A few good things

The following are short reflections about a few things I’ve observed this spring.

1. Delegates at the B.C. convention in May made a significant decision. They decided to trust each other.

Three churches asked the provincial conference for title to their land and buildings (previously held by the conference). The churches said it would help them manage future development and building projects. They also said it would protect the larger conference in case of a nasty lawsuit. At first, folks in B.C. weren’t too happy about this request.

What was the debate about? Basically, the bottom line was money. Lots of money – millions of dollars worth in assets. People asked: without financial ties, what would keep churches connected to the conference? What would happen if a church decided to leave? Would the assets go with them?

In the end, delegates granted the request. They agreed that our fellowship is based on something deeper than property or money. It’s held together by common faith, mutual care, and loving relationships. It’s held together by trust.

That’s a very good thing.

2. Most provinces are now asking pastors to walk through a credentialing process with the Board of Faith and Life (or a provincial equivalent) within their first year of ministry. That’s a good thing because many new pastors have very little training in MB (evangelical Anabaptist) theology. In B.C., for example, only 30 percent of pastors have studied at one of our MB schools.

Mennonite Brethren have always been content to borrow from other traditions, such as Lutheran, Pietist, and Reformed, as long as those doctrines and theologies help us live more godly lives. MBs are primarily concerned with discipleship – living out a visible faith and making it count in everyday life – rather than doctrine.

“We can applaud the selective diversity in our Canadian MB churches because it’s connected with our mandate to be missional,” says Bruce Guenther of MB Biblical Seminary.

But, more and more, we’re influenced by theologies that may be incompatible with ours. The danger doesn’t come from being open to ideas from other denominational traditions. The danger comes from not knowing our own traditions or theology.

When we know ourselves, we can better evaluate what we hear or read. With virtually unlimited access to all types of information and streams of thought, it’s essential to develop critical thinking skills. Asking pastors to be credentialed through the MB church helps them gain greater awareness of evangelical Anabaptist theology and gives them greater discernment regarding the plethora of ideas streaming into their lives.

That’s a good thing.

3. Sex is also a good thing.

But you really wouldn’t know it, living in North America these days. Sex is something X-rated. It’s traded for money. It sells cars, clothes, food, and shaving cream. It requires protection. And it’s often at the centre of political debate; U.S. senators are now talking about vaccinating schoolgirls against the diseases it might inflict.

Good things can turn ugly very quickly.

Has the church helped rescue sex from its bad rap? Not really.

The church often stifles conversations about human sexuality. Instead of celebrating and communicating positive messages about it, the church sends warning signals. When there is silence from the pulpit or a strict rule-based approach, Christians begin to fear their own sexuality. Or they become obsessed by it.

So, in the Herald this month, we’ve decided to celebrate sex and talk about it in a redemptive way. This topic is for married people and singles alike. In “Christian sexuality,” David Eagle reminds us that “sexuality is all about learning we are loved by God.” What a powerful message! And Sherryl Koop talks about healthy female sexuality from the perspective of a single woman. It’s another powerful and encouraging piece.

We hope readers will discover many good things in this issue of the Herald. Happy reading!