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How the School of Christ works in the Prisons
The School of Christ is not the usual Bible school where you are led to believe that to know truth is the same as possessing truth. In this school the emphasis is not merely to know, but to become.
In Acts 13:27 God speaks concerning the people of Jerusalem, and their rulers. "...because they knew not the voices of the prophets which was read every Sabbath, they fulfilled them in condemning Him." Those dwelling in Jerusalem could quote the prophets without difficulty, but they never stopped to ask the simple questions: "What does it amount to? What are these men after?" Because they never did that they never got past the letter.
In the School of Christ we ask and answer those very questions. What is that which is within and behind and deeper than the written spoken words of the prophets? We know that the prophets were dealing with a situation, which by no means represented the Lord's mind regarding His people. The conditions did not then, nor does it now, really represent the Lord's mind and intention. The prophets were dealing with such a situation and because it was like that, the real vocation of the people of God was not being fulfilled. Whereas they ought to have been a people of great spiritual strength and impact upon the nation, there was weakness and failure. The prophets sought to reveal the cause of that deplorable failure. For this the School of Christ was born.
The prophets were always speaking about this matter. Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge..." This is another way of saying, "my people go to pieces for lack of vision, you have closed your eyes to my purpose. The vision is God's full purpose in redemption. No where do you find that Israel was to declare as their gospel that God had brought them out of Egypt. Their message was what they were brought out for.
Correspondence Course
How our Correspondence Course works in the Prisons.
Our course is self paced and usually takes anywhere from three months to six months to complete depending on the student. We provide everything, even a stamped envelope to return their tests in. There is absolutely no cost to any inmate who is currently incarcerated.
We grade their test and answer any questions or prayer requests, then return the graded test along with their next packet. There are a total of four packets sent to each student.
The first packet contains series #1-4, the second #5-11, the third #12-16, and the fourth #17-19. We provide a Certificate of Completion for every student who completes the course with at least a 70% overall grade.
The greatest sign of God's approval on anything is the presence of His Life. Jesus said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life." The greatest testimony that has come out of the SOC Prison Ministry Correspondence Course is the testimony of a changed life, and that changed life touches the lives of others.
In chapter 8 of the book of Acts, it's recorded that the church was persecuted, and as a result spread throughout Judea and Samaria. Verse 4 says, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word." This was the work of the Holy Spirit spreading the Gospel during the first century Church. This very same work is being fulfilled by the Holy Spirit in our prison facilities today.
We started out with just a hand full of prisons using the Correspondence Course, but as is normal in the prison population, inmates are transferred on a regular basis from one facility to another; all the while the Holy Spirit was spreading the School of Christ with them.
This is what is so exciting; our students are not just carrying another lifeless Bible study, but rather Life itself, because the Life is in them. Jesus said, "I give you Life." This is what the School of Christ is all about.
Inmates want this School, not just because it's an intense Bible study but because of the change they have seen in the students who have already taken it, they want what the others have a heart that has been set free through the power of the truth in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is moving the School of Christ into places we could never go. In keeping with Brother Clendennen's vision, we are making missionaries and sending them out to those whom we could never reach. The testimonies that are coming back are heart rending and incredibly powerful. We are making a difference!
We already have many volunteers across the country using the School of Christ material in their local jails and prisons touching the lives of hundreds of inmates with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in starting a prison work for your Church or Ministry we can help.
See a sample of our Correspondence Course.
Video School
How our Video School works in the prisons.
The Video class is simpler in that you will only need to make arrangements with the Facility Chaplain or Warden to have a classroom, TV and DVD player available for you. We provide you with the DVD's and Pastor Clendennen will do the rest. You will have to set a time schedule with Facility personal and time the lessons accordingly. Each lesson lasts between 25 and 45 minutes each. Also, you must be familiar with the material as there will be questions asked and as the class leader, you must have answers in accordance with the School of Christ teachings. Do not interject your own thoughts that are contrary to the Course, this only cause confusion and is a violation of our trust in you. The Video classes do not have booklets or tests for the inmates.
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