Helping ex-offenders achieve successful reentry into society

Come and participate!  Riverside House will be hosting a time of prayer in preparation for the upcoming Weekend of Champions evangelistic outreach event to several Dade/Broward prisons and jails August 27-29, 2009.  We will be meeting the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at Riverside House located at 968 N.W. 2 Street, Miami, Fl 33128.  If you would like to be a part of affecting change in the lives of thousands of inmates, and praying for a powerful outreach to occur through Weekend of Champions, then this is for you!!!  For more information, please contact Yvette Forbes, Chaplain, at 305-326-9799 ext 104 / yforbes@riverside-house.org.

Riverside House, a non-profit, faith-based, residential reentry center, assists Federal offenders in achieving successful reentry into society after incarceration.  Established in 1972, it became the first in the nation to experiment with the rehabilitation of ex-offenders.  Today, Riverside House is a co-ed 80 bed residential reentry center that provides a  holistic approach towards the offender which is accomplished by its vision and mission statement: “Riverside Christian Ministries, Inc. exist to guide people convicted of crime into becoming productive citizens.  This will be accomplished by Community Based Reentry, Community Outreach, Pastoral Care, and Aftercare/Outpatient Services.”

Cleveland Bell III, Executive Director

Cleveland Bell III became Executive Director of Riverside House in 1977.  As a former ex-offender, Mr. Bell was no stranger to the feelings of frustration, anger, and rebellion often felt by those with similar backgrounds.  Over the past 37 plus years through the continuous outpouring of Mr. Bell’s personal life experiences with fellow men and women, and the dedicated, hard work of staff and Board members, the ministry of Riverside House has reached thousands of ex-offenders through jail groups, out-client participation, prison outreach, and inner city activities.

Bill Glass Teammate Volunteers

Started in 1969 as the Bill Glass Evangelistic Association by founder Bill Glass, the Ministry of Champions for Life evolved from a small City-Wide crusade ministry to the world’s largest evangelistic prison ministry that now includes one of the most effective youth outreach ministries in the country.  Over the last 35 plus years, Bill Glass and Champions for Life have shared the Gospel of Jesus in thousands of towns, cities, churches, prisons, jails and youth facilities across the United States and several foreign countries.  Their mission statement is to: “Assist the church by equipping and igniting Christians to share their faith in Jesus Christ with the ‘least of these’”.  Prior to founding Champions for Life, Bill Glass made a name for himself as one of the most outstanding football players in the National Football League.  He was a consensus All American at Baylor University .  Working with his life-long friend, Dr. Bill Bright, he helped establish the Campus Crusade for Christ chapter on the Baylor Campus.   He was a member of the 1964 Cleveland Browns team who beat the Baltimore Colts to win the NFL World Championship one year prior to the first Super Bowl. Four – time All Pro and College and Texas Sports Hall of Fame were some of Bill’s athletic credentials. He finally retired in 1969 after 22 yrs in amateur and professional football without missing a work out or game.

Platform Guest Speaker, NFL Player

Get ready and sign up today!!!  Weekend of Champions is back for a second year starting August 27-29, 2009 in Miami, Florida. Riverside House will collaborate with Jack “Murf the Surf” Murphy and Bill Glass Champions for Life Ministries to host the Weekend of Champions event.  The Weekend of Champions, under Champions for Life’s prison ministry, takes a group of professional athletes and entertainers into the prisons of America, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and South Africa in an attempt to reach inmates who normally never set foot in the prison chapel.  The organization spends two days in five to 15 separate institutions simultaneously in any given geographical area.  In addition to the athletes and entertainers, the organization also relies on the help of volunteers known as the Bill Glass “Teammates”.  Each volunteer’s participation is vital to the Ministry as these individuals spend each day with the inmates, visiting, encouraging and sharing one-on-one.  Riverside House is currently seeking men and women of God to participate in this exciting weekend either as a volunteer or as a financial donor.  Volunteers can make a difference by signing up as a teammate to minister in prisons, as well as a host of other volunteers to help make the weekend a success.  For more information on volunteering for Weekend of Champions, please call Ms Forbes at (305) 326-9799 x104 or visit www.billglasschampionsforlife.org.  Persons may also send monetary donations towards the cost of the event, which is $10,000.  Please make check payable to “Champions for Life” and please include in the “memo” of the check: “Miami Event”.  Check should be mailed to: Champions for Life, P.O. Box 761101, Dallas, TX 75376.

Jack Murphy

Jack “Murph the Surf” Murphy, known for committing what has been called the “Jewel Robbery of the Century”, lifted more than $2million in gems from the J.P. Morgan collection in New York City.  While serving 21 years in prison for the jewel heist and other serious crimes, Murf met Bill Glass, former All Pro football player and founder of Champions for Life.  That encounter and a decision to follow Christ changed Murf’s life for eternity.  Upon his release in 1985, Murf soon returned to prison, this time as a featured platform guest, speaking to inmates about his 21 years behind bars and boldy proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus.  A regular on Christian TV and radio, Murf has been a guest on CNN’s Larry King Live.  He is an accomplished painter, musician and author of his book Jewels for the Journey.  In 1997, for his lifetime achievement, he was inducted into the Surfing Legends Hall of Fame.  Now living in Crystal River, Florida with his wife, Kitten, Jack is the International Director for the Dallas based Champions for Life Ministries.

Bill Glass

Started in 1969 as the Bill Glass Evangelistic Association by founder Bill Glass, the Ministry of Champions for Life evolved from a small City-Wide crusade ministry to the world’s largest evangelistic prison ministry that now includes one of the most effective youth outreach ministries in the country.  Over the last 35 plus years, Bill Glass and Champions for Life have shared the Gospel of Jesus in thousands of towns, cities, churches, prisons, jails and youth facilities across the United States and several foreign countries.  Their mission statement is to: “Assist the church by equipping and igniting Christians to share their faith in Jesus Christ with the ‘least of these’”.  Prior to founding Champions for Life, Bill Glass made a name for himself as one of the most outstanding football players in the National Football League.  He was a consensus All American at Baylor University .  Working with his life-long friend, Dr. Bill Bright, he helped establish the Campus Crusade for Christ chapter on the Baylor Campus.   He was a member of the 1964 Cleveland Browns team who beat the Baltimore Colts to win the NFL World Championship one year prior to the first Super Bowl. Four – time All Pro and College and Texas Sports Hall of Fame were some of Bill’s athletic credentials. He finally retired in 1969 after 22 yrs in amateur and professional football without missing a work out or game.

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