Oasis: College Ministry Podcast

The first week of the “Last Words” series explores Jesus’ final words in Matthew, revealing that we were not created to spend our lives chasing things that fade, but to participate in work that lasts for eternity. By tracing the story from creation to the fall, we see how sin turned meaningful, life-giving work into exhausting toil, leaving us striving for fulfillment that never satisfies. But through Jesus and the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven, our purpose is restored—not just to receive redemption, but to join in it. In His final words, the Great Commission, Jesus invites us into this renewed purpose: to labor alongside Him in making disciples and bringing His love to the world. Ultimately, true fulfillment is not found in success, security, or achievement, but in living as sent people—using our everyday lives to invest in what will never fade and has eternal impact. Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/650099/notes

This week of the “Don’t Be Dumb” series explores Speaking & Silence, revealing that both our words and our restraint carry the power to bring life or death. Drawing from Proverbs and the life of Jesus during Holy Week, the message shows that wisdom is not just about what we say, but when we speak and when we remain silent. Careless words can wound deeply, while wise restraint can prevent harm and create space for truth, healing, and restoration. Jesus models both—speaking boldly when truth is needed and remaining silent when words would only fuel conflict—demonstrating that both speech and silence must flow from a transformed heart. Ultimately, through His death and resurrection, Jesus redeems our failures in both, inviting us to live with intentionality so that our words and our silence reflect His life-giving grace. Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/630874/notes

In this standalone message, Pastor Brennen Schmitt shares his 3 things that he desperately wants all college students and young adults to know: 1. Love & live the Bible, 2. Go all in on Jesus, and 3. Your discipleship is on you.  Noteguide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/630873/notes

In this standalone sermon, Pastor Jacob Engen teaches on God’s heart for all nations and our role in sharing the gospel with the world. Grounded in passages like Romans 10 and the Great Commission, he emphasizes that a barrier to people believing in Jesus is their access to hear about Him. The responsibility to share the gospel has been entrusted to Jesus' followers. With billions still unreached, the call is both global and personal: to pray for the nations, to engage the diverse people around us, and to go wherever God leads, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Whether across the world or in our own community, missions is not optional but central to God’s plan, inviting us to participate in His work of bringing people from every nation, tribe, and language into His kingdom.   Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/630872/notes

The fourth week of the “Don’t Be Dumb” series explores Wisdom in Dating, showing that healthy relationships are built not merely on attraction or emotion but on wisdom shaped by God’s Word. Drawing from Proverbs, the message emphasizes that lasting relationships begin with the right foundation—character over charm—and require becoming the kind of person capable of sustaining a healthy relationship. Wisdom also invites others into the process through godly counsel, encourages clear boundaries that protect purity and trust, and calls us to guard our hearts carefully rather than giving them away too quickly. Ultimately, the goal is not just finding the right person but becoming the right person, allowing God’s wisdom to shape how we pursue, protect, and grow in relationships.   Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/630854/notes

The third week of the “Don’t Be Dumb” series focuses on Generosity, revealing that money is not just a resource but a powerful competitor for our hearts. Through Jesus’ teaching in Mark 12, the message contrasts outward generosity with inward surrender, showing that God values not the amount we give but the sacrifice and trust behind it. While the wealthy gave from abundance for recognition, the widow gave everything in quiet dependence on God, illustrating that true generosity is an act of faith, not finance. Ultimately, the call is not about giving more money, but about trusting God more deeply—choosing Him over security, control, or status. In this way, generosity becomes a pathway to freedom, where surrendering our resources leads to a life shaped by trust, not by what we have or lack.   Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/626890/notes

The second week of the “Don’t Be Dumb” series centers on Direction, showing that our lives are shaped less by big moments and more by small, daily decisions. Rooted in Proverbs 3:5–6, it contrasts trusting God with leaning on our limited understanding, revealing how subtle drift—not obvious rebellion—often leads us off course over time. Wisdom calls us to surrender our direction to God by resisting fear, seeking wise counsel, and choosing faithfulness over what simply looks good. Though trusting God doesn’t guarantee ease or clarity, it leads to a life formed by steady, surrendered steps rather than slow, unintentional drift. Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/622599/notes

Week 4 of the series " Beneath the Surface", confronts the instinctive human response of anger to a broken and violent world, and challenges believers to pursue God’s justice and mercy instead. The story of Jonah reveals how even righteous outrage can become distorted when anger hardens into resentment, as Jonah grows furious at God for extending compassion to the brutally violent people of Nineveh. Scripture makes clear that human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires (James 1:20), and God’s haunting question—“Is it right for you to be angry?”—is left unanswered so the listener must wrestle with it personally. The New Testament calls followers of Jesus to be slow to anger and quick to listen (James 1), to love and pray for enemies (Matthew 5), and to overcome evil with sincere, self-giving love (Romans 12). The central invitation is to resist reactive anger and instead embody Christlike justice—one rooted not in revenge, outrage, or power, but in humility, mercy, patience, and love that reflec

Week 3 of the series " Beneath the Surface", contrasts the destructive power of shame with the redemptive purpose of conviction, showing that shame tells us we are wrong while conviction lovingly reveals that something we did was wrong and invites us toward life with Jesus. Through John 8 and the story of the woman caught in adultery, we see how Jesus responds to both self-righteous religious leaders and exposed sinners with conviction—not condemnation—offering freedom, honesty, and transformation. Shame isolates, distorts identity, and drives us to hide, but conviction is evidence of God’s love, calling us out of hiding and into grace, repentance, and restored relationship. Jesus ultimately absorbs our shame on the cross, putting it to death so we no longer have to live under its weight. The core invitation is clear: reject the spiral of shame, respond to conviction with humility, and step into the abundant life of grace that Jesus offers. Note Guide: https://gpw.churchcenter.com/episodes/605168/notes

The second week of the series, "Beneath the Surface",  explores how lust is an all-consuming, selfish craving for things like power, success, status, or control. It is a good desire that has been corrupted beneath the surface. Lust is a destructive, soul-cancer that damages relationships, purpose, and identity. While Christ-like love (as seen in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8) is the “most excellent way” to live with influence and ambition without being mastered by them. Paul’s description of love reveals how love centers others while lust centers self. Rather than striving to master all sixteen qualities of love through effort alone, believers are called to fix their focus on Jesus, trusting that abiding in Him produces genuine love from the inside out. When Jesus becomes the focus, love becomes the foundation, and lust loses its power.

The first week of the "Beneath the Surface" series addresses "Fear vs. Faith". The story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22–33 shows how fear and faith act like competing lenses that shape how we interpret our circumstances. Just as glasses clarify physical vision, faith allows us to see God’s character and power clearly, while fear distorts reality by convincing us we are abandoned, forgotten, or beyond rescue. The disciples’ terror causes them to misinterpret Jesus as a threat, but when Jesus speaks, Peter steps out in faith and experiences God’s power—until fear again shifts his focus and he begins to sink. But Jesus was never absent: He had sent the disciples away for their protection, was praying for them through the storm, and revealed His divine authority by walking on the water, showing He is Lord over chaos and creation. In the same way, we are called to keep “putting on” the glasses of faith by meeting with Jesus, trusting His unseen work, and stepping out of the boat toward Him, knowing tha

In the final week of the "Foreshadowing: From Symbol to Savior" series, we are reminded that the story of God, from before the creation account in Genesis to the visions of John recorded in Revelation, has always been for God to be near to His creation and for His presence to be accessible to humankind.

The second week of the "Foreshadowing: From Symbols to Savior" series looks at the difference between the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and the Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5. The fruit that God forbid in the garden brought about destruction and brokenness. But God's plan of redemption, healing, and growth would come through the gift of the Fruit of the Spirit, empowering the people of God to live in relationship with Him and others. Starting from the key idea that we often grab what looks good, scripture reminds us that "sin always overpromises and underdeliver", while God "grows what is truly good". 

The first week of the "Foreshadowing: From Symbols to Savior" series, starts with the story of Numbers 21, showing how God’s response to Israel’s disobedience foreshadows the salvation found in Jesus. After the Israelites repeatedly complain and reject God’s provision, He disciplines them by sending venomous snakes, yet simultaneously provides a surprising means of rescue: a bronze serpent lifted on a pole, which heals anyone who looks at it in faith. This strange, illogical act becomes a powerful symbol of God’s redemptive plan—punishment meant not for revenge but for restoration. Jesus identifies Himself with this image in John 3:14–15, revealing that just as the Israelites looked upon the snake to live, humanity must look to the crucified Christ to be saved. As the very next verse (John 3:16) reveals, salvation has never been earned by effort but received through humble belief, and that God’s discipline always aims to lead His people back to life, even when His method seems unexpected or absurd.

In Psalm 23, David portrays God as a Good Shepherd who provides, protects, and remains present with His people. He describes God leading him to rest, restoring his soul, guiding him toward righteousness, and staying close even in life’s darkest valleys. God defends him against enemies, blesses him abundantly, and promises His goodness and presence for all his days. The psalm emphasizes God’s care, provision, guidance, and unfailing companionship. The God who leads, protects, and provides in Psalm 23 is the same Jesus who knows His people personally and gives His life for them. In John 10:14–15, Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd, claiming a personal and intimate knowledge of His followers—just as He knows the Father and the Father knows Him. He demonstrates the depth of His love by stating that He lays down His life for His sheep, revealing the sacrificial nature of His care.

The final week of the Divine Design series focuses on sexual temptation. With the key idea being that “sex is different”. Followers of Jesus should approach sexual temptation by grounding their identity in Christ as children of God. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 6 and Matthew 5, we see that while culture may say “I have the right to do anything,” not everything is beneficial, and sexual sin uniquely affects a person’s own body. Because sex unites two people into “one flesh,” believers are called to treat their bodies as belonging to the Lord and empowered by His resurrection life. Scripture commands Christians to flee sexual immorality, take temptation seriously, and remove anything that leads them into sin, as Jesus’ strong language about cutting off what causes stumbling illustrates. Overall, sex is spiritually significant, sexual sin is uniquely damaging, and God calls His people to resist temptation through decisive action and a clear understanding of who we are in Christ.

This stand-alone message explores what true, biblical friendship looks like through the example of Jesus and his closest friends—Peter, James, and John. Deep friendships go beyond fun memories to shared spiritual experiences, vulnerability, and loyalty. These three friends witnessed Jesus in his highest moments—the Transfiguration, where they experienced his divinity together—and in his lowest moments, like Gethsemane, where they shared in his grief. Genuine friendships are marked by depth, honesty, celebration without jealousy, and faithfulness through both joy and pain.

The second week of the series, "Divine Design", addresses our idea of sexual identity explores how our culture often ties worth, value, and purpose to sexuality, while Scripture teaches that our truest identity is as children of God. Our sexuality is a part of who we are, but not what defines us—our identity is received, not achieved, rooted in God’s love and grace through Jesus. From that foundation, we are called to remember daily who we are, reject false labels, and trust the Spirit to help us walk faithfully in God’s design, even when obedience is costly or lonely. Ultimately, we are called to remember that we are deeply loved, adopted, and redeemed by God—invited to live not from shame or striving but from the secure identity of being His children.

The first week of the series, "Divine Design", explores God’s perfect purpose for sex. When it comes to our modern culture, God's purpose for sex is often under-communicated and thus misunderstood. Through God's word we see that God designed sex with a purpose and that it is meant to be sacred, shared, and safe. In the midst of that, God invites us to recognize that our desires aren't bad, but they’re broken, and He provides healing and holiness.

The final week of the series, "The Lord’s Prayer", focuses on the phrase "and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." This is a reminder of God’s protection as we respond to spiritual testing. Testing is both real and necessary—God doesn’t tempt us, but He allows tests to strengthen our faith, reveal our weaknesses, and teach us dependence on Him. Examples from Jesus’s wilderness temptation and the Israelites’ trials we can see that trials are opportunities for growth and perseverance, not punishment. Ultimately, God is faithful—He provides strength and a way to endure.