ReFocus – Values Conference 2022
While God’s holiness does not change, the language we use to testify to it does. As we recognize the deadly payload of sin in our culture, human sanctity takes on new light and meaning. Let’s talk about a way of describing the holy life that will sound like good news for people today.
Dr. Dan Boone serves as president of Trevecca Nazarene University. He earned MDiv and DMin degrees from Nazarene Theological Seminary and McCormick Theological Seminary. A well-respected speaker and lecturer, Boone is also a prolific writer. He is the author of more than a dozen books on a wide range of theological topics, from worship and unity to hard questions and hot-button issues. Dan has pastored churches in Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. He lives in Nashville with his wife Denise.
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While God’s holiness does not change, the language we use to testify to it does. As we recognize the deadly payload of sin in our culture, human sanctity takes on new light and meaning. Let’s talk about a way of describing the holy life that will sound like good news for people today.
Dr. Dan Boone serves as president of Trevecca Nazarene University. He earned MDiv and DMin degrees from Nazarene Theological Seminary and McCormick Theological Seminary. A well-respected speaker and lecturer, Boone is also a prolific writer. He is the author of more than a dozen books on a wide range of theological topics, from worship and unity to hard questions and hot-button issues. Dan has pastored churches in Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. He lives in Nashville with his wife Denise.
Helping someone cross the line of faith, or making a decision to repent and believe on Jesus, is a critical moment on the Journey of Grace. We call this moment “Saving Grace.” Why do so few disciples of Jesus ever experience the joy of leading someone into a relationship with God? In this breakout session, you will learn some basic, biblical principles that will help you share your faith without fear.
Dr. Scott Rainey was elected as the Global Director of Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) for the Church of the Nazarene, effective August 1, 2018. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Field Strategy Coordinator for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)) Field on the Eurasia Region. Under Scott’s leadership, the CIS Field entered three new countries (Georgia, Belarus, and Latvia) and started 24 new missional communities with hopes that each of these house churches would develop into healthy, multiplying churches. As an ordained elder, Scott has served as the lead pastor of Living Word Church of the Nazarene in Houston, TX. During Scott’s pastoral ministry the church grew from 450-730 in regular attendance, relocated, and planted Celebrate Life Nazarene in Katy, TX. Scott has also served in staff positions in Fort Wayne, IN and Kansas City MO. Dr. Rainey is a graduate of Olivet Nazarene University, Nazarene Theological Seminary, and Houston Gradugte School of Theology, where he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in church dynamics. He and his wife, Jenni, and their two daughters, Bekah and Sarah, currently reside in the Kansas City area.
This workshop is sponsored by NDI.
During our sessions together we will be diving into the book of Hosea as we examine how the rhythms in our lives impact not only ourselves but also those around us and our relationship with Christ. We will also work together to take a deeper look into what rhythms we desire to establish and get rid of.
Karen Brooks currently resides in Dallas, TX with her husband and serves at a Dallas nonprofit, Reach Council. She earned her Bachelors of Arts from MidAmerica Nazarene University, where she served as Class Chaplain, with a degree in Criminal Justice and minors in Ministry and Legal Studies. Karen is currently preparing for law school and she believes that Lord has called her to do nontraditional ministry and is passionate about advocating for those who are commonly underserved and overlooked.
This workshop is sponsored by NYI.
Holiness is not a complicated reality. It is actually the thread that ties together our understanding of who God is, who we are as human beings, and how we relate to God. In this workshop, we will present holiness and sanctification in a simple yet powerful way that makes those ideas exciting, hopeful, and worthy of our aspirations and our lives.
Timothy Crutcher has been the pastor of the Florida Keys Church of the Nazarene and a district missionary with the Southern Florida District since 2019. Before that he served as a professor of theology and church history and Southern Nazarene University and Africa Nazarene University. He is the author of “John Wesley: His Life and Thought” and “Becoming Human Again: A Biblical Primer on Entire Sanctification.”
Are you or someone you know sensing a call to serve in missions? Join Global Engagement Coordinator Joyce Tempel as she shares about the process to become a Nazarene Missionary. Maybe this will be the first step to say, “Here I am. Send me!”
Joyce Tempel is the Global Missions Engagement Coordinator, which means she connects with those who sense God calling them to missions and supports them as they discern how to answer that call. She also serves the regions by promoting service opportunities all over the world. Joyce is originally from Brazil and has been involved in missions for over 16 years. She earned the Brazilian equivalent of a BA in Intercultural Studies and an MA in Missional Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University. She is married to Howard, and they have two kids, Davi (11) and Laila (9). In Brazil, Joyce served in urban church planting and in pioneering church ministry in the Amazon rainforest. She also served as a volunteer missionary in Kenya. She has been serving in the US for almost 15 years in a variety of ministry roles, including translation and interpretation, pastoral ministry, multicultural ministries development, district missions mobilization, Work & Witness, and partnerships. In addition to her work at Global Missions, Joyce is the co-pastor, along with her husband, of the Brazilian Ministry at Central Church of the Nazarene, in Lenexa, Kansas.
This workshop is sponsored by NMI.
Your mission as a local church is too big to go at it alone. The focus of this workshop is cooperative partnerships to accomplish multiple missions.
Pastor Larry Thomas planted and pastors New Yu Church, a community of Christ disciples whose mission is to love God and love people. New Yu Church is located in Shiloh, Il. New Yu began as a youth ministry in Washington Park in 2006 and launched as a church in January 2019.
A significant conversation is going on in American culture today. Is there a Biblical narrative that guides us into these conversations? Or shall we just toss judgment grenades over the fence and let the shrapnel do its work? We’ll study Acts 10-11 to see if our categories need converting.
Dr. Dan Boone serves as president of Trevecca Nazarene University. He earned MDiv and DMin degrees from Nazarene Theological Seminary and McCormick Theological Seminary. A well-respected speaker and lecturer, Boone is also a prolific writer. He is the author of more than a dozen books on a wide range of theological topics, from worship and unity to hard questions and hot-button issues. Dan has pastored churches in Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. He lives in Nashville with his wife Denise.
Scripture is clear that God designed parents of families to take the lead when it comes to the spiritual development/nurture of their children. Sadly, this isn’t a reality for some kids. Ministering to kids who have never set foot in a church before can prove to be an eye opening experience to even seasoned ministry veterans. We will learn how to create a new culture and how to practically minister to kids who are Spiritual Orphans.
Rev. Jill Waltz is an Ordained Elder in the COTN and has been in full time ministry for over twenty years. She currently serves as an evangelist and leadership trainer. Jill obtained her B.S. degree from Olivet as well as her Masters in Church Management. She has authored 3 books and is passionate about challenging life-long Christians to lean into their role in God’s Story. She currently lives in Middletown, IN with her husband and 3 daughters, mini horse, and donkey named Elvis.
During our sessions together we will be diving into the book of Hosea as we examine how the rhythms in our lives impact not only ourselves but also those around us and our relationship with Christ. We will also work together to take a deeper look into what rhythms we desire to establish and get rid of.
Karen Brooks currently resides in Dallas, TX with her husband and serves at a Dallas nonprofit, Reach Council. She earned her Bachelors of Arts from MidAmerica Nazarene University, where she served as Class Chaplain, with a degree in Criminal Justice and minors in Ministry and Legal Studies. Karen is currently preparing for law school and she believes that Lord has called her to do nontraditional ministry and is passionate about advocating for those who are commonly underserved and overlooked.
This workshop is sponsored by NYI.
[Due to technical difficulties we are unable to share a recording of this session.]
When we think about what the church is supposed to be, one of the first words to pop up is “community.” The beauty of the gospel is that it brings together all kinds of people from different walks of life to live in harmony focusing on Christ. Within the main community of the church are separate groups that can bond over unique passions. For some it is missions and for others it’s discipleship. We see at every level that sports builds community. Kids and parents have a chance to build new relationships and meet people from the church they haven’t already known.
Josh and Shannon Herndon served as missionaries with Church of the Nazarene in Spain from 2010-2016. In 2016, they moved to Thessaloniki, Greece, hoping to pioneer the work of the Church of the Nazarene there. The Herndons were involved in ministry to the refugees who were (and still are) stranded in Greece. Their sports ministry was put to use at refugee camps in order to give them a positive activity to focus on while living there. Through much prayer and working with Eurasia Regional leadership, the Herndon family accepted a new assignment in Romania. The Herndon family’s next assignment took them to Romania in September of 2017 and were blessed to serve with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Work & Witness, church and district development, leadership development, and Josh served as District Superintendent. Sports ministry and outreach continued to be part of the ministry in Romania, specifically utilizing baseball and American flag football. Josh and Shannon have accepted a new assignment and will be returning to the Western Mediterranean Field, where they will be serving in Italy. As they plan to move to Italy in September of 2022, they are looking forward to supporting the work of the Nazarene Church there. The Herndon family will work with leadership development, Work and Witness, theological education, and anything else the district needs! If you want to know more and experience Italy, you may just need to plan to come and serve in Italy alongside the Herndons on a mission trip!
This workshop is sponsored by NMI.
More than ever, people are struggling under the weight of mental health challenges. The church is not immune. Lay people and pastors alike can find themselves staring into an abyss of anxiety, fear, numbness, and hopelessness. Where is God in the midst of such suffering? What does it look like to faithfully respond to mental health challenges, be they our own or those of the ones we love?
Rev. Stephanie Lobdell Stephanie Lobdell is a pastor, writer, and speaker passionate about proclaiming the message of Jesus. Stephanie has served as a pastor in the Nazarene church since 2008. She currently serves as the Campus Pastor at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Stephanie is a graduate of both MidAmerica Nazarene University and Nazarene Theological seminary. She is the author of the book Signs of Life: Resurrecting Hope out of Ordinary Losses, and co-author of Lenten Postcards and Sacred Invitations and Belong: Retracing the Way of God’s Embracing Love. Stephanie is married to Tommy Lobdell and they share two children, JoJo and Jack.
Some of the divide among Christians today has to do with their preferred model of the church as it exists in society. Sometimes a word picture helps us discern what we are actually doing when we are being the church. We’ll look at the church as a walled city and the church as a game of tether ball.
Dr. Dan Boone serves as president of Trevecca Nazarene University. He earned MDiv and DMin degrees from Nazarene Theological Seminary and McCormick Theological Seminary. A well-respected speaker and lecturer, Boone is also a prolific writer. He is the author of more than a dozen books on a wide range of theological topics, from worship and unity to hard questions and hot-button issues. Dan has pastored churches in Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. He lives in Nashville with his wife Denise.
Come with your questions and ideas on how to minister to students with special needs. I will share the tools I have used in the past. There are many resources available to assist with behavior management and understanding the different types of disabilities your students may have. I will also share key factors that lead to success in previous special needs programs I’ve served in. Participation and discussion will drive this session as we share and learn from each other.
Kris Chapman is a public school educator in Early Childhood Education and Education Administration. Her 32 years in education includes working with children with special needs. Kris has attended several training sessions in the areas of behavior, trauma and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention. Mrs. Chapman has served in all areas of Children’s Ministry since she was a teenager. Most recently, Kris has worked in the Special Needs Ministry in the churches she has attended in Missouri and Tennessee. Come with your questions and learn more about how to minister to children with special needs.
This workshop is sponsored by NDI.
During our sessions together we will be diving into the book of Hosea as we examine how the rhythms in our lives impact not only ourselves but also those around us and our relationship with Christ. We will also work together to take a deeper look into what rhythms we desire to establish and get rid of.
Karen Brooks currently resides in Dallas, TX with her husband and serves at a Dallas nonprofit, Reach Council. She earned her Bachelors of Arts from MidAmerica Nazarene University, where she served as Class Chaplain, with a degree in Criminal Justice and minors in Ministry and Legal Studies. Karen is currently preparing for law school and she believes that Lord has called her to do nontraditional ministry and is passionate about advocating for those who are commonly underserved and overlooked.
This workshop is sponsored by NYI.
Rural churches offer unique advantages and difficulties for the minister and congregation. Our time together will give opportunity to hear the thoughts and experiences of one who pastored for 21 years in two different rural churches that thrived and grew. We will look at what the rural church offered to family, congregants and community then and now and look at a few methods that were used to overcome the challenges.
Rev. Terry Armstrong has been the Illinois District Superintendent for the past 2 ½ years. Prior to his move to Illinois, he served as lead pastor and associate – youth pastor in Oklahoma for 38 years. He has served in a variety of roles throughout the denomination including General NYI secretary, SNU and ONU Board of Trustees, and District Advisory Boards in Northwest Oklahoma and Southwest Oklahoma. He also served several years on the Guymon Public School Board. He and his wife, Becky, have four children, all serving people in some form, and 10 grandchildren.
Over the past few years, due to the pandemic, society has had to shift how they carried out most aspects of their lives. This was no different for the church. Many programs and norms that the church (people) has enjoyed for years halted. Church leaders have had to reinvent the new normal. One of the things that halted and shifted was ministry to others. As we move out of the pandemic and refocus on who we are as followers of Christ, we must also take the time to renew our call to serve. This workshop will address why we serve, how we serve and the benefits of serving.
Rev. Phil and Rev. Dr. Denise Anderson Phil is the Executive Director of Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center (CNMC) in Texas. Denise is a volunteer and serves as a Department of Justice representative for the Immigration Center, writes grants, and fills in where she can in other ministries for CNMC. Phil has a Masters in Missional Leadership and a Masters of Divinity from Northwest Nazarene University, and Denise has her Masters and PhD in Social Work as well as Masters in Pastoral Ministry from Northwest Nazarene University. Phil and Denise were in lay ministry until they were called to serve as missionaries in 2003. They have served along with their daughters Makenzie and Morgyn, in Thailand, The Dominican Republic, and South Africa. They feel blessed to serve the Lord and the church with so many different people groups in different world areas. Serving in Cactus brings all of the world areas they have loved into one place. Phil and Denise came to Cactus from Bourbonnais, IL where they both helped plant a church with their daughter and son-in-law.
This workshop is sponsored by NMI.
Carlo Carretto once said, “How baffling you are, oh Church, and yet how I love you! How you have made me suffer, and yet how much I owe you!” Who among us does not love the Church and does not also bear scars at Her hand? In this workshop, we will exercise truth and hope. Truth demands we tell the truth, no matter how painful. Hope forbids us take up cynicism and despair. Come prepared to practice vulnerability.
Rev. Stephanie Lobdell Stephanie Lobdell is a pastor, writer, and speaker passionate about proclaiming the message of Jesus. Stephanie has served as a pastor in the Nazarene church since 2008. She currently serves as the Campus Pastor at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Stephanie is a graduate of both MidAmerica Nazarene University and Nazarene Theological seminary. She is the author of the book Signs of Life: Resurrecting Hope out of Ordinary Losses, and co-author of Lenten Postcards and Sacred Invitations and Belong: Retracing the Way of God’s Embracing Love. Stephanie is married to Tommy Lobdell and they share two children, JoJo and Jack.
Values Conference 2019
The traditional Sunday School approach to discipleship doesn’t seem to be producing the passionate, well-equipped, courageous leaders that the church needs. One of the reasons for this is a failure to understand how people actually grow. Come learn a holistic method of making disciples that will change the way you approach this all-important task.
Rev. Albert Hung is the District Superintendent of the Northern California District Church of the Nazarene. Prior to his current assignment, Albert served as Lead Pastor of Trinity Church, a multi-site, multi-ethnic church serving the English, Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino communities east of Los Angeles, California. He also served as the International Chaplain for Azusa Pacific University, leading chapel services for a global community of students from more than thirty countries. After spending several years in the entertainment business as a stage director, recording artist, and television host, Albert received a call from the Lord to pastoral ministry in 2003 while serving as a missionary in Taipei, Taiwan. He speaks frequently on the topics of preaching, cross-cultural ministry, leadership development, and the future of the church. His published work includes articles for Holiness Today, The Table magazine, and the Reflecting God devotional series.
This workshop will cover the importance of having the elements to feel complete as a person in our world today and how to minister to someone that has experienced high levels of trauma. Tawan will speak out of his own experiences as a young man growing up in East St. Louis and experiencing high levels of trauma himself.
Mr. Tawan Williams is the author of the book Life Stings “The Overcomer” and is a popular youth motivational speaker. He has given hundreds of presentations and has spoken to over 20,000 people in 15 states through leadership conferences, conventions, school assemblies, and other student events. Tawan is the director of a non-profit, serves as the Education Coordinator at Christian Activity Center and works at Scott Air Force Base. While Tawan does love speaking and inspiring, he loves his wife, son and two daughters more. They live in Belleville, Illinois.
Anxiety. Post traumatic stress. Depression. The evidence of psychological and emotional suffering is all around us. The church has the profound ability to offer the healing touch of comfort, safety, and presence to those who suffer, yet mental illness is often overlooked in the Body of Christ, at best, or defined as insufficient faith and labeled as evidence of secret sin, at worst. This presentation will introduce a new model for living out compassion to those who struggle with mental illness, those of us who are already a part of the church and those we are reaching out to in love.
Dr. Todd Bowman, a psychologist and online professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, completed his undergraduate degree at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and his graduate schooling at Oklahoma State University. He lives in Olathe, KS with his wife, Rebekah, and their three boys, Ethan (11), Graham (9), and Titus (5), where the family attends Living Hope Church of the Nazarene. He is the author of Angry Birds and Killer Bees: Talking to your kids about sex, and regularly speaks at churches, conferences and universities on issues of human sexuality, sexual addiction, and mental health. About Todd, Jim Chapman, pastor at O’Fallon New Life Church, says, “Todd is the total package. He is incredibly smart, is the funniest person I know, and his love for Jesus is evident in his work. I really hope I can be like him when I grow up.”
(We apologize, due to technical difficulties, we were unable to record this workshop.)
This workshop will explore the vital connection between our worship practices and our theological identity. What we do in worship, and how we do it, is a significant force in the development of our beliefs about God. The order we follow, the songs we sing, the readings we select, the liturgy we engage in, the media we use, and the prayers we offer all shape particular understandings of God. Is our worship creating a rich understanding of God that is deeply rooted in Scripture and the Christian tradition? Or, is it creating an understanding of God that is shallow and confusing?
Rev. Dr. Scott Dermer serves as the lead pastor of the Webster Groves Church of the Nazarene. He received his Ph.D. in Historical Theology at Saint Louis University. Scott is passionate about preaching and equipping the church to be a missional community that is deeply rooted in the historic Christian faith. He loves running and spending time with his wife and three children.
Rev. Harold F. Lumley Jr. is a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Harold has served 47 years in pastoral ministry, including 13 years as a music minister. Pastor Harold currently holds a position of Registered Evangelist in the Church of the Nazarene.
Diversity is beautiful, and hospitality is essential in cross-cultural ministry. Learn practical steps on how to best engage diverse cultures in your current ministry context.
Rev. Liliana Reza is Campus Pastor and Associate Director of International Ministries at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. Liliana is passionate about cross-cultural ministry and developing opportunities where young adults can engage in holistic service to others. She has served as a missionary for the Church of the Nazarene throughout South America in various ministry capacities. She is a licensed minister in the Church of the Nazarene and nearing ordination.
Storytellers can spread the great news about Jesus from village to village. Songwriters can write masterpieces that praise His faithfulness. Poets can arrange the words into rhyming stanzas that glorify His magnitude. I wish I were a storyteller, a songwriter or a poet. I’m not, but He used me to spread the great news in the Congo.
Dr. Kashama Mulamba was chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages at Olivet Nazarene University from 2011 until 2016. He has teen teaching at the college level, in the Congo and in the United States, since 1974. Dr. Mulamba is a specialist in applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics, and language and culture. He is fluent in English, French, Ciluba and Lingala, and nearly fluent in Swahili and Kisonge. He also reads and translates Latin. Dr. Mulamba is an internationally recognized scholar and has been published in several journals. He has also received several professional honors, awards, and recognitions, including the 2012-2013 Fulbright Award in Research/Teaching. Dr. Mulamba and his wife Madolie have five grown children. The oldest daughter, Godée, lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Gentille, Paty, Nana, and Oeuvre live in the Illinois-Indiana area. Dr. Mulamba has led several mission trips with ONU students to Burkina Faso, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
How do we move people from being passive spectators to active participants in their own spiritual growth? How do we move beyond spoon-feeding people the same truths over and over again to having Bible studies that are full of deep, robust dialogue that lead to tangible life change? How do we go from dispensing information to sparking transformation? In this session, you will learn a dynamic, participant-led approach to group Bible study that empowers ordinary Christians to engage the Scriptures on a deeper level and bring their personal discoveries into the classroom.
Rev. Christine Hung is the Director of Pastoral Development for the Northern California District Church of the Nazarene. In this role, she helps care for and encourage district pastors and their families, develops training days and workshops for the District, curates a list of resources, networks, and conferences that will help pastors be effective in their call, and is an advocate for greater diversity within the pastoral corps. Prior to joining the Northern California District Staff, Christine served as pastor of Trinity Church Rowland Heights Campus, a multi-site, multi-ethnic church in Los Angeles County. She is passionate about discipleship and empowering ordinary people to participate in God’s mission in the world. Christine also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Pastoral Leadership at Nazarene Theological Seminary, is a featured writer on The Foundry Community blog, leads workshops on Bible study, and speaks regularly on diversity, spiritual healing, and empowerment of women.
Scripture is clear that God designed parents of families to take the lead when it comes to the spiritual development/nurture of their children. Sadly, this isn’t a reality for some kids. Ministering to kids who have never set foot in a church before can prove to be an eye opening experience to even seasoned ministry veterans. We will learn how to create a new culture and how to practically minister to kids who are Spiritual Orphans.
Rev. Jill Waltz is an Ordained Elder in the COTN and has been in full time ministry for over twenty years. She currently serves as an evangelist and leadership trainer. Jill obtained her B.S. degree from Olivet as well as her Masters in Church Management. She has authored 3 books and is passionate about challenging life-long Christians to lean into their role in God’s Story. She currently lives in Middletown, IN with her husband and 3 daughters, mini horse, and donkey named Elvis.
The sexualization of the human person is quite evident in modern society. Themes such as power, intensity and significance are brokered through sexuality, and both our relational imaginations and spiritual maturity as a culture have been negatively impacted. Evangelization in our schools, homes, and communities requires that we have a strong sexual ethic that is lived out faithfully; one that is rooted in scripture and evidenced in our daily lives. This presentation will examine a biblical sexual ethic and discuss the reality of God’s design for human sexuality evidenced in physical creation.
Dr. Todd Bowman, a psychologist and online professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, completed his undergraduate degree at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and his graduate schooling at Oklahoma State University. He lives in Olathe, KS with his wife, Rebekah, and their three boys, Ethan (11), Graham (9), and Titus (5), where the family attends Living Hope Church of the Nazarene. He is the author of Angry Birds and Killer Bees: Talking to your kids about sex, and regularly speaks at churches, conferences and universities on issues of human sexuality, sexual addiction, and mental health. About Todd, Jim Chapman, pastor at O’Fallon New Life Church, says, “Todd is the total package. He is incredibly smart, is the funniest person I know, and his love for Jesus is evident in his work. I really hope I can be like him when I grow up.”
This workshop explores the relationship between our Wesleyan-Holiness theological commitments and our ecclesial methodologies and strategies. In other words, it asks the question if our practices are in harmony with our theology, or does our methodology at times undermine our theology?
Rev. Mark R. Quanstrom, Ph.D. is the Dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministry, since June 1, 2015. He is also the Senior Pastor of College Church of the Nazarene, University Avenue, since June 22, 2014. He received a B.A. from Olivet Nazarene University, an M.Div from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Historical Theology, from St. Louis University. He is the author of two books and numerous articles. His doctoral dissertation was published in 2004 by Beacon Hill Press under the title “A Century of Holiness Theology,” which some consider to be one of the publisher’s landmark publications. His second book, “From Grace to Grace,” is an exploration of the call to holiness and was published by Beacon Hill Press in 2011. Prior to coming to Olivet, he was the pastor at First Church of the Nazarene, Belleville, Illinois, for 23 years. During that time, he was an online instructor for Nazarene Bible College; an adjunct professor for European Nazarene College, director of the Illinois District School of Ministry; and served on the Illinois District Advisory Board. From 2009 to 2014, he was the University Campus Pastor of College Church of the Nazarene.
Grief and loss affects each and everyone of us. In this workshop we will seek to examine life lessons and beliefs surrounding grief and loss. In the midst of our own personal journey we will discover personal coping strategies that will enable us to learn effective methods to journey with others through grief and loss.
Rev. Hamish Seegers works as a professional Chaplain with BJC Home Health and Hospice as well as the Washington University Palliative Care Department. Hamish also serves as a Hospice educator in the Missouri Correctional Facilities teaching offenders how to provide hospice care to other offenders in need. He received his B.A. in Religion from Olivet Nazarene University as well as a Masters in Religion, a Master’s in Missional Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University, CPE from Rush University, a Palliative Care Specialty from California State University, and in process for a Masters of Divinity in Chaplaincy from Olivet Nazarene University. Hamish has a vast experience and wisdom serving those who have experienced profound loss and grief throughout his career as a chaplain and bereavement specialist. Hamish is an Ordained Elder with the Church of the Nazarene. He resides in St. Charles with his wife Susan, and two children Clive and Eiranae.
Language varies among social groups (ethnic, socioeconomic, and gender groups) as well as across situations of use. Along with physical appearance and cultural characteristics, language marks its speakers as “insiders” and allows them to identify and exclude “outsiders”. The question then is: Can we bridge the gap between the “insiders” and the “outsiders” in communities that are diverse like in the US?
Dr. Kashama Mulamba was chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages at Olivet Nazarene University from 2011 until 2016. He has teen teaching at the college level, in the Congo and in the United States, since 1974. Dr. Mulamba is a specialist in applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics, and language and culture. He is fluent in English, French, Ciluba and Lingala, and nearly fluent in Swahili and Kisonge. He also reads and translates Latin. Dr. Mulamba is an internationally recognized scholar and has been published in several journals. He has also received several professional honors, awards, and recognitions, including the 2012-2013 Fulbright Award in Research/Teaching. Dr. Mulamba and his wife Madolie have five grown children. The oldest daughter, Godée, lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Gentille, Paty, Nana, and Oeuvre live in the Illinois-Indiana area. Dr. Mulamba has led several mission trips with ONU students to Burkina Faso, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A healthy church is composed of many components. This workshop will focus on relationships and their importance and impact in a local congregation. We will look at ourselves individually, and at our relationship with our pastor and others that attend our church. The time we spend together will be positive, inspirational, and encouraging.
Dr. Michael Palmer serves as the District Superintendent for the Missouri District Church of the Nazarene. Having been a pastor for nearly 20 years and a DS for 13, Mike works extensively with pastors and lay men and women in the church setting. His passion is to “equip God’s people for works of service” in the church. He has a strong desire to see pastors and laity work together and thrive in the local church setting and to see the Kingdom of God be reflected in their ministries.
Fifty percent of the churches in the Church of the Nazarene are in rural areas and small towns. Are you part of a rural/small town church? Does it seem like conferences, training, and resources are always geared toward larger churches in urban and suburban contexts? This workshop is designed specifically for you, the small-town church leader, Sunday school teacher, children’s or youth worker. Come join the round table discussion, share creative ideas, and be inspired by stories of God’s work in and through our small town and rural churches.
Pastor Jason Young is no stranger to the rural and small town church. He has pastored in the rural areas of North and South Dakota, Montana, and Washington State. He has been involved in everything from planting a new church in a town of 900 to pastoring the traditional longtime church in a town of 4000. Jason has experienced bi-vocational ministry, has been involved with farming and ranching, small town volunteer fire departments, coaching sports in the local school, and even politics, serving as an alderman. He currently pastors Hannibal First Church, in Hannibal MO.
‘I have this one student.’ ‘I only have one student.’ ‘How do I recruit volunteers?’ These are just a few of the million things that bounce around in our heads as we endeavor to minister with students in the local church. So we’ve brought together some of our very gifted MO District youth pastors to help you wind your way through the ins and outs of youth ministry where you serve. This session is geared specifically toward adult NYI leaders, but everyone is welcome to attend.
Pastor Richard (aka. PR) has been the Lead Pastor at Sikeston First Church of the Nazarene for the last 3 1/2 years and is currently serving as MO District NYI President. But before he came to our district, he served as a youth pastor for 17 years in Tennessee and Florida. Following God’s call to become a Lead Pastor has not diminished his passionate desire to see students become lifetime disciples of the risen Christ, it just expanded to all age groups. He loves spending time with his family, exercising, and playing just about any sport he’s invited to play.
In order to properly serve & love, we must deal with the elephant in the room. Race!!! More specifically, culture. Cultural differences create barriers that we know often exist but don’t realize why. In the workshop we will look a bit more deeply into how we examine ourselves & our implicit & explicit biases. We will also look at how our perspectives impact how we can engage with communities.
Mr. Jason Watson serves as the Director Of Beyond Jobs at Mission: St. Louis, where he leads a team that is laser-focused on workforce development. Jason has helped to craft a successful program that teaches job training, financial empowerment, & manhood to lead men ages 22-35 toward long-term sustainability. His leadership has garnered notable recognition including being honored by Saint Louis Americans Salute to Young Leaders award for his advocacy, mentoring, and community support, as well as being a Focus St. Louis’s What’s Right With The Region award recipient.
Join us for an exciting session focused on overcoming barriers in cross cultural settings. You will enjoy insights from Rev. Carol Rittenhouse and Dr. Clark and Connie Armstrong as they share their experiences on the mission field. Barriers are everywhere but what does it look like to experience them in a culture that was previously unfamiliar to you? We will also examine how you can more effectively minister to cultures that may look different than your own. Don’t miss this powerful and informative session!
Rev. Carol Rittenhouse is originally from the state of Indiana in the United States. She was a French and Spanish teacher before receiving a call from God to enter the ministry. She received a degree in Romance Languages (French and Spanish) from Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Illinois, USA. Later she completed a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She has been ordained as an Elder in the Church of the Nazarene since 2010. She served as Associate Pastor at Central Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, USA from 2008-2015. Additionally Carol worked in the Global Clergy Development office of the Global Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, USA, from 2007 to 2015. She has served as a Nazarene missionary at the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas (SENDAS) in Costa Rica since July of 2015. Currently she assists Dr. Ruben Fernandez in his responsibilities as Regional Education Coordinator for the Mesoamerica Region and assists in public relations for the seminary. She also coordinates the Christians Academy of Language and Learning (CALL) program and serves as an adjunct professor.
Rev. Clark Armstrong graduated as a Religion major from Olivet Nazarene University in 1976, and from Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1981. Clark and Connie pastored three churches in the Kansas City area until coming to teach at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in the Philippines, September, 2013. Clark had been a professor through the Kansas City District Nazarene Bible College Extension from 1989—2010 while pastoring. In 2010, he received his Doctorate in Education from the University of Kansas. At APNTS, his title is Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries and Christian Education. Clark is also the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. He has recently been named Dean of Students for APNTS.
Mrs. Connie Armstrong‘s career was mainly in the field of Workers’ Compensation for 25 years. She then spent five years as the Administrative Assistant to the President (Hardy Weathers) at Nazarene Publishing House before joining Clark in their appointment as global missionaries on the Asia-Pacific Region. Connie is an assistant to President, Dr. Bruce Oldham, has responsibility for the APNTS website and also is on the Asia Pacific Regional Member Care team, which provides support to the missionary families. Connie and Clark have three grown children and four grandchildren.