Jesus said
"The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath"
Mark 2 v 27
Prison Ministry
This has changed in recent months. In the article below, John Roberts and Gerard Chrispin give an overview of how the work developed and what the future holds.
How it started
Twenty-eight years ago, a ministry involving the distribution of scripture diaries throughout Her Majesty’s Prisons began. Every year without exception, the number of diaries sent from our headquarters has increased. From its small beginning, Day One distributed last December 170,000 complimentary copies throughout the UK.
This ministry expanded further when Gerard and Phillippa Chrispin were appointed to take this work on to a higher level by taking the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ into prisons. Day One Prison Ministries was launched.
Two years ago, it grew further when Gerard and Phillippa developed DAYLIGHT Christian Prison Trust with the wholehearted support of DOPM. Day One Council felt unable to commit more finance to this work as other plans for its main ministry were in process.
DAYLIGHT continues to develop and expand DOPM’s initial vision both by presenting the gospel in prisons throughout the UK and distributing evangelistic booklets to thousands of inmates and staff. DAYLIGHT also seeks to involve conservative evangelical churches in prison work and to appoint more honorary Prison Ministry Associates (PMAs).
Gerard Chrispin became the Trust’s General Director, and Nigel Robinson its first Regional Director for the Midlands in May 2006. Another RD will be announced soon in an attempt to provide RDs for each of UK’s prison regions. The work is also expanding in Scotland. It must be emphasised that this is not the end of DOPM.
Day One's Role in Prison Work in the future
Day One intends to continue providing diaries for DAYLIGHT to allocate, as long as it continues to receive the wonderful financial support it has been blessed with over the years. These Day One diaries are popular with both chaplaincies and inmates. They continue to generate much goodwill for both Day One and DAYLIGHT. That goodwill is vital to this work. DAYLIGHT is also supplying thousands of CDs of John’s Gospel to prison chaplains for inmates. John’s Gospel is read and explained clearly.
Please pray for both ministries, that Almighty God will continue to bless their work among many inmates throughout these islands.
You can arrange to receive DAYLIGHT prayer news by emailing Gerard@DaylightCPT.org.
Answers to Prayer
A recent prison chaplain’s letter shows how Day One diaries and books cement relationships and enhance
DAYLIGHT’s gospel preaching opportunities in prisons:
‘It was great to have you with us on Sunday. God blessed staff and inmates alike. The Day One diaries have arrived today! We are very grateful. People ask about them all the time. Today I gave another Day One Bible Panorama to an inmate serving a life sentence for murder. He had tried to commit suicide. I have kept visiting him in hospital. He is now born again! He is remarkably transformed in every way. Best of all he is reading, reading and reading his Bible’. Please continue praying—and giving!'
For more details of the work, go to Daylight Christian Prison Trust