In order to have a relationship with God, we must first come to know why He sent His Son to die on a cross. Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin and opened the door for us to come to know God personally.

Baptism is a public display of our personal commitment to Jesus. It is an outward expression of an inward decision that you have already made to follow Jesus. Baptism is going public with your faith in Christ and identifying yourself as a follower of Jesus. In Christ, we are dead to sin, we therefore bury the old life, and are now resurrected to walk in the newness of life through Jesus Christ. At River Oaks, we believe that the Bible teaches that once we commit our lives to Jesus, our first act of obedience to Him is to be baptized. We practice Baptism by immersion.

Getting to know God is a two pronged process. The first prong is to spend time in God’s Word. God has given us His word that we might know Him. It is powerful enough to meet all of your needs and insightful enough to address all of your questions. The Holy Spirit enlightens our hearts and minds to God’s will when we spend time in God’s Word. Having a daily time reading and studying God’s Word is essential to grow in Christlikeness.

The following is what someone has said about the Bible. “This book contains the mind of God, the condition of man, the way of salvation, the judgment of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its teachings are holy, its laws are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are unchangeable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be saved and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you…. Christ is its grand subject. Our good is its design. The glory of God is its end. Read it slowly. Read it often. Read it prayerfully…. It is the Book of books. It is the way God makes Himself known to man.” (What the Bible Teaches, Emmaus Bible College, Dubuque, Iowa, 1976)   “O how I love Thy Law! It is my meditation all the day!” (Psalm 119:97) The second prong is to spend time daily in prayer. Prayer is simply talking with God about the questions, concerns and issues of life. The more time we spend talking with Him, the better we get to know Him. We adore Him, praise Him, seek Him and ask of Him all through prayer. The more time we spend with God in prayer the closer we align ourselves to His desires and plans for our life. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

The Church is more than a place we meet on Sundays to Worship God and hear a Biblical message. It is a body of believers who are trying to live life faithfully together. As Christians, we were never meant to live in isolation, but as a unique family that strives to grow in Christ and follow the Lord. We get together with other believers for worship, Bible study and serving others. We learn about God together, seeking to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ to spur one another on.

Part of committing to a church is becoming a member. Church membership means that a person identifies with the body of Christ through the ministry of a local church. Membership at River Oaks Church is a commitment to growing in relationship with Christ and being equipped to serve the Lord in unity with other members. Membership at River Oaks Church requires accountability, unity, commitment, and a desire to live with purpose for Christ and His Church. What does Membership require? As a Member of River Oaks Church, we agree that people must: • Have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST • Follow Christ in BELIEVER’S BAPTISM • Attend a Member’s Class • Align with our MISSION, VISION, & CORE VALUES

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 says, “When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” Here Paul, the renowned apostle, revealed that the results of his preaching were not dependent on his personal skills, knowledge, or expertise but on the power of God. Since the biblical principle applies to all of us, we can know that in order for someone to come to knowledge of Jesus Christ, it depends more on God, than our own gifts, abilities, or expectations.

God has given every Believer in Christ at least one spiritual gift and He expects each of us to use them for His glory. We use our spiritual gifts to serve God and each other. We need each other to mature in our faith. Where one person lacks, another has the giftedness to come alongside. . Where one can’t serve, another can. We work side by side to accomplish God’s call on our lives to fulfill His mandate to grow in the image and likeness of Christ.

We all have something to give to one another. It may be our time, it may be our talents, or it may be the resources God has entrusted to us to use for His glory. We therefore, support each other emotionally, financially and spiritually. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” that principle can apply to every area of our life. As we seek to strengthen and support each other, we ourselves receive more than we can ever give. So we stand shoulder to shoulder, arms interlocked, moving ahead as one to further the cause of Christ and to build His kingdom by loving God, loving one another and drawing closer together as we seek one another’s best. We would like to find you a place where you can Connect in Ministry. To start this journey, please take a moment to send us a message on our Contact Us page. We will setup a time talk about current and future opportunities within our local body.

Most people don’t realize their greatest need is Jesus. They try poor substitutes to satisfy the emptiness in their lives. God has called us to move out of our comfort zones and purposely into people’s lives. It may make us a bit uncomfortable, but He told us to “go into all the world and make disciples. . . and that He would be with us always.” Sharing your faith is as simple as telling others what God has done for you. You don’t have to be a scholar or have some degree to share the wonder of walking with Jesus. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 says, “When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” Here Paul, the renowned apostle, revealed that the results of his preaching were not dependent on his personal skills, knowledge, or expertise but on the power of God. Since the biblical principle applies to all of us, we can know that in order for someone to come to knowledge of Jesus Christ, it depends more on God, than our own gifts, abilities, or expectations.