By Philip Timothy, Baptist Message Staff Writer
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
OIL CITY – In the last two years, Pastor Chad Mills has led First Baptist Oil City to double its Cooperative Program giving, increase its outreach into the community, and become a more mission-minded church.
[img_assist|nid=6311|title=Pastor Chad Mills checks his calendar during the month of March in which he led his church to better understand CP and missions|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=66]And the congregation has responded wholeheartedly.
From a Sunday school class raising its own money to help do community projects to the enthusiastic support of foreign missionaries and planting of new churches, Oil City has become a “shining beacon of light.”
“Oil City is our Jerusalem. The state is our Judea, and this nation is our Samaria. There is not a need for us to go off to be that beacon of light. This church, these people, can be a shining example right here,” Mills said.
Mills, who finished the first phase of EKG (Empowering Kingdom Growth) initiative last May, said the impact EKG made on the people has been remarkable.
“The initiative showed the congregation they were part of something bigger. We started looking for ways to be Kingdom minded,” Mills said. “The church learned of a church planter trying to start a Vietnamese church, and the congregation voted unanimously to help financially. Unfortunately, the church planter began having immigration issues and was denied a visa.”
Undeterred and still wanting to help a mission church, Oil City decided to support an existing Hispanic Mission Church – Iglesia Bautista Antioquia – which is located in Bossier City.
“It was the first time in the church’s history for them to support a mission church,” Mills said. “I am overwhelmed by the love and the willingness to give this church has. Oil City has been hit harder than most small communities. Yet, despite their financial misfortunes they continue to faithfully give.
“It has really blessed my heart the way they are getting it,” Mills said. “They are now
Church gets better understanding of CP, missions during March looking for practical ways in which they can be witnesses.”
To help his congregation get a better understanding about missions, Mills felt convicted to set aside the month of March to educate, promote, and emphasize missions. He called it Marching toward Missions.
“For too long, the people in our church have heard about Annie Armstrong, Lottie Moon and Georgia Barnett, but no real understanding as to who they were and what they were about,” Mills said.
“So, I have tried to educate them, and we have filled our church calendar with so many different events and activities – practical ways to learn about missions and what they can do to be a part of the Kingdom,” he said. “I have used the entire month to teach, preach on missions and the importance of the offerings.”
He also reactivated the church’s missions committee.
“We had not had an active mission committee in some time,” Mills said. “After their first meeting, they shared with me that they felt Georgia Barnett and Lottie Moon got the short end of the stick because of when they took place.
“In the fall [Georgia Barnett], most parents have little extra money because they are trying to get their children ready for school. At Christmas, they run into the same problem with Lottie Moon,” Mills said.
Instead of waiting for the August or December, Mills and the committee decided to encourage people to go ahead and give. Envelopes with the different missions offering were put out.
“This way people could give now rather than wait,” Mills said. “They can still give in August, December or at Easter time, but this gives them the opportunity to give instead of waiting.”
The church, both young and old, also branched out into the community looking for mission projects to undertake.
One of Oil City’s Sunday school classes held a church-wide garage sale for its Needs and Good Deeds project and raised more than a $1,000. They will use the money to build wheelchair ramps, do yard work, and other projects in the area.
The youth got involved during the Easter break with Spring Break Youth Missions in which they fanned out in the community doing similar projects for those in need. They also handed out devotionals and learned how to witness to others.
“This project was important because it taught the kids they are missionaries on their school campus and in their community,” Mills said. “They also learned how to prayer walk and what it means as we canvassed the community Sharing the Peace of Jesus.”
On March 21, in another first for the church, Mills invited Virgillio Tunon, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Antioquia, to preach and the church’s band to lead worship.
“In essence we brought his church to ours so that our congregation could come to know him better, and to see how their money was supporting that church,” Mills said.
During this time, the church also established a food pantry to help the community and a clothing drive to help the Rescue Mission of Shreveport/Bossier, which is a mission for homeless men.
And Mills culminated the month with a one-day Mission Fair at the church, which was very well attended.
Booths were set up and books were set out to educate the people about Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong and Georgia Barnett. There were also offering envelopes for those wishing to give.
A quartet from the rescue mission attended and not only entertained the church with their singing but gave their testimony. The Ark-La-Tex Crisis Pregnancy Center also had a booth. The center, which has been in existence for the last 12 years, handed out information about itself and a representative answered questions.
There were also booths for the Gideons and a Louisiana Tech student, who is not a member of First Oil City, trying to raise money to go on missions this summer.
“I believe it helped them to make a better connection with missions,” Mills said. “The fair was a huge success. We raised more than $2,000 for our seasonal offerings and the ministries that were here raised more than $400. It was simple but effective. I envision that it could grow into a three-day mission fair.”
Mills said, “You know, it has truly been an amazing month. It has been amazing to sit back and watch what God has done in this church and this community. I am both excited and humbled to serve such a great and mighty God.”