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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.
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Dr. Mike and Ann Johnston |
Drs. Jack and
Rexella Van Impe |
Dr. Ken and Jane Pierpont |
Rev. Frank Costantino went to be with Jesus April 2,
2006. He was 66 years old.
Read more . . .
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