Letters to the editor

Mennonite Brethren Herald welcomes your letters on issues relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church, especially in response to material published in the Herald. Please keep your letters courteous, brief and about one subject only. We will edit letters for length and clarity. We will not publish letters sent anonymously, although we may withhold names from publication at the request of the letter writer and at our discretion. Publication is also subject to space limitations. Because the Letters column is a free forum for discussion, it should be understood that letters represent the position of the letter writer, not necessarily the position of the Herald or the Mennonite Brethren Church. Send letters to: Letters, MB Herald 1310 Taylor Ave. Winnipeg, Man.  R3M 3Z6 or send via e-mail. (Please ensure that your postal address is included in your e-mail correspondence.)

Men could quilt too

I left Clearbrook some 30 years ago as an MCC volunteer service teacher in Newfoundland and Labrador. This became our chosen home after two terms. Family and friends in B.C. ensured that we found our way back to B.C. periodically.

I am fortunate to have an active and engaged 88-year-old mom who still believes that good can come from older people and younger people alike, doing what God requires and desires.

It took no time at all, when I was visiting recently, for Mom to convince me that joining her MCC quilting circle on Tuesday morning would be the only thing for mother and son to do. I was amazed to see half a dozen active and interesting ladies in their 80s and 90s, sewing warm quilts for refugees. Something in me recognized the best of 500 years of Mennonite/Anabaptist heritage. There was little complaining there, only a wistfulness that there were not more women to help.

I could not help wondering, “Where are the men? This is not women’s work, this is God’s work! Surely there are men who could be doing this along with their compassionate womenfolk, bringing some hope and help to a hurting world!”

I returned to my “field” of work and service, determined to encourage men (and women) in their retirement years to join hands and hearts in service to God and humans in need. If there was ever a need for an alternative to bombs and guns, it is now.

Herb Brown,
Goose Bay, Labrador

Troubled by trend

Reading reports of the symposiums on women in ministry leadership in Ontario and Saskatchewan (June 11, Nov. 5). I sensed disappointment at the poor attendance. Why the poor showing?

Having observed our denomination for 43 years and having read about the past I suggest the following:

There are very few MBs my age who believe in the sincerity of these symposiums. Study conferences seem to have had only one goal in mind: wear down the resistance to the changes that have already been determined. Whether it was TV, dancing, use of alcoholic beverages, divorce, worship, they were all one-ways. Now it is women in senior pastor positions; most likely the next is blessing same sex couples. It seems that to soothe any resistance we tend to re-interpret Scripture to suit our needs. I have yet to see an issue where we as a conference have said: No. To calm the waters “the BFL . . . is going slowly because churches are not ready.” Does anyone doubt the outcome? Why then bother going through the process?

Are we struggling to save a dying denomination? Has the Lord withdrawn His blessing from our denomination as He did from Israel? Why so much friction and so little influence in our society today?

I’m thrilled by the influence the MBs have in Congo. And why shouldn’t they ordain women into senior positions when it is a maternal culture and men have not stepped up to the plate? In the Soviet Union there were many Mennonite churches led by women because all the men were gone or silenced by force. In North America men need to show leadership in family and church. The tragedy is that too many of our leaders see their position as a position of power instead of ministry (service). Perhaps emphasizing the shepherding minister rather than the ruling leader would bring a better attitude to this discussion.

I believe Scripture as it is written and see Paul’s directive on leadership as inspired as other parts of his letters. Accepting this by faith makes the study series superfluous, if not harmful. And if there are no men available to lead, I bless a woman to lead.

Isaak Eitzen,
St. Catharines, Ont.

Embarrassing regurgitation

I have been conducting my own informal poll: is it possible that every issue of the Herald can contain a letter regarding worship styles and/or the role of women in the church? Indeed it is. The endless regurgitation of these two issues is embarrassing. It makes me think that this debating is more about fear than the desire to lead healthier, light-shining churches. We think that “one thing will lead to another” and the “another” is some kind of worst-case scenario, rather than a better one.

T. Klassen,
Kelowna, B.C.

The myth and the blessing of MCC

Readers will agree that Mennonites in Canada generally have a good reputation in this country. This is due in large part to the relevance of MCC with its many service programs. Canadian media have featured very positive stories and interviews with MCC personnel. MCC has also spun off many credible programs: Canadian Foodgrains Bank (some 12 denominations participating), MEDA, MDS and more. God has blessed these efforts for the common good.

However, too many in our midst have been getting a free ride, so to speak, for the positive reputation MCC has given the Mennofolk. There are many more Mennonites who could volunteer and give financial support to MCC, but for whatever reasons do not. When I attended the MCC B.C. annual general meeting Nov. 6, I wondered again about the state of the general health of MCC within the psyche of B.C. Mennonites. The program was very informative, varied and well carried out – truly a great missionary conference. Unfortunately the attendance was relatively low, with some 200 persons, less than 1%, present from a constituency of 21,903 Mennonites in B.C. Only a few pastors from the 64 congregations were present. This does not augur well for the future of MCC.

The well-prepared financial report had its usual disturbing story about the giving patterns of the B.C. Mennonite MCC constituency. The B.C. MCC Thrift Stores are the second major single source of funding for MCC B.C.’s humanitarian programs, contributing $1,393,836. Individuals and other sources contributed $1,955,446. The 64 congregations contributed only $303,386 (of this, 41 MB congregations at $160,926 and 23 MC B.C. congregations at $125,026). This is only 22% of the Thrift Store contributions. Isn’t it revealing that the 9 Thrift Stores outperform the churches? Is this like God’s blessing of the widow’s mite?

There is considerable inconsistency in the monies received by the MCC B.C. office from the churches. The amounts for each church vary greatly. Only a few include MCC in their budgets.

The myth is that corporately we are a constituency that is very dedicated to ministering to human needs around us and in the world. These ministries are happening but there is so much more that could be done. When we look at the “subsidiaries,” there are many unproductive branch plants. The “managers” of the subsidiaries and their clients would do well to read the Amos or Micah operational manual.

We owe the army of MCC Thrift Store volunteers deep gratitude for their faithful efforts. I refer to these volunteers as an army, when in fact it is only a remnant of faithful persons who are volunteering compared with the 21,930 constituent base.

A final comment in praise of the Thrift Stores, they are a double blessing with these used goods. We can turn in the still usable clothing, buy a new wardrobe, and still do such a wonderful mission with the Thrift Store dollars and, as a Mennonite community, feel good about it all. An incredible reputation for so little sacrifice and effort. Truly a mix of blessing and myth.

George H. Epp,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Clarification

I respond to the allegation that my letter regarding women in ministry leadership was an attack on the person of Doug Heidebrecht (Letters, Nov. 5) and that I implied that “seeking an understanding of Paul’s words within their original context is a bad idea.”

First, my letter was not an attack on Heidebrecht’s stance on this issue, let alone his person. I do not know his stance, since it has not been published. He did, however, author an excellent article on hermeneutics (“The hermeneutical task,” Apr. 9).

Second, I think that ignoring Paul’s words just because they were written to a different society than ours is a bad idea.

Jonathan Epp,
Richmond, B.C.

A second miracle and call

I was encouraged by “When the call comes” (Treasures of Luke, Nov. 5) and reminded of how equally important it is for each of us to experience something very special – a miracle – with our call to follow Christ. We read these stories and we can make all kinds of applications but the reality is that we are not able to obey and follow Christ any easier than Peter did.

I have a few questions: Would Peter have followed if there had been no miracle? If it took a miracle for Christ to convince/impress Peter, will it take anything less for our generation? Would Peter have obeyed a second time if there were not a second miracle (John 21:1–25)?

It is also very interesting that after the resurrection in John 21, Peter and the others went back to fishing. And then, a similar set of circumstances happened as it did in Luke 5.

In both passages: the disciples fished all night and they caught nothing; Christ appeared on the shore and instructed them to put their nets on the other side; a miracle occurred, the net was full; Peter reacts. In Luke 5, Peter asks Jesus to leave him. In John 21, Peter covers himself. Did he want to have something to pull over his head and hide his face from the eyes of Jesus? The miracle must have reminded him of the first miracle, that he had left all three years before and followed Jesus. He must have felt he was once again in a place of disobedience. In both, Jesus talks with His disciples.

The beauty of the story in John 21 is that Jesus has a very personal chat with Peter. This conversation needed to take place because Peter was struggling with his denial of Jesus. Without this beautiful, intimate conversation Peter may not have moved forward.

Jesus moves directly to the issue of relationships. It is the same question Jesus asks each of us. It corresponds with the first and great commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God.”

Jesus also was very clear to Peter about his responsibilities: “Feed my lambs, take care of my sheep, feed my sheep.” This becomes Peter’s vocation as he gives leadership to the church as seen in the book of Acts.

Peter was commissioned to be a fisher of men, but after the miracle in John 21:15–18, the new commission was to “shepherd the flock.” In 1 Peter 5:4, Peter reminds the church that Christ is the Chief Shepherd.

Many ministers who have given leadership for several years struggle with their failures. They need to experience a second miracle and be reminded of their call. They need to hear the voice of Christ asking them if they still love Him.

There are times when the “boats and nets” of a past profession may be calling out to us. Jesus will come to us just as He did with Peter and ask us, “Do you love me more than these?”

We are responsible to walk with God but He also has a responsibility to reveal Himself to us through the visible demonstration of wisdom and power. Would a miracle be out of place? Would Peter have understood and obeyed with the same conviction without such a power demonstration of God’s will?

David Shantz,
Blainville, QC

Where is our discipleship?

Can our MB Bible scholars and missionaries help us in our struggle to move from “going” to church to “being” church?

This was my question as I read the Nov. 5 Herald. I was laid up so I had plenty of time to read straight through and reflect on it.

Reading Tim Geddert’s commentary on Peter’s call to follow Jesus from Luke 5 reminded me that discipleship probably has something to do with my question. Have we become too content with “I’ve accepted Jesus” rather than emphasizing “Has Jesus accepted me, i.e. called me, to be one of His disciples?” I was reminded of Dallas Willard’s statement that you don’t have to be a disciple, or intend to be one, to be a member in good standing of most evangelical churches. We would like people to be disciples, of course, but our “gospel” doesn’t call for it. Jesus called “disciples” not converts, and commanded them in turn to make “disciples.” Are we no longer preaching what the apostles preached? Does it take “disciples” to “be” church together?

Tim Froese’s interesting article on the Anabaptist Centre in Korea made we wonder whether our question has something to do with moving from loving God and neighbour “as yourself,” to loving one another “as Jesus loved the Twelve?” After all, the first was Jesus’ answer to a scribe who wanted His insight into what Moses had taught, whereas the second is Jesus’ own “new” command for His band of disciples. To his unruly mob of Hebrew ex-slaves Moses could rightly say “you ought to love God and your neighbour,” but to the Twelve, who were committed followers of His, Jesus said they should love one another “as He loved them.” There is as great a difference between the two as there is between the Ten Commandments and the “righteousness that goes beyond that of the Scribes and Pharisees” that Jesus speaks of in His commentary on the Law in the Sermon on the Mount. Is experiencing church as Jesus did with the Twelve what it is going to take to transform “going” to church into “being” church?

Pierre Gilbert is always stimulating. In his article about the central place that Christ should have among us, he warns us of the danger of our congregations withering into lovely and caring “religious social clubs.” This is a frightening thought – precisely because we can see signs of it gradually happening among us. How could it be otherwise, where there is no strong and united commitment to discipleship and the kind of love Jesus had for the Twelve? Like most other denominations the MBs were born out of revival, as committed disciples of Christ met in homes to check out the words of Jesus to see what He wanted of them. Now many of us meet, not in houses, but in multi-million dollar religious structures led by dear brothers and sisters of ours who are highly trained and paid specialists. We have wonderful services and exciting programs but where is the Christ of the gospels in all this and where are His bands of disciples?

Herb Klassen,
Abbotsford, B.C.