Great Oaks is a multi-purpose facility sitting on the bluffs above the Illinois River valley. Since 1972, Great Oaks has been serving low income youth and retreat groups. Over the past 45 years, we have provided a free week of camp to thousands of low-income youth and have hosted thousands of people in our retreat ministry program. We remain committed to our mission which is to Connect people to Jesus through life changing experiences.

Great Oaks Doctrinal Statement

1. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant and authoritative Word of God.
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Sprit is absolutely essential.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ.