By Semi-Popular Demand
First of all: big new project in the works. Expect a busy July.
Second of all:
Hitting the five-thousand subscriber mark over on the Wargame Channel marks a significant milestone. The interest is there, and growth continues at a steady pace of a thousand new subscribers every seven months or so. With more than seven hundred videos of content uploads over the past four years it was finally way past time to pass the hat around the ring. To that end, I set up a Ko-Fi account and low-key nudged people’s attention its way. It turns out there were literally dozens of people champing at the bit to offer a touch of financial support and one or two whales willing to offer more than just a touch.
It’s been a long time coming, and perhaps inevitable. I’ve resisted for longer than I should have, for very good reasons. Before we talk about those, let me just lay out a vision that keeps my content free of charge for those who prefer not to pay the dancing wargame monkey. We have a lot of fun, and I’m not interested in putting the bulk of that fun behind a paywall. This is doubly true when you don’t want to establish recurring payments or content paywalls – both of which are off the table for me. To be honest, I don’t have the time to run what would amount to two separate streams, one for the marketing and one for the dosh. All we really need is a system that will open the door for those who can drop a couple bucks in the slot, and offer the ability to make monthly payments, should one so desire. In either case, the few little treats exclusive to financial supporters will either expire with time, or amount to little nods and winks that stay within the brotherhood. I’m aiming for an inner-circle and a feeling of being part of something special, without limiting the my reach among the wider public. There’s nothing behind that button that you would miss, but maybe a few things over the next few years that are worth the one-time price of admission.
Rest assured, I’m not in this for the money. My hoped for reward will come when I stand at the final judgement and am found worthy to join the Church Triumphant. And yet, living in this fallen world comes with a price, and part of that price is the necessity of engaging in commerce. Money is not evil in and of itself, but we all know that its pursuit has led better men than I down the wide and easy road. And so, my reticence to ask for remuneration, lest my love of the game succumb to my need for commerce.
And yet, if our enemies on this earth can collaborate, so should we. Money is just a tool, after all, and there’s no sense in laying down that tool and allowing it to be wielded exclusively by those who follow the Father of Lies. Even the Church Militant must fund her armies, and as a soldier in said forces, I could use a few bucks for a few more shots over the ramparts.
So even as the tin cup rattles, one hand keeps the sound muted. We are cautioned by the King of Kings that, when we go out as lambs among the wolves, we must be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. By eschewing the bank account scorecard, I have somewhat insulated myself from potential attacks along those lines.
The YouTube riches are beyond my reach. So too wealth flowing through Patreon and KickStarter. They are too vigilant and carry too much risk. We all know that, given my unabashed life of prayer, love for Christ the King, and refusal to shut up about the both of them, I am at constant risk of having everything digital shut down should the demonic mob turn its baleful gaze my way. My little soapbox is short enough and my voice pipsqueaky enough that the crowd mostly rushes by without noticing, and that’s A-OK with me. There is always the hope that the audience grows and that more men of goodwill might find solace in knowing he is not alone in this fallen world, that voices still speak of the good, the beautiful, and the true. My hope has always been to run a channel that serves as a candle in the cultural darkness.
Frankly, there are very few safe alternatives for Christian men. The best I could do is Ko-Fi. As this post goes live their logo is (sigh) backed by the sodomy colors. It’s an imperfect solution, but it will serve for the time being. You may notice a new little button on the right side of the blog, which links to that company’s donation jar, which you’re free to use or not as you see fit. Your presence here is gift enough, and I am grateful to have you along for the ride.
So grateful, in fact, that I won’t routinely trouble you about it. This post isn’t even tagged or categorized. This is your chance, and the button is always there in the right hand column.
Enough said.