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Oklahoma OUTLOOK FALL 2026
VITAL SIGNS
It’s Time For A Spiritual Checkup okag.org | 1
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2 | OKAG Network
Table of
CONTENTS 2027 Event Calendar 4 From Our Pastor 8 Who We Are 10 Living With a Full Tank 14
Oklahoma Outlook
The Oklahoma Outlook is published by the Oklahoma Assemblies of God Network. Publisher: Dr. Darryl Wootton Editor: Phil Taylor Designers: Jayson Evans, Chris Ainsworth, Mollie Defibaugh Contributors: Dr. Darryl Wootton, Gary Davidson, Glen Ryswyk, Dr. Charles Kinman, Dr. Kelly Goins, Jayson Evans Advertising: For advertising inquiries, email outlook@okag.org. www.okag.org
Grace in the Belly of the Whale 18
©2026 Oklahoma Assemblies of God Network
Psalm 46: And Why It is Necessary 24
AI Disclosure: AI-assisted tools were used in research, adaptation, and creation of certain content in this publication.
Recognizing and Releasing Leaders 30 Mission Focus 36
okag.org | 3
2027 CALENDAR January
OSOM – Locations 1,2,3 January 2 Hispanic School of Ministry January 2 JBQ League Meet #3 January 9 OSOM – Locations 4,5 January 9 OKAG Women Sectional LIFE Rallies January 15 Speed The Light One Night January 17 New People Party January 21 ACMR Deadline January 31
February
OSOM – Locations 1, 2,3 Hispanic School of Ministry JBQ League Meet #4 Frontier Day #1 (Boys Min) OSOM – Locations 4,5 NextGen Conference OKAG JBQ Finals Camp Refresh Day
March
February 6 February 6 February 6 February 6 February 13 February 19-20 February 27-28 February 27
March 5 Global Worker Retreat March 5-6 Fun Arts March 6 OSOM – Locations 1, 2,3 March 6 Hispanic School of Ministry March 6 OSOM – Locations 4,5 March 13 Network Resolutions Submissions Deadline
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April
Fine Arts Festival OSOM – Locations 1,2,3 Hispanic School of Ministry OSOM – Locations 4,5 Boys Min Derby Race Better Together Conference South Central JBQ Regionals Thrive Men’s Conference
May
OSOM – Locations 1, 2,3 Hispanic School of Ministry NextGen Prayer Walk National Day of Prayer OSOM – Locations 4,5 Youth Camp Work Week Youth Camp #1 Youth Camp #2 Youth Camp #3
April 2-3 April 3 April 3 April 10 April 10 April 18-20 April 23-24 April 30-May 1
May 1 May 1 May 4 May 6 May 8 May 17-21 May 23-26 May 26-29 May 31-June 4
June
Youth Camp #4 June 7-11 JBQ Nationals June 10-12 Youth Camp #5 June 14-18 Youth Camp #6 June 21-25 SaveOne Training Day June 26 Middle School Camp June 29-July 2
July
Kids Camp #1 Kids Camp #2 Kids Camp #3
July 5-9 July 11-14 July 14-17
August
General Council & National Fine Arts August 2-6 Boys Min Adventure Camp August 7 Girls Ministries Celebration August 14 New People Party August 19 Called Rally August 20-21
September
OSOM – All Locations September 4 PK Retreat September 4-6 Daughters Conference September 10-11 Sacred Assembly September 12 Foster Family Camp September 17-19 Thrive Challenge Day September 25
October
Pastor Appreciation Month
Certified and Licensed Credential Apps Due
OSOM – Locations 1,2,3 Hispanic School of Ministry OSOM – Locations 4,5 Renew Network Retreat Youth Fest #1 Youth Fest #2
November
Global Worker Appreciation Month Ordination Level Credential Apps Due NextGen Youth Pastor Gathering OSOM – Locations 1,2,3 Hispanic School of Ministry Frontier Day #2 (Boys Min) Light for the Lost Night Made for This OSOM – Locations 4,5
December
Evangelist Appreciation Month OSOM – Locations 1,2,3 Hispanic School of Ministry Senior Heritage Christmas OSOM – Locations 4,5 OKAG Faith Promises Due Ministerial Credentials Renewal Deadline
October 1-31 October 1 October 2 October 2 October 9 October 11-13 October 15-16 October 22-23*
November 1-30 November 1 November 6 November 6 November 6 November 6 November 7 November 13 November 13
December 1-31 December 4 December 4 December 4 December 11 December 15 December 31
*If Necessary Dates, Locations, and Times are Subject to Change. okag.org/events okag.org | 5
new graduate level
Credit for prior learning Earn credit. Save money. Save time. Your experience, your life, your credit.
This program recognizes college-level learning gained through your professional, ministry and life experiences. Students can receive college credit for their Ministerial credential status or Teacher Education experience.
F earn up to 9 hours of graduate credit as an Assemblies of God credentialed minister F Students seeking alternative Certification can petition up to 6 credit hours F Save over $5,000 in tuition through CPL
Learn more at nelson.edu/cpl Waxahachie, Texas --------------- nelson.edu ---------------
6 | OKAG Network
okag.org | 7
From Our Pastor
YOUR SOUL’S Annual Report The end of the year can turn ministers into accountants. We start anticipating our church’s annual report, so we start counting baptisms, giving, Christmas services, and even the number of potlucks where someone brought the same mysterious casserole. We can tell you whether the budget is balanced. But the most important question rarely appears on a year-end report: How is my soul? 8 | OKAG Network
It is possible to finish a productive year with a depleted spirit. We can preach peace while living on caffeine and calendar alerts. We can care for everyone else while ignoring our own warning lights. Before you build next year’s ministry plan, take an honest spiritual checkup. Invite the Holy Spirit to examine the person beneath the title. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23–24 NLT). Notice that David did not hand God a list of people who needed fixing. That is an impressive level of restraint for a leader. David knew his focus should be on God, adjusting his soul.
Would you be willing to create an annual report for your soul? How are you doing on the basics? In Shh! Leading with Quiet in a World of Loud, I describe four gateways that help keep my soul connected to God: daily devotion, weekly worship, monthly mission, and annual assessment. Daily Scripture and prayer give God the first word before my inbox tries to have all the other words of the day. Weekly worship reminds me that I am a worshiper before I am a leader. That can be surprisingly hard when I am mentally adjusting the sound mix and wondering if my missing members are at the new church start-up down the road. Monthly mission means doing something kind in secret, with no photo, post, or humblebrag beginning, “I normally never share this.” Jesus taught us to give without performing for an audience (Matthew 6:3–4). Annual assessment gives the Spirit room to show me whether those rhythms are producing a healthier heart, or whether I have simply become more efficient at being exhausted.
A practical year-end inventory
Take a Bible, a journal, and an hour without interruptions. For each area, write one honest answer, one example from this year, and one small action for January. A score of 1 to 5 may help you notice a pattern, but do not turn this into a competition with the minister who claims to have a four-hour quiet time before sunrise. Ask a trusted person to help you see what you may be missing. Spiritual closeness. When did I feel close to Jesus? When was I merely doing work for Him? January step: Protect a daily appointment with God that is not sermon preparation. Bible reading and prayer. Did Scripture shape my private life, or did I mostly open it to find something to preach? What have I actually prayed about? January step: Choose a realistic reading plan and a short daily prayer window.
Relationships and accountability. Have I isolated myself? Is there anyone who can ask me difficult questions and receive a truthful answer? January step: Set a regular check-in with a trusted friend or mentor. Integrity and boundaries. What am I hiding, rationalizing, or calling “temporary” for the third year in a row? Where do I need to say no? January step: Confess what needs confession and repair one boundary. Joy and calling. What gave me life in ministry? What drained it? Am I still leading from love or mostly from obligation? January step: Keep one life-giving practice and discuss one draining pattern with your team. Gratitude and mission. Where did God show His faithfulness? Whom did I serve when nobody was watching? January step: Write three specific thanks and plan one quiet act of service. This evaluation can reveal patterns, but a personal Shh! Retreat gives you time to listen to your Heavenly Father. Set aside a half day, a full day, or twenty-four hours. Leave the laptop and silence your phone. Airplane mode can become a clever way to keep one eye on the runway. Take time just to be with JESUS! Your church’s annual report will allow everyone to rejoice at the many testimonies your community of faith experienced. Praise the Lord! Let your soul’s annual report be a private report of what happened in your heart over the last year. If you find nothing but gratitude, give thanks. If you find weariness, receive rest. If you find something that needs to change, take the next honest step with God and someone you trust. Our churches need more than ministers who can report good stats. They need ministers whose souls are being cared for by the Good Shepherd. I am praying for you! Keep listening to the loud whispers of Jesus.
Worship. Did I worship with the church, or only supervise the service? January step: Attend one gathering this month without a platform assignment, if possible. Sabbath and rest. How often did I take a genuine day off? Did my family get my presence or just my physical address? January step: Put a recurring rest day on the calendar and tell your team what counts as an emergency. Marriage and family. What would my spouse, children, or closest people say they received from me this year? Where did the ministry repeatedly get the best of me? January step: Ask them directly, listen without defending yourself, and schedule time together.
Better Together,
Dr. D.E. Wootton
Superintendent/Network Pastor Oklahoma Assemblies of God
Emotional health. What made me unusually irritable, anxious, lonely, numb, or discouraged? Have I been honest with anyone about it? January step: Name one safe person to talk with; seek professional support when needed. Physical health. Am I sleeping, moving, and eating in ways that support the life I am asking my body to live? January step: Make the overdue appointment or choose one sustainable health habit.
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OUR MISSION
Networking together to better share the love of Jesus with the least, last and lost.
OUR VISION A healthy Church in every Community
OUR VALUES LOVE God together LIVE healthy lives together LEAD healthy churches together LAUNCH healthy ministries together
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Executive Presbyters Dr. Darryl Wootton Craig Dacus Dr. Jamie Austin Bruce McCarty Darren Pilcher
Superintendent/Network Pastor Assistant Superintendent General Presbyter Executive Presbyter – East Executive Presbyter – West
Sectional Presbyters
Jackie Crafton Section 1 Tim Painter Section 2 Lyn Gaskey Section 3 Robert Yandell Section 4 Dave Mewbourne Section 5E Jason Byers Section 5W Jeromye Jackson Section 6 Jimmy Keith Section 7 Brett Nation Section 8 Kevin Fouts Section 9N Steve Lance Section 9S Chad Allred Section 10 Charlie Newman Section 11 Kevin Akins Section 12 Beki Barbee Female Presbyter Joel Garcia Ethnic Presbyter Austin Epperson Under 40 Presbyter
Executive Lead Team
Kevin Conner Finance & Operations Gary Davidson Mission Heath Corrales NextGen Jamel Crawford Compassion & Minister Development Jayson Evans Communications
okag.org | 11
CAMPCargill 2
27
YOUTH CAMP CAMP 1 CAMP 2 CAMP 3 CAMP 4 CAMP 5 CAMP 6
MAY 23–26 MAY 26–29 MAY 31–JUNE 4 JUNE 7–11 JUNE 14–18 JUNE 21–25
MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMP JUNE 29–JULY 2
KIDS CAMP CAMP 1 CAMP 2 CAMP 3
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JULY 5–9 JULY 11–14 JULY 14–17
OKAG.ORG/CAMP
CAMP CARGILL 2027
DATES TO REMEMBER November 4
Camp Requests Open
January 29
Deposits Due
May 1
Guaranteed Minimum Number Due
2026
2027
2027
June 1 2027
Youth, Middle School and Kids Camp Requests open for OKAG Network Churches
100% Non-Refundable Deposits and fees are due for campers and leaders
All Youth Camps
*Churches are responsible for 100% of the total cost of campers after this date
Guaranteed Minimum Number Due
Middle School Camp and All Kids Camps *Churches are responsible for 100% of the total cost of campers after this date
2027 Pricing
$235 4 Night Camp
$190 3 Night Camp
$40
Camper Deposit
okag.org/camp
$60
Leader Fee
okag.org | 13 CAMPCargill
2
27
Living With A
FULL TANK by Glen Ryswyk 14 | OKAG Network
Living with a full tank means starting and living from Divine Favor, but many of us in Western cultural Christianity live with a sense of divine disfavor (dysfunction) or that God is somehow mad or disappointed with us. It’s not really divine disfavor. It’s demonic disfavor, but we experience it as though God is somehow upset. We often feel like we have disappointed him by not being holy enough, not having accomplished enough, or not having done it the right way. We feel that we have not performed well enough and that, therefore, God is upset. Because of our scrupulous conscience, it’s easy to feel discouraged, burned out, despondent, and depressed, as if our tank is not even half full. That’s what happened to Joseph R. Cook, professor of anthropology at the University of Washington. A brilliant Ph.D., he was well trained in Biblical theology and became a missionary teacher in Thailand. But after a few years, he left the mission field a broken man. A nervous breakdown left him unable any longer to preach or teach or even to read his Bible. As he put it, “I was a burden to my wife and useless to God and to others.” God’s demands of me were so high, and His opinion of me was so low, there was no way for me to live except under His frown…all day long, He nagged me. Why don’t you pray more? Why don’t you witness more? When will you ever learn self-discipline? How can you allow yourself to indulge in such wicked thoughts? Do this. Don’t do that. Yield, confess, work harder…God was always using His love against me. He’d show me His nail-pierced hands, and then He would look at me glaringly and say, Well, why aren’t you a better Christian? Get busy and live the way you ought to…Most of all, I had a God who down underneath considered me to be less than dirt. Oh, He made a great ado about loving me, but I believed that the day-to-day love and acceptance I longed for could be mine only if I let Him crush nearly everything that was really me. When it came down to it, there was scarcely a word or a feeling or a thought or a decision of mine that God really liked.1 As ministers, when we look at the gospel in our own lives, I often wonder if we aren’t guilty of preaching a different gospel. The message of that is you ought to try harder, you should do more, you could be better if you just gave more effort. Paul talked about it in Galatians 1:6-7: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all.”
Henri Nouwen observed, “Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me, as soon as I am rejected, left alone, or abandoned, I find myself thinking, “Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody.”… [My dark side says,] I am no good…I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved.” Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.”2 Could it be that Mary, the mother of Jesus, took on the persona of being the beloved? I have been ruminating on Mary’s interaction with the Angel of the Lord. The Angel said to Mary, “’Greetings, you are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:28-29. Can you imagine what Mary first thought? The sudden advent of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives usually doesn’t look like what we had in mind. What we had in mind did not include loss, embarrassment, and shame. What we hoped for included a whole lot more control, satisfaction, success, power, and popularity. But the scandalous message Mary received is that the Holy Spirit had conceived something in her life that she had not planned. We, like Mary, may have first thought it was our ruin, but it may actually be our salvation. The Angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” And just before the Angel left, Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” Luke 1:28-38. Does the coming of Christ in our lives mean, as it did to Mary, that we are highly favored, that the Lord is with us, that we don’t have to be afraid, and that we have found favor with God? And, even more, are we doing as Mary did, and inviting into our inner being the emotional content of divine favor? “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19. In counseling with ministers for thirty years, I have noticed that the sense of divine favor seems very difficult for people to hold on to. Be assured, God’s side has not changed. But how quickly we humans exchange divine favor for trying to measure up to some standard that we hope will surely garner God’s approval. In a world that hangs self-worth and dignity on a person’s appearance and performance, it seems the believer okag.org | 15
is all too quick to follow suit and live with a heart full, a “tank full”, of doubt and fear about not measuring up and needing to try harder. The impact of Mary accepting divine favor and pondering it in her heart seems to have made a difference in Mary’s courage, faith, and fortitude in her day-to-day life. It seems she was able to endure suffering and conquer challenges without doubt and fear. She immediately traveled to the hill country of Judah to meet with Elizabeth, where, again, divine favor was not only affirmed but also passed on to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45). The emotional content of divine favor in Mary’s heart seems to have provided divine strength and sustenance for a trip on a donkey to Bethlehem when she was nine months pregnant, as well as a trip to Egypt with a baby in her arms. Just as Simeon prophesied to Mary, “a sword will pierce your soul” (Luke 2:35), she also traveled to Jerusalem to see her son crucified. Did the emotional content of divine favor in Mary’s heart change her ability to move through life’s difficulties without the pressure of trying to measure up and needing to try harder? I think so.
covered. He’s on my side even more than I am on my own. “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:34-39. May your tank be filled with the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. May you bask in Divine Favor daily.
We are so quick to turn from the gospel of grace to another gospel (trying harder), which is not another gospel (Gal. 1:6). If we are to live with our tank full of divine favor, then, as Brennan Manning put it: “We learn to be gentle with ourselves by experiencing the intimate, heartfelt compassion of Jesus. To the extent that we allow the relentless tenderness of Jesus to invade the citadel of self, we are freed from dyspepsia toward ourselves. Christ wants us to alter our attitude toward ourselves and take sides with Him against our own self-evaluation.”3 Maybe Mary took sides with the Angel of the Lord against her own self-evaluation. As a minister, may we be quick to say, “May it be to me as you have said.” May we live with the emotional content of our heart being that of divine favor; that He has divine favor for the whole of our humanity. Everything that I face today, He already has it
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Chp. Glen Ryswyk (M.Div., LPC, LMFT) has been an endorsed Assemblies of God Chaplain since 1985. Glen has been the Chaplain/Clinical Director of Christian Family Counseling Center in Lawton, OK, for 33 years. He specializes in counseling with pastors and ministerial families to help navigate the stressors of ministry life in a more gracious way.
1. 2. 3.
Seamands, David A.; Healing For Damaged Emotions. pp.83 & 84 Manning, Brennan; Abba Child pp. 20 & 21 Manning, Brennan; Abba Child p. 21
Supporting Missions, Youth & Children's Ministries The Assemblies of God of Oklahoma Foundation (AGOKF) has been established to provide a sustainable financial foundation, allowing OKAG Ministries to continue focusing on reaching future generations through missions, children, and youth ministries.
agokfoundation.org
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GRACE IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE by Dr. Kelly Goins 18 | OKAG Network
Have you ever noticed that whenever pastors gather for a meeting or service, the altar call is often for discouraged ministers? If you haven’t noticed it before, you will from now on. Think about it. When you reflect on your own ministry, isn’t discouragement one of the biggest issues you face? The church isn’t growing the way you thought it would. Your staff members aren’t killin’ it like you thought they would. People aren’t getting saved like you thought they would. I’ve had some big thoughts about how pastoring should go, and then had to face the reality check of repeated disappointments, Sunday after Sunday. The megachurches make it look so easy! Here’s the deal: it’s not just you. Ministers throughout history have faced discouragement. It’s an occupational hazard. And not just an emotional issue, it’s largely a spiritual one as well. The enemy has crafted this plan to keep you feeling alone and isolated, like you are the only one. As long as Satan can keep you discouraged and second-guessing God’s voice, he knows you will keep backpedaling and looking for answers. Satan also knows that if he can take out the leader, he can get to the followers, therefore keeping you in his crosshairs. While that opposition is painful, it can also be used for good, mainly by teaching you to fight rather than cower before the bully he is. It all depends on whether you recognize the opposition and know how to fight. Keep reading. It’s Monday morning, and I’m exhausted. I mean exhausted in every way: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Did I leave anything out? Oh yeah, financially, too. This multifaceted exhaustion had become overwhelming, so I scheduled an appointment with a counselor who came highly recommended by my presbyter at the time. I walked into his office and sat down. After the introductions, he asked what was going on in my life. I said, “I’ll give you one hour to convince me to stay in ministry, or I’m done. I quit!” He smiled. I wasn’t kidding!
I’ll spare you all the details of what I was feeling. I don’t want to glorify my dysfunction or minimize your struggles. I was a 35-year-old church planter with no idea what I was doing, and nothing I tried seemed to work. For the next 45 minutes or so, I poured out my heart while he listened. Over the next three months, he talked to me about the importance of grace. Grace wasn’t a new concept to me, but it was exactly what the Holy Spirit used to remind me that this wasn’t my church or my ministry. My ability, education, pedigree, and experience weren’t what God needed most. He needed something completely different. Now, 29 years later, Monday mornings still come around. And to compound the problem, I pastor a small church. Let me put that right up front. I know that might make some of you move on to the next article, but Lifeway Research reports that 81% of Protestant churches in the United States have fewer than 250 people in attendance—roughly four out of five churches. Many dynamics of ministry are common to all ministry positions. Others are intensified in smaller ministries. After serving 10 years in a large church and 29 years in a small church, allow me to offer three recommendations for spiritual longevity, especially in a small church. First, don’t do ministry alone. Take people with you. Second, make a plan and stick with it. Third, discover God’s goals for your ministry and don’t stray from them. There is a verse in Jonah that stopped me when I read it. It seemed so out of place in the story. Jonah 2:8 appears in the prayer Jonah prays from the belly of the great fish. His prayer reads like a psalm of David, filled with personal groanings and praise to God. Then, as though he has reached the pinnacle of his realization, Jonah offers this wisdom: “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” What idols? What grace? The first idol is “me.” By that, I mean trying to do everything yourself. In many small churches, the pastor and his family do EVERYTHING. The pastor preaches. His wife helps with worship or teaches children’s church. His kids are the worship team. He takes the offering, makes the announcements, and sometimes even gives the altar call from behind a keyboard or guitar. Ask me how I know… No wonder you are exhausted and discouraged. The first thing you need to do is start empowering others for ministry instead of assuming that you and your family are the only ones called, capable, or willing. Take a deep dive into Ephesians 4. Christ okag.org | 19
gave the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip His people for ministry so that the body of Christ—the church—may be built up (vv. 11–16). We are not called to DO the ministry; we are actually called to TEACH others how to do ministry. Craig Groeschel’s advice is to find someone who can do a job 50% as well as you can, with the potential to develop, and give it to them to let them grow.1
Believe me, I GET IT! It’s easier to do the job myself than to recruit someone, teach them, and monitor their efforts. But when you invest in other people, everyone grows. This is ministry: empowering others to serve and, in turn, to empower others. My first recommendation: don’t do ministry alone. Always take somebody with you. Your job is to build up and empower people, and you can’t do that without involving them. You need people around you whom you can mentor and disciple. Yes, it takes effort, but it’s life-giving. If the first “idol” is me, then the “grace” we forfeit is growth, both spiritual growth and numerical growth. When you include and empower people, you strengthen the body of Christ, gain respect and encouragement, and share the burden of ministry. Your ministry’s influence grows, your confidence increases, and mutual respect develops. Let’s face it: respect can be hard to earn. Being intentional about building relationships and demonstrating character can make a difference in how long you remain in ministry. The second “idol” is time. The book of Jonah begins with a straightforward word from the Lord: “Go to the great city of Nineveh…” (Jonah 1:2). So Jonah, of course, boards a boat for Tarshish. Are you kidding me? Have you ever looked at a map to see where Tarshish and Nineveh are? Nineveh was roughly 500 miles from Jonah’s home. Tarshish is commonly identified with a location about 2,000 miles west of Joppa, the seaport where Jonah boarded his ship. He was heading in the opposite direction! Do you think Jonah was trying to make a point? Sometimes, like Jonah, we run from God instead of running to Him. Sometimes we may be running in the opposite direction without even realizing it. My second recommendation: have a plan for your time, and make sure it includes God. When you take time off, use it to run to God instead of away from Him. Take a weekly day off, but also set aside two or three days once or twice a year just to spend time with God. A few times a year, I take several days to get alone with God. I enjoy cooking and fishing, so my time away usually includes both. But I also try to unplug from media, phone, and, especially, the demands of my congregation. It’s not that I stop thinking about them. This is simply time to pray, read, listen, and plan. I highly recommend taking a vision retreat or study break. Ask your congregation and family to pray that you will rest, hear from God, and return with clear direction. Here is my retreat schedule. The first night, I take my iPad or notepad and do a brain dump. I write down everything on my mind: ideas, concerns, things I need to do, and problems I need to solve. I want to clear my mind so I can listen to God.
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The next day, I read from the Psalms or the Gospels. I find it refreshing to read David’s psalms from the times when he was running from Saul or asking God to rescue him. I can identify with that. I read with an eye toward textual exegesis in its context and mark ideas and notes in my Bible. After lunch, I take a walk or hike and talk to God. Again, I am emptying out my heart and my spirit so He can fill me up. On the second evening, I find a beautiful, peaceful, quiet place. Maybe at a campfire, or overlooking a valley or lake. I sit in silence and listen to God. It’s amazing what you can hear when you listen. I listen with my mind and my spirit. I might write down what I feel like He is saying to me. This might take several hours, but don’t rush it. Pray, take notes, beg God to speak to you. Ask Him not to hold back anything. Then I sleep. The next day, I am ready to write and plan. I take out my iPad again and begin writing the ideas God has given me for my particular ministry context. I find that God always speaks. Our Heavenly Father cannot resist an open heart; He will always fill it. To be honest, I could spend the entire retreat eating out, playing video games, and sleeping. But I choose to spend that time running to God instead of away from Him. If the second “idol” is time, then the “grace” we forfeit is rest. Isaiah teaches that God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him because they trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Satan loves to attack us just before we fall asleep or when we first wake up. He attacks with worry, fear, anxiety, hopelessness, and even anger. When we are half asleep, it can be harder to think clearly and resist those thoughts. We need God’s protection. When we enter His presence and release our anxiety to Him, we can rest in His perfect peace. You will find rest for your body and rest for your soul. You will find yourself like Jesus resting in the bottom of the boat, instead of worrying about the storms (Mark 4:35-41).
If the third “idol” is misplaced focus, then the “grace” we forfeit is direction. When your focus is right, your direction is right. When your focus is on your own dreams, goals, and promises to yourself or others, you will head in the wrong direction unless those goals align with God’s. Why not let go of your goals and embrace God’s from the beginning? Well, it’s Monday morning as I write this article. Yesterday’s church attendance was well below average. Lots of people took weekend trips. It was the Sunday after a big event, so some people felt they needed the weekend off. I’ve told people never to check on a pastor on Monday because we’re usually standing at the edge of a cliff, trying to decide whether to jump or give it one more week. So I took the morning away from the office and left it in the capable hands of people I’ve mentored and discipled. I came to the country to get alone with God and seek His direction for the coming week. I’m only halfway through Monday, but I already feel His grace for growth, rest, and direction. It’s not going to take three days in the belly of a great fish to get me back on the right path.
Dr. Kelly Goins is Lead Pastor at Faith Church in Tulsa where he has served for the past 23 years. Kelly and his wife, Lisa, live in Broken Arrow. Kelly hold a MA. from Oral Roberts University and a DMin from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. He enjoys spending time with his 7 grandchildren, cooking, bow hunting and fly fishing–in that order.
1.
“Six Steps to the Best Leadership”, Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/14992-six-steps-toyour-best-leadership/day/3
The third “idol” is misplaced focus. Back to Jonah. In chapters 3 and 4, the people of Nineveh turn to God, and He spares them. But this makes Jonah angry. Why? Nineveh was an Assyrian city, and the Assyrians were feared for their brutality. In Jonah’s eyes, Nineveh didn’t deserve salvation; it deserved annihilation! And now God was telling Jonah that He wanted to save them? Jonah was more focused on what he wanted than on what God wanted. Salvation for Nineveh was not one of Jonah’s dreams. When it came right down to it, Jonah’s goals and God’s goals did not match. My third recommendation: discover God’s goals and don’t stray from them. After his retirement, Pastor Phil Taylor spoke at our church. Phil shared a powerful prayer he prays often. He held his arms straight out in front of him, palms down, and prayed, “Lord, I empty my hands of all I have and all I am. All my talent and ability, my strength, my gifts, my calling, my wife and daughters, I put it all in your hands.” Then, keeping his arms outstretched, he turned his palms upward and prayed, “Now Lord, put in my hands everything I need to be the person you’ve called me to be and to do all that you have for me to do today. Equip me with all I need as I put my trust in you.” That has become a prayer I say weekly, sometimes daily. Find out what God’s goal is for your life, and don’t stray from it. okag.org | 21
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PSALM 46:10 And Why it is Necessary
by Dr. Charles W. Kinman 24 | OKAG Network
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Karen, my wife, received a phone call from a board member’s wife who lambasted her so severely that Karen fainted. After three years of pastoring that church, I suffered a heart attack. I was thirty-seven years old with no plumbing or weight issues. Doctors called it “an electrical event” in which fatigue from stress and lactic acid build-up in my frontal cortex disrupted my normal heart rhythm. It hurt physically and frightened both Karen and me. This article presents an awareness and preparation for the unique stress of ministry. With insight into recognizing symptoms, pastors can practice strategies that will not only empower their service but also transform stress into brain growth and spiritual connection. We consider not only the need for mental stillness but also its essential role in maintaining separation from the world and abiding in the peace of Christ.
The Bad News: Neurological Impact from Stress Stress is not uncommon for anyone serving the Lord. We often see people struggle to make sense of powerful, painful feelings and changed beliefs. Pastors and their families regularly experience these neurobiological episodes, feeling compassion and empathy.
As Jesus’ servants, we share in His suffering and grief for those who will not hear His voice. One can easily imagine that even King David experienced stress, guilt, and depression. His own words express these alongside magnificent stories told about him: “Keep me safe, O God” (fear - Ps.16:1); “O Lord forgive my iniquity, though it is great” (guilt - Ps. 25:11); “My strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (depression - Ps. 32:4). Many of us have cried out in similar fashion against the pressures of ministry. Not all stress is bad for us. God designed the brain to also learn and grow from a degree of stress (i.e., neuroplasticity). Things like anxiety, depression, and PTSD are not necessarily things wrong with you. They are designed for adaptive responses of both the autonomic and sympathetic nervous systems.1 This helps us when we need a burst of energy (e.g., sports event or danger), mental focus (e.g., learning or problem solving), or public speaking (e.g., amplified expression). God intended them to empower us in stressful situations.
However, most people are unaware that long-term stress changes how our bodies and brains work. First, when we are highly stressed, excessive cortisol secretion causes the frontal cortex and hippocampus to shrink in size and function. Our prefrontal and frontal cortices are responsible for our ability to concentrate, make decisions, solve problems, and control our emotions. Harmful amounts of cortisol trigger these neurons to contract and lose synaptic connections, leading to “brain fog,” disorientation, and depression. This is a physiological event that affects our mental processes.2 You can imagine the upset to the flow of ministry when any one of these abilities errors. In the limbic system, the hippocampus constructs the symbols for learning and memory. Higher cortisol levels shrink tissue and weaken the brain’s ability to form new memories. In an intense trauma event, it can shut down completely, making recall of an incident difficult. Likewise, the amygdala is the brain’s emotion applicator. For every memory formed by the hippocampus, the amygdala assigns it a degree of emotion to rank the value and priority of a memory. Unlike the other regions in the brain, stress makes the amygdala enlarge and become hyperactive, making one emotionally sensitive, irritable, and anxious. It forces the body to stay in a somewhat “fight or flight” state. “While all stress triggers physiological reactions, chronic stress is specifically problematic because of the significant harm it can do to the functioning of the body and the brain.”3 Warning signs often get deferred to ceaseless ministry tasks. Yet these critical parts of our mind support vital mental tools for creative ministry and perseverance. Try to assimilate Scripture for a sermon without your concentration. The demand for decisions, even small ones, can become overwhelming when others need answers. Outbursts become more possible or frequent, and regretted. This impairment to our brain can disrupt our relationship with others, as well as with God, making matters even worse. If that is not enough, we preeminently struggle against a spiritual enemy who attacks this very process in us. Like fanning embers into flames, our foe incites us into never-ending mental arguments. All, only to fall to imagined loss and yet feel physically, leaving us drained.
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The Good News: God’s Design to Draw Us
How has God designed this wonderment for our benefit and perhaps refuge? In this psalm of covenant promise, these musicians sang confidently against unimaginable ruin that “God is our refuge.” When the Lord spoke, “Be still, and know…” it was not a consoling pat on the back. He firmly rebuked the whole world, who, in silent fixed attention to His command, will bring all thought to know our God reigns. These singers cheered God’s power to bring down nations. “Its robust, defiant tone suggests that it was composed at a time of crisis, which makes the confession of faith doubly impressive.”4 For those facing death in those days, their God-given instinct told them to search for help from the Lord. Like a desperate child clutches for a reaching parent, God designed our brains to recognize real safety in the reality of His power. God provides that consoling place, a refuge in relationship, to which we are invited. Jesus often sought actual isolated places in which to pray, to be with His Father, to be away from the demanding crowds. He, like David and us, required a time of mental stillness to restore His physical, mental, and spiritual health. “Hearing the Holy Spirit requires intentional positioning.”5 As we disconnect from our distractions and bow our hearts in stillness, God nurtures in us the distinction of holiness that empowers our convictions to arise. Our singularity of thought of trust in Him concludes with peace and a new thought. In His peace, we discern the world’s shifting shadows from the eternal reality found in Christ (Col. 1:15-2:17).
The Tough News: How to Walk It
To deal with chronic stress, doctors will recommend exercise, eating healthy foods, practicing time management and relaxation, setting realistic goals, and getting more sleep. These general suggestions are important and helpful for the physiological side of things, but they do not necessarily generate healing of brain tissue. However, stillness of mind and controlled attention (meditation) activate neuroplasticity, helping the brain learn, heal, and form new neuronal connections. Studies show “focusing internal awareness on a [specific subject] can alter the activity and the neural connections in specific regions of the brain.”6 Nothing discerns life in this world from our heavenly citizenship as does our meditation on God’s word. It changes our perception of reality and revives our resilience throughout our entire
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life (2 Cor. 1:3-11; 5:14-18). The matters we think about interact within many levels of thought and memory. The upper levels operate many automatic functions from heartbeat to physical labor. But only a focused effort penetrates the deeper levels where we reorder our belief system, how we perceive the world, how we make decisions, and how we create new ideas. So, when we focus internal awareness on God’s word as did David, neuroplasticity modifies the brain’s structure, renewing the mind (Rom. 12:2). In almost every verse of Psalm 119, David discerns God’s reality from mockers and enemies. His meditation comforted him in the midst of conflict and crisis to the point that he felt like a “stranger on earth” (v. 19), who sought refuge only in God. God also designed constructive fellowship to encourage our mental and spiritual health. “Human connections create neuronal connections…interpersonal relationships can provide attachment experiences that allow integrative neurophysiological changes to occur throughout life.”7 God designed the brain as a “social organ” that constantly builds itself through interactive relationships and experiences. Thus, our relationship with Jesus, our sweet peace experienced in His fellowship (Phil. 2:1-11), builds new connective brain tissue. Romans 6 takes on significant meaning when Paul states that it mattered to whom and how we apply our life’s energy. He knew the fellowship in which we participate affected our outcome. “The meaningful words koinonia and metoche are among the most powerful concepts in Judeo-Christian Scriptures…True fellowship results in mutual love.”8 Jesus declared sincere believers walk in the light of divine Fellowship (Jn. 3:1-21). He said that one cannot tell the origin or the destination of the wind. But he stated that, in the moment, the wind blows, we only know its immediate direction by simply extending a damp finger into the breeze. His call to listen with a finger in the wind prepares us mentally to hear and to act by a faith as unseen as that wind. As pastors, we desire to be sensitive in a moment to the Spirit’s teachings or calls (e.g., Acts 9:10-18). The idea of a finger in the wind follows Jesus’ best advice: to live by a living faith and to walk in His Light.
Warfare News: Stay in the Now!
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33b). Worldly stress creates a mental battleground for us to combat the neurobiological impact of its deceiving nature. Alongside the doctor’s recommendations, here are some helpful ways to use worshipful stillness to stay in God’s presence, to do battle for our minds, and to take heart:
First, discern the difference between unhealthy guilt and guiding conviction from the Holy Spirit. Guilt is relentless, condemning, and immobilizing by occupying mental and emotional resources. It produces unnecessary lactic acid and fatigue. In contrast, good, healthy conviction from the Holy Spirit provides three answers: a way out to choose (1 Cor. 10:13), resolution in obeying (Jn. 14:15), and affirmation in peace (Jn. 16:33; Phil. 4:4-7). Watch out that guilt, which has no authority to condemn (Rom. 8:1), does not deceive you to waste energy on matters that do not matter (Titus 3:8). Stillness encourages our faith to confidently discern the difference. Second, have fellowship with someone who sincerely checks your perception of reality. This is more than a friend; it is like Nathan was to King David. Nathan had the courage to confront because he knew David was wrong in the deception he was trying to keep hidden. The isolation of secret intent kept David from being in the reality of God’s righteousness (Ps. 32 & 51). It is usually best to have this person outside the congregational context so they may speak honestly and keep you undistracted. Schedule regular meetings to encourage you to remain connected. Third, become comfortable with uncertainty. Do not get distracted by the temptation to fix the past, control outcomes, or argue mental disputes that are not relevant (Phil. 3:13-14; Titus 3:8). Believe the wind that He gives to you in the moment you need it (Luke 12:11-12). Faith by its very nature must be tested by doubt; otherwise, it would not be faith (Heb. 11:1). The presence of uncertainty is not the absence of God’s blessings or purpose. This paradox creates an environment for the unseen work of God in which we dare to believe. To enhance neuroplasticity, keep focused on the common good of His kingdom vision and truth and the power of His timing (1 Cor. 12:7). Embrace a Kingdom perspective.9 Fourth, practice being in the moment. Your undistracted presence with another gives him or her a connection with the Holy Spirit in you. Ask, “How would Jesus be in this moment?” How would He treat them with His eternal Peace? This position of
closeness invites caring questions about a person’s stress, anger, and guilt. It provides the opportunity to empower others with the freedom to live in God’s presence. Paul stated, “And because of my chains [or stress],most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (Phil. 1:14). Do not fear stress. Regardless of our contexts, the Kingdom presence of our Lord Jesus provides the everlasting reality we can trust. Keep your mind still and your spiritual finger in the wind. Find space to be still with the One who turns stress into neuroplasticity, suffering into knowing God’s heart. In our stillness, Jesus bestows “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Dr. Kinman recently retired from 30 years as a pastoral marriage and family counselor and 20 years as a professor at Northwest University. He is a nine-year military veteran and now serves the Oklahoma district as an encourager. The Kinmans live with their family in Newalla.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
These large systems are governed by the HPA Axis which is the Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland, and Adrenal system working together as an interdependent network cybernetically. www.neurocenternj.com/blog/how-chronic-stress-impacts-yourbrain-and-ways-to-regain-control/ The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Affects the Brain - www. tuw.edu/health/how-stress-affects-the-brain/ Kidner, D. (1973), Psalms 1–72: An Introduction & Commentary. Wiseman, in Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. D. J., General Editor. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press. p. 174 Tim Enloe, Lectures on the Holy Spirit. Siegel, D. J. (2012) The Developing Mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are, 2nd Ed. New York: the Guilford Press. p. 38. Siegel p. 113; 321. Johnson, W.H. (1976). Fellowship in Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. John Bright’s, The Kingdom of God, 1953, is one of the finest teachings on God’s intended Kingdom.
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LOVE
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RECOGNIZING AND RELEASING LEADERS
by Gary Davidson 30 | OKAG Network
As I sat in our annual OKAG Better Together Conference listening to Pastor Jamie Corcoran speak powerfully on church planting, I was transported back nearly twenty years. I was sharing my journey with a group of young leaders in our Bible college in Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland. Following the class, a 19-year-old Jamie asked to speak with me. “I want you to be my mentor,” he said. I replied, “I don’t even know you, so before we can journey together, we need to have a cup of coffee first.” His immediate reply was, “Let’s do it!” So began my relationship with this slightly brash Irish lad who had an insatiable desire to be better than he was. I’ve always invoked the three “I”s of relationship in mentoring: •
Intentionality: A willingness from the mentor to guide, and a commitment from the mentee to pursue a growing relationship with an agreed-upon outcome.
•
Investment: A commitment of time and resources by the mentor, and a commitment from the mentee to be fully engaged in mind, body, and spirit.
•
Information: The shared history that enables both individuals to understand how past experiences have shaped their views of life, culture, and relationships. Sharing struggles and challenges helps us move beyond past failures; while it does not change our past, it helps us understand why we react the way we do.
For a mentoring relationship to succeed, there must be a willingness on the mentee’s part to serve the mentor. I still remember the moment Jamie called me and asked, “What are you doing next Tuesday?” My first response was, “And who wants to know?” Jamie said, “I do, and if you’re going somewhere, I’ll drive you!” I was heading for Cork, a three-hour drive, leaving at 8:00 AM, and Jamie was outside waiting at 7:30 AM. During the six-hour round trip, he constantly plied me with questions about life,
church, leadership, and relationships. His commitment to serve me moved my heart and reminded me of the biblical story of Elijah and Elisha. Probably no two individuals were less alike than Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was a man from the hill country who at times struggled with feelings of failure—a zealous introvert who was very comfortable in his own company. Elisha was a member of the landed gentry: gregarious, a great organizer, and most fulfilled when hanging out with “wannabe” prophets. Despite being rebuffed by Elijah initially, he refused to be denied the opportunity to serve this mighty prophet. He became known simply as “the servant who pours water on his master’s hands.” There wasn’t a long line of people waiting to serve Elijah. Yet we know the outcome was an extension of Elijah’s ministry, endued with a double portion of the Spirit. The mentee must have deep humility and a servanthood mentality to serve the mentor. Elisha demonstrates that when looking for a successor and a protégé, the first quality we look for is a servanthood mentality. God the Father asks His Son, “What have you been doing today, Jesus?” “I washed the feet of Peter, James, and John.” In the Kingdom, the way up is the way down. In Mark 10, Jesus contrasts the approach of domineering secular rulers with that of those who lead in His kingdom, saying: “It is not this way among you; rather, whoever wants to be great among you shall be your servant.” The great missionary to China, J. Hudson Taylor, was once introduced as an “illustrious guest,” to which he immediately responded, “I am the servant of an illustrious Master.” Thus, we all should be. The nature of those we seek to mentor is service, but the bedrock of all ministry is integrity. “Integrity in ministry isn’t everything; it is the only thing.” If I’m going to share my life and time with another, I want to be sure that they are willing to get into the “foxhole” with me when life’s greatest challenges come. Great preaching, charisma, and exciting gifts are all for naught unless accompanied by a life of integrity. Character is what Jesus spoke about in the Beatitudes and then demonstrated in His daily walk. The apostle Paul defines this as the fruit of the Spirit. Gifts are exactly that—a gift—but fruit doesn’t show up overnight. It must be nurtured and developed over time. Early on in ministry, I learned some hard lessons when I was “taken in” by someone’s gifting rather than taking the time to know who was ministering among us. When St. Mark’s Church in Dublin, where we ministered for 18 years, became known as a place of revival, we attracted not only those seeking new life in Christ but also those with ulterior motives. We implemented okag.org | 31
a policy that before you could minister in any capacity, you must sit for six months. The policy wasn’t always popular, and some came and left quickly. Yet those who remained and learned our culture today lead some of our great congregations. Character and integrity look like Joseph saying no to Potiphar’s wife and ending up in prison for refusing to sully his purity. It’s Moses forgoing the privilege of being an Egyptian prince for the problems and perils of serving a nation that didn’t merit his leadership. It’s a young lady, Victoria, who recently applied to our OKAG missions committee as a missionary associate. We discovered that she had spent seven months on a global mission to another nation, supporting herself by selling items on Facebook Marketplace. She was approved immediately! It’s our own dear friends and pastors, Ed and Tanya Miller, leading a congregation and serving bi-vocationally, all while caring for their son, Mark Allen, who has special needs, and Tanya’s aging mother. It’s these people I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with for His purposes in the Kingdom! They understand that integrity in ministry isn’t the main thing—it’s the only thing. Finally, if I’m going to invest time and resources in someone, I want to know how they respond to adversity and discouragement. When Elisha was encouraged by his peers and other leaders to forsake his apprenticeship, he refused. When it was well known that Elijah was finishing his ministry, despite criticism, Elisha tenaciously refused to turn back. Resolve is always put to the test in difficult times, and individuals’ ability to manage through these seasons will determine their success or failure in future leadership roles. The measure of a man or woman is what it takes to discourage them. In their book Geeks and Geezers (2002), Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas studied the lives of 43 leaders from two distinct generations. The “Geeks” were young leaders aged 35 and under who grew up in the age of television and the emerging digital age. “Geezers” were the older leaders aged 70 and above who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. The enduring factor and common denominator in all their lives was what the authors called the “crucible.” They defined this as an intense, deeply transforming crisis or testing in which they learned to adapt and lead with greater resilience. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish builders. One built his house on the sand, the other on the rock. The houses both looked the same—until the storm came. The storm simply revealed what was there all along. The crucible experiences in life do not make the man or woman; they simply reveal what was there all the time. As I write this article, it is the one-year anniversary of the home-going of one of my best friends, Evangelist Dennis Thrasher. He was my armor-bearer, close confidant, and “little brother.” When Dennis was twenty years old, he realized that his six-month marriage was over. He was devastated and said it took him over two years to even get his head together. He also had the call of God to preach the gospel, but was now saddled with a divorce. In the 1960s, in the
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Evangelical/Pentecostal world, divorce was an anathema—even though he was the innocent party. Despite this, Dennis pursued his calling and applied for credentials. He was approved as an Assemblies of God minister, but with the caveat that if he ever remarried, he would have to turn in his credentials. It was a heavy burden to shoulder, but this dear brother, with a great heart and a burning passion to preach the gospel, walked in humility and submission. God honored his obedience, and for over fifty years, he preached the gospel on five continents. One of those nations was the island that captured my heart: Ireland. From 1986 until 2013, Dennis traveled to Dublin 29 times, and his obedience and faithfulness made an unbelievable difference in the lives of our people, especially among our youth. At his celebration of life service, his many colleagues and friends shared powerful tributes about the influence of his life. We shared videos of young men and women whose lives were changed because of Dennis. He often said, “Despite the fact that I was damaged goods, once I surrendered to the call to preach, I never lacked a place to minister.” The crucible experience that Dennis found himself in could have broken him, but instead, because of his response and through God’s grace, it became transformational! In the flyleaf of my Bible, I’ve written these words: “Our success is determined by the success of our successors.” I’ve researched to find the source of the quote, and the insight is attributed to John Maxwell and others, but regardless of the source, it shouts “legacy.” From the moment we arrived in Ireland in 1980, we began a search for a successor. The future of our work in Ireland would rely completely on our ability to identify, mentor, and release young men and women into leadership. When we planted St. Mark’s Church in Dublin, we immediately identified seven young men. I met with them bi-weekly
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for two hours and poured my life into them. It became one of my favorite meetings. When I finished with that group, I took on seven more and continued this practice for several years. I tried to make it a practice to always have someone with me when traveling. Paul set forth the pattern we are to follow in 2 Timothy 2:2: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful people who will be able to teach others also.” The apostle says in this way, we mentor four generations. I can take you to a church that was once considered, by European standards, a megachurch. Thousands of people attended, and seldom did a service conclude without people being saved. Yet the failure to raise up a successor means today the church is a shadow of itself. My friend and colleague, Pastor David Sherman, says that the leaders of this generation have an obligation to raise up a church that the next generation “will shout ‘yes’ rather than ‘if only.’” By God’s grace, may that be said of my generation.
Gary and Wilma Davidson served in Ireland for 38 years where, they planted the CCI (Christian Churches Ireland) network which now has over 60 congregations. They currently serve as Mission Directors for the OKAG network. Gary loves mentoring, reading, walking and a strong mug of Irish tea!
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Pray for Our Global Workers 36 | OKAG Network
ITINERATING MISSIONARIES Thank you for praying for our Oklahoma Missionaries! For more information, please contact the OKAG Mission office.
Meredith Bagby Meredithbagby@gmail.com South Africa, Africa Kelsey Byrd keley0500@gmail.com Costa Rica, LAC Stephen & Tiffany G
Contact OKAG Mission for email info
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Scott & Rebekah Howell
rhowell@backyardorphans.org
Chaplaincy – Orphan Care
AJ Jenkins aj.jenkins@agwmafrica.org Mozambique, Africa Christopher & Sarah K
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Eurasia
Tim & Jennifer Land tim.land@agwmafrica.org South Africa, Africa Matt & Randi M
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Dave & Patricia Schatzmann
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Pohnpei, Asia Pacific
Jim & Jody Smith Hevel.jim@pm.me Spain, Europe Victoria Van De Kieft
victoria.vandekieft@eu.agwm.org
Netherlands, Europe
Adam & Bethany Weatherly
Adam.weatherly@eu.agwm.org
Spain, Europe
Jeremy Wyckoff jeremyw4africa@gmail.com Africa
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