NEO Team Update


08
Mar 2024
Team Update - Feb 29, 2024

  Find Us Faithful Dave McKellips On any week we could print the names of some who have modeled faithful service to God and the church in our update. We stand on the shoulders of a cloud of witnesses, lay and clergy, who have followed Jesus faithfully and whose devotion has lit the way for us. In the last couple of weeks, I have been reminded of the impact of three special ladies – Dell Brock, Joyce Smith and Sheryl Renfro. Dell D Brock, age 98 of Tulsa Southwest Church, met her Savior face to face on February 25th. Dell became a devout Christian and got involved in the Nazarene church in the late 1950’s. She taught Sunday school, was the missionary president at her church (Yes, she rolled a lot of bandages to send to the mission field! Many of us old timers remember doing that!) and a......

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05
Feb 2024
NEO Team Update: Feb 5, 2024

  Blessing Our Communities Stan Reeder, USA/Canada Regional Director Jeremiah 29:7 “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Recently, I was pondering this verse and how I might live it out in the city I live in. There are many people around the world living in exile, and I am not one of them. But I do feel the tension of living as a Jesus follower in a world that lives much different than I do. That wants to pull us into its orbit. It would be easy to just socialize with people in our churches, who think the same way as we do and close ourselves off to the world. But that is not what we are called to, and as leaders we have to set......

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16
Jan 2024
NEO Team Update

Happy New Year! I trust you are off to a great start in 2024. Twelve NEO Churches are beginning the year focusing on seven markers of spiritual maturity for those following Jesus: Bible Engagement, Passionate Prayer, Wholehearted Worship, Humble Service, Joyful Generosity, Consistent Community, Organic Outreach. It is important to remember that these are a recipe, not a menu. We cannot pick and choose among them. (I heard that one of our churches passed out chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the service last Sunday to emphasize the importance of all ingredients being included 😊). The focus this week is Bible Engagement: learning to know, love, and follow the teaching of Scripture. All three actions are important, aren’t they? John Wesley was a prolific reader of books, yet he described himself as a man of one book. Only one book was his authority for faith and life. I am......

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18
Dec 2023
NEO Team Update

I Want to Celebrate… Austin Troyer, Tahlequah: We served around 100 meals at our local day center this month and distributed winter clothing to those in need. Brian Loderhose, Owasso Silver Creek: We celebrated our third baptism service last Sunday! We took in six new members, and we had standing room only. We stopped counting people at 180 as we could not see or seat them all. This was a combined service with Pastor Fabian and Teresa, and the Spirit was moving among our people. We are excited that we have added Danelle Petty as our Children’s Director and Pastor Nick Williams as our Executive Pastor. We have much to be thankful for and an exciting road ahead. Rod Thelander, Sand Springs: We had an amazing day on our Annual Turkey Give-A-Way this year. We had 135 people in worship and gave away $75 vouchers to 75 different families!......

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19
Oct 2023
NEO Team Update

Kids Mission Day 2023 is coming up on October 21, 2023. For Kids Kindergarten – 6th grade  Please pre-register HERE     Dear NEO family, In 2 ½ months, several of our churches will begin an eight-week journey called “Following Jesus Together”. We will be focusing on God’s call for believers to grow up in faith as mature disciples who go with Jesus on mission to our lost and hurting world. The journey will tie in beautifully with our Cycle to Resurgence emphasis. Would you join me in praying for a powerful work of God in our congregations (some of our congregations will be using their own discipleship materials they have developed over the years, and we pray for God to bless these efforts, as well). Please pray for: Leaders to focus on our own spiritual growth and walk with Jesus in fresh ways! The Holy Spirit of God......

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02
Oct 2023
NEO Team Update

Mobilizing All Nazarenes in Unity I love the “Cycle to Resurgence”. I love the way I see NEO Nazarenes living out the core heart cries of this Vision. It starts with mobilizing all Nazarenes in unity. We must: 1.      Equip and send everyday ministers on mission. The Scriptures are clear when Peter writes, “As each one has received a gift, minister to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (I Peter 4:10). Each one is gifted to minister to others. Unfortunately, we don’t function like “each one” is essential for the ministry. We function like only a select few are gifted for ministry and the rest are called to support the gifted in their work. We need to reawaken the biblical idea that all of God’s people are called to ministry and are sent on mission, and that their mission field starts where God placed them......

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13
Sep 2023
NEO Team Update

The past two Sundays I have had the privilege of worshipping with Sapulpa First Church of the Nazarene and Bartlesville First Church of the Nazarene. Both churches are flourishing. Both have great lead pastors and pastoral staff. But the reason I believe they are flourishing is because the pastors are helping equip and send everyday ministers into the mission field. The Scriptures are clear when Peter writes, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Each one is gifted to minister to others. Unfortunately, we often don’t function like “each one” is essential for the ministry. We function like only a select few are gifted for ministry and the rest are called to support the gifted few in their work. Engagement, not just attendance, of all is the key for us in the Cycle......

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30
Aug 2023
NEO Team Update

October – Appreciation Month Helping us Mobilize All Nazarenes in Unity You remember my proposal at Assembly: “I propose we make October ‘Appreciation Month’ in our churches! Yes, I know this is usually the month we celebrate Pastor Appreciation. I want us to continue this … but expand it! What if we took the month of October to practice this skill of identifying the good in others, including our pastors, and affirming it? What if we intentionally communicated in some way every day words of blessing and encouragement to another member of the local expression of the body of Christ. Since it is Pastor Appreciation Month, what if we would make sure at least one expression of appreciation each week was for the pastor(s)? What if some of the words were done anonymously so they didn’t even know who was sending the words of praise? Could this make a......

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08
Aug 2023

5 Reasons I Can’t Share My Faith by Kevin G. Harney As a kid growing up, I was a master of excuses. When I forgot to do my school work, lost another jacket because I left it at the park, or got in a fight, I had my reasons and rationalizations. I was creative and passionate as I explained to my dad and mom why things turned out as they did. But my parents were very smart. They did not buy my excuses. They did not let me get away with childlike rationalizations. Instead, they lovingly corrected me and consistently disciplined me. As I look back, I am deeply grateful for their firm rejection of my lame excuses! Read More District Discipleship Day – Bringing People to Jesus August 12 Hey Pastors and Church Leaders: What would your church look like if a few people were inspired to be......

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21
Jul 2023
NEO Team Update

Dear NEO Family, What a wonderful and busy summer it has been. We are just over halfway through and have had amazing opportunities via Youth Camp, General Assembly, District Assembly, Nazarene Youth Conference, Kid’s Camps, and Missions Deputation services. I am worn out, but also refreshed by God’s Spirit and God’s people. We have another wonderful opportunity to gather and develop our skills at District Discipleship Day on Saturday, August 12. District Discipleship Day: The Path Forward Conference will inspire you to embrace Jesus’ forgotten way and become disciples who make disciples. How to Register  The best way to sign up for the event is to scan the QR Code or visit the website at loveservego.com/pathforward What: Path Forward: Embracing the Forgotten Way – 1-Day Conference When: Saturday, August 12th, 10:00am – 4:00pm Cost: $15 – covers lunch and printed materials Where: Central Church of the Nazarene (7291 E 81st......

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