January 2004

Newsletter to Friends and Partners of DA2LJ from Rick Ives

Pastor Grant Edwards and I met in Columbus this past Monday with the Deputy Director of all State prisons in Ohio, and the Head Chaplain for all state prisons in Ohio. This meeting was arranged by a member of our church after he had been discipled by a man in our church and told a friend of his about the Discipling Another to Love Jesus program (DA2LJ).  His friend knew the Deputy-Director and thus the meeting.  

 

We met with these gentlemen for about 30 minutes with the hope of presenting the DA2LJ ministry and to ask for permission to take it into more Ohio prisons. The amazing thing though is about 10 minutes into our presentation, the Deputy Director  looked at us and said "So, where do we go from here?"  In other words, the door to all 33 Ohio prisons has now been opened to us and DA2LJ and the 45,000 men and women behind bars!

 

We are going to begin by continuing our work in Marion Correctional Institution (where Warden Chris Money has helped pave the way for this ministry in prisons), and now going into the prisons in Ross (near Cincinnati), London (near us), and Marysville (a women's facility where teams of ladies from Fellowship will be going in.)

 

I can't begin to tell you how powerful the presence of the Lord was as we met.  It was great to see these leaders of the Ohio prison system as they opened up to us their desire to see inmates grow in the Lord and as they welcomed DA2LJ into their secular system.  God is so cool!

 

DA2LJ is growing, here at Fellowship, in Springfield, in Ohio, in the country, and around the world.  It is so exciting to be part of something that God has His hands on.  Just wanted you to know how it is going - thanks so much for all your prayers and support.

 

Upcoming - DA2LJ conferences here in Springfield, and in Virginia Beach,VA, and in Russia, Cuba, The Philippines, and The Bahamas - and in many prisons!

 

 

God Bless You - Pastor Rick Ives

Director National and International Ministries