From a Spark to a Flame
Another staff alumnus recipient of the It Only Takes a Spark grant program was M.A. Dozier. He was a cabin counselor and the archery activity leader during the summer of 2011. With a passion for hunting, an overwhelming desire to serve God, and a hunger for father-son relationships, M.A. is in the process of building his own ministry.
M.A.’s experience at Falling Creek Camp gave him a new outlook on father-son relationships. He worked three Father-Son Weekends in 2011, including a special Military Father-Son Weekend that camp hosted. Working at camp left a long-lasting impact on M.A., but his experience with the Father-Son Weekends changed his heart.
Through the experiences Falling Creek gave M.A., and a newly light flame, he has formed his ministry, Nimrod Outdoors. Nimrod Outdoors is a ministry that was developed to educate and equip men on the biblical role of fatherhood, while also giving them the opportunity to spend good, quality time, father with son, in the deer stand. Currently leasing property in Statesville, North Carolina, his ministry is built on a foundation of the Gospel and works through father and son relationships by defining and teaching the importance of father in a boy’s life.
M.A. describes his purpose, stating, “A father- son relationship is vital to the character and self-esteem of a young boy. Fathers have been given a command in Deuteronomy chapter 6, to be responsible for the biblical up-bringing of their children. There is a special connection between a boy and his father that runs deep in the soul; and if the father pawns off the responsibility to someone else, that person will be less than qualified because of the lack of connection that God has ordained between fathers and sons.”
M.A. believes that by removing the distractions of regular routine, technology, and overall loudness of everyday life, the woods, a father and a son are completely surrounded by God’s awesome creation. The Lord has provided a perfect place to provide a unique opportunity for a father to be intentional with his son through the absolute stillness of the woods. It is easy to forget the importance of relationships and the blessing of time.
Nimrod Outdoors started last year and after a successful first father-son deer season, is currently working to become a 501©3, non-profit status. Falling Creek, choosing M.A. as one of the grant recipients, is helping support him through the process. You can learn more about M.A.’s ministry at www.nimrodoutdoors.com.
A spark formed in the heart of M.A. Dozier one summer at Falling Creek Camp, and quickly spread into a flame, a desire, a hunger. What was planted at Falling Creek is now being supported, watered, and given a chance to grow into its own ministry.
The It Only Takes a Spark grant was established to provide Falling Creek staff members resources and support to positively impact others beyond the summer months. Recipients must demonstrate “Servant’s Heart”, one of the four pillars of The Falling Creek Code. To learn more about the It Only Takes a Spark fund, or to help support or donate, please visit the http://www.fallingcreek.com/about-us/giving.