Dear NEO family,

I trust you have been enjoying a wonderful Advent season! I have had the privilege of connecting with several of our churches and even more of our pastors this month. I am thrilled with the way our churches are helping move people into worship and acts of compassion during this season.

Of course, these are not just seasonal emphases for the Church of the Nazarene. I have been rereading Timothy Smith’s book, Called unto Holiness, this week (getting ready to teach History and Polity in the Oklahoma School of Ministry). Writing of the chief characteristics of the early Nazarenes, Smith highlights the democratic government, the joyously free worship, the brief creed with the doctrine of perfect love central and liberty on non-essentials. On pages 113 - 114, Smith says “the chief aim of the church was to preach holiness to the poor.” The first stationery bore at its head the scripture verse, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” The first Manual announced the church’s determination to win the lost “through the agency of city missions, evangelistic services, house-to-house visitation, caring for the poor, comforting the dying.” The founders declared themselves convinced that their mission was “to go into the poorer parts of the cities and into neglected places and by the power of the Holy Ghost create centers of fire.” I see a renewed passion to carry out the vision of our founders in this generation and I rejoice!

I also read Sticky Church by Larry Osborne this past week. In Sticky Church, Larry Osborne shares proven strategies for doing what every church wants to do – close the back door and keep it shut. The key component of his strategy is a unique approach to sermon-based small groups. This is an ideal book for church leaders who want to start or retool their small group ministry – and Velcro their congregation to the Bible and each other. Anyone interested in a book study session in January?

I love to share pictures from my visits to churches. I hope you will open the links below to see a glimpse into a few of the NEO churches. The pictures from Tahlequah hi-light some of the hard work this church put into the Centennial Celebration in October.

South County Community Church, Dec. 14, 2008
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTGVg

Hominy Church, Dec. 7, 2008
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTG_A

Talleys in Concert, Claremore Church, Dec. 14, 2008 http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTGmg

Tahlequah, Centennial Celebration, Oct. 4, 2008
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTHAg

Pastor Brad Farnsworth, NewStart pastor of Connection Church, has been getting some great free press recently. He was recently featured in Tulsa People Magazine and on the website of the BA Ledger (It’s actually a video. Just click on the link and scroll down to “2008 Year In Review Part III.” http://www.baledger.com/news/ )

Owasso Silver Creek sures knows how to get some attention in December. In December,2007 they had a fire in their sanctuary (a misunderstanding of Bresee’s concept of “centers of fire”). This week they had a baptismal pipe break and flooded the sanctuary. The restoration company removed 1500 gallons of water from the building. In December, 2009, watch out for a mighty wind in Owasso (the youth from Silver Creek really got into the NYC theme- Water, Fire, Wind, I guess).

I will send my personal Christmas greetings in a few days. May you continue to experience the presence of our Lord and saviour, and with His presence, His gifts of peace, hope, joy and love.

Dave McKellips