OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK | 1
OKLAHOMA
OUTLOOK Publisher H. Franklin Cargill
MAY
Youth Camp #1
JUNE
Youth Camp #2 Spanish School of Ministry Graduation (OKC) Credential Application & Exam Deadline Youth Camp #3 RR District Pow-Wow Youth Camp #4 Senior Ministers and Elite Ladies Luncheon Youth Camp #5 RR District JLDA Youth Camp #6
JULY
Little Radicals Camp Kids Camp #1 Kids Camp #2 Kids Camp #3 Kids Camp #4 RR National Camporama RR Ranger Training Camp
May 25-29
June 1-5 June 6 June 8 June 8-12 June 12-14 June 15-19 June 19 June 22-26 June 24-28 June 28-July 1
July 5-7 July 8-11 July 13-17 July 20-24 July 27-31 July 20-24 July 23-25
Designer Jayson Evans Chris Ainsworth Copyeditor Renae Elmore
GENERAL PRESBYTERS
SECTIONAL PRESBYTERS
H. Franklin Cargill Superintendent
Raymond Frizzelle Section 1
Craig Dacus Assistant Superintendent
Keith Williams Section 2
Darryl Wootton Corporate Secretary
Terry Bradley Section 3
EXECUTIVE PRESBYTERS
Bob Yandell Section 4
Bruce McCarty Ron McCaslin MINISTRY DIRECTORS Chad Brodrick Church Ministries Heath Corrales Youth Ministries Dean Guthrie Children’s Ministries
P.O. Box 13179 Oklahoma City, OK 73113 405.475.1100 www.okag.org @OKDCofAG OklahomaDistrictCouncil
Darren Pilcher Executive Pastor Missions Susie Purkey Women’s Ministries Ordained Female Presbyter Deborah Burke
Jamie Austin Section 5E Jason Byers Section 5W Jeromye Jackson Section 6 Jimmy Keith Section 7 Kelly Coffey Section 8 David Brooks Section 9N Steve Lance Section 9S Don Barnes Section 10 Ric Freeman Section 11 Arlis Moon Section 12
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SUPERINTENDENT
UP DAT E C OVID -1 9
THE YEAR OF 2020 – WHO WOULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED! I started this year by praying that we would agree for 20/20 VISION DURING 2020. Now many are feeling much like Paul when he was writing to the Corinthian Church. “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror…” However, he did not conclude his statement with such negative words, as he continued to write, “…but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.” Modern technology has provided a platform for the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. During this season of social distancing and cautious measures of protection from the virus plague, those that proclaimed the Gospel “inside” the four walls of a church have found themselves without an audience. HOWEVER – NEVER HAS THERE BEEN A GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR SHARING HIS GOOD NEWS THAN TODAY! Over the recent weeks I have made a declaration that I would have never dreamed of saying during my lifetime. The doors of our church buildings must be closed to the public for any form of what has been considered the traditional usage. No gatherings of any groups, regardless of age, of 10 or more people. When you are socializing, remain at least 6 foot apart, just to be clear – no handshakes! NO CHURCH, AFFILIATED WITH THE OKLAHOMA ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, IS TO BE OPEN FOR WORSHIP AND PRAISE AS HAS BEEN OUR CUSTOM! BUT NOW – THE CHURCH MUST BE THE CHURCH OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH! The teachings of Christ, during what we often refer to as The Sermon on The Mount, were not only relevant for His day, they are a mandate for the hour in which we live: “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Paul’s sermon outline: 1. FAITH 2. HOPE 3. LOVE Must be our directive if we are to demonstrate 20/20 Vision! I am so thankful to witness the numerous avenues that our pastors and ministers have deployed for the presentation of The Gospel. Social Media, an item that many of us had failed to recognize for our benefit, is being filled with creative means of communication. Outstanding devotional moments are daily being aired. Great Gospel truths have been “packaged” into two and three minute sound bites
that are appealing, attractive, and invitational. A variety of small group settings of talented musicians have provided an isolated world with anointed praise and worship. NEVER HAS THE GOSPEL BEEN MORE PUBLIC THAN TODAY! If our “faith” has only worked during the good times, we never honestly had “the faith” as was designed through the blood of Jesus Christ. “Faith” works in the bad times – perhaps even MORE than in the good times. We must allow The Word to become more essential to our daily schedule and activities than it has ever been before. We must demonstrate and exercise our “faith” during crisis moments or forget about profession during the days of peace and safety. “Faith” must be observable by our lives far more than heard from our mouths. The apostle Paul described the condition of the unreconciled when speaking to the Church at Ephesus. We see it in our present day society – those with NO Hope do not KNOW Christ. “In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.” Our Oklahoma Governor, Kevin Stitt, called our state to prayer and hope. Many leaders joined with him and his wife in promoting the theme of “Let HOPE rise!” Nothing confirms “hope” more than the message of this Easter Season. We have hope because the tomb is empty! The love of God has never been extended exclusively to those that love Him. We often quote, “For God so loved the WORLD…..” John, the beloved, quoted the Master with these words. “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Yes, we love our brothers and our sisters – but now is the time for true followers of Christ to “prove” our love by loving a neighbor, a child, an elderly person – the last, the least, and the lost! Your OKAG TEAM stands available to walk these isolated hours by your side. You can reach any member of our team by calling 405475-1100. For direct communication I would recommend email. A directory of team emails can be found at www.okag.org/covid19. JOY COMES IN THE MORNING!
FRANK CARGILL DISTR ICT SUPE R INTE NDE NT F R ANK . CAR G IL L @O K AG . O R G
OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK | 3
MISSIONS
RES C U E C OMP E LLE D TO
I remember coming home from high school to watch on
television the rescue efforts of a little 18-month-old girl. While playing in the backyard of her aunt’s house, Jessica McClure fell into a well that was 8 inches in diameter and 22 feet below the ground. For over 50 hours, rescue workers labored. “Baby Jessica” was saved because of dedicated rescue personnel compelled by the dire need of an innocent little girl. There is a greater need in our world today for rescue workers and for a deeper reason. Spiritually speaking, no one who needs rescuing gets rescued because they are innocent. Unlike little Jessica, we aren’t saved from impending spiritual death because we deserve to be saved. There is a far more profound reason we are rescued and a more sustainable purpose to engage in the rescue effort here and abroad. Apostle Paul tells us why we rescue: “Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). We aren’t compelled by the needs. We are compelled by the love of Christ! The probability of growing indifferent to the many needs in the world would be overwhelming if it wasn’t for the love of Christ. Nor do we rescue people because they are innocent. The spiritual rescue efforts in country after country are not happening because of the needs or niceness of people. We are compelled to be involved in a rescue mission by a love that will not let us go. John Piper said, “If people are cut off from eternal life, and if calling on Jesus is their only hope for eternal, joyful fellowship with God… then love demands missions. The biggest problem in the world for every human being – from the poorest to the richest, from the sickest to the healthiest – is the same: how to escape the wrath of God that hangs over all humans because of our sin. Love demands that we work to rescue people from the wrath of God.” LOVE DEMANDS MISSIONS! So what does this mean? If we are compelled by love to rescue people, how does that translate to missions? Missions (praying, giving, going) is about getting there (wherever “there” is) so a rescue can happen! Our resources help people to get there!
DARREN PILCHER M IS S IO N S DIRE C TO R EX EC UT IV E PASTO R DA R R E N . P ILC H ER @ O K AG . O R G @ DA R R E N P ILC H E R
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And, we’ve got to get there…wherever “there” is. Why? According to the Joshua Project, of the 17,297 unique ethno-linguistic people groups in the world, 7,367 of those people groups are unreached. That “unreached” figure equals 41.6 percent of the world’s population. And, according to that same source, an unreached people group means that they lack enough followers of Christ and resources to evangelize their own people. So, they desperately need people who follow Christ from another place to go there. David Platt so powerfully said, “There’s really only one thing worse than being lost. What’s worse is being lost when no one is trying to find you.” Missions is about getting there! Let’s again feel the impact of a love that reached down to rescue us, when we didn’t deserve it but so desperately needed it. It’s that love alone impressed on us by the Holy Spirit that compels us to reach the unreached and rescue the perishing. Together, let’s pray, give and go so that rescue efforts can be employed around the world… because of His love, for His glory and the fame of His Name!
RECOMMENDED READING
Something Needs to Change by David Platt
FINANCE
RE QU IR EMENTS M INISTERS TA X ES AN D C H U RC H RE P ORT IN G
It is tax filing season. For ministers and church bookkeepers,
this is a time filled with questions, anxiety, and confusion. Some of the questions I hear most often are: • • • • •
What is taxable, and what is not? How much can I designate as a housing allowance? What expenses count toward calculating my housing allowance? Should my church be giving W2s or 1099s? My church gives me an auto allowance; how should I account for that?
It makes no difference if you are a veteran minister or new to filing taxes as a minister. There is no getting around the complexity of filing your tax return each year. While my office always stands ready to provide you with the best information available, due to the specifics of each situation, we will always recommend checking with your own paid tax advisor before filing your returns. By way of resources, the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability (ECFA) has just released two free resources for churches and ministers. Ministers Taxes Made Easy, and Church Reporting Made Easy. Each of these free guides has been updated for 2020 and will apply to your 2019 tax returns. You can access these guides the following way: 1. Go to ecfa.church. 2. Sign up for Church Excel. 3. Download your free resources.
KEVIN CONNER F INANCE & O PE R ATIO NS K E VIN. CO NNE R @O K AG . O R G @K E VINSCO NNE R
OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK | 5
WOMEN’S
H IS ST RE N GT H
OUR WE A K N E S S Hi Girlfriends! We are so excited about our Women’s Leadership Luncheon next month on Monday, April 27, 2020 at 12pm Noon at OKC Crossroads Church. This is for: • Any Women in Leadership • Any Church • Any Department in the Church • Any Age • Credentialed or Non-Credentialed (it doesn’t matter!) Our Powerful Guest is AGWM Missionary Amy Farley, Lead Pastor – The River International Church (Ho-Chi Minh City, Vietnam) Amy is a career missionary with a deep love for God, a passion for the hurting in this world and has a special place in her heart for its children. After serving almost 10 years in Africa, her life took a painful and unexpected turn when she experienced a violent assault. But Amy has learned firsthand, evil never has the last word when the God of love speaks. Amy’s ongoing journey of healing has led her to Vietnam. In December of 2018, through unexpected circumstances, Amy was voted in as the Lead Pastor of The River International Church in Ho-Chi Minh City. Register Today – space is Limited! $40 pp includes a deluxe, hot lunch and gift. Come hear Amy’s dramatic account of tragedy to triumph and be INSPIRED! She is a living example of our beautiful Theme:
His Strength – Our Weakness But he said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Amy Farley is a career missionary with a deep love for God, a passion for the hurting in this world, and a special place in her heart for its children. After serving almost 10 years in the Africa, her life took a painful and unexpected turn when she experienced a violent assault. But Amy has learned firsthand, evil never has the last word when the God of love speaks. Amy’s ongoing journey of healing has lead her to Vietnam. In December of 2018, through unexpected circumstances, Amy was voted in as Lead Pastor of The River International Church in Ho Chi Minh City. Along with pastoring, she also leads The Educational Consultancy. A business as missions working with both the wealthy and the extremely poor in Vietnam.
Spring Blessings! Susie Purkey
SUSIE PURKEY WO ME N’ S DIR E CTO R SUSIE . PUR K E Y@O K AG . O R G
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YOUTH
U N T IL
ALL KNOW We did it! OYM just finished the 2019 Speed the Light Tour and
let me say, it was amazing! We had such a great response from every section in our district; from students making large individual pledges, to youth groups coming up with creative ideas on how they can meet those goals together. This year’s theme once again is “Until All Know” and it’s a very appropriate theme. Those three words embody the message of Speed the Light. At each rally, I had the opportunity to preach a message entitled “Others”. If we’re going to live out this theme of “Until All Know”, we have to be others-focused. What I love most about Speed the Light is it teaches students how to give sacrificially and live life selflessly.
If we’re going to live out this theme of “Until All Know”, we have to be othersfocused. At Youth Convention in October 2018 we profiled Michelle Castle, Oklahoma’s first missionary to the Arab world. The students of OYM banded together, committing to raise the funds needed to purchase Michelle a Speed the Light vehicle, so that when she finally makes it to Jordan she will not need to worry about transportation. I am proud to say we met that goal and Michelle will be able to get her car! Why? Because, students chose to give sacrificially and live life selflessly. We are living out the “We over Me” motto. Youth Pastor, thank you for getting your students to one of our rallies this year, and for making generosity through Speed the Light a priority in your already busy schedules! We are excited for the future of Speed the Light in Oklahoma! Be blessed Oklahoma! Heath and Alisha Corrales
HEATH CORRALES YO UT H M IN IST RIE S H EAT H . C O R R A L E S @ O K AG . O R G @ H EAT H C O RR A L E S
OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK | 7
CHILDREN
OK LAH OMA BGMC
UPDATE
BGMC is touching every area of the world by supplying
our missionaries with the supplies and tools they need to reach out to the lost through evangelism and discipleship. Missionaries desperately need to purchase supplies such as Bibles, tracts, Sunday School literature, library books and study books for the Bible colleges, computers, printers, photocopy machines, video DVDs, puppets, costume animals, translating materials into various languages, sound systems, and lots more. Many of these supplies could not be purchased if it were not for BGMC. BGMC is the ministry that provides whatever a missionary needs—where they need it and when they need it. It’s like an emergency “ready” fund. This fund is quick, it’s instant, and it helps them when they need it. Many missionaries would be at a loss without BGMC.
Each year our office receives a report with a breakdown of all of the churches that have an active BGMC program in their churches. I was really surprised when I had read that of the 477 churches that are in the Oklahoma District, only 40% give to BGMC. This year in 2020, I want to challenge EVERY one of our churches to go “ALL IN FOR BGMC”! I am challenging our churches to hit the 100% participation mark. We have all kinds of BGMC resources that are available to you to get you started. Most of the resources are available to you at no cost! If there is anything that we can do for you or answer any questions that you have about BGMC, please do not hesitate to contact the OCM office. Come on Oklahoma! Let’s go “ALL IN FOR BGMC IN 2020!”
With that being said, BGMC is much more than a ministry that raises money for missionaries. The money that is raised is only a byproduct of what BGMC really does. BGMC teaches our kids to have compassion about others around the world. Oklahoma BGMC had a great year in 2019. Last year the Oklahoma District raised $273,670.04! That’s a lot of Buddy Barrels! While I do want to extend a very well deserved congratulations to all that have given and supported BGMC in 2019, I believe that God is wanting to challenge our district to do even greater things for 2020.
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DEAN GUTHRIE CHIL DR E N’ S DIR E CTO R DE AN. G UTHR IE @O K AG . O R G @O CMDE AN
SPANISH
D ON ’T BE
AFRAID Each one of us faces the impossible things in our lives. In Exodus 14:13-14, Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just hold your peace.”
It is God who called us; He will do what He promises to do. God says, do not be afraid, He says stand still and let Me do a miracle. Do not try to help God do what he is doing. I must step back, hold our peace, and let God fight. His way in His timing.
If Moses were here today, he would say to us the very same thing. We must remember the Lord has already fought and won the battle for us. When fear attacks us in the ministry or our personal life, we must realize that we cannot be afraid. As pastors, we teach that God is fighting for us, but we must live according to that truth.
The last thing Moses said was, “watch the Lord rescue you today.” If we learn not to become fearful but to stand still, we will see the battle won for us by the Lord. We forget that when we need to see God move, our job is to worship and praise him because he has already promised us that he is going to provide our needs and fight for us. That is our job to stand up and praise Him.
If God has called, we must believe that He has supplied all of our needs. God told the children of Israel to leave the bondage of Egypt. Because He was the one who told them to go, He would be the one to open the red sea and provide a path for them.
We are fighting impossible battles, but God reminds us not to be fearful, but stand and worship Him with confidence. We must commit our lives and ministry to Him. This allows God to fight the battle and us to His victory.
God had Moses tell the Israelites not to be afraid. God also Has told us not to fear what we are going through. Moses told the Israelites to stand still. We must stand still. Too often, we become busy doing God’s work and forget: to listen to Him, stand back, and watch him work in His power.
MARK FITZGERALD SPANISH MINISTR IE S MAR K F ITZG E R AL D@USMISSIO NS. O R G
C E LEBRATI ON
G I R L S M I N I S TR I E S
We are happy to announce that District Celebration will be held at Crossroads Church, OKC, again this year. In October I was blessed to be part of the National Girls Ministries team travelling to Vanuatu to visit some local villages, schools and churches. This year our NGM Coins For Kids project is Vanuatu and Compact Ministries in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The trip to Vanuatu was amazing as we shared the Gospel and visited in remote villages in need of the Christian Schools we will help setup and resource with our CFK offerings. There will be videos and information throughout the year, promoting the Vanuatu CFK project on our Facebook page (OK Girls Ministries). I am here to serve the local church so please call or email me for resources to equip your leaders to win girls for Christ!
LIZ MOON GIRLS MINISTRIES LIZMOON@SBCGLOBAL.NET 580-649-9853
OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK | 9
CHI ALPHA
A P RAYE R
MOVEMENT After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:1-2 (NIV) We Praise God for what He is doing on Oklahoma Campuses and praying for more! We can all agree that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. How many times have you heard ministries and missionaries say “We need more workers”? It’s interesting that Jesus’ strategy for solving this problem in Luke 10:2 doesn’t being with recruiting. Jesus says our strategy should start with prayer, asking the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers. If Jesus tells us to pray something we believe He’s open to answering that prayer. Could our labor shortage be related to our prayer shortage? What if we committed to pausing and praying for one minute every day at a
ROYAL RANGERS
10.2 Prayer is a movement of prayer asking people to set a daily notification on their phones at 10:02 (AM or PM) reminding them to pause and pray for laborers. We are asking people to also text the keyword “xapray” to 313131 so we can track how many are participating. Every 60 people represent 60 minutes of prayer. We’ll notify you of every hour of prayer that’s added by texting you a celebratory message. Our goal is 10,080 joining this prayer movement. That’s a week’s worth or 24/7 prayer happening every day for more. Please join us and let us know how we can be praying with you!
GREG & SUSAN TIFFANY CHI ALPHA XAOKLAHOMA@GMAIL.COM 405-203-7377
THE ARMOR OF GOD
During childhood, I became preoccupied with the adventures of the knights of the roundtable and their crusade to make the world a better place. Glimmering armor and complicated cloaks ornamented with depictions of creatures and patterns commanding recognition. Still, It was their solid form and sovereignty on and off the battlefield, which channeled my emulation. My sword of preference was a branch unearthed in the piles of wood in the backyard. I was just a boy, and my stick little more than kindling. Nevertheless, at that moment, I wielded Excalibur and vanquished ferocious adversaries before going into the house, a conquering hero. I’ve had “sword fights” of a sort with my brother and experienced the force, and subsequent pain most akin to an electric shock, that shoots down your wrist when striking two sticks together. A knight’s armor, though hardened, was only a few millimeters thick, and their enemies held nothing back. So, I wonder what a knight felt when they got hit? After all, its purpose isn’t to completely absorb a blow but to limit its effects, to keep you alive. A diminished stroke could still disorient and shatter bone, but their preparation took over, facilitating their survival and similarly so must ours. 10 | OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK
set time for the Lord to move on the hearts of His people to become laborers for the harvest?
Royal Ranger Leaders shoulder the Armor of God described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6. They fight for men and boys for an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus Christ, inspire them to forge and wield their own suits of armor, and evolve into warriors able to resist any onslaught by the enemy. Our appearance, tools, and techniques have changed over the last 57 years, but our objective has remained the same. Any Pastor seeking a viable outreach for boys and men should take a look at the current model of Royal Rangers and what it can add to their church and its vision. Our action-packed calendar has events for all ages. It includes camping, leadership development, firearm safety, fishing, and survival training taught by competent and well-trained Commanders and Instructors whose priorities are safety, evangelizing, equipping, and empowering the next generation of Christlike men and lifelong servant leaders. JOE BLACKWOOD R OYAL R ANG E R S CO MMUNICATIO N CO O R DINATO R
OKLAHOMA
DISTRICT NEWS PRAYER REQUESTS
PASTORS’ REPORTS
Clint Gray - new church building provision and properties would be bought by the right owners and healing for one year old, Luke who suffers from daily seizures.
Gary Mullen, Sallisaw, reports five saved and four rededicated in regular service and 165,000 meals distributed. Raymond Frizzelle, Miami, reports five adults saved, seven water baptized, 15 youth saved, three children saved and one saved in nursing home. Lester Lowry, Enid, reports seven saved and three rededicated in December. There were nine baptized in water, five saved, and five new members in January. John Vaughan, Lamont, reports one saved. Stanley Botts, Enid, reports two saved and two rededicated in December. Jerry Yoder, Thomas, reports nine kids saved in the evening service. Oren Jackson, Watonga, reports 3 saved in December. Harry Jackson, Locust Grove, reports four saved and three filled with the Holy Ghost. John Newland, Newkirk, reports one saved during Sunday morning service.
INFORMATION Help for Pastors call (918) 758-4147 or visit www.pastoralcareinc.com.
NEEDED Eagletown AG needs a pianist or guitarist to lead worship on Sundays and celebrate Wednesdays.
DONATIONS Pews - 34 red padded pews -must pick up from Tecumseh First. Contact Pastor Don Jonker at (405) 915-5622 or DJonker81@yahoo.com. Pews - 23 padded pews in good condition - 16 8’ and 7 15’; must pick up in Gore. Contact Pastor Floyd Collins at (918) 685-0184.
TRANSFERS Welcome James Dolby III Dillon Etter Bruce Gibbons, Jr. Lyndi Purkey
Farewell Lucas Chesla Sarah Chesla Denton Field Vito Munoz III Mikayla D. Steiger
From North Dakota Tennessee Southern Missouri North Texas To Michigan Michigan North Carolina Southern California Rocky Mountain
EVANGELISTS’ REPORTS Dale Floyd reports 71 men and women saved in January services. Larry Martin reports 3600 saved at Harvest Revival Crusade in Ethiopia. Robert and Jan Teel report 32 saved in December. In 2019, 298 saved, 29 filled with the Holy Ghost with several healed and many lives changed. Marna Hillard reports several saved and two healed of serious illnesses. Alex Hanna reports 6,000 prayer request prayed over in 2019 for the Arabs, Muslins in the USA and the world. Miracles of healing for leukemia, kidney failure, breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart attack and angina. Barren woman became pregnant. Refugees found shelter and jobs, 2600Arabs saved thru TV and social media.
NEW PASTORS Sapulpa Cross Pointe Church Cushing Lifeline Purcell Memorial Shawnee All Nations Fellowship Sweetwater Weleetka First
Joshua Drury Thomas Green Justin Sims Michael Daggett Damion Swearingen Ron Miller
OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK | 11
IN MEMORY
M. Heath Davis
6/6/1970 - 1/7/2020 Reverend Marcus Heath Davis, 49, of Foyil, OK, formerly of Jacksonville, Illinois, kept his appointment with the Lord and graduated on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 He was born June 6, 1970 in Pontiac, Illinois, the son of Carl Roger and Margaret Ellen (Young) Davis, both whom have preceded him in death. Heath attended Routt High School and graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1988. He had an Associate’s Degree from Lincoln Land College and worked in Jacksonville as a Para-Professional and office administrator at the ARC/ESP alternative school, as well as the children’s pastor at Jacksonville Assembly of God, before moving to Oklahoma, where he continued in educative assistance at Will Rogers Middle School and became the Youth Pastor at Foyil Assembly of God. Along with being the youth pastor, he was the adult Sunday School teacher, Men’s ministry leader, and A/V technician for the church. Heath was gifted with creative genius that was unsurpassed. More than anything he loved all ‘his kids’ that he worked with. He poured his life and his faith in Christ into as many as he came in contact with. He loved to sing, especially with his brother, and had a voice that thundered and could transcend you into another realm. He is presently using that golden voice in the heavenly realm!
Leamon L. Rich
4/19/1921 - 2/15/2020 Reverend Leamon L. “Buster” Rich, 98, went to be with his Lord and Savior on February 15, 2020, just one day after his wife Lois passed away. Buster was born in Frederick, OK on April 19, 1921 to William and Cynthia Rich. Buster grew up working on the farm. When he was 20 years old, he entered the U.S. Navy during WWII. He served as a Seaman 1st Class as a 20 Millimeter Gunner. Buster was a Licensed minister with the Oklahoma District Assemblies of God. He enjoyed studying his Bible, gardening, and traveling. Buster also enjoyed taking long walks and singing. He collected knives and belt buckles. Most of all, Buster loved his Lord and his family. Buster is survived by his children; Larry Rich and Cheri Rich, Rick and Barbara Rice, Rey and Mary Baxter, and Don and Sharon Rice; 17 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 33 great-greatgrandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Gloria Rich; one son, Jerry Rich and his wife, Sherry; his second wife, Lois Rich; six brothers; and three sisters. 12 | OKLAHOMA OUTLOOK
Lindell H. Warren
7/31/1946 - 2/12/2020 Reverend Lindell Houston Warren, age 72, passed away Wednesday, February 12, 2020. He was born July 31, 1947 to Herschel and Palm (Stancil) Warren. He grew up in the family home in Cement, OK. He was a graduate of Cement High School in 1965 and in 1969 earned his bachelor’s degree in ministry from Southwestern Assemblies of God College, Waxahachie, TX. He and his wife of 52 years, Phyllis (Cossey), were pastors at Winters, TX, for a year, then evangelists for a short time. They spent 14 ½ years as pastors of First Assembly of God in Weatherford, OK. Lindell was appointed in 1986 as the District Missions and Mens Director to the Oklahoma Assemblies of God. After his retirement in 2016, he and Phyllis enjoyed a brief time of retired life before he became the pastor of Grace Assembly of God in Weatherford. When he wasn’t in the pulpit, he could be found with his grandkids, out amongst his cows, or at McDonald’s drinking coffee. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Wes Warren, and mother-in-law, Alton Cossey. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, three daughters, Melody Coleman and husband Randy, Jennifer Cromwell and husband Brad, and Lynna Norvell and husband Ron. Lindell will always be “Papa” to his fourteen grandchildren; Mackenzie,Seth, and Ella Coleman, Destiny Smith and husband Richard, Brecken, Caleb, Isaiah, Noah, Reuben, Jovie, and Asher Cromwell, and Nevada, Houston and Ivy Norvell. He is also survived by his sister, Karen Olson and husband Bill, sisterin-law, Joy Warren, father-in-law, Clyde Cossey, and Grandma Mary Ames and husband Dean. Donations can be made to the OKAG Foundation c/o “Warren Family Endowment” to further the ministries dear to Lindell.
MINISTERS’ SPOUSES Naomi B. Ogdon Spouse of Charles Ogdon 11/26/1934 - 2/28/2020 Flora Charlene Storie Spouse of Alfred Storie 8/05/1932 – 2/17/2020 Lois Dean Rich Spouse of the Late Leamon L. Rich 11/17/1928 – 2/14/2020