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20 Things I Learned From My Dad

My dad taught me about life using nothing but a shovel and an analogy that still to this day doesn't even make sense. It wasn't really what he said, it was how he lived that showed me what real love looks like!

‘I Have Hope’: Justin Bieber Speaks of Trusting God During Latest Health Scare

“I have hope, and I trust God, and I trust that this is…all for a reason,” he said. “And I’m not sure what that is right now, but in the meantime, I’m gonna rest. I love you guys. Peace.”

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Sexual Predator Uses YouVersion Bible App to Target Teen Girls in Church Youth Group

From Instagram and Snapchat to Kik and WhatsApp, the ways that sexual predators are targeting today’s youth are practically endless. Every month, it seems a new app or social media platform is surfacing that predators on the prowl can use to their advantage.

But a man from Hillsborough County, Florida even shocked authorities when they discovered he was using the YouVersion Bible App of all things to secretly contact underage girls in a local church youth group.

Thanks to the watchful eye of a concerned congregation member, Douglas Earl Kersey has been charged for unlawfully communicating with minors. The congregant had reportedly observed Kersey’s peculiar behavior online and notified the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after discovering that he was on the registered sex offenders list.

The fact that Kersey was only friend-requesting minors was another huge red flag.

The tipster told FDLE that Kersey was using the app touting over 350 million users worldwide to “befriend young teenage girls in their church and communicate with them online.”

“She’s a hero to me, she’s a real hero,” said Rev. Russell Meyer of the Lutheran Parish of Tampa (whose church was not involved). “Unfortunately it’s not surprising. There’s a world of nasty people who want young children and open platforms give them an open door to them.”

“So simply to say ‘well it’s a Bible program, nothing could go wrong’ misunderstands who is allowed to use them,” he added.

“It was unheard of for me and I’ve been with the sheriff’s office 21 years and been an investigator, school resource deputy,” said one of the detectives on the case, Theresa Grooms. “I did not even know that they could friend request and converse on that app.”

“It was very concerning,” Grooms continued. “You have young ladies that are meeting in a youth group to study the Bible, study the church activities and you have a registered sex offender who has projected himself into that group.”

Kelsey Straeter
Kelsey Straeter
Kelsey is an editor at Outreach. She’s passionate about fear fighting, freedom writing, and the pursuit of excellence in the name of crucifying perfectionism. Glitter is her favorite color, 2nd only to pink, and 3rd only to pink glitter.

20 Things I Learned From My Dad

My dad taught me about life using nothing but a shovel and an analogy that still to this day doesn't even make sense. It wasn't really what he said, it was how he lived that showed me what real love looks like!

‘I Have Hope’: Justin Bieber Speaks of Trusting God During Latest Health Scare

“I have hope, and I trust God, and I trust that this is…all for a reason,” he said. “And I’m not sure what that is right now, but in the meantime, I’m gonna rest. I love you guys. Peace.”

WATCH: Brothers Conner and Cayden Long Leave LeBron James Speechless

When cerebral palsy threatened to keep Cayden in a wheelchair, his big brother, Connor, stepped in and changed everything for him. Now they compete in triathlons as the best team around.