MORE THAN A WARM WELCOME
Today marks the end of the third week of this new assignment. To say I am drinking from a fire hydrant is an understatement. From June 1st until June 30th, I'm serving as both Superintendent and Lead Pastor of First Assembly Garden City. While not recommending it to anyone, I know this was the right decision for me, my family, and our church. I have found myself saying, 'I am responsible for this assignment; I am called to do what is best for the local church,' as I work to complete this task and embrace my new role with purpose and His anointing."
Here are some reflections on the last few days and time spent at Wheat State Retreat Center:
· Onboarding from the former Superintendent Yancey and his wife, Karen, revealed their passion for excellence and prepared us for a tremendous launch. What a great handoff!
· The AGK office team is incredible.
· Wheat State Retreat Center is doing a great job preparing our students for transformation. Pray for them daily.
· Kansas Youth Ministries is creating spaces for students to hear, listen, respond, and launch into a calling for ministry. I've witnessed this each week of camp: God speaks, and students are responding.
· It warms the heart to see credential holders, pastors, and presbyters serving as drivers, coaches, the worship team, office staff, camp security, camp pastors, kitchen help - you name it, YOU WERE THERE, reflecting Christ and leading the next generation. Thank you from my heart.
Youth camp greatly impacted my life. Eighteen years old and having just graduated from high school, I was attending Forts Lake Assembly of God Youth Camp in Pascagoula, Mississippi. His plan for my life became apparent when I responded to the altar call, sensing the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit asking me to surrender. This pivotal moment redirected my career path from attending law school to answering His call to preach the Word and attend Bible college.
I'm an advocate for surrendered moments; they have changed my life, giving me opportunities and dreams I would've never imagined because of a simple YES.
Summer camps lift the trajectory and shift the eternal outcomes of all who participate. I pray each of you can make it onto the hallowed grounds of Wheat State SOON!
In conclusion, let Amber and I say thank you for your prayers. Our family has felt their strength. We are walking with supernatural peace while . . .
• Waiting for our house to sell and looking for a new home,
• Walking through a season of change with people we have loved and poured our lives into for these last fourteen years,
• Discovering a beautiful, new, thriving city,
• Learning new rhythms
• And setting pace and directionality for the Network Office and WSRC teams.
We have received more than a warm welcome in this new assignment. Amber, Nathaniel, Jonathan, Natalie, and I are embracing the calling of AGK Superintendent.
Leaning in,
Nathan
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Reminder: The 2025 calendar is available
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We are excited to announce another “Healthy Marriage Weekend” August 23-25 to minister to families in our AGK Network.
The Healthy Marriage Weekend is actually two ministry weekends in one. These two weekends run simultaneously so that we can minister more effectively to the needs of couples. The Marriage Encounter weekend focuses on enrichment and communication and renewed vision in marriage. The Marriage Restored weekend focuses on bringing healing and hope to couples in crisis.
Here is a testimony from Gaylen and Corrie Lawrence. They attended the Marriage Encounter weekend last August:
After we walked through the terrifying time of Gaylen’s spinal cord injury and emergency spinal surgery, it felt like everything in our lives had been shaken. We still felt God’s presence shepherding us and we drew together to cope with the circumstances, but when we went to Marriage Encounter, we felt even more strengthened by the communication tools presented. We experienced a beautiful weekend of listening to presenters speak with courageous vulnerability and that gave us the inspiration and model to share with each other with vulnerability. Since Marriage Encounter, we have felt a deeper closeness with each other, and a renewed closeness with God, even as we continue to navigate difficult circumstances. The Marriage Encounter weekend provided an atmosphere that we could continue to cultivate in our everyday lives. We communicate more clearly with each other, sharing thoughts and feelings in ways we had not before. We would challenge any married couple to attend a Marriage Encounter weekend. This is a needed, intentional investment into your relationship. We have been married for 26 amazing years and both walked away from the weekend wishing it was something we had done sooner. Don’t wait, you won’t regret it.
Pastors, this is a great opportunity for you to encourage couples to enrich their marriages and provide one of these valuable tools to help bring them to a greater place in their relationship. This is also a great opportunity for you and your spouse to get away and focus on your relationship. The greatest example we can give to those in our church about the value of the marriage covenant is to nurture our own.
Please consider coming. Please consider sending couples. You and your church will be blessed!
The easiest way to register for Marriage Encounter is online. Couples can go to www.agme.org click on “Register” in the upper right-hand corner, and select “Wichita, KS” to register.
The easiest way to register for Marriage Restored is online as well. Couples can go to www.marriagerestored.com, click on “Register” in the upper right-hand corner, and select “Wichita, KS” to register.
The registration fee for either weekend is $125.00 per couple.
God bless you! We look forward to a tremendous “Healthy Marriage Weekend”.
Yours in Christ,
Bobby and Beth Massey
KS Coordinating Couple: Assemblies of God Marriage Encounter
Contact: 316-755-2146
centralkansas@agme.org
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The 2024 Junior Bible Quiz (JBQ) National Finals held in Griffin, Georgia! Two teams from the state of Kansas won the privilege of going to Nationals. Bethel Life Center, from Wichita, Kansas, finished in first place at District Finals this year and earned the right to go directly to Nationals. Evangel Assembly of God, also from Wichita, went to JBQ Regionals and earned their way to Nationals. Bethel Life did an awesome job and were placed in the 4th Level of competition. Ethan Parker came in 5th place for individual high scorer in the national tournament— Great job Ethan! Ethan is a 6th grader and will be joining Teen Bible Quiz and studying the Book of Acts! Evangel Assembly quizzers were assigned to the 5th Level of competition and had a wonderful time. Both teams jumped in levels compared to last year. Kansas was well represented and competitive. JBQ is the best ministry discipleship for children 1st-6th grade! If you have a child in this age range, please get them involved in the best spiritual investment you can give them Junior Bible Quiz!!
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Who has opposable thumbs, stands formed in God’s image, and has exclusive invitation to an incredible event on September 13th and 14th
YOU DO! (If you’re a guy)
Mark your calendars! Our annual AG Kansas Men’s Conference, led by Pastor Stephen Luna and hosted by ZAIK Church, is set to take place in Wichita, KS on Friday and Saturday, September 13th and 14th.
You and the dudes (16+) of your church are being called to join us for 2 days of meaningful worship, impactful preaching, hilarious antics, and life-transforming interactions. Friday AM kicks off our Man Activities (Golf tournament, Skeet Shooting, Bowling tournament, & more), and then, Friday evening, we will have our Friday Warm-Up, which includes some awesome pre-dinner activities. Then we will once again feast on our Kansas-famous LFTL Steak Dinner; this will lead to our prolific Keynote Speaker, Philipp Deas (coach, pastor, author), who is guaranteed to bring an equally encouraging and challenging word! After dismissal, we will have some fun at our Friday Night Lights event outside. On Saturday Morning, we will serve a Bacon & Donuts Breakfast, celebrate our competition champions, and then head into our Round 2 Sermon with Pastor Philipp. We will have you on the road before lunch!
This year's theme: Revival 2.0.
What you, your family/friends, your church, and our country all need is a fresh outpouring of God's Holy Spirit.
As grateful as we are for our rich history, we're not looking for the yesteryear revivals or nostalgic and emotionally charged moments; instead, we're aiming for what God has for his men (young and old) HERE and NOW.
"2.0 doesn't mean better; it just means updated."
It's time for the men of your Church and all throughout Kansas to receive a fresh encounter with God.
Let's Go!
- Pastor Stephen Luna
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Ordination applications for 2025 candidates are due August 26, 2024. Interviews will be conducted on September 30, 2024. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Melanie Robison at melanie@agkansas.com.
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We are so excited to be co-hosting the KidMin Creative Conference August 23-24, 2024, with the AG National KidMin office and the Northern Missouri District Council.
You will not want to miss this amazing conference! Bring your leaders, volunteers, teenagers- bring everyone! Let's learn together more ways to creatively communicate the gospel to the Next Generation!
Early registration is $79 through July 26th, so get registered now!
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GIRLS CAMP
Girls Camp kicked off the AGK Wheat State camping season May 29-June 1. Elementary girls enjoyed the magnetic ministry of Kyndall Jeffress, children’s pastor at River Church in Haysville. Teen Girls were privileged to experience the dynamic ministry of Amanda Perry of Carthage, Missouri, and enjoyed incredible worship led by Emily Oakley. The camp was a spiritually enriching experience, offering a blend of games, crafts, workshops, worship, and altar times. These experiences impacted the lives of the girls as they grew deeper in their relationship with Jesus and developed new friendships. What an awesome week at Wheat State!
YOUTH CAMPS
The 2024 season of youth camp has been nothing short of incredible! This year students were challenged to allow God to turn the embers of their hearts into flames as they studied Acts 2 each morning. Our camp speakers, Lee Rogers and Steve Svoboda, brought challenging ministry each night and SAGU Worship and The Collective led us deeper into the presence of Jesus. Through the three weeks of youth camp, we saw 41 students make a first-time decision to follow Jesus, 375 rededications, 339 healings, 188 Holy Spirit baptisms, 171 students called to ministry, and $11,236.93 given to Speed the Light! Thank you to everyone who made camp possible. We know that what happens at camp changes the world and we can't wait to see how the world will change as students are sent home empowered, equipped, and encouraged to reach their communities!
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Creative Conference is a weekend for you to be inspired and developed by professionals in various creative fields. Whether you are a student artist, musician, kidmin volunteer, preacher, photographer, or theater enthusiast, you will benefit from attending Creative Conference! The first night you will be able to experience the work of artists. The second day, those same artists will be teaching workshops on various topics in their discipline to help you refine your craft. God is going to use these two days to inspire and develop the students and leaders across Kansas!
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Welcome Crystal Cauthon
Crystal and her husband Marc lead Evangel Assembly of God in Wichita. Crystal will assume the role of AGK Chi Alpha Coordinator formerly held by Hannah Bowling.
Chi Alpha was the deciding factor for Crystal's own college choice in the 90s. Actively involved as a student all four years in Missouri State's Chi Alpha, Crystal led worship, prayer meetings, and small groups. She met her husband Marc through Chi Alpha and decided to give a year by joining the staff as a missionary associate after graduation. Crystal looks forward to supporting our amazing Kansas Chi Alpha campus leaders and increasing awareness of this important ministry in the AGK network.
Fun Fact: Crystal was born in Wisconsin and appreciates eating a good squeaky cheese curd.
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The ReStoried24 Conference happens at Grace Assembly of God in Indianapolis, IN, October 4-5!
ReStory Ministries is an equipping ministry providing hope and transformation surrounding LGBTQ. Those involved have either been personally touched by this issue, have loved ones struggling, or have just been called to minister in this arena. The Assemblies of God fully endorses the ministry effectiveness of this wonderful organization.
Dr. Linda Seiler and her team have worked tirelessly to put together a wonderful, impactful conference. At the ReStoried24 conference, you will hear cutting-edge teaching and multiple testimonies of transformation, select from a variety of breakout options, enjoy creative discussion groups, and on Friday night, have the opportunity to receive personalize prayer ministry. One of Kansas' own, Reverend Emily Oakley, has been given the amazing opportunity to be one of the individuals sharing her own personal testimony of transformation.
This weekend will be well worth your time. The early bird rate of $139 ends July 15, so don't delay in signing up today!
Click here to register and find out more information!
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WOVEN Women's Ministries is excited and expectant for the opportunity to be together again with the women of Kansas for our annual Women's Conference. We invite you to attend CAPTIVATED this fall! Join women from all across the state on October 4-5 at Evangel Assembly of God in Wichita as we focus on 1 John 4:16a: "We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love."
Reverend Elly Marroquin will be our guest speaker for this WOVEN event. As the National Director of the Assemblies of God Christian Education and Discipleship Department, Elly desires to see an intergenerational, Spirit-empowered church demonstrate a growing knowledge of God's word. We are thrilled to have her with us for the weekend and hear what God will reveal to each of us through her messages.
Once again, Bonnie Smith will lead worship with a team of incredible women from various AG Kansas churches. We look forward to experiencing God's personal presence as we lift our voices together in praise to Him all weekend long.
Additionally, we anticipate women connecting with one another through shared stories and honest prayers, which often bring about authentic laughter and sincere tears.
WOVEN Women's Ministries hopes to see YOU this fall at CAPTIVATED!
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September 4-6, 2025
Hilton Hotel Conference Center, Branson, MO
This SAM Conference will bring together senior adults from across our nation for a time of spiritual renewal, fellowship, and worship.
Our theme in 2024 is “Fresh and Flourishing,” taken from Psalm 92:14 (KJV):
“They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.
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KYM Classroom is a new initiative from Kansas Youth Ministries (KYM) designed to help students grow closer to God and to start pursuing the call of God. Each class will be broken into three sessions with course work designed to enhance the learning experience.
KYM is encouraging any and all students who want to grow closer to God to take the time and work through our first class, Worship. We believe this course could serve as a discipleship tool for both groups and individuals to walk through.
Students, young adults, and youth pastors who complete the coursework during summer 2024 will receive a promo code to get a free AGK School of Ministry (AGKSOM) course during the fall of 2024. AGKSOM is one of the avenues available to fulfill the educational requirements for becoming a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God.
Start the class: https://www.agkansas.com/kym-classroom
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