The Virtual Pew News: April 2009

It is time again for that thereabouts monthly newsletter. I know it is a time you can expect to hear about our needs, but more importantly, I hope I can convey to you the reason the support is needed and the ministry that has taken place.

I have to admit, I continue to be blessed with how God has used this ministry. Since the last publication of the newsletter, between the reviews and all there have been a number of interesting things that have happened, including interviews with such people as Christian Music Pioneer, Pat Terry, movie and television icon, Michael Landon Jr. and much more. My most recent article, one the phenomena of Britain’s Got Talent contestant, Susan Boyle has received over 250,000 reads in two days. This is quite amazing actually, especially if you see and understand the spiritual truths I am trying to share in that article.

While I take some joy in knowing that people are reading the articles, I take even more joy in the one on one interactions, both in person and over the net. Take for example the communication I had with an individual in Florida on Easter Sunday. He asked a simple question, yet one that caused me to grieve over his loneliness. He asked actually two or three questions started with the premise, of: “Mike what would God want me for? Why would he even bother to forgive me?” This and other questions are often the root of the issues brought up by those seeking relationship and understanding about God. I am blessed to communicate with people who are hurting, people who are seeking, and people who are loved by the creator of the universe.

Some time ago I stated to a newspaper reporter that my main goal was to see this ministry touch one person a day. He was surprised as I think he expected me to have much loftier goals. I think what people forget though, is that each specific soul matters to God and so many times, ministries take the position that they are in it to reach all of these people. In the process, along the way, people forget about how important each specific, individual soul is to God. We use cliché’s all of the time, like; “Jesus would have died for you if you had been the only person on the planet.” Yet our actions show so often that we say these things but don’t really believe it. I know how much my own soul and life has experienced struggle and conflict, I know how many times I needed a savior who would save me from that conflict. I know how hard it is to trust individuals, including often times myself. In all of this though, I have also learned that God, through the person of Jesus Christ has never let me down. I have let myself down, I have been let down by others, but my God is constant. To be a part of a ministry that is taking this hope to people in a new and exciting way excites me. It is what drives me, it is my passion, to share the Good News of Love offered by Jesus Christ.

All of this takes time, it takes money. People ask; “How do I do it?” To be honest, it is hard, and it comes with great sacrifice. I realize I will never have much in a material way, but I also know that God has used me, my family, this ministry to touch others. I can honestly say, I think we have touched at least one person a day since the ministry of The Virtual Pew started some years ago. Many of you have contributed to that cause, and many of you are among the links in the chain that has been used to pull people out of the depths of despair, rejection, hurt and so much more.

The other truth is that we need money to survive. My salary between Mosaic and The Virtual Pew is approximately $1,300 a month, which comes out to, $15,600 per year. Out of that come all of my expenses, including taxes, retirement and then some. I have been dependent on the monthly contributions to help with this. The truth is, some contribute and follow through, thank you, and others have promised support and don’t follow through. Since January for example, we have had a promise of $1,600 which would take care of the needed $300 per month of need for salary and additional money for direct ministry. However of that $1,600 that was promised to The Virtual Pew, $800 is what has been received. Of this amount, I don’t keep it for salary, especially when needs arise. Of course it is difficult when needs arise and we don’t have the money to distribute as we desire.

Let me give two examples, this month there were four individuals asking for assistance from The Virtual Pew. I was able to help out 2 of those, but the other two, we simply didn’t have the money to assist. I will state, if making a pledge to The Virtual Pew, please do your best to honor it, it really makes a difference. As a result of some of those pledges not being honored and as a result of not taking my salary from The Virtual Pew this month other things have been affected such as my return trip to Tennessee to visit with my mother who is dying. I had originally intended to visit during March, and simply put, that visit has not been possible, and with each passing day, my mother continues to worsen. At this point, I don’t know if or when I will get to visit with my mother again.

I know that some get tired of hearing about the need, but the need continues to exist. I’ll be honest, it hurts when others ask for help, deserve it and we are unable to help them. We have stretched our dollars as far as we can, and have done what we can to assist others either via net or via in person. I am grateful for those opportunities, and I will continue at all costs to continue ministering to real people with real needs, one at a time doing what we can, for each soul really does matter to God, to me and the others who have supported The Virtual Pew, those aren’t just words, and they are truths.

Well that explains most of the ways we get in the support we need. Of course there is the store on the main Virtual Pew website where you can order things and we get a small percentage of those gifts. Also when you click on the banner adds at The Virtual Pew blog site we get a little, last year that came to a little over $100 so you can see it isn't much. Of course the more you check those out, the more we could get, but the main method of support is from you. I appreciate it and want you know that your financial and prayer support mean a great deal not only to us, but those we have the honor of ministering to. To that support, I say thank you.

One note here is that we lost one of our large supporters over the last year, Dale Howard of Tulsa to cancer last month. I know how much this ministry meant to Dale, and I know how much Dale meant to this ministry. Pray for his family and we thank God for the gifts and support Dale provided us over the last few years. Dale, you were loved. The following video is in memory of Dale.

Just double click on the following video, if the video don't appear, just click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us0uKmfiGDg