1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 2: Hi from the Salvation Army. You're listening to words of life. 3 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 3: The words these are the words, the word the words, 4 00:00:17,400 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 3: the words please are the words of life. 5 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: Hello. There are these misconceptions about people. I had a 6 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: Savage Army alicer asked me this one time. We were 7 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: talking about an upcoming presentation. And the fact is a 8 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: lot of people think that everybody's guilty. That may be true, 9 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: but we may not know, and so we reproach them 10 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: with this mindset they're guilty and that's how we treat them. 11 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: But again, it may be givet by association. They didn't 12 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: know what was happening, or they didn't report what they 13 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: heard was going to happen. And there's law of parties. 14 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: In the state of Texas and some other states. An 15 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: individual can be convicted and be sentenced, can be executed, 16 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: and that has happened based upon law parties, Guilt by association, 17 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: and then this assumption where there's people that we say, oh, 18 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: they're no, they will never change. So these are misperceptions. 19 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: And the other thing is where they say, oh, everybody's 20 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: in jail is an unbeliever. It's my job to go 21 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: in there and preach to them. Or send them cards 22 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: and letters to try to witness to them. And there's 23 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: some in there that probably have stronger faith in some 24 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: people that I know walking free. So those are just 25 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: a few things there. 26 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 4: Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Armies Words of Life. 27 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 4: We're going to take a quick ad break and. 28 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. 29 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 2: Now here's a really cool thing that our listeners will 30 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: be interested in. Can you tell them about some of 31 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 2: the initiatives or programs that the Savation Army has that 32 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: support correctional ministries. 33 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: Well, as mentioned one of the things, we broaden the 34 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: scope at least here in Texas the Salvation Army to 35 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:17,399 Speaker 1: include the staff, but primarily right now for the incarcerated individuals. 36 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: We do have our Bible Steady Correspondence program. It's not 37 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: only just operated through Texas, but are other four territories 38 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: in the US, and that is branching into a digital 39 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: discipleship program that will be made actually is already available 40 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: on the tablets that many of the facilities have right now. 41 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: There's an app on the secured tablets. The app is 42 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: called e Doovo ed Ovo and is a digital educational 43 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: platform on these secured content tablets and not to scare 44 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: anybody to think that as Internet tablets, these people individuals 45 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: or friends who are able to reach out through the Internet. 46 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: That's not the case. There may be cases in the US, 47 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: but most of it is very secured content and filtered. 48 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: But the Dovo app we've been able to make available. 49 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: This has been a project that started a couple of 50 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: years ago, and just within the last few weeks we've 51 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: been able to put the podcast Towards of Life, both 52 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: in English and Spanish out on the Dovo and I 53 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: have some metrics I need to share with you all. 54 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: Also we put out some of the war Cry magazines, 55 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: and then also the video. We have one short video 56 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: about what is the Salvation Army. And then we have 57 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: the two courses Prisoners in the Bible Old Testament Study 58 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: and Prisoners in the Bible and New Testament Study exploring 59 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: the exploring the characters in the Old Testament, exploring the 60 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: characters in the New Testament that we see in the 61 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: biblical stories that talk about those individuals in prisoner and confinement, 62 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: captivity and how God didn't leave them and God still cares. 63 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: So those are some exciting things at least in that aspect. 64 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 1: And then we're doing some things with trying to promote 65 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: more of the Salvation Army as it relates to correctional 66 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: ministries more involvement. There's an organization called Correctional Ministries and 67 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: Chaplains Association CMCA, and there is a website CMCA International 68 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: dot org. And so this is an opportunity for individuals 69 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: to go out there if they're involved or want to 70 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: find more about ministry within correctional facilities, that they can 71 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: tend to conferences coming up in May and Salvage Army 72 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: we are present at that conference and seeking to invite 73 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: more people to become more involved. 74 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 2: Beautiful. I could never have imagined there was that much 75 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: going on. 76 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 4: Incredible ray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. 77 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 4: We're going to take one more ad breaking and we'll 78 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 4: be right back. 79 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 2: Sergeant Brown. Can you share a story of individuals that 80 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 2: you've seen have a transformative experience through Christ while they 81 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 2: were in prison. 82 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: Of course, if we were to write something, we could 83 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: say it starts with one, whether it's one me, whether 84 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: it's one you as one some other person. But this 85 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: one started with a man that the one I mentioned 86 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: earlier that wrote to me in twenty fourteen asking if 87 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: the Salvation Army would continue its ministry to the men 88 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: on death Rowe. It started with one letter. It started 89 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: with one visit in July of twenty fifteen, and I 90 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: visited this one man that had written to me, and 91 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: he asked, he says, you know, well, there's some other 92 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 1: men here that been receiving visits from Major Catherine Cox, 93 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: who was the lady, had done this for many, many years. 94 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,559 Speaker 1: This man asked me, he says, you know, there's others 95 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: that I'd like to have visits, may not give very 96 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: many visits. Would you be willing to visit them? I said, well, 97 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: let me do this. I'm not going to invite myself 98 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: into their life. If they want to visit, they can 99 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: write to me and ask for a visit and I'll 100 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: do my best discheduled visit with him. So I started 101 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: with one man, and I won't share with the number 102 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: of men that have written over the last ten eleven 103 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: years to receive visits. But it starts with one, and 104 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: there's one change, one real quick story. There's one more. 105 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: And I asked, asked Jim if I could share his story. 106 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: He sits on Texas, death row. And the men I 107 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,679 Speaker 1: just shared with you that invited me to start visiting 108 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: actually read the Bible with Jim. Day after day. They 109 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: read the Bible together. They read through the Bible. When 110 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: the man that first visited me he was executed, Jim 111 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: kept reading the Bible. He started reading the Bible with 112 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: other men. And he just told me a few weeks 113 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: ago that him and his eighty year old mother had 114 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: finished reading the New Testament together. So what one man 115 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: started in the visits that I still lead and conduct 116 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: and pastoral visits, and what Jim had continued to do 117 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: in reading the Bible even in the absence of this 118 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: one man that started my first visit, he read the Bible, 119 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: the New Testament with his mom and said, well, that's 120 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: not such a big thing. But here's how they did it. 121 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,719 Speaker 1: They did it over the phone. They did it over 122 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: the phone. So is there an impact? Is there a reason? 123 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: Is there support for this area of ministry and reaching 124 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: into people's lives to see the changes? Absolutely? I wrote 125 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: something many years ago and it says this, It's not 126 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: for me to know, It's only for me to sew. 127 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: And I'm pleased and fulfilled by sowing the seed. I 128 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 1: may never see how it grows, but that's what you know. 129 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: I would say to anyone, sow the seed. 130 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 2: If you could encourage other Christians in a way that 131 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 2: we could come alongside correctional ministries or support what you're doing, 132 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 2: what would you tell us? 133 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: Well, first of all, I always say, ask the Lord 134 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: what he would want you to do and in what way? 135 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: Because after doing this for I guess going on close 136 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: to three decades, I've seen a few things, shook a 137 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: lot of hands, seen a lot of people, seeing volunteers 138 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: come and go. Some people come in for the right reasons, 139 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: some people don't stay. But I say, make sure that 140 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: it's not from something just to being excited to go 141 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: into and say, hey, I'm going to do this, I'm 142 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: going to be part of this ministry to make this difference. 143 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: And then we go in and then we flame out. 144 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,559 Speaker 1: A lot of people get excited, but it drifts off. 145 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: But if it's real, then it'll continue. And so I say, 146 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: first of all, I see anybody's excited or feels called 147 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: to reach into the lives of the people that are incarcerated, 148 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: then do that. But make sure that you first say 149 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: the Lord to prepare your heart in the right way 150 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: and doing it for the right reasons. But as you 151 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: go in then there's other ways. When I started sitting 152 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: down with chaplains, I realized that they had needs as well, 153 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: and the Lord put it on my heart. When I 154 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: took two Sabash Army officers with me to this one 155 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: unit and we set there with the chaplain visiting, and 156 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: I asked them, I said, you know, the Lord put 157 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: on my heart and said, what are your needs? And 158 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: I could tell that she was She had not been 159 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: asked that before, and so that started something for us 160 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: to be able to reach into and support the staff, 161 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 1: support the chaplains through a variety of recess high gene 162 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: items for the indigent population that have less than five dollars. 163 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: In Texas, it's five dollars or less for pure to 164 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 1: sixty plus days. So you can imagine not having more 165 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: than five dollars to your name for sixty plus days. 166 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: I've even known as situations where they have nothing or 167 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: a few cents. Maybe family has died, maybe family doesn't 168 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: want anything to do with them, but they're still individuals 169 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: and the Salvation Army is still the Salvation Army, and 170 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: so you know, soup, soap salvation. So here's an opportunity 171 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: and we are doing I haven't done the soaps just yet. 172 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: We do a few other things. We do this. We 173 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: do the soaps, but maybe not the soups, but definitely 174 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: the other ones. And so I think there's aspect I 175 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: get to this. It's you know, if you know of 176 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: a facility crrestional facility in your area. There's youth there, 177 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: there's adult facilities, there's females, there are individuals that are incarcerated, 178 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: you know, call and ask if there's a chaplain, if 179 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: there's a religious program coordinator, something, ask what their needs are. 180 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: Ask what their needs are. And maybe it's asking what's 181 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: how can we help with your staff? I have leadership 182 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: of correction facilities contact us even right now working on 183 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: some things that are coming up. The first full week 184 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: of May is a national Most people don't know this. 185 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: It's a national a week dedicated to correctional auster appreciation. 186 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: First full week of May, usually about that Wednesday or 187 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: somewhere in the middle of the week, they have a 188 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: memorial service at many facilities for fallen officers, those either 189 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: died in the facility as a result of an assault, 190 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: or for other reasons, they hold a memorial for these 191 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: fallen officers, and so we support those events, and so 192 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: there's opportunities, but ask what the needs are, assess them 193 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: and see how you can assist, and so approach it 194 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: that way instead of going in with agenda and then 195 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: do a Bible study and walk past the staff that 196 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: would lock a buybar has some problems at home, there 197 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 1: may be an opportunity to sit down and talk with them. 198 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: But those are just a few things. 199 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 2: Sergeant Brown. We are grateful for what you're doing on 200 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 2: the front lines of ministry, particularly for those in the 201 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 2: correctional facilities and those associated with correctional facilities. I want 202 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 2: to say God bless you and assure you of our 203 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 2: prayers for your continued ministry. 204 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: Thank you. 205 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 2: The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping 206 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part 207 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. 208 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 2: Visit Salvation Army USA dot org to offer your support. 209 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 2: You can subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite 210 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 2: podcast store, or visit Salvation armyesoundcast dot org. Join us 211 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 2: next time for the Salvation Armies Words of Life. 212 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 3: These are the words, These are the words of life. 213 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We 214 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 4: want to thank the team at Life Audio for their 215 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 4: partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio dot com 216 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 4: or you'll find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in 217 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 4: their network. They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, 218 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 4: and more. Thanks again for listening. 219 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: We'll see you next time.