There is good reason for all the friends of Onesimus
Ministries to offer a heart full of thanksgiving and praise for
God’s faithfulness for the past 39 years at Chester County
Prison. God gave Doug Burnette the desire to “go back to
prison” where he received so much help in his profound life
change. By his own admission Doug had an anger issue
which landed him in Chester County Prison back in 1966.
He attended the chapel services, listening to what the pastor
said on Tuesday and comparing it to what another pastor
said on Saturday. The pastors said, “You don’t have to live
like this. You can have new life in Christ.”
Doug came to faith in Jesus in his cell alone with God
and it changed his life. There was a lot of growing from
the initial acceptance of God’s forgiving grace and in 1978
Doug asked if he could “go back to prison” to help other
men who needed the same help he received. Thus began
Onesimus Ministries Inc.
The name Onesimus comes from the Bible. The Apostle
Paul came to know a run-away slave named Onesimus while
in prison and introduced him to the “same life changing
message of the gospel.” In Apostle Paul’s personal letter
to his friend Philemon he advocates for the young man who
had stolen from him, making a play on his name Onesimus
in v. 11. The name Onesimus means “useful.” Paul says,
“Formerly, he was ‘useless’ to you, but now has become
“useful” both to you and to me.” Paul was sending him
back to his community as a “useful” young man to those
he had wronged. Paul is sending him back “no longer as a
slave, but more than a slave, as a dear brother in the Lord.”
v. 16
Thus the Onesimus Ministries has as a statement of
purpose – Onesimus Ministries exists for the purpose of
introducing prison inmates, ex-inmates, and their families
to the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ, as well
as supporting and assisting anyone in becoming faithful in
their daily walk as Christ’s Disciples.
I thank God for Doug and his request to “go back to
prison.” Doug was the first of three who have served as
chaplains at CCP:
Doug Burnette 1978-1985
Keith Brooks 1985-1991
Peter Roomet 1991-2018
Now it is time to pray for a replacement for Peter, who
will be retiring in the spring of 2018. Please join us in
prayer that God would supply, as he has always done, the
right person to continue this vital ministry to those who find
themselves at CCP. Thank you in advance.