Transcript PRISON MINISTRY - Oklahoma Prison Ministries

PRISON MINISTRY
Preserving the Family
Bringing the Gospel of Jesus
Christ to those in prison
And to care for those left behind.
A BIBLICAL COMMAND
126 references to “prison”
229 references to “captivity”
“But the Scripture declares that the whole
world is a prisoner of sin” (Gal 3:22)
WELCOME
FAMILY ARRESTED
WHAT’S THE
PROBLEM?
 U.S. incarceration rate # 1 in the world.
 The prison population increases by more than
1,000 each week
 2,400,000 inmates and growing exponentially.
 112,498 women in state and federal prison
 4,600,000 are on parole/probations
 1 in 34 Americans have been in prison.
 700K released from prison in 2006. More than
one million projected by 2010.
 Another ten million will be released from local
jails. (“Outside the Walls”)
WHAT’S THE
PROBLEM
One in every 10 children have a parent
incarcerated, on probation or on parole.
(National Center for Children & Families, Wash. D.C.)
They are 10 times more likely to become
inmates themselves.
*Nell Bernstein, All Alone in the World: Children
of the Incarcerated (New York: The New Press,
2005)
HEBREWS 13:3
“Remember those in prison as if
you were their fellow prisoners.”
GALATIANS 6:2
"Carry each other's burdens, and
in this way you will fulfill the law of
Christ."
Part 2
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
 Suffer shame, loneliness, and often
extreme financial hardship.
 Egged on by “friends”, most
marriages end in divorce
 Prisoners without supportive family
fail to make the transition to life
outside prison.
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
 Having few skills women are often forced
into the labor market.
 Distance between the family's dwelling
and the prison can be an obstacle for
visitations.
 The first visit to an institution is
particularly disturbing for visitors,
especially the children.
MANY VICTIMS
 All the responsibilities and raising the
children fall to the wife/family – left behind
in a prison of their own.
 Sometimes they lose their home, their car
and are burdened with impossible debt –
nothing left for legal aide, appropriate
clothing, or money to buy food.
 Families are often treated as coconspirators then shunned.
TORTURED
 Grocery shopping and attending
church services prove difficult.
 Opportunities for personal interests,
and rest are hard to find.
 Resentment creeps in with feelings
of betrayal. While he’s now
sheltered from responsibility, she’s
left with all the problems and few of
the solutions.
ROLE CHANGES
 The wife is expected to provide
money, books, radios, clothing,
snacks out of her rapidly depleting
family resources.
 Visitations are problematic. The
inmate thrives on them, while the
family goes through hoops to
attend them. (Travel, childcare,
distance, fuel, humiliation)
WHATS IN THEIR
FUTURE
QUESTIONS
CHILDREN ASK
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Why are you there?
When are you coming home?
Where are you?
Are you okay?
QUESTIONS RARELY
ASKED BUT CENTRAL
Do you blame me?
Do you love me?
Family and Corrections Network website (Children of
Prisoners Library)
CHILDREN IN PAIN
 Confused, feeling the pain of their
parents, they commonly suffer
separation anxiety grasping at their
mother’s apron strings.
 Relations with other kids deteriorate;
rejection and harassment is not
uncommon.
Part 3
THE CHURCH
“COME LET US REASON
TOGETHER”(ISAIAH 2)
 “The church must reach beyond its
own walls, help the poor, and start
making a serious difference”.
 If the church doesn't help these
families who will?
MATTHEW 25:35-36
"I was hungry, and you gave me
something to eat. I was thirsty, and
you gave me something to drink. I
was a stranger, and you took me into
your home. I needed clothes, and
you gave me something to wear. I
was in prison, and ye came unto
me. and you took care of me.”
MARK 10:43, 45
 "...Whoever desires to become
great among you shall be your
servant... for even the Son of
Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life
a ransom for many."
WHAT TO BE DONE?
“Let your light shine before men
in such a way that they may see
your good works, and glorify
your Father who is in heaven.”
(Matt 5:16)
AGAPE LOVE
 “God proves his love for us in
that while we still were sinners,
Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
 “He causes his sun to rise on
the evil and the good, and sends
rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous”. (Matthew 5:45)
1 THES 5:14-19
“Take tender care of those who are
weak; and be patient with everyone.
See that no one pays back evil for
evil, but always try to do good to
each other and to everyone else.
Always keep on praying. For this is
God's will for you who belong to
Christ Jesus.”
COMING ASIDE THE FAMILY
 Prayer warrior
team
 Emergency
Covenant
Small Groups
food
 Child
Emergency
care
 food
Secondhand
 clothing
Child care
 Transportation
Secondhand
 clothing
Job training
 Transportation
 Job training
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Housing
Schools
Social services
Financial aid
Household help
Respite care
Fellowship
Marriage
counseling
 Rehab
PATHWAYS
 In-prison worship
services
 Counseling, mentoring
 Small group bible
study.
 Juvenile home ministry
 Prison discipleship
 Friendly visitor
 Pen-Pal
 Angel Tree
 Inmate education
 Literature availability
 Ministry to the family
 Post-prison ministry
BABY STEPS –3 PRONGED
APPROACH
 A) Traditional prison model –
discipling inmates
 B) Ministering to the left behind
family
 C) Aftercare (Christian
transformation, and re-entry to
family, church, community, job
market)
PROPOSAL.
 Develop job descriptions.
 Identify and prioritize the range of
components.
 Focus also on the families left
behind.
 Recruit volunteers
 Solicit financial support
MATTHEW 22:36-40
 “Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind.' This is the first and
greatest commandment. And the
second is like it: 'Love your neighbor
as yourself.' All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two
commandments.”
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
MINISTRY
 Prison Fellowship partners with local
churches ministering to prisoners,
ex-prisoners, and their families.
 God, unlike the world, has always
chosen to identify closest with those
who are isolated and broken.
GALATIANS 6:9
 Let us not become weary in
doing good, for at the proper
time we will reap a harvest if we
do not give up.”
“Here am I, Send me !”
We Need Your Help !
Projected Ministry Budget Needs
Total Ministry Costs per Month ……..$ 5418.00
22 People or Families at $200 per month
54 People or Families at $100 per month
108 People or Families at $50 per month
We are trusting God and depending on you !