December Rememberings!

December is always an exciting month at Oasis World Outreach, it is a month of remembering the love of God through the birth of Jesus Christ, and of ministering to others. We wanted to share our December schedule and trust that you will find a place to be involved!

December 1st: Youth Progressive Dinner-6:00 PM
December 2nd: Ministry Staff Offering
December 8th: Senior's Christmas Dinner-5:00 PM
December 13th&14th: Heritage Academy Christmas Presentations-7:00 PM
December 16th: Christmas offering for Bishop and Pastor Sloan
December 16th: Kid's Church Christmas Presentation-10:00 AM
December 19th: Church Christmas Cookie Fellowship-7:00 PM
December 23rd: Church Christmas Play-10:00 AM

On the 2nd and 16th we will take time to express our love and appreciation to those who labor among us. Feel free to be creative in a variety of ways in blessing our pastoral family and ministerial staff. Let your expression of love be creative and unique with expressions such as cards, gifts, and letters, money, gift certificates, baked goods, etc. All that you do will be deeply appreciated!

We look forward to seeing you in these services and wish you the best holiday season ever!

November Notables

October was a fantastic month at Oasis World Outreach! Guest speakers filled our pulpit, the Holy Spirit and God's Word filled our hearts, and the many activities available filled our schedules, it really was a great month!

November promises to be a great month as well! Sunday morning services will be power packed as we seek the Lord, learn from His Word, and pursue walking in fellowship with God and men! It is also a month of Thanksgiving, we will practice Thanks-Living and Thanks-Giving, making it a lifestyle not just an event. Wednesday November 14th we will spend time together during our annual Salad, Sandwich, and Soup night, it's a great opportunity for connecting, we trust that you'll join us!

The Word of God speaks to us continually about giving thanks, of rejoicing always, and of making our praise to God to abound. Let's make this November a month of rejoicing and renewing our covenant with God and men to give thanks first and to bless others, it's the only way to go!

October Outpouring

The month of October will be 31 days of power packed ministry, fun, fellowship, and evangelistic opportunity! Pastor Kevin White of Rock Christian Center in Sylacauga, AL., will kick off the month by speaking in services at 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on October 7th; followed by our Bishop Michael Sloan on October 14th. October 21st we will enjoy two dynamic services with Pastor James Eason of Leeds, AL, and on Sunday October 28th we will conclude our month with the powerful ministry of Bishop George Gichana of Eldoret, Kenya.

October 31st will be our annual Hallelujah Night, a night of games, food, rides, and a myriad of activities for children and adults. Join us from 6:30-9:00 PM for a night to remember!

New Seed For A New Season

This past week I've been preaching revival in Galesburg, Illinois, a wonderful congregation located in the northwest section of the state. When you fly over Illinois one of the first things you take note of is the huge amount of farmland, Illinois is well known for corn and soybeans, and for being cold and flat, it's my home state and I love it...except for the cold!

During this time of the year the farmers are harvesting, massive fields are being reaped as they begin to reap what they have sown, grown, and prayed over during the past year. It's awesome watching these men work, the huge combines, the many acres of crops being reaped, sometimes these farmers work deep into the night, doing all they can to secure their harvest.

The amazing thing to me is that each year they sow the same seeds over and over again. Corn and Beans, it may be a different brand, it must be a good seed that has good life inside, it isn't left over from last year, it is vibrant and life giving.

I think what speaks to me is this, we can never stop sowing and seed must always be real, relevant, and refreshing. It may be the same type of seed, our message must always be of God's grace and goodness, of man's need for a Savior, and of God's ability to change one's life...But we can never just serve leftovers that have lost their power and ability to make a difference. The Gospel is good news for today, it works, God's Word works and is relevant right now, we must tell others about Jesus.

In the last month or so two of America's greatest ministers have passed away, Rex Hubbard, a phenomenal television evangelists, one who preached hope and God's love; D. James Kennedy, a pastor in Florida who emphasized evangelism and created one the worlds well known evangelism programs. The thing these men had in common was they saw the need of men through the eyes of God, and they continued to sow seed into the lives of people in such a way that multitudes came to know Christ.

My heart yearns to see people come to know Jesus, to experience Him for themselves, to assist others in realizing that Jesus is real today, He is relevant to their present situation, and He will refresh them in the weariness of their life journey. We must sow new seed for a new season, it is same seed we've sown throughout history, but God and His Word are never old or outdated, they new every morning, everyday He is alive and able to do far beyond our wildest imagination!

Let's tell someone about the Lord this week, testify of His goodness and grace...Sow Some Seed!

The 212' Degree Principle

Water boiled to 211 degrees is hot and will burn you, water at 212 degrees creates steam which has the ability to move a locomotive! God is calling us to go the extra degree, to move beyond normal, to take the next step...No one else can do it for you, if your life, your family, your church, your situation, is going to be better, different, and blessed...you have to go one more degree!

Renewal At The Oasis

August is here and we have a full slate of things taking place at the Oasis! This Sunday is Renewal at the Oasis, the first Sunday of each month we gather together on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM and back again at 5:00 PM for a day of celebration, praise and worship, and the ministry of God's Word. It is also a time of fellowship as the church family takes a moment to minister to one another. Join us this weekend for a day of renewal and refreshing!

Kids CrusadeThis Weekend

Making A Moment

My wife and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary a couple of months ago. Twenty years is a milestone, it means we've spent almost half of our lives together, and at this point, more time with each other than anyone else! I was thinking about the magical moments in our marriage, what was a moment in our relationship that stood out more than any other, our wedding day was wonderful, the births of our two daughter phenomenal, the first Christmas exceptional, and the list goes on. My favorite memory is an afternoon sitting in the sun room at Wendy's on Route 4 in Fairfield, OH. We shared a Frosty, held hands and looked into one another's eyes...I knew this one was it, I was going to marry this woman. Not many words passed between us that day, but there was a connection deep inside that continues to this day...But that day we made a moment!

Our pastor was teaching this past Sunday from Acts 20:35 where Paul quotes the words of Jesus that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. He spoke of the importance of sowing of ourselves into the lives of others, of ministering to the needs of those around us, and making others feel important...remember the old telephone commercial...Reach Out And Touch Someone!

Today you can make a memory, you can impact someone's life in a distinct manner. It may be as simple as buying a gallon of milk, listening to another's story, reading a child book, send a gift card to a friend befriend someone you normally wouldn't hang out with...reach out of yourself!

What you'll find is that while you were meeting someone else's need something inside of you has been enlarged, ministered to, and fulfilled...Make A Memory This Week...I Dare You!

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Pastor Neil

While I Was Waiting

I have a wedding today, in fact, in eleven minutes I will conduct the nuptials of a young couple from our church. So I'm sitting in my office, marriage ceremony ready, marriage license on my desk, and I'm waiting from the bride and the groom to arrive.

There's something about waiting, especially in a "I want it now!" society, our impatience overtakes our common sense, our common sense often gives way to imagination, and imagination leads us into realities that usually don't exist. Have you ever noticed that waiting requires patience and self discipline? The old saying that good things happen to those who wait may be biblically founded, after all, the Prophet Isaiah said that if we wait on the Lord He will renew our strength, and the Psalmist said that after he had patiently waited for the Lord, that the Lord had heard and answered his prayer. Patience isn't necessarily one of my greatest virtues, but as I age I'm finding out that all of my hurrying and scurrying usually doesn't cause things to work out the way I thought they should, in fact, it usually creates more difficulties.

I am a hurry up and get it done kind of guy, but that kind of thinking often causes me to miss the minute details, things that could prove to be both enjoyable and valuable, if I take the time to wait. In five minutes now, a beautiful bride will walk down the aisle to greet a handsome husband, there's nothing like that first glance between two people in love. Or perhaps it's the gleam in a new parents eye as they view that newly born baby they've waited 9 months and however many years for. And then there's that person that has trusted God for many years, holding on to His promise, standing on His Word, faithfully serving and seeking, walking out the revelation, when everything and everyone around him says God isn't going to move, that He's forgotten him, and that maybe, He didn't really speak in the first place, and then the fullness of time comes, God's promise is released into your life...What a moment!

I often think of the prophets who prophesied the coming of Christ into the world, Isaiah prophesied the arrival of Christ 740 years prior to His arrival, he died not seeing it fulfilled, but He came. As our world continues to move forward, often rocking and reeling, spinning violently with little sense of direction, may I remind you to wait patiently for the return of the Lord, regardless if He comes in our life time or in our grand children's, He has come to us through Jesus Christ, He comes to us through His Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit, and He will come to us personally just when we need Him the most, in His time...Just Keep Waiting!

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Pastor Neil

Happy Father's Day!

Sunday is Father's Day and we want to say Happy Father's Day to all of our Father's!

I know that Mother's Day is the most celebrated holiday of the year, more phone calls, emails, cards and gifts go to Mother's than any other person, but Dad, we want you to know that we love and honor you!

Dad's are special people, life givers, risk takers, thought provokers, providers, protectors, disciplinarians, coaches, and more! Mom may be the shoulder that gets cried on, the one who understands how we all feel, but it is Dad that bears the load when things get heavy, who stands in the gap and who stands up against the face of adversity and says, "Enough is Enough!"

Dad leads us to the Lord, he provides the example and encourages us to keep going when we want to quit. Dad we love you and are thankful for you, thanks for just being Dad!

Oasis 2007...June 10-13

Mother's Day

This weekend we will celebrate the greatest people in the world...our mothers! Some of them have gone on to be with the Lord, some of have just entered this wonderful world of motherhood, and some are in the middle of the journey. Regardless of where they are, they're our Mothers, those special ladies God placed in our lives to deliver into this world, provide for us while in the world, and to protect us from the world. The amazing thing about mothers is that no matter how old we are they are always Mom, always brooding over us, always trying to protect us, feed us, make over us, and all they need from us is a lot of love and hug! Let's honor all of our Mothers this Mother's Day weekend!

Saturday our Senior Adult Ministries will have a special time of food and fellowship at 5:00 PM in the Oasis World Outreach Fellowship Hall. If you are age 50 or above join us for a wonderful evening with family and friends!

Pastor's Appreciation

Our Pastor

April 1^st we will take a day to honor our senior pastor and his wife. On this day two of his closest friends, Pastors Kevin and Diane White, will join us as we give honor to whom honor is due. The Sloan family has served Oasis World Outreach for almost 14 years, leading our congregation through many changes, into to great growth, and helping us to walk in a greater revelation of God’s mercy and grace. They have by personal example exemplified grace under pressure, shown their humanity, walked out their message and generously given their lives to each of us. Throughout the years they have prayed with us, prayed for us, listened to us, shared with us, preached to us, and given us the opportunity to grow. I know of no pastor with a greater vision and heart for ministry than this ministry couple, it is our honor and privilege to share this day with them. I want to ask you to do two things: 1) Prepare a card with a personal message for them, it would be wonderful if we could cover their seats with piles of cards expressing our love and appreciation; 2) Prepare a special love offering. We will be receiving a love offering, you are welcome to give in your envelope or even give a gift, but we will be sharing in an offering. Whatever you give will be deeply appreciated. Let me share a few other thoughts with you on how we can appreciate our pastors:

1. Pray for them

This couple carries a heavy burden, they not only bear the burden of their own family, but the carry the load of our lives, seeking God’s blessings and protection, for His direction and interaction in our lives. We should daily hold them up in prayer.

2. Support their vision…See through their eyes!

Ask God to help you see what He is showing our pastor, never believe that what he sees is just for him, God’s vision is for us, pray that you can see what God is revealing to our pastor and support the vision. One of the greatest ways we can support the vision of the house is to be involved. As simple as this sounds, we can say we’re with him, believe in him, want his vision to come to pass, but unless we are there to support it with our prayers, our encouragement, our involvement, and our finances, we really don’t see what he is seeing! Get involved, it is easy to applaud the pastor on a special day, but true support is when nothing but everyday life is taking place and we are joined in covenant with him making the vision a reality! I challenge you to be at church every time the doors are open, get involved in the various ministries, pray for our church and ministries that are successful and support the church with your finances…let our pastor know you’ve got him covered all year long!

3. Encourage Them!

Let me speak as a pastor, there are times when we need someone to come by, pat us on the shoulder, say that you love us and move on. It doesn’t have to be a huge discussion, or sometimes it can be, what it needs to be is a real heartfelt confession that you believe in the pastor, that you love him, and that even in the most difficult times you are going to be there! It may be a card or note, an email, or a simple message on the answering machine, whatever it is, try throughout the year to let them know you’re with them. Leave a note on their seat, kind of like a love note; just let them know you care!

4. Appreciate their humanity!

After 14 years of ministry it’s easy to assume that they know you care, or to think that they’ve got all the answers. Ministry has challenges, our pastor seeks God for us, he stands in the gap for us, fights for us, and at times it becomes tiring. I never hear him complaining, but I know the weight is heavy, sometimes extremely heavy, we never know what has been said to him, who he has had to assist and those things he is dealing with. He keeps our confidences and has to hold our secrets inside, it will make one weary…So remember they are human, they have good days and bad days, don’t forget to be understanding of them and allow them to have what I call moody days, if you sense them struggling hold them up, if he’s preaching and you sense he’s struggling, help him preach until the breakthrough comes, I know you love Bishop and Pastor Tena, and I want you to know how much they love you!

Let’s make this year’s Pastor Appreciation Day the best one yet!

Heaven At Heritage Academy

This morning during our chapel service Pastor Dawn Haas ministered on the subject of heaven, she encouraged our children to remain focused, to keep their eyes on the Lord and to seek Him. The altars filled, over 100 children in the Oasis altar praying and weeping, it was powerful! One of the staff came to my office asking me to come to the sanctuary, what I saw was hungry little hearts, weeping and praying for one another, worshiping and encountering the presence of the Lord. It was incredible, there was a strong presence of the Lord as these children sought the Lord, interceding for the lost and asking God to minister to the needs of their classmates.

How I appreciate the Lord, His promise to us is that this Holy Spirit is for you, your children, and your children's children...We are experiencing this at Heritage Academy and Oasis World Outreach!

Unexpected Guest: February 18, 2007 10:00 AM

Legendary Guitarist Doyle Dykes will be our special guest speaker in the morning service!
We encourage each of you to join us for this extraordinary ministry opportunity!

Life Lines

This past weekend was a tremendous time of fellowship and ministry! Saturday we gathered for a Mexican Fiesta prepared by members of our congregation, nearly 100 people feasted on enchilada's, taco's and tamale's...the food was great and the fellowship was phenomenal. I think the purpose of these meals are far beyond what we eat, it's about connecting with one another and developing new relationships and strengthening present ones. Be sure to check it out next month!

Sunday we were blessed by the ministry of Pastor James Eason, he reminded us that God has a purpose for our lives and we must determine to be involved with God's plan.

This Sunday is Life Net Cell Groups. Throughout the community we have seven cells that meet at 5:00 PM each second Sunday evening for devotion, fellowship, and of course...Food! Life Net Cells are an excellent opportunity for people to connect with one another, to study God's Word, and to meet knew people. We invite you to join a Life Net Cell Group and see what the Lord has to speak into your life as you connect with others!

Renewal @ The Oasis

Renewal Weekend is upon us. The first Sunday of each month is our weekend of renewal and revival! We are adding an additional feature to our weekend of feasting on the good things of the Lord at 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Renewal Sundays...We're adding food! This Saturday, February 3rd at 5:00 PM we will be having a family meal at Oasis World Outreach...it's going to be awesome and it's cheap...What more can we ask for? Great Food and a reasonable price, fellowship with christian brothers and sisters, followed by two awesome services on Sunday. This month's menu will include homemade enchilada's and tamale's. The cost for this is 5.00 per person 12 and up, 2.00 for children 11 and under, and 15.00 for and entire family. Please sign up now for this powerful weekend.

Pastor James Eason of Assembly of Praise in Moody, Alabama will be our guest speaker this month. Be sure to invite family and friends to this exciting weekend!

Living A Fruitful Life

What a wonderful weekend we enjoyed with Pastor Kevin White! As always, he had a powerfully prophetic word for our church, and I believe that we ministered to his life as well. Thanks to all of you who were in attendance for your participation and support!

This Tuesday evening we begin our Ladies Beth Moore Bible Study, an 11-week study on the Fruit of the Spirit. Many of you have signed up and there is still room for a few more, see Lauren Humphries for further details. The cost for this class is 15.00.

Bishop Sloan has set the pace and is busy sharing his vision for 2007, a year of increase, a year of redigging wells and allowing God to release new things in our lives. Let us encourage you to join us as we journey into new and exciting places in Christ!