OUR NEED FOR A SAVIOR

All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. From the most precious newborn to the sweetest elderly lady, we are all sinners. The wages for our sin is death, meaning a separation from God in this life and in the life to come.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

JESUS CHRIST, OUR WAY MAKER

Out of His overwhelming love for us, God sent His Son Jesus to this earth to pay the price for our sins. He made the ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross so that we could be made whole. No longer does there have to be any separation between God and us.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Salvation cannot be earned through any self-effort, but it is a gift that we receive by faith. We receive this gift by:

Believing in our heart that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected after three days:“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

Repenting of our sins:“Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

Confessing that Jesus is Lord:“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Being baptized:“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16

A NEW LIFE

At the very moment we begin our relationship with Jesus, we then become a new creation in Christ. As we surrender to Him, He begins to completely change the way we think and live. We aren’t perfect, but we are free from sin’s power. As evidence of this, we come out of the darkness and begin to live in the light.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

With Jesus as the Lord of our life all of our sins are forgiven and we look forward to an eternity spent with God in heaven!

The next step for anyone who wants to make Bayou Oaks their Church home is to attend our Membership Class. Our desire is for you to become an active member, serving alongside other believers, and building relationships in the Body of Christ. We would love to get to know you and talk about who we are as a church in a relaxed informal setting. We will discuss what it means to have genuine salvation and the fruits that should be evident in our life. We will also discuss the history of our church, practical ways to get connected and how to become a healthy, functioning member of the Body of Christ at Bayou Oaks.

Our Membership Class is held periodically throughout the year, once a class is scheduled we will announce it in service!

Serving God and serving people is the evidence that we truly love God and love people! In Ephesians 4, we see a picture of a healthy, thriving church where each member is actively serving using the unique giftings that God has given them. We want to give every member the opportunity to shine their light for Jesus through ministries that serve on campus at Eagle Heights and throughout the community. Each of us has an important role in the body of Christ and our desire is to help you find your place. Pick up a Count Me In card from the Info Desk to find out about all of the ministry opportunities you can plug into using the gifts and talents uniquely given to you by God!

Here are a few ministry examples:

- rock babies in our nursery

- teach children about the Lord in Sunday School

- help out with the youth

- help us provide items throughout the year for missions

- sing on our praise team 

Baptism is an important step of obedience that shows others we have asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. When we are baptized, we are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection. Water baptism is a public declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ and is an outward expression of the new life that has been created with us.

“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” Acts 2:41

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

If you would like to be baptized, contact us!

We encourage you to grow deeper in your relationships during our bible studies. Whether you’re single or married, in college or retired, starting a family or raising teenagers, we have a group for you. Small Groups are truly the life of our church because we know that relationships are vital to your walk with God. As you connect with others, you form friendships within the Body that will carry you through the ups and downs of life. We want your small group to be a place where you can open up about your struggles, celebrate what God is doing in your life, and join with other believers in prayer as we all strive to grow closer to God together.

Keep up with what's going on at Bayou Oaks!