Early Beginnings

	His nickname was Unnie. His game was basketball. He doesn’t mean much to you, but then neither do Julius, Snowball, Silk, Kerry, Big Sky Shelton (Georgetown), Thuryl Bailey (North Carolina State), “Tweetie Bird” or Derrick Whittenberg (North Carolina State), Sidney Lowe (North Carolina State), Vernon, Greg and Willie with a whole host of nameless urban athletes who had two things in common: a love for basketball and a God whose love for them could not be imagined.
	The year was 1976. The plan was to have Basketball Marathons for the purpose of evangelism. Recruit the best players. Practice for weeks. Encourage coaches to share their testimonies. Pray often, share the Word, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and just be light. It worked. The actual day of the Marathon, hundreds came. One great name player would attract other great name players. Before long the press came. By the time the gospel was shared Spectators, loved ones, cheerleaders and players got saved.
	William Wort Jr. High School was the scene of transformation. Each and every Saturday there was like a 5-Star basketball camp. Coach Morgan Wooten of the legendary Dematha High School came. Lefty Drissell head coach of the University of Maryland Basketball Team came. The Hall of Fame great Elvin Hayes affectionately named the “Big E” also came to offer his support, to watch poetry in motion. But there was more, so much more; there was grace in motion. Sure, we won basketball games, but more, so much more, we won the “Game of Life.” We were the “Crunch Bunch.” We were magic on the floor and a spectacle to behold. Like Disney on ice, this was magic on wood as player after player was slam dunked into God’s forever family. They all played for the “Hall of Fame”, but now one by one they proudly played for God’s eternal “Hall of Fame”. After each local tournament we would progress to regional Word of Life tournaments and eventually their National Basketball Championships.
	Above & Beyond began at Riverdale Baptist Church in Riverdale MD. during a Sunday School class in the spring of 1978. God used His Word from 1Corinthians 15:58 to speak to 40 teenagers. They spent their upcoming summer serving the Lord Above & Beyond the call of duty. God moved mightily that summer on the streets of Riverdale MD. through open air meeting and personal evangelism with an afternoon Bible Institute for the students. As the summer was coming to an end, Mr. James Skinner challenged youth director, Ken Mahan “not to return to a status quo youth group but to instead continue with a youth group that would forever serve the Lord Above & Beyond the call of duty.” What God had done that summer was too special and could never be duplicated so, “God, if it’s to be Above & Beyond then you are going to have to do it.” And do it He did. A prayer meeting on the floor of an old Butler Building resulted in the Above & Beyond Youth Ministry. Within weeks, karate, gymnastics and music ministry teams began. Habits of godly living, adopted from Word of Life, were established to create the right environment for students to grow in Christ.
	Watching God do the impossible is such a privilege and such a joy. Watching God touch the lives of the “Weebles” (Maryland State’s girl travel soccer champions) who would wobble but not fall down. God saved five girls of that thirteen-member team. All because of one church who had a vision for a soccer marathon to lead these girls to Christ.
	God miraculously saved Mark Frazier. Until God came into Mark’s fifteen year old life he could only afford to eat one potpie per day. He slept in a one-room boarding house with no father and an incapacitated mom. He rode his bicycle five miles each way to church because a church had the vision for a weightlifting and karate for Christ ministry team.
	Watching God touch the life of a Cleveland inner city gang member, Mike Winburn whose story of survival is recorded in God’s Who’s Who of forgotten boys, just to be reunited with his brother, aunt and cousins then to be united, even adopted into God’s forever family. This amazing life story happened because of one local church’s gymnastics and kung-fu ministry team.
	Joe Theisman was the All Pro, Hall of Fame quarterback for the Washington Redskins. On the night before Joe’s career abruptly ended by the fateful “sack” from All Pro, linebacker Lawrence Taylor of the NY Giants, Joe had been invited to chapel. Joe had never been to a Redskins chapel service. As Joe was walking past the chapel room, he did a double take, stopped and went back to get a closer look. There in the front of the room were bricks, boards and barbells all set up for chapel to begin. He said, “Breaking for Jesus. This I got to see.” He returned with girl friend Kathy Lee Crosby (co-host of “That’s Incredible”) and Mark Mosely. When the chapel service was over both Joe and Kathy Lee were crying. Joe was heard saying, “Let’s get out of here. I can’t take it.” (positive conviction) Several Washington Redskins asked Jesus Christ to be their Savior that night. Mrs. Gibbs said, “This was the first chapel service where any of our players have been saved.” What was significant about this “Above & Beyond” chapel was that Joe had never been to any other chapel before.
Testimony #1
	Shawn’s love was extreme roller blading. What began as fun roller blading down the family drive way, launching off of a home made wooden ramp and landing on the neighbors lawn across the street has turned into a full time athletic ministry, but it didn’t start out that way. One ramp led to another ramp. Ramps led to teenagers, a lot of teenagers. Shawn had ramps in the driveway. Ramps in the back patio around the pool. Ramps all over the church parking lot. Shawn then had to have a roller blade camp. It wasn’t long before God had supplied a warehouse for this outreach. Then a Christian Roller Blade Xtreme Ministry Team formed. Then Shawn needed a trailer to store and transport all the equipment. Local, regional and national tournaments followed. ESPN2 filmed Shawn completing a double flip at the NISS competition in Miami. That led to sponsorships of clothing and skates. Ministry at Island Water Sports Midnight Madness enabled him to share his testimony with hundreds. Above & Beyond Skate Camp was followed by an invitation to minister at Living Waters Camp in Maine. Then Word of Life Camp asked the Above & Beyond Xtreme Team to come not one but two weeks to the “Cage.”
Testimony #2
	Steve had just been kicked out of his second private school. As a new student at Westminster Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. he was about to be kicked out of his third school when Jason invited him home for the weekend. Jason was into roller blading so Steve got into roller blading. Jason was into wake boarding so Steve got into wake boarding. Jason was into gymnastics and slam dunking so Steve got into gymnastics and slam dunking. Steve did eventually get kicked out of Westminster but Jason used that opportunity to lead Steve to the Lord. Now for the first time in Steve’s life, he was in a public High School of a predominantly different race. The first several months he was beat up at least once or twice every week. Steve needed God now more than ever. Steve eventually joined Above & Beyond’s gymnastics and slam dunk teams. Steve joined the band and water ski team. By Steve’s junior year in High School he was averaging a 3.9 GPA. When Above & Beyond’s Xtreme Team ministered at Westminster Academy’s half-time, Steve’s spirit and attitude enabled the High School principle to invite Steve to re-enrole. Although Steve was flattered and his parents were ecstatic. Steve was now on a mission. Jason and Steve’s Ministry Teams had begun to minister at Miami Heat half times, Public School “Pep Rallies,” Island Water Sports Midnight Madness, and Greece. By the way, Steve recorded his first Christian CD while being the worship leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Florida State. He has since married his youth group sweetheart Sarah and was recently baptized. Another testimony to the glory of God!