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2010-01-04 issue:

Interview with Mennonite World Conference's leader

Danisa Ndlovu says working for peace doesn’t mean being a weakling.

by Terry Smith

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Danisa Ndlovu, the Mennonite World Conference's newly-elected president, is not new to MWC. Though he started his term of presidency in July 2009 at MWC's general assembly in Paraguay, he had served as vice president since 2003.

Neither is Ndlovu new to the Christian church. He has served in various capacities and ministries within the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe: as an evangelist, bookstore manager, Bible school lecturer and since 2000 as bishop to the BICC in Zimbabwe, which has about 37,000 members.

And he is not new to North America. While some of his undergraduate studies were done in Zimbabwe and Kenya, he studied at two seminaries in the United States from 1989 to 1992, emerging with M.A. (theology) and M.Div. degrees.

Role as president? "My role ... is to drive the ship." It is to see that the vision of MWC is pursued, to work closely with others and "to give MWC a face," he says.

North-South changes? The churches from the North and South need to move from a mother-daughter relationship to come to the table as equals, he says. This change is not easy, but it is important. There needs to be accountability, listening to each other, an openness both to being critiqued and acknowledging the pains of history.

Future assemblies: The South does not want to extend intervals between general assemblies because it would lose a sense of family, Ndlovu says. "The approaches ... are different: the South is more relational, the North is more scientific." The global recession has affected many people, and "we cannot be overly spiritual about it, but finances are not the final thing. The issue is, What have we done with what we have to nurture the relationship?" he asks.

The unconvinced: What if people question if it is worthwhile to be part of MWC? Ndlovu says that "if you have a fruit in front of you, you really don't know how it tastes until you have tasted it.” MWC is a fruit [with] a global family flavor that is unique. ... When you participate, you begin to see the benefit."

The church coming together from different nations and languages is biblical, Ndlovu says. "There is a benefit to cross-fertilization. We need to 'plant' our lives in each other and put down our defensive mechanisms as the people of God."

BICC in Zimbabwe: The bishop says the church in Zimbabwe has grown in a period of political and economic crisis and "has sought to be faithful before God in very difficult times."
But, he says, the BICC is “not standing on its own.” He says that through this crisis, the church has learned the "importance of walking alongside Christians of other denominations—Roman Catholics, Pentecostals, evangelicals. ... The BICC has played a role in this as a peace church."

The BICC cannot 'sit back" but needs to "take the driving seat." He speaks of suffering and Scripture, convinced that God sometimes allows pain "to nurture the best out of you."

Message of peace: Since the Ndebele, who live in Zimbabwe, are linked to the Zulu, and both have reputations as brave warriors, how has the message of peace through Jesus been received by the Ndebele and other Zimbabweans?

Peace doesn't mean "being a weakling or allowing other people to walk over you," he says. "Peace is a principle of life where you are able to respond to situations in ways that enhance life, relationships and so forth."

The Ndebele have a history as warriors, but among themselves they are generally a peaceful people. Bravery and "warriorship" are in there to respond to challenges, he says.

Nonresistance is in the BICC's constitution, but "as a church we have not been up front, in my view, in teaching that," he says. Missionaries were not up front. If nonresistance had been taught when people were conscripted, it would have really helped a great deal.

During the war of liberation some BICC young men were forced into the army, but they were ill-equipped to face that challenge. There needs to be more teaching, says Ndlovu.

His family: Asked about his family, Ndlovu says Treziah, his wife, and their three children are supportive and very positive in the midst of the challenges they have experienced together economically. Two teenaged children are in boarding school; another, 20, awaits college. He and his family live with their extended family, which is a great joy, he says. Sadly, a younger brother, married and preparing for ministry, died suddenly last October.—Terry Smith, executive secretary of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference and editor of  The Messenger

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