Greetings to all from the Search Committee, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In accordance with our Search Committee covenant, we wish to provide a brief report to the church as to where the process is in our prayerful search for OCC’s next Senior Minister.

The Search Committee has been meeting regularly, receiving and following up on several resumes of interested applicants for the position of Senior Pastor at Owensboro Christian Church.

We are encouraged and excited about the interest of so many gifted, Spirit led Ministers of Christ interested in OCC.

The process in it of itself is one that is prayerful, methodical, and yes even tedious at times, requiring a lot of research work, reference checks, phone calls, contacts, prayer, etc.

Weeks ago, the committee prayerfully worked through the “how should we proceed” phase, and we are now able to methodically move forward with each resume in a manner that quickly identifies each Pastor applicant as a potential candidate…or not.

We have been blessed with a network through out the evangelistic/Christian community that provides us with names of solid and gifted ministers for the Lord.

We have been listening to many applicant cd’s, viewing dvd’s, visiting churches, reviewing resumes, categorizing each according to strengths, references, experience, gifts (both in the pulpit, building the body, and edification of the saints in their current and previous pastoral positions.)

Your Search Committee remains faithful in its purpose as stated in the covenant:

The Committee, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, will diligently search for the person the Lord has called to be the senior pastor of our congregation.

The time in which it takes through out the search process requires much prayer and patience. Please continue to pray for us. The amount of time necessary to complete our search for a new Senior Minister is in God’s hands. “Do not lay hands on anyone to hastily, 1 Timothy 5:22 (a)

We are confident that our God and Father has already selected whom He would have lead the flock at OCC, and that He will reveal to us in His time as to whom He has chosen.

It has been amazing to watch our leaders, ministers, and members pull together and grow together during this exciting time in our church. The Holy Spirit has moved so many to bear fruit in a way that has truly brought glory to God’s name.

We wish to acknowledge how blessed we are at OCC to have the team of ministers that we have, and praise God for the wonderful way in which He uses each one of them.

God has demonstrated to us, His love, and revealed to us, His guidance, time and time again through out our search for our new Senior Minister.

We wish to encourage your hearts, ask for continued prayer, and let you know that we are working and praying fervently in an effort to seek God’s face in the midst of our search. We are confident in saying that God is working, and His Spirit is moving through out this church body, and He will deliver in His time, and not that of our own, whom He has chosen to be our next Senior Minister.

Outreach Ministry, missions (local and global), church plants, new members, new believers and baptisms, outstanding worship, small groups, guest speakers, excellent ministers, great youth, WOW! All of these are signs of a healthy church and a growing body whose hearts are being transformed by a Living God on a moment by moment basis.

That Living God is Jesus, and it is in His name that we pray for His children at OCC in our Pastor Search efforts.

We also would like to offer a reminder of, and extend an invitation to join us on Sunday mornings @ 8 a.m. in the chapel for our weekly prayer gathering. It’s a great way to start your Sunday @ Owensboro Christian Church.

Yours in Christ, The Senior Pastor Search Committee:

Jack Barrett (OCC Member), Randy Bush (Elder), Dennis Gilmore (Elder), John Hitchell (Chairman Of the Elders), Darrell Humphrey (Elder), David Simpson (Vice Chairman of the Elders), and Carson Smith (OCC Member)***We pray that we support the search process as a unified body and ask for prayer for our leaders as scripture supports.

1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:1-5 (NKJV)

Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. Hebrews 13:17 (NLT)