Life Way Ministries 2005 Fund Drive

For all those of you who did not receive my fund raising letter, here it is.

Dear Supporting Friends,

This has been a year of continual crises and catastrophic problems. A record shattering tsunami, multiple tornadoes, wars and rumors of wars along with so many hurricanes that we ran out of names has brought despair and exhaustion. These tragedies pulled our heartstrings and pressed us to our knees. It even has Jay Leno suggesting that this is not a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance.

It has also been a blessed time for ministries of compassion and healing. God’s people have with love, money and manpower. I am proud to be a Christian. Even some atheists have noticed and admitted that for some strange reason Christians show more compassion and do more hard work during a crisis than do secular humanists.

In the midst of all this we at Life Way Ministries have been quietly continuing our call of multiplying ministers. We equip believers with knowledge of God’s word along with the practical skills to live it out. Our Asian ministries are at a point where they are less dependent upon US support. Our Asian team is taking God’s word directly to churches around the Pacific Rim.

Lifeways Russia is prospering greatly. The dramatic increase in trained volunteers allows Galina and her team to develop equipping centers around the former USSR. My recent trip filled me with thanksgiving and awe to God for His work among this devastated nation.

Now for the Fund Drive. As Founder, President, COO, CFO, CEO and Chairman I had a meeting with the entire staff of Life Way Ministries to discuss money. I have been invited to a dozen dinners, golf tournaments, outings, barbeques, banquets, speakers, building promotions, fishing tournaments, flights to Africa, special events, radio funders and hard sell concerts. I asked what kind of big event we should try to pull off to get our friends to financially support us.

I asked my Secretary, me, to call the Director of Development, me, to set up a meeting with the Big Events Coordinator, me, and the Little Events Director, me, as well as the Newsletter Publisher, me, the Public Relations V.P., me, and ask the Golf Outing expert, me, and the Banquet Planner, me, who contacted the Chef, me, about getting a famous and expensive International Missionary Speaker, me, and a Big Name Entertainment Coordinator, me, along with the Choir Director, me, and the Band Master, me, to plan a big meal at an expensive hotel with me cooking and have an emotional slide show by me before a talk was given by me to pressure friends into giving. With a staff this big we need a lot of cash to keep us going.

By the time the group was gathered its members, me, me and me, were so exhausted that we had to call for someone with gifts of healing, me, to pray for strength. Here was our decision: If you require a meal, a golf game, a slide show, a famous speaker with a talk about Russia, Asia, Islam and world evangelism or a concert to get you to make a donation to Life Way Ministries, call me. I will have you over to lunch, take you to Sharon Woods for golf, sing to you, play a tape of your favorite preacher, show you all of my slides and photos from the past 20 years of international ministry and pray with you about your needs. I will share the startling stats about leaders being trained, people delivered from addictions and families set free from sexual brokenness and the thousands of lay persons and churches we are influencing.

Your support goes directly into missions and leadership development here and around the world. It goes to develop leaders in Russia, Ukraine, Singapore, Scandinavia and the USA. No local ministry has done more to fight pornography or heal Christians of addictions. Nobody has done more to develop and support Christian unity in Greater Cincinnati. We are excited about the future as we expand our influence and reach. Come along with us and enjoy God’s blessings.

We need you to keep Life Way Ministries going.

Thanks,

Gary Sweeten
Life Way Ministries, Inc
11161 Kenwood Rd
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
A non Profit, tax-deductible charity