I was in prison and ye came unto me (Matt. 25:36).

In the late 1970s, Dr. Mike Johnston was involved in jail and prison evangelism where scores of incarcerated men and women were surrendering their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. By 1981 the ministry was touching lives across the State of Michigan and presenting a new set of challenges: Biblically based discipling for all the new converts. In response to prayer, the Lord made it very clear that the answer was in providing doctrinally sound correspondence Bible studies, which has been the path this ministry has followed since that time.

As the ministry grew, two things naturally expanded with it: expenses for operations as well as a growing interest from other Christians who wished to support what brother Mike was doing. In the fall of 1981, he and long time friend Rev. Mike Olney organized this prison outreach into Promise Ministries (aka PMI). And while the original intention was fixed on follow up ministry to those being reached through the evangelistic efforts of brother Mike and PMI, the Lord began to speak to his heart about the tens of thousands of other hungry souls out there that likewise needed to be fed, and yet were not.

This spiritual nudging proved to be the leading of God in many wonderful ways.

The First 36 Letters to Jackson Prison
Mike's friend, Chaplain Jerry Key of Kalamazoo County Jail gave him 36 names of inmates that recently transferred to Jackson Prison. Brother Mike hand wrote a personal letter to each of them offering FREE Bible correspondence courses and waited for the response. It was incredible. Then something happened Mike hadn't anticipated; many of the men completing the preliminary studies were requesting addresses of Bible colleges where they could earn degrees and possibly prepare for ministry upon release. The problem, however, was two-fold: off campus education wasn't developed as it is today, and (perhaps worse) prisoners have no money for tuition.

To meet this challenge, Calvary Christian College and Seminary was launched in the fall of 1982, to provide quality off-campus Bible college level studies to those who were both incarcerated and indigent.

Expanding into Florida via Rev. Frank Costantino
Scripture promises: A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men (Proverbs 18:16). Three great men of God (besides his father, Dr. Bob Johnston) verified this for brother Mike. The first was Rev. Frank Costantino, an ex-con and director of Christian Prison Ministry in Orlando, Florida. From their first phone conversation, brother Frank saw the possibilities and immediately became an avid supporter by spreading the word throughout the Florida penal system. This produced a flood of hundreds of applications from Florida prisons we still work with to this day.

Covering the USA via Dr. Jack Van Impe
The second great man is Dr. Jack Van Impe, an honorary graduate of Calvary Christian Seminary. In October, 1982, Dr. Van Impe was contacted to serve on the Board of Reference (a position he still holds today). Brother Van Impe became so excited about our Bible school that he donated thousands of dollars in financial support as well as his brilliant prophecy books we are still using in our curricula.

Here's what he wrote: "I am excited about the external studies program for prisoners offered by Calvary Christian College and Seminary. Dr. Michael Johnston's ministry is meeting the definite and growing need for discipleship and Bible training in this segment of our society . . . Calvary Christian College and Seminary has opened the door to a complete, tuition free program of Bible study for these babes in Christ. I have personally reviewed the curriculum, and find it to be scripturally sound. Therefore I am happy to endorse Dr. Johnston's program for prisoners and recommend it to all who are interested in becoming students of the Word and servants of the Lord Jesus Christ." 

With these two great men of God promoting our school nationally, Calvary Christian and PMI grew from a local Bible study program into a burgeoning Bible college ministry spanning hundreds of prisons all across America-- in less than 2 years.

Ministry Outside Prison Walls via Dr. Kenneth Pierpont
The third great man God used to further expand our ministry is our dear friend and long time associate Dr. Kenneth Pierpont. While Mike was busy focusing on prisoners, Dr. Ken, an innovative pastor-educator, began developing intense Bible study programs to train for ministry those in the FREE world who likewise couldn't relocate, and were financially hindered. It was brother Pierpont who would oversee the first school catalog, organize and hold graduation ceremonies in his church, and ultimately take the steps necessary to ensure our longevity by overseeing Calvary Christian's legal status as a registered non profit corporation in the state of Indiana; a duty he still maintains to this day.

Calvary Christian College and Seminary will forever be indebted to many precious friends who could have been mentioned here; men and women that believed in our mission and supported it in one fashion or another.

And yet, the three mentioned above, stand apart in a kind of selfless love and sacrificial commitment that really brought this ministry and this school to the place where it now serves the Body of Christ and which it will continue to do for as long as the Master so allows.

Calvary Christian College and Seminary (along with PMI) will forever be indebted to many precious friends who could have been mentioned here; men and women that believed in our mission and supported it in one fashion or another.

And yet, those mentioned above, stand apart in a kind of selfless love and sacrificial commitment that really brought this ministry and this school to the place where it now serves the Body of Christ and which it will continue to do for as long as the Master so allows.  

Rev. Frank Costantino went to be with Jesus April 2, 2006. He was 66 years old. Read more . . .

(c) 2009 PMI • POB 177 • Battle Creek, MI 49016-0177