Depending on which sponsorship you choose…
More than an inmate pen pal, WE WRITE LETTERS that are designed to help your loved one learn how to repent–how to change the thinking that led them to prison in the first place, which in turn changes their behavior because “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he [that’s how he will live]” (Proverbs 23:7).
More than a book club for inmates, WE SEND BOOKS to help them grow in the grace and knowledge of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ!
WE ACCEPT COLLECT PHONE CALLS to help them cope with the ups and downs of being incarcerated, to help them plan and prepare for release.
WE PREPARE PAROLE PACKAGES TO HELP THEM WIN PAROLE.
WE HELP LOCATE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THEM AFTER RELEASE.
WE CONNECT THEM WITH ONE OR MORE MENTORS FROM THE LOCAL CHURCH.
JUST SO YOU KNOW… The Sword and the Trowel was the name of Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s newsletter. Spurgeon (1834 – 1992) is known as the prince of preachers, and with good reason. He served as the pastor of the famous Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in London for many, many years. Because he was also a prolific author, and almost every word that man ever preached or wrote is still in print today, more people have come to know Christ after his death than while he was alive.
The imagery for the title of his newsletter was drawn from the book of Nehemiah when the children of Israel were rebuilding the wall around Israel. In Nehemiah 4:17, the Scripture states, “Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens…with one hand they worked at construction [trowel], and with the other held a weapon [a sword]” [words in brackets added for clarity].” Elsewhere, the Scripture warns, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). It has long been held by commentators that the sword often represents the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12) and the trowel represents the use of tools in service to others.
At InmateMentors.com, the Sword is the Word of God, the phone is our trowel, and the wall is the finished product: the person who had been broken down and had no self-control, through the Word of God richly studied and applied, the aftercare planning we provide, and the churches with whom we connect them, is transformed into a person whose house is built on The Rock in a city surrounded by walls of every means of grace possible, guarding their hearts against future temptation and sin! With this in mind, each level of sponsorship is described below:
The Sword – $15/mo. – We will commit to write up to 12 letters and to send up to 4 books to your loved one over the course of the year. These will not be templates. Each letter will be an exchange between their mentor and your loved one, and books, rich with and steeped in God’s Word.
The Trowel – $30/mo. – includes the Sword and our mentor’s willingness to receive at least 1 collect call a month from your loved one. It may not seem like much, but your loved one’s ability to call their mentor whenever they are in crisis or have a serious question or decision they are trying to consider will be invaluable!
The Wall – $75/mo., 12 month minimum commitment – This membership is built by the sword and the trowel as our mentor seeks to help your loved one plan for after their release, connecting them with a local church and locating housing for them. Please note: this does not include the cost of housing, only the time and effort to research the options available for your loved one.
Disclaimer: Beyond the initial communication from InmateMentors.com with your loved one, our interaction is dependent upon their access to writing or calling, the time it takes for our mail to be delivered and their mail to be received. “Up to” means just that. It is not a guarantee of performance. Your patience and grace is appreciated.