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.)

Burnout a corporate problem

Re “When pastors burn out” (Nov. 24). Isn’t pastoral burnout as much a corporate experience and challenge as it is an individual one? If we in our congregations are truly biblical communities, then burnout isn’t just a matter of getting the one person fixed and healed. If our pastors are over-burdened, over-professionalized, and isolated from the shared responsibilities of ministering to God’s people and to a needy world, are we as members not partly involved? When Moses experienced burnout, didn’t God suggest sharing the load with 70 worthy elders?

How biblical are our churches if we opt for a one-person pastoral model, and ignore the New Testament models of the early church with its five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor/shepherds, and teachers; its eldership pattern of church governance; and the priesthood of all believers? Couldn’t this healthy diversity go a long way towards mitigating the burnout problem?

Are we missing our calling to share in ministry by placing impossible burdens on individuals instead of embracing our God-given opportunities to realize the full potential of the gifts God bestows on all members of the body of Christ?

Maureen and Herb Klassen,
Abbotsford, B.C.

No sympathy

Re “When the fire burns out” (Features, Nov. 24). Like Terrence Roth, I was a member of the Worldwide Church of God cult many years ago. In fact, I was the payroll manager for their multi-million dollar payroll. What I discovered about the institutional church system is a human-made clergy/laity system founded upon the basis of a professional clergy or “paid hireling” business model. The only real pastor I need is Jesus Christ.

I have no sympathy for burned out pastors because I believe people should have their fellowship in private homes, and without professional clergy.

Van Robison,
Burnside, Kentucky

Positive burnout

Re “When pastors burn out” (Nov. 24). Burnout seems to be a bad word today. In my youth, it was something to be desired as a total commitment of our lives to God. The valedictorian at MB Bible College challenged the 1956 grads with the following: “Let me burn out for thee, dear Lord, burn and wear out for thee. Don’t let me rust, or my life be a failure, my God, to thee. Use me and all I have, dear Lord, and draw me so close to thee that I feel the throb of the great heart of God, until I burn out for thee.” That class produced more successful conference leaders and missionaries than any other.

The problem is not burnout, but fear of burnout. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. What challenged me to burn out (positively) were Jesus’ words, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

To pastors experiencing stress I would say, “Don’t throw in the towel today, you may need it to wave in victory tomorrow.”

Lawrence Warkentin, MBMSI missionary,
Germany

A huge challenge

Re “When pastors burn out” (Nov. 24). Prior to becoming a Christian, if I had been asked for my opinion about how difficult a pastor’s job was on a scale of one to 10, I would have said a five or six. I didn’t have a clue!

Now, after attending church for five-and-a-half years and also serving on church council for two years, I can speak from experience. Today, that same question would have me unhesitatingly answering: 10! For a person to be readily available to the many members of their congregation whenever a need arises and to patiently and lovingly take care of whatever situation is placed before them is a huge challenge. And running the business aspect of the church is no easy matter, either.

Joyce Janzen,
Nanaimo, B.C.

Article not patronizing

Re “Lest we forget” (Crosscurrents, Nov. 3) and “Between bad and worse” (Letters, Dec. 15). In his Nov. 3 article, Peter Dueck writes with clarity and sensitivity, tracing his own journey from childhood to adulthood. Contrary to Gilbert’s assessment, Dueck’s article is neither “self-preoccupied” nor “patronizing.”

I agree with Gilbert on one point: it is time for Anabaptist Christians to take a “long hard look at what Scripture actually teaches on the use of force.” As we do so, I hope we will rediscover Jesus’ response to violence and its implications for all of us in these troubled times.

Gilbert is entitled to his personal views and has every right to express them. When he identifies himself with CMU and MBBS, however, he blurs the line between the person and the institution. I assume, and hope, that in this case, CMU and MBBS do not share Gilbert’s views.

Don Peters,
Winnipeg, Man.

Complex issues

Re “Between bad and worse” (Letters, Dec. 15). I was saddened by Pierre Gilbert’s letter. I wondered what I had missed about the original article that provoked such a “prickly” response. It just didn’t seem to fit.

One might very well turn most of the criticisms on their heads. What is “distressingly predictable” are the arguments in favour of just wars, and Gilbert does not fail in terms of his brief defense of WWII.

The issues pertaining to WWII are complex, and certainly no one can dispute the atrocities committed by Hitler. But there are respectable opinions that suggest there were other alternatives. When we look at any event in history we can only assess what happened, but we can never be sure about what might have happened if we, or others, had acted differently. Certainly we cannot say, as the letter writer states, “there wouldn’t be a Jew left alive in Europe today.”

As far as being “painfully ideological,” a survey of the vast literature [about pacifism] should easily prove that most of it is really quite practical rather than ideological. And is it “patronizing?” At times it certainly may be, but the letter itself seems quite condescending toward fellow academics at the institutions where he teaches. The writer’s colleagues are certainly attempting to “take a long hard look at what Scripture actually teaches,” whether everyone agrees or not with the conclusions.

Like Gilbert, I believe there are choices to be made between “bad and worse,” but not in the sense that Christians have to make deliberate choices between sins to commit. We are never sinless, but God never forces us to choose between sins.

Abe Dueck,
Winnipeg, Man.

Good can overcome evil

Re “Between bad and worse,” (Letters, Dec. 15). One of the great historic Christian affirmations is: “we renounce the devil and all his works.” What could possibly be more the work of the devil than war?

Most Christians don’t seem to take seriously Jesus’ teachings of loving enemies and turning the other cheek. Gandhi, a Hindu, demonstrated the wisdom and efficacy of Jesus’ way. Dr. E. Stanley Jones, one of the 20th century’s most prominent Christian missionaries, said of him, “God uses many instruments, and he may have used Mahatma Gandhi to Christianize unchristian Christianity.”

A careful reading of Matthew 5, along with Paul’s teaching of the powers, reveals a realistic alternative to a national defence strategy based on lying, hatred, violence, murder, and killing. In other words, it is possible to overcome evil with good.

Dave Hubert,
Edmonton, Alta.

Don’t compromise peace

Re “Between bad and worse,” (Letters, Dec. 15). I found it incredible to read the conclusions of a scholar of Pierre Gilbert’s calibre, justifying the Allies’ effort to oppose Hitler in World War II and asking Christians to choose “between the bad and the worse.” Since when is that ever a choice Christians have to make? Did God really need the Allies’ assistance to protect the Jews? If so, this really makes a mockery of the cross, which is God’s way of reconciliation.

The Nov. 24 edition of the Herald had a helpful review by Paul Doerksen of five current books on the peace issue. He concludes his review with the observation of a Colombian MB pastor that “just as the Colombian church sought to embrace the rich peace teaching of Anabaptism, we in North America seemingly could not rid ourselves of it quickly enough.” Are North Americans trying to rid themselves of the rich peace teaching of Anabaptism?

George H. Epp,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Follow Jesus’ example

Re “Between bad and worse,” (Letters, Dec. 15). Pierre Gilbert implies that if we took Scripture seriously we would recognize that it validates the use of force. Scripture says many things, and one can certainly find biblical texts that glorify the use of violent force. The point is that Christians should be reading Scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught, lived, and died the way of peace and nonviolence. Those who profess his name are called to follow in this way.

Gilbert implies that a commitment to peace and nonviolence and a refusal to bear arms arises out of a denial of the reality of sin and evil. While this may be true for some, most Christians committed to peace and nonviolence recognize that using violent force to end violence results in more sin and more violence. (We’re witnessing that in Iraq today.) They believe that peace must be built through peaceful means, if it is to be a true peace.

Gilbert notes that if it had not been for the Allied offensive against Nazism in WWII, there would not be a Jew alive in Europe today. While the Allied victory ended the state murder of Jews, it’s important to note that the Allied nations did not go to war against Germany to save Jews. Many of them, including Canada, had turned away Jewish refugees in the years prior to the war. It was the courageous and nonviolent action of the people of Denmark, the community at Le Chambon, and individuals like Corrie Ten Boom, that saved the lives of Jews.

Esther Epp-Tiessen, Peace ministries coordinator,
Mennonite Central Committee Canada

Criticisms off the mark

Re “Politically unacceptable” (Letters, Dec. 15). Gay Lynn Voth takes issue with Tim Williams’ critique of a kind of Christian “tolerance” where Christians endorse behaviours typically seen as unbiblical. Voth accuses Williams of misrepresenting “the concept of tolerance as defended by Canadian laws and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

But it wasn’t Williams’ concern to represent that concept of tolerance. He merely claimed that there’s conflict between a cultural concept of tolerance where tolerating some behaviour implies endorsing that behaviour and a Christian mandate to love others. According to Williams, the conflict arises because in some situations, loving people requires not endorsing what they do.

Voth misrepresented Williams, which is why her criticisms – that Williams is advocating a Christian “paternal or religious right to rule” and neglecting an Anabaptist separation of church and state – are off the mark.

However, more disturbing than Voth’s misread of Williams is the trajectory of her apparent views concerning the relationship Christian communities have to other communities in a democratic society. According to Voth, “arguing that Christians should be intolerant of their neighbours’ actions, when these acts are permitted in law, will simply lead to further accusations of intolerance, crippling our Christian witness.”

A lot hinges on how we are to understand intolerance. Suppose we go with the concept of Christian intolerance I think Williams is advocating, where to be intolerant is to think that some behaviour exhibits moral failing. Then, Voth’s statement is problematic on two fronts. First, her statement would mean that what is legally permissible is thereby morally permissible – a dubious claim. Second, her statement would mean that effective Christian witness requires conforming to whatever evaluative moral standard the wider world brings to bear on Christian communities.

If Voth has a concept of intolerance different from Williams’, she might avoid the problems just raised. But, contrary to her aim, she won’t be raising concerns about Williams’ viewpoint.

Myron A. Penner,
Abbotsford, B.C.

Jesus’ message can be divisive

Re “Politically unacceptable” and “Hurtful article” (Letters, Dec. 15). There’s a disconnect between these two letters and the original article by Tim Williams. The first respondent missed the distinction between tolerance that is freedom of speech, and tolerance that is freedom of lifestyle; the first is biblical, the second is permissiveness. The second respondent forgot that Jesus’ message was divisive and hurtful to a certain group of people (the Pharisees). Jesus knew his message of reconciliation with God would lead to conflict between people.

Kenneth Affleck,
New Westminster, B.C.

Focus on discipleship

Re “Evangelicalism: ‘growth without depth’ ” (Features, Dec. 15). Walter Unger concludes that, as Mennonites, we have all the answers and other denominations need to get themselves back on track. What arrogance!

Instead of trying to help other denominations “get it right,” we should focus on discipling people in our own churches, not caring about the theological differences between us and our brothers and sisters in other denominations. We should care even less about the hijinks in the world of “popular Christianity.” These sorts of controversies have been going on for the past 2,000 years. Spiritual fads have come and gone. False teachers have come and gone. Christianity’s political power has risen and fallen. But disciples remain.

It’s because of disciples the church still thrives. Disciples go out into the world to try and make more disciples. They don’t try and solve everyone else’s theological problems. We should strive to grow disciples in our churches, not try and convert everyone else to our point of view.

Grant Warkentin,
Campbell River, B.C.

Do Mennonites belong?

Re “Evangelicalism: ‘growth without depth’ ” (Features, Dec. 15). Walter Unger’s article pondered whether “Mennonites really belong in this large, rather elastic theological tent” of evangelicalism. Some of us who entered the Mennonite church from an evangelical background might equally wonder if we fit within the smaller, equally elastic theological tent of Anabaptism. It has its own flaws: confusion or fusion of faith and Germanic culture; tendencies toward legalism and physical isolation; and a history of splintering.

Anabaptist theology and theologians can also display a similar tendency to ignore or massage texts that differ from an official position. Some arguments for nonresistance or child dedication seem as convoluted as a 16th century defence of infant baptism or confirmation.

The question: do Mennonites really belong? continues the tendency for some Anabaptists to continually disassociate themselves from Catholics, mainline churches, evangelicals, and other Anabaptists. Perhaps Mr. Unger might have spent more time on the positive aspects of how evangelicalism has influenced modern Anabaptists (with the assurance of salvation, the modern missions movement, and more).

Terry M. Smith,
Mitchell, Man.

Very sad

Re “SAD: the pain of winter” (Intersection, Dec. 15). As one who has been medically diagnosed with mild clinical depression and seasonal affective disorder, I found James Toews’ article insensitive and quite offensive. Do you tell a person with cystic fibrosis that they only “seem” to be suffering and that their desire to take in a full breath of air is an “illusion?”

Why can Christians accept that some people get illnesses like asthma, diabetes, and cancer, but an illness of the brain is somehow not real? This is heaping additional pain and suffering on those who are already struggling.

SAD is a documented illness related to the body not producing enough serotonin and too much melatonin. The levels of these two chemicals produced by the body are somehow controlled by the amount of light a person receives. For those affected by it, the suffering is a reality. Please don’t propagate the Christian myth that there’s no such thing as a mental illness.

George Gaeke,
Winnipeg, Man.

Pastors in pain not represented

Re “Who’s choosing (and sticking with) church ministry?” (Features, Nov. 24). I read the 2006 pastoral trends survey with mixed feelings. The survey results imply that pastoral job satisfaction is high and that our pastors are committed to and engaged in long-term service. It’s my experience that most pastors experiencing feelings of depression and failure would not take the time to respond to a survey that would confirm their perceived failure in ministry.

I’m a 30-something lead pastor who has chosen to leave the MB denomination. I didn’t take the time to fill out the survey about pastoral trends, in part because I’ve watched three of my colleagues’ families disintegrate during their time in pastoral service in the MB denomination and seen little done by the denomination and its churches to address their destructive personal situations. All three of my colleagues are now divorced or separated, and all three are pursuing different career paths.

I’ve seen people of God eaten up by the churches/denomination they were called to serve and continue to cry over it to this day. To publish survey results that provide an all-too rosy outlook on a situation that’s anything but, was disappointing. Our pastors in pain are simply not represented in this survey. These people of God need champions (perhaps even a union) to represent their condition and the condition of our denomination, not a survey.

Name withheld by request

Note: Columnist James Toews has responded to the three letters (Dec. 15, 2006; Jan. 2007) on “People of the logic” in our online forum. Go to MB Forum to add your thoughts or read more.