Colbert Countian's Letter to Church of the Highlands

April 16, 2018

Mr. Chris Hodges
Founder and Senior Pastor of Church of The Highlands
4700 Highlands Way
Birmingham, Alabama 35210

Dear Mr. Hodges:

It has come to my attention as well as others that Chester and Joe Mckinney have opened a halfway house. Their plan is to house former inmates that were incarcerated at the same prisons where Church of The Highlands ministry operates. The two men presently living at the Four Way Inn Motel at 512 Hwy 43 S Tuscumbia, Al 35674, are convicted sex offenders. Both men were brought into our community in secrecy without a word from Chester or Joe Mckinney. There was no notification by law SB 301 from our Sheriff Frank Williamson.

On March 20, 2018 during our County Commissioners meeting I addressed the Commissioners concerning this “so called” halfway house. Not long after, Chester McKinney spoke and explained his plan for this program headed by Willie Simpson. Mr. McKinney announced to the public that Church of The Highlands is helping with this program. Mr. McKinney also told the Tuscumbia Mayor Bubba Underwood that Church of the Highlands was to oversee the sex offenders.

This poses SERIOUS questions for Colbert County...

1. What part does Church of the Highlands (COH) play in the plan for a halfway house here in Colbert County, in the State/ ADOC, and in other cities?

2. What connection is there between COH and LifeLink ministry? How long has it been around?

Randy Walker for years has been the head or pastor of the Prison Ministry at COH. He is the founder of LifeLink and is on the Prison campus in the “Faith Dorm.”

3. Does LifeLink run the Faith Dorm?

LifeLink has been assigned space in the dorm and has a full time employee in Bibb County Correctional Facility.

4. How is all this funded? Who screens the guys before the Reentry? Who is responsible if they get out in my community and molest a child or my child?

5. How does the work release program through “Faith Dorm” at Bibb County Correctional Facility work?

I know that Church of the Highlands hosts all the ADOC training at your churches main campus. I’’ also aware COH has a ADOC employee come in and train COH members to go into the 17 different prisons. We (Randy Smith and I) had a sit down meeting with Shoals COH pastor, Caleb Chambers. I ask him who pays the ADOC employee to come in and train your members.

6. Has COH taken over the ministry and the work release program in Alabama State Prisons? Who pays the ADOC employee to do the training at your COH campus(s)?

7. Does COH / LifeLink / The Halfway House(s) get funding from the DOJ (Federal) ADOC (State) or County/Local grants and or money from local businesses/ corporations or foundations?

8. What does COH know about the Faith Based Partnerships ( U.S. CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS Title 28Chapter IPart 38 - PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAITH-BASED AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS )which involves the church and ministries as Government contractors?

9. Is this or any other of your Reentry programs required to be ran, including the Faith Dorm- as an Interfaith or all Faiths operation like other Faith Based Programs are ran?

10. If you are taking money from the churches or from your own church too, Isn’t their not a *Fiduciary Responsibility on the part of COH - LifeLink - Randy Walker - Chris Hodges - and everyone involved in this prison Reentry ministry - given that funding is being solicited and support in other ways - volunteers are being organized - Isn’t there a Fiduciary Responsibility with this program to those who help fund it and the community it is to serve?
(*Fiduciary Duty- A legal obligation of one party to act in the best interest of another. The obligated party is typically a fiduciary, that is, someone entrusted with the care of money or property. Also called fiduciary obligation!)

11. Who is responsible if a child is harmed by former inmates in your Reentry Programs?

I think at a minimum you owe Colbert County and our communities families answers to these questions! Your prompt reply is appreciated to clear up any and all confusion on this subject.

Sincerely,

Ed Bowman
Concerned Parent &
Colbert County Resident

Cc: Breken Terry-WAAY 31 News
Russ Corey, Times Daily
Dino Rizzo, Executive Director of ARC (Association of Related Churches)
Associate Pastor of Church of the Highlands Birmingham Campus
Caleb Chambers, COH,-Shoals Campus
Randy Walker Correctional Ministry Pastor/ Lifelink Church of the Highlands

*****

A Worship Service or a Widespread Panic Concert?

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In case anyone missed it, the two remaining sex offenders at the Four-Way motel have been moved to the luxurious Regal Inn in Sheffield. Weren't there facilities in Montgomery to take them?

Anyone else find it interesting that Chris Hodges calls himself founder of this church? We owe Al Gore an apology.

Finally, while we disagree with Mr. Bowman on many of his views, he's spot on concerning this issue.