The Souvay Memorial Library benefits from the donation of many books and materials, but sometimes receives duplicate donations of works that are already in the collection. In this partnership with the Freedom on the Inside program, Souvay donates books to the JCCC library for student use. Souvay will prioritize duplicate donations from major theologians and church fathers for donation to the Freedom on the Inside Library.

These works have been made available to Freedom on the Inside students for the Fall 2022 semester and will be available moving forward.

鈥淎s director of Freedom on the Inside, the students and I are thankful for this gift, and eagerly wait to use this gift in our academic pursuit of God鈥檚 glory,鈥� said Freedom on the Inside Site Director Rodrick Sweet.

HLGU and Souvay Memorial Library would like to thank the MOBIUS courier service for making this partnership feasible.

You can find out more about HLGU鈥檚 Freedom on the Inside program by clicking here.

In partnership with the Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) and the Global Prison Seminaries Foundation, 番茄社区 University will provide theological education for long-term prisoners by offering an undergraduate Christian studies degree program within the maximum-security Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC), beginning this fall. The program鈥檚 goal is to equip offenders to work as field ministers in prisons across the state.

Sweet will be responsible for the administration and oversight of HLGU鈥檚 program at JCCC and be the primary point of contact for the program for HLGU, MDOC, and all other constituencies. He will also help raise money and awareness for support of the program.

鈥淲e are so excited to have a man of Rodrick鈥檚 character and competency join HLGU and lead this ministry initiative,鈥� stated Dr. Anthony Allen, HLGU President. 鈥淲hile we are always grateful to find people with Mr. Sweet鈥檚 commitment to the Scripture, biblical training, and ministry skill, we are especially gratified that he comes to us with prison ministry experience. In a prior role, Rodrick helped run one of the most successful ministry programs of this sort in the country. This will help tremendously in our implementation process as he has experience and expertise in this type of program.鈥�

Sweet is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy with a concentration in homiletics and biblical theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) in Fort Worth, TX, and is slated to graduate from that program in the fall of 2021.

He served as pastor of New Horizon Bible Fellowship Church in Pearland, TX for 20 years, and from 2013-2019, served as the senior administrative associate at SWBTS, assisting with the seminary鈥檚 own maximum security prison program, teaching classes in biblical theology and pastoral leadership, preaching in the prison chapel, and establishing and overseeing a student chapel preaching ministry.

Sweet and his wife Cozette have been married for 12 years, and are the proud parents of their 8-year-old daughter, Rose. His hobbies include music, cooking, and taekwondo.

HLGU is still seeking financial support for Freedom on the Inside. For more information, or to donate, contact Dr. Ray Carty at 573.629.3094, or via email at rcarty@hlg.edu. Gifts can also be made online at hlg.edu/giving.