celebration

ANNIVERSARY

Posted on April 19, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

An anniversary is the commemoration or celebration of a past event that occurs annually on the same date of the year as the initial, inaugural event. Needless to say, the simplest example would be one’s wedding anniversary. As far as we know, this word was first used in relation to religious memorial days that venerated various saints. These feasts were similar to those associated with Judaism when the Hebrew people gathered to worship the Lord and express their gratitude for all His work in their nation, as well as in their individual lives and families.

This June, West Oaks Fellowship will observe her 30th anniversary. In some ways it seems like only yesterday when a handful of young committed believers gathered in hopes of forming a new ministry in association with Westheimer Baptist Church/First Baptist West Houston. As that aspiration quickly diminished, we came to believe that the Lord was leading us to embrace what seemed to be the next best viable option … start an independent, biblically based ministry/church/fellowship.

There I was, 30 years old and wading out deep in unfamiliar waters with no bridge back. Sure, I had led Sonburst (a Jesus band that I was instrumental in forming in 1972), organized and managed my own construction businesses, and served in staff positions for several ministries, but now I was truly out on my own as Christ’s undershepherd … fully responsible and accountable for His flock/people. Yes, it was somewhat of an intimidating position; one matched only by the loss of my parents and 19 friends in our youth group at age 18 on December 26, 1972, seven months after I had graduated from high school. Unquestionably, it was truly sink or swim, yet every time I think about those early days of this ministry, then called Grace Church, I am overwhelmed by His abundant grace, and I find myself eternally grateful for three essential elements that God had uniquely orchestrated and put in place for that day and the initial formative years of WOF:

1. A supporting bride (Brenda) who was succeeding in her own businesses which provided us with not only the funds needed for our well-being, but resources to help underwrite this newly-born New Testament based ministry.

2. A few godly young men (all around 30) and their wives (some singles too), who loved God, respected one another, and knew His word. They gave consistently, sacrificially, and responsibly to the ministry of both their time and resources and each of them stepped up to provide the leadership we needed to insure that our initial steps were positioned on a sure, unshakable foundation.

3. Then, there were all those that came without much expectation (cheap chairs and creative uses of spaces), but with a strong desire to seek and know the Lord more intimately. Most, wholeheartedly and enthusiastically, even though perhaps nervously, embraced the vision of becoming a church patterned in accordance with the concepts found in the New Testament rather than that of any particular denomination or church entity.

Over the last 30 years, we’ve experienced innumerable blessings, been through some truly difficult seasons, and witnessed a few marked moments when one could certainly declare, “How marvelous, how wonderful is our Savior’s love for us!” At times our tears, which have been plentiful, have been turned to rejoicing and our sorrows to hope (confident expectation in Him) and celebration. His faithfulness has guided us through each and every dark time, caused us to overcome seemingly overwhelming odds and difficulties and yet at the same time, learn to be jubilant in the victories. Through it all, we’ve grown stronger through the trials, becoming steadfast and unrelenting in our pursuit of genuine spiritual transformation. (See Romans 12:1-2, II Corinthians 5:17) Furthermore, scores of lasting, authentic, meaningful, Christ-centered relationships/friendships have emerged within our church body at WOF, providing biblical encouragement, acceptance, and support for one another. (See I Thessalonians 5:11, Romans 15:7) The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been affirmed as TRUTH, and God’s Word has been boldly declared with uncompromising passion in well over 3500 public presentations. (See I Corinthians 1:22-25, II Timothy 4:1-5)

Have you ever considered that throughout our fellowship’s history, over 15,000 songs of worship and praise, along with many of the enduring hymns of Christ’s church, have been offered in declaration of God’s character/nature and in adoration of the Lord? (See Ephesians 5:18-21, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 150) How many came to know Christ, how many baptized, how many lives positively impacted and changed for His glory? Only the Lord really knows the fruit of our labor together in this ministry, but most of us would agree, it’s been a good race!

Now let’s consider … What do the next 20 – 30 years look like? If our Lord graciously tarries, and we haven’t joined Him in His end time conquests, then I sincerely pray that the foundation and heritage that’s been laid by all of us at WOF will continue to provide all the necessary support that’s needed for the next generation to assume and continue the work of Christ until He returns and establishes His Kingdom.

It’s been an incredible blessing and distinguished honor to serve each of you over the last 30 years.

Thanks, Pastor Frank

VALENTINES

Posted on April 18, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

Each year on February 14^th, many people exchange special cards, candy, gifts. and/or flowers with their very distinct “valentine” (to the tune of $18.9 Billion in 2015). This time of appreciation, romance, and love we call Valentine’s Day is actually named for a Christian martyr named Valentinus who was killed on February 14^th in the third century A.D., but also has origins directly connected to the pagan Roman holiday of Lupercalia.

While little is actually known about Valentinus, there are historical accounts that describe him as a priest, or the Bishop of Terni, who was beheaded near Rome by the emperor Claudius II for helping Christian couples unite in the covenant of marriage as well as escape captivity. In 1969, the Roman Catholic Church liturgical veneration of him ceased; however his name remains on its list of “officially recognized” saints.

The medieval English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, who often took liberties with history by placing his poetic characters into fictitious historical contexts and representing them as being genuine or real, may have actually ignited what we know as Valentine’s Day, removing it from a religious celebration to that of a carnal/pagan nature. No historical record exists of romantic celebrations on Valentine’s Day prior to a poem Chaucer wrote around 1375. In his work “Parliament of Foules,” he links a tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s religious feast day … an association that never existed until after his poem received widespread attention. The poem refers to February 14 as the day birds (and humans) come together to find a mate.

Some believe that Valentine’s Day was an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, which was a Roman fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. For the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa.

The pagan priests would sacrifice a goat for fertility, and a dog for purification. They would then cut the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in that same day, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for a year with his chosen woman with the proposed result being off-spring and marriage.

Needless to say, at West Oaks Fellowship we are certainly not interested in recognizing or celebrating a pagan holiday. However, we do strongly uphold the values of a man and woman coming together in the covenant relationship of marriage for the purposes of companionship, procreation, and the free, loving, selfless exchange of physical intimacy. In Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus said (quoting from Genesis 2):

Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.

As committed believers, we know and understand that true love originates with God (See I John 4:16) and we see His love for humanity fully demonstrated in Christ’s redeeming sacrifice!

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

As a result of experiencing His love, one then gains the unprecedented opportunity and privilege of being humans who can both genuinely love God and expressively love others (See I John 4:19). Thus, in and through the God-ordained, God-blessed, covenant of marriage, love moves to a deeper level as faithful and responsible Christians pledge to love his/her spouse at all times, as well as in/through every, often unimaginable, circumstance of life. This is a perfect reflection of God’s love, who certainly hates sin, but continuously loves (as His character and nature) all, at all times (See John 3:126-17)!

At WOF, we are hosting a special celebration of God’s love and the covenant of marriage this Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14. You’ll be invited to fully participate as we reflect upon God’s beautiful design for family that He created for us to live/walk in, and consider the power that is unleashed through the covenant of marriage. More details will be forthcoming, but please make specific plans now to attend.

I’m looking forward to celebrating this unique day with each of you! — PF

RESURRECTION

Posted on March 29, 2022March 29, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

Being raised from the dead has three primary meanings in our Old and New Testament Scriptures.

1. Miraculous Healings In this usage, resurrection refers to individuals who have been brought back to life from death (resuscitated). Such raisings are recorded in: I Kings 17:20-24 (a widow’s son), II Kings 4:32-37 (the Shunammite’s son), and when a dead man’s body touches Elisha’s bones in II Kings 13:21. Mark 5:41-43 records Christ raising Jairus’ daughter, and in John 11:43-44 Lazarus comes alive after already being entombed. Peter is used by the Lord to raise Dorcas in Acts 9:40-41, and Paul ministers resurrection to Eutychus in Acts 20:9-12. It is important to note that in each of these biblically recorded (as witnessed by many) resurrection cases, there is no suggestion or evidence that these individuals would not again experience physical death.

2. Our Lord’s Resurrection His resurrection is undeniably linked in the New Testament with victory over all the powers of both sin and death. For Paul, and us, Christ’s resurrection (as witnessed by many) is the basis for the doctrine of resurrection.

(See I Corinthians 15:12-19)

3. Human Resurrection Many of the Greek philosophers, such as Plato, believed that an immortal soul inhabited a body, and that at death the soul left its bodily prison and soared upward to the divine spirit. In the Old Testament, we learn that “Sheol” is actually the place of the dead, a form of weakened existence. However, it was a faithful Hebrew’s firm belief that the righteous dead would yet again see God. (See Job 19:26) Upon this expectation was laid the foundation concerning the resurrection of righteous individuals to life!

The Hebrew peoples’ concepts of the resurrection were born out of her relationship to God throughout their tumultuous history. The prophet Isaiah seems to express a view that the wicked would face eternal separation from God, while the faithful will come to experience a bodily resurrection. (See Isaiah 26:14 & 19)

In addition, God’s prophet Daniel announced:

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. (See Daniel 12:2)

Our New Testament scriptures consistently teach a hope (confident expectation) in a physical resurrection unto life for every genuine believer, based upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the “firstborn from the dead.” (See I Corinthians 15:12-58; Colossians 1:18; I Thessalonians 4:14-18; I Peter 1:3-5) This concept of a physical, bodily resurrection is also expressed in terms such as a transformed body (See Philippians 3:21) and new clothing. (See II Corinthians 5:4; Revelation 6:11) The scriptures also contrast the resurrection unto life with a resurrection unto judgment. (See John 5:29; Acts 24:15) A similar contrast also lies behind the statements in Revelation 20 about the first resurrection (which is that unto life) (See verse 5), and those who are part of the resurrection unto judgment, who ultimately face the lake of fire and the second death. (See verses 12-14)

Sadly, not all who attempted to be identified with Christ’s Church proclaimed the truth of a future resurrection. In fact, some preached a spiritual awakening, or resurrection, that had already taken place. This view point was adopted by Hymenaeus and Philetus and later promoted by Gnostic heretics. Needless to say they were sternly rebuked and condemned by the Apostle Paul. (See II Timothy 2:17-19)

Do you believe in resurrection? If so, let’s gather as genuine believers for a earnest, heartfelt, jubilant celebration on Sunday, April 16! It’s victory over sin and death … a time for rejoicing in the precious gift of life, life abundant and everlasting, which has been bestowed upon us through faith in our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ! Let’s do it!

His & Yours, because of GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense)

— PF