Letters to the editor

Teachings for all time

I respond to "Direction Needed" (Letters, Dec 18). I was raised in an MB home and have been an MB member since my baptism in 1967. This is the first time that I recall seeing a suggestion that dispensationalism, especially the cessation of certain spiritual gifts, was officially part of our MB heritage, although some individuals may have bought into this doctrine on their own. My understanding is that Mennonite Brethren have always acknowledged that the gifts of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the New Testament have been valid for believers in Jesus throughout church history. The words of Jesus in Mark 16:17,18 were directed to all believers, not just the first apostles. Likewise, Paul's teachings on spiritual gifts must have relevance to the church beyond first-generation believers. To entertain the thought that some of the teachings of Jesus and the first apostles were not for all believers opens the door to believing that part of the Bible is not relevant for modern believers.

Second, worship is not just what happens in a church service. Worship involves our whole being physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. It is interesting that the spontaneous outbursts that come out of us when witnessing a notable achievement in culture or sports are often expected to be tempered or repressed in a typical worship service. Spontaneous expressions of emotion, or lack thereof, are good gauges of the state of our heart.

Don Schroeder, (E)
Saskatoon, Sask.

God's Word clear

I find it frustrating to read letters in support of the South Calgary Church. I can't begin to imagine the frustration that God must feel. He so plainly tells us in His Word that homosexuality is wrong. "Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders . . . will inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:10). Could He have made it any clearer?

The letter from the Farris-Mannings (Dec. 18) missed the point. How can a homosexual "loving, committed relationship" show a desire on the part of the homosexual to serve God? Romans 1 refers to homosexuality with words such as "shameful", "unnatural", "perversion", "depraved", "God-haters". Romans 1:32 states, "although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practise them."

As Christians, we should always be open to those in our communities and accept them, baggage and all. However, we should never compromise God's Word. We should never condone sin, whether it is popular in our world or not. Our aim when ministering to the drunkard, idolater, adulterer or homosexual should always be to help them find and follow Jesus.

A popular saying in Christian circles is "What would Jesus do?" We need look no further than His Word. A woman was caught in adultery and was to be stoned. Jesus saves the woman but commands, "Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11). He doesn't say come on into the church, teach Sunday school, take communion, etc. How much clearer do we need it?

F.T. Letkeman, (E)
Abbotsford, B.C.

The letter "Male voices dominate" (Dec. 18) introduces an extremely divisive issue. It grieves me to see Christian women buying into the world's mindset. Why does it matter what gender the author of an article is? I've enjoyed countless articles and books by Christian authors with very little concern over the gender of the author. The Holy Spirit uses whoever is ready, willing and available to get the message across both men and women. It is our Lord's desire for believers to be unified—He dedicated a large part of His prayer in the garden to this. Paul also implores Christians to present a unified front. I find this issue potentially divisive, for little gain.

Also, the statements sound uninformed. Was research done into the reason why there is a lack of articles written by females? Perhaps the responsibility lies on our own shoulders is there a lack of submissions by women? Maybe we should take this as a challenge. As women called into Christ's service, let us employ our spiritual gifts to help spread the Good News and encourage each other.

Jill Arndt, (E)
Portage la Prairie, Man.

John Redekop's analysis of Christmas being secularized was excellent. Non-Christians have taken Christmas for their own, but when they realize that Jesus has to be part of Christmas, they a) inject Santa Claus and Rudolph; b) push Christmas aside entirely and turn it into "Winter Fest"; or c) reduce its message by turning it into a political mish-mash, calling on the school board or city council to make sure that no one is offended.

If the public education system or government wish not to offend anyone, then tell them to give Christmas back to Christians where it really belongs. It is our celebration, no one else's. If non-Christians wish not to celebrate Christmas, no one is forcing them to do so. However, if they want to celebrate Christmas, then they'd better make sure that the story is told accurately and not mixed up with mythical persons and events.

I realize that Canada is presumably a Christian nation, which predicates a certain amount of celebration of Christmas, but non-Christians have made such a mess of our holiday. Maybe this means that Christmas should be removed from the secular calendar. If that means that we are able to keep Jesus as the essential part of Christmas, then so be it.

If non-Christians want to celebrate a holiday in December with Santa Claus, Rudolph and Jingle Bells, then let them. Just don't call it Christmas. I don't want to give them any opportunity to compromise, undermine or destroy our celebration of Jesus' birth.

Gary Dickson,(E)
Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Reuben Pauls's "Leadership: Where to from here?" (Nov. 6) is one-sided. The notion that church leadership is a partnership between "lay" leaders and "pastoral" leaders is barely acknowledged. Pauls assumes that vision and leadership emanate from the pastor and that the membership and lay leaders have nothing to add except their rubber stamp of approval.

When the conference organizes "leadership" seminars, they are for pastors. Why are there no events for pastors and moderators? Or pastors and church councillors/elders?

In law, it is the church board or council that is responsible for the decisions taken by the church not the pastoral staff. The church governing bodies must become much more aggressive in monitoring the activities of the pastors they have employed. Specifically, the governing council must make it its business to know everything. Church governing bodies are much more than "pastoral support groups" because individuals can be held personally liable for decisions they participate in as council members long after their term of office expires. The burden of this responsibility will be easy only when pastors and lay leaders see each other as equals in leadership authority.

The way that pastors see themselves as called to the ministry also contributes to the problem. No one ever challenges a young person who, after a term or two of youth work and some Bible college education, declares "I believe I have been called to the ministry." These self-selected pastors are leaders on the basis of being appointed to the office and not because they bring any inherent gift to it.

The way that pastors are trained must also come under scrutiny. Young seminarians demand "respect" and "trust", but have no appreciation of the concept that they must also trust and respect the lay leaders, as well as the congregation. Further, the idea that a pastoral appointment is an "employment" relationship which calls for performance and competence similar to what exists in the "real world", is equally foreign. On graduation from seminary, pastoral candidates should be sent to a secular business school to learn administrative and management skills, and organizational behaviour concepts.

Finally, congregations get no central help in evaluating potential candidates. For example, congregational selection committees have no independent assessment of the leadership ability and potential of any candidate they interview; they are at the mercy of references (which are uniformly positive, and therefore meaningless). The claim of a divine calling by pastoral candidates should be examined by a conference board comprised of pastoral and lay members with human resources experience. The approval of this board would be required for any first appointment to a pastoral position and for any promotion to senior pastor. This, combined with the "apprenticeship" concept proposed in the letter by "Timothy" (Dec.18), as well as restricting the title "pastor" to only the senior pastor in each church, would go a long way to improving the relationship between pastors and their congregations..

E.L. Unrau,
Winnipeg, Man.

How is it that some Christians could say "Jesus never spoke about homosexuality" (Lynn Dyckmann, News, Aug. 28), "that some churches have homosexuals preaching" (E.H. Thompson, Letters, Dec. 18) and that "several openly gay members have been welcomed into full participation" (Peter and Cheryl Farris-Manning, Letters, Dec. 18)? Clearly, Satan is infiltrating the church "to cloud the issue with lies and confusion" (Wendy Whittaker, Letters, Dec. 18).

The Bible is very clear regarding homosexuality: "Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders...will inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9). In Romans 1:24-27 Paul adds females who practise homosexuality. He explicitly states that people who continue in their immoral behaviour knowingly are risking the wrath of God. The Old Testament condemns the practice in Leviticus 18:22 and 7:20.

Homosexuality is gaining tolerance in the world. We are foreigners in this world, and their ways are not our ways. We must not allow the ways of this world to undermine God's ways.

Our pulpits and classrooms cannot be silent on this issue. Our children are constantly bombarded with the lies and confusion of homosexuality through public schools, other children, straight and homosexual adults, teachers, the media and the tolerance of lies and confusion within some of our own churches. The church needs to counteract this with the truth. It's time for our leaders to reveal homosexuality as a biological abomination. Leaders need to teach that sinful lust lies at the centre of adultery, promiscuity and homosexuality. The Body needs to hear the consequences that come with a homosexual lifestyle, and the Body needs to understand that the Bible teaches us to love the homosexual (sinner), but hate the homosexuality (sin). Leaders, please equip the congregation under your care to stand against Satan's lies. If homosexuality isn't attacked from our pulpits, and in our classrooms and homes, a new generation will develop tolerance of this biological abomination. Turn on the lights for the brothers and sisters who are fumbling in this dark sin.

Maryanne Janzen, (E)
Vancouver, B.C.

When the Herald comes, I often read the back cover first. Usually it is a short story well worth the read. I was disappointed with "Fat Pants" (Dec. 18). The author describes how his waist size grew from 32 to 34 and mentions the shame of being stocky—the point being that just as small weight gains lead to large sizes, small sins lead to huge sins.

First, this is a very negative view of Christianity. Second, it is an unfortunate illustration. It reflects a short-sighted, ill-informed and unfortunately popular view of body image and self-worth. There is nothing terrible about fitting size 34 pants! It is normal for people to increase in size as they grow older. It is wrong and harmful to infer that you are yielding to temptation because you have gained weight. The last thing most evangelical Christians need is another guilt trip. I am very sceptical about weight loss programs that link spirituality and weight control. The disease anorexia is a direct result of our society's preoccupation with ideal body image. The image of a beautiful skinny model has caused many teenagers to starve themselves and to feel unhappy with themselves.

Helen Penner, (E)
Winnipeg, Man.

I really loved the article about the first encounter with the Scriptures by the Nanerige elders (Jan. 22). It was so interesting and candid. It brought a sincere freshness to the gospel which we take so for granted, and so we rarely see anyone with the hunger for the whole message.

I also enjoyed the stories in Encounter magazine. There is something convincing and compelling about true stories unlike anything else.

Eunice Seney , (E)
Leamington, Ont.

Thank you for "A Lament" (Jan. 22). Just this morning, in minutes of a meeting of Mennonite leaders, I read the words of another woman who left her church for a different denomination where people would fellowship with her in her grief. Then she could begin to heal.

So twice in one day a forceful memory overtook me, of a Sunday last spring. The reading for the day was Lamentations—the whole thing. The congregation read great chunks of it together aloud because our daughter, Rev. Catherine Stewart-Kroeker, said, "The Jews knew nothing of private grief. They lamented together!" Then her congregation joined in communion, because, their pastor said, "the only thing to do with grief like that is to take it to the cross together."

We Mennonites could learn "to weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:15). Thank you again for an article that "tells it like it is" with no denial or false piety.

Donna Stewart, (E)
North Vancouver, B.C.

I appreciated the articles on Media (Jan. 8). Many Christians have a strong appetite for the entertainment business, regardless of its moral tone. Many Christians defend their interest, believing that if you are mature, you should be able to handle it. But the question is, why would a mature believer seek out and, even worse, endorse these products to their fellow Christians?

Mark Dobell,
St. Catharines, Ont.

I was filled with joy to read about the pros and cons of short-term missions (Jan. 22). We all have some concerns about this development around the globe, and many times we don't know our own position in these questions. That is, why it is good to have the light shine from different angles.

Personally, I don't like the expression "short-term missions". Either we are in there for life or we are not. I praise God for His faithfulness to me since I accepted Him as my personal Saviour at age 11. All my "short-term missions" are like a chain of experiences which have helped me to love my Lord more and to step out by faith in obedience to Him.

Abraham was sent by God on a "short term mission" (Genesis 22: 1-19). The trip took 6-7 days (22:4). God wanted to test Abraham. God wanted to find out if there was anything in Abraham's life more important than to obey Him, verse 2. Did Abraham love his son more than God? God knows my heart; He knows your heart. Could we obey God without condition, as Abraham did? What we learn in this story is: God will test His children to the limit, but He also will reward obedience to Him (22:12,18-19). Are we cutting ourselves short of many blessings because we do not obey our Lord's call? Tell God you are ready to be poured out as an offering, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be.

If "short-term missionaries" are willing to be poured out as an offering to God, we don't need to lose time in discussions about the "financially inefficient model for doing global missions" or a "spiritual" justification for self-indulgence. God made us rich Christians to benefit the Kingdom of God! Period! What is the price tag for one soul? (Matthew 16:26).

Peter Loewen,
Abbotsford, B.C.

This morning, I open my Bible. The heading in the book of Romans reads, "God is angry with sin". My immediate prayer is "Search me, O God and see if there be any wicked way in me." He is so willing to help me, if I am teachable.

Later on, I open my favourite magazine, the MB Herald, January 22 edition. The first page I turn to is the Letters. I can't believe what I am reading: "Minority might be right." What a contrast!

If Victor Fast believes that the Bible doesn’t apply in our present time or culture, there is no need for further discussion, for there is no other truth or source to turn to.

The animals still follow God's order of creation, but man in his own reasoning defies it. The poem, "God's Buttercup" (Letters, Jan. 22) said, "But God was not authoring this hellish confusion."

Martha Penner,
Carman, Man.

John Redekop, writing about President Clinton, wonders why most Americans don't "want him to be punished in any serious manner" (Jan. 8). Is it possible that people see his "months of apologizing at every turn for his behaviour with Monica Lewinsky" (Winnipeg Free Press, Jan. 21, 1999) as genuine contrition and that they have chosen to forgiven him?

Redekop asks, "should (Clinton) not be held accountable by fellow Christians?"

The answer is, of course, "Yes". What, however, should be required of him, given the report in the Oct. 26, 1998 Christianity Today that President Clinton asked three pastors, (Tony Campolo, Gordon MacDonald and Philip Wogaman) to meet with him weekly "to counsel the President and ‘to hold him accountable for his behavior’ "? Did not the Lord leave David in office after the king had committed adultery and murder, even though David did not repent until confronted?

Is the President's public repentance and creation of a godly accountability group not enough?

Marvin Dyck,
Winnipeg, Man.

As someone who has enjoyed reading the MB Herald for many years, I have to respond to the different "echoes" on "Remembrance Day".

I was born in West Prussia (Germany) into a Mennonite family with a strong "pietistic orientation". I joined the German army voluntarily. In 1933 the Conference of Mennonites had dropped officially the non-resistance position of our forefathers. I served in the German army for 7 1/2 years, was wounded twice, was highly decorated and had at the end of the war the rank of captain.

For the Remembrance Day celebration, 1998, I was invited to address 600 students, teachers and guests at a public junior high school in Delta, B.C. Sitting beside me on the podium was a Canadian war veteran, 93 years old. He was wearing many medals of honour; I wore only "the poppy".

In my address, I emphasized that the colour of the poppy symbolized for me the blood of the 55 million people who died in World War II (67% of them civilians) including my 19-year-old brother who died in Russia. It reminds me of all the people who died in wars during my lifetime, including the 58,000 US soldiers in Vietnam. At the same time, I remember the over 100,000 US returned soldiers who committed suicide according to the statistics of the Veteran Administration, the Disabled American Veterans and Trauma Recovery, Inc.

In one of the letters in the Herald, Fred Hill Bryant writes "of God not being a pacifist, but a God of strength and justice as well of love". I am personally thankful that my God, in Jesus Christ, is not a God of justice, that He went to the cross to die for my sins, that I could find forgiveness.

A Christian church that sanctions "professional killing" and even blesses soldiers in their war action, has later no help for those damaged souls crying out for healing, like those returned soldiers from Vietnam. I knew where I could go with my guilt to the cross of Jesus Christ, to find forgiveness and healing.

The glorification of war is the greatest lie in history. General W.T. Sherman, the great hero of the Civil War, stated, "I confess without shame that I am tired and sick of war. It's glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither heard a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded, who cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell."

In my closing statement to the students, I challenged them to be ambassadors of peace in every phase of life, and making Canada a better, more peaceful country.

It is my prayer that the church of Jesus Christ, and especially the Mennonite churches, would reflect more Jesus' teaching on "loving the enemy" as a testimony to the world, who do not know Him. Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-44: "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you: ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ " You cannot follow Jesus' teaching "to love your enemy" and pull the trigger.

Siegfried Bartel,
Agassiz, B.C.

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