Rev. Rick Cawthon retired from the Air Force in October 1994. He retired with 17 ½ years of service to enter into full-time ministry. Rick received a B.A. Degree in Christian Education from Berean University in Springfield, Missouri. He served as an Associate Pastor and as a Senior Pastor in churches before becoming a full-time Good News Jail & Prison Ministry Chaplain in April 2004.

Rick and his wife, Kim, moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where Rick is serving as the first Good News Chaplain in eastern Wisconsin. Rick has received a mandate from God, to preach the good news of the Gospel to those who are in prisons or jails. God has used tragedies from Rick’s and Kim’s lives and turned them into a passion to reach lost souls for Christ. The scripture that has fueled this passion is Hebrews 13:3a, “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” (NIV) Rick and Kim have two children, Christopher and Brieanne. They have two beautiful grandchildren, Hannah Mykel and Justin Credible.

If you would like to speak to Chaplin Rick he can be reached at rick.cawthon@goodnewsjail.org or (920) 459-1356.

Good News provides spiritually mature, equipped, and motivated Christian chaplains to serve in correctional facilities nationally and internationally.

Our chaplains meet the spiritual needs of both inmates and staff through ministry that includes evangelism, discipleship, and pastoral attention, while facilitating other religious faiths within the guidelines established by law and the individual correctional facility.

Our Organization

Founded in 1961, Good News Jail & Prison Ministry is a Christian outreach that provides chaplains, volunteers, counseling, and educational programs to jails and prisons in 21 US states and 21 countries or territories worldwide. Good News believes that each one of the 9.6 million (2.3 million US) people incarcerated in the world today represents a broken life and a family in pain. Yet they also embody amazing opportunities for hope, healing, hearts to be made whole, and lives to be given to Christ. When this happens, the transformational changes that result are carried forward exponentially and experienced eternally.

A Message From The President

It has been a great joy to be part of this ministry since 1965. The Lord has allowed me to serve in various capacities with this ministry including being a volunteer, chaplain, chairman of president's councils, board of directors, and vice president. While I had other ministries in the pastorate and academia, my heart was never far from prison ministry.

This is a ministry that reaches the forgotten people of the world. While inmates may be forgotten by people, they are never far from the heart of God. I am often moved by the story of the thief on the cross. His only hope was in grace and mercy. The words our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to him are so moving! "Today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:42b)

Prison ministry is a difficult, challenging ministry, yet so very rewarding. At any hour of any given day there are Good News chaplains ministering the Word of God all around the world. You see, an inmate in a jail or prison is no different from you and me. We are all sinners, and an inmate who makes a decision to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior is no different from any one of us who has made that decision. It's all of grace!

If I could only have a few words to tell you what Good News Jail & Prison Ministry is all about, it is this: God sent His only Son to reach all who have sinned – Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, rich, poor, businessmen, teachers and, yes, prisoners. It makes no difference to Him. And Good News chaplains are there to take the Gospel message to correctional facilities throughout the United States and many foreign countries.

We would love to provide more information to you about our ministry around the world. If there is a Good News Ministry in your area, contact the chaplain. Go and see how he or she ministers in a jail or prison near you, or let us send you material about what God is doing in inmates’ lives.

We also want you to know that above all else, we want God to be glorified as we seek to maintain the biblical standards God has set before us by operating this ministry with integrity, honesty and high moral character.

Please prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in reaching lost men and women “behind the walls” as Good News provides chaplains to prisons in the USA and around the world.

In the United States over 7.2 million Americans are on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole. That’s approximately 1 in every 32 adults. Most of the people behind bars are not there for life. 95% of the men and women in our jails and prisons right now will be back in society.

Good News Jail & Prison Ministry is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, fully funded through gifts and donations from businesses, churches, foundations, and individuals committed to seeing lives and families restored and patterns of generational violence broken forever.

The sun never sets on Good News Jail & Prison Ministry. Our chaplains are called to minister to those behind bars and offer hope that God changes lives even when hope is lost and all else has failed. They count it a privilege to serve in their communities and be part of a global ministry that brings the message of God’s grace, love and forgiveness.

There are several ways you can stand with us in this vital community ministry:

• Open your heart through prayer
• Ask God how you too can serve in this mission field
• Become an advocate in your small group or church, introducing the ministry to others
• Invest in our community by supporting this ministry as a giving partner

Ministry Volunteer Opportunities

If you’re interested in volunteering for ministry opportunities, please contact Chaplain Rick Cawthon at: rick.cawthon@goodnewsjailorg or 920-459-1356. and complete this form: MinistryVolunteerApplication

For a list of upcoming ministry events visit www.goodnewsjail.org and select Sheboygan, WI.

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