Prison Fellowship

Remember Those in Prison

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Overall
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Clinic
    • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree® Church Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • 2020 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

70 Baptized in Missouri Prison

July 13, 2016 by Zoe Erler

70 Baptized in Missouri Prison - image 2

John Alarid (left of baptismal) and the men of Ozark Correctional

A few months ago, John Alarid received a surprising email. It was from the girlfriend of a prisoner at Ozark Correctional Center (Missouri) asking if Alarid would be willing to come to the prison to baptize 10 men.

A former Mexican gang member and prisoner himself, Alarid, now the pastor of CityReach Church in Springfield, had been leading Sunday services at the prison for several years and gladly agreed.

But when he showed up at the facility on May 8th, he discovered that not 10 men wanted to be baptized but 37! On top of that, many of those who came to be baptized brought their friends, and 30 of them raised their hands to receive Christ during an altar call.

“The atmosphere was electrified with the presence of God,” Alarid says.

The next month, Alarid was asked to come back to Ozark again. Apparently, the chapel clerk and some of those who had been baptized had been leading classes on baptism, and many of those who had received Christ at the baptism wanted to be baptized too. This time, 34 guys showed up to be baptized and 49 more raised their hands to surrender to Christ.

Praying over Ethan

Members of CityReach Church pray over Ethan Barnett

Alarid explains that some of those who have become Christians were major “players” on the streets and have used their influence to draw others to Christ.

“I think [God] is raising up an army out of prison,” says Ethan Barnett, one of those who was baptized in May.

Barnett, who came to Christ seven months ago while incarcerated, says he decided to be baptized because it was a public declaration of faith.

“I wanted to be an example and show what God was doing,” he explains. “I wanted to say, ‘This is who I am and this is what I stand for.’ ”

Barnett was released from prison in June and has since been attending CityReach, playing guitar in the worship band.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, Prison & Prisoners Tagged With: CityReach Church, John Alarid, Ozark Correctional Center, Prison Baptisms

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Angel Tree® Stories
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • In-Prison Stories
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Stories
  • Stories
  • Uncategorized
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

Free for Life

December 29, 2020

Congress Restores Access to Pell Grants for Incarcerated Students Seeking a Second Chance

December 17, 2020

A New Makeover for the New Year

December 16, 2020

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

RESOURCES & INFORMATION

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • For Wardens & Prison Officials

PF®

NEW ON OUR BLOG

  • Statement Regarding the Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine
  • Prison Fellowship and CrossWalk Center Offer Hope in Reentry
  • Sincere Surrender: An Agent of Change Serves Life in Prison
  • Response to the January 6 Events at the U.S. Capitol

FIND US ONLINE

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN

RECEIVE UPDATES

Sign up to receive news, stories, and information based on your needs and interests.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

PFM®

  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2021 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.