Helping to make America Great Again!
We all remember the horror stories of new Teen Challenge start-ups in rural communities hearing from community leaders declaring “we don’t want those kind of people in our town!” Or “take your program elsewhere; we don’t want those problems here.”
How times have changed! There’s not a rural community in America that’s not devastated with a high per capita ratio of overdose deaths as a result of opioid addictions. Now our community leaders are begging for answers, and looking to the faith community. This is by far and without doubt the greatest opportunity for Adult & Teen Challenge to impact our culture. Pastors and leaders are looking to our centers to lead the way to help America be great again!
Many years ago when I was a young director at King’s Ranch, now known as Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch, there were efforts made by the community to repeal the lease we had on the original building. Amazingly, 30 plus years down the road, this rural adolescent Teen Challenge ministry is taking the anointing outside the walls, and in the neighboring town of Lincoln, the High School principle has called the Ranch asking for help, for not only students, but their families as well. Missionary Associates Jimmy & Yvonne Oaks are on staff and are developing the nonresidential ministries of Lifeline Connection as a outreach of Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch.
Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland started just a few years ago with Living Free groups called Hope for Life. Today, in less than 10 years, Tim McLauchlin and his team have a residential women’s center located on 45 acres with a new chapel and plans for 16 additional beds. But equally impacting, are the Hope for Life groups meeting in 3 surrounding counties, helping the families, following up with alumni, and offering hope to the addicted in the surrounding rural counties.
Jim Forakis started in rural Tennessee with a nonresidential strategy, and now has built a men’s facility debt free! Jim has a full time staff member that oversees groups in 7 counties, and new efforts are underway to add two more counties. Nearly 100 individuals and family members are receiving anointed ministry through the weekly groups.
Communities are looking to Pastors and congregations to address and help with the drug crisis, yet Pastors are looking to Teen Challenge for help. Just imagine, if every church in America offered a relational, non-labeling, and relevant Living Free ministry to their own congregation, and as an outreach to the addicted in their community. Now imagine that Teen Challenge would partner with this faith community nonresidential initiatives, by providing residential care to those who are in need, together we truly could help America to be great again!
