A Place of Refuge, Restoration, and Celebration
On the north side of Omaha, just off Sorensen Parkway, sits a 30,000-square-foot building that has been home to Eagles Nest Worship Center since 2002. The congregation lives by a motto it returns to again and again: a place of Refuge, Restoration, and Celebration. Bishop James K. Hart and Dr. Elictia Hart, who lead the church, describe it as a safe harbor for the hurting, a healing ground for those who need restoring, and a joyful community for those who want to give God praise.
Bishop Hart planted the church in October 1992 with the help of his father, Dr. Maurice J. Hart, and Pathway of Light Cathedral. The first gathering met in a single bay of a shopping mall near 90th and Maple in northwest Omaha. As the young congregation grew, services multiplied, until the church bought and fully renovated its current building in March 2002. Today Eagles Nest Worship Center is one of the most culturally diverse churches in the city of Omaha, a body that reflects the surrounding neighborhoods and reaches well beyond them.
Bishop James K. Hart and Dr. Elictia Hart
Bishop James K. Hart is the founding pastor. He grew up partly on the mission field in Brazil, where his parents, Billy Joe and Josephine Hart, started churches, a Bible training center, an orphanage, and a day school in the favelas around São Paulo. That early exposure shaped his lifelong burden for global missions, and supporting missionaries and ministries around the world remains a large part of who Eagles Nest is.
For more than three decades Bishop Hart has preached what he calls "relevant, life-changing messages of God's Refuge, Restoration, and Celebration" in Omaha and abroad. He is described by the church as a man of "integrity, compassion, and faithfulness locally and around the world," called to challenge people to "live their life full and finish strong." He continues to travel the world encouraging believers to hold onto what he calls "the only source of unchanging truth."
Dr. Elictia T. Hart grew up in Seattle and, before entering ministry, spent close to two decades as a journalist. She worked for "Entertainment Tonight" in Los Angeles and CNBC Hong Kong, covered the NFL and NBA for ESPN in Singapore, and reported on West Coast teams for the Fox Sports Network. Most recently, she served as the morning anchor for the ABC affiliate in Omaha. The church puts it this way: God redirected her career from reporting the news to "reporting the Good News." Today she co-leads the congregation alongside her husband. The Harts are the parents of twins, Micah and Jemma.
Sundays at Ten and Wednesdays at Seven
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:00 AM. The service blends lively praise and worship with preaching, and the church teaches that the Bible is "the inspired and infallible Word of God," holding "the words to eternal life and the keys of the Kingdom of God." Each Sunday also opens age-appropriate classrooms through Kids Club for children from six weeks old through fourth grade and Propel for fifth and sixth graders.
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM are called Digging Deeper. The evening is framed as an adult small-group environment where "Biblical teachings and real-world application collide," with corporate worship, teaching, and table conversation. The same evening gathers Kids Club for preschoolers through fourth graders and the student ministries Propel (fifth through eighth grade) and Ignite (ninth through twelfth grade). Both Sunday and Wednesday services are livestreamed.
Kids Club: Seriously Fun for Six Weeks Through Fourth Grade
Children sit at the center of life at Eagles Nest. Kids Club welcomes children from six weeks through fourth grade during the Sunday service, with rooms divided by age: a nursery for babies from six weeks to eighteen months, a toddler room for nineteen months through two years, a preschool class for ages three through kindergarten, and an elementary class for first through fourth graders. Wednesdays offer Kids Club for preschoolers through fourth graders while their parents attend Digging Deeper.
The Kids Club team takes both fun and formation seriously. The volunteers "teach God's word with passion, utilize the power of prayer and have tons of FUN," and they commit to "a spirit of excellence in everything we do: how we prepare, how we teach, and how we serve." Children are checked in at a station in the foyer near the restrooms. Check-in opens thirty minutes before each service and closes when the service starts. Each child wears a nametag, and each parent receives a matching tag used to pick up their child at the end of class. Guests are always welcome and given a guest nametag.
Propel and Ignite: Students in Fifth Through Twelfth Grade
Propel gathers fifth through eighth graders and Ignite gathers ninth through twelfth graders, primarily on Wednesday evenings. The student ministry's motto is Conversatio Mosem, Latin for "Dead to the Status Quo." Its vision, in the church's words, is to raise up "a generation for Christ who will confess Him in their lives," living with a passion for Christ that rules their days.
The gatherings are lively: music, dance teams, drama and mime, and what Ignite calls an "unconventional and relevant" approach to biblical teaching. The student ministry is led by Director of Ignite Jarell Roach. Kids Club Director Dr. Jeni Langfeldt oversees the children's side of the church's family ministry, and Farai Tsimba-Chitsva leads the Praise & Worship Team.
Women's Ministry and Tuesday Night Bible Study
The women's ministry describes itself as "mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, friends, colleagues" who are "salt and light, fearfully and wonderfully made." Its purpose is to see "every woman develop into the fullness of the virtuous woman" of Proverbs 31, "to manifest the standards of Christ in every way."
Women's Bible Study meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM via Zoom. In the church's words, the goal is "to live full, fruitful lives. Come grow in your knowledge of Jesus and His Word, build deep relationships, serve with other women, and lead transformational ministry in the world." The women's ministry also hosts breakfasts, fellowships, and an annual ladies conference that brings in national and international speakers. Dr. Elictia Hart leads the women's team, with Yvonne Crockett heading the Women's Bible Study Team.
Men's Team and the Salt Young Adults
The Men's Team is dedicated to "helping men be the godly men God calls us to be," providing men with resources to develop godly character, equipping them "to influence the world for Christ," and helping them be "a support for our Pastors and churches." A monthly Men's Ministry gathering meets on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 to 11:00 AM for fellowship, encouragement, and spiritual growth. All men are welcome.
A separate Salt Team ministers to young adults in their twenties and thirties, meeting twice a month to study God's word, build community, and get involved in the surrounding neighborhood. Jesus has called the team to be the SALT of the earth, and the group works to learn what that looks like in today's world.
Mission Partners Across the Globe
Eagles Nest supports a wide network of missionaries and ministries, a reflection of Bishop Hart's upbringing in Brazil and his lifelong burden for global gospel work. Monthly partnerships extend to several organizations around the world.
Great Door Ministries sends multiple teams a year from U.S. churches to Old Havana, Cuba, where they partner with the Los Pinos Nuevos Church to serve in a local congregation and feed fifty elderly neighbors a warm meal every week of every year. Brazilian Children's Outreach continues the work Bishop Hart's parents began in the favelas of São Paulo, feeding, clothing, and educating children; Eagles Nest supports them monthly. In the Marshall Islands, the church partners with the long-running ministry of Dr. Sam and Flo Sasser, whose translation work and decades of church planting shaped the country's Pentecostal movement.
Metro World Child, founded by Pastor Bill Wilson in Brooklyn, hosts the world's largest Sunday School, ministering to over thirty thousand children every week in the United States, the Philippines, South Africa, and Romania. Eagles Nest has partnered with the ministry for years and considers Pastor Bill a dear friend who preaches at the church each year. Save the Humans International, led by Pastors Gary and Charlotte Cook, plants churches, runs Bible schools, and ministers in orphanages and hospitals in Belarus and Lithuania. Victory Times Ministry, led by Bishop Phillip Karanja in Nairobi, reaches children from the slums of the city with food, schooling, and the love of God, and oversees churches planted in Islamic and traditionalist strongholds across Kenya. Missions Coordinator Renee Schriever keeps these partnerships organized.
Loving the Neighborhood: Local Outreach in Omaha
Mission work happens close to home, too. Summer Fun Dayz, held on a Saturday in June each year, fills the Eagles Nest parking lot with thousands of neighbors. Face painting, bike repair, sports, music and drama, and foot massages share the lot with free hot dogs, chips, and backpacks. The church serves more than three thousand free hot dogs and gives away one thousand backpacks filled with school supplies. In the middle of about five thousand neighbors, the church preaches the gospel, prays for the sick, and sees people come to Christ.
The Annual Car Wash, held on the same June Saturday, offers free vehicle washes, free food, and a Prayer Tent staffed with prayer warriors ready to listen and pray with anyone who stops by. "No Trick, We Treat" is the church's twist on Halloween: children from Eagles Nest dress in Bible-character costumes, knock on doors in the neighborhood, and hand out candy bags that include a prayer request slip and a note of blessing. The Engage Team and the Greeter Team support first-time guests each Sunday with a friendly face at the door and follow-up, while the Van Team offers rides to and from services for neighbors without transportation.
Wakonda Elementary, the neighborhood public school, has been a long-term partner. What began as a children's pastor walking kids to school in 2002 has grown into weekly tutoring in the after-school study center, an annual Staff Appreciation Lunch for the teachers and staff, and seasonal gifts of hats, gloves, and coats for students. Eagles Nest also supports the Karen Christian Revival Church, a Myanmar refugee congregation in Omaha, with practical help and preaching support as the Karen community resettles in the city. Monthly trays of treats are delivered to the men and women of the Omaha Police Department's Northwest Precinct and Omaha Fire Department's Station 41 as a thank-you for their service. Each Tuesday evening, the Bread Babes pick up donated Panera Bread and, on Wednesday mornings, package and deliver it to local shelters and churches in need.
What Eagles Nest Believes
At the heart of Eagles Nest Worship Center is a Statement of Faith built on a single conviction: the Bible, Old and New Testament, is "the inspired and infallible Word of God," the source of eternal life and the keys of the Kingdom. The church has named seven core values drawn straight from Scripture: personal integrity (Matthew 5:13-16), Biblical authority (Luke 5:1-11), spiritual reproduction (Matthew 28:20; 2 Timothy 2:2), love for people (John 13:34-35), relationship with God (John 15:12-16), servant-hood (John 1:41-42), and a passion for the salvation of others (Luke 15:1-32).
The church walks newcomers through three foundational steps drawn from Romans: admitting need as a sinner, believing what Jesus did on the cross, and calling on Him for salvation. Baptism classes follow for those ready to take that next step. The church also names a culture code of ten values that shape daily life together: love, honor, faith, worship, service, relationship, generosity, excellence, discipline, and fun.
Joining the Nest: Covenant Membership and Serving Teams
For those who decide to make Eagles Nest their church home, the church offers a Covenant Membership class. Becoming a Covenant Member is described as a way to formally stand "in covenant with the vision of the house," agree to be accountable for spiritual growth, and unlock the door to serving on a ministry team. Covenant membership is required for weddings and funerals held at the church.
The broader life of the church runs through volunteer teams. Beyond Kids Club, Ignite, Men's, and Women's, members can serve on the Altar Worker Team (praying one-on-one with people after each service for healing, deliverance, or breakthrough), the Greeter Team, the Bread Babes, the Kairos Café hospitality team (open Wednesdays and Sundays with coffee and snacks), the Hospital Team, the Prison Ministry, the Mom's Rock small group for single mothers (which meets every other Friday with free childcare), the Nehemiah Team that keeps the building clean, and the Bookstore Team that duplicates sermon CDs and DVDs so the Word keeps traveling. A prayer chain of volunteer prayer warriors carries ongoing needs, and the prayer team members are open to anyone who wants to come forward at the end of any service.
Two named scholarships, the Dr. Maurice Hart Memorial Scholarship for graduating high school seniors and the Yvonne Johnson Memorial Scholarship for adults returning to school, are awarded each year to active participants in the church's ministries.
For those who cannot attend in person, both Sunday and Wednesday services are livestreamed online. Giving is supported through in-service offerings, a credit-card option at the information counter thirty minutes before each service, and a secure PayPal giving page. Visitors can plan a first visit through the church's online form or sign up for the next Covenant Membership class.
Eagles Nest Worship Center is located at 5775 Sorensen Parkway, Omaha, NE 68152. The phone number is 402-571-9191 and the email is enwc@enwc.net.