Oak Grove Community Church - Meridian, MS

Oak Grove Community Church - Meridian, MS "Believers in one heart, experiencing the one true God." Welcome to the official page for Oak Grove United Methodist Church! Rev.

Phillip Dearman - Pastor
Grant Brown - Laity Leader
Rie Moulds- Music Leader
Frances Kidd - Pianist

Sunday School: 9:30 AM
Morning Worship: 10:30 AM

Tuesday night Choir practice: 6:00 PM
Family Supper: 7:00 PM
Bible Study/Youth: 7:30 PM

Second Sunday of the month: You can bring a canned food item for our food pantry and a contribution for our Improvement Fund. Also join us for Family Dinner po

tluck lunch after worship! Fourth Sunday: Lost and Found for God Collection: Did you find some loose change or a dollar or two that you thought you had lost? You can donate it to our Lost and Found for God fund! Monies from this fund are used to help those in need. Each Sunday, bring some loose change for our Penny and Quarter March. Money collected by our children directly benefits them through Vacation Bible School and opportunities to attend church camp. We'd love to see you at Oak Grove United Methodist Church! We're the church on the hill at the end of Valley Road in Clarkdale!

05/29/2026

The Stages of Our Christian Life

God is patiently guiding us to release our old life and embrace who we are becoming in Christ.

May 29, 2026

Philippians 1:5-7

5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

Every Christian’s journey is unique. Yet certain stages of growth should be common to all of God’s children. For example:

*The Lord wants to teach new followers basic principles as a foundation on which to build. He expresses these truths through other believers, His Word, and things that happen in our life.

*God allows us to serve Him. Christians were created to do good works, and this becomes evident as we glorify Jesus (Ephesians 2:10).

*The Lord lets us experience “frustrated inadequacy.” In other words, our Father brings us to the place where we realize we can achieve nothing of value without divine guidance and power.

*To make freedom a reality, the Father brings His children face-to-face with whatever holds them captive. God allows us to struggle through issues with His help. As we surrender to Him and seek His perspective, He works to liberate us.

*The Lord teaches us how to live the “exchanged life” (Galatians 2:20). Our sinful nature has been crucified with Christ, and the Savior’s life is expressed through us as we surrender to Him.

By reflecting on these stages, you may recognize where God is currently working in your life. He is patient and faithful in His work of transformation. Surrender to the Holy Spirit today, asking Him to continue shaping you into the likeness of Jesus.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 11-13

05/28/2026

The Process of Sanctification

Spiritual growth can't be rushed—it's a journey that requires your patient, daily cooperation with God.

May 28, 2026

Hebrews 5:11-14

11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Many modern-day inventions are designed to help us accomplish tasks more quickly. Not every process, however, lends itself to acceleration. Consider our growth in Christ, which is known as sanctification. Being a Christian is neither an event nor a quick fix. Rather, it is a journey. There are things for us to learn along the way, and while we may unwisely choose a longer path than necessary, there really are no shortcuts.

Sadly, there are people who grow little after salvation. Some aren’t discipled or encouraged in their faith. Others fail to pursue maturity through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and fellowship. But God’s Word says to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Consider how spiritual development benefits believers. The more we get to know God, the better able we are to walk in obedience and live a contented, purposeful life for His glory. We also become more adept at discerning truth from falsehood.

Have you noticed any change in your life and character since you were saved? Your heavenly Father wants to mature you. So make a continuous effort to cooperate with Him by reading Scripture, praying, fellowshipping, and repenting of all known sin in your life.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 8-10

05/27/2026

King of Kings

Surrendering to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords doesn't remove your freedom but, rather, is how to finally find it.

May 27, 2026

Revelation 19:11-16

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ``KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

Scripture declares Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This isn’t merely a title—it’s the reality of who He is. The same Jesus who entered Jerusalem humbly on a donkey will one day return in power and glory. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

When Christ returns, He won’t come alone. Believers and angels will accompany Him on that great day. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you share in His victory and will reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). This is the fulfillment of God’s promise that His people will participate in His kingdom.
One day Jesus will rule on this earth in perfect righteousness. But even now, He comes to reign in the heart of every believer. Salvation is just the beginning of all the blessings the Lord has in store for us.

Who rules your life? Who guides your decisions and directs your path? The Creator has a plan and purpose for your life, and He longs to reveal them to you as you walk with Him in trust and surrender.

When we submit to Christ’s loving authority, we discover freedom—not restriction. Then we can experience the joy of living, as God intended for His children.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 4-7

05/26/2026

The Exalted Lord

One day you'll see Christ exalted in glory, and you will join all heaven in worshipping the Lamb of God.

May 26, 2026

Revelation 1:9-18

9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, ``Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ``Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

The book of Revelation contains some of the richest descriptions of our Lord that Scripture offers. We love imagining Him as the baby in the manger and recognize the importance of His death and resurrection, but the story doesn’t end there.

John was given a dramatic vision of the exalted Lord as He is now, in heaven. The apostle had shared intimate friendship with Christ on earth, but the sight of his Lord in this glorified state overwhelmed him—he fell at Jesus’ feet as though dead (Rev. 1:17).

Jesus is portrayed as the Lord of His church, which is represented by the seven lampstands surrounding Him. He protectively watches over them and calls them to faithfulness.

A few chapters later, Jesus is revealed as the Lamb of God. He is the One who sacrificed Himself on our behalf, His blood purchasing redemption for people from every tribe and nation, making them citizens of His kingdom. All heaven erupts into praise and worship (Revelation 5:6-13).

If you believe in Christ, these chapters describe your future. Picture yourself standing before Jesus, the exalted Lord of His church, and then joining all heaven in worshipping Him as the Lamb of God.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 1-3

05/25/2026

Our God of Comfort

No mistake can diminish God's love—He meets every failure with comfort and grace.

May 25, 2026

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Consider how God’s tender care was demonstrated through Jesus’ life. The Gospels repeatedly mention that the Lord was moved by compassion when He saw pain and need.

Jesus not only healed people suffering from illness but also offered something greater: new life through the forgiveness of sins. Even to His enemies, Jesus left the door open for repentance.

The Lord also had compassion on those who struggled because of their mistakes. Notice how Peter’s betrayal of Christ was met with forgiveness and restoration (John 21:15-17) and Thomas’s doubts were answered by Jesus Himself (John 20:27).

Today, God’s compassion is still available and personal. He knows when we hurt and offers comfort through His Spirit, who dwells within us (John 14:16-17 KJV). When our afflictions remain, He strengthens us to endure them (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). What’s more, our mistakes in no way diminish His love for us.

No situation places us beyond God’s reach. His comfort meets us in every circumstance we face—whether illness, financial strain, or family crisis. And once we’ve experienced His divine consolation, we’re to become bearers of comfort to others (1:4). Since people everywhere are in desperate need of His compassion, that’s a powerful way to spread the good news of Christ.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 8-10

05/23/2026

Our Bridge to God

Jesus is the bridge spanning a chasm between us and God that we could never cross on our own.

May 23, 2026

John 14:1-6

1 ``Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 ``In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 ``If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 ``And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to Him, ``Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, ``I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

In verse 6 of today’s passage, Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” What a powerful and awe-inspiring statement!

When Jesus calls Himself “the way,” it’s likely that many people imagine a one-way street. They take it to mean there are lots of roads, but He is the only one that leads to the Father. This is true, but another image better captures the truth of our situation.

Think of Jesus not as a road but as a bridge. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Between us and God lies a great chasm we cannot cross on our own. No matter how hard we try in our own strength, we can’t close the distance.
There’s only one way to cross this wide chasm: a bridge. That’s what Jesus is for us. He stands in the gap, providing safe passage across the void and into the arms of our heavenly Father.

Spend some time today meditating on this image. Without God’s help, we are powerless to bridge the gap ourselves. Heaven would forever remain out of reach, beyond a great divide. When we understand this truth, we begin to appreciate the true power of the cross.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 1-4

05/22/2026

In the Fullness of Time

God finishes what He starts, and His timing is never a moment too early or too late.

May 22, 2026

Galatians 4:4-5

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit planned and created a beautiful heaven and earth. Yet even before Adam and Eve were formed, God knew sin would enter the world, causing us to be separated from Him. However, a plan for our redemption was already in place. In the fullness of time, the Son of God took on human flesh and dwelled among us to carry it out (Romans 5:6).

The Lord doesn’t do anything haphazardly. Every plan of His is meticulously accomplished at just the right time. And this truth doesn’t apply to just the big events in human history. He has a specific plan for every believer too. He ordained the day each of us would be born and has complete knowledge of what each moment of our life will hold. And just as He did when Christ was born, God will, in the fullness of time, execute each part of His will for our life. He’s promised to work all things for our good when we love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Are you trusting God’s plan for your life? The One with complete knowledge and wisdom knows what He’s doing. Have confidence in His timing, even when circumstances tempt you to rush ahead or give up hope. He is faithful to complete what He has begun, and He is never late.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 35-36

05/21/2026

From Fearful to Fearless

Think of a time when you were fearful of others. For some, this might look like fearing harm or violence from a specific person or group. But for many of us, we can get sidelined by a different kind of fear...

Maybe you're worried that someone won't like you—your personality, your looks, your opinions, or your work.

Maybe you're afraid that speaking up for what's right could cost you—your job, your reputation, your comfort.

Maybe you've felt misunderstood, and the narrative has gotten twisted—with a little bit of truth and a whole lot of exaggeration. There's more to the story, but it's challenging to explain.

Maybe you’re so busy and preoccupied, making sure everyone around you is happy, that you're neglecting your own life and calling in the process.

Maybe you say “yes” to any and every opportunity or event—because you don't want to let anyone down, or get left out.

There are many ways in which we might live in fear of others. But the result is always the same: striving for man's approval leaves us anxious, exhausted, distracted, and disappointed. When we fail to trust God, it shows.

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."
Proverbs 29:25

We cannot trust God if we’re living in a constant state of fear, because fear is the opposite of a faith-fueled trust. God’s approval, after all, is the only approval that matters.

Pleasing God matters more than pleasing people. Being accepted by God matters more than being accepted by people.

The great news is, we don’t have to earn His acceptance! We don’t have to prove that we are worthy of His time, attention, or love. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection did this for us. We are now considered worthy because He is already worthy! When we belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit helps us to become more like Him.

Acceptance and inclusion from others will never give us the true safety and security we desire. But God’s acceptance of us is unconditional, and it transforms us from the inside out. We simply need to receive Him—allowing His love to change the way we think and act.

As the knowledge of God's love increases in our lives, the fear of people decreases.

When we trust in God, we can rest in the assurance that we are secure for eternity. We are loved by our gracious Savior. He alone has the power to change the course of our lives.

Take some time to survey your own heart. Are your thoughts, words, and actions a result of fearing man—or trusting God? Consider a few small ways you can begin to place your trust in God rather than living in fear of what others might think.

05/21/2026

The Importance of Prayer Partners

The Lord doesn't expect us to fight our battles alone—be willing to accept or give help when needed.

May 21, 2026

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

Try holding your arms up in the air for as long as you can. No matter how strong you are, you’ll eventually find it impossible to keep them raised.

In Exodus 17:8-16, Moses was faithfully praying on a hill while his soldiers were below, fighting the Amalekites. As long as his arms were raised, the Israelites prevailed. But he couldn’t maintain this posture on his own for very long. He needed Aaron and Hur to hold up his hands.

The Lord never expected Moses to do the job by himself. Nor does He expect such a thing of us—that isn’t how He operates. God has built His church in such a way that the world will recognize Christians by their love toward one another (John 13:35). We are ultimately dependent on God, but as believers, we’re likewise interdependent upon each other. Everybody needs an Aaron and a Hur—people who can hold us and help us in our intercessions before the Lord.

Ask God to bring people into your life who can faithfully and lovingly lift you up in prayer without judging you or expecting anything in return. And ask the Lord to open your eyes to those around you who need an Aaron and a Hur in their life.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 32-34

05/20/2026

Building a Firm Foundation

When you feel shaken, remember these unchanging truths about God.

May 20, 2026

Lamentations 3:21-23

21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Our faith isn’t built on feelings or wishful thinking—it rests on something far more solid. Let’s look at seven foundational aspects of Christianity:

1. God is. Faith must be built on the simple confession that the Lord is—He is real. He exists and is indeed God (Hebrews 11:6).

2. God is love. He’s intimately concerned with your life and wants to engage in a relationship with you.

3. God is just. His justice is absolutely perfect—even when He lovingly disciplines us.

4. God is all-knowing. He knows your heart, your pain, and your questions. You cannot shock or surprise Him.

5. God is everywhere. You never have to wonder where He is. Wherever you are, He is right by your side.

6. God is all-powerful. There is nothing greater than God. Regardless of how enormous your challenges and heartaches seem to be, you can overcome them in His power.

7. God is faithful. No matter how far you stray, He never gives up on you. Whatever you have done, He will always welcome you home.

When doubts arise or circumstances shake you, return to these truths, all of which are solid and unchanging.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 29-31

Amen!
05/19/2026

Amen!

Address

6884 Valley Road
Meridian, MS
39307

Opening Hours

Wednesday 6pm - 7:30pm
Sunday 9am - 12am

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