Missions »

Missions, Evangelism & Outreach Committee

We’re so pleased that you’ve taken a moment to invest in what God is doing at OGC, the Community of Evansville and in the lives of those overseas on the foreign mission field.

WHO are we?
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 (crf: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

As members of the body of Christ we all serve different roles and bring to the body our own special gifts. This is true of all those presently serving on the Missions Committee. Each of us brings to it a special dynamic of where God currently has us in life; whether it is mom, teacher, retiree, businessperson, or student. Our role involves partnering with Christ in His work both in the U.S. and overseas; though prayer, financial support, and direct communication with our missionaries we are actively pursuing being God’s hands and feet to the whole world.

WHAT do we do?
Mission Statement: We will partner with God to draw unbelievers into a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ, locally and internationally.

Some of the projects the Missions Committee is responsible for are:

Establish missionary partners and faithfully walk alongside them in prayer.
Support OGC’s mission partners financially and prayerfully.
Reaching out to the community via “Welcome Bags” to new residents.
Raise awareness of OGC within the community through marketing, such as newspaper ads, billboards, parade floats, etc.
Develop creative ways to connect with those in Evansville who many not be a member of a local congregation.
Support and empower members of our congregation to reach people for Christ.

Committee Meetings
Missions Committee Meetings are held once a month.

Jarrett & Hillary Allebach – Connecticut

Jarret & Hillary Allebach

In the summer of 2003 Pastor Josh and Jarrett started seminary together as they jumped into an intensive six week class on New Testament Greek. It was through that class, and others which they shared that a friendship developed. From that point onward they have talked almost every week, sharing what God is doing in their lives, and how they can support each other in God’s call to love and obedience. After Josh and his family transitioned to Evansville, Wisconsin and began serving at Oak Grove Church, there was an opportunity in West Hartford, Connecticut with a church that was about three years old and it seemed like an excellent fit for Hillary and Jarret. In the summer of 2007, the Allebachs visited Oak Grove Church, spent time with the people and described to the missions team their sense of calling and their need. The missions team decided to partner with the Allebachs in our service to Christ in New England and it has been a wonderful relationship.

Learn more about the Allebachs at their blog.

Phil & Linda Charlton – Ohio

Phil & Linda Charlton

The Charltons came to Oak Grove Church in 1996 with their two children Amanda and Nate. For the next decade Phil and Linda served as stewards of the church in different capacities, including teaching high school and then adult Sunday school, as Church Board members and actively working on the restoration of the church for its 100th anniversary.

Phil had attended seminary and the family was prepared to go into full time ministry. After 24 happy and successful working years, a position at Horizon Community Church was presented to Phil. After taking some time to allow God to work in their hearts, in 2006, Phil and his wife left Oak Grove church, leaving behind both their church family and two grown children, and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where there was a church congregation, but no church building to meet. Phil began his work at Horizon Community Church as the Chief Operating Officer and has been diligently working on building plans. Construction is now underway. Phil’s duties include attending to daily construction issues, in addition to the responsibilities of running the business of the church. During this time Phil has been a leader of quiet strength to staff, the pastor, elders and people who attend Horizon. Phil also conducts a men’s Bible study and works offering one-on-one with men seeking counsel.

Linda’s skills have also been a great asset to Horizon Community Church. She leads multiple women’s Bible studies along with also offering one-on-one counsel. Along with these activities Linda coordinates women of the church with inner city women in recovery from drugs or alcohol.

Learn more about the Charltons at Horizon Community Church.

Randy & Annette Hillebrand – Ukraine

Randy & Annette Hillebrand

Randy’s ministry is to assist church leaders in Eurasia through seminars based upon his book, “Building A Dynamic Church.” His goal is to help them reevaluate what they do and why they do it through presenting a biblical foundation for the church. Randy has taught his manual in Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan with the desire to expand his ministry in the near future to Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and in any of the other countries of the former Soviet Union where he would be allowed access.

Randy, Annette and their family were originally invited to come share their ministry by a couple at Oak Grove Church with whom they were acquainted. It was a blessing on both sides and we as a church family have enjoyed partnering with the Hillebrands ever since!

Learn more about the Hillebrands at Hillebrand Ministries.

Tom & Christe McKittrick – Ohio

The McKittrick Family

The McKittrick family lived in Evansville and attended Oak Grove Church until Tom was called to Horizon Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio as Spiritual Growth Pastor in September of 2007. Tom’s wife Christe and the children, Tim, Anna, Grace and Sam joined Tom in Cincinnati in early 2008.

Tom reflects; “I was very comfortable where I was, I liked my job, we loved Evansville, it was an exciting time at Oak Grove Church, we had teenage children, one of them was a senior in high school, I didn’t have a seminary degree, I had never done ministry full time, but God had other plans.
When I first arrived at HCC, the primary focus was on starting and populating small groups. That is still a priority, but I would say the scope has changed to really look at spiritual growth and what can we do to help people, no matter where they are in their faith journey, move one step closer to Christ. For example, HCC has been taking mission trips to Belize for a number of years. This year, we are really making the spiritual growth of our people a priority for that trip.” The vision for spiritual growth for the people of HCC through small groups is to foster significant, Christ-centered relationships.

While Oak Grove Church does not provide financial support for the McKittrick family, we do support them by partnering with them through prayer.

Learn more about the McKittricks at Horizon Community Church.

Jody & Marcia Riethmiller – New Guinea

Jody & Marcia Riethmiller

The Riethmillers first became involved with Oak Grove Church in 2006 when the church, then known as First Baptist Church, was searching for a pastor. The church had contacted New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin where Jody (Cliff) was teaching, to find an interim pastor, and God called Jody to serve. He led the Adult Sunday school class and fellowshipped with the congregation several times in the six-month period until Josh Brumbaugh was called to serve as pastor.

The Riethmillers left in June, 2009 to serve in the area of Member Care in Papua New Guinea. Member Care missionaries function much like a pastor would in a church. They encourage, come alongside and pray with missionaries who may be struggling in a myriad of ways. Future ministries will involve facilitating the “Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills” workshop with all the missionaries on the PNG field. Jody and Marcia meet with associate missionaries in who wish to become career missionaries.

Their ministry is no longer localized to just their center, but has expanded to include working with bush missionaries, which includes traveling to their locations to do whatever they can to encourage them as well.

Learn more about the Riethmillers at New Tribes Mission.

Care Receivers

Fanta Diarra & The Maaniade Family receive support from Oak Grove Church through World Vision. To learn more about this important ministry visit their website.

Fanta Diarra

Maaniade Family

Local Ministries

Along with our missions outreach to the ends of the earth, Oak Grove Church is committed to reaching the hearts and souls of people right here in Evansville, Wisconsin. Oak Grove Church supports the following local ministries that show God’s love in a practical way.

Crescent Lake Bible Camp Crescent Lake Bible Camp’s mission is to provide a safe and friendly camping experience in a Christ-centered environment for people of all ages.
Evansville Ecumenical Care Closet The Evansville Care Closet is an ecumenical effort that includes a thrift store and a food pantry.
Evansville Meals-On-Wheels Every fifth month, the congregation of Oak Grove Church accepts the responsibility of delivering meals to those who receive Meals-On-Wheels.
Evansville Manor Oak Grove Church assists with the Evansville Manor birthday parties and also periodically presents a worship service for the residents. Pastor Josh leads regular Bible studies for residents.
Life 102.5 and Faith Talk 1190 Christian radio is changing lives in this area. Oak Grove Church is pleased to be a day sponsor for this great outreach. Tune into this local Christian radio station and listen to one of our own congregation members, Ann Manion.

We Exist to Glorify God