Over the last three months, a ministry that works to restore the lives of inmates through faith-building outreach programs has baptized more than 140 women who are locked up behind bars.
Women ages 16 and up are having their lives transformed by the power of God's redemptive love because of the work of God Behind Bars, a ministry that reaches "the most unchurched" population in the United States – inmates.
As CBN News has reported, the ministry is on a mission to reach the more than 2.3 million people in the prison system.
So far, they have shared the Gospel with more than one million people who are incarcerated.
"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 explain.
Last month, inmates lined up at the largest women's prison in Colorado to give it all to Jesus.
"We were approved to do the first baptisms ever allowed in this prison," the ministry explained.
One woman could not contain her joy as she was dunked in an inflatable pool during the water baptism – a symbolic event that is a public declaration of a person's belief in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection and their commitment to live a new life in Him.
"Only you Jesus can make a way. Only you Jesus can shine your light in the darkest places like prison. Jesus bless this woman as she continues to walk with you behind bars," the ministry expressed in a post.
God Behind Bars has been so successful in reaching millions with the hope of the Gospel because of how they structure their outreaches.
"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. So far, 415,912 inmates have used the app.
At an undisclosed prison facility in mid-November, 300 incarcerated women packed into a small gymnasium to praise God.
"Over 70 women gave their lives to Jesus!! Hundreds came up to get prayer and confess sin! Revival filled this place as women {wept}," the ministry shared on Instagram. "Jesus is breaking the chains of the incarcerated and they are finding freedom in Christ. Revival is here!!"
And while most of the women are going to spend the next 10 years to life locked up in prison, the joy of finding Christ in prison is giving them true freedom, the non-profit shares.
"[Because] of Jesus they are FREE!! Jesus is the WAYMAKER for these women," GBB writes.
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."
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news.***
It is a message that was shared with female inmates last week at another undisclosed prison facility. It resulted in 33 of them getting baptized. One of the ladies had been waiting for 50 years to take part in a water baptism.
As CBN News reported, 160 incarcerated women at a Las Vegas maximum security prison had an indescribable encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Bestselling author and founder of IF:Gathering, Jennie Allen shared a powerful message proclaiming repentance and forgiveness to those in attendance at the outreach in October.
"It was probably the most incredible movement of the Spirit," she said of what took place inside the prison. "All but a few accepted Christ. [But] not just accepted Christ, but ran to Him. Like ran to Jesus."
Allen had a front-row seat to how God is transforming the hearts of these inmates.
"They were just weeping while we baptized them. Weeping. And the whole place was cheering (and) going nuts. It was just the most beautiful thing we have ever seen. We couldn't believe it," she described.
God Behind Bars recently released incredible footage of a 16-year-old inmate being baptized by Allen.
The young girl, who has been convicted to serve 50 years in prison, has spent the last year of her life in solitary confinement. According to the ministry, Allen felt led by the Holy Spirit to talk with her and share the gospel.
"She ended up giving her life to Jesus," GBB shared on social media. "This girl wanted to get baptized."
The prison staff shut down the entire prison so that this girl could get baptized.
"She sat in the baptism pool, WEEPING as we prayed and worshipped with her. It was one of the most beautiful and difficult moments of our lives," the post continued.
God Behind Bars organizers hope that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to spread from cell to cell.
"We see that God still has such an amazing purpose for these men and women behind bars. They aren't counted out," Holt previously told CBN News. "I think so many people look at people in prison and count them out and people think that they are kinda worthless. And I know these men and women feel that too."
"I think if God's grace can't extend to a prisoner, then it can't extend to me," he added. "And I think that we as believers and Christians should believe that God's grace can change the worst of the worst."
Did you know?
God is everywhere—even in the news. That’s why we view every news story through the lens of faith. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1.
Support CBN News
