1:35 PM David Green is edifying us while we’re waiting for the teacher of the Anger Management class (who didn’t arrive). He was on death row in Angola at age 15. Proverbs 15:1 kept him through Angola. However, after being freed eight years later, went back into the world. This from a man who was baptized at 10 and preached his first sermon at 12. None of that mattered: when he was released, the church turned its back on him. He made his way to Kansas City, where he was arrested again. Even though he knew Jesus, he didn’t know him as Lord. It took another stint in the penitentiary to make Jesus his Lord.
A life of sin in the drug trade promises one of things: a quick trip to the graveyard or a quick trip to prison. In prison, they have an opportunity to learn a different way: they have nothing but time. However, Satan is waiting at the prison door. No matter how much one changes in prison, he’s waiting on the outside to lead the ex-offender back to the world.
The government talks about recidivism, the revolving door. However, is there an opportunity for the ex-offender to get an honest job when he’s released?
Until an inmate make up his mind that he wants God into his life, change won’t happen. The start of change is accountability: acknowledging that his situation, his family’s situation, is his responsibility, not the responsibility of society. “God put me/my son/whomever.” Not at all.
We have to be careful how we encourage folks; sometimes we discourage people without knowing it. The other mistake we make is thinking we know Satan. Satan is clever and will take us somewhere we don’t need to go.
“He sure was lucky.” Do you see “lucky” anywhere in the Bible. God doesn’t rely on luck, but on His grace. It’s not a coincidence the way we’re gathered today. God has a plan for us and it’s about Him, not us. God wants us to consult with Him on what we’re going through.
Takeaway Thought: Remember Job: just because we have storms in our lives doesn’t mean God isn’t with us. If we can fix it, fix it; if we can’t, leave it with God in prayer...and believe that God will do it for you. God has the power to turn our lives around...and He will. God works from the inside out, not the outside in.
2:31 PM Phillip Gibbons and Tom Dugan presented on Bible Correspondence. Phillip began with a history of the Bible Correspondence course program at Wyoming Avenue. The initial response to offering correspondence courses to inmates was underwhelming. Tom provided insight that helped them improve the response.
Tom spent 14 years in the Air Force, taking care of the regulations, creating forms, etc. When he started working in prison ministry, he used his background skills first to grade courses, then to ease the process of providing the correct answers, then to creating forms to enroll other inmates.
How many people walk up to the door to ask for a correspondence course? No one; they don’t have the time. Who does have the time? Inmates. The panhandle of Florida has a state facility in every county. Each facility has 800-2000 inmates.
Along with other area congregations, they’re currently grading over 1000 courses per year. Last year, they mailed out over 16,000 lessons to over 1000 inmates, resulting in 29 baptisms. So far this year, there have been 32 baptisms.
We’re not talking about inmates or people with problems, but souls who need salvation. What have we done to help these men and women? The answer for them is the Word of God. We have it, but have we given it to them, or are we keeping it for ourselves?
The courses come from several sources and are in the following order:
- There IS a Better Way (Unbound Word)
- Prisoners of Hope (Unbound Word)
- Understanding the Bible (Haun)
- Jesus by John
- Into all the world - Study of Acts
When an inmate completes a course, he’s sent a Certificate of Achievement. For someone who’s never achieved anything in his life, this is a tremendous encouragement. Inmates love certificates.
Takeaway Thought: How important are correspondence courses? For the inmate, very important: he’s looking for the truth. He’s gotten some jailhouse religion, but needs more. We have the truth and need to get it to him.
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