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Nicholas E. Harris was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 23, 1940, and went to his eternal home on November 23, 2020. At the age of three he and his sisters, Jan and Jerean, were adopted by Mary Harris and her husband Raymond Harris, who was a traveling evangelist with the Assembly of God Church. Nick often referred to his dad as “the greatest preacher there ever was.”
He graduated from Grand Saline High School in 1958. He went on to attend Southwestern Assemblies of God University where he earned his Bachelor of Science, and Midwestern State University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts. He attended law school at TU for a year but then pursued a career in business. Later he described hearing a pastor with the United Methodist Church, Dr. Thomas, deliver “a message of grace like a law brief,” and it was there that the entire gospel of Jesus came alive and made perfect sense to him. With that fire lit, he completed his work on a Masters in Divinity at Phillips University and began his full-time ministry. Nick pastored churches in Carmen, Lamont, Ponca City, Fairview, and at First United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. He spent years bringing life back to this downtown congregation. In addition, Nick’s ministries over the years included Loaves and Fishes, a weekly and popular noontime Bible study for business people in downtown OKC, who often referred to him as their friend, teacher, counselor and encourager. He had a long running radio broadcast called Holy Ground. He also had a lifelong adoration for the people of Kenya, where over the years he built a medical clinic, tabernacle and school alongside Each One Feed One. He also had fierce love for the land of Israel. He led many teaching trips to Israel and other historical countries.
In 1995 the Oklahoma City bombing destroyed the historic First Church. Nick led the effort to restore the church, build a new facility and the open-air prayer chapel that thousands of people have come to observe, pray in and find comfort. All of this while leading his growing congregation from a remote location at Trinity Baptist Church. He was thrilled to lead his people on a march back to the completed church, the home where it all started. Nick was also well known for his ability to spot talented young pastors and shepherd them, but was unique in that he always encouraged them to go and start their own ministries when they were ready. Those pastors have in turn touched many lives for Jesus, which was Nick’s hope and dream for them. Most recently, Nick gifted his beloved congregation of Ariel Chapel with in-depth Bible teaching, his knowledge of Israel, and always, and most importantly, truth. In his almost five decades of ministry, those who were fortunate enough to encounter him described him as their pastor. Nick was a passionate advocate and teacher of relational grace, believing wholly in the living God and the Priesthood of Believers.
Nick had an exceptional and extraordinary talent for reaching the spiritual and intellectually-minded while also never leaving out others who were not very far along in their faith. Nick also deeply valued and loved his family, spending forty-one years vacationing with them in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, traveling with them to Israel and so many other places, and making sure traditions were always kept.
He married the light and love of his life, Crystal Conner Harris in 1979, and is survived by his adoring children, Deak Harris, Amy Moffeit and husband Wally, Jamie and Stephanie Russell, and Kristen Work. He had a love for them that never wavered. He was known and deeply cherished as “Coach” to his grandchildren, whom he loved without limit: Christian Gutteridge, Beau Harris, Joseph Gutteridge, Jacqueline Harris, Carder Gutteridge, Max Russell, Zeke Russell, Hannah Harris, Lulabelle Russell and Robert Bell.
Nick Harris was a scholar, expositor, lifelong learner, beloved and adored by all his family and friends, whose life impacted countless people on this earth.
Well done, good and faithful servant.
A memorial and celebration service will be delayed until a safer time. Nick connected so many people together; it will be worth the wait to see each other in person.
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