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Fresno, Calif.
Warkentin to retire from MBMS International


After twenty years of service, Dale Warkentin has chosen to take early retirement from his position as church relations director for MBMS International, effective June 30, 2000.

Warkentin began service with MBMS International in 1975 as a missionary with his family in Indonesia. He taught at a missionary training centre, where he helped prepare Indonesian church planters and community development workers.

After nine years in Indonesia, he returned to North America to pastor. In 1988, he came on staff with MBMS International to work in recruitment and church ministries. He was also program director for Asia for several years.

“Dale has a deep passion for instilling a mission vision in our churches,” says acting general director Dave Dyck. “He consistently prompted all of us to pray more deeply and be more committed to reaching those who have never heard the gospel of Christ.”

Elmo and Sarah Warkentin were a key influence in their son’s commitment to service. When Dale was a young boy, his father developed a health problem and was given six months to live. “We moved to our cabin to watch him die,” Warkentin recalls. “One day he told God that if he would be healed he would become a preacher . . . and he threw away all his medication.” Not long after, his health was restored, and in response, he enrolled in seminary and became a pastor. During his life, he started six churches.

After being challenged at high school summer camp to dedicate his life to the Lord, Dale excitedly told his father that he was also going to be a pastor. His father responded, “Don’t do it because of me, and don’t just think about preaching – do whatever God has you do.”

The younger Warkentin went on to pastor Ulysses (Kan.) MB Church and First MB Church in Wichita, Kan., and served as chair of the US MB Conference.

He first heard about the need for a missionary in Indonesia while visiting with MBMS International director Vernon Wiebe. “As he talked, I knew God was saying ‘This is what you should do,’ ” says Warkentin.

In 1984, he pastored Butler MB Church in Fresno, Calif., and his wife Joyce began working at MB Biblical Seminary. Four years later, He rejoined MBMS International.

He was involved in the development of programs that were central to the work of mission. “A focus on unreached people has been one of the biggest joys,” says Warkentin who helped place the first workers in Pakistan with the Baluch and planned an outreach in Thailand with the Khmu.

After retiring, he and Joyce plan to remain active in ministry, including global mission. “We would like to go to different places to volunteer. I look forward to more face to face communication instead of face to computer.”

His passion for the unreached continues. “I hope we can renew a passion to seek and save the lost of the world. We need to see beyond ourselves, to those around the world who need Christ.”

 – Shelly Spencer, MBMS International

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Last modified May 4, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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