Lowering the Walls

Menno Hamm

It is perhaps not widely known that leaders of our Evangelical Mennonite Conference (EMC) have been meeting in dialogue with their counterparts from three other Mennonite conferences. In fact, these meetings have been held annually for a number of years. It's not that these meetings are intentionally secret; they simply haven't been publicized.

The other groups involved are the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference (CMC), Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference (EMMC) and Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (MB). Hosting the meetings rotates between the groups. This year's meeting, it being EMC's turn, was held at the Fort Garry EMC church in Winnipeg on January 26.

The meetings are small--they seldom involve more than two or three representatives from each conference. The group have no power to make decisions affecting their conferences, so the agenda, set by the hosting conference, focusses on discussion of items of mutual interest. It seems to be primarily a means of becoming better acquainted with and informed about each other.

Those in attendance at this year's meeting agreed we should cooperate with each other more formally, but they did not define how this was to be done. EMC moderator Ralph Unger noted that "We are quite like-minded theologically." He felt the tone had been cordial--a discussion among friends.

Noting that "reasons for separation that existed in history are no longer true", the representatives also considered the question, "What would be the advantages/disadvantages of a merger?" The question was likely prompted by the decision last summer of the Mennonite Church (MC) and the General Conference Mennonite Church (GC) to move toward merger. For now, mutual cooperation, where appropriate, seems the best alternative.

The three smaller conferences (CMC, EMMC and EMC) have been involved in a number of joint endeavours, such as Steinbach Bible College, leadership seminars, the 1994 convention, a mission trip to South America and supplements to our periodicals. I believe there have been a number of pulpit exchanges between churches as well.

Our involvement with the Mennonite Brethren has been considerably less, although quite a number of our members have received training at MB schools. We have appreciated the ministry of MB speakers at our conventions: Frank C. Peters, John Regehr and John Toews, for example. Several EMC churches have or have had pastors from the Mennonite Brethren, and at least one EMCer is in pastoral ministry in an MB church.

How similar are we in what we believe and what we do? Reuben Pauls, executive minister of the Canadian MB Conference, lists the MB Core Values in the September 29, 1995 MB Herald: belonging to a believers church, being a biblical people, being a covenant community, being a missionary people and being a people of peace and reconciliation. These are the core values that identify who the Mennonite Brethren are. Pauls indicates that while they allow diversity in practice, they hold MBs together theologically.

Don Ratzlaff, editor of The Christian Leader, the periodical of the US branch of Mennonite Brethren, also discusses the MB position:

"Mennonite Brethren, born in a pietist revival, continue to emphasize the vertical dimension of our anabaptist faith--personal conversion, piety and evangelism. MCs and GCs generally place more emphasis on the horizontal dimension--structural sin, community and peacemaking/justice.

"For me, the issue has always been emphasis. I have felt good about being Mennonite Brethren because I believed that while we emphasized the vertical dimension, we also valued the horizontal. . . .

"I unapologetically place priority on evangelism because I believe God wants above all else to reconcile sinful people with Himself. But biblical evangelism is more than saving souls. Conversion from sin must also include a conversion to kingdom ethics. Jesus wants to save us from hell, but also to save us for a life of discipleship on earth" (The Christian Leader, September 1995).

Concerning our EMC emphases, I can't see us disagreeing too much with these statements from the MBs. Since we are so remarkably similar, working together in closer harmony should not be difficult. It is good to see that the walls dividing us are not as high as they once were. There is hope they will be lowered even further.

Menno Hamm is editor of The Messenger, periodical of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. Reprinted, with permission, from The Messanger.

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