By Jennifer Taylor
Joe Garman, president of ARM Prison Outreach International (Joplin, MO), writes with news of baptisms and Bible learning:
In October we experienced two events that had never happened in our years of prison ministry in the U.S.
First, I presented a three-day “See Through the Scriptures” seminar at a prison in Pecos, TX that holds 2,500 male prisoners. Hundreds of men attended, including one who served as my interpreter, and following the seminar 51 prisoners were baptized (including the interpreter!).
This is the most baptisms we”ve ever had at the end of a program, and the chap-
lain and I had to “tag team” to get it done!
Two weeks later I went to upstate New York where I taught the seminar again, this time in three different prisons.
 In one, we experienced another first for ARM when more than half the assembled group””29 men in all””came forward to accept Christ.
At another prison, four men responded to the gospel invitation. I said, “Oh, that there would be one more.” A young man in the back row raised his hand and said, “I”ll be number five. I am leaving my gang. The men in this chapel will be my new gang.” The men broke out in applause, and another two came forward.
Fortunately, each of these prisons already had an ARM baptistery installed! In addition, 59 people enrolled in the American Bible Academy, our correspondence school. They join 20,000 other prisoners around the country who participate in the school and are growing in their walk with God.
Learn more about ARM at www.arm.org.
This is awesome. Oftentimes it just takes “guts” to ask people and even push people. We do it with our children, our employees, and others. Have you ever heard the sales pitch for a “Time Share” or a vacuum cleaner? Aren’t improved earthly and eternal lives more important than those? Let’s not be afraid to be serious, and be genuine, and talk to people like this is all true and serious. Let’s also be real, let’s not be afraid to be a little humorous, but then let’s treat others like we really truly mean it and we care; and let’s ask, beg, and push. It’s that important.