You are right, it is amazing how quickly one can lose sight of Jesus when on mission for him (see Rev. 2:2-4 for an example of a theologically orthodox/activist church that fell into that trap)!
The GBIM Europe team strives to be characterized by hot hearts, sharp minds and skilled hands, but we fall short. So we periodically get together to seek Jesus through the Word, prayer and dialogue.
I agree with you Dean, my desire is to continually align myself, our Europe team and churches with "being Christian." (I think I will pick up on the "results" part of your comment next week.) And that is how Dr. Ron Manahan describes what it meant historically to be Grace Brethren. He writes:
"In fact our roots go back to Germany in 1708. The issue for these ancestors of ours was concern that right doctrine be matched by the right practice of life. Orthodoxy included faith and practice. They wanted to see the biblical message lived out to the fullest" (Grace College and Its Pietistic Heritage: Our Commitment, August 22, 1989:2).
The nation of Israel was composed of tribes that had Yahweh and His Law in common. Yet the individual tribes had specific character traits that developed due to geography, genealogy and other factors. I am "American," but also from the "house of Klawitter." For me, being "Grace Brethren" is like that; it recognizes a spiritual heritage, being part of a Christian "tribe" of people, with a particular spiritual lineage, who want to live the biblical message out to the fullest. So at the teachers/shepherds' workshop we went back to Scripture, praying for God to help us realign our lives and ministries.
It is interesting to note that Nicholas von Zinzendorf, who founded one of the great missionary movements of modern times, who was intensely evangelically ecumenical, said, "The Saviour has a hand in the fact that there are so many [Denominations]" because "each (one) is generally possessed of some Jewel (a clearness of Truth…) peculiar to itself," (A. J. Lewis: 1962, 102). These "jewels" of the multifaceted grace of God, entrusted to denominations, would probably be lost in a "vanilla" or "melting pot" Christianity. The danger is focusing on the jewel and missing the Jeweler. The danger is the uniformity of insisting that all believers must wear the same kind of jewelry.
Being on mission in intensely postmodern, pluralist Europe, the Spirit has impressed on me that unity in diversity is key (1 Cor. 12). Observable love for all born again believers is key (John 17—regardless of whether I agree with them or whether they value jewels precious to me). I have found missioners of other "tribes" with whom I am of one heart and common vision, more than with some Grace Brethren people. We are part of a very large "holy nation." And regardless of tribe, church planting approach, ecclesiology, doctrinal conviction, together we "declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light" (I Pt. 2:9-10).
Declaring the praises of God to kids in Dijon
(most of these children are from unbelieving families)
To guide us in our church planting, I have presented to the GBIM Europe team four tribal traits of a Grace Brethren church. We want to plant churches composed of disciples who:(most of these children are from unbelieving families)
Love Jesus, each other, and the lost
As Jesus stressed, love is the mark of the Christian (Mt. 22:37-40; Jn. 3:16; 13:33-34-35; 14:23; 1 Jn. 4:19-23).
As Jesus stressed, love is the mark of the Christian (Mt. 22:37-40; Jn. 3:16; 13:33-34-35; 14:23; 1 Jn. 4:19-23).
Are culturally progressive (see link: Dijon music festival for an example)
Henry Holsinger (you'll find him in the Grace Brethren genealogy of the late 1800s) saw the difference between form and essence. He distinguished between that which was cultural and that which was biblical (1 Cor. 9:19-23).
Henry Holsinger (you'll find him in the Grace Brethren genealogy of the late 1800s) saw the difference between form and essence. He distinguished between that which was cultural and that which was biblical (1 Cor. 9:19-23).
Are theologically conservative
Alva McClain (a key figure in the GB genealogy during the mid-1900s), at a time when many were saying that the Bible was no more authoritative than the works of Freud, Nietzsche, Marx or Mohammed, strove to give us the heritage that Scripture is the Word of God (2 Ti. 3:14-17).
Are on missionAlva McClain (a key figure in the GB genealogy during the mid-1900s), at a time when many were saying that the Bible was no more authoritative than the works of Freud, Nietzsche, Marx or Mohammed, strove to give us the heritage that Scripture is the Word of God (2 Ti. 3:14-17).
Jacob Cassel (early 1900s), rather than getting sidetracked on which hymnal should become the standard, mobilized those of like heart and common vision to pray, give and go to make disciples of the nations (Mt. 28:19-20) and see churches planted.
The Dijon GBC family loved this breakfast and they palpably love each other
For me, these values are the essence of what it means to be Grace Brethren. My conviction is that this is very Christian. I feel privileged to have predecessors who blazed these trails. My desire is to continue to multiply disciples who will incarnate these values, who in turn will start churches full of people who will do likewise.That is a tall order which is why the GBIM Europe team needs your prayers. Would you pray now for a member of the GBIM Europe team whom you know personally? Pray that s/he would have a hot heart, sharp mind and skilled hands as s/he participates in Jesus' mission here on the Old Continent.
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