2008 February - Crossroad Bible Institute

FEBRUARY 2008
NETWORK NEWS
www.crossroadbibleinstitute.org
PAUL’S “RAP SHEET”
by H. David Schuringa
When we think of great men of the Bible who committed
serious crimes, we undoubtedly think of David, a
man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), who had Uriah
killed in battle (2 Sam. 11:15). Or we might remember
Moses, the greatest leader of the Old Testament, who
murdered an Egyptian in cold blood and buried him in a
shallow grave (Ex. 2:12). However, I wonder if the Apostle
Paul would come to your mind. To the contrary, we
remember him as the greatest missionary, pastor,
preacher and theologian of all time. And he is. But, prior
to all that, by the testimonies of eyewitnesses and his
own confession, he was a nefarious felon in biblical history
who committed horrible crimes in an attempt to
destroy the church of Christ.

Imagine Paul’s crimes committed in our society. Imagine
him standing accused before a modern-day judge. Perhaps
a transcript of the proceedings might look something
like this:
The Charge: Paul is guilty of assault, “an unlawful
attempt to violently injure another person,” and battery,
“unlawfully and willfully using force or violence
against another person.”
The Charge: Paul (a.k.a.
Saul) is guilty of murder,
“the unlawful killing of
another with malice (evil
or hatred) and with the specific intention to kill.” He
is also an accomplice to murder, and as such, “has
the same degree of guilt as the person he or she is
assisting, is subject to prosecution for the same
crime, and faces the same criminal penalties.”
The Evidence: According to Luke’s testimony, “They
dragged him [Stephen] out of the city and began to
stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their
clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul”
(Acts 7:58). Experts for the prosecution contend
that the placing of clothes at the feet of Saul clearly
indicates that he was the overseer of the execution.
Luke recorded the testimony of witnesses who testified,
“Saul was there, giving approval to his death”
(Acts 8:1). Paul himself confessed to murder,
admitting, “I persecuted the followers of this Way to
their death” (Acts 22:4) and “I put many of the
saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I
cast my vote against them” (Acts 26:10).
God can and does accomplish great
things through deeply flawed people.
The Evidence: In the execution
Paul oversaw and
approved, “they dragged him
[Stephen] out of the city and
began to stone him” (Acts 7:58). Paul confesses,
“Many a time I went from one synagogue to another
to have them punished, and I tried to force them to
blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even
went to foreign cities to persecute them” (Acts
26:11).
The Charge: Paul is guilty of stalking, “maliciously,
willfully, and repeatedly following or harassing a
person, and making a believable threat in order to
make the person afraid for his or her safety or the
safety of his or her family.”
The Evidence: According to witnesses, “Saul was
still breathing out murderous threats against the
Lord’s disciples” (Acts 9:1). And he confesses, “I
too was convinced that I ought to do all that was
possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth”
(Acts 26:9).
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Editor-in-Chief H. David Schuringa
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The Charge: Paul is guilty of kidnapping, “forcibly,
or by using fear, taking or holding or detaining a
person, and carrying the person from one place to
another.”
The Evidence: Luke’s witnesses say that Paul
headed to Damascus so that if he “found any there
who belonged to the Way, whether men or women,
he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem”
(Acts 9:2). He himself admits that he “went there to
bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be
punished” (Acts 22:5). Though he was interrupted
on his way to Damascus, his confession makes
clear that this was his regular practice, “I persecuted
the followers of the Way to their death, arresting
both men and women and throwing them into
prison” (Acts 22:4). The high priest and council who
provided the phony papers will be charged as
accomplices. However, Paul carried out the kidnappings
and attempted kidnappings, as defined by
criminal law.
The Charge: Paul is guilty of hate crimes, “violence,
intimidation, or threat of violence against a
person due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender,
national origin, political affiliation, position in a
labor dispute, race, religion, or sexual orientation.”
The Evidence: As we heard earlier from witnesses,
“Saul was still breathing out murderous threats
against the Lord’s disciples” (Acts 9:1). Further, he
publicly confessed to have had an “obsession
against them” (Acts 26:11).
Suppose this trial was conducted in the state of Texas.
Paul’s confession and the testimony of so many witnesses
would surely have convinced the jury in little
time to convict him on all counts. He would likely have
been given the death penalty. In other states, he would
have at least been sentenced to life in prison without
the possibility of parole. Society would have considered
him a worthless person who deserves no better than to
be locked away for life.
Our culture tends to think little of “felons” and “exoffenders.”
Few would count on them to do something
significant for God. With a criminal record like Paul’s,
who would look to him as a leader in the church And
understandably, the early church did have a difficult time
accepting Paul at first (cf. Acts 9:13, 26). But time and
again God loves to choose the most unlikely candidates
to do His most significant work. Let’s be sure to keep
this hopeful truth in mind as we disciple the least, the
last and the lost in the jails and prisons. May we all be
encouraged that God can and does accomplish great
things through deeply flawed people.
Dr. David Schuringa serves as the
President of Crossroad Bible Institute
PRISON MINISTRY NEEDS YOUR HELP!
CBI is committed to leaving no inmate behind who wants to study God’s Word,
but we need YOUR support—right now—to keep that pledge.
If you love what God is doing through this ministry,
please mail your check, call us or donate online today.
P.O. Box 900, Grand Rapids, MI 49509 | ph: 1-800-668-2450 | www.crossroadbible.org/Donate.htm
Crossroad Network News – Crossroad Bible Institute 3.

NORWEGIAN PRISON GOES ORGANIC
is nice, the incarcerated men are permitted
to visit the beach or fish in the
sea. The prison is powered by solar
panels and green energy generators
that the incarcerated men helped to
install. Commenting on the prison’s
purpose and goals, deputy governor,
Erik Lund, told the New Zealand Herald,
“You can either make prison pure
Oslo, Norway—Funded by grants
from national environmental groups, punishment or you can try to make
Bastoey Prison boasts a totally inmates into good neighbors, to do
organic facility. Located on an island something positive. Our main objective
is to prove we are a prison that
south of Oslo, this prison offers residents
recreation and a healthy reduces recidivism, and the ecological
approach is part of that strategy.”
lifestyle. Imprisoned men care for an
organic garden, free-range chickens,
New Zealand Herald
cows and sheep. When the weather
CBI SOUTH PACIFIC REACHES FIJI ISLANDS
in prisons there. CBI Bible studies
were delivered to the nine prisons
located in and around Suva. Students
enthusiastically responded,
and so far, there are 74 active students
in Fiji, and over 200 lessons
have been processed. In a short
time, lives have been changed. One
Fijian student writes, “I would like to
thank the CBI president and his
entire staff for allowing me in this
wonderful course that I may know my
big God and learn more about His
Anne and Bob Bruinsma, CBI’s Australian
Distribution Center directors, to go in the right way which the Lord
precepts. And thanks for helping me
recently traveled to Fiji’s capital, created me for. May God bless you
Suva, to bring God’s Word to people and your ministry.”
Supreme Court “Cracks”
Down on Injustice
Washington DC—The United States
Supreme Court recently ruled that federal
judges may now give shorter sentences
for crimes related to crack
cocaine. Previously, selling 5 grams of
crack cocaine would warrant the same
sentence as selling 500 grams of powder
cocaine. Because crack cocaine is
cheaper, this law resulted in high numbers
of imprisoned men and women
from lower socio-economic statuses—
particularly African American people. In
fact, African Americans make up 82% of
those sentenced for dealing crack
cocaine. If the Supreme Court decides
to make this ruling retroactive, over
20,000 imprisoned people will be eligible
for earlier parole.
Innocent and
Impoverished
Baton Rouge, LA—At 16 years old,
Michael Anthony Williams was sentenced
to prison for a crime he did not
commit. After spending over half of his
life behind bars, he was exonerated on
the basis of DNA testing. Readjusting
to life on the outside has been difficult
for Williams and hundreds others like
him who have been released after DNA
4. Crossroad Bible Institute – Crossroad Network News

testing. Reentering a world dramatically
changed since their incarceration,
these men and women struggle with little
or no education, limited job skills,
few connections and a prison record.
Though these struggles are similar to
those experienced by all men and
women who have served time, there
are ironically fewer programs to assist
exonerated men and women as they
transition back into society. To compensate
for the losses of the exonerated,
22 states offer payment ranging
from a total of $20,000 to $50,000 for
each year of incarceration. And several
states are considering increasing
compensation for those who are
proven innocent. However, because
the majority of exonerated men and
women have prior criminal records,
some politicians only support compensation
for those with no record.
2008
CONTINUING EDUCATION SEMINAR LIST
All seminars are free of charge, but advanced registration is requested. Please register by calling CBI at (800) 668-2450 or
going online to www.crossroadbibleinstitute.org.
FEBRUARY
Portrait of a Prisoner’s Family
Dr. David Schuringa
First Christian Reformed Church, Demotte, IN
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Date: Sunday, February 3, 2008
Registration Deadline: January 28, 2008
Developing Discernment Behind Bars
(Presented in Spanish)
Rev. Xavier Suárez
Iglesia Buenas Nuevas, Miami, FL
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Date: Saturday, February 9, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 1, 2008
• Lunch Provided
CBI’s Success: Bible Study and
Reduced Recidivism
Dr. James De Jong
Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church,
Ripon, CA
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Date: Monday, February 11, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 4, 2008
• Dinner Provided
Faith Plus: Developing Your Faith in Christ
Mr. Douglas Roossien
Crossroad Bible Institute, Grandville, MI
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Date: Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 12, 2008
• $5 Box Lunch Provided
Ministering to Those in Prison
Mr. and Mrs. Bob and Anne Bruinsma
The Christian Reformed Church of Casey,
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Date: Saturday, February 23, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 15, 2008
Portrait of a Prisoner’s Family
Dr. David Schuringa
Living Word Church, New Port Richey, FL
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Date: Sunday, February 24, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 18, 2008
Countering the Cults with Trinitarian
Doctrine
Rev. Allen Vander Pol
Bradenton Christian Reformed Church,
Bradenton, FL
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 19, 2008
Enhancing Your Time with God through
Writing
Mrs. Carolyn Geertsema
Southern Gables Evangelical Church,
Littleton, CO
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Date: Thursday, February 28, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 21, 2008
MARCH
Growing as Christ’s Disciples
Rev. Tom Vanden Heuvel
First United Reformed Church of Chino,
Chino, CA
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Date: Sunday, March 2, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 25, 2008
Portrait of a Prisoner’s Family
Dr. David Schuringa
Crossroad Bible Institute, Grandville, MI
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Registration Deadline: February 26, 2008
• $5 Box Lunch Provided
Redeeming the Scars of Our Past
Mrs. Carolyn Geertsema
First Presbyterian Church,
North Palm Beach, FL
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Date: Saturday, March 15, 2008
Registration Deadline: March 7, 2008
Portrait of a Prisoner’s Family
Dr. David Schuringa
Bunde Christian Reformed Church,
Clara City, MN
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Date: Sunday, March 30, 2008
Registration Deadline: March 24, 2008
Crossroad Network News – Crossroad Bible Institute 5.

A PROSECUTOR’S PERSPECTIVE
by David Feddes
This man believes in Jesus and in forgiveness; he also believes in
government’s God-given responsibility to punish crimes and protect society.
Recently, the host of a radio show invited me to be a
guest. The program that day was about restorative justice.
A prosecutor was my fellow guest. His job and my
job are very different. My job is to reach out in love to
people in prison. His job is to put people in prison. However,
though our jobs are different, they are not necessarily
in conflict. In fact, our discussion on the radio was cordial,
and we agreed with each other on many things.
hurt anyone else. In other cases, he said, he wants the
correctional system to help people move toward rehabilitation.
He mentioned prison programs to treat mental illness
or aid recovery from addiction, as well as efforts to
help offenders empathize with their victims. He spoke of
how difficult it can be in some cases to determine what’s
right for the community, the victim and the person who
broke the law.
As a prosecutor, his duty is to enforce the law. As he put
it, “I’m not in the forgiveness business; I’m in the accountability
business.” He was not being harsh or unforgiving;
he was simply stating his understanding of what a good
prosecutor is supposed to do. This man believes in
Jesus and in forgiveness; he also believes in government’s
God-given responsibility to punish crimes and protect
society. While the church offers grace, the government
must enforce the law.
In another recent engagement, I was preaching at a combined
worship service of several Canadian churches.
Afterward, one of the worshipers told me that he is a
prosecutor. He remarked how easy it is to be cynical
about all offenders. Many lie. In fact, some who claim
Christian conversion are actually phonies. Still, he recognized
that many do come to Christ. He rejoiced at what
God is doing through CBI, even as he continues to do his
duty of prosecuting lawbreakers.
The prosecutor explained that in some cases his aim is
incapacitation. Some crimes are so serious, and some
criminals are so dangerous, that the prosecutor’s main
goal is to lock them up permanently so that they cannot
You see, government can impose incapacitation and even
seek a measure of rehabilitation, but government does
not directly address matters of salvation. God’s church,
through various members and ministries, brings the Good
6. Crossroad Bible Institute – Crossroad Network News

News of forgiveness in Christ and trains men and
women to follow Jesus. Being prosecuted and put in
prison does not put a man or woman beyond the reach
of God’s grace. On the other hand, receiving salvation
by grace does not give a born-again person in prison an
automatic get-out-of-jail-free card.
urged Christian listeners to pray for those in government—including
prosecutors. To the readers of Crossroad
Network News, I say the same thing: let us pray not only
for Crossroad students in prison, but also for officials who
have the weighty responsibility of administering justice.
On these things, the prosecutors and I agree. I am glad
that I do not have the job of a prosecutor, hard as it is.
And, that is why while recording the radio program, I
Rev. David Feddes serves as the
Director of The Center for Advanced
Studies at Crossroad Bible Institute
Don’t miss
February’s four-part series on Islam!
Week of 02/03
Week of 02/10
Week of 02/17
Week of 02/24
THE RISE OF ISLAM
Do all religions lead to the Father Are Muhammad and Jesus alike—both merely prophets of God Join us this week
on Crossroad Connection when Rev. David Feddes will explain key facts from Islamic history to help you make informed
answers to these questions.
ISLAM IN AMERICA
Because the Islamic religion continues to grow in both America and European nations, Christians need to be educated
about the beliefs, practices and history of this religion. Make sure to tune in this week on Crossroad Connection when
Rev. David Feddes will inform us about the attraction of the Islamic faith to the Western world.
ISLAM AMONG PRISONERS
More conversions to Islam occur in prison than anywhere else in America. How can Christians ministering in American
prisons respond Join us this week on Crossroad Connection when Rev. David Feddes will explain how the love of
Christ can turn the hearts of those lost in darkness.
ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY
The two largest religions in the world are Islamic and Christianity. How do these religions differ How are they similar
This week on Crossroad Connection Rev. David Feddes will compare and contrast the tenants of these major world
religions.
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Panama City, Florida WPCU 106.9 FM Saturday 8:00 PM
Panama City, Florida WPCU 106.9 FM Sunday 9:00 AM
Panama City, Florida WPCU 106.9 FM Sunday 8:00 PM
Sierra Vista, Arizona KNXN 1470 AM Sunday 12:45 PM
Tucson, Arizona KGMS 940 AM Sunday 12:45 PM
or listen anytime online at www.cbi.fm (available in broadband or dialup speeds)

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