Hundreds of female inmates recently surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ and immediately were baptized at a correctional facility in Denver, Colorado.
As reported by CBN News, 265 women made professions of faith and were subsequently baptized at Denver correctional facility. The baptism service was held by God Behind Bars, a prison ministry that partners with churches to reach the lost.
“265 female inmates BAPTIZED at our Denver Women’s Correctional Facility Many of the women gave their lives to Jesus and were baptized on the spot! REVIVAL BEHIND BARS!! Thank you @redrockschurch / @redrocksoutreach,” God Behind Bars wrote on Instagram.
A God Behind Bars inmate who goes by the name Sunshine shared that she “felt surrounded by family, and that’s what made the experience significant and meaningful.”
The prison ministry first launched its worship service at a Nevada correctional facility in 2009.
Jake Bodine, founder and CEO of God Behind Bars, explained that during the worship service, inmates started to “pour into the room” and worship the Lord.
“Our team began to dream, what if we were able to reproduce this in 5,000 prisons around the world,” Bodine said.
The prison ministry then held another worship service with inmates in Oklahoma, where 90 percent of the jail reportedly participated in the experience. From that moment on, God Behind Bars has expanded across the United States.
“We were able to launch in prisons in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, and Texas,” Bodine explained. “Wardens began to tell us that the culture in the prison is changing every single day, that the men and women in the prison are improving their outlook on self-worth. We’re watching inmates and families be restored for the very first time. The most common thing our team hears is that for one hour, they didn’t feel like they were in prison.”
God Behind Bars also partnered with Christian worship group Maverick City Music and artist Kirk Franklin, along with an all-inmate choir, for a live worship experience at a south Florida correctional facility.
“THOUSANDS of inmates worshipping inside of a maximum-security prison to Jireh! CHILLLSSS!” the group wrote.
“This was the first time that some inmates had ever heard the name of Jesus. At this prison, we have seen hundreds of inmates give their lives to Jesus in the last two months.”
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Anurakpong
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.