Georgia prison inmates receive Christian studies degree thanks to prison-school partnership

By HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index

BUFORD, Ga. — A very special ceremony was held at Phillips State Prison in Buford on Friday, August 16. Faculty from Truett McConnell University gathered with prison staff, families and friends to honor 24 offenders who received their bachelor's degrees in Christian studies.

The graduates were part of a joint program between the Georgia Department of Corrections, TMU, and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, which provided funding. The offenders, many of whom are serving life sentences, will become part of the prison system's chaplaincy program. The hope is that these men, trained and educated to share the Word of God with others, will serve as missionaries, spreading the gospel throughout the system.

Ken Ellis, prison chaplain at Phillips State Prison and statewide chaplaincy coordinator, said, “The inmates working toward this degree are changing their lives and giving them a second chance to accomplish something great in their lives. I hope these men share their knowledge, hope and love with other men who are down and about to give up. I hope this educational experience changes the lives of future generations.”

The program had a life-changing impact on its graduates, and many of the inmates expressed their desire to pass this change on to their fellow offenders.

“I want to bring thousands of people to know, love, and submit to the truth of God, but I may only be able to make a difference in a few,” wrote one graduate. “But those few new-found believers can then preach the gospel and remain faithful to the end.”

“I plan to use the gifts of the Lord to expand His kingdom,” wrote another.

One offender still remembers how he first felt the call to the priesthood. “In a prison cell in 2004, two years after God saved me,” he recalls, “he made it clear to me that I should become a missionary/evangelist.”

Over the past four years, TMU faculty members have traveled to the prison regularly to teach. These included professors from the School of Family Trees, Humanities and Theology & Missions. Ellis said he was grateful for their willingness to teach and mentor the offenders. “I am so humbled to work with such authentic faculty members and called men of God who have shown such dedication and commitment to the students at Phillips State Prison,” he said.

Many professors said that the teaching experience in prison had shaped them as much as their students.

Michael Justus, chair of the School of the Humanities and professor of history, said, “I have made friendships that will last well beyond our time together. As one of the students said, 'Don't forget me.' I never will.”

“My first prison visit completely changed my perception of the lives of inmates,” recalls biology professor Diby Paul. “They need someone to encourage them through prayers and kind words. Many of my students in prison are strong believers who trust in God with all their hearts.”

Gary Jarnagin, associate professor of theology and missions, said, “You have had a profound impact on my life and given me a new perspective and insight into serving our Lord where you are, with what you have, and glorifying Him in all things.”

The graduates have already impressed faculty with their skills and desire to serve God. Last year, an inmate won TMU's campus-wide writing contest with a nonfiction book reflecting on the moments before his execution. The execution was stayed after the offender received his last meal and prepared for death. Now he just wants to serve the Lord.

“The students are sharp. They are motivated. They want to do their best,” said Justus. “I have seen them gain confidence in themselves and their own abilities. They have worked hard and have been consistently successful.”

Jarnagin also commented on the offenders' willingness to learn and the depth of their knowledge and faith. “They attended classes and learned with more purpose and urgency than the average student on campus,” he said, “and the questions asked during class were not superficial Sunday school questions, but questions of the kind that shake the intellectual soul and lead one to His Word to find the prevailing truth of our Creator.”

This firmness of faith also impressed Justus. “If you want to experience a prayer that reaches to the highest heaven,” he said, “ask a student to lead the prayer.”

Although the graduates did not experience physical freedom, they found spiritual freedom in Christ. “The thought that they could be forgiven, that they were a free person and could serve God where their actions had brought them,” Jarnagin said, “was humbling and also convincing for this fellow believer.”

Ultimately, the inmates received more than just an education and a diploma, said prison chaplain Ellis. “The Word of God has had a profound impact on the lives of these men. I have seen their lives move in a positive direction and their attitudes change. They see hope as a possibility for a better future.”