Jeremy Stanley
May 26, 2026 Leave a Comment

SCO District – Following Jesus – Reaching the Nations Around Us. 5.27.2026

Following Jesus – Reaching the Nations Around Us

As Matthew’s rendition of the gospel story was coming to an end, the disciples found themselves receiving some very specific instructions from our Lord. Jesus said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:18b-20). After these instructions, and after they received the Holy Spirit, the disciples followed what Jesus said, and they went to all nations to share the good news of God. Good news came to the Hebrews, Romans, and Egyptians. Through the years, the gospel reached the Latins and the Greeks. As time passed, the love of God even went to the Saxons, the Iberic, the English, the Spanish, the Africans, the East Asians, and even to the people in remote islands. The instructions of Jesus, the Spirit-filled obedience of the disciples, and the blessed faithfulness of Christ followers through the years, made God’s desire of reaching all nations a possibility! Isn’t that incredible!? Even you and I have come to know Jesus! However, the question is: have we continued to follow Christ’s instructions, the example of the 12 disciples, and the example of so many Christ followers before us? Are we still trying to reach the nations represented in the communities around us? Are our churches still trying to reach the nations?

In the past, our churches travelled through ground, naval, and air transport to reach those who spoke a different language, looked different from us, or were from a different country. Nevertheless, nowadays those people are our neighbors, our classmates, our teachers, our waiters, our care professionals, our employees, our customers, our peers, etc. They are right there… sometimes simply inches away from us… but… are we trying to reach them for Jesus? Or are we too shy to try? Could we do as our Lord asked of us? Or will we ignore His instructions? Could we reach the diverse communities around us? Or will we decide to not even try?

Pastors Mark Ledford, Jeremy Stanley, and Edward Solano are the Multi-Cultural District Team for South Central Ohio. Following God’s call to reach the nations, and Dr. Eddie Estep’s vision, our goal is to support the pastors and leaders of our district so that we can reach the diverse populations around us. If you or someone in your church feels God’s call to reach those in your community who speak a different language, look different from you, or are from a different country, please contact us. We are here to support you.

May God’s mission be accomplished in this world and in our district. Amen.

Sincerely,

The Multicultural District Team

Pastors Mark Ledford, Jeremy Stanley, and Edward Solano

New Event for Ministry Spouses!

We are excited to announce a one-day event exclusively for spouses of those in ministry on the SCO district! This gathering will take place on Saturday, January 16, 2027, at the home of Diane Estep (in Byesville, OH).

We are creating a time and space for spouses of pastors to push pause and Reset and do it with other people who understand the role of a pastor’s spouse. This district event will be from 9:30am to 3:30pm and will include snacks, lunch, and coffee (or tea!) The cost is only $10 to reserve your spot!

If interested, please email resetminiretreat@gmail.com and let Diane Estep or Darla Batson know you are interested in attending. This would be the perfect time to contact your ministry spouse friend on the district and bring them with you, or an excellent time to get to know the spouses on the district better! This event is limited to the first 40 who sign up. If needed, an additional date will be added.

We are so excited to host our jr. high and sr. high camps this year. It’s only three weeks away! We’re close to being ready but have lots of things on our punch list that we could use your help with! So . . . . we’re asking for your help!

Saturday May 30
Saturday June 6
Saturday June 13

We’ll start around 8:30, or whenever you can get here and usually work till about 3 or 4 or whenever you have to leave. We have lots of random jobs from cleaning, painting, adding finishing touches, landscaping, building, and lots of other things! Let us know if you plan to come so we can be prepared to maximize your time! You can let us know by c licking here and let us know you’re coming!

Camp Meeting Speakers and Worship Leader

Worship Leader – Rev. Dan Anderson

Rev. Dan Anderson serves as a worship leader at Heritage Church of the Nazarene with a passion for creating Christ-centered worship experiences that draw people closer to God. With a heart for the local church, he has led worship in various churches, revivals, and camp meetings in Iowa, West Virginia, and Ohio. Dan is honored to be part of this year’s SCO Nazarene Camp meeting and looks forward to worshipping together as a community of faith.

Speaker – Rev. Wendell Brown

Rev. Wendell Brown served as a lead pastor in three growing churches varying in size from 20 to 1,200 before being appointed District Superintendent of the North Central Ohio District of the Church of the Nazarene in 2017. Every church he pastored doubled in size under his leadership and 1,928 people gave their hearts to Jesus Christ for the first time in their lives. In addition to pastoring he founded Tragedy Into Triumph a ministry that uses the power of testimony to share God’s love, reaching over a million people in the last year. He has a tremendous heart for leadership development and believes passionately that every Christian leader must take their place in the Great Commission. Wendell has authored the book LIVING IN TRIUMPH which is available at major book retailers.

He was a combat medic in the 82nd Airborne Division. He also coached a high school basketball team to three Final Four appearances and back-to-back state titles. He is married to Tammi and they reside in Howard, OH. Together they have 4 adult children: Emma (married to Wyatt), Abigail (married to Joseph), Grace and Christian.

Speaker – Rev. Wendell Brown

Geoff pastored Nazarene churches in Maysville, Kentucky; Columbus, Ohio; and Columbia, South Carolina, over a twenty-five-year period. In 2008, he was appointed as Superintendent of the Northwestern Ohio District. He served in that capacity until his 2023 assignment as Stewardship Development Director for the Church of the Nazarene.

It has been his privilege to serve the broader interests of the Church of the Nazarene, including serving as chair of the MVNU Board of Trustees, the Global Missions Committee of the General Board, and Nazarene Benefits USA.

Geoff is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Eastern Nazarene College. He enjoys the outdoors, National Parks, growing flowers, and about anything with a ball. Geoff and Mona Kunselman have been married for forty-three years. They are the parents of two daughters and four grandchildren.

Prize Donations Needed for Family Fun Day Camp and Cruise-In

We are excited to make this year’s Camp Meeting Family Fun Day and Cruise-In a joyful, welcoming, and memorable experience for families across our district! To help make these events successful, we are asking each church to consider donating prizes valued between $5 and $50 to be used for prizes during Family Fun Day and the Cruise-In. Great donation ideas include toys, games, gift cards, car wash items, BBQ supplies, family fun items, small themed baskets, or other creative gifts. Prizes will be sorted for children, teens, and adults so that everyone has an opportunity to participate and enjoy the fun. These small gifts go a long way in helping us create an atmosphere of generosity, celebration, and connection during Camp Meeting.

Donations may be sent or dropped off to Pastor Brittany at Whitehall Naz, or they may be brought on opening night of Camp Meeting. Also, if you are interested in volunteering during Family Fun Day, or at the Cruise-In, please contact Pastor Brittany. Thank you for helping us bless our district families and guests as we gather together at Hocking Hills Retreat Center for a week of worship, fellowship, and fun!

May 11, we began a 40 Days of Vision Campaign to help raise awareness and $500,000 for the next phase of development for HHRC. We are currently in the construction document phase and will be ready to break ground as soon as we have the money. Learn more about this at our website at www.hockinghillsretreatcenter.org.

Ministry Team Retreat

October 2-4, 2026

We’re thrilled to share that our next Ministry Team Retreat is set for October 2–4 in the peaceful beauty of Amish Country. We are honored to welcome Rev. Dale Schaeffer (Steph), District Superintendent of the Florida District, as our guest speaker for the weekend.

Prepare for a meaningful time of rest, fellowship, and spiritual renewal. It’s the perfect opportunity to step away from the busyness of ministry. Watch for additional information and registration coming soon.

June 14 – 17: Middle School Camp – HHRC (completed 6th grade through completed 8th)

June 17 – 20: High School Camp – HHRC (completed 9th grade through completed 12th)

July 1 – 7: Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC)

July 12 – 19: District Camp Meeting

July 19 – 22: Children’s Camp (4th through 6th grade)

July 23 – 25: Children’s Camp (1st through 3rd grade)

August 11: Crucial Conversations – HHRC Register here:

Crucial Conversations with Dr. Stan Reeder – South Central Ohio District

October 2 – 4: Ministry Team Retreat (MTR) Amish Country

Pray for our District Superintendent, Dr. Eddie, and his wife, Diane, as they begin their sabbatical May 3 to June 14. Ask God to bless them with deep rest and a refreshed spirit.

Pray with us that God will help us plant many new congregations in the next 5 years, both within the I-270 outer belt and across the district. Who might God be calling? Where might God be calling?