March 1, 2022
Dear Friend of Twin Cities Ministries,
We trust that this letter finds you at peace and full of joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. While we live in an uncertain world full of destabilizing and fearful realities, we’re thankful that the life and gospel of Jesus Christ expresses its greatest power in our frailty and weakness. May the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ continue to strengthen you to persevere in love and good works!
The Apostle James wrote his letter to Christians who were facing various trials. While many commentators see James as a general “New Testament Proverbs” due to its practical nature, the various trials and practical matters are primarily related to money and economic conditions. Many Christian Jews had to flee Jerusalem due to persecution and were now living in new places where they had to essentially start over financially. As we all know, and many of us have experienced, when things get tight financially, we get selfish, argumentative, and isolated. I encourage you to read James in this light and see for yourself how many of those practical instructions relate to the trials we face when money gets tight.
One of the practical instructions James gave the readers was to seek wisdom from God when faced with trials, and to deepen in their understanding and application of God’s word. And a sign of one’s true devotion to Christ and obedience to his word was that they watched over and cared for widows and orphans (James 1:27). Unfortunately, one of the realities of the human condition is that the poorest and weakest among us fall further and further behind when an entire culture faces economic challenges. It is as true now as it was then. Single-moms and children are the most vulnerable among us, and Christians are called to watch over and care for these people.
It has always been the desire of Twin Cities Ministries to follow Christ in this way and provide help to single moms and their children. We started our work serving primarily men at the beginning due to the large numbers of men coming out of the criminal justice system. We also had the conviction that if we could strengthen men, they would then in turn strengthen the women and children in their lives. We have seen this fruit, and we will continue in this work.
One of the most severe needs for all low-income people, and especially single moms with children, is affordable housing. Last fall, the Star Tribune reported that the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro has the worst housing shortage out of the largest 56 metropolitan areas in the nation (https://www.twincitiesministries.com/blog/housingshortage).
It has always been the desire of Twin Cities Ministries to provide housing and services to women and children. Until recently, government regulations have limited not only our capacity to provide these services, but all organizations due to restrictive zoning policies. Increasingly, government officials are seeing the connection between zoning regulations and affordable housing solutions, and have made progress in loosening those restrictions.
Since early 2021, we have been providing services to Bethel House, which houses several single moms and their children. Last August, one of those women was baptized at Twin Cities Church. Our staff member, Deirdre Tschanz, has been working with these women and their children and coordinating volunteers who have helped with childcare, transportation, and other needs. She has been working with one mom in particular, Erin, who was featured in our November newsletter. Erin has grown in her leadership skills and is now house manager for Bethel House. She has become increasingly involved with Twin Cities Church over the past year and has really become part of the church family.
Our goal in working with Bethel House was not only to provide help to moms and their kids, but also to learn first-hand what went into the work of providing housing for women and children. With over a year in that work, and a decade of work with men, we believe that it is time to establish our own house for women and children. I mentioned this possibility in the last newsletter, and we’re ready to take action. Over the next several months, we are going to be researching and planning for this new home. Please be in prayer for us as we engage this exciting project!
By God’s grace and abundant provision, all of our needs continue to be met. Our regular monthly income is still down from pre-pandemic levels, but we were extremely encouraged that we finished 2021 with positive cashflow. We are thankful to God for your generous contributions. As the world continues to demonstrate its instability and disorder without Christ, leading to fear and self-preservation, it is our hope and prayer that we all continue in faith and love, and devote ourselves to good works to meet the pressing needs of the world around us (Titus 3:1-8).
In service to Jesus Christ and our cities,
George Stagg
President
Twin Cities Ministries