The summer of 2006 was the first time I attended the Northmen after years of invitations from my dear friend Dan Robinson. What a life changing experience it was for me. The focus of the 2006 Northmen was evangelism, and the weather was HOT! As I sat under the tent in that wilderness with all of those other sweaty Christian men, God convicted me. He showed me how miserably I had failed Him in reaching out to the lost of this world, and the guilt was killing me! I’ve always believed that I lived a “moral” life and that the people around me would see me and want to follow in my example, sharing in the peace of mind that I displayed in my daily life. By acting in this way I felt I was leading others to Christ without having to confront them and risk rejection, or the possibility of being labeled a Jesus freak. As I shaved in the Northmen wilderness, the reality of my life reflected before my eyes in my mirror hanging on that tree. I saw my personal fabrication of the truth, and for the first time I felt God’s disappointment. I knew I was on the “fence”. I was mostly of GOD, but also partly of this world, like many souls on this globe today, fearful of taking a stand for God, and letting go of the leash around the neck of this world. The last night I was at camp there was a huge thunderstorm. It rained buckets all night long. While it was pouring I was crying, uncontrollably with my head under my pillow hoping that none of my fellow campers nearby could hear my distress. I believe that night God cried with me. His tears came from the clouds, and together we soaked the inside of my tent. That night in the wilderness I was forced to take the first step of impending change for my life, and admit my failure to carry out Gods command of the great commission. I was forced to deal with the reality that maybe my life was not as morally attractive as I had first thought. Most of my life I have been a follower, unskilled in my estimation to properly lead within the church, or so I felt. It has become a crutch for me, leaving me an escape path when I was faced with Gods past calls to action. But this time God did not allow me to stop there. Because God is devoted to me, in the midst of my failure He also gave me a solution, a vision, a plan, a new purpose for my life, my church, and our surrounding community. Throughout the history of the Bible, God has used very ordinary men to accomplish great things for His kingdom. That night God challenged me to step forward and lead for the first time in my life, and I have vowed not to let God down. I am not a native Michigander; I am actually a transplanted Hoosier. Some very close friends at my former Baptist church in Indiana started a Dare-To-Care ministry at our church about ten years ago. Today the program is a thriving ministry of laypersons reaching out to their congregation and the community around them with the love of Christ. That Dare-To-Care ministry came to my mind the morning after the storm at the Northmen and has been in the forefront of my mind everyday since. As a result, I contacted my former pastor in early winter to investigate the process of starting a Dare-To-Care ministry at my church in Holt Michigan. That conversation has prompted my former Baptist church in Indiana to purchase the initial materials needed to begin planting a Dare-To-Care ministry in my Christian church in Michigan. A rarity unheard of today, but the answer to my situation and an act of God in my estimation. The Lord has inspired me through my first Northmen retreat to step up and initiate this important evangelism ministry at our church. I’m excited, yet scared to death that God has trusted this important opportunity for our church membership and community to me. I have to believe that no matter how unskilled I may be, God will lead me to bring glory to His name if my commitment remains true. I am already overwhelmed by the dedication of persons that God has led to step along side me and invest their hearts in my vision from above. Many have said that they have been praying for a long time for an opportunity to serve in a ministry specifically geared towards seeking souls for the Lord as He commanded. Evangelism does not come natural to very many people, but together our church is learning to love deeply with action instead of just words. I challenge each of you to stop being scared, close your eyes, and follow God wherever He leads you. See you at the 2007 Northmen. God Bless You, Steve Leaming – Dimondale, MI