It is hard to believe that twelve months have passed since opening the doors at the Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland facility. In October of last year, the ministry vision that God had dropped into my heart many years before finally became reality in the form of a green building in Gainesboro, TN. Since that time, we have had the awesome privilege of leading sixty people in making decisions for Jesus and Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland has placed twenty-six women and thirty-three men into long-term Teen Challenge centers.

There have been thirty women that have lived and been ministered to at the New Horizons Crisis Center. Teen Challenge Executive directors tell us that the ladies that come through New Horizons Crisis Center are better equipped and more prepared for the long term Teen Challenge program than those that do not come from a crisis or intake facility.

The Stay Sharp program, which we started just this past March, has been presented to two area youth groups, five schools, and in one community wide outreach. For more information on the Stay Sharp presentation, click here.

The Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland staff currently includes myself as Executive Director, Joyce Heady as full time Operations Director, Jeanne Cramer as Women’s Program Director, Bridgette Matson as Assistant Women’s Program Director, and Sheridan McLauchlin as part time Development Director. The staff worked diligently to enable Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland to achieve Honor Accreditation with Teen Challenge, USA in September.

Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland board members are Dr. Patrick Duke, Dr. Ken Schmitt-Matzen, Kevin McBroom, Shirley Bailey, and Cyndi Broyles. We would like to add one additional board member in the coming months.

Ministry goals for the upcoming year include opening a men’s residential crisis facility, expanding the Hope for Life non-residential program and increasing the number of Stay Sharp outreaches. To accomplish these goals, we need your continued prayers, volunteering, and financial support. Lives are being changed and you play a huge part in that when you sow into the ministry of Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland. Please email me at any time for information or assistance.

God bless you,

Tim McLauchlin
Executive Director

The following is a short, but powerful letter that I received from Jordan, a young man that Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland helped to place into a long term center in June.

Brother Tim,
It’s been three months since I came to Teen Challenge and the Lord has truly changed my heart. He’s given me a new desire to obey Him and a new thirst for His Word. Who knows where I’d be if I hadn’t come here and had continued in my mess. I just wanted to write and thank you for all you did to get me here, and all you’re doing to help all the struggling men down there in Tennessee. Although my new attitude and mindset is a product of God’s power and this program, surely He hasn’t forgotten all you did to get me here. 1Corinthians 3:8, The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
Thanks, Jordan

Jordan had begun hanging out with the wrong crowd and using drugs at the age of 14. He had been arrested and had issues with anger management. But his life began to change when I met with Jordan and his mother at the Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland office. He rededicated his life to the Lord and started the application process to get into a long term center.

Those of you who pray for Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland, contribute financially, or give through donations, have played a vital part in the transformation of Jordan’s life. Today, Jordan is experiencing God’s power of healing and deliverance because of your faithful support.

Please consider making a secure donation by clicking here and partnering with us to see more lives completely freed from addiction.

God bless you,
Tim McLauchlin
Executive Director

I would like to share with you an awesome testimony from Jordan, a young man that we assisted with placement and has graduated from the Teen Challenge program……

My name is Jordan and I am from Cookeville. I got started using drugs when I was about twelve. I was just smoking a little pot and drinking beer with some boys that lived up the road from me. This eventually lead from just the weekends to an everyday thing. I got in trouble in the eighth grade for drinking and was then kicked out of high school in the ninth grade for the same thing. It didn’t stop there, though, it actually turned into a snowball effect. I got into all kinds of trouble for little things like this. I just never got the picture. During all this, I found myself selling dope to make money and support my own habit. I was introduced to pills and they really got a hold of me. This caught my attention. My aunt told me how Teen Challenge could help sober me up and even help me find God. I knew deep down that He was the only way out, since I had tried every other way. I called the center then talked with and met with Pastor Tim and he hooked me up with and helped me get to a Teen Challenge center. While I was at Teen Challenge, God really helped me in alot of personal ways other than just with my drug problem. I would recommend it for anybody. Surrender it to God and He will reveal Himself to you.

Testimonies like this one and hopeless lives being transformed is why Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland exists. 49 people have been placed into Teen Challenge centers through this ministry. Another female crisis center resident will be moving into a long-term center this week. 26 of this 49 placed have been men, please pray with us that God will open the door for a men’s residential crisis center.

Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland would not be successful without your faithful prayers and financial support. Please consider sponsoring someone like Jordan and donate securely through the Destined to Grow scholarship fund by clicking here.

God bless you,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director

Although many residents have gone on to long term treatment, the staff and I continue to communicate with and provide support to both the men and women that we have placed. We frequently send and receive many cards and letters. We recently received one especially exciting letter from Dana that I would like to share parts of with you…..

Can you believe I’ve been here 4 months now?! That’s awesome to me! I gotta say I really do love it here. God has really been revealing things to me about myself- some good and some bad. But I know He is just molding me into the woman He INTENDED me to be. I love Him. I can honestly say that all my life I just wanted someone to love me and protect me and give me the security I longed for – little did I know He was there all along! All I had to do was OPEN my eyes…do you know how lost I was? I was broken down – no self-confidence, no love for myself, I was TIRED. But now, I wish I had the right words to express how I am feeling….
I’m growing. I can say that the good Lord is definitely working on me. I’ve never had a relationship with the Lord like this, EVER! It blows my mind to think of how much He loves ME!!….
Now I am learning to be that Godly momma to my kids….that’s all I want – to be a good mom to my kids….
I thank you again for helping me get to where I am…
Here is a real favorite of mine. Isaiah 41:9-10 I love my God. He is MY STRONG TOWER who always holds me with His righteous right hand!!

Because of your support, many lives like Dana’s are being transformed. Thank you so much.

God bless,
Tim McLauchlin
Executive Director

Our New Van!

During a week of fasting and prayer in June, Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland was blessed with the opportunity to purchase this great van! Special thanks to Bob Johnson Auto Sales for the great deal and thanks to VitalSigns for the window graphics!  The van is used to transport residents to and from church, medical exams, court appointments, and to long-term Teen Challenge centers.  Thank you for your faithful support that made this possible!

Praise the Lord for allowing us to minister to those seeking deliverance from life controlling addictions.  Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland has helped to place 42 individuals into long term Teen Challenge centers and there are currently 3 ladies staying at the crisis center awaiting placement later this week.  The Hope for Life non-residential class attendance continues to grow as well as the number of calls that come in each week from people needing help.  Thanks be unto the Father of our Lord and Savior.

Last week, while taking one of the residents, Kendra, to a court appointment, I noticed that she was very nervous but nervous differently than other residents whom have gone to court.  This was a court date in which all of her family would be present as well as DCS workers and attorneys for different members of the family.

When asked what she was so nervous about, she replied, “Pastor Tim, I am so very excited to have Jesus living inside of me!  I want to learn everything I can about the Man that gave His life for me.  I want every thought in my head to be good and of Him.  I want every word that comes out of my mouth to be edifying to the Lord and those around me.  I can’t wait for my light to be so bright that everyone around me can see the Holy Spirit all over me.”

The best part of this day was still yet to come.  When she walked into the court room, her own mother had to look twice to see if it was really her.  Her mother’s exact words were, “I did not even recognize you. You look like a different person.”  Then her attorney walked over and said that she could not believe the change that had taken place since seeing her in court ten days prior.  Everyone in the court room, including the judge, commented on how different and how good she looked.  It was an answer to a prayer prayed a short time earlier and what a difference it made.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Kendra will be leaving this week to a long-term Teen Challenge center and she said “if God has done this in my life in this short of time being at the crisis center, I can’t wait until graduation.”

Please continue to pray for Kendra, the other ladies residing at the center, all those that have already been placed into Teen Challenge, and those that will be coming in the future.  Your prayers and your financial support make it possible for lives like this to “become new.”

God bless you,

Tim McLauchlin, Executive Director