Growth Track
WHEREVER YOU ARE IN YOUR FAITH JOURNEY, THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM TO GROW.
Whether you're new to our church or you've been here a million times, we want you to know that there's always room to grow in your faith.
So this page is a practical guide to what that next step is. The steps below are arranged in what might be a logical order, so you could literally walk through them one by one in order, and with each step, your relationship with Jesus and your faith in God will grow. However, they do not necessarily have to be in this exact order. Many of these steps could be taken in a different order, or even a whole bunch at one time. And further, there’s plenty more steps that aren’t listed here. Some are small and therefore not listed. Some only apply to certain people in certain situations in life. For that reason you should get involved in a Sunday School class and a FED Group (Small groups here at OAG), so that you can identify some of the steps that are in between those listed here. What is important is that you are always growing.
And don’t get overwhelmed by this list. The one thing you HAVE to do before the end of your life is the first step: salvation. The rest are important, and you should definitely be working towards taking your next steps, but there’s no time frame, no deadline, no test. So relax, and just take it one step at a tine.
Quick Note: Please keep in mind that this list is still as of yet incomplete. We will be adding, editing, and expanding it as we go along.
To get started, use the tabs below to expand the section you’d like to see.
Salvation
This is the short version, for those that are still new to the faith and need something bite-sized to chew on.
What is it, and why do I need it?
Salvation, simply put, means to be saved. But to understand Salvation, we must first understand who Jesus is.
Who Is Jesus?
The understanding of Jesus Christ is hugely important. Most importantly because it relates to our decision that we have made to be in relationship with Christ.
But who is He? What sort of man is this?
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:1) I can imagine local people everywhere when Jesus showed up talking, speculating, arguing, ideologizing… Did you hear…, It is said of him that… Did you know…? Especially the religious people of the day, the teachers of the law. Wherever He was, if he opened His mouth or did something, He was the talk of the town.
When Jesus calms the storm in Matthew 8:27 the disciples said “what sort of man is this, which even the winds and the sea obey him?”
Jesus was incomparable. We always try to compare public figures with similar people in history because we like to categorize in order to have a reference point.
Examples: a leader like Winston Churchill; a visionary like John F. Kennedy; a carer like Mother Theresa; a wise man like Ghandi….
When the questions above are personalized, it becomes the most important question you and I will ever be asked or have to answer. Who is Jesus? Or more importantly who is Jesus to YOU?
The Desire
You see, everyone wants a good life. We want to be comfortable. We want to have our basic needs met. We want to laugh, fellowship, and experience joy. We want to love and be loved.
God made us this way. He made us in the beginning to have perfect fellowship with Him. John 10:10 tells us that God intends for us to have a perfect life, a life to the fullest.
The Problem
In a word: sin. Sin is disobedience, purposefully doing something to break God's heart. Sin is imperfection, and God is perfect. And just like light and dark cannot occupy the same space, God cannot be in the same space as sin, because he is holy. And that's the problem. Romans 3:23 tells us that everyone, every single person ever, has sinned, and there is no exception to this. And Romans 6:23 also tells us the consequences of that sin: death. We deserve death because of our sin. And so, we are separated from God, who gives us life to the fullest.
The Answer
Romans 6:23 also gives us the answer to the problem. The gift of God. God gave us the gift of his one and only son, Jesus. John 3:16, the most recognized verse in the Bible, tells us why God gave us such an amazing gift: so that we can live forever and avoid the punishment of sin. And according to Romans 5:8, he did all this before we ever knew who Christ was, while we were still sinners. His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection fulfilled the punishment required because of our sin.
The Response
It's as simple as ABC. Admit, Believe, Confess. Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we admit that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts, we will be saved. We must use both our heart and our mouth. With our heart we believe, and with our mouth, we take a step in that belief. And 1 John 1:9 goes on to tell us what to say with our mouth, which is that we are sinners, and that God will forgive us from our sins. And that's it. Jesus did his part on the Cross when he gave his life for us. Our part is to admit, believe, confess, and we are forgiven. This is what we called being saved, spared from the punishment of death.
The Sinner's Prayer
There is no exact, word-for-word prayer in the Bible to repeat and be saved. But the formula from the Scriptures above give us what we need to say. To be saved, you simply need to say this prayer and believe it:
Dear God,
I’m praying this prayer because I know that I have done wrong. Please forgive me of all the things I have done wrong in the past.
Help me to put you as Lord of my life and keep me focused on the plans you have for me. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and now He is Lord over my life.
Thank you for saving me. Thank you that I am now a Christian.
Amen
It doesn't have to be this prayer word-for-word, but this is the basic formula. If you said this prayer and meant it, you are saved!
Getting saved means coming into a relationship with Jesus. He is alive, and desires a relationship with us. So when we are saved, we say he comes to live in our hearts, meaning that we now have a close relationship with Jesus and are walking in his ways. And the only way to know HIS ways are to read about them in his Word, the Bible. If you don't have one, there are many versions you can find online. One that we recommend is the Youversion Bible, found at Bible.com.
Now What?
Congratulations! We are so excited for you! If you said the above prayer, you have made the best decision of your life, because it's reaches beyond life into the after-life, into eternity! You are now saved and a Christian!
This is a moment to celebrate, and our team at OAG would love to celebrate with you! We would love to connect with you and help you take your next steps and to answer any questions you may have.
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO CONNECT WITH US AND LET US HELP YOU TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP IN YOUR NEW LIFE WITH JESUS.
**Clicking the button has nothing to do with getting saved, and we aren't going to use this information to bother you, only to contact you to answer your questions, and to encourage you along the way.
In-Depth Teaching
When you are ready, the video below is an in-depth teaching and study on the concepts of Salvation and several other theological concepts that are important to know to understand Salvation properly. If you are brand new to the faith, this might be a bit overwhelming.
This is the in-depth version, not necessarily for those that are brand new to faith in Jesus. This is for those who really want to deeply understand the concept of Salvation and the theological concepts around it.
Water Baptism
WHAT IS WATER BAPTISM, AND HOW TO I SIGN-UP?
Baptism is an exciting event for a Christian, and for those who witness it. It is an event to be celebrated!
What is baptism? Baptism is simply when someone is dunked under the water as a signpost or reminder that they have been united with Jesus. It represents a big inward fact using an outward visual aid: that as a Christian, you are in Christ. "In Christ" means more than just that you like Jesus a lot, or are trying your best to follow him – it means that everything which applies to Jesus applies to you. He was killed on the cross – your sin died with him. He rose from the dead – you will too. It's guaranteed, check out Romans 6:4 (NIV):
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Jesus Himself gave us the example of baptism. In Matthew 3:13-17, before he began his public ministry, he was baptized by John the Baptist. And in Acts 8, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian gives us the process of baptizing someone.
If you have recently made the commitment to follow Jesus, the next step is Water Baptism. Or, even if it wasn't recently, but you've never been dunked, then it's time to be baptized. And if you were baptized before, but a lot of things have happened since then and you have made a re-commitment to Jesus, it's OK to be baptized again.
To be a part of our next Water Baptism, or to ask questions about baptism, click the button below.
The Bible
This video was a teaching released online in late 2024 as part of our “Sunday Evening Bible Study” series. It is an excellent study by Pastor Amanda introducing the Bible and why it’s important to read it.
WHAT IS THE BIBLE, AND WHY SHOULD I READ IT?
The Bible is God’s Word, your guide for life. As explained by Biblica.com, the Bible is the account of God’s action in the world, and his purpose with all creation. The writing of the Bible took place over sixteen centuries and is the work of over forty human authors. It is quite an amazing collection of 66 books with very different styles, all containing the message God desired us to have.
This compilation of booklets contains an astonishing variety of literary styles. It provides many stories about the lives of good and bad people, about battles and journeys, about the life of Jesus, and about early church activity. It comes to us in narratives and dialogues, in proverbs and parables, in songs and allegories, in history and prophecy.
The accounts in the Bible were not generally written down as they occurred. Rather they were told over and over again and handed down through the years, before eventually being written down. Yet the same themes may be found throughout the book. Along with the diversity, there is also remarkable unity throughout.
So what is the Bible? Well, in addition to all the above, the Bible is:
A guide for living life to the full. It gives us a road map for the perilous journey of life. Or to put it another way, on our voyage through life’s ocean, the Bible is an anchor.
A storehouse of wonderful stories for children and grownups. Remember Noah and the ark? Joseph’s coat of many colors? Daniel in the lion’s den? Jonah and the fish? The parables of Jesus? These stories emphasize the triumphs and failures of ordinary people.
A refuge in trouble. People in pain, in suffering, in prison, and in mourning tell how turning to the Bible brought strength in their desperate hour.
A treasury of insight as to who we are. We are not meaningless robots, but we are magnificent creatures of a God who loves us and gives us a purpose and a destiny.
A sourcebook for everyday living. We find standards for our conduct, guidelines for knowing right from wrong, and principles to help us in a confused society where so often “anything goes.”
To sum up, the Bible is God’s Word, and you need to read it. If you don’t have a Bible, you need to get one. You can use Bible.com for free, including a whole list of translations and Bible Study tools. If you’d like a physical Bible, you can find a basic Bible (just a Bible with no notes or concordance) for cheap at Walmart, or at Amazon or pretty much any local bookstore. The prices go up once you start adding Bible study tools such as notes and concordances.
The Bible that we recommend is the Fire Bible. The Fire Bible is a Bible that includes lots of notes and study tools that emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit and missions. There are three editions of the Fire Bible: the Fire Bible for Kids (which our Children’s Pastor has available), the Fire Bible Student Edition (which our Youth Pastor has available), and the Fire Bible Global Studies Edition (pretty much the adult version that you can check-out from the church library).
What Bible Translation Do I Use?
There are MANY translations of the Bible. Some better than others, some for different purposes. The translations we recommend here at OAG are the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New International Version (NIV).
How Do I Study The Bible?
Well, there's not really a right or wrong way. However, it's a big, complicated book, with amazing stories, poetry, symbolism, and even predictions about the future! There are many methods of Bible Study. A good Bible Study method that we often teach is called the S.O.A.P. method.
S.O.A.P. Bible Study Method
The SOAP Bible Study Method breaks down the process into easy, daily chunks, which is especially helpful for anyone just getting started with the Bible.
S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. To do this study, you'll need a notebook of some kind to write in, and either a Bible or access to an online Bible, such as Bible.com. In your notebook, write down the date. And you'll use S, O, A, and P as headings (see below).
SCRIPTURE
Start by reading the daily Scripture. The easiest way to do that is to choose an annual reading plan (like this one) at Bible.com. If you use Bible.com, you can sign-up for a free account, and then choose a reading plan. An annual plan is the best one to use with the SOAP Bible Study method.
While reading your daily Scriptures, you'll be looking for one verse. Yes, one single verse. Sometimes that can be challenging, but that's what helps you really pay attention to what you're reading.
This verse can be one that you have a question about or that you don't understand. Or it can be a verse that you've heard before and want to spend some time wrapping your brain around it. Or it can be a verse that jumped out at you while you were reading it (once you start reading the Bible often, you'll know when that happens).
Whatever method you choose to pick a verse, once you have one picked out, write it down in your notebook under "S". Writing it down helps you learn it.
Example:
Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
OBSERVATION
Now that you have a single verse picked out, write down what you see happening in this verse. What do you observe about it? What is it saying? Who is doing the action or speaking? And if you don't know, write that down.
Example:
The early church made God a priority in their daily lives together, through their study of the Scriptures, eating together, acts of compassion, and prayer.
APPLICATION
In this step, you're going to take the verse that you've written down and apply what you have observed to you. How does it apply to you? What is God saying to you through this Scripture. And again, if you don't know, write that down too. And next time you’re at the church, ask someone who has been a Christian for a while, like a Sunday School teacher, a trusted Christian friend, or a Pastor.
Example:
It's not enough to be devoted to God on my own. God has called me to seek him DAILY through relationship with Jesus and with other believers.
PRAYER
In this last step, you're going to pray. Some choose to write down their prayers about the day's specific Scriptures in the journal. Some do not. The biggest reason we recommend writing it down is so you get used to asking God to help you understand the Scriptures. We should always be asking him to help us understand His Word. But then, spend a few minutes afterwards praying about it, thanking God for helping you, and for any other needs you have in your life.
Example:
Father, I want to be devoted to you like the believers in the early church--100%. Help me to serve you alone in my day to day life. Help me open my eyes to your ways through your Word, acts of kindness, worship, and prayer. Most of all, help me to connect with others as we do our faith journey together. Show up in my relationships with others like you did back then. Amen.
Where Do I Go From Here?
If you continue to study the Bible daily, your knowledge and understanding of God's Word will increase dramatically over the next few months and years.
But what if I miss a day? Or several days? It's OK! If you can, go back and catch up. But if that feels overwhelming, don't give up. Just start back on today's reading. Whatever you do, don't give up!
Again, if you have any questions, write them down in your notebook. There are many people in our church who would love to sit down with you over a cup of coffee and talk about it.
Once you have been using the SOAP method for several years and you feel you’re ready for a more advanced Bible Study method, feel free to invite one of our veteran Christians in the church fr a cup of coffee and let them share how they have studied the Bible over the years.
Prayer
HOW DO I TALK TO GOD?
What Is Prayer?
Simply put, prayer is a conversation with God. It’s not simply talking to God, because that’s only half of a conversation! A conversation includes time to listen. God created us to have a relationship with Him, and that includes conversation. He actually enjoys having a conversation with us!
Why Should I Pray?
Just like a fancy sports car without an engine, so is a Christian without prayer. And just as a car’s engine provides the power to get you where you need to be, prayer is the “spiritual engine” to keep you going as a Christian.
Sadly, too many Christians try to function without their spiritual engine. It’s like when you get behind a slowpoke driving 15mph down the road in a sports car, when you know full well that car will do 180!!
How Do You Pray?
There are many ways to pray, but Jesus set us down a great pattern for prayer. Basically, the disciples wanted to learn to pray like Jesus, so He took this opportunity to teach them how to pray effectively. We call it The Lord's Prayer, and it's found in Matthew 6:9-13.
9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
We can take Jesus' pattern for prayer, and make it into an acrostic to help us remember: P.R.A.Y.E.R.
PRAISE
Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9)
The first step in prayer is to praise God. Christianity can be summed up as a relationship of exchanged love between God and us. One way we can express love to others is by praising them. You tell people how important they are to you, or how grateful you are for them, or for just being who they are.
How much more then should we pour out as much praise on God who saved us!? Not only does He deserve it, but praise helps us focus on God and keep our problems in perspective.
REPENT
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12).
This step is usually the most difficult, because we have to look at ourselves. Sin (disobedience to God) blocks us from a relationship with Christ. In order to have a close relationship with Him, we have to look at, acknowledge, and remove the sin in our own lives.
Think back to the last time you had a difficult situation with a close friend. Maybe he or she said something that hurt your feelings. Maybe you were the guilty one. Just like the hurt you felt, God feels that same hurt when we sin against Him.
More than that, though, our God is holy. This means He is perfect. And He’s asked us to be holy as well. So we must get rid of the sin in our lives. And so we must Repent.
Ok...so what does it mean to repent? To repent means that you turn away from your sin and commit to change. This is the only way to get rid of the sin in our lives and close the gap between God and us.
ASK
Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)
This is often the easiest part of prayer for us. We all know how to ask for stuff! Although you don’t always get what you ask for, your parents want to bless you and give you stuff. How much more does God want to bless you! If it’s important to you, it’s important to God!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Don’t be afraid to ask! But remember, He will answer in a way that is according to His will and according to what is best for you. Sometimes the answer is "no". We just have to trust (another word for faith) that God will take care of us, and that His plan is greater than what we see right now.
YIELD
Yield to God’s voice.
Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say (Isaiah 28:23)
It is important to remember that prayer is a two-way street!! When you are praying, take the time to stop talking, and listen to God. It’s easy to fall into the trap of ending your time with Him as soon as you are finished speaking. God wants to speak to you. He may do it through His Word or by speaking to your heart. The hard part is learning to be quiet and still before Him as you learn to listen for His voice.
ENGAGE
Engage in Spiritual Warfare.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world (2 Corinthians 10:4)
Engaging in Spiritual Warfare can sound a bit scary. Anyone ever heard this term before? The devil is very real and he definitely wants to see God’s children defeated. But God has given us the tools to fight the enemy! Ephesians 6:13-18 tells us about the Armor of God.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
These are our tools in fighting the enemy. As we engage in spiritual warfare, it’s important to remember to keep the focus on God and not the enemy. Satan does not deserve to be the focus of our prayers.
RECEIVE
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22)
This is an amazing promise. As we believe and have faith when we pray and we pray according to God’s will, our prayers will be answered.
It is important to learn how to receive from God and be confident that our prayers are heard and will be answered. Maybe you are stressed over an upcoming test and have been praying about it. As your prayer time comes to an end, verbalize your acceptance of God’s peace. You might literally need to say something like “Father, I know you understand my struggles, and I receive Your peace and strength.”
And remember, our prayers aren’t always answered right away, or in the way that we think they should be.
Tips for Prayer Time
Write out a prayer list--keep a prayer notebook. (You can use the same one that you use for SOAP.
A prayer list can help keep you focused.
It allows you to see more changes in your life as you cover different areas in prayer.
Write down prayer needs, answers to prayer, prayers for others, questions you have, and things God tells you during your prayers.
Pray out Loud.
Praying out loud helps many people stay focused on their prayers.
Walk
Some people find it easier to keep focus if they are moving.
It’s perfectly okay to move around while you pray.
Choose a specific time and place to pray.
A great way to help you develop the discipline of prayer is to establish a routine.
Same time, same place.
You schedule the time you hang out with friends, why not schedule the time you hang out with God?
Start small
You don’t have to begin by praying lengthy, hour-long prayers!
Commit to five to ten minutes each day to start with.
The more you pray, the easier it is to pray, and the more you will want to pray.
Some excellent teaching about Prayer from Pastor Jeff, our worship Pastor.
The Power of Prayer, Part 1
The Power of Prayer, Part 2
FED Groups
A PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO GET CONNECTED!
We call our small groups at OAG "FED Groups". Through FED Groups (Fellowship, Evangelism, & Discipleship), we can grow in the Word and grow in our relationship with Christ and others so we can connect and make an impact for Jesus Christ!
There are lots of small groups at OAG, and they serve different purposes. Some of them are just groups that play golf together. Some do deep studies of God’s Word. And some are outreach groups to reach people for Jesus.
We believe that every Christian should be in a small group. There’s no better place to grow and connect with others and with God.
Online FED Groups
What if I don’t live locally, or am unable to attend in-person classes. Well, if there’s one thing the Quarantine of 2020 taught us, is that technology can enable us to meet remotely, and to still spend some quality time with other Christians. So we are now in the process of researching, and figuring out how to facilitate online small group, so that you can attend from wherever you are in the world. Stay tuned!
Discover OAG
Learn more about OAG, The Assemblies of god, and what we believe.
WHAT ARE THE CORE BELIEFS OF OXFORD ASSEMBLY OF GOD?
Discover OAG is a class taught by Lead Pastor Derrel Strickland himself, and is all about learning more about OAG, the Assemblies of God, our beliefs, or membership in our church. This 4-5 week class covers our local church’s beliefs and government, our affiliation with the Assemblies of God, and a special course on discovering your own gifts and talents as well.
Please note, membership is NOT required before or after taking this class. However, if you’d like to become a member, this is where you start.
Discover oag is held during the sunday school hour, 9am-10am.
RightNow Media
The Netflix of Video Bible Studies
OAG offers our members and attendees (that's you!) free access to RightNow Media, an online church video library. Essentially, it’s a Netflix for Bible studies with videos for kids, students, singles, parents and married couples by teachers and preachers who know how to make it exciting and understandable. All the content can be accessed from a phone, tablet, computer or television. Click on one of the links below to get free access to over 20,000 Video Bible Lessons that will help you grow in your faith and knowledge of God’s Word. Set up your free account today!
If you haven't setup a FREE account yet, click the "Sign-Up for FREE" button. If you've already setup an account, just click the "Login to RightNow" button to login to the library and get studying.
Social Media
CONNECT WITH OAG AND OUR PASTORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
How do I connect with OAG and the Pastors on a more personal level?
Ok, so Social Media is not really a next step. But it does serve the purpose of connection. Part of being a Christian is fellowship. That's a fancy churchy word for building relationships with others. Social Media, for good or bad, does help us make connections.
We do our best to use Social Media to build positive relationships, as well as to communicate. So we want to connect with you.
First, our official Oxford Assembly of God Social Media:
OAG Facebook Page: Give us a “Like”!
OAG Facebook Group: A semi-private place to ask questions, get information, and interact with people from our church family.
OAG Instagram: Just click the follow button
Amplify Student Ministries Instagram: Again, click the follow button
And now, our Pastors on Social Media:
Pastor Derrel Strickland, Lead Pastor
Pastor Daniel Hahn, Online Campus Pastor and Staff Geek
Pastor Amanda Hahn, Youth Pastor
Pastor Scott Anderson, Executive Pastor
Pastor Sheena Cullen, Children’s Pastor
Giving
Giving generously is part of being a Christian.
Why does OAG ask for money? Because giving generously is part of being a Christian.
Why Give?
Simply put, we believe everything we have comes from God in the first place. We give because we believe God has entrusted us to be leaders for hope in our church and our community. Giving is all about worship and so any giving should be an expression of gratitude for God's grace as well as allegiance to His Mission for the church, the community and the world that God has asked us to do.
What does "tithe" mean?
The Bible teaches that a guideline for giving is called the tithe (Leviticus 27:30). That is giving 10% of what we earn back to God.
What does "offering" mean?
An offering is a gift given to a specific need above and beyond our tithe. This includes missions giving.
What Is “Missions”?
When we talk about giving, we are often talking about missions as well. The misseo dei, or the "mission of God", has been God's great rescue plan from the beginning of time. He has been planning to rescue us from this world of sin, pain, and death. But that plan is also for everyone, everywhere. So missions, as we call it, is us participating in that plan in whatever way we can as God has called us to do (Matthew 28).
Missions can mean literally becoming a missionary and traveling all over the world to tell people about Jesus. But it can also mean supporting the missionaries already deployed all over the world. We do that in many ways here at OAG. Each ministry here at OAG has its own missions project, as we call it, and each one focuses on a different aspect of what missionaries need to do the work that God has placed them to do. For instance, our children’s missions project is called the Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge (BGMC), which focuses on curriculum and literature, as well as different specific projects, such as portable generators. The youth missions project is called Speed the Light (STL), which focuses on transportation (such as trucks, canoes, and even donkeys) and communication (such as sound and video equipment, as well as cell phones and bull horns). We raise money throughout the year through personal giving from the individuals in the ministry and their leaders, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns.
Here at OAG, we talk about missions constantly, and often have missionaries stop in to share what God is doing in their part of the world. And we encourage every Christian to participate through personal giving and by joining our fundraisers and other projects.
WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES
Giving acknowledges God as the giver of everything we have (James 1:17).
Giving reflects our trust that God will provide for us (Matthew 6:19-24)
Giving allows us to be active participants in God's work on earth (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
Giving at OAG is simple and secure. Whether you'd like to give a single gift, or schedule ongoing giving, just click the button below to get started.
**Even though we are offering debit/credit options, we do not desire anyone to get into financial difficulty because of debt. So we prefer, if you use credit cards, please pay them off on a monthly basis and not incur additional expenses or debt.
Serving In The Church
OAG has many opportunities to serve in many different ministries.
How do I get involved with the ministries and activities at OAG?
OAG has many opportunities to serve in many different ministries.
Part of our faith journey with Jesus is getting involved serving (volunteering in) the local church. You may have already begun serving in some capacity. That's great! OAG has many ministries across many different age groups and purposes. And if at some point the people serving in those ministries had never starting serving, those ministries would not function. And at some point, you should begin serving in one (or more!) of those ministries. But not just any ministry. You should serve in a ministry you were gifted to serve in. If you are good with children, then perhaps the nursery or Ignited Kids Ministries is for you. But if you do not like children, perhaps serving as an usher or on the tech team would suit you better.
In 1 Corinthians 12, the Bible calls the church the body of Christ. And we as Christians are the members of that body. It's a great illustration about how we as different parts of the body have different gifts, or functions. If an eye were to decide it weren't an eye anymore but an ear, but it wasn't made to hear, then that person, that body, is not going to see or hear very well. It's the same with us as the body of Christ. We were all made to serve the body in some capacity. We must Discover, Develop, and Deploy the gifts God has given us to serve the church, the body of Christ.
Where Can I Serve?
Below is a short list of possible ministries to serve in. There are many more, some less visible than others. We could never list them all, because more are being added all the time!
Ignited Kids (Children's Church on Sunday Mornings)
Nursery (Sunday Mornings, Sunday Evenings, and Wednesday Evenings)
Royal Rangers (as a class helper that could eventually lead to class teacher)
Girls Ministries (as a class helper that could eventually lead to class teacher)
Sunday School (as a class helper that could eventually lead to class teacher)
Front Lines Ministries (ushers, greeters, communion prep, sign-holders, Welcome Center, etc.)
Follow-Up (phone calls, email, and even home visits to church guests)
Tech Team (audio, video, lighting, computer graphics, etc.)
Digital ministries (church website, social media, video, and graphics)
Worship Team (choir, vocals or instruments)
Church library (organizing, labeling, etc.)
Junior Bible Quiz (kids Bible questions competition)
Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Heart Rock Cafe (making coffee, etc.)
Special events (setup, tear down, etc.)
Kitchen (there's always things going on in there)
Small groups (helper or leader)
Get Involved
Interested in getting involved in one or more of these ministries? Got a question about them or want more information? Has God laid something different on your heart and you'd like to talk about it? Click the button below to head over to our HELP WANTED page. We would love to sit down with you over a cup of coffee and talk about what God is speaking to your heart about serving in the local church.
OAG Missions
WHAT IS “MISSIONS”, AND HOW TO I GET INVOLVED?
“Missions” is taking the good news of Jesus to the world!
At OAG, we believe the missio Dei, the "mission of God", is the advancement of the Kingdom through the preaching of the Gospel, the testimony of Jesus to the entire inhabited earth. If we search the Scriptures, from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation, we will find evidence in each and every book of the missio Dei. And, therefore, the nature of our movement, the nature of Christianity, is missions.
We also believe that missions is a team effort. It is next to impossible to go on to the mission field without support from the home constituency. King David recognized this truth regarding the service of those unable to participate in a frontline battle in 1 Samuel 30. Missionaries rely on the support of multitudes of men and women service in the support offices who contribute to publications, media, administration, fundraising, preparing and editing of books, and many other tasks. What makes everything possible, however, are the multitudes who are committed to prayer, financial giving, and the care of the missionary’s family at home. These people provide the spiritual, moral, and financial foundation without which missions could not exist.
This is why we have so many projects dedicated to missions. Missions trips, fundraisers, and other projects are always going on. There is so much work to do, and we must work while it is day, for the night is close at hand when it will be too late.
Missions Opportunities
We have an entire page dedicated to the various missions opportunities here at OAG. Click the button below to go to that page.