Make Psalm 91 A Personal Prayer God, I take shelter in you. You are the Most High, and I will rest in your shadow. I will live and reside and dwell in your presence, because you are the almighty. Lord, you are MY refuge, MY place of safety, and MY God. I trust you. I …
The other day I was telling someone I was looking forward to seeing them, as I typed I hesitated… I paused with “looking forward” typed into my text thread. I asked myself the question, am I really? What does it even mean to look forward? Is this just something I say, or do I REALLY …
This past Sunday I spoke about Authentic Emotions. We explored the story of David, how he went from living in the Kings palace to hiding in a cave afraid for his life. We may not be experiencing the same circumstances as David, but with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner I can imagine many …
Confessions!! I am theologically moderate I am politically conservative I am methodologically liberal Confused yet? Me too! Here’s my train of thought: I am theologically moderate Theologically, I am not a fan of any extremes. On moral issues, scripture is not always “black and white.” A lot of times scripture is gray. Where scripture is …
Everyone knows about the grand opening of Oasis, January 19, 2014. It was our very first Sunday morning service. Hundreds of people showed up, 28 people met Jesus, & it was a big, exciting day. But here’s the part people don’t know… Technically, we started Oasis 9 months earlier with a small crew of 40-something …
To my love …the one who laughs with me. …the one who eats beef with me. …the one who sacrifices, serves, and loves me. …the one who gave me the greatest gift I’ve ever received, children. …the one who forgave me even after I accidentally farted on her my sleep the other night. …to the …
Seems like people are looking for something a little extra, a Pastor+, a rockstar. Err’body wants to be that “cool” pastor. The one with a slick insta, clever quotes and 🔥 sermon clips. I used to try so hard to be that guy, but I’m over it. I don’t want to be an entertaining, self promoting, …
Isn’t it beautiful outside? Over the years I’ve come to learn that rain or shine, it’s beautiful outside. Thunder & Lightning? Beautiful. Clear Carolina Blue Skies? Beautiful! Dark, gray, storm clouds creeping overhead? Beautiful! Why? Because all weather is the handywork of our creator. “He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth, makes …
244 days… …that’s how long it’s been since I’ve seen some of you, that’s how long it’s been since we’ve had a ‘normal’ church service, and that is how long it’s been since I went to Harris Teeter without a mask on. Truth is, we’ve ALL been impacted this year. You’re wearing a mask to …
Heard this phrase the other day, “Slogans are broken.” They were originally made with good intentions, and they were supposed to elevate positive thoughts and bring people together under one banner… …but they have been hijacked. Slogans have been broken, abused, and taken advantage of. Designed to be vision statements, they are now being used as …
#1 – You are not condemned! “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1 NET) #2 – Jesus makes all things NEW! “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 …
Politics… Did you know, the words politic, polity, and polite are all cousins from the same bloodline? All three of these words refer to what is civil, or… what is right. Specifically, “politics” means “the methods or science of government”. In the church, we have what we call “Church Polity” which is usually a boring conversation about the right way to …
Imagine an ancient public toilet…over 2,000 years ago. It’s basically a permanent, outdoor port-a-potty. There was a bucket that you’d sit on, maybe a wall on each side, and a hollow or open area beneath the floor of the bucket where all the human excrement landed. The higher class person would pay to sit on …
Hey Oasis! The election is just a couple of weeks away. So far it has been a multi billion dollar event…over $11 billion dollars, actually. The news coverage is frantic, the gossip is all consuming, the speculation is unending. Some people are using their Facebook accounts to lobby for the affirmation of their specific candidate …
“It’s hard to find an authentic pastor.” I’ll never forget saying this after finally meeting my celebrity man crush. When I was fresh out of college I attended the church of this mega pastor who I had a mega obsession with. I had these preconceived ideas of how cool he was and how incredible it …
I have never been “exceptional” at anything. Not academics, sports, church, performing arts, music, writing, clowning, or whatever… I’ve learned that talent might get you noticed, but TENACITY gets you wins. Dive on the ball, practice, show up, take risks, put yourself out there. Sometimes you don’t have to be the best, you just have …
#1- You are replaceable. There are other people who can do your job as good as or better than you. Don’t think too highly of yourself. #2- They say it’s lonely at the top. Don’t be the “top,” stay humble and lowly, there’s more community there. Humble yourself. #3- You cannot fix everything. Only Jesus …
I’m ready for this presidential election to be over, ASAP! (can I get an amen?) I think I already know who I am going to vote for (still considering Mickey Mouse) and I’m sure you have already made your decision as well. But, sadly, we are gonna have to sit here ’til Christmas and watch …
Hey Oasis! Wow, the summer has flown by, and here we are starting a new school year! I have been praying regularly for all of our teachers as you navigate the changes in your world. I hope you know you are loved and supported by Oasis! I’ve also been praying for those of you with kids …
Heres a little history lesson. If we followed the branches of Christianity all the way back to its earliest roots, we’d end at a guy name Abraham. Old Abe didn’t set out with the intention of starting an entire religion, he was just a dude in a t-shirt who was chosen and blessed by God. …