One place I get to experience first-hand how God is transforming the lives of men in our cities is at our annual men’s conference at The Oaks. This year we had 185 men attend from across the Western Region from cities such as San Francisco, Fresno, San Diego, and Los Angeles. It was an impactful weekend centered on the theme of Empowered to Live Free, but I think what impacted me the most was hearing of all the ways God is working in the lives of men who were once incarcerated but now have found new meaning and purpose for their lives. Here are a few stories and highlights.
Ron graduated from The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) while in prison. He was released two years ago and quickly got connected with our World Impact ministry in San Diego. He helped start, and currently oversees, a ministry home in the area that receives men who have been paroled and equips them for future ministry by facilitating TUMI classes. It is hard to convey his passion and absolute resolve in the midst of adversity. Ron is suffering from terminal cancer and he knows that his time is short. Yet he is committed to raising up another leader, Calvin, to replace him when he passes away. Calvin graduated from TUMI Los Angeles in 2011 and also served time in prison.
It is estimated that at next year’s men’s conference, over 50% of the men in attendance will have come from a prison background (our Prison Fellowship and Serving California partners alone plan to bring 100 ex-inmates). I was a part of a workshop where the room was filled with men released from prison, some seven years ago and some who were released just last month and had to receive special permission from their parole officer to attend. During the meeting, Matthew stood up and expressed his desire to give back and help World Impact care for, mentor, and restore men who come out of the prison system. Many were willing to share their experiences on navigating the “free world” once released and in passing along their collective wisdom of past mistakes and lessons learned. What was encouraging to see was the men’s commitment to each other and their love for the guys still inside prison. Much excitement was generated in building stronger ties for these men with local urban churches and engaging in community ministry together in the same areas where they were once arrested.
At our Saturday night worship time, Paul and Robert were invited onto the stage to lead a time of worship. The first time I had met them was at the first TUMI graduation held inside Norco State Prison. Adorned in their prison uniforms, I watched them lead over 100 inmates in praising God with a borrowed guitar and piano. As they took the stage at the men’s retreat, they invited 17 other men, who also paroled from Norco, to join them. Two of those men are current students with TUMI Los Angeles and I couldn’t have been more proud seeing them up there, knowing all the adversity they had overcome.
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