Meet our speakers

Jon IsaakJon Isaak (PhD, McGill) is the Director of the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in Winnipeg. He has served with the Mennonite Brethren Church as missionary (1987–1998), Bible teacher (1998–2011), and historian (2011– ). He is married to Mary Anne Isaak and they have two adult children

Jon will present a historical analysis of the MB church’s relationship to Spirit-led charismatic movements, along with several observations and challenges. In brief, he will show that the MB story—from birth to the present—is the story of a renewal movement within the larger ethno-religious Mennonite (Anabaptist) tradition. As such, MBs have often self-identified as a Holy-Spirit-led church, reaching outward to the watching world with Jesus’ good news of God’s salvation, deliverance, and healing. Because of their history, MBs can be thought of as a “blended family,” one that merges the Mennonite (Anabaptist) vision together with two particular evangelical visions, those of the German Baptists and the more charismatic oriented Lutheran Pietists.


Delbert EnnsRev. Delbert Enns was born in Asuncion-Paraguay, growing up in a Missionary family. After high school (1978) he moved to Canada, where he completed his education at WBI, MBBC, UofW and RRC.

Following university, he began working with the Central American immigrants, which developed into a Spanish Mennonite Brethren Church. Delbert has 20 years of experience in photographic and optical equipment service and was founder and co-owner of Precision Camera Repair Ltd., Winnipeg.

In 1989 he returned to Paraguay to found and direct OBEDIRA, a Christian Media Ministry.

In 1992 Delbert became a founding member of COICOM, the Latin American Broadcasters and Leadership Conference.

In 1995 he returned to Winnipeg to work at Family Life Network, where he successfully led the organization for over 13 years. In 2008 he was called to lead Eastview Community Church as Senior Pastor.

Delbert is married to Marianne (34 yrs) and they have three married children and two grandchildren.


BC001_phillipBorn and raised in Northern Ireland Phillip Vallelly and his family moved to Winkler, almost 11 years ago to serve the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church (WMBC). Phillip’s passion is to see WMBC led by the Holy Spirit to emerge as a people transformed by the gospel. In Spring 2013, the WMBC leadership team initiated a “spiritual health” survey. It wasn’t a survey of the health of their programs, staff, or events; instead it asked questions about how everyday WMBCers live out their lives.

A common theme emerged; they discovered that WMBCers placed a high value on a “member cultured” church i.e. programs, structures, vision etc. and it had not been a priority from many within WMBC to view their lives being lived on mission. This began a shift in priorities and in how they lead people to passionately love and follow Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. The goal is allowing the Spirit to create a movement of everyday missionaries who witness how the Gospel changes everything, living out their lives in mission

Phillip has been married to Moyra for 17 years and together they have two teenage boys Ethan and Caleb.