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.)

A tale of two reviews

Re “A work in process” (Crosscurrents, Dec. 16). I read Brad Sumner’s book review of Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell with some interest because I had just finished reading another review of the same book.

In the conclusion of his review, Sumner states: “Overall, Bell paints an extraordinarily compelling and passionate picture of what the Christian life and faith can look like when people who love God are committed to ‘dreaming of new ways to live lives of faith and creativity and meaning and significance’.”

The reviewer in The Berean Call came to quite a different conclusion: “In the wider scheme of the growing apostasy, and shameful though it is, Velvet Elvis is sadly just one more example of how evangelicals are being fed a diet that is systematically weaning them away from their trust in the Word of God.”

Those considering reading this book might be well advised to check out both reviews. We live in a time that calls for much discernment on the part of God’s people.

A. Wiebe,
Morden, Man.

Helpful feature

Re “The violence of God” (series by Pierre Gilbert). This was the best feature in your magazine in 2005. It answered many questions I have grappled with, and I really appreciate how much depth there was to the study and the clarity of the writing. I have saved them to study and reread.

Nancy Warkentin,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Jesus, be the centre

Re “The lightness of being” (Out Front, Nov. 25). David Wiebe’s emphasis on being less consumed with “doing” is something we need to hear.

I think prayer is very important in keeping a better balance between being and doing. I am concerned about what our conventions reveal about us – a lot of strategizing and not much praying. Presumably our time together is so short and precious that we need to focus on what we say to each other and what we want to accomplish. After all, praying is something we can do before and after, on our own. My contention is that if we do not take time to pray when we are together, we model a focus on “strategy,” instead of modelling a dependence on God. This pertains to our worship services too. Most MB worship services are notoriously prayer-deficient, as well as Bible-reading deficient!

In December, I attended the annual general meeting of the Wycliffe Bible Translators. After every item of business or missionary report there was heartfelt prayer. There was a wonderful sense of Jesus being at the centre of everything, rather than a focus on what we accomplished or want to accomplish.

Carolee Neufeld,
Winnipeg, Man.

Heart to make a difference?

The crisis in the DR Congo is one of the world’s deadliest (News, Dec. 16). Nearly 4 million people have been killed. More than 1,200 people die every day. Twenty percent of the children are malnourished. Surveys show that the death toll in the Congo conflict was higher than the combined numbers killed in Bosnia, Darfur, Kosovo and Rwanda. I want to encourage every Canadian MB church to put on a special drive to send aid to our DR Congo brothers and sisters. Friends, we have the money to make a difference. Have we the heart?

George Epp,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Take responsibility

Re “Confessions of a perfect Christian” (Question of Faith, Jan. 13). The problem I have with this article is the author doesn’t take responsibility for the very things they “hate” about church. The church is you and me. We have, in part, created what we complain about. I suppose anyone who has spent their life in church – growing up with all the “stuff” of church – can begin to lose sight of the joy.

How do we fight that attitude? Invite people to church. Tell people about Jesus. Bring them to small group and church activities. Say positive things about church because you might start believing them yourself. Ignore the politics. Sit in a different chair every week. Cross social boundaries and talk to someone new. Volunteer your time in one of the programs.

Don’t complain if you aren’t going to do something. The best thing about church is what the Holy Spirit is doing in it. Get out of your own way; maybe the Spirit will use you to do something good.

Maria Hankey,
Coquitlam, B.C.

No trouble loving church

Re “Confessions of a perfect Christian” (Question of Faith, Jan. 13). Although the author seems to find more things to complain about than I thought possible, I can relate to some of the aspects of church that cause the author to dislike it.

Many of these objections are not issues in our small “house church”–like group. A pursuit of consensus as a method of reaching decisions means we haven’t had votes on a budget or any other decision for 13 years. We choose leaders by identifying and affirming people with appropriate gifts. We avoid stagnation in worship by having one-third of our people involved in worship leading, bringing a variety of musical styles. Teaching comes from people within our group sharing thoughts and asking questions, followed by a time of response and questioning from others present. Mid-week small(er) groups are a forum for social interaction, support and service opportunities. These groups change every year or two, so cliques don’t form. Taking turns serving communion counters hierarchies. Since the numbers of any age group are small, healthy intergenerational relationships and activities are naturally encouraged. We don’t own a building, so concerns over maintaining and enhancing structures occupy none of our time or energy. Even with our small size, we have been able to pursue outreach and ministry involvement in our community and other countries.

Our group is not close to being the perfect church. But, while our focus is on people being the church, I don’t and won’t have any trouble loving church.

Doug Peters,
St. Catharines, Ont.

Congratulations

Re “Confessions of a perfect Christian” (Question of Faith, Jan. 13). Congratulations to the editor for printing one of the most crisp and incisive odes to the human side of our life together that I have ever read.

Stephen Mortley,
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Avoid cheap shots

Re “Confessions of a perfect Christian” (Question of Faith, Jan. 13). Let me see if I can apply the writer’s approach to church to another institution I both love and hate: marriage.

I love my wife, but I hate that I only get one. Variety is the spice of life, n’est pas? Sometimes we run out of things to say at the dinner table. Why shouldn’t I be able to share my dinner table with others? Now don’t get me wrong. I do love her, but she has these annoying habits that, honestly, after nearly 30 years of marriage don’t seem to be going away.

One more thing: I’m not that interested in finances or budgeting. I prefer to think of myself as a visionary. Why is it that once a month my wife has to bother me (she balances our chequebook) with boring, distracting questions about receipts, cheques and budgets? Can’t she understand that I don’t care about that stuff?

I share Faithful Skeptic’s frustrations and disappointments with the church (and, of course I am aware the “perfect” label is a sardonic admission of imperfection). I just don’t believe these sort of cheap and easy shots are fair or helpful to what is, after all, Christ’s bride. I am very glad Faithful Skeptic still wants a chair next Sunday. Maybe we’ll meet and have the chance to share our frustrations and hopes.

Graeme Isbister,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Itinerant church shoppers

Many people venture to other congregations for a few years, only to move on again in dissatisfaction, explaining that they need to find stronger teaching, a better sense of belonging or deeper spiritual enlightenment. I have listened to their complaints, sadly realizing the reasons are merely a repetition of the ones they had for leaving a previous church. Far too many Christians become itinerant church shoppers.

We, the members, are what make our church. We cause our pastor’s spiritual growth by our fervent prayer. We create a vital, growing Sunday school by becoming involved in leadership. Should we just look for a church that is already “a going concern,” and then consider becoming a member? Or should we join a church, determining in our hearts that we are going to roll up our sleeves and work to help it become a going concern?

Vonnie Mostat,
Langley, B.C.