Life can be messy. Love too. Living in Community is the only way to get through it if you are a person of faith. Community is found in the local Church.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready
to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves,
because you had become very dear to us.
When God lead my husband, Mike, toward the idea of planting a church, we had no idea how it would unfold. We just knew we wanted to tell people about Jesus. We were serving in a local church that was/is thriving and reaching out to the community.
But we realized there seemed to be a "people group" that still were not coming. Why not go to them?
We began to pray, seek, fast and follow the Lord's leading. There were two couples, along with their families, who heard the call too. Oak Pointe Church was launched in 2007 and a small group of people began to do life together in community.
Real People. Real Issues. Real Answers.
We are all searching for answers to our issues in life and Oak Pointe Church grew into a SAFE place to simply BE REAL.
Life Is Messy sometimes.
It is wonderful and beautiful and filled with
love and family and friends.
But it can be messy.
Real People.
I mentioned earlier that we noticed a "people group". What I mean by this is that while we had been actively involved in mission and ministry at our former church, there were still those in the community who, for a number of reasons, were not being reached.
Those who had "church hurt" in the past. Those who had once been church attenders, but, for various reasons, no longer went.
It is evident that the longer you stay out of church the easier it is to simply not go.
Some no longer went because life, lifestyle, and other life changing decisions had overwhelmed them with feelings of shame, unworthy of God's grace and love.
Real Issues.
We were never meant to wear shame. The church was never intended to be a place where "shame on you" is expressed when ones life is imperfect, sinful, brings you to your knees. The enemy tells lies.
Church should be a place of Grace.
Oak Pointe Church has been such a place. I don't say that to tell you that Mike and the leadership have made it so. But that it is what God has made it. Grace has been extended and Grace has been received.
Mike and I- the preacher and his wife- have 'messiness' in our lives as well. Issues with family, finances, faith challenges, imperfections and flaws just like the rest of the world. And our church family has allowed us to BE REAL with them and they have LOVED US WELL!!
We are so very blessed. We have never felt that we had to pretend and present that we have our lives all figured out and that we never make mistakes, yell at each other and our kids...we get to be REAL!! and I am thankful. Did I tell you that Life is Messy sometimes?
REAL ANSWERS.
Answers to life's real issues are found in the Word of God. Mike and the Leadership preach, teach and speak in a way that is easy to understand and uncomplicated. Simple Truth. Simple Faith. Loving God. Loving People.
One of the things I see in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, is that the gift of Tongues was given to enable the Apostles to speak the Gospel to others in a language they could understand. That is what happens at our church.
I'm not talking "heavenly language" or incomprehensible words and sounds and noises made to speak to the Lord as a means of worship, like what is noted in other places in the letters to the Corinthians.
But, rather, the ability to bring the gospel to those who need to hear the simple truth that-
"All have sinned. All deserve death.
BUT
Jesus loves you and came to save you
by paying for your sin himself."
Eloquent words, lofty speech...vocabulary no one understands...no. Simple. Straight-forward.Grace-filled words.
This is what Real People need. It is what we all need.
So, while LIFE, LOVE, and LIVING can get real messy...and it does... and it IS...
Sharing our lives together in community in the local church brings, GRACE, Truth, Healing, Love... LIFE.
AND when our individual churches see that we are on mission together and release any sense of competition, jealousy, pride, envy, gossip, territorial- ism...
then THE CHURCH
the Bride of Christ makes herself ready
and becomes
BEAUTIFUL
The Word. Worship. Prayer.
These are my Roots.
