// Meet Sebastian

by Jay Sherrer on January 10, 2012

by Joanna Bartlow, Novo Ministries’ Resources Coordinator

Meet Sebastian.

Sebastian is a 7 year-old boy who has an incredible imagination, a deep love for books, and boundless amounts of energy.

One week Sebastian’s Small Group Leader was teaching the group about promises. He used the example that when people get married they make a promise to each other and that it’s very important to keep that promise. “People don’t have to keep that promise,” Sebastian replied. “My parents didn’t keep that promise.” Sebastian lives with his mom because his parents are divorced.

Sebastian attends church each week and started coming to our Novo Bible Club at the beginning of this semester. He is hearing and learning more about God. Even though he hasn’t been attending our program for long, he already loves learning and sharing what he’s learned with his leaders.

One crisp Thursday in fall of 2011, something changed in Sebastian. As he heard the gospel presented, he bowed his head as if he were praying. After a minute, Sebastian’s head and hand darted up. The teacher asked him to save his question for after Large Group. About two minutes passed and Sebastian raised his hand again; once again he was asked to save his question for later. After the teacher wrapped up the Challenge, Sebastian threw his hand up in the air again, but this time he didn’t wait for an answer: “All I wanted to tell you was that I just believed in God!”

A few minutes later, Sebastian was taken aside by one of the Novo Bible Club leaders where an incredible conversation took place. Verses from God’s Word were shared with him to be sure that he truly understood what Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection meant for him. Throughout the conversation, it was evident Sebastian had had many seeds planted in his life and that the Holy Spirit had moved on Sebastian’s heart to convict him of his sin and draw him to repentance. The leader read Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Then the leader asked, “Have you believed on Jesus before? Have you made this choice to follow God with your life?” Slightly exasperated by all the questions and ready for a snack, Sebastian confidently replied, “Yes, yes! I HAVE followed God with my life – I already told you! I did that tonight when I had my head bowed over there and I was praying to God.” With a big smile and a lighter spirit, Sebastian asked to go back to his Small Group.

With Sebastian’s choice to believe on Jesus, his eternity is sealed. No matter what happens in Sebastian’s life, we can know and believe that we will see him in Heaven one day. We know that his life has been changed – forever!

There are thousands of children who live our inner-city communities that need to be loved, to hear Truth, to experience life-change. The staff and volunteers of Novo are grateful for the privilege of working with boys and girls like Sebastian each week in our Novo Bible Clubs. We are especially grateful today for those who partner with Novo to reach Sebastian right in his own apartment complex. Many thanks to our Program Site Partner, – Gateway Community Church – Forest Creek Apartments, and all of our volunteers at that site!

// Thunder Basketball – Making a Difference for Dontay

by Sarah Hunnicutt on December 23, 2011

Thunder basketball has officially become a staple of what it means to be Oklahoman and on December 20th, it was time to bring out the Thunder blue.

Debbie Williams, Community Relations Coordinator for the Oklahoma City Thunder, worked her magic once again and – after bringing the Rolling Thunder Book Bus to four of the Oklahoma City housing projects where we work – asked if we could use 30 tickets to take some of the amazing kids she met earlier in the year to the Thunder’s preseason finale game against the Dallas Mavericks. What kid wouldn’t be thrilled to go? (What teacher wouldn’t be, for that matter?) We had 30 tickets and a few days to round up just the right kids to go cheer on the Thunder.

The day had finally arrived. The 30 tickets were each assigned a name. But 11-year-old Dontay wasn’t one of them. And he was beyond disappointed. When Dontay’s teacher realized what had happened, she frantically searched for any tickets that maybe, just maybe, weren’t being used. Nothing.

Dontay’s teacher said that she would give up her ticket so he could go.

But God, in the way He tends to operate, worked everything out so both Dontay and his teacher could go.

I ended up sitting next to Dontay at the game. It was awesome. I think the only thing better than watching your first live Thunder game is watching a little boy absolutely immerse himself in the atmosphere of his first live Thunder game.

Dontay plays basketball and did a running commentary. Since I’m an old pro myself (Oh fine, I played in high school.), we had lots to talk about. When the music played, Dontay danced. When the chants began, Dontay cheered the loudest. And when Perkins blocked Nowitzki, you know Dontay was on his feet.

I don’t know a lot about Dontay. I only spent a few hours with him in Loud City. But I do know that he loves basketball. He has a sweet spirit. Dontay lives with his grandma who loves him and his two older siblings and is teaching them and their many cousins to know, love, and serve Jesus. I know that Dontay is bright and wants to go to college someday. I know that he doesn’t get to see his mom, but that his dad is involved.

And I know that going to a Thunder game was the highlight of Dontay’s year.

Thanks, Thunder, for making a difference for Dontay.

// Let It Be Said of Us…

by Jay Sherrer on November 28, 2011

“Let it be said of us,
While we walked among the living.
Let it be said of us,
By the ones we leave behind.
Let it be said of us,
That we lived to be a blessing for life.”

John Waller, “The Blessing”

These lyrics flow through my mind today as I think about our opportunity to be a blessing in the hearts and lives of Oklahoma City’s inner-city boys and girls. An amazing mission field is right here in front of us, and with God’s help, we are doing EVERYTHING we can to reach these boys and girls to make a difference… but we can’t do it alone. For just the cost of a movie ticket or a few Starbucks drinks, YOU have the opportunity to be a blessing, to leave a legacy, and to change a child’s life – a child just like Yamilex.

Yamilex wakes up many mornings unsure of what the day will hold. She hears her grandma coughing from across the hall and wonders if she will be admitted into the hospital again today for lung failure. Her eyes rest on the photo of her mom’s last visit home – will her mom be back soon? Her heart cringes as her eyes move to Tyrone’s place in the picture. She remembers being scared as the police came to take him away late one night. Yamilex very much wants a daddy; her two sisters have daddies that live elsewhere, but she is left with no one to give a Father’s Day card. Her current realities hardly seem to be the picture of carefree days and scrapbook-worthy memories.

But once a week things are a little different for Yamilex. She looks forward to going to a Novo Bible Club in her school and getting to be a kid again, even if it’s just for a few hours. She plays games, eats a yummy snack, and has a lot of fun! Her mentor encourages her to honor her mom, and also helps her see how to avoid making poor choices like many of her peers. Once a week, Yamilex hears that she was created for a purpose; a vision is being cast into her life that is bigger than her imagination can even comprehend right now! We watch with joy as Yamilex begins to understand and own the truths she hears from her mentor and makes good choices.

At Novo, we see the heart-breaking realities of our inner-city communities on a daily basis. We see broken families, shattered dreams, and hopeless lives. We want these inner-city boys and girls to have happy, innocent, and carefree childhoods where they are loved and can play outside without the fear of drive-by shootings, gang activity, or prostitution. There are days when we look at the devastation that characterizes so many of these communities and change seems impossible. However, we know that change is possible when you know the Author of life-change. Novo is busy educating, empowering, and equipping the faith community to counteract these challenges and negative realities; we are committed to make a real and lasting difference here in this city.

In order for us to continue making a difference for children like Yamilex, we need your financial support. From now through the end of the year, all contributions to Novo Ministries will be matched – dollar for dollar – up to our $200,000 target goal! Our Board of Directors and a few key friends of Novo Ministries have generously pledged $100,000 to help double each and every gift between now and the end of the year. Please consider sending a gift today with the enclosed response card or go on-line to donate from our website. Even if we can’t change all of the realities our boys and girls face, we can provide guidance, give support, and introduce them to the One who gives them hope and purpose. You can be a part of real and lasting life-change. Give today and see a child’s life forever changed.

Ask Yamilex… it’s worth it.