Who We Are
Refuge 461 is a Christian discipleship ministry whose purpose is to provide biblically based help and encouragement for those who struggle in their lives to live free from brokenness and bondage. In our ministry, we seek to light the way to freedom from brokenness and bondage by helping the individual know the freedom that is theirs in Christ and to know how to live in that freedom one step at a time. This ministry of lighting the way to freedom is based in Hal and Lisa’s own experience of finding freedom in Christ from their own brokenness and bondage. Their heart’s desire is to help others experience freedom themselves from their own brokenness and bondage.
HOW IT BEGAN...
Hal and Lisa Selby are the ministry directors of Refuge 461. They have been married since 1987 and are the parents of three children. In November of 1999, Hal confessed to Lisa that he had been involved in homosexuality most of his life including their 12 years of marriage. This came as a shock to Lisa since Hal had been in ministry as pastor for 20 years of his life. Through much prayer and the study of God’s Word, they found freedom from their brokenness and bondage. Now, out of their own healing and restoration, God has led them to begin this ministry to others whose lives are broken and bound by sexual sin. Their ministry began with a focus on sexual brokenness and bondage (specifically homosexuality) but over they have learned that the same “way to freedom” from sexual sin was the “way to freedom” from all sinful brokenness and bondage. Their hearts desires to help individuals live free in the freedom that is already theirs in Christ. Hal and Lisa want to “light the way to freedom”!
OUR PARTNERS
Refuge 461 is endorsed and supported by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mississippi Baptist Convention. In September 2010, Hal and Lisa were appointed as evangelism catalyst with the NAMB to serve as ministry directors of Refuge 461 Ministries. Today they serve full time as self funded missionaries in this ministry which is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. As missionaries with the NAMB, they support the evangelism and church planting efforts of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and its mission partners. This partnership ties them with the 42,000 Southern Baptist Churches around the world. The ministry potential that comes with this appointment is hard to comprehend!
These partnerships are an answer to prayer and a great blessing from God. These provide accountability, encouragement and prayer support for this much needed ministry.
How We Serve You
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
There are a number of ministry opportunities available through Refuge 461.
Individual Support: This support includes in person meetings and video conference calls. Those who are involved in the individual support are working through the Live Free bible study that Hal and Lisa wrote to help individuals live free in Christ from those struggles in their lives that have controlled them (more information about Live Free can be found at www.refuge461.org/bible-study. Opportunities are available for individuals to receive individual help and support. Contact at 228-297-9823 to set up an appointment.
Church Support: We are also available to help the church to know how to respond to the LGBTQ+ ideology that they might respond redemptively to LGBTQ+ individuals. We want to help churches be a place where those impacted by homosexuality can experience grace, hear truth, and find love and support that will result in freedom and transformation in their lives. Contact us for more details.
Speaking: Hal and Lisa are also available to share their story with your church or group. They are available to lead conferences on the subject of ministry to those impacted by homosexuality as well as helping the church know how to respond redemptively to those impacted. Also, because of what God has done in their own marriage, they are available to lead marriage retreats, marriage enrichment weekends or share their testimony of how God turned their "grounds for divorce" into the "solid foundation" of a strong marriage. As missionaries with the North American Mission Board, we are available to share about our mission ministry at World Mission Conferences or local church mission events. Please contact them at 228-297-9823 or halselbyjr@bellsouth.net for more information.
Lighting the Way to Freedom: Hal is available to lead a weekend event about lighting the way to freedom from brokenness and bondage. All of humanity before salvation is bound and broken by sin. When a person is saved they are freed from sin’s bondage and brokenness and can now live in the freedom that is theirs already in Christ. The sad reality is that most believers do not know how to now live in that freedom that is already theirs in Christ. “Lighting the Way to Freedom” will provide biblical guidance for living free in Christ one step at a time from brokenness and bondage. Contact Hal for more information and to schedule a Lighting the Way to Freedom event.