Kansas City, Missouri

Day Two of the Mission 2015 Conference included plenary sessions with General Superintendent David A. Busic and Cheryl Sanders.

The Tuesday morning plenary continued to highlight the USA/Canada Region Church of the Nazarene's five strategic priorities, focusing on passionate missional outreach by highlighting multicultural and compassionate ministries. 

Following praise and worship, Multicultural Ministries Director Roberto Hodgson and USA/Canada Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Coordinator Jay Height recognized attendees for their involvement with these ministries. A prayer was offered in six different languages, highlighting the region's diversity.

Speaker Cheryl Sanders of Third Street Church of God (Anderson) in Washington, D.C., centered her message on "holiness at the margin."

"God's purpose always includes the marginalized, the people who are somehow outside the boundaries and outside the walls," Sanders said.

She encouraged attendees to expand their ministries to new areas and people.

"There are places where we have not gone before, but places where people need to hear and see the authentic faith," Sanders said. "We need to reach new audiences who have no acquaintance with our traditions, no reverence for our artifacts."

She ended the message with encouragement about the future.

"I believe God has a promised place prepared in this culture for this Church."

Lunchtime mega seminars explored Family and Intergenerational Ministry with Diana Garland and New Church Development with General Superintendent Jerry D. Porter, USA/Canada Regional Director Bob Broadbooks, Nazarene Theological Seminary President Carla Sunberg, and more. Additional workshops and gatherings included Multicultural Ministries' strategic readiness teams lunch; a panel discussion on Presenting the Case for the Nazarene Stance on Alcohol to Today's Culture; Incarnational Leadership with General Superintendent Emeritus Jesse C. Middendorf; and Holiness, the Missional Church, and Immigration with Sunberg and Lynne Bollinger, recipient of the Tom Nees Social Justice Award.

The evening plenary centered around vibrant church renewal. The theme was emphasized through songs such as "Let it Rain" and "Blessed Be Your Name." Nazarene Youth International USA/Canada Director Justin Pickard encouraged attendees to pray for this summer's Nazarene Youth Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

Busic began his message by highlighting the need for renewal.

"If we do not tend our spiritual fires, we will eventually cool off and we will eventually grow cold," he said.

Busic explained renewal begins with the glory of God.

"There is no renewal—there is no personal renewal, no corporate renewal—without the glory of God," he said.

The message's two main points centered around the story of the Israelites and the golden calf in Exodus 33. In order to consecrate themselves and receive the glory of God, the Israelites had to first destroy the idols in their lives.

"An idol is anything you require in addition to God to be happy," Busic said. "If we do not destroy idols, they will destroy us."

The second act of consecration is to build a tabernacle or space to encounter the presence of God.

"Glory will not come if we do not take off our ornaments and go to the tabernacle," Busic said.

In his closing prayer, Busic asked God to continue renewing His people.

"We are asking for the hunger and the passion to do what You are calling us to do," he prayed.

More from M15: 

For conference photos, see the M15 Conference and NCN News Facebook pages. 

Day 2: "M15 Day Two emphasizes missional outreach, church renewal"

Day 3: "Final day at M15 includes sessions on missional strategy, leadership development" (plus highlight video)