wfn.org | Speakers say church has resources

[Beth Hawn <bethah@mbm.org>]

Mennonite Board of Missions
<News@MBM.org>
December 12, 2001

Speakers say church has resources, government aid tangential

DALLAS (MBM) - In Dallas, where a magnificent skyline belies the 
human suffering found at street level, nearly 50 Mennonite urban 
leaders met Dec. 2-4 to discuss "Government Partnerships:  Can 
They Assist in the Development of Holistic Communities?"

This, the fourth annual Urban Leaders Network meeting, was the 
last to be convened by Mennonite Board of Missions' Evangelism 
and Church Development department.

The Rev. Phil Olson, vice president of Evangelicals for Social 
Action, replaced keynote speaker Ron Sider, who was unable to 
travel due to a back injury.  Olson, also director of Network 
9:35, an agency that connects churches in holistic ministry, 
described seven recent trends in Christian programs:

7 
A new willingness to work together across denominational, racial, 
geographical and church/state boundaries
7 
A desire by donors to cultivate relationships with recipients and 
see measurable results
7 
More volunteers with less time, so that short-term mission 
becomes a few hours on Saturday morning
7 
A desire for transformation rather than reformation, such as 
having the goal of eliminating poverty rather than simply 
servicing it
7 
Increasing awareness of the distinctiveness of each community's 
assets and the church's unique role in facilitating between 
diverse groups
7 
A recognition that networking results in a greater impact than 
solo ministry
7 
The realization that prayer is at the heart of Christian 
ministry, not an appendage

John Stahl-Wert, president of the Pittsburgh Leadership 
Foundation that builds ecumenical partnerships among 1,000 
congregations, reminded the urban leaders that Jesus as cosmic 
Lord is as much a part of New Testament theology as is Jesus in 
the servant posture.  "Menno Simons wrote eloquently that God 
ordered the state to serve God's purpose," Stahl-Wert said.  "The 
Schleitheim confession talks of the sword serving God's purposes 
outside of Christ to stave off lawlessness."

Stahl-Wert made an emphatic case for all things, including 
government, being under the lordship of Jesus.  Therefore, his 
statement that "the government isn't going to help us very much" 
was heard as something other than tired Mennonite dogma.

"The government's contribution will always be tangential," he 
said.  "If the government wants to fund it, it's probably not 
transformational.

"However, if our work overlaps with the government's agenda, let 
us do it.  It is not biblical to get special privilege for being 
people of faith.  Some of our friends from other denominations 
think that [Mennonites] are Pharisees because we cash in on the 
benefits without working for them.  Trying to establish a pure 
position in which our hands don't get dirty is delusional.  We're 
always going to be messed up."

Stahl-Wert's concluding remarks became the theme that was 
repeated by the speakers who followed him.  He encouraged 
Mennonite congregations and organizations to create healthy 
relationships with government officials, many of whom are also 
part of Christ's body, and to cooperate with government programs 
whenever possible.

"But, please, don't reshape your mission to suit what someone 
wants to fund.  Please don't stake your viability on government 
dollars," Stahl-Wert said.

Brice Balmer, chaplaincy director for House of Friendship, a 
community services program serving the Waterloo region of 
Ontario, sketched church-state relationships from a Canadian 
perspective, where the divide between the two institutions is 
less stark.  The Canadian government has partially funded many 
Mennonite programs.  Balmer suggested that a creative, biblically 
informed program could have a positive impact on the government's 
operations.

Speaking out of the context of Southern California, Jeff Wright, 
executive director of the Center for Anabaptist Leadership, said, 
"We need municipal relationships more than we need federal 
collaboration.  This is where the real action happens.  We need 
to invest time and energy in helping to make municipal rules. 
Show up at meetings and be willing to do the grunt work."

As an articulate young African-American, Skip Long was rapidly 
climbing the ladder of success in corporate America when God sent 
him back to the neighborhood he was trying to leave behind.  Long 
is a servant-leader at Raleigh Mennonite Church in North Carolina 
and the executive director of National Jobs Partnership that 
brings together 100 churches and businesses to fight against 
poverty.  The association is partially funded by government grants.

Long used Nehemiah as a model in soliciting government funds. 
"Nehemiah was passionate," Long said.  "He wept.  Is your heart 
prepared?  Have you stopped to listen to the stories of your 
community?  Before you go to the government, have you mourned 
[over the condition of your community], fasted and prayed?

"Nehemiah submitted to a lower authority [the government]," he 
said.  "He did his homework.  He was organized.  He blew the king 
away with his strategic plan.  He was bold and unashamed, but not 
cocky.  [Our attitude before the government must be] we're going 
to do this with or without you.  It might be easier if we worked 
together."

Although Iris de Leon-Hartshorn is familiar with the government 
and its funding requirements, having worked as a grant writer 
with social services in California, she now directs Mennonite 
Central Committee's peace and justice ministries.  According to 
de Leon-Hartshorn, MCC US does not apply for or accept government 
funding.  Despite a personal inclination not to accept government 
funding, de Leon-Hartshorn gave a clear presentation on how to 
avoid the pitfalls connected with government funding:

7 
Define vision and program objectives before applying for 
government funding.
7 
Decide what percentage of the budget will depend on government 
funding.
7 
Keep federal program money in an account separate from the 
church's bank account.
7 
Have a separate board, other than the church board, overseeing 
program funded by government.
7 
Form a coalition with other churches in the community.
7 
Have a good record-keeping system in place.
7 
Invest time in building relationships with government personnel.
7 
Ensure that advocacy and social service go hand-in-hand to keep 
from perpetrating injustice, even if this stance puts funding at 
risk.

John Powell, MBM director of Evangelism and Church Development, 
summarized the discussions.  "We moved from our original agenda 
of wanting to hold the government accountable, to the importance 
of resourcing each other," Powell said.  "We have expressed our 
ongoing commitment to hold justice and evangelism together."

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Lynda Hollinger-Janzen						PHOTOS AVAILABLE