May the Lord help us to accept people who walk into our lives, just as they are! Billy & Bettye Nickell

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1 TIDINGS AUGUST 2013 VOLUME LXVII NUMBER 8 From the Heart of the Superintendent Glenn & Betty Beaver Superintendent Servants of God As you read through the New Testament it is obvious that the writers recognized that they were truly servants of God. Often they would begin their writing with the words, A servant of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself came not to rule but to serve. In Luke 22:26-27, Jesus stated, But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth. For Jesus, it was all about serving. Kevin Barner, lead pastor of International Christian Assembly, Bangkok, Thailand, states that there are three requirements for servant-hood: Awareness, Availability, & Acceptance. Barner calls to mind the story of Zacchaeus as being an example of the qualities we should seek to develop in order to serve as Jesus did. The first requirement of servant-hood, according to Barner, is Awareness. Barner states, There are people all around us hanging in trees needy, empty, and searching for hope. Jesus was aware that Zacchaeus was looking for Him. Often it is during the interruptions in life that real ministry occurs. In Luke 8, Jesus was on His way to Jairus s house, when He healed the woman who for twelve years had suffered from the issue of blood. Robert Rhoden in his book titled Four Faces of a Leader states, Churches have a natural tendency to focus on our kind. The leader who is a true seer, takes stock of who in the community is not receiving the gospel. Who s being left out? Who is being underserved? Like Jesus, we must be Aware of those in our community who need Jesus. The second observation, which Barner makes, is on Availability. Even though Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to carry out the plan of redemption, He was available to minister to Zacchaeus. Luke 19:5 states, When Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. We must never be too busy to give others what they need most, our time. Robert Rhoden states, A pastor is not to simply keep a lid on things, to maintain the status quo, to keep the wheels greased. A lead pastor is to be a thermostat not a thermometer. Barner states the third requirement for servant-hood, Acceptance. Our responsibility is not to try to fix people, but rather to present the gospel, accept people for who they are and where they come from, and let Jesus do His work in their lives. Jesus did not require Zacchaeus to give half of his goods to the poor, nor to restore fourfold to anyone whom he had falsely accused, then say to him, Now, I ll come eat lunch with you. No, that is what Zacchaeus offered to Jesus after he had received him joyfully. This is a reflection of true acceptance by Jesus. Glenn R. Beaver May the Lord help us to accept people who walk into our lives, just as they are! Robert Rhoden states, In order to be the true servant of Christ we must constantly pray, I m not sure I can do this God, please give me your favor and anointing. Rhoden goes on to quote James A. Belasco s book titled, Teaching the Elephant to Dance. Belasco states, Organizations are like elephants; they learn through conditioning. If you shackle a young elephant to a stake, he will grow up assuming he cannot move beyond a small circle. He may become very large and strong, but in his mind he will be limited: I ve always done it this way. So it is with institutions. Success ties you to the past. The very factors that produced today s success often produce tomorrow s failures. It is time for us to envision what the elephant can do. One of the chapters in Rhoden s book is titled, You Might Be a Servant If You walk into a room and say, There you are! rather than Here I am. 2. You let someone else go first. 3. You don t care who gets credit. 4. Giving makes you as happy as receiving. 5. You practice hospitality rather than entertainment. 6. You are recognized more for your serving than your title. 7. Your actions don t require a rear-view mirror. 8. You understand when a towel has more power than a rod. As servants of the most high God be Aware, Available and Accepting of others! New East Plains Presbyter Vance Mitchell has been selected by the ministers of the East Plains Section to serve as their Sectional Presbyter. Freddy Weaver, the former presbyter, received a promotion and as a result, he moved to his eternal home in heaven! Billy & Bettye Nickell District Secretary/Treasurer The late Zig Zigler writes in his bestselling book, See You At The Top, Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness. Scripture shows that to be true with many miraculous rags-to-riches stories. One such example is Abram, reared in an atmosphere of idol worship yet sovereignly chosen to be the father of a nation and the friend of God. Joseph, a Hebrew slave with no possibility of prominence in a foreign land, made the Prime Minister of the Egyptian empire and the saving factor in a seven-year famine. David s story is equally impressive. Who would have believed Jesse s eighth son would rise to take his place as Israel s greatest king, having come from the hillside overseeing his father s sheep? Moses, Gideon, Ruth and Rahab are also a part of the illustrious list in Scripture who experienced supernatural promotion as addressed in Psalm 75:6-7, For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another. That passage and others in the Word inform us of intriguing and inspiring principals concerning divine promotion and its relation to us. First, it is necessary for believers to remember The Provider of Promotion. This truth is illustrated so beautifully in the book of Joshua. Joshua is Israel s new leader, after having been pastored by Moses for the past forty-years. The assignment is monumental, testing every fiber of Joshua s leadership abilities. This understudy of Moses realizes the success of leading God s people into the land of their inheritance, Canaan, will demand more than charisma, military prowess, and intellect. While those factors should not be deemed unimportant, they pale in comparison to the promotion that God bestows upon a person. Joshua 3:7 states, And the Lord said to Joshua, This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. While politics advocates promotion through connections with the movers-and-shakers of influence and power, the Christian stands on the proclamation made by the Old Testament prophet in Habakkuk 3:19, God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds feet, he makes me tread upon my high places. Second, it is necessary for believers to remember The Purpose of Promotion. At the height of crisis when Esther reigned as queen, wicked Haman plotted to destroy the Jew- God s Promotion of the Believer Psalm 75:6-7 ish population by means of a murderous assault. When word reached Mordecai, Esther s cousin, of the sadistic plan, he explained to her in Esther 4:14b the possible purpose of the prominent position to which she had been entrusted, And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? As leaders in the work of the Kingdom, it behooves each of us to never lose focus of the purpose behind the promotions the Lord has bestowed upon us. This warning was given to the Israelites prior to their entrance into Canaan, in Deuteronomy 8:12-14, For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Third, it is necessary for believers to remember The Process of Promotion. The Lord s process of exaltation is seldom immediate. Bible scholars speculate that Elisha faithfully followed Elijah for a period of 8 to10 years before receiving the double-portion anointing. Moses spent forty-years on the backside of the desert tending the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro, while God s process ground away developing a man who could stand without intimidation before Pharaoh. The apostle Peter speaks of this process in 1 Peter 5:6, So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Henry B. Wilson is quoted to have said, He who finds diamonds must grapple in mud and mire because diamonds are not found in polished stones. They are made. You have been created for achievement and greatness, but the process requires time - divine time. It did for Joshua, and it did for Joseph. Psalm 105:17-19 gives insight to the process of promotion Joseph endured, He sent a man before them Joseph who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. Friend, remain faithful! God s plan of promotion is at work.

2 Director of Church Ministries Forever Faithful Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). There are more than 200 geysers in Yellowstone National Park, however one of them has stood out for many years. It is not the largest and its waters do not reach the greatest height, but it is by far the most popular attraction. Its popularity is due to one thing, its dependability. For years people have stood in lines over a mile long, in the hot sun to watch as every 65 minutes it shoots a stream of boiling water more than 170 feet into the air. It was so dependable that one could set their watch by it. That is why they called it Old Faithful. As ministers of the Gospel we have been entrusted with a sacred gift by God. God has made a huge investment in our lives by giving each person gifts, talents and abilities. If you have been given the ability to sing, preach, teach, administrate or organize, as a steward you are accountable to God for that gift. God still places a high premium on faithfulness. There is a story told of a young devoted missionary in Central America. He had encountered great difficulties and persecution in his attempt to reach the natives with the Gospel. He wrote a letter to his parents back home that read, The work is hard and I go about on fishing boats all day long. At night I Open Churches *Big Lake, AG *Odessa Open Door Contact: Presbyter Mike Hanks 100 West Wadley, Midland, TX Crosbyton, First AG Contact: Presbyter Vance Mitchell 519 S. Ayrshire, Crosbyton, TX Odessa, First AG Contact: Church Board or Secretary 1101 North Lee, Odessa, TX Odessa, Victory Temple Contact: Terry Hammett P.O. Box 70137, Odessa, TX Pampa, First AG Contact: Aaron Farrar P.O. Box 1020, Pampa, TX *District Affiliated Church sleep on piles of hides on the decks. The people here don t seem much interested in the Gospel message that I bring and sometimes the enemy attacks me with discouragement, and tries to convince me that it all has been a failure. But I take courage and press on, for I remember that God doesn t hold me Tracy & Cara Lynn McWilliams responsible for success, only faithfulness! The world s view of success is completely different from God s. Success by God s standard is not determined by how big your church is or how big your bank account is. One day God will reward His servants, not for how successful they were, but according to how faithful they were to the call of God. Matthew 25:23 states, His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. I believe that an appropriate motto for each of us to adopt into our personal lives is simply this, Forever Faithful! Available for Ministry Gene Benningfield Danny Bisbee Larry Boyd Kelly Breckenridge Manny Castro Larry Elder Jannetta Fairbanks Charlie Garcia Dale Griswold Byron Jones Tracy McWilliams Vance Mitchell Z.A. Myers J.C. Owen Joe Robinson Forest Srader Todd & Angela Starnes Marcus Tanner Kevin Vander-Plas New Pastors: Brian Lewis, First AG, Brownfield Jim Chase, First AG, Seagraves Jack Hargrave, Church of the Harvest, Lbk BIBLE INSTITUTE of WEST TEXAS Courses for August 17 Certified Level Courses for September 28 Certified Level AG History, Missions, & Governance Relationships & Ethics in Ministry Leadership Skills Introduction to AG Missions Pastoral Ministry Advanced Ministerial Internship License Level Ordained Level License Level Ordained Level Ministers & Churches Transferred In: Brian Lewis (O) Jim Chase (O) Northwest Lucy Chase (L) Northwest Transferred Out: Dalton Froman (O) North Texas Mark Moreland (O) North Texas Reinstated: Alvin Leota (L) Gabriel Solis (CM) Margarita Solis (CM) WEST TEXAS ASSEMBLIES OF GODDISTRICT OFFICIARY Glenn R. Beaver, Superintendent grbeaver@sbcglobal.net Tom Lakey, Assistant Superintendent tlakey@lubbockag.org Billy D. Nickell, Secretary/Treasurer fantastic1316@gmail.com SECTIONAL PRESBYTERS Cliff Houghton, Danny Williams Vance Mitchell, Robert Burns Mike Hanks, Eddie Lee Web site: wtaog.org TRACY MCWILLIAMS TIDINGS EDITOR tracy.mcwilliams@sbcglobal.net 5504 Wayne Avenue, P.O. Box 64778, Lubbock, TX, 79464, Phone: Please notify editor of any change of address. Third class postage paid at Lubbock, TX. Published monthly. Men s Ministries WEST TEXAS MEN S MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT Billy & Robin Snider Men s Director Make Plans To Attend

3 Announcements Women s Ministries West Texas Assemblies of God School of Ministry September 9 & 10, 2013 Host Church: The Worship Center Todd & Trish Turnbow, Lead Pastors South Indiana Lubbock, Texas Becky & Joe Nenstiel Women s Director Millicent Tillett Funds to assist these ladies with their studies at the Belize Bible Institute in Belize City, Belize are due this month. Thank you for your giving! Ruth Pipersburg Girls Ministries Honor Celebration Extravaganza August 16-17, 2013 First Assembly of God, Lubbock Zollie Smith, Speaker AG U.S. Missions Executive Director SCHEDULE Monday, September 9 7:00 pm: Session 1 Tuesday, September 10 8:30 am: Fellowship/Coffee & Donuts 9:00 am noon: Session 2 12:00 noon: Lunch Provided 1:00 pm: Session 3 IMPORTANT INFORMATION *Please dress casual and comfortable for all sessions *A nursery will be provided for pre-school children. *A free-will offering will be received to help with the expense of the School of Ministry SPEAKERS. Cara Lynn McWilliams Leslie Stewart Heather Houghton

4 Youth Ministries WEST TEXAS DISTRICT COUNCIL OF THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LUBBOCK, TX PERMIT NO Wayne Avenue P.O. Box Lubbock, TX RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Around West Texas Two of our ministers were promoted to heaven this past month. Simon Beteta, husband of Maria, entered into his eternal rest on July 17. Lola Eason, wife of the late Roy Eason, joined him in heaven on July 19. Bro. Simon served the Lord faithfully ministering to the men in Teen Challenge. Bro. & Sis. Eason were pastors to the congregation of churches across the West Texas District and spoke words of encouragement into the lives of fellow ministers and church members. Please keep their families in your prayers as they adjust to the loss of a loved one. High School Graduate: Baylea Hines, (daughter of Lance & Mindy Hines), graduated from High School this summer. She plans to attend SAGU in the fall where she will be studying Elementary Education. Baylea looks forward to being a teacher one day so that she will be prepared to help children in Africa with their need for quality education. Wedding: On July 27, Nicole Beggs and Tyler Hines were united in marriage. Nicole is the daughter of Missionaries Gregg & Danna Beggs and Tyler is the son of Missionaries Lance & Mindy Hines. Lance serves as the Youth Pastor at First AG, Lubbock. We pray for them to have a lifetime filled with love and a ministry covered with God s anointing! JOIN US FOR GENERAL COUNCIL Orlando, Florida August 5-9

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