OUR PREACHER
"The greatest compliment I think I can receive is for someone to say to me, 'You're a preacher? You don't look like most of the preachers I know.'" --Tom
"My name is Tom Bostic and I have been the preacher at OCC for 25 years, since May of 1996. I am thankful every day that God gave me the ability to preach His Word (I picture it as God allowing His Living Water to be poured out on people from an old cracked pot He has deemed usable.) And I am also very thankful that He opened the doors all those years ago for me to come and be a part of the leadership team here.
I am not the Pastor; the New Testament teaches us that pastors are the local men elected from within the Body of Christ to shepherd the flock--we often call them "elders". I am also not really a minister, at least not the only one; all members of the Body of Christ should be ministering to each other. I am simply a preacher (and yes, I prefer the small "p"--I am no one special), given the job of proclaiming God's Word to the people of Orleans."
Tom grew up in Columbus, Indiana; he is married to Laura Ann Hammel Bostic, and they have 3 grown children, Katie, Kyle and Jacob. They are also grandparents to 3; Everly, Isaac, and Delaney.
OUR CHURCH
The Orleans Christian Church is an independent, Bible-believing congregation that is associated with the churches of the Restoration Movement.
"Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent."
"In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion, liberty; and in all things love."
We are not perfect; no man is, nor is any group of human origin. We hope to follow God's Word as closely as possible so we can do His will in all our endeavors. But let's just say there is always lots of room for improvement.
OCC was started in 1867 by members of Restoration churches who had moved to the new community. The current building was built and dedicated in 1920, carrying on that ministry to reach the people of the Orleans area with the gospel of Christ and to provide a place of comfort, encouragement and stimulation for the Body of Christ who gathers together.