West's Archery, Inc.
Delivering a strong message to the youth of America
West's Archery sharpshooting team travels the country using archery as a way to get the attention of young people with messages like:
Staying in school and getting a college education.
Making good decisions and the ability to change the direction of your life in a positive way is just a good decision away.
The power of association and finding a mentor.
Living a clean and healthy lifestyle is an investment in your future.
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To Christian groups, archery is used as an object lesson to teach Bible principles.
Here are the ways that the 5 basic steps of archery parallel biblical principles.
1) Setting your feet firmly (firmly in the word of God)
2) Properly loading your bow (preparing yourself for the daily battle)
3) Pulling back on the bow (drawing on God's power)
4) Focusing or aiming on your target (focusing on Jesus and his desire for you)
5) The release. Nothing happens unless the archer lets go. (we must turn our lives over to Christ for things to happen.)
To all groups we discuss the importance of the power of association, mentoring and living a clean healthy lifestyle. We discuss the value of making good decisions. Even if you haven't achieved what you want in life, you are only a good decision away from acheiving your goals.
As a former olympian, Mark West, has learned how to overcome distractions and obstacles and brings this out to his audience. Occasionally this is demonstrated by a favorite trick shot. The target has a balloon placed on it. Then Mark lines up the shot, but before making the shot, a piece of butcher paper is held by two people, stretched out so that Mark can not see the balloon on the target. Then he removes his aiming device (sight) from the bow. Volunteers from the audience have already written on the piece of butcher paper the most common distractions, that get in their way, on a daily basis. (ie, drugs, tv, etc.) Mark proceeds to shoot through the butcher paper hitting the balloon that he cannot see. The lesson is brought out that he must rely on his training and focus on his target and not let these distraction keep him from his objective.
Below are some pictures from a recent program taken at Milwaukee Adventist Academy demonstrating this lesson.
 
Another object lesson is brought out by quoting Isaiah 1:18 which says, "Though your sins are red as scarlet they shall be as white as snow." Charlene holds a white balloon which is inflated inside a larger red balloon. On cue Mark pops the outer red balloon with an arrow leaving the smaller white balloon untouched. In the picture below you can see the white balloon inside the red balloon.
"Though your sins are red as scarlet.............."
Teamwork and Trust : Key subjects, demonstrated during a program below.
Mark "Red Eagle" West shoots balloons held by Pastor Arthur Lesko and Elder Harry Garlic at Cuddy Ranch in Southern California Camporee.
Gospel + Archery = Gospel Archery
 
Archery and the Gospel have appeared together in many churches.
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