From the Heart of the Pastor

You are important to the health of Oak Crest.  One of our most important principles is that every member is a minister.  God has called you and equipped you for the work of ministry.  We should all be reminded that none of us are expendable.  Certainly the work of the Kingdom will continue with or without you or me, but the great blessing of being a part of the body of Christ is that God has allowed us to participate in the ongoing work of the gospel.  This work takes a number of forms, but all are important.  From teaching, to serving, to sharing one another’s burdens, all of it is part of God maturing us in Christ.  I don’t want you to ever feel you are not important in this process.  I never want to be guilty of taking you for granted in what God is doing at Oak Crest, and Oak Crest is just a small part of what God is doing all over the world.

My thoughts toward every single person at Oak Crest are the same thoughts Paul had about the believers at Philippi.  He said, “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God,” Philippians 1: 9-11.  Notice Paul’s desire for the people.  He desired that they abound in love, but not just any love, not a shallow emotionalism.  He desired that they be filled with a love for one another grounded in knowledge or truth.  He wanted them to have a discerning love.  He wanted them to love and long for the things of God.  He desired them to have a love grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ.  He wanted them to have a love resulting in purity and blamelessness in Christ.  My prayer like Paul’s is that Oak Crest Baptist Church be a people filled with the righteousness of Christ Jesus.  Why should we pray for one another?  Why should we desire to see one another mature in the faith?  Why should we love in the truth of Christ?  Paul gives the supreme reason.  We do these things to the glory and praise of God!  We love each other to the glory of God.  We pray for each other to the glory of God.  I desire my growth and your growth to the glory of God.  May we love more and grow more and glorify God more in the days ahead.
         
In Christ,
Blain Craig