“May God bless all the people who help with these courses and the people that write the handwritten letters. When I received a handwritten letter, it brought tears to my eyes knowing that someone went out of their way to personally write a letter to me.”
– Crossroads New Zealand Student

About Crossroads New Zealand:

Crossroads New Zealand started in February 2006 with the help and support of Crossroads Australia. By the end of 2006, Crossroads New Zealand became an independent extension center.

Beginning its ministry in only one prison, Crossroads New Zealand now works in seventeen of the eighteen prisons in the country. The total prison population in New Zealand at the end of 2018 was 9,782; Crossroads New Zealand had about 700 active and enrolled students in 2018, which is more than seven percent of the prison population. The ministry continues to grow, averaging thirty-five to forty new student enrollments each month.

More than one hundred trained mentors from different churches volunteer with Crossroads New Zealand to review lessons from the students. The ministry is very grateful to the many chaplains who support Crossroads New Zealand as well as the volunteers who lead Bible studies inside the prisons. Every day, the Crossroads New Zealand team thanks the Lord for the opportunity to reach out to men and women in prison with His Word.

What students are saying:

“My Father in heaven, thank You for guiding me to the wonderful volunteers at Crossroads who are selflessly doing Your work and are guiding me in Your teachings. I am blessed because they are holding my hand in my journey. In this world of ‘me, me, me’ and ‘I want, I need, I must have,’ I am grateful to the volunteers at Crossroads willing to give their time to me. Thank You, Lord, for them.”

“Dear Crossroads Prison Ministries, I am sincerely in your debt. If it wasn’t for the letters and prayers and this chance to understand the Bible through these studies, I don’t think I would have ever picked up a Bible. Since my first lesson, I can’t stop reading the Bible. I am going to join my local church once released from prison. Thank you for giving me guidance in life through the Lord and the Bible.” 

Other testimonials:

“I love being involved in Crossroads. It is such a privilege to share God’s redeeming grace with prisoners, and I thoroughly enjoy being challenged by their comments and questions.”
– Crossroads New Zealand mentor

“While you may feel that you are running a basic Bible study, for the men, you are a voice of encouragement, an opportunity for change in their behavior and, especially, an opportunity to show them the way that God sees them. Change feels within their reach.”
– Chaplain in New Zealand

“Thanks again for all that you do for us here at the prison. I know that the Crossroads courses have a very real impact on the faith and lives of the men doing the studies.”
– Chaplain in New Zealand

*Due to security reasons, we are withholding the Crossroads New Zealand director’s full name.