Oak Ranch grew in response to the calling of a Raleigh, N.C. man, named Lyston Peebles, who is the Director of Cherokee Gives Back, a service of Cherokee Investment Partners, LLC. Through a local mentoring program Lyston met 9-year-old Ben, a boy with little or no family support. His less than stable family of 13 included seven brothers, all serving prison sentences, and his background earmarked Ben as a likely candidate for a downward spiral - drug involvement, run-ins with the law and the legal system and eventual incarceration.

In order to alter the direction in which Ben was headed, it was essential for the boy to be removed from his environment. Lyston invited Ben to live with him and become a part of his life and home. Because of the countless rejections and betrayals Ben had endured, their shared journey was a struggle for both of them. But Lyston persevered in shaping a healthy environment to help Ben improve such basic life skills as learning to trust another human being.

In doing this Lyston came to realize Ben and many others like him needed more than just a mentor. They needed a family to love them, counselors to help them deal with years of pent-up pain and anger, and an environment that encourages intellectual, physical, social, emotional and spiritual growth.

Every experience with Ben, even the painful ones, increased Lyston's calling to help other children with similar needs. After researching many children's homes and residential services, he concluded that Eagle Ranch in Chestnut Mountain, Ga., was the best program in the country. Lyston and others decided to build a program modeled after Eagle Ranch near the Raleigh area.

The dream Lyston nurtured in his heart is now becoming a reality. Oak Ranch found the ideal land site in the spring/summer of 1998.This site is located on 755 acres of land on the Cape Fear River, 40 miles south of Raleigh.

1. We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament, being given by divine inspiration, are the word of God, the final and supreme authority in all matters of faith and life.
   
   
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
   
   
3. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His perfect, sinless life, in His miracles, in His atoning death through His shed blood, in his bodily resurrection, in His ascension to heaven to the right hand of God the Father, and His personal and visible return in power and glory.
   
   
4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is an absolute essential, that this salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and not as a result of good works.
   
   
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life and to perform good works and whom all true believers are united.
   
   
6. We believe in the ultimate defeat of sin and evil at the final judgment of God. Those who apart from Christ shall be eternally separated from God's presence, but the righteous shall live and reign with Him forever.
   
   
7. We believe in the brotherhood of all believers, which transcends all boundaries of race, sex, national origins, age, and social status. The living out of the Gospel demands the pursuit of justice, reconciliation, and servant-hood.