By Gary D. Myers ANGOLA (BP) - The joy seemed so out of place in such a bleak setting -- the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. But that overwhelming joy on the faces of men who may spend the rest of their lives behind bars spoke volumes about the power of the Gospel. Just a few days before Christmas, a group of faculty and staff members from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College made the trek to Angola to celebrate graduation inside the walls of our state's maximum security prison. It was a cold, rainy day. The gray skies over the prison were punctuated by tall fences topped with razor wire -- not-so-subtle reminders about the purpose of this place. Once inside, the security was even more evident. Visitors had to pass through several chambers with iron bars and a metal detector to get inside. I expected all of this, having been to Angola many times to cover events related to the seminary's prison degree program. The joy of the Christian inmates always surprises me. The chapel, simple compared to most of our churches, was brimming with graduation candidates dressed in black robes and excited family members. For me, it was a glimpse at what heaven will be like. Leavell College's … [Read more...]