Steve Francis

Prot. Chaplain, (Ret) Centinela State Prison, Imperial, CA

Serve in that position from Oct. 1 1994 - Aug. 22, 2014 when force to retire due to broken leg. God richly blessed the programs in such a way that we were asked to do beta studies of what haw now available nation wide and expanding into other nations.

Married to Kathie for 36 years as of 12/25/1978. Two girls and two boys, five granddaughters and two grandsons with another on the way.

I pastored two churches in Washington state over about five years. Though I believed God had called me to the pastorate, I found it very frustrating.  The politics of the churches and the few men who were interested in discipleship from a younger man.  I was out of the full-time ministry for nine years when I was hired by the California Department of Corrections (change to CDCR for Rehabilitation) to serve as the Chaplain at Centinela State Prison seventeen miles from our home.  
My father in law (my pastor also) believed I was making a huge mistake.  He changed his mind over a couple of years as he heard from other what was happening.  Eventually one of the elder from the church began volunteering as a Chaplain and he kept our pastor updated on what God was doing at the prison.
During my twenty years at Centinela close to eleven thousand men came and left to parol or transfer to another prison.  Many to carry on the discipleship and Bible educations that they received while there.  Some are now pastors or lay leaders in churches in California, Arizona, Mexico, South America and even in Africa.  
Six years ago we were approached by Prison Fellowship concerning a new program that they wanted the eleven prisons in Southern California to try out with the goal of eventually offering it to all of the thirty-seven prisons in CA and then to spread across the nation and beyond.  The Urban Ministries Institute (TUMI) is comprised of sixteen ten week modules that lead to a certificate rather than a degree.  The curriculum is very similar to what I took in Bible College, English Bible, Systematic Theology, Church History, Ethics and other preparatory courses to increase the understanding of the Word of God.  It was a real privilege to examine the program and then to to recommend it to others.

Currently I am spending time mostly at home.  A book is in the works concerning the work at CEN and I am working on a blog, though it come in to existence slowly.  I would appreciate pray as I have a number of health issues.  My back has been a problem almost since birth. On February 20, 2014 was my 65th birthday.  On the very next day suffered a compound fracture tibia in my right leg as well a green branch break of the fibula and a fracture of the left ankle.  I intended to return to work on or about September 1st, however, my benefits ran out on August 21st leaving me with two options, a leave of absence or retirement.  I could not afford to the loss of my full income so I visited the Social Security office and the state Pension office and, though I took a cut, it was not as severe as I thought it would be.