Abstract
New technology is bringing fundamental changes in how we access information. These changes also are occurring in the field of corrections. A key aspect of the WELS Prison Ministry (WELS PM) model for ministry to the incarcerated is a Bible self-study ministry-by-mail program. It has been effective for over two decades but recently experienced a decline in usage. A revised model is likely needed for the future. We also need people who can help WELS PM research, design, and implement that model. Should such a model be successful, the potential exists to reach many more souls with the Gospel with little or no increase in ongoing financial resources. However, additional volunteer resource requirements, both short and long term, could be significant.
Introduction
The Gospel never changes. Yet the world we live in and some of the ways we share and spread the Gospel are constantly changing. Recent technological developments are causing significant shifts in how correctional facility inmates access information and spend their time. Like large-scale changes in other areas of life, this situation creates both challenges to the existing paradigm and opportunities for a new paradigm for sharing the Gospel.
More than anything, this presentation is a plea for advice, information, and help. If WELS PM is to continue widespread Gospel outreach to inmates, we will need the insights and efforts of several people with diverse sets of knowledge, skills and connections. My prayer is that God will move either those people reading this, or other individuals you recommend, to assist us in pursuing Gospel outreach to inmates using some form of electronic document distribution and collection. This effort will be subject to the unique and manifold constraints and idiosyncrasies associated with communication with incarcerated individuals. Another challenge will be the limited financial resources available and the resulting necessary reliance on largely volunteer efforts.
Background
One of the key pillars of WELS Prison Ministry (WELS PM) has been a ministry-by-mail program that has likely shared God's Word with over 100,000 souls in the 25+ years of our existence. We do other forms of ministry, such as equip and support both people making personal visits to correctional facilities and people that mentor released inmates. But our ministry-by-mail is our most widespread and well-known effort.
The ministry-by-mail comprises two main facets: publication distribution and pen pal letters. Through a central office in New Ulm, Minnesota, a small staff and hundreds of volunteers (both in New Ulm and around the country) facilitate the distribution of God's Word via Bibles, Bible studies, or other devotional publications using the United States Postal Service (USPS). Our Bible studies are self-studies with a final test that an inmate can complete and return to our New Ulm office also via the USPS. A volunteer reviews the test, commenting positively on correct answers and carefully redirecting the inmate to the correct answer if he or she does not answer correctly. Those tests are first returned to New Ulm, then returned to the inmate with a completion certificate. In addition, any inmate that requests a pen pal is assigned to a volunteer pen pal who seeks to encourage and build up the inmate using God's Word in personal correspondence.
Volunteers in New Ulm prepare all the mail that is coming and going. Volunteers all around the country serve as test correctors or pen pals. For our volunteers' safety all correspondence with inmates passes through our New Ulm office to ensure that no volunteer's personal information is passed on to anyone in a correctional facility. The booklet portion of this effort is depicted in Figure 1.
This correspondence course-style for sharing God's Word has been richly blessed. Over our 25 years we have served many thousands of inmates serving time in 49 out of 50 states plus the District of Columbia. The Bible studies are written in simple English or Spanish but express the deep truths of God's Word. We currently offer 37 English and 17 Spanish courses. The inmates constantly express their gratitude for providing these studies. They love what they are learning and that there are test correctors and pen pals willing to invest time in helping them understand God's love and plan of salvation. Returning the corrected tests, which as far as we know is unique in the industry, is a great blessing to them and a key component of the ministry's growth. Word of mouth from one inmate to the next has been our most effective source of referrals. Here are but two of the numerous comments we continually receive:
(Spanish - translated to English) I write to you to thank you for the tests because they have helped me a lot and I have learned about the life of Jesus, of how much He loves us as it says in John 3:16. Thank you for praying for me...you have helped me so much to learn beautiful things from the word of God. May His peace be with you. – Leo
I am currently incarcerated in the Texas Department of Corrections...and came across a brother in Christ who is currently enrolled in your mail-in Bible study course. What a great gift you offer to sinners such as ourselves! I thank you whole-heartedly for your continued devotion to reach out to people such as ourselves that society would much rather lock away and "throw away the key." Many brothers in here have lost everything and EVERYONE and it is nice to see their faces light up when they receive mail from ministries such as yours. For a lot of these people, it is a sense of encouragement and joy to know that they are NOT forgotten and that there is SOMEONE out there who cares for them and prays for them. Again, "thank you" for that, on behalf of those who may not express their gratitude. I see it! And God sees your works! May God continue to bless each and every one of you so that you may continue to share those blessings. Your brother in Christ, Mario
As recently as 2015 we mailed over 15,000 Bible self-study booklets directly to inmates. In addition, booklets are also distributed by prison chaplains and others for which we only have records for bulk shipments, not distribution to inmates. By 2018 the total number of booklets sent directly to inmates was approximately 10,600 with 2019 projected to be at a similar level.
Recent Developments
Many state departments of correction, county jails, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are making electronic devices, such as tablet-style computing devices (tablets), available to inmates for communication and other purposes. Facilities provide commissary accounts to inmates (usually funded by friends or family of the inmate) from which inmates can purchase a variety of items that now includes tablets.
Procedures for tablet usage likely vary from state to state and even facility to facility, but also have some common elements. Given the greater presence of WELS in Wisconsin, we have a somewhat better understanding of the current implementation of tablet usage there. This understanding was gathered from internet research, conversations with Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WI DOC) personnel, and conversations with individuals involved in visitation ministry to Wisconsin inmates; however, like many technological changes, tablet usage is a moving target undergoing near constant modifications. Aspects of tablet usage are subject to change at any time without notice.
As we understand the situation, the WI DOC allows inmates to access limited and monitored electronic message exchange (email) as well as some free electronic books from Project Gutenberg (mostly classic literature in the public domain) via CorrLinks.com. We believe music downloads are also available, but from what platform is unknown. Requirements for email usage are available under at "Sending/Receiving an Inmate Electronic Message" and also here. Inmates must be within a certain physical distance of a "kiosk" to be able to connect to the network for message or information uploads or downloads. This physical access is controlled and only available to inmates at specific times and for limited durations. The network is closed (intranet) and inmates only have access to information allowed by the vendor and the WI DOC. They have no access to the internet or conventional email.
A WI DOC employee has indicated to us that they desire to distribute written information to inmates, such as orientation information, prerelease information, and the like. Because they want to keep control over this information, the WI DOC is seeking to develop its own distribution system for written information that does not involve Project Gutenberg.
Although not necessarily connected with the advent of tablets in correctional facilities, other recent developments are adding to the challenges faced by the WELS PM publication ministry-by-mail. Initially, use of the USPS to deliver our publications was nearly universally accepted by correctional facilities. Unfortunately, because of contraband and other concerns, new restrictions are continually introduced by facilities. As an example, we recently were informed that one facility will no longer accept any packages for inmates greater than ¼-inch thick, which excludes many of our publications. Tighter mailing restrictions has two ramifications. One is that they often prevent us from sending our materials to inmates that desire them. The second is that keeping track of the wide variety of restrictions for the thousands of facilities that we send publications to greatly complicates and slows our mail processing.
Resulting Challenges
It is an exaggeration, but it feels like the challenges that are accumulating are legion. They may not be thousands, but they are many. Thankfully this is Jesus' ministry and we are confident he will provide ways for us to share him with people impacted by incarceration according to his will. Our prayer is that part of Jesus' answer will involve a contribution of knowledge or skill from you or someone you know.
The first type of challenge hampers our ability to serve as many inmates as we can. In addition to the ever-increasing impediments to the delivery of our material to inmates, there are others.
A second type of challenge involves those that present technical obstacles to an effective electronic document distribution and collection system. Here are some examples.
A third type of challenge is the introduction of multiple gatekeepers and lack of any universally accepted standards for electronic distribution of self-study courses and collection of tests.
The Opportunity
The challenges seem daunting, but our God is bigger than any challenge. We are relying on him to guide us in the way we should go. The exciting aspect of these developments is the potential to do so much more gospel ministry with existing financial resources. We consider our ministry to be good stewardship. We directly share the gospel through Bible studies with over a thousand individuals every year in a sustained way (multiple gospel touches). We do this at roughly the same cost as the annual support needed for two WELS home mission starts, many of which struggle to involve 100 individuals in Bible study after several years. A large portion of our cost is printing and postage, and we expect some fraction of the ministry to continue using printed books and USPS delivery. But if we develop a viable electronic system, it is conceivable that we could serve many more inmates without a significant increase in cost. Turnaround times for self-study tests (and pen pal letters) could be greatly reduced allowing inmates to accelerate their completion of studies. We would look to the Lord to provide us with the needed increase in test correcting volunteer hours.
Next Steps
Our current plan is a combination of research and action. Our intent is to continue to gather information needed to design solutions nationwide, while concurrently setting up a trial or pilot project. As we learn more, the steps may be modified to better fit the situation. The research portion will involve identifying practices of state departments of correction around the country as well as some county jails. One of the key pieces of information is the specific vendor or electronic system the various entities use to provide information to inmates.
The pilot project will seek to deliver devotions to Wisconsin and Minnesota inmates via their existing email systems. Our goals are to gain helpful knowledge and make helpful contacts through implementing this pilot project. The distributed devotions will also encourage use of the existing self-study courses in print to promote that aspect of ministry for the time being while we seek to develop electronic self-study course capabilities.
Our Needs
We are seeking people with one or more helpful characteristics from which we can build a team to meet these challenges and seize the ministry opportunity. We would pray that all who are willing to explore a role on this team would have a servant's heart and an eagerness to serve Jesus and others with their talents. Given the need to accomplish much, if not all, of the effort on a volunteer basis, we would seek to limit time commitments based on a person's availability. Particularly helpful (but not required) qualities include:
Closing thoughts
Thank you for giving this presentation your consideration. I'll be eager to receive any insight, suggestions, or questions in the comments. Please recommend this presentation to any colleagues or others you know who may have helpful insights. If you are interested in exploring a role in this effort or would like to recommend someone, please contact me, Dave Hochmuth, at dave.hochmuth@wels.net . Finally, pray for this ministry. Ask the Lord to graciously grant us the human and other resources we need to continue to share Jesus with an ever-increasing number of lost but eagerly listening souls.
Return to original language with "show original" button at top left.
Discussion
The ministry through mailing idea seems unique and ingenious. It is much easier to send mail to a correctional facility than to send a person in to try and talk to them. It is also safer, and I think that this is a great way to spread God’s Word inside prison. I think it is amazing that you can reach so many individuals for the same cost that it would take to start two home churches.
You showed in the diagram that the Bible self-study classes have a test, and also a certificate at the end. This certificate was mailed to the individual after completion of the test. I was wondering what was the purpose behind this certificate, and also if there are any connections in doing the Bible study and having a pen pal? Does the individual have to do the Bible study to receive a pen pal, or does the pen pal encourage them to take the Bible study?
Thank you for this eye-opening presentation on prison ministry. God’s Blessings on your ministry.
I’ve always been curious about WELS Prison Ministry. Thank you for sharing so much information about it! I had no idea all the volunteer efforts that go into making it all happen. I think it’s incredible how God’s word can reach all places. The impact it has on the inmates is something that should be cherished and used as aa motivator. I am inspired just by reading the two messages.
I am curious, do inmates prefer written paper tests and penpals? For me personally, logistics aside, I feel like I would much more enjoy receiving actual physical mail to hold on to and keep as motivation and reminders, especially from a penpal. In your experience, would you say that the physical mail is more meaningful to inmates? But I see flaws in your presentation with the mailing process. I wonder, is it possible to start the process over email or in some digital format to use as an outreach tool and then ask the inmates if they’d prefer actual mail? I understand the limitations of both technology and the old fashioned way, but I would think the inmate interested in learning would know his institution’s policies on incoming and sending mail, as well as their policies with technology. This way, an inmate could use the way he prefers to learn (mail or technology) and maybe he could explain how to send things into his institution that abide by the policies. Maybe we could use both technology and mail to work around the existing problems.
I’m very excited to see the work of WELS Prison Ministry continue to reach and save souls! God’s Blessings, Jack Heichelbech.
David Hochmuth,
Thank you so much for sharing your function in ministry today. For people that may be so lost and hopeless, it is great to hear about the opportunity we have to give them that hope of Jesus! My favorite part about this ministry are the efforts to continually bring the inmates that personal connection with a pen pal or whoever it may be. The personal connections reflect on the personal connection Christ has with us, therefore they are ultimately able to see Christ through us! I love that.
This article did a great job in raising my awareness about WELS PM. I would certainly love to be involved in PM and show Chirst love to someone in need of it. One question I have is how often do pen pals typically write back and forth? Is it more every week or every month or whatever, I would be interested to know.
Thank you for spreading the awareness of PM in your presentation. God’s Blessings!
Unfortunately, I have very little knowledge or experience to directly contribute. I can, of course, offer my assistance in attempting to help others hear of this ministry.
I am curious about the purpose of the test aspect of the current system, and why obtaining a certificate is important. It seemed to me while reading through the various challenges that several challenges were unique to the test part of the Bible studies, i.e. the challenge of "devising a way to distribute our self-study courses and enable inmate submissions of tests will be at best more complicated than the USPS system for printed versions" focuses on maintaining the ability for inmates to submit tests and receive the corrected ones back. I don't doubt that there are good reasons for this system, but I am curious what they are. Merely providing Bible study materials for inmates would seemingly be easier, given the presence of the Project Guttenberg already being accessible by inmates. I would enjoy learning what the purpose is behind taking the tests/receiving certificates of completion, as opposed to something like offering the materials and then continuing a pen pal option so that inmates can ask questions and still be guided somewhat through their studies.
Thank you!
• The response from test correctors makes it personal. There are many ministries that provide devotions and some or all of God’s Word to inmates. We rejoice that God’s Word gets spread that way. But the fact that a person takes time to interact with the inmate personally is powerful. So few people in their lives, if any, show any interest at all. The inmates are like parched earth in the desert. To have someone read and respond to their efforts and encourage them to trust Jesus is indeed Living Water.
• We know of no other ministry providing this type of interaction on a large-scale basis. I’m convinced this aspect was part of what Jesus used to grow this ministry so large so quickly.
• Our certificates of completion provide tangible proof of the voluntary efforts of the inmate have made to make changes in their lives and outlook. There are not many opportunities for inmates to demonstrate efforts to make real changes except for perhaps completing some limited life skills instruction (resume writing, some basic job skills, etc.). The inmates use the completion certificates as evidence in their parole board hearings that they are making efforts to prepare for release avoid re-arrest. Do these certificates indicate a true change in heart? Sometimes yes; others likely no. But they meet a real earthly need, which motivates them to complete many studies. This gives the Holy Spirit more opportunities to touch their hearts and souls with the saving gospel.
I want to begin by saying that I clicked on your article solely because I saw the words prison and ministry in the same headline and was intrigued. I was completely unaware of any form of ministry or the gospel in prison. In fact, I was just listening to a podcast that mentioned the lack of Bibles in prison. I am so impressed and in awe of the work you and your peers have done to help bring the Lord's word to the incarcerated. When I began reading the article, I immediately thought to improve the system by moving more toward and electronic approach and I thought that, you mentioned that exact thing in your article. I can see how the use of tablets and email can be dicey in prison and there are many constrictions. I did think about possibly creating a Bible self-study app, where people like yourself and others who are working to bring the Lord's word to the incarcerated can have a ready-made program available for download on a tablet or electronic device that is available to prisoners. The app would have to be approved by the prison, of course, but an app would allow the tests to be already available and graded right away. I am sure you have already thought of an app and the negatives may outweigh the positives, but just a thought. Thank you for writing such an informative and compelling article. I will keep brainstorming and looking into ways to improve this system.
Sincerely,
Hunter Ahlness
When an inmate receives a booklet, we inform him or her that a pen pal is available if desired. The inmates that indicate a desire for a pen pal are then assigned one by our office staff. We enlist pen pals from members of the ELS or WELS that desire to serve in this way, so it is a great way for laypeople to serve. We have some pen pals who continue serving into their 90’s. The best way to get more information and explore this avenue as a potential way to serve Jesus and an inmate is to contact our New Ulm office at prisonministry@wels.net or (507) 354-3130.
In answer to your question about inmates gathering together, the short answer is sometimes. Rules and regulations vary considerably from one state to the next and even from one facility to the next. The Wisconsin Department of Correction does not allow any gathering of inmates without a responsible person from outside the facility being present. In California, at some state facilities inmates can get permission to gather without an outside person present. For one such facility, a WELS pastor and some of his laypeople travel two hours one way twice a month to gather with 5 or 6 inmates to equip them to lead study groups of other inmates between the visits.