Information on 100% Tax-Deductible Donations to This Apostolate

HOW TO MAKE 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS


INSTANT ONLINE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS

I have made arrangements with my associate John Martignoni, President of the Bible Christian Society (fellow apologist and radio host on EWTN), to receive 100% tax-deductible, secure credit card and bank account donations via his website. Just follow the link from the banner below (and be sure to check out his free offerings while you are there).

Very Important: a donation of this sort must be accompanied by an e-mail to John:

john [at] biblechristiansociety [dot] com

stating that "Dave Armstrong is the intended recipient". Otherwise, it'll be indistinguishable from any other donation to Bible Christian Society. I know that this is a little extra hassle, but it's so you can receive the tax deduction, and John will know that it is intended for me.

TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS BY PERSONAL CHECK

Personal checks for this purpose are made out to "Bible Christian Society" (any checks from outside the US must be in "US funds") and mailed directly to me. You need to send me an e-mail (with the word "donation" in the title) so I can give you my home address to send it to (I don't want to list it online).

DONATIONS THROUGH PAYPAL (NOT TAX-DEDUCTIBLE)

If a tax deduction is not needed, or if you are from a country other than the united States, or for convenience purposes, you can also donate via PayPal: (my account over there is called "Catholic Used Book Service" due to my business ten years ago):

I DON'T "BEG AND PLEAD"

. . . or cajole and pull at your heartstrings, or send out monthly appeals with proven fundraising techniques, or have semi-regular drives on this blog. My approach is to simply make needs known and leave it to the Holy Spirit to convict people's hearts if indeed they are led to support my apostolate. I truly don't want to accept anyone's donation if they don't fully believe in the importance and value of this apostolate of Catholic apologetics. 


I don't have to pay building rental fees, employee salaries, radio and television costs, all kinds of overhead, advertising, magazine production, and various other expenses. I don't have the benefit of generous remuneration for talks given around the country. I just write (and write and write!), and have to support my family of six (my wife home-schools our four children; two with special-needs) and pay my household bills like everyone else.

WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THIS APOSTOLATE

This apologetics and evangelism ministry proceeds in a very cost-effective, efficient way, by a commitment to living simply and fully devoting myself to my work. I now have more than 2500 papers online and 30 published books in paperback and e-book forms, in addition to radio talks, magazine articles, and chapters in a few other books. 


I think it is accurate to say that I offer the most wide-ranging, comprehensive selection of Catholic apologetics available online (for free: no one pays a cent to read my blog), in addition to my books. It's been literally a constant labor of love since I began my website in early 1997.

My first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism, was completed in 1996, before I ever had a website, and I was published in This Rock and The Catholic Answer in 1993. In other words, I have a long, consistent track record. My blog (online since March 2004) has now been visited by more than 1.9 million people (actual Site Meter figures). 


Many hundreds have cited my writing (see many examples) as an influence in their conversion to Catholicism or renewed commitment to and enthusiasm for the Catholic Faith (and those are only the ones who have communicated about it). That's a matter of record. You yourself may have even been aided in this fashion by my writing (and at relatively little or no cost). 


It's all entirely because of God's grace. I'm not trying to take credit for that or puff myself up. I'm only explaining what you are helping to literally make possible when you contribute to my apostolate.

RECENT HUGE REDUCTIONS OF INCOME DUE TO THE POOR ECONOMY

Our family income has been devastated, wholly as a result of the bad economy (many of you can relate, I'm sure). It affects sales of all sorts and donations, and that in turn affects my income, because a large portion of it has been from book royalties (i.e., book sales) and contract work with with Catholic organizations that rely on donations. 


Much of the hard work I have done in the last several years, to painstakingly build our income to its highest level ever in 2008, has been nullified by this unforeseen circumstance of economic recession. We were going along fine, with no signs of impending trouble, and all of a sudden the bottom dropped out: including losing an important part-time job as a forum moderator with the Coming Home Network. My paperback royalties have dropped almost two-thirds. There are hopeful signs for the future, and I will continue somehow, but I still need your help.


If I have to take on another unrelated part-time job, I'll do so, but this is an opportunity to support this work if indeed you believe in it and want me to continue doing it without having to run myself ragged from overwork, trying to make ends meet (I'm not getting any younger -- almost 54, as I write -- and even have a few health problems now). I need your help (those of you who believe in my work).


I don't receive unemployment pay like most people do when they are laid off, because I have been successfully self-employed for over ten years now. I have no savings to fall back on. I have no retirement plan or pension like most of you do. My only investment (besides a mortgage, which is a no-go financially these days, especially in Michigan, and ours is underwater) is my own books.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUPPORTED THIS WORK

My records show that 80 people have donated twice or more, and 72, three times or more. My count for total number of contributors is 737 (and that's not counting all paperback and e-book sales). That has been how God provided our needs when money was needed, especially before my books started being published (mid-2003). Invariably, when we were down to about $2.62, a check would come in. 


The main concrete ways we apologists can determine if what we do is fruitful (and seemingly blessed by God) is to hear about reports of people benefiting from what we do (including conversions to Christ and to the doctrines of the Catholic Church), and by book sales and donations. By those criteria I have succeeded, by God's grace, and the temporary negative effects of a bad economy do not nullify that.

APOLOGETICS BOOK ROYALTIES DON'T CREATE MILLIONAIRES

I only make about $1.50-$2.00 or so on a paperback sale. The reason I make any money at all on books is by virtue of high volumes of sales. That is why sales of my e-book sets have been such an important part of our income (because in one sale of my current set ($29.95) I make $28.48 or $28.78, minus a $70 a month fee for Payloadz). My main book royalties come twice a year, so I have to also have a regular income for the in-between periods. I had managed to achieve that goal quite well until all of this bad economic news came out of the blue. The best-laid plans of mice and men, huh?


All I'm asking is for you to prayerfully consider supporting this work if (and only if!) you think it is worthwhile and important. This is a legitimate lay apostolate and outreach: highly encouraged by the Church in Vatican II and many papal documents about the laity. The tree is known by its fruits. I have had much oversight of my work (no "lone ranger" here!) through the different organizations and persons I have worked with (most notably at present, Sophia Institute Press and Catholic Answers).

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Anything will help, and anything would be greatly appreciated: $10, $20, $5.00; any amount. If you can't contribute at this time, then please pray for this work of apologetics and evangelism. I'm convinced that prayer (as well as personal encouragement) has played an absolutely crucial, indispensable role in this apostolate through the years. I'm quite sure I wouldn't have been able to persevere without it.

A FINAL WORD: MY TOTAL COMMITMENT TO THIS WORK

I have been blessed beyond measure by many many people, and their kind words and encouragement. I'm as committed and enthusiastic as ever for my work. It's only just begun, as far as I am concerned. I love what I do and enjoy it so much that, often, it doesn't even seem like "work" to me. I've led a happy, fulfilled, rewarding life and have been blessed with a wonderful wife and kids as well: the best! I don't plan on ever retiring (unless I wind up paralyzed or blind or something). 


But objectively speaking, what I do is work, and assuredly it requires a lot of labor, and there are, believe me, sacrifices entailed and personal costs to be paid, that I won't even get into (having taken enough of your time as it is). It's not all peaches and cream. 


Writing and effective apologetics are not easy, and, as always, "the harvest is ready and the laborers are few." We have a powerful Enemy who wars against us, and we have many dedicated opponents, who oppose Catholic teaching, out of ignorance or hostility, for whatever reason. Spiritual warfare is an ever-present reality.


Thank you so much for "listening" (I apologize for the lengthiness of this, but it seemed required to adequately explain things) and for your personal support through the years. You know who you are: the ones who have been doing that! I've been very frank with you and am asking for your help if you see fit to support this educational apostolate of Catholic apologetics, catechesis, and evangelism. May God abundantly bless you with all good things!

Updated on 9 March 2013. 

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