Above and Beyond is a group of core sports athletes and street style artists whose stories have one common denominator, life from God, above and beyond. Although none of them are perfect, they are free to live life Above & Beyond. Their passion is to grow in this life style and to inspire everyone they meet to live life at their best, to live life “Above & Beyond.”
Above & Beyond began at Riverdale Baptist Church in Riverdale, Maryland, during a Sunday School class in the spring of 1978. God used I Corinthians 15:58 to speak to 40 teenagers. They spent that summer giving themselves “fully (above and beyond their norm) to the work of the Lord…. “ God moved mightily that summer on the streets of Riverdale through open-air meetings, personal evangelism and an afternoon Bible institute for students. At summer’s end, church usher/evangelist/encourager James Skinner challenged youth director Ken Mahan, “do not return to a status quo youth group, but instead continue with a youth group that will forever serve the Lord above and beyond” the status quo. Knowing that what God had done that summer was too special to try to duplicate, Ken gave it to the Lord, “God, if it’s to happen, then you are going to have to do it.” And He did.
Memories of seeing gymnasiums packed with spectators who had come to watch the “Crunch Bunch” basketball games and to see black belt karate demonstrations at the University of Maryland and at Word of Life Bible Institute…the response when the Good News of the Gospel was shared…the impact on a city and in the lives of those 40 teenagers when ministry was coupled with daily worship, prayer and Bible study–all merged together during a prayer meeting on the floor of the old Butler Building at Riverdale Baptist Church. Mr. Skinner’s challenge was embraced. Above & Beyond Ministry arose and took shape. Within weeks, karate, gymnastics and music ministry teams were reaching out. Habits of godly living, adopted form Word of Life, were established and nurtured fertile environments for students to grow in their walk with Christ.
Today, more than 30 years later, the dream continues to grow.
For more information, please visit: www.liveab.com
