Oasis: College & Young Adult Ministry

60. Book Recommendations

You asked so we'll answer! Here are the staff's book recommendations for you! We hope that you are able to find one or two that you can read through. Reading is learning and we want to always be readers!

What is your favorite book? What's the last book you read? What do you hope to read in the future?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on the lost art of novels

MESSAGE: Seen, Heard, Belong

A brand-new two-week series called "The One" coming at you fast!! In this message, Brennen looks at church growth and where God is taking Oasis in the future. Yet, the message might be a bit different than you'd expect so check it out!

How do we love "The One"? What do people need? Are we supposed to meet those needs?

All that and more when you listen to this week's message - Seen, Heard, Belong

Message Delivered: 10/04/2021

MESSAGE: How God Builds a BOLD Heart

Guest speaker Wes Smith brings the word this week. Wes is the District Superintendent of the Northwest District of the Wesleyan Church. He has a heart for building God's Kingdom and especially, for young people in church. This week, he wants to explain how God builds a BOLD heart.

 Are there certainties in following God? What do we do with criticism? How do we take steps of faith?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - How God builds a BOLD heart

Message Delivered - 09/26/2021

59. What is Heaven?

As Christians, our hope is HEAVEN!! We will get to spend eternity there, but what really is it? We are taking a deep dive into some theology of Heaven from the scriptures!

Where is it? What do we do there? What's it like? How do I get there?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on New Jerusalem

58. Is the Bible sexist/racist?

If that's not a jarring title, I don't know what is! You might be thinking, what the heck are they talking about this for? Orrrr, you might be thinking, finally, I'll get these questions answered. Either way, we've got some interesting passages of scripture to talk through in this one.

Does the Bible value women less than men? Does it look down on women? Does the Bible value one race more than others? Does the Bible support slavery?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on these touchy subjects

MESSAGE: Why We Gather

Do you ever wonder why the gathering of the church is important? Like, why do we meet up every Sunday to worship together? Well, Jaena's got you covered! Corporate/Congregational is the last piece of discipleship in our pyramid.

What did the early church do when they gathered? Is what we do similar to that? How do the pieces of a Sunday service become discipleship? What am I supposed to do with all this?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - Why We Gather

Message Delivered: 09/19/2021

57. Gratitude

Gratefulness is often overlooked in our culture today. Some people are prone to entitlement or pride when it comes to this area, but the Christian should always be grateful. Let's look at how to do that. 

Why is gratitude so important? How do I increase my thankfulness? What does it do for me?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Dylan) has to say on thanksgiving.

MESSAGE: PC Discipleship

Cruising through the Framework series, we've got another aspect of what discipleship is. This week, we are doing Personal and Communal Discipleship. You might be confused by what that means right now, but after you watch this, we hope you are drawn to discipleship in community!

What is personal and communal discipleship? Why is it important? How did Jesus do it?

Find all of that and more when you watch this week's message - PC Discipleship

Message Delivered: 05/12/2021

MESSAGE: Life with God

With week two of Framework, we are diving into how we are discipled! It's crazy, but there are so many ways God wants to form us into his image. The first one we are chatting about is through our PRIVATE relationship with Him. Now, this is not just Bible reading or prayer, this is COMMUNION with God.

What is our posture towards God? How does that impact what we think our purpose is? How do I experience communion with God?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - Life with God

Message Delivered: 09/05/2021

56. Fasting

Maybe, fasting is something you've heard of, but is it something you practice? A lot of times, it isn't a common discipline of Christians, but that can change! We think fasting holds so many spiritual benefits.

What is fasting? Why should I do it? How can I do it? Tips and tricks?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on  hotdogs and discernment

MESSAGE: The Way of the Cross

Kicking off the year and our first series, we are talking discipleship. Butttt, we can't first talk about discipleship without talking about Jesus. If we want to be more like Christ, we better understand who he is and what he did.

What is discipleship? Who is Jesus? What did he do? What does that mean for how I should follow him?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - God's calling 

Message Delivered: 08/29/2021

55. Community

Everybody needs somebody. We are never meant to live this life alone and we definitely aren't supposed to walk this faith alone. So, let's learn about how we live life with others!

Why is community important? What do we do in community? How do I get community? 

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say about their best friends

54. Series Sneak Peek

Coming in hot, we got a brand new series starting this SUNDAY NIGHT at Oasis!! You aren't going to want to miss this series called FRAMEWORK. We are taking a look at all things discipleship.

What even is discipleship? How should I do it? What can I hope to learn from this series?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on picture frames and the Christ.

MESSAGE: God's Calling

With the first week back, Ben and Brennen shared the mic and both tell their story of how God brought them to where they are now. There's some change happening in the Oasis staff, but it's all going to be so good!

What's God calling you to? Are you ready to go all-in with him?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - God's Calling

Message Delivered: 08/22/2021

53. Praying for the World

People all over the world need your prayers. Yes, yours! Not just in the really bad times either. Right now with the suffering in Afganistan and Haiti, the Christian world is praying. But at all times,  Christians need to pray for others

How do we pray for the world? What should we pray for the world? Is prayer enough?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say about the ball we live on.

52. False Gospels

Back again and here to bring you some TRUTH! We are chatting on how the truth of God is often twisted in our cultures and cultures past. The prosperity gospel, the social justice gospel, Gnosticism, and more!

What is a/the Gospel? Why do false gospels appear? What are they today? How do I protect myself from them?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on Good News and boats. 

51. Marriage

With Jaena gone this week, we found a fill-in! Us three guys got the chance to sit around and chat about all things marriage. From best to worst, we've got stories and advice for you

What's the purpose of marriage? How did you know when they were "the one"? What's the hardest part? 

Tune in to hear what some of the Oasis staff (Brennen and Ben) plus a special guest have to say on life-long commitment

50. Sanctification

Ummm, what are they talking about??? Yeah, we know it's a big word, BUT it's an important one. Beyond just being "saved," God calls us to something more. We're talking all about that using a bunch more "big" terms.

What is sanctification? How is it different than salvation? What does it look like in real life? How do I pursue it?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say with big fancy words. 

49. Joy

Christians should be different than the world in a lot of different ways, but one of those should definitely be our JOY. As we look at it, we see joy comes from God but we still need to choose it. So, how do we do that??

What is the difference between joy and happiness? Why do I have to choose joy? Where does joy come from? What if I don't feel joyous?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Brennen, Jaena, and Ben) has to say on the smile on your face and in your heart

48. Authority of Scripture

The Bible should have THE say in our lives, but why?? This 2000-year-old book is commonly called God's word. Nearly every episode we do has the Bible in it. If Christians say it's so important, let's chat about it.

What does authority mean? Why does the Bible have authority? What does that mean for me and my life?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on the Good Book and all things life

47. Judging Vs Accountability

Are you judging others or are you just holding them accountable? Many times, we may mean one but are really doing the other. We want to make sure as Christians, we are acting as Jesus would want us to. 

What is the difference? How do you do accountability? Does the Bible have things to say on the difference? 

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

46. Angels and Demons

Are Angels and Demons like a real thing? Great question! We've got that and a whole bunch more in this episode. Tons of questions and we'll give you answers all from the Bible!

What do Angels do? What are they like? Are demons real? If so, what do they do and where do they come from?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on Tom Hanks and spiritual beings

 

45. Hearing God's Voice

Does God still speak? If he does, why does it feel so hard to hear him? Today, we're talking about this and so much more! We believe God is speaking!! Now, we just need to be listening.

How does God speak? How do I make sure it's God's voice and not my own or someone else's? Why should we want to hear from God?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on the still whisper and the thundering boom. 

44. Temptation Vs Sin

We are back and we've got a BALLIN' topic for ya. In this episode, we cover temptation and sin. These two are different, but both can play a role in the lives of believers. 

What is temptation? What is sin? Is temptation sinful? How do we fight against temptation? 

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on Jesus in the wilderness and you in your bedroom

43. Simplicity

Coming off the end of our last series, this topic fits right in! Jesus calls us to a simple life. One that is free from hustle, complexity, and worry. Yet, to get to that, we probably have to make some pretty serious changes.

What is simplicity? How is that different than minimalism? How do I decide what is right for me in simple living?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on TVs and shoes

MESSAGE: Sabbath

Closing out our series and the school year, Ben brings a timely message on the Seventh Day, otherwise known as Sabbath. While this practice may seem like something that is old and outdated, in reality, it's never been more needed. From Genesis to today, we've always needed the Sabbath. Let's learn how to embrace it again.

What is Sabbath for? How do we do it now? Is it really that important?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - Sabbath

Message Delivered: 05/02/2021

42. Summer Suggestions

When it comes to the summertime, there are a lot of awesome perks! Nice weather, more free time, vacations. But, there are also some struggles that can come with it...

What struggles are common? How can I overcome those? What are our go-to summer suggestions?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on sunshine and silly struggles

MESSAGE: Rediscovering Presence

Week Two of our series had Brennen bringing a message about Silence and Solitude. This practice of Jesus is one our culture has lost in the busyness of life today, but we don't have to stay that way. If we are willing to slow down, be silent, and get away in life, then we can begin to rediscover a presence to ourselves, to others, and to God.

What really are the practices of silence and solitude? Why are they important? What do they do for me? How do I practice them?

Find all that and more when you listen to this week's message - Rediscovering Presence

Message Delivered: 04/28/2021

MESSAGE: Slowing to the Pace of Love

Kicking off our new and last series of the semester, Ben starts to push back against the hustle and hurry culture we find ourselves in. Are you tired, worn out, burned out? The way of Jesus isn't supposed to be like that. Jesus changed the whole world in his time on Earth, yet he never seemed to be overly busy. So, let's learn how to slow down to love and live like Jesus did.

How does hustle culture impact me? Does Jesus really speak about something like that? How can I change to be like him?

Find all that and more when you watch this week's message - Slowing to the Pace of Love

Message Delivered: 04/18/2021

41. Grey Areas

When it comes to the Bible and Christian life, there are definitely some things that are black and white. Butttt, there are also some things that are grey and we want to talk about that! 

What are some of these grey areas? How do we decide what God would have us do? How do I invite others into the process? Should I help other people discern their convictions?

7 Questions for Grey Area Discernment:

1. Is there negative long-term effects?

2. Does it cause harm to my body?

3. Does it bring guilt or shame into my life?

4. Will it cause other people to stumble?

5. Does it hurt my witness to others?

6. Are there benefits to myself and others?

7. Does it glorify God?

Tune in to hear what the Oasis staff (Ben, Jaena, and Brennen) has to say on that shade between black and white and life with Jesus.