“…Let your light shine before others….” — <\/em>Matthew 5:16b<\/p>\n NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n 1) General Board considers mission, love, and unity. FEATURE<\/strong><\/p>\n 4) \u2018Unbinding the Gospel\u2019 offers groundbreaking study of evangelism.<\/p>\n To receive Newsline by e-mail or to unsubscribe, go to http:\/\/listserver.emountain.net\/mailman\/listinfo\/newsline. For more Church of the Brethren news, go to http:\/\/www.brethren.org\/, click on \u201cNews\u201d to find a news feature, more \u201cBrethren bits,\u201d and links to Brethren in the news, photo albums, conference reporting, webcasts, and the Newsline archive.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n The Church of the Brethren General Board met March 9-12 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. Chair Jeff Neuman-Lee led the meeting on the theme, \u201cContinuing the Mission,\u201d from Matthew 5.<\/p>\n The agenda focused on mission with reports from Church of the Brethren missions in Brazil and Haiti, and also included an interim report from the committee studying ministry options at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., among other business items and reports.<\/p>\n Special events included a report of a new sociological study of Brethren, a report from Annual Conference moderator Belita Mitchell about her just-completed trip to Nigeria, and a presentation by the author of \u201cUnbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism\u201d (see stories below).<\/p>\n Mission in Brazil:<\/p>\n Marcos and Suely Inhauser, mission coordinators in Brazil and leaders of Igreja da Irmandade (Church of the Brethren in Brazil), reported the new church\u2019s experience over its first six years. They thanked the board for the opportunity to share both progress and disappointments. \u201cIt is a hard task for me to be here today,\u201d Marcos Inhauser said as he spoke of his deep discouragement over setbacks in the last year or more.<\/p>\n The board authorized the start of the mission in March 2001. Weeks later, the church had already held its inaugural worship service, and in a few more weeks some 150 people were worshiping. Over the next couple of years the Inhausers helped the church call pastoral leadership, place a dozen people in theological training, and plant five congregations.<\/p>\n \u201cExcitement does not equal commitment,\u201d Inhauser said as he listed some \u201ctough lessons learned.\u201d The Brethren church leaders are faced with cultural pressures and opposition because they are \u201cdoing a different style of church than Brazilians are used to,\u201d he said, which has led to internal tensions among leaders. Other setbacks are the closing of two congregations and declines in attendance in others, and financial difficulties. In a disturbing incident that is becoming common in Brazil, the church treasurer was kidnaped and forced to withdraw church funds from the bank.<\/p>\n The Inhausers also celebrate active ministries such as the teaching of handcrafts to low-income people to help them support their families, a clinical therapy ministry that Suely Inhauser offers, and the church\u2019s website that is regularly used as a resource by pastors in other denominations. The Brazilian Brethren have been encouraged by the arrival of two new community outreach workers, placed through Brethren Volunteer Service.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when we have problems, God supports us,\u201d Marcos Inhauser told the board, adding that he can see signs of hope. Board members and others responded by gathering around the Inhausers, surrounding them with laying on of hands and prayer.<\/p>\n Mission in Haiti:<\/strong><\/p>\n Ludovic St. Fleur, coordinator of the mission in Haiti and pastor of Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami and the Orlando (Fla.) Haitian Fellowship, reported as well. \u201cIn Haiti there is both bad and good news,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In 2003 St. Fleur was called to return to Haiti to begin the Church of the Brethren mission. Over four years, a congregation and two preaching points have been started. The church has baptized more than 35 people.<\/p>\n However, kidnapings are also terrorizing Haiti, where church attendance has declined and a children\u2019s ministry has been affected because people fear leaving their homes. The children\u2019s ministry has fallen to an attendance of some 75, from a high of around 125, St. Fleur said.<\/p>\n But the church is continuing in faith and continuing to meet. St. Fleur gave examples of the committed people who are a part of the church, including Sister Mary, who had been a part of the church in Miami and after returning to Haiti hosted the first gathering of Brethren in her house. She has since passed away.<\/p>\n Challenges in Haiti include the need to move the church building because it is in an area designated for development by the government.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need your prayers for how God can open doors for the Church of the Brethren in Haiti,\u201d St. Fleur said. He added a request for prayer for his congregation in Miami, which has been a chief financial supporter of the mission. Following the original planning of the Mission and Ministries Planning Council (MMPC) and the General Board, so far the mission has received minimal financial support from the board. St. Fleur\u2019s report also concluded with laying on of hands and prayer.<\/p>\n Problems of locating and recruiting funding for mission work was the subject of discussion during financial reports and following the reports from Brazil and Haiti. In part to address this, the board passed a resolution requesting the Annual Conference officers to \u201cgive annual opportunity at Annual Conference for the marketing of General Board ministries especially for the current emphasis.\u201d<\/p>\n Brethren Service Center:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe believe the Brethren Service Center should be continued, strengthened, and undergirded with new vision,\u201d said the Brethren Service Center Ministry Options Exploration Committee, in an interim report presented by chair Dale Minnich.<\/p>\n The committee has identified two main missions of the center: synergy of agencies meeting human needs, and influence on individuals who pass through. \u201cThe Brethren Service Center revolves around efforts to meet human need, which continues to be urgently relevant,\u201d Minnich said. He characterized it as a \u201creservoir of passion\u201d for those who have worked or volunteered there. Two General Board ministries located at the center–the New Windsor Conference Center and Service Ministries–face some management challenges, he said, but added that \u201cwe believe all ministries at the Brethren Service Center can be financially viable for the foreseeable future.\u201d<\/p>\n The committee will bring a working draft of a final report to the General Board on June 30 at its pre-Annual Conference meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. Following that, the committee plans a \u201cseason of welcomed comments and questions\u201d including hearings in New Windsor and elsewhere. The report will come to the board for action in October.<\/p>\n In other business:<\/strong><\/p>\n The board heard about work in progress to update the \u201cEthics in Ministry Relations\u201d document of 1996 and received reports from the Executive Committee\u2019s trip to the Gulf Coast (go to http:\/\/www.cobwebcast.bethanyseminary.edu\/ for a webcast from the trip, go to www.brethren.org\/genbd\/ersm\/ExCommTourGulfStates2007.pps for a powerpoint presentation), the Global Food Crisis Fund, a Faith Expedition to Vietnam, and financial reports, among others.<\/p>\n The Executive Committee confirmed Stephen L. Longenecker to a four-year term on the Brethren Historical Committee. Longenecker is chair of History and Political Science at Bridgewater (Va.) College.<\/p>\n The board also approved the annual report, spent time in a small-group discussion of the challenges of new information and communication technologies, and heard commendations for retiring employees. An offering received more than $1,500 for the Ministry Assistance Fund, which assists ministers in crisis.<\/p>\n St. Fleur and the Inhausers led opening and closing worship services respectively. Jesus taught two things very clearly, St. Fleur said: unity and love. \u201cToday I urge…the General Board to make every effort to keep unity.\u201d Suely Inhauser preached a sermon calling church leaders to seek their own personal transformation through Jesus Christ. \u201cIt\u2019s not enough to be a leader. It\u2019s necessary to have a transformation,\u201d she said. \u201cI want this for my church, I want this for you, I want this for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Neuman-Lee led Sunday morning worship, speaking on Jesus\u2019 Palm Sunday ride into Jerusalem. \u201cWhen you go with trust in God, and love for others, there will be a resurrection,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On the final morning the board called on its members and employees to join in a prayer covenant. The covenant urges daily prayer for the programs and ministries of Annual Conference and the Church of the Brethren agencies–the General Board, Association of Brethren Caregivers, Bethany Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, and On Earth Peace. Participants also covenant to pray weekly with a prayer partner.<\/p>\n \u201cWe…have felt the challenge of our Master\u2019s call to love and unity,\u201d the covenant said, \u201cfor God\u2019s love and unity to embody all our work and relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n La Junta Nacional de la Iglesia de los Hermanos se reuni\u00f3 del 9 al 12 de marzo en sus oficinas generales en Elgin, Illinois. El presidente, Jeff Neuman-Lee dirigi\u00f3 la reuni\u00f3n con el tema de Mateo 5, \u201cContinuando la Misi\u00f3n.\u201d<\/p>\n Entre otros asuntos la agenda se enfoc\u00f3 en la misi\u00f3n, hubo informes de las misiones de las Iglesias de los Hermanos en Brasil y Hait\u00ed y tambi\u00e9n hubo un informe interino del comit\u00e9 que estudia opciones de ministerio en el Centro de Servicio de los Hermanos en New Windsor, MD.<\/p>\n Los eventos especiales incluyeron un informe del nuevo estudio sociol\u00f3gico de los Hermanos, un informe de la moderadora de la Conferencia Anual, Belita Mitchell, acerca de su reciente viaje a Nigeria y una presentaci\u00f3n del autor de \u201cPoniendo el Evangelio al alcance de todos: Evangelismo en la Vida Real\u201d (vea historias abajo).<\/p>\n La Misi\u00f3n en Brasil:<\/p>\n Marcos y Suely Inhauser, coordinadores de la misi\u00f3n en Brasil y l\u00edderes de la Igreja da Irmandade (Iglesia de los Hermanos en Brasil), reportaron las experiencias de la nueva iglesia durante sus primeros seis a\u00f1os. Dieron gracias a la Junta por la oportunidad de compartir tanto el progreso como las desilusiones. \u201cEs dif\u00edcil estar aqu\u00ed hoy,\u201d dijo Marcos Inhauser cuando habl\u00f3 de su gran desilusi\u00f3n por los percances durante los \u00faltimos a\u00f1os.<\/p>\n La Junta autoriz\u00f3 el comienzo de la misi\u00f3n en marzo del 2001. Unas semanas m\u00e1s tarde, la iglesia tuvo un culto de inauguraci\u00f3n, y unas semanas despu\u00e9s m\u00e1s de 150 personas asistieron a la iglesia. Durante los pr\u00f3ximos 2 a\u00f1os los Inhauser ayudaron a nombrar l\u00edderes, enviar una docena de personas a seminarios teol\u00f3gicos y plantar cinco congregaciones.<\/p>\n \u201cLa emoci\u00f3n no es equivalente a un compromiso,\u201d dijo Inhauser cuando mencion\u00f3 algunas \u201cdif\u00edciles lecciones aprendidas.\u201d Los l\u00edderes de la iglesia all\u00ed se encuentran presiones culturales y oposici\u00f3n porque est\u00e1n \u201cusando un estilo diferente de iglesia a la que los brasile\u00f1os est\u00e1n acostumbrados,\u201d dijo \u00e9l, lo que significa tensiones internas entre los l\u00edderes. Adem\u00e1s de dificultades financieras, hubo otros percances como el cierre de dos congregaciones y la poca asistencia en otras. En un incidente preocupante que se ha vuelto com\u00fan en Brasil, el tesorero de la iglesia fue secuestrado y forzado a sacar fondos de la iglesia del banco.<\/p>\n Los Inhauser tambi\u00e9n celebran ministerios activos como la ense\u00f1anza de artesan\u00edas a gente de pocos ingresos para ayudarse con la manutenci\u00f3n de sus familias, un ministerio de terapia cl\u00ednica que ofrece Suely Inhauser, y el sitio de Internet de la iglesia el cual es usado regularmente como un recurso por pastores de otras denominaciones. Los hermanos brasile\u00f1os est\u00e1n muy animados por la llegada de dos nuevos trabajadores comunitarios, quienes est\u00e1n haciendo Servicio Voluntario de los Hermanos.<\/p>\n Marcos Inhauser dijo a la Junta que \u201caun cuando tenemos problemas, Dios nos ayuda,\u201d y agreg\u00f3 que ve signos de esperanza. En respuesta, los miembros de la Junta y otros presentes rodearon a los Inhauser, les impusieron las manos y oraron por ellos.<\/p>\n La Misi\u00f3n en Hait\u00ed:<\/strong><\/p>\n Ludovic St. Fleur, coordinador de la misi\u00f3n en Hait\u00ed y pastor de la Eglise des Freres Haitiens en Miami y el Orlando Haitain Fellowship tambi\u00e9n dio un informe. Dijo que \u201cen Hait\u00ed hay buenas y malas noticias\u201d.<\/p>\n En 2003 St. Fleur fue nombrado a regresar a Hait\u00ed para empezar una misi\u00f3n de la Iglesia de los Hermanos. Durante cuatro a\u00f1os se empez\u00f3 una congregaci\u00f3n y dos lugares de predicaci\u00f3n. La iglesia ha bautizado m\u00e1s de 35 personas.<\/p>\n Sin embargo, los secuestros tambi\u00e9n est\u00e1n aterrorizando a Hait\u00ed, por lo que la asistencia se ha ido a la deriva y el ministerio de ni\u00f1os ha sido afectado porque la gente tiene miedo de salir de sus casas. Seg\u00fan St. Fleur, la asistencia del ministerio de ni\u00f1os baj\u00f3 de 125 a 75.<\/p>\n Pero la iglesia continua en fe y continua reuni\u00e9ndose. St. Fleur dio algunos ejemplos del compromiso de algunas personas de la congregaci\u00f3n, incluyendo a la hermana Mary, quien fue miembro de la iglesia en Miami, y despu\u00e9s de regresar a Hait\u00ed, fue anfitriona de la primera reuni\u00f3n de los Hermanos, y quien ya muri\u00f3.<\/p>\n Algunos de los desaf\u00edos en Hait\u00ed incluyen la necesidad de cambiar de edificio por estar en un \u00e1rea designado para el desarrollo del gobierno.<\/p>\n \u201cNecesitamos sus oraciones para que Dios abra las puertas para la Iglesia de los Hermanos en Hait\u00ed,\u201d dijo St. Fleur. Tambi\u00e9n pidi\u00f3 una oraci\u00f3n por su congregaci\u00f3n en Miami, que ha tomado la mayor responsabilidad financiera de la misi\u00f3n. Siguiendo el plan original del Concilio de Planeamiento de Ministerios de Misi\u00f3n (MMPC) y la Junta Nacional, la misi\u00f3n ha recibido m\u00ednimo apoyo financiero por la Junta Nacional. El informe de St. Fleur tambi\u00e9n termin\u00f3 con la imposici\u00f3n de manos y oraci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n Despu\u00e9s de los informes de Brasil y Hait\u00ed se habl\u00f3 de c\u00f3mo localizar y reclutar fondos para el trabajo de misi\u00f3n. En parte por los problemas mencionados anteriormente, la Junta aprob\u00f3 una resoluci\u00f3n pidiendo que los oficiales de la Conferencia Anual \u201cden oportunidad de mercadotecnia para los ministerios de la Junta Nacional durante las Conferencias Anuales, especialmente con \u00e9nfasis actual.\u201d<\/p>\n El Centro de Servicio de los Hermanos:<\/strong><\/p>\n En un reporte interino del Comit\u00e9 de Exploraci\u00f3n del Centro de Servicio de los Hermanos, el presidente, Dale Minnich, dijo \u201ccreemos que el Centro de Servicio de los Hermanos debe continuar y ser fortalecido y apoyado con nueva visi\u00f3n.\u201d<\/p>\n El comit\u00e9 ha identificado dos misiones principales del centro: la sinergia de agencias resolviendo necesidades humanas y su influencia en individuos que van de paso. \u201cEl Centro de Servicio de los Hermanos funciona alrededor de esfuerzos para resolver necesidades humanas, lo que continua siendo urgentemente relevante,\u201d dijo Minnich. Lo caracteriz\u00f3 como \u201cuna reserva de pasi\u00f3n\u201d para aquellos que han trabajado o servido como voluntarios all\u00ed. Dos de los ministerios de la Junta Nacional localizados en el centro– el Centro de Conferencias de New Windsor y los Ministerios de Servicio– est\u00e1n pasando por retos de operaci\u00f3n, dijo Minnich, pero \u201ctambi\u00e9n creemos que todos los ministerios del Centro de Servicio de los Hermanos pueden ser viables financieramente en el futuro inmediato.\u201d<\/p>\n Durante la junta en preparaci\u00f3n para la Conferencia Anual en Cleveland, Ohio, el 30 de junio, el comit\u00e9 presentar\u00e1 un informe tentativo del reporte final a la Junta Nacional. Despu\u00e9s de eso, el comit\u00e9 planear\u00e1 una \u201cestaci\u00f3n de comentarios y preguntas\u201d incluyendo audiencias en New Windsor y otros lugares. El reporte se presentar\u00e1 a la Junta en octubre para tomar decisiones.<\/p>\n En otros asuntos:<\/strong><\/p>\n La Junta recibi\u00f3 un informe del progreso para poner al d\u00eda un documento del 1996 titulado \u201c\u00c9ticas para Relaciones de Ministerio\u201d, as\u00ed como informes del viaje del Comit\u00e9 Ejecutivo a la Costa del Golfo (para un informe del viaje vaya a http:\/\/www.cobwebcast.bethanyseminary.edu\/, para una presentaci\u00f3n de PowerPoint vaya a www.brethren.org\/genbd\/ersm\/ExCommTourGulfStates2007.pps) , el Global Food Crisis Fund, una expedici\u00f3n de fe a Vietnam y otros informes financieros.<\/p>\n El Comit\u00e9 Ejecutivo confirm\u00f3 a Stephen L. Longenecker a un t\u00e9rmino de cuatro a\u00f1os en el Comit\u00e9 Hist\u00f3rico de los Hermanos. Longenecker es el presidente de Historia y Ciencia Pol\u00edtica en Bridgewater College (Virginia).<\/p>\n La Junta tambi\u00e9n aprob\u00f3 el informe anual, como un grupo discuti\u00f3 los desaf\u00edos de las tecnolog\u00edas nuevas de informaci\u00f3n y comunicaci\u00f3n, y hubo comentarios de empleados que est\u00e1n a punto de pensionarse. Tambi\u00e9n se colect\u00f3 una ofrenda de $1,500 para el Fondo de Asistencia del Ministerio, el cual ayuda a ministros en crisis.<\/p>\n St. Fleur y los Inhauser dirigieron tanto el culto inicial como el de clausura. Jes\u00fas nos ense\u00f1\u00f3 dos cosas claras, dijo St. Fleur: unidad y amor. \u201cHoy yo exhorto a la Junta Nacional a que haga todo lo posible por mantener la unidad.\u201d En su serm\u00f3n, Suely Inhauser hizo un llamado a los l\u00edderes de la iglesia para que busquen su propia transformaci\u00f3n a trav\u00e9s de Jesucristo. \u201cNo es suficiente ser l\u00edder. Es necesario tener una transformaci\u00f3n,\u201d dijo ella. \u201cEso es lo que quiero para mi iglesia, y lo mismo quiero para ustedes, lo quiero para el mundo.\u201d<\/p>\n Neuman-Lee dirigi\u00f3 el culto de adoraci\u00f3n del domingo, y al hablar del Domingo de Palmas cuando Jes\u00fas entr\u00f3 a Jerusal\u00e9n, dijo \u201cCuando conf\u00edas en Dios, por amor a los dem\u00e1s, habr\u00e1 resurecci\u00f3n.\u201d<\/p>\n Durante la \u00faltima ma\u00f1ana, la Junta llam\u00f3 a sus miembros y empleados a un\u00edrse en un pacto de oraci\u00f3n. Este pacto exhorta la oraci\u00f3n diaria para los programas y ministerios de la Conferencia Anual y las agencias de la Iglesia de los Hermanos– la Junta Nacional, la Associaci\u00f3n de Cuidadores de los Hermanos, el Brethren Benefit Trust, En la Tierra Paz y el Seminario Bethany. Los participantes se comprometieron a orar cada semana con un compa\u00f1ero de oraci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n \u201cNosotros\u2026 hemos sentido el desaf\u00edo del llamado de amor y unidad de nuestro Maestro,\u201d dice el pacto, \u201cpara que el amor de Dios y la unidad abarquen todo nuestro trabajo y nuestras relaciones.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The General Board was the first group to see results from the comprehensive “Brethren Member Profile 2006,” presented by Carl Desportes Bowman, project director, and professor of Sociology at Bridgewater (Va.) College. The study, based at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College\u2019s Young Center for the Study of Anabaptist and Pietist Groups, has been supported by the Annual Conference agencies, with generous funding also from the other denominations included in the broader “Church Member Profile” project: the Mennonite Church USA and the Brethren in Christ.<\/p>\n Bowman emphasized that the survey is “a study of who we are, not who we would like to be,” as he presented a wide range of information about how it was carried out, the variety of questions asked and topics addressed, and what may be discovered using the data.<\/p>\n “This is all very much in process,” Bowman said, explaining that he is still working on processing the data. A full report of the study will come in the form of a book he is writing for Brethren Press, and an article or series to be published in “Messenger” magazine. More than 20 years ago, Bowman also carried out a comprehensive survey of the denomination, which was published as a Brethren Press booklet and in a series of “Messenger” articles in 1986.<\/p>\n The current study is based on questionnaires returned by a scientific sample of 1,826 Brethren members across the mainland US. All 23 districts are represented, and 127 congregations are represented. The survey was carried out between February and May, 2006. With a return rate of just over two-thirds, “I’m elated, and very confident in the data,” Bowman said.<\/p>\n Commenting that, “I’m a sociologist, and I like to think about where Brethren stand as opposed to the rest of society,” Bowman responded to General Board members who wondered about the source and reasoning behind some of the questions. Some questions were repeated from the 1986 survey to compare trends over time, he explained, while others were asked to provide comparative data with other denominations.<\/p>\n Some general findings: Brethren are “overwhelmingly white, and residing in non-urban settings” with only three out of 100 congregations classified as ethnic or urban. The leading states in terms of numbers of Brethren are Pennsylvania first, Virginia second, and Ohio third, with nearly two-third of all Brethren (63 percent) residing in just four states: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia. Sixty percent of the church is female; two-thirds are 50 or older; 70 percent live in a small town or open country. Half have been members for more than 30 years, while 20 percent have been members for 10 years or less.<\/p>\n Survey questions also focused on issues of Brethren identity, attitudes about Annual Conference and the effect of Conference attendance on members\u2019 satisfaction with Brethren agencies, the respondents’ theology such as views of Jesus and salvation, the peace witness, importance of moral and ethical issues, and faith commitments. Other questions addressed political views as well as views on controversial issues including abortion and homosexuality.<\/p>\n The length of the survey–20 pages–allows cross referencing of answers on a variety of questions, and allows researchers to “contextualize” answers, Bowman explained. For example, survey results may be used to study how those who are inactive members (20 percent) vary from those who are active in the church, in their responses to particular questions.<\/p>\n Like all survey data, the Brethren Member Profile results will be subject to a variety of interpretations, Bowman noted. For example, when responses by frequent attenders at Annual Conference are compared to the answers of non-attenders with reference to the peace witness, 78 percent of frequent attenders agree with the declaration that “All war is sin,” while only 46 percent of non-attenders agree. The comment prompted one person in the meeting to offer his interpretation, that Annual Conference may not be representative of the denomination. Another person quickly offered a different interpretation: that Annual Conference and Conference attendance may be very important in creating Brethren identity.<\/p>\n Bowman noted that the full survey results will be published during the upcoming celebration of the church’s 300th anniversary. “We need to celebrate and be realistic at the same time,” he said as he concluded his report.<\/p>\n Annual Conference moderator Belita Mitchell, pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa., has just returned from a trip to Nigeria that took place Feb 26-March 9, and gave a compelling report to the General Board.<\/p>\n With her husband, Don Mitchell, and Merv Keeney, executive director of the board\u2019s Global Mission Partnerships, she visited numerous sites of Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN–the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). EYN leaders Filibus Gwama, president, and Y.Y. Balami, general secretary, accompanied the group, as did David Whitten, the board\u2019s Nigeria mission coordinator.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were warmly welcomed as sisters and brothers in Christ and as members of their mother church,\u201d Mitchell said. She described as \u201chumbling\u201d EYN\u2019s veneration of the Church of the Brethren in the US, and the early Brethren missionaries to Nigeria, as well as the Nigerian church\u2019s deep appreciation for continuing relationship with US Brethren.<\/p>\n She noted many ways the US church can learn from the Nigerian church in the areas of church growth and ministry planning. She found \u201cstunning\u201d the number of ministries that have continued to grow and evolve from the beginnings established by the Brethren missionaries. \u201cEYN appears to be doing a good job of identifying needs in their faith community and the community at large, and then tailoring their ministries to meet those needs with relevance and effectiveness,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She had praise as well for the ZME (EYN women\u2019s fellowship). \u201cIt is a well-organized, highly motivated association of women who are excited about the Lord and busy in the work of sharing the Gospel. They have a number of missionary and evangelistic ministries that are designed to make disciples, win souls, and empower women to live healthier, more stable lives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Mitchell did not lose sight of her groundbreaking role as the first African-American woman to serve as moderator of Annual Conference. At the EYN headquarters in Mubi and at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN) in Bukuru, she challenged the Nigerian church to consider ordaining women as pastors. Gwama and Balami responded with openness to her message, she said.<\/p>\n Other key Brethren-related ministries that the delegation visited were Hillcrest School in Jos; the Rural Health Department, Mason Technical School, and the historic tamarind tree where the first Brethren worship was held, in Garkida; and the Comprehensive Secondary School, Kulp Bible College, and the Theological Education by Extension program in Mubi.<\/p>\n A main agenda of the trip was to convey solidarity with the EYN congregations that had suffered violence in interreligious rioting. The people of Maiduguri speak of the date of the rioting, Feb. 18, 2006, as Americans speak of Sept. 11, Mitchell said. \u201cI was honored to be invited to speak at…the Dala EYN church,\u201d one of five EYN churches damaged or destroyed in the riots, she noted. Love feast and communion were a part of the worship service.<\/p>\n The US church has given more than $43,000 for rebuilding and to support peace and reconciliation work following the riots, in a Love Offering initiated by the General Board. Keeney reported, “We also heard words of deep appreciation for the Love Offering.\u201d<\/p>\n It was Mitchell\u2019s first visit to Nigeria, and to Africa. \u201cEvery person of color I know who has traveled to Africa has said that the experience has been life-changing,\u201d she said. \u201cI echo that sentiment. I would expect the impact of the connections made with African brothers and sisters to strengthen and grow.\u201d<\/p>\n “It is valuable to connect the Annual Conference moderator with the global church,\u201d Keeney observed to the board, \u201cboth for broadened perspective of the moderator and also for mutual support and encouragement with churches in other lands. Sister Belita\u2019s encouragement and challenge to Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ will echo and bear fruit for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n –Janis Pyle is coordinator for mission connections, for the Global Mission Partnerships office of the General Board.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe more we engage in prayer, the more God has a chance to work with us,\u201d Martha Grace Reese told the General Board as she presented the results of a four-year study of evangelism in mainline Protestant churches. A minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Reese is author of \u201cUnbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism\u201d (Chalice Press, 2006; findings of the study were released Jan. 1 this year).<\/p>\n In addition to giving an evening presentation to the board, she also met informally with staff of the Congregational Life Teams.<\/p>\n Reese directed the study of evangelism, funded by the Lilly Endowment. The \u201cMainline Evangelism Research Project\u201d was based on studies of 150 congregations and interviews with more than 1,000 people.<\/p>\n The book presents findings of the project and serves as a study guide for congregations interested in working on evangelism. It offers encouragement and advice to pastors, and gives practical how-tos for getting started. It also draws on a Disciples of Christ pilot project in congregational revitalization.<\/p>\n The evangelism study deliberately targeted a segment of the Christian church doing \u201cthe worst\u201d at evangelism: mainly white congregations in the north and west of the country. Reese explained in the book the \u201cdim\u201d prospects for mainline Protestant Christianity: over the past 40 years the mainline denominations have lost 20 percent of their membership, during a time when the US population grew by 100 million. \u201cLooked at as a percentage of the population, mainline church membership decreased almost 50 percent in 40 years.\u201d<\/p>\n By design, the study took out of the pool congregations in the south and racial\/ethnic congregations, which have been doing relatively well in bringing in new believers. \u201cYou could say that our Southern and racial\/ethnic churches are \u2018covering\u2019 for the primarily Caucasian churches,\u201d Reese explained in the book. \u201c…Primarily white churches are hiding behind better statistics that don\u2019t belong to them! Therefore we decided that it would be most helpful to take an undiluted look.\u201d<\/p>\n Seven mainline Protestant denominations were included: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church USA, United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Reformed Church of America, and American Baptist Church USA. In these denominations that practice infant baptism, the researchers selected the congregations that had baptized five or more adult believers in a year–which came to only 150 congregations out of some 30,000 across the US, Reese said.<\/p>\n What characterizes successful evangelism? There are three factors for success, Reese said: the successful congregations love Jesus, their members and pastors know how to express their faith and talk about what it means in their lives, and the pastoral leadership is open to new things.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so rare to find a mainline church with the motivation to do evangelism,\u201d she said, \u201cand pastors are worse than the laypeople. They don\u2019t know how to talk about their faith, and pastors have had no (seminary) training\u201d in how to talk about their faith personally, she said.<\/p>\n From her extensive interviews and interactions with mainline pastors, she reported candidly, \u201cWe have an agnostic clergy, or exhausted clergy.\u201d<\/p>\n Reese herself came to know Christ through the faith sharing of a college friend. Reese grew up completely unchurched, and her college friend was \u201cthe first smart Christian who talked about it. She talked about Jesus like he was real,\u201d Reese remembered.<\/p>\n But her key recommendation for congregations and pastors interested in evangelism is to begin with prayer. An example came from her first connection with the Church of the Brethren, when she was pastoring a struggling congregation, and the group began using \u201cPeople of the Covenant,\u201d the small group study series published by Brethren Press. \u201cYou turned around the congregation!\u201d she told the Brethren. The experience of People of the Covenant \u201cchanged the entire spirit of the congregation,\u201d she said. \u201cThey studied, they prayed.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked how to do evangelism while maintaining Brethren identity, Reese responded that \u201ctrying to reason people into our interpretation of the Gospel doesn\u2019t work.\u201d She urges a way of faith sharing that is not defensive, and is appreciative of another\u2019s perspective. Relational evangelism works, she said, \u201cand being honest about our faith. That\u2019s the whole ballgame. That\u2019s the only thing that works in our culture.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, she advised the General Board to \u201cmove heaven and earth to identify young leadership,\u201d even to go so far as diverting money and resources from other ministries that seem important. \u201cDo everything you can do to get a generation of pastors and church planters,\u201d she said to the Congregational Life Teams. Even the simple asking of a question of congregations, \u201cWho do you have that you could call to leadership?\u201d may change the culture of the church, she said. She also urged the planting of new congregations.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes a denomination like ours have a future?\u201d a Congregational Life Team staff member asked Reese. \u201cI have no idea,\u201d she replied, \u201cbut I know we can do something, if everybody starts praying and asking what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism\u201d may be ordered from Brethren Press for $19.99 plus shipping and handling, call 800-441-3712. For more information about the evangelism study go to http:\/\/www.gracenet.info\/.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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\n1b) La Junta Nacional considera la misi\u00f3n, el amor, y la unidad.
\n2) Board sees first results from sociological study of Brethren.
\n3) Moderator returns from tour with praise for Nigerian church.<\/p>\n
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\n1) General Board considers mission, love, and unity.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
1b) La Junta Nacional considera la misi\u00f3n, el amor, y la unidad.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
2) Board sees first results from sociological study of Brethren.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
3) Moderator returns from tour with praise for Nigerian church.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
4) \u2018Unbinding the Gospel\u2019 offers groundbreaking study of evangelism.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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