The World is Here!

Last Thursday evening, I had the privilege of attending the International Community Outreach Banquet with Dianna Potter, who has worked with this group at Tulsa University. What an education I received! Did you know that 60 different nations are represented at TU? The best and brightest from all over the world are at our doorstep! Have you wondered how we can reach China? There are 400 Chinese students at TU. How can you reach those in Saudi Arabia, where it is a crime to share the gospel? There are 150 Saudis at TU. How does ICO try to reach these students? Through acts of service and hospitality, demonstrating the love of God! All of us have what it takes to make a friend. All of us, as believers, have the Holy Spirit living within us. If you would like to know more about this exciting ministry, go to www.icotulsa.org or contact Jerry Lillard.

End of Year Reporting

April 28 was the last Sunday of the 2012-13 Church Year. In the next week, pastors, treasurers, board secretaries and office personnel will be busy putting the finishing touches on all the annual reports: ·   Annual Pastor’s Report ·   Certificate of Election ·   List of Church Members who died this year ·   Church Directory Information ·   Legal/Insurance Information Form ·   Handbook Page ·   Missional Church Awards – identifying behavior that each church has put into practice to stimulate and fulfill our mission. I want to thank in advance all who will ensure that the reports are completed and in by Monday, May 6. You are a great team!

Why We Pay Giving Goals

In addition, every treasurer and church board are ensuring that all of their giving goals are met in full. I have been asked a few times why we pay giving goals. Let me answer like this: We Pay Giving Goals Because ... We love our Church which supports hundreds of missionaries, thousands of national workers, and maintains hospitals, Bible Colleges, Seminaries, and is building beachheads for Christ in South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and around the world. We Pay Giving Goals Because ... We love Home Missionary Pastors and wives who are making  serious sacrifices to grow a church in communities that need to hear the Gospel so much. We Pay Giving Goals Because ... We are grateful for our colleges, seminary and Bible College for providing a Christian education for our youth, and for the training of future pastors, missionaries and evangelists. We Pay Giving Goals Because ... We are grateful for the provision they make to care for retired pastors and widows and for a group Pension Plan that will not leave them totally abandoned by the churches they have served. We Pay Giving Goals Because ... We believe in our denomination and the importance of a personin the field to help fill vacancies, deal with problems, and superintend the work. We Pay Giving Goals Because ... WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? To fulfill the Divine Commission, it would be necessary for each local church to: 1. Sponsor its own foreign and home missionaries.  2. Search out colleges sponsored by others to train our youth.  3. Abandon the smaller church that needs the care of a District Superintendent.  4. Do away with all District Programs including Youth, Sunday School and Mission programs as well as Spiritual Renewal Weekend, Youth Camps, New Starts, and Hispanic Ministries.  5. Disregard our retired ministers and widows, leaving them abandoned by pension and health care programs.  We Pay Giving Goals Because... when we think of the alternatives..... We Can't Help But Get Excited ... We'll Pay Ours,  How About YOU?

A report from Woodie J. Stevens, Global Director John Wesley said, “After all our preaching, many of our people are almost as ignorant as if they had never heard the gospel. …I found by experience that one of these (brothers of mine) has learned more from one hour’s close discourse, than from ten years’ public preaching.” Sunday School and small groups are essential for growing effective disciples and disciple makers. In recent months, New York Times Bestselling Author, Joel Rosenberg, published The Invested Life: Making Disciples of All Nations One Person at a Time. On November 1, 2012, Francis Chan released a book entitled, Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples. On February 5, David Platt released a book entitled, Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live. These new books focus on intentional relational discipleship. A layman from the South USA wrote a general superintendent and said, “When I read about these new books, I thought of our BGS, and was so glad that y'all listened to God's prompting several years ago, and headed our denomination in the discipleship direction!”  Indeed, the Church of the Nazarene is leading the way in calling Christians to be about the mission of making Christlike disciples. Sunday School, small groups, and discipleship ministries are the essential infrastructures of the local church that conserves the converts we win. Pre and New Christians are drawn to the Church through compassion and community. Through challenge and commitment, they stay when a small group of believers intentionally become their friends and help them follow Jesus more closely. SDMI has focused on being a people of prayer, engaged in the Word, making Christlike disciples. People often ask me, “What do you mean by ‘disciple?’” I respond, a disciple has three characteristics. First: it is a person who actively seeks a relationship with Jesus Christ and has a passion to know him, love him, follow him, and obey him. Second: it is a person who actively seeks a relationship with a more experienced believer, who helps him or her grow and develop their spiritual gifts. Third: a faithful disciple is one who actively seeks relationships with others in order to invest in them spiritually; often just one conversation at a time. Or, as General Superintendent Emeritus, Dr. Jim Diehl says, “Every disciple needs a ‘Paul’ - an older and wiser believer to invest in their spiritual growth. They need, a ‘Barnabas’ - a friend who encourages them, teaches them and keeps them accountable, and they need a ‘Timothy’ - a person in whose life they can invest.” Wesley’s “one hour of close discourse” happens best in our churches through Sunday classes, small groups, adult Bible fellowships, and discipleship ministries around the world. The 2012 results include: The responsibility list is growing by 3.82% to 1,638,872. Every Week 1,094,975 people attended a Church of the Nazarene Sunday School or small group somewhere in the world. That is an attendance increase of .62% over last year and a decadal growth rate of 45.14%! Regionally the advance looks like this:                     Discipleship        Discipleship      Sunday School                     Responsibility     Attendance        Attendance Africa                254,820               53,295                132,777 Asia-Pacific         67,803               30,978                  38,883 Eurasia              100,112               26,542                  46,387 Mesoamérica     258,016               62,139                166,825 South America  163,927                42,994                102,134 United States    194,194              146,153                270,739 Total               1,638,872              362,101                757,745 Sunday School, small groups and disciple making is the glue holding our church together. SDMI is asking every follower of Jesus, “Who is investing in you and whom are you investing in?” – in order that we all might be and make Christlike disciples.

Audit According to Manual paragraph 129.23 the business of the church board is to appoint an audit committee or other qualified person(s) to conduct an audit of all the financial records of the church....this is to be done annually. Doing so will protect your members who care for the finances and give your people a sense of conscientious stewardship of the funds they have given into your trust. You may be able to conduct an internal audit inexpensively. One way or another, let’s “get er done”.       Crisis Care Kits A message from Troy Farmer I will be picking up CCKs at the district  NMI Convention, June 1st.  Put your church name on each box - you do not need to put the warehouse address on them.  Pay Phyllis Mayberry $10.00 for transportation fee to the warehouse for each box. Send $12.00 for warehouse storage and transportation to their final destination for each box to: Global Treasury Services, PO Box 843116, Kansas City, MO 64184-3116. Mark the check: Nazarene Relief Shipments ACM1297. I will also pick up Pal-Paks and Yarn. Moving Ministers Congratulations to Phil and Karen Buck who have accepted a call to be senior pastor at Cisco, TX Church of the Nazarene. Phil and Karen have been valuable parts of the NEO family for almost 12 years, serving in Grove and Miami. Scott & Lindsey (McKellips) Dermer have accepted a call to serve as Lead Pastor at Webster Groves, MO Church of the Nazarene. Rodney and Tammy Amos, who have served our Tulsa First Church for five years, have accepted a call to serve as Pastor of the Houston, TX Southwest Church of the Nazarene.   Register info NEO Youth Camp June 7-11, 2013 Camp Bond Register now! Promo video website Kidz Kamp July 19-22, 2013 Sky Ranch at Cave Springs More Info   Saturday, June 8 8am - 4pm For more information, call 918-682-2592 or email musknaz@gmail.com Guymon Church of the Nazarene info current newsletter

Prayer Concerns

Pastor Mike Howard has prostate cancer. He found out he had cancer by going through the routine physicals that accompanied an application for life insurance. Mike had biopsies done a week ago and all 18 biopsies were scored as a 9 or 10, indicating aggressive cancer. They also said the cancer is outside the prostate. They know it is in a few lymph nodes but see no sign of it in bones or other organs at this time. Mike met the surgeon today, expecting to have surgery right away, but the surgeon said the tumor is too big for him to robotically remove. So, he is starting therapy to reduce the size of the cancerous tumors and hopes they can do surgery soon. Let’s remember Mike and Diane and the Drumright Church. Glenn Slinker, age 66, died on Monday, April 15, as a result of cardiac failure and pneumonia. Glen and Charlotte have faithfully served Christ as lay leaders in the Muskogee church and in the community. Let’s pray for Charlotte, sons Keith and Jason, and for extended family and church family. Charlotte bragged on the church and Pastor Monty Nichols for the way they walked beside the family during the hospitalization and loss. Way to go, church! Pastor Don Engie reports that the house of one of their church families in Grove was severely damaged by a tornado last evening. We will be looking for opportunities to support this family and church. Tulsa First will be celebrating the goodness of God and the legacy of this church on their closing Sunday, April 28. Our prayers are with the wonderful people of this church and Pastor Rodney Amos and Pastor Dianna Potter during this time of transition. Jean Brown, wife of Pastor Ken Brown, former pastor of Drumright Church of the Nazarene, is critically ill after a severe reaction to an antibiotic. Jean had emergency surgery as a last resort this morning to remove her colon. Pray that her kidneys will start working again. Ken is pastor at Little Axe church now. Pastor Steve and Soundra Epp are gathering a start-up group for a new start church in the heart of Tulsa.

District News

Cleveland Church is hosting a time on Friday, April 19, for training and assistance on reporting online, funding the mission, etc. at 6:30. We encourage everyone to attend and bring your church treasurers and others who might need to know any of the reporting information that will covered.  The Martins will be in Concert this Sunday night at Claremore Church. The concert begins at 6pm, with Blake Bolerjack opening. An Indian Taco Fundraiser for teen camp expenses will be held from 3 to 5:30pm. On Friday April 26th at 7:30pm Bartlesville Church is having  Samestate (the worship band we had at youth camp last summer) for a FREE benefit concert for World Vision's 30-hr Famine. Admission is free; they will be taking donations that will go directly to 30-hr Famine.  Advisory Board ministry teams and our nominating committee will be meeting on Saturday morning, April 27. Let the District Office know of people who should be considered for nomination for District boards and ministry teams. Church/Pastor reviews are scheduled in the next month for Miami, Dewey and Skiatook. Pray that God will use these times to help sharpen the focus of these great churches for the mission of Christ. We rejoice with Hispanic Coordinator Otoniel Danneman on the wonderful turnout for the Master’s Plan Conference last weekend. Over 150 people attended this conference and were introduced to a biblical discipleship plan that is impacting lives around the world. Thanks to Pastor Oto and over 50 people from Fuente de Vida who worked to make the conference a success. And special thanks to Pastor Steven and Tulsa Central for your gracious hospitality for this event. Five NEO Pastors and our DS were blessed to attend the Holiness Summit in Fort Smith, Arkansas this week. Thanks to Pastor Don Cowan and the Fort Smith Church for hosting this deepening event. We end our church year on April 28. Let’s finish strong!

NEO March Statistics

Attendance for March                                              2012-13            2011-12              SDMI                           2807                   3128              Morning Worship         3917                    4050

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Kidz Kamp July 19-22, 2013 Sky Ranch at Cave Springs More Info

NEO Youth Camp June 7-11, 2013 Camp Bond Register now! Promo video website

Greetings, NEO family, My heart is full after the rich experiences of the past two weeks. On March 21-28, I joined Dr. Stan Toler and 16 other North American leaders in a trip to South Africa to participate in a PALCON (Pastors and Leaders Conference). What a blessing it was to worship and learn along with nearly 350 pastors from the Africa South Field. I want to thank the District Advisory Board and the churches of NEO for encouraging and supporting my participation in this event.  Africa Regional Director, Fili Chambo, has made a video to say thanks to North American churches and districts who sent leaders. The link to the video is:  https://vimeo.com/62909749 After the PALCON, I participated in my first Safari at Pilanesburg Park. What a treat to see so many animals in a natural habitat. Lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes and even leopards were within 10 yards of our vehicle. I have some incredible pictures to show if you have some popcorn! I got home in time to enjoy Easter in Northeast Oklahoma. Gloria and I worshipped with our son, David, at Tulsa Central. Pastor Steven preached an outstanding message and Pastor Phil planned a wonderful time of worship for the congregation. Our hearts were lifted as we celebrated that Jesus is alive and walking with us on the roads of our lives. I am hearing tremendous reports from churches across the District. Tulsa Hills began using their new worship center on Easter (they will be dedicating the facility on April 14). Many churches not only reported full houses, but also baptisms and altars full on Easter. Praise be to God! On Monday and Tuesday of this week, 32 of our pastors participated in a Breakaway. God certainly met us there as we worshipped late into the evening on Monday! The testimonies and prayer together were priceless! What a great team we have in NEO. God is working on our District and in the lives of our pastors.

Tulsa First Transition

After 86 years of effective ministry, Tulsa First Church has voted to close its doors on April 28. God had a plan for Tulsa First Church. Its legacy is the lives changed, the people saved, the compassion shown, and the children called into ministry. Pastor Rod and the people of Tulsa First will celebrate the memories and the legacy of this church during the month of April. Pastor Rod Amos has served well at Tulsa First and has accepted the call to serve Houston Southwest Church, beginning his ministry there in June. Pastor Dianna Potter is seeking direction for her next assignment. Let’s surround this church family and pastors in prayer as they all transition into the next step God has for their lives.   April 7, 2013 6:00 PM First Church of the Nazarene - Cleveland, OK Love Offering to be Received NEO PrimeTime Event April 11 10:30am Worship Camp Meeting Style Central Church (CMAC) 7291 E. 81st Street With Dr. Ark Noel and Rev. Marcus Whitworth Fellowship lunch to follow For reservations contact John Williamson 918-859-3600 johnw10021@yahoo.com Hispanic Master's Plan Conference April 12-13 Pastor Otoniel is hosting a Master's Plan conference on our district, April 12-13. Nazarene Hispanic Coordinator, Roberto Hodgson is planning 13 such conferences across the country to equip the Hispanic congregations for the church's mission of "Making Christlike Disciples in the Nations". Rev. William Alvarado, of the Western Latin American district will be the presenter. He has planted a new congregation in the last two years and is now averaging above 100, using the Master's Plan strategy.  Speakers include: Dr. Stan Toler Dr. Louie Bustle Dr. Randy Berkner Dr. Dave McKellips. Worship Leader: Rev. Steve Davis Services will be held morning, afternoon, and evening on April 15 and 16 Flyer Website Update Many people were prayed for and Bibles distributed to those requesting one. You can see from our current newsletter that many people are helped thru Manna House and God has blessed in so many ways.   Please print out and post the report on your bulletin boards in your Church. District Quiz April 13 Collinsville Register NEO Youth Camp June 7-11, 2013 Camp Bond Register now! Promo video website Kidz Kamp July 19-22, 2013 Sky Ranch at Cave Springs More Info