USA (MNN) — Father’s Day this weekend is a reminder that the breakdown of the family impacts the very heart of the American society. In prisons, it’s said that Father’s Day is the most meaningless holiday of the year in the US.
Crossroad Bible Institute’s David Schuringa says, “Every prison, actually, is a heart-wrenching picture of failed fatherhood. And what I mean by that is, that most inmates, research indicates, grew up without a father in the home, and that can have a devastating effect on that family unit.”
The research findings are staggering. 95% of prisoners are male. Most grew up without a father in the home. Most lived in chaos-ridden homes, experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and drugs. And in those kinds of circumstances, Schuringa says, you can see that the kids were very neglected and began to take on a life of crime at an early age. They grew up very angry, with a deep inner pain because of the lack of guidance in their lives.
That’s why Crossroad ministers to prisoners and their families by providing resources to help restore the family. They do that by getting to the deepest need.
“At Crossroad Bible Institute what we’re trying to do is, we’re trying to put these men and women in touch with a heavenly Father, who really, truly cares for them, and will be there for them. And we’re trying to help them experience the love of the heavenly father, through these discipleship courses and through our mentors, so that we can rebuild society from the ground up, one inmate, one family at a time.”
Crossroad provides discipleship and mentoring for those both in prison and also as they re-enter society after they’re released. Schuringa says that every day is Father’s Day in the sense that they’re trying to help the dads. They are reaching the prisoners with the hope and healing of Christ and helping so that they don’t fall back into the patterns once they’re out of prison.
Schuringa calls the church to take on this mission of helping to rebuild the family, because, “People have to realize that the government can’t fix this with programs. The church needs to be active. The family needs to be restored. The church needs to come to the side of families who are in need, and help those who are in poverty. (They need to) provide instruction for all families on what it means to be a dad, what it means to be a mom, and also of course on the permanence and importance of marriage. The church, I think, is central, absolutely central. In fact, the church is society’s only hope for restoring the family.”
Crossroad Bible Institute needs your help. They have an ongoing need for people to correct Bible lessons, in both English and Spanish. And the financial need is always there as well. “If someone out there wants to get involved in helping our society at the very core of where it needs help, prison min is where it’s at,” says Schuringa. To help, contact Crossroad Bible Institute by following the highlighted link above.
This Father’s Day, pray that many inmates will come to know the life-changing love of the Heavenly Father.
