One Step With Jesus Restoration Program; I am my Brother's Keeper: Laying a Biblical Foundation for Mentoring Returning Citizens: Training Guide

By Robert Vann

A Strictly Biblical Perspective Ministries Inc. has strategically designed a biblical cognitive character-based training curriculum. It is designed to equip pastors, chaplains, and faith-based instructors with insight for preparing reentry volunteers as mentors to be matched with returning citizens upon their release from prison or while incarcerated. The curriculum is designed with six modules to assist faith-based volunteers in developing a biblical perspective into God's fourfold purpose for their lives: relationships, character development, service, and reproduction. The fifth module is designed to address the spiritual warfare that ministry leaders and faith-based volunteers will encounter in mentoring the "returning citizen population." The final module is designed to assist ministry leaders and faith-based volunteers in understanding how to assist returning citizens in overcoming the effects of alcohol and drug addiction. This course will build the capacity of members within the faith-based community to minister to returning citizens in restoration from crime and addiction. The curriculum is designed to enhance the quality of care to the "ex offender population" by producing spiritually mature mentors walking in close fellowship with God. The curriculum is extremely comprehensive and highly interactive and will assist volunteers in developing a functional understanding of their roles in mentoring returning citizens through the use of scriptures, a series of individual and small group exercises.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781640038936

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I am my

Brother’s Keeper

Laying a Biblical Foundation for

Mentoring Returning Citizens

Training Guide

Robert F. Vann

One Step With Jesus Restoration Program

ISBN 978-1-64003-892-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64003-893-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2018 Robert F. Vann

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Dedication

Following approximately ten years of full-time ministry with Prison Fellowship and Transition of Prisoners Inc., to the least of these, and having trained over one thousand mentors in seventeen different cites, in fourteen different states, God placed a burden on the author’s heart for every individual called to in-prison and aftercare ministry.

Over a period of ten years, God began revealing how He is equally concerned with the spiritual well-being of those ministering to the least of these, as He is concerned with those who are being ministered to. During the same period of time, the author came to the realization that in order to maximize the efforts of mentors in ministry, their mentoring training needs to be predominately biblically strategic. This will allow both the mentor and mentee to reap greater spiritual benefits from the ministry.

Therefore, this resource manual is dedicated to members within the body of Christ called to minister to individuals charged with the difficult task of working with believers being restored from bondage to crime, alcohol, and other drug addictions.

Likewise this manual is dedicated to the body of Christ, who will experience the ripple effects of this manual as the universal principles calling the church back to meaningful relationships are shared with everyone the mentors encounter following their training.

Foreword

Bob Vann, one of this nation’s expert servant-leaders in prison ministry, has written a book that captures the essence of the human struggle in a hectic, global era that is increasingly characterized by all sorts of complexity, contingency, diversity, inequality, and apostasy. In an era of guided missiles, but misguided persons, now more than ever before, we all need mentors to steer us in a godly direction. This point is true for every culture and generation on the planet. In this book, Mr. Vann directs our attention to the centrality of mentoring in each of our lives, via the Holy Spirit and fellowship with others. I very much appreciate the way Bob weaves into the tapestry of the book a series of poignant remarks gleaned from the writings of outstanding Christian leaders—pastors, counselors, scholars, and others. Yet, the most crucial feature of the book is its extensive proclamation and substantiation of God’s infinite love for each one of us, as exemplified in the atoning death of Christ Jesus. The author judiciously presents key theological doctrines in a creative, systematic manner, inviting every reader to ponder the breadth and depth of God’s desire to fellowship with each of us, whether we have been incarcerated in prison or not.

As one explores the first chapter, the reader should carefully notice the principle of repentance, the principle of saving faith, the principle of regeneration, the principle of adoption, and the principle of holiness—as these anchor Mr. Vann’s early arguments. In strategic fashion, the relationship between these principles is captured graphically in a diagram and helpful chart. All of these ideas, and the scriptural verses pertaining to them, explain the, often misunderstood, dynamics of spiritual rebirth. In brief, Bob explains the way of salvation in clear, coherent, and poignant terms for all who engage the contents of this manuscript. What a helpful, yet essential foundation for restoring broken lives and captive spirits enslaved by sin. Chapter 1 gives fresh identity and power to all who choose to be rescued in Christ from the perils and pitfalls of this world system. The author unabashedly shows that Almighty God can and will meet our needs, if we abandon sinful or worldly approaches to gratifying our deepest desires.

Hence, the supreme value of fellowship or koinonia is unleashed in the pages of this book. The text is replete with relevant biblical references in every chapter. All believers and potential converts can understand the vital truths or doctrines presented by Mr. Vann. For instance, chapter 2 depicts wise insights about character development, holiness, and spiritual maturity. Using his customary schematic diagrams, charts, and a plethora of Bible verses, Bob articulates the role of sanctification in any believer’s life journey. He is diligent to exposit biblical concepts in a manner that allows his audience to conceive, ponder, and apply them. Of course, an enormous wealth of biblical wisdom and insights are contained as precious jewels adorning the confines of this manuscript.

Anyone who aspires to comprehend the acute role that serving others has in fostering one’s own spiritual development would certainly delight in chapter 3. Here, I appreciated Bob’s thoughtful treatment of spiritual gifts as treasures to understanding the different venues of service within the body of Christ. Obviously, the ability to understand and utilize one’s spiritual gift is a necessary prelude to effective service and spiritual restoration for everyone, in or out of prison walls. Needless to say, the book would be incomplete without a section discussing spiritual warfare, so Mr. Vann incorporates this topic, too. Elementary matters and sophisticated motifs are explored, being carefully illustrated by diagrams. Such insights will invariably assist anyone to confront the evil strongholds or dispositions affecting their lives. As is evident in the contents of the monograph, Bob has a compassionate heart for hustlers as well as those who have been oppressed or victimized by the pernicious, often lethal, code of the street. His antidote is learning to equip ourselves in the full armor of God.

The penultimate goal of mentoring reaches its climax in the book’s final chapter. Here, Mr. Vann puts all the pieces of the puzzle together to launch us into a life that will reproduce the eternal goodness of Christ in others as they respond to His salvation. Bob bombards us with the relational properties of the mentoring process, proving to us that invariably our relationships always matter. He urges us to love and serve others, especially the least ones or most disadvantaged persons we encounter. Mr. Vann tackles issues related to bonding, accountability, nurture, attraction, and burnout in realistic terms.

The toughness and tenderness of Bob Vann’s life and ministry exude from the chapters of this innovative book. I endorse this momentous work. I marvel at the breadth of its undertaking. I salute its biblical authenticity. I applaud its scope and outreach. Anyone anywhere who is thirsty to know what to do to find genuine meaning, purpose, and fellowship in life will likely gravitate to the lessons on mentoring divulged by Bob Vann in the contents of this work. May he be rewarded by a multitude of changed lives for all his painstaking effort in producing this text.

Dr. Hank Allen

A Word from My Mentor

Pastor William A. Harris

Grace Community Church of Detroit MI.

In the truest sense of the word, in some degree, pastors serve as mentors to the people in his congregation. Some individuals in the flock require more attention than others; but in one way or another, if a pastor is effective, he touches most. With that in mind, there are those who come to a pastor with special needs—having been damaged by society to the degree that they require special attention that most of the congregation does not. One such person would be the returning citizens. This term is a misnomer—for in the true sense of the word, we are all returning citizens, those who have been forgiven by Christ or those who haven’t.

Our focus, however, is on those who have run afoul of the law, who have paid their debt to society, and who are now back in the community. Many of these poor souls come with a stigma of self-demoralization or the propensity for vitriol and violence. Thus, the challenge for the pastor is to first make that person comfortable within the congregation. It helps to have someone designated to come along side of the person, who is trained in identifying those special needs. It is paramount that this paraclete be willingly available to walk them through the tough times that lie ahead. It is imperative that a trusting relationship be established as soon as possible.

The challenge for pastors is to be nonjudgmental, no matter what the prior offense has been. They also must show that they will not be taken in by any games the mentee might display. It should be the pastor’s objective to get the mentee to focus on why he/she is there and bathe them in the Word as soon as possible. Not preachy but reachy should be the pastor’s mindset—just a consistent, patient walk with their mentee until there is no varnish shown on either of them.

A Word from Ministry Leaders

Across the Nation Regarding the Concept of Mentoring

Joseph Williams, Founder, CEO,

Transition Of Prisoners Inc, Detroit MI.

Mentoring is one of the most important aspects of working with men and women in transition from prison to the community. This is especially true for those who have been involved in a lifestyle of crime and drugs for a significant length of time. As human beings are inherently gregarious creatures, it is a given that we need to maintain close social contact with others. The transitioning returning citizen often finds herself/himself in the precarious situation of not having a positive friendship network with which to socialize. For years they have socialized with the wrong kinds of associates, those who tend to reinforce their negative lifestyle. Upon leaving prison, attempting to make a better life for themselves, they are faced with the daunting task of establishing a completely new social and spiritual support network. This, I believe, is where the majority of returning citizens stumble. This is where the role of the mentor becomes crucial.

The role of the mentor is key in a number of respects. Obviously they serve as role models, teaching and modeling important social skills the returning citizen needs to learn in order to negotiate this very difficult transition. However, this is only the beginning of their job. The mentor must encourage and help facilitate the returning citizen’s establishment of a new, positive social and spiritual support system. Once this has been successfully done, the returning citizen has not only a significant relationship with her/his friend, the mentor, but has a number of friends with which to socialize and continually learn from.

This process is beneficial and gratifying to the mentor as well as the person being mentored. Over the years, I have listened in amazement to the testimonies of countless mentors who have thanked my colleagues and me for allowing them to participate in this kind of ministry. They openly admit that they may have been helped even more than the returning citizen. They admit that they need to help another person just as much or more than the person needed the help. Their participation in this kind of process helped them to grow spiritually. This is a living example of the principle: It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Rev. Manny Mill, Founder, National Director,

Koinonia House National Ministries (KHNM), Wheaton Ill.

With a clear and precise commandment, Jesus Christ commissioned His disciples (His first disciples and subsequent disciples belonging to this exclusive, but yet inclusive, redemptive institution—the church) to reproduce by making disciples of Him.

In Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus came to His disciples, commanding them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. In Jesus’ commission, the word all includes our neighbors in prison.

Making disciples, rather than just producing babies in twenty-two seconds, is a major commandment Jesus gave to His disciples and reveals the primary work of the church. However, making disciples requires true mentoring from someone who has his/her tent equipped with God’s glory, truth, and love—who is also walking the life of a disciple by pitching his or her tent and getting D-I-R-T-Y with the mentee. Most of the effectiveness of the mentor, as he or she disciples the mentee, will be caught rather than taught by the living example of the mentor.

Making disciples requires a mentor who is willing to close the distance, by bridging the gap with his or her mentee. In other words, making disciples requires loving the mentee up close, by the mentor taking the initiative and full responsibility of developing the mentee’s Christian character by dealing with every aspect of life. A mentor points the mentee to the action of the redemptive cross of Jesus Christ and His resurrecting power by allowing the mentee to learn and experience Biblical responsible freedom! The mentor should always direct the mentee to Jesus Christ and His Word, not himself.

KHNM serves as a consciousness to the church, and the vast majority of prison ministries, to include the members of the church coming out of prison and to embrace them as their neighbors, by waiting by the prison gate to bring them HOME! In other words, making babies through biblical evangelism also requires bringing the baby home by mentoring that baby through biblical discipleship. Therefore, evangelism must be married to discipleship; they are interconnected in the mentoring process. Mentoring serves as a tangible bridge to bring this message to the heart of the church by being one of the five foundational and essential aspects of the KHNM model. Mentoring teaches the church how to love their neighbor and brings God His due glory, so the members of the church can experience the joy God wants to unleash. Therefore the mentee, if well mentored, will serve as an effective ambassador for the segment of the church. Therefore the mentee, if well mentored, will serve as an effective ambassador for the segment of the church coming out of prison (ninety-seven percent of all inmates will be released someday)—to remind the church at large that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); therefore the ground at the cross is level.

Mentoring requires the mentor to get D-I-R-T-Y with the mentee by unwrapping and ripping away all the pieces of dead clothing the mentee was dressed with, while in the tomb of death (John 11:43, 44). The mentor then has the privilege and joy of seeing the mentee become truly free. Alleluia! What a true joy to see the mentor produce the required fruit that will remain as the mentee walks with freeing confidence in Jesus Christ, by being truly connected to Him (John 15:4–8)!

A Word from Mentors

across the Nation Engaged in Mentoring Returning Citizens

Mentoring Experience of Michael Hughes

Koinonia House Ministries, Wheaton Ill.

Early in 1995, following a presentation by Manny Mill at my church, in which he challenged us to open our hearts to men being released from prison, our church decided to embrace the Koinonia House Ministry. Shortly after that challenge, the Holy Spirit moved in me to place me where I could utilize the one gift I knew God has blessed me with, that being the ability to reflect the love that He has so abundantly shown me.

In August of 1995, I was privileged to accompany two other men from my church on a visit to the East Moline Correctional Facility to visit the first man that our church would sponsor through Koinonia House. Little did I know that from this meeting, I would begin a relationship that would span seven years and long beyond that. What wondrous things are possible through Christ. Here I was, a married white suburban man who only read about life in the inner city, beginning a relationship with a man that grew up as a street kid on the north side of Chicago.

Through our local church group, I quickly realized that my mentee was a passionate believer in Jesus Christ and that he felt a call to Christian service. At that time, he really did not know what form that would take, but he knew he needed to enroll in graduate school to prepare himself for his call. Though I was never an official mentor to him, nonetheless I assumed that role. I volunteered to help him prepare to take the Graduate Record Examination as the first step in preparation for graduate school. This was only going to last a couple of months. We did work on this, but in the end, he never had to take that GRE and is about to graduate from Northern Baptist Seminary. Praise the Lord!

I am so overjoyed at the man he has become and that I have been allowed to love him as a true brother. We shared his struggles and successes. Oh how I could get frustrated at him and how he could get angry at me! But in spite of the struggles, and in response to the joys, we have shared an enduring relationship, bound by Christ.

What have I received during these last seven years? I have received the truth—that all joy is possible through Christ. I am elated to know and co-labor with him to lead more Christ-like lives day by day. I am also grateful to have served alongside so many dedicated Christians. Lastly, I am overjoyed that the Holy Spirit lives within me and that I am able to be of service to the body of Christ. Michael currently is the church liaison, hosting monthly meetings for all mentors and discipleship resident directors for Koinonia House Ministry in the Chicago area.

Mentoring Experience of Rev. Shelia E. Bloomfield

Operation Turnaround

In 1999, Operation Turnaround shared the issue of recidivism and the impact the faith community could make concerning the issue. I felt in my spirit that God had answered my prayers. I have always had a concern for those who had been incarcerated and wondered what I could do to help turn their lives around. Yet, it did not mean as much to me until some of my own relatives fell into that situation. I saw first-hand what they are up against and how difficult it is to start over afresh when no one is willing to give a second chance. Sure, there are times when I grow tired of the disappointment of seeing them continuously going back to their old ways, but now I understand the struggle better because I’ve drawn a little closer to really hear and understand their plight. It is not only with my natural abilities, but through the eyes and ears of God, I am seeing and hearing them. Yes, I believe that we are our brothers’ keeper. God has given us this opportunity to step up to the plate and display compassionate concern for those who cannot see and for those that are bruised and bound.

At the request of Operation Turnaround, I volunteered as a mentor and shared in some of the instructional classes for reentry training and later attended some of the graduation ceremonies of those preparing to reenter society. Subsequently, I began participating in the organization of program leadership in the central region of Virginia as a regional administrator. In this capacity, I coordinated people and resources while building support networks for program participants. After approximately eighteen months, there arose a need for a regional director in the central region. I was appointed to this position and carried out the tasks of coordinating mentor-mentee matches for newly released returning citizens, assigning participants to various houses of worship and oversight of continued discipleship and program development.

In 2001, I became president of Teaching Restoration United Through Helps (TRUTH). Central was established as a partner with Operation Turnaround Inc., representing the central region of the state of Virginia. We are preparing to provide trained mentors to encourage and assist persons going through the transitioning process of job-readiness training, computer skills, family-life skills, and tutoring. Everyone doesn’t have to go behind the prison walls; there is much to be done on the outside, for the families, as well as for those who have returned home. No, we don’t need any more jails; but we do need more loving, caring people to show that there is a solution to this madness, and it is found here in the faith community. This is a high calling. My desire is to see a strong networking of the faith community and all collaborating partners making this effort a success. Don’t count the returning citizen out, for even Jesus said to the thief on the cross, This day, you shall be with me in paradise. Recidivism can stop, and with God’s people, we can make it happen!

Mentoring Experience of Michael Zdan

Transition of Prisoners Inc., Detroit MI.

I have been a mentor with the Transition of Prisoners Inc. program for roughly five years. Currently, I am a documentation analyst with Comerica Bank in Detroit Michigan. My calling into this field of ministry was yet another example of how God works in the lives of those who desire to seek and serve Him. I worked as a direct care worker in a substance abuse facility where I had recently completed treatment. In a mentoring capacity, there, I assisted other men who were seeking the deliverance from drug and alcohol abuse that I had received. At that time, I began attending church at Grace Community Church of Detroit. There, I met an individual named Robert Vann who had also been delivered from addiction to alcohol/drugs. He told me about a program called Detroit T.O.P. (where he worked) and the opportunities that were available to mentor men there. Although I have never been involved with the Department of Corrections, Brother Vann informed me that my story was similar to many of these men, seeing that they also had substance abuse issues in their past. Because I enjoyed doing this in the workplace, I willingly accepted Brother Vann’s invitation to join the program.

The benefits I have received as a result of my involvement in this program are immeasurable! To see God transform the lives of others (as He did mine) really nourishes my relationship with Him. He continues to show Himself in the development and growth that I have seen in the men I have worked with; the relationships that I have developed with these individuals have become true friendships that I cherish.

The greatest benefit that I have received from this program is what I have learned from the men that I have mentored; it truly has been a learning and growth experience for me. I have gained so much from these individuals that I sometimes have to question who is the mentor and who is the one being mentored!

God wants us to be relational, not only with Him but with our brothers as well. If you are considering such a calling, I can tell you that your life will be richly blessed as a result. Take the opportunity to reach out to a brother; let him learn from you and you from him. Together you will both grow in the grace and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be all the glory!

Preface

What Did Salvation Cost God and Who Paid the Price?

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.( Ephesians 2:8–9)

Yes, salvation is free and available to all of mankind, but it cost God His most precious possession. Victory over every type of bondage to sin is included in salvation through Christ Jesus. Jesus has paid the price and obtained a victory for those who accept Him as Lord in every area of their lives, including being set free from the bondage of drugs and alcohol.

The solution to every issue in life is found in a relationship with God. Christians are commanded to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind. Therefore, in order to do that, we must first experience the love of God. The Father’s love is demonstrated through His grace—supplying mankind with all they need to enter into a loving relationship with Him.

The Greatest Commandment

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37).

Learning to love God with all our hearts begins with understanding what it cost God to enter into a relationship with fallen man; it cost Him His most precious possession, His Son.

God demonstrated His great love for all of mankind by sacrificing His only begotten Son in order that mankind may enter into a relationship with Him.

Every Christian must accept and learn to experience His great love demonstrated on Calvary for them by understanding and having faith in their position in Christ.

True love for God comes from experiencing His love, a love demonstrated by Him sacrificing His most precious possession, Jesus Christ.

Understanding all that Christ endured emotionally, spiritually, and physically, prior to and during His crucifixion on Calvary, will help every Christian grasp how great God’s love for them truly is and provide them with a sincere love for God.

We love him, because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

The Price Jesus Paid Emotionally in the Battle of the Will: Agony in the Garden

Jesus Experiences the Darkest Night of His Life

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26:36–42)

Listen to Jesus’ remarks as He struggles with His emotions leading up to His crucifixion and His requested support from His closest friends, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Listen as He prays during that time of emotional distress, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. He’s experiencing the battle of the will. Three times the scriptures record His intense emotional struggle with His will.

In His anticipation of what’s to come, He cries out in the midst of His emotional struggle to the Father saying if it is at all possible that I don’t have to endure what’s ahead, allow it not to happen. However, in the next breath, He submits His will to the Father’s task of completing the works of Calvary.

Jesus acknowledges the weakness of His flesh and its unwillingness to endure the cross. He tells that His spirit is willing and strong: The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak. The spirit wins out in the midst of the emotional struggle as Jesus endures the cross.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. (Luke 22:39–46)

The Gospel of Luke provides an even clearer picture of the emotional struggle the Savior experienced. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

The intense emotional struggle is clearly expressed as the writer states, And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

The term agony refers to tension before combat or a wrestling match or fight, fear not to flee, but fear that trembles in the face of an issue yet allows one to remain and