Sat. 8-21-04 FreeGoodNews.com E-Letter No. 3

Psalm 40:10

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

Contents:
1. TV schedule playback for Portland Westside
2. Exciting news: tax exemption recognition request is submitted
3. Free book offer
4. Webcasting
5. Future Topics
6. Help Request

Hi friends-

TV schedule playback for Portland Westside. The first three shows that we taped a few weeks back is now playing in the Portland west-side. Click here for showtimes and locations.

Exciting News: tax exemption recognition request is submitted. The most exciting news: I've completed the request form for recognition of tax exempt status from the Federal government. (Since my last email, I've received confirmation from the state that FreeGoodNews.com is now an Oregon Corporation). Now, if anyone donates to this ministry, it will be tax deductible when I get formal recognition (it is retroactive). Click here for more info on how to give by check or credit card if you want to help me (this link also contains corporate income/expenses and budgets-- my books are totally open). You can also see all the tax forms I had to submit. This is a big achievement, and the hardest part of the paperwork for creating a 501(c)(3) corporation. It's also the most expensive; the application fee was $500. Fortunately, it's a one-time payment.For those who don't know me too well, I have a full-time job, and my hope is that this ministry will grow to the extent that I can enter it full-time. After looking at my proposed budget, it looks to me like it may be a few years. Where I work now, I can get early retirement in 7 years, so that will likely be the plan. If the ministry grows much faster than I project, I can leave anytime earlier... and I'm mentally ready for it...

Free Book. Don't forget, if you want to get a free book about the inside story about how Christians are trying to live/work/minister in the Israeli occupied territories (Gaza and West Bank), click here for info on how to get it. I strongly recommend it. It really shows how the power of the Gospel can be a bright light and hope for a depressed and angry situation. Tell your Christian friends about this. It's so critical that as Christians, we take a stand for Christ-like and holy living, rather than trying to fulfill endtime theologies, especially in ways that are contrary to Christ's standard (killing and fighting for land). Some Christians feel that Israel, as God's people, can do no wrong, and refuse to see the situation from a balanced perspective. After reading this book, I feel that it is in the center of God's heart.

Webcasting. I will webcast the previous shows when I get some content built-up for a weekly rotation. I also need to edit/polish the shows before they can be webcast. I'm praying for a volunteer editor to come forward (I have a few people in mind). This will cost me about $300 per month, just for showing on the web. I also project the TV production costs to be about $240 per month (for 6 30-min. episodes). Each episode gets played about 4 -6 times in the westside of Portland. I will submit some of them for replay also in Gresham, downtown Portland, and Vancouver WA. Air-time on cable is totally free; costs are for the tape and studio time. The tapes are $15 each, and the studio that I use is only $25 per 30 minutes.How do I plan to finance this? So far, it's primarily by myself. For now, I have a relatively high paying technical secular job to bootstrap this project. I have already received a few donations, so that's a good vote of confidence, and much appreciated!

Future Topics. I will soon start having a bi-weekly time slot in the Portland area. I'll be looking for interesting people and topics... any ideas? Let me know what interests you. What are the issues you really care about, and churches are afraid to address? What topics would you like to learn more about? What topic would make you think "Wow- I really need to watch that show!"

Help Request: A help request: If you know what "progressive video download" means, and know how to do it on the internet, let me know. I need some help...

...Bernie
http://www.freegoodnews.com/
"Providing free materials for spiritual growth"

8-8-04 FreeGoodNews.com E-Letter

Contents:

1. Remarks about or first (3) TV shows

2. A slanderous ex-Christian website alert

3. Future http://www.freegoodnews.com/ plans

4. Help Request (progressive video downloads)

Hi-

Remarks about or first (3) TV shows. Yesterday Doug and I were in the TV studio and we taped (3) 1/2 hr. shows about the crisis in Israel (Israel vs. Palestinians). The tapes have been submitted for playback in Portland Oregon, and I'll let you know the schedule as soon as I get it. We are not on the side of the Israeli's or Palestinians, but on the side for God and peace (although it seems that Israel needs to back-off from their current terrorizing/occupying "crack downs"). There are groups working for peace and understanding between Israeli's and Palestinians, but it all comes to a grinding halt with Israel's incursions, curfews, etc. in the occupied territories and how they choke-off travel with "check-points".On each show, we had some scripture to bring to bear on the situation. The ultimate solution is to get everyone "in Christ." Barring that, the next best thing is teaching them love and forgiveness, trying to battle the urge for revenge and hate. Go to the website http://www.freegoodnews.com/ to find out how to get a free book, touching on these topics, in relation to Israel (it's offered by another ministry). It's very eye-opening, and you can see the power of the Gospel in changing lives.After the shows play on TV, I will put them on the web (in both video and audio formats). I plan on using a service that costs $300 per month to serve this video content (oneplace.com). Thanks to Luhr Jensen who helped us in the studio, and is my first official donor (he said he was moved by the shows).

A slanderous ex-Christian website alert. On an unrelated note, I visited a website for "ex-Christians." After posting a few messages, they banned my computer from access, then modified my messages to make me look dumb, narcissistic, and hate-filled. You can read my story about this experience here: http://www.freegoodnews.com/liars.htm . I'm still shocked that a webmaster would do that!

Future http://www.freegoodnews.com/ plans. I've got many more shows planned, in my head, to do soon. I think my method will be to tape a few on Sat. morning, then play them during the week. The goal is to bring the viewers closer to Christ through the truth of the Scripture.For corporation status, I've submitted the Articles of Incorporation for FreeGoodNews.com in Oregon. When I get confirmation, I'll apply for tax exempt status.

A Help Request (progressive video downloads): If you know what "progressive video download" means, and know how to do it on the internet, let me know. I need some help...

...Bernie

http://www.freegoodnews.com/