I am grateful for the time the church afforded me to attend the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville.  It was a time of renewal and refreshing.  The messages were challenging and encouraging.  I would urge you to visit t4g.org over the next couple of weeks to view the messages for yourself.
          The most encouraging take away from the conference was my introduction to a new hymnal entitled “Hymns of Grace.”  It is a new hymnal produced by the Master’s Seminary.  This is the seminary founded by John MacArthur.  The hymnal is theologically sound and filled with many old and new hymns.  The songs are all beautiful and doctrinally rich.
          Most of you probably know that I am not musically inclined.  Until now I have never been excited about a hymnal.  I have caught myself just reading page after page of this hymnal.  I can’t read the music, but the words of the hymns are so edifying and worshipful.
          My goal is to get this hymnal to you soon.  I know that it was not too many years ago that we bought new hymnals, but this is an expense that is worth it.  Next to the Bible itself, a church’s hymnal is the most important book in the church.  John MacArthur says, "Hymns are wonderful didactic tools, filled with Scripture and sound doctrine, a medium for teaching and admonishing one another, as we are commanded to do in Colossians 3:16. We are in danger of losing a rich heritage of hymnody as some of the best hymns of our faith fall into neglect. Let's revive some of the great hymns that have fallen into disuse, and along with the best hymns written today, delve deeply into this rich Christian hymnology."
          I urge you to look more deeply into this hymnal.  A complete list of the hymns is found at hymnsofgrace.com
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig

I want to challenge us to something big.  I have been increasingly convicted of the need to pay off our current building loan.  I don’t desire this so we can have more money in the bank.  I desire this so that we can be totally unhindered in our stewardship.  I want to be debt free to the glory of God, and see what He will accomplish within the ministry through this freed up money.
          We built the “not so new anymore” wing almost ten years ago.  At that time we had almost totally paid off the debt from the original building.  The loan including the new wing was $565,650.00.  As of now, we currently owe $206,277.72.  We pay $46,000 a year of our budget toward debt retirement.  Within that budgeted amount is an additional monthly payment that is more than our required payment because we kept the same amount budgeted even after we refinanced a few years ago.  Currently of the $46,000 budgeted, $7,113 a year goes directly to the principal on top of the regular monthly payments.  This is in addition to any special gifts that are designated toward this effort.  The debt was originally due to be paid in full on July 20, 2028.  But because of our efforts in making additional principal payments, both budgeted and contributed, the loan will be paid off in a little over 5 years if we continue making payments at the current amount.
          I am not asking anyone to make any pledges or sign any cards or anything like that.  This is totally between you and God.  But I am asking us to try something bold and big.  I want to challenge Oak Crest to be debt free by July 20, 2018.  That is a full ten years ahead of schedule and just over two years from now.  Not counting this month, that is 27 months until July of 2018.  Taking into consideration our current monthly payment, that is somewhere around $4,500 additional a month to accomplish this goal.  That is just $1,125 more a week.  If 75 families gave $15 a week toward this goal we could reach it!!  Either way this is a big goal.  Will you consider helping in this effort?  I don’t know if we can do it, but at least trying will get us closer than we would be without trying.  Let’s do it! Soli Deo Gloria.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig