Greetings in the Name of the Lord,
Praise God! Good things are happening across the Kansas District. It was great to meet with so many of our district license candidates and the Board of Ministerial Credentials. We had 75 leaders together in Wichita this past Saturday for our annual Ministry Assessment. We had four productive workshops on preaching, developing a discipleship plan, balancing a budget and answering the call. I heard many positives from the day. I want to offer special thanks to those who led our training seminars: Kevin McDonald, Jon Fillipi, Andy Heer and Dr. Randy Cloud. We alsowant to say thank you to “the smoking pastor”, Brent Van Hook, and Shepherd’s Fold for providing our wonderful smoked barbecue lunch.
As we draw near to assembly, I am hearing reports of changed lives and new people coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We remember that Jesus said, “I have come to seek and save the lost.” Luke 19:10. While we look forwardto celebrating the numbers at District Assembly, every number represents a soul that is being discipled and growing in their faith. We also need to be encouraged that Jesus is the one who adds to our numbers those who are being saved. God asks us to be faithful to do what He has asked us to do. He is the one who is drawing all men to Himself as we lift Him up. He is the one who will add to our numbers daily those who are being saved.
George Hunter III has said it this way: “As a church we need to quit measuring our success in terms of conversions and start measuring our success in terms of
conversations.” If we will talk to people, get to know them and look for opportunities to share the love of Christ in word and deed, the conversions will happen. So let’s be faithful to reach people the way Christ reached people.
As we are preparing for our District Assembly, we look forward to the annual pastors’ report. We want to hear your story of faithfulness to the great commission. We want to hear a story ofchanged lives. Or perhaps you can share a ministry or a creative way you are reaching into the community beyond the walls of the church. We look forward to celebrating many of our new works and church plants from across the district.
Also, as we prepare for District Assembly, please help us by being timely with filling out your annual reports. I remind you that we have a new District Secretary this year in Jay Bessmer. It will be helpful if you will get your reports in ASAP so that we will have time to put together the necessary information for budgeting and District Assembly reports. Please don’t wait until the lastminute.
I am pleased to announce that Rev. Matt Lucas will be our new pastor at Woodland Lakes. His first Sunday will be May 29. Please keep the Lucas family and the Smith Center Church in your prayers as they transition from Smith Center to their new assignment in Wichita.
Finally, keep praying for the Lord of the Harvest to send the workers into the ripe harvest field. Luke 10:2
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jim
NMI Update
Kansas District NMI Convention
July 11, 2016 at
Wichita First Church of the Nazarene
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
The annual Kansas District Nazarene Missions International Convention unifies our churches. We come together to be inspired and encouraged - so that each delegate can be a catalyst in their church family as they carry out the Great Commission in their local communities.
Exciting things are being planned for the 2016 Kansas District NMI Convention. Scott Rainey is our special guest speaker. He serves as missionary and field strategy coordinator for the Eurasia Region, in the C.I.S. (Commonwealth of Independent States). He will bring good news of what God is doing in his "neck of the woods"! Scott will speak during the morning session, during the luncheon and close our afternoon session.
HIGHLIGHTS:
· We will be collecting CRISIS CARE KITS, SCHOOL PAL PAKS, JESUS FILM EVANGEHATS and EVANGEBRACELETS. See link below for Care Kit forms.
· As an outreach to the Wichita community, we ask that each Convention attendee bring one can of non-perishable food (medium size - 14-16 oz) - canned vegetables or fruit. What an opportunity to show Christ's love with our neighbors!
· Elections for Kansas delegates for the General Convention in 2017.
· MISSIONS LUNCHEON will begin promptly after our morning session. Lunch will be a delicious Spanish meal complete with fajitas, sides and dessert. Cost is $8/plate, after June 27 cost is $10/plate. To pre-register your church members, please email or U.S. postal mail the total number attending by June 27 to Susan Kurtz, carray@stardrain.com. Send check to Kansas District NMI, 210 First St., Newton, KS 67114. Memo the check: Missions Luncheon
· During the luncheon, we will watch an entertaining "Global Gameshow", featuring local NMI Presidents from across the District!
· A number of afternoon workshops have been designed to educate, train, inspire and motivate each attendee how the Church of the Nazarene is sharing the Gospel in our communities and around the world. Workshop sessions will include training for NMI Presidents, up-to-date information on Work & Witness, World Evangelism Fund and more.
There's exciting news to share, inspiring speakers to hear and encouraging activities in which to take part! Spread the word: NMI Convention is for everyone ~ not just delegates and NMI Presidents! Put it on your calendar. Bring a group from your church. Celebrate what God is doing in our local communities, as well as around the world through Nazarene Missions International.
SDMI Update
Matthew 13:34New Living Translation (NLT)
34 “Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.”
How about that! Jesus never spoke to the crowds without telling them stories. With that in mind, we made an effort to advance the concept of telling Bible stories to our pastors, teachers and small group leaders during this past church year. It’s my greatest hope that a large number of our people will feel confident in telling Bible stories as effortlessly as they can recite children's stories they heard and repeated long before they learned to read.
In ministries to come in this new year ahead of us we are in the process of putting together ideas for three separate ministry efforts. One will be a ministry that will strengthen marriages and families, and by doing that we hope to build stronger churches.
Another idea we discussed is targeted toward helping pastors work from their strengths by using Strength Finder. The biggest challenge in this idea is financing it within our budget.
Finally, perhaps my personal favorite idea is a ministry that will help our local churches develop GREAT Children’s Ministries, including highly motivated workers. This is an ongoing process, but I am hopeful we can make this a reality in many more of our churches.
I highly value your prayers in these three endeavors. Each of them will build a stronger local church andcommunities will benefit from these three endeavors.
God bless you well,
Pastor Tom L. Boese
