Church of the Nazarene

Belgium church plant making impression in secularized community

dlsperry94 — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:44:45 +0000

Belgium church plant making impression in secularized community

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/08/2024 - 15:44

Nazarene News Staff

It’s Sunday evening at a community center in Mechelen, Belgium, and volunteers are laying out tea, juice, and cherry pie. Visitors trickle in, grabbing a chair and a cup of coffee.

As everyone settles, Nici Overduin opens her Bible and reads from the Gospel of John, asking the room a question: “Who are you in this passage?”

While visitors reflect silently, Overduin sings a song and then says a prayer. Next, Pastor Stephan Overduin begins a conversation about the passage. Questions are encouraged as the group digs into the foundational scripture.

Welcome to Holy Club. Volunteers travel 80 kilometers from the Netherlands to the Church of the Nazarene in Breda twice a month — once for a traditional Sunday service in the city center and once to connect on a deeper level through Holy Club.

These are the beginnings of something new for the Church of the Nazarene in Belgium, which became an official world area of the denomination in February.

In 2022, while pastoring the church in Breda, Stephan began asking questions about entering Belgium, a place that had been on his heart and in his prayers. He knew it would require persistence, een lange adem in Dutch, meaning a long breath.

“Reaching the unreached is a very difficult task in Belgium,” Stephan says. “People say it’s like plowing through syrup. You look behind, and nothing happened. You’re in a deeply secular culture.”

Stephan met with district leadership and a Nazarene living in Mechelen to explore the potential of a church plant. Leadership approved, and Stephan next approached the Breda congregation. Immediately, a handful of people stepped forward and committed to join in.

“There was no hesitation,” Stephan recalls of the response. “‘If you’re going to do this, we want to be involved,’ volunteers said.”

In spring 2023, the tiny team launched a trial series of services in Mechelen’s city center, renting space inside a 360-year-old Catholic church. The location is perfectly poised for community interaction, wedged into a street filled with brasseries, optical shops, and an H&M.

“It’s a beautiful location,” Stephan says. “People accidentally walk in when coming to view the church. You can walk right out on the street and talk to people.”

The response has been small but mighty.

“I can’t say we have numbers, but I do feel there is depth,” Stephan says, noting that those who attend services or Holy Club have expressed a genuine curiosity about Jesus and a hunger for getting to know him.

Stephan believes that things are bustling just beneath the surface in the hearts of locals.

“God is busy with all these people in the city,” he says. He prays that the Holy Spirit would continue to work and move “and that we as Christians will be connected to this movement, find the right relationships, and be able to minister and share God.”

Stephan believes visitors view the Holy Club as a space to share their perspectives, a space where they can hold those perspectives up against scripture and discover a fuller picture of who God truly is.

“Be clear that God is at work here,” Stephan says. “Everyone involved feels that there is this longing, the Holy Spirit is at work… We hope that we may be part of some spiritual awakening here. But we do it because God’s Spirit compels us.”

He adds that the road ahead is unclear, but the band of believers knows who to trust for guidance and direction.

“It’s a little bit driving in the mist,” Stephan says. “You don’t know exactly where you’re going, but you follow those lights in front of you. God is the light.”

--Church of the Nazarene Eurasia Region

08 May, 2024

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Eurasia Region

Belgium

PALCON empowers Phillippines-Micronesia Field leaders

dlsperry94 — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:32:34 +0000

PALCON empowers Phillippines-Micronesia Field leaders

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/08/2024 - 15:32

Nazarene News Staff

Over 300 leaders from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao joined the Pastors’ and Laymen Conference (PALCON) 9-11 April 2024, held at Rizal Recreation Center in the Philippines.

One of the conference goals is to ensure that church pastors and leaders will be equipped and aware of issues that need to be addressed. Plenary topics included understanding self and emotions, legal topics specific to the Church of the Nazarene in the Philippines, ministering to the youth in post-modern times, challenging the church to imagine the future of mobilizing NMI in local churches, the launching of Nazarene discipleship curriculum, and empowering the laity as co-workers alongside pastors with the calling in ministering to all.

The participants were also challenged with the revival message from Joven Laroya during the worship services. The message to the congregation encouraged a re-dedication of service and calling to the source of abounding grace and talents, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The delegates were also offered different ministerial workshops that would be beneficial, which included strategies and techniques for confronting workers in these changing times. The topics included ministry to children and youth, chaplaincy ministry, handling church finances, and open space evangelization.

The PALCON worship gathering was closed with Communion conducted by Asia-Pacific Regional Director Mark Louw.

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific

08 May, 2024

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Asia-Pacific Region

Philippines

Venezuela street evangelism impacts barrio

dlsperry94 — Tue, 07 May 2024 21:43:01 +0000

Venezuela street evangelism impacts barrio

dlsperry94 Tue, 05/07/2024 - 21:43

Church of the Nazarene South America Region

El Limón Iglesia del Nazareno carried out street evangelism led by Luis Delgado and the church development ministry, with the support of the Nazarene Youth International (NYI) ministry, among others.

A Christian film called Victors was projected in the covered field of the "Mata Seca" barrio of El Limón in February. The activity had considerable attendance from community residents and children, capturing the attention of 35 children and 28 adults.

The main objective of this activity was for the church to establish a relationship with the surrounding communities and for people to receive teachings and messages from the Lord either through the film or through our church's evangelism team.

The film's central theme and the message the church members shared centered on the importance of forgiveness, what our identity is after knowing Christ, and how important it is to let ourselves be guided by the voice of the heavenly father.

"It was good, sharing with neighbors, friends, and family," said Rey Corona, one of the participants in the activity. "The film leaves many messages of reflection and learning.

We were able to see how important we are to God when we let the Lord be the one who guides our life."

This type of evangelism will continue to be done in the neighborhoods and sectors closest to the church in order to take the church to the streets and evangelize in an audiovisual and interpersonal way once the screening of the videos or films is completed.

“The strategy to reach and capture people’s attention and speak about God’s message of salvation is very good,” said Carlos Simoza, another participant in the event. “Next time, I would like to collaborate with the team in whatever way I can."

--Church of the Nazarene South America Region

07 May, 2024

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South America

Venezuela

Moving Ministers: April 2024

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 21:59:10 +0000

Moving Ministers: April 2024

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 21:59

Nazarene News Staff

Compiled by the General Secretary's Office from district reports, Moving Ministers is a monthly listing of Nazarene ministers in new assignments on the USA/Canada Region.

Roles included in the latest report are pastor, student, and pastoral service. Entries were received in April 2024.

To view the April report, click here.

For previous reports, see usacanadanazarene.org.

02 May, 2024

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Moving Ministers

Virginia church’s versatile pandemic innovations foster broader community

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 21:20:18 +0000

Virginia church’s versatile pandemic innovations foster broader community

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 21:20

Zachary Lee for Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations

In March 2020, Pastor Charles Tillman knew that his church would have to do its Sunday services differently in light of the pandemic, but he didn’t think it would require so much sweat.

Tillman pastors Woodville Church of the Nazarene, located in Richmond, Virginia. His congregation was included in Understanding the Pandemic Impact on Black and Multiracial Congregations, co-authored by Clarvon Watts, a sociologist and postdoctoral research fellow at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The study was part of the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations: Innovation Amidst and Beyond COVID-19 project.

Watts’ report in particular focused on the “similarities and differences between majority-Black, majority-white, and multiracial congregations in how they approached the pandemic and the extent of how they are impacted.” One of the main insights gleaned from the study was in the versatility of worship offerings that majority Black-led congregations offered in comparison to their nonwhite peers.

Woodville Church of the Nazarene exemplified this versatility through an array of in-person and virtual options during the height of the pandemic. For Tillman, this approach was imperative to maintaining a sense of community with his congregation.

First, Sunday services were held in the church’s parking lot. Congregants could drive into the parking lot and participate in the comfort and safety of their air-conditioned cars. This process continued through October, when the church began to slowly phase back into having services in their building.

Tillman’s memories of the outdoor services immediately gravitated toward the hot summer months.

“When I was preaching, it was 90 degrees out there,” he said. “We got a cooler full of water. People sat in their cars and rolled down the windows and listened to the service. There were also a few people who brought chairs and sat on the perimeter of the parking lot as well.”

Tillman recalled how having those outdoor services fostered a stronger community with those who lived in the neighborhood.

“Neighbors came out and sat on the porch and they began listening to our services,” he said.

As much of an ordeal as these services were, he said the congregation appreciated it.

“We’re very vocal in the Black church. I’m accustomed to my congregation talking back to me. When I’m preaching, there’s a lot of back and forth. It’s different than in the Anglo church,” he shared, adding that congregants as well as the new neighbors who joined were grateful for the outdoor services as they offered some semblance of embodied community.

Learning how to foster community for the church’s Wednesday Bible study was a challenge. Prior to the pandemic, the church had no live stream component but soon began conducting Wednesday night Bible studies via Zoom.

“That was new to me,” Tillman said.

The new format required more imagination to keep people engaged.

“Given that many people were calling in on their phone, I didn’t want the study to be a straight lecture,” he said. “I allowed input from the congregation. Throughout the lesson, we interacted more than we had in person and had more of a discussion.”

Tillman braced himself for more pushback from the congregation but found that they were receptive to the new initiatives. The adjustments resulted in shorter services, which Tillman joked was a highlight for the congregation.

“Inside the building, our services would last about two hours but once we did the parking lot we were more in the one hour and 15 (minutes) to one hour and 20-minute range,” he said.

Ultimately, he is excited to see how the church develops in four to five years. The adaptions due to COVID gave them the freedom to imagine how to grow their ministry.

“All these are things that we never would’ve even imagined had we not gone through COVID. So, in that regard, COVID has caused us to be better in terms of how we offer ministry. I see those areas expanding and allowing us to reach more people and be a stronger congregation because of it,” he said.

This story was adapted from a version that was published by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. To read the full story, click here.

02 May, 2024

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USA/Canada

Virginia

In Memoriam: 3 May 2024

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 20:08:36 +0000

In Memoriam: 3 May 2024

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 20:08

Nazarene News Staff

The following is a weekly listing of Nazarene ministers and leaders who recently went home to be with the Lord. Notices were received 29 April - 3 May 2024.

Philip Amburgey, 71, of London, Ohio, passed away 24 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served at Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Marie Amburgey.

F. Pat Bozeman, 85, of Newton, Texas, passed away 25 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Texas and Indiana. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie Bozeman, who passed away in 2017.

Marla Carlton, 85, of Canyon City, Oregon, passed away 22 April 2024. She was a retired minister who served in Washington and Oregon. She is survived by her husband, Earl Carlton Jr., whom she served alongside.

Sharon Casey, 79, of Lakeland, Florida, passed away 29 April 2024. She was the wife of T. Daniel Casey, a retired minister who served in Georgia, Nebraska, and Arkansas.

Robert Dean, 76, of Charleston, West Virginia, passed away 29 April 2024. He was the pastor of Rand Bethel Church of the Nazarene in West Virginia since 1986. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Dean. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet Dean, who passed away in 1999.

Carl Gilmore, 83, of Anderson, Indiana, passed away 27 April 2024. He was a retired minister who served in Indiana. He is survived by his wife, Lois Gilmore.

Ruthelma Hunter, 78, of Norman, Oklahoma, passed away 29 April 2024. She was the wife of Eliot Hunter, a retired minister who served in Oregon, California, and Oklahoma.

Edith Johnson, 93, of New Castle, Indiana, passed away 30 April 2024. She was the widow of Garland Johnson, a retired minister who served in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Indiana.

Syble Laws, 93, of Nampa, Idaho, passed away 27 April 2024. She was the widow of Delbert Laws, a retired minister who served in Washington, Idaho, California, and Oregon. Delbert passed away in 2013.

Edward Ray Savage, 88, of Sparta, Tennessee, passed away 25 April 2024. He is a retired minister who served in Kentucky, Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Savage, who passed away in 2018.

William Donald Whatley, 75, of East Point, Georgia, passed away 26 April 2024. He was a minister serving at East Point Church of the Nazarene. He is survived by his wife, Christine Whatley.

Note: Please join us in prayer for the families who have lost loved ones. Click on names for full stories, funeral information, local online obituaries, and/or guest books (if available). To submit an entry of a minister or church leader, send to news@nazarene.org.

--Compiled by Nazarene News

02 May, 2024

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Hugo Archila Arriaza appointed superintendent of Ecuador Costa District

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 19:57:27 +0000

Hugo Archila Arriaza appointed superintendent of Ecuador Costa District

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 19:57

South America Region Church of the Nazarene

Hugo Archila Arriaza was appointed district superintendent of the Ecuador Costa District. He currently pastors Pancho Jacome Iglesia del Nazareno in Guyaquil.

Archila’s appointment was effective 20 March 2024. He was ordained a minister on 27 March 2010.

His ministry experience spans diverse fields, including pastoring, teaching, church planting, and chaplaincy. Through his work as a chaplain, he has collaborated with state and private educational institutions in Guayaquil, imparting a prevention message on the consumption of controlled substances and alcohol.

He has led the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries for the Ecuador Costa District and is the current national leader of the NCM.

In addition to his ministerial training at the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas (SENDAS), he has carried out secular studies at the Faculty of Jurisprudence, Social and Political Sciences of the University of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Hugo and his wife, Carmen, have two daughters and currently reside in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

02 May, 2024

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GMC Announcements

Africa Region brings the gospel to camelback

dlsperry94 — Thu, 02 May 2024 14:42:01 +0000

Africa Region brings the gospel to camelback

dlsperry94 Thu, 05/02/2024 - 14:42

Africa Region Church of the Nazarene

There are vast stretches of land in Africa where people make their living through camel herding. These nomadic people travel with their herds for grazing and water. They often cross borders with no regard for modern political states. While some romanticize this lifestyle as free and easy, nomadic people groups are classified as some of the most unreached people groups.

Traditionally, it has been challenging to evangelize and establish churches within a people group that is never in the same place for more than a few weeks. The hardships of this lifestyle have prevented many would-be evangelists or missionaries from reaching these groups.

But God gifted the leadership of the Church of the Nazarene with the wisdom to develop a strategy for reaching these nomads with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This strategy came from a missionary's conversation with a nomad in the 1980s.

The missionary asked the nomad, "What would it take for you to become a follower of Jesus?"

The nomad replied, "When you can put your church on the back of my camel, I will consider becoming a Christian."

And that is what evangelists have done—put the church on camelback. Through this strategy, a team of two evangelists share the responsibility for a small herd of camels owned by the Church of the Nazarene. These evangelists themselves come from a nomadic background. They take turns traveling with the nomads in larger groups and sharing the words of Jesus with individuals in the group.

The one-on-one evangelism in the nomad's context has been highly effective, and many nomads are coming to the Lord. This strategy also works well for discipleship. The Church of the Nazarene now has several teams working among the nomads, with plans to develop more teams as resources become available.

-- Church of the Nazarene Africa Region

02 May, 2024

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Africa

Missions

Camelback

Mexico church welcomes new believers thanks to Easter service

dlsperry94 — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:42:07 +0000

Mexico church welcomes new believers thanks to Easter service

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/01/2024 - 20:42

Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica Region

During this past Holy Week, Etla Church of the Nazarene in Mexico experienced an intentional time of seeking the Lord through different activities. Many community members gathered in increasing numbers, culminating in an Easter Sunday celebration where 400 people attended.

The activities began on Wednesday with a night of praise to celebrate God’s great love.

On Thursday, the church gathered for a time of fasting and prayer. Later, they shared a time of refreshment and fellowship. In the evening, they celebrated the Lord’s Supper and remembered the events of Maundy Thursday. Many took up the challenge to live a life of gratitude to Jesus for his sacrifice in obedience to the Father.

On Good Friday evening, the church gathered to hear the Word of God and pray for those physically and emotionally sick.

“We faithfully believe that the power (of God) was present,” said Daniela Santiago, a member of the pastoral team of the Etla Church of the Nazarene.

On Saturday morning, they gathered for ministry and prayer.

“We experienced the Lord in an incredible way and left full of him,” Santiago said.

On Easter Sunday at 5 a.m., more than 400 people celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Josué Barrera, the pastor of the church, shared a message from the Bible.

One entire family gave their lives to Jesus. The Easter service was the first time that they had attended a church. They saw the event announcements on social media and decided to attend.

“It was noteworthy that many people who had not visited our church joined this special celebration,” Santiago said. “It was a celebration full of joy, happiness, thankfulness, and hope. We celebrate that Christ lives, that he conquered death, and that we are free, forgiven, redeemed, and transformed into a new creature through him.”

--Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica Region

01 May, 2024

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Mesoamerica Region

Mexico

Darren Reed elected superintendent of Sacramento District

dlsperry94 — Wed, 01 May 2024 20:40:29 +0000

Darren Reed elected superintendent of Sacramento District

dlsperry94 Wed, 05/01/2024 - 20:40

Nazarene News Staff

Darren Reed was elected superintendent of the Sacramento District in California on 26 April 2024. He is currently the pastor of Denver One Hope Church of the Nazarene.

“It is an honor to join the Sacramento District team in this capacity to partner with all the great pastors and churches in the ongoing effort to lead people to Jesus and become a transformational influence in their communities,“ Reed said. “While the road ahead of us doesn’t look like the road behind us, I look forward to what the Lord has in store for our district family in his good future.”

Reed’s assignment will be effective 26 May 2024. He will replace Steven Scott, who has served as superintendent of the Sacramento District since 2006.

Reed served on staff at Orlando Restoration Church of the Nazarene briefly before pastoring Oklahoma City R.O.C. Church of the Nazarene from 1999 to 2003. He then served at Windward Church of the Nazarene in Hawaii from 2003 to 2009 before moving to California and pastoring at Tehachapi Church of the Nazarene from 2009 to 2015 and Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene in Bakersfield from 2015 to 2020. He has served as pastor of Denver One Hope Church of the Nazarene since January of 2020.

Reed earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Point Loma Nazarene University in 1994.

He and his wife, Julie, have six children and currently reside in Englewood, Colorado.

01 May, 2024

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USA/Canada

California