Living as servant leaders

Photos courtesy of Chris Elliott

A reflection by Chris Elliott about ministry for the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda

Among my favorite places on the planet is the little village of Gasiza in Rwanda. Nestled in the Virunga mountains, it isn’t exactly remote, as it’s less than a one hour drive from our home in Gisenyi. But a good bit of the journey is over very poor roads, giving one the impression that it’s farther out than it really is. 

The location is so beautiful that it might be described as stunning. The farms are well maintained and very productive. There are onions, cabbages, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, maize, bananas, eggplant, mangoes, avocados – and the list goes on. One hears dairy cows lowing and sheep bleating in the background. The view is incredible. On a clear day you can see Lake Kivu in the distance, as well as the volcano Mt. Niyirigongo in neighboring Congo. 

But the real reason it is one of my favorite spots is the Gasiza Church of the Brethren. The congregation is led by Peter Claver Habimana, a fifty-something man with a dear little wife, Mama Josephine, and a family of eight children. When a younger man, he was, by his own description, a drunkard and an atheist. God miraculously saved him and changed his life. He eventually became the pastor of a Pentecostal church and ultimately joined the Brethren in 2015.

Pastor Claver, as we call him, doesn’t have much education. He is though, a very gifted preacher, with a big heart. He works very hard as a bi-vocational pastor. Along with service to the church he is a carpenter and a farmer. His embodiment of a solid work ethic is powerful in an environment where many pastors are expecting others to do and provide for them. As a student at the Great Lakes Bible School (GLBS), Pastor Claver is learning English, applying previously learned Bible knowledge, and just as importantly, serving as a wonderful example for others.

One of the key teachings we are emphasizing in the Great Lakes Bible School is servant leadership. While pastors are indeed leaders of people, pastors are also servants. I suppose that most would recognize the importance of a pastor’s submission to the Master Jesus Christ. But all too often, leaders are subsequently expecting their church members to be in submission to them, rather than leading with the understanding that we all are in submission to each other (Ephesians 5:21).

Another important feature of GLBS is the mix of students and faculty. Age, education and experience range across the spectrum. At 66, I’m the oldest one. Our view is that the older ones will mentor the younger and that the younger bring energy and vitality. It has been heartwarming to watch the interactions among the students. The mentoring is quite obviously taking place, but the energy is also apparent, not only from the younger to the elder, but a mutual iron-sharpening-iron. Even though pastors like Claver are the seasoned ones, there is no attitude of superiority.

This past Sunday, Theoneste (principal/head teacher) and I, along with our two Burundian students made the road trip to Gasiza for morning worship. We arrived at 9 as the folks were just gathering. The music started promptly, with lots of dancing to accompany the singing. The four choirs took turns leading the congregation as the pastor intermittently spoke and read from the Scriptures. The guest preacher (me) shared for a half hour or so. After a closing song and prayer, the service concluded shortly before noon.

As the congregation dispersed, we stayed behind with the pastor and deacons. A feast was spread before us of beef, potatoes, rice, beans and Fanta. I noticed that neither the pastor nor his wife were eating. They were both busy ensuring that everyone else was taken care of. Finally, when all were served, they sat down to eat their own meal. I pointed this out to Theoneste. He said, “You’re right – they are servant leaders.” It is my prayer that all of our church leaders here in the Africa Great Lakes region will learn by their example.

Learn more about the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda at www.brethren.org/global or support the Office of Global Mission at www.brethren.org/givegms.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)

Look at the nations and see!

Footwashing in Venezuela (left) and prison ministry in South Sudan (right).
Photos by the Office of Global Mission

By Eric Miller, director of Global Missions for the Church of the Brethren

“Look at the nations and see! Be astonished! Be astounded! For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe if you were told.”
– Habakkuk 1:5

What comes to mind when you think about Church of the Brethren missions and missionaries? What sort of work have we done together? Do you know how we have an impact around the world?

Reading documents in the archives, it is easy to see the tension between evangelism and service in Brethren missions of the past, but the two goals were never really at odds. Brethren missionaries went to serve God and to care for people, not to earn their way into heaven or score points with God. They preached the Gospel and lived it. Frank Crumpacker walked from village to village preaching. Howard Sollenberger collected supplies and medicine for people suffering from poverty and war. They built churches, hospitals, schools, and even a major road. Seventy years after the last missionary left, people still remember. Loving God and neighbor matters. Making disciples takes time. We baptize people into a church to join with us as members of the body of Christ. We may fall short, but we are not doing it just for show. We may not always see the results of our work, but we know if we are faithful God will bring a good harvest.

Working in Global Missions, I hear variations on this theme:  we know Jesus cares because you care. You gave us a cup of water when we were thirsty. You stayed with us. Our global Church of the Brethren family is strongly evangelical. They love to share the gospel and plant churches. They also reach out to the downtrodden in their own communities. In Rwanda they worship side-by-side with the often-overlooked Btwa people and partner with them in farming. In Venezuela, they take boats up the river into the jungle to worship with indigenous sisters and brothers. In the Dominican Republic, the neighborhood churches reach out to the sick, elderly, and poor who live nearby. In South Sudan, after our country director Athanasus Ungang was wrongly imprisoned, he started a prison ministry that continues after his release and exoneration.

To be clear, we have not been perfect. We are a small church that offers Jesus, what we have, and our friendship. I have seen what impact our small church has made through our faithfulness, in communities that remember our love decades later. We may sometimes feel pressure to do more, to close a deal of faith today, but ultimately we aim to build churches on strong foundations that will endure and glorify God. May we continue to share the love of Jesus with all people and be willing to accept the gifts they share in return.

Did you know the Church of the Brethren has partnerships and programs in all of the following countries?
Brazil, Burundi, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Spain, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam

Learn more about the work of Global Mission at www.brethren.org/global or support this ministry today at www.brethren.org/givegm.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)

100 love feasts

Love feast, Church of the Brethren in Rwanda
Photo by Chris Elliott

By Chris Elliott serving with the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda on behalf of the Office of Global Mission

Because the Church of the Brethren in central Africa is still young, the ordinances we are so familiar with in the US are new here. The Brethren in the Africa Great Lakes have neither a foundation of tradition nor any baggage of hang-ups, bringing advantages and disadvantages. For me personally, having participated and/or officiated in more than 100 love feasts, I can pretty much go through it on autopilot. If I’m not intentional, I can easily lose sight of the beauty and significance of the ceremony. Introducing our African sisters and brothers to it has been a great joy and has restored my own passion for it.

Marla Abe, Gary Benesh, Galen Hackman, and I have led groups through several teaching sessions since 2016. It is a relatively small number of us that have had both the privilege and the responsibility of this, which is a sort of scary thought. Fewer people than the fingers on one hand are laying the foundation for a lot of new Brethren. If nothing else I want to thank you all for your prayers and support–and for trusting us with such an important task.

My favorite story from those early teaching sessions comes from Congo in 2016. Gary, Marla, and I had a good teaching time of explaining the parts of the love feast service, along with the biblical basis for it all, including the holy kiss. Regarding the holy kiss, I shared that the old tradition was for a kiss on the lips, but depending on the cultural context, it could be a hug and/or a kiss on the cheek, at the very least a handshake. To finish out the session we wanted to have a brief demonstration. We put four chairs in the front and enlisted 3 volunteers. I washed the feet of the first, then he washed the feet of the next, and so on, while I went to sit in the fourth seat and take off my shoes. Pastor Aluta washed my feet and when we stood for the embrace, he smothered me with “holy kisses!” Definitely an event I will never forget!

Expert Bukene, lead pastor/bishop of the Church of the Brethren in Burundi, began instituting the feet washing and communion as he read about it in “A Dunker’s Guide to Brethren History.” For whatever reason, he didn’t pick up on the meal part of the service. When I met him for the first time last fall and explained the three-part love feast, he went back home determined to “do it right.” Five months later, Pastor Etienne and I went to Burundi to visit. The other pastors excitedly told us that they were looking forward to the upcoming love feast on Maundy Thursday. Their bishop had promised to buy a lamb!

The Brethren in Rwanda have had several love feasts since 2016, so the one we observed on Easter Sunday afternoon was not their first. The morning worship service was a resurrection celebration of nearly 5 hours. It was followed with the love feast meal of lamb, beans, potatoes, ugali, and rice.  One of the pastors had butchered the lamb on Saturday.

As we moved toward the feet washing portion, I sensed that they were a little uncertain about procedure. Since this was the first time they had done it with a “muzungu” (a Swahili term for a Caucasian person) present, they watched me very closely as I demonstrated by washing and drying pastor Patrick’s feet, then hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. They seemed much more confident going forward from there. It truly was a beautiful time of fellowship and sharing.

The deacons prepared the bread and cup by first cutting white bread into half-size pieces and pouring Vital-O (a locally produced fruit flavored soft drink) into small communion cups. The elements were then passed to everyone. My preference at this point is for one of the local pastors to lead in the comments and prayer, as it can be awkward for me to share something solemn through a translator.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve had a part in more than 100 love feasts–but this was my first one in Africa.

Learn more about the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda at www.brethren.org/global or support their ministry today at www.brethren.org/give-rwanda.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)

Greetings from Rwanda!

Photos by Josiah Ludwick

 By Josiah Ludwick, Global Mission worker in Rwanda

Muraho and greetings from the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda!

Since August 2018, Global Mission and Service made it possible for my family to live in the beautiful country of Rwanda and to be a part of the budding ministry God is blessing here. The Church of the Brethren in Rwanda is nearly four years old. In that short time, God has worked mightily and there are already four congregations in the western part of the country.

More recently, however, the government has imposed strict guidelines for churches, which has been a significant challenge. Every week, hundreds of churches are being closed throughout the country. In response, the people of our churches gathered last November and gave sacrificially to raise nearly $3,000 (exceeding their original goal of $2,000) to begin improving their properties. Inspired by this act of faith by the Rwandese Brethren, many brothers and sisters in the US also have chosen to support these efforts.

As a result of this faithful giving and partnership, our churches in Gasiza and Mudende have been able to improve their worship spaces (above, left). The Brethren in Gisenyi also purchased land in hopes of building a denominational headquarters. This will be very important as we work to be recognized as a denomination by the national government. The recognition process has been arduous, but we have made progress and moved to the regional level. Praise be to God!

God is blessing the church in Rwanda through the teaching of Brethren beliefs. Even though new ideas are generally met with skepticism, the people have been really open to Brethren theology. We have assured them that our beliefs and practices aren’t new, simply new to them. Several leaders from each church have been trained with the help of Brethren Beliefs and Practices, authored by Galen Hackman in collaboration with EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria– Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), which recently was translated into the local language of Kinyarwanda. These leaders were trained so that they can lead small groups from their congregations through the book (top right).

As a result of these teachings, we have had two occasions for baptisms at Lake Kivu, which include multiple people from each congregation accepting Jesus, embracing the new way, and experiencing trine immersion. We are also planning the first Brethren love feast in Rwanda, one for Gisenyi and Gasiza and another for Humure and Mudende, to take place near the Easter holiday.

We also celebrate the ability to send three young Batwa men to university. The Twa are typically an underserved group, but the congregation in Mudende has taken great efforts to make them feel part of the faith community, to share how God loves them and we love them, and to reveal how they can accomplish anything with God’s help. Most Batwa don’t dream of finishing primary school, let alone secondary school, so for a few to go to university is truly a miracle. The three were recognized by pastor Etienne Nsanzimana, founder and overall leader of the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda (bottom right).

In the great tradition of being “blessed to be a blessing,” the village of Batwa has gone to another indigenous village to encourage them with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love the Brethren have for them. This new group of about 20 Batwa has started attending the Humure congregation. This is what kingdom building is all about!

Through the ministry of Global Mission and Service and with God’s blessing and grace, all these things have been possible. Thank you for your continued support of all the Lord is doing globally through the Church of the Brethren. On behalf of myself, my family, and our Rwandese brothers and sisters, thank you!

Learn more about the work of Global Mission and Service at www.brethren.org/global or support it at www.brethren.org/givegms.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)

Stitched with hope and love

By Matt DeBall, coordinator of Mission Advancement Communications

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for [God] has looked with favor on the lowliness of [God’s] servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.” ~Luke 1:46b-48

Do you have a favorite blanket? Mine is a purple, gray, black, and white afghan that my wife made for me years ago, right after we started dating. I was on a mission trip at the time, and it was carefully crocheted with the hope of my safe return, and with love.

As experienced during Advent, Mary’s song is a beautiful stitch in the larger, intricate blanket of God’s story. God’s promise to bless her and to save Israel filled her with joy, and she sang a new yet familiar song, testifying to what God had done and would do.

The song of Mary echoes the sentiments of an earlier song. “Give thanks to the LORD….Sing praises to the LORD, [who] has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout aloud and sing for joy… for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:4-6). Mary and Isaiah both offered praise to God for past faithfulness, current presence, and future promise. Their eyes could not behold the fulfillment of God’s promises, but through faith, their hearts perceived God’s work as already complete. Their words are great for us to read (and sing) now because of all that God has done, is doing, and will still do in our midst.

As we reflect on this past year, God has surely done great things among us. Youth and advisors gathered at National Youth Conference to be challenged in their walk of faith. Church planters and others gathered at the New and Renew Conference for professional development and encouragement for the work of nurturing new disciples. Josiah and Christine Ludwick and their children began a year of service in Rwanda to preach, teach, and demonstrate a Brethren way of living. Brethren in Spain continued to add new congregations and expanded their membership. In Nigeria, Global Mission executive Jay Wittmeyer was present at the commissioning of a new EYN congregation at the Gurku Interfaith Camp for displaced people.  These are just a few examples of how your gifts helped add to our larger community blanket in 2018.

As you reach for your favorite blanket this winter season, please sing a song of thanksgiving for all that God has done through the Church of the Brethren, offer a prayer for the continued work of our ministries, and make a gift with hopeful expectation of what God will do. God surely has great things in store for us, and with God’s help and through your partnership, 2019 will be wonderfully stitched with hope and love.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)

Continuing the work of Jesus into 2019

By David Steele, general secretary

Greetings in the name of our Savior born for us—the Messiah, our Lord!

On behalf of our worldwide staff, volunteers, and the Mission and Ministry Board, I want to express our gratitude for the many ways you faithfully strive to live out the gospel—to simply try to do what Jesus did. The vital ministries of Church of the Brethren members and congregations, small and large, are at the heart of our denomination. Your witness is essential in our partnership as we together herald the Good News of the birth of Jesus Christ.

As we close the year, we celebrate that our Brethren witness is meaningfully extended into new places and in new ways. The Church of the Brethren is seeking to become a Global Church of the Brethren. Our growth around the world and our commitment to deeper and more meaningful relationships are helping this vision become a reality as we enter 2019.

In August, Josiah and Christine Ludwick and their children began a year of service in Rwanda to preach, teach, and demonstrate a Brethren way of living. Their appointment is vital to the efforts of establishing a peace testimony in the Great Lakes region of Africa as they host theological education and training, assist in the construction of church buildings, and deepen relationships.

In Venezuela, the Brethren witness is growing but economic turmoil has prevented the placement of mission staff at this time. Global Mission and Service staff and volunteers travel there when possible and work with Venezuelan leadership to broaden the understanding of our church’s theology and practice.

Brethren in Spain continue to add new congregations and expand their membership. Many are immigrants, but Spanish citizens are beginning to take notice and come to services.

Haitian Brethren have proved themselves faithful again this year by reaching out to the suffering when an earthquake struck in the north of the country.

In Nigeria, Global Mission executive Jay Wittmeyer was present at the commissioning of a new EYN congregation at the Gurku Interfaith Camp for displaced people. The Nigerian Brethren also commissioned their newest church district in Lagos, with EYN now numbering 55 districts. The Nigeria Crisis Response continues to bring healing and hope to thousands of families displaced by violence.

Embracing Jesus’ call to go and make disciples has been at the heart of our ministries throughout this year.

Youth and advisors gathered at National Youth Conference to be challenged in their walk of faith.

Church planters and others gathered at the New and Renew Conference for professional development and encouragement for the work of nurturing new disciples.

The Discipleship Ministries team provided resource leadership at congregational and district events, web-based learning opportunities, and collaboration with Bethany Seminary for an Urban Ministry intensive in Atlanta.

For Brethren Disaster Ministries, loss of Paradise Church of the Brethren and most of the congregation’s homes ended an intense year of responding to disasters—including a rebuilding project in North Carolina that closed during Hurricane Florence but quickly reopened to help people affected by Hurricane Matthew. In Puerto Rico, our disaster response expanded into the mountains around Castañer, where a long-term home rebuilding project will continue through next year.

Children’s Disaster Services supported families affected by floods, hurricanes, volcanoes, shootings, and the Camp Fire that burned Paradise.

Together, we have shared hope and God’s love. God has enabled us to extend Christ’s mission, serving those in need both near and far, growing disciples, calling and developing leaders, and transforming communities.  Thank you for your partnership, your generous support, and your prayers. May we together continue the work of Jesus.

Learn more about the ministries of the Church of the Brethren at www.brethren.org or support them today at www.brethren.org/give.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)

Blooming in Rwanda

The Ludwick family, mission workers in Rwanda.

By Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service

My flower garden in full bloom is a wonderful sight to see this time of year. The days are hot but the evenings are cooler, and each night dew forms on flower petals. When dawn breaks, bumblebees bounce about, as do hummingbirds, and the morning breeze blows through the garden. The droplets of dew on each plant roll off, falling to the ground and gently watering the roots of neighboring plants.

The ministry of Global Mission and Service functions in a similar fashion. As mission workers and international leaders care for their communities, they also receive care and encouragement. It is just as the Apostle Paul wrote when he hoped to visit the believers in Rome that they “might mutually encourage one another” (Romans 1:12).

Just a few weeks ago, the Ludwicks packed their bags and caught an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Kigali, Rwanda. This small family from the Harrisburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren committed to serve as mission workers for a year with a newly established Brethren church community in western Rwanda. Their ministry will include many things, but first and foremost they will be led to new levels of trust—in God, their new Brethren community in Rwanda, and their home congregation.

The Church of the Brethren is just getting started in Rwanda. There are currently four small congregations: one in the city of Gisenyi and three in rural areas where a significant number of members attend from Batwa Pygmy community, the indigenous inhabitants of the equatorial forests of the Great Lakes Region of Africa. The Rwandan Brethren have a deep desire to reach out to this marginalized community and have even started a Batwa Pygmy choir.

For Christine and Josiah Ludwick, moving their children, Asher and Rachel, to a new country in the heart of Africa required much faith in Jesus. As they serve, they are also trusting that God, who called their family in this new direction, will supply all their needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

The charge we have given the Ludwicks is simple but profoundly meaningful: be present, build relationships, and be mutually encouraged by the Brethren in Rwanda. Since Christine is a nurse practitioner and Josiah is a youth minister and skilled musician, they will teach, provide medical care, sing, and serve. In return, the Rwanda Brethren will teach the Ludwicks to function in a society that they do not know. This includes finding housing and transportation, teaching them how to shop and cook, sharing advice, and providing support all along the way. The transition will be difficult, and the Ludwicks will surely have many questions, but their new Brethren community will bear with their newness and guide them into meaningful ministry. Together, they will offer the gospel of peace to those they encounter—something that is greatly needed in Rwanda at this time.

In addition to trusting in God and their new Brethren family in Rwanda, the Ludwicks are also trusting in their home congregation and in all of us of the Church of the Brethren in the United States. They are in great need of our prayers, encouragement, and financial support. Through your gifts to Global Mission and Service, the Ludwicks and other mission workers can continue to serve where God has called them.

As the Ludwicks and Rwandan Brethren serve in ministry together, they will mutually encourage one another and water the growth that is already started. Through trusting in God and one another, the blossoming ministry in Rwanda will become an ever more wonderful sight to see.

Learn more about Global Mission and Service at www.brethren.org/global or support its ministry at www.brethren.org/givegms.

(Read this issue of eBrethren)