I love Church Camp!

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Runks

I’ve been going to church camp every summer of my life since I was in 5th grade! And believe me, 5th grade was about a million years ago for me! This summer will be no different! Monday morning I kick off another crazy summer of youth camps. I’m so pumped to see what all God has planned and have no doubt that a bunch of teenagers are gonna get saved this summer! Keep up with what’s happening by following me here and on all the social media options listed over there ——–>>>>

Keep us in prayers – pray for lost teens to be saved – hurting teens to find hope – and most of all that God would be glorified at camp this summer!!!

Later,

Runks

need a speaker for one of your events?? I still have some fall 2013 and spring 2014 dates open. holler at me!!!

Fall Fridays are back on the Market!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Runks

Fridays are back on the market! My son, Nick, is graduating and is done with high school football so for the first time since 2009 I am free on Friday nights in the fall. So if you need a speaker for an event this fall that includes Friday night, I am your guy! Holler at me if you need a speaker for your fall retreat, Dnow, or anything else.

Later – Runks

2011 in the books

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Runks

Its been another great year for InFocus Ministries. I’ve done events in 9 states, spoken to more students in one year than ever before, 20,000+, seen God do absolutely amazing things in the lives of hurting teenagers, and was able to schedule around and see Nick play all 10 of his football games! God has been so good and we are so thankful for all that He is doing in and through this ministry. I can’t believe he lets me do it!

We are enjoying a short break and getting ready for things to crank back up in January. Subscribe to my blog and follow me on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minutes updates on what God is doing.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Merry Christmas Y’all!!! – Runks

I hate complainers…. wait what?

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Runks

If I compare myself to others less fortunate – poor, no legs, cancer – and say I’ll never complain again it will be short lived because it’s based on a shallow, under the sun, very temporary perspective. Plus the second they’re out of sight and out of mind and something starts bugging me I’ll be right back to griping my ding dang head off about nothing.

On the other hand, if I look at the bigger picture with a more eternal, God sized perspective I’ll see that what really brings me comfort, contentment, and a reason to not complain is not that I have legs, I’m not broke, and I don’t have cancer but the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead, He lives in me, He loves me, and this world is not the end all, be all of life. Its just the beginning of a kajillion Plus years of life to the fullest with Jesus.

I might be dumb as dirt and I might just be right.

later – Runks

“Mercy in the Middle”

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Runks

The song in the video – “Ask Me” by Amy Grant has served as an incredible sense of encouragement and hope to me in my recovery from childhood sexual abuse. I cannot tell you how many times I have listened to it, over and over again, celebrating the hope and freedom Jesus has brought to my life over the past few years. My favorite line in the song is towards the end where it says,

“He’s in the middle of her pain. He’s in the middle of her shame. He’s in the middle…….

Mercy in the middle.”

What it means to me is that our God of mercy brings comfort to us in the midst of our deepest, darkest moments (see II Corinthians 1:3-4). I’ve come to believe and know that God was with me, bringing mercy and comfort to me when I was locked in a closet as a 7 year old enduring the horrors of sexual abuse. He was with me through years I kept it a secret. He was even there with me when I chose to medicate my pain in so many unhealthy ways. He was with me in 2005 when I finally began the process of working through and overcoming the horrors of my past. Every step of the way God has been there with me bringing “mercy in the middle.” And God can do the same thing for you! No matter what you have faced in your past or face in your present, God is there with you bringing you “mercy in the middle.” No matter how painful or shameful your situation may be – YOU ARE NOT ALONE! God is there with you ready and able to lead you out of the darkness. It won’t be easy and it will take a lot of hard work but not near as much work as it takes to live with shame. Trust me, it is so worth it! Freedom is a beautiful thing and you too can live in the freedom God has for you. If you need professional help check out The Heart Matters counseling center. These are the people who led me out of the darkness! I’ll leave you with a prayer I pray daily:

“God send your mercy in the middle to the abused and addicted still suffering alone. Use me to lead them out of the darkness.”

I’m praying for you!
God bless ya – Runks

Football, Family, & Fall Schedule

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Runks

My son, Nick aka “BigRunkDaddy 6″ is playing varsity quarterback this fall for the Levelland Lobos and I’m determined not to miss a single game for three reasons: 1. I’m his dad and he wants me there. 2. he’s really good and I want to see him play, and 3. its just the right thing to do. So we are simply trusting that God will provide unique opportunities of ministry this Fall that will work around Nick’s games.

As a result my Fall Schedule through November will be limited to Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday events or Sunday – Wednesday type events. I only have two full weekends available until November because of a Thursday night game and the bye week. So if you’re interested in booking me for a weekend before November, I will only be available The weekends of August 27 & October 1.

Fall weekends available prior to November:

August 27-29

October 1-3

Other than that let’s get creative and do some one nighters, short weekends, or maybe even a souped up, modernized youth revival!

So give me a call and let’s get together and make some unique plans to reach teenagers for Jesus!!

God Bless Y’all

Runks

“Why Runks, Why” – July 9, 2010

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Runks

Join me now for a little recap of my crazy life on the road I like to call, “Why Runks, Why.”

-Recap of the first 3 camps of summer with: Travis Avenue Baptist, Fort Worth Texas at Windemere Baptist camp, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri; Camp Awesome at Camp Copass in Denton, Texas; and All-Star Week with Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano Texas at Carolina Creek Christian Camp near Huntsville, Texas.

-Ridiculous 6 am flights on both ends of my first camp – not good for a night owl like me!

-2 weeks in a row with one of my favorite worship bands to work with, Branch.

-Talking with and ministering to several hurting students with a stories similar to mine.

-CrazyAmerican Idol knock-off late night with the most amazing Thriller dance routine ever! – Travis Idol.

-Water skiing for the first time in forever and sorta learning to wake board.

-Issuing an tube challenge to a boat driver and losing miserably!

-Quick 18 hour turnaround at home – doing laundry & putting it right back in the bag and sleeping a little.

-Running into one of my favorite seminary professors, Dr. Roy Fish, at the airport in Dallas.

-Camp Awesome absolutely living up to its name!

-3 of the CRAZIEST youth ministers I’ve ever met in my life all at Camp Awesome.

-Most intense session with a hurting teen I have ever had but it was productive & God was all over it.

-A ton of students getting saved the first night of All-Star Week!

-The most out of control, fun, and crazy painful game of water polo ever!

-Students meditating on specific scriptures during response time = powerful move of God!

-Students saved every week!

-Watching 15 students get baptized the last day of All-Star Week!

-And last but not least, a video of teenagers worshipping on the last night of All-Star Week.

I’ll never get used to this!!!

God Bless Y’all – Runks

Why Why Runks, Why???

Facey Spaces, Tweety Tweets, & Parents

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Runks

Want to get parents more involved in your student ministry or at least help them be included in the experiences their teens have in your ministry?? Northview Baptist Church in Lewisville, Texas may have found a way to do just that. During their recent DiscipleNow they tweeted out updates about what was happening during the weekend. It was a blow by blow explanation of just about everything that happened during the weekend including the crazy games being played, the worship songs we sang, and even snippets of my messages – all in real time! They had done this from their camp last summer and the parents told me it was awesome to be able to keep up with what was happening with their kids while they were away and made it easier to get them to share their experience when they got home.

Northview just used twitter for this but I think it would be a great idea to use your student ministry fan page for updates as well since most parents are on facebook anyway and you wouldn’t have to convince them to join twitter to participate.

As a parent of teenagers myself, it drives me nuts how hard it is to get two words out of my kids about their experiences in the student ministry. Tweeting out what is happening would give us parents some specific information to ask about and hopefully better engage our kids when they get home. I’d love it if I could ask them what they thought about the message on the Prodigal Son on Tuesday night or the mud pit relays on Thursday afternoon instead of being limited to just asking, “how was camp?” I really hope our Student Pastor is reading this! hint, hint…. hahaha

God Bless Y’all – Runks

“Why Runks, Why” – April 25, 2010

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Runks

Join me now for a little recap of my crazy life on the road I like to call, “Why Runks, Why.”

-Jesus > me Refuge 2010 • First Baptist Church, Portland, TX

-Working with my old friends Josh & Stacy McClary to help them resurrect the Student Ministry in their new church.

-another smaller event with lots of one on one time with more students.

-lots of unchurched teens and 2 of them giving their lives to Christ!

-After the worship and before I preached, Josh had the students come up, lay hands on me, pray for me, and for God to speak to them through me. I’ve never experienced that before and it was AWESOME!!

-A bonfire that required a bazillion feed sacks, enough diesel to run my truck for a week, a leaf blower, & 2 hours to get started!

-Josh transformed into an ice cream sundae. They were gonna do this to me but they couldn’t catch me!

-And last but not least….. The most painful student ministry game I’ve ever seen!

God Bless Y’all – Runks

Why Why Runks, Why???

“Why Runks, Why” – April 18, 2010

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Runks

Join me now for a little recap of my crazy life on the road I like to call, “Why Runks, Why.”

-I’m Third DiscpleNow • Northview Baptist Church, Lewisville, TX

-Smallest event I’ve done in a while, 45 students, it was really nice to get spend more time with more students than usual.

-Working with my new friend, Nick Gainey, and the Nick Gainey band.

-3 Students giving their lives to Christ and many more coming home to make a fresh start.

-Staying in a hotel with a 24 hour starbucks!

-A highly inappropriate “proposition” from a drunk guy in the hotel lobby. -

-3 boxes of fiber bars and high school boys are not a good combination!

-I actually sang in a karoke contest. In your worst nightmares you cannot imagine how bad that was!

God Bless Y’all – Runks

Why Why Runks, Why???