Lauterbach Family News and Views June 2019

Greetings

It has been almost a year since making the transition from the working job force to work in ministry full
time. Many great things have happened in this process and change.
First, the organization that I have work with over the past 19 years had graciously to allow me to consult
part time one year to support the transition of my leaving the company to train and assist staff
members. Thank you to those whom I have be able to work with and encourage and help.
Second, the ministry of Calvary Commission, that I am now giving my time and efforts to started off with
the jump right in. They asked if I would be willing to take the operations director reigns for the Lindale
campus. So, I said sure. I am will to do what every is needed and jumped right in. First week main
water line broke on campus shutdown all the facilities with many other resulting issues to resolve, in
January, in Texas. Next the February freeze happened and of course the water lines which were not well
insulated had issues.

But God is good, and we learned about the students here on campus and the needs of the staff
members and seeing His work moving in their lives.
The Calvary Commission campus here that I am involved with is in East Texas, the city of Lindale, is north
of Tyler and just about 80 miles east of Dallas. We are near several other ministry organization that call
this area home base as well. Some you may have hear of, and some maybe not.
The family is doing well with Kevin, my 22 year old, is taking online college classes with University of
Texas San Antonio, studying Cyber Security. Brooke, my 19 year old, is taking classes at Tyler Junior
College in Tyler with art and language focus. Tammy is working in the office as receptionist and taking
bible classes and will earn her associate’s degree in missions next fall.
So, what is Calvary Commission? Little bit of history. In 1977 Calvary Commission was founded by local
business Tyler man Joe and Charlotte Fauss. He had ran several successful restaurants and markets in
the Tyler and additionally opened the local Teen Challenge to reach the kids on the streets of Tyler.
Here he encounter young men that due to their choice had committed crimes and where sentenced to
time in prison. Having gone to visit one young man had and invitation with the chaplain to share the
message of the cross of Calvary with men at the prison chapel. He was greatly impacted by what he
saw. On his way out that day, Joe went to the warden office to say that he needed to do something for
these men. The Major sitting in the office looked up at him and said preacher if you want to help them,
help them when they get out. That message resonated in his heart and was the idea for what Calvary
Commission would become.

About me! In 1979 as a teen living by myself in Van TX I had a family situation at that time with a
stepfather that was not healthy. I need of a job I encounter at a local wood shop a group of men that
were building wooden planters. I went to see if I could apply. There I was told about what they were
doing and why. But no job was available. Who were these guys? They told me about themselves and
what God had done to change their lives. And they were there to serve God, be discipled in the bible
and go out and share about what happened to them. They invited me to church with them on Sunday
morning in Tyler and to have lunch with them afterwards. As it turns out these 12 guys all had been in
prison and while there had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. They wanted to do something more
than return back to the place where their lives had been a wreck before. With a desire to serve God
they applied to Calvary Commission. A place where they could be discipled and trained to walk out a life
of a servant. To give help where they once gave hurt. To take hope back where they once lived without
hope. To go to the streets, back to the prisons, to the foreign lands and to the churches with the
message of the cross of the Christ and the transforming power that God has for all.
This is message they shared with me and God use this to show me my need for salvation to turn to the
cross and ask for forgiveness from my sins. And 9 months later, God placed a call on my young 16 year
old self to lay down my life and follow Him. And so, I did. I moved from Van to Lindale into the campus
dorm with the men and continued in high school. For the next thirteen years I lived on the campus and
finished high school and then technical school. I worked in planter production, as the fleet mechanic.,
then Sales Team member and leader and in the graphic arts department working in printing, video and
audio.

Calvary Commission started a local church, Church of Living Hope, to reach the local Tyler community
and we start a housing transition home for those guys that had completed the training and wanted to
work and live locally in the community and still work with the church in the community and I was one of
the leaders to head up this project. God was very good to me and I meet Tammy. I was able to go back
to school and get a degree in electronic engineering and start my 25 years in medical imaging service
and support. This took me and the family to Virginia and then to Massachusetts. I have the opportunity
to travel and work with some great people around the world.
Three years ago now the Lord ask me if I would be willing to come back to Texas and serve with Calvary
Commission again. Honestly, I did not know why he would ask me. I wrestled with the decision for
some time. But situations keep coming up that placed me where I needed to be to see that yes, He was
guiding me to follow him back here. He had somethings that He wanted me to do.
Now one year into the change I have been blessed to be able to go back into the state prisons, into the
mission field in Romania and Cuba and work with the local folks there. To be a mentor and trainer with
the students on campus and run the day to day maintenance and activities on campus. I was able to
help with the provisions to reset the campus chapel stage lighting and sound system upgrades.
The vision on campus is expanding and I am project manager over the construction of the Student
Academic Center. A 8100 square foot facility to provide much needed class room space for the
students. I’m at awe of Gods provision on this project already. Providing men and equipment to start
the foundation pad and plumbers that want to provide the piping and ruff in on the plumbing. The
concrete for the slab is paid for already. Now just the need for the man power to setup the forms and
steel to get the concrete poured. Bids are out now for the metal structure to be constructed on the site.
This is what I am doing now with my life. Pouring myself into others and taking the message of the
transforming power of God to those around the corner and around the world.
I would encourage you read the two books that are authored by Joe Fauss – Challenging the Impossible
and Caution, Watch Your Step. Both available on Amazon.
Will you and your church pray for my family and I as we move forward with this calling? We are not paid
staff. It is our responsible to raise the support to allow us to serve here doing what God has ask of us.
God has provided a nice home for us on campus which is far above what I thought we would have. But
we must fund our family expenditures, cost of living and missions travels from support we raise. The
mission’s outreaches to the fields that Calvary Commission is involved with in Mexico Central America,
South America, Eastern EU, Africa, India and new opportunities waiting around the world. We fully trust
that God will provide this here and now.

Will you and your church monthly support us?
Your monthly charitably donations can be sent to the following:

Online at https://calvarycommission.org/give/
Calvary Commission
Attn: Micheal and Tammy Lauterbach
PO Box 100
Lindale TX 75771-0100
903-882-5501

In His Grace
Micheal, Tammy, Kevin and Brook Lauterbach