LA STATE PENITENTIARY AT ANGOLA OUTREACH

I have just returned from Angola State Penitentiary in LA, where I had the precious privilege to preach the truths of the Gospel to a room packed with “lifers”. There are over 5,000 inmates in Angola; and 85% are serving life sentences. This prison was one of the most violent prisons in America for many decades. However, the Gospel has gone forth in power to transform the lives of many men. This has resulted in a spiritual and moral revolution in the entire climate of this prison. Now, there are three huge chapels in the middle of the prison grounds. There is even a Southern Baptist seminary on the campus of the prison, which is training prisoners for the purpose of sending them out as ‘missionaries and pastors’ into other prisons!

In recent years, this penitentiary has become more known for its revival and its seminary, than its previous reputation of violence. It has become the “poster child’ for demonstrating how the gospel of Jesus Christ can transform hardened criminals, and save them from the tyrannical power of sin! I was invited to preach a “two day meeting” at Angola by some precious friends, in conjunction with the Greater Baton Rouge Baptist Association. On Friday evening, I had the joy of preaching the Word of God to the believers at Camp “C” for two solid hours. At the end of my allotted time, the inmates were calling for more. They were all saying, with one accord, that they would be happy to listen all night. On the next day, a group of believers from the Baton Rouge area accompanied us to the prison for a special bi-annual out-reach event. All of the inmate believers were allowed to invite 3 friends each, to a holiday meal with all of the trimmings, which was furnished by the Baptist association. Then I had the joy of preaching the Gospel to a “packed room”, which was standing room only! A number of men testified of the converting grace of Jesus in their hearts. As always, we pray that there will be fruit that remains. I believe that this is going to become an open door for a quarterly ministry in this prison; as well as an extended meeting in the future.