• From the District Superintendent
  
  • News around the EMD
    
  • Prayer Needs
    
• Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI)
  
  • FIVE PRINCIPLES OF THE MASTER'S PLAN FOR MAKING CHRISTLIKE DISCIPLES
  • Children's Quizzing Schedule for 2007-2008
  • Christian Singles Get Away Weekend
  • CANCELLED: Senior Adult Retreat
• Nazarene Missions International (NMI)
  • South Flint Church Welcomes Missionaries Don and Cheryl Cox
  • Family Day of Missions: September 15, 2007
    
• Flint Eastside Mission
  
• NYI Quizzing Information on emdnaz.org
  
• About eTidings
  

From the District Superintendent

What do you have?

Your mind probably immediately has gone to that monthly statement from your financial institution or your investment broker that details what your “net worth” is on a particular day. People have become very familiar with terms like the Dow Jones and NASDAQ and have learned that Bull and Bear markets are not somewhere you go to buy meat. Some even brag about their credit scores when they top a certain number. All of these are indicators of the measure of wealth and security in the world today.

Believers though should use a different means to measure their Net Worth. The currency of the Christian world is not measured in dollars or shares of stock, but in “faith in God”. When Simon Peter and John were approaching their House of Worship they encountered a crippled man who made his living by begging. Peter called out to the man “Look at us” he said. A mere glance by this beggar and he could see that they weren’t wealthy. They weren’t dressed in nice clothes or have any of the appearances of wealth. Then Peter said the obvious to him; “Silver and gold I do not have…”. It was probably the temptation of the crippled beggar to turn his sight from Peter and John to one of the many that could give him something. He had learned to spot the people with money and know the signs of wealth. But in the midst of turning his gaze from the apostles, Peter stated what his true value was. He said “…but what I have I give you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And the beggar, with Peter’s help, did something he had never done before – He got up and walked!

I just have to believe that a nameless beggar was glad that Peter and John were broke that day and had nothing to put into his tin cup. You see it was that day that he learned that true worth is measured by more than a dollar sign; it is measured by faith in Jesus Christ.

 What do you have?

District Superintendent

News around the EMD:

Congratulations to Pastor & Mrs. Ben Walls, Jr.
Congratulations to Rev. Ben Walls, Jr. and Courtney Mowen who were wed at the Brighton Church of the Nazarene on Saturday, September 08, 2007. Rev. Walls began his ministry at Gagetown Church of the Nazarene July 29th of this year.  Over 300 guests attended the ceremony. Rev. Walls father, Rev. Ben Walls, Sr. – pastor of the Brighton Church of the Nazarene, officiated. The Rev. Walls and Courtney will be moving into the newly renovated parsonage at Gagetown.

Rev. H.L. (Jim) Woods and Norine Moore Wed
Congratulations to Rev. H.L. (Jim) Woods and Norine Moore who were wed at Flint First Church of the Nazarene recently. Rev. Woods pastor several Churches on the Eastern Michigan District. His wife Erma Woods passed away last year. Norine was the wife of former EMD Minister Rev. Duane Moore who pastored the Mt. Morris Church of the Nazarene for many years. Rev. Moore passed away several years ago. Dr. Stephen Anthony, DS officiated and was assisted by Rev. Steve Hittle, pastor of Flint First Church. Over 150 attended the ceremony.

Holly Church Holds First Services
The Eastern Michigan District has begun to hold services in Holly in the former Gethsemane Lutheran Church at 961 E. Maple St.. Under the direction of Dr. Stephen Anthony and Rev. Larry Betz, services are being held each Sunday evening at 6 PM at the newly acquired facility. An adult Sunday School class from Flint Central Church recently brought 45 workers to paint and do a general cleanup. Rev. David Mills, youth pastor at Flushing Church and Rev. Jason Crum, senior pastor of Armada Church were recent guest speakers.

Those interested in being part of this new start church should attend one of the evening services or call the district office at 810-750-4080.

Richfield Church of the Nazarene in Otisville is hosting Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage with hilarious host, Mark Gungor on Friday, September 21st from 7-10 p.m., and Saturday, September 22nd, from 9 am–12:30 pm. This is a seminar whose goals are to bring hope, create better communication, help spouses better understand each others’ needs and rekindle romance in marriage. More information is available at Richfieldnaz.com.

Deer Park Pastor Graduates
Rev. Marvin Gerbig, pastor of Deer Park Community Church of the Nazarene, recently graduated with honors from Nazarene Bible College. Rev. Gerbig completed his Bachelor of Biblical Studies work through NBCs online degree program. Unable to attend commencement service in May in Colorado Springs, Dr. Stephen Anthony, DS and 1977 graduate of Nazarene Bible College, presented his diploma in a church service at Deer Park on August 26th.

Imlay City Softball Team Reaches Out
The Imlay City Men's Softball Team is a force to be reckoned with on and off the ball diamond. On the field, they are very tough competitors, recently taking 2nd place, Gold Division in our District Softball Tournament and even more recently, winning the Battle Creek Tournament with a 6-0 record!

But they take their faith even more seriously than their softball. The team recently went into the Thumb County Correctional Facility in Lapeer to play against and fellowship with the inmates. Coach Joe Mitchell says "We have been doing this for 3 or 4 years as a team. It has been a great experience for all of us that have gone in. We have gotten to know a number of men that have been incarcerated [there.] Though it is always intimidating the first time a player enters, as we continue to go in, we get to know the inmates and I can not tell you how much they really do appreciate us playing them. We also get a chance to talk to them and pray with them at the end of the game. This has been a great experience and we always pray that we are having a positive impact."

The Imlay City Team has also joined a city league recently and has seen changes around them in this league as a result of prayer. One way they are trying to make a positive impact in the league is by making very public their pre-game prayer huddles. Says Coach Mitchell, "We were a nervous at the beginning of the year that we would be shunned because of praying, and we were a little at the beginning, but God has worked through us and helped us have the right attitudes and it is paying off in the form of players joining us for prayer."

This story serves as a great reminder that no matter what we do or where we go, we can always be a bold witness for Christ.

Eastside Mission VBS and Backpack Day a Success
East Flint Church of the Nazarene recently conducted a very successful VBS at the Flint Eastside Mission. Over 100 children from Flint's Eastside attended each evening and dozens of workers along with Children's Pastors Gary & Linda Loudermilk committed their week to this outstanding way of telling the story of Jesus. Over 800 Backpacks were given away to students beginning school. (You can read more about this below in the Eastside Mission Update.)

The Eastern Michigan Nazarene Bible Institute (EMNBI) classes have been announced for Fall and Winter of 2007. Complete details on the courses, locations and enrollment info are available at: http://www.emdnaz.org/emnbi_index.php

Prayer Needs:

• Rev. Eunice Johnson, wife of the late Rev. R.C. Johnson passed away on Wednesday, September 5th. Rev. Johnson and her husband served at a number of churches on our district. She is the mother of Rev. Barbara Stewart of the Bethel Church and John Johnson of Adrian First Church. I have attached a copy of her memorial folder information.

FIVE PRINCIPLES OF THE MASTER’S PLAN
FOR MAKING CHRISTLIKE DISCIPLES

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus method was men.  The multitudes followed Jesus, but he did not train the multitudes.  He trained twelve.  Everything he did for the multitudes was for the purpose of training the twelve.  If Jesus focused his training on twelve, upon what should we, his disciples, focus?  I assert that Christlike disciples should be about the business of training twelve persons to be Christlike disciples who make Christlike disciples.

      There are five principles that we should embrace in order to make Christlike disciples who make Christlike disciples….  They are as follows:

1.  PRAYER AND FASTING
2.  THE AUTHORITATIVE WORD OF GOD
3.  THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
4.  GENUINE ACCOUNTABILITY
5.  RELATIONAL MULTIPLICATION

This month we will continue to highlight the first principle, PRAYER AND FASTING.  We cannot take any shortcuts to becoming a people of God who make Christlike disciples.  It must begin as we pray and fast for an outpouring of God’s grace and wisdom in our lives.

            The leaders of the modern discipleship movement that is producing disciples most effectively live in the realm of constant and fervent prayer.  These churches will often have round-the-clock praying taking place at the church.  All night prayer meetings are common.  Fasting is taught, encouraged, and promoted in these churches. Cesar Castellanos, leader of the fastest growing disciple making church in the world, believes that winning people for Christ involves living in the miraculous on a continual basis. He calls upon the people of God to engage in on-going spiritual warfare. He says, “To win souls, you have to enter spiritual warfare.” (Joel Comiskey, Groups of 12, 1999.)  Pastor Cesar Fajardo, youth pastor of a large church in Bogotá, Columbia, was highly successful in making disciples.  One of his most successful disciples, Freddy Rodriguez says, “You can’t evangelize unless you’ve entered into spiritual warfare.  There are spiritual beings that govern the world.  You have to take authority over these spirits.” (Freddy Rodriguez, A Successful Cell Vision, a videotape of lecture presented at the 1996 Cell Church Conference in Bogotá, Columbia, 1996). Rodriguez grew his one cell of 12 persons into 900 cells of twelve in 7 years.  That is 10,800 Christlike disciples who make Christlike disciples in just 7 years.

The characteristics of Christlike disciples who make Christlike disciples include a deep devotion to Jesus Christ, engaging in spiritual warfare and receiving divine guidance.  Such disciples have a radical commitment to the Great Commission believing the word of God to be authoritative for followers of Jesus Christ.  These disciples live with a passionate spirituality that embraces prayer and fasting as a continual lifestyle and personal purity as a spiritual goal.  Holiness is believed and expected. Sin is dealt with according to biblical standards.  Disciple making leaders realize that success in spiritual warfare and soul winning is intimately tied to living purely and righteously before God.

This disciple making movement is closely tied to the ministries of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, John Wesley, and the early holiness movement from which the Church of the Nazarene emerged.  This is not new material.  This is the historic means by which the Church of Jesus Christ has always grown.  After all it is the command of Jesus Christ, himself to all of us who call ourselves followers of him. 
           
THANK YOU TO ALL PASTORS WHO REPORT ON TIME EACH MONTH
Here are the August SDMI Reporting Results

• 1st Church to report and did so by email: Lake Louise
• 1st Church to report by phone is Colling
• 1st Church to report by online is Bethel

• 1st Zone to fully report in for the month of August is:  Lakes Zone
• 2nd Zone to fully report is Livingston Zone
• 3rd Zone to fully report is Detroit East Zone
• 4th Zone to fully report is Thumb Zone

Jot me an email note with any questions or suggestions at scnnazpastorgary@charterinternet.com.  God is growing a great church in Eastern Michigan.  We are blessed to be a part of his great kingdom work!

Gary A. Slusher
Chairman, EMD SDMI

Children's Quizzing Schedule for 2007-2008

• Nov 3rd @Flint Central study chapters 1-7 (this is different than before usually it is only through study chapter 5)
  
  
• Jan 12 @Rochester Church study chapters 1-10
  
  
• March 1 - WE NEED A HOST FOR THIS!
  Can you help? Call Cathy at 313-534-3928 cell 313-605-5777 or email: cemerling1219@aol.com
  
  
• April 12 - Zone Quiz
  
  
• April 19 @ Detroit First Church - District Quiz
  
  
• June 7 @ONU - Regional Quiz

Christian Singles Get Away Weekend
There will be a Christian Singles Get Away on October 5, 6 & 7, 2007 at Indian Lake Nazarene Campgrounds in Vicksburg, Michigan. This event features guest speaker Jim Pope and music by Dan Evans. If you are interested in attending, you can download the registration form for this event from the district Web site.

CANCELLED: Senior Adult Retreat
Due to a lack of registrations, the Prime Time Retreat "Being the People of God" which was scheduled for October 1, 2, 3, 2007 at Water's Edge Campgrounds has been cancelled.

South Flint Church Welcomes Missionaries Don and Cheryl Cox

South Flint Church of the Nazarene is excited to welcome Nazarene Missionaries Don and Cheryl Cox for their Faith Promise Weekend on Saturday, September 22nd and Sunday, September 23rd.

• Saturday, September 22nd – Special Missionary Service at 7pm.  Come hear their incredible story of God’s miraculous protection and rescue!

• Sunday, September 23rd – Faith Promise Service at 11am.

Everyone is welcome to attend either of these special services!  The Coxes have an amazing story of God’s protection, which was released in the missionary book Shouts at Sunrise in 2000.  While serving in Quito, Ecuador, Don Cox was kidnapped and held for ransom.  You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear the exciting testimony and story of Don and Cheryl Cox!

Don and Cheryl Cox are global missionaries with the Church of the Nazarene and are currently serving in the JESUS Film Harvest Partner office in Olathe, Kansas. 

South Flint Church of the Nazarene is located at 4075 E. Atherton Rd., Burton, MI 48519.  The church can be reached at 810-742-6061 or on the web at www.southflintnazarene.org.

Family Day of Missions: September 15, 2007

Location: Brighton Church of the Nazarene
Time: 8:30 Am - 12:30 (No meal connected to this event)

Missionary Speaker: Marilyn Laszlo - Papua New Guinea - Because of the dedication of Marilyn's twenty -one years to the Sepik Iwam people can now read "Papa God's Carving in their own language. Marilyn tells the fascinating story of the relationships, struggles, miracles , turning points and steps of faith in her humorous delivery. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS HER!

Plus - Jacob Athem - a "Lost boy of Sudan" retells his struggle as refugee on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America.

Children's Mission Program- Pastor Eric Ward
Teen's - by District council and volunteers

NO CRISIS CARE KITS - collected on this date. NONE!

TEAM DAY- February 23, 2008 - Perry High School campus -
Workshops in all areas of the church, special music, special speaker, lunch on campus, handouts, booths, free blessings, plan to be there!

N.M.I. CONVENTION - Flint Central - Sunday, April 13 & 14, 2008 - Dr. Daniel Ketchum- We will collect Crisis Care Kits on this date.

August was a great month for the Eastside Mission! East Flint COTN hosted our 2nd annual VBS, (with a whopping 78 volunteers!), and it was a huge success. The Back-to-School Carnival was a great time, though rain delayed. . . 870 backpacks were given out, stuffed with school supplies to make it a great year for the kids of the Eastside. Topping out the week was our 1st annual Street Revival! We had a great time with a volunteer praise team that led a the praise and worship time, followed by Pastor Mike Hefner from Highland COTN speaking to us about witnessing God in our lives. It was an awesome time of revival right there in the parking lot of the Mission! Thanks to all of those that partnered to pray for this service.

Donations keep coming in for the boiler fund - THANK YOU!! We're still a ways from our goal, so please pray for this need at Eastside.

Finally, New Life COTN that meets at the Mission is in DESPERATE need of children's workers! Currently, Pastor Bob Cattane's daughter heads up the children's department with the help of her two brothers. However, with attendance steadily increasing, the need for extra hands is evident. It's a great "problem" to have. . . maybe you can help! Church is held between 2pm-3pm on Sunday afternoons. Won't you please seek God's direction if you have a calling for children on your life?

God bless!
Sammi Justice
Director of Publicity, Eastside Mission
www.flinteastsidemission.org

NYI Quizzing Information on emdnaz.org
The NYI Quizzing page of the District Web site has been updated with the 2007-2008 schedule as well as some details about upcoming quiz events around the country. Many of the quiz meets in our District still need a church to host them so please take a look at the web site for more about EMD NYI Bible Quizzing.

eTidings is the email newsletter of the Eastern Michigan District Church of the Nazarene. For more information about our District, visit our website at www.emdnaz.org. You are receiving eTidings because you have subscribed to it either through our website or through a district function. If you would like to unsubscribe, please reply to this email or send a new email to etidings@emdnaz.org or jason@sammson.com with the words "Unsubscribe eTidings" at the top of the message.