Contributions-Donations

Other than CBTC products, most of what I do or make available is offered at no cost, including much of my photography. Your financial support is not only greatly appreciated, but essential to the continuation of nearly all of my work. At the beginning of 2015, after twenty years as a sole-proprietorship, my work became a part of the Teaching & Sharing Centers (IRS approved 501c3 non-profit public charity), under a new branch called william's works. Technically, I am now retired. But I put in substantial hours for the non-profit maintaining my role as volunteer director of william's works.

You can now make your donation directly out to a touch of william, Cherokee Bill's Teaching Center, or wsharing website, if you would like your tax deductible contribution designated to be used for a specific work within the branch, or just to william's works in general. As a branch of the non-profit, all support falls under the tax guidelines of the IRS pertaining to the Teaching & Sharing Centers 501c3 status.

One of the possibilities you are given online is to use a Mastercard, Visa, or similar card to make a donation. From the very beginning of my call to mission in 1994 this has caused some consideration on my part, since I teach eliminating the use of credit cards, and moving toward debt-free living, as one of the best ways to simplify life. Like me, for some of you, this card might actually be a debit card. Others effectively use them as such by paying off the entire balance each month. On the other hand, many are heavily burdened by credit card debt. It is not my place to tell anyone what to do with their finances. However, if you intend to use a credit card where you maintain a balance because you are unable to pay it off, I would humbly suggest that you not add to your burden by making a contribution at this time. I believe it is more important for you to move toward debt-free living than it is for you to help with my ministry and mission needs. Until you are in a better position financially, your prayers are a most sufficient way for you to participate in what I do.

Although I saw my calling in 1994 as somewhat similar to that of a missionary, my outreach has a broader focus than bringing the good news to those who may not have heard it yet. I also work with those disillusioned with the traditional church, many of whom have had negative personal experiences within a religious denomination, or those who have accepted Christ on the surface but were never helped into a deeper relationship with their Creator. Sometimes I must help an individual look past the historical injustices done by Christians to other groups or traditions, and introduce them to the Christ who died for all people, not just those accepting Western European ways of worship or belief. In understanding the distrust, and sometimes outright anger and hostility, many hold for Christian Ministry and particularly toward those referred to as a missionaries, I choose to have actions speak louder than words. Although you can coerce a person into professing something, you cannot force anybody to believe it. Belief always comes from within. I used to describe what I do as resembling the activities of a troubleshooter, simply accepting and working in whatever circumstances God places me in, or brings to me, sharing His grace, forgiveness, acceptance, and love for everyone. All of which is to say, since what I do does not have the traditional look of getting on a plane and flying off to a distant land under a mission board's authorization, I have never strongly solicited traditional missionary support for my personal needs. I had a small (contractual termination payments) residual income from State Farm (I was an insurance agent for 20 years) for the first five years of my outreach endeavors. But, in truth, most of that went toward operating expenses even then. Very basic items like food, insurance, paying the utilities, etc, are currently taken care of by my wife's income. I got us to a debt free living status right from the start, so her income is sufficient for the absolute necessities. I do not however take any personal spending money from her paychecks, and my personal income typical runs less than $100 per year. I am not complaining. I consider myself very blessed. But occasionally I say no to something I would not mind saying yes to if I had a little personal cash to work with.

Things seem to be coming full circle as I look back, before stepping forward. Today, I am more willing in Christian circles to share my status as that of being similar to a domestic missionary. However, such a title can still be a significant liability in Native American and other circles and paths the Spirit has me connected with. God's call was pretty clear. Instead of building a school or church in a distant land though, He had me initially create a teaching and sharing center right where I was. I started simply by changing the signs on the side of my former office. And since the walls already existed, most of the constructing took place inside. It took about five years to get the facilities similar to their present arrangement. After eight years, in 2002, the Holy Spirit led me to create a website to take the work I do worldwide. Never having even seen a website, or an email, I spent much of 2003 learning about the Internet, website work, and new computers. Throughout it all, like those missionaries in distant lands, I needed to keep focused on the reason for working on these tools. Whenever God connected me with someone, teaching and sharing about our relationship with God, all of His creation, and each other was, and is, the priority. Ten years from the start, I was being advised by others to create a non-profit corporation. I trusted I was hearing God's will within their voices. In late 2004, the Teaching & Sharing Center[s] 501c3 non-profit public charity was created. From then until 2012 I spent a significant portion of my time organizing, structuring, and being the primary workforce for absolutely everything the corporation needed to function and present itself well. It is its own legal entity. I am in personal outreach. Remaining focused on the truth of my calling, using scriptural language, I must decrease and others must increase as the organization begins to find its way within God's master plan. In a way, I am the first fruits of this teaching & sharing circle God guided me to initiate. As I teach others to do, turning to God for absolutely everything has granted me blessings through both the good and bad, times of personal and societal trials, and a most interesting and varied journey using my God given gifts and talents. After eighteen years, I am more comfortable with being called a missionary, if that helps someone to fit me into their concepts. But, I am also comfortable when others avoid seeing me as such because of historical injustices by those who carried such an identification. Life is about relationships and example, not job titles. God has often made unusual choices in who He picks, and how He uses them. I sometimes ask others who they know who would go to work everyday for seventeen years for no pay, if they did not feel it was a calling from God. I am either a lunatic and fool, or God's servant. I am hoping for the latter. Thank you for any support you give to me, my missions, ministries and personal outreach, or the Teaching & Sharing Centers organization with whom I am affiliated.