Mission Statement:

Moving from Membership to Discipleship Oakdale Covenant Church is committed to carrying out the Biblical mandate (Matthew 28:19-20) of winning souls for Jesus Christ and preparing them for a life of Christian service through Evangelism, Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, and Service.

Who Are We:

We are the largest African-American congregation in the Evangelical Covenant Churches of America.  Although Oakdale is currently an African-American congregation, it was founded in 1902 as a primarily Swedish immigrant congregation at 8801 South Normal on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. During the late 1960s the surrounding community experienced a transition into primarily an African-American community, dramatically altering the congregation’s ethnic make-up. This ethnic transition spilled over into the Oakdale congregation. In 1970, Oakdale called its first African-American pastor, Reverend Dr. Willie B. Jemison, who served until his retirement in January 2000. Under Pastor Jemison’s leadership, Oakdale grew from a small congregation of less than one hundred to over twelve hundred. The growth was so strong that our current worship center, 9440 S. Vincennes, was erected to accommodate the growth in disciples and ministries. In 1992, Oakdale Christian Academy and Childcare center was established to respond to the educational needs of the community.

In January 2000, Reverend Dr. D. Darrell Griffin succeeded Pastor Jemison as the Senior pastor. Under pastor Griffin’s leadership, Oakdale continues to be recognized as a haven of hope and spiritual transformation in the community. It has become known as “A Great Church… With Great People…Serving A Great God”. His commitment to educating, empowering and transforming the lives of God’s people through Christ has manifested itself through the tremendous growth of Oakdale to well over 2000 disciples, the establishment of the Oakdale Community Development Corporation, and the Reconnecting Center which assist in connecting Oakdale to the needs of our brothers and sisters on the continent of Africa.

What We Believe:

v  The Covenant Church Believes in the Holy Scriptures, the Old and new Testaments as the Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine and conduct. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21)

v   We believe in Jesus Christ! Membership in a Covenant Church is granted to those who, through faith in God’s son, our Lord Jesus Christ, have been born again to a living hope; who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, and who are committed to living a Christian life (Matthew 28:19,20; John 1:12)

v   We believe in the dedicated life. It is the outward expression of the new life within which promoted the Apostle Paul to write “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. (Galatians 2:20)

v    We believe in the unity of all Christians. On the basis of Scripture, we believe we should accept into membership all whom Christ accepted. Differences in minor points of doctrine do not require a different church and must not divide us. (I Corinthians 12: 12, 13)

v  We believe in he principle of freedom within the discipline of the spiritual fellowship. (Ephesians 4:1-4)

v  We believe in the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (I Timothy 1:16, 17; Revelations 11:15)

v    We believe in the Evangelical witness: sharing, spreading the “GOOD NEWS”, (Acts 1:8)

The Covenant Church:

The Evangelical Covenant Church is a rapidly growing multi-ethnic denomination of more than 750 congregations in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continents of the world. Founded in 1885 by Swedish Immigrants, the ECC values the Bible as the Word of God, the gift of God's grace and ever-deepening spiritual life that comes through faith in Jesus Christ, the importance of extending God's love and compassion to a hurting world, and the strength that comes from unity within diversity.  www.covchurch.org

What is a Covenant Church?

▪ Evangelical, but not exclusive

▪ Biblical, but not doctrinaire

▪ Traditional, but not rigid

▪ Congregational, but not independent

The Covenant Mission 

We are united by Christ in a holy covenant of churches empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the Great Commandments and the Great Commission:

▪ ...to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind;

▪ ...to love our neighbor as ourselves, and

▪ ...to go into all the world and make disciples

PASTOR'S SERMONS

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