In Part Magazine
No Barriers Between Us
Enabling people of all (dis)abilities to take part in the community of faith
Despite these difficulties, he entered school like most children—with wide eyes of anticipation and a great joy for learning. In his first school photo, he grinned from ear to ear with happiness.
Over the next few years, these yearly snapshots told the story of the toll that life was taking on him. His smile sank, and his bright eyes grew weary. School was a hard and sad place for him.
So was the neighborhood. I was still a child myself when I first began defending my little brother from the taunts and bullying of neighborhood children.
Believing the Church to be the community of all who trust Jesus as Savior and follow Him as Lord, I expected that this would be a place of full acceptance and inclusion for all people, including those with disability. Unfortunately, this has not been the case; individuals with disability are often no more accepted or included in our churches than they are in schools or neighborhoods. Yet I remain hopeful that, with education, training, and the work of the Holy Spirit, this can change.
Uncovering the disparitiesIn 2000, a report from the U.S. National Organization on Disability found that approximately 84 percent of people with disabilities state their religious faith is important in their lives. But only 47 percent of those attend church at least once a month.
This disparity can be explained by a variety of means, including barriers on the part of the individuals themselves. However, congregational barriers—architectural, programmatic, communication, and attitudinal—have undoubtedly also contributed to it.
Individuals with disability are often no more accepted or included in our churches than they are in schools or neighborhoods.In order to challenge this trend, there are steps that we, as church leaders and members, need to take. By identifying and removing the barriers that limit access to people with disability, our church communities can better reflect the entire population, instead of a disproportionate number of temporarily able-bodied and able-minded.
Examining our attitudinal barriersIn a 2009 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Ginny Thornburgh, director of the American Association of People with Disabilities’ Interfaith Initiative, noted, “Of all the barriers to full participation and inclusion, the barrier of unexamined attitudes is the most difficult to address.”
I would tend to agree with her, since our thoughts and feelings about disability are often deeply imbedded within our minds by culture. It takes time and effort to discover what we think, and even more time and effort to change. And so, I offer these considerations as a starting point for us today:
Make every effort to acknowledge that every human being can experience a decrease in health and thereby experience some degree of disability. Disability is not something that only happens to a minority of humanity; it is a universal human experience. Our encounter with disability might be traumatic and life-changing—such as a dementia diagnosis or a car accident that leaves us permanently physically disabled—or it might be temporary—something that a cast or pair of glasses can fix. Either way, if we live long enough, every one of us will experience disability in one way or another.
Recognize that an individual’s functioning and disability occurs in a context. For instance, an individual with limited sight may have an advantage over a sighted person when needing to evacuate a dark building that is on fire, while the same person may have very limited opportunity to participate in a Bible study if materials are not enlarged or provided in Braille. The strengths and needs of an individual with a disability must be addressed in context.
Appreciate the function of brokenness in the life of all believers. People often want to relieve the perceived suffering of a person with disability through healing or a cure, although one may not be possible. It is important for the Church to appreciate the place of brokenness in the life of all believers, as permitted by God, whose strength is made perfect in our weakness and who uses our limitations to demonstrate His grace, mercy, and power.
Expect individuals with disability to seek and connect with God. A Core Value of the Brethren in Christ is “Experiencing God’s love and grace.” It only makes sense that along with this, we should have an attitude of expectancy—that all types of people would respond to the invitation to the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, followed by a desire to enter into a covenant relationship with other believers. Individuals with disability are as capable of responding to God’s love and His invitation to salvation as any other person. The depth of the experience and relationship will differ, as it does with all people.
Refrain from thinking of individuals with disability as always being on the receiving end of ministry. While some assistance may be required, this should not be the overwhelming focus of the body related to those with disability. Upon conversion, the Holy Spirit grants to all believers the spiritual gifts necessary to carry out the work of the Church. When believers with disability are excluded from opportunities to exercise their spiritual gifts, that work is incomplete.
The concept of “disability” is complex, and its definition varies based upon context. The chair of United Nations Enable has offered this working definition for discussion:
Disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments, conditions, or illnesses and the environmental and attitudinal barriers they face. Such impairments, conditions, or illnesses may be permanent, temporary, intermittent, or imputed, and include those that are physical, sensory, psychosocial, neurological, medical, or intellectual.
Further ResearchIn addition to the disparity in religious service attendance, the 2004 National Organization on Disability/Harris survey documented the following critical gaps between Americans with disabilities and the general population:
- » Only 35 percent of people with disabilities reported being employed full time or part time, compared to 78 percent of those who do not have disabilities.
- » People with disabilities are three times more likely to live in poverty and have an annual household income below $15,000 (26 percent versus 9 percent).
- » People with disabilities remain twice as likely to drop out of high school (21 percent versus 10 percent).
- » People with disabilities are twice as likely to have inadequate transportation (31 percent versus 13 percent), and a higher percentage go without needed health care (18 percent versus 7 percent).
- » Life satisfaction for people with disabilities also trails, with only 34 percent saying they are very satisfied, compared to 61 percent of those without disabilities.
Once we have reflected upon the underlying assumptions and attitudes we have about disability—a process that will need to happen again and again in order for our hearts and minds to be continually renewed—it’s time to turn to topics that might be more concrete in nature. In order to fully include people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, languages, and giftings, we’ll need to consider the various programmatic offerings of our churches.
Be intentional about making the church physically accessible to as many people as possible. Apply the principles of Universal Design (UD) to all of the places people meet, including the inside and outside spaces. Ron Mace, the architect who created the term Universal Design, defines this concept as “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.”
Be intentional about making your message intellectually accessible to as many people as possible. Apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to the curriculum and all learning programs. UDL provides a framework that addresses the primary barrier to learning for many individuals, especially those with disability: inflexible, “one-size-fits-all” curricula and instruction. By providing students with multiple means of representation (the “what” of learning), multiple means of action and expression (the “how” of learning), and multiple means of engagement (the “why” of learning), individuals are able to acquire higher levels of comprehension and mastery of the material to be learned.
Educate the church on disability awareness and appreciation. Provide courses on disability awareness and theological instruction on the significance of suffering and brokenness—whether it be mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual—in the life of all believers.
Provide opportunities for individuals to participate in every area of church life—worship, fellowship, discipleship, and mission—and to exercise their spiritual gifts within the body. For instance, a person with an intellectual disability may find it easier to drop pretenses and love others in the body unconditionally. Another individual with a disability may acquire a more mature faith in Christ at a younger age, because the isolation that comes from living with a disability forces the person to trust the Lord more fully than another believer without the same perceived need. We are all to acknowledge our dependence on God for everything. Some people, because of their circumstances, have an advantage in this area. Seek to discover areas of strength among all people and plug them into an area of service where they could use those gifts.
When practicing ordinances—such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper—take into account the needs of each person, not only those who are able-bodied and able-minded. Ask individuals with disability if they need an accommodation, and, if so, seek to provide it. This may take some creativity. For example, if an individual with a disability is afraid to make a public profession of faith during baptism, provide this person with as many opportunities to become comfortable with the process as possible. Have the person observe the ordinances, assist with the ordinances, and even practice the ordinances.
Jesus Christ commissioned the Church to make disciples of all the world’s peoples, including those from every culture and stratum of society. Yet statistics indicate a failure on the part of the Church to fully include those with disability in this mandate. Historical attitudes and long-held beliefs inhibit progress in this area. Focused attention on removing attitudinal and other programmatic hinderances could potentially permit the Church to realize this vision more fully. Let us work toward the day when there will be no barriers between us.
Nancy J. Patrick is an associate professor of special education and the director of the graduate program in education at Messiah College (Grantham, Pa.). She’s authored several books on autism spectrum disorders, the most recent entitled Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger Syndrome (2008). She and her husband serve as core team members at a church plant, Living Legacy Church, in Hershey, Pa.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Immersed (in spirit): An active response
Adapting traditional forms of baptism to enhance journeys of faith
An active responseThe load of firewood had been dumped in my driveway, and, reaching from my wheelchair, I was taking it, piece by piece, into my garage. It was 1997, and I’d been in a wheelchair for five years after breaking my back in a bad fall.
Two men and the pastor, Tim, from Sauble Christian Fellowship happened to be driving by on their way to the church. They stopped and asked if I could use some help. My wood got piled much faster!
A few months later, I was in serious difficulty with a bed sore (a common but serious problem for paraplegics), and the same group from Sauble came and anointed me with oil. They prayed for me, and I firmly believe it was the Lord’s hand that healed me.
Shortly after that, I was in the hospital with lung problems. Tim came to see me, and he invited me out to church, a place I had not been for many years. But I decided to give Sauble a try. After all, it was the only church that I could get into with the wheelchair.
As soon as I was released from the hospital, I went to the community centre, where the church was meeting. The people were helpful, and I enjoyed the friendship and fellowship.
It was not long after that I committed my life to Christ, and my wife, Carolyn, started to attend the church with me. I was baptized at a nearby lake by tipping my wheelchair back and having water poured on my head. (Usually, this BIC church baptizes by immersion, but an exception was made for me because of my disability.)
After that, Sauble grew by leaps and bounds. We moved to the school, because we needed more room. Then we got some land and decided to build a large new facility. I was able to make many of the truss extensions for the porch in my garage workshop, in spite of my mobility challenges. I thought that was the least I could do. The church also made plans with wheelchair access in mind, and I was the one who cut the ribbon when we dedicated the elevator!
The Lord has blessed Carolyn and me again and again; I’m learning that He always gives us what we need.
Joe Whalen is a member of Sauble Christian Fellowship in Sauble Beach, ON. He and Carolyn joined the church in 2004.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Immersed (in spirit): The coffee cup
Adapting traditional forms of baptism to enhance journeys of faith
The coffee cupThe woman was not able to even sit up, but she was awake and alert enough to talk. So I pulled up a chair beside the bed and explained that I was there because her neighbors had said she wanted to speak to a minister. “Here I am,” I said. “What would you like to talk about?”
She told me she would like to be baptized. Because of my belief that baptism is, at least, a public profession of faith in Christ for salvation, I inquired about her relationship with Jesus. She told me that she had invited Jesus to be her Savior when she was younger but had never been baptized. After asking a few more questions, I felt assured that she had a genuine faith in Christ.
“I believe I can baptize you,” I said. “When would you like for it to happen?”
I was thinking, There is no way this lady can get into a baptismal pool, the way I’m used to baptizing people, and I am not sure she has the strength to be dunked under water three times.
“Can I be baptized now?” she asked.
I guess I was feeling a little bit like Philip in Acts 8:36, when the Ethiopian eunuch said, “Look, here is some water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” I could not think of any reason that the lady should not be baptized, except that the mode I was familiar with was not feasible. I remember looking around the room and spying a coffee cup on her bedside stand.
“I can sprinkle you with water to baptize you now, if you want to,” I offered.
She replied, “That would be okay.”
I poured water from a small pitcher into the mug, leaned over her bed, and said, “Because of your profession of faith and obedience to Christ, the head of the Church, I baptize you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” I distinctly remember trying to fit my big fingers into the cup to get them wet enough to give her a legitimate sprinkle.
I then prayed for her, and she fell asleep during my prayer, even though it was not a long one. I learned from her neighbors that the woman died about a week later.
From time to time, I’ve found myself wondering about that baptism. Is it valid if the person falls asleep during the service”? Does a testimony count, even if it’s a series of “yes” and “no” responses to leading questions?
I don’t profess to have answered these questions completely. But I do know this: that if our Lord has power over sin and death, then He can certainly use water—whether it’s out of a lake, a baptismal font, a pool, or a coffee cup—to baptize someone with His Spirit.
Ray Kipe, who serves as a pastor at Five Forks BIC in Waynesboro, Pa., was baptized in a muddy river in Africa. He and his wife, Darlyss, live in Waynesboro.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>"I felt great, I felt relieved. I was WASHED CLEAN."
The baptism story of one young man with Asperger’s syndrome
Daniel was a young boy when he and his family started coming to Pequea (Pa.) BIC Church. Even then, I knew he didn’t have the carefree existence of many teens. As a matter of fact, he had quite a few challenges.
The oldest of five children, Daniel became the man of the house at age 13, when his father was diagnosed with and then passed away from ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Then, in sixth grade, Daniel was formally diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (AS), an autism spectrum disorder characterized by difficulties in communication and behavior. For Daniel, situations in which he must interact with others or that make him feel like he’s the center of attention can be overwhelming and cause immense anxiety.
Today, at age 23, Daniel continues to navigate life with Asperger’s, and he often finds himself trying to avoid all social contact. At times, this is okay. But he realized that this might not be possible at our church’s baptism service in 2011—because, despite his fierce desire to blend into the background, Daniel had decided that he wanted to be baptized.
Learning and growingSocial interactions play a big role in Daniel’s life, which means that he must confront his fears and emotions on a daily basis. I ask him how he copes, and he explains that being alone is very soothing to him, so he often spends time in his room. He also benefits from the companionship of his dog and cat.
Yet he’s been intentional about challenging himself to adjust to his surroundings. For example, while studying architectural design at an area technical institute, Daniel encountered times when all eyes were on him. “I had to learn how to cope, because I had to present my projects to my classmates,” he notes.
Daniel is wholeheartedly committed to the Lord. In our congregation, Pequea Church, he helps with both the youth group and the technical arts team. And each year, he’s our go-to-guy when we embark on the project of making thousands of chocolate Easter eggs for community members. But for Daniel, taking the step of baptism required a lot of thought. He had the desire but did not want to be “in the spotlight.”
While many people can relate to this aversion to being the center of attention, for those among us who have Asperger’s or other conditions, this takes on a whole other dimension of intensity. When the week of baptism arrived, Daniel’s fears threatened to overtake him. He shares that he would often tell himself that he would not go through with it. “I didn’t even tell my family that I was going to be baptized,” he relates.
Knowing that Daniel was having difficulty, our senior pastor, Dale Shaw, encouraged him over the course of several months. Dale was about to conclude his time at our church before moving to pastor Sherkston (ON) BIC, and he kept saying, “Daniel, I want you to be the last person I baptize here at Pequea!”
A step of victoryOn August 21, 2011, the day of our scheduled baptismal service, I sat in the back of the room. It was a packed house; 19 people were in line to be baptized. Daniel would be going last. I feared that his position in line might escalate his anxiety, so I checked in with him.
“Are you ready to do this?” I asked.
He confidently replied, “Yep, I am going to do it.”
Every second of that evening was a struggle for Daniel, but I watched as he stepped into the baptistery. Even though he stands over six feet tall, in that moment, he seemed small. I think it was his humble, gentle spirit shining through. I knew this was a bold step for Daniel—God was enabling him to tackle yet another obstacle in his life. We were all seeing Christ’s love in action.
Daniel could have been baptized in a more private setting, but in speaking to him today, I am so glad that he chose this route. I can see how empowering this experience has been for him, and I know his example has helped me examine how I can have the courage to take up my own cross—a lifelong struggle with weight and eating—daily.
I later asked Daniel about how he felt after being baptized, to which he replied, “I felt great, I felt relieved. I was washed clean!”
Dee Steele and her husband, Ivan, have two boys, Cameron (14) and Braden (12). (She thinks it seems funny to call them boys because they are taller than she!) The Steeles are members of Pequea Church (Lancaster, Pa.), where Dee is on staff as the director of communications.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>FOCUS
"You need to go out for roller derby." This was the message that reached Sara Donovall during prayer.
“You need to go out for roller derby.” This was the message that reached Sara Donovall, of Grantham (Pa.) BIC, during prayer. Despite her fears and questions, the mother of two joined Harrisburg Area Roller Derby (H.A.R.D.). Her involvement has opened doors for her to love and encourage several teammates, including one experiencing a hip injury and another facing homelessness. “I hope to continue building relationships with my teammates to share Christ’s love with them,” she says.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Bridging the Church’s generation gap
Our job isn’t to keep young people in the BIC but to love and follow Jesus, which just might accomplish the same thing
My 14-year-old daughter’s recent History Day Project on the anti-war protests of the 1960s reminded me anew of the generation gap that was so prevalent during that period. I was 16 years old when the Viet Nam War came to an end in 1975, and so I remember well the radical disconnect between my generation and the one that preceded it.
In his most recent book, You Lost Me, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Research Group, suggests that “the generation gap [between young people and their elders] is bigger today than ever, but it is also a continuation, a deepening of the rifts introduced by the youth culture of the 1960s.” The alienation from institutions and skepticism toward authority that began with my generation (the Baby Boomers) in the 1960s has now become even more prevalent among Mosaics (people born between 1984 and 2002).
This has led Kinnaman and others to conclude that today, “most young Christians are struggling less with their faith in Christ than with their experience of Church.” No longer is loyalty to a denomination or a local congregation a given, as a younger generation raises questions about the consistency, transparency, and relevance of the Church.
This has led me to the conviction that the next generation of believers will connect with a church to the extent that they find Jesus at its core. They will be encouraged by it, loyal to it, and ready to give of themselves to it as they experience within it a clear and unwavering commitment to Christ and His mission to engage the world and change lives.
What they won’t do is connect because their parents or their grandparents connected. They won’t connect out of a sense of obligation or guilt. The next generation, because of its built-in skepticism of authority and institutions, will not automatically offer their allegiance to an entity that has not listened to their concerns nor gained their trust.
If they are looking for one thing, it is to join a family of believers that consistently and unashamedly has Jesus at the center of everything it says and does. Here is a glimpse of the Jesus that I believe this younger generation is looking to follow:
• This Jesus is overwhelmingly optimistic about the future
• He doesn’t shrink from people who have doubts about Him. He mentors His disciples patiently and thoroughly.
• This Jesus is clearly more relationally-minded than institutionally-minded.
• He engages with a broken world, instead of avoiding it. His primary mission is transforming lives.
• He challenges His followers to a deeper life of self-sacrifice. He says there is something worth living for and dying for. He describes it openly as “taking up one’s cross.”
I always wince when I hear language that suggests that one of our primary tasks is to develop followers loyal to the Brethren in Christ Church. To me, nothing is further from the truth. As a leader in this denomination, I have no intention of calling people to commitment to anything other than Christ Jesus Himself.
My suggestion would be that we stop obsessing about connecting the next generation to our denomination. As a matter of fact, I believe that if Jesus in all of His glory is revealed in our midst, then the significant generation gap described by David Kinnaman will begin to be bridged, and the next generation’s connection to the denomination will take care of itself.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Perry Engle is under the illusion that he’s a 20-something trapped in a 52-year-old’s body. He is bishop of the Midwest and Pacific Conferences of the BIC Church in North America and lives with his wife, Marta, and their family in Ontario, Calif.
BIC & Baptism
What are baptisms at your church like?
What are baptisms at your church like? Chris Hutton The Meeting House (Ottawa)In the capital of Ottawa, we have a very large French Roman Catholic population. For many of our friends and neighbours, Anabaptism is very unknown and very new.
You can imagine their surprise, then, when we first hosted some baptisms on the back deck of our house. We rented a hot tub and had it delivered to our house, and many of our neighbours came out to watch this all unfold on the street. When they asked what the hot tub was for, I replied, “We’re going to have some baptisms in it this weekend.” They responded with looks of sheer horror. You have to understand that for our French Catholic neighbours, baptism happens when you are a baby, not when you are an adult. So my neighbours actually believed we were about to baptize babies in the rented hot tub!
I calmly explained that we only baptize adults in this hot tub. They still didn’t understand the point of it (Why do you need to be re-baptized when you were already baptized as a child?), but at least they were assured that we weren’t barbarians.
Brad Stutzman Acts Fellowship Network (Shippensburg, Pa.)The four churches of the Acts Fellowship Network partner with Luz, Alegria, y Esperanza (York Springs, Pa.), and we do two baptisms a year. One of these takes place on Father’s Day at a state park, where we always have a giant picnic and soccer game. The other takes place in the Lions Club Creek across from Roxbury (Pa.) Holiness Camp. At both events, we generally invite a guest speaker to share with us, and we always grill thin Mexican steaks!
Jerry Stonge NewCreation Church (Dillsburg, Pa.)The first 10 years of our existence as a church, we held our baptisms during a regular morning service. People would share testimonies and the children would all gather around the baptistery for a closer look. Then, we would have a fellowship time afterwards to celebrate. This year, we changed that. Because we’re renting another building and have only a morning service, we had a Sunday evening baptism at a member’s home in the family swimming pool. We shared testimonies, had the baptisms, and then had a pool party/picnic.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Come to the water
Examining the BIC Church’s distinctive beliefs on baptism
Experiencing God’s Love and Grace: We value the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
Nearly all Christians agree that water baptisms should be performed. But when it comes to what the practice should look like, that’s when the questions begin to surface. Should baptism occur at infancy or after one has decided to believe? Should the water be sprinkled or poured, or should the person be fully immersed? If immersed, should that be backwards or forwards? One time or three?
Drawing from Anabaptist thought and theology, the BIC Church has adopted the following distinctive practices when it comes to baptism:
Immersion
The accepted mode for the Brethren in Christ Church is a forward-kneeling immersion, to demonstrate humble obedience. As Christ bowed His head in death, so a believer kneels or bows in submission to God. The three immersions are done in honor of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Believers’ baptism
The Brethren in Christ believes that the New Testament teaches baptism for believers. Not until someone comes to saving faith in Christ does the BIC Church believe he or she should be baptized. Thus, rather than baptizing infants, the Brethren in Christ provide a ceremony of dedication for children.
Symbolic
The Brethren in Christ understand that baptism in and of itself has no power. In other words, choosing to be baptized doesn’t automatically guarantee eternal life. Rather, it is a symbol of the believer’s repentance, of Christ’s sacrifice, of God’s forgiveness, and of belonging to the new Kingdom.
Community
Baptism is a sign of new life that is personal but is not in isolation. It is the outward sign that a person not only believes in Jesus but is also entering into a covenant relationship with the body of Christ. Therefore, baptisms usually involve a whole community of faith, and baptism is required for membership in a church.
For the Brethren in Christ, baptism is the sign that a believer is publicly beginning the new life and is becoming a responsible member of a congregation and denomination. Believers’ baptism is indeed a significant event, a deliberate act based on personal belief in Jesus as Lord. It is also the symbol of a new life and belonging to a new family. It is a commitment to a lifelong journey with fellow believers, an act of obedience to follow the Lord and love His people.
winter 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Don Shafer is general secretary emeritus of the BIC Church, having served as an ordained minister in pastorates and church administration for over 42 years. He and his wife, Marlene (Engle), have been married for 55 years and have two children and four grandchildren. They live in Pinon Hills, Calif., and are members of the Upland (Calif.) BIC Church.
Sending workers for witness and service
Two very different churches in Spain come together with shared burdens and prayers.
At this point, there are two BIC churches in Spain. One, a storefront below an apartment building, faces a bustling highway that heads straight into the heart of the sprawling metropolitan city of Madrid. The other is located 35 minutes away, in Hoyo de Manzanares, a secluded, rural town nestled in the mountains. Despite their differences and the distance between them, these two churches have been meeting three times a week to pray for radical transformation in their lives and the lives of their neighbors.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Multiplying sites for life change
One pastor reaches people around the world through his blog.
On January 1, 2011, Ron Bowell, pastor of CrossRoads Church (Salina, Kans.), posted the first entry on his blog, “Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day.” At the time, his vision for the daily devotional was fairly simple. “I promoted it at church, thinking I would have some folks interested in it,” he states. But just 10 months into the project, Ron reports that in addition to locals, he has regular readers from 47 countries, including Bangladesh, Bosnia, Turkey, and South Korea. “We really can have an effect on the world without ever leaving home,” he says.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Equipping leaders for transformation
180 BIC leaders and spouses receive encouragement and training at Ministry Enrichment Retreat
One of the greatest threats to those in ministry is burnout. That’s why, this July, the BIC Church in North America hosted its quadrennial Ministry Enrichment Retreat (MER), welcoming 180 ministry leaders and their spouses to Dublin, Ohio, for relaxation, celebration, training, renewal, and fellowship. “Everything—from the schedule to the accommodations to the chance to connect with others—was awesome,” noted one attendee. “We needed this!”
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Exploring the Outer Banks of Christian unity
Unity wasn’t a given at our family reunion; it was a decision we made individually and corporately to focus on the higher good of being together.
The general consensus was that my wife’s family reunion at the Outer Banks in North Carolina this past summer was one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. I mean, what’s not to like about early morning runs to Light House Bagels, bobbing in the warm Atlantic Gulfstream, riding jet skis far out into the sound, and enjoying late evening Just Dance contests with cousins?
But for me there was something else about the seven families and 29 people who lived together for an entire week. It was the overwhelming sense that, for all of our differences as an extended family (and there are plenty), none of them really mattered as we came together for the first time in many years to celebrate our commonality as kin.
There were many things we could have discussed and even argued about: the size of government, home schooling vs. public schooling, creationism, immigration, the Emerging Church (whatever that is) and Rob Bell. You know the drill—all of the things we tend to fight about and divide over as Christians. We really could have gotten into it, but we didn’t. Why? Because we valued our time together as a family over the need to promote our own agendas and be right on every issue.
Reflecting back, unity wasn’t a given at our family reunion; it was a decision we made individually and corporately to focus on the higher good of being together. Similarly, unity within the Church is not just a state of being; it is a choice. It is a willful act of focusing on what connects us as Christians rather than what divides us. It is submitting ourselves to the heart-prayer of Jesus that we might be “brought to complete unity” as a witness to an unbelieving world ( John 17:20–23).
As our BIC Church family becomes more diverse, we need to refocus on those things that unite us as brothers and sisters in Christ. Together, we affirm the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, as well as our own Articles of Faith and Doctrine, which contain those elements that join us together as a people of God: our acceptance of the Bible as God’s word, our confession of Jesus as Lord, our belief in Christ’s bodily resurrection, our conviction that salvation is by grace alone, and our understanding that the Holy Spirit leads to a transformed life. These beliefs are at the heart of what it means to be followers of Jesus.
Near our vacation’s end, when it was my time to barbeque, I turned away from the grill for a moment, only to return to a wall of flames that had reduced my California burgers to smoked beef jerky. It was a reminder of how quickly a seemingly controlled blaze can turn into an all-consuming inferno.
Nothing destroys Christian unity more quickly than a dogmatic insistence on Christian uniformity. Our response to one another as sisters and brothers in Christ can either be a warming flame or a destructive fire.
Authentic Christian community results in a sweetness and humility that are both transparent and welcoming to others. It’s like a family reunion where a group of diverse people from different walks of life gather to celebrate those things that join them together rather than argue over all those things that tear them apart.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Perry Engle is still awaiting his Grilling for Dummies handbook from Amazon. He attempts to be less inflammatory in his role as bishop of the Midwest and Pacific Conferences of the BIC Church in North America. He and his wife, Marta (who, for obvious reasons, does all of the cooking), live with their family in Ontario, Calif.
BIC blessing
What is one way that you've been blessed by the unique community we have as BIC?
What is one way that you've been blessed by the unique community we have as BIC? Daniel Horwitz New Vision BIC (Pewaukee, Wis.)In my 19 years of being a part of the BIC, I’ve appreciated the freedom to explore relationship with Jesus in novel ways, with the protection of a multi- national, multicultural body to keep me on track.
Alex Alvarado Ciudad de Dios (San José, Costa Rica)When I tell my ministry colleagues that after working as an independent church for so many years, we’ve joined a denomination, they go into shock. They get even more surprised when I tell them about the history, the values, and the outlook on life and faith of the BIC. It is very important that through- out history, the BIC has demonstrated a lifestyle and an experience of extraordinary faith. We are grateful to God for being part of this family.
Sam Gates TheWell Church (Waynesboro, Pa.)My wife, Leslie, and I visited a BIC church for the first time seven years ago, after moving to a new town. When we learned about the BIC Core Values through a membership class, we both felt that the BIC was the place for us. Through our experience of attend- ing and now pastoring a BIC church, we have grown in our appreciation for the diversity of members, godly leadership, and strong support for world missions that are part of the DNA of the BIC Church.
Todd Hammond Highland BIC (West Milton, Ohio)I have been a part of the BIC for a little more than three years and have been blessed most by the support and care the BIC gives to its pastors. The BIC not only emphasizes lifelong learning by offering opportunities such as Core Courses and Impact Seminars, but regional and denominational leaders provide practical and financial support to participate in professional growth events, like the Ministry Enrichment Retreat. Upon returning from the recent Great Lakes Conference Pastors and Spouses Retreat, my wife, Andi, commented, “The BIC sure knows how to take care of its pastors.”
Lisa Tomarelli Daybreak Community Church (Royersford, Pa.)In my last 10 years as part of this community, I’ve learned that the BIC has, at its core, bible-based beliefs like many other churches, but the applica- tion of these beliefs is what makes the difference. I saw this in a tangible way the first time I attended an Atlantic Conference gathering. I was amazed at the variety of BIC church members in attendance. They ranged from conservative to modern, of various ages and ethnicities, all bonding to form this BIC family.
Janet Young Pathway BIC (Kitchener, ON)Thank God for BIC scholars! In my 10 years as part of the BIC, I have been enriched by spiritual teachers—like Owen Alderfer, Martin Schrag, Luke Keefer, Jr., Henry Ginder, Eric Seibert, Ron Sider, and Terry Brensinger—and historians—such as Morris Sider and Carlton Wittlinger—as well as by our journal, Brethren in Christ History and Life.
Ryan Cobb Manor Church (Lancaster, Pa.)I have been a part of the BIC com- munity for about two years now and have found it to be extremely generous. I have been blessed many times by people lending a hand. For example, helping build a fence for my dogs, no questions asked, just willing to buckle down and help people.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>CommunitY
The YMCA isn't a church, but it sure know something about bringing people together.
At the Y, I sometimes see people running alone on the treadmills. They stare straight ahead, eyes fixed on the TV monitors scrolling the news of the day. The only sound they hear is the one pulsing into their ears via buds. Eventually, they step off the treadmill, checking the pace and distance the cold machine has calculated for them. Satisfied, they move along.
It occurs to me that this is sometimes how we function in our churches, as well. We show up, get all we can for ourselves, and then move along. But just as there’s another, more fulfilling side to community at the Y, so Christ offers more than that in the Church. And while the Y doesn’t have it down perfectly, I don’t think it’s an accident that 23 million people in the U.S. and Canada engage in community at the Y each year. Actually, I think this is an indication that the Y is doing something right as it looks to cultivate a space for people to connect and grow. And maybe—just maybe—churches can learn something from it.
It’s about diversity (not uniformity)Many people move through the fitness center at the Y, and, fortunately, they’re not all like the sole individual on the treadmill, plugging into things rather than people.
The faces that I see each day represent an eclectic mix of ages, races, and stories. I’ve sipped coffee with the former pastor who loves football and is always asking me about the church plant I’ve been attending. “How is the choir?” he asks. “You’ve got to have good music.” I’ve rowed beside the retired dentist, just soaking in his life experience. I listen to his life recounted, stories of joy and pain through times of war and peace. I shoot hoops with a recent Penn State graduate who’s eager to tackle the world—change it for good.
It’s these relationships and the unique stories written therein that form the underpinning of the fabric of the Y. This is community.
It’s about connection (not programs)There is a group of people that frequent the Y who are fondly referred to as the breakfast bunch. They spend a few hours at the Y most weekday mornings, but physical exercise occupies only a portion of that time. They arrive before sunrise and warmly greet each other, making small talk with the Y staff along the way. They each get in their workouts, which range from racquetball to lap swimming. After showering, they gather at the tables in the lobby and wind down the morning by sharing about their lives.
Sometimes, they follow up their Y visit by going out to breakfast. They enjoy their time together. I believe this is the healthiest group of people at the Y.
The breakfast bunch wasn’t something that was planned for and promoted; the Y only needed to provide a space where something organic could form out of people simply wanting to spend time with one another. This is community.
It’s about collaboration (not isolation)It’s widely understood that people remain committed to a gym (or any membership organization) only when they connect with another person. Community is about accountability. It’s about trust. It’s about recognizing our weaknesses and depending on others to pull us forward when we slow down.
My friend John Ulsh blogs at remotivate.wordpress.com about his journey of recovery following a life-threatening car accident. Much of his rehabilitation has been done in community, at the Y. John says, “Trust is always easier when things are going well or when things are so bad that you are unable to do things for yourself. Trust becomes a completely different thing when it is blind or when you could just do it yourself but, instead, you decide to put your faith in another person or process.”
His words reflect a self-reliant, successful man forced to depend on others in ways that he might never have imagined. Yet, through the process, he finds strength beyond anything he could possess on his own. This is community.
It’s about the young and old (not one or the other)At the Y, we offer free memberships to seventh-grade students, teens who are at a pivotal point in their development. We want them to connect with their peers and other adults in a positive, safe environment.
We also want adults to have the opportunity to get to know young people. There is a component of wellness that is found in the circle of giving back. Those with more wisdom and experience in life can pour back into those with so much left to learn. And, likewise, those with fewer years encourage those who are older by sharing about their hopes and dreams for the future.
The Y recently looked at our youth mentoring initiative. We halted the program we were doing and instead invited our community to join a book discussion group on fatherlessness. This enabled people of all ages to come together and talk about what we’re seeing in our neighborhoods. This is community.
Redeemed and redeemingAt its core, community-building is the practical application of our God-given longing for relationship. Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Church in New York City, says that the reason we experience breathtaking moments in nature is from our deep longing to connect with our Creator. It’s something we yearn for.
Yet in the interim, God offers us opportunities to experience slivers of real community through deep relationships with others. These communities of broken, beloved people crop up in places like neighborhood associations, the Y, and churches. God uses us to show His love to others, flowing over our wounds to redeem and transform. And when you see it, it’s beautiful.
As Ann Voskamp, a Christian blogger and writer, has remarked, “Maybe it’s crazy to hum hymns through airports and smile at strangers and keep counting the graces—but the way His light slants across this world in all its broken beauty, really, who can help it?”
This, too, is community.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Matt Tuckey sums up his life’s purpose in one sentence: He loves God, loves people, deeply values time with his wife and kids, and ultimately finds life to be enough. Matt serves as associate executive director at the Carlisle (Pa.) Family YMCA, as well as on the leadership team at Engage Community, a BIC church plant in Carlisle.
A Time of Transition
A look at how 60 years ago, God transformed the BIC Church into a more welcoming and loving community
In the 1930s and 1940s, a strong evangelistic fervor spread across the Brethren in Christ Church in North America. Outstanding revivals and camp meetings became an important way for the Brethren to share the message of God’s salvation with the world.
Unfortunately, the BIC were very modest about inviting converts from these services to join the Church. In this era, the Church encouraged a deep commitment to a way of life separated from “the world” and put a strong emphasis on conservative dress, the peace position, and codes of conduct. If new converts would conform, they could join—but few were interested in taking our “plain way.”
Soon a rude awakening came to the brotherhood. We found that our sons and daughters, like our converts, were not as much in love with the Church and its doctrines as we had assumed. Some were leaving our fellowship! Thus, by the late 1940s, we had to accept the fact that, despite the great revivals of the past decades, our small membership was decreasing in size. We were unprepared to serve the present age. The time had come for our Church to give serious consideration to its position.
That consideration was sparked by an informal, unplanned meeting of some brethren—including myself— during a National Association of Evangelicals convention in 1950. There, we talked unofficially of things in the Church that should be reevaluated.
Out of that meeting eventually came a study committee appointed by General Conference. And as a result of the committee’s work, the brother- hood made some sweeping changes in Church life.
Initially, these included a move away from small districts to large regional conferences, and soon to a salaried pastoral system. More radical changes followed: the use of musical instruments in church services; the acceptance of church choirs; dress codes as guidelines, not requirements. In addition, the Church developed new ecumenical associations and greater mission outreach overseas and in cities.
As a result, the Brethren in Christ Church has doubled its membership since the late 1940s. Instead of being a spectator watching the parade of the world go by, it has become a partici- pant in the battle for souls.
This time of transition has not always been easy; transition causes certain pain and tension. Yet the brother- hood is still the same in seeking to know, understand, and apply the word of the Lord. I believe that God raised up the Brethren in Christ Church 200 years ago for a purpose and, amid all this transition, He has been preparing the Church to more faithfully go out into the streets and lanes of our cities and towns to “bring in hither the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind”— to see His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!
This article is based on “The Brethren in Christ Church in My Lifetime,” originally published in the June 1979 issue of the journal Brethren in Christ History and Life.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>Barbara Tedford
She doesn’t attend a BIC church or come from a BIC home. But as a resident of Upland (Calif.) Manor, a BIC-sponsored retirement community, she is part of a diverse and growing network of people being reached by our shared ministries. Barbara Tedford will now take your questions.
Would you share a bit about your spiritual journey?
My parents did not go to church, but they made sure my two brothers and I attended—first the Church of England and then a neighborhood Methodist Church. I didn’t have an emotional experience like some people talk about. It’s just always been there.
I’ve been a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ontario, Calif., for over 50 years. I currently serve as a deacon and member of the worship committee.
What brought you from England to the United States?
In January 1944, I met an American serviceman, Sergeant Doyle “Ted” Tedford, from Waco, Texas. It was love at first sight! We were married in September of the same year. After the war, we moved to the United States in 1946 and eventually settled in Southern California.
Hometown Grimsby, Lincolnshire, in England Most cherished British custom Afternoon tea, a tradition I observe daily at 4 p.m.! Favorite music Opera Favorite dessert Pecan pie A movie that made you think The King’s Speech clarified for me happenings in England prior to World War II. (I was a teenager at the time and not interested in current events!)How did you hear about Upland Manor?
A friend of mine—a lady from Holland—lived here. When she learned that there were openings at the Manor, she suggested I move in. That was in 1994.
The Upland Manor community was very welcoming. It felt like I was coming home. In fact, it was so good that I’ve found myself inviting friends to come and live at the Manor, too!
In what areas do you participate in life at the Manor?
I have been involved in creating table decorations for the Manor dining room for a long time. I work with Dorcas Engle, the Manor manager, in creating centerpieces on different themes. This led to the idea of getting residents together to make Christmas decorations. We’ve been doing that for about five or six years now.
Has there been a time when you felt especially supported by your neighbors at Upland?
When my brother died very unexpectedly, members of the Manor community rallied around me. Expressions like, “I’m sorry to hear about Bill’s death,” and “Is there anything I can do for you, Barbara?” made me feel warm and cared for.
Have there been any challenges to being part of a community?
Being part of a community means learning to give and take. You have to get used to living with people who are different from you—different cultures, different interests, different ages, different abilities. It’s been a learning experience—but a good one for me.
fall 2011 issue of <em>In Part</em>This interview was conducted by Dorcas Lady Good, who lives with her husband, Dennis, at Upland (Calif.) Manor. They attend Upland BIC.