| December 18, 2007 |
Vol 8, Issue 38 |
|
 Get Ready to Lead!
"It's simple. We're just changing the world."
| |
|
|
|
Does your heart beat for this?
| With all the despair you hear about the future, would it lift your spirits to know that there are thousands of committed Christians uniquely positioned to equip the next generation of culture-shaping leaders?
What if I told you that these folks are begging to be trained and unleashed so they can can personally mentor, coach and disciple young people into positions of world-changing influence?
And what if the match needed to light the blaze is in your hands? What if by doing something you're fully capable of doing, you could kindle the fire of one of the most strategic ministry opportunities of our times?
Would that make your heart beat faster? If so, this is the invitation you have been waiting on...
| |
| Interested in a high yield investment--with huge kingdom-building dividends? | Dear
Though it was winter in Iloilo, Philippines, the temperature was in the 90s and humid. We were using the hours before our Passing the Baton workshop to prepare a documentary about what God has been doing through Passing the Baton-Philippines.
As we sought refuge from the mid-day sun, one of the cameramen struck up a conversation:
"How many teachers will you train on this trip?"
"About a thousand," I said.
"And how many students will they reach this year?"
"About 40,000," I replied.
"That's incredible," he said. "That many students could change this entire country."
I smiled. "Exactly."
I've been involved in a lot of high impact ministries in my life, but nothing compares to what God is doing through Passing the Baton International.
That's why I call this an investment opportunity--because I am asking you to invest in a ministry that is doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time in history.
I really need your help. We are poised to triple the impact of the ministry in just one year but can only succeed if those who have benefited from my writing, teaching and training can help me raise $250,000.
Out of our 11,000 "Get Ready to Lead" subscribers, there are 2,000 who faithfully read every issue (You've made it this far, so you're probably one of them!). If each of these 2,000 people contributed $125, we would have the needed funds to get a strong start in January. Some can give more, others less, but please prayerfully consider this request.
If the funds don't come in from friends, I'll need to spend about 1/3 of my time in 2008 crafting appeals to foundations and businesses. I can't help but feel that this precious time would be better used training trainers, developing strategic partnerships, speaking and writing.
If you already know you want to give, please click here and click on the "donate" button. Or read on to learn about how we are proactively preparing the younger generation rather than repairing the older generation.
Our philosophy is summed up in a simple but memorable phrase, borrowed from Truett Cathy: "It's better to build a boy than to mend a man."
Don't get me wrong. Christians are supposed to help mend people. Each Christmas our family receives invitations to support ministries to the poor, and we gladly give of what we have.
But most of the destitute are poor because of bad family leadership and bad political leadership.
For a fraction what it costs to clean up messes made by wicked leaders, PTBI can prepare a generation to lead with godly wisdom.
As an example, it costs $250,000 to keep five men in prison for one year. For that amount PTBI can train twenty thousand Christian school teachers who in turn can prepare half a million young potential leaders every year for the rest of their careers.
But there is a narrowing window of opportunity for this investment.
Every generation passes a baton, either of godly faithfulness or of self-centered skepticism. PTBI admonishes, persuades and trains the older generation to do the right thing by personally investing in young lives.
Opportunities for the older generation to complete a good baton pass are slipping away. Up to 50% of today's leaders plan to retire in the next five to seven years, and fewer than half of our churches, businesses and governments have a succession plan.
It's hard to believe that a generation would walk away from ensuring its legacy, but studies reveal a shocking self-centeredness in the baby boom generation--indifference to the next generation and a desire to live off the fat of the land rather than change the world.
Maybe that's why one commentator referred to the baby boom generation as the first generation of any species in the world to forget how to parent its young.
So how should we make a smart investment in the next generation?
Smart investors patiently wait until the market is down, and then buy stock at a discount from those panicked individuals whose only goal is to not lose too much.
Smart ministries operate the same way. That's why we at PTBI see the complacency of the baby boom generation as an enormous opportunity: if today's secular humanist leaders refuse to raise up a new generation after their own kind, then we should raise up Christians to take their places!
There is clearly a demand--Passing the Baton has grown by 267% growth in just one year.
In 2006 PTBI served more than 150 schools, churches and homeschool organizations. In 2007, more than 400 organizations received the Passing the Baton training, a growth of 267 percent. Paula is a teacher at a Christian school that received our training. She said:
"Before the workshop, teachers were losing focus and developing a negative attitude. After the workshop, teachers defined what the school climate ought to be, mapped out a plan for change, and prayed together. Three of my own children are in the school and I can attest to the huge transformation that has taken place. Passing the Baton was truly used by God as a catalyst for this change."
Imagine this success story being played out in 400 schools, churches and homeschool co-ops, not just in the U.S. but in Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. That's what God did in 2007.
Now is not the time to rest on our laurels or to draw back out of fear or discouragement. It's time to go deeper through ever more intentional, strategic training:
- We are preparing to put our course on-line so that people all over the world can instantly receive training. We recorded the course last week and will launch it in February.
- We have a brand new book called Handoff with testimonials from high level Christian leaders, scheduled for publication in March. Distributing 20,000 copies of this book to decision-makers could turn the attention of a generation toward the urgency of passing the baton of godly faithfulness.
- We need a massive "get out the word" effort for the 23,000 Christian schools we believe will want training for their teachers and students.
- We need a person to help us properly steward the international opportunities that are coming fast and furious in the Philippines, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Mexico and Eastern Europe.
These build the foundation for even more strategic initiatives, such as
- A scholarship program that identifies godly young leaders and ensures that they receive mentoring into positions of significant influence.
- A fully developed research institute. The longest-lasting causes are those backed by strong academic research. This would help us continually improve and make a strong case to charitable foundations.
The coals are hot. Now it's time to build the bonfire.
In 2006 and 2007 we piled up kindling and God lit the match. The fire is burning hot. It's time to put fuel on the fire that can burn for years.
Of course, we do trust God to provide. But Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man makes his plans but God guides his steps." God will not water seeds we have failed to plant. It's our responsibility to seek wise counsel, dream big dreams, and ask others to join us.
So, I'm asking: Will you partner with Passing the Baton International this year?
We have carefully stewarded past gifts and have stayed in the black. But to reach our goals for 2008 we need to raise $250,000, in addition to what can be raised through program fees and book sales. Raising this would more than triple our impact and establish a long-term financial foundation for the future.
Would you help me, please?
If you've helped PTBI in the past, I hope you've been able to see the value of your investment.
Maybe you've been following my reports but haven't committed to helping us financially yet. Now would be a great time--not only for the end-of year tax deduction, but to build on existing momentum.
I really need your help. Please click here and click on the "donate" button to contribute with a credit card or PayPal account. We'll immediately send you a receipt by e-mail.
If you'd rather contribute by check, our address is Passing the Baton International, PO Box 7, Dayton, TN 37321.
If you'd like to give monthly rather than a one-time gift, you can do that with the postpaid envelope we send with your receipt.
For folks age 70 and 1/2 or older, did you know that you can give money tax free out of your IRA? Click here to find out how.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 From Jeff Myers: Merry Christmas!
It's easier to build a boy than to mend a man. That's what Passing the
Baton is doing--training up godly leaders for our future. We have an opportunity to more than triple the impact of the ministry, but we really need your help to do it. Please click here
and hit the "donate" button to give us an immediate boost. We'll turn right around and invest the
money in kingdom-building projects that will shape an entire generation.--Jeff
Jeff Myers, Ph.D., President
Passing the Baton International, Inc.
Click here to e-mail me. Or here to visit our website. |
|
|
