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The Word of God is Not Imprisoned |
Jail and prison ministry outreach is one of the greatest mission works in the world today. Many at PV devote themselves to this ministry. Recently Jerome Williams joined the Federal Prison Outreach Ministry from Madison, Tenn., for a trip to the Alderson Federal Prison in West Virginia. This women’s prison holds 1,800 inmates that Jerome and the team worked with from October 3-5. In Jerome’s words, here are some of the highlights. - Chuck
Friday, Oct. 3 -
The chapel held 250 women and the room was full. It felt like I was about to lead worship for a packed church, but they were all women. The “Amens” were in the air with great anticipation of what was about to happen. Ron Goodman introduced the team and explained what the next eight sessions would look like. I started out with two specials “He’s Able” and “My God Is Real.” The emotions were high; “Amens” and “Praise God” were coming from all over. It felt like Brother Willie (Perkins) was everywhere in the room. For the next two hours I sang, Bro. Ron taught the Bible lesson and the team weaved in skits and short talks on building good relationships and explaining the difference between good and bad relationships. At the end of the second session during Ron’s lesson, prayer request cards were given to the ladies. By the end of the evening there were 55 requesting prayers, 18 wanting to be restored and 7 desiring baptism. Our team went back to the hotel and spent the next hour reading each of the cards and praying over them.
Saturday, Oct. 4 -
On our arrival at the campus the ladies were out and about – some visiting with family member under trees with kids playing and running around. The prison van drove us to the chapel where the ladies had started to gather for our third, fourth and fifth session.
By 12: 30 p.m. the room was full and I kicked off with a special song for starters – “I Trust in God” and then led the ladies in about a 15-minute session of some down-home singing. And man, can they sing – loud and strong!
The next three hours were spent with a drama presentation, my singing, along with a lesson titled “Building Healthy Relationships.” Bro. Ron finished the session with a lesson titled “God Gives Second Chances.” The invitation was extended and 63 requested prayer, with 14 asking to be restored and 4 more desiring baptism. We left the campus “filled with the Spirit,” knowing this was a mission field and that God had chosen to use us to reach some very tender hearts for Him. We ended that night back at the hotel in prayer, reading each card aloud and praying over each one.
Sunday, Oct. 5 -
Again the campus was buzzing with visits from family members as the ladies were out and about. Once we arrived at the chapel it was full and ready to go. The ladies were ready to worship because this was the “Lord’s day,” and they have church every Sunday. With a big opening from Bro. Ron a group of ladies known on campus as the “Alderson Women Choir” gave an opening song, “Jesus Will Fix It,” and man was it good! It got me out of my chair, and started to sing with them; following that I sang the song, “When It’s All Been Said and Done.” Bro. Ron spoke and extended the invitation and 36 asked for prayer, 21 were restored and two more requested baptism. Altogether there were 154 prayer requests, 53 restorations and 13 baptisms. The baptism service was a moving experience as 13 ladies in white robes sat on the front row ready to put on our Savior in baptism. Many eyes were filled with tears and Bro. Ron baptized each of them while I sang songs between each baptism. The baptism service took 45 minutes because they had to fill the baptistery twice.
What a blessing to be involved in such a great mission effort, and I look forward to returning next time.
The time there was priceless as we talked and prayed for and with the ladies and shared visions for what the Lord will do from the weekend we spent at Alderson.
Carole McDonald, Jerome Williams, Gayle Nash, Chaplain Elizabeth Walker, Tamara Curd, Vicki Harvey, Ron Goodman, Helen Cox and Harold Cox at Alderson Federal Prison Camp for Women, Alderson, West Virginia.
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The Deceitfulness of Riches |
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10/19/2008 - By Chuck Monan, Preaching Minister
According to people who supposedly know about such things, Iceland is the country with the world’s best mix of economic opportunity and quality of life. This Kentucky-sized island in the North Atlantic has a population of about 320,000 who live in a place where natural wonders abound. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, Iceland has a temperate climate relative to its latitude, and the ingenuity of its people in harnessing the nation’s massive geothermal resources has made it almost completely self-sufficient in meeting its own energy needs. As of 2007, Iceland is ranked as the most developed county in the world by the United Nations’ Human Development Index. It is also the fourth most productive country per capita, and one of the most egalitarian. Add to this a rich culture and heritage, including cuisine, poetry, and the brilliant band Sigur Ros, and Iceland is an incredibly cool place to live (pun intended).
Yet even an idyllic setting like Iceland is not immune from the economic crisis that is sweeping across much of the world. The Associated Press reports:
Iceland plunged further into financial crisis Wednesday (Oct. 8) as it scrapped plans to nationalize a major bank, instead placing it into receivership, and abandoned attempts to put a floor under its falling currency by pegging it to the Euro ... The global credit crisis has exacted a heavy toll on Iceland, where the banking sector dwarfs the rest of the economy thanks to a stock market boom in the mid-1900s. Those heavily exposed banks are now putting the entire country at risk, with Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde warning of “national bankruptcy.”
National bankruptcy? In a sophisticated, educated, prosperous nation? Reading these words brings to mind a few of the teachings of Scripture about money:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
~ Matthew 6: 19 – 21
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
~ 1 Tim. 6: 6-10
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
~ Mark 4: 18-19
Today there is just as much temptation to trust in riches for our future.
Today there is just as much reason to know that riches won’t save anyone.
See to it that you are not led astray by the deceitfulness of wealth.
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Prayer Requests
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Please pray for Charles Monan, father of Chuck and Joe, as he learns today (1/ ...
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And please ...
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