“You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isa. 48:11

We are grateful to the Lord for His bountiful faithfulness over the past fifty years. It was in 1967 that the Lord showed to the founder of Oasis Ministry, Pastor Raul Arce, how it is His desire to make our lives in Christ Jesus a stream of refreshing waters in a dry and thirsty land.   It was and is the founder’s deep conviction that Christ Jesus, the Fountain of Eternal Life, has purposed to flow through those believers who are desirous to have an intimate identification with Him. The outcome is that Christ Jesus makes Himself known and God’s purposes are fulfilled through His church.   

With such clarity of vision and purpose, the Lord led the Arce family to relocate to Miami, Florida.  In Miami the Lord permitted the formation of a local assembly of believers that originally met in homes and now gathers in a facility that the Lord so graciously and miraculously provided. And it was from Miami that throughout the years the Word of the Lord has sounded forth to the nations.

In 1971, during an extended ministry trip to Central America, Oasis Ministerial Institute was born. As a seasoned servant of the Lord, Pastor Raul Arce became keenly aware of the need for biblically based, Christ-centered preparation for those called to serve. It became evident that lack of clarity of vision and direction had diluted the message of the Church and made it often ineffective.   The glorious reality of the Person of Christ Jesus had often become disfigured for mere religious concepts, popular waves of doctrines and man-centered means.

In order to serve those responding to God’s call, course materials were developed so that servants could be prepared to be fruitful in the spreading of the gospel and in the edification of the church by having a more clear vision of the Person of Christ Jesus.

The words of the Apostle Paul written to the church at Ephesus so impacted the founder’s life, “I was made a minister . . . by the effectual working of His power.” Being fully persuaded that only the Lord can “make” a minister and all we can do is to co-work with Him providing an environment complementary to His purposes, the institute began to function. For a number of years, students came from various parts of Latin America to avail themselves of the teachings. Today, many of these are serving in their respective countries while the institute continues to function by correspondence and online.

Over the years, many lives throughout the nations have been impacted by the recorded messages and institute course materials. Others have grown in the Lord as a result of the ministry as brethren have ministered extensively abroad.   Locally many have grown in the Lord as a result of active participation in the local assembly and its ministries. As we look forward, our trust is in God to continue to do His good work in and through our lives forming Christ in each of us!