In the book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren uses
the acrostic "SHAPE" to describe how God prepares you for your
purpose in this life. The following reflects how God has shaped us
over the past 30 years for
serving on the Gulf Coast and walking the path
that He has set our feet on ...
2 Corinthians 3:4-6 "And we have such trust through Christ
toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of
anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is
from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new
covenant"
Our journey began when we accepted Christ in
1976 while on our first assignment in the Army.
After Desert Storm, we retired early from
the Army in 1992. Since then, we
have been extensively involved in ministry and missions in
south-central Alabama. We were
commissioned by our home church the Fall of 2005 as missionaries to the Gulf coast.
Following that, I, Charley, was ordained in January 2006 by our
church as further confirmation of our calling.
Alabama Men of Integrity: 1993 – 1996 I led an
inter-denominational and multi-racial ministry which focused
on winning men to the Lord and encouraging them to walk
faithfully in accordance with the Word of God. Martie helped
with the administrative tasks.
Promise Keepers: 1996 – 1997 In late 1995,
I was asked to join the staff of Promise Keepers and served as manager for Alabama and Mississippi.
Faith Broadcasting: 1996-2001 Martie served as Office
Manager at a Christian radio station, a 501(c)3 on Montgomery, AL.
This required her to understand financial tracking and
reporting as well as volunteer coordination.
Military Missions Network: 2004 – 2005 We helped establish a para-church ministry,
a 501(c)3 ministry, for
military members and their families.
Gateway BC: 2004-2005 Martie served the people of
Gateway Baptist Church as an administrative assistant.
Campus Crusade for Christ Military Ministry 2005
We joined with Campus Crusade as associate
staff with their military ministry.
Ocean Springs: 2 Sept 2005 – 15 Oct 2005 We went to Ocean Springs as Red Cross Volunteers,
along with other members of our church, to establish
a Red Cross Shelter at Christus Victor Lutheran Church.
Once we were relieved by other Red Cross volunteers, we
continued to serve at the church. Martie served as
volunteer coordinator and I managed food and supply
distribution for Lutheran distribution points along the Gulf
Coast and the Food Kitchen at the church.
Bay St. Louis:
15 Oct 2005 – 27 March 2006 In early
October, First Baptist Church of Montgomery asked Gateway
and us to join them in Waveland - Bay St
Louis with the relief effort there. We moved to
Shoreline Park Baptist Church where Martie continued to
coordinate volunteers and work requests. I managed the volunteer camp operations
and relief effort.
Waveland: 28 March 2006 - 15 June 2010 Pathfinder Mission
In early January 2005, we felt
the call to start a new ministry in Waveland. After much counsel and the
concurrence of our home church, we began making plans to leave
the Shoreline volunteer camp move to Waveland. We
established Pathfinder Mission in Waveland in April 2006. In
May 2007, Pathfinder Mission received designation as a Mississippi
non-profit organization. In August 2007, Pathfinder received
status as a 501(c)3
Bridgestone: 15 June 2010 - 30 May
2011
With the construction on the coast at an
end, we closed the camp in Waveland and moved to central Alabama to
organize for ministry to Haitian orphans and the rebuild homes lost
to the earthquake of January 2010. We are partnered with
Bridges of Faith a ministry to international orphans who also
operates Bridgestone, a 140 acre prayer, retreat and equipping
center located 30 miles north of Montgomery, AL.
Jacmel Haiti: 25 July 2011
In April 2011, Pathfinder partnered with
Children's Hope of Montgomery, AL to build an orphanage in Jacmel
for the 18 children supported by that ministry with the expectation
to increase the number of children to 60 by 2012. We expect to
be in Jacmel for about one year or as the Lord allows and directs.
