To many, Pamela is best known as Chaplain Wiebe since she was employed by the Texas Youth Commission as the first and only female Chaplain in TYC. There she gained national media coverage by spearheading the design and implementation of the first Faith Based Dorm program in a juvenile state facility in the nation. She was sent to Washington DC to a Congressional Hearing on “Regaining America’s Youth”. She has also spoken before the Texas legislature and is an outspoken advocate for Faith Based programs for juvenile and adult offenders. During her 14 years of involvement with TYC, she was awarded the title of Outstanding Employee of the Year and was nominated by Gainesville State School to (then) Governor George W. Bush as an Outstanding Woman in Texas Government. Even though this type of recognition was appreciated, what she became most known for was her singing ability. The incarcerated young men of TYC was her favorite "captive" audience. Even though she had been "singing all my life", it was the chaplaincy volunteers that ministered under her supervision that inspired her to share the songs she had been quietly writing. The title song of her CD was written one morning while she was driving down the road watching the sun rise. She had been invited by Tayton, an incarcerated youth, to sing at his TYC high school graduation ceremony so she had been searching for an appropriate song to sing. That morning, God dropped the perfect song in her heart and "It's a New Day" was born. At that time, she could not have foreseen that this would be the title song of her first recording. Today, Tayton is currently in medical school - well on his way to become a doctor. His beautiful wife just graduated law school. The Finleys welcomed thier first child, a son, January. Even though this is not the typical outcome of most of the people she works with, it does show what a little love, some shoe leather and a big God can do!
Her passion is to see lasting change in the lives of damaged and damaging people - "Hurting people hurt people". It is her belief that for change to be maintained, one must first have the want to change, then the how to change and last - means to change. She saw the many wonderful volunteers ministering to the incarcerated young men (creating want to get saved), but not as many were able or willing to dedicate the time to mentor them on into spiritual maturity (give them the how to). There were even less mentors or resources for ex-offenders in the free-world (the means to). In 2004, Pamela felt led to leave her beloved chaplain’s position and to take her ministry beyond the gates of TYC. She wrote her song "Moving On" as she was making this decision. Upon her resignation, she intended to spend her time helping church folk understand the importance of faith based mentoring and aftercare but soon learned that was not all God had in mind.
After getting more involved in counseling at her local church, she realized that the same type of pain that had sat on her TYC chapel pews each week was also sitting on pews in the community. Words like sexual abuse, domestic violence, cutters, homosexuality, drug and porn addictions are common inside prison gates, but she has come to know that many Christians are silently dealing with secret anguish attached to these same subjects. Even though the church world may still be a little reluctant to discuss such “uglies” of life, but her resounding message is that Jesus came not to save the lost, but to deliver all that are held captive. He came to heal the mind body and soul - which included healing the brokenhearted (damaged emotionally). She believes that God is willing and able to “heal the pain in the pews” - in prison chapels and in the community church. Her songs focus on the peace and healing that comes with making a decision to trust God no matter where a person may be on their life's journey. She has a message to give in Word and Song that comes from personal experience. She has now taken it Beyond the Gate!
Her passion is to see lasting change in the lives of damaged and damaging people - "Hurting people hurt people". It is her belief that for change to be maintained, one must first have the want to change, then the how to change and last - means to change. She saw the many wonderful volunteers ministering to the incarcerated young men (creating want to get saved), but not as many were able or willing to dedicate the time to mentor them on into spiritual maturity (give them the how to). There were even less mentors or resources for ex-offenders in the free-world (the means to). In 2004, Pamela felt led to leave her beloved chaplain’s position and to take her ministry beyond the gates of TYC. She wrote her song "Moving On" as she was making this decision. Upon her resignation, she intended to spend her time helping church folk understand the importance of faith based mentoring and aftercare but soon learned that was not all God had in mind.
After getting more involved in counseling at her local church, she realized that the same type of pain that had sat on her TYC chapel pews each week was also sitting on pews in the community. Words like sexual abuse, domestic violence, cutters, homosexuality, drug and porn addictions are common inside prison gates, but she has come to know that many Christians are silently dealing with secret anguish attached to these same subjects. Even though the church world may still be a little reluctant to discuss such “uglies” of life, but her resounding message is that Jesus came not to save the lost, but to deliver all that are held captive. He came to heal the mind body and soul - which included healing the brokenhearted (damaged emotionally). She believes that God is willing and able to “heal the pain in the pews” - in prison chapels and in the community church. Her songs focus on the peace and healing that comes with making a decision to trust God no matter where a person may be on their life's journey. She has a message to give in Word and Song that comes from personal experience. She has now taken it Beyond the Gate!
Pamela Wiebe
Pamela is an ordained minister and an endorsed chaplain with CFGC. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in counseling from the University of North Texas and a Master’s degree from Trinity Theological Seminary. Pamela has been married for 29 years to her greatest love and supporter - Garry Wiebe, who is an engineer for BNSF Railroad. Their daughter Joda Nicole is married to Rev. Josiah Foster and they have two daughters, Madison Grace and Emma Love. Their daughter Morgan is a music education major student at Tarleton State University and Melissa is a Home Economics teacher. Pamela's mother, Connie Perry is a member of the 1A-Chord group that is featured on the Texas Country Gospel Show.
Garry and Pamela are what most would call "experts" in the area of working with teenagers. They served as CPS foster parents for 14 years where they parented many youth that still call them mom and dad today. They also served as Youth Pastors and directors to a “Community Youth Support” group in their home for about 10 years. They now minister out of the Christian Gathering Church in Valley View, Texas.
Pamela is an ordained minister and an endorsed chaplain with CFGC. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in counseling from the University of North Texas and a Master’s degree from Trinity Theological Seminary. Pamela has been married for 29 years to her greatest love and supporter - Garry Wiebe, who is an engineer for BNSF Railroad. Their daughter Joda Nicole is married to Rev. Josiah Foster and they have two daughters, Madison Grace and Emma Love. Their daughter Morgan is a music education major student at Tarleton State University and Melissa is a Home Economics teacher. Pamela's mother, Connie Perry is a member of the 1A-Chord group that is featured on the Texas Country Gospel Show.
Garry and Pamela are what most would call "experts" in the area of working with teenagers. They served as CPS foster parents for 14 years where they parented many youth that still call them mom and dad today. They also served as Youth Pastors and directors to a “Community Youth Support” group in their home for about 10 years. They now minister out of the Christian Gathering Church in Valley View, Texas.
1A-Chord