New Life on Death Row
Mark’s voice echoed off the stark concrete walls as he repeated the simple confession of faith. Kneeling between two rows of locked cells, Mark surrendered his life to Christ. Witnessed by guards and fellow inmates, Mark was baptized in the hallway of Polunsky Prison’s death row unit in Livingston, Texas. Though physically bound by chains, Mark found freedom in the forgiveness of His Savior.
In the eyes of the world, Mark is a felon, sentenced to spend years in solitary
confinement. As a maximum-security location, Polunsky Prison inmate location,
carry sentences of 20 years or greater. The facility also serves as the state’s
only men’s death-row location, holding hundreds of men who may ultimately face
the death penalty.
Mark lives in complete
isolation, cut off from the rest of the prison population. But the magnitude of
his criminal conviction is not beyond the redemption of Christ’s work on the
Cross.
Through a BSF satellite group,
men in solitary confinement are able to study God’s Word independently in their
remote prison cells. Personal contact is restricted, but the men do get to
correspond with local BSF leaders who deliver their lessons each week. Through
written comments on the lesson material, BSF leaders provide encouragement and
accountability to the men on death row who aren’t allowed to attend discussion
groups. They also have access to their weekly BSF lecture through the prison’s
radio station.
When asked in Lesson 8, “How
might your current situation be an opportunity to positively influence how
those around you view God?” one man in isolation answered: “By showing them
that all the things may seem tuff, you can use this in a positive manner and
learn about God and grow within.”
To the Lesson 9 question, “Whom can you thank for offering God’s grace
and blessing to you? How will you thank God for them?” another man on death row
responded:
For these men, BSF offers a
lifeline to a community with believers and a reminder that they are not alone.
In the general prison population, three BSF Discussion Groups meet weekly, led
by local BSF leaders.
“The men at Polunsky are worthy of our time,” Group Leader Purvis Harper said. “These men are at
rock bottom. They’ve had all their chances in society and burned them all. When
they have no other place to turn and are craving answers, the answer is Christ.
The Lord is playing such a vital role. Many either find Christ or
re-ignite their faith from past exposure, knowing they either find peace where
God has put them, or live in agony, fear and frustration during their long and
sometimes lifetime sentences.”
Freedom in Prison
“When I retired, the Lord put it
into my heart to build on a previous experience with prison ministry,” he
shared. “I have seen how vital this ministry is, how the men’s lives can change
when they are introduced to God’s Word.
“The entire atmosphere of 3,000
men has changed through the different Christian programs that go through. The
men who are called to BSF are serious students of Christ. Their answers
are so profound, so genuine and so open.
“Through their faith, they know
they are paying their debt back to society and are able to say, ‘Wherever
I am, I’m going to serve the Lord.’ That’s a huge step in the prison
population. Through the years, Christ has transformed Polunsky from
its former nickname, ‘Terrible Terrell,’ to what is now known
as ‘The God Unit.’ A true miracle to the power and persistence of
Christ.”
For Purvis, a retired
pediatrician and long-time BSF leader, prison ministry was an
unexpected, yet undeniable, call from the Lord.
When I retired, the Lord put it
into my heart to build on a previous experience with prison ministry,” he
shared. “I have seen how vital this ministry is, how the men’s lives can change
when they are introduced to God’s Word.
“The entire atmosphere of 3,000
men has changed through the different Christian programs that go through. The
men who are called to BSF are serious students of Christ. Their answers are so
profound, so genuine and so open.
“Through their faith, they know
they are paying their debt back to society and are able to say, ‘Wherever I am,
I’m going to serve the Lord.’ That’s a huge step in the prison population.
Through the years, Christ has transformed Polunsky from its former nickname,
‘Terrible Terrell,’ to what is now known as ‘The God Unit.’ A true miracle to
the power and persistence of Christ.” For one BSFer named James, God’s
Word offers more than comfort. Through BSF and other Christian programs, James
has discovered a purpose. In a recent conversation with Purvis, James shared
that he grew up in a Christian home. Familiar with the gospel, James rejected
its truth.
“He said, ‘I had the head
knowledge of Christ but didn’t have the heart knowledge of Christ,’ ” Purvis
shared.
In college, James rebelled
against his family’s faith, seeking financial fortune above all else. When he
was implicated in an illegal scheme, James was ultimately sentenced to 35 years
at Polunsky. Though he continues to appeal his case and seek parole, James has
discovered a sense of peace.
“When he was taken from the
courtroom to the county jail, he came very close to committing suicide. He
broke down and gave his life to Christ,” Purvis said.
“Now, 14 years later, James is a
well-respected inmate. Nobody messes with James because he’s so genuine and
does so much good for the men. He’s truly to the state where Paul was when he
said, ‘Whether I live or die, I’m going to be with Christ.’ He lives that out
and loves the in-depth nature of BSF. He just loves studying the Bible and
actively discussing it with other men in Discussion Group.”
In prison, James uses his
influence and education to minister to other inmates.
“He says, ‘God, you’ve put me
here for a reason, and I am going to be faithful,’” Purvis shared.
Within His Reach
For men like Mark and James,
freedom from prison is a faraway dream. As their hope of release dims with each
parole board denial, God’s Word confirms that no man is beyond His reach.
One BSFer on death row wrote
this about God’s promises: “John 10:29, no one can snatch them out of my
Father’s hand. Yes, I am a child of God.”
Like the men of Polunsky, our
sin separates us from God. But through the eternal reach of Jesus’ death and
resurrection, we are never beyond God’s grasp.
In Genesis 37 and 39, we read
about Joseph, who was abandoned in a cistern and sold into slavery. In his
darkest moments, Scripture repeats a simple phrase, “The Lord was with
Joseph.”
In Joseph’s suffering, God had a
plan and a purpose for Joseph that stretched beyond his circumstances. Through
his family’s deceit and his unjust imprisonment, God was preparing Joseph to
save an entire nation. But as he sat in a prison cell, unjustly accused, Joseph
wasn’t consumed by the future. His focus was on the present.
Genesis 39:20–22 tells us, “…
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him. … So the
warden put Joseph in charge of all those held
in prison, and he was made
responsible for all that was done there.”
Fixing his eyes on eternity,
Joseph faithfully followed the Lord in his suffering. Like Joseph, we are
called to seek God today, without worrying about
tomorrow. So where might God be
calling you to serve? Maybe it’s inviting a friend to BSF or sharing the gospel
with a family member. Wherever we
are, God has a plan and purpose
for His people.
For the men of Polunsky, prison
is a constant reminder of criminal convictions and bleak futures. But God’s Word
offers hope in the darkest corner of the
loneliest cell. For these
believers, each day is new opportunity to share God’s grace with those who seem
beyond forgiveness.
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