Counties Evangelist, Steve Cowles, shares the amazing testimony of a man who gave his life to Christ in a prison cell.
We are Steve & Debbie Cowles. I grew up in the Arizona desert and my wife Debbie is from a farm in Kansas. We have been married and in full-time ministry since 1986. We have lived in Texas, Germany, and Guatemala, Central America, where I did construction work for Wycliffe Bible Translators. We have now been in the UK for 30 years and became British citizens in November 2012. I have been the volunteer lead chaplain with Lancashire’s Constabulary since 2007. In addition to being a chaplain, I speak in schools, churches, and youth clubs, and organise dads-n-lads events. My wife has a ministry to women including an online Bible study for international women. We love being part of Counties where we can use all of our gifts to reach others with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Steve Cowles with Lancashire police
STEVE’S STORY
God’s timing is always perfect.
One of my ministries as a Counties Evangelist in the Northwest is my work within Lancashire police. For the past 17 years, I’ve been a volunteer lead chaplain for them.
Before I go into each station, I always pray beforehand that God will show me where to go and who to speak to. Also, I would be led to those who are in need, seeking, and hurting. I have many stories to share about how God has put me in just the right place at the right time and for the right person.
This past week was one of those times. I had been in the station for a few hours, going from office to office and talking with both police staff and officers. I had just finished up a great conversation with a Muslim officer about the claims of Jesus and His promises to us.
As I normally do, I made my way through the many locked doors into the cells of the custody area. This gives me a chance to see who has been arrested and talk with the officers who deal with the many broken people.
It’s always very interesting to see how people act when they are caught and arrested and what their attitudes are.
Adam, a young man of 23, had been arrested and was being booked in. He looked up at me where I stood behind the officer dealing with him. Seeing I was a chaplain, he quickly asked if he could speak with me.
After they had processed him and put him in a cell, I was given permission to go and see him. The cell block and rooms are not a nice place, but they are a good place to think about life and changes that need to be made in their life.
We unlocked his door and I was allowed to stand in the doorway and talk with him. I asked him what he wanted to speak to me about. He said: “Can I be forgiven?” I reassured him he could be forgiven by God right there in his cell if he wanted. But I also told him that forgiveness would not be a “get out of jail” card for him and he would still need to face the laws of the land that he had broken. He will most likely be going back to prison. He said he understood and I told him about God’s forgiveness to us and His amazing grace that was so wonderfully shown to the thief on the cross, who was forgiven in his last hours of life! God could forgive Adam right then if he was ready and serious. He said he was and understood. So we prayed together and he followed along, repeating after me. We prayed a simple prayer for forgiveness and filling with God’s Spirit and a being brought to new life, being born again. He thanked me and we prayed for peace to pour over his life and mind. I was then able to go and get a ‘Good News for Everyone’ Bible and get permission to give it to him to read and keep in his cell.
I told Adam this was his “half time” and he was on the bench to think about his life and game. God had orchestrated this and had brought me to him. He could look at his first half and make changes and follow his new Coach, Jesus Christ, and start again. Or he could keep playing the second half the same way he always did and keep suffering and end up losing the game!
He admitted he was not doing well and needed to follow Christ. I then prayed for him and over his life and shook his hand. I shut that heavy door and prayed that this time of planting the seed would land on good soil, grow, and produce fruit.
Please pray with me that Adam would turn to Jesus and find the forgiveness, peace, and life he so badly needs. Please pray that he reads the Word of God which he had in his hands.
Thanks be to God who works all things for His will. I was blessed to be able to be the person He used to meet this young life. God can reach into the darkest cell and set people free.
God, please set Adam free.
Grace and peace to you all.
Steve & Debbie Cowles
Counties, NW