WELS jail ministry expands; new volunteers begin training
Filed Under: Bible Study, California, CSM, Georgia, Jail, Prison, Special Ministries, Texas, Training, Volunteer, WLIM, Wyoming
Forty new volunteers are working to become certified for face-to-face ministry in local jails with the help of WELS Jail Ministry Training Team. When training is complete, the new volunteers—located in California, Texas, and Georgia—will visit detention facilities in their area to conduct Bible studies.
In March 2007, WELS Prison Ministry partnered with Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries to form the training team, which recruits, trains, and supports volunteers for jail ministry. Initially, a majority of the requests for training came from Phoenix, Ariz., in an area that has five city jails and room for 9,300 inmates. Now, however, requests are coming in from all over the country.
“The numbers are starting to get very significant,” says Duane Anderson, lead trainer of the Jail Ministry Training Team. “For a while there were only 20 volunteers. But now we’re [finding] larger groups of lay people interested in jail ministry.”
The training team is also working to reinforce face-to-face ministry by sending inmates Bible materials by mail, available through WELS Prison Ministry. Although more than 1,250 facilities currently receive booklets, Bibles, and study materials, it is difficult to determine whether facilities are utilizing these resources.
“We are expanding the work already going on through WELS Prison Ministry,” says Anderson. “If we can follow our volunteers with adequate materials, that is so positive. And it gives us more confidence that the materials are being used.”
As the team finishes its training for the year, Anderson is amazed by the continued growth of the program. “There are 10 potential volunteers in Cheyenne, Wyo., at our congregation of about 225 people,” he says. “I think this shows that our people do heed and listen and think about and pray over the opportunities to share their faith. They are open to volunteer and serve their Lord, and we know there are open hearts in jails and prisons.”
For more information, contact the Jail Ministry Training Team at jmtt@wels.net; toll free, 866-924-7688; or visit www.wels.net/jump/prison.
