Comments on: A Platform for MCUSA

By: Benedict

Benedict — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:46:04 +0000

If you need to bite your tongue every time you speak to a middle class person, then you aren’t able to see Christ in them. That’s my hunch. I hope it is not true, of course. Please don’t set yourself up as the accuser of the church and call that radically following Jesus. Love them. Welcome them. Suffering on account of us all. Then you will be radical in the true sense of the word: rooted. Rooted in Jesus.

By: What do you know about Ervin Stutzman? » Young Anabaptist Radicals

What do you know about Ervin Stutzman? » Young Anabaptist Radicals — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:21:15 +0000

[…] a fourth post about the MCUSA executive director search process that I missed in my run down: A Platform for MCUSA by […]

By: Some Thoughts About Reforming the Church » Young Anabaptist Radicals

Some Thoughts About Reforming the Church » Young Anabaptist Radicals — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:04:51 +0000

[…] A Platform for MCUSA […]

By: vera

vera — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:50:04 +0000

Mmmm… now that I am actually thinking about it… I like the 16th century model better. Grebel and his buddies did not worry about reforming reformed congregations. They got radical and then infected others, whoever was ready to catch on.

What you feed, will grow. If you feed an institution, that’s what will grow. If you feed radical followership… well, you get my drift.

We know one thing: the 16th century model worked.

By: vera

vera — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:58:58 +0000

Hey, Steve. So good to see some life on this board… :-)

True enough about the UUs. Just tryin’ to stir up trouble.

Well, here’s the deal. Why would you want to be a cheerleader on the Titanic? Wouldn’t even an outrigger canoe give you a better chance of getting where you’re going?

If you want to turn congregations in radical Jesus followers, here’s how. Take one congregation on. Figure out how to do it. (If there is a way.) Then let it replicate like a virus.

I do like you blog, btw. It won’t let me leave a message. Very useful stuff there. I keep going back.

By: SteveK

SteveK — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 05:09:25 +0000

Hey, Vera. I’m not saying that we can reform the bureaucracy. The position is a communication job. A cheerleading one. Suppose we got a real radical in the position? They might not be able to change the course of the Titanic, but they could encourage many Mennonites to make their congregations radical Jesus-followers. Not enough to change the bureaucracy, but enough to make a difference in a lot of communities.

As for the U-U’s? Pa-ul-ee-ss! The Mennonites have enough trouble. At least the Confession of Faith is acceptable.

And Anabaptism? It is wherever the ideals are held. Sometimes, even in the Mennonite church. (It’s been known to happen!) :-)

By: vera

vera — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:09:55 +0000

Ya can’t reform behemoth bureaucracies. What you CAN do is walk away. Re-start small, remain local. And hive off when you grow too big and the bureaucratic bug begins to bite. Hey, you know… the old order Amish model. :-)

SteveK: in your 10 points… where exactly is Anabaptism? If that’s the vision… why not join the unitarian universalists? They already have what you want. Well, except the memorization. But they have lots of all-pleasing vagueness as icing on the cake. (Argh!)

By: lukelm

lukelm — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:27:41 +0000

Jean, your comment reminded me of a quote from “Hello Dolly” that goes something like this: “money is like manure - it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around, helping other things to grow.” (and, implied, when it’s just all piled up on top of itself…)

I something think the same can be said about Mennonites ;) Very amazing & wonderful & beautiful when spread out into the world, but when all piled up on top of each other…

By: SteveK

SteveK — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:25:57 +0000

Jean, I appreciate your frustration and exhaustion. Perhaps I am too optimistic. But all I would hope to do is to inject some light in all that you are talking about. No one person can change the direction of a Titanic like MCUSA. However, if people think about the church differently, then some changes CAN be made. If the person at top DOES deal with conflict in a positive way, isn’t it possible that the church as a whole could learn as well? If the person at top requires accountablility for herself or himself, won’t the agengies demand the same? An Executive Director can’t change everything, even as the President of the U.S. can’t possibly change the mindset of his people. But such a one can inject hope and be a cheerleader for real change.

I wonder if this position needs someone who is less pastoral, and is more ready to develop community out of a disjointed mess. More of an idealistic church planter…?

By: Jean

Jean — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:15:23 +0000

I think you underestimate the soul-draining nature of working within major Mennonite agencies: tons of politics, a ridiculous-to-the-point-of-being-absurd inability to deal with conflict, and a general lack of any level of professionalism that calls oneself and co-workers to account.

Inject into this toxic mix a bunch of people who sincerely believe they are God’s gift to the world and are doing “good” every day, and it becomes untenable for a healthy person to stay in that kind of environment. I know. I’m on my way out . . . to preserve my health and sanity.

By: Kevin Goertzen

Kevin Goertzen — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:48:44 +0000

Thank you for your post. As a not-so-young, not-especially-radical Anabaptist, I enjoy reading this blog. I am firmly convinced that voices such as yours must be heard if we are to be a community of believers following Jesus in radical, Anabaptist ways (rather than just one more denomination seeking to preserve our structures and programs).

Keep speaking the truth, even when it is difficult for some of us to hear … and who knows, maybe you (or someone else like you) will end up leading Mennonite Church USA.

Blessings to you,
Kevin

By: jc

jc — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:59:50 +0000

Whether you apply for the position or not, it sounds like you have a lot of good ideas that need to be brought to the table.

You might be surprised at how receptive the denomination could be to some of them.

By: Skylark

Skylark — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:50:30 +0000

There are lots of other minorities/disenfranchised groups who have not had a representative in key positions in the Mennonite Church. Out of curiosity, how did “Also, I couldn’t in good conscience put my name forward as long as a woman has not yet been […]” come to be?

By: SteveK

SteveK — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:53:19 +0000

I meant to say a woman as Executive Director– I got my conference mixed up with the church for a moment.

By: Lin Garber

Lin Garber — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:06:08 +0000

If a 74-year-old can post here, I would just like to point out in response to “I couldn’t in good conscience put my name forward as long as a woman has not yet been moderator of MCUSA” that the current moderator of MC USA is a woman, Sharon Waltner. At least one other woman, Donella Clemens, has been a moderator in the past (although I think that was of the old MC before it became USA). So that’s no excuse, unless you really meant to say that you can’t apply until a woman has been CEO (”Executive Director” I think it’s called) of MC USA. They are different offices, moderator being limited to 2-year terms and the CEO being permanent, at least until death or resignation do them part.

By: ST

ST — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:04:45 +0000

your response to this nomination is really cool. thanks for taking the time to write it, and share it with this community. (if people want to know what either the job description or the current questions that mcusa search committee is asking constituents across the country, look here).