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Outreach: Prison Ministries
Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.
As Christians, we are all to remember those in prison, as if we were there ourselves. God might lead us to pray for prisoners, to write to them or visit them, to help their families. There are many positive, effective ways to respond.
God might even be calling you to develop a prison ministry or to serve in one. As I talked to people in this kind of ministry, one thing stood out. Although holding church services is a good thing, it's not enough. On-going consistent discipleship is needed. One ministry that is doing this very effectively is the Transformation Project in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Transformation Project
The Transformation Project is an alternative sentencing program for drug-related offenders. This ministry uses the small group format of Living Free to impart the resources of God to those participants wishing to learn to change their lives by total surrender to Jesus Christ. TP leaders want their participants to not merely survive, but to thrive in their new lives in Christ. In order to accomplish that goal the resources of God must be incorporated into the new thought patterns: the WORD of God, the SPIRIT of God and the PEOPLE of God.
Wayne Keylon, Founder and President of Transformation Project says, "In my 28 years of experience in working with people who have alcohol and drug problems, it has become clear to me that unless there is a change of heart, attitudes and behaviors will not change.
God is working through this Chattanooga-based ministry to transform lives. In a letter to Wayne, The Honorable Clarence Shattuck, a judge in the General Sessions Court of Hamilton County, says, "Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to several of the men in the program outside the courtroom. I was very impressed by their commitment, enthusiasm and witness. I am confident that the Lord is at work in this program through the devoted efforts of many committed people, and most importantly, the lives are being transformed."
After the participants complete Insight Group they have the opportunity to petition the courts for early release or furlough to our program on the outside.
Post-Release services include life skill and employment skill classes, small groups using Living Free curriculum, large group meetings on Thursday evenings, coaching and family services.
Guest Room Ministry. This part of the ministry has been added more recently to provide a home where individuals can come and live in a loving, supportive Christian environment that will help them meet their objective to live a self-sufficient, productive lifestyle in Christ. This program provides housing for men and women who are in crisis or in the transition back into society from jail, the workhouse, prison or a treatment program. It will also house men who are on their way to another program. Regardless of their length of stay, all residents are equal in authority and responsibility.
The Transformation Project ministry is working! They report that in 2006, 207 men and women participated in the pre-release program and 168 completed for a completion rate of 81%. During that same time period, 55 individuals were released to their post-release program by the courts and as of the end of 2006 41 participants were attending or graduating post-release. 66% of those who completed the program in 2006 have not reoffended as of June 2007. 42 volunteers have been training in Living Free and 122 volunteers representing 40 churches serve in the ministry. The Transformation Project or send an e-mail to contact@transformationproject.org Learn more about Living Free small groups. Help for Prison Ministries
More Helpful Sites About Prison MinistriesChristian-PenPals.com. A ministry site devoted to spreading the Gospel to prison inmates. We are a group of Christians reaching out to the lonely men and women in prison. Most of the inmates contacting us have already accepted Jesus or they are seeking God. All of them are lonely, discouraged, and rejected. . .in need of a caring friend. Learn how you can become a part of this ministry.
FIT 100 Hour Curriculum - This project is centered around well-established programs and structured published materials which lend themselves to the modular approach. They include the Dad’s Coaching Clinic program, Living Free/Turning Point ministries, and materials (Financial Success from Scratch) written directly for the 100-hour curriculum by this ministry (Florida Inmate Training). International Network of Prison Ministries (INPM) - Our purpose is to bring under one Internet roof all Prison Ministries involved in crime prevention and in the rehabilitation through the Word of God worldwide. Lifeline Connection - The goal of Lifeline is to duplicate the high success rate of residential Teen Challenge centers through relevant non-residential ministry using the five components of recovery: decision, positive peer choice, accountability, boundaries, and consistency. Several Lifeline ministries are now in operation across Kentucky and Southern Indiana! To learn more about starting a Lifeline ministry, visit the Kentucky Teen Challenge website for contact information. Living Free - Living Free small group training and curriculum are being used with great success in prison ministries, as well as in churches and other ministries around the world. God is transforming lives through these Bible-based Christ-centered groups. Groups that have been especially successful for prison include Living Free Training, Insight Group, Stepping into Freedom, Anger: Your Master or Your Servant, Peacemaking: A Biblical Guide to Conflict Resolution, Free to Grow, Authentic Living in an Artificial World and Restoring Families. Prison Fellowship - Founded by Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship partners with local churches across the country to minister to a group that society often scorns and neglects: prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. Sowing Seeds - Faith based program to help men in crisis and men coming from incarceration as they make a successful transition back into society. We provide apartment housing, rent and utility bill subsidies, food bank grocery assistance, job training and placement and transportation to shopping and Church.
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Each guest room is self-run and self-supporting. Persons who reside in TP's guest housing are free to come and go as per their agreements. The participants are honored guests. This program consists of a community of believers who share a common background and can strengthen and exhort one another in Christian fellowship. Permanent housing arrangements and independence are a goal of this program as the participant plugs in to the body of Christ within their community.
