Pastor's Points November 2018
Dear Church Family,
I am setting here after a very long, tiring, amazing Sunday! On this Sunday (October 28) we had two families join the church, one follow in baptism, and four people prayed for the forgiveness of their sins in our worship services! And on top of all of that, one of our life groups prepared an awesome appreciation dinner for our pastors as well as April. Then I got to host my life group in my home for an amazing time of fellowship and discussion of God’s Word this evening. I would say that I have much to be thankful for. God is so good to bless me with a wonderful church family. I am so thankful that God allows me to be the pastor of Oakhill Baptist Church! Also, I want to take this time to thank all of you who expressed your appreciation to me in the month of October. Your cards, kind words and expressions of appreciation mean the world to me. Thank you for caring for your pastors. We appreciate it tremendously!
We are quickly approaching Thanksgiving and as we do I hope that you will spend some time thinking about all that you have to be thankful for. If we stop and think, we have so much that we should thank God for. On November 18th we are going to have the opportunity to gather as a church family for our annual Thanksgiving Fellowship. I hope that you are planning on attending so we can gather as the church to thank God together for who He is and for what He has done for us!! Do not forget to pick up your free tickets for this event. All you need to do on this evening is come ready to enjoy some amazing smoked turkey (thanks Darrell Ommart) and bring a dessert to share with others! This will be a great night of food, fun, and fellowship!!
In closing I want to say that I know that there are times in life which seem to make it hard to be thankful. I understand that. But I want to encourage you with a quote from Dr. Tony Evans as you consider the need to be thankful even in the middle of a desperately hard time. Dr. Evans shares… “God says to give thanks in everything. That doesn’t mean you need to give thanks FOR everything. You don’t need to give thanks FOR that bad day. Or FOR that bad relationship. Or being passed over at work. Financial hardship. Whatever it is – you are not to give thanks FOR the difficulties, but rather IN the difficulties. That is a very important distinction, and one I think we often miss. Giving thanks IN everything shows a heart of faith that God is bigger than the difficulties and that He can use them, if you approach Him with the right heart and spirit, for your good and His glory.” –Tony Evans
I love you and I love being your pastor,