Romans 10:12-13
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
In 2006, Jeff Montgomery, realizing his only hope was Christ, became a Christian. But the Lord was not content just to save Jeff; He had plans to use Jeff for His glory. As Jeff grew in the knowledge of God, he also grew in service. Two years after becoming a Christian, Jeff began serving at the Chosen Ministry, which brings together people with disabilities and their peers to worship God. He also became the youth leader at Grace Community Church.
In May of 2010, Jeff joined the board of Urban Discovery Missions (UDM) and became a participant in inner-city missions through programs like the 1 Died for All Basketball Camp, Saturday Night Life-where he taught youth the gospel-, and the STEM program. As youth leader, Jeff led his youth group on several week-long domestic mission trips in poverty-stricken areas. But he wrestled with the question: Why do we have to leave our home to do missions? Soon Jeff was praying and seeking how he could bring together his home city, the city of Norfolk, VA, and domestic missions.
In fall of 2015, God made it clear to Jeff that EY2S was to start in summer of 2016. Over the course of the next year, God provided what we needed to get off the ground. In January, UDM formed a partnership agreement with EY2S, allowing us to use their building. Jeff spent months in prayer for 1 or 2 youth groups to go on an EY2S mission trip that first summer; instead God blessed us with 3. Then, in spring of 2016, we chose the location of our worksite at the home of Felton and Denise Woodson in the Huntersville area of Norfolk.
One by one, the Lord aligned the pieces to the puzzle known as EY2S. It was time to step out in faith and begin.