This Sunday Prison Fellowship will celebrate the Resurrection with services behind bars. Some prisoners will be hearing the Gospel for the very first time, and my prayer is that their hearts will be softened as they listen. Others will already know the Gospel. They are members of the Church inside the walls.
“Barry” is one of those Christian prisoners. Recently he wrote to say:
The book cart was wheeled by my door one Saturday. On the top I saw a book laying on its side with the title Born Again. I had never read this book before so I asked for it. I began reading it and could not put it down! … Even though my prison experience is over 30 years apart from Mr. Colson, he described what I was experiencing very accurately! Like Mr. Colson, I tried to run my life using pride, greed, control, and lust until I self-destructed by my choices. I was surrounded by godly men who counseled, encouraged, supported, and loved me all the way to the court room. They helped to steer me back to Jesus where I found grace, mercy, forgiveness, and repentance. Now that I have been rescued and set free … I am focusing on studying the Bible and sharing my faith while God shapes me into the vessel he wants me to be.
There are many men and women – the Chuck Colsons of a new generation – working out their salvation behind bars. Please join me in prayer that our visit will empower them and sustain them as they seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus to their fellow inmates – not just on Easter Sunday, but every day of the year.