Northeast Oklahoma District Church of the Nazarene

Dear NEO family,

Happy New Year! I trust you had a wonderful celebration of the birth of Christ and are off to a good start in 2011. As I am writing, I am watching the Sooners play and trusting they will finish strong and join the Cowboys and Golden Hurricanes in bringing bowl victories to the state of Oklahoma.

How did 2010 end for you? Our lives are a mixture of pain and sorrow, but in the midst of it all God continues to lead and provide. Pastor Rodney Amos ended the year with an unexpected loss as his brother-in-law, Bill suddenly passed away. On the other hand, Pastor Brady and Carrie Wisehart had a wonderful answer to prayer. Carrie had what the doctors were confident was a malignant tumor removed from her leg a couple of weeks ago. When the pathology report came last Tuesday, the report now listed it as a cyst that is cancer free. Physical therapy will needed for full range of motion but no long term problems are anticipated. Praise God! Aren’t you thankful for a God who we can trust with our lives and our future!

Concert of Prayer next Thursday. Our theme for Spiritual Renewal Month is “Desperate: Hungry…Broken…Believing.” We believe the key way we can prepare for God to break in is to be on our knees in prayer. We kick off a monthlong emphasis on prayer with a Concert of Prayer this Thursday, January 6, 9am at Tulsa Regency Park Church. All pastors and leaders are urged to join us for a morning of worship and prayer led by Nathan Covington and Marci Marquis.

Our quadrennial conference on mission and evangelism, M11, will be in Louisville on February 21 – 23. Visit the M11 website http://www.m11conference.org/

H. B. London encourages and challenges pastors every week with his Pastor to Pastor newsletter. Below is one portion of what he wrote this week and I think all will benefit from his New Year’s challenge:

2011: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POSITIVE CHANGE
Remember the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Well, the truth is, just because "it" is working (whatever "it" is) does not mean "it" cannot be improved upon.
I would think that many of you are having a great deal of success doing what you are doing the way you are doing it, but does that mean you are closed to some new ideas? Even the best concepts and methods can grow tired and mundane without some positive overhaul. 2011 could be an opportunity for you to make some very positive changes in both your ministry and personal life. For instance:
CHANGE: Could your "alone" time with your Lord use some fine-tuning? Are you giving Him the "first fruits" of the morning?
CHANGE: Not to meddle in your private lives, but have you been taking care of yourself? Physically, have you had your annual check-up? Are you getting appropriate exercise?
CHANGE: Is there a person in your life, be it family or friend, that disagreement, bitterness, or misunderstanding has hindered that relationship? To begin 2011 with a clean slate would be a positive change, right?
CHANGE: Have you had an opportunity to step back and look at the way you lead, you worship, you pastor and you plan? What would positive change in any of those areas look like in 2011?
CHANGE: If you could hold a mirror up to your life, what one characteristic (not cosmetic) might need some attention — patience, sense of humor, attitude, work ethic, compassion, problem solving, etc.? What? 2011 could be a year of positive change in one of these areas.
CHANGE: Do you need to make a "major" change? Like moving on to a new opportunity? Or being honest about the leadership in your staff or congregation? Without leadership in place, your best efforts will be jeopardized.
For me personally, and for our outreach to the clergy worldwide, I am anticipating 2011 to be a year of positive change. It will not be easy or without its moments, but it will be positive. Allow me to paraphrase a thought:


God, grant me courage to make changes that need to be made;
Patience to deal with those things that cannot or need not be changed;
And a heart for those I serve to help facilitate positive changes in their lives and circumstances.
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isa. 43:19).

I am believing with you for a very positive 2011. Happy New Year, My colleague!

You are loved!
Dave McKellips