oasisCHURCH

The Dodson's Need A Hand

Hey everybody...Chad here,

Jamitha and I owe so much to the Oasis family for so many reasons.  One of those things is the progress on our home.  Over the last few years Oasis has been there for us in huge ways.  For example, the drywall in two of our most used rooms wouldn't be even remotely done if it hadn't been for the body of Oasis coming to help us out.  Well...we're humbly here asking for a few more helping hands to finish the SIDING on our house.  If we have enough hands on deck we could probably finish most, if not all, of that project in a single day.  Jamitha and I will gladly provide lunch and drinks for anyone who is able to offer their valuable time.  So let me give you the exact details:

When:  Saturday, November 7th @ 9 a.m. to whenever you need to leave
Where:  308 Page Street, Middleport...Right across the street from Overbrook and directly next to a cemetary.
What:  As I said, we'll be putting up siding but we'll also be removing the last of the old siding from the house...which is a job anyone can do....YAY DESTRUCTION!!!!  I'll also be calling out for a few folks that have some carpentry skills.  There's at least a few things that I'm not experienced enough to know how to do on my own. 

There will be several jobs on site that we will need assistance with that require no special carpentry skills or anything of the sort.  Some of the siding and the soffit got very dirty in the process of renovation so I will need a few hands that would be willing to just clean off siding and soffit.  I know we've got some great cleaners out there...if you're available I could really use a few of ya. 

If I could rustle up at least 5 to 7 bodies that should be more than enough help.  If you have any questions just catch me at our Sunday gathering...some of you are chuckling as I say that I can feel it....just tackle me...sometimes that's the only way to get my attention.  Thank you in advance if you're able to help...even if it's only for an hour or two...it means more to Jamitha and I than we can properly express. 

With my deepest gratitude,

Chad    

He Reigns...A Thought From the Aftermath

It's been 5 days...He Reigns has rung out in my head every day...we asked for God to bring us a harvest of people and that's precisely what God did.  There were so many great moments throughout the day but to be very honest I find that most of them are overshadowed in my memory by the amount of glory that God was bringing to Himself all day long.  I think my wife summed it up best when she said this:

"It's different worshiping God outside than it is inside."  "What do you mean," asks her loving hubby.  To which she replies, "When you worship God outside you can't help but look at His creation and be completely humbled by it.  To sing something like 'Indescribable' and look up to the stars that God has placed in the sky...it's different than looking up at a man made ceiling." 

There is something utterly amazing about worshiping God in the open air with His creation clearly visible all around you.  God reveals his majesty so much in such a setting.  I believe there are many lessons that we can draw from this weekend.

1.  God has a greater work to yet do in this community. 
2.  God desires for the people of Meigs County to hear more about his great sovereignty.
3.  God desires His renown to be spread amongst the people of Meigs county. 
4.  God desires the church family of Oasis to continue a work for His kingdom in Meigs County. 

I could keep going and going.  My prayer is that God will continue to grow His vision for He Reigns inside our hearts and that we would not be fearful of the big or bold plan that God may lay at our feet.  In fact, we should desire that very thing.  We should desire God to send us, not a task, but a great work for His kingdom...whether that be for He Reigns or for something else.  Therefore, we must continue to grow in our sense of expectancy.  We must continue to grow in our sense of vigilance and diligence.  We must continue to deepen our understanding and our response of savoring God in worship through the various postures that the Bible describes.  We must learn to build, in a biblical way, a desire to cultivate hearts that stand in awe of the glory of God.  This is true for all of us. 

Church...this weekend was but one small step in the direction of taking the gospel to the streets of our community...and it's not the only step we've taken this year.  Bible school was amazing this year...what a great work God accomplished during those days of Bible school.  But still, there are even greater things yet to come.  I believe with the fullness of myself that God is not even remotely done here in Meigs county.  I hope that you feel the same way and that your heart has been stirred to service by the things that God has been guiding Oasis through this year. Our great God is moving within this place...are you ready to humble yourself in the presence of God and ask, "God...how can I bring great glory to Your name and kingdom?  Tell me what I must do and prepare me for the sacrifice that I must make knowing full well that you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever and ever and ever..." 

Thanks to all of you who put in so much hard work for He Reigns.  I know that God stirred your heart to that service and so let us in turn give praise to Him for all that he accomplishes by His unstoppable will.  I challenge each of us to prepare our hearts for Sunday.  Make yourself ready through prayer and confession.  Worship God in your daily routines...savor Him in that worship.  Come prepared to meet with the everlasting God in the way of truth as you come to meet with the church to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. 

He Reigns: Final Thought

In approximately 24 hours vendors will begin rolling into the Pomeroy parking lot.  Right now Smiles and Chris are stirring from nights of sleep preparing to head down to Pomeroy to hang a 10 ft. He Reigns banner filled with color graphics that someone was kind enough to donate to us.  Everyone is knuckling down and making their last few preparations.  The weather report has slowly looked more and more promising.  Things appear to be coming together quite well.  What does all this mean?  I believe it means one thing:

HE REIGNS

When we say that God is a sovereign God we are saying more than "God is powerful".  We are saying "God is absolute", "God is unmatched", "God is unparalleled", "God is the supreme counselor", "God is limitless", "God is before", "God is after", "God defines perfection", "God defines righteousness", "God defies sin", "God cannot be subjugated", "God conquers", "God's rule is in every generation", "God is unrivaled", "God is the only thing of value in all of creation".  I see the way events have unfolded this week and I don't credit anyone but God.  Those who have done God's work this week have done so because of the energy that the holy Spirit worked within them.  Those who have waited in expectancy have done so because of their awe for God.  Those who have been vigilant have been so because of their great love for God's majesty.  Those who have been still have been so because of the reverence that God inspires in the hearts of true believers.  Those whose hearts have been amazed by God this week have been so because of the recognition that they stand as sinners in the grip of God's grace.  Those whose minds have been gripped by God this week have been so because of the truth they recognize in God.  Those who have been steadfast in faith this week have been so because their faith rests in the power of God.  

Do you see how all the events of this week have been the way that they have been because of God's sovereignty?  There's really only one thing left to do.

REJOICE THAT HE LIVES!!
REJOICE THAT HE REIGNS!!

Hear and see the glory of the cross.  Can you hear that it sounds a call outward to every generation?  It thunders with a great and glorious voice that Christ is risen, the tomb stands empty, HE REIGNS!!  To the unreached our desperate plea to them this weekend will be, "Embrace the saving son who is Christ Jesus!"  

When John the Baptizer stood at the edge of the Jordan river he brought with him a great and powerful message.  His entire goal, his entire aim, his entire ministry was to preach about the one who was coming...the Messiah...the Christ...God with us...And now Christ has come and we know of Him, love him...worship him in Spirit and truth...

Now we come as a church family to the foot of another river on a different continent to continue to tell of the one who died to save sinners...will you be there in that wilderness?  Will you be a voice crying out?  Will you come and offer a sacrifice of praise to God?  Will you come prepared to meet the needs of God's kingdom?  Will you come prepared to step outside your comfort zone?  Will you come prepared to talk with the alcoholic, the meth addict, the stoner?  Will you come prepared to glorify God and serve His kingdom on His terms?  This is who we are.  This is why we were drawn together.  Not to "come to a church event" but to get our hands dirty serving the purpose of God.  Yes Oasis...this is who God made us to be!  

He Reigns: Thought #5

There are a thousand things I feel like I want to say right now but in truth I also feel a stronger compulsion to keep to one very simple thought.  In the whirlwind of activity that this week has brought I find my heart settling on one scripture:

Psalm 46:10-11, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  ¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

My simple exhortation today is this:

Be Still

All too frequently we become so inundated with "life" that we often forget to be inundated by God.  Sometimes the most effective tool for drawing near to the presence of God is to simply be still.  I encourage you to stop today, more than once, and simply be still.  Take time to know, I mean really let it sink in, who God is.  Psalm 46 reminds us that nothing is higher or of more importance than God.  Therefore be still and know He is God.  The Lord is God of this city, this community, that we're trying to reach with the gospel.  Therefore be still and know that He is God.  

When I say be still I don't mean to bow your head and silently pray.  I literally mean be still and do nothing.  Simply listen.  We've been trained to fear silence, particularly in church settings.  But why?  Psalm 46 is a command from God.  If it comes from God there is nothing to fear in doing it.  Sometimes the only way we can hear or know that God is near is when we simply shut up.  Never underestimate the value of silence.  It's a drastically underused thing in the church. 

The clock is quickly winding down.  He Reigns is nearly here.  What is it that should make us eager for the day to arrive?  Is it the hope of a crowd?  No.  Is it the hope of really great music?  No.  Is the hope of good food and good company?  No.  It is the hope that we have in the glory of God that should make us eager for Saturday to arrive.  Even more, it is this same hope that should fill each of our days with the purpose of God...not the purpose of us. 

Have you been expectant for God this week?  Have you spent time savoring God in worship?  Have you been vigilant about walking in the ways of righteousness?  Have you felt a churning deep inside you to cultivate hearts with God's gospel?  Will you take time today, tomorrow and for many days not yet seen to be still and know that God is God?  And finally, will you be present Saturday?  We hope that you will.  We hope that you see the value of what we're trying to accomplish for the sake of God's kingdom.  Make no mistake about it folks, this has nothing to do with Oasis...this has everything to do with choosing to serve God and make God the center of everyone's focus on Saturday.  It is for this reason and this reason alone that God has drawn us together as a church family...that is...to make everything about Him...to give Him all the praise and glory and honor and take the gospel into the streets and let it be know that Christ is Lord.  What better way is there to spend any day?      

There is only one more thing I desire to share with you this week.  But that, my friends, is best kept for another time.  I'll write to you tomorrow.  I love you church.