How it all got started

Five years ago I made a goal at the beginning of the year to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with just one person.  In addition, I wanted to be involved in actively leading someone to Christ.  Being able to witness a planted seed of faith, hope and love sprout into a brand new Christian was something I had a strong desire to accomplish for the Lord.  It might not sound like a huge goal to accomplish for some; however, it would be interesting to know just how many people reading this book would find that goal a daunting task.  I wonder what words come to your mind when thinking of sharing your faith in Christ with family members, co-workers, friends or even strangers.  Let’s take it a step further and add inmates at the local county jail.     

            Not long after making that initial goal at the beginning of the year, a person by the name of Harold Ross at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church invited me to become a part of the Greensboro Jail Ministry.  As I contemplated signing up to visit inmates for one hour on the first Saturday of each month, I had no idea of the significant impact this decision would have on my life.  This ministry has been an invaluable training ground for sharing the Gospel of Christ and has given me a boldness for Christ I never could have imagined.

            Lives are being changed at the Greensboro County Jail at a rate that is difficult to comprehend.  When an inmate witnesses the faith in Christ, hope in eternal salvation and love in your heart that drives you to visit them to share God’s perfect Word, it is enough to put a smile on the face of any inmate.  Since 2006, this ministry through Friendly Avenue Baptist Church has visited 1,001 inmates and 278 of those inmates have made first time decisions to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior.  That is a conversion rate of 28%.  To God be all the glory and honor!

            It has been said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.  I have to confess it is going to be difficult to adequately describe the full array of emotions and feelings that are expressed and displayed during a ministry visit.  It is just not possible to put into words what it is like to see inmates with real tears in their eyes or smiles bright enough to light up a dark room.  If I can only give you a glimpse of the impact you can have by simply sharing the Bible with inmates, my mission will be accomplished.

            It is estimated that there are over 2.2 million people incarcerated in the United States, which is more than any other country in the world.  The U.S. prison population has doubled since 1990.  Every year over 600,000 inmates get out of jail.  What is going to prevent them from going back?  I really believe that if their hearts are truly changed through Christ, their head will follow.  Proverbs 27:19 says, “As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.”        

According to the March 2010 issue of Jubilee, the Newsletter of Prison Fellowship, “the U.S. Department of Justice reports there are more than 1.7 million children with a mother, father, or both in prison.  Some reports indicate that as many as 7 in 10 of these children may follow in their parents’ footsteps and end up behind bars themselves.”  What a sad and disheartening statistic.  Imagine the impact a released father or mother from prison can have on their family if the love of Christ is in their heart.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”            

            In the summer of 2012 a new jail with 1,032 beds will be built in downtown Greensboro.  The need for volunteers will triple due to the current jail being only a 397 bed facility.  I pray as you read this book your heart will be stirred to volunteer through your local jail ministry and support it financially.  For those behind bars I pray they feel the faith, hope and love of Christ through these seven visits and understand it is always only a prayer away.  In the words of my son, “let’s go on an adventure.”  Countless change awaits not only the inmates behind bars but also the one making the visits.