Throughout the past year, five young men from Howard Payne University have spent their Monday nights leading a Bible study. The Bible study was not on campus, or even at a local church; it was held at Brownwood’s Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correction Complex. The HPU guys met and ministered to young men who were incarcerated in the state school for delinquent activity.
The Bible study was not mandatory for the students to attend but everyone was welcome. They could also invite their friends. What started as a group of three or four soon turned into 15 or 20 each week.
“After worship and preaching, we began breaking into groups to be able to pray more specifically for the guys,” said HPU junior Hunter Taylor.
In their small groups, the HPU students developed relationships with the state school students.
“Almost all of them come from broken homes,” Hunter said. “Many don’t have much of anything to look up to or anyone influencing them in a good way.”
Through this Bible study, the young men at the state school found people to look up to –Taylor and his fellow HPU students Doug Newton, Keith Perry, Jason Cha and Ovi Reyna. They found community, a place to belong. And, most importantly, they found out about God, who loves them unconditionally.
Some nights, when they felt led by the Holy Spirit, the HPU students would offer an invitation to anyone who would like to become a Christian.
Throughout the spring semester, an amazing thing happened. God began moving in the lives of the young men, and eight students committed their lives to Christ.
Most of the young men in the state school are there for 6-8 weeks. One student who particularly stood out to Hunter was an 18-year-old who had been there for about six months. In October, he recommitted his life to Christ and he began attending the Bible study faithfully every week.
“His growth was a gradual thing,” Hunter said. “He recommitted his life and then he wanted to help me lead worship sometimes. He kept growing and growing, reading the Word during the week. And then, in April, he had the opportunity to preach to his peers. It was really cool to see how the Lord had changed his life.”
While three of the HPU students graduated this spring, Hunter Taylor and Doug Newton have plans to return in the fall and continue the Bible study. They look with anticipation to see what God will do in and through them next year.
