Oasis Life Training Center has been a Pentecostal presence in Palm Desert since 1996, drawing worshipers to its home on Entrepreneur Lane for spirited services, midweek Bible study, and a steady stream of family gatherings. The church, known to its members as OASIS LIFE, calls itself "Water in the Desert," a phrase that says as much about its Coachella Valley setting as about its spiritual ambitions.
Water in the Desert: A Little Bit of Pentecost
The Oasis Life Training Center was launched in 1996 after a woman Pastor Roberts had never met told him, at the close of a speaking engagement at another church's anniversary, "you can start your church in my home." Her obedience opened the door, and the young congregation gathered there before Mother's Day 1997, when it moved to its first building on Velie Way in Palm Desert. That small sanctuary filled quickly, and by 2001 the church had outgrown it, relocating to its present home on Entrepreneur Lane, the same location it occupies today.
From that Entrepreneur Lane base, the church expanded its reach through television and radio ministry and launched Manna Projects, its missions arm. In 2022, members marked 25 years with a season of testimonies about lives saved, hearts renewed, and hope restored through the Lord.
Bishop Stewart B. Roberts remains the Pastor and Founder. The Pentecostal identity the church wears openly is summed up in its section heading "A Little Bit of Pentecost," and visitors who attend in person will notice the distinctively charismatic flavor of the gathered worship.
Sunday Mornings in the Sanctuary
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and runs until noon, with the doors open to anyone curious to attend. Services follow a Pentecostal pattern that includes music, the preaching of the Word, fellowship, and the giving of tithes and offerings.
Congregants may be heard praying in tongues, an expression of what the church calls baptism in the Holy Spirit and treats as one of several possible manifestations of the Spirit's presence. The church is quick to add that speaking in tongues is not a measure of spiritual maturity, but a gift available to those who receive it, and a means of communicating with God that uses no humanly recognizable language.
Communion, observed with bread or wafers and juice in remembrance of Jesus's sacrificial death, is celebrated during the worship service. In keeping with Oasis Life's practice, communion can also be observed at home among families whenever Christians choose to remember Him together, as often as one is led to do so.
Those who cannot attend in person can join the livestream at 11:00 a.m. on the church's YouTube channel. Recent services are posted there under titles like "OASISLIFE09202026 WALK" and "OASISLIFE 09132026 Rejoice," alongside short video clips, member testimonies from Cameron Fontana and Teri Blake, and recordings of the Lord's Prayer and prayers from the Body of Christ.
Wednesday Nights Around the Word
The midweek gathering is a weekly fixture: Wednesday Night Service runs from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. The service centers on the Word, with guest speakers such as Yvonne Terrones taking the pulpit on selected weeks. Together with the Sunday morning service, Wednesday night forms the backbone of Oasis Life's worship rhythm.
Midweek Bible study happens on the same evening. Women's Bible Study meets at 7:00 p.m., led by Mrs. Susan Roberts, and recent studies have moved through "Twelve Women of the Bible," a twelve-session workbook by Lysa TerKeurst and other Bible teachers that walks through the lives of Eve, Rebekah, Leah, Hannah, Abigail, Gomer, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Martha, the Woman at the Well, and the Syrophoenician Woman. Each session ends with refreshments, fellowship, and a drawing for two small gifts.
A separate Men's and Women's Bible Study meets on alternating Wednesday evenings. The men gather with the Bishop to discuss "The Five Porches," while the women meet in a parallel study. A book list links to the workbook, and members are invited to purchase it ahead of time.
A Statement of Faith
Oasis Life's teaching is organized around a written Statement of Faith that lays out eight pillars of belief.
- The Trinity. God is the Creator and sustainer of all things. He is eternal, sovereign, and exists in three Persons at once: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.
- Mankind and the Church. Human beings were made in the spiritual image of God to give Him glory, but sin, an innate predisposition to disobey, separates people from God. That separation is healed only by believing that Jesus's death at Calvary was for each individual. The Church, in this view, is the worldwide fellowship of all who have sincerely accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, as well as any local body of believers gathered to worship and witness.
- Salvation and Eternal Life. Salvation is the beginning of the Christian life, not the end. Those who are saved express their love for God by serving Him, telling others about Him, and worshipping Him. Heaven and Hell are the two possible eternal destinations, and the deciding factor is whether a person has asked Jesus to bear the penalty for their sins.
- The Bible. Scripture is God's Word for His people, written over centuries by human authors under the Holy Spirit's guidance. The church holds that the Bible is inspired (reflecting God's heart, not the authors' opinions) and inerrant (absolutely true in all respects), and is the Christian's rule book.
- Baptism. Water baptism is reserved for those old enough to understand what salvation means, a public recognition that salvation has transformed a life. It is performed by immersion, and the church has a sign-up form available for those ready to take that step. The church also teaches baptism in the Holy Spirit, a New Testament event in which the Spirit's presence may be evidenced in many forms, including speaking in tongues.
- Communion. A sacrament remembering Jesus's death and promised return, observed with bread or wafers and juice.
- Tithe and Offerings. Tithing, giving 10 percent of one's gross income, is God's command for His people, paid to the local congregation. Offerings are gifts above and beyond the tithe, often directed to a specific project or need.
- Marriage and Family. Marriage is the joining of one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive union, as Scripture defines it. Sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage, and the church reserves the right to decline hosting ceremonies that fall outside this confession.
Manna Projects: The Missions Arm
Manna Projects is Oasis Life's missions ministry, established alongside the church's television and radio outreach after the move to Entrepreneur Lane in 2001. The ministry represents the church's outward face, extending the gospel and compassionate care beyond the sanctuary walls. Donations directed to specific compassionate outreaches and church projects are a regular feature of the church's giving life.
Kids, VBS, and Family Events
Oasis Life runs a full children's calendar. Vacation Bible School arrives each summer as a multi-night event, with a small per-child fee to help cover materials. Recent additions to the calendar have included a Kids Puppet Show during Sunday morning service, a KIDS Scavenger Hunt on a Wednesday evening, and a "Trunks, Treats and Jesus" gathering on a Saturday afternoon, a fall trunk-or-treat alternative timed to the Halloween season.
Other family-friendly touches dot the year: a Mother's Day Luncheon held off-site at the Desert Willow Country Club with a per-person registration fee, a Christmas in July Sunday where children are invited to wear their Christmas pajamas to church, a Community Yard Sale open to neighbors, and a Bibles and Bouquets evening where women create their own floral arrangements and pay a small materials fee.
Baptism sign-ups are available online, and baptisms are performed by immersion. A Church Work Day gathers members for painting, cleaning, and other property care, and a constant stream of short "OASISLIFE" video updates, including one of a Giraffe Ark, keeps the congregation connected between Sundays.
Visiting Oasis Life
The Fellowship page greets visitors with Hebrews 10:24-25: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another." The church welcomes anyone new to the body of Christ as well as long-time believers, and Pastor Roberts and the TOLTC Prayer Team receive prayer requests submitted online. Those wanting a closer look can also watch a recent service online before deciding to visit in person.
Location, Giving, and Contact
Oasis Life Training Center meets at 39605 Entrepreneur Lane in Palm Desert. The church office is reached at 760-772-8255, and the OasisLIFE-LINE is at 760-601-5456. Donations and event payments are accepted online through the church's giving page, and giving is also accepted at services in person. A Constant Contact signup invites visitors to receive important email updates, and the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel keep members in touch between Sundays.