The purpose of the Onesimus Workshop is to orient churches to the process of welcoming former prisoners into the life of their church for building up the body of Christ.

World Impact's I2I ministry initiative (shorthand for Incarceration to Incorporation) is designed to enable disciples of Jesus in prison to grow as emerging disciples of the Church Inside-the-Walls through TUMI satellite training, and successfully transition from serving time in prisons and jails to becoming productive members of the local church. Once released as returning citizens, we hope to partner with local churches to empower them to continue their growth as healthy disciples of Jesus in their communities as well as effective servants and witnesses of Christ to the neighborhoods where they live and work.

The Onesimus Workshop is one of I2I's key resources. This workshop was named after the runaway slave, Onesimus ("useful"), who became Paul's helpful protege while in prison (c.f., the book of Philemon). The Onesimus Workshop is itself an introductory orientation training resource that calls and equips local churches, ministries, and organizations to incorporate returning citizens into their churches to serve as healthy church members and gifted servants for the church's outreach and effective ministry.

This resource consists of:

• Facilitators Guide -- tips for facilitation of this workshop
• Workbook -- 4 Lessons helping your church members to better understand the Onesimus Vision, Prison Culture,
  the Process of Re-enculturation for former prisoners, and Next Steps
• DVD -- 4 lessons, approximately 20-30 minutes each in length that teaches through the outline of the workbook

Join with us in making a difference for the Kingdom by deeply impacting the lives and families of former prisoners!