Why and how we should evangelize
With the celebration of the missionary efforts that led to the creation of the Mennonite Community in Congo a century ago (Sept. 3, page 4), now is perhaps a good time to review Elmer John Thiessen’s latest book, The Ethics of Evangelism. As the title suggests, Thiessen, a research professor of education at Toronto’s Tyndale…
North American volume now available
The fifth and final volume in the Global Mennonite History Series, the history of North American Mennonites, was released in late September. Seeking Places of Peace by Royden Loewen and Steven M. Nolt, completes the Mennonite World Conference history series, which has been overseen by historians John A. Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. The 400-page…
2012 Fall list of Books & Resources
Theology, spirituality The Jesus Factor in Justice and Peacemaking. C. Norman Kraus. Cascadia Publishing House, 2011, 125 pages.
An effective evangelist
Katie Goetz, a church sister, asked if we could talk. Something was bothering her.
Bethany College takes classroom on the road
Students from Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask., spent Sept. 19-27 learning outside the classroom. While first-year students learned about poverty and homelessness by working in food banks and shelters in various cities, second-year students visited three Cree communities in Saskatchewan. Bethany College teams have been intentionally connecting with Cree communities for over a decade so that…
Meet the church in South Africa
Spectacular water falls. A sweeping, ruggedly beautiful coastline. Exotic wildlife, sophisticated cities and an endless variety of cultures. These are some of the treasures attracting visitors to South Africa. But these treasures coexist with the long and painful history of South Africa’s people. Few Canadians know that Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, designed to help…
Retreat planners learn to trust God
The planning committee for the Mennonite Church B.C. women’s retreat learned the hard way that God is in the details as they struggled to put together a weekend of renewal and refreshment for Oct. 12-14 at Camp Squeah. The theme and speaker had been in place for well over a year, filling in the details…
The paths and ditches of Biblical interpretation
Path #3: Scripture already interprets scripture By Robert J. Suderman For the Being a Faithful Church Task Force “Scripture already interprets Scripture. It is very important to pay close attention to this inter-textual interpretation because this already gives us essential clues in the ways we need to understand how various passages relate to each other.”…
Training to live generously
This summer, as I watched the Olympics, I was amazed by the performances of the athletes. I was even more impressed by the stories of determination, dedication and discipline. Years before competing at this level these athletes are determined to be the best. They dedicate their lives, and in many cases, their own resources, to…