October 31, 2017 will mark 500 years since God gave His church "the Reformation." The study of the Reformation is very dear to my heart, and therefore, I chose to read Stephen J. Nichols' book titled The Reformation, which is about a monk with a mallet who changed the world. If you are a new believer and only have heard about the Reformation in passing, this book is...

"The Cross of Christ is sin's terror, the soul's armor." These words were written by William Jenkyn (1613-1685) in his exposition on the book of Jude. Jenkyn's words prove to be a helpful reminder that the true remedy for our "prone to wander hearts" is to consistently meditate on the Cross. The meditation on Christ is a place of refuge and we all need the ever powerful an...

Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade is an excellent book to use for family devotions and for your own adult daily devotions. It is understandable for a wide range of ages (probably ages 5 or 6 and above) and the daily Scripture passages and devotional readings are short enough to fit into a busy family's schedule without being burdensome. Don't think though...

The OBC Elders met for their regular monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. on August 15, 2017. The meeting began with Pastor Pat leading the elders in a time of prayer. The Lord commands us to pray about all things, especially when it comes to local church ministry and the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord and we delighted to obey His command. He is our Savior, and He is our authori...

The monthly Deacons Meeting was held on Tuesday, July 25 at 7 p.m. at OBC.Wediscussed a variety of ministry opportunities, held a devotional, reviewed finances and received an overview of the Grounds Ministry that Tim Hare is heading up. Pastor Mike Holloway facilitated the meeting while John Widhalm opened the meeting in prayer and praise for all that Christ has accompli...

Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation 500 years ago by nailing his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg church in Germany on October 31, 1517. In doing so he was hoping to begin a public discussion, but he had no idea it would unleash a debate that reverberates in both church and society today. A question worth asking is whether these things still matter toda...

In his recent book, Learning To Love The Psalms, W. Robert Godfrey seeks "to open a way to a growing understanding of the Psalms" for the reader. He does not seek to give a detailed exegesis of every Psalm and he is not writing a commentary of the book of Psalms. What he does do is provide the reader with a helpful framework to use in approaching the Psalms as a whole and ...

The Deacons of OBC attended their monthly meeting under the leadership of Pastor Mike Holloway on June 27. Ed Pille opened our meeting with prayer, offering thanksgiving and seeking wisdom from above to serve well to the praise and honor of His name. Pastor Mike began by sharing the financial report. We continue to rejoice in the Lord for his gracious provisions through t...

The Elders of OBC met for their monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 12.Dave Guthrie began our morning by focusing on Article 6, the Fall and Sin, from the London Baptist Confession of Faith. We were reminded of God's two ordained representatives for the human race. God created Adam perfect and appointed him to represent humanity by requiring him to be faithful to keep God'...

Many have been in a church service where a short skit or play has been included as an element of worship. There was a big emphasis on using this form of drama in worship services in the not too distant past. On numerous occasions in my years of ministry I have been asked, "Do you have drama in your worship services?" The simple answer is no. The real answer is yes. The Lo...