Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Potter goes to prison -- to minister to inmates

The huge iron door closed and locked, with a finality only felt by those who have been incarcerated. But now there is hope for those with that particular hopeless feeling.

Celebrate Recovery leaders Tommy and Stephanie Potter, of Gurdon, took a weekend trip over March 4-6 and were escorted to Huntsville, Texas Penitentiary. The experience, said both, is one they will never forget.

Stephanie Potter said, "It was through the Bill Glass Prison Ministries. My mother instigated our going and then could not make it herself. Tommy and I decided we would go and spread Celebrate Recovery to the prisoners. The whole experience was wonderful as to witnessing for Jesus Christ, but the conditions were scary and sad."

She said there were 500-600 teammates who went to prison to share four principals of Christianity. The four principals were: 1) God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. 2) Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he can not know and experience God's love and plan for his life. 3) Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him, you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. 4) We must individually receive Jesus Christ as savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.

The effort in Huntsville was sponsored through a Baptist church. The Potters were the only two Arkansans to attend.

"We arrived at 7 and we were their freshmen class," she said. "Several bikers came and got cheers. My husband and I were going to the pen with a bunch of bikers."

The Potters stayed a few hours each night at the Economy Lodge, a motel next door. This was their first rodeo, so to speak, and entry into the prison revealed a huge crowd.

Tommy Potter said, "We could not take any sharp instruments, no medication, no knives, no keys and could not wear any gang colors. We saw some famous people, all with a story of what they had been through. Matt Black did praise and worship, Tully Blanchard, one of the Four Horsemen wrestlers, and Bill Glass, who had a background in All-Pro National Football League, were all there."

The Potters met "Murf the Surf," one of the most successful diamond thieves in history, and others all week long that were recognizable folk. Dave Pendleton and Keith Dortis with the NFL were among them. So was Bruce Collie, two-time Super Bowl winner.

"They showed us about material wealth such as new cars, or about fame or influence," Tommy Potter said. "You've got to have your heart right with Jesus."

Before continuing a run-down on the adventure, and the lives touched by the visits, it is only fair to say this work is far from over.

Biker Bob to visit Gurdon

Pastor Robert "Biker Bob" Cannon, of the Mercy's Cross Church at Sherwood, will be at the Celebrate Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 1, at the Faith Mission on Second Street to share a testimony about visiting prisoners in jail and the forthcoming prison ministry in Arkansas.

He said, "I hope as many as are interested in this type of ministry can come to that meeting," he said. "I hope to bring a lady that I worked with in lock-up for 10 years. She is free and now a church member and running Celebrate Recovery in her community. Her testimony should let people know why this type of ministry is well worth it."

For those unaware, Celebrate Recovery is Christian based program for those needing a support group to get over addictions, abuses and other hurts of life. It has been operational in Gurdon through Tommy and Stephanie Potter for nearly three years.

As to Huntsville's prison ministry orientation, Stephanie Potter continued by saying, "There were 92 women, with 25 of us being new ones. It was the most they had ever had to participate."

Potter said she and her fellow Christian team mates left for prison at 5:30 a.m., gave the guards their driver's licenses and got in a single line.

"Once we got in, the big gate shut behind us. There were 547 women in the facility. Some had big black eyes," Stephanie Potter said. "Most of the ones I talked with were about ready to get out. We were supposed to read them the four special laws. I told them about Celebrate Recovery too and used it as a time to help our program.

"One lady was in jail because her baby had died of heat exhaustion. Her and her husband did time because they were blamed for it. She was 23, but looked 18. I wanted to witness to her again and was blessed. She sat right beside me in another meeting."

Stephanie said she brought two inmates to salvation, had two other ladies to rededicate their lives to Jesus Christ and one received assurance she was saved.

"I think everybody should go be a part of a prison ministry at least once," Stephanie Potter said.

Tommy Potter said he went to maximum security. There were 429 male Christian witnesses visiting seven units, containing 9,707 inmates.

"Many needed assurance they were saved," he said. "It is interesting to note that only 10 percent of the people in prison ever get visited. In 90 percent of the cases, if they do get mail or a visitor, it is someone talking them down."

Potter said the overall effort of Bill Glass's ministry that day netted 892 people accepting salvation, 1,436 rededicated their lives and 2,328 made decisions to make a Christian move in their lives.

"One fellow who wanted to rededicate to Jesus had no Bible. I gave him mine. Then when I got home, I found a brand new one in some junk. God gave me a Bible back," Tommy Potter said.

"It was the most humbling thing to walk out of the prison and have the whole group applaud us."

Potter said he also talked with the guards about God.

Stephanie Potter said, "The inmate ladies I talked to would love to hear from you. They need letters and contact from people who care."

Tommy Potter concluded, "I was scared when I walked in, but I thought what am I scared about. I am going in with God."

Stephanie Potter said for more information you can go online to: www.lifechampions.org. This effort has been going on since the 1970s.