What makes someone a hero? In Greek mythology, heroes have a tragic element to them—their heroic qualities are the very source of their downfall. In our modern mythos, we have comic book heroes, super men and women who may face obstacles and challenges but always rise above them to vanquish the enemy—at least until the sequel. We call “heroic” those who save others from burning buildings and those who accomplish a particularly daunting athletic feat. Based on the way we use the word, it doesn’t seem all that clear if the word “hero” has any meaning at all. Is a hero one with superpowers ..read more

Dirk Willems (died 1569) raced for his life across the thinly frozen pond. Willems was an Anabaptist (a 16th century name for many Mennonites), and Anabaptists all over Europe were being tortured and put to death. If the guard caught him, it would be his life. So, he ran as fast as he could. Although weakened from his stay in prison, Willems was so light that he made it over the thin ice of the pond, known as the “Hondegat.” But his pursuer, stronger and heavier, did not make it across. The ice cracked, the guard fell in, and soon the cold water swirled above his head. Without stopping to cons ..read more

“If we do not come back, if we die, then from this group there will have to be others who will follow,” Heinrich Enns said. “We have to go; we don’t have to come back.” With these words, Heinrich and his bride, Maria Ewert Enns, boarded a train leaving Mountain Lake, Minn., on the first step of their journey to the Cameroons. It was 1896, and they were the first MB missionaries from North America to serve in Africa, though they went with German Baptists as there was no MB mission agency at the time. Heinrich first felt called to serve as a missionary at age 16. To prepare, he attended Mountain ..read more

John B. Toews (Sept. 24, 1906–May 9, 1998) was one of the most influential Mennonite Brethren church leaders of the 20th century. His influence spanned 60 years of ministry as pastor, teacher, college and seminary administrator, mission executive, theologian and historian for Mennonite Brethren around the world. “JB,” as he was popularly known, is perhaps most remembered for his inspiring, motivational speaking about missions, theology and history. Fluent in Dutch, German, Russian and English, Toews was articulate and well read on the latest trends in missions and historical theology. He influ ..read more

Karuna Shree (Feb. 8, 1964—July 7, 1996) was born to Mennonite Brethren high school teachers S.S. Krupiah and B.D. Kanthamma on the MB Mission compound in Wanaparthy, India. During Karuna’s pre-theology studies at MB Bible School in Shamshabad, God called her to full-time ministry, and she committed herself into God’s hands. By 1984, Karuna had completed a Bachelor of Theology from South India Biblical Seminary in Bangalore. When she was 21, Karuna Shree married P. Menno Joel, her teacher in Shamshabad. This arranged marriage, the common practice in India, was made by her parents without her k ..read more

Peter M. Friesen (1849–1914) is a towering figure in the Mennonite Brethren story. He wrote a monumental historical work on the Mennonites in Russia and in 1902 authored the first recognized Mennonite Brethren confession of faith. But perhaps his most important contribution was on behalf of those who had no voice in Russian society. Friesen lived in a time of religious and political turmoil in Russia. The dominant religion in the country, Russian Orthodoxy, was closely linked to and protected by the government, headed by the Tsar (emperor) or Tsarina. Government policies granted special rights ..read more

2017 is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther posting 95 theses on the doors of the churches in the city of Wittenberg, including All Saints Church. What Luther intended as a debate over how to reform abuses in the Roman Catholic Church resulted in the break-up of the Catholic church and the start of the Protestant Reformation. Why should Anabaptists care about Martin Luther, a young university professor, and his reforms? Why should this anniversary be noted in Mennonite denominational papers and magazines? The principal reason why Mennonites should care about Luther’s reform is that Luther i ..read more

My teammates and I leap from the jet. As we descend it becomes clear—the train yard is going to be busy, and we aren’t going to be the first ones there. I’m going to need two things: body armor will be a luxury while a gun will be a necessity. Luckily, I find both and rush to my teammate’s aid. I spot an enemy and open fire. A hit! That’s all I need. The adrenaline kicks in and 25 minutes, three kills and 57 opponents later I am the Apex Champion. This might sound like the opening scene in an action movie, but it is actually a rough summary of the goal of the video game Apex Legends and how I ..read more

When we speak of the global church of Christ, the apostle Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth offers a helpful point of reference. In chapter 13, which focuses on the theme of love, Paul recognizes that all human knowledge—even Christian, theological and denominational knowledge—is limited. As we do theology we know only “in part” (1 Cor. 13:9), seeing the truth as a “reflection in a mirror” (1 Cor. 13:12). Our knowledge, as well as our capacity to understand, is always influenced by our perspective. In the eternal presence of God things will be different (1 Cor. 13:12). But ..read more