Dear Faithful Supporters,

As I reflect on 2024, many events stand out. However, if you were in Florida—specifically central Florida—you’ll remember the back-to-back hurricanes that hit us. Hurricane Helene left a mark, and just over two weeks later, Hurricane Milton followed, both leaving devastating destruction in their wake. For many of us, this time was incredibly difficult, but it was especially challenging for the children and families we serve on a weekly basis.

One day after Hurricane Milton tore through Lakeland, I received a phone call from one of the boys in my breakfast club. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway. It was Jaden. He told me he was borrowing a phone to check on me and Miss Joy. I immediately asked how he and his family were doing, and his response stuck with me: “We are still standing.” He explained that they had 3 to 4 feet of water in their house, but they were all okay.

Jaden went on to tell me that he and his family walked to the corner store, where food and water were being handed out. A man approached him, offering him a bottle of water, and asked if Jaden knew about Jesus and what He had done for him. Jaden replied, “Yes, I know about Jesus. I made the decision to follow Him at camp. Have you ever heard of Pastor Scott and Leverage Ministries? He picks us up every Friday for Bible study and breakfast before school.”

The man was so moved by Jaden’s story that he reached into his pocket and handed him $200. “Wow, what is this for?” Jaden asked. The man replied, “Please take care of your family with this. Pastor Scott, that’s why I’m calling. Are you and your family okay? I want to give you this money.”

I reassured Jaden that we were fine and asked him to use the money for his own family. He responded, “We’re fine. The water will be gone soon, and we’re all still standing.”

Yes, Leverage Ministries is still standing, too. We’ve taken some blows this past year—not just from the storms, but also financially. One of our larger partners informed us they would end their support in 2025. But we’re still standing.

We remain committed to reaching the least, the last, and the lost young people of central Florida. Despite the winds, the rains, and the rising floodwaters, as Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-25, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” I am confident that Leverage Ministries is built on the Rock, and we will continue reaching out to the abused, abandoned, and incarcerated youth of central Florida. Yes, we are still standing.

Today, I’m asking each of you—our faithful partners in this mission—to consider increasing your support by just $5. In over 35 years of ministry, I’ve never asked our current partners to increase their giving. We’ve requested special gifts for events like summer camp or year-end drives, but we’ve never asked for an increase in ongoing support. I don’t need to remind you how much the cost of living has increased over the years—and we’re no exception. Our costs have gone up as well.

We won’t send a response card or track this request. Instead, we ask that you pray for our mission and listen to what God lays on your heart. Just as Jesus took five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 people, we trust that God will meet our needs. Please continue to pray with us as we reach out to hurting young people in central Florida. Yes, we are still standing—and we will continue to stand for Christ.

In His Service,

Scott

P.S. The young man, Jaden, that I mentioned earlier is someone I had the privilege of baptizing a couple of months ago. I baptized him on a Sunday morning in front of 3,000 people. Please keep Jaden, his family, and many others in your prayers as they recover from the storms and as we continue our ministry to them.

Dear Friends,

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, "Rules are meant to be broken," or "It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission." Generally, I’m not one to break the rules—after all, I’m usually the one making them, and I believe in leading by example. But this past summer, I found myself bending one of our Ministry’s rules. To be fair, it wasn’t intentional, but let me share the story, and you can decide for yourself.

It was the first day of camp, early Monday morning. I was picking up boys for camp, and it was still a bit dark outside. The van was already bustling with about ten boys, all excited and full of energy. It was loud, and they were practically bouncing off the walls. After picking up the last group of boys, we headed to the gym to start the day.

As we made our way to the gym, the boys and volunteers were buzzing with conversation. The first day of camp is always a bit chaotic, especially with middle schoolers. We played some basketball, ran around, and engaged in some good-natured trash talk. Eventually, I blew the whistle, and everyone gathered on the stage for introductions, a rundown of the rules, the schedule, and our first devotional.

As I began, I noticed a boy I hadn’t seen before. I asked the leaders if he was a guest, but no one knew him—not even the other boys. When I asked him his name, he said it was Nate and mentioned that he got on the van at the last stop. Curious, I asked how he heard about Leverage Ministries. He simply replied, "What? I just followed two boys onto the van. It looked like fun, and I didn’t have anything else to do."

So, here I was, faced with a boy who had just jumped onto a van with a stranger, not knowing where it was going or when it would return, and not knowing me at all. He asked if he could stay for the day, and I said, "Yes, but I’ll need to meet your parent or guardian and get a permission slip filled out before you can return tomorrow." Nate agreed, and off we went to start camp.

The next morning, there was Nate again at the last stop, now fully integrated with the other boys, who seemed to have become fast friends. When I asked about the permission slip, Nate apologized and promised to bring it the next day. I bent the rules again and let him come along. The following day was the same story: no permission slip, but plenty of pleading from Nate and the other boys. I gave in once more.

On the way home that day, Nate sat upfront and told me he had listened to the lesson and prayed to accept Jesus. He then said, "I wish I could have shared that with my dad." I told him he could as soon as he got home, but he looked at me and said, "It’s too late. My dad died of an overdose right in front of me, and we had his funeral last Sunday. But I’m going to share this story of Jesus with the rest of my family." As Nate got off the van, he looked back and said, "Thank you, Pastor Scott. I’ll never forget this." That was the last time I saw Nate. He didn’t come back to camp for the rest of the summer. I never got his permission slip, and I don’t have an address, phone number, or even his last name. The other boys said they haven’t seen him around.

I’m not sure what happened to Nate, but I believe those three days mattered. I truly believe he said yes to Jesus. Nate is like many of the kids we meet—some we spend years with, some only 20 minutes, and others, like Nate, just three days. But whether it’s 20 minutes, three days, or many years, our mission is the same: to point every single one of them to Jesus and disciple them in their relationship with Him. As Romans 10:14 says, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"

Thank you so much to each of you who partnered with us to make this past summer possible. We had many who said yes to Jesus. Please continue to pray as we start the discipleship process and our fall ministries.

In His Service,

Pastor Scott Hirdes

Dear Friends,

I wanted to share a powerful story that illustrates the incredible impact of your support. Recently, I received a heartfelt call from a mother whose son, JK, is the last of her four boys to attend our camp. Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

“Pastor Scott, as camping season approaches, I’m reminded of the day I first met you over 15 years ago. I was at my son’s school, desperate and overwhelmed by the trouble he was in. Someone suggested your ministry, and though I was skeptical, I made the call. You arrived at the school within 30 minutes, supported me with the administration, and helped enroll my son in an alternative school. That call changed our lives.

My boys have grown up without a dad, and while they’ve faced many challenges, you’ve always been there for each one of them. You never gave up, despite their struggles and discipline issues. As I fill out JK’s camp forms, I’m brought to tears, grateful for how your ministry and camping program have profoundly impacted our family. I want to donate to the camp this year, knowing it’s an invaluable experience I could never have afforded as a single mother of five.”

This touching story is just one example of how your generosity transforms lives. Our summer camp has been a beacon of hope for many families like JK’s. However, this year presents a unique challenge. The camp we’ve used for the past 15 years is closed for repairs, necessitating a move to a new location in Avon Park. This transition will significantly increase our costs, but we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing this life-changing experience.

We rely on your continued support to make camp a reality for many abused, abandoned, and at-risk youth. Your special gift will ensure we can cover the additional expenses and reach more families with the love and guidance they desperately need.

Would you consider partnering with us again this year to help us achieve this mission? Together, we can create lasting change and inspire young people and their families to trust in Jesus through our summer camp program.

In His Service,

Scott Hirdes

Director, Leverage Ministries