the
ambassador
the magazine of ozark christian college
SPRING 2019 WHY DIVERSITY? Three motivations behind OCC’s ethnic diversity initiative p. 6 ON THE COVER: The Hands of the Sower by 2014 grad and former employee Cassandra Lowe p. 7 REMEMBERING WILBUR FIELDS Thanking God for a beloved, longtime professor p. 24
Reflecting God’s Heart
OCC.EDU
CONTENTS TO INSPIRE President’s Perspective Matt Proctor
Learning the language to communicate Christ
Featured Theme Matthew McBirth
Becoming a multiethnic, multicultural college
“Gen Z” in the Church
How iGen views the world and culture
Bible Words Jon Kehrer
An in-depth look at the language of Scripture
Ambassador Spotlight: Jaron Scott Amy Storms
A heart to listen, a heart for God’s Word, a heart to preach
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TO INFORM Campus News
Recent happenings at OCC
From the Classroom Doug Welch
“The deeper you go, the further you’ll reach.”
Senior Spotlight Chad Ragsdale
Congratulations to our Class of 2019 honored grads
Meet Your OCC Family
Introducing Ozark professor Jessica Scheuermann
Coming Soon
Upcoming events at OCC
Remembering Wilbur Fields
We appreciate you, dear brother
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TO CONNECT Here’s an Idea
Six resources for building a multiethnic church
Your Partnership Jim Dalrymple
Making the difference together
Alumni News
Updates from alumni around the world
One More Thing Amy Storms
A final thought from our editor
The Ambassador magazine is published three times each year to inspire, inform, and connect the Ozark Christian College family. Design: Lauren White Creative
Contributing Editors: Kathy Bowers, Matt Proctor, Amy Storms Contributing Photographers: Mark Neuenschwander
Contact: Ozark Christian College 1111 N. Main Joplin, MO 64801 hello@occ.edu
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The vision of Ozark Christian College is to glorify God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide. The mission of OCC 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 Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). OCC is also a Candidate for Accreditation with Higher Learning Commission (HLC). 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 and other school-administered programs.
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Matt Proctor has served as president of Ozark Christian College since 2006.
LANGUAGE LEARNING 101:
HOW A MULTICULTURAL CAMPUS EQUIPS STUDENTS TO COMMUNICATE CHRIST Matt Proctor
You have to learn the language to communicate Christ. Preaching once in Nicaragua, I tried my limited Spanish, but instead of the epistolas de Pablo (“the epistles of Paul”), I accidentally said the pistolas de Pablo (“the pistols of Paul”). I also mistakenly referred to mi esposa (“my wife”) as mi esposo (“my husband”). Failure to learn the language is muy peligroso (“very dangerous”).
It May Be English, but It’s Greek to Me
Language learning isn’t just important in other countries. Right here in America, each subculture has its own way of talking. In Denver you “wash the car,” in St. Louis you “warsh the car,” and in Boston you “pahk the cah” and then “wahsh it.” (You knew that because you’re “wicked smaht.”) In the Midwest, that carbonated beverage is a “pop,” in the Northeast a “soda,” and in the South a “Coke.” Whether the differences are regional, ethnic, or generational, you’ve met people who were speaking English, but it sounded like Greek to you. Tom Long, a Georgia native living in New Jersey, describes the difference in how those two cultures communicate: Listen to this rather ordinary conversation between two Southerners. One of them has paid an afternoon visit to the other, and the hostess says, “Would you like something to drink?” The other person says, “Oh no, don’t go to any trouble” (which virtually every Southerner knows is code for, “ Yes, I would like something to drink”). The hostess, knowing the code, says, “It’s no trouble. I’ve got coffee, tea, and Coke. What would you like?” “Whatever you’re having. Don’t fix anything just for me” (which is code for, I have something in mind, but I’m not sure it’s all right to ask for it). “Oh no, the coffee’s brewed, the tea water’s hot, and the
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Coke’s in the frig. It’s no trouble at all.” “How nice. Well then, I’d like a cup of coffee.” “Fine. Sugar? Cream?” “Oh, don’t mess with all that.” (In other words, one sugar and a little cream.) This kind of conversation drives New Jersians crazy. Ask natives of New Jersey if they would like something to drink, and they will say, “ Yes, I’m thirsty. I want some juice.” But…we in the Southern culture…spend much of our time saying what we do not mean, or rather, saying what we do mean indirectly with nuances, hints, winks, and verbal inflections. 1
Thinking Like a Missionary…Even in Montana
Whether across the world or just across a few state lines, you have to learn the local language to communicate Christ. Missions professors call this cultural agility: the ability to understand and connect with people in different cultural contexts. The apostle Paul had cultural agility. As a missionary, he studied a people group, learned their vocabulary, then packaged the unfamiliar gospel in familiar terms they could understand. In Acts 17, preaching to pagan Athenian philosophers, Paul quotes the pagan poets Epimenides and Aratus and echoes the pagan orator Seneca, all to communicate biblical truth. Jesus had cultural agility. The ultimate missionary, Jesus traveled from heaven to earth, followed the local Galilean customs, ate local foods, wore local clothes, spoke the local dialect, and told familiar stories of everyday Palestinian village life. Though he was from an entirely different place, Jesus connected so deeply with the human experience—specifically, the first century Jewish experience—that they thought he was one of their own. “Jesus was so thoroughly a part of his culture that, when being betrayed by Judas, he had to be identified by a kiss.” 2
Thomas Long, The Senses of Preaching, Westminster John Knox, 1988.
My friend Roger has cultural agility. An OCC graduate, he once invited me to preach at his church on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. I arrived at the church early Sunday and asked if we could talk through the morning service. But— not thinking about my cultural context—I used a word I’d often used before: “Hey Roger, can we go to your office to pow-wow?” He steered me to his office and there gently explained that, among Native Americans, a pow-wow was a solemn cultural ceremony. Using that word for an everyday conversation could accidentally sound disrespectful. A small thing, he said, but he wanted to be considerate of the people he was trying to reach. When it comes to cultural agility, I have a lot to learn.
Why Create a Multicultural Campus?
Our students have a lot to learn as well. That’s why OCC has long sought to be a multicultural campus. Over thirty years ago, our trustee board funded the International Student Grant, providing financial support for international students to study at OCC. We’ve welcomed students from places like China and the Congo, Mexico and Myanmar, Haiti and Honduras. About seven years ago, we made plans to welcome, not just international students, but more U.S. students who represented ethnic and cultural diversity. We created a Diversity Department and set up scholarships that did for ethnically diverse American students what International Student Grants did for students from other countries. Why? What motivates decisions like these? Three reasons. The first reason is theological: a multicultural campus better reflects God’s heart. God desires a people from every ethnic group (Matt 28:18-20). Since the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, the world had been divided by language, culture, and race. But Christ’s death reconciled us with God and with each other— especially other ethnic groups (Eph 2:15-16). So in Acts 2, the reversal of Babel began, and that very first church was made up of believers from at least 15 different people groups (Acts 2:9-11). Different skin colors, clothes, foods, and languages, yet “all the believers were together and had everything in common” (Acts 2:44). We want Ozark to look the same. In a world where prejudices run high, a multiethnic community of believers is a compelling testimony about the heart of God.
In a world where prejudices run high, a multiethnic community of believers is a compelling testimony about the heart of God.
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“This Feels Like Family”
The second reason is practical: a diverse campus better recruits future students. When I was president of the 2013 North American Christian Convention, I invited sisters (and OCC alums) Brittany Bolt (01) and Brianna Bolt Bushnell (01) to help lead worship. They love Jesus deeply, and their voices could draw tears from stone. They’re also black. One evening at the convention, I met two new Orchard Group church planters. They’d never been to the NACC before. Both young men were African American, and one said, “We have really enjoyed this week’s convention! To be honest, when we first walked into the auditorium, we weren’t sure this place was for folks like us. [The vast majority of NACC attenders are white.] But then we saw those ladies singing on stage, and we thought, ‘Okay, this feels like family.’” We want to cultivate a multicultural campus so that, when minority students come, they won’t feel like an out-of-place guest but like an expected part of the family. In this Ambassador, you’ll read about the great work Director of Diversity Matthew McBirth has done, growing OCC’s minority student population from 9% to 17%. But we still have a ways to go. In 2016, 51% of all public elementary and secondary school students in the U.S. were nonwhite. America is growing more diverse, and I want those future college students to hear God’s call to ministry and come prepare at Ozark!
“All Things to All Men”
The third reason is missional: a multicultural campus better prepares evangelistic leaders. Our mission is training men and women to reach the world with the gospel, and a culturally diverse world is best reached by culturally discerning leaders. The apostle Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor 9:22). To the Jews, he became like a Jew, to the Romans like a Roman, to the Greeks like a Greek. When he was arrested in Acts 21, Paul surprised the Roman commander by speaking his language and thus got permission to address the rioting crowd. Turning to the threatening mob, he got their attention by switching to their dialect. “When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet” (Acts 22:2). Paul then proceeded to preach Jesus. You have to learn the language to communicate Christ. That’s why we want a multicultural campus. When our students build diverse friendships—with peers from Mexico and Manhattan, Latvia and Los Angeles—their cultural agility begins to grow. They start to think like a missionary. Whether they end up in Nicaragua, New Orleans, or North Dakota, they learn to speak like a local so they can speak about the Lord. Take it from me: without that skill, ministry is muy peligroso.
Ed Stetzer, “Monday is for Missiology: Some Thoughts on Contextualization,” christianitytoday.com.
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FEATURED THEME Matthew McBirth has served as OCC’s director of diversity since 2016. Find out more about OCC’s Diversity Department at occ.edu/diversity.
PUTTING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER: WHY OCC IS COMMITTED TO ETHNIC DIVERSITY Matthew McBirth
I had an elaborate way I was going to do it. All summer long, I’d planned just how I was going to ask my now wife, Allison, to be my girlfriend. We were already good friends by this point as students at OCC. We’d gone on several dates to see if we had what the kids call “chemistry,” and luckily for me, we did. However, knowing I was going to be gone all summer traveling across the country with Ozark to serve in Christian camps, we had decided to wait until school started again to make our relationship “official.” That gave me ten weeks to perfect my plan. I arranged an amazing date for Allison—in my opinion. I included all the things college students like: coffee, adventure, dancing, and food. We’d end the date, I decided, by doing a puzzle together. I would write a message on the puzzle beforehand, so that once the pieces were placed together, it would reveal my note, telling her how much I liked her, explaining why I wanted to take our relationship to the next level, and asking if she felt the same. Of course, this all required that I first put together the 500-piece puzzle to write my message. All summer long, when I had free time at those camps, I worked on that puzzle. Finally, exactly one day before I headed back to OCC to begin the fall semester, I finished. I was proud. I even numbered the back of each piece, to make it easier for us to reassemble. But things didn’t go as planned. It turned out, after all that work…Allison does not like puzzles! When we got to that point in the date, she didn’t want to put it together. I still asked her to be my girlfriend anyway, and thankfully, she agreed. And even though Allison didn’t want to work a 500-piece puzzle on a date, to her credit, she did put the pieces together that first week of our relationship, and finished. Allison may not like puzzles…but I do. I like the hard work
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of bringing all the pieces—all the varied shapes and sizes and colors—together. To be honest, puzzles are a great reason why OCC has a Diversity Department. A puzzle is composed of a large variety of pieces—each one unique in shape, size, and color—and each piece is needed for the puzzle to be complete. The image is clear once all the diverse pieces are in place. This is a great example of how God created humanity, and why the church should reflect At OCC, our Diversity healthy diversity in unity. At OCC, our Diversity Department leads the Department leads the charge charge in our efforts to in our efforts to become a become a multiethnic, multiethnic, multicultural multicultural college. college. We have three main motivations behind this goal.
The Whole Picture
Our first motivation, as always, is Scripture. Theologically, we know that from one God came diverse creation—mountains, seas, stars, dogs, cats, birds, and humans that all reflect God. Scripture says that humanity is made in the image of God, and yet, even humanity is diverse! Different ethnicities, languages, and races all reflect the image of God in unique ways, and when this healthy diversity is brought together in relationship with others, God’s image is seen most clearly. Scripture alludes to this truth: • Revelation highlights the diversity of Christians worshiping God in heaven. “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev 7:9, ESV).
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Paul reminds the Ephesians of the importance of diversity in unity. “For [ Jesus]…has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility… and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross” (Eph 2:14, 16, ESV). • In Acts, Luke states that it was in Antioch that followers of Jesus were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). In context, this is because many Gentiles began to believe in Jesus (Acts 11:21) and be in community with Jewish believers—so much so that the leadership of the church in Antioch reflected diversity with having Jews (Barnabas and Saul) and Africans (Lucius from Cyrene and Simeon called “Niger”). These passages are just a few of many in Scripture that make it clear that God wants his people to reflect and honor ethnic diversity, because in so doing, we reflect and honor him. We bring together diverse pieces of his creation to show his image—the whole picture he intended. OCC will always teach the Word of Christ in the Spirit of Christ, and because we see ethnic diversity in Scripture, we strive for an ethnically diverse leadership, faculty, staff, and student body.
The Sake of the Gospel
The second reason for creating a Diversity Department at Ozark is to help us better fulfill our mission of training men and women for Christian service. The U.S. is becoming increasingly more ethnically diverse, but U.S. Christian churches remain largely ethnically homogenous. This incongruence means that many churches aren’t breaking down racial barriers toward reconciliation. As we continue to train our students to be ministers of the gospel, we want them to have the cultural agility to take God’s good news of reconciliation to whatever community or neighborhood they find themselves.
OCC’s Diversity Department helps students grow in their cultural engagement so that they will have the mentality of the apostle Paul, who said, “To the Jews I became as a Jew…. To those under the law I became as one under the law…. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ)…. To the weak I became weak…. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Cor 9:2023, ESV). OCC wants to prepare students like this.
A Kingdom Home
A third reason for having a Diversity Department flows directly from the first. Scripture displays the kingdom of God as a world home. It’s the unique place where all demographics can feel at home: rich and poor, female and male, black and white and every other race and ethnicity in between. The Diversity Department cultivates a multiethnic, multicultural college so that everyone who comes to train for ministry feels at home. This means that they are heard, that they see themselves represented in their peers, faculty, and staff, and that they feel comfortable enough to be themselves. OCC created the Diversity Department to become a world home. Just like puzzle pieces of all one shape and color can’t come together to make a whole picture, a homogenous Christian institution without biblical diversity is limited in its reflection of God. Putting a puzzle together takes time, endurance, and intentionality, but the finished product is worth it. At OCC, we’re putting the puzzle together, becoming a multiethnic, multicultural college to reflect the heart of God, to make everyone feel at home, and to glorify God as we fulfill our mission to train women and men for Christian service.
ON THE COVER 2014 grad Cassandra (DeFazio) Lowe painted The Hands of the Sower as part of OCC’s African American Heritage Celebration Week in 2017. Lowe’s work was inspired by Maya Angelou’s words, “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Cassandra now serves as a children’s minister at Glendale Christian Church in Springfield, Missouri.
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A recent study by Barna and Impact 360 Institute reveals how Gen Z (born 1999-2015) views the world and culture.
GEN Z + DIVERSITY GEN Z
3%
9%
BLACK
HISPANIC
ASIAN
OTHER
63%
17% 21%
MILLENNIALS
67% 19% 18%
GEN X
6% 3%
BOOMERS
6% 3%
8% 5% 2% 3% 6% 6%
0%
76%
11% 11%
ELDERS
“Gen Z is the most diverse generation we’ve observed in American history…. Gen Z racial minorities are substantially more likely than white teens to consider their race or ethnicity important to their sense of self. When it comes to perceptions of the church, African American and Hispanic teens are more likely to choose (from a number of options) churchthemed activities or icons that have a more communal feel and greater diversity as opposed to white teens.”
WHITE
85%
92%
4%
GEN Z + FAITH ENGAGED CHRISTIAN CHURCHED CHRISTIAN UNCHURCHED CHRISTIAN OTHER FAITH
9%
33%
16%
7%
Get the full report and details about the research at barna.com/research/gen-z-questions-answered.
NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION
34%
BIBLE WORDS
BIBLE WORDS
IMAGE Jon Kehrer
Socrates, in an extended debate with Glaucon, illustrates a point about learning with an example from life. Someone can’t recognize a letter of the alphabet, Socrates explains, let alone the image of a letter reflected in water, if that person hasn’t learned their letters to begin with. Recognizing a reflection requires knowledge of the original image. The word Socrates uses for “image” is eikōn (ei-CONE), meaning “representation” or “likeness.” That same word is used in the Greek translation of Genesis 5:1, where it says, “In the day God made ‘Man,’ he made him in the image of God.” We “image” our Creator; God designed it that way! Furthermore, “male and female he created them, and he blessed them, and he named them ‘Man’ when they were created” (Gen 5:2). God intended diversity to reflect the image of God, and the more we know God, the more we see his image in us.
Find more word studies at occ.edu/biblewords.
However, cultures tend to separate groups based on how we look, how we sound or how we think. Anything “different” feels dangerous, so we live increasingly isolated from those different from us. But there is one place on earth where those differences are celebrated as the image of God: the church! Paul says that in Jesus, we put off our old selves and put on the new, which is being renewed in the eikōn of its creator (Col 3:10). In fact, it is in that image “where there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, Barbarian or Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all!” (Col 3:11) Paul’s point is not that diversity disappears within the church. Instead, our manufactured labels disintegrate as our distinctiveness actually “images” God. Praise God for our differences! Together, may we increasingly reflect our Creator.
Jon Kehrer teaches Hebrew, Old Testament, and hermeneutics at OCC. Find more word studies at occ.edu/biblewords.
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AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: JARON SCOTT
JARON SCOTT:
ONE OZARK GRAD’S COMMITMENT TO MAKING CHRIST KNOWN
Amy Storms
“God is calling some of you today,” a youth pastor told his students a decade ago, “and it’s time to say yes.” With that, a young Jaron Scott, who had grown up in the church all his life, responded. “Immediately, I felt a massive pull at my heart,” he recalls about that moment. “I walked to the front, and that Sunday morning, God saved a church kid.” Raised in Lawton, Oklahoma, Jaron says church was practically home. His paternal grandparents had pastored a church, and his maternal grandmother was what Jaron calls a “super volunteer.” “I was born into that church,” he says, “and thanks to the heavy influences of my grandparents, the church life was all I knew.”
Making Christ Known through Obedience: A heart to listen
After graduating high school, Jaron attended St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Oklahoma. “I went there to play basketball,” he says, “and I didn’t consider any other factors...which is a terrible way to make a decision. I chose to major in Kinesiology, even though science was always the one thing I hated the most in school.” After a few months of poor decisions and stubbornness, Jaron stopped resisting what he knew to be the Lord’s leading, and began instead to listen. “I remember going to class one day and praying, ‘Okay, God. Whatever you want, I’ll go with it.’ In the middle of that prayer, I got a text from a former high school classmate saying,
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‘Bro, come to Ozark!’ I knew that was God’s answer, and I enrolled at OCC the next fall.”
Making Christ Known through Scripture: A heart for God’s Word
Jaron attended Ozark from 2013-2017. In that time, he met his wife, Chelsi, and they were married in 2018. Both graduated from OCC in 2017— Jaron with a Bachelor of Christian Ministry in Preaching, and Chelsi with a Bachelor of Arts in Bi-vocational Christian Ministry with a minor in Biblical Justice. Chelsi currently serves as a caseworker for Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. Jaron says that, during his time at OCC, mentors and professors like Dr. Mark Scott, Roger Twitchell, and Darrin King made a special impact on his life. It was also at Ozark that Jaron developed a heart for God’s Word. “It sounds simple,” he says, “but OCC taught me to dig deep into the Scriptures and read the Bible. Today, my leadership and preaching rise and fall on my hearing God speak through his Word. Ozark taught me to do that.”
OCC taught me to dig deep Jaron understands. That Great Jaron credits two texts with into the Scriptures and Commission passion—that core having gripped his heart and shaped value of making Christ known— his ministry: read the Bible. Today, my has birthed in him a heart to • “His word is in my heart like leadership and preaching preach. a fire, a fire shut up in my rise and fall on my hearing bones. I’m weary of holding it Dr. Mark Scott says of Jaron’s God speak through his Word. in; indeed, I cannot” preaching, “It was more than an (Jer 20:9). academic exercise when Jaron Ozark taught me to do that. preached in class. It was a spiritual • “God is making his appeal experience. He made it more than through us. We implore class. There was definitely the ‘lean you on Christ’s behalf: Be in’ when Jaron preached, and the reconciled to God. God made students loved it. You can’t teach what Jaron does in terms of his him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we sermon preparation and delivery. He is a no-nonsense preacher. might become the righteousness of God He goes for the jugular.” (2 Cor 5:20-21). A 2017 recipient of OCC’s Don DeWelt Preaching “Those two Scriptures,” Jaron says, “have put words to the Scholarship, Jaron currently serves as the associate pastor at heart and passion behind preaching for me.” Christ’s Church in Joplin. Making Christ Known through the Church: “I could preach all day if I were allowed to,” Jaron admits, “and I would probably have more fun than any preacher should A heart to preach be allowed to have.” One of Ozark’s core values reads: “Making Christ Known “I’m a huge basketball fan,” he continues. “I think Lebron through the Church.” It’s the heartbeat behind everything we James is the greatest athlete of all time…but I watch sermons do: we train men and women for Christian service, so that for fun. I love seeing people passionately communicate God’s they’ll be empowered to make Christ known in the world. In Word.” everything, OCC is a witnessing community, partnering with Jaron is also struck by the power of God’s involvement in the church in the Great Commission. preaching, and the power of community in the church. “One truth that impacts the way I preach is that effectiveness in preaching is impossible without God’s involvement. I could preach the most eloquent sermon in human history, but it won’t be effective unless God personally does a work.” Of the church, Jaron notes, “Hands down, the biggest way that I’ve seen God work is in people. We humans in our most natural state have self-centered thoughts, self-centered emotions, and self-centered actions. But day in and day out, countless people give their time, energy, and resources to show up and build God’s church. When naturally selfish human beings show up as volunteer custodians, student volunteers, worship volunteers, money counters, and more, that’s powerful. That’s nothing short of a God-orchestrated miracle.” From a child growing up in the church, to a teenager who experienced a “massive pull at the heart,” to a college freshman willing to pray, “Okay, God, whatever you want”…to an OCC graduate and preacher, Jaron Scott demonstrates a heart to listen, a heart for God’s Word, and a heart to preach. Devoted to obedience, Scripture, and the church, Jaron is making an eternal impact. As an ambassador—not just for Ozark, but more importantly for Jesus Christ—Jaron is “making God’s appeal of reconciliation.” In all he does, Jaron Scott is committed to making Christ known.
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CAMPUS NEWS
Well Done, Ambassadors!
Congratulations to our men’s and women’s basketball teams on a great 2018-2019 season. The men claimed the regular season conference title in the Midwest Christian College Conference Tournament in February. Three Ambassadors also received individual honors this season: Bryce Money: • MCCC Conference MVP • 1st Team NCCAA All-Region • 1st Team ACCA All-American • 3rd Team NCCAA All-American • NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week (February 11, 2019)
Adreonna Hughes: • 2nd Team MCCC All-Conference • Honorable Mention NCCAA All-Region • 1st Team ACCA All-American
Miles Dressler: • 1st Team MCCC All-Conference • 2nd Team NCCAA All-Region • 2nd Team ACCA All-American
The men’s team is coached by Athletic Director Chris Lahm and Skip Walker. The Lady Ambassadors are coached by Kyle Wicklund and Sarah Rhodes. Follow Ozark Athletics on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and at occ.edu/athletics.
Debbie Greer Named Alumni Hall Residence Director
OCC is excited to announce Debbie Greer as the new residence director of Alumni Hall. Debbie is the wife of Kevin Greer, OCC’s director of student ministry. She has served as a chaplain for Joplin’s Freeman Hospital since 2012, and she graduated from OCC in 2013. Debbie brings forty years of ministry experience in church, parachurch, hospital, and public settings. Debbie and Kevin will move into the Alumni Hall residence director apartment this summer upon completion of the dorm’s renovation project. Also this fall, Kevin will begin serving as director of OCC’s Idleman Ministry Center, overseeing ministry placement, internships, and Christian service.
New Student Affairs Department
In July, OCC’s Student Life and Student Success Departments will combine under one umbrella: the Student Affairs Department. This department will oversee all non-academic student services, including campus activities, counseling services, athletics, dining services, diversity, residence life, campus security, and more. With this departmental restructure, Monte Shoemake, who has served as the vice president of the Student Life
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Department since 2001, will step down from that role and move into a new role—senior director of community standards, responsible for student conduct, safety, campus security, and more. Andy Storms will assume a new position as vice president of the Student Affairs Department. Andy has served in a number of areas since he began at Ozark in 2013, including director of Student Success, head soccer coach, and Strong Hall residence director.
CAMPUS NEWS New Leadership in Advancement Department
In April, Sergio Rizo concluded his service at OCC as vice president of OCC’s Development Department. President Matt Proctor stated, “Sergio has represented the college with excellence and integrity. He built strong relationships with donors, raised significant resources for our mission, provided fresh perspective on the college’s processes, connected OCC more closely with the Joplin community, and invested deeply in our students and personnel. We are grateful for Sergio, and while we are sad to see him go, we trust the Lord’s leading in his life.”
Also this spring, Jim Dalrymple was named executive vice president of the Advancement Department. Since 2013, Jim has served as a professor and in OCC’s College Relations Department. President Matt Proctor wrote, “Jim has given excellent leadership in our College Relations area and, in this new role, will now coordinate all of OCC’s external relational efforts. I am grateful to serve alongside ‘capable, God-fearing, trustworthy men’ like executive vice presidents Doug Aldridge (academics), Damien Spikereit (administration), and Jim Dalrymple (advancement).”
OCC Receives Reaffirmation of Accreditation
Ozark Christian College has been granted Reaffirmation of Accreditation with ABHE (Association for Biblical Higher Education) Commission on Accreditation. This ten-year reaffirmation of accreditation is effective through 2029. ABHE is a national accrediting agency consisting of approximately 200 post-secondary institutions specializing in biblical ministry formation and professional leadership education. Ozark Christian College has been accredited by ABHE since 1988. OCC was also granted continued Candidate for Accreditation status from the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency. The college will host an initial accreditation visit from an HLC visit team in March 2020, and will receive a decision from HLC in late 2020.
Welcome, Rebekah Hannum!
In August, OCC will welcome Rebekah Hannum as this fall’s Visiting Intercultural Professor. Rebekah has served with Team Expansion in Granada, Spain, for seven years. She has also served in Venezuela and in Joplin with the missionary care organization, Global R.E.S.T. While at OCC, Rebekah will teach two courses: Women in Intercultural Life, and Practical Issues in Global Outreach.
Welcome, Jacque Gage!
In February, Jacqueline Gage (OCC 78) began at OCC in the role of Access Services Librarian. Jacque brings 18 years of library experience, having served as director of the Barton County Library, the Joplin Public Library, and in leadership roles in professional networks like the Missouri Library Association and the Missouri Public Library Directors organization. Library Director Derek Moser said, “Jacque has nearly two decades of administrative service and has developed a reputation of being a hard-working, dependable leader who is focused on patron-centric values. Experience and knowledge are wonderful assets that she brings to the table.” Jacque and her husband, Mike, have served in the local church for more than thirty years.
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CAMPUS NEWS Personnel Changes This spring, Dr. Marva Wesley will conclude her service on our campus as professor of psychology and counseling. Dr. Wesley’s husband, Gilbert, is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia, including a two-year bone marrow transplant process. Since the Wesleys are citizens of Canada, the treatments are taking place there, and Marva will move to Canada to be with him. We have greatly appreciated Marva’s presence and joyful spirit on our campus over the past two years, and we know she’ll be missed by all. We’re grateful that she still plans to teach for us online. Please remember the Wesleys in your prayers.
Also this spring, Lisa White will conclude her service at OCC. For 21 years, Lisa has served in various roles around campus, first as a residence director with her husband Jeff, and most recently as dean of women and Title IX coordinator. Lisa has served with professionalism, integrity, and compassion. We’re grateful for her faithful commitment to our mission of training men and women for Christian service.
This spring, Judie Kakac will retire from OCC. In her 22 years at Ozark, Judie has served in many roles, including administrative assistant, Dining Hall assistant, front desk receptionist, and most recently as residence director in Alumni Hall. We’re so grateful for Judie’s years of faithful service to our students at OCC.
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI HONORED Congratulations to our 2019 Seth Wilson Outstanding Alumnus Award recipients, recognized at the President’s Banquet in February.
Jill English, for over thirty years of dedicated service through creative event planning, editing, writing, and compassionately caring for over 15,000 Ozark alumni around the world. occ.edu/english
Freeman and Carolyn Bump, for over fifty years of exemplary service as missionaries in Mexico, planting churches, establishing urban ministries, and founding the Juarez Bible Institute. occ.edu/bump
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Dr. Charles and Mary Terrill, for over thirty years of faithful ministry to the local church, teaching, leading, writing, and pastoring other ministers. occ.edu/terrill
Well done, good and faithful servants!
HEARD IN CHAPEL
“Our sexuality is designed to display God’s love for his people.”
MICHAEL DEFAZIO The Pursuit of Wisdom: Sex (Theological) | 2.26.19
“There’s only one thing that will transform your thinking, which in turn transforms your desires, which in turn transforms your behavior and your actions, and it’s this: the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
JULIE GARISS The Pursuit of Wisdom: Sex (Practical) | 3.12.19
“If God is God, then money is not. If God sits on his throne, then there’s no room for my money to sit there, too.”
JON KEHRER The Pursuit of Wisdom: Money (Theological) | 3.26.19
occ.edu/chapel
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NO MATTER WHAT
In February, more than 1,100 people gathered for OCC’s annual Preaching-Teaching Convention. The theme, “No Matter What,” centered on the book of 1 Peter. OCC’s Isaac Schade, Frontline, and grads Jose (2015) and Sammy Heredia (2016) led worship throughout the week.
FROM THE CLASSROOM
BETWEEN TWO TREES:
Doug Welch has taught New Testament and hermeneutics at OCC since 2004.
A SCHOLAR’S MIND AND A PASTOR’S HEART Doug Welch “The deeper you go, the further you’ll reach.” I heard Mark Scott say those words years ago, and they’ve stayed with me ever since. Maybe it’s because we’re prone to believe the alternative: that people today aren’t looking for in-depth theology in our preaching and teaching. That they’re looking instead for preachers who will meet their felt needs by speaking about issues they can apply to their everyday lives. Theological thinking doesn’t meet people where they are, we suppose, so we need preachers more tapped into real life than theology textbooks or biblical commentaries. Mark’s statement, and OCC’s 77-year tradition of teaching the Word of Christ in the Spirit of Christ, disagrees. The men and women who prepare the next generation of Christian servants still believe that in-depth biblical training is the best way to equip students to meet real-life needs. We believe that our students can grow in their biblical and theological understanding and still “keep
the cookies on the low shelf ” (another “Mark Scott-ism”) for the people they serve. For an excellent current example of that mindset, read Dr. Shane J. Wood’s latest work, Between Two Trees. Shane’s ability to think deeply and yet write clearly for a wide audience shows the connection we in the OCC classroom try to engender between a scholar’s mind and a pastor’s heart. The bridge between the two is the desire for transformation. That’s why we delve deeply into the historical-cultural background surrounding ancient texts, spend time with our noses in Greek word study tools, and think about the theological ramifications of every text we seek to interpret: because we know it isn’t just about us reading the text. It’s about the text reading us. The text becomes a mirror for our souls, freeing us from sin and blessing us with divine wisdom ( James 1:23-25). Transformation is what Between Two Trees is about. In it, Shane explains the
New release from Shane J. Wood
B ET WEEN TWO T REES shanejwood.com/betweentwotrees
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depth of our situation—that beyond our status as sinners, we are united with Death itself. And it’s this union with Death that defines us, affecting everything we are. As Shane says, “we are fluent in the language of Death, we intuit the movements of Death” (38). But understanding the depth of our situation better only leads us to appreciate the gift of God in the cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross, “God became accessible to death… but death is now accessible to God” (119). In the cross, Jesus met us in the depth of our problem, rescuing us from the power of sin and death. In so doing, he is able to deliver anyone who trusts him toward a new life in union with God. In other words, the deeper Christ went for us, the further he can reach through us.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Cassidy Thomason
Hometown: Girard, Kansas
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry
Plans after graduation: I will work full-time as the Care Coordinator at Joplin’s LifeChoices Health Network. Favorite class: Biblical Ethic for Reconciliation
For fun: My roommates and I like to host game nights for friends at our apartment.
What have you appreciated about your time at Ozark? I’ve appreciated the opportunities for spiritual and academic growth and the lasting friendships I’ve made.
What is something that surprised you during your time at Ozark? A few years ago, a girl went on a run and got sprayed by a skunk. I couldn’t believe how bad it smelled and how hard it was to get rid of the smell! Who do you want to thank? My sister Alexis for being a constant encouragement, my Apartment 801 girls for asking me hard questions, Momma Kim [Camp], Carrie Cook, and my parents. “If I were only given two words to describe Cassidy, I’d choose excellence and exuberance. Cassidy does not approach any task, opportunity, or relationship lightly. She puts her absolute all into everything she does, and her commitment to excellence has led to much success both in academics and in ministry. But Cassidy doesn’t just work hard. She also approaches life with genuine excitement and deep joy. She lives every day grateful for her education, friendships, job, and most importantly, her relationship with Jesus. Because of these values and others, Cassidy has been a gift to the Ozark community—a gift we are proud to share with the world!” Biblical Communication Professor Beth DeFazio
Class of 2019 Honored Graduates
Eddie Hardimon Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Interdisciplinary Studies, with a minor in Student Ministry
Plans after graduation: Youth ministry in Edwardsville, Illinois Favorite classes: Romans and Hebrews
For fun: I like to play basketball with friends on Tuesday mornings.
What have you appreciated about your time at Ozark? I’ve really enjoyed the community that I’ve found in life groups, friendships, and my support system. Ozark puts an emphasis on that. This community will be a part of my life for a long time. What is something that surprised you during your time at Ozark? Just how fun Bible college has been. Who do you want to thank? Andy Storms, Chad Ragsdale, Randy Gariss, and Michael DeFazio. I also want to thank my Texas boys for keeping me grounded, my wife Baylee, and my family. “It has been such a joy to get to know Eddie over the last several years. I am so looking forward to watching how God will use Eddie and Baylee to bless the kingdom. Eddie is supremely talented but also genuinely humble and eager to serve. He really embodies what I have come to love about the Ozark student body.” Assistant Academic Dean Chad Ragsdale
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2019 OCC ALUMNI PROJECT
HELP US RAISE $100,000 TO FINISH THREE INITIATIVES: 1
FINISH THE RENOVATION | $25,000
2
FINISH THE FUNDING | $25,000
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Finish the funding of our Missions Building addition, with an elevator and larger lobby
FINISH THE RECRUITING | $50,000
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Finish the much-needed update to Alumni Hall
Underwrite our need-based grant for students with financial challenges
O C C . E D U / F I N I S H C A M PA I G N
MEET YOUR OCC FAMILY Jessica’s favorite kind of day is one that involves a used bookstore, a coffee shop, and a walking trail. She says, “All three of those things bring peace and relaxation to me.”
“I love to bake, and I love to play in the dirt. I’ve got a small vegetable garden in my back yard and flower beds in my front yard. In fact, every spring you can find me either procrasti-baking or procrasti-gardening some weekend when I should be grading papers.”
In addition to teaching English, Jessica also directs the Academic Resource Commons, the tutoring center on OCC’s campus. Jessica and her husband have also served as residence directors of Goodman Hall.
JESSICA SCHEUERMANN: A LIFE DEVOTED TO STORY
Growing up, Jessica Scheuermann lived in four states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Kansas—and attended eight different schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Since then, Joplin has been home. Jessica came to OCC as a student in 1996, graduating in 2000 with a Bachelor of Christian Education and going on to earn a Master of Arts in Education from Pittsburg State University in 2012. Married to Ryan for 21 years and mom to Josh (a junior in high school), Jessica is a self-proclaimed “word nerd,” teaching English composition and literature courses at OCC for the past six years. “Even though it’s cliché for an English teacher to say, I love books. Fiction is therapy for me, but I love creative non-fiction— essays and memoirs—as well.” Jessica also has a deep love for the Word of God. Two of her favorite passages are found in the book of John: “I love the way the gospel of John begins and ends,” she says. “Secretly, I think John may have been a bibliophile and word nerd, too. He begins his gospel with a description of Jesus as the Word. I am fascinated by words and the flexibility of language to accommodate the needs of culture and situation. But I am moved to think that Jesus is the constant and unchanging manifestation of God’s gospel. And then, John wraps up his account by telling us that all that he wrote about Christ’s life is just part of Christ’s life on earth. According to John, ‘Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written’ ( John 21:25). This makes my little bookworm heart go pitter-patter. It reminds me that Jesus is fathomless and that I will never get to the end of the Word of God. Christ is the very best living ‘story’ I will ever encounter, and I am glad to spend my life devoted to that story.”
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COMING SOON
FRONTLINE COLLECTIVE OCC’s worship group, Frontline, has expanded to add an exciting element: the Frontline Collective. Under the direction of Isaac Schade, this collaborative group writes and produces worship music from the Ozark community, for the Ozark community. Their single, “Be Like You,” is available for download, along with chord charts, accompaniment track, and tutorials. Frontline’s newest single, “Deliverance,” releases this summer. Frontline merchandise is also available for purchase. Follow Frontline on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. occ.edu/frontline
JUNE 9-14:
CREATIVE ARTS ACADEMY OCC is excited to welcome high school students from around the country to this year’s Creative Arts Academy. Students will learn from professional artists in twelve tracks, including filmmaking, theater, music, art, photography, and production. occ.edu/caa
JUNE-JULY:
SPORTS CAMPS Each summer, the OCC Athletic Department hosts sports camps for kids in grades 3-12. Members of past and present Ambassador teams help Athletic Director Chris Lahm teach skills in athletics as well as foster spiritual growth. Send your future Ambassador to join us at one of the camps below. occ.edu/sportscamps
VOLLEYBALL:
BASKETBALL: Boys and Girls Day Camp
Junior High Boys
Junior High Girls
High School Boys
Grades 3-5 // June 5-7
Grades 6-8 // June 9-12
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Grades 6-8 // June 16-19 Grades 9-12 // June 23-27
Junior High Girls 1 Grades 6-8 // June 12-14 Junior High Girls 2 Grades 6-8 // June 19-21
COMING SOON
FALL TEEN EVENTS AT OCC SEPTEMBER 27-28:
NOVEMBER 1-2:
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
GETAWAY
Speaker: Nikomas Perez
Worship: Madison Christian
THE EVENT Speaker: Brad Tate
Worship: Jordan Howerton Band
JHB occ.edu/getaway
occ.edu/theevent
SAVE THESE DATES! OCTOBER 8-10:
FEBRUARY 17-19, 2020:
OCC at Spire Conference (formerly North American Christian Convention) in Orlando, Florida
OCC Preaching-Teaching Convention with Ed Stetzer, Rick Rusaw, Dr. Jerry Taylor, Amani Mustafa, Dan Hamel, and Eric Epperson
spire.network
NOVEMBER 14-17: OCC at the International Conference on Missions in Kansas City, Missouri theicom.org
occ.edu/pt
APRIL 3-4, 2020: OCC Women’s Event with Lori Wilhite occ.edu/wc
DECEMBER 5-8: OCC Christmas Musical The Best Christmas Pageant Ever occ.edu/christmas
2019 2020 TO INFORM
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REMEMBERING WILBUR FIELDS We were saddened to learn of Wilbur Fields’ passing on May 7, 2019. Brother Fields taught at Ozark for 36 years, and generations of students share memories like mine: • I took my first Ozark class, OT History at 7 a.m., with Wilbur Fields, and I remember a man so deeply saturated in Scripture that he could tell Bible stories as if he’d been there. (His crackling voice, animated delivery, pianoplaying hymns, and memorable phrases—“the Dead Sea is shaped like a hot dog that a rat took a bite of ”—are seared into my memory.) • I served with Wilbur in elementary camp, and I remember a man so childlike that the kids followed him like a Pied Piper through the woods as he pointed out fauna and flora. (When Chris DeWelt was an Ozark student, Wilbur showed him the gingko tree by the Missions Building, “Brother Chris, I wanted this tree planted here because the way the leaf functions is a clear argument against evolution and a testament to Creation.”) • I served as a professor alongside Wilbur, and I remember a man who encouraged me (“We appreciate you, Brother Matt”) and made me laugh. (At Anna Wilson’s funeral, when the prodigious Wilson family all walked in, Wilbur leaned over, smiled, and said in what he thought was a whisper, “Dozens of cousins!”)
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• I worked right outside Wilbur’s open office door, and I remember a man so deeply connected to Jesus that he constantly sang and had out-loud conversations with the Lord daily. (His office looked like an archaeological dig, and more than once I heard him rummaging, “Now, Lord, where did I put that pencil?”) Since his passing, hundreds have commented on the impact Brother Fields made on their lives. At OCC’s weekly personnel lunch, we all laughed and nodded as former academic dean Mark Scott captured the paradoxes of Wilbur Fields: He was a simple man with a profound faith. He was a brilliant man with a humble spirit. He was a joy-filled man with a serious commitment to the mission of the church. He was an early riser and caught a nap in chapel. He talked to himself often but was not loony. He taught thousands of students—and knew them all by name. He had a vocal range that covered all the octaves of the piano. He had capacities in both his right and left brain—he could analyze the Hebrew text and also play the piano. He had convictions that were rock solid but was extremely kind to those who differed from him. He was a thrifty man but generous to all. During our student years, Carla and I attended North Joplin Christian Church. One Wednesday evening, Brother Fields was leading the study. He had broken one of the earpieces to his glasses. (He used his glasses more as a pointer to maps and slides than to see.) He had tied a piece of string to the edge of his glasses, and after taking his glasses off, he would put them back on by winding the string around his ear. Carla and I could not keep from shaking as we laughed—still do to this day. Once several of us professors traveled to a meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. As we walked in, I heard Brother Fields say, “Gentlemen, that man over there is Gleason Archer.” He admired the great evangelical Old Testament scholar. But as we all walked by, I heard one of those men say, “Hey guys, there goes Wilbur Fields!” We were in the presence of greatness every day on this campus. Join with us in praying for Wilbur’s family and in thanking God for his life. We are glad he now gets to be with his Lord and his Louise, and we look forward to the day we see him again when we can say, “We appreciate you, dear brother.”
HERE’S AN IDEA
SIX RESOURCES FOR BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A MULTIETHNIC CHURCH Matthew McBirth
1 2 3 4 5 6
When a church displays unity in the midst of diversity, Jesus is glorified and made known. Unity in the midst of ethnic diversity is biblical, but it’s also difficult—especially in a divided world. Here are six resources to help you cultivate a multiethnic, multicultural church.
Building a Healthy Multiethnic Church by Mark Deymaz
Pastor and professor Mark Deymaz makes the biblical call for the church to be multiethnic, and offers practical ways to plant diverse churches and transition ethnically homogenous churches into multiethnic ones.
Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart by Christena Cleveland Like all ministry, multiethnic ministry can be messy. This book identifies the reasons most churches are ethnically homogenous and the oppositions to creating a multiethnic church.
Dancing in No Man’s Land: Moving with Peace and Truth in a Hostile Land by Brian Jennings OCC grad and trustee Brian Jennings discusses how to have constructive conversation with people who think and believe differently than you on a variety of issues—a topic that’s especially relevant in trying to cultivate a multiethnic ministry.
Multiethnic Conversations: An Eight-Week Journey Toward Unity in Your Church by Mark Deymaz and Oneya Fennell Okuwobi
This eight-week guide for small groups, church staff, and other groups helps facilitate healthy discussions on creating multiethnic ministries.
Roadmap to Reconciliation: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness and Justice by Brenda Salter McNeil
While Disunity in Christ explores why churches are so racially segregated, Roadmap to Reconciliation gives practical steps on how churches can reconcile different people groups through the power and love of Christ. Dream of Destiny
An outstanding, gospelfocused resource for coaching and training in multiethnic ministry, Dream of Destiny helps churches, pastors, and ministry leaders intentionally foster ethnic diversity among their leadership, staff, and constituents. dreamofdestiny.com
For more ideas, contact OCC Director of Diversity Matthew McBirth at mcbirth.matthew@occ.edu.
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YOUR PARTNERSHIP
Jim Dalrymple serves as OCC’s executive vice president of advancement and a professor of New Testament.
GENETIC GENEROSITY Jim Dalrymple
Generosity begets generosity. It’s a trait passed down from our heavenly Father. Those who most resemble him are those who most reflect his generosity in their lives. How great is the love the father has lavished on us (1 Jn 3:1). Generosity reveals who or what we love. It’s not difficult to be generous toward our children. Ask any grandparent--generosity comes naturally to a heart of love. So what does our generosity reveal about our love of others? Generosity reveals who or what we trust. We struggle with generosity toward those we suspect might squander our gift, and we more readily give to those who will respond with gratitude and use the gift the way we would. And while we should be discerning, I’m thankful that God generously entrusts us with his good gifts, despite our repeated faithlessness. Does a lack of trust cause your hand to give with hesitation? Generosity reveals who or what we
value. Money follows values. A simple evaluation of how we designate our money indicates that to which we’re willing to give our lives. To give money to another person or cause is to give your life to them. No wonder generosity is a family trait! Do we say we’d gladly lay down our life for others, but we’re reluctant to give life away in generosity? Thank you for your generosity. It’s a family trait, being passed down to our students. In a recent chapel service, Professor Jon Kehrer challenged students to evaluate their own “theology of money.” At the end of his message, Jon passed out $2,000 in cash to all the students. Generous, right?! Then Jon challenged each student to match the money they received and give it away. The students responded in big ways, paying for a peer’s school bill, buying gifts for a child in their local church, and more. The challenge revealed a great deal about their love, trust, and values (1 Tim 6:17-19).
TRIBUTE GIFTS
Lester McIntosh M/M Marvin Schiavone
DECEMBER 1, 2018-MARCH 11, 2019
Mary McIntosh Leah McIntosh
MEMORIAL GIFTS:
Connie Mieir M/M William H. Mieir
Bill Abernathy Sandra Abernathy
Dr. Lynn Gardner Anonymous, M/M Rick L. Jett, M/M Charles E. Slote, Jr.
William Beard Christ’s Church at Tiffin (Tiffin, OH), Terrell Newboles
Vincent Graham Alice Graham
Ralph Blackwell Constance F. Blackwell
Robert Halteman Bessie Halteman
Clarence and Etta Cain Allen E. Cain, Lynn C. Cain, Lucille Vest Norm Clatterbuck Patricia Roane Joseph and Mary Costabile Joe Costabile, Jr., Susan Harmon, M/M Bill Meyer Don DeWelt M/M Bradley E. Neal J. Wayne Dunn M/M Jack Jessup and family Carlos and Jeanne Elmore M/M Richard Steckler Darvie Erwin TO L. CONNECT 26 M/M Randall Erwin
Charles Greer M/M Richard M. Haden
Willis Harrison M/M Michael D. Lee Max Hickerson Carolyn L. Hickerson Walter Howrey Saundra Loveall, Thelma Pope Sterling Lacy M/M William H. Mieir Judy Lanham David M. Lanham David Malcolm Phil W. Blackmore James Marcum Sonya M. Marcum
Anna Moyers Irene Betts, Kelly J. Burrows, College Heights Christian Church (Joplin), Community Christian Church (Fort Scott, KS), Diehl Banwart Bolton CPAs (Fort Scott, KS), Lois J. Evans, M/M James L. Gilchrist, M/M Donald L. Hayes, M/M Gary Herrmann, M/M Tom Jabben, R & C Livery, LLC, M/M Rick Masters, M/M Kevin D. Moyers, Karen A. Paddock, M/M Luke D. Proctor, M/M Ray Schell, M/M Cecil L. Stark, Kathy Talbot, M/M Thomas Williams Raymond and Anna Moyers M/M Larry Catron Cassandra Neill Viji Ayyar, Jim Broughman, Margaret Connor, Nicolas Cortes-Penfield, Sue Crawford, Mary Estes, Khalil Ettayebi, Umesh Karandikar,
Generosity is a family trait, and I’m grateful to belong to a family that looks like our heavenly Father. Thank you for your desire to reach others for Christ and make a kingdom impact with your life. At Ozark Christian College, for over 75 years we have stayed focused on one mission: training men and women for Christian service. We prepare students for the harvest fields worldwide. When you give generously to OCC, you multiply your kingdom efforts through the hundreds of kingdom workers we train each year.
Shih-Ching (Roy) Lin, M/M Robert T. McLelland, Amey Neaville, Sastri Palla, Carlee Paulus, Sashi Ramani, Julie W. Scheier, M/M John M. Wagner, Xi-Lei (Shelley) Zeng David Parsley Phil W. Blackmore Adam Ransom M/M James B. Ransom Donald Reed N. Kay Reed Betty Ross Fairview Christian Church Homebuilders Class (Carthage, MO) Freda Scott Wayne Scott Gordon Springer Deborah Springer Clifford Stock Joyce M. Stock Deborah Stock Joyce M. Stock Kiley Taft M/M Joe M. Taft, Oklahoma Bunco Ladies Alicia Thomason M/M Don Thomason
Cynthia Weece Leon Weece Roy Wheeler Alice Graham Seth Wilson Mary Lou Harden Charles and Dorothy Wittenborn M/M David Wittenborn HONOR GIFTS: Mike Ackerman Betsy Raymond Robert Allen M/M Brian Faidley Jill English Myrtle Owings Bryan Hampton Family M/M Donald L. Hampton Staci Records M/M Randy N. Records Dudley Rutherford Terrie Auzenne Woody and Rose Wilkinson M/M Mike Nauman Bob and Lisa Witte M/M Mike Nauman
ALUMNI NEWS
THE CLASS OF 2018 AND THE $11 CAMPAIGN Is it possible to change the world with just $11 a month? OCC Director of Development Alex Follett (Class of 2018) wants to find out. Alex made the decision to challenge his fellow grads to give back to their alma mater to prepare more workers for Christian service. Two months after his initial challenge, 30% of his 2018 classmates had already committed to giving $11 a month to The Difference Fund, a fund that covers 20% of a student’s actual costs. Alex and the Class of 2018 are leading a new charge for all Ambassadors, challenging us to give back to our alma mater. If every graduating class in Ozark’s 76-year history accepted this challenge, it could result in $1.4 million each year for our students. Imagine the difference it would make for new Ambassadors to be trained at OCC— with fewer financial restraints—to go wherever God leads. Truly, it could change the world! World change—eternal impact—is the motivation. Whether you received a degree from OCC or only attended for a short time, you are an Ambassador. You are one of our 15,000 alumni doing incredible work all over the world. Be inspired by Alex and the Class of 2018. Join them in giving at least $11 a month to prepare the next generation of Christian leaders. Watch a video about the Class of 2018’s “$11 Campaign” and sign up to participate at occ.edu/11.
Troy Nelson serves as alumni relations director at OCC.
Is it possible to change the world with just $11 a month? TO CONNECT
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ALUMNI NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS Daniel (13) and Jordan (Reinhardt) (13) Baker on the birth of their third son, Roman Bruce Baker, on December 6, 2018, in Waddell, Arizona. Garrett and Judy (Osborn) Baugher (15) on the birth of Josiah James Manny on March 15 in Carthage, Missouri. Judy serves as the children’s minister at First Christian Church in Carthage.
Jacob (attended) and Hannah (Becerra) (16) Crosser on the arrival of Thea Rose Crosser, born January 3 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Tyler (07) and Erica (attended) Edwards on the adoption of Rowan Kade Edwards in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Austin and Karissa (Lieb) Eilerman (attended) on the birth of Lelani Jade, born January 3 in California.
Cameron (17) and Morgan (Fankhauser) (15) French on the arrival of Crosley Tyler, born March 13. Morgan is a stay-athome mom to Crosley and big brother Harrison. Cameron is finishing a Master of Divinity through Portland Seminary. Jason and Debra (Hogg) (07) Fulton on the birth of Hannah Ruth, born in December 31, 2018, in Buford, Georgia. Debra works as a director of rental operations and music teacher. The Fultons serve at Lilburn Christian Church.
Micah (14) and Tosha (Lowry) Funderburgh (14) on the arrival of Lincoln Ezra Funderburgh, born February 12 in Joplin. Micah works as a customer service representative at Lowe’s, and Tosha serves as the elementary ministry coordinator at College Heights Christian Church.
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Justin (14) and Rebecca (Roth) (13) Gill on the birth of Sophia Diana Mae Gill. Sophia was born September 13, 2018, in Downers Grove, Illinois. She joins big brothers James and John. Justin serves as student and graduate research assistant for Dr. Scot McKnight at Northern Seminary, and Rebecca works as a high school library department secretary. Daniel (16) and Kelsey (Curran) (16) Hounshell, on the birth Casper Wesley on January 21 in Joplin. Tyler (10) and Abigail (Curran) Lane (11) on the birth of Eliza Kay Lane on February 24 in Spokane Valley, Washington. Tyler serves as the high school pastor at Valley Real Life in Greenacres, Washington. Jonathan (11) and Madison (Hart) (11) Lyonhart welcome their twin sons, Augustine Arthur Lyonhart and Søren Patrick Lyonhart, born December 8, 2018. Madison is currently the outreach coordinator at the University of Cambridge, and Jonathan is a Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy and Religion at the University of Cambridge. Taylor (15) and Madison (16) Miller on the birth of Evelynn Jane, born June 23, 2018, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Evelynn joins her big brother, August.
Bryan and Dena (Kludsikofsky) (06) Overaa on the arrival of Wyatt Jay, born February 1 in Shelton, Washington. Wyatt joins his big sister Elizabeth.
We’d love to hear from you! Submit your ministry or family update at occ.edu/alumni. We’ll print your news in the next available issue.
ALUMNI NEWS
WITH SYMPATHY Please lift up in prayer the families of the following alumni who have passed away in recent weeks. Seldon Ray Blackburn (attended 48-50) passed away on March 10 in St. Peters, Missouri. He had served in ministries throughout Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Freida Louise Brown (76) passed away March 4 in Sedalia, Missouri. Freida served as head cook of Rock Garden Christian Service
Camp in Eminence, Missouri, and as the pianist for the Preacher’s Quartet for 30 years. She also worked as a home educator for the Parents as Teachers program and as a paraprofessional for the Sedalia School District. Please pray for Freida’s husband Rodney (76), their family, and friends. Helen Jane (Wood) Hawkins (attended 58-59) passed away October 10, 2018, in LaMarque, Texas.
David Munoz (00) passed away in December after a two-vehicle accident near Pineville, Missouri. David is survived by his wife, Jodi, three daughters, and two grandchildren. David was the minister of the First Christian Church in Anderson, Missouri. La Juana Rhea (Ballard) Stipe (M 53-54) passed away on February 13 in Yukon, Oklahoma.
CLASS NOTES:
1970s
1950s
Dr. Don Ott (76) serves as an evangelist and psychologist. His ministry, Christian Psychological Resources (CPR) has made 37 “mental health missions” to 12 different countries. Dr. Ott teaches biblical psychology and Christian counseling to preachers and other church leaders. His most recent trip was to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January. In June, Dr. Ott plans to travel to Havana, where he has directed Cuba Bible Institute for ten years.
Dr. Cecil Todd (54) recently celebrated 70 years of ministry, leading crusades, mission trips, and more. Cecil serves as an evangelist with Revival Fires Ministry. Ben Killion (55) will retire as senior adult minister at First Church, Owasso, OK, on June 30, 2019. Ben and Sue (Earnest) (attended) were married in 1953 and began full-time ministry at Jasper, Missouri (1955-58); Hillside Christian Church, Nowata, Oklahoma (1958-2000); two interim ministries at Coffeyville, Kansas, and Eufaula, Oklahoma, and at Owasso, Oklahoma (2003 to present).
1960s David Haynes (64) has closed 14 years as professor of pastoral ministry at Nebraska Christian College in Omaha, Nebraska.
Howard McPeak (68) retired from an 18year ministry at Pape Christian Church in El Dorado Springs, MO. Dennis Wallen (77) has filled the position. Howard continues to serve as an elder and teacher. John Ling (69) closed an eight-year ministry in Shrub Oak, New York, and moved to O’Fallon, Missouri, to be near family. John and his wife, Burnelle, volunteer at Harvester Christian Church (Troy campus).
Bill LaPorte (79) is preaching at Richards Christian Church in Richards, Missouri, after completing an interim ministry in Amorett, Missouri.
1980s Tim (85) and Jane Liston recently celebrated 30 years of ministry at New Hope Church in Texas. Tim and Jane founded the church in 1989 with no core group. The church ran 75 people in attendance for the first six years. Now, New Hope has four Houston area locations with 10,000 people in attendance each weekend.
1990s Bob Schroeder (93) celebrated 35 years in ministry. He has served at Hillside Christian Church in Amarillo, Texas, since 1984, and continues serving as the senior executive pastor.
In August, Kip Nelson (94) and his wife, Catherine (Peters) Nelson (93) will begin their 18th year of ministry at Legacy Christian Church (Lee’s Summit Campus) in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Kip has also served as the lead chaplain for the Lee’s Summit Police Department for four years. Brent Ashby (96) recently moved to Norman, Oklahoma, after 16 years in the Dallas, Texas, area. Brent serves as a chaplain at an Oklahoma City hospital and is pursuing supply preaching opportunities in the area. Kyle Bellinger (96) recently released an EP with his band, Richard Parker, titled Black Knight Satellite. The EP can be found on all digital and streaming services, including Spotify, iTunes, and CDBaby. Kyle lives in Jefferson City, Missouri, and works full time at the University of Missouri in Educational Technology. Chris Morton (98) is serving as junior high student minister at First Church in Owasso, Oklahoma.
Allen (93) and Marilynn (Hobbs) Todd (92) are raising support to serve in full-time mission work in Newcastle, NSW Australia, having closed a 21-year ministry with Timber Lake Christian Church in Moberly, Missouri. TO CONNECT
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ALUMNI NEWS
2000s
2010s
Tony Coulombe (05) is serving as lead minister at Warrenton Christian Church in Warrenton, Oregon. Since graduating from OCC, Tony has also served with Journey Christian Church in New Orleans and Mustard Seed Global Fellowship in Japan. Tony has been on staff with the church since 2009.
Phil Nelson (10) became the director of men’s housing at Awake Ministries in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Awake is a Christ-centered residential recovery program. Phil and his wife Leah (Goins) (08) Nelson are currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Jessica Hinton (06) is serving as youth minister at River’s Edge Christian Church and women’s minister at Campus Christian Fellowship at the University of Northern Iowa in Waterloo, Iowa.
are moving to Batesville, Indiana, having closed a ministry in Pittsburg, Kansas. Bryce will serve as lead pastor of Batesville Christian Church. Steven Massey (13) lives in Griffith, Indiana, where he serves as the junior and senior high student pastor for two combined youth groups. Steven is also a groundskeeper in Hammond, Indiana. Andrew Reed (16) is serving as the communications director at The Bridge Church in Fresno, California.
Mike Packer (08) is serving as lead minister at Southeast Christian Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Shelby Philip (11) and Aaron Levy (10) got engaged in London, United Kingdom, beneath the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Photograph by Mitzi (Tischler) and Jordan Starkweather (attended).
Cecil Deitz (09) recently moved to Dallas, Texas, where he serves as director of IT for Pioneer Bible Translators.
Bryce (12) and Kelsey (Green) (12) Hotchkiss
James Downing (12) is serving as worship pastor at Highland Church of Christ in Robinson, Illinois.
ATTENDED Chris Dague (attended 97) serves as facilities director at Riverbend Retreat Center in Glen Rose, Texas. Chris and his wife Cari (Logue) (attended 99-00) have three daughters, Madison, Morgan, and Makenzie. Rick and Della Deighton (attended 65-66) founded Alpine Christian Mission and served in south Germany for seven years. Rick served as missions professor at Boise Bible College, and the Deightons have served in bi-vocational ministries in Idaho, Oregon, and overseas. Their fourth full-length book,
Is the Bible without Any Errors?, is being translated into Russian. The Deightons will celebrate 21 years with Overseas Outreach this summer. Karen (Alldridge) McCashen, Ph.D. (attended 63-67) has retired after 30 years in private practice as a marriage and family counselor. Marie (Moscrip) Persinger (attended 06-09) serves as a missionary with One Mission Society. Mark Willis (attended 79-80) is currently serving as the Director General Chaplaincy –
Andy Nichols (17) recently won first place in the graduate student division of the Stone-Campbell Journal Conference. His paper was on desert father John Cassian. Andy is the minister of the Greenview Christian Church in Greenview, Illinois. Austin King (18) will join the Maranatha Bible Camp staff in Everton, Missouri, serving as program coordinator. Austin had previously served as an intern and recreation team leader with Maranatha in the summer of 2017.
Air Force in Canberra, Australia, responsible to the Chief of Air Force for the provision of religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to the Air Force’s members and their families—18,000 members through the ministry of 85 Air Force chaplains (full-time and reserves). Louise (Clayton) Worsham (attended 74-75) serves as executive director of Human Services Organization, a faithbased organization that instructs students in nine school districts in avoiding the risky behaviors associated with alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and pre-marital sexual relationships.
PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS
Christian Standard
Ransom Notes: Moments of Reflection, Courage, Engagement, Worship, and Humor by Kathryn Ransom (attended 53-55). Published by WestBow Press.
December 2018: “The Gospel Comes with a House Key” by President Matt Proctor
January 2019: “The Value of Another Person’s Story in Resolving Racial Conflict in the Church” by Matthew McBirth (current staff ) April 2019: “Haddon Robinson: A Legacy of Biblical Preaching” by Executive Vice President Damien Spikereit The Lookout
December 2018: “Thanks, Praise, and Glory: Making Christmas a Season of Family Worship” by Amy Storms (current staff )
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TO CONNECT
Named + Known: Uncovering the Identities of Women who Plant Churches, with contribution by Stacie Salva (93). Stacie is in her 16th year as children’s and family pastor at Discovery Christian Church in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
Our Scars of Hope by Anna (Bartram) Schmidt (attended). Anna serves as the administrative assistant at Bethalto First Christian Church in Bethalto, Illinois.
1111 N Main St Joplin, MO 64801 Change service requested
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ONE MORE THING
A final thought from our editor Amy Storms is a wife, mother, Strong Hall dorm mom, and director of marketing and communications at OCC.
IT’S SO…GOOD Amy Storms
Before moving to Southwest Missouri in 2013, our family lived in Southern California, in a suburb just north of Los Angeles. Our youngest daughter, Molly, was born in California, and all three of our kids were raised there till middle school. Our move to the Midwest was not without culture shock. Through our kids’ eyes, everything—weather, traffic, topography, colloquialisms, clothing, food—was new. One of the biggest differences they noticed was ethnic diversity. In Los Angeles, the percentage of people of white ethnicity is 52%. In Joplin, it’s 88%. 1 A few months after coming to Missouri, we visited an IKEA store in Kansas City, and shopped alongside a mother and daughter from India, a couple from Korea, and a family of Latino heritage. Later, as we drove back to Joplin, I heard Molly sigh from the back of the van. “It was so…good,” she emphasized, “to hear people speak in other languages.” 1
Based on population estimates in 2018, according to census.gov.
Why did she say that—why was her heart stirred? Maybe because it’s what Molly grew up with, and hearing other languages felt like home. But maybe it stemmed from something deeper. Could it be that, as someone made in the image of God, Molly’s desire reflected a desire rooted in all of us—a desire to live, as we will in heaven, in harmony among people of every nation? Maybe…it felt like Home. At OCC, our weekly chapel services often include worship songs sung in a variety of languages. “What a wonderful name it is—the name of Jesus Christ my King,” I sing in English. “Majestuoso su nombre es—el nombre de Jesús mí Rey,” the leader sings in Spanish. The sound always moves me to tears, and I picture, as the Apostle John saw, “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev 7:9). “It’s so good!” says the Lord who created all and loves all—the Lamb who died for all so that all might live. “It’s so…good to hear My people praise in every language.”