Thank you again for partnering with us in reaching one of America’s most forgotten people groups, the incarcerated. Since our last reporting period, we have seen a total of 198 professions of faith in Jesus Christ. During the same period, we baptized 16 offenders. One prison baptistery was inoperative for three months, and another prison changed the baptismal schedule, causing us to fall somewhat behind. One of the men I baptized confessed that I had led him to Christ at Michigan intake, where we preach twice per month. Another said that he ha5 been a pastoral intern at a nearby church until he had a child with a woman out of wedlock and was asked to leave the church. Although his zeal waned as a result, he had a genuine heart for God; so he repented, got scripturally baptized, and continues to have a desire to use his talents for the Lord when he gets out of county jail. WHAT AN EXCITING MINISTRY!
Some of our prayer requests include:
1. Larry recently broke a bone in his right foot and will be in a cast for at least two months.
2. The logistics of our supporting churches receiving our prayer letters and ministry updates
3. More independent Baptist Christians to get the vision for volunteering in this ministry
4. Larry’s annual baptismal service at the Central Michigan Correctional Facility on April 15—please pray for power, strength (28 were baptized in 2015 and 47 in 2014), and finances.
Finally, as is my custom, I would like to include some excerpts from letters we receive from offenders. James writes, “I never thought much about church and the Bible, but here I was locked up and at my lowest. I have tried everything else in my life, and it’s gotten me nowhere good. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, I decided to trust Jesus Christ.” Timothy admits, “I look forward to these times of fellowship with other Christians, and I ask God to ease these hard times and keep my depression at bay. I want to say, God bless the family at Abundant Pardon Prison Ministry.” Finally, one man identified only as “T” says, “I am more than grateful, trust me. I thought I’d let you know. Keep up the good work. The Lord is working in your ministry to reach others like me. Amen!”
“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the [this] ministry.” (I Timothy 1:12)
In His service,
Larry Johns