Chad Barnes, Minister to Students

Oasis Not-So-Secret "Secrets" to Success

“How’s the youth ministry going at Sylvania?” This is a question I am frequently asked by people both inside and outside the Sylvania family.  Typically, I respond by saying something to the effect of, “It’s going well – we’re still teaching the Word and we’re seeing God give many of our students a desire to know Him, which is increasingly evident in their everyday lives.”  And I mean that.  But why is that the case?  Why do many of our students increasingly desire God and why are their lives being changed?  These are what I believe to be the Oasis’ not-so-secret “secrets” to success:

1. God has given us a growing number of adults who are corporately battling for us in fervent prayer during our Wednesday night prayer meetings (2 Ch 7:14; Pr 15:29; Mt 18:20).
2. God has given us adult leaders who love our students enough to teach them the Word and live the Word in front of them (1 Tim 1:12-17; 2 Tim 3:10-17).
3. God has given us intentionality (not perfection!) about orienting everything we do around exposing the bigness and greatness and insurmountable beauty of the love of Christ as it has been revealed in the Word (Eph 3:14-21).

It is not our desire merely to see many of our students worshiping God in spirit and truth, but to see the multitudes worshiping God in spirit and truth, finding that in His presence is fullness of joy and in His right hand are pleasures forever (Ps 16:11)!  Therefore, I would invite you to join in praying that God would give us in 2008:

• Continually increasing passion to know Christ through His Word (Phil 3:7-11; 2 Tim 4:1-5), acknowledging God as our most valuable treasure. 
• Boldness in loving believers enough to hold them accountable and humility in accepting the rebuke of believers who love us enough to hold us accountable (Mt 18:15-17; Phil 3:17-21; Heb 3:12-14, Js 5:16-20).
• Intentionality in relationships with believers that causes us to encourage one another by speaking the truth of the Word, particularly to fellow believers (Rom 1:8-17; 2 Tim 4:1-5).
• Boldness in loving unbelievers enough to tell them the truth about themselves (Rom 3:23; 6:23) and the truth about Christ (Ac 2:14:41; 4:5-20; Rom 1:8-17; 2 Tim 4:1-5).
• Radical servant hearts which, in their absolute satisfaction in God, delight to lose everything for the sake of Christ (2 Cor 8:1-15… Wow!).
• Genuine love (Mt 5:43-48, particularly verse 45a; 22:37-40, particularly verse 40; 1 Cor 13) for people for the glory of God… especially our own families with whom we are often most tempted to lose our patience!

I greatly appreciate your prayers and look forward to seeing you in the Oasis!