New Brothers, Inc.

Problem & Solution

New Brothers Fellowship is Bridging the Gap

Who We Are

TO, BY, FOR
The most important people behind New Brothers Fellowship are the members of the Body of Christ. Without the support of the men and women of God, this ministry could never take place. From the beginning, the Lord made that clear. He called us as missionaries to bring that truth home to us in a very practical sense. He never wanted us to think this was about Doug and Caroline. This ministry is all about Him, and His Body---to the Body, by the Body, and for the Body for Christ. We recognize that without the men and women of God who give, pray, and serve, NBF would not survive. They are very much who New Brothers Fellowship is, and always has been.

HISTORY
Around 1996, Paul Sidmore, the Chaplain at the Essex County Correctional Facilities, recognized the need for Christian fellowship for men who had come to know Christ during their incarceration. He knew that if they did not continue to walk with God after their release, they would soon return to their old ways, and eventually be back in prison. To address this need, he would call on men himself and organize times of fellowship as often as possible. He was the originator of this ministry, and passed down the duties of leadership to his successor, Chaplain Ray Perez.

Chaplain Ray brought a little more definition to NBF, but at this time the demands of a full-time chaplain ministry made it impossible for him to develop NBF’s potential himself. He recognized that this work needed a dedicated, full-time director.  In 2004, he felt led of God to share the vision of New Brothers Fellowship with a recent prison ministry volunteer, Doug Gregan.

This where we enter the history of New Brothers Fellowship, and it is an honor to be in such a line of men of God. Our story before Doug’s appointment to Directorship of NBF will have to saved for another time and place. However, we would like to share some the continuing story of New Brothers Fellowship.

THE GREGANS
In September 2004, after approximately a year of volunteering at the EECF, assisting Chaplain Ray, the Lord called Doug into full-time prison ministry. Two months later, he was appointed the Director of NBF, and our family entered full-time prison aftercare ministry as home missionaries. At this point in time, NBF consisted of a few sheets of paper. We weren’t really clear about anything, but we knew the need, saw the potential, and recognized this was the opportunity of a lifetime.  We eagerly said, “Yes, Lord!” We were excited, naïve, inexperienced, and willing. We had no idea what being full-time missionaries meant, but we knew this was the call of God. 

Entering the mission field and full-time ministry the way we did was certainly unorthodox by most people’s standards. We have sometimes thought that only people in our position, without proper ministerial training or experience, would have accepted such a position. In other words, anyone else would said, “But, there’s no job description, no salary or benefits, nothing to even build on!” They would have been smart enough to know this was an assignment destined to fail according to every standard of man. If we had relied on man’s standards as our test of God’s faithfulness, we probably would have quit the next month. Instead, somehow, we realized this job was going to cost us everything, but God would take care of us.

And, He has.

 

Ministry Elements

M I N I S T R Y   C O M P O N E N T S
The Primary Elements of New Brothers Fellowship

M I N I S T R Y    I N S I D E
One of the primary goals is to help men prepare spiritually for their release while they're still inside. Men are understandably focused on their material needs when they get out: Jobs, transportation, and housing. They are also eager to restore relationships. However, we know that if a man does not have a committed walk with Christ upon his release, and a local Body of Christ waiting to receive him, it won't matter what else he does have.

It is Doug's goal to be in as many prisons as possible each month. As of April, 2008, the Lord opened the door for Doug to minister at five different facilities around the state.

Church Directories
To help men find a church while they are inside, we are working on a directory that will provide men with an introduction to the churches in their region. This resource will be a virtual handshake from the Body of Christ to that New Brother. It will help him begin to see that there are Brothers and Sisters in Christ waiting for him. Directories will be distributed to the prisons, halfway and sober houses, and volunteers. We are praying that the first directories will be ready for distribution by the Spring of 2009.

NBF Inside
Additionally, we are reaching men inside with a newsletter called NBF Inside. Each month NBF Inside contains a devotional, church profiles, the ministry calendar, and other elements of encouragement. We believe this ministry tool will dramatically extend the reach of New Brothers Fellowship into prisons. It's a  powerful thing to share NBF at a chapel service and then have a man come up to me and say, "I didn't know NBF existed. This is just what I've been praying for---this is exactly what I need." The face of a man who has new hope for his future is more than heartwarming---it's awesome!

M I N I S T R Y    O U T S I D E
Helping men follow Christ upon their release from prison, begins by building relationships inside prison walls. We do that by serving in facilities throughout the state, through NBF mailings, and by connecting with other prison volunteers and ministers. Upon a New Brother’s release, we continue these relationships with phone calls, counseling, mailings, regional Small Group meetings, NBF Gatherings, and being available to help in practical ways.

NBF Groups
The first NBF Discipleship Group began in Amesbury in September 2007. As of April 2010 we have been running three out of five target DG's and will soon be launching another group in Salem. See the Discipleship Group page for more information. This is a wonderful testimony to God's faithfulness and presence in this work.

These discipleship groups meet weekly at the same location and are led by Doug with the help of several volunteers from local churches. Each group has a facilitator, a mature Christian man, who leads the group in Doug's absence. These are "Men Only" meetings and they have proven to be very fruitful. We are excited!

NBF Gatherings
Gatherings are an opportunity for the Church and New Brothers to come together for worship and fellowship. A local church in Essex County will host the evening with refreshments, followed by an arts ministry such as drama or special music. These meetings are an excellent way for churches to extend a simple, loving handshake to men as they strive to connect with the Body of Christ.

Mission Statement

What We Believe

N B F    S T A T E M E N T    O F    F A I T H
Our fundamental doctrines for New Brothers Fellowship.

Please Note (*) - These are the fundamental doctrines specific to NBF. This is an interdenominational ministry that depends on the entire Body of Christ. Some doctrines of the churches we have relationships with may vary, but not on the foundational Christian doctrines.

• We believe the Holy Bible, both Old and New testaments, is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and only authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

• We believe there is only one God, eternally existent and revealed in the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10,11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22)

• We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of the Father. (Matthew 1:23;  Luke 1:31;  Luke 1:35;  Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38;  1 Corinthians 15:3; Acts 1:9;  2 Corinthians 5:21;  Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:11; Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3)

• We believe man, created in God’s image, willingly sinned. The fall separated him from a right relationship with God and created man’s need for a Savior. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12-19)

• We believe the gift of Salvation is for everyone and anyone who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of their sin. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, all may be restored to a right relationship with God. (John 3:16; Romans 10:13; Titus 3:5-7; Ephesians 2:8; John 3:3)

• We believe that righteousness occurs at salvation, but that sanctification should be the life-long pursuit of every Believer. (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 13:12; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Romans 6:1-11; Romans 6:13; Romans 8:1-2; Romans 8:13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 1:5)

• * We believe in individual apostasy, that is, the willful disowning of Christ and departure from the Body of Christ and the Christian faith. This apostasy is the consequence of a deliberate and volitional choice to depart from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12, John 15:1-8, 2 Peter 2:1,12-15, 20-22)

• We believe the church is the visible Body of Christ, and that Believers should be under the authority of their Pastor and church leadership. We believe every Believer has been called to fulfill The Great Commission, actively serving God through their church, being faithful stewards of their time, talents, and money. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:22; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; 1 Corinthians 12:13;Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:12)

• * We believe the Scriptures plainly teach that divinely called and qualified women may serve the Body of Christ in the ministry of the Word and in leadership. (Joel 2:29; Acts 21:9; 1 Corinthians 11:5, Galatians 3:28)

• We believe the ordinance of Water Baptism by immersion is the obligation of every Believer, a symbolic identification with Christ’s burial and resurrection and a public testimony of their faith. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47,48; Romans 6:4)

• We believe the ordinance of Holy Communion is the privilege of every Believer, a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death for our salvation and His eminent return. (2 Peter 1:4; 1 Corinthians 11:26)

• We believe divine healing and deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers. (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16)

• We believe in the blessed hope, the rapture of the Church at Christ’s coming. We believe in the resurrection and final judgment of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation. We believe in the new heavens and the new earth and the holy Jerusalem, the city of God, descending out of heaven and filled with the glory of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7;Revelation 19:11-14; Revelation 20:1-6; Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalm 72:3-8; Micah 4:3-4; Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:11-15; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelations 21, 22)

• * We believe the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from receiving the Holy Spirit at regeneration and is God’s promise to every Believer, to endue them with power for Christian living and service. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Acts 8:12-17; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 11:14-16; Acts 15:7-9; John 7:37-39; Acts 2:42; Mark 16:20)

• * We believe that the initial evidence of the Baptism is as it was at Pentecost. (Acts 2:4, 10:45-47, 19:6)