Prison Ministry
Update - June 27, 2006
I've got to apologize once again for not updating this site more often. The latest is this: Adrian and Bryan have both been transferred to Corcoran, however to different facilities, so they no longer are able to fellowship with each other. They're both doing well under the circumstances; thank God and their faith for that. It's a longer drive, so I'm not able to visit as often. I did see them both in March and was able to visit Adrian a couple weekends back. Another dear brother who doesn't get much mention is Albert, who contributes art to this site. I got to meet him face to face for the first time last month. This month there's a link to the Sparrow's Flight newsletter. Albert did the drawing of the sparrow on the cover.
Sparrow's Flight, November 2005
Sparrow's Flight, September 2005
Much has happened since the last update. Bryan and Adrian are no longer preaching at C yard. Bryan has been transferred to B yard, a lower level yard for inmates with good records and short-timers. Bryan's father went home to his Lord in July; his life here ended by cancer. I met with Bryan two weeks ago. We had a good, long visit, and I was very encouraged to find him doing well both physically and spiritually. I spoke to Adrian about the same time, and he also is doing well, although he could use encouragment. Both Adrian and Bryan continue to be an example of Christ's love among the prisoners at Lancaster. Adrian sent an update he has been working on for some time. Please read it. It is from the heart, and I think it demonstrates how difficult and at times frustrating it can be to try to serve the Lord behind bars. Bryan sent me copies of articles he has written as part of his Christian Writers Guild course. One he wrote about the visit by the Billy Graham crusade was outstanding, and I hope to be able to put it on the site soon.
Hello again, friends and fellow servants!
There is a lot to report. First of all, I apologize for not making the update last month. I lost my job when the company relocated to the Midwest, and have been busy setting up a business.
We lost a good friend this month. Albert Montes, a dear friend and fellow worker, died March 9th of cancer. When I first met Al, some 20 years ago, he was a neighbor and member of our little home church. At the time he was a sergeant in the U.S.M.C. I would accompany him sometimes to the fields, where he would preach and I would teach some English. We moved on, but never lost touch. He retired from the Marines and began evangelizing and discipling among the Spanish speakers of North San Diego County, planting churches and training pastors. I thank him for opening his home and a door to the gentle people of God in the Hispanic community. He has heard the words I long to hear: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
The pen pal program has enjoyed some success, but more committed writers are always needed. You can now sign up on-line.
Life goes on at C yard. The predicted move by Bryan to B yard has not happened. Friday visits have been taken away, victim to the state budget cuts. Doors close, new doors open. The enemy does his best to defeat the work of God in our hearts and lives, but we persevere and overcome by God's Spirit & word.
The issue of freedom in Christ has been raised. Since the men here come from many branches of Christianity, there are differences in the way some teachings are interpreted. Our position is that of the Scripture. There are fundamental doctrines of Christianity which are essential to fellowship, such as the divinity and Lordship of Jesus Christ. There are also areas which are not clear, where each man's conscience must guide him. We must respect those differences and not judge them (Romans 14). Beyond that, we must be subject to authority, if at all possible without violating our conscience. Bryan shares his insights on this topic in his update.
I plan to visit Adrian April 3. Anyone authorized to visit is welcome to accompany us.
Much has happened since the last update.
We had a really wonderful holiday. We hope you did as well. To view and share our holiday e-card, click here.
The new pen-pal program at C Yard is in place. It is sponsored by our home church, North Coast Church in North San Diego County, CA. There you can formally apply and be registered with your own on-line account of Christian pen pals in prison. Please consider this, as these are God's children. As one man said to me, "They are us!"
I got to visit with Adrian twice since the last update, and there have been some interesting developments.
B Yard at Lancaster will be converted next month to a level 3 yard. What this means is that it has a level 3 of security. C is a level 4 yard. As men are re-classified to lower levels, they are transferred to different cells in with the lower security level. Since Bryan and Adrian are both soon to be re-classified to level 3, what this means is that they no longer will have to move to a different prison. This is good for a couple of reasons. First, we can still visit them with only a 2 1/2 hour drive. Secondly, since they are authorized to preach at Lancaster by the prison chaplain, they will be able to continue their ministries uninterrupted.
There is some speculation that with the new Governor's policies, some of the men may be released from prison ahead of schedule, so we are mobilized to help with re-entry. If you are interested in helping with this, or have helpful information to share, please contact us. Reentry information will begin to appear on this site in the coming months.
We have begun a small ad campaign (very small, indeed). See our first ad and comment.
That's all for now. Keep in touch and God bless!
I went to visit Bryan on Sunday. Please pray for him as he faces the problems of church building in a prison. The men are family to each other, and sometimes as in all families, things need to be worked out. Pray the the Spirit of God will give them the insight and humility to work through the issues.
You can read Bryan's latest update at Window on C Yard.
Bryan is a gifted and motivated preacher, and we talked about his desire for more knowledge of the art. I said I would search for information on the subject, but if any of you has some insight or knowledge in the area, we welcome your contribution.
I am constantly on the lookout for resources the Lord sends our way. He does guide and provide, and I am grateful for His patience and generosity. I know His hand is in this just from witnessing the way things are being pieced together. Please ask the Lord if you can help. Please don't help for any other reason than to serve Our Lord and his children.
I saw Adrian briefly as he was visiting with his mother at the same time. The guards have rather strict rules about contact between inmates and other inmates' visitors. I did have enough time to get a sense that, although things have been a little rough, he is holding strong. The Spanish Language meetings have been very successful, and thankfully we were able to ship 25 Spanish Bibles last week This will barely meet the need for the time being, so more will be on order soon. Anyone wishing to contribute, please contact Mark.
The pen pal program is going forward. Anyone with interest please contact us.
Lastly, please pray for me, that I would be able to use my limited time wisely and hear God clearly.
It's been some time since my last update, and a lot has happened. California elected Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wildfires destroyed 3300 homes in Southern California. The budget crisis deepens. The war intensifies. Our attention is drawn to the immediate problems we all face. It's convenient to forget about the ones in prison. They've been put away, out of sight. They're a problem that's been solved.
Or has it? The State of California has more prisoners than most countries. If and when they are released most of them will return to crime. We need to take a fresh look at this problem. The enemy is not flesh and blood; it's the pervasive, destructive power of sin.
At Lancaster, the battle rages for and within the souls of men. Adrian and Bryan are our brothers in arms in that battle. We stand with them under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
I visited Bryan in October and Adrian last Sunday. Both had good reports. Adrian is now being allowed to lead a worship meeting, sometimes two, each week with the Spanish-speaking inmates. He started with 16 from his old Bible studies, and by the fourth meeting the group had grown to near capacity for the little chapel (45 of 50 maximum). All the Spanish Bibles have been distributed. We've ordered more.
Bryan has been teaching the English-speaking services. He preaches three sermons a week to a full chapel. He's also been contributing to the content of this site. Pray for Bryan as his father battles cancer.
Today we started to advertise the pen-pal program at our home church, a church of about 5,000. Please pray for a good response, and wisdom to administer the program.
We plan our next visit for Sunday, December 1. Anyone with CDC permission is welcome to join us for the visit. Contact us for more info.
Bryan and Adrian: The Lord continues to bless the little group of Christians at Lancaster prison. While turmoil rules the world around them, they continue to grow in numbers and maturity. Adrian told me one of the men on the yard remarked to him that "You guys are getting pretty deep..." (prison slang for a gang that is strong in numbers). Bryan reports standing room only at some of the meetings.
We were concerned because we had heard that there was a possibility of either or both of them being transferred to another prison much further away. Today Adrian told me that will be at least another year, but it served as a reminder of how vulnerable we are. We trust God to bring about His purpose.
I spent a day last week with Bryan, getting to know him and sharing our faith. I believe, because of my missionary upbringing and contacts, that the key to healthy church growth is to bring up leaders of God's choosing from within the group. The prison is no exception. Below you see Bryan with Adrian (digitally combined from two separate photos).
We will be visiting again Sunday, October 5, and will be celebrating Adrian's birthday with him (although it's actually on the 14th). We encourage anyone who would like to join us to contact us.
Praise God! His work is going forward daily. Sunday I finally met Bryan Modglin. His parents, Don and Sharon, were visiting from Arkansas, so I got to meet them too. It's always great to meet brothers and sisters, even in this situation. I look forward to working with this young man who loves the Lord. C Yard got their chaplain back, which should be a relief for Bryan, who was preparing three sermons a week. Here's an example of his writing, a newsletter intended for inside the prison system, M2M.
We are in the process of setting up a pen-pal program, which will be accessible through this site. More details will be available soon. -Mark
Adrian has been writing to numerous organizations, having an impact outside the walls as well as inside. Some of his letters have been published. Example
NOTICE: A virus infected our e-mail server. If you have been trying to e-mail us without response, it could be that your message was lost. Please try again, or try snail mail as a last resort. -Webmaster
Sovereign Grace Community Church
I visited Adrian on Sunday, July 6. We had a great meeting, as always. Adrian clearly has God's hand on his life, and has touched many people. It's always encouraging to see his faith in this difficult situation.
Recently, the Christians in C Yard were faced with a crisis. They lost their chaplain (it's unclear whether he quit or was let go for budgetary reasons). So the prisoners of C Yard did what the body of Christ does when faced with hardship; they matured a little more! The guys got together and formed their own church body, naming it Sovereign Grace Community Church (they liked the Community Church part, because it makes them feel a little less like a prison chapel and a little more like part of the larger Body of Christ). They meet for services as before, but now are responsible for the teaching as well as everything else. Adrian is the worship leader. Adrian reports that of the men in the honor block where he is housed, half are now Christians! Please pray for these men as they continue to grow toward mature Christianity. Which brings me to the next topic:
Mentoring
As we continue to seek the Lord for direction in our work, it becomes more and more clear that what these men need is Christian mentors; men who are willing to make a commitment to at least one individual to disciple, or mentor, him. This should be a long-term commitment, if possible; in some cases it will be life-long. Our job will be to line up candidates to be disciples or mentors, and to provide support information. Stay tuned as we develop our mentoring program.
Please ask the Lord if this is something you can do. For more information contact us.
Bryan M. to contribute reports from Lancaster
Bryan is a fellow inmate of Adrian's. He has given his life to the Lord, and begun to evangelize among his fellow prisoners (see testimony - Murder to Mission). It is in the spirit of our mission to offer support and a listening ear to our brothers in prison. Truth Frees Us Prison Portal is designed to give a them voice, a window between Christians on both sides of the prison walls. Bryan will be supplementing the reports which Adrian has been sending. His first report, uploaded today, is actually an article that he wrote for an evangelistic newsletter that he had published for the prison population. Thanks to our Lord for opening this new door.
June 8, 2003
ADRIAN'S ADDRESS CHANGED:
Adrian was moved to another cell. See the contact page for current address
information.
June 1, 2003: We visited Adrian at Lancaster prison. Four of us car-pooled for the 2 1/2 drive, and the time passed quickly. Then came about 1 1/2 hours of waiting to be processed at three check-points. We "made the count" meaning we were finished being processed before 11 am, the cut-off for a prisoner with his level of custody to get visitors before the noon count begins. If we miss that, it's another 1-1 1/2 hours of waiting.
He appears well, and we had much to discuss, including his studies and work at the prison. The prison is in a sort of technical lock-down, for reasons related to the unions and budget issues, according to Adrian. That means that the prisoners are under lock-down conditions, not for security reasons, but political. They are allowed visitors, but are unable to worship in groups or work in their jobs. This gives them more time alone, which is very difficult especially for those who do not network well. The Christians have their own network, sharing and helping each other. Visits are especially important during this time. Some of the men have no one left outside the prison, and without Jesus or Christian brothers they are very alone, indeed.
Visits will continue on the first Sunday of each month for the foreseeable future.
Prison Ministry Fair
Today I went to a prison ministry "fair". It was an outdoor event with booths worked by volunteers from a dozen or so prison ministries and related groups. It was a great opportunity to meet and hear from some wonderful servants of our Lord. Morale was high. Faith was evident. Love was flowing.
Here is a list of the groups I had a chance to talk to:
Pastors to Prisoners: : www.pastorstoprisoners.org
Prison Fellowship: Largest prison ministry in the U.S., offering a number of programs including: Angel Tree (ministry to prisoner's children); Pen Pals; training with for prison outreach; Network for Life; and others: www.prisonfellowship.org
Bread of Life Rescue Mission: Oceanside: www.breadofliferescuemission.org
Yugo Ministries, Mercy Ministries Division: A ministry to the poor in Mexico, including those in prison: www.yugo.org
Kairos Prison Ministry: An effective international ministry with representatives in San Diego. They have a training program. I talked to David Neer, Advisory Council Chairman: dwneer@cox.net
Kairos Outside: A ministry for women affected by incarceration: Christine Peters - cpwriter@cts.com
Set Free Prison Ministry: www.setfreesd.20m.com
Re-Entry Prison and Jail Ministry: Focuses on helping inmates make the transition from prison to society, including consultation and referral as well as training for correctional ministers. Maintains a directory of services available to prisoners at release: www.reentry.org
***
Tomorrow we go to visit Adrian at Lancaster State Prison. We are always happy to see him and he us. The Lord continues to provide for him in his situation there, and I can see that he continues to mature and grow. Thank you for your prayers for us and all Christians.
--Mark
Update
- May 3, 2003
by Mark Watkins
This is the first of a series of short articles about our little portion of God's kingdom, how we're doing, what we're doing — and more importantly, what we see God doing.
Over the course of the past year, I've had the opportunity to come to know Adrian, and to be involved in his life. I've gotten to know his family and some of his friends. I've witnessed his sincerity and diligence in serving the Lord. I believe that he is innocent, although I cannot prove it to you. There is evidence, which will hopefully be allowed in the appeals process, which should reverse his conviction. Meanwhile, we live by the grace of God—day by day, as we do in all situations.
The little group of Christians at the prison in Lancaster is a close-knit group. They are, as are all Spirit-led Christians, growing and being restored. The shared experience of prison binds them together across ethnic and racial boundaries. We welcome fellowship with all who serve Jesus Christ, and hope that all people may come to know Him.
New on the site is a page for showing art done by the Christian men in C yard at Lancaster. This is sort of an experiment. I'm an artist by profession, and I want to encourage the guys to sharpen their skills. It's also a chance for them to contribute, and open a door to the world outside.
Adrian
(right) and me at a recent visit