New Name, Same Ministry

In the beginning of 2017, Crossroad Bible Institute rebranded and changed its name to Crossroads Prison Ministries. (Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries via Facebook)

As of late last month, Crossroad Bible Institute is now known as Crossroads Prison Ministries, a name which seems to better reflect the ministry’s mission.

Crossroads Prison Ministries’ Cynthia Williams explains, “I think it came (the name change) as a result of our leadership as a ministry really thinking about and wanting to bring our name in line with our ministry and our vision and our goal, which has always been to reach out to prisoners.”

Furthermore, Crossroads Prison Ministries has experienced some shifts in its structure for how it does ministry.

“We’ve seen just a basic shift of from more of an academic model to more of a relational model of reaching out to prisoners, and this is now reflected both in our name and in our new logo,” Williams shares. “It’s really just a refreshing of the whole vision and mission of the ministry, and really kind of getting back to the grassroots focus of what we do.”

Currently, Crossroads Prison Ministry works to unite Christians with prisoners to create mentor and mentee relationships with the life-changing impact of the Gospel. Williams says the ministry is excited about the re-branding and that it’s been a joy to see God at work throughout all the changes.

Reflection the Mission

Part of the hope behind the re-branding is for the ministry’s new name and structure to better reflect the ministry’s mission.

(Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries via Facebook)

“Crossroad Bible Institute sounded more like an academic institution. And of course while we have Bible study courses and curriculum, that was not the primary focus of what we were doing,” Williams says.

Now, it’s clear in the new name, this outreach is all about prison ministry and reaching those behind bars with the Gospel. And as the ministry continues in the process of changing its name internationally, can you do something?

Pray

“There’s a process we have to go through…to get this unfurrowed around the world in our different extension centers. And that of course is a lengthy process involving many steps. It touches all of our materials and the things we provide,” Williams explains.

So please, pray for these changes to go smoothly, for it to be well received, and for there to be a positive and supportive approach to it.

To get involved with prison ministry, click here!

Click here to donate to Crossroads Prison Ministries!

And to learn more about the re-branding and name change, click here!

Singapore is also known as “The Lion City”. The Merlion is a national icon being half lion, half fish.

They also have some of the lowest crime rates in the world, according to the BBC, are the healthiest people in the world, rank highly in education, low on drug abuse, and have one of the highest concentrations of millionaires.

However, Singapore also has some of the least happy people in the world.

A 2012 Gallup poll revealed that, when asked a variety of questions to gauge satisfaction and positivity levels in adults, Singapore scored lower even than countries like Iraq, Haiti, and Afghanistan.

Even in the most prosperous and thriving countries, the need for Jesus Christ and His salvation is still dire.

That’s why Crossroad Bible Institute has a ministry presence in Singapore. Crossroad works with inmates to share the love of Christ, encourage them, and assist with their transition back into society.

Cynthia Williams is Crossroad’s International Director who recently visited their locations in Southeast Asia, including Singapore and, as recently reported, Malaysia.

“A number of years ago, the Lord began opening the doors to the work around the world, and we’ve seen a lot of growth into different countries where we partner with individuals and organizations that have prison ministries in their locations and we partner with them so they can utilize our program of Bible study and discipleship,” says Williams.

“We have courses that the students go through. Each lesson is then corrected by an instructor. The instructor writes a letter that goes with the lesson, then back to the student. That relationship then is built where there’s discipleship going on, mentoring, and spiritual encouragement.”

CBI international director Cynthia Williams in Singapore: She met with CBI Singapore director Paul Tan, along with key leaders Roger and Peter (Caption and Photo courtesy of Crossroad Bible Institute via Facebook)

Ultimately, it’s all about pointing the Crossroad students and their families towards God’s message of love and redemption.

“We find that really this is where change takes place. They come to know Christ, and they grow in their walk with Christ, and then their lives are changed. So when they go back into their families and communities, they are going back new people in Christ. So it’s just a very rewarding experience.”

Crossroad’s ministry in Singapore, Williams says, “has an interesting focus on not just the prisons and the prisoners, but really as they come out into halfway houses that are designed to help with rehabilitation. Many of these are people who have struggled with drug addictions, alcoholism, difficulties with substance abuse, and so our program is very strong in these halfway houses in these countries as well so there is a continuum. They are able to do the lessons in prison and the halfway houses and then there’s support for them as they are reintegrated back into their communities.”

Williams returned from her travels with impactful stories of inmates who participated in Crossroad’s program as students, and whose lives were eternally altered.

“For example, I was able to visit a restaurant that is being run by a halfway house to provide job opportunities and outreach opportunities for ex-offenders in Singapore. I was served by our very first student in Singapore who is now managing this restaurant. The restaurant is located across the street from the court building so all of the students, these residents of the halfway house, they serve the judges and the lawyers who have basically put them into the system, and they serve them with Christ’s love and grace and a desire to give back to the community.”

“This particular student, Samuel, is now married with a family and doing very very well and he attributes it to the fact that he has been able to connect with Christ through the Bible studies and the discipleship he was offered.”

Click here to learn more about Crossroad Bible Institutes prison ministry and ways you can get involved! There are even opportunities to volunteer and get your church involved.

“It’s an effort between all of us partnering together to make this happen, and we would always welcome anyone interested in doing that.”

(Photo courtesy of CBI)

You may know of Crossroad Bible Institutes’ prison ministry in the United States, but did you know they’re in critical countries like Malaysia too?

Crossroad’s International Director Cynthia Williams was just in Malaysia visiting their ministry partners throughout Southeast Asia.

“The purpose of the trip was really to connect with our directors there and our ministry team, to get a better understanding of the way the ministry functions, to also connect with the volunteers that are such an integral part of what we do, and really get some feet on the ground and some eyes on what the Lord is doing there.”

For what exactly their ministry does, Williams explains, “Crossroad Bible Institute is a ministry that focuses on bringing Christ through Bible study and discipleship to inmates in prisons, and we are doing this around the world. It’s a very interesting combination of the prisoner component and the church component, bringing believers in connection with prisoners to bring discipleship and spiritual growth and really an understanding of who Christ is so they can grow in their faith.”

(Photo courtesy of CBI)

That element of integrating Christian volunteers with prison ministry is really a key component to Crossroad’s outreach.

“It’s an enriching process for both the prisoner of course, and their spiritual lives, as well as church members who come alongside to mentor and disciple and walk alongside the prisoners in this process.”

Crossroad Bible Institute has partner ministries throughout several countries in addition to Malaysia, like Singapore, Ghana, South Africa, Colombia, and Nicaragua. They are also currently investigating possible work in the Philippines as well.

In a prison ministry that spans across countries, ethnicities, and cultures, Williams says there is still one connecting thread of truth with each of the inmates they work with — something that is true in each of our lives.

“The need for Christ to come in to change their life is really the essential component, and that is true of course around the world.”

While Crossroad instructors and volunteers work with students in the prison system, they also maintain relationships and ministry even after those individuals have been released. In Malaysia, there are halfway houses they work through to continue discipleship and help with the societal transition.

Williams shares, “It was very encouraging to visit a lot of these halfway houses and talk with the leaders there as well as our students and to see the impact it has on their lives. When they are engaged actively in this faith-based program and the Bible study component, the discipleship component, that’s where you see a much greater decrease in going back to drug and alcohol abuse, and sort of struggling with this in an ongoing way. That cycle is broken.

“I often say if you want to be a part of ministry that is life changing, this is definitely one because all of the stories and lives are radically different.”

One student’s testimony was shared during Williams stops in Southeast Asia. It’s just one moving example of lives changed by Jesus Christ through their prison ministry.

“He was telling about how he continually relapsed into drugs, and had been back and forth into the system until he finally connected with Crossroad. And he was actually at that time working at the halfway house, because he felt so strongly the need to stay connected to the Lord and Christian community and the Bible studies. His life is just a completely different life than what he was before.”

(Photo courtesy of CBI)

Prison ministry really is a unique niche of outreach in the evangelism world, but something very close to God’s heart, who desires spiritual freedom for those locked in darkness.

Williams says this is their current prayer need at Crossroad Bible Institute:

“Please pray for our directors and their ministry teams. This is not an easy ministry, as I’m sure you can understand. It takes a very special calling to really connect at this level with those that are behind bars and not everyone is comfortable doing this. So the people that the Lord calls into this ministry are uniquely equipped to do this but really often face a lot of discouragement and difficulty…. It’s definitely important that they receive the strength and the encouragement that they need to continue on.”

Click here to learn more about Crossroad Bible Institute and ways you can get involved in their prison ministry!

(Photo courtesy of Crossroad Bible Institute)

USA (MNN) – Sometimes in ministry, a change of approach is necessary to continue making a difference.

That’s something Crossroad Bible Institute has realized and responded to. Last week, CBI staff members spent a few days traveling throughout Illinois and Iowa holding conventions to connect CBI volunteers, give ministry updates, share stories of lives being changed and cast vision for future growth.

“It’s always encouraging when we can get together and be reminded of the work we do that enables the church to really be mobilized in reaching inmates with the message of the Gospel across the U.S.,” CBI executive director Lisa Blystra says.

One person CBI staff met was a woman whose husband is spending time in federal prison for a white-collar crime. Blystra said it was encouraging to see how CBI has impacted the couple’s life, but the conference that day also helped her realize how great the spiritual need in prison truly is.

“We had the opportunity to talk through some of the things she’s learning about through Crossroad and just the advantage that it has been both to her, and as she gets her husband engaged, just the encouragement that he’s receiving by knowing there’s people on the outside who are committed to staying connected to him and encouraging him as he lives through what’s going to be a seven year sentence,” Blystra says.

“I think what we were so mindful of yesterday is though we have had a great track record and are making great progress across the U.S., that there are so many men and women behind bars who are yet waiting to be connected to encouragement from the outside world.”

These men and women are currently being served by an army of 6,000 CBI volunteers. But as the majority of volunteers are in the later stages of life, a new crop is necessary to keep the ministry going.

(Photo courtesy of CBI)

“We have had a particular interest in developing some new strategy that will really push us forward in engaging a more youthful demographic volunteer base,” Blystra says. “Many of the people who are currently serving are older folks, and we love that, we want to keep them engaged, but we know in order for this ministry to be sustained for the next 30 years, we have got to have greater intentionality in including college-age students, 20s, 30s, 40s, in this great work that we are a part of.”

Still, older people are vital for the ministry to continue. Blystra encourages older, experienced volunteers to share stories of how they have seen God work with their family members, children and grandchildren, as this could inspire a new generation of volunteers.

“If an individual has their heart enlarged, has their eyes opened to the incredible challenge that we have before us with mass incarceration, if that happens at a younger age, then often times that will fuel somebody’s passion, that will be long-lasting, and we will end up hopefully with a generation of people that address this issue much differently than the generation that presently exists,” Blystra says.

Will you do your part to help CBI thrive? Blystra asks that you pray for a sense of discernment for CBI and that the church would respond to the need for prison ministry.

You can also donate to CBI or become a volunteer.

Those statistics were recently shared by Lisa Blystra, Executive Director at Crossroad Bible Institute. She also said that for many years people have been asking, “How do we keep bad people locked up?” when the real question should be, “How do we send good people home?”

Chris Hoke (photo by CBI)

That sentiment is shared by Jail Chaplain Chris Hoke from Washington state, who was recently invited to CBI’s headquarters to share the story of how he began to embrace the role of pastor to gang members and a shepherd of society’s black sheep.

“These young men who had tattoos on their faces and on their hands and on their necks — and had very colorful language — were the ones that had the most interesting things to say in their Bible studies,” Hoke shares.

“These guys would open up their whole lives to me. They would tell me everything and they would ask for prayer. Their hearts were just wide open.”

(photo by CBI)

Hoke fielded questions about prison ministry and shared from his recently published book, Wanted: A Spiritual Pursuit Through Jail, Among Outlaws, and Across Borders.

For more information, and an opportunity to view the hour-long presentation which includes a challenge to churches and encouragement for individuals to pray and get involved, follow this link to CrossroadBible.org.

CBI Communications Director Aaron Mueller

Recently, we had a chance to speak with Communications Director Aaron Mueller about what motivates CBI’s staff and volunteers: “Our passion is to equip and engage the Church, and give them an outlet to do ministry behind bars.

“We try to make it easy [by] allowing them to correct inmates’ Bible studies. They’re able to correct their (inmates’) lessons and also send back a letter of discipleship, a letter of encouragement.”

While CBI’s outreach spans across 50 U.S. states and six continents, Mueller reminds us that the real power of God’s work in the lives of their 30,000 students happens one-on-one.

“The most impacting part of what we do is the relationship that is built exchanging letters,” Mueller explains, “and hearing about how God brings together people from Pella, Iowa, with a person on the south side of Chicago, who had a very rough upbringing and lands in prison, and

(Photo courtesy CBI)

“Just seeing how God works between two radically-different people…when the Holy Spirit’s involved, amazing things can happen.”

Please pray that God would guide Crossroad Bible Institute in their ongoing development of curriculum, and that more prisoners’ lives would be changed by the power of God’s Word and His Spirit.

(Photo courtesy of CBI)

Guam (MNN) — American missionaries Rose and Tom Van Engen are working with Crossroad Bible Institute (CBI) to start and stabilize a new campus in Guam.

Rose, who was a U.S. CBI instructor, and her husband recently moved from Iowa to begin ministry work in the territory for the upcoming years. Luggage wasn’t the only thing they brought with them. They had the proposed idea to start a new CBI campus.

“They knew of Crossroad and said ‘Hey, can we help start the ministry in Guam and build it up, get it to be self-sustaining for future students?’ And we looked at the options, looked at what we were capable of, and thought this was an excellent way to further broadcast Christ’s news,” says CBI’s Jacob Busscher.

The ministry, which shares the Truth and message of the Gospel with prisoners, students, and their families, is working in prisons in more than 20 areas around the world, and now Guam is one of them.

CBI’s work is just taking off in the territory, but Buscher says there’s enough room for 500 to 600 students.

“We’re looking at about 12 students to begin with, and we have 15 potential students on the way.”

Some lessons can take as long as a month to send feedback and completed lessons back and forth between students and instructors. But CBI’s satellite campus courses are making it easier and more time-effective to confer with each other.

“There is a nice and–if I can say–convenient factor with the satellite campuses,” Busscher says.

“The biggest factor here is actually reducing the time for these students and then providing an opportunity for better engagement, quicker communication, and closer contacts with those [in the territory] and also to directly facilitate the lessons into these prisons.”

The use of satellite courses are helping students to quickly and deeply develop their relationship with Jesus, and they’re able to share what they’re learning with family members.

As the new campus in Guam is opening, Busscher says, “Right now, we’re looking actually for instructors who are able to help with these students.”

Are you up for the challenge? Contact CBI at 616-530-1300 or check them out online.

“We will gladly connect you, whether that’s through an instructor, an encouragement, whether that’s coming in to volunteer and helping with a lot of our newsletters that get sent out. Also, we are always looking for prayers.”

Pray for the growth and stability of the new campus, and for students and their families to have open hearts while hearing the Gospel.

(Graphic courtesy CBI)

Sierra Leone (MNN) — Last week, Sierra Leone was celebrating the release of the final known Ebola patient in the country. But this week, 50 people have been quarantined after a woman, who was later confirmed to have the virus, died.

Though this is forcing ministries like Crossroad Bible Institute (CBI) to put their work on hold, there are new developments taking place to enable them to continue soon.

“From our understanding and investigation, this woman contracted the virus from a male survivor who didn’t meet the 90-day cycle and got infected, and they were hiding it,” National publicity and outreach coordinator, Abdulai Bayraytay, told Voice of America.

After passing away, World Health Organization (WHO) said a swab taken from the woman confirmed her case. It’s been estimated that she’d been hiding her infection for 5-10 days.

50 people who are believed to have come in contact with her have been identified as at high-risk, and quarantined. So far, no new infections have been reported, but “we should not be surprised if we see new cases coming out,” Ibrahim Sesay of the National Ebola Response Centre told a local radio station.

BBC News reported The National Ebola Response Centre is debating whether they should isolate the entire village of Sella, where the woman died.

“There’s that fear factor: ‘Oh, what does this mean for Sierra Leone now? What does this mean for our campus,’” says Jacob Busscher of CBI says. “I don’t have the [answers] for that. We will see what it brings forward.”

CBI’s prison satellite ministry, which helps prisoners and their families grow in Christ, has been forced to stop in West Africa ever since the epidemic outbreak.

“Sierra Leone and Liberia, where we do have satellite campuses: those have essentially been paused temporarily until Ebola has been significantly diminished and the security has been lifted so that our directors are able to enter prison.”

Though this case has brought on new obstacles and delayed the process slightly, several locations in West Africa are slowly opening up and lifting sanctions that keep CBI workers from helping on the ground.

“Does that mean that we’re up and running and 100% forward? Not at all. But we are excited that there are baby steps being made to work toward the established campus that we once were,” Busscher says.

“The Gospel impact, especially in West Africa, is intricately tied to living out God’s Word. So often times, it’s not only the lessons that get received by many of these prisoners, but it’s often something more.” That may be blankets, food, water, or one-to-one contact.

Whereas the U.S. doesn’t allow individuals to go into prisons unless they’re a pastor, a chaplain, or have a license to enter, West Africa is a bit more lenient, enabling CBI to deliver provisions and the Gospel message.

“That is the beauty of CBI life,” Busscher says

While Sierra Leone is on alert once again and CBI’s work is on hold, the number one thing you can do to help is pray.

“Prayers are just vital to keeping us going to providing God’s wonderful grace to wash over us, as well as to keep moving forward and looking on how we can bring God’s ministry wherever it is.”

“Not understanding what was going on in my life at the time of my grandpa’s passing, I became rebellious and began running around with the wrong people,” Jason said.

Against his aunt’s wishes, Jason quit school and started working to support his drug habits. His life of partying and drug use continued through his marriage at age 18 and the birth of his daughter the following year. Life spiraled completely out of Jason’s control, and soon he lost his family and his freedom when he was sentenced to life in prison in 2001.

(Photo courtesy of Crossroad Bible Institute)

Haunted by his actions, Jason found prison life to be unbearable, as he faced bullying and ridicule from fellow prisoners after they learned of his crime. “I honestly didn’t know if I could take it anymore, and my roommate asked me to go to church with him one evening,” he said.

Jason’s aunt had encouraged him to attend church as a child, but he had never truly experienced the presence of God in his life until that moment. During the prison church service, Jason encountered the Lord in a way that captured his heart.

“I found refuge and peace while I was at church,” Jason said. “I could actually block out prison and all of my mistakes in life for a few hours.”

The roommate who invited Jason to church was Darnell, a CBI student with a great testimony of his own. “We have been friends for 6 years now. We are both born-again Christians,” Jason said. “I am proud to call Darnell my friend and brother in the love for our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Darnell not only brought Jason to church, he also introduced him to Crossroad Bible Institute. “We do our Bible studies together, sharing Scripture and personal thoughts on the questions set before us,” said Jason. “Both of us love sharing God’s Word and love with each other through our studies.”

Although the men are living in a maximum security prison, that doesn’t stop them from taking what they’ve learned and passing it on to others. “We try our best to keep our faith and love for the Lord strong and share it with others that are willing to listen,” said Jason. “It gives us hope and joy in a place that otherwise would be dark and lonely.”

Jason and Darnell have been studying through Crossroad for several years and are both currently enrolled in Survey of the Bible. “I would like to thank Crossroad Bible Institute along with all their staff and Instructors for being my friend and helping me understand God’s Scripture and love for me,” Jason said. “I know all about loss and regret. I also know about love and hope now as well.”

You can help people like Jason and Darnell inside a prison experience the joy, hope, and love that are found only in the Lord: become a CBI Instructor or make a donation to CBI.

Crossroad Bible Institute gives churches a way to minister to men in women in prisons around the world. From Australia to Zambia, incarcerated men and women like Jack make their way through a free Bible study, and instructors correct the lessons and return them, adding a letter of encouragement to the package.

Jack encountered Crossroad while in a Queensland prison. He had grown up around drugs, violence, and pain, and at 11 years old he left home because of the strife between his parents. He went back to live with his mother at 13 when they finally separated, but he left when his father returned and had a heated argument with Jack’s mother that climaxed with his father shooting himself. Jack witnessed the entire thing.

Jack turned to crime–he only life he knew–even at a young age. Crime, drugs, and avoiding the police were part of every day, but eventually he was caught by local authorities.

(Photo courtesy Crossroads Bible Institute)

Prison wasn’t an upgrade. The social system inside the prison he was in was controlled by the biggest and strongest, who dished out their own idea of justice on anyone who got in their way.

One day, Jack was sick of it. He was at the lowest class of the social system, and all he knew was pain and suffering. That day, he met a chaplain.

For the first time, Jack heard about God and the sacrifice of His one and only Son. He received a Crossroad brochure, and what he read impressed and confused him. Jack wanted to know more about the lessons mentioned in the brochure, and the chaplain gladly introduced him to the program.

Now Jack has constant contact with an instructor and is eager to learn as much as possible about the gospel, and he’s not alone. Over a thousand students are being disciple by Crossroad Bible Institute in Australia alone, with about 30,000 students participating worldwide.

If you’re interested in helping Crossroad reach men and women in prison, find more information here.