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God Far Exceeds our Expectations....Worship Team update

 

3 months ago at the beginning of the Summer, Oasis Church had a transition in its Worship Pastor leaving. With 13 services, 3 campuses, 7 Nights a week, it would have sent chills up any one's spine.  As you can imagine, it takes a lot of people with lots of commitment to prepare and bring a meaningful worship experience to services in all different venues, sizes and locations -- 365 nights a year, and 52 weekends a year. 

But God always seems to show up when you need Him most. It has been an amazing summer! God has not just met our needs, He has far exceeded our expectations. I'm not sure the average Oasis attender even thinks about all it takes to make it happen each weekend and each week night of the year. But our Worship teams and individuals have stepped up in ways we could have never imagined. Believe it or not, we have had to say at times, we have more Leaders than we have a need for. We have folks right now ready to serve and lead and we are having to pray and ask for God's leadership as to even having a space for them. It's incredible, and beyond anything I could have ever expected or even imagined.

Much of the  credit and thanks from a human perspective goes to Ben Windle, Campus Pastor of downtown Hollywood campus, as he assumed the Worship Arts Director's role.  Along with Ben is Mallika Windle who is the most incredible Coordinator ever, Chris Hughes, who left a stable of wonderful musicians behind at his leaving, and all the different people mentioned below. 

The Post below was part of Ben Windle's Worship update to our Ministry Leaders last week and I just had to share it with you, the Oasis Family. Continue to pray for and cheer these guys/gals on, they are awesome and love the Lord so much. 

"It's amazing just to sit back and watch what God is doing in Worship Arts. We got to see it all come together Sunday night. (Beach Baptism, and Concert)

 You would have thought with all the transitions of the last couple months that we would be gasping for air, (I edited that line, from his original in house wording)  but God isn't limited by our expectations. 

Jhael Hakimian has stepped up in an interim worship leader role in NoMi. They did an awesome job in our beach baptism concert!

John Adams and the Hollywood team are simply amazing! They have a great heart for Jesus, worship, Hollywood, excellence, and each other! They are family! 

Dante and Clive have been amazing and have gone over and beyond in not just leading a band but in growing, mentoring, and releasing. Love those guys!

Julie Anne is a bottle rocket and up for anything! She is a major team player with lots of talent and the desire to see others step up and lead.

Luke, Bryan, Zach, Brian and Kinshiro...where did they come from!? They're amazing!!!

We have THE BEST worship teams in all of South FL! How is that possible? How can it be that we are still progressively getting better, even better than we were last year in the midst of a whole department turning over?? It's GOD!! He's up to something!

We sent 4 worship leaders to Hillsong's Encounter conference in Miami. They had times of worship and break outs with worship leaders. Man! Was it worth the money! That group came back FIRED UP! Hillsong is a very successful touring worship team, we do a lot of their songs. The unique thing about them is that they don't have 1 leader. They all share the spot light. 1 person isn't limiting the whole group to their expectations. Sound familiar? It's what we've arrived at almost by accident! He's up to something!"

Ben Windle, Worship Arts Director/ Hollywood Oasis Campus Pastor

Beach Baptism and Concert/ Hollywood Beach and Broadwalk 09

 

Over 80 Baptized at Hollywood Beach!

We had over 80 people baptized over the weekend at Hollywood Beach! It was an incredible time with our entire church family across our three campuses. After the baptisms, all three bands played at the band shell for all of Hollywood! Thanks to all who came out and supported what God has done through the lives of those who were baptized!

From the Bahama's to Pembroke Pines to North Florida.........

Below is a note I received today on my Facebook Page. It is testimonies like this that remind me of how important it is to continue to spread God's Kingdom outside of Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, and North Miami.  (Carla is from the Bahama's one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It's better in the Bahama's the commercial says, its true!!)To all of you who have given toward this new ministry in North Florida, you are already reaping Eternal Rewards. Yesterday this new baby church had 124 in attendance, just 6 short months since they began. That is about where we were as a church 18 years ago at this time. Tells you what God can do with a small beginning. Thanks so much to all of you who have made and continue to invest inOasis Church North Florida, and Jeremy Higdon. (Carla and Angel are long-time members of Oasis Church. Faithful members who moved to South Miami, years ago and still stay involved in Oasis. They even drove back up to Broward yesterday to attend our Beach Baptism and Concert, Wow!!)

Carla Betancourt

Hi Pastor! Just wanted you to know I have a sister in Jacksonville, when she is here she visits my church. Well she heard about the church in Jacksonville and started going. Well, to make a long story short she and her husband now attend Jeremy's Church in Jacksonville, which was an answer to prayers. Praise God for looking all the way in Pembroke Pines to a heart that was willing to go all the way to Jacksonville to answer prayers. Wow!!!!! God is truly gooooood!!!!

Beach Baptism Sunday, 6pm, Hollywood Beach and Broadwalk

This is going to be one of the BIG Highlights of my year!! We are planning on another Beach Baptism this weekend. Check out the details below in my weekly Oasis Email to the Oasis Family.

We are ending the summer. We have had camps, KidsWorld events, missions trips, Community Group Kick-off, and a great summer here at Oasis. As we close the summer, I believe this weekend is the perfect way to do it. It’s not only going to be exciting, but life changing. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS WEEKEND, AND ESPECIALLY SUNDAY AT THE BEACH! 

This Sunday is what I think will be one of the highlights of 2009 for Oasis Church. Across all 3 campuses and all the 7 Nights of Worship, we will gather in one location and see many of our Church family baptized. At 6 p.m. this Sunday Evening, Aug 30^th we will having our Beach Baptism. This is only the second time our church has ever done a church-wide Beach Baptism. The first one two years ago was something I’ll never forget.

I hope you will join us on Hollywood Beach at 6 p.m. The map is in the bulletin or on our website. Following the baptism some of our Worship Teams will be bringing a concert at the Band Shell on Johnson Street Broadwalk. This is where we will baptize…directly behind the Band Shell. This will be a special time of celebration and fellowship. Please come!!! You will have a great time. Not only do I want to support the new believers who have made a BIG decision to follow Christ with this public act of obedience, but I also love when our church gets together from 3 campuses, 13 services and worship times. The cost is free. The parking in the garage on Johnson Street is a flat $5 fee and the meters around the beach area are 1.00 per hour. 

If you have accepted Christ as Savior and call Him your Lord, but have never been baptized, then Sunday is the day! Do not put it off. Jesus did it in the muddy Jordan River, the Ethiopian leader asked the deacon Phillip, “Why can’t I get baptized right now?” And he did!! In the book of Acts the true mark of a new disciple was they were baptized immediately after they accepted Christ as Savior and believed. There is absolutely NO REASON for a follower of Christ not to be Baptized. Sunday is the day.

WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON BAPTISM IN OUR SERVICES THIS WEEKEND. We have 100 free commemorative Beach Towels for those being baptized. Since we might have more than 100 baptized today, I must say, it’s first come, first served. Come to the Infomation Center following your service to register Saturday night & all Sunday morning services. One important note:  Our regular Sunday night service will not meet on our Pines Campus at 7 p.m.for this Sunday only so that we can all worship together at the Beach.

God bless you, and I can’t wait to see you at the BEACH -- 6 p.m.!!!  For those being baptized, be there at 5:45 p.m. Look for the canopy tent.   

I Need a Friend, Really, Really, Really Bad!!! Weekly Update, August 16

Its been a while since Ive shared with our Oasis Church Global family our weekly update. So below I am copying from the email sent out to our Local Oasis Family. You might not be able to click on the links since its been pasted in, but youll be able to either go to my blog, or our church website at www.visitoasis.org

God bless you and have a great weekend

Dear Oasis Church Global Family and Friends:,

I really need a friend. For those of you who say, "but Guy I'm your friend!" I know, but are you really my friend? I mean, if you were really my friend you would be my Facebook friend! I'm so desperate! The first person to go on Facebook and be my friend, or sign up and be my 1,000th friend on Facebook, will get an autographed copy of my new book coming out soon. I've been sitting on 999 friends for almost a week, and no one wants to be my 1,000th friend! Would you? If you don't know anything about Facebook, then go on and find out. I find it a great place to connect with old friends and new friends. Oasis family is on there, Oasis Church pages are on there, Oasis North Florida is on there, our president Obama is on there. I do personal messages all the time with friends who have issues. I share personal things and it's really a great way to not only have fun times and just do updates, but to keep us in touch with each other and the spiritual struggles we face. Don't knock it until you've tried it!  (My mother is even on Facebook! She does it to keep up with all her kids and grandkids and see their pictures since, as she says, no one ever prints pictures at Walgreens anymore. So she goes on Facebook to track us, or as some would say stalk us!!! Now, if my mom is on there shouldn't you be my friend also?)  Update:  I now have 16 new FB Friends from Oasis . Thanks Guys!! 8/15/09

 

 P.S. If you were my FB friend you would have also heard about Tonia and I having a baby and seen the sonogram before anyone else! Hmm! Now you can see it on my blog if you missed it. 
 
Now to some very important things:
 
1. Community Groups are gearing up this weekend at the Pines campus. Don't miss it! You will see all the different groups we offer. Mine is the best! Wait till you meet the group at the table and sample all the international desserts they will be bringing. Man, they are great. But I'm not telling you which one I attend, you have to find it! Go to our Community page on the website for more info. 

 

2. Diverse: Our Core Values series, will continue this week. At Pines, as I mentioned, will be the Value of Community. At our Hollywood and NoMi campuses, we will have a message on Mission. Let me tell you, you guys at the other campuses are in for an incredible treat. Rick Caldwell, one of our members and head of our Welcome Team in Pines, is speaking on Mission. He is the founder and President of RCultures, which is a company that provides diversity training, and other sources of relational training to corporations, and  government organizations. He delivered this message to our staff about six months ago, and I asked him then if he would speak on Mission this week. You'll love him. Pines will get to hear him next week.

3. Women's ministry is kicking off! There is lots going on - too much to share here. But from a great event at the end of the month, to other really great ministries next month in September. If you're a lady, go to the Adults page on our website and check all the things out. For info on our First Place 4 Health orientation class that is held this weekend, click here.

 

 

 

4. Thanks to all of you who gave to the Sheridan House back-to-school bags for the kids of single Moms. Did you know our teens are really going deep in their faith and preparing for this year's new school term? There is an article on the Students page telling about a seminar they attended. Not sure most adults are ready for this!

5. BEACH BAPTISM COMING UP IN TWO WEEKS! If you have not been baptized this is going to be the time. You must, if you call yourself a Christian or Christ-follower be baptized. You'll hear lots more over the next two weeks. Following the Beach Baptism will be a concert at the Hollywood Beach Theater/Band Shell, on Johnson Street. Our worship teams will be kicking it big time. Bring your family and friends to witness the baptism of our Oasis family and then stay for the concert. Baptism is at 6 p.m. and concert follows. Parking is $1 an hour. Each one who is baptized will receive a Free Oasis Beach towel, commemorating this historic and important event in your spiritual journey. Mark your calendar, Sunday, August 30 at 6 p.m. You can register using the insert in your bulletins this week or register online.

Once again its a busy time with God doing amazing things. So stay tuned and keep watching our website for all the news and stories.
 

P.S. I just went on my Facebook and noticed I hit the 1,000 mark, so my whole beginning is in vain, but I still want you to be my friend. Who knows, I might lose one over this email, and still need my thousandth! Oh, by the way, there is no book coming out that I've written. But if there would I would give an autographed copy. Sorry!

 

Guy Melton

Pastor

Oasis Church

http://www.guymelton.com

http://www.visitoasis.org

 

Breaking News about this Year's Beach Baptism!!!!!!

Second day of Sermon Study complete. Second Message finished. "What Does Your life Symbolize?" - Message on Baptism!! Having Beach Baptism again this year on August 30. Glad to be back out of the Bunker and getting some cool, fresh air!!! (see baptism video below from U-Tube, last beach baptism, it's awesome) Click on Guy Melton .

Today while studying for this year's Beach Baptism, I ran across our last Beach Baptism. I was surprised it has had 5,143 views on U-Tube. Man, it's so inspiring. It really makes me excited about this year's Beach Baptism on Hollywood Beach - August 30th. If you're part of our Oasis Family and haven't been baptized, plan on being part of this year's Baptism. We had such a great day 2 years ago -- 110 baptized. We repeated it two weeks later and had 38 more baptized. Pray for this year's Baptism and Beach Concert.

If you're not a facebook friend of mine and the clip doesnt show, then you can go here and click on the clip on utube

September 15,1991 -- A Day I will Never Forget!!!

17 years ago on Sunday, September 15th, 1991 Oasis Church was born. Our name was the First Baptist Church of Pembroke Pines. In 17 years so much has changed, the name may have changed to better reflect our values, culture and who we are, but our Mission and DNA have never changed. Being the founder of Oasis gives me a unique perspective. I cherish the privilege God has given me to not only pastor, but to have been the one in whom He birthed the Vision for Oasis Church. Words cannot describe my gratefulness to Him. It is one of the last things I would have ever chosen to do. I preferred to just move and take a church that was established. I could never start a church from scratch!!! And that is true. But somehow God convinced me that He could use me to start His church. From the first day, Tonia and I have been grateful God allowed us to be a part of this ministry. For a short Video of our History I shared last year with our church click here

So much has changed in this world since the Fall of 1991. So much has changed in our family. Cell phones were basically unknown for the vast majority of us. Computers were for records and business. Our first computer at Oasis was something like an Atari!!!! The world was oblivious, for the most part, of Terrorism. It was a pre 9/11 world where no one could dream of having Islamic terrorists actually fly planes into two of the tallest buildings in the world and the World's most powerful symbol of power, the Pentagon. Hurricane Andrew blew through just prior to our first anniversary and changed little Pembroke Pines forever. The city grew from 65,000 in 1991 to over 150,000 today. Miramar our neighboring city had 35,000 and today has over 150,000 residents. Yes, lots has changed in our world, and our community since 1991.  We  had two elementary boys, and one in middle school. We had just moved into the house where we would live for 12 years, and see our boys grow from kids to men!!! Now we have one who teaches 3rd graders in our Hollywood Downtown Elementary school - Jim, who is 30 years old. One of our boys, Nathan, is a dad of two of the most beautiful boys ever . He is a great father, good businessman, husband and Follower of Christ. Corey, our youngest, who was just in 3rd grade when we started the church is now 25 (Birthday is tomorrow, Tuesday). He works as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Pastor at the Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan. He is engaged to be married next year to his high school sweetheart, Sabrina Jafarr.

Yes, much has changed. We are now a church of multiple campuses. We have 13 services a week and every night of the week. Over 2200 attend each week's services, and come from 70 different countries. We have baptized over 150 new believers this year and continue to see God grow our church family. We started with myself and a part-time secretary. Today there are 50 full and part-time employees on staff. God has given us hundreds of faithful volunteers who make Oasis Church such a great church. Hundreds are in small groups around our South Florida community, every day of the week. This past year our Southern Baptist Convention recognized Oasis Church as one of the 19 Outstanding Churches in our Convention of 45,000 churches over the last 10 years, based on Baptisms, and other growth barometers. There is supposed to be a book coming out in this year examining our church along with the others. From this little tiny trailer in the muck of Pembroke Pines to a vibrant family of believers that is an Oasis 365 days a year. God has done some incredible things. I thank Him for allowing me to have a front row seat. Thanks to all of you who have made Oasis someplace really special. Below are some facts for all those of you who have not been with us since 1991. It gives a little peek of what we looked like then.

September 15, 1991:

*Met in an unfinished mobile building (trailer, 2700 sq.foot) No parking, no sewer hookups, rock parking lot, and lots of mud and muck!!! (We still use that building for our staff offices at the East end of our property)

*3 Acres, $350,000 for land and building owed prior to opening day, with just our 11 Adults!! Big Faith!  (10+Million Dollars in Land and buildings, 08)

*We had a core group who left our two sponsor churches of 11 Adults, 6 children - the Oyer Family, Carr Family, Goodwin Family , Padowitz Family, and our family along with my Mom.  All the original core families have moved out of South Florida except the Goodwins - Bob and Judy who are still with us. Of course, my mom is still here. I will always be grateful for these 9 adults who followed Tonia and me out into western Pembroke Pines.

*We had 324 that first day. About 50 came from our sponsor churches to help.

*Held our Nursery and Elementary in the day care in the shopping center.

*We averaged about 140 in attendance the first 6 months. 6 Teenagers, 2 were my boys, all of the 6 were boys.

* Our First Budget was $60,000 (08 Budget 2.1 Million)

*1 Full-time staff member--Me!! One secretary, 12 hours a week.

*Baptized 25 the first year

(The picture in the upper left is our present lay Church Council. These men and women meet monthly.They share Godly counsel to me and to our Staff in the areas of Budget, ministry and decisions to be made. Our Church Council has been in existence since our church began. It is given the responsibility in our Constitution to review, approve and oversee our Annual Church Budget. I don't know what I would have done these 17 years without the incredible advice, prayers and counsel our men and women whom I have served with, have given. Being a part of this and prior Councils has been one of the biggest blessings of pastoring Oasis Church. The Council is elected annually and they serve for 3 years. Thanks, guys for your Godly advice and lives!!! You bless me every time we meet!! I love you all . Helen Chisholm is not in the picture but serves as our vice chairperson)    

Historical First at Oasis Church

This past week a First happened at Oasis Church!!! Yes, we had a real Baptistry to baptize New Believers in, for the first time in 17 Years!

But a little-known Historical Event happened that caught my attention. As I read the first-time guest cards, and signed the letters to those visiting our church for the first time, I noticed there were more visitors to our two campuses, in Hollywood and North Miami , and 7 NOW (7 Nights of Worship) services this week than at the Pines Campus Sunday services.

This has never happened before. This is even bigger when you realize we might have 2200 or more in attendance on any given week, and well over half of and about 1400 of those are at the Pines campus on Sunday morning.

Congrats to the 7NOW folks who invited your friends, and to our campuses who continue to have many first-time guests!

Now, Sunday morning Pines Campus...they are making us look bad.  We need to invite our families and friends to the most REFRESHING PLACE IN SOUTH FLORIDA -- OASIS CHURCH!!  BTW, this would be a good week to invite someone to church since our Service times change on our Pines Campus this Sunday. New times are 9:00 am, 10:30 am and 12 Noon.

  NoMi Campus had 8 baptisms Sunday!!! Go NoMi!!

Jeremy Higdon, our North Miami Campus pastor, on his Blog has a good story about their Pool , click here and enjoy!!!

Dunkin in the Face of IKE!!!

It looks like South Florida dodged a bullet in a big way, with Hurricane Ike heading south. Our Dunkin weekend went without a hitch!!! This was one of those weeks we will be talking about for years to come. On the eve of our 17th Anniversary, Oasis Church has its first-ever permanent Baptistry at our Pines Campus. Hopefully in the years to come, our other campuses will have a beautiful Fountain/Baptistry. Hope it won't take 17 years!

We haven't received all the counts from all our services but I know there were Baptisms at every service and every campus. PTL!!! I know we have seen at least 55 follow the Lord in Baptism and about 30 more already planning to be baptized through the rest of the week. If you have not yet been baptized like Jesus, you can come out to any of our 7 Nights of Worship at 7 p.m. this week and be baptized. We will baptize every night this week.  

I can't really put into words how special it was to baptize the first person at our first Service of the week, Saturday night. I had the privilege of baptizing the first two folks of the weekend, they were little Mason McCord (7)who had just received Christ Thurs. night.  The other Baptism I had the privilege of performing was Ebele, who had received the Lord in 1988. Since I was speaking four times this weekend, my voice problems would not let me be involved in all the baptisms, but what a joy it was to watch our Pastors baptize so many folks. It seemed surreal to watch this beautiful Baptism and the fountain, and to realize it is going to be there next week, next year and it doesn't have to be set up, emptied and put away. It's there whenever someone wants to follow the Lord in Baptism. God is so good.We had Mason and several children who received Christ and were baptized who are very young.

Then we had a 94 year old baptized. It was a precious sight!! At our 11:30 service our KidsWorld had a salvation & baptism class come down to see the baptism, since they will be baptized soon. There looked to be about 30 kids in the class. Suzie and Crew, you guys are doing a great job.

  

Once again, I want to thank all of you who gave financially over the last several years to our 2nd Chapter offerings in order to make this a reality. You must have been so moved to see your investment in so many lives. On our Pines Campus, Wallie Walkenhorst our Facilities coordinator has done a fantastic job of cordinating all the the steps in the construction process and worked tirelessly this week to make this weekend happen. He also attended every service this week making sure the pool and fountain was working and everything went smoothly. Thanks Wallie.    

Thanks to Pastor James Brown, Lay Pastors and Team for organizing and leading all the Baptismal Services.Thanks to Alex Matija/True Vine Landscaping , for working hard all week to finish the Landscape in time for the Dunkin Weekend. Good job Alex!!

Keep Moving South, Baby!!!! Ike, or No Ike, Baptism is on Sunday

Yep, even though the news media are trying to scare us, and are doing their normal ridiculous reporting about these storms, Ike is moving farther South!!!!  (I am finishing this post and Channel 4 is doing a scare job, and then they just mentioned, people shouldn't stress out and you should be cool as a cucumber!!! I promise they just said this as they finished scaring the daylights out of us!!! BTW, I'm off today, that's why I am watching the news.)

Keep moving south, baby!!!!!! Now I am not telling you not to do the things to prepare, but shouldn't that have been done months ago????????????

Church is DEFINITELY STILL ON FOR THE WEEKEND!!! The call on 7NOW services Monday and Tuesday will be made on Sunday Night!!!!  

Below are last night's forecast, see how much it's moved south!!!!!! YESSSSSS!!!!