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A Word From Our Elders
As February unfolds, many in our circles of concern naturally turn their thoughts to Valentine’s Day. It’s a season filled with heart-shaped decorations, expressions of love, and reminders to cherish those closest to us. (Dear Brothers, here’s your early reminder!) Love is in the air, and for many, this month becomes a time of intentional connection with family, friends, and significant others.
— When my memory allows it, I still shudder at the thought of my older sister forcing me to give the girl I liked in 2nd grade that valentine! I wonder if she knew how many emotional scars all this crazy drama would leave on a little boy?! —
But what if we also saw February as an invitation to deepen our love for God through corporate worship? While the world emphasizes romantic love, the true love story comes from above—the love of God for His people and His own glory—and this remains at the heart of our faith and hope. The Psalmist declares,
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds (Psalm 36:5).
This love is nothing like 2nd grade love(!) It’s not embarrassing, nor fleeting, nor dependent on circumstance; it is eternal, unwavering, and life-transforming.
This love is not something we generate from within but rather a love that comes down to us. It is an ‘alien to us’—an ‘unlike us’—love, completely self-sacrificial, outward in its perfect source, and giving freely to all unworthy recipients. He forgives completely, casting our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
Just as any relationship thrives on intentionally spending time together, our relationship with the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit flourishes when we gather in His presence for the purpose of bringing Him glory, praise, and adoration that is eternally deserving to Him. Corporate worship must become a weekly routine, but not just a routine! It is every Christian’s duty, but not just a duty! It is, by definition, a supernatural interaction with the most important Divine Essence in the universe. J. Gresham Machen said,
The truly penitent man glories in the supernatural, for he knows that nothing natural would meet his need.
Many times, we approach the gathering with a sense of boredom instead of astonishment because we have totally forgotten the supernatural.
If you think seriously about corporate worship and any of these things ring true about your participation (or lack thereof)—a chore, a show, boredom, entertainment, manipulating emotional responses, manufactured process, mechanical, monotony, mystical, spectator, etc.—you get the idea. The issue is not with God, but with us. We have such stinking thinking! Worship is profoundly meaningful—not because of what we do, but because of what God is doing in and through us by His Spirit in our weekly habits that please Him!
Did you know that regardless of your feelings, something is happening when we worship? It’s happening to us, between us and the other worshippers, and between us and God. Your elders are reading a book called, What Happens When We Worship, by Jonathan Cruse, and I would highly commend it to everyone who has lost the burning desire for corporate worship!
As we move through this month, I invite you to reflect on the depth of God’s love and justice as displayed in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Join the church in genuine corporate worship in spirit and truth where the church meets every Lord’s Day. Let this be a February where we celebrate love—not only in human relationships but in the divine embrace of our Savior.
Love you all – Bro. Tony
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Statement of Faith
What We Teach
From the time of the Apostles to today, Christians have laid out doctrine (beliefs) in brief, definitive statements. As those who know God, we believe it necessary to set forth in a concise fashion the cornerstone truths that our church teaches as guided by Scripture. Our Doctrinal Statement summarizes essential Christian beliefs, shows unity in Christ, and affirms our belief in the Christian truths which have been held by the church throughout the ages and particularly since the Protestant reformation, including believer’s baptism, and congregational polity (government).
The Freeness of Salvation
We teach that the blessings of salvation are freely offered to all by the gospel, that it is the immediate duty of all to accept the gospel with a glad, obedient faith and Godly sorrow, and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth other than his own inherent depravity (sinfulness) by which he refuses to listen and suppresses the truth in unrighteousness thereby rejecting the gospel which makes him wholly responsible for his just condemnation.
Grace in Regeneration
We teach that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again. This results in the mind being spiritually and savingly enlightened to understand the Word of God which is accomplished in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit and the divine truth of the Word of God. This is done in a way that brings about voluntary obedience and faith which is evidenced by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct.
Faith and Repentance
We teach that faith and repentance are required by Scripture and inseparably linked graces that are granted to us as a gift by the regenerating Spirit of God that deeply convince us of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ. We then turn to God with true repentance, confession of sin, and pleas for mercy while whole heartedly receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior.
Adam Fitzgerald
Primary Preaching and Teaching Elder
THE CHURCH
We are a church that believes in Jesus & loves God and His people
Adam joined the elders at Oak Grove Baptist Church in August of 2022. Prior to that, he served as the Associate Pastor at Sardis Baptist Church in Swansea, SC. Before entering full-time ministry, he taught social studies and coached football in both the Bismarck and Sheridan public school districts.
Adam grew up just outside of El Dorado, AR, graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, and eventually went on to complete both a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and a Master of Arts in Religion/Biblical Studies from Liberty University Online.
He and his wife Kelly have three children (AJ, Eddie, and Halle), and they all enjoy spending time doing anything outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, gardening, hiking, or working with the dogs or horses. They are always up for an adventure and see the greatest adventure of all as having their lives spent in service to the savior.