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Who we are:
I founded The Nehemiah Commission with the hope of pouring into and encouraging correctional professionals through the teaching of Scripture, in order to better equip them to walk out God's calling on their life; to help them see that their profession is one that greatly impacts people on both societal and personal levels; and to help them cope with the mental, spiritual and emotional toll that this line of work takes. Ultimately, my hope is that the teachings in the Word of God ignite a passion inside every correctional professional: to help one another rebuild the credibility of this profession & bring back the public's trust in our nation's jails and prisons; to help restore the honor & integrity that is both necessary & expected of a Correctional Officer; and, most importantly, to help that officer also be the husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter, brother or sister that their family needs them to be when they are off-duty. Nehemiah convinced an entire community to work together to rebuild the walls that both symbolized and protected them. Now it is time for correctional officers to do the same thing.
Our Response:
The Nehemiah Commission engages officers to meet this crisis at its root. Through our program, "Called to Serve — Leadership, Authority & Excellence in Corrections", we deliver encouragement & conversation that reconnects officers and supervisors with the purpose, character, and resilience their work demands. Grounded in Scripture and framed by the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, our curriculum addresses not only how officers lead — but how they endure. We speak directly to moral courage, burnout, and the hidden cost of the profession, offering hope rooted in a calling higher than the badge.
Our Foundation:
Every training is built on a three-pillar foundation:
Scripture — The ultimate authority on justice, dignity, leadership, and stewardship — the foundation upon which all organizational principles rest.
The Declaration of Independence — Affirming that governing authority is granted by God, not the government — and that correctional professionals serve as stewards of divinely endowed rights, not suppressors of them.
Constitution — The 8th and 14th Amendments obligate the ethical and dignified treatment of all persons in custody, establishing the legal standard to which every officer is held.
Our Seven Core Values:
I. JUSTICE
I. JUSTICE
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" — Micah 6:8
Justice is the foundation of legitimate authority. Correctional professionals exercise power over human beings — power that can edify or destroy. Justice means that authority is exercised fairly, impartially, and in accordance with law. It means treating all people according to consistent standards, regardless of personal bias or preference. It means holding yourself and your organization accountable to the Constitution and rule of law.
In corrections, justice is not punishment for its own sake. Justice is the equitable exercise of authority within a system designed to protect the public, deter crime, and preserve human dignity. Officers who understand justice don't abuse their power. They know the difference between correction and cruelty.
II. HUMAN DIGNITY
II. HUMAN DIGNITY
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." — Genesis 1:27
Every person — regardless of circumstance, crime, or conviction — bears the image of God. This is not earned. It is inherent. Human dignity means that people in custody are still human beings, still worthy of respect, still capable of change. It does not mean excusing criminal behavior. It means that punishment and security do not require humiliation, degradation, or cruelty.
Officers who respect human dignity do their job effectively. They maintain security and order without weaponizing shame. They understand that how we treat people in custody reflects who we are as professionals and as a society. Dignity is not a luxury — it is a requirement of ethical corrections.
III. SERVANT LEADERSHIP
III. SERVANT LEADERSHIP
"The greatest among you shall be your servant." — Matthew 23:11
Leadership is not about personal power or position. True leadership means placing the needs of those you serve above your own interests. In corrections, servant leadership means that supervisors exist to equip frontline officers, that officers exist to maintain safety for staff and inmates, and that the entire system exists to serve the public and the principles of justice.
Servant leaders listen. They build teams. They make decisions that benefit the whole, not just themselves. They model the behavior they expect. They hold themselves to higher standards than they hold others. In a corrections environment, servant leadership transforms institutional culture from top-down control to shared purpose.
IV. INTEGRITY
IV. INTEGRITY
"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them." — Proverbs 11:3
Integrity means your character is consistent — your private self matches your public self. It means keeping your word. It means doing the right thing even when no one is watching, even when it costs you something. Integrity is not perfection; it is honesty about who you are and commitment to becoming better.
In corrections, integrity is operational. Officers with integrity don't falsify reports. They don't abuse power. They don't look the other way when colleagues violate policy or harm inmates. They report misconduct, even when it's difficult. They know that the entire correctional system depends on officers who can be trusted to do the right thing under pressure.
V. STEWARDSHIP
V. STEWARDSHIP
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." — 1 Peter 4:10
Stewardship means that the authority you exercise is not yours — it is held in trust. You are a steward of public resources, public safety, and institutional culture. You do not own your position or your power; you are accountable for how you use it. Stewardship means being a faithful custodian of something greater than yourself.
Correctional officers are stewards of public trust. The public grants you authority to maintain security and order. That trust is sacred. It must be protected, not exploited. Officers who understand stewardship know they are accountable — to their supervisors, to the law, to the inmates in their care, to the families of those inmates, and ultimately to the public. Stewardship transforms your job from employment into calling.
VI. EXCELLENCE
VI. EXCELLENCE
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. you are serving the Lord Christ." — Colossians 3:23-24
Excellence means giving your best effort, not for external reward, but because excellence is the standard you hold yourself to. It means continuous improvement. It means caring about your craft — whether that craft is supervision, security, or communication. Excellence is not perfection; it is commitment to doing things better today than you did yesterday.
Corrections is a complex environment where poor performance has consequences for safety, security, and human welfare. Excellence means you take your training seriously. You stay current. You challenge yourself. You mentor others. You contribute to an institution that functions at its highest level. Excellence honors those you serve — both inmates and the public.
VII. COURAGE
VII. COURAGE
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." — Joshua 1:9
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is acting rightly despite fear. It is standing firm on principle when compromise would be easier. It is speaking truth to power. It is defending those who cannot defend themselves. It is refusing to participate in wrongdoing, even when silence would be safer.
Correctional environments demand courage. Officers witness misconduct and must choose whether to report it. They face hostility and must choose whether to respond with professionalism or retaliation. They face pressure to compromise standards and must choose whether to maintain integrity. They face systems that don't work and must choose whether to speak up or accept failure. Courage is the virtue that holds all other values in place when they are tested.
HOW TO USE THESE VALUES
HOW TO USE THESE VALUES
These seven values can be used in training, internal communications, recruitment, policy development, and decision-making. They provide a shared language for what excellence looks like in correctional professions. When officers understand and commit to these values, individual transformation leads to team transformation, which leads to institutional culture change.
The Story Behind the Name:
Nehemiah was a man of dual calling. He lived in the Persian court as an official of the king — exercising authority within a secular system. Yet he was deeply rooted in his faith and his people's covenant with God.
When Nehemiah learned that the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins, he could not remain silent. He risked his position, his safety, and his future to lead a rebuilding effort. But Nehemiah did not lead as a priest or prophet preaching from on high. He led as a civil servant — a man with practical authority, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to doing what was right.
Like Nehemiah, correctional professionals are called to rebuild — not physical walls, but a profession grounded in character, justice, and human dignity. That is the Nehemiah Commission.
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