Recently a friend asked about my Prison Fellowship and here is some of what I wrote to her. Once a week I travel to Sierra Conservation Center (located 1.5 hours east of Stockton, CA) as a volunteer to teach inmates How To Enjoy The Bible.

Lucy, Thanks for asking about the Prison Fellowship.  Very few care about what much of society sees as nothing more than trash and often cardinal Christians wonder just why we bother to help those who have so wickedly sinned against society.  Eighty –five percent of the inmates on the level 3 yard at SCC have a big "R" on there personal folder indicating some type of sex crime committed.   As I have mentioned to you before, this state prison is a special needs prison which houses inmates that would likely be killed by other inmates if they were left in the mainline prison system.  The other 15% are mostly gang drop outs and they also would be killed on the mainline.  Fortunately, God looks at the heart and has opened "a door of believing" to them and as long as there is a meekness to His Word HE will provide a teacher.  I am reminded of the verse in 1Samuel 16

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”


For the past 2 weeks I have been laying a foundation for the understanding of the Book of Acts.  Since most Bible readers just skip over reading Acts, usually due to their misunderstanding of the book or thinking it is “non-relevent" as compared to modern Christianity, there is needed work to complete before and in depth study can proceed.  When I told the class to turn to Acts 29 they leafed through their bibles looking for the non-existent chapter.  Then, I told them to look around the room because they were chapter 29!  One must put aside the operation of the modern Christian Church if he wants to see the Book of Acts live. Some refer to this reality as "Living in The Realm of the Miraculous” a realm where signs, miracles and wonders flowed like water.   We will soon see if their hearts are willing to embrace the supernatural and allow the power of holy spirit to flow from this gift of God. 

Joe Evans, my teaching partner, taught on the difference between the “gathering together” of the Christian believer and the resurrections of the just and unjust.  These three misunderstood separate events are often confused by Bible teachers and misinformed Christians. Our students were happy to see that they were not going to be judged for their past deeds and would attain eternal sonship at the “gathering together” of the Church by the wonderful work of Jesus Christ.  When I mentioned our teaching work to my Christian racquetball buddies at the gym after our games last week their response was typical.  "I am a Christian man but I just can forgive the sexual deviants and pedophiles."   Well, God has also forgiven my buddies for their hardheartedness! 

Our teachings are building towards Pentecost the greatest single event in history that I know and the most wonderful day of rejoicing for a Christian believer; that is, if he only knew it!


I would like to include a poem to inspire the hearts of the meek.







The Touch of the Masters Hand

T’was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, but held it up with a smile;

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me? "

"A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three dollars twice; going for three..

" But no, from the room, far back, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low, said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.