Dr. Mike Johnston wants to
ask you a frightening question . . .

“How Long Could You Survive In Our Prison System?”

Terrifying thought, isn’t it! And yet that’s where those Jesus wants us to reach (Matt. 25:36) spend every moment of every day-- many with no family or friends to care whether they live or die!

TODAY . . .

· America’s prison system is growing 10 times faster than the general population! Over 400% in just 20 years

· Over TWO MILLION men, women, and children are incarcerated costing YOU AND ME multi-BILLIONS of dollars
per year!

· Homosexuality, alcohol and drug abuse are accepted and (in some cases) EXPECTED behavior!

· One in ten prisoners could be infected with the AIDS virus!

· It costs as much as $60,000 or more per cell to build a prison!

· 95 percent of ALL PRISONERS will one day be back on the streets- working with us- living next door to us. What will
they be like?

SAD BUT TRUE
One of the saddest chapters in a prisoner’s life is that of REJECTION! As many as 85 out of 100 are COMPLETELY ABANDONED by their family and friends within the first eight to 15 months of incarceration. No wonder 75 percent return to prison WITHIN 4 YEARS. The very people who could help them most, turn their backs and walk away. You should read the letters we receive- they’re heart wrenching.

If we expect our prisoner friends to change, we must GET INVOLVED in the change process!

Now I’m sure you must dislike letters from ministries that beg for money as much as I do. In the vast history of our ministry we have NEVER gotten in over our heads and then expected God’s people to bail us out—and I won’t start NOW!

The PMI Center for Biblical is an educational outreach arm of Promise Ministries, that has been known and trusted NATIONALLY since 1981. In our history, we have enrolled and graduated 24,000 inmate students while working as a referral ministry for such impeccable organizations as Billy Graham, Chaplain Ray, Jack Van Impe, Mike Barber, Radio Bible Class, D. James Kennedy, and others. However, we are not underwritten by them or by anyone other than a small group of friends who believe in our methods and results- friends like you.

We personally write letters, grade papers, send courses and minister to thousands of students, while putting every dollar we possibly can into helping these men and women change. We are here because our 6-year Bible Study and ministry prep programs are having a LIFE-CHANGING impact on prisoner’s lives. That in itself keeps us coming back to the office day in and day out, especially when we remember the story of “William.” Let me share it with you now…

William was a throw-away from society! No one was very surprised the day he was sent to prison. The authorities said there was no hope for him, BUT GOD saw things differently. Prison provided him ample time to think. He had ruined his life, lost his family, and blown eternity…or so he thought. One day William heard how our Saviour Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on a cruel cross of Calvary, to pay for the sins of mankind. He learned that Jesus loved prisoners and wanted to help them change. William bowed his head and gave his life to Jesus!

His hunger for Christ grew. He desired to study the Bible intensely, and he prayed for direction. Shortly after, he learned about the PMI Center for Biblical Studies, which provides $1,000 college-level scholarships FREE for prisoners. We approved his application and we prayed for a ONE-YEAR SPONSOR for $15 per month. As usual we wrote letters to his family and friends explaining how William wanted to enroll, and asked them to sponsor him. But NOBODY believed in him. They remembered how he used to be and not what he was to become. In short, THEY WOULDN’T HELP HIM!

Some prisoners would get discouraged and quit, but thank God William didn’t and neither did we. We kept making contact after contact, rejection after rejection until finally someone felt compassion toward him and GOT INVOLVED in the process that changed the course of his life. I’m delighted to tell you that William went on to earn his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and eventually his Doctorate—all in the face of a society who had given up on him, and had thrown him away!

HERE COME THE EXCUSES…
Dear friend, please believe me when I tell you that through our many, many years of ministry, we have heard every excuse known to man for refusing to help a prisoner. As long as money has been available, my father and I have been happy to underwrite this school ourselves because we know it has helped hundreds of prisoners prepare themselves for eternity—as well as their return into society. Unfortunately this school has grown way past our personal financial capabilities. We are just average folks like you, who live on limited incomes. But we always tithe and give offerings to the Lord—always!

Regular tuition at the PMI Center could easily cost $30 per credit hour (30 hours per year + books), or around $1,000 per year for a full time student. As you’re probably aware, that’s still very inexpensive compared to many schools that charge THREE AND FOUR times that much, making it IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PRISONER to afford. That’s why we’ve created this partnership: The Promise Bible Study Fund.

Will you help me provide Bible School training for an indigent prisoner friend for ONE YEAR? If you could provide a PARTIAL SPONSORSHIP of just $15 per month for 12 months, I’ll raise the additional funds as necessary, to keep this prisoner studying the Word for another year.

If you can’t afford it alone, perhaps you and one other person could split the tuition. Your church, a Sunday School class, or you and a friend or relative. PLEASE consider how inexpensive this is! For less than the price of a COKE OR CUP OF COFFEE (just 50 cents) per day for 30 days, we can make a difference that can last forever!

Remember, if you wait for somebody else to do it, our friend will probably be dropped from Bible School; not because I want to, but because I won’t be able to afford it alone anymore! Your decision, therefore is needed immediately. Please help me by investing in the Promise Bible Study Fund.

Thank you for helping with whatever you can. Shalom my friend,

Michael L. Johnston, D. Min.

PS: We will take donations of rolls of stamps, too!

Please make your donation right now while the Holy Spirit is compelling you-- please help us to help these spiritually starving inmates so they may continue receiving the Bible studies? Only $15 per month provides for at least one prisoner's Bible study program.

1 Student Tuition for 1 Month- $15

*Some letters slightly edited for spelling and or clarity without compromising or distorting meaning.