Intersections

Ertell Whigham

As I read through the articles for this issue of Intersections, I was struck by the diversity of the writers and stories. While it is indeed true that many of our previous issues may have contained as much or more diversity, for some reason in this issue a spirit of intercultural representation spoke to my heart. Though there was no particular article that directly addressed intercultural fellowship as a primary focus, it was the cultural mix of names that hit home.

In Franconia Conference we say that our core values include being missional, intercultural, and transformational. But what does it mean when we say that we value being intercultural? Or what does it mean to be intercultural or to have to do processing in intercultural ways? Many of us understand that it is more than a diversity of articles in Intersections, a tolerance of different worship styles, sharing a “mission moment,” or gathering for a special Martin Luther King time of remembrance. It is even much more than diversity. At the very heart of being the intercultural people of God is a willingness to share in the ownership of another culture as our own and being open to the Spirit of Transformation.

Embracing intercultural as a value can be threatening, confusing, and at the very least move us to feel out of control. Valuing intercultural perspectives can often take us to a place some of us are not really prepared or willing to go. After all, who wants to be “out of control?”

Whatever the case, I believe the call to be faithful in fellowship and witness comes with the promise of being enabled. That ability, given by the spirit of God, to be the intercultural people of God in a way that demonstrates true fellowship and witness.

No matter how we approach it, the work of real intercultural fellowship can be difficult. As a work in progress, on God’s potter’s wheel, some of the things I continue to learn are:

• Intercultural work requires a secure identity in who and what you are called to be in Christ. As a result there is less chance of “losing” how and what God has designated you to be and you don’t have to work at protecting “your culture.” In his paper, Creating Intercultural Communities through Dialogue, Roberto Chene says, “Before we can engage in true intercultural relationships we must first be secure with and in our own culture.”

• It requires a personal reality check about what is most important.

• It demands open and honest expression in ways that strengthen relationships.

• It calls for an adaptability and flexibility that takes us beyond what we feel prepared for.

• It requires a spirit that understands that different isn’t wrong, it’s just different.

• It calls us beyond tolerance to an “ownership” of any expression that glorifies God.

In our conference we have included the “value” of being intercultural at the center of how we function in every aspect of what we do. As stated in the Seven Core Convictions shared by Mennonites globally, we are called to be “faithful in fellowship, worship, service and witness.”

I believe being “faithful in fellowship and witness” is one of the things that translates to our conference’s openness to the work of being intercultural. It does indeed take work. The work of the spirit and a spirit of cooperation that enables us to enjoy the process.

So, as I read the names of Detwiler, Rodriguez, Truong, Meag, Prather, Ford and others, I see the written witness of an ongoing move toward intercultural growth and I am grateful to God. Let us continue to honor that which we claim to value and surrender to that which God has called us to be.

Deborah Froese, Mennonite Church Canada

North American Vietnamese Mennonite Fellowship: A small organization with a big impact Deborah Froese, Mennonite Church Canada
In ten years, with only nine member congregations, the North American Vietnamese Mennonite Fellowship (NAVMF) has helped to plant over 200 churches in Vietnam and make inroads in Cambodia.

“We are a small organization,” says NAVMF past president Nhien Pham. “We don’t have a lot of financial resources, but the Lord opened a door for us.” Nhien Pham and other NAVMF representatives visit Vietnam regularly to encourage believers and church leaders. Financial assistance allows them to offer leadership training, build worship spaces and encourage economic development.

NAVMF was created for two purposes; to fellowship with Mennonite brothers and sisters in North America and to plant churches in Vietnam. While expansion in North America has been slow with the addition of just two churches since its inception, NAVMF refers to the growth in Vietnam as an “explosion.” When NAVMF began working there in 1997, there were no Mennonite churches and fewer than 100 Mennonites. Nhien Pham estimates there are currently 10,000 Mennonites in Vietnam, many of whom meet in home-based churches for financial reasons and to avoid government interference. There is also a small but growing number of Vietnamese Mennonites in Cambodia.

At their eighth biennial conference, NAVMF representatives had the opportunity to explore their accomplishments and to look to the future. Growth has not been easy. Although the Mennonite Church had been present in Vietnam in the 1960s and early 1970s, political upheaval in 1975 brought widespread disruption to religious practices and persecution of Christians. Official tolerance has since improved, but following the arrest of several pastors in 2004, Vietnamese Mennonites split into two groups, both identifying themselves as the Vietnam Mennonite Church. On October 2, 2007 the government granted a “Certificate for Religious Activities” to one of those groups. That particular group, led by President Pastor Nguyen Trung, now has permission to operate throughout the country and to meet nationally.

Pastor Nhien Pham noted that the unrecognized group tends to be more charismatic and is openly critical of the government and justice issues. “We are trying to work with these two groups so they will stay together, to help them grow and to become more established,” he said. “Our hope is that we can send a mission worker from NAVMF to spend time there and respond to the needs.” But this is a challenging proposition for NAVMF; qualified member pastors are already serving churches in North America and are unable to commit the necessary time to an overseas project.

Church planting, both at home and abroad, demands careful balancing of finances as well as personnel for leadership and administration. Despite the challenges, NAVMF board members are committed to their mission. Nhien Pham has travelled to Vietnam on numerous occasions to share the gospel. He keeps a journal chronicling his experiences and the stories of those whom he has led to Christ.

Current NAVMF president and Calgary Vietnamese Mennonite Church pastor, Chau Dang, reported that it is his great joy to see God’s kingdom advance not only in North America and Vietnam, but also in Cambodia where over a million Vietnamese refugees are eager to learn about Christianity. NAVMF helped one Vietnamese- Cambodian community open a small clothing factory to support the local church. Church members provided money to buy four sewing machines and NAVMF helped them generate funds to buy two more.NAVMF membership currently includes churches in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Leamington, and Allentown, Pa. and Hawaii.

Photo by Timoyer