By Paul Monteith
As member Brad McDowell walked through the fourth checkpoint of the California State Prison in Lancaster, he wondered if he knew what he was doing, if he would suffer injury. Ninety minutes later as he walked back through those same gates, he knew he had seen the Spirit of God in action.
"The men there, who had each committed one or more serious felonies, displayed such an honest and sincere faith in Jesus Christ that it humbled and inspired me," he said.
Brad was invited to Lancaster prison in April by Bob Rodgers, a Prison Fellowship area representative, to watch Mr. Rodgers lead a worship service for the inmates. Going "behind the walls" was the culmination of Brad's training, and the beginning of an in-prison ministry by volunteers from the Lancaster congregation.
(There have been and are other church members involved in visiting prison inmates, such as Joe and Hazel Schlitt of Florida, but now the church is involved with a national prison-visiting organization.)
The idea for an in-prison ministry was proposed by Phillip Rice, pastor of the Lancaster church. He asked Brad and his wife, Rhonda, to look into Prison Fellowship's program.
Prison Fellowship was started by Chuck Colson. Mr. Colson, who served in the administration of President Richard Nixon and spent time in prison for a Watergate-related crime, founded the outreach program for inmates in 1976 after his release.
Its mission is "to exhort, assist and equip the church in its ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners, victims and their families, and in its advancement of biblical standards of justice."
Prison Fellowship, with the help of thousands of volunteers, now ministers to inmates at most U.S. prisons. The organization also helps volunteers in other countries to provide a similar service.
Brad and Rhonda began their training after they, Mr. Rice and Mr. Rodgers had discussed the idea of the Lancaster church's involvement in the program.
"The 20 hours of training Prison Fellowship requires of volunteers before entering a prison consists primarily of familiarizing participants with the various rules and regulations of prisons, various teaching methods and how to deal with inmates," Brad explained.
After completing the mandatory security screening process prisons require, Brad and Rhonda were ready to go behind the walls. Brad accompanied Bob Rodgers to Lancaster prison to conduct a worship service for inmates in April.
Four weeks later Brad was conducting an in-prison worship service alone, though the circumstances were unusual.
A week earlier, Ken Metzler, a Prison Fellowship representative, who also conducts Monday evening services in the prison yard, asked Brad if he would fill in for his assistant who had been hospitalized.
"Two days later Mr. Metzler was in the hospital himself recovering from emergency surgery and I was asked to conduct services in his place the next Monday," Brad said. "This was only my third time and as I went in alone and conducted the service, I wondered when the paramedics would be coming for me."
Even though he was a little apprehensive, Brad said he felt prepared for just such a moment having given sermonettes and having attended church services for many years.
Soon Rhonda began regularly assisting her husband. "The men we meet with on Monday nights share a strong sense of community," she said. "It's a force so powerful that I want to be there with them as often as possible. I can only describe it as a place where the Holy Spirit is clearly and powerfully present."
The worship service centers on praise, thanksgiving, testimonials and a study period that follows Prison Fellowship's nondenominational study guide. "At the close of services, it is hard to say good-bye and leave your brothers behind," Rhonda said.
Prison Fellowship may not be for everyone, but there is little reason to fear. "I have experienced only complete respect and graciousness from all the inmates," Rhonda said.
The Lancaster church has received preliminary approval for a Saturday morning worship service in D Yard. This yard is one of two Level 4 security yards, the highest levels at the prison. Volunteers can go into these yards only during the day, and inmates there have had few visitors.
"We solicit prayers that God would bless our efforts," Brad said, "and that he would call and inspire more laborers for the harvest."
Brad said he now realizes how far he has to go to make Christ active and dynamic in his life. "It was inspiring to see how God can heal anyone who will hear and answer his call, how his Spirit can flourish and shine even in the darkest of places."
For more information about in-prison ministries contact Prison Fellowship Ministries General Headquarters, 1856 Old Reston Ave., Reston, Virginia, 22090, or call 1-703-478-0100.
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