Some 160 people attended North America’s largest-ever Seventh-day Adventist prison ministries convention last month in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.

“We go to prison because Jesus is in prison,” says Alfred Johnson, adult ministries director for the Adventist Church in North America. “Jesus said, ‘I was in prison and you visited me,’ so that’s what we do.”

“We’ve got active prison ministry groups in every state,” says Johnson. “There are about 2,000 folk doing prison ministries in the United States and Canada right now.” He estimates that there are hundreds more he doesn’t even know about.

Keynote speaker James Graves, Mississippi state Supreme Court justice, said, “If we’re bona fide and sanctified, then we’re qualified, and God’s calling us to serve.”

Johnson says he wants to get more church members involved with prison ministries. He suggests that interested people ask their pastor or an elder at their church whether there is a local program.

“If the answer is ‘No,’ call us and we’ll send someone out to organize a prison ministry in your area,” he says. “We’re that anxious to see prison ministries done that we’ll come to you.”

“We want as many Seventh-day Adventists in jail as we can get,” he adds with a smile.

For more information go to: www.nadadultministries.org.