In Matthew 25, Jesus outlined some of the basics of daily faith – feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, visiting the imprisoned.
In Matthew 25, Jesus outlined some of the basics of
daily faith – feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, visiting the
imprisoned.
This month, Louisiana Baptists took him at his word.
“I was in prison, and you came to me,” Eugene Peterson writes in The Message translation of the Bible.
That is exactly what Louisiana Baptists did in
conducting a revival at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola this
month – and they brought friends.
During an initial service in the prison’s rodeo
arena, more than 2,000 inmates cheered and applauded as dirt bike
specialists performed high-flying jumps and others stunts.
Then, they listened as the performers talked about life without Christ – and life with him.
“I didn’t understand the big picture, …” Brad Bennett told the inmates during his testimony.
“It’s not about being a good person or a bad
person,” said Bennett, who heads Real Encounter, a Missouri-based
ministry that uses motorcycle performances and stunts to share the
gospel. “It’s about what God has done for us.”
What Louisiana Baptists did for the inmates at the
Louisiana prison was hold an institution-wide visitation revival. In
addition to the rodeo arena service, Louisiana Baptist volunteers
visited every camp in the prison, sharing the gospel. They also held
services in the camps, as well as for the guards who live on the prison
grounds.
It was not the first time that Louisiana Baptists
have visited the prison facility or conducted revival services there –
but it was a big undertaking nonetheless.
The Angola facility sits on 18,000 acres of isolated
land. More than 5,100 inmates are housed in six separate camps on the
grounds. Some 1,400 correctional personnel are employed at the facility
as well, which is the only maximum security prison in the state.
Eight chaplains also work at the facility, including five Protestants. Several of those are Baptist.
They had plenty of help for the revival.
Between 150-200 Louisiana Baptist volunteers
participated in the revival effort, including a disaster relief feeding
unit from St. Tammany Baptist Association.
Other workers included persons from throughout
Louisiana. For instance, Jason Lupo traveled from Little Pass Baptist
Church in Charenton, where he serves as minister of education and
associate pastor.
Meanwhile, Woody Rimes brought five persons from Mt
Vernon Baptist Church in West Monroe, where he serves as pastor. He
said he hoped the effort would inspire those from the church to get
involved in prison ministry.
That is part of the plan, said Wayne Jenkins,
evangelism director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Indeed, in
addition to sharing the gospel with inmates, the revival was designed
to train persons for ongoing prison ministry.
“We want to help equip men so they can go to other prisons around the state as well,” Jenkins said.
“And it’s working. People are getting involved in prison ministry in their own areas.”
Churches also are beginning to work in local jails
as well, which is key, Jenkins said. Local jails represent entry points
into the correctional system – the first place anyone goes when
incarcerated, he noted.
By getting involved at that point, churches can have a tremendous early impact on persons, Jenkins explained.
Overall, prison ministry is a growing area – and
rightfully so, Jenkins said. It is estimated that 250,000 people are
affected by the Louisiana prison system, either as inmates, workers or
family members of prisoners.
“That’s the size of Shreveport,” Jenkins pointed
out. “To not be involved would be to say that we’re going to ignore a
city the size of Shreveport.
“Plus, we have the mandate of Scripture.”
The most recent Louisiana Baptist revival at the
Angola facility began with the rodeo arena service, which was attended
by some 2,000 inmates.
In the arena, inmates cheered and applauded a trio
of motorcyclists as they put on their show. They then listened as
Bennett related his personal journey to faith.
In doing so, he outlined a good news-bad news scenario for prison inmates.
“We are all sinners separated from God – that’s the
bad news, …” he noted. “We have all earned the right to die. …
“But here’s where it gets really good – the gift of
God is eternal life, and it is found in our savior Christ the Lord. …
“It’s a gift – and all you have to do is reach out
and take it,” Bennett emphasized. “Every person who calls on the name
of the Lord will be saved.
“That’s good news.”
After leading inmates in prayer, Bennett asked those
who had made a new commitment to Christ to stand. Dozens across the
arena did so, as workers moved through the crowd to hand out decision
cards.
Jenkins had brought 100 cards to the service for distribution. He quickly had to send for more.
Following the rodeo arena service, volunteer workers
participated in training sessions and began visiting various areas of
the facility.
The following day, services and visitation efforts were held throughout the separate camps in the facility.
Jenkins said he was most encouraged by the
opportunity to minister to the guards who live on site with their
families. Some are second- or third-generation correctional officers.
Much of their lives are spent at the facility – it is where they live, work and recreate, Jenkins explained.
“Many are completely unchurched,” he noted. “They may leave the grounds only to go for groceries.
“We talk about the difficulties of churches reaching
into gated communities (with the gospel). Well, you don’t get more
gated than this.”
Overall, early reports indicate 94 prisoners made
professions of faith during the revival effort, 66 made rededications
and 137 requested special prayer.
Meanwhile, 30 persons made professions of faith
during services in the guard section of the prison. Six persons made
rededications, and there were 19 requests for special prayer as well.
That is just a start, Jenkins said, noting that
prison officials already have begun talking about the state convention
coming back to the facility.
(Persons interested in prison ministry or in
receiving training for prison ministry may call Louisiana Baptist
Convention offices at 800-622-6549 or 318-448-3402.)