Accounting News and Notes

Duluth GA /Alpharetta/Roswell CPA Offers Sample Support Letter to Raise Financial & Prayer Support for Navajo Family Missions…Taking Christianity Into the World 

The model that I believe is having the largest impact in Worldwide and Local Mission Work is to seek the prayer and financial support of others to support in action and deed efforts to support others in being the Hands & Feet of Jesus Christ. Below is a Sample Support Letter one might use as a guide in developing their own: 

I hope that all is well with you.  Life has been going so fast here lately with work, church and family.  I have been so blessed by God over the past few years and have grown so much through the ministries of our church, Sugarloaf UMC.  It has been a long journey, but worth every minute. 

Part of that journey is stepping out in faith to do some radical things and this summer, July 11-July 17, I have prayerfully committed to go with a group from my church to Pueblo Pintado, NM.  As Matthew 28:19-20 reminds us:  “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

I feel a genuine calling to go and help these people.  In an area that is faced with severe poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, violent crimes, no jobs and so much more, many of the children are forced to go to work and are not allowed to finish high school or some even middle school.  They have faced many pains over the years as they have desperately tried to hang on to their culture.  They are a warm, loving people who are slow to trust because of the atrocities that have befallen them – but they are so grateful when we come and just share our love and our time with them. 

Our mission will be to go and help them through vacation bible school, construction, adult bible study, ministry, sports camps, senior center visits, community nights. to talk about the transforming power of Jesus Christ and so much more.  Just being able to be the hands and feet of Christ is enough to reach these people and show them God’s love. 

I hope that you will join me on the journey.  Given the nature of the trip, there are many things that can’t be accomplished without your support.  I would be so honored if you would work alongside me prayerfully and financially.  I so need your prayers during this trip, as does the rest of our mission team.  Please begin to pray that as a team we follow God’s will, for the people of Pueblo Pintado and that when it is time for us to go, we will be prepared for experiences that our eyes and our hearts have never experienced.  Along with prayer, I also need to raise $800 per person to cover my transportation, room and board. 

If you are willing to give sacrificially, either with prayer or financial support, please fill out the enclosed card and mail it back in the self-address stamped envelope.  If you chose to give financially, please make your checks out to Sugarloaf UMC. 

I am so excited to be a part of this team and I thank you for your support and for taking this journey with me. 

In the Matchless Name of Jesus Christ,

To get a feel for our work on the Mission Field in Pueblo Pintado NM might I invite you to watch our video at http://bit.ly/QS0V9 If you listen and watch with an open heart, it will change your world. To gain a glimpse of our vision visit or if your church wants to get involved with our work visit   http://www.hiscpa.com/blog/2009/07/30/casting-a-vision-navajo-family-missions-taking-christianity-into-the-world/

We feel led to take Christ to the Navajo Nation (approximately the size of West Virginia). We are looking to take our model of service to the Navajo in Pueblo Pintado by partnering with churches, Bible Study Groups, Rotary, Chambers of Commerce and Kiwanis and then branching out to other locations on the reservation.

John Dillard is an Christian Speaker/Author and a Duluth GA CPA. To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ and for his latest book Overcoming Life’s 9/11’s: Job’s Journey and a Voice of One: Nehemiah’s Prayer visit http://www.john-dillard.com/ or call John Dillard CPA today at 770.814.9304 (All Rights Reserved)  

Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!

Missions Lite: Safe For The Whole Family…Taking Christianity Into the World

What is missing in most churches throughout America is the opportunities to serve God together. For it is in our joint service and in our leading by example that our children can best get a glimpse of what Heaven and Jesus are truly all about. Though we want to take our children to church to learn about the Redeeming Power of Christ, missions are one of the best places to watch Christ be revealed again and again in marvelous ways too dramatic for words to adequately explain or words to recommend. In short, missions and the Power of Christ morph people into being more like Him. Below is a recent e-mail I received about our missions efforts and the joy of Joint Family Mission Work:

I am looking for a ministry opportunity for my family to get involved in for Thanksgiving 2009.  As I googled the topic, I found your website and saw that you will be blessing the homeless in Atlanta to give warm clothing and food.  You mentioned that this opportunity is good for the entire family…does that include a 5 and 7 year old??? 

God calls us all to serve the Kingdom, from the oldest to the youngest, to those who are ill to those who are strong, God wants all of us; our hearts and our minds. I believe Family Missions is the best way to grow together as a family in Christ and to invite God to be a daily part of our life. Recently our son said to us that “missions are all you two ever talk about.” Given what all that is going on in the world from drugs to politics, from loose morals to the economy, I believe that being “Others Focused” is being “About My Fathers Work.” Join us as we seek to change people, whether young or old, whether single, married or divorced by the Redeeming Power of Jesus Christ as we Take Christianity Into the World.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalms 1:1-3

Contact HIS CPA PC (A Christian CPA Firm) today.

Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!    

John Dillard is an Christian Speaker/Author and Certified Public Accountant in Duluth, GA. To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ and for his latest book Overcoming Life’s 9/11’s: Job’s Journey and a Voice of One: Nehemiah’s Prayer visit http://www.john-dillard.com/ or call John Dillard CPA today at 770.814.9304 (All Rights Reserved)

Bearing Fruit: Taking Revival Into the World…Navajo Family Missions Series Day 4… Taking Christianity Into the World 

This is Day 4 of the Navajo Family Mission Series of our Weekly Family Trip To Serve the Navajo People of Pueblo Pintado. It is about sixty people who for an entire week lay down their jobs, vacations and responsibilities to be the very hands and feet of Christ. This is their story. Jesus often withdrew to the solitude of the desert to pray and be strengthened. Come along side us and see the changes of  hearts, passions and lives as God joins us on our journey To catch a further look at our vision for our work there visit http://www.hiscpa.com/blog/2009/07/30/casting-a-vision-navajo-family-missions-taking-christianity-into-the-world/  If you and your church are encouraged by our journey, join us as we look to revival for the Navajo People, by Taking Christianity Into the World 

Day 4 – July 13, 2009 – Tuesday – Jesus Gives Us The Power To Help Others 

Power Verse:  Romans 12:13 says ”Share with God’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.” 

Today in Cheddars (this was a new concept for me), Leigh D. shared about the kids writing out names of someone that they could help in invisible ink.  They blindfolded each child, and each child had to rely on a guide to get them from place to place.  Being the guide required showing kindness and love to the child.   They had each child to share what they did to help others.  They talked about feeding the pets, helping moms with the dishes, and helping with the cooking.  One child shared about helping a younger brother saddle his pony.  

John D. went over to the Senior Center to speak.  Rosemary translated what he was saying into Navajo so that each person could understand.  At the end of his talk, John told the men and the women that they would be receiving Navajo Bibles.  The audience all responded with an exclamation of “Ahhhhh!” and got very excited about receiving the gift of God’s Word.  Denise wrote a message in each Bible, and Diana and Denise each signed the Bibles.  They passed the Bibles out in the middle of the craft time.  Diana was so amazed that most of them put down their craft, opened up their Bibles, and started looked up verses.  They were more excited about receiving the Bibles than working on their crafts.  

 Someone asked Beth in the hallway how many kids were in Vacation Bible School that day.  Beth’s response was “80 kids!”  Terrence, one of the Navajo kids, was within hearing distance and yelled out “Praise God!  Hallelujah!  Amen! 

In Women’s Bible study, the lesson was on the life of Rahab, the harlot, and how she helped the Israelite spies to learn about the lay of the land in Canaan so that they could later take the land that she knew that God had given them.  We talked about how you don’t have to be a “perfect person” for God to use you.  You can start now looking around you to see how you can reach out and help other people.  

In the afternoon, Nancy, Tiffany, Denise, Grace, and McKenna cleaned the principal’s house so that he would be prepared to receive guests in his home.  This was truly a labor of love on their part that expressed gratitude to him for allowing us to use the high school as the main venue for our mission trip.   

On this night, six of the team members went to Nelson’s home to visit with him.  Nelson is a paraplegic that the construction team had built a porch on to his house last year.  They found him in good spirits and doing very well.  His caregiver and his brother Philip was also there.  Last year, John had shared with Nelson and his two brothers Philip and Marcus about God’s plan of salvation.  They had spent a lot of time talking about John 14:6 where Jesus says “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father but through Me.”  At this time, John D. had asked Philip where he was going to go after he died.  He had pointed his finger to the earth and said “in the ground.”  On this trip, the team found a transformed Philip.   Philip had accepted Christ as His Lord and Savior.  He was able to explain who God is and to talk about God’s majesty and power.  The simple act of leaving a Bible at the house and reading one verse together spoke to one man’s heart and lead him to want to know more about this God, His awesome power, and His saving grace.  The evening ended with the shooting off of fireworks left over from July 4^th.  John D. could not help but think that this was a celebration of a new soul joining the Kingdom of God.   

Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!   

John Dillard is an Christian Speaker/Author and Certified Public Accountant in Duluth, GA. To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ and for his latest book Overcoming Life’s 9/11’s: Job’s Journey and a Voice of One: Nehemiah’s Prayer visit http://www.john-dillard.com/ or call John Dillard CPA today at 770.814.9304 (All Rights Reserved)

Family Missions Serving Our Native Americans…Taking Christianity Into the World 

Though there have been mission working being done by Believers in Duluth, GA on the Navajo Indian Reservation for decades, we believe God is calling us to yet higher heights still. Seeking to expand the efforts of predominantly providing Vacation Bible School to their children and construction projects, we have added adult Bible Study, Arts and Crafts with their Seniors and working to entrench ourselves with the community itself. In fact, we are blessed as three of the Navajo from Pueblo Pintado, NM will be visiting us for a week over the Labor Day weekend and join us for Sunday Service at the hands of our new God ordained and divinely appointed Senior Pastor, Stuart Greene at Sugarloaf United Methodist Church.

Our mission trip to Pueblo Pintado and Tse Yi’ Gai High School takes us into one of the far reaches of McKinley County in New Mexico.  There the work is much and the workers are few. God has laid it on the hearts of a few to serve the whole of the Navajo Nation by coordinating churches throughout America to God’s people, the Navajo.

McKinley County is in the north-west of New Mexico and is approximately 5,450 square miles in size with a population of about 75,000 (2000 census – maybe more now).  McKinley County stretches from the Arizona / New Mexico state line east and is bordered by Sandoval County on the east (Cuba (almost 1 hour drive) on Hwy 550 is in Sandoval County), San Juan County on the north (Farmington (1 ½ hour drive), NM is in San Juan County which stretches north to the Colorado / New Mexico state line), and Cibola County on the south (Grants (1 ½ hour drive), NM is in Cibola County).

In rural McKinley County there are approximately 5-6 county high-schools.  One of those schools is in Crown Point and apparently has a full summer of activity with folks visiting.  Crown Point is probably rated as a small city or large town so it is not exactly rural. 

The principal of, Mr. Tse Yi’ Gai High School, Chris Spade, believes that all the rural high schools, his is the only school outside Crown Point that has any visitors in the summer to the school or community.  Our mission group from Duluth, GA goes for only one week.  In Pueblo Pintado, that means there are at least 7 more weeks of summer where no one visits to take them the Word of God or to do any construction/repair work around their community.

At those other 5-6 high-schools, we are not aware of any efforts to share the Word of God and to help them out with house/community repair/construction work.  If truly, the other school areas have no or limited visitors (like us to Pueblo Pintado) then with a concerted and coordinated effort it could be possible for hundreds of mission minded people to descend onto this wonderful area of the world – of our country and be the Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ to the beautiful Native Americans. Mr. Spade further stated that if we could cover more of what we do in all of McKinley, then we could head north into San Juan County and then west into Arizona and cover more of the huge Native American territory.

We are looking to partner with other like minded Believers from all faiths. Regardless of whether you be Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian or Methodist, we are looking for Believers who believe that Jesus is who he said he was, “they way, the truth, and the light.”  If you’ve never been to this part of New Mexico, maybe this would be an ideal destination for your next mission trip.  It is rugged and barren and absolutely beautiful all at the same time.  And in the middle of it, you’ll find the warmest, loving people going, the Navajo and Believers who are united in their goal and in faith to fulfill the Great Commission, on this the greatest country in the world, the United States of America.

Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!  

God has laid on our hearts a passion for others and to tell the good news of Christ and to envision serving the whole of the Navajo Nation. I invite you to pray to see what God would have you do, whether it be with us or in your hometown, God is calling you to serve and yet higher heights still.

Award Winning CPA John Dillard is an Christian Speaker/Author and Certified Public Accountant in Duluth, GA. To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ and for his latest book Overcoming Life’s 9/11’s: Job’s Journey and a Voice of One: Nehemiah’s Prayer visit http://www.john-dillard.com/ or call John Dillard CPA today at 770.814.9304 (All Rights Reserved) Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!  

Friends of Honduras Outreach 

The recent political turmoil in Honduras, on top of the continuing economic pressures on our U.S. donors,  are significantly challenging the ministries and finances of Honduras Outreach. Knowing that you love the people of Honduras, would like to stay informed as to the situation there, and want to learn how you might help, we want to give you a concise view of the situation as we understand it. 

The one thing we have learned, again, is that God is in control and He is certainly sufficient! 

There has been little movement in the political situation in recent days in Honduras. The interim government has refused to allow the return of the ousted President, and the U.S. Department of State has issued an alert recommending that U.S. citizens avoid non-essential travel to Honduras and unnecessary travel within Honduras. That alert and uncertainty about how things will develop in Honduras have led the Honduras Outreach Board to wisely halt group travel until at least such time as our government has lifted these travel alerts. We suspect this will occur sometime after the upcoming regularly scheduled Presidential elections in the late fall. 

As you would expect, this change in our operations has the real potential to deprive our friends we serve in the valley around the Ranch of much needed support. It has also placed a severe financial strain on HOI. In response to this drop in funding we have had to reduce our staff and salaries, both in Honduras and the United States. Suspension of group travel has sadly also brought to a halt many projects to improve life for our friends in the villages.  To save money, I have been asked by the Board to take on the additional role of volunteer Executive Director of HOI.  

We have every intention to resume group travel to Honduras as soon as possible. In the meantime we are trying to keep our core staff and infrastructure in that vital community ministry in place so we can serve the people as seamlessly as possible when group travel resumes. Additionally, we are working to keep our other critical ministries and programs in place. 

Most notably we feel we cannot allow our Spiritual Life, Education, Medical, and Agriculture ministry’s to cease. We are serving thousands of people in the Agalta Valley and are their sole means of securing medical care and schooling for their children. We have no plans of stopping these much needed services, but we have a staff of 50 people (down from 65) still in Honduras we must pay in order to provide these critical services. Many of our staff members in Honduras have voluntarily reduced their compensation in an effort to help. We are also asking for and receiving support from the citizens in Honduras. For example, the parents of the children in our Aldersgate Elementary and Hope Middle Schools have voluntarily assumed responsibility for paying for the electricity costs in the schools. These parents, even with minimal resources, desperately want us to keep the schools open…and we plan to! 

That said, we need your help…now. Our funds are running out quickly, and unless we immediately raise a significant amount of contributions, we will be forced to make some very difficult choices. We don’t believe anyone wants this to happen, and we don’t believe it’s in God’s will. 

What is being done to raise money? First, our Board of Directors, while always giving sacrificially to HOI, has stepped up even more by giving generously and asking others to do likewise. We have also made a request to all of the Churches and Groups that travel with us to Honduras, to make appeals to their congregations and constituents for emergency funds. We are thankfully seeing an excellent response to those requests. As one example, the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Decatur which just sent us an emergency relief check for over $15,000. We were especially humbled by this generous response, and there are many other groups stepping forward to help.We have also received from an anonymous donor a $25,000 matching grant for Education for funds received by September 10, 2009, for our school system. 

To be specific, in addition to the generous response we’ve already received, we still need to raise an additional $200,000 to be able to operate to the end of 2009.  Our operating budget for 2010 will be approximately $950,000, down some 40% from the run rate of the past year. All of these funds will need to be generated from our generous donor base if we are to continue operations.  

What can you do? We are asking everyone who has the ability, to prayerfully consider a regular gift to HOI to enable us to continue our work, even if at reduced levels, on your behalf in Honduras. These people have no other resource to fall back on. It’s us! We will be contacting you soon as part of a grass roots giving campaign built on the theme that HOI has just celebrated its 20th year in service to Honduras. In the meantime, if you feel so moved to help, you can mail checks to:

Honduras Outreach Inc. 4105 Briarcliff Road, N.E. Atlanta, Ga. 30345 or visit our website www.hoi.org where contributions can be made online. God bless each of you and pray that we will be able to continue the ministry that has changed so many lives, both in Honduras and in the United States.

HOI has completed its first 20 years, and with God’s help we plan to be here for many more 20 year anniversaries.  Our desire is to stay in God’s will in Honduras, and to raise the money needed to continue our mission to serve the people there.  This most definitely includes group travel, for that is where lives are changed and relationships are born.  To do that, we are asking for your help, right now! 

In His name, Sue Church Chairman of the Board of Honduras Outreach

Casting a Vision…Navajo Family Missions…Taking Christianity Into the World 

We just completed our annual mission trip to the Navajo Indian Reservation in Pueblo Pintado, NM. Since day one it has been a family mission trip and was the third year that our family was involved and the second year that my wife led the trip and the third year that I was allowed to serve as the spiritual leader. This year was a huge success as we began to see the effects of the Navajo people embracing our efforts by their words, actions, materials/supplies and support of our service. Those who served alongside of us this year will never be the same as God joined us and our efforts in a big way. For the 2009 mission trip we focused on Vacation Bible School, Adult Bible Study, Arts and Crafts at the Senior home, and construction. Some of the highlights of the trip included seeing the results of those coming to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, a Community night and a deepening of the relationships previously established. We were also able to share Bibles from the American Bible Society written in the native tongue of the Navajo. 

Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!   

Casting a Vision. Though many might see this a slogan, I do not. The Apostle Paul all called us to  be bold in our faith and that in so doing will do great things in God’s name. In our past blogs at http://www.christianpost.com/blogs/cpa/2009/03/i-double-dog-dare-you-taking-christianity-into-the-world-27/index.html we exhorted Believers throughout the world to strive to do something so BIG that it was doomed to failure unless God was in it. Our latest book A Voice of One: Nehemiah’s Prayer which can be reviewed at http://www.john-dillard.com/ encouraging Believers of all faiths  that we are indeed all Lay Ministers who should be looking to serve and honor God, regardless of affiliations whether Baptist, Episcopal, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc. Below are a few thoughts I have for seeing what God might do with us, if we let him lead guide and direct. Prayerfully consider these as you strive to see God’s hand for you and your life. 

Visioning for Family Missions to the Navajo Indian Reservation for 2010 & Beyond 

-Establishing a relationship with the President of the Navajo Nation.

-Looking to have five Centers of Influence (CI) throughout the Navajo Nation the same week, including the capital. CI’s will be strategically placed to offer housing for attendants with each CI having its own Vacation Bible School, Adult Bible Studies, Senior Center Activities and Construction.

-Working with the local county schools to house events/members/missionaries with each CI having approximately sixty missionaries who are serving, which would result in over 300 missionaries serving the Navajo Nation. Each CI would have a team leader who would work in unison to accomplish established team/service goals.

-Deepening cross-cultural ties with the Navajo Nation while spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, with the primary focus of fulfilling the Great Commission and developing disciples, local leaders and supporting local Navajo churches.

-Developing a team approach to Missions where Navajo are invited to co-lead and serve at all levels of service with the ultimate goal of the Navajo people taking the lead to accomplish stated Mission Goals throughout the year.

-Only do construction projects where at least one local family member is involved in its work with the goal to team building and developing a local culture of “Paying it Forward.”

-Ensuring that all trips are self-funded (goal will be for trips to be revenue/expense neutral to each church) with each participant predominantly raising monies through support letters, while also seeking prayer support.

-Identification of key personnel including a liaison who will share ideas with all CI leaders and world-wide marketing of the required supplies and joint vision using the Internet.

-Seeking through prayer continually the prompting of the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction while keeping at the forefront the Parable of the Soils.

-Gaining involvement of ten churches throughout the U.S. with at least thirty members/missionaries from each.

Listen to the quiet words and prodding of the Holy Spirit and see what He brings forth remembering to always strive to do something so BIG, that there is no way it will ever occur, unless God shows His favor.

In the Matchless Name of Jesus Christ,

John Dillard is an Christian Speaker/Author and Certified Public Accountant. To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ and for his latest book Overcoming Life’s 9/11’s: Job’s Journey visit http://www.john-dillard.com/ or call John Dillard CPA today at 770.814.9304

Atlanta Christian Keynote Speaker/Author John Dillard CPA Serves as Spiritual Leader on Family Mission Trip Through Sugarloaf United Methodist Church 

Taking Christianity Into the World. What does this mean? What does this look like? Well, it is a group of sixty committed people ranging from the age of six to seventy, men and women who are determined to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was called back into heaven ascending into the sky, his last words were perhaps some of his most important. Though many see His charge as the Great Omission, it was not. It was the Great Commission calling us a Believes to take Christianity to the ends of the earth. 

Our trip is to serve the Navajo people living in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico; here in the United States. Missions do not have to be overseas; they do not have to even be out of town. Indeed Missions should start and begin in the home. Serving Christ by Serving Others should be a part of our daily life, our inner-self and indeed who we are. Missions is not about a good week but is specifically directed towards changing lives and moving others towards a closer walk with the Lord and ultimately in developing disciples. 

While in the desert of NM we will serving by having Vacation Bible School, working with Social Services, teaching and walking with Seniors, construction for the infirmed and elderly and whatever else that Christ lays on our heart. Though we will plan much before we leave, as well we should. But on our arrival, however, we will be open and eagerly seeking the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He leads us to do his bidding. Guide our steps as we seek to learn WWJD – “What Would Jesus Do.” 

John Dillard is an Christian Speaker/Author and Certified Public Accountant. To See how he takes Christ along with him to work visit http://www.hiscpa.com/ and for his latest book Overcoming Life’s 9/11’s: Job’s Journey visit http://www.john-dillard.com/ or all John Dillard CPA today at 770.814.9304

 Dare to Attempt Something so Great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!