The LOCK Ministry: Newsletter Issue 10

The LOCK Ministry: Newsletter Issue 10 (1/22/2024)

The LOCK Ministry

THE FIRST BAPTISM

The greatest joy and fulfillment for a pastor is often considered to be the baptism ceremony. Pastors who have experienced church planting vividly remember the first baptism ceremony even after many years have passed. As we, who are involved in prison ministry, entrust all baptism ceremonies to local churches, we don't often have the opportunity to conduct baptism ceremonies ourselves. However, in November 11th of last year, we had the blessed opportunity to hold our first baptism ceremony in our ministry history.

Brother Duane (57 years old) grew up under a violent father throughout his childhood, and he wandered through drugs and prison. At the age of 28, he encountered a loving wife who changed his life, and for 12 years, they lived a happy life until she passed away early due to a brain aneurysm. After her death, he found himself wandering again. Changing one's life at a late age is challenging, but through the P1 PROJECT, he experienced a deep relationship with God and became the sixth person to graduate from the P1 PROJECT. As indicated on the certificate below, he started the P1 PROJECT on August 19, 2021, and by August 18, 2023, exactly two years later, he completed transcribing and meditating on all 1,189 chapters of the Bible. Pastor Key Han took on the role of mentor, and financial support was provided by Pastor Phillip Park. After completing the P1 PROJECT, he was released from prison two weeks later.

While in church, baptisms are typically performed by filling the baptistry with water and baptizing at a controlled temperature. However, Duane thought it would be a moving experience to be baptized at the beach in California. Unfortunately, he received disappointing news that he couldn't come on the scheduled day because he couldn't renew his driver's license as planned. At that moment, Sydney KSN suggested that if Duane couldn't come, then it was right for us to go to him. Our team of eight members drove for over three hours to reach the town of Blythe and conducted the baptism in the Colorado River that runs through the city. Duane is now actively involved in construction. The picture on the right shows the building that Duane is proudly working on. The beautiful fruit of the P1 PROJECT, the baptism ceremony, was touching, and witnessing his dedicated and impressive life is truly inspiring and appreciated.

Inside this issue

The First Baptism............................1
LOVE Ministry..................................2
LOCK Community News.............2
LEARN Minis....................................2
P1 PROJECT ....................................2
P1 PROJECT Prime........................3
P1 PROJECT Mentors...................3
P1 PROJECT Fund..........................4
LIVE Ministry....................................4
Potter's Hands Project.................4
Delancey Street Foundation.....5
Potter's House Fund.....................5

LOVE Ministry - Love Of Christ’s Kingdom

The testimony of Brother Jayson, posted on our website www.thelockministry.org is encouraging and joyful for all of us. He participated in the Potter's Hands Project, working with us for over seven months while receiving training. Currently, Brother Jayson serves as a minister at Hillside Church's Brea Campus. On August 26th last years, he established a new home with his bride, Sister Grace. Sister Grace, a missionary's daughter serving in Thailand, met Jayson at the theological school, leading to their marriage. Witnessing fellow believers intertwining their lives in faith brings great joy. We believe and thank God for using Brother Jayson and Sister Grace beautifully in His service.

Brother David also briefly participated in the Potter's Hands Project but stood out for diligently handling God's mission as a member of the LOCK Community. He is currently serving as an associate minister at Hillside Church. On August 15th, he received a scholarship at the Joy & Grace Mission (Pastor Goyo Han) the scholarship award ceremony was held in Beautiful Church. Brother David studied theology at Biola University and is now dedicated to ministry at Hillside Church. Many other LOCK Community members actively serve in various places, obeying God's Word.

LEARN Ministry - Learn On Christ’s Kingdom

P1 Project

Brother Jimmy St. Clair is currently at Mule Creek State Prison, standing out as the oldest participant in the P1 PROJECT at the age of 76. He received a life sentence without parole (LWOP) at the age of 31 and has been living in prison for 45 years. Occasionally, older participants in the P1 PROJECT face challenges. Many are not truly committed to meditating on the Word but rely on familiarity. However, Brother Jimmy is someone who has studied a lot and works hard to handle God's mission. He genuinely admits his mistakes. Despite suffering from Crohn's Disease, causing severe pain and hindering him from using his hands properly, he types his P1 PROJECT submissions. Starting the P1 PROJECT, he encountered Christ through the Scriptures and spends four hours daily meditating on the Word. He acknowledges that typing the Bible helps him forget the pain caused by Crohn's Disease. It's a truly inspiring testimony. He met Jesus through the Word and desires to live as a disciple of Christ. Since he hasn't been baptized yet, he requested prayers for the opportunity to receive baptism even within the prison. Please pray for him to live a life of preaching and service entrusted to him in prison.

The last six months have been a period of significant growth for the P1 PROJECT. The number of participants has exceeded 1,000, and there is still a waiting list. It takes about two months or more to receive a welcome letter informing they have been accepted and start the P1 PROJECT. Among those who received P1 PROJECT certificates in the last six months, in addition to Brother Duane mentioned earlier, there is Brother Charles Forte. He started the P1 PROJECT in December 2020 and completed it in October 2023, taking almost three years. However, he actually took a break from the P1 PROJECT for about a year and a half from November 2011 to July 2023. Especially during the three and a half months from his return in July 2023 to November, he completed the P1 PROJECT at an incredible speed. He is 37 years old, and although his father passed away in 2010, he remembers growing up experiencing abuse from his mother. He has never been married and has no family or children. He has been in prison four times, and his current sentence is set to end in July 2025. Despite not graduating high school, the quality of his P1 PROJECT is remarkably high, with accurate grammar and minimal spelling errors. He is praying to start a new life based on the P1 PROJECT experience and not return to prison after his release in 2025. Elder Ki-hong JDSN Kyung-hee Park have taken charge of Charles Forte's financial support. We express our gratitude.

P1 PROJECT PRIME

The number of people who have completed the P1 PROJECT has now reached 8. They have completed transcribing and meditating on the entire Bible, consisting of 1,189 chapters. Among them, like Brother Duane, some have been released after completing the P1 PROJECT, providing us with the blessed opportunity to conduct baptism ceremonies together. However, the remaining P1 PROJECT participants expressed their desire to repeat the project even after completion and continue staying in prison. We prayed while waiting, unsure if that was the right path. Now, by God's grace, they can start the P1 PROJECT Prime. This project is exclusively offered to those who have completed the P1 PROJECT, aiming to help establish the habit of meditating on the Scriptures through daily transcribing and sending a brief reflection centered around the content. Unlike the P1 PROJECT, the emphasis is on quality over quantity, so participants are restricted from sending more than one chapter per day. Currently, three individuals are participating including one in Spanish, and with the growing number of P1 PROJECT graduates, it is expected that more will join P1 PROJECT Prime. We hope that regular meditation on the Word becomes a part of their routine, fostering beautiful spiritual growth.

P1 PROJECT MENTORS

To support the P1 PROJECT, financial support, and volunteer mentors are essential. With the cumulative number of participants exceeding 1,000, the need for mentors has become crucial. We express our gratitude to the 34 mentors who have worked tirelessly until now. Mentors not only experience the joy of service but also have the opportunity to witness the valuable transformation in the lives of P1 PROJECT participants nurtured through God's Word. Special thanks go to Samuel Choi, who is now serving as a resident mentor. Brother Samuel dedicates at least four days a week to come to the office, caring for numerous P1 PROJECT participants. We believe that God delights in Brother Samuel's service, and we anticipate his ministry to be a significant help in the future. Despite many people applying for the P1 PROJECT, they are eagerly awaiting their turn on the waiting list.

P1 PROJECT FUND

The P1 PROJECT Fund, started in December 2022, has seen significant growth. While previous financial needs for the P1 PROJECT were covered by mission offerings, the decision was made to allocate all finances needed for the P1 PROJECT from the P1 PROJECT Fund starting December 2022.

Participants who complete the entire Bible transcribing mention the names of financial supporters on their certificates to ensure that those who supported them financially are remembered. Each account corresponds to $1,200, and 30 accounts have been filled so far. Some individuals have generously taken responsibility for more than one account. Contributions can be made gradually, such as depositing $100 per month for a year or $50 per month for two years. Many people use Zelle for money transfers, and the account is thelockministry@gmail.com. Supporters of the P1 PROJECT Fund can specify the participant they wish to support, and if unspecified, funds are allocated to participants in the order of completion. Currently, support has been provided up to the 8th participant.

LIVE Ministry - Live out Christ’s Kingdom

Potter’s Hands Project

In Romans 9:21, Apostle Paul writes about God being the Potter who shapes vessels out of clay, some for honorable use and others for common use. We believe that even a life shamed by prison experiences or one seemingly hopeless due to drug addiction can be transformed into an honorable vessel when shaped by God. The Potter's Hands Project was created, praying for God's hands to shape a new life. The project, consisting mainly of embroidery and garment printing businesses, started in March 2021 and has been gradually growing. Originally, a training period of about six months was planned for each person, but currently, Brother William has spent over a year, and Brother Tae and Sister Marie also had the opportunity to participate in training, albeit for a short period. While there were many customers, the largest embroidery customer was LA Insurance in Houston, Texas, and the crucial customer for garment printing was the Beautiful Church and the Berendo Street Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Expanding the business is essential to enlarging training, as the principle is to provide wages to those being trained. In 2024, plans include continuous training for at least 6 individuals, making securing related businesses a crucial task for the Potter's Hands Project. We express our gratitude to the many customers who have brought business to us with unwavering love and interest in the past six months.

Delancey Street Foundation

The Potter’s Hands Project was modeled after the business of the Delancey Street Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco. For over 50 years, the Delancey Street Foundation has successfully initiated at least 30 businesses without government assistance, helping numerous individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, ex-convicts, and the homeless start new lives. They have constructed a building near the Bay Bridge that can accommodate up to 600 people at once, offering a minimum of a 2-year training period.

The foundation directly operates nearly 30 businesses, including Delancey Street Restaurant and Cafe, catering business, Delancey moving, Christmas decoration, and more. In October 2019, our team of 6 members visited the Delancey Street Foundation in San Francisco for a 2-night, 3-day training. The foundation not only follows their successful business model but also helps more organizations lead successful training programs. While we started the embroidery business in 2021 and introduced training programs along with the Potter’s Hands Project, our vision is to start more businesses, providing training to many people and offering them an opportunity for financial independence based on disciple training centered around God’s Word. Although our facilities are not yet ready like those of the Delancey Street Foundation, through the newly initiated Potter’s House, we hope to provide accommodations and pray for the creation of many souls starting a new life through disciplined training rooted in God’s Word.

LIVE Ministry - Live Out Christ’s Kingdom

Potter’s House Fund

The Potter’s House has been a project we have wished for and prayed about since the beginning of our ministry. It aims to provide shelter and discipleship training, including job training, for individuals coming out of prison until they achieve independence. However, over the past three years, most of our energy and resources have been invested in the P1 PROJECT and the Potter’s Hands Project. Additionally, the purchase of the necessary facility for Potter’s House requires significant finances, making it an impractical endeavor. Recently, we had a new experience. In 2022, we met Bryan Sothern, who had previously assisted Brother William when he was homeless. Bryan had his experiences with drug addiction and prison but started a new life by God's grace. He launched a business selling various items with Christian messages through www.defianceagainstdarkness.com and serves as the Compassion Outreach pastor at Dwelling Place Church(www.dwellingplaceanaheim.com). We became acquainted through our Potter's Hands Project, which involves embroidery and garment printing. Pastor Bryan expressed a significant interest in the Potter's House Project focused on providing shelter and discipleship training. During a conversation in late October last year, Pastor Bryan, who had ordered some items, decided to start the Potter’s House Project with a $3 donation as a seed money which was change left from his order. Surprisingly, we were moved at that moment, and we considered it a signal from God.

Although it was a small amount, we promised to start the Potter’s House Fund. In early November, we created a separate bank account and withdrew $10,000 from our reserves, including the $3 donated by Pastor Bryan. We started the fund with $10,003. We believed it was wise to use the fund exclusively for the Potter’s House Project. A few days later, Pastor Bryan ordered 100 more items through us and, when picking them up, donated an additional $1,000 to the Potter’s House Fund. Although the fund began with $3, we strongly felt it was like a fund led by God. We recognize it as part of God's plan and preparation and desire to move forward in obedience. Shortly afterward, two generous supporters designated $1,000 and $700, respectively, to the Potter’s House Fund. As a result, the Potter’s House Fund is now $12,703. We expect and pray for a hundredfold harvest through God's guidance and blessing.

Prayer Requests

1. For the waiting list to be eliminated in the P1 PROJECT and for a sufficient number of mentors to volunteer.

2. For the successful establishment of the newly initiated P1 PROJECT Prime.

3. For the expansion of the Potter’s Hands Project, increased customer base, and the ability to educate and assist many released individuals.

4. For the guidance of William from God regarding his future path.

5. For the growth of the recently started Potter’s House Fund, enabling the preparation of the Potter’s House.