Dr. John Oakes is  now leading a church planting in Merced, California.  Please join us 11:00 Sundays at 500 Buena Vista Ave., Merced or on zoom at 342-225-5971 pw 857096.  Also, join us for midweek devotional Wed. 7:30 at UC Merced Rm GLCR 120 or the same zoom. Also, visit our website at www.mercedchurch.com. 8/31  […]

Scott Buchannan has written an excellent article on the prophetic meaning of Daniel 11:36-45, with an assist from Dr. John Oakes.  The consensus opinion of scholars is that Daniel was written after the events prophesied in Daniel 11:1-35, undermining the very idea of biblical inspiration.  The same scholars claim that the subsequent prophecy in Daniel […]

Dr. John Oakes gave a new class at the International Campus Ministry Conference in Aneheim, California Aug 2, 2025  The class is a study of Colossians 2 and of the supremacy of Christ over the philosophies and stoichea/elementary principles of this world.  Dr. Oakes then continues to discuss philosophies of our day, including modernism, postmodernism […]

Question: The Koran taunted that unbelievers are waiting for God Himself to come to them in the shadows of the clouds, together with the angels (2:210). Isn’t this taunting on the Biblical concept of God’s arrival? Response: Muhammad can taunt whomever he likes.  As Christians, we turn the other cheek to those who persecute us, […]

Question: Is this evidence for infant baptism being practiced in the early church? Hyppolytus: “Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them” (The Apostolic Tradition 21:16 [A.D. 215]). Origen: “The Church received from the apostles the tradition of […]

Question: In a post on original sin, you claim that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that we inherit sin that God must judge us for (I will leave the link of the article below for context.) however, it is my understanding that this is false. It seems to me that the Catholic Church teaches that […]

Dr. John Oakes is teaching a multi-week class on the Book of Isaiah for the campus group at UC Merced on Wednesdays at 7:30 beginning 6/18/2025.  The class is at UCMerced Rm GLCR 120.  I will be putting notes, power point and audio here. Isaiah Notes    Isaiah PPT    Isaiah Audio I    Isaiah […]

Dr. John Oakes gave a lecture titled “The Bible and Evolution” at UC Merced 2/28/2025.  He presented the idea that evolution is a viable scientific theory, but that the evidence points very strongly to the conclusion that the process is not a fully natural, random one, but that God has intervened at various times and […]

Dr. John Oakes is teaching a class on Church History for the West Coast School of Ministry this Spring.  All notes, PPT and audio will be posted here: Church History Notes Notes     Church History PPT    Church History I Audio    Church History II    Church History III    Church History IV    Genesis […]