Oaks of Righteousness

Oak of Righteousness

"So they will be called oaks of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

Isaiah 61:3 (NASB)

The Ocheltree Shepherding Group has adopted a symbol: the Oak of Righteousness.

Oak of Righteousness. What makes an oak tree righteous? Many characteristics, I'm sure. But we will limit our discussion to four.

1. Oaks are highly adaptable. They can survive in many types of soil. They can live through times of plenty and times of drought. When water is scarce due to drought, oak trees find underground water sources through their extensive system of taproots.

Psalm 1:1-3 compares the righteous to a tree:

"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season 

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers."

Righteous people drink deeply from the "Living Water" of God's Word and intimate fellowship with God. (John 4:13,14) When difficulties arise, whether they involve natural disaster, man-made disaster, interpersonal conflict or personal struggles, righteous people are able to keep going with the deep resources of God's Word and God's presence.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Mark 13:31 (NIV)

2. Oaks reproduce themselves. Those tiny acorns that fall from the mighty oak tree can be carried by wildlife, water or wind to new areas, where more oak trees will spring up. Jesus calls on His followers to "go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (Mark 16:15 NIV)

Before that seed can reproduce a mighty oak tree, it must fall into the ground and die. In the same way, we must die to our own selfish desires and personal agendas, if we are truly to carry God's good news into the world:

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24 (NIV)

3. Oaks give shelter and protection to many:

"The righteous care about justice for the poor,

but the wicked have no such concern." Proverbs 29:7 (NIV)

"When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,

but the righteous stand firm forever."

Proverbs 10:25 (NIV)

"The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous,

but it is the ruin of those who do evil."

Proverbs 10:29 (NIV)

"The righteous will never be uprooted,

but the wicked will not remain in the land."

Proverbs 10:30 (NIV)

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe."

Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)

4. Oak trees have longevity and stability. They remain, year after year, giving shade and character to a hillside. They protect the soil from erosion by standing firm. Storms, drought and intense heat do not destroy the mighty tree. It continues to do its job.

Faith in God enables us to stand firm, year after year, continuing to do the job God gives us, regardless of circumstances. We may see part of God's plan fulfilled during our lifetime, but we may have to accept, by faith, that God's plan will prevail, while we "stand our ground" in faith, just as the saints in the Bible did!

"He who stands firm to the end will be saved." Mark 13:13 (NIV)

"The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations."
Psalm 34:10,11 (NIV)

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. people who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:1,2,13-16 (NIV)

--Posted by Mama O

  

A Church That Makes A Difference

Aaron Scott and Jason Locke discuss "a church that makes a difference"

Ashley Henderson and Andrew Ocheltree were two of the church family members, scattered throughout the darkened auditorium, holding candles to light the way for everyone

Just one candle gives light to a whole room

With more and more Christians leaving the church, yet not leaving God, what are they saying about the church?
1. "God is missing from the church."
2. "Christians have missed the point."
Jason Locke and Aaron Scott discussed the changing role of the church in society this morning, Aaron's last official Sunday on staff at College Church of Christ. Jason shared these common thoughts from disenchanted Christians and asked Aaron what he thought.
"We've lost the ability to see God at work in the everyday things of life," Aaron said. We tend to equate God's working in our lives with "getting our own way" (i.e. a short line at Starbuck's on a busy day). We must learn to discern bewteen God's working within a body of Christians and the fulfillment of self-centered desires.
Jason and Aaron agreed "it's been a tough year" for our church family at College Church of Christ. We have said "good-bye" to two full-time ministers, we have said "farewell" to a number of long-time members because of death, several families and individuals have left our church family to worship elsewhere.
In the midst of the difficulty, though, Jason said he has seen people "fight and struggle to understand one another, to ask questions. I believe God is most at work when we struggle," Jason observed. "God is glorified in the midst of our struggles to understand one another."
In the midst of all these losses: "Is our church a dying church?" Jason asked Aaron.
Aaron pointed out that well over 20% of our church is in the Children's Ministry, and there is a committed core in high school and college ministries. "That is significant," he pointed out.
Jason addressed some of the complaints most commonly heard at our church:
1. The elders don't take charge. They move too slowly.
"How would you respond to that, Aaron?" Jason asked.
Aaron said he has been involved in a number of churches during his lifetime and our elders are different than the elders at many other churches he has observed Our elders care far more about shepherding individual people than they do about functioning as an official "Board of Directors". Our elders are more concerned about guiding our diverse congregation to develop a mature faith than they are about spelling out a certain "Code of Conduct" for the congregation. For that reason, our church can appear less organized than a church where the congregation is told what to do and how to do it.
"Our elders have taken a step back and let us own our own faith rather than controlling us," Aaron observed. "It takes faith in God to do that."
2. College Church of Christ accused of being irrelevant. Our property is not maintained in the style of large, contemporary churches, our worship is not seen as being as up-to-date as some more fashionable churches.
"How do you see that in youth ministry, Aaron?" Jason asked.
At College Church, Aaron pointed out, it is much harder to remain anonymous, or get lost in the crowd, the way you can at so many larger, more fashionable churches. At College Church, our young people are allowed and encouraged to get to know adults of all ages, to see Larry Wiseman bopping little kids on the head with bulletins, to listen to Tom Howe give everyone a hard time, to be in a church family where we have women with nicknames like "Mama O" and where you get a hug every Sunday from Pat McKinzie (and if you pass her by, she will hunt you down and hug you!)
Aaron observed that young people at College Church learn from the adults, who share their lives and their stories. We are broken people who are growing in Christ. We know God loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way! So we help each other grow.
Jason and Aaron drew from the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk, who gives God's answer to the complaints of His people.
God assures His weary people that the answers to their questions and complaints will come, if they will wait:
"For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come and will not delay."
Habakkuk 2:3 (NIV)
For those looking for the right thing to do at the right time, God assures His people, He will lead them. The people's job: have faith in God!
"The righteous will live by his faith"
Habakkuk 2:4 (NIV)
At this point, the conversation between Jason and Aaron concluded with a darkened auditorium in which several lighted candles were passed from one church family member to another, scattered throughout the dark room. Each candle gave off enough glow for those around it to see by its illumination.
And so, with our walk of faith as a church family, we must continue to walk by faith in God's love for this diverse group of people. We can help light the way for one another and for others who are seeking a safe place to be loved and restored to God's purpose for their lives!

--Posted by Mama O.

A-Dorla-ble!

I was paying bills on Saturday, the usual post-Christmas batch: mortgage, Macy's, Kohl's, Union 76...
but the most important debt I paid was a spaghetti dinner that my son, Andrew, and I made to take over to Bob Cross and his extended family.

The Apostle Paul admonishes us, in Romans 13:8 to "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." (New International Version)

It was our privilege to take dinner to the Cross family on the day of Dorla Cross's passing from this life into eternal life. Family was gathering at Bob and Dorla's house late in the day to prepare for her funeral and burial. Steve and I pulled our wagon full of spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and lemon cake over to their house (we live close-by) and were greeted by family members who thought we were members of another religion, coming to their house to convert them with our wagon full of literature!

After we all had a good laugh at our mistaken identity, we sat with the grieving family, remembering the wonderful life that Dorla lived.

Bob and Dorla opened their home to so many college students in their days of hosting church events that, daughter Cindy estimated, there were more than 100 house keys floating around in student's pockets, purses and backpacks.

"If anyone had broken into my parents' house and the police had asked who had access to the house, the list would have included more than 100 people!" she laughed.

That's how Bob and Dorla lived life. They lived to serve others, to be generous and to give many, many others an example to follow.

Although we did not have the privilege of knowing Bob and Dorla in their "Big Hospitality" days, we have received countless hugs, back pats and words of encouragement from them in the 10 years we have been part of the College Church of Christ family.  We owe them a debt of love that we can only attempt to repay by continuing to build on the foundation they helped to lay, a foundation for a church that is hospitable, loving, accepting, forgiving, generous and encouraging. May we keep working, in the spirit of Dorla Cross, to pay the debt of love we owe!

--Posted by Mama O.

"Say Goodnight Gracie"

The old line from George Burns' comedy show--"Say goodnight Gracie!" It comes in handy when we have to say "Goodnight" for now to someone as wonderful as Gracie Sanchez. We can do it with the sense of humor she so readily displayed and with the light-hearted fun she brought to life.

I looked up the Webster's Dictionary definition of "grace". There are a number of definitions, of course, because the word encompasses a lot of meaning. But here is just a bit:

"the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful--Synonyms see mercy"

That certainly defines the Gracie I knew and loved these last seven years that she attended College Church of Christ and became "mi hermana en Jesus Christo"--my sister in Jesus Christ!

I first got acquainted with Gracie on a missions trip to Mexico. She was our translator as we taught Children's Bible School and worked at the local church. It is Gracie's smile that I can't get out of my head. It was a smile that understood the situation, overlooked the difficulties, saw the potential for good and brought everyone else along for the exciting ride of faith! Gracie's smile wasn't just happy, although it was that. It was faith-filled and hope-spreading.

I only knew Gracie after her eyesight was severely limited. She was legally blind. But she didn't express her visual impairment as a liability so much as simply a fact, something to be reckoned with like today's weather. She was here, in the moment, ready to work, ready to love, and always ready to teach! Gracie was a very, very intelligent woman. I knew this from listening to her explain things to me, like the Spanish language, God's mysterious ways, heaven, her love for God's people. She had a way of making complex issues seem simple to understand.

I'm a bit of a nerd, myself, I am happiest when I am learning something new. My car radio is most often tuned to sermons on Christian radio or news on National Public Radio. So, to find a friend like Gracie, who was willing to teach me new things, was a tremendous find! I am forever grateful for the time I spent with Gracie and it is with a sense of love, friendship and fun, like two girlfriends at a pajama party, that I say, "Goodnight Gracie, I'll see you in the morning of heaven's glorious sunrise! And we'll keep right on learning things together throughout eternity!"

--Posted by Mama O.