Philip Friesen

In 2015, the Conference Board approved Philip Friesen as a Central Plains Mennonite Conference Partner in Mission. Philip has been a "domestic missionary" for many years. Presently Philip's ministry involves evangelistic outreach to international scholars and visitors at the University of Minnesota. He is a cross culture consultant that serves the international university community. Philip raises his own support for ministry. 

Philip is a member of Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Minneapolis, where he is the Mission/Service chair. He has many connections and partnership relationships, all involving evangelism. Two of these are Christians Meeting Muslims and the Wilberforce Academy, an organization that seeks to prepare Christian international scholars as witnesses in their places of leadership when they return home to their countries. 

Philip is the author of The Old Testament Roots of Nonviolence, and he has been asked to teach on this topic internationally. He is also a member of Galilean Fellows, an informal gathering of scholars engaging the culture and thought of the contemporary world with Jesus and the Scriptures. 

As Philip transitions into retirement, he would like to connect his ministry more closely with Mennonite Church USA, and continue a ministry of researching, writing, and experimentation that will demonstrate the relevance of "Peace on Earth" to evangelistic effort. He will seek out those outside the Mennonite Church who are looking for resources and conversation partners for peace evangelism.