New Prison Program Trains Incarcerated Women for Ministry

Often overlooked by churches and left ill-equipped for gospel ministry, incarcerated Christians live day in and day out in a vibrant mission field without access to training or support to help them flourish as disciple makers. That is why The College at Southeastern first launched its North Carolina Field Minister Program (NCFMP) for men in 2016 to biblically and theologically equip incarcerated men for faithful ministry within the North Carolina prison system.

Excited to announce its new NCFMP for women, The College is expanding its prison programs to include an eight-year program for incarcerated women, equipping and deploying them for a variety of gospel ministries throughout the North Carolina prison system. The program celebrated its first convocation on February 1 of this year.

“The program is built to train incarcerated women to have an impact on their community,” commented Erin Piner, the director of The College’s NCFMP for women and a two-time graduate of Southeastern. “We equip them with a high-quality theological education, preparing them for a variety of different ministry tasks. Then we continue to support them as field ministers by supplying them with the resources and support they need to accomplish their ministry.”

Combining educational training with emotional and spiritual preparation, the NCFMP for women aims to holistically equip women for long-term ministry and disciple making. Students in the program will receive four years of fully accredited training before graduating with their Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in ministry to women, justice and social ethics, and psychology.

After they graduate, women in the program will be deployed in teams to facilities throughout North Carolina where they will serve another four years in faith-based ministries, peer-counseling ministries, community service ministries, crisis ministries, and educational ministries.

“The deployment phase of the program offers these women an opportunity for truly incarnate ministry,” noted Piner. “Incarcerated women throughout the North Carolina prison system will have other women in their situation who are equipped with the gospel and are able to minister to them. They will be able to provide counseling, connection, and educational assistance while making discipling in that community.”

Incarcerated women throughout the North Carolina prison system will have other women in their situation who are equipped with the gospel and are able to minister to them.

The College recognizes that making disciples is the mission of the Church, which is why its NCFMP for women will also intentionally partner with local churches to provide mentoring and tutoring for women in the program. The College is coordinating with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina to identify partnering churches who are passionate about investing in these students. Not only will the students be discipled by partnering churches, but also once these women complete their sentences, they will already have deep connections with local churches outside the prison walls.

“It is a delight to integrate Southern Baptist churches into the formation and training of these women through mentoring and tutoring,” remarked Piner. “I am really excited to see women from local churches invested in the lives of these students.”

Piner hopes that the combined efforts of local churches and The College will set the students up for success and jumpstart a deep spiritual community within the program. Helping to foster community, women in the program will also be housed together and progress through courses in a close cohort of mutually invested students.

“We want to facilitate community between these women such that they love one another as sisters in Christ and gladly study, serve, and live together for a common mission,” commented Piner. “We want these women to be known as Southeastern women of character who have a gospel reputation among fellow incarcerated individuals and among the staff and officers.”

Ultimately, for Piner, investing in these women is a beautiful picture of Jesus’s heart to seek out the marginalized and neglected of society.

Doing ministry to women in an incarcerated setting reflects the heart of Christ.

“Doing ministry to women in an incarcerated setting reflects the heart of Christ,” added Piner. “When you look at the ministry of Jesus, he constantly went to the people on the outskirts of the community. He went to the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the wounded, and the abused. Incarcerated individuals are rarely highly favored by society and are likely the kinds of people that I think Jesus would really like to have dinner with.”