The Oaks Collaborative

10/08/2026

“...that they may be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord that His name may be praised.”
— Isaiah 61:3

Every year, we get to watch incoming college students step into a new season of life—and see how God uses Christ-centered community, faithful upperclassmen leaders, and local churches to plant them in a place where they can grow.

These are just five of their stories. And behind each one is a God who is faithfully planting, growing, and drawing students to Himself.

As we look toward 2027, would you pray with us for the campuses and communities where God may be opening doors for new retreats? Pray for the leaders He will raise up to serve, the churches and ministries who will partner with us, and the students who will arrive there and be welcomed into Christ-centered community.

We’re praying that, wherever God plants these new retreats, they would grow with deep roots in Christ and bear fruit for His name.

10/01/2026

This summer, we hosted 25 retreats across the country that welcomed freshmen and transfers into Christ-centered community at their campus.

What a joy it is to share some of the quotes from these students and invite you to come and see what the Lord has done and is continuing to do in individual lives of this generation.

We can’t wait to share more stories like this with you and are continually thankful for your prayers with us for these students and the leadership teams that are being formed right now for the 2027 retreat season.

09/23/2026

We’re praying this morning with students across the nation who gathered for See You at the Pole. What a movement it has been—one that has stood the test of time, beginning with a group of faithful teenagers who boldly decided to pray together for their school, community, and nation.

A team member snapped this photo at one of the gatherings this morning, and we couldn’t help but zoom in a little closer. At so many of these high schools, faithful seniors are leading these prayers—students who, a year from now, will step onto a college campus for the first time.

Our hope, mission and prayer is that those teens would come to college and stay rooted in Christ, find and be strengthened by the Christ-centered community in their new town and will continue to bear fruit—the same fruit they have been bearing on their high school campuses.

Will you join us in prayer over these seniors?

09/22/2026

Our Ambassador Program is a place for anyone who wants to see students across the country start college rooted in Christ and Christ-centered community.

Ambassadors can do a variety of things from reaching out to youth pastors or high schools to committing to engaging with and reposting social media. We know every person has a circle of influence. YOU can be the reason a freshman finds Christ-centered community in college!

Learn more and sign up for the September 30 meeting at www.theoakscollaborative.com/ambassador-program.

09/17/2026

Last week, Desiring God hosted its inaugural Campus Leader Summit as part of a new initiative to serve and support college students and their leaders. Their desire is to spread Great Joy in a Big God to the next generation.

Our Executive Director, Trace Hamiter, was honored to get the opportunity to join this gathering of campus ministry leaders from across the country. For us, it was an encouraging reminder that what we’re praying and working toward at The Oaks Collaborative is part of a much bigger work that the Lord has placed on so many hearts across our nation: seeing college students encounter Christ and become rooted in Him and bear fruit for His name throughout college and for the entirety of their lives.

Desiring God’s vision for this new campus ministry initiative aligns so closely with what we want to see happen on college campuses and in the lives of students across the nation. We’re grateful for the opportunity to listen, learn, and connect—and excited to see how God uses this initiative to reach this generation and strengthen those ministering to this generation.

Thank you, Desiring God, for inviting us into the conversation. We’re excited to see what comes next!

09/14/2026

As we begin a new season of preparation for the 2027 retreats we can’t help but remember and be grateful for the upperclassmen students and their local retreat specialists that said yes to serving this time last year.

The amount of gratitude we have for how you served and showed His love to not only each other but incoming students, local ministry partners, and our team is immeasurable!

🙏 Across the nation this year’s retreat leadership teams are currently being formed and we’d love your prayers over these teams. For a full list of retreats visit theoakscollaborative.com.

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭

09/03/2026

What a beautiful representation of what the Lord did through His people across 15 states and 25 retreats collaborating as the body of Christ and welcoming students into Christ-centered community at the start of college.

1,631 upperclassmen prepared for these retreats starting in the fall of 2025. They prayed, planned, shared and prayed some more with our wonderful retreat specialists that poured into their lives throughout the year.

388 local ministries committed to partner with us across these campuses through ministry fairs, leading main sessions, providing meals, donating resources, opening their space and praying with us for these students.

3,507 incoming students came to a retreat and met upperclassmen counselors that committed to walk the first semester of college with them, connected with local ministries, got plugged in before they even started classes and were encouraged to see their campus as a mission field.

And the greatest celebration of all...at least 106 of those incoming students shared that they gave their life to Christ!

Each one of these big numbers is a representation of individuals that we are so grateful to have crossed paths with. We can't wait to share some of their stories with you in the coming weeks.

🙏 Will you join us in praying over leadership teams that are currently being formed and new retreats that are in the works for 2027!

08/21/2026

Our final two retreats of 2026 start today!

The Mountain Retreat — Serving incoming Jacksonville State students in Alabama
The North Star Retreat — Serving incoming students to the Twin Cities in Minnesota

Would you pray with us? Pray that students would find their people, their place, and their purpose...but ultimately, that they would find their foundation in Christ as they start this chapter of life.

We’ve seen God move so much this summer and we’re excited to hear more testimonies of His faithfulness in these last two!

08/16/2026

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8

This week, thousands of freshmen will step onto college campuses for the first time.

Would you pray WITH us for them? 🙏

Pray that every incoming student would find Christ-centered community, people who know their name, and a place where they can grow in their faith.

And pray for our ministry partners: the churches and campus ministries who are faithfully reaching these students. Pray that God would use them to help even more freshmen find their people, their place, and their purpose in Christ.

We pray, with so much hope, that this new generation of college students would be rooted in Christ and bear fruit for His name. Will you join us in these prayers?

08/15/2026