Stories tagged with: prison

• Husband's incarceration leads to passion for 'forgotten families'

  by Trennis Henderson, posted Wednesday, June 24, 2020 (4 years ago)

  

  WMU photo

  GALATIA, Ill. (BP) -- "Why did you become involved in corrections ministry?" It was a fair question that Karen Vinyard always had a good answer for: "My husband is incarcerated."

  Vinyard, a longtime Illinois Woman's Missionary Union leader, began volunteering in corrections ministry while her husband was serving 13 years in prison for drug-related charges. Their daughter, who was 10 years old when her father was arrested, grew up, graduated from college and got married while her dad was in prison. Read More

• Retired missionary Glad Martin, Thailand prison ministry pioneer, dies

  by Erich Bridges, posted Monday, May 11, 2020 (4 years ago)

  

  RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- Retired Southern Baptist missionary Gladys ("Glad") Martin, a farmer's daughter from Louisiana bayou country who helped lead thousands of prison inmates and students to Christ during more than 30 years in Thailand, died May 8 following a stroke. She was 81.

  Alongside Jack Martin, her husband and missionary partner, she pioneered ministry to Thai prisoners, perhaps the most hated and rejected members of society in the overwhelmingly Buddhist nation. The Martins' determination to give inmates hope -- and the message of a God of second chances -- eventually won the respect and cooperation of national prison authorities and the admiration of Thailand's royal family. Read More

• COVID-19 hampers seminary education in prisons

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (4 years ago)

  

  iStock

  ROSHARON, Texas (BP) -- The 165 students earning bachelor's degrees in biblical studies at Darrington Prison Unit in Texas can no longer attend classes, with the prison on lockdown since the presence of COVID-19 was confirmed in the facility.

  But the interruption is itself a learning experience for the men, who are being trained to minister while serving time at prisons across Texas. Read More

• South Carolina Baptists give every inmate a gift

  by Tess Schoonhoven, posted Wednesday, December 11, 2019 (4 years ago)

  

  SCBC photo

  COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP) -- Sharing the love of the Christmas season came through individual gifts to every inmate in South Carolina this year, provided by churches and associations in the South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBC).

  The prisoner packet ministry has been going on for the past 40 years.

  Jon Jamison, serve team leader of South Carolina Baptist Convention, said the point of the ... Read More

• Justice reform, ministry urged at ERLC event

  by Tom Strode, posted Wednesday, December 11, 2019 (4 years ago)

  

  Photo from Twitter

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- Reform of the criminal justice system and ministry to prisoners both provide important opportunities for Christian involvement, panelists said at a Southern Baptist-sponsored forum in Nashville.

  Spokesmen from the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's office and Prison Fellowship addressed criminal justice and rehabilitation as part of the ERLC Leadership Luncheon event Dec. 3 at the Southern Baptist Convention building in Nashville. Read More

• Parolee housing units become church's mission field

  by Erin Roach, posted Monday, March 11, 2019 (5 years ago)

  

  Photo submitted

  FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- Imagine a person was just released from prison and wanted to get his life on the right track, and he knew going to church needed to be part of that plan. But because of his criminal record, he was required to stay away from churches.

  Such a person in Fort Worth, Texas, is able to find help and hope through Freedom Church, a ministry of First Baptist Church in nearby Colleyville. Freedom Church reaches men and women re-entering society from prison by offering weekly worship services, small groups and life skills classes. Read More

• Tuesdays are jail days for church's volunteers

  by Jane Rodgers/Southern Baptist TEXAN, posted Monday, March 11, 2019 (5 years ago)

  

  Photo submitted

  RUSK, Texas (BP) -- Tuesdays mean going behind bars for volunteers with Freedom with Christ who meet with men and women in the Cherokee County Jail each week for Bible study and prayer.

  Freedom with Christ, a ministry of First Baptist Church in Rusk, Texas, also provides Bibles and study materials to prisoners in other correctional facilities in Texas and six surrounding states. Read More

• 'First Step' criminal justice reform becomes law

  by Tom Strode, posted Friday, December 21, 2018 (5 years ago)

  

  iStock

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- The launch of criminal justice reform backed by both conservatives and liberals has become a reality in federal law.

  The First Step Act to promote the rehabilitation and societal re-entry of prisoners while maintaining public safety was signed by President Trump on Friday (Dec. 21). The measure provides training for inmates and reforms some sentencing requirements, including certain drug offenses.

  Trump's action followed the House of Representatives' passage of the bill Thursday (Dec. 20) ... Read More

• Woman released from life sentence a part of prison church plant

  by Grace Thornton/The Alabama Baptist, posted Tuesday, August 14, 2018 (6 years ago)

  

  ALICEVILLE, Ala. (BP) -- Sometimes help comes from unexpected places -- Gary Farley can attest to that.

  Six years ago, Farley knew he needed somebody to lend a hand in planting a church at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), the new women's prison in Aliceville, Ala., but he didn't know exactly who.

  He had thought he might recruit some volunteers from Pickens Baptist Association, where he served as director of missions at the time. He found a pianist, a worship leader and some other folks willing to go in and hold a regular church service. Read More

• Tract for prison evangelism is a 'self-proclaimer'

  by Morgan Collier, posted Thursday, July 12, 2018 (6 years ago)

  

  HOUSTON (BP) -- Without experience in writing nor a theological background, David Howell answered his call to evangelism through prison ministry.

  Howell, a Texas businessman in the oil industry and member of Second Baptist Church in Houston, started his outreach by writing a graphic guidebook titled, "How to Be a Child of God," to be distributed free in prisons across the country through his ministry Prison Evangelism. Read More