Oakhurst Baptist Church

Listen as Oakhurst member Ashley Robinson challenges us to be bold enough to see what the light of Christmas illuminates.

Today, Joseph is depicted in nativity scenes all over the world as a proud, new father watching over his family. But those scenes don’t show the agonizing choices that brought him to that point. When God imagines more for us than we do for ourselves and the world doesn’t agree or approve, how are we to respond?

The world may not have placed its bets on the audacity of a 12-year-old girl, but God knew Mary’s fierceness was the only thing able to usher God-With-Us into humanity. What are we bold enough to imagine?

Like many of us, Zechariah had the rest of his life sketched out right down to his retirement plan. But God had other ideas. While our imaginations may be limited, God’s is not.

In this season, we often think about the “things” for which we are thankful, and then spend much of our time focusing on or worrying about those we do not have. There are certain provisions we need, but what priority is driving that need?

The trough of the wave is the lowest point, where the horizon disappears. It can seem as though nothing is happening…or will ever happen. We too find ourselves in periods of waiting and stagnation. What do we do in those trough times before the crest comes again?

How are we called to follow Jesus in our world that sorely needs the good news of love and justice, but also needs front-line workers toward those ends? What does it look like when a church builds not just a community of believers, but a movement?

Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West remembers some of our Oakhurst saints and reflects on what it means to be an average, everyday saint who does the laundry, balances the budget, gets dinner on the table, and all the while keeps hope alive.