MobilePreacher.org Blog from the internet site dedicated to old school theology and unconventional ministry. http://www.mobilepreacher.org Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:34:25 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/images/M_images/square small logo.jpg http://www.mobilepreacher.org MobilePreacher.org Blog from the internet site dedicated to old school theology and unconventional ministry. http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=88 Update: Since October 2009, The Nightlife Grill has provided over $75,000 in wages to at risk young people, that has allowed us to spend nearly 7300 hours with them. As a full time youth pastor for a church, my greatest passion was reaching out to kids who frankly did want to have anything to do with a praise band, a sermon, or a church building. We knew that the kids in good families had plenty of people that loved them, so we tried to develop programs that would attempt to draw in hurting kids, but we tried to do it with the same ministry models we had successfully used with church kids. But we found that many of these hurting students needed much more time than a typical church youth group could offer them. Our big weekly youth group meeting (some music, maybe a crowd breaker, and a sermon) might get us into their lives for 2 hours a week. If we convinced them to join one of our weekly mentoring groups, we might get another hour each week. Or maybe we get them to attend a week long summer camp in the woods somewhere, or a 2 day retreat couple times a year. if we were really lucky, we got them to raise a couple thousand dollars to go on a missions trip to South America! Those things are really cool and often powerful, but it wasn't actual real life, you know what I mean? Our best case scenario was 2-4 hours a week, maybe 1 week in the woods or South America, and a few trips to the bowling alley or putt putt golf. Its a lot to ask of someone, to make sure 2-4 hours a week and one week per year in the woods gives an at-risk young person all the ministry they need. The Nightlife Center uses a different approach. See, other than school, the place these kids would spend most of their time was either work or just hanging out with friends. We realized many of the students we reach need someone to invest in them every day, for several hours, maybe 30 hours a week. If you're not a school teacher or a coach just cant do that. Well the Nightlife Grill allows us to do just that. Open for lunch each day, we hope to sell enough food or raise enough through our $30 Per Month Club to hire kids God brings us that need mentoring and relationships. Every penny we bring in goes to this outreach program. We teach accountability, job skills, responsibility, work ethic, but most importantly we teach them a message about hope and redemption. We spend 15-30 hours a week working along side of them! You may have read some of the stories from kids that have been impacted by this program. Who could have ever thought that you could have such a huge impact on a hurting young person simply through buying a hamburger! The only catch... we need to sell about 60 a day to break even! We are about half that right now, so for real, if you are hungry, you might as well come to Nightlife for lunch and Eat Good... Do Good! Or if you cant eat lunch with us, join our $30 per month support club! (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick hosted_button_id=9825940) Nightlife Grill: Open for lunch Mon-Fri, 11:30-2:30, and Sun,11:30-3 To join our $30 a month club support team, click here (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick hosted_button_id=9825940) Sat, 22 May 2010 08:33:34 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=133&Itemid=88 Mobilepreacher exists so people called by God to do innovative ministry can have an organizational structure, accountability, and encouragement that allows them to pursue their dream ministry. Currently we have 3 mobilepreachers , Its founder Joe Davis, who runs the Nightlife Center, Chris Martini, a dynamic youth and college age motivational speaker, and Tony Camp, the founder of Family Builders: FAMILY BUILDERS: Strong Families Impacting Generations This time last year God began to stir in us a desire to work with the whole family not just within Student Ministry. So after 20 years in student ministry I took a leap of faith and resigned as Youth Pastor from our church to find our perfect fit as a Family Pastor at a church. I learned pretty quick that my so called perfect fit was not what God had planned our life. So 6th months ago i had a thought of maybe starting a ministry that could help many churches with ministering to the whole family. Then God moved that thought into a dream which later He sculpted into a vision for Family Builders. During the early days God provided for our family in many ways and put people in my life to help us launch Family Builders. That is where MobilePreacher.org stepped in providing us the structure necessary to chase the dream God birthed in us. MobilePreacherorg became our covering for our non profit status, our administrative and financial accountability and a great encouragement for us to fulfill God's purpose for our life. MobilePreacher.org exists to help people like us chase a dream and make it a reality! Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:47:09 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=132&Itemid=88 18 years ago, right out of college, i took my first full time job. I was a history and p.e. teacher in a christian school in Columbia, South Carolina called Ben Lippen School (http://www.benlippen.com/). I was also the head coach of the JV football team, the first year they had ever had football. We went undefeated that year, and I have such fond memories of the players and families. I remember the first day of practice during some drills, i saw this little skinny freshman kid throwing the ball about 50 yards to this big 6'1 kid. Pass after pass, catch after catch, I knew we had a good thing working. They put up unbelievable numbers that season, averaged 35 points a game, and about 250 yards passing. Not bad for a first year program! That QB was Chris Biser (http://www.facebook.com/ChrisBiser), and the kid catching alot of those passes that year was Jack Pressly (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527386056 ref=ts). Man i had fun with those guys! Well this week, almost 18 years later, both of these kids are grown men. We connected through facebook about a month ago, and they emailed me back and forth a few times remembering just how good we were, and how we all probably should have been in the NFL as players and coaches. It reminded me that i had those old games on video tape so i watched them last week. Brought back good memories. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:44:22 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131&Itemid=88 Wednesday Nights at Nightlife are all about outreach... As the sun sets, kids start arriving around 4pm. Music is playing, the XBOX's are all goin', and the crowd begins to grow. Outside a bunch of kids are playing basketball, soccer, or just sitting in a circle with friends. Once in a while one of the kids makes the mistake of challenging me to a game of basketball. Usually i whip their tail, and give them a free smoothie to make them feel better. By 6:30 there are 70-90 kids inside and out. The nightlife staff is busy connecting, conversing, and working hard. 6:45 the free pizza arrives... Hey guys!!! Start with one piece please!!! . 7:10 rolls around, and i send out one of the bigger kids to tell everyone its time to put out their cigarettes and come inside and show Pastor Joe some love and listen to my message. This last week we started a four week series on proving God exists. So there we are, in the middle of the Nightlife Center, with 90+ kids who would never darken the door of a church (some don't even darken the door of a school anymore!), and i begin to share the message of hope and redemption to hurting kids. Thier response overwhelms me. They laugh at my jokes (i know right?), tell their friends to be quiet so they can hear, and i can see on their faces that God is using His truth and Spirit to enlighten them and draw them to Himself. I love it when I see our sovereign God begin to pierce the unsuspecting hearts of youth who need His touch. I say a prayer of blessing for the whole group, and we begin the after ministry . Some kids are hanging with staff, listening to music played through our killer sound system. But several students come up afterwards, to discuss tonight's topic further. Deep, meaningful discussions begin, and before i know it... its 8:45. I round up the students that i take home every week, turn Nightlife over to my able staff, and we head home. Every week, this group grows in number and connects with each other and our staff. Its amazing to see these kids who say the hate church , coming to Nightlife on Wednesday nights, knowing its a youth group with a short fat pastor that is going to preach the Message of Hope! This Wednesday during the day was very discouraging, lots of bad news came to me, and I was very down. Then God reminds me why we are working 70 hours a week to make Nightlife work. Seems God knew just what I needed last night. To join our 100 @$30 a month team, click here! (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick hosted_button_id=9825940) To become a supporter of the Nightlife Center, click here! (https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow SESSION=nIheWJtKspnthIPd3Zo9IXxDlmHAyACB2o62HUB_H0SN7eyANjp26RDJeJW dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1fc53a056acd1538879f614231735d88db02692aa5ce177198) -- Pastor Joe Davis Old School Theology... Unconventional Ministry Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:12:43 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=130&Itemid=88 Chris Martini Bio At the age of 15 I decided to walk away from God. Over the next year drugs and alcohol slowly took over my life. At the age of 16 I was driving home from a party drunk. My car went off the side of the road and was thrown into the air. My car began to barrel role and I was ejected from the car. I ended up being pinned between my car and a tree. During the next six hours the paramedics carefully removed me from the wreck and preformed CPR to bring me back to life. I woke up in the hospital and was told I may never walk again. I spent the next 6 years angry at God and got right back into drugs and alcohol. Six years later at a close friends funeral my heart began to soften toward the calling I had refused to listen to from God for so many years. I began to realize that God never gave up on me and still loved me. About a year later I made Jesus Christ the Lord of my life. Because of this Christ gives me the strength I need and has also given purpose to my life which was missing for many years. I have had the opportunity to share my story with thousands of teenagers. God has used this tragedy to show His love to many teenagers across the state of Florida. I have been in youth ministry for the past 4 years. My ministry with Mobile Preacher includes: Speaking at youth groups, high schools and colleges, Sarasota and Venice teen court, Sarasota youth shelter, sports chaplain at Riverview High and Booker High, juvenile institutions in Bradenton and Sarasota, assisting the Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle at Booker High and helping students that come to the Nightlife Center. If you would like to support Chris Martini please click on the link below. www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php You can contact Chris Martini at: cmartini24@comcast.net www.myspace.com/martiniawareness www.facebook.com/home.php Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:51:10 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=127&Itemid=88 Our local paper did another great article about Nightlife, I thought the reporter did a nice job, and we wanted to share it with you... Mobile Preacher helps youth The Rev. Joe Davis, center, with Brady Miller, 16, left, and Ryan Baucom, 22. Miller and Baucom are members of the electronica indy band Sutherland.CORRESPONDENT PHOTO / JENNIFER SHEA By JENNIFER SHEA Sarasota Herald Tribune Correspondent Published: Saturday, August 29, 2009 The moniker for The Rev. Joe Davis’ ministry is Mobile Preacher; his passion and his forte? The elusive and enigmatic “teen communication.” The opening of his teen center, Night Life, proved to be a dazzling success; using his extensive contacts in the community, Davis estimates that he has assisted hundreds of teens with issues ranging from substance abuse to physical abuse as well as providing a fun, safe, entertainment center for them. But Davis quickly corrects the impression that Night Life is “just a crisis center.” Davis — humble, scruffy and improbably relatable — said “I’ve been told that my gift, well, people always say that God gave me a gift for reaching out and relating to kids that no one else can reach.” Night Life’s current patronage averages 200 kids a week, and Davis is praying for what he calls “critical mass.” “We help churches with events and to fill the gaps with their youth programs and ministries so that no kid falls through the cracks,” he said. Davis currently works with several local churches, hosting events like a poker night, X-Box 360 tournaments and 5th Quarter, a party every Friday night during football season that features local live band competitions. “As people become aware of us, they call on us for help,” Davis said. Davis said he believes there is “a horrendous substance abuse problem in Sarasota.” When he talks about Night Life and the kids that he serves, Davis’ sapphire eyes light up. He said he has been in the ministry for more than 20 years but has never been good at the “political, business side of the program.”Instead, he excelled at “teaching hope and redemption.” Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:30:55 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=88 At 7am this morning I started crying. As I set up an office in a booth at an old sports bar we were scheduled to close on later that afternoon, i began to experience one huge wave of emotion after another. This former adult night club and sports bar is now The Nightlife Center, a resource for reaching out to the disproportionate number of hurting young people in Sarasota. Through counseling, crisis intervention, job skills training, innovative events, community-wide collaboration, and educational programs, we will have a significant impact in our community. The sky is the limit for creativity as we take our mesage of hope and redemption to wounded students in our town. Sounds exciting huh? Why would this cause me to cry? Mon, 11 May 2009 20:36:19 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=124&Itemid=88 My relationship with Mobilepreacher.org began strictly on a business level. Pastor Joe and I connected during his search for a building he could turn into “The Nightlife Center”… a place where young people in Sarasota could connect, or get critical help times of crisis. The more he spoke about the passion and vision that Mobilepreacher.org has for the students in our town, the more I realized he was talking about us. I began to share the challenges we were facing with our own son. After our divorce several years ago, my ex-wife and I saw our son struggle trying to deal with life outside of a traditional family. It was made worse by living in a town so full of negative influences. We knew we needed to do something. Over the next several years, we spent thousands of dollars, with many different therapists, with no success. No one connected with him as the down-hill course of self destruction began to accelerate. We were slowly losing him. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:44:32 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=123&Itemid=88 On Saturday, March 28th the Allies Youth Pastor Network, in conjunction with mobilepreacher.org hosted SRQ Streetball 2009, a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament at Booker High School for Sarasota middle and high school students. It was a platform designed to serve the students in our town, share the Message of Life, and connect students from all over Sarasota. As a youth pastor involved in the planning and implementation of the tournament, I was thrilled by the outcome. Over a hundred teenagers showed up to the tournament, heard the Message of Life, and engaged in good competitive basketball. It was great to watch teens who had never met one another, congratulate one another after each game. It was also encouraging to see many churches and community organizations show up to make this tournament work. Pulling off this tournament was hard work. However, it was worh it to see at least 12 students embraced Christ that day. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:23:40 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=88 I have spoken with several youth pastors/directors in the last week that were very discouraged. After 20+ years in full time student ministry, most of that as a pastor, I have come up with the list of expectations we have for youth pastors. This isn’t meant to be a criticism (well, maybe just a littleJ), but to increase awareness of the expectations these over-worked, under-paid, under-appreciated servants of God’s Kingdom deal with: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:40:02 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=120&Itemid=88 My name is Katie. I grew up in Sarasota. I have known Joe Davis as a Pastor and as a “teammate” when my husband and I worked beside him in ministry. He has an insatiable passion for broken and lost young people. I am thrilled about the new venues he is developing to reach kids who desperately need redemption. With the necessary resources, Mobilepreacher.og will be effective in impacting hurting students in a dark community. If people understand the crisis, I believe they will be motivated to enthusiastically contribute to the remedy. Growing up in Sarasota is TOUGH! I can personally attest to thedifficult challenges for youth in Sarasota, particularly in the area of substance abuse. I graduated from Riverview High, and I had many friends from other area schools. Before writing this article, I emailed ten friends with one question: Can you think of one person we grew up with who didn’t at least TRY drugs and alcohol in high school? Collectively, we came up with 3 names… 3 out of 100’s! Because the majority of youth in our town did these things, it seemed normal. WELL THAT WAS OVER 10 YEARS AGO! Sadly, we know it’s gotten much worse! Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:41:18 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=88 This morning, I am mixed with feelings of excitement and discouragement. In the last two weeks, I have received more than 20 calls from families or friends of families with students in crisis. We are overwhelmed with opportunities, and are at the point where we must choose which students we help first. While it affirms there is a definitive role for our ministry, it shows also that we must re-think our initial paradigm. We know we need additional staff. We are using our home very regulary for this ministry. Look, we love having people over, but its clearly not an optimal situation. I write this morning with a mix of excitement about opportunities and a sense of frustration that we can't do all that needs to be done. The good thing is more and more people are realizing the level of darkness in our community. The beauty here is barely skin-deep. We need the people of light in our community to step up with time and treasure. Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:50:15 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117&Itemid=88 Fact: Sarasota C ounty is number one per capita in the United St ates for adolescent drug abuse of Prescription Pain Killers. Fact: In 2008, Sarasota County was number three in the State of Florida for total number of adolescent deaths related to overdoses, and number one per capita Fact: The last fully dedicated facility for at-risk young people in our community (the Sarasota YMCA Youth Shelter) has announced it is closing its doors because of finances. After 7 months here in Sarasota, the Mobilepreacher.org Board of Directors, public school teachers and administrators, and a group of 10 local youth pastors have concluded there is a pressing need for a dedicated crisis/community center for our at risk young people. So 2 ½ months ago we researched and targeted a potential location, and with zero dollars and lots of faith we began negotiations for the purchase of an amazing facility on U.S. 41/Tamiami Trail, the busiest road in Sarasota. You can check out the facility by clicking here. Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:49:59 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=88 My name is Max Zagorski. Pastor Joe and I have been friends for 10 years. Can’t believe its been that long. I met him in 7th grade, when I moved to Sarasota. I knew Jesus prior to meeting him, but God used Joe to firmly ground me in truth, making me strong in my faith today. We've both grown through the years, living close and far apart; but our friendship has always grown closer. 3 years ago, we both moved to NYC the same week! It was good to know my friend and pastor was 30 minutes away when I moved to a new town! We’ve been through tough times together. About a year ago, his daughter Sarah and my Grandma in Florida (who was my best friend) died on the same day. It was the worst day of my life. My pastor lost his daughter and I lost my best friend. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:52:23 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=115&Itemid=88 I’m Mark Curtis. I am 22, and Sarasota is my home from birth. Four months ago, my life was consumed with building and pursuing an image. From drugs and drinking in high school, to driving expensive cars and wild spending in college, I did whatever I could to build my image as Rich-boy Mark. I wanted to do whatever I could to “fit in”. I grew to love my image, more than I loved myself, my friends, or my family. I lived to impress people, and be the center of attention. Because my family was blessed, I always had everything the world said I needed for happiness, and everything I needed to build and feed that image. It was easy to turn to money for comfort. It worked for a while, but it didn’t last… it couldn’t fill the hole in my life... Sun, 18 Jan 2009 12:10:01 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114&Itemid=88 Because of the nature of our ministry, we often connect with students who's families struggle to providing basic needs for their children. Some situationas are simply heartbreaking. As we seek to be the face and hands of God's love to hurting students, we also look to meet practical needs in their homes as well. Mobilepreacher seeks to find those in need, as opposed to having those in need trying to find us. Here is where you come in... Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:11:21 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113&Itemid=88 (Kevin Thomas is a freshman in college, and was in Joe's ministry in New York. He is a great friend of mobilepreacher.org) Christianity gets lame sometimes. Too many churches these days force religion down our throats without getting to the meat of Christianity: revealing Christ’s love in a dying world. So many students get turned off by the style services are held (let’s just say an organ doesn’t really hit the spot in today’s musical realm). But there’s a hope from the monotony that helps hundreds of students come back running, (and no, it’s not Obama). It’s Mobile Preacher. For those of you unfamiliar with this amazing ministry led by Pastor Joe Davis, let me fill you in on 5 important things he taught me to help me in my personal Christian walk. Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:40:50 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=88 My name is Tony Camp. I have been a youth pastor in Sarasota for 9 years. I was in town when Joe was at Covenant Life Church from 1999-2005. You should know from a youth pastor’s perspective what mobilepreacher.org is doing in our community, particularly in serving local youth pastors. Recently the youth pastors in town elected Joe Davis as Director of Allies, our local youth pastor’s network and support group. We see how Joe is mobilizing a kingdom focused mission for our community of youth pastors. It’s refreshing to have Joe lead us and serve us. His experience, gifts, and passions, are huge resources for local ministries, and many are tapping into that resource more and more through having Joe preach, lead worship, consult with us on how to make our ministries more effective, and by providing vision and direction for collaborative efforts that bring our churches together for a common cause. Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:06:04 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=88 “GO!” (by Brian Yost, Joe's Pastor and friend) It’s amazing to watch the ministry of both Joe and Laura. What they are doing is at the heart of what Jesus meant when He commanded us to “go.” Go love. Go show compassion. Go speak truth. Go get involved. Go touch people in their joys and their pains. Go risk it all. They both inspire me so much as a friend and their pastor. They are reaching out to “the least of these” and to those, who quite frankly, won’t enter the doors of a church…to them, they are the Church. Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:02:14 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110&Itemid=88 The Dream Center in Sarasota and Gifts From God Ministries are fantastic organizations. They provide food for hungry families, mentor ministries to students, and many other innovative ministries to the most at risk young people in our community. I just love their motto... Simply loving people, until they ask why . Brian Bush (one of the leaders) is a good friend of mine. He is relentless in his outreach to the students in the most needy part of town. Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:23:18 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=109&Itemid=88 Arthur Larkins is a close friend, and one of our board of directors. We met 6 years ago when I became one of his assistant coaches for the Varsity Girls basketball team at Riverview.... The Lady Rams! Over 3 seasons, we won alot of games let me tell you! More importantly, we saw many players learn the Message of Life, and helped hurting families in a variety of ways. I am indebted to Art for allowing me into his program at that time. My role as a coach enabled me to build the network of relationships at Riverview that currently provides mobilepreacher.org the incredible access we currently enjoy... Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:41:25 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=88 Last week, I flew to New York with a young man I have been working with. We were visiting Mark Curtis at Transformation Life Center. I also was going to speak to the group of men currently in the program. I had not seen Mark since we sent him there three weeks earlier. He looked so good, and is doing so well. It was inspirational to see what God has done in his life in such a short time. The next day in the city, we met with a friend to strategize about working together to impact hurting families in NYC, and then my traveling partner and I toured the city, mostly by hitting all my favorite resturaunts. Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:46:07 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=107&Itemid=88 Last Wednesday, my football team played at Booker High. For some reason, i went extra early, about an hour before my team would arrived. While waiting, I had the privilege to meet Delvis Fernandez. He graduated from Booker. He was a Marine in Iraq, and was a gunman in a very dangerous area. He served with great honor and had just finished his tour of duty. He was at Booker that evening, helping with water, equipment, etc. He was a very friendly, and I enjoyed talking with him... Sun, 26 Oct 2008 16:21:37 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106&Itemid=88 I wrote 2 weeks ago about Moral Ping Pong. (http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content task=view id=96 Itemid=88) Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:40:04 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=88 Last weekend i got a call fromJiu Jitzu James (remember him from an earlier update?). A friend of ours, who has struggled with serious addictions for several years was in a total meltdown. Within a few days, without intervention, he would have been dead. James, myself, and another friend John, decided that crisis intervention was necessary. We went to get our friend, and watched him every second for 4 days, so he could dry out. When he sobered up, we convinced him he need to choose either transformation... or a coffin... Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:58:51 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104&Itemid=88 Collaboration: We work with public and private schools, developing relationships with administration, faculty, and staff so that we can have a pulse on the needs of the students within our community. We will do this through, volunteering, coaching athletic teams, substitute teaching, and offering to serve school faculty and staff in whatever ways they allow us to. This morning at 7am i met with Linda Nook, the principal at Riverview High School here in Sarasota. (the school where I coach, and where Sarah attended). We discussed ways that mobilepreacher.org and Riverview will work together, to impact hurting students who fall through the cracks. Substitute teaching, guidance counseling, crisis intervetion, tutoring programs, coaching... the opportunities for exposure are exciting. We also discussed a vision for an after school center very near the campus where kids could come and get tutoring, do homework, receive professional crisis counseling, etc. This wold be down the road, and would require a facility and money, but the fact that we both shared that same vision sent chills up my spine. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:18:40 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=88 Thoughts From A Therapist Susan Kauffman is a successful, highly effective Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Sarasota, FL. She is highly respected in the community and specializes in mental health counseling for adults and families, with a special interest in children. Life can bring two very difficult jobs. One is growing up and the other is being a parent . While both can be fun, challenging, and exciting, they can also be discouraging, frustrating or even extremely depressing. Things seldom go smoothly, and when difficult times inevitably come, being a part of a healthy community - be it through sports, church, etc., will provide that critically important network of support to weather the challenges associated with being a parent and growing up. Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:59:55 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=88 - What the head makes cloudy, The heart makes very clear The days seemed so much brighter, In the time when she was here But I know there's somebody somewhere, Make these dark clouds disapper. Until that day, I have to believe, I believe, I believe - In a New York Minute, Everything can change In a New York Minute, Things can get a little strange In a New York Minute, Everything can change In a New York Minute -Don Henley I'm in New York, 2 weeks from the anniversary of my daughter Sarah's accident. I wont hide it. It's painful. I cried more this week, than I have in a while. Seeing the intersection is difficult. It takes me right back to 4:40pm on 9/25/07, when i fell to my knees, crying out in the middle of the street when I saw the scene. My life went from neatly managed to chaos in a heartbeat. I have spent time this week reflecting on the journey of the last 12 months, comparing now to the life we had before that fateful day. Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:35:16 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=88 Today's generation is more ubiquitous (that means everywhere ) than any other. They are always available, interacting, and connecting with each other. Myspace, instant messaging, Facebook, Skype, cell phones... they never loose contact with their friends. People may say this new form of communication is impersonal , or a bad substitute . I couldn't disagree more! Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:24:10 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=88 James and I became friends in early 2001. We met one day when i was playing pick-up tackle football with a bunch of thuggish non-church kids. He is about 6'4 , and 250lbs. He can be kind of scary to some. He had a pretty bad reputation in those days. He was involved with some bad stuff, and bad people.... but on September 27 2004, that all began to change. His best friend Eric Peebles died of an overdose that night. I remember doing a memorial service for him, when 175 non-church kids showed up. James wanted to make sure that Eric didn't die in vain. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:52:52 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=88 Last week I met with three young people who struggled very recently with dangerous things. I enjoyed each one of them, but my heart aches for two of them because these things are robbing them of life, and making thier future bleak. They are caught in Moral Ping-Pong... Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:52:11 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=88 Today, during my weekly Saturday morning beach reflection time, my thoughts centered on New Hyde Park Baptist Church in Long Island, where i was part of the pastoral staff during the tragedy of Sarah's accident last year. I was praising God for how He used them in our lives to soften the blow, and get through the pain... Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:42:16 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=88 For 10 years, coaching high school football was a big part of my life, and my ministry. In fact 5 of those years was as head coach. My first real ministry experience was back in 1987 with my coaching and spiritual mentor David Barker. He helped me see that I had a nack for coaching, but more importantly, he taught me that coaching was more like being a shepherd. Through the years, I developed lasting relationships with many outstanding young men that i still talk to today, in fact many of them played in the NFL!... well, okay, just one of them Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:31:06 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=88 I got a call last night from Stu, he wanted to grab some dinner. Stu was one of the non-church kids in our ministry at Covenant Life. I remember investing lots of time and energy in him. My heart ached for him as he remained stuck in a pattern of self destruction. I wasn't sure if what we were trying to teach him would ever stick. But even then, I saw a young man with an ear searching for spiritual truth, and occasionally it manifested itself in the form of broken-ness and periods of temporary repentance ... Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:33:37 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=88 I knew we were supposed to return to Sarasota to do this ministry because of deep roots and connections. Here is an example from last Thursday- 7am- Starbucks for coffee, saw Linda, the principal at Riverview High School, where Sarah went, where I coached Bball for 3 years, and will coach football. 7:15- still at Starbucks, sat down with a hurting couple i knew, talked about spiritual things. 8:20- Headed to the office, pulled up to a red light next to a young person we kew, weexchanged phone numbers, have lunch set up for this week. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:53:54 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=88 Living in a world needing redemption means that every so often, we experience pain because we are all flawed. Our own flaws and those of others make it impossible to have perfect relationships. When we left Covenant Life Presbyterian Church three years ago, it was a painful experience... but its not the only memory of my time on staff there... Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:43:51 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=88 Mike Dailey is a good friend. He was a student in our ministry at Covenant Life. He is the kid on the right of the sofa picture. When he first came to our ministry, I knew he was an intelligent young man, capable of many thngs, but he was at the time consumed with anger, insecurity, and questions about life. After High School, i saw some things that encouraged me... Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:32:07 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=88 This week, I met with one new friend, several old friends that were part of my prior ministry here in Sarasota. They were all a great encouragement to me, and affirmed our new ministry here in Sarasota... Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:08:58 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=88 Last night we had our first mobilepreacher.org board meeting since we moved back to Sarasota. We voted on budgets, salaries, financial procedures, blah blah blah... all the stuff that I love! (Not). But there was one agenda item that brought me comfort and encouragement. It was titled Personal Integrity and Ministry Accountability . Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:27:39 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=88 For years, as a pastor I could never visit other churches because I had sunday morning responsibilities. As a result, it was hard to see what God was doing in other places, with other people, in different ways. Since I have become mobilepreacher i have been able to go to a different church each sunday... Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:47:01 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=88 This week was an amazingly volatile week for us emotionaly, marked by spiritual breakthroughs (the Good), reminders of grief (the Bad), and a really bad transmission problem (the Ugly)... Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:01:19 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=88 I know i just made an entry yesterday, but today's story was unbelievable... Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:41:04 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=88 Many of you know that July 4th was difficult for our family this year because that was our daughter Sarah's birthday. This was the first time we faced that since she died last September. Well we learned this weekend that a dear precious girl that was part of our ministry in Sarasota for years died on July 4th this past weekend... Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:38:22 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=88 It seems every day i embark on another day of ministry as the first mobilepreacher , I learn something.... Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:46:37 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=88 I had a wonderful conversation this morning with a man named Marlin.... Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:24:35 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=88 Today was the first day of real ministry in Sarasota, and it was much busier than I anticpated... Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:48:33 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=88 We left NY yesterday, and i have to tell you... Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:51:43 +0100 http://www.mobilepreacher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=88 Exciting times are ahead.... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:04:39 +0100