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

ef- forts to evangelize with slogans and techniques, but we have lost sight of the quality of "being." Christ's word to the seven churches in Revelation chap- ters two and three is very kind, He recognizes their work, their zeal for truth, their efforts and their suffering. His letter to the Mennonite Brethren Church at the end of the twentieth century would be no different. He would recognize their em- phasis on evangelism and church growth, missions abroad and their many educational institutions. The results of their mission program abroad with a community of believers nu- merically larger than the Mennonite Brethren in North Ameri- ca, would not escape his recognition. He would commend Mennonite Brethren for sharing in the worldwide outreach of Mennonite Central Committee in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, bringing hope to the poor through economic development, and promoting peace and broader human understanding. He would commend Mennonite Brethren for their place of leadership in the wider evangelical world, and in educa- tion, professional excellence, music and industrial efficiency. He would give recognition to many of these pursuits, and more, as he did to the seven churches of the first century. In the light of the demands of New Testament disciple- shjp, however, would he need to ask the question once 319 A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH posed to Peter: "Lovest thou me more than these?" (John 21:15). Or the word directed to the Ephesian church of the first century: I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil , . , and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have some- what against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (Rev. 2:2-4), Christ's word to the first century church was a call for correction-repentance where necessary-and renewed faithful- ness. Christ's word to the Mennonite Brethren Church is the same. It is the word of 1 John 1:5-10, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 3f we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to