Rev. Dr. Gordon J. Oaks This is Me

 View all 8 references Web References

1. 1. congregationallife.com

   congregationallife.com/Newslet - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/14/2006   Last Visited: 1/29/2008

   An article based on interviews with Gordon Oaks, Sheila Brown, and Terry Kassa.
   ...
   Gordon Oaks was well aware of the number of main-line churches that were dying. He had five years before retiring as minister at St. Paul's United Church in Edmonton. "How was I going to spend those last five years?" was his question. "I could let things drift, or say there is potential here."
   
   Gordon knew his people and their potential. He also believed in the importance of small groups. All too often, he had found, lay people looked to him to do all the leading. His insight: "If I'm not equipping lay people for their ministry, I'm not doing my job. Unless we begin to do ministry in a different way, empower lay people, the church will continue to decline."
   
   "Gordon took a bunch of us to Calgary about six years ago to listen to success stories," Sheila Brown remembers.
   ...
   The first phase for Gordon involved reading all the material on small groups he could get his hands on.
   ...
   Gordon and Kathryn each facilitated a group. In the second half of the evening everyone came together for a session on the theory of small group ministry. Each person did a Spiritual Gifts inventory that Gordon and Kathryn adapted.
   ...
   Gordon became clear it is in using their gifts that people find the greatest fulfilment in their Church and Christian life.
   ...
   "Outreach is a crucial part of the cell groups," Gordon insists.
   ...
   "As leaders our job is to do that," says Gordon Oaks, "rather than just being the ones doing ministry." The key to a thriving congregation is helping people to discover new ways of using their spiritual gifts and doing their ministry. "As Christians we all have a ministry. The key is to acknowledge it and to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. The church's role is to encourage and support people in those ministries."
   
   Small group ministry "has to be seen as a new way of doing church, not just a new program," says Gordon. "Our evaluation at this point is that it is working."
   
   Gordon Oaks is now retired from St. Paul's United Church, but remains an active member of the Doctor of Ministry Committee at St. Stephen's College.

2. 2. McDougall United Church

   www.mcdougallunited.com/newsIt - [Cached]

   Published on: 3/4/2005   Last Visited: 5/30/2007

   Gordon Oaks, Minister -- goaks@shaw.ca

3. 3. A Big Church Sets Its Sights on Small

   www.congregationallife.com/New - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/14/2006   Last Visited: 1/29/2008

   An article based on interviews with Gordon Oaks, Sheila Brown, and Terry Kassa.
   ...
   Gordon Oaks was well aware of the number of main-line churches that were dying. He had five years before retiring as minister at St. Paul's United Church in Edmonton. "How was I going to spend those last five years?" was his question. "I could let things drift, or say there is potential here."
   
   Gordon knew his people and their potential. He also believed in the importance of small groups. All too often, he had found, lay people looked to him to do all the leading. His insight: "If I'm not equipping lay people for their ministry, I'm not doing my job. Unless we begin to do ministry in a different way, empower lay people, the church will continue to decline."
   
   "Gordon took a bunch of us to Calgary about six years ago to listen to success stories," Sheila Brown remembers.
   ...
   The first phase for Gordon involved reading all the material on small groups he could get his hands on.
   ...
   Gordon and Kathryn each facilitated a group. In the second half of the evening everyone came together for a session on the theory of small group ministry. Each person did a Spiritual Gifts inventory that Gordon and Kathryn adapted.
   ...
   Gordon became clear it is in using their gifts that people find the greatest fulfilment in their Church and Christian life.
   ...
   "Outreach is a crucial part of the cell groups," Gordon insists.
   ...
   "As leaders our job is to do that," says Gordon Oaks, "rather than just being the ones doing ministry." The key to a thriving congregation is helping people to discover new ways of using their spiritual gifts and doing their ministry. "As Christians we all have a ministry. The key is to acknowledge it and to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. The church's role is to encourage and support people in those ministries."
   
   Small group ministry "has to be seen as a new way of doing church, not just a new program," says Gordon. "Our evaluation at this point is that it is working."
   
   Gordon Oaks is now retired from St. Paul's United Church, but remains an active member of the Doctor of Ministry Committee at St. Stephen's College.