Alpha Prison Facilitator Notebook

Transcription

1 Alpha Prison Facilitator Notebook Alpha Prison & Re-Entry 2008 Volume 1, Issue 1 This Prison Alpha Facilitator Notebook has been compiled from the experience of the Alpha team and Prison Alpha team of Christ Church, and has been approved by Alpha North America. Please feel free to use as much as you find helpful for your own Prison Alpha course with our prayers and blessings. Special thanks to Heather Snow, Prison Alpha Regional Advisor in the developing of the Alpha Prison Material.

2 Table of Contents Part I Small- Page Other T raining Part II Small G roup Discussions Guidelines Introduction Is There More to Life than This? Session 2 30 Session Session 4 32 Session 5 Why and How Shoul Session 6 34 Session 7 35 Session 8 Who Is the Holy Spirit? (*Holy Session 9 What Does the Holy Spirit Do? (*Holy Spirit Saturday) Session Session Session Session Session Part III Resources Preparation Meeting. 41 Suggested Prayer of Commitment to Jesus Christ * Prisons Questionnaire Form Issues to Consider Products and Service

3 Part I Small- Welcome, Mission, Vision and Values, Expectations Session 1 Leading a Small G roup Introduction Small group time, Leaders, Helpers Ground Rules Discuss the Talks Study the Bible Learn to Pray Minister to each Other Session 2 Session 3 Pastoral Care Introduction/Prayer Aim Method Commitment Prayer on Alpha What is Prayer? How do we Pray? Communicating with Intercessor Why we Pray for Others Jesus gives the Power Values of Prayer Ministry The Ministry of the Holy Spirit Biblical Authority Dignity of the Individual Harmonious Relationships The Body of Christ Preliminaries Praying Reminders First and Second Night Reviews Prison Ministry Fundamentals Practical Issues Sensitivity/Cultural Issues Prison Commitment Summary/Questions and Answers Closing Prayer 3

4 Welcome Dear Alpha Team, As the title indicates, this guide is meant to serve you in your successful presentation of the Alpha Course in an institutional suggestions/comments to the National Alpha for Prisons & Re-Entry Office. As a part of the Alpha USA Team, we are here to assist you in your decision to enter into the mission field of correctional institutions. We are only a phone call or away. Although as each institution is different and thus to some degree will your course be different from others, there are some components of the Alpha Course that we call Alpha DNA, which should be consistent among all courses. We have found over time that a truly successful course will contain the following: 1. Adequate volunteer training and consistent prayer 2. Sessions are planned and structured 3. NO PREACHING 4. All talks are presented 5. Holy Spirit sessions are conducted in a different manner than other sessions 6. Allow ministerial relationships to be developed between volunteer and inmate Be sure to register your course on the Alpha web site ( and do keep us advised as to your progress. Not only do we want to hear your stories and keep your course covered in prayer but people from across the world do also and we will share with them your prayer requests and reports. Know above all else that you are not alone in your decision to take the living word of God into the facility. This path to which the Lord has called you will not always be smooth and convenient to travel. From experience; however, of having lived most of my adult life in the company of inmates, I know that when you see Christ in the eyes of those whom you meet each week inside those walls you will know without a doubt that your steps were truly directed by Jesus Christ Himself. May God Bless You, Jack Cowley, National Director Alpha USA Prisons & Re-Entry 4

5 Mission, Vision & Values Mission: the encouragement and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Our task is to enter the eated Prison is often a hopeless, dark, restless, frightening place. Jesus Christ is the only one that can bring hope to the hopeless, light that chases away the darkness, peace that surpasses all understanding, and can take away our fear of the physical world. Our mission is to bring His message to the inmates we are serving. Vision: Jesus came to serve. We are authentic about our faith and follow the examples of Jesus to love and serve others on Alpha, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to accomplish the mission he set before us. We aim to make disciples who make disciples for Christ. In particular, our vision is the share the gospel with inmates, and to train them to share the gospel with other inmates. Values: Guests come first this will inevitably result in sacrifice on our part Everyone on Alpha will feel loved, cared for, accepted and valued we will never do anything to make anyone feel small, judged, or unworthy. Attitudes matter we must be REAL and sincere no faking. results. 5

6 Expectations One hundred percent (100%) attendance, including Alpha Trainings Alpha Saturday Debriefing meetings Small G roup Dynamics Guiding Principals Bringing people into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the reason we do Alpha. Everything done with GREAT LOVE! Come preparedpray, know the topicpray! Meet the guests where they arepace the group accordingly. Show respect for people, even if you disagree. In prison culture, respect is valued even Create a safe atmosphere where people feel free to be honest and ask questions. Be an ENCOURAGER and a LISTENER, not a teacher and a talker! It cannot be expressed how important it is to LISTEN. Prisoners rarely have people who listen to them. Matters of faith are deeply personal and spiritual conversations stand out in stark contrast usual prison talk. They are hungry for deeper conversation. Inmates look forward to seeing you when you come in. Personal conversation is a humanizing activity, and you are helping them to stay in touch with their genuine selves. Learn not only to be a good listener but a genuine one. will be able to be an effective influence. Maintain a consistent devotional life being the devil a foothold! Pray daily for your small group picturing them in your minds eye and when praying speak their first/last names. This will help you remember their names early on. This is very important when you meet them and greet them to know their names. Check into resources that can help us on our own journey such as: Questions Of Life by Nicky Gumbel Searching Issues by Nicky Gumbel Letters From A Skeptic by Gregory Boyd Case for Christ / Case for Faith by Lee Strobel Other Christian Books. 6

7 Session 1 Leading a Small G roup Small G roup Time Small groups are one of the main reasons that Alpha works. An Alpha small group typically has 2 leaders and 2 helpers plus 8-12 guests, however due to the demand for our services in prisons could only have one leader per group without helpers starting out. Always be prepared!! People come for many reasons, but people will stay sometimes because they come to care for the people in their small group. People learn together and grow together. In a small group, people can be ministered to on individual levels vs. a large group. is guest/host. You want to make your group feel as if they are a guest in your home Guests come first this will inevitably result in sacrifice on our part Everyone on Alpha will feel loved, cared for, accepted and valued we will never do anything to make anyone feel small, judged, or unworthy. Attitudes matter we must be REAL and sincere never fake. result. Leaders o Facilitate discussion be prepared and know your group and the subject matter. Guide and steer the conversation, manage the silences, ask follow-up questions, draw people out Foster an environment of openness. No teaching, preaching, sitting in judgment, or making people feel small Helpers Be the one who really makes people feel welcome. Pray, pray, pray. Pray silently as group is going on. Pray before and after for each person in your group. language, you can mention it to them later to help draw certain people out. Our goal is to let the guests do most of the talking, but be prepared to share something to get the conversation going if necessary. Encourage small groups to stay together after course to study and grow in their faith and understanding. Prepare each week as if you were going to lead the group. The leader may have something come up at the last minute. This will also prepare you for future leadership. 7

8 Session 1 Leading a Small G roup Introductions and Icebreakers o Start by introducing yourself and briefly sharing a little bit about your life and your reason it a little to make the guests feel at ease later on in their sharing. o Start each night with an icebreaker. There are many good ones that pertain to the subject you are about to discuss located in this training manual. The icebreaker will help your group to begin to bond as they share and laugh together. Be aware and sensitive to a different dynamic here than in a regular Alpha cannot avoid seeing each other, so they may be less likely to share personal things easily. Be creative in your icebreakers some guests may not share beyond the icebreaker for several weeks. G round Rules o Complete confidentiality in the group and the Alpha leadership (which includes coaches and intercessors). There is no question too simple, too hostile or too silly. There are no stupid questions. Ask anything!! o Respect others and their opinions. o No hogging the conversation, no bogging it down, no frogging from topic to topic. o End on time. This is vital in a prison culture where inmates may be disciplined for returning to their cells/bunks past curfew. o Assure them they will not be called upon to pray out loud or read anything unless they volunteer ahead of time. This may relieve any areas of stress they might have about being Discuss the Talk o Usually, someone will have a reaction to what was brought up in the video. o Keep it simple What do you think? How do you feel about...? Did anything Nicky said surprise you? Did anything you saw in the video speak to you? o o If you hear s o scripture. o Draw others into discussion What does someone else think? o Ask follow-up questions o Manage the silences 10 second rule always count to 10 before saying something. Many times, this gives the quiet guest time to work up the courage to speak 8

9 appropriate to ask another question OR share something that is personal to really touched me. I never thought about (blank) having such an impact on helpers to participate in group by sharing how this or that changed their lives. This gives people a place to put their eyes if they are a little nervous. Learn to Study the Bible Together o Model Bible Study at least once o Move at the rate of the slowest person in your group o Keep it simple. Read the passage, then ask: What does it say? What does it mean? How can I apply it to my life? o We want to keep it easy so that they can start learning to do it on their own. o Bible studies. Learn to Pray Together o Keep prayers short and simple. No long eloquent prayers some people may be unaccustomed and uncomfortable with praying aloud. We want to keep it real and simple o I sh o o D o Leave easy things for guest to pray for. If you pray for everything the group has requested prayer for, or if you pray for all of the easy, obvious things, you leave them with nothing to pray for. Learn to Minister to Each Other o As to each other, praying for each other. New faith is so strong because they have a new understanding of what God can do. We want to get them involved in ministering to each other early on in their faith. 9

10 Session 2 Pastoral Care 1 Thessalonians 2: 7-12 This is really what we aim for in pastoral care. We aim to have the attitude of Paul: If we could sum up Alpha in one word other than Jesus, it would be LOVE. We break this down into 3 categories 1) God loves you a) Emphasis on the cross and the work of the cross. i) God so loved us that while we were still sinners, He died for us b) Emphasis on the Holy Spirit (i) of the Holy Spirit ii) How we experience the love of God in our lives 2) We love God a) Emphasis of coming into a love relationship with God through Jesus b) 1 st commandment (Love God with all heart, soul, mind) c) Based around a relationship with God 3) We love others a) e called to go out into the world and love others i) Have vertical relationship with God, but must also have horizontal relationships with others + ii) get all self righteous and pious and out of touch. Horizontal relationship humanism. Heart of New Testament is to have both + b) 2 nd commandment (love your neighbor as yourself) Pastoral care is all about love for others. The book of Psalms tells us that David shepherded with 2 things: 1) Integrity of heart right motives a) Motives to serve and love 2) With skillful hands he led them a) Skills to be learned to put into practice in pastoral care Colossians 1: is what we base our model for pastoral care on. A I M everyone gets looked after present everyone mature (perfect) in Christ 1. small groups let a course be big while still being small 2. through small groups, we are able to look after every individual person 3. most important part of Alpha is NOT the talk, but what happens in small groups a. talks are aimed at general needs, but small groups and one on one pastoral care allow us to deal more effectively with individual needs 10

11 K E YS A. Prayer a) Pray daily for the people in your small group b) Allow people to move at their own pace 01) It is a process over their life time. Something brought them to where they are and they you teach them what is right and let them come to their own conclusions each of us in our own time. Allow Him to reveal things to them. 02) Let the teaching, prayer, living out the example in front of them, and most importantly the Holy Spirit do the work! c) Maturity in Christ 01) 02) Make sure their dependence is on Christ, not on us B. Method (Colossians 1:28) Introduce them to Christ Opportunities to do so one a 1 to 1 basis, to help someone give their lives to Christ Sorry/Thank You/Please (a) Pray or more time to think about it? Always give them an out, not do you want to or not. Encourage them to grow in their relationship with Christ Bible encourage them to read/listen a little each day Pray Read Christian books, listen to Christian radio Encourage them to grow in relationships within the Body of Christ General Attitude 1 Thessalonians 5:11 1. Be an encourager Build each other up Create an encouraging atmosphere so they can flourish. Cynicism/skepticism should never come near the church 11

12 We should love all people and look at them with the eyes of faith for 4 reasons. 1. Creation a. Everyone is created in the image of God, so we should treat them with great importance 2. The Fall a. 3. Redemption a. Jesus died for every one of us and if they were the only person on earth, He would have died just for them 4. The Return a. One day, Jesus will return and all who believe in Him will be like Him and with Him forever, so we are all important Be a listener a. Listen, listen, listen. What are they interested in? b. Be a friend genuine interest in others is at the heart of Alpha Be a peacemaker a. i. Usually arguing only causes someone to become more b. c. Listen, rather than confront i. d. Commitment (Colossians 1:29) A. Our responsibility is the labor/strive/pray 01) commitment to pray individually and together (if you can before night, great) 02) commitment to hard work long course, long night, prep work must Overcome (a) comfort factor (talking to ones we like) (b) tiredness (c) personal issues (d) disappointment (drop outs) B. HIS energy Spirit of God fills us 12

13 01) receive as much of it as you can during prayer, worship, talks get something new out of talks, pray He speaks to you Alpha can be both the most disappointing and most the Holy Spir always succeed, but we keep trying. The people who come on Alpha are worth it. 13

14 Session 3 Prayer Praying for Others Without a doubt our M OST I MPO R T A N T task! - Richard Foster What is prayer? Prayer is first and foremost about building our relationship with God. Just like earthly fathers long to spend time with their children, so does our Father in heaven. We, therefore, should spend time praising Him, thanking Him, telling Him that we are sorry when we do things that we should not, and then ask Him for things according to His will. How do we pray? Find a place where you can devote your attention to God and relax. Be authentic when you pray God knows your heart and wants to hear things in your Be specific in your prayers and try to keep notes or a journal of what you pray. When you see prayers getting answered, it will start to build your faith. doctor and telling him what is wrong and then not staying for the diagnosis. Luke 1:37 1 John 5:14 according Matthew 28:20 Psalm 46:1 Jeremiah 29:11 Isaiah 30:21 to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you Hebrews 13:5 14

15 for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18) calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act Communicating with Our Intercessor 1. Decide each week who will handle communication with the intercessor. 2. Communicate as soon as possible after Monday night, preferably the next day. 3. Give as much detail as possible. The more specific the communications, the better your confidential; they ar Prayer Busters from Bill Hybels Unconfessed sin Ask God to reveal anything that is in your life that is blocking the path He has for you. (Isaiah 59:2) Unresolved relational conflict your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. -24) Uncaring attitudes ith each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have Selfishness may spend what you get on yo Prayerlessness Ministry 1. Service all we do on Alpha 2. Prayer ministry called to pray for each other 15

16 Why do we pray for others? o He is with us, but we can pray for a greater sense of His presence. He promises that when 2 or more are gathered, He is with us. He also commands us to pray and that when we ask, we will receive. Sometimes there is a fear to pray for others. What happens if I pray for someone and nothing happens? o Every time we ask, He comes. Nothing never happens. o Moses and the Red Sea Army of Egypt behind them, Red Sea in front. God tells Moses to put out his hand and God would part the waters happens? Why do Y For whatever reason, God invites and desires us to be involved in His work on earth. Like Moses, we should obey. art. He might have looked really good to the Israelites at that moment, but he makes sure that the work, He allows us to be part of it. Jesus gives US power and authority! o The Twelve. authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach Luke 9:1 o The 72. ted seventy-two others and sent them...heal the sick -two Jesus reminds them, the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your Luke 10:1-20 o The rest of us. earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to Matthew 28:

17 *Values of Prayer Ministry It is not our ministry, it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit o o not on the fruit. o thing that happens during or as a result of prayer ministry God. This frees us to be obedient vessels. t happen when you pray for someone. o o Listen for God 1 Corinthians 14 If you sense something, check that it is encouraging, comforting, uplifting before you say it aloud It is okay to ask after some silenc Sometimes they will have a sense of something (for example, an may feel that the prayer time is not working, but they will feel that it is. If they say th the Spirit into their hearts and reveal anything that they need to confess and you, but ask them to give it to God. Then resume praying. Biblical Authority o Spirit of God and the Word of God never conflict, they complement o Build all prayer on Biblical truth and promises Learn verses that are important to you and that you think might be important to others. Use them in your prayer Repentance Psalm 51 Fear Psalm 91 Anxiety Philippians 4:6-7 Guidance Psalm 37:5 Temptation 1 Corinthians 10:13 Share that one aspect of faith is finding a promise of God to hold on to and believing in it and that He will act. If they are praying for guidance, you can show them in the Bible that if you commit your way to God and trust in Him, that He will act. Tell them to hold on to that promise o Pray that peop 17

18 That is so often what the Spirit says to us (Roman 8 Spirit witnesses to our spirit Love of God is poured into our hearts) You can pray Ephesians 3: with people Dignity of Individual / Respect o Remember that each person you pray with is a beloved child of God Confidential Quiet / Private. Be sensitive to their feelings b during prayer ministry to do that that you feel compelled to mention something delicate, double check yourself. If you still feel you must, be very gentle. Preliminaries G reet with a warm smile, introduce yourselves. Establish the issue. When they are through describing Facilitating prayer ministry. Encourage the person to be expectant, and to assume a receptive posture (hands out in front of them as if they were receiving a gift from God). Encourage them to focus the best they k Explain what will happen. o Close your eyes, relax and receive o There may be periods of silence while we are listening to the Lord o We may ask a question or two to see how things are going o Say how you propose to pray, asking permission to lay hands on the person as part of the ministry. Be gentle, do not lean on them. Praying Experienced partner leads the prayer. o Silent prayer partner prays silently. Listens to God, paying attention to scripture, words or images that comes to mind. o It is common to begin with prayers of thanksgiving for that person. at God is doing through the spoken and silent prayers. 18

19 Invite the Holy Spirit to come. Pray for the issues discussed previously. If they asked for pray for o Uncertain how to pray? If you become ill at ease how to pray for someone, let the person know and ask them if you may bring over a coach or person from the leadership team. This happens sometimes and its OKAY. Focus on Jesus and the Holy Spirit, not the evil one. propriate. Concluding. When you feel the prayer time is nearing completion conclude by thanking God the Father for his unconditional love for them and for how God will answer these prayers. Then conclude with AMEN. Let the person know that answers to prayer can appear to be gradual or they can be immediate. Invite them to continue coming for prayer during Sunday services. Thank them for coming. R E M IND E RS: Nothing never happens Never advise, suggest, hint, or imply discontinuation of any course of treatment or medicine. Leave that to the doctors. Love demands we maintain confidentiality at all times. Always ask permission if you would like to share anything in a wider context. Confidentiality is the responsible use of information. If someone is about to harm themselves or others, share that information with a coach, team member, or staff s agenda. advice giving. 19

20 Leading someone to Christ We want to allow our guests the opportunity to receive Christ in their lives. If this is their desire, make this as easy for them as possible. Jesus Christ needs to be Lord of their lives before we invite them to be filled with the Spirit. If someone approaches and asks to be filled with the Spirit, ask questions to be sure they have accepted Christ. 1. When did you give your life to Christ? 2. ive Christ. 3. If someone has not accepted Christ and they come for prayer with this desire, Yea God!!! This is one prayer they need to pray for themselves This prayer invites them to say SORRY for what they have done wrong, THANK Jesus for dying for their sins, and to invite Christ to PLEASE come into their life. They can repeat this prayer after themselves. Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life (take a few moments to ask His forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience.) Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank you that You died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. Thank You that You offer me forgiveness and the gift of Your Spirit. I now receive that gift. Please come into my life by Your Holy Spirit, to be with me forever. Thank You, Lord Jesus, Amen. Keep focused on the Lord and the individual happening in the room. 20

21 First Night Welcome Outline 1) Welcome & Introduction of Facilitator(s). Let them know how excited your team is to be there!!! 2) What is Alphawell, Alpha is a practical introduction to the Christian faith. Our course will be running 14 weeks and will cover 15 different topics covering all of the basic questions about Christianity: topics like: Who is Jesus and why did He die? Why and How do we Read the Bible or Pray? Who is the Holy Spirit and What does He do? Does God about Christianity in a non-pressured, friendly atmosphere. No question is too basic, no Alpha was started over 20 years ago at an Anglican church in England, and is run by practically every Christian denomination. Over 7,500 courses are running in the U.S. and over 1,500,000 have been through Alpha so far in our country, over 30,000,000 around the world. Churches started running it in prisons around the world in 1994, and it now runs in prisons in over 40 countries. We like to use an acrostic to explain what Alpha is all about. A-Anyone, from non-christians exploring the faith to seasoned Christians brushing up * can know nothing about Christianity and come away with a competent understanding * in depth enough that you can go through many times and get something different every time! L-Learning and laughter have fun! P-Prison, church, college, nursing home, practically anywhere * pasta, pudding etc. But the important thing is the P-fellowship! H-Helping one another *we are not Bible scholars, we are not here to give all the answers. We are here to learn from you just as much as you are to learn from us. This is about people helping one another to understand A-Ask anything 3) Each night we will spend a little time in fellowship, then listen to a joke for the week. We will then open in prayer, sing a couple of worship songs, then watch a video of Nicky Gumble who is the Vicar at Holy Trinity Brompton in London, the church that started the we will break up into small groups that will stay together for the entire course to discuss what we heard. About mid-way through the course we will have Alpha Saturday which is Many Alpha graduates say that day is their favorite part of the course. 21

22 4) right, by laughing! a. Shark Joke i. We like to tell this joke because some of you might be wondering just what it is that YOU are jumping into here. There pool, and we hope that you will come back next week to see exactly what Alpha is like. 5) However, tonight we are going to do things a little different than the other nights of the course. We are going to watch a couple of short videos. One is a video of Paul Cowley who heads up Prison Alpha in the U.K. and the other is a testimonial of some folks who ught them to this course at this particular time and what you hope to get out of it. 6) Videos 7) Open microphone, testimony if needed a. Have your team interspersed among the guests, so that they can introduce themselves and tell what brought them there, too. 8) Let everyone know you have course manuals for them, and explain how the course manual works, that there are places to take notes and references for them to go back and look up things later if they like. Ask them to please come up and sign up for the course and collect their manual, which they should bring each week. Explain that you will tell them next week which small group they will be in, and encourage them to invite others next week (as long as that is okay with the Chaplain ask ahead of time) 9) Invite them back next week and give them the topic: (Christianity: Boring, Untrue, Irrelevant). 22

23 Prison Ministry Fundamentals Practical Issues Nothing in nothing out Do not give an inmate anything do not take anything from an inmate Do not give out personal information about yourself Do not wear Khaki or Gray. Dress professionally Women dress modestly double check the rules for foot wear, sleeveless, etc. Leave everything in your car except a key and your ID. No cell phones, pagers, palm pilots, etc. Leave it all behind. Lock your car while on the property Always demonstrate courtesy and respect to Prison officials, however, one aspect of the inmate code is not to be too friendly with the officers. In case of Conflict with Correction staff, DO NOT ARGUE, but comply immediately - Regardless of how you interpret any action, you must comply. If you have an issue with how something was handled, you can pursue it later away from the eyes of the inmates Do not get involved in an inmates legal problems - You can be sympathetic and compassionate, but draw the line there. That is not your purpose. Do not reinforce negativity towards the administration - Negativity just reinforces bitterness and lack of forgiveness. - Pray with the inmate about the situation. Use the opportunity their anger and Scriptures (Proverbs 3: 5-6, Romans 8:28, 1Tim 2:22, Matt 5:6) - Remember that there are always two sides to every story. If you feel there is truly an injustice that you must address, bring it up to the Chaplain, but DO NOT let the We cannot be crusaders it will jeopardize our mission and our message Do not make unauthorized public statements regarding inmates to the media or even to your church - Safety of inmates - Sensitivity for victims - Confidentiality Never make public statements regarding transportation of inmates Do not pass anything from one inmate to another, nor carry messages Do not ask inmates about their crimes - It is insensitive and can make an inmate uncomfortable. We are not here to condemn, and if we ask they may wonder at our motives Do not enter into any business dealings or agree to do any favor, no matter how small, 23

24 for an inmate Do not run Be consistent - It shows that they are important to us Be sensitive, honest and genuine in how you treat all inmates - Be prepared! - This communicates respect for the inmate and his/her time, as well as the fact that he/she is worth your best effort Never bad-mouth other groups or their ideas - dividing His body - End on time! UN W RI T T E N C O D E O F E T H I CS some degree. Although any security briefing will tell you that you must report any infraction of prison rules, they are simply discharging their duty. Basically there are two basic criteria that must be met before I will report an incident to the security department. 1. The information must contain a serious security breach (such as escape plans or an impending riot) 2. The information must contain a reasonable certainty that someone is going to be seriously hurt. (If you learn that either an officer or an inmate is in physical danger, you must report it) When sensing that I may become privy to hearing something that could encroach upon one of the two criteria mentioned above, I usually interrupt the inmate at that point in the conversation. I 24

25 long either of those lines, he must not security, and that further I am bound by the Lord to do so as a Christian (Lev. 5:1; James 4:17) A final issue concerning our obligation to the security department deals with the Romans 13 ian and would not venture to play the Holy Spirit in your life regarding it. As you are convinced, so obey. (Romans 14:22-23) The only slant I can give you is that while you are, indeed, under the authority of the prison and its officials, they themselves have decreed that you have entered under the category of religious volunteer. You are expected to carry out the duties that are relevant to your assignment. If a prison hiff of marijuana in the air, then they are already running at less than peak efficiency. Apart from an incident falling within the two major areas I outlined earlier, I have not found it necessary, or prudent, to report much else. In fact, I believe to do so would, in the long run, make it counterproductive to your ministry because the inmates would feel they can no longer confide in you. Most veteran prison administrations would concede that trust between you and the inmates is an integral element of your particular assignment, apart from which you could not function successfully. Navigating the swirling waters between the written and unwritten codes of the prison culture requires wisdom that only the Holy Spirit can provide, so keep your antennae tuned to His frequency. The Christian volunteer should be as wise as a serpent but as innocent as a dove (Matt. 10:16). 25

26 Sensitivity Issues There are many areas where we will have to be sensitive to things that we may not understand or have ever even thought of in our own lives. Please be aware of the following issues: Loneliness - that they broug - Rather than addressing the loneliness directly, point them to the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ for all situations. Turn them to the Word, which has everything they need for life and godliness. Me Against the World - may have a long-standing problem with authority. As a prison volunteer, we must recognize this and study this topic and be prepared to help inmates through it Hopelessness and Fear - Some inmates will never set foot outside of the prison again. Some live in fear because of the dangers of other inmates. Some feel their life has no purpose, that there is nothing left to live for. We want to help them gain eternal perspective and world - Be sensitive that inmates are in the same environment every single day of their sentence, some their lives. Therefore, be sensitive when you come back from an done some other, even ordinary thing that they cannot do. Although many inmates like you to share those things with them because you are sharing yourself, and they like to hear it because it keeps the real world alive to them, be sensitive in your timing. Everything is scrutinized - Inmates see, hear, and scrutinize everything. Be aware of your content. It might make perfect sense in the context of your conversations, but how does it sound to others? Could it be misconstrued? 26

27 W O M E N V O L UN T E E RS in a male prison - We need to be aware that inmates do not see women often. - Dress modestly. - Stay with other members of your group at all times. Do not engage in private discussions. - Do not engage in counseling situations. - Do not hug, shake hands only. We must be very sensitive that no action on our part can be construed as anything other than that of a religious volunteer. 27

28 Is Prison Ministry for You? arenas. You will find yourself on the cutting edge of ministry an Acts 29 sort of adventure. The benefits are many. Your faith will grow. Your knowledge of the Word will increase. Your prayer life will be recharged. You will behold miracles. You will gain new and lasting friendships. You will discover spiritual warfare. You will see the devil unmasked, and he will attempt to unmask you. You will be a weapon in the hands of a holy God against forces of evil. You will be tested, tried, challenged, sneered at, turned away, and rejected but you will remain victorious. You will bear witness to the destruction of lives and families. You will see others snatched hear many a sad and tragic story and stand in the gap as a minister of prayer and a soldier of hope as tears of despair are shed before you. You will witness lives reborn. You will receive blessings and ministry from the very people you came to bless. You will declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light all the while you will count yourself blessed for being a part of it. Date All passages within quotations (unless otherwise specified) in a normal font are taken from Understanding Prison Culture Inside and Out Quoted/Italicized passages are taken from Scripture. 28

29 Part II Small G roup Discussions Guidelines Introduction Session 1 Is There More to Life than This? 1) Warm welcome and thanks for coming back. Are there any new people? a. If new people, review Alpha Acrostic 2) Joke The Christian Bear a. some heir lives. 3) Small group assignments a. Have leader(s) stand while announce their group names i. Remind guests they will stay in these small groups the whole time b. Any new people? Get names, give manuals and assign to groups 4) Explain outline for tonight a. Worship b. Video c. Small groups i. Explain where each group will be meeting after video ii. Briefly touch on ground rules 1. Complete confidentiality (stress this important to inmates) Not only that they must be confidential, but that we will not go back and tell stories to our church, all will be kept within our team 2. Respect one another 3. Explain that their leader will go over these rules again in small group and they can ask any questions 5) Tell them again how to use their manuals. Also tell them they are welcome to bring a Bible if they have one, but that all Bible verses used in videos will be put up on screen 6) After video, remind them where small groups are and tell them the time that you expect to end 7) Remind them that they can still bring guests next week Notes: 29

30 Session 2 Who is Jesus? 1) Warm welcome. Are there any new people? a. If new people, briefly review Alpha Acrostic 2) Joke Flight to Egypt a. culture, most people have heard of the name Jesus, even if they know nothing about Him. Most people have some opinion about Jesus, right or wrong. So who is He? Who do re going to focus on tonight. 3) Explain outline for tonight a. Worship b. Video c. Small Group i. Briefly touch on ground rules again for anyone new ii. Remind people they will be in the same small group as last week 4) After video, remind them of where small groups meet a. Give end time 5) Notes: 30

31 Session 3 Why Did Jesus Die? 1) Welcome 2) Joke Two Thieves a. Many of us have heard how Jesus died, by why did He die? Was it more than just the fact that as humans, we all die? Was there a purpose, and if so, what does that 3) After video a. Invite people to take 4) Notes: 31

32 Session 4 How can I be sure of my faith? 1) Welcome 2) Joke Parting the Red Sea a. In our modern day, there are always things trying to tear down our faith: science, other religions, people, our own observances of the world, the media, the constant distractions of life. With so many things bombarding us, how can we be sure of our faith? Tonight, we will look and why and how we can be sure of what we believe 3) Give date for Holy Spirit Saturday and talk just briefly about why it is so important to come a. Be sensitive to the fact that Saturdays are often visiting days for families. If it is at your prison, acknowledge it and let them know that you understand it might be a sacrifice. However, express how vital you think it is that they try their best to attend, and how much you think they will get out of it b. inistry of the Spirit is crucial to Alpha without it, it would not really be an Alpha Course. We have found that time and again God has honored simple requests for Him to send His Spirit among us. Amazing and profound changes always occur ives as a result. We are continuing to see people give their lives to Christ, to be filled with the Spirit, get excited about Jesus, and bring their friends to Nicky Gumbel 4) After video a. Remind where small group meets b. Thank them for comi Notes: 32

33 Session 5 Why and how do I pray? 1) Welcome 2) Joke Enter Heaven a. speeding Taxi praying for our lives! Or when we need God to get us out of Can there be more to it? Can prayer make a difference in our lives and in our world? 3) Just a quick reminder about Alpha Saturday date. 4) After video: a. Remind them to flip over their bookmark to the Prayer side and briefly touch on ACTS. Tell them small group leaders will demonstrate more fully b. Now is an appropriate time to tell them about their intercessors. Let them know that their small group leaders will tell them their intercessors name and will take prayer requests from them each night to pass along Notes: 33

34 Session 6 Why and how should I read the Bible? 1) Welcome 2) Joke The Deal a. Why do Christians think it is so important to read the Bible? Why do we encourage others to d years? Is it necessary or relevant to my life? Those are some of the things we will 3) Remind of weekend date & express your enthusiasm and sincere desire that all attend. 4) After video a. Show and explain Bible bookmark that small group leaders will later hand out b. Show and briefly discuss different types of Bibles i. KJV, NKJV, NIV, New Living Translation, study Bibles, other ii. Stress the importance is not which version you read, but that you try consistently to make it part of your life everyday iii. Mention 30 Days Book (you may have donated 1 or more to the prison library) Notes: 34

35 Session 7 How does God guide us? 1) Welcome 2) Joke Chapter 11 a. Altho- you do it, what is? Does God guide individuals in their everyday lives? Can God help with lif tonight! 3) Before we get started, we just want to tell you how excited we are about Holy Spirit Saturday this weekend! We hope that you will all be able to attend! a. Give start time and location, as well as when you expect to finish up. 4) After video a. Invite them again to HS Saturday i. Give them start and finish time ii. Let them know that there will be an extended time of worship and quiet prayer, and it might be appropriate for them to bring their Bibles, a journal, or a Christian book that they are reading iii. no rush! iv. ven cookies) really emphasize that, as it something out of the ordinary they will not want to miss v. If your intercessors are badged and are coming in to be part of prayer ministry teams with you, let the guests know that their intercessors are coming and are really looking forward to meeting them!!! Notes: 35

36 Outline and Schedule on the Holy Spirit Saturday Section See page 62 Session 8 Who Is the Holy Spirit? See page (64) Session 9 What Does the Holy Spirit Do? See page (64) Session 10 How Can I Be Filled with the Spirit? See page (64) 36

37 Session 11 How can I resist evil? 1) Welcome 2) Brief thanks for coming to weekend. Let them know how wonderful you thought it was and that you hope they experienced the same 3) Let them know that they are just past the halfway point of the course. Tell them the graduation date and that it will be a celebration with certificates, and special treats (most something nice for graduation. If that is the case, play it up!) 4) Joke Chiefs win Superbowl (or your local team) a. There are all kinds of cute jokes about the Devil, but do they accurately represent him? Is there a devil at all? Is there anything behind the suffering we see in the world or is it just humanity? Those are some of the issues we will be discussing tonight. 5) After video: a. Thank people for coming Notes: 37

38 Session 12 Why and how should I tell others? 1) Welcome 2) Joke The Evangelism Dinner (Or the Christian Barber) a. I think we can all agree that this is not the way to go about telling others about Jesus! But how should we? Is it even necessary for us to talk about our faith at all? What if we get tongue tied every time we even try to share what God has done in our 3) Remind people of date for graduation a. IF your prison is going to allow the guests to invite other guests to the graduation celebration, now is the time to tell them so i. Why would they want to invite? An easy, non pressure way to share Alpha with others, and ultimately to share Jesus with them! 4) After video a. A testimony of a leader in your group who was told about Jesus by someone else is always good here b. they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how -15 c. who have not heard is vital. But, in our western culture, sometimes the danger is not that people have not heard of Jesus. The danger is they think they know ALL about H are absolutely sure they know all they need to know about Jesus and Christians, whom they may think are hypocrites. Some see mainstream Christianity as just another part of the system, trying to control them. Some have gone to church their whole lives. Yet they may have no clue who Jesus really is, or what Christianity is truly about. Some of us, at different points in our lives, may have thought we knew people? Well first, as Nicky says, is prayer. Pray that their eyes be opened, that their hearts be softened. Then, you lead by example, by living out your Christian life in love around them. When they notice the change in you, they may ask what the difference is. Then you need to be prepared to tell them Notes: 38

39 Session 13 Does God heal today? 1) Welcome 2) Joke What should they say? a. free from addictions, burdens, guilt, all sorts of spiritual problems. But does He heal us physically in this life? Can He heal us spiritually? Those are some of the topics under discussion tonight 3) a. Build excitement b. If they are allowed to invite, encourage them to. If the prison will let you pass out invitations, do so 4) After video a. Let them know that you need their names exactly as they would like it printed on their graduation certificates (as you will likely have to bring the certificates in a week early so that they can be properly screened through security). Have small group leaders make a list b. Notes: 39

40 Session 14 What about the church? 1) Welcome 2) Joke Army of the Lord a. We may all know people like this, maybe some of us personally, as in ourselves? Some of us may not have been to church much at all. Does God want us to go to church services? Is it that important? Is church just a building, a service, or is it something more? All this and more coming right up! 3) After video a. graduation certificate. Please let your small group leader know b. If the prison is allowing invited guests and you need counts for food/cake/cookies, you may want to get a final count tonight as well or let them know that they can continue to invite right up until the night. Check with your Chaplain. c. Notes: 40

41 Part III Resources Preparation Meeting Checklist Before Course 1) Send Chaplain schedule and needs list 2) Schedule Holy Spirit Saturday with Prison a. Make sure you and leaders leave the following 2 Saturdays open on your schedules in case of lockdowns 3) Try to find out what facilities / AV / music supplies are available 4) Any mandatory training from Prison 5) Your own Prison Alpha training One week before course 1) Submit Alpha course manuals to prison so they can be put through proper security measures, if needed (varies by prison) 2) Submit donation resources for prison library if able a. Examples: Letters From a Skeptic, 30 days, etc. Between weeks 1) your course intercessor(s) 2) Check to make sure your leaders are contacting their intercessors 3) your team encouragement and any special things they need to take note of, for example: a. Verses to mediate on b. Potential icebreakers for coming week On Session 2 1) Take in need them the next week On Session 4 How Can I Be Sure of My 1) Take in Bible/Prayer bookmarks so that they can be put through security before you need them the next week 2 weeks before Holy Spirit Saturday 1) Distribute Alpha Saturday Devotional guide to leaders/intercessors so that team prayer may be unified in weeks leading up to Holy Spirit Saturday 1-2 weeks before Holy Spirit Saturday 1) Weekend Team Training 2) Double check date with prison. Make sure any necessary paperwork/memos have been submitted On Session 13 Does God Heal TodaySession 14 What about the 1) Get names for certificates as they would like them printed!!! On Last Night 41

42 1) Take in certificates/questions of Life books/ gifts so that they can be put through security before you need them the next week Minimum Supply List Worship 1) You will need to prepare for worship. As many of us do not get to see facilities until our first night in, we come prepared. We use I- They are excellent, display the lyrics on screen, all with a normal DVD player. Other options would be a worship CD and lyrics (either on paper, Power Point, or more likely, transparencies for overheads). You will need to inquire about the facilities your prison has. Do they have instruments? Can you bring in any instruments if you have a worship leader on your team? Do they have an overhead or power point projector? Do they have a CD player? 2) You may find that there is an inmate or group of inmates that would like to help with worship. Evaluate what they have and what they need. You may find yourself providing song lyrics, music, found over the years, our inmates like the DVD best. 3) However, in ALL situations, have a back-up plan. If your inmate worship leader(s) decide not to come one night, you do not want to be caught without worship music. 4) Do NOT be tempted to skip worship. Even if it starts out as a real challenge, we have found it to be vital and extremely fulfilling in the prison setting. Even when we face extreme time constraints, we always do at least 1 song. Audio Visual 1) You will need at minimum a television, VCR, and DVD player. Some prisons will have a projector where you can project your DVD onto a large screen 2) The God Who Changes Lives VHS 3) Breaking the Cycle of Crime VHS 4) Alpha DVD Materials 1) You will need to provide each inmate with a green Alpha manual 2) You will want to provide each participant who attended at least 75% of course a graduation certificate 3) Optional Supply List Materials 1) You can make a donation to the Chapel library of reference materials a. Letters to a Skeptic, 30 Days, Case for Christ, Case for Faith, Searching Issues, etc. 2) 3) Bible/Prayer bookmarks 4) 42