Some years ago when visiting the home of a new couple that had come to our assembly, one of the questions that was asked was, “What kind of outreach do you have beyond your own assembly?” Sadly, we had to say we had no significant program to reach beyond our own members. We began to pray for such an outreach that could involve a good number in our local church.
Shortly after this, we read a newsletter from Harold Preston of Kentucky at one of our prayer meetings. It concerned the Emmaus prison ministry in that state. A couple in the assembly was moved by a letter from one of the female inmates. From this interest grew a desire to start a similar ministry in South Carolina, which has a higher percentage of its population incarcerated than any other state.
It was not very long until this couple was completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of the endeavor, and as a result, the ministry began to suffer. We then realized that this was far more of a responsibility than could be handled by a couple with work and family responsibilities.
Charles Fizer, director of the Correspondence School for Emmaus, was contacted concerning the feasibility of involving a whole assembly in the prison ministry for our state. On a Saturday he met at North Augusta Bible Chapel with all of those interested in working with us. The greatest fear was that there would only be four or five people interested in working with this ministry, but twenty-five turned out to hear about the work. This was a significant number, considering there were only about seventy in fellowship, including children.
Shortly before this, we had changed our Sunday meeting schedule to three meetings in the morning, which opened up Sunday evening as the time when everyone could meet for this ministry.
One couple agreed to serve as local directors, and we were off and running with “request cards” being mailed out the first few weeks to prison chaplains throughout the state to be distributed among inmates.
We were all amazed at the response from inmates all over the state: from state and federal prisons to county jails. The local assembly supplies postage-paid request cards, free courses with return postage-paid envelopes, and certificates on completion of a course. There are forty-five courses in the curriculum, which a number of students have completed. Upon completion, they may contact Emmaus concerning further studies.
The financial responsibility is great for a local assembly, but there can be no price set on eternal souls. One of the rewards is to see the hand of the Lord supplying every need. As Hudson Taylor said, “God’s work done in God’s way will not lack God’s supply.”
We had to learn how to save by mailing our courses using bulk mail, as postage is the greatest expense. The Lord also provided a professional printer in our fellowship who is able to print all of our return postage envelopes, tests, Christmas cards, etc., right in our chapel.
Every sphere of the local assembly is involved. Those helping range from teenagers to those in their 70’s, with each one fitting in where his or her talent is most needed. We can honestly say that this work has encouraged our assembly through thick and thin. On Sundays, letters are read in our meeting from prisoners who have been blessed and saved, and many requests for prayer concerning families back home and fellow inmates who need the Lord. A monthly prayer list from students’ requests is compiled and handed out to the whole assembly. Some of the more gratifying correspondences come with small checks for $2 and $3 from inmates through the Department of Corrections bank. Considering that they only receive pennies a day for working to buy their essentials, this is truly a reminder of our Lord’s response in Mark 12:42-44, “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had….”
A copy of a letter from “Set Free Ministries” in Russia was sent to the student inmates earlier this year concerning the plight of Russian prisoners. The response was nothing short of amazing as many sent in gifts, even one for $100. One must keep in mind when dealing with these dear souls, that the average educational level for prisoners in South Carolina is only third grade, and that the HIV/AIDS infection rate in some of the prisons is higher than 70%. One needs to show much compassion as letters come from those who have been abandoned by their families outside, and their only contact is with the correspondence school believers.
One of the more amazing occurrences is how many times new enrollees have sent in tests to be graded. They have told of being transferred to a new facility, and when they moved into their cell, the only thing there was an Emmaus correspondence course.
Two more assemblies in the state, Overbrook Gospel Chapel in Greenville and Bethany Chapel in Columbia, have joined us in grading courses as we can receive as many as 250 courses in one week. There are close to 700 active students at all times.
The ultimate goal of seeing men and women won for Christ is realized when we see the responses to questions on the students’ tests. One may always wonder how genuine these decisions are, but when we see such comments as, “I know that the Lord put me in this place so that I would find Him,” or “I know that this is where the Lord wants me,” we realize the Holy Spirit is doing His work in a heart.
The best way to appreciate the efforts of this endeavor is to hear it from the inmates themselves. These are some actual excerpts from their letters and answers, written exactly as they put it:
Greeting to you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I thank the Lord for each and every one of you, for truly you all have been a blessing to me, the Lord has been good to me, for it was by His Grace and mercy that I’m here today, because I know deep within my heart, I could have been dead and my soul lost completely forever.
Hey, I have finished these 12 Lessons, I just wanna thank all of y’all there for caring for us inmates in prison. That means a lot, I did these courses fast. Only cause I wanna learn all I can about Jesus, plus I’m locked in a cell 24 hours a day, I have nothing to do in here. I was lonely, but not now. Jesus is great. I’m 27 year old. I’m doing 5 years. I was only out for and month + 1/2. I went right back to my old ways. But its for the best that I came back, I might be dead by now if I didn’t. Thank God I’m alive.”
This course on the Minor Prophets was great. I now have a better understanding of Israel’s history and have been encouraged to dig deeper into the Scriptures. I have begun to finally understand how it all fits together.
I would like to thank all who care enough for people like me to do these acts of kindness, sending the correspondence course. The Course are the best I have studied. They go deeper into the Bible and gives deeper insight than one could imagine. What I read in the book really overwhelmed me, I never imagined the things which I learned from the course. I am very, very, very eager to start the next, I received “Born to Win” Monday on the 3rd, and was finished the next day, I’m sure; I did well. I understood every word. The Scriptures each lesson talks about, make the picture so clear, and they explain a lot.
I am writing to thank you all for your love and kindness. Also for bringing me and others who are imprison the knowledge of God. Before being incarcerated I was in complete darkness. I was a homosexual, on drugs, thief, suicidal, and I could go on. But He put me in a place where He could minister to me. Praise You Lord God! Today I can honestly say I know which direction I’m going. I’m sold out for Jesus!
I’m serving a life sentence. Here just a little note of thanks. A friend and brother of God gave me your fist lesson of Born to Win. I’ve enjoyed it dearly. I never in all my life knew studies of the Bible could be so much fun, Thanks a million. Thank ya all for the wonderful work you do for our saviour ; by sharing His word and His precious love for us is surely got to be one of the most beautiful gifts anyone could ever be able to receive while our stay here on earth.”
I got indicted for “Conspiracy of Marijuana”. I turned myself in to the authorities. I’ve been in jail ever since. I felt relief, at last! They would have church services all the time and I started reading the Bible and with you Emmaus Studies and other, I started understanding that GOD was there all the time with me. He had been protecting me all the time. I started realizing that GOD wasn’t the one that had turned from me. I was the one that allowed Satan to do this to me. I finally realized that GOD loved me so much that He sent Jesus to make a way for me to be saved. WOW!! Jesus died for me and by HIS GRACE my sins are forgiven and I feel free. Even now, that I’m in prison, I feel free at last. What a wonderful gift that is. After everything that I’ve done. I can’t wait to go home and spread this GOOD NEWS to my family and friends.
Yes, I celebrated my first year as a Born Again, blood bought Christian…and believe me it has been the best year of my life. My body has been in Prison but my soul and mind has been totally “free” with Jesus. I have learn a lot this year about the Lord and Savior and I want to thank you for helping me. He knew what I needed and He provided it through you. And I thank you again from the bottom of my heart.
Please write me a letter conserning this so we might get closer to God together. Thank for the courses. Will you send me another one soon please listen can y’all send one to my mother (gives her name and address) and one to my wife (gives her name and address) and a couple more cards with free postage please. I got so many people what to get saved they are tied of sinnering.
Often we get poems like this one from budding theologians, as it was sent to us, spelling and all:
CHRIST
He was a man the same as us,
Brought to life from nothing but dust,
His true father was God from above.
Sent to Earth with nothing but love.
All His life He did no wrong.
For we are weak but He is strong.
He suffered hard, He suffered long,
So we could sing redemsions song.
For His blood it did not spill.
He gave it of His own free will.
The Bible says if in Him we do belive
Eternal life we will recive.
God gave His Son is for us to know.
Trust in Him and to Heaven we’ll go.
If you do what the Bible has told.
You will get to walk on streets of Gold.
If we try to get to Heaven on good works alone,
We’ll never see that Heavenly thrown.
To Jesus Christ we should pray
And we could recive His gift today.
Jesus, God, the Holy Ghost are three.
They all should dwell in thee.
For it is us He does need
To move about and spread His seed.
So turn to Jesus you must not wait.
The time is now the need is great.
God destroyed the world once and the water did rise.
He turned a deaf ear to the sinners crys.
This time will be with fire and flame.
Christ did not die in vain.
If we go to Hell we are to blame.
For to Christ you do not turn
Its off to Hell so you can burn!
Needless to say, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of the ministry: reading to each other these responses from the student inmates as we grade the courses each Sunday evening. What a thrill to see lives transformed from night to day!