Oakhurst Baptist Church

On this Trinity Sunday, the Rev. Rachel Frank joined us virtually from the UK and explored what it means to “live by the spirit.”

The Rev. Rachel Frank was born and raised in the Northeastern US before moving to Atlanta to attend Candler School of Theology, from which she graduated with her Master of Divinity in 2008. While a student at Candler, she was a pastoral intern at Oakhurst Baptist. After graduating, she worked as Assistant Minister at OBC for three years, primarily as the leader of the Youth Ministry Team, and she was ordained at Oakhurst in 2009.

We welcome Martha Perusek this morning. Martha currently serves as Director of Development at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Martha’s religious roots are in the Pentecostal tradition having been raised in Assemblies of God churches. She later converted to Catholicism and later became gradually and “accidentally” Baptist following her first visit to Oakhurst Baptist Church in 2008.

We welcome Lucas Johnson this morning. Lucas Johnson leads The On Being Project’s work in social healing as Executive Director of Civil Conversations and Social Healing. Lucas is a member of Oakhurst Baptist Church, interned at Oakhurst Baptist Church, and was Ordained by Oakhurst Baptist Church. He is our friend and we love him.

We welcome Rev. Benjamin Curry, former member who was ordained at Oakhurst in 2011 and endorsed to chaplaincy by the Alliance of Baptists in 2012.

We like to think we have all the answers, but what can Philip and the Ethiopian he encounters on the road teach us about the searching we have left to do? Listen as Oakhurst member Robin Ficklin-Alred explores the story of the Ethiopian’s baptism in Acts.

Very few of us are familiar with shepherds these days. The closest we come is an occasional encounter with the sheep sometimes seen grazing on weeds and underbrush around town. So what should we understand about Jesus as the Good Shepherd? Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West wonders about modern-day shepherding.

What a friend we have in Jesus? Is that just a sweet, sappy song from a too-simple individualized salvation theology? Or is this concept grounded in the Gospel of John, offering a radical idea of friendship with Christ that gives us an opportunity to grow and expand this theology throughout our lifetime. What does it mean to us now, to be friends with Jesus.

We often associate Jesus’ friend Thomas with doubt, and he is usually called “Doubting Thomas.” But all Thomas does is ask for what he needs. Is that doubt? Or is that simply being persistent and clear with God? Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West explores this post-Easter encounter with Jesus.

Requiem and Resurrection. That is the reality and the paradox of Easter. But the paradox of Easter is also the Good News of Easter. No matter what you are carrying, or what you are looking for in the future, Easter is able to hold it all. Listen as Pastor Lauren Colwell talks about this Easter paradox, especially in a year of Zooming from Easter to Easter.

Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West relates the events of the first Palm/Passion Sunday to the recent actions involving Georgia Representative Park Cannon. What is power? What is resistance? What is rejoicing? What is resilience?