My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I’m getting excited that my church is making concerted efforts to reach younger generations with the Gospel message.  It’s part of Grace Covenant’s newly revised vision and mission statements, and (in my opinion) a wonderful implementation of the great commission given by Jesus himself to all followers.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28.18-20)

He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

Discipleship begins with relationships. In this case, intentionally finding common interests and making friends across generational boundaries, and earning the right to be heard by showing first that you care.  We must listen without judgement.  We all have much to learn, and must humble ourselves to realize that we can learn from both older and younger people in our lives.

Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” (Matthew 21:16b)

Relationships pave the way to trust, discovery, and deep sharing of the things of God – His promises, His commands, The Truth.  Our wonderful chaplains in Chester County Prison – Rhonda and Heinrich – do their best in the short time they have with county inmates to establish trust and share the Good News whenever and wherever possible.  We should all take a lesson and determine how we too can get engaged in doing the most important work in this life.

Thank you all for your ongoing commitment to pray and support this prison ministry.  God bless you.

Grace and Peace,
Rick

Prayer Requests from Chaplain Rhonda:

Prayers from Onesimus Ministries:

• Blessings of continued strength, endurance, compassion, and wisdom for God’s hands and feet in Chester County Prison – Chaplain Rhonda and Chaplain Heinrich, that they would continue to bless many residents, staff, and family members connected through the prison.

• That God would soon bring back the ability for inmates to gathering for sharing, study, and worship.  And that He would also make a way for volunteers to once again minister in person to inmates within the prison walls of Chester County Prison.

• For religious programming and the work of our chaplains to continue to be held in high regard by prison leadership, and continuance of Heinrich and Rhonda being treated as staff.

• For relief and healing of inmates with illness or infirmity, and peace among the prison population.

• For resolution of staffing issues, politics, and anything else in the way of allowing volunteers back into the prison.

• For God’s promise of His Word to never return void to resonate within the halls of prisons everywhere, that inmates might enjoy a time of spiritual enlightenment like never before.

• Blessings upon prison aftercare programs throughout Chester County – may more churches and organizations sense a call to action, and may more volunteers be drawn into serving our great God by discipling men and women coming out of prison.  And may the former inmates within these programs bear Spiritual fruit as they integrate back into society as godly women and men.

Want to know more about being a mentor, and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison? Drop us a note at info@onesimusministries.org.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This past weekend, Grace Covenant Church hosted a marriage seminar called “Created for Connection”.  As a volunteer running the AV systems, I was blessed to hear the presentations and workshops offered throughout the day.  Afterward, I thought how most men (like me) are not very comfortable or experienced in the domain of relationships.  Many of us can be shy or just prefer to keep to ourselves.  But didn’t Jesus give us instructions that might require us to step out of our comfort zone?

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

We serve a relational God – He wants to hear from us and bless us, and He wants us to relate to and bless one another. We hear that from several disciples…

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

So the question becomes – how best can we love and serve others with that which God has blessed us?

Our wonderful Chaplains inside Chester County Prison demonstrate this relational love every day with inmates, prison staff, and their families.  As they relate to these people, serving needs from dietary requests to serving family death notices to counseling for just about any life situation, they allow the love of God to shine into each interaction.

We are blessed to have them ministering within the prison walls, and blessed that so many of you support this ministry with your prayers and contributions.  May our Father in heaven bless you in a special way this week.

Grace and Peace,
Rick

Prayer Requests from Chaplain Heinrich:

• E.R.: “The Life Recovery Bible has opened up my Heart & Soul to the Lord. I am no longer lost. It helps me to understand the Word in many miraculous ways. Please keep me in your prayers as I start on my new beginning. May God bless u4ever”

• M.T. (57): On his way to a State Correctional Institution (SCI) for 20-40 years. He found Jesus at CCP. Pray that he will be a disciple-maker. Pray for the family of his victim.

• J.F.: “It’s hard for me to follow the Bible”. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give him super-natural insight and understanding of God’s Word.

• N.R.: “I need to talk about my problems and I need help with a bus ticket to Niagara Falls. Please help me. I don’t have no one to help me…please”

Prayers from Onesimus Ministries:

• Oh Lord, would you please make a way for volunteers to once again fulfill their calling to minister in person to inmates within the prison walls of Chester County Prison.

• May God also make a way for inmate gatherings to share, study, and worship. 

• Heavenly Father, please inspire prison leadership to allow religious programming for the benefit of those who really need a personal touch from our great God, and thank you for the favor our Chaplains have enjoyed for years.

• May the population of the prison enjoy a time of peace and spiritual prosperity.  May the inmates also be blessed with physical, mental, and relational health.

• May those suffering from illness, disease, or mental deficiencies enjoy healing and wholeness from the Great Physician that is our gracious God.

• May the prison aftercare programs throughout Chester County enjoy a time of ample volunteers and support through great partnerships with churches and other faith-based organizations.  May the women and men in those programs make real strides in their faith journey and their re-integration into society as responsible citizens.

Want to know more about being a mentor, and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison? Drop us a note at info@onesimusministries.org.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

During a prayer meeting Sunday afternoon, a friend sought prayer for an upcoming discussion on salvation with a recent acquaintance of hers.  After the meeting, I sought to help my friend since her acquaintance and I share a common history of Catholicism. I described to my friend how the pivot point for me many years ago was understanding the difference between religion and relationship. 

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)

We imperfect humans are constantly contriving systems where we select certain rules to follow, rank everything, and usually end up putting God in some type of box – then we wonder why it ultimately doesn’t satisfy our heart’s desire.  And the reason is we try to substitute religion for a relationship with our living God.

I think Jesus illustrated that point when religious experts of His day tried to pin Him down and say which of their 613 laws was the most important.  As usual, His response went far beyond what anyone expected.

One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”  Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

Like any good parent desires relationship with their children, God desires a relationship with each of us, and that’s only possible (on our end) if we accept Him as our heavenly Father by the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, who paid the penalty for our sin debt on the cross.

Educating or reminding inmates of God’s promises and desire for relationship is precisely why we support our wonderful Chaplains Rhonda and Heinrich inside Chester County Prison, growing the kingdom of God and sharing the Good News with “the least of these”.  Pray for continued seasons of fruitfulness within the prison walls for both inmates and staff (and their families).  Thanks for your ongoing support of this ministry – God bless you!

Grace and Peace,
Rick

Prayer Requests from Chaplain Rhonda:

H. Z. – has been in CCP  many times; struggling with addiction and dysfunction due to brain injury; longing for a better life and to have her children back, but not sure how to get there; resisting God in favor of Buddhist beliefs

V. G. – sweet young woman dealing with mental health issues; excited to hear about God and desiring to know Him more; struggling with a lot of shame

J. F. – older inmate; wrote “I have no clothing, no shoes or coat, no transportation, nowhere to live, no ID,  no access to money, no friends or family”.  Pray that I can help her get connected to resources and she can find the help she needs, especially a relationship with God

C. S. – a very frequent resident of CCP (she actually holds the record for the most arrests for females); after years of alcohol addiction, a homosexual lifestyle and no interest in faith in God, she is asking for a Bible and other material. Please pray for these first steps toward faith, that God will meet her and bring her closer to Himself.

Prayers from Onesimus Ministries:

• For the doors of Chester County Prison to soon open to volunteers to minister in person once again.

• For God to inspire leadership to allow religious programming and gatherings among inmates.

• For peace among the inmate population (which also helps make the decisions above).

• For healing and wholeness for those suffering from illness, disease, or mental deficiencies.

• For strong aftercare programs among Chester County churches to support the men and women recently released from prison to further their relationship with the living God, build upon progress made in prison, and take positive steps toward wholeness and reintegration to society.

Want to know more about being a mentor, and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison? Drop us a note at info@onesimusministries.org.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

If you’ve ever experienced someone coming to Christ for the very first time, it’s not something you soon forget.  Such an awesome feeling of joy and excitement as you see a life changed for eternity.  My wife and I just saw the movie “Jesus Revolution” in the theater over the weekend, and it was full of those moments. We highly recommend it.

The movie chronicled the start of the Jesus movement in 1970-71 out in California, then sweeping the nation.  Historians record it as the greatest awakening in our county’s history.  The movie centers on the Pastor of a small church full of people who all judged the Hippies for their behavior, until God brought one particular Hippie directly across the Pastor’s path.  But this Hippie knew the Lord, and opened the Pastor’s eyes describing that whole generation as thirsty, searching for something in all the wrong places, and as sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.  So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

The parallel to today’s culture was uncanny – many churches don’t understand millennials who mostly elect to avoid church and organized religion.  Like the Hippies in the movie, they are thirsty and searching in the wrong places, like sheep without a shepherd.  And yet we hear of revival happening at Asbury University in Kentucky.

It’s exciting to think of what God may be doing in our time.  Many of us want to be a part of it, and maybe aren’t sure how.  One thing is certain – we must hold fast to God’s Word and faithfully do what it says.  And God’s Word tells us to take care of “the least of these”.  Thank you all for your part in doing just that – through prayers and other forms of support. May God have His way with us all!

Grace and Peace,
Rick

Praise and Thanks from Chaplain Heinrich for:

• What God is doing at CCP…in the lives of staff and inmates.

• Increasing willingness of CCP Staff to share their personal and spiritual needs with the Chaplains.

• After more than 3 years of COVID-related restrictions, Permission was granted to counsel inmates in the chaplaincy offices.

• Several reports of inmates meeting for Bible study in their day rooms.

• The “unlimited” supply of Life Recovery Bibles by Prison Fellowship.

• God’s provision in the ministry’s needs by means of individuals, churches and others.

• Invitations for Chaplains to speak/report at churches.

Prayers from Onesimus Ministries:

• Pray for our Chaplains in Chester County prison – Heinrich and Rhonda – that God would bless them in so many ways to continue being a wonderful blessing to others.

• Pray that God would make a way to reopen Chester County Prison to ministry volunteers and religious gatherings.

• Pray for prison-related ministries to all be ready when God decides to move.

• Pray for continued progress within the prison for Chaplains Rhonda and Heinrich around face-to-face counselling for inmates, and that they would be able to have more personal interactions with them.

• Pray for those within the prison system suffering from physical or mental illness – may they experience a swift and complete recovery and healing.

• Pray for peace among the prison population and staff, and that more may come to experience God’s peace that surpasses all understanding.

• Pray for continuation and growth of aftercare programs among Chester County churches and other faith-based organizations. And pray for the men and women in those programs to build upon progress made in prison, and take positive steps toward wholeness and reintegration to society.

Want to know more about being a mentor, and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison? Drop us a note at info@onesimusministries.org.