Rez and Allen

I have two new friends in Florida. One is going to be a free man in 60 days, and the other is staying in prison for another 8 years. Both are men of God who came to Jesus in prison and are living out a biblical worldview. As a result, God's Kingdom is being revealed!

Rez is 48 years old. He has been incarcerated since he was 18, and he has eight more years to serve before he will be free. He entered the Florida correctional system an angry, abused, self-described "wild child," submitting to no one and nothing. He was mean and violent and cared for no one except himself. He learned to survive because he had to.

I had lunch with Rez this week and found him to be a kind, gentle shepherd with a passion to make sure those "getting out" before him stay out as godly dads, husbands, employees, and mentors for those formerly incarcerated.

My other new friend, Allen, is 38. He has served less time than Rez, but for the same selfish, angry, rebellious reasons. When he went to prison, he left several children with different mothers to fend for themselves. He felt no paternal responsibility.

When I met Allen this past week, he was so thrilled to show me a unique church building design he is asking God to empower him to pursue. He has leadership and entrepreneurial ability, and has shown these traits by initiating a plan to lead an evangelistic movement in the South Bay facility, so that all the inmates will have a chance to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Allen is equally anxious to see all his kids in a few months. He doesn't know how he will be a godly dad to all of them, but he knows he is called to, and he trusts God to show him how.

These two men are part of The Urban Ministry Institute in their prison. They have spent months studying seminary-level curriculum and learning to be pastors and leaders. They have pored over exegesis, hermeneutics, theology, ecclesiology, and the old and new testaments. They have learned about leadership, strategic planning, and vision development and casting. They are prepared to leave the life of rebellion and join the Kingdom of Jesus, sharing the Good News with a fallen world.

Rez told me he is thankful to be prepared to be a pastor inside the walls, and he is committed to helping those being released before him, like Allen, be successful on the outside. He wants to give a little piece of himself to everyone who leaves the Church inside the walls. Allen is eager to join his kids, but he so much wants the evangelistic efforts inside South Bay to be a success, too! He is working as hard as he can in the days he has left to prepare his brothers who will remain incarcerated to reach the whole prison for Jesus.