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ambassador
STILL TRUE SUMMER 2021 PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE Study up, stand up, speak up p. 4 WHY APOLOGETICS? Dr. Chad Ragsdale on defending and commending the faith p. 6 RENEWING EVERY DAY: How one grad encourages faithfulness among the disciples p. 10
the magazine of ozark christian college
OCC.EDU
CONTENTS TO INSPIRE President’s Perspective Matt Proctor
How Ozark prepares kingdom leaders to defend biblical truths
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Featured Theme Dr. Chad Ragsdale
“It was my freshman year of Bible college, and I was experiencing a crisis of faith.”
COVID and the Church
A survey of 1,000 American churchgoers
Bible Words Jon Kehrer
An in-depth look at the language of Scripture
Ambassador Spotlight: Daniel McCoy Amy Storms
One grad’s mission to renew the teachings of Jesus
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TO INFORM Campus News
Recent happenings at OCC
The Big Picture
A snapshot of life around campus
Coming Soon
Upcoming events at OCC
Meet Your OCC Family
Introducing Ozark professor, Matthew McBirth
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TO CONNECT Givin’ After You’re Livin’ Matt Proctor
How one man’s legacy is training kingdom leaders
Your Partnership
Legacy, memorial, and tribute gifts from our generous donors
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
22 24 27 32 The ultimate mission of Ozark Christian College is to glorify God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide. The immediate 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) and by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
NIGHTSHADE VS. GOOD GREEN GRASS GUARDING THE DOCTRINAL DIET OF GOD’S FLOCK
Matt Proctor In 2002, I was a 32-year-old preaching professor at OCC. I was always looking for good pulpit examples to share with my students, and that year, I pointed them to a young preacher named Rob Bell.
A Dynamic Biblical Communicator
In 1999, Rob Bell planted a church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and for the first year, he preached through Leviticus— verse by verse. Why? “Because it’s so visual,” said Bell. “Instead of describing an abstract concept like substitutionary atonement, Leviticus gives instructions on how to slit the throat of a lamb. The blood spattering on your cloak lends vivid imagery to the penalty for sin. The sacrificial system becomes one giant visual aid to explain Jesus.” Rob also chose this book because “unchurched people often perceive the Bible as obsolete. If that crowd could discover God speaking to them through Old Testament law, it would radically change their perception.” So Bell acted out Leviticus in his sermons. He built altars on stage, had “priests” wearing ephods, brought in a live goat for the Day of Atonement, and showed that the whole book pointed to Jesus. Many preachers are afraid arcane Old Testament laws would bore their people. (They avoid Leviticus because they’re afraid of an exodus!) But during that year through Leviticus, Bell’s church grew to over 2,000. “Wow!” I thought. “Here’s a guy who believes in the power of God’s Word!” I attended a Conference on Preaching where Bell spoke and had my preaching students listen to his Leviticus 16 sermon. The world needs strong biblical communicators, and in Rob Bell, it seemed we had one more.
A Troubling Turn in Doctrinal Direction
But when I read his 2005 book Velvet Elvis, I was troubled. He seemed to question the doctrine of the virgin birth. Then in his 2011 book Love Wins, Rob Bell openly questioned the doctrine of hell. I was deeply saddened, and I took his sermons out of my preaching class. Despite loving calls to return to biblical truth, Rob Bell kept walking further away. He resigned from his Michigan church, and in a book entitled What Is the Bible?, he argued that: • The Bible is simply a human book, not the unique Word of God. “The Bible is not a book written by God. It’s a book written by people about God.”
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The Old Testament laws were human inventions. “God didn’t set up the sacrificial system. People did.” • The cross of Christ was not God’s work to save humanity from wrath. “God didn’t need to kill someone to be ‘happy’ with humanity. What kind of God would that be? Awful.” Rob Bell remains one of the most intelligent, funny, and eloquent communicators I’ve ever heard, and thousands still listen to him. But the man a newspaper once called “the next Billy Graham” has, to put it plainly, “departed from the truth” (2 Tim 2:18).
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Christianity has always faced opposition. (Nativity sets should probably include King Herod and soldiers marching toward Bethlehem.) Physical attacks from antagonists and philosophical attacks from atheists are easy to spot. They are wolves in wolves’ clothing. More dangerous are the wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15). False teachers like Rob Bell can be winsome, compelling, and even morally admirable people. They call themselves Christians, know their Bible well, and sound authentically spiritual, but they “secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1). False teaching comes in many forms. Some forms contradict God’s Word, such as Bell’s “progressive Christianity.” Other false teaching distorts God’s Word, such as the “health and wealth” gospel or a legalism of salvation by works. Some false teaching alters God’s Word, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, while some adds to it, like the Mormons. Whatever form it takes, the devil constantly slips into sheep’s clothing to tamper with truth. False teaching was not just a first-century problem. It’s still dangerous today.
At Ozark, we believe the Bible is still true. (Still True is the theme for this Ambassador and for last February’s PreachingTeaching Online.) So we equip the next generation of kingdom leaders to defend biblical truth in three ways: study up, stand up, speak up.
Study Up (on Threats to the Flock)
When my dad was an Iowa teenager, raising 120 sheep on 100 acres of pasture, he noticed one summer his sheep began dying. No evidence of predators. Just one or two, here and there, no obvious cause. It’s not uncommon for a sheep or two to die each summer. (House plants have higher IQs than sheep.) But these deaths continued until his flock had dwindled by almost a third. My dad finally called in a veterinarian to investigate, and an autopsy found the culprit: nightshade. These poisonous plants grew in the shade, under the trees where the sheep congregated in the summer heat, and they couldn’t resist the tasty weed. What did my dad do? Thirteen-year-old Gene Proctor walked all 100 acres in the sweltering sun, pulling every single nightshade plant he found, and his vigilant labor saved his sheep. Ozark students learn: a spiritual shepherd guards his flock’s doctrinal diet. That means studying the poisonous plants that might endanger them. Paul warned the Ephesian elders about false teaching: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28). In classes like Apologetics, Philosophy, and Cults, students learn to spot non-Christian worldviews and popular false teachings—the common, tasty-but-toxic weeds in our cultural pasture. Ultimately, we want students familiar with the truth. U.S. Treasury agents don’t learn to detect counterfeit currency by studying fake bills. They study genuine money until they know the real thing so well bogus bills are instantly recognizable. Our students take over 50 hours of Bible classes. Why? So they will know God’s Word so well false teaching is quickly recognizable. Then they can pull whatever “theological nightshade” threatens.
Stand Up (When False Teaching Surfaces)
In a church I served, a young couple became enamored with a popular televangelist who taught “name it and claim it” theology—just as God spoke things into existence, so can we if we speak the words with enough faith. Deceived, the young couple tried to apply his teaching in their new business—seeking to make certain things happen by “speaking them in faith.” I sat in their living room to express my concerns, but my warning fell on deaf ears. When their business faltered, their faith did as well. Confronting false teaching is about as fun as pulling 100 acres of weeds in the hot sun. It’s always more enjoyable to teach truth than to challenge error. (Read Jude 1:3.) But sometimes, standing up to false teaching is necessary, because souls are at stake. In 2019, former-conservative-Church-of-Christ-membernow-progressive-Lutheran-pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber wrote a book entitled Shameless: A Sexual Reformation. In the book,
which garnered praise from periodicals like The New Yorker, she seeks to “set Christians free” from shame over their sexual behavior: “Unless your sexual desires are for minors or animals, or your sexual choices are hurting you or those you love, those desires are not something you need to ‘struggle with.’” Instead, you’re free to express your sexuality, she said, as you see fit. So we point students to teachers like Dr. Wesley Hill, a biblical studies professor at Trinity School for Ministry. As a same-sex attracted man, Dr. Hill is obeying Christ in a life of celibacy, and his response to Bolz-Weber’s book carries the power of personal testimony. Dr. Hill wrote that believers don’t defeat shame by “whittling the law’s demands down to a size that fits their behavior. Sexual purity is a scriptural (and therefore indispensable) category.” The only way to overcome shame is to “admit guilt and ask for mercy.” His response was one of Christianity Today magazine’s most read articles last year. Our students learn: standing up for truth is necessary.
Speak Up (with the Truth of God’s Word)
Longtime OCC academic dean Dr. Lynn Gardner taught apologetics, the defense of the faith. But he once quoted Charles Spurgeon: “The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Just turn it loose, and it will defend itself.” The Bible is powerful. At times we may need to defend it, but more often, we simply need to proclaim it—to give the flock the good green grass of God’s Word. So we teach students to speak the truth that: • God still reigns. In a world that says there is no God, we proclaim that “he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) • Humanity still sins. In a world that says everyone is okay just as they are, we proclaim that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) • Jesus still saves. In a world that says all roads lead to heaven, we proclaim that “no one comes to the Father except through” Jesus. ( John 14:6) • The Church still prevails. In a world that says the church is irrelevant, we proclaim that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) I have never met Rob Bell or Nadia Bolz-Weber, but I pray that “God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25). God’s Word does not need edited, recalibrated, or explained away. It is already “perfect, refreshing the soul” (Psalm 19:7). Our best work is simply to read it, love it, live it, and preach it. Even Leviticus.
Matt Proctor has served as president of Ozark Christian College since 2006.
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FEATURED THEME
WHY APOLOGETICS? DEFENDING AND COMMENDING THE FAITH
Dr. Chad Ragsdale
It was my freshman year of Bible college, and I was experiencing a crisis of faith. I had gone to college with what I now characterize as a plate glass faith. It was functional in helping me see the world, but it was also fragile. I took classes that challenged me to pursue a deeper faith, but in the process, I found myself asking new and uncomfortable questions about that faith. At the same time, I was still in considerable pain from a family tragedy that had occurred barely a year before enrolling. Rocks were being thrown at my plate glass faith, and cracks were beginning to form. It was in that moment that a friend threw me a lifeline in the form of C.S. Lewis’ classic, Mere Christianity. Lewis captivated me. I found in him a person unafraid to ask challenging questions and deep enough to offer thoughtful, articulate answers. It’s not that I suddenly had all of my doubts resolved. That’s not how life and faith work. What that book did offer was hope in the midst of doubt. I realized that doubt didn’t have to be a one-way trip into a darkened alley. Doubts could be met with the light of truth, and people like Lewis were there to offer guidance.
The World of Christian Apologetics
Reading C.S. Lewis was my first real initiation into the world of Christian apologetics. I’ve been passionate about apologetics ever since. Apologetics is the discipline of offering reasonable answers to the questions people ask about our faith. Apologetics is an eclectic discipline. Studying apologetics means engaging diverse fields like biblical theology, science, philosophy, history, and art—all for the purpose of being sufficiently prepared to give answers to those who ask us about our hope (1 Pet. 3:15). Studying apologetics means examining culture, challenging the conventional wisdom of the world in light of the truth of Jesus,
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and demolishing arguments and pretensions by taking every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5). Studying apologetics also means studying and imitating Jesus. Apologetics sends us into the world full of both grace and truth ( John 1:14) with the purpose of making disciples (Matt. 28:19-20). As much as I have come to love apologetics, it has its detractors. Several years ago, a guest speaker on our campus began his talk with these words: “Apologetics is a wonderful thing. If you live in the 1950s. And in Kansas.” It was an awkward moment not only because the crowd was composed of a large number of students from the state of Kansas, but also because it was the first session in our annual apologetics lectureship. Did I mention that I had just begun teaching apologetics that same semester, and one of my first decisions was to invite this speaker to our campus? Like I said, awkward. As he continued speaking, it became clear that his complaint was not with providing answers to the questions skeptics ask. His problem was with the ways many contemporary Christians practice apologetics. I share some of his concerns.
Possible Errors in Practicing Apologetics
I believe we can make at least two errors in practicing apologetics. The first error is when we forget the purpose of apologetics. Apologetics is a servant of evangelism and discipleship. It is therefore sensitive to the particular context and needs of people, people who may be wandering or wondering or outright rebelling against God. Apologetics listens before it speaks.
Apologetics listens before it speaks.
It is only by listening that we learn how to respond in an appropriate and effective way. For an apologetic response to be effective, it has to have three characteristics: 1. It must correspond to reality. In other words, it must be true. 2. It must be coherent, which means that it must hold together under scrutiny. 3. It must be compelling. This third element is often missed today. We construct finesounding arguments that are true and coherent, but they aren’t compelling. They fail to connect in a meaningful way to the very people they are supposed to reach. We miss our target because we have forgotten the purpose of our task. Apologetics isn’t about winning arguments or making smart arguments. Apologetics actually becomes counter-productive when practiced that way. Apologetics is about connecting people to the living God by removing as many obstacles to faith as possible. This leads to the second error: We should be careful not to forget the limits of apologetics. Argumentation alone does not create faith, and reason alone cannot explain the wonders of an infinite God. Therefore, apologists must approach their task in the humility of faith. New Testament scholar Austin Farrer articulated the apologetic task well. “Though argument does not create conviction, the lack of it destroys belief. What seems to be proved may not be embraced; but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.” I like comparing apologetics to putting pebbles in shoes. A small pebble in your shoe is captivating. Even though it is small, it dominates your attention and demands to be dealt with. A good apologetic argument can work in the same way. I want to make people uncomfortable with their disbelief. I want to cause them to question their questions, to be skeptical about their skepticism. I want to lovingly put a pebble of doubt into their shoes. This doesn’t mean that I can or should harass people into believing. I simply want to create an environment where God can do his work on a stubborn heart. For this reason, apologetics is a spiritual discipline when it is done well. Apologetics enlists us in spiritual warfare. It beckons us to prayer, and it cultivates spiritual fruit like patience, kindness, and self-control.
Our Faith and Our Call
I am confident that apologetics will continue to be relevant and essential to Christian witness in the world because of the nature of our faith and the nature of our call. Our faith is not a feeling. Our faith is not a philosophy. Our faith is a bold declaration of truth clothed in flesh and grounded in history. This kind of bold declaration requires a compelling defense.
James Beilby says, “Apologetics is what happens when the Christian humbly yet confidently proclaims the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ in a world where truth and reasons for belief matter.” Despite what you might have heard, for most people “truth and reasons for belief ” still matter a great deal. People are unlikely to adopt a life-changing truth—a truth that both takes everything and gives everything—if no one seems able to make a case. Our calling is to go into the world and make disciples. How will we make disciples of all people if we are unwilling or unable to offer a compelling argument for the truth of our faith? Our faith and our call should energize the apologetic task.
Apologetics at OCC
I’m so thankful for the legacy of apologetics at Ozark. This fall, I will become the third out of the last four OCC academic deans who taught apologetics before becoming dean. (I have no doubt that Mark Scott would have loved to teach apologetics if he had to. He probably would have done a better job than all of us.) It is an incredibly humbling opportunity. Apologetics continues to be an essential element of our mission and our vision as an institution. Men and women who are trained for Christian service must have the ability to defend and commend their faith. In the same way, men and women who enter into the work of “glorifying God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide” will find it difficult to avoid the discipline of apologetics.
Men and women who are trained for Christian service must have the ability to defend and commend their faith. I confess, I’m also glad that apologetics is a part of our legacy because of those students who are just like I was. They come to us harboring questions and anxious about doubts. I’m forever grateful to be at a place where the light of truth still shines in the shadow of those doubts. Since 2005, Dr. Chad Ragsdale has taught Christian apologetics, biblical interpretation, the book of Hebrews, and biblical Greek at OCC. In 2012, Chad became Ozark’s assistant academic dean. In the fall of 2021, he will follow Doug Aldridge to become Ozark’s sixth academic dean.
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68%
COVID-19 and the Church 91% of churchgoers plan to attend church in-person as much or more post-COVID-19. Among Protestant churchgoers in the US.
“When COVID-19 is no longer an active threat to people’s health, which best reflects your plans for attending worship services at your church in person?”
23%
6% ATTEND MORE
ATTEND THE SAME
RARELY ATTEND
NEVER ATTEND
14% 20%
1-2 TIMES
10% 16%
3-5 TIMES
Churchgoers are more likely now than in 2019 to have watched a livestream service instead of attend in person. Among Protestant churchgoers in the US.
13% 6%
6-11 TIMES
18+ TIMES
1%
47%
NONE
12-17 TIMES
ATTEND LESS
2%
15% 3%
“In the last year, approximately how many times have you watched a live video stream of a church service instead of attending in person?”
12%
SEPT. 2019
JAN. 2021
4% 32% Note: 2% said not sure in 2019, 3% in 2021.
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The online survey of 1,000 American Protestant churchgoers was conducted February 5-18, 2021, using a national, pre-recruited panel. Find out more at lifewayresearch.com.
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אמת BIBLE WORDS
BIBLE WORDS
TRUTH Jon Kehrer
The Hebrew word ’emet, or “truth,” is used all throughout the Old Testament to refer to something that is reliable. Whether a sign ( Joshua 2:12) or a seed ( Jeremiah 2:21), something ’emet can be trusted. When it is used of people, it suggests integrity or acting with proper motives ( Judges 9:16). This is the service God desires ( Joshua 24:14; 1 Samuel 12:24). However, ’emet is also one of God’s attributes. In fact, the majority of the word’s occurrences in the Old Testament are about God. He is reliable in all things (Psalm 19:9, 91:4). This word is used frequently with hesed, or “steadfast love,” to refer to keeping a covenant commitment with someone. When God acts with hesed and ’emet, he promises to fulfill every commitment he has made. The characteristics are how God describes himself (Exodus 34:6).
Find more word studies at occ.edu/biblewords.
Psalm 89 is the epicenter of the Old Testament’s conversation about God’s steadfast love and truth. It is bursting with words related to both hesed and ’emet. The psalmist declares that in the world and in the Davidic kingdom, God’s truth is on display! In Psalm 89:38, things take a dramatic turn. Because God has allowed the exile to occur, the psalmist feels betrayed and calls into question God’s covenant commitment. However, he refuses to give up on God’s promises. Instead, he pleads with God to act (Psalm 89:49) and ends the Psalm confidently with a word connected to ’emet: amen! Praise God that we can see the rest of the story. In the fullness of time (Ephesians 1:10), God sent Jesus to demonstrate God’s ’emet (Romans 15:8), hard proof that God has not abandoned his word. A resurrected Messiah demonstrates once and for all: God’s promises are still true.
Jon Kehrer teaches Hebrew, Old Testament, and hermeneutics at OCC.
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AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT: DANIEL MCCOY
DANIEL MCCOY RENEWING EVERY DAY HOW ONE GRAD ENCOURAGES FAITHFULNESS AMONG THE DISCIPLES
Amy Storms
Ministry isn’t for the faint of heart. Often, the joys and blessings of ministry go hand-in-hand with its hurts and hardships. The pandemic, the political climate, and the everyday needs of the people in the pews can leave the shepherds of the flock weary, lonely, and discouraged. Where can the minister turn? Enter Daniel McCoy. An author, teacher, and minister himself, Ozark grad Daniel McCoy’s service can be summed up in one word: encouragement. Daniel encourages others like him to stay—and to stay faithful— in ministry.
After attending Ozark, Daniel’s dad David preached in southeast Kansas at Mound Valley Christian Church and Galesburg Christian Church. When Daniel was a freshman in high school, his father planted the Ambassador Christian Church in Chanute, Kansas. “The church plant gave everybody in the family valuable experience in various ministry tasks,” Daniel recalls. Daniel played bass, guitar, and drums at the church. “I also ran the overhead projector,” he says, “which takes a lot more coordination than you’d think—and often more than I had.”
Encouraged at Home
After high school, Daniel enrolled at Ozark. As a student, he spent time as a tour guide for prospective students, as a bass player for Frontline, and as a tutor for Ozark’s Learning Center (now, the Academic Resource Commons). “Where do I even begin?” Daniel says of his time at OCC. “The friendships, the classes, the convictions, the mission…I’ve never once regretted going to Ozark. My years there were encouraging and formative and fun.” “I remember giving a campus tour to my roommate’s younger sister,” Daniel says. “When she came to Ozark as a freshman, I realized, “There are a ton of guys interested in her. I’d better make my move. I attended the Living Christmas Tree three times that winter, just to see her sing in the second row from the top.” A week later, Daniel was dating Susanna Lang. In 2007, Daniel received a Bachelor of Theology in preaching ministry, and in 2008, he and Susanna were married. After graduating, the McCoys moved back to Chanute where Daniel worked with his dad as associate minister at Ambassador Christian Church. At the same time, Daniel also taught Bible, language arts, and speech at the Christian school in town. He
For Daniel, the ministry of encouragement started early in life. A preacher’s kid, Daniel was impacted by his dad’s decision to leave a well-paying career path in his thirties to attend Ozark Christian College and dedicate the rest of his life to church ministry. “I knew churches weren’t perfect,” Daniel says, “but I also knew that the church was profoundly important to God. One of the convictions I absorbed in the McCoy household was that in the grand scheme of things, what really mattered was, as my dad put it, ‘increasing the population of heaven.’”
I knew churches weren’t perfect, but I also knew that the church was profoundly important to God. 10
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Encouraged by Ozark
went on to earn a master’s degree in Christian apologetics through Veritas International University, then a Ph.D. in theology through North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Daniel designed and taught online courses for Ozark, including philosophy, ethics, world religions, and apologetics. He continues to teach for the college as an online adjunct instructor.
Encouraged through the Written Word
In 2019, Daniel took a full-time job as editorial director for Renew.org, a network of believers who encourage one another toward faithfulness and effectiveness through relationships and resources. Renew.org’s mission statement is to “renew the teachings of Jesus to fuel disciple making.” The ministry fuels disciple making through solid content (daily articles, videos, podcasts, and book publishing), disciplemaking mentoring, learning communities, and gatherings (online, regional, and national). Currently, Renew.org’s growing network has more than a dozen regional directors in the U.S. and Canada who oversee “micro-networks” within the network. These micro-networks are where much-needed, heart-level relationships happen. While so many church leaders are struggling during the pandemic, the relationships in the Renew.org network are helping to give church leaders renewed purpose and convictional resilience. God is using these relationships to encourage leaders to stay—and stay faithful—in ministry. As editorial director for Renew.org, Daniel is the “content guy.” He curates the Renew.org website, writes articles and video scripts, and assembles a weekly newsletter and podcast called “Renewing Every Day.” Daniel also serves as the main editor for the books published at Renew.org. Since its inception in 2018, Renew.org has published books on spiritual disciplines, church leadership, and progressive Christianity. This year, Renew.org is also launching a 12-book series of theology books, which will eventually be compiled into one volume as a significant theology book to fuel faithful and effective disciple making. Renew.org is a predominately Christian Church network, so Daniel has enjoyed connecting with Ozark alumni and professors as he gathers content. “Ozark alumni have written some incredible content for us,” he says, “such as Jeremy Bacon’s series on the Sermon on the Mount, Corey Scott’s series on worship ministry, Vance Russell’s series on gender, and Julia Martin’s series on suffering faithfully.” The Renew.org website includes familiar OCC names like Zustiak, Wood, Kehrer, Boles, Proctor, Stafford, DeWelt, Ackerman, Gariss, and Cherok. Today, Daniel, Susanna, and their five children live in Marion, Iowa, a suburb of Cedar Rapids. Daniel has published three books: one on atheism (co-written with Norman L. Geisler and published by Baker), another on apologetics (published by Renew.org), and a third on world religions (published by Harvest House). Daniel says, “I am convinced that, at least in part, these books started with a comment made by an Ozark professor I Thessalonians 5:11
in 2007. I wrote a long paper my senior year for a class with Chad Ragsdale. I really put myself into this paper, and when he graded it, Chad wrote these five words: ‘Daniel is a superb writer.’ I’m not sure it was true, but Chad’s encouragement opened my eyes to the possibility that I could do serious writing.” “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,” the apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “just as in fact you are doing.”1 Daniel takes this admonition to heart. “I love to encourage faithfulness,” he says. “Because Renew.org is first and foremost a network, we don’t just send content out; we connect with each other and check on each other. Our network has provided ministers a solid place to stand in a confusing world where many of their peers are digging into an ineffective traditionalism or caving to an unfaithful progressivism. God has used our relationships and resources to renew the strength of burnt-out ministers on dark days in a difficult season.” “We need each other,” Daniel concludes. “I’m always grateful when God uses me to be a voice of encouragement at just the right time.”
Our network has provided ministers a solid place to stand in a confusing world where many of their peers are digging into an ineffective traditionalism or caving to an unfaithful progressivism.
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CAMPUS NEWS
PASSING THE BATON: FACULTY AND STAFF DEPARTURES
Ozark has always been blessed with godly men and women in leadership. This year, several longtime leaders will retire or transition into new roles. Join us in praying for our “coworkers in God’s service” (1 Corinthians 3:9) as they begin new seasons of ministry. Pray also for those who will take their place in carrying out our mission of training men and women for Christian service.
Dr. Chad Ragsdale to Become OCC’s Sixth Academic Dean
Since 2011, Doug Aldridge has served as OCC’s executive vice president of academics and academic dean. Doug has provided outstanding leadership—guiding the college through the addition of an online program, the pursuit of regional accreditation, and the planning of a graduate program. Former Academic Dean Mark Scott once said the dean’s job is “to guard the mission like a junkyard dog,” and Doug has fiercely guarded OCC’s mission of training men and women for Christian service. At Doug’s recommendation (and with the confidence of OCC’s faculty and the unanimous support of Ozark’s trustees), Dr. Chad Ragsdale will begin this summer as OCC’s next academic dean. In 2005, Chad moved from his Illinois preaching ministry to join Ozark’s faculty as a professor of Bible, and since 2013, he has served as assistant academic dean. Chad has the biblical foundations of a theologian, the pastoral experience of a preacher, the cultural engagement of an apologist, and the scholastic bent of an academician. More importantly, he has a genuine faith in Christ, a deep commitment to his family, a demonstrated love for the church, and a firm belief in Ozark’s mission of training men and women for Christian service.
22 years of service
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Academic Dean In the fall of 2020, Chad completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. He has shadowed Doug Aldridge closely in preparation for his succession. On July 1, 2021, Chad will become the sixth academic dean in the 79-year history of Ozark Christian College. Like previous deans Seth Wilson, Lynn Gardner, and Mark Scott, Doug will step out of the dean’s office and back into the classroom to teach full time. Please join us in expressing appreciation to Doug Aldridge for his exemplary leadership, and join us in praying for Chad, his wife Tara, and their children Logan, Adeline, and Ryane as he embraces this new kingdom assignment.
Kathy Stammer Retires
After 22 years of service in Ozark’s Business Office, Kathy Stammer will retire this summer. Kathy served as accountant and payroll administrator for the college. Her diligence and attention to detail helped to further our mission of training men and women for Christian service. Thank you, Kathy!
CAMPUS NEWS Brice Wurdeman Named Director of Intercultural Studies Department
Intercultural Studies
This fall, Brice Wurdeman will become OCC’s next Director of Intercultural Studies, following the longtime leadership of Dr. Chris DeWelt. In December, Chris will step down from teaching full time but will continue to teach part time in the Intercultural Studies Department. Brice has served as the executive director and professor at Windward Islands School of Evangelism (WISE) since 2011. Under his leadership, WISE purchased and moved to a new campus, increased enrollment, built a wide network of supporters, paid off all debt, and developed strong partnerships with local churches. Prior to that ministry, Brice served as an instructor at Sonlight Academy in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, and as a youth minister in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Schell City, Missouri. Brice graduated from Ozark in 2004 and holds a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Liberty University. Brice and his wife Amanda have six children: Naiyah, Beckett, Paxson, Kensington, Greeley, and Rusk.
Kathy Bowers Named Coordinator of Alumni Engagement
Alumni Engagement
Due to a COVID-related enrollment drop this year, OCC had to make several budget cuts, including some personnel cuts. In all, six positions in the 2020-2021 budget will not be included in the 2021-2022 budget. (Hear more at occ.edu/presidentsaddress.) Unfortunately, one of the positions eliminated was that of our alumni engagement director, Troy Nelson. Troy served at Ozark in various leadership positions for over 19 years. In his most current role, Troy’s ministry was marked by thoughtfulness, grace, and a heart for our alumni. We are very grateful for his care for our graduates and his longtime investment in training men and women for Christian service. Troy concluded his service at OCC in February and now serves as development director with American Rehabilitation Ministries (ARM) in Joplin. In Troy’s absence and in addition to her role as executive assistant to President Matt Proctor, Kathy Bowers will serve as coordinator of alumni engagement. Kathy will be the primary contact for alumni, coordinating communication with alumni through OCC’s alumni Facebook page and other means. Contact Kathy Bowers at alumni@occ.edu.
Dr. Mark Scott Accepts New Ministry Position
35 years of service
At the close of the 2020-2021 academic year, Mark Scott began a new ministry position full time with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin. Mark has been a faithful teacher, mentor, colleague, and friend. Most of all, Mark has tirelessly, faithfully preached the Word of Christ in the Spirit of Christ. “I could not put in words or quantify what it has meant for us to serve at OCC,” Mark says. “When you cut us, we bleed OCC blue. How can I thank you for the privilege of serving with you for these 35 years? All our children and all their mates have come to college here—one of them even teaches here now. Now three of our grandchildren are studying and preparing here. Thank you, OCC, for giving us a clear call to come and teach in 1983. We owe the college more than we could pay in a thousand lifetimes.” Please pray for Mark and Carla as they begin a new season of ministry with Park Plaza Christian Church. Watch a video about Mark at occ.edu/markscott. TO INFORM
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CAMPUS NEWS OCC Achieves Regional Accreditation with HLC
OCC is excited to announce regional accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This adds to Ozark’s national accreditation with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), which the college has held since 1988. Ozark began seeking regional accreditation in 2012 and received candidacy status with HLC in November of 2016. “The Ozark team has worked hard over this eight-year journey,” says OCC President Matt Proctor, “and we’re excited to achieve HLC accreditation. We’re grateful for the process that helped us improve, excited for how this serves our graduates’ future pursuits, and humbled by the affirmation of the quality education Ozark has long provided.” The Higher Learning Commission accredits degree-granting, postsecondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States, so OCC now shares accreditation with other regional universities like the University of Missouri, the University of Arkansas, and our educational partner Missouri Southern State University. While ABHE accreditation focuses on the quality of institutions that engage students in biblical higher education, HLC assesses an institution’s overall quality and evaluates the college alongside other schools within the region. “Accreditation assures that an institution meets accepted standards of quality and integrity,” says OCC Vice President of Institutional Research and Effectiveness Dr. Teresa Roberts. “Since 1942, our mission and focus as a single-purpose Bible college have not changed. Ozark remains committed to training men and women for Christian service.”
Seven Sessions Available Online Last February due to COVID-19, Ozark’s Preaching-Teaching Convention was held virtually. Over 1,000 people attended the conference online. All six sessions are now available on Ozark’s YouTube channel, along with a special address from President Proctor. Watch them all at occ.edu/ptonline. And, mark your calendars for next year’s inperson Preaching-Teaching Convention, February 21-23, 2022.
Bob Russell
Jason Poznich
Dr. Frank Smith, Jr.
Shane J. Wood
Randy and Julie Gariss
Aaron Brockett
Jeremy Storms Digital Learning Studio Opens
OCC is excited to open the Jeremy Storms Digital Learning Studio, located within the Hillside Building across from Strong Hall. Under the direction of the Digital Learning Department, the studio will be used by the campus for recording videos, podcasts, webinars, and more. Special thanks to OCC trustee Roger Storms and his wife, Nancy, for their generous gift to make the project possible. The studio is named for their late son, Jeremy Dale Storms, who passed away at age 15. Funding for the studio was also made possible by gifts from Southeast Christian Church (Louisville, KY), Southland Christian Church (Lexington, KY), and Crossland Construction (Columbus, KS).
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President’s Address - Matt Proctor occ.edu/ptonline
HEARD IN CHAPEL
“The way people view the local church is the way they are going to view Jesus.”
MAGGIE SCHADE Community Impact Minister, Christ’s Church of Oronogo
“I am incomplete without the ministry of the church...but the church is also incomplete without your ministry of building others up.”
DR. CHAD RAGSDALE OCC Academic Dean-Elect
“We need to be living sacrifices, and the extent to which we’ll do that often reveals the value we place on people’s souls.”
DOUG ALDRIDGE OCC Executive Vice President of Academics
Watch Ozark’s chapel messages on YouTube or at occ.edu/chapel.
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OCC ACHIEVES REGIONAL ACCREDITATION In November of 2020, Ozark Christian College announced its regional accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This adds to Ozark’s national accreditation with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), which the college has held since 1988. Ozark began seeking regional accreditation in 2012 and received candidacy status with HLC in November of 2016. Read more on page 14.
COMING SOON
JUNE 13-18:
CREATIVE ARTS ACADEMY Coming June 13-18, just for high school artists (entering ninth grade through graduating high school). Creative Arts Academy is a week-long arts camp on the campus of OCC. High school students will learn from professional artists in their choice of twelve tracks: filmmaking, photography, animation, graphic design, creative speaking, and more. The week also includes elective classes, morning Bible study, evening worship with OCC’s Frontline, community groups, and a late-night performance by comedian Jaron Myers. Find out more at occ.edu/caa.
JUNE - JULY:
AMBASSADOR SPORTS CAMPS Each summer, the Ozark Athletics Department hosts volleyball and basketball camps for kids from grades 3-12. Send your future Ambassador to join us at one of the camps below. Register at occ.edu/sportscamps.
VOLLEYBALL:
BASKETBALL: Boys and Girls Day Camp
High School Girls
Junior High Girls
High School Boys
Grades 3-5 // June 8-10
Grades 6-8 // June 13-16 Junior High Boys
Grades 6-8 // June 20-23
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Grades 9-12 // June 16-19 Grades 9-12 // June 27-July 1
Junior High Girls 1 Grades 6-8 // June 9-11
Junior High Girls 2 Grades 6-8 // June 23-25 Junior High Girls 3 Grades 6-8 // July 7-9
COMING SOON
SAVE THE DATES
As campus life returns to normal post-COVID, OCC is looking forward to once again hosting our 2021-2022 events on campus. Mark your calendars and make plans now to attend. Watch occ.edu/events for more information to come. We can’t wait to have you back on campus soon!
SEPTEMBER 24-25:
OCTOBER 3-6:
GETAWAY
BRANSON CONFERENCE
Grades: 6-8
At the beautiful Chateau on the Lake in Branson, Missouri
Speaker: Mallory Jenkins Registration: opens July 1
Speaker: David Faust
NOVEMBER 5-6:
THE EVENT Grades: 9-12
Speaker: Caleb DeRoin Registration: opens July 1
Registration: now open occ.edu/getaway
occ.edu/branson
occ.edu/theevent
DECEMBER 2-5:
CHRISTMAS MUSICAL:
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER
OCC Chapel
occ.edu/christmas
APRIL 1-2, 2022: FEBRUARY 21-23, 2022:
PREACHING-TEACHING CONVENTION: “AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART”
Speakers: Ken and Kaylene Idleman, Jeff Walling, Lito Solorio, Taylor Brown, Michael DeFazio, and Jaron Scott Registration: opens July 1 occ.edu/pt
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE Speaker: Beth DeFazio Registration: opens October 1 occ.edu/we TO INFORM
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FREE video resources for you and your church!
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MATTHEW MCBIRTH:
THAT THEY MAY BE ONE OCC Multicultural Affairs Director Matthew McBirth gave his life to Christ in 2010. “Declaring Jesus as my Lord changed everything,” Matthew says of his baptism. Originally from Jeffersonville, Indiana, Matthew came to Ozark as a student in 2012 to train for ministry. Initially, he planned to become a youth minister, but during Matthew’s time at OCC, God stirred in him a passion for unity in the church. “Jesus’ prayer in John 17 really inspired me,” Matthew says. “I realized that in the New Testament, unity is reflected in the midst of ethnic diversity—through Jews and Gentiles communing together. I want the church to be one so that the world will know Jesus is the Son of God.” As Matthew’s passion for unity and reconciliation grew, OCC was preparing to launch a department to focus on ethnic and cultural diversity. When Matthew graduated in 2016, the timing was right. Matthew joined the OCC staff to lead the new Diversity Department—now named the Multicultural Affairs Department. Under Matthew’s leadership, the department has held monthly “Mosaic Lunch” conversations on race, welcomed outside guests for panel discussions and seminars, hosted heritage and cultural events on campus, directed OCC’s Mosaic Leadership scholarship, and worked to ensure that OCC is a home and haven for students of all ethnicities. In 2017, Matthew also began to serve as a professor of Bible and ministry at Ozark. In 2019, he graduated from Duke University with a Master of Arts in Christian Practice with an emphasis in Reconciliation Ministry. The gospel of Jesus is about bringing unity to the world—about Christ restoring unity between the Creator and his created, and between man and his fellow man. Matthew notes, “When people see ethnic diversity in a church or on a Christian college campus—a place where people of different colors and cultures come together to worship God as one—then the world will know that Jesus is the Christ.”
MEET YOUR OCC FAMILY Matthew loves music— especially rap and hip hop. He also enjoys writing and presenting spoken-word poetry.
In 2016, Matthew married Allison Scott (OCC ’15). The McBirths have two children, Asa and Naomi.
“Ephesians 2 ranks up there as one of my favorite Scripture passages,” says Matthew, “because it explains God’s mission of reconciliation.”
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GIVIN’ AFTER YOU’RE LIVIN’ HOW ONE MAN’S LEGACY IS TRAINING KINGDOM LEADERS Matt Proctor
YOUR PARTNERSHIP “If you give an apple, you feed a man for a day,” wrote one sage. “If you plant an apple tree, you feed a family for generations.” Wise is the man whose gift keeps giving even after he is gone. Lloyd Austin was the kind who planted apple trees.
A Farm Boy in the Desert
He was, after all, a Kansas farm kid at heart.
passed away, and they are “walking in tall cotton” with the Lord. But their faithful estate planning blessed the college with over a million dollars. Though the Austins are with the Lord, their forethought continues to build his kingdom. The money from the Austins’ estate will help launch OCC’s new graduate program in Bible and Ministry (pending accreditation approval) in fall 2022. Wise is the man whose gift keeps giving even after he is gone.
Lloyd was a World War 2 veteran who earned his degree in petroleum engineering and became a successful oil executive. But Your Chance to Plant an Apple Tree he never lost his down-to-earth nature. Folks would laugh with surprise when they heard this CEO say, after a heavy rain, “That Ozark recently created the Ozark Legacy Society to was a gullywasher, a real toad strangler.” If something didn’t quite recognize friends who are leaving a Legacy Gift to OCC. match up, Lloyd said, “That fit like a saddle on a sow,” and if life What is a Legacy Gift? It’s an “apple tree”—a gift that was good, you were “walking in tall cotton.” endures beyond your lifetime to bear kingdom fruit. You are invited to join the Legacy Society by Lloyd’s list of accomplishments was long, including a gift of any size to OCC in your: overseeing Texaco operations in places like Though the Austins Trinidad and Indonesia and eventually • Will or Living Trust serving as president and CEO of operations • IRA, 401k, or Retirement Plan are with the Lord, their in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Of course, the • Life Insurance Policy forethought continues Kansas farm boy still loved to plant things. • “Transfer on Death” Titling In Kuwait, Lloyd somehow grew a beautiful to build his kingdom. • Charitable Gift Annuity garden in the middle of the desert. The money from the Why create an Ozark Legacy Society? He also planted a church. When Lloyd Two reasons. First, it helps us support you Austins’ estate will and his wife Joyce lived in Indonesia in better. Doug Miller in OCC’s Advancement the 70s, they discovered there was no place help launch OCC’s Department is a gifted attorney, and when for Christians to meet. Lloyd persuaded you notify us of a potential Legacy Gift, Doug new graduate program Texaco to build a church building for is happy to work with you and your advisers to the American oil employees, but he was in Bible and Ministry. design an estate plan to accomplish all of your thinking further ahead. They shared the intentions. building with an Indonesian church, and Second, it helps us thank you better. OCC Lloyd knew that—even if the oil company has sometimes received unexpected Legacy Gifts, and someday moved out—the Indonesian Christians would still have the college was not able to thank the donors personally. a place to gather. Indonesian believers worship there to this day. We want to “always give thanks for all things” (Ephesians Wise is the man whose gift keeps giving even after he is gone.
“Do Your Givin’ Even After You’re Livin’”
Lloyd knew the wisdom of “planting apple trees.” He and Joyce were generous kingdom givers, supporting several ministries, including Ozark Christian College. Lloyd and Joyce funded the launch of Ozark’s church planting program, purchased the chapel’s beautiful grand piano, and—to symbolize Ozark’s evangelistic mission—donated The Sower statue. (A fitting reminder from a Kansas farm kid.) My predecessor President Ken Idleman used to say, “Do your givin’ while you’re livin’, so you’re knowin’ where it’s goin’,” and though the Austins never sought recognition, Lloyd and Joyce stood in the background and took joy in seeing the chapel piano create beautiful worship and students graduating to go plant churches. But ever the planner, Lloyd wanted to do his “givin’” even after he was “livin’.” He bought life insurance and retirement accounts for Joyce and himself, naming Ozark the beneficiary—apple trees to provide even after their death. Lloyd and Joyce have now
5:20). The Ozark Legacy Society allows us to express our gratitude through invitations to special events, an OCC desk clock, and a discount at the OCC bookstore. Of course, the greatest benefit of a Legacy Gift is knowing that your generosity—like the Austins’—will train kingdom leaders for generations to come. Wise is the man whose gift keeps giving even after he is gone. For more information on leaving a lasting legacy: VISIT
occ.edu/legacy
CONTACT
Doug Miller, Gift Planner Ozark Christian College 1111 N. Main Street Joplin, MO 64801 miller.doug@occ.edu | (417) 626-1215
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YOUR PARTNERSHIP
2020 TRIBUTE GIFTS LEGACY GIFTS: Joyce Austin Estate Edmond, OK
Kelly and Genevieve Dye First Christian Church (Salem, IL) Max K. Dye and family
Robert McClung Lila McClung Bob Wetzel
BJ Vernon M/M Lance A. Tamerius M/M Steven Zaring
Cordelia Boersma Estate Whitestown, IN
Carlos and Jeanne Elmore M/M Richard Steckler
Mark Watkins M/M Ralph Watkins
Margaret Head Estate Knoxville, TN
Lucille Erwin M/M Randall L. Erwin
Carl McCulley M/M Larry Catron M/M Ron West
Mamie Holden Trust Joplin, MO
Barbara Ferguson M/M Al Riddle
James and Norma Lang Trust Grinnell, IA
June Ferguson Louis Ferguson
William LaPorte Trust Mapleton, KS
Wilbur Fields M/M Justin A. Coberley M/M Randall L. Erwin
Rhonda Long Trust Norman, OK Don and Carol Vernon Trust Ozark, MO Letha Weston Trust Joplin, MO Evelyn Yates Estate Elkville, IL MEMORIAL GIFTS: Tammy Aggus M/M John Bennett Lynn Crouch M/M Virgil Eubanks M/M James Hicklin Hoag’s Restaurant Equipment Inc. Mary Jones M/M Mark McDonald M/M Stephen Meyer M/M Randall Reed M/M Ronald West M/M Matthew Whitmore Wolfe Creek Antique Tractor Club Danny Baker M/M Ronald West Coralie Beard Fred Lewis Connie Ross Ron Briggs Lenora Briggs Amy Bringhurst M/M Steven Seehorn Don and Ruth Bunton Anonymous Dick Bycroft M/M Jim Mabie M/M Ron West Clarence and Etta Cain Allen E. Cain Lynn C. Cain Lucille Vest Jean Chase M/M Larry D. Roseen Max Copeland M/M Willard Walls
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Lester and Mary McIntosh M/M Richard Hargrave Lester, Mary, & Paul McIntosh Leah McIntosh Amy Mintz M/M Merle Mintz Margaret Moberly Mervyn Moberly
Don Freeland Judy Greer
Donald Moore M/M Randall Reed
Jack Gabbert M/M Eddy Gabbert
Bill Poling M/M Fred Wooldridge
Lynn Gardner M/M Steven Zaring
Tom Pullen M/M Ed Conner M/M Andrew Enos Sherry Gabb Debbie Hill Carol Kimbal M/M Bill Lunsford Dan Matson M/M Robert Moles Brenda Pullen Scott Pullen M/M Gary Smith M/M Robert D. Surber Jr.
Tom Garner M/M Brian Burk Ross Davis William Malotte Dennis Metzger M/M Kevin Western Terry Weldin Charles Gash Sandra Abernathy College Heights Christian Church (Joplin, MO) Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP Wayne Gillespie Joyce Gillespie Connie Graham M/M Lonnie Jansonius M/M Steve Smith Willis Harrison M/M Michael Lee Willis Hassman M/M Ronald R. West Shirley Humphreys Chuck Humphreys Michael Kahre Mary Kahre Sterling Lacy Jean Lacy Norma Lang Grinnell Christian Church (Grinnell, IA) Judy Lanham Mark Lanham Ray Lyne M/M David Duncan John Manning Bonnie Manning Jim Marcum Sonya Marcum
Lindell Reed Fairview Christian Church (Carthage, MO) Gloria Reyes M/M Randall L. Erwin Doris Roberts M/M Jerald Mathews Tom Ross Connie Ross Bryan and Amber Rowoth M/M Paul Rowoth David Ryun Fairview Christian Church (Carthage, MO) Darlene Sheridan Fairview Christian Church Homebuilders (Carthage, MO) Keith Sigler M/M Ronald West Don Sigler M/M Mike Nauman Barbara Stuckey Sims M/M Larry Stuckey Deborah Stock Joyce Stock Joyce Thomure M/M Delmar Henady Gladys Vardy M/M Jeff Enabnit
Shannon Webster M/M Steve Jennings Cynthia Weece Leon Weece Gene Weece Judy Greer George Weston Carl and Marie Butler family Dick Williams M/M Everett Benson M/M James Taylor M/M Lantz Terrill Charles and Dorothy Wittenborn M/M David Wittenborn Mildred Wood Edith Geurin Audrey Woodall-Buttram M/M Ronald West M/M Tim Woodall HONOR GIFTS: Robert Allen M/M Brian Faidley Ken Blackmore Phil Blackmore Gail Boatman Bob Allen Ken Idleman M/M Brad Neal Miriam Johnson Mervyn Moberly Tim and Jane Liston M/M Bill Edens Bob Lyttle M/M Cecil Todd Doug Miller Sandra Abernathy Malcam Moberly Mervyn Moberly Mark Moberly Mervyn Moberly Mary Morris Mervyn Moberly C. LaVern Newman M/M Harvey Newman Anonymous Staci Records M/M Randy Records Braxton and Simone Schulte Jim and Patsy Randall Woody and Rose Wilkinson M/M Mike Nauman
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MINISTRY
DEGREE ONLINE occ.edu/online TO CONNECT
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ALUMNI NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS Daniel (13) and Katie (Huey) Bayes (14) on the birth of James Alexander. Daniel teaches at Crowder College, and Katie is a nurse at Freeman Hospital in Joplin.
M. Cecil (09) and Christina Dietz on the birth of Isla Genesis and Avalon Tav. Cecil serves as the IT director at Pioneer Bible Translators in Duncanville, Texas. Ryan (10) and Megan (Gariss) Fletcher (09) on the birth of Burke Elliot. Ryan serves as associate pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona. Caleb and Maddie (Beasley) Hardwick (20) on the birth of Chandler Joyce. Caleb serves as an officer with the Van Buren Police Department, and Maddie is the community relations coordinator of Hope Campus in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Bryce (12) and Kelsey (Green) Hotchkiss (12) on the birth of Brannigan Steele in April 2019. Brannigan joins big brother Chandler. The Hotchkiss family lives in Groveland, Florida, where Bryce serves at the South Lake Christian Church.
Michael (15) and Marcy (Low) Judd (16) on the birth of their son, Theodore Orion. Michael is working to become a certified electrician, and Marcy teaches middle and high school Bible at North County Christian School in St. Louis, Missouri.
Kyle (16/current staff ) and Kelly Kleespies on the birth of their son, Cooper. Kyle serves on staff in the OCC Dining Hall.
Zach (13) and Rachel (Crockett) Pittman (15) on the birth of Riley Ann. Riley joins big brothers Abel and Lucas. Zach serves as the worship minister at Hillsboro Christian Church in Hillsboro, Missouri.
Jacob (19) and Addison (Wood) Rice (attended) on the birth of Jessie Lorraine. Jacob serves as the pastor of Central Christian Church in Belleville, Kansas. Adam (08) and Jessie (Bever) Schetzler (10) on the birth of Emery Louise. Adam serves as children’s minister with Crossroads Christian Church in Macon, Missouri, and Jessie serves as a stay-at-home mom with Emery and big brother Ezekiel. Nathan (19) and Annette (Todd) Sowers (19) on the birth of Avian Niccole. Nathan serves as student minister with Mount Pulaski Christian Church in Mount Pulaski, Illinois. Dalton (attended) and Michelle (Pride) Warden (17) welcomed Elijah Bo. Elijah joins big sister Evelyn. Michelle serves as children’s ministry director at Highland Park Christian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Zack and Brooke (Prahl) Zacharias (14) on the birth of their daughter Reileigh. Brooke serves as a behavioral therapist in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. Jake (08) and Laurie (Bates) Zauche (06) on the birth of Jocelyn Marie. Jake serves as the pastor of First Christian Church in Lewiston, Montana, and Laurie is the director of operations for America’s Kids Belong. Otniel and Rachel (Hahn) Zavala (07) on the birth of Lydia Isabella. Rachel serves as a missionary with World Gospel Outreach in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. TO CONNECT
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ALUMNI NEWS
OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY Please lift up in prayer the families of the following alumni who have passed away in recent weeks. Britiney Marie (Alt) Johanson, daughter of Greg (78/former staff ) and Sherry (Myers) Alt (78), passed away in May 2020. The Alts live in Hoschton, Georgia. David Bayless (59) passed away in Brazil, where he had served as a missionary since 1959. Robert “Bob” Brockus (64) passed away in Carrollton, Texas. Bob was a longtime professor at Dallas Christian College and the founding minister of Crossroads Christian Church in Arlington, Texas. John Butterman (78) passed away in Terre Haute, Indiana, in October 2019. John preached at several churches in Oklahoma and worked as a teacher and computer analyst. Dick Bycroft (attended/former staff ) passed away in April of 2020 after several health struggles. In the 1980s, Dick served in OCC’s Maintenance Department. He and his wife, Flora, also served as residence directors in OCC’s Goodman Hall.
Thomas P. “Pete” Jones (57) passed away in November. Pete served on the mission field in South Africa and Malawi. He also pastored churches in Elbert, Colorado; Amarillo, Texas; Wichita Falls, Texas; and Gering, Nebraska, before retiring from located ministry at Central Christian Church, Clovis, New Mexico, to serve as chaplain for the Clovis Police Department. Ben Killion (55/former trustee) passed away in April. Ben served in long ministries in Nowata and Owasso, Oklahoma. He was also a member of the OCC trustee board for 36 years. Diane Ohmart (attended) passed away in September after a long battle with cancer. She worked as a licensed professional counselor, a Christian counselor, and a chaplain at Freeman Hospital. Brett Stephan Sites (attended) passed away unexpectedly in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Brett was a talented musician. Sam Stone (58) passed away in January after serving in ministry his entire life. He was a preacher, author, academic dean of Cincinnati Christian Seminary, and editor of Christian Standard magazine for 25 years.
Deloris (Dawes) Filbeck (attended) passed away in April 2020. She and her husband David (59) ministered in Thailand for 58 years. Tom Garner (OCC staff ) passed away in August after many years of health challenges. Charles Gash (MCC/54) passed away in November at 100 years of age. Married to Maxine (Fream) Gash, Charles preached for 50 years in the Four State Area.
Joe Wilson (MCC/66) passed away in October, after many years of kingdom service in churches in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma and with World Mission Builders.
Michael Haggard (attended MCC) passed away due to glioblastoma at his home in Erie, Kansas.
Don Vernon (57) passed away in December after a brief battle with cancer. Don served faithfully for many years as a minister and as a member of the Vernon Brothers Quartet.
Jack Jessup (71) passed away in April after years of ministry in Oklahoma, Indiana, and Missouri.
CLASS NOTES:
1980s
1970s
Doug McAllister (81) serves as president of Paradyme Funding, Inc., in Temecula, California.
In October, Monte Shepherd (70) began serving as associate minister with Agape Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas. Miguel and Deborah (Silverberg) Amigo (77) have retired in Terre Haute, Indiana. Miguel served 30 years with Taghleef Industries, and Deborah taught high school Spanish and Algebra for 25 years.
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Kip (87) and his wife Catherine (Peters) Nelson (93) continue to serve with Legacy Christian Church. Kip now serves as the campus pastor for Legacy’s Lee’s Summit, Missouri, campus. Since 2016, Kip has also served as the lead chaplain for the Lee’s Summit Police Department. Kip was chosen for the Missouri Peace Officer Association’s Non-Sworn Civilian of the Year.
ALUMNI NEWS
1990s
2010s
John Nappo (92) is serving as pastor of Burlington Christian Church in Burlington, North Carolina.
Timothy Little (10) and Deidre Haun were married in Austin, Texas. They are making their home in Chicago, where Timothy serves as a FEMA emergency management specialist.
Chris (attended) and Teresa (Welch) Roberts (94/current faculty) were married in January 2020. Angela Logan (99) is serving as the minister of worship and media communications at Crossroads Christian Church in Hutchinson, Kansas. Angela also recently completed a Master of Divinity from Abilene Christian University.
2000s Phillippa (Robson) Arnold (02) graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Science with a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Family Nurse Practitioner. Phillippa is practicing as an APRN in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Anya (Goodman) Ansley (03/former staff ) serves full time on the pastoral team at Grace Point Church in Bentonville, Arkansas, as the director of Grace Point Kids Mobilization. Previously, Anya served as administrative assistant to the lead pastor at Grace Point. Bryan Champ (03) now serves as the groups minister at First Church in Owasso, Oklahoma, after serving eight-and-a-half years at Cedar Ridge Christian Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. David Martinez (06) is now serving as a youth minister with Draper Park Christian Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, having closed a senior ministry with the First Christian Church in O’Neil, Nebraska.
Daniel Baker (13) is serving as worship leader with Maryland Community Church in Terre Haute, Indiana, having closed a ministry with The Refinery Christian Church in Goodyear, Arizona.
Matt Eden (17) completed a Master of Divinity with an emphasis in Christian Ministry from Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan University. Matt serves as family ministry administrative assistant at First Christian Church of Johnson City in Johnson City, Tennessee. Monte French (17) serves as senior minister at Marion Road Christian Church in Rochester, Minnesota, after graduating from Denver Seminary with a Master of Arts in New Testament.
Matt Judah (07) began a tenure-track professorship at the University of Arkansas Department of Psychological Sciences in August. Matt lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Alex (17) and Olivia ( Johnson) Goff (17) relocated to Bartlett, Illinois, where Alex serves as the lead pastor at Poplar Creek Church.
Justin Hartpence (08) is serving as senior minister with Northwest Hills Christian Church in San Antonio, Texas, having closed a seven-year ministry in Dayton, Oregon.
Brooke Hill (17) now serves as executive director of the 25 Group, a nonprofit organization that equips Christ-centered organizations that serve “the least of these.”
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.
Caleb House (17) is serving as a manufacturing engineer with Reyco Granning Suspensions in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. Tyler (18) and Sarah (Gillispie) Coffey (19) both serve on staff at Grace Point Church in Bentonville, Arkansas. Tyler works as the preteen and young adult minister, and Sarah is the special needs minister. The Coffeys live in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Samantha MacIntyre (18) serves as the student minister of Crossroads Christian Church in Joliet, Illinois. TO CONNECT
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ALUMNI NEWS
Attended Mikayla Demaree (19) graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in social work. Mikayla serves as agency services and capacity coordinator at Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.
Keith Benjamin (attended) serves as an engineer with Micron Technology, Inc. After attending OCC, Keith spent eight years in the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of Petty Officer First Class before leaving to pursue engineering. He graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2016, followed by a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2018. Keith lives in Blaine, Minnesota, with his wife and two daughters.
PUBLICATIONS Beyond Your Wardrobe: Finding Freedom in Embracing God’s Call to Modesty and Unfading Beauty by Bethel Grove (14). A six-week study guide and DVD curriculum are also available.
Bell Hammers: The True Folk Tale of Little Egypt, Illinois by Lancelot Schaubert (11).
Brother Gardner: A Tribute to the Life and Work of H. Lynn Gardner by Dr. Brian Brubaker and Dr. Terry Chaney and edited by Dru Ashwell. Available at the OCC bookstore.
Letting the Cat Out of the Bag: Learning ABC Idioms with ASL by Vonda (Bland) Hamilton (1988, OCC deaf ministry instructor 1991-97). Available at the OCC bookstore and expressionsofemmanuel.com/store.
Looking for some new Ozark gear? Shop online at occ.edu/store.
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Invest in what matters. At Ozark Christian College, we’ve had one mission for 79 years: we train men and women for Christian service. Multiply your kingdom impact by investing in the hundreds of kingdom workers we train each year.
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ONE MORE THING
A final thought from our editor
HEARING THINGS Amy Storms Last Christmas, my family enjoyed the new-to-us board game, Hearing Things. To play, someone reads a sentence aloud, and their teammate repeats back what they heard. The catch is, the listener must wear noisy, “chattering” headphones that mask the message. It’s nearly impossible to make out what’s being said above the shouting voices. Hearing Things takes a little lip-reading, a lot of concentration, and—as I soon discovered— better communication skills than my marriage has. “The compost pile...” my husband began. “THE LEOPARD’S SPOTS?” I shouted back. Not even close! We laughed till we cried. But noise isn’t always fun and games. Noisy chatter—the non-stop, conflicting messages we hear around us—can have harmful consequences on our communities, our families, our relationships, and our souls. Lately, it seems the entire world is in a collective game of Hearing Things—so many voices shouting such mixed messages. It’s difficult to distinguish what’s really being said, and all the noise makes us shout all the more. It’s hard to hear the truth. But into the noise speaks a still, small voice—a gentle whisper1 from God himself—heard only when we silence the noise and listen. 1
1 Kings 19:11-12
2
James 1:25
3
Psalm 86:11 (ESV)
In Hearing Things, the listener must stare intently at the speaker, blocking out all the distractions, to focus on what’s being said. What better way to hear God’s voice than to look intently at the perfect law2—to hear him in the pages of his Word? What if, in this season of societal noise, we determine to stop hearing things that aren’t from God? What if we quiet the clamor in our hearts and minds? What if we study Scripture instead of social media? What if we turn off our TVs and phones to focus—to concentrate on and communicate—God’s truth? “Teach me your way, O Lord,” said the psalmist, “that I may walk in your truth.” 3 Lord, I want to know you—your manner, what you’re like—so I can obey your instruction. Let me focus on you alone. Open my mind and heart to know and believe your Word. Silence the shouting in my soul so that my ears will always be hearing things—the still true things from you—for your glory and the world’s good.
Amy Storms is a wife, mother, Strong Hall dorm mom, English professor, and director of marketing and communications at OCC.