All In! (Albeit a Little Earlier Than Planned)

Well, here we sit at a crossroads. It's not one that we expected to approach this soon but the Lord used circumstances to give us a much needed push. We are completely in the hands of God and His faithfulness.

What do we mean by all in? All we have left is Jesus' Outsider Ministries and the Deep Mystery Studio. Challenges with my now former part time income have left us with no other potential sources of income. No, there is not a possibility of unemployment since I have worked as an independent contractor for the last several years. Plans that we had been working on that were meant to gradually replace that income have to be put into effect now with no time for buildup. So, we are all in with ministry and, as we can find opportunity, freelance media production and writing.

Nothing in the current ministry schedule is going to change. Events already on the docket will go forward as planned. However, some changes are going to happen out of shear necessity and we will be looking for additions to it.

Plans were already in place to make this transition. Part of those plans included a conviction that we weren't doing enough ministry in Central Illinois. As we prayed about it, we knew that it wasn't to do more in our church homebase. Rather, I need to get out and start preaching, teaching, and supporting local ministries. It's a bit of a daunting task since I've been working primarily online and out of the area for several years. The only local event we've done was the Sex, Porn, and Freedom conference held back in June of 2016. We need to change that. Not only are we going to organize local events (including one already scheduled), we are going to do more to support and teach at others events.

We have a message. We have a mission. Now, we need to fulfill it. While the lovely bride is still working on her speaking skills and comfort level (it's not natural to her), I will be putting myself out there for pulpit supply, guest speaking, and teaching on our main topics in various events. Of course, with six years of podcast archives available to listen to, my doctrine and views are well known. Whether in person or online, I strive to faithfully preach the Word of God and give glory to our Lord Christ Jesus.

Before you ask, no, the effort to preach locally isn't a financial decision. Making a living from honorariums is pretty far fetched for a local preacher. Sure, there are some big names that can command large fees just to show up and speak a few words. I have no such illusions that I am one of them. Over the years, I've preached for free and I've received some very generous gifts for proclaiming the Word. It's time to proclaim God's Word to all that will listen and trust the Lord for His provision.

We will also be starting fundraising efforts for the upcoming Out of The Shadows Conference. The YouCaring page is already set up but needs some tweaking to be more effective. Look for it to be ready the first of the year. Our current situation means that we will have to raise more money than we had originally planned but not a lot.

If you want more information, drop me an email at mike@jesusoutsider.com.

Faithfulness

There are few better times than Christmas to reflect upon the faithfulness of God. If our faith is in someone that cannot be trusted, is our faith in vain? How do we know we can trust God? Copyright Mike Kerby and Jesus' Outsider Ministries

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A Different Kind of Christmas Message

From The Archives 12-21-2015: You've already heard about Jesus' humble birth. You've sang the Christmas carols. You know the story. It's time to hear a different message this Christmas beyond Jesus' being the reason for the season. ©2015 Mike Kerby & Jesus' Outsider Ministries

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Finding Jesus

From the Archives (12/22/2014) We talk about putting the Christ back in Christmas all the time. It's a great soundbite and gets likes on Facebook. Maybe we're going about this wrong. Perhaps we need to think more like Simeon and Anna.

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