Compassion as Co-mission: Friendship through Compassionate Community | Rev. Brett Smith

Jesus has called us friends.  In fact, he makes a really big deal about that in Scripture.  And yet… in the church we don’t seem to recognize friendship as a fundamental model for how to do ministry.  This workshop seeks to renew the commitment to authentic friendship as fundamental to how we preach salvation, do ministry, and model the church.

Pastors Brett & Tara Smith have been in ministry for 20 years in various capacities, and have served churches in Arizona, California, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, and Papua New Guinea. They have two great teenagers, Miles and Macey.  Tara loves playing games, reading, and generally engaging in shenanigans and hijinks.  Brett’s favorite place to be is outside in the woods or on a mountain, but preferably both.  Together, they love serving the church through the lens that Jesus offered:  as the people of God, we are to become genuine friends to one another, caring in ways that can’t help but overflow into the lives of our neighbors.  This culture of hospitality creates disciples of boundless love who reach into every corner of the world.

The Blessing – of Discipling Children | Ms. Kalyn Vogelmann

The whole Church carries the Blessing of discipling children.  Can we stand out — for Good at home, school, and in our community of faith? Yes!

There’s no denying the world is vastly different than the way we grew up,, but we are not without hope.  We need each other as our children face a culture desperately trying to influence them down an unhealthy path regarding their faith and identity.

Teaching children Christian values that encourage and equip them to stand up and stand out as uniquely different and divinely called in today’s world is the calling of all Christians.  Parents and local church leaders, let’s gather and discuss how we can intentionally equip, encourage, and spiritually invest in our children, so they stand out for Good in the world around them.

(Sponsored by NDI)

Ms. Kalyn Vogelmann resides in West Chester, OH (suburb of Cincinnati).  She attended Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and majored in Elementary Education.  It was there where she met her husband Robb and, upon graduation, began fulfilling her call as a first-grade teacher.  They have four children, Claire 21-a junior at MVNU, Robby 20-a sophomore at MVNU, Andy 17, and Abby 13.

Currently, Kalyn serves as the volunteer leader for the Southwest Ohio District Women’s Discipleship Ministry called THRiVE.  Kalyn is also the director for Nazarene Women’s Discipleship & Ministry for NDI in USA/Canada. She has led women’s conferences in Haiti & Guatamala, speaks at various retreats, and serves as the junior high girl’s connection group leader on Sunday mornings at her church.  Kalyn and her husband also facilitate a small group in the home for friends in their community. Over the last several years in these lay ministry roles, she has sensed God calling her to more ministry. In May 2023 she will graduate with a Masters of Divinity in Missional Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University.

Kalyn desires all women to THRiVE in their journey with the Lord and to share with them the ‘secret’ to thriving. “And the secret is this: Chfrist in you, the hope of Glory.” Colossians 1:27

The Mission Is An Invitation To Be Storytellers | Rev. Brad Cluff

How do I fit into the mission of God and spreading his Word?  What do I have to offer? I wasn’t called to preach, how could God possibly use me? Come discover how you too play a vital role in the mission of God where you are and exactly how you are today.

(Sponsored by NYI)

Brad Cluff  is the Youth and College Age Pastor at Connection Pointe Church of the Nazarene in Lincoln, Nebraska.  He and his wife, Karlie, have been married for five years and have a Siberian Husky named Luka.  Brad is passionate about building God’s Kingdom and raising up the next generation of leaders.  In his free time he enjoys watching and playing sports, especially basketball and golf.

Revitalizing Your Church Through Cultural Re-Narration | Rev. Jason Hill

Every congregation has a unique culture that is embedded in its core values and embodied through habitual actions. Some of these values and behaviors are healthy, biblical, and life-giving. Some are not. By carefully listening to and observing a congregation’s language and loves, pastors and leaders can cooperatively re-narrate a congregation’s story with God and co-author a revitalizing future.

Rev. Jason Hill has been the senior pastor of Cape Church of the Nazarene for the past 13 years and has served in pastoral ministry for 23 years.  Jason is currently finishing a Doctor of Ministry at Nazarene Theological Seminary with an emphasis on transformational discipleship in the small church. Jason currently serves the Missouri District on the Advisory Board, Credentials Board, and the Values Conference Team. He has been the Missouri District Clergy Representative to the Board of Trustees of MidAmerica Nazarene University since 2021. Jason and his wife, Jessica, have two kids – Jacob (19) and Caitlin (16). In his free time, he writes columns on the St. Louis Cardinals for Viva El Birdos.

Mission, Partnerships, and You | Rev. Stephen Sickle

We will look at how we can approach missions as equitable partners, learners, and teamwork.  We will also share a sneak peek at what is new and where Work & Witness is going for the next 50 years!

(Sponsored by NMI)

Stephen and Anne Sickle have served with Global Missions in the Church of the Nazarene since 2009.  They started the adventure on the Mesoamerica Region as Work and Witness coordinators, living first in Costa Rica and then in Mexico.  They returned to the USA in 2019 to join the Global Missions team at the Global Ministry Center.  Now Stephen is the Work and Witness and Partnerships coordinator while Anne serves in the Global Missions Administration.

The Sickels have seen firsthand how God uses his beautiful Church to save a hurting world.  It has has been their joy and privilege to have a small part in mobilizing Nazarenes from many cultures and backgrounds to serve their God shoulder to shoulder.

The Sickel crew includes three ornery kids: Micah (10), Elizabeth (8), and Levi (8). They spend a lot of their time together, reading, fishing, making s’mores, and discussing weather, planes, and princesses.

Preparing for the Future: Finding Resources for Your Ministry Today and Tomorrow | Dr. Mark Lail

This workshop will equip ministry leaders with how to prepare for the future using planned giving. Churches, schools, and other organizations often overlook ways of giving that can create sustainable structure. An entire generation of faithful Nazarenes will pass away in the coming decade, and they want to invest their resources in the Church. In this workshop, you’ll explore new ways to fund the future of your church’s ministry.

Mark Lail, President of the Church of the Nazarene Foundation, has served at the Nazarene Foundation since March 2012. He previously served as the Director of Stewardship Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene, Inc. He is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Nazarene Theological Seminary and also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. Mark also served as a pastor for over 22 years, leading Nazarene churches in New York and Ohio. Under Mark’s leadership the Foundation stewards over $140 million in assets and distributes over $10 million to ministry every year. Mark and his wife Ruth live in Ottawa, Kansas, and have five daughters and six grandchildren.

Relational Evangelism: How to Talk About Jesus Without Being Weird | Rev. Tara Smith

Contemporary models for evangelism most churches use come to us from Baptist and Non-denominational churches.  But what if the Church of the Nazarene is being called to offer a unique mode of evangelism that flows naturally from our theology of prevenient grace?  This workshop teaches a distinctly Wesleyan model of evangelism in which love is both the strategy and the goal.

Pastor Brett and Tara have been in ministry for 20 years in various capacities, and have served churches in Arizona, California, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, and Papua New Guinea. They have two great teenagers, Miles and Macey.  Tara loves playing games, reading, and generally engaging in shenanigans and hijinks.  Brett’s favorite place to be is outside in the woods or on a mountain, but preferably both.  Together, they love serving the church through the lens that Jesus offered:  as the people of God, we are to become genuine friends to one another, caring in ways that can’t help but overflow into the lives of our neighbors.  This culture of hospitality creates disciples of boundless love who reach into every corner of the world.

Principles on Creating a Church-Wide Culture of Discipleship | Rev. Michael Downs

In this workshop we will talk about modern day hurdles to discipleship and how the Spark Discipleship Process has worked to help churches create paths to overcome many of those obstacles. Several churches of various sizes have implemented Spark successfully over the last decade and are seeing a fresh movement of discipleship in their local setting.

(Sponsored by NDI)

Rev. Michael Downs 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.

What Story Do I Tell? | Rev. Brad Cluff

Discover how your life experiences are relevant and useful to the mission of God. Each experience in our life can and will be used by God to reach others. Dive into the ways that God has worked in your life and how expressing this to others is important.  Develop your personal testimony story.

(Sponsored by NYI)

Brad Cluff  is the Youth and College Age Pastor at Connection Pointe Church of the Nazarene in Lincoln, Nebraska.  He and his wife, Karlie, have been married for five years and have a Siberian Husky named Luka.  Brad is passionate about building God’s Kingdom and raising up the next generation of leaders.  In his free time he enjoys watching and playing sports, especially basketball and golf.

What Giant Stone is Standing in Your Way? | Ms. Pam Harris

In times of uncertainty, we need to understand the power and value of leverage. How do we mobilize people of faith to do his will? Partner with schools differently, partner with people differently, and partner with our communities differently. What are those small actions that will yield great results? A single seed can multiply and bring forth fruit, so the question is, “What giant stone is standing in your way?” In this workshop, participants will learn the value and importance of leverage and how to apply it to your life and ministry areas.

Ms. Pam Harris is a champion for God’s Kingdom. She believes in the power of encouragement and believes that everyone was created for God’s purpose.

She is a consultant with the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative which is a 15-month leadership initiative that equips Urban Youth Leaders with state-of-the-art faith-based leadership training. She is a City Liaison and Coach. She currently serves on the Board of UniteKC, a racial healing and racial reconciliation movement that seeks to bring unity to the Greater Metropolitan area of Kansas City.

She has spoken and facilitated on a variety of different platforms including national women’s conferences, minister wives conferences, lady day programs and women’s leadership programs.  She loves uplifting, inspiring and encouraging the people of God to be the best they can be for the glory of God.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree from Avila University, a college advising certification, and most recently received a Certified Public Manager certification. She hopes to one day pursue a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership and Management to better serve her church and greater community.

She is the wife of Dr. Artrell Harris, minister of the Roswell Church in Kansas City, KS, and together they have one daughter. Pam is passionate about the community and helping individuals achieve spiritual and emotional wholeness and wellness. Both in word and deed, she pushes individuals to be naturally and spiritually healthy and inspires them to fulfill the call that God has on their lives.

Pam’s favorite saying is simple: Your LIFE has Impact, Your STORY is Important, Your DREAMS Count, Your VOICE Matters because you were born to make a difference and impact the world for the cause of Christ.

Ministering to Victims of Domestic Violence Inside and Outside the Church |  Jessica Hill

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.

(Sponsored by NMI)

Jessica Hill is the Executive Director of the Safe House of Southeast Missouri, a non-profit domestic violence services agency located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  She is also a member of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence Board of Directors.  Since joining the Missouri District in 2010, she has served as the chair of the District Women’s Council and as secretary of the SDMI (now NDI) Council.  Jessica has a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and a master’s degree in non-profit management from Oral Roberts University.  She and her husband Jason, who is Senior Pastor of Cape Church of the Nazarene, have two children: Jacob and Caitlin.

The Untapped Resource of Non-Cash Giving | Dr. Mark Lail

Worship is all about presenting our gifts to the Lord, the very best of our possessions. When it comes to giving in the local church, many generous Nazarenes miss out on the creative ways that they can offer their resources back to the Lord. Learn how your ministry can receive non‐cash gifts such as stock, real estate, cybercurrency, collectibles,  businesses, precious metals and gifts from retirement accounts.

Mark Lail, President of the Church of the Nazarene Foundation, has served at the Nazarene Foundation since March 2012. He previously served as the Director of Stewardship Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene, Inc. He is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Nazarene Theological Seminary and also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. Mark also served as a pastor for over 22 years, leading Nazarene churches in New York and Ohio. Under Mark’s leadership the Foundation stewards over $140 million in assets and distributes over $10 million to ministry every year. Mark and his wife Ruth live in Ottawa, Kansas, and have five daughters and six grandchildren.

Worship Center | Dr. Mike Palmer

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.

Protecting the flock while fulfilling the Great Commission: Emergency Preparedness for Churches | Mr. Jeffrey R. Shephard

The world that we are called to love and serve in Christ is a lot different than in the past.  As much as we don’t want to think about the need for a conversation and action plan for creating security and emergency preparedness in our local church, our church family, members and guests are trusting that we have one.  Join us for this workshop as Jeff shares with us the things that we need to be talking about as we seek to develop or enhance our own security and emergency team in the local church.  Q&A to follow.

(Sponsored by NDI)

Jeffrey R. Shephard (Jeff) is the owner of Security Preparedness Solutions, LLC and also works as a Compliance, Security, Risk Area Manager for Google.  Jeff previously served as Director of Corporate Security for Walmart Stores, Inc. He has assisted both Walmart and Google with the development and implementation of their threat, vulnerability and risk assessment programs.

Jeff has served as a security subject matter expert for the Texas A & M University, Texas Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) and Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) where he assisted with the development and implementation of private sector security and risk assessment courses that are taught around the world.

Jeff is a United States Air Force (USAF) veteran and served as a Security Police Specialist.  He was deployed to Panama and worked with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations during this deployment.  Jeff also deployed to the Middle East serving in both Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Jeff holds certifications in Homeland Security, Interview and Interrogation and Advanced Interview and Interrogation Techniques and is a Certified Protection Officer.  He is also an OSHA, TASER, C.E.R.T. and PPCT Defensive Tactics Instructor.

Jeff has been assisting places of worship with their safety and security needs since 1991 and currently serves as the volunteer Director of Safety at his church.

How To Become a Storyteller  | Rev. Brad Cluff

So, I have a story, but what do I say?  How do I tell it?  I’m so shy!  I’ve never done this before.  Come practice compiling and sharing your story to become a stronger witness for the Lord. Gain confidence in knowing what to say and how to reach others for the Lord.

(Sponsored by NYI)

Brad Cluff  is the Youth and College Age Pastor at Connection Pointe Church of the Nazarene in Lincoln, Nebraska.  He and his wife, Karlie, have been married for five years and have a Siberian Husky named Luka.  Brad is passionate about building God’s Kingdom and raising up the next generation of leaders.  In his free time he enjoys watching and playing sports, especially basketball and golf.

Roundtable: Worship as Formation and Mission | Rev. Jason Hill, Facilitator

The church’s gathered worship service, when constructed with intentionality, can be an encounter of grace in faith that forms participants in discipleship and empowers them for mission in their communities. This roundtable conversation will feature pastors, worship leaders, and lay leaders from across the district and will cover topics like corporate prayer and scripture reading, preaching and sermon planning, music and organizing music teams, administering the sacraments, and more!

Rev. Jason Hill has been the senior pastor of Cape Church of the Nazarene for the past 13 years and has served in pastoral ministry for 23 years.  Jason is currently finishing a Doctor of Ministry at Nazarene Theological Seminary with an emphasis on transformational discipleship in the small church. Jason currently serves the Missouri District on the Advisory Board, Credentials Board, and the Values Conference Team. He has been the Missouri District Clergy Representative to the Board of Trustees of MidAmerica Nazarene University since 2021. Jason and his wife, Jessica, have two kids – Jacob (19) and Caitlin (16). In his free time, he writes columns on the St. Louis Cardinals for Viva El Birdos.

Prepare the Way: JESUS Film Harvest Partners | Rev. Daniel Herrera

Learn about JESUS Film Harvest Partners’ role in the Church of the Nazarene’s efforts in Evangelism, Discipleship and Church Planting and how you can get involved and help prepare the way alongside more than 5,000 Nazarene evangelists.

(Sponsored by NMI)

Daniel was born in San Jose, Costa Rica. He spent his childhood in Costa Rica, Mexico City, Mexico, and South Carolina, Unites States, and his family settled in Mexico for his teenage years.  It was there that he met his future wife, Julie. Daniel and Julie were married in 2009 and began residing in Oklahoma City.  The following year, Daniel began to work as a volunteer with the Evangelism and JESUS Film ministry in the Mesoamerica Region.  In 2012 God opened the doors for Daniel to serve as a missionary for the Church of the Nazarene assigned to the JESUS Film Harvest Partners global office in Olathe, Kansas.  For the past 10 years, he has helped to facilitate the work of over 1,190 teams of nationals around the world who work to share God’s love with the lost.  Daniel and Julie have three children: Abigail (6) and Samuel (2).

Five Offerings You Never Thought to Ask For | Dr. Mark Lail

Gifts you would never consider could provide a sustainable future for your church’s ministry. Learn why it’s spiritually important and practical to ask for out-of-the-ordinary gifts from your congregation, as well as how the Nazarene Foundation can help you receive these gifts for ministry. Learn how to ask for legacy gifts and tap into available services through the Church of the Nazarene Foundation.

Mark Lail, President of the Church of the Nazarene Foundation, has served at the Nazarene Foundation since March 2012. He previously served as the Director of Stewardship Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene, Inc. He is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Nazarene Theological Seminary and also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. Mark also served as a pastor for over 22 years, leading Nazarene churches in New York and Ohio. Under Mark’s leadership the Foundation stewards over $140 million in assets and distributes over $10 million to ministry every year. Mark and his wife Ruth live in Ottawa, Kansas, and have five daughters and six grandchildren.