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What
Is It?
Dan & Marilyn Nase
(click here for
a bio)
We are privileged to minister the
Gospel of Jesus Christ on behalf of you, our prayer partners, in the
following Correctional Institutions in Northern Florida.
Harvest of
Life is ministering at the above Institutions
denoted by red arrows
 
(click on the name of each Institution for more
information)
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 Going
to the Chapel to hear Lord speak to our Hearts!
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Christian
involvement to those men and women behind bars falls into generally
five areas of ministry; evangelism, on-going discipleship (to
include counseling), follow up to ex-prisoners, providing full and
part time Chaplains and ministry to the families.
Ministries such as Prison Fellowship (Chuck Colson), Bill Glass, Kairos, Gospel
Express provide some of or all of the above services.
All offer some special emphasis, for instance, Bill
Glass Ministries concentrates on spectacular week-end evangelism
events with only eight weeks follow up.
Kairos Ministries
offer intense discipleship and character building teaching and
application. Gospel
Express seeks to train and place Chaplains in the prison system
and also provide dedicated volunteers.
Prison Fellowship
Ministries, the largest in terms of staff and funding, provides
variations of the five areas of ministry and also lobbies for prison
reform legislation and some legal assistance.
All prison ministries rely
heavily upon the local church to provide volunteers to energize the
outreaches they offer. The
vast majority of these ministries exhort, equip and assist the
volunteer in their ministry to the prisoner.
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Of the five areas we have
identified, by far the most emphasis is placed on evangelism. Typically a
campaign will be organized with celebrity Christians and a week-end
“blitz” is planned and achieved.
Volunteers are used during the event and for a short follow-up
period after the event. This
“campaign or crusade’ approach realizes good results, but the main
challenge left to the converted inmate in the days, months and years
following the week-end is the lack of discipleship and Christian
fellowship. The real change
in the prisoners life, however, is realized by the full-time worker or
volunteer who goes in week after week and visits with those who professed
Christ at the event or by some other means…radio, TV or literature.
For us here at Harvest
of Life, our emphasis will be the weekly Bible study designed to build
relationships, offer encouragement and discipleship in the Word of God.
This is the area that realizes the most successful on-going
results. Did
you know? That for
every 10 prisoners released that have never or just sporadically attended
a Bible Study, that within 3 years, 7 are back in prison.
But for every 40 prisoners
that have faithfully attended a weekly Bible Study, within 3 years only 2
are back in prison…70% versus
5%.
Those are amazing
statistics!
The problem is not that
the prisoner won’t attend “religious” services…the problem is the
lack of dedicated Christian volunteers. Remember that Jehovah Witnesses,
Mormons, Muslims, Nation of Islam and other cult groups have plenty of
volunteers. Not to mention
all the heresy (false teachings) that “self appointed prophets” inside
the prison walls expound.
We’ve heard numerous testimonies of
ex-prisoners, with families and good jobs, testifying as to how the
faithfulness of one “little old” lady or man changed their lives.
Not so much with their Bible knowledge, but with their sincerity,
caring and commitment to be there on an on going basis.
Compassion and dedication are
the operative words!
OUR
APPROACH
Much
of the above ministry is readily available to English-speaking prisoner,
but not to Hispanics, at least not in this area.
There are volunteers working and providing this five-fold approach,
but obviously in areas were there is a sizable Hispanic community.
In North Florida, we have few Spanish speaking Christians and
those that live here are not willing to go through the FBI back ground
check required to participate in Prison ministry for various reasons.
 Dan
with some of the girls at the Faith Based Dorm at Gadsden C.F. |
We
are conducting Bible Studies as a way of building relationships for
further, more intense discipleship training and use the travel time
between prisons to pray and prepare. We incorporate the lessons we have learned at the Federal
Correctional Institute here in Tallahassee and apply them to the
other opportunities offered by the Lord.
Our main emphasis will be all of the above mentioned, but in
addition, we will be trying to create “missionaries”; grounded
in the Word and faithful to their Lord so that they in turn can
share their life changing experience with others.
For you see, most of those we come in contact with will be deported
back to their countries, taking the Gospel back with them.! |
IN
CONCLUSION
I
quote from a flyer to a prospective volunteer put out by Operation
Starting Line, a combined effort of numerous denominations and
ministries:
“After the Kick-off event (the weekend campaign), we hope that many of
you will be able to tell them (the prisoner) that you will be back as a
regular participant in the on-going Prison Fellowship follow-up programs
in their unit. Because we
have learned over the years that prisoners are quite used to
well-intentioned persons coming in to “save” them, so they are quick
to spot those who are out for commitments or conversions, but not
interested in them as
persons. Furthermore,
prisoners are generally eager to please the volunteer and will “commit
to Jesus” just to please them …even if they’ve done it many times
before. Therefore, the best
approach for witnessing is simply telling about what God has done for you
and showing the love of Christ in your actions and attitude.”
I have found that being
genuinely interested in them as a person
and willing to listen to their “pains and hurts” goes a long way to
building relationships. Praying
for their needs is a wonderful way to show that you care and that God is
always there for them. You
have to be especially sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit for
guidance…as to when to listen, share or pray.
This is truly one ministry that you can’t leave the Holy Spirit
at home. I’m reminded of
what St. Augustine said, “Preach
the Gospel at all times; use words when you have to.”
Just remember to pray
that
Harvest of Life, and even
more specifically Dan and Marilyn,
will be used mightily in sharing Jesus Christ to Hispanic prisoners in
North Florida!
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