History
Oaks Community Church was founded with a clear conviction to spread the gospel message of Jesus Christ throughout Collier County. The idea of starting a new church was initially placed in the hearts of the elders of Summit Church, a local church in the area, back in 2018.
The elders prayed about this vision for several years, seeking God's direction and guidance. Finally, in the fall of 2022, the elders of Summit Church received confirmation from the Lord that it was the right time to plant a new church! This conviction led eight people to accept the calling to leave Summit Church and form a leadership team for the church plant in northeast Naples.
They worked together to prepare and plan for the church's launch, which included casting vision for the church plant, and asking people who lived in northeast Naples to prayerfully consider joining the work of church planting in northeast Naples.
Starting in the fall of 2023, they began to gather as a core team twice a month. After months of preparation, Oaks Community Church launched its first service on December 17th, 2023. It was a significant milestone for the church, marking the beginning of a new chapter of spreading the gospel message of Jesus Christ throughout Collier County.
Oaks Community Church is a family on mission in northeast Naples so that God may be glorified.
Why Plant a New Church?
We believe that God desires to give every man, woman, and child an opportunity to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And his chosen vehicle to see this accomplished is the local church—a family of believers transformed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus who embodies and represents the gospel where they live, work, and play. The end goal is not more church plants; it's the glory of the Lord as people are reconciled back to Himself through the message of the gospel. But God, in his infinite wisdom and sovereign grace, has empowered his church to be the means by which this takes place. We desire for God to be glorified in northeast Naples; therefore, more churches need to be planted in this area—churches committed to multiplying disciples and representing the gospel to every man, woman, and child for the glory of God.
Why Northeast Naples?
Throughout the history of Collier County, northeast Naples has been underdeveloped and small in population. However, in recent years it has become one of the fastest-growing areas in Southwest Florida. Northeast Naples is approximately 100 square miles and has a population of around 60,000. This rapidly growing area is increasing in population and infrastructure but continues to lack healthy, gospel-centered churches.
When Josh and Maggie moved to northeast Naples and discovered this reality, their hearts broke for the people. They immediately felt a burden for the area and began to ask the Lord if he desired them to plant a church. Over the last four years, God has confirmed this calling to Josh and Maggie, as well as the Elders of Summit Church, their sending church. They believe now is the time to plant a church! They also believe northeast Naples doesn't just need one gospel-centered church plant—their prayer is that this plant would be the start of a gospel saturation movement that would see many other churches planted in northeast Naples in the coming years.
Why Oaks Community Church?
The sixty-first chapter of the book of Isaiah prophecies a coming Messiah who would deliver the people. The first few verses declare that this Messiah would have the Spirit of the Lord upon him to bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and comfort those who mourn (Isa. 61:1-2). The vision ends with a new identity given to all who have encountered this Messiah: "they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isa. 61:3). This Messiah was none other than Jesus Christ (Luke 4:21), and this new identity is for all who embrace him as Lord and Savior. As Oaks Community Church, this is our desire—to be a people who have personally encountered Jesus and become like oaks of righteousness planted in northeast Naples so that God may be glorified.
