Aug. 4, 2008 issue
Mennonite Brethren put evangelism first
By Paul Schrag Mennonite Weekly ReviewHILLSBORO, Kan. — The Mennonite Brethren, born as a revival movement in South Russia in 1860, want to keep a laser-sharp focus on evangelism today.
Don Morris, director of Mission USA, the church planting and renewal arm of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, prays for church planters during the national convention at Hillsboro MB Church. — Photo by Paul Schrag/MWR
At its biennial convention July 25-26, U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches featured stories of seekers being drawn to Christ through MB church plants.
“We want to have a broken heart for people who do not yet know Jesus,” said Don Morris, director of Mission USA, the conference’s church planting and renewal arm.
Citing Luke 19:10 — “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” — Morris said, “Shouldn’t that be what we are about as well?”
Conference executive director Ed Boschman put a new twist on the denomination’s name.
“Maybe we should call ourselves, in the next chapter of our lives, ‘MB: Missionary Believers,’ ” he said.
Preaching and testimonies emphasized stories of attracting seekers and winning converts.
The keynote speaker, Southern Baptist pastor Dan Southerland, urged congregations to point all of their ministries toward attracting the lost.
A university president, Merrill Ewert of Fresno (Calif.) Pacific University, told of five members of the basketball team making decisions for Christ.
A church planting couple, Rod and Lynette Jost — who minister at 2-year-old South Mountain Community Church @ Daybreak, one of three MB congregations in Salt Lake City, Utah — told of reaching an average Sunday attendance of about 165, including many who have left the Mormon church.
Comments
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If we put christ first in our lives then evangelism will come along naturally.
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