wfn.org | Lithuania Christian College

[BethAH@mbm.org]

December 20, 2000
Beth Hawn
Communications Coordinator
Mennonite Board of Missions
phone (219) 294-7523
fax (219) 294-8669
<www.MBM.org>

December 20, 2000

Mission associates focus on relationships as they teach

ELKHART, Ind. (MBM/COM) – Nurturing Christians to maturity takes
“years and years of careful work in small steps,” said Jim
Brown.  “In my course on the church, I invited a local pastor to
reflect on leadership and priorities.  He observed that often
Protestantism focused primarily on conversion.  Yet, discipling
has not received the emphasis and energy that it should.”

Discipling is exactly where Brown and his wife, Sharon, direct
their energies.  Both serve as mission associates with Mennonite
Board of Missions and the Commission on Overseas Mission on the
theology faculty of Lithuania Christian College in Klaipeda,
Lithuania.  One of the first not-so-small steps for the couple
came in August 1999 when they and their three young sons moved
from Canada to this Baltic Sea port for a two-year commitment.

“One of the reasons for us coming overseas as a family,” Jim
said, “was to give our children an opportunity to see the world
from another perspective.”  It’s one small step, he added, toward
nurturing maturity within his own family, “to be better equipped
as global citizens.”

While a typical day includes school for the children and teaching
for the parents, interaction outside the college community has
been limited.  That’s the nature of a short-term assignment, he
said.  “A lot of our energy has gone [into] fulfilling
responsibilities as members of the theology faculty.”

Theology is one of five majors at the young college.  Established
in 1990, it moved to new facilities in 1999, and offers courses
in business, languages, theology and social sciences to a
350-member student body and the community.  Academic study is
integrated with the development of Christian character, worldview
and service.

Sharon developed and teaches “Introduction to Old Testament” and
a course on “Women in Church History”.  Next semester, she will
also supervise a student’s independent practicum.  Jim teaches
such courses as “Introduction to New Testament,” “Christian Life
and Ministry,” “Peacemaking and Justice,” “Christian Caregiving,”
“Biblical Interpretation” and “Wisdom Literature of the Bible.”
Jim, who developed all the classes except the first one, also
leads a discussion group for first-year students that focuses on
relationship building and improving English communication skills.

However, interacting with students isn’t limited to the
classroom.  Informal times may include anything from just
“checking in” with students to playing a game of street hockey
behind the student dormitory.

In addition, Jim preaches twice a month at Free Christian Church
in Silute, about an hour from Klaipeda.  After the service, he
regularly stops at the congregational leader’s home for coffee
and fellowship.  Since the group does not have a pastor, Jim
originally was invited to preach one Sunday by a church member on
staff at the college.  The relationship developed from there,
despite the language barrier.

“I preach through the use of an interpreter, and our informal
conversations are also often through an interpreter,” Jim said.
“Although there are several English speakers in the congregation,
Lithuanian is a fairly difficult language to learn.”

Language, however, has not kept the family from building
relationships with students,  translators, schoolmates, faculty
or staff members, and with the church in Silute.

“Personally, I feel very connected and home in this
congregation,” Jim said.  “We have developed a closeness and bond
that is not dependent on words.  For me, I suspect it will be as
hard or harder to say goodbye to the congregation as it will be
to the college.”

But to live life is to experience change, especially for the
Browns during the past two years.
Just to live in Lithuania or at the college is to embrace change.

The college is young and growing rapidly, Jim said.  The same
goes for the country.
Independent since 1991, Lithuania has been working hard to
rebuild itself and its economy. Beyond that, it is facing rapid
Westernization.

“Sadly,” Jim said, “a lot of what has been imported has not been
the healthiest or most morally edifying parts of our [North
American] culture, such as media, fashions and a consumer
mentality.”

That adds to the challenge of the Browns’ mission to “encourage
students to open their minds and hearts to think new thoughts,
and to think in new ways, whether that is about faith or their
life, or their community.  I challenge them to develop positions
they are willing to commit themselves to and live by.”

While it is thrilling to see the light go on and witness
students’ eagerness and commitment to follow where that light
leads, he said, it is also a slow process.  But taking one small
step after another is the nature of discipling, whether that
happens in North America or Lithuania.

Ultimately, Jim said, what influences people year after year is
“simply the character and commitment of individuals to invest
themselves in the lives of other people, even though we might not
see a lot of quick results or impressive statistics.”

* * *
Siegrid Richer for MBM