From Max Lucado, The Great House of God:

Want to know God’s will for your life?  Then answer this question: What ignites your heart?  Forgotten orphans? Untouched nations? The inner city? The outer limits?

                Heed the fire within!

                Do you have a passion to sing? Then sing!  Are you stirred to manage? Then manage!  Do you ache for the ill? Then treat them!  Do you hurt for the lost? Then teach them!

                As a young man, I felt the call to preach.  Unsure if I was correct in my reading of God’s will for me, I sought the counsel of a minister I admired.  His counsel still rings true.  “Don’t preach,” he said, “unless you have to.”

                As I pondered his words I found my answer: “I have to.  If I don’t, the fire will consume me.”

               

 On Friday evening, May 29, seven men and women were ordained into ministry by the 88th Annual Assembly of the Arizona/Southern Nevada Churches of the Nazarene at CrossRoads Church in Chandler. Over 700 people joined them in celebrating the recognition of the Church of their call to ministry. Two elders credentials from sister denominations were also recognized and received as elders into our fellowship. Dr. Jerry D. Porter, our presiding general superintendent, led the service of commitment.

Dr. Daniel and Mrs. Carol Ketchum challenged our NMI Convention to open their eyes to the harvest around our world. Rev. Bruce McKellips was elected president of our District Nazarene Missions International during the Convention. There are links on this home page to photos of both our NMI Convention and our Assembly, including the ordination service.

A week from Sunday, on June 28 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, thousands of Nazarenes from over 150 countries will gather for morning worship and a sacred time of communion. We have eight delegates to the Assembly, and a good number to NMI, SDMI and NYI Conventions. I hope to see many of you at General Assembly for the fellowship and inspiration that comes when we gather together as a global church to celebrate God’s blessings. If you see me passing by, please stop to say hello.

While we are at General Assembly, the Junior High camp will convene at Pinerock. The Junior camp and Senior High Camp have just passed, and Middler Camp comes in July. Our youth and children are blessed to have these times of fun and fellowship, and we always are thankful for the ones who commit their lives to Christ and begin their walk with Him through our camps. Thanks to each one who volunteers to minister by counseling or teaching at camp. And I hope to see you at CampMeeting, July 21-26. Put Family Camp on your calendar, too, for Labor Day weekend.

This summer we hope you will find rest and renewal for your family and for yourself. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work (2 Thess. 2:16-17).

Byron and Leanna Schortinghouse

 

 

 

 

We have a winner!

 

We have a winner! Elisa Martinez of Citrus Road Church identified the cross from Phoenix First Church!