• Women In Truth
  • Women In Truth
  • Women In Truth
  • Women In Truth
  • Women In Truth
In Touch Television Ministry Came to Belleview
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For the past seventeen years, God called me to serve the Lord in jail ministry. first as a Marion County Jail women's volunteer chaplain in Ocala, Florida.  This "God opportunity,"  literally turned my life upside down as Jesus opened awesome spiritual doors!  With a whole-hearted commitment and passion, every ounce of my time and energy went into preparing Christ-centered lessons and worship songs, leading over 500 women each year to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

From the beginning, the WIT ministry included Dr. Charles Stanley, my spiritual mentor, biblical teacher and "guest pastor" who I often took with me to the jail via his "In Touch Television" video tapes!  Together, we made quite a spiritual team for Jesus!

But this wasn't enough!  God convicted my heart as I watched many of these new Christian sisters being released, only to be picked up by the "same old friends and drug dealers."  I asked God, "Where is the church?  Where is the Christ-like love and follow-up?  When will the church understand they need to love and disciple these precious, needy new children of God as members of a loving church family?"  My heart was disturbed.  Is it any wonder the "least of them" often fall back into the enemy's trap once again!?  This shocking fact needs to be heard:  "Drug dealers are providing more loving helps to released Christian inmates than our Christian churches!"  "They need the church!"  "Please help!"

God was calling me once again...it was my job!  It was time to include the church family!  Gradually, He called a core group of faithful WIT leaders with the same vision.  Like pieces of a puzzle, united lovingly together, we sought only God's will and glory.  Soon the WIT Ministry began to increase!  God worked through us, to finally create and provide His perfect plan and purpose in the lives of needy women through the church: first a WIT Sunday School Class and van service, a weekly follow-up newsletter, a WIT Home for those who were "ready to begin a new life in Christ,"  a DCF State approved Spiritual Recovery program, a follow-up Jail Pen Pal Ministry, Life Skills Classes and so much more.

WIT is truly unique in that it reaches out to "all" women, especially those in great need:  the rejected, the lonely, the widow, the incarcerated, the abused, the hurting, the sick, the divorced, the single, the lost ....any woman!  It is also a wonderful ministry for those who want to serve, using their spiritual gifts to help other women.

As a non-profit ministry, we have existed on donations and love gifts since the beginning.  As a result, God has abundantly blessed WIT and our church!  There has been an increase in everything...especially baptisms, ministry volunteers, and most importantly, restoration of lives and families!

By 2005, God was smiling and amazingly, WIT was chosen as a "Biblical Role Model for Women's Church Ministry" by Dr. Charles Stanley's In Touch Television Ministry!

Therefore, from March 13 - 16, 2005, for four exciting days, an "In Touch Ministries" film crew of four fine Christian men came from Atlanta, Georgia to film the WIT Story: Steve King (Director of Creative Content), Brian Conner (Senior Producer), Kenny Garren (Production Supervisor) and Wayne Baumgardner (Senior Videographer.)

The filming objective was to capture and demonstrate the great need to reach beyond the church doors to the hurting and often neglected women in our society, particularly those who are and have been incarcerated.

The final goal is to demonstrate how God has called the women of the church to get into action: To reach out beyond the doors of the church and provide a loving, caring, unbiased Christ-centered women's ministry for needy women in our communities.

Filming took place every where: in the Church Service & Sunday School Class, Marion County Jail, the WIT Home, Sheriff's Office, Christian 12-Step Recovery Meeting, Ann and Bob Kuefner's farm and at various locations around Marion County. Chaplain Sergeant Bob Hart, of the Marion County Jail, lovingly assisted the film crew and the WIT Core Group, organizing the filming and interviews at the sheriff's office, the jail and on the Ocala streets. Lee Johnson, chef and owner of Ocala's Restaurant, "Tea With Lee," provided a special Cooking 101 Life Skills Class and meals for the film crew.

Inspiring interviews were also given by Sheriff Ed Dean, Pastor Ronnie Walker, Pastor Damon Walker, women inmates at the Marion County Jail, graduates of the WIT Home Recovery Program, Church & Jail Pen Pals, and members of our church congregation.

Active WIT Core Group members during this time were Kathy Andriola, Ouida Barrineau, Dee Hillman, Mary Kenyon, Nydia Mechan, Carol Monroe, Christal Silas, Becky Spencer and Ann Kuefner.  It is our prayer that God will use the WIT documentary film to assist needy women around the world, both physically and spiritually, through the unconditional love and overcoming power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.