The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
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Parents are cautioned
that some material may be
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too candid for younger children.
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Welcome to "The New Journey,"
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the program where
we meet real people,
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with real life testimonies,
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with real life
working ministries for Jesus.
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Today we'll meet a
man that will explain
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the process and steps
an ex-offender can take
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to have better success
when getting out of prison.
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We'll learn some
prison definitions
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and how your
church can be trained
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and equipped for
prison ministries.
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We'll also be blessed
by hearing his testimony
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of how God saved him.
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I'm your host Aaron Chancy,
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come join us on
"The New Journey."
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Welcome back to
"The New Journey."
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Today we have with
us Elder Tony Hall.
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Thank you for being on
the program, Elder Tony Hall.
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It is my pleasure
to be here. Amen, amen.
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We have some
exciting information
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that we want to delve into.
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First we want to
talk about your ministry,
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then we'll
transition into your testimony
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of how God saved you.
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The first question we
want to talk about is,
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your ministry is
entitled "TheXoffender Network."
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Why exactly is
it called a network?
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A network is
where different talents,
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different skills,
different gifts come together
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to support one another.
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Throughout the state, any state,
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the prison system
exists from border to border.
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Therefore
covering the whole state,
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and in order to
minister to those
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who are coming
out of the prison,
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we need to
network the whole state.
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'Cause a person can
be released in one city
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and end up living in another.
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Yeah, yeah, that's true.
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We develop a network
so that we can reach into
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all areas of that state.
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That's great.
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So you're pretty
much working together,
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like a family, so to speak.
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Working together to help
the ex-offender, correct?
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Exactly, we become a
family, a support system
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to those who
have made a decision
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to overcome negative lifestyle,
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and to change
these negative lifestyles
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to positive lifestyles.
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So there's need
to be a mentorship.
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Amen.
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And so we networked the mentors,
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so that we can reach
them wherever they are.
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Okay, now your ministry is
entitled TheXoffender Network.
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What exactly is the
definition of an Xoffender?
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Well, the Xoffender is not
in a dictionary at this point.
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We've combined several
words to make one word,
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and it is "theXoffender."
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TheXoffender is one
who has acknowledged
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offending the law of
God, and the law of the land,
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but no longer through
regeneration desire to do so.
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Okay, so they are Xoffender
from offending the law of God
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and the law of the Land.
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It's not just one
aspect you're working with,
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you're working
with both aspects,
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the law of the
land and the law of God.
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That's great.
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You know, you're a
faith based ministry
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and I noticed on your website
that you have three steps
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in TheXoffender Network.
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Can you talk a little
bit about those three steps?
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Well, the first step
is inside the prison.
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Okay.
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Uh, going inside the
prison is not for everyone.
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By going inside the prison,
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we do what is
called pre-release.
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Now, you said
something very interesting,
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I got to stop you right there.
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You said going into the
prison is not for everyone.
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No, it's not.
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Describe a person
that prison ministries
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may not be for, to
go inside the prison.
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That one is hard. Okay.
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You have to be called
to go into the prison.
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Be called, okay, okay.
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Because the Lord may have
called you to another work
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but you're saying, "I
want to do something else."
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It's best to stay
where God called you at.
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Exactly. Okay.
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Exactly. Okay.
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So the people who
go into the prison
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do what we call pre-release.
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Okay, pre-release.
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The bible studies, the
books, the information.
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Our whole attitude towards
the person is to help them
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make a decision to
overcome the negative lifestyle,
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choose the positive lifestyle.
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And we reinforce that.
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Okay, now you
mentioned Bible studies.
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What kind of
Bible studies do you use
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as you minister to inmates?
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Well, we study
from the Bible. Period.
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Okay, praise the Lord.
From the Bible, period.
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Okay.
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That way we'll give
them an opportunity.
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I was reading in the
book of Jeremiah 17:5.
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And it simply
says, "Cursed is the man
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that trusteth in a man,
and maketh flesh his arms,
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and whose heart
departeth from the Lord."
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So if we share with the
person not to trust in man,
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and what man has to say as far
it relate to spiritual things,
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then what we're
teaching then is,
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to study, to
show yourself a proof
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when your God has a
word not to be ashamed.
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We're rightly
divided in the word of truth.
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So we stick to the
Bible, as we prepare a person
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to accept the word of God
and change their lifestyle.
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Amen. Okay. But
that's the first stage.
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All right, so your first
stage is working with the inmate
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while they're incarcerated,
doing Bible studies,
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studying
together, things like that.
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What's the second step?
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The second step
is in the church.
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The motto for
TheXoffender Network is,
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we develop the
Xoffender friendly home,
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church and community.
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So we have to go into the church
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to train the
members of the church
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to work with the Xoffender.
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And the
Xoffender is a Christian.
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Xoffender is one who
have accepted Jesus Christ
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as Lord and Savior.
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While he was
already incarcerated.
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There's a support
system inside the prison,
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and those who gave up negative
lifestyle inside the prison,
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because they have a
support system in the prison.
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But when they
come out of the prison,
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they need a support system.
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Yeah, yeah.
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So the church now
becomes that support system.
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So what we do is a
small church can do something
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like maybe help with
getting a birth certificate.
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A social security
card, or driver's license,
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or help a person get to work
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or get to a self
support group or whatever.
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It could be very minimal,
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depending on the
resources of the church.
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Okay.
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But we can go as large as
developing multi-million dollar
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therapeutic communities.
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Wow.
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Where we can
actually help people overcome
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negative lifestyle through
social workers, through medical
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and physical health providers,
and also through spiritual.
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Okay.
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What we've decided to do is,
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is work with the
physical, mental,
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social and spiritual man.
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The complete man. That's right.
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The complete man.
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So you can go from
any small beginning
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to any large endeavor as
related to helping a person
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who's decided to
overcome a negative lifestyle
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to develop a positive lifestyle.
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You know, that's
interesting that you should say,
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ministering to the whole man,
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'cause actually read
in the Bible, Luke 2:52,
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it said that, "Jesus
increased in wisdom and stature,
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and in favor with God and man."
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He was a complete individual.
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He was complete,
mentally, physically, socially
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and spiritually as well.
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So your ministry
is trying to minister
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to an individual in
his totality, correct?
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Exactly. That's
great, that's great.
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So the first step is
ministering to the inmate
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while they're incarcerated.
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The second step is ministering
to the church family.
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Exactly.
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How do you, in your
years of doing this work,
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how have you seen that the
church has reacted to this?
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Well, ours is a
small church in Montgomery,
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Alabama, for instance.
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We host what we call
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a "New start
celebration program."
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Okay, all right.
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Where we invite
those in drug court,
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those who are in rehabs,
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and different
therapeutic communities
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to come to the
church on Sunday afternoons,
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3 o'clock.
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When they show
up, what we do is,
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for 30 minutes,
we do inspirational.
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For another hour, we
break up into different groups,
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and we deal with
and work with them,
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with other social issues,
physical issues, mental issues.
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Amen. And their
families are invited.
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Wow.
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We started on
Mothers day a year ago or so.
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And we went from one
person to an average now
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of 60 to 65, 70
people every Sunday
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who are not a
member of our church,
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and probably a
member of no church.
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But they come there for
spiritual enlightenment,
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not necessarily every Sunday.
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So this is one of
the things we've done.
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Also we work with a
program in that same area
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where church
members, social workers,
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and MBAs got together
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and decided to open up
a therapeutic community.
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We got together,
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I became the chaplain
for this organization.
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And now, we minister to
them on the social aspects.
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You know, through social
work, through mental health,
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through physical health,
and through spiritual health.
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That's a blessing. And
we do it in a balanced way.
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The name of it is
Lifetime's Resolutions:
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The Holistic Women's Center.
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So we're working with the
women on all four aspects,
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mental, physical,
social, and spiritual.
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Okay. Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
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So we've got the first
step, we've got the second step.
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What's the third
step to this network?
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Well, the third
step is the community.
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Okay.
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The community could
be the biological family.
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It could also be
employers or employees.
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It could also be
housing, jobs and so forth.
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So what we do is we help
them by being a reference.
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For those who've been to prison,
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we go to an employer and say,
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"Look, this
person has the skills,
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he's taken the time to develop.
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Once they..."
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Because they've gone
through your program.
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They've gone
through our program,
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they've gone
through other programs.
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Remember the ones
that are in the prison
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when we're doing pre-release,
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we consult with the chaplaincy
program, vocational program,
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and the substance
abuse programs in the prison.
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So it is truly
a network we have.
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Yes, when they have
taken advantage of the programs
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that the state offer,
and they have taken advantage
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of curving their disciplinaries
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and so forth and so on,
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then they become
eligible for our program.
00:10:01.60\00:10:03.57
So we then can legitimately
be a reference for them.
00:10:03.60\00:10:07.34
So we go to the
community, talk to the employers
00:10:07.37\00:10:09.87
of those who might employ them,
00:10:09.90\00:10:11.77
talk to them about their
skills and what they offer
00:10:11.81\00:10:14.31
and what they can
do for the company.
00:10:14.34\00:10:15.94
Okay.
00:10:15.98\00:10:17.31
And once we've done that,
then the employers hire them,
00:10:17.35\00:10:21.45
but we don't stop
working with them at that point.
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We work with them
throughout the job.
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We even counsel and
work with the people
00:10:25.29\00:10:27.32
who are already employed.
00:10:27.36\00:10:28.69
So you're actually
involved in the person's life
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for a long time from
the time they're in prison.
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It could be some years
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that you're working
with the same individual.
00:10:34.60\00:10:35.93
Exactly. That's
great, that's great.
00:10:35.96\00:10:37.37
So I'm sure that
could be a big impact
00:10:37.40\00:10:39.13
on an individual's life.
00:10:39.17\00:10:40.67
You know, there's
a quote that says,
00:10:40.70\00:10:42.20
"It takes a whole
village to raise a child."
00:10:42.24\00:10:45.17
And that's pretty
interesting because
00:10:45.21\00:10:46.64
your entire network is
set up just like that where
00:10:46.68\00:10:49.71
it's an entire system
00:10:49.74\00:10:51.75
that is trying to
work with one individual
00:10:51.78\00:10:54.15
to help them have a better life.
00:10:54.18\00:10:55.52
That's very great.
00:10:55.55\00:10:57.05
Now, I want to ask you something
00:10:57.09\00:10:58.42
about the percentage rate,
00:10:58.45\00:11:00.39
not necessarily
the percentage rate,
00:11:00.42\00:11:01.76
but do you see that
when people follow these
00:11:01.79\00:11:04.89
three steps of your program,
00:11:04.93\00:11:06.49
that they have a
better success rate
00:11:06.53\00:11:08.16
when they go out
there to the community?
00:11:08.20\00:11:10.73
Well, recidivism
seems to be the cue
00:11:10.77\00:11:14.34
for what is taking place today.
00:11:14.37\00:11:17.17
The states are collaborating,
00:11:17.21\00:11:19.77
they've been
looking at what's happening
00:11:19.81\00:11:21.48
and what's working in different
places around the country.
00:11:21.51\00:11:24.15
And what we see is
really working today is,
00:11:24.18\00:11:27.28
when we include, not only
what the prison system is doing,
00:11:27.32\00:11:31.99
'cause the prison
system is really trying to
00:11:32.02\00:11:33.66
cut down on recidivism.
00:11:33.69\00:11:35.26
But everything they
did so far has not worked.
00:11:35.29\00:11:38.69
So it knows that
the family, the church,
00:11:38.73\00:11:41.36
and the
community must be involved.
00:11:41.40\00:11:43.77
So what we're doing is
just taking advantage of it.
00:11:43.80\00:11:46.17
Amen.
00:11:46.20\00:11:47.54
We know that it worked
and that we know it worked
00:11:47.57\00:11:49.24
for a long time.
00:11:49.27\00:11:50.61
We haven't been invited in.
00:11:50.64\00:11:52.17
But now, we've been invited in
00:11:52.21\00:11:54.11
because we're all
looking for the same success.
00:11:54.14\00:11:56.41
Okay, amen.
00:11:56.44\00:11:57.78
There are many that are
not familiar with prison terms
00:11:57.81\00:12:00.65
and some of
these words, you know,
00:12:00.68\00:12:02.08
as looking on your website
00:12:02.12\00:12:03.55
I noticed that you
have some interesting words,
00:12:03.59\00:12:05.49
and the first one you
even mentioned it a second ago,
00:12:05.52\00:12:07.32
you said "recidivism."
00:12:07.36\00:12:09.02
For those that don't
understand what that word means,
00:12:09.06\00:12:10.76
can you explain a little bit?
00:12:10.79\00:12:12.13
Well, the lay man
term, it is a revolving door,
00:12:12.16\00:12:15.46
people leaving the prison system
00:12:15.50\00:12:17.33
and returning to the prisons.
00:12:17.37\00:12:19.57
Okay, okay, thank you very much.
00:12:19.60\00:12:22.00
Another word that
you have on your website
00:12:22.04\00:12:24.54
is "regeneration."
00:12:24.57\00:12:25.91
What exactly does
regeneration mean?
00:12:25.94\00:12:27.81
Well, regeneration is used
00:12:27.84\00:12:29.58
at least four
times in the Bible,
00:12:29.61\00:12:31.78
and it has the very same reason,
00:12:31.81\00:12:33.62
I mean, meaning as salvation.
00:12:33.65\00:12:35.85
Salvation. It is a
born again experience.
00:12:35.88\00:12:37.95
Okay, a born again experience.
00:12:37.99\00:12:39.32
Webster's says it's a
born again experience,
00:12:39.35\00:12:40.99
born anew.
00:12:41.02\00:12:42.42
Amen, amen.
00:12:42.46\00:12:43.79
Also you have a
word on your website,
00:12:43.83\00:12:47.13
"jailhouse religion."
00:12:47.16\00:12:48.50
What exactly is
jailhouse religion?
00:12:48.53\00:12:50.97
Well, those who volunteer,
go into the prison system,
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.90
working with the
chaplains in the prison system,
00:12:53.94\00:12:56.40
actually
provide a religious base
00:12:56.44\00:12:59.21
or a spiritual base.
00:12:59.24\00:13:00.84
Okay.
00:13:00.88\00:13:02.21
Those who are incarcerated
and take advantage of this,
00:13:02.24\00:13:04.65
they develop a spiritual base
00:13:04.68\00:13:07.88
to actually develop
lifestyles, positive lifestyles.
00:13:07.92\00:13:11.85
We call it church. Okay.
00:13:11.89\00:13:14.19
All right, now
when the individuals
00:13:14.22\00:13:16.96
leave the prison system
00:13:16.99\00:13:18.46
and they come back
into the community,
00:13:18.49\00:13:20.70
and they talk about
how they studied Bible,
00:13:20.73\00:13:23.06
and they became
Christians in prison
00:13:23.10\00:13:24.77
but they go back to doing
what they always have done.
00:13:24.80\00:13:28.24
We say they have
jailhouse religion,
00:13:28.27\00:13:30.81
it becomes a negative.
00:13:30.84\00:13:32.17
But in
actuality it's a positive.
00:13:32.21\00:13:34.71
Because jailhouse
religion is a support system
00:13:34.74\00:13:38.01
that those who are incarcerated,
00:13:38.05\00:13:39.65
who choose to be
Christians use to stay free
00:13:39.68\00:13:43.45
while they are in the system.
00:13:43.49\00:13:45.09
So what we have to do is
replace the jailhouse religion
00:13:45.12\00:13:48.49
with our fellowship
in the church with us,
00:13:48.52\00:13:52.26
therefore they'll have another
support system on the outside.
00:13:52.29\00:13:55.00
Okay, amen.
00:13:55.03\00:13:56.36
You know, I remember
when I was incarcerated,
00:13:56.40\00:13:58.23
the term is
rampant, jailhouse religion,
00:13:58.27\00:14:00.20
and, you know, one thing
about being incarcerated,
00:14:00.24\00:14:02.17
all the inmates try to
figure out your information.
00:14:02.20\00:14:04.51
Everything you're doing,
what crime you're here for,
00:14:04.54\00:14:06.74
what you do, things like that.
00:14:06.78\00:14:08.98
And, you know, there
are some that I've noticed
00:14:09.01\00:14:11.58
that when they get incarcerated
00:14:11.61\00:14:13.38
due to being
scared a little bit,
00:14:13.42\00:14:16.08
they say, "Well,
okay, I'm gonna get involved
00:14:16.12\00:14:18.12
with the church
group, with the Christians."
00:14:18.15\00:14:20.29
And it's not for the purpose
00:14:20.32\00:14:21.66
of wanting to change
their life sometimes,
00:14:21.69\00:14:23.59
it's just kind of for
a protection type thing.
00:14:23.63\00:14:25.89
So when they get out of prison,
00:14:25.93\00:14:27.43
they go right
back to the same thing.
00:14:27.46\00:14:29.26
So this is the term
of jailhouse religion,
00:14:29.30\00:14:31.53
a lot of time or some
may even want to make changes
00:14:31.57\00:14:34.50
but, you know, the
pull to doing wrong
00:14:34.54\00:14:36.71
is just so hard, and
the one on the outside
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.87
looking in is saying,
"That's jailhouse religion."
00:14:38.91\00:14:40.94
Even when they may
be serious about it,
00:14:40.98\00:14:42.44
that's very interesting.
00:14:42.48\00:14:43.81
Thank you so much.
00:14:43.85\00:14:45.18
Also on your website,
you have a term called
00:14:45.21\00:14:46.61
"A Christian Mentor."
00:14:46.65\00:14:48.12
What exactly is a
"Christian Mentor?"
00:14:48.15\00:14:50.29
We know mentor to be
one who sets an example.
00:14:50.32\00:14:54.12
Jesus was a
mentor to 12, we know.
00:14:54.16\00:14:56.52
And those 12
became mentors to others,
00:14:56.56\00:14:59.13
maybe hundreds, and
then even thousands.
00:14:59.16\00:15:01.30
Okay.
00:15:01.33\00:15:02.66
And we use Paul,
Peter, John, Matthews, Luke.
00:15:02.70\00:15:05.37
We use them as
mentors today, as examples.
00:15:05.40\00:15:08.47
Oh, yes.
00:15:08.50\00:15:09.84
So a mentor, a Christian
mentor would be someone
00:15:09.87\00:15:11.91
who would have
known this individual
00:15:11.94\00:15:15.41
while he was incarcerated,
00:15:15.44\00:15:16.85
would've known and
gotten to know their family,
00:15:16.88\00:15:20.25
because we're
working with them now,
00:15:20.28\00:15:22.62
during the pre-release program.
00:15:22.65\00:15:24.65
And then, when they
come out of the institution,
00:15:24.69\00:15:26.55
this mentor would be the one
00:15:26.59\00:15:28.26
who meets them at
the gate so to speak.
00:15:28.29\00:15:29.99
Amen, amen. That's good.
00:15:30.03\00:15:31.36
And work with them as
they matriculate through,
00:15:31.39\00:15:34.13
getting a place to stay, house--
00:15:34.16\00:15:36.77
I mean, housing and jobs
00:15:36.80\00:15:39.07
and getting back
with their families,
00:15:39.10\00:15:40.80
even helping them reconcile
00:15:40.84\00:15:42.94
some differences
in their families
00:15:42.97\00:15:44.44
if it's at all
possible, to be a good friend.
00:15:44.47\00:15:47.34
Okay, so will
this Christian mentor
00:15:47.38\00:15:48.91
stay with the one individual
or however many individuals
00:15:48.94\00:15:51.81
the Christian mentor may have?
00:15:51.85\00:15:53.35
Will he stay or he or
she stay with that individual
00:15:53.38\00:15:55.68
for a process of time?
00:15:55.72\00:15:57.35
Well, the training will include
the necessities to match.
00:15:57.39\00:16:01.76
Okay.
00:16:01.79\00:16:03.12
And sometimes you
might not match properly.
00:16:03.16\00:16:05.19
Okay. And so you switch off.
00:16:05.23\00:16:07.36
Whatever it takes
to find the right match
00:16:07.40\00:16:10.37
to meet the needs
00:16:10.40\00:16:11.73
because we believe
in meeting the needs.
00:16:11.77\00:16:13.64
Strength meeting need is
strength building on strength.
00:16:13.67\00:16:16.64
Okay.
00:16:16.67\00:16:18.01
So if a person has a need
00:16:18.04\00:16:19.37
and the person they're mentoring
00:16:19.41\00:16:20.74
have the same need, that
wouldn't be a good match.
00:16:20.78\00:16:22.58
I understand.
00:16:22.61\00:16:23.95
It would have to build
strength to meet the need.
00:16:23.98\00:16:25.75
Okay. So it's always monitored.
00:16:25.78\00:16:27.78
They're always
having regular sessions
00:16:27.82\00:16:30.35
where we come together
and reassess everything
00:16:30.39\00:16:33.69
so that we can
make the proper match
00:16:33.72\00:16:36.16
so that we have a
strength meeting the need.
00:16:36.19\00:16:38.79
That's great. Yeah,
the ministry is great.
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.50
TheXoffender Network is great.
00:16:40.53\00:16:42.30
You know, people really
do need that support system,
00:16:42.33\00:16:44.63
especially when
they're getting out.
00:16:44.67\00:16:46.00
So often people get
out of jail, prison,
00:16:46.03\00:16:48.80
whatever it may be,
and there's nobody there.
00:16:48.84\00:16:51.37
Even while they're incarcerated,
00:16:51.41\00:16:52.74
they have no loved
ones to write them,
00:16:52.77\00:16:54.34
no one to put
money on their books.
00:16:54.38\00:16:55.84
There was nothing there.
00:16:55.88\00:16:57.21
So there was no support
system, so when they get out,
00:16:57.25\00:16:59.61
it's kind of like,
"Well, what do I do now?
00:16:59.65\00:17:01.22
I have nobody to love me."
00:17:01.25\00:17:02.65
And it's kind of like
you just fall right back
00:17:02.68\00:17:04.65
into the same exact
things over and again.
00:17:04.69\00:17:06.86
You know, what I
want to do right now,
00:17:06.89\00:17:08.22
we're gonna come
back to your ministry,
00:17:08.26\00:17:09.59
but I want to talk a
little bit about your testimony.
00:17:09.62\00:17:11.93
You have a very
powerful testimony.
00:17:11.96\00:17:13.93
You weren't always
involved in prison ministries,
00:17:13.96\00:17:15.86
you weren't always on
this side of the fence.
00:17:15.90\00:17:17.73
Tell us a little bit
about your early life.
00:17:17.77\00:17:20.57
Well, I'll go back early.
00:17:20.60\00:17:22.30
I had a vision
when I was 12 years old
00:17:22.34\00:17:24.84
that I was an eagle
flying in the midst of eagles.
00:17:24.87\00:17:26.94
Wow.
00:17:26.98\00:17:28.31
Well, this didn't actually
lead to that in my early life
00:17:28.34\00:17:30.68
because before I
was 20 years old,
00:17:30.71\00:17:32.78
I was incarcerated 14
times in 8 different states.
00:17:32.81\00:17:36.08
Wow, what were
some of those states
00:17:36.12\00:17:37.45
you were incarcerated in?
00:17:37.49\00:17:38.82
Well, I was incarcerated
in Alabama, North Carolina,
00:17:38.85\00:17:42.82
Massachusetts, New York,
00:17:42.86\00:17:48.43
out in
California, Washington State.
00:17:48.46\00:17:51.37
Wow. Wow.
00:17:51.40\00:17:52.73
What were some of the crimes
that you were convicted of
00:17:52.77\00:17:55.40
in some of these
different states?
00:17:55.44\00:17:57.47
Most had to do with drugs.
00:17:57.51\00:17:59.17
Drug related charges, okay.
00:17:59.21\00:18:00.54
And the procurement of drugs.
00:18:00.58\00:18:02.54
Okay, okay.
00:18:02.58\00:18:03.91
So did you, yourself sell drugs,
00:18:03.95\00:18:05.68
did you use drugs and
what are some of those drugs
00:18:05.71\00:18:07.95
that you were involved?
00:18:07.98\00:18:09.32
I sold drugs and I used drugs.
I OD'd on drugs three times.
00:18:09.35\00:18:11.72
It was twice that the doctors--
00:18:11.75\00:18:13.42
actually the
prognosis was clinical death.
00:18:13.46\00:18:15.72
Wow. So God actually saved you.
00:18:15.76\00:18:18.49
He saved you because
actually you could've been dead
00:18:18.53\00:18:21.06
from overdose, several
times you could've been dead,
00:18:21.10\00:18:23.37
but the Lord saved you.
00:18:23.40\00:18:24.73
That's a testimony in itself.
00:18:24.77\00:18:26.10
Well, actually I was in
New York, in Rikers Island,
00:18:26.13\00:18:29.44
getting ready to go
upstate in New York.
00:18:29.47\00:18:30.81
Infamous Rikers Island.
00:18:30.84\00:18:32.17
Infamous Rikers Island,
00:18:32.21\00:18:35.54
and instead of going upstate
to do some serious prison time,
00:18:35.58\00:18:38.85
'cause I never did
any serious prison time...
00:18:38.88\00:18:40.72
Okay.
00:18:40.75\00:18:42.08
I was actually
mandated to a rehab program,
00:18:42.12\00:18:46.02
Phoenix house, 18
months I spent in rehab.
00:18:46.05\00:18:48.69
Okay.
00:18:48.72\00:18:50.06
And it was in Rikers
Island that I picked up a Bible
00:18:50.09\00:18:52.99
for the first time in
my life at 20 years old.
00:18:53.03\00:18:55.23
Wow, first time in your life.
00:18:55.26\00:18:56.60
That's been
several years ago, now.
00:18:56.63\00:18:58.97
And I've never put
it down, never backslid,
00:18:59.00\00:19:02.40
never gave up the
faith, never, you know,
00:19:02.44\00:19:04.87
just steadily going
forward with the Word of God.
00:19:04.91\00:19:08.34
Now, when you first
picked up that Bible, I hear,
00:19:08.38\00:19:10.61
you know, several stories
of people that pick up a Bible,
00:19:10.65\00:19:13.08
especially the King
James Version Bible at first
00:19:13.11\00:19:16.22
and they start
reading it, they just say,
00:19:16.25\00:19:17.59
"You know, I don't
understand any of the stuff
00:19:17.62\00:19:19.25
that's going on
here in the Bible.
00:19:19.29\00:19:20.62
The Bible is
boring, I don't understand.
00:19:20.66\00:19:22.36
I don't
understand what's happening."
00:19:22.39\00:19:23.73
Did you have that same issue?
00:19:23.76\00:19:25.26
No, I believe what Jesus says,
00:19:25.29\00:19:27.40
"I didn't choose
Him, He chose me."
00:19:27.43\00:19:29.46
That's powerful.
00:19:29.50\00:19:30.83
So when I picked up the Bible,
00:19:30.87\00:19:32.20
it became very plain to me.
00:19:32.23\00:19:33.60
It was very plain.
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.07
For three weeks I
studied the Bible,
00:19:35.10\00:19:37.01
actually got into
a heated discussion
00:19:37.04\00:19:39.47
with some
Muslims, Five Percenters,
00:19:39.51\00:19:42.64
who actually
were trying to recruit
00:19:42.68\00:19:46.31
some people in the
cell that I was in.
00:19:46.35\00:19:48.25
I was from Alabama and
they were all from New York,
00:19:48.28\00:19:50.99
so I didn't
speak their language,
00:19:51.02\00:19:52.45
so I actually confronted them.
00:19:52.49\00:19:54.79
And they swore to
kill me the next day.
00:19:54.82\00:19:58.06
And that's how I actually
got out of Rikers Island
00:19:58.09\00:20:01.76
into a drug program
because I was isolated.
00:20:01.80\00:20:04.83
And in my isolation,
00:20:04.87\00:20:06.20
a recruiter from the
Phoenix House drug program
00:20:06.23\00:20:08.30
came in and then
represented me in court
00:20:08.34\00:20:10.91
and I ended up
going into drug rehab
00:20:10.94\00:20:13.04
rather than going to prison.
00:20:13.07\00:20:14.61
But it was
through the Bible studies,
00:20:14.64\00:20:16.04
just the three
weeks with the Bible.
00:20:16.08\00:20:17.71
Now, as you were
younger, what were some of
00:20:17.75\00:20:19.85
the underlying
factors that you noticed that
00:20:19.88\00:20:22.28
tended to lead you
to start using drugs,
00:20:22.32\00:20:24.65
selling drugs, things like that?
00:20:24.69\00:20:26.52
Well, it was my environment.
00:20:26.55\00:20:27.89
Okay, what was
that environment like?
00:20:27.92\00:20:30.03
Well, it was
all, I had no father,
00:20:30.06\00:20:33.03
never met my father.
00:20:33.06\00:20:34.46
Okay. And had no big brother.
00:20:34.50\00:20:36.00
Okay. So the mentors...
00:20:36.03\00:20:38.03
Yeah, they came from
streets. They were the streets.
00:20:38.07\00:20:39.77
The streets were
my mentors. Yeah.
00:20:39.80\00:20:41.70
By the time I was
11, on my 11th birthday,
00:20:41.74\00:20:44.11
I was actually incarcerated
00:20:44.14\00:20:45.81
in juvenile court for
running a bicycle ring.
00:20:45.84\00:20:49.04
Where we'd steal bikes
from one side of the track
00:20:49.08\00:20:51.38
and sell them on the
other side of the track,
00:20:51.41\00:20:53.62
and it was just
everything around me
00:20:53.65\00:20:57.49
was a negative environment
00:20:57.52\00:20:59.25
and I just went on and on
with this negative environment
00:20:59.29\00:21:02.22
until I picked up that
Bible in Rikers Island,
00:21:02.26\00:21:04.16
New York at 20 years old.
00:21:04.19\00:21:05.53
Amen. What actually led you
to that point at 20 years old
00:21:05.56\00:21:09.46
to want to
finally make that decision
00:21:09.50\00:21:11.57
that, "You know what?
00:21:11.60\00:21:12.93
I'm sick of this,
I'm tired of running,
00:21:12.97\00:21:14.30
I'm ready for the change."
00:21:14.34\00:21:15.67
I know for myself, you
know, I had to hit rock bottom.
00:21:15.70\00:21:17.94
I tried changing before,
but in my mind it was still,
00:21:17.97\00:21:20.54
you know, I still want
to try this a little bit,
00:21:20.58\00:21:22.54
I still want to, you
know, do this, experience that.
00:21:22.58\00:21:24.81
But when I hit the
point of rock bottom, it was,
00:21:24.85\00:21:27.42
you know what,
I'm tired of this,
00:21:27.45\00:21:28.95
I'm tired of going
in that same circle,
00:21:28.98\00:21:30.82
over and over and again,
00:21:30.85\00:21:32.32
and I can't get
out of this thing.
00:21:32.35\00:21:33.79
And I ended up
calling on the name of Jesus
00:21:33.82\00:21:35.99
and He saved me.
00:21:36.02\00:21:37.36
What was it, the underline cause
00:21:37.39\00:21:39.59
that made you
decide, "You know what,
00:21:39.63\00:21:41.46
I'm ready for change"?
00:21:41.50\00:21:43.20
Well, even when I
picked up the Bible,
00:21:43.23\00:21:44.87
I wasn't
serious about the Bible,
00:21:44.90\00:21:46.53
it was just something to do.
00:21:46.57\00:21:47.90
Yeah.
00:21:47.94\00:21:49.27
And, but through
studying the Bible,
00:21:49.30\00:21:50.64
they labelled me the preacher.
00:21:50.67\00:21:52.01
The preacher.
00:21:52.04\00:21:53.38
And when they
labelled me the preacher,
00:21:53.41\00:21:54.74
and I moved from Rikers
Island to Phoenix House,
00:21:54.78\00:21:56.64
into a rehab program,
where this title went with me.
00:21:56.68\00:21:59.88
So they would
call me the preacher.
00:21:59.91\00:22:01.62
So even in this
drug rehab program
00:22:01.65\00:22:03.52
which was
completely secular program,
00:22:03.55\00:22:05.45
no religion, no anything there,
I still kept with that Bible.
00:22:05.49\00:22:09.66
And I knew that if I was
gonna change my lifestyle
00:22:09.69\00:22:12.86
it was gonna take more
than what they were doing
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.03
in this program,
the secular program.
00:22:15.06\00:22:17.30
So it was through
being in this program
00:22:17.33\00:22:20.17
and remembering the vision
that I had at 12 years old,
00:22:20.20\00:22:23.61
that I was an eagle
flying in the midst of eagles,
00:22:23.64\00:22:25.94
I started, I said, why
don't I develop my own program?
00:22:25.97\00:22:28.24
Yeah, okay.
00:22:28.28\00:22:29.61
So in order to, for me,
to overcome my drug habit
00:22:29.64\00:22:31.98
and other lifestyle that I
had, in order for me to do it,
00:22:32.01\00:22:35.28
I used the Bible in that program
00:22:35.32\00:22:38.09
and combined the two and I
developed a program for me.
00:22:38.12\00:22:41.99
Well, it's only been
for the last few years
00:22:42.02\00:22:44.63
that I actually been
sharing this with other people.
00:22:44.66\00:22:46.96
I've kept all this to myself
00:22:47.00\00:22:48.73
as a personal medicine
for me to stay straight,
00:22:48.76\00:22:52.93
and I've been
drug-free now for 36 years.
00:22:52.97\00:22:55.14
Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:22:55.17\00:22:56.50
It's a good feeling, isn't
it? Oh, it's a good feeling.
00:22:56.54\00:22:57.87
It's a great feeling.
00:22:57.91\00:22:59.24
Matter of fact, I
know no other feeling now.
00:22:59.27\00:23:01.08
But then I started sharing
this concept with others,
00:23:01.11\00:23:05.85
and I've been sharing
it all over the world now,
00:23:05.88\00:23:08.25
in three different
countries and all over the US,
00:23:08.28\00:23:11.22
sharing this concept
to help others overcome.
00:23:11.25\00:23:13.36
Amen.
00:23:13.39\00:23:14.72
What are some of
those Biblical principles
00:23:14.76\00:23:16.09
that helped you overcome?
00:23:16.12\00:23:17.73
Well, first in John 15:5,
00:23:17.76\00:23:20.96
the latter part of it
simply says, Jesus says,
00:23:21.00\00:23:24.03
"Without Me ye can do nothing."
00:23:24.07\00:23:25.93
Can't do anything.
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.30
Now, once you accept,
00:23:27.34\00:23:28.67
"without Me, ye can do nothing,"
00:23:28.70\00:23:31.04
without the power of God,
00:23:31.07\00:23:32.41
without faith in
the power of God,
00:23:32.44\00:23:34.38
you cannot overcome
anything, and you accept that,
00:23:34.41\00:23:37.95
then the second principle
is, "I can do all things
00:23:37.98\00:23:42.32
through Christ
who strengthens me."
00:23:42.35\00:23:43.82
Philippians 4:13.
Amen. Philippians 4:13.
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.95
So between those
two there's no excuse.
00:23:45.99\00:23:48.76
Okay.
00:23:48.79\00:23:50.13
Now I know that
sounds very simple
00:23:50.16\00:23:51.69
but it is the hardest
thing any human being can do.
00:23:51.73\00:23:54.26
Yeah, it is.
00:23:54.30\00:23:55.63
See, because
planet earth is actually
00:23:55.66\00:23:57.33
a universal penal colony.
00:23:57.37\00:23:58.93
We were all born in
sin, shaped in inequity.
00:23:58.97\00:24:00.90
Yeah, that's right.
00:24:00.94\00:24:02.27
All right,
therefore, the first inmate
00:24:02.30\00:24:04.94
on planet earth is
Satan and his demons.
00:24:04.97\00:24:07.94
Yeah. Okay. All right.
00:24:07.98\00:24:09.31
They were the first
inmates with a death sentence
00:24:09.34\00:24:11.45
without the
possibility of parole.
00:24:11.48\00:24:13.48
Adam and Eve was locked
out of the Garden of Eden.
00:24:13.52\00:24:16.79
Therefore they became
inmates on planet earth
00:24:16.82\00:24:19.49
and all of us were born in sin.
00:24:19.52\00:24:22.52
All right, shaped in inequity.
00:24:22.56\00:24:24.23
So we have to
accept, number one,
00:24:24.26\00:24:26.49
we can do nothing without
the power of God in our lives.
00:24:26.53\00:24:30.57
Yes.
00:24:30.60\00:24:31.93
But step two, "I can do
all things through Christ
00:24:31.97\00:24:33.74
who strengthens me."
00:24:33.77\00:24:35.10
Between those two there
is no excuses whatsoever.
00:24:35.14\00:24:38.37
But if by chance we do
stumble, we do end up back
00:24:38.41\00:24:43.48
where we do not want
to be then step three is,
00:24:43.51\00:24:50.15
1 John 1:9,
00:24:50.19\00:24:52.95
"If I confess my sins,
00:24:52.99\00:24:54.69
he is faithful and
just to forgive me."
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.76
So if I recognize
that God's word is right
00:24:56.79\00:25:00.53
and I'm wrong, and accept
that, then God forgives me
00:25:00.56\00:25:04.80
and cleanses me
from all unrighteousness
00:25:04.83\00:25:07.37
or He puts me back in
right standing with Him.
00:25:07.40\00:25:10.31
So it's ABC, we accept we
can do nothing without Him.
00:25:10.34\00:25:14.34
We believe we can do
all things through Him.
00:25:14.38\00:25:16.95
And we confess
when we make the mistake
00:25:16.98\00:25:19.95
and step out of line.
00:25:19.98\00:25:21.35
That's amazing.
00:25:21.38\00:25:22.72
And then, with
that, now it takes
00:25:22.75\00:25:24.49
several different things
we don't have time to discuss
00:25:24.52\00:25:27.59
to actually develop
that particular concept.
00:25:27.62\00:25:30.69
But that is the basic of
what we actually teach you.
00:25:30.73\00:25:34.16
So that's an ABC
process. ABC, 123.
00:25:34.20\00:25:37.10
Amen, amen.
00:25:37.13\00:25:38.47
You know, what
was interesting is,
00:25:38.50\00:25:39.83
in the
beginning of that you said
00:25:39.87\00:25:41.20
it sounds a little simple.
00:25:41.24\00:25:43.20
But it's actually deep, because
one of the hardest things
00:25:43.24\00:25:45.61
for humanity to do is
believe that we need God,
00:25:45.64\00:25:48.94
or we need somebody to
help us with something.
00:25:48.98\00:25:50.85
The text says we can't
do anything apart from God.
00:25:50.88\00:25:53.75
So often, humanity
says, "Look, I can do things.
00:25:53.78\00:25:56.72
I can do something for myself."
00:25:56.75\00:25:58.55
But in reality, humanity can't.
00:25:58.59\00:26:00.49
We can't do
anything apart from God.
00:26:00.52\00:26:02.22
So though the ABC,
123 process sounds simple,
00:26:02.26\00:26:05.79
it's actually hard.
00:26:05.83\00:26:07.16
It's actually, can be difficult.
00:26:07.20\00:26:08.53
Well, actually
what is happening is,
00:26:08.56\00:26:10.17
the secular world has
tried everything it has,
00:26:10.20\00:26:13.30
and has failed miserably.
00:26:13.34\00:26:15.37
So the secular world is saying,
00:26:15.40\00:26:16.87
"If we're gonna get
a handle on recidivism,
00:26:16.91\00:26:19.51
if we're gonna get a
handle on stopping people
00:26:19.54\00:26:21.88
from returning
to the prison system
00:26:21.91\00:26:24.58
and get a cure
and do some kind of
00:26:24.61\00:26:27.52
a change in the
spike of crime in society,
00:26:27.55\00:26:31.55
we're going to have
to invite those in."
00:26:31.59\00:26:34.46
You remember the
story about the young man
00:26:34.49\00:26:36.42
who was a paraplegic,
00:26:36.46\00:26:38.99
and three of his
friends showed up?
00:26:39.03\00:26:41.20
One came from the
department of mental health,
00:26:41.23\00:26:43.40
another came from the
department of social health,
00:26:43.43\00:26:46.23
and another one came from the
department of physical health.
00:26:46.27\00:26:49.04
And they did everything
they could to help him.
00:26:49.07\00:26:51.37
But this young
preacher showed up, and said,
00:26:51.41\00:26:53.58
"I know a man."
00:26:53.61\00:26:55.11
And when the four of them
00:26:55.14\00:26:57.01
equally balanced this young man,
00:26:57.05\00:27:00.32
took him to the
rooftop, and lowered him down
00:27:00.35\00:27:04.29
to the feet of Jesus,
Jesus looked up at the rooftop,
00:27:04.32\00:27:08.26
at those who had taken the risk
00:27:08.29\00:27:10.79
of cutting a hole in the
roof and lowering him down.
00:27:10.83\00:27:14.16
Jesus said to them,
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.63
"Your faith has
made this man whole."
00:27:15.66\00:27:18.53
Amen.
00:27:18.57\00:27:19.90
And He told the man,
"Pick up your cot, and walk."
00:27:19.93\00:27:22.44
And that's what
we do as the church,
00:27:22.47\00:27:25.17
when we join in
with the social workers,
00:27:25.21\00:27:28.28
the mental health workers
and the physical health workers.
00:27:28.31\00:27:32.18
When we join in with
them, we become the ones
00:27:32.21\00:27:36.15
who take them to
the feet of Jesus.
00:27:36.18\00:27:38.05
Okay, that's
amazing, that's amazing.
00:27:38.09\00:27:39.85
Elder Tony Hall, wish
we had more time to delve
00:27:39.89\00:27:41.82
into your testimony and
more about your ministry,
00:27:41.86\00:27:44.33
it's so amazing.
00:27:44.36\00:27:45.69
Since we don't have
time, can you provide
00:27:45.73\00:27:47.16
your contact information
00:27:47.20\00:27:48.53
so viewers can get
in contact with you?
00:27:48.56\00:27:50.00
Yes.
00:27:50.03\00:27:51.37
I'm Tony Hall, director
of TheXoffender Network.
00:27:51.40\00:27:55.10
Web address is thexoffender.net.
00:27:55.14\00:27:58.67
Phone number, you can
reach us at 334-876-7093.
00:27:58.71\00:28:05.35
Thank you so much, Elder
Hall, for being on our show.
00:28:05.38\00:28:07.85
Viewers, you have just
heard an amazing testimony,
00:28:07.88\00:28:10.69
an amazing ministry.
00:28:10.72\00:28:12.22
You may have loved
ones that are incarcerated
00:28:12.25\00:28:14.22
and want to see them
succeed when they come out.
00:28:14.26\00:28:16.46
I encourage
you, get into contact
00:28:16.49\00:28:17.96
with TheXoffender Network
00:28:17.99\00:28:19.46
and join us on the
next "New Journey."
00:28:19.49\00:28:21.30