2010 Newsletter Archive Vault

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Happy Holidays

On approximately the day you receive this in your mailbox, I'll be turning 50. I mention that because I'm old enough to remember when the expression Happy Holidays did not offend anyone. Who would have ever thought a decade or two ago that we would see a day when it did?

Fortunately, the people receiving this are those who celebrate the holiday season with the kind of joy that comes with obedience. Jesus gave us the illustration of separating the sheep from the goats, and one of defining differences was prison ministry. By focusing on kingdom business, there isn't much room for the joy robbing attitudes held by the goats.

This ministry is blessed by people like Bob who was honored at our last banquet. For more than 25 years, and from the start of APM, Bob faithfully served this ministry. Many other volunteers have been with us for 10, 15 years, or longer. We have our Executive Director, Leon, for about the last decade who makes sure to follow up on every letter and email sent to the ministry, in addition to his assigned duties.

When the men we serve speak of APM, they say things like, “This is the only ministry that I know will follow through.” To have things like that said about us is the highest form of compliment.

I myself joined up with APM six years ago. In fact, at about the time you get this in the mail, it will be my anniversary date for being accepted on the board. It has been an honor to serve in this ministry and to serve with the people of APM. If you ever wonder what it's like seeing things from a board perspective, I have always been amazed.

There is no prestige in prison ministry. The people who give and volunteer are only those who God raises up. No one else would last very long. And the servant attitude is a privilege to be a part of. God is smiling on APM for sure.

As we celebrate Christmas and the holidays, it brings out the spirit of giving more, but you do that year round through your support of APM. We ask not only for your prayers and gifts to keep reaching prisoners, we genuinely thank you for being faithful. May God continue to richly bless you for it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Taken from the Holiday Newsletter, December 2010

 

New Life, Eternal Life, and a Mom

Jeff's testimony published in December 2010 can be read in full here...

 

God Doesn't Always Win

That title above may seem shocking at first, maybe even sacrileges, or you might think we lost our mind to say such a thing. Have you ever been tempted to think that God is so far out there that he can't identify with our losses? The truth is, God is intimately familiar with loss, and it's really easy for us forget that.

We are told in the Bible that God had a very bad day before days existed. We're all familiar with the rebellion that caused Satan to fall and then take 1/3 of the angels with him. Imagine how God must have felt when that happened; any of us would be devastated if we woke up one day and 1/3 of the people we love spit in our face and walked out.

We read in Genesis how God created the universe, the world and everything in it, then he created man, the only creature created in his very own image. God had a special attachment to man, loved him deeply, and had fellowship with him every day. We all know how that story turned out. Man committed high treason against God, and God once again suffered a painful loss. That was not a good day for God.

Many evangelical Christians, which certainly includes the people receiving this newsletter, are familiar with 2 Peter 3:9 and verses like it that explicitly tell us God does not want anyone to perish. His desire is that everyone repent, yet we know that people perish into hell every day. God once again suffers these losses as well.

Alpha Prison Ministries does not win every time either. We wish we did. Our success rate is nearly 9 out of every 10 men that are crime free five years or longer after being released. But we do lose a few. We know we have a relentless enemy.

Every September, we celebrate the victories. We invite you to join us in that celebration. It is so much more than our primary fund raising event, it is an opportunity for you to witness the lives Satan sought to destroy having been turned around. It is a way for us to thank everyone who comes along side us in this battle and encourage others to join too.

And just so there's no confusion about the title, God does always reign and he always leads His people in triumph!

Taken from the Fall Newsletter, September 2010

 

Winning the Battle Over Self

To me, John 15 opens the door to how self-discipline is achieved in a Christian's life, especially one that has previously lived a very undisciplined life. The fact that we must abide in Christ, is all that really matters. Neither circumcision nor un-circumcision matters, but a new creation (Galatians 5:6), and this life that we live is not to be lived for ourselves, but to Him who died and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:15).

This new creation and life that is to be lived by the spirit cannot be achieved without Christ—we are to reckon ourselves dead—we are crucified with Christ, we are to pick up our cross of the previous undisciplined life and tell Jesus we are going to follow him. Well, where are we going to follow him to? Where did Christ go with his cross?

The self-disciplined life is the life that no longer lives for itself—for there is no good thing in the flesh, the flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives life. John 15 is the resurrection. The remaining, that which could not be shaken, is the life that is hidden in Christ (Colossians 3).

The branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, it will wither and die or be thrown on the fire to burn...a Christian who has the war going on between the flesh and spirit, cannot produce self-discipline in his life apart from Christ. Christ alone will conform the undisciplined areas into obedience, into success, and into victory.

“I am the Vine and ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: (self-discipline) for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). If I don't abide in Christ my works will be evident, self-discipline will be nonexistent, old habits will not be broken, and sin will not be overcome.

How could it? My old nature has its path carved, it knows which way it wants to go, and who am I to tell it any different? It needs to be put on the cross and left there—everyday—possibly a few times a day, or a few times an hour.

Jeff (an Alpha House resident)

Taken from the Fall Newsletter, September 2010

 

Spiritual Journey

Greg's testimony published in July 2010 can be read in full here...

 

Challenges a Prisoner Faces Upon Release
The following is a letter we received back in June:

Dear Leon,

I hope this letter finds things going well for you, and the Lord is blessing all you do. I am about to wrap up my stay here and return to community. I want to thank you for putting me in touch with Living Water for a place to possibly go to when I leave here.

I finished up my first level of New Creations Bible Study and I'm eagerly awaiting my Bible. I also started my second level.

I have been praying that I am able to leave here on the 2nd or possibly the 1st of July. My reason for concern is transportation from here to there. They do get you there if you are without transportation, but that can take an extra 2-3 days. The reason I say July 1st or 2nd is due to whether my parole agent is taking a four day holiday weekend.

I am having some apprehensions about my return. I need to get myself some spiritual support and I want to get involved with AA. There is also getting caught up on the way things have changed out there in the last 18 years.

I know there will be many challenges out there and I will have to remain strong in the Lord, and He will allow things to fall into place in His time. I need to resist myself wanting to take charge, for I feel it will just create problems.

Well, I'm going to close with asking you to pray for me in regards to my return.

Thank you and God bless,
Steve

This letter outlines concerns and challenges many prisoners face upon re-entry, challenges that APM seeks to help these men deal with successfully. Please pray for men like Steve (he was paroled this month) and pray for APM to have more mentors, volunteers, and supporters. Be sure to attend our upcoming banquet where you will see some of the men whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ.

Taken from the Summer Newsletter, July 2010

 

Powerful and Effective

Life happens. We live in a fallen world, and in prison ministry, you get to see just how far that fallen state can lead to. Our enemy the devil is well practiced at the art of getting us to focus on all the ill. The news media makes its living off showing us everything that is wrong.

With all this bombardment, faith can be undermined if we don't strive to keep it healthy. The Bible even declares “the good fight of faith” is just that, it's a fight. We're in a war, but it's not against people.

God gives us insight into the fact that while it looks like circumstances or politicians or something else we see is the problem, the real problem is spiritual forces. People can become pawns when they believe the lies our enemy tells them, but the real source of the problems is not what we see.

We as believers are given everything we need to defeat these foes, and we're told many times in Scripture to build each other up, and keep reminding each other of the victory we have. The devil can't take us down without first getting us out of faith.

The best weapon we have is our mouth. With it we pray, we quote God's word, and we defeat the enemy as long as we don't use the same mouth to contradict God's promises. James 5:16 tells us that our prayers are powerful and effective. But James also warns us how powerful our tongues are for evil.

While Satan wants to direct our attention to the problems, God wants to direct our attention to the victory. It's already won! This month, we're encouraging you to use the weapon of your mouth to do the devil some damage. PRAY. Don't muddy the water with words of doubt, expect victory!

There are judges who would like to take that right away from you, but if you use the weapon demons fear, prayer, they can never take it from you. So pray for us for seven days (see below), pray for the situations that would otherwise get you down, pray for our country, and pray about everything else too.

Taken from the Spring/Summer Newsletter, May 2010

 

Beyond Your Imagination

You probably have those times when you get tempted to wonder if something is worthwhile, especially ministry, serving, and giving. Sure, we know intellectually that it is, but getting that deep in our spirit can be more challenging.

Hopefully, the newsletters you get from APM will help. You may have noticed that when you receive our newsletters, there is no crisis where we beg for money. This newsletter is to inform you, thank you, and encourage you, because what you do really makes a difference.

After our January printed newsletter went out, APM lost a close friend of more than 15 years, Rodney Raterink, which was announced here on the web page version of the newsletter. Although it is sad to see our volunteers and supporters in a casket, it also gives us the opportunity to be reminded of the difference they have made.

It was obvious at Rodney's funeral that he had an impact on many people. In addition to friends and family, many former inmates also attended and a couple of them took advantage of the “open mic” to testify of the impact Rodney had on them. Many of these men are followers of Christ directly as a result of Rodney's service to the Lord.

Whether you volunteer like Rodney, give of your time and money, donate goods and services, mentor an inmate or former inmate, provide a job for a parolee, or pray for APM, the impact you have will go on long after you are enjoying your rewards in heaven.

The fact that you care about prisoners is a gift from the Lord so you can make a difference. There's no glamor in it, and very little recognition in this life. Fortunately God does not place his value on people based on their circumstances. No matter how small you think your contribution is, God has a way of multiplying it beyond what you even imagine.

Inmates can not only see change in their own destiny, the cycle that would otherwise ensnare their children can be broken. God can take anything you offer him, and you never know when it might potentially impact thousands of souls.

Taken from the Spring Newsletter, March 2010

 

How Would You Explain Alpha?

Many of you receiving this newsletter would have very little difficulty answering that question, but we feel it is important to outline our mission and purpose regularly. For the benefit of those who are new, or to help you pass the word on about our ministry, this will serve as an informal guide to briefly explain our purpose and how we achieve it.

Our mission statement:

To evangelize and disciple men who happen to be prisoners and former inmates

There is probably no better basis for prison ministry than the words Jesus spoke in Matthew 25, “I was in prison and you came to visit me.” In the context of that statement, Jesus was declaring that he himself is the person who is in prison. God places great value on every person, and his word is very specific in mentioning prisoners.

The things that God can do in the life of one redeemed prisoner is nothing short of amazing. At our 2007 APM banquet, our guest speaker was Jerry Dash who once was a prisoner, and is now involved in VIP Mentoring, a ministry that reaches out to the families of prisoners. This helps break the cycle of prisoner's children becoming prisoners themselves.

At our 2008 APM banquet, our guest speaker was Mike Benson, another former prisoner who is now Captain of The Conquerors International Strength Team. The Conquerors travel worldwide using feats of strength to present a gospel message. They are even able to minister in public schools, and the ministry team has seen thousands of people commit their lives to the Lord.

Not all are so dramatic, nor do they need to be. What is the value of one person or family? One man who is transformed can become a real father, raise his children to follow God, work an honest living instead of being a burden to taxpayers, and even minister to others so they don't fall into the same trap that sent him to prison.

Statistically, for every three people who are released from prison, two of them return in a short period of time. Our success rate is about 87%! So instead of 2 out of 3 ending up back in prison, nearly 9 out of 10 are now productive members of society. In addition, many are actively serving in the kingdom of God.

So how do we do it?

Taken from the Spring Newsletter, March 2010

 

What Do We Call This?

Unless you are very young, we seem to all share the common perception that the year 2000 does not seem like it was ten years ago already. Perhaps we say this about every decade, but really, where did that one go? Maybe it's because 2000 was more than a new year or even a new century, but a new millennium, and it's hard to believe we've completed the first decade already.

While there are plenty of questions people are asking as we celebrate this new year—with things like the economy and the changes our government is pushing for—my question is different and I don't hear many people asking it. What do we call this decade? Do we call it the “Ten's” or “Teen's” or what? Now we're here, and I still don't know what to call it.

Good thing I'm not confused about life. It was probably about 3 years ago that Proverbs 3:32 jumped off the page at me as I read where the Lord “takes the upright into his confidence.” Wow, God Almighty, creator of the universe, takes me into his confidence! It wasn't new information, it was just a new way of thinking about the relationship we have with God; when he reveals truth to us, he is placing trust in us and sharing confidential information.

2 Corinthians Chapter 2 is loaded with further insight. This is the place where Paul tells us, “God has revealed [his secret wisdom] to us by his Spirit.” He goes on to say, “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.”

Verse 14: “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

When you think about it, one of the things we're doing in prison ministry is helping men get connected to a God who lavishes his love on us with all wisdom and understanding. He takes prisoners into his confidence too, and transforms their lives. So whatever we're supposed to call this decade, it's an opportunity to keep fighting the good fight of faith.

Taken from the Winter Newsletter, January 2010

 

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