Sunday School Sneak Peek

This Sunday we'll be on the second half of the "State of the Ministry Report" in Sunday School. What two areas do we as a ministry need to focus on in the coming year? What are the next steps that God is calling us too after a year of learning about, developing, and focusing on biblical community?

Join us this Sunday in Room S-180, as we try to find some answers to these questions. See you at 9:05am.

Put On a Happy Face

This past Sunday was the 20th Anniversary Celebration at my church. Now, typically, when churches are in celebration mode, and honestly, when most churches are just in everyday mode, they tend to want to put their best foot forward, right? I mean, you want to celebrate all the good things God has done in the lives of people. All the buildings that have been built. Well, not so much at Oak Mountain. Right in the middle of the service there was a 13 minute video that highlighted the history and founding of the church 20 years ago. To begin that trip down memory lane, the video started out with members of the church who have experienced or who are experiencing tremendous brokenness, grief, and/or loss.

What?! This is a celebration. You're not supposed to put "those people" and "those situations" up on the screen! I mean, that's what we whisper about, we don't want to show that kind of stuff. I don't even know if those people should be members here, anyway. I definitely don't want folks getting the wrong idea about us.

Here's the thing: there's nothing biblical about celebrating sin. Not even in the name of authenticity do we parade out our sins for the world to see in any kind of way that would glorify or sensationalize them. To the contrary, part of Christ's work on the cross is so that we can be free from the guilt and shame of past sin. At the same time, there's nothing biblical about acting like Christians have it all together. I'm so tired of Christians acting like once they put their faith in Christ that somehow they have to spend the rest of their lives acting like the people that God by his Spirit is making them into. The world, non-Christians are hurting. They're sinful and they know it, and most of them are honest enough to admit it. Why can't Christians do the same? I can't think of a better way to celebrate a church!

One of the guys in my small group on Sunday night, who just happened to join the church on Sunday morning put it so well, "After watching that video with all the hurting, broken people, I was even more thankful that this was the church I was joining."

Sunday School Sneak Peek

This week in Sunday School we'll be doing part one of a two part series on the "State of the Ministry." This has been a year of tremendous change in the Singles Ministry at OMPC, and I think it's good to take a minute and reflect on what God's done in our midst. In the book of Joshua, chapter 4, God tells Joshua that after the people have crossed the Jordan River to take 12 stones and build a memorial. The idea is that one day they'll be walking along the river with their children, and the stones will prompt the children to ask questions, and the people will then tell the story of how God dried up the river for them to cross over.

There are many things about many lives that have changed as a result of what God has done in the ministry this year. As I think about the rivers that we have crossed, are crossing, and have yet to cross, I wonder in years to come when the children of those in the ministry now see their parents act, talk, give, or pray in a certain way, and they ask, "Mommy/Daddy, why did you do that?" Will the answer be in part, because of something God did in their life in the Singles Ministry at OMPC years ago?

Hope you can join us for Sunday School this week in room S-180, at 9:05am.