Volunteer Meeting

Updates on programming, volunteering, orientation.

CCJ-

ECCJ- Meeting in person on Sundays in the Max and MEDIUM Unit; Zoom in Special Needs. Zoom bible studies in GP on Tuesday Evenings. In Person bible studies in MAX. Weekly Anger Management Class on Friday Evenings that rotate into the different units. We’ve stated a class in the GP Correcting Thinking Errors that are Common among the inmate culture. We’re working on the third lesson, which we will make available for other to use, after the 5th lesson is completed.

Kati-

Mandy is doing Movie Nights on Monday evenings with the women.

Be praying for volunteers in Trempealeau County, in person and Buffalo County.

What type of Volunteers are we looking for?

We are looking for spiritually mature individuals who p. 30 Karen’s book are able to teach God’s Word in a small group setting. Not everyone is gifted that way, but our greatest need right now is for individuals who not only have a heart for inmates, but can teach them from the bible, spiritual truths that they need to hear. If you know of someone like that, let us know.

The way the process works is we will have a conversation with that person, complete a jail application which allows for a background check, (off paper for a couple of years) we may allow the person to sit in a class, observe, get a feel for the ministry, we also ask for a pastoral referral, we believe it’s important for individuals to be in a local church where they have the support of others in the church and are accountability to spiritual leadership of the church. We believe that’s biblical. To Complete the jail orientation class. We have the orientation on video, that is something you should take if you haven’t taken it since coming back into the jail.

PREA Training- who has and who hasn’t The role and responsibilities of a Good News Chaplain

We seek to minister in a correctional facility to both inmates and staff (we have a staff shortage, some deputies in training; recently brought on an officer who is a Christian in the biblical sense of the word. Pray for the CO’s. An important responsibility we have as chaplains is to train you that you might minister well when you come into the facility. We have different backgrounds and come from different churches but there are two ways in which we should be united 1) is in the gospel, not a watered-down version, but the gospel which points men and women to Jesus Christ, to turn from their sin and to put their faith and trust in Him, not just for a better life (though their life will be better if they follow Him. Not to be sober or to stay out of jail, though they will be sober and stay out of jail if they follow Him. All of that is secondary to the need of having God’s forgiveness for this sins, and the assurance of heaven. Paul said I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (non-Jew). 2) The second way we should be united is to make a difference in the lives of those we serve (Jacob and Rebekah Ketchens).

What we are asking from you, is that you allow us as chaplains to help shape you for growth in this kingdom work. From time to time we may attend the meetings in the jail and provide you with feedback, we hope you will not be offended if we come to you with ideas or concerns, see it as an opportunity for growth. We should all welcome that.

Controlling the Classroom (things to do and not to do)

1) When you position yourself in the classroom, especially if the class is larger, you shouldn’t be sitting next to each other, unless the group is really small. It’s better that you spread out.

2) When you are praying, if both of you have your eyes closed, that’s not a good idea. Example: General Population. In a larger group setting, a shorter prayer is better than a longer prayer, you may be accustomed to praying, but that doesn’t mean they are, and they get restless. Again, we need to remind ourselves that we are not in Sunday School, but in a jail.

3) Use words that they can understand. If you use the word saved, then explain what the word means, because it can mean different things to different people. If you use the word rapture, 9 chances out of 10, they won’t have any idea what you are taking about, because it isn’t a word that they understand, and will go right over their heads.

4) Incident that occurred in Bob’s Service on Sunday Evening- Emmanuel Erickson

5) Incident in my group on Sunday, “She was naked. She was naked” ---how would you have handled that? If had said it once more, I would have asked him to leave.

6) Review of Thinking Errors- Chapter 10 from Karen Swanson's book on Jail Ministry- Kati

7) If the question is asked... (some doctrinal considerations)

What about the people who have never heard the gospel before, will they be in heaven? There are some who believe that you could be a buddhist, a hindu or a muslin and be saved as long as you follow what light you have. Erwin Lutzer, if God saves people apart from the gospel, he hasn’t told us that in His Word. What he has told us is that those who believe in Jesus are not condemned but those who have not believed are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God, which is the basis for missions. People need to hear the gospel. If God saves people apart from hearing the gospel and believing on Jesus Christ, he hasn’t told us that in His Word and therefore we shouldn’t give a false assurance to anyone. All men everywhere are commanded, Paul says to repent and believe the gospel.

The trinity- as a ministry, we believe in the one true God, God, father Son and Holy Spirit. While the word Trinity is not used in the bible, the triune nature of God is clearly taught. That there are three distinct persons in the God head, Father Son and Holy Spirit. At the baptism of Jesus, when He’s standing the water, the Father could be heard speaking from heaven, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. The Holy Spirit of God, descended upon Him like a dove.

The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit. They are equal in essence, but subordinate in office. It incomprehensive. John Newton Show me a man who can comprehend God and I will show you a worm that can comprehend a man.

Ask Jesus into your heart. What does that mean? Emphasis in the bible over and over again is to believe on Jesus Christ. The reference in Ephesians Paul prayer for the believers that Christ would dwell in their hearts by faith”. He was already in their hearts. Their heart would be a suitable dwelling place for Christ to dwell in, to be at home in. That’s the idea. I’m hoping that we can say the same thing if you will, help minimize confusion, what they hear is language that the bible uses.

Ephesians 4:17–24 ESV

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Share what has worked well for you,

Q & A