Serving Our Students With AC Dunlap

AC Dunlap is the Executive Director for RESET Inc.

RESET Inc. is a faith-based nonprofit organization based in the Columbus, Ohio area that provides Bible education and discipleship opportunities for public school students. Through legally approved released-time programs, students leave campus during the school day to receive Christian instruction off-site. The organization partners with local churches to support spiritual growth, mentorship, and character development among youth. Its mission is to share the message of Jesus Christ and help guide students toward faith, hope, and purpose. RESET Inc. serves primarily students in Franklin and Delaware Counties with the support of volunteers and community partners. Overall, the organization is dedicated to positively impacting young people by integrating faith-based education into their lives.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

And the school so um classifies us as a social emotional learning program, but our curriculum is biblically based. And very simply put, we are having Bible study in the middle of the school day. There's a couple things. So for reset for some of our students, we are an introduction to Jesus. Yeah, amen. And so for some students, they've never heard absolutely never heard of Jesus, you know, Jesus who, you know, might be their response. And so for some of them, we are an introduction. For others, we are a reinforcement. Affirming that, you know, they were not a mistake, regardless of how you got here, that God has purpose for them. Um, we also address literacy because we read the Bible. But I feel like over this last year and a half, two years, that the Lord has just given me an introduction to his hands and his feet. And that's what I feel like turns has been for me is that literally, you know, it has been an introduction to the hands and the feet of Jesus, you know, beyond the church walls.

SPEAKER_05 1:02

Welcome to Turn Up with Pastor Charlie. I am your host. And first of all, I would like to say thank you to the River Radio Podcast Studio for this space that we now occupy to broadcast worldwide. To our visionary Burton Stephanie Lindsay and the Lindsay Foundation, all of our partners, local church, um, schools, 501c3s, and nonprofit organizations who all have come beside us for the well-being of the community. I'm always excited about the guests that I have in my studio, but today I'm extremely excited to welcome my friend AC Dunlap. Say hello to the watching and listening audience.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

Hello, hello.

SPEAKER_05 1:45

How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_00 1:47

I'm doing good. It's raining outside, but God is gracious. Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:51

Um, thank you for your time, uh, breaking time to out of your busy schedule to come and sit with us in the studio. I appreciate it so much. Um, let's talk about reset. Um, let's talk about your new role. I mean, last time you and I talked, you know, uh, and since then uh you have been elevated to the next level. So let's talk about that role. What what is the elevation correct name and and what what is reset all about?

SPEAKER_00 2:20

So um I currently serve in the capacity as executive director. Um when I was here the last time, I was a development director. Yeah. And so um there's definitely been the elevation, uh, but God is gracious, gracious, and I'm really just excited about this new season for reset and all the things that the Lord is allowing us to do, and then even the things that I get to do personally. So I'm excited about that.

SPEAKER_05 2:45

So on a personal note, who is AC Dunlap? Ooh, give us a little bit of your background.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

That is so funny because that is a question that I ask people a lot of times. Is that right? I don't know if I've ever been on the recipient end of it. So hey, oh wow. So at the core, at the core, um, I am a daughter of Christ at my core. Um, and um I believe in Jesus unapologetically. Um, I have been serving in ministry, gosh, for 30 plus years. Okay. Um, as long as I've been married. So I've been married for 34 years. Yes. To Pastor Joe Dunlap, shout out. Um, and um I attend Bethel Temple Apostolic Church on the south side of Columbus. Uh Bishop Dane and Lady Lisa Clark are my leaders. And um, I'm just somebody who loves the Lord. Uh, we have three children. All of our kids are grown and they are married. Praise God. We have uh four beautiful grandchildren looking for more as well. And um, I just, you know, I am just I had my kids when I were younger, so I'm in a different season of life. You know, I was 21 when I got married, and then 22, 23, and 25 when I had children. And now I'm 55, you know, and and I'm okay with saying my age, you know, because I just, I don't know, I feel like it's a different season, you know, and the Lord has just been showing so many things that he's inviting me into and even continually learning, you know. I believe as long as we're on the earth, there is always something every day that the Lord wants to invite us into and to show us about him. So I'm I'm chasing after Jesus.

SPEAKER_05 4:24

Chasing after Jesus, nickel, double nickel. What is what is called? Um, shoot, what I call it. 55 is like double nickels, I think I call it. Yeah, yeah, I've been there, been there, surpassed that stage and age, but um you're looking great. And uh I remember when we first met and um um you you said your name, then you told me who your husband was. It's like it's not that my guards was up, but then it's like all guards just drop when you mention your husband, Joe. Uh awesome man of God. I appreciate what the both of you are doing in the kingdom of God. So appreciate you.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

So the go ahead. No, but I was just gonna say, just um, he's he's the youth pastor at our church. And so, and and as we'll get into talking about reset and even as far as young people, you know, that this has been an area that I've been serving in since I was like in my early 20s, so for like over 30 years of serving young people in different capacities, you know. Um, even serving young people in the church is different than serving them in the community. Um, and so um over my time, I used to work in a drop-out recovery high school. My husband is retired from Department of Youth Services, so that's correctional pieces. Yeah, so between the two of us, it's it's really a broad scope of where the Lord has allowed us to not just serve young people in this city, um, but also be impacted by them. Yeah. Because there's many lessons that, you know, when I'm talking to a young person, it's like, okay, Lord, I hear you very clearly in what they're saying to me without the babes. Absolutely. Without them saying, I'm prophesying to you, you know, but you hear the Lord, you know, and and that I think that needs to always be, you know, our desire is in every space, God. We just want to hear your voice.

SPEAKER_05 6:06

Yeah, if our ears are attentive, he is always speaking, you know. Absolutely. So I agree with that 100%. So you mentioned reset. So what is reset? Tell our watching and listening audience what reset is, how long it's been established, and just the mighty work that it is doing. I know personally a small scoop of it, but share.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

Yeah, I'm really excited um as far as reset. And I got exposed or introduced to reset roughly about like three or three and a half years ago. Okay. And I've told the story before. Sure. Um, our church at the time was praying for a strategy, and that was around COVID and all those other pieces and so many transitions in the world. And it was like, Lord, you know, what is the strategy for you to re-engage our young people to be able to minister to them during this time and during this season? Yes. And when prayer was taken out of school, you know, it was it was a major hit on a lot of a lot of levels because even when you're looking at pushing the kingdom agenda, it's like, okay, well, Lord, you know, here we go. We're going up, and then something happens and you feel like it's been knocked down.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Right.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

Um, but I always describe my journey with the Lord as not a game of checkers, but as a game of chess.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Come on.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

Um, and God is strategic about what he does. And even when the enemy thinks that he's got my queen and checkmate, it's like, oh no. There we go, and I'm gonna take yours. Um, but um, I got introduced to Reset. We were uh got introduced to at the banquet and was sitting there in my seat listening to what it was, and I'm like, Lord, this is strategy. And um Reset is a release time education program, and release time education here in the state of Ohio is something that is legal not just in Ohio, but many states across the United States. And it's basically um programming that takes place in the middle of the school day. Um, all of our programs take place at lunchtime, so they're not interfering with other academic pieces as well. Um, and the school um classifies us as a social emotional learning program, but our curriculum is biblically based. And very simply put, we are having Bible study in the middle of the school day with community partners. And so Reset is the program that God has allowed to um develop the curriculum, kind of formulate, be the one who is um spearheading it, all those pieces, but we partner with churches in the community and other faith entities as well as community organizations to be able to serve our students. Um, we serve students third through eighth grade and Columbus City Schools and Delaware City Schools. And we have stepped into our 10th year of doing that this year and really excited, yes. Amen.

unknown 8:43

Amen.

SPEAKER_05 8:43

And the founder?

SPEAKER_00 8:44

The founder is Pamela Johnston. Um, the Lord gave her the vision. Pam and her husband um did a lot of mission trips like over the years. Um, I believe they visited over 36 countries where God would call them, take Bibles, and engage people. And on her last mission trip, she was asking the Lord, what is next? And he said, What about where I've planted you? And the seed of reset was planted. And for her mind, she said that she was content. Okay, we'll have one school, we'll have one grade, and yes, Jesus. And God said, No, there's more.

SPEAKER_05 9:19

There is more.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

10 years later, you know, we are in 12 schools. Um, we are serving currently 189 students, and we have two more programs that are scheduled to open up this year. And so God is gracious.

SPEAKER_05 9:31

Amen. Now I heard the story several times, and each time it just sounds so good. Uh it's like hearing it for the first time. I even heard Pam tell the story. So it's like it's amazing how God used her to um launch this.

SPEAKER_02 9:48

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 9:48

And and find the fact that this has been available to us all these years and not been implemented. So yeah, it is amazing work that you all are doing. Um what do you feel as a partnership network like this are important? Why do you feel this is so important?

SPEAKER_00 10:09

Wow. Um, well, one man is not an island, so it's not anything that we can ever do alone. Right, right. You know, even with the vision that the Lord gives us, you know, um, there are different stages where we are. A lot of times, um, when I am talking, one of the gifts that I have is somebody be talking and God will magnify something, a word or phrase. And I know that word or phrase is something. Um, and many times I was challenged with that because I was like, Lord, if I respond to everything that you're showing me, I don't see how I can do that. Right. You know, and the response from the Lord was it's not for you to do. There are some things that are for you to take from A to Z. And then there are some things for you to hand off at A, I mean at B or wherever the case may be. And so for partnerships, there are many things that we can't do by ourselves. You know, um, it is about territory. You know, God has given all of us um an assignment to cover territory individually and collectively, and the prayer is finding the right connections to be able to um serve adequately those that God has charged us to serve. Just like the students in Columbus City Schools are our assignments, I'm somebody's assignment. And so I pray that it's the same perspective that when whoever's assigned to me, you know, to sew in or whatever, that that God gives that same perspective. And so I think partnership is so important because it it takes the strength of us all to be able to accomplish what God really wants to accomplish in the earth.

SPEAKER_05 11:37

Amen. I agree with that. Um, so what problems do you see reset addressing?

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Ooh, a lot. You know, the Bible says that my people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge. Um, and I think, you know, um the world has done a good job in defining who they feel people should be. You know, um trying to give um uh men and women and children the identity from a worldly perspective. Right. And so um our our mission is to reset today's youth with hope and trust in Jesus. And the resetting comes with uh shifting in mindset. It comes with, you know, I mean, you do what you know to do. So we're born into this world, you know, and all the things that especially in the very beginning that you begin to learn about yourself may come from, oh, you see this commercial on TV or you see this billboard and all those pieces, you know. But we are there's a couple things. So for reset for some of our students, we are an introduction to Jesus. Yeah, amen. And so for some students, they never heard of absolutely never heard of Jesus, you know, Jesus who, you know, might be their response. And so for some of them, we're an introduction. For others, we are a reinforcement. Um, my husband and I are in ministry, and so we, you know, did our best in, you know, sewing the word of God into our students in our homes. And and I told my I, when my kids were younger, you know, um, I would always say, I want to be the only voice that they hear and they listen to. And life told me that is not the reality. And so then I had to change my prayer. And I'm like, Lord, okay, let them be in spaces that reinforce who you say that they are. So the seeds that we're sowing, the Bible says, one plants, one waters, and God gives the increase. And so allow them to be in those spaces. And so for reset, um, for some, we are planting, for some, we are a watering station, you know, and addressing the needs of um identity, who they are in Christ, you know, um, affirming that, you know, they were not a mistake, regardless of how you got here, that God has purpose for them. Um, we also address literacy because we read the Bible, you know, in our sessions, you know, and also being able to work with the schools as well as, you know, there are some things, depending on what environment you're in, that don't come to light unless you're in certain environments. So we do are very intentional about working with the schools and sharing, you know, this might be a concern point. We want to make sure that Johnny is successful so we see this. How can we help in that process? And so I think at the core it is identify helping them to identify who they are in Christ and reinforcing what God has said about them and an introduction to Jesus.

SPEAKER_05 14:21

Amen. That's good. Wow, that's good stuff right there. I mean, I mean, because one, I'm I'm hearing so much, and um I'm thinking about just sitting in the classroom. If I was one of the instructors and if I was there volunteering and and seeing these little kids, these kids, how they are um their identity is is being shifted, you know, and and you are pouring into them and how much you are pouring into them, but then here's what I'm also seeing is what they are saying that we are receiving.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 15:01

You know, I I really believe that these kids are um you know, out of the mouth of babes, as I said earlier, are speaking words that God has given to them to share with us, to minister to us.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

Absolutely. Can I say something real quick? Yeah, absolutely. So the scripture came to my mind, we were talking this iron sharpeneth iron. Yeah, absolutely. You know, and even with even with her students, you know, we were doing a lesson um on the Holy Spirit one time, and it was the teacher that was, you know, teaching about the Holy Spirit. And one of the students raised her hands and she said, I'm filled with the Holy Spirit. Damn. And so when she said that, it immediately shifted the atmosphere of the room because then she began to share her own experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. So you went from an adult sharing their in their experience to one of your peers sharing one of their experiences. And it was just, it was so amazing just to hear and to see, you know, and and listening to her experience. And it was like, Lord, again, you know, um the ministry of it, while the original plan was I'm gonna teach you as the adult, and then you're gonna listen. If you have questions, we'll answer to God shifting it to say, you know, now I'm bringing it on another level.

SPEAKER_05 16:08

So that's great. That's great. Why are you a part of reset? Wow.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

Why am I a part of reset?

SPEAKER_05 16:17

There's other entities. Why are you a part of reset?

SPEAKER_00 16:23

Well, I um one, I know, I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is where I'm supposed to be in this season. Um, my life and my career path has always been media and social services. Those are the areas that um the Lord has called me to. And if you look over my life over the last 20 years, I've worked for newspapers and magazines. I've done, you know, my job right before this, I was a creative arts director um at a church while I was still doing youth ministry. Um but the season before that, I worked in a dropout recovery high school. And for me, I would always say, whichever one, and I had to learn this, you know, whichever job you saw me in, um, one, I usually was doing both at the same time, but whichever one was at the forefront, um, that's what I feel the Lord was putting at the forefront at that time. And so for reset, um, I'm a part of it because I know in this season, my assignment, it's always been to um reset, you know, hope and trust in Jesus. It's always been that. And I've done I've done that um in different ways. But I think this is a different assignment where God, He just strategically has me here, um, not just working directly with the students, but even from um advocating for kingdom agenda from a policy standpoint, what that looks like. So we've even, you know, we meet with Columbus City Schools to talk about, you know, strategy, talk about what we're doing and all those pieces. And so um, it's just a place that I know that God has me in um to not just affect change, but really as far as advancing his kingdom in this area. It's my territorial area for the season. There we go. Oh, I got all that to say it is my territorial area for this season. Amen.

SPEAKER_05 18:10

Territorial area for the season. I like that. That's good. And you do it well, you do it well, you do it well. I have been fortunate to witness the passing of the baton. I was there at the reception, uh, the dinner. Thank you for the invite and all that. I I love supporting Reset as much as I can, as well as others, and uh it was an honor to see the passing of the baton. And I often say this because I wrote this in my book, um, The Passing of the Baton. It it it's it's an exchange, but both hands are on it at the same time. Because say, Pam had to still give it to you. So both hand and you had to hold it, so both hands are gripping it at the same time. That's good. So there's a moment of the exchange before you have to make that exchange before you go out of the zone.

SPEAKER_03 19:02

That's good.

SPEAKER_05 19:03

Because I I relate that to track, I ran track. So there's the exchange zone, and that baton has to be released by Pam to you before the exchange zone, otherwise you get disqualified.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

Wow. That's powerful. That that is so good. So good, so good.

SPEAKER_05 19:23

So I just wanted to say I was able to witness that passing of the baton. I I really saw it, I felt it. Um we end up taking a picture with Pam that that evening. Um and she ex she is excited about what you're doing. Um, I think she's in your corner. Uh I I believe she's there to support you in whatever manner. I I really picked that up from her. So yeah, her spirit was just uh genuine.

SPEAKER_00 19:49

So it is, and and I am so thankful for that, you know. Um many times even in seasons of transition, you know, depending on the perspective of um both people determines, you know, kind of the continuity and even that holding peace, like you said. And I believe that even that you magnifying that just brings by my whole other level, but that there was not just a a um a tangible transference, but a spiritual transference. You know, Pam and I have many conversations, you know, and and and prayer and different things like that. But, you know, I know that my assignment part of it is I am a part of the watering season. Um, and she has planted many seeds. And if there is no forerunner, if there is no planting, there can be no watering, you know. And so recognizing that um I told her that I I have big shoes to step into, you know, but I am thankful for the pathway that has already been set before me. And she is amazing, and I love and appreciate her.

SPEAKER_05 20:51

Yeah, we appreciate you too. Let's talk a little bit about Turn. How was you introduced to Turn? Oh my goodness. The ultimate resource network. How was you introduced?

SPEAKER_00 20:59

I was introduced, I want to say Stephanie maybe introduced me to Turn um just as an initial introduction. Had not heard anything about it. Lindsay. Stephanie Lindsay? No, Stephanie Jackson, who on our team. Oh, okay, okay, yeah. Yeah, she, I think she was the initial person that said it. Okay. And um then I met you and then got invited to the meetings, and you know, and it's just been amazing. And one of the things that I've said um is that I believe over this last, I guess, year and a half, maybe going on to two years now, um, I am very ingrained in the church community. So I know a lot of ministries, I know a lot of pastors, and I know what churches are doing, but I feel like over this last year and a half, two years, that the Lord has just given me an introduction to his hands and his feet. And that's what I feel like turns has been for me is that literally, you know, it has been an introduction to the hands and the feet of Jesus, you know, beyond the church walls, you know. And even though, you know, a lot of entities. There are church operating within the church walls. The Bible says to go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come that his house might be filled. And my introduction to the resources and to the people. And I'll start, it's it's the people, you know, really of the genuine feel of come on, where you been? You know, we we you know, we got things to do, you know, for the kingdom of God, you know, and just being able to pull and to glean from that has just been um such a tremendous blessing, not just to reset, but to me personally. Yeah. And I'm a thankful.

SPEAKER_05 22:33

Yeah. We appreciate you too. Um I've served on several roles of that as a social engagement leader, a team, our team, and you are on that social engagement team. Appreciate what you do and what you bring to the table there. Um, we are excited about the future of Turn and the social engagement team as we spearhead certain things. And um part of my role as the um social engagement leader, I I try to attend those events and uh like the dinner with like reset or life-wise or um festivals that's going on in the parks, you know. I try to set up a table and a tent and you know, be there and be a support, be part of the community. Um, then the networking piece, that's what I naturally do. So um yeah, we we're just looking to do more exciting things this year, and we're excited about celebrating um that's coming up here as well. So your relationship with Turn has made uh Turn has helped make an impact in what you're doing as well as reset?

SPEAKER_00 23:43

Absolutely, absolutely, definitely. Um uh we have schools that are on the east side of Columbus that turns are direct partners with, um, as well as um serving our overall program um on so many different levels, and so definitely um thankful.

unknown 24:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 24:01

So, what are some of the barriers um that you face um with release time education?

SPEAKER_00 24:09

I would say um probably maybe the biggest barrier um that is still attainable. So let me let me preface that. Okay, but the biggest barrier is probably funding. Okay. And so when the legislation was written, there were three caveats that were a part of it that the release time education can take place, but it has to take place off-site. Uh, it has to have parental consent and it cannot be federally funded. And so the off-site actually was the opportunity to partner with local churches um to be able to provide that programming. From the funding perspective, um, we cannot get government grants. Right. And so over these last 10 years, it has been people sewing into um the ministry, which again, you know, the wealth of wick, the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the right to it. It just amazes me. God's God's strategy and God's um way is not our way. And so it's beyond that. Um, and so um that's still kind of one of the challenges, is is just being able to prayerfully connect to the right resources. Um, we are in a season where now um we can go after some grants, and so that's a blessing. So now it's just kind of finding out what those connections are, but um probably the biggest, you know, challenge is the raising of funds to be able to serve our students. Sure. But but God has God has sustained.

SPEAKER_05 25:30

So He's been providing for He has. Yes, yes. Um, plan of action and work the plan and you know help provide. So, what has been one of your most impactful moments since joining the reset team? Wow, there's been many.

SPEAKER_00 25:49

There's many. Yeah, I'm sure there's plenty.

SPEAKER_05 25:51

I know there's plenty. I mean, but that one that's that one or two that sticks out that's like, you know what, I'll never forget this.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Yeah, probably the story that I already told about the Holy Spirit. That one that one really sticks with me. Um, and I think being able to see, you know, um I have grandkids, and sometimes when you're a parent and you have kids at a young age, you know, you do what you know to do, but then when you have grandkids, it's like you have more time to capture, oh wow, you know, I now know this as a parent. And this is something that maybe I would have done a little bit different, you know, with my children. And one of them is just cultivating their gifts. Um, our kids are all, I think the Lord, all of my kids are operating in ministry. And we did our best to do that, but I do notice in this season um with my grants, I'm I'm noticing it more at an earlier age. And that's one of the things, even with reset. So um, when we are doing our sessions, you know, and we have prayer and we, you know, are reading our Bible, we have songs, we're very intentional about engaging the students. And so the adult is not the only person that prays in the room. You know, we'll open it up and ask, does somebody else want to pray? And there was a little girl, and she's in the foster care system, and she got adopted like midway through the year last year.

SPEAKER_04 27:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:12

And but um, when we would ask for a volunteer, she was one who volunteered to pray. And the moment she opened her mouth, and it's not like she was like trying to say, Oh, you know, I'm this, you know, she's nine years old. Right. But the moment she opened her mouth as she began to pray, you immediately heard the voice of the Lord. You heard the weight of prayer. It was obvious one, she had been in an environment where somebody is praying, um, but then also that God um she had the gift of just, you know, that treading peace. And so it was something that stood out. And so then it was like, okay, Lord, how do we cultivate that in this environment? If this is the only space that it's cultivated in, because you are showing what her gift is, how do we reinforce that? And so um it was intentional while we did, you know, everyone was open to prayer or whatever, but there were many times where she prayed. And so when she got adopted, which was one of her prayer requests, and she was moving to Cleveland, um, she prayed that last day. And we have it on video. And when she prayed, it was just you just if I close my eyes, I can see it here. You just heard, you just heard the voice of the Lord, which for me um not just reinforced that she was supposed to be a part of that program, but even where she was going, it's like, Lord, you're going with her in everything that we did over this last year, where we got to be a part of preparing her for what you have for her. And so um we've had moments like that, and it's just it's just amazing to see that.

SPEAKER_05 28:52

I love that story. I mean, I like the first one, but that was that was touching, you know. I mean, um since you're uh in that vein, do me a favor and and paint a clear picture of what a day looks like for a person that comes in, for a teacher that comes in volunteer, um, you know, what time they there, what you know, what how long you there. Paint that paint paint that picture of what it looks like.

SPEAKER_00 29:22

So for our programs, we have one hour with our students. Okay. That includes from the time they get on the bus to the time they return back to school.

SPEAKER_05 29:29

Wow, so bus, so there's that's key too, cause the location has to be close. Right. Right, proximity, right? Right.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

So we're intentional, a school about a church about five minutes, seven minutes at the most, but generally a five-minute bus ride. Um, because that will get the students there. And so I'll start with there's usually a volunteer or two volunteers that would meet at the school. They are the first point of contact for students. Okay. And so um they gather the students. Um, this year, the school school is now providing lunch again. Praise God. So um the lunches are gathered. We work directly with usually it's the family ambassador at the school, but definitely there is an appointed person that the school is appointed. Meet with them, we get the kids on the bus. It is amazing what you can learn about kids in a five-minute bus ride. Maybe more than you want to know. But um, but but it's a good way to engage students. Um, also for some of them, that's where attendance may take place. Um, sometime review, you know, from the previous week, you know, hey, do you remember what your books of the Bible were? You know, those type of pieces. And uh come to this the church generally. Um, and our sites are the flow is the same, but the sites are a little bit different, how engagement looks. Okay. And so um generally you'll come in, um, their their uh Bibles and things are already kind of set up where their seats are at. Everybody has name tags and lanyards, uh, both the staff and the students do. So they receive those. Go ahead and have a seat, um, have an opening up with prayer. Uh, we do ask for prayer requests from the students, and we have a prayer journal. And so all of the requests are put in a journal so that even when we're praying at that time, that journal can still be prayed over as well. And it becomes again the testimony piece, you know, if somebody prayed for their uncle, and then the next week, well, I want to give a testimony, my uncle is feeling better. And so um during that time, um, there's a worship song, um, then there's a lesson. And so we have our um our sessions, there are two weeks for one lesson. Okay. And last year, maybe about two years ago, we started leaning into Lord, how do we make our young people critical thinkers? Not just teach them the Bible, but again, have that seed in them so that they're the ones, okay. So you said that Jesus loves me. How do I know he loves me? Let's talk about that. All right, let's talk about, you know, your questions or right. And even, you know, you may have a kid that says, you know, I don't believe in Jesus. That's okay too, because prayerfully, by the time we get to a certain point, you're gonna believe in Jesus and you're gonna know for yourself. And so um, so there's a lesson that takes place the first week. Um, for some sites, there's there's a book, books of the Bible. Um, the lesson itself is generally about 15, 20 minutes at the most. Gotcha. Um, so it's in that time slot, and everything else wraps around that. The lesson is the priority, yes, um, but everything else is wrapped down there. So there's different engaging activities. Um we have exercises. The second week, there's not a lesson, but it is about that critical, those critical uh thinking opportunities, right? So there may be a question answer, there may be an activity that provokes, you know, okay, so what did we talk about? You know, um, do you have any questions? Or um, what did we learn last week? You know, um, there's a motto that we say every week. Um, we have um this year we are doing scriptures where even though there are lessons, there are scriptures in the lesson, yes, there are five scriptures that we are teaching over um the course of the year that are repetitious. And so repetition is something that also we implemented. So John 3.16 is the first scripture, and it's with a song and hand motions, and I I have it in my head from the trade I got offers. John 3.16. You know, and so those things are reinforced. Um, generally, of course, then there's attendance and all those pieces, then there's the closeout, and then they're back on the bus and they're back at school um all within an hour time frame.

SPEAKER_05 33:33

Daily or weekly?

SPEAKER_00 33:34

Week, uh weekly. Weekly. So it's one hour a week. Um, we run programs currently Tuesday through Friday. Some of them are running simultaneously because we have schools on the west side, the north side, the south side, and the east side. Praise God.

SPEAKER_05 33:49

There you go. And these students are um, they have to have their parents' permission, correct?

SPEAKER_00 33:57

Absolutely, absolutely. Um, parental consent is is mandatory. Um, and all of our volunteers have to have background checks. And so all of that, all of those things are certified. We want to keep our students safe. We want to be in compliance, you know, as well, um, to do things in excellence. And so usually when parents are signing their kids up, we do a lot of things in the summertime. There may be engagement activities at the school and different things like that, but parents have to sign off for their students to participate.

SPEAKER_05 34:25

Yeah, great, great. Wow, that's good stuff. Um anything in particular that, you know, as you were driving here, you're like, you know, um, I want to make sure I definitely say this. I want the watching and listening audience to know this. And um, if if so, feel free to share that. And secondly, uh, let everybody know how they can get a hold of you, how they can volunteer, you know, if you need if you need volunteers, how they can become part of reset, you know, locations or things like that.

SPEAKER_00 34:56

Well, I think we've covered a lot when we're talking about it. We did, we did cover a lot. I think, you know, again, our mission is resetting today's youth with hope and trust in Jesus. And the prayer is just um, Lord, how do we continually and effectively do that, you know, um, every day, every week, just reinforcing the voice of God and who they're there's many voices out there, and people are always telling, you know, everybody else who they are. Yeah, but they have to know who they are first and foremost. And we are just get to be a part of that process. And so, um, yeah. As far as how you can get, we we always need volunteers, praise God. We always need volunteers. And um, as God is expanding, you know, um, just kind of looking, even as we stepped into this season, you know, we are in the building and rebuilding season. That's how I define it right now, you know, and the rebuilding is just strictly just um being able to accommodate, you know, the expansion and and the um invitation of growth that God has given to us in this season. And so we always need volunteers, it's continually. Um, and if you people are interested, I don't know where I'm looking, but if people are interested, um, you can go to uh gotcha resetinc.org. That is our website. Shows all of our information. We had an upgrade uh last year, praise God, on our website. And so you can see the schools that we're serving, you can see some of the faces of the students that we're serving. Um, there are definitely places where you can just go ahead and sign up to volunteer, and then someone will reach back out to you and we'll get that process starting. We always um invite people um to, if they're interested in volunteering, we can set up a time where you can possibly visit a site. Right. You can visit a site once without having to go through the background check piece, but once you come on board, you have to go through an official background check to be able to serve our students.

SPEAKER_05 36:53

That's great. That's good. Good. All right. Well, I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. I know you're busy, you have a lot going on with uh with all your new roles and um just just being part of the community. So you always busy and having a family, husband, and you're busy, friends, you know. But um, thank you for taking time out to share about reset and your partnership with Turn. We really appreciate what you are doing as well.

SPEAKER_00 37:21

No, thank you. I appreciate you, and I appreciate Turn and just this what you know they're doing, not just in the Columbus community, because I think it's a ripple effect. Yeah, and we get to be a part of it, and it's just exciting just to see um that God is who he says that he is, you know, and we get to be a part of that.

SPEAKER_05 37:41

So all right. Well, we want to thank you for listening to listening and watching Turn Up with Pastor Charlie. I am your host. Um, and again, we'd like to thank the River Radio Podcast Studio for the space that we do occupy, for the broadcasting all over worldwide. To our visionary, Burton Stephanie Lindsey, the Lindsay Foundation, and all our partners and local churches. 501c3 is a nonprofit organization that has come beside us all for the well being of the community. We say thank you for all that you are doing and God bless.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

Thank you. Amen.