Jail to Jobs: Eddie Franz and Pastor Cornellus Craft

Welcome back to Light Up Austin, where host Pete Inman sits down with the impact players God has placed in Greater Austin to shine a light on Kingdom work happening right in our backyard.This episode may be one of the most urgent conversations we've had. Pete sits with two extraordinary leaders from Jails to Jobs, Eddie Franz, Executive Director, and Pastor Cornelius Craft, Program Director, for an inspiring and deeply practical conversation about what it actually takes to break the cycle of incarceration and generational poverty in Central Texas.Eddie Franz didn't come to this work from a seminary or a nonprofit board. He came out of ten years in federal prison. After spending his first three years inside getting angrier and more lost, a single movie — Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, shown in the prison by a Christian inmate named Norm — cracked something open in him that no amount of money, drugs, or power ever could. He devoured a study Bible his mom air-shipped him overnight, spent four years mentoring and teaching inside, and walked out determined to make that his life's work. Eleven years later, he runs one of the most effective reentry ministries in Texas.Pastor Cornelius Craft came a different route: a respected city council member and dean of chapel at a Mississippi school, married to a great woman who, by his own admission, told him he needed to do better at home. God called him to Central Texas in 2015 — and after a decade of doing "17 different things," including running an IT company through COVID, he found his purpose inside the doors of Jails to Jobs.Together, they lead a 12-week, wraparound reentry program for justice-involved young men and women ages 17–26, providing:- Stipends and paid training to incentivize show-up from Day One- Trades training: culinary, electrical, plumbing, general construction, and screen printing- Wraparound support: housing assistance, transportation, parole fee coverage, and more- Career placement — not just jobs, but careers with upward mobility- Life skills, soft skills, mock interviews, resume building, and leadership development- Friday "Pathway" programming focused entirely on holistic character and job readiness- And most importantly: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, presented to every participantGet InvolvedWebsite: https://jailstojobs.org/Chapters0:00 Welcome & Introducing Jails to Jobs 01:51 Eddie Franz: From Federal Prison to Executive Director 04:19 The Mel Gibson Movie That Changed Everything 06:23 Pastor Cornelius Craft: Called from Mississippi to Austin 11:29 "God Was Building a Man" — Finding Purpose After Burnout 12:13 The Mission: Break the Cycle, Launch Careers, End Generational Poverty 14:13 Why This Matters Even If You've Never Been Near a Jail 20:54 The Founding Story: Hill Country Bible Church & Nineveh Ministries 28:56 Why Hire a Justice-Involved Young Person? Eddie's Answer 31:36 "We Only Sell One Product — and Jesus Paid for It" 36:57 Jose, Christian Vaquero & the Stories That Keep Them Going 42:34 The New 13,000 Sq Ft Headquarters: A City Shows Up 46:23 Public Safety Is More Than Police — The Proactive Case 59:42 "Greater Austin Would Be Better If Every Young Person Had…"About Light Up AustinLight Up Austin is a conversation series hosted by Pete Inman, dedicated to shining a light on how God is moving in Greater Austin, across Texas, and around the globe — through faith leaders, community builders, and Kingdom impact players both on the frontlines and behind the scenes."There is a hunger to know more about what's going on in the church and the Kingdom of God — and that's what this whole conversation is about." — Pete InmanSubscribe, share, and join the conversation. Greater Austin, we love you