Our Story
Isaiah 61:3 "…that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified..."
Oak City Church began with a desire to minister to the community of Bartow, the “City of Oaks and Azaleas.” We wanted this “new planting of the Lord” to declare and demonstrate the love of Christ in word and deed, and we wanted to grow a healthy church that would, in turn, help to cultivate a beautiful city.
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Practically, we believe that the church can live out this call to discipleship and "kingdom renewal"—at least in part—through the ministry of biblical counseling. We believe that the Bible offers everything that we need to know for salvation and to live a life that honors God, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. We also believe that we are called to counsel one another (1 Thess. 5; Heb. 3:13; 10:24), bearing one another's burdens in a spirit of gentleness (Gal. 6:1-2).
Biblical counseling—that is, applying God's Word rightly to individuals in order to bring about God-glorifying change in their lives—allows us to build one another up, speak the truth in love to one another, and live in a spirit of unity with one another. It offers hope to all saints, sufferers, and sinners, because ultimately, it is the ministry of the gospel. Oak City aims to cultivate a culture of "one -anothering" from our pulpit, to have our hearts transformed by this good news, and to carry this gospel with us out into the community.
Oak City Church was established as a mission church of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) in 2022.
The Vision for OCBC
While Oak City Church's desire is to train her people to love one another well, we also recognize that we can experience seasons in our lives that require more intense, focused discipleship. Oak City Biblical Counseling began in 2023 to meet that particular need under the governance and authority of the church.
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OCBC provides one-on-one discipleship that seeks to apply the truth of God's Word to your unique circumstances. As we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and infallible Scripture to be our Counselors (Psalm 119:105; John 14:26), OCBC will confidently point to Jesus as our High Priest; he not only knows and understands our suffering, but offers grace and mercy to help us in our need (Heb. 4:14-16).
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OCBC cares for people with all manner of problems. The most common would be those struggling in their marriages, parenting, those wrapped up in and suffering from sexual sin or abuse, and those struggling to manage their emotions (depression, anxiety, anger, etc.). In all cases, we will rely on God's sufficient and authoritative Word to address the various problems we face.​
Oak City Biblical Counselors are not trained as and do not practice as licensed psychologists, licensed psychiatrists, state certified therapists, or any other type of professional mental health care provider. If you have any legal, financial, medical, or other technical questions, you should seek advice from a licensed professional.