Mike Oakes is the Global Outreach Director for Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, TX. In this podcast, Mike shares how he came to be burdened for the world at large, how he learned about ILI, and what the Lord has been doing since.
MEET MIKE
AVOIDING SPIRITUAL INFANTICIDE
New believers are often like newborn babies, needing to be cared for and guided. They should not be expected to fetch their own "spiritual food" but should be led and nurtured by mature Christians. Check out these helpful practices for being a successful spiritual parent.
STAY IN YOUR STANCE
It is one thing for a basketball player to get in their stance, but it is another thing for a player to stay in their stance. Same goes with our spiritual stance. Do you stay in your spiritual stance when things get hard?
MEET TABITHA
Tabitha loves the Bible and loves children, but when faced with the daunting reality of nearly three million orphans in her nation, she lacked the vision to make a difference. Little did she know, God had BIG plans to use Tabitha's love for the Word to make history in Kenya.
CULTURE AND THE GOSPEL
Every faith conversation needs to be approached with cultural relevance, sensitivity and power, so that the truth of the Gospel can be understood and received in every culture. Jesus' approach to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God teaches us valuable principles of cultural relevance.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
Much like the dark side of the moon, when we as Christian's walk through a dark time there is nothing magnificent or beautiful about it. But when the Son shines his light on our darkness, transformation begins and the beauty of our faith begins to shine once again!
NEW LIFE FOR LOUIS
My father abandoned my family when I was just a year old. After years living in anger and confusion, I finally hit rock bottom. When I found myself in a dark and lonely prison cell, I knew something had to change...
GUITAR HERO OR BAND PLAYER
Are you the guitar hero or the band player? Check out these three ways that servant leaders can "play for the band".
SPRING TRAINING
Here in the U.S. Spring training is a time to get back to the basics and practice the fundamentals of baseball. But we can also apply this to our spiritual walk. We need to make time to get back to the fundemtals of our faith!
MEET MARIA
When Maria's church was ready to send their first missionary, all eyes were on her. But when the cost seemed too high for a woman with so little, she had to choose faith or fear. Check out Maria's bold response to God's call and the incredible story of how He came through just in time.
SEE YOU LATER BILLY
Billy Graham passed away on February 21 at the age of 99. He lived his life as a servant of God and an amazing evangelical preacher, leading millions to Christ. Although he has left this earth to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father, he leaves behind a legacy that will live on!
SPIRITUAL STRETCHING
Stretching is important, not only for your muscles but in many other areas of life. Allowing God to help you stretch your spirit is one. Have you done your spiritual stretching lately?
KAMAL FOR CHRIST
Meet Kamal, who despite his upbringing found Christ in the mist of his pain through a Regional Conference. Do you have a testimony to share from a conference? Share it with us!
HIDDEN MASTERPIECES
Do you have hidden spiritual gifts just waiting to be discovered? Check out these tips for digging deep and using the treasure God gave you. He entrusted you with a gift to help you share the Holy Spirit. Let's put that given talent to work.
INDIGENOUS EVANGELISM
In every age and every place, the best person to communicate the Gospel is someone who knows the language, culture, and context of that place. We need to make sure we are doing our part to reach those around us.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE THE POWER OF PRAYER?
At 11AM (Eastern Time US) our home office team gathers in the conference for prayer time. During this time we pray for our alumni, donors, and leaders world-wide. Is there something specific we can be in prayer for you about?
HOW TO MANAGE GROWTH
Growth is something worth celebrating, but being prepared for the extra load it brings is a must! As your organization or business grows, your team will need to be prepared. Check out these five ways to build a bigger and better team!
THE VALUE OF WORRY
Worrying can consume you, but at the end of the day get you nowhere. Do not worry anything, but instead pray about everything.
HOLLIS HEALED AND RELEASED FOR MINISTRY
Hollis Kimbrough recently spoke at an ILI Leadership Beyond Regional Conference on the obstacles to leadership. In this episode, Hollis shares a very personal story about how the Lord miraculously removed a great obstacle in his life and released him for ministry.
THE UNEXPECTED SECRET TO COMING TOGETHER
There are events in life that will cause you to cast aside your difference and join together as one. A football game, fighting in a war, and most importantly, sharing Jesus' love. Check out what happened between two rival tribal groups at a recent ILI conference.