"If the Son has set you free..."

First, I want to thank all of you who prayed for Joe, Steve and myself this past Saturday as we ministered at the Greene County Correctional Facility. Joe is the Chaplain there, as well as one of the elders in my church. It was his idea to do a one-day Wild at Heart seminar with the guys there, most of them need lots of help in understanding what it means to be a godly man. Joe gave me a lot of tips on what to expect and how to handle being inside; but nothing really prepares you for what it’s like to be in there.
For instance, the slamming of iron doors is freaky. Where we were was a medium security facility, so there are many larger open areas for the guys to walk around, get fresh air. The large doors are actually outside. But that doesn’t mean they’re any quieter. They stay more in large bunk rooms than in cells. They are locked down and after lights out you can’t so much as sit up in bed without a corrections officer giving you a hard time. But during the day, there’s a lot of movement. The medium facility had two facilities on either side; one was a maximum security where guys are locked down, two to a cell, at night (what you might commonly think of as jail). On the other side was the "super max", where the worst of the worst are in small cells 23 hours a day. They get one hour of sunlight and recreation. Otherwise, they’re planted in a room. You know, sliding the tray of food under the door and all. I did not go into these other two buildings. Nor did I want to.
You’re familiar with the wire that is set on top of the fences to make it harder for the prisoners to escape, right? Think it’s just regular barbed wire? Think again. Try "razor wire". Two-inch long razor blades, positioned every two feet or so around the wire. If you do try to climb a fence, the razors will slice you up. And if you happen to make it over the first fence, there’s about 30-40 feet before another fence just like the first one. But don’t worry about scaling the second fence. The security guards in the sniper positions above the buildings will gun you down before you ever start the second climb.
Our meetings were held in Building 38, a multi-purpose room that looked a lot like many church fellowship halls. Florescent lights, tile floors, high ceilings - bad acoustics. Joe wanted to do some worship, so he set up the electric piano. One of the men played a bass guitar and there was a beat-up old drum set in the corner. They gave me the drum sticks (they had to be taken out from a locked box - we are in prison and a drumstick IS a potential weapon!) and we lifted a mighty praise! We played standard worship fare - "Blessed Be Your Name", "How Great is Our God", "Holy, Holy, Holy", and others. The guys were really ministered to by the music (they LOVE to worship) and by my playing. One guy wanted to have me give him lessons. I ended up praying at the end for him to receive a "drum anointing". :)
Joe and Steve taught their sessions in the morning. Joe talked about the spiritual battle we’re all in and how the enemy wants to rob us of our masculine strength. Steve did a great interactive talk about the false images we portray and how we need to live out our lives as God designed us to really be. The men really were following along, because right before lunch, the guys split into groups to discuss all that had been shared to that point. I sat in on a group of five or six and the leader, I forget his first name, was speaking powerful, healing words into the lives of some of the guys. I was blown away, especially considering he is only 21! There are pastors I know who do not have the power in their character to minister the way he does.
After lunch, we worshiped a little more (including "O Happy Day", a song I had never played before). Then, it was my turn to preach. I shared how our hearts are central in our lives, how they are broken through the wounds we take (primarily from our fathers), how Jesus came to heal our broken hearts and set us on the path to our original glory, set down from before we were made in our mothers' wombs. Alot to get through, and I only had 45 minutes! I got to share some of my testimony and talk about how though we may walk this life with no earthly father, we have a Heavenly Father who came confirm in us all the things the world never would. I was afraid I was going to lose them, from the length of time I spoke (their attention span is rather short) and the seriousness of the subject. But they hung on every word. Joe seemed to be very excited about how everything went.
I had a chance to bless and encourage a number of the guys one-on-one, which was exciting. I always used to be the guy who’d stand in the corner, shy and afraid. Saturday, I was walking right up to guys, asking them about their deep, dark stuff. We were definitely covered in prayer; I did not feel much spiritual oppression. But I was only in for a few hours. And we were prayed up well, so I could well have been isolated from it, which I am thankful if that is the case.
Picture the scene, 50-60 guys, most in their 20's or 30's, who are inside for some pretty serious stuff. But they had a peace that passes understanding and, to repeat a word I used before, a depth to their walks with the Lord. When you teach prisoners, you’re not dealing with idiots. They may not read very well and can’t tell you all about politics and quantum mechanics, but they are so close to God that if you’re a fake, they’ll smell you a mile away. And they were digging into the topic. You could tell by their comments and their questions that they saw their need for a deep inner healing. Many are on their way to incredible freedom in Him, a freedom many on the outside never experience.
On a personal level, God really spoke to me on several different levels. God further released something in me that had laid dormant for years - the desire to preach and teach the Word. I’ve been feeling like Jeremiah lately - if I don’t preach, it’s like fire being shut away in my bones. I spoke with very few notes and went for 45 minutes, held prisoners’ short attention spans and actually had something to say. He gave it to me. I trusted Him, didn't over prepare and stifle the what the Spirit wanted to do, and the Lord held up His end of the bargain. I told my wife last night as we talked about it, "That's it! That's what I'm put here to do. Minister. Preach and teach the Word. Be mightily used in His service. It's time to stop pleasing myself and striving for what I want. Drop the nets. Expand my circle. It's time."
Now what do we do? Seminary, on-line or distance learner? Straight into ministry? There must be more. But to me it doesn’t matter. He has a plan and a destiny. I will fulfill it! I can’t wait to get Lorenzo’s "Flying Blind" sermon. I’ll probably post it up here when I get a chance. And, if you have it, listen to Steven Curtis Chapman’s "Free", on the CD Signs of Life. His song is almost word for word what I experienced.

There is so much more to say. I’m sure I’ll share more as we go along. Again, we believe your prayers were vital in us having the success we have had. Thank you!

For now, I’m falling asleep. In fact, you should’ve read some for the stuff I erased as I was trying to write and sleep at the same time. Good stinking luck! No psychologist can figure that out!

Walk with God...