Prison Ministry: The Untapped Potential of Today's American Church

ONE GREAT, BIG CAREER

After earning a BFA in acting, and an MFA in directing, 25-year-old Matt Williams, thought fame and fortune would soon follow.  It didn’t.  “Every morning I showered, shaved, put on slacks, a shirt, and a tie, and sat at the wobbly table we’d found discarded on the sidewalk to mail out my headshots and resumes to agencies and casting directors.  Nothing.  No one responded,” he says.  “I didn’t receive a single message for a year.”  When some interviews finally materialized, Matt was told his Hoosier accent was “awful…there is no way.”  Despondent, Matt felt like he’d already bottomed out at 26-years-old.  “I was a hick, an ignorant working-class redneck from a blue-collar family.”  After a few days of self-pity, it occurred to Matt to ask God for help: “I am lost.  I don’t know what to do.  My marriage is dying.  I have no career.  I am a ‘hillbilly cousin.’  Can I ever earn a living in this industry?  Was this all a mistake?”  He then sensed a voice from deep inside, “I will prosper you in ways you can’t even imagine.”  Buoyed, Matt sought coaching to eliminate his southern Indiana twang, and soon landed a commercial for hair pomade.  More commercials followed.  A few years later, Matt was cast as “Dr. Ben Martin” on CBN’s soap opera, Another Life.  During that three-year stint Matt kept asking himself, “Why am I down here?  I sensed it was for something more than acting.”  While working on the show, he expressed interest in learning about cameras, lighting, and scene design, and was mentored by the executive producer, Linwood Boomer.  Matt even rewrote scripts which he thought needed help.  “Without realizing it, I learned to write for television, and Linwood Boomer had taught me every aspect of multicam production.”  Matt also landed acting roles in stage productions in the early 80’s, and directed and wrote plays.    

Those plays got the attention of the executive producers of a new TV show in 1984, and Matt was hired as a writer for The Cosby Show.  “It was my entrée into television, where I learned the business and was surrounded by good people.”  He also learned from Bill Cosby not to write jokes, per se, but to write so that the characters could think and behave funny.  When Cosby ended in 1988, Matt created a show based on his own family (minus the acerbic yelling), and Roseanne became a huge hit.  A few years later, Matt and his partners wrote another show pilot, called Home Improvement, with the goal of creating a show to celebrate the American family, one to which viewers would want to belong.  While Matt was looking to cast the show, Jeffrey Katzenberg, the chairman of Walt Disney Studios, insisted he meet with a new comic talent named Tim Allen.  Matt had no interest.  “Comedians may trigger laughter, but they tend to be psychological train wrecks.  Every comedian I knew had a tributary of rage running through their soul.”   Katzenberg persisted, and finally, Matt reluctantly agreed to a meeting.  “Five minutes into the lunch, Tim and I started trading stories about our Midwestern upbringings families, and wives.  Our experiences were similar, our sense of humor was the same, and we mirrored each other.  As we finished lunch, I heard my spirit voice say, Do this.”  In retrospect, Matt calls his involvement on

that series one of the greatest experiences of his life.  “Home Improvement premiered in the top ten and remained there all eight seasons.  Spirit knew.”

A FEW GLIMPSES

• Matt grew up in the 1950s, in Evansville, Indiana.  He says his greatest joy in life was making his mother cry – from laughter, as he did with his spot-on imitation of his “Aunt Mouse,” her nickname.  “Mom doubled over laughing, struggling to catch her breath.  I wanted that moment to last forever.  To me, her laughter was her love.  It doesn’t take a boatload of psychotherapists to figure out why I ended up working in television as a comedy writer,” Matt reminisces.  The family was Lutheran, and Matt attended Lutheran schools in Evansville. “Throughout most of my childhood I sensed that God loved me, like my mother did, but he was occasionally distant and detached, like my mother was.  But I thought if I prayed hard enough, I might get God’s attention.”      
• Before coming to Virginia Beach to work on Another Life, Matt was skeptical of what CBN employees might be like.  “Were they cultish?  Did they have Dawn of the Dead eyes?  Did they carry a Bible and a shotgun, insisting I claim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior?  When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised.  For the most part, everyone at CBN was congenial and good natured; they were genuinely nice folks.  They patted me on the back and said, ‘Praise the Lord!’  Or waved as I pulled out of the parking lot and shouted, ‘God bless you!’  I enjoyed working there.” 
• Finding an old Coleman camping lantern in his basement recently, Matt was reminded of the many reasons he hates to camp!  Nonetheless he cleaned the old girl up, and found she still shone brightly.  “And that got me thinking: if we are like lanterns, with light living inside us, then sin is anything that dirties the glass and dims the light: greed, rage, theft, murder, infidelity, and cruelty, anything that hurts another, smudges the glass and imprisons the radiance.  I believe prayer, supplication, praise, and deep silence help keep the glass clean so our inner light shines forth.  And especially now, our dark world needs light to survive.  I am too old and cranky to go camping anymore, but I keep that Coleman lantern on a shelf in my study.  When dark thoughts cloud my consciousness, when anger or negativity, fear or doubt creep in and start to dim my spirit, I look at the lantern.  It’s a reminder to keep the glass clean and the flame alive.” 

THE GOAL

     Matt says he had two goals in writing his book:

1. To encourage people to look around and find glimpses of God - everywhere!  He remembers feeling beaten down many times in his life, and how his perspective changed dramatically when he looked for, and called out to God.
2. He says the whole book can be summed up in two words:  BE KIND.  To that end, he subtitles the very first of his sixty essays with a quote by American-British author, Henry James: “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; the third is to be kind.” 

Matt is giving all proceeds from Glimpses to four children’s non-profits close to his heart: Love Does, Many Hopes, Hearts United with Haiti, and Save the Children. 

For more information on Matt Williams click the Link!

CREDITS

Author, Glimpses (Forefront, 2024) / Co-Creator and Executive Producer, Home Improvement 1991-1999 / Creator and Executive Producer, Roseanne, 1988 / Writer and Producer, The Cosby Show, 1984-1988 / Creator and Writer, A Different World, 1987 / Director, Where the Heart Is, 2000 / Producer, What Women Want, 2000 / Producer, Writer, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, 1991 / Peabody Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television Writing; Humanitas Award, 1986; nominated for six PrimeTime Emmy Awards / Played Dr. Ben Martin in CBN’s soap opera, Another Life, 1981-1984 / BFA, University of Evansville, MFA, University of New Orleans / Married to Angelina Fiordellisi, two grown children / Has sheep, miniature horses, turkeys, and a darllng black lab named Nova  

For decades now, football has been America’s favorite sport. The NFL generates nearly 20 billion dollars a year and showcases some of the world’s most recognizable players. Everyone knows their team’s quarterback and receivers. But what about the long snapper?

Will Dawson: "Morgan, for those who don’t know, what does a long snapper do?"

Morgan Cox: "On fourth down I will take the ball and snap it back to the punter. And once he punts it, I got to run down the field and try and tackle the most athletic guys on their team usually. And then on a field goal, I'll snap the ball back to the holder and hopefully the laces hit him just in such a way that he can just set the ball down and the ball takes off towards the uprights and goes through the yellow things."

Dawson: "It sounds like an important position."

Cox: "You know, I'm a little biased. I think it's pretty important."

Morgan Cox is one of the most decorated long snappers in NFL history. He’s a Super Bowl champion, a 5-time Pro-Bowler and the first at his position selected as All-Pro.

Dawson: "Patrick Mahomes, O.J. Simpson, J.J. Watt and Morgan Cox, what do all those players have in common?"

Cox: "Well, we all have been in the NFL?"

Dawson: "Five Pro Bowls."

Cox: "Oh, okay."

Dawson: "You guys are all on the same playing field."

Cox: "Okay, I don't know about that. The saying goes is, you know, you're doing your job well if nobody knows your name as a long snapper. And so I love it that way. I get to share the victories that my teammates have, you know, over the years, making kicks, making important kicks at the end of games. I know I played a part in it."

Morgan played college football at Tennessee, however, as vital as his role was, he wasn’t on scholarship. In 2010 he went undrafted in the NFL, though he signed with the Baltimore Ravens, where he would spend eleven seasons. In 2021, he signed with the Tennessee Titans.

“I never wanted to be more than what I was,” said Morgan. “I mean, I knew the gifts that I'd been given. Of course, I would love to be more athletic, would love to be faster, would love to be stronger and all that stuff. When I look back on my journey, there's no real explanation for this path I've been on. I got to be on this ride because I feel God's hand.”

When he was eight-years-old, Morgan gave his life to God.

“I felt the Holy Spirit moving in my life into my heart and I wanted to accept God's gift of Jesus Christ in my heart. And I sat down one day as an eight-year-old and accepted him. 

Morgan recalled, "Of course, it's a big moment right there and one that I pray for my kids as well. And so, I think it's really helped me and shaped my life the way it is and my career, how it is and how I approach things.”

Morgan approaches his playing career much like his life as a Christian.

“That's how I look at the long snapper position as a way of playing a part, even as a small part, is an important part in the body of Christ. And we all play a part in the body of Christ whether no matter what your role is. A servant leader, you know, is something that Jesus talks about, washing the feet of those others. I think my position is a humble position. Like I said before, I try and stayin the background.”

And in spite of his success, Morgan is grateful for the chance to play with some of the biggest names in sports and sees his career as an opportunity to share God’s love.

“As long as God calls me to it, that is, I still feel a calling to the ministry inside the locker room. I still feel that I have a purpose and I'm playing well on the field, that I want to continue playing. But I don't worry about what tomorrow is because all I have to do is look back at how I've gotten to this point."

"Things that happened had to fall exactly into place for me to be here. And so, I truly feel a calling in the locker room to be a presence, a spiritual presence. And so, when hard times come through the season, if I'm battling an injury, battling aches or just mentally struggling or had successes, you know, I give it to God and know that God has me here for a reason," Morgan stated.

Morgan concluded, "It’s just put me in such an amazing position to be where I am around guys that may or may not have heard about the gift of Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and about God.”

Playing in her church pickleball league is more than just a fun exercise for Donna Steuber. After her husband, Bob, of 48 years, passed away in 2022, she needed a way to connect with other Christians.

Donna says: "They've been so precious to me. And, um, I want others to get that too. So I'm always talking it up and inviting people 'cause I want them to have that support."

As a widow, Donna draws strength from her church family and friends. She's also financially secure, thanks to the Biblical principles she and her husband followed for retirement.

Donna adds: "I'm so thankful that we learned the principles of tithing and giving and receiving the blessing of God, And I know God has so much for me. And, um, I'm just blessed because Bob was a hard worker. And all those years of giving, God has just blessed us a hundred-fold."

Putting away that nest egg wasn't without its challenges. As a young couple with four young children, they were trying to get by on one income, living in a small brick home Bob built himself.

Donna remembers: "I had to quit work because it wouldn't pay me to work outside the home and pay a babysitter. We didn't get to go on vacation. That's hard. We didn't have big Christmases. That's hard."

Their struggle with money lasted years, and Donna was in constant fear that they wouldn't have enough. Donna says she knew God was the answer but couldn't turn her fears over to him.

Dona recalls: "I hadn't been ready to submit to him. 'cause I, you know, I needed time to just try to do things my way. And it just brought me to misery."

Finally, Donna decided to give her worries about money over to God. She turned to the Bible and Pat Robertson's teachings on The 700 Club, where she learned how tithing and giving were critical parts of turning their finances around.

Donna says: "So we started tithing, like a few weeks later, he got a raise. We saw that God was moving in our finances and protecting our finances. And it took all the stress and the fear away from us. It brought me to being a generous giver because I never had to fear that we would not have enough. And, um, it changed our whole attitude about money and that God is going to take care of you. You put him first. Tithing is learning to put God first."

They also learned about getting rid of credit card debt, saving, and living within their means. Slowly, they saw God's hand in their finances.

Donna adds: "He was making it all work. I mean, it wasn't like hitting the lottery, but it was just increase, increase, increase, and His protection on all our stuff. And so that was where we really saw, saw that God was in the real world."

After the kids were on their own, Donna went back to work. As They continued to put God's financial plan to work through giving and saving, both were able to retire comfortably.

Donna states," God has taught me to trust Him. It's great not to have any worry or fear over finances. I am so happily retired, and I have more than enough to do what God calls me to do, to go where God calls me to go. And I'm a cheerful giver, certainly."

Part of that giving has been to CBN. Since 1979, Donna has been a faithful partner of The 700 Club.

Donna concludes: "I love CBN. I give to CBN because I trust them. I've seen the great work they've done throughout those 45 years that I've been giving to them. I love that CBN is concerned for the souls of the world. And I am in agreement with that because God is on the move. When you put God first in tithing and giving, He begins to overflow His blessing to you, so you have more time to give to His purpose. I would encourage, especially young people who are struggling, to let God prove Himself that He's faithful. He says that He will open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing so great you can't contain it. And He will rebuke the devour. He'll protect your finances if you will. Trust Him. Trust the Lord. Trust His word. It is true."

Psalm 41:1 says, “Blessed is he who considers the poor; the LORD will deliver Him in time of trouble.” When you partner with CBN, you do more than just give to the poor. You provide hope and the love of Christ through life-giving surgeries, food and clothing programs, humanitarian aid, and so much more! Become a CBN partner, and help transform lives in the name of Jesus Christ! Join us now!

A young boy who was abandoned at age three finds a loving community and education at a ministry supported Orphan's Promise.

“Orphans Promise is here at Heritage Leadership Academy. It is known throughout Kenya for its excellence. These kids have come from hard, hard places, unimaginable poverty. I've had the privilege of meeting a young boy named Roy. He is incredibly smart. He's the top of his class. Roy was abandoned by his mom at the street at the age of three. For three years, no one knew where he was. His grandmother discovered him. She couldn't take care of him. She didn't have the means, but she brought him here. This little boy's going to become something incredible because of the blessing of God.”  - Terry

“When I came here, I was surrounded by a group of friends. I felt warmly welcomed. I have learned a lot.The teachers teach in a way that I can understand. My favorite subject is science because I really enjoy the way it is taught. I think I have become a smart boy. I’ve gotten to know God more. I got to learn that God is always loving and ready to forgive. He has loved me. He's given me food, and I have a family.” – Roy

“The reason we're committed to being a part of this is because there are three things that are significant here. One is discipleship for every child. The other is leadership, but overarching everything is excellence in what they do. Children like Roy will have their lives forever changed because of the work that’s being done here and the legacy it’s foisting into the future.” - Terry

“Thank you Orphan’s Promise for helping me.” - Roy

Do you know that CBN partners can reach people around the world for Christ every day? We invite you to join us in ministry together as we provide financial support to those in need through our life-giving surgeries, food and clothing programs, humanitarian aid, and so much more! When you give today and become a CBN partner, you’ll help transform lives in the name of Jesus Christ! Join us now!