Change Agents

Being a Change Agent is a life-long process. A Change Agent is a person who is committed to continuously be transformed themselves and be part of transforming their community, in all areas of life.

Oasis South Africa is a community of Change Agents that is committed to live a certain way of life (that we call our Rhythm of Life). We are committed to our own transformation and to our communities’ transformation through serving in Oasis community projects. Our range of community projects, including health, youth and community development activities, meet immediate needs while it creates new opportunities for disadvantaged people to own their own transformation.

We believe that life- and community change happens one person at a time, through authentic relationships on a local level. This leads us to believe that a typical NGO, mission organisation or national development organisation with fixed programmes will not be best suited for our context. A movement of Change Agents that is able to respond to local needs and that grows (or shrinks) organically regardless of the formal legal entity it takes is required. We are a movement of Change Agents who choose to live prophetic lives in clearly defined communities – with lives that illustrate a different, innovative and counter-cultural way of doing, working and relating to God and others – that inspires and equip diverse people to join the hidden movement of Jesus’ disciples that has been at work for centuries to transform individuals, communities and our country as a whole.

Oasis South Africa is part of a global family of organisations that works in some of the world’s most marginalised communities and people in ten countries. Oasis was founded in London by Steve Chalke in 1985.

Through our Rhythm of Life and Change Agent approach, Oasis South Africa lives out the following Global ENDS:

Vision

Our vision is for community – a place where everyone is included, making a contribution and reaching their God-given potential.

Mission Statement

Oasis is committed to working in an inclusive, integrated, empowering and comprehensive way so that all people experience wholeness and fullness of life.

 Outcomes

• Local communities that are characterised by high levels of trust, safety, cohesion, mutual support, vibrancy, health and opportunity, and have increasing capacity to address their own issues.

• People who are excluded from community brought back into community and finding wholeness and fullness of life.

• The replication of models that effectively contribute to community transformation or bring the excluded into community.

Preamble

Oasis considers belief and behaviour integral.  Oasis approaches what we do, from an understanding of what we believe, which also informs how we do it.  Our beliefs cannot have their full validity if they are not lived out.  Equally, our behaviours cannot fully represent Oasis without an understanding that they demonstrate the Christian faith.

Ethos

In Oasis we are Christ-centred; inspired by the life, message and example of Jesus Christ through whom God’s unconditional love for all people is expressed.  We are called to love God, and love others as we love ourselves.  We therefore seek to work together to extend Jesus’ model of the Kingdom of God on earth by living out a lifestyle according to this inspiration.

Beliefs

• Each individual is made in the image of the God who created all of us, making us all equal and different.
• Each individual has a God-given purpose and together we are called to care for each other and our environment.
• God is love.  Love is not simply one of God’s attributes, but rather the very essence of his nature.  This love pervades the universe and is unconditional rather than earned.
• God became human in the person of Jesus Christ.  He came to where we are.  He shared our experience of life.  He felt joy and pain.  He engages with us and understands us.
• Jesus served others rather than expecting to be served and willingly sacrificed his life through the cross.
• Jesus rose from the dead.  Death is not the end.  There is resurrection and hope that things can change and people and situations be transformed.
• Through faith in this God, all human beings can experience fullness of life before and after death.

Behaviours

Oasis is a place where there is:

• Equality.  Differences in personality, culture, background, experience and worldview are respected.
• Inclusion.  Those on the fringes who are in some way excluded are deliberately sought out and included.
• Open Relationships.  Healthy, transparent and open relationships among all those we interact with, including a willingness to forgive and be forgiven, are fostered.
• Integration.  The needs of the whole person, and whole community within their environment are considered.
• Sacrifice.  Doing what it takes to serve both individuals and the communities with whom we work.
• Hope and Perseverance.  Despite circumstances that exist, an atmosphere of hope and an attitude of perseverance is pervasive.
• Innovation.  New ideas, and approaches are welcome and risk taking is common.
• Excellence.  Whatever we do, we do it to the best of our ability.