Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
Let me ask you a question: did you ever hear the phrase "go after the good building material" in the LSM/lc?
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So glad you asked!
I know the question is not directed to me. But I remember very well when that phrase began to be used. It was 1977. I think it was the same time we stopped saying Sunday and had to begin using 'the Lord's day'. Sunday was a bad word. To this day, I don't know anyone who will say Sunday.
Back to good building material.. yeah.. I think that is when the gospel of Lee started going to the colleges recruiting 'good building material'.
Good thing I am no longer a part of the LC/LSM as this past weekend, beginning Thursday and ending yesterday, a group of 60 of us went to minister to prisoners incarcerated for who knows how long.
I had never been on this kind of 'mission'. But it was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in Christ.
42 inmates were selected to participate in a 'Love feast' via the warden and of course (GOD behind the scenes!)
About 40 brothers in Christ took lunch and dinner to the inmates. But except for Thursday and Sunday (yesterday), the brothers befriended and ministered to the inmates from 6:30am til 7p. We women cooked lunch and dinner which included desert and home made cookies. There were 2 runs: one at 10:30am and 3:30pm. We not only prayed over the food but we prayed as the 40 guys left to minister, singing "This is the day the Lord has made". When the truck with the food would leave at 10:25 and 3:25, we also went to the truck, prayed over the food and inmates. When the guys returned at 7ishpm, we would greet them and had ice cream waiting for them. They then shared with us how it went.
There was a chapel and every 30 minutes, each of us would go into the chapel to pray for the inmates and whatever the Holy Spirit placed on their hearts to pray. Twice a day, there would sharing in the chapel too.
Before the weekend, we had meetings ahead of time. Each of us wrote 42 letters encouraging the inmates, including scriptures and prayer whatever God put on our hearts to write.
The inmates were seated around a table of 7 with a group leader. The tables were named 'Table of Paul, Peter, Luke, Mark, Matthew, John').
We did not know the name of the inmates so we had to wait until we got the list with their names. Each inmate received 42 letters, one from each of us. The letters were placed in decorated paper bags, decorated by children. Paper place mats were also decorated by children. Most had 'God loves you' or something similar. One little kid (unknown) wrote 'you better repent or you won't have any friends.) We laughed out loud and pulled it out.
The children were not from any particular one school or church.
At around 7:30pm the men would return to give us an update and many had index cards with prayer requests from the inmates. Saturday morning w
On Saturday morning we prayed over all the letters. First we called up each table and then we prayed over all the tables and letters as a unit. Each inmate also received a cross on a chain.
The inmates received their letters from us on Saturday evening.
Sunday morning they had one more home cooked meal delivered to them and since we would not be cooking dinner for them, we made hoge sandwiches for them as their dinner from us. That was so much fun.
Sunday afternoon, they had a surprising closing ceremony at the prison gym. That was the only time we were able to see the inmates. We were not allowed to talk to them or shake their hands.
We went in to the gym about an hour 1/2 before they went into the gym. There were already about 60 inmates on one side who were 'graduates' from previous years greeting us and waiting to greet the new brothers in Christ.
It was sooooo moving!! There was a small band playing Christian songs. One was hilarious! Remember 'Louie - LOU-EYE" ? They changed the words to 'PHAROE - PHAROE, oh baby, LET MY PEOPLE GO!'
When the new converts were getting ready to walk in, we began singing 'O WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN'. When they walked in, it was so spiritually emotional.
After a brief intro, each table went up to the microphone and introduced themselves. Then whoever wanted to share could speak. So many tears were shed by the converts. Many of them said they had known God from a young age and had been church kids. They are the ones that really broke down and cried. They thanked us for the letters. They loved their place mats. Some got up and said they had forgiven their father, their mother for abandoning them. Others said they had never felt loved in their lives and they could not get over how much love was poured into them.
There were lots of hugs among the inmates, the new ones as well as hugs from those who already were walking with Jesus. Everytime someone cried, the other guys would put their arms around them and prayed quietly for them.
They were also told that while they had a great weekend, the battle was just beginning. They would be returning to their 'houses'. They were encouraged to grab hold of each other, to pray together, to fellowship together.
A few were going to be paroled soon. Oh.. and the prayer request cards they wrote to us, were mostly prayer requests for their families, not for themselves.
It does not end there because every week, one or two men go to the prison on Thursdays to visit and fellowship with them. This has been on going since 1997. Once a month, the new brothers in white are taken a dozen cookies each and a home made sandwich.
These 'missions' are held twice a year. One in October and one in March. Too hot to do in the summer.
Perhaps they are not good LSM 'building material' but God loves them too.
Hebrews 2:2-3 says:
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.
The ministry is called 'Kairos' Greek for 'In God's time'.
Here is a very short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoFMPG9vjx4
There are other you tubes on this ministry.