A few weekends ago, Mike Shaw and I took a mission trip, but we didn’t go build any houses and we didn’t go renovate any churches.  We instead went to the prison in Winnsboro, Texas- the Clyde Johnston unit- and built relationships with the men in white. 

I sat at a table with six men in white, who called themselves The Sons of Light, and I listened as they told me their stories of their journey to Christ, from addiction to redemption. I heard stories of forgiveness, repentance, redemption and restoration. The Holy Spirit was a palpable presence in that room for three days. I was moved to fervently pray with two men for their reconciliation with their families.

I want to thank the Mission committee of the church for their support of the Residents Encounter Christ mission in Winnsboro, and I especially want to thank everybody who signed up for a space on the prayer chain, and who signed the posters encouraging the men in their walk. It is important to the men there to know that they have not been forgotten by the people on the outside.

I will be going back to the prison in October of this year. I invite anybody who wants to join me in this walk to sign up for a slot on the prayer chain and to sign the poster of encouragement for these men. If you want, you can come join me, sit at a table, listen to their stories and let the men know in a very real way that Christ still loves them.