Rugged Cross Outdoors is a 501(C) 3 non-profit organization
and will serve as the platform for our ministry—Missions
trips to the Woods, Lakes, Fields and Streams. The organization
was created to fulfill the ultimate plan that God has
instilled in our hearts—to go out into the outdoor
world and share the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are committed to Glorifying Jesus Christ using what
He has created to spread the Word of God while encouraging
fellowship amongst outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.
Rugged Cross Outdoors also wholeheartedly values the
next generation—our youth. In order for us to
ensure God’s Kingdom will continue to advance
as well as preserve the wonderful sport of hunting,
we must reach out to everyone--adults, people with disabilities
and/or life threatening illnesses and especially our
youth!
The
Rugged Cross Outdoors team engages in a multitude of
ministry activities that support this overall mission.
The first activity is our Outfitter Outreach
Ministry. Each week during the hunting season
we will send anywhere from 1-4 groups of at least two
individuals that will include some combination of ministry
leaders, field staff volunteers and/or guests to an
established hunting Outfitter. Each team will generally
include at least one ministry leader. The ministry team
will have the opportunity to both engage in fellowship
as well as outreach through sharing the Gospel of Jesus
Christ with fellow outdoorsmen who are in camp that
week. Simultaneously, they will be hunting and filming
for the Rugged Cross Outdoors Christian based hunting
television show and DVD series.
The second major activity is our Youth Hunters
Outreach Ministry. As previously mentioned,
our youth are an important asset to the status of our
future. We, as adults, have an obligation to reach out
to our children and youth in order to productively assist
in the development and success of our younger generations.
At Rugged Cross Outdoors, we don’t see it as an
obligation to reach out to our children and youth—we
see it as one of our major passions. The sport of hunting
provides an effective environment for adults to teach
our younger generations about dignity and respect for
all that God has created—the land and all its’
resources including the wildlife and the people that
inhabit this world.
By becoming mentors for our youth, we put ourselves
in a position to teach our youth lessons on maturity
and responsibility when it comes to the right to bare
arms. Finally, through structured activities, such as
hunting, we have the opportunity to help keep our kids
off the streets and away from dysfunctional activities
such as the consumption of alcohol and other drugs that
so often leads to addiction, self destruction and even
in some occasions, death.
We involve different youth as Junior Field Staff volunteers
so to involve them in the production of the Rugged Cross
Outdoors television show. At the same time, our ministry
leaders will work to assist them in enhancing their
relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ by sharing the
Gospel. Rugged Cross Outdoors will also give away youth
hunting scholarships that will enable a parent/guardian
and youth hunter to attend a guided hunt with a reputable
outfitter. Finally, we will be assisting in and/or conducting
youth hunting camps. Our goal is to teach different
hunting techniques, archery and shooting skills and
general woodsman skills. At the same time, we will again
use this opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ
with them.
The
third major activity of Rugged Cross Outdoors is the
Speaking Ministry. We believe in yearround
fellowship with people who share the passion for hunting,
the outdoors, as well as the Christian faith. Our teams
will speak at wild game dinner’s, fellowship hunts
for adults and/or youth, hunting shows and seminars
as well as a variety of miscellaneous men's, women's
and youth events and retreats as they arise. If you
or your organization is interested in having one of
our teams come out to your event and speak, please contact
us to discuss the details.
The next activity that we participate in is
the Disabled Hunters Ministry. We believe all
persons faced with the challenges of a disability have
the same rights, and the same basic needs, as do other
citizens without disabilities. We are committed to principles
of self-determination, self-actualization, and to the
preservation of dignity of each person we encounter,
regardless of whether or not they have a disability.
We also believe in the importance of sharing the Gospel
of Jesus Christ with people with disabilities. Disabilities
are temporary. We are restored with new and perfect
bodies when we enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So, despite
the severity of a person’s disability, they have
a lot to look forward to both in this life and the next.
This program was new in 2008 and continues to be developed
for those people with disabilities that are interested
in participating in the sport of hunting. People will
be selected based on their situation and the accommodations
available to make the hunt a success for them. This
ministry may also include assisting other agencies,
such as Hunt of a Lifetime or others that are currently
promoting hunts for people with disabilities.
Our
next activity is the Outdoor Media Ministry.
Rugged Cross Outdoors will take all the video captured
from the previous activities to produce a Christian
based hunting television show and DVD series. The outdoor
hunting show will be aired on the Internet and/or cable
stations such as the Sportsmen's Channel, Outdoor Channel,
and/or the Pursuit Channel. Both the television show
and DVD series will focus on teaching and educating
the public on the latest hunting techniques and tactics
as well as deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ to
all those who love the sport of hunting. The television
and DVD series will also include the promotion of the
sport as well as Christianity to our future generation—our
youth. The show/DVD series will include direct involvement
of our youth population.
The
last activity we will engage in is the Venison Donation
Ministry. The Rugged Cross Outdoors team will
be donating up to 90% of all venison that is harvested.
The venison is donated to organizations like Farmers
and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) program and/or
other similar programs. FHFH is an outreach ministry
of God’s people transforming a renewable God-given
resource into food for the hungry. According to FHFH,
“one in every five children goes to bed hungry
tonight.” One deer can feed 200 hungry people.
We believe in helping the poor whenever it is possible.
We make every attempt to never turn our backs on people
in need. If we harvest a total of 26 animals per year
(two per television show) we can provide up to approximately
5200 meals each year for people in need.
When in a State, Town or Country where FHFH or a related
program is not available to take our deer, we will donate
the meat to a local family who is in need. Often times,
the local community knows of others who could really
use the food. It will be up to the ministry leader to
determine whom the venison should go to in this situation.
What
We Believe
Our ministry opportunities foster an environment conducive
for spiritual growth for all who love to hunt or just
simply enjoy the outdoors. We believe in promoting biblical
truth about our Creator and Savior in a non-threatening
way. We strive to actively demonstrate the wonderful
impact of Jesus Christ in our daily lives. We work to
exemplify the importance of having an interactive relationship
with Jesus Christ.
We support sound conservation efforts directed at maximizing
and improving the land and the wildlife that inhabit
this world. We are committed to spreading interest in
the sport of hunting to our youth and other diverse
populations in order to better preserve the future of
hunting.
*
DISCLAIMER:
Hunting Guides and Outfitters is a referral service, listing the
offerings of Hunting Guides and Outfitters in the US and Canada.
We are not responsible for individual transactions or negotiations
that take place between hunting guides, outfitters and their clients.
