Ministry: Better Man program expands into Fannin jail
It’s said there is a hunger in a man’s spirit that comes from a sense of hopelessness. And it’s hunger Bill Rush says he has seen in the eyes of so many who began the Better Man program.
But the program will make the man “a better husband, father, son and Christian...a better person altogether,” Rush says. For instance, men learn that their wife is God’s daughter and should be treated as such.
Rush believes in the program so much, careful to say its success is “all by God’s work,” that he agreed to take it into the Fannin County Jail.
With the help of other volunteers, Rush shares the Better Man program with 40 inmates once a week. Now two weeks into the program, there are nine weeks left.
The Better Man ministry is an outreach of The Ridge Community Church.
Rush tells how one day church member Paul Toy was talking about Better Man and what a great idea it would be to take it into the local jail. Toy said his thought, “Was all Jesus’ idea.” He asked Rush if he would be interested in helping get it to the inmates.
Rush agreed, knowing Better Man was “something we thought would work.”
The next thing Rush knew he was in charge of Better Man. He now leads two meetings every Friday night that last about two hours each.
Rush says he’s honest with the men from the beginning. He tells them he doesn’t have to be there, that he could be home relaxing in his recliner. “I’m here because God wants me to be here (and) because of the Holy Spirit and His love.”
Seeing this honesty and love, the men “open up and start sharing with you,” Rush says.
“A brotherhood (is created) when men can open up and share,” Rush says.
When men start talking about their mistakes, Better Man tells them “how God can turn that around.”
Rush tells the inmates, “You can come out and do anything you want to do.”
He tells them how their despair and feelings of hopelessness are the devil working on them. He tells them to never neglect their quiet time with God in fighting what the devil throws at them.
The inmates at the Fannin County Jail are not the first to go through Better Man.
Rush himself has gone through the program three times. After the third time, he taught the program to a class of ten men at his home. “Every time I did it or taught it, I learned something new,” Rush said.
Some 200 men from The Ridge have completed the course.
“If we could get this into every church, we could change families,” Rush said.
And what happens to the men in the Fannin County Jail after the Better Man program and after they get out of jail.
They’ll be asked to come to the weekly Better Man breakfast as those who have also gone through the program work to help them get back into society. “Iron sharpens iron,” Rush says.