Saturday, November 29, 2003
HUMMINGBIRDS
11-29-03
I like hummingbirds.
They are so beautiful and delicate.
You can see them as they feed then ZIP they are GONE.
THAT is an image of the short flashes of insight God has been giving.
I see them and suddenly they are gone.
My job is to follow that guidance that was so clear and simple.
That proves to be easier said than done.
Every week I encounter other people that will benefit from the emerging ministry.
The design in my mind and heart expands to include them and those like them.
IMAGINE
Can you imagine what it was like when Walt Disney proposed Disneyland?
Nothing like it existed.
Can you imagine those who proposed the first shopping malls?
These were unheard of just a few decades ago.
What I am designing is as revolutionary as those of CNN, AOL, Amazon.
This has been brewing in me from the 1970s.
Our Stewardship University is the expression of my calling.
When OSU is in place, MANY ministers and ministries will FLOURISH.
Evangelism, discipleship, missions and church planting will go to another level.
Marriages, parenting, leadership development, home schooling will greatly benefit.
WEALTHY
One of the most illusive yet attractive hummingbirds has been the appeal to the wealthy.
I know in my knower that plenty of wealthy people in DFW will gladly give to OSU
OSU is an amazing value for their philanthropic dollar.
OSU is a way to help others to help themselves.
OSU is a catalyst that sets many relationships into motion.
OSU is transparent in its accountability.
OSU will have top-level professional advisors so they can trust us.
I have been going through my notes from seminars about appealing to the wealthy.
They want a presentation that is VERY short and simple.
So do most Americans.
But these want to see it as an INVESTMENT.
From an Executive Summary view, what is the opportunity?
Pray for God to grant me wisdom in this area.
Last night I worked on a central diagram to illustrate the dynamic of the relationships.
SALES
Most of my jobs have been in customer service rather than sales.
I have studied and understand the principles of sales
I need to emphasize the emotional rather than the rational benefits.
What is in it for the donor?
How will they feel after they have given?
During my previous fund raising I was amazed at how little data the donor wanted.
It is God that will bring in the funds for His kingdom.
I need to get over my fears of rejection.
I do need a SIMPLE and SHORT way to tell the story.
BONUS MATERIALS
I have been enjoying the bonus material on DVDs lately.
It is helpful hear all the preparations that go into a movie.
The costume designers, set designers, directors and others play a special role.
Special effects can mean that two minutes of film cost many thousands of dollars.
What you have here and in the other updates is the process that gets to the results.
This is like all the effort that goes into the scene of the movie that you remembered.
BIBLE STUDY
I have set aside Sunday afternoons and evenings for Bible study and prayer.
It has become evident that I need to do a study on biblical stewardship.
Most people that I talk with have an intuitive sense of stewardship.
But there are many and various lessons that make up this topic.
Pray for God to guide me in this process.
I will be sharing the lessons on the web site as text, Power Point and audio.
ONE DAY AT A TIME
The attachment is about living one day at a time and making a masterpiece of it.
This was sent to me as a forwarded email.
I have slightly reworked it in my sentence per line style.
I have it printed out by my computer monitor as a reminder.
Perhaps it will bless you too.
I have published this will other items forwarded to me on a blog.
You are invited to forward to me only the BEST ones for the Gem Collection
http://gemcollection.blogspot.com/
CRITICAL REQUESTS
I came across the draft of a newsletter from January 2001.
The ministry almost launched then.
But there was a distraction.
I have adopted the general prayer request and posted it to the web.
The emphasis is on finding and working well with a Board of Directors.
This list is very short yet these are critical requests.
http://www.osuonline.org/files/Prod_Prayer_Requests/OSU_Prayer_Requests_for_December_2003.doc
John 3:12 PM
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
TUESDAY BRIEFING
11-25-03
ALL glory to God in Jesus Name!
May you put on the whole armor of God.
May you stand fast against the devil and his wiles daily.
May you face your worst fears in Jesus name.
Amen?
COMPLETED
1. Published first support letter for international student online.
2. Given gift card Whole Foods. As I shopped I did not add up the items, yet at the checkout I had 12 cents left on the card.
3. Got a pay raise on anniversary of 4th year at the seminary. Thank God
4. Replacement of the timing belt went faster then expected. Friend gave set of free plugs. The noise is GONE. He said it is a good car that could run for ten more years. He gave me as long as I need to pay for his labor.
CURRENT
A. Working on the long version of the OSU video. Power Point slides cause me to FOCUS. I put just the key ideas on the bullet points. Two links at the end of this briefing go to the current version. More slides will be added and hopefully audio soon.
B. Lining out the steps unto presenting to very wealthy donors. Gathering the leads to the networking hubs that will introduce me to them. Going over the main points that would appeal to a person that seeks to make a wise investment in the Kingdom of God. Building up my confidence and enthusiasm. May God guide and bless in this process.
UPCOMING
i. On Thanksgiving Day I will go to help feed the homeless this year at a different location. You are invited to join. The Victory Fellowship 3100 Martin Luther King Boulevard. serving 11 am to 6 pm and preparations will start about 9 am.
ii. My favorite food is pumpkin pie. For years my Thanksgiving tradition is to eat an entire pie between midnight and midnight. This year’s pie waits in the refrigerator.
iii. My brother is in Colorado and my father is in Hawaii. We will talk on Thanksgiving Day as we usually do on the holidays.
iv. Here is your opportunity to nominate a member of the Board of Directors for OSU including yourself. Let me know soon
v. Discovered that I need a set of lifters on the vehicle. I will get these when funds allow.
IMAGES
Setting: one-yard line, goal to go, two minute warning, first down.
I am the quarterback and I choose to run.
Need excellent blocking to make the goal.
FAITH LESSONS
Faith is what matters when getting prayers answered.
The key is not your effort otherwise that would be works.
The key is the object of your faith.
Anchor your prayers in the names and nature of God.
Have expectant faith in the Living God.
Call upon the name of the Lord.
Appeal to the nature of God as revealed in His holy Word.
RESOURCES
What about many options for making a scrap book for yourself and/or as a gift. Go to Creative Memories http://www.creativememories.com/home.asp
Educational toys let the gift give at another level too www.elearningtoys.com
Tell the youth about the event this Saturday in DFW 7 am to 7 pm at the Cotton Bowl www.thecalltexas.com
If you or others are looks for a way to serve others on Christmas Eve then go to Angel Truck http://www.angeltruck.org/
Some people like to study ants. See the slide show from the home page and search through the 270 species of ants of California and 1,000 species of ants of Madagascar www.antweb.org
Here is anew set of books about Church History. I have seen a sample issue they are very good. You can examine a sample issue.www.christianhistoryproject.com
Deal with the money pressures and temptations of the holiday season plus learn to become debt-free at Cheap Skate Monthly www.cheapskatemonthly.com
Here is a summary of a study done at Berkley about the ways we use information
http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/research/projects/how-much-info-2003/execsum.htm
Here is the first of hopefully many prayer letters of international students that I have posted on the web. This is a PDF file http://www.osuonline.org/files/Prod_letters_IntStudent/Kabuin_20Thaddeus_20Kabere_2011-03.pdf
Here are two Power Point slide shows that tell the story of OSU. Use the Page Down key to go to the next slide. Hopefully audio will be added soon
http://www.osuonline.org/files/Mktg_PRES/Supporters__Laborers_and_Fields.ppt
This may look familiar but many slides have been added. And again use the Page Down key to go to the next slide
http://www.osuonline.org/files/Mktg_PRES/Power_Point_slides_for_long_OSU_video.ppt.ppt
John 11:04 PM
THREE QUICK POINTS
11-25-03
PRESENTATION VIDEO
It has been more difficult to make the short promotional video than expected.
Much work has gone into the preparation but it gets longer instead of shorter.
So I am going go to go with the flow and do the long version first.
Then I hope to be able to do the short version based on the long one.
The long version will have parts that range from a few to many minutes.
There is a lovely narrative story to be told that may run 90 to 120 minutes total.
I have written small and large chunks already, so it is a matter of weaving these.
I hope to tape the long version on Monday December 1st.
The short version might be on the same day.
These VHS videos can be mailed to you and others.
You may be able to see and hear it over the web.
Then it will go on DVD with separate chapters for each key part.
Pray for God to guide and anoint in this process.
AUDIO OVER THE WEB
Publishing audio messages over the web is central to this emerging ministry.
There has been progress and troubles.
I did get a few test messages on the site.
The wave files took up more memory than I expected.
These were more than a megabyte a minute.
When I used MP3 it was much less – about a third of the wave file.
I am still seeking for ways to keep good quality with less space.
There are four places to make adjustments.
I am learning to use portable digital voice recorder SONY ICD-ST10
This came with basic audio editing software that I am also learning.
After importing and basic edits the file is opened in a more advanced program.
Sound Forge XP Studio 5.0 has lots of options that I have begun to explore.
This is where the audio file becomes Wave or MP3.
I called the company today and was unexpectedly offered a free upgrade.
Hopefully there will be a way to optimize the voice message and save space.
Pray for God to guide and bless in this learning process.
FUND RAISING
I am becoming more aware of the love God has given me for seminary students.
God has placed me in their midst for four years.
I know their hurts and hopes.
I seek to serve them as they serve Christ.
They love and respect me.
Many have said that God has placed me in a strategic location.
These folks have little money and usually huge debts.
The Holy Spirit keeps reminding me that the tuition is subsidized.
Some very wealthy people give generously to keep the cost down.
I believe that those same people and their friends will help me to help others.
I have known that I will walk among millionaires since I was in my teens.
I will not necessarily have great wealth but I will close relations with the rich.
That reality is quickly approaching.
This has frightened me and I have avoided it for decades.
Now I must move forward.
May God grant courage and strength.
I seek to be equipped with the following
1. a video that gives the overview
2. a web site that gives the details
3. practice presentations with friends and minor donors
You can help through your prayers.
Also you can provide a letter so reference or message of endorsement.
You have known me for a long while.
What can you write that will help them to see me through your eyes?
Begin to pray about this and I will give more guidance soon.
I want to have some physical letters and many email messages when I see them.
CONCLUSION
This is a time of severe financial stress.
I have lived on the edge all of my adult life yet this is a hard time for me.
This pressure causes me to focus and optimize one day at a time.
The rent is not due until next Friday 12-5.
God will make a way for that to be paid like He has for years.
There is an auto insurance payment coming up and a large debt payment.
Pray for these provisions as well as my right attitude and actions.
During the last few weeks I have had many important breakthroughs.
I need to continue to press in while trusting that Jehovah Jira will provide.
I know seminary students that face such crisis often.
Besides your prayers maybe you can donate a gift card to a grocery store.
A friend did that recently and that was a great encouragement.
Maybe God is leading you to send a check.
My address is 4416 Swiss Ave #1 Dallas TX 75204
I have avoided asking this of those who pray for me.
So you can know that this is a sign of how tight things are.
I have faith that this too will pass.
It is only another trial of my faith.
By this time next year I hope to be making appeals to the wealthy.
In my imagination I have repeatedly asked them to set up trust funds.
These will funnel grants to those who are going into ministry.
The future is bright.
The day is dawning.
The mist is clearing.
If you have any comments or questions then kindly reply.
John 12:59 PM
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