The IFI Chronicles: National Public Radio

147

IFI got a lot of National and even International attention.  Prison Fellowship decided that when groups made requests to tour an IFI program, they decided to send them to IFI-IOWA.  Even National Public Radio decided to do a story about IFI.

A reporter and an audio technician showed up at the Newton Prison.  Sam Dye, Rod Brouwer (Aftercare Manager) a couple of inmates, and I walked around the prison with our two celebrities.

We showed Reporter-Gal and Sound-Guy the gym and health services.  We showed them the library and education.  We walked on the east side of the yard and showed them the Units A-D.  They looked at the weight yard and pickle ball and hairy-tattooed dudes in blue walking the track.  Then we headed to Unit E and Building M.

Reporter-Gal (who was doing the story) was very, very interested in questions concerning the TVs.  It was one of the first things she asked all of the inmates she encountered:

• DO YOU HAVE A TV?
• DO YOU MISS TV?
• HOW MUCH TV CAN YOU WATCH?
• IS THERE A TV IN YOUR ROOM?
• DOES YOUR ROOM MATE HAVE A TV?
• IS THERE A TV ON THE UNIT?
• IF YOU WERE ON THE TITANIC AND IT WAS SINKING AND YOU HAD A PUPPY IN ONE ARM AND A TV IN THE OTHER, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU SAVE AND WHICH ONE WOULD YOU SEND TO A FRIGID WATERY GRAVE?

During these kinds of visits I adopted a “speak when spoken to” attitude. The less I said the better.  So as we were shepherding around Reporter-Gal and Sound-Guy I had said nothing.  Finally Reporter-Gal and I had this interaction:

REPORTER-GAL: Well? How about you? Do you have a TV?

           

ME: Yes. Yes I do. (I couldn’t tell a lie.)

           

REPORTER-GAL: Ahhhhhhhhhhh….

           

SOUND-GUY: Leans in with microphone…

           

REPORTER-GAL: Do you watch it much?

           

ME: Not really.

           

SOUND-GUY: Leans in even closer with microphone…

           

ME: I really don’t have time to watch much TV.

           

REPORTER-GAL: Hmmmmmm…..

SAM DYE  to REPORTER-GAL: You realize he (me) is an IFI employee and not an inmate? Right?

REPORTER-GAL: Looks disappointed…

SOUND-GUY: Shuts of recording devise…

I did not make it on the NPR report.

chris

Looking for a Church

148

Once in Newton, we struggled to connect with a local Church.  We attended the local “Alliance” Church for the first couple of years.  The boys attended AWANAS each Wednesday, but Amy and I struggled to connect with the Church itself.  We met one couple who we remain friends with, but generally we were just too “Charismatic.”

We drove to the Vineyard Church in Des Moines for about a year.  We liked the “Vineyard way” and would have liked to be a part of a Vineyard Church in Newton, but in the end, it was too much to think about being part of a Church plant and be a part of IFI.

We had a “home-church” experience in our house for a year.  A few other families joined us Sunday evenings for prayer. It was fun and in some senses, rich, but again, it didn’t last.

Finally we attended the local Assembly of God Church.  We loved the Pastor and the Youth Group.  We also became close with the Wilson family and, of course, Meagan, Rana and Luke.  It became a home for us for a couple of years before our move to Kansas City.

I'm Spiritual. Not Religious. (a reposting)

Re-posted from CNN. That's right, CNN.

My Take On, "I'm Spiritual Not Religious" is a Cop Out

Les Miz!

Can't Wait!

24601!

The IFI Chronicles: The Adventures of TOMB-MAN!

151

I looked at this passage a lot while at IFI.

Mark 5

They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And they began to implore Him to leave their region. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

How would we have “labeled” this man today with his presenting “symptoms?”

• Homeless (dwelling among the tombs)
• Violent (and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him    anymore)
• Displays of strength (even with a chain, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.)
• Psychotic Episodes (Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains,)
• Self-harm/mutilation (gashing himself with stones)

* Reminds me a little of the “Bath-Salts Maniac” in South Florida

What would we do with such a man today?

> Hospitalize him?

> A double dose of Thorzine?

> Restraints?

> Solitary confinement?

> Case-management?

> Lobotomy?

This is how Jesus handled the situation.  He bypassed the man altogether and spoke directly to his affliction, in this case a “legion” of demons.  He commanded them to “come out” and they did.

What was Jesus’ outcome: “observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the ‘Legion’”

Jesus didn’t do a social history. He didn’t do a medical exam.  He didn’t ask the man if he preferred the “outdoor” lifestyle. He didn’t even ask permission. He didn’t speak to the man directly.

Jesus took authority and the affliction was cast away.

That was where I wanted to go.  I wanted Jesus to speak directly to the hearts of the men and prison and instantly “heal” them.  I wanted the men to amaze people by sitting clothed and in their right minds.

You would think the people of the Gerasenes would have been ecstatic to have Tomb Man taken care of.  Surely he had been a community risk for many years?  You would imagine they would have begged Jesus to stick around and clean-up their community.

Not so much…

Here was their response:

“they became frightened. Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And they began to implore Him to leave their region.”

They would rather deal with demonically oppressed men and continue their illegal “swine” operation than to have a healthy community…a theme that would show up in our reality as well.

So Jesus left.  His only reported convert? TOMB-MAN!

“As He (Jesus) was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.”

That also became a common theme in our reality as well…

chris

The IFI Chronicles: Leaders

152

“E” Unit had 242 beds that generally stayed full.  We may have had a few beds open a few days at a time, but generally, the Unit was full of men.

The weekly curriculum time looked like this:

Ø  Treatment/instruction from an IFI counselor: 2 hours daily (10 hours weekly)

Ø  Volunteer-led Evening Curriculum: 90 minutes 3 days a week (4.5 hour weekly)

Ø  Community Bible Study: 90 minutes (1.5 hours) weekly and mostly led by inmates

Ø  Friday Night Revival was 90 minutes (1.5 hours) weekly led by Volunteers

Ø  Sunday morning services were 90 minutes (1.5 hours) weekly led by IFI staff

Ø  Community Meeting was 45 minutes 5 days a week (3.75 hours Weekly)

Ø  Morning Devotions were 20 minutes 5 days a week (1.66 hours weekly) led by inmates.

 That is a grand total of 21.41 scheduled hours a week for “treatment.”

IFI members in curriculum mode would also have scheduled one-on-one times with their counselors throughout the week/month/quarter.  So let’s call the whole “time” in “treatment” as 24 hours a week.

That left 144 other hours a week free. Free to study, work-out, sleep, visit, play sports, and “do-time.”

Clearly, 144 hours in a prison setting would have an insurmountable affect on the hearts of the men.  IFI staff could not be the sole source of “knowledge” or “wisdom from on-high.”  We needed partners and co-laborers. We needed leaders.

I looked at the men as potential leaders in three different ways:

Criteria 1:  I looked at men who were already buying into what we were doing and who were already taking initiative.  That didn’t mean they were automatically put in a leadership position. Sometimes it was the opposite.  Some men craved leadership and wanted a position. They wanted to be up front and in front.  They wanted to teach and exercise their brains and mouths, not their hearts. Others were taking what they were learning and applying it right away.

Criteria 2: I looked for those who had potential.  This was my main criteria and the most subjective.  I would pray and try to perceive who the Lord was highlighting to me.  I picked some “risky” guys n an attempt to “coach-them-up.”  Sometimes it worked; sometimes it was a total flame-out.

Criteria 3: I would look for guys in groups who were closed to me.  I looked for guys who were Hispanic and spoke Spanish, especially guys going back to Mexico.  I looked for Gang Members who may be going back to California or Chicago or some other area.  I looked for a variety of religious persuasions. I looked for men who had knowledge or experience with Islam.  I looked for short term guys, long term guys and Lifers.

What I found was if I really stuck to my 2^nd criteria (looking for the Lord to highlight someone) I would get everyone in my 3^rd criteria.

I would hand-pick a group of 20 guys for leadership training. Then I would proceed to spill to them everything I was doing.  I would walk them through my thought process in certain situations and why I was doing what I was doing.  I did this at great risk, because I knew there was a potential to any of those guys running right back to the unit and spilling all of my “tactics.”  However, I never worried about that.

 

Another thing I would do was teach them specific skills in leadership.  We used an excellent curriculum called “Jesus on Leadership: Developing Servant Leaders” by Gene Wilkes.  It was an excellent balance of the practical and the theoretical.  It also emphasized servant hood as the main mechanism of leading.

 

I would then place resources, teachings, books, etc. into the hands of guys.  If I felt they were prophetic I would slide them a book about the prophetic. If I saw they were worship leaders, I would give them music.  If I saw they were teachers, I would give them assignments to teach.  If they were counselors, I would put them with other guys who needed to be listened to. If they were pray-ers, I would pray with them.

Most importantly I would pray for them, and I would pray for them in a very specific way and with a specific intent.  I would pray, with faith and with my positional authority, that their potential would be unleashed in their lives.  I expected the Holy Spirit to ramp His work up in their lives.  I waited to see them make exponential growth, and I did.

Our community began to really flourish as the day to day discipleship and the atmosphere of the unit were in the care of the inmates themselves and shepherded by the “elders” as they were called (a term I never used, but the men used for each other.)

 

chris

 

To learn more about Gene Wilkes and his Jesus on Leadership curriculum : Jesus on Leadership
(I prefer the book to th DVD Curriculum...)

 

 

Helmet Man

153

Yet another wacky story having to (kind-of) do with the Chiefs...

...and it makes me laugh.

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

The FBI said Friday afternoon that no explosives were found and there is no threat to the public after a scare in downtown Kansas City.

The man at the center of the scare, Wahed Moharam, was later released. He talked to reporters once he arrived home Friday night.

"I love this country," he said, adding that he has lived in the United States for more than 30 years. "I would give my life for this country."

Police initially said the man claimed to be a terrorist, leading to the evacuation of some downtown streets and buildings. Moharam, who is apparently on a federal watch list, was taken into custody at the federal building at 13th Street and Holmes Road.

Moharam reportedly yelled, "Why am I on the terrorist watch list?" when he entered the federal building downtown Friday.

"While the individual was detained and is being questioned, there is no public safety concern and we determined no personnel inside the federal building were in harm's way," the FBI statement says. "The individual walked into the federal building to clarify whether he was under investigation by a federal agency. The individual did not make a threat of a bomb or explosive device being contained in his vehicle."

The Kansas City Star, KCTV5's reporting partner, reported that Moharam has ties to the first World Trade Center bombing. He testified against some of the bombers.

Moharam is also a die-hard Chiefs fan and appeared on KCTV5's Locker Room show. He also appeared regularly on other KCTV5 business-related segments. He was known as "Helmet Man," and was wearing a Chiefs shirt Friday night.

He told reporters Friday night that he had been pulled over on a traffic stop in Grain Valley. He said he felt harassed and the stop was extensive. He said officers told him the traffic stop lasted so long because they discovered he was on a terror-watch list.

Moharam said this upset him and he went to the federal building to clear up the issue. He said he never had a bomb and never implied that he had one.

"I love this country more than anything on earth. I will do anything for this country," he said. "I never went to the building and said I had a bomb. If I said I had a bomb, I wouldn't be talking to you now."

After Moharam was taken into custody Friday afternoon, bomb dogs indicated that explosives were inside the vehicle. This led to the evacuations and a heightened search.

After a robot and investigators in bomb squad gear searched the vehicle, explosives were not found.

A gun was found inside his vehicle.

Moharam owns a cleaning business. And the cleaning chemicals inside the vehicle were what the dogs hit on. 

Moharam was known to many Kansas City area residents as "Helmet Man" because of his attire at Chiefs games. Many knew him as Edgar Sanchez. 

Neighbors described him as friendly, good with children and involved in his church and community. He was also described as odd. He came to KCTV5's newsroom in February to discuss a business opportunity.

The Star reported that Moharam's season tickets were revoked because of safety concerns in 2003. He was once in the federal witness protection program for testifying in the first World Trade Center bombing. Click here to read the newspaper's 2003 profile of him.

"Everything is OK," a man identifying himself as Wahed told the newspaper. "I don't have to tell you exactly where I am. The FBI requests me to hang up the phone, but I can assure you I'm OK and they treat me good."

He added: "And everything mistake. Everything mistake. I didn't have any bad thing anyway. Everything is just ... thank you and God bless you and I'm OK."

The General Services Administration initially relocated employees from sections of their downtown building as a result of the threat. Federal agencies sent some workers home for the day.

The nearby Jackson County Jail was placed on lockdown.

Kansas City police said they acted out of an abundance of caution. 

In its statement, the FBI said they could not discuss whether Moharam is on a federal watch list.

"Local police and FBI agents acting with an abundance of caution responded appropriately with the initial limited information they had based on witness accounts of what happened," the statement said. "A police canine sniffed the person's car and alerted to a possible explosive substance. A closer look has determined that no items of concern have been located in the individual's vehicle. Again, the primary concern was for the public's safety, which made the actions today necessary."

KCTV5's Brad Stephens, Stephen Mayer and Dave Jordan contributed to this report.

Copyright2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.