Fort Smith First Church of the Nazarene has stood at 4813 North O Street on the north side of Fort Smith, Arkansas since 1976, but its ministry reaches back a full century. The congregation was organized in 1924 as the Blair Avenue Church of the Nazarene with nine charter members, born out of a tent revival held on the corner of North and Blair. The first pastor, the Rev. Ethel Barham, served for three years. Services were first held in a house across the street until a church building was constructed on Blair Avenue.
In 1967 a new building was built on Kelley Highway, and in 1970, when Central Church of the Nazarene merged back into the congregation, the name was changed to Faith Church of the Nazarene. Five years later, by a near unanimous vote, the body became Fort Smith First Church of the Nazarene. Members built the present building on North O Street themselves, brick by brick, and broke ground in 1975 after outgrowing the Kelley Highway facility. In 1989, Northside Church of the Nazarene merged with First Church. The congregation has also helped start several churches in the area: Bluff Avenue (Southside), Crawford Memorial (Trinity/River Valley), Van Buren First, Central Church, and Greenwood. A large Family Life Center was dedicated on October 12, 1997 to expand ministry to the surrounding neighborhood.
Members of First Church look back on a century that includes Live Nativities, Fall Festivals, Vacation Bible Schools, and an active bus ministry that brings children in from the same neighborhoods that surrounded Blair Avenue a hundred years ago. The bus ministry provides not only a Bible lesson but hugs and a warm meal. Work and Witness teams have traveled to Mexico multiple times, and the congregation's finances and sweat equity helped build a small church in a village outside Iquitos, Peru.
Sunday Mornings on North O
Sunday mornings at First Church follow a steady rhythm. The Wildfire Cafe opens at 9:00 am in the Family Life Center, where families can grab a bite before Sunday School begins at 9:30 am. Worship service starts at 10:30 am. The worship is described as blended choruses and hymns in an upbeat and joyful environment, designed so people of all ages can engage God together. Preaching is Bible-based and practical to life, with new series introduced periodically to keep the congregation challenged spiritually.
The people of the church range from homemakers to professional businessmen, from young children to retirees. Visitors are welcomed to come as they are. Worship services are also broadcast on Facebook Live for those unable to attend in person.
Tuesday and Wednesday Gatherings
Tuesday mornings bring the congregation together at 12:00 noon in the sanctuary for a midday service, and at 11:00 am for adult discipleship groups. Wednesday evenings begin at 6:30 pm in the Family Life Center and online. Children gather at 6:30 for a snack, then move into Bible lessons and activities for K through 5th grade. Wildfire Youth meets at 6:00 pm for worship, team building games, and spiritual development through the teaching of God's Word. Adult discipleship groups also meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm. Sunday at 5:00 pm is the third adult discipleship slot.
Wildfire Youth
Wildfire, named from the line "His word is in my heart like a fire," is the youth ministry of First Church, welcoming students from 6th through 12th grade. Peyton Durand serves as Youth Pastor. A graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University and married to worship pastor Vasti Durand, Peyton holds a local ministerial license and is working toward a district license. He enjoys the outdoors, music, and reading, plays the piano and sings in Sunday morning worship, and has a strong commitment to outreach in the community.
Sunday School for Wildfire meets in the Family Life Center at 9:30 am, taught by Amy Pettigrew. Wednesday nights at 6:00 pm in the FLC bring students together for worship, team building, and Bible study that incorporates video-based lessons and scripture memorization. The group discusses relevant issues teens face, encouraging them to engage in a dynamic relationship with Christ and other teen believers.
Outside of the regular schedule, Wildfire hosts pool parties at the pastor's apartment, road trips to Six Flags and Magic Springs, game nights like Dutch Blitz, the annual Wildfire Cookout, Mystery Dinners, dessert auctions, and other fundraisers that send teens to camp and conferences. Each year, Wildfire travels to SNU Extravaganza at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma, a Nazarene youth gathering with speakers, worship, and competitions. Teen Camp at Camp Table Rock on Table Rock Lake in Missouri is another summer highlight, as is the multi-day Wonder trip.
The group's Facebook page keeps parents and teens in the loop on upcoming activities.
First Kids
Shelly Hosier has served in children's ministry since 2000 and has been the Children's Director at First Church since 2007. She is a locally licensed children's minister working toward ordination, married to her high school sweetheart Clarence, with two daughters, Lacy (married to Josh) and Emma. Children's ministry is a great joy for Shelly.
First Kids welcomes children with solid Nazarene Biblical teaching, fun and engaging activities, and a warm place to belong. All volunteers are screened and pass a background check for safety.
Children's Church takes place when kids are dismissed during the offering portion of the morning worship service.
Sunday School begins at 9:30 am in the Family Life Center, with classes for 1st through 5th grades led by Vickie Jones and Ashley Lairamore, and a Pre-K and Kindergarten class led by Linda Parker and Elizabeth Jones.
Wednesday Nights feature First Kids Activities: a snack at 6:30, then Bible lessons and activities for K through 5th grade. The kids ministry verse is Philippians 1:6: "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Throughout the year, First Kids celebrates Baby Day for children under 2, holds Sunday Fun Days with lunch and play after church, hosts Kids Valentine Parties, a Kids Wednesday Night Christmas Party, a Christmas Sunday Funday, Back to School parties, and a Sunday School trip to the Amazeum. Vacation Bible School in early summer brings the theme "Cave Quest: Following Jesus - The Light of the World," and Kids Camp at Beaverfork in Conway, Arkansas is a summer favorite for children who have completed 1st through 6th grade.
The Nursery
The Nursery and Toddler Care ministry serves children from birth through age five, with the goal of creating a safe environment of love and spiritual nurture for each child.
Nursery hours are Sunday morning from 9:15 to 11:45 am and Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. The nursery opens 15 minutes before each worship service. In the nursery, Bible stories are read and praise music is played so children learn to worship the Lord at an early age. Bottles prepared by parents can be given as directed, and snacks are provided for the older children. Parents are asked to inform caregivers of any special needs or allergies.
Kinder Church serves children ages 4 and 5, who join their families in worship until they are dismissed for children's church during the morning service. Kinder Church includes music, story time, memory lessons, prayer, and constructive play.
First-time visitors fill out an enrollment card to keep on file. New children receive a name tag and one for their bag. Parents are asked to drop off and retrieve kids from the door to reduce confusion and keep children safe, and are texted if they are needed during the service.
Parents should include in the child's bag a labeled bottle, sippy cup, several diapers and wipes, a labeled pacifier with a clip-on if possible, and a change of clothing. Bags should not contain personal toys from home, medicine of any kind, gum or candy, or the parent's keys, wallet, or other personal items.
Discipleship and Sunday School for Every Stage
The mission of Adult Ministries is to prepare, challenge, and inspire men and women to a life of Christian discipleship, that each person will have a passion for Christian service whether across the street or around the globe.
Sunday School meets at 9:30 am with four ongoing options:
- Not Normal Class in the Main Building, facilitated by Mona Lejman, with different topics as the Spirit leads in adult Bible study.
- 20/30 Something in the Main Building, facilitated by Dr. Luke Lewis, focused on critical thinking Bible lessons for college and young adults.
- Team Witness in the Family Life Center, facilitated by Ray Leasure, focused on Biblical worldview, evangelism, and witnessing.
- Changers in the Family Life Center, facilitated by Randy Dailey, focused on video-based Bible lessons.
Discipleship groups also meet on Sunday at 5:00 pm, Tuesday at 11:00 am, and Wednesday at 7:00 pm for the mutual support of fellow believers.
Men of First Church
The Men's Ministry is led by Bracken Sheldon, the Evangelist in Residence. Bracken has been in ministry for thirty years, with experience in the United Methodist Church, Wesleyan, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Assemblies of God before finding his home in the Church of the Nazarene. He and his wife Greta have a son Michael, and all of them serve in various ministries of First Church. Originally from Nebraska, Bracken enjoys gardening and reading.
Bracken's calling is to reach people who have no experience or bad past experiences with religion, helping God heal and build them up into who He created them to be.
The mission of the men's group is to be a Christ-centered group of men committed to mentoring, developing, and serving men of all generations; reaching out to assist the local church and community in practical ways; and sponsoring events that benefit the church, other area Nazarene churches, and the community. Activities include monthly prayer breakfasts at Golden Corral, fellowships, and men's retreats.
Women of First Church
The Women's Ministry is rooted in 1 Corinthians 15:58: "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."
The goals of the women's group are to seek God continually through the Word both individually and in a group; serve Him faithfully, adjusting time to express care and meet needs of others; share Him boldly in conversations and actions; and widen the circle of friendships among women both within the church family and in the community.
Activities include women's ministry gatherings, women's Bible study groups, special women's outings, church-wide community service events, and the annual women's retreat. The women also provide free gift wrapping at Central Mall during Christmas. The North Arkansas Women's Retreat, held at the Keeter Center in Point Lookout, Missouri, is a major annual gathering.
Missions from Fort Smith to the Nations
"To make Christlike disciples in the nations" is the seven-word statement of mission for the 1.8 million member Church of the Nazarene. First Church is part of the North Arkansas District and participates in the denomination's work of evangelism, sanctification, discipleship, compassion, and equipping.
The Alabaster Offering is collected in February and September. Missionary Health Care helps cover medical costs for Nazarene missionaries. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes someone living who has served the church, and the Memorial Roll memorializes loved ones through gifts to Missionary Health Care.
JESUS Film Harvest Partners is a Church of the Nazarene ministry partnering with other Kingdom ministries to make Christlike disciples in the nations. The mission of JFHP is "Sharing God's love with the lost to help fulfill the Great Commission" from Matthew 28:19-20.
World Mission Broadcast produces holiness programming in 34 languages across 2 countries, with 140 programs on the airwaves.
First Church's LINKs Missionaries are Milton and Olga Gay. Milton serves as the Regional Evangelism and Jesus Film Coordinator for the Mesoamerica Region, and Olga works as the NMI Coordinator and Financial Assistant for the North Central Field. They have two adult children, Alejandra Eunic and Milton Gerardo, and a passion for equipping and developing new generations in leadership and church planting.
The church also supports missionaries David and Kristen Sterner, who with their three sons Levi, David, and Carter serve in Lima, Peru on the Andino Central Field. Kristen is an ordained elder and David leads and volunteers wherever God opens a door.
The Work and Witness legacy of First Church includes multiple trips to Mexico and partnership in building a small church in a village outside Iquitos, Peru.
Operation Christmas Child is a regular outreach, when members pack shoeboxes and pray over them. The church also partners with Kingston Court Apartments for a showing of the Jesus Film for Children, hosts neighborhood prayer walks on Yorkshire Street, and offers free gift wrapping at Central Mall during Christmas.
Beliefs and Core Values
The Church of the Nazarene is a Protestant Christian church in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, tracing its roots to an anniversary date of 1908. The denomination is found in 156 world areas and is dedicated to spreading the message of scriptural holiness - Christlike living. Nazarenes believe God offers forgiveness, peace, joy, purpose, love, meaning in life, and the promise of heaven through a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
The Articles of Faith taught at First Church include belief in one Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; in the plenary inspiration of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments; in the fallen nature of humanity; in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross for the whole human race; in justification, regeneration, and adoption through faith in Christ; in entire sanctification as a second work of grace wrought by the Holy Spirit subsequent to regeneration; in the witness of the Spirit to the new birth and to entire sanctification; and in the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and final judgment.
The Core Values of the denomination and First Church are organized around being Christian, Holy, and Missional. The church affirms the historic Trinitarian creeds, the unity of the Church universal, and the unique Wesleyan-Holiness emphasis on entire sanctification as a crisis experience and a lifelong process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. The mission of the Church in the world begins in worship and extends through evangelism, compassion, discipleship, and Christian higher education.
The sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper are practiced. Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion according to the choice of the applicant. The Lord's Supper is a communion feast for those who have faith in Christ and love for the saints.
The denomination also believes in divine healing and urges its people to seek the prayer of faith for healing of the sick, while also acknowledging God's work through medical science.
The Pastoral Team
Fort Smith First Church of the Nazarene is led by a team of co-pastors, ministry directors, and an evangelist in residence.
Pastor Alyssa Beadle serves as lead co-pastor. She grew up in a Nazarene church in Princeton, Indiana, attended Trevecca Nazarene University where she received her bachelor's degree in social work, and spent two and a half years as a missionary in Anapolis, Brazil helping plant a Nazarene church. While on the mission field, God called her to pastoral ministry and then to marriage. She married Tyler in 2020, and in November 2025 the couple began pastoring at Fort Smith First Church.
Pastor Tyler Beadle serves as lead co-pastor. A second-generation preacher from Mount Pleasant, Texas, Tyler joined the Church of the Nazarene in 2017 and is a graduate of Nazarene Bible College and Awakening School of Ministry. He has a background in theatre and music performance, loves serving people with disabilities, and has a heart for marginalized outcasts and underdogs.
Vasti Durand serves as Worship Pastor. A graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University with a degree in Worship Arts, Vasti is married to Youth Pastor Peyton Durand and holds a district license while working toward ordination. She plays piano and sings in worship and is dedicated to helping young people embrace love, faith, and hope in Christ.
Peyton Durand serves as Youth Pastor. A graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University, Peyton holds a local ministerial license and is working toward a district license. He enjoys the outdoors, music, and reading, and actively participates in Sunday morning worship. He also has a strong commitment to outreach in the community.
Shelly Hosier has served as Children's Director since 2007 and in children's ministry since 2000. A locally licensed children's minister working toward ordination, Shelly is married to her high school sweetheart Clarence, with two daughters, Lacy (married to Josh) and Emma.
Bracken Sheldon serves as Evangelist in Residence and leads the Men's Ministry. He has been in ministry for thirty years and his son Michael and wife Greta also serve in various ministries of First Church. Bracken's passion is to reach people who have had no experience or bad past experiences with religion.
Church office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. The congregation participates in North Arkansas District Assembly each year and is part of the worldwide Church of the Nazarene.
Online giving is available for those who wish to support the ministries of the church through recurring contributions or one-time gifts by check, debit, or credit card.