Delanni Thurton Romero, Fellow Saint – ODBCer For Life
ODBC Creativity
What would we bottle in a time capsule that captures ODBC that we can take out in next 25 years. Well in the twenty-five years of Open-Door Believer’s Chapel ministry – there are thousands of photographs to choose from our countless events – girl’s club, men’s mentorship trips, sleepovers, valentine fellowships, Caye trips and many many more adventures over the years that can be placed in our ODBC time capsule. Videos that showcase our numerous productions, dances, drama, music, choir, movies, and the list could go on. For the next twenty-five years ahead, I instead would want us to encapsule ODBC’s creativity – whether it’s technical or artistic or whether it’s our innovative thinking, this element that God has blessed our church with breathes energy and life through the years. As the God who is our creator – who is exceptionally creative with his inspired expressions and his intentionality about details – so must we as a church be intentional about doing the work of the Lord through our creative facets.
Meeting the needs of the Saints
As ODBC encapsules the attribute of meeting the needs of the saints I’d like us to reflect on what that embodies. Throughout the years, ODBC has consistently served others whether it was through weekly lunch monies for selected students or for the faithful weekly prayers as a church for our saints living or studying abroad, prayers for the sick, the needy, those seeking jobs etc. This need also encompasses great messages and rich teachings that we’ve received over the years. In Ephesians 4 God’s word instructs us to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and for building up the body of Christ. ODBC leaders have poured into its saints equipping and training. Yes, ODBC has managed through God’s grace to live out 1 Thessalonians 5 where Paul encourages the believers in Thessalonica to build up one another, pray always for others, respect those who God places over you to lead and instruct, being patient with everyone, be joyful always, and learn to be content in any circumstance and do not repay evil for evil. May we as a church never lose this important core of who we are but more importantly what God’s commandments state – faith, hope and love abides but the greatest of these three is love. May we always endeavour to meet God’s requirements.
Pioneering Spirit
I would want us to recapture that pioneering spirit so it can be encapsuled. According to Church News Archives (2005) pioneers are those that go before, tread first on new terrain, and those whose critical moments of decision must be based upon faith alone. ODBC was born from one man’s vision and his obedience to listen, trust and follow God. May we retrieve this pioneering spirit that would allow us to step out in faith braving the storms that may come in order to prepare a way for others to come to know Christ. Afterall we would be following the example of our saviour – the one who is the pioneer of our salvation. John 14:12 says “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do…”
Truthfully though – things placed in a time capsule stands still – they are placed in a durable container that would preserve and protect its content so that nothing changes – minimal damages but also no growth. While we would want to bottle these attributes which is the essence of ODBC, wrapping them with acid free tissue to ensure longevity or utilizing archival quality paper for photocopying so documents would last through the ages; instead, we should wrap and enclose these attributes in new wineskin that is able to withstand the new wine the Lord is getting ready to pour into his ODBC saints.
- Allowing the Lord to continue to direct us or maybe even redirect us if he so graciously gives us a new work.
- Allowing the Lord to expand our capabilities – get us out of our comfort zone as a church as he gives new visions, raise up believers with fresh anointing, that giftings be nurtured and developed – to give God all the glory and all the honour for he is worthy.
May we all be encouraged to take on the next twenty-five years with these elements or characters if you will, encapsuled in every ODBC member’s heart. An era has undoubtedly marked and left its legacy, let even the residue of this legacy be persevered in a life that pleases God who called us to share in his kingdom and his glory.