There is something about my Faith, that most people don't ever do, and it is complete faith in CHRIST to empower me to do what I do not know how to do. Specifically, I went into Prison Ministry, without any training on how to do it. BUT, I trusted that Christ, knew all about it, and HE would Guide me through it, which means HE gets all the Credit for the successes, and I get the blame for the mistakes.
When I started out, I was escorting Pastors from local Churches to do Sermons, in one Chapel. and about a year later, I was standing at the Window of the Chapel, of Minimum Security. Watching the parking lot, because I new what kind of car the Pastor drove, and he was about to be Late. Then it was Late, and 2:05 PM, I realized the Pastor forgot, it was his Sunday to do the Minimum Security YARD. Panic Set in, as I realized my first Sermon had to happen, and I went straight to the Chapel Office, closed the Door, and go down on my knees and PRAISED, "Lord, you know I cannot do the Sermon, You will have to do it Thru me. Please Lord, you have to do the Sermon, and I will Trust in you." AMEN!
That was the First Sermon that I ever had to deliver, but is was entirely OF the LORD. I had no sermon notes, I only had a few Salvation Verses in the back of my Bible. He decided to do a Basic Salvation Message. I opened with a Prayer from Dr. Ed Young, that I heard almost ever Sunday for years. "Lord I need you to take control of my words, let me step out of the way, while you us my voice, so that it will be pure and true, every word of it. In Jesus Name. AMEN!"
Yes, I mean Jesus Christ in me, delivered that message, and it was a 45 minute message.
I noticed a lady Officer stepped in at the beginning of that sermon and stood by the door until it was done. A few days later, I went to the Head Chaplain to report, but he already heard I did a good job, and he asked me to take over that Service permanently. God had me where HE wanted me.
One of the first things I learned about Prison Ministry, was the average inmate cannot follow you in the Bible, where the Books are is foreign to them. Second thing I learned, is hand written Notes or Type written Notes Stay on the Chapel Chairs, when the Service is over. Put pictures on them and almost every one of them goes back to their Cells or their Dorm with them. A picture is worth 1000 words, as the saying goes. I only put the VERSES on Notes with as few Comments as possible, that seemed to work the best. So inmates can follow along, without embarrassment, making Bible Study more interesting to them.
He is an example of my Bible Notes:
When I started out, I was escorting Pastors from local Churches to do Sermons, in one Chapel. and about a year later, I was standing at the Window of the Chapel, of Minimum Security. Watching the parking lot, because I new what kind of car the Pastor drove, and he was about to be Late. Then it was Late, and 2:05 PM, I realized the Pastor forgot, it was his Sunday to do the Minimum Security YARD. Panic Set in, as I realized my first Sermon had to happen, and I went straight to the Chapel Office, closed the Door, and go down on my knees and PRAISED, "Lord, you know I cannot do the Sermon, You will have to do it Thru me. Please Lord, you have to do the Sermon, and I will Trust in you." AMEN!
That was the First Sermon that I ever had to deliver, but is was entirely OF the LORD. I had no sermon notes, I only had a few Salvation Verses in the back of my Bible. He decided to do a Basic Salvation Message. I opened with a Prayer from Dr. Ed Young, that I heard almost ever Sunday for years. "Lord I need you to take control of my words, let me step out of the way, while you us my voice, so that it will be pure and true, every word of it. In Jesus Name. AMEN!"
Yes, I mean Jesus Christ in me, delivered that message, and it was a 45 minute message.
I noticed a lady Officer stepped in at the beginning of that sermon and stood by the door until it was done. A few days later, I went to the Head Chaplain to report, but he already heard I did a good job, and he asked me to take over that Service permanently. God had me where HE wanted me.
One of the first things I learned about Prison Ministry, was the average inmate cannot follow you in the Bible, where the Books are is foreign to them. Second thing I learned, is hand written Notes or Type written Notes Stay on the Chapel Chairs, when the Service is over. Put pictures on them and almost every one of them goes back to their Cells or their Dorm with them. A picture is worth 1000 words, as the saying goes. I only put the VERSES on Notes with as few Comments as possible, that seemed to work the best. So inmates can follow along, without embarrassment, making Bible Study more interesting to them.
He is an example of my Bible Notes:
