...for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God
Prison Facts:
• Inmate population -2.1 million (US Department of Justice)
• One out of every 32 adult Americans is either in prison on probation or on parole
• The national average of the return rate to prison within two years is 70%
• Faith-based programs have a tremendous positive affect on inmates
• Depending on which faith based program an inmate enters infractions dropped anywhere from 30 to 90%!
(Prison statistics based on stats per late 2000)
Since 2000, Jay & Elizabeth’s ministry has witnessed over 3,000 men raise their hands to indicate that they prayed to surrender to Jesus as Lord and embraced Him as Savior.
How you can help:
1) Pray for Jay and Elizabeth and the men they minister to on a weekly basisis
2) Donate Christian literature to prison libraries (Bibles, old magazines, books, current devotionals)
3) Go to them
4) Support Jay and Elizabeth with monthly or a one time financial gift
Jay and Elizabeth are supported through donations, free-will offerings, tape & CD sales as well as support from individuals and churches.
In addition to ministering in the areas previously mentioned God has directed Jay & Elizabeth to focus on evangelization in prisons. They work in cooperation with Hope Aglow Prison Ministries, Inc which has been ministering in prisons for over 50 years. They have met men from all over the United States as well as men from other countries. Currently Jay & Elizabeth regularly minister in four Correctional Centers each month in addition to the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation. The closest prison they minister in on a regular basis is a two hour round-trip drive while another is five hours round-trip. The latter they serve in twice per month. They have also ministered in one prison that requires a drive of nearly eight hours round-trip. That facility has services on three consecutive nights requiring requiring motel and meals accordingly, which is an additional expense.
After many years of serving with Hope Aglow in multiple prisons Jay & Elizabeth were encouraged to apply for and were granted a Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) state-wide ID card. Having this card allows them access to any VADOC facility enabling them to fill in at other facilities when asked by the Director of Hope Aglow or invited by a VADOC chaplain. Many of the inmates refer to Jay as their pastor. His congregation is spread out over several facilities in Virginia but unlike other pastors he cannot pass the offering plate nor can he ever ask or even hint for money. Even if he could he would not as most of them have so little. Jay and Elizabeth are supported through donations from other believers (Individuals and a few churches) who believe that the soul of an inmate is just as precious to God as the soul of anyone else. Free-will offerings from churches when they share their ministry is another way in which God provides in addition to CD sales.
Food for thought: Eventually, most inmates will be released back into society. The question is: Do you want to see them come back into our communities regenerated (changed from the inside out), or not? There is no rehabilitation without regeneration. As believers we know that only God can heal the sin-sick soul through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
