Nathan & Janelle Buckman
MINTS International Seminary
September 2025
A Word of Grace
Dear Friends and Partners in the Gospel, Today marks my last day of quarantine after a week in bed with Covid. Though the days were long, the Lord gave me time to reflect on His goodness and provision for this ministry over these past months. Janelle and I continue to stand amazed at how God opens doors for His Word to go forth—even in the hardest of places.
A New Role and a Busy Season
In July, I stepped into a new role as Florida Coordinator of Spanish Ministries with Seminary-in-Prison. This has been a natural addition to the work the Lord has called us to. Early that month, I had the privilege of traveling with Dr. Cornelius Hegeman (founder of SIP) and Dr. Charles Dause to 22 prisons across Florida—from Pensacola to Miami. Together, we visited 22 English-speaking study centers and 16 Spanish-speaking centers. The visits encouraged both the students and us. The men are working diligently in their courses, and we look forward to celebrating many graduations in the coming months. I even came home with a moving box full of homework, which I am now grading! This was Dr. Hegeman’s final tour of Florida prisons as he prepares to transition into emeritus status in October 2026. Dr. Dause will now coordinate English study centers, and I will continue with the Spanish centers.
A New Mission Field: Puerto Rico
This spring, the Chaplaincy Department of Puerto Rico reached out, asking Seminary-in-Prison to establish study centers there. Since then, I’ve been in regular contact with our liaison, Brother Adalberto Santiago, and I have tentatively scheduled my first visit for October 1–5. We are praying for the Lord to provide the $2,000 needed for this trip (flights, lodging, and expenses). This opportunity is not just another trip—it is the beginning of a new mission field. SIP would become the first seminary to provide accredited theological training for those in prison in Puerto Rico. Here’s why Puerto Rico is strategic: ● Scale & Access: Puerto Rico’s Department of Corrections oversees 25 prisons (23 adult, 2 juvenile) with a daily population of over 7,500 inmates. With centralized leadership and an established chaplaincy program, this is an ideal place to launch Spanish-language cohorts. ● Need Profile: Incarceration on the island is driven largely by violent, weapons, and drug-related offenses. These men desperately need sustained discipleship, biblical counseling, and training for transformed lives. ● Local Partners: Puerto Rico already has strong theological institutions (SEPR, STBPR, Interamerican University) that can provide local support and continuity post-release. ● Cultural Fit: Puerto Rico is overwhelmingly Christian (33% Protestant, 56% Catholic), with many evangelical believers. There is a strong readiness for Gospel-centered rehabilitation and theological training. We believe Puerto Rico could become a lighthouse for Spanish-speaking prison ministry in the Caribbean.
Deputation Trip and God’s Provision
In August, our family undertook a three-week deputation trip from Florida to Colorado and back. Along the way, God provided miraculously—when we faced mechanical issues, He sent people to help us, even providing the parts we needed to keep going. In Colorado, Janelle and I had 20 appointments with individuals and the privilege of speaking in two churches. The response was deeply encouraging. God’s people are genuinely excited. about what He is doing in prisons through Seminary-in-Prison. We had such a wonderful time visiting two of our adult children, Ashlee and Skyler, along with his daughter—our first granddaughter, Odette (23 months). It was such a joy to catch up with them. Since it had been a few years since we last saw Skyler, our time together was especially rich and meaningful.
Back home, our church, Fellowship Baptist, held a “Back to School” drive for SIP students. The response was overwhelming: ● 700 pens ● 8,850 sheets of paper ● 200 folders This generous supply will sustain our 400+ students throughout the year. What a blessing!
New Registrar Role
On top of my work with 160 Spanish students, Janelle and I have also stepped into the role of registrars for MINTS SIP. Since 2015, records were kept regionally, but now, for the first time, we are centralizing all transcripts into one database. This will bring greater accuracy, efficiency, and accountability as we track student progress across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi—and soon, Lord willing, Puerto Rico. Once the records are updated, Janelle will oversee this task daily. This step is a clear sign of growth: the Lord is enlarging the tent of Seminary-in-Prison.
An Invitation to Partner
As you can see, the Lord is opening new doors and expanding the reach of this ministry. With growth comes the need for prayer and provision. Right now, we are at 40% of our monthly support goal, which covers our family’s living expenses and local ministry costs. In addition, we are trusting the Lord to supply the $2,000 needed for the Puerto Rico trip this October. This work is not about what we can accomplish—it’s about God’s people hearing His call and joining Him in what He is doing. Our role is to faithfully share the vision; His role is to move hearts. Would you prayerfully consider joining our support team—either through monthly giving or a one-time gift toward the Puerto Rico trip? And will you also commit to pray for us—that we may have health, wisdom, and endurance to serve well in this growing mission field? Together, we are sending the Gospel into some of the hardest places on earth: the prisons.
Buckman’s Ecuador Trip Report
Nathan Buckman Missions Presentation 06/08/2025
