Happy New Year to each and every one for a blessed and hope filled 2025! All Peoples from All Nations will be the ministry’s theme for 2025. It will be featured each month in the header of the Jail ministry newsletter, and at this year’s 2025 banquet. The gospel of Matthew reveals the heart of God for all peoples from all nations to be impacted by His Son’s birth and death. Matthew tells the gospel was for Jew and Gentile alike by his stories of our Lord Jesus’ involvement with the marginalized, sinners, sick, and diseased. Jesus got down and dirty with mankind to show us His love. He wanted a relationship with us at the cost of His life on a cross. Our Lord Jesus will be worshiped by all peoples from all nations around the throne of God as the Lamb who took away our sins by shedding His precious blood for you and me.
Have you ever thought about how the Polk County Jail is strategically located where I80 and I35 meet? It’s the center of America! It’s a state of the art facility where people from all over the world are housed due to our ICE or Federal status in the Midwest. Men and women are waiting to be tried based on Federal charges or indictments. These Federal inmates can be awaiting trial and sentencing for up to three years. When they come to Christ we have time to disciple them. It’s much like the book of Acts where Paul stayed at Corinth for three years discipling the new converts in Christ. The length of time works to our advantage so the inmate’s spiritual roots may go deeper into their new found relationship with Christ. After listening, we point them to a relationship with Jesus Christ, explain how Jesus came to take away their sin debt, and set them free. God has been working in their lives drawing and showing them their need. When one recognizes their need they respond in faith and trust Christ. The light goes on and you can see it in their eyes. They say, “A load has been lifted off of me,” as they’re released from the weight of their sins.
I saw a man who was so open to the gospel because life had beaten him up. He knew he needed a rescue from himself and trusted in Christ. Then another man came to me, and he was ready to give his life to the Lord as well. God continues to touch lives through the Polk County Jail Ministry. We are so blessed to be where He is actively working all around us. We watched God do some amazing things in ’24 when 207 people received Jesus Christ as their Savior. I believe it is due to your prayers. I thank you also for your faithful and generous gifts to the ministry. What a great God we serve! Amen!!