February 2022 Newsletter

Feb 1

Written By Bobby Puffenburger

Making Moral Rehabilitation Real!

WELCOME REV. PAUL WILL
COMMUNICATIONS SUSTAINABILITY LEAD

TO THE PRISON SEMINARIES FOUNDATION TEAM!

A LOOK BACK AT 2021

As we reflect on the events of last year, it easy to see how God blessed the Foundation in so many different ways. In the midst of the continued pandemic, we were able to observe and assist in the establishment of four new programs: 1) Mississippi Women with Dr. Beth Masters as the Director for New Orleans Seminary and Head of Chaplaincy for Mississippi DOC; 2) Oklahoma Men with Dr. Bruce Perkins as Director for Oklahoma Baptist University with their initial Convocation Service on September 7, 2021, at the LARC facility in Lexington, OK; 3) Colorado Men with Dr. Daniel Jones as the Director for Mid-America Seminary, Memphis, Tennessee at the Limon Correctional Facility, Limon, CO; and 4) North Carolina Women’s Program through Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. SEBTS also conducted their first graduation class for the Men’s Program at Nash Correctional Facility on December 15, 2021.

Our third annual PSF Best Practices Conference was held on October 6-8, 2021,on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX, with over one hundred in attendance from twenty-four states across America. Dr. Byron Johnson of Baylor University and Dr. Chuck Kelley, President Emeritus New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary were our key-note speakers. Dr. Johnson highlighted the continued research which affirms the reality that “moral rehabilitation” is taking place in penal systems nation wide through the work of theological education using the PSF model. Dr. Kelley’s message declared that the greatest witness in the first century of the New Testament was in fact a prisoner, Paul, the Apostle. You can listen to his message here:

Dr. Chuck Kelley, 10.07.2021

Conference participants were also blessed by the numerous breakout sessions and additional insights from Burl Cain and many of our guests from numerous Departments of Corrections. We were also pleased to six former inmates who have been released from Angola Prison and are now serving as Chaplains in the Mississippi DOC. God is so good! Thanks also to Mike Barber Ministries for his long-time support and for joining us at the Fort Worth Conference.

A LOOK AHEAD TO 2022

As the early days of 2022 open before us with January behind us and February upon us, we are pleased to share that the effects of the pandemic are declining and the doors of many of our prison facilities are beginning to open to our programs and many volunteers. The Foundation has also renewed dialogue with the following states with regard to establishing new programs: 1) Florida Women’s Program; 2) Kentucky Men’s Program; 3) Massachusetts Men’s Program with Northpoint Bible College; 4) Nebraska Men’s Program; 5) Ohio Men’s Program with Ashland University; 6) Tennessee Men’s Program with Carson-Neumann University; 7) Arizona Men’s program; 8) Indiana Men’s Program; and a joint effort with 9-12) Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Idaho Men’s Programs. Please pray for each of these state DOCs and for open doors to schools and funding for these programs.

Angola Prison tours are opening up again for folks to see firsthand what God has done through the Bible College and the reentry programs bringing “moral rehabilitation” and preparing men for the future. If you would like to be involved in a tour or know someone who would, please contact our information email address listed on the website or here.

We have also added three new articles that have been released this year concerning current programs. Here is the link to an article from New Mexico and the Men’s Program at University of the Southwest and their Director Dr. Danny Kirkpatrick. Another recent article about the Oklahoma Men’s program is attached here. And finally, a former article about the Wisconsin Men’s program is here.

PSF BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

Since our annual conference for 2021 was just held in October, we have decided to schedule our next PSF Conference for June 2023. We will keep you updated as we move through the year as to the exact date, place, and times. We have uploaded a list of our Current Programs and would earnestly request that as you have opportunity and as the Lord leads, would you pick one of our existing programs and prayer for the DOC, the School, and the students? Would you also select one of the states that is listed above in the dialogue stage and pray for favor and funding for that program too? Thank you in advance for partnering with us in “MAKING MORAL REHABILITATION REAL!”

Along with your prayer support, we are grateful for the many patrons and friends who so faithfully support us with your finances. Some give monthly, some give quarterly, and some make an annual donation so no matter how you support PSF, we are deeply grateful to you. Please continue to stand with us as we entrust our God to bring “moral rehabilitation” to one inmate, one prison, and one state at a time.

As a result of the faithful giving of many, we are pleased to announce the addition of Rev. Paul Will to the PSF Team. After being incarcerated at Angola for twenty-one years, Paul was released on December 11, 2020. While in Angola, he earned three degrees and has been added to the Team with responsibility in the area Sustainability and giving oversight to the coming redesign and upkeep of the PSF Website. We are delighted to have Paul on the Team and would ask that you add he and his wife, Amy, to your prayer list as well. Welcome Aboard, Paul!