Based on our two-week mission trip and our prior dealings with the organization, Debbie and I whole-heartedly endorse the mission, timeliness, people, model, and character of the Dawson McAllister Association, which produces radio content and runs TheHopeLine (thehopeline.com). Please join us in supporting this organization. We are confident that you will find it to be a blessing just as we have. You can help by becoming a hope coach, regardless of where you live. You can also help by providing much needed funding. There is a generation of young people, representing our future, who will benefit from your kindness and generosity. Chuck Arnold, CFO, CPA, and ordained minister, explains how you can participate.
Donate online at:
http://www.thehopeline.com/donateNow.aspx
Donations by mail to:
Dawson McAllister Association
220 Town Center Parkway, Suite 110
P.O. Box 1835
Spring Hill, TN 37174
Donations by phone to:
Chuck Arnold’s phone number as described in his video: 1-931-487-7076
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Day #16 Monday August 22, 2011
Today marked the end of our trip to TheHopeline with our return flight to Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Connecticut. We spent some time with Debbie’s sister Barb before driving back to Marlborough, Massachusetts. The past two weeks have been a marvelous and moving experience for us.
To finish our thoughts on the case for support of the ministry, most impressive to us is the character of the people and the organization. First, they have a heart for their mission—they really believe in what they are doing. Their love for God and inner joy reflect on their faces. We sense integrity, humility, and a genuine reliance on God’s leading as they conduct the ministry. They realize that they cannot succeed by themselves—they seek to collaborate with other organizations, donors, and interested parties as God leads. Listen to CEO Tim Altman describe the current challenges facing the ministry.
When the organization accepted our offer of a two-week mission trip, it was difficult to know whether or how the leadership would use our services. It was also difficult to know how the staff would accept us and how transparent the organization would be with "outsiders" to the operation, let alone donors, albeit modest donors. To be transparent is to be vulnerable. However, the staff has welcomed Debbie and me with open arms. They have shown us kindness, respect, and appreciation for our help. They made us feel like a part of the team. The leadership gave us unfettered access to virtually all areas of the ministry, while appropriately protecting the confidentiality of sensitive information. The transparency of the ministry and their high level of trust in us tell us that they have nothing to hide and are genuinely interested in our input.
The ministry’s leadership even encouraged our blog while making no overtures to control or steer its content. Their only input into the blog were twofold: 1) to ask the staff to give us their time (despite how busy they are); and 2) the spontaneous videos that you see on this site. Even as they gave us total freedom to expose the ministry through this blog, they clearly recognize the impact this social media can have on spreading their message. We felt privileged and honored to serve with them the past two weeks and to spread the message about a very worthwhile cause.
I have supported this ministry for years and, at times, have done so with a critical eye. I like to know that my support dollars are well invested and am not bashful about using my experience as a finance leader in a large organization and a CPA to do so. Even though my support dollars have been small in relation to the ministry’s overall budget, the current leadership has humbly welcomed constructive feedback. I find that the organization has a much better grasp on stewardship now than it did years ago before the current CEO and CFO were hired. Debbie joined me in support of the ministry when she became aware of it two years ago, jumping in as a hope coach.
The Dawson McAllister Association is a 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code and is now a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). As such, their financial information is available for public review and donations are tax deductible as prescribed under the law. As we are able, Debbie and I will be supporting them financially into the foreseeable future. We invite you to join us and will describe how in the next post.
To finish our thoughts on the case for support of the ministry, most impressive to us is the character of the people and the organization. First, they have a heart for their mission—they really believe in what they are doing. Their love for God and inner joy reflect on their faces. We sense integrity, humility, and a genuine reliance on God’s leading as they conduct the ministry. They realize that they cannot succeed by themselves—they seek to collaborate with other organizations, donors, and interested parties as God leads. Listen to CEO Tim Altman describe the current challenges facing the ministry.
When the organization accepted our offer of a two-week mission trip, it was difficult to know whether or how the leadership would use our services. It was also difficult to know how the staff would accept us and how transparent the organization would be with "outsiders" to the operation, let alone donors, albeit modest donors. To be transparent is to be vulnerable. However, the staff has welcomed Debbie and me with open arms. They have shown us kindness, respect, and appreciation for our help. They made us feel like a part of the team. The leadership gave us unfettered access to virtually all areas of the ministry, while appropriately protecting the confidentiality of sensitive information. The transparency of the ministry and their high level of trust in us tell us that they have nothing to hide and are genuinely interested in our input.
The ministry’s leadership even encouraged our blog while making no overtures to control or steer its content. Their only input into the blog were twofold: 1) to ask the staff to give us their time (despite how busy they are); and 2) the spontaneous videos that you see on this site. Even as they gave us total freedom to expose the ministry through this blog, they clearly recognize the impact this social media can have on spreading their message. We felt privileged and honored to serve with them the past two weeks and to spread the message about a very worthwhile cause.
I have supported this ministry for years and, at times, have done so with a critical eye. I like to know that my support dollars are well invested and am not bashful about using my experience as a finance leader in a large organization and a CPA to do so. Even though my support dollars have been small in relation to the ministry’s overall budget, the current leadership has humbly welcomed constructive feedback. I find that the organization has a much better grasp on stewardship now than it did years ago before the current CEO and CFO were hired. Debbie joined me in support of the ministry when she became aware of it two years ago, jumping in as a hope coach.
The Dawson McAllister Association is a 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code and is now a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). As such, their financial information is available for public review and donations are tax deductible as prescribed under the law. As we are able, Debbie and I will be supporting them financially into the foreseeable future. We invite you to join us and will describe how in the next post.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Day #15 Sunday August 21, 2011
Debbie and I wanted to experience a large church setting today, so we ventured to the People’s Church in Franklin, where the walk through the parking lot alone drove home the magnitude of the operation. The service was in a very large auditorium, simulcasting the message to a satellite campus in Spring Hill.
The music from the worship team of ten was terrific, complete with light show. In the afternoon, we traveled to see the Grand Ole Opry House and surrounding properties on the eastern side of Nashville. 
The Opry Mills Mall has been, in effect, abandoned due to recent flooding, but the Gaylord Opryland Hotel was impressive in its size (including 3,100 employees), if not its grooming and amenities. Several walkways through tasteful landscapes and waterworks adorned the interior of the behemoth structure. We visited the gift shop of the Grand Ole Opry House, but forewent the backstage tour to attend a concert in Spring Hill. Ginny Owens , a national recording artist and recent addition to the worship team of the People’s Church, put on a free concert at their Spring Hill campus. Little did we know until the concert that she is blind. What a talent!
As another lovely sunset, the last of our trip, touched the western sky, our wonderful Sunday was still far from over. We worked on TheHopeLine tonight from the Spring Hill Call Center, realizing that our next gig would be from our humble abode back in Massachusetts. Debbie fielded a call from a 20-year-old woman who was having difficulty telling her estranged ex-boyfriend that she was three months pregnant. She also handled a call from a 17-year-old boy who was having difficulty freeing himself from pornography. I had some very serious cases this evening, including a 17-year-old multiple rape victim and a 14-year-old who revealed five significant issues, culminating in suicidal thoughts. Another serious chat was from a 25-year-old mother of three who was seeking a restraining order from her troubled mother. By the end of the evening, I felt much more confident dealing with these issues. I felt these individuals left thehopeline.com with a better opportunity to turn things around than before they reached out. In each case, I gave them multiple resources for their issues. One of the heavier chats lasted much longer than expected, delaying our departure until 2:30, arriving back at “the Homestead” by 3:00 AM. It was a bittersweet time as we nestled in bed for our last evening in Franklin.
TheHopeLine receives serious issues every week. In the past year, there have been 45,000 total interactions, 1,200 of which pertain to suicide, 2,000 to abuse, and 600 to rape. Although it is somewhat difficult to categorize issues because many callers have multiple issues, the more frequent issues cited by the software are:
Dating relationships 26%
Parent relationships 9%
Anxiety/worrying 8%
Friend relationships 7%
Abuse, including rape 6%
Depression 5%
Cutting/Self-mutilation 4%
Suicide 3%
Dave Anderson, the Director of Rescue, explains the current state of TheHopeLine in the video below.
According to Dave, the organization currently has 70-100 hope coaches. Based upon the current demand for interactions, they could use an additional 130 hope coaches. A young person reaching out for help has roughly a 50/50 chance of reaching a coach. Thus, TheHopeLine is actively seeking more hope coaches.
In yesterday’s post, we reviewed three of the five dynamics relating to the case for support of the ministry. Today, we would like to consider the ministry’s model. We'll cover the final dynamic in tomorrow’s post.
DMA uses a model that is relevant to its audience, cutting-edge technology and media such as Top-40 radio, internet chat, texting, and social media websites. Debbie and I noticed the pursuit of excellence and innovation in both thehopeline.com and the radio production. Their model reaches an impressive number of their target audience weekly, over 800,000 on radio and 450,000 on the internet. Yet, the ministry employs only 19 full-time employees and has a current budget of only $3 million.
To put a $3 million budget in perspective, seven-and-a-half months' donations at the People’s Church, which we attended this morning, are nearly $5 million. Yet DMA is a national ministry that touches over one million people each week! A $3 million budget is peanuts compared to other nonprofit organizations of this scope. Although their revenue is 90% donor-based, they do not solicit support from their expansive audience. By leveraging their technology and their volunteer hope coaches, they have generated enormous ministry potential from a minute employee count and a modest funding base. It is a very efficient model. Although their modest resources enforce good stewardship, they leave the organization underequipped to meet the increasing demand for their services. The organization can easily increase this demand, but chooses not to because its current level of funding cannot begin to support any further demand for services. Unfortunately, the ministry cannot easily increase its level of funding.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Day #14 Saturday August 20, 2011
Today, we rented bicycles and rode from the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway, just south of Nashville, to the Garrison Creek rest area and back. The beauty of the area and the ride is shown in the accompanying photo and the video of Debbie whizzing around one of the many bends in the parkway. During our rest break, my front tire flatted! Last year, we earned two flat tires in 3,500 miles. Today, it took only 16 miles for one! Despite the heat, it was great to get out for some air and exercise. After just over 30 miles in humid 90-degree weather, we returned the rental bikes and ate lunch at the Loveless Café next door. The Café has been a renowned stop for tourists, celebrities, and locals over the years.
Today, Debbie and I discussed the ministry. The specific topic was the case for support. What is it about this ministry that compels one to support it? To convey what we have concluded, I would like to consider five dynamics of the ministry: the mission, the times, the people, the model, and the character. We’ll review the first three of these in today’s post and consider the last two tomorrow.
What is it about the mission of DMA that makes it compelling? Perhaps their mission to reach and rescue hurting teens and young adults is compelling enough. But in doing so, even as a Christian-based organization, they have chosen a strategy to execute their mission on the terms of those in need, rather than force-feeding a belief system or set of values on at-risk youth who may be in no position to digest it. They are serving their target audience by going to them, rather than asking them to come to the ministry.
The current times suggest that there is great need in today’s generation aged 13-29. Let’s face it. Today’s society operates at breakneck speed, affecting youth with its rapidly changing technology. The family structure continues to decay. Many youth must develop their own values and set protective boundaries without the benefit of effective parenting or other moral teaching. Often youth come to regret their behavior when they later experience unsavory consequences. When trouble results, who helps pick up the pieces? We live in a time when teen suicide is epidemic. Teen pregnancy is still a prevalent issue. Premarital sex has moved from those who did so in close relationships to those who do so with absolutely no commitment. The internet prolifically exposes young people to pornographic material.
In light of the times, the ministry chose to move from Christian radio to secular radio a few years ago, even though they were leaving behind a solid source of funding from a like-minded audience. Since the dramatic decline in the financial markets that began in 2008, the wealth of the ministry’s donor base, along with everyone else's, has declined significantly, even as the need for the ministry is growing. These are tough times to be a youth. These are also tough times to be a nonprofit organization.
Debbie and I have been impressed with the caliber of the people at DMA. The President of the organization is nationally recognized as a leading authority on youth issues in the faith community. As one individual who we ran into on last year’s bike trip put it, “Dawson McAllister? He’s America’s youth pastor!” Dawson has years of experience working with youth and has unique giftedness in communicating with them. During our visit, he was tending to his son, who was in an automobile accident several months ago and suffered major, debilitating injury. During our visit to the Sunday evening radio show, he explained that he and the board now look to the CEO and his staff to operate the organization. The CEO is a very learned man with a background in radio, technology, and team building. He also has a degree in theology. Despite his position, he places high emphasis on prayer and participates as a call screener due to a work force shortage on Sunday evenings. He describes below what it is like to run DMA.
The CFO, who is a CPA, and the Director of Rescue each spent many years of achievement in secular employment, leaving high-level positions before joining the ministry. Each pursued and earned theology degrees and ordination during this timeframe. The National Director of Development had a long career as an educational administrator before his calling to this ministry. One of the younger call center managers spent five years as a youth pastor, which was great equipping for the ministry’s mission. Several on the radio crew received mentoring from America’s youth pastor himself simply by working closely with him! We heard from more than one of them that they get to do what they love and serve God at the same time. We saw high standards of quality when we witnessed the production of the live radio show. Throughout the organization, it is obvious that the crew is whole-heartedly devoted to their mission, like and respect one another, share a collective joy in their faith, and find a way to have fun with their work.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Day #13 Friday August 19, 2011
Debbie and I spent much of today working with the rough layout that our team developed for the RSS software the past two days. We learned a new program, named SnagIt, which essentially acts as a high-powered cut-and-paste tool, aggregating snapshots of screen views from any program. The purpose of this exercise was to test our revised process and to provide other decision-makers with a prototype of the new design. It is also much easier to convey the concept to the programmers charged with implementing the new process. By 6:00 PM, we had finished the four-page layout.
The individual who will coordinate the programming effort and ensure its completion is Noah Curran. Noah is the sole in-house point person for web technology initiatives. In the following video, Noah explains his areas of responsibility.
Currently, there are four major web initiatives in process: 1) an internet radio station; 2) an online store; 3) a video library to catalog listeners’ stories; and 4) an “app” to allow the radio content to go mobile on smart phones. Ike Wingate elaborates on the internet radio station below.
The initiative to capture listeners’ stories seeks to highlight lives that the hopeline has rescued. Listeners are encouraged to upload videos of their stories to thehopeline.com website. These will provide great testimonials for the ministry and additional compelling content for listeners. Courtney Johnson and Taylor Sloneker showcase some new merchandise for the online store that goes hand-in-hand with the “what's your story” campaign.
As you can see, thehopeline.com embraces innovative technology to stay in touch with today’s youth.
The individual who will coordinate the programming effort and ensure its completion is Noah Curran. Noah is the sole in-house point person for web technology initiatives. In the following video, Noah explains his areas of responsibility.
Currently, there are four major web initiatives in process: 1) an internet radio station; 2) an online store; 3) a video library to catalog listeners’ stories; and 4) an “app” to allow the radio content to go mobile on smart phones. Ike Wingate elaborates on the internet radio station below.
The initiative to capture listeners’ stories seeks to highlight lives that the hopeline has rescued. Listeners are encouraged to upload videos of their stories to thehopeline.com website. These will provide great testimonials for the ministry and additional compelling content for listeners. Courtney Johnson and Taylor Sloneker showcase some new merchandise for the online store that goes hand-in-hand with the “what's your story” campaign.
As you can see, thehopeline.com embraces innovative technology to stay in touch with today’s youth.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Day #12 Thursday August 18, 2011
This morning we were invited to a team meeting that included all of the full-time employees who were able to attend. Some attended by phone. Tim Altman, the CEO, started the meeting with a devotional from II Corinthians 4. He then challenged the group to thank God for their trials by recognizing that God uses difficult times in our lives to produce stronger character in us. Several in the group followed Tim’s lead in prayer. After this prayer time, each team member gave a brief description of what he or she has been working on. Any difficult issues were posted on a prayer board. After all had spoken, Tim acknowledged that this has been a challenging year for the ministry and, based upon all that was happening and the issues posted to the prayer board, he proposed a voluntary “prayer surge” for the next two weeks. The team agreed to a 9:30 AM prayer meeting each day for the next two weeks, including WebEx or teleconference for those unable to attend in person. This commitment to prayer is evidence of a ministry that relies on God. Tim allowed me the honor of closing the team meeting in prayer.
The whole office took Debbie and me out for lunch today. We enjoyed a warm time of fellowship and some good food at a Japanese restaurant before returning to work. Surrounding lunch, with help of soundman Jeremy Gover, Debbie and I recorded some sound bites to be used as bumps on the Sunday night show. These features are called All Access and portray hope coaches as real people to encourage listeners to call. For example, Debbie had lines like “One thing that most people don’t know about me is that I have been keeping a journal since 1986” and “My favorite part of being a hope coach is praying with teenagers and young adults at the end of the call.” I had lines like “Being a hope coach is rewarding for me personally because I have no children of my own and I get to help young people” and “If I could only take one thing with me on a desert island it would be a powerboat to get back to the mainland.”
For the remainder of the afternoon, we returned to the RSS software redesign project. This project will require much staff time. Each issue triggers unique prompts and resources in the software. For the listening stage of an interaction with a youth, there are unique open-ended questions for each issue. In the encouraging/coaching stage, there are unique coaching points. There are also unique Bible passages to share. Someone must distill and map out these unique values for the many issues that hope coaches can face. Thus far, we have only dealt with one issue. However, once the template for the software is defined, someone can complete the matrix and hand it off to a programmer.
If you have followed these blog entries from the start, perhaps you are now curious as to how this ministry is funded. After all, they staff a 1-800 call support number and online chats without soliciting from those they help. In addition, they produce a weekly call-in radio show that is syndicated across the U.S. Chuck Arnold, DMA’s Chief Financial Officer, explains how the ministry is funded.
Day #11 Wednesday August 17, 2011
Joe Kelley traveled back from Chattanooga today to resume the redesign of the Rescue Support System software. The team of five from last week reassembled to put some meat behind the concept developed last week. Using dating relationships as our test issue, we hashed out what the new model would look like. The new version is pared down to three pages and is a simpler version of the previous model, which required the coach to wade through too much material and navigate too many pages while helping the caller. This project will continue tomorrow.
Debbie and I have noticed that the radio guys really seem to have fun with their art form. Ike Wingate, who is Executive Producer, talks about what it is like to work with a veteran like Dawson.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Day #10 Tuesday August 16, 2011
Today was Tuesday, again time for the weekly prayer meeting. When the CEO leads the prayer meetings, you know the organization takes them seriously. It was again an uplifting time. Today, Debbie finished the project on affiliate websites. I placed a couple of donor calls and cleaned up the computer room project started yesterday. Debbie and I went to lunch with an individual who helped guide me through a prior work transition. It was great to reconnect and introduce Debbie.
We referred to Dawson’s print publications a few days ago. He has also written 175 topic-based blog entries, which appear on thehopeline.com website, capturing years of experience and wisdom on youth matters. These entries are available to youth seeking help online and hope coaches addressing issues on calls or chats.
Partners are an important component of thehopeline.com ministry. The ministry encourages every interaction to include a referral to a partner. Kathy Cook, who develops these relationships, explains what thehopeline.com is looking for in a ministry partner.
We mentioned a few days ago that calls are screened for the Sunday night show. Rachel Cardinal, who manages this process, explains what screeners consider when selecting calls for the show.
We referred to Dawson’s print publications a few days ago. He has also written 175 topic-based blog entries, which appear on thehopeline.com website, capturing years of experience and wisdom on youth matters. These entries are available to youth seeking help online and hope coaches addressing issues on calls or chats.
Partners are an important component of thehopeline.com ministry. The ministry encourages every interaction to include a referral to a partner. Kathy Cook, who develops these relationships, explains what thehopeline.com is looking for in a ministry partner.
We mentioned a few days ago that calls are screened for the Sunday night show. Rachel Cardinal, who manages this process, explains what screeners consider when selecting calls for the show.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Day #9 Monday August 15, 2011
Debbie and I have grown to appreciate that Mondays are a quick turnaround for the crew. Even though an afternoon start time is encouraged for the late Sunday night crew, the previous night's creation of new radio programming content and servicing many calls and chats on the hopeline increases the work on Mondays. Debbie continued to research affiliate station websites to document Dawson’s exposure on those sites, while I took on a project to sift through old computer gear to identify salvageable units.
After several sluggish hours fighting our hopeline hangovers, we departed in the early evening for a walk at a park in Spring Hill. We leave you tonight with hope coach David Dees’ early morning description of one of his more rewarding support calls ever.
After several sluggish hours fighting our hopeline hangovers, we departed in the early evening for a walk at a park in Spring Hill. We leave you tonight with hope coach David Dees’ early morning description of one of his more rewarding support calls ever.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Day #8 Sunday August 14, 2011
Sunday was a long, full day. We went to a 10:00 AM church service in Franklin. Courtney Johnson of DMA had invited us to this church plant. We heard a wonderful sermon 
on the times of waiting on God, when He calls you out of something but has not yet revealed your next destination, venture, job, or activity. The music at this church was outstanding. 
Courtney was the bass player for the band. We surmise that many churches in the Nashville area, even smaller ones, have great musicians because there are so many that come to the area in pursuit of a music career.
After church, we returned to the hotel for a nap in anticipation of a long night and early morning. We awoke early and decided to ride to Nashville, where we spent about three hours touring the downtown area by foot, listening to some music, and sightseeing. It was a beautiful day. We returned to our hotel, put on a fresh change of clothes, and headed south to Spring Hill, arriving shortly after 7:00 PM. After praying with the Call Center Manager, Terri Henry, we took some hopeline chats until about 8:45. Tim Altman, the CEO, then escorted us to the studio to watch a portion of DM Live. The show airs from 9:00 PM to midnight Central Time. Portions of the show are replayed for West Coast audiences.
Ike Wingate, the ministry’s Director of Radio Programming, joins Dawson in the studio each week. Ike is surrounded by complex computer screens that help him orchestrate the broadcast. Among other things, these screens show pending calls, hope coach activity, Dawson’s facebook page, a spare internet browser window, and a Word document that he creates as the show unfolds. Dawson takes nonverbal cues from him while focusing primarily on a list of potential upcoming calls. Ike also banters with Dawson to either fill time or vary the show.
The production crew can insert captivating pre-recorded calls when needed. Dawson records most of them during the week when teens who were unable to talk with him on Sunday may receive a return call. In the control room window, behind which sit Jeremy Gover and several call screeners, the large, red numbers of a digital clock count down the time remaining to the next commercial break, much like a basketball shot clock. During commercial breaks, Dawson and Ike were gracious to share insights and tricks of the trade. Fascinated, Debbie and I absorbed what we could.
Calls are screened with an eye toward variety and compelling radio content.
All callers are sent to the hopeline for further help whether Dawson speaks to them or not. In reality, Dawson fields a minute percentage of calls, a strong indicator of the level of need in listener-land as well as a large audience. The goal of the radio group is to provide content that will attract and retain listeners. A successful show drawing a large audience each week drives traffic to hope coaches where real ministry happens. Thanks to generous and compassionate donors, it has been a sustainable model designed to rescue a generation of hurting teens and young adults.
After over an hour in the studio, we watched the action in the control room and captured some camera shots.
Shown here is Jeremy working the soundboard and some call screeners working the phones. We eventually went back to the call center to resume our work for the evening, joining several others taking calls and chats. Just after 3:30 AM, after we each completed a lengthy and intense chat session, Debbie and I left for our home away from home. There is a feeling of satisfaction when you sense that you gave a youth in crisis some temporary relief and some additional resources for trying days ahead. David Dees explains it well in the following video.
You can listen to live or achived DM Live shows on online by clicking here.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Day #7 Saturday August 13, 2011
Today was the first day since arriving in Nashville that we did not go to the Spring Hill Call Center. You’d think that would offer us a break, a time to get some rest, but we both awoke before our intended time with our minds going at top speed! There was so much to think about, so much to see, so much to do. We worked the blog, photos, internet, and e-mail until mid-afternoon, when we went to the mega-gym for a workout and the store for some groceries. Debbie joined Terri and Kathy for a movie in the evening while I continued to work on the blog and get thoughts organized for next week. Today, Debbie said, "I have always said that if I ever had kids I would want them to come out as teenagers. Working with the hopeline is perfect."
The ministry's web-based technology allows coaches to work from their homes, whether they be in Tennessee or, say, Marlborough, Massachusetts. Terri Henry manages the remote hope coaches as well as the Spring Hill Call Center, so she is our manager. Debbie and I can both tell you from personal experience that Terri is very patient and good at what she does. Even in a job that places a high emphasis on technology, Terri's compassion for the callers shines through. In fact, it was Terri's skill and compassion in handling a suicidal caller when we toured the facility two years ago that first moved Debbie to become a hope coach. From my perspective, Terri has offered great ideas on specific chats to move the dialogue to a positive outcome. Her suggestions teach the coach to rely on the software and other resources at his fingertips. We think this video will provide a glimpse of her heart for youth in crisis.
We are excited about tomorrow as we will be working the hopeline during the live broadcast. We will also be spending some time in the studio. To prepare everyone for the show, here is Jeremy Gover, aka Jeremy the Sound Guy!
The ministry's web-based technology allows coaches to work from their homes, whether they be in Tennessee or, say, Marlborough, Massachusetts. Terri Henry manages the remote hope coaches as well as the Spring Hill Call Center, so she is our manager. Debbie and I can both tell you from personal experience that Terri is very patient and good at what she does. Even in a job that places a high emphasis on technology, Terri's compassion for the callers shines through. In fact, it was Terri's skill and compassion in handling a suicidal caller when we toured the facility two years ago that first moved Debbie to become a hope coach. From my perspective, Terri has offered great ideas on specific chats to move the dialogue to a positive outcome. Her suggestions teach the coach to rely on the software and other resources at his fingertips. We think this video will provide a glimpse of her heart for youth in crisis.
We are excited about tomorrow as we will be working the hopeline during the live broadcast. We will also be spending some time in the studio. To prepare everyone for the show, here is Jeremy Gover, aka Jeremy the Sound Guy!
Day #6 Friday August 12, 2011
I-65 paved the way to a redesign of the Rescue Support System software in Spring Hill. After guidance from Dave Anderson, Joe Kelly from the Chattanooga Call Center led a discussion with Terri Henry, Courtney Johnson, Debbie, and me. We brainstormed about ways to improve and simplify the software. Coaches must follow a detailed process on phone calls or chats. Making the screen as user-friendly as possible will shorten the length of calls, increase the number of youth receiving help, and increase hope coach retention. The meeting lasted most of the day with a follow-up discussion with Dave at its conclusion. Ultimately, we recommended eliminating some pages by consolidating the necessary information, using hover tips, and moving lengthier help screens into linkable pages. We also recommended providing some coach-specific feedback on call statistics.
Debbie and I really enjoyed today’s meeting. Everyone contributed and valued the opinions of the others. The group benefited from the different perspectives. I was the novice user with the least experience, Debbie has the experience of a remote hope coach, Courtney uses the software in-house, and Terri and Joe manage coaches. Remote hope coaching allows coaches to take calls and chats from the comfort of their own home using web-based software. The RSS software then guides the interaction just as it does for coaches who work in call centers. Even as the software aides the implementation of best practices during coaching, it also documents the call. Call history enables performance feedback for supervisors and hope coaches. Coaches also have access to valuable information about previous interactions with repeat callers. In more serious cases, like homicidal talk, suicidal talk, or reports of criminal activity, it can help prove the due diligence of the coach and the ministry.
Day #5 Thursday August 11, 2011
Today we continued to work on Dawson’s publications. I extracted some potent one-liner truths from Last Call for Help, which was co-authored by Dayle Maloney. Dave Anderson will send these as “tweets” to the hopeline’s Twitter followers. Debbie finished a Powerpoint presentation that summarizes the high points from two of Dawson’s student workbooks. This content is likely destined for thehopeline.com website.
I was humbled today when I tried to find some resources for international callers. Courtney Johnson has been developing a list and invited me to join in the fun. I started (and ended) with Russia, knowing it is a large, populous country—but I do not speak or read Russian! I used Google’s browser translator to do web searches in Russian, and then translated them back to English to determine whether I had panned any gold nuggets. Because thehopeline.com is accessible worldwide, the ministry gets chats from abroad. Although their issues may be the same, local services are not. The planned launch of an internet radio station will no doubt create more cries for help from afar, and the hopeline staff is preparing for this demand.
I joined Debbie who was working on a list of station affiliates. The objective was to locate and review the affiliates’ websites to determine how prominently, if at all, Dawson or the hopeline was featured. Approximately 150 affiliate stations broadcast DM Live or one of the ministry's prerecorded shows. The coverage map is impressive, thanks to syndication on a radio network of Top-40 format stations.
DM Live is good business for them because it benefits their listeners while qualifying as public service under FCC regulations. However, most of these stations focus on their music and their boilerplate websites reflect this. Many of the sites link to the hopeline, but the link and any content promoting DM Live are usually inconspicuous from the front page. Given the number of affiliates, this time-consuming exercise is still in process.
Debbie’s workday ended with a trip to the gym with Taylor, while I did some catching up on the blog. Check out the sunset, another beautiful one.
I was humbled today when I tried to find some resources for international callers. Courtney Johnson has been developing a list and invited me to join in the fun. I started (and ended) with Russia, knowing it is a large, populous country—but I do not speak or read Russian! I used Google’s browser translator to do web searches in Russian, and then translated them back to English to determine whether I had panned any gold nuggets. Because thehopeline.com is accessible worldwide, the ministry gets chats from abroad. Although their issues may be the same, local services are not. The planned launch of an internet radio station will no doubt create more cries for help from afar, and the hopeline staff is preparing for this demand.
I joined Debbie who was working on a list of station affiliates. The objective was to locate and review the affiliates’ websites to determine how prominently, if at all, Dawson or the hopeline was featured. Approximately 150 affiliate stations broadcast DM Live or one of the ministry's prerecorded shows. The coverage map is impressive, thanks to syndication on a radio network of Top-40 format stations.
DM Live is good business for them because it benefits their listeners while qualifying as public service under FCC regulations. However, most of these stations focus on their music and their boilerplate websites reflect this. Many of the sites link to the hopeline, but the link and any content promoting DM Live are usually inconspicuous from the front page. Given the number of affiliates, this time-consuming exercise is still in process.
Debbie’s workday ended with a trip to the gym with Taylor, while I did some catching up on the blog. Check out the sunset, another beautiful one.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Day #4 Wednesday August 10, 2011
Today we began reviewing some material authored by Dawson McAllister, the organization’s president. He wrote several books and study guides for students and youth leaders years ago. He is unquestionably an expert on young people, their issues, and their relationships. Many of the workbooks were designed for church youth groups. Our objective was to consider ways to utilize these publications for today's ministry, which reaches unchurched youth. Recent technological changes affecting youth culture also date these works. Nevertheless, they contain much truth, so we began to sift through them considering how to extract meaningful content.
Who is Dawson McAllister? Dawson started out as a youth pastor. He honed some impressive ministry skills speaking at large youth conferences, writing about youth issues, and sharing truth on the radio. In the early 1990’s, he began broadcasting his signature call-in talk show for teenagers known as Dawson McAllister Live. He quickly earned a reputation for his uncanny ability to develop instant rapport with callers and understand their issues. His giftedness marries effective ministry with captivating radio. DM Live soon aired every Sunday night on Christian radio stations nationwide. His organization also started the hopeline to help the overflow of callers. In 2005, DM Live moved to secular radio in order to reach more youth in crisis. Dawson’s coaching hallmarks are spiritual insight, logical reasoning, and straight talk.
After an enjoyable lunch courtesy of Terri, Kathy, and Taylor, Debbie reviewed some of the partner resources. Understanding the partner resources makes hope coaches more effective. findingbalance.com deals with eating disorders, everystudent.com deals with spirituality and sexual purity, and Truth Media provides e-mail mentors on just about any issue. In recent years, the hopeline has developed, from scratch, a significant group of quality partners. Kathy Cook explains why.
As the day ended, we drove the back road to Franklin, which sent us through a Civil War battlefield and the historic downtown. We walked some of the streets and walked into the lobby of the Franklin Theatre. We leave you with photos from Franklin.
Who is Dawson McAllister? Dawson started out as a youth pastor. He honed some impressive ministry skills speaking at large youth conferences, writing about youth issues, and sharing truth on the radio. In the early 1990’s, he began broadcasting his signature call-in talk show for teenagers known as Dawson McAllister Live. He quickly earned a reputation for his uncanny ability to develop instant rapport with callers and understand their issues. His giftedness marries effective ministry with captivating radio. DM Live soon aired every Sunday night on Christian radio stations nationwide. His organization also started the hopeline to help the overflow of callers. In 2005, DM Live moved to secular radio in order to reach more youth in crisis. Dawson’s coaching hallmarks are spiritual insight, logical reasoning, and straight talk.
After an enjoyable lunch courtesy of Terri, Kathy, and Taylor, Debbie reviewed some of the partner resources. Understanding the partner resources makes hope coaches more effective. findingbalance.com deals with eating disorders, everystudent.com deals with spirituality and sexual purity, and Truth Media provides e-mail mentors on just about any issue. In recent years, the hopeline has developed, from scratch, a significant group of quality partners. Kathy Cook explains why.
As the day ended, we drove the back road to Franklin, which sent us through a Civil War battlefield and the historic downtown. We walked some of the streets and walked into the lobby of the Franklin Theatre. We leave you with photos from Franklin.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Day #3 Tuesday August 9, 2011
This morning, we were invited to a staff prayer time. We teleconferenced with some offsite staff and then shared prayer requests individually around the room. The information shared ranged anywhere from personal family issues to ministry items. Chuck Arnold, the CFO, acted as scribe. After everyone had shared prayer praises and requests, Chuck tore off the sheet of paper, which was then circulated around the table, stopping at each person who would pray for some of the items. Debbie and I considered this a blessing as we are accustomed to secular work environments where God is virtually excluded. The share and prayer time lasted over an hour and seemed to move many in the room. It was obvious that these people genuinely care about one another and their mission.
Debbie then made follow-up calls to individuals who had previously indicated an interest in becoming a hope coach. As a relatively new hope coach, she was able to provide them valuable feedback about the application process, training, and actual coaching. Joe Kelley explains more about hope coaches in the following video.
The ministry runs reference and background checks on hope coach applicants. There is also mandatory training before actual coaching begins, with ongoing training provided via the web. Some of the leads that Debbie followed up on arose from a Seventh Day Slumber concert. Dave Anderson, the Director of Rescue, explained to us that the band’s lead singer, Joseph Rojas, used to work in the same building as DMA staff. The two struck up a friendship. Rojas believes strongly in the ministry of the hopeline and chooses to promote it when touring.
I made some more donor calls as described on yesterday’s blog and worked on the data file project from yesterday. By the end of the day, the ministry received a properly formatted file from the vendor that tracks about 6,700 phone calls to Dawson over the last five years. Debbie worked some more hopeline chats later in the day.
Later in the evening, back near the hotel, we walked some of the streets of the Cool Springs area of Franklin. It was a beautiful evening. We received a tour from a full-service gym, including one indoor and one outdoor pool, basketball gym, running track, spin and aerobic classrooms, cardio equipment, and weights. Debbie is anxious to use this gym, which is a stone’s throw from the hotel. We also walked to a large Sonic Drive-In to enjoy the roller skating skill of the car hops! On the way, Bambi and her momma eluded us after they skedaddled from the roadway into the brush. Based on the commercial development on the strip, we were surprised to see deer—just as we were surprised on our bicycle trip last year to see so little wildlife in the wild.
Debbie then made follow-up calls to individuals who had previously indicated an interest in becoming a hope coach. As a relatively new hope coach, she was able to provide them valuable feedback about the application process, training, and actual coaching. Joe Kelley explains more about hope coaches in the following video.
The ministry runs reference and background checks on hope coach applicants. There is also mandatory training before actual coaching begins, with ongoing training provided via the web. Some of the leads that Debbie followed up on arose from a Seventh Day Slumber concert. Dave Anderson, the Director of Rescue, explained to us that the band’s lead singer, Joseph Rojas, used to work in the same building as DMA staff. The two struck up a friendship. Rojas believes strongly in the ministry of the hopeline and chooses to promote it when touring.
I made some more donor calls as described on yesterday’s blog and worked on the data file project from yesterday. By the end of the day, the ministry received a properly formatted file from the vendor that tracks about 6,700 phone calls to Dawson over the last five years. Debbie worked some more hopeline chats later in the day.
Later in the evening, back near the hotel, we walked some of the streets of the Cool Springs area of Franklin. It was a beautiful evening. We received a tour from a full-service gym, including one indoor and one outdoor pool, basketball gym, running track, spin and aerobic classrooms, cardio equipment, and weights. Debbie is anxious to use this gym, which is a stone’s throw from the hotel. We also walked to a large Sonic Drive-In to enjoy the roller skating skill of the car hops! On the way, Bambi and her momma eluded us after they skedaddled from the roadway into the brush. Based on the commercial development on the strip, we were surprised to see deer—just as we were surprised on our bicycle trip last year to see so little wildlife in the wild.
Day #2 Monday August 8, 2011
After a long night and early morning at the hopeline call center, Monday morning was a rest time for all involved. In the daylight, we could now appreciate the beautiful countryside with its rolling hills and open spaces, and the clean and neat appearance of many of the buildings and grounds in the area where we are staying. We arrived back at the Dawson McAllister Association (DMA) in the afternoon to warm welcomes. The ministry has two distinct workspaces in the facility pictured here. One houses the radio production and the other the call center, although they work hand in hand.
Other spaces are rented or to be rented. Layoffs at a neighboring GM auto plant that formerly manufactured Saturns have made leasing the vacant space challenging, just another example of how the troubled economy has had a negative impact on nonprofit organizations.
We were introduced to many of the DMA staff and then went to work. Debbie found some workspace in the studio to update their call database. Production uses this database to locate previous calls to the radio show for prerecorded shows or promotional content. The ministry logs these calls by issue, gender, and length. Wes Crafton, the Senior Producer, explains in the video below how these calls are used to create DM Late Nights.
Although Debbie claims to enjoy mindless tasks (as do I at times), we found a less tedious, more efficient way to complete this on Tuesday after speaking with the software vendor. While she was entering data, I grabbed a spare phone in the production area and made some phone calls to selected donors, thanking them for their past support and offering them a new perspective as a fellow donor.
The short day at work led to grocery shopping at Publix in the evening. Our pad is equipped with refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, sink, and (bare) cupboards, which allows us to save some money during our extended stay. We learned after our shopping excursion that a stovetop did not necessarily mean that an oven was below it. However, I know that Debbie is creative enough to make a great stovetop meal with the chicken and Shake N Bake that we purchased. During our grocery shopping as well as lunch at Cracker Barrel, Debbie and I both noticed the friendliness of the people and the attention to customer service, living up to the South's reputation for warm hospitality.
Day #1 Sunday August 7, 2011
At just after 10:00 PM on Saturday evening, we departed from Gilford, New Hampshire, ending a four-day vacation at Soulfest, New England’s version of the large outdoor Christian rock music festival. We arrived home in Marlborough, Massachusetts at midnight. Two hours later, we went to bed with most of our belongings laundered and repacked for a longer trip to begin a few hours later. We arose to a rainy day on Sunday. With clearer heads, we reorganized and drove to Simsbury, Connecticut, where Debbie’s sister Barb served as our taxi driver to the airport. Thanks, Barb, for the lift and the free parking. We boarded a plane to Baltimore and, after a delay, proceeded to Nashville, where the hot and humid air reminded us we were no longer in New England. We then rented a Toyota Yaris, dropped our luggage off at an extended stay hotel in Franklin, and grabbed a quick bite to eat at Subway. A 20-minute ride south on I-65 to Spring Hill took us to the ministry’s headquarters just after 10:00 PM (11:00 PM Eastern Time!).
Our schedule had us working the hopeline as hope coaches for the evening. Hope coaches are trained individuals, often volunteers, who receive phone calls or instant messenger chats from youths seeking help. Dave Anderson and Terri Henry, the Spring Hill Call Center Manager, welcomed us. After spending a few minutes getting better acquainted, Terri assigned each of us to an experienced hope coach to refresh our training. Debbie has been a hope coach since 2009, but has not serviced calls for some time and none under the new phone system. I have not previously been a hope coach, but have recently completed the application process and received some training. We were impressed with how the hope coaches handled both the callers and the software that documents the process.
After a few calls, we both went to work. Debbie began to take calls and I took chats. By 3:30 A.M. Central Time, Debbie had fielded eight calls and I had taken three chats. Debbie’s calls included a girl who thought an 18-year-old male friend had been kidnapped. A heartbroken teen who was endlessly fighting with her mother called. A mature 20-year-old male called concerned about his older girlfriend. My first chat was with a 17-year-old girl whose boyfriend was whipping her around emotionally. My last chat was even a sadder case of an 18-year-old girl who had been sexually molested by her father, abandoned by both her father and the boyfriend who fathered her infant daughter, and had contracted a sexually transmitted disease that would prevent her from bearing children in the future.
The objectives of the hope coach at thehopeline.com are to listen, encourage, apply scripture, and pray for young people who are seeking help. Equally as important is to connect them with more specialized services from other agencies, so-called partners of the ministry, to address the specific problems of the youth in more depth. The Rescue Support System (RSS) software guides the coach through the call, not only providing prompts, tips, and information on partners for specific issues, but also documenting the call to strengthen accountability to applicable agencies.
A late night ride back to the Homestead Suites landed us in bed, a welcome sight for sore eyes!
Our schedule had us working the hopeline as hope coaches for the evening. Hope coaches are trained individuals, often volunteers, who receive phone calls or instant messenger chats from youths seeking help. Dave Anderson and Terri Henry, the Spring Hill Call Center Manager, welcomed us. After spending a few minutes getting better acquainted, Terri assigned each of us to an experienced hope coach to refresh our training. Debbie has been a hope coach since 2009, but has not serviced calls for some time and none under the new phone system. I have not previously been a hope coach, but have recently completed the application process and received some training. We were impressed with how the hope coaches handled both the callers and the software that documents the process.
After a few calls, we both went to work. Debbie began to take calls and I took chats. By 3:30 A.M. Central Time, Debbie had fielded eight calls and I had taken three chats. Debbie’s calls included a girl who thought an 18-year-old male friend had been kidnapped. A heartbroken teen who was endlessly fighting with her mother called. A mature 20-year-old male called concerned about his older girlfriend. My first chat was with a 17-year-old girl whose boyfriend was whipping her around emotionally. My last chat was even a sadder case of an 18-year-old girl who had been sexually molested by her father, abandoned by both her father and the boyfriend who fathered her infant daughter, and had contracted a sexually transmitted disease that would prevent her from bearing children in the future.
The objectives of the hope coach at thehopeline.com are to listen, encourage, apply scripture, and pray for young people who are seeking help. Equally as important is to connect them with more specialized services from other agencies, so-called partners of the ministry, to address the specific problems of the youth in more depth. The Rescue Support System (RSS) software guides the coach through the call, not only providing prompts, tips, and information on partners for specific issues, but also documenting the call to strengthen accountability to applicable agencies.
A late night ride back to the Homestead Suites landed us in bed, a welcome sight for sore eyes!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The trip draws near
Last week, Dave Anderson, the Director of Rescue, and Tim Altman, the CEO of the Dawson McAllister Association, the organization that runs the hopeline and produces radio programming that feeds traffic to it, sent us a schedule of activities for our 15-day trip from August 7 to August 22. It was obvious that they had spent time and involved others on staff to consider how they could use our services. When we read their proposed work plan, Debbie and I were thrilled to consider how God might use us in the next few weeks. We’ll be sharing how on a daily basis in this blog.
Why blog about a two-week trip?
Why blog about a two-week trip to an office building in central Tennessee? There are several reasons. First, this organization is one of the best kept secrets in parachurch ministries. The potential reach to hurting young people is astounding. To remove the veil of obscurity is to benefit the ministry and those they are trying to reach. Second, they have given Debbie and me a unique opportunity to not only look under the hood, but to contribute from a hands-on approach. We feel that we have been given a wonderful opportunity and blessing, one that can be enjoyed by others who read these posts. We also believe that we can offer our readers a unique perspective in describing how the ministry operates. Lastly, we think others should be given an opportunity to support a very worthy cause, a non-profit, donor-based organization that does not solicit support from those they serve.
Adventure comes in many forms!
Adventure comes in many forms. After last summer’s wedding and trek across the continent and a winter nursing a blood clot in my leg, Debbie and I were wondering what might be in store for us during her summer break from school this year. Enter thehopeline.com. Some may recall that we promoted the hopeline on last year’s bicycle trip. This year, we asked the leadership at this ministry whether they could utilize our services if we volunteered a two-week block of our time. In early July, they answered in the affirmative and invited us to their headquarters in Spring Hill, Tennessee, just south of Nashville. We are excited to be of assistance, to gain a better understanding of how the ministry works, and to simply connect with and encourage people who are doing great work for God.
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