Jesus behind bars 3

Compiled by: Robert Young & Hartmut Köllner
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A ministry of the
Volksmission eC.
JESUS BEHIND BARS
© 2009 The Jesus-Group
Compiled by Robert Young and Hartmut Köllner
Website: www.diejesusgruppe.de
Contact: Hartmut Köllner, Markgröninger Str. 47,
70435 Stuttgart (Zuffenhausen)
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Photos: Hartmut Köllner, Robert Young, Michael H.
3rd. edition: September 2009 – translated from German version
This book is distributed free. However, donations for the work
of the Jesus-Group are welcomed and can be transferred to the
following bank account:
Volksmission Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Jesus-Group
Bank: Volksbank Zuffenhausen Account no.: 458770027 Sorting
code: 600 903 00
This book is dedicated to our Lord Jesus.
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Contents
FOREWORD
5
INTRODUCTION
7
CHAPTER 1 – HOW EVERYTHING BEGAN
9
CHAPTER 2 – THE WORKERS AND THEIR STORIES
13
Ernst-Otto Mayer
15
Robert Young
20
Michael and Irmgard H.
22
Irmgard H.
25
Maria Köllner
29
Josef Antritt
31
CHAPTER 3 – PRISON AS GUESTHOUSE FOR THE WORLD
33
CHAPTER 4 – FREEDOM BEHIND BARS
34
1. Jesus is waiting!
34
2. I committed my first crime at the age of 12
34
3. Two Muslims make decisions to follow Jesus
38
4. Three inmates place their lives in the hand of Jesus in one evening
39
5. John – protected from death
39
6. Lucky
39
7. Jesus was stronger – a report from Ernst
40
CHAPTER 5 – HEALING BEHIND BARS
42
1. Jesus heals the sick!
42
2. Louis – God has His reasons
42
3. John – the doctor could not cure his high blood pressure
43
CHAPTER 6 – DELIVERANCE FROM ADDICTION BEHIND BARS 44
1. Delivered from alcoholism
44
3
2. Delivered from addiction to gambling
46
3. Delivered from drugs
51
4. Delivered from nicotine
52
CHAPTER 7 – NEW MOTIVATION TO LIVE
54
1. I wanted to take my own life
54
2. I wanted to throw my life away!
55
CHAPTER 8 – DREAMS AND VISIONS
57
1. Stephen
57
2. A testimony from Momdu
58
CHAPTER 9 – THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
59
CHAPTER 10 – THE TURKISH JESUS-GROUP
61
Recep Avser
61
CHAPTER 11 – WHEN PRISONERS BECOME PREACHERS
64
CHAPTER 12 – THE WORK EXPANDS
66
1. The former women’s prison in Leonberg
66
2. Heilbronn
72
3. Indian Camp for prisoners’ children
76
CHAPTER 13 – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
81
CHAPTER 14 – SONGS AND POEMS FROM PRISONERS
84
1. Comfortless loneliness
84
2. The new life (slightly abridged)
85
3. The Love of God
89
APPENDIX 1 – INTERESTING WEBSITES
90
JESUS WANTS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE TOO
91
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Foreword
In 2006 the Jesus-Group celebrated its 20th anniversary. In these 20
years many inmates were blessed through the Jesus-Group work. It
is time to write a book in order to document all the tremendous
things that the Lord did during these 20 years.
The purpose of this book is to motivate believers to pray for all
prison ministries in the whole world. We also want to motivate
individual believers and churches to seek the Lord earnestly about if
they should start prison mission work in their area. Please feel free
to contact us if you want to start such a work. We are prepared to
help you get started in any way we can.
We have called this book “Jesus behind bars” because it says in
Matthew 25: 35-36:
For I was hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and
you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison,
and you came unto me.
When we visit people in prison then we are helping and visiting
Jesus Himself. Prison ministry is a very important part of the
ministry of the church to the world.
The first Jesus-Group took place at Calvary! There Jesus was
crucified with two criminals (Lukas 23). One criminal believed on
Jesus and went to Paradise; the other criminal mocked Jesus and
was lost. The first church to be founded in Europe was in Philippi
(Acts 16) and began in a prison where the inmates and the prison
warder heard Paul and Silas praying and worshipping God.
All the stories in this book were either written by Jesus-Group
workers or taken from letters sent to us by inmates. These stories are
only a selection of all the many things that have happened over the
years. We want to thank all the people who have contributed to this
book. It was not always possible to mention them by name.
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When I had the vision to write this book it was not possible because
my old PC was not capable of performing such an enormous task.
The software was too old and the performance was too low. I went
into a computer shop and looked at the prices. I realised that I was
not financially in the position to buy a computer. So I prayed:
“Lord, if You want me to buy a new PC then please show me.“ The
next day I received an unexpected cheque for 300 English pounds in
the post. It was enough to buy a new PC!
Apart from this I also needed a USB-stick. Also here I experienced
God’s help. A customer was so satisfied with my translation work
that he gave me a new USB-stick.
I started to work on the book in June 2006. After just one month I
had already written 50 pages. But then I lost all interest. I had a
block and I was no longer able to work on the book. In August I
asked people to pray for me that I would receive motivation to finish
the book. Afterwards I received motivation again to finish the book
so that I finished it in September. Praise the Lord!
After the publication of this book we were able to start a new
Russian Jesus-Group at the beginning of 2007. Through God’s grace
we were given a worker Albert Penner from the Free Evangelical
Church in Schwäbisch Gmünd.
It is now September 2009 and I have just finished translating the
German version of the book into English. I was made redundant at
the end of April and was able to work on the translation. Now I have
a new job beginning 1. October. Praise the Lord.
Robert Young
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Introduction
Maria Köllner writes:
I got to know Susanne in the middle of May in 1979. From this
moment on, she and her husband Günther prayed for us. The JesusGroup only exists because Günther and Susanne were obedient to
God and didn’t stop praying for us. Here is the complete story:
God’s blessings to the ”JESUS-Group" at Stuttgart-Stammheim
Prison from Günther and Susanne Richter.
Some 28 years ago a customer often came into our pharmacy in
Germany. She suffered terribly from migraine and other painful
sicknesses. Two or three days every week she stayed in a darkened
room with raging headaches. She was unable to eat due to nausea.
One day, we discovered that her family had to move to Stuttgart.
Her husband's, Hartmut Köllner's obligation to the German armed
forces, was coming to an end, and he was going to take a second
career as a top-level government official. After his training he got a
job in the prison in Stuttgart Stammheim.
Through this position as an official in the administration, leader of
the security department and other responsibilities he was able to
have contact with the prisoners having also given his life to Jesus in
the meantime after much prayer. I had it oft on my heart to explain
to the woman, Maria, before she left for Stuttgart, that there was
help available through Jesus. After all, I had experienced healing
personally through prayer. I had suffered from severe back pains for
many years after a car accident. I was able to reach her in time and
gave her new hope. Two weeks before her move I gave her a New
Testament. Through this and many telephone calls we stayed in
contact.
Some time later, when I was reading a praise book, I saw Maria’s
face appear above the book, and the Lord said to her: "Send her this
book!"
These four words started an avalanche!
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About half a year later, I received a letter from Maria, who thanked
me profusely for the book which had helped her greatly in her
despair. We immediately invited her to visit us, and she gave her life
to Jesus. Her nine year old son, who used to come to visit us with
her, also accepted Jesus into his heart. Two years later, after much
prayer, her husband Hartmut followed the example of these two.
So twenty three years ago, Hartmut Köllner, being four years a
believer, founded the first group, which he later called the "JESUSgroup" in this prison in Stammheim. Since that time, it is possible to
share the freedom through our Saviour Jesus Christ with the
participents in the group. The gifts of a bible and other Christian
literature if desired have always been welcomed in order to
strengthen the faith. Since then, there are "JESUS-group" meetings
once a week for people speaking various languages. Apart from the
three German groups there is also a group for each of the languages:
English, Turkish and Russian.
In 2007 we were able to visit a group evening and experience for
ourselves what a tremendous work God is doing amongst the
prisoners.
Guenther and Susanne Richter
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Chapter 1 – How everything began
Again my thoughts go back to the year 1986 when, at the beginning
of November, the Lord began the discussion groups. Soon after my
conversion on the Saturday before Whitsun in 1983 (at the time I
was already working in Stammheim prison) the thought of the
opportunity of sharing the wonderful Gospel of Jesus with the
prisoners never left my mind. I had no idea how to do it, but the
desire to share my really positive experiences with them was very
strong. Soon I realised that this was not just my desire but that it was
God’s will. I prayed for a clear confirmation for this work.
There were prejudices to be removed
However, it took over a year before it was God’s time. To begin
with, the Holy Spirit began to prepare me for this ministry through
all kinds of experiences. There were prejudices, certain behaviour
towards the prisoners and fear of man that I had to get rid of.
The confirmation
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But then God gave me a clear signal that I should start this work. It
happened in the following way. One day I had a call from an
acquaintance in Nagold asking me to take care of a prisoner she had
been counselling for 5 years. He had committed a crime again and
was again in detention in Stammheim prison.
“He is right down your street“
One day later, a colleague from prison rang me and said that there
was an inmate in his section who was “right down my street”. He
knew that I was a follower of Jesus, because, after my conversion, I
told everybody how good my life was after this enormous change in
my life.
It was always the same prisoner
The same evening I had a call from the chapter leader of the
Christian businessmen’s fellowship in Stuttgart, informing me that a
prisoner had written to him asking for contact.
In all three cases it was about the same prisoner. This clear signal
from God and the first steps to help and counsel this man were the
confirmation and certainty that the work would begin.
The first meeting
”With Jesus Christ into a new life.“ That is what was written on our
first invitation poster which was placed on every floor of the prison.
Four weeks later I went to the first group evening on a Friday with a
trembling heart.
No one wanted to listen to anyone else
Six men accepted my first invitation. I sat in front of these men with
only the knowledge that this was the job that God had given me to
do and apart from this I had no idea what to do.
And thus the evening went like this. Everyone tried to show that his
religious beliefs were the only correct ones. The result was that no
one wanted to listen to anyone else and there was nothing but strife,
and I was no exception.
Support
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After two such group evenings I was at the end of my tether. I didn’t
feel up to it and inside, I had decided to give up. However, I first
went to my pastor and told him everything that had happened. This
talk had unexpected results. I experienced the power of prayer for
the first time.
To begin with, I was encouraged to continue and not to give up.
What I didn’t know, was that my pastor preached regularly in a
morning service in an old people’s home. There, he asked the
believers to pray for the prison work and especially between 5.30pm
and 8pm on Fridays.
God answers prayer
Not knowing about all this I went to the men in prison armed with
bible and guitar. After we had sung and prayed together, a miracle
happened. For the first time there was no strife. Everyone was
prepared to listen to each other. The evening was so harmonious that
I was astonished. Alleluia! God had answered the prayers of my
brothers and sisters and had intervened.
The name
On a poster I invited the prisoners to a new experience with Jesus
Christ. In order for a prisoner to take part in the group, he had to
request to be added to the list of group participants by the recreation
officer using a special application form. Each group was named
after whatever was offered in the group, e.g. the chess group, the
table tennis group etc. So it would have been logical if the prisoners
asked to join the “Bible group“ or the “Bible discussion group“. But
our Lord had other plans. He gave His own name to the group!
Right from the beginning, without anybody publicizing anything,
nearly all of the applications received from the prisoners were
formulated in the same way: ”I would like to attend the JesusGroup.“ This name has stuck ever since. Meanwhile, the name has
become common knowledge in the prison. Letters or postcards from
other prisons are always addressed to “The Jesus-Group“. If my
name is not mentioned, I still get everything automatically delivered
to my desk. It is good to be identified with the name of Jesus!
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Experiences
So now we have 20 years of service behind us. We can look back
with gratitude at what God has done. The sick have been healed in
spirit, soul and body. Men have found Jesus in their time of deepest
distress. Through answers to prayer, the Lord has shown the
prisoners in a wonderful way that He is indeed risen and is alive for
evermore so that they can experience deliverance from sin.
Now we have six groups, each with twelve inmates: three for
German speakers, one for English speakers, one for Turkish
speakers and one for Russian speakers. So many prisoners can hear
the Gospel in their own language. Our commission which is also out
motivation is stated in the book of the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me
to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all that mourn; “ Isaiah 61, 1-2
In deep gratitude we bow down before the almighty God and our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Hartmut Köllner
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Chapter 2 – The Workers and their Stories
The workers:
In the English Jesus-Group Cell block 1:
Ernst Otto Mayer
Volksmission eC. Zuffenhausen
Josef Antritt
BGG Stuttgart
Werner Mathes
Assemblies of God Allmersbach im
Tal
Willy Jung
In the Turkish Jesus-Group Cell block 1:
Recep Avser
Turkish-speaking Church
Sindelfingen
In the German Jesus-Group 1+2 Cell block 1:
Hartmut and Maria Köllner Volksmission eC. Zuffenhausen
Andreas Brändle
Volksmission eC. Zuffenhausen
In the German Jesus-Group Cell block 3:
Michael and Irmgard H.
Robert Young
Volksmission eC. Zuffenhausen
In the Russian Jesus-Group Cell block 1:
Albert Penner
Free Evangelical Church
In the Jesus-Group in the JVA Heilbronn:
In the Jesus-Group prison ministry:
Eva Maria and Josef Bierbaum
Tharcisse Higiro
David Putz
Michael Beckmann
In the Jesus-Group care for prisoners‘ wives:
Renate Mittelstädt, Regina Hinsel, Klara Knazko, Kerstin Augustin
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Eva Maria Bierbaum
All of the Heilbronn workers are from the Church of decided
Christians in Heilbronn.
The Jesus-Group team in Stammheim
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Ernst-Otto Mayer
After my 40th birthday I dropped
out of the youth work and youth
leadership in my church in
Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Good
reliable workers had grown up in
faith through the work of God in
their lives. I enjoyed a freedom I
had not had for a long time and
looked back thankfully at what
the Lord had done.
The challenge
One day Hartmut asked me, if I
could imagine going with him
into prison to work in a group
because I was now free on Fridays. I knew that Hartmut worked in
the prison as a civil servant. But me and prison - no way! However,
I couldn’t get rid of the thought. God did something else. In a
Sunday service the following bible verse was used as the text:
Matthew 25, 31-40 “I was in prison and you visited me..“
My reaction: that is nonsense; this is about the persecuted christians
from e.g. Waldemar Sardacuk! It has nothing to do with
Stammheim. Prison? Leave me out of it!
Hartmut really got on my nerves at this time. I used to try to avoid
him. At this time we were both in the church leadership, so the next
meeting was unavoidable. In his friendly but purposeful manner he
pulled out his calendar and asked me when I was going to come
along to the group on a Friday. I didn’t want to be rude so I agreed
to go.
The next Sunday the theme of the sermon was the good Samaritan. I
felt a little bit like I was being cornered but I still didn’t have a
confirmation of the work.
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Chaos in prison
The first time in prison was quite shocking for me, a curious unreal
feeling. The men were taken up to the 8th floor in the lift and it was
really loud and hectic. Hartmut knew several of the men and he
greeted them like old friends. He grabbed his guitar, prayed and
began to sing. I was simply flabbergasted. Then he introduced me
and asked me to share what God had done in my life. I talked about
how God had found me through the story of the prodigal son. Some
men listened but most were talking to each other and smoking.
Hartmut sang with the prisoners and then preached a fiery message.
Some listened and the other didn’t see much importance in it. I got
talking to a young pale prisoner about day to day life in prison: 23
hours in the cell, 1 hour walk in the courtyard. He was glad that
such groups existed. He understood nothing about God and
everything, but that could change. However, the tattoos on his arms
made me doubt whether anything would happen with him. He asked
me to come again.
I was clear to me now that all I had done in the work of the church
up till now was just child play in comparison with this here. Hartmut
was not affected by all that had happened. He thought that we had
had a good time.
The decision
After many conversations and pondering, God gave me the clear
signal one night to work in the prison ministry. In a dream I saw
people who were washed clean of their sins through the Gospel.
This picture made it clear to me that God washes the sins away and
we carry the water of the Gospel. We don’t have to do the work,
God does it. After this clear sign I decided to join the work.
Since this time we visit the prisoners week after week. Week after
week we try to share Gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God
with the groups. God gives us the strength and the opportunity to do
this.
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Name of the group
“The Jesus-Group“ – it was certainly a brave thing to name the
group like this right from the beginning. Everyone knows what to
expect when he applies to the warders to attend the group. The
Jesus-Group has become well-known in the JVA Stuttgart. At the
gate of the prison they announce our arrival with: “The people from
the Jesus-Group are here!“
God has blessed us and also me through the group more than we
have invested in it. In the English group which I took over from
Robert Young some years ago with my colleague Josef Antritt, we
experience the changing power of the Gospel in a special way. God
is good to us and lets us know now and then what a great power of
change there is in the preaching of the Gospel.
Ernst Otto Mayer
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Werner Mathes
In 1989 we came to Stuttgart as
a family because I had found
work there. The Lord gave us a
church; the Volksmission in
Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen where
we felt really at home. Here we
heard reports and testimonies.
One day, Hartmut reported
about the Jesus-Group in
Stammheim. I thought at this
time that this would be
something for me but I didn’t
make any effort to follow it up.
In this church there was a
meeting for families on one afternoon in the month. We attended
this regularly and here we got to know Ernst Otto Mayer. At the end
of the year there is always a church retreat. Long before the retreat
in Freundenstadt in 1990 Ernst told me, that he wanted to ask me
something at the retreat. When we arrived, we met Ernst sitting at
the entrance who was in charge of the formalities. I immediately
used the opportunity to ask him: “Tell me now what you wanted to
ask me.“ His question then about whether I thought that the JesusGroup in Stammheim was just right for me was a further
confirmation that Jesus was behind me and possibly wanted to use
me in this work. After much prayer and thought we contacted
Hartmut and Maria Köllner. They visited us and told us about the
Jesus-Group and were happy about my willingness to work with
them in the group.
So, one day I went into prison full of expectation about what would
come my way. But there were really normal people there, just like
you or me – maybe more like me – and it was clear to me that here
was the place where I could and should be involved. This is how
my work in the Jesus-Group began.
It is always interesting to see what God does to give us new courage
and strength. Because I work in the Jesus-Group for young
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offenders where English is spoken, God has to equip me every week
with the right words to say, with power from on high and with the
Holy Spirit. Now and then God sends me people who can explain
situations in my life. I often experienced that God spoke to me
through prisoners. God is simply super. In the English groups there
are often preachers so that the message is preached by a prisoner
which gives us new strength. We are so glad to be able to have the
groups in the prison every week.
Where are you and when are you going to join us in the work?
Werner Mathes
Drawn by a prisoner
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Robert Young
I made a decision to follow
Jesus at a summer camp at the
age of 11 in England. Growing
up in a poor family I decided to
walk to and from school
instead of travelling by bus in
order to fulfil my biggest wish
which was to buy a bible. As a
teenager I wanted to become a
missionary. A brother adviced
me to study at university. It
was his opinion that with a
degree I would be able to travel
anywhere to serve Jesus. In my
youth I was very active in winning people for Jesus. I led a Christian
group at my school and in the Church and helped to start a Christian
café in my town. Furthermore at aged 16 I led a prayer meeting in
the town for all the pastors in my town which later led to a big
evangelisation in the area.
I came to Germany in 1985 and in 1990 I was led to join the
Volksmission in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. When I moved to Germany
the Lord told me that He would bless me and make me a blessing. I
heard that the church had a prison ministry. I was very interested in
such a ministry and so I asked the Lord to show me if it was His will
for me to be involved. The sign I asked for was that someone would
come and ask me if I was interested in working in the prison. The
following Sunday I was surprised how often the word “prison” was
mentioned in the service. After the service, Werner Mathes came to
me and asked me exactly the question that I had asked from God as
a sign. I joyfully answered “Yes!” immediately. I was completely
new in the church so I was surprised that he asked me such a
question. As a reason for this Werner said that they had been
praying for a long time for an English person to start an English
Jesus-Group. Therefore, I was an answer to prayer. It took some
months for the official permit, but then I went to my first Jesus20
Group in Stammheim. It was my first time in a prison and I just had
to weep as I saw these men without hope. But Jesus is our hope, and
it is great to see how the Gospel of Jesus changes the lives of men in
prison. I started my ministry in the German group. Later, in 1993, I
started the first English group with Detlef Guderian which has
continued strongly to this day.
Robert Young
An article from an English newspaper.
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Michael and Irmgard H.
My experiences with the
Jesus-Group:
My name is Michael H., born
in 1965. If I remember right,
prisons have always somehow
appealed to me. A kind of
thinking sport, “How can one
escape ... ?“ But otherwise I
wanted to have nothing to do
with prisons. At the age of 20 I
got to know Jesus personally.
What an indescribable
experience! Since this day I
am always surprised afresh at His goodness and love to us. One of
the surprises was, when he reminded me of a bible verse through
one of Keith Green’s songs where it says: I was in prison and you
visited me; or didn’t.
At first, it was astonishing to me, that Jesus said he was in prison.
And then the request to visit HIM there. That seemed quite insistent
to me. I made a decision to fulfil my duty by going to a prison and
asking if I could have contact with some of the prisoners. Because I
couldn’t stop thinking about this, I rang a prison. Politely but
assertively, I was informed, that they saw no demand for this and
that it wasn’t really possible just like that. I was relieved. At least I
had tried everything to fulfil Jesus’ expectations.
After some time had passed, an acquaintance of mine told me about
a christian group who went into prison regularly. At my request he
gave me the contact details of the leader and so I rang him with
mixed feelings. Actually, I hoped that he would confirm what I had
heard before so I could write this matter off once and for all. But
instead of this, he invited me and my wife to visit him to talk about
the ”work“ in prison. I told him how the bible verse gave me no rest
so we agreed to arrange a trial visit to the prison.
22
The day came and I came into such a traffic chaos that it took 90
minutes to travel the distance rather than the 30 minutes which it
should have taken normally. I was extremely late and it was
embarrassing. However, Hartmut seemed to have reckoned with
this. At least he didn’t react so the trial visit seemed to be working.
In prison, the prisoners are separated from their freedom by many
doors and I noticed that when I went through each door, I felt more
uneasy. I didn’t have to say anything on this evening which I was
glad about. However, I was surprised at the interest the prisoners
showed in me and they urged me to come the next time. By this time
it was clear to me that this was the place where God wanted me to
be because I felt His peace and joy.
I can finish my report with the following words:
If Jesus wants something from you then there is no excuse! Or, as
the bible puts it: obedience is better than sacrifice! Today I am
ashamed that I didn’t immediately put everything into it. Jesus has
done everything for me. He believed in me even before I started to
lead a life of sin. If you know that Jesus wants something from you
then follow him without any ifs and buts. Doing this you will be
blessed and protected.
Michael H.
Jesus blesses!
I would like to take this opportunity to relate how much Jesus
blesses us, when we do His will. It made me really happy that also
my wife was open for this work. I was able to lead prisoners to Jesus
and I was able to make some good friends. I am able to be who I am
in prison. I was ashamed to realise that am not in the least superior
to the prisoners; neither intellectually nor morally. I observed less
hypocrisy here as outside. And I experienced something else. Yes
it’s true! Jesus Himself is in the prison! He is in the middle, because
He is near to those who are desperate and broken. How often have I
been blessed to have been a witness to His mercy and His great
love? The greatest thing though is to see what HE does! I have seen
miracles in the lives of the prisoners. I am not talking of small
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things but real miracles. Where Jesus is there are also signs and
wonders. In addition to the blessing, there is also an aspect which is
extremely relevant to me as a self employed person: the prison work
with all its demands requires much time; group work, visiting
individuals, telephone calls, letters and travel. And this is not always
at the weekend. So in actual fact one would normally expect a
financial loss because I now have a good reason for not being able
to work more that 5 days a week. The opposite is true! I have seen a
good English motto personally confirmed in my life: "If you obey,
GOD will pay!" God has richly blessed my business! The time in
prison has never been detrimental to me.
Michael H.
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Irmgard H.
"Risking a look" or, how I
came to the Jesus-Group.
Spring 1984:
“What is it like in your new
digs?“ I asked my friend and
classmate. “Quite nice, but the
room has a big downside!
Opposite is the prison for
young offenders and the last
time I looked out of the roof
window, the prisoners waved to
me. I am not really happy about
it if they know who lives here.“
I could understand that. After all, no one knows what might happen
when they get out of prison, I thought. When I visited my friend I
naturally also wanted to risk a look. When do you ever get the
chance otherwise to see behind prison walls?
I leaned out of the roof window and young men were indeed
walking around who obviously had their daily walk in the courtyard.
Some of them saw me, as if they had been expecting to see someone
looking out of the window again. My very first thought was. “Hey!
They look just like my classmates. I mean they could be just sitting
next to me at school.” I was almost shocked. I had imagined
something quite different.
However, these thought did not preoccupy my mind long because I
had other cares: my graduation from school, finding an
apprenticeship and maybe a trip or two into the big wide world
before entering into the daily routine of work in order to secure my
pension.
Years later.
In the meantime I married Michael and we dreamed of a life
together with joint visions and areas of working. Not merely leading
one of these together-alone-marriages where you just live together
25
but you are only in love on paper. Therefore we were involved in
the church a lot and wanted to win the world for Jesus. My
occupation as a physiotherapist gave me many opportunities to
speak to people about my faith and to pray for them and visit the
sick even outside my normal hours. Everything seemed to be
running smoothly – too smoothly.
Surely I was doing what Jesus wanted of me.
”...I was sick and you visited me…” Matthew 25, 43
Nobody could hold that against me! But the part about prison, I was
able to somehow sweep under the carpet. I didn’t want to get
trapped into this helper syndrome where one feels indispensible. I
found this more shocking as worth imitating. No thanks! However, I
could not explain why especially the part about visiting the
prisoners spoke to me when I read that bible verse.
Additionally, I and my husband were enthusiastic about an
American musician who often simply set bible verses to music. Now
of all things, this verse about the prison was one of his most
impressionable songs. That was just too much for me. Sometimes, I
couldn’t stand to hear this verse and so I fast forwarded the tape to
the next song.
Years later, Michael “tried hard“ to get into prison. But, because all
attempts to join a Christian group or start our own failed, this
subject was put on ice. But not by Jesus – after all, He was sitting in
prison and waiting for our visit.
Over and over again we heard about christians who went into
prison. Sometimes also the worse horror stories about naive
Christians, who were used by prisoners even to the point of their
marriages being broken up, because the partner fell in love with one
of the prisoners. At this time, I felt that this was not so much a
deterrent as a warning: if you let yourself in for this work, you can’t
26
be in any wise naïve. Learn from the mistakes that others have made
before you.
Nevertheless, many questions still preoccupied me.
What about if I’m not suitable for this work?
Is our marriage strong enough to survive times of crisis?
Will I ever be taken seriously?
Perhaps people with a real criminal past are much more suitable?
Have I after all just imagined that I am called for this? And anyway,
what can I contribute?
Eventually, Michael made one more attempt and after a few detours,
he got in touch with Hartmut and Maria Köllner. Then everything
went very fast. We first met to get to know each other. We both
knew that this was right and in this connection I can only say that I
regret nothing.
In connection with the work in Stammheim my preliminary decision
was to pray when the group took place. I had some experiences
when it comes to the subject of “unity in the Spirit“. I never used to
be able to imagine what was meant by this. I thought it didn’t
necessarily have anything to do with uniform opinions, knowledge
or outlooks, but I didn’t know what it could otherwise have to do
with.
While I was praying, I glanced at the clock now and again, in order
to better estimate what was roughly happening in the group if it ran
as it normally does. Often I had a spontaneous impression to pray
for a certain situation, as if I knew what was happening at a certain
moment. Then, when Michael came home and gave me a report
about the group, I was able to ask him specifically about certain
situations happening at certain times and we were astonished to find
that the things that he told concurred with the things that I had
prayed for.
About a year ago, as the opportunity arose to start a new group, it
became clear to me, that the time behind the scenes was over and
27
that we would start the new group as a couple. I often have the
impression that the prisoners, at the beginning, do not take us at all
seriously. However, that changes suddenly from the moment when
they have a personal experience with Jesus. So I always have to
remind myself that: If I don’t bring Jesus to the people then I have
nothing else to bring. Actually quite simple.
Irmgard H.
28
Maria Köllner
I have been working the Jesus-Group for four years. That is a big
miracle in my eyes. Hartmut
can look back at 20 years of
working with the prisoners. I
always stood behind the work
but because of decades of
sickness I was not able to think
about joining the work.
One night God spoke to me in a
dream where He gave me the
commission to work in the
Jesus-Group. To this I
answered: “I’m not able to do
this work. I am so sick.“ God’s
answer came immediately:
“.. my strength is made perfect
in weakness.“ 2 Corinthians 12, 9
In the morning I told my husband who reacted speechlessly and we
both came to the conclusion that, under the circumstances, that it
was impossible for me to take part in such a work. Nearly half a
year went by without any reaction from me or my husband. Then
God moved into the situation. The sister who went with my husband
to the women’s prison was hindered. He couldn’t do the group there
on his own, so he had no choice but to get the permission for me to
go with him. It was a very successful evening. The women asked me
to come again. So I got signed up as a volunteer and was able to
attend all of the women’s group evenings and also later the men’s
groups in Stammheim. Although my health situation did not
immediately improve, the Lord gave me the necessary strength to
keep up my service to the prisoners. Sometimes I could only just get
up a few hours before. But I always had enough strength. God be
praised for this. So now, since my first visit to the women’s’ prison,
I now work in the prison every Friday. God always give me success.
29
For a year now, my health has been somewhat better. I am full of
thanks and joy to be allowed to do this work.
Maria Köllner
30
Josef Antritt
How did I come to the JesusGroup?
I am aware of how everything in
life is steered by God’s hand,
and that our inner and outer
development is determined by
Him.
In 1997 I got into a conversation
about the faith with Werner
Mathes through a business
customer visit. What brought this
about was a “Pro Christ“ sticker
on his monitor. If you know
Werner, you know that he is
direct and gets to the point quickly. I think it was at the second
customer contact with Werner that he spoke to me about the prison
work in the Jesus-Group in Stammheim.
After contacting Hartmut Köllner I was then able to take part in a
group evening for the first time. Sharing with people that I was
working in a prison did not bring much applause. Despite not having
understood everything, I found a deep inner peace in the decision to
work in the prison. After undergoing all the formalities I was able to
start the work in prison about a year later. Since then, I work
alongside Ernst Otto Mayer on Thursday evenings in the English
Jesus-Group.
However, going back to the beginning of the story again. After my
conversion, God began to change my life. A former university
colleague invited me to travel with him to Uganda. But really I
didn’t really know why I should travel to Uganda. After a lot of
urging from my friend, I decided to go in the end. The spiritual
experiences that I had there at the mission station inspired my
relationship in a new way. It was as if I realised the access to God
31
and His true existence for the first time there in Uganda. So the
circle was complete again because, in Hartmut Köllner and Ernst
Otto Mayer, I met men who like Siegmar Göhner, belonged to the
Volksmission.
I am not a pastor, I have not attended a bible school, I´m not musical
and as a technically orientated person, I don´t like to talk a lot. But I
go every Thursday to the prison in Stuttgart-Stammheim with joy in
my heart.
Josef Antritt
Workers from the Heilbronn and Stuttgart Jesus-Groups at the 20th
anniversary celebration in 2006
32
Chapter 3 – Prison as guesthouse for the world
The whole Jesus-Group team
is especially thankful that,
through the work in prison
we come into contact with
people from many different
countries and not just from
Germany. Therefore, this
also expressed through the
globe in our logo (shown
here). People out of the
following countries have
attended our groups. (This
list is certainly not complete):
Sierra Leone; Ghana; Cameroon, USA; Nigeria; South Africa;
Malaysia; Gambia; England; Ireland; Angola; Zaire; Liberia;
China; Ethiopia; Togo; Sri Lanka; India; Ivory Coast;
Germany; Poland; Letland; Russia; Italy; Turkey; Greece;
Serbia; Croatia; Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Lithuania, Albania,
Georgia, Rumania.
Every prisoner gets a bible in his own language. Many return to
their own countries. We can give them the best thing in the world to
take back with them, namely the good news of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Alleluia! Praise the Lord!
33
Chapter 4 – Freedom behind bars
1. Jesus is waiting!
It is always something very dramatic when one enters Stammheim
prison. After you have entered the main gate you have to go through
up to 10 more gates in order to get to the place where the prisoners
are. One evening I came to the floor where the showers were. The
inmates in my group work every day. In the evening they can take a
shower. When I arrived, some of them were still in the shower. One
of the guards knocked on the door and cried out:
"Hello ... hurry up ... Jesus is waiting!".
How true! Revelation 3, 21 says that Jesus is waiting in front of the
door of our hearts for us to open the door and let Him in. Jesus
wants fellowship with us!
Robert Young
2. I committed my first crime at the age of 12
A testimony given at a meeting of “Christians in business” in
Ravensburg
My name is Wasilius. I am 28 years old and a lathe operator by
occupation. I want to talk about my life, what it was like before and
what it is like now.
At 12 years of age I committed my first break-in
I grew up as one of four children. My mother had to earn money, do
the housekeeping and take care of the children. So she had hardly
any time for the children.
My father cared about nothing. He brought no money home even
though he had been to work. Therefore I sought recognition from
my friends. We got up to all sorts of pranks including stealing. At
age 12 I committed by first break-in. It was real fun, especially
because everything went well.
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Somehow I needed the recognition and the thrill. In this way I
smoked my first hashish at the age of 15. It didn’t take long before I
was caught committing a break-in for the first time. Then there was
a court case where the judge gave me a warning. The result was that
I had do compensational social work, probation, borstal school and
prison.
A quiet time
At 15 years of age I was put in a home. It was there that I did an
apprenticeship as a lathe operator. This was my first calm period,
without drugs and without break-ins. It was quite demanding there
for me even though it was open home and we were able to go to the
disco and do other things.
Relapse
After my apprenticeship I went back to Stuttgart. It all started over
again there. I did break-ins again, consumed drugs and even sold
drugs myself. While doing a break-in I was caught again. This time
I got off lightly and was only put on probation. When I was arrested
the next time, I was sentenced to one year in prison. I served two
thirds of my sentence in the juvenile prison in Schwäbisch Hall.
Other things were more important than Jesus
Somehow I went to a bible group there. I heard that it took place
between 5 and 7pm after the cells were locked. I went to the group
but without any special expectations. I had no idea what to expect
there. There I heard for the first time about a living Gospel and
about Jesus Christ. However, many other things were more
important to me than Jesus and I still wanted to take drugs and enjoy
other things in the world: money, cars and profit; these were the
things that interested me.
I said “no“ to Jesus and “yes“ to drugs
I saw that this didn’t really fit into the subject matter. Someone told
me: “You have to give your life to Jesus and then things will
35
improve. You will leave all these things and everything will be
good.”.
However, I said “no“ to Jesus and ”yes“ to drugs and break-ins etc. .
Soon I was released on probation. I came to Stuttgart where my drug
consumption and break-ins continued.
I thought I would be pronounced “not guilty“ of one of the
crimes
I couldn’t hold a job for very long. The longest I ever held a job was
the three and a half years of my apprenticeship. Otherwise I
managed only four months at the most. My first break-in was six
months after my release. I was caught again. In the trial following
this I was sentenced to five years imprisonment. I was accused of
committing three crimes. However, I had nothing to do with two of
them. I thought I would be found not guilty of one of them.
However, this did not happen. I was found guilty of all three crimes.
Here I began to ask where justice was.
Every day we smoked hashish
I was in Stammheim for a short time and then I was transferred to
Ravensburg. There I worked in the metal workshop where I got to
know a fellow inmate with whom I always smoked hashish. He
invited me to do this from the first day and we went every day to the
toilet to satisfy our addiction.
I’ve come to know Jesus
One morning he came to me again and I thought we were going to
the toilets to smoke hashish again. But my friend said: “Hey, I don’t
smoke hashish anymore. I’ve got to know Jesus and that is no longer
for me.” Nevertheless, I managed to scrounge something from him
and I went for a smoke.
”Run, baby, run!“
I had already heard about Jesus in another prison and so we got into
a conversation. He gave me a book about a week later with the title
”Run, baby, run“ from Nicki Cruz. He was someone who was lost as
36
I was. I saw myself in this book that I was lost in the same way he
was. I hadn’t gone as far as committing murder but I felt I was in the
same situation as he was. I read this book in one evening from
beginning to end. That was three hundred pages. It was so gripping
and I had to weep often.
If I don’t take this step, I am lost
Afterwards, I began to read the bible. I can’t remember everything I
read. At this moment a lot of things went round in my mind. I was
certain that if didn’t take this step, I was lost; if I didn’t go with
Jesus and give Him my life. And I really promised myself
something.
Jesus, put my life in your hand!
On this evening I went on my knees and asked Jesus to forgive my
sins and I said to Him: “Come into my life and change it; put it into
Your hand.” I stood up afterwards, but I felt nothing and wondered
what was wrong. I expected to feel something. However, nothing
happened. However, a thought entered my mind this evening. Now
you have begun, so keep going! Read the bible, pray to God and
accept everything that is written in the bible. I was two years in
prison as a believing Christian. However, things got better.
One year in prison and only one day sick!
Before, I used to be off sick on Thursdays because there was
nothing happening; no recreation. After work we were all locked up
in our cells. After my conversion I no longer did this. I worked one
year in prison and I was only one day off sick. I couldn’t believe it
myself.
I enjoy working now
Much has changed in my life. I have been outside for four years
now and I worked nearly four years for the same company. Now I
work in another company. I now enjoy work. I can hardly believe it
when I think about earlier when I couldn’t stay in one job for more
37
than four months. I wasn’t sacked from my last job either because I
didn’t want to work but rather because of the lack of orders.
I can talk to Jesus about everything!
It is not the case that I have no problems now that I have Jesus.
Earlier, I had no one to talk to about my problems, neither mother
nor father nor brothers or sister. Everybody was concerned with
themselves. In Jesus I have found someone with whom I can speak
about everything, who can help me and who has got my life in His
hands. He has changed me completely. As I already said, I can go to
work and I have no urge anymore to commit break-ins. Also drugs
have no place anymore in my life. I smoked hashish for the last time
one week after my conversion. God showed me clearly: “You don’t
need that; not when you are with me. That which you need to fulfil
your life, you will get from me.“ For all this I want to give God all
the glory, especially that he has completely changed my life around.
Note: Brother Wasilius was in the Jesus-Group for two evenings
during his time in Stammheim. In Ravensburg he met the prisoner
who helped his friend who got saved before him to get saved. This
brother was in the Jesus-Group for several months and got saved
during this time in Stammheim. After he got transferred we stayed
in contact by telephone for a long time. He told us that he is always
with two other men in the cell so he can talk about the Gospel and
pray. So God used this man to save two other people out of their lost
condition. To God be all the glory. Alleluia!
3. Two Muslims make decisions to follow Jesus
On one evening as we were singing and I was playing the guitar,
suddenly two of the prisoners walked towards me. I wondered what
they wanted. When they stood where I was, they asked me to pray
with them. They wanted to publicly confess Jesus and receive Him
as the Lord of their lives. They were both Muslims.
38
4. Three inmates place their lives in the hand of
Jesus in one evening
On one evening I went to the group quite depressed. I was a long
time out of work and had financial problems. On this evening I
prayed to the Lord and asked Him to show me that He was with me.
It was a nice evening in prison. I preached a short message and gave
my testimony about how I found Jesus as a child. When I asked if
anyone wanted to give their life to Jesus, three men came to me and
knelt down and prayed to receive Jesus. The Lord gave me the sign
that He was with me.
5. John – protected from death
John is an American. He had financial problems. Through the
suggestion of a friend, which he accepted, he decided to sell drugs.
His dealer took him to Königstraße in Stuttgart, where he was
supposed to sell drugs. However, the police came and arrested John
before he could even start to sell anything. His dealer was able to
get away. However, a week later, he was found dead with 20 stab
wounds, killed by a rival dealer with a bayonet.
John realised that God had protected him through his arrest and that
He had also prevented him from beginning a criminal career. John
came to the Jesus-Group and soon after, surrendered his life to
Jesus. After his release, he went back to his wife and baby.
John was visited by a U.S. army Baptist chaplain while in prison.
When the chaplain heard about the Jesus-Group, he gave us a lot of
English bibles which were meant for the soldiers in the Iraqi war but
were no longer needed.
6. Lucky
Lucky is a fine young man, very open, but sceptical and with lots of
questions. Like on one group evening where he asked me. “Where
did Cain get his wife?“ I was a bit disappointed with his question,
but I believe he was really interested in an answer to this question.
The Lord helped me to answer the question to his satisfaction.
39
Some weeks later Lucky wanted to receive Jesus as his Saviour. We
always used to sing the song: "I’d rather have Jesus than silver or
gold.“ It was Lucky’s favourite song.
He admitted in front of the whole group that he had tried to become
rich his whole life long. He tried to run a disco which, however,
became insolvent. In order to cover his debts, he used up all his
inheritance. In the end, he resorted to selling drugs which resulted in
him being arrested.
Now, in prison, he realised that Jesus was more important than all
the riches in the world. Therefore, he received Jesus as his Saviour.
Jesus is Lord of his life since then. He was moved to Heimsheim
prison and he attends the Black Cross group there regularly.
I visit him once a month. The last time he said that he had spoken to
an unbelieving Yugoslav. At the beginning the man was not
interested but later he wanted to get a bible from Lucky. Praise the
Lord!
Robert Young
7. Jesus was stronger – a report from Ernst
On one group evening in winter a lively Indian turned up with a
turban and nice clothes. He was polite and well educated. He
introduced himself just like every new inmate he received a bible.
He listened attentively and asked several questions. He expressed
his gratitude at the end of the group and said that he would come the
next time.
The next Thursday he wanted to introduce us to the Indian religion
but the rest of the group wanted to continue with the passage about
the Christmas story. Suddenly there came a voice from the left-hand
corner of the ceiling and then from right-hand corner. The man from
India had left his body and was speaking to us. ”Mr. Mayer, I have
the real power to do great things in your life.”, he said. I was very
shocked and the others too and I ordered him to immediately return
to his body. But he made fun of us and laughed. His body was
40
sitting motionless at the table and appeared frozen with eyes and
mouth closed.
Suddenly, I had a thought and commanded: “In the name of Jesus
return to your body!“ It happened immediately!
After some time we recovered from the shock and the Indian guru
was somewhat nervous. Never before had someone sent him back
into his body.
Jesus was stronger and he was no longer able to leave his body
which also led to a conversation with the authorities later.
To Jesus be glory and thanks; He is Lord!
Painted by a prisoner
41
Chapter 5 – Healing behind bars
1. Jesus heals the sick!
A few weeks ago I had a small sports accident and had some painful
injuries on my left wrist. In the Jesus-Group anybody with a
problem was invited to be prayed for with the laying on of hands (as
described in Mark 16, 18). Because the pain in my wrist had
continued for weeks and I was no longer able to do sport, I accepted
the invitation. The group leader prayed for me with the laying on of
hands. After one week the pain was all gone and I was able to do
sports without problems. That was a miracle from God and He
proved to me that He is there.
The bible, the living word!
Up to this time that the Lord touched me I had never thought about
reading the bible during the week. Yes, I was afraid to do it in case
God showed me my old life through His word. But suddenly I felt a
desire to read the bible. From that day on I read several pages a day.
For example the story of the prodigal son sounded just like my life,
for I was lost, left my parents and now I had returned to them.
Jesus brings joy and removes all burdens!
Then there are His commandments. I can say that I have broken all
of them. On October 9. 1992 the group leaders prayed with me. I
asked God for forgiveness and put my life in the hands of Jesus.
After my conversion a wonderful feeling of joy flowed through me
and at the same time I felt a big burden taken off me. It was the most
wonderful day in my life. Since then I have new plans for my life. I
want to use the time in prison well; I want to study and learn foreign
languages so that I am well prepared for my life later.
2. Louis – God has His reasons
Louis was angry with God after he was arrested and put in prison
until the following happened:
42
Every prisoner is examined by a doctor when he comes to prison. In
the case of Louis the doctor discovered that his liver was enlarged.
Louis admitted that he drank a lot. The high alcohol consumption
was the cause of his liver problem. The doctor informed Louis that
he could have died. Through his arrest and the following
examination, his problem was diagnosed and could be treated.
Louis’s liver is now normal again. He was able to testify that God
had saved his life. He came back to Jesus through the Jesus-Group.
Through God’s intervention Louis became a valuable member of the
group and was a blessing to others.
3. John – the doctor could not cure his high
blood pressure
John was also angry with God because He had not stopped him
going to prison. In his cell he could neither sleep nor eat. Apart from
this, John had a problem. His blood pressure was much too high. His
doctor found it impossible to find medicine that was able to help
him.
So John came to the Jesus-Group. He enjoyed these times and sang
the songs with enthusiasm. During another examination in prison,
the doctor found that John’s high pressure had disappeared and his
blood pressure was normal. It remained stable the whole time. Even
in prison, the power of the Lord is present to heal the sick.
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Chapter 6 – Deliverance from addiction behind
bars
1. Delivered from alcoholism
Jesus delivers from addiction!
This is especially clear to see in this letter which was addressed to
my church.
Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ our Lord
“Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and
them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the
body.” (Hebrews 13, 3).
This bible verse is the reason for me writing to you all, in order to
thank the whole church for your deeds and your prayers. I was
locked up in JVA-Stammheim in 1993 after I nearly killed a young
man while I was in a drunken stupor. I come from a christian family
but as a young man I turned my back on God and my parents. I
became a committed atheist, a person without morals, with no sense
of justice, godless, a curser and a blasphemer. However, somewhere
in me there was still a voice, my conscience that always warned me
to change my attitude and my deeds and to turn away from my sin
and mistakes. In order to avoid these signals and warnings so that I
could continue to live a godless life with swindling, fornication and
lying, I began early on to numb my understanding, conscience and
soul with alcohol. It was so bad that I became a really bad alcoholic;
so bad that I couldn’t hold a coffee cup even when sober and I often
didn’t know what I was doing anymore. Satan had me totally under
his sway.
Plagued by thoughts about suicide
Here in prison it was the first time that it slowly became clear to me
what I had done. After I thought that my life was totally destroyed,
and I was plagued with thoughts about suicide, reminded of the
44
prayers of my childhood, I began to call on the Lord in my deepest
predicament. I was not a believer but I was searching.
A fellow prisoner, with whom I used to talk about matters of faith
during the walks in the courtyard, told me about a group in prison
who discussed the bible. I put it off a long time before finally
applying to be able to go to the Jesus-Group.
I prayed for the healing of my victim
From this time on, I was in the Jesus-Group every Friday and I sang
and prayed and read the bible again. My victim, a young man, was
then still badly injured. It was not clear whether or not he would
ever fully recover. Therefore I began to pray every day for his
healing. How happy I was when I heard that the young man was
able to walk again and didn’t have to sit in a wheelchair for the rest
of his life. At this time the Lord revealed Himself to me in many
ways and helped me greatly.
In all the brothers who served here I found people who were filled
with the Holy Spirit, happy and confessing christians. After one
meeting I could no longer resist the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in
me. All doubt and open questions were gone for me. On that
evening I confided with one brother about my sins and mistakes and
entrusted the rest of my life to our Saviour Jesus Christ. “So take my
hands ....!“
I am a child of God
Since that Friday evening I was and am no more alone. My baptism
verse has become alive in me:
“For God so loved the world, that He have His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but
have everlasting life.” John 3, 16.
Since the day I was born again I have experienced much and no day
or hour goes by without me remembering that I am a child of God
and that I belong to our Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him. Even
though I have been sentenced to ten years in prison, the Lord has
also helped me to complete an alcohol withdrawal therapy which
was successful.
45
Now I am back in Stammheim because I have to serve a part of my
sentence in a prison until it is decided about my release on
probation. This is hard and painful after all the freedoms I earned
during the therapy because I don’t know where I will end up. How
happy I am though to be able to visit my spiritual home, the JesusGroup and to see many of my brothers again.
My victim is healed
Many wonderful things happened to me during the therapy. My
victim is now completely healthy. My parents were able to be
reconciled with me after twenty years. I often had the opportunity to
attend the bible evenings in the “Friedenshütte“ in Bonlanden with
my parents etc. etc..
I am writing this letter to you the whole church as well as the
brothers who do this missionary work, to thank you in order to give
you courage to continue this ministry as difficult as it might be here.
We prisoners need you, you prayers and your deeds.
I want to leave you with a word out of:
John 15, 16 ”Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it you.“
I wish the whole church the joy of the Lord and peace. The blessing
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Your thankful brother Bruno
P.S. I hope to attend one of the services in your church, if it is God’s
will, and thank you all personally and give my testimony.
2. Delivered from addiction to gambling
I thought I had enough strength to give up gambling on my own
Experience report from Erwin:
It is Friday evening again in Stammheim prison. We are in our
Jesus-Group and I’d like to greet you all personally. I am happy that
46
I got the opportunity today to give a report of God’s work in my life
out of the depths of my heart.
The last few years were like a bad dream
If I think about my life, everything I have experienced over the last
few years was like a bad dream for me. A cell in a prison is like
“home“ for me. Nevertheless, my present situation has given me
what I actually always wanted: peace and joy.
I went through life like a blind man
If I am honest to myself today then I have to say that I did not
realise my guilt for a long time. In fact, I have always accused
others of being guilty for my problems. In those days I went through
life like a blind man. It has been a very long journey which I have
travelled up to today in order to find out the truth about myself and
my ruined life here at the end of darkness in prison so that I might
finally be free together with God.
I thought I could buy everything in life with money
Earlier I was always the one who wanted to be in the limelight at all
costs. I marched through life in the search of money and success
with no consideration for other people. I always thought that I could
buy everything in my life with money and that only the moment
counted and nothing else. I never had time for myself in my blind
journey through my life in those days. I always quickly forgot the
people around me. I only came to Germany in order to get rich
quick.
I gambled everything away....
As I finally pretty well attained everything after ten years of
searching for money and success, I visited a casino out of
recklessness and boredom. All of a sudden I began then to play
roulette and I soon lost sight of the world around me. I gambled
away everything which I had saved and accumulated over the ten
years regardless of the consequences. More and more I felt how this
temptation had me under its spell.
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I only had one thing on my mind: gamble, gamble, gamble!
After some time I could not live without a casino and roulette. I was
not interested in eating properly or sleeping. Changed and possessed
I gambled away all I possessed. I forgot all my goals and
resolutions. The only thing that counted was: gamble, gamble,
gamble!
The way out: burglary!
When I had no idea how I could pay the ever increasing debts that I
had, I shared this with an acquaintance of mine. His solution was to
finance my addiction with break-ins.
So soon for the first time in my life I joined in a burglary at night.
Now my life was marked out: afternoons in the casino and evenings
searching for something useful or somewhere to break-in with
mixed feelings and desperation so that I had money to gamble with.
Gambling gave my life meaning and content.
I was three years long in this rhythm of life; nights break-ins and
afternoons gambling. But I was no longer human. But because I kept
some of the upbringing and intelligence from earlier I knew that this
couldn’t continue like this and that I had to get free of this
somehow. “You were never a weakling your whole life long and
you were always strong enough to make your own decisions and
you have only ever done what you wanted to do.“ They were always
my words to myself. I said all this to myself and thought that I also
had enough strength to stop gambling again. How naive I was then!
This went on like this for more than three years. In the afternoons I
made my way to the casino. Then nights on the street in order to do
a break-in again somewhere. I did about six million marks of
damage then. Six million marks worth of things that I stole at night
and then sold well below their value.
Afternoons at 3pm I was already standing in front of the casino in
order to gamble everything away. There was no hindrance for me
and no burglar alarm system that I couldn’t evade, so I thought that I
was the greatest.
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Every good resolution was useless
I was continually plagued by the remains of my conscience about
what I was doing here and also about that I absolutely could not
stop. How often I used to cry like a little child on the way home
from the casino and I swore never to go back again. But good
resolutions were of no more use here, because the darkness had me
full in his hand and didn’t want to let me loose. I knew that I was
lost without help from the good side.
The end?
I can still remember exactly how I stood on the car park in front of
the Casino in Saarbrücken and I was completely finished. I didn’t
even have the money to buy petrol for my car. I was at the end of
my tether.
Fourteen years in prison but free!?
Now I’ve been sitting here in Stammheim in prison for many years
and I’m thinking about those times. I was sentenced to fourteen
years in prison for my messed up life. I needed a long time to find
out the truth about me.
In prison, I have finally found that which I have searched for my
whole life without knowing it. For the first time in my life, I am
really free and I thank my God for it. In prison I had a bible for the
first time in my life. It landed in my hand by chance, and the person
who gave it me said: “This is a very old book, and everything
written in it still applies today as it did back then.”
I read the book of truth
I read the book of truth and found many answers to my questions
and to my life. Isn’t that strange that after 40 years of my life where
I lived in luxury and had everything, but it was never enough for
me, that I finally found satisfaction in prison? For the first time in
this miserable place, after my first step towards God, I was able to
feel that which really helped me. I have received a lot of help here
after my searching and questions. It was exactly such people that
had no place in my life in the past and those who I never even used
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to notice. I never saw them because I was blind. As then one of
them in the Jesus-Group said that God could actually answer all my
questions and that it is not a figment of our imagination, then I knew
that I was no longer alone and that God was now working in me in
order to change me.
Better to be in prison than living like I was
I said a prayer there on the car park and shed many tears. For the
first time in my life I prayed to God with all of my heart and with
hope and said: “You know that I have no strength in myself to give
up gambling and that I am at the end of myself. Please help me out
of my predicament if You can hear me. I don’t want to live like this
any longer. If you can forgive me, help me no matter what happens
to me.” Suddenly a thought entered my head like a lightning bolt
that it could all come to an end if I was caught somewhere one night
doing a break-in. It would be better to go to prison, I told myself
then on the car park.
I had long forgotten the conversation with God
When I was arrested by the police 14 days later I couldn’t believe it.
The police knew nothing at that time about my break-in tour. I had
long forgotten the prayer to God on the car park and I didn’t occur
to me that it was exactly this prayer which caused God to intervene
in my situation.
I was 8 months on remand and then when I was released due to
insufficient evidence, I decided to lead a different life. This
resolution lasted until I realised that my fiancé had another
boyfriend. Everything that I had decided to do in those 8 months
was suddenly gone. I began to lead my old life again out of self-pity
and anger against the whole world.
It was the first time that I allowed a stranger to pray for me.
Now I have been in Stammheim for a long time and I have
experienced many lows but also many highs. I have been going to
the Jesus-Group for some time. When a group leader said that he’d
like to pray for me I was ashamed. I wept in my cell about my life
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and my wrong attitude. This was namely the first time that a
complete stranger wanted to pray for me with their whole heart.
Such a thing can only happen with God’s help!
I have been going to the Jesus-Group every Friday for a long time
and I get much joy and strength for the whole week. Therefore I
thank my God for his enormous love and help which He gives on
this path.
I also thank the people who sacrifice their spare time for us and
bring hope and light into this darkness. I also thank the whole
church, for those who are perhaps praying for us this evening. I have
experienced myself how a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment
was radiant and sang on a Friday evening in the Jesus-Group and
who became a completely new person.
All this can only happen with God’s help. Therefore I thank every
one of you from my heart and also hope that I can give someone this
strength and love some time in my life. I know I can’t change the
past. But I know that I have put my whole life in God’s hands and
that he has given me a new life. A new life at His side and therefore
I am very thankful. I am a happy person here in this prison.
3. Delivered from drugs
One prisoner told the group the following: “As the cell door closed
behind me in Stammheim I realised suddenly that I had reached the
bottom. Addicted to drugs I felt alone, deserted and sold out. As I
was lying on my bed, I remembered the words of my old friends in
the student church: “If you are totally destroyed, there is always
God.“ Everything in me wanted to prevent me calling on God in this
predicament especially as I had never wanted to think about Him in
my life before. Slowly the pain increased due to the lack of drugs.
The withdrawal had begun. Cold sweat was on my brow. An
incredible battle was raging in me. In my predicament I started to
pray. The words came out of my lips stutteringly. As I called on
God in my desperation I felt a warm stream flow through my body
which freed me of my pains and fears. I was very relieved and was
able to sleep the whole night. From this moment on I did not have to
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take any of the usual medicine which is taken during withdrawal
from drugs. I know God has given me another chance to lead a life
with Jesus. This won’t be easy, but God is stronger than anything
else in the world. If you go to church and everyone is thanking
Jesus, please pray a little bit for me. Sooner or later your prayers
nearly always helped.
B.G. writes:
I have placed my life in the hands of Jesus Christ and I feel how he
also does miracles here and now. One of them is that H.S. (a fellow
prisoner) came to me some days ago and asked me to pray for him. I
prayed for him and it helped to save his life. He wanted to end his
life with an overdose of heroin. They found him in the nick of time
and were able to save him. I am sure that Jesus gave H.S. another
chance to find the right way. This example showed me clearly that
the Lord does not let anybody be lost who seeks Him. Please pray
too that God will clearly show H.S. the right way.
Please give the following greeting to the people in the Jesus-Group:
"for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.", Matthew 9, 13. This bible verse has become an
anchor for me and I pray that it will become an anchor for others.
Note:
H.S. was also in the Jesus-Group. The whole month he stood totally
opposed to and hostile to the Gospel. None of us had the remotest
expectation of a turnaround. But our Lord Jesus is stronger than any
of our expectations of someone, Alleluia!
4. Delivered from nicotine
A prisoner came to me one evening and wanted me to pray for him.
He told me that he had tried to give up smoking but he was not able
to. I then prayed for him. The following week, he told me what
happened: “I went back to my cell and had the desire to smoke a
cigarette. As I put the cigarette to my mouth, I suddenly started to
cough. It was impossible to smoke. The coughing lasted a whole
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week. Afterwards, I had no more desire for cigarettes.“ Praise the
Lord!
The Lord often works differently to what we expect. Another
prisoner also asked me to pray for his cigarette addiction. However,
this prisoner did not get a cough; but instead, he had pains in the
chest. This lasted until he finally had no more desire for cigarettes.
Robert Young
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Chapter 7 – New motivation to live
1. I wanted to take my own life
Jesus Christ saves – I was at home with drugs and prostitution
I am a young man who lost his freedom at 21. I lived in Stuttgart in
the old part of town. There I had a lot to do with the underworld,
with drugs and prostitution. I had no permanent dwelling and no
home because I always used to run away. I was the master of my
own world. I had money, women and did what I wanted. I listened
to no one and went the way I chose for myself. This caused my
parents lots of concern. I sinned every day and today I can say that
my life was pretty disgusting.
Suddenly I found myself in Stammheim again
One day I was arrested and taken away by the police. Suddenly I
found myself in Stammheim again. It is the most horrible thing to be
locked away. I had never been in prison before and I had no idea
what it meant to be locked up; having to live without all the things
which had made my life comfortable up till now. My first question
was: “My God, why?”
I wanted to take my own life
I went berserk and tried to take my own life. Before it was too late, I
heard a voice saying: “Don’t do it!” I came to myself again. That’s
how my life in prison began.
God gave me the opportunity to change my life
I had a lot of time to think about my old life. I looked for an
explanation for it all and asked myself if that was God’s will. Now, I
realize that it all had to be so that I could realize how wrong my life
had been up till now. He showed me my sins and thus gave me an
opportunity to change my life.
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The Jesus-Group, my salvation!
After some time in prison, I applied to go to the Jesus-Group. I soon
felt spoken to about confessing my sins and receiving the Lord.
After a personal conversation with one of the group leaders I felt
how God called me and it was clear to me that God wanted to go
this way with me.
He had let me fall into a deep place so that I could find my way to
Him. Praise be to God, the almighty one!
2. I wanted to throw my life away!
My name is Dave. After I had committed my crime, I wanted to kill
myself. Because I couldn’t swim I went to a swimming pool and
wanted to jump in and drown myself.
As I was staring at the water I suddenly heard a voice which said:
“The water is cold!”. I looked around me but saw no one. In shock I
ran away and drove off with my car.
My next attempt involved pouring petrol over me and the inside of
my car. I hoped that when I slept in the car I would be choked to
death by the petrol fumes. However, nothing happened.
As I woke up, I heard a voice again which said: “Run away from
here! “ I couldn’t stand anymore so I ran to the police station.
After I was brought into prison I was still so down that I saw no
other way but to take my own life. I broke the window and I wanted
to stick a piece of the glass into my stomach.
But I was prevented again. This time it was by a prisoner. He not
only stopped me doing this stupidity but he also read the bible to
me. He was from England. Through the word of God he gave me
new hope. Later I applied to attend the Jesus-Group. There I gave
my life to Jesus after a few weeks.
Note from the group leader Robert Young
Dave was a big example for the group. He often preached in the
group evenings and led other prisoners to Jesus.
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When he came to prison Dave could not read. After receiving a
bible the Lord taught him to read through the bible. He read the
bible in prison from beginning to end!
He was moved to JVA-Mannheim to serve his sentence. There he
started his own Jesus-Group in his cell with another former JesusGroup member called Patrick. Now both have been released.
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Chapter 8 – Dreams and visions
1. Stephen
Stephen is from Ghana. He came into prison through some rather
unexplainable circumstances. However, Stephen considered it a
good thing because through this, his relationship to Jesus was
strengthened. Shortly after his imprisonment he had a dream where
he saw a man who said to him: “Stephen, I am here to help you.“
Shortly after that he had another dream where the Lord told him to
read Isaiah 51, 11-16.
“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with
singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they
shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee
away. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou
shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man
which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the LORD thy maker,
that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the
earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of
the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury
of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed,
and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves
roared: The LORD of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in
thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that
I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and
say unto Zion, Thou art my people.”
This bible passage encouraged Stephen. Even more astonishing was
that shortly afterwards he received a letter from a pastor in Ghana
which mentioned the same passage. It was nice to have Stephen in
the group. He was always positive and happy even though he was a
long way away from his wife and children. He will soon be released.
His wish is to become a preacher.
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2. A testimony from Momdu
I was double-crossed and that is why I am in prison. I got help from
no one, not even my girlfriend. She only told me about her own
problems in her letters. It was as if my whole life had stood still.
Then I had a dream in which I was told to read Exodus 14, 13-14. In
the morning I looked for a bible to find out what it said because I
didn’t have one in my cell. I got a bible from an American and also
an invitation to the Jesus-Group. The passage God showed me in the
dream says:
"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, standstill, and see the
salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the
Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no
more for ever." Exodus 14, 13-14
.
I have been a happy person in prison since then. I listen to Gospel
music, read the bible, sing christian songs and I’m happier than
when I was outside. A Muslim from Gambia (who is with me in the
cell) wanted to go to the Jesus-Group with me one day. The reason
he gave, was that he was always so surprised, that I always had a
happy face when I came back from the Jesus-Group.
After some time, he was so moved by God’s love that he got saved
and it happened publicly, in front of the whole group. Alleluia, Jesus
is victor!
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Chapter 9 – The truth will set you free
A letter from Chinedu Eboh after his release
I am writing this letter with profound joy and heartfelt thanks for
your best wishes and prayers. I want to take the opportunity to give
a testimony of God’s goodness in my broken and hopeless life. On
Wednesday I had my court case at the courts in Böblingen. There I
discovered with astonishment, that there is no limit to God’s power.
I was accused of being guilty of 80 crimes. During the trial, I stuck
to the truth and stated everything that I had done. To my
astonishment, my statement affected the Judge so much that he
didn’t pronounce a sentence and I was able to leave the court as a
free man. While leaving the court I praised God. Now I know that
my Redeemer lives. Pass this, without fail, onto the prisoners, how
important it is to be connected to Jesus in Spirit and in truth. He
protects us from the great temptations and hindrances in the world,
even in court. Now I can confess, that this Jesus is reality. He sees
my heart and is always there for me as he promises in
Psalm 50, 15: “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver
thee, and thou shalt glorify me.“
His goodness is so great to me. I rejoice therefore, about what I can
do for Him with my strength. I want to state here, that I want to be
available to God whenever He calls, to help prisoners and other
people to be won for Jesus.
My heartfelt thanks to all the brothers in the Jesus-Group in the
name of Jesus!
Chow and God’s blessing
Chinedu Eboh
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water. John 7, 38
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Report from JUDAN from Liberia
I want to take the opportunity to express my thanks to our eternal
God for His great love to me. My name is Judan from Liberia. I was
imprisoned in Stammheim because of drug problems. I was in
desperation, not knowing whether or not I should tell the truth.
One day I read John 8, 32 where it says:
”.. the truth will set you free.“ John 8, 32.
From this moment on, I decided to tell the truth, although I knew
that this would cause me problems. On 24. September 2003 I
appeared before court with a bible in my hand. The judge asked me
if I went to church. I boldly said that I was a christian and
afterwards I told the whole truth about my case. Later, the
prosecutor demanded a sentence of 5 years. However, the judge said
that he thought a sentence of 1 year and 10 months would be
appropriate. He argued that I had told the truth.
I thank the Lord that he showed me the right way. Additionally, I
have promised the Lord, that I will never sell drugs again. I pray that
the Lord will have mercy on me.
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Chapter 10 – The Turkish Jesus-Group
Recep Avser
I had worked about two years
as a missionary to Turkish
people when a christian social
worker asked me about
working in the Heimsheim
prison. More and more Turks
were coming to the bible group,
some of who could hardly
speak German, so they didn’t
understand a lot. Apart from
that, they had no idea about
christianity. They were neither
religious nor had they had any
christian teaching and they had
not grown up in the christian
tradition. I had a look at it, and
when I agreed to take on the Turkish inmates, I was even given my
own room.
The beginning was not easy. Many were not really interested and
only wanted to be with the others or simply wanted to get out of the
cell. There was a lot of lively discussion and Islam was defended,
even by men who did not adhere to it. Because twelve to eighteen
men came to the bible group at the beginning, I had a hard time. I
was disheartened every time, and I had more and more the
impression, that it was a waste of time.
One young man who wore a chain with a cross attracted my
attention. He didn’t know what the cross meant though. He was an
Aramean, from his background an orthodox christian but he had no
idea about Christ. After three months I decided to stop at the end of
the month. But then the unexpected happened. This young Aramaen
believed and got saved!
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Now I was motivated to continue for the sake of this believing
young man. And lo and behold, it got better! I found out how to
organise the meetings so they didn’t all go haywire and the men
enjoyed them more and more. The new convert was a big support
for me.
This continued for more than five years. During this time, about ten
men became believers. In our kind of work there is a lot of
ploughing and sowing but we almost always lose contact because
the men are released and some are deported. Some are also moved
to other prisons. Unfortunately, not enough new men came into the
group because they stopped sending Turks to Heimsheim. The result
was that the group had to be stopped.
I had a hard time at the beginning of this work and now I found it
hard to end it. However, I wasn’t ”unemployed” for long. I was
asked from Stuttgart-Stammheim to work in the Jesus-Group. While
the group in Heimsheim was running I couldn’t imagine working in
another group but now it was a welcome opportunity to continue
with the prison work.
There was already a group in Stammheim, led voluntarily by an
Aramaen (Stefan Üzel), who wanted to step down because of time
problems. I had no difficulty taking over this group. The only
difference was that the men only stayed three months on average
because Stammheim is just a detention centre for prisoners awaiting
trial. After their trial, they are either released or sent off to other
prisons to serve their sentences. This happened to one young man
who was near to giving his life to Jesus – he was transferred to
Heimsheim! He stayed in contact with me and heard that I used to
have a bible group there, and that I was prepared to start it again. He
asked his fellow prisoners, and in a few days he had six other
prisoners for the group. Thus the minimum participant count was
reached so I could restart the bible group in Heimsheim.
During this time, another man believed and got saved and was
deported back to Turkey. Because there was a christian fellowship
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in his hometown, I was able to give him the address. He now goes to
the services there with his family (he has five children).
Now I see that it was God’s guidance, that I should have my first
experience of prison work in Heimsheim, so that I would be fit for
Stammheim.
Recep Avser
Recep is Pastor of the Turkish speaking church in Sindelfingen,
otherwise called the TKKT (which stands for: “Türkce Konusan
Kilise Toplulugu“, which is the Turkish name). They meet in
Sindelfingen in the building of the Baptist church
("Friedenskirche").
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Chapter 11 – When prisoners become preachers
Prisoners become workers! - by Robert Young
I mentioned once in the Jesus-Group, that my aim was to help
prisoners to be inspired to preach the word of God themselves. One
evening I came to the group late. I had forgotten my pass so I had to
drive back home to get it.
When I finally arrived in the group room to begin my work, I
couldn’t believe my eyes. The prisoners had set up a pulpit and two
prisoners were preaching the word of God. They were also prepared
and had written down notes in their cells of what was on their heart.
The other prisoners were listening attentively. After the message a
Muslim came to the front and gave his life to Jesus. Since this
evening, it is usual for one of the prisoners to preach a short
message every week. I am always astonished how profound these
messages are.
One day in the week, it is allowed to invite other prisoners into your
cell. Two of the prisoners used this opportunity in order to hold
services in their cells. Dave invited five men. Before his conversion
they did all sorts of other things in the cell. But, on this day, he said
to them: “We won’t have baseball today; I’m going to preach to
you.” He did this and prayed for the men afterwards. Dave said that
he felt God working very powerfully as he was preaching. All the
men in his cell had shed tears.
Since then he has held a service in his cell every week. In this way
God makes workers out of lost sheep, even in prison. All praise to
our Lord Jesus Christ for this!
A letter from Peter S. in Freiburg prison:
Now I’m beginning to realise why I am in prison. The Lord has
prepared me to preach the Gospel through the Jesus-Group. At the
moment I am facing a big challenge to preach the wonderful word
of God in the prison church. When I first attended the evangelical
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service the vicar asked me if I had a message for the congregation. I
answered: “O.K., I will try in the strength of Jesus.“
I was very nervous. However, as I began to speak about God, I
received more and more confidence, also because I had learned how
to preach in the Jesus-Group. At this point I only saw your faces in
the Jesus-Group and Jesus standing in the middle. When I was
finished, I experienced that many men were touched by the
message. Several (also people from outside who just came to the
services in prison) came to me and asked me how I managed to have
specific words for them. I just said that the Lord had prepared me in
the Jesus-Group in Stammheim and His holy Son Jesus had inspired
me and given me courage to preach.
Since this service, I am able to take part in the service every week.
For example, last Sunday God’s hand was on me and I was able to
share a wonderful message.
I also sang songs from the Jesus-Group (it was fantastic). Everyone
was moved and applauded. I wept because I didn’t think that such a
thing was possible. I realise that the Lord had prepared me in
Stammheim. Without the Jesus-Group, none of this would have
been possible.
Note: In the meanwhile, this letter has been confirmed by another
prisoner from the Jesus-Group who has also been moved to
Freiburg. Alleluia! To our Lord be all the glory!
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Chapter 12 – The work expands
1. The former women’s prison in Leonberg
A testimony about how the
Jesus-Group in the women’s
prison in Leonberg was started
My husband Helmuth and I have
been able to give the Good News
to the young men in the JesusGroup in Stammheim building 2
since December 1999. However
I have been praying for the
women in prison since May
1995 when Helmuth started
working in the Jesus-Group. I
prayed that God would open a
door to bring the message of the love of God to the women in
Stammheim or in Leonberg women’s detention centre.
God’s cell
Something memorable happened on 17.5.2001: I went to see a film
in Ludwigsburg with Helmuth. It was called “God’s cell – a
women’s prison" and described life in the women’s prison in
Schwäbisch Gmünd. After the film, there was a question time with
an ex-prisoner from “God’s cell“, a retired prison warder from
“God’s cell“, the film producer, a lawyer and the lady social worker
from the JVA Leonberg Frau W. During this time the lady social
worker said: “If you want to do something good for “my women“ in
Leonberg and arrange an afternoon for them then you are here and
now heartily invited to do so.“
God had spoken
Hearing this sentence made my heart beat hard and at the same time
my husband gave me a nudge in the ribs. That was it! God had
spoken and it was clear to both of us.
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So after the meeting I approached the social worker with my heart
beating hard. I told her about the Jesus-Group in Stammheim and
offered to visit the women regularly and organise an afternoon for
them. Mrs W. knew about the Jesus-Group in Stammheim.
However, she had in mind a something amusing like cabaret or
something. “You can give me a ring sometime.” She said to me and
then went to the next person wanting to speak to her. I couldn’t
really do anything with this. But I started to talk with my Lord and
told Him: “If You want a Jesus-Group to start in Leonberg then
please organise it. I’ll make myself available but other than that I
won’t do anything. I will neither fight nor manipulate; You have to
do everything!”
In three quarters of an hour it was agreed
On 29.5.2001 I prayed and then rang Frau W. in the JVA Leonberg.
I was able to reach the very busy social worker immediately and in
three quarters of an hour it was agreed that, starting in the summer,
we would be allowed to share the Gospel with the women prisoners
once a month for two hours. A tape recorder for playing songs to
sing along with was available and we were allowed to bring bibles,
books and song books. How accommodating of her! When God
takes the things He wants to do into His own hand then we don’t
need to fight.
Many women were touched by God
From 21.7.2001 we met regularly once a month with twelve women
in Leonberg to sing, pray, read the bible and to have discussion.
Many women were touched by God, some were healed and others
were delivered. Several found a new life in Jesus Christ and a loving
heavenly Father. It was a joy to see how God worked.
After Helmuth became sick and left the work, other brothers and
sisters took over the work in Leonberg. On 27.3.2004 we had to part
from the women because the prison closed and all the women were
moved to ”God’s cell" prison in Schwäbisch Gmünd.
Elisabeth Gulde
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Pumpkin marmalade or `Where are you actually?`
I kept seeing a carton filled
with various jars of
marmalade at the entrance to
the women’s prison in
Leonberg. Finally my
curiosity got the better of me
and I asked what they were
doing there.
"They are on sale. The women
made them." I had to have a
closer look. I looked at the
labels to see if I could find a
flavour I liked: "Prune and
cinnamon" and "Pumpkin"
were still available. I had no idea what pumpkin marmalade tasted
like but I liked the labels so much that I didn’t just make my choice
due to the contents.
"Where did you get these wonderful labels from?" I asked
enthusiastically.
"They are hand painted by Frau X; each one is unique!" was the
surprising answer.
Oh yes, I remembered again that it was the woman who, right at the
beginning made it clear that she wanted to have nothing to do with
the church. Later I got into a conversation with her about her family
and her art studies.
Just come along and then make a decision.
Just a few months ago I had asked myself if I should actually go into
a women’s prison. Up till now, I saw my job as praying for the
others when they were in prison. I wanted to be sure that I was in
the right place and not just forced into something due to the lack of
workers for some pious purpose. The thing about the helper
syndrome under a christian flag was still in my mind. Hartmut and
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Maria made a suggestion to just come along and then make a
decision.
I want the women to think that I am one of them
No sooner said than done, one Saturday afternoon I went along. The
first thing I noticed was that no one wore a uniform. I was
impressed by the hearty and family atmosphere. If it weren’t for the
prison bars and the obvious cell doors you would have thought that
you were in a kind of women’s home. On this day of all days I
didn’t feel very well. I had back pain and on top of this I felt sick.
The sight of all these women in prison also didn’t exactly help. Not
to mention the hoped for “God’s presence feeling”. I felt nothing,
apart from my inability to realize God’s will in this situation and
because of my frustration, to be able to shed some ray of hope in the
prison. How should I know if I am meant to work here? To be on
the safe side, I prayed that God would give me a clear confirmation
and I also said how: "Lord, if this is the right place for me then it
should not occur to anyone that I am from the outside. I want the
women to think that I am one of them!"
Which cell are you in?
During the group time I had no particular task. I was only there to
see what it was like. Nevertheless, I wanted to contribute something.
In a few quick prayers I asked for at least an encouraging word for
someone. After the group had finished I had the feeling that I should
talk to a young woman about something specific. That seemed to
come over well and so we got into a conversation about our
thoughts about what God is like and had time to talk about other
things before the prison warders came to fetch us. On each floor we
had to all wait until it was her turn to be locked up in her cell. There
was still some time left to talk. I sat together with the young woman
on a table in the corridor. We let our legs dangle and talked a while.
Finally she asked me: "Where are you actually?"
I didn’t know what she meant. Why the question, I thought? I was
sitting here wasn’t I? She noticed that I didn’t immediately
understand what she meant. As it suddenly dawned on me ….
"I mean which cell are you in?" she repeated her question before I
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could answer her question. I paused for thought, because I thought
the answer that I now had to give was maybe a bit mean:
"I am not staying here; I’m going back home again."
She looked at me astonishingly and was silent for a moment.
"I didn’t know that you belong to them. I thought you came from the
cleaning service because of your light-blue blouse.” It sounded
almost like an apology. Whether I was in the right place here? God’s
answer was clear!
Irmgard H.
Good news!
“One thing is clear: no one is going to get me into a church!“ A
participant came with these words into the Jesus-Group in the
former women’s prison in Leonberg and she sat down
demonstratively on a chair in the corner. I sat next to her a little less
demonstratively.
“I want you to know that I am not here voluntarily. The warder told
me that I should come. Now I am here but I want to have nothing to
do with the church.“
I told her that this was not about some church but about Jesus.
However, this did not seem to ease the situation. While we were
singing some songs, the woman took a new testament that was lying
on the table and began to turn over the pages. Suddenly she nudged
me with her elbow and pointed to a passage that she had just
discovered.
Acts 16, 25-26:
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:
and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and
immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were
loosed.
What can I add to this? The only thing I could think of was, “That is
good news, isn’t it?”
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Irmgard H.
Painted by an inmate
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2. Heilbronn
”... go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you
to possess it.” Joshua 1, 11
Josef and Evi Bierbaum
God’s work in the JVA
Heilbronn
In 2003 at a vision meeting in
our church “The church of
decided christians“ in
Heilbronn the question came
during the prayer time which
work could we do for our local
community. As a result we
were shown, among other
things, to open our hearts for the wives and relatives of prisoners
and offer them spiritual and social help. How this would work we
didn’t know at that time.
The first steps began in 2005 after we as a church founded the
Christian Social work Heilbronn (CSH) in order to better regulate
all the future tasks. Because I work in the prison in Heilbronn I was
able to share my thoughts with the prison director Herr Schlicher
after preparing a draft of a flyer explaining our concept. He was
enthusiastic and supported us in the implementation of what God
had put on our hearts.
In a conversation between the prison director and our pastor Dieter
Mundt in April 2005 the whole thing was discussed in depth and the
suggestions were accepted and it was decided to go ahead with the
project. Even here we could see God’s love in preparing the optimal
conditions for our work in a wonderful way.
The room that was offered us was not very inviting. We wanted to
decorate it ourselves but the prison wanted to have it renovated by
their own decorators. To begin with we were not excited because we
knew by experience that such work took a long time. There were
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only a few days left until our set deadline for the start of our work
on 1. July. But God’s timing was brilliant. On 30. June our pastor
and the prison director were able to view the finished room together
so that we could begin our work in the cosy and homely
surroundings as was originally planned.
Six sisters in the church felt called to this service to the women. To
begin with they took it in turns to make themselves available to the
women on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our aim is to be present every
day of the week.
Full of joy we can already say that we have had many talks with the
women and the offer of prayer has been well accepted and
individual women have experienced God’s guidance. The room has
undergone a wonderful change in the course of time; from meeting
room to devotion room and from discussion room to prayer and
bible reading room.
God has also had His protective hand over this room. During a
cloudburst, water leaked into the rooms through a defective roof.
Only our room remained dry. The prison director was impressed and
remarked: “It is, after all, a christian room.“
Because I could see the spiritual need of the prisoners in the many
conversations that I had with them it was my desire to give them a
chance to find the way to the bible and to Jesus Christ through a
discussion group. ”I am the way”, Jesus said about Himself. Only
with His help is it possible to a life without crime.
Thus the discussion group called “The Jesus-Group“ was started. on
20.10.2005 we were able to start the group work of the Jesus-Group
after all the formalities had been resolved. Unfortunately I was not
able to be there at the start because I had to have a second difficult
operation.
The Lord had shown me some time before that I would not
experience the start of the group work. With the feeling on the
inside that: “it works without me“, I had peace about the situation.
Five of the eleven prisoners who had applied for the group came to
the first meeting together with five workers. It was a blessed
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evening with singing, prayer and the word of God. It was a very
promising start.
Through my work in prison I kept on hearing about a Jesus-Group
in the JVA Stuttgart. Prisoners told me joyfully how they were
spoken to and moved by God’s word through taking part in the
group. Through the ”Light in darkness“ prisoner mission
organisation of the BFP I made contact with the group leader. We
were invited to go to a group evening in Stammheim.
Our meeting and our desire to start a work in the Heilbronn prison
was received with joy by the group in Stuttgart. For them it was an
answer to prayer because they had prayed many years for a group to
start in Heilbronn.
At the beginning we organised the group evenings together. Despite
the long distance that our brothers and sisters had to travel they
came full of joy and love. We were able to profit from their
experience and so we experienced wonderful fellowship working
together which was full of joy and which glorified God. We
experience over and over again that we are doing this work in the
will of our Lord Jesus. We can be constantly sure of His help and
leading.
Now after the first few months of our work here we can say that the
Lord has given us wonderful things. He has given us workers who
go to the prison with us full of joy. Our church has collected books
after a public announcement which we put in the prison library so
that the Gospel can be spread in this way too.
We are deeply moved how God made all this possible within six
months. We experience how important it is to our Lord that
convicted criminals are able to receive His word. He goes into the
darkest places in order to let His light shine. All glory to our Lord
Jesus for this.
Josef Bierbaum
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The Jesus-Group in the JVA Heilbronn, a premiere!
The first group evening
in Heilbronn has taken
place. We were
overwhelmed by the love
of God to the prisoners.
Five of the prisoners
came of the eleven who
had applied.
From the church of decided christians there were three christians
and Pastor Dieter Mundt. There were also three of us from Stuttgart.
20. October 2005 was the big day. All the formality hindrances had
been overcome. The Jesus-Group in the JVA Heilbronn could start.
Unfortunately, Josef Bierbaum, the future leader of the Jesus-Group
was sick so he couldn’t be there at the start. We are glad that he as a
prison warder in the JVA Heilbronn has decided to do this work. His
wife Evi however did a good job standing in for him.
In expectation of the first participants we were all happy to hear
how a prison warder announced the start of the Jesus-Group over the
loudspeaker. For the first time, the name of Jesus was sounded
through all the floors of the building.
Hartmut, Maria and I (Robert) came from Stammheim as the
support team in order to take part at the beginning of the group.
However, first we went to the “church of decided christians“ nearby,
which is the home church of our brothers and sisters. After a time of
getting to know each other and a prayer time with the new JesusGroup team and their pastor Dieter Mundt, we went with joyful
expectation to the prison.
Five prisoners came, although eleven had applied to come. We
welcomed them heartily and were able to hold personal
conversations even before the official start. Pastor Dieter Mundt
opened the first group evening after introducing the workers, with
an interesting story about prayer.
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Hartmut led the evening with singing songs together and a short
message about John 3, 16 accompanied by testimonies out of his
life. The prisoners were very interested and we noticed that the
atmosphere got better and better during the evening. Afterwards
Hartmut asked me to sing a song in English and give some
testimonies about the Jesus-Group in Stammheim. Later we got to
know each other better and had a good prayer time. Also a prisoner
prayed and thanked God that we had come. The whole evening was
a blessing and an experience that we will never forget. One prisoner
said that he was actually signed up for another group (an Italian
course) but that the Jesus-Group was more important to him.
Now it takes place every Tuesday from 18:30 till 20:30. Please pray
for the Heilbronn Jesus-Group, that it soon becomes an inherent part
of the activities of the JVA Heilbronn.
Robert Young
3. Indian Camp for prisoners’ children
Indian Camp 2004 – the faces of the children have been made
unrecognisable.
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How the camps began
Wolfgang and Sandy Kremer (from Siegen) started the Indian
camps in 1988 with six children. The idea was to give the children
of prisoners a free 7 day holiday. In the meantime, several camps
take place for different German states and since 2004 for BadenWürttemberg. We started with 4 children (see report), in 2005 there
were 10 children and in 2006 13 children including 7 children who
were also there in 2005. At the camps we have games, treasure
hunts, camp fires where we bake bread, bible fun, handicrafts and
lots of singing around the camp fires. All camps were really blessed
and we look forward to seeing how the work expands. One of the
workers was on one of the earlier camps where she accepted Jesus.
Because of a shortage of workers we have been unable to start a
Bavaria camp till now. However, the vision of Wolfgang and Sandy
is to have a camp for each of the 16 German states. See
www.menschen-in-not.org for more information.
INDIAN CAMP 2004
The first camp for prisoners’ children in Baden-Württemberg,
Germany
An enjoyment barometer report or `Who is the King of the
jungle?`
Day 1.
Klack! Klack! "You have really pretty heart-shaped magnets!"
Susi* lets her magnets jump to the metal plate over and over again.
The first of 4 children has arrived and is not looking very happy.
"How old are you?" No answer! "Have you got brothers or sisters?"
No answer. "What is your favourite subject at school?" No answer.
"All alone with so many adults is really stupid, isn’t it? But the other
children will be arriving soon!" A dismal stare!
Day 2.
Susi* and Nina* got on well with each other right from the start.
Now they are sitting arm in arm with Jana their team leader, who
will intensively take care of them during the whole camp.
Wolfgang, our camp leader and founder, warns both of them:
"Leave Jana alone for a bit, she has to endure the whole camp!"
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Day 3.
Whoever has the idea, gets to carry it out! One of the mottos of the
camp. The children organise the camp kiosk themselves and can get
rid of their hard-earned Indian dollars. How does one earn these
greatly desired Indian dollars? By brushing your teeth, taking a
shower, learning bible verses by heart and tidying the tent etc.
The boys’ team, consisting of two completely different boys, has
already decided to share the dollars. The girls‘ team followed their
example: “Together we have more and then it is not so important
who earns the most dollars.“ We are positively surprised.
Day 4.
Tom* is wondering whether he should go to church again. God has
become important to him again. Alex* is becoming a super
dishwasher. Even when there are enough others to do the dishes he
joins in and this is a good way to get into a conversation with him.
The girls are not all that excited about having to wash up so much.
With only 4 children the workers had to help more. We comforted
the children by saying: “There will be more children at the camp
next year. That will be more interesting and you won’t have to wash
up so often." Loud protest: “No! We don’t want there to be more
children. It is nicer with just 4 of us!"
Day 5.
Robert doesn’t only
do his job as worship
leader around the
camp fire in the
evening. Almost
without being noticed
he sits down in the
workshop tent, alias
“Adam’s workshop”.
As soon as he plays
the first chord, the
girls sing along and wave their glue sticks to and fro. The catchy
songs accompany us during the whole camp: during the free play
78
time, during the games, during the afternoon quiet time and on the
way to the toilets you hear especially the girls singing:
Who is the King of the jungle? Uh, uh!
Who is the King of the sea? Blubb, blubb, blubb.
Who is the King of the whole world?
Who is the King of me? I tell you:
J - E - S - U - S, JESUS!
Day 6.
With so many workers (an unusual situation) and such
uncomplicated children, you tend to forget why you are doing all
this. The atmosphere is drifting between being brilliant and sinking
into a crisis until we finally concentrate on the most important thing:
Jesus and the children. Furthermore, the `Fantastic Trio` are looking
after our wellbeing almost non-stop: Gerhard, Renate and Thomas
spoil us with self baked cobs and sultana cake for breakfast, tasty
dips, diverse sauces, apple crumpets, plum cake and plum elderberry
marmalade from the camp’s own Garden of Eden, salad dishes,
muesli, fruit yoghurt, different types of casserole, mushroom dishes
and low-fat salads... until we all moan: "Can’t we skip a meal for
once? We can’t stand it any longer!" The kitchen team agrees and
serves us an unusual meal: simply vegetable soup with sausage,
salad, raw vegetables, plum sauce, apple sauce, semolina pudding
and various remains from the dessert the day before and while we
are ”skipping“ a meal in this way, we can smell the next cake
baking in the oven. Ah yes, not to forget that today we have the
“variety evening“ with an exquisite buffet....
Day 7.
The legendary open-air cinema with Cola, popcorn and ticket takes
place. The video lets the children see again everything that they
have heard during the week. Afterwards it begins to drizzle.
Together with the boy who had the night watch for the last time we
go into the kitchen tent. We talked and talked just like old friends
about ice hockey shoes, plans for the future, normal things, exciting
things, our most embarrassing moments and about our looking
forward to the next camp.
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Day 8.
Every good idea can be improved. That is the second most
important camp motto. Team leader Ben has a suggestion: "Let’s
wake the children up with the camp songs!" Robert grabs his guitar
and we begin to sing: ”Don’t forget that you being alive was not
your own idea and that you breathe was not your own decision…
and Jesus you are my friend… and I will celebrate… and Fear not,
for I am with you..”
Tears well up in my eyes
and out of the corner of my
eye I see Wolfgang wiping
his eyes with the arm of his
jacket. After 16 years of
Indian camps!
Alex* peeks sleepily out of
his tent: "That is terrible, I
have never been woken up
in such a dreadful way!"
Nina* crawls out of the
girls‘ tent and says joyfully:
"Oh, how nice! I’ve been
singing along the whole
time in the tent." Oh well!
We can’t please all the
children at one time.
However, important is that
the message has sunk in
that Jesus and we love you!
* The names of all the children have been changed for sake of data
protection laws.
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Chapter 13 – Questions and answers
1. How many groups are there in the JVA-Stammheim?
We have three German-speaking groups, one English-speaking
groups, one Turkish-speaking group and one Russian-speaking
group each having 12 men.
2. How much time do you have in the group?
The group usually takes place from 17.30 till 19.30; so 2 hours.
3. What do you do in the group?
The time in the group starts with a word of greeting and a prayer
and continues with a time of worship where the inmates want to sing
lots of songs heartily. Then there is a short sermon which is
followed by group work in which a specific topic or bible passage is
discussed. Sometimes we show a film or give some of the inmates
who are believers, opportunity to speak.
4. What songs do you sing?
We have a songbook with German songs and also a collection of
English songs. The songs are selected which will speak to the
inmates. One of the favourite songs in the German group is “Yes
Lord, You are with me!“ because it ends with “You will bring me
home.“
5. Do you make an altar call?
Yes, if the opportunity arises.
6. Do the men come voluntarily to the group?
Yes, they have to apply to attend the group. Some come just to get
out of the cell but in a short time they feel the presence of God.
7. Did anything dangerous ever happen during the years?
Praise the Lord, no!
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8. Why are the men in prison?
Actually it does not interest us at all. The workers would never ask
what somebody had done. But in prison, the whole range of crimes
is represented that you could possibly imagine or perhaps that you
couldn’t imagine. But the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin.
9. Do you stay in contact with inmates?
If an inmate wants to, then yes. Sometimes we visit inmates if they
are moved to other prisons. We also have ex-prisoners who send us
donations at Christmas for the inmates. Also correspondence takes
place.
10. What do you do at Christmas?
Before Christmas we collect biscuits and cakes from loving sisters
in the church and then in December we celebrate Christmas in each
group. Every prisoner gets a packet with coffee, biscuits, fruit and
chocolate etc, and a book. We decorate the tables and light candles
and sing carols. The prisoners are naturally very grateful for this
nice celebration.
11. How is the Jesus-Group financed?
In twenty years we have never had a financial problem. The
treasurer of our church is happy that we work independent of any
financial support from the church. The State pays us a little money
as voluntary workers. This money is used to buy bibles and
literature for about € 2500 a year. Every new inmate gets a bible in
his language. But not every group gets money from the state. The
State has to save money somehow.
12. Why is the work so blessed?
Firstly, because Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Then we have a lot of brothers and sisters praying
for us. Without prayer nothing would work. We the
Jesus-Group also meet each month to pray. We
make sure that the workers are called to this work
and with the calling comes the blessing.
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13. If someone in prison gets saved, does it last?
Each one of us has to keep his faith fresh. Even in the bible we read
about people who fell from the faith, e.g. Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10.
Prisoners have a hard time when they get out of prison so we have
to pray for them more.
14. Do Muslims also come in the groups?
Yes!. We have the Turkish group. Also Muslims come in the other
groups and also get saved.
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Chapter 14 – Songs and poems from prisoners
1. Comfortless loneliness
Comfortless loneliness penetrate my thought,
unstoppable, without barrier.
An arrow, soaked in bitter pain,
Pierces my sensitive heart.
My feelings freeze
like a river in a cold Winter night,
where have I brought myself?
A life without love, without togetherness,
that is what I call loneliness.
I yearn for a feeling of security my whole life
and wait like the desert waits for the rain.
My soul is heavy as lead,
life races away from me.
Dark clouds cloud my sight
and take away the joy of living.
The drugs promised me too much
which is why I entered into a stupid deal.
But I have to get my act together,
so I make my peace with God!
Thoughts from Andy K. JVA Stammheim in November 1998
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2. The new life (slightly abridged)
Thoughts of a prisoner
THE NEW LIFE
Hope carries us strong in faith,
Suffering cannot rob us of the light.
I can see it bright and clear,
The flame flickers faster and faster.
Light comes out of a spark of hope;
GOD gives us this confidence.
It becomes a certainty;
HE will lead us out of suffering.
God gave me the message:
I will be leaving this place.
GOD leads us in the right path,
A broad way, not a narrow path.
I now see the destination before me,
where God wants to lead me.
HE has the power, the might, and the greatness
to protect us from the evil one.
I know that he loves us always
and forgives or sins.
He forgave my sins,
and cleaned my wounds.
JESUS CHRISTUS, to You be thanks,
now the soul is no longer sick.
I have brought everything to You;
a large full wagon.
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I regret the sins in my life;
I ask You to forgive me.
Over and over again, every day,
So that it will succeed.
I pray to You in new life
and ask You to give me
what I need and strength,
so that my works will succeed.
I will now walk in Your Spirit
and see that all my actions
are only according to God’s teachings,
that everything will serve to worship and glory
for the Lord who leads our lives.
We praise Him as He deserves!
The old life is now past;
And I will no longer strive for Mammon.
Love people unconditionally;
Practise kindness and goodness
and help where the need is greatest.
Reconciliation is the first step.
I ask You to please come with me!
My God has done a miracle;
He has made a person out of me.
Real and only for the truth,
Predictable and full of clarity.
I went blindly through the world
and felt I was a hero.
No purpose that would give sense to life.
They already began to weave nets
In order to catch me;
And accuse me to the Judge.
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Was that all worth living for;
Wasn’t something wrong?
Were there values that were worth it,
that were living in my soul?
Where was I when people need me,
Children who were at the point of dying?
My own children who came too short;
I did not appreciate them enough.
I was chasing after false aims;
My life was only about dealing.
My life was the lust for more;
I didn’t even try to fight it.
And everything grew like Babylon;
a thorn in the eyes of God’s Son.
So the tower collapsed;
I whined like a worm
and felt nothing, that is grace;
nothing, absolutely nothing is a pity.
I never wanted to harm people;
Today I want to surrender my weapons.
I have only won through the suffering;
I am in God and full of joy.
It would have been really simple,
If I had risked a glimpse;
To my inner self and then back to me.
In the holy book that endures forever.
I would have seen what was wrong.
It is so simple just the love;
unconditional supported desire.
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The wrong desires, notice well;
for power, possess which bewitch us.
No, I have now realised;
Goodness, kindness and love And not expectation should fulfil us.
Only so will I keep it in the new life
And give my loved ones my all.
Spirit and heart have been renewed;
God carries us through life’s pain.
You have already saved the most loved one
and rested her in Your hand.
Quickly back home to You;
in happiness with God and wife and child.
Redeem me Lord, You faithful God;
Protect me from distress and death!
I persevere in prayer every day,
That I may soon be saved.
Klaus
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3. The Love of God
THE LOVE OF GOD – to the melody of "Amazing Grace"
The love of God came to me
Before I’d given a thought.
It sought me out and found me here
In the middle of my night..
The love of God came to Earth,
It came in Jesus Christ.
He descended right into the place,
Where everything had become dark.
He came as a man – a man like me,
Lay in His mother’s lap.
He was so poor – as poor as me,
Was just your normal chap.
The love of God stays in me,
No matter where I go.
It keeps and protects me here and there
So that I can stay strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen
Written by a prisoner - name unknown – freely translated from the
German.
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Appendix 1 – Interesting websites
On the website of the Justice Department of Baden-Württemberg
there are several photos of Stuttgart-Stammheim prison which we
recommend. We ourselves are not allowed to give out any
information about the prison of course. (We are also not allowed to
take photographs of course.)
The main site of the Ministry of Justice
http://www.jum.baden-wuerttemberg.de
Here is the link to the photos of Stuttgart-Stammheim prison:
http://www.jva-stuttgart.de (on the left-hand side you will find
the link "Virtueller Rundgang" (virtual tour) with about 40 photos of
the prison)
With these links you can get well informed about the official side of
things.
The Jesus-Group is a work of the Volksmission eC.
http://www.diejesusgruppe.de
and especially the Volksmission church in Stuttgart
http://www.vm-stuttgart.de/index.php
The workers in the Jesus-Group come out of different churches.
The Jesus-Group itself is also part of the prison mission Licht im
Dunkel (Light in the darkness)
http://www.lichtimdunkel.de
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Jesus wants to change your life too
While you have been reading these reports perhaps you have asked
yourself, whether you too could get to know Jesus personally.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3,3
In order to start this wonderful new life, the following steps are
shown in the bible:
1. Confess to God that you are a sinner. The bible says:
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.“
Romans 3, 23.
.
2. Pray for forgiveness by coming to God to ask for HIS
forgiveness for your past sins. The bible says:
”I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish!“ Luke 13, 3.
3. Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he bore your
sins as He died on the cross in order to obtain God’s forgiveness
for you.
”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life“ John 3,16.
4. Tell God, that you receive Jesus as your Saviour and Lord of
your life.
”That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved..“ Romans 10, 9.
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If you want to take this important step after thinking carefully
about everything and reading the bible passages, then please pray
the following out loud:
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe in my heart
that You died for all sinners including me and that you shed
Your blood to wash me clean of my sins. Please forgive all my
sins.
I confess You as my Saviour and Lord of my life and thank
You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I want You to direct my
life from now on. I lay my will into your hand and I pray that
You will help me to live as You would like me to live. Amen.”
Don’t depend on your feelings as proof of your acceptance by
God. Feelings can change but your new relationship with God is
based on His promises.
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.” Romans 10, 13
Don’t be ashamed to tell others about your relationship with
Jesus.
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10,
32.
Take time daily for prayer and reading the bible. 1.Peter 2, 2,
Psalm 37, 14, Romans 8, 14.
Look for a bible-based church/fellowship where they live what
God’s word says.
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2, 42
If you have made this biggest of all decisions then please let us
know so we can send you more information or answer any
questions. God bless you!
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Matthew 25, 36
I was in prison and you came to
visit me.
The Name
On a poster I invited the prisoners to a new experience with Jesus
Christ. In order for a prisoner to take part in the group, he has to
request to be added to the list of group participants by the recreation
officer using a special application form.
Each group was named after whatever was offered in the group, e.g.
the chess group, the table tennis group etc. So it would have been
logical if the prisoners asked to join the “Bible group“ or the “Bible
discussion group“. But our Lord had other plans. He gave His own
name to the group! Right from the beginning, without anybody
publicizing anything, nearly all of the applications received from the
prisoners were formulated in the same way: ”I would like to attend
the Jesus-Group.“ This name has stuck ever since.
Meanwhile, the name has become common knowledge in the prison.
Letters or postcards from other prisons are always addressed to “The
Jesus-Group“.
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