Participants: Shelley Quinn (Host), Wyatt Allen, Brian Hamilton
Series Code: IAA
Program Code: IAA000480A
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00:01 When someone has come from crime to Christ
00:04 to the doorsteps of your church, 00:06 what can we as a church do to help them 00:10 lay a strong foundation for continued growth in Christ? 00:14 Join us today on Issues and Answers. 00:48 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn and we're are so glad 00:50 that you're joining us today on Issues and Answers, 00:53 where we are continuing to talk about 00:57 how Christ wants us to interact with people 01:02 who He has set free. 01:04 Set free indeed and who'd been released from prison. 01:09 So let me just without further ado 01:11 introduce our special guest. 01:12 We have returning our chief financial officer for 3ABN, 01:17 Brian Hamilton, who is also the director 01:20 of 3ABN prison ministries. 01:21 Brian, welcome back. 01:23 Thank you. Good be here with you, Shelley. 01:24 Always good. 01:26 And we also have Wyatt Allen, 01:28 who is an evangelist for Amazing Facts 01:32 but more than that, an author of a book called 01:36 The Least of the Least: From Crime to Christ. 01:38 You were sentenced with 20 years, 01:41 you served 14 of those years. 01:43 But that began at the tender age of 16, right, 01:46 where you were actually incarcerated 01:47 from the time you were 15, 01:49 and God did amazing things in your life 01:54 and put you on an amazing path. 01:56 I told him, He put you on that narrow path 01:58 and it's that highway to heaven path. 02:01 And now he travels throughout the United States 02:05 giving evangelistic series 02:06 and sharing the good news with Christ, 02:09 with everyone else. 02:10 Gentlemen, just thank you so much for your heart, 02:15 the heart that you have for Christ, 02:17 and the heart that you have for the least of the least, 02:20 the ones who have been incarcerated. 02:22 We talked on our last program how a church, 02:25 when an inmate can do to be prepared to be released? 02:29 And what a church can do to be prepared to receive an inmate? 02:33 And we talked about every, 02:36 the reception should be the same one of love. 02:40 But with the managing or handling 02:46 I don't know how to... 02:47 I'm grasping for a word here but how we incorporate them 02:53 into areas of ministry depends on their crime. 02:56 It's from person to person, it's an individual case. 02:58 But now let's talk about something, Brian, 03:01 I've heard you say 03:02 is rather lacking in the Adventist church 03:08 and that is the support for the financial support, 03:13 the idea of... 03:15 like a halfway house or something 03:18 for people who've just been released. 03:19 Yeah. Okay. 03:22 Almost every week when I go into prisons, 03:26 there will be one or two inmates will come to me 03:30 and say, "I can parole in two or three months 03:37 but I don't have anywhere to go. 03:39 Can you help me on that?" 03:41 And, you know, sadly I have to say, 03:45 "I don't have, I don't know, this I don't have anything 03:48 that we can offer you in that area." 03:51 I do know of one place in Florida 03:55 with Brother Jeff Cobb 03:57 who has a transitional housing for inmates. 04:02 And he told me that there is a place in Texas 04:04 that just opened up one. 04:06 And then Lemuel Vega with Christmas Behind Bars 04:10 has a place for one. 04:12 And those were the only three that I'm aware of, 04:14 now there may be others and I hope there are others. 04:16 But those were the only three that I'm aware of 04:19 that are operating by Adventists 04:22 to help in the transition of an inmate 04:25 coming out of prison. 04:27 Okay? 04:28 And when you think about it, they've been in there 5 years, 04:31 10 years, 15 years, they don't own anything, 04:35 all they own could come out in a cardboard box about... 04:38 That's exactly how it happens. Yeah. 04:40 And they get one bus ticket 04:43 to take them to wherever they want that ticket to go 04:48 and that's all they have. 04:49 What did they do if they don't have a family 04:52 to receive or what if they... 04:53 What do they do? 04:54 Well, that's the big question there is. 04:56 They don't have any place to go. 04:59 Now there are various organizations 05:02 that do run transitional housing 05:04 or try to get an inmate re-established 05:09 but they are far and few 05:12 and they have a Christian one, you know. 05:15 People don't realize that Adventists start in prison 05:18 or people who become Adventists while in prison, 05:23 they view that Adventist Church is their family. 05:26 But their family doesn't have anything for them 05:28 when they get out. 05:30 You know, Brian, they invest all this energy 05:32 in witnessing to people in prison 05:34 and to help those to be disciples in prison 05:37 and they grow and become strong Adventists. 05:39 And then like the seed is planted 05:42 and then it takes root and grows up 05:43 but what happens? 05:45 The birds of the air come and pluck it up. 05:46 When they get out of prison they have nothing to help them 05:48 be established to, you know, 05:51 be able to make a success of life. 05:53 And so they're, you know, it's a huge challenge. 05:55 Well, what happened in your case? 05:57 Well my case, you know, again I'm a story of miracles 06:01 and I think anybody could be a story of miracles. 06:03 But in my case the church, 06:05 I got to know the prison ministries, 06:07 or the prison ministers, 06:09 they came in and they kind of vouched for me, 06:11 which interesting enough if you study 06:12 the story of Philemon in the Bible, 06:15 Onesimus was the guy in prison with Paul. 06:17 Paul sent him back and vouched for him. 06:20 Yeah. 06:21 And so there is a level of vouching there 06:23 that I think can happens, 06:24 that's why it's important for the inmate 06:26 to be sure they got it, 06:27 get connected with people on the outside 06:29 write the pastors, write the elders in the church. 06:32 Anyway back to it. 06:33 So when I got out, I wasn't sure where I was gonna go. 06:37 I knew I couldn't go back to my family 06:39 or my original home. 06:41 And for most people that's not an option 06:42 because of the environment, it's just not healthy. 06:46 But the church like a week before I got out said, 06:49 "We have a place." 06:50 And it kind of came through last minute and I got out, 06:54 I had an apartment they furnished through donations, 06:58 their community, what you call that, 07:01 the food pantry, they had food in their for me, 07:04 furniture in there for me, 07:06 some furniture I still have to this day 07:08 that they help me out with. 07:09 And so I... 07:12 It was a fresh start and they did everything 07:14 that I would wish to it could be done except get me a job, 07:18 and they just didn't have those resources but... 07:21 But now they gave you motivation for a job. 07:23 Tell us what that motivation was? 07:25 Well, I don't... 07:26 They basically paid my first month's rent 07:30 in this apartment 07:31 but the second month's rent was on me and the utilities. 07:34 Well, without a job knowing that, 07:37 I had a very high motivation to get out there 07:42 and make some money as soon as I could to pay that off. 07:45 And again miracles began to happen, 07:47 I end up moving to another area, 07:51 again if you read the book you'll find those details. 07:52 But I'm telling you what I believe, 07:56 when an inmate takes the initiative 07:59 to do as much as he can himself 08:02 and then the church is taking the initiative, 08:04 together they can have a successful transition 08:08 from the outside and inside, 08:09 but there's exceptional circumstances. 08:11 And I know he is talking about 08:12 transitional housing over there. 08:14 Yeah. 08:15 Lemuel Vega purchased a used mobile home, 08:21 in a mobile home park that doesn't cost a lot. 08:24 Okay. 08:26 It's not like buying a, you know, 08:27 $150,000 home or a $200,000 home. 08:31 I mean, and so that's what he purchased 08:33 for transitional housing. 08:36 And he bought it in such an area 08:38 that it would pass the requirements 08:42 for a sex offender. 08:44 And that's usually the most stringent qualification. 08:48 So if it passed for that, 08:50 it would probably pass for anybody else. 08:51 Okay. Okay? 08:53 So that's what he did. 08:54 Then he's made connections 08:57 with other businesses in the area. 09:00 So that if an inmate comes 09:01 and comes to his transitional housing, 09:04 then he can take them and visit a number of businesses 09:07 that might have work potential for that inmates, okay, 09:12 to help them get started. 09:13 Then 3ABN is committed to help them with transportation, 09:19 that was one of our fleet cars that is ready to, 09:23 for us to retire but still road worthy, 09:27 we would share and then they would have transportation 09:31 until they can earn enough money 09:33 to buy their own transportation. 09:35 The whole idea is to get them a job, 09:38 get them so that they can start learning to manage money, 09:41 buying their own, and fulfilling their own needs. 09:44 And then as they faithfully work 09:46 usually other opportunities open up. 09:49 Now with Lemuel you'll also have 09:51 prison ministry opportunity too. 09:53 Because he's running Christmas Behind Bars. 09:55 So on Sabbaths and on weekends he would, 09:59 they would have opportunities to do ministry 10:02 along with again establish. 10:04 So that's what Lemuel did. 10:06 Well, so basically what you're saying 10:08 is the basic necessities of life, 10:11 I mean, if all you're getting is, 10:13 when you released is a bus ticket somewhere 10:15 and you're dumped. 10:16 You have to have a place to live, you have to have food. 10:20 And no wonder so many people return to crimes is, you know, 10:24 suddenly you come out of this protected environment 10:27 and if you're thrown out to the wolves if as it were. 10:31 What you're gonna do to survive, 10:33 that instinct of survival kicks in. 10:35 Now, I want to speak on... 10:38 I don't think inmate should have it too easy... 10:41 That's what my question. 10:42 Handouts is not going to help them out 10:44 because when the handouts run out, what you got? 10:47 Yes. 10:48 So that's why I think it is vital for the inmate 10:51 to really study and prepare for the outside. 10:55 If, you know, understanding how the credit system works, 10:57 understanding finances, and opening a bank account 11:01 if you're going to begin... 11:02 And where do they go to study something like that? 11:04 Oh, I mean, the materials are at every prison 11:07 across this country, 11:08 federal or state is going to have 11:10 a library stocked full of materials. 11:12 Unfortunately, the library is not as popular as the gym 11:16 or the recreation yard, 11:17 or the poker table, or whatever. 11:20 The library is not sought out as much, 11:23 but the materials are there. 11:26 You could write letters to anybody, 11:28 get in touch with pastors and say, you know, 11:30 "I'll be getting out in 3 months, 11:31 I'll be getting out in a year, 11:32 what can I do today to prepare?" 11:34 And they will give practical good advice. 11:37 But I'm just saying that, you know, 11:38 it is an extraordinary measure for a church 11:41 to adopt an inmate. 11:43 Therefore it should be an extraordinary measure 11:44 of the inmate to be adoptable. 11:46 And I think that if the... 11:48 and I say this as a former inmate myself. 11:50 The reason I'm so strong on this is 11:53 because there is so many people looking for handouts. 11:56 Whenever there is other people out there 11:57 willing to work hard for it. 12:00 And I don't want to lose my place so I'm working hard 12:03 because somebody else has burn bridges because hey, 12:06 I'm just looking for you to do me a favor. 12:08 And whenever they have the ability 12:10 and the capability to be a productive citizen 12:14 if they just take the initiative. 12:16 I'm going to say something 12:17 and that I hope will not hurt any one's feelings 12:20 but I do know someone who also went to prison 12:22 at the age of 16 and came out 20 years later. 12:26 As a 16 year old not knowing anything, 12:29 I mean, just being, you know, 12:31 and this is something that I used to make 12:33 a lot of excuses for him. 12:35 Well, you know he's been locked up since he was 16. 12:37 This is why he can't do this. 12:39 You've changed my mind on that 12:41 because reading your book and seeing that 12:44 there is a person if you are watching us 12:49 and you are sitting in a federal prison right now. 12:52 Please understand, 12:54 you should take a personal responsibility 12:58 for preparing for your release. 13:00 You need to learn how the world works. 13:04 So that you can be more successful when you get out, 13:08 just as you did, it was an idea of God helping you 13:12 redeem the time. 13:14 I mean, you studied other languages even 13:15 but it was something that you made the most 13:20 with the use of your time. 13:21 You could be a better criminal or a better Christian. 13:23 I went to library one day to check out a book 13:25 and there are two workers in the library, 13:26 they were exchanging meth recipes. 13:28 How to make meth better when they got out of prison. 13:30 I guarantee they're doing life on the installment plan. 13:33 Yeah. And they're gonna be back. 13:35 Well, I didn't want that for me at all. 13:36 Yeah. 13:38 Many of our prisons today actually have classes 13:43 that are geared and focused toward helping an inmate 13:50 learn about the transition from being locked up to being free. 13:54 So they go over money management, 13:57 they go over how to be a good husband, 14:00 or a good wife, or, you know, 14:03 they go over how to be a father, 14:05 or a mother to children because often times 14:08 they weren't a good one 14:10 and they probably didn't have good mothers or fathers, 14:13 you know, and so they don't know those things. 14:15 And so there is opportunities in a prison 14:18 to go to those kind of things. 14:20 But you have to have the motivation to say, 14:23 "Hey, I want to learn that, 14:24 I want to be successful when I get out. 14:27 I don't want to continue doing conning 14:29 and getting easy money in other words drugs, 14:32 or whatever. 14:33 I want to do it the right way." 14:35 And that transitions back 14:37 into the idea of a prison ministry helping them out. 14:40 When a person takes those extraordinary steps 14:42 and can demonstrate that to a ministry 14:45 that's willing to put out a lot of money to help you out, 14:47 then, you know, 14:48 I think the ministry can feel safer doing that. 14:50 I mean, nothing is full proof, 14:52 but I think there should be an application process 14:54 just like a job. 14:56 There should be, you know, I would have, 14:57 personally if I was running a prison ministry 14:59 that assisted inmates in establishing housing, 15:01 I would have them fill out a very extensive application. 15:04 I'd have them share their testimony with me. 15:06 How are you, you know, how did you find Christ? 15:09 How are you maintaining your Christian walk today? 15:11 And giving as much details as possible. 15:14 Again, it's not full proof but it's something 15:16 that is a way to demonstrate to the ministry 15:20 that this is somebody we can work with. 15:22 And if a person is not willing to do that what's that say? 15:25 They're probably not willing to go out and... 15:26 I mean, I filled 40 job applications in my first month. 15:30 You know, I was rejected 40 times 15:31 but and I did my very best to get a job, 15:34 God eventually provided but it was hard. 15:38 And if you're not willing to do the hard work when you get out, 15:41 or if you're not willing to do the hard work 15:42 when you're inside, 15:44 then you're not giving me any assurance 15:45 you can do hard work when you get out. 15:47 And that's where having someone come 15:49 and vouch with you to an employer, 15:52 I think adds an extra measure... 15:54 Yes. Yes. 15:55 Because, you know, I'm coming as an inmate, 15:59 I've been a felon and they see felon, you know, 16:02 they're jut saying, hey, this is not gonna. 16:04 It doesn't matter what the felon charge is. 16:07 It's scary and so we'll not go with you, 16:10 but they have someone come and vouch for you and say, 16:13 "Hey, I've been working with this young man now 16:15 for three years or for five years 16:17 and I just want to put a good word in for him." 16:19 I think that would be helpful. 16:22 The chaplains are good for that too. 16:23 Yeah. 16:24 And not all chaplains like Adventists, 16:26 I wish that was not the case. 16:27 But if they, you know, 16:28 you can get in connected with the chaplain. 16:30 There's some people that 16:32 they never go to any chapel service ever 16:33 and then they want the church to help them out. 16:35 Yeah. It's just. 16:36 But the chaplain can vouch for them, 16:38 that's why a lot of ministries required 16:39 chaplained referral letters. 16:42 Okay. 16:44 But, I mean, we're talking about transitional, 16:48 we're talking about a safety net, 16:50 a safe place to land. 16:51 How long, I mean, when do you cross the line 16:54 because you don't want to become a laborer? 16:56 Right. 16:58 How does, I mean, 16:59 there's people out here who may be, 17:01 you know, this is stirring something 17:03 and they're saying, you know, we could do that. 17:05 We could have that 17:07 but they need a little more guidance. 17:08 Where would you cross the line? 17:11 Well, you've got the experience on this. 17:13 I don't know what to say. 17:14 Well, you know, first of all... 17:18 You'd need collective wisdom. 17:19 You know, this is and I want to make this very... 17:21 no one person should make a decision about how to do, 17:25 work with an inmate getting out of prison 17:27 because you can get blinded, 17:28 you could really see through only your eyes 17:31 and I've actually heard a very dangerous situations 17:33 where a couple assisted a guy 17:36 in his transition in getting out. 17:38 But then because of his past of a sex offence, 17:41 he was in very uncomfortable situation in the church. 17:45 And the... He's targeting people. 17:48 Certain members felt he was targeting the younger people 17:51 and taking advantage of some people, 17:53 and they confronted them. 17:54 No, no, no, that's not the case and the reason is 17:56 because he became blind out of the relationship. 17:59 He was actually living with them 18:01 and so I'm not saying that, that should never happen. 18:05 I'm just saying that the more people on a council 18:08 or a committee that is involved the safer it's gonna be. 18:11 And so bring in more people 18:13 and that's you're not gonna end up crossing any lines 18:17 as long as you have 18:18 the multitude of counselors they're safe, 18:19 that's what the scripture say. 18:21 And so do that, 18:23 even if yours very small church, 18:25 you can get connected with your sister churches 18:27 and churches in your district 18:29 and pull money to help this to be able to finance these, 18:34 whatever you need to do to help an inmate get established. 18:37 But like the widows there is a criteria for widow 18:41 and you cannot, it's just not wise for a church 18:44 to help somebody out 18:45 who is not willing to meet those criteria. 18:47 So what you are saying is in the scripture 18:49 when Paul is talking about supporting the widows, 18:52 he lays down what the criteria. 18:54 Very straight guidelines for the church 18:56 to support the widow. 18:58 So if the church is gonna support an inmate, 18:59 I think read those guidelines through. 19:01 I think there's a lot of it can be, can overlap. 19:04 But generally it's just wisdom that you need 19:07 and let the love of Christ reign 19:09 and just don't let it blind you to the fact 19:12 that not everybody out there has... 19:14 And if I can add on your initial question is, 19:18 "Where would you draw the line?" 19:19 I would say customarily people at a transition like this 19:24 are looking out about a year. 19:27 And so I wouldn't make a commitment 19:29 to an inmate for more than a year. 19:32 I would say this is what we all do 19:35 to help you get going for a year. 19:39 And then we will relook at it after that 19:41 if there's still a further need. 19:43 That's good. To set those goals... 19:45 Right. 19:47 You're free, you're dependent now a year. 19:49 Because to get a job 19:51 and to get save up enough money for a car, 19:56 you're not going to do that in three months or six months, 19:59 you know, it's gonna take a bit. 20:01 And so I would think, we would be looking at somewhere 20:05 about around a year's time. 20:07 But anything after that I would say 20:10 they're just on the welfare program may be, you know... 20:15 So that seems very, I mean, 20:16 a year seems quite generous to me particularly 20:18 when you said you had 30 days and they gave you motivation. 20:22 Yeah, but when you think about it some people 20:24 they don't have a license. 20:26 That's true. 20:27 So how long will it take him to get a license 20:29 and, you know, and go through that process? 20:31 Well, sometimes they've DWI, 20:32 and they're not gonna get their license back for several years. 20:34 Yeah. That's true too. Get the bicycle. 20:36 And then they're not gonna get a job in a month. 20:41 It may take two or three months for them to get a job. 20:44 Right. 20:45 Even if you don't have a crime and you're looking for job, 20:48 it may take you a number of months to get a job. 20:50 It all depends on the connections. 20:52 If you have connections, pre-connections ahead a time 20:56 where you have the place for them to stay, 20:58 you have ways to get in their clothing, 21:01 to get started, 21:02 and you have transportation for them 21:04 and a job, 21:05 then I would say that transition would be shorter. 21:08 But if you don't have those things in line, 21:10 then the transition is little longer, you know. 21:13 It's occurring to me, gentlemen, 21:14 as we're sitting and talking 21:16 and, Wyatt, you can probably answer this, 21:20 as much as an inmate looks forward to being released, 21:24 it's a scary prospect. 21:26 Oh, it is. To be released. 21:27 Very scary. 21:28 But you have to make that determination 21:31 if you are about to be released whether you're male or female, 21:35 if you want to live life 21:38 on the installment plan as you said, 21:40 if you don't have an intentional plan 21:45 to walk on the straight narrow path, 21:50 you're going to end up back in prison again. 21:52 So it's scary because you're, you know, 21:57 I'm sitting here and I'm thinking 21:58 may be there's some inmate that's going, wow, 22:00 I didn't know the church would receive me with such, 22:03 you know, ambivalence. 22:04 It happens. 22:05 But the world, you know, 22:07 are always going to be hard to get a job 22:09 as you said it's hard everywhere. 22:11 Yeah. 22:13 But if you don't have that absolute intentional plan 22:18 of no matter what it takes, I'm gonna follow the Lord, 22:22 I'm going to stay, you know, clean and sober, 22:25 I'm gonna do this 22:26 and I'm gonna do that as you did. 22:28 Then you're probably setting yourself up 22:30 for failure right away. 22:32 It starts, you got to be connected with Christ, 22:35 you've got to have a personal walk with Him, 22:38 you've got to be spending your time in the word daily prayer 22:41 because, listen, if you're not truly converted. 22:45 I'm not saying you're going to have troubles, 22:46 but if you're not truly converted, 22:48 you're doomed for failure. 22:50 But if the church is helping out an inmate 22:52 who is converted 22:53 and an inmate is looking for a church to help them 22:56 and they're converted. 22:57 God will do miracles, 22:59 there's a thousand ways God has provide for us 23:00 of which we know nothing. 23:02 And so I believe that, that if we as inmates 23:05 take the initiative as you're saying, 23:08 making sure that there is nothing in our life 23:10 that's holding us back. 23:12 Making sure our thoughts are pure, you now, 23:13 especially, you know, the sex offenders, 23:16 almost all of them had the root in pornography 23:19 and yet I get out of prison, 23:20 and all the sudden you got billboards 23:22 that have naked woman 23:24 and, you know, you have to deal with this reality 23:27 that they're getting out into a world 23:28 that saturated with sexuality 23:30 and they've got to stay pure minded. 23:31 Yes. 23:33 You know, if you are a drug addict, 23:34 you get out of prison and find out there are states 23:35 legalizing marijuana, what you're gonna do? 23:37 So you've got to make sure 23:40 that you are committed to following Jesus, 23:42 no matter how hard it's gonna come. 23:44 It was terrifying my first day out, 23:46 it was terrifying going to the store, 23:49 and going to the Goodwill and buying some clothes 23:51 and a suit for church for my first Sabbath. 23:53 It was terrifying to sit down on my first job interview 23:56 but I hate to say this, "Fake it till you make it." 23:58 You heard that before? I'm not sure. 24:00 You know, instead of fake it till you make it, 24:02 what I say is, "Faith it." 24:05 I even like that better. 24:06 Faith it until you make it. 24:08 But, you know what, though sometimes 24:09 you have to force that smile on your face 24:10 even though you're scared as can be. 24:12 Yeah. 24:13 But God, listen, but you put your faith in Him, 24:14 "Faith it till you make it." 24:16 I love it. God will provide. 24:17 Yeah. He will support you. 24:19 Amen. 24:20 Also if anyone thinking about this idea 24:23 of getting involved in transition housing, 24:27 it's important that you have certain boundaries. 24:30 For instance, there will be no alcohol in this home, 24:36 there will be television, 24:38 we'll determine the television 24:40 what programs are on that television, 24:43 whether it will be Christian television... 24:45 MySDA box. 24:47 Yeah. Right. 24:48 Right. Okay. 24:49 We expect that you will not be bringing people over 24:52 for sexual relationships. 24:58 You should be want to come to church into Sabbath school. 25:02 We want you to be at prayer meeting. 25:04 If there is Bible study is being given, 25:06 we want you to be involved in that. 25:08 We expect that the house will be kept clean 25:12 and the yard mowed, 25:13 we'll provide the lawn mower in that but 25:16 and you take out the trash. 25:17 We're not gonna take out the trash for you 25:19 and it's not gonna grow and just pile up in the house. 25:23 These are the rules of this house. 25:26 And if you want to come and join us in this situation, 25:29 then this is some things we expect from you. 25:32 And so those are some boundaries 25:34 that help them learn, this is, 25:37 life is real and this is how you live life, 25:39 and are successful at living life. 25:41 And don't be afraid to say that, 25:42 they've been around boundaries for a long time 25:44 when they are in prison. 25:45 They're used to boundaries, don't be afraid of that. 25:46 Yeah. 25:48 And these are boundaries to help you grow. 25:50 Right. 25:51 You know, it's just, I think that's what the Lord did 25:53 when He gave us the Ten Commandments, 25:55 He said, "These are the boundaries 25:56 in which you will be safe, you can run, 25:59 you can run in my commandments. 26:01 But as long as you stay within these boundaries, 26:03 you're going to have a beautiful life." 26:05 And it's nothing that we should look at 26:07 that is restrictive on us, 26:09 it's just where we find the greatest freedom 26:11 within those boundaries, and that is something you do. 26:13 God wants to bless 26:14 but we want to put ourselves in a position 26:16 where He can bless us. 26:18 Amen. 26:20 I don't remember the text exactly 26:24 but the one that, you know, 26:28 so you don't have clothes and we say, 26:30 we'll pray for you, and you don't have food, 26:32 and we'll pray for you." 26:33 And, you know, this is one way 26:36 of actually providing the food, clothes and helping the person 26:41 as you pray for them you see... 26:42 Absolutely. 26:44 And this is a step further. 26:45 What you're quoting is from James 1 26:47 but one of the way John said in 1 John was that, 26:51 you know, love in with action not just with words. 26:55 Right. 26:57 I mean, if you're gonna love in truth 26:58 its action, not just words. 26:59 There's a ministry in Alabama, 27:01 United Prison Ministries International 27:03 that's one that you left out of your list earlier 27:04 that I thought of. 27:06 They actually, some of the people they help out, 27:07 they put them on the garden 27:09 and they got them working for plan so, 27:11 there's those ministries out there that are like that 27:13 but mostly it's the local churches 27:15 that are gonna do most of the prison ministry work 27:17 and praise God for prison ministries. 27:18 Amen. 27:20 Ministered to me for many years and when I got out too 27:22 and is ministering to some. 27:24 And praise God for the miraculous transformation 27:27 in your life and for all the people 27:28 that He put there to support you. 27:31 Amen. Brian, final thought? 27:33 This is a challenging area, but I would encourage anyone, 27:38 pray about it, see if the Lord want to help you open doors 27:42 to help an inmate in a very practical way, 27:46 very practical way. 27:47 Thank you so much for both of you being here today. 27:50 Thank you for your input on this very important topic. 27:54 And once again we want to tell you, 27:57 all of you, we're praying for you. 27:59 And it doesn't matter if you are in prison 28:03 or out of prison, we're praying for all of our viewers, 28:06 and we truly love you because 28:09 not because of the goodness of our heart 28:11 because God pours His love into our hearts for you, 28:14 we ask for that. 28:16 So may the Lord richly bless you 28:18 and may the fellowship of the Holly Spirit 28:19 be with you all. |
Revised 2017-02-09