A former pastor longs for the Menno­nite church to have respectful dialogue over divisive issues.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of attending five world conferences and dozens of general assemblies. I have experienced 50 years of loyalty to the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. As I reflect on my long history with the

Mennonite church, my positive memories and feelings are tempered by the fact that the church in 2014 is increasingly fractured by a handful of hot-button issues, issues that feel like Satan is using to destroy us from within.

As I reflect on my life, I am struck that the experiences I have come to value involve situations where people of different cultures and beliefs try to reach across the divide to understand each other. Below are just a few examples.

International students: In the 1970s, while pastoring a LaGrange County, Ind., church, I connected with Hosting International Services, based in Atlanta. I realized this program was onto something and wanted to pursue something similar in my area. The program not only found homes for international students over the holidays but served to bring people together from different parts of the world and deepen participants’ understanding of each other. For the past 45 years, hundreds of international students have found their way to LaGrange County to stay with families, and many were introduced to Christianity for the first time.

Over the years, I have also been blessed to serve in a variety of capacities with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), including serving on the Great Lakes, national and binational boards. Each of these experiences has given me a window into the worldwide ministry of MCC. As a global organization dedicated to sharing God’s love and compassion through relief, development and peace, MCC brings people together from all over the world. One of MCC’s most abiding principles as it does this work is to encourage respectful dialogue among people from opposite ends of the world.

Locally, I have also found significance in dialoguing with people from different walks of faith. In the 1970s and ’80s, as thousands of visitors flocked to my hometown of Shipshewana, Ind., to attend the flea market or see the Amish, I became aware of the many misperceptions people had about Amish and Mennonites’ way of life and faith. I and others from our community began sharing our faith story to tourists out of our church fellowship hall. Dialoguing with others from a variety of faith traditions both deepened our own sense of who we were but also helped us learn the many commonalities among different religions. These conversations eventually evolved into the development of Menno-Hof Visitors’ Center, a place that recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, hosting nearly a million visitors from more than 150 countries.

As one Catholic visitor recently noted, “I’m convinced Menno-Hof exists as a significant piece in a movement propelled by the grace of the Holy Spirit for the restoration of unity among all Christians.” (See “How I Met the Mennonites” by Beverly Schmitt at www.mennohof.org/php/whats.happening/reunion.php.)

Medical clinic: Attending Mennonite World Conferences in other parts of the world has allowed me to witness the rich diversity that exists. In 1997, I joined a group led by Subbaroa “Doc” Yarlagadda to attend Mennonite World Conference in Calcutta, India. The main purpose of the trip was to explore the possibility of building a medical clinic in the village of Chiluvuru, the home village of Olga Yarlagadda. Today a clinic serves 80-90 people per day. A new believers’ church has emerged at the clinic with 100 gathering twice weekly for worship. I had the rare privilege of baptizing the first four adult charter members. Leadership for this new fellowship is provided by new believers, including women.

While reflecting on the unusual way God has used the simple and ordinary to accomplish great things, I am saddened, frustrated and angry at the way Satan is fragmenting my beloved church over a few hot-button issues. I am frustrated every time I hear of a family or church that feels the only solution to disagreement over several issues is to disassociate. Given the amazing and incredible bridges being built all over the world among people with far greater differences, I yearn for greater compassion and understanding in our own dialogues here at home.

I am reminded of an experience I had early on in my ministry involving Deacon Homer Miller in the early ’70s. Our congregation was faced with one of the most divisive issues of the time—dealing with divorce in the Mennonite church. As our congregation faced its first request for membership from a divorced couple, J.C. Wenger warned me that it would be divisive, and he expressed skepticism that our church could come together on such a controversial issue.

Discernment: After a full year of discernment and careful Bible study led by John Steiner, Howard Charles and J.C.Wenger, the congregation came together with nearly a 90-percent vote in one direction. I will never forget the morning Deacon Homer Miller walked across the street to my office to discuss the matter before the church voted.

He said: “Harvey, you know I can never vote in good conscience to accept this couple as members. However, if the congregation votes to accept them, I will submit to its wishes, and I want you to know as pastor I will never give you any trouble over this issue.”

My respect and esteem for Deacon Miller remains to this day. Homer retained his conviction but honored his commitment to the larger fellowship, despite some serious disagreement. Asour church continues to struggle with deep and divisive issues, I pray that more of us are able to act with Deacon Miller’s integrity and grace.