Oak Crest Baptist Church
Follow Us:
  • Home
    • Service Schedule
    • Our Location
  • About Us
    • A Brief History
    • Our Beliefs - A Short Statement
    • Our Beliefs - Full Confession of Faith
    • Our Constitution
    • Ministry Staff
    • Elders
  • Family Worship Guides
    • Weeks 1-13 >
      • Week 1
      • Week 2
      • Week 3
      • Week 4
      • Week 5
      • Week 6
      • Week 7
      • Week 8
      • Week 9
      • Week 10
      • Week 11
      • Week 12
      • Week 13
    • Weeks 14-26 >
      • Week 14
      • Week 15
      • Week 16
      • Week 17
      • Week 18
      • Week 19
      • Week 20
      • Week 21
      • Week 22
      • Week 23
      • Week 24
      • Week 25
      • Week 26
    • Weeks 27-39 >
      • Week 27
      • Week 28
      • Week 29
      • Week 30
      • Week 31
      • Week 32
      • Week 33
      • Week 34
      • Week 35
      • Week 36
      • Week 37
      • Week 38
      • Week 39
    • Weeks 40-52 >
      • Week 40
      • Week 41
      • Week 42
      • Week 43
      • Week 44
      • Week 45
      • Week 46
      • Week 47
      • Week 48
      • Week 49
      • Week 50
      • Week 51
      • Week 52
  • Ministries
    • Sunday School Classes
    • Senior Adult Ministry
    • Women's Ministry
    • Men's Ministry
    • Stitchin' for Angels
    • Community Involvement
    • Events
  • Youth Ministry
    • Information
    • Ministries
    • Parents
    • Calendar
    • Links
  • Children's Ministry
    • VBS
  • News & Events
    • Calendar of Events
  • Links
  • Contact Us

From the Heart of the Pastor

8/5/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
 It is so easy to take things for granted.  Maybe it is just me, but I have been so blessed in my life that I often assume I will always have everything I have.  I often take for granted by beautiful wife.  She is everything God created a wife to be, yet it is far too rare that I really stop and consider her love and devotion to me.  The same could be said about my children.  They are wonderful gifts from the Lord, but how often do I really appreciate how terrific they are?  I take my own health for granted.  We rarely think about breathing, until we can’t.  In fact, I have found that it is the very things that I treasure most and depend upon most that I take for granted most.  I pray God will further convict me of this, constantly bringing these things to mind so that I might praise him for them.

          Do we ever take things for granted in the church?  You could probably think of a dozen blessings from God that you have just assumed have always been there and always will be there.  I want to mention one in particular:  The Cooperative Program of Southern Baptists.  I think we take the Cooperative Program for granted.  If you are asking yourself, what is the Cooperative Program, that is clear evidence that we have not given it due attention.  The Cooperative Program is the means by which Southern Baptists all over the world are able to do kingdom work on a massive scale.  Each month we give 10% of our received money to Southern Baptist causes in Texas and throughout the world through the Cooperative Program.  In addition, at various times in the year we supplement this regular giving with special offerings.  At Easter, we give generously to North American missions through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  In September, we participate in our Reach Texas campaign.  This offering supplements our cooperative program giving right here in Texas, for missions mobilization, disaster relief, and church planting.  Finally, at Christmas we give to international missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

          Why do I say we take this for granted?  The Cooperative Program is the greatest mechanism in the history of the church for the funding of missions and other kingdom work.  I truly believe that with all my heart.  That which we take for granted, we are in danger of losing.  Let’s recommit anew to embrace this gift of cooperation God has entrusted to us.  In the process, we will be taking the gospel to the uttermost ends of the earth, even though most of us will never actually go to those places.

In Christ, 

Blain Craig


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Dr. Blain Craig
    Pastor

    Picture

    Archives

    December 2022
    May 2020
    March 2020
    July 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Oak Crest Baptist Church, 1701 S. 5th St, Midlothian, TX, 76065