Oasis Church of Joplin

Have I mentioned before that I love my church?  My husband and I moved to Missouri to 6 1/2 years ago to help start a church. We had never thought about helping with a church plant before but God had plans for us.  We had been attending my husband's dad's church because his dad was the Pastor.  When his dad resigned we decided to find another church.  After about a year we started talking about how we would like to move to out of California somewhere to the Midwest.  But we felt like God wanted us to stay under our Pastor's ministry.  Very shortly after that our Pastor announced to us that he was moving to Missouri to start a church.  We immediately knew that's where God wanted us.  I don't know why God wanted us to go a state with a million churches to start a church but I'm glad He did!
Our church started with less than ten people in an office front building that was about 20 by 40 feet.  At one time we were up to about 150 people and currently run about 100 on Sunday morning.  Our church is now in a real church building located at Rangeline and Zora behind SMB bank.  I believe that one day our church will run thousands of people but the number isn't the most important thing.  The most important thing is that the people who attend our church have had lasting change in their lives.   They feel that they are loved and accepted and God is speaking into their lives.  We have a great congregation of people!
We also have amazing Pastors.  Our Pastors are friends with everybody.  In some churches this can be a bad thing because the people want to think the Pastors are perfect and if they get to know them too well they realize they are not perfect.  I like that our Pastor allows the people to get to know his family, has them over for the holidays if they have no where to go, and will go to dinner or hangout with anyone who asks him.  Yes, they will realize he is not perfect but once they know his heart they will usually be ok with that.  After all, Pastors are people too and they are imperfect just like the rest of us. 
Anyway, I love my church and I love Missouri and I'm so glad we are here and a part of this vision!