“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” —Romans 6:5-6, NIV
Happy Resurrection Sunday! As Naomi Faltin, field team events manager at Prison Fellowship, shared with us last week, this is the day when “people in churches all over the world and in prisons all over the world are united in one message … the message of the Resurrection.”
Every year, we celebrate Easter behind bars by hosting Prison Fellowship Hope Events on prison yards across the country. This is a tradition that started with our founder, Chuck Colson, who was no stranger to the criminal justice system.
“God used my greatest defeat for His glory.” —Chuck Colson
Before Chuck became federal prisoner number 22326, there was nothing in his life story to suggest that he would end up behind bars. Raised near Boston, Massachusetts, he graduated from Brown University, went on to become the youngest captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, and earned a law degree with honors. After that, he entered politics, a field for which he had a natural talent.
By 1969, Chuck reached the high point of a dramatic climb to influence and prestige. As special counsel to President Nixon, he was one of the most powerful men in the country—until it all came crashing down.
You can shatter the darkness and help prisoners find salvation. Will you help us share the Good News that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and bring hope to prisoners this Easter?
