| It is my privilege to serve as the chairman of Narrow Gate Foundation's Board. My son, Adam Stoner, co-founded the ministry, and my wife Beth and I have served on the Board since the organization's inception. Narrow Gate's story flows from Adam's own journey. For years we tried to help him overcome struggles with anger and low self-esteem, manifested in compulsive behaviors. After seeking help from many professionals without much change, Adam's life was radically affected by an encounter with God. While professionals of various kinds provide effective services in our society, in Adam's case what he really needed was a living relationship with Jesus. That is what he found through Narrow Gate. Bill and Stacy Spencer, executive directors, invited Adam to live with them and began sharing their love and knowledge of Christian truth. God revealed to Adam who he is in Christ and His purpose for his life. We have seen God completely restore our son's life. He is now a mature, servant-hearted leader seeking his undergraduate pre-Med degree at Samford University with a double major in Chinese. Over the last seven years we have seen Narrow Gate Lodge grow and mature through many challenges to become a strong, effective organization. Up to 36 young men come each year looking for meaning and purpose. God and the love of the Narrow Gate family profoundly touches each of them. Early on we faced staff and curriculum development challenges. We overcame them by working with DDI's leadership experts to develop a staff training and development program that enables certain graduates to transition into leadership positions at Narrow Gate and other organizations. The curriculum has been tested and refined over the years, and Narrow Gate's staff has applied this base of instructional materials throughout each student's experience. Another of our challenges has been fundraising; we are always seeking to grow in how we share our story and connect with those who value our mission. To improve our efforts, we segmented our approach into five categories: students'families, churches, businesses, foundations and events. We hired a grant-writer and event consultant as well as a strategic marketing coordinator to oversee these efforts. Narrow Gate Foundation will continue investing in training in order to equip these individuals for long-term effectiveness. In terms of leadership, we are blessed with a family of dedicated volunteers. Chief among them are our Board members and their spouses, who bring a wealth of business and ministry experience as CEOs, business owners and individuals with top-level administrative and support experience. Another key challenge through the years has been finding a property for Narrow Gate Lodge. The journey has taken us from Bill and Stacy's basement to shared space on another ministry's property. In 2007, we finally arrived at Narrow Gate's permanent home on 122 acres in Middle Tennessee, a property that, with a lodge and two barns, is a key element in Narrow Gate Lodge's effectiveness: Its seclusion and natural beauty allow young men to disconnect from the noise of the world to hear the voice of their Maker. We continue working to enhance the property as a refuge for our students. Thank you for your consideration of Narrow Gate! The ministry is making a difference in the lives of young men and their families, and in turn, the world is being changed for the better. We gratefully receive all support as a sacred trust, to be handled with humility and invested with highest standards of care and stewardship. Philip P. StonerBoard Chairman |
