In the News

New ministry program launching for developing church leaders

A new ministry program geared toward pastors and other adult learners who desire more training as church leaders will launch at Hesston College with the fall 2020 semester in August.

Called the Center for Anabaptist Leadership and Learning – or “CALL” – the program will be a hybrid of online and in-person learning that seeks to equip leaders for ministry and discipleship in daily life as ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

“CALL focuses on the Missional model of ministry, which equips every follower of Christ to live with sacred purpose by enabling them to do ministry and mission in their daily lives,” said Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg, director of CALL. “Every person has been called by God for a sacred purpose. CALL will focus on looking for sacred opportunities in the secular rather than thinking the secular needs to come to our church buildings to find Christ.”

CALL will operate with a variety of educational experiences. The primary experience will be a hybrid online certificate in missional leadership well-suited for those interested in church leadership education and for pastors with advanced degrees interested in further missional training.

“The Missional Leadership Certificate is an introduction to missional concepts and practices, as well as disciple-making,” said Schrock-Ringenberg. “It’s for those who seek particular emphasis in missional church and missional leadership, and who may not have the luxury of time or resources for general education courses.”

The in-person learning experiences part of the CALL program will be called Learning Labs, and will be short-term, immersive learning opportunities to put missional engagement to action. Learning Labs already in place include a partnership with Myanmar Mission International, a church planting network, to experience cross cultural leadership training and ministry opportunities, and a three-week urban experience in Philadelphia that partners with indigenous church leaders from several ethnic group congregations.

Short-term, non-credit educational opportunities geared toward congregational or other group learning will also be part of CALL through weekend experiences known as Weekend College. Focused on specific topics, Weekend College is launching in January 2020 with a “Bible as Story” offering based on Hesston College’s Biblical Literature (Bib Lit) course.

Other Weekend College topic offerings include “Five-fold Church Leadership” or “5Q” focused on organizing the life and ministries of the church around the Ephesians 4 ministries of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds (Pastors) and Teachers, and “Peacemaking and Justice,” which studies the biblical and theological foundation for nonviolence, peacemaking and justice through a historical Anabaptist perspective.

The CALL program replaces Hesston College’s Pastoral Ministries program, which was discontinued following the 2014 spring semester after 29 years of operation. When the Pastoral Ministries program ended, Hesston College administrators stated that the college would research and explore how best the college could continue to contribute to the pastoral and lay leadership needs of Mennonite Church USA and the wider church. The CALL program is the result of that discernment process.

“We are living in an exciting moment in church history where we are being called to explore new ways of being God’s Church in the world,” said Schrock-Ringenberg. “It is Hesston College’s call to partner with the church as we listen to the Holy Spirit’s direction and experiment together in mission.”

Learn more about CALL.

Financial responsibility and stewardship focus of annual AVDS weekend

Hesston College will partner with Everence Financial for a weekend conference focused on stewardship of finances, resources and hospitality. The annual Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series conference (AVDS) will be February 21 to 23 with the theme “Living More with More: Redefining the Good Life.”

The weekend’s content will have interest points for all life stages from high school-age youth to retirement, as well as group-focused content relatable to church congregations and other organizations. The cost to attend is $80 for adults with discounts available for groups and members of sponsoring congregations. Clergy can attend at no cost through an Everence grant. The student and youth rate is $30. Registration is available online.

“This year’s AVDS conference will help participants think about their financial resources and philanthropy in terms of personal goals and their faith,” said Dallas Stutzman, Hesston College director of church relations and event organizer. “We’ll grapple with defining ‘the good life’ and church in a way that everyone thrives.”

Seminars and keynote presentations throughout the weekend will focus on understanding one’s personal history with money and resources, careers, hospitality, finances, generosity, trauma and economic injustice, health and wellness, and more. Some seminar tracks are designed specifically for students, pastors, lay leaders and Spanish-speaking participants.

The conference keynote presenters are Leonard Dow and Colin Saxton, both of Everence Financial, and Michele Hershberger, Bible and ministry professor at Hesston College. In addition, other Everence Financial employees and local pastors will serve as seminar presenters.

Dow is a Stewardship and Development Specialist in Philadelphia where he helps individuals and communities in urban areas strengthen, sustain and build financial capacity.

Saxton is a Stewardship Consultant in Oregon, helping individuals, congregations and nonprofits integrate faith and finance through stewardship services and financial resources.

In addition to teaching at Hesston, Hershberger is the author or co-author of several resource books, including one of the conference texts, A Christian View of Hospitality: Expecting Surprises.

See the full weekend schedule and seminar descriptions.

MLK Day celebration to include live documentary stage show honoring early civil rights work

In observance of Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Day and the civil rights work of Dr. King and others, Hesston College will host peace ambassador and internationally-acclaimed baritone Tony Brown in his documentary concert experience, I Go On Singing: Paul Robeson’s Life in Word and Song. The show will be on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.

Tickets for I Go On Singing are $12 for adults and free for students and children college-age and younger. Tickets can be purchased at the Hesston College Bookstore in Erb Hall or by calling 620-327-8104. They will also be available at the door prior to show time.

Promotion for I Go on Singing states: “Before Rosa Parks. Before Martin Luther King. Before Nelson Mandela. There was Paul Robeson.”

The 90-minute song-filled, multi-media presentation recounts the life and work of Paul Robeson, an influential 20th century figure who was successful and widely known in a variety of arenas. Robeson was an all-American athlete, scholar, champion orator, international recording artist and star of the stage and screen during the 1930’s and 40’s. He was also a social activist and courageous example of integrity and discipline in the service of peace.

The Denver Post praised the show, which has been performed in venues across the country since 2011, saying, “Brown delivers with generous beauty.”

Accompanied by a pianist, photo and video projection and a narrator, I Go On Singing is equal parts historical documentary and live concert experience with Brown depicting Robeson. Using excerpts from Robeson’s autobiography, Here I Stand, and comments from legendary peace activist and artist Pete Seeger, the show traces Robeson’s humble beginnings as a preacher’s son in Princeton, N.J., to his international celebrity and pioneering activism on the world stage.

Serving as narrator for the Hesston show will be Victor Hogstrom, president and CEO of KPTS TV Wichita (PBS).

Brown, who The Seattle Times noted as “a warm and noble baritone,” is an international promoter of peace and Hesston College artist in residence. His work as a musician has taken him to areas of conflict around the world to use music and storytelling for peacebuilding across the divides of race, culture and religion.

The I Go On Singing performance is part of several days of public community events hosted by Hesston College in observance of MLK Day. Other events include:

• Jan. 19, 10:30 a.m., Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite Church USA, will bring the Sunday morning worship service message at Hesston Mennonite Church
• Jan. 20, 7 p.m., Guyton will present a free community workshop on community-building. Event description: Diversity, equity and inclusion were at the heart of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Join us for a community event focused on translating those principles into a dream for the future that connects with founding principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The intersection of the American and Dr. King’s vision can help us all grow, increase our productivity and expand the impact of our businesses, civic leaders, private organizations and residents of Hesston and Harvey County. We can do more together, increasing our cultural competence and generating opportunities for our community.

Thank you to Everence for their sponsorship of the show, helping to offset some of the ticket cost.

Bib Lit textbook gets Spanish translation

After more than 18 months of work, the book that is the textbook for Hesston College’s famous Biblical Literature (Bib Lit) course and accompanies presentations of the course to church congregations and other groups across the country, was released to the public in Spanish. The Bible as Story: An Introduction to Biblical Literature, or La Biblia Como Narrativa (Workplay Publishing) in its Spanish translation, will allow more audiences to access the biblical teaching from an Anabaptist perspective.

“Latino pastors and congregants who have participated in the Weekend College Bib Lit class have been asking for a Spanish version of The Bible as Story for years,” said Michele Hershberger, Hesston College Bible and ministry professor and co-author of the book. “I have taught the Weekend College course to Latino congregations in South Philadelphia several times, and pastors Fernando Loyola and Leticia Cortes from Centro de Alabanza de Filadelfia really took initiative for this to happen. I’m excited we could finally make it a reality to better serve our Latino brothers and sisters.”

The project was funded by a grant from the Schowalter Foundation based in North Newton, Kan., with translation done primarily by Marvin Lorenzana, who serves as director for Discipleship Initiatives with Mennonite Mission Network. Lorenzana is also involved with Instituto Biblico Anabautista (IBA), a vibrant education movement that has helped shape and form Latino Mennonite Church leaders for 30 years.

The Bible as Story was co-authored by Hershberger along with former Hesston College Bible professors, Marion Bontrager, who is also the founder of the Bib Lit course and curriculum, and John Sharp. The English version of the book was released in 2016 for the course that has been in existence since 1986.

The cover art for La Biblia Como Narrativa, is an original acrylic painting by Luis Martinez called “Emerging People,” and depicts the Israelite slaves coming up out of the waters of the Red Sea. Martinez is a Mennonite pastor who served in churches for many years in the Harrisonburg, Va., area before returning to Honduras to avoid deportation. He is also the father of 2019 Hesston College graduate Mariana Martinez Hernandez, who studied Bible at Hesston College.

“My view of the painting during its creation was about infinite generations of people emerging from an ocean of possibilities, exhausted but alive, standing tall and full of hope,” said Martinez.

Bib Lit in all of its forms – in the classroom and through the Weekend College experience for congregations and other groups – takes a unique approach to teaching the Bible when compared to many other Bible classes. It reveals the Bible as a narrative of God and the people of God rather than a compilation of individual stories, and helps expand biblical literacy and understanding.

“Many Hispanic people don’t have easy access to books oriented for the academy that are easy to read and understandable,” said Martinez. “In fact, many Christian readings are very evangelical-oriented with weak theological, historical or archeological references, lacking of the pragmatic or solid historical view that would mark a sort of compass for the new generation of readers. La Biblia Como Narrativa is a solution to that lack for Latino readers.”

Hesston College professors believe that the Spanish translation will be an important tool for audiences in a variety of locations.

“We’re hoping our Latino students here at Hesston College will also benefit from having this textbook in their first language,” said Hershberger. “I think this Spanish translation opens our students up to deeper understanding of the content.”

MLK Day activities aimed at community-building and inclusion

Hesston College’s annual Martin Luther King (MLK) Day celebrations will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion learning opportunities for both the on-campus and broader communities. Public events for the wider community will take place on multiple days leading up to MLK Day on January 20.

“The intersection of the American and Dr. King’s vision can help us all grow, increase our productivity and expand the impact of our businesses, civic leaders, private organizations and residents of our communities,” said Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite Church USA who will be the keynote presenter for Hesston’s MLK Day events. “We can do more together, increasing our cultural competence and generating opportunities for our community. That’s what Hesston College’s celebration of MLK’s legacy will be about this year – learning how we can build and offer true community together.”

Hesston College’s public MLK Day events will begin on Friday, Jan. 17 with an 11 a.m. forum at Hesston Mennonite Church that will be an introduction to the MLK Day lineup of events and gospel music singing.

On Sunday, Jan. 19, Guyton will bring the message at Hesston Mennonite Church’s morning worship service, starting at 10:30 a.m.

That same evening, at 7 p.m., Tony Brown will present his one-person stage show, I Go On Singing: Paul Robeson’s Life in Word and Song, at Hesston Mennonite Church. Tickets are $12 for adults and can be purchased through the Hesston College Bookstore in Erb Hall or by calling 620-327-8104. Students college-age and younger are free. Tickets will also be available at the door.

I Go On Singing recounts the life and work of Paul Robeson, a 20th century African-American entertainer and social activist who was a courageous example of integrity and discipline in the service of peace before the time of influential figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela. In addition to Brown, Victor Hogstrom, president and CEO of KPTS TV Wichita (PBS), will provide the show’s narration.

Brown is an internationally acclaimed baritone and Hesston College artist in residence. His work as a musician takes him to areas of conflict around the world to use music and storytelling for peacebuilding.

On Monday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church, Guyton will present a free community workshop as a resource for anyone interested in community-building.

“Diversity, equity and inclusion were at the heart of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Guyton. “The community workshop will focus on translating those principles into a dream for the future that connects with founding principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

In addition to his role with Mennonite Church USA, Guyton’s professional background includes intercultural competency and working with people from a variety of backgrounds and socio-economic status.

Thank you to Everence for their sponsorship MLK Day events at Hesston College, and helping to offset some of the ticket cost for I Go On Singing.

Course on missional leadership open to the community

The Hesston College Bible and Ministry department is offering an opportunity for members of the local community to take a Spring 2019 semester class that will allow them to consider their faith and “mission” alongside college students.

The Missional Leadership class, led by professor Michele Hershberger, is a seminar-style class that will explore the theology and leadership strategies of missional Christian congregations and help participants empower themselves, their congregations and those with whom they worship to be missionaries in their own right.

“Many congregations don’t know how to share the good news of Jesus in a way that feels authentic or that others can hear the good news,” said Hershberger. “We need to practice making disciples. And in a paradoxical way, when we help the Spirit make disciples, we become more transformed ourselves.”

Community participants will explore and learn alongside college students, creating a class of intergenerational perspectives and experiences that can benefit all. With the seminar-style of presentation, participants will come to class with several points of discussion to share, and, being guided by the Leadership Competencies established by the Kansas Leadership Center, will create specific plans to help themselves and their congregations take the big leap to being missional.

“Church leaders and congregants often need creative ways to help their churches catch a biblical vision for mission, and we often need more training and encouragement to be the kind of leaders that help congregations do the difficult, scary work of being ‘missional,’” said Hershberger. “This class helps create plans for evangelism and discipleship training.”

Missional Leadership will meet from 6 to 7:40 p.m. on Monday nights from Jan. 21 through May 6, on the Hesston College campus. The cost to audit the class without receiving college credit is $225. To take the course for credit is $1,653.

Contact Michele Hershberger at michele.hershberger@hesston.edu with questions, or register for the class (Relg 122) by Jan. 15 online.

College makes progress on sexual misconduct and interpersonal safety task force recommendations

Two years after the Hesston College Task Force on Sexual Misconduct and Interpersonal Safety completed its review of the college’s procedures and systems around the topics, the college has made significant progress in the areas of recommended improvements. To date, 42 individual items have been identified and actioned from a list of six major areas of recommendation.

Those recommendations included:

• Implementing modules to raise awareness of sexual misconduct and options for victims
• Establishing a transparent reporting and investigating procedure for incidents of sexual misconduct
• Developing a system in the institution including policy development and the hiring and assigning of personnel to manage issues of sexual misconduct
• Creating a system which supports victims of sexual misconduct
• Creating a system which holds offenders of sexual misconduct accountable for their action
• Forming a system of institutional accountability which prioritizes transparency and proactively mitigates future incidents of sexual misconduct

“Overall, the task force noted that Hesston’s campus is safe, but, unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we’re immune to incidents occurring or that we don’t have areas we could improve on to offer additional support for reporters of sexual misconduct,” said Monica Miller, Hesston College director of human resources and Title IX coordinator. “We recognize that we’ve had missteps in the past, but the purpose of the task force’s work was to help us understand where and how we can do better for the campus community moving forward.”

Some of the actioned responses to date include:

• The addition of a campus safety section to the Hesston College website that is intuitive and efficient for people to use.
• Including mandatory Title IX training to all first-year students and faculty and staff on an annual basis. So far in fall 2019, 81 percent of students and 70 percent of faculty and staff, have completed the training.
• Implementation of annual reporting of Title IX reports by semester to the Administrative Council and Board of Directors, as well as an annual overview report to faculty and staff.
• Training 12 faculty and staff members to be College Support Persons whose role is to walk with reporters through reporting and investigation stages
• Engaging SafeHope, a county-wide advocacy and support organization for reporters of domestic and sexual violence, as a resource for the Hesston College community. A SafeHope representative comes to campus weekly to meet confidentially with those interested in their services.

Miller noted that Hesston College’s general approach to creating a safer campus for all students is to focus on healthy relationships through regular educational and informational opportunities around the topic.

“By helping students understand healthy relationships and how to be in them, it creates a framework and gives options if they find themselves in situations that are unhealthy,” said campus counselor Julie Lehman.

Moving forward, the college has plans in place for continued response to the recommendations.

“Implementing responses to the areas of recommendation is not a one-and-done process, rather we view it as a continuous activity evaluating what we have in place and revamping it to ensure the ongoing safety of our students,” said Miller.

Among items in process, Hesston is exploring offering campus-wide bystander intervention training through Goshen (Ind.) College’s Prevention Intervention Network for spring 2020. The college is also working to establish consistent and transparent policies and standards around information sharing in situations of misconduct. In addition, the college is working with a local artist to create a physical memorial to be completed by fall 2020 that acknowledges broken relationships resulting from institutional shortcomings and errors in judgment, and serving as a vow to do better as a community.

Hesston College invites individuals to report any past incidents of misconduct that occurred on campus to Miller at 620-327-8265 or through the anonymous online reporting form on the college’s Campus Safety pages. We also encourage any past incidents to be reported to local law enforcement or Safehope.

“Still, Small Voice” music and theatre performance to portray the gentle side of Christmas

Hesston College will celebrate the Christmas season with a performance combining music and theatre in “Still, Small Voice,” at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7 at Hesston Mennonite Church. The performance is free and open to the public.

“‘Still, Small Voice’ is meant to remind us to stop and be intentional in enjoying the serenity and beauty of the birth of Christ,” said Rachel Jantzi, theatre professor. “The program will capture a gentler side of Christmas, reflecting that first night at the manger, and an alternative to the busy, noisy rush that often surrounds the holidays.”

Poetry, prose and other reflections performed by Hesston College theatre students will reflect the quiet and calm of the nativity and be echoed by music of the same sentiment. Hesston College choirs, under the direction of Russell Adrian, will perform the music.

“Yes, there was a heavenly host, travelers from afar and word spreading about a new King,” said Jantzi. “At the heart of it all, though, there were young parents and a newborn baby boy, tucked away from the clamor.”

The program’s repertoire will include a diverse selection of music and theatrical styles as well as well-loved traditional Christmas pieces and storytelling.

A study of biblical prophets and Revelation available for community members

Community members interested in ministry, church leaders and anyone with a general interest in the Bible are invited to join the Hesston College Prophets and Revelation course for the spring 2020 semester.

Taught by Bible and Ministry professor Michele Hershberger, the class meets on Monday night from 6 to 7:45 p.m.. The first class of the semester will meet Monday, Jan. 20 and the last class of the semester will be May 4.

The curriculum is focused on readings and discussions of scripture from the books of Jeremiah and Revelation. Participants are also allowed and even encouraged to bring their supper to the class time.

“The class functions as a symposium,” said Hershberger. “We eat supper and discuss the pertinent issues that rise from the assigned Bible readings and other books. We choose what is important to talk about, and many conversations go deep. There is an element of surprise to each session.”

Participants will learn the cultural and historical background of the prophets and the book of Revelation, how to read prophetic and apocalyptic genre and identify literary cues for interpretation to glean preaching topics and enhance worship.

“The course can serve as a refresher for pastors and Sunday School teachers on the prophetic books and the book of Revelation, give new ideas for sermons and worship themes and be the start for a new vision in a ministry setting,” said Hershberger.

The audit rate for Prophets and Revelation is $240. Financial aid is not available.

Interested participants should register for the course by January 15 by completing the online community application.