God's Great Outdoors

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry stops off in Westfield, Indiana at the IMMI plant, as he is on his way to the Archery Trade Association Show in Indianapolis. He meets with the President of IMMI, Tom Anthony to learn more about this cargo strap and seat belt manufacturer. Tom shares about how his dad started the businesses and the history of the company. Part of that history includes trips away from the day-to-day duties in the summer for the family’s Canadian fishing adventures annually. Memories of the times and how they bring closeness to all involved allowed Tom to also reflect on his finally “getting it” and then receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. He clearly sees and shares how everything we do can be a way to reach others for the Creator God, both in the outdoors and in the business setting as well!

The topic is 1000 on this week’s Trail To Adventure! as this is the 1000th broadcast of the radio program! On July 6 of 1996, God’s Great Outdoors first aired on WCDR radio out of Cedarville, Ohio and today’s guest Paul Gathnay was the station manager back then. Paul and his good friend, Dr. David Jeremiah, started WCDR in their college dorm with 1 watt of FM power, and on a good day you could hear it throughout the building. It was Paul Gathany who took a chance on the crazy idea Gerry had for a radio program called God’s Great Outdoors. Paul and Gerry reflect on the many changes that have taken place when it comes to radio and how ill equipped Gerry was when it came to producing the broadcast. It is a perfect example of how when God calls us to a mission for the Kingdom, He will always provide all we need, so “To God Be All The Glory!”

On this week's program, Dale Karch the owner of 3 Rivers Archery, a traditional archery supply company located in Ashley, Indiana shares with Gerry about how he, his wife Sandy and the family came about buying the business. Dale started building bows in his garage to sell in their home state of Wisconsin, and as time went on they added a number of other archery products to help those that were into shooting the simple stick and string type bows enjoyed by traditional archers. Discovering that 3 Rivers Archery was for sale, Dale and his wife looked at how they could acquire this business and make it something that the entire family could get involved in, and with God’s direction they accomplished this goal. It is now a family affair that’s grown their relationships and is making memories for today and for all eternity.

On this week’s interview Gerry’s Trail To Adventure! has him visiting with Steve Scott, Founder of the ministry "On Target Outfitters.” Steve tells as a youngster he wanted to learn to hunt and fish, but his dad had left the family, so a couple of men in his church made him part of their adventures and life. This allowed him to see what a dad really should be like according to God's Word. The experience was why he as a young man went into the ministry of being youth pastor and was moved to start "On Target Outfitters." Steve also tells about the book he wrote which is a devotional titled "Faith Afield" which correlates with a variety of outdoor topics and scriptures tied to each topic, which Gerry found to be an excellent read to be sure.

Joining Gerry this week are Jon and Deb Heisler, as they take part in the Family Fun Fossil Hunt that God’s Great Outdoors does near the Creation Museum annually. Jon’s heath issues have him using a wheeled walker, but he was able navigate the fossil field just fine. Yet, this interview is actually on the couple’s retreats that takes place in Canada each summer at the Rushing Wind Retreat Center in Ontario, an hour above International Falls, Minnesota. The two share how they are ministered to at the event, even with the special attention required because of Jon’s health needs. This includes full access to time out in God’s beautiful Creation and how the owners, Arnie and Dee Wolf have also had helicopters fly in a fleet of pontoon boats to this remote fishing camp, so everyone can be out on the water. Jon also tells of a wounded warrior type of event that is helping Vets find Jesus!

Gerry visits the state of Maryland where he grew up during his school years, as a youth. While there he connected with Phil Norman, a wildlife biologist in the state who heads up a local area’s management and control of their growing whitetail deer population. Phil explains how an excessively large number of deer can eat themselves “out of house and home,” destroying habitat not only for the deer, but all wildlife if not kept in check by hunting. This is a problem in many locations across the nation. Phil also shares how he came to receive Jesus Christ and spent time on the mission field in Europe. Now he’s reaching out to veterans on hunts with Jeremiah Catlin of Chappy’s Outdoors. This ministry gets veterans into the outdoors, with many of them battling a struggle physically and/or with emotional issues as well. Yet, even more importantly they introduce these men and women to the Creator God, Jesus Christ who spoke all the things we see and enjoy in the world into existence.

On this week’s Trail To Adventure! Gerry visits with the sales and marketing manager for Morrell Manufacturing, Butch Thomas. Morrell is a company that produces bag targets and got its start when a brick layer named Dale Morrell decided to start packing the binding and covering material that came on each skid of bricks into bags. Dale wondered if they’d stop his arrows as he loved archery, thus the idea for a business was launched. Gerry visits with Butch in Wisconsin at the Mathews Dealership Show, as Butch shares about growing up without a father, his mother's faith in God, and how that was transmitted to him as he grew older. Butch talks about his mother’s struggle as a single parent as his father died when he was only 2 years old, but how mom was always honoring to God in all she did and as she taught the children. Butch reflects how he’s given up opportunities to go out to hunt for ducks or deer when phone calls come to him from people in the outdoor industry needing immediate prayer!  

A little to the west of St. Louis, Missouri is the location of this week’s Trail To Adventure! as Gerry rendezvous with a very old friend, Bob Schilly. The men met at the very first Trophies Of Grace Whitetail Deer Hunt hosted by a chapter of Christian Bowhunters Of America over two decades ago, The Lord Of The Harvest Archery Club. Gerry nicknamed his new friend “Missouri Bob” because of where he hailed from. They look back on this event and how God is still using the hunt to change lives for eternity! Bob also tells how the Ohio hunt made such an impact on him and some guys he’d brought that they started doing the same thing at their home in Missouri. Beyond these wonderful memories, Bob also relates how he has had to battle cancer as part of his life’s journey, but God was with him all the way! Both of these hunts are in late October. For more information on the Ohio hunt call (937) 837-0604 and on the Missouri hunt call (573) 846-7031.

The topic on this week’s Trail To Adventure! is on Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Gerry visits with Billy (Catfish) Parker and his wife Laura at the C’Meer Deer booth during the annual Archery Trade Assn. Show that was held in Indianapolis, Indiana in February of 2015. Both of these outdoor recreationalists share stories of the adventures and the battle that is encountered by a tiny insect at least eight months of the year. Ticks! Laura has been infected with both Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but early detection helped in her treatment being a quick ordeal. Billy however, went a number of years before his Lyme Disease was discovered causing extended and daily treatments that lasted many months. Their hope is as they tell this story; is it will help keep others from having to go through the same mess they experienced!

The topic on this week’s Trail To Adventure! is the annual Game Dinner at Skidway Lake Baptist Church in Prescott, Michigan. Gerry is joined by this outdoor outreach ministry team’s leader, Gary Moore who heads up the evangelistic event. After sharing about how he became involved in outdoor activities with his dad, Gary reflects on discovering the effectiveness of doing some form of sportsmen’s meal to bring in unsaved people to get them under the hearing of the Word. Skidway Baptist Church’s event has some very special dishes they present to the local community, all with the hopes of having a platform from which to share the Gospel. Gerry saw and tasted some things at this Michigan Game Dinner he’d not experienced before, but best of all, there were a number of life changing decisions made!