MBMS INTERNATIONAL

Living Story continuing

MBMS International told a "Living Story". Starting with Chapter One (creation), it moved quickly to Chapter Six (the first Mennonite Brethren missionaries going to India in 1899). Now, at the centenary, there are churches in 22 countries. Flags from the various nations popped up throughout the audience when the countries were named. The "Unfinished Chapter" challenged the church to reach that half of the world’s population that has not yet heard the gospel.

The challenge facing missions today is to share the gospel with all people groups. MBMSI is concentrating its newer efforts primarily in major urban centres such as Berlin, Lima, Peru and Mexico City. In Mexico, MBMSI is part of an inter-Mennonite church planting effort; the La Paz church there already has 60 adults and 40 children attending.

Another challenge is integrating young adults into the program. To that end, TEAM 2000 is being formed composed of people under 30. The members of this team have diverse skills, are Seminary-trained and have made a 10-year commitment to this effort. Many of them are Youth Mission International alumni. This team wants to be sent to an unreached people group; a likely target is a group in Thailand. To send out this team of seven people will cost approximately $150,000 US per year, above the MBMSI budget.

Tim Bergdahl was introduced as the new program director for MBMSI. Bergdahl worked with the Baluch people in southern Pakistan for a number of years while a student at Karachi University under the auspices of MBMSI. When he was forced to return to North America because of changes in the educational system, he continued his studies in the U.S. He will now be taking the place of retiring Dave Dyck.

Randy Friesen, director of Youth Mission International, lightened his presentation by saying, "You know you or your parents are missionaries if you see a National Geographic and you recognize someone; you see an animal on the Discovery Channel and wonder how it would taste fried; you can cut grass with a machete but can't get a lawnmower going." He described the various YMI programs available to young people. SOAR has five regional programs for youth, ACTION has one-month terms, and QUEST and TREK are longer term mission experiences. These programs encourage young people to get serious about their commitment to Jesus.

Ron Penner has been appointed personnel services director, after having served in church planting in Spain and in Tijuana, Mexico. He indicated that mission is changing, and that missionaries are now being sent by receiving countries to other countries as well.

Dale Warkentin, church relations director, introduced Russell Schmidt (Wichita, Kan.), Harold Siebert (Winnipeg, Man.) and Don Klaassen (Abbotsford, B.C.), who, together with Warkentin (Fresno, Calif.), form the "mission mobilizer team", which will connect MBMSI more closely with the churches.

Lori Toews Friesen was introduced as the new director of finance and support services. Budget

Friesen indicated that there are two components to the financial support of MBMSI—the Core budget (which includes administration, initiatives of the Board and staff and all preplanned items) and the CorePlus budget (which includes projects initiated by the constituency, and immediate needs such as buildings and disaster relief). Funding for CorePlus projects usually comes from individuals and corporations rather than from churches. Funding for Core projects from the churches has declined over the past decade and forced cutbacks and cancellation of some programming, while contributions to CorePlus are growing. Budgetting for work in Asia has been increased because of increased opportunity, while budgetting for Latin America has been reduced. Delegates were reminded that even money for Core projects does not come from Conference norms, but rather directly from churches, individuals and businesses. Monies for both parts of the budget are distributed only as they are received; however, a three-to-six month contingency reserve is now in place. MBMSI goals for the next biennium will be achieved only as there is a renewed vision for mission and closer relationships with churches are forged.

The report ended with a challenge to the delegation to do their part in continuing to tell the living story. SB

One recommendation was presented by MBMSI: That the Conference affirm the convergence of MBMS International and Youth Mission International programs under the MBMS International Board, effective no later than September 1, 1999.

When the Youth Mission program was begun in 1988, it was a project of the Canadian MB Conference Board of Evangelism and was a domestic program. Over the next decade, Mission USA and MBMSI also became sponsors, and the program developed into an international one. In order to increase mission interest in the constituency and provide greater efficiency in administration, YMI will merge with MBMSI. YMI will operate as a CorePlus budget item until May 31, 2000, after which the administrative expenses will be incorporated into the regular Core budget of MBMS International, while the YMI programs, (SOAR, ACTION, QUEST, TREK) will continue to operate as separate budget items under the CorePlus fund.

The recommendation was passed. SBB

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