07/08/2026
Pray for Jim Gifford as he ministers tomorrow.
Pastor James Goes to Prison
That headline may catch your attention!
Yes, it’s true. This week I will be walking through the gates of a Washington State correctional facility, not as an inmate, but as a messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What an incredible honor and responsibility it is to carry the hope of the Gospel to men who are often forgotten by society, yet never forgotten by God.
Jesus said:
“I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”Matthew 25:36 (KJV)
Those words were not merely a simple suggestion. They reveal the very heart of Christ. He came to seek and to save that which was lost, and the Church is called to go where the need is greatest.
Behind those prison walls are real people with real stories. Many have made terrible mistakes. Some have never heard the Gospel clearly. Others have wandered far from God. Yet every one of them is a soul for whom Christ shed His precious blood.
The prison may have locked the gates, but it cannot lock out the grace of God.
As many of you know, we are still working toward the completion of our church building. There are days when progress depends upon finances, manpower, and the strength to continue the physical work.
But while we wait on a building, we are not waiting to do the work of God.
The Kingdom of God is not built with lumber, concrete, and nails. It is built one soul at a time. Whether in a care center, on the streets, in a home Bible study, or behind prison walls, we remain committed to the mission Christ has given us. We are thankful for every opportunity to carry the Gospel wherever He opens a door.
We also feel incredibly blessed to be part of the Bible Holiness Church and for the tremendous support and faithful prayers of our brothers and sisters.
Your encouragement has strengthened us through every step of this mission work, and we are deeply grateful.
So I ask you once again:
Would you pray with me?
Pray that the Holy Spirit would prepare hearts before we ever arrive. Pray that lives will be transformed, chains of sin will be broken, and that men will discover the freedom that only Jesus Christ can give. Pray for wisdom, boldness, safety, and above all, that Christ alone would be glorified.
The mission field isn’t always across the ocean. Sometimes it’s just beyond a set of steel doors.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer as we continue building God’s Kingdom while trusting Him to provide for the building He has entrusted to us.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives…”
Luke 4:18 (KJV)
There are no forgotten people in the Kingdom of God.
