I love watching God do incredible things. I don’t mean that I only love to see him do what I might call BIG things. I mean that I love to see all the seemingly little things he’s doing, as well. Either way, every time God moves, he makes BIG impact.
As Jesus traveled from village to village during his brief ministry, his impact in every place he visited was tremendous. Whether it was the Synagogue ruler’s daughter being raised from the dead, the lame man on the mat who got up and walked away healed and forgiven, the widow’s son who walked away from his own funeral, or the simple but profound pleasure of the guests at the wedding feast drinking the best wine (which unbeknownst to them had been water just a few minutes earlier and which ushered in an age of celebration for salvation had arrived on earth). Many of the things Jesus did were subtle. But even the most public and grand things he did, each and every act made significant impact in the lives of people.
I see God doing similar things at White Oak.
The momentum which is building at our campuses is exciting! Every week guests are stepping foot into our buildings looking to connect with God. I celebrate the simple yet profound way our Hub volunteers seek out our guests, greet them enthusiastically, and go above and beyond to introduce them to our staff. I love seeing the momentum build with the impact of our new Ross Twp. facility. Hundreds of people each weekend are connecting with Jesus because of this space! I am grateful for the people who have made this possible and who continue to serve to be sure the ministry thrives!
I love to watch God do amazing things in our community.
Several weeks ago, both of our campuses participated in a community give back day serving many in our communities with acts of love and care. The impact was huge. The organizers of the Colerain Give Back Day received letters of thanks from community members. One homeowner commented that the group working at her house went beyond what was asked to take care of much needed yard work. One third-grade student who attended the give back day wrote this during a classroom assignment at school the following week.
I am excited to see the name of Jesus continue to make impact in our communities.
Last weekend we kicked off a preaching series called Beat the Odds. This sermons series is all about God’s call to each of us to fuel ministry impact. We’re talking about how we need to approach our finances differently if we are going to see our money do the things which God intends it to do. Odds are, you and I may be on a trajectory to be a statistic of financial pain or ineffectiveness like much of our culture. If we’re going to win with money and impact, we need a new approach! Watch the first message in our series here entitled, God owns it, we manage it.
I pray that you, too, are watching the BIG things that God is up to around White Oak. Not only that, but I also pray that you obediently step in to actively fuel it!
Stepping in with you,
Nathan
Nathan Hinkle
Lead Pastor, White Oak Christian Church