What is Shiloh’s Lighthouse Ministry?

Just exactly what is Shiloh's Lighthouse Ministry? 

First, here is what we are NOT:

We are not 'just' a 'church'. We are much, much more than that (see below).

We are not 'religious' in the traditional sense of dogmatic, judgmental, man-made rule-driven regimens of 'acting righteous' in order to 'be worthy' of heaven and salvation. We teach and practice the true freedom of life and a life of abundance through knowing and having a personal, intimate relationship with Christ Jesus--submitting to, reuniting with, and becoming One with God and God's Will. 

We are not here to judge or condemn anyone, no matter what your life circumstances, habits, problems, whatever, are. We love and accept everyone, in whatever situation, and we "See all people through the eyes of Jesus" --- who never judged or condemned anyone, except the self-righteous, pious 'religious' people of His times. No matter your race and/or ethnic background, social and economic status, or political, sexual, religious (or not) persuasion, all are accepted and loved equally.

So that's what Shiloh is not. What are we then?

A church?  Yes, we are – we have regular worship services each Sunday starting at 10:30 AM. Our services include a talented Praise & Worship Band (they call themselves the Average Praise Band) that do original music as well as contemporary favorites and updated versions of many of the classic hymns. Each week there is special programming for children as well. There is a message that challenges us straight from the Bible and lots of fellowship before and after the service. SLM is a non-denominational church.

A Boxing Program? Yes - in 2009 we put in a full boxing facility, including a sparring ring, heavy punching bags, speed bags and other boxing training equipment, and established Shiloh Boxing Club. Our program is a USA Amateur Boxing program that has certified volunteer coaches who train children through young adults in the sweat science. Out team participates in several boxing shows each year throughout the state as well as in national tournaments such as Silver Gloves, Golden Gloves, Junior Olympics and US Amateur Men’s Open.

A Home for At-Risk Boys? Yes - since SLM began it has provided a home to a dozen at-risk young men in the form of temporary shelter to long term housing. Pastor Dana mentors the young men and stands in the gap for them as a father figure.

A Community Center? Yes – from social activities to tutoring to physical fitness programming, Zumba Dancing, and music lessons, SLM opens its doors to the community for people of all ages to come in and have a safe place to gather for a wide variety of programs.

A Mentoring Program? Yes – many at-risk young people come through the doors of SLM each week that are in need of caring adult mentors to help guide them in their development into adulthood. Mentors help provide Whole-Person guidance, Mental, Social, Physical and Spiritual.

A Non-Profit Ministry? Yes – SLM  is a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry. All donations to SLM are tax deductable.

When you support SLM you are helping a fledgling program reach a wide variety of people. SLM is making a real difference in the lives of many people of all ages. Since we reach out to many at-risk youth and families in need, we survive in large part on the kindness of others who financially support our work. This is a necessity, as a large percentage of those who come to us are living below the poverty level. Those who come to the Sunday services give as they can, and they do so faithfully, but the tithes and offerings from our still small but growing congregation is not yet sufficient to finance all of our valuable and needed programs. It is through our monthly fund-raiser dinners and appeals for monthly supporters (@ $20 per month) that we seek to raise the capital needed not only to meet our budget, but to expand the ministry as well.

The current economy has been difficult on us all. Non-Profit ministries such as SLM have struggled to meet their budgets as people have had to cut back. We face a very real need to increase our monthly support base as the winter month utility bills have drained an already slim budget do a dangerously low point. We know many read our ministry blog and have become aware of our outreach programs. We are asking and praying that you who are reading this blog would consider becoming a part of our support team at only $20 per month, just $.66 per day. The need is great, the difference your $20 will make is eternal – thank you for considering joining our team. 

Keep the Faith- 

Pastor Dana

~~~~~

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IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

Simple Fare Can Provide What Is Fair!

"Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked." 
Psalm 82:3-4

When you support Shiloh’s Lighthouse Ministry you are helping us “do justice” to many needy people. Thanks to our outreach sporting program, Shiloh Boxing Club, many fatherless young men come to us. Most have very real material needs as well as the physical need for food. Just this week I had five teenaged young men in my office for a new weekly Bible study tailored for them (giving me the chance to spiritually mentor a larger group all at once). None of the young men there had a biological father involved in their life. Here at Shiloh’s Lighthouse Ministry that is the norm for the majority of the young men we have the privilege to minister to. 

In addition to the obvious, and still much-needed monetary assistance we need and ask for—monthly pledges and/or donations—there is a very simple way you could make a tangible difference in some lives in need: 

Donations of food!

Help us feed these young men. There are lots of young guys here each week receiving mentoring; some of them for the boxing club and others volunteering time to help around the church.  Often they come hungry, not having a decent meal the entire day. An empty stomach is not a good opener of mind and gateway to spiritual acceptance. A good meal is a tangible way to make a difference.

If you are local and would like to help here is a simple list of food items we would gladly receive:

Hot Dogs

Frozen Hamburgers

Buns

Mac-N-Cheese

Juice

Chips

Milk

Butter

Hardly an extravagant list, but having such simple fare available here will help us minister to these soon-to-be adults as we help guide them, providing them a fair chance to develop into whole-person balance. And again, financial donations are also welcome and are tax deductible.

Keep the faith ...

PD

(Food donations can be brought directly to the church, at 1253 S. River Rd., Saginaw, MI 48609)

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IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

What Difference a Mentor Makes

In the fall of 2009 I was driving a group of teenagers around as they went door to door to sell candy bars to raise money for our new boxing program. One of the homes had a 16 yr old in it who was excited to hear about the program. He was soon at the gym where I began a mentoring relationship with him. His story is like far too many young men in the Saginaw area—black, white, Hispanic it doesn’t matter if they have no dad in their life. When he was an infant his father went to prison (where he still is today). His mom did her best, working two jobs while finishing nursing school and providing for her three children—yet as he was becoming a young man she was not able to control him, and … the home life became a battle ground.

Things got to the breaking point at home and, since I had developed a mentoring relationship with this (now 17 yr old) young man, he got dropped off here. I was sitting in my office when he came in one evening this past winter and asked if he could stay with me. In the natural there was just no way. Financially I was already stressed to the point of not knowing how I would even feed myself, let alone a teenager, and then there are the added expenses of time and money, taking him to school, going to the barber, to and from friends for social times, all that and the unlimited etcetera of parental/mentoring involvement with any young person. It was way out of the realm of “possible”—in the harsh reality of the natural. So what did I say?

I, ignoring the natural's nagging opposition and following the spiritual's assurance, said, “Of course, son—you are welcome in my home.” I am very proud of this young man as he is finishing school this year and has enlisted in the US Army. It is a struggle financially. I literally live day to day, trusting God for the provision needed, yet my investment into his life has made a difference.

I also mentor two younger teens who are brothers—14 & 13 years old. The older brother is in the boxing program. These two young men, both promising fellows coming from a less-than-promising home and family situation, have seen their lives turned upside down in the past year. Their dad went to prison for at least 25 years this past summer. Home life, after that, became even more unstable. Their grandparents have taken them in—even though they don’t have an actual room for them to stay in. I feed them, got them both into the Y, cheer the older one on in boxing and listen to the younger brother play his saxophone as I build my mentoring relationship with them.

All three young men I mentor have become good friends. I take them all to the Y several nights each week after boxing practice. Last week, as I was being (willingly) tortured on the elliptical, I saw my three boys all in the Jacuzzi enjoying themselves after a long day. What I did not know, until the oldest one told me later, was the gist of the conversation they were having. The eldest youth was talking like a big brother to the other two, encouraging them to stay focused on what matters: do well in school, stay in church, and stay off the streets. On the way home one of the brothers called their grandparents to see if they could get some pizza. After working out at boxing and then running 5 miles at the Y he was hungry! He was easily overheard saying, Oh wow, really, all we have is ramen noodles? Well I have two dollars, I could help if—“  

The oldest youth, the one who lives with me, quickly chimed in, “I got five dollars. You can have that, help you get some pizza.”

Folks, that was all the money he had. Five bucks. He often doesn’t often any money but his grandfather had handed him a five spot at the Y that night. As I dropped off the two younger brothers I said, “Well good night, guys,” and I added, “I love you.”

“Love you too, Pastor,” was their unison response with welcomed grins on their faces. Then the youngest brother reached into the car, tapped his friend on the shoulder and said, “I love you too, man.”

To which his older brother immediately responded, “Yeah, man—I love you too.”

Now picture this. One African-American teenager, two Hispanic teenagers, all three boys with fathers in prison, who—given their differing ethnic backgrounds and ghetto upbringings—would typically be in opposing camps, hateful toward each other, even gang-warring enemies of each other, are able to say, out loud, the words ‘I love you.’ Not just to me, who is a father figure to them, but to each other. Look up the statistics on how many young men who grow up without fathers fare (70 % of long-term inmates grew up fatherless) and you will see just how powerful that simple moment was.

I am just one man, giving time and effort into three young lives. Imagine what would happen in my ministry if I were able to train up more men to do what I am doing? Last year a mother brought her 13 yr old son to the boxing gym. When I met her she told me, with tears in her eyes, that she was a single mom and really needed to get her son into something positive to help him from getting into trouble as he had no father. That young man came a few times but his mom, with limited resources, was not able to continue to bring him. I had no mentor available to become part of his life. I now see his Facebook status updates—they talk about gangs, drugs, sex, and violence. Here is a recent un-edited update:

“damn on ld almost got locked up earlier all i gotta say is fuck tha police dey kicked but all n my guts”

You may not think you can do much about the seemingly overwhelming need here in the Saginaw area. Let me tell you, especially you men, that becoming a mentor can and does make a difference. This young man just messaged me recently again about the boxing program. I still have no mentor for him and the many others who come into my facility. What are you willing to do about it? If you don’t live in my area then you can help by becoming a financial supporter, helping provide the finances for me to be able to train up mentors and stem the tide of hopelessness so many young fatherless teens face here in Saginaw. All I ask is a pledge of $20 per month, just $.66 per day, to help me grow this ministry.

Back to you men—yes, you, men. Ladies are, of course, welcome to be mentors and help the ministry—I find that I don’t often have to ask the women for help, they step it up by their nature, it seems. It is you men who I am having a difficult time getting motivated. Just one more man stepping up would make a difference in a now 14 year old’s life. If something doesn’t change for him soon he will become another sad statistic of failure—our failure as a community of faith and love to help raise him. 

Will you answer the call?

wilsondana1962@sbcglobal.net – email me and let’s talk. 

Keep the Faith ...

Pastor Dana Wilson

*****
A note from the Old Silly: To make a pledge to ongoing support for SLM's mentoring efforts (and other valuable outreach programs) and/or a one time donation, please click here. Also, PD wanted to close this post with this very insightful and apt anecdote. Enjoy, ponder, and do what the Spirit moves you to do, hm?

One morning an elderly man was walking on a nearly deserted beach. He came upon a boy surrounded by thousands and thousands of starfish. As eagerly as he could, the youngster was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean.

Puzzled, the older man looked at the youngster and said, "Little boy, what are you doing?"

The youth responded without looking up, "I'm trying to save these starfish, sir."

The old man chuckled aloud, and queried, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"

Holding a starfish in his hand, the boy turned to the man and, gently tossing the starfish into the water, said, "It will make a difference to that one!"

Put your faith into action …

Pastor Dana

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IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

Do The Math, Folks - It Has to Add Up to God-Worthy!

We all get bombarded every day with numbers we cannot possibly comprehend. Our government spending in the billions, budgets of trillions – a few million here, a billion there – just numbers we cannot visualize or appreciate for their actual value. As for the vast majority of us, we will never personally experience such financial numbers in our life. So, class – today we will take a look at a simple number you can all relate to and comprehend.  Ready? Here we go ... today's number to consider is a relatively miniscule one: 

66

The number 66 is the focus of our financial life lesson today. Class, what can we buy for $.66? 

This, perhaps?

Nope! The average price of a cup of java from Starbucks runs from $2.50 - $5.00. Sorry, butcha ain't got 'nuff dough with your paltry sixty six cents for even that ...

Well, then ,,, how 'bout this?

  Nice try, but – sorry, hun ... still no. The average price for a small candy bar is now $.89. You are still twenty three cents short!

"Ah!" you say, "but – I know what I can buy!"

Getting closer, yes, but still ... NO BANANA! $.75 is the average for a daily print, even higher for Sunday versions. Frustrating, isn't it? It's a cryin' shame how little you can get for $.66 these days!

Hmmm – so we are having a wee bit of a hard time finding anything of value for $.66 aren't we? Well, let's consider ... what about the number itself? What are some important occurances, significant aspects of the number “66”? 

For one thing, there are 66 books in the Bible – we suggest you read them all! And get this ... if you turn to the 66^th chapter in the Bible you will find in Exodus 16 this verse: 

Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. 

God provided manna daily to meet the needs of His people. And how about The Lord's Prayer - can you guess how many words it is composed of?

You guessed it – 66 words! We recommend living these 66 words each and every day. But let's get back to 66 when it comes to the loose change you have daily in your pocket. Here - here's what a mere $.66 looks like:

So far in our search we havn’t been able to find anything in our normal daily routine financially that is affordable or valuable at the low, low cost of $.66, have we? But - we do like the number 66! It's a good number, right?

"But why?" you ask, "and what is the meaning of it all, this seemingly divine number? How can I best put to use such little money - money that is hardly of any value in my daily life - money I could spend or lose and not even miss it!?"

Well class, I have good news for you! Let me teach you how $.66 per day has a value that will last for eternity! You see, class, $.66 per day = $20 per month.That twenty spot would enable Shiloh's Lighthouse Ministry to stay financially solvent and thrive, being able to help out youngsters like this -

For just $20 per month you could help a teenager whose father is no longer in the home or in his/her life have a mentor that will guide them through adolescence and help keep them from becoming yet another depressing statistic of societal failure.  

You will make a difference in the lives of single mothers as they find the support to raise their children surrounded by a community of faith and love. 

You will help an addict get set free from the bondage of addiction.

You will help develop strong bodies and minds through our boxing program.

Consider this, from a recent article in the Saginaw News, written by editorial journalist, Lindsay Knake, the title of the article which says it all:

"More Than One-Fourth of Saginaw County Children Living In Poverty!"

This is where we live, where we have planted our stake in the ground and claimed it as our turf. Our home, in which we work, witness, sow spiritual seeds, and make it possible for God's Work to be done ... by us, His servants! 

So. You want to know how to make use of about 2/3 of one buck each day toward that divine end? Here's how.

In an area where more than 25% of the children live in poverty, by pledging just $.66 per day ($20 a month) you will help us reach out to many children and families in need as we help them find whole-person balance: Mentally, Socially, Physically, Financially and Spiritually.

Alright class, there you have it. 66 is a good number! Now, for your homework, I want you to use 66 in a practical way. Go to the SLM web site, by Clicking HERE - and sign up to receive blessings that will go way beyond $.66 per day in value to you by joining our monthly financial support team! Give a small gift today, and commit yourself to $.66 per day in support of SLM. You will soon be telling all your friends just how awesome the number 66 is. 

Class dismissed – now get to your homework!

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IMPORTANT REMINDER! If you have not yet, please show your support for SLM by signing up to "Follow" this blog - you will find the "Follow" button in the upper right hand corner of this front page. Receive email updates on new posts, visit often and leave comments! - all of this helps us in our efforts to grow our readership and social network visibility. Also, if you are able and wish to contribute to our ministry with all of its valuable community outreach programs, please CLICK HERE and make a pledge and/or one time donation. We need your help! These programs cost money! Sow your seeds into the garden of the Love of Jesus that we at SLM are devoted to cultivating!

The Best Twenty Dollars You'll Ever Spend!

Welcome back! 

We had a great weekend here at SLM and hope you all did as well. Starting with a Friday evening, open-to-the-public, Taco Dinner (SLM is becoming famous county-wide for these monthly $6-a-heaping-full-plate of delectable culinary delights meals) at which our facility was jammed to capacity for several hours, raising some much needed funds, to a spirit-filled Saturday evening intercessory prayer session, to a Sunday morning service with a Praise and Worship music session that was deep and joyous,

followed by a strong and inspiring sermon delivered by Pastor Dana, and all that followed with ...

... more great food!

Yes, we do so love to enjoy each other's company over a sumptuous meal, and every 2nd Sunday of each month we have a Fellowship Pot-Luck Dinner after the service. And no, we're not all fat, but we are full of love and compassion for our brothers and sisters and filled with the spiritual joy of "Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus."

And we reach out to the community, sponsoring programs like the Shiloh's Boxing Club

--a haven for young--often 'at-risk'--people to come together and train under the tutelage of volunteering, skilled and experienced, real men who care. These youngsters are afforded the opportunity to learn, through discipline and structure, not only how to grow strong mentally and physically, but also what it means to be a well-rounded, complete, spiritually and emotionally grounded adult--the likes of which we desperately need much more of in this day and age, hmm?

Our youth group, called "Freed Youth"--a program we are in the process of building--will take in teenagers looking for meaning in life and, oftentimes in need of adult mentoring and positive-life-building direction. These kids--many of whom would be considered 'undesirables' by a great deal of contemporary churches--will not be 'beaten over the head' with Bible-thumping messages of condemnation and threats of hell-fire and damnation over their shameful and sinful ways. No. They will be, of course, taught from The Word and shown the Way of Salvation through the Love of Christ, but mainly ... they will get loved on. They'll get hugged, appreciated, and shown what it means to have and be accepted and loved by, a real family--something that so many youngsters these days do not have in the blood-relative, traditional familial sense.

We have a women's group, called "Seekers of His Heart." Every week, women come together to fellowship, share and support each other with their life challenges, and rejoice in each other's achievements. They worship, pray, and provide the comfort of 'extended family' love and comeraderie.

The "X-Men" (The 'X' stand for 'Christ') - another new start up program, is where some of our grounded, senior adult, mentoring men get together with younger men and counsel them--not just in words, but also in leading by example--on what it means to be a whole, well-rounded, productive, and responsible man ... taking your place in society as a leader of, and provider for, your family, and an example for others on what it means to 'Walk Your Talk' in the Way of Christ.

Shiloh's Lighthouse is small, by comparison to many churches, in terms of members. Yet we do all this, and give to the best of our abilities to the community. But we want to do much, much more. Soup kitchen for the hungry - clothes pantry for the needy - emergency money fund for those facing sudden fiscally threatening challenges - student tutoring after-school programs to assist young people in getting good grades and diplomas - job-finding assistance - home care for the disabled elderly who can't afford the help they need ... these are just some of the ideas that we wish to bring to fruition in order to save and revitalize our neighborhoods, the community, and eventually our country and the entire planet.

So I am closing this post with the presentation of an opportunity for any and all who are reading this. A chance to receive the blessing that comes from giving. If you are in a position to afford a (minimum) $20-per-month pledge, I would exhort you to CLICK HERE - and go to our main website where you will have the opportunity support this growing group and its programs.

Twenty dollars

Can you think of a better way to spend a twenty-spot? And think also of how easy it is to blow--without even consciously trying--twenty dollars ...

A couple fast-food meals. A six-pack of beer and a pack of smokes. One ticket to a movie with a small soda (can't even squeeze in a small popcorn on that little of a budget these days). The amount of gas wasted driving repeatedly during the month to the convenience store (or wherever) down the street when you could easily (and also feel good about yourself because it's healthy) walk. Those chocolate Twinkies you eat and know you shouldn't (wink). Playing the lottery - and always losing!

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Take the same twenty dollars you could easily blow, wasted on unnecessary 'stuff' - and instead ... give - sow into the work of God, and plant seeds in the spiritual garden we at SLM are cultivating ... with the help of good and caring people like you ...


... people who care, who wish to give out to others, who love all of our brothers and sisters--whether lost, confused, black, red, yellow, white, wealthy, poor, whatever, it matters not--and who are committed to "Seeing all people through the eyes of Jesus."

To make your pledge and/or donation, please CLICK HERE, and God Bless You!

Thanks for being here today, and blog back in again soon. You will always find messages of good news and spiritually uplifitng content here at the SLM Blog.

~~~~~

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