January 14, 2009
2008 Year-end Packet
Keep an eye on your inbox
Within the next few weeks, we will be sending out our annual year-end information packets.
This year’s packet will include:
- your 2008 giving statement (for all members; attendees will get a statement only if you gave a financial contribution this year);
- a copy of the church Membership Covenant; and
- Pastor Daniel’s 2008 Annual Report
In order to help keep our costs down, we will email these packets to everyone whose email address we have on file (this means you). Please be sure that your email filter is set to accept anything from otcc@oaktree.cc.
If you have not received your packet by January 26, please email or call the office at 574.232.1618 and let us know.
New blog series
Biblical teaching on baptism
This past Sunday (Jan 11, 2009), Pastor Daniel taught on the topic of baptism. (You can listen to the message here.) In it he taught that at OTCC we baptism by fully immersing people under the water. He taught that a person cannot call themselves full followers of Jesus Christ unless they have publicly identified with Him in water baptism.
Because there are so many questions on this topic, Pastor Daniel will be writing a series of posts on his blog on the topic of baptism. In this series he will answer the questions:
- What is baptism? What does it do?
- Who can / should be baptized?
- When should a person be baptized?
Watch for him to start posting these soon. You can read his blog here and subscribe to it here.
One Prayer
2008 update
Last June we participated with 1,800 other churches around the world to ask the question: “What if we could be the answer to Jesus’ prayer (John 17:20-24) for His church to become one?”
The mission goal for 2008 was to start 500 new churches by December 2009 in four needy countries: China, Sudan, India, and Cambodia.
Here is the latest snapshot of what is happening:
- 364 pastors and church planters are enrolled
- 5,910 evangelistic contacts have been made
- 3,328 people have participated in Bible Study
- 598 individuals have been baptized
- 74 new churches have already been started
For more information on how this project is going, download this detailed report. You can stay up-to-date on the progress by visiting the 2008 One Prayer mission site.
2009 sneak peek
We will participate in One Prayer again this summer. While the major theme of answering Jesus’ prayer remains the same, the teaching focus this year will be on God’s attributes. Each message will follow the formula “God is…”
This is your chance to start the One Prayer preparation process early. Which of God’s attributes would you like to hear Pastor Daniel or one of the other One Prayer pastors teach?
You can email your suggestions to oneprayer2009@oaktree.cc. Who knows? Maybe someone will submit a video with your suggestion!
Watch for more information about 2009 One Prayer to come later this spring.
A Special Invitation
A theology study program for everyone
Whether you know it or not, theology is very important to you. Because our beliefs drive our actions, what we believe and why we believe is critical for a biblical life. Not everyone can or should go to seminary, but everyone should study theology.
Because of this, Pastor Daniel will be leading an in-depth study on biblical theology. Participants in this study program will be required to listen to audio or video lessons, take notes, read homework, and meet for group discussion weekly.
If you are interested in being a part of this program, please contact Pastor Daniel for more information. Because space in this pilot program is limited, applicants will be contacted on a first-come, first-served basis. You may email him or call the church office at 574.232.1618.
Applications to be a part of this program must be received by January 26, 2009.
