“I have served side-by-side with Ken Turner and know his heart and his leadership capabilities. He has the unique ability to connect with diverse groups of parents and kids…from struggling  youth at the juvenile correctional facility, all the way to college bound high school football players at All Pro Dad’s community events held at the Colts Complex. His love for the Lord is always evident. If you need to learn more about Ken call me at 813.777.3140.

Darrin D. Gray, Director of Partner Development, All Pro Dad, “The fatherhood program founded by Tony Dungy” Indianapolis, IN (National Offices in Tampa, FL)

I have found in Ken a kindred spirit! His passion for people is marked by his entrepreneurial outreach to the lost, the last, the least, the locked in and the locked out. Clearly a man of integrity and character, Ken’s abilities to articulate the Good News and mentor disciples of the Lord Jesus are supported by his lifestyle of evangelistic faith. He has been a great blessing to me personally and to our local church!

Curt De Graaff, Senior Pastor, Bethesda Baptist Church, Brownsburg, IN

I am honored to recommend my friend Ken Turner whom I have known over 13 years. I have had the pleasure of serving with Ken on several occasions and have found him to have a true heart for the youth he ministers to. Ken’s tenacity and selfless drive to help young people who may not have known the love of an earthly father to come to know the true love of our heavenly father is an inspiration to me. Above all his professional qualities and achievements, the things that I admire the most in Ken is his dedication to follow his calling and his God given ability to connect with and impact the mission field he has been given.

Kurt Hufford, Commercial Airline Pilot, Skywest Airlines, Colorado Springs, CO

“Ken, has a zeal to serve our LORD by working with youth and teens. Though his efforts and prayers many have come to know the LORD and grow in grace and knowledge of him. Ken is diligent and unselfish in his work and I am honored to serve our LORD with him.

Ralph Wendel, Owner, Breakers Unlimited Inc., Westfield, IN

“I have known Ken for many years and God has clearly gifted him with a calling to impact today’s youth for the cause of Christ.”

Jeff Leffew, Servant HR, Fishers, IN

“What an encouragement it is to hear of the work that the Lord is doing through Ken Turner for Indy’s troubled youths.  It’s not just Ken’s burden for these young people that is so exciting, but his ability to break down the walls that these kids have built against adults they don’t trust.  Ken is truly gifted in his knowing how to reach them.”

Ryan Donovan, Principal Financial, Indianapolis, IN

“Ken is well organized, efficient, and a visionary. He is always looking to get better, and will work tirelessly to be productive. He is personable, and makes the lives of people a priority. Good men seem to be hard to come by, and this is a good man.”

Jack Woodring, Missionary, Baptist World Mission, Nashville, TN

“Ken has been working with the Juvenile Detention Center and provided an excellent mentoring program.”

Douglas Hairston, Front Porch Alliance, Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, Indiana

“Ken Turner has a unique ability to understand the challenges that young men of today are facing. Ken is dedicated, persistent and a great leader. His life and work have positively affected many young people in the State of Indiana.”

Melissa Thompson, Clerk of the Council, City of Indianapolis, IN

“I truly believe that ministering to the next generation, to underserved people and communities, and to those on the fringes of society are three of the most important areas in which a person can minister. Ken has not only shown a commitment in these areas, but great effectiveness! I would whole-heartedly endorse his ministry!”

Dave Jamerson, Minister of Local and Global Partnerships, Traders Point Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN

Former NBA, Houston Rockets

“I have known Ken since 1984. He has always demonstrated a passion to help people and make a difference. He is unselfish, an extremely hard worker that will not give up. He has been tested through many fires and passed the test. Any further questions? Feel free to call me to ask anything – 423-727-7436.”

Glenn Ransom, Sales Manager, Varsity (Formerly a division of Thomas Nelson Inc.)

“Ken is a compassionate believer in the positive role that faith can play in young people’s lives – where its just a matter of how you can present this good news to them (that he does very very well). I have personally witnessed remarkable transformation in many of the young men in the juvenile detention facility where we have mentored together. I would trust him with any aspect of dealing with my friends and family should that need ever arise.”

Mike Cline, VP, HWC Engineering, Indianapolis, IN

“Ken Turner is doing an excellent job making a difference in the lives of teenagers. Especially those teenagers whom a lot of people would just write off as hopeless. His ministry in the Juvenile Detention Centers and other places is excellent, and I’ve been honored to be a small part of it.”

Joshua Goodling, Inspirational Speaker, and Director, Web Development, Premier Global Services,  Atlanta, GA

“Ken is a dedicated Christian leader with a burden for teens and a forward thinker in planning activities and programs to meet their needs.”

Sandy Van Vlymen, President, Widow’s Jar Ministries, Inc., Carmel, IN

The conference was held Monday through Friday evening , November 30 through December 4. Several are churches and Christian leaders participated in the sessions each evening.

Dave Jamerson, former NBA Houston Rocket, Tarik Glenn, former NFL Super Bowl Indianapolis Colt and Devon McDonald, former Notre Dame and NFL Indianapolis Colt all came to share their personal testimony of how Christ changed their life. These men each shared in their own words the void in their heart that was filled only after realizing they needed a personal relationship with God.

Dave Jamerson, “After one year in the NBA I realized there was a pattern in my life that was already developing and it was time to break the cycle. I called my fiancé and told her the buck is stopping here and my life is going to be different.” Dave had just experienced the death of his grandfather and the true meaning of life was on his mind. He went back to a Houston Rockets teammate who introduced him to Christ.

Tarik Glenn, “Football was my life. It was everything I had poured myself in to. After year one with the Colts and a losing season I felt the very thing I had lived my life for was crumbling around me.” It was through this despair that Tarik realized there had to be more than football and found a relationship with God.

Devon McDonald, “My high school team mates nicknamed me King Devon, the nick name came to me again while playing at Notre Dame and then again with the Colts. Funny thing… the high school, college and NFL players and coaches didn’t know it was my nickname before playing for them.” After being traded from the Colts to the Arizona Cardinals Devon experienced great despair. It was through that despair Devon realized that only God could fill that void. He fell to his face in his apartment and received Christ. Devon told our teens, “In the year that King Devon died, he saw the Lord high and lifted up! And he saw Devon for the sinner that he really was.”

By the end of the week 60+ teenagers had expressed a desire to have a personal relationship with Christ. We are planning a baptismal service and follow up of each one.

Imagine being the child who lost a parent while protecting our country’s freedom in the military. It sure would be encouraging to have people step up and support you and your family especially at Christmas time.

American Airlines here in Indianapolis asked me to partner with them through High Impact Teens in this event.

I had the opportunity to meet and offer support to some of the families. One mom was asking me about High Impact Teens and what this ministry does for families with teens. After talking for a few minutes she asked how she might get a High Impact Teen devotional journal for her teenager. For some reason I put one journal in a small box of other materials I brought to the event. It was obvious to me that God had in mind to give this journal to the one person that needed it.

Since 2001 there are over 8000 children who have lost a parent serving in our military and the average age of these children is 9 years old.  If you want to know more about the event I have included a couple links to the Kansas City News story and ABC News. Our plane landed in Kansas City and then went on to Dallas. Charlie Gibson named the Snowball Express volunteers his choice for “Persons of the Week” on Friday evening, December14.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9316579

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATqylzwH9DE

I’d like to thank my friends who supported High Impact Teens in this event last week. They are Jeff Leffew of Servant HR, Sandy Van Vlymen of Widow’s Jar Ministries, Andy Chapman of Indianapolis Signworks, Joshua Goodling of Inspirit News, Brenda Appleton of Appleton Services, Inc., Roger and Dolly Norman and Dave and Bev Achenbach.

Ken Turner
High Impact Teens

Last week, one of the guys in my Bible study didn’t want to be there. He raised his hand and said, “What would you say if I told you I don’t believe anything?” I said, “Do you mean you don’t believe in God… you don’t believe in the Bible?” He said, “That’s right, I don’t believe in anything… what do you have to say about that?”

I said, “Okay… I’ve heard that before. I will pray that God shows you at some point who He really is. And remember, we all believe in something so my desire for you is that you don’t realize ten or twenty years from now that you have believed in the wrong things. Be sure that what you believe is really true.”

We studied Luke 2:52 and he began to really get excited about that verse. At one point he spoke out and said, “I can’t believe how much is in that one verse. When I get out I’m going to get that verse tattooed on my arm!”

I said, “Well that wasn’t what I had in mind but I’m glad you get the message.”

He came up to me at the end of our Bible study and said, “Will you pray for me?” I asked what I should pray about and his response was, “Just pray for me.” I sure will and I did.

A few days earlier he was opening doors of individual cells to take guys to a scheduled event. He looked in the window before he opened the next door. Standing inside was the teenage boy, around 15 years old with a piece of his sheet tied around his neck in several knots. The boy had tied the sheet in so many knots and wanted to get it untied but couldn’t get the knots untied. So, there he stood, waiting for someone to help while tears were streaming down his face.

The man opened the door, told him this isn’t the answer and freed him. Of course this young man is getting the follow up counseling he needs now. The staff member stopped me and said, “Ken, you have been in here several times over the past few days and this young man is in your Bible study. He is now the happiest boy in the room. He is always smiling and he seems so encouraged. You are making a difference.”

I am constantly aware that it is actually a combined effort to reach these youth I meet each week. Those who support me are the arms and legs that bring me to these young men. Thank you for praying for me and for the gifts and donations that make this possible!

Last week I received a phone call from Fredrick Kearney, missionary serving in Ghana West Africa. He wasn’t really sure how it happened, but one of my High Impact Teen devotional journals ended up in Ghana. Since publishing the High Impact Teen devotional journal it has been used by over 12,000 teens.

Fredrick and I have never met but interestingly enough, there are several mutual connections. The missionaries are having a youth conference for the teens they minister to in Ghana in late July. They need resources to give to the youth to help them grow spiritually. They want the High Impact Teen devotional journals to be introduced to the youth in Ghana and requested I ship some over. Over the years I have had opportunities to lecture in youth ministry classes in Christian colleges and have often had foreign students tell me how desperate the need is to get good quality resources for ministry in the hands of youth in foreign lands. The Kearney’s are seeking to reach youth with the gospel and teach them the value of a personal relationship with God’s Word.

In a recent youth conference the missionaries had the youth participate in a writing contest. The contest was to write a tract that presents the gospel message. A tract has been chosen as a winner from those submitted by the youth and they would like to print 1000 copies for the youth to distribute. I told Fredrick if he will send me the tract, I will do all I can to see that it is professionally printed for them.

I would like to appeal to those who are friends of my ministry to youth to consider making a donation toward the cost of the journals and the printing of the gospel tract for the ministry taking place in Ghana, West Africa.

I know how difficult it can be to provide the resources to youth who cannot afford them on their own. If you have sensed recently God wanted you to invest in someone who is seeking to know Him more, I can’t imagine a greater opportunity. You may give online at www.kenturnerministries.org or mail your gift to Ken Turner Ministries, PO box 460, Zionsville, IN 46077.  I have a feeling we will hear of great things God has done through our combined efforts to help those who minister to youth in Ghana. Be sure to mention your gift is for the Ghana youth project.

http://www.kearneystoghana.org

I have always believed “everyone has a story” and the “Joshua Goodling story” is truly amazing. It’s because of his amazing life journey, following and trusting God through incredible difficulties, that I knew the youth I minister to each week would be touched.

Joshua Goodling was diagnosed at the age of four with a disease doctors called “incurable” and was given one week to live. He is now forty-three so in his own words, “It’s been a long week!” His cure did not come without major life-altering changes that would stay with him throughout life. Stunted growth and paralyzed vocal chords are the two things you notice but there are other issues he does not even talk about.

What Joshua Goodling does talk about is His faithful God and his unwavering belief that God loves him, wants to use him and has great plans for any of us who will trust him. It’s that message of struggle, trials, faith and overcoming impossible trials that resonated with the troubled youth he spoke to last week.

Joshua joined me in Indianapolis last week and ministered to the troubled youth in the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center in Indianapolis, IN. After sharing his personal testimony over the two day period, eight teenage boys accepted Christ as their personal Savior. Several boys said things like, “I’m always going to remember this man… his story is amazing… if he can overcome that, then God can help me through this… if God can use him, God can use me, etc…”

If you would like to know more about Joshua Goodling, visit his website at…

www.joshuagoodling.org
www.inspritnews.com

In Christ,

Ken Turner

I truly appreciate the prayerful support given to my ministry to troubled youth. I wanted to share this quick ministry update.

1. Monday, June 8,  four more young men accepted Christ as their Savior in my Bible study. The way God is working on a weekly basis is like the stories you hear from the mission field.
Update: On Thursday, June 18, 8 more young men accepted Christ.

2. I have been asked to lead a small group of young men who have developed a presentation to be given in public schools called “DTB” Death Through A Bullet – Ant-Gun Violence Program. I have already met with schools in the area and the youth have presented the program in a middle school just before school released for the summer.

3. A team of surgeons from Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis who specialize in gunshot wounds have asked to meet with us to form a partnership with this special program.

4. A representative from All Pro Dads, former Colts Coach Tony Dungy’s organization, has made contact with us and wants to discuss forming a partnership with the Mentor Outreach Team which I lead through the detention center. I have been in correspondence with them today and they would like to come up from Tampa to meet on July 13 or 20. There may be significant opportunities here to expand my ministry focus in reaching troubled youth.

5. Please pray for additional funding for our ministry and for God to continue to expand our efforts. There are significant financial needs for May and June ministry expenses. I know God is working to bring forth people who will partner with us in reaching troubled youth. I hear from youth each week who say they have no father figure and no true “mentor” in their life.

Sincerely,

Ken Turner

High Impact Teens