This issue features articles about discernment, a word that Christians sometimes get tired of because it gets used often. I think we use it because we want to take care, and exercise insight, when making weighty decisions like calling people to congregational leadership positions or adopting a budget or planting a new church. On the downside, talking about discernment can also be a nice way to remind people we don’t want anyone to rock the boat. But most of the time I think we honestly want to exercise good insight. Even more, we want a sense of God’s heart in the matter. We want to make space to hear God.

Of course, decision-making is just one kind of discernment. In a bigger sense, discernment is about recognizing God’s activity in the world and acting in alignment with what we see God doing. Discernment is about living in the kingdom of God, acting as ambassadors of Jesus in all kinds of situations: at athletic events, in the grocery store, on the highway, in the neighborhood, in city council meetings, in active shooter situations, in political conversations. Times when we are the aggressor and times when we are the receiver of aggression.

One article features practices adopted by Berlin Mennonite Church. (The Annual Conference Assembly will be at Berlin Mennonite in March 2025.) All of us know that practicing is how we get better at anything, like making music, playing a sport or cooking good food. Back when I worked in a welding shop in Nebraska, I could tell by looking at a bolt what size nut would fit. Because of practice I knew which wrench I needed. Discernment also improves with practice. God loves us and wants the best for us, but our discernment muscles are still flabby if we don’t practice such things as prayer, scripture reading, hospitality, fasting, generosity. Scripture, silence and journaling are important practices for me. Of course, as an introvert and a mystic, those fit me well. I have to work harder at hospitality. And I keep working at generosity. My heart is warmed (and challenged) that Berlin Mennonite aspires to engage a set of practices together.

The people of Ohio Conference are all on a journey. I hope these articles on discernment both inspire and challenge us to do practices that develop our discernment muscles.