Merry Christmas!

Greetings! Let us start off just wishing you a VERY BLESSED, MERRY CHRISTMAS! May God use this time to show you and your family His amazing love, grace and power as we remember that it’s ALL about Him.

Life & Current Situation

This has been an interesting time for us, as we continue to adapt to life back in the USA. It’s been nice being home, spending time with our family (maybe TOO MUCH… since we’re living with mom & dad ) and preparing for the new God-led adventure that awaits us in Nashville. At the same time it’s been tough. While here, I (Jason) am reminded of how much I love working with people, ministering to them, being hands on in reaching the world with the hope that God offers them… AND how much I dislike having to raise the funds to be able to do all of that! Thinking SUBJECTIVELY, it makes sense. WHY can’t we just concentrate on what God has called us to do… and WHY can’t we just come back and enjoy visiting all of you without having to worry about money? OBJECTIVELY, we see it much differently. It is so important for all of you to be involved with your prayers and financially in this ministry! God has done so much in Bolivia over the past 15 years, and the best is yet to come… in Bolivia & in the USA! We continually need to remember that it’s not just our ministry (as in Norah and mine)… it’s OUR ministry (as in everyone who has prayed and given and worked in it)! So we continue forward!

In any case, fund raising has been very slow. It’s a tough time economically, plus Christmas is coming. Of course, many of you have continued to send your support regularly, and we have received several wonderful gifts. Thank you! Still, we are not even remotely close to what we had hoped to raise up to this point. Frankly, we haven’t even been able to raise enough to catch us up on our salary. The Hand of Hur has only paid us through October. We got behind in June & July, putting thousands into the Santa Cruz church before we left, and we never have caught up.

It’s Still Time to Go!

Even so, Norah and I are determined that we need to continue forward! We’ve been tempted to stay longer, but we need to get started in Tennessee. Statistically, one of the best and most successful times to start a new church is in August/September. That is when people are most open to changes and new things in their lives. It seems ridiculous, but it really does matter. If at all possible, we do NOT want to miss that window.

Our Game Plan

Soon after moving to Nashville, we plan to raise up both English and Spanish speaking small groups, ministering to and conveying our dream to them. Most, if not all of these people, will be new believers. We will also be looking for people who can play instruments and sing (shouldn’t be hard in Nashville ). Our GOAL is to have three groups with a total of 50 people as well as a worship team prepared in each language (Total of 6 Groups, 100 people, 2 worship teams). With those people helping, we will begin outreach services in late August. We’ve been asked many times, so to make this clear, in essence we will be starting TWO separate churches in one building.

Urgent Financial Need

Before actually starting the church, we will need to find a way to rent a building and to buy basic materials and audio/video equipment, etc. But we feel that the most important thing right now is for us to actually GO to Nashville and start reaching people! God will move the pieces and things will work themselves out after that. To be able to do that we need some help. So we are are doing the BIG ASK…

We need to raise $1,200 dollars of promised monthly support by the end of THIS year. This support would be for two years: 2012 & 2013. (This is above and beyond what we receive currently.) Our wish is that our salary, rent & healthcare would be covered by this monthly support, and that the new church’s income would go totally towards growth during that time.

Here’s the BIG ASK: If you don’t currently support us monthly, would you? We’re not asking for you to give your house away, but that you would give according to your possiblities, and your faith!

The USA Needs God!

We know that some of you probably give MORE than you can. We also know that God blesses you because of that… here & in eternity! America needs new, life giving, culture transforming, vibrant churches that are multiplying themselves around the world! This letter is not the place to explain in detail, but new churches are so much more capable of reaching this generation than old churches are. We ask that you would believe in us, and trust that your gift will further God’s kingdom in a great way!

Conclusion

Please keep us in your prayers. Pray for Norah & the kids with all of the changes that we are going through. The kids love their schools now, and don’t want to change again! It’s hard moving them around. Pray that God would open all of the doors necessary for us to meet the right people, find the right places, and that He would guide our every step!

We also want to apologize, because we have not visited nearly all of you. We came back with this great plan of visiting everyone during this time, but that has not worked out… and we are sorry! In any case, we will be traveling back to Garrett County often over the next few months and continuing to visit churches, so we won’t be far away. E-mail us or give us a call too! We really would love to see and/or talk to each and every one of you! Thanks so much for everything, and may the Lord bless you richly!

Love,