Jail Ministry

Bible Studies is a ministry of Central Baptist Church of Ocala, Florida. It is an open ministry, available to all who seek after God’s Word through correspondence courses and tracts.

The major focus is directed to the Marion County Jail, where the incarcerated are usually kept no more than a year. Our courses follow the inmates as they are moved from jail to other facilities or prisons. Lessons have been sent into over 50 different Department of Corrections Institutions where prisoners of Marion county Jail were sent after sentencing. About a dozen of these men and women have developed into real soul winners for Christ. When they are transferred, it is not long before they begin asking for material to be sent to fellow prisoners. The students are encouraged to continue the courses upon their release and return home.

All Bible correspondence courses are free including mailing. Donated Bibles are supplied to the Jail. The spread of our ministry is by word of mouth from the enrollees to inmates, families or friends wherever located.

The courses are provided, or will be made available for the following age groups: 4-12 year olds; teens; and adults.

The student receives a certificate for each course passed with a grade of 70% or better on all tests. The number of lessons for each course varies from two to twenty-five. Generally, about six lessons are sent our at one time. when tests are received back, they are graded, recorded and then returned with more lessons to be completed on the same course or on a new course.

There are 36 courses provided through “SLM International (Source of Light Ministries International, Inc.). It is the policy of Source of Light to use the King James Version of the Bible in its lessons. However, where the meaning of words which are not in use today is encountered, SLM IBC. reserves the right to express their meaning in present-day English.

Bible Studies is a volunteer group of part-time workers who administer the correspondence courses. Central Baptist Church funds the costs. Volunteers are delivering the courses to Marion County Jail to save postage cost.

Jim & Brenda Fesperman took over the ministry in 2013 and been joined by other dedicated volunteers through the following years. Currently there are 4 volunteers from our Church family grading, sending lessons and/or delivering lessons. New volunteers are always welcome to be part of this ministry of sharing the Gospel and teaching the new or backsliding believer about the Lord’s will for their life and how the Lord would have us live.

The ministry has been blessed to receive hundreds of testimonies of salvation, rededication, repentance, and sanctification from many students. Some adults who have very low reading levels profess to being able to understand the Bible with help from the studies and of course the Holy Spirit. Many thanks are sent to us for helping them learn of God’s mighty Word.