SOCPM Newsletter | April 2024

Marcellus, Tyler, Kendal, + 44

Forty-eight are the number of SOCPM alumni for whom I've received notices of their death. The three men above just in the past month. I've never had three in such quick succession.

Kendall was 44 when I received notice of his death on April 11th. Kendall has been a SOCPM student since April 2022 and is currently enrolled in the Discipleship class 'What Does Revelation Teach? Part 3" at Dixon. Because of the lockdowns, I haven't seen much of Kendall lately. The last time I saw him was on February 7th; he seemed healthy. I cannot remember the exact topic of the conversation at that time. Still, he was a great conversationalist before classes began and during class. Our one-on-one short conversations and his interaction in class gave me a reason to believe he was a believer. But then only God knew his heart.

Tyler was 34 when I received notice of his death on April 4th. I was able to find his obituary and read his actual death was March 7th. Tyler was a SOCPM student from April 2022 until his parole in February 2023. He actively participated in the Discipleship and Malachi Dad's classes. He was also involved with Bible study groups outside the classroom. Chaplain McClimans said he attended church weekly. I gave him the name of a church in Springfield where he was paroled. In a recent follow-up with the pastor, he replied, as best he knew, Tyler had never attended his church.

Marcellus, age 32, was a SOCPM student from July 202 to October 2022 in What Does Revelation Teach? Part1. I have to admit Marcellus doesn't stand out in my memory.

Forty-eight men made in the image of God, forty-eight souls reminding me of the profound importance of sharing the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in every class session. A profession of faith isn't an assurance of a saving faith, but only God knows one's heart at the end of one's life.

Current Term Comes to the End

A prison ministry colleague and friend and I met recently for lunch. Amid our conversation, we mentioned how the length of our teaching through a whole curriculum has lengthened post-COVID. SOCPM curriculum terms are planned for 14 weeks. The actual course material is typically 12 weeks. Still, I will pad it with two additional weeks in case of the occasional lockdown or class cancellation prior to COVID, but not anymore.

This current term started thirty-five weeks ago. Several weeks were canceled because of personal reasons on my part, but the majority of cancellations were due to lockdowns. Eighteen at Dixon. There were various cancellations of individual classes at Sheridan.

I added three additional weeks after Sheridan completed the curriculums, hoping that Dixon would catch up. I would have gone a couple more, but once I knew that wasn't going to be possible before I went on my planned road trip in early May, I decided to end the term this week, allowing me to have a couple weeks' rest before I take a three-week road trip. 

The Next Term

I plan to resume classes in June in both Sheridan and Dixon. In the Christian Living track, I'll teach the fourth and fifth books of the Malachi Dads' curriculum, Family Restoration and Psalm 1: The Blessed Man.

Family Restoration, based on the book of Jeremiah, teaches incarcerated fathers the importance of healthy communication, taking on the role of authority while incarcerated, and bringing restoration to the family despite the possibility of multiple households.

Psalm 1: The Blessed Man is a Bible study of Psalm 1 written by incarcerated fathers in Lousiana State Penitentiary, aka Angola, who have been transformed in Christ.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; PSALM 1 (ESV)

The Discipleship track will include two six-message teachings from Ligonier Ministries.

The Holiness of God, taught by R. C. Sproul, is one of my favorites. The first time I read the book, it gave me a deeper understanding of who God truly is and who I'm not. I know that God has used it in one student's life.

JD, a student ten years ago next month and who I met with for lunch after he was discharged, said, paraphrasing, "When I first started coming to your class, I would've said I was a Christian, but it wasn't until I read 'Holiness of God' I realized I wasn't through this book I became a true Christian.' Jimmy said he can remember the exact page and paragraph where God opened his heart and mind to the truth. I plan to give all the students a copy of 'The Holiness of God.'

Assurance of Salvation, also taught by R. C. Sproul, explores one's salvation. So, often, I'll have a student profess Christ, but after being in class for some time, their character says otherwise. Only God knows everyone's heart. Every time I teach this curriculum or others similar to it, I pray the teachings will God will humble hearts and transform misinformed professing faiths into true saving faiths.


“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven Matthew 7:21 (ESV)

Because of the term break and my being on the road, there will be no SOCPM Newsletter in May.

Thank you to those who support SOCPM financially and through prayer.

Prayer Requests

Cameron has been sober for eight days after writing this newsletter (Thursday). Each day is still a substantial challenge, especially with no success at finding a job, despite feeling out a good number of serving applications on Indeed. He is doing his best to remain positive. We are talking daily, sometimes more. Please pray God will bless him with a job. This will relieve him of his anxiety. It will give him, me, and all of us an opportunity to praise God.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Psalm 115:11 (ESV)

Please pray for a safe road trip. I will behave and monitor my diet and complete 150 minutes of weekly walking. I feel God's presence as I see His Creation and take time to thank and praise Him for all the blessings He has poured into my life.

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." Revelation 4:11 (ESV)

To Him be the glory in ALL things and Him alone,

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

If you are interested in subscribing to the SOCPM Newsletter via e-mail, contact SOCPM and mention your interest in subscribing the SOCPM Newsletter.