Final Update, October 1 2012.

Projects

The Next Book: Continuing the trend started last year, the next book will be an e-book produced via Amazon's Kindle service. The subject will be the atonement. I will surely get that one done, and hope to at least start on a second (subject to be decided) before this fiscal year ends, but as before, the only restriction is beyond my control -- my local library system's refusal to provide interlibrary loan services so I can get hold of resources I need that are not close to me.

The bright side of that is that it costs nothing to publish a book this way, so that will add nothing to the 2012 budget needs.

Update 3/12: As noted, it's taking a while because of library loan issues. But it's still moving. I hope to start the final manuscript in June.

Update 9/12: The manuscript was finished this month and is now available as The Atonement Contextualized.

Film Projects. Last year at this time, I was so new to this sort of project that it took me a month and a half to produce a 10 minute film, and I thought I might get 1 done each month. As of now, Tekton's YouTube channel, TektonTV, has over 73 videos, and my production skills and efficiency have improved to the point that there will likely be at least 100 there by the end of 2011. I also have a team of helpers for various tasks like voice work and background art.

YouTube is a creative wasteland that is currently dominated, in this subject area, by people who are virulent fundamentalist atheists. There are very few rational Christians there; the most popular Christians there hold to some very peculiar ideas (like 9/11 conspiracy theories). This is a place we need to stake a firm claim to, as it will undoubtedly continue to grow in popularity. My goal therefore is to have at least 200 videos on the TektonTV channel by this time next year -- if not many more.

The good news again -- no extra cost to Tekton, other than for art supplies so I can do my animation.

Update 3/12: As of this moment, that's now 123 videos.

Update 9/12: We met and exceeded the numbers goal; there are now 221 videos.

Evangelistic Tracts (The Intellitract Project). I'd like to do one more of these if possible, and this time, the likely best choice for a topic will be Biblical reliability.

Update 3/12: I don't start these until later in the fiscal year.

Update 9/12: Due to lack of interest in the prior tracts, I dropped this project; but it was just as well, as the ministry had to purchase a new modem to replace one that was no longer working.

Driving programs.

For 2012 we'll continue with these older programs:

• E-Block. The fourth volume of the E-Block will have at least 9 regular issues. Update 3/12: I'm working on #5 now. Maybe we'll reach 10. 9/12: I reached 10 issues by making the last one a special double issue.
• The Tekton Ticker and the Tekton Forge. The Tekton Ticker and the Tekton Forge will continue with posts 3 and 1 times a week, respectively. With this year also, the Ticker will have entries that will reproduce from older issues of the E-Block; here I follow the precedent of publications like the Christian Research Journal which post things freely once they get to be three years old.

Budgetary Goal

Now then -- what's this going to take in terms of time and money?

For 2011-12, Tekton is establishing a minimum annual support amount of $20,545in order to meet the above ministry goals.

Ministry Expenses

Let's get more specific as to where that's all going, then:

• Personnel: $19425

  Yes, "personnel" means me, basically. This is to give me the time to do this work, and it will be noted that this is raised a bit from last year. As promised last year, I got serious about divvying off some of my work on other fronts, and I'll keep up with that. Indeed, I had managed to hire a subcontractor to take some of my part time work -- and they quit after 2 weeks, leaving all the work on me! I'll keep trying to find someone else, but right now there are no applicants for the job (which is odd, consoidering how many people are out of work right now).

• Fees: $220

  Tekton has to give a little slice every year to state and local authorities.

• Supplies/postage/server: $500

  All the rest, like Tekton's server space, postage, office supplies, and books.

• Tract printing: $400

  This is for one 8-page tract.

• Open line item: $??

  Tekton’s guest writer, Nick Peters, currently a seminary student, continues work on his own fledgling ministry. We’re leaving an open line item in our budget for anyone who wants to contribute to his efforts. Right now any support will go towards any joint projects he’ll work with us on. (For example, he and his wife have done voice work for some of our films.)

Total: $20,545

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 and materials helps keep us going:

• The Impossible Faith
• Shattering the Christ Myth
• Trusting the New Testament
• The Mormon Defenders -- I took this off Amazon now since they charge too much to keep it on. From now on they are ordered from Tekton directly.
• Defending the Resurrection
• What in Hell is Going On?
• Intellitracts -- our evangelistic helps.

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. (Note: If your gift is designated for Nick Peters, please indicate this in a message box for PayPal which appears at the bottom of the final "Send Money" page.)

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.

Thank you,

JP