By Lloyd Mackey, with files from Edna Mackey

THERE IS usually a 'right way' and a 'wrong way' to communicate the Christian faith in an alien religious or political culture. That was the position taken by keynote speakers and workshop presenters at this year's MissionFest Toronto, held at International Centre, near the busy Pearson International Airport on May 16 - 18.

Opening night MissionFest keynoter Tony Campolo, hinting congenially at his advancing age, repeated his thrust of earlier years that "the central message is for Christians to live simply and to care for others."

Both anecdotally and with biblical references, Campolo encouraged his hearers to understand the difference between authoritarianism and authority, and between brute strength and power.

He updated some of his previously-used material with some recession-appropriate comments about "divesting ourselves of unnecessary 'stuff.'" In so doing, he reminded the crowd of about 1,500 that "difficult times need not be hopeless because they cause Christians to (recognize that) the loss of earthly things can bring renewal to (one's) relationship with God."

Campolo exhibited a collaborative approach during the part of his presentation given to encouraging MissionFest attenders to get involved in child sponsorship. Familiar to many Canadians as an effective motivational speaker on behalf of World Vision, he did not mention that organization during the evening, but backed MissionFest executive director Jude Hodgson in her presentation on behalf of Compassion International, another noted Christian child sponsorship organization.

Attenders were encouraged to pick up sponsorship packets and consider the possibility of getting to know a child in some less-developed nation. The response was brisk.

Among activities noted and covered by CC.com were workshop presentations by the Fraser Valley's John Dyck, Philadelphia's Shane Claiborne and Linda Haist of Burlington, Ontario.

Taking the conference theme, 'For His name's sake,' the workshop presenters attempted to explore both ethical and effective approaches to sharing the gospel -- and meeting other needs of those with whom they were working.

Dyck is a former British Columbia public school teacher whose organization, World Serve Ministries, works from the Fraser Valley. World Serve works with refugees seeking asylum in Canada and also provides resources for church planters in Cuba.

In the wake of President Barack Obama beginning to loosen American economic and communication restrictions on Cuba, Dyck indicated Canadian Christians could take a new look at the challenges and opportunities for other activity than simply vacationing there.

The 50 years of Castro revolution, he said, has left its mark on Cuba:

1. At 97 per cent, Cuba is more literate than Canada, at 89 per cent.
2. While there are outstanding physicians and free health care, there are shortages of supplies and facilities.
3. Cuba, among Caribbean nations, is relatively safe and there is no obvious slum poverty.
4. The historical city of Havana is beautiful but falling apart.
5. Cubans have done "marvelous things" with relatively few resources.

There are some 19,000 house churches -- but they must be part of a house. Alongside that situation is the restriction on the ability of pre-revolution churches to make converts.

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And Dyck noted that the divorce rate is high, estimated by some at 75 per cent. Pastors are being encouraged, he says, to counter that trend by focusing on Christian marriage.

He encouraged Christian tourists to Cuba to visit house churches and church leaders while there, establishing contact and helping discretely.

Claiborne is founder of The Simple Way, an inner-city Philadelphia Christian faith community, which, in his words, has "helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world."

He suggested:

1. Christianity is about moving closer to suffering, not away from it. Professionals like doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, of necessity, get close.
2. Share economics like the early church. "Don't keep God's 'stuff' in the church but get the resources out into the world." And take care of each other through, for example, helping meet the costs of another's medical bills.
3. Be people of hospitality. "We need to see our homes as God's home." One of Claiborne's examples was of a young family who took in a woman who was alone and suffering from Alzheimer's.
4. Practice racial reconciliation. Martin Luther King's contention that Sunday at 11 am is the most segregated hour of the week remains applicable, said Claiborne. Reconciliation, he suggested, is best achieved in our homes.
5. "People committed to creation care not just for the earth but for health."
6. There is significance in the witness of non-violence in a violent world, particularly in confronting endemic violence in government.

For the past four years, she has been serving as director for Middle East Christian Outreach, through which she travels in the Middle East, listening to leaders of churches and chronicling them back in Canada.

Haist emphasized that, contrary to accepted wisdom, there are strong and long-established indigenous churches in many Middle East countries, including Egypt and Lebanon.

In Egypt, for example, there has been a well-established Presbyterian presence since the 1800s. And Coptic, Orthodox and Catholic churches are historic bodies in those nations, although not majority bodies by any means.

One means by which Canadian Christians can assist is in coming along side Christian bodies in Middle East countries, Haist said, citing such examples as encouraging young people to take short term assignments to "lend a hand" where national leaders can see such as being helpful.

Such action develops encouraging relationships and enables national Christians, for example, to put on festivals. Opposite and negative relationships grow out of western "ministries" going in with "campaigns" without establishing any contact with existing Christian bodies, Haist added.

In addition to the plenary and workshop sessions, some 200 exhibitors maintained a "buzz" over the three days of MissionFest activity. Besides Campolo, keynoters included Benji Devadson, Chris Marantika, Suzette Maciel and Brother Yunbao Bian. Musical support ranged from the contemporary and rock stylings of Brian Doerksen to the more classical approach of the Jubilance Singers and Orchestra.

Attendance was the best it has been in recent years, possibly because of the move from earlier in the year to April, to reduce the risk of being wiped out by snowstorms.

April 30/2009