Oasis: College & Young Adult Ministry

88. People Pleasing

Most of us have struggled at some point to gain the approval of another person. But is that bad? The problem becomes when we let other people set our identity or worth. If we find ourselves loving and serving others, but only for our own gain, we are in dangerous waters.

Why is people pleasing bad? How should we serve Jesus then? What about that person who just doesn’t like me?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on our forgiveness and red solo cups. 

MESSAGE: God in the Darkness

We are finishing up our series "Software Update" with one last week focusing on the struggle of depression in mental health. Through scripture, we see numerous accounts of people struggling with depression-like symptoms such as the author of Psalm 88. Opening up this Psalm, along with Ben's personal experience, we are looking at depression in the midst of faith. 

Can Christians struggle with depression? Why would God let us feel that? What should we do?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - "God in the Darkness."

Message Delivered - 04/24/2022

87. The Sacraments

Ever heard of the sacraments? This can be a church idea that many people do, but don't really know about. Baptism and Communion are the sacraments of many Protestant churches that can be deeply impactful in the life of a believer. We want to just scratch the surface of what these truly are.

What is a sacrament? Why is baptism important? Does communion really matter?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Dylan) has to say on the best lake food

MESSAGE: The Priority of Peace

Week 3 of our series "Software Update" brings a timely word from the gospel of Luke looking at the sisters, Martha and Mary. These two are drastically different people but with different priorities too. In those differences, a lot is revealed about life, following Jesus, and anxiety.

What is anxiety in the Bible? Why do priorities matter when it comes to being anxious? How do I choose the "One thing"?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - The Priority of Peace

Message Delivered: 04/10/2022

86. How to Find a Church

It's getting to be that time of year again... the time when it seems like everyone packs up and ships off. Whether you are a senior graduating from college, a young adult moving to new places/opportunities, or a college student just leaving for the summer, this podcast is for you! It is VITAL we know how to find and pick a church. We want to help you do that.

Do my preferences matter? What should I be looking for? Can I shop around?

If you know where you are headed and want some help with suggestions, reach out! We'd love to connect with you.

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on the best/worst part of Oasis

85. Joy Vs. Happiness

To partner with our current series, we wanted to circle around to a topic we covered a while ago - Joy. Joy can be this seemingly allusive and confusing thing. As Christians, we are supposed to have Joy. Yet, we often confuse that with happiness. Let's talk about that.

How is joy different than happiness? Where does joy come from and how do I experience it? Can I have joy in hard situations?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on happy moments and eternal joy

MESSAGE: Peace in Perspective

Week two of our series "Software Update" is here and Ben is going to take us through an INCREDIBLE teaching from Jesus in his famous "Sermon on the Mount." Opening Matthew 6, Jesus helps us find peace from anxiety by putting our worries in perspective. From there, he gives us even more tools to "reprogram" our thinking patterns. 

What does God promise me? How should I deal with anxiety? What's it mean to put God's will first?

All of that and more when you listen to this week's message - "Peace in Perspective"

Message Delivered: 04/03/2022

MESSAGE: Fighting for Peace

Kicking off a brand new series, we've got Brennen taking us through Paul's teaching in Philippians 4. In this message, we address anxiety from the perspective of the Bible and start to learn real, tangible steps for healing.

What is anxiety in the Bible? Should we really pray about it? What's healing really look like here?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - "Fighting for Peace"

Message Delivered: 03/27/2022

84. Manifestation Gifts of the Spirit

Manifestation... Ummmm, what in the world is that?? When it comes to the Holy Spirit's gifts, they can be sorted into three major categories - ministry, motivation, and manifestation. Out of these, we want to spend some time focusing on the last ones!

When it comes to miracle healings, speaking in tongues, or even faith, how does the Spirit work? How do we know what gifts we might have? Can we seek after certain gifts?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on life and the best gifts ever

 

83. “Software Update” Sneak Peek

Oasis is starting a new series this week and oh.my.goodness - does God have something in store for us all. We are addressing the topic of Mental Health from God’s word, but it might look different than you are thinking. Listen here to see what we mean!

What does the Bible say about mental health? What is biblical “anxiety”? How does that connect with depression?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Dylan) has to say on the battle between our ears. 

82. Interview with Cellest

Back with another interview, we’ve got Cellest Peterson joining us! Cellest has an amazing story of God speaking and leading her in different seasons of life. We can’t wait for you to hear how God speaks through her!

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen and Jaena) and a special guest has to say on faithfulness and God’s voice!

81. Loneliness

Loneliness seems to be on the rise everywhere, especially, with young adults. It can be really, really hard. But let's not forget, God's got healing for it too. If you are or someone you know is struggling with loneliness, we pray this conversation can help!

What is loneliness? Why are we seeming to struggle so badly? How do we get out of it?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on being alone and feeling alone

MESSAGE: Full Surrender

Finishing up our series "Cultural Quicksand," Pastor Aaron Cloud is talking us through the renewal of our minds. But to get there, we need to first look at what it means to fully surrender to Jesus. 

Is God trustworthy? Am I going to miss out? How do I renew my mind?

Find all of that and more when you listen to this week's message - "Full Surrender"

Message Delivered: 03/06/2022

MESSAGE: Money Matters

Week 2 of “Cultural Quicksand” and we are talking about MONEYYY. Not as excited as we are? That’s okay. Money can be a tough conversation to navigate, but God has a way for us to find freedom and healing there too.

What does culture teach we should do? Does God agree? What’s the point?

Find all of that and more when you watch this week’s message “Money Matters”

Message Delivered: 02/27/2022

MESSAGE: Raising the Bar

*Sorry for the delay! We are a week behind here, but better late than never!*

Week one of our new series "Cultural Quicksand" brings with it the topic of morality. In a culture that sets the bar pretty low for what morality is, we are looking at the Sermon on the Mount to get Jesus's view.

What does culture call morality? Does Jesus agree with that? If not, how does he call us to live?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - "Raising the Bar"

Message Delivered: 02/20/2022

80. Devotionals

Today, we are talking Devos! From the little books we read to the idea of prepping one yourself, we pray this conversation leads you closer to God through his word.

What’s a devotional? How do I know if I need one? How do I prep one myself?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on funny words and deep thoughts. 

79. Modesty

Modesty seems like a straightforward topic, butttt it's a bit more complicated than we often make it. We want to chat about how to glorify God with our inner attitude and our outward decisions. 

Is this only a "girl" conversation? Does modesty go beyond just clothes? How do we live with modesty?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on Target and LuLu Lemon. 

 

MESSAGE: The Dark Side of Marriage

Wrapping up the "Bad Blood" series, Brennen is looking at marriage. When it comes to marriage, one of the toughest things we are experiencing is divorce. Our generation is being plagued by it either directly or indirectly and God's not okay with that. Let's look at what marriage is supposed to be so we can begin to heal again.

What's God's design? How does that help us today? What's culture saying?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - "The Dark Side of Marriage."

Message Delivered - 02/06/2022

78. Interview with Jesse

We are trying something new! There are a bunch of amazing people who used to be Oasis leaders that are now full-on in young adult life. These people, including Jesse Aalberts who we interview here, have incredible insight into college life, transition seasons, and young adult struggles.

Where are they now? What did they learn here that they still cling to? Any advice to give? 

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen & Jaena) plus a special guest has to say on young adult living!

77. The Death Penalty

Oof, are we really going to go there?? Yep, yep we are. This debate can get super passionate, but we want to come at it from a biblical lens and with Christ-like hearts. God gets to have a say in all of life and in all of our views so let's talk about it!

What is the argument for both sides? Is the Old Testament teaching still viable today? What would/did Jesus do?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on this controversial debate. 

76. Apologetics

Apologetics is like finding a treasure chest. Don't get it? Well, you better check out this week's podcast! Really, apologetics is answering questions about faith. 

Should we practice apologetics? Why would we not? What are some of the big questions people ask?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Dylan) has to say on the goodness of God and circumcision

MESSAGE: The Dark Side of Dating

Week 2 of our series "Bad Blood" and we are talking about dating! But this isn't just your routine dating message... Ben covered breakups, betrayals, and boundaries. You're gonna want to hear this.

How do we break up well? Is there healing for the hurt that I've experienced in dating? Why are boundaries important?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - "The Dark Side of Dating"

Message Delivered - 01/30/2022

75. Physical Health

It's January which we all know by now usually means resolutions! Some of the most popular resolutions are about physical health. Because of that, and how much the Bible has to say about our bodies, we want to chat about it!

Why do Christian and physical health overlap? Is my body really that important? What should I change or do now?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on the weights and twinkies. 

***You can now find the podcast in VIDEO on our YouTube channel - "Oasis: College and Young Adult" (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg8KcLbxkG0D5tTRcjh3VjQ)***

MESSAGE: The Dark Side of Singleness

We are firing up for Week One of our new series "Bad Blood"! This week, we are covering the hardships that can be felt in seasons of singleness. Loneliness, comparison, and fulfillment are serious struggles in singleness so let's talk about it!

When I feel alone, am I really alone? Why am I single when THAT person has a significant other? What if I never get married?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - The Dark Side of Singleness

Message Delivered: 01/23/2022

74. ”Bad Blood” Sneak Peek

2022 and we are back with another new Oasis sermon series - "Bad Blood: The Darkside of Relationships." In this series, we are covering singleness, dating, and marriage buttttt not quite like we usually do. We want to look at the dark side, the hard stuff, the difficulties of relationships in order to uncover the lies and strengthen our lives. 

What's hard about singleness? Why do we date so poorly? Is marriage really that hard?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen & Jaena) has to say on the worst season of relationships

PS - Listen in to get an extra piece we WON'T cover in our series... (engagement)

 

73. Passion ’22 Takeaways

Brennen and Jaena had the chance to take a trip down to ATL last week to attend Passion 2022! Not only that, but they got to take 11 of our Oasis leaders with them. It was an incredible time of fellowship and learning and we want to clue you in on what God was teaching us!

Why did we go? What did we learn? Is there anything negative about a conference like Passion?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen & Jaena) has to say on God among the 60k

MESSAGE: Who and Why

Life throws us some pretty big questions, but not many come bigger than "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" To start 2022, we wanna talk about these big questions with you! Thankfully, Zacchaeus and Jesus combine to give us some answers. 

Who are you? Why are you here? What should we do with that?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - "Who and Why"

Message Delivered: 01/09/2022

72. Goal Setting

With the end of the year right ahead of us, we wanted to come back to the idea of goal setting! It feels like you hear about this a lot growing up, but oftentimes, it still feels hard to do or simply overlooked. Let's chat about that!

What are good ways to try and keep a goal? Are there bad goals? What are pitfalls you see when it comes to goals?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brenen and Jaena) with a special guest has to say on 2022!

71. Mentorship

Mentorship goes beyond just our Church context, but there are important things to understand within Christianity as well. If you've been mentored or have mentored others before, you probably have some opinions of what works and what doesn't. We'll chat about some of ours too

What is mentorship? Is it necessary? How should I do it?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on influential celebrities and stuff

70. Increasing Mental Health Issues

Mental health is on the rise and most of us feel that.... like deeply. But why? We are going to look at what we think are some causes in our world right now.

What role does social media play? Are people less religious? Okay, COVID?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on the "other" epidemic