Twenty years' efforts at city reaching and city transformation have produced meager results in transformed cities in America. Now there is a place in America, in a prison for men, where we can see city reaching and city transformation that is resulting in changed lives.
Sidney, OH (PRWEB) May 22, 2006 -- Twenty years' efforts at city reaching and city transformation have produced meager results in transformed cities in America. Now there is a place in America, in a prison for men, where we can see city reaching and city transformation that is resulting in changed lives.
Marion Correctional Institution (MCI) is that prison where there is effective city reaching and city transformation. It is a men’s prison located in north central Ohio. MCI is a small city with 1800 inmates and 500 staff members, and it has been radically changed from a dark and dangerous place to a place that has become known as the Christian prison. The changed lives of many of the men have resulted in a drastically transformed prison.
City Reaching and City Transformation Bring Change at Marion Correctional Institution (MCI) Men’s Prison -
Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford has documented the transformational change at MCI in his book Transformation: The Missing Piece. Ford spent three years ministering at MCI and much of that time was spent mentoring the leader of the violent Arian Brotherhood prison gang whom Ford led to the Lord.
Nine years ago MCI had an average of 1,200 violent incident reports a month. Today there is an average of less than a dozen such violent incident reports. Today MCI is a place where many of the inmates are at various stages of being personally transformed by God. There is no question that God is moving in a very special and powerful way at this prison. What has happened there is nothing short of miraculous and something only God could do.
"The environment of the prison changes when incarcerated men find hope, forgiveness and healing," says Christine Money, the past warden of the Marion Correctional Institution, "and the impact at MCI can be seen through a very low rate of rule violations, inmate grievances and other serious incidents." Many of those incarcerated in Ohio prisons today know of MCI as the “Christian” prison and as the place where many Christian faith-based programs are taking place.
City Reaching Must Involve Bringing Spiritual Light so there can be Transformation -
"If we ask the question 'Why does spiritual darkness linger where it does?,'" says Dr. Bud Ford, "we find the answer to be that the spiritual darkness lingers because there is little or no spiritual light. Darkness disappears when light becomes present."
This is an easy concept to put into words, but implementing the concept is much more difficult. In the book Transformation: The Missing Piece, found at http://www.MissionMiamiValley.com , Dr. Ford explores what the light of more peace and righteousness looks like in the difficult prison environment of MCI. Ford says, “The principles learned from MCI are transferable to cities.”
The Transformation of Marion Correctional Institution (MCI) -
Nine years ago, the violent Aryan Brotherhood gang involved itself deeply in criminal activity and was one of the predominate gangs in the prison. Today the Aryan Brotherhood gang at MCI has been essentially dismantled as a result of the gang leader, John Beason, receiving Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Nine years ago, it was hardly safe to walk down the halls at MCI. Today you will see men carrying their Bibles with them as they move through the halls, greeting one another with heartfelt greetings, and most astounding of all, you will see men on their knees praying in their dorms and cell locks.
Nine years ago, it was not macho - or safe - to cry, hug or show emotion; these all happen today on a regular basis.
Nine years ago, it was unheard of for people to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. Today it happens on a regular basis.
Nine years ago, it was difficult to find a Bible study. Today, Bible studies are abundant.
City Reaching Involves Transforming Your Life, Your Workplace, Your Church and Your City -
"If we want the light of more peace and righteousness to exist in our own lives, in our homes, in our churches, and in our cities; if we want to see transformation," Ford says, ”then we must have less sin and evil in each of these places." The concept is simple, said Ford; the more peace and righteousness we have, the less sin and evil predominate. "The inverse is also true." Dr. Ford explains, "The more sin and evil that exists in a place, the less peace and righteousness exist there."
In Transformation: The Missing Piece, Dr. Bud Ford identifies principles gleaned from his first hand observation of life at MCI. "The 'missing piece'," says Dr. Ford, "may be summed up as being, and walking, in the presence of the Lord." Ford uses the platform of MCI to draw principles for city reaching and city transformation, and he identifies what city reachers need to do to avoid the errors of the past in our city reaching and city transformation efforts in America.
For more information about Transformation: The Missing Piece, visit http://www.drbudford.com/store.asp.
For more information about Dr. Bud Ford and the ministry, Mission Miami Valley, visit http://www.MissionMiamiValley.com
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