Shaping a movement

It was great to meet together as Mennonite Brethren this July. The nation-wide participation of delegates plus the efforts of conference staff, local volunteers, the Executive Board, and the Board of Faith and Life (BFL) came together in a wonderful collage of energy under the inspiring theme, “Let your kingdom come. . . .”

It was also gratifying to see how people responded to the agenda. It was not a one-issue convention. Besides the women in ministry leadership resolution, we accepted a new Key City/Communities Initiative for the prairies, new operating bylaws, and a new budget. We also overviewed our national ministries.

Delegates seemed to enjoy working together in small groups around tables and in workshops. I was glad that so many spoke in the BFL workshops and business discussions. In the process, about 60 people got a chance to address the women in ministry leadership issue.

All this to say, I felt as though Gathering 2006 was an occasion to shape our movement. It wasn’t just about the “vote” on one important issue; it was about many issues important to our conference. And it wasn’t just about votes; it was about process, including using coloured cards to foster consensus building.

In my ministry summary at Gathering, I talked about the need to focus as much on what we are becoming as on what we are trying to achieve.

Stanley Hauerwas writes in A Community of Character, “. . . the most basic task of any polity is to offer its people a sense of participation in . . . a common adventure . . . [And] good politics requires the development of courage and hope as central virtues. . . .”

It is just as important, Hauerwas says, to know and learn from the life and character of Jesus as from his atoning work on the cross. The story of Christ’s life and teaching is what enables us to achieve a “social ethic” – a framework for living individually and corporately.

Character

As we develop life as a conference, we must again understand that the stories of individuals and congregations are part and parcel of the decision points we make along the way. To isolate theological discernment into sterile concepts and votes only achieves a decision; it doesn’t necessarily build the character of the community of faith.

And it is the character of our community that has impact on our world.

Yes, of course we must maintain very close ties to our orthodoxy. The Lordship of Christ and the authority of the Scriptures remain central to our Confession of Faith, and from there we move to chart courses on polity matters. I believe we demonstrated that through our process on the particular issue of women in ministry leadership. The countless contributors who warned, challenged, reminded, and even pleaded for us to remain true to the Word of God demonstrated our commitment to that confessional centre – not just theoretically but in our very character and Christian–social ethic.

John Stackhouse eloquently argues in Finally Feminist that neither “side” of the issue of women in ministry leadership has a watertight argument. That’s a good theory. Ralph Gliege, Saskatchewan conference minister, told delegates he remains “complementarian” but is seeking a middle ground in the continuum, where we’re united. That’s living out the theory.

The path of character building is not easy or quick. My hope is that churches will take the time to find their path carefully on this matter. Whether choosing to affirm women for senior pastoral roles or not, the process of deciding and the building of character should be seen as important as the outcome.

And so we will shape our movement – our social ethic. It will take hope and courage – and patience – to be the people God wants us to be in order to do the works God has created us for. In the end, we’ll both participate in and contribute to the adventure we could call “Mennonite Brethren within the kingdom of God.”

David Wiebe is executive director of the Canadian MB Conference, based in Winnipeg.