Evangelizing At Men's Recovery

bobinfaith

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Senior Moderator
QuintusZ wrote a thread, Pray For People With Addiction, that touched me. I mentored men at a recovery program called City Team Ministries San Francisco.

City Team Ministries also has locations in Oakland, San Jose, Portland and Philadelphia.

I served there for 14 years and then took a break in 2013. The men's director contacted me a month ago and we discussed my returning to help teach class, mentor and evangelize a new generation of men assigned to me in the program for a few hours each week.

These are men who are released from prison, seeking recovery from drugs and alcohol, dysfunctional families and homelessness. The men are in recovery depending on their case 9 to 12 month and have the opportunity to graduate. Sadly, many men have dropped out through the years.

Once a guest gets settled in and establishes trust as part of their program they are given a one day pass on Sundays and are encouraged to attend church.

Please keep me in prayer that the Lord will use me to mentor men who are assigned to me and help bring them to Christ Jesus.

God bless you all and thank you.



 
QuintusZ wrote a thread, Pray For People With Addiction, that touched me. I mentored men at a recovery program called City Team Ministries San Francisco.

City Team Ministries also has locations in Oakland, San Jose, Portland and Philadelphia.

I served there for 14 years and then took a break in 2013. The men's director contacted me a month ago and we discussed my returning to help teach class, mentor and evangelize a new generation of men assigned to me in the program for a few hours each week.

These are men who are released from prison, seeking recovery from drugs and alcohol, dysfunctional families and homelessness. The men are in recovery depending on their case 9 to 12 month and have the opportunity to graduate. Sadly, many men have dropped out through the years.

Once a guest gets settled in and establishes trust as part of their program they are given a one day pass on Sundays and are encouraged to attend church.

Please keep me in prayer that the Lord will use me to mentor men who are assigned to me and help bring them to Christ Jesus.

God bless you all and thank you.



Definitely keeping you and these groups lifted up in prayer for great, mighty and wonderful manifestations of God's glory happening and power in the midst of you all. While you take the burden removing yoke destroying anointing to set the captives free...In Jesus mighty name
 
Lovely to read what you are doing. My sister in law was in prison ministry for over 30 years. At 88 and now partially blind but very alert and mobile she still goes once a week. They think of her sort of like a grandmother figure, plays the according, listens, shares scriptures and prays with them. Bless you and may God give you wisdom and strength.
 
Lovely to read what you are doing. My sister in law was in prison ministry for over 30 years. At 88 and now partially blind but very alert and mobile she still goes once a week. They think of her sort of like a grandmother figure, plays the according, listens, shares scriptures and prays with them. Bless you and may God give you wisdom and strength.

That has got to be a blessing and filling a need in so many ways for your sister. How awesome for her!

Will keep her in our prayers
Blessings
 
Thank you all for your prayers as I prepared to return to City Team Ministries San Francisco.

During this month the men met with me for class. It was a full class and after getting to know each disciple, I was amazed every man but one is saved! The one who is not saved opened up his testimony and we could feel he is on his way to accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

Each morning the men start their day with prayer and then chores before breakfast. After breakfast there various programs, counseling, visitations by other men who serve as mentors and more prayer. Lights are out by 9pm.

After 30 days each man earns a pass on Sundays to go to church. As they progress they can earn up to two days to visit family. This privilege is monitored very carefully.

It was a good start returning to teach and am very grateful to serve. At month end I'll be assigned a couple of men to visit, fellowship and be able to invite them to church.

Again, thank you for your continued prayers. God's potential is here for each man and it's my hope each one will complete the program and graduate, but more so, to grow closer in their relationship with Christ Jesus.

God bless you all and thank you!
 
That has got to be a blessing and filling a need in so many ways for your sister. How awesome for her!

Will keep her in our prayers
Blessings
Yes, it does fill a need as is something she can do although she is partially blind and older. She is very mobile and energetic yet. She did it for many years before her retirement. She also served on a church staff serving the Spanish speaking community for years as well. My present house cleaner, another retiree, also ministers in women's prisons; but my sister-in-law in the men's. I pray for both of them as God continues to use them in this. Yes, awesome is the operative word here! :)
 
Thank you all for your prayers as I prepared to return to City Team Ministries San Francisco.

During this month the men met with me for class. It was a full class and after getting to know each disciple, I was amazed every man but one is saved! The one who is not saved opened up his testimony and we could feel he is on his way to accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

Each morning the men start their day with prayer and then chores before breakfast. After breakfast there various programs, counseling, visitations by other men who serve as mentors and more prayer. Lights are out by 9pm.

After 30 days each man earns a pass on Sundays to go to church. As they progress they can earn up to two days to visit family. This privilege is monitored very carefully.

It was a good start returning to teach and am very grateful to serve. At month end I'll be assigned a couple of men to visit, fellowship and be able to invite them to church.

Again, thank you for your continued prayers. God's potential is here for each man and it's my hope each one will complete the program and graduate, but more so, to grow closer in their relationship with Christ Jesus.

God bless you all and thank you!

Thanks for this update. Praising God for this good start for you in returning to teach and serve in this way.
 
Yes, it does fill a need as is something she can do although she is partially blind and older. She is very mobile and energetic yet. She did it for many years before her retirement. She also served on a church staff serving the Spanish speaking community for years as well. My present house cleaner, another retiree, also ministers in women's prisons; but my sister-in-law in the men's. I pray for both of them as God continues to use them in this. Yes, awesome is the operative word here! :)

Keeping them both lifted up in prayer :)

Blessings
 
sandpiper said:
Yes, it does fill a need as is something she can do although she is partially blind and older. She is very mobile and energetic yet. She did it for many years before her retirement. She also served on a church staff serving the Spanish speaking community for years as well. My present house cleaner, another retiree, also ministers in women's prisons; but my sister-in-law in the men's. I pray for both of them as God continues to use them in this. Yes, awesome is the operative word here! :)

Keeping them both lifted up in prayer :)
Blessings

Dear Sandpiper and Cturtle;

I'm praying in agreement with you both and praising God for your sister in law and house cleaner who are still active in ministry. I can imagine that during their visitations they may been there, or at least learned when some of the men and women were released from prison. If so that would have been a great day the Lord had made!

God bless you both!
 
sandpiper said:
Yes, it does fill a need as is something she can do although she is partially blind and older. She is very mobile and energetic yet. She did it for many years before her retirement. She also served on a church staff serving the Spanish speaking community for years as well. My present house cleaner, another retiree, also ministers in women's prisons; but my sister-in-law in the men's. I pray for both of them as God continues to use them in this. Yes, awesome is the operative word here! :)



Dear Sandpiper and Cturtle;

I'm praying in agreement with you both and praising God for your sister in law and house cleaner who are still active in ministry. I can imagine that during their visitations they may been there, or at least learned when some of the men and women were released from prison. If so that would have been a great day the Lord had made!

God bless you both!

My apologies Bob for taking your thread off course.

Thanks for your kindness
Blessings
 
Hello Cturtle;

This is a good example of what makes our threads at CFS a blessing. When we pray the Lord can lead us to start a topic and the Spirit will expand the conversation but keep it within the verb.

Its all good, Gina, and thank you for joining in and uplifting Sandpiper, and all of us!

God bless you and FC Jim!
Yes, I like that on this site people are encouraging one another, even the moderators as you have done, cturtle. And we feel it is okay to share what we are doing as you have done here, bobinfaith in sharing your teaching time in the men's recovery. Thankfully..
 
Last edited:
Yes, I like that on this site people are encouraging one another, even the moderators as you have done, cturtle. And we feel it is okay to share what we are doing as you have done here, bobinfaith in sharing your teaching time in the men's recovery. Thankfully..

Thank you sandpiper. I have to agree and say that I'm really blessed at how the core group that we have now are good at encouraging and uplifting one another. I believe that it will allow the Holy Spirit to heal and bring those in who need what the spirit has for them.
Blessings
 
Dear brothers and sisters;

I have been blessed meeting with the men in class. I was happy to learn at the first class that every man except for one received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The one who hasn't come to Christ have all the support of the men around him. Since the first class he is asking more questions.

The men are attentive during the class and some will ask before or once the class starts, "what is today's scripture?", or during the class will ask "how does the teaching align with the passage?"

There are moments when one here and there will get drowsy, or there will be a little verbal "tiff" between two of the men. But they wake up or calm down once the whole class gets in a dialogue about Jesus.

I'm also learning from their testimonies and what they hope to accomplish at City Team Ministries of San Francisco. This ministers to me.

Please include these men of God in your prayers. This week many will be able to visit the church they are led to worship. Some are accepting my invite to attend our worship service.

Most of the men's graduate date is approximately 11 months.

I commute on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from Daly City to SF and walk through the heart of the Tenderloin where City Team Ministries is located.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!

 
Thank you, CFS family, for your posts!

I am encouraged. The men and I have warmed up to each other and after speaking with the men's director, he has approved allowing the men to attend our church's 6th anniversary on Sunday, September 3rd! We may have more than our church van can transport so he also gave approval for one of the City Team's house manager to drive their van to our service.

Some of the brothers are asking very good questions from the Bible or life, and this keeps me on my toes to answer them, all pointing to Jesus.

The sad news is 3 or 4 men dropped out in the last 3 weeks. Please pray with me that where ever they are the Lord's Hand is on them and hopefully a circumstance will turn them around. Maybe not at City Team Ministries but another help or recovery center, or church.

God bless you, everyone, and thank you!
 
Hey bob, its been fun to read your posts, and we should keep in touch and compare notes. Last week end I was spirit led to reach out to a man who was on the brink of death. I had no idea that the DT's can kill, but my therapist explained it to me today.

I happened to find him laying on the side of a bike path in the park and apparently, my actions led to saving his life. But we really know its bc god is working powerfully through me to help others who suffer homelessness and aoda issues.

I explained what went down with this guy in my street ministry thread here: http://www.christianforumsite.com/threads/street-ministry.48426/

Its been really intense and all brand new to me.

My therapist told me he would not have made it til morning.

There may now be the possibility of working together with her to help others with aoda issues, but who are on the street.

She gave me some pamphlets to give out on the street to direct them to help.

Bob, I'm just a single woman going out there all by myself and I have never seen anyone else ever doing street ministry at all in my city.
 
God bless you and good morning, Button;

Thank you for sharing your thread and posts. I'm discerning your gift of helps in urban missions and already many of us here are blessed by your zeal to LOVE people in the streets. Many times a ministry can start with one and its exciting when one more is led to partner with you and then another, and another. God is always at work!

Urban missions is a tough ministry, but can be very rewarding, anytime we serve people for the Lord. Please speak with your pastor. This is very important. He will be pleased to learn of your testimony and will be happy to guide you.

Example, just in the last few weeks my Children's Minister, also a single woman of God, just completed training (day of class and going out in the community) for evangelism and now goes knocking on doors in pairs. Many residents do receive her and partner, and allow prayer over them. Talking Jesus and praying over others is an authority and empowerment releasing unclean spirits.

Mark 6:7, And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

Its vital for me to listen to her enthusiasm and offer my support and encouragement for her to press on. I'm praying your pastor will also be there to support your obedience to God.

But don't limit your home church. Receive the blessings from all your resources, especially here at CFS. We are blessed with brothers and sisters who LOVE the Lord and people, who have been through hard knocks in ministry and are still standing because of their faith. I also receive very good wisdom here that continously helps me grow and am happy to offer any help I can to you as well, Button.

Thank you, Button, and praise God for your serving others! Woooohoooo!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top