What does it take to run a ministry?  

I have been asking myself this question, and have been asked by a few others, so I thought I would address this burning question. 

When people ask what Fallout Shelter Ministries is, or ask how can a martial arts/firearms thing be a ministry, sometimes it takes a minute to really describe what it is.  The easy answer is that we are a part of the kingdom of God and we work to further the kingdom by loving God, loving our neighbors as ourselves and going to make disciples of all nations, as commanded and directed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That sounds pretty easy when its just words on a page, but what does it look like in action? That’s a little messier. 

Sometimes it looks like a conversation in the office at the gym, where problems are talked over and solutions sought, or just drinking a cup of coffee together and listening. Its prayer in the black of the night. It could be a car ride to a safe place. It might be a relationship built that leads to the best conversations about Jesus and salvation. It’s walking through past trauma to build resilience, and learning to manage fear. It’s learning to kick a heavy bag and growing stronger while confidence grows. It’s a couple hundred dollars to a friend in Uganda to feed kids or provide electricity to a mom. It’s a tire changed on the side of the road. It is the yes to the call of the Holy Spirit. Yes to a trip to Mexico to build a house, or to Sioux Falls to teach self defense to at risk people. It’s walking through traumatic events with people, talking about sexual assault, injecting drugs, domestic violence or demonic activity without blaming or being shocked and embarrassing someone. It’s yes to the opportunity to give a part of ourselves to make someone else whole.  Running a ministry like Fallout is saying yes to the good things that God puts in front of us to do.  It is also figuring out how to grow relationships and find work for the people who want to be part of this, the people that God has raised up.  Sometimes its helping someone find a job, find a place to live, find legal help. Quite often its helping people stop lying to themselves about everything from health and safety to salvation.  Ministry like this is literally building family. Sometimes family needs, sometimes family gives, sometimes you have to go find them and call them back. 

That is a little of what Ministry looks like here. It’s also the things you see. Classes, seminars for communities and schools, mission trips to places like Uganda, prayer gatherings, worships at the farm… all the things.

That’s a bit of what Fallout Shelter Ministry does. But what does it take to do those things?  It takes love, first and foremost, followed by patience. It takes the work and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it takes long nights, extra windshield time, and extra gas money. Other times it takes resources, those networks that have been built over years of finding ways to help people. It takes overcoming fear and asking. It takes a ton of people praying, literally around the world. It takes extra hands, volunteers, people willing to invite, promote and recommend. It takes people to ask the questions of the friends or organizations to bring us in to teach. It also takes money.

For years we have worked full time jobs and done ministry part time.  July 2020 I (Rich) left my full time employment to work full time in ministry. I preach part time in Lake Preston, fill in at the odd church, and teach martial arts, self defense and firearms. I build wooden things for people when I am able. Beret cleans homes for people, but we need her to come to the ministry full time. There is so much to do, and the workers are few. Our children assist us when they are able, as do a handful of volunteers. 

We are seeking people who are willing to support the ongoing cost of the mission. We have mechanisms in place to accept monetary gifts, we are a non-profit, so gifts are tax deductible, and it doesn’t take a ton, just enough. If you have an extra $20, $50, or $100 a month to share, that makes a huge difference. If you have $1000, $10000, or $500,000 and want to help build Fallout Home-base, that’s awesome too. 

How can you support the ministry? Everyone can pray. Everyone can share how fallout shelter serves. If you can support financially that’s cool too. 

Give us a call, stop by, or message us if you have questions. Check out the videos on the YouTube channel. If God puts it on your heart, join us. Support us financially. Pray. Volunteer.