A Case For Adventist Involvement In Prison Ministry

ByJ. Alfred Johnson II, Director

North American DivisionAdult Ministries

Discussion Path:

General Inmate Statistics Prison Statistics In N. Pacific Union Adventist Inmates In Pacific Union What Leaders Can Do To Encourage

Members To Get Involved What NAD Adult Ministries Is Doing

To Support Prison Volunteers

General Inmate Statistics

US Had 2.3 Mil. Federal, State, Jail Inmates At Close Of 2007

7 Million Under Correctional Supervision

31,000 Inmates In Canada

• 8.5 Million Inmates Worldwide

• USA Has Largest Prison Population Worldwide

• California Has More Inmates Than Six Nations

Hope With The Statistics! About 78% Of Inmates Recidivate

(Return After Having Been Released)

The Recidivism Rate For Adventist Trained Inmates Is Vastly Different!

Only .008 Adventist Trained Former Inmates Recidivate WHO GET INVOLVED IN ACTIVE MINISTRY IN AN S.D.A. CHURCH UPON RELEASE!

State of Idaho Statistics

20,000 Under Correctional Supervision

7,347 Inmates 36 – Average age of Inmates $21,000 – Yearly cost of

Incarceration

State of Montana Statistics

12,764 Under Correctional Supervision

2,157 Inmates $30,000 – Yearly cost of

Incarceration

State of Washington Statistics

15,535 – Inmates 15 Facilities 36.7 – Average Inmate Age $20-50,000 – Annual Cost of

Incarceration

State of Oregon Statistics

13,405 Inmates 14 Facilities $30,000 – Annual Cost of

Incarceration

State of Alaska Statistics

5,500 Inmates 15 Facilities Average Term – 21 Months

1,000 Seventh-day Adventists

WERE INCARCERATED IN THE PACIFIC UNION

As Of 3rd Quarter Of 2005How Many In Your Union?

WHAT CAN LEADERS DO…

To Assist MembersIn Understanding The Need

To Get Involved

Leaders: Must First Realize

That Prison Ministry Is A Necessary, Equal And Viable Component Of Christian Ministry

Must Show That Prison Ministry Was The Last Ministerial Function Performed By Jesus Before His Death – THUS UNDERSCORING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MINISTRY!

Leaders Must:

Do Away With Any Floating Notion That Prison Ministry Is A Defunct Or Secondary Ministry

Leaders Can Advance A Diversified Approach By:

Showing That Doing Prison Ministry DOES NOT Require Going Behind The “Walls” – As Many Are Intimidated By The Thought Of Going “Inside”

Vehicles Of Diversification May Include: Literature

Donation Prayer Bands Support Groups

For Inmate Families

Toiletry Ministry (Assembling Care Packages For Prisons)

Clothing Ministry Van Ministry –

Transporting Inmate Families Once Per Month For Visits

Pen Pal Ministries Children’s Ministries Transitional Houses Youth Shelters

Members Can Be Encouraged:

With The Power Of Matthew 25:35-40, And The Relevance Of Ministry To “The Least Of These” -- As A Motivation To Support This Important Ministry

Members Are To Be Educated: Regarding Their Responsibility To Accept “The Fruit” Produced In The “Prison Vineyard”

To Give People A Fair Chance! To Understand That No “Middle

Wall Of Partition” Should Be Erected To Disenfranchise Any Of Our Lord’s “11th Hour” Additions To His Family!

Members Must Be Reminded:

That Many Inmates Are Children Of God Who Have Made Some Bad Choices….

That Many Inmates Are Not Guilty…. Often The Diff. Is – They Got Caught! That Christ’s Atoning Blood Has Power

To Transform Our, As Well As Their, Present Conditions Into Godlikeness!

Support Services Of NAD Adult Ministries… Prison Ministry Handbook and Other

Resources Available Through AdventSource Inmate Spiritual Counseling – 17 Course

Curriculum Available (Soon) through AdventSource

Professional Consultation And Training The Adult Ministries Volunteer Network –

Monthly eSupport Direct To Volunteers New NAD Spanish and EnglishTranslation of

the “Prison Ministry Basic Training Handbook”

While Calling On Others…

LET’S REMEMBER TO NOT PASS THEM BY!

God Bless You