Various ministry publications are available at no cost. We also provide Bibles, books and other Bible study resources to those who are being discipled. Our publications are as follows:

Friendship Ministry Quarterly Newsletter : As the seasons change, so do the events in our lives and the ministry. The newsletter informs of ministry updates, prayer requests, and offers testimonies, art, puzzles and other contributions from friends.

Christian Correspondence Resource Guide: Provides addresses of evangelical ministries that provide Bible studies and courses, as well as such ministries that provide Bibles, books, tracts, magazines, devotionals and other literature.

"A Collection Of Poems": A collection of 19 poems written by Mel Everson during his formative years of spiritual growth, depicting the processing of past pain and the discoveries of a new life.

"Chief Sinner Transformed": This is the personal testimony of Mel Everson, revealing the works of the devil and how they were destroyed. His testimony includes how God healed him of a traumatic childhood as well as how God transformed the chief sinner he had become, and tells how Friendship Ministry was conceived and founded.

Christian Aftercare Guide: A booklet specifically designed to prepare inmates for their release and to provide wisdom and guidance after they are released. The Mercer County Guide also lists resources such as churches, shelters, food pantries and employment agencies.

Testimonies: One of the greatest blessings of this ministry is to learn of the transformed lives of the friends we have made. Many of these individuals have shared their testimonies so that we can provide them in print for others.

Ex-Inmate Housing Resources: We have been able to compile spreadsheet resources of places for ex-inmates to find housing in various states. Currently we have resources for the states of  PA, CA, TX, NY and FL.

Inspiration: Inspiring and humorous writings written by various people are available and sent on occasion to those with whom we correspond. Our own tracts, a Daily Devotional Guide and publications from other sources are also available and sent to our friends.

   

 

Biblical messages/studies with Life Application Questionnaire lessons. Participants are also provided with study Bibles, Bible study resources and other books to assist in their Christian growth. After each series is completed, participants receive a certificate. 

The lessons are as follows:

Introduction Series

* "How Have You Loved Us?"

* "Trusting In God"

* "A Special People"

Grace Series

* "Overcome Greasy Grace"

* "Study on Grace"

* "Spiritual Prosperity"

Salvation Series

* "The Worth of One Soul"

* "Let Us Examine Ourselves"

* “Substance & Evidence of Faith”

Teaching Series

* "Christian Life & Word of God"

* "Creation & Fall of Man"

* “The Ministry of the Apostle Paul”

Jonah Series

* "Destructive Disobedience Develops Despair"

* "Repentance Results in Revival"

* "Is it Right To Be Angry?"

Contrasts Series

* "From Failure to Fortunate"

* "Consequences & Mercy"

  * "The Great Switch"

Overcoming Series

* "Metamorphosis"

* "You Will Never Stumble"

* "How to Live in Victory"

* “Overcome the Spirit of Fear”

Deity of Jesus Christ Series

* "Is Jesus God?"

    (23 pg. exposition on deity of Jesus)

Holy Spirit Series

* "Holy Spirit-Outline Study"

* "Gifts of the Holy Spirit"

Understanding the Enemy Series

* "Satan's Origin"

* "Satan's Purpose"

* "Satan's Defeat"

* “Overcome Religious Demons”

Full Armor Series

* "Spiritual Warfare"

* "Our Prayers & Celestial Warfare"

* "Ministry of Intercessory Repentance"

* “Overcome Words of Death”

Old Testament Application Series

* "When the Bully Comes Out"

     2 Samuel 16:5-14

* "Throw Out the Enemy"

     Nehemiah 13

* "Best King Israel Ever Had"

Below are feature articles written by Founder and President, Mel Everson

        A 3-part thesis on how the Word of God is the solution for the sexual revolution and it's effects to each one individually. 

        You can also find this on our Men's Purity Ministry Webpage

 

Scroll down to read the following articles:

Describing the effectiveness of Bible Discipleship used to overcome addictions and negative behaviors

How to be "happily single" through friendship with Jesus

By Mel Everson

Our focus and mission in this ministry is always to share and testify to the friendship of Jesus. Bible Discipleship is the most important part of the mission because the Bible will give each individual their own friendship with Jesus and the ability to live as overcomers. We cannot necessarily disciple individuals with our own wisdom, philosophy, or modern psychology because although they may be helpful to a point, they do eventually fall short and fail. The Bible, however, has never failed. Through the ages the Bible has proved effective to offer the best answers for living. Plain and simple, the Bible is our instruction manual for living and a love letter from our Creator. Individuals who are discipled with the Bible maintain their friendship and walk with God, thereby living the lives God designed for them.

Bible Discipleship is also a solution for the major problems in our nation today. In fact, a Founding Father, and founder of public education and the Sunday school movement wrote a prophecy of what will happen if we remove the Bible from schools. Today we see fulfillment of that dreadful prophecy. Here’s what Benjamin Rush wrote in the Public School Constitution in 1791: 

In contemplating the political institutions of this United States, I lament that (if we remove the Bible from schools) we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them. For the Divine Book above all others, favors that equality among mankind, that respect for just laws, and those sober and frugal virtues which constitute the soul of (our government).

Our founder of public education knew that if the Bible was removed from schools that we would have a problem with crime, and it is therefore no coincidence that since the Bible was removed from schools we are suddenly overwelmed with crime and social degradation. 

How tragic that the choice was made to remove the Bible! Unfortunately, we may not be able to do anything about that right now, nor do I feel called to that mission. However, we can do something about helping those who want such help. That is our mission and that is where a difference can be made. By offering Bible Discipleship to those who want help, they have the opportunity to find the solution for their problems. This is how criminal behavior, addictions and spiritual strongholds can be broken and people set free. This is how people can discover the way to live as their Creator intended for their own good and for the good of all.

Besides Bibles and Bible Discipleship being a solution for crime, addictions and social ills, I believe Bible Discipleship is greatly needed in the Church today. There have been many ministries used mightily by God to lead many to faith and deep repentance, but without discipleship many of the individuals go back to their former despairing lives. I think of how Promise Keepers led so many men to want to be the men God created them to be. Many went to churches and even shared their struggles hoping to find help (especially to overcome sexual sin), but discipleship was lacking. Churches got filled but not much happened in the way of change. Now, tragically, many men are in even deeper sin and despair. 

Unfortunately, without discipleship it does not take long for one who has found revival and deep repentance to fall away back into a life of sin and broken fellowship with God. I think the city of Nineveh offers us a sobering history lesson. In the book of Jonah, we read how Jonah reluctantly preached judgement to Ninevehand everyone repented. God had compassion and mercy on Nineveh and He spared them. However, Jonah went up on a hill outside of town and pouted because he would have rather they had been judged and destroyed. 

We can understand Jonah’s attitude toward the Ninevites. They were cruel evil people. They deserved God’s judgement and Jonah didn’t want his enemies to end up blessed. Jonah didn’t really love the people and he only did as little as he had to do. The people repented, God was merciful and Jonah was angry. That’s the way the story ends in the book of Jonah, but we read the rest of the story in the book of Nahum. The entire book is a prophesy of judgement that would come upon Nineveh and fifty years later in 612 BC the prophesies were fulfilled just as they were predicted. Nineveh was destroyed about 100 years after Jonah preached. 

My point? Jonah got the people saved. He led them to God and repentance, but he did not stay to nurture their new faith. He did not disciple the people. He was the only one who knew God enough to show the people what God expected from them, but he disappeared. Is it any wonder Nineveh turned away from God?

When Jesus gave us the Great Commission, He commanded us to not only make disciples, but to teach them to observe all that He has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). We have made many disciples in America, however we have fallen short with the teaching part (discipleship). That is why discipleship is so important to me. If we want to see our children, disciples, and the body of Christ remain faithful and grow with God. We then must disciple them, model Jesus before them and teach them from the Bible what Jesus commands us to do. When we do that we will see people being transformed before our very eyes.

By Mel Everson

As we journey through life as single people, whether single, widowed, divorced or single-by-choice, we may go through some of the struggles of singleness. Feeling unfulfilled, depressed at times or even dealing with loneliness. In the midst of that, whether we struggle or not, there is the desire and need for a relationship with God. Not a superficial relationship though. There is a huge void in our life if it is not filled with a Sacred Romance. My Bible teacher, Bob Papa, taught at a retreat on the subject of Sacred Romance. Here's some of what he said:

"There's something telling us inside that there is something more—like we need to be in an adventurous love affair with God. We just know that there's to be more than our typical relationship routine.

Unfortunately though, as we get busy or as we fill our lives with things to fill that void, that longing gets pushed away and it becomes only a whisper. Even when we are active in church or ministry, our communion with God is replaced by activity for God. We do these things thinking they will fill the void, but they actually push us farther and farther away from our Sacred Romance.

Even so, our Sacred Romance calls to us through our heart every moment of our lives. This calling is usually noticeable in laughter with good friends, close fellowship with loved ones, a great worship experience and in nature, like a sensational sunset and majestic mountains. The Romance even calls to us in the most seemingly unlikely experiences, like personal suffering. In serious illness, death of a loved one or a tragedy. In all these experiences they rouse a deep longing within our heart, stirring within us a yearning for intimacy beauty and adventure.

Sometimes we try to have people we look up to interpret life for us and they may shape our understanding, but they are probably not in any position to help us because of their own understanding and how they have handled their Romance."

The One we need to look to for this is the One who calls us to Sacred Romance. In Deuteronomy 6:5 we read; "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (NKJV) In the New Living Translation, Exodus 34:14 reads; "You must worship no other gods, but only the Lord, for He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you." Did you catch that? God is passionate about His relationship with you. The Old King James says God is jealous. God wants our devotion and attention in a similar way that romantic sweethearts would. But God commands our devotion, with all of our heart! This is our Sacred Romance and when we enter into this, we will find total contentment. Our void will finally be filled.

In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes; I must desire friendship with God more than anything else. The Psalms are filled with examples of this desire. David passionately desired to know God above all else; he used words like "longing, yearning, thirsting, hungering". He craved God. In a Psalm he said, "Your love means more than life to me. "...God loves it when we are passionate with Him.

Paul was another man passionate for friendship with God. Nothing mattered more; it was the first priority, total focus, and ultimate goal of his life. The Amplified translation expresses the full force of Paul's passion: "My determined purpose is that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly."

Rick Warren continues; "The truth is—you are as close to God as you choose to be. Intimate friendship with God is a choice, not an accident. You must intentionally seek it. Do you really want it—more than anything? Is it worth the effort of developing the habits and skills required?"

The Romance begins with God, but what is so unique in our Sacred Romance, that we would never find such in any other romance. We will find intimacy beyond our wildest imagination! In John 7:37-38 Jesus promises us that, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." Jesus also promised in John 10:10 that we would have life, and have it more abundantly.

I personally believe that the living water that flows from my heart, and the abundant life I have, is the result of a Sacred Romance with Jesus. Now what is the living water that flows from my heart? I liken it to many things, but they stem from the Sacred Romance. Here are a few: The joy I feel every time I think about God's love for me. The excitement of knowing Jesus is coming soon. The hope I have in being with the Lord forever. The peace of knowing that God is in total control of my life, I need not fear anything.

The abundant life I liken to the total contentment and satisfaction that I have today. I remember when I got my first apartment at a time when I didn't know the Lord. I was plagued with loneliness. I never felt so lonely, and I tried to fill it with TV and alcohol, then a co-dependent relationship. But nothing cured that loneliness; I actually went into despair. But now I've lived alone for about 4 years and I've never felt lonely. A feeling of loneliness once in a while would be normal, even expected, but I've not noticed it. On the contrary, I look forward to times of solitude, perhaps as moments with the Lord. I'm really never alone anyway, so why would I feel lonely?

The Lord has also made my life very abundant. Abundant not only in my relationship with Him, but in relationship with others. I've often spoken of how blessed I am to have so many friends, and many close friends. It is said that we are blessed if we find one close friend in life. Well, I'm blessed many many times over! But I've found abundance not only in friendships, but in ministry too. Even in discipleship, Bible studies and writing messages like this. Some of my most joyful and abundant moments have been during my contemplating of and writing messages. All I'm doing is writing about God, anyone can talk or write about God. You don't have to be a Bible College graduate.

Now there's a warning that goes with the opportunity. Romance, whatever type it is, oftentimes finds a seducer that comes along to destroy. Maybe that happens as a test, or perhaps to strengthen the romance, if the seducer comes out unsuccessful.

In our Sacred Romance, we definitely have one who tries to seduce us away from our Romance. Satan, the seducer, will use his demons to try to lure us away from our Romance in any way possible. He knows our past-knows what we like, what our weaknesses are and knows how to try to distract us from our Love.

With that warning before us, we know that we must be vigilant to protect our Romance. What's very fortunate and great about this situation is that the more we become enraptured in our Love, the more we will be protected from the seducer. But with that, we will not only have protection, as an incentive, we will have fulfillment and contentment.

In closing, this encouragement is to all of us, but as single people, we have an advantage. Engagement and marriage requires and deserves much commitment, and that means time. Lots of time! We as singles don't have that commitment and so we can devote all the more time to our Sacred Romance. Rick Warren also wrote;

There is nothing—absolutely nothing—more important than developing a friendship with God. It's a relationship that will last forever. Paul told Timothy, "Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life—they don't know God." Have you been missing out on the most important thing in life? You can do something about it starting now. Remember, it's your choice. You are as close to God as you choose to be.

By Mel Everson

While I was happy to receive my economic stimulus check, I must admit that I have my doubts that this is a solution to our nation's economy. I also wonder how much of this money Americans will spend worthlessly or on addictions, thereby adding to our nation’s dilemma. Even if spent wisely, the economic stimulus checks may only be a “Band-Aid” solution. However I have realized there is a more economical solution. One that has even benefited my own “economy”. Here are some amazing statistics to prove my point: Pike County Correctional Facility currently has an astounding 10% recidivism rate! Christ-Centered Discipleship units in prisons throughout the nation directed by ministries such as Good News and Prison Fellowship have also discovered only a 10% recidivism among inmates who graduate. Teen Challenge Drug and Alcohol Centers across the country reveal an astounding 85% success rate among graduates.

What accounts for the amazing results in these cases? This can be explained by sharing statistics once published by Justice & Mercy: An ex-offender who comes to a place where they feel value & respect in themselves is 75% less likely to re-offend. An ex-offender who learns a trade, makes average income and maintains good ties with family & friends is 40-60% less likely to re-commit a crime. An ex-offender who involves himself in Bible study and a commitment to Jesus as their Lord and Savior is between 80 & 95% less likely to perpetrate a crime on anotehr person.

All of the success is attributed to the love of God shared with the individuals through discipleship and those individuals receiving their permanent solution—repentance and committing their lives to Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

How does this help our nation’s economy? Just to start; each inmate that does not return to jail saves taxpayers 75 to 100 thousand dollars a year. Also, instead of wasting money on addictions, they will be using money wisely and will most likely be giving back to the community in various ways such as taxpaying and tithing.

How can we be a part of the solution? Unfortunately, we cannot turn all prisons and rehabs into Christ-Centered Discipleship Centers, but we can go into such places either in person or through correspondence; and we can support ex-offenders when they leave prisons and rehabs. By doing so, we are able to reach many individuals and share the love of God and the power He offers to change their lives. You can also be a vital part of the solution. As one from the outside you can volunteer, pray for and support our ministry. As an ex-offender, you can also volunteer, share your testimony (in print or in person) and especially continue succeeding on the outside. As an inmate, you can take advantage of our discipleship and other resources so you can learn how to be a part of the solution when you leave. As you grow and mature, you can be a missionary to other fellow inmates, offering the same solution to even more individuals. Everyone reading this has some ability to be a part of the solution.I pray that God will reveal how He wants to use you today!