Math

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I, one of many former and hurt followers of the institutionalized pain that is LFF, was reading the current posts and it came to mind, once again, how in the world does that place maintain the number of people that they have? Truly, with the number of people that I personally know who have chosen to "backslide" in recent years, I almost thought the whole place would eventually "backslide" right off the top of that unholy hill! But, after some thought I've come to realize, that the success of LFF is due in large part to it's presence in a college town. That is to say, everything there (for the most part) is built upon the back breaking labor of young people and college students. I have only in my private thoughts (until now) at times likened it to a giant organism, that feeds on the blood of the great number of people it seduces. Most of whom are young and vital. Some realize that they are being sucked dry and struggle free, while others, with the proboscis of the giant parasite still in their veins, sing the villain's praises.

But, I digress my interest was how they maintain their numbers. True, many people have seen the light and wriggled free of the monster's grasp, but still it seems there is always someone eagerly waiting to replace them as the victim in the feed trough. The secret to the success of this great eater, as with any other is turnover. A practice that is especially effective in this town where more than half the population is replaced every four years. Now, not to disregard those victims who are permanent residents, but the fact remains that this is a place that to a large extent people are "passing through". From one stage of life to another, childhood to adulthood or
from one job to the next.

A college town is a transitional town. That is why the great "recruiters" and the "disciplers" frequent these places, they prey upon people who want their lives to mean something, so they tell them their life "means something to us", or "to God", or even "We know how you can change the world", etc. All things people in transitional stages of life like to hear.

But, I digress again. Turnover is what sustains LFF. Why do you think they have such a massive "outreach" program, for the freshmen? Why are they always scrambling to be on both campuses as soon as the first bell rings each semester? Why is the lemonade stand so gosh darn important to be involved with? And heck, why is it the popular hangout spot every semester? I shall attempt to explain: With a church whose attendance is approximately, say 700, and whose efflux is say 150-300 per year, you would of course need to replace all those bodies. Now, if we take just the college populations of Moscow and Pullman to be 25,000, (I will conservatively estimate 10,000 and 15,000 respectively), and assume that 1/4 or 6,250 of those are incoming freshmen, understanding soon dawns. All that is needed to counterbalance the efflux of persons with an influx to match of people who have never even heard of LFF is less than 4.8% of the incoming crop of blood suckee potentials! NOW THAT IS DO ABLE! I would love to end on a happier note, but as long as there are freshmen, there will be LFF's, it's sad, but the numbers don't seem to lie. LFF is still here after years of ruining lives.

As PT Barnum once said: "There's a sucker born every minute."

Well, this is one sucker that doesn't like lollipops anymore!

Editor's note: This e-mail was not sent anonymously. However, though the author is not afraid to be named, we have chosen to withhold their identity. It has long been a common practice at Living Faith Fellowship to point out whatever flaw can be found in those voicing their opinions. We wish to protect the author from once again being placed under the LFF microscope. Though ad hominem arguments are never sound; LFF has been far to successful in the application of this fallacy.