Jail Ministry:
Central Church of Christ started a jail ministry program in June 2006. Mr. Boyd Spry leads this work under the direction of the elders at Central. Two of Central's elders (Steve Stubblefield and Charles Bogle) are actively involved in all aspects of the ministry. The Jail Ministry has grown significantly over the past three years to include over 1300 Bible Correspondence Course requests and 73 baptisms. In addition to the Warren County Jail there are about 100 prisoners that have requested Bible Courses from five different state prisons. We are thankful to have nine other congregations that help grade the Bible Correspondence Courses and provide forty men and women that visit inside the jail.
There are a group of ladies and men that visit the jail on Thursday nights. These teachers are preapproved by the jail before they are allowed to go into the jail. The inmates are broken up into what are called PODS. There are two PODS (E & F) for the ladies and four PODS for the men (A, B, C, & D,). Only the ladies go into E & F. The ladies alternate between the PODS (E & F) each week and the men alternate between the four PODS (A, B, C, & D). During the visits, the inmates remain in their cells while a service of singing, prayers and a Bible lesson or sermon is conducted. Before the service begins, a questionnaire sheet is passed out where the inmates can request prayers, Bibles, Bible correspondence courses, Voice of Truth International booklets, baptism, speak to someone, and other requests. Sometimes they ask to be restored or have a prayer with them at their cell door. A formal request is made by Central to the jail supervisor identifying those inmates that have requested Bibles and Voice of Truth International booklets. These items are then distributed to the inmates by the jail staff.
There are several different sets of Bible Correspondence Courses. The first lesson set that they receive is the John Hurt eight-lesson course and a second thirteen-lesson course (The Church of the Bible). Two lessons from each course are mailed to the inmates. They complete these and send the answers back in a preaddressed and stamped envelope. These are graded and two other lessons are mailed back along with the graded answer sheets. When they complete the eight lesson course, they receive a Bible with their name engraved on it and a certificate of completion. The engraved Bibles are either mailed or given to the jail staff for distribution to the inmates. (R. J. 12/3/09)
Matthew 25:33-40 (NKJV)
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
SOME OF THE MANY COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE INMATES:
“I have made a change in my life”
“It the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life”
“I feel I am a part of the most important thing in the world”
Contact: Boyd Spry
931.668.1298
boydspry@blomand.net
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