The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) provides training, support and guidance in the development of prison ministries for Baptist churches across the state.
Ray Baker serves as the correctional ministry coordinator under the office of Christian ethics and chaplaincy ministries at the SBOM. His duties involve anything from giving weekend seminars to churches or associations on how to establish a prison ministry to assisting prison chaplains with programs and projects. Baker serves as a liaison between prison chaplains and Baptist churches or individuals who wish to offer assistance or get involved in prison ministries.
Baker said there are a multitude of needs churches can assist with- from chapels that need repairing to the building of additional ‘faith based’ dorms for many of the state facilities. Baker said individuals can volunteer their service in areas such as tutoring inmates, teaching chemical dependency and parenting classes, conducting Bible studies, etc.
Another avenue of prison-related assistance by the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries (ABCH) is the foster care or residential home placement of children of incarcerated parents in need of temporary or long-term care.
According to ABCH executive director Paul Miller, “The Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes conducted a seminar last summer for foster parents who care for these children so they could better understand the children’s special needs.
Baker urged churches, associations and individual church members across the state who are interested in getting involved in prison ministries to attend the prison ministries conference, “The Cross Is the Key” Nov. 3-4 in Birmingham (see page 9 for related story).
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