God Behind Bars pursuing revival in US prisons

Originally published in CBN News

There is revival taking place in prisons across America as thousands of inmates are being baptised and giving their lives to Jesus Christ. 

God Behind Bars is a national prison ministry that is working to restore the lives of inmates, by building their faith, during incarceration and after their release.

Within the last week, at least 130 prisoners were baptised including 90 woman inmates at a federal prison.

“It was such a holy moment. God is changing the lives of these women. Addictions are breaking, forgiveness is reigning, and Jesus is winning,” the ministry shared on Instagram. 

God Behind Bars is strategically working to reach the more than 2.3 million people in the prison system.

“We create satellite campuses in prisons and our whole mission is to introduce inmates to Jesus,” Isaac Holt, Director of Innovation for God Behind Bars, told CBN News. 

In 2021, the ministry released its PandoApp-a faith-based app, that gives prisoners access to worship music and sermons on a tablet. 

“We will stop at nothing, ensuring every inmate in the US has direct and personal access to the Gospel and spiritual resources to not only help them grow their faith, but heal trauma and wounds, break addictions and cycles, and allow them to step into their calling as sons and daughters of the Most High,” reads their website.

The ministry’s goal to win souls for the Kingdom of God is exploding into an outreach that is providing hope in a dark place. 

“In prison, it’s very easy to be a bitter, cold person,” one inmate recently shared. “But because of my relationship in Jesus Christ and because of who I’ve become while being in prison, I’ve learned [to be] a joyful person. Having a life sentence plus 30 (years), and people not understanding where this joy is coming from or not understanding how you can maintain a smile while going through adverse moments…and I know that it only came from God.” 

Over the years, worship leaders like Brandon Lake, Naomi Raine, and Kirk Franklin as well as speakers like Sadie Robertson and Russell Wilson have prayed and sung alongside inmates. It is a glimpse into a small facet of what we will likely see in Heaven – people from all walks of life worshipping Jesus Christ. 

One inmate who has served prison time for the last 25 years told God Behind Bars that when he feels alone and isolated he turns to singing worship songs.

Lisa Cole, a campus pastor with Faith Promise in the east Tennessee area, works closely with God Behind Bars in Morgan County Correctional Complex, Bledsoe County Correctional Complex, and Bledsoe County Women’s Unit.

She told CBN News that God Behind Bars is offering inmates an opportunity to be a part of a community. 

“They have prayer teams, they do small groups, they do membership classes, they have prayer groups every night in their units, they invite other people,” she said. “We challenge them to win their world by sharing the Gospel.”

The ministry once shared that what is happening in the prisons is a “new thing” and it is evident in the joy that is felt and the lives that are changed. 

“God is bringing revival to prisons! Jesus is doing a NEW THING,” they wrote.

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