​I love this time of year.  Fall is my favorite season, but within that season there is one day that stands out as my favorite, October 31st.  And October 31st of this particular year is the most significant of my lifetime.  I want to use these lines to share with you why October 31st is among the greatest holidays of the year.  As a matter of fact, I would place it third behind Christmas and Resurrection Day in my personal favorites.  Why do I love October 31st so much?  It is Reformation Day.  This year we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the event that is probably the most significant moment in the history of the church since the day of Pentecost.  On that day, those many years ago Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door at Wittenburg, Germany.  Luther had become more and more concerned about some of the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church, especially the sale of indulgences.  Indulgences were like “get out of jail free” cards.  The church was teaching that for a fee you could buy a pardon from some years in purgatory.  The truth is you can’t buy your way into heaven.  Martin Luther knew that and he wrote 95 statements about why he disagreed with Rome. He could no longer stand the fact that the Catholic Church had become a hollow shell of what the New Testament taught about the Christian faith.  That simple act of posting his convictions, that he never thought would cause such a stir, started the Protestant Reformation.  That simple act was one of the defining moments in all of human history.  Sadly, it is all but forgotten in the shadow of the godless heathenism of Halloween.
          Now you may be thinking, why in the world does it matter that some monk nailed a piece of paper to a church door?  It matters because the Reformation reminded everyone what the Bible really teaches.  Out of the Reformation came what we now summarize as the “Five Solas,” or the five “onlys.”  In short the “five solas” state, “The Bible alone teaches that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone.”  That is what we believe above all else, but that was quiet different than what the Roman Catholic Church of Martin Luther’s day was teaching.  This October 31st we should praise and thank God for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We should celebrate that we are justified by faith alone, not by our effort or works.  I am not saying that the gospel didn’t exist until 1517, certainly not.  What I am saying is that God used men like Martin Luther to make sure the whole world can know the Bible is the true word of God and Jesus has died on the cross and risen from the dead so that we might have eternal life. 
          On Sunday October 29th, we will have a very special Reformation Service.  I want to encourage you in the strongest way to be in attendance on that day.  We will sing great hymns of the faith and hear the Word of God.  We will remember that Reformation Day is the celebration of the recovery of the glorious gospel of Jesus by grace through faith.  Happy Reformation Day!  ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei (the church reformed, always reforming according to the Word of God)  To God alone be the Glory!  May he bring reformation to our lives! 
 
In Christ, 
Blain Craig

​We are officially in the season of fall.  I know the 90 degree temperatures may not feel like fall, but cooler weather should not be far away.  Fall is my favorite season, with winter a close second.  In the fall, we are back into normal routines after the chaotic schedules of summer.  It is a perfect time to start fresh especially when it comes to worship.         
            Fall is a great time to re-evaluate what is truly important.  I want to invite you to our mid-week worship and activities at Oak Crest.  There are so many things to do and places to go, but don’t neglect the most important thing.  We have a unique opportunity in the middle of the week to pray, learn, and worship.  Students and children are studying the Word in-depth.  There are activities for everyone.  Would you consider gathering with us on Wednesday nights?  Our Prayer Meeting and Bible Study begins at 7:00pm.  The time we spend together on Wednesday nights is a time of recharging and renewal.  I am so thankful God has granted us the privilege of feasting on his Word in the middle of the week.  Don’t wait for Sunday to worship with other believers at Oak Crest.  Make Wednesday night worship a priority in your life.
            I am also excited to announce the re-launch of our Wednesday Night Meal.  This fall, our student ministry will be hosting the meal at 6:00pm Wednesday evenings beginning on October 18.  I hope you will consider being a part of this effort, not only for the sake of the students’ fundraising, but also for the invaluable fellowship we will share each week.  If you are interested in helping in this effort please contact Sara Craig for more details.
            I don’t know about you, but by the time Wednesday rolls around a lot of pressures and stresses from the week have started to pile up.  This fall will be an opportunity to not have to cook as well as an opportunity to be nourished by physical food and the food of the Word of God.  It is a blessing to come together corporately to God’s Word for a boost of certainty.  We gather every Wednesday.  Would you consider joining us?
 
           
In Christ,
Blain Craig