Hein, Marvin (1925-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Feb 4 p. 1, 2

Birth date: 1925 Apr 12

text of obituary:

MB leader stood out as preacher

By Celeste Kennel-Shank

Mennonite Weekly Review

Marvin Hein, considered one of the greatest Mennonite Brethren preachers of his generation, has died.

Hein, who died Jan. 5 in Fresno, Calif., at age 82, was a pastor and a leader in Mennonite World conference and in the MB conferences in North America.

"Marvin was a craftsman when it came to his writing and his sermonizing," said Ed Boschman, executive director of the U.S. Conference of MB churches.

He was also deeply pastoral, Boschman said.

"It was natural for him to care for people, to nurture people, to encourage and exhort and challenge people," he said.

Originally from a farm in Oklahoma, Hein was born on Easter Sundy 1925. After participating in Civilian Public Service during World War II, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kan.

He pastored Hillsboro (Kan.) MB church for 24 years and North Fresno MB church for 11 years.

While in Hillsboro, Hein began his decades-long commitment to conference work, serving on the MB Southern District Youth Committee, Southern District MB Conference, United States MB conference, and the MB Board of Education that governs Tabor college, Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary. He also taught at Tabor.

After retiring as a pastor, Hein served 11 years as executive secretary for the MB General Conference, which united the U.S. and Canadian conferences before the denomination restructured.

Jim Holm, president of MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, said Hein impressed him in the executive secretary role.

"I remember attending conventions, and when someone would raise their hand to speak he would call the person by name," Holm said. "He seemed to know everybody."

Holm also recalled the strength of Hein's pulpit ministry.

"He was creative, he was original, he used lots of very clever metaphors and illustrations to make the point that he was trying to make," he said.

When Heim learned he would die of acute leukemia, he began to plan his memorial service and asked Holm to preach.

Hein would not tell Holm what to say, but did give him a verse, 1 Cor. 4:7, "What do you have that you did not receive?"

"He said to me, 'That's my favorite verse because everything I've done, everything I've achieved has been a gift of God to me.'" Holm said.

Holm said the Jan. 20 service at North Fresno MB church had a spirit of worship, with a large choir and music of praise.

"It was a celebration service, not a funeral service," Holm said.

Beyond the MB denomination, Hein also served on the Council of Inter-Mennonite Moderators and Secretaries and on the boards of the National Association of Evangelicals and Herald Publishing Co., the former name of the corporation that publishes Mennonite Weekly Review.

Hein also served on the MWC Presidium, the forerunner of today's MWC General Council, for 17 years, from 1967 to 1984. He served as vice president, representing North America, for two three--year terms. In his MWC role, he traveled to more than 50 countries and to five global assemblies.

After preaching thousands of sermons, Hein compiled some into two books, The Ties That Bind, on varied topics and Like a Shock of Wheat, based on his funeral messages.

Don Ratzlaff, who was an editor for the books and grew up in Hillsboro with Hein as his pastor, said Hein's sermons connected with many readers, especially in Like a shock of Wheat.

"Marvin just had a good perspective on life and death," he said.

Ratzlaff, former editor of The Christian Leader. recruited Hein to do a monthly column answering biblical and theological questions sent in by readers. The column continued for 15 years until last year.

"His style was to identify different arguments, but then he always came to his own understanding," said Ratzlaff, editor of the Hillsboro Free Press. "The spirit always was not 'I'm right, you're wrong,' but 'This is what I think and why I think that way.'"

Hein is survived by his wife, Mary Helen, three daughters, Patricia Gail of Wichita, Kan.; Penelope Gay Unruh and husband, David, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., Holly Lynn Taylor and husband, Scott, of Aptos, Calif.; two grandchildren and one sister.