The Mission
The mission of Oak Grove Church | Durham, NC is to be fully rooted in Jesus Christ. Our mission is to get people born again, disciple them in the true teachings of Jesus, and equip them for the mission God has for them.
The Vision
In recent decades, the "church growth movement" has plagued Christianity. While its original intentions may not have been malicious, the movement has had a widespread negative impact. Statistics show that, despite the claims of growth, Christianity has not actually expanded—it has shrunk. So, where is this "church growth" that has been so widely touted? In reality, it doesn't exist. Instead, many people are leaving small, personal churches where they can serve and play an active role, in favor of large megachurches that often resemble rock concerts or TED talks.
The consequences are evident in our society with the steep moral decline we see everyday. In the pursuit of growth at any cost, some churches have adopted "non-offensive," "seeker-friendly" messages that leave listeners unchanged, unconvicted, and unaware of the spiritual battle unfolding around us.
On the other hand, there are churches that remain true to the fundamentals of the faith but are so isolated from their communities, so resistant to welcoming new members, and so outdated in their facilities, that they fail to fully accomplish the mission of Jesus. These churches just blend in, and become invisible their community that's steeped in darkness. Where they should be a great light, illuminating the darkness, they are just another building blending in, unfruitful and non-vibrant. They are dead, but refuse to admit it. This, unfortunately, drives people toward the compromised megachurch model.
At Oak Grove, God gave Pastor Craig a vision for doing things differently. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all people, using the resources God has entrusted to us to reach the world with the Gospel. But we also believe in preaching the unfiltered truth of Scripture, regardless of whether it aligns with popular opinion. Sometimes, people need encouragement; other times, they need to hear hard facts. Ultimately, everyone needs THE TRUTH!—and that's what we deliver at Oak Grove.
We remain rooted in the fundamentals of the faith, but we're not so closed off that we hinder the mission that Jesus has called us to. We are a "Welcoming Church, Without the Compromise." Join us in the movement to make an impact in our city, our state, our country, and to the ends of the earth!
The consequences are evident in our society with the steep moral decline we see everyday. In the pursuit of growth at any cost, some churches have adopted "non-offensive," "seeker-friendly" messages that leave listeners unchanged, unconvicted, and unaware of the spiritual battle unfolding around us.
On the other hand, there are churches that remain true to the fundamentals of the faith but are so isolated from their communities, so resistant to welcoming new members, and so outdated in their facilities, that they fail to fully accomplish the mission of Jesus. These churches just blend in, and become invisible their community that's steeped in darkness. Where they should be a great light, illuminating the darkness, they are just another building blending in, unfruitful and non-vibrant. They are dead, but refuse to admit it. This, unfortunately, drives people toward the compromised megachurch model.
At Oak Grove, God gave Pastor Craig a vision for doing things differently. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all people, using the resources God has entrusted to us to reach the world with the Gospel. But we also believe in preaching the unfiltered truth of Scripture, regardless of whether it aligns with popular opinion. Sometimes, people need encouragement; other times, they need to hear hard facts. Ultimately, everyone needs THE TRUTH!—and that's what we deliver at Oak Grove.
We remain rooted in the fundamentals of the faith, but we're not so closed off that we hinder the mission that Jesus has called us to. We are a "Welcoming Church, Without the Compromise." Join us in the movement to make an impact in our city, our state, our country, and to the ends of the earth!