They called him “Dirty Dan.” It wasn’t because he did anything dirty; it was because he loved all things outdoors. He hiked, camped, and even worked on a water conservation project.

Dan’s claim to fame was leading groups of young people on overnight trips. Whenever he did, he brought his ukulele and sang. His songs were mostly about science and nature. They were fun little ditties that made us laugh while teaching us things most children only learned from textbooks.

I thoroughly enjoyed every trip with Dan, and all the students did too. Whenever they saw Dan, they cheered, and the excitement was palpable. He was a local hero to all the fifth- and sixth-grade kids.

You have probably never heard of Dan until now, because his popularity is fairly limited to schoolchildren interested in the outdoors in one little section of the country. Still, there is something great about him. He wasn’t seeking a national spotlight, a huge recording contract, or enormous popularity. He loved the outdoors and wanted to share it with the next generation.

The Church needs more people who are willing to be local heroes. Their popularity might never go beyond the walls of a single Church building, but when they show up, kids get excited and know they will enjoy their time learning about the things of God. Christianity needs more people who simply love Jesus and want to share that with the next generation.