MESSENGER - Evangelical Mennonite Conference

editorials
A treat and a challenge
Did you glance at page 16 of
the EMC Annual Report 2011
in May issue? If you did, you
were in for a treat and a challenge.
The treat? Our conference has
104 cross-cultural workers in about
26 countries; they serve with about
20 other agencies besides EMC.
Talk about priorities, effort,
teamwork, global concern, and
being part of the wider Church!
Dr. Jon Bonk, an EMC minister
and a former missions professor at
Providence Theological Seminary,
used to say that the EMC has a high
cross-cultural worker/member ratio.
This likely still holds true.
Remember that these figures
represent only those workers
News here often revolves
around faith in action—in a
word, service.
EMCers serve! We serve in
congregations and communities;
with MDS, MCC, in cross-cultural
ministry and more; in Canada and
elsewhere.
Early Anabaptist history can
teach us much about service. In
fact, it is sometimes said that
Anabaptism focuses more on what
we do than on what we believe.
Clearly early Anabaptists
opposed claims of belief disconnected
from lifestyle. They thought
it hollow to celebrate Christ’s grace
while rejecting discipleship. They
served!
2 THE MESSENGER | July 2011
processed as fully supported or
associate workers with the EMC.
We have more EMCers serving or
supporting cross-cultural workers
in other venues.
In the EMC, we have at least
a 65-year history of reaching
out aggressively in crosscultural
ministry.
Early Anabaptists were often
serious evangelists both near and
far. In the EMC, we have at least a
65-year history of reaching out aggressively
in cross-cultural ministry.
We are told, “Go into all the
world and preach the good news to
However, we need to be cautious
not to misuse Anabaptist history
and teaching by downplaying correct
beliefs. To do so is misleading,
even dangerous.
Menno Simons’ Complete
Writings are packed with a concern
for proper doctrines. He said the
first of “true signs by which the
Church of Christ may be known” is
“an unadulterated, pure doctrine.”
His theme verse focused on how
Christ is our only proper foundation
in life (1 Corinthians 3:11). Because
of what he believed about Jesus,
Menno served as he did.
all creation” (Mark 16:15). Menno
Simons said, “I seek and desire
nothing else…but that the glorious
name, the divine will, and the glory
of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ
may be acknowledged throughout
the world” (Complete Writings, 311).
The Church is, indeed, to
be gathered and scattered, as
Good News Community Church
(Steinbach) emphasizes.
If you ask what holds together
the EMC, the answer is Jesus. If we
ask what scatters EMCers near and
far, the answer is the same.
The challenge? Look at the workers
needed in the near future.
Terry M. Smith
Truth in life We need to be cautious not to misuse Anabaptist
history and teaching by downplaying correct beliefs.
To do so is misleading, even dangerous.
We are to join together teaching
and lifestyle. Evangelical
Anabaptists do “in the name of
Christ” (to use MCC’s slogan, borrowed
from Scripture) because of
what we believe about Christ.
Luke wrote “about all that Jesus
began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1).
Truth in life is appropriate because
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the
Life (John 14:6).
Let us serve the Lord!
Terry M. Smith