Churches talk a great deal about purpose. What is our purpose? Why are we here? What is Forest Grove all about?
Here at Forest Grove, we state our purpose as Loving God, Growing in Grace and Completing the Commission. This statement shows what we are all about.
Loving God means that God is always at the heart of everything we do. We are commanded to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This command is meaningless unless we obey it. When we do, then we enjoy the type of relationship with God that He wants with us. It is the type of relationship for which we were created.
As we are loving God, the next step is for us to grow in Grace. Our relationship with God is enhanced as we learn more about Him, we call this growing in grace. How do we learn more about who God is?
We believe two main areas help us grow. First, we spend regular time in personal prayer and Bible Study. This is vital to our personal relationship and growth.
However, that is not enough. In addition we must regularly assemble with other followers of Christ to build each other up and encourage each other. Personal growth is enhanced when we help each other grow.
As we love God and grow in grace, we find that we must obediently walk in the path God shows us. One vital part of this is in completing the Great Commission Jesus gave to the church before He ascended into heaven. That commission is to go into all the world and make disciples of all men.
We cannot save anyone. Only the grace and mercy of God is able to accomplish that. We can, however, encourage and attract those who do not have a right relationship with God to Him. We do this through our obedience.
We do this through loving God. We do this as we grow in grace. This makes a relationship with God desirable. After all, it is what we all are looking for.
John tells us that we can have fellowship with God. You and I are created for fellowship. This is only possible through forgiveness and obedience.
What about you? Each of us must make this decision for ourselves. No one can decide for us. It doesn't matter how good our parents were. It doesn’t matter how good we are or even what church we are members of.
What matters is what decision we make about our relationship with Jesus. Paul tells us that we will all confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The question is will you do it now or wait until it’s too late? Scripture also tells us that now is the time for salvation. We encourage you to make this decision now while you can.
Choose today whom you will serve. Choose to serve Jesus Christ. We invite you to join us so that we can love God and grow in grace together. We invite you to be a part of our family.
The Methodist Protestant Church, instituted in 1828 and organized under its present title in 1830, traces its origin through the Methodist Episcopal Church, to the Evangelical Reformation begun in England by John and Charles Wesley. The church was organized by men and women who desired a Church Government that provided equal and fair representation for both ministers and the laity.
In 1939, a majority of the Methodist Protestant churches were swept into the Methodist Church, which is now the United Methodist Church. The majority of the Mississippi Conference held fast to “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints”, and preserved the Methodist Protestant Church in its original form of doctrine and government.
The Methodist Protestant Church today has work in Alabama, Arkansas, Belize, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi.
Forest Grove Methodist Protestant Church was organized in the year 1906 in the vicinity of an old school house located on what is now Renfroe Road.
Forest Grove has served this community for over a hundred years as a lighthouse pointing to Jesus Christ as the light of the world. In 2006 a new, lighted steeple replaced the old steeple. The light in the steeple at night is a reminder to us that our mission and purpose is to light the way to Jesus Christ as Savior for this dark, sinful world.
Forest Grove is a family of Christians who love each other and who welcome you to worship and fellowship with us. Our mission is to encourage and build up each other in the Gospel of Christ.