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

peared in Friedensstimme and Ziorts- bote. In addition a few collections of sermons and sermon outlines have survived. The 330 sermons of David Duerksen (1850-1910), the 248 sermon outlines of Abraham H. Neufeld (1860-193D, the three volumes of hand- written sermon out- lines from John A. Toews (1876-1953), and the early writings of Abraham H. Unruh (1878 1961) and Johann Wiens (1874- 195D document the teaching and preaching of that era of the 58 LEADERSHIP AND THE TEACHING MINISTRY Mennonite Brethren Church in Russia. 17 Ministers in North America well known for their powerful expository preaching included Heinrich Voth (1851-1918) of Mountain Lake, Minnesota; David Dyck (1846-1933) of Lehigh, Kansas and later Waldheim, Saskatchewan; J J, Regier (1839- 1902) of Henderson, Nebraska; John R Harms (1855-1945) of Hiilsboro, Kansas; John R Duerksen (1863-1932), educator in Buhler and McPherson, Kansas, and Corn, Oklahoma; Peter R Rempel (1865-1938), teacher at Tabor College and later a min- ister in California; Henry W, Lohrenz (1878-1945); Peter C. Hiebert (1878 1963); William Bestvater (1879-1969); Peter E. Penner (1870-1944); and missionaries Daniel F. Bergthold (1876-1948); Johann Pankratz (1867-1952) and Nickolas R Hiebert (1874-1947). These men of stature, some of them with advanced theological training, some self-taught, cannot be classified as "lay" preachers if by that we imply an unin- formed ministry. In a number of instances the conference supported young men to receive advanced theological train- ing, though at the same time it worried that their training might threaten the stability of the conference.1* Abraham Schellenberg was one who feared that those who had training but no experience would step into influential leadership too early, without developing sensitivity to traditional relation- ships between ministers and congregations. A document prepared for the Russian government de- scribing the character and policy of the Mennonite churches spoke to the issue of preparation for ministry: With reference to the degree of educational preparation of our church leaders, the majority acquire their religious knowledge within the church fellowship, as already stat- ed, others in theological schools of various levels in a for- eign country. Especially many individuals are chosen from the ranks of gifted and God-fearing teachers (all these teachers also serve as teachers of religion). The lack 59 A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH of a definite educational standard for our ministers does not adversely affect our church life, since every congrega- tion does not only ha