PRISON FELLOWSHIP BLOG: Carol S. Vance Unit

It takes courage to be baptized—especially when you’re a prisoner. But that didn’t stop a group of men inside one Texas prison from stepping out in faith.

  If you had told Tino 30 years ago that one day he would be a devout Christian, he would have been shocked. But that’s the transformative power of God’s love.

In an unforgettable tour stop, Grammy award-winning artist Lecrae learned that Prison Fellowship Academy students have rap sheets ... and plenty to rap about.

  Benny was caught in a cycle of recidivism and shame—until he found the Academy.

  From loners to leaders, gangs to community, Prison Fellowship Academy transforms the culture behind bars.

  "I put on a hard façade. I had to. I had to survive, I had to adapt to my environment to get back to my family."

  "This is like the heaven of penitentiaries right here."

  "It's time! This is my season! God told me this would happen if I trusted Him, and I trust Him. I’m going home!"

Jerrel Martin and a group of prisoners meet regularly for worship, teaching, discipleship, and prayer behind bars. It's church. Prison church. And it's clear that God is here.

Writer Zoe Erler reflects on the miracle of Easter: how her questions are answered in the scars of Jesus Christ and in the faith of incarcerated Christians.