OUR MISSION | The Oaks Retreat

THE MISSION OF

THE OAKS RETREAT

... is to equip freshmen to be rooted in Christ, to branch out in ministry and to bear fruit on Auburn, Southern Union, and Tuskegee’s campuses through His power and for His glory.

“…to be rooted in Christ”

The Oaks will first and foremost clearly articulate the Gospel to freshmen and that it is the firm foundation of all the ministry we do. Our hope is that it would be their foundation as well. The Oaks will emphasize inward growth, in order to encourage our brothers and sisters to become true disciples of Christ. We pray that The Oaks will be instrumental in helping these freshman be firmly rooted in the Word of God and unwavering in their biblical convictions. Their counselors will come alongside them and spur them toward greater love, worship, prayer, and spiritual discipline as they draw nearer to the Lord. Our counselors desire is to walk alongside, encouraging and spurring on these freshmen in whatever way they need for the course of their freshman year and beyond.

“…to branch out in ministry”

By partnering with Christ-centered, Bible-teaching churches and campus ministries, The Oaks will give freshmen their first taste of all that’s out there, so that when they move in for the fall semester, they can quickly “plug in” to a church and get involved in the ministries that suit them. They will have the opportunity to build relationships with people from different churches and organizations, giving them a personal way to seek a community that matches their beliefs, passions and convictions as churches unify to get every student connected in a meaningful way somewhere. In addition to showing the freshmen the communities of churches and campus ministries, The Oaks will provide an environment for students to form lasting friendships with other Christ-seeking freshmen and upperclassmen. The Oaks aims to connect brothers and sisters in Christ of all classes as they strive for God’s glory together on the mission field of Auburn University.

“…to bear fruit on Auburn, Southern Union, and Tuskegee’s campuses”

One key part of this is instilling in them the mindset of seeing their campus as their mission field, and to see God’s individual calling for their ministry during their time at Auburn, Southern Union, or Tuskegee. They will be equipped to serve, to love, and to share the gospel boldly with their friends and classmates. Together with the body of Christ, they can pray and seek for the name of Jesus to be magnified on their campus. Our prayer is not only that freshmen would be able to view Auburn and Southern Union as their mission field, but that they would be actively seeking to bear fruit in whichever ministry the Lord calls them to.

JEREMIAH 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in a year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

ISAIAH 61:3

“that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified.”