  his  family.  If  his 
own  home  is  not  in  good  health,  it 
cannot  serve  as  a  model  for  others. 

Love  your  pastor 

Most  important  of  all,  love  your 
pastor.  If  we  truly  love  our  pastors, 
everything  else  will  fall  into  place. 
Love  builds  relationships;  love 
shows  honor;  love  eliminates  un- 
healthy criticism;  love  provides  sup- 
port of  all  kinds.  In  fact,  we  cannot 
honestly  love  our  pastors  and  then 
neglect  their  needs. 

I  do  hope  that  you  will  take  time 
during  October  to  show  honor  and 
appreciation  to  your  pastor.  Breth- 
ren pastors  need  and  deserve  our 
appreciation.  So  celebrate  the  per- 
son whom  God  has  sent  into  the  life 
of  your  church.  You  will  be  blessed  if 
you  do.  In  fact,  from  all  that  we  read 
in  the  New  Testament,  to  honor  your 
pastor  is  to  honor  God.  [ft] 


Inside  this  issue 

God's  wonders  performed 

2 

Conflict  in  marriage 

3 

Domestic  violence 

4 

When  God  doesn't  heal 

6 

Ashland  University 

8 

Around  the  denomination 

10 

Steve  Saint  with  Huaorani  tribesmen  Mincaye  (c.)  and  Tementa. 

Conference  session  demonstrates 
God's  wonders  performed 


GOD  WORKS  in  mysterious 
ways  His  wonders  to  per- 
form," Steve  Saint  told  a  crowd  of 
youth  and  adults  at  General  Confer- 
ence, quoting  William  Cowper.  What 
he  and  the  two  men  with  him 
shared  in  the  next  90  minutes  cer- 
tainly demonstrated  the  truth  of 
those  well-known  words. 

Steve  Saint  is  the  son  of  Nate 
Saint,  one  of  five  missionaries* 
killed  in  1956  in  the  jungles  of 
Ecuador  by  members  of  the  so- 
called  "Auca"  (savage)  tribe.  With 
Steve  Saint  on  the  platform  were 
two  members  of  that  tribe,  now 
known  as  the  Huaorani. 

One  of  the  two  was  Mincaye.  He  is 
one  of  six  men  who  speared  the  five 
missionaries  to  death.  He  is  now  a 

*The  other  four  slain  missionaries 
were  Jim  Elliot,  Roger  Youderian,  Pete 
Fleming,  and  Ed  McCully. 


Christian  and  the  surrogate  grand- 
father of  Steve  Saint's  children.  The 
other  was  Tementa.  Tementa  is  the 
son  of  one  of  the  six  men  who  killed 
the  missionaries.  He,  too,  is  a  Chris- 
tian and  serves  as  a  leader  in  the 
Huaorani  church. 

Certainly  the  presence  of  these 
three  men  together  on  the  same  plat- 
form is  an  example  of  God's  wonders 
performed.  How  did  it  come  about? 

A  little  more  than  2V-2  years  after 
the  massacre  of  the  five  missionar- 
ies, Rachel  Saint  (Nate's  sister  and 
Steve's  aunt)  and  Elisabeth  Elliot 
(widow  of  Jim  Elliot,  another  of  the 
martyred  missionaries)  were  invited 
to  live  among  the  Huaoranis.  They 
were  asked  to  come  and  teach  the 
Huaoranis  about  God's  trail  (the 
way  to  God).  As  a  result  of  their 
work,  some  of  Huaoranis  became 
God-followers  (Christians),  includ- 


ing Mincaye  and  Tementa.  Elisa- 
beth Elliot  stayed  with  the  Huao- 
rani for  2V2  years.  Rachel  Saint 
stayed  for  the  rest  of  her  life,  until 
she  died  of  cancer  in  1994. 

When  he  was  eight  or  nine  years 
old,  Steve  began  making  visits  to  his 
Aunt  Rachel.  He  would  live  with  her 
during  his  school  vacations.  As  a  re- 
sult, he  grew  to  love  the  Huaorani 
people  and  learned  their  language. 

When  Rachel  died  in  1994,  Steve 
went  back  to  Ecuador  to  bury  her  in 
the  jungle,  where  she  had  lived  most 
of  her  life.  After  the  burial,  the 
Huaorani  elders  told  Steve,  "Now 
we  say  you  come  live  with  us."  They 
said  that  they  needed  someone  to 
come  and  teach  them  how  to  teach 
their  children  to  follow  God's  trail. 

By  this  time,  Steve  was  married, 
owned  a  business,  and  had  four  chil- 
dren of  his  own,  two  in  high  school 
and  two  in  college.  He  had  no  plans 
to  go  and  live  in  the  jungle.  But  when 
he  realized  that  he  either  had  to  go 
and  live  among  them  or  else  sever 
his  relationship  with  these  people 
whom  he  had  loved  since  he  was  a 
boy,  he  knew  that  severing  the  rela- 
tionship was  too  dear  a  price  to  pay. 

When  he  and  his  family  moved  to 
Ecuador,  Steve  hoped  that  his  chil- 
dren would  learn  to  love  the  Huao- 
ranis as  he  loved  them.  And  they 
have.  Mincaye,  for  example,  took 
them  under  his  wing,  protected 
them,  and  treated  them  as  though 
they  were  his  own  grandchildren. 
As  a  result,  they  fell  in  love  with 
him  and  call  him  grandfather.  Steve 
commented:  "It  just  happens  that 
the  man  who  is  now  the  surrogate 
grandfather  for  my  children  was  the 
man  who  killed  their  grandfather. 
But  that's  not  a  surprise  to  those 
of  us  who've  served  the  Lord  for  a 
(continued  on  page  5) 


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IT'S  &REAT  THAT  CHURCHES 
PROIA  AWyK&THE  W0?L&  CAM 

THE-  WAVS  WE  SOPPE*. 
PGO.  OOa  PAlTH  ' 


IN  tNOOMESlA.,500  OP  00(L 
£Mo*eH  BOlLbiM&S  ftAV/e  SEEM 
DESTfWVEb  AMT>  MANY  Of  t>0<L 
lAEyvBEdS  (AAftryftED  poo. 
TXEiR.  QEUESS.    SO  K6W 

Asoor  yoo  in  the  westT 


M.AV&E  X  SWOOLD  HAVE" 
TOkC>  HM  HOW  THE"  AtC 
CONtMTioMlWCr  IN  OUR 
SANCTUAftV  WENTOOrOM 
THE  HOTTEST  SONOAV  OP 
THE  SU^Efc1. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Conflict  in  Marriage 

By  Dan  Lawson 


Every  marriage  has  its  rough 
times.  The  problem  is  that  we 
sometimes  refuse  to  swallow  our 
pride  and  are  unwilling  to  be 
the  first  to  kiss  and  make  up. 

IT'S  NO  SECRET  that  men  and 
women  are  different.  The  battle 
between  the  sexes  has  raged  on 
through  the  ages.  He's  always 
warm;  she's  always  cold.  She  likes 
to  talk;  he  just  grunts.  She  likes  to 
be  touched  and  held,  while  touch- 
ing only  means  one  thing  to  him. 
When  we  look  at  these  differences, 
is  it  any  wonder  that  we  sometimes 
have  conflict  in  our  marriages? 

An  electric-blanket  ordeal 

I'll  never  forget  when  my  lovely 
wife  and  I  were  first  married.  We 
had  been  given  an  electric  blanket 
as  a  wedding  present.  It  was  the 
kind  with  duel  controls,  which  had 
been  ingeniously  invented  to  keep 
harmony  in  the  marriage. 

Well,  as  you  might  guess,  we  got 
the  thing  on  upside  down.  This 
meant  that  she  controlled  the  tem- 
perature on  my  side  of  the  blan- 
ket, and  I  controlled  the  tempera- 
ture on  her  side.  As  a  result,  I 
found  myself  in  a  blazing  inferno, 
which  prompted  me  to  keep  turn- 
ing the  control  down.  This  left  her 
shivering  in  Iceland,  and  she  kept 
turning  the  control  up. 

Eventually,  she  migrated  to  my 
side  of  the  bed,  which  I  normally 
would  have  enjoyed.  But  since  I 
was  already  burning  up,  I  couldn't 
stand  more  heat,  so  I  just  had  to 
get  out.  This,  of  course,  made  her 
very  sad — that  her  new  husband 
did  not  want  to  be  with  her.  Fortu- 
nately, our  marriage  survived  the 
electric-blanket  ordeal. 

Husbands  and  wives  have  al- 
ways had  times  of  difficulty  in 
their  marriages.  Ladies,  when  you 
scrounge  in  the  refrigerator  and 


find  something  that  has  been 
neglected  for  weeks,  how  do  you 
think  your  husband  feels  when 
you  bring  it  to  him  and  say,  "Here, 
taste  this  and  see  if  it's  spoiled"? 
What  are  we,  men  or  lab  mice  that 
exist  solely  to  determine  the 
potency  of  spoiled  food? 

f \ 

"When  we  look  at  these  dif- 
ferences [between  men  and 
women],  is  it  any  wonder 
that  we  sometimes  have 
conflict  in  our  marriages?" 

Men,  when  your  wife  wants  to 
talk  to  you  about  something  she 
thinks  is  important,  what  message 
do  you  communicate  when  you 
stare  at  the  TV  and  respond  with 
caveman  grunts — and  only  do  that 
during  the  commercials? 

The  truth  is,  we  sometimes  find 
it  difficult  to  understand  one  an- 
other. I  once  heard  a  couple  talk 
about  the  time  the  wife  wrecked 
the  car.  She  hit  a  tree  and  the  hus- 
band had  a  hard  time  containing 
himself  when  she  said,  "It  wasn't 
my  fault;  I  honked  the  horn." 

Husband,  love  your  wife 

In  Ephesians  5:25,  the  Apostle 
Paul  gives  this  instruction  to  the 
church:  Husbands,  love  your 
wives,  just  as  Christ  loved  the 
church  and  gave  himself  up  for  her 
.  .  .  . "  When  we  men  start  putting 
this  command  into  practice,  we 
can  begin  to  resolve  the  conflicts 
in  our  marriages.  In  fact,  when  we 
understand  this  command,  we 
quickly  see  that  it  is  the  man's  re- 
sponsibility to  take  the  initiative, 
set  the  example,  and  be  the  first  to 
give  himself  for  his  wife. 

Any  of  us  who  know  anything  at 
all  about  the  love  of  Christ  can 
quickly    understand    what    Paul 


means  in  this  passage.  Because  of 
His  love  for  us,  Jesus  sacrificed 
Himself  on  the  cross  so  that  all  of 
our  faults  and  sins  could  be  over- 
looked by  God. 

This  is  the  way  men  ought  to 
love  their  wives.  No  one  is  perfect. 
Yes,  you  may  be  annoyed  when 
you  go  to  the  microwave  in  the 
morning  to  heat  your  coffee  and 
find  the  green  beans,  which  had 
been  forgotten  from  the  previous 
night's  dinner.  But  if  you  have  the 
Christ-like  love  for  your  wife  that 
Paul  is  talking  about,  you  will  re- 
sist the  urge  to  blatantly  announce 
her  mistake  to  the  world.  You  will 
let  love  take  its  place. 

This  brings  us  back  to  the  fact 
that  men  and  women  were  created 
different.  When  God  created  man, 
He  gave  him  the  mandate  to  fill 
the  earth  and  subdue  it.  When  we 
men  read  this,  we  suddenly  feel 
the  urge  to  respond  with  a  Tim 
Allen  grunt. 

Men  are  task-oriented 

What  this  means  is  that  men  are 
most  often  task-oriented:  "fill  the 
earth,"  "subdue  the  earth,"  etc. 
The  problem  is  that  we  have  de- 
veloped an  aggressive  nature  to 
accomplish  this  mandate  from 
God.  From  this  aggressive  nature, 
we  have  lost  touch  with  what  it 
means  to  be  sacrificial.  Leo  Tol- 
stoy described  it  this  way:  Every- 
one thinks  of  changing  humanity 
and  nobody  thinks  of  changing 
himself. 

To  love  with  the  sacrificial  love 
of  Jesus,  we  must  start  with  our- 
selves. This  means  that  before  we 
find  fault  with  others,  including 
our  wives,  we  first  stop  and  look  at 
ourselves  and  the  things  we  have 
done.  This  act  alone  will  go  a  long 
way  in  preserving  the  beauty  of 
our  marriages.  [ft] 

Next  month  we  will  talk  about  how 
His  love  makes  us  holy  and  blame- 
less, and  how  we  men  ought  to  follow 
the  example  of  Christ. 

Dr.  Lawson  is  senior  pastor  of  the 
Jefferson  Brethren  Church,  Goshen, 
Ind.  This  is  one  of  a  series  of  arti- 
cles in  which  he  applies  Bible 
truths  to  our  personal  lives. 


October  1998 


Domestic  Violence: 

What  can  Christians  do? 

Final  article  of  a  three-part  series 
by  Morven  Baker 


The  first  article  in  this  series  ap- 
peared in  the  June  issue  (pp.  5-6).  It 
defined  the  problem  of  domestic  vio- 
lence and  provided  biblical  and  his- 
torical perspectives  on  this  issue.  The 
second  article  in  the  series  examined 
forms  of  domestic  abuse  and  set 
forth  the  cycle  of  abuse.  It  appeared 
in  the  July/August  issue  (pp.  4  &  6). 

HOW  CAN  CHRISTIANS  respond 
to  the  cries  of  battered  women 
and  their  children?  The  first  thing 
we  must  do  is  look  in  the  mirror  and 
see  the  abuser  in  ourselves.  We  need 
to  understand  that  we  all  have  been 
angry  and  that  we  all  have  misused 
this  anger.  In  other  words,  we  could 
also  be  walking  in  the  shoes  of  the 
offender.  We  are  forced  to  admit 
that  "There,  but  for  the  grace  of 
God,  go  I." 

Abusers  are  people  in  pain.  They 
are  present  in  every  ethnic  group,  in 
every  denomination,  at  every  level 
of  society.  Regardless  of  their  finan- 
cial or  professional  position,  they 
may  have  low  self-esteem,  poor  im- 
pulse control,  and  a  strong  need  to 
be  in  control.  They  may  have  poor 
communication  skills,  be  under- 
achieves, and  have  isolated  them- 
selves from  others.  On  the  other 
hand,  they  could  be  the  leaders  in 
your  community,  the  teachers  of  your 
children,  the  pastor  of  your  church, 
or  the  spouse  of  your  best  friend. 

Abusers  are  deceptive 

Abusers  are  deceptive.  They  may 
be  the  kind  of  person  who  you  be- 
lieve would  "never  do  things  like 
that."  They  can  be  manipulative  and 
charming.  Scripture  warns  us  about 
them.  Psalm  55:20,  21  says,  "He  has 
attacked  his  friends,  he  has  gone 
back  on  his  word,  though  his  mouth 
is  smoother  than  butter,  he  has  war 
in  his  heart;  his  words  may  soothe 
more  than  oil,  but  they  are  naked 


swords."  When  a  woman  gets  up  the 
courage  to  come  to  you  for  help  and 
tells  you  that  her  husband  is  being 
abusive  to  her  and  her  children,  do 
not  doubt  her  because  of  the 
position  of  her  husband. 

What  pastors  can  do 

Pastors,  let  your  congregations 
know  that  you  are  aware  of  the 
prevalence  of  family  violence.  Show 
them  that  you  are  concerned  about 
those  who  have  been  victimized.  Let 
them  know  that  it  is  okay  to  talk 
about  the  resulting  feelings,  frustra- 
tions, and  spiritual  problems. 

Failure  to  acknowledge  the  pres- 
ence of  domestic  violence  only  per- 
petuates it.  And  it  discourages  vic- 
tims from  seeking  help.  Pastors  are 
role  models,  like  Jesus.  Therefore, 
pastors,  don't  be  afraid  to  recognize 
events  like  Child  Abuse  Prevention 
Month.  Be  bold  enough  to  suggest 
that  a  special  offering  be  taken  for 
your  local  women's  shelter. 

Pastors  can  also  demonstrate  their 
concern  for  domestic  violence  dur- 
ing traditional  family  celebrations, 
such  as  Mother's  Day  and  Father's 
Day.  Sermon  illustrations  can  ac- 
knowledge that  not  all  parents  are 
perfect.  Weddings  and  infant  dedica- 
tions also  provide  an  opportunity  to 
remind  people  that  marriages  can 
be  abusive  and  that  children  need  to 
be  protected  from  violence. 

During  premarital  counseling,  pas- 
tors need  to  be  alert  to  any  indica- 
tion of  abuse  in  the  relationship. 
One  of  the  more  insidious  myths 
about  physical  abuse  is  that  it  will 
cease  after  the  wedding.  If  anything, 
marriage  only  gives  the  situation  an 
opportunity  to  explode. 

Even  if  there  is  no  evidence  of 
abuse  between  a  couple  who  are  pre- 
paring to  marry,  the  subject  must  be 
addressed.  Couples  need  to  be  taught 
how  quickly  a  simple  dispute  can 


escalate  into  violence  unless  mutual 
respect  and  understanding  are  the 
foundations  of  their  communica- 
tion. A  slap  can  all  too  easily  gradu- 
ate into  severe  blows. 

If  you  talk  about  it,  they  will  come 

There  is  much  that  pastors  can  do 
to  get  the  subject  of  domestic  vio- 
lence before  their  congregations. 
But  pastors,  you  need  to  be  aware  of 
this:  if  you  are  brave  enough  to  talk 
about  domestic  violence,  you  will 
soon  be  approached  by  those  in  pain. 
Once  they  know  that  you. are  ap- 
proachable and  trustworthy,  they 
will  share  their  stories  with  you. 

So  what  do  you  do  next?  When  an 
abused  woman  comes  to  you,  your 
response  to  her  may  be  the  turning 
point  of  her  life.  Or  it  could  destroy 
her  spirit  forever.  It  is  very  impor- 
tant that  you  let  her  tell  her  story  in 
her  own  words.  It  may  take  several 
meetings  with  you  before  she  is 
even  able  to  reveal  her  dilemma.  It 
is  critical  that  you  set  your  values, 
beliefs,  and  judgments  aside  for  a 
time  to  ensure  that  she  feels  safe 
sharing  with  you. 

Try  not  to  give  advice.  Let  the 
story  simply  unfold.  Listen.  Be  pre- 
sent. Be  compassionate.  Assure  her 
that  God  loves  her.  Share  Scripture 
passages  with  her  that  speak  of  her 
value  to  God,  such  as  Isaiah  43:4 — 
"You  are  precious  to  me,  and  I  love 
you."  Explain  to  her  the  cycle  of 
abuse  (see  the  article  on  pp.  4  &  6  of 
the  July  I  August  issue).  And  give  her 
reassurance  that  there  is  hope. 

Do  not  ask  her,  "What  did  you  do 
to  provoke  the  violence?"  It  is  not 
the  victim  who  causes  the  violence. 
It  is  the  batterer  who  must  face  the 
pain  within  and  own  the  violence. 

Help  her  find  shelter 

The  issue  you  must  face  is  that 
this  woman  and  her  children  are  in 
danger.  Therefore  they  must  be  taken 
to  a  place  of  safety.  Referring  her  to 
your  local  shelter  or  providing  trans- 
portation to  the  home  of  a  member 
of  her  extended  family  would  be  a 
good  beginning.  Even  if  you  are  not 
convinced  that  abuse  has  taken  place, 
your  only  responsibility  is  to  help 
the  family  find  a  place  of  shelter.  It 
is  the  responsibility  of  the  local  law 
enforcers  to  determine  if  abuse  has 
actually  occurred.  (next  page) 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


It  is  also  important  for  pastors 
(and  other  caring  members  of  the 
congregation)  to  be  willing  to  work 
in  conjunction  with  trained  profes- 
sionals when  counseling  both  bat- 
tered women  and  their  abusive  hus- 
bands. Most  pastors  and  lay  people, 
while  they  may  have  the  very  best  of 
intentions,  do  not  have  the  skills  or 
the  time  to  deal  with  the  complexi- 
ties of  the  abuse  situation. 

Unfortunately,  many  pastors  are 
unwilling  to  refer  victims  to  appro- 
priate resources — a  fact  that  further 
complicates  their  involvement  with 
victims.  It  is  not  shameful  to  admit 
there  is  abuse  within  your  congrega- 
tion. It  is  wrong  to  keep  it  hidden. 
In  fact,  it  is  a  crime.  In  most  states 
domestic  violence  is  against  the  law, 
and  its  perpetrators  need  to  be 
brought  to  justice. 

Your   heart   will   ache   for   these 


women  and  their  children.  But  it  is 
also  important  that  you  feel  com- 
passion for  the  batterer.  Taking  re- 
sponsibility does  not  come  easily.  On 
average,  only  one  of  two  will  show 
up  for  the  first  counseling  session. 
And  when  they  do  come,  fifty  per- 
cent do  not  last  more  than  six  weeks. 

Those  who  come  longer  do  begin 
to  make  changes.  But  they  must  be 
in  a  counseling  facility  where  they 
are  confronted  by  other  offenders 
who  have  already  gone  through  con- 
siderable recovery  and  who  have 
earned  the  right  to  challenge  them. 

The  batterer  must  also  want  help. 
According  to  John  5:6,  Jesus  asked 
the  man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda, 
"Do  you  want  to  get  well?"  When 
the  man  indicated  that  he  did,  Jesus 
told  him  to  get  up  and  take  the  steps 
he  needed  to  take  in  order  to  be 
healed.   The   same   is   true   of  the 


abusive  person.  It  may  also  be  nec- 
essary at  some  point  for  the  church 
to  exercise  discipline.  But  showing 
tough  love  is  never  easy. 

The  Greek  word  for  counselor  is 
paraclete,  meaning  "one  who  walks 
alongside."  In  that  sense,  all  Chris- 
tians should  be  counselors.  We  can- 
not all  heal  the  wounded.  We  do  not 
all  possess  the  skills  to  counsel  fam- 
ilies faced  with  these  problems.  But 
all  of  us  can  "walk  alongside"  and 
listen,  show  compassion,  and  extend 
hands  of  fellowship.  Jesus  is  our 
role  model.  We  are  His  hands  and 
His  feet.  Let  us  model  the  love  of 
Jesus  to  others  by  our  willingness  to 
get  involved.  [ft] 

Mrs.  Baker,  a  member  of  the  Univer- 
sity (Brethren)  Church,  is  a  licensed 
professional  clinical  counselor  associ- 
ated with  Cornerstone  Psychological 
Affiliates  in  Ashland,  Ohio. 


God's  wonders  performed 

(continued  from  page  2) 
period  of  time  and  have  been  will- 
ing to  trust  Him.  He  does  that  kind 
of  stuff  all  the  time,  doesn't  He?" 

Tementa  is  another  example  of 
the  wondrous  ways  in  which  God 
works.  His  father  was  the  only 
Huaorani  with  whom  the  five  mis- 
sionary martyrs  had  friendly  con- 
tact. In  fact,  Nate  Saint  took  him 
for  a  ride  in  the  missions  airplane. 
But  Tementa' s  father  turned  on 
the  missionaries  and  was  one  of 
the  six  men  who  speared  the  mis- 
sionaries to  death. 

A  short  time  later,  the  Huaoranis 
killed  Tementa's  father,  and 
Tementa  almost  died  with  him. 
But  his  mother  managed  to  spare 
her  son,  and  today  he  is  not  only  a 
Christian,  but  the  principal  Bible 
teacher  in  the  Huaorani  church. 
And  now  Steve  Saint  is  teaching 
Tementa  to  fly,  so  that  he  can  more 
effectively  reach  the  far-flung 
areas  of  the  Huaorani  tribe. 

When  asked  during  the  question 
and  answer  period  about  his  feel- 
ings growing  up  with  the  person 
who  killed  his  dad,  Steve  said  that 
forgiving  them  was  never  an  issue 
with  him.  When  he  was  a  child,  he 
heard  his  mother  tell  another 
woman,  "Before  we  ever  went  to 
the  field,  Nate  and  I  gave  our  lives 


to  the  Lord.  They  were  His  to  do 
with  as  He  pleased.  Now  if  He  had 
asked  me,  this  [Nate's  death] 
might  not  have  been  my  first 
choice.  But  I  would  never  second 
guess  God."  Steve  commented, 
"And  seeing  that  example,  it  never 
occurred  to  me  that  I  had  anything 
to  excuse." 

Steve  was  also  asked  to  talk 
about  what  all  this — losing  his  fa- 
ther, selling  his  business,  living  in 
the  jungle — had  cost  him  personal- 
ly. He  replied,  "I  don't  know  any- 
thing about  sacrifice."  He  noted 
that  even  in  secular  work,  "If  you 
get  enough  reward  to  offset  the 
cost  to  you,  then  we  don't  consider 
that  sacrifice."  Then  he  added,  "If 
I  could  share  with  you  folks  some 
of  the  things  that  I've  seen  in  my 
life,  what  God  is  doing,  and  how 
He  has  used  the  story  of  my  dad 
and  grandfather  [Mincaye]  here 
and  [Dad's]  four  friends  and  six  of 
[Mincaye's]  Huaorani  compatriots, 
the  word  sacrifice  would  never 
come  up." 

While  admitting  that  there  is  a 
cost  to  doing  what  God  has  called 
us  to  do,  he  asked,  "What  is  the  cost 
of  disobeying  God?"  Steve  went  on 
to  say,  "You  know  what  Jim  Elliot 
said  about  [sacrifice].  He  said,  'He 
is  no  fool  who  gives  what  he  cannot 
keep  to  gain  what  he  cannot  lose.' 


And  that  today  is  competing  with, 
'He  who  dies  with  the  most  toys 
wins.'  And  I  suggest  to  you,  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  pressure  on  us 
today  to  give  lip  service  to  the  one, 
but  to  act  like  the  other." 

He  went  on,  "There  are  enough 
people  in  this  room  today  to 
change  the  course  of  this  world  for 
Christ  if  we  would  just  commit  our 
lives  to  Him;  and  our  fortunes;  and 
our  resources."  He  added,  "God 
isn't  a  beggar.  He'd  give  us  back." 

He  has  found  this  to  be  true  in 
his  own  life — that  God  gives  back. 
While  living  in  the  U.S.,  he  always 
loved  flying  a  plane,  but  he  could 
never  justify  spending  much  time 
doing  so.  But  one  day  in  Ecuador, 
as  he  made  his  23rd  flight  in  one 
day,  looking  down  on  the  jungle 
with  some  beautify  macaws  flying 
below  him,  he  thought,  "Can  it  get 
any  better  than  this?" 

He  concluded,  "God  doesn't  want 
us  to  suffer  for  Him.  He  wants  us 
to  live  for  Him.  His  highest  call 
isn't  that  we  die  for  Him,  but  that 
we  live  for  Him.  And  I  think  that 
the  reason  He  used  Dad  and  the 
others  wasn't  because  they  were 
willing  to  be  martyrs,  but  because 
they  were  willing  to  give  Him  their 
lives  and  to  live  obediently.  And 
then  He  said,  'I  have  something 
else  that  I  want  you  to  do.'"       [ft] 


October  1998 


When 


Chooses  Not 
to  Heal 


by  David  Stone 


JOYCE,  a  faithful  Christian  lady 
in  the  Sarasota  First  Brethren 
Church,  was  suffering  from  a  life- 
threatening  blood  disease.  A  woman 
visited  Joyce  in  the  hospital  and  told 
her  that  her  lack  of  faith  was  the  only 
reason  she  had  not  been  healed. 
Joyce  dismissed  this  demeaning 
statement,  but  it  could  have  been 
devastating  to  someone  with  less 
knowledge  of  the  Bible. 

An  erroneous  doctrine 

This  erroneous  doctrine  seems  to 
be  increasingly  accepted  among 
Christian  groups.  Even  some  Breth- 
ren elders  are  teaching  it  to  their 
people.  The  purpose  of  this  article  is 
to  suggest  ways  in  which  Brethren 
people  can  respond. 

The  Brethren  Church  has  no  creed, 
no  list  of  beliefs  that  define  us  as  a 


group.  We  base  our  faith  and  prac- 
tice on  the  Bible  as  a  whole.  This 
makes  maintaining  our  common 
and  distinctive  set  of  beliefs  more 
difficult.  The  Bible  is  much  more 
complex  and  open  to  various  inter- 
pretations than  a  simple  list  of  be- 
liefs. People  can  say  they  believe  in 
the  Bible  but  hold  widely  divergent 
views  of  truth. 

We  Brethren  must  maintain  ac- 
tive and  vigorous  discussions  about 
our  beliefs,  or  we  will  cease  to  be  a 
faith  community.  We  will  dissolve 
into  a  loosely-knit  group  of  individ- 
uals with  nothing  in  common  except 
meaningless  lip  service  to  the  Bible. 
Because  we  have  no  creed  but  the 
Bible,  the  Brethren  can  tolerate  var- 
iant opinions  on  non-essential  doc- 
trines, but  only  if  those  opinions  are 
biblically  defensible. 


The  "health  and  wealth  gospel" 
looks  wonderful  at  first  glance.  It 
teaches  that  God  wants  us  to  be 
healthy  and  prosperous  at  all  times. 
It  seems  logical  and  natural.  God 
loves  us  very  much,  so  why  would 
He  want  us  to  be  sick?  It  is  also  com- 
forting. Unfortunately,  it  does  not 
square  with  reality  or  with  what  the 
Bible  teaches. 

The  book  of  Job  and  this  error 

The  book  of  Job  gives  us  the  clear- 
est and  most  thorough  attack  on  the 
health  and  wealth  gospel.  The  cen- 
tral theme  of  the  book  of  Job  is  that 
God  has  reasons  for  our  suffering 
that  we  can  never  understand.  Job, 
a  righteous  man,  suffered  multiple 
tragedies.  Four  friends  came  to  com- 
fort him.  They  seemed  to  sincerely 
care  for  Job,  for  they  sat  with  him  in 
the  dust  for  seven  days  and  nights 
without  even  speaking. 

Job  finally  broke  the  silence.  He 
claimed  that  he  had  done  nothing 
wrong.  At  least  three  of  his  friends 
dismissed  this  claim  immediately.  It 
seemed  impossible  to  them  that  God 
would  so  inflict  a  righteous  man. 
They  assured  Job  that  if  he  con- 
fessed and  repented  of  whatever  he 
had  done  wrong,  God  would  restore 
him  to  his  former  state  of  blessing. 

Their  attempts  to  comfort  Job 
just  heaped  abuse  on  him.  The  story 
reached  its  climax  with  the  appear- 
ance of  God,  who  quizzed  Job  about 
many  of  the  mysteries  of  creation. 
Job  finally  realized  that  he  could 
never  understand  the  totality  of 
God's  plan,  and  he  submitted  to  it. 

God  then  commanded  Job  to  pray 
for  his  friends,  since  their  argu- 
ments had  angered  Him.  God  told 
one  of  them,  "I  am  angry  with  you 
and  your  two  friends,  because  you 
have  not  spoken  of  me  what  is  right, 
as  my  servant  Job  has"  (Job  42:7*). 
Those  who  teach  the  health  and 
wealth  gospel  are  promoting  the 
same  error  that  God  rejected  thou- 
sands of  years  ago. 

The  disciples  and  this  error 

The  disciples  believed  some  form 
of  the  health  and  wealth  gospel. 
Their  belief  system  could  not  ex- 
plain how  a  man  could  be  born 
blind,    since    he    could    not    have 

^Quotations  from  the  Bible  are  from 
the  New  International  Version. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


committed  any  sin  before  he  was  af- 
flicted. They  could  think  of  only  two 
possibilities:  the  man  had  been  pun- 
ished in  advance  for  his  sins,  or  his 
blindness  was  to  punish  his  parents 
for  some  sin  of  theirs. 

Jesus  completely  rejected  their 
thinking  by  answering  that  the 
man's  blindness  was  not  a  punish- 
ment for  sin  at  all.  The  man  was 
born  blind  to  show  God's  power. 

Paul  wrote  that  he  had  a  thorn  in 
his  flesh.  He  did  not  specify  what 
that  thorn  was,  but  the  term  seems 
to  indicate  a  physical  affliction.  God 
was  not  the  source  of  this  thorn 
(Paul  called  it  a  messenger  from 
Satan),  but  Paul  knew  that  God  had 
the  power  to  remove  it. 

Paul  asked  God  three  times  to  re- 
move it,  but  God  refused.  God's  an- 
swer to  Paul's  request  was,  "My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  you,  for  my 
power  is  made  perfect  in  weakness" 
(2  Cor.  12:9).  Paul  learned  to  hum- 
bly rely  on  God's  power.  God  is  more 
concerned  with  our  character  than 
with  our  comfort. 

Suffering  is  normal 

The  Bible  teaches  that  suffering  is 
the  normal  state  of  believers.  Peter 
wrote,  "Dear  friends,  do  not  be  sur- 
prised at  the  painful  trial  you  are 
suffering,  as  though  something 
strange  were  happening  to  you"  (1 
Pet.  4:12).  James  wrote,  "Consider  it 
pure  joy,  my  brothers,  whenever  you 
face  trials  of  many  kinds,  because 
you  know  that  the  testing  of  your 
faith  develops  perseverance.  Perse- 
verance must  finish  its  work  so  that 
you  may  be  mature  and  complete, 
not  lacking  anything"  (Jas.  1:2-4). 
We  should  be  less  surprised  by  suf- 
fering than  by  its  absence. 

God  does  love  you,  and  He  wants 
to  bless  you.  God  would  prefer  for 
you  to  be  healthy  and  wealthy, 
blessed  in  every  way.  But  He  knows 
that  all  of  us  are  weak  creatures, 
prone  to  become  self-sufficient, 
proud,  and  spoiled.  He  wants  most 
of  all  to  be  in  relationship  with  you, 
so  if  suffering  brings  you  closer  to 
Him,  He  will  allow  it. 

The  only  possible  biblical  support 
for  the  health  and  wealth  gospel  are 
those  passages  that  tell  of  God's 
healing  power.  God  does  have  the 
power  to  heal,  and  He  uses  that 
power   every   day.    Brethren   have 


always  believed  in  prayer  for  heal- 
ing and  even  practice  anointing 
with  oil.  In  addition,  the  Bible  does 
teach  that  lack  of  faith  can  be  a  hin- 
drance to  answered  prayer.  But  nei- 
ther of  these  truths  proves  the  con- 
clusion that  God  will  always  give 
physical  healing  to  His  faithful  fol- 
lowers. He  never  promised  that. 

A  double  attack 

It  may  seem  kind  and  comforting 
when  we  make  that  promise  on 
God's  behalf,  but  it  can  be  devastat- 
ing if  God  does  not  heal  physically 
and  immediately.  Many  godly,  faith- 
ful believers  have  been  doubly  at- 
tacked. First,  Satan  attacks  them 
physically.  Second,  a  would-be  com- 
forter blames  them  for  their  own  af- 
fliction, saying  that  they  are  sick  be- 
cause their  faith  is  insufficient. 

Here  is  how  Job  replied  to  this 
accusation: 

/  have  heard  many  things  like 
these; 
miserable  comforters  are  you  all! 
Will  your  long-winded  speeches 
never  end? 
What  ails  you  that  you  keep  on 
arguing? 
I  also  could  speak  like  you, 
if  you  were  in  my  place; 
I  could  make  fine  speeches  against 
you 
and  shake  my  head  at  you. 
But  my  mouth  would  encourage 
you; 
comfort  from  my  lips  would 
bring  you  relief. 

Jobl6:2-5 

Job  is  teaching  his  friends  that  it 
would  be  better  to  comfort  and 
encourage  the  sufferer  instead  of 
accusing  him  of  unfaithfulness. 

Surrendering  to  God's  will 

Those  who  teach  the  health  and 
wealth  gospel  often  insult  the  faith 
of  those  who  disagree  with  them. 
One  preacher  taught  that  only 
doubters  end  their  prayers  with  the 
words,  "Thy  will  be  done."  He  said 
that  it  was  an  escape  clause  for 
those  who  do  not  believe  God  will 
answer  prayer.  He  was  wrong.  It  is  a 
humble  admission  of  our  own  falli- 
bility and  of  God's  wisdom.  It  is  a 
surrendering  of  our  will  to  God's 
will,  the  essence  of  Christian  con- 
version and  faith. 


Those  who  believe  God  only  when 
life  is  easy  are  the  ones  with  weak 
faith.  God  wants  people  like  Shad- 
rach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego.  When 
told  they  had  to  worship  the  king's 
idol  or  be  thrown  into  the  fiery  fur- 
nace, they  replied: 

O  Nebuchadnezzar,  we  do  not 
need  to  defend  ourselves  before 
you  in  this  matter.  If  we  are 
thrown  into  the  blazing  furnace, 
the  God  we  serve  is  able  to  save  us 
from  it,  and  he  will  rescue  us 
from  your  hand,  O  king.  But  even 
if  he  does  not,  we  want  you  to 
know,  O  king,  that  we  will  not 
serve  your  gods  or  worship  the 
image  of  gold  you  have  set  up. 

Daniel  3:16-18 

These  three  men  believed  whole- 
heartedly that  God  had  the  power  to 
save  them  (which  He  did).  But  they 
also  trusted  God  whether  He  saved 
them  or  not.  God  wants  you  to  be- 
lieve He  has  the  power  to  protect 
you  and  bless  you.  He  also  wants 
you  to  trust  Him  when  he  chooses 
not  to  end  your  suffering.  He  wants 
you  to  trust  Him  even  when  He 
does  not  explain. 

Some  of  our  suffering  is  caused  by 
our  sin.  In  that  case,  we  should  learn 
our  lesson,  repent,  and  ask  God  to 
help  us  deal  with  the  consequences. 
Some  of  what  we  suffer,  however,  is 
not  the  result  of  our  sin.  In  that 
case,  we  should  remember  that  "in 
all  things  God  works  for  the  good  of 
those  who  love  him,  who  have  been 
called  according  to  his  purpose" 
(Rom.  8:28). 

God  can  turn  it  into  good 

If  God  allows  suffering  to  touch 
our  lives,  it  is  because  He  knows 
that  He  can  turn  it  into  something 
good  for  us.  Knowing  this  does  not 
take  the  pain  away,  but  it  probably 
makes  it  easier  to  handle. 

We  may  never  understand  why  we 
suffer  certain  things  until  we  stand 
face-to-face  with  Jesus.  He  wants  us 
to  trust  Him  in  the  meantime.  And 
when  we  deal  with  the  suffering  of 
others,  it  is  better  to  offer  sympathy 
and  comfort  than  to  give  wise- 
sounding  justifications,  which  may 
turn  out  to  be  wrong.  [ft] 

Rev.  Stone  is  pastor  of  the  First 
Brethren  Church  of  Sarasota,  Fla. 


October  1998 


Ashland  University 


it 


^ 


What  College  Should  I  Attend? 


By  Emanuel  W.  Sandberg 


\= 


J 


WHEN  PEOPLE  ASK  ME,  "What 
college  should  I  attend?"  I  am 
apt  to  respond  very  quickly,  "Well,  I 
think  that  our  school — Ashland 
University — is  the  one  I  would  pick, 
particularly  for  an  undergraduate 
program." 

I  answer  this  way  not  just  because 
of  my  prejudice  as  a  trustee  of  Ash- 
land University;  or  because  Ashland 
University  has  a  beautiful  campus; 
or  because  of  our  award-winning 
food  service;  or  because  of  the  im- 
pressive work  of  the  Christian  min- 
istries on  the  university  campus.  I 
don't  even  give  this  answer  because 
Ashland  University  was  founded  by, 
and  is  still  affiliated  with,  The  Breth- 
ren Church.  My  answer  is  based  on 
the  fact  that  Ashland  University  is 
dedicated  to  helping  each  student 
develop  his  or  her  potential  for  a 
lifetime  of  achievement  and  success. 

Ashland  University  is  different 

There  are  thousands  of  colleges 
and  universities  across  our  country, 
but  most  of  them  focus  on  educa- 
tional processes,  academic  classes, 
labs,  papers,  and  tests.  I  believe  Ash- 
land University  is  different  because 


we  think  that  a  person's  character 
is  at  least  as  important  as  a  person's 
marketability.  At  Ashland  Univer- 
sity, our  philosophical  dedication  to 
"Accent  on  the  Individual"  will  not 
be  compromised. 

A  place  to  develop  potential 

In  most  areas  of  life,  individual 
potential  is  not  the  demonstration 
of  knowledge,  no  matter  how  tech- 
nically complex  or  advanced  that 
knowledge  might  be.  Personal  de- 
velopment resulting  from  academic 
training  is  not  the  discovery  and 
polishing  of  existing  abilities.  Rather, 
it  is  the  development  within  a  per- 
son of  the  potential  to  acquire  the 
skills  which  that  person  will  need  to 
meet  the  tests  he  or  she  will  en- 
counter throughout  the  rest  of  life. 

A  university  should  not  be  a  place 
to  test  whether  a  student  is  en- 
dowed with  "the  right  stuff"  for  suc- 
cess. Rather  it  should  be  a  place  to 
add  value  to  a  person's  life  by  help- 
ing that  person  develop  leadership 
potential;  by  empowering  that  per- 
son with  the  ability  to  bring  about 
change;  by  enabling  that  person  to 
learn  from  adversity  and  mistakes; 


Many  Ashland  University  students  have  their  first  serious  encounter  with  God's 
Word  in  Bible  classes  like  this  one  taught  by  Brethren  faculty  member  Dr.  Donald 
Rinehart,  professor  of  religion  at  AU. 


Dr. 
Sandberg 
is 
Executive 
Director 
of  The 
Brethren 
Church 
and 
chairman 
of  the 
Board  of 
Trustees  of 
Ashland 
University. 
and  by  preparing  that  person  to  de- 
velop new  skills  when  an  increasing- 
ly complex  social  or  economic  sys- 
tem requires  those  skills. 

From  its  founding  in  1878  by  The 
Brethren  Church,  Ashland  Univer- 
sity has  been  committed  at  all  levels 
to  helping  students  realize  their  full 
potential.  This  includes  not  only 
their  potential  in  terms  of  academic 
achievement,  but  also  in  terms  of 
spiritual  development  and  the  de- 
velopment of  their  total  personality. 
Personal  contacts  with  faculty  and 
staff  help  to  create  a  safe  and  sup- 
portive environment  in  which  stu- 
dents can  make  new  friends,  deepen 
their  faith,  and  learn  to  accept  new 
challenges. 

Most  people  develop  their  philoso- 
phy of  living  and  set  their  life  goals 
during  their  college  years.  College  is 
where  most  people  begin  making 
their  life-shaping  decisions  and  also 
where  they  begin  accepting  respon- 
sibility for  their  actions. 

An  academic  base 

Ashland  University's  undergradu- 
ate programs  are  designed  to  pre- 
pare graduates  for  a  wide  range  of 
employment  opportunities.  The  uni- 
versity provides  students  with  the 
academic  base  to  pursue  profession- 
al training  in  virtually  any  field — 
from  business  to  government  and 
from  education  to  medicine — as  well 


8 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Ashland  University 


V 


"Ashland  University  is  dedicated  to  helping  each  student 
develop  his  or  her  potential  for  a  lifetime  of  achievement  and  success. 


J 


as  a  wide  range  of  assignments  in 
the  field  of  Christian  service. 

But  for  me,  the  important  thing  is 
the  opportunity  AU  students  have 
to  develop  their  total  life  potential. 
"Accent  on  the  Individual"  in  Ash- 
land University's  academic  settings 
helps  a  student  to  develop: 

•  An  ability  to  identify  the  most 
important  part  of  a  problem  or  an 
issue  and  to  see  the  problem  from 
a  broader  perspective 

•  A  willingness  to  take  personal 
risks  by  going  against  consensus 
standards  and  taking  stands  ac- 
cording to  personal  beliefs 

•  An  ability  to  work  with  a  wide 
variety  of  people,  getting  the  best 
out  of  them  even  in  situations 
where  conflict  exists 

•  A  sensitivity  to  cultural  differ- 
ences and  a  willingness  to  work 
to  understand  such  differences 

•  A  dedication  to  truth  and  hon- 
esty, and  a  willingness  to  take 
personal  responsibility  for  one's 
actions 

•  A  willingness  to  make  a  commit- 
ment to  the  success  of  "the  orga- 
nization" and  to  have  a  positive 
impact  on  other  people 

•  An  openness  to  search  for  new 
opportunities  to  learn,  to  do  new 
things,  and  to  develop  new  skills 
as  the  world  changes 

•  A  willingness  to  handle  criticism 
as  a  learning  experience  and  to 
learn  from  mistakes  without  be- 
coming disheartened 

By  treating  each  person  as  an  in- 
dividual with  lifelong  potential, 
Ashland  University  adds  new  value 
to  a  college  education.  Students  de- 
velop new  self-confidence,  new  rea- 
soning capabilities,  new  sensitivity 
to  others,  new  drive,  new  goal  ori- 
entation, and  new  awareness  of 
social  and  economic  changes. 

Church/University  relationship 

Ever  since  the  founding  of  Ash- 
land University  by  The  Brethren 
Church  in  1878,  the  relationship  of 
the  church  to  the  university  has 
been  an  important  one,  helping  to 
shape  the  mission,  core  values,  and 
programs  of  the  university.  We  are 


proud  of  that  heritage.  We  are  also 
proud  of  the  high  quality  education- 
al programs — which  are  offered  in  a 
context  that  emphasizes  the  impor- 
tance of  and  a  reliance  on  Judeo- 
Christian  values. 


Brethren  faculty  member  Dr.  Jeff  Wei- 
denhamer,  professor  of  chemistry  at  AU, 
looks  on  as  Brian  Howman  conducts  an 
experiment. 

As  Ashland  University  has  en- 
tered the  1998-1999  academic  year, 
it  is  probably  better  positioned  to 
fulfill  its  academic  mission  than  at 
any  time  since  its  founding  120 
years  ago.  The  university  in  recent 
years  has  improved  the  quality  and 
variety  of  its  academic  programs,  its 
financial  stability,  its  facilities,  and 
its  ability  to  support  the  computer 
needs  of  its  students.  It  has  also  im- 
proved its  ability  to  attract  and  to 
retain  high-quality  faculty  and  staff 
members. 

AU's  undergraduate  enrollment 
reached  almost  2,000  students 
when  classes  began  in  September. 
Total  enrollment  of  both  under- 
graduate and  graduate  students  will 
be  approximately  5,600,  including 
about  700  graduate  students  at 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary,  a 
graduate  division  of  the  university 

I  believe  these  students  will  have 
a  wonderful  year  at  AU.  They  will 
find  a  faculty,  staff,  and  administra- 
tion  of  extraordinary   people   who 


are  committed  to  a  common,  excep- 
tional purpose.  They  will  have  the 
opportunity  to  participate  in  a  wide 
range  of  athletic  and  cultural  activ- 
ities. They  will  have  the  opportuni- 
ty to  hear  and  learn  from  several  re- 
spected national  figures,  including 
William  Bennett,  former  Secretary 
of  Education  and  author  of  The  Book 
of  Virtues;  United  States  Supreme 
Court  Justice  Clarence  Thomas; 
and  William  Kristol,  editor  and  pub- 
lisher of  The  Weekly  Standard. 

Not  only  is  Ashland  University  a 
strong  academic  institution,  it  is 
also  a  place  where  Christian  experi- 
ence is  encouraged  and  nurtured. 
Numerous  activities  on  campus  fos- 
ter spiritual  growth.  HOPE  Fellow- 
ship provides  opportunities  for  stu- 
dents to  be  involved  in  worship 
teams,  drama  teams,  mission  expe- 
riences, Bible  studies,  and  social 
gatherings.  The  Fellowship  of 
Christian  Athletes  offers  weekly 
chapel  meetings  and  six  distinct 
Bible  studies.  The  Brethren  Con- 
nection has  been  established  to  re- 
late Brethren  students  with  Breth- 
ren families  in  the  Ashland  area. 
And  on  Sunday  mornings,  worship 
services  are  available  at  the  Univer- 
sity Church  on  campus  and  at  two 
other  fine  Brethren  congregations 
in  Ashland. 

What  about  cost? 

What  about  cost?  "Too  high!"  we 
all  say.  But  the  university  has  a  gen- 
erous program  of  financial  aid  based 
on  need  and  previous  academic  per- 
formance. Furthermore,  the  net 
cost  at  Ashland  must  be  weighed 
against  the  value  added  to  one's  life 
by  receiving  an  education  at  Ash- 
land University. 

Why  should  AU  be  the  college 
of  choice  for  Brethren  students? 
Because  at  Ashland  University,  the 
accent  is  on  the  individual — the 
accent  is  on  you!  If  you  are  con- 
sidering a  college  education,  come 
and  visit  the  Ashland  University 
campus  and  talk  to  students,  facul- 
ty, and  staff  members.  See  for  your- 
self what  Ashland  University  has  to 
offer  you.  [ft] 


October  1998 


sSO^g&Cfe 


Teen  preaches  at  West  Alex. 

West  Alexandria,  Ohio  —  While 
Rev.  David  Oligee,  pastor  of  the  First 
Brethren  Church  in  West  Alexandria, 
has  been  recuperating  from  July 
13th  bypass  surgery,  other  ministers 
in  the  congregation  have  been  fill- 
ing the  pulpit. 

On  September 
6,  Joe  Hale,  Rev. 
Oligee's  nephew 
(his  wife's  sis- 
ter's son),  was 
the  speaker.  Joe 
is  just  14  years 
old!  Though  only 

a    freshman    in   ' ^ 

high  school,  Joe  believes  that  he  has 
heard  God's  call  to  preach  God's 
Word.  And  he  has  already  begun! 

—  reported  by  Audrey  Gilbert 

Floods  rage  in  Bangladesh 

Wheaton,  111.  —  World  Relief  of  the 
National  Association  of  Evangelicals 
(NAE)  is  providing  emergency  food, 
water  purification  tablets,  and  other 
relief  supplies  to  families  in  five 
areas  of  Bangladesh,  a  country  ex- 
periencing the  longest  lasting  flood 
in  its  history. 

As  of  early  September,  more  than 
800  people  had  died  and  35  million 
were  displaced  or  marooned  by  rains 
that  began  in  July.  "Almost  one  and 
a  half  months  have  passed  and  the 
situation  is  getting  worse  every 
day,"  a  project  manager  told  World 
Relief  headquarters  on  September 
10.  More  than  three-quarters  of  the 
country  was  underwater. 

Our  contributions  to  Brethren 
World  Relief  throughout  the  year 
help  support  the  work  of  World  Re- 
lief of  NAE  in  Bangladesh  and  other 
needy  areas  of  the  world.  [ft] 


I   k 

■ 

f  m 
1 

■Vt 

Brethren  in  Jamaica  are  (front,  I.  to  r.)  Tony  &  Geneva  Price,  Ernest  &  Dolly  Zerbe, 
Patsy  LeMaster,  DeAnn  &  Gene  Oburn,  (back)  Ben  Pippen,  Mandi  Huff,  and  Sara  Naylor. 

Ten  Brethren  take  mission  trip  to  Jamaica 


Bunker  Hill,  Ind.  —  Last  July,  ten 
Brethren  spent  two  weeks  in  Jamai- 
ca on  the  first-ever  overseas  Sum- 
mer Ministries  mission  trip  spon- 
sored by  The  Brethren  Church. 

To  make  this  trip  possible,  The 
Brethren  Church  worked  in  cooper- 
ation with  Christian  Service  Inter- 
national (CSI).  Headquartered  in 
Muncie,  Ind.,  CSI  sends  mission 
teams  to  needy  areas  both  in  the 
U.S.  and  around  the  world. 

In  Miami,  Fla.,  the  ten  Brethren 
joined  a  group  of  more  than  100 
other  Christians.  This  group,  rang- 
ing in  age  from  10  to  86,  was  from 
all  over  the  U.S.  and  from  at  least 
nine  denominations.  From  Miami, 
they  all  flew  to  Kingston,  Jamaica, 
where  they  were  taken  by  vans  to 
the  Port  Antonio  area,  their  center 
of  activities  for  the  next  two  weeks. 

One  of  the  ten  Brethren,  Patsy 
LeMaster  from  the  Loree  Brethren 
Church  (Bunker  Hill,  Ind.),  headed 
up  a  team  of  six  who  led  a  VBS  for 
children  in  a  village  called  Berry- 
dale.  Brethren  serving  with  her  on 
this  team  were  Sara  Naylor,  also 
from  the  Loree  Church,  and  Mandi 
Huff  and  Ben  Pippen,  from  the  Nap- 
panee,  Ind.,  First  Brethren  Church. 

To  reach  Berrydale,  the  team  drove 
to  the  Rio  Grande  River,  crossed  the 
river  on  a  raft,  and  climbed  a  stretch 
of  mountain  on  foot.  This  they  did 
twice  a  day  every  day — in  the  morn- 
ing for  VBS  and  in  the  evening  for  a 
family  worship  service.  The  team 
members  shared  the  love  of  Jesus 
with  the  children  and  families  of 
this  Jamaican  mountain  village.  In 


turn,  they  were  blessed  daily  by  the 
eagerness  of  the  children  and  the 
friendliness  of  the  Jamaican  people. 

The  remaining  six  Brethren — 
Tony  and  Geneva  Price  of  Trinity 
Brethren  Church  (Canton,  Ohio)  and 
Ernest  and  Dolly  Zerbe  and  Gene 
and  DeAnn  Oburn  of  Loree — were 
part  of  a  20-member  music/evange- 
lism team.  Geneva  Price  became 
director  of  the  choir  when  the  in- 
tended director  had  to  return  to  the 
U.S.  soon  after  arriving  in  Jamaica. 

The  mission  of  the  choir  was  to 
share  Jesus'  love  and  the  message  of 
salvation  with  non-believers  and  to 
encourage  Jamaican  Christians  in 
their  walk  with  the  Lord.  The  choir 
sang  in  churches  and  in  a  prison 
and  an  orphanage.  Gene,  Tony,  and 
three  other  pastors  in  the  choir  pre- 
sented messages,  and  many  other 
choir  members  gave  testimonies. 

"For  the  ten  of  us  Brethren,  our 
time  in  Jamaica  was  an  exciting  and 
rich  opportunity  to  serve  the  Lord 
and  to  reach  out  beyond  our  comfort 
zones  in  His  precious  name,"  said 
DeAnn  Oburn.  "To  our  prayer  war- 
riors," she  added,  "we  express  our 
very  deep  thanks  for  your  prayers 
....  To  The  Brethren  Church,  we 
give  our  special  thanks  for  making 
this  opportunity  possible  for  each  of 
us.  And  to  all  who  read  this  article, 
we  encourage  you  to  consider  God's 
call  on  your  life  to  participate  in  a 
short-term  mission  experience 
sometime,  somewhere.  It  will  be 
life-changing  and  more  rewarding 
than  you  can  imagine!" 

—  reported  by  DeAnn  Oburn 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


0od  the 


Brethren  in  New  Lebanon 
plan  church  history  month 

New  Lebanon,  Ohio  —  Members 
of  The  Brethren  Church  in  New 
Lebanon  will  spend  several  Sundays 
in  October  and  November  reviewing 
and  renewing  the  vision  of  our  fore- 
fathers for  The  Brethren  Church 
during  what  they  have  designated 
as  "Church  History  Month." 

On  Sunday,  October  11,  the  focus 
will  be  on  "The  Beginning"  (1700s). 
Guest  speaker  will  be  Dr.  Charles 
Munson,  past  professor  at  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary,  now  retired. 

"Challenges  and  Triumphs"  (1800s) 
will  be  the  topic  on  October  18.  Rev. 
Donald  Rowser,  pastor  of  the  New 
Lebanon  congregation  from  1965  to 
1985  will  be  the  guest  speaker. 

"Brethren  Women"  in  Brethren 
history  will  be  in  the  spotlight  on 
October  25.  Appropriately,  a  Breth- 
ren woman,  Dr.  Mary  Ellen  Drushal, 
provost  at  Ashland  University,  will 
be  the  speaker. 

On  November  1,  "The  Church  in 
the  1900s"  will  be  the  theme.  Charles 
Wiltrout,  former  associate  pastor 
and  current  member  of  the  New 
Lebanon  congregation,  will  speak. 

The  History  of  The  Brethren 
Church  in  New  Lebanon  will  be  re- 
viewed on  November  8.  Rev.  Rich- 
ard Winfield,  editor  of  The  Breth- 
ren Evangelist  and  a  "son"  of  the 
New  Lebanon  church,  will  speak. 

The  series  will  climax  on  Sunday, 
November  15,  with  Homecoming. 
Rev.  Lynn  Mercer,  pastor  of  the 
Gretna  Brethren  Church  and  former 
associate  pastor  at  New  Lebanon,  will 
be  the  morning  speaker.  A  carry-in 
dinner  will  follow  the  service. 

The  Outreach  Committee  of  the 
New  Lebanon  Church  extends  a 
special  invitation  to  Brethren  of 
other  congregations  to  join  the  New 
Lebanon  Brethren  for  all  or  some  of 
these  special  events.  The  Sunday 
worship  services  begin  at  10:30  a.m. 
—  reported  by  Bettie  Glanton 


Brethren  at  Pennsylvania  District  Conference 
hear  good  news  of  positive  things  happening 


The  following  article  about  this 
year's  Pennsylvania  District  Confer- 
ence— held  July  24-25 — appeared  in 
the  August  newsletter  of  the  Pleas- 
ant View  Brethren  Church.  It  was 
written  by  Pastor  T.J.  McLaughlin, 
and  is  reprinted  here  (with  a  few  ed- 
itorial changes)  with  his  permission. 

WE  HAVE  RETURNED  from 
the  mountain,*  and  we  come 
with  good  news!  District  Conference 
was  a  blessing  this  year.  I  will  try  to 
recap  what  took  place  for  those  who 
were  not  able  to  attend. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  hear  about 
the  positive  things  that  are  happen- 
ing in  The  Brethren  Church.  We 
had  the  opportunity  to  hear  and 
meet  with  Allen  Baer,  who  has  re- 
turned from  the  mission  field  in 
Argentina,  and  also  from  Rev.  Jose 

*The  Pennsylvania  District  Conference 
is  held  at  Camp  Peniel,  nearMt.  Davis — 
the  highest  point  in  Pennsylvania. 


During  one  of  the  business 
sessions  at  General  Conference 
in  August,  Rev.  G.  Bright  and 
Luella  Hanna  were  given  spe- 
cial recognition  for  being  in  at- 
tendance at  their  51st  consecu- 
tive Brethren  General  Confer- 
ence. Rev.  Hanna,  who  is  now 
retired,  served  as  a  pastor  for 
many  years  in  The  Brethren 
Church.  The  Hannas  now  live 
in  Marion,  Indiana.  Their  son, 
Joseph,  is  also  a  Brethren  pas- 
tor. He  serves  the  Mulvane, 
Kansas,  Brethren  Church. 


Rivero,  president  of  The  Brethren 
Church  in  Argentina.  The  Brethren 
Church  there  is  now  able  to  train  its 
own  pastors  and  leaders  in  Argentina. 
Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Breth- 
ren Missionary  Ministries,  chal- 
lenged each  district  church  to  hold  a 
yearly  missions  conference.  In  addi- 
tion, we  heard  about  the  church- 
planting  efforts  across  the  U.S. 

Dr.  Lee  Solomon,  Director  of  De- 
velopment at  Ashland  Theological 
Seminary,  encouraged  us  to  consider 
giving  to  the  work  of  the  kingdom. 
That  can  happen  by  designating  a 
portion  or  percentage  of  our  estate 
to  some  ministry  in  The  Brethren 
Church:  Ashland  Theological  Sem- 
inary, Brethren  Missions,  your  local 
church,  or  some  other  ministry.  Dr. 
Solomon  shared  with  us  some  of  the 
future  plans  for  ATS  and  how  that 
is  going  to  be  beneficial  to  the  local 
church.  You  will  be  hearing  more 
about  these  plans. 

Rev.  Dave  Cooksey  encouraged 
the  district  churches  to  love  their 
pastors.  On  a  lesser  note,  Rev.  Cook- 
sey reminded  us  that  the  Pennsylva- 
nia District  showed  a  loss  in  mem- 
bership on  the  statistical  report  in 
1997 — a  trend  that  I  believe  is  about 
to  change! 

Dr.  Buzz  Sandberg  challenged  us 
to  evaluate  ourselves,  and  our  min- 
istries, before  God.  In  addition  Dr. 
Sandberg  invited  everyone  to  attend 
General  Conference  this  year.  He 
said,  "If  you  attend  this  year's  Con- 
ference you  will  leave  a  changed 
person." 

The  conference  voted,  by  an  over- 
whelming majority,  to  grant  church 
status  to  the  Three  Seasons  Church 
pastored  by  Rev.  Bryan  Karchner. 
This  is  a  new  church,  which  is  an 
offshoot  of  the  Berlin  Brethren 
Church. 

Also,  the  conference  voted  to 
change  the  tenure  of  the  moderator 
tract  to  two-year  terms.  A  motion  to 
change  the  conference  to  a  one-day 
business  conference  was  withdrawn 
after  discussion.  It  was  suggested, 
however,  that  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee study  the  possibilities  of  a 
one-day  business  conference.        [ft] 


October  1998 


11 


xod  th 


In  Memory 

Rev.  Donald  O.  Siders,  73,  for- 
mer pastor  of  the  Wabash,  Ind., 
First  Brethren  Church,  died  August 
7  following  a  struggle  with  cancer. 

He  was  born 


November  10, 
1924,  in  Peru, 
Indiana.  On 
December  28, 
1949,  he  mar- 
ried Mary  E. 
Brinson,  who 
survives  him. 

A  Navy  vet- 
eran, he  had 
worked  at  Honeywell's  and  Stone 
Industries  and  retired  from  Swing- 
line  Manufacturing  in  1989.  He 
began  pastoring  the  Wabash  First 
Brethren  Church  in  1988  and  was 
ordained  there  June  24,  1990.  He 
served  the  congregation  nine  years. 


He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  four 
sons,  a  daughter,  13  grandchildren, 
and  three  great-grandchildren. 

Funeral  services  were  held  Au- 
gust 11  with  Rev.  Gerald  Zook,  cur- 
rent pastor  at  Wabash  Brethren, 
presiding.  Memorial  contributions 
may  be  made  to  the  Wabash  Church. 

%:       $:       %:       %       % 

Mayme  L.  Schubert,  85,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lanark,  111.,  First  Breth- 
ren Church,  died  July  3.  She  was 
the  wife  of  Rev.  Robert  Schubert, 
who  serves  as  associate  pastor  at 
Lanark  First  Brethren. 

Mayme  Randecker  was  born  De- 
cember. 22,  1912,  in  Woodland 
Township,  111.  She  and  Robert  were 
married  January  22,  1938:  They 
were  parents  of  one  daughter  and 
foster  parents  of  four  boys  and  one 
girl.  She  is  survived  by  her  husband 
and  daughter,  two  grandchildren, 
and  two  great-grandchildren. 

Her  funeral  service  was  held  July 
7  at  Lanark  First  Brethren  Church, 
with  Lanark  Pastor  Jim  Garrett 
and  Chaplain  Don  Swanson  of 
Freeport  Memorial  Hospital  offici- 
ating. Memorial  contributions  may 
be  made  in  her  name  to  the  First 
Brethren  Church  India  Mission. 


Statement  of  Ownership,  Management,  and  Circulation 

(Required  by  39  USC  3685) 

1.  Publication  Title:  THE  BRETHREN  EVANGELIST 

2.  Publication  Number:  0747-4288 

3.  Filing  Date:  September  29,  1998 

4.  Issue  Frequency:  Monthly  (except  July  and  August  issues  are  combined) 

5-  Number  of  Issues  Published  Annually:  11 

6-  Annual  Subscription  Price:  Free  to  members  of  The  Brethren  Church;  $15.00  to  others 

7.  Complete  Mailing  Address  of  Known  Office  of  Publication:  The  Brethren  Church,  Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH 
44805-3792.  Contact  Person:  Richard  Winfield.  Telephone:  419-289-1708 

8.  Complete  Mailing  Address  of  Headquarters  or  General  Business  Office  of  Publisher:  The  Brethren  Church,  Inc.,  524 
College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 

9.  Full  Names  and  Complete  Mailing  Addresses  of  Publisher,  Editor,  and  Managing  Editor:  Publisher — The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.;  Editor— Richard  C.  Winfield;  Managing  Editor— none;  Address— 524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 

10.  Owner:  The  Brethren  Church,  Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 

11.  Known  Bondholders,  Mortgagees,  and  Other  Security  Holders  Owning  or  Holding  1  Percent  or  More  of  Total  Amount  of 
Bonds,  Mortgages,  or  Other  Securities:  None 

12.  The  purpose,  function,  and  nonprofit  status  of  this  organization  and  the  exempt  status  for  federal  income  tax  purposes 
has  not  changed  during  preceding  12  months. 

13.  Publication  Title:  THE  BRETHREN  EVANGELIST 

14.  Issue  Date  for  Circulation  Data  Below:  October  1997  to  September  1998  September  1998 

15.  Extent  and  Nature  of  Circulation  Average  No.  Copies  Each  Issue         Actual  No.  Copies  of  Single  Issue 

During  Preceding  12  Months  Published  Nearest  to  Filing  Date 

8,114 

0 

35 

35 

7,921 

0 

7,921 

7,956 

158 

0 

8,114 

0.4% 

16.  Publication  of  Statement  of  Ownership  will  be  printed  in  the  October  issues  of  this  publication. 

17.  Signature  and  Title  of  Editor,  Publisher,  Business  Manager,  or  Owner  (Signed)  Richard  C.  Winfield,  editor.  Date:  9-29-98. 
I  certify  that  all  information  furnished  on  this  form  is  true  and  complete.  I  understand  that  anyone  who  furnishes  false  or 
misleading  information  on  this  form  or  who  omits  material  or  information  requested  on  the  form  my  be  subject  to  criminal 
sanctions  (including  fines  and  imprisonment)  and/or  civil  sanctions  (including  multiple  damages  and  civil  penalties). 


a.  Total  Number  of  Copies 

8,084 

b.  Paid  and  or  requested  circulation 

(1)  Sales  Through  Dealers  and  Ca 

rriers,  Street 

Vendors,  and  Counter  Sales 

0 

(2)  Paid  or  Requested  Mail  Subscriptions 

35 

c.  Total  Paid  and/or  Requested  Circu 

ation 

35 

d.  Free  Distribution  by  Mail 

7,920 

e.  Free  Distribution  Outside  the  Mail 

0 

f.  Total  Free  Distribution 

7,920 

g.  Total  Distribution 

7,955 

h.  Copies  not  Distributed 

(1).  Office  Use,  Leftovers,  Spoiled 

129 

(2)  Returns  from  News  Agents 

0 

i.  Total 

8,084 

Percent  Paid  and  or  Requested  Circulation 

0.4% 

National  Youth  Leadership 

A  new  horizon  awaits  the  young 
people  of  The  Brethren  Church.  A 
fresh  commitment  to  spiritual  for- 
mation, disciple-making,  empow- 
ered ministry,  servant  leadership, 
and  leadership  development  is  the 
focus  and  the  challenge  ahead  of  us. 
To  rise  to  meet  this  future,  leader- 
ship will  be  the  key. 

Therefore,  the  National  BYIC 
program  is  seeking  someone  to 
bring  visionary  leadership  to  Breth- 
ren young  people.  This  person  must 
bring  a  heart's  desire  for  all  that 
God  is  doing  through  our  youth. 
Passionate  leadership  and  guidance 
and  coordination  of  programming 
are  a  must. 

If  you  have  this  passion  and  a 
sense  of  God's  anointing  for  this  task, 
first  seek  the  Lord,  praying  fer- 
vently for  insight  and  understand- 
ing of  God's  will.  And  then,  second, 
contact  Rev.  David  L.  West  at  The 
Brethren  Church  National  Office  and 
inquire  about  this  position.  [ft] 


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(  The  Brethren  ) 

Evangelist 


Fuoderburg  Library 
ttsncfcasttf,  m  -m$' 


Vol.120,  No.  10 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


November  1998 


It  Takes  a  Family  of  Faith 


By  Emanuel  W.  Sandberg 


FOR  MANY  YEARS  I  HAVE 
watched  the  moral  standards 
and  the  standards  of  personal  be- 
havior in  our  country  decline.  That 
decline  is  illustrated  by  an  article  in 
the  October  19,  1998,  issue  of  USA 
Today,  which  reports  the  results  of 
a  large  survey  of  middle-school  and 
high-school  students,  conducted  by 
the  Josephson  Institute  for  Ethics. 

Most  of  the  students  surveyed 
said  that  it  is  important  to  be  a  per- 
son of  "good  character."  Yet  nearly 
half  of  those  students  said  that  they 
had  stolen  something  in  the  last  year. 
Seventy  percent  admitted  to  cheat- 
ing on  an  exam.  Over  90  percent 
confessed  to  lying  to  their  parents. 

All  of  us  know  the  statistics  of 
social  decline  and  the  bitter  fruit  we 
are  harvesting,  which  will  be  passed 
on  to  our  children  and  to  our  chil- 
dren's children.  I  am  ashamed  to  say 
that  I  have  been  quick  to  blame  the 
foundation  institutions  of  our  nation 
for  the  moral  decay  of  our  society. 

When  asked  what  forces  in  society 
are  causing  the  moral  decline,  I  have 
been  quick  to  blame  television,  for 
brain-washing  children  to  accept 
gutter  levels  of  behavior  and  the  ab- 
sence of  God  as  the  standards  of  late 
20th-century  life;  our  schools,  for 
eliminating  prayer  and  the  presence 
of  God  from  education  and  for  fail- 
ing to  reinforce  the  traditional  moral 
standards  of  society;  and  our  gov- 
ernment's leaders,  for  failing  to 
provide  positive  moral  leadership  and 
instead  developing  programs  that 
are  in  opposition  to  the  standards 
and  desires  of  families  committed  to 
raising  morally  upright  children. 

All  of  my  quick  criticisms  are  true 
to  a  substantial  degree.  But  the  most 
important  questions  we  need  to  ask 


are  these:  How  did  our  world  get 
this  way?  and  What  are  we  doing 

to  renew  our  society? 

Changes  in  the  social  network 

Most    people    over    50 
years  of  age  grew  up  in  a 
social       system       in 
which     the     moral 
standards    for   per- 
sonal behavior  were 
influenced   primarily 
by  (1)  the  family,  (2) 
the  church,  and  (3)  the 
schools.  Radio,  news- 
papers,    books, 
magazines,    and 
movies  were 

monitored  under'' 
laws  and  stan- 
dards that 
tended  to 
make 
them 
mirrors 
of  long- 
existing  conser- 
vative social  standards.  Peer  groups 
also  influenced  behavior,  but  the 
peer  groups  tended  to  be  built  with- 
in the  extended  family  or  from 
church  or  school-sponsored  groups. 

The  pattern  of  social  change  that 
took  place  after  World  War  II  was 
dramatic — perhaps  revolutionary. 
Consider  the  following: 

•  The  extended  family  became  geo- 
graphically dispersed.  Brothers  and 
sisters,  aunts,  uncles,  and  cousins 
moved,  seeking  new  economic  op- 
portunities. The  social  support 
system  for  many  people  became 
weakened  and  less  effective. 

•  Television  and  other  mass  media 
became  major  influences  on 
American  society.  Television  por- 


trays violence,  infideli- 
ty,     and     indiscrimi- 
nate sex  openly,  thus 
revising     the     values 
that     had     been     the 
hallmark  of  our  soci- 
ety for  generations. 
•  Parents  from  godly 
homes,    while       still 
vl  professing  their  belief 
in  God,  have  compro- 
mised their  faith  and 
dedicated  them- 

■  selves  to  achieving 
success — defined  in 
terms  of  money,  pos- 
sessions, prestige, 
and  power.  Many 
parents  don't  have 
time  for  each  other, 
let  alone  time  for 
their  children — not 
even  to  mention  time 
for  the  children  of  their 
brothers  and  sisters  and 
those  of  their  neighborhood 
and  their  church. 
Some  churches  are  still  filled  with 
people  who  honor  God  and  His 
Word  and  who  live  to  serve  Him. 
Sadly,  however,  many  churches 
are  filled  in  part  with  people  who 
(continued  on  next  page) 


Inside  this  issue 

Made  lovely  by  love 

3 

A  meal  with  a  purpose 

4 

WWJD,  WDJD,  &  WDJS? 

5 

Celebrating  two  birth  Sundays 

6 

New  churches,  new  life 

6 

Brethren  World  Relief 

8 

Around  the  denomination 

10 

The  Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 

is  in  the  center  of  this  issue 

know  God  but  who  are  lukewarm 
in  their  service  to  Him.  But  worst 
of  all,  there  are  many  Protestant 
churches  in  which  the  Bible  is 
regarded  as  a  relic  of  older  times 
and  where  the  members  have 
turned  from  biblical  standards 
and  are  following  the  decaying 
standards  of  the  secular  world. 

•  Our  public  schools  no  longer  re- 
flect in  practice  the  moral  stan- 
dards which  undergirded  the  for- 
mation of  our  country.  They  have 
succumbed  to  pressure  campaigns 
to  offer  sex  education;  to  teach 
tolerance  of  homosexual  lifestyles; 
to  eliminate  God  and  prayer  from 
the  schools;  and  to  make  rules  of 
conduct  the  product  of  consensus, 
or  worse,  personal  opinion. 

•  Government  has  banned  God 
from  public  celebrations,  public 
displays,  and  as  a  determinant  for 
standards  of  public  morality.  As  a 
result,  we  permit  abortion  on  de- 
mand and  euthanasia  on  request. 
Changes  in  society  such  as  those 

outlined  above  have  created  for  the 
youth  and  adults  of  the  late  20th 
century  a  completely  new  set  of  in- 
fluences that  determine  the  moral 
and  behavioral  standards  of  our  day. 
Movies,  television,  computer  net- 
works, and  other  mass  media  sys- 
tems are  the  dominant  influences 
on  most  people,  replacing  the  family 
and  the  church  from  the  roles  they 
played  since  the  time  of  Abraham. 

Unfortunately,  our  churches  have 
not  been  equipped  to  confront  and 
counter  the  forces  that  are  responsi- 
ble for  the  deterioration  of  moral 
standards  and  the  change  in  soci- 
eties core  values.  Nor  have  our 
churches  been  led  to  maintain  (let 
alone  expand)  the  positive  influence 
they  exerted  on  moral  standards  and 
family  well-being  a  half  century  ago. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 
(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450; 
e-mail:  brethren@bright.net).  Authors'  views  are 
not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
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Instead,  the  major  influences  on 
the  lifestyle  of  most  people  today 
are:  (1)  the  mass  media,  (2)  peer 
groups  (particularly  on  young  peo- 
ple, but  also  on  adults  of  all  ages), 
and  (3)  schools  (but  schools  operat- 
ing from  a  different  moral  base  than 
in  the  past). 

Where  do  we  go  from  here? 

We  are  survivors  of  an  earthquake 
that  has  destroyed  the  foundation  of 
our  society.  Godly  parents  are  still 
raising  godly  children,  but  they  do 
so  against  increasingly  tough  oppo- 
sition. Parents  who  live  a  godly  life 
still  need  to  understand  that  their 
children  live  in  a  world  that  is  not 
God-centered.  Therefore,  parents, 
by  example  and  instruction,  must 
help  their  children  pursue  truth  and 
not  agree  with  all  that  they  hear  (1 
Peter  3:15;  John  8:32);  to  affirm 
core  values  and  basic  beliefs  until 
they  become  convictions;  and  to  act 
in  love  (Rom.  12:10  &  13:8;  Luke 
6:27-33;  1  Cor.  13:4-7). 

For  persons  to  grow  up  healthy, 
caring,  and  responsible,  they  must 
have  a  family  life  that  provides  a 
high  level  of  love  and  support.  The 
family  members  must  be  able  to 
communicate  with  one  another  in 
positive  ways,  and  the  children 
must  be  willing  to  seek  the  advice 
and  counsel  of  their  parents. 

But  what  happens  when  a  young 
person  is  not  home,  or  when  the 
parents  are  working  or  are,  for  what- 
ever reason,  absent  from  the  home? 
Before  the  social  earthquake,  most 
people  had  an  "extended  family" — 
relatives,  neighbors,  close  friends — 
who  provided  children  with  love, 
guidance,  and  on-site  direction  in 
place  of  the  parents.  But  for  most 
people  today,  that  extended  family 
no  longer  exists. 


I  submit  that  what  we  need  today 
for  the  healthy  development  of  a 
child  is  for  that  child  to  be  reared  by 
a  family  of  faith.  A  family  of  faith 
is  a  group  of  people,  young  and  old, 
who  hold  similar  beliefs  and  core 
values,  who  care  deeply  for  each 
other,  who  act  on  their  convictions, 
and  who  stand  firm  for  their  beliefs. 
The  family  of  faith  provides  addi- 
tional adult  relationships  that 
reinforce  and  support  parents  and 
children.  The  family  of  faith  allows 
young  and  old  to  experience  a  caring 
neighborhood.  And  the  members  of 
the  family  of  faith  are  actively  in- 
volved in  helping  young  people  suc- 
ceed and  in  providing  a  caring, 
encouraging  environment. 

A  family  of  faith  is  a  group  of  peo- 
ple who  are  brought  together  by 
common  interests  and  goals.  They 
share  common  values  and  moral 
standards.  They  may  live  in  the 
same  neighborhood  or  town.  They 
care  about  each  other  and  support 
and  encourage  one  another.  They 
empower  each  other  to  accomplish 
personal  objectives.  And  what  is 
most  important,  they  share  a  com- 
mon faith  in  God  and  in  His  Son, 
Jesus  Christ. 

A  family  of  faith  is  a  workable  al- 
ternative to  the  household  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  to  the  extended 
family  that  was  common  in  America 
before  the  social  earthquake  of  the 
20th  century.  The  family  of  faith  is  a 
workable  model  for  the  small  group 
you  should  develop  or  join  in  your 
local  Brethren  church. 

In  my  opinion,  it  will  take  a  fami- 
ly of  faith  to  raise  a  healthy,  caring, 
and  responsible  child  in  the  world  of 
the  21st  century!  [ft] 

Dr.  Sandberg  serves  as  Executive 
Director  for  The  Brethren  Church. 


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The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Made  Lovely  by  Love 

By  Dan  Lawson 


Husbands,  love  your  wives, 
just  as  Christ  loved  the  church 
and  gave  himself  up  for  her  to 
make  her  holy,  cleansing  her  by 
the  washing  with  water  through 
the  word,  and  to  present  her  to 
himself  as  a  radiant  church, 
without  stain  or  wrinkle  or  any 
other  blemish,  but  holy  and 
blameless. 

Ephesians  5:25-27,  NIV 

WE  TALKED  last  month  about 
the  fact  that  Christ-like  love 
is  sacrificial  and  that  we  should 
examine  ourselves  before  we  find 
fault  with  our  spouse.  I  am  re- 
minded that  Christ  said  that  we 
should  first  take  the  plank  out  of 
your  own  eye,  and  then  you  will  see 
clearly  to  remove  the  speck  from 
your  brother's  eye  (Matt.  7:5,  Niv). 
This  month  I  would  like  to  look 
at  the  effects  Christ-like  love  can 
have  on  marriage.  To  fully  under- 
stand what  this  love  can  do  for  our 
marriages,  let's  first  look  at  what 
Christ's  love  has  done  for  us  as 
individuals. 

His  love  makes  us  holy 

Holiness  is  the  result  of  God's 
choosing  us,  not  the  basis  of  that 
choice.  What  this  means  is  that  we 
do  not  have  to  live  up  to  His  ex- 
pectations in  order  for  Him  to 
choose  us  as  His  children. 

When  I  invite  non-Christians  to 
attend  church  services,  they  often 
make  the  excuse  that  they  will 
come  as  soon  as  they  "clean  up 
their  lives."  In  other  words,  they 
believe  that  they  have  to  earn  the 
right  to  come  before  God.  Deep 
down  inside  they  feel  that  they  are 
not  good  enough  to  come  to  church 
and  to  seek  God's  blessing. 

What  they — and  all  of  us — need 
to  understand  is  that  we  are  made 
holy  not  because  of  what  we  do, 
but  because  God  loves  us.  I  am  not 


holy  because  I  go  to  church  and 
read  the  Bible.  I  am  holy  because 
Jesus  has  made  me  so  by  sacrific- 
ing Himself  for  me. 

Let  me  illustrate  it  this  way: 
While  I  was  in  Chicago  recently,  I 
saw  an  exhibition  of  art  work.  To 
me,  this  art  was  a  conglomeration 
of  junk  thrown  together  and  la- 
beled "art."  I  saw  absolutely  no 
value  in  it.  Yet  it  sold  for  thou- 
sands of  dollars! 

'When  we  read  that  a  hus- 
band is  to  love  his  wife  as 
Christ  loved  the  church, 
we  can  begin  to  under- 
stand that  it  is  the  hus- 
band's love  which  makes 

his  wife  lovely." 

V_ y 

Now  I  ask  you,  what  is  it  about  a 
pile  of  junk  that  makes  it  worth 
thousands  of  dollars?  Obviously,  it 
is  worth  that  much  only  if  some- 
one is  willing  to  pay  that  much  for 
it.  Therefore  it  can  be  argued  that 
it  is  not  the  item  itself  which  is 
valuable.  Rather,  the  person  who 
buys  it  assigns  value  to  it. 

Let's  take  this  argument  back  to 
our  concept  of  holiness.  We  can 
now  understand  that  it  is  not  what 
we  do  that  makes  us  holy,  but 
rather  the  fact  that  Jesus  was  will- 
ing to  give  His  life  for  us. 

A  successful  marriage 

Similarly,  when  we  apply  this 
concept  to  our  text,  we  begin  to 
understand  the  basis  for  a  success- 
ful marriage.  When  we  read  that  a 
husband  is  to  love  his  wife  as  Christ 
loved  the  church,  we  can  begin  to 
understand  that  it  is  the  hus- 
band's love  which  makes  his  wife 
lovely.  She  is  not  responsible  to 
"earn"  his  love  in  order  to  be  con- 


sidered lovely.  Instead,  he  should 
freely  give  his  love,  just  as  Christ 
loves  the  church. 

It  has  been  said  that  every  man 
wants  a  "trophy  babe"  on  his  arm 
so  that  he  can  be  the  envy  of  every 
other  man.  But  the  truth  about 
this  illusion  is  that  beauty  is  only 
skin  deep.  This  means  that  in  a 
Christian  marriage  we  do  not 
marry  simply  because  of  physical 
beauty,  although  that  can  be  a 
wonderful  benefit.  Rather,  we 
marry  because  of  love.  And  it  is 
not  a  ravishing  body  that  makes  a 
wife  beautiful  to  a  godly  husband, 
but  rather  she  is  beautiful  because 
he  loves  her.  It  is  his  love  for  her 
that  gives  her  worth  in  his  eyes. 

His  love  makes  us  blameless 

Not  only  has  the  love  of  Christ 
made  us  holy  and,  therefore,  wor- 
thy in  His  sight,  but  Christ's  sacri- 
ficial love  on  the  cross  has  also 
made  us  blameless.  What  this 
means  is  that  when  God  looks  at 
us,  He  does  not  see  the  sins  and 
faults  that  we  really  have,  but  in- 
stead, He  sees  only  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ. 

Too  often  in  marriage  we  con- 
sciously or  subconsciously  keep  a 
running  log  of  all  our  mate's  faults. 
Consequently,  when  we  get  into  an 
argument  with  our  spouse,  we  tend 
to  grab  this  log  and  use  it  as  a  club 
with  which  to  bludgeon  the  one  we 
claim  to  love. 

But  instead  of  doing  this,  we 
need  to  let  the  Christ-like  love 
that  is  in  us  cover  all  the  faults  of 
the  one  we  love.  When  we  do  this, 
we  will  no  long  be  able  to  see  our 
mate's  faults.  We  will  only  see  the 
brilliancy  of  love.  [ft] 


Dr.  Lawson  is  senior  pastor  of  the 
Jefferson  Brethren  Church,  Goshen, 
Ind.  This  is  one  of  a  series  of  arti- 
cles in  which  he  applies  Bible  truths 
to  our  personal  lives. 


November  1998 


Thanksgiving 

Meal 

With  a 

Purpose 

(Making 

One  Big  Family 

Out  of 

Little  Ones) 

By  Marlene  LeFever 


When  you  give  a  luncheon  or 
dinner,  do  not  invite  your  friends, 
your  brothers  or  relatives,  or 
your  rich  neighbors;  if  you  do, 
they  may  invite  you  back  and  so 
you  will  be  repaid.  But  when  you 
give  a  banquet,  invite  the  poor,  the 
crippled,  the  lame,  the  blind,  and 
you  will  be  blessed. 

—  words  from  the  Master 

THIS  HOSPITALITY  IDEA  is  not 
just  intended  to  encourage  a 
group  of  friends  to  have  a  dandy  time 
together.  Instead  it  is  designed  to 
meet  one  of  the  following  objectives: 

•  To  give  Christians  a  tool  to  reach 
out  to  our  unbelieving  friends  and 
neighbors,  to  open  the  possibility 
of  Jesus  Christ  to  them  through  a 
planned  hospitality  event  in  our 
home  or  church. 

•  To  grow  friendships  among  church 
people  through  a  hospitality  event 
in  our  home  or  the  church,  build- 
ing up  the  family  of  God. 

Objective:  Singles,  small  fami- 
lies, and  foreign  families  without 
Thanksgiving  traditions  will  com- 
bine resources  at  a  Thanksgiving 


meal.  Together  everyone  will  praise 
God  for  His  bounty  this  year. 

Basic  idea:  Everyone  will  provide 
one  dish  to  add  to  the  Thanksgiving 
meal;  the  host  family  will  supply  the 
turkey.  By  combining  resources,  the 
meal  will  not  be  expensive. 

My  husband  Jack  and  I  decided  to 
go  through  the  church  directory  and 
invite  all  the  singles,  foreign  fami- 
lies, and  small  families.  We  figured 
nearly  everyone  would  have  a  place 
to  go  already,  so  we  could  safely 
invite  as  many  as  we  wanted  to. 

We  were  flabbergasted  when  the 
calls  began  to  arrive! 

"Thanks  so  much,"  a  woman  from 
Australia  said.  "We'll  all  come.  We 
were  wondering  how  Americans  did 
this  holiday,  but  we  never  thought 
we'd  be  able  to  find  out." 

"I'll  be  there  with  the  kids,"  an- 
other woman  said.  "I  didn't  have 
money  for  the  trip  to  my  folks'  place 
in  Georgia.  It's  great  to  have  some- 
thing special  to  do  close  to  home." 

A  guy  announced  that  he'd  bring 
real  mashed  potatoes.  "I  was  feeling 
a  little  family-less,"  he  said. 


This  Thanksgiving  party  is  the  only 
one  we've  had  where  I  have  no  idea 
how  many  people  actually  showed 
up.  It  was  in  the  neighborhood  of 
sixty,  give  or  take  a  dozen  kids. 
When  the  crowd  filled  our  place, 
Diana,  the  neighbor  across  the  hall, 
opened  her  doors  for  the  overflow. 
Then  the  lady  upstairs  opened  her 
place.  Thank  goodness  we  lived  in 
an  apartment  building!  A  house 
would  never  have  been  big  enough. 

Nametags:  A  must!  Ours  were 
little  drawings  of  fat  pilgrims.  Each 
said,  "In  case  you've  forgotten,  I'm 
(person's  name). 

Choral  Reading:  Before  the  meal, 
we  gave  all  readers  a  copy  of  a 
Thanksgiving  choral  reading.  We 
had  contacted  a  few  friends  before 
the  meal,  and  they  were  ready  with 
short  personal  statements. 

Host:  Lord,  You  have  poured  out 
amazing  blessings  on  this  land!  You  have 
poured  down  your  blessings  on  the  land 
and  it  yields  its  bountiful  crops. 

All:  Lord,  You  have  poured  out  amaz- 
ing blessings  on  this  land!  Now  bring  us 
back  to  loving  You. 

Friend:  Oh  come,  let  us  sing  to  the 
Lord!  Give  a  joyous  shout  in  honor  of 
our  God! 

All  sing:  "Come,  Ye  Thankful  People, 
Come." 

Hostess:  God  said,  "What  I  want  from 
you  is  your  true  thanks." 

Friend:  Father,  I  thank  You  because  .  .  . 
(This  person  should  complete  the  sen- 
tence with  a  personal  reason  for  thanking 
the  Lord  this  year.) 

All:  Sing  your  praise  accompanied  by 
music  from  the  harp.  Let  the  cornets  and 
trumpets  shout!  Make  a  joyful  symphony 
before  the  Lord,  our  King!  Let  the  sea  in 
all  its  vastness  roar  with  praise!  Let  the 
earth  and  all  those  living  on  it  shout, 
"Glory  to  the  Lord." 

Friend:  Glory  to  the  lord!  Let  the  waves 
clap  their  hands  in  glee,  and  the  hills  sing 
out  their  songs  of  joy  before  the  Lord. 

Friend:  Father,  I  praise  You  because  . . . 

Friend:  Glory  to  the  Lord. 

Friend:  Father,  I  praise  You  because  . .  . 

All:  Sing  the  doxology,  perhaps  to  one 
of  the  newer  melodies,  as  the  Thanksgiv- 
ing prayer. 

And  then  we  ate!  There  was  more 
than  enough  for  all.  Jack  had  made 
two  turkeys,  and  their  total  forty 
pounds  was  perfect.  Actually,  with 
all  the  great  things  others  brought, 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


I  don't  think  anyone  would  have 
minded  if  we  had  run  out  of  turkey. 

Some  of  our  neighbors  were  older 
women  who  were  spending  the  holi- 
days with  their  children.  When  they 
heard  about  our  enormous  party, 
four  people  offered  their  door  keys 
and  ovens  even  though  they  would 
not  be  able  to  attend. 

Don't  skip  a  little  Thanksgiving 
program  and  head  immediately  for 
the  turkey.  For  four  years,  I  planned 
a  Thanksgiving  in  September  for  a 
group  of  Christians  from  developing 
nations  who  were  in  the  States  for 
training.  The  first  year,  I  figured  I'd 
be  busy  with  the  food  so  I  suggested 
a  friend  handle  the  Thanksgiving- 
specific  stuff. 

She  prayed  and  thanked  God  for 
the  food.  For  the  foreign  guests,  the 
meal  was  just  a  big  American  spread. 
They  never  heard  about  its  history 
or  its  significance  to  Americans  and 
Canadians,  or,  most  especially,  the 
added  significance  Christians  give 
to  it.  They  stuffed  themselves,  fol- 
lowing our  example,  I'm  sure.  But 
they  never  were  rewarded  spiritual- 
ly. The  next  three  years,  I  gave  the 
food  to  friends  to  prepare  and  I  han- 


Pilgrim  Scavenger  Hunt 

Here's  the  scavenger  hunt  list  we 
used.  It  is  adapted  to  the  area  in  which 
we  lived — about  two  blocks  from  a  rail- 
road track  in  a  suburban  community. 
Change  anything  you  couldn  't  find  in 
your  community. 

1 .  One  wild  turkey  feather  or  unreason- 
able facsimile. 

2.  A  Pilgrim's  Pet  Rock.  Be  prepared  to 
demonstrate  a  trick  it  can  do. 

3.  Ten  different  types  of  leaves  from 
the  dense  forests  here  abouts. 

4.  One  forked  stick  that  would  be  per- 
fect for  killing  snakes. 

5.  One  piece  of  post-Indian  litter. 

6.  One  hat  camouflaged  to  avoid  detec- 
tion in  hostile  Indian  territory. 

7.  One  coin  of  this  kingdom. 

8.  One  Thanksgiving  carol  sung  before 
a  neighbor's  house.  Have  astonished 
neighbor  sign  his/her  name  here  (not 
that  Pilgrims  are  not  to  be  trusted!). 


9.  One  musket  ball  or  one  round  button. 

10.  Any  tree's  berry. 

1 1 .  Any  small  weed — roots  and  all — 
that  grows  down  by  the  iron  horse's 
tracks. 

12.  A  four-line  poem  in  rhyming  cou- 
plet about  Thanksgiving. 

13.  Number  of  steps  around  our  settle- 
ment (this  block). 

14.  Piece  of  wood  to  add  to  winter's 
fuel  supply. 

15.  A  friendly  hello  to  a  Pilgrim 
stranger  on  the  street.  Name  of  the 
thrilled  person. 

16.  Names  of  all  churches  within  five 
minutes  of  our  front  door. 

17.  Scalp  count — one  gray  hair,  one  red 
hair,  one  blond  hair,  one  brown  hair. 

18.  Scout  around — one  thumbprint  in  a 
mud  ball. 

19.  Pilgrim  panic — something  growing 
outside  that  you  could  eat  in  a  pinch. 

20.  Anything  that  rhymes  with  pie — 
and  come  back  for  dessert! 


died  the  program.  Thanksgiving  is  a 
concept  I'd  like  to  share  with  friends 
around  the  world. 

Pilgrim  Scavenger  Hunt:  In  be- 
tween the  main  course  and  the  des- 
sert, we  needed  to  clear  dozens  of 
people  out  of  the  apartments  for  a 


WCST   WCRH    WHAG   WJEJ    WJTM    WWJD   WQCM    WAYZ 
WDJD     WARX     WDJS     WCKY     WETA     WFRE     WARK     WWMD 


THREE  of  the  above  are  not  radio 
or  television  stations.  Can  you  find 
them?  One  of  these  "call  letters"  has 
become  quite  popular  in  Christian  cir- 
cles. You  see  the  letters  on  T-shirts, 
key  ring  medallions,  bracelets,  and 
necklaces.  They  form  an  acrostic  for 
"What  Would  Jesus  Do?" 

A  book  of  fiction  based  on  this  ques- 
tion became  a  classic  in  Christian  liter- 
ature. Called  In  His  Steps,  it  has  been 
read  by  millions  in  its  100-year  history. 
By  asking  the  question,  people  gener- 
ally have  been  helped  in  making  good 
decisions  and  in  becoming  more  con- 
siderate, helpful,  selfless,  and  upright. 

For  all  of  its  benefits,  however,  the 
question  (or  rather  the  approach  to  eth- 
ical decisions  based  on  the  question) 
has  its  limitations.  The  simple  truth  is 
that  we  don't  always  know  what  Jesus 
would  do  in  any  given  situation.  Who 
could  have  predicted  that  He  would 
make  a  leather  whip  and  drive  out 
sheep  and  oxen  from  the  temple  and 
upset  the  tables  of  moneychangers? 


Jesus  didn't  always  do  what  we  might 
consider  to  be  nice,  kind,  considerate, 
and  helpful.  Sometimes  He  used  harsh 
words  on  people  and  called  them 
names  to  their  faces! 

So  I  have  added  two  other  stations' 
"call  letters"  to  the  list:  WDJD  and 
WDJS.  "What  Did  Jesus  Do?"  "What 
Did  Jesus  Say?"  It  seems  to  me  that  a 
careful  consideration  of  Jesus'  actions 
and  words  might  afford  us  a  more  reli- 
able basis  for  ethical  decisions  than  the 
more  subjective  approach  of  WWJD? 

I  am  under  no  delusion  that  my  sug- 
gested "call  letters"  will  replace 
WWJD  or  that  they  will  make  it  to  the 
commercial  market  of  T-shirts  or 
bracelets.  But  I  hope  they  help  us  to 
think  more  deeply  about  the  basis  of 
ethical  formulations.  If  we  know  more 
clearly  WDJD  and  WDJS,  we  will 
more  likely  know  WWJD. 

—  Dr.  Brian  Moore 

Dr.  Moore  pastors  the  St.  James.  Md., 
Brethren  Church.  This  article  first  appeared  in 
the  church's  newsletter.  Used  with  permission. 


few  minutes  so  we  would  have  space 
to  reorganize.  So  the  entire  group  was 
divided  into  Pilgrim  Scavenger  Hunt 
groups.  Children  were  all  included. 

For  some  adults,  especially  those 
without  kids,  it  was  the  first  time 
they  had  worked  hand  in  hand  with 
youngsters.  It  was  fun  to  see  these 
randomly  chosen  people  become  com- 
petitive, enthusiastic  groups.  They 
all  left  cheering  and  insisting  that 
their  group  would  be  back  first  with 
all  the  items  needed  to  win  the  Pil- 
grim Scavenger  Hunt  (see  box  above). 

I  had  the  first  group  that  came 
back  show  what  they  had  collected, 
then  I  awarded  them  each  a  choco- 
late turkey.  But  people  from  the  los- 
ing groups  were  still  complaining 
months  later  that  they  had  written 
wonderful  rhyming  couplets  and 
had  developed  excellent  rock  tricks 
that  they  hadn't  had  an  opportunity 
to  show  off.  So  if  you  copy  our 
Thanksgiving  party,  don't  copy  our 
mistake.  Wait  until  all  groups  are 
back,  and  then  allow  creative  people 
from  each  group  to  share  what  they 
have  done.  [ft] 

Reprinted  from  Parties  With  a  Purpose: 
Laying  the  Groundwork  for  Discipleship  & 
Evangelism  by  Marlene  LeFeuer,  Cook 
Ministry  Resources.  Ms.  LeFeuer  is  Di- 
rector of  Church  Relations  for  David 
C.  Cook  Church  Ministries.  She  is  also 
author  of Creative  Teaching  Methods  and 
Learning  Styles.  Used  by  permission. 
(Article provided  by  the  publisher.) 


November  1998 


Celebrating  the  Birth  of  Two 

Grace  Community  Church 


IT  WAS  9:30  a.m.  on 
Sunday,  September  27, 
1998,  at  Armel  Elemen- 
tary School  in  Winches- 
ter, Virginia,  site  of  the 
grand  opening  of  Grace 
Community  Church.  A 
year's  worth  of  prayer 
and  preparation  was  on 
the  line  as  core  members 
of  the  new  congregation 
waited  in  eager  expecta- 
tion to  see  what  kind  of 
church  would  be  born. 

Everything  was  in 
place:  the  sound  and  band 
equipment,  the  lights,  the  informa- 
tion table,  the  bookstore,  and  the 
signs  out  on  the  highway.  Adventure 
Land,  a  ministry  for  children  from 
kindergarten  through  fifth  grade, 
was  set  up  and  ready.  The  technical 
team  (which  operates  the  computer 
graphics,  stage  lights,  sound,  and 
video)  was  ready  to  go.  Greeters 
were  in  place  from  the  parking  lot  to 
the  auditorium,  where  background 
music  was  playing  softly. 

The  questions  on  everyone's  mind 
were  these:  Had  we  read  the  com- 
munity correctly?  Were  we  respond- 
ing to  the  community's  real  issues? 
We'd  know  soon  enough. 

In  the  weeks  prior  to  this  day  we 
had  mailed  18,000  postcards  to  peo- 
ple in  neighborhoods  in  and  around 
Winchester.  The  cards  invited  people 
to  a  church — a  church  that  would 
love  them  for  who  they  are;  a  church 
that  would  offer  God's  unconditional 
love.  And  now  we  waited. 


About  9:40  cars  began  to  arrive. 
The  first  contained  some  Brethren 
well-wishers  from  the  Southeastern 
District.  Then  came  people  who 
were  there  for  the  first  time.  By 
10:05  a.m.  there  were  130  people  in 
the  school — 110  adults  and  20  chil- 
dren— ranging  in  age  from  six 
months  to  92  years. 

The  worship  service  began  with  a 
video  of  core  members  talking  about 
what  had  drawn  them  to  Grace 
Community  Church.  Then  the  band 
opened  with  a  Russ  Taff  song,  fit- 
tingly named  "The  Winds  of 
Change."  Following  the  song,  Pastor 
Mike  Woods  wel- 
comed all  who  were 
present,  and  then  the 
Grace  Band  moved 
into  praise  music. 

An  offering  was 
then  taken,  preceded 
by  this  comment:  "If 
this  is  3'our  first  Sun- 


day at  Grace  Community, 
we  ask  you  not  to  give 
and  instead  to  accept  this 
service  as  our  gift  to  you." 
Heather  Scott  sang  a 
Margaret  Becker  song, 
"Honesty,"  as  the  offering 
was  being  received^ 

A  drama  followed — a 
monologue  written  and 
presented  by  Chris  Scott 
entitled  "I'm  Still  Trying, 
Dad."  It  told  of  a  son's 
struggle  to  live  up  to  his 
dad's  expectations  even 
after  the  dad  had  died. 
Then  Pastor  Wood  taught  a  message 
entitled  "Measuring  Up,"  which 
dealt  with  the  contrast  between  per- 
forming for  God  versus  accepting 
His  grace. 

Perhaps  the  most  wonderful  part 
of  the  morning  was  the  way  in 
which  the  newcomers  stayed  and 
stayed  following  the  service.  Many 
new  friendships  were  formed  that 
day.  The  comments  that  were  made 
after  the  service  seemed  to  center 
on  one  theme:  "Thanks  for  having  a 
church  where  I  can  come  as  I  am 
and  meet  God!"  [ft] 

—  Rev.  Mike  Woods,  Pastor 


New  Churches,  New  Life 


One  of  the  most  treasured  memories  of  a  parent  is  the  mem- 
ory of  the  birth  of  a  child.  This  past  month  I  had  the  privilege 
to  be  present  at  two  very  special  births;  the  birth  of  Grace 
Community  Church  in  Winchester,  Virginia,  on  September  27 
and  the  birth  of  Rock  Springs  Community  Church  in  Vista, 
California,  on  October  4. 

The  excitement  surrounding  these  two  events  was  felt  by  all 
who  took  part.  The  pace  of  the  day  was  set  in  the  pre-dawn 
hours  during  the  set  up  of  the  portable  places  of  worship.  At 
both  locations  the  core  teams  moved  with  precision  and  speed, 
as  buildings  designed  for  the  education  of  minds  were  trans- 
formed into  houses  of  worship  for  the  transformation  of  hearts. 

From  my  perspective,  the  most  precious  aspect  of  the  birth 
of  the  two  churches  was  the  absolute  dependency  of  the  core 
members  on  the  power  of  God's  Holy  Spirit.  Two  churches, 
two  circles  of  prayer,  one  mind  and  heart:  "God,  we  are  gath- 
ered as  you  have  called  us,  to  worship  and  minister  to  those 
whom  you  love.  Holy  Spirit  come  with  power." 

The  sense  of  expectancy  was  exhilarating.  One  could  not 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


New  Brethren  Congregations 

Rock  Springs  Community  Church 


:*^1 


CK  SPRINGS 

Mmunity     C//URCH 


YEA  GOD!  On  October  4,  1998, 
God  drew  exactly  200  people  to 
the  birth  of  Rock  Springs  Commu- 
nity Church.  God's  heart  for  lost 
people  was  evident  as  Carolyn,  Kim- 
berly  Errol,  and  Lance  responded  to 
God's  invitation,  presented  by  Pas- 
tor Jim,  to  accept  Christ.  To  date, 
11  others  have  also  prayed  to  re- 
ceive Him.  God  is  up  to  something! 
Birth  Sunday  was  one  big  Kodak 
moment!  Let  me  paint  the  picture. 
The  unifying  theme  was  "How  to 
Get  Off  the  Performance  Tread- 
mill." The  service  opened  with  four 
people  sitting  on  stools,  center  stage, 


escape  the  realization  that  what  was  happening  was  not  about 
those  involved,  but  solely  about  the  One  in  whose  name  they 
had  gathered.  Worship  was  exciting,  inspiring.  God  was  pres- 
ent, inhabiting  the  praises  of  His  people.  The  numbers  were 
exciting  as  well:  a  total  of  more  than  300  people  at  the  two 
locations! 

The  dedication  and  commitment  of  both  core  teams  was  the 
embodiment  of  what  we  say  we  are  about  as  Brethren — the 
priesthood  of  all  believers.  God  has  called  and  equipped  some 
incredibly  talented  people  to  serve  these  two  new  churches. 
Beyond  their  talent  is  the  unmistakable  evidence  of  their  pas- 
sionate love  for  their  Lord  and  His  church.  That  love  is  con- 
tagious. I  pray  that  it  permeates  every  district  and  every  con- 
gregation in  The  Brethren  Church. 

I  believe  that  these  two  "birthdays"  are  simply  a  taste  of 
what  God  desires  to  do  among  the  Brethren.  God  has  prepared 
and  sown  seeds  of  ministry  to  be  discovered  and  nurtured  by 
His  people  (Eph.  2:10).  I  look  forward  with  great  anticipation 
to  the  new  life  God  will  breath  into  His  people  and  His 
church.  I  think  we  ought  to  get  ready  to  celebrate! 

—  Rev.  David  West,  Director  of  United  States  Missions 


illuminated  only  by  spotlights.  Two 
vocalists  accompanied  by  two  acous- 
tic guitars  sang  a  contemporary 
song  by  Kim  Hill— "Black  Shirts." 
Then  the  house  lights  came  on  and 
Jamie  Zile,  our  youth  director, 
warmly  welcomed  guests,  drawing 
their  attention  to  an  11"  by  17" 
"connection  points"  flyer  informing 
them  of  the  many  ways  they  could 
get  involved  at  Rock  Springs. 

The  house  lights  were  again  low- 
ered, and  Stephanie  Boyd  and  the 
band  took  over.  They  played  five 
powerful 
songs  that 
focused  on 
our  awe- 
some God 
and  His 
great  love. 
Jamie 
was  again 
in  the  spot- 
light as  he 
read  Psalm 
8:3-4  and 
Romans 
8:35,  37-39 
from  the  New  Living  Bible.  Then 
followed  a  poignant  drama  entitled 
Driven,  about  a  man  enslaved  on  a 
performance  tread- 
mill who  was  destroy- 
ing his  family.  The 
drama  ended  with  the 
band  playing  "Slow 
Down"  in  the  back- 
ground as  a  little  girl 
sat  on  a  couch  in  the 
foreground,  watching 
the  clock  and  waiting 
for  her  daddy. 

The  drama  hit 
home,  and  God  opened 
many  hearts  to  hear 
His  word,  as  Pastor 
Jim  presented  the 
message.  Near  the 
end  of  that  message, 
Stephanie  played  a 
song  she  had  writ- 
ten— "Into  Your  Arms" 
— and  Jim  spoke  be- 
tween   each    chorus, 


calling  people  to  repent  from  their 
drivenness  and  to  find  significance 
in  God.  People  repented  and  four 
prayed  to  receive  Christ.  Jamie  an- 
nounced next  week's  topic  and  the 
band  ended  the  service  with  a  jam- 
min'  tune  entitled  "He  Arose!" 

Since  that  Sunday,  ten  adults 
have  expressed  an  interest  in  our 
one-on-one  discipleship  program. 
Several  small  groups  have  begun 
meeting,  and  several  more  will 
begin  in  the  next  few  weeks.  And  we 
have  more  small-group  leaders  than 


we  need!  God  is  up  to  something  in 
The  Brethren  Church! 

Pray  for  Rock  Springs  as  we  begin 
a  class  to  help  guests  decide,  "Is 
This  Church  for  Me?"  Pray  for  us 
also  as  we  seek  additional  staff. 

Because  we  are  reaching  so  many 
non-Christian  and  unchurched  peo- 
ple, it  will  be  some  time  before  they 
develop  the  discipline  of  tithing. 
Therefore  we  are  dependent  on  out- 
side supporters  like  you.  We  are 
praying  specifically  for  one  person 
who  will  make  a  3-year  commit- 
ment to  help  us  with  rent — $1,500  a 
month  for  one  year;  $1,000  a  month 
the  second  year;  and  $500  a  month 
the  third  year. 

"Impossible!"  you  say.  You're  right! 
That's  exactly  why  we're  asking. 
Man  accomplishes  the  possible.  God 
accomplishes  the  impossible.  And  He 
wants  to  do  just  that  through  The 
Brethren  Church  .  .  .  and  perhaps 
through  someone  like  you!  [ft] 

—  Rev.  Jim  Boyd,  pastor 


November  1998 


Brethren  World  Relief 


r 


X* 


World  Relief: 
Churches  helping  churches  meet  human  need 

by  Reilly  R.  Smith 


"\ 


J 


WORLD  RELIEF  is  the  relief, 
development,  and  disaster  re- 
sponse arm  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion of  Evangelicals.  World  Relief 
represents  Bible-believing  churches 
all  across  the  United  States  in  their 
concern  for  people  in  need.  World 
Relief  brings  the  social  implications 
of  the  gospel  to  bear  on  human 
needs  in  the  United  States  and 
around  the  world. 

Immediate  help  in  crisis 

World  Relief  offers  immediate 
help  to  people  in  crisis — people  fac- 
ing famine,  starvation,  disease,  war, 
displacement,  etc.  World  Relief  also 
works  hard  to  help  people  prevent 
crisis  and  find  permanent  solutions 


to  crises.  World  Relief  work  includes 
business,  agriculture,  medical  clin- 
ics, safe  drinking  water,  and  other 
community-development  projects. 

In  addition,  World  Relief  responds 
to  natural  disasters.  Recently,  the 
mayor  of  Miami-Dade  County,  Flor- 
ida, named  World  Relief  as  one  of 
the  main  agencies  the  county  would 
use  to  send  humanitarian  aid  to  vic- 
tims of  Hurricane  Georges  in  the 
Caribbean,  because  of  World  Reliefs 
excellent  track  record  in  providing 
relief.  (See  next  page. ) 

World  Relief  is  churches  helping 
churches.  World  Relief  works  through 
local  churches,  helping  them  meet 
human  needs  in  their  own  commu- 
nities  in   the   United   States   and 


Cambodian  children  turn  their  hearts  toward  Jesus 

More  than  4,000  Cambodian  children 
have  turned  their  hearts  toward  Jesus 
because  of  a  World  Relief  program  that 
teaches  them  how  to  have  healthy  bodies 
and  spotless  hearts. 

After  decades  of  war  and  violence, 
Cambodia  now  has  the  highest  childhood 
death  rate  in  East  Asia.  In  an  effort  to 
reduce  that  number,  World  Relief  workers 
are  using  puppets,  skits,  and  songs  to 
entertain  children  while  illustrating  how 
to  prevent  some  of  the  deadly  illnesses. 

During  these  weekly  presentations  in 
the  squatter  areas  of  Phnom  Penh,  the 
children  also  learn  about  the  God  who 
made  them,  loves  them,  and  wants  a  rela- 
tionship with  them.  An  overwhelming  80 
percent  of  these  children  have  indicated 
that  Jesus  is  now  in  their  hearts.  As  they 
return  to  their  homes,  they  spread  the 
message  to  their  parents  and  siblings. 

Because  most  of  these  communities 
have  no  other  Christian  presence,  World 
Relief  brings  in  church  planters  to  help 
new  believers  establish  cell  groups  in  the 
neighborhoods.  In  one  year,  six  small 
churches  have  started.  This  year  World 
Relief  is  expanding  the  program  into  an 
additional  province  to  reach  50  percent 
more  children. 


around  the  world.  World  Relief 
channels  its  resources  through 
Bible-preaching  churches  located  in 
the  area  of  need  so  that  these 
churches  can  reach  out  to  people 
with  the  gospel  of  Christ  as  they 
help  to  meet  their  needs. 

The  right  hand  of  fellowship 

Through  World  Relief,  local 
churches  in  the  United  States  ex- 
tend the  right  hand  of  fellowship 
and  help  to  local  churches  in  other 
parts  of  the  country  and  the  world. 
World  Relief  operates  through  peo- 
ple who  know  and  understand  the 
needs  of  people  in  their  own  com- 
munity. This  ensures  that  our  help 
empowers  people  instead  of  making 
them  dependent.  It  also 
ensures  that  help  comes 
from  God's  people  al- 
ready present  in  their 
community.  It  strength- 
ens the  witness  of  the 
local  church  for  Christ. 
World  Relief  is  The 
Brethren  Church  reach- 
ing out  to  Christians  to 
help  them  make  an  im- 
mediate difference  in 
the  lives  of  suffering 
people  —  a  difference 
that  often  lasts  for  eter- 
nity. Our  relationship 
with  World  Relief  dates 
back  to  the  early  sixties. 
The  Brethren  have 
been  honored  many 
times  for  our  commit- 
ment to  World  Relief. 
We  have  often  led  the 
way  among  churches  in 
denominational  giving. 
Since  its  beginning, 
Brethren  Mission  in 
India  has  been  working 
with  World  Relief. 
World  Relief  and  the 
Brethren  in  India  pro- 
vide safe  drinking  water 
in  two  cities,  free  medi- 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


^he  'Women's  Outtbol0\(ezvs(etter 

A  publication  of  the  liretfiren  Women's  Missionary  Society 


WMS 


November-December  1998 


Volume  12,  Number  2 


__..■ 


"The 

'President's 

Pen 

Dear  Ladies, 

Holiday  time  is  almost  here!  How 
fast  the  summer  went!  Thanksgiv- 
ing! A  wonderful  time  of  year  to  give 
thanks.  But  where  do  we  start?  We 
have  so  many  things  to  be  thankful 
for;  we  just  take  for  granted  so  many 
things.  I  was  very  guilty  of  that. 

Being  able  to  walk  was  just  an 
everyday  thing  for  me — until  I  could 
not  walk  without  the  aid  of  a  walker 
or  a  cane.  Then  it  became  some- 
thing to  think  about.  Now  every 
morning  that  my  feet  touch  the 
floor,  I  say,  "Thanks,  Lord." 

I  have  had  good  results  from  the 
Gamma  Knife  procedure  and,  as  I 
write  this,  my  ability  to  walk  has  re- 
turned and  I  use  the  cane  just  for 
balance,  because  of  the  medicine 
that  makes  me  light-headed  and 
dizzy  at  times.  So  I  am  very  thank- 
ful for  doctors  and  their  medicines. 

When  American  colonies  were 
first  settled,  the  newcomers  suf- 
fered many  hardships.  They  spent  a 
lot  of  time  in  fasting  and  prayer. 
They  asked  the  Lord  to  help  them  in 
their  distress. 

In  one  of  the  Daily  Devotion  book- 
lets the  story  is  told  by  Tom  Olson 
of  NOW  magazine  that  on  one  occa- 
sion, when  some  New  England  set- 
tlers were  discussing  their  hard- 
ships, one  person  suggested  that 
they  set  aside  a  special  day  for  fast- 
ing and  prayer.  Another  man  stood 
up  and  said  they  had  been  dwelling 
too  much  on  their  problems.  It  was 
(continued  on  page  4) 


OBEDIENCE 

Devotions  given  by  Sandra  Sharp, 
Dutchtown,  at  the  Indiana  District  W.M.S.  Conference,  June  1998 

(The  W.M.S.  theme  was  Being  Obedient  Women 

The  first  letter  of  each  word  spells  BOW 

and  the  symbol  of  the  conference  was  a  ribbon  bow 


Obedience  —  simple  obedience. 

In  I  Samuel  15:22  we  read  that  "to 
obey  is  better  than  sacrifice."  There 
are  many  verses  in  scripture  that 
deal  with  the  curses  of  disobedient 
women  and  also  the  blessings  of 
obedient  women.  In  Jeremiah 
7:23-24,  God  said,  "Obey  my  voice, 
and  I  will  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  people:  and  walk  ye  in  all  the 
ways  that  I  have  commanded  you, 
that  it  may  be  well  unto  you.  But 
they  hearkened  not,  nor  inclined 
their  ear,  but  walked  in  the  counsels 
and  in  the  imagination  of  their  evil 
heart,  and  went  backward,  and  not 
forward"  (KJV). 

If  we  are  to  go  forward,  we  must 
obey.  It  is  by  obedience  that  one 
learns  to  obey.  There  are  many 
blessings  in  the  scripture  associated 
with  and  a  direct  result  of  obedi- 
ence; among  these  are  blessings  of 
prosperity,  long  life,  success,  and 
safety.  But  we  need  to  live  in  obedi- 
ence, as  it  brings  glory  to  God  and  is 
an  evidence  of  our  love  for  God. 

In  I  John  5:3  we  read,  "For  this  is 
the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his 
commandments:  and  his  command- 
ments are  not  grievous"  (KJV).  He 
became  "obedient  unto  death."  Obe- 
dience should  be  a  privilege.  It  is  not 
always  easy  to  obey,  but  God  gives 
the  power  and  strength  to  follow 
any  commandments  He  has  made 
for  us. 

In  order  to  obey  Him,  we  must 
first  know  Him.  How  do  we  know 
Him?  By  reading  His  Word  and  ac- 
cepting by  faith  the  good  news  that 
He   gave   His   only   begotten   Son, 


Jesus  Christ,  to  die  on  a  cross  as 
atonement  for  our  sins  so  we  may 
have  eternal  life. 

Once  we  know  Him,  we  should 
show  our  love  for  Him  by  obeying 
the  commands  He  has  given.  The 
greatest  among  His  many  com- 
mands is  to  '"Love  the  Lord  your 
God  with  all  your  heart  and  with  all 
your  soul  and  with  all  your  mind 
and  with  all  your  strength.'  The  sec- 
ond is  this  'Love  your  neighbor  as 
yourself  There  is  no  command- 
ment greater  than  these"  (Mark 
12:30-31,  NIV).  God  must  be  the 
first  love  of  our  life,  and  we  are  to 
love  one  another  as  He  has  loved  us. 

Before  Christ  was  taken  into 
heaven,  He  commanded  His  disci- 
ples to  go  into  all  the  world  and 
preach  the  gospel.  I  believe  this 
applies  to  us  as  Christian  women 
today.  We  are  the  light  of  the  world. 
We  are  to  go  and  let  our  light  shine 
for  Him,  whether  it  be  in  a  foreign 
country  or  to  a  neighbor  next  door. 

He  commands  that  we  are  to  be  on 
guard  and  be  alert  because  the  day 
and  the  hour  of  His  return  are  un- 
known. We  are  to  keep  watch  and  be 
ready  (spiritually  ready)  when  He 
returns.  Are  you  ready,  if  He  should 
return  today?  If  you  are  not,  I  pray 
that  you  will  receive  Him  today. 

Joy  springs  from  obedience.  To  be 
filled  with  joy  and  happiness,  we 
must  live  a  life  of  obedience  to  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  give  Him  all 
the  glory. 

A  devotional  reading  in  The  Daily 
Bread  described  a  businessman  in 
(continued  on  page  3) 


Congratulations 

and 

Qod's  Continued  ^tessings 

to  the 

9{eiv  Lebanon  Societies 

In  May  the  New  Lebanon  ladies 
celebrated  their  75th  year  of  being  a 
Women's  Missionary  Society!  Car- 
olyn Hepner  submitted  this  report. 

On  a  Sunday  afternoon,  January 
28,  1923,  Mary  Wenger  from  the 
Brethren  Church  in  Dayton  came  to 
help  the  ladies  in  the  New  Lebanon 
Brethren  Church  organize  a 
Woman's  Missionary  Society.  At  the 
time,  Mary  Wenger  was  the  national 
treasurer  of  the  W.M.S. 

On  May  7,  1998,  the  Afternoon 
W.M.S.  and  the  Evening  W.M.S.  of 
New  Lebanon,  their  guests,  and  the 
men  of  the  church  joined  together  at 
the  annual  Mother/Daughter  banquet 
to  celebrate  our  75th  anniversary. 

The  fellowship  hall  in  the  church 
was  decorated  to  commemorate  the 
occasion.  Gold  and  silver  balloons 
secured  by  gold-covered  blocks 
floated  above  the  tables.  Touches 
of  gold  were  used  throughout  the 
decorations.  Youth  in  the  church 
prepared  favors  utilizing  gold-  and 
silver-covered  chocolate  kisses.  The 
original  charter,  written  and  signed 
by  28  ladies  in  1923,  was  framed  in 
gold  and  received  a  place  of  honor 
among  the  decorations. 

The  men  of  the  church  prepared 
and  served  the  meal  for  the  ladies. 
The  chef  was  a  true  gourmet,  com- 
plete with  chefs  coat  and  hat!  The 
assistants  and  servers  wore  match- 
ing work  aprons  monogrammed 
with  The  Brethren  Church.  They  all 
were  as  efficient  as  they  were  im- 
pressive. 

Group  singing  included  "Happy  is 
the  Woman,"  the  theme  song  at  the 
1971  W.M.S.  Conference  held  in 
Ashland. 

The  ladies  were  entertained  with 
a  Celebration  in  Style,  which  was  a 
style  show  utilizing  men  in  the 
church  as  models.  The  script  was 
originated  and  narrated  by  the 
Evening  W.M.S.  And  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  everyone  present  contributed 
their  share  of  laughter  and  hilarity 
to  the  event! 

To  continue  the  theme  of  our  75th 


year,  flowers  were  presented  in  spe- 
cial recognition  of  events  experi- 
enced by  individuals  reflecting  "75." 

Each  lady  received  a  souvenir 
booklet  which,  along  with  the  pro- 
gram, included  a  brief  history  of  our 
W.M.S.  groups,  notes  taken  from 
early  minutes  of  WM.S.  meetings, 
recognition  of  past  and  present  offi- 
cers, a  memorial  page  dedicated  to 
recently  deceased  members,  and  a 
number  of  vignettes  submitted  by  the 
ladies  in  tribute  to  their  mothers. 

Many  people  contributed  to  make 
this  75th  anniversary  celebration  spe- 
cial. And,  because  of  their  participa- 
tion, 127  people  have  some  very  spe- 
cial memories  of  a  truly  gala  event. 

Carolyn  included  this  additional 
note:  The  past  two  years  the  W.M.S. 
has  honored  the  Woman  of  the 
Year  during  our  church  services  on 
Mother's  Day.  This  year  Helen 
Bowser  was  our  honoree.  She  has 
been  active  in  W.M.S.  for  over  50 
years,  holding  offices,  including 
president,  for  many  of  those  years. 
She  regularly  attended  General 
Conference  and  served  as  a  delegate 
from  our  church.  Helen  served  as 
church  treasurer  for  17  years, 
served  on  the  Library  Committee, 
and  actively  promoted  the  Scholar- 
ship Fund  created  to  provide  some 
encouragement  and  assistance  for 
our  young  people  going  to  college. 

Helen  has  been  a  Deaconess  since 
1966.  She  probably  has  served  on 
most  of  the  ministries/committees 
within  the  church  and  is  always 
ready  to  assist  with  special  projects 
in  any  way  she  can. 

A  retired  school  teacher,  Helen 
continues  to  have  much  to  con- 
tribute to  our  WM.S.  as  well  as  to 
the  church. 


NATIONAL 
BIBLE  WEEK 

November  22-29,  1998 


3/U$sionay(j 

Vincent  Edwin,  the  son-in-law  of 
Prasanth  and  Nirmala  Kumar,  is  at- 
tending Ashland  Theological  Sem- 
inary. His  wife  and  daughter,  Shanti 
and  Shirleena,  are  expected  to  join 
him  this  fall.  Pray  for  them  because 
it  is  difficult  to  get  a  passport  for 
Shirleena.  (Remember  that  Shirleena 
is  named  for  our  Shirley  Black,  but 
that  isn't  the  problem!)  Shanti  was 
born  in  Ashland,  but  the  govern- 
ment has  red  tape  for  children 
brought  into  the  U.S. 

Jose  Rivero,  national  supervisor 
of  The  Brethren  Church  in  Argenti- 
na, requested  flood  relief  from 
World  Relief.  To  this  date  they  have 
received  $15,000  and  anticipate  re- 
ceiving $30,000  in  October.  A  recent 
e-mail  from  Jose  reported  that  ini- 
tially 200  families  were  helped. 

Two  church  plants  were  birthed 
this  fall.  The  Grace  Community 
Church  in  Winchester,  VA,  with 
Mike  and  Barbara  Woods  as  the  pas- 
toral family,  began  September  27. 
October  4  was  the  birthing  Sunday 
for  the  Rock  Springs  Community 
Church  in  Vista,  CA.  Jim  Boyd  is 
the  pastor.  Jim  and  his  wife, 
Stephanie,  are  expecting  a  son, 
whose  name  will  be  Grant.  Contin- 
ue your  prayers  for  the  new  birth 
churches  as  well  as  the  soon-to-be- 
born  son. 

Additional  churches  are  in  the 
planting  stage  and  will  be  birthed  in 
1999. 


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 


See  this 


Financial  Secretary,  Joanne  Kroft, 
reported  these  totals  for  our  confer- 
ence offerings: 

Thank  offering  (designated  for 
benevolences):  $9,220.55. 

Project  offering  (designated  for 
the  South  American  Theological 
Seminary,  SATS):  $11,501.54. 

Auction  (designated  for  scholar- 
ships at  SATS):  $806.50. 

Ladies,  your  outreach  is  far! 
Thanks  for  your  gifts  which  are  an- 
other indication  of  Women  Meant  to 
Serve.  Let  us  pray  that  those  whom 
you  have  helped  will  use  their  gifts 
to  help  others. 

Please  remember  to  send  all  your 
W.M.S.  offerings  to  Joanne  Kroft — 
not  to  the  Missionary  Board,  Ash- 
land University,  Riverside,  or  the 
Seminary.  In  order  for  an  accurate 
accounting,  the  gifts  must  go 
through  the  Financial  Secretary's 
books.  Your  gifts  will  soon  reach 
their  destination;  don't  worry  that 
we  keep  your  money. 

Joanne  also  reported  that  John- 
stown III  was  the  first  society  to  re- 
turn its  completed  and  corrected 
computer  list  of  members  with 
dues!  Congratulations  and  thanks! 

Nancy  Hunn,  editor  of  the  Devo- 
tional Guide,  has  requested  infor- 
mation for  next  year's  book.  All  the 
recipes,  poems,  and  brief  inspira- 
tional messages  come  from  some- 
where, so  when  you  taste  or  read 
something  you  like,  please  send  a 
copy  to  Nancy.  She  will  welcome 
fresh  meeting  ideas  and  suggestions 
for  next  year's  writers,  too. 

The  January-February  issue  of 
the  Newsletter  will  be  the  Directory 
issue.  Please  make  sure  that  Nancy 
has  the  name,  address,  and  phone 
number  of  your  society's  officers. 

Nancy's  address  is: 

555  W.  Market  Street 
Nappanee,  IN  46550 


VISUALIZE  RENEWAL 
Thought  for  the  week 

and  the  year 

General  Conference 

1998-1999 


Obedience  (continued) 

Texas  who  often  placed  a  Bible  verse 
or  a  thought-provoking  saying  on  a 
sign  outside  his  building.  One  mes- 
sage contained  just  two  words:  "Yes, 
Lord." 

I  cannot  think  of  a  single  situation 
in  which  those  words  would  not 
work!  The  resolution  of  every  trou- 
ble we  face  today  begins  with  this 
trusting  response  to  our  Savior:  "Yes, 
Lord,  I  will  be  content;  Yes,  Lord,  I 
will  trust  You;  Yes,  Lord,  I  will  go." 

"You  can  never  go  wrong  when 
you  choose  to  obey  Christ." 


(sA 


I 


nyv* 


Dear  Ladies  of  W.M.S., 

Thank  you  for  the  lovely  picture 
that  you  gave  me  as  I  stepped  down 
from  the  treasurer's  duties.  It  is 
beautiful  and  it  will  match  my  decor 
well.  I  especially  like  the  motto, 
"Hands  to  Work,  Hearts  to  God," 
which  sums  up  the  ministry  of 
W.M.S. 

I  have  enjoyed  my  years  as  trea- 
surer. Thank  you  for  the  gift  to  re- 
mind me  of  them. 

Affectionately, 
JoAnn  Seaman 


WORLD  RELIEF 

AND 
SEWING  UPDATE 

Wow,  ladies!  What  a  terrific  quilt 
auction  we  had  at  Conference!  We 
raised  over  $800  for  scholarships  for 
the  Seminary  in  Argentina. 

A  special  thanks  to  all  those  who 
helped  with  the  quilting.  At  first  it 
didn't  look  as  if  the  quilting  would 
get  done,  but  with  a  lot  of  ladies 
working  diligently  a  lot  of  hours, 
you  made  it!  Thanks  so  much.  I 
really  appreciate  all  of  you. 

But  now,  once  again,  I  need  your 
help,  as  I  have  used  up  nearly  all  the 
quilt  squares  you  have  sent.  The 
guidelines  are  in  the  back  of  the  new 
Service  Guide,  which  was  distrib- 
uted at  Conference,  but  here  they 
are  again: 

*  Use  all  cotton  fabric 

*  The  finished  size  of  the  square 
should  be  8V2".  Please  start  with  a 
square  larger  than  8V2"  so  it  isn't 
too  small  after  doing  the  needle- 
work. The  design  should  be  small- 
er than  8". 

*  Use  some  form  of  needlework  to 
make  your  design,  cross-stitch, 
embroidery,  or  applique,  for  exam- 
ple. Don't  use  fabric  paints  and 
similar  methods.  The  needlework 
adds  to  the  beauty  of  the  finished 
project. 

*  Send  to 

Joan  Merrill 
9300  S  SR  3 
Muncie  IN  47302 
Quilt  squares  may  be  sent  at  any 
time.  They  are  used  to  make  various 
items  as  well  as  the  quilts  that  are 
auctioned  off  about  every  two  years 
at   General   Conference.    The   pro- 
ceeds are  used  for  various  mission 
projects,  depending  on  the  needs  at 
the  time  of  the  auction. 

In  the  Sej'vice  Guide,  you  will  note 
that  Riverside  Christian  School  col- 
lects Campbell  labels,  UPCs  from 
Kodak  and  Hershey  products,  and 
points  from  Betty  Crocker  products. 
The  school  staff  sends  these  items 
in  and  gets  good  quality  teaching 
aids,  etc.,  for  the  school. 
Thanks  for  all  of  your  help. 
God  bless  you, 

Joan  Merrill 
Joan's  e-mail  address  is: 
joanmerrill@juno.com 


November-December  1998 


President's  Pen  (continued) 

time,  he  emphasized,  to  focus  on 
their  blessings. 

This  man  pointed  out  that  they 
had  streams  full  of  fish,  a  forest  that 
provided  plenty  of  game,  and  their 
harvests  were  becoming  more  abun- 
dant. He  recommended  not  a  day  of 
fasting,  but  a  day  of  thanksgiving!  I 
trust  you  will  remember  your  bless- 
ings on  Thanksgiving  Day  as  you 
dig  into  your  turkey  dinner. 

Christmas  is  another  holiday  when 
we  also  need  to  remember  our  bless- 
ings. We  should  dwell  more  on  the 
birth  of  Christ  rather  than  all  of  the 
gifts  that  will  be  given  and  received. 

When  our  children  were  small,  we 
always  read  the  story  of  the  birth  of 
Christ  from  the  Bible  and  talked 
about  that  before  they  were  allowed 
to  open  any  gifts.  I  think  my  chil- 
dren still  carry  on  that  tradition 
with  their  children.  This  is  a  good 
thing  to  start  with  your  family,  if 


you  do  not  already  do  something 
similar. 

I  read  a  story  of  a  little  girl  from 
one  of  the  poor  districts  of  a  large 
city.  She  became  ill  on  Christmas 
Day  and  was  taken  to  the  hospital. 
As  she  lay  in  her  bed,  she  heard  car- 
olers singing.  She  listened  intently 
as  someone  told  how  Christ  has 
come  to  redeem  a  lost  world.  With 
childlike  faith,  she  received  the  gift 
of  salvation  by  trusting  Jesus. 

Later  she  said  to  a  nurse,  "I'm 
having  a  good  time  here.  I  know  I'll 
have  to  go  home  as  soon  as  I  am 
well,  but  I'll  take  Jesus  with  me. 
Isn't  that  wonderful  why  He  was 
born?  He  came  to  save  us." 

"Yes,"  said  the  nurse  wearily, 
"that's  an  old  story." 

"Oh,  do  you  know  about  Him,  too? 
You  didn't  look  like  you  did,"  the 
child  commented. 

"How  did  I  look?" 

"Oh,  like  a  lot  of  folks — sort  of 
glum,"  replied  the  little  girl. 


Do  we  appear  like  that  to  others? 
They  will  never  know  we  are  Chris- 
tians, if  we  look  and  act  like  that. 
Show  all  whom  you  meet  that  you 
love  the  Lord.  As  you  do  your  shop- 
ping, smile  at  those  who  care  for 
your  purchases.  People  ask  me  how 
I  can  smile  when  things  are  so  fran- 
tic at  Christmas  time.  This  is  an  op- 
portunity to  tell  them  Christ  gives 
me  the  smile!  The  clerks  are  very 
busy  at  holiday  time,  and  I  am  sure 
they  have  their  share  of  cranky  cus- 
tomers. You  be  the  smiling  one. 

Psalm  100  is  a  favorite  of  mine 
and  tells  us  that  we  are  his  "sheep" 
and  we  need  to  worship  Him  with 
joy  and  gladness.  Let's  do  that. 

I'll  write  again  in  a  few  months. 
Have  a  great  Thanksgiving  and  a 
joyous  Christmas. 

God  Bless  You, 


Shirley  Black 


%&  Zkftr's  hiding 

Dear  Friend, 

I  have  recently  re-found  Hebrews 
10:24-25,  which  says,  "And  let  us 
consider  how  we  may  spur  one  an- 
other on  toward  love  and  good 
deeds.  Let  us  not  give  up  meeting 
together,  as  some  are  in  the  habit 
of  doing,  but  let  us  encourage  one 
another — and  all  the  more  as  you 
see  the  Day  approaching"  {NTV). 

These  verses  could  be  a  three-  or 
four-point  sermon  for  some,  but  I 
will  emphasize  two  points:  meet  to- 
gether and  encourage  one  another. 
When  you  study  God's  Word  togeth- 
er in  your  monthly  devotional  meet- 
ings, you  feel  love  and  warmth  and 
gain  strength.  This  is  for  you.  Then 
you  share  the  love,  warmth,  and 
strength  with  another — that  is  out- 
reach. Briefly,  it  is  encouragement. 
Frequently  we  can't  guess  when 
someone  hurts,  but  a  smile,  a  brief 
comment,  and  a  hug  may  bring 
healing  from  hurt. 

These  verses  are  a  wonderful  com- 
plement to  one  of  our  reading  books, 
BALCONY  PEOPLE  by  Joyce  Lan- 
dorf  Heatherley.  She  writes  about 
the  gift  of  affirmation,  and  describes 


her  book  as  "the  lethal  poison  of  re- 
jection and  the  healing  antidote  of 
affirmation,"  (p.  9).  This  is  a  one- 
evening  book,  beautifully  written 
and  full  of  love  and  suggestions, 
whether  we  are  e valuators  (she  sug- 
gests that  we  change)  or  affirmers 
(more  are  needed).  I  heartily  recom- 
mend that  we  all  read  and  practice 
being  a  balconv  person. 

In  contrast  is  LEFT  BEHIND  by 
Tim  LaHaye  and  Jerry  Jenkins. 
This  is  an  exciting  story  about  those 
who  experienced  the  last  days.  The 
story  resembles  the  Bible,  but  it  is 
not  the  Bible.  This  book  is  fiction. 

We  encourage  Christian  reading. 
Exception:  Please  do  not  read  the 
devotional  articles  at  your  meetings! 
When  you  are  the  leader,  "talk"  it  to 
your  friends.  The  articles  are  inter- 
esting, but  even  more  so  when  you 
talk.  The  article  can  be  the  spring- 
board for  your  additional  thoughts 
and  personal  application. 

With  Carolyn  Hepner's  report  from 
New  Lebanon,  Pauline  Winfield  sent 
the  program  brochure  and  a  beauti- 
ful Bible  bookmark  commemorating 
their  celebration.  Let  this  account 
spur  your  thoughts  into  action.  How 
long  has  your  society  been  in  ser- 
vice? Do  you  have  members  who 
have  served  for  many  years?  Will 
you  send  a  note  about  them,  please? 


They  are  mentors  as  well  as  our  sis- 
ters in  Christ.  We  want  to  acknowl- 
edge them  and  appreciate  them. 

The  Executive  Board  met  Septem- 
ber 26  to  evaluate  the  recent  confer- 
ence and  to  plan  for  next  summer's 
conference.  Generally,  the  recent 
conference  was  outstanding.  The 
committee  ladies  were  commended 
for  their  work  and  some  have  volun- 
teered to  serve  again  next  summer! 
We  are  glad  for  their  willingness. 

Nancy  Hunn  reported  that  19 
societies  increased  in  membership 
last  year.  Those  showing  the  largest 
increase  (from  6  to  3)  are:  Gretna 
Lamplighters,  Hagerstown,  Tucson 
Evening,  Oakville,  Mulvane,  and 
Falls  City.  Seven  others  increased  by 
two  and  six  by  one.  Our  net  gain 
was  16.  WM.S.  is  not  a  dying  orga- 
nization! 

We  realize  there  are  problems 
with  the  computer  mailing  list. 
These  problems  are  not  human,  but 
glitches  in  the  system,  which  are 
being  solved. 

Remember  to  make  the  holidays 
holy! 

Your  friend, 

Joan 

Women's  Outlook  Newsletter 


Brethren  World  Relief 


Jon  Warren/World  Relief  Photo 


cal  treatment  in  Rajah- 
mundry  and  the  outlying 
villages,  and  emergency 
and  disaster  relief  sup- 
plies. Recently,  The 
Brethren  Church  in  Ar- 
gentina also  received  a 
grant  from  World  Relief 
to  help  people  whose  lives 
were  affected  by  severe 
flooding  this  past  spring. 
Many  people  receive 
Christ  as  a  result  of  the 
ministry  of  both  Brethren 
and  non-Brethren  Chris- 
tians in  the  United 
States,  India,  Argentina, 
and  other  countries 
around  the  world. 


A  Day  of  Hope 

What  is  a  Day  of  Hope? 
It  is  the  culmination  of 
praying,  devotions,  learn- 
ing, saving  spare  change  in  special 
boxes  and  giving  ourselves  and  our 
resources   for   one   month   to   help 


Last  year,  172,679  mothers  and  children  benefited  from  World 
Relief's  child  survival  programs  in  Bangladesh,  Honduras, 
Mozambique,  and  Nicaragua.  Mothers  learned  how  to  protect 
their  children  from  death  and  disease  through  immunizations, 
good  nutrition,  and  low-cost  solutions  to  potentially  fatal  child- 
hood illnesses.  Through  our  partnership  with  World  Relief,  we 
in  The  Brethren  Church  had  a  part  in  this  work. 


World  Relief  help  churches  bring 
immediate  and  eternal  hope  to  suf- 
fering people.  November  is  World 


Relief  month.  Your  church 
should  have  received  a 
packet  of  materials  to 
help  you  understand  the 
ministry  of  World  Relief. 
Ask  to  see  the  video 
presentations.  Follow 
the  eight-day  devotional 
guide.  Use  the  special 
boxes  to  save  spare 
change,  which  can  provide 
significant  help.  Read  the 
bulletin  inserts.  Pray  fer- 
vently and  give  generous- 
ly. "This  service  that  you 
perform  is  not  only  sup- 
plying the  needs  of  God's 
people  but  is  also  over- 
flowing in  many  expres- 
sions of  thanks  to  God  .... 
Thanks  be  to  God  for  his 
indescribable  gift!"  (2 
Cor.  9:12-15,  mv).  [ft] 
As  Director  of  Missionary 
Ministries  for  The  Brethren  Church, 
Rev.  Smith  oversees  the  World  Relief 
program  of  the  denomination. 


Highlights  of  World  Relief  work  last  year 

♦  34,642  parents  received  LifeLoans  in  Burkina  Faso, 
Liberia,  Mozambique,  Cambodia,  Honduras,  and  Peru, 
which  enabled  them  to  start  their  own  small  businesses 
and  better  feed,  clothe,  and  educate  their  children. 

♦  Through  partnerships  with  local  churches,  disaster  as- 
sistance was  provided  to  victims  in  Mexico,  India, 
North  Korea,  Congo,  Liberia,  Rwanda,  Sierra  Leone, 
Bosnia,  and  the  United  States. 

♦  28,125  farmers  learned  how  to  increase  their  crop 
yields  and  better  feed  their  families,  while  protecting 
the  quickly  disappearing  rain  forest;  15,099  acres  were 
reclaimed  for  future  harvests  by  enriching  the  soil. 

♦  In  the  United  States,  World  Relief  and  its  partnering 
churches  welcomed  9,300  refugees  who  had  been 
forced  to  flee  their  homes;  12,000  people  found  em- 
ployment and  2,500  participated  in  English  language 
classes. 

♦  41  homeless  American  families  were  linked  to  local 
churches  and  found  permanent  housing  and  an  ex- 
tended family  of  believers. 

By  our  contributions  to  World  Relief,  we  in  The  Breth- 
ren Church  were  part  of  all  that  was  accomplished  by 
World  Relief  during  the  past  year.  In  recognition  of  our 
partnership  in  this  work  of  helping  the  poor  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  World  Relief  presented  The  Brethren  Church 
the  Open  Hands  Award  in  March  at  the  1998  convention 
of  the  National  Association  of  Evangelicals. 

"By  working  together,  we  can  make  a  difference  and 
change  this  world  for  Jesus  Christ,"  declares  Dr.  Clive 
Calver,  president  of  World  Relief. 


The  Crisis  in  Sudan 

The  focal  point  of  relief  efforts  by  World  Relief  at  the 
present  time  is  the  African  country  of  Sudan,  where 
more  than  a  million  people  are  in  danger  of  starvation. 
Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Missionary  Ministries  for 
The  Brethren  Church,  traveled  to  Sudan  in  late  October 
with  Dr.  Clive  Calver,  President  of  World  Relief,  to  wit- 
ness first  hand  the  enormity  of  the  crisis.  Rev.  Smith  will 
report  on  the  situation  in  Sudan  in  a  special  issue  of 
Insight  into  Brethren  Missions,  to  be  published  soon. 


World  Relief  receives  "vote  of  confidence" 
from  Miami-Dade  County,  Florida 

Alex  Penelas,  mayor  of  Miami-Dade  County,  Florida, 
announced  September  29  that  World  Relief  would  be  one 
of  the  main  agencies  the  county  would  use  to  send  col- 
lected relief  goods  to  hurricane  victims  in  the  Caribbean. 

Mayor  Penelas  said  the  county  selected  World  Relief 
because  of  "its  reputation  for  work  done  with  Cuban 
rafters  and  for  World  Reliefs  management  of  programs 
at  Guantanamo  Bay."  The  mayor  was  referring  to  the 
Refugee  Transit  Home  initiated  by  World  Relief  in  1992, 
which  fed,  clothed,  and  provided  overnight  lodging  for 
more  than  12,000  Cuban  rafters,  and  to  the  lead  role 
World  Relief  played  at  Guantanamo  Bay  in  helping  the 
54,418  Cuban  and  Haitian  asylum  seekers  who  fled  their 
countries  by  boat  and  raft  in  1994. 

"Since  World  Relief  works  in,  for,  and  through  the 
local  evangelical  church,  we  feel  this  is  a  great  vote  of 
confidence  from  Miami-Dade  County,  and  we  must  not 
fail  to  respond  to  this,"  said  Tom  Willey,  World  Reliefs 
South  Florida  Area  Director. 


November  1998 


ooodjti0 


Roger  Charman  of  "Focus" 
to  speak  at  pastors  retreat 

Bradenton,  Fla.  —  Roger  Char- 
man,  manager  of  Pastoral  Min- 
istries for  Focus  on  the  Family,  will 
be  the  primary  resource  speaker  for 
the  1999  retreat  for  Brethren  pas- 
tors and  their  spouses. 

The  retreat,  to  be  held  March  2-4, 
1999,  at  the  Christian  Retreat  Cen- 
ter, Bradenton,  Fla.,  will  be  hosted 
by  pastors  of  the  Florida  District. 

The  retreat  will  include  a  time  of 
challenge  by  the  speaker,  exchange 
of  ideas,  personal  evaluation,  and 
spiritual  renewal.  Also  planned  are 
opportunities  for  relaxation,  recre- 
ation, and  friendship. 

Retreat  costs  (two  nights  lodging, 
six  meals,  and  the  program)  are:  one 
person — $125  for  shared  room;  $175 
for  private  room;  couple — $225 
($250  for  room  with  kitchenette); 
children — $40  per  child  plus  $35  for 
child  care  (for  children  potty  trained 
through  grade  5).  Registration 
forms  were  included  in  the  October 
2  issue  of  Leadership  Letter.  The 
registration  deadline  is  January  10. 

Churches  are  encouraged  to  pay 
for  their  pastors  and  pastors'  wives 
to  attend  the  retreat,  to  cover  the 
cost  of  travel,  and  to  provide  pastors 
time  off  to  attend.  By  doing  so 
churches  are  contributing  to  the 
physical,  mental,  and  spiritual  well- 
being  of  their  pastors. 

For  more  information  about  the 
retreat,  contact  Rev.  Phil  Lersch  by 
phone  at  727-544-2911  or  by  e-mail 
at  PnJLersch(g)juno.com. 

Note:  Pastors  retreat  is  between  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Evangelicals  Conven- 
tion (2/28  to  3/2  in  Orlando)  and  the  Florida 
District  Conference  (3/7),  for  those  interested 
in  attending  one  or  both  of  these  events. 


Skeldons  honored  for  25  years  pastoral 
service  to  Oak  Hill  First  Brethren  Church 


Oak  Hill,  W.  Va.  —  Rev.  Bill  Skel- 
don  and  his  wife  Gene  were  honored 
September  6  by  the  First  Brethren 
Church  of  Oak  Hill  for  their  25 
years  of  pastoral  service  to  the  con- 
gregation. 

In  honor  of 
the  occasion, 
Rev.  Skeldon 
was  given  the 
day  off.  Rev. 
Reilly  Smith, 
Director  of 
Missionary 
Ministries  for 
The  Brethren 
Church,  was 
guest  speaker 
for  the  morn- 
ing worship 
service. 

During    the 
service        the 
Skeldons  were 
given  corsages 
by    Deaconess 
Lois  Robinson. 
Deacon      Paul 
Fox   also   pre- 
sented the  pastoral  couple  a  plaque 
from   the   congregation   on   which 
were  a  clock,  a  cross,  and  an  inscrip- 
tion recognizing  the  Skeldons  for 
their  25  years  of  service  to  the  con- 
gregation. 

Following  Rev.  Smith's  message, 
Kenneth  Nuckels,  Sunday  school 
superintendent,  asked  everyone 
present  who  had  been  touched  in 
some  way  by  Pastor  Skeldon's  min- 
istry— baptism,  child  dedication, 
marriage,  or  a  soul-stirring  ser- 
mon— to  please  stand.  Few  people 
remained  seated. 

During  his  25  years  at  Oak  Hill, 
Pastor  Skeldon  has  baptized  177 
people  and  received  218  persons 
into  the  church.  He  has  also  per- 
formed 77  weddings,  dedicated  76 
children,  and  conducted  146  funer- 
als. During  23  of  these  25  years  he 
has  also  served  as  pastor  of  the 
nearby  Gate  wood  Brethren  Church. 

The  Skeldons  also  regularly  and 
faithfully  visit  homes,  hospitals,  and 
nursing  homes.  In  addition,  Mrs. 
Skeldon  teaches  the  nursery  class  in 


Sunday  school,  and  she  is  always 
available  to  lend  a  helping  hand. 

The  Skeldons'  three  sons  and 
their  families  were  present  for  the 
celebration.  A  carry-in  dinner  fol- 


Rev.  Bill  and  Gene  Skeldon  (seated)  with  their  sons  John, 
Matthew,  and  Mark  (I.  to  r),  their  daughters-in-law  Jane  (I.) 
and  Melanie  (beside  their  husbands),  and  holding  their  grand- 
daughters Suzanne  (I.)  and  Katherine.  Photo  by  Pat  LaRocco 

lowed  the  worship  service.  At  the 
dinner,  the  Skeldons  cut  a  beautiful 
cake  baked  and  appropriately  deco- 
rated for  the  occasion  by  Margaret 
Watkins. 

—  reported  by  R.  Rogusky 


Gene  Skeldon,  the  Runner 

In  addition  to  assisting  her  pastor- 
husband,  teaching  Sunday  school,  and 
working  for  Fayette  County  Child  De- 
velopment, Gene  Skeldon  (68)  is  a 
distance  runner.  In  fact,  she  is  a  very 
good  distance  runner. 

She  recently  won  the  first-place  tro- 
phy in  her  age  bracket  in  the  Charles- 
ton, W.  Va.,  distance  run  (15  miles), 
held  September  5.  She  has  run  in  var- 
ious races,  including  the  U.S.  Marine 
Corps  Marathon  in  Washington,  D.C., 
and  has  won  several  other  trophies. 

She  began  distance  running  when 
she  was  53,  at  the  suggestion  of  her 
husband,  who  is  also  a  runner.  She 
loves  it  and  hopes  to  continue  run- 
ning. She  says  it  keeps  her  healthy 
and  also  helps  her  keep  pace  with  the 
children  in  her  nursery  class.  [ft] 


10 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


ID 


AU  and  ATS  News 

Mortgages  burned 

Mortgages  on  two  buildings  were 
burned  during  the  Ashland  Univer- 
sity President's  Dinner,  held  Octo- 
ber 1.  University  officials  burned 
the  mortgage  to  the  Hawkins- 
Conard  Student  Center  and  a  sym- 
bolic mortgage  for  the  Gerber  Aca- 
demic Center  at  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  Ashland  Universi- 
ty borrowed  $6.03  million  to  finance 
the  Student  Center,  which  was  ded- 
icated October  1996.  The  mortgage 
was  paid  off  three  years  early,  sav- 
ing the  university  approximately 
$350,000  in  interest.  The  Gerber 
Academic  Center  at  the  seminary 
was  dedicated  in  May  1997.  Total 
cost  of  this  building  was  approxi- 
mately $1,350,000. 

Professor  honored 

Dr.  Jerry  R.  Flora,  Professor  of 
Theology  and  Spiritual  Formation 
at  Ashland  Theological  Seminary, 
was  recognized  for  his  25  years  of 
teaching  at  Ashland  Theological 
Seminary  during  the  Ashland  Uni- 
versity and  Seminary  academic 
gathering  this  fall.  Dr.  Flora  served 
the  Fair  Haven,  Ohio,  New  Paris, 
Ind.,  and  Washington,  D.C.,  Breth- 
ren churches  as  pastor  before  join- 
ing the  seminary  faculty.  [ft] 


John  Swope  ordained  to  Brethren  eldership 
July  19  at  the  Waterbrook  Brethren  Church 


Edinburg,  Va.  —  John  David 
Swope  was  ordained  an  elder  in  The 
Brethren  Church  and  his  wife  Cath- 
erine was  conse- 
crated as  the  wife 
of  an  elder  in  a 
service  held  Sun- 
day, July  19,  at 
the  Waterbrook 
Brethren  Church, 
where  Rev.  Swope 
serves  as  pastor. 

Dr.  Dale  Stoffer, 
Associate  Profes- 
sor of  Historical 
Theology  at  Ash- 
land Theological 
Seminary,  gave  the 
message  for  the 
service.  Brethren 
elders  Rev.  David 
Cooksey,  Director 
of  Pastoral  Min- 
istries for   The   Brethren 


Rev.  John  and  Catherine  Swope  with 
children  (I.  to  r.)  Autumn,  Zachariah  (back), 
Jeremiah,  and  Savannah. 


Church, 

and  Dr.  Brian  Moore,  pastor  of  the 
St.  James,  Md.,  Brethren  Church, 
also  participated  in  the  service. 

Freddie  Helsley,  associate  pastor 
of  the  congregation,  read  the  action 
of  the  Waterbrook  Church  calling 
for  the  ordination  of  Pastor  Swope. 
He  also  presented  Pastor  Swope  a 
Communion  set  on  behalf  of  the 
church.  Chip  Crawford  presented 
special  music  for  the  service. 

Born  March  13,  1962,  John  grew 
up  in  Bowling  Green,  Ohio,  the 
youngest  of  six  children.  He  attend- 
ed Bowling  Green  High  School, 
graduating  in  1980.  While  in  high 


Gretna  calls  Julie  Weiskittle 

Bellefontaine,  Ohio  —  Julie 
Weiskittle,  pastoral  intern  at  Gret- 
na Brethren  Church  this  past  sum- 
mer, has  been  called  by  the  church 
to  serve  on  the 
pastoral  staff. 

She  will  serve 
as  personnel  di- 
rector and  small 
group  coordina- 
tor, work  with 
the  youth,  preach 
occasional  ly, 


visit,  and  do  related  tasks.  She  came 
on  staff  September  6. 

A  "daughter"  of  the  Gretna  con- 
gregation, Ms.  Weiskittle  was  grad- 
uated this  past  spring  from  Miami 
University  (Oxford,  Ohio)  with  a 
major  in  social  work.  According  to 
Pastor  Lynn  Mercer,  the  Gretna 
Church  has  been  impressed  with 
her  high  level  of  spiritual  and  per- 
sonal maturity  and  the  enthusiastic 
way  she  accepts  whatever  ministry 
is  asked  of  her.  "We  are  so  pleased 
that  the  Lord  has  called  her  to  serve 
among  us,"  he  added.  [ft] 


school,  he  met  Catherine  Forse,  and 
they  were  married  in  1982. 
He  attended  Bowling  Green  State 
University,  receiv- 
ing a  B.S.  degree 
in  Industrial  Edu- 
cation in  1985. 
Later  that  year, 
he  and  Catherine 
moved  to  Florida, 
where  John 

taught  middle 
school  and  Cath- 
erine attended 
Florida  Interna- 
tional University, 
from  which  she 
later  received  a 
B.A.  degree.  It 
was  also  in  Flori- 
da that  their  first 
two  children  were 
born,  Zachariah 
in  1988  and  Savannah  in  1990. 

By  August  of  1990,  John  had  com- 
pleted a  Master  of  Science  degree  in 
educational  leadership  at  Florida 
International  University.  He  had 
also  received  confirmation  that  God 
was  calling  him  to  enter  seminary. 
So  in  1993  the  family  moved  to  Ash- 
land, Ohio,  where  John  and  Cather- 
ine ministered  to  youth  at  Trinity 
Lutheran  Church  while  John  at- 
tended Ashland  Theological  sem- 
inary. During  their  years  in  Ashland, 
their  second  set  of  children  was 
born,  Jeremiah  in  1994  and  Autumn 
in  1995.  John  received  his  Master  of 
Divinity  degree  from  the  seminary 
in  May  1996. 

John  came  to  The  Brethren 
Church  by  way  of  years  of  service 
and  learning  in  several  denomina- 
tions. As  a  child  he  attended  a  Meth- 
odist congregation,  but  he  became  a 
Christian  at  age  13  in  an  indepen- 
dent Congregational  church.  As  an 
adult  he  did  volunteer  ministry  in 
Presbyterian  and  Christian  church- 
es before  entering  ministry  full  time 
at  Trinity  Lutheran  in  Ashland.  He 
was  called  to  The  Brethren  Church 
through  his  experiences  at  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary  and  began 
pastoring  the  Waterbrook  Brethren 
Church  in  January  1997.  [ft] 


November  1998 


11 


^pd  th& 


Mosers  installed  at  Stockton 

Stockton,  Calif.  —  Rev.  Gregg  and 
Diane  Moser  were  installed  August 
16  as  pastor  and  pastor's  wife  of  the 
Stockton  Brethren  Church. 

Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Mis- 
sionary Ministries  for  The  Brethren 

Church, 
present- 
ed a  mes- 
sage and 
gave  the 
charge  to 
Pastor 
Moser 
and  the 
congre- 
Rev.  Gregg  and  Diane  Moser    nation 

Special  music  was  presented  by  the 
Fil-Maps  Chorale  of  Stockton  and 
by  the  chorale's  director  and  soloist, 
Enrico  Saboren.  A  lunch  followed 
the  service. 

For  Pastor  Moser,  the  Stockton 
pastorate  is  a  return  to  the  Breth- 
ren denomination.  He  served  as 
assistant  pastor  of  the  Garber 
Brethren  Church  in  Ashland  and 
then  as  pastor  of  the  Derby,  Kansas, 
Brethren  Church  before  becoming 
pastor  of  a  multi-cultural  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregation  in  Mc- 
Farland,  Calif.  His  service  in  that 
church  was  good  preparation  for  be- 
coming pastor  of  the  Stock- 
ton Church,  which  also  has 
people  from  many  cultural 
backgrounds. 

The  Fil-Maps  Chorale, 
which  sang  for  the  service,  is 
composed  of  Filipino  doctors, 
dentists,  nurses,  and  other 
professional  people  who  pro- 
mote the  culture  and  her- 
itage of  the  Philippines.  The 
chorale  practices  in  the 
Stockton  Church  building  and 
considers  the  pastor  of  the 
church  to  be  its  chaplain. 

The  Mosers  have  three  chil- 
dren, including  a  daughter, 
Ingrid,  who  is  a  missionary 
in  Bathurst,  Australia.       [ft] 


Ordination  service  for  Chris  Moellering  held 
July  12  at  Huntington  First  Brethren  Church 


Huntington,  Ind.  —  Christopher 
Paul  Moellering  was  ordained  an 
elder  in  The  Brethren  Church  and 
his  wife  Leslie 
was  consecrated 
as  the  wife  of  an 
elder  on  Sunday, 
July  12,  during 
the  morning  wor- 
ship service  of  the 
Huntington  First 
Brethren  Church, 
where  Rev.  Moel- 
lering serves  as 
pastor. 

Dr.  Lee  Solo- 
mon, Dean  of  In- 
stitutional Devel- 
opment at  Ash- 
land Theological 
Seminary,  gave  a  message  during 
the  service  from  Hebrews  12:1-3 
entitled  "Run,  Christian,  Run."  Dr. 
Solomon  and  Rev.  Ken  Hunn,  pastor 
of  the  Nappanee  First  Brethren 
Church,  performed  the  ordination 
procedures,  assisted  by  retired  pas- 
tor Rev.  Herb  Gilmer. 

Chris  was  born  (Feb.  21,  1971) 
and  raised  in  Elkhart,  Indiana, 
where  he  began  attending  the  Wind- 
ing Waters  Brethren  Church  in 
1986.  He  accepted  Christ  as  Lord 
and  Savior  on  April  27,  1987,  as  a 
result  of  the  ministry  of  Doug 
Faulkner,  who  was  then  youth  pas- 
tor at  Winding  Waters.  Following 
Chris's  conversion,  his  parents  also 


Rev.  Chris  and 


Sarver  church  building 
gets  new  roof 

Sarver,  Pa.  —  Members  of  the  Sarver 
Brethren  Church,  with  help  from  some 
Pleasant  View  Brethren  Church  members, 
replaced  the  roof  on  the  Sarver  Church 
building  on  September  19. 

By  the  grace  of  God,  they  were  able  to 
complete  the  roof  and  get  everything 
cleaned  up  just  45  minutes  before  a  severe 
thunderstorm  moved  in.  "We  praise  the 
Lord  for  His  goodness  and  for  all  who 
helped  with  this  project,"  said  church  secre- 
tary Judy  Mittica.  "Special  thanks,  also  to 
all  the  ladies  who  prepared  meals  and  to 
those  who  donated  food,"  she  added.       [ft] 


began   attending  Winding  Waters, 

and  all  three  were  baptized  together 

on    March    6,    1988,    by    Dr.    Lee 

Solomon,  who  was 

then  the  pastor. 

Soon  after  ac- 
cepting Christ  as 
Savior,  Chris 

began  to  sense  a 
call  to  Christian 
ministry.  This  call 
led  him  to  consid- 
er many  options 
over  the  next  sev- 
eral years,  includ- 
ing missionary 
service  and  youth 
ministry. 

In    the    fall    of 
Leslie  Moellering        ^^   he   entered 

Greenville  College  in  Greenville, 
111.,  as  a  youth  ministries  major.  At 
Greenville  he  met  Leslie  Brown  of 
New  Castle,  Ind.,  who  later  became 
his  wife.  In  1991  they  both  trans- 
ferred to  Ball  State  University  in 
Muncie,  Ind.,  Leslie  in  January  and 
Christ  in  September.  They  were  also 
married  that  year,  on  August  3, 
1991.  Two  years  later  Chris  gradu- 
ated cum  laude  from  Ball  State  with 
a  B.S.  degree  in  philosophy,  and 
Leslie  graduated  magna  cum  laude 
with  a  B.S.  degree  in  accounting. 

In  the  fall  of  1993,  Chris  entered 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary. 
While  in  seminary  he  served  the 
Louisville  Brethren  Bible  Church  as 
part-time  pastor  for  about  nine 
months.  On  May  1,  1996,  he  began 
serving  the  Huntington  First  Breth- 
ren Church  as  pastor,  and  later  that 
month  he  received  a  Master  of 
Divinity  degree  from  the  seminary. 

In  addition  to  his  pastoral  duties, 
Chris  serves  on  the  Indiana  District 
Christian  Education  Board  and  is 
secretary  for  the  Huntington  Minis- 
terial Association.  In  his  free  time, 
he  enjoys  camping  with  his  family 
and  bird  watching. 

Chris  and  Leslie  have  three 
daughters — Katie  (5),  Abbie  (3),  and 
Michelle  (born  this  September). 

The  ordination  service  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  carry-in  dinner  and  an 
open  house  at  the  parsonage.        [ft] 


12 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Ood  frig 


\ 


1 


Kris  Mellinger  serving  as  unit 
leader  for  Service  Adventure 

Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.  —  Kristopher  Mel- 
linger, a  member  of  Meadow  Crest 
Brethren  Church  in  Ft.  Wayne,  is 
spending  IOV2  months  (August  1998 
to  July  1999) 
serving  in  Phil- 
ippi,  W.  Va., 
with  Service 
Adventure. 

Service  Adven- 
ture provides 
post-high  school 
young  adults 
with  a  short- 
term  adventure 
in  service,  learning,  and  spiritual 
growth.  Participants  live  in  house- 
holds with  other  young  adults  and 
serve  as  volunteers  for  community 
service  organizations,  working  with 
children,  senior  citizens  or  people 
with  disabilities,  or  providing  repair 
or  secretarial  services. 

Kris  is  serving  as  a  unit  leader 
with  Service  Adventure.  As  such, 
he  is  responsible  for  providing  guid- 
ance to  the  household  living  and 
spiritual  formation  of  the  five  mem- 
bers of  his  unit.  He  gives  leadership 
to  the  members  of  his  unit  as  they 
engage  in  group  Bible  study,  explore 
social  issues,  seek  personal  growth, 
and  test  possible  career  options. 

A  1996  graduate  of  Krisman  Chris- 
tian High  School  (home  school), 
Kris  worked  as  a  cabinet  maker  for 
Furniture  by  Miller  of  Grabill,  Ind., 
before  entering  Service  Adventure. 
In  the  Meadow  Crest  Church  he  has 
been  active  as  a  youth  leader. 

He  is  the  son  of  Herman  and 
Carol  Mellinger.  Herman  is  modera- 
tor of  the  Meadow  Crest  Church, 
and  Carol  is  the  pastor's  secretary 
and  a  Sunday  school  teacher. 

Service  Adventure  is  sponsored  by 
the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Mennon- 
ite  Church  and  by  the  Commission 
on  Home  Ministries  of  the  General 
Conference  Mennonite  Church,    [ft] 


The   Brethren   Church   well-represented 
at  the  Second  Brethren  World  Assembly 


Bridgewater,  Va.  —  Brethren  from 
various  denominations  with  com- 
mon ties  to  the  Brethren  movement 
that  began  in  1708  in  Schwarzenau, 
Germany,  gathered  July  15-18  at 
Bridgewater  College  for  the  Second 
Brethren 
World  Assem- 
bly. The  theme 
of  the  event 
was  Faith  and 
Family  — 
Challenges 
and  Commit- 
ments. 

The  Breth- 
ren Church 
was  well-rep- 
resented at 
the  gathering. 
Thirty-two  of 
the  141  regis- 
tered atten- 
dants were 
from  our  de- 
nomination. 
In  addition,  a 

dozen  or  so  of  our  Brethren,  most  of 
them  from  the  Bridgewater  area,  at- 
tended one  or  more  sessions  of  the 
assembly  but  did  not  register. 

Also  attending  the  assembly  were 
representatives  from  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  (the  largest  group  and 
the  one  with  the  most  members 
present);  the  Fellowship  of  Grace 
Brethren  Churches;  the  Old  Ger- 
man Baptist  Brethren;  and  the 
Dunkard  Brethren.  A  new  Brethren 
body  also  now  exists,  the  Conserva- 
tive Grace  Brethren  Churches  Inter- 
national, a  group  of  40  to  50  congre- 
gations that  recently  separated  from 
the  Fellowship  of  Grace  Brethren 
Churches.  A  few  members  from  this 
group  were  also  present. 

The  Brethren  Church  was  also 
well-represented  among  the  partici- 
pants on  the  assembly  program.  Dr. 
Dale  Stoffer,  Associate  Professor  of 
Historical  Theology  at  Ashland  Theo- 
logical Seminary  (ATS),  served  as 
program  coordinator  for  the  assem- 
bly. He  also  was  the  "convener"  for 
one  of  the  sessions. 

ATS  professors  John  Shultz  and 
Brenda   Colijn    made   two   of  the 


major  presentations.  Dr.  Shultz  pre- 
sented a  paper  on  "Issues  Facing  the 
Family  in  Contemporary  American 
Culture,"  and  Dr.  Colijn  gave  a 
paper  entitled  "The  Faith,  the  Fam- 
ily, and  the  Family  of  Faith."  Dr. 


The  Thursday  evening  worship  service  was  held  in  the  beautiful 
sanctuary  of  the  new  $5 -million  facility  of  the  Bridgewater  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  The  congregation  moved  into  the  building  on  June 
7,  and  the  Brethren  World  Assembly  was  the  first  group  other  than 
the  congregation  to  worship  in  the  new  sanctuary. 

Joseph  R.  Shultz,  former  president 
of  Ashland  University  and  ATS,  also 
served  as  convener  for  a  session. 

Three  Brethren  Church  members 
spoke  at  worship  services.  Dr.  Rickey 
Bolden,  pastor  of  Southeast  Chris- 
tian Fellowship  in  Washington,  D.C., 
one  of  three  speakers  at  the  Thurs- 
day evening  service,  spoke  on  what 
the  church  can  do  for  the  inner  city. 
Sehor  Jose  Rivero,  president  of  The 
Brethren  Church  in  Argentina,  one 
of  the  three  speakers  at  the  Friday 
evening  service,  spoke  about  prob- 
lems among  families  in  Argentina. 
And  ATS  professor  Dr.  Jerry  Flora, 
the  only  speaker  at  the  closing  wor- 
ship service,  spoke  about  faith  that 
listens  and  faithfulness  that  obeys, 
all  in  the  context  of  family. 

Carolyn  Cooksey  (Park  Street 
Brethren  Church,  Ashland,  Ohio) 
and  Dr.  James  Hollinger  (Jefferson 
Brethren  Church,  Goshen,  Ind.) 
were  The  Brethren  Church  repre- 
sentatives on  discussion  panels  on 
the  roles  of  women  and  men  in  fam- 
ilies of  the  various  Brethren  groups. 
And  Dr.  Warren  Garner  (First  Breth- 
(continued  on  next  page) 


November  1998 


L3 


^pd  th& 


Dr.  Harold  Barnett  retires 
from  pastoral  ministry 

Mathias,  W.  Va.  —  Brethren  elder 
Dr.  Harold  E.  Barnett,  67,  retired 
October  31,  1998,  from  full-time 
pastoral  ministry.  He  and  his  wife 
Doris  have  returned  to  Lost  Creek, 
Ky.,  their  home  for  many  years,  to 
care  for  his  parents. 

During  his  45  years  of  Christian 
ministry,  Dr.  Barnett  served  Breth- 
ren churches  of  our  denomination 
in  Mansfield,  Ohio;  Johnstown,  Pa. 
(Third  Brethren);  Lost  Creek,  Rowdy, 
and  Haddix,  Ky,  and  Hagerstown, 
Md.  He  also  pastored  two  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregations,  most 
recently  the  Mathias,  W.  Va.,  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  where  he  served 
from  1991  until  his  retirement. 

In  addition,  he  was  president  of 
Riverside  Christian  Training  School, 
Lost  Creek,  Ky.  (of  which  he  was  a 
1949  graduate),  from  1959  to  1975. 
He  led  in  the  revitalization  of  the 
school,  which  was  on  the  brink  of 
closing  when  he  became  president. 
Then  in  1976  he  helped  start  Anti- 
tam  Bible  College  near  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  where  he  served  as  dean  and 
professor  from  1976-1983. 

Harold  and  Doris  (King)  were 
married  in  1953.  Doris  was  from  the 
County  Line  Brethren  Church  of 
Lakeville,  Indiana.  They  are  the 
parents  of  seven  children. 

Though  retiring  from  pastoral 
service,  Dr.  Barnett  says  that  he  and 
his  wife  will  never  retire  from 
"Christian  ministry"  [ft] 


Center  Chapel  Brethren  Church  celebrates 
centennial  anniversary  on  September  27th 


Peru,  Ind.  —  The  Center  Chapel 
First  Brethren  Church  northeast  of 
Peru,  Ind.,  celebrated  its  100th  an- 
niversary on  Sunday  September  27, 
with  a  special  morning  worship  ser- 
vice and  an  afternoon  Centennial 
Homecoming  program. 

Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Mis- 
sionary Ministries  for  The  Brethren 
Church,  spoke  during  the  morning 
service,  bringing  a  message  on  "The 
Church  at  the  Crossroads."  Rev.  Bob 
Dixon,  pastor  of  the  congregation, 
was  worship  leader  for  the  service. 

Also  participating  in  the  service 
were  Edna  Speicher,  who  told  the 
children's  story;  Dr.  Arden  Gilmer, 
pastor  of  the  Ashland  Park  Street 
Brethren   Church,   who   gave   the 


Thank  You! 

Dear  Brethren, 

In  1951,  during  National  Confer- 
ence, Bonnie  [Munson]  contracted 
polio  and  was  hospitalized  in  John- 
stown, Pa.  During  that  week,  Betty 
Rowsey,  a  telephone  operator,  kept  in 
touch  with  us  and  reported  Bonnie's 
progress  to  Conference  attenders. 

You  supported  us  all  in  so  many 
ways  through  several  hospitalizations. 

Now  you  are  still  supporting  Bon- 
nie with  your  financial  assistance  for 
a  wheelchair  to  accommodate  her 
growing  needs. 

She  has  been  sitting  straight  up  16 
hours  a  day  for  47  years.  With  her 
new  chair,  which  is  still  being  adapted 
to  meet  her  needs,  she  will  be  able  to 
lean  back,  adjust  her  sitting  position 
up  and  down,  and  elevate  her  feet. 

You  just  never  quit. 

In  this  wonderful  Thanksgiving 
season,  THANK  YOU! 

A  grateful  father, 
Charles  Munson 


Center  Chapel  Pastor  Bob  Dixon  pre- 
sents a  plaque  to  former  pastor  Rev.  Her- 
bert Gilmer  and  his  wife  Evelyn  in  recogni- 
tion of  their  service  to  the  congregation. 

morning  prayer;  and  Rev.  Gene  Eck- 
erley,  Indiana  District  Elder,  who 
brought  greetings.  Special  music 
was  presented  by  the  Gospel  Heirs. 

A  ceremony  honoring  Rev.  L.W 
Ditch  (deceased),  founding  pastor  of 
the  congregation,  was  held  during 
the  afternoon  Centennial  Homecom- 
ing Program.  Rev.  Ditch,  who  was 
state  evangelist  at  the  time,  labored 
with  a  group  of  members  from  the 
Roann,  Ind.,  Brethren  Church  in 
founding  the  new  congregation.  A 
plaque  in  honor  of  Rev.  Ditch  was 
presented  to  his  great-granddaugh- 
ter, Jennifer  Keyes,  a  member  of  the 
Mexico,  Ind.,  Brethren  Church. 

Also  honored  during  the  service 
were  Rev.  Herbert  Gilmer,  who  pas- 
tored the  church  from  1986  to  1991, 
and  his  wife  Evelyn.  They,  too,  were 
given  a  plaque  in  recognition  of 
their  service  to  the  congregation. 

Dennis  Betzner  led  the  Centenni- 
al Program,  and  Nancy  Bender  pre- 
sented a  history  of  the  Center 
Chapel  Church.  District  Elder  Gene 
Eckerley,  who  grew  up  in  the  Center 
Chapel  Church,  spoke  during  the 
program.  The  Kings  Four  presented 
special  music,  and  Debbie  Fouts 
played  the  prelude.  [ft] 


(continued  from  page  13) 
ren  Church,  North  Manchester,  Ind.)  led  a 
workshop  on  the  Brethren  Way  of  Christ. 
Although  called  a  World  Assembly, 
this  second  gathering,  unlike  the  first, 
had  few  people  in  attendance  from 
Brethren  groups  outside  the  U.S.  Only  Sr. 
Jose  Rivero  from  The  Brethren  Church  in 
Argentina  and  Rev.  Dan  Kim,  former 
Church  of  the  Brethren  missionary  to 


South  Korea,  represented  non-U. S. 
Brethren  groups.  It  was  suggested  that  an 
assembly  be  held  in  the  year  2008  (the 
tri-centennial  of  the  Brethren)  in 
Schwarzenau,  Germany,  and  that  efforts 
be  made  to  make  it  truly  a  World  Assem- 
bly of  Brethren. 

The  Brethren  Encyclopedia,  Inc.,  and 
Bridgewater  College  cosponsored  this 
year's  gathering.  [ft] 


14 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Vacation  Bible  Schools 

Two  Pennsylvania  churches  re- 
ported successful  vacation  Bible 
schools,  held  this  past  summer. 

Missions  around  the  world  was 
the  focus  of  VBS  at  the  Fairless 
Hills-Levittown  Brethren  Church. 

A  video  of  Brethren  mission  work  in 
Mexico  City  showed  various  church 
activities  as  well  as  the  terrible 
poverty  of  some  of  the  people  our 
missionaries  work  with  there.  An 
audio  cassette  by  Brethren  mission- 
ary Tracy  Ruggles  gave  the  children 
a  message  and  a  Spanish  song  for 
each  day.  Pennsylvania  District  Cru- 
saders Melanie  Johns  and  Tiffany 
Neiderhiser  helped  with  the  VBS. 

"Hooked  on  Jesus"  was  the  theme 
of  VBS  at  the  Berlin  Brethren 

Church.  Classes  were  held  for  all 
ages  from  four  years  old  through 
adults.  Average  attendance  was  105. 
Classes  for  adults  included  an  ac- 
count by  a  local  doctor  of  his  medi- 
cal mission  trip  to  Haiti,  a  session 
on  cults,  a  discussion  of  the  second 
coming  of  Jesus,  and  two  classes  on 
Brethren  history  that  included  a 
field  trip  to  significant  Brethren 
sites  in  the  area.  A  fishing  boat  at 
the  front  of  the  church  was  filled 
with  food  items  for  the  local  food 
pantry,  and  a  coin  toss  game  and  a 
Friday  night  offering  brought  in 
more  than  $200  for  victims  of  a  tor- 
nado in  the  town  of  Salisbury,  about 
20  miles  south  of  Berlin.  [ft] 


The  National  Brethren  Youth  in  Christ 
Statistical  Report  for  1997-1998 


Ashland,  Ohio  —  Each  year  as 
the  National  Brethren  Youth  in 
Christ  (BYIC)  Convention  draws 
near,  an  assessment  is  made  of  the 
state  of  BYIC  in  The  Brethren 
Church.  Then  during  the  Conven- 
tion, recognition  is  given  to  local 
BYIC  groups  that  have  excelled  in 
some  area  during  the  previous  year. 

Below  is  statistical  information 
that  was  put  together  for  this 
year's  BYIC  Convention.  The  total 
number  of  registered  BYIC  mem- 
bers for  1997-1998  was  1,018. 

These  statistics  are  printed  here 
not  only  to  inform,  but  also  to  chal- 
lenge youth  to  greater  effort  in  the 
year  ahead  and  to  encourage  adults 
to  be  supportive  of  the  youth. 

Top  Ten  Registered  Youth 
Groups  by  Membership 

1.  St.  James  70 

2.  Jefferson  54 
tie    Nappanee  54 

4.  North  Manchester  53 

5.  Milledgeville  47 

6.  North  Georgetown  42 

7.  Northgate  32 
tie  Smoky  Row  32 

9.   Bryan  31 

tie    Milford  31 

BYIC  groups 

that  participated  in  the 

1997-1998  goals  program 

Tucson  1st  Northgate 

Jefferson  Canton  Trinity 

Bloomingdale  Nappanee 

Oak  Hill  Cheyenne 

Roann  Park  Street 

St.  James 


Top  Ten  BYIC  Groups  in 
Ingathering  Giving 

1.  Elkhart  1st  $467.48 

2.  St.  James  430.00 

3.  Jefferson  400.00 
tie  Nappanee  400.00 
tie  Tucson  1st  400.00 

6.  Roann  250.00 

7.  Lanark  240.00 

8.  Gateway  210.00 

9.  Hagerstown  200.00 
10.  Northgate  195.00 

(Total  ingathering  from  all  BYIC 
groups  was  $5,319.23) 

Percentage  of  churches  in 

each  district  that  have 

registered  youth  groups 

Central  100% 

Southwest  100% 
Indiana  65% 

Midwest  60% 

Ohio  45% 

Southeastern  4 1  % 

Florida  40% 

Pennsylvania  38% 

N.  California  33% 

(Total  #  of  registered  groups:  61) 

Where  are  the  1,018 
Registered  BYIC  Members? 

(Percentage  by  District) 

Indiana  41% 

Ohio  16% 

Southeastern  12% 

Pennsylvania  1 1  % 

Central  8% 

Southwest  4% 

Midwest  3% 

N.  California  3% 

Florida  1% 

At-Large  1% 


Gratis,  Ohio  —  Members  of  the 
Women's  Missionary  Society  of 
the  Gratis  First  Brethren  Church 
have  been  busy  making  baby 
quilts — but  not  for  babies  in  their 
own  families  or  church  or  for 
babies  they  will  probably  ever  see. 
The  quilts  are  for  an  interna- 
tional program  that  seeks  to  help 
"at-risk"  babies.  The  program's 
original  intent  was  to  help  crack 
babies  or  babies  born  with  AIDS. 


But  quilts  are  now  given  to  all  at- 
risk  babies.  Eileen  Kiracofe  and 
Donna  Smith  co-chair  the  quilt- 
making  project.  The  group  has 
made  34  quilts,  which  were  taken 
to  Dayton  Children's  Hospital. 
—  submitted  by  Melba  Hanks 

At  right  (I.  to  r.),  Marquedlita 
Murphy,  Ruth  Focht,  Lucille  Bran- 
denburg, Carolyn  Boomershine, 
Eileen  Kiracofe,  and  Lois  Barnhart 
display  quilts  their  group  has  made. 


November  1998 


L5 


Rich  and  Tiffany  Rader  take 
Vision  Ministries  to  Macau 

Macau,  East  Asia  —  Rich  and 
Tiffany  Rader  of  Vision  Ministries 
and  members  of  the  Smoky  Row 
Brethren  Church  in  Columbus, 
Ohio,  spent  three  weeks  in  August 
in  Macau,  a  Portuguese  territory  on 
the  southeast  coast  of  China. 


One  of  the  Raders  '  more  unusual  expe- 
riences on  their  trip  was  holding  a  live 
crocodile  in  a  crocodile  park  in  China. 

Working  with  missionaries  from 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ 
Church,  the  Raders  shared  the 
Gospel  with  the  Chinese  people 
through  preaching  and  concerts. 
Rich  also  taught  two  seminars — one 
on  worship  and  one  on  song  writing, 
and  he  and  Tiffany  taught  at  an 
English  camp  for  Chinese  youth. 

"The  Chinese  people  and  their 
culture  were  fascinating,"  Rich  said. 
"But  the  greatest  truth  I  learned 
from  the  Chinese  people  was  com- 
mitment. When  they  choose  to  be- 
come a  follower  of  Jesus,  they  are 
often  shunned  by  family  and 
friends.  They  still,  however,  keep 
that  commitment  100  percent.  We 
saw  a  true  definition  of  the  phrase 
'cost  of  discipleship.'"  Rich  added 
that  he  and  Tiffany  "would  like  to 
thank  the  Brethren  for  their  contin- 
ued support,  both  prayerfully  and 
financially,  for  the  Macau  Crusade 
as  well  as  the  work  of  Vision  Min- 
istries throughout  the  year."         [ft] 


Canton  Trinity  Church  offers 
free  tutoring  to  area  children 

Canton,  Ohio  —  Eight  people  from 
Trinity  Brethren  Church  in  Canton 
provided  free  tutoring  to  34  children 
during  a  four-week  period  this  past 
summer.  Goals  of  the  tutoring  pro- 
gram were  to  help  the  children,  to 
make  the  church  more  visible  in  the 
community,  and 
to  model  the 
love  of  Jesus. 

The  group  of 
tutors  included 
teachers  on 

summer  break, 
retired  teach- 
ers, and  other 
folks  who  enjoy 
working  with 
young  people. 
Tony  Price,  as- 
sistant pastor  of 
Trinity  Church 
and  a  certified 
teacher,  coordi- 
nated  the   pro- 


each  of  the  children  was  sent  a  per- 
sonal invitation  to  attend  vacation 
Bible  school,  held  a  few  weeks  later. 
A  couple  of  children  who  were  tu- 
tored did  attend  VBS.  And  one  of 
the  tutored  girls  and  her  mother 
have  attended  worship  services  and 
expressed  interest  in  knowing  more 
about  the  church.  The  Trinity  Breth- 
ren praise  the  Lord  for  this  response. 
—  reported  by  Tony  Price 


Thelma  Watkins  tutors  first  graders  Tasha  Cone  and  Tyler  Feller. 


gram.  The  34  students  ranged  from 
kindergartners  to  tenth  graders. 

The  church  promoted  this  special 
ministry  by  sending  flyers  to  homes 
in  the  community  and  by  renting  a 
mobile  sign  that  was  placed  in  front 
of  the  church  building  one  month 
before  the  start  of  the  program.  The 
local  school  also  allowed  the  church 
to  send  flyers  home  with  students. 

Tutoring  was  offered  for  four  weeks 
on  Tuesday  and  Thursday  mornings. 
Children  could  be  tutored  in  math, 
reading,  or  both.  A  nursery  was  pro- 
vided for  tutors  with  small  children. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  four 
weeks  of  tutoring,  the  church's  hos- 
pitality committee  provided  a  lunch- 
eon for  the  tutored  children  and 
their  families.  More  than  70  chil- 
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A  short  program  followed  the  meal, 
and  the  children  were  given  certifi- 
cates and  pencils.  Families  with  no 
church  home  were  invited  to  visit 
the  Trinity  Brethren  Church,  and 


My  memory  is  nearly  gone,  but  I 
remember  two  things:  that  I  am  a 
great  sinner,  and  that  Christ  is  a 
great  Savior! 

—  John  Newton  at  age  82 


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( The  Brethren) 

Evangelis 


Vol.120,  No.  11 


A  newsletter  for  Brethren  people 


December  1998 


A  Child  is  Born:  a  Son  is  Given 


By  Mrs.  K.  Nirmala  Prasanth 


«  A  CHILD    IS    BORN;    A 

r\  SON  IS  GIVEN."  This 
prophecy  of  Isaiah  in  chapter 
9  verse  6  expresses  and  ex- 
plains the  dual  nature  of  the 
great  savior  Jesus  Christ. 
Jesus  the  Christ  is  both  the 
Son  of  Man  and  the  Son  of 
God. 

"A  child  is  born"  expresses  the 
human  nature  of  Jesus  Christ. 
"A  son  is  given"  explains  the  di- 
vine nature  of  Jesus  Christ.  Son 
of  Man  includes  His  humanity. 
His  being  the  Son  of  God  in- 
cludes His  divinity.  Just  as  a 
single   coin   has   two   sides,    so 
Jesus  Christ  is  an  embodiment  of 
humanity  on  one  side  and  divinity 
on  the  other  side.  The  Son  of  God 
became  the  Son  of  Man  so  that  the 
sons  of  man  can  become  the  sons  of 
God.  This  is  the  whole  truth  embed- 
ded in  the  birth  of  Christ. 

The  Child  born  is  the  royal  son  of 
David's  genealogy  and  is  called 
"Wonderful  Counselor,  Mighty  God, 
Everlasting  Father, 
Prince  of  Peace" 
(Isa.  9:6).  Counselor 
points  to  the  Messi- 
ah as  a  king  of 
action.  As  a  "Won- 
derful Counselor," 
the  coming  Son  of 
David  will  carry  out 
a  royal  program 
that  will  cause  the 
whole  world  to 
marvel.  He  will  be 
"Mighty  God,"  and 
"a  remnant  of  Jacob  will  return"  to 
Him  (Isa.  10:21). 

Another  name  given  to  the  Son  of 
God  Jesus  is  "Everlasting  Father." 
He  will  be  an  everlasting,  compas- 


Nirmala  Prasanth 


sionate  provider  and  protec- 
tor,   as   we    see   in   Isaiah 
40:9-11.  He  is  the  "Prince  of 
Peace."   His   rule   will   bring 
wholeness  and  well-being  to  the 
whole  world,  as  we  find  in  Isaiah 
11:6-9.  Thus  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah 
brings  forth  Jesus  as  a  Child  born 
and  a  Son  given. 

We  find  a  great,  startling 
contrast  at  the  birth  of  the  Sav- 
ior. The  Christ  Child  was  born 
in  the  strange  surroundings  of 
dirt  and  dust.  But  the  air  above 
was  filled  with  the  hallelujahs 
of  the  Heavenly  Host.  His  bed 
was  a  cattle  pen,  but  a  heaven- 
ly star  drew  the  great  wise 
men  to  pay  Him  the  greatest 
homage.  He  was  born  from  a 
virgin  womb  and  was  buried  in 
a  virgin  tomb. 
He  owned  no  fields  nor  any 
fisheries,  but  He  fed  five  thousand 
hungry  mouths  with  bread  and  fish. 
He  wrote  no  book,  built  no  church. 
But  the  best  Book  in  the  world  was 
written  about  Him.  Even  after  2,000 


years,  His  Name  is  magnified  and 
He  is  worshiped  everywhere. 

Was  it  merely  the  son  of  Mary 

and    Joseph    who    crossed    the 

world's  horizon  2,000  years  ago? 

Was  it  mere  human  blood  that 

was    spilled    at    Calvary    and 

cleansed  human  sin?  Faced  with 

all  these  startling  contrasts,  we 

cannot  resist  saying,  "My  Lord 

and  my  God!" 

The  great  significance  of  the 

birth  of  Jesus  lies  not  in  the 

simple  faith  of  the  shepherds 

who  searched  and  found  Jesus 

in    the    night;    not    in    the 

singing  of  the  Heavenly  Host; 

but  in  the  fact  that  when  the 

wise  men  found  the   Baby 

Jesus,    they    fell    on    their 

knees  and  worshiped  Him. 

Can    we    worship    the    Child 

who  was  born  and  the  Son  who 

was  given  with  the  same  sanctity 

and  sacrifice?  [ij>] 

Nirmala  serves  with  her  husband, 
Dr.  Prasanth  Kumar,  in  the  Breth- 
ren Mission  in  India.  She  is  the  edi- 
tor and  publisher  of  Suvarthikudu 
(Evangelist),  a  Christian  magazine 
in  India.  This  article  is  from  that 
publication  and  is  reprinted  here 
with  her  permission. 


Inside  this  issue 

Giving  ourselves 

2 

What  gift  will  you  give? 

2 

What's  it  all  about? 

3 

Unmistakable  moving  of  God 

4 

Desperate  for  Good  News 

5 

900  is  more  than  a  dollar 

6 

Advancing  Brethren  work 

7 

Around  the  denomination 

8 

f s 

Giving  Ourselves  at  Christmas 

By  Alice  Chapin 


^ 


ONE  CHRISTMAS  MORNING,  I 
got  up  before  my  family.  As  I 
sipped  coffee  in  a  big  rocker  beside 
the  tree,  I  suddenly  felt  alarmed  at 
the  mounds  and  mounds  of  lavishly 
wrapped  packages.  I  wondered  how 
many  of  the  gifts  would  be  wanted 
or  used  and  how  many  were  just 
plain  junk.  It  seemed  truly  irrever- 
ent to  spend  so  much  money  on 
ourselves  to  celebrate  the  birth 
day  of  another. 

I  knew  that  some  of  the  chil- 
dren's most  costly  presents 
were  war  toys  or  unsuitable 
playthings.  I  also  knew  that 
giving  the   kids   material 
gifts  has  little  to  do  with 
love.  The  piles  of  pack- 
ages left  me  with  a  sick, 
guilty  feeling  that  cast 
a  gloomy  cloud  over 
our  holiday  celebra- 
tion.     Since      that 
time,  I've  encoun- 
tered many  people 
who  have  experi- 
enced this  kind  of 
Christmas  overkill. 

So  how  do  we  get  out  of  Yuletide 
overindulgence?  One  way  is  to  dis- 
cuss with  your  family  the  idea  of 
giving  themselves  the  "gift  of  disad- 
vantage" next  year.  Thus  everyone 
will  be  able  to  pass  on  some  of  their 
blessings  to  others.  To  do  this,  gather 
your  family  and  read  Luke  4:18-19, 
Matthew  25:31-40,  and  1  John  4:7-8. 
Then  make  a  list  of  caring  acts  in 
which  family  members  might  become 


LJU 


involved  as  a  birthday  gift  to  Christ. 
Talk  about  who  needs  help  most  and 
how  to  get  money  for  projects. 

Most  everyone  will  agree  that 
while  giving  tangible  things  is 
important,  getting  personally  in- 
volved in  the  lives  of  the  needy  has 
the  highest  priority.  Children  proba- 
bly will  accept  the  challenge  eagerly 
and  think  up  great  ideas,  even  the 
little  tots.  For  example,  it  takes 
loving  hands  to  help  run  er- 
rands for  a  shut-in,  sew  cos- 
tumes for  the  children's  pro- 
gram at  church,  deliver 
food  baskets,  or  collect 
canned  goods  and  cloth- 
ing for  area  food 
pantries. 

After  your  family 
discussion,  you  may 
find  that  the  kids 
had  been  waiting  all 
along  for  Mom 
and  Dad  or  other 
adults  to  suggest 
ways  to  make 
Christmas  less  self- 
centered.  Most  likely, 
you  all  will  feel  gratified  to  see 
Christmas  going  in  a  different  direc- 
tion. You  may  even  come  to  realize 
the  significance  of  James  Russell 
Lowell's  statement:  "Not  what  we 
give,  but  what  we  share.  For  the  gift 
without  the  giver  is  bare."  [ft] 

Reprinted  from  A  Simple  Christ- 
mas by  Alice  Chapin,  a  book  that  gives 
hundreds  of  ideas  for  scaling  down 


What  Gift  Will  You  Give? 

Rev.  Ronald  L.  Waters,  pastor  of 
Hammond  Avenue  Brethren  Church 
in  Waterloo,  Iowa,  told  this  story  in 
his  December  1996  church  newsletter: 

A  three-year-old  girl  asked, 
"Mommy,  what  is  Christmas?"  Her 
mother  carefully  explained  that 
Christmas  is  Jesus'  birthday.  The 
little  girl  then  asked,  "Then  why 
don't  we  give  Him  birthday  pres- 
ents?" The  mother  explained  the 
tradition  of  exchanging  gifts  as  an 
expression  of  love  for  one  another, 
and  that  seemed  to  end  the  matter. 

On  Christmas  Eve,  however,  the 
little  girl  placed  a  package  under 
the  tree  on  her  way  to  bed.  She  said 
it  was  a  birthday  gift  for  Jesus, 
which  she  was  sure  He  would  open 
during  the  night.  When  the  little 
girl  was  asleep,  her  mother,  not 
wanting  her  daughter  to  be  disap- 
pointed, opened  the  crudely  wrapped 
package  and  found  the  box  empty. 

On  Christmas  morning  the  little 
girl  was  thrilled  to  find  that  the 
package  had  been  opened  and  that 
her  gift  was  gone.  "What  was  in  it?" 
asked  her  mother. 

"It  was  a  box  full  of  love,"  the  lit- 
tle girl  replied. 

Pastor  Waters  then  adds,  "What 
present  will  you  give  to  Jesus  on 
His  birthday?  It  may  be  a  box  full  of 
love,  but  I  hope  that  you  also  show 
your  love  for  Him  in  some  more 
tangible  way.  Do  something  for 
someone  who  will  not  be  expecting 
it.  Jesus  said  that  when  you  do 
things  for  others  you  are  doing  it 
for  Him."  [ft] 


the  holiday  celebration  and  bringing 
Christ  and  joy  back  into  Christmas. 
Published  by  Herald  Press,  (256  pp., 
$14.99),  Scottdale,  Pa.  Used  by  per- 
mission of  the  publisher. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist  (ISSN  0747-4288) 
is  published  monthly  (except  July  and  August 
issues  are  combined)  by  The  Brethren  Church, 
Inc.,  524  College  Ave.,  Ashland,  OH  44805-3792 
(telephone:  419-289-1708;  fax:  419-281-0450; 
e-mail:  brethren@bright.net).  Authors'  views  are 
not  necessarily  those  of  The  Brethren  Church. 
Editor:  Richard  C.  Winfield.  Subscription  rates: 
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Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  The 
Brethren  Church,  524  College  Avenue,  Ashland, 
OH  44805-3792. 


Si  Pontius'  Puddle 


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REALLY  AWESOME"  ANIMALS 


%#m^^ 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


What's  It  All  About? 

By  Dan  Lawson 


SEVERAL  YEARS  AGO  around 
Christmas  time  my  wife  and  I 
found  ourselves  deep  in  Christmas 
shopping,  like  thousands  of  other 
parents  and  grandparents.  We  were 
searching  for  just  the  right  toy  to 
give  our  beloved  daughter — a  toy 
that  would  adequately  express  to 
her  marvelous  little  two-year-old 
mind  just  how  much  we  loved  her. 

We  were  shopping  in  a  toy  store 
that  specialized  in  Christmas  has- 
sle, when  I  received  a  call  from 
nature.  I  left  my  wife  knee  deep  in 
baby  dolls  and  plastic  tea  sets  to 
find  the  "necessary  room."  On  the 
way  I  passed  a  middle-aged  man 
wearing  a  worn-out  jacket  with 
holes  in  the  sleeves  over  a  tattered 
flannel  shirt  and  worn,  faded  blue 
jeans.  He  was  staring  at  a  display 
of  video  games  that  were  locked 
out  of  reach  in  a  glass  case.  I  could 
tell  from  the  look  on  his  face  that 
he  didn't  have  a  clue  what  he  was 
looking  at. 

I  went  on  about  my  business 
only  to  see  that  same  man  a  few 
minutes  later  talking  on  a  pay 
phone.  He  had  a  thick  southern 
accent,  and  I  couldn't  help  but 
overhear  a  small  part  of  his  con- 

"Here  was  a  man  who 
loved  his  son  and 
dearly  wanted  to  give 
the  boy  his  greatest 
Christmas  wish.** 

versation.  "Uh,  Jay,  this  is  yer  dad. 
Uh,  is  yer  mom  there?  She's  not! 
Well,  uh,  what's  that  there  Nin- 
tendo yer  talkin'  'bout?  [pause] 
It's  uh  WHUT?!" 

As  I  went  back  to  the  plastic  tea 
sets  and  the  chatty  baby  dolls,  I 
couldn't  get  this  man  off  my  mind. 
It  wasn't  so  much  what  he  said;  it 
was  the  expression  on  his  face  that 


told  the  whole  story.  Here  was  a 
man  who  loved  his  son  and  dearly 
wanted  to  give  the  boy  his  greatest 
Christmas  wish.  It  seemed  appar- 
ent, however,  that  he  would  not  be 
able  to  do  so.  I  could  tell  by  the 
tone  of  his  voice,  the  look  on  his 


face  and  the  slump  of  his  shoul- 
ders that  there  was  no  way  he 
could  afford  the  cost. 

I  could  picture  in  my  mind  the 
excitement  the  boy  would  show  at 
the  thought  of  his  super  power- 
packed  video  game  hiding  some- 
where among  the  packages  under 
the  Christmas  tree.  I  could  also 
feel  in  my  heart  the  pain  the 
father  would  feel  knowing  that  it 
would  not  be  there. 

It's  not  fair! 

"It's  just  not  fair!"  I  told  my  wife 
as  I  related  the  story  to  her.  "This 
man  wants  to  give  his  son  the 
greatest  Christmas  gift  he  can 
find,  and  these  corporate  giants 
have  brainwashed  his  boy  into 
thinking  that  he  just  has  to  have 
the  most  expensive  toy  on  the 
market.  Now  that  father  has  to 
choose  between  breaking  his  son's 
heart  or  breaking  his  bank  ac- 
count. Christmas  shouldn't  have 
to  hurt  like  that!" 

I  fear  this  scenario  is  familiar  to 
far  too  many  parents  every  Christ- 
mas season.  Our  children  watch 
television  and  see  fantastic  toys 


advertised  in  such  a  way  as  to  in- 
delibly imprint  on  their  little 
minds  the  idea  that  this  toy  will 
make  their  lives  complete.  They 
beg  and  plead  with  their  parents 
to  give  them  "the  wonder  toy"  for 
Christmas.  What's  a  parent  to  do? 

Thinking  back  on  the  man  in  the 
toy  store,  I  believe  that  he  had 
already  given  his  son  the  greatest 
gift  he  could  give  him.  He  loved 
the  boy  deeply,  and  he  desperately 
wanted  his  son  to  know  it.  I  think 
he  had  merely  fallen  into  the  com- 
mercial trap  of  Christmas.  This  is 
the  trap  that  says,  "The  greater 
the  love,  the  greater  the  gift."  In 
the  context  in  which  this  message 
is  given,  however,  it  couldn't  be  a 
greater  lie. 

Commercialism  has  twisted  this 
message  to  mean,  "The  greater 
the  love,  the  more  expensive  the 
gift."  These  two  messages  are  not 
synonymous.  The  first  may  be 
true  when  given  in  the  proper  con- 
text, but  the  second  is  never  true. 

Greater  love! 

Jesus  once  said,  Greater  love  has 
no  one  than  this,  that  one  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  friends.  You  are  my 
friends  if  you  do  what  I  command 
(John  15:13-14,  NIV).  Here  it  would 
appear  that  the  message  "The 
greater  the  love,  the  greater  the 
gift"  is  true.  Jesus  was  so  sincere 
about  this  message  that  He  dem- 
onstrated it  for  each  of  us  on  the 
cross.  He  gave  Himself  as  a  gift  so 
that  we  might  have  eternal  life. 

We  all  are  guilty  of  getting 
caught  up  in  the  commercialism  of 
Christmas  to  some  degree.  We  call 
it  "the  spirit  of  giving."  The  truth 
is,  however,  that  giving  is  only  sec- 
ondary. Christmas  isn't  so  much 
about  what  God  gave  the  world  as 
it  is  about  how  God  loves  the 
world.  This  Christmas,  when  you 
are  trying  to  find  just  the  right  gift 
to  express  the  greatness  of  your 
love,  remember  that  the  greatest 
gift  of  all  is  love.  [ft] 

Dr.  Lawson  is  senior  pastor  of  the 
Jefferson  Brethren  Church,  Goshen, 
bid.  This  is  one  in  a  series  of  articles 
in  which  he  applies  Bible  truths  to 
our  personal  lives. 


December  1998 


IF  YOU  WERE  ASKED,  "Where  do 
you  see  the  unmistakable  moving 
of  God  in  The  Brethren  Church?"  what 
would  you  say?  When  I  pondered 
that  question,  I  was  not  sure  how  I 
would  respond. 

I  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  good 
things  are  not  happening  in  the  de- 
nomination. Quite  to  the  contrary. 
In  the  past  few  months  we  have  wit- 
nessed the  birth  of  three  new  Breth- 
ren congregations,  and  we  await  the 
birth  of  several  more.  There  is  also 
an  awakening  across  the  denomina- 
tion in  worship  and  spiritual  forma- 
tion. These  are  exciting  and  encour- 
aging signs  of  the  hand  of  God. 

Things  only  God  can  do 

But  what  I  want  to  discover  are 
the  things  that  God  is  doing  that 
seem  impossible.  I  believe  that  our 
Heavenly  Father  longs  to  show  us 
what  He  is  capable  of  doing  among 
us.  Seeing  that  which  only  God  can 
do  is  a  faith-stretching  experience. 

The  Apostle  Paul  tells  us  in  Eph- 
esians  2:10  that  we  are  God's  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  to 
do  good  works,  which  God  prepared 
in  advance  for  us  to  do  (emphasis 
added).  This  suggests  that  we  need 
to  discover  that  which  God  has  al- 
ready prepared  for  us  to  do.  What 
are  we  doing  to  discern  the  ministry 
seeds  that  God  has  already  sown  in 
the  name  of  The  Brethren  Church? 
These  are  some  of  the  questions 
that  fill  my  night-time  hours. 


An  Unmistakable 
Moving  of  God 

By  David  L.  West 

In  October,  over  the  course  of  a  few 
days  in  Washington,  D.C.,  I  caught  a 
glimpse  of  a  vision  that  can  only  be 
of  God.  I  would  like  to  share  with 
you  my  perspective  on  this  vision. 

I  had  been  invited  by  Dr.  Rickey 
Bolden  to  come  and  preach  and 
share  with  our  Brethren  at  South- 
east Christian  Fellowship.  The  occa- 
sion was  the  sixth  anniversary  of  Dr. 
Bolden's  call  and  ministry  in  this 
Washington  church. 

What  an  alive,  exciting,  and  joy- 
ous occasion  it  was!  Christ's  name 
was  exalted;  the  pastor  and  his  fam- 
ily were  honored;  the  Word  was 
preached;  and  God  made  his  habita- 
tion in  a  nondescript  building  on  Q 
Street  in  Washington,  D.  C.  It  was  a 
worship  experience  that  both  my 
wife  and  I  found  to  be  heavenly.  I 
believe  every  Brethren  person  should 
have  at  least  one  Southeast  Chris- 
tian Fellowship  experience. 

A  glimpse  of  God's  vision 

But  as  incredible  as  that  experi- 
ence was,  it  is  not  what  I  want  to 
share.  It  was  in  what  happened  two 
days  earlier  that  I  witnessed  the 
unmistakable  moving  of  God  and 
caught  a  glimpse  of  His  vision. 

On  Friday  morning,  Pastor  Rickey 
took  me  on  a  field  trip  of  the  area 
near  the  church.  He  told  me  that  he 
was  going  to  show  me  something 
special,  as  he  shared  with  me  the 
vision  he  felt  God  had  given  him  for 
this  city. 


Not  far  from  the  church  I  became 
aware  of  the  vast  economic  down- 
turn in  the  neighborhood.  As  we 
drove  through  the  area,  I  detected  a 
sense  of  hopelessness  on  the  faces  of 
those  who  walked  the  streets.  Nev- 
ertheless, I  was  amazed  at  how 
many  people  acknowledged  my 
brother  as  we  drove  by — some  with 
a  simple  nod  of  the  head,  others  by 
calling  out,  "Hey  Rev."  It  was  obvi- 
ous that  this  pastor  has  been  visible 
in  his  community. 

We  headed  to  Anacostia  High 
School,  located  in  the  heart  of  a  run- 
down neighborhood.  It  is  also  the 
heart  of  a  vision  of  ministry  that 
could  change  a  city.  Our  knock  on 
the  school  door  brought  a  security 
guard  who  opened  the  locked  doors 
to  the  accompaniment  of  another 
chorus  of  "Hi  Rev." 

I  was  greeted  with  looks  of  suspi- 
cion, but  those  changed  to  looks  of 
welcome  as  soon  as  Pastor  Rickey 
came  into  view.  As  we  passed 
through  metal  detectors  in  this  edu- 
cational facility,  I  was  grimly  re- 
minded of  the  need  for  Jesus.  Pastor 
Rickey  showed  me  around  the 
school.  As  he  did  so,  he  engaged  in 
some  impromptu  guidance  counsel- 
ing with  two  young  students  who  had 
not  been  to  school  yet  this  year. 

A  youth  ministry 

We  left  Anacostia  and  walked 
about  a  block  and  a  half  toward 
Krammer  Junior  High  School.  As 
we  approached  the  school,  Pastor 
Rickey  pointed  to  a  burned  out, 
graffiti-tattooed  building  and  said, 
"This  is  where  God  has  called  us  to 
start  a  comprehensive  youth  min- 
istry." The  building  had  lots  of  glass, 
but  none  in  the  windows.  Scars  of 
past  fires  were  hard  to  ignore.  Sa- 
tanic sayings  and  symbols  adorned 
the  walls. 

As  I  looked  at  the  building,  at  the 
junior  high  school,  and  at  the  high 
school  in  the  distance,  I  thought, 
"Who  would  undertake  something 
like  this?"  Then  I  saw  the  gleam  in 
Pastor  Rickey's  eyes,  eyes  complete- 
ly caught  up  in  a  God-sized  vision. 
In  that  instant  I  experienced  one  of 
those  Holy  Spirit  moments.  Only 
God  could  pull  off  a  transformation 
this  big.  We  talked  about  the  many 
obstacles,  but  Pastor  Rickey  faced 
(continued  on  next  page) 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


V 


A  world  desperate 
for  some  Good  News 

By  Robert  Stafford 


^ 


J 


SOMETIMES  I  think  we  should 
cancel  Sunday  morning  services 
and  go  fishing  or  play  golf  on  Sun- 
day morning.  The  world  is  desper- 
ate to  hear  the  message  of  God's 
grace.  Either  we  have  forgotten  that 
message  or  else  we've  never  experi- 
enced His  grace,  because  if  we  were 
sharing  it  with  the  lost,  our  churches 
would  be  full  to  overflowing. 

I  met  a  guy  at  the  health  club.  He 
was  loud  and  unruly,  definitely  not 
the  kind  of  man  I'd  normally  pick  as 
a  friend.  He  was  also  a  recovering 
alcoholic.  For  some  strange  reason 
he  latched  onto  me. 

One  day  he  asked  if  I  would  like  to 
go  fishing.  I  asked  if  my  son  could 
join  us,  because  I  don't  have  many 
opportunities  to  take  him  fishing. 
He  said  it  would  be  okay,  but  it 
would  be  crowded  in  the  small  boat. 

My  friend  met  us  and  we  started 
for  the  lake.  On  the  way  we  stopped 
for  breakfast,  and  my  friend  paid 
the  bill.  We  needed  bait,  so  we  stopped 
at  a  tackle  shop.  I  also  needed  a  fish- 
ing license.  My  friend  not  only 
bought  the  bait,  but  he  also  told 


them  to  put  my  fishing  license  on 
his  bill.  I  protested  that  this  was 
going  too  far,  but  to  no  avail. 

When  we  got  to  the  lake,  we  used 
his  boat  and  his  tackle.  He  even  put 
bait  on  our  hooks  for  us  and  then 
took  off  the  fish  that  we  caught. 

Later,  on  the  way  back  to  his  house, 
we  stopped  for  lunch — if  you  can  call 
large  ice  cream  cones  at  Baskin  Rob- 
bins  lunch.  Once  again,  he  paid. 
When  we  got  to  his  house,  he  told  us 
to  go  to  the  back  yard  and  enjoy  his 
pool  while  he  cleaned  the  fish.  He 
soon  came  out  and  told  us  that  his 
wife  had  come  home  and  that  she 
was  filleting  the  fish.  Then  he  swam 
with  us  for  a  little  while  in  the  pool. 

A  leading  question 

As  we  relaxed  by  the  pool,  he  said, 
"Bobbie,  I  got  a  question  for  you. 
What  the  hell  is  grace?  You  know, 
when  people  say,  'By  God's  grace 
yada  yada  yada.'" 

I  said,  "Bob  [that's  his  name  too], 
you've  been  doing  it  all  day.  You 
asked  me  to  go  fishing;  I  didn't  ask 
you.    You   bought   breakfast.    You 


A  Moving  of  God 

(continued  from  previous  page) 
them  with  a  heavenly  determination 
based  on  his  assurance  that  this  is  a 
God  thing! 

Southeast  Christian  Fellowship, 
in  partnership  with  the  Fellowship 
of  Christian  Athletes  and  other  area 
churches,  will  very  soon  begin  the 
hard  work  of  turning  this  building 
into  a  youth  center.  Their  purpose  is 
to  make  this  a  beacon  of  light  in  a 
very  dark  place. 

But  this  youth  center  is  just  the 
tip  of  a  much  larger  "iceberg"  of 
ministry.  Providing  a  place  where 
young  people  can  hang  out  is  merely 
the  beginning  of  a  larger  vision  to 
transform  youth,  families,  neighbor- 
hoods, and  an  entire  city.  I  must  tell 
you  I  was  overwhelmed  with  excite- 
ment as  I  listened  to  Pastor  Rickey 
tell  about  all  God  has  done  so  far.  We 
serve  a  truly  awesome  God! 


Much  remains  to  be  done  to  pre- 
pare the  way.  A  partnership  is  being 
formed  of  people  with  a  heart  for  the 
people  of  Washington,  D.C.  I  believe 
that  we,  The  Brethren  Church,  have 
a  unique  opportunity  to  partner 
with  our  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Southeast  Christian  Fellowship  in 
this  ministry — a  ministry  that  has 
the  potential  of  setting  the  pace  for 
all  inner-city  ministries. 

I  trust  that  we  Brethren  will  want 
to  join  this  partnership.  Various  op- 
portunities will  be  available.  A  short- 
term  mission  event  is  already  being 
planned  for  next  summer.  Much 
more  will  need  to  be  done.  May  I 
suggest  that  you  seek  the  Lord's 
direction  as  to  what  role  you  might 
take  in  this  ministry  adventure,    [ft] 

Rev.  West  is  Director  of  Congrega- 
tional Ministries  and  of  U.S.  Mis- 
sions for  The  Brethren  Church. 


bought  the  bait  and  my  license.  You 
provided  the  boat  and  tackle.  You 
baited  the  hooks  and  took  the  fish 
off.  You  cleaned  the  fish,  and  now 
your  wife  is  filleting  them.  And  I  get 
to  take  the  fish  home  to  eat!  Grace  is 
unmerited  favor.  You  did  all  this  be- 
cause you  wanted  to  do  it  for  me."" 

I  could  see  the  excitement  in 
Bob's  eyes  as  he  grasped,  for  the 
first  time,  what  grace  really  is.  A 
couple  of  weeks  later,  we  talked 
again.  For  two  weeks  Bob,  who  leads 
some  AA  meetings  in  the  area,  had 
been  explaining  the  meaning  of 
grace  at  those  meetings. 

Now  I  understand  that  it  might 
have  been  easy  for  Bob  to  do  those 
things  for  me,  because  he  thinks  I'm 
a  nice  guy.  But  he  didn't  expect  any- 
thing from  me  in  return.  Now  imag- 
ine God  doing  something  like  that 
for  you  and  me  just  because  He 
wants  to,  because  he  loves  us.  He 
did  just  that.  God  knows  we  don't 
deserve  heaven,  but  He  would  love 
to  have  us  there.  That's  why  Jesus 
came  into  the  world.  He  came  to 
take  our  punishment  for  all  we've 
done  wrong,  so  that  we  might  have 
the  opportunity  to  go  to  heaven. 

Nobody  is  good  enough  to  go  to 
heaven.  And  nobody  deserves  to  go 
there  because  of  what  they  have 
done.  "For  it  is  by  grace  you  have 
been  saved,  through  faith — and  this 
not  from  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of 
God — not  by  works,  so  that  no  one 
can  boast"  (Eph  2:8-9,  niv). 

Our  salvation  is  all  grace.  Grace  is 
unmerited  favor.  It's  when  someone 
does  something  for  someone  else 
just  because  they  want  to — usually 
because  they  love  them.  That's 
what  God  has  done  for  us.  But  this 
is  something  a  lot  of  churches  aren't 
telling  people. 

The  world  is  waiting  to  hear  the 
message  of  salvation  by  grace  and 
grace  alone.  Their  souls  crave  to 
hear  the  Good  News.  Will  you  be  the 
one  God  uses  to  share  that  Good 
News  with  them?  They're  out  there 
just  waiting — out  fishing  and  play- 
ing golf  on  Sunday  mornings,  des- 
perate for  some  Good  News.         [ft] 

Rev.  Stafford  served  as  a  Brethren 
pastor  until  1993,  when  cancer  forced 
him  to  retire.  He  now  ministers  to  peo- 
ple over  the  Internet  and — from  his 
home  in  Walkerton,  Ind. — is  "Cyber- 
Pastor"  to  people  around  the  world. 


December  1998 


% 


Ninety  Cents  is  More  Than  a  Dollar 


By  Alan  Schmiedt 


V 


J 


I  GREW  UP  in  a  Christian  farming 
family  in  which,  as  a  child,  I  was 
taught  to  tithe.  Whether  I  was  given 
50  cents  per  week  as  an  allowance 
or  paid  ten  cents  for  every  gopher  I 
killed,  my  parents  required  me  to  put 
ten  percent  in  the  collection  plate  at 
church.  They  also  required  me  to  put 
50  percent  in  my  savings  account, 
which  I  thought  was  terribly  unfair. 

Life's  hard  lessons 

As  a  child  I  understood  the  impor- 
tance of  tithing.  But  I  spent  some  20 
years  attempting  to  prove  that  it  is 
not  necessary  that  early  in  life  to 
begin  saving.  In  the  process  I  man- 
aged to  prove  several  other  things 
rather  profoundly.  First  among  them 
was  that  my  parents  were  right 
about  a  lot  of  things,  including  the 
importance  of  saving.  Second  was 
that  one's  propensity  to  spend  does 
not  reverse  itself  just  because  over- 
spending is  financially  unhealthy.  And 
third  was  that  I  should  have  gone  to 
college  from  age  18  to  22  rather 
than  when  I  did,  from  age  44  to  54. 

Over  the  course  of  30-some  years 
of  adult  life,  I  have  experienced  sev- 
eral different  levels  of  personal  in- 
come— ranging  from  a  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  hour  to  ten  thousand 
dollars  per  month.  Then  my  busi- 
ness went  broke,  and  I  began  work- 
ing for  wages — about  eight  dollars 
per  hour.  Let  me  say  this:  adjusting 
up  is  easier  than  adjusting  down! 

At  times  I  spent  so  much  of  my  in- 
come that  I  could  not  afford  to  tithe. 
And  I  never  had  enough  so  that  I 
could  save.  More  income  permitted 
more  spending,  but  there  was  never 
enough.  First  I  didn't  have  enough 
to  tithe  or  to  save.  Then  I  didn't 
have  enough  to  pay  all  the  bills. 

At  some  point  during  the  time  I 
was  at  each  income  level,  I  would  re- 
member that  failing  to  tithe  is  steal- 
ing from  God.  I  was  not  willing  to  con- 
tinue stealing  from  Him.  Each  time 
I  resumed  tithing,  it  was  only  a  short 
time  before  I  found  that  I  could  pay 
my  bills  and  still  have  a  little  money 


left  over.  God  is  faithful.  He  blesses 
our  commitment  to  Him,  and  He 
promises  to  supply  all  our  needs. 

That  is  why  I  say,  "Ninety  cents  is 
more  than  a  dollar."  When  I  give  the 
first  dime  of  every  dollar  I  receive  to 
God,  I  can  do  more  with  the  remain- 
ing 90  cents  than  I  can  with  the  whole 
dollar  when  I  keep  it  all  for  myself. 

Having  been  through  both  flood 
and  drought  in  my  own  financial  ex- 
perience, I  have  great  compassion 
for  people  who  are  struggling  with 
money.  As  I  look  around,  I  see  a  lot 
of  people  doing  just  that. 

When  I  began  studying  this  subject 
in  earnest,  I  learned  some  things  that 
surprised  me.  I  found,  for  example, 
that  the  Bible  has  a  lot  to  say  about 
money  management  and  accumulat- 
ing wealth.  Tithing  is  only  one  com- 
ponent of  a  complete,  Bible-based, 
money-management  plan.  The  Bible 
also  has  a  lot  to  say  about  giving  in 
various  forms — charitable  giving, 
praising,  teaching,  helping,  etc. 

John  MacArthur,  pastor  of  Grace 
Community  Church  in  Panorama  City, 
Calif,  in  his  tape  series  Mastery  of 
Materialism,  says  that  "16  out  of  38 
of  Christ's  parables  deal  with  money; 
more  is  said  in  the  New  Testament 
about  money  than  about  heaven  and 
hell  combined;  five  times  more  is 
said  about  money  than  prayer;  and 
while  there  are  500  plus  verses  on 
both  prayer  and  faith,  there  are  over 
2,000  verses  dealing  with  money  and 
possessions."  It  is  evident  that  God 
cares  how  we  manage  our  money. 

Four  biblical  principles 

Let  us  look  at  four  biblical  princi- 
ples we  can  draw  from  the  Parable 
of  the  Talents  found  in  Matthew 
25:14-30.  This  is  the  one  in  which 
the  master  goes  away  and  leaves 
part  of  his  fortune  in  the  care  of 
three  of  his  servants:  five  talents 
with  one  servant;  two  talents  with  a 
second  servant;  and  one  talent  with 
a  third.  Jesus  told  this  parable  to 
teach  us  about  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en and  His  return.  But  its  under- 


lying principles  apply  to  our  stew- 
ardship of  His  resources  as  well. 

What  are  these  principles?  Let's 
take  a  look  (see  Matt.  25:14-30). 

1.  God  owns  everything.  The  para- 
ble teaches  that  God  is  the  one  who 
delivers  the  goods  into  the  hands  of 
the  servants.  God  can  do  whatever 
He  wants,  whenever  He  wants,  with 
whatever  He  wants,  because  every- 
thing is  His. 

2.  God  expects  His  wealth  to  in- 
crease while  it  is  in  our  care.  Each  of 
the  servants  was  required  to  give  an 
account.  The  two  who  increased 
what  they  had  received  were  com- 
mended; the  one  who  did  not  was 
condemned.  If  God  chooses  to  en- 
trust some  of  what  is  His  to  me  for 
a  time,  that  is  His  prerogative.  It  is 
my  responsibility  to  use  it  wisely. 

3.  These  principles  apply  regard- 
less of  the  amount  received.  It  did 
not  matter  that  the  first  servant 
had  twice  as  much  as  the  second 
servant.  The  responsibility  and  the 
spirit  of  the  reward  were  exactly  the 
same  in  both  cases. 

4.  Increase  is  not  automatic.  You 
can't  hid  or  hoard  money.  You  have 
to  use  it  wisely.  It  seems  clear  from 
the  parable  that  I  should  expect  God 
to  expect  me  to  return  what  is  His 
to  Him  with  an  increase  whenever 
He  sees  fit. 

A  biblical  perspective 

Some  Christians  are  of  the  opin- 
ion that  it  is  wrong  to  think  about 
money  or  to  seek  to  acquire  more  of 
it.  It  is  not  wrong;  it  is  required! 
The  Bible  does  teach  that  it  is  sinful 
to  be  overcome  by  materialism.  And 
Jesus  said  that  we  cannot  serve  both 
God  and  mammon  (money). 

But  Scripture  does  not  say  that  we 
should  be  afraid  of  money  or  that  we 
should  avoid  it.  To  the  contrary,  the 
Parable  of  the  Talents  makes  it  clear 
that  we  are  expected  to  manage  the 
wealth  that  God  places  in  our  care 
so  that  it  increases  for  Him.         [ft] 

Mr.  Schmiedt,  a  member  of  Ncrthgate 
Community  Brethren  Church  in  Manteca, 
Calif.,  is  moderator  of  the  N.  California 
District  and  district  representative  to  the 
Missionary  Ministries  Council.  He  oper- 
ates his  own  almond  farm  and  business. 
He  suggests  for  further  reading  Master 
Your  Money  by  Ron  Blue;  Foolproof 
Finances  by  David  Mallonee;  and  Giving 
and  Tithing  by  Larry  Burkett. 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


Advancing  the  work 
of  The  Brethren  Church 


J 


DISTRICT  representatives,  at- 
large  members,  and  National 
Office  staff  members  who  sit  on  the 
Congregational  Ministries  Council 
and  the  Missionary  Ministries  Coun- 
cil met  on  October  29  and  30  to  seek 
ways  to  advance  the  work  of  local 
Brethren  congregations  and  the 
missions  outreach  of  The  Brethren 
Church.  Also  meeting  on  these  two 
days  to  deal  with  various  aspects  of 
the  work  of  the  denomination  were 
members  of  the  Executive  Board. 

Following  are  a  few  significant 
items  from  the  sessions  of  each 
group.  More  complete  summaries  of 
the  meetings  were  sent  to  pastors 
and  church  moderators,  copies  of 
which  are  available  from  The  Breth- 
ren Church  National  Office. 

Congregational  Ministries  Council 

Leadership  was  a  major  area  of 
discussion  in  the  Congregational 
Ministries  Council  meeting.  The 
council's  Leadership  Care  Study 
Group  told  of  its  current  plans  to 
focus  on  care  for  pastors  and  their 
families.  Believing  that  this  care 
must  begin  in  the  local  church,  the 
Study  Group  urges  every  church  to 
set  up  a  Pastoral  Care  Committee. 
Guidelines  for  this  committee  have 
been  presented  in  the  past,  but  the 
Study  Group  will  soon  provide  addi- 
tional information  on  the  formation 
and  duties  of  this  committee. 

The  Study  Group  also  believes 
that  the  concerns  and  needs  of  pas- 
tors' wives  have  often  been  over- 
looked. Recommendations  to  help 
remedy  this  include  providing  pro- 
gramming specifically  for  pastors' 
wives  at  the  annual  Brethren  pas- 
tors and  wives  retreat  and  publish- 
ing a  newsletter  for  pastors'  wives. 

Proposals  for  several  "Leadership 
Initiatives"  were  considered  by  the 
Congregational  Ministries  Council. 
One  of  these  was  a  proposal  that 
new  pastors  and  their  wives,  after  3 
to  5  years  of  pastoral  service,  be  in- 
vited to  attend  a  week-long  inten- 
sive program  of  pastoral  care,  re- 


newal, and  spiritual  formation  at 
Ashland  Theological  Seminary. 

A  second  proposal  was  for  a  sys- 
tem of  comprehensive  assessment  of 
pastors  at  selected  points  in  their 
careers.  The  goal  of  this  process 
would  be  to  enhance  the  career  po- 
tential of  every  Brethren  pastor. 

A  third  proposal  was  for  an  edu- 
cational process  to  train  a  small 
group  of  Brethren  pastors  to  provide 
leadership  in  the  Brethren  denomi- 
nation in  the  next  generation.  All 
three  proposals  were  assigned  to  ap- 
propriate groups  or  individuals  for 
further  development. 

Rev.  David  West,  Director  of  Con- 
gregational Ministries,  reported 
that  five  applications  had  been  re- 
ceived for  the  position  of  National 
Youth  Leader.  He  expects  to  call  a 
person  to  this  position  by  the  begin- 
ning of  1999.  At  Rev.  West's  sugges- 
tion, the  council  decided  to  invite  the 
Brethren  Youth  in  Christ  Steering 
Committee  to  send  a  representative 
to  attend  future  meetings  of  the 
Congregational  Ministries  Council. 

Missionary  Ministries  Council 

Reports  of  the  recent  birth  Sun- 
days of  two  new  mission  congrega- 
tions— Grace  Community  Church  in 
Winchester,  Va.,  and  Rock  Springs 
Community  Church  in  Vista,  Calif. 
— were  given  by  U.S.  Missions  Di- 
rector David  West.  (See  pages  6  &  7 
of  the  November  Evangelist.)  A 
"soft  launch"  of  the  Eagle's  Nest 
Christian  Fellowship  near  Peru, 
Ind.,  brought  a  new  family  that  has 
shown  interest  in  becoming  part  of 
that  core  group.  And  the  core  group 
of  the  Oasis  Community  Church  of 
Phoenix,  Ariz.,  has  grown  to  17 
committed  and  gifted  people. 

Rev.  Reilly  Smith,  Director  of  Mis- 
sionary Ministries,  provided  cur- 
rent information  on  Brethren  over- 
seas missions.  He  also  reported  on 
his  October  trip  to  Southern  Sudan 
(see  the  recent  Insight  into  Brethren 
Missions)  and  told  of  World  Reliefs 
plans  for  increased  relief  and  disci- 


pleship  efforts  there.  He  also  ex- 
pressed his  commitment  to  increas- 
ing promotion  of  World  Relief  in 
The  Brethren  Church. 

Dr.  Terry  Wardle,  associate  pro- 
fessor of  Church  Planting  at  Ash- 
land Theological  Seminary,  gave  an 
overview  of  the  assessment  and 
training  process  Brethren  Mission- 
ary Ministries  will  use  at  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary.  Developing 
this  process  is  part  of  a  five-year 
plan  for  Brethren  Impact  church 
planting.  The  seminary's  first  semi- 
nar on  church  planting  is  scheduled 
for  January  18-23,  1999.  Dr.  Wardle 
also  shared  his  vision  for  a  future 
assessment  and  training  program 
for  renewal  of  existing  churches. 

Executive  Board 

In  its  sessions,  the  Executive  Board 
took  several  actions  regarding  Gen- 
eral Conference.  As  follow-up  on  this 
year's  theme,  "Visualize  Renewal,"  it 
was  recommended  that  the  theme  for 
the  1999  Conference  be  "Renew  our 
Church"  and  that  the  theme  for  the 
year  2000  be  "Renew  Our  Spirit." 

Concerning  General  Conference 
business  sessions,  the  board  adopt- 
ed a  policy  that  all  organizations 
desiring  to  report  to  the  Conference 
be  given  an  opportunity  to  submit  a 
written  report  through  the  Annual 
Report.  If  an  organization  does  not 
submit  a  written  report,  it  will  not 
be  given  an  opportunity  to  give  an 
oral  report  at  the  business  sessions. 
Reports  received  too  late  to  appear 
in  the  report  book  could  be  included 
in  the  Conference  Highlights. 

Executive  Director  Emanuel  Sand- 
berg  reported  preliminary  plans  for 
the  1999  General  Conference.  Spe- 
cific information  about  Conference 
speakers  and  a  general  outline  of 
the  Conference  schedule  will  be  pre- 
sented at  the  March  meeting. 

In  the  annual  report  to  the  board 
by  the  Trustees  of  the  Brethren 
Retirement  Plan,  it  was  noted  that 
problems  with  the  plan  administra- 
tor that  had  been  reported  at  Gen- 
eral Conference  have  now  been 
cleared  up.  Therefore,  there  are  no 
immediate  plans  to  change  adminis- 
trators, as  previously  announced. 

The  next  meetings  of  the  Execu- 
tive Board  and  the  two  councils  will 
be  held  March  18  and  19,  1999.  [ftl 
—  Richai'd  C.  Winfield,  editor 


December  1998 


*<*$££*<* 


Briefly 
Noted 


October  18  was  appreciation  day 
at  the  Mulvane,  Kans.,  Brethren 

Church.  During  the  Sunday  school 
hour,  Dorothy  Mills,  chair  of  the 
Board  of  Christian  Education,  pre- 
sented a  certificate  and  a  notepad 
and  pen  set  to  each  Sunday  school 
teacher  in  appreciation  for  his  or 
her  dedicated  service  to  the  church. 
Later,  during  the  morning  worship 
service,  the  congregation  presented 
Pastor  Joe  and  Sara  Hanna  a  beau- 
tiful silk  floral  arrangement  and 
dinner-theatre  tickets  for  "a  night 
on  the  town,"  in  recognition  of  Pas- 
tor-Wife Appreciation  Month. 

The  Brethren  Retreat  Center 

in  the  Indiana  District  offered  pas- 
tors and  their  families  three  "get- 
away" days  November  18-21.  Pas- 
toral families  could  come  for  two 
nights  of  free  lodging  and  six  meals 
on  a  donation  basis.  No  program 
was  planned — just  a  time  to  relax 
with  family  and  partners  in  min- 
istry after  a  busy  summer.  The  an- 
nouncement of  the  "getaway"  ex- 
plained that  "This  is  one  way  that 
the  BRC  seeks  to  refresh  Christians 
in  their  daily  walk  with  the  Saviour." 

In  their  continuing  effort  to  reach 
out  to  people  in  their  community, 
Pastor  Pat  Velanzon  and  members 
of  Cross  Keys  Worship  Center 

(see  the  news  story  at  the  right) 
sponsored  a  dinner  for  area  veter- 
ans and  their  spouses  on  Wednesday 
evening,  November  11  (Veterans 
Day).  A  program  featuring  the 
singing  group  Heartland  followed 
the  meal.  A  total  of  67  people  at- 
tended, including  32  veterans. 


Cross  Keys  Worship  Center  reaps  a 
different  kind  of  harvest  in  October 


Port  Republic,  Va.  —  Cross  Keys 
Worship  Center,  a  Brethren  class 
that  meets  in  Virginia's  beautiful 
Shenandoah  Valley,  reaped  a  differ- 
ent kind  of  harvest  on  October  4 — a 
harvest  of  family  and  friends. 

Like  any  harvest,  this 
one  required  planting. 
That  began  on  Septem- 
ber 13,  which  was  desig- 
nated "Love  Loaf  Day." 
On  that  Sunday,  several 
bakers  in  the  congrega- 
tion brought  66  small 
loaves  of  bread  to  the 
worship  service.  Each  of 
these  had  an  invitation 
attached  to  it  encourag- 
ing the  recipient  to  at- 
tend the  worship  service 
at  Cross  Keys  on  Octo- 
ber 4  and  to  stay  for  a 
lunch  that  would  follow. 

The   members   of  the 
congregation    delivered 
these  loaves  of  bread  to 
friends    and    unchurched    family 
members.    The   congregation   also 
sent  out  "Come  and  See"  postcards, 
hung  posters  around  the  communi- 
ty, and  put  advertisements  on  the 
radio  and  in  the  newspaper. 

As  a  result,  a  crowd  of  88  "came  to 
see"  on  "Harvest  Friends  and  Fami- 
ly Day"!  This  was  more  than  double 
the  May  through  September  aver- 
age attendance  of  37. 

The  morning  program  included  a 
creative  puppet  show  by  the  youth, 
under  the  direction  of  Debbie  Estep. 


Special  music  was  sung  by  the 
"Blue-Grassy"  trio  of  Kitty  Saufley, 
Ray  Howdeyshell,  and  Leon  Ervin. 
Spirited  congregational  singing  was 
accompanied  by  keyboard  and  a 
"string  trio"  (see  below).  And  Pastor 


Orville  Landes  (I,),  Leon  Ervin  (c),  and  Pastor  Pat  Velan- 
zon provided pickin  '  and  strummin  'for  some  spirited  con- 
gregational singing  on  "Harvest  Friends  and  Family  Day.  " 


Sixty-six  "love  loaves  "  were  planted  in  order  to  pro- 
duce a  "harvest  of  family  and  friends  "  at  the  Cross  Keys 
Worship  Center.  Above  the  love  loaves  is  the  mission 
statement  of  the  Cross  Keys  congregation. 

Pat  Velanzon   preached   a   timely 
message  on  friendship. 

The  worshipers  were  also  blessed 
by  the  surprise  visit  of  three  special 
friends  from  Southeast  Christian 
Fellowship  in  Washington,  D.C. 
(three  hours  away).  They  came 
bearing  love  and  gifts  from  this  sis- 
ter congregation. 

Following  the  service,  a  wonderful 

meal  was  served  by  the     kitchen 

crew,  headed  by  Pastor  Velanzon. 

This  brought  to  a  conclusion  a  day 

on   which,    according  to   reporter 

Kathy  Velanzon,   the 

Cross  Keys  Brethren 

"were   all   extremely 

blessed,    happy,    and 

grateful  to  God."    [ft] 

///  reporting  this  event, 
Kathy  Velanzon  added: 
"We  have  more  ideas 
and  plans  for  future  out- 
reach, which  we  plan  to 
share  through  the  Evan- 
gelist. We  hope  other 
churches  will  share  their 
ideas  too.  Let's  encour- 
age each  other. "  To 
which  the  editor  adds  a 
hearty  "Amen!" 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


0pd  the 


Pastors  retreat  to  put  focus 
on  caring  for  one  another 

Bradenton,  Fla.  —  "Ongoing  Care 
for  Each  Other"  will  be  the  theme 
when  Brethren  pastors  and  their 
spouses  gather  March  2-4  at  the 
Christian  Retreat  Center  in  Braden- 
ton for  their  annual  retreat. 

Rev.  Roger  Charman,  manager  of 
Pastoral  Ministries  at  Focus  on  the 
Family  in  Colorado  Springs,  will  be 
the  main  resource  leader.  An  or- 
dained pastor  in  the  Brethren  in 
Christ  denomination,  Rev.  Charman 
has  been  at  Focus  on  the  Family  for 
11  years,  following  15  years  in  youth 
work  and  pastoral  ministry.  In  addi- 
tion to  introducing  the  theme,  he 
will  speak  on  "The  Problem  of  Pas- 
tor Burnout  and  Dropout,"  "Solu- 
tions That  Work:  Dealing  With  and 
Preventing  Pastor  Burnout,"  and 
"The  Seduction  of  Success." 

Also  serving  as  resource  leaders 
will  be  Rev.  David  L.  West,  Director 
of  Congregational  Ministries  and  of 
U.S.  Missions  for  The  Brethren 
Church,  and  Mr.  James  Frado,  Man- 
ager of  Stewardship  and  Planned 
Giving  for  The  Brethren  Church. 
Rev.  West  will  speak  to  "The  Pas- 
toral Care  Dialogue,"  and  Mr.  Frado 
will  present  "A  Practical  Approach 
to  Biblical  Finances." 

The  retreat  will  begin  with  regis- 
tration at  3:00  p.m.  on  Tuesday  af- 
ternoon, March  2,  and  conclude  on 
Thursday  afternoon,  March  4. 

The  costs  for  the  retreat  are:  one 
person — $125  for  shared  room;  $175 
for  private  room;  couple — $225 
($250  for  room  with  kitchenette); 
children — $40  per  child  plus  $35  for 
child  care.  Churches  are  encouraged 
to  cover  expenses  for  pastors  and 
their  wives  to  attend  the  retreat. 

Registration  forms  were  included 
in  the  October  issue  of  Leadership 
Letter.  They  should  be  sent  to  Phil 
Lersch,  6301  56th  Avenue,  N,  St. 
Petersburg,  FL  33709.  The  registra- 
tion deadline  is  January  10.  [ft] 


Jefferson  Brethren  Church  celebrates 
November  1  as  "Breakthrough  Sunday" 


Goshen,  Ind.  — 

Members  of  the 
Jefferson  Breth- 
ren Church  cele- 
brated November 
First  as  "Break- 
through Sunday." 

According  to 
Pastor  Dan  Law- 
son,  the  Jeffer- 
son Church  is  at 
the  most  diffi- 
cult growth  bar- 
rier for  churches  to  overcome — the 
200  to  300  barrier.  The  congregation 
has  bumped  against  this  barrier  on 
several  occasions  in  the  past,  but  it 
has  never  gotten  over  it  for  any 
length  of  time. 

Breakthrough  Sunday,  therefore, 
was  a  day  for  the  Jefferson  Brethren 
Church  to  experience  a  break- 
through in  attendance.  It  was  also  a 
day  for  the  church  to  experience  a 
breakthrough  in  the  outpouring  of 
God's  Spirit.  And  it  was  a  time  for 
individuals  to  experience  a  break- 
through in  their  personal  relation- 
ship with  the  Lord.  During  the 
month  of  October,  Pastor  Lawson 
presented  sermons  on  how  to  make 
a  breakthrough  with  God  in  one's 
personal  life. 

Breakthough  Sunday  also  gave 
church  members  a  reason  to  get  ex- 
cited about  their  church  and  a  spe- 
cial opportunity  to  invite  others  to 
attend.  In  the  days  leading  up  to  the 
event,  church  members  were  en- 
couraged to  hand  out  flyers  about 
Breakthrough  Sunday;  to  invite 
friends,  family,  neighbors,  and  ac- 
quaintances to  attend;  and  to  be  in 
prayer  for  a  moving  of  God's  Spirit 


SLjrvlCDy^Ct^ 


on  the  church. 
To  add  a  sense  of 
expectancy  as 
the  day  drew 
near,  members 
were  invited  to 
place  a  small 
paper  silhouette 
of  a  person  on 
the  sanctuary 
wall  for  every- 
one they  knew 
would  attend. 
The  attendance  goal  for  Break- 
through Sunday  was  500,  and  the 
worship  service  that  Sunday  was 
held  at  a  local  elementary  school  in 
order  to  accommodate  that  number. 
Pastor  Lawson  reports,  "We  lost 
count  around  420,  so  I  am  not  sure 
if  we  got  to  500  or  not.  But  it  was  a 
huge  success,  and  I  am  convinced 
that  we  will  see  some  positive 
growth  from  it." 

The  Lord  touched  several  lives 
during  the  service,  and  many  of  the 
guests  made  commitments  to  keep 
coming.  To  encourage  this  commit- 
ment, a  flower  was  delivered  to  the 
home  of  each  guest  on  Sunday  after- 
noon after  the  service,  and  Pastor 
Lawson  telephoned  each  guest  on 
Sunday  afternoon  or  evening.  In  ad- 
dition, Tim  DeLaughter,  Pastor  of 
Care  and  Nurture  at  Jefferson,  sent 
each  guest  a  handwritten  note,  and 
the  appropriate  Adult  Bible  Fellow- 
ships (Sunday  school  classes)  are 
doing  follow-up  as  well. 

As  a  result  of  Breakthrough  Sun- 
day, the  Jefferson  Church  has  gained 
five  new  families,  and  residual 
growth  is  continuing  to  occur,  ac- 
cording to  Pastor  Lawson.  [ft] 


World  Relief  in  Cambodia 

Wheaton,  111.  —  Rural  Cambodians, 
who  struggle  to  survive  even  in  the 
best  of  times,  are  facing  critical  food 
shortages  after  two  years  of  floods 
and  a  season  of  drought  have 
wrecked  havoc  on  their  rice  crops.  In 
desperation,  many  family  members 
have  sent  their  children  away  to 
work,  or  they  are  foraging  for  food. 

World  Relief  is  providing  emergen- 
cy food  to  1,200  families  in  Santouk 


district  of  Kompong  Thorn  province, 
one  of  the  hardest  hit  areas  in  the 
country.  In  a  food  for  work  program, 
local  Cambodians  build  fish  ponds  in 
exchange  for  cooking  oil,  canned  fish, 
hoe  heads,  seed  packets,  and  110 
pounds  of  rice.  The  World  Food  Pro- 
gram is  contributing  40  tons  of  rice 
to  the  effort.  World  Relief  is  working 
through  the  Adventist  Development 
and  Relief  Agency  to  implement  the 
program.  [ft] 


December  1998 


In  Memory 

Rev.  John  T.  Byler,  86,  former 
Brethren  pastor  and  Pastor  Emeri- 
tus of  the  Louisville,  Ohio,  First 
Brethren 
Church,  died 
October  24. 

Rev.  Byler 
served  as  a 
pastor  for  40 
years.  He 
began  his 
ministry  in 
the  Church 
of  the  Breth- 
ren in  1941, 
serving  two  congregations  in  that 
denomination.  In  1946  he  became 
pastor  of  the  Louisville,  Ohio,  First 
Brethren  Church.  This  was  followed 
by  pastorates  at  Brethren  churches 
in  New  Lebanon,  Ohio  (1952-60); 
South  Bend  (First),  Ind.  (1960-69); 
and  Canton  (Trinity),  Ohio  (1969 
until  his  retirement  in  1981).  He 
served  as  General  Conference  Mod- 
erator in  1968. 

John  was  born  August  4,  1912,  in 
Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada,  the  son 
of  John  I.  and  Amanda  (Troyer) 
Byler.  He  received  a  B.A.  degree 
from  Juniata  (Pa.)  College  and  did 
graduate  work  at  Temple  University 
School  of  Theology  and  Oberlin 
School  of  Theology. 

He  was  married  for  57  years  to 
Lois  (Brewer)  Byler,  who  survives 
him.  Also  surviving  are  four  daugh- 
ters and  sons-in-law — Joyce  and 
Rev.  John  Brownsberger  of  Louis- 
ville, Ohio;  Joanne  and  John  Shupp 
of  Middletown,  Ohio;  Judith  and 
John  Haenes  of  Forth  Worth,  Tex.; 
and  Jeanette  and  Bruce  Judisch  of 
San  Antonio,  Tex.;  12  grandchil- 
dren; and  10  great-grandchildren. 

Services  were  held  October  27  at 
Louisville  First  Brethren  Church, 
Pastor  Jim  Koontz  officiating,  and 
at  the  graveside,  Rev.  John  Browns- 
berger (Rev.  Byler's  son-in-law)  offi- 
ciating. Memorial  gifts  may  be  made 
to  Louisville  First  Brethren.         [ft] 


Donald  Rowser  retires  following  45  years 
of  pastoral  service  in  The  Brethren  Church 


Goshen,    Ind. 

—  Rev.  Donald 
Rowser  retired 
from  the  full- 
time  pastorate 
earlier  this 
year  after  45 
years  of  very 
effective  ser- 
vice as  a  pastor 
in  The  Breth- 
ren Church. 

A  retirement 
reception  was 
held  June  7  at 
the  Goshen 
First  Brethren 
Church,  where 
Rev.  Rowser 
had  served 
since    1985.    It 

was  attended  by  members  of  the 
Goshen  congregation  and  by 
Brethren  from  other  area  churches. 
The  day  was  also  the  46th  wedding 
anniversary  date  of  Rev.  Rowser  and 
his  wife  Charlene 

Born  June  9,  1930,  in  Johnstown, 
Pa.,  Rowser  joined  the  Johnstown 
Third  Brethren  Church  at  the  age  of 
10.  Called  to  Christian  ministry  by 
that  congregation  in  1950,  he  at- 
tended Ashland  College  (B.A.  in 
1954)  and  Ashland  Theological 
Seminary  (B.D.  in  1957). 

While  in  college  and  seminary,  he 
pastored  the  North  Georgetown, 
Ohio,  Brethren  Church  (1953-58). 
In  1958  he  became  pastor  of  the 
Smithville,  Ohio,  Brethren  Church, 
serving  there  until  1965.  This  was 
followed  by  pastorates  at  The 
Brethren  Church  in  New  Lebanon, 
Ohio  (1965-85),  and  at  Goshen  First 
Brethren  Church  (1985  until  his  re- 
tirement on  June  30,  1998). 

During  his  years  of  pastoral  min- 
istry, he  served  on  various  district  and 
denomination  boards  and  commit- 
tees. He  was  General  Conference 
Moderator  in  1972.  He  also  served 
as  moderator  of  the  Ohio  District. 
He  was  a  member  for  more  than  30 
years  of  the  Missionary  Board  of  the 
Brethren  Church,  which  he  served 
as  treasurer  and  president,  and  he 
also  served  for  a  time  as  president  of 


Retiring  Pastor  Donald  Rowser  (c.)  receives  a  congratulatory 
handshake  from  David  Conder,  moderator  of  the  Goshen  First 
Brethren  Church,  as  Charlene  Rowser  looks  on. 

the  Ohio  District  Mission  Board.  In 
addition,  he  was  a  member  for  sev- 
eral years  of  the  Ministry  of  Pas- 
toral and  Congregational  Care  of 
the  Indiana  District. 

An  accomplished  chalk  artist,  Rev. 
Rowser  presented  numerous  "chalk 
talks"  in  churches,  schools,  nursing 
homes,  and  for  civic  groups.  In  addi- 
tion, he  held  evangelistic  services  in 
more  than  50  Brethren  churches. 

Not  wanting  to  work  while  her 
husband  relaxed,  Mrs.  Rowser  also 
retired  in  June.  The  former  Char- 
lene Tracy  of  Twelve  Mile,  Ind., 
Mrs.  Rowser,  like  her  husband,  is  a 
graduate  of  Ashland  College  (B.A., 
1953).  In  addition  to  her  responsi- 
bilities as  a  pastor's  wife,  mother 
{see  below),  church  member  and  mu- 
sician, she  served  for  26  years  in  ed- 
ucation, most  of  those  years  as  a 
school  psychologist. 

The  Rowsers  are  parents  of  two 
children.  Their  son,  David,  and  his 
wife  and  children  serve  as  mission- 
aries in  Moldova  (formerly  part  of 
the  U.S.S.R.).  Their  daughter,  Tracy 
Whiteside,  and  her  family  live  near 
Columbus,  Ohio,  where  Tracy's 
husband,  Jeff,  is  associate  pastor  of 
the  Smoky  Row  Brethren  Church. 
Immediately  after  retiring,  the 
Rowsers,  accompanied  by  the 
Whitesides,  traveled  to  Moldova  to 
visit  David  and  his  family.  [ft] 


JO 


The  Brethren  Evangelist 


vodf/i 


In  Memory 

Alberta  Holsinger,  75,  wife  of 
retired  Brethren  pastor  Rev.  Robert 
G.  Holsinger,  died  unexpectedly  fol- 
lowing heart  by-pass  surgery  on 
November  4.  She  was  a  member  for 
many  years  of  the  Park  Street 
Brethren  Church,  where  she  served 
in  a  variety  of  children's  ministries, 
in  the  drama  ministry,  and  was  an 
active  member  of  the  W.M.S. 

During  her  many  years  of  Chris- 
tian ministry,  Mrs.  Holsinger  also 
served  as  National  Patroness  for 
Signal  Lights,  as  National  Litera- 
ture Secretary  for  the  W.M.S.,.  and 
was  editor  first  of  the  Signal  Lights 
column  and  later  the  children's 
page  ("Little  Crusader")  for  The 
Brethren  Evangelist. 

She  was  born  June  29,  1923,  in 
Ashland,  the  daughter  of  John  H. 
and  Do  vie  M.  Brubaker  Pry  or.  She 
was  a  graduate  of  both  Ashland  Col- 
lege and  Ashland  Theological  Semi- 
nary. She  and  Robert  were  married 
February  17,  1952.  Together  they 
served  the  Cameron  W.  Va.,  Quiet 
Dell,  Pa.,  Warsaw,  Ind.,  Falls  City, 
Nebr.,  Morrill,  Kans.,  and  Ashland 
Garber  Brethren  churches.  She  also 
taught  elementary  school  in  Ash- 
land for  27  years. 

She  is  survived  by  her  husband; 
two  daughters  and  a  son-in-law, 
Joan  M.  Holsinger  of  Ashland  and 
Gwen  and  Keith  Stuart  of  Dayton; 
one  son  and  daughter-in-law,  Mark 
and  Liz  Holsinger  of  Rowsburg, 
Ohio;  and  four  grandchildren. 

Services  were  held  November  7  at 
Park  Street  Brethren  Church  with 
Pastor  Arden  Gilmer  officiating. 
Memorial  contributions  may  be 
made  to  Missionary  Ministries  of 
The  Brethren  Church,  Ashland 
Theological  Seminary,  or  Park 
Street  Brethren  Church.  [ft] 


Since  God  has  appeared  in  a 
manger,  should  we  be  surprised 
to  find  Him  anywhere  ? 


Dr.  and  Mrs.  Glenn  L.  Clayton  honored  for 
50  years  of  service  to  Ashland  University 


Ashland,  Ohio  — 

Dr.  Glenn  L.  and 
Janet  Clayton 

were  honored  by 
Ashland  Univer- 
sity on  Saturday 
evening,  October 
31,  for  their  50 
years  of  service  to 
the  university.  The 
occasion  was  also 
the  88th  birthday 
celebration  for  Dr. 
Clayton. 

Nearly  300  guests 
attended  the  gala, 
held  in  the  Convo- 
cation  Center   on 
the  university  cam- 
pus. The  evening  included  a  dinner; 
a  "This  is  Your  Life"  computer  pre- 
sentation  recapping  Dr.    Clayton's 
88  years;  a  musical  tribute  on  the 
piano  by  Elizabeth  Pastor,  trustees 
professor  of  music;  and  comments 
paying  tribute  to  the  Claytons. 

Paying  tribute  were  AU  President 
Dr.  G.  William  Benz,  President 
Emeritus  Dr.  Joseph  Shultz,  Pro- 
vost Emeritus  Dr.  Lucille  Ford,  Pro- 
fessor Emeritus  Dr.  Fred  Martinelli, 
and  Thomas  Stoffer,  vice  chairman 
of  the  AU  Board  of  Trustees. 

In  addition,  State  Rep.  Bill  Harris 
of  Ashland  presented  Dr.  Clayton  a 
special  recognition  from  the  Ohio 
General  Assembly,  and  Ashland 
Mayor  Douglas  Cellar  delivered  a 
proclamation  honoring  Clayton.  At 
the  end  of  the  celebration,  Dr.  Benz 
announced  that  through  the  efforts 
of  the  university  and  the  Claytons' 
many  friends,  more  than  $85,000 
in  donations  was  being  added  to 
the  Glenn  L.  and  Janet  S.  Clayton 
Endowed  Scholarship  Fund  at  AU. 

Dr.  Clayton  became  president  of 
Ashland  College  in  1948  at  the  age 
of  37,  the  youngest  man  to  fill  that 
office.  At  that  time,  Ashland  College 
had  four  buildings,  300  students, 
and  assets  of  about  $4  million.  Four 
years  after  his  arrival,  a  fire  de- 
stroyed Founders  Hall,  the  school's 
administration  and  main  classroom 
building.  Many  thought  the  fire 
might  put  an  end  to  the  college,  but 


Ashland  University  President  Emeritus  Dr.  Glenn  L.  Clayton 
and  his  wife  Janet  (both  at  I.),  with  AU's  current  president  Dr. 
G.  William  Benz  and  his  wife  Gerry.         Ashland  University  photo. 

Dr.  Clayton  rallied  support  to  re- 
build Founders  Hall,  and  thus  began 
a  period  of  unprecedented  growth 
on  the  campus. 

By  the  time  of  his  retirement  in 
1977,  the  college  had  grown  to  36 
buildings,  total  assents  of  $30  mil- 
lion, and  2,000  students.  Since  retir- 
ing as  president,  he  has  continued 
to  serve  the  university  in  a  number 
of  capacities,  most  recently  in  the 
Office  of  Development  as  director  of 
the  AU  1000  Club,  which  provides 
funds  for  endowed  scholarships,  and 
as  coordinator  of  the  university's 
roundtable  program. 

A  native  of  New  Lebanon,  Ohio, 
where  he  was  a  member  of  The 
Brethren  Church  there,  Clayton  re- 
ceived a  bachelor  of  science  in  educa- 
tion degree  from  Miami  University 
of  Ohio,  and  MA.  and  Ph.D.  degrees 
from  Ohio  State  University.  He 
served  for  12  years  in  public  schools 
and  then  taught  in  the  history  de- 
partment at  Ohio  State  University 
before  becoming  president  of  Ash- 
land College. 

During  their  years  in  Ashland,  the 
Claytons  have  been  members  of 
Park  Street  Brethren  Church, 
where  Dr.  Clayton  taught  Sunday 
school  for  many  years.  He  is  also  a 
past  moderator  of  the  General  Con- 
ference of  The  Brethren  Church. 

The  Claytons  have  two  sons,  John 
and  Glenn  L.  (ID,  four  grandchil- 
dren, and  one  great-grandchild,     [ft] 


December  1998 


11 


nd  the 


N.  Indiana  W.M.S.  Fall  Retreat 
Focuses  on  "Joy  in  Serving" 

Goshen,  Ind.  —  "Joy  in  Serving" 
was  the  theme  of  the  annual  north- 
ern Indiana  WM.S.  Fall  Rally,  held 
October  10  at  the  Goshen  First 
Brethren  Church.  W.M.S.  members 
and  guests  from  the  Bryan,  Ohio, 
Brethren  Church  and  from  the 
Brighton  Chapel,  Goshen,  Milford, 
Nappanee,  and  New  Paris  Brethren 
Churches  in  northern  Indiana  at- 
tended the  gathering. 

The  theme  for  the  day  was  high- 
lighted in  an  inspirational  talk  by 
Bonnie  Munson.  She  encouraged 
listeners  to  "accept  what  is,  and 
allow  God  to  help  us  lovingly  make 
the  best  of  each  situation."  Her 
message  carried  more  impact  be- 
cause Ms.  Munson  has  lived  most  of 
her  life  in  a  wheelchair  as  a  result  of 
having  polio  as  a  child. 

At  the  conclusion  of  her  message, 
a  surprise  presentation  was  made  to 
Ms.  Munson  by  Rev.  Donald  Rowser. 
He  presented  her  a  plaque  from  the 
Missionary  Ministries  Council  of 
The  Brethren  Church  in  recogni- 
tion  and   appreciation   of  her   25 


Rev.  Donald  Rowser  presents  a  plaque 
— on  behalf  of  the  Missionary  Ministries 
Council  of  The  Brethren  Church — to 
Bonnie  Munson  in  appreciation  for  her 
25  years  of  service  with  Brethren  House 
Ministries  in  St.  Petersburg,  Fla. 

years  of  service  with  Brethren 
House  Ministries  in  St.  Petersburg, 
Fla.  A  similar  plaque  was  presented 
to  Phil  and  Jean  Lersch  at  General 
Conference  in  August,  but  Bonnie 
was  unable  to  attend  that  event. 

The  rally  was  filled  with  love  and 
Christian  fellowship,  as  devotions 
based  on  1  Corinthians  12  and 
2  Corinthians  9  directed  minds  to 
avenues  of  joyful  service.  Music  was 
also  an  important  part  of  the  day. 
The  women  enjoyed  group  singing, 


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service  of  ordination  held  October  4  during  the  Sunday  morning  worship  hour  at 
the  Mulvane  Brethren  Church.  Pastor  Joe  Hanna  (r.)  conducted  the  ordination  ser- 
vice, assisted  by  Deaconess  Lilith  Howard  (2nd  from  r).  Each  candidate  served  a 
six-month  period  of  probationary  service  prior  to  receiving  a  vote  of  affirmation 
from  the  congregation. 


as  well  as  instrumental  and  vocal 
selections  presented  by  some  of  the 
members  of  the  Goshen  Church's 
Youth  Choir.  Another  noteworthy 
feature  on  the  program  was  a  report 
of  a  mission  trip  to  the  Dominican 
Republic,  given  by  three  Goshen 
W.M.S.  members  who  had  the  privi- 
lege of  making  the  trip. 

The  rally,  including  the  noon  meal 
served  family  style  in  the  church 
fellowship  hall,  provided  many  op- 
portunities for  old  friendships  to  be 
renewed  and  new  ones  to  be  formed. 
The  gathering  also  gave  the  women 
an  opportunity  to  provide  support 
for  Ashland  Theological  Seminary. 
An  offering  for  the  seminary  was  re- 
ceived in  the  amount  of  $537. 

"But  most  important,"  according 
to  Esther  Mishler  of  the  Goshen 
Church,  "was  the  fact  that  this 
group  of  women  shared  ideas  and 
concern  for  serving  various  needs. 
At  the  same  time  they  delighted  in 
honoring  a  special  person — Bonnie 
Munson — who  still  reflects  joy  in  all 
that  she  does." 

—  reported  by  Esther  Mishler 


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For  Reference 


Not  to  be  taken 


from  this  library 


Hf.ckman 

BINDERY,        INC. 
Bound-To- Please' 

JAN  03 

I  N.  MANCHESTER,  INDIANA  46962