When I was the student pastor at White Oak’s Colerain Campus several years ago, I led our high school ministry on an annual summer mission trip. As the years went on, I developed a desire to see our teens spiritually formed through the process of the trip planning and preparation and not just go on the trip itself. One of the things I required for each trip participant was that they...

The Bible says it… I believe it… that settles it. Have you ever heard that phrase? I recall seeing it on a bumper sticker years ago. Years ago, I would have agreed with that sentiment without question. Now, I think the Bible is doing much more than that.

I drive my kids crazy sometimes because they will bring up topics in conversation that they are very passionate about and I don’t have much of an opinion on the matter. The other day the debate about soft serve ice cream vs. hand-dipped came up. I love both. A lot. I literally don’t have a preference. It’s not that I don’t listen or even that I don’t care about someone’s ice cream preference (ok, I probably don’t), but I just don’t dwell on topics that require energy I’d rath

Emma grew up at White Oak and recently stepped into a new season of life at Miami University. In this Formation Conversation, Emma shares how God has been shaping her faith through prayer, community, and learning to listen for the Holy Spirit. Emma reflects on growing up in church, the moment her faith began to feel personal, and how spiritual practices helped her move from simply knowing about God to trusting Him with her life. In this conversation we talk about: • Growing u

You’re probably going to think I’m a little crazy but bear with me. There are times where I have been horrified over spilled beverages. I’m not a huge fan of the big 20oz Frappuccino’s and all of the fancy lattes they sell at coffee shops with the pile of whipped cream on the top. I know a lot of people like these drinks so please don’t hear that I’m criticizing them. They’re fine. They’re certainly not as good as black coffee, but I digress. This is the reason you might thin

We spring forward this weekend. This comes with immediate pain (losing an hour of sleep on Saturday night) but with long-term benefits. We have more daylight. Spring is right around the corner! We can sense newness and renewal are in the air. The month of March has always been bittersweet for me....

I can still see the large hardback Bible under the living room coffee table. It was blue with a colorful picture of Jesus on the front of it. I can’t recall what he was doing but he had a big smile on his face. If I had to guess, I’d say this particular Bible was probably printed in the 1970’s. I don’t even recall if it was the full Bible or just excerpts but I can still see in my mind the images inside of the stories I had heard so many times.

As we’ve listened, prayed, and reflected on the last few years, we’ve sensed God leading us into a new season for missions at White Oak. Not a departure from who we’ve been—but a deeper alignment with who God is forming us to become.

When I was a kid Easter was always by far the most boring of the holidays. Halloween had candy and costumes. Thanksgiving had the delicious food that you only had once per year. Christmas was a season of yummy treats, fun movies, holiday traditions, presents, and church events that highlighted the celebration. Even my birthday had a lot of exciting build up for days leading to the celebration! But Easter was sort of....