GOSPEL CENTERED: RENEW
The Gospel is the foundation of all that we do. The Good News that our Creator God did not leave us to our own devices but left His throne to step into this broken, dangerous world, lived a perfect life of love in the midst of suffering with humanity, sacrificed Himself for His enemies, and defeated death that we might live changes everything.
We are all in need of reconciliation, first with God, then with our neighbor. The idea that the gospel is simply good news for the individual is a dangerously limited view of what Christ has done. He has rescued us, and through us, He desires to rescue others. This good news has tangible implications and should naturally lead to change in our homes, neighborhoods, and cities as God’s shalom overflows from our lives.
Through Christ we are welcomed into a new family and called to be part of a higher community. This community should be known by its love and reflect the character of God here on earth. We must speak the gospel with our words to invite others into this family, but we must also live out the gospel with our actions. Where there is injustice, those who have experienced the gift of righteousness should be the first to stand up for justice. We long to be a part of seeing God’s will be done, and Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Training Videos:
Hear an overview of what to expect in our Gospel Centered Training and why this is a key part of what you need to know when serving with Oak Tree!
Learn a simple tool to share your testimony to engage in gospel conversations and hear the short story of Oak Tree team members!
Learn how to share the gospel using a simple tool called the 3 circles. Oak Tree kids share it in their own words & Ms Megan breaks it down for you to practice!
This is the first video of our 3 part series looking at the "roots" of Oak Tree. Gospel Centered: We explore why the gospel is the foundation of everything we do at Oak Tree & how our worldview will impact the way that we share the gospel with others.
Sometimes we need reminded that sharing the gospel is NOT about memorizing a script, it's about engaging people in conversation with the good news of Jesus!
Sometimes we become uncomfortable when other people are struggling and use common spiritual phrases in an attempt to encourage but we actually end up dismissing their very real experience. We want to practice listening with empathy, we might not have all of the answers, but it's always better to say nothing and simply be present than to say unhelpful things because we are uncomfortable! We want to practice being safe people for others to process their fears and doubts as we share the gospel!
Extra Resources:
Find more simple tools to be an equipped disciple maker HERE.
Take the implicit bias test mentioned in the training to explore what unknown factors might be impacting your worldview.
Find more training and resources for churches to be equipped in racial reconciliation and community ministry HERE.
Oak Tree Volunteers:
Please fill out the form below when you have completed the videos for our Gospel Centered training. This will help us keep track of which volunteers have been fully trained. Thank you!