|  | |
Previous | Next
 |
Brief letters that include the writer’s name and address are welcome. We will not publish letters sent anonymously, though we may withhold names at our discretion. Letters may be edited for purposes of length or clarity. Send by regular mail to:
Letters, MB Herald
3-169 Riverton Ave.
Winnipeg, Man. R2L 2E5
|
or by e-mail to mbherald@mbconf.ca.
Please ensure that your mailing address is included in your e-mail correspondence. |
Doxa continuing
I found myself smiling in agreement with Peter J. Woelk (“The Doxa Phenomenon”, Crosscurrents, Jan. 21). Woelk states, “One wonders why it had to end. Doxa was a place to experience God.”
I vividly remember our first experience with Doxa. It was awesome. So started our Sunday evening treks from Maple Ridge on the north side of the Fraser River, with several youth in tow. The youth were from our new church plant, East Ridge Community Fellowship. Eventually a family from the congregation offered their van, calling it “the Doxamobile”, to transport the youth group.
Friends brought friends, and soon teens were becoming Christians through the Doxa ministry. On a weekly basis, teens would share how much Doxa meant to them, and they would talk of their growth experiences.
In September 1998, our daughter Jennifer, a student at Columbia Bible College, had a field education assignment in which she led a Bible study with the youth from East Ridge. The youth decided they wanted music to be a part of the study. Instruments were brought in, and “the music began”. Jennifer wanted to see Maple Ridge reached for Christ, and an avenue for that would be music. God was blessing Abbotsford’s Doxa, and He could bless Maple Ridge with JIOS (Jesus Is Our Saviour).
During Doxa’s break in December 1998, JIOS had their first praise and worship celebration in our garage. Every other Saturday evening, JIOS was filling the gap and meeting the needs of teens who had grown accustomed to Doxa’s ministry. Before long, the “garage band” had to find another locale. After two moves, the band was offered the use of the Maple Ridge Pentecostal Church on 232nd Ave. Jennifer, who is continuing studies at Columbia, passed on the leadership to the other JIOS band members. Their praise and worship celebrations are every other Sunday evening. As with Doxa, there is a half-time break with testimonies, devotionals or drama. Teens are coming to know the Lord. The music is contagious. The members of the JIOS team are Ryan Thiessen, Lorraine Alexander, Chad Alexander, Elizabeth Caswell, Josh Duguid, Tecia Graham, Ryan Hallberg, and Della Thiessen.
JIOS is connecting churches with a common bond in Christ and reaching out to the lost of Maple Ridge. On ending the Doxa experience, Vijay Manuel encouraged people to go and do things for God in their communities, and the youth at East Ridge Community Fellowship have done just that. They’re thankful that Doxa steered them in the right direction. For further information about JIOS, call the church office at (604) 462-8324.
Lorraine Loewen,
Maple Ridge, B.C.
Whole story needed
Congratulations on finally addressing the reality of gay and lesbian people within the Mennonite Brethren Church. However it was with deep sadness that I read the fear-filled articles in this groundbreaking issue. Where did you find such miserable gay and lesbian people to tell these painful stories? And why did you not include even one story of a normal, happy, gay or lesbian Christian? Yes, there are broken, miserable, self-loathing lesbian and gay people like the ones you have written about – just as there are broken, miserable, self-loathing heterosexual people. However, the majority of lesbian and gay Christian Mennonites that I know are happy, healthy, productive members of their communities. Many are also active members of local churches. Mennonite, Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Christian Reformed, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Quaker, United, and other churches all have congregations where lesbian and gay Christians are welcomed as full members. Those of us who have grown up Mennonite Brethren have found church homes in these other faith communities.
As a lesbian who grew up in Kitchener MB Church, I challenge the Herald to tell the other side of the story. Let your readers know about the Brethren and Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, a North American group of approximately 891 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Mennonites. There are many more healthy normal happy gay and lesbian Christians than there are broken ones. And why not tell about the Supportive Congregations Network, 24 Mennonite or Church of the Brethren congregations that welcome believers on the basis of their confession of faith regardless of their sexual orientation?
Jennifer Thiessen,
Toronto, Ont.
Point missed
“Authoritarian stance” (Letters, Jan. 7), responded to my letter of Nov. 5. (When I e-mailed that letter, it went out with the names Brian and Karen Anderson on it. This was a mistake. It was solely my letter.)
The care group who wrote on Jan. 7 apparently missed the biblical application of my original letter. The position that I took in my first letter is “authoritarian”, but this is no problem if what I say is in harmony with Scripture.
Also, I in no way “minimize the impact of abuse”. Verbal and physical abuse is absolutely abhorrent and unacceptable, especially in the Christian home. Unfortunately, the corporate church is very weak in dealing with this problem in her midst. But it is the duty of the church to call each person, whether husband or wife, to fulfill their covenantal obligation of marriage even in abusive situations. It is also the church’s duty, as Christ’s representative, to deal head-on with any and every abuser in her midst. One response may be to execute a safe haven for the abused who are not safe in their own homes. This I also said in my first letter.
The care group’s suggestion that I took 1 Peter 3:1-5 out of context is incorrect. I exegeted the passage properly. There is no way around this passage, other than to deny its clear context. Nor did I overlook the husband’s responsibility by stopping short at verse 7. I was responding to another letter, and verse 7 was irrelevant to the discussion. Yes, “there are many references in the Bible as to what constitutes a healthy and loving marriage” but I was responding to a view that I saw was inconsistent with the teachings of Scripture. Reread the letter that I was responding to, reread my original letter and then compare what I said with the following verses and see whether what I said is in harmony with what God says on the matter: Malachi 2:15-16; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 19:3-9. None of these Scriptures, as applied to the subject at hand, have been taken out of context.
I respect the proper response of this care group to this public forum. Though I see their view on the subject as flawed, I honour their concern for those in abusive marriages.
Brian Anderson,
Mission, B.C.
Yes, we have tried Alpha
As leaders of home groups for seekers and new Christians at Maple Ridge Community Church for many years, we were introduced to the Alpha course at MissionFest in Vancouver, in January 1999. The material at first glance seemed to have everything we had found to be effective in our ministry and more. It is informal, in a format for today’s seeker and covers a lot of ground in a very short time. Nicky Gumbel’s teaching is biblical, humorous and thought-provoking, making the group discussion time stimulating. It is also very duplicable from a leadership point of view; one does not have to be a Bible scholar to facilitate one of the discussion groups. We received the blessing of our pastors to “give it a go” with a pilot group of 20 in our home, beginning in April 1999. Our first year using Alpha has been amazing. We are in the middle of our third course with over 80 people involved as guests, leadership or task force. We have seen eight people baptized and have watched people who began Alpha with heavy, sad faces come alive as they have entered into a relationship with Jesus. We have seen walls come down and healing begin in lives that were broken. Alpha is a tool that has enabled us as a church body to reach out in love to many that we normally would not have been given the opportunity to reach. One man, who was baptized this past weekend, came to our home on the first course solely to have a meal out with his wife each week. He gave his life to Christ at the celebration dinner at the end of the course and has never looked back.
Alpha is not the “perfect tool”, and some may have difficulty with things they have read about Alpha, but I do not “throw out the baby with the bath water”. God is blessing this course worldwide, and we see people coming to Christ, being plugged into the church family and being excited about God. We see guests from current courses wanting to get involved with the next course. There is excitement in the air as new Christians and Christians who had gone “dry” in their walk work together to love the guests in the next Alpha Course.
If you have wondered what Alpha is all about, go to an Alpha dinner one evening and experience what God is doing. You’ll be glad you did.
Roger and Heather Drew,
Maple Ridge, B.C.
Alpha working
In October 1999, we attended the Alpha conference at Peace Portal Alliance Church in White Rock, B.C. It was a very moving experience to interact with Christians from 27 denominations, (Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican, etc.). It was great to hear how their lives had been changed by Jesus Christ through the Alpha program. Never at this conference were we told that we needed to speak in tongues or have a laughing revival experience.
We are leading an Alpha program at Northside Community Church, Mission, B.C. The video series speaks clearly on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We have viewed all the videos, including the ones on the Holy Spirit, and do not find any of them to contradict the MB Conference doctrinal statement.
To “Name withheld” (Letters, Jan. 7), though we do not know who you are, we pray for you.
Phil and Judy Bergen,
Mission, B.C.
Articles inspiring
The articles by John Redekop (Personal Opinion) and Bill Hallsted (“The still small voice”) in the Feb. 4 Herald were thoughtful and well written. I was disappointed that I could not find an Internet address in Redekop’s article so that I could see the amazing picture that he mentioned for myself, but I did find a couple of sites on my own. The address for the National Right to Life Committee is www.nrlc.org, and I first found the picture on another excellent site: http://rainbow-brigade.com/samuel.htm. The picture is truly remarkable, as is the accompanying article on the rainbow brigade site. It boggles my mind how someone can see that and still think that tiny hand is merely a clump of cells.
I was deeply impressed by the gentle tone of Hallsted’s encouraging and creative piece. It is easy to get caught up in busyness and visiting each Sunday. His words should remind all of us to keep our eyes focused on why we are really at church. They encourage us to be mindful of the people around us who may be there for the same reason, and those around us who aren’t sure of why they came but are there waiting to hear from God.
Alysha Braun,
St. Catharines, Ont.
Web site impressive
I am impressed with the new look of the MB Herald Web site. How practical to make the look reflect the actual magazine.
Ryan Dahl,
Langley, B.C.
Sunday a time for worship
Thanks again for a very readable and valuable Herald. Bill Hallsted (Feb. 4) highlights concerns that many of us agree with. However, I object to the style of the article, which purports to speak for God in language that I do not see in Scripture. More importantly, I see behind the article the modern selfish attitude that we come to church once a week to “receive” from God rather than to corporately give Him praise and glorify His name. I’m not saying that receiving God’s Word is unimportant on a Sunday morning, but I see how I have fallen into the trap of expecting to fill up my spiritual stomach once a week and then “fast” all week, wondering why my spiritual life lacks power. The still small voice of God is mentioned in Scripture in the context of a private seeking not the bustle of a worship service. God is calling me to discipline my life in regularly seeking Him through His word and prayer. This has not been as much of a habit as it should be and I am sure God is grieved that I have spent time doing other things rather than spending time with Him.
Rob Pankratz,
Abbotsford, B.C.
Pursue righteousness
In response to the letter from Helma Schmidt, (Jan. 21): What do we say to our alcoholic children? What do we say to our lying children? What do we say to our stealing children? God’s Word is the truth which we as Christ’s followers are committed to. Galatians 5:13-25 states: “You, my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature . . .” May we pursue righteousness as we teach and influence the children we have been entrusted with.
Sharon Hooge,
Calgary, Alta.
The Spirit still speaks
Thanks for a very helpful issue (Jan. 21). I am tired, though, of Christians like Bob Koivisto saying that God only speaks through the Bible. May the Spirit of truth guide us into this one. Each of the following verses specifically addresses the speaking/revealing ministry of the Holy Spirit without either mentioning the Scriptures or contradicting them: 2 Chronicles 28:12,18; Nehemiah 8:20; Isaiah 11:2; Ezekiel 3:24; Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 11:19,24,25; Ezekiel 37:1, Ezekiel 43:5; Joel 2:28; Micah 2:7; Zechariah 7:12; Matthew 3:16,17; Mark 1:10,11; Mark 1:12; Luke 2:26; Luke 12:12; John 1:32,33; John 14:16,17,26; John 15:26; John 16:13; Acts 2:33; Acts 8:28; Acts 10:19; Acts 11:12; Acts 13:2; Acts 15:28; Acts 16:6,7; Acts 20:23; Acts 21:10,11; Romans 1:14; Romans 8:5; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13; 1 Corinthians 12:8,9; Ephesians 1:17,18; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 John 6:6,8; Revelation 1:10; Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; Revelation 3:6,13,22; Revelation 4:2; Revelation 14:34; Revelation 22:17.
Some will respond with Hebrews 1:1, but if this means that Christ incarnate was God’s final word to us, then our Bibles should end with the Gospels. And if God only speaks through the Bible, then during the 1500 years between the apostles and the King James Bible, no one but a few Latin-schooled bishops and priests were hearing from God, since the people in the pews have only had Bibles since wages and Bible prices finally converged sometime after 1611.
The Bible’s words are God’s words (2 Timothy 3:16), but the Bible never claims to record everything God ever did, does or will do. It is a 1500-page synopsis of a speaking God’s 6000-year love relationship with humankind. It anchors us to His absolute truth, mentors us with life principles based on an inspired system of ethics and beliefs, and calls us to a living dialogue with Christ (John 8:47; 10:3,4,16,27) through which His spirit leads us to apply Scriptural truth in situation-specific ways (Romans 8:16). The Bible gives us the “what”, (love our neighbour); the Spirit guides into the specific “whos”, “wheres”, “whens” and “hows”, perhaps prompting me to put $55 dollars anonymously into someone’s church mailbox this Sunday (the precise amount, “coincidentally”, they need to pay their hydro bill). Keeping up this dialogue of obedience is what Paul calls keeping “in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).
God sent the Holy Spirit as the loving Counsellor who would continue Christ’s ministry in and through us. Let’s not demote Him to a mute, a mime or a “faithful librarian”.
Brad Huebert,
Winkler, Man.
Previous | Next Last modified April 3, 2000.
© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.
|
