The New Year has gotten off to a great start. We were able to obtain a copy of the movie Courageous and the license. We have already had several public showings and seen God work in some awesome ways. We were able to show the movie at Avery Mitchell Correctional Institution, the chapel was packed and we witnessed thirty-eight men pray to receive Christ. We offered the eight week follow up Bible Study and forty men signed up. Pray that God will use this to change their lives.

We conducted four seminars in the past two months, two of which were in conjunction with Forgiver Ministry One Day with God Camps. We were able to witness fifty-four individuals pray to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise to God for what we are witnessing through the ministry. It’s so rewarding to be a part of this ministry and witness how God is changing the lives of dads and moms in order to bless their children.

We are excited about what God is going to do through the remaining Seminars we have scheduled and the Holistic Hardware life skills classes. We had one class graduate in January and another will graduate in March.

We have posted our 2012 Fund Raising Campaign on our website under the Prison pages. I would like for you to review it and tell your friends and associates.

We are still praying and asking you to pray for these ministry needs as God grows His ministry. A vehicle with more cargo space, as well as some additional sound equipment is still needed. I am asking you to join us in prayer trusting God to supply all our needs in 2012. You can check us out at www.blueridgeministries.org for ways to give and for a schedule of upcoming events.

Board Members, Thanks for your faithful support and service as we begin 2012. I would like to thank Grover Todd for his faithful service as Chairman for the past several years as he changes positions and Rich Bigger as he assumes the role as Chairman. I would also like to thank Bob Turner for his and Ann’s faithful years of service as he resigns from the board and assumes the role as marketing agent for the ministry. We welcome Tammy Simms to the board and for what she has been able to bring to the table already, Tammy, thanks for hitting the ground running.

In His Service,

Jim Williams

 So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. NAS

Isa.55:11

Blue Ridge Ministries
is a 501 [c] [3] non-profit Supported by your donations.

Mail to: P.O. Box 24105

Greenville, SC  29616-4105

States today spend more than $50 billion a year on corrections, yet recidivism rates remain stubbornly high. As  the slumping economy forces states to do more with less, policy makers are looking for a better public safety return on their corrections dollars.

One program proven to be successful is the SPICE (Self Paced In Class Education) Program in several state  correctional institutions in South Carolina.  While the recidivism rate remains high around the nation, at least 40 percent, the rate of recidivism has been reduced considerably, only 5 percent of repeat offenders, in this successful program.  One component of this program is Holistic Hardware, which provides biblical tools for building lives.  In other words, these tools build excellent character skills to impact the change in a person’s heart which effects the change in a person’s behavior.  Changing bad habits into good habits allows an inmate to become a productive citizen in society.  Therefore, making the transition back to society less painful and more fruitful, reducing the revolving door syndrome of recidivism.  Several inmates have shared their personal testimonies to this fact; stating that the Holistic Hardware course changed their lives considerably, like Sam, who was incarcerated over 20 years, is now adjusted back in society, living in a new home, has a steady job, bought a car and is paying taxes as a productive citizen of South Carolina.  This is one example of many.

Blue Ridge Ministries has been involved in the SPICE Program for several years conducting the Holistic Hardware course to many inmates coming through the system.  Jim Williams and I (Isaiah Golden), believe in the principle of Jesus Christ at Acts 20:35; “More blessings come from giving than from receiving” (CEV) Our ministry is a non-profit organization that operates on donations, gifts and contributions.  I ask that you pray for us to continue to extend these services in the prison ministry to assist these inmates to turn their lives over to Christ and become excellent citizens of South Carolina.  If your heart moves you to support the efforts of this ministry by giving a freewill offering, we pray that God bless you for having the spirit of Acts 20:35.  May we  all do our part in this soul saving commission that God has given us…………..AMEN.

Written by:  Isaiah Golden, Facilitator of Blue Ridge Ministries

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

We conducted three seminars in November and December, one of which was in conjunction with Forgiven Ministry One Day with God Camp.  We were able to witness thirty-two individuals pray to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise to God we witnessed 294 individuals pray to receive Christ as Savior this year.

We are excited about 2012 looking to what God is going to do through the Seminars we have scheduled, Holistic Hardware life skills classes and possibly Child Evangelism Good News Clubs behind the walls for the children of incarcerated parents during visitation time with family members

The Promotional Video we’re working on to make the community more aware of Blue Ridge Ministries and what we do to promote the Kingdom and reach individuals for Christ should be completed by the end of January.

We are still praying and asking you to pray for these ministry needs as God grows His ministry. A vehicle
with more cargo space, as well as some additional sound equipment, is still needed. I am asking you to join us in prayer trusting God to supply all our needs in 2012. You can check us out at www.blueridgeministries.org
for ways to give and for a schedule of upcoming events.

Board Members, Thanks for your faithful support and service through 2011.

Check out the article on “State of Recidivism” by Board Member and Ministry Partner Isaiah Golden attached to newsletter.  (Posted as separate blog.)

In His Service,

Jim Williams

 So shall My word be which goes forth from My
mouth;

It shall not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter
for which I sent it. NAS

Isa.55:11

Blue Ridge Ministries
is a 501 [c] [3] non-profit

Supported by your
donations.

Mail to: P.O. Box 24105

Greenville, SC  29616-4105

Sorry for being a little late with our update for the past two months. September and October were down in the number of seminars with only three, two of which were in conjunction with Forgiven Ministry One Day with
God Camps. We were able to witness twenty-one individuals pray to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. We have two seminars left to complete this year.

God has opened up some new opportunities through Holistic Hardware which is a life skills class we have been conducting at Tyger River Correctional for about two years. We will add two more facilities; one in November and another in December. We also are looking at starting the Child Evangelism Good News Club behind the walls for the children of incarcerated parents during visitation time with family members. CEF already has churches that are working in the public school Good News Club’s that they believe would run these clubs also. Pray for us that God will make it clear to us to how and if He wants to be involved in this effort. I believe the Good News Club behind the walls would be a great way to impact the families of incarcerated Moms and Dads for Christ with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

We are working on a Promotional Video to make the community more aware of Blue Ridge Ministries and what we do to promote the Kingdom and reach individuals for Christ.

Pray for me as I seek God’s face as we move into 2012.  We have already scheduled fourteen events for next year, plus the weekly and monthly classes we are already teaching. I am asking God to give me an Elisha to pass the mantle to one day, so Blue Ridge Ministries can continue to reach men, women and children for Christ.

My heart is very heavy for the families in our country and I need your help to reach out through the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit as we try to make a difference – one family at a time.

We are still praying and asking you to pray for these ministry needs as God grows His ministry. We need a vehicle with more cargo space as well as some additional sound equipment. I am asking you to join us in prayer for God to raise up the churches and individuals He wants to help fund and provide these needs for His ministry. You can check us out at www.blueridgeministries.org for ways to give and for a schedule of upcoming events.

We will begin on January 10th 2012 to move to an annual board meeting due to the busy schedules of our board members. I will be sharing with you by e-mail after the annual meeting in January some changes that will be taking place. Thanks for your prayerful support.

Board Members, Thanks for your faithful support and service.

In His Service,

Jim Williams

 So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. NAS

Isa.55:11

Blue Ridge Ministries
is a 501 [c] [3] non-profit supported by your donations.

Mail to: P.O. Box 24105

Greenville, SC  29616-4105

In the past two months, we conducted seven seminars, four of which were in conjunction with Forgiven Ministry One Day with God Camps. We witnessed seventy-eight individuals pray to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

We are living in some troubling time in our country, but also very exciting time as I believe the coming of our Lord is very near. The economic news is bleak, but thank God His economy is not based on this world’s economy. God owns it all – not only the hills, but the cattle on those hills, and my father has not lost one of His cows.

God has made you and me a part of His great plan for the world and that is to carry out the Great Commission, for in Matthew 28 He tells us to ‘go.’ This is a command; not’ if you want to’, not ‘if you feel like it’ or ‘if you don’t feel this is you.’ Wrong! It is not an option. For followers of Jesus Christ, this is a command. I realize due to health problems some may not be able to physically go, but we can support those who go by first praying and then by giving. We may say due to the economy ‘I can’t give.’ Remember what you read in the previous paragraph; God owns it all. God expects us to return one tenth of all He allows us to have back to Him. In Matthew 6:33 He says “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” (NAS)

We need to reach the children of this and future generations, as these are the future leaders of the country and the Church. We take prayer requests from the children of the dads we work with on Friday and the things they ask for are heart breaking. They ask for dad to get his life right and come home and be the dad he needs to be, or for mom to get another job. They pray that they will not be homeless any more. There are thousands of children here in America that are suffering and need the love and support of their parents. I have seen God miraculously restore families through a One Day with God Camp and the Friday Seminars.

My heart is very heavy for the families in our country and I need your help to reach out through the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit as we try to make a difference – one family at a time.

We have some ministry needs as God grows His ministry. We are having to carry more and are in need of a vehicle with more cargo space. We also need some additional sound equipment. I am asking you to join us in prayer for God to supply the things we need for His ministry. You can check us out at www.blueridgeministries.org for ways to give and for a schedule of upcoming events.

Board Members, Thanks for your faithful support and service.

In His Service,

Jim Williams

 So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. NAS

Isa.55:11

Blue Ridge Ministries
is a 501 [c] [3] non-profit

Supported by your donations.

Mail to:

P.O. Box 24105

Greenville, SC  29616-4105