On a Personal Note

Changes after 100 articles

After 35 years of pastoral ministry, I’m retiring the end of this June. Changes are happening and I’d love to have you help me out.

Ashes to Life Ministries in Beaver Falls. By God’s grace, I’ve served the congregation for 13 years.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve had brief seasons where I’ve focused on writing books and blogs. Starting July 1st, however, writing will become my main focus. Would you consider supporting Tsunami Surfing as a paid subscriber to fund my efforts?

Since January of 2022, I’ve posted over 100 articles on this blog, most of them dealing with how best to bring the love of Jesus to the sexually addicted, abused, and confused. Hopefully I will be able to increase the frequency of these articles.

But I’m also in conversation Seedbed Publishing about a book proposal. It would be a project encompassing the theme of the last four articles: How do we engage with our kids about sexual matters from toddlerhood to the teen years?

Your paid subscription to Tsunami Surfing would enable me to focus on writing well, supplying books for research and pics for the blog.

And one more amazing change—this one requires a little background . . .

Back in 2001, I went through a mid-career evaluation. I had been pastoring for about 15 years and was deeply disillusioned. Had I missed my calling? At the same time, I had a growing interest in how the Church had been mishandling the issue of same-sex attraction. After about three months of prayerful discernment, it seemed I was getting no clear direction.

Finally, while deep in prayer, I asked God, “And who is going to equip churches to minister to gays and lesbians?” I clearly heard the words, “You are!”

I was both honored and dumbfounded. How would I do that?! But within two months, I was on my way to my first doctoral class at Ashland Theological Seminary.

Fast forwarding over 20 years, I was asked to be part of a committee to write a theology of sexuality for a new denomination. And last fall, our committee was tasked with equipping churches to do ministry—the very work God called me to do in 2001. I’ve been incredibly blessed.

Tsunami Surfing was launched January 2022 and over 100 articles have been posted. These articles will continue to prod your thinking about ministry in the aftermath of the Sexual Tsunami. And as I take on a new book project, your funding will help me lean less on other means of income and purchase necessary books to delve into topics related to childhood development.

In appreciation for becoming a Tsunami Surfing supporter, all subscribers will receive a free pdf of my soon-to-be-completed resource regarding BDSM.

Thanks for your prayers, continued free subscriptions, and for considering going paid.

Blessings!

Mark Ongley