Neil B. Wiseman

Neil B. Wiseman was born December 26, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, to faithful lay people, Neil A. and Marguerite (Ryther) Wiseman. After a long bout with Parkinson's Disease, he passed away March 16, 2019, in Kansas City Hospice House. While attending Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City (1956), he met and fell in love with Bonnie McGraw. They married on September 7, 1957, in the Seminary chapel. They were blessed when two precious children, Todd David and Scott Timothy, joined their family.

Growing up in Detroit, Neil and his family attended a small Nazarene church meeting in an old bank building where young Neil gave his heart to God. He knew he wanted to be a preacher from the age of five, often gathering other children into a small congregation and delivering his "sermons" standing on a chair.

He attended Olivet Nazarene University 1951-1955, earning a Th.B. degree. During his senior year he served as youth pastor at Kankakee College Church. Following graduation, 1955-56, he was Youth and Christian Education pastor at Flint First Church where he was mentored by Dr. Les Parrott. In 1956, he began his years at Nazarene Theological Seminary. In addition to attending classes, he worked part time at Headquarters in the Church Schools Department where he first met Bonnie, who at that time worked for the Board of General Superintendents. After a year of courtship, they married, and three months later he was called to pastor Linden Church of the Nazarene in north Kansas City. A parsonage was provided so they commuted back and forth to Headquarters every day until Seminary graduation in 1960, when he earned the M.Div. degree.

Neil's pastoral ministry included Sacramento LaSierra Church (1960-62), Moses Lake, Washington, Church (1962-64), Denver Westminster Church (1964-67), Colorado Springs Southgate Church (1967-70), and Pompano Beach, Florida, First Church (1979-85) - he called this his "sweetheart church."

His teaching ministry included adjunct faculty at Nazarene Bible College during its first three years, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Mid-America Nazarene College, Olivet Nazarene College; chaplain and Religion Department chairman at Trevecca Nazarene University (1971-77); and Academic Dean and Professor at Nazarene Bible College (1985-2000). While at Trevecca he attended Vanderbilt University, School of Religion, and earned the D.Min. degree. Also while in Nashville, he was loaned to the General Church the last 18 months to develop and direct the first PALCON (Pastors' Leadership Conferences) held on all the college campuses during the summer of 1977. At this point in his ministerial career, he was asked to join the Department of Education to be in charge of pastoral ministries and continuing education emphases. He also founded and directed the first WILCON (Wives' Leadership Conferences) in 1979.

His creativity, coupled with a driving desire to serve the church, led him to develop innovative projects along the way:
Created, produced, and edited the Ministers' Tape Club, a monthly - 1979-89
Created, produced, and edited the Laymen's Tape Club, a monthly - 1981-89
Created, produced, and edited Sermon of the Month Tape Club (interdenominational) which he sold to Christianity Today - 1982-83
Edited and produced Preaching Today (Christianity Today monthly project for a couple of years until they took over production)
Founder, editor, designer, and producer of GROW — A Journal of Church Growth, Evangelism, and Discipleship (for the Evangelism and Church Growth Division of the General Church) - 1989-2003
Editor of Preachers' Magazine - 1978-79 and interim editor - 1999-2000
Originator and director of Small Church Institute (for the Evangelism and Church Growth Division of the General Church) 1992-2000
Author, co-author, or editor of more than 30 books - 1972-2010

Neil was honored at the 1993 General Assembly by receiving the International Board of Education Citation of Merit Award from Nazarene Bible College. In 1993, he was also given the G. B. Williamson Award as Vice President of Academics at NBC. His alma mater, Olivet Nazarene University, honored him with the 2011 Alumni "O" Award.

He was deeply committed to the Church of the Nazarene and her historical roots. His strong personality could mask his generosity. He was always thinking about ways to improve others' lives, brainstorming ideas about sermons, the church, and life in general. He doted on his grandchildren; to them he was simply "Pop." Neil loved to share, giving his old car to his grandson, sharing a daily orange with a favorite caregiver at Santa Marta, putting a bill in the hand of anybody in need.

Some random musings: At heart he was a pastor … he said the sweetest word in the English language is Pastor … his passions were preaching and teaching … he was committed to excellence in ministry … he was an avid reader; favorites were books on the inner life, leadership, biographies … his leisure time activity (besides reading) was writing … he loved the mountains, sea, and flower gardens … at times he projected a stern countenance, but he was really tender, sensitive, sentimental, and easily moved; a close friend called him her "steel-wool teddy bear" … his life's verse was "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16).

Neil is survived by his loving wife of almost 62 years, Bonnie; two sons and their wives, Todd and Carla of Olathe and Scott and Tiffany of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; four grandchildren, William (San Jose, California) and Katherine (Olathe), Caroline and Beck (Palm Beach Gardens); his siblings, Keith Wiseman and Judith Wiseman MacIver (Howell, Michigan); and countless "sons and daughters" in ministry.


In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be sent to Nazarene Theological Seminary, Attention: Neil B. Wiseman Memorial, 1700 East Meyer Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64131.



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