Brandon Twp.-There’s a bright new face at Oakwood Community Church.
Pastor Donald Holliday, 44, officially joined the church staff on Aug. 15 as Oakwood Community Church’s Teaching Pastor. He will be working with Pastor Bob Service, who has ministered with the church for more than 30 years.
‘What excites me is seeing God touch lives and seeing lives changed by him,? said Pastor Holliday, ‘and I think I’m going to see a lot of that at this church.?
Holliday, who was born in the Upper Peninsula and grew up in Battle Creek, is coming from Dallas, where he ministered for eight years with the Scofield Memorial Church. His last position was as associate pastor. The new Oakwood pastor said he learned about the local position through a friend.
‘I had heard that Oakwood was looking for a teaching pastor,? explained Holliday. ‘Teaching is something I’ve always been passionate about so I was very interested.?
After an extensive interview process, Holliday was offered the position. He now lives with his wife Lisa and their three daughters – Angela, 13; Michelle, 10 and Amy, 4 – in Brandon Township. Holliday said his family is settling in well, but change always makes everyone nervous, especially when moving into a new home and community.
‘We already miss some of the conveniences we had. Everything in Dallas was within a mile walk and open 24-hours… now we have to travel 20 minutes when we forget a gallon of milk,? he laughed. ‘We also now live on a dirt road, that’s a new experience for me. I also used my riding lawn mower for the first time ever.?
Pastor Holliday began his career in ministry in the early 1980s. After attending two years of business college at the University of Michigan, he decided to take some classes at a bible college. One class led to another and another and another.
‘I felt I wanted to share my excitement for studying the scripture,? said Holliday. ‘I knew at that moment what I wanted to do.?
Holliday graduated in 1983 from Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo., with a bachelor of arts in Biblical Studies. In 1991, he graduated from the Dallas Theological Seminary with a master’s degree in Christian Education and later in 2001 with a second master’s degree in Biblical Studies.
Pastor Holliday said he decided to leave his Dallas church home after finding a longing for a congregation that needed his skills and talents. He described how Scofield Memorial was a large church family with eight pastors, ‘all of them very gifted laymen; 11 custodians; and a private school. The new Oakwood pastor said his ministry there ‘got to the point where I felt the church didn’t need me as much as Oakwood would.?
‘I feel I can make a bigger difference here,? he added.
At Oakwood Community Church, Pastor Holliday will be spending about 70 percent of his time in the pulpit as well as heading up small group instruction, leadership development and directional leadership.
‘I see Oakwood Community Church as having stability, especially with Pastor Bob being here for more than 30 years,? said Holliday, ‘yet I also see a church that is progressive, excited about the future and caring for everyone here. I saw my personality as a good match to the church.?
Oakwood Community Church is located at 5791 Oakwood Road, just west of Baldwin Road For more information on the church or to meet Pastor Don Holliday, please call (248) 628-6388.