the
ambassador
the magazine of ozark christian college
HOLY GRIT SUMMER 2023 PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE “In this age of quick fixes, it is still the plodders who are getting things done.” p. 4 HOLY GRIT An excerpt from Academic Dean Chad Ragsdale’s recent book p. 6 FORTY YEARS OF FAITHFULNESS Celebrating OCC alum Dave Embree p. 10
CONTENTS TO INSPIRE President’s Perspective Matt Proctor
“I’m grateful for theological thoroughbreds, but I’m a plow horse, not a racehorse. Is there a place in ministry for guys like me?”
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Featured Theme Chad Ragsdale
Holy grit is more than simply holding on to faith as if it were merely an accessory decorating our life.
Bible Words Kenny Boles
An in-depth look at the language of Scripture
Ambassador Spotlight: Dave Embree Amy Storms
More than forty years of grit in a challenging ministry
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TO INFORM Footprints of Faith
A courageous voice in a corrupt culture
The Big Picture
A snapshot of life around campus
Campus News
Recent happenings at OCC
Meet Your OCC Family
Introducing Ozark’s Grace Jones
Coming Soon
Recent happenings at OCC
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TO CONNECT Your Partnership
Legacy, memorial, and tribute gifts from our generous donors
Here’s an Idea
How can you partner with Ozark Christian College?
Alumni News
Updates from alumni around the world
One More Thing Amy Storms
A final thought from our editor
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The Ambassador magazine is published four times each year to inspire, inform, and connect the Ozark Christian College family. Design: Lauren White Creative Contributing Editors: Matt Proctor, Amy Storms Photography: Zach Harder, Mark Neuenschwander Contact: Ozark Christian College 1111 N. Main Joplin, MO 64801 hello@occ.edu
The vision of Ozark Christian College is to glorify God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide. The mission of Ozark Christian College is to train men and women for Christian service as a degree-granting institution of biblical higher education. Ozark Christian College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Ozark is also accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (abhe.org), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.
Ozark Christian College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
IN PRAISE OF PLODDERS Matt Proctor
Editor’s note: This article, previously an email, is published here to introduce this Ambassador’s theme of “holy grit.” Cliff Young is one of my heroes.
Every year, Australia hosts a 543-mile ultra-marathon—a grueling five-day race for world-class athletes. But in 1983, Cliff Young showed up to run: a single, 61-year-old farmer wearing overalls and rubber work boots. Officials thought he was a spectator, but to their surprise, he picked up a race number.
The Runner Who Wore Work Boots The curious press questioned Cliff, “What are you thinking? You can’t finish this race.” “Yes, I can,” replied Cliff. “I grew up on a farm that couldn’t afford horses, so when a storm rolled in, I’d go round up the sheep. We had 2,000 sheep on 2,000 acres, and sometimes I had to run two or three days to gather those sheep. But I always got them. I can run this race.” When the race started, the pros quickly left Cliff behind. The crowds and television audience chuckled because Cliff didn’t even look like he was running. He shuffled, a slow gait just above a walk, just what you’d expect from a sixty-something. (He competed without his dentures, saying they rattled when he ran.) Many feared for the old farmer’s safety.
The professional athletes knew that, to complete the race in five days, they had to run eighteen hours each day and sleep six hours. When they awoke the morning of the second day, to everyone’s disbelief, Cliff was still in the race…because he’d continued jogging all night! Cliff shuffled through the next night as well. He slowly plodded straight through without sleep for five days and fifteen hours—passing all the young, world-class
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athletes—and took first place, setting a new course record!
Shakespeare wrote, “Small have continual plodders ever won,” but the Bard had never met Cliff Young. The old farmer became a national hero. Australian television turned his story into a movie, and his hometown eventually erected a memorial in Cliff Young’s honor: a big statue of rubber work boots.
The Race Always Goes to the Swift American culture, on the other hand, reveres the rapid. We do our taxes with Quick Books, get money from Quicken Loans, use a phone service called Sprint, put pictures on Instagram, diet with Slim Fast, and wear swimsuits called Speedo. (Some do; I don’t.) Someone said we are the only nation in the world with a mountain named Rushmore! In our culture, “slow” is not a compliment. But slow is what I am.
My wife is a speed queen, powerwalking through every store as I diligently trudge behind. In the Disney movie Zootopia, animals run society. In one humorous scene, the Zootopia DMV is staffed solely by sloths, including one ironically named Flash. As we watched, my wife laughed out loud. “Flash” has been her ironic nickname for me since we started dating. It didn’t take her long to notice: I read slow, write slow, think slow, walk slow. She’s a jackrabbit. Sloths are my people.
Which means ministry conferences have always been hard for me. Such gatherings tend to feature the fast-moving folks, ministry entrepreneurs who move at the speed of opportunity. The stage speakers are all spiritual sprinters, and their bios don’t include phrases like “small, incremental growth over several
decades.” Even in Christian academia, the props go to profs who crank out books at a prolific pace. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says the race does not always go to the swift, but sometimes it seems like it does.
I’m grateful for these theological thoroughbreds, but I’m a plow horse, not a racehorse. Is there a place in ministry for guys like me?
Plugging Away Through the Puddles It’s a question I’ve long wrestled with. So when I saw Warren Wiersbe’s book In Praise of Plodders, I bought it as quickly as I could (which is to say, not quick at all).
It’s okay to be slow, Wiersbe said, if you’re also steady. The word “plod” comes from an old Middle English word meaning “puddle” or “mud pit,” and a plodder is someone who doesn’t quit in the quagmire. “By perseverance,” said Charles Spurgeon, “the snail reached the ark,” and a plodder simply plugs away through the puddles until he reaches his destination.
“In this age of quick fixes,” wrote Wiersbe, “it is still the plodders who are getting things done.” They are, he said, like “a postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.” His words were manna for my soul. Usain Bolt won gold medals running almost 28 mph, while Cliff Young ran only 4 mph. But he took home the trophy because he did not give up.
Pushing with great effort, you get the flywheel to inch forward, moving almost imperceptibly at first. You keep pushing and, after two or three hours of persistent effort, you get the flywheel to complete one entire turn. You keep pushing, and the flywheel begins to move a bit faster, and with continued great effort, you move it around a second rotation. You keep pushing in a consistent direction. Three turns…four… five…six…the flywheel builds up speed…seven…eight…you keep pushing…nine…ten…it builds momentum…eleven…twelve…moving faster with each turn…twenty…thirty…fifty…a hundred. Then at some point—breakthrough! The momentum of the thing kicks in in your favor, hurling the flywheel forward, turn after turn…whoosh!...its own heavy weight working for you. You’re pushing no harder than during the first rotation, but the flywheel goes faster and faster. Each turn of the flywheel builds upon work done earlier, compounding your investment of effort. A thousand times faster, then ten thousand. Now suppose someone asked, “What was the one big push that caused this thing to go so fast?” Was it the first push? The fifth? The hundredth? No! It was all of them added together in an overall accumulation of effort applied in a consistent direction.
God sometimes designs certain kingdom assignments for just that approach. Though God delivered Israel from Egypt Maybe all is not lost for guys facetiously named Flash. Maybe in one swift stroke, the strategy he gave Israel for defeating God could use the slow things of this world to shame the fast (1 the Canaanites in the Promised Land was different. “I will not Cor 1:27). drive them out in a single God certainly calls people year, because the land would like Paul, The Apostle Who We overestimate what we become desolate and the wild Couldn’t Sit Still—rushing animals too numerous for can accomplish in one sermon and from one church plant to the you. Little by little I will drive next, crisscrossing the Roman them out before you, until you underestimate what we can accomplish empire like a revivalistic Road have increased enough to take Runner. But he also calls in ten years of sermons. possession of the land” (Ex people like Timothy. Paul told 23:29-30). Timothy to stay in Ephesus “Little by little,” says God. until he turned the church Some projects require plodders. around (1 Tim 1:3), and church historian Eusebius tells us that, after plugging away in Ephesus for thirty years, Timothy did. There is a place for plodders, and that’s good news. At some point, we are all plodders—sometimes because of personality and sometimes because of pain.
Plodding Because of Personality Some are plodders by personality, and that’s okay. Jim Collins uses the image of a flywheel to show that small consistent efforts in a singular direction can make a big difference: Picture a huge, heavy flywheel—a massive metal disk mounted horizontally on an axle, 30 feet in diameter, 2 feet thick, 5,000 pounds. Now imagine your task is to get the flywheel rotating.
“That Is My Only Genius”
Paul was reminding Timothy of this principle when he wrote, “Preach the Word...correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Tim 4:2). “Great” patience is literally “mega” patience, and Paul is saying some change only happens little by little—with lots of time and lots of teaching.
I tell my preaching students: we overestimate what we can accomplish in one sermon and underestimate what we can accomplish in ten years of sermons. Not all games are won by the power hitter in a single home run blast. Many are won . . . CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
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FEATURED THEME
HOLY GRIT:
REFLECTIONS ON HEBREWS FOR CULTIVATING A FAITH THAT LASTS Chad Ragsdale
The following is excerpted from Academic Dean Chad Ragsdale’s book, Holy Grit. Find out more at occ.edu/holygrit and chadragsdale.com. All three conversations happened in the same week. The first was with a mom whose adult son had abandoned his belief in God and his commitment to Jesus. He was brought up in the church. He has godly, loving parents. He had spent time serving in ministry. Now he was walking away from it all, and his mom was left in a tangle of emotions trying to make sense of what had happened and seeking ways to keep fighting for her son. Later that week I was in another conversation with a former student. He was angry, hurt, and confused. His marriage was falling apart in a contentious divorce. There were a lot of problems that brought them to that point, but one significant issue was that his wife was “deconstructing” her faith. It was a process that was leading her away from God and away from her husband.
The next day I had a phone conversation with a friend from my days in seminary. He told me that our theology professor—a man who helped to shape my own faith in important ways—had suddenly declared himself an atheist. It was a total shot to the gut. After hanging up the phone, I just sat there for a long time. Weariness and grief were bearing down on me. Worse yet, I knew that these stories weren’t anomalies. My guess is you could put a name and a face to someone who has “deconstructed” or even abandoned faith. Many of us have wondered how this could happen. How could committed followers of Jesus just abandon him? How could someone whose faith had been the center of their lives decide that faith was nothing?
Later that month, I received word that my friend Manie had died. When I was twenty-two years old, I had just graduated from Bible college. Armed with the naiveté and certainty that sometimes accompanies a bachelor’s degree, I eagerly began my first paid ministry position. It was the perfect name for a little church in a tiny town in the middle of Illinois: Prairieland Christian Church. Like a lot of small church ministers, I did a little bit of everything. I preached. I taught. I counseled some folks and cried with others. I led youth group and went on mission trips. I helped with worship and VBS. I married. I
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buried. I baptized. I shoveled snow, swept floors, and painted walls. I went to potlucks and picnics, ballgames, and concerts. Basically, I had the time of my life and met some of the very best people on the planet.
There were several things I was asked to do at that little church for which I didn’t have any classroom instruction or experience. One of those things was calling on people. For anyone not familiar with the culture of small-town ministry, pastoral calling is essentially just kind of making yourself a nuisance. You literally go and visit with people. Sometimes you go to the hospital or nursing home. Occasionally you visit people where they work or grab a cup of coffee. But in churches like Prairieland, you mostly visited people in their living room or around their kitchen table. I learned pretty quickly that there isn’t some secret skill required for calling on people. It just requires time and a willingness to listen to people. You aren’t even required to have a super spiritual agenda. You just make yourself available and present. My favorite people to visit were the older members of our congregation. It’s a blessing to sit and listen to people who have been following Jesus much longer than you’ve actually been alive. They had followed Jesus through different seasons of life that I couldn’t yet imagine at my young age. They had followed Jesus as parents and as grandparents, and through years of work and then retirement. They had followed Jesus when they were young and full of energy, through the pain of losing a spouse or the agony of watching a child wander far from the way they were raised. I wouldn’t necessarily say they knew Scripture better than I did, but they seemed to understand or grasp it in a different way than I did—the type of understanding that only comes with a lifetime of experience. The added blessing is that they never let me leave without cookies, fresh tomatoes, and a glass of sweet tea. They also had a lot more time to tolerate the presence of a young kid attempting to be their pastor.
One of those people was Manie. At least once a month, I made it a point to visit her. Manie was easy to miss at church. She was a tiny, quiet woman who spent much of the service perched behind the organ. Those who really knew her would tell you she was a giant. She spent most of her life waiting and hoping to get married. One of the few things she wanted in life was a family. She was married finally in 1972 at the age of 55. Her husband died in 1996 before I had the chance to meet him. She never had biological children of her own, but Manie was blessed with a large spiritual family. She taught the same thirdand fourth-grade Sunday school class for over seventy years! Multiple generations of young people in that church learned their books of the Bible from Manie. Anyone who has ever worked with third- and fourth-graders would say that alone qualifies a person for sainthood. One of the mistakes I made as a young minister was asking Manie if she needed a break from teaching her class. It was the only time I saw the woman angry. She also played the organ in the church every single Sunday, finally retiring at the age of 100.
I had already left that country church long before Manie died at the age of 102. When I got the news, I started thinking about all those days sitting with her in her living room watching birds through the front window and sipping tea. Christians like Manie aren’t famous. They don’t gather crowds. They don’t write books. They don’t have large platforms. Many churches, tragically, have managed to ignore them or crowd them out, neglecting one of their greatest resources. The cult of the new that animates our world has also wormed its way into our churches. Such a cult doesn’t have much time to watch birds or to patiently teach third graders the books of the Bible. Such a cult doesn’t value the quiet persistence of an ordinary faith that spans a lifetime. Christians like Manie—and there are many of them—aren’t famous. But they should be.
Manie exemplified the virtue of spiritual tenacity, or what I’m calling “holy grit.” In her popular book on grit, author Angela Duckworth says, “Grit is about working on something you care about so much that you’re willing to stay loyal to it.” Generally speaking, a gritty person is someone who doesn’t give up or drop out. A gritty person sets a goal and is not distracted or deterred from it. Duckworth argued that many people are successful not necessarily because they are more gifted or talented than others but because they possess a gritty determination that other people lack. What Duckworth identified as a general principle applies to the life of faith as well. Put simply, holy grit is caring so much about faith in Christ that a person is willing to stay loyal to it through all the diverse and difficult seasons of life. To have holy grit is to possess a stubborn faith, a stubbornness which grants a person patience, contentment, and even joy amid the many frustrations and mundanities of life. To have holy grit is to continue to show up week after week, year after year, decade after long decade, teaching the same Sunday school class, singing the same songs, giving sacrificially, praying humbly, and remaining a quiet but confident witness of God’s faithfulness.
Holy grit is more than simply holding on to faith as if it were merely an accessory decorating our life. Some people hold on to faith in that way. It’s a bit of sentimental nostalgia like a favorite old hat. It’s no longer in style, but you keep it around anyway, dusting it off from time to time because of how it makes you feel and the memories it brings to mind. It is nevertheless a novelty, an accessory. Holy grit, on the other hand, is about a life carried along by a resilient, living faith—a faith that is both in Christ and moving toward Christ. Eugene Peterson (borrowing a line from Nietzsche) labeled this kind of faith “a long obedience in the same direction.” This understanding of the Christian life as a journey requiring sustained resilience was familiar to the writers of the New Testament, particularly Paul. One of his favorite metaphors for the Christian life was running a race (1 Cor. 9:24–27; Gal. 5:7; Phil. 2:16; 2 Tim. 4:7). Paul was bluntly honest, and he spoke from personal experience carrying the scars of faith on his body. The Christian life is no walk in the park. It is a brutal race requiring strict training, bodily discipline, and a mind firmly set on finishing the race. There’s little virtue found in merely starting a race. People with holy grit “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Cor. 9:24b). People with holy grit finish the race. Holy grit is a matter of both running with resilience and standing without being moved. It may seem a bit paradoxical at first. How can grit involve both running and standing? But upon closer examination, it isn’t paradoxical at all. Perseverance in anything requires a mixture of unmoving commitment and unwavering pursuit. Duckworth puts it this way: Grit grows as we figure out our life philosophy, learn to dust ourselves off after rejection and disappointment, and learn to tell the difference between low-level goals that should be abandoned quickly and higher-level goals that demand more tenacity.
Grit requires that we stand firm on what Duckworth calls a “life philosophy.” We discover something of incommensurable worth, something worth living and dying for. The person of grit then runs with resilience, not letting frustrations, heartbreaks, and temporary setbacks get in the way of reaching that which is of ultimate importance. Duckworth was not writing a book on holy living, but it’s hard not to hear some faint echoes of Paul in her words. In the good news of Jesus, we have found much more than a “life philosophy.” We have found life everlasting, a reason for hope, and a source of peace that surpasses understanding. In that good news, we both run and stand firm with holy grit.
Since 2005, Chad Ragsdale has served as a professor of New Testament and hermeneutics. In 2021, Chad became the college’s sixth academic dean.
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A PASTOR’S GREATEST NEEDS
Lifeway Research surveyed 1,000 U.S. pastors for their 2022 “Greatest Needs of Pastors” study. Consider the following results as you lead your church and pray for your ministers.
WHICH MINISTRY AND PERSONAL ISSUES DO PASTORS MOST RECOGNIZE AS A NEED?
77%
76%
75%
72%
69%
Developing leaders and volunteers
Fostering connections with unchurched people
People’s apathy or lack of commitment
Consistency in personal prayer
Friendships and fellowship with others
WHAT MINISTRY DIFFICULTIES ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR PASTORS RIGHT NOW?
77%
76%
68%
55%
45%
Developing leaders and volunteers
Fostering connections with unchurched people
Training current leaders and volunteers
Challenging people where they lack obedience
Establishing a compelling vision
WHAT ASPECTS OF SELF-CARE DO PASTORS SAY THEY FIND CHALLENGING IN MINISTRY?
59%
55%
49%
47%
45%
13%
Consistently exercising
Avoiding over-commitment and overwork
Eating right
Taking time for hobbies or interests
Consistently resting
Facing an ongoing illness
WHAT ASPECTS OF THEIR PERSONAL LIVES DO PASTORS SAY NEED ATTENTION TODAY?
51%
43%
29%
26%
23%
18%
Time management
Balance between work and home
Children
Marriage
Caring for aging parents
Financial stress
Source: research.lifeway.com/greatestneeds
BIBLE WORDS
BIBLE WORDS:
ENDURE Kenny Boles
Hector leaped down from his chariot. Grabbing a spear in each hand, he bravely plunged into the battle. His courage inspired the Trojan army to make a renewed effort to defeat the invading Greeks. He called for the troops to get in formation and prepare to make a charge. With Hector’s leadership, they hoped to repel the invaders and deliver the city of Troy. But wait! There was also courage among the Greeks. As Homer retold the ancient story in the Iliad, the Greek army stood shoulder to shoulder and “endured” the attack. Not a single man lost heart and felt. They dug in, stood their ground, and endured.
The Greek word for “endure” is hypomeno (hoo poh MEN oh). It means literally, “remain under.” When the load is heavy, you “remain under” and carry it. When the battle is furious, you “remain under” and stand your ground. When persecution is fierce, you “remain under” and endure.
Find more word studies at occ.edu/biblewords.
This verb is used 17 times in the New Testament. Let us put on our warrior’s armor, stand shoulder to shoulder, and consider these verses: “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13). “If we endure, we shall also reign with him” (2 Tim 2:12). “You stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering” (Heb 10:32). “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life” ( James 1:12). “Love...always perseveres” (1 Cor 13:7). Most of all let us fix our eyes on Jesus, our victorious leader, “who, for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2).
For decades, Kenny Boles authored “New Testament Words” for OCC’s Compass and Ambassador magazines. Kenny’s wisdom and wit made his word studies a favorite feature of each issue. Today, OCC professor Jon Kehrer continues the column with both Hebrew and Greek words. Read Kenny’s past contributions at occ.edu/ntwords.
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AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: DAVE EMBREE
DAVE EMBREE A GREAT PRIVILEGE: FORTY YEARS IN CAMPUS MINISTRY Amy Storms
Kingdom math is impossible to calculate. God counts one sheep as more than 99 (Luke 15:3-7). He says the first are last (Matthew 19:30) and the least are the greatest (Luke 9:48). To God, two fish plus five loaves equals 5,000 men fed—with a 12-basket remainder (Matthew 14:15-21).
But in God’s perfect timing, Dave’s dad gave him a copy of C.S. Lewis’s book, Miracles. “I decided that if someone as brilliant as C.S. Lewis concluded that God is real, then I needed to rethink ‘smart.’” Dave went on to read everything he could by Lewis and in the field of apologetics. Over the years, as Dave grew intellectually and excelled academically, he also grew spiritually. He learned more about what it means to be a disciple, to surrender, and to serve. “I decided I really, truly wanted to follow Jesus,” he says, and the kingdom impact of that decision? Incalculable.
But that’s precisely the impact made by OCC grad Dave Embree. For more than forty years—with humility, integrity, and “holy grit”—Dave ministered to college students in Springfield, Missouri. A preacher’s kid from Illinois and Missouri, Dave was raised in a Christian home and was baptized at church camp at the age of nine. Later, when Dave was in high school, he was an avid reader. “I thought I was more intellectually progressive than ‘those farmers’ with whom I attended church,” Dave says. “I thought maybe when I went off to college, I’d become an atheist, because that seemed to be what smart people did.”
A Terrible Mistake
This side of heaven, no one can measure the impact of one act of service or estimate how many eternities one life affects. And, multiply one faithful servant’s ministry by four decades! What would that kingdom count be? Immeasurable—only God can tally it all.
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During Dave’s last few years of high school, he decided to pursue evangelism through mass media. He chose to attend Ozark in part thanks to KOBC, the campus radio station at the time. Dave began his ministry training at Ozark Bible College in the fall of 1974. “My very first class at OBC was a Greek class at 7:00 a.m.” Dave recalls, “during which I thought, ‘I have made a terrible mistake—I can’t do this!’ But it got better. I was deeply impacted by professors like the too-intense-for-words Seth Wilson, Wilbur Fields (who really did ‘teach like he was on fire’), the wonderful Lynn Gardner, the horizon-changing Harvey Bacus, and so many others.”
Dave learned from his professors and peers alike. “I met my still-best-friend, Rick Lowry, on my first day or two on campus,” he says, “and I learned what scholarship and ministry are from
college peers like Jim Bilbro, Randy Gariss, and Mark Scott.”
During the first semester of his freshman year at Ozark, Dave met Joyce Hofferth. “Most of my college memories are of racing from class to various jobs, seizing every spare moment to read and study and write papers,” he recalls. “But I did find time to court the right girl and get married!” Dave and Joyce were married in 1976 and welcomed their two daughters, Catrina and Christina, over the next few years. “I’ve certainly learned a lot since my time at Ozark,” Dave says, “but my basic ministry toolbox came from my dad and OBC.”
To Represent Christ Well After OCC, beginning in 1978, Dave served in Springfield, Missouri, discipling thousands of students as the campus minister at Missouri State University’s Christian Campus House (CCH). Dave also served as campus minister at Ozarks Technical College and other colleges in Springfield. He holds bachelor’s degrees from OCC and Missouri State, and a master’s degree in biblical studies from MSU. In 1983, in addition to his ministry at CCH, Dave began teaching a wide range of courses in MSU’s Department of Religious Studies—a unique opportunity to connect with students and earn a hearing for the gospel. Outside the classroom and beyond Christian Campus House, Dave has also written articles and books for students and churches around the country. He served as a guest religions editor for OzarksWatch Magazine. He co-founded and helped edit The Journal of Campus Ministry, and he authored the book, More Than a Fast Food Faith: A Teen Study of Romans, published in 1996. Dave and Joyce have led students on mission trips, exposing them to God’s work around the world. Over the years, Dave has taught thousands of students, encouraging them in their faith and equipping them with the Word of God.
a judge on the French Supreme Court! We’ve also seen many alumni enter ministry roles in the U.S. and around the world— youth ministers, music ministers, preaching ministers, college ministers, media ministers, and missionaries. For many years, we had CCH alums serving as long-term missionaries on five continents.”
For more than four decades, the Embrees have given themselves to the Lord and to college students. And the sum of their kingdom labors? Infinite.
A Great Privilege In 2018, Dave received Ozark’s Seth Wilson Outstanding Alumnus Award, an annual award honoring Ozark graduates for their faithful Christian service. (You can watch a video in honor of Dave’s award at occ.edu/embree.) Last year, after 44 years as executive director of Christian Campus House, Dave Embree retired. Dave will remain on staff behind the scenes. While he won’t be involved in day-to-day ministry with students anymore, he’ll continue to teach at MSU and work on several writing projects.
Every semester, more students would come to CCH, and every semester, Dave was faithful to serve, teach, and “God trusts us enough to call lead with holy grit. “I came God trusts us enough to call us us his ambassadors in this world,” to Christian Campus House Dave says of 2 Corinthians his ambassadors in this world, having never spent much 5:11-21, “which is a calling time on a state university worth pursuing. It has been a which is a call worth pursuing. campus,” Dave says, “but I great privilege to be Christ’s was determined to represent ambassador at the very place Christ well among college students. Over the years, we have where the world culture of tomorrow is being shaped today— baptized hundreds of students into Christ, starting with them where young people are asking many of the most important wherever they were and coaching them toward surrender— questions of their lives, and where young believers can be including students from dozens of countries around the world. equipped to be servants of God wherever they go and whatever We’ve seen many ‘churched’ kids get serious about following they do.” Jesus and become passionate disciples who have gone on to This side of heaven, kingdom math is impossible to calculate. represent Jesus in hundreds of vocations—teachers, lawyers, How many lives can one act of service impact? How many doctors, nurses, physical therapists, computer programmers, eternities can one ambassador with holy grit affect? In the case artists, manufacturers, managers, college professors, artists, of Dave Embree, the number will remain untold—until one day social workers, non-profit organization directors, university when the Lord himself will add up all the faithfulness to the administrators, engineers, ethics officers, law enforcement grand total of, “Well done!” personnel, counselors, farmers, multimedia creators, and even TO INSPIRE
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by guys who just consistently crank out singles. Little by little, they add up.
So if this is your personality, don’t be jealous of other ministers seemingly blessed with great gifts. Just keep preaching, keep pastoring, keep praying, keep plugging away.
When William Carey was a child, no one would have guessed his life’s accomplishments. He had only an elementary education and started life as a cobbler, but William Carey would eventually learn to read the Bible in six languages, found a missionarysending agency, travel to India, open the first Bible college there, start a press that provided Scriptures in over 40 languages for more than 300 million people, and become known as “the father of modern missions.”
What was his secret? Carey once said, “If after my death anyone should think it worth his while to write my life, I will give you a criterion by which you may judge its correctness. If he gives me credit for being a plodder, he will describe me justly. That is my only genius. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.”
Small, methodical, persistent efforts—like turning a flywheel— can, by God’s grace, create powerful kingdom momentum. So “let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9).
Plodding Because of Pain Some, though, are not plodders by personality. Like my wife Katie, you might be hardwired with the need for speed. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” You might be more eagle than turtle. But a day may come when hardship slows your pace.
The theme of this Ambassador magazine is “Holy Grit.” Cancer and conflict, car wrecks and COVID: in the midst of crisis, even eagles can find themselves grounded, wings clipped. Isaiah 40:30 gives that very warning, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.” Isaiah 40 was written to Israelites in Babylonian exile—people in the midst of trial—who are barely stumbling their way forward.
But he kept preaching. He wrote a book chronicling his painful journey called Tracks of a Fellow Struggler, which includes a sermon he preached in the midst of Laura Lue’s illness. In the pulpit, Claypool freely admitted his struggle, “The last two weeks have been a stretch of darkness…but I have been helped by the famous promise of Isaiah 40:31. Here is the promise of divine help in three different forms.”
“I Am Still on My Feet” First, said Claypool, “they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Sometimes God lifts us up to mountaintop moments. Above the forest of fears and the worries of the world, “we soar away in sheer exuberance.”
Second, “they shall run and not grow weary.” Sometimes God empowers us for the mundane moments. Faith isn’t all soaring experiences; it’s more often daily tasks, and God gives us resilience for the routines. But the third promise is “they shall walk and not faint.” Sometimes God holds us up in the miserable moments. In the crushing pain, he keeps us trudging when that’s all we can do.
“Some feel the sequence of this passage is all turned around,” said Claypool, “that the highest form of God’s help ought to be the soaring ecstasy. They think it should read, ‘First you walk, then you run, and finally you mount up like an eagle.’ Who wants to be slowed to a walk, to creep along inch by inch, just barely above the threshold of consciousness and not fainting? “But the writer knew what he was doing. In the darkness where I have been, it is the only promise that fits. Here I am this morning, sad, brokenhearted. I confess that I have no wings with which to fly or even any legs on which to run. But by the grace of God, I am still on my feet. I have not fainted yet.” God’s greatest grace may be to make you a plodder when you can do no other.
Here’s the good news: whether by personality or because of pain, a reward awaits. You may not make the conference stage or get a statue like Cliff Young, but if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, someday you will hear Jesus himself greet you with six blessed words. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Keep plodding.
Sometimes we are plodders because of pain.
Maybe that’s you. Though you usually powerwalk through life, suffering has sapped your strength and shortened your stride. John Claypool was a well-known minister, a spiritual sprinter who grew churches, wrote books and worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But when his eight-year-old daughter Laura Lue was diagnosed with leukemia and died, Claypool was devastated.
Matt Proctor has served as president of Ozark Christian College since 2006.
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FOOTPRINTS OF FAITH He then chose the life of a monk, living six years in the desert under an older monk’s guidance. John immersed himself in Scripture, essentially memorizing the Old and New Testaments.
My preacher friend Bob Martin is known throughout south-central Missouri as “Bible Bob.” (In Deuteronomy 17:18, Israelite kings wrote by hand their own copy of the law when taking the throne, so Bob once wrote out the entire Bible by hand to get it in his heart.) Bob has memorized so much Scripture that, when he speaks, it seeps out constantly, and you can’t tell where God’s words stop and Bob’s words begin. That was John Chrysostom. Bible flowed through his veins.
JOHN CHRYSOSTOM A COURAGEOUS VOICE IN A CORRUPT CULTURE
Matt Proctor “Courage,” said John Wayne, “is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
John Chrysostom (A.D. 349-407) once saddled a mule and rode straight into a wicked, hostile city to deliver God’s message. The most famous preacher of the early church, John’s eloquence earned him the nickname “Chrysostom” or “Golden Mouth.” But I’m inspired by John’s steel spine as much as his golden tongue.
Courage to Study God’s Word Deeply Born in Antioch (in modern-day Turkey), John was raised by his widowed mother, Anthusa. Despite Anthusa’s devout faith, young John “plunged into the whirlpool of the world.” The wealthy city offered dancing showgirls and bawdy theater, which John sampled generously. He studied under the famed pagan orator Libanius who—seeing John’s oratorical gifts— dubbed the young man his successor, and he seemed destined for secular success.
But the prayers of a righteous mother are powerful and effective. The bishop of Antioch, Meletius, built a friendship with John, studying Scripture with him and encouraging him— now a lawyer—to use his gifts to plead God’s case. Anthusa’s prayers were answered when, at age 22, John was baptized.
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Eventually John returned to Antioch, where he was soon appointed the church’s preacher. His communication gifts quickly drew standing-roomonly crowds to hear his sermons. (Audiences were so spellbound that pickpockets plied their trade in church with great success!) Often, after a brilliant oratorical stroke, his congregation would break into applause. When John asked them to stop these spontaneous ovations so he could preach the gospel uninterrupted, his announcement was so wellworded and heartfelt that his audience applauded.
His style drew a crowd, but John’s content grew a church. His rich Bible teaching gave his sermons substance that has stood the test of time. In the 800 existing sermons we still have of John’s, he uses 11,000 references from the New Testament alone. “Bible John” would have been a fitting nickname.
In a world that spends more time scrolling screens than in the scrolls of Scripture, I’m inspired by John’s courage in giving large portions of his life to study God’s Word deeply.
Courage to Preach God’s Word Pointedly Do not mistake John’s popular preaching for people-pleasing preaching. His custom was to teach systematically through Bible books, applying it pointedly—sometimes painfully—to his hearers.
In frontier days, a western logging town built a church and called a preacher. The preacher was at first well received, but then one day, he saw his church members dragging logs— floating down the river from an upstream village toward a downstream mill—onto the bank. Each log was branded by the owner (in the upstream village) on one end. To his consternation, the preacher watched his church members saw off the end with the owner’s brand, apply their own brand, then send the log back down the river toward the mill.
The next Sunday he thundered out a sermon entitled, “Thou Shalt Not Steal” but was surprised when those church members
shook his hand warmly afterward, “Wonderful message, Pastor.” Bothered, he went home to prepare the following week’s sermon—same text, but this time he entitled it, “Thou Shalt Not Cut Off the End of Thy Neighbor’s Log.” When he preached that message, the congregation ran him out of town. That’s how specifically John Chrysostom applied Scripture.
One of John’s sermon titles was: “An Instruction Addressed to the New Believers in Criticism of Those Who Have Abandoned the Religious Service and Have Gone Off to the Chariot Races, and on How Much Care We Must Take of Our Brothers Who Are Negligent.” That’s the world’s longest sermon title, and it might be the most specific. Translated: “How to Help People Stop Skipping Church for Sports Events.” (Still relevant today.) John spoke God’s Word into the political events of the day, taught on Christian marriage, and described how to practice a life of simplicity. He critiqued his hearers for knowing theater lyrics, racehorse names, and political trivia better than their Bibles. He challenged them to give up drunkenness and swearing and gluttony and abortion, and—at the risk of getting run out of town—he called wealthy women to sell their silver chamber pots (basically golden toilets!) to feed the poor. “I don’t want a religion that I put away with my Sunday clothes,” said Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, “and don’t take out till the day comes around again; I want something to see and feel and live day by day.” John Chrysostom’s preaching showed what faith looked like practically lived out Monday to Saturday.
In a world that prefers preachers of pleasant generalities and positive pop psychology, I’m inspired by John’s courage to pointedly preach God’s Word.
Courage to Obey God’s Word Sacrificially John was eventually forced out of town, but not by angry parishioners. An eager emperor kidnapped him!
In the Roman Empire’s new capital of Constantinople, Emperor Arcadius needed a preacher for the royal cathedral, and he knew three things: •
John of Antioch was the best preacher in the Empire.
•
John was so well-loved that Antioch would riot if troops openly marched in to take him.
•
John would never voluntarily live in Constantinople with its political intrigues.
But the emperor wanted John. So, in a covert operation, his agents lured John on false pretenses outside the city, where a small squad of elite soldiers (the Roman “Seal Team Six”) surrounded his mule to forcibly escort him the 800 miles to Constantinople. (The most persuasive “pulpit committee” in church history!) John did not resist. Seeing this as God’s will, he “saddled up” and rode into Constantinople to speak God’s truth.
A recent Instagram account called PreachersNSneakers began posting screenshots of famous American pastors…alongside the price tags of their high-end wardrobes, including a $3,600 Gucci jacket, a $2,500 Ricci belt, and $785 Stella McCartney sneakers! The previous archbishop of Constantinople’s lavish lifestyle would’ve landed him on PreachersNSneakers. John Chrysostom, on the other hand, was marked by integrity and generosity, and as eloquent as his sermons were, his life spoke louder.
Amid the pomp of Constantinople, John wore a simple wardrobe, and he sold the expensive works of art the previous archbishop had acquired. He refused to give the swanky dinner parties that had been the custom, and instead of riding in a “Rolls-Royce” chariot like his predecessor, he rode his “Honda” mule. In the first year alone, Chrysostom saved enough money in household expenses to build a hospital.
He tackled often unpopular projects like caring for lepers (setting up a colony next to an upscale neighborhood), supporting Bible translation and mission work among the Goths (a hated Germanic warrior tribe), firing unethical clergy, and calling Constantinople’s wealthy to renounce extravagance and give to the poor.
This eventually put him at odds with his most powerful church member. The empress Eudoxia (Emperor Arcadius’ wife) felt John was personally targeting her and her conspicuous spending. When she set up a silver statue of herself outside the cathedral, John did personally target her, calling it idolatry. She banished him into exile, but as he was led away (amidst great uproar from his supporters), an earthquake struck the city. Fearful, the superstitious empress stayed the order. But not long after, when John continued calling for radical obedience, Eudoxia again gave the order to exile him.
This time, “in order to avoid popular disturbance, he left his mule hitched in the usual place near the church and gave himself up privately through the back way to the guard, who secretly conveyed him” out of town. Traveling hundreds of miles on foot, John’s health eventually broke, and he died in exile. His example, though, still lives, and in a world of celebrity preachers (and sometimes ordinary Christians) whose lives do not always match their words, I’m inspired by John’s courage to obey God’s Word sacrificially. We too live in a culture at odds with Christ, and to remain faithful, courage is the need of the hour. I like John Wayne movies, but my prayer: may we all “saddle up” like John Chrysostom.
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SEND THEM OUT, WELCOME THEM IN In May, 130 students earned
In August, we welcomed 715
139 degrees and set out to serve in
students—624 undergraduate and 91
ministries around the world. Watch
graduate. Watch the year’s opening
President Proctor’s prayer for the
Convocation Service with Professor
graduates at occ.edu/sendthemout.
Matthew McBirth at occ.edu/convocation.
130 STUDENTS
715 STUDENTS
U P DAT E S
CAMPUS NEWS
Congratulations, Chris Lahm Recently, Athletic Director Chris Lahm was inducted into the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Hall of Fame. The award recognizes outstanding leadership and service to the NCCAA, high moral character, Christian integrity, positive contribution by serving God and society, and continued interest in Christian higher education and intercollegiate athletics. Several of Chris’s former players recorded video messages for him at occ.edu/chrislahm. Well done, Coach! We’re proud of your faithfulness and grateful for your service.
Gerald Griffin, Terry Bowland, and David McMillin Retire Longtime professors Gerald Griffin and Dr. Terry Bowland concluded their service with the college. “Griff ” served at Ozark for 20 years, teaching both the Old and New Testaments and raising up the next generation of leaders to love Jesus and the church. Terry Bowland retired after 30 years, teaching apologetics, philosophy, and more to produce a great harvest of righteousness. Watch videos about Gerald and Terry at occ.edu/geraldgriffin and occ.edu/terrybowland. After 34 years of service with the college, Vice President of Campus Operations David McMillin has retired from OCC. David served behind the scenes with wisdom, integrity, and attention to detail, furthering Ozark’s mission through stewardship and excellence. Watch a video of appreciation for David at occ.edu/davidmcmillin. As David retired, Rachel Watson began as OCC’s new Business Office Director and Controller. Rachel holds an Advanced Associate of Arts in Bi-Vocational Ministry from Ozark (2014) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Missouri Southern State University (2015). Welcome, Rachel!
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CAMPUS NEWS
Welcome, Laura Porter After more than 30 years at Ozark, Dr. Gary Zustiak retired last year. As director of the Counseling and Pastoral Care Department, “Zus” was a beloved professor, colleague, and friend. We’re grateful for Gary’s commitment to our mission of training men and women for Christian service. Watch a video of thanks to Gary at occ.edu/garyzustiak.
As Gary retired, Laura Porter began her service as program coordinator and full-time faculty for the Counseling and Pastoral Care Department. Laura is a licensed counselor and knowledgeable teacher with more than 20 years of clinical experience and over ten years of teaching experience. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree from OCC (1995) and a Master of Science in Counseling from Pittsburg State University (1998). Her husband Dave also graduated from Ozark (1992) with a bachelor’s degree in music ministry. For the last 24 years, Laura has served alongside Dave in Christian churches in Illinois and Kansas. The Porters have five children. Welcome, Laura!
Dr. Aaron Wheeler to Serve Full Time Aaron Wheeler, Ph.D., has moved from part-time to full-time faculty with the college. Aaron has taught as adjunct faculty since 2016. Currently, he teaches Principles of Discipleship and Evangelism for undergraduate students and Contextualized Hermeneutics for OCC’s master’s program.
Justin Gill Named Director of Seth Wilson Library Last year, Justin Gill began his service as director of the Seth Wilson Library. Justin graduated from Ozark in 2014, and he holds a Master of Arts in New Testament from Northern Seminary in Chicago, where he also served as a research assistant to Dr. Scot McKnight. Justin has served in ministry roles with churches in Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. He has worked on numerous published books and on an article in The IVP Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Most recently, Justin served as director of library services and educational technology at Northern Seminary. He also teaches for OCC as an online instructor.
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IN 2023-2024
New Faculty
CAMPUS NEWS
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Dr. Fred Hansen This year, Dr. Fred Hansen joins OCC’s fulltime faculty as a professor of biblical studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Hansen is a widely respected teacher and preacher, having taught at Lincoln Christian University, Johnson University, and TCM International Institute for more than 20 years. Fred holds a Ph.D. in Religious/Biblical Studies from Radboud University, an M.Div. in New Testament and an M.A. in Old Testament from Lincoln Christian University, and a B.A. in World Missions from Lincoln Christian College. Fred has taught internationally in over thirty countries worldwide and ministered in churches in Minnesota and Illinois. His commitment to God’s Word, evangelism, and the church make Dr. Hansen an excellent fit for Ozark. Fred and his wife, Dr. Cindy Hansen, have two children.
Dr. Daniel McCoy Dr. Daniel McCoy serves as a part-time professor of philosophy in Ozark’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. McCoy holds a B.Th. from Ozark (2007), an M.A. in apologetics from Veritas International University, and a Ph.D. in theology from North-West University, South Africa. A gifted writer, Daniel’s books include the Popular Handbook of World Religions (general editor), Real Life Theology: Fuel for Effective and Faithful Disciple Making (co-general editor), Mirage: 5 Things People Want from God that Don’t Exist, and The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw (co-authored with Norman Geisler). Daniel also serves as editorial director with Renew.org. He and his wife, Susanna (OCC 2007), have three daughters and two sons.
Jaron Scott Additionally this fall, Jaron Scott begins as a parttime professor of organizational leadership in our undergraduate program. Jaron and his wife, Chelsi, graduated from Ozark in 2017. Jaron also holds an M.S. in organizational development from Abilene Christian University. A gifted preacher, Jaron continues to serve as the preaching minister of Christ’s Church of Joplin.
“My favorite days start out slow,” Grace says, “with no alarm or kids to wake me up and some quiet time at my desk before the house all wakes up. I also really love to see the sunrise, spend the day outside with the kids and a good book, or go for a drive with my husband in our Jeep.”
MEET YOUR OCC FAMILY
GRACE JONES: BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH A tattoo on Grace’s forearm reads simply, “Give Grace.” She explains, “It’s a reminder to give grace to myself and others—because God has given me so much.”
Hers is the smile that greets you at Ozark events and the warm voice you hear when you call the college. As executive assistant to the President’s Office, Grace Jones serves others with the kindness and love of Christ. Originally from Webb City, Missouri, Grace married her high school sweetheart, Adam. After attending Ozark, the Joneses served in Indiana and Ohio before returning to Joplin. Since 2015, Adam has served as preaching minister at his home church—the Christian Church of Carl Junction, Missouri—and Grace has worked for OCC.
“As a part of our decision to move home,” Grace says, “we asked God to provide a job for me that would fill my time and my heart. Jim Dalrymple was also looking for an assistant to help with events at Ozark. During their time as students at OCC, Jim and Adam were friends and roommates. Since I’d often clean their house, Jim encouraged me to apply for the role… because cleaning up after college guys and helping organize events is almost the same thing, right?”
“When I was in high school, I met my husband when we both worked at Chick-fil-A,” Grace says. “We’ve been in ministry together since before we were married. Adam was in children’s and student ministry at the church where I helped out until we were married.”
Today, Grace serves as executive assistant to OCC President Matt Proctor. She also manages Ozark’s NextLevel resources, oversees event registration, handles details for national conferences, tracks church engagement, supervises Ozark’s reception desk, mentors students, and more. In addition to her ministry with the college, Grace also ministers at home. Along with raising their biological son, Andrew, Grace and Adam have welcomed two dozen kids into their home over the years as a foster family and foreign exchange student host home.
Grace enjoys meeting friends for coffee, reading a good book, and watching her son play basketball. In all things, she shares Christ’s love with others—freely giving as she has freely received (Matthew 10:8) and overflowing with the grace she has received in Christ (2 Corinthians 9:8). TO INFORM
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COMING SOON
FALL TEEN EVENTS AT OCC Registration is open for our fall teen events on campus! This year, our theme, “To Be Continued,” will look at the book of Acts. Students will learn that the church is the continuation of Jesus’ ministry, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. Register your group today at occ.edu/teenevents.
SEPTEMBER 29-30
GETAWAY
NOVEMBER 3-4
THE EVENT
Grades: 6-8
Grades: 9-12
occ.edu/getaway
occ.edu/theevent
Speaker: Cindy Branton
Speaker: Michael DeFazio
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 3
CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE We’re excited to welcome you back on campus this Christmas as OCC staff and students perform It’s a Wonderful Life. Tickets will be available this fall at occ.edu/christmas, and performances will be from Thursday, November 30, through Sunday, December 3. Mark your calendars now, and plan to celebrate Christmas at Ozark!
HOLY GRIT
BY CHAD RAGSDALE New from Academic Dean Chad Ragsdale! Holy Grit is a chapter-by-chapter study of Hebrews on developing spiritual perseverance. Purchase Holy Grit today on Amazon or in the OCC bookstore. occ.edu/holygrit
OCC AMBASSADOR ATHLETICS Cheer on your Ambassadors in person and online. Follow Ozark cross country, men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and basketball at occ.edu/athletics and occ.edu/ambassadorslive.
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FALL 2023 TEEN EVENTS
GETAWAY
Teen Events Ad
Grades 6-8 September 29-30, 2023
THE EVENT
Grades 9-12 November 3-4, 2023 Worship led by OCC’s
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TO CONNECT
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YOUR PARTNERSHIP
TRIBUTE GIFTS
As we relaunch The Ambassador after a year’s pause, we thank God for these past gifts. Recent gifts will be included in upcoming issues. MEMORIAL GIFTS: Robert Allen Larry Allen Mark and Peggy Russell Jon Babb Connie Ross Ruth Bottoms Leonidas Condos Ron Briggs Lenora Briggs Clarence and Etta Cain Allen and Mary Cain Ron Carter Richard and Claudette Flora Don DeWelt Richard and Dee Halaas Ruth Driscoll Pat Aylott Kelly Dye Max and Jackie Dye First Christian Church (Salem, IL) Paul and Veronica Enabnit Jeff and Nancy Enabnit Darviet and Lucille Erwin Randall and Beth Erwin Don and Lois Evans Larry and Karen Catron James and Charlea Cormode Neil Francis Gene and Kathy Proctor Lynn Gardner Betty Patton Trust Bob Gariss Phil Blackmore Charles Greer Keith and Carolyn Mackey Warren and Mary Hughes Thomas Hughes Harold Keely Maxine Keely
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Ben and Sue Killion Carol and Page Cole Sue Killion Charles and Betty Bing David Kincaid Milford Christian Church (Lamar, MO) Judy Lanham David Lanham Russell Lieb Jeff and Barbara Lieb Carolyn Litz Norma Reed James and Marjorie Taylor Bob Lyttle Clark and Marlene McKinney Paula Richardson Berniece Matchell Bryan and Julia Matchell Frank and Mary McClary David and Thelma McClary Kattie Moore Charles and Betty Bing Woody Phillips Richard and Dee Halaas Wayne Pittman Ronald and Joanne West Nancy Puckett Dallas and Norma Puckett Adam Ransom James and Sandra Ransom Emiterio Terry Reyes Randall and Beth Erwin Terry and Gloria Reyes Randall and Beth Erwin Harvey Richardson Ethel Richardson Megan Richey Ronald and Navella Richey
Tom Ross Connie Ross Dean Rutherford Thomas and Deborah Trotter James Sherrod Spencer Aggus Dianne Siemens Connie and Richard Samples Forrest Skinner Alice Skinner Wayne Smith Tom and Carol McKinney Clifford and Deborah Stock Joyce Stock Jerry Toogood Nanetta Boutelle Becky Demaree Roxanna Johnson James Jorgenson Roger and Lynn Langseth James and Carol Matthews Maureen Newell Duane and April Schumann Janice Schumann Janice Tangen Lillian Toogood Rosalyn Toogood Ronald Weirnimont Lyle and Judith Welch Kristy Zodrow Marilyn Tucker Peter and Henriette Bachle Charlotte Barrack Amanda Christie David Freeze Candy and James Fuser Scott and Karla Handley Gayle and Wanda Lucian Noel and Ingrid Orchard Matthew and Joy Stafford Jerald Tucker Vicky Turner Gary Witt Dallas Vernon Lance and Pamela Tamerius Cynthia Weece Leon Weece Donita Weece James and Cynthia Brummit
Dorothy Butler Janet and Richard Clark Ryan and Linda Crawford Bradley and Carissa Gorkowski Julia Greer Randy and Sherri Griswold Gary and Mitzie Knight Arrie and Saundra McClaskey Max and Teresa Mothersbaugh Randall and Tammy Reed Kay and Roger Seacat Woody and Rosalie Wilkinson Gale West Ronald and Joanne West Dick Williams Keith and Sonya Wilkins Chester Williamson Mark Morecraft Seth Wilson Richard and Dee Halaas Wavoline Witham James and Jane Cook Diana Jones Jim Woolsey Janet Woolsey Susan Ziebart Roger and Bonnie Henady HONOR GIFTS: Rodney Brown Carl and Crystal Mittelhauser Monte French Michael and Vicki French Mervyn Moberly John and Mary Morris Kenton Moore Jerelene Richards LaVern Newman Harvey and Kathleen Newman Mark Nichols Carl and Crystal Mittelhauser Jeff Randleman Carl and Crystal Mittelhauser Johanna Ruff Harley and Carol Petri Andrew and Emily Trotter Michael and Vicki French
A gift in your will or trust is an excellent way to help Ozark equip future generations for
For more information,
Christian service. A gift in your will or trust to Ozark Christian College does not cost you
contact Doug Miller
anything during your lifetime, can be changed if your life circumstances change, and helps
at 417.626.1215 or
offset any estate taxes due. Check out Ozark’s free online will service at occ.edu/legacy.
miller.doug@occ.edu.
TO CONNECT
HERE’S AN IDEA
SEVEN WAYS OCC PARTNERS WITH YOUR CHURCH Since 1942, Ozark Christian College has had
NEXTLEVEL WEBINARS
the same mission: we train men and women
Led by OCC faculty, staff, and friends, Ozark’s free webinars offer training
for Christian service. Inside and outside the classroom, Ozark provides the biblical foundation church leaders need in a variety of contexts.
on many topics important to church leaders—
stewardship, preaching tips, parenting, and more. Find these at occ.edu/webinar.
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
ON-CAMPUS EVENTS Every year, Ozark welcomes thousands
Ozark’s accredited biblical training,
transformative community, and kingdom service
opportunities equip students for all kinds of ministry: missions, preaching, pastoral counseling, worship and creative arts, children’s and youth ministry,
organizational leadership, and more. Read about our associate’s and bachelor’s degrees at occ.edu/academics.
of church leaders, alumni, and friends
to campus for our Preaching-Teaching Convention, Christmas musical, women’s event, and teen
conferences. Read about all our events at occ.edu/ events.
FACULTY SPEAKERS As guest speakers at your church service
GRADUATE STUDIES Ozark’s Master of Arts in Christian
Ministry equips graduate students for
effective ministry rooted in scripture. OCC’s master’s program is a biblical training ground for those ready
to answer the kingdom assignment God has for them. Learn more at occ.edu/masters.
NEXTLEVEL ONLINE Free videos for you and your church!
NextLevel Online series are perfect for
a Sunday School class, small group, or personal Bible study. Choose from dozens of series and hundreds of
or event, OCC faculty will share God’s
Word in a relevant, engaging way. Professors are
available for church services, men’s, women’s, or teen events, camps, conferences, and more. Contact
witte.bob@occ.edu to request a faculty speaker.
TRAINING AND CONSULTATION At Ozark, our practitioner faculty—
men and women who serve in the local church—are available for leadership events, eldership training, consultations, and more. Contact
dalrymple.jim@occ.edu for details.
sessions, all taught by OCC faculty. View these on
RightNow Media, YouTube, Live Church Solutions, and at occ.edu/nextlevel.
TO CONNECT
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ALUMNI NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS
Stay connected to your Ozark family... Share updates on your life and ministry with OCC. We’ll print your news in an upcoming issue of The Ambassador. Send us your update at alumni@occ.edu or occ.edu/alumni.
As we relaunch The Ambassador after a year’s pause, we recognize updates from the past. Recent updates will be included in upcoming issues.
Cooper Dane Johnson was born August 19, 2021, to parents Finley Rae Tamerius was born on February 18 to parents Creighton (16/ current staff ) and Jennie (Snyder, 17) Tamerius. Creighton serves as the lead admissions counselor at OCC. Elena Suzanne Wicklund was born on February 25, 2022 to parents Kyle (attended/ current staff ) and Katrina Wicklund. Kyle serves as student success coordinator and women’s basketball head coach at OCC.
OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY Please lift up in prayer the families of the following alumni who have passed away in recent months. Longtime professor Harvey Bacus and his wife Nancy (Shafer) passed away in 2022—two months apart. After retiring from Ozark in 2003, the Bacuses led the Books and More library in Amman, Jordan. In 2004, Harvey received OCC’s Seth Wilson Outstanding Alumnus award. Watch their funeral services at occ.edu/harveybacus and occ.edu/nancybacus.
Chuck Beaver Jr. (77) passed away unexpectedly on February 1, 2022. Chuck served as minister of Quapaw Christian Church in Quapaw, Oklahoma, for several years and was a longtime member of First Christian Church in Miami, Oklahoma.
Ron Blizzard (attended 68-72) passed away on January 23, 2022. Ron served as a deacon at Villa Heights Christian Church and Blendville Christian Church in Joplin for many years. Peter Blomgren (07) passed away unexpectedly on January 19, 2022. Peter worked as an advanced technical support engineer for Jack Henry and Associates.
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Gerald “Steve” Stephen Collins (attended 69-70, 72, 77) passed away on November 27, 2021. He served with and retired from the United States Air Force. Steve served as a Christian mentor to many.
Doug Dorris (attended 72-78) passed away on January 19, 2022. Doug founded and served in the Prison Ministry of Missouri. He also served in churches in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. Bob Earlywine (76) passed away on January 18, 2022. Bob served as the pastor of Christ Church and New Testament Christian in Harrisonville, Missouri, for 30 years. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy. Neil Francis (73) passed away on April 10, 2022, in Joplin. Neil was involved in ministry, preaching and teaching at several churches and schools. He owned and operated 4-State Windshield Repair in Joplin and was a member of College Heights Christian Church.
Rob Furnal (attended 80) passed away on February 1, 2022, in Duluth, Minnesota. He leaves behind his wife, Katie, their three children, and two grandchildren.
Dana George (attended 85-87) passed away on March 3, 2022, in Carthage, Missouri, where she worked as a paraprofessional at the Carthage Intermediate Center for the Carthage R-9 School District.
ALUMNI NEWS James Lee Giyer (70) passed away on January 29, 2022. Jim was a talented mechanic. He leaves behind his wife Lori and several children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Richard (Rick) Kraxberger (attended 64-66) passed away on March 25, 2022, in Carthage, Missouri. Richard was an active member of Fairview Christian Church in Carthage, where he served as both an elder and a deacon.
Carolyn (Goodman) Litz (59) passed away on March 22, 2022, in Carl Junction, Missouri. Carolyn had served as a missionary in several countries. She was also a hospital chaplain and Christian counselor. Carolyn’s husband, Robert, passed away on April 5. Bob Lyttle (55/former staff and trustee) passed away on January 24, 2022, in Joplin. Bob ministered at churches in Oklahoma and Missouri. He had also served at Ozark as cafeteria manager and trustee, as a trustee for Christ In Youth, and as director and manager of Camp Cyokamo. Derrick McGatha (attended 94) passed away on February 22, 2022, in Joplin. Derrick worked for Central State Automation as a machinist. Frederick “Nick” Meyer (87) passed away on March 14, 2022, in Joplin. Nick served young people and their families at Turn-aRound Ranch for many years. Melvin Michaels (attended 79-85) passed away on January 29, 2022, in Joplin. He owned and operated A-1 Automotive in several locations in Joplin, and he worked as a home contractor. Melvin also served as interim minister at several churches. Derek Murrow (attended 87-92) passed away on January 9, 2022, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Derek had served as a counselor for many years.
John Philipose (79/Midwest) passed away on February 27, 2022. Founder of India Christian Bible College, Dr. Philipose was a 2020 recipient of the OCC’s Seth Wilson Outstanding Alumnus Award. Watch his story at occ.edu/johnphilipose. Herb Pinney (62) passed away on November 3, 2021, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Herb served for many years as a minister. In addition to building several churches, Herb also founded New Iberian Mission Association (NIMA) and Morning Glory Christian Academy in San Raymundo, Guatemala.
Ethel Richardson (50) passed away on April 19, 2022. Ethel was a minister’s wife, teacher, homemaker, and a member of the Miller Christian Church in Miller, Missouri. James Sherrod (attended/former staff ) passed away on February 12, 2022, in Joplin. James served at Ozark as printshop manager and at College Press in Joplin. He was also actively involved in the car care ministry at College Heights Christian Church in Joplin. Edwin B. Strong Jr., Ph.D. (attended 51-52) passed away on February 14, 2022. He was the oldest of three children born to former Ozark president Edwin B. Strong and Mary Etta (Guy) Strong. He served as director of development at the University of Tulsa and as president of Culver Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. John Amzi Taylor (90) passed away on January 29, 2022 after a five-month battle with heart failure. John had retired from the ministry in 2017.
Walter “W.A.” Wheat (56) passed away on January 21, 2022, in Lubbock, Texas. A lifelong member of the Christian church, W.A. was a gifted carpenter, accomplished handyman, and skilled retail business manager. Mark Williams (95/former staff ) passed away on April 14, 2022. Mark served in churches in Nebraska and Arizona and in the Advancement Department at OCC. Most recently, Mark was the business development manager at Provision Health System in Neosho, Missouri, as well as a clinical chaplain and Watered Gardens resident assistant in Joplin. Mark leaves behind four children, two brothers, and his parents, retired OCC alumni director Meredith Williams and former campus nurse Heather Williams.
Alice Woodrome, wife of Midwest Christian College president Warren Woodrome (81-85), passed away on August 25, 2021. Alice and Warren lived in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, area their entire married life of 59 years. Alice was a devoted Christian and belonged to the Westside Christian Church in Oklahoma City.
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ALUMNI NEWS
CLASS NOTES 1960s
2000s
In June 2021, Larry Allen (62) retired to a senior living community where he leads a weekly Bible study, assists with morning devotions, serves communion, and directs a prayer chain for residents.
In February, Thomas Montgomery (16) was ordained into the ministry at New Hope Christian Church in Cherryvale, Kansas, where he serves as minister.
1970s Michael Williams (79) retired after 20 years as a chaplain with the Illinois Department of Corrections. Michael also served churches in Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, and Illinois. He continues to lead a small group at Vine Church in Carbondale, Illinois.
1980s Kevin Dooley (85) lives in Clayton, Indiana, where he serves as marketplace mobilizer with Pioneer Bible Translators, engaging the church in faith-based initiatives and transformational, strategic partnerships. Brian Rothgeb (89) has served with the First Christian Church of Neodesha, Kansas, since 2018. He also serves with the First Christian Church of Fredonia, Kansas. Randy Smelser (83) and his wife, Katy, serve in Peine, Germany, where their church has taken in three Christian Ukrainian families.
1990s Jason Evans (95) serves as a groundskeeper and school bus driver with the USD 484 school in Fredonia, Kansas, having closed a ministry with the Cornerstone Christian Church and 32 years in youth ministry.
Ashley King (18) serves as the connections minister at College Heights Christian Church in Joplin.
Nate Wesley (17) serves as communications director with Fellowship Bible Church Bentonville campus in Bentonville, Arkansas. In February, Scott Lerwick (04) was named vice president of institutional advancement at Boise Bible College in Boise, Idaho. Scott has served at churches in Oregon, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma. He and his wife, Joy, have four children.
2010s Shane Thacker (10) now serves as lead minister of Inola Christian Church in Inola, Oklahoma. Shane and his wife Christina (12) previously served in youth ministry with the same congregation. Learn about Shane’s book, Total Marriage Makeover, at shanethacker.org.
In 2021, Parker Williams (10) received a Master of Arts in Theology and Anglican Communion Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. He was granted postulancy for the priesthood in March in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, where he serves as missioner for creation care and stewardship. Recently, Parker moved to the United Kingdom to attend Oxford University.
2020s
Jon Michael Deisher (15) serves as a sales and marketing manager in Allendale, Illinois. He also serves on the board of directors at Oil Belt Christian Service Camp and as a supply preacher for the area, preaching at nine churches within the community. Tristan Florence (19) serves as a firefighter with the Lexington Fire Department in Lexington, Kentucky. Tristan’s wife, Lydia (Proctor, 18) serves as the residency program associate director at Southland Christian Church. The Florences live in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
Alex Steele (21) serves as the leadership resident with Connect Church in Denver, Colorado, where he is pursuing a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Denver Seminary.
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ONE MORE THING
A final thought from our editor
NEVER MIND! Amy Storms When my son was seven, we put a loft bed in his room—a double bed high on a metal frame, with plenty of floor space below for a young Jedi to practice his lightsaber skills. The bed also served as Nathan’s in-house jungle gym, with a ladder and poles for flipping over, hanging from, and sliding down—all the ways the manufacturer never intended.
Amy Storms serves as vice president of marketing and communications, English professor, and Strong Hall dorm mom at OCC. I wish I could always land on my feet, like a gymnast who flies through the air and still sticks the landing. Pile up enough crashes, and you’ll want to stop doing Spin-around Loop-de-loops. But what if Peter had quit when he crashed? Or Moses, or Abraham. “Never mind. I tried walking on water, but I fell in.”
One day, Nathan called downstairs to me from his bedroom. “Mom, if you hear a noise, it’s just me doin’ the Spin-around Loop-de-loop!”
“Never mind. I’ve asked Pharaoh nine times now if we can leave, and he still says no!”
Then, from upstairs on the jungle gym bed: Crash! Silence. Crash! Silence. Crash!
All of them tried, and all of them crashed at least once. But in faith, they got back up and tried again. Peter was saved and started the church. Moses led Israel to freedom, and Abraham’s faith— credited as righteousness—birthed the nation that brought the Messiah.
“Okay,” I answered. A better mom would’ve ended things there, or at least inquired as to what the Spin-around Loop-de-loop entailed. But I am not a better mom.
“Never mind!” Nathan called again, frustrated. “I can’t land on my feet!”
I can’t land on my feet. I can relate. How frustrating to fail at something you really want to do—to try your best and still come up short. In ministry…“Lord, I thought this was what you wanted! So why did it crash?” In relationships…“I trusted them, God, but things still fell apart.” In life…“I’m trying here, but nothing is turning out right.”
“Never mind. If you won’t tell me where I’m going, I’ll just stay here.”
To God, how we finish isn’t the point. Faith is. Faith is what pleases God—it’s impossible to please him without it (Hebrews 11:6). God isn’t impressed when we stick the landing in our own strength. He’s delighted when we trust him enough to try. Faith itself is success in God’s eyes. And failure isn’t in the occasional crash—it’s in not having faith in the first place. Faith leaves no room for “never mind.” Faith does Spin-around Loopde-loops, even when you can’t land on your feet.