Rock of Ages Prison Ministry
Bro. Roger Napper was instrumental in Bro. Ruben getting saved, and if you were at Bro. Ruben’s memorial service last Saturday, you saw how many people he influenced over his life. We never know what the seed will grow into, but our job is not to assess the ground—it’s to sow the seed!
Bro. Roger Napper has been ministering in prisons across the south, seeing inmates saved and discipled, never knowing whether it will be “worth it” or if the inmates are sincere. God knows, and fruit shows, so with a little bit of time, it will all come clear in the end. But I have appreciated his faithfulness to the souls of the great mission field of U. S. prisons.
My son and I sat next to Michael Scott on a one-hour van ride, and almost the entire trip we talked about his past. He was in prison for murder, sentenced to about 25 years when someone showed him the Gospel and he was saved. He started hosting a Bible study in prison without knowing a thing about the Bible, but he was passionate, and guys started coming!
A man with a theology degree joined their group, and it was soon obvious that this man was far more qualified to lead the Bible study. Michael eventually told him, “I’ll get a bunch of people; you teach ‘em God’s Word!” And that’s what happened.
Michael enrolled in a Baptist Bible college that had classes tailored for inmates, and after several years of rigorous study (he had nothing else to do!), he completed his studies and graduated with a ministry/Bible degree!
Throughout that time, a girl that had been ministering to inmates from a nearby Baptist church caught his eye, they started dating, and when Michael was released, they were married!
Bro. Michael went on staff at the church that my wife and I used to be at—the Bible Baptist Church of Stillwater, OK—and he now ministers to death row inmates every month. The Gospel comes full circle!
Although the ministry name was different, the goal of Rock of Ages Prison Ministry is to see people’s lives changed through the Gospel! May Bro. Michael’s story be repeated all over this country to the glory of God through faithful servants like Roger and Myrna Napper. -Pastor Ryan