Our Blog

Student Ministry - March

Dear Church Family,
There are some really exciting things going on in the life of our Student Ministry, and I want to make sure you know about them! Here are a few reasons you need to know: First, if you are a parent or grandparent to a student (6^th-12^th grade), then these are the things that will help he or she have a deeper commitment to and a more faithful and fruitful walk with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Second, these are ways to get your students’ friends involved and plugged in so they can hear the gospel and be influenced by a Christ centered community. Thirdly, whether you have a student or not, adult volunteers are necessary… not just because we need help setting up and tearing down (which is so helpful!), but also because students need meaningful relationships with adults who are investing in them. Statistics (and wisdom) tell us that those relationships are what keep students engaged in church after high school…      volunteering isn’t just about doing things, it’s about presence and relationships. And finally, we need you to pray for the students, their families, and this ministry. Without us calling on the name of the Lord, we are just spinning our wheels. So, as you read about what is happening in the Student Ministry, please pray that God would be present and active so that lives will change and He will be glorified!

Coming April 3-5 is our Student Retreat. The theme is “Restless.” We are going to spend a weekend at Crossings, Cedarmore learning about God’s desire for us to rest in Jesus. The world will run us ragged if we are not disciplined about rest. In Christ, we have an everlasting rest for our souls that begins now! My hope and prayer is that through this retreat students will be set free from the burden of pressure, anxiety, and depression as we intentionally relax in Christ. Information and registration are online at oakhillbc.org/events or in the Lobby. Registration and payment are due by March 22. Please don’t let a student miss out on this.

We’ve begun a new study during our Sunday night Student Gatherings (5pm-7pm) that has the potential to drastically strengthen someone’s faith and answer genuine questions about Christianity. The study is called, “What’s So Great About the Bible?” Many students don’t know the answer to that question. And because they don’t know why the Bible is so  amazing, they have a harder time taking it seriously. We want to bolster our understand of God’s Word so that we will want to hear it more and more. Also, we spend 45 minutes playing in the gym after our study, so it’s just a great time overall!

Finally, our Wednesday night Life Groups (6pm-7:30pm) are starting a new study this month called “The Prodigal Son.” Obviously, it will be about the parable that Jesus told, and it will focus on how a fulfilling life is found only in the arms of the Father. We don’t need to look to popularity, good grades, skill in sports, relationships, or appearance to find fulfillment. And when we try to find it in those things, they leave us depressed, upset, and feeling worthless. But because of Christ’s saving work on the cross, God’s arms are open to embrace us no matter how far away we have roamed. That is a message students need now more than ever.

Please pray for us as we seek to point our students to Christ in these ways and more. I am praying for you as you do the same in your homes.

Sincerely,
Brian Van Doren

Student Ministry - February

Dear Church Family,

What’s so great about the Bible? That is a question that many people are asking today.  Unfortunately our culture no longer has the same reverence for the Holy Book that it once did. There are many reasons for this, the primary ones being the popularity of skepticism and belief in subjective realities. In one sense these things can be very bad and lead people into hopelessness guided solely by their sinful hearts. But in a positive light, they can be tools to get people to think about why they believe what they believe and then point them to the hope that is found in the one objective truth that is God’s Word.

People are skeptical about things that they are told to be skeptical of. In our world, which is dominated by a naturalistic worldview, people are told that the supernatural doesn’t exist, so believing a book that claims to be supernatural is foolish. Therefore you must critique it with a naturalistic worldview and try to explain away any spiritual or supernatural aspects within it. That is how people approach the Bible today. Christians obviously know better than that. We are open minded to the reality of the supernatural. When we see it and understand it properly, we accept it, rather than try to explain it away because we don’t want to believe. That is what a true scientific mind would do… pursue truth, no matter where it leads… even if it leads to  belief in a Triune, all-powerful Creator.

I believe that the Bible leads us to the truth. But why make such a big fuss about the Bible and not some other book? What’s so special about this book? Well, one of the biggest reasons is that the Bible actually answers our questions. Instead of ignoring us or giving us unsatisfactory answers, the Bible tells us the hard truth. Question: Where did we come from? Answer: God made us in His image to glorify and enjoy Him forever. Question: What’s wrong with the world? Answer: We rebelliously sinned and fell short of His glory and deserve His righteous wrath. Question: How do we fix this? Answer: We can’t fix this, but God can, and He did when Jesus the Son came and died for our sins taking on Himself the wrath we deserve. Question: Where do we go from here? Answer: After we turn from our sin and turn to Christ, we are forgiven of our sins and given the Holy Spirit, and our desire is now to live for Jesus and proclaim the good news to all. We eagerly await His return and renewal of all of creation.

No other worldview, religion, or book makes sense of our world like the Bible does. And, historically speaking, no other book is as reliable as the Bible is. No other book has stood the test of time like the Bible has. No other book explains good and evil like the Bible does. And no other book reveals our Creator to us like the Bible does. That is why this spring the Student Ministry will be asking the question, “What’s So Great About the Bible?” And we’re going to answer that question by digging in and seeing for ourselves how truly amazing this book and its Author really are.

Please be praying that through this study, students’ questions would be answered, their faith grown, and that some would come to saving faith.

Sincerely,
Brian Van Doren