Amy Schroll 9/21/15
Its been a long time since I have looked forward to getting out of bed early to go to church on a Sunday morning. But Fair Oaks Church has me looking forward to getting up, walking a half mile from my home, and finding myself at church next Sunday (well, next Sunday Im camping for my birthday weekend...but the one after that!) :)
A very friendly team of greeters make you feel welcome from the moment you walk in to the time you leave. These people do more than just say hello; they are genuinely happy you are there. And they are joyful! (Especially the womens ministry director, Joy!!) Hot coffee is such a plus and they serve it with a variety of creamer selections; perfect for the not-really-a-morning-person people like me.
Worship is lively and vibrant with a variety of contemporary songs. This part of the service is really important to me and this church does a great job with their praise and worship. The music is fun and its a great way to start and end the service. I introduced myself to the worship leader (Philip) and told him what a great job I think hes doing after last weeks service.
There is only one Sunday morning service at 10:30 a.m.. During that time, the young Pastor Tom Olson brings enthusiasm and laughter to the congregation as he delivers his motivating messages. He includes lots of stories about his life and family and is a very engaging speaker. It makes church fun when you have a great pastor - which is how it should be! This is a medium-sized church with people of all ages, and the sermons all very relevant and well-received. (Its still big enough that I was surprised when he remembered my name after only meeting me twice). Its incredibly refreshing to hear someone so positive and kind and funny. I hear hes new to the church himself, so it seems Ive found this place at a good time! Ive only been going for a few weeks (3 times actually), but I feel like I found somewhere that will be a good fit for my beliefs and what I want from a church; and I genuinely look forward to returning.
5 /5
Jim Smith My family and I were members of Fair Oaks Baptist in Concord during the times when Knudsen, Carlson, Korch, my friend the late Dan Owens and Beattie were Senior Pastors. Fair Oaks was one of the two most vibrant evangelical churches in the Diablo Valley, the other being E. Free in Walnut Creek. It was unfortunate that it changed so radically when the late Mike DeLeon and his first wife, Vicky, abruptly announced to the congregation one Sunday morning as the worship service began, "Starting today the music is going to be very different. Contemporary, no longer traditional. A lot of you wont like it, but youll just have to get used to it." Previously, this large vibrant congregations services had a large talented choir and even an orchestra. The church was growing and winning people for Christ. Although I enjoy Contemporary Christian Music and have sung and played guitar and electric bass in other churches since we left Fair Oaks, the way in which the transition took place was wrong. It pretty much set this church on a course of circling the drain for several years. It wasnt smart to tick off the older adults, those who were by far the most significant givers, who then left Fair Oaks and went elsewhere. I remember a later Pastor, McCoy, not only leaving Fair Oaks but also deciding to leave the ministry altogether. Really sad. Its stunning to look back at what the highjacking so many years earlier led to. Thankfully, the existing church that took over Fair Oaks as a sort of "church plant" and merger has done a good job and God has blessed the congregation because of the new leaderships faithfulness. What happened there presents a cautionary lesson church leaders can and should learn from.
5 /5
Laura Collins BSF has been a life source for me and so many through the kindness of their Pastor to allow all of us ladies to learn and study Gods word in their Church facility and classrooms.
5 /5
