Three Ways to Learn
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Victor Glover found life in Christ while in prison and began to share his faith with others there. In this episode, you’ll hear how Victor worked with God to love, serve, and build community in an unexpected place. Listen and be reminded of how Christian community can transform lives, even in the loneliest of places.
Victor Glover has been in ministry, serving as Senior Pastor/Church Planter, at Last Days World Outreach Ministries. He’s happily married with three boys and holds a BS in Religion and Biblical and Theological Studies from Liberty University. Victor has served as a CIMP Chaplain and is currently the Co-Director of the Southeast Region of CGGC. Victor has a passion for Church Planting and Fresh Expressions outside the four walls and serves on a variety of boards and committees and is CEO/Executive Director Father’s On The Move – a national movement serving inside Federal and State prisons with pre and post release services while planting churches inside these facilities.
In season 5 of the Fresh Expressions podcast, we’re exploring the loneliness epidemic that is sweeping across North America and learning how new kinds of Christian community can help.
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Interview Summary
“So now all they have to do is come home, connect with your vision and go to work.” – Victor Glover
This powerful statement by Victor Glover during this episode of the Fresh Expressions podcast encapsulates the transformative journey that begins within the confines of a prison and continues into the world beyond. In this episode, host Heather Jallad shares a conversation with Victor Glover, a pioneer in community building among the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, as he shares his insights on combating loneliness and fostering community through his ministry.
Victor Glover, the visionary behind Last Days World Outreach Ministries and Fathers on the Move, carries a unique and authentic perspective shaped by his own experiences with incarceration. Now a resident of North Carolina, Glover’s journey from being called “pastor” within the prison yards to leading transformative community programs offers a firsthand look into the redemptive power of faith and community.
The Birth of a Ministry
Victor’s transformative journey began within the prison walls where he found his calling and purpose. He recounts, “God got hold of my life… and I found my calling and purpose as I walked those yards,” describing a profound spiritual awakening that led him to start Bible studies and pastoral care among inmates. This foundational experience is pivotal, as Victor notes, “I begin to preach out in the yard like Paul and Silas did… and God just begin to move.” His early efforts to reach out to other inmates laid the groundwork for his lifelong ministry, emphasizing the deep connection between personal transformation and the mission to serve.
“He begin to show me, he begin to train me… and I begin to live it out.”
Community Building with the Incarcerated
Victor emphasizes creating a robust support system within prisons that addresses personal transformation as a precursor to community integration. He explains his methodology: “We begin to attack those issues and men begin to find themselves,” highlighting the importance of personal accountability and support in rehabilitation. Victor’s programs encourage inmates to confront their personal challenges head-on, which he believes is critical for effective reintegration.
“We began to create a safe space where men could dump out… where men was not going to be judged.”
Leadership and Empowerment
Expanding on the theme of empowerment, Victor discusses how his program evolves to focus on leadership training, preparing inmates to not only rejoin society but to lead within it. He states, “We have another graduation to recognize and celebrate those men. Right now, the level two guys become facilitators,” illustrating the shift from rehabilitation to active leadership. This aspect of his ministry is designed to cultivate a sense of responsibility and capability in the inmates, enabling them to become positive influences in their communities post-release.
“Now they are facilitating. They’re leading by example… And now we’re seeing those guys coming, they’re giving their lives to Christ.”
Expanding Impact
Victor’s vision extends beyond the individual, aiming to impact the broader community through a network of transformed leaders. He shares, “From that day I have been serving in that one camp 28 years,” underscoring his long-term commitment to the cause. The scalability of his approach is evident as he mentions, “We’re showing these guys, hey God is moving outside the building,” which points to the adaptive and expansive nature of his ministry. This outreach not only transforms individuals but also aims to shift societal perceptions about the incarcerated and their potential for positive contributions post-release.
“We’re planning and I mean literally we got a pastor going … We’re teaching them the five levels of, of the church world and how the church look today.”
Victor Glover’s story is not just a narrative of personal redemption but also a compelling blueprint for how targeted community-building efforts can profoundly affect the lives of individuals touched by the criminal justice system, exemplifying the transformative power of support, leadership development, and community engagement.
Reflection Questions
- How does Victor’s story inspire you to think about the concept of redemption and second chances?
- What role does community play in personal transformation, according to Victor’s experiences?
- What can we learn from the mentorship and leadership training aspects of Victor’s programs?
- In what ways does Victor’s approach align with the principles of Fresh Expressions of church?
- How can the concepts discussed be applied to other areas of community building and ministry?
- What barriers exist to implementing such programs more broadly, and how might they be overcome?
