July Update from MOTM

Greetings Brothers, Sisters, family and Friends,
 
Before I give an update report on the happenings at Moment of Truth Ministries in July, I would like to share a follow up on lasts months message.  I personally received the single largest response of any of the messages that I have sent out over the past almost nine years.  If you didn’t get a chance to read last month’s message, we have attached a link to it here.
 
I attempted to be transparent by sharing some day to day challenges while reminding each of us as followers of Jesus Christ that HE never promised us it would be easy.  HE does however, guarantee us it will be worth it!  Also, I shared a message of an “Exit Strategy” .  This is what caused the greatest response to last month’s message and the responses were all over the map.  Here are just a few!  “Great message, thanks for the encouragement!”  Another was, “Where are you exiting to?  Or, “Is your health ok?”  “Are youdiscouraged?”  Maybe my favorite is one which came in from a long term buddy who responded “Dude, you need to do something else!
 
So, let me say for the record, Lord willing, neither I nor Moment of Truth Ministries are going anywhere soon.  My doctor charges me a couple of hundred dollars each year to tell me I am pretty healthy, but need to lose a few pounds and Dude, if you only knew how good GOD has been to me and how fulfilling HE has made my life, I couldn’t possibly do something else!  My joy and my peace has not wavered!  Now, on to this month’s updates.
 
THANK YOU to those of you who have been obedient to God’s call to support this ministry financially.  Especially those of you who have been there consistently for several years now.  Last month I mentioned that we had currently received support to cover just under 50% of our year to date operating budget.  Your response has brought the Kingdom investment in Moment of Truth Ministries to 91% of our year to date expenses.  I am not one to often mention finances because as a successful businessman for almost 30 years, I have been expected to pick up the tab in most cases.  My wife, Robin and I are blessed to be donors to this great ministry, however, God made it clear to me early on when I decided to join HIM in HIS business that if I tried to be the ”Plan B” every time money was needed, then HE would break me in half. 
 
THANK YOU to those of you who have donated your gently used Furniture, clothes, lawn equipment, household goods and furnishings to Kingdom Works Community Store.  We continue to use these items and the resources from the sale of these items to provide employment for some really special ladies (God’s Princesses) but most of all, as “bait” to fish for Souls”"!
 
THANK YOU to the mission teams who have come to “The Hood” this Summer to love on and serve our local community.  This particular ministry is so special to me because it reminds me of my first trip to the inner city when I came in my own arrogance to see how I could help, yet I returned as the one who received help!  I was especially touched when we had a local youth group visiting from the north side of town and we were empting an efficiency that consisted of a small room, a tiny kitchen and a basic bathroom.  This was home for two months for a family of six!  Due to a domestic issue, the family had to leave quickly, leaving behind most of their belongings.  The upper middle class high school and middle school students were amazed how someone could leave clothing even in the bath tub.  That was until they were informed that two of the kids slept in the the tub.  I suspect some of these students may have returned home “helped” too!
 
THANK YOU for those of you who have participated in the “House Raising” project where we been blessed to expand from housing 3-4 families to our current capacity of twenty-one families.  We will be publishing a list of needs very soon on our web site ( www.momentoftruthministries.org ) as our focus has been on remodeling (core issues within the residents) the inside before we worried about remodeling the outside.
 
Want to help our men’s job program by donating some gently used or purchasing some lawn equipment to upgrade some really worn equipment?  Call Bill at 210-559-5181 or we will have these needs listed on our website’s needs page by August 15th.
 
COMING SOON!  Watch for our “Back to School”  opportunities in the next couple of weeks as we seek to assist and encourage some really cool young students.  
 
Finally, please pray that GOD will continue to use Moment of Truth Ministries to touch lives while HE renews the minds and hearts of HIS people!  HE calls us to fulfill the needs of HIS people and the AWAKENING of our hearts leads us to TAKE ACTION! 
 
Blessed to serve JESUS with you,
Bill Morgan

June Update

A message from Pastor Bill............
 
Brace yourself!  This may not be the type of update that you might have expected.  Hold on for a couple of paragraphs and you will get to the cause of my warning!  It’s a little long, but worth it!
 
A little over three months ago at my home church, First Baptist Church of Boerne, Texas, I was officially licensed to preach The Gospel of Jesus Christ and officially licensed so I would be able to perform a very special wedding early next month.  After eight years of intently seeking to pursue and know God in a much bigger way, I really didn’t see the need for the official “status”.  After all, I was a business man for almost thirty years and that was my former identity for much of my life.  
 
In these eight years I have been able to see the Bible come alive in different cultures, races, educational and social backgrounds.  God has become so much bigger to me than I could ever imagine!  But recently and mostly since the official licensing I have had a different experience.  God promises us an overwhelming victory, yet for these few months I have been feeling the overwhelming minus the victory.   
 
Ok, here it comes.  After officially being a licensed minister for just over three months, I can say sometimes it “kinda stinks”   There, for all of you Pastors out there who have been a Pastor for much longer than me, I said what many of you think.  Now, before you push the “DELETE” button, please let me explain.  There is no doubt that Paul and all of the disciples in The Bible felt the same way at times.
 
What does a normal day for me as a Pastor look like?  You have got to be kidding?  Very little about it is normal.
 
Much of my day is spent in the inner city of San Antonio and it is a dark place to hang out.  Daily I am subjected to exclusion, on the receiving end of racism and hustling of the “white boy”.  I am trying to become more and more humble but I do sometimes have to remind the hustlers that I came from the business world and their skills are those of an amateur.  Many locals question my motives for helping or even being in “The Hood”.  However, I have formed many really great relationships and have learned much more about The Bible by watching it actually come to life!  God is getting the glory in some unlikely places!
 
  At Moment of Truth Ministries, we are working very hard on a CHRIST-centered teaching that consists of GRACE that can not be earned, accompanied with taking ACTION which is required to follow Jesus.  We spend a lot of time teaching accountability and responsibility (man likes to think he created these but they are actually great gifts from God).  We teach these great principles through the operations of Kingdom Works Community Store, our ministry homes, our job ministry and day to day outreach.  These teachings are under attack daily by the enemy and he has many strongholds!
 
So I have been asking God for a few months what I individually or Moment of Truth Ministries as a team needs to do to get back on track, to see the fruit, to experience the peace and joy that seems to be slipping away.  Surely somewhere we have jumped the tracks and this overwhelming feeling is the end result.  I clearly remember how God brought me out of a life of going through the motions of following HIM, yet I was finding it harder and harder to get motivated.  Do we need to speed up?  Do we need to slow down?  Some of our financial partners have pulled away (including a couple of churches).  Some have remained faithful from the very beginning eight years ago, yet we find our income at just under 50% of our operational costs compared to 2015 year to date.  This update is not about money although we are being forced to consider cutbacks of what we believe God has called us to do, simply because of economics.  We would love for you to financially partner with us but whether we are rich or poor, we will still serve and trust our Lord Jesus!  
 
The biggest sounding alarm for me recently has been the fact that three different people of different social backgrounds have told me in the past couple months that they “are not good enough to go to church yet”.
 
WHAT?  Needless to say, since my becoming an official Pastor, my congregation has now grown from one heroin addict to four, make that five screwed up people counting me!
 
So what’s your point Pastor Bill?
 
The only answers that I have sensed from the Holy Spirit to my questions above are in the form of questions.  What makes me think these questions are The Holy Spirit speaking to me?  Well, I wouldn’t ask these questions of myself.  Here they are.....
 
What makes you think that because the attacks are getting stronger and things don’t look the way you (Bill) think they should look, that I, (GOD) don’t approve?
I am used to getting this reminder.  It is not about me, what I think or how I feel.  The second question threw me for a loop though.
 
What is your exit strategy?      
Coming from the business world, I understood an exit strategy.  But, why after eight years of investing in relationships, building some infrastructure and with so much to do, would we be thinking about leaving?  None the less, a couple weeks ago we had a meeting with some of the ministry leaders in the inner city and posed the question “What if we were to leave the inner city today or leave this area of focus, what would carry on in Christ’s name?  To my amazement, more of the locals are already stepping up to take their role in what God is calling us to do there.  It is not about organizations or buildings!   
 
First and foremost, you must to have an exit strategy of security for yourself.  (SALVATION)
 
Secondly, take as many to Heaven with us as we can (Love them and tell them the TRUTH and then LET GOD DO THE REST!)
 
Finally, equip as many as possible who will stay behind to do the work. (Make Disciples)
 
I feel that motivation returning along with some PEACE and JOY!!   Thank you Lord!! 
 
So for now, WHAT IS YOUR EXIT STRATEGY?  
 
Stay tuned for detailed updates of what God is doing in and through 
                  Moment of Truth Ministries
1730 E. Commerce Street          7 Daisy Lane
San Antonio, Texas 78203         Boerne, Texas 78006
210-212-6007
www.momentoftruthministries.org
 
P.S.  Please be praying especially for our special city next week as Bill will be joining the San Antonio Police chief and a few community leaders on the eastside this Wednesday to meet privately with leaders of some local gangs.  This meeting is scheduled in an attempt to curb the deadly violence that is rapidly increasing in our inner city and to firmly seek solutions.  Well, we know the solution. (JESUS).  Please pray that hearts are softened enough to meet HIM.         

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Happy Mother's Day!

Greetings Family and Friends!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all of you moms out there!  I have so many things to update you on regarding God’s movement in and through Moment of Truth Ministries and its ministry affiliates, however, I will save that for a couple of days in order to share with you a little different perspective of  Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day is a really special day to me as a son, husband and father.  First, like many of you, my mom was a great mom who loved me when it seemed no one else did or should.  She was one of my best friends and paid a price that only committed moms can pay.  She went to be with Our Lord Jesus a few years ago.  I miss her and would give most anything for one more hug!  But today, I want to place the focus on why Mother’s Day is so special to me.

My wife, Robin and I were told by a fertility specialist about 30 years ago that we could not have children.  I was disappointed with the news but watched Robin become devastated.  Robin was (and is) a very traditional woman who saw raising children as one of her life long responsibilities and blessings from God.  We watched young women and girls have babies and respond to them as an inconvenience to their life styles.  Many  even aborted their babies.  It was easy to question why God would choose to withhold the ability to have children from a couple who loved kids and wanted so badly to have them.

The specialist suggested that we consider adoption.  We were in the process of moving from Houston to San Antonio and agreed that after we got settled, we would look into adoption.  I accepted and resigned to the idea of adoption but Robin kept speaking to the right physician, GOD.  To shorten the story quite a bit, God had and HAS a plan as HE blessed us with four beautiful healthy children (Scott, Christy, Mandy and Dustin).  Robin never complained about being pregnant.  In fact, she was grateful for morning sickness, happy to be gaining weight and losing her petite figure.  She prayed for her children constantly and even prayed for their spouses before they were born.  I thought that was a little crazy at the time but I’ve come to understand that there is no greater gift we can give our kiddos than prayer.

Now, my oldest daughter, Christy is about 4-5 months pregnant with our first grandson.  That emphasizes the miracle of God’s plan.  A plan that doctors said was not physically possible.  By the way, I am already praying for my grandson to be a great man of God although I am still finding it a bit difficult to pray for his spouse.

For some, Mother’s Day is not so special or does not bring hope and encouragement.  If that is you, I pray God makes it “Fathers Day” for you.  Happy Mother’s Day Mom, Robin, Christy and all of you other moms out there.  Oh yeah, Happy Mother’s Day to me!

Blessed beyond recognition,

Bill Morgan

Moment of Truth Ministries

Thankful and Moving Forward!

Wow! Where do I start?  WE NEED YOUR HELP!! 

Before I share those needs with you, let me take a moment to update you on some of the happenings in and through Moment of Truth Ministries and its’ affiliated ministries. 

The first three and one half months of 2015 have come and gone in a flash.  In our last communication in March we found ourselves in the middle of two weeks of hosting a total of 200+ college students from 9 different colleges throughout Texas and Oklahoma.  These students had given up their Spring Breaks to join us in “The Hood” for a time of service and fellowship.  The needs are always a bit overwhelming but we were able to accomplish much by sheer numbers.
 
It didn’t take long to for us to realize that maybe God had sent these students to us in order to encourage, strengthen and build up all of our faith.  After all, we spend each day facing a giant mission in the inner city that seems insurmountable at times while these Christian college students will be sent back to one of the most hostile environments towards Christ in our nation, the college campus!  We completed each week with a wonderful fellowship of praise and worship at God’s House which was led by Kim Ruiz a/k/a G.L.O (God’s Love Only).
 
I rarely am surprised by anything today, but God continues to show me that if you can understand a persons perspective you can more clearly understand how to share the love of Christ with him or her.  During Spring Break, when sharing with a group of students who are attending a historically black college I was asked who was my favorite “ministry” person that I had personally spent some time with.  I shared that I was blessed to spend 10 days or so in India with Ravi Zacharias and his incredible RZIM team.  I asked them if they knew who Ravi was.  About 75% said they had listened to his teachings or knew of him.  While trying too explain to the others who Ravi was, I  simply said he was the “Indian Billy Graham”.  I thought that was a great answer until I was surprised to hear many of them ask “who is Billy Graham?”.  Perspectives!!
 
In other news, after much prayer and consideration, Moment of Truth Ministries has accepted the role as the “faith based” partner in a “Resurgence Collaborative” which is headed up by The City of San Antonio.  This collaborative is a proactive approach to dealing with the challenges of re-entry in society after having been incarcerated in prison or jail.  Our role will be to assist in overseeing community service requirements assigned to the parolees as well as offering them spiritual guidance.  We believe that for this program to truly be effective, the parolees should be accompanied by volunteers to mentor and disciple whenever possible.  Maybe that could be YOU!  We will will also offer limited assistance in providing housing and jobs (or job referrals).  These parolees are in many cases the missing member of broken family units!   
 
Our nation today is facing overwhelming social and political decay for which there is no answer apart from the cross that Jesus Christ conquered.  We have THE power, but the challenge for us is to address the problems/issues with LOVE and TRUTH!  Christianity is under attack but this is nothing new!  It is time to stand, start asking some tough questions and then take ACTION!
 
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP!!    PRAY FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE GOD’S DESIRES FOR HIS PEOPLE!!
 
One of the toughest things I have personally faced since God called me to my Moment of Truth almost eight years ago has been asking for help, especially financial assistance.  As a successful businessman I was repeatedly asked to help financially for one cause or another.  As an individual business owner when times were tough there seemed to be no where to turn for help.  Everywhere I went it seemed I would be expected to pick up the tab.  Pride was a big obstacle for me in asking for help.  Then GOD reminded me of the blessings that I have received by investing my personal time and resources in THE KINGDOM.  HE also reminded me of the accountability of making wise investments with those resources AND that HE would break me in half if I tried to do it by myself.  THANK YOU to those of you who have faithfully funded the work that God has accomplished in and through Moment of Truth Ministries up to this point.  Especially those of you who have been there from the beginning!  You have enabled us to invest in an infrastructure on the east side of San Antonio that is allowing Jesus Christ to get all glory and it consists of very little administrative overhead.  In fact, we have one “no cost” 12 x 12 office/storage room designated for use as administrative office.   
 
Some of our immediate needs are:

House Raising Project – One year ago this month Moment of Truth Ministries introduced our vision of expanding an already proven affordable housing model.  It has been a great success as we have received $439,000 of the targeted $495,000.  While the completion of this initiative was projected to take up to three years, most was received in the first nine months.  Very little has been received towards this project in the past three months.  The final home which is a four unit complex, is possibly one of the most important of our homes as it will serve as a “safe house” for those attempting to get some distance between them and their “past life”.  It is currently boarded up and awaiting the remaining $56,000 to begin the restoration.  The acquisition of this property is a miracle in itself.  We were blessed to get this property at a well below appraised value but it needs some serious restoration.  According to an attorney friend, and 82 year old man “forgot that he owned it”.  You are probably thinking what I was when I said I was sorry to hear of the man’s memory.  The attorney quickly corrected me and said “Oh, there is nothing wrong with his memory.  He is as sharp as a tack.  He simply owns so much stuff that he forgot that he owned it”. 
 
Ironically, another 80+ year old man after driving by very slowly a couple of times pulled up next to a ministry storage building where the college students were working very hard to unload many items during Spring Break.  He called me over to the old Cadillac and proceeded to tell me that he attended the first “Black Barber College in San Antonio right next door and was touched by the college students of all colors working together.  He then said he would like to make a “nice” donation to this ministry.  He proceeded to pull out his wallet and gave me six one dollar bills.  Well, now the total needed is $53,994!  Have you ever felt like Jesus showed up in disguise to encourage you?


 
Kingdom Works Community Store – Many of you continue to bless our work ministry for women by donating gently used furniture, working appliances, clothing, bedding and household goods of all kinds!  We have two locations (1730 East Commerce Street in downtown San Antonio and 7 Daisy Lane in Boerne) and will pick up large items or you can double bless us by dropping them off.  Kingdom Works now offers Motorola 2-way radios rentals for your special events, short term and long term needs in addition to the bounce houses, popcorn and snow cone machines we have already been providing.  If you or your organization make these purchasing/rental decisions, please consider getting them from Kingdom Works and invest your resources in THE Kingdom.  Just another way of teaching accountability and responsibility which ultimately leads to sustainability!

 
Mind Your Own Business – Daily we experience hard working, very committed individuals with great talents and ideas but lack the funding, planning and direction to be successful in providing for their families or providing jobs for others.  Mind Your Own Business is a Christ centered training and mentoring of those in “The Hood” that are currently or want to be entrepreneurs and need a little guidance towards building a successful enterprise.  Maybe you have a talent that could be shared with one of these future pillars of the community!
 
One final need – In late June, I will be joining Greg Lewis and Danny Kreifels in leading a mission team to Uganda, Africa where we will meet with a young Pastor named Robert who Danny and I met while in Africa in 2011.  Robert has a ministry called Reaching A Street Child Ministry and has been faithful to lead and minister to these kiddos with little support.  Now my normal reaction is, there is much to do at home without the extensive expense of traveling for 3-4 days to spend 10 days on a short term “mission trip”.  However, it was two separate trips to Uganda with each of my daughters that helped change my life, their lives and definitely strengthened my relationship with each of them! 
 
Please PRAY for us to have wisdom and discernment as we spend time with Robert establishing a Christ centered plan where he and his ministry would not become dependent upon outside support but would become a sustainable and duplicable model within five years!  The plan would include securing a piece of land, drilling a water well and building a dormitory type facility that will be close to the school.  Oh yes, Robert reminded me of the need for a motor bike too!
 
Thanks to all of you who have traveled this journey with us over the past 7 1/2 years! Would you pray and ask God if HE would have you join us as we seek HIS will in all that we do!
 
God’s Richest Blessings,
Bill Morgan
Moment of Truth Ministries
www.momentoftruthministries.org
210-559-5181 cell

Thank You!!!

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

GOD calls us to fulfill the needs of HIS people and the AWAKENING of our HEARTS LEADS us TO ACTION!

I am amazed that when I haven’t seen someone in awhile or haven’t sent an update in a couple of months on what God is doing in and through Moment of Truth Ministries, that some would ask “Are you still doing ministry work?”  I don’t know why that surprises me because for several months, after receiving a radical call from God almost seven years ago to cease building my kingdom and join HIM in working on HIS Kingdom , I wondered myself how long until it would end.  

Can I take a second to share some “real talk” as we call it in The Hood? 

What if I told people about my new found passion and sense of urgency that God was calling me to and then I returned to my life of going through the motions?  What if I allowed myself to be engulfed in something that was much bigger than I could control?  A place where lives and communities were changing and then when it began to dominate my time and my life, what would be my exit strategy?  What if I exercised the power over evil that I was given and then succumbed to the fear and or pain that accompanies that battle?  These questions which were compliments of the enemy rifled through my daily thoughts in the beginning of this journey.  The very same questions have crippled many inside and outside the church from experiencing GOD and HIS abundant life.  Terrorism or Ebola is not my fear today.  Getting distracted from my purpose and mission while allowing my heart to doze off is! 

KEY UPDATES:

Back to School Supply Drive : Thank you to all who participated in providing school supplies, resources designated for supplies and gift cards allowing us to procure the supplies most needed in helping make this outreach a success.  Due to lots of focus throughout our city towards giving out back packs and school supplies a week or so before school started we chose to administer our Back to School Drive a little differently.  This year we are still seeing the supplies being used in very productive ways as we empowered the teachers and counselors at two of our local elementary schools and one middle school to discern where the supplies were needed most.  Frankly, through no fault of their own, some children never make it to school with supplies that were given to them.  In addition, Thanks to Bed Bath and Beyond in San Antonio as we were blessed to provide the teachers with a Keurig Coffee Maker and an opening supply of coffee.  This is proof that we can take the love and hope of Christ in to areas that no longer outwardly welcome it!

House Raising Project:  In the “good ole days” whenever a new neighbor moved into an area, the families that lived in the community would gather for a “house raising”.  Everyone pitched in doing what they could to ensure the new family was able to move in as soon as possible.  As a result, the home went up in no time!  After prayerfully and actively studying and adjusting our housing discipleship and mentoring ministry, we sensed God was ready to increase our impact.  

Back in April Moment of Truth Ministries launched a “house raising” that would increase our ability to provide a home for 22 families up from our current capacity of 5 families.  We asked those of you that we had mailing addresses for to consider ‘pitching in” to help us pursue a 3 year goal to raise $495,000.  In just over six months you have responded with gifts and investments in this Kingdom initiative totaling $382,000.  Due to God’s provisions through you, we are way ahead of schedule and currently have completed and placed 14 total families in safe and affordable housing.  In fact, by October 5 (last Sunday and the last day to be on time with the rent) we received all rents from 13 of the 14 families with the 14th family being current by October 8.  Folks, ask any landlord, slumlord or other in The Hood and they will tell you, that is a miracle in itself!  Relationships, accountability and responsibility are GREAT gifts from GOD!

If you would like to participate and pitch in towards the “house raising” blessing or simply contact us for more information, please go online at www.momentoftruthministries.org or call us at 210-212-6007 and we would be blessed to send you a package. 

Affordable Christmas: How can we give dignity and gifts this Christmas?  Moment of Truth Ministries, God’s House and S.A. Heals have partnered to gather gifts from our San Antonio and surrounding communities and make them available to families in need at 10-15% of the retail purchase price.  MOTM’s Kingdom Works Community Store will facilitate a shopping day where parents in need will be invited to shop and provide affordable gifts to their own.  We are starting early so we can be ready to take advantage of the early bird specials in Christmas shopping!  This is a great way to get your church, organization or small group to serve together by hosting a toy drive or volunteering at the actual sale on Saturday, December 20th from 1 pm to 6 pm at EASTSIDE FELLOWSHIP (1212 N. Gevers Street) 

Happy Birthday Jesus Party:  Saturday, December 20th from 10 am to 12 noon at GOD”S HOUSE FAITH CHURCH (703 Dakota Street).  This will be the seventh year that Moment of Truth Ministries and God’s House have hosted this special outreach to provide gifts for children who in many cases will have no Christmas besides this party.  This is a celebration that you will not want to miss!  More details to follow!!

Kingdom Works Community Store:  Thanks to so many of you for donating your gently used clothes, furniture, household items and good working appliances!  You really should visit our stores at 1730 E. Commerce Street and 7 Daisy Lane in Boerne and say hello to our special ladies.  Truly a church outside the walls of the church! 210-212-6007 

Finally, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  We could not do what we do if we had to spend all of our time asking for support, assistance and promoting a ministry!  There is one final thing we will ask for.  We saved the biggest need for last!  PLEASE PRAY for us and ask God to give us strength, hold us accountable and responsible.  Most of all, ask HIM to continue to pour out HIS love and hope!

 Blessed to serve JESUS with you,

Bill Morgan

Moment of Truth Ministries

210-212-6007 or 210-559-5181 cell

www.momentoftruthministries.org