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Hello Great Family,

“What’s Next?” is the question I posed during Oakwood’s “State of the Church” address last Sunday. The question was not proposed so I could answer it from an institutional standpoint, but rather to prompt you to think about your life and your future. My encouragement is for you to know where you are at on your Spiritual journey (IDENTIFY); then to get specific about taking steps to grow in your faith (SPECIFY); and finally, to make concrete plans to move forward (SOLIDIFY). 

As your pastor, I don’t necessarily know where you are at, spiritually, but I know that I desire you to grow. Being stagnant is not an option! My prayer is that Oakwood will be a great family who is equipping and encouraging people to grow from where they are to where God wants to take them.

Whether you are just “LAUNCHING” in your new faith; whether you are in the trenches of “LIVING” out a years’ long faith; or whether you are ready to take a step toward “LEADING” others in their faith journey, taking the “Next Step” is the obvious answer to the question, “What’s Next?”

The following is from a devotional by "Our Daily Bread Ministries". I hope it encourages you to take your next step.

Stay in Scripture
God’s primary way of speaking to us is through Scripture. The Bible is filled with practical instruction that will help us make wise decisions. The more time we spend with Jesus by reading the Bible and praying, the more our hearts, thoughts, and desires become aligned with His heart. As the saying goes, we tend to become like the people we spend the most time with so let’s make sure to spend lots of quality time with Jesus. That’s where transformation happens.

Once I began reading the Bible as an adult, I got to know Jesus more and more. By God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s leading, I began making better decisions in all areas of my life. As you continue to study the Bible and pray and worship, ask God to stir your heart and to show you how to apply His timeless truth to your life. Many times, God speaks in a still, small voice, so listen up as you read the Bible. As you learn more about God and His ways, you’ll gain the confidence and courage to make God-honoring decisions.

Serve and Get Working
No matter how much you pray and ponder, at some point you’re going to need to take some action. Start working in an area and you’ll gain insight and experience that will help you discern if this is a place you can serve God well. Whether you’re interested in working with children, want to help animals, are good with numbers or are crafty or techie, there’s no time like the present to get involved in that field. Start small. Make a call. Take the training. Volunteer in your community. Trust God to help you keep moving. Faithfully serve where God has placed you now. Leave the results in His hands. Serve coffee, be a greeter, or set up chairs at church with gusto. Be a blessing working as an accountant, teacher, or mechanic, etc. Honor God as you raise your kids or launch a ministry.

Surround Yourself with Wise Counselors
Who are the wise counselors in your life? Wise counselors can help you identify your strengths and spiritual gifts, serve as sounding boards as you process your thoughts, can serve as role models, mentors, or accountability partners, can perhaps offer you opportunities to gain experience and serve, and can encourage you as you make decisions. A wise counselor’s words should line up with the Bible. In many cases, their words will serve to confirm what God has already been whispering to your heart. Making God-honoring decisions is a lifelong process. Do what you can do now. Embrace the process. Remain humble before the Lord and willing to act, even if it sometimes means stepping out of your comfort zone. When the journey gets tough, don’t quit. Remain faithful to honoring God with your life. As you stay in the Word, serve, and seek wise counsel, trust that God is with you and will lead you: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6). 

We start back into our series in the book of Acts this Sunday. I will give a recap to get us all back on the same page before I teach our current passage (Acts 9:32-43).


Hope to see you this Sunday at Oakwood!


God Bless,
P.D. (Psalm 139)