Parchment & Pen Blog

Blog readers: I am fully in fundraising mode! Forgive me for using the blog to get the word out about our needs as a ministry, but it does take some begging to do what we do at the Credo House. Thankfully, I don’t have to do this as much as I used to! But the end of the year is very important to our financing. Below is my continued plea. If you are a regular blog reader and believe in what we are doing, would you consider becoming a regular contributor to our cause?

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Dear Credo House Ministries Friends and Partners,

Yes, our 2011 end-of-year fundraising campaign continues. We are close to $20,000 of the $100,000 we are praying for! Thank you all so much for your support. But we need more.

My goal in this email is to continue to persuade you to partner with us in a very big way. We have talked about what we have done over the last year. We have talked about the dreams of future Credo Houses in cities all over America (with Dallas as a real possibility for the next Credo plant). Now, I want to let a few people tell you in their own words what Credo House Ministries means to them.

First, let me introduce you to Jan (not her real name). Due to life’s difficulties, she began to seriously question her faith. She was frantically searching for somewhere to turn, for someone who would listen to her. She felt very alone. Then she found hope through our ministry:

“What a comfort your blog is to me. I have been reading and reading and reading the archives. The doubts, I’m sure, will not ever fully retreat, but now I have someone who has come alongside me and provided some much-needed support and comfort. Thank you for your ministry.”

Listen to the testimony of Harmen:

“Hi, a few months ago I started feeling the urge to grow in my faith. I found your online videos for the Theology program. I have been going through your videos while following your podcast for the last two months. I am writing to thank you for what you do. . . . I am open to the questions I used to be afraid to ask. I can now discuss difficult topics with other people and I am growing in Christ every day. I have found my faith to have substance, and my foundation for growth, the soil of my heart is good. I have had a strong desire to grow since I began this new chapter of my life, and I hope God will use this experience to open doors for me in His ministry. I hope that I one day things will work out for me to go to seminary, and even have the chance to meet you. Sir you have my respect, God Bless!”

Here is another from a guy in Dallas:

“I went through the entire Theology Program videos in about 1 month. I was addicted to it! It has changed my whole outlook on theology. It has made theology fun and exciting for me. I now read all your blogs and listen to Theology Unplugged. I hope some day I can come to OK and check out the Credo House. You are an inspiration to me. The way you struggle and wrestle with the issues has influenced me greatly and I’m going through TTP a second time with several friends now here in Amman and it is really blessing us. Thank you so much for creating TTP and RTMM.”

Finally, let me introduce you to an almost atheist:

“I want you to know how much your web ministry has meant to me. It literally saved me from a lifetime of agnostic indifference, and even atheism. Your Theology course opened my eyes to the reality of what Christianity is, and dispelled the myth that “tabloid theology” force-fed me my whole life. In turn, my enthusiasm influenced my brother, and he is also now an active member of our [apologetics organization]. We even have purchased Bible Bootcamp for our group. It’s obvious to me that your ministry is a major part of God’s plan to initiate a new renaissance in Christian thinking, especially in light of the more sophisticated challenges that lay ahead of us in this new age.”

It has been ten years since I started the first theology course at 9am on a Saturday morning with twelve singles. Here we are, ten years later ,with the exact same goal and mission. Those of you who know me well know that this is what I live for. To see people believing more accurately and more deeply today than they did yesterday is not just a catchy mission statement; it is my continual prayer. I don’t think you will find many visions as big as ours. May the Lord be glorified and Christ be magnified.

We’re excited that nearly $20,000 of our $100,000 year-end goal has already been given. Thank you! Would you help us to continue to be a unique equipping ministry? Would you help us plant Credo Houses? Would you make an end-of-year donation today? Please click here to make a donation.

C Michael Patton
President and Founder, Credo House Ministries

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