We commence with a discussion of a definition of “the South,” which can be viewed geographically (starting just below Northern Virginia, running down to the top portion of Florida, and extending westward to Arkansas and encompassing the southern portions of Indiana and Illinois) and spiritually (those areas with a majority Southern Baptist population).  Jim explains how this decade-long process took him on a “r0ad trip” around the region to experience the lives and institutions of those living in what he calls the “Now South,” a region with deep roots to its “Old Time Religion” past, but which is also changing in surprising ways.  Looking at the historical roots first, we discuss how religion, food, and hospitality are intimately linked via kinship networks and a concern over scarcity being a daily lived experience.  Food and visitation are viewed as an expression of love for folks who are ill, imprisoned, or otherwise facing difficult times.  Jim also notes that food and hospitality also becomes a basis for various types of social activism as such community involvement is often viewed as a measure of piety.  Sometimes such activism can take on hard-nosed policies towards drug addicts who are allowed assistance only if they quickly accept Jesus, or in more open terms that seek to get mentally ill individuals the help they need.  We also chat about how Pentecostalism, technically a very small fraction of Southern Christians, has influenced the Christianity of the region, often leading to “Bapticostal” congregations that call their ministers bishops and have multiple offerings.  Religion also manifests itself along racial lines in the South, as one might expect, and Jim talks about religiously-infused racial histories can wound but also offer up possibilities for forgiveness.  He raises the horrific shooting at the Charleston Emmanuel AME Church in 2015 as an example of these racial divides and how the power of forgiveness is used not necessarily to “forgive and forget,” but to heal tragedies so it doesn’t wound the victims continuously.

The conversation then moves in the direction of the “Now South” and the new trends that have been reshaping the spiritual landscape over the past several decades.  We look at how megachurches are setting new standards of worship not only for congregants in the suburbs, but in smaller rural and urban churches as well.  Jim points out how the growth of homeschooling has responded to the integration of private religious schools (often called “segregation academies”).  The growth of Catholicism with the influx of immigrants from Mexico and Central America has also diversified the religious tapestry of the region.  And finally, we discuss the surprising increase in the number of congregations that have taken a welcoming position to the LGBT communities and how it has roiled the waters.  Jim explains that while it is easy to preach hate, the culture is changing via kinship ties and the “power of one” wherein one individual can help to change the views of those around them.  While still a very small minority of churches, the presence of LGBT-friendly congregations indicate progressive steps forward.

We finish off by asking Prof. Hudnut-Beumler what he would tell a younger version of Jim if he had the chance to travel back in time.  The elder Jim provides some interesting words of advice for his younger self recognizing that things you never thought would have made an impression early on often come back to you as new opportunities for exploration and learning.  Recorded: May 25, 2018.

RELATED LINKS

 Prof. Hudnut-Beumler’s bio at Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School.

Strangers and Friends at the Welcome Table, by James Hudnut-Beumler.

In Pursuit of the Almighty’s Dollar, by James Hudnut-Beumler.

The Future of Mainline Protestantism in America, edited by James Hudnut-Beumler and Mark Silk.

Looking for God in the Suburbs, by James Hudnut-Beumler.

RELATED PODCASTS

James Hudnut-Beumler on the History of Church Financing in the US.

Paul Harvey on Religion in the American South.

Lerone Martin on Preaching on Wax and Phonographic Religion.

David Dixon on Religious Rhetoric and the Civil Rights Movement.

Darin Mather on Evangelicals and Racial Attitudes.

Bradley Wright on Religion, Race, and Discrimination.

]]> http://www.researchonreligion.org/christianity/james-hudnut-beumler-on-religion-in-the-now-south/feed 0 http://www.researchonreligion.org/practioneers/jeff-henig-on-prison-ministry-encore-presentation http://www.researchonreligion.org/practioneers/jeff-henig-on-prison-ministry-encore-presentation#comments Sun, 01 Apr 2018 17:03:41 +0000 http://www.researchonreligion.org/?p=5491 Why would anybody ever want to become a prison chaplain?   And what do those folks involved in prison ministry do?  Jeff Henig, who recently was hired as a prison chaplain in Arkansas, discusses his background, the journey he took to become a prison minister, and the various challenges he faces in this line of work.  This is part of our ongoing series to talk with practitioners, people who work in the spiritual trenches day-t0-day and often have insights into human behavior that scholars often overlook.

We begin with Jeff’s background.  Interestingly, he uses the third person to talk about his life growing up the son of ’60s hippies and ending up in group homes and foster care.  He also talks openly about his time in the US Marine Corps and how he was a rebel against authority, which is probably not the best thing for somebody in the military.  Nonetheless, this background helped shaped who he is and helps him relate to many of the individuals he ministers to in prison.  The story also moves through his conversion to Christianity in 1989 and how that changed his life.  We follow him then through a series of jobs and, more importantly, into the world of a cappella singing.  While seemingly unrelated to prison ministry, it was singing with a Christian a cappella group that brought him into his current career.

A good portion of the middle part of the interview is spent talking about what went on with his a cappella prison ministry.  We talk about what a typical show would be like and the various constraints faced by the band.  Jeff notes how enthusiastic inmates were to see folks “from the outside,” but that prison regulations limited the time that they could have with prisoners.  He discusses how they would get their message across in between songs and with some short conversations after the performance.  We also learn the difference between jail and prison at this point, and Jeff points out that the transitory nature of jail makes it more difficult to reach out to the folks as compared to prison where the inmates know they are there for a longer period and approach life behind bars with greater seriousness.

We then move along to discussing how he obtained his current position as a prison chaplain.  We talk about the educational background he had, as well as “learning on the job” as a certified religious assistant (CRA).  We talk about some of the different challenges prison ministers face, including attempts to “game the system” by inmates, as well as some of the heavy psychological toll that this can take on the pastor.  Jeff shares a wonderful story about when he was significantly down and a number of the prisoners rallied around him, providing him with insight to how much of an impact he was having on these individuals.  He also discusses some of the legal issues that need to be managed, including a new Supreme Court religious liberty ruling on facial hair.  We finish with the three things Jeff has learned throughout his several decades of prison ministry.  First, you need to relate to people as they are and not as you want them to be.  Second, God doesn’t make trash.  And finally, you have more impact on people than you might think.  Good lessons for prison ministers and all of us as well.  Recorded: April 3, 2015.

RELATED LINKS

First Day Music, Jeff’s a cappella group’s website.

Holt v Hobbs, Supreme Court case regarding religious facial hair.

Harding School of Theology.

RELATED PODCASTS

Byron Johnson on Religion & Delinquency.

Byron Johnson on More God, Less Crime.

Robert Kinnune on Military Chaplains.

Daniel Stiles on Cowboy Churches.

William Wubbenhorst on Serve, West Dallas.

Jason Jewell on Why Christians Should Read the Great Books.

Jason Jewell on John Locke and Religious Toleration.

A list of episodes from practitioners.

We begin the discussion with a bit of background on Owen himself, finding out what he does as the director of the Center on Gospel & Culture and how he is able to write so many books even though he is quite young.  We also learn that he is answering these questions while sitting in a Toyota Highlander (which is not moving, for the record).  Owen explains how he came to write about Colson, noting that as a historian he is always taking stock of who is, and who is not, being written about and finding opportunities to connect with new communities.  Prof. Strachan makes a case for writing about Colson to bring this man’s life to the attention of the so-called Millennial generation, a theme that he picks up again at the end of the interview.

We then plunge into the early life of Colson, the “swamp yankee.”  Owen defines this term that Colson used to describe himself as someone who grew up in New England but who does not have the elitist trappings of that region.  This aspect of Colson’s life is important as we find out that he goes through much of life with a “chip on his shoulder,” even deciding to turn down admission to Harvard University in favor of Brown.  Combined with his brief time in the US Marines, this “swamp yankee” mentality forms his personality in such a way that will make him an ideal candidate to eventually take on the role of prison minister.  We walk through the Watergate scandal and Colson’s role as “the fixer” in the Nixon Administration, noting that Colson was a guy that was able to get things done, even if it entailed “breaking some china” along the way.  Again, this is another related aspect of Colson’s demeanor that helps explain his doggedness in his Christian faith in later years.  Owen spends time noting that Colson’s role in Watergate has been exaggerated in media accounts, and that he wasn’t involved much about some of the deeper scandals.  Nonetheless, Colson was sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement, of which he served about seven months of the sentence.

During the period that the Watergate scandal was breaking, Colson was also experiencing a spiritual transformation.  Seeing how Colson was stressed by the pressure of the White House and media attention on Watergate, Tom Phillips, CEO of Raytheon Corporation, gave Colson a copy of C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, which had a huge impact on Colson who was not much of a religious man at the time.  We discuss how Colson picked up on a number of other (relatively) contemporary Christian scholars such as William Wilberforce, Frances Schaeffer, and Carl Henry.  Tony asks Owen to reflect upon this pathway to Christianity, noting how it is different than the typical “going to church as a kid every Sunday” method of picking up and learning one’s faith.  Owen agrees that this is a much different means of coming to Christianity, and combined with his time in prison, helps to shape Colson’s approach to missionizing.  While Colson saw a role for the corner church and Sunday services, he was unsettled with this as a way of bringing the Gospel to the world.  Instead, he preferred taking Christianity to the places where it typically wasn’t, which becomes the basis for the eventual creation of Prison Fellowship, not to mention a number of other entrepreneurial creations credited to Colson, including Breakpoint radio.  It is clear how Colson’s hard-nosed “fixer” and “swamp yankee” personality shape his approach to Christianity, including taking ex-cons directly to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC to pray for and with Congressional representatives, an approach that was shocking to some at the time.

Our conversation continues to discuss the various other endeavors that Colson undertook in his life and how each tended to reflect a “whatever I want to do” approach to missionizing that Colson adopted.  At the end of the interview, Prof. Stachan reflects upon some of what he learned from exploring the life of Colson.  He notes how Colson’s life tended to come “full circle” when presented with a special pin honoring his service at a White House ceremony during the George W. Bush administration.  He reflects upon how it must have seemed to be given an award for service in a place that had earlier sent him to the bottom of the barrel in his own life.  Colson, in essence, returns to the place of his own undoing in a triumphant manner — a quintessential American success story that is peppered with hardship and determination.  Owen also discusses how he came to realize the importance of prison in the Biblical narrative, with many of the key players from Daniel and Joseph in the Old Testament to Jesus and Paul having had to spend time in such an environment.  Prof. Strachan further explains how this lesson can be important to the disaffected youth of today’s Millennial generation, who seem to be experiencing a “hollow prosperity.”    Recorded: August 13, 2015.

RELATED LINKS

Owen Strachan’s bio at Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood.

The Colson Way: Loving Your Neighbor and Living with Faith in a Hostile World, by Owen Strachan.

Awakening of the Evangelical Mind: An Intellectual History of the Neo-Evangelical Movement, by Owen Strachan.

The Pastor as Public Theologian, by Kevin Vanhoover and Owen Strachan.

Risky Gospel: Abandon Fear and Build Something Awesome, by Owen Strachan.

Essential Evangelicalism: The Enduring Influence of Carl F.H. Henry, by Matthew Hall and Owen Strachan.

Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice, edited by Owen Strachan & Jonathan Parnell.

Born Again and Life Sentence, by Chuck Colson.

Colson Center for Christian Worldview.

Breakpoint Radio.

RELATED PODCASTS

Jeff Henig on Prison Ministry.

Byron Johnson on More God, Less Crime.

Byron Johnson on Religion & Delinquency.

William Wubbenhorst on Serve, West Dallas.

Jay Hein on the Quiet Revolution of Religious Social Work.

]]> http://www.researchonreligion.org/christianity/owen-strachan-on-chuck-colson/feed 0 http://www.researchonreligion.org/church-organization/jim-mcguffey-on-church-security-encore-presentation http://www.researchonreligion.org/church-organization/jim-mcguffey-on-church-security-encore-presentation#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2015 08:00:38 +0000 http://www.researchonreligion.org/?p=3922 In the wake of several highly publicized shootings, we look at how safe churches are, and what they can do to improve their safety, with Jim McGuffey, and independent security consultant with A.C.E. Security Consultants LLC and an expert on church security.  We start with Jim’s background, both religious and professional, to understand where his insights into this issue come from.  Jim spent time in the military, civilian police, and the armored car business before setting out with his own consulting company.  He has also been extensively trained in a vareity of security programs with the licensing to prove it.  More importantly, Jim spent time in several denominations including a stint as a church elder.  He credits the latter experience with his ability to understand the specific difficulties with trying to protect churches from falling prey to a variety of illicit behavior, including both bodily and property crimes.  He explains how he came to specialize in church security, a service he provides to various religious groups free of charge.

We then dive into a discussion about the biggest threats to churches.  Jim explains that the number one problem is that churches do not think much about security, highlighting the figure that only about 15 – 20% of churches have security programs in place.  Tony brings up the issue of how congregants might react to a visible security program by speculating that this might either ease the fears of parishioners or, paradoxically, make them more concerned about potential threats.  After all, if there is an armed security guard patrolling the church grounds, it is only natural to assume that there must be some problem there.  Jim agrees that this latter response is something that concerns pastors and elders.  If they do create a highly visible security presence with cameras and guards, this may make the church appear less welcoming and scare away members.  Overcoming this mentality is often one of Jim’s greatest challenges.

He also notes that church staff often only start thinking about security after a well-publicized shooting and they tend to overlook more common incidents such as burglary, theft, or vandalism.  Indeed, given that physical violence is often rare yet what we focus on, churches typically find themselves more vulnerable to “mundane crimes” such as embezzlement because they don’t give much thought to these things.

Jim then walks us through a typical church security assessment that he would conduct for a house of worship.  While not in any means comprehensive, this portion of the interview might be very valuable for clergy or congregants if for no other reason than simply to make them aware of some common sense things they can be alerted to.  Although a regular security may sound like “overkill” for a church, Jim points out that one of the main impacts of crime on a church is to tarnish its reputation, especially with incidents that are committed by internal members of the church community.  Tony asks if there are certain types of vulnerabilities that church face relative to private businesses or residences and Jim reviews a number of these.  One of the more interesting things that churches often neglect is a process of background checks on volunteers; paid staff are often vetted, but volunteers — often the main source of help for many congregations — are often assumed to have pure motives and hence don’t need to have their backgrounds or intentions examined.

Please note that during our discussion of conducting background interviews for volunteers, Mr. McGuffey’s phone failed thus we have a brief interruption in the flow of the conversation.  Despite these technical problems we finish strong by talking about how Jim generates interest in his services, noting that what he offers is not simply a service for Christians, but is available for congregants of all faith.  Recorded: January 9, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

A.C.E. Security Consultants, LLC, Jim McGuffey’s company.

Security for Houses of Worship, an informational website for church security created and hosted by Jim McGuffey.

Carl Chin’s Church Security website, mentioned in the podcast (includes data about the incidence of crime in churches).

ASIS International.

RELATED PODCASTS

Byron Johnson on More God, Less Crime.

We begin with Jeff’s background.  Interestingly, he uses the third person to talk about his life growing up the son of ’60s hippies and ending up in group homes and foster care.  He also talks openly about his time in the US Marine Corps and how he was a rebel against authority, which is probably not the best thing for somebody in the military.  Nonetheless, this background helped shaped who he is and helps him relate to many of the individuals he ministers to in prison.  The story also moves through his conversion to Christianity in 1989 and how that changed his life.  We follow him then through a series of jobs and, more importantly, into the world of a cappella singing.  While seemingly unrelated to prison ministry, it was singing with a Christian a cappella group that brought him into his current career.

A good portion of the middle part of the interview is spent talking about what went on with his a cappella prison ministry.  We talk about what a typical show would be like and the various constraints faced by the band.  Jeff notes how enthusiastic inmates were to see folks “from the outside,” but that prison regulations limited the time that they could have with prisoners.  He discusses how they would get their message across in between songs and with some short conversations after the performance.  We also learn the difference between jail and prison at this point, and Jeff points out that the transitory nature of jail makes it more difficult to reach out to the folks as compared to prison where the inmates know they are there for a longer period and approach life behind bars with greater seriousness.

We then move along to discussing how he obtained his current position as a prison chaplain.  We talk about the educational background he had, as well as “learning on the job” as a certified religious assistant (CRA).  We talk about some of the different challenges prison ministers face, including attempts to “game the system” by inmates, as well as some of the heavy psychological toll that this can take on the pastor.  Jeff shares a wonderful story about when he was significantly down and a number of the prisoners rallied around him, providing him with insight to how much of an impact he was having on these individuals.  He also discusses some of the legal issues that need to be managed, including a new Supreme Court religious liberty ruling on facial hair.  We finish with the three things Jeff has learned throughout his several decades of prison ministry.  First, you need to relate to people as they are and not as you want them to be.  Second, God doesn’t make trash.  And finally, you have more impact on people than you might think.  Good lessons for prison ministers and all of us as well.  Recorded: April 3, 2015.

UPDATE:  I was just informed that one of our former guests, Jason Jewell, sang a cappella with Jeff Henig and I didn’t even know it!  Jason’s podcasts are listed below and I’m now considering putting together a Research on Religion “Preaching to the Choir” Scholarship Quartet!

RELATED LINKS

First Day Music, Jeff’s a cappella group’s website.

Holt v Hobbs, Supreme Court case regarding religious facial hair.

Harding School of Theology.

RELATED PODCASTS

Byron Johnson on Religion & Delinquency.

Byron Johnson on More God, Less Crime.

Robert Kinnune on Military Chaplains.

Daniel Stiles on Cowboy Churches.

William Wubbenhorst on Serve, West Dallas.

Jason Jewell on Why Christians Should Read the Great Books.

Jason Jewell on John Locke and Religious Toleration.

A list of episodes from practitioners.

RELATED LINKS

A.C.E. Security Consultants, LLC, Jim McGuffey’s company.

Security for Houses of Worship, an informational website for church security created and hosted by Jim McGuffey.

Carl Chin’s Church Security website, mentioned in the podcast (includes data about the incidence of crime in churches).

ASIS International.

RELATED PODCASTS

Byron Johnson on More God, Less Crime.

RELATED LINKS

Byron Johnson’s website at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.

More God, Less Crime: Why Faith Matters, and Why It Could Matter More, by Byron R. Johnson.

Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.  (A great resource for relevant and accessible research, with many reports free to the public.)

RELATED PODCASTS

Byron Johnson on Religion & Delinquency.

Merisa Davis on Bill Cosby, Religion, & African-American Churches.

Jay Hein on the Faith-Based & Community Initiative.

Eric Carter on Religion & the NFL.

RELATED LINKS

Merisa Davis’s website (where you can order autographed copies of the book)

Bill Cosby Is Right: But What Should the Church Be Doing About It? by Merisa Parson Davis.

Project Turn-Around (Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Pastor Tony Evans).

Pastor Charles Blake at West Angeles Church of God in Christ.

Liberty University.  (Link for the African American Worship Program coming soon.  Article mentioning that program is here.)

(Minor correction:  Early in the podcast, Tony reveals that three of his favorite shows growing up were Gilligan’s Island, Scooby Doo and The Cosby Show.  The Cosby Show did not air until the 1980s.  Although Tony did watch and enjoy The Cosby Show, he meant to say Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, a cartoon that aired from the early 1970s to the early 1980s, and one in which he had a devoted loyalty to.)