Mission Statement
To provide spiritually mature, equipped, and motivated Christian chaplains to serve in correctional facilities nationally and internationally.
Purpose Statement
To meet the spiritual needs of both inmates and staff through ministry that includes evangelism, discipleship, and pastoral attention, while facilitating other religious faiths within the guidelines established by law and the individual correctional facility.
I think of how far this ministry has come since 1961…and how exciting it is to be a part of it today. When you think about it, a jail and prison ministry is like most mission fields. It is difficult, challenging work, yet completely rewarding. However, the outcome of what our folks do is identical to any other Bible believing, Bible teaching ministry. That’s because 365 days a year, Good News Chaplains see inmates become brothers and sisters in Christ, just as missionaries in Africa, Asia, or a hundred other countries see people come to know the Savior.
You see, an inmate in an American jail or prison is no different from you and me. We are all sinners, and an inmate who makes a life-changing decision for Christ is no different from any one of us who has made that decision to follow our heavenly Father.
If I could only have a few words to tell you what Good News Jail & Prison Ministry is all about, it is this: God sent His only Son to reach all who have sinned - Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, rich, poor, businessmen, teachers and, yes, prisoners. It makes no difference to Him. And Good News Chaplains are there to take the Gospel message to correctional facilities throughout the United States and several foreign countries.
So I invite you to "check us out." Check with those who endorse us. If there is a Good News Ministry in your area, contact the Chaplain. Go and see how he or she ministers in a jail or prison near you, or let us send you material about what God is doing in inmates’ lives.
We also want you to know that we work hard to maintain the absolute standards God has set before us by operating this ministry with integrity, honesty and high moral character.
Please prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in reaching lost men and women “behind the walls” as Good News provides Chaplains to America’s jails and prisons.
Sincerely
Harry Greene
President & CEO
In 1961, correctional chaplaincy was the exclusive province of the federal and state prison systems. A local jail might have a pastor or pastors volunteering to come in on Sunday, but an on-site chaplain was basically non existent.
A young Bible college student in Washington, DC changed all that in 1961. Dr. William L. Simmer’s vision of placing evangelical, Christian chaplains in local jails to minister to inmates became reality with the founding of Good News Mission (now Good News Jail & Prison Ministry) and the placement of the ministry’s first chaplain in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail.
In 1983, Dr. Simmer passed the mantle of leadership to Harry L. Greene, his "son in the faith." Harry had trusted Christ in 1964 in the Arlington County, Virginia jail under the ministry of Dr. Simmer and upon his release from prison had gone on to have a highly successful business career while staying deeply involved with Dr. Simmer and Good News.
In late 1994 Harry presented his vision (plan) to the Board of Directors for
Vision 2000, an initiative to increase the number of Good News chaplains to 200 by the end of the year 2000. God graciously blessed over the next six years and Good News saw national and international growth that resulted in over 30 new ministry areas and over 130 new chaplains...enabling
Vision 2000 to be a reality.
Today we call it, "Vision 2000 . . . and beyond," for we continue to see God open doors for ministry nationally and internationally. Good News chaplains are literally ministering around the world and we are trusting God for 500 chaplains by the end of 2010.
What motivates such vision? The realization that on a day yet to come in glory, those who have been purchased by the blood of Christ, to include those inmates around the world who over the years have trusted Christ, will fall before the Lamb saying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing...to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
We urge you to become a part of what God is doing to call men and women behind bars to Himself. You will never look at a jail or prison the same way again.
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in December 1961 as a non-profit organization formed for the purposes of organizing a visitation program for the benefit of inmates of institutions in the State; witnessing to inmates and their families; aiding in a physical and spiritual rehabilitation of men and women upon their release from an institution; and provision of an educational program within the institutions to encourage continuance of formal education among the inmates, as permitted by said institutions.
The practical application of these purposes is embodied in the provision of trained, ordained men and women to serve as staff chaplains in correctional institutions throughout the United States and abroad.
From its beginning with one chaplain in the Fairfax County Detention Center (Virginia), Good News Jail & Prison Ministry now provides over 376 staff chaplains, serving 115 U. S. institutions in 22 states, the countries of Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, Ukraine, and Venezuela and one U. S. Territory, American Samoa.
From its inception, the organization has been primarily funded by the gifts and donations of interested individuals, businesses, and churches, with occasional support from foundations and grants. Throughout its history, the Ministry has not accepted any financial support from federal, state, or local tax revenues, but rather has provided services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, at no cost to the local tax-paying citizen.
Operational oversight of the Ministry is vested in the President who is accountable to a Board of Directors. As a Charter Member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), we fully subscribe to the ECFA standards of responsible stewardship and fund-raising. Membership in ECFA is annually renewable and is subject to providing a completed audit and other information which verifies continued adherence to ECFA standards. An independent public accounting firm prepares the audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and also prepares financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry has more than 48 years of service to Sheriffs, Directors of Correction, institution staff, and inmates in correctional facilities across the United States and abroad.
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization.
BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
Good News administers the Bible Correspondence Course, (a curriculum developed and written by Good News) consisting of 224 individual Bible studies that inmates can utilize to gain a deeper and greater knowledge of the Bible. Each of these individual studies consists of four pages of questions that the inmates can only answer by looking up corresponding biblical chapter and verse.
The books covered in this study begin with the New Testament book of John (32 lessons), then moves into 1 John (8 lessons), Philippians (8 lessons), 1 & 2 Thessalonians (8 lessons), Ephesians (8 lessons), Romans (24 lessons) 1 & 2 Corinthians (32 lessons), Colossians (8 lessons), 1 & 2 Peter (8 lessons), Genesis (40 lessons), Galatians (8 lessons), and Acts (40 lessons).
Once the individual book study is completed, the inmate then sends it to the Chaplain for grading, and receives back the next in the series to work on. Every time the inmate finishes one of the books, he or she receives what is called a "Unit Certificate" from Good News indicating the inmate has successfully completed that particular biblical unit of study.
When the inmate completes all 224 individual studies, then he or she receives from Good News a "Course Completion Certificate", along with a brand new "Award Bible". What the inmates receive is The Open Bible, New King James Version, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers out of Nashville, Tenn.
LIFE LEARNING PROGRAM
What is the Life-Learning Program?
1. The Life-Learning Program is essentially:
A Biblically centered ministry program designed to teach inmates how their world and life view relates to every area of life…- Intended to emphasize that the Scriptures are relevant to every area of their lives…
- Communicating how thoughts, attitudes and actions that have caused so much difficulty in the past can be changed…
- Presented within a context and atmosphere that will enhance the receptivity and impact of the material presented...
- For the purpose of bringing about an effective and measurable change in inmates…
- Allowing them to return to society as individuals who are prepared and willing to be productive citizens in the community…
- With a value system that is based on personal responsibility and accountability.
2. The Life-Learning Program is not:
- A duplication of worship services.
- A duplication of Bible studies.
- A duplication of facility endorsed support groups.
3. Some of the topics addressed in the program:
- Acceptance as a person.
- Getting along with those around us.
- Forgiveness-What it means and what it accomplishes.
- How to handle "going to prison."
- How to handle "getting out."
- Responsibility and accountability to family, job and authority.
4. Distinguishing elements of this concept include the fact that inmates must:
- Request to be placed in the program.
- Be recommended by the Chaplain or one of the volunteers.
- Meet necessary classification requirements.
- Be incarcerated for at least 45 days.
- Read a copy of the rules and purposes for the program.
- Agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the program.
Doctrinal Statement
The Scriptures: We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God," by which we understand that the whole Bible is inspired in that holy men of God were "moved by the Holy Spirit" to write the very words of God. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally to all parts of the writings as they appeared in the original manuscripts.
The Godhead: We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three Persons - The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit - and that these three are one God; co-equal and co-existent.
Man: We believe that man was originally created in innocency and that he fell through sin and, as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins.
Christ’s Advent: We believe that the eternal Son of God came into this world that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the Redeemer of a lost world. He was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit, received a human body and a sinless human nature.
Salvation: We believe that, owing to death through sin, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless born again. This redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was made to be sin, dying in our stead, and that he was bodily and physically raised from the dead for our justification. We believe that the new birth of the believer is an act of God the Spirit and comes only through individual faith in Christ.
The Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity, though omnipresent from all eternity, indwells every believer since the day of Pentecost, and by His baptism unites all of Christ’s own into one body. He is the source of all power and all acceptable worship and service.
The Church: We believe that God has ordained that through the local church the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be spread and that it is the duty of everyone who is born again, to seek out a local fellowship for the furtherance of the Gospel and his own edification.
We believe in the literal resurrection of the body, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment of the lost. We believe that the supreme mission of God’s people in this age is to preach the Gospel to every creature, and we believe in the second coming of Christ according to the Scriptures.
Harry L. Greene - President & CEO
Harry Greene has been president of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry since 1983. Before accepting this position, Harry had been a successful businessman for 18 years. Starting as a dock laborer in 1965, he rose to the position of President of a trucking company in Alexandria, Virginia, and was General Manager of companies in San Francisco, California, and Gaithersburg, Maryland. He was also the author of "A Consumer's Guide to Moving."
Harry is living proof of the value and effectiveness of jail and prison ministry. In 1964, Harry - as a prisoner - accepted Christ while he was incarcerated in the Arlington County Jail (Virginia) through Good News Chaplain, Founder and former President, Dr. William Simmer.
In late 1965, after being in five jails and the Virginia State Penitentiary, Harry was paroled. He received a full pardon from the Governor of Virginia, Linwood Holton, in 1972. In 1982, Governor Charles Robb appointed him to be the first ex-felon in Virginia's history to serve on the State Board of Corrections. In 1986, Governor Gerald Baliles re-appointed him to a second four-year term on the State Board of Corrections. In 1990, Governor Douglas Wilder appointed him to the State Board of Correctional Education. He chaired the Jail Standards Committee, Youth Services Committee and served on various Gubernatorial Task Forces.
In 1984, Harry was licensed to the ministry by Barcroft Bible Church in Fairfax, Virginia, where he was an elder and served as Chairman of the Official Board at the church. He was appointed a Deputy Sheriff in Arlington County, the same county in which he had been an inmate twenty years earlier.
Harry was presented a "distinguished citizen" award from the Virginia State Sheriff's Association in 1987. In 1991, he was recognized as the annual recipient of the Institute for Prison Ministries, Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College award for his work in prison ministry. In 1992, he was given an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from International Graduate School in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Harry and his wife, Barbara, live in Richmond, Virginia where Good News Headquarters is located.
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry supplies Chaplains to institutions throughout the country and internationally. Founded in 1961, the ministry has grown to be the largest supplier of civilian Chaplains in the United States.
Dr. Harry E. Fletcher - Vice President of International Ministry & Pastoral Care
Dr. Fletcher was a Good News chaplain at the Fairfax County Jail, Virginia from 1966-68. He has also served as a member of the board of directors for the ministry.
From 1984-91 Dr. Fletcher served as President of Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary in Lanham, Maryland. He has ministered in most of the Bible Conferences on the East Coast and has visited mission fields in over sixty countries around the world. Harry has also served for twenty-five years as a senior pastor.
Harry has been married for forty-four years to his wife Muriel. They have two married daughters. Their older daughter, Donna, is married to Rev. Donald Heindel, Associate Pastor Music/Worship at Church of the Open Door in York, Pennsylvania. Their younger daughter, Mary Jo, is married to Rev. Rob LaRocco who serves as Associate Pastor of Student Ministries at Christs Church, East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The Fletchers also have four grandsons, Graham, Kellan, Connor Heindel and Dante LaRocco.
Philip E. Van Gorp - Vice President of Operations
Mr. Van Gorp joined Good News Jail & Prison Ministry on November 1, 1987 as the Director of Administration, a position he held until February, 1996 when he was appointed as the Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer. As such, he is responsible for the day-to-day administrative, financial, and logistical operations of the ministry.
Scott Lee - Vice President of Advancement
Scott Lee began his work with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry as a volunteer in 1998. By 2001, he felt the call of God to full-time ministry and sold the fundraising consulting business that he operated for eight years. Scott joined the staff of Good News in January 2002. He now serves as Vice President of Advancement and is responsible for all Ministry fund raising efforts.
He has known Christ since 1973 and is married to Amy Haymore Lee. Together, they raise two young children and live in Orlando, Florida.
Dr. Douglas Pruiett - Assistant Vice President of Information Technology
Doug spent nearly seventeen years as an aerospace engineer with Lockheed-Martin Missiles and Space, where he worked as part of missile design and launch teams for nuclear ballistic missiles at Orlando and Cape Canaveral. Doug was saved in 1986 and soon thereafter began to serve as a Good News volunteer in the Brevard County (Florida) Detention Center.
He left his aerospace career in 1996 to enter full-time chaplaincy with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry, serving as senior chaplain at the Brevard facility from 1996 to 2001. After a time in the pastorate in Tennessee, Doug returned to Good News in 2002 to serve as interim chaplain in Charlottesville, Virginia and then as senior chaplain in Savannah, Georgia.
In June of 2004, Doug assumed the position of assistant vice president and is now serving in the Good News headquarters. Doug resides in the Richmond area with his wife Carla. They have six children and another due in August 2009.
Lee Jarratt, Jr. - Assistant Vice President of Finance
Lee Jarratt joined Good News Jail & Prison Ministry in 2000 after working in the family entertainment, public accounting and financial services industries for 12 years. At first, he assumed the position of Assistant Controller before moving into the Controller role in 2003.
Lee has an Associate of Science degree from Richard Bland College, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Lee is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Lee resides in Ashland with his wife, Nanette, and four children.
Bob Potter - Regional Director
Bob is a native of Nebraska where he lives in Omaha with his wife, Linda. They have two married sons, David and Jon, both of whom are graduates of the University of Nebraska. Bob is a graduate of Grace University in Omaha. He began his ministry as Chaplain of Douglas County Corrections in 1978. Bob joined the staff of Good News in 1980, continuing as Senior Chaplain until assuming the position of Regional Director in September of 2005.
Cam Abell - Regional Director and Director of Training
At one time, Cam's ambition was to become an athletic trainer in the National Football League. However, after coming to faith in Christ in 1970, God redirected his path to full-time Christian ministry. Cam earned Bachelor of Science degrees from the Medical College of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University, then graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1979.
Upon graduation from seminary, Cam served a church in Iowa as the Minister of Outreach for eight years. His responsibilities included church administration, counseling, and preaching and teaching with an emphasis on evangelism and discipleship.
After leaving Iowa, he served eight years as an associate evangelist and seminar instructor for EvanTell, Inc., located in Dallas, Texas. During that time, he wrote materials to equip Christians for evangelism, including portions of EvanTell's You Can Tell It! Seminar on evangelism which he presented to more than 160 churches in the United States and overseas.
Cam Abell joined Good News Jail & Prison Ministry in 1996, initially gaining chaplaincy experience ministering in facilities in Chesterfield and Henrico counties, Virginia. In his current role as Regional Director, he provides encouragement and supervision to Good News chaplains serving in Maryland and Pennsylvania. As the Director of Training, Cam writes and recommends materials for chaplains and consults with them on how to best use these materials to strengthen their individual ministries. He also provides training for United States and international chaplains and volunteers (having trained chaplains from Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Latvia, Lithuania, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sudan, Russia and Uganda).
Cam has served as a guest instructor three years at the American Chaplaincy Training School and is a contributor to the book, Effective Jail & Prison Ministry For The 21st Century.
He and his wife, Diane are from Richmond, Virginia, and have three children and one grandchild.
Rick Sweenie - Regional Director
Rick Sweenie has served with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry since 1980. At first, he worked in a volunteer capacity as an Assistant Chaplain at the Pottawattamie County Jail. In 1987, Rick became a full-time Chaplain in the Pottawattamie County Jail and the Sarpy County Jail.
In 1995, Rick assumed a Regional Director position with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry. He currently oversees the ministry of 19 Chaplains in 10 states.
Rick received a Bachelor degree at Grace University, Omaha, Nebraska, in Bible and Human Resource Management. He is currently working on completing a Master program in Leadership from Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE.
Rick lives in Bellevue, Nebraska with his wife, Margie.
Roger DePriest - Regional Director
Roger was born in Flint, MI in April 1955. He attended high school in Elkhart, IN. In 1977, he graduated from Cedarville College, Cedarville, OH with a BA in Psychology. He then went on to earn his MA in Theology from Talbot Theological Seminary, La Mirada, CA in 1979. In that same year, he completed the necessary requirements to become a Level I member of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors.
From 1979-1981, Roger served as the Christian Education and Youth Director for Berean Bible Church, Columbus, IN. From 1982-1987, he served as the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at First Baptist Church, Elkhart, IN. While pastoring there, he completed the necessary requirements to become a Level II member of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors in 1983. From 1987-1997, Roger was a pastor/church planter for Faith Baptist Church, Annapolis, MD.
Roger continued his involvement in ministry when he became a full-time Good News Jail & Prison Ministry chaplain in March 2000. He ministered at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail until October 31, 2005. On November 1, 2005, Chaplain DePriest was promoted to Regional Director for the states of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Roger and his wife, Susann, have five sons and two grandchildren. The three oldest sons are graduates of Baptist Bible College, Clarks Summit, PA. Their fouth son is a senior at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. Their youngest son is a junior in high school.
Roger and his family attend Colonial Baptist Church of Virginia Beach and are actively involved there. Roger also serves as an adjunct instructor at Central Baptist Seminary of Virginia Beach, VA. He had completed all of his doctoral work toward his Ph.D. in New Testament thereby achieving the status of "Ph.D candidate" (Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, PA). He is currently writing his dissertation with an anticipated completion date of summer 2010.
Russ Williams - Regional Director
Russ was born in Germany and raised in Merritt Island, Florida. He attended the University of Florida, graduating with a BA in Economics in 1981. In December 1982, Russ became a Christian. He moved to Ft. Worth, TX in January 1984, where he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and graduated in May 1987 with a Master of Divinity degree.
In 1988, Russ worked as a church planter in Lake Mary, FL. He moved to Titusville, FL the following year, where he taught Junior High at Park Avenue Baptist Church School. In June 1992, Russ and his growing family moved to Port Orange, FL where he planted and pastored Fellowship Church. In l996, Russ moved back to Titusville, where he worked as part of a team to develop and implement the NET Training Institute, a Christ-centered school that provides training for addiction counselors, as well as those who minister to those with life-controlling problems. In l997, Russ became the pastor of Christ Central Church, also giving pastoral oversight to Liberty Lodge and Overcomers, ministries focused on helping wounded, addicted and hurting people.
In February 2002, Russ became a Chaplain with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry at the Brevard County Detention Center. Chaplain Williams was promoted to Regional Director for the Southeastern United States on July 1, 2007. Russ lives in Titusville, FL, with his wife, Karen. They have four children.
Mr. Don Patterson - Chairman
Mr. Patterson is the founder and past president of
D.P. Associates Inc. (DPA), a computer-based training company incorporated in 1986 with 23 offices nationwide. Upon retirement from DPA in 2007, he incorporated Charitable Vending Inc., a company whose purpose is to raise funds for non-profit organizations. Mr. Patterson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1970 and retired as a Captain in 2004. He currently resides in Fairfax, VA and Naples, FL with his wife Rita.
Pastor John Peyton - Vice Chairman
Pastor Peyton is the senior pastor of
Reconciliation Community Church in Mannassas, Virginia, where he has served since its founding in 1985. His church is involved in street witnessing, ministering in prisons (locally and nationwide), ministering to residents of senior citizens and assisted living homes, support of the Sunshine Orphanage Home in Petion-ville Haiti and a Mountain School ministry in Trois-Mas, Haiti. The church also has a counseling ministry which ministers to people from all areas who come for help.
Pastor Peyton is the vice chairman of the board of directors of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry and in 2002 received the ministry's Lifetime Achievement Award for over twenty-five years of faithful service to inmates, ex-offenders, the criminal justice system, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Peyton and his wife Marie have three daughters and five grandchildren.
Mr. Steve V. Gillespie - Treasurer
Mr. Gillespie is the Managing Partner of
BG Partners, LLC, an independent natural gas producer and energy consulting company. Prior to founding BG Partners, LLC in 2000, Steve gained extensive accounting and executive management experience during his employment with Statoil Hydro and Price Waterhouse Coopers. Steve also serves as treasurer and board member for TEAMS for Medical Missions. He and his wife Patti live in Williamsburg, VA and have three adult children.
Mr. Jon Evans - Secretary
Mr. Evans is the vice president – corporate operations of
D.P. Associates Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of L-3 Communications. Mr. Evans previously served as the director of recruitment of Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary, and is a graduate of both schools. He has over 12 years of experience serving the defense industry in Washington, DC. Mr. Evans and his wife Brenda have two boys, Ryan and William.
Mr. Brad Hawkins - Member
Brad is the founder and president of
Integrity Financial Solutions which was just selected by Goldline Research as one of the most dependable TM wealth managers of the Rocky Mountain region as seen in Forbes magazine. He is the author of the books
Financial Culture Shock and
Money Is the Smallest Part of Your Finances, in addition to several financial training courses. He has served as director of education, financial planner, and economist for different organizations, and currently serves on several corporate boards. Brad has degrees in business finance and theology and is a registered investment advisor. Brad currently lives in Arvada Colorado with his wife Latisha and their four kids.
Pastor Don Bowen - Member
Pastor Donald Bowen was born, raised and educated in Richmond County, Virginia. He is a graduate of the University of Richmond and Southteastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He currently serves as the pastor of Cobham Park Baptist Church in Warsaw, Virginia in the Northern Neck region of the state. Don has also served as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC; Lillington Baptist Church, NC; and Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA.
In addition to serving local Baptist churches, Pastor Bowen has served his denomination on a local, state and national level, including service as president of the Virginia Baptist Pastor's Conference, first-vice president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and two terms as a member of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, now the International Mission Board. He is the author of three books and has led numerous groups to explore the beauty and the wonders of the Holy Land. In addition, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry for over thirty-five years.
Don and his wife Ann have been married and serving together for fifty-five years. They have four children.
Mr. Don Warner - Member
Don is president of
Warners Motor Express, Inc. Prior to that he was executive vice president of Mayflower Movers and president of Mayflower, Ltd. He was educated at Bucknell University. He serves on the board of Peoples Bank and AMA. Don has served as vice chairman for Grace Fellowship, on the board of Messiah College, and as audit chair for Codoros Valley Corp. He served in the United States Security Agency, U.S. Army.
Dr. Haywood Robinson - Member
Dr. Robinson serves as senior pastor to
People's Community Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. Prior to assuming the leadership of People's Community Baptist Church, Pastor Robinson served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Baltimore for sixteen years. Dr. Robinson and his wife of twenty-one years, Renee' M. (Jones) Robinson, have three children: Haywood Andre' Robinson, IV, Jacqueline D'Shea Robinson, and Jordan Alexander Robinson.
Captain Jim Eilertsen, USN (Ret) - Member
Captain Eilertsen retired from the U.S. Navy in 1990 after serving thirty years as a carrier pilot and naval test pilot. He holds a master of science degree in counseling and guidance. In addition to serving as a
Stephen Minister, He is a director with Sea Realty Corporation and Beachland, Inc. and a member of the Officers' Christian Fellowship and the Campus Crusade for Christ International Military Ministry. He serves on the president’s advisory council at Virginia Wesleyan College. He and his wife Jane currently reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia and have six children and twelve grandchildren.
Pastor Larry Katz - Member
Pastor Katz is retired after serving nearly fifty years in full-time ministry, serving churches in Indiana, Massachussetts, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He has degrees from Philadelphia Biblical University, Taylor University, and Dallas Theological Seminary. Larry has served on the board of directors of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry for nearly thirty years. He and his wife Jackie have been married for fifty years and have two adult children and seven grandchildren. Both children are in full time ministry. Reverend Katz is presently involved in an interim ministry in churches seeking a full time senior pastor.
Mrs. Leigh Swanson - Member
Leigh Swanson is a frequent speaker and Bible teacher at retreats and conferences. She is pursuing a Masters in Theological Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. She also teaches a weekly Bible study for female inmates at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County. Leigh is married to David Swanson, Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. They have three children.
Mrs. Martika Gartman - Member
After a twenty year career in politics, law, and lobbying, Martika left her native Virginia for married life in Illinois in 2005. She is a graduate of Liberty University and Washington Lee University School of Law. She and her husband Randy teach senior high Sunday school and serve on the mission committee at their church. Randy is a shareholder in Evenhouse & Co., a CPA firm in Elmhurst. Randy and Martika reside in Westmont with their dog Starr.
Pastor Vic Ransom - Member
Pastor Ransom grew up in Utah as the son of a missionary and church planter. The military brought him to Northern Virginia in 1972. After graduating from Washington Bible College (’78) and Capital Bible Seminary (’81), the Lord led him to
Barcroft Bible Church in Fairfax, Virginia to serve as youth pastor (1981-1988) and then as senior pastor (1988-present). He and his wife Suebee have been married thirty years and have three adult sons.