Media 1 Interview Series on YouTube With Those Involved From the Beginning
Part 1
Pastor Derek Robinson of Langley Christian Church talks about why he and the church embraced Reaching Beyond The Fence Ministry when first presented to he by Jim Weeks.
Part 2
Jim Weeks tells his testimony, the journey of how Reaching Beyond The Fence Ministry came to be and why it means so much to him.
Part 3
Jim Weeks is joined by his parents. They share more about Jim's life and what it was like for them while he was in prison for 15 yrs.
Part 4
Jim Weeks is joined by the Ms. Jean & Joe Caito, his pen pal of 12 1/2 yrs while in prison. They share more about how & why she became a pen pal and the journey they shared, not only through their letters, but even after his imprisonment.
More From The Reaching Beyond The Fence Ministry Leader
My name is Jim Weeks. I am the ministry leader for Reaching Beyond the Fence (RBTF) a prison ministry that allows you to get involved with prison ministry without having to go into the intitutions. I rededicated my life to the Lord and was baptized on Nov. 19, 2000 just months prior to my incarceration. After 15 yrs in prison I was released on Jan. 29, 2016. Little did I know, when I signed up for a Christian pen pal ministry in 2003 and began faithfully watching sermons while in that dark confines of prison, God was preparing my heart for ministry. Little did I know, a poem I wrote in 2007 to old friends and family was God starting to form a ministry through me. Little did I know, a class project in 2010 was the next step in that ministry. Little did I know, being used in the prison church as a leader was God preparing me to speak to groups as this ministry manifested. Little did I know…, but I am thankful to see how He is using me.
I feel like a modern-day Jonah, as I ran from God after being put out of a Christian School. Yes!, my mother fell behind on the payment and I was put out until payment was caught up. I thought if money was more important than a child's education, I do not want to be a Christian any more, so turned to alcohol and living a life without God. At the point of giving up, God was there! In Jonah's case He was a whale. In my case He was a prison. I now feel like a modern-day Nehemiah, as he went back to Jerusalem to help rebuild the walls. Now, am I going back to Jerusalem to help rebuild the walls. Yes, I look at the prisons as my Jerusalem. The lives of those individuals inside the prison are the walls of that Jerusalem that I am trying to rebuild to bring honor to God, my Heavenly Father. Although, I can not do it without the help of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Would you step up and help share God's Love with those who feel a cast away, alone, and forgotten.
On August 28, 2016 I had the honor to introduce “Reaching Beyond The Fence” to my church family at Langley Christian Church where 16% of their adult congregation is currently involved. At 90 days in, we had volunteers in 2 states and 31 residents (inmates) in 11 Correctional Institution, in 5 different states. At 5 Months, we had volunteers in 2 states and 64 residents (inmates) in 19 Correctional Institution, in 9 different states, with 40 of them connected. Now a year in we have we had volunteers in 3 states and 143 residents (inmates) in 77 Correctional Institution, in 25 different states, with 69 of them connected. Now 16 months later, we have 75 of 150 connected with a pen pal. These inmate/residents are living in 78 Correctional Institution, in 26 different states. We have a secondary website (comingsoonjesus.org/beyondthefence) to providing a way to not only fund the ministry, but to share the message that Jesus is Coming Soon, just another way and opportunity to share God's Love with those on the inside. What a blessing this is and has been to not only be used by God but to be able to look back and see how I was being prepared for this Ministry. Would you step up and help share God's Love with those who feel a cast away, alone, and forgotten.
