Welcome to Cephas Ministries Offender Housing!

​Mission Statement: To build godly men through teaching the Gospel, using Biblically Based teaching, specifically The Great Commission.

We will be providing addiction recovery programs and offender transitional housing in addition to daily bible study time and worship services.

Cephas – Standing firm for Christ 

In Scripture, there are four occasions where God gave people a new name (Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, and Simon to Cephas).

Imagine going from being one of many fishermen on the sea of Galilee to a pillar of Christ’s church. That is the life change that Peter experienced. His name change came from the Lord Himself. Simon means “he has heard” or “to listen,” probably a good description for someone who spent most of his time out at sea. But everything changed the day his brother Andrew brought Him to meet Jesus.

“Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter)” (John 1:42).

Peter didn’t have any idea at that moment what an amazing role God had in mind for him. But he knew enough to obey Jesus’ call to join Him. A fuller explanation came later on.

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19).

Jesus considered Simon worthy of a tremendous honor, one he would have to grow into. As Peter, he experienced failure and forgiveness, then learned the power of being known and accepted completely by his Savior. Eventually, he lived up to his new name, “rock,” by preaching boldly and helping to build Christ’s church on earth.

“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd…” (Acts 2:14).

“Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose (Acts 9:32-34).

— source, BibleStudyTools.com