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2008-08-19 issue:

Five Global South leaders review EMM

Kenyan leader: Dynamics in Africa have changed dramatically since 1934.

by Jewel Showalter

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As many mission agencies do, Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) conducts periodic reviews of its overseas ministry locations, but during the first week of June the tables were turned.















Eastern Mennonite Missions staff members Tilahun Beyene (left) and Steve Shank (right) speak with Philip Okeyo, church leader and peer review team member from Kenya. Photo by Tammy Evans.

At EMM’s invitation, five mission leaders from Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya and Singapore came to review EMM’s work and make recommendations. They met with the EMM board and executive committee, staff clusters and individuals from all departments, and Lancaster Mennonite Conference bishops. They also ministered in LMC congregations on June 1.

Philip Okeyo, bishop of the Nairobi District of the Kenya Mennonite Church and chair of the task group, said, “We’re a product of EMM, and we’re proud of you—our ‘mother.’ But mission dynamics have changed dramatically since you first sent missionaries to Africa in 1934.”

“Because someone in the [United States] gave money, I came to God,” said Melvin Fernandez, a businessman and regional leader of 30 Mennonite churches in the Sula region of Honduras. “You gave so that we can give. Now we are in this mission task together. We’re interdependent.”

In their interaction with the EMM board, the peer review team noted the blessing of increased cooperation and fellowship around a common mission task. They all sense a deep call and responsibility—now that strong reproducing churches have been established in their nations—for Indonesians to be reaching Indonesians, Hondurans reaching Hondurans, and all to reach cross-culturally beyond themselves.

Abdi said that in this era, fellowship and partnership fostered by fraternal visits, the annual gatherings of the International Missions Association, and regional mission trainings are far more valuable than funds for ongoing programs.

Tan Kok Beng, a Mennonite church planter and CEO of the Asia-Pacific Mission in Singapore, noted that the seed money EMM shared to help launch the Mennonite church in Singapore was a great boon the first two years; now the church is self-supporting and starting other churches.

Siyum Gebretsadik, a leader of the Meserete Kristos Church of Ethiopia during its 10 underground years and general secretary of the Evangelical Association of Ethiopia, challenged the board to deeper intercession for our communities. “To be prayerless is to fail God,” he said.

In their concluding observations and recommendations the peer review team emphasized that EMM’s primary focus should always be evangelism and church planting among the least-reached peoples of the world. EMM may waste resources and energy by still sending missionaries to nations where the church is already matured and strong, they said.

They recommended that every missionary sent out by EMM be competent in evangelism, discipleship and church planting and that EMM and LMC more proactively train and mentor young people for missions and church leadership. They are concerned about the “graying” of Mennonite churches and mission programs.

They recommended the beginning of a “school for church planting” to equip church planters for North America and cross-cultural missionaries and church planters.

As he reflected on their visit, Richard Showalter, EMM president, said, “This has been one of the most extraordinary and helpful reviews EMM has ever had. Senior EMM staff are giving prayerful consideration to these recommendations, and I believe it will help us make positive, timely changes.

“It was a privilege to have these ‘giants’ walk among us with the confidence born of the anointing of the Spirit, the humility of servants of Jesus and the love of God. We sensed that from the very beginning they were not only listening to us but to the Holy Spirit.”—Jewel Showalter of Eastern Mennonite Missions

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