THIEF MINISTRIES

Mirror First. Mission Next.

Prison Ministry | Purpose, Mission, and Core Principles

OUR PURPOSE

Thief Ministries exists to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with incarcerated individuals and those impacted by incarceration, offering the hope of redemption, the promise of forgiveness, and the opportunity to develop a genuine, life-changing relationship with God.

We believe that a person’s past does not have to determine their future. Through Christ, individuals can discover a new identity, experience the transforming power of grace, and learn to live a life marked by faith, humility, obedience, and complete surrender.

Our purpose is not simply to encourage people to become better versions of themselves. It is to introduce them to Jesus Christ and help them understand what it means to become a new creation in Him.

We seek to provide biblical teaching, discipleship, spiritual development, personal accountability, and educational opportunities that equip individuals to apply God’s Word to their lives while incarcerated and beyond.

We believe that no person’s past is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and no person’s future is beyond the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

OUR MISSION

Our mission within Thief Ministries is to advance the Christian faith by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and providing religious, educational, and community-based programs that promote biblical discipleship, spiritual growth, personal accountability, obedience, and service.

Through prison ministry, Bible studies, mentoring, prayer, discipleship, and reentry-focused support, we seek to help incarcerated individuals and those returning to their communities develop a genuine relationship with God, recognize their identity in Christ, accept personal responsibility, and demonstrate the love, grace, mercy, and compassion of Jesus Christ.

We are committed to teaching that following Christ is more than seeking what He can provide. It means recognizing who He is, trusting His Word, surrendering our will, and allowing our faith to be demonstrated through obedience.

Our mission is to help individuals move beyond the identity of their past and embrace the life Christ calls them to live.

Mirror first. Mission next.

Before we look at what needs to change in the world around us, we must allow God’s Word to show us what needs to change within us.

WHO WE ARE

Thief Ministries is a group of like-minded believers with a desire to lead people into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, particularly those who are incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, or affected by incarceration.

We believe that prison ministry is about more than visiting correctional facilities, conducting services, or offering encouragement. It is about introducing people to the truth of the Gospel and helping them understand that a relationship with Jesus Christ requires more than religious activity.

We teach individuals to recognize Christ, hear His voice through Scripture, surrender their lives to God, accept personal and spiritual accountability, and live as faithful disciples.

We believe that following Christ is more than seeking His blessings. It means recognizing who He is and responding with faith, humility, obedience, and complete surrender.

Our ministry is rooted in the words of Jesus:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” — John 10:27 KJV

We are also inspired by the example of the thief on the cross who, in his final moments, recognized Jesus for who He was and asked:

“Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” — Luke 23:42 KJV

The thief could not undo his past, earn his way into the kingdom, or demonstrate a lifetime of good works. But he recognized Jesus, placed his faith in Him, and turned to the One who could save him.

His story reminds us that salvation is not earned by our past accomplishments or secured by our ability to repair everything we have done. It is found in Jesus Christ.

We do not use his story to minimize accountability. We use it to proclaim the power of grace: your past may explain where you have been, but it does not have to determine who you become in Christ.

WHAT WE DO

To fulfill its purpose and mission, Thief Ministries may conduct:

• Prison and correctional-facility ministry.
• Bible studies and Scripture-based educational programs.
• Christian discipleship and spiritual development programs.
• Mentoring and faith-based accountability groups.
• Prayer gatherings and worship activities.
• Biblical character and personal responsibility instruction.
• Family and community outreach.
• Reentry-focused spiritual support and mentoring.
• Fellowship activities and charitable assistance.
• Other religious, charitable, and educational activities consistent with the organization’s Christian mission.

Our programs are designed to help individuals move from a transactional or works-based understanding of faith to a surrendered life devoted to Jesus Christ.

We believe that transformation begins with an encounter with Christ and continues through daily faith, repentance, obedience, accountability, and discipleship.

We do not teach that a changed life earns salvation. We teach that a genuine relationship with Christ should produce a changed life.

Our desire is to help individuals carry the truth of the Gospel beyond the prison walls and into their homes, families, relationships, workplaces, and communities.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLE: IFSAD — JUST BELIEVE

IFSAD represents five foundational principles that guide our teaching and discipleship approach.

I — IDENTITY

Recognize who you are in Christ.

Your identity is not defined by your conviction, your sentence, your mistakes, your record, or the opinions of others.

Your past is part of your story, but it does not have to remain your identity.

Through Jesus Christ, you can become a new creation.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

F — FORGIVENESS

Receive the forgiveness of Christ and extend forgiveness to others.

We believe individuals must understand the depth of God’s grace and the forgiveness made available through Jesus Christ.

We are called to repent, receive His forgiveness, and stop allowing shame and condemnation to define our lives.

We must also learn to forgive others, recognizing that the same grace we need is the grace we are called to extend.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:32 KJV

S — SURRENDER

Seeing Him is not the same as surrendering to Him.

Surrender is more than knowing Scripture, attending church, praying, or recognizing that God exists.

Surrender means listening to God’s Word and obeying it.

It means giving God authority over our decisions, our desires, our attitudes, and our direction.

We cannot claim to follow Christ while insisting that our own will must always come first.

Scripture: Luke 9:23 KJV

A — ACCOUNTABILITY

Be accountable to God first. Everything else should follow.

Accountability begins with recognizing that our lives belong to God.

We must be willing to examine our choices, acknowledge our failures, accept correction, take responsibility for our actions, and make decisions that reflect our faith.

Grace does not eliminate responsibility. It gives us a reason to live differently.

We believe accountability to God should be reflected in how we treat others, how we honor our commitments, and how we conduct ourselves when nobody is watching.

Scripture: Romans 14:12 KJV

D — DISCIPLESHIP

Matthew 28:19 — Follow the instruction.

Jesus did not simply call us to believe in Him. He instructed His followers to make disciples.

Discipleship is the ongoing process of learning His Word, following His example, obeying His instructions, and helping others grow in their relationship with Him.

When a person truly encounters Christ and begins to understand the benefits of surrender, following Him becomes more than a religious obligation. It becomes the direction of a changed life.

We are called not only to receive the Gospel, but to share it.

Scripture: Matthew 28:19 KJV

OUR DISCIPLESHIP PATH

The principles of IFSAD guide our approach to helping individuals grow in Christ:

1. Recognize Christ.
2. Discover your identity in Him.
3. Receive His forgiveness and extend forgiveness to others.
4. Surrender completely.
5. Hear His voice through Scripture and obey.
6. Take accountability for your choices.
7. Follow Him and serve others.

This is not a formula for earning salvation. It is a framework for teaching what it means to respond to the Gospel and grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

OUR BELIEF

We believe that prison walls can restrict a person’s physical freedom, but they cannot place limits on the reach of God’s grace.

We believe that Jesus Christ is not limited by a person’s history, circumstances, or current surroundings.

We believe that repentance is possible, forgiveness is available, and transformation begins with surrender.

We believe that the Gospel is not about making people feel comfortable with who they have always been. It is about introducing them to the One who can make them new.

We are not called to judge a person’s worth by their worst decision. We are called to proclaim the truth, demonstrate the love of Christ, and encourage people to walk in the new life He offers.

The goal is not simply to leave prison. The goal is to leave behind the identity that kept you from becoming who Christ calls you to be.

ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE AND 501(c)(3) STATEMENT

Thief Ministries is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and other purposes permitted for organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its exempt purposes.

The organization shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office, and no substantial part of its activities shall consist of attempting to influence legislation, except as permitted by applicable law.

The organization shall be operated in a manner consistent with the requirements applicable to organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

THIEF MINISTRIES

MIRROR FIRST. MISSION NEXT.

We are not here to teach people how to look religious. We are here to introduce them to Jesus Christ.

Recognize Christ. Surrender completely. Hear His voice. Take accountability. Follow Him. Serve others.

IFSAD — JUST BELIEVE.