February - March 2006



"I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed."
Jonathan Swift


Prison Crusade 2006

It was a blessing to be a part oof the "We Care Prison Crusade" again this year held in Alabama. Citing from their bulletin, "A Calculator's View", 325 volunteers took part from 23 States/Provinces. Sixteen prisons were visited with a total reachable population of 17,550 inmates; out of those, 7,043 actually attended one of the 69 preaching services held. Estimated total man hours in prison 7,136 (the equivalent of one full-time chaplain working for 3 years). Lives impacted for eternity...Incalculable!


Deputation

While in the South this past January/February, I visited 13 churches, and, out of those, 3 have picked me up for monthly support. More importantly, in several of the churches, during the altar calls, people made professions of faith. God is good! Please note that we have surpassed the amount of monthly support we had originally set as a target, but because the ministry has expanded, especially in the area of weekly discipleship courses, I've had to adjust my overall ministry goals an additional $800.00 per month. Of this additional needed amount, $175.00 per month has been pledged to date. Growing pains! God is good!


Discipleship

The Sexual Idolatry class held weekly at Trumbull Correctional near Youngstown is into week 14, and what a blessing it has been! I want to thank Pastor Mark Gostlin, Chaplain Dave Sullivan, and my brother Mike for filling in for me while I was on the road. Those men at Trumbull are faithful and growing in the Lord. I am so pleased with and encouraged by them! Saturday, March 4th begins the weekly Walk of Repentance class at North Central Correctional (that will be our second class held there), and Tuesday, March 7th, we begin, for the first time, a weekly class at Belmont Correctional. My overall goal is to train prison ministry teams out of the local churches to help with these projects and with future projects as we continue to meet these needs and others like them.


Pure Life Ministries

I was able to go to Dry Ridge, Kentucky, recently and visit with some of the Pure Life Ministries team/residents at their office/dormitories. All I can say is it's a special place, a Godly place, and I thank them for inviting me. This is the ministry founded by Steve Gallagher to help people gain victory, through Christ, from their sexual addictions. While I was incarcerated, I wrote Pure Life Ministries asking them for a correspondence course (that was years ago). They sent it, and I completed it, not knowing that I had planted a seed which would grow into three full-time discipleship courses in three different prisons. I feel this is just the beginning. God is good! Steve's book, At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry, has enabled me to offer a meaningful discipleship program which holds forth hope to men and women who have thought themselves beyond hope.


General Ministry

I continue to counsel with adults and teens on a one-to-one basis I have spoken at several Christian academies, youth rallies, and so forth. I attended a Men's Conference in Bibb County, Alabama, near several church sites that had been burned. It was an experience standing shoulder to shoulder with these men (400+ pastors and church leaders) singing "God bless America" while the smoke still wafted upward from those fires. You can burn the buildings, but the church is in the hearts of men, and that's a fire for the ages!


Thank You!

I would be remiss should I not take the time here to thank Pastor Terry Smith of Pineview Baptist Church in Brent, Alabama, for helping me with my scheduling. I would also like to thank those at Harvest Baptist Church in Millbrook, Alabama, for providing me with a home away from home. I want to thank Pastor Underwood and the congregation of Grace Baptist Church in Coldwater, Mississippi, for being such a blessing to the ministry of Changed Lives. I want to thank all of you for taking the time to read this letter and for your prayers! God is so good! I praise God for you!


Bro. Larry Skrant


Ministry Prayer Request

~~We are in need of funds for additional study Bibles. These are for men who have taken or are taking our discipleship programs and are at an advanced level of study.

~~We are in need of donations for student workbooks. The textbooks have been supplied.

~~We are in need of laborers for the harvest.

~~We are in need of individual monthly support plledges. These are tax deductible.

~~We are in need of support churches.


Personal Prayer Request

Please pray for my friend Erika who has a brain tumor, and the prognosis is not good. Erika is born again. Pray for her mom and dad as well.

Please pray that the finances may be made available for me to go with John Schmid of Common Ground Ministry to Ireland to share the Gospel there April 29 through May 8.