What We Did Together in 2023

And what's yet to come in 2024

This Holiday season, we talked about encampments, winter, and sweeps.

In solidarity with those experiencing this terror firsthand, I promised to donate all of December’s Paid Subscriber earnings to the Sanctuary Supply Depot in Minneapolis, which provides direct aid and life-saving supplies to encampments.

You all really came through. I’m humbled to get to be a conduit for your generosity.

Through subscribing here and purchasing stickers, I was able to donate a total of $450 in December alone to lifesaving, direct aid work in Minneapolis, Portland, and Nashville (to groups and agencies I know and trust personally.) Over the last year or so, my community here and on Twitter helped to facilitate an additional $1200 to trusted groups in Minneapolis and Los Angeles through a one-time fundraiser, and purchasing stickers and shirts.

If you want to get one last push in, I’ll continue to honor the Paid Subscribers deal through the end of December. And shirt and sticker sales will always go to encampment aid.

A quick story…

Most of you know that I felt a “call to ministry” at a young age. In my pursuit of this calling, I had a lot of champions, but none more than my Grandma Lois. She was so thrilled at the idea of having a preacher in the family.

When I was in college, I remember talking to her on the phone, and she told me, “Maybe you’ll be an Evangelist!” If you don’t speak Christianese, an “Evangelist” is a traveling preacher. Different than a pastor who regularly preaches on Sunday mornings as just one aspect of their ministry, the Evangelist is known to come in to churches at special times of the year or to large church gatherings like revivals or crusades. The most famous version of this is, of course, Billy Graham.

Even then, I scoffed at the idea. I told her, “Evangelists have it easy. They have five or maybe six sermons that they repackage over and over again, and they just jet in and out of town without having to do the real work of ministry.” She probably rolled her eyes, and probably was a bit disappointed in me—it wouldn’t be the last time.

She had a hard time understanding when I left my denomination’s ordination process and pursued my calling into the homelessness field. In one of the last conversations I had with her, she asked if I was ever going to “take a church” (Christianese for become a local pastor) and do actual ministry. It stung, and changed the dynamic of our relationship in a way I never got back before the end.

Fast forward a few years to 2022, when my book released in August. I start getting emails from pastors, church leaders, and other groups wanting me to come talk about homelessness. Since August of 2022, I’ve spoken in Portland (twice), Seattle, Olympia, Oklahoma City (twice), Waukesha, Phoenix, Nashville, Chattanooga, Evanston, Oakland, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Rockford, Charlotte, and Minneapolis.

Along the way, I developed around five to six sermons, presentations, a workshop, and other content that I can tailor to the specific city I’m in. I continually try to improve on them and develop more, but use a lot of repeat material as I go before new audiences. I get to come in and see what these groups and cities are up to, encourage them and offer my wisdom, before jetting out and leaving them to the hard work of addressing homelessness in their local contexts.

And about halfway through the year it dawned on me: Dammit, Grandma… I’m an Evangelist!

Granted, it’s not exactly the same. I don’t go out seeking religious conversions. My “day job” here in Minneapolis is in the thick of the work to end homelessness locally, and the “Evangelist” side is extra. In the way she understood it then, my grandma probably wouldn’t have counted it.

But I like to think that she does now.

And as 2023 ends, I have to thank you all. The work I do traveling and writing is not exactly lucrative—I more often take a loss or break even than I make a profit. I’m only able to keep going because you all support me. You show up when I travel, you spread the word, you read my writings, and enough of you support financially that I haven’t yet had to say no to an opportunity. It’s incredible, and never lost on me.

And 2024 is shaping up to be another great year. I have big plans! They include a new book, starting a national advocacy group, and more traveling and speaking. So far, I have confirmed plans to be in Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth, with other places in various stages of planning. (If you’re in Atlanta, hit me up! I have some open dates I’d like to fill!)

So here’s to you all! Thank you for supporting me, for making 2023 an incredible year. Let’s do it all over again :)

kevin

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These posts will always be free.

But the rest of my work—traveling to preach and lead workshops, creating content, and getting into sacred mischief through advocacy and direct aid—is enabled and expanded by your support. Consider becoming a Paid subscriber to enhance my reach.