Ministry Opportunities

The Oaks Church is a Great Commission church. What does that mean? As recorded in the book of Matthew, Jesus told His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28.19-20 HCSB). Our mission statement is “Becoming an Acts 1:8 Church” on mission with our Lord. Jesus has given us work to do. One of the greatest joys we have is joining God in His work. Here are just a few opportunities for us to join God in ministry.

Discipleship 101

Discipleship 101 is a basic training study for new believers. Topics cover a wide range and are designed to assist in understanding what it means to be a follower of Jesus as well as a member of The Oaks Church. Studies are offered as needed. Discipleship 101 also serves as our new member study.

Maturity Seminars

The Maturity Seminar (Maturity 201) helps believers develop habits contributing to their spiritual growth. The Ministry Seminar (Ministry 301) helps believers discover their unique, God-given SHAPE for Ministry. We take an in- depth look at: Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experience (SHAPE). Both Maturity 201 and Ministry 301 are ideal follow-up studies to Discipleship 101.

Topical Studies

Throughout the year, many different studies are offered to help continue our spiritual growth. No one at The Oaks Church has it all figured out and these various studies offer beneficial topics, no matter where you are spiritually.

As a gift, The Oaks Church has partnered with Right Now Media© to provide you with a huge online library of resources. Studies are available for children through senior adults, so finding the perfect study is easy, secure, user-friendly, and available 24/7.

Music Ministry

The music ministry is a vital part of the worship experience of The Oaks Church. Our worship choir is open to adults and youth who are able to commit to practices and performance opportunities. The choir does not perform every Sunday but our praise team does. The praise team consists of vocalists and musicians with a passion to lift up the name of Jesus.

Food Ministry

Christian Recreation Ministry

The Oaks Church is blessed with an excellent outdoor recreation area. We have the ability to offer football, baseball, softball, soccer, and cheerleading. Whether partnered with Pray Then Play Sports, Upward or an event organized by The Oaks Church, you can be sure Christ will be exalted through our play. We are currently developing our fields for soccer. Hopefully, they will be ready by this fall.

The Oaks Church is blessed to be part of distributing food to those who need a little help. The last Friday of the month we distribute food to families in Alachua County. We cannot do it alone. The Oaks Church accepts food donations from our members, people in the community, The Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, and Publix Super Markets©. The Oaks Church is a distributor for the Emergency Food Assistance Program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

[USDA Disclaimer (required) – In accordance with federal law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA Directors Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC. 20250-9410 or call (800)795-3272 (voice) or (202)720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.]

Every summer, more than 1500 new International students arrive on the UF campus. They are from as many as 150 different nations. Most of them are graduate students and some of them bring their families. For more than 15 years we have had a ministry on campus at the international student housing on Monday nights. We have had as many as 55 people involved at any given semester. Currently, due to COVID-19, the ministry is suspended because we are not allowed to have group meetings on campus. At some point in the future, we will be able to restart. We try to stay in touch by way of email.

We also have a connection with Craig Olive with the North American Mission Board. He and his wife lead “UF Global Connections,” a local ministry on the UF campus. This ministry is always in need of volunteers. Interested? Contact us.

International Ministry

GOOD NEWS CLUB

Since the spring semester of 2011, our church has given leadership to a local Good News Club at Idylwild Elementary School, through the Ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Good News Clubs meet on school campuses one afternoon per week during the school semesters. Children are allowed to attend with their parents’ permission. Good News Clubs are exactly what they sound like…a club where the good news of the gospel is proclaimed along with Christian songs, memory verses, etc. Our club meets on Friday afternoons from 3:00 – 4:30 pm. Due to COVID-19, clubs have not met since the middle of March. 2020. We are not sure when the Alachua County School Board will allow them to resume. When we resume, we will need approved volunteers. Interested? Contact us.

Children & Student ministries

Due to the coronavirus, our children and student ministries have been suspended since the middle of March last year. We restarted our groups this past June 6th. We are looking for additional adults who sense a calling from the Lord to work with children or students. Interested? Contact us.

MISSIONS

The Oaks Church has an ongoing partnership with Don and Doreen Nelson, missionaries to Bolivia. We are sending teams of three or less twice per year to assist them in teaching English as a Foreign Language using the Bible as our textbook. We have had up to seventy students enrolled. The primary goal is to reach the Chiquitano People (an unreached people group) with the gospel.

We also have a connection with Lon and Ruth Klingman, missionaries with International Commission. They lead short term mission trips two to three times per year to international destinations. They just recently returned from a trip to Kenya. Interested in going with them in the future? Contact us and we will get you in touch with them.