A year has passed since the 2009 Manifesto was published, which means it is time for a new one. (You can see the final report on the 2009 manifesto here.) What's on tap for 2010, and what projects can you help make a reality?
The Next Book: In early-to-mid-2010, Tekton will send to print the manuscript of the third book in the Tekton Building Blocks series, which will be titled Defending the Resurrection (DTR). The title speaks for itself, but generally, expect it to collect nearly all of our relevant material on the Resurrection and update it as much as can be done.
I held the fundraiser for DTR in the first third of 2009, and that won't require any more support. But once it is sent to print, work will begin on the fourth book in the Building Blocks series, which will be on the subject of basic Christian doctrine. We'll look at things like the atonement, the Trinity, salvation and faith, and other basic doctrines. (Things like eschatology and TULIP will be reserved for later volumes.) It'll also consider variations of these doctrines within the cults and objections to them by critics of Christianity.
The fundraiser for this book will be held, starting in April or May, to meet the support need for the production of the book. I'll explain more on this and other specific funding needs below.
The Next Film: As noted in the 2009 report, we filmed the first instructional video two weeks ago (September 2009). I'd like to do one more this coming year as part of our test run. It'll be another "pagan copycat" subject, and as it turns out, it won't require any funding from the looks of it; another ministry has graciously volunteered production means, and I already have the props I need (or the ones I need will cost less than $20).
Evangelism Materials. It is now time to produce Tekton's first evangelistic tract, per the 2009 manifesto (see that for details). The cost of this for printing will be about $500 and I plan to get it out by the middle of the year. If it goes over well, we'll do more.
Teaching Goals. The basic goals will be much the same as last year, keeping in mind that these are dependent on other people asking us to teach:
- 2-3 engagements using subject matter from the Tekton Building Blocks books
- Teaching 1-2 church training classes
- 3-4 "apologetics boot camps" for youth, performed in coordination with my local ministry partner
In addition, I will plan on going to the 2010 ISCA conference in Dallas, Texas to present a paper, and will be seeking certification as an interfaith evangelism instructor from the North American Mission Board, with a concentration on Mormonism. At present I'm slated to fulfill a final requirement for the certification by teaching a seminar on Mormonism in January 2010.
Driving Programs. As part of raising the funds needed for these goals, we'll be doing the following projects:
Budgetary Goal
So there we are. Now we'll ask the $64 (or how ever many dollars) question: what's all this going to take in terms of time and money?
For 2010, Tekton is establishing a minimum annual support amount of $21775 in order to meet the above ministry goals.
Ministry Expenses
Let's get more specific as to where that's all going, then:
- Book printing: $1000
This is the physical production cost for the next book in the Building Block series on doctrine.
- Personnel: $18,500
Yes, "personnel" means me, basically. This is to give me the time to do this work - the book, the E-Block, all of it. This also includes the inevitable taxes and Social Security that a yearly salary involves.
- Fees: $325
Tekton has to give a little slice every year to state and local authorities, including the libraries I use at the college and for services at the public library.
- Supplies/post/server: $700
All the rest, like Tekton's server space, postage, office supplies, and books.
- Tract printing: $500
- ISCA conference: $750
Total:21,775
How You Can Help
I realize we still have a hard economy going right now; but we have an ever harder spiritual crisis on our hands, and as my friend Carey likes to say, Tekton gives more "bang for the buck" than any comparable ministry. That said, I have made it very easy to support Tekton even in this hard economy (and it is all tax-deductible).
Subscribe to the E-Block: A mere $8 per year will go a long way here without a strain on your pocketbook. And they'll add up quickly in fulfillment of our modest goal. If every person who just read my article on Mithra every month signed up, I'd never have to do any more fundraising - ever.
Purchase materials: The sale of these books helps keep us going:
And of course, Tekton also gets commissions when you buy books listed in our bibliographies. You can always help out by buying books from Tekton through Amazon, and we have the whole site available on CD or download for a modest donation.
Donate: And of course, there are all the usual venues - subscriptions and direct donations. You'll get a free sub to the E-Block for this, too.
So it is that there's now a ball in your court in terms of deciding how much time I can spend on defense of the faith. As I have said before, despite what some Skeptics say. if I wanted money, I'd go back to being a professional librarian, where I'd make 2-3 times as much. Or I'd take one of a dozen or more jobs I'm qualified to take. I stay in ministry because I want and love to do it, because I see a need and because it is my calling. But I'll be plain: I can't keep the lights on without power, and I will gradually have to turn those lights out to survive unless the support goals are met.
When I worked for one public library, and their budget was cut, my boss put it this way: "We'll just have to cut hours and services." The same principle applies here.
One more note: I still have to keep a side job going with the USDA to help keep things afloat. It eats up half a workday each weekday between January and mid-April. I'd like to turn that time over to Tekton at some point also. But for this year, the above is the story - and it's now in your hands to help turn it from fiction to reality.
Thank you,
JP
