Everyone Should Spend a day in Jail.......

Last Friday I was off to another speaking engagement in Vincennes, IN. This one was going to be a little different than the time before. My friend Brad Delp (not the former lead singer of Boston, he's dead) asked me to speak to the Daviess County R.A.R.E Substance Abuse Program in Washington, IN. This program is for prisoners with drug offenses on their record. He asked me to speak to prisoners on the program he is in charge of. At first I was a little leery. I have spoke to some rough crowds before but this would be the roughest. He reassured me it would be fine. So I agreed.

I checked in at the front desk with the Pastor of Brad's church accompanying me. We walked into what appeared to be a waiting room. Finally Brad meet us. We began to walk through some thick steel doors and to what he called the "pod". An open room with two floors filled with what looked like little rooms with about 4 beds in each. Concrete, steel and no windows. As I walked in about 30 men began to gather around metal tables with bolted down chairs. And then I heard that sound. If you have ever been in prison or jail you know the sound. That echoing thud of the locked door shutting behind you. YOU ARE LOCKED IN!

The service began with Brad introducing me followed by singing. They had these paperback hymnals filled with the classics. Several began to shout out page numbers or song titles. Then something amazing happened. As we sang, the spirit of God fell down on that place. These men sang these songs as if the words meant something to them personally. Or as if they really were singing to God. You know the songs that are not contemporary enough for our generation. The ones we have passed up for more "relative" songs. Their voices blended together and rang out in that pod. After the last song Brad asked if anyone had a testimony. At first no one raised their hands and then Brad began to call on guys. They began to share how God was putting their lives back together for them and how He was repairing relationships and bringing forgiveness to their lives. After each testimony everyone would clap as if on Que. After each testimony someone would offer an encouraging word specifically to that person. Some who testified would even get a hug from a guy standing next to him. This was unreal to me. I have not felt this spirit in a long time. I was trying to remember when I had felt like this before. Oh yeah, in Church many years ago. Yeah, Church used to be like this. People honestly praising God with song. Sharing testimonies of what God was doing in their lives.
Then I spoke for a few minutes and they all listened intently. No ones cell phone went off. No one was texting. No one got up and went to the bathroom. A few got up when I first started speaking, but they ran to get their bibles. It was a beautiful service. God moved in the "pod" that day. He not only spoke to prisoners He spoke to me.
As the Pastor and I were driving back to the Church I shared with him how amazing the service was. I asked him, "what's the difference between those prisoners and people in Church, besides the obvious?" He looked at me and said, "they(the prisoners) have tried accommodating themselves, that's what put them behind bars. It doesn't work. It's now all about Jesus for them. He is the only thing that can help them now. People in the Church are still trying to accommodate themselves they're just not in a visible prison yet." That is it exactly. It was honest worship, a transparent relationship with God. They honestly need Him. That is what is missing in most Churches. That is what is missing in most followers of Christ. And that is what I need more of in my life as well.

Thanks Brad Delp. Your program spoke loud and clear to me. I have become a prisoner to accommodating myself. It is not about me, it is all about you God!