Fall/Winter 2015
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THE MAGAZINE FOR THE BRETHREN IN CHRIST COMMUNITY IN THE U.S. Fall/Winter 2015 HIGHER LOVE RISING WITH HUMILITY, GRACE, AND TRUTH IN THE PURSUIT OF SEXUAL HOLINESS ™ THE VIEW THE MAGAZINE FOR THE BRETHREN IN CHRIST INPART Fall/Winter 2015 VOLUME 128 NUMBER 3 COMMUNITY IN THE U.S. FROM HERE I was 14 when “Friends” made history with the first lesbian these labels helpful within the paradigm of a life transformed Now I know in part; then I shall FEATURES wedding ever shown on TV. Born right at the tail end of “the by God, these are the terms our culture uses. While of course know fully, even as I am fully divorce generation,” my peers and I saw broken marriage as we are not of this world, we certainly remain in it, and we are known. I Corinthians 13:12 6 Higher love more of a norm than an exception. I’m young enough that charged with sharing the Gospel with those who have not ≥ Rising with humility, grace, and truth openly gay friends, co-workers, relatives, and classmates have heard it. This requires us to be at least conversant, if not fluent, BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH in the pursuit of sexual holiness been part of my life since I was a teenager—they haven’t been in the language of those around us—even if we speak a very IN THE U.S. National Director: Alan Robinson BY DULCIMER HOPE BRUBAKER confined to the closet. But I’m old enough to remember a time different dialect amongst fellow Jesus-followers.] WITH ALAN ROBINSON AND PERRY ENGLE when cohabitation was frowned upon and the term “same-sex This issue engages the conversation about human sexuality— Guest Editor: Dulcimer Hope Brubaker marriage” didn’t even exist. In a relatively short period of time, a gift from God that deserves respect and careful stewardship. In Creative Consultant: Nathan Stonge Graphic Designer: our culture has made a momentous shift in the way it views, keeping with our Anabaptist tradition, we have tried wherever William Teodori 431 Grantham Road experiences, and talks about sexuality. possible to steer clear of political and legislative arguments—what Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 USA But viewed another way, there’s nothing new under the sun. our forebears would have called “the matters of the kingdom of Telephone: (717) 697-2634 Broken expressions of sexuality have been around as long as the this world.” These matters deserve our attention, to be sure, but Fax: (717) 697-7714 10 Saying ‘I do’ to God INPART.ORG (ISSN 1940-2945) human race itself. And sexual immorality was no stranger to they must not be allowed to eclipse the primary question for fol- ≥ How seven faithful believers live out their the Early Church. As Brethren in Christ, we believe that Jesus lowers of Jesus: How does Jesus want us to live and love? IN PART (ISSN 1940-2937) is published callings in singleness and in marriage twice a year by the Brethren in Christ calls us to a higher standard than that of the world, and we also It’s not an easy question, but as we ask it together, spurring Church in the U.S. In Part invites readers BY SUSAN K. GETTY into a dynamic relationship with Jesus believe His Spirit empowers us to live a life that is holy and one another on, we can be confident that God will meet us, Christ within the context of the shared life pleasing to God. filling us with grace and truth as we seek Him. and ministry of the BIC Church. But many questions remain: What does it actually look like Printed by Graphics Universal Incorporated to pursue holiness with our sexuality? How do we honor mar- Send feedback, address changes, or subscrip- tion questions to [email protected]. riage while also valuing the celibate life? How do we relate to people in our society whose sexual lifestyles differ from our own? Postmaster: Send changes of address to: IN PART [A note here: In this issue, we have used a variety of terms 431 Grantham Road such as “heterosexual,” “gay,” and “LGBTQ”—Lesbian, Gay, Dulcimer Hope Brubaker, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 USA Bisexual, Transgender, Queer. While we may not always find guest editor Nonprofit Postage paid at Greencastle, PA 17225-9998 DEPARTMENTS 2 LIFE IN THE BODY 14 BY THE NUMBERS Printed in U.S.A. → Mennonite World → The American experience Member of the Evangelical Press Association. Conference 2015, Equip- Biblical quotations, unless otherwise indicated, ping families for school, TO THE POINT are from the New International Version. 15 Recovering from natural → Leading disciples to follow Jesus Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. disasters with their whole being CREATIVE Printed with soy ink on FSC®-certified Rolland IN YOUR BY JON HAND, KEITH MILLER, Opaque 30 paper. Manufactured using biogas NATHAN STONGE, & DEB WILES CONTRIBUTORS energy. 30% of the paper fiber comes from 4 ECHOES WORDS recycled, post-consumer waste, and 70% → Serving sacrificially comes from well-managed forests. POINTS OF VIEW Cory Keller is a professional photographer in the big city 16 and designer located in Abilene, Kans. He → Should the Church perform What a joy your Spring/Summer 2015 magazine has given me! has lived there with his wife and three chil- PART OF THE WHOLE ‘legal’ marriages? dren for the past eight years. Cory is also the 5 BY JOE LAHER & JEFF WRIGHT Thank you for sending it! What a “WOW!” of a cover! I was children/youth/media director for LifeHouse → Kate Vosburg not able to turn to the first page until I answered the question, Church (Abilene, Kans.). KELLER-PHOTO.COM “What’s your cause?”: “All of them!” Reading through the con- 17 PARTING WORDS → Imagining a Church full tent had me laughing, crying, weeping, and just being thankful. Scott McFadden works on the communica- tions team at the Brethren in Christ office of grace and truth in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Along with assisting BY PERRY ENGLE God bless you, with love and respect, in the overall creative direction, he shaped the “Life in the Body,” “By the Numbers,” and Betty Lou Olson “To the Point” departments. Scott is actively Calico Rock, Ark. involved at The Meeting House (Carlisle, Pa.). fall/winter 2015 1 IN PART LIFE IN THE BODY stories of the bic in action LIFE IN THE BODY MANY ANABAPTISTS, A NEW ONE GLOBAL BODY ◊ NORMAL MWC PA 2015 draws believers IN NEPAL from all over the world Picking up pieces “The human body has many parts, but the in the aftermath MCC Photo/Rhoda Shirk, Cindie Leer, Joel Marandi Shirk, Cindie Leer, MCC Photo/Rhoda many parts make up one whole body. So of devastating it is with the body of Christ.” (1 Corin- earthquakes PHOTOS L–R: L–R: PHOTOS thians 12:12, NLT). ∂ A group of volunteers works together to build a prefabricated ∂ A volunteer for the Youth Impact Project ∂ The roof of a local BIC church member’s home in Pounding nails may be the last activ- house for Mennonite Disaster Service during MWC 2015. searches for the perfect pair of shoes Bihar lays crumpled following a devastating cyclone On April 25, 2015, a ity one might expect at an international for a local child in need. in April. massive earthquake church convention, but for many at struck Nepal’s capital, the Mennonite World Conference PA As part of the Anabaptist tradition, BACKPACKS FOR ALL trict leaders, civic organizations, and over SHAKEN BUT Kathmandu. The 7.8-magnitude quake 2015 (MWC), it was a perfect fit. the Brethren in Christ share strong ties 400 volunteers. The event is open all day NOT BROKEN set off a series of aftershocks—some as Every afternoon, just outside the with MWC. The former president of Ministry equips struggling one Saturday at the end of summer. large as magnitude 7.3—that continue air-conditioned halls of the Harris- MWC, Danisa Ndlovu, recently com- families for a new school year In addition to a free lunch, each Cyclone in Bihar wreaks havoc to this day. The destruction has taken burg (Pa.) Farm Show Complex, two pleted his six-year term. Ndlovu, long- family in attendance receives free on an impoverished area over 8,000 lives and injured at least an- prefabricated houses were built by par- time bishop of the Brethren in Christ “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one school supplies, books, shoes, haircuts, other 16,000. Over 500,000 homes and ticipants looking for a way to use their Church in Zimbabwe, served as MWC of the least of these brothers and sisters of a bike helmet, a family portrait, a back- Three days before the first earthquake buildings have been destroyed, including muscles that would connect meaning- vice president from 2003–2009 under mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40). pack, and a bag of groceries. struck Nepal this past April, a strong many historical sites in Nepal. Countless fully to their faith. president Nancy Heisey, who also iden- Two years ago, Ken Landis, pastor In 2014, the event served more than storm swept through the state of Bihar people are left in the aftermath, coping Participants included people of all tifies as BIC. Along with Bruxy Cavey, at Mountain Ridge Regional Church 2,300 people. This year, it provided in eastern India. The storm brought de- with the loss of family members, houses, ages, many of them inexperienced in teaching pastor of The Meeting House (BIC) in Dillsburg, Pa., was approached supplies and services for over 2,800.