The Call to Repentance I have been reading Our Watchword & Song: The Centennial History of the Church of the Nazarene this week. The Texas Holiness Association, which later merged with the Church of the Nazarene, issued the following statement applying holiness to the most deplorable social situation facing the nation, race. Read More More About Repentance The Benham Brothers (Jason and David) shared these insights that relate to repentance at the recent Promise Keepers’ Virtual Event: Boldness without Brokenness makes a Bully. Brokenness without Boldness makes a Bystander. Brokenness with Boldness makes a Bridge between heaven and earth. Mark Bane, Evangelism and New Start Director, USA/Canada CON shared on a recent visit to our district: “In many areas, the church needs to repent for the sin of omission – we have been guilty of neglecting the lost. We are content speaking to the church and not upset about......

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The Call to Repentance An attitude of repentance is crucial in our initial coming to Christ for salvation. The New Testament apostles called both Jews and Greeks to respond in “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). To become a Christian, a person must repent – turn away from – an old way of life and turn to Christ for forgiveness and salvation. Yet repentance does not end there. Read More The Return Your District Advisory Council affirmed that the number one priority for the NEO District for this year is corporate and individual repentance. That is also the heart of many church leaders around the world. “The Return” is a call for 120 cities and 120 thousand believers to be a part of a Global Upper Room and pray, fast and wait on the Lord for 10 days, Sept. 19–28. During 10 days of a......

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The Call to Repentance The role of repentance can be seen in every revival movement in history. One such revival happened in Romania in the 1970s. Christians were once ridiculed as “Repenters” by their fellow countrymen, based on the emphasis given to repentance as being essential to conversion. There was a church in the town of Oradea, which had been languishing for a long time. Then God called a godly pastor to the area who was deeply committed to prayer. He began to preach on the theme, “The Repenters Must Repent!” God began to move in their hearts, and the Christians entered into a “covenant of repentance.” Read More The Return Your District Advisory Council affirmed that the number one priority for the NEO District for this year is corporate and individual repentance. That is also the heart of many church leaders around the world. “The Return” is a call......

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Promise Keepers launches first-ever Global Virtual Gathering Promise Keepers is calling men back to courageous and bold servant-leadership by sparking a movement that will mobilize millions of men to follow Christ into today’s broken world as changemakers for their families, churches and communities. On July 31 and August 1, men all across the globe will gather via livestream in their homes, with their men’s groups, and at simulcast locations hosted by churches to experience the Promise Keepers 2020 Global Digital Experience. This 2-day event will feature everything that men have come to know and expect from a Promise Keepers event – an authentic, Christ-centered experience with amazing keynote speakers, worship artists, and special guests – all selected to offer a timely message of hope, unity, and transformation directly to the heart of men. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to be refreshed, inspired, and re-ignite your passion for......

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What One Thing Needs the Greatest Attention as a District? That question consumed your District Advisory Council for over an hour on Monday, June 1. The idea drawing the greatest support was “Repentance, Individually and Corporately”. This week my (Dave McKellips) Bible reading has taken me to the Book of Revelation. There is a recurring call for the church to repent in this revelation of Jesus Christ to his servant John:   Read More Fueling the Nazarene Movement with Love I was privileged to work with my friend, Larry McKain, and a great team of leaders, to present a missional account of the Church of the Nazarene as an amazing multiplying agent for Jesus in the world. The book is encouraging, inspiring and challenging. I hope to include some quotes from the book in the Team Updates in 2020: Every time you hear the words Church of the Nazarene, we ......

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A Prayer of Lament for Racial Division in the Church By Mark Vroegop, lead pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis, Indiana I think most believers agree that biblical unity is something to pray for and work toward. You probably know that reconciliation between a diverse group of people is a beautiful dream. But is the church marked by a compelling ethnic unity today? Do you know how to make progress toward racial reconciliation? Unfortunately, the kind… Read More ABC’s of Church Change As you think about your local church’s annual goals (due August 15), let me share a few insights from Karl Vaters in Small Church Essentials from the chapter, “Starting, Changing or Stopping a Ministry”. Vaters speaks of the ABC’s of Church Change (Always Be Changing Something). “Messing around with the foundation doesn’t bring change; it causes collapse. Everything except our biblical essentials must be subject to change. Just......

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Dear NEO Family, Our District Advisory Council has called upon us to a year of focus on repentance, individually and corporately. One area which calls for our repentance is our failure to read, meditate on, and memorize God’s Word. We have settled for crumbs of God’s Word when a feast is available. 187 countries have designated 2020 as the Year of the Bible. If ever we need guidance from God’s Word, it is now. Anxiety, fear and division are widespread.  The call to be alert and sober minded is aided by feeding ourselves the Word of God, meditating on it, and memorizing it.  Psalm 1:2 says the person is blessed who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. We must continue to promote and model this within NEO churches!   Read More Making 2020 the Year of the Bible in NEO As we......

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NEO Report for 2019-20  –  Part 3 What One Thing Needs the Greatest Attention as a District? That question consumed your District Advisory Council for over an hour on Monday, June 1. Eight thoughtful  ideas were proposed, including “Helping our pastors and leaders discover a God-ordained dream for their local church”, “Evangelism, Outreach and Church Planting” and “Progress in the Use of Digital Technology”. The idea drawing the greatest support was “Repentance, Individually and Corporately”. In what way do you believe God is calling his people to repent? We discussed repenting for what we have allowed the church to become, for not keeping our focus on Jesus, for being more political than biblical at times, for settling for crumbs of God’s Word when a feast is available and for racism that persists within the church. We discussed the need to hunger for intimacy with God, to eliminate what we......

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NEO Report for 2019-20 – Part 2 Last Thursday I began sending you a summary of the work of NEO churches and leaders from May, 2019 thru April, 2020. What a year it has been!! In this report you will receive the introduction of my report and a summary of five areas to focus on in the year ahead. Intro of the Annual Report of our District Superintendent – June 1, 2020 Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ......

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Northeast Oklahoma Nazarene Family, Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. (Ephesians 1:15-17 NLT) Over the next few weeks, you will see a summary of the work of NEO churches and leaders from May, 2019 thru April, 2020. What a year it has been!! Thanks for your faithfulness and love put on display day by day. I thank God that He is giving you spiritual wisdom and insight to navigate these unusual and challenging days. In this update, you will receive: Video greetings from our General Superintendent in jurisdiction, Dr. Fili Chambo A statistical summary A video report of Southern......

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