A Pilgrimage Of Faith, J.B. Toews, 1993

use the church has capitulated to a "secularism of another kind."11 A church can be scriptural in its dogma but completely impotent and unconcerned about proclaiming its soul-saving message to a lost world, Institutionaiism, philanthropic en- deavors and a preoccupation with cultural matters can be- come substitutes for true spiritual dynamics. Growth then be- comes limited to additions from families in the church or through transfers from other similar groups. Neither of these sources, however, provides the inner rejuvenation that bursts forth when the body of Christ regularly hears the praises of the newly saved. When churches don't grow, the problem is less likely to be a lack of strategy than a lack of intimate fellowship with the master soul winner. The simple words of Jesus-MFollow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt, 4:19)-remain the key to effective evangelism. Careful planning and organi- zation have their place in congregational witness, but they are only a means to an end. Most important is the relationship of church members to their Lord. Effective evangelism is not taught but torn in the womb of a Spirit-filled church. Throughout church history the rekindled embers of God's people fanned the flames of explosive growth. In fact, there is no record of phenomenal growth separate from a spiritual renewal within the church. In Great Britain, for example, the revival under John Knox (1515-1572) produced the Presbyter- ian Church, and the Wesleyan revival (John Wesley, 1703- 179D sparked the birth of the burgeoning Methodist move- ment. Likewise in America the Great Awakening under Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) produced unprecedented 245 A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH church expansion, as did the renewals led by Charles G* Finney (1792-1875)12 and Dwight L Moody (1837- 1899). 15 In all these cases the renewal of God's people expressed itself in a heightened consciousness of sin followed by repentance and radically changed behavior that dramatically impacted all of society.14 This identical pattern has manifested itself time and again among the Mennonite Brethren. Their birth in I860 was the product of an awakening within the laiger Mennonite church. Every subsequent episode of substantial growth-in Russia as well as later in North America-was directly related to spiritual renewal and confession of sin that deeply affected the moral character of the church and its relationship to the larger com- munity.15 SHIFTING SANDS The essential quality of effective evangelism was being pushed into the shadows by I960, a victim of abrupt social chang