Ministries

S. W. A. T. (Spiritual Warfare Attack Team),

Oasis of Love Program

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S. W. A .T. (Spiritual Warfare Attack Team) "My house shall be called a house of prayer unto all nations." (Mark 11:17)  "Men always ought to pray and not to faint." (Luke 18:1) The place and significance of prayer in the Father's (God's) business cannot be over-emphasized. Prayer is the foundation of any spiritual enterprise. Through Prayer, we can tap into the supernatural power of God. Prayer is the key that opens the iron gates; it is the Christian’s primary source of strength; it is the weapon that never ceases to expose, halt or neutralize Satan's diabolic devices and schemes. Through prayer, countless miracles have occurred (and still do occur): the sick have been healed, the oppressed have been set free, acts of divine providence have been manifested, wombs condemned and medically labeled as barren, have become fruitful and borne children. Through Prayer, incorrigible lives have been supernaturally and miraculously transformed.

HIGHER POWER:

It is worthy to note that the desire to pray is instinctive in all humans - it is not only Christians or the religious who pray; to the contrary the "heathen," i.e. even sworn and avowed atheists pray, especially when confronted with crisis and other adverse life-situations. ‘Mankind’, oftentimes, recognizes his/her limitations when faced with critical life issues, e.g. natural disasters, separation from loved ones, sickness, death etc. and with that recognition, usually comes a reaching and crying out (i.e. prayer) to a "Higher Power or Being." Many have specialized in using the term, 'Higher Power', for the sake of political correctness. To us at ICGC, however, this "higher power" is no abstract, intangible person or substance, but the Living and Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, and ALL things, both visible (natural) and invisible (spiritual) (Geneses 1:1, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16)

THE REALITY OF GOD:

The Bible assumes the existence and reality of God by simply stating that "In the beginning God..." (Genesis 1:1). It does not attempt to prove or explain His reality or existence. God expects humanity to know instinctively that He exists and is real, and to relate to Him accordingly. When God becomes real and personal to a person through faith in the substitutionary work of Christ, He ceases to be a distant and abstract being (or power). He becomes a friend, companion, comforter, healer, provider, the center of one's affection, the silent listener to every conversation – in a real sense, a very personal God, the believer not only recognizes as God, but also Abba Father – an Aramaic term of endearment. It is this personal and dynamic relationship with God (through Christ) that takes the chore out of prayer, and makes it such a wonderful "love-affair" between two spiritual beings - Almighty God and His redeemed People. If two people are truly in love, they love to spend time; quality time, together.

CONCEPTS IN PRAYER:

• Prayer is to the Church, what a Big Mac is to McDonalds - inseparable • Prayer is to the human spirit, what breathing is to the body - indispensable • Prayer is a love-relationship and fellowship with a loving Father. • Prayer is the Believer's weapon of war. • Prayer is never one-sided, but two sided, a communion between the believer and Almighty God; communion is always a ‘give and take’ affair. • Prayer cannot be limited geographically, because in the realm of the spirit, there is no distance - prayers made in America can touch lives in Africa. • Prayer must be made in accordance with the will of God • Intercessory Prayer: As a priest (Rev.5:9-10), God has called the Christian to "stand in the gap" for others. Thus, the Christian is like an attorney or advocate, a mediator, pleading the case of others before God - both in the church and in the world. • Through Prayer, we plug ourselves into God's Power socket - Hence: No prayer, no power Little Prayer, little power Much Prayer, much power

Oasis of Love The International Central Gospel Church, California, is a full-gospel, missions-oriented ministry. Consistent with its commitment to human dignity and goal of influencing society with the principles of the kingdom of God, through Christ, ICGC California will pursue and promote issues of social justice through a holistic application of the gospel to the needs of humanity. In collaboration with others of like-mission or faith, ICGC California will engage in preventive and intervention programs through its Compassion & Recovery Ministries, The OASIS OF LOVE. These programs will be aimed at interrupting or disrupting the Cycle of Poverty, in all its degrading and dehumanizing forms, and fostering individual and/or collective spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and economic uplift among underprivileged people groups and/or communities. Philosophy & Rationale: The Mission of OASIS OF LOVEis predicated upon the Doctrine and Principle of Incarnation. Principle of Incarnation: In what is theologically referred to as ‘Incarnation’, "The Word"  (Jesus),  "became flesh, and dwelt among men" (John1:14). The doctrine of  Incarnation,  demonstrates God's desire to be present where humanity is, actively involved and participating fully in mankind's everyday life. From this perspective, we believe that the Gospel should not be relegated to the spiritual realm, where it only touches the hearts/spirits of men; it must also take on "flesh" or substance in its application. In essence, the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost...”(Matthew 28:18- 19, Mark 16:15 – 20), with its focus, traditionally, on SOUL-WINNING and DISCIPLESHIP, must operate concurrently with the Great Commandment: "Thou shall love the Lord thy God" and "thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself..." (Matthew 22:36-40), which is a call to Social Work, Service and Justice. Practical solutions to real human need (Felt-Needs), in other words, must be seen as part of the gospel message, and therefore included in its delivery. ICGC’s focus, theologically and practically, will be the TOTAL MAN – Spirit, Soul and Body (1st Thessalonians 5:23). Jesus' Ministry:  Christ forgave sins (spiritual dimension) during His earthly ministry, but also healed physical diseases (physical dimension). His Mission Statement outlined in Luke 4:18 had a ‘holistic’ bent, which means: Practical benefits were offered to those who believed - the poor, oppressed, the brokenhearted etc.  The Apostle James: James, the Apostle, reiterates this by stating that, "pure religion... is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction" (James 1:27). He states, furthermore, that: "If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food...and you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what does it profit?" (James 2:15-16). It is against this backdrop that Pastor Rick Donkor: Lead Pastor of ICGC-California initiated the establishment of OASIS OF LOVE...  Where a deficiency exists in the physical, social, and/or economic order or conditions of a people or community, therefore, it is the goal of ICGC to intervene, where our resources allow and enable us, regardless of race, color, creed or gender, and help bring help and healing, under the auspices of our Compassion and Recovery Ministries: OASIS OF LOVE

Programs:

ICGC plans to pursue and undertake the following project goals, among others, under the auspices of OASIS OF LOVE (501C3), our Compassion and Recovery Ministries. They include: 1. Create an Entrepreneurial Development Board: Philosophy: • Most people, given the opportunity, and consistent with the innate human desire or quest for dignity and significance, will rather work for a living than wait to be given a hand-out. • Spirituality and Prosperity (Financial) can co- exist. God is not against financial and material prosperity; in fact, you can have as much money and material things as you want, as long as they do not have you. Goals: • Create an environment conducive to the cultivation and development of an entrepreneurial spirit in the House of God in general, and in the ICG Churches which the Lord may lead and enable us to plant. • Encourage business ownership among Christians in general, our members in particular and the general community at large. • Conduct seminars to these ends. • Establish vocational training centers that will facilitate the acquisition job skills by the socio-economically challenged and marginalized people-groups in our community. • Job search issues: completing applications, creating resumes, preparing for interviews, dressing for success. etc. 2. Establish a Youth Center - Diversion Programs for Youth: Philosophy: • Providing a Practical Alternative to Life on the streets for Youth in our community, through the establishment of diversion programs. Goals: • Incorporate the Total-Man/Woman Concept into youth programs and activities. • Youth Career Counseling Services and Vocational Training Programs. • ESL programs for marginalized people groups; removing language barrier and empowering people to enter mainstream America. • GED Classes and Tutorials. • After school programs – extra-curricular activities • Computer Literacy Programs - bridge the digital divide/gap between rich and poor. • Crisis counseling and Intervention for troubled teens; runaway kids, pregnant teens etc. • Partner with community institutions (e.g. police department, probation officers, juvenile hall and other institutions) to undertake diversion programs. 3. Establish Recovery/Addict Programs: Disrupting the Cycle of Abuse: Philosophy: • God created ‘man’ in His image, whole, and complete, with no defects or deficiencies; any distortions, wounds or imbalance caused by any form of abuse or violence (sexual, physical, verbal or psychological) is a deviation from His original intent or purpose. Goals: • Establish abuse prevention programs • Establish rehabilitation centers for substance abuse/chemical dependency; offer drug & alcohol counseling services  • Offer anti-gang and anti-drug programs for Youth. • Provide services to victims of violence and abuse: Sexual - rape/incest/molestation victims. Physical - Victims of domestic violence; shelters for battered women etc. • Address compulsive behaviors and related issues, e.g. alcoholism, workaholism, sex addiction, eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia) etc. 4. Others: • Day-care centers - Support single parents & two- income families in our church and community. • Fitness Programs – Balance Spiritual Life with Physical Health and Fitness. • Food/clothing distribution to the urban poor and underprivileged. • Cultural awareness and sensitivity programs/seminars: making our racial/ethnic diversity a strength, instead of a weakness. 5. Establish Christian Educational facilities: • Schools - Create a healthy Christian environment in schools, so kids can develop Godly, moral convictions, while achieving academic excellence. 6. International – Resource Center: • To always maintain a Christ-like sensitivity and compassion towards those in other parts of the world, who may be less privileged than we are in the United States, with respect to, their dignity as humans, condition and standards of living. • Become a resource center, providing hope for living and impacting destinies through the provision of food, clothing, medical supplies and educational resources to the less fortunate in America, and the two/thirds (2/3) world.