TFS498

APRIL 1998

In the Maximum Security of His Grace

Can God change the hearts of prisoners who have committed the most heinous of crimes? During the National Bilibid Prison EE Leadership Clinic in Muntinlupa City in the Philippines, Christ’s saving power was evident! Bishop Efraim Tendero led the Clinic along with EE trained members of Pasay City Alliance Church and Kamuning Bible Christian Fellowship. They were reaching out to prisoners with sentences not lower than life imprisonment. Isaiah I:18 says “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” This verse became very meaningful as convicted bank robbers, murderers, rapists, kidnappers and notorious gang members bonded themselves together to evangelize and revolutionize the prison for Christ. The registration list filled fast as thirty inmates enthusiastically signed up for the Clinic. Five of them were pastors who graduated from the Bible School inside the penitentiary. The most exciting aspect of the Clinic was On-The-Job Training (OJT). OJT contacts included gang commanders and four men on death row. Of the 68 who heard the Gospel, 66 professed faith in Christ! Their goal is to share the Gospel to all 6,700 inmates at the maximum security prison in the next three years. T. J. Murvin, Director of EE Prison Ministries, said that men in prison have only one hope. “The only rehabilitation prisoners have is in Jesus Christ.” According to EE Teacher, Reverend Lalano D. Badoy, Jr., the sense of fulfillment and joy on the hearts of those coming to Christ was overwhelming. “Once again, it proved that whoever you are, no matter what situation you’re in, you can be in the maximum security of His grace.”

Growth in Rumania

The small church in Giurgiu, Rumania, had only 40 members. Following EE training, a church elder started to train others in EE. They did On-The-Job training every day. During one particular visit, a mother and her children were very open to the Gospel and received Christ. The mother told the elder that her husband was against everything related to church, which prevented her from worship on Sundays. So she invited the EE team to return when her husband was home. The EE team visited the following Sunday evening and the woman’s husband professed Christ. This small church now has over 100 believers.

God’s Faithfulness

God is doing great things through the EE ministry at a southside church in Hazlehurst, Georgia. Their first EE team went out to visit a woman who had attended a special service at the church. Upon arrival, the team discovered that it was the wrong house. The man, John, who came to the door, wanted to know what they were doing. The EE team explained that they were sharing with people the good news of how they could have eternal life. John said that he really wanted to know. The team had the privilege of presenting the Gospel, and John prayed to receive Christ. John became on fire for the Lord. John wanted his brother Scott to hear the Gospel. Scott had been very hostile to his brother’s presentations of the Gospel. So John felt like an EE team was his last hope. John contacted one of the members of the team that visited him asking them to pray for and visit his brother. The date was set. The EE team went to the house per John’s directions. No one was home. The EE team had time for one more visit. They decided to do questionnaires. They drove down a couple of streets and saw a house that looked inviting. When the occupant came to the door, he agreed to answer the questions. “Please come in,” said the man. “And let me introduce you to a friend of mine who’s visiting. This is Scott.” This Scott was John’s brother who “happened” to be visiting there that night. Now John and Scott are not only brothers physically, but spiritually as well. God led them to the wrong places at the right times.

Here is the same information in a PDF file format. The information is layed out with both pages on a single page so that the page can be folded in half and used as a bulletin insert.

PDF format-4/98

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