How Can You Get Involved?
There are 2.4 million adult prisoners behind bars. Who will bring them the good news of the Gospel?
If there is a Good News Ministry in your area, there are many ways you can become involved. If there is not, we would be pleased to help you or your church find out more about starting a Good News Ministry in your area.
Involvement takes many forms. One of the easiest ways is to become a Good News Volunteer. You may have time available to teach a Bible Study, or to help the Chaplain with office work, distribute Bibles, or assist in the worship services. But most of all, the Chaplains need a strong group of people who will commit to pray for them each and every day.
Of course, every ministry has financial needs. These are not so different from your own church. We accept no local, state, or federal funds and are supported by churches, individuals, businesses, and foundations that are interested in jail and prison ministry. Because of this, we can preach the Gospel message undiluted and without restriction.
Good News does not seek to take away contributions from the local church; however, we do seek support from churches by asking them to consider Good News as part of the church’s mission or benevolent budget.
Please prayerfully consider what you might do to help support the Good News Ministry in your area. Your support will make a difference that you may never know, in a life that you may never meet.
Good News welcomes you and your Church as a volunteer.
- Pray for Good News Jail & Prison Ministry Chaplains and staff
- Pray for inmates, ex-offenders, victims and the families of both
- Copy and distribute Bible study materials to go to prisons and jails
- Sponsor cost of videophone call from families to inmates; provide meeting space
- Video Sunday worship services with music ministry for rebroadcast to prisoners
- Agree to write letters to inmates
- Collect clothing, hygiene supplies and petty cash allowance for inmates requiring assistance at time of their release
- Invite Chaplain for quarterly visits to your Church
- Financially sponsor a Chaplain or Chaplains
The ministry of Good News is carried on as we place qualified Christian chaplains in correctional facilities. We strive to maintain consistent professionalism and character in the men and women who serve as our chaplains. Candidates for the Good News chaplaincy must therefore meet the following minimum criteria.
- The applicant must be in agreement with the ministry doctrinal statement.
- The applicant must meet the following educational requirements prior to starting the application process:
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited Bible college with a major in Bible or theology; or
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited Christian college or university with a major in Bible or theology; or
- A master’s degree from a regionally accredited seminary
- Degrees must be from an educational institution with a prescribed course of academic study.
- The applicant must be ordained, licensed or commissioned in accordance with the requirement of his or her local church or denomination (prior to his or her hire date).
- The applicant must have six months volunteer ministry experience in a corrections environment prior to starting the application process.
- The applicant must satisfactorily complete the following:
- The application with all supporting documents.
- A pre-employment background check (requires your authorization) including:
- Six reference checks (three professional references and three character references)
- A credit check
- A criminal record check
- Completion of Applied Ministry Responses form
- Completion of online profiles assessment
- A face-to-face interview with a regional director.
- The Chaplaincy Training Class.
- The candidate must be extended an official letter offering him or her a position as a chaplain with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry.
Note: An ex-offender must have a clean record for at least one year. Following that year, the applicant must have at least one year of experience working as a ministry volunteer in a corrections environment prior to starting the application process. (Many facilities would require a waiting period of one year before they would consider allowing an ex-offender back in a correctional facility. The waiting period varies from state to state.)
Good News Is Well Known among Corrections Professionals
From our inception in 1961, Good News has worked diligently at being known as a highly reliable source of Chaplains for correctional facilities across the nation. Because we have exacted the highest standards from our Chaplains and adhere to biblical principles, we are highly regarded by the correctional community.
Good News regularly receives requests for new ministries from correctional facilities across the United States. We are the largest civilian supplier of full-time Bible-believing, Bible-teaching Chaplains in the United States.
What Does a Good News Chaplaincy Require From the Facility?
Very little is required to have a full-time Good News Chaplaincy established in your facility. We ask the facility to provide an office for the Chaplain within the secured area if at all possible, to facilitate the Chaplain’s ministry. The Chaplain’s office should have basic equipment such as a desk, chair, filing cabinet, and a telephone with access to long distance service. Many facilities also tie the Chaplain into the internal computer network to facilitate reporting. The office should be large enough to provide for storage of ministry support materials such as literature, Bible study materials, etc., or a place to store such material should be made available for the Chaplain’s use. The office should also be large enough to allow a meeting between Chaplain and inmates for counseling purposes as needed.
The Chaplain needs to be established as a member of the staff so that he/she may minister freely within the entire facility. This also enables him/her to become a valued and respected part of the correctional team.
How Can Your Facility Establish A Good News Chaplaincy?
For 45+ years, it has been an honor to work with many of the finest correctional facilities in the country and it would be a privilege to work with yours. Having done this for so many years, we recognize that every correctional facility is unique unto itself. Every Good News Chaplaincy is tailored to meet the specific needs of the facility in which he/she will serve. We would welcome the opportunity to talk to you personally about a Good News Chaplaincy for your facility.
Should that be a possibility, please contact us at 1-800-220-2202.