Soulation | Seasonal - Winter 2009

seasonal

Winter '09

Christmas 2009

While we cannot tell you of the garland we've draped and the ornaments we've hung this Christmas (all of our decorations were accidentally put in storage), we can tell you how God is with us this year, reflecting back on 2009 and looking forward to Soulation's 5th anniversary. Like these Christmas snowstorms sweeping through Colorado, something's brewing at Soulation.

Rear View Mirror

Addressing a youth group of over 100 students in Dallas, we heard them ask questions like "How come everyone is so mean?", "Why did God allow a family member to molest me?" and "Why can't I hear God?" Teens look so young, but their heart's cry with poignant adult needs.

A few months ago while in Los Angeles, we met Hannah, a young adult who lives with depression and feels cornered by a home environment where she cannot share openly because she is told "It is not pleasing to God to be down so much." Finding out that she loves to paint, we developed a plan to aid her to combine her mind's questions, her heart's pain and her imaginative abilities so that she could draw near to God. After we left we heard about Hannah beginning to share her story with others. She became more vocal about her struggle as she realized the God of Israel is not embarrassed of her depression.

Hannah continues to connect with us online, chatting, emailing and recently telling us how much she's enjoying Dale's book Living with Questions. Her soul is finding a place with the God of Israel to be both honest and in pain. Hannah's story provides a perfect example of how the questions and needs of America's young people cannot be answered simply or quickly.

Similar to the work of building wells in Africa, our work changes lives as we dig wells of living water in American culture. Sturdy answers change people's ability to hear the good news, while listening and offering poignant questions opens them to how truth sets them free. Freedom to be appropriately human and follow Jesus is the bedrock of cultural change locally and globally.

Trips to Los Angeles and Dallas, as well as our recent trip to Indiana's Bethel College, affirmed again to us how important a man and women speaking together on topics like identity, pain, relationships and following Jesus can be. You can hear one of our chapel talks from Bethel online (http://lie.soulation.org), "Who Are People of the Lie?" We also fielded questions from these college students as they asked, "How do I love a family member who has chosen divorce over love?", "How can I share my faith without sounding canned and pushy?" and "What can I do when my devotions feel dry and forced?" You can hear our Q and A time with them here (http://bethel.soulation.org).

Bethel students continue to flood our inbox with emails. Here's a sample from a student at Bethel who heard both our chapel talks,

Your chapel message sobered and encouraged me today. I'm that girl with the list of what I want in my perfect guy. I know that he won't really be perfect and that God will bring him into my life if and when He chooses. I want to become a scholar of the man God made for me and love him, not just the checklist he fits. Again, thank you so much for blessing our campus with your passion and love. You were a great example to me. And I loved seeing your beautiful partnership. We can read all the relationship books in the world and never learn half as much as we did just by seeing you two love and honor each other. You're like a living metaphor.

Our blogs continue to grow in readership, too, addressing hunger to find a stable footing. Dale's conversation on "What EXACTLY is 'Church'?" series (http://church.soulation.org), a new way to think about church, currently has over 225 comments. Jonalyn's ongoing discussion with Buddhists from around the world continues with over 110 comments at "Jesus Outshines Buddha" (http://buddha.soulation.org). As one of our board members recently encouraged us,

I really like how you're doing your blog and actually responding to and engaging with your commentators. I think it REALLY sets you apart because I haven't seen that happen often. I'm so excited for Soulation. I think what you are both doing is so unique, approachable and refreshing and especially needed for our generation.

Not only are we reaching out through travel and the web, we're also inviting people to us for cultural conversations and soul renewal. This last summer, over July 4th, we hosted our first Soulation retreat with 9 people from around the country descending on Steamboat for 5 life-changing days.

Read more about this first retreat, how Soulation covered most of the expenses and the way participants found water for their thirsty souls: http://summer09.soulation.org. See some pictures taken by one professional photographer and participant: http://avagrace.soulation.org. We were amazed at how each participant went home encouraged to create culturally savvy enclaves of community out of their experience together in Steamboat.

The Coming Season

The first three weeks of December find Jonalyn speaking for three Christmas women banquets. At seven months pregnant, thoughts of Mary's "inconvenient" journey to Bethlehem and the powerful gift of vulnerability fill her thoughts and notes. These talks will be podcasted and in our Soulation resource library soon. January 7-9th, our trip to Missouri, will mark our last husband/wife speaking trip before Jonalyn takes her maternity leave.

Baby Fincher, who we're affectionately calling "Birdie Boy", will be making his debut this winter. We expect him around Feb 25, 2010. Dale says we're inviting a new friend to come live with us for the next 18 years. We value your prayers as we adjust to three in our cabin.

A month after Birdie Boy we expect the arrival of our third book, Coffee Shop Conversations: Making the Most of Spiritual Small Talk (Zondervan, April 2010), an example and guide to talk about Jesus in a culturally savvy, winsome way. Pre-order your copy through Soulation's home page (www.soulation.org).

Shared Vision

We met Micah five years ago at an apologetics conference in Tucson, Arizona. He wanted to keep in touch with us and signed up for fledge. A few weeks later we heard from him requesting help. At age 16, he was ready to end his life. Micah had been contemplating suicide when he heard a Christian radio station offer help, he called the number, but no one was available, could he please leave a message. Knowing he had hours left before he took drastic measures he contacted Soulation.

A few days later, we heard from Micah with an update,

My life was spared because you took time to talk with me, but why did you pay for this counseling? Why do you offer to do this for me? I have no claim on you. I am not your child, sibling, friend. Nothing. I am just a guy you met at a speaking engagement. Who am I that you choose to love me?

Since then, Micah became our first faithful financial backer. Upon beginning college and getting a job, he regularly sent us checks from his earnings to support Soulation. This last summer Micah came out to our newly purchased land to build trails with Dale for our hopeful future retreat center. He has been a picture of God's grace given and received. He continues to ask good, difficult questions of us through emails, or on Wednesday evenings at Ask! LIVE.

Because of people like Micah, Soulation's work continues.

As you may have noticed from the last several Seasonals we have written, we think it is important to make a habit of letting you know where we have been and where our schedule will be taking us in the coming months. We also realize the importance of sharing some of our long range vision for Soulation.

Soulation is not just a non-profit to support, but a community for you to join, as you grow and become a more influential voice in your sphere of influence. Soulation is a growing resource to share with your friends if they need to hear about Jesus in fresh ways, devoid of clichés and pat answers, with perspectives and tools that encourage a fuller and freer human life. If you've been tracking with us for the last few years, you've noticed we resist trends and the typical party lines in exchange for following Jesus wherever he is calling. We want to continue to offer you this same courage as you follow Jesus.

As you read about Soulation's developing vision in the coming months, we hope you will take time to pray, not just for our ministry, but for your participation with us. We are looking for partners in the planning and future of what Soulation can become. We are increasingly aware that Soulation's unique and future potential depends on your help. Many of you have faithfully prayed for us to grow; this letter is the fruit of your prayers. With nine volunteers, we are expanding into our vision, but our needs are expanding too.

From Soulation's founding days, we have shared sturdy answers and helped to build better souls in ways that affordably allows any church, school or camp to bring our speaking and teaching ministry to them. Our decision to avoid charging large speakers fees (or any speaker's fees, for that matter!) was rooted in our desire to speak freely wherever the opportunities. Our decision was only made possible by the financial situation that occurs when loved ones die early.

Neither of us receives payment for our work at Soulation. The unusualness of this decision recently dawned on us when we explained our volunteer work to a local surveyor, who said, "So you do good, just for the sake of doing good?" When we nodded, he told us he wanted to give us a discount for any work he could do for us.

We began Soulation because we wanted more than a career as speakers and authors - we can do that and close Soulation tomorrow. But that's not our vision. We want you to join us in becoming more appropriately human, not just in listening to our ideas, but in offering your own. Soulation is your vehicle for building culture, connecting with others, equipping you to tell the world that the gospel is good news in every inch of human life.

Some of you may not have realized that we run Soulation without taking a salary. While this is part of our history, and while we will continue to volunteer our time, this decision makes us dependant on your donations and influence in the world for the advancement and growth of Soulation.

Would you consider joining us in our decision to give to Soulation? Your donation will expand our opportunities and voice while providing water to thirsty souls like Hannah and Micah.

This year we are pleased to share the news of a matching grant a supporter has generously offered. Every tax-deductible dollar you give will be matched by another dollar up to $10,000.

Your gift of $100 will provide for the expenses involved in producing, editing and hosting of one of our free teachings online.

Your gift of $300 will expand our reach in pivotal areas like the web, administrative costs, retreat sponsorship, and travel expenses for our volunteer speaking next year.

Your gift, of any amount, provides for the future vision of Soulation, to add speakers and writers and plans for a unique retreat center. As one evangelical leader encouraged us, "Go out to them, but you also need to bring them to you. People will benefit in a life-changing way from a few days of community with you." We will be updating you on our site plan and mission in the near future.

As a thank you for gifts of any amount, we would like to send you a pre-release copy of the first chapter of Coffee Shop Conversations to help you grow your own soul as you help grow Soulation.

We hope you will consider being part of Soulation's future by making a financial gift today. As we move into Soulation's 5th anniversary, we ask you to join us in being courageous and generous with your time and finances. Thank you for your consideration and your friendship.

We value your prayers and help on the journey.

Merry Christmas!

Dale and Jonalyn Fincher

Gifts can be made online at:
http://www.soulation.org/useofgift.html

Or by mail:
Soulation
PO Box 772574
Steamboat, CO 80477