For more details, please read the poster below.

On Saturday, October 26th, the TEE (Tools to Equip and Empower) Aotearoa Team—Ann Borquist, Lewis Varley, and Anneta Vysotskaya—will conduct the GLAD Workshop at Oamaru Baptist Church.

Oamaru Baptist Church continues its revival journey by developing and equipping group leaders to advance the church’s discipleship life. We are inviting you to join the GLAD Workshop.

The GLAD Workshop is open to Christian leaders interested in building and enhancing their leadership skills to lead a discipleship group using the Life of Christ Course.

The Life of Christ Course is a six-book program for Christian learners and future leaders. It is centred around the life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles.

Are you eager to cultivate a vibrant discipleship culture in your church?

Having essential support and training for group leaders and using affordable discipleship resources are the keys.

Come and join the GLAD Workshop! See the poster for more details.

140th Founding Anniversary Celebrations Reflections

Therefore, since such a great cloud of witnesses surrounds us, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

During my interview with the Oamaru Mail last 14 August, I shared the following thoughts:

• The 23 pioneering members of Oamaru Baptist Church had no idea how many years the church would outlive them. Neither do we many, many years from now.
  
  
• Today, we say the same founding values OBC members discussed during its Centennial celebration in 1983.
  
  Today we thank God for those early pioneer members who, with indomitable courage, steadfast faith and sanctified vision, established the Baptist Cause in this town. We bless our God for every remembrance of them. Their faith and their hopes we share as a glorious heritage. God grant that we prove worthy of the trust they have left us.
  
  
• Oamaru Baptist Church must plan and implement programs that teach, train, and track the founding values of every member (dynamic discipleship).
  • steadfast faith,
  • indomitable courage,
  • noble vision,
  • hope, and
  • generosity

Rachel Murray is our Foundation Sunday speaker

Our Otago Southland Baptist Association Regional Leader, Rachel Murray, will give the message on 20 August.

Let us pray for safe travels, good health, and protection as Rachel drives from Dunedin to Oamaru on Sunday.

Fellowship Lunch on 20 August Sunday

Please join the fellowship lunch after our worship service to commemorate our 140th Founding Anniversary and celebrate birthdays and achievements this August. Bring a dish to share.

Please click the button below to watch and read our national and regional leaders’ messages.

Get hold of this week’s Oamaru Mail edition

Ensure to get a copy of this week’s Oamaru Mail (18 August edition) and read about the feature article on OBC’s 140th year. Our half-page ad is coming out, too.

Giving

Thank you for your continued support for the ministries the Lord God has entrusted us with. Your generosity means a lot for the development and progress of His work.

If you want to set up an automatic payment for regular giving or make a one-off donation via Internet banking, the Oamaru Baptist Church account number is (ANZ) 06-0941-0015036-00.

May the Lord God bless you and keep you.

Give a Little Appeal for Meena

Chandra requested I share this Fundraiser to help with Meena Kumari’s medical treatment bills while hospitalised in New Zealand. Please read more by clicking on this link – Let’s Gift Meena a Helpful Goodbye.

Thank you!

Why does Oamaru Baptist Church need it?

One of the many challenges we faced in the past few years was fulfilling the growth vision that pastors and leaders had laid out in the last two decades.

The Baptist Church’s growth vision is clearly stated and elaborated in two documents, “Church Consultation and Self Study, February 2001” and “Oamaru Baptist Church a New Vision for 2008”.

Last June 2022, when I started my pastoral work with OBC, the first thing that I did was research the vision of the church.

As I delved into the church’s archives, I found the two valuable reports I mentioned above, which I am using as references in my pastoral leadership.

Conducting the Group Leaders’ Training is one of the steps in fulfilling the Baptist Church’s vision in the last 20 years. We have partnered with Theological Education by Extension Aotearoa (TEE Aotearoa) for this endeavour.

We need the Group Leaders’ Training because we want to grow.

Join us in our desire for growth. Pray about joining the Group Leaders’ Training on 31 March (7:00 to 9:00 PM) and 1 April (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM). Read the poster below for further information. Thank you!