Hundreds of prison inmates at a Mississippi correctional facility praised Jesus and were touched by “the presence of God” earlier this month. As a result, more than 100 incarcerated men gave their lives to Jesus, and more than 50 took part in a spontaneous water baptism, a national prison ministry reports.
God Behind Bars works to restore the lives of inmates by building their faith during incarceration and after their release. Nearly every week, they report on the impact their ministry is having on the more than the two million people locked up in the prison system.
Earlier this month, hundreds lined up in a prison gym at East Mississippi Correctional Facility (MDOC) to hear the testimony of former gang member and ex-inmate Johnny Chang, who was raised in a violent home, and trapped in a gang, but found Jesus in solitary confinement.
“He was looking into the eyes of men who had lived his life,” God Behind Bars said of the former convict turned preacher on Instagram. “As Johnny spoke, you could feel it shift. The room leaned in. Questions poured out—deep, honest, hungry. And when we opened the floor for surrender, men dropped to their knees across the gym.”
“I was drowning in my sin. He’s the lifeguard, and that is why we call him our Saviour,” Chang told the inmates during one message. “I was able to believe that, and all that hope cast out all of the darkness out of my heart.”
“You guys are not what society calls you. You are not what MDOC calls you,” he added. “You are what God calls you, Amen. And He calls you guys righteous, holy, and sanctified.”
When Chang asked who wanted to make Jesus Lord, many inmates immediately responded, some “dropped to their knees across the gym.”
The ministry reports that over the course of two days, transformation took place.
“For TWO straight days, the prison gym was transformed into HOLY GROUND,” the ministry shared in another post. “Men hit their knees…Hands lifted high…Tears poured out as shackles of shame, addiction, and despair were shattered in the presence of Jesus.”
The post continued, “100+ men gave their lives to Christ. 50+ were baptized. Hearts that were once hardened were cracked wide open. Chains fell. Voices roared in worship. FREEDOM reigned. What the enemy meant for destruction, God turned into a revival.”
The impact of worship, the Word of God, and prayer was felt throughout the prison.
In one post, the ministry explained that during one meeting, a volunteer felt prompted by the Lord to walk through the aisles.
“So I obeyed. I started walking, slowly, through the crowd of broken men. Halfway in, I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I turned—and there he was. A young man. Tall. Tears streaming down his face,” reads the post.
“‘I’ve heard all about Jesus today,’ [the inmate] said, his voice shaking. ‘I want to give my life to Him… can you help me?’ We dropped to our knees right there. Surrounded by hundreds of men, I shared the gospel—how Jesus died for his sins, how He rose again to give him new life. He wept like a child. He confessed. He believed. He surrendered.”
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news.***
“Then I told him about baptism. Without hesitation, he walked to the pool,” it continued. “And then… it was like heaven broke open.”
Over the course of the two days, more than 50 men filed in line to get into the pool and make a public declaration that Jesus is Lord.
“Inmates crowded the front—hands raised, faces soaked with tears. The atmosphere felt like holy ground,” reads another post.
As CBN News has reported, God Behind Bars has been very successful in reaching millions with the hope of the Gospel, partly because of how they structure their outreaches.
“We will stop at nothing to ensure every inmate in the U.S. has direct and personal access to the Gospel. We want to help them grow their faith, heal trauma and emotional wounds, break addictions and cycles, and allow every person behind bars to step into their calling as sons and daughters of the Most High,” organizers explained.
God Behind Bars founder and CEO Jake Bodine says he started the organization in 2009 to carry this message “to the least of these.”
“Jesus loves inmates,” Bodine told CBN. “And I believe that there is purpose. Their story is not their identity. It’s just a blip on a map of what God wants to do in and through them. That is the message that we carry.”
That message was boldly carried into East Mississippi Correctional Facility.
“What started as a moment turned into a movement. Men were running forward. Tears were flowing. Spontaneous baptisms broke out,” God Behind Bars shared. “And every day, lines of incarcerated men stepped forward to surrender their lives to Jesus.”
