Songbook
Here is the Current Songbook for Oasis Madrid. Click the link to download it.
FAQ about Christianity
Let’s face it: skeptics have a valid point. Sometimes Christianity seems to generate more questions than it can answer. For example, “If God is both good and all-powerful, why is there suffering in the world?” And how is it that Christians claim God is three-in-one? Which is it? Either there is only one God or there are more than one?
There are many questions like these. We call them the “Frequently Asked Questions” about Christianity.
And this section of the Oasis Madrid website is dedicated to wrestling with these kinds of questions. Click on some of the links below to explore some ways of thinking through these complex issues.
* The Trinity
* How Can I Know God’s Will?
* The DaVinci Code
The Trinity
How can God be both Three and One? This is just one among many “Frequently Asked Questions” posed by all kinds of people, whether they consider themself a Christian or not.
Some months ago, Troy gave a teaching that dealt with God’s nature. Here’s an excerpt from that teaching that grapples with the mystery of God’s Three-in-Oneness. While the excerpt does not explain fully how God can be both three and one, it does provide a picture as to how we can understand it a bit more. Here’s the excerpt:
The DaVinci Code
Recently, author Dan Brown published a book in which it was alleged that the true historical account of early Christianity had been kept under wraps by so-called “traditional” Christians. In brief, Dan Brown claims that there were many early Christians that did not believe Jesus was God. Further, he shows how the divinity of Jesus was a doctrine foisted upon early Christianity by leaders driven by a paternalistic hunger for power.
Because the book claims to be, in part, historically accurate, this naturally set many Christians to asking some important questions as to which version of history is more truthful. And, it also got skeptics thinking along those lines, too.
To address this “Frequently Asked Question”, Troy posted a series of thoughts on his blog. While there are a number of resources already in print that deal with this issue, Troy thought he’d post his own reflections on this topic because he saw another approach that could be taken in thinking through the issues. In brief, his approach involves looking at the source of Dan Brown’s claims: the Gnostic Gospels.
Go here to start a chain of posts exploring this complex question.
Leadership Development
Oasis Madrid provides a number of resources designed to help leaders grow and multiply themselves in others. Below is a list of the resources available on this website, with links to acquire the PDF files.
* The Making of a Leader (a life-long perspective chart)
* In The Name of Jesus (a discussion/study guide)
* Communicating Grace (a short study)
The Making of a Leader
God wants every leader to “finish well”. This chart helps leaders gain a life-long perspective to their own development through looking at some of the processes God uses to develop us and the kinds of responses for which God may be looking.
In The Name of Jesus
Following is a study guide designed to generate thought and discussion around the book In The Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. The book contains reflections on what Nouwen considers to be the essential characteristics of Christian leadership for the 21st century. His thoughts are rooted in:
A. His own experience of leaving Harvard and working at the Daybreak community for mentally handicapped persons in Toronto.
B. The temptation of Jesus in the desert
and
C. The call of Peter to ministry by Jesus.
The book is divided in three major parts, with a prologue and epilogue. For each part, Nouwen identifies a temptation that could potentially derail Christian leaders in the 21st century, shows how that temptation is the same as what Jesus faced in the desert, and suggests a spiritual discipline we need to adopt to help overcome that temptation. The spiritual discipline he suggests is rooted in the passage in John where Jesus commissions Peter.
Communicating Grace
Following is a short study that reminds us the task of the Christian leader is to “dispense God’s grace” to those we meet. It is based on Paul’s description of himself in the book of Ephesians as an “adminstrator” or “steward” of God’s grace.
The PDF’s below include both a “fill in the blank” copy and a “master” copy for use by the person leading the study.
How Can I Know God’s Will?
There is perhaps no question asked with more frequency by Christians than this one. And it makes sense. After all, the person who believes whole-heartedly honestly wants to know how they can follow God into the future. Yet deciding what to do among various choices that seem equally “good” can be confusing. How to escape this conundrum?
Some time ago, Troy was asked this question by a friend. He posted a series of thoughts on his blog dealing with it. Start here for a series of thoughts on discerning God’s will.
Bible Studies
Oasis Madrid has a number of Bible studies and discussion guides available for you to use in small group settings. Click on the links below to read brief introductions to each discussion guide and to download free PDF’s of each guide.
