Celebrate Recovery's 20th Anniversary at CRBC

Celebrate Recovery's 20th Anniversary at CRBC

Pastor Rick:  When I arrived at Council Road 20 years ago, one of the first new ministries I wanted to implement was Celebrate Recovery. It was a relatively new ministry in Oklahoma, and one that was badly needed. Oklahoma is located in a prime position geographically for drug and human trafficking—right in the middle of the United States where three major interstates criss-cross. The poverty level is also a problem. Both play into a high dependence on drugs and alcohol.

After getting to know the staff, I knew who the perfect person would be to head up our new chapter of Celebrate Recovery: Sue Ellen Ferguson. She had the perfect combination of leadership, creativity, grace and mercy, and a disarming smile, not to mention her own story of recovery. Some people thought I was crazy, as she was serving as the leader of the Women’s Ministry at the time. But I knew she was the perfect person to take on this new endeavor.

The Day Is At Hand: CRBC Missions Season

The Day Is At Hand: CRBC Missions Season

CRBC’s Missions Season begins the Sunday directly after Easter and ends the Sunday right before our big Pentecost Sunday 60th Anniversary celebration– isn’t that fitting? While we see God’s heart for the nations from the beginning (i.e. God’s call on Abraham in Genesis 12), the Great Commission and the missionary travels of the disciples and Paul ignited what we still know as “missions'' today. The reality is that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection spurred believers to act, share, love, and move back then and still spurs us to this day.

When We're Still Waiting For It To have Been Worth It

When We're Still Waiting For It To have Been Worth It

I’m new to this whole missionary gig and so far it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. My back hurts from the plywood bed. My stomach grumbles as it adjusts to the new foods, water, and routine. My hair is oily from the less than clean water I “wash” it in every other day. My living room wallpaper is such an onslaught of patterns, my head hurts when I walk in there. I spend too much time on Instagram missing my friends because it’s too rainy this week to go make new friends with my caveman version of the local language. I barely want to pick up my Bible because my mind feels so overwhelmed with learning a new language that it could explode even from reading a familiar language. And I’m lonely.

Be Careful Of Council Road

Be Careful Of Council Road

“Be Careful of Council Road,” My coworker told me with a raised eyebrow. I had visited one of Council Road’s young adult home groups only once, but the church’s reputation preceded them even now. My co-worker shared comical stories of the church’s youth group getting kicked out of church camp and other stories which blurred the line between legendary and tall tale. This mysterious congregation had a long-known reputation for “doing its own thing” and “making its own rules.” The unusual caution came to me six years ago when I was first visiting Council Road. I’ve now come to uncover the truth of this rule-breaking house of worship—My discoveries are logged below.

An Unexpected Blessing (Whiz Kids Part 2)

An Unexpected Blessing (Whiz Kids Part 2)

I’m not sure I really knew what I was getting into when I signed up to help with Whiz Kids. I knew it was a tutoring program and that I would be working with a student each week. I’m not a teacher, so I was slightly concerned that I wouldn’t be qualified. I was assured that being a teacher was not a requirement.

Celebrating Whiz Kids

Celebrating Whiz Kids

When I was just starting on the pathway of doing children’s ministry at Council Road Baptist Church, I encountered that quote. As I remember, it was credited to a man who was a famous actor, singer, dancer and comedian. His name? Danny Kaye. Now I don’t know if he was a particularly wise man, but I do know that he realized a truth about children: they are a treasure of great value and it is imperative for the future that we protect, nurture, guide and love them.

Celebrate Missions

Celebrate Missions

Every Tuesday, our Whiz Kids and their tutors fill the Cube with energy and more hugs than you can count (and most recently, a lot of 4th grade drama). Every Friday, our Celebrate Recovery meets for dinner and 12-step groups, passing out chips to celebrate markers of sobriety and life change. Our partners around the city are faithfully serving, loving and sharing the gospel in a variety of spaces including education, recovery, vulnerable families, outdoor ministry and food insecurity. Our deacons and bereavement team serve our church every single day in meaningful ways that impact every single person in our church, whether they know it or not. Our groups are accessing the Care Portal and meeting the needs of families in our community. We have had adoptions finalized, babies come into loving foster homes and biological families strengthened. Around the world, we have partners living out their calling to move overseas, plant gospel-centered churches, train pastors, provide clean drinking water, bring kids out of street life into a life of purpose and provide quality education. This is just the beginning of all there is to celebrate in the life of our church.