“A divine vision that fills a need coupled with the necessary  capital and a burning desire to make your dream a reality is the key to fulfilling your life’s purpose.”   

Harry Green

 

 

Does your idea fill a need?

Yes, numerous.

YES  It begins with providing safe parking for OTR truckers, thus   addressing fatigue / health issues and thereby contributing tangibly to road safety.

YES  When fully operational it will meet the personal needs of    truckers away from home and provide a connecting link to home.

YES   Through on site health services it addresses medical needs of drivers.

YES   It will also address the deepest need of man – spiritual hunger.

YES   It will address physical hunger.

YES   It will provide counseling and pastoral services the same hours as the industry it serves - 24/7.

YES   It will provide training, employment and a career path for    people wanting to serve God in a practical way.

​

 Is the Need real?

YES   With the loss of over 800 OTR drivers annually.

YES   With a shortfall of safe parking spaces between 28-40,000    nationally

YES   With suicide, family breakdown, poor health among drivers on the increase.

YES   With many in the industry lonely and without purpose in their lives.

See :- Study of Adequacy of Commercial Truck Parking Facilities - Technical Report.   Federal Highway Administration  and

Dealing with Truck Parking Demands - National Cooperative Highway Research Program.    Transportation Research Board

​

Will customers buy it?

YES     Parking is free, but we will also provide food, showers,              entertainment and ancillary services that they are already buying.  All this, in a great facility and environment among people who care for them, and where profits will go back to benefit them in the long run.    

 

 Is this an original concept, a new combination or adaptation?

YES     Ministry to truckers is not new - truck stops are not new; but a combination of both is an original God given plan that will establish long term solutions to ongoing problems.  Multi faceted in it’s      structure to ensure self sufficiency in terms of practical needs, it     establishes a perpetual motion for itself; facilitating growth, expansion of services and influence all on a foundation of applied faith.

 

 Have you considered all the advantages and benefits?

YES    I have considered the advantages that come to mind but I’m   certain others will emerge as we progress.  The benefits I see are    contained in the answers to the previous questions.

 

 What immediate short range benefits can be anticipated?

With the acquisition of land for the project, we will enter the realm of God’s economy and will have a foundation to build on - both physical and emotional in terms of generating support.  Visible and tangible achievements are immediate faith builders when you’re part of a big  vision.   People love to be part of something bigger than themselves - be it glory by involvement or glory by association.  

Benefits to truckers would begin to flow as soon as we could level enough land to begin  providing safe parking.  

 

Are the projected returns adequate?

YES   As a non profit organization with tax exempt status it is anticipated that based on the obvious need of facilities such as this,    financial returns will be adequate.    The returns in context of transformed lives are expected and priceless.

 

Are risk factors acceptable?

YES     Based on a belief that God called me to this task and that He will provide all my needs according to His riches in glory - some of which are stored in the accounts of faithful men looking to support such a vision - (some in Government Grants), yes the risk is acceptable.

​

What are expected long range benefits?

Obvious benefits at the time of planning would be in the areas  mentioned previously.   Decrease in the parking problem with ‘flow on effect’ in reducing fatigue and maybe fatigue related accidents, (the best results you’ll never see).   In terms of transformed lives we can only stand in belief that it will exceed our wildest expectations – and we do have some wild expectations!    The flow on benefit from a transformed life is immeasurable because as a soul prospers it seems all around prospers, family, work, relationships etc.   Long range benefits dealing with people can only be perceived but by the grace of God they will be huge.

 

Have you checked the idea for faults or limitations?

I don’t perceive any faults in planning but as it will be a church, and there’s none perfect, I’m sure someone will find some and point them out.  We’ll do our best to correct valid complaints.   Limitations?   I removed the limitations of thinking in order to believe as big as I feel God wants us to.   Practical limitations?   Time, money, human resources, and personal growth as a leader.   Limit lifters?   Personal relationship with God, wise mentors and faith filled investors.

 

Are there problems the idea might create ...what changes might be involved?

We may not be able to expand our service as fast as we would like, the needs have a head start but faith will get us there. Practical problems associated with a physical venture so big.  Idling while parked would need to be addressed to avoid pollution problems and complaints from any neighbors.   

 

How simple or complex will execution / implementation be?

Run the gauntlet of normal planning exercises and expenses with local authorities.  We’ll be able to implement every stage as the way is cleared and finances available.   In terms of building a national  membership it can be simplified by creative thinking and innovative programs.

​

Does it have sales appeal?

Oh yes.   It’s uniqueness in physical presence, size and scope of vision will be it’s own attraction.   When completed, this project will attract    people from all walks of life.   People will come just to see it and say ‘I’ve been there’.   Most will buy some memento from the store and we’ll plant the thought seed to pray for us each time they use it, wear it, or look at it.   Our hope is that the main auditorium will be a venue where the “Good News” is imparted with impact, relevance and results. Because it is built for truckers, doesn’t LOOK like a church and is

‘different’,  we believe it will attract those from “outside” led by a hunger for truth and reality.    We pray also, that the main auditorium will be a launching pad for people gifted in platform ministry be it song, drama, performing arts or spoken word.

 

Is the market ready for it?

Ask a tired trucker.   I think the answer will be a resounding yes.

Quote “Li’l lady if every trucker in America wanted to take a nap like this at the same time we couldn’t do it – there’s not enough parking space”   a patient’s first words to his nurse as he woke in a hospital recovery room.

Whenever God sends a deliverer into a situation there is first a cry from the heart of the people.   This was mine.

 

Can customers afford it?

Yes everything not free will be priced within marketplace parameters of fairness and value.   No junk.

 

What is the competition doing?

I suppose the competition may be seen as other truck stops but the need is so big, numerous commissioned reports conclude that the   combination of private and state facilities still fall short of solving the problem at present.  In terms of other churches I don’t see us as competition because we’ll be so different and far reaching.   We probably won’t have the proportion of the types of facilities that a normal church may have, but in any case you can never have too many lighthouses on a rocky coastline.

​

Can you be competitive?

As this is a non profit, people focused enterprise competitiveness is less of a concern.     We will embrace an ‘opposite spirit’ in the way we     operate and do business.   There is money in righteousness.    We don’t compete for dollars we compete for the souls of men and women.      On that score we’ll be one of the most competitive ventures on earth,  understanding, that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood.”             

 

 What is your competitive edge?

As stated, we don’t have a competitive focus but our ‘draw’ will be our difference in the market place.   We will attract both the Christian and secular customer through our ‘opposite spirit’ approach to what we do and how we do it.

 

Does the need have to be created through advertising?

No.   The need is real, tangible and widely known throughout the  industry.   What needs to be created through advertising is the  awareness of our solution.

 

 How soon will your idea be put into operation?

The actual building and practical solutions will begin as soon as we can secure the funding to purchase the land required and keep the  necessary people employed to work on the project.

We are currently exploring all our options for securing the necessary funding for our vision.

 

Luke 4:18

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
            for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.
      He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see.
            that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come."

​