Peter Dewberry was born in South Africa; he became a Christian at age 15 and was called into the Christian ministry in his early twenties. After seminary studies, he was ordained as Baptist pastor with the Baptist Union of Southern Africa. In July of 1971, he and his wife Sheila, along with a small group of supporters; planted Goodwood Baptist Church (GBC). During their ministry at GBC, they were blessed with the birth of a son and two daughters, Michael, Anne and Fiona. In the years that followed the founding of GBC, Peter and Sheila were instrumental in planting three other churches, Emmanuel Baptist Church in Durban, South Africa, White Marsh Baptist Church in Gloucester County, Virginia and NewLIfe Christian Fellowship in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

“Toward the end of 2002, I began to sense an interest and concern for the spiritual needs of prisoners. Two things have always motivated my ministry, first, the command of Jesus, “So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations” Matthew 28: 19(GWord); second, the conviction that Jesus loves men and women deeply and intensely, no matter what their place may be in society. Those two things still motivate me in ministry.

During the course of 2003 I founded Free Inside, a Christian Ministry to Prisoners, with the express purpose of making Christ and His love known to prisoners.”


Peter & Sheila Dewberry