The following is an E-Mail Ministry message. If you are not already a
subscriber and would like to be, please see the bottom of this message.
UNSUBSCRIBE and CHANGE OF ADDRESS information at the end of this e-mail.
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< E-MAIL MINISTRY IS FIVE YEARS OLD Today (December 3, 2003) is the fifth birthday for E-Mail Ministry. This ministry started with 15 "volunteer" subscribers. Today, E-Mail Ministry reaches around the world! The E-Mail Ministry messages are used by numerous people around the world for Bible studies, sermons, Sunday School lessons, prison ministries, missionaries, evangelism and outreach, talking with your children about God and Jesus, etc. I thank God for giving me this opportunity to help others to do His work. In response to various questions I am asked, the following is some basic information about E-Mail Ministry. * * * SOURCE FOR MESSAGES All of the messages I send out come from subscribers like you. In many cases, you receive something from a friend and forward it onto me. A vast majority of the messages are "Author Unknown". At times a subscriber will recognize the author and notify me. I will will then update the Archives page with this information so that proper credit can be given. Speaking of the Archives page, all of the previous E-Mail Ministry messages can be found in the Archives section of the web site at: https://www.emailministry.org/stories.asp You can then search for any message using either a key word or a category. Once you have found the message, there is a link at the top of the page to send the message to a friend (or to yourself if you accidentally deleted a message you meant to keep). So, without your submittals, E-Mail Ministry would not have any messages to distribute. * * * CHANGE OF E-MAIL ADDRESS I get a lot of requests to change people's e-mail address. Please note that instructions on how to change your e-mail address are at the bottom of each message sent out. To CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS you can either: * Go to the "Change your Email Address" web page at: https://www.emailministry.org/updateEmail.asp - or - * UNSUBSCRIBE from the old e-mail address: Send a blank e-mail message from the OLD email address to: EMailMinistry-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com and then... SUBSCRIBE from the new e-mail address: Send a blank e-mail message from the NEW email address to: EMailMinistry-subscribe@yahoogroups.com * * * E-MAIL MINISTRY VISION STATEMENT The Great Commission has always been a guiding verse for E-Mail Ministry. "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" (Matthew 28:18-20) Based on this verse, E-Mail Ministry's Vision Statement is: "To provide, free to all who ask, inviting and inspirational stories via e-mail to Christians and seekers of all nations as one of many means to build and strengthen the Body of Christ." Explanation: "free to all who ask" - Like God's grace, E-Mail Ministry is free for the asking. Always has been and, with God's grace, always will be. "inviting and inspirational stories" - These messages are meant to encourage people to think about their lives and how God wants to be a part of them. The messages are intended not only to be read by the subscribers but by others with whom they feel inspired to share. "via e-mail" - The primary means of providing messages to subscribers is via e-mail. E-mail is about the only cost effective way of reaching people in all the nations. "to Christians and seekers" - This ministry is meant to grow Christians to be disciples as well as provide a low key way of introducing seekers to God. "of all nations" - The goal is to have subscribers from all the nations on this earth. "as one of many means" - God uses many means to reach His people. E-Mail Ministry is just one way God is reaching people. "to build and strengthen the Body of Christ" - Making disciples, as the Great Commission stipulates, is what all Christians and Christian ministries are meant to achieve. I want to thank all of you for your support of E-Mail Ministry and for sending these messages on to others! "If God is for us, who can be against us." Matthew 8:31b * * * PRAYER REQUEST One of the more popular features of the E-Mail Ministry web site is the Prayer Request web page. To post a prayer request, go to the following web page: https://www.emailministry.org/prayerRequest.asp Then click on the link at the top of the page to add your prayer request. All prayer requests will be posted immediately to the web site. Please note, your name and email are optional, and if they are submitted, they will be displayed on the web site along with your prayer request. Please do not enter your name or email if you do not want them displayed. * * * CHRISTIAN WEB SITES Another popular feature is the web links page. Web links are grouped by category to make it easier for you to find something of interest. The Christian web site page can be found at: https://www.emailministry.org/links.asp You can also add a site to the list using the link at the top of the web page. * * * GUESTBOOK Many of you have posted nice notes about this ministry in the Guestbook. Your notes are uplifting and help others to become comfortable with this ministry. If you would like to post a note you can at: https://www.emailministry.org/guestbook.asp * * * OTHER FEATURES There are other features on the E-Mail Ministry web site. I hope you spend some time and check them out. Simply go to: https://www.emailministry.org/ and start clicking. * * * SUPPORT E-MAIL MINISTRY I would like to thank all of you who have sent in donations. If you have been blessed by this ministry, please ask God how He would have you support it. There are three key ways this ministry needs your support: 1) Please forward the messages onto others. E-Mail Ministry does not advertise but relies upon you to tell your friends, family and work associates about this ministry. You can also use the E-Mail Ministry "Tell A Friend" web page at: https://www.emailministry.org/tell_a_friend.asp 2) Please pray for this ministry. Pray that this ministry will reach seekers and believers around the world. 3) Please support this ministry with your financial gifts. Consider making a year end, tax deductible contribution. Contributions can be made by check or online donation. Contributions by check can be sent to: E-Mail Ministry, Inc. P.O. Box 6293 Plymouth, MI 48170 Online donations can be made via PayPal from the link at: https://www.emailministry.org/donate.asp E-Mail Ministry is exclusively supported by its subscribers. I do not accept any compensation for my efforts with this ministry. Donations are solely used to offset the growing costs of this ministry. It is my prayer that, like God's grace, EMM always remains free. E-Mail Ministry, Inc. is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization. For those who don't speak the U.S. tax code, E-Mail Ministry is now a recognized non-profit organization and all donations made to E-Mail Ministry are tax deductible on your U.S. federal income taxes. In this Christmas season I ask that you bless those who have blessed you and those who need your support. * * * THANK YOU I would like to thank all of you for allowing me to perform this ministry. I have enjoyed it greatly. I pray that you, and your loved ones, will enjoy this CHRISTmas season. God Bless All of You! Have a blessed day! -- doug -- The Entire "Staff" of E-Mail Ministry emailministry@emailministry.org https://www.emailministry.org "E-Mail Ministry" is a trademark of E-Mail Ministry, Inc.