Am I my brother's keeper?

After Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:9), God asked Cain where his brother was. Cain replied, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Note that God did not dignify that question with an answer. I am NOT my brother's keeper. I am my brother's BROTHER. I am brother to my brothers and sisters. Who are my brothers and sisters? ALL of humanity. The good, the bad, the ugly. Love God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 22:37). Love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39). Love your enemy (Proverb 25:21; Matthew 5:44). No exceptions. No excuses.

A Lover's Checklist

My beloved is patient:                    am I? My beloved is kind:                        am I? My beloved is not jealous:              am I? My beloved does not boast:           do I? My beloved is not prideful:             am I? My beloved is not rude:                  am I? My beloved is not selfish:               am I? My beloved is not easily angered:  am I? My beloved forgives:                       do I? My beloved avoids evil:                   do I? My beloved rejoices in the truth:     do I? My beloved bears my burdens:       do I hers? My beloved trusts me:                     do I trust her? My beloved is hopeful:                    am I? My beloved perseveres:                  will I?

based on First Corinthians 13:4-7

© 1996

NOTE: I Cor 13 was not written about married love. It was written about the appropriate attitude and behavior among church members, particularly with respect to the exercise of spiritual gifts. However, the description of agápe (ἀγάπη) love is certainly appropriate for all relationships.

NOTE 2: I wrote this some years ago after discovering - realizing - that I had fallen far short of these ideals in both of my marriages.

Always be ready ...

... to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. I Peter 3:15 NKJV

Note: everyone who asks. Don't ram it down their throats uninvited. Live so they want to know.

Meekness: humility, gentleness, kindness

Fear: being careful to represent the Lord well, not your denomination or yourself

Words of Encouragement

from the Wonderful Counselor the Prince of Peace

Do not fear, For I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, For I am your God. I will strengthen you, Surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you With My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills Will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field Will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

Those who hope in the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Psalm 40:31

Lift up the light of Thy face upon us, O Lord! Thou hast put gladness in my heart, In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For Thou alone, O Lord, Dost make me to dwell in safety. Psalm 4:6-8

God is our refuge and our strength, A very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger, And great in loving-kindness. The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works. Psalm 145:8-9

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; For You are with me.

Your rod and Your staff comfort me. You prepare a table before me In the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and loving-kindness Will follow me All the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23

What Does God Really Want?

What does God really want, anyway? What's up with going to church three times a week, every time the doors open? Does God really care if we wear a suit and tie to church and sing in the choir?

We get so wrapped up in religion that sometimes we forget what God said He wants. All of us who acknowledge the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whether Jew, Christian, or Muslim, we all get hung up sometimes on the forms of our religion, and forget His opinion.

What follows is a selection of passages from the Jewish and Christian scriptures in which God Himself tells us what he really wants.

I hate, I reject your festivals. Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer up to me Burnt offerings and grain offerings I will not accept them, And I will not look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. Take away from Me the noise of your song; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:21-23

For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him? Isaiah 58:6-7

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:16-17

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24

A new commandment I give to you that you love one another. John 13:34

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

The essential message of the Bible

What the Bible says ...

   ... about GOD

   In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1) By Him all things were created, in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him. (Col 1:16)

   ... about MAN

   Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. (Gen 2:7)

   Since the creation of the world, God's invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made. (Rom 1:20)

   God decreed for men to die once, and after that, judgment. (Heb 9:27)

   ... about SIN

   The wages [judgment] of sin is death. (Rom 6:36) All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) There is none righteous, not even one. (Rom 3:10)

   ... about SALVATION

   But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8) Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was buried; and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and He appeared to many. (I Cor 15:3-6)

   For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:36)

   ... about YOU

   God is not One to show partiality, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. (Acts 10:34-35) God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent. (Acts 17:30) Repent and believe the Gospel. (Mark 1:15)

   If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9) For by grace you are saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Eph 2:8-9)

   Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation. (II Cor 6:2) You cannot serve two masters. (Matt 6:24) Choose this day whom you will serve. (Josh 24:15)

Am I Afraid

People often ask me, "Aren't you afraid to go into the prison? There's murders and rapists and ᅳ *gasp* criminals! ᅳ in there!"

My stock answer is, "No, I'm not afraid. I'm safer there than in Walmart." Unfortunately, the episode at the El Paso Walmart proved me right. The fact is, I do feel safe, for several reasons:

▪︎Security staff take security seriously and do their best to keep everyone safe by ensuring that there are no weapons inside the unit. ▪︎Most inmates just want to do their time and go home. In most cases, prisons are not nearly so exciting and dangerous as Hollywood would have you believe. The boring daily life of most prisoners and prisons does not sell tickets or draw viewers. ▪︎Every single inmate I have ever met was profoundly thankful and appreciative of volunteers like myself whom they see as sacrificing our precious time to make them feel like human beings worthy of respect, kindness,  and encouragement. ▪︎I believe (without proof, thankfully, as it has not come up in my experience) that if I or another volunteer were to be attacked, there would be a dozen defenders who would protect us, even if it cost them disciplinary action, parole denial, more time on their sentences, physical injury or even death to themselves. I have known inmates who have defended even hated officers. There IS honor amidst thieves.

Our God whom I serve is able to deliver me, and will deliver me. But if not .... (paraphrased from Daniel 3:17-18)

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou [God] are with me. (Ps 23:4)

I was in prison and you visited Me. (Matt 25:36)

Support Just Another Ministry

Jesus will hold you

The Lord Jesus and one of his followers were crossing a high bridge over a dangerous gorge. Jesus told his follower that he could hold his arm so he would not fall.

The follower instead asked Jesus to hold his arm to which Jesus replied "as you wish".

The follower replied "If I hold your arm and something happens to me, the chances are that I might let go of your arm. But if you hold my arm, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let me go."

The Slough of Despond

This country is falling apart right now. I woke up this morning to video of a cop on horseback trampling a protester. I'm sick; this country is sick. I'm reading news reports of water shortages and sewage spillage at numerous units of TDCJ, even while the system spokesman is basically saying move along, nothing to see here. It's not my liver in danger of jaundice: it's my heart.

Some well meaning folk tell me to quit watching and reading the news. I refuse to go "skinny dipping in the River of Egypt" (the Nile; denial). Only sick humor is keeping me around right now. Barely.

I have preexisting (mental/emotional) health conditions that make this pandemic of violence harder for me: sensitivity, compassion, empathy, a sense of right and wrong and justice. It is getting harder and harder to "let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away". [Eph 4:31]

I keep trying to cling to Ps 23:4 and Jer 29:11, but it gets harder every day.

Thus saith the LORD: "If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." [2 Chron 7:14]   

NO NO NO.  NOT the blond haired blue eyed white skinned racist white supremacist hyper nationalist god you have created in your own image! The One Who went to the cross for blacks and browns and all the other people of all the other colors. That One. Remember Him? He was middle-eastern: brown skin, brown hair, brown eyes. Spoke Aramaic (an ancestor of modern Arabic) at home. My God, my God! Why have we forsaken Thee? Forgive us, because we clearly don't have a clue what we're doing. Whack us upside the head with that two-by-four you used on Paul on the road to Damascus [Acts 9:3], and may we too will be blinded by the Light. We definitely deserve the whack, and we desperately need it. Discipline us as a Father Who delights in His son. [Prov 3:12]

We're in deep schnikes here, Daddy. Help!

Our Name

What's up with the name, anyway? We wanted a name that reflects our priorities, and also reflects of our love of music (think jam session). We wanted to call ourselves Jesus and Me. But someone already had that name. So we wanted to call ourselves Justice and Mercy. But someone had that too. We thought about Jim and Mike, but we are not what the ministry is really about. So we decided to be Just Another Ministry. But really, the important things are Jesus, justice and mercy, and ministry.

How I got into prison ministry

I was laid off from my job as a software developer in late 2015. After two and a half years of job search, which resulted in exactly two job interviews (probably due to my age), I surrendered to full-time prison ministry in February of 2018. You've heard the thing about God closing doors? Well, I think God not only closed that door, but also chained it, padlocked it, and welded it shut! I am now going into a prison six or seven days per week. I finally feel like I am doing EXACTLY what I am supposed to be doing.

So what is it that I am doing? As a full-time volunteer chaplain, my duties include: band/choir/praise team director/arranger, weekend worship service "shepherd" and sometimes preacher, spiritual counselor, bad news deliverer (offender immediate family death and critical illness notifications), chapel paper pusher, volunteer coordinator. I answer requests from offenders, maintain program waiting lists, and generally do whatever is needed. The need is great since we have only one staff chaplain for over 2,000 inmates, as well as several hundred staff.

Purpose

Just Another Ministry’s primary purpose is to provide services to prison and jail inmates, ex-inmates, and their families. We may also provide services to military personnel, veterans, and first responders and their families; immigrants and refugees; shut-ins and the elderly; and the homeless, poor, and needy.

Services may include worship services, Bible studies, mentoring and counseling, life skills classes, literacy and ESOL education, literature distribution, and pen pal and friendly visitor programs.

With respect to inmates, services may also include pre-release preparation and post-release aftercare assistance and programs. Services may be provided in-prison/jail, in the community, and/or via correspondence.

With respect to immigrants and refugees, services may also include translation and interpretation assistance, and cross-cultural education programs.

Services may be provided bilingually when appropriate team members are available.

Just Another Ministry may assemble a team of musicians to perform at worship services and other events in and out of the prison.

To maximize our impact on current efforts, we may seek to collaborate with other non-profit organizations which fall under the 501(c)(3) section of the internal revenue code and are operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes.

At times, per the discretion of the board of directors, we may provide internships or volunteer opportunities which shall provide opportunities for involvement in said activities and programs in order to have a greater impact for change.

I can’t stay home

I can't stay home. The two thousand men and hundreds of staff at the #prison where I am a #volunteer #chaplain need consolation and #encouragement too. Sometimes you do what you have to do, what #God calls you to do, and then think about the consequences later. Matthew 25:36 doesn't say "I was in prison and you came to me when it was safe and convenient." Psalm 23:4 says that "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [He] is with me." Take care of yourself, your loved ones, your neighbors, your community. Don't hoard. Pray. Love. Unleash a pandemic of #kindness. Love your neighbor. Love your enemy. No exceptions.

What is Just Another Ministry?

Watch the evening news and it seems like crime is everywhere. Chances are either you or someone you know has been a victim of crime. You may even know someone who is or has been incarcerated. In 2014, almost 3% of the adult population in the US was in jail or prison, or on probation or parole. While the US represents only about 4.4 percent of the world’s population, it houses around 22 percent of the world’s prisoners. In 2015, nearly one third of working age adults had a criminal record.

According to the US Department of Justice, over 95% of all state prison inmates complete their sentences and are released to go home — and become your neighbors. State budgets for prisons have been decreasing of late, and prisons have fewer rehabilitation programs than they used to. Recidivism is a constant problem: anywhere from 25 to 75% of released prisoners are rearrested for parole violations and/or new offenses within five years of release.

Is there any hope? We say YES!

Just Another Ministry (aka JAM) is committed to the belief that reform is indeed possible, and that reform begins within the individual him/herself. JAM goes inside the prison with Bible studies and life skills courses to help inmates change their lives and learn to live a better life when they are released. JAM provides resources for inmates and their families while incarcerated, resources for planning as the inmates come closer to release, and resources for newly-released inmates.

JAM believes that this is true crime prevention, true prison reform.