For many, the highlight of the week is the speakers. Our devotional speakers were instrumental in focussing on our attention on Jesus as we began our days. On Thursday, Dr. Harry Gardner, President of Acadia Divinity College, through his own family experiences this past year reminded us that we will face times of trouble both in and around us but that the sovereignty of God is a foundation that can be trusted and will not be shaken. On Friday, CABC President, Mr. Doug Schofield, encouraged us to be joyful and intentional servants and accept the challenges before us knowing it is God who enables us.
At the opening rally on Wednesday evening, our Executive Minister, Dr. Peter Reid, described the mind-blowing pace that the world is changing and how this is affecting the church. He clearly stated the current condition of our Convention, and that now is the time to act for the future of the CABC. “We need spiritually renewed leaders who will understand and function in a new paradigm of leadership for the 21st century… they will be entrepreneurial, not afraid of taking risks, they will be outside the box thinkers, they will be collaborators who empower others and give people permission to attempt things and even to fail.”. He closed with this: “Would to God that we were too young or too foolish to realize that certain things are impossible, so we would just go ahead and do them anyway.”
Rev. Mark Buchanan inspired us with his talks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. First, he showed that we cannot be activists and “simply run ahead of God and going and doing things we think will impress Him when we’re not doing it in the strength and in the counsel of our God.” In Psalm 23, before we walk through the valley of the shadow of death or face off against enemies, we are invited to come and “Be Still” and know that I am God. God calls us to be still in that Sabbath rest so that we might be “renewed and restored in the righteousness of the King who calls you by name.”
On Friday, Mark walked us through what “we do as God meets us and restores us” and to “Be Filled” with the power and authority from God. But sometimes, “this kind can only come out by prayer.” He reminds us that prayer is that deep knowledge that we can do nothing apart from God.
And finally, we are called to “Be Dangerous” and that if God is for us, who can stand against us. “The Lord Jesus has put us on this earth to be a subversive force to overturn what is not of the kingdom and advance the kingdom in that place.” To live as a Christ-follower in our culture means to live dangerously. “One of the ways we subvert the world and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ is by radical thanksgiving in all things and for all things.”
We also want to mention the success of the Oasis Kids and Oasis Youth programs led by Jon Dixon and Chad Clements respectively. It’s great to know that our kids are being challenged and inspired to grow in their faith through quality programs such as this.
On Thursday evening, we were reminded by Sam Chase and Paul Carline from CBM about the drought that continues to grip the horn of Africa and encouraged us to get involved. Darrell Bustin and Malcolm Card told us of the long history of Baptist involvement in Indonesia and how that partnership is entering a new chapter.
It is difficult to capture the essence of Oasis in an article. Oasis is filled with so much to take in – seminars, worship options, afternoon and after-hours events, and much more, including time to just fellowship with people you may not see that often. So, if you missed out this year, start planning for Oasis 2012 August 22-25 at Crandall University in Moncton NB. See you there!
