I’ll be working another Kairos Prison Ministry weekend in March and wanted to invite anyone who is interested to the closing ceremony on Sunday, March 14th from 4:30 pm – 7:30 p.m. 

The prison is in Sugarland, TX.  You get to come on the prison grounds and hear some testimonies from some of the participants.  It is quite moving. 

If you’ve ever wondered if you might like to try prison ministry or if you just want to see what it is like then feel free to join us.  It is quite safe.

Let me know if you’d like to know more.  I can give you a contact to email your information to (name, drivers license number, etc.)  You need to respond by February 26th which means you’d need to contact me before that.

I’ll be playing guitar and giving a talk about the church (does playing guitar all weekend even count as a volunteer activity?!).  I’m really looking forward to it.

Newgate Prison, London

We saw earlier how John Lancaster, a prisoner condemned to death in Newgate prison, had come to faith in Christ.

Now we see him at his last moment and at his most triumphant. The year was 1748 and John Wesley recorded the events for future generations in his journals.

As Lancaster was led out of his cell, his confession was “Blessed be the day I came into this place! O what a glorious work hath the Lord carried on in my soul since I came hither!”

“O that I could tell the thousandth part of the joys I feel!”
Wesley adds, ‘Then he said to those near him, “O my dear friends, join in praise with me a sinner! O for a tongue to praise Him as I ought! My heart is like fire…I am ready to burst…O that I could tell the thousandth part of the joys I feel!”

‘One saying, “I am sorry to see you in that condition.” He answered, “I would not change it for ten thousands worlds.”

‘From the press-yard he was removed into a large room where he exhorted all the officers to repentance.

‘Thomas Atkins was brought in, whom he immediately asked, “How is it between God and your soul?” He answered, “Blessed be God, I am ready.”

Newgate Prison, London by George Shepherd

“By one o’clock I will be in Paradise!”
An officer asked what time it was and Lancaster happily replied, “By one I shall be in Paradise, safely resting in Abraham’s bosom…I see [Jesus] by faith, standing at the right hand of God, with open arms to receive our souls.”

Another asked, “Which is Lancaster?” and he answered, “Here I am. Come see a Christian triumphing over death.”

‘A bystander said, “Be steadfast to the end.” He answered, “I am, by the grace of God, as steadfast as the rock I am built upon, and that rock is Christ.”

Why no-one should despair
‘Then he said to the people, “Cry to the Lord for mercy, and you will surely find it. I have found it; therefore none should despair. When I came first to this place, my heart was as hard as my cell walls, and as black as hell. But now I am washed, now I am made clean by the blood of Christ.”’

Speaking of the prayer time he had with other prisoners the night before he said, “I was as it were in heaven. O, if a foretaste be so sweet, what must the full enjoyment be?”

Wesley continues, ‘The people round, the mean time, were in tears; and the officers stood like men affrighted.’

Praying for the Nations and the Local Church
‘Then Lancaster exhorted one in doubt, never to rest till he had found rest in Christ. After this he broke out into strong prayer…that the true Gospel of Christ might spread to every corner of the habitable earth; that the [Methodist] congregation at the Foundery might abound more and more in the knowledge and love of God…’

‘When the officers told them it was time to go, [the converted prisoners] rose with inexpressible joy, and embraced each other…’

“I am going to Paradise today!”
‘Coming into the press yard, he saw Sarah Peters. He stepped to her, kissed her, and earnestly said, “I am going to Paradise today; and you will follow me soon.”

‘The crowd being great, they could not readily get through. So he had another opportunity of declaring the goodness of God [saying] “Rely on Him for mercy and you will surely find it.”

‘Turning to the spectators he said, “It is but a short time and we shall be where all sorrow and sighing flee away. Turn from the evil of your ways; and you also shall stand with the innumerable company on Mount Zion…See that you love Christ; and then you will come there too!”

‘All the people who saw them seemed to be amazed; but much more when they came to the place of execution. A solemn awe overwhelmed the whole multitude.

‘As soon as the executioner had done his part with Lancaster, and the two that were with him, he called for a hymn book, and gave out a hymn with a clear, strong voice.

‘Even,’ John Wesley adds, ‘a little circumstance that followed seems worth observing. His body was carried away by a company hired by the surgeons. But a crew of sailors pursued them, took it from them by force, and delivered it to his mother…

‘He died on Friday October 28 and was buried on Sunday the 30th.’
(All quotes from John Wesley’s Journal, Vol 2, p.123-125, Baker Edition)

© 2010 Lex Loizides

We continue the amazing accounts of grace given to those condemned to death in the 1700’s.

John Wesley recorded these testimonies of men facing execution, in his own journals, giving them a wider audience than they might have otherwise had.

They had been faithfully visited by Sarah Peters. She shared the gospel with them and many were genuinely converted.

Thomas Atkins
‘The next who was spoken to was Thomas Atkins, nineteen years of age.

‘When he was asked (after many other questions, in answering which he expressed the clearest and deepest conviction of all his sins, as well as that for which he was condemned) if he was afraid to die; he fixed his eyes upward, and said, in the most earnest and solemn manner, ‘I bless God, I am not afraid to die; for I have laid my soul at the feet of Jesus.’

And to the last moment of his life, he gave all reason to believe that these were not vain words.’

William Gardiner
‘William Gardiner, from the time that he was condemned, was very ill… [Sarah Peters] visited him in his own cell, till he was able to [move about].

He was a man of exceeding few words, but of a broken and contrite spirit.

Some time after, he expressed great readiness to die, yet with the utmost diffidence of himself.

One of his expressions, to a person accompanying him to the place of execution was:

“O Sir! I have nothing to trust to but the blood of Christ! If that won’t do, I am undone forever!”‘

More next time…
(From John Wesley’s Journal, Vol 2, p.121-122, Baker Edition)

© 2010 Lex Loizides

The Notorious Newgate Prison, London

Although John Wesley was disappointed with the lack of response he received in Newgate Prison, London, there was another Christian working amongst the prisoners with great effect.

Sarah Peters
Sarah Peters, described by Wesley as caring, even-tempered and able to handle pressurised situations well, spent many hours talking with the condemned prisoners. When she died in 1748, John Wesley gave a tribute to her in his journal.

The tribute consists of the collected testimonies of some of those who were facing execution. Paying a heavy price for a range of different crimes (some of which would not receive such harsh sentences today), these men were lost and facing the reality of death. Sarah came, taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and prayed with them.

Over the next few posts we’ll read some breathtaking statements that are her enduring legacy…

John Lancaster
Convicted, tried and condemned and unable to have his sentence reduced, said:

‘I thank God, I do feel that He has forgiven me my sins: I do know it!’

Sarah asked him how he knew that. He replied, ‘I was in great heaviness, till the very morning you came hither first.

‘That morning I was in earnest prayer; and just as St Paul’s clock struck five, the Lord poured into my soul such peace as I had never felt; so that I was scarce able to bear it.

‘From that hour I have never been afraid to die; for I know, and am sure, as soon as my soul departs from the body, the Lord Jesus will stand ready to carry it into glory.’

For the next installment of this story read here
(from John Wesley Journal, Vol 2, p.121, Baker Edition)

© 2010 Lex Loizides

Not closing a prayer with the exact phrase “In Jesus’ name” at the URF-W bible study last Sunday night.  This wasn’t the first time, either.

John 14:13 says,

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (ESV)

Are we to understand that subsequently every prayer – to be a true, sincere, Christian prayer to which the living God will respond to, is to be closed with the exact phrase “In Jesus’ name?”

There would appear to be perhaps more than one issue here.  We could start with an examination of prayer in the New Testament subsequent to this statement in John 14, or we could look at just what Jesus’ “name” really is or what doing something “in Jesus’  name” really means.  Or, we could go so far as to examine the Third Commandment and extract the meaning of “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”

For our purposes we will defer a discussion of God’s/Jesus’ name for later, although that would certainly apply to this situation.  I think we can answer the objection by looking at one New Testament passage, that being Ephesians 3.

In Ephesians 3, Paul is praying for the church at Ephesus and he prays:

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family [3] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

He is not finished.  He closes with:

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

So there will be no accusations of “translation bias,” we will cite vv. 20-21 in several translations:

Now to him who by the power that is working within us 1 is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (NET)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (NASB)

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. (NLT)

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (KJV)

Seeing as how this is written correspondence from Paul, one cannot make the point that this is a truncated version of a spoken prayer.  If we were to apply the rules of rebuke that were being used, then the accuser would have to rebuke the inspired Apostle Paul as well, which is territory perhaps best left untrod.  Paul did not use the liturgy “In Jesus name” here, which, of course, would have been quite acceptable.  His not using it though, is an example of how one can pray and pray fervently, effectively and most importantly, biblically, without using the verbatim phrasing.

]]> http://lhmmadagascar.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/from-prison-to-prayer/ Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:25:25 +0000 lhmint http://lhmmadagascar.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/from-prison-to-prayer/

Landry was orphaned at a young age, and without parents to discipline him, he experienced a very troubled youth.  Most of the people in Landry’s village still participate in ancestral worship, and there was no one to reveal the Word of God to the troubled young man.

Eventually, Landry was arrested for attempting to pay his income tax with a counterfeit bill.  Sentenced to 18 months in prison, his life reached an all-time low.  During the imprisonment, however, things started looking up, when he met with two volunteers who regularly gave their time spreading God’s Word at the prison.  They helped him register for Bible Correspondence Courses offered by Lutheran Hour Ministries.

At first, some of the other inmates criticized Landry for studying the Bible, and in response, he quoted the words of Jesus in Luke 5:32 saying, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  Landry continued to study the Bible and learn about Jesus, which made him come to realize all the mistakes he had made in the past, and since then he has repented for those mistakes.

Immediately after Landry was released, he paid a visit to LHM—Madagascar to thank them for materials that have helped him in his Christian walk.   “It’s so good to be with Him,” Landry rejoiced. “To put my life and my problems into His hands.”

Now that Landry has been granted freedom, not only from prison but of his treacherous past, he plans to return to the village of his upbringing where he will share God’s light with the people who are still in the dark.

I just filled out and sent in the necessary paperwork to become a mentor for the brand-new Pitt County Re-Entry Program.  This new program allows guys like me to go into a prison about 20-30 minutes from Greenville and mentor inmates who are about 90 days from their release back into society.  They are non-violent, non-sexual offenders who need some guidance on what to do when they get out of jail so they don’t end up back in jail.  The program was under development when we arrived in Greenville last year, and it just got up and running.  I don’t think they’ve even sent any mentors into the prison yet.  But they are transferring inmates from all over the state to this one facility to participate in the program.

The implications and possibilities of being involved in this program are enormous.  And if the inmates bring it up, we’re encouraged to explore spiritual issues.

I’m excited, humbled, and nervous about what God can do with this.  Pray that he’ll use me in the coming months to make disciples of Jesus in this setting.

A slug fA slug from a .357-caliber Magnum ended Ken Cooper’s 13-year career as a bank robber and started him on the path toward redemption and a network of five prison ministries. Cooper describes the moment when he encountered a sheriff’s deputy as he walked out of his last score in 1982. “As if in slow motion, fire flashed from the shooter’s pistol.. Someone screamed, the sound bouncing around my mind like an echo.  Cooper wrote in his book, “Held Hostage: A Serial Bank Robber’s Road to Redemption.” Ken Cooper’s 13-year career as a bank robber and started him on the path toward redemption and a network of five prison ministries.

 Cooper details his double life as a respectable husband, father and “gentleman bank robber” and the punishment for his crimes: Spending a few years in “The Rock,” Florida’s toughest prison, known for its murders, rapes and suicides.

But before he got there, he says he found Christ in a county jail while awaiting sentencing. He wrote that his conversion occurred after he fell to his knees and prayed, “Jesus, I’m a horrible sinner; please come into my heart and change me. I’ve made a terrible mess of my life — and the lives of others.”

After being released from prison about four years later, Cooper co-founded five prison ministries, which have sponsored more than 2,000 men coming out of prisons.

The ministries provide inmates with a place to stay and help with their adjustment to life outside the bars. They teach classes on overcoming addiction at Lawtey Correctional Institution, one of the state’s four faith and character-based prisons. .

The faith-based prisons are an effort to reduce the number of people returning to prison by offering character-based programming for prisoners.

(This is a cool story  which shows the power of Jesus that saves souls and changes people on the inside. Read more on this man who was changed by the living God who is Jesus- right here.)

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” ~ Colossians 3:12-14

After taking a few days off from the ministry work of the Christmas season to simply enjoy the time with my family and this very special time of year, I find myself facing the post-holiday blahs like so many other people do. I am sure that some of these feelings are due to the fact that it’s cold outside and I have the remnants of a wonderful holiday strewn about my house – including the debris of wrapping paper yet to go to the trashman and a fridge full of leftovers! Some of the feelings I am experiencing can also be attributed to the normal “holiday blues” that we all feel after any holiday experience. Yet for some reason, this year feels different.

These past few months have been a definite growing season for me. My faith has been strengthened, tested, challenged and affirmed. I am moving into a deeper understanding of the role God has called me to live out through my service as a pastor. I am also learning to be more accepting of the role God has called me to fill and recognizing my limitations are exactly what He is using to minister in the place I am serving. I think I am also coming to terms with my deep grief over my brother’s murder and my son’s death. This is the part of my spiritual growth that I am most uncomfortable with.

As we let go of those old feelings of grief, despair, hurt, anger, unforgiveness and all the other negative emotions we carry around from our past, we limit our ability to fully live the life of God has in store for each of us. As I have spent more time in study of God’s Word, there has been a growing fullness in my soul and the grief has subsided. Now to be sure, I continue to mourn the absence in this life of Mark and Matthew and my soul aches in an indescribable manner. But, my grief is finding solace and comfort as I move into becoming more of who God wants me to be.

The problem isn’t with the notion of being one of God’s holy, chosen people, BUT in living like one of God’s holy, chosen people! This isn’t an easy issue to resolve -Mark’s death is still with me after more than 13 years – but I believe that I can see the flicker of a life lived fully as one His dearly loved children.

The NLT Study Bible, a swell resource indeed, was something I was using to prepare for the bible study at Chippewa Correctional-West last week.  We were going to be covering the first few chapters in Exodus as part of our ongoing use of the Balancing The Sword curriculum.

The note on Exodus 1:19, as it was discussing the Hebrew midwives and their refusal to follow the dictate of Pharoah in killing the Hebrew newborns, had this to say with regard to their “explanation” as to why they were unable to do so:

“Sir,” they told him, “the Hebrew women are very strong. They have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time! They are not slow in giving birth like Egyptian women.” (NLT)

or

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” (ESV)

Now, admittedly, the midwives were in a tight situation.  The issue, though, would not seem to be so much as with their choice to disobey Pharoah but their subsequent lie as to to WHY they disobeyed.

The note in the NLT Study Bible says:

“”Comprehensive honesty is less important to God than absolute faithfulness to him and his believing community”

The text says they feared God.  That’s a good thing.  Does that fear, though, give us license to be deceptive about our fear?  To lie about that fear to pagans?

Just asking………..

]]> http://frted.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/icon-sale-to-profit-charity/ Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:17:41 +0000 Fr. Ted http://frted.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/icon-sale-to-profit-charity/

Archangel Michael

Christopher’s Restaurant and Catering in Kettering, Ohio, is having their annual Christmas art sale.  Proceeds from the sale of the art is being donated to the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter in Dayton, and to an Orthodox prison ministry. 

This year’s featured artist is Daryl Cochran, who is himself an Orthodox Christian, and currently is an inmate at the London Correctional Institute in London, OH.  Daryl converted to Orthodoxy a few years ago while in prison and is a talented artist and iconographer.

Daryl produced several icons related to the nativity season, as well as some traditional Orthodox iconographer and other Christmas art.

Daryl’s art and icons are on display at the restaurant, and some of them can be viewed in this blog.  They were photographed with a ruler to give some sense of the size of the icons.

Most of the icons are now framed – the framing was donated by the Patterson Chase Company, 460 Patterson Road, in Dayton.  Patterson Chase is not receiving any reimbursement for the framing.

Holy Family

Some of the icons are done with gold leaf.

You can purchase one of the icons, depending on their availability by contacting Chip Pritchard, owner of Christopher’s Restaurant at 937-299-0089 or at  chip@christophers.biz.   Please note some of the icons may have already been sold at the restaurant.

Most of the icons are priced at $90 which includes any framing, and shipping and handling, and are available to be shipped immediately after Christmas when the art display is finished.  You will be making your check to Christopher’s Restaurant.   The restaurant is donating all of the proceeds to the above mentioned charities.

St. Nicholas

Chip Pritchard is an Orthodox Christian and member of St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Dayton, OH.

Christopher’s Restaurant and Catering

 is located at

2318 East Dorothy Lane

Kettering, OH   45420.

These icons are representative samples of Daryl Cochran’s work.  If you would like to commission Daryl to paint an icon for you, you can contact Fr. Ted Bobosh at FrTed@stpdayton.org.

You can view more of the icons and paintings of Daryl that are on display at Christopher’s by visiting my flickr page:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/frted/sets/72157622908968892/

If you would like to view other examples of Daryl’s iconography, you can go to :

my flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/frted/sets/72157621794996182/

This last set of icon photos are of icons that are privately owned and currently not for sale, but are representative of Daryl’s iconography in case you would like to commission him to paint an icon for you.

If you want to order one of the icons in the art show at Christopher’s Restaurant, contact Chip Pritchard directlyat chip@christophers.biz.

Contact Fr. Ted if you want to commission Daryl to paint an icon for you.

One aspect of prison ministry is that during bible studies, topics tend to come up that are neglected or just plain ignored on the outside because they are “too touchy” or you “just don’t go there.” even though they reflect real-life issues that need to be dealt with in a biblical manner.  One of those topics was discussed last night at Chippewa Correctional-East.  The topic?

“Is it OK to masturbate if you’re  thinking about your spouse while doing it?”

Yes, that’s really what was discussed.  And, we discussed it like adults, biblically.

Naturally, sexual issues need to be addressed in dealings with prisoners and many are beyond the scope of this post.  The nature of masturbation in general (and let’s be honest – this is not a “guys only” issue, right, ladies?) in the life of a prisoner is something that is real and for the Christian, needs to be addressed biblically.  Our specific discussion, though, addressed the subject as stated above – it is OK if the object of our thoughts is your spouse?

A popular response to the issue is Genesis 38 and the story of Onan.  If one looks at the text, though, one will see that the issue is not the one we are dealing with here.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.

A more explicit description fo the responsibility Onan was to fulfill is given in Deuteronomy 25:5-10:

5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house  shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’

Jesus then had to deal with this issue in Matthew 22 in an encounter with the Sadduccees:

23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

So we can see that the story of Onan will not give us our answer.  So what is the answer?

It would seem that there is no explicit text addressing the issue, but that we can draw our conclusion from some texts concerning marriage and sexuality.  We can see in Genesis that the first couple was to “be fruitful and multiply.”  Sex was to be used in this citation for the purpose of procreation – populating the earth.  That has not changed.

From a reading of the Song of Solomon, we can see that sexual pleasure  in the context between a husband and wife is a) a good thing and b)a desirable thing.  The text is explicit to the point that many (if not most) congregations dare not read it during the Sunday service because of its content.  Of course, that raises the issue of whether or not we really believe 2 Tim. 3:16-17 – the “All Scripture” reference – is “All Scripture” REALLY useful for what it says it is or is some to be passed over because it addresses subjects which are “adult in content.”  Even if a church send their young people off to “children’s church” and the like – is the Song of Solomon ever addressed in adult gatherings?  One would be hard-pressed, though, to find anything in the Song of Solomon that would affirm or endorse the practice we are discussing.

Proverbs 5 addresses the importance of monogamous sexual relationship within marriage:

15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.

16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?

17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.

18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated  always in her love.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?

21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.

22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.

23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.

From this passage, again, one would be hard pressed to find justification for masturbating while thinking of one’s spouse.  The context certainly seems to be not one that endorses sex by one’s self, but with one’s partner.

1 Corinthians 6 & 7 address sexual issues at length, but a few verses would seem to address the issue somewhat directly:

3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Here we see that “conjugal rights” involve both spouses and both spouses in an active, participatory sense.  We see that each spouse does not have “authority” over their own bodies.  We see that deprivation is to be ceased by the “come together again” phrasing.  Deprivation would not seem to be allowed to cease by one spouse taking authority over their own body in order to fulfill a need.

Now, in practice – is that easy?  Most definitely not.  For a prisoner – male or female to be separated from their spouse for 1, 5, 10, 20 years or life does indeed present an enormous problem with temptation and the desire to fulfill the God-given sexual desire that was to be satisfied in the context of that marriage.  Does not the non-incarcerated spouse wrestle with this issue as well?

A difficult situation, indeed.  It would appear, though, that it would be difficult to find biblical justification for the practice of masturbation while thinking about one’s spouse.  Even in the cases of separation (even if we exclude prisoners from this discussion) or issues such as disability, the Scripture does not seem to give us an out on the issue.  Further input would be greatly welcomed, though.

Last night I went to the bible study my mentor conducts at Chippewa Correctional-East.  That study occurs in a prisoner housing unit about 50 yards from the Administration Building and we walk across an access road and through the fence to get to the unit, where we then do the study in their cafeteria.  On our short walk, the officer – an officer unfamiliar to us – said, “So, who are you guys with?”

I said, “God.”

He said, “That’s a good answer.”

I hope so……….

At a recent Keryx prison ministry weekend, I encountered two prisoners who are the inspiration for the first part of the title of this post. and the second half is a rather recognizable name.  Allow me to explain.

It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that prisons are the price we pay for human sin.    We, as a society, pay a terrible price for the crimes committed that result in incarceration.  The price is not only financial, it is paid by families being ripped apart, by death, pain, injury, emotional trauma of victims and so on.  One price has to do with marriages.

The crimes committed by some of my friends themselves rip marriages apart.  These men have murdered, resulting in broken marriages.  They have raped, molested, robbed, dealt drugs, etc., all of which can and do result in marriages being destroyed.  We cannot minimize the pain caused by these sins to the victims and their families.  There is a price on the flip side as well.

It was interesting to encounter these two prisoners on the same weekend recently.  Their stories and their involvement with me are vastly different, but they are both dealing with same issue right now.

Their wives want divorces.  Both men have received “Dear John” news recently.

Both men are confused.  One was married before he came to prison, the other became married while incarcerated.  Both families have children.  Both have wives who have now proclaimed they don’t want to wait for them to be released.  Look at all the anguish caused by sin – we have wives, living without their husbands, trying to raise children by themselves.  We have children, growing up without a father.  We have fathers, separated from their children because of their own sinful actions.  What a price we pay.

The second involves Mr. T. Woods, pro golfer extraordinaire.  We have all seen the news accounts and now Mr. Woods has issued a public, though somewhat cryptic apology.  What is interesting is the focus – it’s all on Mr. Woods.  Are there not a wife and two small children involved?  It is interesting to see how the media is already concerned with the PR “spin.”  These headlines are taken from the CNN web site as I write this:

How much damage will Tiger Woods’ “transgressions” do to his brand?

Sports consultant on Tiger Woods

How Tiger Woods can survive scandal

What about his wife?  His two small children, who may be too young to know what’s going in,  but who someday will?  Is it all about the “business” and the “brand?”  These are real people dealing with real, difficult issues – issues we are not privy to (and which I may be jumping the gun by calling them “sin” – time may or may not tell) – but which may well involve sin that may cause serious issues of trust within a marriage and a family.  Isn’t is sad that all of that takes a backseat to dollars and sense and public relations?

]]> http://revivedpentecostal.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/prison-ministry-news-from-bashabe/ Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:56:28 +0000 repemuint http://revivedpentecostal.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/prison-ministry-news-from-bashabe/

19th November

We rejoice in the way God works. Over the past few weeks Bashabe has been visiting different prisons. Firstly, she has been ministering in the women’s prison where she was at, and the first weekend 63 received Christ.

Then the ministry has been extended to visiting two other prisons (men’s and women’s), and now with a team of 3 others, two men and another lady. Up to this point, 173 in mates have received Christ. We rejoice with the angels over these souls that have been saved. (I still need to the names of the prisons.)

The local church there have also been supporting this work by providing some small essentials, such as soap, etc., for the inmates.

But the BIGGEST challenge…

… to provide materials and Bibles for the inmates to use. Pastor Onesmus would like to purchase a small printing press which they could use to print out teaching material. And the ministry needs some help in sourcing a supply of Bibles.

So please commit these needs to prayer, and if you have contacts regarding Bibles, or you could supply some, please let us know. And of course, your financial gifts to support this work are always very welcome.

25th November

The latest from Bashabe…. (and she apologised for not being able to get online. This prison ministry is keep her very busy. She starts her day at 5am and finishes at 10 at night.)

She rejoices that already 243 inmates have given their hearts to Christ. Oh we thank God!!!!.

This presents and even greater need to get Bibles to them. They need translations of both English and the local language. The local language translations could be purchased from the Bible Society in Uganda. Please commit this to prayer and we will set up an appeal for Bibles for prisoners very soon.

Other things she said that they need are basic everyday items. So it would be good to consider have some collection points and make shipments of these basic items, plus Bibles and books for pastors and church leaders. And of course, there are many others there that are in need of these things. One thing with Uganda, they do not have too many custom restrictions.

The main restrictions are medicine, drugs and seeds. Apart from that, almost anything goes. But as I’ve discovered, you need to be careful of what you send by mail as there is no guarantee that it will reach the destination. Too many “light fingers” around… if you get what I mean. That is another reason to collect items and ship them in bulk via a safe courier and not by mail.

God bless you!!

Jeanette

PS. Here is a link if you would like to help with providing Bibles for the inmates…

DONATE FOR BIBLES

Over time, when entering a prison on a regular basis, one can become reasonably well acquainted with staff members.  You sign the logbook, they take your driver’s license, they examine your bible, they do a clothed body search on you and so on.  You have time to chat with them while you’re waiting to enter/exit or while you’re walking across the prison yard to your destination. When one does this on a weekly/bi-weekly basis for years, even though the encounters tend to be brief – 30 seconds to 2 or 3 minutes, some good relationships are built.  If we as volunteers obey the rules and “do the right thing” in cooperating with staff, that helps build the relationships.

Through 11 years of somewhat regular monthly visits to that prison and during that time, seven years of weekly bible studies, one becomes somewhat familiar with staff and vice versa.  Staff, which in some cases, looks very favorably upon what we do in offering religious assistance and which in some cases just wishes we would go away.  When first commenced the monthly visits in 1998, we typically saw one officer who was no big fan of our services.  The prisoners did not like him because he upheld the law, but he was doing nothing more than the job he was hired to do.  A year or two after we started, one encounter stands out.

My helpmate and I entered for the monthly gathering and about 8-10 prisoners showed up.  The prisoner who used to play a guitar for our singing had been transferred out so the prisoners asked me to lead the singing.  I said, “You don’t want that.”  They insisted, because I knew the songs.  So I did.  Please allow me to say my leading of the singing was such that my wife stepped away from my side moved around to the other side of the table we had gathered around.(!)  Singing is not my strong suit.  The men did not sing particularly loud, so we were very surprised when the officer mentioned above stormed through the door to the classroom where we were and yelled, “THAT’S TOO LOUD.  STOP IT!  NO MORE SINGING!”  That’s one of the consequences of worship in a police state, so we stopped singing.

Over time, though, our relationship with this officer improved, as he saw that we could offer our services and comply with prison rules and regulations.  They improved to the point where, in about 2001, as another volunteer and I were getting ready to exit, this officer was escorting us to the door of the building and he mentioned he was considering retirement.  I said, “Really?  That’s great!  Then you can sign up and volunteer with us!”  He said, “No, no, no..I’m not doing THAT,” as he laughed.

Which leads me to last weekend’s encounter.  Another officer with whom we had much contact over the years was the officer assigned to monitor the Keryx weekend in the Pavilion (gymnasium).  From 2:00pm until we left at 8:30pm, he had to listen to all our services and talks, which is a good thing.  During a break, I was walking by his desk, where he and the chaplain were conversing.  The chaplain was sitting in a chair next to the desk.  This officer (who had no interest in Christianity, just like the officer mentioned above) had hinted at his possible retirement in a conversation earlier this fall, so I brought that up.

Me: “So, how’s this retirement thing coming?”

Officer: “Well, it looks like it’s going to happen pretty shortly.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  I’ve about had it.  It’s time.”

(Referring back to my question to the other officer several years before, who had just retired last month), “That’s great!  Since you and Officer ________________ would both be retired, you could both sign up and volunteer with us and come in here and do this!”  (The chaplain is cracking up as I say this)

“No, no, no.  I’m not coming back in here once I leave.  Besides, I’m not going to the same place you and he (pointing to the chaplain) are going.  I’m going where my dad and brother are.”

“You don’t have to go there, you know.”

“Yeah, but I want to be with my dad and brother. I’m not like you and him (pointing again to the chaplain).”

“Are you sure?  Hell’s not all it’s cracked up to be.  All that tearing of clothes and gnashing of teeth and eternal punishment.”

“Well, you two are going somewhere else.  I just want to be with my family.”

“Just because you’re in the same place with your family doesn’t mean you’ll be with your family.  Maybe what makes it Hell is that besides all the punishment, you won’t be able to see your family.  Besides (knowing the contempt some officers have for administration) there’ll probably be some Wardens in Hell.”

He laughed loudly.  “Well, I’m sure there will be, but there’ll also probably be some chaplains  there, too (pointing toward the chaplain).”

The chaplain chimed in, “I’m sure you’re right, but this chaplain won’t be one of them.”

I resumed our chat.  “You know, it’s not that hard.  All you have to do is repent and believe in Jesus and you can go with us.”

“Nah.  I’ll take my chances.”

Scary.  Absolutely scary.  They called an end to the break so we had to cease our discussion.  The next day, Sunday, as we were leaving the prison for the weekend, I was at the back of the group leaving and this same officer was our escort, so I resumed our discourse and he said he only had six more days or work before retiring.

Me:  “Really?”

Officer:  “Yeah.  Then I’m out of here.”

“You know, you really ought to reconsider your thoughts on Hell.  You don’t want to go there.”

“Well, it’s not that bad, plus my family will be there.”

He then deflected the conversation to a discussion he had with a prisoner about evolution and the Big Bang and then we entered the administration building and they started opening and closing doors to separate us as we departed.  As they were hurrying us through the last door I turned and said, “It’s been a pleasure all these years.”

He said, “Thanks.  Me, too.”

It would be my prayer that this man encounters someone whom he will listen to concerning a matter of such great import.  One’s eternal destiny in relationship to the living God is not trivial.  Pray someone crosses his path who brings Truth.

]]> http://thelightheartedcalvinist.com/2009/11/24/false-hope-its-not-a-good-thing/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:01:54 +0000 Jeff Peterson http://thelightheartedcalvinist.com/2009/11/24/false-hope-its-not-a-good-thing/

This past weekend at Chippewa Correctional-West, I encountered a prisoner with hope.  Now, as the line from The Shawshank Redemption says, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”  The right hope, though, is the key.  That hope must also have a foundation.  This man’s hope, I believe, is not based on a firm foundation and is hope that I have encountered far too often.

One of the very first prisoners I encountered back in 1997 was a man who was convinced he would be released “shortly” because of this passage of Scripture:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Is. 61:1, ESV)

How had he come to that conclusion?  He had heard more than one TV preacher proclaim that – both on television and in written materials that had been sent to him.  Is that what that passage is about?  Of course not.  But encouraging prisoners to think it sure does keeps the financial support coming in, right?  Yes, there is sarcasm attached to that comment, but there’s also truth there as well.  This prisoner had a trip back to the county where he was convicted upcoming where he was convinced his case would be thrown out and he would be home within a year.  It’s now almost 13 years later.  This man is still in prison.

The prisoner from this past weekend repeated a “prophecy” that I have heard from numerous other prisoners over the years.  I’ve done a search and have been unable to verify whether or not it was actually said (or published), so I will withhold the TV preacher to whom it is attributed.  The prophecy goes something like this:

The Lord will be doing a mighty work in the prisons of Michigan and He will do that by releasing almost all of the prisoners in Michigan!

I preface my comments by saying that even with all the time I’ve spent serving in prisons, I still do not have a clue what it is like to be incarcerated and I would be foolish in saying to a prisoner, “I understand.”  I don’t.  I haven’t been there.  I can’t fathom the senses of despair, loss, hopelessness, fear and so on that a prisoner endures.  The harm caused to his family.  The financial/material loss.

Having said that, there is so much false hope offered to prisoners and far too often, that “hope” is offered by Christians.  It is not universal – the most passionately held desire by prisoners, but it’s pretty doggone close – the single thing most desired by prisoners is “to go home.”  They just want to come back and live on the other side of the fence.  Far too often I’ve seen Christians try, with all good intentions, to encourage prisoners by telling them they “know” that God will show mercy and let them go early.  In some cases, it also seems to be a coping mechanism for those serving long sentences.  I know men serving multiple life sentences who are truly convinced they will be going home soon.  I have a friend I’ve known for a while who, if the state keeps him as long his sentence allows, will not be released until he is 110 years old.  His earliest release date is when he is in his mid 60’s.  He in convinced that he is going to be released and father the son he never had.  Possible?  Sure.  A definite?  No.

Those, such as the man I encountered this past weekend who is the latest to place his trust in this so-called “prophecy” (if such was ever even uttered/published – I’m still not convinced) are placing their hope in the wrong place.  Yes, I know some will say, “You don’t understand.”  They’re right.  I don’t understand the prison experience.  But I do understand the Scriptures.  God may choose to free the prisoners.  He has also ordained the state as a means of maintaining order in this fallen creation.  Seeing the peace that prisoners have who have placed their hope in the right place – prisoners who are doing life sentences – is a wonderful thing.

The old song says, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.”  There’s a lesson for all of us – where is our hope?

]]> http://booksmoore.com/2009/11/24/this-is-interesting/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:15:38 +0000 chadamoore http://booksmoore.com/2009/11/24/this-is-interesting/

An interesting post on prison ministry in Angola Prison in Louisiana: http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2108_as_nice_as_they_let_me_as_mean_as_they_make_me/.

Sobering.