More than 100 delegates, pastors, ministry partners and guests from 27 churches gathered at Cross Timbers Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, for the Southern District Conference (SDC) convention July 18-19. Almost 70 attended the pastors’ gathering preceding the convention, July 17-18.
With District Minister Brian Harris presiding over his first convention, highlights included welcoming a new church into district membership, the introduction of the new Graduate Studies in Ministry initiative at Tabor College and messages from speaker Mark Matlock. Delegates also voted to fill open leadership positions and approve the 2026-27 budget.
Welcoming a new church
Delegates unanimously voted to welcome Gospel Believers Prayer House (GBPH), Olathe, Kansas, into district membership. Founded in 2009 with five families meeting for home Bible studies, this Ethiopian congregation grew and was established as a church in 2010. GBPH appointed Yohannes Belete as full-time pastor in 2023.
Harris presented GBPH representatives with a plaque, and attendees sang the doxology together.
Introducing the Graduate Studies in Ministry initiative
Harris also introduced the Graduate Studies in Ministry (GSM) initiative at Tabor College launched in collaboration with the Southern and Central districts. Twenty students have signed up for the first semester launching in August.
GSM is intended to bring the church and the academy together to provide biblically sound, affordable and accredited instruction for ministry leaders, Harris said.
He extended a public welcome to an Aug. 22 GSM public seminar to be held at Hillsboro (Kansas) MB Church.
Other Business includes budget review, elections
Outgoing executive committee chair Jeremy Matlock introduced business on Friday, which continued Saturday.
LuAlan Willems, Stewardship Commission chair, outlined the proposed budget for 2026 and 2027 and fielded questions asking about adjusting for inflation. Saturday, delegates unanimously approved a budget of $434,800 for 2026 and $472,300 for 2027 as recommended by the commission. Although budgeted expenses exceed revenue, Willems assured delegates the district has funds in reserves to make the budget work. The increased budget in 2027 reflects convention and pastors’ gathering costs.
Delegates also affirmed all nominees on the leadership ballot, electing to the executive committee Jeremy Jordan as vice-chair and Colleen Lohrenz as an at-large member; to the Church Evangelism and Extension Commission (CEEC) Mike Miller and Dave Kumer; to the Faith and Life Commission Ben Friesen and Tom Byford; to the Stewardship Commission LuAlan Willems, Bryce Wichert and Lyndon Zielke; to the Youth Commission James Friesen and to the Tabor College board of directors Candace Moss. Having served two years as vice-chair, Brent Warkentin will chair the executive committee moving forward.
In other business, delegates heard reports from:
- CEEC chair Tim Sandy, who said the commission is in a time of transition with new members. Sandy invited Brent Warkentin to share about the SouthLife church plant. Launched in Wichita, Kansas, in 2023, SouthLife has since doubled in attendance, moved to two services and is beginning a building campaign.
- Faith and Life chair Tom Byford, who said the bulk of the commission’s work involves pastoral licensing. Since August 2023, 11 new pastors have been licensed in the district.
- District Youth Minister Russ Claassen and outgoing commission member Jared Menard, who provided updates on district and national youth events, including a re-introduced prayer summit. Attendance at these events increased across the board from 2024 to 2025. Themes have been Rhythm and Anchored. The Southern District Youth Conference will move to a one-day event in the fall as a result of difficulty securing host homes, they said.
USMB National Director Aaron Box provides a report to delegates at the convention. Photo: Janae Rempel Shafer. - USMB National Director Aaron Box, who shared about the significant transitions that have taken place since the last SDC convention and the opportunities and challenges those bring. Box said recent highlights have been a record attendance at the spring National Pastors’ Orientation and seeing students say “yes” to Jesus at ASCENT. He called everyone to be discipling someone, highlighted a need for church planters and invited attendees to USMB Gathering in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July 2026.
- Tabor President David Janzen, who said the college expects a large incoming class in the fall and an overall enrollment around 550 students. He expressed excitement for the Graduate Studies in Ministry initiative and said the accreditation process is beginning. Tabor is fundraising to provide a $3,000 scholarship for every GSM student from an MB church.
- MB Foundation President and CEO Jon Wiebe, who highlighted the agency’s 2,000-plus clients in 39 states, including many in the Southern District. As of July 1, MB Foundation had $404 million in assets. Wiebe highlighted the LEADGen fund for students pursuing MB pastoral mission, the Benevolent Fund matching grant for local churches and the 1904 Legacy Circle initiative for planned giving.
- Multiply regional mobilizer Stephen Humber, who introduced newly appointed U.S. Missions Advocate Christopher Lane and shared stories pertaining to the agency’s three strategies: helping disciples multiply, sending out missionaries and partnering with nationals.
Speaker highlights the spiritually curious
Mark Matlock, executive director of Urbana and a senior fellow at Barna, served as speaker at both the pastors’ gathering and convention. Matlock is the brother of Jeremy Matlock, pastor of Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church.
In his first message Friday evening, Matlock examined shifts in culture based on generational trends and discussed the opportunities Christians have to engage people who are curious about faith.
“I have never seen so much generational division than we see right now,” he said. “We need great insight into what’s happening in the world because it’s going to be changing even more rapidly.”
Drawing from his book, “Faith for the Curious,” Matlock highlighted an era of spiritual openness illustrated by the 67 percent of the unchurched population in the U.S. who are either spiritually curious or curious skeptics on matters of faith.
Matlock shared qualities of the people he calls “spiritually curious.” Most believe the supernatural realm exists, he said, but they do not have strong opinions about it. The spiritually curious tend to view Jesus more by how he behaved than by what he taught.
Additionally, the spiritually curious are not destitute or empty, but they are looking for more out of life. Their pursuits of justice, creativity and compassion offer a connecting point, Matlock said, as these pursuits reflect the nature of God.
The spiritually curious are more concerned about practical matters related to faith—such as marriage, parenting or finances—than they are about existential questions, and while they tend to be open to spiritual experiences, they are less inclined toward institutional religious experiences. These individuals like to explore in community, but they need safe spaces to explore doubts and questions.
“The church in America has a great opportunity to reach the spiritually curious,” Matlock said.
Matlock’s second message Saturday focused on ways to practically engage the spiritually curious in conversation.
Matlock said practicing Christians tend to be less curious than the general population and have a higher need for closure than the spiritually curious. He said there is nothing wrong with certainty but encouraged people to consider how it may be received by those exploring spiritual issues. Pointing to Paul’s approach in Acts 17:22-23, Matlock encouraged attendees toward curiosity.
Matlock encouraged Christians to assume the person they are talking with has a spiritual backstory and to be curious about it, which creates a more appealing posture for a spiritual conversation.
“Rather than being so concerned with the message that we’ve prepared to share, we need to be curious about their experiences and what their backstory is,” he said.
He encouraged attendees to have two or three questions that lead to spiritual topics. Matlock, for example, likes to ask people if there is anyone in their life whose spirituality they admire.
Matlock shared four keys to conversations with the spiritually curious. These conversations are: open-ended and exploratory, personal and relational, non-judgmental and respectful, and led by curiosity-driven questions.
Closing
The convention ended with encouragement for pastors, recognition of retired Christian Leader editor Connie Faber, a prayer for commission members and communion.
“We’re in a great position,” Jeremy Matlock said, referring to leaders, the new district minister and district unity.
Joe Weaver, Cross Timbers worship pastor, and the Cross Timbers band led singing throughout the event.
Pastors gather prior to convention
Mark Matlock also served as speaker at the pre-convention pastors’ get-together, attended by 67 pastors, spouses and guests July 17-18.
The event included three sessions, worship and a pastors’ social.
According to District Minister Brian Harris in an email interview after the event, Matlock spoke from his book, “Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon.” Matlock said nearly two-thirds of church-going young adults have dropped out, adding that even with young people avoiding Christianity and abandoning the church, discipleship can happen if Christians cultivate key practices.
During one Friday morning session, pastors engaged in table discussion around issues Mennonite Brethren need to tackle, Harris says. During that time, Harris’ wife, Stephanie, led a conversation for pastors’ wives.
About one dozen people participated in an optional activity at Topgolf in Oklahoma City at the conclusion of the event.
Janae Rempel Shafer is the Christian Leader associate editor. She joined the CL staff in September 2017 with six years of experience as a professional journalist. Shafer is an award-winning writer, having received three 2016 Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence and two Evangelical Press Association Higher Goals awards in 2022 and 2025. Shafer graduated from Tabor College in 2010 with a bachelor of arts in Communications/Journalism and Biblical/Religious Studies. She and her husband, Austin, attend Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas.
