We are blessed to report that, since we shared with you at the end of May that we faced a budget shortfall of $30,000, as of today (6/24/15) we need only $10,000 to meet our budget for the fiscal year, which ends on June 30th. Over the past several months we have seen a significant slowing in our stream of financial support that is needed to conduct our ministry effectively. The Lord has blessed us with enormous opportunities, but with that comes increasing financial pressures and demands. We are extremely careful with the funds you entrust to us. We operate ABR's ministry by faith, and the operations are often run on a shoe-string. We believe that the Lord is honored with the great care we bring to carrying out the fiscal objectives and processes He has called us to. As Director, I donate half of my time to ABR because I believe so strongly in our mission. All of our staff sacrifice greatly to see the Lord's work at ABR move forward. So PLEASE consider a generous gift in the next week. Your help will allow us to finish our fiscal year without the need to make drastic cutbacks that could significantly weaken our ministry efforts. You have asked us to let you know when we have serious needs
Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!
Psalm 96:3
Dear ABR Friends,
Today we celebrate the goodness and favor of God for an extraordinary year of discovery and accomplishments in the ministry of Associates for Biblical Research. God has called together an amazing team of archaeologists, researchers, and associates all committed to affirming the authority of the Bible and the historical reliability of the accounts of the people and events in Scripture. We are united in proclaiming the truth of the word of God and the saving power of Jesus Christ to a world overwhelmed in deepening spiritual darkness and confusion.
The testimony we offer is a declaration that God's people, working together and under God's leading, can powerfully impact this generation for the cause of Christ. Sadly, secularism and unbridled cynicism marks our post-modern world, and we have all observed the staggering transformation of values and beliefs of the Millennial generation. But the story does not end there. With the support of individual's like you, ABR is powerfully engaged in discussions and debates about truth and the critical role of the Bible in people's lives. We have had a busy year of ministry, and I'm thrilled to report on the many exciting developments we have experienced… a number of which are outlined below!
The dig at Khirbet el-Maqatir (biblical Ai) is now the largest dig in Israel!
The excavation will see 60 diggers this year! Eleven universities/colleges will be represented at the dig! The dig has been expanded to 3 weeks during the Spring, and a Winter session has been added!
- In the new National Geographic book, Inside the Biblical World, the editors state that Ai is 'now identified with Khirbet el-Maqatir'.
- After a year at Houston Baptist University, the ABR exhibit, Khirbet el-Maqatir: History of a Biblical Site, came to the Museum Center at Five-Points in Cleveland, Tennessee! The exhibit will be open until December 26, 2015.
- Dr. Scott Stripling, Henry Smith, and Dr. Bryant Wood presented at the Philadelphia area Bible and Archaeology Conference. ABR saw the largest crowd ever at this important event, where ABR staff made 5 presentations on our research to enthusiastic friends and supporters.
- Dr. Bryant Wood was featured extensively in the Secrets of the Bible: The Fall of Jericho on the American Heroes Channel. He was also featured prominently in the new film, Patterns of Evidence: Exodus which was shown in theaters across the country.
- ABR welcomed Dr. Del Tackett at its annual Friends Banquet this year.
Your support has been essential to the growth and impact of ABR. And many of you pray for ABR regularly and we covet your prayers in these days of great spiritual conflict! Some of you serve as volunteers, helping us with critical tasks that keep the engine of ABR running. Many support ABR financially with your sacrificial gifts to uphold our ongoing work. We could not do it without you!
As we get closer to the end of the fiscal year, we are requesting your help so that we can wrap up the year with all our obligations met. Although giving has been generally steady throughout the year, and we have been blessed by the response since we first shared this need at the end of May, as of June 24th we still have a short-fall of approximately $10,000. A strong push over the next few days should help us close this gap by June 30, the close of the fiscal year. As most of you know, ABR operates on an extraordinarily frugal budget, with most of our staff raising support to serve at ABR, or having secondary means of financial provision. It is your gifts that allow us to discover, to research, write, and present about the reliability of the Bible…and we thank you for all your help!
I am grateful to you for your time in reading this brief overview of our work. And I thank you for your prayerful consideration of our need at this time. Please let me know if you have any questions about the work of ABR and do let me know if there is any way that ABR can serve you or your church as together we pursue a deeper walk with our Lord Jesus.
For Jesus and His kingdom,
Scott Lanser
Director
Associates for Biblical Research
PS-- Please take a few moments to read this same letter in PDF format, with a full complement of pictures of ABR activities from this past fiscal year. 
Appeal-Letter-Spring-2015.pdf
