Apologetics for the Masses - #271 B

General Comments

Hey folks,

Twice a year I send out an email appeal for a little bit of help. I never call you on the phone, nor do I fill your mailbox with “urgent” requests for funds every 2-3 weeks. I hope this simple and unobtrusive “style” of fund raising earns me enough credit with you that you will read what I have written below, prayerfully consider what I’ve written, and then simply respond however the Spirit moves you to respond.

Introduction

Ten Cents

$0.10. One dime. Ten cents a day, is all I ever ask for. That’s just $3.00 per month or $36 for the year. Of course, I will gladly accept more, and I will also gladly accept less.

As many of you know, I have only one part-time worker - my wife - who works 10-12 hours a week, for no pay. Well, thanks to a very generous donor, I will be able to soon hire a part-time person for 15-20 hours per week, for at least the next several months, to help me with more of the managerial and clerical tasks that I do. This will free up enough of my time to get some things done - write more articles, record some more talks, write some tracks, and so on - that I have been wanting to do for a while now.

That is one item checked off of my wish list, but, there is still one more big one on there. I could still use about $8000-$10,000 to upgrade my website, to buy a new dubbing machine (one recently gave up the ghost), and to buy some equipment to be able to record and edit talks in-house. So, if there is anyone out there who could spare an extra $8000 or so, I could put it to very good use.

Or, if I could get a donation of at least ten cents a day from just 1 out of every 10 people on this email list, it would allow me to purchase this equipment and expand the scope and reach of this apostolate, in addition to continuing to send out tens of thousands of audio talks all over the world each year and reaching out through our newsletter to 40,000 or more folks in at least 75 countries about the truths of the Catholic Faith.

Would you please consider being the 1 out of those 10?

I’m hoping you’ll think about the value you have received from this apostolate – whether through the "Apologetics for the Masses" e-newsletter, or the CDs and downloads, or the "2-Minute Apologetics" – and that you’ll think to yourself, “You know, what I’ve learned from John is worth at least ten cents a day, I think I’ll go ahead and send the Bible Christian Society a little something.”

Or, if the value you’ve personally received isn’t quite enough to get you to write a small check or click on the “Donation” button, I hope you’ll read the testimonials that I’ve included below and maybe consider making a donation based on the value that others have received.

Challenge/Response/Strategy

"I just had a conversation with a local Baptist preacher, and was able to stand my ground with him thanks to your mp3s and newsletters that you have sent me in the past. His eyes really widened when he asked if I had always been Catholic, and I told him that I used to be Baptist. He wants me to e-mail him, and let him know where in the bible it talks about confession and the intercession of Mary..."

Isaac W.

"I have been listening to your talk on the rapture. I have a friend who was sure I was going to hell because I am Catholic. Thank you for your talk on this subject. I was able to get him looking at it, and asking questions, then afterwards he was confused about what he had been taught I told him about John Darby. This man has been a Swaggert fan for years. When he looked up John Darby he was shocked and called me crying saying, "I can't believe how I was sucked in by a false prophet." His world has been turned upside down and he is now in the process of coming into the Church. Thank you for your ministry that has given me the ability to express my faith in a way that got him thinking about, and now studying, the one true faith."

Bill O'Brien

"My husband and I have appreciated all of the podcasts you have available! I listen to them on my way home from work (30 minute drive) and find myself driving around extra to finish the podcasts as I can't get enough of them. We took your advice [from the "Living the Word of God" talk] and upped our charitable donations. Within two months our children's private school received an anonymous donation to lower tuition for all families; our monthly tuition dropped the exact amount of extra money we had decided to donate. I couldn't hardly believe it :) Your podcasts have sparked great conversations between my husband and I; we have spread the word to our friends and family and your talks have really made a difference in our spiritual lives. Thank you so incredibly much!

Jamie K.

Minnesota

"You have no idea how much these newsletters are nuggets of gold for me!"

Anita M.

Tulsa

"I am from Goa in India... I have been wanting to answer some of the sects that are wreaking havoc among Catholics here...I felt I did not have adequate skills to do so. You have given me both the resources and the courage to start. Will remember to act offensively without being offensive and will also remember 'I don't know but I'll get back to you.' I need your permission to use your talk and handout on 'Catholics and the Bible.' [Permission was granted.] I am requesting this as we generally have growing in faith sessions with various speakers at the Arrupe Institute in Goa. We have a lot of problems with evangelicals and I for one would like our Catholics to be well educated in this respect."

Aroon Lobo

Goa, India

"I am a Catholic living in Nigeria who has greatly benefited from reading your newsletters and listening to your show on EWTN radio online (Open Line Mondays). Through them, I have grown more conscious of the need to understand and defend my faith. I try to share the insights you have provided on many issues with friends and family whenever I can.

Vincent Ihaza

Nigeria

"Just wanted to take a moment and say thank you for all of the news letters. I have no idea how I managed to get on your list. I am currently Baptist and plan to stay that way for the foreseeable future. All that being said, I find it interesting to see someone addressing all of the questions I had about why sermons didn't ever seem to be preached on certain verses (or books for that matter). In general, I usually have a problem with 'it says this but means this.' Thank you for bringing some of the things I had questions on into the light of day. I am saddened by those in the faith (Baptist or otherwise) that cannot treat others with the same respect they expect as indicated in some of your newsletters...In closing, I'd like you to know a Baptist made a small donation to your cause. Not that I find myself agreeing with everything you say, but I do find myself agreeing a majority of the time (yes, I do look things up). In this day and age it is not only important to know what you believe, but also why you believe it. Thank you for not only being able to articulate your beliefs, but even more importantly (for me anyway), why you believe it."

Steve W.

Closing Comments

All of those things you’ve just read are only possible because of the support the Bible Christian Society receives from folks like you. Catholics, from all over the world, deepening their faith and learning how to explain it and share it with others - even to the point of evangelizing others into the Church. Non-Catholics hearing reasonable and logical explanations of the Faith that help them to better understand what we believe and why we believe it. There are a whole lot more Jamies and Isaacs and Steves and Anitas and Aroons out there (well, maybe not so many “Aroons”), but we can’t reach them without your help.

Would you please consider being the 1 out of those 10? How you can donate:

Please prayerfully consider sending a donation today to help our evangelization efforts. Could you afford to do $36 for the whole year? Or maybe $18 to cover the next 6 months? No matter the amount you can afford, you can send a check to:

Bible Christian Society

PO Box 424

Pleasant Grove, AL 35127

Or, simply click on this link: Donations to make a donation using a Visa or Mastercard. Or, through PayPal, send a donation to: admin@biblechristiansociety.com. (When donating through PayPal make sure to include your name and address if you wish to receive a receipt for tax purposes.)

The Bible Christian Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are 100% tax-deductible.

I hope and pray you and your loved ones have a happy and holy Advent and Christmas!

John Martignoni

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