June 1980 Personal Letter

My Dear Friends:

First of all, thank you! Thank you sincerely for all of your gifts in response to my lost letter.

I had some misgivings about that letter — the three-page “tell-it-like-it-is” letter. After it was mailed I began to think it was “unprofessional” to tell you all my troubles.

Most letters I receive from the various ministries either tell me they’re setting the world afire or they’re going out of business. And truth to tell, we can’t honestly say either of those things right now. In a way, I wish we were setting the world afire or going out of business — either of those would give me feelings of great relief. As it happens, though, we’re still just carrying our cross from week to week and we’re assuming that our Lord is finding good use for these efforts. We have some strong evidence that He is.

Not that I’m out of sob Stories. The National CBN network is going to have to begin charging us a hefty airtime cost sometime in the Fall. Our local Channel 39, with all of its affiliated stations, will have to run ZOLA LEVITT LIVE an hour later from June 10 on — at 10:30 P.M., Tuesday nights. And we’re nearly out of reruns; we have to now go to the overwhelming expense of producing new shows just when all those other “blessings” have come upon us. If Job were to somehow appear in our office, he’d feel right at home.

But then let me give some thanks, too, because we are to give thanks to God in all things. And along with all of our trials and tribulations we have experienced some very real encouragement.

People are being taught and discipled — there is an overwhelming response to the Bible teachings we are doing on the shows. Many people wrote in to say that they have never heard of some of the things we teach in regard to the Feasts of Israel, the Old Testament and the crucial areas of prophecy. Should Russia invade Israel in the near future, it wilt surprise no viewer of ZOLA LEVITT LIVE. Our people one more informed about Iran, Afghanistan, and the neat purposes of the Kremlin than even the United States Government, I dare say. Our special advisors on the Middle East are the Hebrew prophets, a more reliable team of experts than even gathered in Washington!

People are also seeing that Christian television need not be inferior to the product of the unbeliever. ZOLA LEVITT LIVE now outdraws the competition on our local public television channel, and some great day we may even catch up to the big networks. “With God, all things one possible.”

We should never underestimate the good witness of a quality Christian wonk on this society, whether it be a fine book, a victorious church, on a good-looking and interesting television show. We have the blessing of Living in a generation in which being born again is a respectable and reasonable way of life. We should constantly build on this good witness.

And that brings us to my least favorite subject — our costs and your part in them. How I hate to “send you the bill” every month! But when it comes to paying for all of this you’re “it” — you’re all we have. I often think of how they’ve licked the financial problem in the movie industry. They stuck a ticket booth In front of the theatre and, by golly, they won’t let you see their movie until you pay your share! They make very sure that everybody who enjoys the product joins in the support. But in God’s work nobody should ever get a bill. Christian giving is a matter of inspiration, free will and the leading of God. The unbelievers need a ticket booth — the believers are merely to make their needs known to the body.

Our needs are particularly great at this time. We must put new shows on the air or we’ll loose our audience. We must pay the airtime charges so that our brothers and sisters at the network can carry out their own good works. We must not let the quality of God’s work suffer. I think you understand.

I was floored by the response to my last teller. What a variety of opinions and feelings came pouring at us. A few people just coldly told us to take them off our mailing list. One fellow complained that he had sent a dollar for a book last Fall and here we were asking him for money again! A heartening number of giving souls sent checks in the hundreds of dollars. And would you believe — a few made out their gifts in four figures.

“And that’s the may it is,” as Walter Cronkite would say. We just don’t know what to expect. The marvelous variations in the gift of giving make it a bit difficult for us to plan ahead, to say the least.

Now, of course, I do not write to tell you to give. God tells you what works to do yourself, and which to support. Neither am I responsible for just how much you give if you do support us. The man who sent a dollar may have sent his last dollar for all I know. The lady who sent three thousand dollars may have three million left.

You may be too poor to give. Our policy is that the show gives to the poor, in the form of free books and also in raising funds for ministries to the poor. If you cannot give don’t worry about us; let us take care of you. But by the same token, if you are able to give we vitally need your help. If you watch our shows and learn from them, then we feel you should help us. If you partake of our efforts then help us with the burden. Please don’t let another Christian keep paying your ticket to our productions.

That’s all I can say about our needs for now. We can reach tremendous numbers of people for you, we can put your dollars to work for the Gospel in fifty states, and we can continue the fresh and important kinds of shows we do if you’ll stand with us. We have enclosed a reply envelope. Your gifts are tax deductible, of course. Please do remember to say a prayer for our ministry whether or not you can give this time, and may God bless you, every one.

In His love, as always,

ZL/sh