New developments

   First I want to thank an amazing photographer, Lou Oates, for the permission to use several of his photographs for this ministry. It was important for me to catch, in a picture, the driving themes of spiritual and emotional bondage for inmates and Mr. Oates' art has done that. I seen his work online and admired it, so I contacted him and in short order he responded with permission for not only the two pictures you see on our blog (background and profile) but with an invitation to look at other pictures he has taken along the same lines. Thanks to him and God bless.

   Another one of the blessings God has given this ministry is an opportunity to write to inmates inside the facility, something that did not seem possible due to security reasons. Personal information cannot be given so I prayed for a way to make contact and follow up with Inmates and their families. He gave me the idea of a PO box and we will exclude all personal information in our mail and blog. After our chaplain, an anointed man who has had to take care that his ministers didn't walk into disaster, told us we could not do this I prayed and asked permission to call leadership inside the jail. We were given permission to write, with the prerequisites mentioned, to the inmates. A real blessing.

   We will be ministering to inmates every other week inside the facility, and on the Sundays that we are not in the facility these inmates will receive a bible study from us. This is truly how God blessed. I am more of a minister than a teacher. I like to wing it with just a handful of notes and ministering as God gives the word. This is how I have preached since 2000, taught for several years as a youth pastor, and I have not really strayed. However it is hard to use this dynamic in a written bible study.

   But the Lord reminded me of the underground churches in persecuted countries (one of my favorite subjects to study) and of how they studied the word. You see they cant print up vast bible study documents due to lack of funds and if they were tracked down would lose their printing presses and their lives. So many of them formulate a few very anointed and inspired questions that can be applied to portion of scripture. God gave me these before I realized what I was doing (which means I cant get into the way, very useful...lol).

1.       What is God saying to me about who I am, and who He is (Identity)?

2.       How is God equipping me, through this scripture to change the world around me (inheritance)?

3.       What is God telling me about my own personal, unique calling and responsibilities (purpose)?

4.       How can I better focus on God and his promises based on what I have heard God say to me through this portion of scripture?

So what is done is I will start in the first chapter of the first book of the new testament and will select a portion of scripture. They will be given information on hearing the voice of God for their bible study each time they receive a newsletter. They will ask God to speak to them the answers to these questions and then write down on the back of the sheet their own answers, creating a journal (journaling is such a huge help to hearing God, it also aids our definition of purpose).

Below the questions will be what I have received from the scripture portion, answering the questions as God leads. With this form in place I now have 4 easy questions that can guide them through any portion of scripture searching for the freedom oozing from it!