Interdivisional council focuses on Florida prison ministries

Jan 21, 2004
VANESSA GARCIA
Florida Baptist Convention

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—An interdivisional council among the Florida Baptist Convention staff is finding ways to help Florida Baptists effectively administer Christ’s love to imprisoned criminals—an often forgotten segment of society.

"If we can help an inmate change from the inside, accepting Christ’s forgiveness and gift of salvation, and then disciple him or her, they will be able to better adjust back into the community when they get out and hopefully not commit any more crimes," said Brenda Forlines, director of the Church and Community Ministries Department.

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Forlines is spearheading the interdivisional council.

According to statistics released by the Florida Department of Corrections, 79,000 inmates are incarcerated in Florida’s 21 state prison institutions.

Since 2001 the state has invested in faith-based programs to help prisoners re-enter society and address life skills from a spiritual perspective. These programs often incorporate the use of volunteer mentors, and ministerial help from outside churches and prison ministry organizations.

As a result of the faith-based programs, doors are open to churches willing to be involved in reaching prisoners with the Gospel message.

"As non-evangelical groups provide these programs a lot of support, it is important that our churches arise to the opportunity to witness and disciple inmates in the jails and correctional institutions that are in their counties," said Forlines.

To encourage church involvement and raise Florida Baptist awareness, the Church and Community Ministries Department sponsored a prison ministry conference in 2003.

"The goal of the conference was to provide an avenue for training, networking, support and fellowship for evangelical volunteers who minister in county jails and state and federal prisons," said Forlines. "Our ultimate goal was to bring healing and wholeness to all of those affected by crime. Right now we are focusing on the offender and those who work in that system."

David Ring, chaplaincy service specialist with the Florida Department of Corrections and lead chaplain of Gulf Correctional Institution was one of the 100 who attended the conference. Though Ring led a seminar at the event, he also gained insights from hearing keynote speaker Burt Cain, warden of Angola State Penitentiary, Louisiana’s largest maximum security prison.

"After hearing Warden Cain’s testimony, I was challenged to reproduce his strategy to teach inmates to grow in their faith and lead others to Christ by teaching them to live like Christ and to eventually implement a seminary program at Gulf Correctional Institution," said Ring.

Jim Liberacki, interim pastor of East Side Baptist Church in Milton and president of a new jail ministry in that area, attended the 2003 conference and found the interfaith gathering "eye opening." He also said, "It felt good" to spend time with others who work in the area of prison ministry.

A second conference for volunteers who go into county jails and state prisons will be held May 21-22 at Lake Yale Conference Center. The event will offer seminars based on a "Basic Track" with emphasis on mentoring and "understanding the prison environment."

A "Juvenile Justice Track" will focus on at-risk youth and there will also be conferences for career chaplains.

"Serving in jail ministries is a tremendous opportunity to see the inmates who have hit rock bottom respond to Jesus. It is especially exciting when their outward actions reflect changed lives because of the Gospel," said Liberacki. "Sometimes society thinks people in jail have been thrown away, but the Lord has not forgotten them."

For information on the 2004 prison ministry conference, contact the FBC Church and Communities Department at 800-226-8584, ext. 8251.

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