WBC Ministers to Those in Prison

by Phil Blevins

For the past several months, a team of volunteers from WBC has been going into the Estes Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Venus, Texas. The team is responsible for conducting a worship service on the last Saturday evening in months where there are five Saturdays on the calendar.

The last service was held on August 30th. Approximately 30 volunteers, following Jesus’ call to “go unto the least of these,” ministered to over 100 inmates out of the 1036 prisoners currently incarcerated at the Estes unit. The service started at 7:00pm with a worship team leading praise and worship singing followed by 2 people sharing their testimonies of a recent mission trip to Colombia. Bill Cox brought the message and the service concluded at about 8:45.

In addition to sharing in worship, the volunteers are allowed to interact with the inmates for brief times of fellowship and prayer. The men are challenged to accept Christ and live according to the Scriptures. Believing inmates are encouraged to be good examples in the general prison population, lift up one another in the Lord and share their faith with others. This was the third time in 2014 that a WBC team has performed this ministry, and the next opportunity will be November 30th.

There are many other ministry opportunities available to individuals who are interested and go through the required training. Contact the church or Jerry Weiler for more information.

The Sanders Estes Unit of TDC is a male minimum-security facility managed by MAC for TDCJ. Many of the men there are preparing to transition back into life after prison.