WILLOW CREEK CHURCH IS SENDING CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO EVERY INMATE IN ILLINOIS
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WILLOW CREEK CHURCH IS SENDING CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO EVERY INMATE IN ILLINOIS
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Thank God for the ministries and churches who minister to prisoners, especially during the holidays. Pray that God will touch hearts through the outreach of this church and Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree ministry.
Download a free prayer guide to help pray for these kinds of ministries and people this Christmas.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. . . I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matt 25: 34, 36)
“Willow Creek Community Church, a megachurch in the Chicago suburbs, will be distributing Christmas gifts to every inmate in the state of Illinois this Christmas season.
Willow Creek pastor Bill Hybels has said that church volunteers are ensuring that every inmate in the entire state will be receiving a Christmas gift bag. According to RelevantMagazine.com, Hybels started the effort as part of a larger effort to reach out to those who are spending Christmas in prison.
‘I follow God’s son, Jesus Christ, who was blindingly clear about how I should engage with prisoners,’ Hybels told his congregation. ‘If I had passed away at 55 despite all that clear training and additionally because I’m a pastor, I would’ve had to explain to God that I didn’t pray for prisoners, that I had never visited one, I had never lifted a finger to help prisoners in any way.’
Willow Creek is not reaching out to prisoners only during the holidays, however. The church regularly sends volunteers to local prisons to conduct Bible studies and minister to inmates.
One inmate who received one of Willow Creek’s gifts stated, ‘Those bags are phenomenal … It gives us a sense of love, … of joy. We get a sense that somebody out there that love us that don’t even know us. That love is very strong and profound.’ (Excerpted from article in Christian Headlines , by Veronica Neffinger.)
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I Thank God for the ministries and churches who minister to prisoners, during the holidays as well. Thank you Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree ministry.
To say that kindness is important is an understatement. When someone is hurt or depressed, a simple loving act can be contagious, for kindness has a way of spreading from one person to another person until everyone feels lighter, happier, more loved, and more cared for.
Praise the Lord this is such an answer to prayer. Woke up this morning just desiring to meet someone who works in a prison. A desire to reach one inmate then I see this amazing outreach. Where we pray for one the Lord reaches millions! Praying for the soil of the hearts to receive and accept. To sprout and be changed for ever in pure eternity!
I am humbled to realize that I am often critical of criminals when Jesus wants me to minister to them. Although I cannot physically visit prisoners, I can pray for them. Thank God for churches like Willow Creek that serve the Lord in this way.
God’s truth extends to everyone. I applaud those at Willow Creek and other churches who make the effort to meet those who can finally be on the receiving end of God’s unconditional love, perhaps for the first time.
Praise the Lord King Jesus for the selfless concern that this Church in Chicago is extending towards those prisoners. All prisoners regardless of what they have done still need to be shown the Love of God through Christians and this Church has done just that. Glory to God and Merry Christmas to all. May God continually Bless your endeavours.