About " The Oasis " Church

The Pioneering Leader

Pastor Bruce and Julie Collingwood Bethany, Joel and Kayla

Our Leadership Structure:

God

We acknowledge God as the ultimate leader and supreme authority over the elim movement as a whole, including over this local Elim Church.

God has all wisdom, all power, all knowledge, all truth and all of everything else that is positive and good. We seek His input and direction for everything we want to do and for every decision we need to make.

Elim National Leadership Team

This team is led by the Elim National Leader, who is voted on by the rest of the team. The National Leadership Team is made up of six members, all of whom are Senior Pastors of their own Elim Churches. They are voted on by the rest of the Elim Pastors at our Business Conference, for a three year term. Each member carries a portfolio

• Vision and Training
• Administration and Property
• Church Planting and Missions
• Church Health
• Overseeing Pastors
• Ethnic Churches and Planting Churches Overseas.

The role of The Elim National Leadership Team, is to carry out the business of the Elim Movement and to act as an overseeing body, that brings safety and accountability to Elim Pastors. This includes doing church checks periodically and helping sort out problems that can’t be resolved by the local church Senior Leadership Team.

" The Oasis " Church - Senior Leadership Team

This team is led by the Senior Leader, who is appointed by The National Elim Leadership Team. It is his job to select and appoint his own Senior Leadership Team from members of the congregation and then together, they are to spiritually lead this local church with God’s help. The Senior Leadership Team are not elders, unless they have gone through the process of being selected as elders in line with the Elim Constitution, and approved to be Elders by The National Elim Leadership Team. The Senior Leadership Team is made up of Elders and Non Elders and together they are the local church oversight.

Elim Churches Statement of Faith : -
[ Paraphrased ]

The Bible - The Bible Is Our Manual For Right Living And For Having A Successful Life:

The Old and New Testament Scriptures, are God’s message to us and they are the total and absolute truth. They are the supreme and final authority in all matters of our Christian faith and how we should live and act.

The Future State - Everyone is a sinner and will be judged one day by God:

We will spend forever in heaven with God, or in hell, which is total separation from God, depending on what we do with Jesus Christ while we are alive on earth. So it’s very important to really understand Christianity.

The Saviour - Jesus Christ Is God The Son:

He was born of a virgin, lived a normal human life with all it’s limitations and temptations and growing up stages, but he did not sin.

He taught with authority, performed amazing miracles, was put to death as an innocent man - to pay the penalty for the wrong things we do, came back to life again three days later and went back up to heaven.

One day He will return to take all true Christians, to be with Him forever in heaven.

The Baptiser - The Holy Spirit Is Very Real:

His work is to teach us to turn from our sins. Also to bring restoration to us and to teach us how to live a holy and pure life. To anyone of us who believe in God, we are promised power to live our lives right, progressive wholeness and given gifts from God, including great miracles like healing the sick. This happens when we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us and to give us His power.

The Fruit - We Need To Turn From Our Sins:

To go the total opposite way by putting our trust in Jesus, we are totally forgiven for everything and put in right relationship with Him. This is only possible because of what Jesus did for us, by dying on the cross to pay for our sins, which keep us separated from God. Turning from our sin is called repentance. We should produce and show the nine fruit for the Holy Spirit.

The Church - The Local Church:

Church is not the building, but is made up of everyone who has given their life to Jesus. The building is just where church gets together. As Christians, we also have a responsibility from God, to tell others about Him.

The Gifts - God Has Different Things He Wants Us To Do:

Some like to start churches, some like to be speaking what God wants to do in the future, some like to give of their time practically, some like to give financially, some like to comfort others, some like to tell others about Jesus, some like to be preachers and some like to really teach the complicated stuff in the bible.

God also gives us gifts of the Holy Spirit like healing, knowledge, wisdom, tongues, interpreting tongues, prophecy, faith, miracles and discernment. We need to find out what we’re gifted at and do it!

The Ordinances - We Believe In The Following:

Water Baptism - Baptism of believers, by being put under the water, is a sign of new life as a believer in Christ.

Communion - We have communion, as symbols to remind us of what Jesus did for us on the cross. The grape juice is a sign of Jesus blood that was spilled and the bread is a symbol of Jesus body that was killed for us. We should have communion regularly, so that we never forget the sacrifice he made for us.

Laying on of hands - To impart the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Anointing of the sick with oil - The olive oil symbolising the Holy Spirit.

The Trinity - God Exists As Three Persons:

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. [Trinity] They created the world and provide for us in every way. They can also save us from our sins [The wrong things that we have done and do].

The Healer - Christianity Is Relevant For Any Needs That We Have:

We as believers should be praying for people to be healed from all sickness and disease and setting people free from bondages and oppressions from demons.

The Coming King - Jesus Christ Will Return One Day:

We believe in the personal, physical and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ, to reign in power and glory.

A Little Bit Of Elim History

• Elim Churches are a part of the great Christian Pentecostal Movement.
• The 1st elim church was planted in Dublin Ireland during the 1st world war
• Elim itself, was founded in 1915 through the ministry of George Jefferys, an outstanding evangelist and one of the pioneers of the pentecostal work in the United Kingdom.
• He used to travel with his evangelistic band, preaching and the Lord would be with him, saving people by the thousands, with incredible signs and wonders following.
• There are over 600 Elim churches in the United Kingdom and over 6000 in other countries
• 1922 - Smith Wigglesworth had a crusade in New Zealand and many healings and other great things happened, including many people giving their hearts to Jesus Christ.
• 1953 - The first New Zealand Elim Church was started in Wellington.
• 2000 + - There are now almost 60 Elim Churches in New Zealand : We are one of those !

So that's an overview of what we're about. If you have anymore questions please contact me personally by clicking here.

God Bless you and we hope to see you soon.

Pastor Bruce & Julie Collingwood