2023 Partners in Moral Rehabilitation Conference
duda • August 25, 2023
Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 5:00 PM
Friday, June 2, 2023, 12:00 PM
Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary
2095 Appling Road, Cordova, TN, 38016United States (map)
Google Calendar ICS

PSF NEWSLETTER ~ APRIL 2026 Dear PSF Partners and Friends, As we come to the close of the first quarter of 2026, we are excited to share how God is blessing and expanding the work of PSF. This growth is taking place in two key areas: new personnel joining PSF and new opportunities within the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons. WELCOME DR. TODD MARSHALL PSF Director of Expansion We are delighted to introduce Dr. Todd Marshall , who joined the PSF team in January. Dr. Marshall brings more than twenty-five years of experience developing innovative solutions in distance education, technology, librarianship, and administration in the United States and internationally. He holds a PhD in Information Science and Technology from Syracuse University. Previously serving as Provost and Vice President for Correctional Education and Innovation at Ashland University , Dr. Marshall oversaw a correctional education program that expanded from 7 prisons with 500 students to 127 prisons across 13 states serving nearly 4,000 students . We are already benefiting from his expertise—our recently updated website reflects some of his early contributions. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Marshall and praying for him as he helps expand the reach of correctional education through PSF. Dr. Marshall and his wife reside in Adrian, Michigan. NEW OPPORTUNITY WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS At the American Correctional Association Annual Meeting in Denver in August 2025 , PSF was approached by Deputy Director Joshua Smith of the Federal Bureau of Prisons with an invitation to introduce the PSF model of training inmates to serve as “Field Ministers” within the federal system. We are currently working with regional leadership to determine the most strategic locations and academic partnerships in the following states: California Indiana Louisiana Florida West Virginia Pennsylvania We are grateful for this opportunity to help expand moral rehabilitation and leadership training within the federal prison system. Join us in making this vision a reality. If you are able, please consider supporting this effort financially—and as always, we ask for your prayers. NEW STATE AND UPDATED PROGRAMS In early March, PSF Board Member Jon Ozmint , former Indiana Secretary of State Ed Simcox , Dr. Todd Marshall, and I had the honor of meeting with Indiana Commissioner of Corrections Lloyd Arnold and his executive leadership team . We also presented at their leadership training conference, explaining the Prison Seminary model and how it works. After reviewing videos and participating in an open Q&A session, discussions are now underway regarding the establishment of a men’s program within the Indiana Department of Corrections . Additionally: Oklahoma Baptist University , in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, is working to establish a women’s program at the Mabel Bass Unit , with an anticipated start date of January 2027 . Please pray for Dr. Bruce Perkins and the OBU team during this preparation phase. We are also grateful to OBU President Heath Thomas and Dr. Perkins for assisting in the reestablishment of the New Mexico men’s program , also scheduled to begin in January 2027 . A SPECIAL YEAR FOR PSF 2026 marks a significant milestone for the Prison Seminaries Foundation— our 10-year anniversary. What began in 2016 with a small team of three has grown into a board of six and a team of fourteen serving across the country in: Louisiana • Texas • Florida • Mississippi • Georgia • Colorado • Idaho To celebrate this milestone, we are pleased to announce the Prison Seminaries Foundation Conference : October 1–3, 2026 St. Petersburg, Florida A special 10-Year Anniversary Gala will be held during the conference. More details and registration information will be available soon on our website, so be sure to mark your calendars. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP We are deeply grateful for the faithful financial support and prayers of so many who make the work of PSF possible. As we look ahead to launching six new programs within the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the opportunities before us are significant—and so are the needs. Please consider a generous gift to help us continue bringing “Moral Rehabilitation” to inmates across our nation and encouraging culture change within the penal systems of America. God is able. Can He—and can we—count on you? Thank you in advance for your prayers and support. GIVE TODAY! Dr. Denny Autrey on behalf of Jonalyn Cain and the Prison Seminaries Foundation Family – Thank you for standing with us! Respectfully, Jonalyn Cain, CEO

PSF Friends and Supporters, As we begin 2021, we are optimistic that things will be improving regarding the challenges we faced in 2020! Yet as we reflect back, we must declare that God did truly bless PSF and meet every need! We have three new programs that are well underway: Missouri with Hannibal-LaGrange University; Oklahoma with Oklahoma Baptist University; and Mississippi with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) establishing our third women’s program in the country. We are grateful for two new partnering schools who have agreed to continue the men’s programs started by NOBTS in Georgia and Florida: Truett-McConnell University and The Baptist College of Florida (BCF). Not only is BCF overseeing the Hardee Unit, but they are also preparing to begin a women’s program this August. Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Tennessee has agreed to establish the men’s program in Colorado. Plans are underway to start the program in August. Another encouraging aspect of 2020 was a year-end event that was sponsored by my home church, Sagemont Church, in Houston, Texas. It was held on December 3. Our team presented the purpose, goals, and work of PSF. We had nearly 75 in attendance with over thirty families making a financial commitment to the work of PSF. We are thankful for the tremendous support. Finally, our Annual PSF Conference is still scheduled for June 2-4, 2021, on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At this point because of the current state guidelines of Michigan, a decision will be forthcoming by February 20. This best-practices conference is a highlight of the year and we look forward to the possibility of seeing you there! We have also attached a link to the most recent research article concerning the impact of our Angola graduates as full-time chaplains in the Mississippi system under the direction of Mississippi Commissioner, Burl Cain. Rejoice and be encouraged! God is at work through PSF! Denny Autrey Director of Operations and Educational Consultant
Registration continues NOW through September 22nd. Don't miss out connecting with other partners in the ministry of moral rehabilitation! Best in the Business-Bringing Moral Rehabilitation to One Inmate, One Prison, and One State at a Time! Prison Seminaries Foundation Annual Conference – Oct 6-8, 2021 In June 2018, Global Prison Seminaries Foundation hosted its very first conference on the campus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for the purpose of discussing best practices in prison reform and “moral rehabilitation.” Approximately one hundred educational, DOCs and partners in ministry gathered for the two-day event. The results were so encouraging that a second conference was held on the campus of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC in 2019. It too was an exciting and refreshing time for all who attended that this has become an annual event. God continues to bless the work of PSF. The 2021 PSF Conference is less than three months away and is shaping up to be the best yet. We will be meeting in the Riley Conference Center on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX, October 6-8. This year’s theme is Prison Seminaries/Bible Colleges: Best in the Business-Bringing Moral Rehabilitation to One Inmate, One Prison, and One State at a Time! As this newsletter is being penned, twenty-three (23) programs in eighteen (18) state penal systems are presently functioning or preparing for fall classes to train inmates for peer-to-peer ministry inside the walls of prisons all across the United States. We are thrilled to share that nineteen (19) of those programs are training incarcerated men for pastoral ministry and four programs (4) are geared toward women. At this present time, PSF is also in dialogue with Departments of Corrections and/or academic institutions in fourteen (14) other states that are interested in opening this type of program. The 2021 PSF Conference will commence on Wednesday evening October 6, with registration and an informal meet and greet from 4:30-6:00 PM in the Riley Center. Our evening banquet begins at 6:30 PM with greetings from those who will be taking part in the two-day event. In our plenary sessions on Thursday and Friday mornings, we will hear from special guests like Dr. Bryon Johnson, Director of the Baylor Research Institute on the new and updated evidence-based research impacting men’s programs. We are also eager to share new evidence-based research from Georgia, North Carolina, and Mississippi that will be forthcoming from Kelly Christopher, University of West Georgia; Deanna Kabler, Southeastern Seminary, Wake Forest, NC; and Beth Masters, Director of Chaplaincy for Women, Mississippi Department of Corrections . Our special guests include Dr. Chuck Kelley, Retired President of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary who was supportive of the first two programs ever started at the Angola Men’s Program in Louisiana and the Parchman Men’s Program in Mississippi. We will also hear from Attorney Michael Berry from Kelley Shackelford’s First Liberty Institute of Plano, TX, on “The Role of Church and State – Safeguards to Secure in Prison Reform.” Numerous breakout sessions are slated for Thursday afternoon for you whether you are a DOC, have academic responsibilities, and/or a sustainability team or ministry partner. We are providing some form of vital information for anyone involved in the work of “moral rehabilitation” within the prison system. In our final plenary session Friday morning, we will be recognizing a number of special friends with “ Excellence in Moral Rehabilitation Awards ” for 2021. These will include our Chaplain of the Year, Warden of the Year, Sustainability Team of the Year, DOC of the Year, and our Academic School of the Year. What we do would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of each organization. Of course, we will hear from our President and CEO, Commissioner Burl Cain , and all the PSF Team. So, if you have not registered for the October 6-8 PSF Conference, please do so now. Registration can be completed here on the PSF Website ; but please do not forget you will also need to make your own hotel reservation as well. Lodging is available on-site and also at a nearby hotel. Check out our conference page for detailed information. We look forward to seeing YOU in October in Fort Worth! Blessings, Denny Autrey, Burl Cain and the PSF Team
Dear Board Members, Patrons and Faithful Supporters of Prison Seminaries Foundation: As the lingering remnant of Covid-19 slowly continues to pass us by, what remains in its wake are doors that are swinging wide open to a renewed interest in prison reform. In the midst of the most difficult year since the establishment of the Foundation, three new programs have emerged and are flourishing: The Missouri Men’s program established by Hannibal LaGrange University in partnership and under the direction of Anne L. Precythe, Executive Director, Missouri DOC. The Oklahoma Men’s program in partnership with Oklahoma Baptist University and under the direction of Scott Crow, Executive Director, Oklahoma DOC The Mississippi Women’s program established by New Orleans Theological Seminary in partnership and under the direction of Burl Cain, Commissioner, Mississippi DOC. How grateful we are for the leadership of the DOC and Presidents of these schools! We are also excited to report that by the end of 2021, two more programs will be up and running through the generous financial support of donors in Texas and Florida. A women’s program is slated to begin in August in partnership with the Florida DOC and the Baptist College of Florida. Thank you, Dr. Thomas Kinchen of BCF! Discussions are progressing at different levels with the Department of Corrections in New Jersey, Tennessee, Montana, South Dakota, and Virginia for the establishment of programs in 2022-23. We also are encouraged by the active support that is taking place in the American Correctional Association (ACA); but have learned that the growth of such programs is outpacing the research according to Dr. Byron Johnson of the Baylor Institute for Religious Research. We will present new research updates at the PSF Annual Conference, October 6-8, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. Lastly, the PSF Conference registration continues on our website . Please join us October 6-8, in The Riley Center on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. After you register, please be sure to reserve a room by contacting the Riley Center and referencing “PSF” or the “prison conference.” We will kick-off our event Wednesday evening with a banquet and end Friday at noon. We have plenty to offer – best practices plenary sessions and breakouts providing information and inspiration for our schools, state DOC’s and sustainability partners. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to network with like-minded, like-hearted individuals who are committed to prison reform through a biblically based educational endeavor that is sweeping the country, impacting state after state, and inmate after inmate! The doors are open, please come on in and join us! Until He comes, Denny Autrey, Burl Cain and the PSF Team
PSF Patrons and Friends, As we near the end of the first quarter of the year, we see signs things are beginning to open up in many areas of our country and we are glad. Here in Texas, it has been very difficult for many. From February 15-17, we had the worst ice and snow storm that the area has experienced in over thirty years and in the midst of it with NO ELECTRICITY AND WATER. The unusual times we faced in 2020 have thus continued into the first quarter of 2021. Many are asking, “What is the status of the annual PSF Conference?” Our third annual PSF Conference was slated to be on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids in May 2020, but because of Covid-19, it was rescheduled to June 2-4, 2021, at the same venue. After much discussion with Commissioner Cain, the PSF Team, and along with the staff at Calvin, we have made the decision to hold off on our conference at Calvin University and have reset for a future date of June 1-3, 2022; HOWEVER , the good news is the PSF Team believes strongly in the need to have our third annual conference this year. We also deem it necessary to moving to a more open state for the program. THEREFORE , the Prison Seminaries Foundation is pleased to announce the THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE will be OCTOBER 6-8, 2021, on the campus of SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, The Riley Center, Fort Worth, Texas . Early registration is now open ! The Riley Center at SWBTS has 55 hotel rooms; seven of which have already been reserved so please begin the registration process to secure on-site accommodations. This year’s conference, we will be discussing the many changes and transformations that are taking place across the country in prison reform. More research is now available on the effectiveness of “peer to peer” Field Ministers. We will be posting our full schedule of events for the conference soon! Please contact Michele Hurst for additional information. Now for a quick update on PSF activities: Our team continues to move forward with renewing interest in states for which we have had an ongoing dialogue since the pandemic: Commissioner Cain has seen significant changes already taking place in the Mississippi men’s program with the addition of four Angola graduates as the Chaplains at Parchman. Last fall, the Mississippi Women’s program got off to a great start with the hiring of Dr. Beth Masters from New Orleans Baptist Seminary. In January 2021, the first Women’s cohort is under way. 28 women are presently enrolled in the group. Thank you, Burl Cain! Judge Tom Kohl continues to sustain the Men’s Program of Oregon through Paid in Full and Corban University. A Virtual Fund-Raising Rally is scheduled for March 11, 2021. Thank you, Judge Kohl! Dr. Vance Drum has been involved in chaplaincy training for many years and it has developed into a virtual reality because of Covid. He just completed a joint Chaplaincy Training for students at B.H. Carroll Theological Institute and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Thank you, Vance Drum! Rev. Tim Whipple has done a phenomenal job in bridging the gap as the Men’s Program in Florida transitions from NOBTS to the Baptist College of Florida. BCF is also in the process of opening a Women’s Program inside the Florida DOC in August 2021. It will be housed at the Lowell Correctional Facility near Ocala in the center of the state. Tim has been instrumental in securing a grant from a Florida foundation that will aid and ensure both programs to prosper and flourish. Thank you, Tim Whipple! Finally, we must give a big “Shout Out” to Dr. Jimmy Dukes , who was the Founding Dean of Extension Education for all the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Prison programs (LA, MS, GA, FL). Over the past 25 years, his wisdom, tenacity, and statesmanship has made many of the prison programs we see flourishing a reality. Thank you, Jim Dukes! We appreciate you! We could also remind you that Colorado is slated to begin their Men’s Program in June with a grant secured from a Texas Foundation, or that Oklahoma has a full forty (40) man cohort that is finally under way as of February 2021, or that we will resume our discussions with New Jersey DOC and Pillar College as of April 7, 2021, but you do not have enough time! Thanks for taking the time to read, to pray, to think about and to give to the vital work of Prison Seminaries Foundation. We have a PayPal account in which you can give online as God prompts your heart. Please join us in the Kingdom work of “Moral Rehabilitation” – One Inmate, One Prison, and One State at a Time. Until He comes, Burl Cain with Denny Autrey
Fall Activity Greetings from the PSF Team! We are grateful for you and your ongoing support of the work of Prison Seminaries Foundation. This month we have included a summary from several of our PSF Team members of the exciting work that is happening across the country changing moral rehabilitation with the Gospel ministry of theological education. Simply, we are thankful for you making moral rehabilitation matter! Dr. Denny Autrey, Director of Operations/Educational Consultant Each week we see the amazing way that God continues to open doors for Moral Rehabilitation. Here are some recent activities: Alabama – We received word from Samford University of their interest in working with us partnering with The Church of the Highlands in establishing a work within the Alabama DOC. Colorado – We continue to have interaction each week in preparation to begin the program in June 2021 at Limon Correctional Facility. Dr. Daniel Jones has been named Director MABTS to oversee the program. An application for the program is under way along with an MOU between the school and CO DOC. Pray for those efforts. Florida – We had a follow-up phone visit with Dr. Tom Kinchen, President, Baptist College of Florida in early October and Tim Whipple and I will be returning for another visit sometime in November. Tim also had appointments with possible donors for the Florida program as well for PSF too. He met with a family regarding their foundation. Pray for these efforts as well. New Jersey – In consultation with our NJ Sustainability Team, Mike Palombi, Dr. Wayne Dyer, VP and Dr. Peter Amerman, Chair of the Biblical Studies Division at Pillar College, we are taking a proactive approach in preparing an application and a draft MOU so that we might be ready to begin the process for the program after the first of the year. Mississippi – The Women’s Program is moving along in fine fashion with Director Beth Masters and Lisa Leavell at the helm. The program is scheduled to begin in January. Oklahoma – OK has had many obstacles to overcome to get their program off the ground but raising funds has not been as issue. Over $550,000.00 has been raised for the program. GOD IS BLESSING OUR EFFORTS! Texas – If you are in the Houston area, we would like to invite you to “An Evening with Burl Cain and the PSF Team” on Thursday, December 3, at 6:30 pm at Sagemont Church, Houston, Texas. If you’d like more information, please contact michele@prisonseminaries.org . Tim Whipple, Sustainability Team Leader Since having the privilege of joining PSF things have been very busy. Below is a summary our recent activity and some hopes and dreams about the future. We have established The Ninety-Nine Foundation as the sustainability foundation for FL and TN. The name comes from the parable in Matthew 18 & Luke 15. We are currently setting up a website and finalizing our 501c3 status. Along with the 99F we have established The One Initiative. Our goal is to raise significant funds to not only provide for seminaries in FL & TN but also to endow PSF so that it can accelerate additional launches. The One Initiative’s goal is for anyone and everyone to find themselves in the plan and become financial partners. The initiative is simple… 99 donors @ $100,000…………….. $9,900,000.00 99 donors @ $10,000……….……... $990,000.00 99 donors @ $1,000………………... $99,000.00 99 donors @ $100 …………………. $9,900.00 99 donors @ $10…………………… $990.00 ______________ $10,999,890.00 It’s a lofty goal but I believe it is doable and gets everyone involved. I have floated it by some potential donors, and they like it. 99F has set a goal of $1million dollars in FL and $1 million in TN. We believe that will easily sustain both men’s and women’s seminaries for 3 years. We are in the process of planning 3 major fundraising events in FL. Obviously Covid-19 has slowed a lot of that work but with the anticipation of things opening up in early 2021 we are moving forward with plans for a banquet, golf outing and fishing tournament. In addition, we are continuing to meet with individuals and organizations about how they can be a part. In early Oct. we held two Open House gatherings at our office where we shared PSF & 99F vision and goals. We had approximately 125 people attend over two nights and the response was amazing. We shared brochures, videos and some of the books. People were captured by the idea of being a part of such a significant ministry and I believe many will give support and be a part of future events. I have spoken to three area churches about making PSF & 99F a part of their ongoing missional giving in 2021. I look forward to sharing with others around the state in the coming weeks. In addition to working on my foundation I am privileged to serve other sustainability partners as the Sustainability Team Lead. I have had opportunities to speak with a few of those teams and look forward to doing more to encourage, guide and support them in their fundraising. In November I will be meeting with team members in CO and GA as well as beginning conversations in TN. Dr. Vance Drum, TDCJ Chaplain (Retired)/Pear Ministry Consultant In October I led a 12-hour chaplaincy training by Zoom on the Prison Seminary Model and other chaplaincy matters. The training originated in Dallas and was attended by about 60 chaplains in several states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Virginia and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. One of the main focuses of the training is how to effectively utilize the valuable asset of seminary graduates in their chaplaincy programs. Moral rehabilitation and prison culture transformation are the beneficial results when chaplains guide their graduates in doing the ministry they were called to do—in prison with their own peers. Prisons all around the country are transforming as peer ministry—by trained seminary graduates—happens. The end product is worth all the effort. ******
September Activity September felt like a whirlwind for PSF. Our team met with prison seminary key players from New Jersey, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Dr. Autrey was able to meet with New Jersey DOC and Pillar College representatives early in the month to officially begin discussions about starting a prison seminary program in the state. The meeting was productive and Pillar College officially agreed to partner as the academic institution. The next week Dr. Autrey, new team member, Tim Whipple, and Judge Kohl traveled to Tallahassee, Florida. There, they met with Dr. Frambo, Director of Chaplaincy Services of the Florida Department of Corrections, and Dr. Kinchen, President of The Baptist College of Florida. The Baptist College of Florida has committed as the partner school for the new women's program that will be located at Lowell Women’s Facility and they plan on opening next fall! Dr. Frambo is such a strong supporter and a wonderful resource. His involvement will certainly help ensure that the program opens on a strong footing. This month our team also continued startup discussions in Alabama and Colorado. More exciting news is that another graduate of the Angola Bible College was recently released and has expressed his calling to continue the ministry that he started in prison. Reginald Watts was released this year and has begun the next chapter in his life in Texas working with Mike Barber Ministries. Mike Barber is a longterm friend of Burl. They met because of Mike's heart for prisoners and his habit of pairing action with his compassion. He gave Reginald a job immediately upon release. Not long after, another chaplaincy position became available in Mississippi and Reginald was the first person that Burl thought of to fill it. Mike didn't mind Burl stealing Reginald from his ministry, that's because he knew that the opportunity for a formerly incarcerated person to come full circle and serve as a spiritual and moral guide within the prison system is an enormous blessing by God. Upcoming This month our team has planned meetings in Georgia and Mississippi. Burl will be continuing discussions with the Georgia Department of Corrections, while Dr. Autrey will be heading to Mississippi to meet with the women's program director on the developing program. We also have new leads in Kentucky and our team plans to coordinate introductory meetings soon. Stay tuned as we expect more and more doors to open in the coming months! God has been blessing us during this time and we have not been halted in pursuing our mission of moral rehabilitation. Thank you for your prayerful support and generosity allowing us to partner in this incredible work.



