The Future of The Sanctuary, a Personal Letter from Peter

Dear Sanctuary,

I feel like I need to say two things and not let my ego stop me. And please read both, for the first thing assumes that the second thing will happen and keep happening.

First Thing: I think that the Gospel which we preach at the Sanctuary is a reformation and revival just itching to happen. It's the true gospel. It's Jesus. Full gospel; full Jesus. As I say over and over, Jesus means "God is Salvation." He is the Gospel and the Judgment. If you love Him, the Truth is pure ecstasy, but if you hate Him, His very nature burns like fire . . . before it sets you free.

It's that simple. It's the message of Scripture and the faith of the early church; but over 2,000 years, it's gotten repeatedly buried in human ego, the lust of empire building, and the assault of the evil one. No one abhors Jesus more than the evil one who tempts me-sus (“me is salvation”) and we-sus (“we, the institution, is salvation”) to take His place in the sanctuary of the soul. The Gospel is simple, but to us it's complex, for the lies we have been told are manifold.

Recently a friend said, "When I hear you preach, I feel like I'm taking a graduate course and missed all the pre-requisites." I'm not that smart, but I have come to see that what the church has often taught is not Jesus ("God is salvation"), but instead, either that we don't actually need salvation (the left), or we can be saved with our knowledge of Good and evil (the right) . . . No wonder we get confused.

This fall, beginning September 8, I'm planning to preach eight simple, short messages on ancient Biblical truths that are foundational to a reasonable faith in the beautiful Gospel: Our Lord Jesus. They are:

1. Hell: The (imaginary) elephant in the middle of the room.

2. Creation: Did God lose control of time?

3. Anthropology: Who is "the Adam"? How is “he” made?

4. The Fall: The Doctrine of Original Ignorance.

5. The Judgment: There is only One.

6. The Atonement: The Tree in the Middle of the Garden.

7. Love and Law: Saved by "Free Will" from "free will" for "Free Will."

8. Eschatology: "God is Salvation" wins and has always won.

To hear more about this listen to the Grace Saves All podcast for 8-29-24 (click for link).

I suspect that most folks think the Sanctuary is unique because of our beliefs around lesson #1. But the lies about #1 have corrupted our understanding of the other seven. And what we preach about the other seven is, I believe, a reformation and such a beautiful revelation of Jesus that this Gospel is worth dying for. Because so few churches, if any, preach all eight of these truths, I've been reticent to say just how important I think they are. But I shouldn't let my ego stop me.

Would you join us starting on September 8 and invite others to join us as well? And would you pray about your giving? I think I'm supposed to ask and not let my ego stop me.

So, Second Thing: Would you ask the Lord what he would like you to give to the Sanctuary this fall and on a regular basis?

About 10 months ago, I wrote you all a letter about what I perceive to be our calling as a worshipping community that together preaches the Gospel of Relentless Love — both as a local body and as a body connected electronically and online around the world. And I asked you to pray about giving. Y'all gave $78,579 more than what we asked. It allowed us to give cost of living increases to staff, advance money to our sister church in the Philippines for the sake of purchasing some land, take care of a few odds and ends, and enter 2024 in good financial shape.

But in April, giving and attendance dropped off rather precipitously. I'm not sure why (I lie awake entertaining all sorts of conjectures: COVID and staff transitions, having to cancel our foothills service, politics, sermons too hard to understand, the Devil, and people I forgot to call). In May, we mentioned something about our finances and giving picked up in June and July. But halfway through August, we found ourselves with a cash balance of less than one month's operating expense. Right now, it looks like we’ll hit zero in a few days.

I honestly don't know exactly what God is doing, but I hope we will be able to stay where we are, host a conference in the fall of 2025, and continue to minister from this place to people all around the world. I don't know exactly what the Lord wants us to do, but whatever he wants us to do, I think he wants us to do it as a body. Maybe I'm the mouth, but I'm not the head and definitely not the Logic. And yet, each of you is connected to the head and you manifest His logic — the Logos. Would you pray for us? And ask the Lord what He might want from you?

It seems to me that we have a variation of three paths set before us:

#1. Dissolve the institution that we call “The Sanctuary.” The Sanctuary that is us is indestructible; but still, dissolving our organization would break my heart. And it seems to me that the Lord has clearly communicated to me and to others, "Y'all are by no means done." But like I said, I'm not the head, and we're the body. What is the Lord saying to you (here in Denver and abroad) about us?

#2. Make some rather drastic cuts and change our shape. Most of our budget goes to salaries. We could cut staff, but I adore our staff and don't know how we would function, let alone grow, without them. I think we have the right people in the right places right now.

We obviously have more building than we need in order to meet on a weekly basis. But with a mortgage of $580K, our building costs are only about 12% of our operating budget, and we are continuing to acquire equity. It would take some time to sell. But if we were to sell, we might be able to cash in some equity (reliable estimates are between $300K and $600K), and possibly lease some retail space (possibly saving $5K/month after moving costs) or rent from another church or synagogue. But I don't know how substantial the savings would be, how challenging it would be to connect effectively online, how this might limit us in the future, and if those of you here in Denver would want to be part of such an arrangement? So, what is the Lord saying to you about us?

In the past some have suggested that I have some sort of para-church ministry. I don't know if I could, don't think I want to, and believe that God has called us to worship Him together and, in this way, proclaim the Gospel of Relentless Love. But what is the Lord saying to you about us? And, if it seems appropriate to you, would you share it with one of us on the staff or the board?

#3. We increase our giving on a consistent basis. It was only six months ago that we were startled  at how much people had given. Since then, some have left, some have arrived, and many more may arrive. Like Paul wrote, "I planted. Apollos watered. But God brings the growth." I must say that never before have I felt like we were more poised to be just who it is that I think we are supposed to be.

So, I'm not going to let my ego stop me. I honestly feel like a fool most of the time. I'm not a great manager, entrepreneur, or executive. I thought I used to kind of know how to do this, and some people actually thought I did, but I really didn’t, and I don't — not at all. And yet I believe we're on the cutting edge of a reformation and, God willing, a revival, at a time when those on the left are giving up on their faith, for they know they need salvation, and those on the right are doing the same, because they're coming to terms with the fact that they're obviously not saving themselves. And meanwhile, the world is thinking, "There's got to be more." We're on the cutting edge of a reformation, the evil one hates what we have to say, but the Gospel we preach is so profoundly beautiful — it/He will utterly transform the world. I hope and pray that God will allow us to be a part of it. But I'm just the mouth. What is the Lord saying to you about us?

No matter what happens, the Kingdom will come, and I am forever grateful for you.

And no matter what, God will do it. He might even use a mouth and some body parts to do it.

Thanks for reading this.

Love you more than ever,

Peter

P.S.

I don't know what anyone gives unless they want me to know. So don't let this be personal.

I don't know what anyone should give. So don't let this be a tax; let it be an offering.

I don't know what you should do; He may have you give less at the Sanctuary but maybe more.

I don't know what we should do... and yet, I do: "Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Please. Give. Thanks.

Thank you to those who currently support us through monthly donations!

If you have not previously supported us financially but value the message that we are committed to spreading, please prayerfully consider partnering with The Sanctuary Denver in our effort to continue proclaiming the Relentless Love of God for all, to all, together. Even just a few new monthly supporters will make a significant impact.