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Bible Studies for Adult and Juvenile Prisoners
By Don Smarto
Bible studies in jails and juvenile facilities are important for discipleship and evangelism for the "almost persuaded". A new Christian needs direction, and a systematic course of study.
"Bible Study" sounds good but I have witnessed prisoners fascinated by the Book of Revelation yet combining the truths of that book with new age philosophy and the prophecy of Nostradamus. The imagery and metaphors are rich but Revelation should be reserved for Bible Study Grad School. Most prisoners were unchurched growing up and are biblically illiterate. They require the basics (Elementary Education) of the Gospel of John, for example. Read More...
BOYS IN CRISIS
By Don Smarto
For several decades, many boys in our society have been in trouble. Teachers are challenged. Parents are worried. Social scientists have documented their struggle. One indication of this crisis is the alarming number of violent school shootings during the past fifteen years. Almost all the shooters were young males. Read More (.pdf)
WHERE ARE THE YOUNGER LEADERS?
By Don Smarto
I was recently looking at the obituary of Rev. Consuella York from December 1995. Mother York, as she was affectionately called, was a prison ministry leader of compassion who ministered to inmates for 43 years, in Chicago. It was difficult for me to believe she has been gone for thirteen years. Read More (.pdf)
AFTERCARE
By Don Smarto
While evangelism and the "harvest moment" is very important to an offender, Jesus taught us about discipleship and growth. Ex-offenders need several factors to become stable upon release and when the factors missing, they often go back to the patterns and crimes that send them back to jail and prison. Read More (.pdf)
PRISON MINISTRY AND THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIANITY
By Don Smarto
After recently preaching in a church about prison
ministry, a college student said something that startled me. "I think
prison ministry is good but you left out the exceptions." "Exceptions?"
I inquired, "I don't understand?" Read
More (.pdf)