News Flash!  Missionaries are real people with real emotions. We experience real highs and lows in everyday life. I wish I could tell you that missionaries are super-Christians who never get discouraged, but that would be a lie.  

Although I’ve been accused of not having any, today’s newsletter is going to be about emotions. I think I might have cried once, either at my wedding or the birth of one of my boys, but I can’t remember which one. It was so strange that I went to the doctor, but he told me that the watery discharge was normal. Just kidding! 

I do have emotions; I just keep them hidden like most men.  

But that was not the case three weeks ago. I was just really discouraged. I wasn’t upset about the ministry with the teens; that was going great. Every day, there are more kids and more opportunities to share Christ. 

Instead, I was discouraged and worried about the finances of this ministry that God started.  That’s right…I was worried about the finances of God’s ministry. I’ve been a missionary for nearly 30 years, and I know that even through the the ups and downs, God has always provide for me every single step of the way.

Every week, I teach teenagers that God is faithful and will meet all our needs if we trust Him, but there I was…struggling with trust. I’ve watched God provide time and again. You would think I’d have learned by now. But I must admit that it is easier said than done.  

I have been working on our inaugural Leverage Ministries golf tournament—the Roger Evans Memorial Golf Classic coming up on May 10. I started asking people and businesses to sponsor our tournament, and for one solid week, the only answer I got time and again was “no.” It was frustrating, and I told God that. I prayed, “God, I know this is your ministry, and this is what you want us to do, but this is difficult and discouraging.”  

I was ready to quit when one young man at our Friday morning Breakfast Club thanked me for picking him up and said to me, “Pastor Scott, I don’t know where I would be without you.”

It was just a simple statement from the boy, but I felt like God was personally speaking to me in that moment, reminding me why I do what I do and that He is in control. I’m a part of Leverage Ministries because of these kids—the at-risk kids who need to hear about Jesus. God has provided for this ministry so far, and He will continue to provide as long as I’m doing my part. 

This past weekend was our church’s annual mission’s conference. To be honest, after 30 years in ministry, I was NOT excited about another mission’s conference. After all, I had more important things to do, like raising money for the ministry.  

But God had other plans. He used the conference to encourage and refocus our ministry and our efforts.  The Sunday morning speaker shared how all of us need to use our time, talent and resources to further the Kingdom of God.  I really believe that message was directed right at me since the Leverage Ministries mission statement states that, “Our mission is to enable individuals to leverage their time, talents and resources in order to reach people, both locally and globally, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” 

As I sat there on Sunday morning, I felt confident that we are doing exactly what God wants us to do: reach the abused, abandoned and arrested teens of Central Florida.  

But even as we trust God, we are encouraged to pray for our needs. So I ask that you please continue to pray for our finances and that we would trust God to provide in His time and in His way. Also, please pray for the different funding avenues that we are developing: catering opportunities for Joe Bear’s Barbecue, golfers and sponsors for our upcoming golf tournament and individuals to join the Dean Johnson Legacy Team. 

Pray that God would use each of these funds, as well as our generous supporters and donors, to grow His ministry so that we can continue to reach hurting youth.

In His Service,

Scott 

A short time ago on a Wednesday evening, I walked into the runaway shelter for our normal Leverage Ministries program. I was greeted by a young lady named Penny who looked me in the eye and asked, “Why did you come?” 

I’ve never been asked that question. But before I could answer, Penny said, “If you came to see smiles on our faces, it’s not going to happen.” 

She went on to tell me that every person was there not of their own choice, but because they were sent there. That nobody wants to be there. She continued on to share how bad it was. The kids are told when they can eat, when they can go outside, when they have to get up, when they have to go to sleep.

Penny then said again: “If you’re looking for smiles and happiness and to make yourself feel better, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

I told Penny that no, I didn’t come to see smiles. If I wanted smiles, I could go to Disney World or to the beach.  I explained to her that while I always hope the kids have a good time with the games and that they will listen to me as I share from God’s Word, her smile or happiness has nothing to do with why I come to the runaway shelter. I told Penny that I come for one reason: to share with each one of them a message from the Bible — God’s instruction book to each of us on how we are to navigate this thing we call life.

I believe Penny did have fun with the game that night, partly because the girls’ team won. After the game when I shared from God’s word, I believe Penny did listen. In fact, she came to me after the program to thank me. Then she said, “You all are different. I hope you all will come back.”

I told Penny that we would be back — not just for the smiles, but because we care and serve a God who loves and cares about each kid at the runaway shelter. I shared about how God wants to have a personal relationship with each one.

Please pray for kids like Penny and for Leverage Ministries as we continue to meet teens in difficult places. Our goal is always to point them to Jesus. 

Thank you so much to each of you who sacrificially give so that Leverage Ministries can continue to reach the abused, abandoned and arrested teens in central Florida.

In His Service,

Scott 

DEAN JOHNSON LEGACY TEAM

Recently, we announced the Dean Johnson Legacy Team. This legacy fund will provide much-needed support as we grow and expand the various programs of Leverage Ministries. Currently, there are more than 8,000 at-risk youth in Polk County. Dean loved Leverage Ministries and was a faithful volunteer from the very beginning, and we thought this was a fitting way to honor his legacy.

This team is limited to 100 people who will give a minimum donation of $25/month for a year. Team members will have a photo and one-sentence memory or tribute. If you would like to honor Dean by joining this legacy team and continuing his passion to serve the youth in our area, please call me at (863) 221-7593 or email me at scott@leverageministries.org. 

You can also visit www.leverageministries.org to find out more and see who has already joined the team. 

ROGER EVANS MEMORIAL GOLF CLASSIC

The Inaugural Roger Evans Memorial Golf Classic benefiting Leverage Ministries will be held on Friday, May 10, at the Club at Eaglebrooke. We are currently looking for golfers and sponsors for this event. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/EvansClassic.

As many of you know, my longtime friend Dean Johnson was called home to heaven on Monday, November 26, 2018. 

Whether he was coaching his soccer players, leading Bible studies for minor-league and major-league baseball players through the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians baseball chapels, working with disabled veterans to renovate their homes for accessibility or serving with his local church, Dean had a passion for ministry and serving, and he spent his entire life pointing other people to Jesus. 

Dean loved Leverage Ministries and was a faithful volunteer from the very beginning. With the blessing of his wife Jill, who is also a faithful volunteer, and Dean’s two children—Ben and Bethany along with their spouses—I am excited to announce the Dean Johnson Legacy Team.

This legacy fund will provide much-needed support as we grow and expand the various programs of Leverage Ministries. Currently, there are more than 8,000 at-risk youth in Polk County. These kids are raised in low-income areas, are susceptible to getting involved with drugs or gangs, often have only one or sometimes no parent, struggle in school and oftentimes struggle in the transition between youth and adulthood. We want to reach as many of these kids as we can to show them that someone cares, that they aren’t alone in life, and that they can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

So why are we calling it a team? 

Well, for starters, Dean was a longtime coach — primarily for soccer, but also golf and basketball. Many of you receiving this letter played for Coach Johnson at some point in the last 40 years. He led his soccer teams to six state championship titles and was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010.

We’re also calling this a team because there are rules and responsibilities of both the coach and the players. “Team Dean Johnson” will be no different. You don’t win six state championships without rules and commitment.  

How can you be a part of his team?

We realize Dean Johnson impacted thousands — maybe even tens of thousands — of lives over the course of his life, but every team has a limited number of players, and so does this team.  The Dean Johnson Legacy Team will be limited to 100 people who are willing to give a minimum donation of $25/month for a year. Your photo, along with a one-sentence description of the impact that Dean had on your life, will also be shared on the Leverage Ministries website. This is the commitment required to join the team. You can renew this commitment year-after-year and be part of this legacy team for years to come.

If you would like to honor Dean by joining this legacy team and continuing his passion to serve the youth in our area, please contact Scott Hirdes at (863) 221-7593 or by email at scott@leverageministries.org.