E-News from Tom: 04/02/10

Hello E-News Friends,

Last night I witnessed a modern-day miracle. I watched the S.O.S. (Share Our Stuff) Team serve families by giving out a few hundred cookies, a hundred or so beverages and 20,000 diapers! That is no misprint, 20,000 diapers! 146 families showed up from over thirty zip codes in the metro area. The line began forming at 5:30 and by time the doors opened at 6:00 it was all the way down to the new kid’s area of the Oak Bridge Center. (It looked like a Wal-Mart on the morning after Thanksgiving!) When we closed for the evening at 8:30, we had no diapers left and every person got their full allotment. Only God could do that! All the people were very appreciative and touched by the generosity of Oak Bridge. I even have to admit that quite a few of the babies were cute (I mean as cute as a baby can be). You know what I mean. It was a memory that will be etched in my mind forever. (The event, not so much the babies.)

Most importantly, all of this pointed to our great God who loves them most! The Church on this evening was certainly the hands and feet of His Son to many who needed to feel His touch. Way to go!

Why don’t you see if God works a few more miracles this weekend? Invite someone to Oak Bridge for Easter. Pick them up. Buy them lunch. Get them an Easter basket. Tell them a free “42” T-shirt awaits them. Whatever makes sense to you. Now is a good time to leverage your influence. I am sure God has divine appointments planned with many of His children! Once again, you might hold their invitation.

As I write this I am once again humbled by the fact that God uses broken people like us to heal a broken world. It is such a great privilege to be part of what He is doing and going to do through His body (the Church) at Oak Bridge. PTL! (“Praise the Lord” for you who don’t speak Christianese.)

Like the song says, “Oh happy day, happy day. You washed my sins away!”

Happy Easter!
In His amazing grace,
Tom

PS It would sure help if many of you could worship our King at 10:45 at the Oak Bridge Center. It will be a great place to be and you will get a free John Ortberg book, as well as the awesomely cool “42” T-shirts!

PSS Remember tonight at the OBC—we’ll watch “The Passion of the Christ. It starts at 7:00. It will be a powerful evening! (Please keep kids under middle school age at home. The movie is intense.) We will take communion as well.