From Darkness to Light: Jimmy McPhee's Journey from Prison to Pillar of Hope through On the Rock Ministry

Have you ever witnessed a transformation so profound, it seems to echo the miraculous? That's exactly what we explore as I reunite with Jimmy McPhee, whose journey from a harrowing 45-year prison sentence to becoming a pillar of hope and faith is nothing short of awe-inspiring. We sit down in this episode of More Than Medicine to delve into the heart of redemption, where Jimmy unveils the pivotal moments that led to his founding of On the Rock Ministry. He opens up about his unwavering dedication to Christian discipleship, educating inmates, and mentoring at-risk youth. His narrative is a testament to the life-altering power of grace and a poignant reminder that even in the darkest of places, light can emerge triumphant.

The episode also serves as a beacon of hope for those still behind bars and the communities that await their return. We discuss the far-reaching implications of the Prison Discipleship Program, which has not only provided a safer, more nurturing environment within the confines of South Carolina prisons but has also significantly dampened the tides of recidivism. The stirring accounts from inmates and the eye-opening perspective from a former correctional officer turned chaplain underscore the monumental impact of On the Rock Ministries. Their stories stitch together a narrative of transformation, not just of individuals, but of an entire system—a chorus of voices singing the potential for change when education and spiritual guidance forge a path to a brighter future.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to More Than Medicine, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, dr Robert Jackson, and his wife Carlotta and daughter Hannah Miller. So listen up, because the doctor is in.

Speaker 2: 0:22

Welcome to More Than Medicine. I'm your host, dr Robert Jackson, bringing to you biblical insights and stories from the country doctor's rusty, dusty scrapbook. I'm privileged today to have as my guest Jimmy McPhee, who has become one of my very best friends and partners in ministry. Jimmy, welcome to More Than Medicine.

Speaker 3: 0:45

Thank you very much, dr Jackson, as you have become a great friend and mentor to me.

Speaker 2: 0:49

Thank you, Well now, jimmy, it's been almost three years since you were on my program, is that right? That's correct sir, and so I'm going to ask you to give my listeners a little background on yourself and how you and I came to be such good friends.

Speaker 3: 1:06

Well, I was released from a 45-year prison journey in April of 2020. And a few months later, a gentleman, a mutual friend of ours, brought me up here after hearing my story and to introduce me to you, and I've pretty much been on since that night. That night, I shared with you that I had just emerged from 45 years. I was a three-year death row inmate and I was resentenced to life imprisonment and then locked away in solitary confinement being consumed by prison culture for two decades, only from there to surrender my life to Jesus Christ, and everything changed. I became a teacher, mentor and disciple in prison until being released in 2020. And I'll share more of that in a few minutes.

Speaker 2: 1:53

And it was an amazing story. I remember sitting on the back porch of my house and listening to your story and I was transfixed. I mean, I was amazed to hear of God's grace, jimmy in your life, and you and I became fast friends that very night. The Bible talks about Jonathan and David and how their spirits were knit together and they became fast friends at that moment and I listened to your story and I'm just telling the listeners that my spirit was knit together with yours that night and we became best of friends in a single day. You know, and we've been partners in ministry since that time. It's been amazing and I've been on Jimmy's organization is called On the Rock Ministry and I've been a board member for your ministry for what? Three years now. That's right.

Speaker 2: 2:51

And it's been a delightful journey, and so, jimmy, tell my listeners a little bit about On the Rock Ministry and what you have been able to accomplish since you've been out of prison and now on the outside and in ministry on the outside.

Speaker 3: 3:08

Well, I think a good way to open this up for On the Rock Ministries is to explain what On the Rock means. The common area in a prison cell block when you come out of your cell is called the rock, and my goal Today is to be on the rock, jimmy, just as my my website address is now.

Speaker 3: 3:31

I fixed on the rock, jimmy. I spent 45 years there and Education is what changed my life. Primarily the teaching of Jesus, of course, but education in a big way Bible college, various Christian programs, etc. And I realized upon my emergence that I couldn't walk away from prison after 45 years and not look back, yeah. So how can I best help these guys, and Very quickly. The Holy Spirit gave me guidance on that, and that is education, education and Jesus Christ's teachings.

Speaker 3: 4:04

Yeah and so at the end of 2020, we formed on the rock ministries 501c3 now and also, of course, eight wonderful board members and Dr Jackson, you being one of them, of course and Well, how blessed your guidance has been to the ministry, mm-hmm, and over the last two and a half to three years, we've adopted more and more students through what we call the prison Discipleship program, mm-hmm. Now Ministry's really threefold. Before I explained too much about prison discipleship program, the other two Primarily facets of the program of our ministry is one Sharon, the gospel of God's grace in my life and the hope that it brings to many, just from what he's brought me from, surrounded my life to God and his sovereign hand guide my life and you speaking lots of churches and organizations Story yes, and youth groups is a big part of that, which is another one hand of the ministry, because I believe that in today's world, all of our, of our youth are at risk.

Speaker 2: 5:05

Right and.

Speaker 3: 5:06

I really share my story, the rough upbringing I had, how I turned away from the hugs of God as a young person rather than turning into the hands that he placed in my life To guide my way, and it's been very effective in helping youngsters realized that there's choices they can make. Part of my story actually is called voices and choices. But. But the kind of the heart of the ministry is now the prison discipleship program in which we fund through courses from Outside Bible colleges, well accredited Mm-hmm. We pay for courses, they we send the money to the college. They in turn send the courses to the inmate upon their Completion. They're, you know, correct. You take their final exam and then they send them another one.

Speaker 3: 5:52

I got, and at this point we have a half a dozen students, with five right now we're about to have take on our sixth one, but it three are in, uh oh have completed their, or in their, bachelor's work. I'm sorry. One is well into his master's work, or one's about to Step into his master's work. All seeking masters of divinity, divinity courses. Wow and I actually have a few anecdotes here from a couple kind of little blurbs from a couple of the guys, if you like.

Speaker 2: 6:21

Yeah, I want to hear those. My listeners, I'm sure, would like to hear those. These now, these are guys that are still on the inside. They're in there.

Speaker 3: 6:29

Some have six to eight years ago. Some have longer than that, but they're making a difference every day, impacting the prison yards in which they walk each and every day, and I think you'll be able to hear that and a couple of these.

Speaker 2: 6:40

Well, let's hear it. Oh yeah.

Speaker 3: 6:42

This is. I won't use his name, but he opens it like this on the rock, ministries is taking care of me so I can take care of others. I hear you as I am studying my courses, I see how I am presented, the opportunities by God to use what I am learning at the time and apply it to specific Situations as I minister to people in the infirmary where I work. When he speaks of the infirmary, it's actually a hospice.

Speaker 3: 7:07

You're right and some don't make it out of there. So these guys are actually praying, holding the hands of Men that don't wouldn't even have anyone as a physical presence in their life, let alone a spiritual one, as they are, and and that's that's what they do day in and day out, along with their studies and touching more Men and women as they come, even correctional offices, even stories on that as well. But let me continue. In the infirmary where I work and in the medical dorm that he lives in, god has given me a deep desire to help others and he is using this blessing of continued education Provided by on the rock ministries to bring the desire to help he gave me now to fruition. It is hard work, but well worth it.

Speaker 3: 7:52

I am seeing God's work come to life and those I minister to, which feeds me tremendously. I lead a prayer group in my dorm each night and incorporate a 10 to 15 minute devotional followed by prayer. Not only do I see growth in the men who come regularly, but I also see myself growing and my capabilities to teach and counsel by God's word. On the rock ministries is providing a ministry that has a much larger impact on the environment here than one Would usually expect from a prison ministry. As I said before, on the rock ministries is taking care of me so I can take care of others. I am applying what I learned as I learn it and I get to see immediate dividends as I see others and myself Grow in Christ. I am beyond grateful for, on the rock ministries, obedience to God and their Christ led generosity. I am eternally grateful to God for his mercy and grace to use us the least of these to give him Glory how about that?

Speaker 2: 8:49

Isn't that now would this brother have an opportunity to get this kind of training, apart from the contribution that on the rock ministry is making to him?

Speaker 3: 8:58

No he, though. The cost is minimal for college education two hundred dollars a course, uh-huh with, with twenty courses required for a bachelor's $4,000 total total okay, and so he. But these guys don't have a lot of family support.

Speaker 3: 9:12

No, no, they really don't so without this, and that's why they're so appreciative. A very few across the board that haven't made a's and all their Courses working and applying what they're learning every day about that. A couple other shorter little testimonials here. This story is powerful. I'll tell you his backstory only after I share what he shared with us.

Speaker 2: 9:32

Yeah, I like to hear these stories.

Speaker 3: 9:33

Thank you for providing this opportunity. Jesus is being proclaimed as I learn more about him. I preach him on Sundays and I talk about him every day through the week. I never wanted to learn before I was saved. I dropped out of seventh grade, but God is rewriting my story. I he is using you to help me. My story is now a part of your story.

Speaker 3: 9:57

This gentleman now has been in prison approximately 21 years, earned his GED. Obviously, since he's been in prison, he has not only went to Columbia International University two year degree, as I did on the inside. He completed his bachelor's through Hope Sound, on which we helped with some of that, and now we are supporting his ongoing efforts for his master's divinity, in which he's about halfway through that. A young man who came to prison was barely a seventh grade education and he admits himself lost and broken. And now everyone I speak to they're in the prisons around him, so they have to step aside. When it's time to preach the word. He's the one. He's the one they call on on fire for God, and you heard his testimony here.

Speaker 2: 10:44

Wow, wow, that is amazing, that is amazing. And again, your ministry is helping to fund his education. Yes, how about that? Yes, how about that? Now, where does your ministry get its finances, jimmy?

Speaker 3: 10:58

Well, we, primarily we depend on Contributions. Contributions and donations from people that find out what we're doing. What I do is in my sharing what I do, in sharing my testimony, often in churches and they're here and people get on board and say how can we help? We have a few regular donors in which we're actually seeking more, because our idea is we can take on more students, but only if we know that we have the monthly donations coming in a way that we can responsibly take these guys on board and not leave them in the middle of their studies. Naturally, I understand. So what we're doing now is seeking people that are willing to maybe take on. Say, I want to support a student and allow them then to sign up. They usually don't do more than three or four courses in a year. So $6,800 generally is, on average, what it comes out to per inmate or prison discipleship student.

Speaker 2: 11:56

So somebody wanted to contribute to own the Rock Ministry. How would they do that?

Speaker 3: 12:00

Well, I just mentioned a while ago. First of all, you can go to my website ontherockjimmyorg. Okay, all right, you can go there and there's a way to get on there and just do it through a PayPal or through your card if you'd like to. I also have an address here for our post office box, and that's post office box 6902, spartanburg, south Carolina, 29304, and all you have to put on that is on the rock ministries.

Speaker 2: 12:28

I got you. I got you. They can just write a check to own the rock.

Speaker 3: 12:31

Write a check or how they want to do it, or they can, like I said, reach out through the technology and do it that way.

Speaker 2: 12:38

All right, well, tell me another one of those stories. I'm enjoying these stories because I've made contributions to the ministry and I really like hearing, and it's wonderful getting this feedback and seeing the fruit it is, it blesses me it blesses me.

Speaker 3: 12:49

This is Joel and this is quite a story. This is the gentleman that was at Perry Correctional. Here up still is today and they have a chiro's program and a couple of our board members are part of the chiro's to go into the prisons and minister. Well, unbeknownst to either one of them, they end up sitting and being placed in a group, together by the hand of God, and they get to talking. And he said do you know a guy by Jimmy McPhee anyway? And he said, yeah, I'm a board member on his ministry. He said really, he's the one that's funding my Bible education as I'm continuing to work towards my bachelor's degree. And this is a little note from the same. What only God could do that one you know it's no chance meetings.

Speaker 3: 13:29

I always said if we walk by faith, you know there is no coincidence.

Speaker 2: 13:33

Right, that's right.

Speaker 3: 13:34

Now this is what he said. This is summing up a letter that he'd written. He said my goal now is to complete Hope Sound Bible Calls, and that's where we send the funds for a bachelor's degree in counseling. Since the Lord changed my life, my whole outlook on life has changed. Therefore, the tools acquired from my studies will be utilized to help others. That's right, concise, but that's that's at the heart of it all. And one more I have here.

Speaker 3: 13:59

I want to thank you for the blessing of a college course, of the college courses. For me, it is a blessing to be able to learn and grow and then take what God has given and bless others who are in need. You are playing, you are playing a big role in God's plan to find purpose and meaning, and for that I am forever grateful and humbled. And that's, I think, just a just a snapshot of how appreciative these men are. They, you know, they finally found that truth in their life. The direct their past, and now they hungry for the word. They're, we're feeding them and now they in turn, of course, are giving it to others, you know and it's transforming the whole environment inside the prison system.

Speaker 3: 14:40

Right. Well, what what I call the mission of our prison discipleship program is a win win. Win so when? For the individual and how it's, building them, making them stronger, disciples and impacting the prison yard, which is the second win, changing that hard, violent prison culture to Christian culture. And the third win, which I think is important any of is on any of them is when they return from prison, they, when they come home, they actually stay home. The recidivism rate in South Carolina now most of the best recidivism rate under 20% nationally.

Speaker 1: 15:14

Is that?

Speaker 3: 15:14

right. Much of it is because of programs like this pouring to these men. All they ever needed was a chance. These guys these men are hand selected because they're open hearts for the Lord. They're smart, obviously, but they're hard to serve and they're making a difference on several different prison yards through this program.

Speaker 2: 15:32

And you mentioned to me a little bit ago a gentleman who was an officer in the system, who became a chaplain and he's now back in the system.

Speaker 3: 15:42

Yes.

Speaker 2: 15:42

And he gave you some feedback on what's what these gentlemen are accomplishing on the inside because of their education. Tell my listeners about that.

Speaker 3: 15:50

It's amazing that I was even on the telephone with him recently, because I met him 49 years ago when I was a death row inmate. He was a correctional officer at Central Correctional Institution way back then and worked his way through the ranks over the years and became a major.

Speaker 2: 16:07

Okay.

Speaker 3: 16:07

But he was also studying to earn his masters in divinity as well. Godly man, come from the upstate up here and we knew you back, when you were incorrigible. Very much so. And then now we got reconnected in the last few years after I had also, as he did, graduated Columbia International University Bible College, and he retired once after 35 years in the Department of Corrections as a correctional officer and has now is returned to be a prison chaplain at one of the prisons that I used to Inhabit that way.

Speaker 3: 16:45

Now we've been in contact over the last couple of years and just a couple of days ago we had a conversation In which he told me in that conversation, jimmy, I don't think there's anything that you could be doing more important for your ministry than educating these guys as you are, because I'm witnessing every day the impact they're having on these prison yards. They're out there preaching holding hands, guys in infirmary that may not make it out. It's just amazing how God has put us back together, both men of cloth. Now I'm an ordained minister. I didn't mention that.

Speaker 3: 17:18

Not long after I was released from prison as well. Of course, I've in turn worked as a corporate chaplain, but my life is service, and that's what ministry is that's right, that's right.

Speaker 2: 17:28

That's an amazing story, jimmy. That is just amazing.

Speaker 3: 17:31

God can come up with him, Kenny.

Speaker 2: 17:35

It's a blessing to hear you talk about this kind of ministry. All right, Well, now we'll wrap it up here in the next couple of three minutes. So is anything more you'd like to share with my listeners about? On the Rock Ministry and their impact with the prisoners that are still on the inside?

Speaker 3: 17:52

Yes, you know, limited education opportunities are limited in the prison system. They did the way with the Pell grants many years ago, not allowing inmates to even pursue if they had funding to pursue college education. What we're doing now is kind of found a way around that issue, paying for it through our ministry. We're vetting these guys on a serious level so we know their hearts and their desire to serve God on a high level. They were doing it and they're going to continue to do it.

Speaker 3: 18:22

We know what the quality of men we have here, but we also know that there's always a greater need in that system. Many of these guys go to prison without a GED, as I shared earlier. But to watch them grow and the confidence that builds in them, not only to earn a GED but a college education and gain more confidence to go out and be bold with the gospel, that's our goal and when they come home they're going to be difference makers. Prayerfully, as I've been almost four years that I've been home myself.

Speaker 2: 18:54

That's amazing. That's just a blessing, jimmy. You've been a blessing and I know you are now a blessing to the guys that are still on the inside. And you're right, it changes the recidivism rate.

Speaker 3: 19:06

Yes, you know One thing too I didn't put this together myself, but the Columbia International University has been a blessing to me in so many ways. But just last year they reached out to me because they've been watching what I've been doing since I've been out on the outside and they had an idea for a program where they could educate us on a higher level. I only have a two year associate degree, right. They came to me with a potential program and I ended up being the first one, kind of a trailblazer that if I could write a 10 pages research paper for them and show that I could do master's level work, graduate level work, that I could be taken into a program they got for addiction counseling.

Speaker 1: 19:46

Well.

Speaker 3: 19:46

I completed my first semester back in December and now it's open the doors for other inmates that have made it home. They can bypass their bachelor's work and move straight into their master's level work, as long as they can demonstrate. They do the work and they're looking, vetting us by saying what have we done with what they gave us? I got you and we've served them, ones that have served them on a level that deems, you know, rewarded to grow and continue as much as I'm doing with the guys on the inside.

Speaker 3: 20:15

So, who would ever thought that the same you know, when you started funding the ongoing education for the guys inside, that God would line it up now to give me an offer to do the same thing that we're doing for them.

Speaker 2: 20:27

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 20:27

Only God comes up with those things. It's just amazing and I'm so blessed with the opportunities it continues to afford. If we just continue to, I say the windows of heaven, you know, they swing on hinges.

Speaker 2: 20:38

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 20:39

Love and obedience. I say love and obey and you'll be okay.

Speaker 2: 20:44

That's good work, all right Now. So folks want to contribute to helping these guys on the inside continue their education. That in turn, helps them transform the prison yard. How can they contribute to own the rock ministry?

Speaker 3: 20:58

Yes, that's primarily through either the website or writing checks to the address I just gave you, post office box 6902, spartanburg, south Carolina, 29304 on the rock ministry. So all you need.

Speaker 2: 21:16

And then the real, and then the website. Is what on the rock, jimmyorg, on the rock, ministryorg?

Speaker 3: 21:22

They can go to the website on the rock, jimmy, it's all you need.

Speaker 2: 21:26

And then they can contribute at the website, and just the donate button.

Speaker 3: 21:29

You can scroll to the end and it's pretty simple process.

Speaker 2: 21:32

All right. Well, jimmy, this has been a delight. I'm just telling you. It's so encouraging to hear what God is doing through on the rock ministry. It's just a blessing to me. I want you to know that, brother.

Speaker 3: 21:43

Well, thank you and thank God for the opportunities he continues to present, as long as we continue to be, as I say, love and obey and you'll be okay.

Speaker 2: 21:51

That's right. All right, you're listening to more than medicine. I'm your host, dr Robert Jackson. My guest today is Jimmy McPhee with on the rock ministry. We'll be back again next week. May the Lord bless you real good.

Speaker 1: 22:06

Thank you for listening to this edition of more than medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry, dr Jackson's books or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, instagram or their webpage at JacksonFamilyMinistrycom. This podcast is produced by Bobslung Audio Production at Bobslungcom.