Raul Arce, a native of Havana, Cuba, where he was raised with strong Catholic roots, came to the States at the beginning of the Cuban Revolution in 1960 seeking a prosperous, free life. Divine Providence would lead him to land in a hospital following a severe back injury which would be his lifelong ailment. It was there that the Lord sent a simple but faithful servant from ‘The Old Fashioned Baptist Church’ to share the Good News of the Gospel with him.   Days later Raul visited that same church, and there the Lord apprehended his life for personal salvation and soon thereafter with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Within weeks Raul received a visitation from the Lord imparting to Him the call of God on His life and gifting him with an insatiable hunger for the Scriptures.

Raul acknowledges the goodness of the Lord in bringing to him a godly, noble wife, Elsbeth, who has faithfully co-labored in the work of the ministry while raising their three children, Beth Lynn, Gloria and Raul Jr., all presently walking with the Lord and serving Him in varying capacities. Raul has held ministerial credentials from the Independent Baptist Church as well as Elim Missionary Assemblies.

Raul’s paramount burden is based on the revelation given to Him by the Lord as it relates to the Church of Christ being built God’s way rather than man’s way. It is from this clear revelation that Oasis Ministerial Institute was birthed in 1977. Looking back on the last 50 years of ministry and the extensive ministry trips throughout most of the world, Raul expresses his profound gratitude to the Lord with these words on his lips: “To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen”

Elsbeth Arce was born in Zurich, Switzerland, arriving in the United States at the young age of ten. She remembers the many years of active church involvement fostered by godly grandmother and parents who served as lay-workers in the Assemblies of God denomination. At the age of twelve, Elsbeth acknowledged Christ as her personal Savior, and at the age of sixteen she was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Shortly thereafter she acknowledged that the call of the Lord was on her life but her obedience to the call would be tested. The grace of God strengthened Elsbeth to relinquish her ambitions of medical research and pursue a degree in Biblical Studies through Southeastern Bible College, later completed at Trinity College and Seminary. At a young age, Elsbeth actively served in Bible teaching and international missions.

At the age of twenty three, the Lord was pleased to unite her life to Raul, and subsequently blessed them with three children to raise for Him. The family has now grown with six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Over the past 50+ years of ministry, Elsbeth has been given an extra measure of grace and wisdom to administer the diverse and ever-growing responsibilities of family and ministry.  

Her years in ministry have led her to serve in extensive counseling, Bible teaching, leadership training and travels abroad to minister in conferences and retreats.   She also forms part of the teaching staff of Oasis Ministerial Institute.  

Gloria Rodriguez, daughter of Raul and Elsbeth Arce, acknowledges the rich, spiritual inheritance of growing up in a godly, ministerial home. She was seven years old when the Lord became her personal Savior. As a young teenager she received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and acknowledged the call of the Lord upon her life for the work of the ministry. Her heart’s cry is that the Lord would be exalted and magnified through her life. She has a burden for the direction of praise and worship in the Church as well as a special tenderness for pastors and their families. Through the enlightenment of His Word, the Lord continues to impact and direct Gloria to different regions where lives are in need of establishment and confirmation in the faith.

Gloria graduated from Oasis Ministerial Institute in 1988 and then formalized her degree at Trinity College and Seminary under Pastoral Ministry with a minor in Crisis Management Intervention. Gloria has been married to her beloved husband of nine years, Rick, and she has four adult children; Manuel Josue, Gloria Marie, Anna and Sarah, all of whom have acknowledged Christ as their personal Savior.   Not without many trials, nonetheless, Gloria testifies of the boundless faithfulness of the Lord, counting it a great joy that the family is serving the Lord in different areas.  

Jorge Cancho, native of Lima, Peru, grew up in the Church and experienced a new birth at the age of eighteen, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit at nineteen. His spiritual formation and discipleship in the Pentecostal denomination in Peru led him to an even greater hunger for the Word of the Lord. Jorge began receiving formal biblical and ministerial training through Oasis Ministerial Institute via distance learning. Jorge exhibited a deep love for the Scriptures. He graduated from the Institute in 1999, and he has continued to be a proponent for Biblical studies as he crusades to encourage young men and women with a calling to be faithful students and diligently prepare through the “milk” and “meat” of the Word of the Lord.   Jorge heard and responded to the call of the Lord on his life at the age of twenty-three, which also brought conviction and separation from the call of man and religious traditions.

Jorge is zealous and outspoken about the revelation of the Lord to his life. His heart is in missions and the preaching of the gospel. He has faithfully served locally and abroad in different settings. Jorge is married to Evelin, his wife of seven years, and they are blessed to be raising three children for the Lord: Elizabeth, Esther and Samuel.

Evelin Cancho came to know Christ as her personal Savior at the age of eight and acknowledged the infilling of the Holy Spirit which was accompanied by the call of the Lord on her life at the age of eighteen. She has a degree in Education, as well as having graduated from Oasis Ministerial Institute. Having grown up in the church being exposed to different arenas of Sunday School, she has a burden that this class time would be far more than babysitting and story time. Her mission is to see Christ formed in the life of each child.

Evelin is also a dedicated Bible teacher for adults.   As a mother of 3 young children, her primary ministry is at home, but she is continuously mindful and faithful to the sounding forth of the gospel to every nation.

Carlos Mejia came to know the Lord as his personal Savior at the age of fifteen. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering and is a graduate of Oasis Ministerial Institute. The Lord has been pleased to use Carlos in a vast array of ministerial settings including, but not limited to youth ministry, music ministry and the sharing of the Word both locally and abroad. For a number of years now, Carlos has been instrumental in the recording and broadcasting of the messages and Institute courses. He has also participated in various missions trips to Latin America where his life has been used to encourage the saints in their walk with Christ. Carlos has a burden for the heads of families, that their walk in Christ would be genuine and continually refreshed by the Spirit of the Lord. He is married to Delilah, his wife of fourteen years, and they have dedicated their two elementary school-age children, David and Leah, to Jesus Christ.

Delilah grew up in a Christian home and came to know Christ as her personal Savior at the young age of six.  The Lord was pleased to use her godly grandmother as the instrument of spiritual tutoring and discipleship during her difficult teenage years.   As the Lord continued to pursue Delilah drawing her into a more consecrated life unto Himself, He gifted her with a ministry of music while illuminating her with clear understanding of His holy presence and His total worthiness.   Delilah has a master’s degree in Education, and is also a graduate of Oasis Ministerial Institute. As a mother of two young children, Delilah has a burden that they, and all children, would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and live a committed life of service unto the Lord. She has been directing the annual VBS program that reaches out to over 100 children each summer.