NOTICE: A CHANGE TO FIRST LIGHT

WHAT IS IS, WHY I AM DOING IT, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

I started this devotional newsletter with certain aims in mind. First, my friends encouraged me to pursue my writing more. This seemed like a good avenue to do so. Secondly, I wanted this to be another avenue of ministry. I pray often that God will use this devotional to teach, exhort, correct, and train others and be another part of equipping us for every good work in Christ (2 Timothy 16-17). Third, I have sought to figure out ways to always bring the good news before those who may not yet be Christians. My primary method of doing so through First Light has been putting a link in every email which will direct people to a brief gospel presentation. I change this occasionally to keep it fresh.

Finally, I wanted this to be another means by which others could help support the missionary work I do. This is where the change comes in…When I set up my Substack account I simply followed their suggested model for free/paid subscribers. Anyone who signs up for a free subscription gets the daily devotional Sunday through Friday. Those who sign up for a paid subscription get the added benefit of what I have called “Saturday Stories.” These go out on Saturday morning and are generally personal reflections on life experiences as opposed to devotionals directly related to a Scripture text, though I do try to include a “moral to the story” in the Saturday Stories.

I was never completely comfortable with this arrangement. It was one of those “gut feeling” things I suppose. Recently I have had some time to think more deeply about money and ministry. I was greatly helped by reading “The Dorean Principle,” by Conley Owens. To keep this from being too lengthy, let me just say that the point of his book is that the Biblical model for this relationship between money and ministry is that true gospel ministry is always free. Period. No exceptions.

Owens, examining the texts of Scripture that talk about the relationship between money and ministry, argues the way ministry is funded is not through a method of payment (whereby those that receive ministry pay those that do ministry). Instead, it is funded through partnership. Those that do ministry have people, led by God, to partner with them by providing the capital or by investing in the ministry of those doing ministry. Another way to look at it is to see that those that give, give to God and not to the person doing the ministry. Then, God mediates what people give to Him to those who do ministry.

That is the Cliff Notes version, but hopefully, you see the point. It helped me clarify why I was uncomfortable with the model I began with on Substack and why I am making a change. The model of I am using is one that at best leaves the impression that paid subscribers are paying for additional ministry that unpaid subscribers don’t get. I realize that many of you, if not all of you, who are paid subscribers don’t see what you are doing in that light. You likely see it as a partnership. And that is good. Nevertheless, the model I’m using still looks like a pay for ministry model, and that isn’t good nor right.

I repent.

So, what is the change? From this point forward everyone, whether a paid subscriber or not, will receive all of the articles I publish. If all ministry is to be free, then I can’t put up a paywall on any of the content I publish here. That’s it. So, if you are a paid subscriber, you won’t get anything that those who aren’t paid subscribers aren’t also getting.

You might reasonably ask, “Why should I be a paid subscriber then?” Well, you should only if you want to partner with me in the mission ministry I am doing. My wild dream, when I launched First Light, was that it would generate enough financial support that I could put my hammer and saws down and dedicate myself full-time to vocational ministry work. I’m nowhere near that point. But I do have enough paid subscribers to help out with some of the ministry expenses, and for that, I am grateful to God for you.

I hope those of you who are paid subscribers will continue to do so, not because you get any extra benefit or special content, but because you want to stand with us in the work of equipping pastors around the world. Maybe the Lord will lead some of you who are free subscribers to partner with us as well. If you don’t, no problem. The content will always be free to you and my sincere prayer is that you will find some help and encouragement in what I write.

I also hope you will feel free to share any of the devotionals that might have been a blessing in some way to you. Share them on social media, forward the email newsletter, or print it out and give it to someone. The option to upgrade to a paid subscription will continue to be on the newsletters as they go out, but never feel like it is an obligation. It is merely an option you can avail yourself of as the Lord directs.

Freely we receive, freely we give for Christ’s sake.

If you have questions about this change, please comment or send me an email. Again, if you are paid subscriber, nothing will change. If you are a free subscriber, the only change is you will receive an additional newsletter on Saturday.

Blessings.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash