Oasis: College & Young Adult Ministry

MESSAGE: The Who

We've got WEEK 2 of our new series - "Let's Talk About..." Unfortunately, week one will not be available due to some technical difficulties (however, you can find a variation of it in this week's podcast - Singleness). In this dating series, Ben is diving deep into WHO are you supposed to date!

During young adult life, there are so many things we are all trying to figure out, and one of those things can be dating! As Christians, we should date differently (and better) than the rest of the world. That all starts with WHO you choose to date.

Should you have a list? What should be on the list? Are there non-negotiables? What about if they are like really, really cute? Get all that and more when you listen to this week's message - Let's Talk About... Part 2: The Who.

Message Delivered: 10/11/2020

17. Sacredness of Life

Maybe, you're familiar with the term "Pro-Life"? Maybe, you're also familiar that this is something many Christians put a lot of political emphasis on? Well, this isn't your typical Pro-Life conversation. In this, we want to talk about that and a lot more, while incorporating a whole bunch of the Bible. 

Is God "Pro-Life"? Does that mean what we think it does? Which lives are counted under the political umbrella of "Pro-Life"? All great questions you can find the answers to on this week's episode. 

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on God's people inside and outside the womb. 

16. Are all sins equal?

After a week off, we are back with the topic - "Are all sins are equal?" When it comes to sin, there's a lot of discussion about what it is and how it affects us, but there are different ways to look at that. However, we believe one way is more correct than others.

As people, do we view all sin the same? Or better yet, does God view all sin the same? What even is sin? All great questions you can find the answer to on this week's podcast.

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on the comparison of white lies and murder...

 

 

MESSAGE: Restored Purpose

It's the final week of our Dry Bones series, and Pastor Aaron, the Lead Development pastor at GracePoint, stepped in to walk us into God-given purpose.

One of life's biggest questions is, "Why am I here?" If you haven't thought about that yet, it was coming eventually. Aaron's here to answer that question. God created you with a purpose. You have a purpose. Now, as Christians, let's step into what we are made to do. 

What is life about? What am I supposed to do and focus on? Is there any point in all of this? Get all that and more when you listen to this week's message - Dry Bones Pt. 4: Restored Peace.

Message Delivered: 09/20/2020

15. Prayer

Well, this is a big one! What can we say about Prayer?! 

While we don't cover it all, we do cover a ton in this episode. How to pray, when to pray, what to pray, where to pray... We even do a section on the most commonly asked questions when it comes to prayer. For this one, you pretty much just gotta listen to soak it all in.

Ben, Jaena, and Brennen even give some sneak peeks into their prayer lives with hopes you can learn from their experiences too. 

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on talking to GOD... yep, that's a big one. 

 

MESSAGE: Restored Peace

With part three of our Dry Bones series, Ben talks us through restoring peace in our daily lives.

All of us have moments of stress, anxiety, or worry to deal with in our lives, but what does God say about those moments? By breaking down "CAST," Ben gives us practical, biblical, and godly advice on how to live a peace-filled life.

We pray this blesses you in whatever season you find yourself, and that you find the peace of God (Philippians 4:7) wherever you are. Listen to the whole thing here with Part 3 of Dry Bones!

Message Delivered: 09/13/2020

MESSAGE: Restored Identity

It's part two of our series Dry Bones, and Ben is opening up three things God wants to restore in young adults. To start, God is looking to restore our identity back to Him.

Many times, there are labels that we, or others, associate with ourselves. But is that who you are? Are you a student at your core? Or what about a business person? A boyfriend or girlfriend, a husband or wife?

Well, Ben has some insight into what God wants you to rest in for an identity. Listen to the whole thing here with Part 2 of Dry Bones!

14. Drinking

White claws, Busch Light, and ... Jesus? Wait, what? On this episode, we start a conversation on how to be a Jesus-follower and navigating the world of drinking.

We definitely don't answer all the questions, but we hope we gave you a good start in the right direction. When it comes to just drinking, a lot of times it comes down to personal conviction (fancy talk but listen to the episode to learn what that really means). However, there are some hard and fast rules you can find here!

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on John 2 and La Croix (jk). 

13. Are you a Christian?

Seems like a simple enough question, but in our culture and time, does it really mean what we think?

Many people are quick to respond to this question without knowing the whole context of what it is asking. We hope this conversation can lead you and others to better know what it means to "Be a Christian." Listen, maybe listen again, then talk to someone you love about this eternal topic!

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on simply what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

MESSAGE: Fall Kickoff

Kicking off our fall semester and a new series, Pastor Ben opens up Ezekiel 37 to show God's resurrection power! In this, God brings the dry bones of an exiled Israel to life through the vision of Ezekiel. In the same way, God is resurrecting the broken parts of our lives for his glory and our good.

Listen to the whole message here and see what God bringing dry bones to life can mean for you!

12. The Enneagram

Whaaaaa, another personality test. What even is the point?

Well, we are here to walk through this specific personality system and teach why it can be super beneficial to Jesus followers! But, are there any negatives to this circle, One through Nine system? Don't worry, we've got you covered there too.

Looking to find your number, check out this link for some help: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say about how a simple number combined with a perfect savior can help you live daily life. 

MESSAGE: Be Willing

Will you be willing? When it comes to following Jesus, God is looking for willing people.

In John, the disciple Philip shows up four times unlike in any other gospel. Through those occasions, Pastor Ben leads us to four points about being willing.

Be willing to come and see. Be willing to look past the impossible. Be willing to ask for help. Be willing to know Jesus. Find out the rest when you listen to this message - "Be Willing"

11. Cancel Culture

YOU'RE CANCELLED! Jk, we sure hope you aren't. But if you don't get the joke or do and just want to hear what we have to say on it, check out this week's episode!

Is there bad stuff that comes from a movement like Cancel Culture? Or, better yet, is there anything good that can come from it?? But, what about free speech or empowering minorities with a voice? Where do those weigh into the complex situation?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say about this trendy topic and the far-reaching societal implications. 

MESSAGE: Walk Humbly

Wrapping up our summer Oasis series, Brennen stepped in and took us through "Walk Humbly" from Micah 6:8.

When it comes to the word "humbly," there are a thousand different definitions to look at it. But, Micah takes it a very specific direction as he speaks to the nation of Israel. With the help of Paul and James, Micah's definition of humility starts to take root in our lives as well. Find out the rest when you listen to this message - "Walk Humbly"

10. Quiet Times

One of the most thrown-around Christian phrases, but what does it actually mean? Using the classic: who, what, when, where, why, and how, we break down what it means to live this daily practice.

All Jesus-followers should spend time each day with Him. Just like any relationship, it takes intentionality and time to grow in your faith life. We hope this helps you start or continue that in a big way!

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say about the Bible and how you spend your mornings. 

9. Celebrity Christianity

In a culture saturated by celebrities, the Christian community isn't excluded. Famous people are all over the Christian world and is that okay? 

From pastors to worship leaders and singers to actors, there are celebrities who follow Jesus. With the rise of social media, youtube, and even podcasts like this one, you can now see and follow all of these famous people. Is that dangerous? I guess you'll have to listen to see!

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say about JBeibs and Gucci Pastors. 

MESSAGE: Love Mercy

With PART 2 in our summer Oasis series, Pastor Jaena focused in on "Love Mercy" from Micah 6:8

 

Is it enough to just "do" or is God calling us to something deeper? Through the story of Jonah, Jaena demonstrates our responsibility to not only act but to act with love in our hearts. Jonah eventually preached what God wanted to the Ninevites, but he did it with contempt and disdane for the people receiving his message. That was a problem for him and could be a problem for us. Get the whole picture when you listen to this message - "Love Mercy"

 

Message Delivered: 07/19/2020

8. Life Advice

Have you ever thought about what advice you would give to yourself 5 or 10 years ago? Well, we just did and we recorded it just for you. Despite at the time thinking we had it all figured out, as we look back we all wish we could tell ourselves a little something. 

As you listen to what God has taught the Oasis staff in our years (some longer than others ;)), we hope you learn from our stories while reflecting on your own!

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say to less old, less wise, and less cool versions of themselves. 

7. Short-Term Mission Trips

This one is a bit different for you all! In this episode, we are chatting all about short term mission trips! We dive into the good, the bad, and the ugly side of this church practice.

Ever been on a trip like this? Listen through what we are talking about and see how it applies to your experience!

Never been on a trip like this? Find out the dos and don'ts for a future trip we hope you take! 

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on planes, painting, and a whole lot of people stuff. 

6. Identity

Who am I? One of the most asked and seemingly difficult questions to answer. Or is it?

Am I a father, son, worker, boss, friend, student....? How do I get the best identity possible? Well, we might argue these are all a bit off and you should listen why. 

Tune into this week's episode to see how the Oasis staff (Brennen, Ben, and Jaena) breaks down the question all people ask themselves at some point. 

5. Money

Money, money, money... MONEY! We are diving in to talk about it this week. Everybody in the world knows what money is, but do we all use it the way we are supposed to?

From plans to debt to generosity, we move through a conversation about money. But, is the conversation REALLY about just money?? Or is there a bigger topic at hand?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on that really important green stuff people are always talking about. 

MESSAGE: Do Justice

In the first summer Oasis for the year, Pastor Ben started our series on Micah 6:8 - "Do Justice, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with your God"

How did Jesus respond to the injustices of his time and what does that tell us about our response to injustice today?

Jesus addressed topics on women, race, class, and much more in the Sermon on the Mount, but we often don't read it as such. Listen to Ben unpack the middle-eastern context of Jesus in this message!

Message deliver: 6/21/2020

4. Friendship Transitions

Ever had friends change? Friends changing right now? Friends might one day in the future change? Yep, that should cover everybody. Well, this episode is for you!

There are a ton of reasons you might change friends in your life from moving, season of life, or even conflict. As Christians, we should do all of it with grace and love.

So, tune in to see what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on some of their experiences and transition dos and don'ts.

 

3. God's Will

What does God want? As young adults, there can be a lot of big decisions to make and directions to choose. Seems daunting, but God has the best way to navigate it all.

What career should you have? What should you do for school? Where are you supposed to live? The questions go on and on... 

Tune in and see what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on your life combining with God's purposes

2. Social Media

What role does social media play in our lives? Our parents and grandparents never had to deal with it. But, here we are. So, let's talk about it.

With Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and more, we are a generation denoted by screen time. Is that okay? What would Jesus say about that?

Tune in to see what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on posting, liking, and Jesus-ing. 

1. Influence

Never thought of yourself much as an influencer, huh? Well, let's see about that.

What even is "influence" today? Do we have it or how do we get it? What do we do with it? These are questions we ask on the very first episode of the Oasis podcast!

Tune in and see what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on one of the culture's current catch-words.

WELCOME

The Oasis podcast is back and with some changes! New to the podcast will be weekly conversations between the Oasis staff about all things Christian life and young adults. Then, the Sunday night messages will also be posted to this channel starting in the fall! Check out this intro snippet to hear more about what’s to come.

Eternal FOMO

Learn to Live: Call of God

Learn To Live - Recognizing God’s Voice