Northeast Oklahoma District Church of the Nazarene

“Keep giving Jesus to your people, not by words, but by your example, by your being in love with Jesus, by radiating holiness and spreading his fragrance of love everywhere you go. Just keep the joy of Jesus as your strength. Be happy and at peace." - Mother Teresa

"God does nothing except in response to believing prayer."  -John Wesley (who invested two hours daily in prayer)

Dear NEO family,

What a week this has been in NEO! A week ago today many of you were on the golf course (or wishing you were there) and since then we have had record snow falls and record cold temperatures. The good news – most of us got a lot of extra time with our families! I have more good news, the snow should be gone by Spring Break (based on research by the squirrels – I gave up on the Ground Hog).

Exciting update on Barnsdall. A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting the Barnsdall Church. This church that for years averaged 10 – 15 in weekly attendance is experiencing new life – in the past fourteen months five people have been saved and 7 new members have been received. They have started a Wednesday night meal and bible study and are averaging in the mid 30’s in attendance on Sunday. They have also seen amazing transformation of their facilities – a new metal roof and roof gutter, central heat and air, remodeling of the pastor’s office, a new PA system and a projector and screen, new chairs for platform, three new entrance doors installed, handicap access ramp installed, bathroom in basement remodeled, additional electrical wiring, new lighted sign outside, and classrooms remodeled. The Fellowship Hall has new carpet, new lighting, a new serving bar, new tables and chairs and new kitchen appliances.

We rejoice with Pastor Jim and Jan Johnson and the Barnsdall Church family. We also thank the Hominy church for their support this past year and the Pawhuska Church for their encouragement and support for several years.

Update on Pryor. I saw on their end of the year contribution report this great news: last year we focused on connecting the younger generation with Christ through building a youth group. We are averaging 30 each Wednesday and several are attending church on Sunday morning. Twelve have accepted the Lord since summer. PTL. This year they hope to focus on strengthening their children’s ministry. Congratulations, Pastor Dan Hazelton and the Pryor Church family.

Spiritual Renewal Weekend. Thank you for your joining us in prayer and for your attendance at our weekend services. God blessed us and gave us a great time of refreshing. I welcome your feedback. What could we change to make the weekend more meaningful for your church family? Do you like having this in January or does the risk of bad weather discount any advantages of the month? Should we try to have services on each Zone? Who would you like to see leading worship or preaching for these events in the future? Send responses to dmckellips@neonaz.com.

40 Days of Continuous Prayer Preceding M11. Each USA/Canada District was assigned 1 day to pray for 24 hours. Our assignment was Feb. 2. I thank all the pastors and churches who helped us form a prayer chain across the District from Midnight til Midnight. I received some great responses by pastors afterwards, including these:

A pastor who took three hours for his church wrote: We have 12 people taking 15 minutes each. Thanks for letting us join in this prayer emphasis.

Another pastor wrote: A good hour of prayer to be had. I appreciate the opportunity - prayed for stewardship of our resources, the leadership of the conference and the giving of our people. Led off by reading through the scriptures about prayer itself - I found my prayers changed by Jesus' words to be for M11's greater purpose in God's Kingdom. I need to take these times more often in extended prayer with all else shut out. It's inspired a number of things I want to do at church.

M11 website http://www.m11conference.org/

NEO Pastor’s (and Leaders) Day with Dan Bohi, February 17, 9:30am – 3:00pm. God has been using Dan Bohi in powerful ways across this nation. Come, hear and be challenged and changed! We will be meeting at Tulsa Family Church, 5205 S. Aspen, Broken Arrow, OK, 74011. Lunch will be available for purchase.

One DS wrote recently about Dan: "Never" is a word I'm careful with, but I've never sat under anointed or convicting preaching like I did at Deeper Life services this past weekend. Chad and Dan Bohi are dead men; abandoning all except God's will. Rare proclaimers of the Word; so radically in love with Jesus. “

District Workday at Tulsa Southwest. Jerry Wilburg tells me that on Saturday, Feb. 12 we will have a workday to help Southwest. More details will be coming.

President’s Day is February 21. No American President has been more misunderstood, condemned, maligned, and assailed by friend and foe alike than Abraham Lincoln. One newspaper called him “the obscene ape of Illinois.” As the end of the Civil War approached, Lincoln took no pride or pleasure in either his election to a second term or the conclusion of conflict with the South. One writer said about Lincoln, “He harbored no resentments, had no slightest wish for retaliation against those who had cruelly slandered and abused him. He had one interest only: to conciliate the rebellious states and to rebuild the Union he had sworn to preserve.” (Lillian Eichler Watson, in Light from Many Lamps, Simon & Schuster, 1951, p. 204).

One of Lincoln’s most memorable closing paragraphs occurred during his Second Inaugural Address: “With malice toward none; with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

This is still a great challenge for us today.

Have a great weekend. Stay warm and stay safe and I hope the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. You are loved!

Dave McKellips