‘Death Row’ Missionaries

Posted by Dan C. on

Imagine for a moment you have been called to, and are engaged in prison ministry. While you participate in small group Bible studies and at times assist a prison Chaplain with church services, you have a special calling to share the Gospel with inmates on Death Row.  A few of those to whom you minister are still working appeals, but others have run out of appeals and are only waiting for the day they will be taken to a room where they will die at the hands of the State and meet their maker.

There’s a story about Charles Wesley and a friend of his who, a scant few months after being saved, actually asked to spend the night with death row inmates in England who were all scheduled to die on the gallows the next day. As the story goes, every one of them went to their deaths at peace with their Creator, having received Christ as Savior sometime during that long night. What a testimony to the power and glory of God!

I’ve been to minimum, medium and maximum security facilities with ministry teams, but I never spoke to anyone on Death Row.  What would I say? Where would I start? I certainly wouldn’t tell them ‘God has a wonderful plan for them’,  how to experience ‘their best life now’, or help them discover their personal S.H.A.P.E. for their ‘unique Purpose in life’.  Somehow I don’t those evangelizing tools would be very effective.  What tool could I use?

Well there’s the simple message the Apostle Paul used, that Jesus died for their sin and was resurrected so that those who believe in Him might also have eternal life.  You know, that really seems to be the only appropriate message for someone on Death Row. Yeah, that’s it. If I ever visit folks in prison again, especially if they are on Death Row, that’s what I’ll use.

. . . .

Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus, said:

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God..” – John 3:18

Whoever does not believe in Christ has already been condemned? If that means what it says, every time I speak with someone who doesn’t believe in Christ, whether or not that person has had an opportunity accept or reject Him, I am speaking with someone already condemned by the sin of ‘unbelief’ – someone living on Death Row! 

Evangelist and preacher, Paul Washer often begins a sermon with:

“I’ll preach as a dying man to dying men. . .”

If  I consider myself an evangelical Christian, concerned for lost souls, I guess I had better get the Gospel right – share the ‘only appropriate message’, and proclaim it “as a dying man to dying men”, don’t you think? Shouldn’t we all?

7 responses to “‘Death Row’ Missionaries”

  1. Of course, if the responsibility is “on” us to get someone to come to the Lord. How many times are we to “preach the gospel?” After I’ve shared it and the person on death row doesn’t see it, refuses to turn his face and look upon (believe, entrust oneself to another) the Savior for salvation, then what?

    I can still have a relationship. I can still walk in love with that person. And when the Lord speaks to me to speak again, I will. We do not know the day of salvation for any person. Paul probably heard the gospel message as Saul but did not believe, obviously he had heard it that’s why he was going out to persecute those who would believe such “lies.” Until God lifted the veil from Paul’s eyes (by blinding him…?), showing Himself fully to him, did he come to saving faith.

    So, what are you saying exactly? Are we to not have a friendship with an unsaved person? I’m not sure I’m understanding your point.

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  2. I’m just saying that we live in a world surrounded by the unsaved who live ‘on death row’ and when we have the opportunity to share the gospel, we do wo with the urgency of a ‘dying man to dying men.’

    Of course we can have friendships, and there are times when we will establish a friendship before sharing the ‘words’ of the gospel. We should be sensitive to God’s timing, but there will be times when that doesn’t happen.

    This is about when we share, HOW we should share it, as a dying man to dying men’.

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  3. Keeping eternity always in view. That’s what you’re sayin’?

    If so, then definitely.

    Now, “the dying man to dying men” is not a phrase I’ve heard before. What I guess is not making sense to me, I have eternal life, I am not condemned so…? Yes, I will die in the flesh, but I am living in the Spirit today and for all eternity.

    Am I belaboring the point? If so, just ignore me. 😉

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  4. Yes, keeping eternity in view. The message is about eternity.

    As for the Paul Washer quote, I suppose hearing it from Paul Washer and hearing him preach drove it home. “As a dying man” refers to the passion with which I share that precious gospel. I may not get another opportunity to present it to that person or group I am adressing. “To dying men” refers that group/person I am addressing. If they know not Christ they stand condemned already, and I might be the last person from whom they hear it.

    Even though I know God sovereignly saves whom He chooses, that should be my passion.

    The message should be ‘like a fire shut up in my bones’. 🙂

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