2024 Prison Ministry Report

Update for year, 2024

Correspondence

In 2024 we have increased the number of correspondence students by 600, bringing us to over 1800 Bible students on our rolls.

We have increased the number of courses we offer to 44, 14 New Life Behavior courses, 14 Bible courses by Jim Pinkston, 6 Bible courses by Carolyn Kusler, 2 Bible courses by Jody, 5 Kings Crossing Ministries mini-courses and are now offering three Sunset International Bible Courses. SIBI gave us permission to offer these courses as correspondence courses as well as the certification program for the inside.

We purchased five courses from Kings Crossing in Corpus Christi. They are mini-courses and save us overall about $2.00 per course mailed due to being smaller in size and weight.

Last year the volunteer graders (approximately 20) graded over 55,000 lessons, and that has increased by approximately 10,000 which breaks down to grading around 1,200 lessons per week … that is lessons, not courses. We count this by lessons because the number of lessons for the courses varies from 5 to 24 with the average being 13.

Jody spends at least 40 – 50 hours a week working on the correspondence side of the ministry, which I think probably is the backbone of the ministry.

She examines the history of each student in order to customize a training program that best suits their needs.  For instance, through her studies she determined that women incarcerated for child abuse will take our first course on a “sense of self” but if we send them the second or third courses concerning family and parenting, they drop out at a high percentage rate. So, she sends them the first course, then skips to the 4th course, and other New Life Behavior courses, then sends the Forgiveness course which she wrote that has a huge and positive effect on these ladies… and eventually they will take the courses on family and parenting.

When we send lessons, Jody has written several encouraging notes to accompany certain lessons, and certain students… it all depends on their age, how long their sentence, and what they are incarcerated for.

Along with our lessons we send a form for them to recommend new students, and a form for signing up for World Bible School, which we turn over to Pete and Mandy Shaw… and I believe this has turned into a very successful ministry as well.

Family Engagement

Family Outreach

We started a family engagement project a couple of years ago, in which we invite inmates to share their family information so we can reach out to them… and this has had some success as well. I believe our volunteers in that program have reached out to over a hundred families on behalf of the prisoners. The volunteers who are contacting these people include Ken Wiley, Ray Vaughn, Pam Sterit and Janet Swopes from the Okmulgee congregation, and Gerry and Lorna Nichols.

Clark Lineback has also been involved in this ministry as well, offering help when appropriate for those in need… of groceries, and in a couple of cases, rent, utilities, and car payments.

Caroline Kusner who is a former police lady, and Tim Lynn, former Secret Service and law enforcement have taken on the challenge of analyzing and verifying the needs.

Due to being badged, we cannot have direct contact with the families of inmates, so we stay behind the scenes coordinating and keeping track of volunteers and families. Our goal in this ministry is to help keep families together and encourage them to find a congregation to join if they are not in our area, as we have reached out to churches in several cities and states.

Jerry Way in the Edmond congregation’s prison ministry has joined us in this effort a number of times, and he also supplied us with a list of “felony friendly churches”, as he calls them, in the OKC area.

Family Engagement Worship Service

Last year we experimented with having a special worship service for families of inmates, and those involved in the Prison Ministry.

We had limited success but will continue in September.

My intention is to have one of the young preachers offer the lesson… this gives them a chance to preach, and gives a little variety to the service…. Kevin McKee was our last preacher before we broke for the summer and is going to be our first preacher as we restart for the fall.

The initial idea was to try to create a place where families of inmates, and former inmates could feel welcome.

Aftercare

Jody also started what she refers to as the “After Care” program… designed to reach out to and stay in contact with inmates after they are released. Thanks to the Vine organization, they keep us informed about who is being released or transferred, so we can keep in contact. Once we learn that a student is about to be released, Jody sends them a contact letter encouraging them to stay in touch with us and refers them to a church in their area.

As volunteers who go into prisons, we are not supposed to have contact with released prisoner for 6 months, so I have talked to Jack Robbins and Scott Kamp from Hope City to help us in this area as volunteers and they are both on board.

We need a lady or two to help in this area as well, we prefer men reach out to men, and women to women in this ministry and the family outreach program as well. In addition, we prefer young children being reached out to by women, and in a few cases, we turned them over to ladies in the children’s ministry.

In conjunction with this arm of the ministry we would like to help develop a jobs program for the recently released.  Tim Lynn has experience in this area.

When prisoners are released on parole, if they do not have family to help them, they are often back inside in a short time… they immediately have to report to a parole officer, start paying fees and fines, find a place to live, and fine employment.  Unless they receive help in a hurry, we all know what this usually leads to… the only way they have to survive is to return to a life of crime.

Prison Re-entry Program

Hope City

As you know is managed by Marc Clayton who is doing an excellent job in maintaining the facility in every way possible.

John 3:16

Ray Vaughn is very active in this program and gives those recently released inmates another opportunity for a place to stay and grow.

Inside Prison Ministry

Sunset International Bible Institute Certification Program

 

We now have three classes for Sunset being conducted at Dick Conners, two on Monday morning, and one on Monday afternoon.  Reggie Wilson, one of the Chapel Orderlies, is helping with one of the classes on Monday morning. The Park sponsored him for a master’s degree in Bible studies, which he is very close to completing

My goal is to get as many inmate students, depending on their level of commitment to the course, to become “teachers” as well.

 

 

 

Tuesday Evening Services / Medium Side

Brad Jensen, a member of St James non-denominational church, heard about our ministry and contacted me.  I invited him to come to our grading on Thursdays, and he began to come regularly.  He will be joining us at Dick Conner as a volunteer and after visiting the Park is considering becoming a member here. Tim Lynn has been joining me & Elaine on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays for our services on the medium side of DCCC.  Mrs. Johnnie West from the Okmulgee Church (her husband is the minister) joins us on the 1st Tuesday.

Sunday Evening Services / Minimum Side

Jim Pinkston oversees the Sunday evening worship service on the minimum side on three Sunday nights a month. Volunteers include Elaine Russell, Joan Pitts, Rafael Verona (who may be moving back to California), John Wesler, who is involved in a prison ministry in Texas, but comes to Tulsa two weeks out of the month, and Shelby Reiter will be attending.

In total we have nine badged volunteers, in addition to Jody and me.

Jody and I also drive to Eddie Warriors Correctional Center in Taft every Friday morning to deliver courses in person…. We normally have a minimum of 50 courses to deliver and considering the cost of postage this saves around $200 a week in postage costs.

The Park Prison Ministry Website

Created approximately 10 years ago to share Apologetics lessons, letters and articles, and sermons by inmates, sermons by Jim Pinkston and others.

We are also slowly adding videos covering the various courses we offer so family members who also want to take the courses can listen to them on line, or download a copy and complete the lessons and send them in… this is to save on postage, rather than mailing courses to family members, they can merely download them from the site.

This also where we maintain our database.

David L Moss County Jail

Jim Pinkston, Francisco, Ray & Suzanne Vaugn, Brad Jensen (will soon join them) Elaine Russell, and Theresa Hawkins go into the Tulsa County jail for the quarterly baptisms, and Francisco and Ray are Assistant Chaplains in the jail and are allowed to teach classes.

Elaine and Theresa teach Bible courses for the ladies.

The jail is still locked down for ministries to visit and teach, but that should soon change, and when it does, I will be going in one day a week to teach a baptism course, and the steps to salvation courses. This will ensure these people know why they are being baptized. Since Covid, Jim and the others who baptize only have a few minutes to teach them before baptizing them.  Jim Pinkston will be going in one or two days a week as he has time to teach Bible courses.

Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

Every year we plan to have a special dinner for our volunteers in order to demonstrate our appreciation for all they do, and all they give.

Future….

I am hoping to find someone who can take over the Sunset Classes or at least fill in for me when I can’t be there for one reason or another.

Angel Tree… on the inside…

I was asked to “play Santa” this year for the Dick Conner dads and their children… this apparently isn’t going to work out this year, however I think this is an excellent idea. One of our main goals is to keep families together… and back on the right track, leading to eternal life in Heaven.

So, I will be reaching out to the inside Angel Tree people this year, and those who manage the inside dad’s program in an attempt to bring Christmas to the inside, so incarcerated Moms and Dads can have Christmas with their children.

As you know, the Park has committed their Christmas project to focus on Angel Tree… these children are so important because they are at the highest risk of following their parents into their life style.

 Prayer Requests

  1. We have prayer requests for the inmates, for their safety, for their growth in their faith, and for their families.
  2. We also request prayers for the volunteers, that they will remain strong, and have patience… especially when the grading which can be tedious at times.
  3. Prayer requests also for the growth and success of the prison ministry.

 



In-Justice By Andrew Williams

In-Justice

 

When you hear the word injustice, what comes to mind? Maybe, it is one of two words: wrong or unfair. And to be honest that would be the correct view… Injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one’s rights. It is unfair when an employee is mistreated at work, or when a child is being robbed of their youth. Injustice even shows up when a person is denied or withheld the right to change. You may be wondering why I put a dash between in-justice. The answer is this: as you learn to walk in justice you begin to bridge the gap between those who have been hurt and those who want to help the hurting. It has been said that hurt people, hurt people. But we have a choice to break that way of thinking if we choose to do so. I am currently speaking as an inmate in the “Department of Corrections: more like the “Department of Corruption”. Those who are in leadership positions need to be led in order to know how to lead. Prison is not supposed to be a place that they stack bodies, and call it being corrected: That is actually inhumane. We are supposed to be taught discipline and values of good citizenship. It is unfair to the taxpayer whose taxes are used to fund the housing of inmates. Being wasted, but also to the inmates who are being denied the help that they need. There is a fact of equality that everyone seems to forget about: everyone has a voice, and that fact needs to be recognized. When I came to prison I lost some rights, no doubt; bit I did not lose the right to become a better person or the right help others become better themselves… If we, as humanity, do not get on the same page a lot of people will suffer due to poor leadership. I have a question for you. Do you want to see the world and the people in it change? Then become a better person yourself. We need to stop being a part of the problem and become a solution to the problem.  Freedom is a state of mind. I am only bringing awareness that we all need change in our lives. If we really want to see change. The Department of Corrections creed is “We change lives”, The question is are they being changed for the better or the worse?

 

A LEADER MUST GIVE UP IN ORDER TO GO UP. ARE YOU GOING TO BE THAT LEADER?

 

WHAT MEN GO GHROUGH

I want you to think about what you have gone through as a man. Maybe it is abandonment, fear or some other feeling or emotion that you have picked up along the way. However, that is not the real you. Please, do not let the separation from your family be the cause of you becoming a product of your environment. Rise above the label and chains that have been placed on you and live free. Choosing to be different is your choice and it’s one that we all need to consider. Your experience has made you stronger.



Respect by Andrew Williams

Respect

The word respect is often used, but very rarely honored. What do I mean you may ask? The society we live in says, “Respect me and my wishes”, however, many times respect seems to be only a one way street.

That understanding, clearly, goes against the order in which we were created to follow. Becoming a person others want to respect brings the understanding that respect is earned and given. If you want others to respect you, then become a respectable person. I would like to ask a question, who should be respected more, the person who goes to work 8-5 every day, or the inmate who dedicates his time rehabilitating his life every day?

What if I told you that they both had struggles in life, would your view change? The problem is we want change, but we do not want to be part of that change. That is selfish and unfruitful. Remember if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re possibly part of the problem.

When a community comes together, they get stronger. When a Nation comes together, they become wiser. As John C. Maxwell says: “people naturally follow leaders stronger then themselves.” To lead requires a certain level of respect.

You will not get very far demanding something that you, yourself refuse to give. For once listen to the screams for justice… they are in the streets. They’re in the Governmental offices. They are even in the prison system. If you listen to the whispers, you will not have to listen to the screams. You do not have to remain silent, but if you choose to, then God will use somebody else.

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO ANY PLACE WORTH GOING… BEVERLY SILLS

RISE UP…NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND BE THE PERSON THAT WE ARE CREATED TO BE. WHEN YOU STAND IN SILENCE, YOU ARE NOT USING YOUR VOICE THAT COULD HELP CHANGE THE WORLD. ONE PERSON AT A TIME, ONE MOMENT AT A TIME, RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHAT IS BETTER THAN A VOICE? A BODY DEDICATED TO ACTION. YOU HAVE A CHOICE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE, EITHER HELP CREATE CHANGE, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET OTHERS CREATE CHANGE. TO STAND BY AND WATCH WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING IS TOTALLY WRONG. BE A CHANGE AGENT TODAY.



1050 Commands of Christ in the New Testament.

1050 NT commands Page 1

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2.  1,050 New Testament Commands

There are 1,050 commands in the New Testament for Christians to obey. Due to repetitions

we can classify them under about 800 headings. They cover every phase of man’s life in his

relationship to God and his fellowmen, now and hereafter. If obeyed, they will bring rich

rewards here and forever; if disobeyed, they will bring condemnation and eternal punishment.

A.   Seven “Abstains” – Abstain From:

  1. Idols (ACTS 15:20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from [a]sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood)

Fornication ([ACTS 15:20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from [a]sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood] [,29 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from [a]sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.] ; [1.THESS 4:2-3for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality];)

  1. Strangled meats (ACTS 15:20)
    1. Eating blood (ACTS 15:20)
    2. Meats offered to idols (ACTS 15:29)
  2. All appearance of evil (1.THESS 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil. )
  3. Fleshly lusts (1.PET 2:11Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, )

B.    Seven things to avoid:

  1. Troublemakers (ROM 16:17)
  2. Profane and vain babblings (1.TIM 6:20)
  3. False science (1.TIM 6:20)
  4. Unlearned questions (2.TIM 2:23)
  5. Foolish questions (TIT 3:9)
  6. Genealogies (TIT 3:9)
  7. Arguments about the law (TIT 3:9)

C.    Three “Asks”:

  1. Ask and ye shall receive (MATT 7:7)
  2. Ask no return of goods (LK 6:30)
  3. Ask life for backsliders (1.JN 5:16)

D.   Two things to awake to:

  1. Awake to righteousness (1.COR 15:34)
  2. Awake to life (EPH 5:14)

E.    Seventy-four “Be’s”:

  1. Be exceeding glad (MATT 5:12)
  2. Be reconciled to a brother (MATT 5:24)
  3. Be perfect (MATT 5:48; 2.COR 13:11)
  4. Be wise as serpents (MATT 10:16)
  5. Be harmless as doves (MATT 10:16)
  6. Be ready for Christ’s coming (MATT 24:44; LK 12:40)
  7. Be content with your wages (LK 3:14)
  8. Be merciful as God (LK 6:36)
  9. Be like faithful servants (LK 12:36)
  10. Be thankful (COL 3:15)
  11. Be at peace among selves (1.THESS 5:13)
  12. Be patient toward all people (1.THESS 5:14; 2.TIM 2:24)
  13. Be no partaker of sin (1.TIM 5:22)
  14. Be sober and hope (1.PET 1:13)
  15. Be sober and pray (1.PET 4:7)
  16. Be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, charity, and patience (aged men, TIT 2:2)
  17. Be sober, love husbands and children (young women, TIT 2:4)
  18. Be sober minded (young men, TIT 2:6)
  19. Be in behaviour as becoming to saints (aged women, TIT 2:3)
  20. Be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient (young women, TIT 2:5)
  21. Be ready to give an answer of the hope that is in you (1.PET 3:15)
  22. Be of good cheer (JN 16:33)
  23. Be baptized (ACTS 2:38)
  24. Be converted (ACTS 3:19)
  25. Be transformed (ROM 12:2)
  26. Be kind of brotherly love one to another (ROM 12:10; EPH 4:32)
  27. Be fervent in spirit (ROM 12:11)
  28. Be patient in tribulation (ROM 12:12)
  29. Be given to hospitality (ROM 12:13)
  30. Be afraid, if lawless (ROM 13:4)
  31. Be no idolater (1.COR 10:7)
  32. Be followers of Paul as he followed Christ (1.COR 11:1; PHIL 3:17)
  33. Be followers of God (EPH 5:1)
  34. Be followers of the faithful and patient (HEB 6:12)
  35. Be not children in understanding (1.COR 14:20)
  36. Be men in understanding (1.COR 14:20)
  37. Be steadfast (1.COR 15:58)
  38. Be unmoveable (1.COR 15:58)
  39. Be always abounding in God’s work (1.COR 15:58)
  40. Be strong in the Lord (1.COR 16:13; EPH 6:10; 2.TIM 2:1)
  41. Be of good comfort (2.COR 13:11)
  42. Be of one mind (ROM 12:16; 2.COR 13:11; PHIL 2:2; 1.PET 3:8)
  43. Be separate from the unclean (2.COR 6:17)
  44. Be renewed in spirit (EPH 4:23)
  45. Be angry and sin not (EPH 4:26)
  46. Be tender-hearted one to another (EPH 4:32)
  47. Be filled with the Spirit (EPH 5:18)
  48. Be likeminded (PHIL 2:2)
  49. Be one of accord (PHIL 2:2)
  50. Be anxious for nothing (PHIL 4:6)
  51. Be an example to believers in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity (1.TIM 4:12)
  52. Be a partaker of Christian sufferings (2.TIM 1:8; cp. 1.PET 4:1)
  53. Be gentle to all people (2.TIM 2:24)
  54. Be apt to teach (2.TIM 2:24)
  55. Be instant in season, out of season (2.TIM 4:2)
  56. Be careful to maintain good works (TIT 3:8,14; cp. MATT 5:16)
  57. Be content with what you have (HEB 13:5)
  58. Be doers of the Word (JAS 1:22)
  59. Be afflicted and mourn (JAS 4:9)
  60. Be patient till Christ comes (JAS 5:7-8)
  61. Be holy in conversation (behaviour) (1.PET 1:15-16)
  62. Be pitiful (1.PET 3:8)
  63. Be courteous (1.PET 3:8)
  64. Be examples of the flock of God, not lord over it (1.PET 5:3)
  65. Be subject one to another (1.PET 5:5)
  66. Be clothed with humility (1.PET 5:5)
  67. Be sober (1.PET 5:8)
  68. Be vigilant (1.PET 5:8)
  69. Be mindful of prophecies and commandments (2.PET 3:2)
  70. Be diligent to be found in peace (2.PET 3:14)
  71. Be diligent to be without spot, and blameless (2.PET 3:14)
  72. Be faithful to death (REV 2:10)
  73. Be watchful, strengthen self (REV 3:2)
  74. Be zealous and repent (REV 3:19)

F.     Thirty “Be Not’s”:

  1. Be not like the hypocrites in prayer (MATT 6:5)
  2. Be not like the heathen in prayer (MATT 6:8)
  3. Be not as hypocrites in fasting (MATT 6:16)
  4. Be not called “Rabbi” (MATT 23:8)
  5. Be not called “Master” (MATT 23:9)
  6. Be not afraid of man (LK 12:4)
  7. Be not of doubtful mind (LK 12:29)
  8. Be not many teachers (JAS 3:1)
  9. Be not afraid of terror (1.PET 3:14)
  10. Be not troubled (1.PET 3:14)
  11. Be not ignorant of time with God (2.PET 3:8; cp. ISA 57:15)
  12. Be not deceived: 10 classes not to inherit the kingdom (1.COR 6:9-10)
  13. Be not conformed to world (ROM 12:2)
  14. Be not slothful in business (ROM 12:11)
  15. Be not conceited (ROM 12:16)
  16. Be not overcome of evil (ROM 12:21)
  17. Be not mere servants of men (1.COR 7:23)
  18. Be not children in understanding (1.COR 14:20)
  19. Be not deceived by evil companions (1.COR 15:33)
  20. Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2.COR 6:14-15)
  21. Be not entangled again with keeping the law (GAL 5:1. See ‘Eighty-five Old and New Covenant Contrasts’)
  22. Be not deceived: man will reap what he sows (GAL 6:7-8)
  23. Be not partakers with sinners (EPH 5:7)
  24. Be not unwise about God’s will (EPH 5:17)
  25. Be not drunk with wine (EPH 5:18)
  26. Be not weary in well doing (2.THESS 3:13)
  27. Be not ashamed of God (2.TIM 1:8)
  28. Be not slothful (HEB 6:12)
  29. Be not forgetful of strangers (HEB 13:2)
  30. Be not carried about with different strange doctrines (HEB 13:9)

G.   Fourteen “Barware’s”:

  1. Beware of false prophets (MATT 7:15)
  2. Beware of people (MATT 10:17)
  3. Beware of leaven (doctrine) of Pharisees (MATT 16:6-12)
  4. Beware of leaven (doctrine) of Herod (MK 8:15)
  5. Beware of hypocrisy (LK 12:1)
  6. Beware of covetousness (LK 12:15)
  7. Beware of scribes (MK 12:38; LK 20:46)
  8. Beware of lest you despise God and perish (ACTS 13:40-41)
  9. Beware of dogs (false teachers, PHIL 3:2; ISA 56:10)
  10. Beware of evil workers (PHIL 3:2)
  11. Beware of the concision (Jews, PHIL 3:2)
  12. Beware of being spoiled through philosophy (COL 2:8)
  13. Beware of being spoiled through vain deceit (COL 2:8)
  14. Beware of backsliding (2.PET 3:17)

H.   Four things to believe:

  1. The gospel (MK 1:15)
  2. God’s existence (HEB 11:6)
  3. On Jesus Christ (1.JN 3:23)
  4. God rewards diligent seeking (HEB 11:6)

I.       One thing not to believe:

  1. Believe not every spirit (1.JN 4:1)

J.      Two classes to bless:

  1. Those who curse you (MATT 5:44; LK 6:28)
  2. Persecutors (ROM 12:14)

K.   Three things to cast out or away:

  1. The beam out of own eyes (MATT 7:5; LK 6:42)
  2. Devils (MATT 10:8)
  3. All your cares upon God (1.PET 5:7)

L.    Two classes to comfort:

  1. One another-fellow Christians (1.THESS 4:18; 1.THESS 5:11)
  2. The feeble-minded (1.THESS 5:14)

M.  Six classes to honour:

  1. Fathers (MATT 19:19; MK 10:19; LK 18:20; EPH 6:2)
  2. Mothers (MATT 19:19; MK 10:19; LK 18:20; EPH 6:2)
  3. Others (ROM 12:10)
  4. Widows indeed (1.TIM 5:3)
  5. All people (1.PET 2:17)
  6. Kings – rulers (1.PET 2:17)

N.   Five things to charge:

  1. Men to be blameless (1.TIM 5:7)
  2. The rich to be humble (1.TIM 6:17)
  3. The rich to trust in God (1.TIM 6:17)
  4. The rich to do good works (1.TIM 6:18)
  5. The rich to lay hold on eternal life (1.TIM 6:19)

O.   Five things to consider:

  1. The ravens (LK 12:24)
  2. The lilies (LK 12:27-28)
  3. Truth (2.TIM 2:7)
  4. That you are capable of falling (GAL 6:1)
  5. Christ (HEB 3:1; HEB 12:3)

P.     Three things to continue in:

  1. Love (JN 15:9)
  2. Prayer (ROM 12:12; COL 4:2)
  3. Truth (2.TIM 3:14)

 

Q.   Two things to covet:

  1. The best gifts (1.COR 12:31)
  2. To prophesy (1.COR 14:39); cp.

 

things not to covet

(EX 20:17; DEUT 5:21)

R.    One thing not to cast away:

  1. Your confidence in God (HEB 10:35)

S.     Two things to endure:

  1. Hardness (2.TIM 2:3)
  2. Sufferings (2.TIM 4:5)

T.    Whom to fear:

  1. God (MATT 10:28; LK 12:5; 1.PET 2:17; REV 14:7)

Three things not to fear:

 

  1. Man (MATT 10:28; LK 12:5)
  2. Persecutors (MATT 10:26)
  3. No lack of provision (MATT 10:31; MK 6:8-9; LK 12:7)

U.   Five things to feed:

  1. Enemies (ROM 12:20)
  2. Lambs (JN 21:15)
  3. Sheep (JN 21:16,17)
  4. Flock of God (1.PET 5:2)
  5. The church (ACTS 20:28)

V.   Four things to flee from:

  1. Fornication (1.COR 6:18)
  2. Idolatry (1.COR 10:14)
  3. Hurtful lusts (1.TIM 6:9-11)
  4. Youthful lusts (2.TIM 2:22)

W. Ten “Do’s”:

  1. Do good to them that hate you (MATT 5:44; LK 6:27)
  2. Do to others what you expect of them (MATT 7:12; LK 6:31)
  3. Do violence to no man (LK 3:14)
  4. Do good (LK 6:35; ROM 13:3)
  5. Do this (put God first) and live (LK 10:28)
  6. Do all to God’s glory (1.COR 10:31; COL 3:17,23)
  7. Do all things without murmuring and disputing (PHIL 2:14)
  8. Do those things, which were seen and heard in me (Paul, PHIL 4:9)
  9. Do your own business (1.THESS 4:11)
  10. Do the work of an evangelist (2.TIM 4:5)

X.   Ten “Do Not’s”:

  1. Do not alms before people (MATT 6:1)
  2. Do not sound trumpet before you when giving alms (MATT 6:2)
  3. Do not do works of Pharisees (MATT 23:3-33)
  4. Do not love in word only (1.JN 3:18)
  5. Do not give heed to fables (1.TIM 1:4)
  6. Do not give heed to genealogies (1.TIM 1:4)
  7. Do not err (JAS 1:16)
  8. Do not commit adultery (JAS 2:11)
  9. Do not kill (JAS 2:11)
  10. Do not fashion self according to former lusts (1.PET 1:14)

Y.   Ten things to follow:

  1. Christ (MATT 4:19; MATT 8:22; MATT 16:24; MK 8:34; MK 10:21; LK 9:23; JN 21:19)
  2. Love (1.COR 14:1; 1.TIM 6:11; 2.TIM 2:22)
  3. Good (1.THESS 5:15; 3.JN 1:11)
  4. Righteousness (1.TIM 6:11; 2.TIM 2:22)
  5. Godliness (1.TIM 6:11)
  6. Faith (1.TIM 6:11; 2.TIM 2:22)
  7. Patience (1.TIM 6:11)
  8. Meekness (1.TIM 6:11)
  9. Peace (2.TIM 2:22; HEB 12:14)
  10. Holiness (HEB 12:14)

Z.    Seven things about giving:

  1. Commanded: give (LK 6:38)
  2. Whom to give to: Him that asks (MATT 5:42; LK 6:30)
  3. Needy saints (ROM 12:13)
  4. God (COL 3:17; REV 14:7)
  5. Whom not to give to:
  6. Give not holy things to rebels (MATT 7:6)
  7. Give no place to Satan (EPH 4:27)

AA.                    What to give:

  1. Holy things (MATT 7:6; MATT 10:8)
  2. Give thanks (EPH 5:20; PHIL 4:6; COL 3:17; 1.THESS 5:18)
  3. Give time to reading, exhortation,
  4. doctrine (1.TIM 4:13)
  5. Give self wholly (1.TIM 4:15)
  6. Give glory to God (REV 14:7)

 

What not to give:

 

  1. Give no offence (1.COR 10:32)
  2. Give no heed of fables and commandments of human beings (TIT 1:14)

 

BB.                     How to give:

 

  1. Freely (MATT 10:8; 2.COR 9:6)
  2. Good measure (LK 6:38)
  3. As God has prospered (1.COR 16:2)
  4. Willingly (2.COR 8:12)
  5. With purpose (2.COR 9:7)
  7. Cheerfully (2.COR 9:7)

CC.                     Blessings promised for giving:

 

  1. Returns on the basis of giving (LK 6:38; 2.COR 9:6)
  2. Reward (MATT 10:42)
  3. All grace abounding (2.COR 9:8)
  4. All sufficiency (2.COR 9:8)
  5. Eternal righteousness (2.COR 9:9)
  6. Increased fruits (2.COR 9:10)
  7. Enrichment in all things (2.COR 9:11)

DD.                    Six things to lay aside:

  1. Wickedness (JAS 1:21)
  2. All malice (1.PET 2:1)
  3. All guile (1.PET 2:1)
  4. All hypocrisies (1.PET 2:1)
  5. All envies (1.PET 2:1)
  6. All evil speakings (1.PET 2:1)

EE.                       Seven things to keep:

  1. Keep commandments (MATT 19:17; JN 14:15)
  2. Keep no company with the 6 classes of professed Christians of 1.COR 5:11
  3. Keep yourself pure (1.TIM 5:22)
  4. Keep the gospel commandments until Christ comes (1.TIM 6:14)
  5. Keep the good entrusted you (2.TIM 1:14)
  6. Keep yourself from idols (1.JN 5:21)
  7. Keep yourself in God’s love (JUDE 1:21)

FF.                        Five “Go’s”:

  1. Go two miles (MATT 5:41)
  2. Go teach (MATT 28:19-20)
  3. Go preach (MK 16:15)
  4. Go not from house to house (LK 10:7)
  5. Go and do likewise (LK 10:37)

GG.                    Seven “Have’s”:

  1. Have faith (MK 11:22; ROM 14:22-23)
  2. Have no fellowship with darkness (EPH 5:11)
  3. Have no respect of persons (1.TIM 5:21; JAS 2:1-10)
  4. Have honest conversation (1.PET 2:12)
  5. Have compassion (1.PET 3:8; JUDE 1:22)
  6. Have a good conscience (1.PET 3:16)
  7. Have fervent love (1.PET 4:8)

Fourteen “Hold’s”:

  1. Hold forth Word of life (PHIL 2:16)
  2. Hold fast to the good (1.THESS 5:21)
  3. Hold Christian traditions (1.TIM 1:19; 1.TIM 3:9)
  4. Hold faith (1.TIM 1:19)
  5. Hold a good conscience (1.TIM 1:19)
  6. Hold fast sound doctrine (2.TIM 1:13)
  7. Hold fast till Christ comes (REV 2:25)
  8. Hold fast what you have (REV 3:11)
  9. Hold your crown (REV 3:11)
  10. Hold reputation of ministers (PHIL 2:29)
  11. Hold eternal life (1.TIM 6:12,19)
  12. Hold hope (HEB 6:18)
  13. Hold confidence (HEB 3:6,14)
  14. Hold what is heard and received (REV 3:3)

 

HH.                    One Hundred “Let’s”:

  1. Let your light shine (MATT 5:16; LK 12:35)
  2. Let your conversation be yea, nay (MATT 5:37; JAS 5:12)
  3. Let your enemy have your cloak (MATT 5:40; LK 6:29)
  4. Let blind leaders alone (MATT 15:14)
  5. Let everyone deny themselves (MATT 16:24; MK 8:34; LK 9:23)
  6. Let him take up cross (MATT 16:24; MK 8:34; MK 10:21; LK 9:23)
  7. Let him hear (MK 4:23; LK 14:35)
  8. Let him share with the needy (LK 3:11)
  9. Let your loins be girded (LK 12:35)
  10. Let everyone take your purse and script (LK 22:36)
  11. Let him sell his garment, buy sword (LK 22:36)
  12. Let your love be genuine (ROM 12:9)
  13. Let everyone obey the civil laws (ROM 13:1)
  14. Let everyone choose his own sabbath day (ROM 14:5-7; COL 2:14-17)
  15. Let everyone take heed how he builds upon Christ (1.COR 3:10)
  16. Let no man deceive himself (1.COR 3:18)
  17. Let every man have his own wife (1.COR 7:2)
  18. Let every woman her own husband (1.COR 7:2)
  19. Let spouses satisfy each other in sexual relations (1.COR 7:4-5)
  20. Let them who cannot restrain marry (1.COR 7:9)
  21. Let husbands and wives remain unmarried if they separate or, be reconciled (1.COR 7:11)
  22. Let the unbelieving ones depart who refuse to remain (1.COR 7:15)
  23. Let every man abide in his calling (1.COR 7:17-24)
  24. Let no one seek to erase circumcision (1.COR 7:18)
  25. Let no one be circumcised (as a religious rite, 1.COR 7:18)
  26. Let a father give his daughter in marriage if she desires it (1.COR 7:36-38)
  27. Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1.COR 10:12)
  28. Let no man seek wealth selfishly (1.COR 10:24)
  29. Let the woman cut her hair if her head is uncovered (1.COR 11:6)
  30. Let the woman wear a covering if cutting and shaving the hair be a shame (1.COR 11:6)
  31. Let everyone examine self when taking the Lord’s Supper (1.COR 11:28)
  32. Let the hungry eat at home, not at the Lord’s Supper (1.COR 11:34)
  33. Let the speaker in tongues pray for the interpretation (1.COR 14:13)
  34. Let all things be done to edifying (1.COR 14:26)
  35. Let no more than 3 messages in tongues be given in one service (1.COR 14:27)
  36. Let one interpret (1.COR 14:27)
  37. Let the mind of Christ be in you (PHIL 2:5)
  38. Let your moderation be known (PHIL 4:5)
  39. Let your requests be known to God (PHIL 4:6)
  40. Let no one judge you with regard to meats, drinks, holy days, new moons, and sabbath days (COL 2:14-17; ROM 14:5-7)
  41. Let no one rob you of your reward by some vain religion (COL 2:18)
  42. Let peace rule the heart (COL 3:15)
  43. Let the Word dwell in you (COL 3:16)
  44. Let speech be with grace (COL 4:6)
  45. Let no one deceive you about the day of Christ being at hand (2.THESS 2:3)
  46. Let no man despise youth (1.TIM 4:12)
  47. Let the speaker in tongues keep silent in church speaking to himself and God if no interpreter present (1.COR 14:28)
  48. Let the prophets speak two or three messages and let others judge (1.COR 14:29)
  49. Let times be shared in revelation (1.COR 14:30)
  50. Let women learn quietly in church or at home (1.COR 14:34-35; 1.TIM 2:11)
  51. Let everyone acknowledge regulation of spiritual gifts to be commandments of God (1.COR 14:37)
  52. Let rebels to truth remain ignorant (1.COR 14:38)
  53. Let all things be done in decent order (1.COR 16:2)
  54. Let everyone give as God prospers (1.COR 16:2)
  55. Let all things be done in love (1.COR 16:14)
  56. Let everyone give cheerfully (2.COR 9:7)
  57. Let rebels to truth be accursed (1.COR 16:22; GAL 1:8-9)
  58. Let everyone prove their own work (GAL 6:4)
  59. Let those taught support the teacher (GAL 6:6)
  60. Let the thief steal no more (EPH 4:28)
  61. Let the thief labour instead of stealing to have to give to others (EPH 4:28)
  62. Let no corrupt conversation come from your mouth (EPH 4:29)
  63. Let bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking, and malice be put away (EPH 4:31)
  64. Let no man deceive you with vain words (EPH 5:6)
  65. Let the wives be subject to their husbands (EPH 5:22,24; COL 3:18; 1.PET 3:1-6)
  66. Let the husbands love their wives (EPH 5:25,28,33; COL 3:19; 1.PET 3:7)
  67. Let the wives reverence their husbands (EPH 5:33)
  68. Let your conversation (behaviour) be becoming of the gospel (PHIL 1:27)
  69. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory (PHIL 2:3)
  70. Let each esteem other better than himself (PHIL 2:3)
  71. Let worthy elders be doubly honoured (paid) (1.TIM 5:17)
  72. Let servants honour masters (1.TIM 6:1)
  73. Let masters respect servants (1.TIM 6:2)
  74. Let every Christian depart from iniquity (2.TIM 2:19)
  75. Let no man despise you (TIT 2:15)
  76. Let brotherly love continue (HEB 13:1)
  77. Let conversation be without covetousness (HEB 13:5)
  78. Let patience work perfectly (JAS 1:4)
  79. Let one who lacks, ask for wisdom (JAS 1:5)
  80. Let him ask in faith (JAS 1:6)
  81. Let the exalted rejoice (JAS 1:9)
  82. Let the humble rejoice (JAS 1:10)
  83. Let no man lay temptation to God (JAS 1:13)
  84. Let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (JAS 1:19)
  85. Let the wise demonstrate wisdom and knowledge (JAS 3:13)
  86. Let the light-hearted sinners become remorseful (JAS 4:9)
  87. Let the afflicted pray (JAS 5:13)
  88. Let the merry sing psalms (JAS 5:13)
  89. Let the sick call elders (JAS 5:14)
  90. Let elders pray for sick, anointing with oil (JAS 5:14-15; cp. MK 6:13)
  91. Let adorning be more inward than outward (1.PET 3:3-4; 1.TIM 2:9-10)
  92. Let everyone refrain tongue from evil, and lips from guile (1.PET 3:10)
  93. Let everyone shun evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it (1.PET 3:11)
  94. Let ministers speak for God (1.PET 4:11)
  95. Let no one suffer as a murderer, thief, evildoer, or busybody (1.PET 4:15)
  96. Let no one be ashamed to suffer as a Christian, but be thankful (1.PET 4:16)
  97. Let Christian sufferers commit their souls to God (1.PET 4:19)
  98. Let eternal life abide in you (1.JN 2:24-25)
  99. Let no man deceive you about being righteous (1.JN 3:7)
  100. Let him that hath an ear, hear (REV 2:7,11,17,29; REV 3:6,13,22)

Twelve “Let Not’s”:

  1. Let not your left hand know what the right hand does (MATT 6:3)
  2. Let not man sever those who are married (MATT 19:6)
  3. Let not good be evil spoken of (ROM 14:16)
  4. Let not sin reign in the body (ROM 6:12)
  5. Let not him that eateth despise him that does not (ROM 14:3)
  6. Let not him that eateth not judge him that does (ROM 14:3)
  7. Let not the wife depart from her husband (1.COR 7:10)
  8. Let not the husband put away his wife (1.COR 7:11)
  9. Let not the Christian put away the unsaved companion who wishes to remain (1.COR 7:12,13)
  10. Let not the sun go down on wrath (EPH 4:26)
  11. Let not fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting be mentioned among you as becometh saints (EPH 5:3-4)
  12. Let not unworthy widows be supported by the church (1.TIM 5:9-16)

II.    Forty-two “Let us’s”:

  1. Let us walk honestly (ROM 13:12)
  2. Let us cast off works of darkness (ROM 13:12)
  3. Let us put on armour of light (ROM 13:12)
  4. Let us follow things of peace (ROM 14:9)
  5. Let us follow things that edify (ROM 14:19)
  6. Let us please neighbour for good (ROM 15:2-3)
  7. Let us be sincere (1.COR 5:8)
  8. Let us not commit fornication (1.COR 10:2-3)
  9. Let us not tempt Christ (1.COR 10:9)
  10. Let us not murmur (1.COR 10:10)
  11. Let us cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of body and spirit (2.COR 7:1)
  12. Let us perfect holiness (2.COR 7:1)
  13. Let us walk in the Spirit (GAL 5:25)
  14. Let us not desire vain glory (GAL 5:26)
  15. Let us not provoke one another (GAL 5:26)
  16. Let us not envy one another (GAL 5:26)
  17. Let us not be weary in well doing (GAL 6:9)
  18. Let us do good to all people (GAL 6:10)
  19. Let us do good especially to fellow Christians (GAL 6:10)
  20. Let us who are mature press forward toward the mark (PHIL 3:14-15)
  21. Let us walk by the same rule (PHIL 3:16)
  22. Let us mind the same thing (PHIL 3:16)
  23. Let us not sleep spiritually (1.THESS 5:6)
  24. Let us watch and be sober (1.THESS 5:6,8)
  25. Let us be content with food and raiment (1.TIM 6:8)
  26. Let us fear losing the soul (HEB 4:1-2)
  27. Let us labour to be saved (HEB 4:11)
  28. Let us hold fast our profession (HEB 10:23)
  29. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace (HEB 4:16; HEB 10:19-23)
  30. Let us go on to perfection (HEB 6:1)
  31. Let us draw near to God (HEB 10:22)
  32. Let us provoke to love and good works (HEB 10:24)
  33. Let us not forsake assembling together in worship (HEB 10:25)
  34. Let us exhort one another (HEB 10:25)
  35. Let us lay aside every weight (HEB 12:1)
  36. Let us lay aside besetting sin (HEB 12:1)
  37. Let us run race with patience (HEB 12:1)
  38. Let us look to Jesus (HEB 12:2)
  39. Let us have grace to serve God (HEB 12:28)
  40. Let us bear Christ’s reproach (HEB 13:13)
  41. Let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God continually (HEB 13:15)
  42. Let us love one another (1.JN 4:7,11)

JJ.   Eight “Let Us Not’s”:

  1. Let us not walk in rioting (ROM 13:13)
  2. Let us not walk in drunkenness (ROM 13:13)
  3. Let us not walk in chambering (ROM 13:13)
  4. Let us not walk in wantonness (ROM 13:13)
  5. Let us not walk in strife (ROM 13:13)
  6. Let us not walk in envying (ROM 13:13)
  7. Let us not judge one another in doubtful things (ROM 14:13)
  8. Let us not cause others to stumble (ROM 14:13)

KK.                    Three ways to live:

  1. Live peacefully (ROM 12:18; 2.COR 13:11)
  2. Live free from anxiety and undue care (1.COR 7:28-35)
  3. Live no longer in lusts of sin (1.PET 4:2)

LL.                       Four commands to “Love”:

  1. Love your enemies (MATT 5:44; LK 6:27,35)
  2. Love your fellow Christians (JN 13:34; JN 15:12,17; GAL 5:14; 1.PET 2:17; 1.JN 3:23; 2.JN 1:5)
  3. Love the brotherhood (1.PET 2:17)
  4. Love your brother (1.JN 4:21)

MM.                 Two things not to love:

  1. The world (1.JN 2:15)
  2. Things in the world (1.JN 2:15)

NN.                    Three ways to love:

  1. Fervently (1.PET 2:22)
  2. With a pure heart (1.PET 2:22)
  3. As brethren (1.PET 3:8)

OO.                    One Person to pray to:

  1. Pray to thy Father (MATT 6:6; MATT 6:9; JN 16:23-26)

PP.                        Three things to pray for:

  1. Your persecutors (MATT 5:44; LK 6:28)
  2. For labourers (MATT 9:38; LK 10:2)
  3. For one another (JAS 5:16)

QQ.                    Two ways not to pray:

  1. Use not vain repetitions like the heathen (MATT 6:7)
  2. Do not pray as hypocrites (MATT 6:5)

RR.                     Three ways to pray:

  1. After this manner pray (MATT 6:9-13)
  2. Ask, seek, knock (MATT 7:7-11)
  3. Pray in the Spirit (JUDE 1:20)

SS.                        Four things to prove:

  1. Prove yourself (2.COR 13:5)
  2. Prove what is acceptable to God (EPH 5:10)
  3. Prove all things (1.THESS 5:21)
  4. Prove accusations against elders (1.TIM 5:19)

TT.                       Two commands to rejoice:

  1. Rejoice (MATT 5:12; ROM 15:10)
  2. Rejoice evermore (1.THESS 5:16)

UU.                    Eight “Put Away’s”:

  1. Put away wicked people from the congregation (1.COR 5:13)
  2. Put away lying (EPH 4:25)
  3. Put away all bitterness (EPH 4:31)
  4. Put away wrath (EPH 4:31)
  5. Put away anger (EPH 4:31)
  6. Put away clamour (EPH 4:31)
  7. Put away evil speaking (EPH 4:31)
  8. Put away all malice (EPH 4:31)

VV.                    Six “Put Off’s”:

  1. Put off the old man (EPH 4:22; COL 3:9)
  2. Put off anger (COL 3:8)
  3. Put off wrath (COL 3:8)
  4. Put off malice (COL 3:8)
  5. Put off blasphemy (COL 3:8)
  6. Put off filthy conversation (COL 3:8)

WW.                Twelve “Put On’s”:

  1. Put on Christ (ROM 13:14)
  2. Put on the armour of light (ROM 13:12)
  3. Put on the new man (EPH 4:24; COL 3:10)
  4. Put on the whole armour of God (EPH 6:11,13)
  5. Put on the bowels of mercy (COL 3:12)
  6. Put on kindness (COL 3:12)
  7. Put on humility (COL 3:12)
  8. Put on meekness (COL 3:12)
  9. Put on longsuffering (COL 3:13)
  10. Put on love (COL 3:14)
  11. Put on the breastplate of faith and love (1.THESS 5:8)
  12. Put on the hope of salvation (1.THESS 5:8)

XX.                    One class not to rebuke:

  1. Elders (1.TIM 5:1)

YY.                    Three things to rebuke:

  1. Certain sinners (1.TIM 5:20)
  2. Rebels (TIT 1:13)
  3. Works of darkness (EPH 5:11)

ZZ.                       Two ways to rebuke:

  1. With all authority (TIT 2:15)
  2. With all longsuffering (2.TIM 4:2)

AAA.              Four things to rejoice in:

  1. Hope (ROM 12:12)
  2. Blessings of others (ROM 12:15)
  3. The Lord (PHIL 3:1; PHIL 4:4)
  4. Suffering for Christ (1.PET 4:13)

BBB.               Five things to remember:

  1. What you are saved from (EPH 2:11-12)
  2. Those who suffer (HEB 13:3)
  3. Those who lead you (HEB 13:7)
  4. Truth (JUDE 17,18; REV 3:3)
  5. Backsliding, and repent (REV 2:5)

CCC.               Four things to seek:

  1. God’s kingdom first (MATT 6:33; LK 12:31)
  2. God in prayer (MATT 7:7)
  3. To edify the church (1.COR 14:12)
  4. Things above (COL 3:1)

DDD.              One command to stand fast:

  1. Stand fast, and hold Christian traditions (2.THESS 2:15)

EEE.                 Three things to stand fast with:

  1. Loins girt about with truth
  2. Breastplate of righteousness
  3. Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (EPH 6:14-15)

FFF.                  Five things to stand in:

  1. Faith (1.COR 16:13)
  2. Liberty (GAL 5:1)
  3. One spirit (PHIL 1:27)
  4. One mind (PHIL 1:27)
  5. The Lord (PHIL 4:1)

GGG.              Eight things to think on:

  1. Things about your true self (ROM 12:3; 1.COR 3:18)
  2. Things true
  3. Things honest
  4. Things just
  5. Things pure
  6. Things lovely
  7. Things of good report
  8. Things of virtue (PHIL 4:8)

HHH.              One way to think:

  1. Think soberly (ROM 12:3)

III. Five commands to “submit”:

  1. Submit one to another (EPH 5:21)
  2. Submit to God (JAS 4:7)
  3. Submit to every ordinance of man (1.PET 2:13-14; ROM 13:1-8)
  4. Younger ones are to submit to their elders (1.PET 5:5)
  5. Wives must submit to their husbands (EPH 5:22; COL 3:18; 1.PET 3:1-6)

JJJ.                       Twelve “Take’s”:

  1. Take no anxious thought for necessities of life (MATT 6:25,31; LK 12:22-30)
  2. Take no anxious thought of tomorrow (MATT 6:34)
  3. Take no anxious thought of defence (MATT 10:19; MK 13:9-11; LK 12:11-12; LK 21:14)
  4. Take my yoke upon you (MATT 11:29)
  5. Take advantage of freedom (1.COR 7:21)
  6. Take the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ (1.COR 11:24-26)
  7. Take the shield of faith (EPH 6:16)
  8. Take the helmet of salvation (EPH 6:17)
  9. Take the sword of the Spirit (EPH 6:17)
  10. Take oversight of the flock willingly (1.PET 5:2)
  11. Take oversight of the flock without thought of personal gain (1.PET 5:2)
  12. Take a humble seat (LK 14:8)

Eighteen “Take Heed’s”:

  1. Take heed that you do not alms to be seen by people (MATT 6:1)
  2. Take heed not to despise little ones (MATT 18:10)
  3. Take heed not to be deceived (MATT 24:4; MK 13:5; LK 21:8)
  4. Take heed what you hear (MK 4:24)
  5. Take heed how you hear (LK 8:18)
  6. Take heed to walk in the light (LK 11:35)
  7. Take heed to rebuke and forgive (LK 17:3)
  8. Take heed not to get drunk (LK 21:34)
  9. Take heed not to surfeit (LK 21:34)
  10. Take heed not to be overcome with cares (LK 21:34)
  11. Take heed to yourselves (MATT 13:9; LK 17:3; LK 21:34; ACTS 20:28)
  12. Take heed to the flock of God (ACTS 20:28)
  13. Take heed lest you misuse your liberty (1.COR 8:9)
  14. Take heed lest you fall (1.COR 10:12; ROM 11:21)
  15. Take heed to your ministry (COL 4:17)
  16. Take heed that you destroy not one another (GAL 5:15)
  17. Take heed to yourself and your doctrine (1.TIM 4:16)
  18. Take heed not to backslide (HEB 3:12)

KKK.              Two ways not to walk:

  1. As Sinners (EPH 4:17)
  2. As fools (EPH 5:15)

LLL.                 Four “Thou Shalt’s”:

  1. Thou shalt worship God only (MATT 4:10; LK 4:8)
  2. Thou shalt serve God only (MATT 4:10; LK 4:8)
  3. Thou shalt love neighbours as yourself (MATT 5:43; MATT 19:19; MATT 22:39; MK 12:31; LK 10:27; ROM 13:9; GAL 5:14)
  4. Thou shalt love God wholeheartedly (MATT 22:37; MK 12:30; LK 10:27)

MMM.         Seven things to walk in:

  1. The Spirit (GAL 5:16)
  2. Love (EPH 5:2)
  3. The light (EPH 5:8-9; 1.JN 1:7)
  4. Watchfulness (EPH 6:18)
  5. Christ (COL 2:6-7; 2.COR 5:17)
  6. Wisdom (COL 4:5)
  7. Honesty (1.THESS 4:12)

NNN.              Eight “Thou Shalt Not’s”:

  1. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord (MATT 4:7; LK 4:12)
  2. Thou shalt not kill (MATT 5:21; MATT 19:18; MK 10:19; LK 18:20; ROM 13:9)
  3. Thou shalt not commit adultery (MATT 5:27-28; MATT 19:18; LK 18:20; ROM 13:9)
  4. Thou shalt not pray to be seen by people (MATT 6:5)
  5. Thou shalt not steal (MATT 19:18; MK 10:19; LK 18:20; ROM 13:9)
  6. Thou shalt not bear false witness (MATT 19:18; MK 10:19; LK 18:20; ROM 13:9)
  7. Thou shalt not covet (ROM 13:9)
  8. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox treading corn (1.COR 9:9; 1.TIM 5:18)

200 Miscellaneous Commands:

  1. Abhor what is evil (ROM 12:9)
  2. A bishop must be (see characteristics of, 1.TIM 3:2-7; TIT 1:6-9)
  3. Abide in Christ (JN 15:4)
  4. Abide with worthy ones (MATT 10:11-13; MK 6:10; LK 9:4; LK 10:5-8)
  5. Accuse none falsely (LK 3:14)
  6. Add to Christian graces (2.PET 1:5-7)
  7. Admit your own unprofitableness (LK 17:10)
  8. Admonish one another (COL 3:16)
  9. Admonish the unruly (2.THESS 3:15)
  10. Agree with your adversary (MATT 5:25)
  11. Allow no liberty to ensnare you to commit sin (1.COR 10:25-30)
  12. Allow no lust of evil in the your body (1.THESS 4:5)
  13. Allow no cursing and blessing from the same mouth (JAS 3:10)
  14. Anoint your head and wash face when fasting (MATT 6:17)
  15. Arm your self with a mind to suffer for Christ (1.PET 4:1)
  16. Avenge not yourself (ROM 12:19)
  17. Awake from death to light (EPH 5:14)
  18. Bear one another’s burdens (GAL 6:2)
  19. Behave like men (1.COR 16:13)
  20. Bid no false teacher “Godspeed” (2.JN 1:10-11)
  21. Bring proof of your repentance (MATT 3:8; LK 3:8)
  22. Bring your children up in the Lord (EPH 6:4)
  23. Build up your faith (JUDE 1:20) Call the poor to your feast (LK 14:13)
  24. Children, obey your parents (EPH 6:1; COL 3:20)
  25. Cleanse the lepers (MATT 10:8)
  26. Cleanse your hands you sinners (JAS 4:8)
  27. Cleave to good (ROM 12:9)
  28. Collect just dues only (LK 3:13)
  29. Come out from among them (2.COR 6:17)
  30. Command and teach these things (1.TIM 4:11; 1.TIM 6:2)
  31. Commit the truth to faithful teachers (2.TIM 2:2)
  32. Confess your faults one to another (JAS 5:16)
  33. Count it joy when you are tempted (JAS 1:2)
  34. Cut off offending members (MATT 5:29-30; MATT 18:8,9)
  35. Deacons must be (see 1.TIM 3:8-12)
  36. Defraud not (MK 10:19)
  37. Desire spiritual gifts (1.COR 14:1)
  38. Desire the milk of the Word (1.PET 2:2)
  39. Despise not prophesyings (1.THESS 5:20)
  40. Destroy none with non-essentials (ROM 14:15; 1.COR 8:13)
  41. Draw near to God (JAS 4:8)
  42. Eat your own bread in quietness (2.THESS 3:12)
  43. Earnestly contend for faith (JUDE 1:3)
  44. Edify yourselves with singing (EPH 5:19)
  45. Edify one another (1.THESS 5:11)
  46. Enter the straight (narrow) gate (MATT 7:13; LK 13:24)
  47. Examine yourself as to faith (2.COR 13:5)
  48. Exercise in godliness (1.TIM 4:7-8)
  49. Exhort servants to obey (TIT 2:9-10)
  50. Exhort one another daily (HEB 3:13)
  51. Fear not (LK 12:32)!
  52. Fight the good fight of faith (1.TIM 6:12)
  53. Follow peace and holiness (HEB 12:14)
  54. Forbear one another (COL 3:13)
  55. Forbid not children (MATT 19:14; MK 10:14; LK 18:16)
  56. Forbid not tongues (1.COR 14:39)
  57. Forget not to share (HEB 13:16)
  58. Forgive 490 times (MATT 18:22)
  59. Forgive (MATT 11:25-26; LK 6:37; EPH 4:32; COL 3:13)
  60. Fret not in servitude (2.COR 7:21)
  61. Gird up loins of mind (1.PET 1:13)
  62. Give place to wrath (ROM 12:19)
  63. Give your enemy a drink of water (ROM 12:20)
  64. Give no occasion to the adversary (1.TIM 5:14)
  65. Glorify God in your body and spirit (2.COR 6:20; cp. ROM 12:1-2)
  66. Grieve not the Holy Spirit (EPH 4:30)
  67. Grow in grace and knowledge (2.PET 3:18)
  68. Grudge not against another (JAS 5:9)
  69. Harden not your hearts (HEB 3:8-15)
  70. Hate flesh-spotted garments (JUDE 1:23)
  71. Have no respect of persons (partiality, prejudice) (1.TIM 5:21)
  72. Have the same love (PHIL 2:2)
  73. Have no fellowship with works of darkness (EPH 5:11)
  74. Heal the sick (MATT 10:8; LK 10:9)
  75. Help propagate truth (3.JN 1:8)
  76. Humble yourselves (JAS 4:10; 1.PET 5:6)
  77. Husbands, love your wives (EPH 5:25,28; COL 3:19; 1.PET 3:7)
  78. Husbands, be not bitter against your wives (COL 3:19)
  79. Instruct rebels in meekness (2.TIM 2:25)
  80. Intreat others according to 1.TIM 5:1-2.
  81. Judge not (MATT 7:1; LK 6:37)
  82. Have faith before God for things not condemned in Scripture (ROM 14:22-23)
  83. Know how to control your body (1.THESS 4:4)
  84. Lay not up your treasures on earth (MATT 6:19)
  85. Lay up your treasures in heaven (MATT 6:20; LK 12:33-34)
  86. Lay hold on eternal life (1.TIM 6:12)
  87. Leave your parents and cleave to your wife (MATT 19:5; MK 10:7; EPH 5:31)
  88. Lend, hoping for nothing back (LK 6:35)
  89. Lie not (COL 3:9)
  90. Lift up hands that hang down (HEB 12:12)
  91. Look not everyone on your own things only (PHIL 2:4)
  92. Look diligently not to fail of grace (HEB 12:15)
  93. Look diligently lest any root of bitterness defile (HEB 12:15)
  94. Look diligently lest any be a fornicator (HEB 12:16-17)
  95. Look to yourselves not to lose reward (2.JN 1:8)
  96. Look for mercy unto eternal life (JUDE 1:21)
  97. Lust not after evil things (1.COR 10:6)
  98. Make a tree good or corrupt (MATT 12:33)
  99. Make no provision for lusts (ROM 13:14)
  100. Make full proof of ministry (2.TIM 4:5)
  101. Make straight paths (HEB 12:13)
  102. Mark troublemakers (ROM 16:17; PHIL 3:17)
  103. Mark the unruly (2.THESS 3:14)
  104. Marvel not if you are hated by the world (1.JN 3:13)
  105. Masters, be good to servants (EPH 5:9; COL 4:1)
  106. Meditate upon things of 1.TIM 4:15.
  107. Mind not the high things (ROM 12:16)
  108. Minister as good stewards (1.PET 4:10)
  109. Mortify offending physical members (COL 3:5; ROM 8:12-13)
  110. Neither be of doubtful mind (LK 12:29)
  111. No man is to defraud his brother (1.THESS 4:6)
  112. Neglect not spiritual gifts (1.TIM 4:14; cp. 2.TIM 1:6)
  113. Obey your leaders (HEB 13:17)
  114. Offer the other cheek (MATT 5:39; LK 6:29)
  115. Ordain no one in a hurry (1.TIM 5:22)
  116. Owe nothing but love (ROM 13:8)
  117. Overcome evil with good (ROM 12:21)
  118. Pass the time in fear (1.PET 1:17)
  119. Pay your taxes (ROM 13:6)
  120. Pay just dues (ROM 13:7)
  121. Praise the Lord (ROM 15:11)
  122. Preach (MATT 10:7,27; MK 16:15; 2.TIM 4:2)
  123. Present your body to God (ROM 12:1)
  124. Provide things honestly (ROM 12:17)
  125. Provoke not your children to wrath (EPH 6:4; COL 3:21)
  126. Purge out the old leaven (evil influence) (1.COR 5:7)
  127. Purify your hearts of doubt (JAS 4:8)
  128. Put others in remembrance of the essentials (2.TIM 2:14)
  129. Quench not the Spirit (1.THESS 5:19)
  130. Raise the dead (MATT 10:8)
  131. Receive (accept) weak brethren (ROM 14:1)
  132. Receive one another (ROM 15:7)
  133. Receive the Word with meekness (JAS 1:21)
  134. Reckon yourself as dead to sin (ROM 6:11)
  135. Reckon yourself as alive to God (ROM 6:11)
  136. Recognize the truth (1.COR 10:15)
  137. Redeem the time (EPH 5:16; COL 4:5)
  138. Reject heretics (TIT 3:10)
  139. Refuse to support young widows from church funds (1.TIM 5:11)
  140. Remind people of the seven things of TITUS 3:1-2.
  141. Render no evil for evil (1.PET 3:9; ROM 12:17)
  142. Repent (MATT 3:2; MATT 4:17; MK 1:15; ACTS 2:38; ACTS 3:19; REV 2:16; REV 3:19)
  143. Resist not evil (MATT 5:38-39)
  144. Resist the devil (JAS 4:7; 1.PET 5:9)
  145. Restore backslider in meekness,
  146. considering your own life (GAL 6:1)
  147. Run to obtain (1.COR 9:24)
  148. Salute none by the way (LK 10:4)
  149. Salute your leaders (HEB 13:24)
  150. Sanctify God in your heart (1.PET 3:15)
  151. Save some with fear (JUDE 1:23)
  152. Search the Scriptures (JN 5:39)
  153. Seek not eats and drinks (LK 12:29)
  154. Sell to help the needy (LK 12:33)
  155. Serve the Lord (ROM 12:1)
  156. Servants, obey masters (EPH 6:5-8; COL 3:22-25; 1.PET 2:18)
  157. Set the least to judge (1.COR 6:4)
  158. Set your affections above (COL 3:2)
  159. Shake off the dust of your feet (MATT 10:14; MK 6:11; LK 9:5; LK 10:10-11)
  160. Show charity to other ministers (LK 9:49-50)
  161. Show yourself as a pattern (TIT 2:7)
  162. Show four things of TITUS 2:7-8.
  163. Sin not (1.COR 15:34)
  164. Sing with grace in heart (COL 3:16)
  165. Shun vain babblings (2.TIM 2:16)
  166. Speak and do things in view of the judgment day (JAS 2:12)
  167. Speak truth (EPH 4:25)
  168. Speak sound doctrine (TIT 2:1)
  169. Speak no evil of your brethren (JAS 4:11)
  170. Stablish your hearts (JAS 5:8)
  171. Strengthen your feeble knees (HEB 12:12)
  172. Strive together for the gospel faith (PHIL 1:27)
  173. Study to be quiet (1.THESS 4:11)
  174. Study (be diligent) to show yourself approved (2.TIM 2:15)
  175. Support the weak (1.THESS 5:14)
  176. See that no one renders evil for evil (1.THESS 5:15)
  177. Swear not (JAS 5:12; MATT 5:33-36)
  178. Tarry one for another (1.COR 11:33)
  179. Tarry for power (LK 24:49; ACTS 1:4-8)
  180. Teach one another (COL 3:16)
  181. Teach no other doctrine that the truth (1.TIM 1:3)
  182. Tell your brother his fault alone first (MATT 18:15-17)
  183. Trust God for your needs as you work (MATT 10:9; LK 9:3; LK 10:4)
  184. Understand the will of God (EPH 5:17)
  185. Use not your liberty as an occasion to sin (GAL 5:13; 1.PET 1:16)
  186. Use hospitality without grudging (1.PET 4:9)
  187. Warn the unruly (1.THESS 5:14)
  188. Watch and pray (MATT 24:42; MATT 25:13; MK 13:33,35; MK 14:38; LK 21:36; EPH 6:18; COL 4:2)
  189. Watch in all things (2.TIM 4:5; 1.COR 16:13)
  190. Weep with others (ROM 12:15)
  191. Withdraw from disorderly brethren (2.THESS 3:6,14)
  192. Withdraw from evil people (1.TIM 6:3-6)
  193. Wives of deacons must be (see 1.TIM 3:11)
  194. Wives, submit to your husbands (EPH 5:22; COL 3:18; 1.PET 3:1-6)
  195. Work with your own hands (1.THESS 4:11)
  196. Work, or do not eat (2.THESS 3:10-11)
  197. Work out own salvation (PHIL 2:12)
  198. Yield not your members to sin (ROM 6:13)
  199. Yield yourself to God (ROM 6:13)
  200. Yield your members to righteousness (ROM 6:13)

OOO.              Two eternal rights of the redeemed:

  1. Right to the tree of life
  2. Right to enter the New Jerusalem

Source: ‘Dake’s Study Notes’ by Finis Jennings Dake

CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLIES INTERNATIONAL, P.O. BOX 888, COFFS HARBOUR N.S.W. 2450, AUSTRALIA



The Park Church of Christ Prison Ministry for March 2024

The following is a short (5 minute) Park Prison Ministry activity report video



Don’t forget…. Tomorrow Night October 20, 2023… The Park Appreciation Dinner

Thank you for coming to the dinner, either in person or in spirit… we appreciate all you have done for the Prison Ministry, and in fact for all the ministries of the Park Church of Christ…

Please Watch the included video… it’s only about 2 minutes long

You can watch the video here

 



Welcome to the 2023 Park Prison Ministry Appreciation Dinner.

 

 



The Prison Ministry 2023



The Round-Table Discussion at Dick Conners Correctional Center

Listen in on the discussion of our “inside” brothers in Christ.



Prison Report for 2022

Just a quick note, one of the reasons I don’t like giving these reports is that I might forget to mention someone, and everyone involved is very important to the ministry… If I left you out, please forgive me.

 

Prison Report for January 2023Jim Carmichael

On May 16th 2022 Kevin Peters went on the “inside” with me by special permission of the Warden to make video’s of interviews of some of the prisoners, and a round-table discussion by the same group of men.

On the following evening on the 17th we recorded the evening service. It is still “on-line” if you haven’t viewed it yet.

We also had an appreciate dinner that went exceedingly well.

Jim P still works as a volunteer preaching two times a month at DCCC and waiting to go back into the Tulsa County Jail when allowed.  As we all know this has been very limited due to the Covid-19 lock-down in both the prison and jail systems.  The county jail remains on lock-down due to the constant flow of people in and out, however the prisons were reopened to volunteers around August.

Ray Vaughn is working as an assistant Chaplain for the Tulsa County Jail.

We have two men the Park COC is supporting in their Christian Education, and we now have them preaching on the two Tuesday evenings on the medium side with us (Jim P and I) overseeing.  This is to give them practical experience in preparing and delivering sermons.

When we (Jody and I) took over the prison ministry in January of 2021 we had about 175 men and women in our database taking our courses.  We now have close to 1,200.

We have app 70% of the current population at Eddie Warriors Correctional Center taking our courses. And, Jody and I now deliver 50 courses a week to EWCC in person which saves the ministry app $200 a week in postage, plus another 70 inmates at DCCC taking our courses with all the work and grading performed in-house.

At DCCC currently we are teaching two classes, one on Monday morning covering Revelation, and the other Monday afternoon is 24 hours (weeks in this case) through the bible.

We now have 30 wonderful, hard-working volunteers (up from 15 last year) who come to the church building on Weds and Thurs every week in order to help us grade lessons.

In the year 2022 these volunteers graded app 55,000 lessons.

We occasionally have a need for our home graders, and they include Dave Huey, Ray, and Suzanne Vaughn, Waymon and Diane Honeycutt, Fran Thomas, Jim Pinkston, Elaine Russell, Mike and Theresa Hawkins, Caroline Kusler, Linda Brown, Mike and Bunny Williams, Wayne and Pam Pope.

At Dick Conner’s Correctional Center in Hominy OK, we have started a very aggressive evangelistic program, reaching out to every man incarcerated encouraging them to take our courses… with men in each pod who have committed their lives to Christ to be our inside contact, and inside evangelists.

In my last report I mentioned one man, Andrew Williams is handling all our courses for us there, distributing them, receiving, and grading them, and letting us know who needs to receive a certificate.

Andrew is still working in this capacity with the help of Justin Moss.

Andrew is one of 6 chapel orderlies, of whom most have received their bachelor’s degrees, and with the help of the benevolence ministry and at the direction of Clark Lineback, we are sponsoring a few of these men to achieve advanced degrees in ministry.

All are training to be inside evangelists, with an eye on the future. When they return to their homes, they will be “street evangelists” to their neighbors, friends, and family, with some becoming preachers in local churches.

The Angel Tree Project is doing very well

Last year I stated a need to receive your input on another idea I had in starting a family outreach program,

Thank you for responding and I am happy to report the Family Engagement Project has now reached out to app 35 families in the Tulsa area, a couple in OKC, and a couple in both Kansas and Illinois.

Jody and I are not allowed by DOC rules to reach out to any family or friend so we always need volunteers for these positions.

And the following people are what we hope is just the beginning, and they include Janet Swopes, and Pam Sharit from the Okmulgee COC who are calling on the ladies, and Ken Wiley and Ray Vaughn are calling on the men, with Tim Lynn working as our needs assessment volunteer.

Another new ministry instigated by the Chaplain at Dick Conners, which we might extend to other facilities is the Cell to Cell ministry.

They literally go to each cell in certain Pods and speak directly to the men, giving advice, praying with them and inviting them to come to our services and taking our classes either in person or correspondence.

Jim Pinkston and Mike Hawkins are now working in this ministry, and I went with Mike Hawkins on the 3rd, and it was a great blessing.

In this coming year we are starting up a new ministry within the prison ministry… the Children’s Engagement Project.

We will be reaching out to the congregation for volunteers to go into youth detention centers, and orphanages ….

This all works hand in glove with Prison reform… the best time to reform an inmate is before they become one.

We still need help in the following areas…

  • People who would be willing to go on the “inside” with me to preach or teach classes.
    • Our long-term goal is to have men and women in every prison in Northeast Oklahoma teaching New Life Behavior, and Apologetic classes.
  • People who will help with our family outreach program.
  • People who could help create new courses of study for inmates.
    • If any of you have course already prepared, we would love to add them to the list of courses we are offering.
    • Or, if you are willing to develop courses of study, that would also be great
    • Normally the courses consist of 12 – 13 lessons, and we have one that includes 24, and some that include only 5 lessons…. All is good.
  • People who can and are willing to help finance all the above.
    • We already have a number of contributors and as the ministry grows, as you know so will the financial needs grow.

And, finally, a special thanks to Tim Maynard, who has been a great source of inspiration, information, and guidance to me as we move forward in the prison ministry.

And a special acknowledgement of those not mentioned earlier in the report whose support of the prison ministry is awesome.

Don Millican

Phil Smith

Ken Williams

Gary Medley

Dave Huey, (our new Deacon)

Tim Lynn

Additional Information

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

Matthew 18:12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

This is the purpose of the Park Prison Ministry…. To restore sight to the blind… you must have had sight for it to be restored…

Many of these men (and Women) have been raised in the church.

I recently had 8 men sitting with me in the prison and I asked how many had been raised with a Christian foundation, (raised in the church) … the answer was all of them, and two of them were preachers kids.

These are the men who once had sight, were blinded by the evil of the world, and now incarcerated are having their sight restored… they are the “1” who Christ left the “99” for, so I thank each one of you for your kind hearts, and willingness to send us to the “1” who was lost….

As you know my focus is teaching Christian Apologetics in the prison system, (and to anyone who will listen to me.)

The Pew Research Center studied the effects of higher education on church raised children a few years ago and found that 50% of children raised in the Church, lost their faith while in college at the hands of a lost professor.

Prison Report for January 2022

 

 

One of the major reasons people go astray is because they do not know how to defend their belief… not to others… nor to themselves…

Therefore, I have a passion for Apologetic training… so everyone can know why we can trust the reliability of Scripture to be the truth, and our guiding light for the narrow path.

So, this is the reason for my passion to teach prisoners why they can believe, and my desire that we reach out to the children, teaching them early on how they can know all the “Bible Stories” are actually Historical Accounts recorded in the Bible, to arm them against false teachers, helping them stay on the path, and not end up in Dick Conner’s, or some other prison before they learn the truth.

Therefore I consider people like Danielle Schrock, Michelle, Kenna, and Brooklyn who work so hard with the children as an extremely important part of the prison ministry, for they are the people who have the best opportunity to accomplish this.

In a sense they are part of the prison ministry, not only because of their work with Angel Tree, and Prison Fellowship, but they are arming our children with the facts they need to give them that galvanized faith through knowledge they will need in their future to keep them on that narrow path that leads to life.