A Cheerful Giver: Governor’s Own Cash Helps Bring the Gospel Behind Bars
A Christian politician, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is changing the lives of multitudes of his constituents within his state. That now even includes those who are incarcerated.
This past week, Youngkin announced that he plans to donate his first-quarter salary for 2023 to Good News Jail & Prison Ministry, an organization dedicated to supplying faith-based resources for jails and prisons in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and worldwide.
Youngkin presented the Henrico, Virginia-based ministry this week with a check for $43,750. He receives an annual salary of $175,000.
“I pledged to serve without accepting a salary to support Virginians in every way I can,” Youngkin said in a statement. “This administration continues to respect the law and those inside the criminal justice system with increase access to mental health services, best practices for trade skill acquisition and by maintaining excellence in the restoration of rights process, among other priorities.”
Second Corinthians 9:7-8 reads, “Let every man give according to the purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work.”
Gov. Youngkin said he selected the faith-based organization because of the way it exemplifies “the heart and spirit of Virginia” by providing hope, resources and transformational opportunities for incarcerated Virginians.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden proclaimed April 2023 as Second Chance Month
In honor of Second Chance Month, Youngkin and his wife, First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, praised the life-changing mission of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry. “We firmly believe that every Virginian deserves an opportunity to flourish and we are grateful for this opportunity to support great and Godly works.”
Good News Jail and Prison Ministry accepted the check with deep gratitude.
“Thank you, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Suzanne, for your gift to bring the gospel to inmates in over 350 jails and prisons worldwide,” the organization posted on Facebook.
The organization seeks to raise $150,000 to support chaplains who seek to share the gospel with thousands of inmates a year and thereby give them a “second chance at a new beginning in Christ.”
President Jon Evans says Good News’ Life Learning Program is “a structured approach to teaching inmates the truth of God’s Word.”
“As they grasp what God has done for them in Christ, a flame of hope for their future is ignited and many begin to believe for the first time that their lives matter.”
Gov. Youngkin also continues to fight for the interests of his state, including helping to pass legislation to “protect our agriculture from acquisition by entities owned by the Chinese Communist Party.”
“We were able to ban TikTok and WeChat. And listen, at the end of the day, I’m just going to make sure that Virginia isn’t using taxpayer money in order to facilitate games by companies that are benefiting the Chinese Communist Party,” Youngkin told Hugh Hewitt on “The Hugh Hewitt Podcast.” {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma News.
