The Brethren Evangelist - Fall 2014 Issue

Fall 2014

STORIES FROM OUR YOUTH

CONFERENCE p 8

GLOBAL CHURCH PLANTING

OPPORTUNITY p 19

THE BRETHEN EVANGELIST INTERVIEWS //

MISSIOCHURCH PLANT p 14

3

5

7 8

13

14

18

“I WISH YOU HAD BEEN THERE!” How often have you heard that phrase uttered to someone else, trying to describe a memorable event? Someone said about distinct experiences, “If you haven’t experienced it, no description will suffice. If you have experienced it, no description is necessary!”

Such is the case with General Conference 2014. But in a greater sense, this was a truly memorable event…

For some it was the time of prayer we experienced with the “Elder Elders” laying hands on and praying for our younger and emerging leaders. What a transforming sight!

It was clear that many were deeply touched as the Radial Band led in worship. Perhaps it was the deeper conversations that were experienced following these times of learning and worship. Some were touched deeply by the teaching and presentations brought by Mike Perkinson and Jonathan Reitz. And for others it well could have been the times of prayer as they joined with others each evening to linger in prayer, asking that the Holy Spirit would engrave their hearts with the truths that had been communicated.

No doubt, this issue of the Evangelist will have a similar effect. If you weren’t there, you might not understand. But you might! And it will be good for all of us to rehearse these events in an attempt to understand how God is at work in the Brethren Church. And as we do this, we can begin to make space in our lives to join in next summer as we celebrate our fellowship in Christ with the Southeastern District, hosted by our brothers and sisters at Grace Community Church.

Let’s all plan and prepare in such a way that we won’t have to say “I wish you had been there!” Looking forward to learning and growing with you before long,

Ken Hunn

contents

stay connected

524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805

419.289.1708

www.brethrenchurch.org

[email protected]

FEATURE STORY // A. Gilmer

BEARDS of the BRETHREN // M. Black WMS // Joan Ronk YOUTH STORIES // J. Howenstine, J. Showalter, B. Compton, R. See

NEWLY ELECTED // Executive Board & Youth Advisory Committee

EVANGELIST INTERVIEWS // T. Hofecker, R. Hagopian

BITS & PIECES

The Brethren Evangelist Fall 20142

Fall 2014 The Brethren Evangelist 3

SEVERAL YEARS AGO I interacted with a young man around his dining room table. The conversation led to me opening my Bible. He was aghast to see that I underlined and circled words in my Bible, and that I also used colored pencils to highlight thought patterns. I asked him why that disturbed him. His reply, “The Bible is sacred and holy so one should never mark in it.” I asked him if he had a Bible. He said, “Yes, on the mantel.” When he went to retrieve it, he had to blow the dust off of it. This is one example of Bibliolatry, that is worshipping the Bible, but not interacting with it. We Brethren have always been people of “The Book,” and believe in the authority of Scripture, but we do not worship the Bible. Instead, we worship the Triune God whom the Bible reveals. The narrative of Scripture unfolds the unique story of the God who is both Creator and Redeemer. The Scriptures are not based on our thoughts or opinions about God. Rather the Bible is God revealing himself to us. Because of its revelation of God, the Bible is a precious treasure for us.

So how do we interact with Scripture on a daily

basis? Since it is foundational and formational, we need to stay current with God’s story of redemption. We do so, not to in any way change God’s narrative, but instead to bring ourselves into God’s story and to constantly and personally enter into it. Hear the apostle Paul’s counsel: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16). We are interacting with “the word of Christ.” This refers both to the word that reveals Christ and to the words that Christ himself spoke. Col. 1:5 identifies this “word” as the “word of truth, the gospel…” Maybe this Word of Christ could refer to “the Word who is Christ.” Jesus said, “Those who have seen me, have seen the Father,” Christ is the fullest, most complete revelation of God that we have, and this revelation is in the Bible.

Notice that Paul also wrote, “Let this word of Christ dwell in you.” This has both individual and community application. Dwell is a relational picture. Let the word of Christ take over every room, every compartment, in your life. Engaging daily with Scripture is essential to doing this. The main “hero” of God’s story, Jesus- the Son of

by Arden Gilmer

Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You Richly

God, God’s anointed, the King of the Kingdom, the Redeemer and Restorer, the one who indwells us by his Spirit, is THE formative essential in our lives. How can we grow in Christ if we are not engaging daily with the Scriptures of which he is the focus? How can we grow in Christlikeness if we don’t know Christ (2 Cor. 3:17-18)?

How can we “let” (i.e. allow) the Word of Christ continually dwell in us? Read the Gospels! Saturate your heart with the life and words of Christ. Immerse yourself in Jesus. Read out loud as well as silently. Read the Bible slowly, quietly and deeply. Reading the Bible is not a drive through at a fast food restaurant, but an elegant banquet—a many course meal. Feed, not only

on his words but on his Spirit which he expressed through his words and actions. Sometimes we Christians express what we are convinced is our obedience to Christ, but unfortunately do it in unChristlike ways.

The goal of any spiritual exercise is to make room in our lives for the Holy Spirit and to create some space in which Jesus can live and act. This certainly is true of interacting with Scripture. Often

when we read Scripture we look at the passage “as a problem to be solved or a nut to be cracked, as if God gave us a strange riddle wrapped in poetry, history, prophecy, gospel, epistle, and apocalypse that we have to answer to find out what it meant to us today” [Tony Jones. Divine Intervention, 35]. But another way to do it is to put ourselves under the Bible and let it enter us. Relationship with God is about “heart” as well as about “head.” We may try to dissect the Bible instead of listen to it. The only way to dissect something is to first kill it. We certainly don’t want to deaden Scripture because it is full of life.

One way to open our hearts to the life of God as recorded in Scripture is to pray the Bible, to

take the time to meditate on it, to listen to it in silence. This can open up for us the liveliness of the Scriptures and we can discover that the Bible is truly alive with the LIFE of God. As a living book God will have new things to say to us through it today. The Brethren approach Scripture humbly, believing, yes knowing, that it still speaks Christ centered, life transforming truth today.

“...the Bible is truly alive with the LIFE of God.”



THE BEARD, a symbol of manliness.

Even more so than in the past, it seems that today’s society has embraced this trend as one that is here to stay. With social media as a driving force the beard seems to be more popular than ever before. There are websites, blogs, and more devoted to men with beards. I myself have embraced the beard as part of who I am. In fact, it is hard for me to recall the last time I did not have one, although I am sure I could find a picture on Facebook somewhere. Having a beard is something that I am very proud of.

We have come to a point in our history as Brethren where we have initiated the B4 project. What does that mean? B4 stands for “Bring Brethren Beards Back.” What is it? The B4 Project is a fundraising effort of Brethren Leadership Development, whose goal is to continue developing uniquely Brethren leaders to advance the work God is calling us to.

B E A R D So f t h E

B R E t h R E Nby Matt Black

Cont. on pg. 6


g R o wB E A R D S

f o R A c A u S E

The fundraiser will run from September 14th, 2014 through July 7th, 2015. Men are encouraged to grow your beard. This is being done to raise funds not only to develop Brethren leaders but also for fun and to reconnect with our history. You may ask what does a beard have to do with our history as Brethren?

First, is a call to be separate from the world. Some of this comes from the vow of the Nazarite found in Numbers Chapter 6. Men or women could choose to follow this vow. There were many rules, one of which was to not have a razor touch their head. There were others as well, but for our discussion here we are focused on just one: the hair.

As Brethren who believe in “the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible” maybe some Brethren men took this literally. We find in the Brethren encyclopedia that “during the development of the Anabaptist movement, beards were worn by all classes of society, except the Catholic clergy.”

It was never mandatory for Brethren men to wear a beard, but it seems that the majority did so. In the 1804 Annual Meeting the decision was even made that only men with beards could be ordained and you were not to trim the beard either. Article 11 of the 1846 Annual Meeting minutes of the Church of the Brethren even discusses that the men who were ministers should have a beard. This was so that men would practice self-denial and not conform to the world’s standards. The fact that using a razor meant that you were conforming to the world’s standard of fashion seems absurd, but it was a reality for that day.

Second, it was to promote peace and

non-violence. It seems that there was a no-moustache rule. Now this was not followed by all, however, if you look at a lot of old photos, you will see many Brethren with no mustache and a long untrimmed beard. While you will see some Brethren with a full beard and moustache, you will not see any with a moustache only in those old photos. Why was this so?

If you look at old military photos, you will see the majority of men in the war with just a mustache. For the Brethren, to grow an untrimmed beard was an outward sign to show that they were not conforming to the standards of this world and also to oppose war. As a traditional peace church, the Brethren have a deep heritage as a

non-violent people. Not having a mustache like many of

the military men was a way to show an outward sign of an inward belief.

So if we men are to grow our “Brethren beards” these are the reasons why we should consider doing so. But maybe we can’t grow a beard for one reason or another. We can still consider giving to help develop and train future Brethren leaders, which is ultimately what this is all about.

I’d like to end on this note from the scriptures that I am sure those bearded forefathers who came before us took to heart: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,

pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

g R o wB E A R D S

f o R A c A u S E


Coach Ramsey Speaks at WMS Luncheon During General Conference

APPROXIMATELY 100 attended the ladies luncheon to hear Coach Sue Ramsey speak enthusiastically about her journey with the Ashland University women’s basketball team. Coach Ramsey will be entering her 20th year in this position. Her team of young Christian ladies represents Christ and Ashland University.

Two years ago the country watched this team from a small midwestern private college win the women’s national tournament in San Antonio, TX. The team returned the following year to defend their title, but lost by one point in an overtime game. The remarkable traits of the Ashland Lady Eagles are their prayers with and for one another and the team spirit of supporting, encouraging, and loving one another.

Coach Ramsey referred to Jesus and his team – 12 disciples who learned from him, followed

and practiced what he taught. Similarly, the girls play to honor God. Their team’s practices and games begin and end with prayer.

She presented the five value posters which decorate the walls of the locker room, constantly reminding the girls:

(1) Value your role, I Cor. 12:12-26. We are all here for a purpose. What if we were all an ear, or a foot or a guard or a captain?

(2) Be humble, I Peter 5:6-7. When accomplishments and winnings come, it is hard not to be haughty, but be humble. On the other hand, losing the national title by one point was truly a humbling experience.

(3) Embrace “we” thinking, Luke 6:38. “Great teams have great team-mates.”

(4) Maintain a positive mind set, Col. 3:2. Practice/do random acts of kindness.

(5) Be thankful, I Thes. 5:16-18. In all things be thankful, not necessarily for all things.

Preceding Coach Ramsey’s talk, Sherry VanDuyne welcomed the ladies to the annual luncheon, promoted by the Women’s Missionary Society and enjoyed by all ladies of the conference. Katina Eichelberger served a delicious lunch, especially suited for ladies: chicken or ham croissants, assorted salads, and a variety of fruit cobblers with ice cream. Table decorations by Judi Gentle carried the purple and gold colors of AU: gold-colored plants, AU mugs and plates, and various AC/AU memorabilia.

by Joan Ronk

Editor’s Note: In September, Coach Ramsey announced her retirement after the upcoming 2014-2015 season. Assistant Coach Robyn Fralick will take over as the head coach beginning in the 2015-2016 season.

WMS

THE SUMMER OF 2014 has come and gone and with that so has Engage Conference “Take Hold”. This year’s theme verse was taken from Hebrews 6:17-19 “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. ....” Dustin White from Radial Church, a church plant in Canton, OH, challenged us each morning to release our grip from those things in our lives that are a distraction of what God desires for us. If we have our hands firmly gripped on those things, we are not in a position to receive the gifts God has for us.

Each night The Connection Band (a worship band from Nappanee, IN) led us into

a time of worship though songs and hands-on activities that helped us to express and embrace the things God wanted to reveal to us. Having almost 200 individuals letting go of those worldly things and embracing the heart of God was very powerful.

The other thing that happened during the week was what we called Grip Groups.

During Engage Conference we always make sure that there is some time each day for each youth group to have some time together. Grip Groups were moments during the day for the students to interact with others from a mixture of youth groups on a personal and spiritual level. What was great about Grip Groups is that they were praying for each other’s needs. They were playing games together.

And by the end of the week they were eating together as a group. Being in youth ministry for 20+ years this was a blessing to see. Having these students leave the comfort and safety of sticking with their own youth group and connecting with other Brethren Youth has been difficult in past years. It’s my prayer that they are still keeping in contact today and that this trend of stepping out of our comfort

zones continues.

One of my students that attended Engage this summer summed up the week beautifully on a social media post: “This past week has been one of the best weeks of my life. I’ve never felt God’s presence so strongly in my life. I got to meet and connect with so many new people and I learned so many things about myself and my faith. Through the laughter, tears, worship and prayers, I’ve grown in my faith and relationship with God and I left with a feeling of refreshment and renewal.

I felt God move in so many ways this week and I’m so excited to keep the fire burning in my heart. The Connection Worship Band and Sing Love were amazing as always. Our speakers impacted me in unimaginable ways. I’m already counting down the days til next year.” Kaleigh Reed (NFBC Student)

It is this kind of comment that encourages me and keeps me going in ministry and helps me realize the importance of giving students the right tools in life so they can see what else God has in store for them. Thank you YAC, BYIC students and advisors for letting me serve you in a leadership role over the years.

by John HowenstineNappanee First Brethren


YOUTH STORIES

YOUTH MAKING CONNECTIONS

OUR CONFERENCE TRIP started like any other. We met on Saturday evening and packed the van and prayed for our trip. Grant and I slept at church while the kids stayed up most of the night. At 2:30 am the alarm went off and after a quick stop at the restroom (some zombies walked straight to the van) we were off at 3:00 am. We got about an hour down the road when Grant wondered aloud whether the van sounded loud. He was particularly concerned because the gas was low already. We stopped and got gas and calculated that we got about 6.5 miles per gallon. We normally got about 12 mpg when loaded down, so now we were sure something was wrong. After breakfast and another tank of gas i t was morning for the regular world, and we decided to cal l our mechanic.

We had had the van “fixed” three times already before we left because it wasn’t starting consistently. The first time they changed the fuel pump, and the second time they gave it a complete tune up. The third time we took it to a different mechanic and he spent a month trying to duplicate the problem enough to real ly diagnose i t . He f ixed a problem that made the van not start , but obviously there was something more wrong.

It was still a little early on a Sunday morning, but we got hold of our mechanic and he said that the only thing that it might be, related to the previous problem, was the

“chick lead” (at least that is what I thought he said, it was a bad connection) or it might be a totally different problem. Anyway, he said to go to a NAPA certified garage and the repair would be under warranty if there was something wrong with his repair. We looked for every NAPA for the next 1000 miles, all the while thinking that every mile was costing us twice as much in gas, and the van may give up under the strain at any moment. There was no possibility of repair at NAPA (on Sunday especially, but not on Monday either unless we went far out of our way) so we called AAA to get a recommendation from them. They said the only place open on Sunday was a Pep Boys in Atlanta. Long story short, two Pep Boys and two hours later they told us it was our transmission (specifically the solenoid between 2nd and 3rd gear) and they don’t repair transmissions. Well, now we had no choice but to make it to our destination (we were staying with a friend that night) and try to find a place to fix the van on Monday morning.

We did some research and found the AAMCO in Lebanon Tennessee had good ratings and more importantly, they

work on transmissions. It took them half the day to find out that it might not be the solenoids (they changed them anyway) and they would not be able to fix it that day. We may need a whole new transmission (to the tune of $3000) or it may be the central computer (which

would not be cheap, but less than the transmission). All the while, the kids were hanging out at Dunkin Donuts watching movies and eating donuts. So now we needed to rent a vehicle to get us where we were going. Matt (the repair guy at AAMCO) was calling around to find us something we could use. Apparently, they don’t normally rent a 15 passenger van without a week’s notice, but somehow Matt worked it out. Also, you can never pull a trailer with a rented vehicle,

so we left the back seat of the rental van and our trailer (along with our broken down van) at the AAMCO repair shop in Lebanon Tennessee. We filled the back of the van with luggage, then put the kids in the seats and loaded the rest of the luggage around the kids.

by Jenninfer ShowalterSarasota First Brethren


YOUTH STORIESTOOK THE LONG WAY

I am writing this article about one of the greatest experiences in my life. Engage youth conference is not only about getting closer to new people,

but it’s about getting closer to God.

Over the week we talked about some stories from the Bible, that all followed our theme of Taking Hold of God. Not only did we talk about God and how amazing he is and how he loves us; we worshiped him with some amazing songs lead by The Connection

Worship Band. We also enjoyed a concert by Sing Love. I was saved on January 13, 2011, but going to ENGAGE made me feel like I have rededicated my life to him again.

There were so many emotional moments that were just so beautiful. I also made a lot of great new friends from all over the USA and Canada that were so sweet and loving. One of the things we did everyday was attending Grip Groups, where we met up with people in our groups about the message for the day. I was part of the Grip Group, The Monkey Fists. Every evening we gathered as a youth groups after worship and talked about the message we had heard and how we relate it with our own personal experiences to understand the message better. We then split into a smaller group and talked about the message. The people in my small group were Lilah, Hanna, Kristen, and one of our leaders, Evelyn.

Conference meant a lot to me because before I attended this year, I wasn’t as close to God as I used to be. I had outgrown the group I was part of, so my friend Lilah invited me to Grace Community Church. That is when I learned about ENGAGE and decided to go. I had the best week ever!

Not only did we learn more about God and grew closer to him, we also had a lot of time to make friends, play fun games, talk to people and laugh. We played a lot of games like gaga ball and man hunt. Some things we brought home with us were our purple bracelet,

which we got as part of our grip group to remind us we are all a family in faith. We also got a rope bracelets for reminding us there are things that are in our way of getting closer to God and we need to let those things go. Another thing we made was our little sign with an anchor on it to go with Take Hold, our theme for the

week. We wrote our theme verse on it. “We have this hope as an anchor for your soul” Hebrews 6:19.

Thankfully we didn’t need to stop for gas as often as before because it was a puzzle every time we had to get in and out of the van. Anyway, we made it to conference about half way through Monday evening worship, (about 6 hours later than planned). It was a great conference this year and we put the van out of our minds until it was time to hit the road for the return trip.

When we got back to our van we found out it was the central computer at a cost of about $1700. Other than the extra stress and the extra money spent, the trip turned out to be great. Some of the kids were new to this sort of traveling and some were old hands, but we had no complaining, and I think that was the best part of all our troubles.

BEST WEEK EVERby Blair Compton

Grace Community Church, Winchester, VA


We went to the top of the mountain where we heard our messages and worshiped around the campfire and had tons of fun. Conference is one thing in my life that I will never forget; I can’t wait to go next summer!

YOUTH STORIES

by Ryan SeeGrace Community

Church, Winchester, VA


YOUTH STORIESCLOSE TO GOD

WHERE DO I EVEN START about conference? First I just want to say that this year’s conference was the best experience of my

entire life and I can’t wait until next year!

I’ll tell you what was awesome about the whole experience. Just to clarify, my writing can’t even do justice for how good the experience really was because words can’t begin to explain what it meant to me.

First I want to say it was a fifteen hour drive to the college where we were staying! But when we got there it was great. We had to get our room keys, food cards, and schedules then drive over to our rooms to get situated and unpack. While on our way to the rooms the U-Haul detached from the back of the van but thankfully no one and nothing was hurt. After we finally got to our rooms and unpacked it was very late so we went to bed.

The next morning, we awoke around six. This was very early for us, but it was all good because we had a heavy schedule for the day. We ate breakfast and then enjoyed a bit of free time. On our third day there, a security guard woke me up because he thought I may have passed out under a tree, but I was actually just tired and I had fallen asleep!

When we went to the morning and evening services I could really feel the presence of God! This was especially true during the evening service where we would always start off singing contemporary Christian music. When we would sing I found myself just breaking down in tears because of all the things that I’ve done and because of all the things that have happened to me. It all just kept flowing back to me. The service

was even better and I cried even more when the speakers talked to us. Their words just connected so much. We were with our church and with friends from other churches and we had our arms around each other, praying for every burden we ever had and ever will have.

One night when we were walking to the evening service I was talking to my best friend. I told her that I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere else but here. We talked for a long time about it. And when the praise band came in we sang a song. Then the guy who was the preacher there, Nate Bebout, walked out on the stage during the second song. He talked about exactly what I had shared with my friend! He said no matter what, you are wanted at the end. During that moment I cried the most I have ever cried — EVER. But my best friend was there for me and we stood there for 20 to 30 minutes afterward and we hugged and talked to each other to ensure things would be okay. That is a true best friend.

When I was at Conference, I felt the best I have ever felt. I felt so close to God. I felt like he was with me every night when I was singing and throughout the services. The people at conference made me feel the most wanted I’ve ever felt and I hope I can continue to attend for many years to come.

The theme of Conference was to take hold of God and what he wants for you. The main verse was Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” I learned that God wants us to let go of the things that are holding us back from the fullness of his glory.

When we had to go home there were so many friendships that we made that will last a lifetime. The sad part was when we had to say our goodbyes and got in the van to go home. But I have made so many friends that I will always remember and I will look forward to seeing them next year.



the Hagerstown First Brethren Church in western Maryland. He made a personal profession of faith in Jesus in 1956 and was baptized in the Hagerstown church. After graduating from Ashland College, he married his wife Linda and they now live in Ashland, OH and serve as deacons at Park Street Brethren Church.

After beginning a career as an Industrial Engineer in basic steel and mobile home manufacturer, he obtained a license and served as a Health Care Administrator in nursing homes for over 39 years until his retirement in 2011. He and Linda relocated to Ashland when she opened The Georgia Belle Inn where he serves as the maintenance man. They have four grown children and ten grandchildren.

Josh Coffee is currently leading Mission Church in Columbus,OH as a missionary from Gretna B r e t h r e n Church. This

work involves discipling two young men who are currently living with him and involving himself in the lives of his neighbors and community. During the day he works at Abbott Nutrition as a project supervisor for new packaging materials. On weekends he occasionally fills pulpits or leads worship in churches while challenging people to live into the fullness of God’s calling for them.

Josh enjoys board games, theology, and Star Wars. He is a student at Ashland Theological Seminary working on his Master of Arts degree and hopes to one day complete a PHD in Theology. He has been a part of The Brethren Church for 13 years now, being a part of Smithville Brethren Church, Garber Brethren Church, Gretna Brethren Church, and now Mission Church.

NEWLY ELECTEDNewly Elected Executive

Board Members

Newly Elected Youth Advisor

Committee Members

Gene Geaslen has been a part of the B r e t h r e n church since he was a young child a t t e n d i n g

Luke Dowdy is a full-time Youth and Worship Pastor at the Berlin Brethren Church and his wife, Amanda, works

alongside him as a volunteer youth worker and full-time s h e n a n n i g a n - m e d i a t o r . They have been serving in Berlin since 2010. They have two children, Isaac (4) and Hadassah (2) who love life and the outdoors. Luke also houses two hermit crabs, Hermie (age unknown) and Cinderellie (age

Winter Lawson has served as a volunteer in youth ministry at College C o r n e r B r e t h r e n Church for the past 8

years and is currently the Jr/Sr High Youth Leader. Her and her husband, Jesse, have been married for 14 years and have two awesome children, Brandon-10 and Rachel-6.

Her passions in life are spending time with family, photography (recently moving it from a career back to a hobby to have more time for family and ministry), scrap-booking, and chocolate! She is most passionate about helping others deepen their relationship with Jesus, to help them experience that "aha moment" of their true dependency on our Lord and Savior.

unknown).

Luke is a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan, outdoorsman, avid board game junkie, and movie critic. He has recently been enamored with the idea of eating strictly local as a sustainable way of living. Most of all, Luke’s passion is to see students live as difference makers for Jesus. The world is crowded with people who live with no purpose—but difference makers can provide the change the world needs to see, experience, and live.


How did you two get connected?

RICH: I have no recollection of how we met. Isn’t that funny? Maybe at General Conference, or something? Through Bill Ludwig? I can’t remember when we met.

TERRY: I am like Rich—I can’t recall when we first met. But I can remember when my wife Debbie and I got connected to the Hagopians and their ministry. After we took our role as Ohio Regional Movement Coordinator for the Brethren, we were blessed to begin attending Smoky Row Brethren Church where Rich is Pastor. One of our earliest times there in January 2012, Rich did his annual vision-casting message. In the message he described his vision and passion for Smoky Row’s outreach to the “suburban poor”—a growing segment of society in our country. It engaged me,

but it absolutely captivated my wife, whom I originally met doing ministry to the urban disadvantaged. I like to say, “Rich had her at ‘suburban poor’”—which is an allusion to the movie Jerry Maguire. Everything we have experienced since has confirmed our first impression of a pastoral leader sold out to ministry to the “least of these” as Jesus desires. We feel so privileged to receive his leadership and pastoral care.

How did Smoky Row come to be the mother church of Agora Church?

RICH: Like all the best “Brethren” things, the process by which Smoky Row came to be Agora’s mother church was totally relational. As our friendship (Terry & Rich’s) grew, and Terry gave voice to the hopes for Agora and its place in not only central Ohio but also

Smoky Row & Agora Churchinterviews

THE FOLLOWING INFORMAL QUESTIONS and answers will help you to understand the unique blessings that happen when established churches support so-called “daughter churches” as they expand the gospel witness through new church planting. Pastor Rich Hagopian is an Ashland Theological Seminary graduate and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program there. He has been the Pastor of Smoky Row Brethren Church in the northern suburbs of Columbus, Ohio for eight years and serves on the Ohio District Board of Oversight. Dr. Terry Hofecker is the Ohio Regional Coordinator for MissioChurch, the Brethren Church’s North American church planting arm, and, in that role, is starting Agora Church, a new Brethren congregation at the northwest edge of the Columbus metro area. As a mother church/daughter church team, Smoky Row and Agora, led by Rich and Terry, are clearly enjoying a fruitful Kingdom partnership as revealed in their responses that follow.

the Ohio District, it became clear that our congregations (established and budding) could really benefit from each other in many ways.

Rich shared Agora’s amazing story with Smoky Row’s Governance Team, along with Terry’s vision for what Agora was becoming and his great desire for organic Brethren connection, and we were all clear that we wanted to be a part of what God was doing there.

Out of a number of conversations, the metaphor of “adoption” came up and we realized it fit perfectly: So, Smoky Row adopted Agora, and we’re enjoying the journey God has us both on together!

TERRY: Agora Church began as a project that became a passion. Since we are a church-planting movement on the rise, MissioChurch Regional Coordinators all need to be “player coaches”—engaged in church planting at the church plant or mother church level. I have always believed that new churches should always have “mother churches”—a sponsoring congregation that can nurture them and keep them connected to the broader movement. It also supplies a shield of pastoral support and spiritual protection for the church planters.

Since Debbie and I had briefly been organically connected to Smoky Row, we secretly hoped they would want to adopt us. I have always believed that the best ministry takes place in small, dynamic congregations and not big ones. In my opinion, Smoky Row Brethren Church is a great example of that kind of model. Recently, when Rich and I did a pulpit exchange, it was like coming home. If anyone is good at being a good mother congregation, surely Brethren churches should be the best. Smoky Row certainly is.

What does it mean for Agora Church to have Smoky Row as a mother church?

RICH: In many ways we’re still discovering the answer to this! Just like any foster parent–foster child relationship can take a while to become an intimate, trusting, and redemptive one, Smoky Row and Agora’s relationship is definitely growing all the time.

And it’s tricky to play together well with others.Often one or the other of us will think, “Oh, we should have invited them to be with us!” or “Why didn’t we do this or that together?” But we’re learning all the time how to do this well.

As we learn how to live with each other in mind, Smoky Row tries to support Terry in his important MissioChurch work and with prayer and some funding. We offer space to a group of folks in Agora’s orbit every Sunday night. (One of our Governance Team members has been blessed to be a part of that group!) And Rich and Terry meet regularly and make sure we update our congregations and congregational leadership as to what’s going on, what needs and challenges there are, etc.

TERRY: Being a new congregation is scary for the people and the planters. Having a solid and motivated mother congregation is very reassuring all around. We have even had people drive over to Smoky Row and drive through their parking lot to assure themselves that we are part of a real family of churches! Smoky Row provides facilities for some of our activities, funding for some of our missions outreaches, a model for our vision and ministry and many, many more practical helps. They pray for us regularly and allow Rich to care for and pastor us as a church planting couple. Like any challenging endeavor, church planting is safer and easier when you don’t have to go it alone.



What has it meant to Smoky Row to have Agora as a daughter congregation?

RICH: It’s been an encouragement in so many ways! As Smoky Row gets updates from Agora, it’s like a little homecoming— the ways God is blessing and building their congregation are personal, and we find ourselves “rejoicing as they rejoice.” (And there’s been a lot to rejoice about!)

Beyond this, those of us who have been able to interact more closely— during a small group, say, or when swapping preachers for a Sunday morning— these things end up really blessing us, collectively and personally.

So it is just really good, and getting better. Like any parent, we’re proud, encouraged, and challenged by our “child’s” faithfulness and discovery.

TERRY: I think we could get into a friendly debate over who benefits more. I think it is safe to say that it is a mutual blessing when it is done well.

How would you characterize your personal relationship?

RICH: We have a great relationship: I trust Terry deeply, and not only find his insight and dynamism challenging, but his conversation refreshing. Terry models what it means to be a caring, involved pastor while keeping healthy boundaries and protecting his family life and personal health. Our time together goes by too quickly...but it always ends knowing that there’ll be more soon, even though we can both have pretty full calendars. Terry’s a gift. (Our commitment to the Brethren Church, its related institutions, greater Columbus, and each other help make things easy, of course.)

TERRY: I have come to treasure Rich and Carolyn as friends. Since so much of our bandwidth has been eaten up with Agora Church and our MissioChurch duties, they have been better friends to us than we have to them. Although,

I suspect that many of their friends would say this about the Hagopians. Beside friendship, however, Rich really is a great pastor to us—especially to me. In pastoral confidence I can sit down with him and relate my fears, struggles, confusion and challenges. I often walk away from one of our meetings feeling a little guilty that I always take more than I give.

I think the best friendships involve people who are a lot alike but very different. I think Rich

and I are like that. He is a true peacemaker and I still spend a lot of time hanging around military and intelligence folks. He is young and I am not so young anymore. He is good looking—wait, we are both alike there! And we also share a love for good scholarship in all areas and a Kingdom perspective on what kinds of things truly matter. We love our Brethren heritage and have a shared passion for existing churches becoming more effective and new churches being started. And we love the Lord and our families dearly.

What dreams do you have for the partnership between your two congregations?

RICH: Oh, man: Don’t get me started. I hope that in the coming months and years we’ll continue to figure out ways to gather our congregations together for faith-building fellowship and Spirit-directed ministry-whether that’s a fellowship potluck, shared worship services, celebrating milestones

EVANGELIST INTERVIEWS

in the life of Agora and Smoky Row, or just working alongside each other as we serve our neighbors and neighborhood.

Beyond this, I see Smoky Row and Agora joining together to equip and nurture church plants around greater Columbus (in particular) and intentionally inviting each other into the significant community engagement we do.

Finally, it’s no small thing to remember that you’re not alone. Having our congregational centers so close to each other physically enables us to keep in mind that there’s someone in our corner, and they aren’t far away if we need them.

TERRY: I can’t say it any better than Rich—local connection and support with regional, even global impact. But, don’t be confused—Smoky Row is one of the most missional congregation I know. They support more incarnational ministries, especially locally, than most mega churches I have ever seen. Even though I don’t spend much time at the SRBC facility, numerous times I have seen neighborhood people—of all religions—stop by for anything from a drink of water to emotional support in a crisis. In this way, I think Smoky Row will always be an example for us leading us into greater service.

What advice do you have for other Brethren Churches as they contemplate relationships like this?

RICH: Go slow. Being in a relationship that is mutually life-giving, nurturing of both group’s particular vision and calling, and just generally close takes an enormous amount of time. Christians are sand-box people, even when we’re “siblings” like we Brethren are: it takes a lot of work to leave your sandbox and go play in someone else’s, and then not quickly feel insecure or proud over where and how you play. Smoky Row and Agora are trying to play together well, and honestly, it’s pretty sweet.


Also: Risk away. What have we got to lose in trying to partner together well? Smoky Row has a long way to go to figure out how to become aware of and help meet Agora’s needs in an excellent, strategic, and caring way. But we only lose out on a greater realization of God’s providence and faithfulness if we decide we’re not “ready” for something like this. Trusting God—both as a pastor and as a Christian—means trying things out now and then.

There are other things, of course: Make sure leaders regularly meet. Try to figure out areas of ministry or physical overlap that can act to support your growing relationship. Put your money where your hopes are. Give each other plenty of stage (and prayer) time. Reject insecurity in the process.

But mostly, keep up goodwill and purse the others’ good, and then watch how God surprises both groups.

TERRY: From Rich’s answers you can see that, at its best, this kind of relationship is about family, not functionality. The most important things that we get from our mother church could come from a church of 15 people as easily as they do from a church of 150 people. They love us and care about our health and ministry fruitfulness. They pray for us. These simple but special gifts are what any church should be able to give. Receiving them is spiritually empowering in a deep and personal way. I would say that congregations who consider this should look to their hearts and not their budgets because the real “maternal” support that makes a difference will come from there. My advice is to embrace it and not talk yourself out of being a mother church to a church plant who needs it. You already have what it takes.

REVEREND WILLIAM (BILL) HOFF KERNER of Ashland, Ohio passed away on Sunday September 14, 2014. Bill was known for his years of service to the Brethren Church. He was born on March 11, 1918 in Holmesburg, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, to Frank and Maud Kerner. After leaving the Army in 1945, Bill married Gertrude (Trudy) Boardman in 1947, and they were married for 67 years. Bill and Trudy moved to Mansfield, OH later that year, where Bill worked for Fort’s Auto Electric. In 1968, Bill felt the call to Christian ministry and left Fort’s to attend Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, OH. In addition to his studies, Bill pastored Little Washington Church in Little Washington, OH from

inMEMORY

BITS & PIECES

1918- 2014


Executive Director Ken Hunn recently sent a certificate to retired Brethren pastor Reverend G. Bright Hanna. He was recognized at Corinth Brethren Church during a celebration service on Sunday, September 21, 2014. Hanna had served as pastor at Corinth from 1959 to 1972. He resides in the Twelve Mile, IN area and currently attends Mexico Brethren Church. On Sept 3, 2014 G. Bright Hanna turned 98 and is the oldest surviving Brethren Elder. In a previous issue of The Brethren Evangelist we had incorrectly stated Rev. Wayne Swihart was the oldest elder. G. Bright is 2 years older than Wayne at the time of Rev. Swihart’s passing.

1968 to 1971. Upon earning a Master of Divinity degree in 1971, Bill was ordained in the Brethren Church and was called to pastor the First Brethren Church in Roann, IN. From 1978 to 1981, Bill pastored Meadowcrest Brethren Church in Fort Wayne, IN. In 1981, Bill was named Director of Pastoral Ministries for the Brethren Church, and he and Trudy relocated to Ashland, OH. Bill subsequently served as Director of Home Missions for the Missionary Board of the Brethren Church until his retirement at age 70. Bill’s surviving family includes his wife, Gertrude Kerner, of Ashland, daughter Charlotte (Edward) Chow of Leesburg, VA; daughter Virginia (Elmar) Goble of Batavia, OH; son William (Janet) Kerner Jr. of Overland Park, KS; and son David (Diane) Kerner of Beverly Hills, CA.

ELDEST BRETHREN ELDER GIVEN CERTFICATE

Pastor Ben Pippen of Corinth Brethren Church stands with Rev. G. Bright Hanna and his daughter, Mary Champ with his certificate.

LATE THIS SUMMER we introduced a campaign to raise funds for a new Global Church Planting effort. The MissioChurch team of the Brethren Church decided to cross borders and collaborate in this effort to assist church planting both here in the United States and around the world. We believe that nothing communicates real connection and authenticity in a community like new churches that live, thrive and grow within communities. We don’t mean a temporary outside source that comes and goes with the tide, but one that is true and steady like the reef.

Our goal is to raise $100,000 over the next few months through donations and pledges. These funds will resource at least two new church plant startup grants in the United States as well as fund new endeavors for our Global Partners. This will apply to

Thank you for your partnership in growing churches that will impact lives in our country and around the world.

current partners looking to expand into new communities which may have never been possible before. It will also provide support for new works like the Godoy family who are members of the North Manchester Brethren Church. The Godoy’s are currently preparing for deployment and ministry in Chile. They are one of several families who are already leaning into our new Global Partners paradigm.

We are seeking for all of our churches to participate in this quest that will stretch us and take the Brethren to new frontiers and across borders we may never have imagined. We ask you to prayerfully consider how you might partner with us on this grand adventure. We know God is going to do great things in your local church, community and with your participation, in other countries around the world. You can help make this happen.

There are 2 ways that you

can DONATE.

My Pledge/Faith Promise for GLOBAL CHURCH PLANTING

Visit our secure, online donation site at:

www.brethrenchurch.org/contributions and click the Global Church Planting link

and donate any amount.

1 2 Fill out the pledge card and mail it

back to us with your donation or pledge

for any amount.

I am trusting God to enable me to:Pray daily for GLOBAL CHURCH PLANTINGGive financially to the support of GLOBAL CHURCH PLANTING

I would like to give a WEEKLY gift to GCPI would like to give a MONTHLY gift to GCPI would like to give a ONE-TIME gift to GCP

You may also donate online by visiting www.brethrenchurch.org/contributions

Name: Date:

City: State: Zip:Address:

$25 $50 $100 OtherOtherOther

$100$100

$25 $50$25 $50

The Brethren Evangelist (SSN 0747-4288) is published quarterly by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone: 419-289-1708; email: [email protected]; fax: 419-281-0450. Authors’ views are not necessarily those of The Brethren Church. Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren Church members; $15.00 per year to others. Member, Evangelical Press Association. Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio or additional mailing office at Mansfield, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Brethren Church, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792. Fall 2014, Vol. 136, No. 3

Please let us know when you are moving.This will save us much-needed funds for ministry.

The Brethren Church524 College Ave.Ashland, OH 44805

www.brethrenchurch.org

Documents

The Brethren Evangelist - Fall 2014 Issue