Rev. Charles Tillman, National Recruiter for Black Nazarene Ministries, attended two PALCON Conferences and hosted luncheons with some district superintendents. Following are notes and observations from those meetings.

Feel free to add your comments.

TNU participants: Mark Berry, J. Mark Barnes, Ronald McCormack, and Edward Estep.

ONU Participants: Steve Anthony, Wayne Brown, Crawford Howe, Derl Keefer, David Roland, John Seaman, and *Jim Spruce.

Rev. Tillman led a discussion with District Leaders explaining his role as Black Ministries Recruiter and his availability to work with them in securing individuals to lead a NewStart ministry. He also cited the potential of identifying existing independent works that may be open to joining the COTN. (This happened in Alabama with pastors referred through Brenda Tyus of Selma West Village COTN.) Rev. Tillman cited statistics of the overall black population and the lack of NewStarts geared to win the black community. Tillman asked for input from DS’s on how he/Mission Support could help.

Comments

• Could we develop a brochure named, “So you’re interested in being a part of the COTN,” which details how an independent church can join the denomination. How to transfer credentials; other helpful websites that give more detail about our structure. This can be put in PDF file and placed on website.

• Berry asked that Tillman follow up with new Black pastors in Alabama periodically and keep them encouraged

• Invite DS’s in for conversation/forum on expanding Black leadership. There is a critical shortage of Black leaders. We need to grow our own leaders and not bring in leaders from other groups and “hope” they adopt our love for Armenian/Wesleyan holiness.

• In hindsight, the church should never have closed Nazarene Training Center in Institute, WV. It was not realistic to think that Black leaders would travel to Colorado Springs. The environment in NBC is not conducive to nurturing strong Black leaders.

• We need to develop a viable plan to bring in and train Black leaders. Revisit idea of a Training Center where Blacks can be nurtured and taught by top Black Professors. This could be a small autonomous facility.

• Many District Superintendents cannot attend NBNC because of schedule. Implement a rotating schedule where NBNC is alternatively held from early June to mid August. This way conference would not always conflict with same district assemblies and thus, would allow DS’s from conflicting areas to attend every other conference.