…To Set the Captive Free…
While they may be incarcerated in the flesh, inmates at the Carol Vance prison unit in Fort Bend County, TX are experiencing true freedom. In collaboration with the Texas Department of Corrections and the InnerChange Freedom Initiative, Freedom Church Ministries hosted a Freedom Weekend on the prison Unit on March 21-22, 2014.
This powerful weekend of deliverance was the realization of a dream nestled in the heart of former Carol Vance Warden Vernon Pittman. As God saw fit, although Mr. Pittman, still affectionately referred to as “Warden Pittman”, is no longer employed in the Criminal Justice system, he and his legacy are still active.
Working in strategic partnership Tommy Dorsett of InnerChange Freedom Initiative and Rickie Bradshaw of Union Baptist Association on board, Freedom Church Ministries was called on bring our Freedom Weekend into the prison unit. Other team members included Pastor Matthew Bismark and the Global Force worship team.
At Freedom Church, we’ve done over 30 Freedom Weekends, but we had never experienced anything as powerful as the one at Carol Vance. 119 inmates participated, almost more than our team was equipped to handle, but through the power of God, the Freedom Weekend was executed with nothing less than “Holy Ghost precision”.
Souls were saved, lives were delivered, forgiveness was given and received, burdens were lifted and hope was restored. Tears were shed and tattooed arms raised in worship to almighty God. Some men were coming home soon. Some had been there for 20 years. Some may never come home, but all found the freedom that comes in Christ alone.
The Freedom Weekend at Carol Vance is part of an ongoing ministry on the prison unit, conducted by InnerChange Freedom Initiative, through which inmates are being trained to be leaders of transformational ministry. Some are even receiving seminary education while incarcerated, leading small groups of their fellow inmates.
This ministry continued after Freedom Weekend concluded. The weekend was so successful, and the rumblings of what happened there have continue to spread throughout the prison system so much, that Freedom Church has received word that there is interest in us taking Freedom Weekends throughout the entire Texas Prison system, including to female units. The video below will give you a glimpse into what happened at the Carol Vance Freedom Weekend.
If you’d like to get involved in our prison ministry, click the button below. Then watch the video.
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