Category Archives for "News"

Making Many Magazines

News

We are encouraged to report progress on the next printing of Loaves & Fishes. The last issue went out back in January, so we are eager to move ahead.

Darold (Dad) will print this issue here, Lord willing, except for the covers, which were done at Carlisle Printing. We are two days into the printing now.

We already had some of the paper for the project, and we ordered enough more to print 80,000 booklets. There are sufficient funds to cover the expenses so far.

Current Needs

Postage to send these subscriptions will be around $15,000. We still lack most of the postage money.

You can help us mail these booklets and publish future issues of Loaves & Fishes every quarter with your gift of $1/day or any amount of participation.

We also need your prayers for God’s protection and grace as we work on this project. There are many obstacles to overcome and decisions to make.

Online Donations

Now you can give one-time donations or set up a monthly sponsorship online! In fact, these online donations are collected through Pikeville Christian Fellowship (our local church), so all online donations are tax-deductible.

Join the team of monthly sponsors and help us publish Loaves & Fishes four times per year!

Click here to learn how you can give.

Americans Behind Bars in the Last 100 Years

1910 – 2010

The Dark Side: USA Incarceration

• There are approximately 2.3 million men and women behind bars today.
• More than 1 in 100 adults are in prison or jail.
• Roughly 1 in 32 Americans are either behind bars, on probation, or on parole.
• We taxpayers spend over $68 billion a year to take care of the prisoners.
• It costs around $30,000 a year to house one prisoner.

The Bright Side: “Can you please help me?”

• “Can you or someone write to me and tell me how I can get Jesus in my life? I am 42 years old and don’t know Jesus. Can you please help me?” Donald Roberts, Fort Worth, TX

• Tens of thousands of hungry prisoners have asked us to speak into their lives. We have access to masses who will receive and appreciate what we teach them and even share it with their friends!
• You can partner with us to make an impact with your prayers and financial support. Let’s wake up to these opportunities before the night comes when no man can work.

Click here to learn how you can get involved.

For the Kingdom,
Lavern Gingerich

Important Update: $304 – You = $303

News

If you’ve been following us during the last year, you know that our goal is to publish one issue of the Loaves & Fishes magazine every quarter.

We have discovered there is a tremendous opportunity to encourage and teach open hearts in prisons through reading material.

The devil and his workers are already using literature to influence the masses. Today we also have an open door to plant the seeds of God’s Word in the hearts of the masses in prison. In fact, they are begging us to.

Loaves & Fishes is already touching tens of thousands, but we see an urgent need to increase its impact by publishing more often. Our goal is to publish the magazine four times a year instead of only once.

As you’ve probably heard, we’re trying to build a team of partners who together can pledge to give $350/day. An increase of $350/day would cover the hard costs of publishing Loaves & Fishes four times per year.

So far official monthly sponsorships have grown to $46/day, which means we have $304 to go. We are sincerely grateful for these commitments.

One-time gifts are helpful and make up the bulk of our income now. However, monthly sponsorships create the dependable support stream that enables us to plan ahead and publish on a predictable schedule.

The needs in prison are great, the doors are wide open, and the night is coming when no man can work.

We are confident there must be 304 more people somewhere that want to partner with us in this goal.

Will you make this a matter of prayer and consider becoming a monthly partner with your gift of $1/day?

Click here to learn how you can give.

“I saw [Loaves & Fishes] and was deeply moved and inspired. Especially the article ‘Paid in Full’… Me being a new born Christian could really use that type of encouraging network in a place like this.”

Jamal Spence • ACI • Fairfax, SC

Quick Updates

• It’s a blessing to have Darold back in the office again full-time. His greenhouse business is shut down until next year, so now he has a lot more time to work at Lighthouse. He does too much to list here, but his work includes processing mail from prisoners and maintaining the mailing list.
• In the last months, Robert and Verba have cut back on their time commitment here. Robert works with a local construction crew to support his family, but they still support the work in their hearts and help with mailings, etc.
• We are doing another small mailing of the most recent issue of Loaves & Fishes, which we published in January. There are 4,600 new single subscriptions that came in since we mailed out the first mailing of this issue.
• We have some ministry presentations scheduled for October. Several churches in Missouri want us to come share. Presentations are a good way to raise awareness and build face-to-face relationships. If you know of a church or group of people that would like to learn more about Loaves & Fishes, let us know.
• The next issue of Loaves & Fishes has been prepared for about six months now. It will take around $30,000 to publish this issue. After using some funds for promotional literature and overhead, we would have close to one-third of this amount left.

Let’s work together to touch more hearts in prison while it is day!

For the Kingdom,

Lavern Gingerich

Plans and Progress

News

Our purpose for publishing the “Loaves & Fishes Report” is to provide a place where we can report to our partners the things which the Lord has done with us  (Acts 15:4) as well as plans for future projects. We desire to be transparent and accountable to those who support the work in gifts and in prayer.

Staff Updates

Robert and Verba are doing a fine job with the requests in the mailroom. They share the burden of the ministry and have decided to stay here indefinitely. Robert has taken on a part-time job to support his family. They are not living off the donations you send, but are freely giving the time they spend here. We are deeply grateful for their support.

My wife and I also enjoy volunteering here and carry a burden for the prisoners in our country. I normally try to be at Lighthouse two weeks every month. I often sense a need for more wisdom and strength in the work, but the Lord gives us grace and fulfillment as we serve Him here.

Anthony Hertzler from Oklahoma is still working for us part-time by the hour. His editorial and writing skills are truly an answer to prayer.

Exciting Publications

We are preparing a printed version of our ministry presentation similar to what we share in churches. This full-color booklet will introduce potential partners to Lighthouse Publishing. It explains the vision on which Lighthouse is founded, the needs and open door in prison, how Loaves & Fishes is helping to meet that need, and how others can partner with us.

Next is 3 Marks of an Effective Missionary, which draws examples from the life of Christ, encouraging readers to live for the cause of God’s Kingdom, work before the night comes, and enjoy the nourishment that God gives His workers.

Both these publications will be distributed free of charge. They will also form the basis of info packs designed to introduce the work of Lighthouse and recruit new partners to help us reach our goal of making Loaves & Fishes a quarterly magazine.

These tools will be freely available to existing supporters for distribution among their friends, families, and church groups.

It will likely take at least several thousand dollars to print and distribute this literature. Please pray for the wisdom we need to be faithful stewards in all these projects.

For Christ,
Lavern Gingerich

Recent Prisoner Feedback

“Could I please have a subscription to Loaves & Fishes? The few copies sent to the chapel disappear quickly.”
Gary Field

“I am writing to subscribe to your ministry in literature. It’s very uplifting to me. And I’m sure others feel the same.
“Blessings are spread throughout the country for what you do. And if no one else has said it, allow me to be the first to say Thanks!”
Reginald Malone • LLC • Lincoln, IL

“I enjoyed reading Loaves & Fishes so much I am glad you have made it possible for us as prisoners to receive it. It’s wonderful.”
Tina Bryant • Federal Medical Center Satellite Camp•Lexington, KY

“I just need to know someone still cares…”

News

This is the heart cry of many inmates from prisons all across America. Some are victims of unfortunate circumstances. Many are in prison because of wrong choices leading to social crime. All of them are hungry souls crying out in desperation for a glimmer of hope in a dark world of rejection. Many have lost all contact with their families and friends. And the devil does his utmost to discourage them completely.

But praise God! Many inmates have turned to the Lord, finding a lasting hope and eternal refuge in Him! Through prison chaplains, church group efforts, and ministries such as Loaves & Fishes, the word of God is reaching the darkest corners of thousands of prisons all across America.

Still, hundreds are crying out for individual correspondence and discipleship. There is a tremendous opportunity to minister to souls and make an eternal difference by taking the time out of our busy schedules to write a prisoner and share the glory and grace of the Lord Jesus with them.

Perhaps it isn’t possible for you to personally visit prisoners. But writing is a splendid opportunity to do as Jesus taught in Matthew 25:36.

If you are interested, please email your request to me at mail@lighthousepublishing.org. (Or call or write us.) We will be glad to provide you with contact information and letters that prisoners wrote to us along with a list of guidelines for corresponding with inmates.

May God be glorified as you represent Him!

Robert Miller
Mailroom

“The Loaves & Fishes are such a blessing to the inmates….

I left 50 at the Rudd Unit in Brownfield, TX. Most of them were taken quickly by the 80+ offenders that attended the services.”
Don Castleberry
Freedom in Jesus Prison Ministries • Lubbock, TX

How $1/day Supports $125,000
Loaves & Fishes Project

If 350 people would decide to give up $1/day for the cause of Loaves & Fishes, that would equal $125,000 every year. Based on the costs of the latest issue, this would cover the hard costs of one issue every quarter—our goal!