Article By: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries
Whether you are looking forward to the holiday festivities or dreading them, there is one thing I know for certain.
Jesus has a plan and a purpose for you in this season. He loves you and desires to love others through you.
The holidays are the perfect time to forgive those who have hurt you, forsake the sins that bind you, and move forward in your relationship with Jesus Christ.
With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters: Sharing the redeeming love of Jesus Christ with the world!
God has given us a very exciting and strategic opportunity to impact people for Christ, and it is my privilege to invite you to be a part of our story today.
We are a nonprofit ministry on a mission to deliver free Bible studies to inboxes around the world.
In order to achieve our ministry goals, we must do two things:
- Produce incredible, life-changing, Bible-focused studies.
- Fundraise to cover the cost of delivering those studies for free.
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit ministry, we are supported by the freewill offerings of God’s people. We view all our fundraising efforts as an opportunity to invite our community to participate in God’s provision for this ministry.
As 2019 comes to a close, we are asking every member of our community to prayerfully consider the ways God might have you support the mission and vision of Living by Design Ministries.
Thanks to the generosity of one of our ministry partners, all donations received in December will be DOUBLED up to a total match of $10,000.
This also means that every item purchased from the “Shop for a Good Cause” fundraiser will generate a $10 $20 donation for our ministry. Considering the average price per item in our shop is $28, this might be one of the best deals on the internet right now!
If you are unable to give a financial gift at this time, here are five no-spend ways to show your support for our ministry.
There is no shortage of ways to get into the spirit of giving this holiday season, and we appreciate your willingness to consider giving the gift of free Bible studies this Christmas season.
In this article, we will share more about the mission and purpose of Living by Design Ministries along with a testimonial from one of our readers. We will also invite you to be part of our story by detailing four unique and exciting ways to double your impact by supporting Living by Design Ministries this holiday season.
This giving season I’m supporting Living by Design Ministries, a non-profit that provides FREE online Bible studies. All donations received between now and December 31, 2019 will be doubled!
Bible literacy is declining at a rapid rate in our culture, and Living by Design Ministries exists to stem the tide.
While most Christians revere the Bible as the inspired Word of God, they rarely read it.
“Adults who use the Bible daily account for 14 percent of the total adult population, followed by 13 percent who use it several times a week, 8 percent who do so once a week, 6 percent about once a month and 8 percent who use it three to four times a year.”
According to the Barna Research Group, “more than half of users now search for Bible content on the internet (57%) or a smartphone (55%), and another 42 percent use a Bible app on their phones.”
By providing free online resources to help Christians better engage with the biblical text, Living by Design Ministries is tackling the problem of Bible literacy in a culturally relevant manner.
We also live in a culture that values community, and many people are turning to the internet to find meaningful social connections.
Our ministry has had great success cultivating online communities and utilizing social media platforms to share our uplifting, biblical message with internet users.
Join the GivingTuesday movement by supporting a non-profit ministry that delivers free online Bible studies to inboxes around the world.By creating free educational tools that are delivered digitally, we help Christians grow in their knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, while also equipping them to evangelize to their friends and family by sharing our free resources online.
At Living by Design Ministries, our goal is to create engaging opportunities to encourage people to read the Bible for themselves, but not by themselves.
Our free online Bible studies are packed with multi-sensory educational resources to attract and inspire a wide variety of people to give Bible study a try.
Many of our studies include an audio version, free digital gifts, coloring pages, and beautifully crafted shareable graphics to help our readers engage all their senses in Bible study.
By providing our Bible-centered resources free of charge, we are able to overcome many barriers and reach women around the globe with the spiritual nourishment they crave.
People like our friend Alice in Kenya, Africa.
“Hello from Mombasa County in the coastal region of amazing Kenya, Africa. I thank God for our beautiful country and the freedom we have to worship Jesus Christ without restriction. I also thank God for the internet that connects us with Christians around the world and allowed me to find Sarah Koontz and Living by Design Ministries.
Although we live in different parts of the world, we all have similar struggles, pain, and fears. I believe that Jesus is the answer to the questions we are asking, and I have found great hope and encouragement from my friend Sarah and this wonderful free Bible study ministry.
Through Living by Design, I have grown in my relationship with the Lord. Sarah writes about her red desk where she sits down every morning with her mug of coffee and spends time with God. The way she writes about her relationship with God is simple and sweet, and it makes me feel like she is sitting right with me and speaking with me. Her example has encouraged me to wake up early before the rest of the household to read my Bible and just spend time with God. He is ever-loving and waiting for us to realize how much we need to be in a relationship with Him every day of our lives.
I believe in the power of prayer, and know that God is not blind and deaf to the cries and prayers of my people in Kenya. There is much corruption here, and our economy is not good. We live in a world where not everyone can afford to pay for good Bible study material, and Living by Design Ministries makes their studies free for all. This is a place where you can get biblical teachings in the most simple, and easy-to-understand way. With no payment for anything, it is amazing that Living by Design can put out so many free Bible studies throughout the year. I pray for the day when all the people in Africa will have access to the internet and these free Bible study resources. I pray that all people will let Jesus into their hearts and lives so that they never have to face their fears and struggles alone again. ” -Alice Mwangi, Bible Study Participant & Volunteer
4 Ways To Double Your Impact This Giving Season
All year-end donations to Living by Design Ministries will go directly to covering the cost of delivering our free Bible studies to inboxes around the world. And as we mentioned above, all donations received on or before December 31, 2019, will be doubled (up to $10,000 total in matching funds).
Living by Design Ministries is a registered 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization. All donations above the market value of the items purchased are tax-deductible. Here are four ways to double your impact this giving season:
1. Make a One-Time Donation to Living by Design
Every $1 we receive helps 5 people receive free Bible study material. And remember, all donations will be doubled! Your gift of any amount will help us continue to provide high-quality, free Bible study resources to our community.
2. Buy Your Holiday Gifts in our Inspirational Gift Shop
We have partnered with several talented Christian creatives to offer eighteen unique and inspirational gift items through our shop. These products are only available through December 18, 2019! Because of our matching fund drive, every item sold through our shop generates a $20 donation for Living by Design Ministries.
3. Join Our Discipleship Team by Giving Monthly
We count on the consistent, recurring donations from our Discipleship Team members to pay the bills that keep our ministry running and our Bible studies free. The first 25 people to set up a monthly recurring donation of $10+ will receive a Living by Design Tote bag as a thank you gift.
4.Participate in our Handpainted Bible Silent Auction
This beautiful Bible includes the original sketches of the 23 characters we profiled in the RescYOUed Study. We have estimated the retail value of this Bible at $550 ($90 for the Bible with Handpainted Cover + $20 for each character sketch included). Therefore, our minimum bid is $550 and everything above that amount is tax-deductible and will be matched.
Whether or not you can give a financial gift at this time, please consider sharing our ministry with your friends on social media.
Every social share has the potential of bringing in a $43 donation.
Be sure to tag our accounts @bydesignorg so we can interact with your post and thank you for your share.
We are so grateful for everyone who decides to invest in the mission and vision of Living by Design Ministries.
When God gave us a vision for this free Bible study ministry, He clearly directed us toward a community-supported ministry model.
Without your prayers, your shares, and your donations—our ministry model doesn’t work.
And that is exactly as it should be!
God’s people, working together, to accomplish God’s purposes here on earth.
We simply could not continue to provide our high-quality resources free of charge without the generous support of our donors, prayer warriors, and cheerleaders!
Thank you for giving to us so we can continue to give to others.
