This is the very thing that made this young man different.  He was right ,I left there thinking he was a few bricks shy of a full load but yet knew there was something supernaturally different about him.

I shortly was kicked out of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, they call it disfellowship or disacociate.  Basically it is where if you see a  disfellowhiped person you are required not to say hi or wave or even acknowledge their presence.  For me this has meant over 20 years of little to no involvement with my Mother.  Sure, if I was dying she could come up and see me but when I was feeling better back to the sorry I can't willing associate with you.  So, needless to say I spent close to 8 years HATING anyone who claimed to be a Christian. 

The Good side of things.  Even with this attitude God spared my life till he was able to show me what he is really about and the love he has for all of us.  After loosing my wife and family to divorce and doing everything I knew to do to get my family back, I needed help.  I could only look up and when I did God met me at that Alter and saved and filled my soul.  That was 6 years ago,  after a few months of attending Ozark Assembly of  God in Ozark MO I was approached by several men who asked me, "Mark would you be interested in being a leader in Royal Rangers?" , I  didn't know what it was.  They told me well  it's 98% boyscouts with Jesus camping right in the middle of it all.  Since that time God has continued to draw me into this Royal Ranger Ministry.  I work daily on organization, campouts, activities, awards, merit badges and REACHING, KEEPING AND TEACHING  boys for Christ. 

I am the Sr. Commander of Oak Grove Assembly of God in Springfield MO.  I  have alot of learning to do and spend a great deal of my spare time educating myself  and my Outpost on Royal Rangers.  Our Church is very supportive of our Rangers and we have in the last 2 years building the program into a lean clean camping machine.  We try to have a outing at least once a month and enjoy camping, caving, hiking, racing, rocket shooting, fishing,  swimming and witnessing of what Jesus Christ means to all of us through devotions and practical experiences shared.  Our outpost meets each week and we average 47 boys and leaders present.  I have over 80 registered in our Ranger Program and we have had over 65 show up on our Tube o Rama campout, water skiing trips.

God has blessed our ministry with dedicated men.  Last year some of our men spent over 300 hours in outings, not including the weekly hour and a half meetings.  No real earthly tangible rewards as it is alot of work and sometimes we feel like throwing our hands in the air and giving up but around the corner comes a hopeful eye of a young man that can't wait till that next campout or that next race or that next devotion where he can again thank Jesus for what he has done for him.  Ranger Leaders are workers in God's Army and  I know that God has a special place in his heart for those who work in this ministry. 

Thanks for letting me share a bit about myself.  The next few pages are some ranger/family shots and captions!  Send me email.  I love talking about Ranger stuff.

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