Prison Ministries

Our Programs

Bible Correspondence Courses

One of the most life-changing services we offer is our Bible correspondence courses. In more than 100 prisons across Texas where these courses are available, we often see men and women led to Christ as a direct result of what they learn. To date, more than 61,000 inmates have participated in this program. The students begin by working through an elementary series of courses covering the basics of Christianity. The courses are meant to familiarize the students with the Bible and to promote a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The intermediate and advanced series are available to those students who wish to study more in-depth topics and materials. Volunteers assist us in enrolling new students, grading papers, logging results, and responding to the students. Upon satisfactory completion the student is presented with a Certificate of Completion. This ministry continues to grow each year as we bring our courses to more prisons.

Correctional Services Sunday

Annually we go to as many of the state prisons as possible on this one Sunday to conduct gospel services. In 2005 we were able to be at more than 100 prisons for this event, bringing the Word of God, music and testimonies to the incarcerated and their families. Correctional Services Sunday will be on April 23rd and we plan to be in as many, if not more, prisons this year.

Christmas Programs

Every Christmas season, thousands of inmates fill out Christmas assistance applications on behalf of their families. We send those applications to The Salvation Army office closest to where the family lives, even if the family resides in another state. Then, their local Salvation Army is able to help with food, clothing, toys and other holiday needs. We work closely throughout the year with the Texas Department of Correction chaplains and we honor that relationship each Christmas by giving them a special gift of thanks and friendship. Each Christmas season we travel to different prisons with candy bags we packed. We hold a Christmas gospel meeting and then distribute the candy bags to the inmates. Last year we handed out more than 19,000 bags.

Prison Ministry Volunteers are needed:

Help us with gospel services held at prisons on weekends
Travel with us during December as we make Christmas visits
Grade and log correspondence course work
Process and mail certificates of completion
Administrative and clerical tasks

If you would like to volunteer please contact our Prison Ministries Department at 214-956-6278
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Impacting Lives

Terry Hamrick was serving time for drug related felonies in the Texas Criminal Justice (TDJC) system, when he found God and The Salvation Army. This is his story. Terry’s battle with drugs began while in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam era. After being court marshaled for using and distributing narcotics, he was sentenced to Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado for rehabilitation. Discharged, he came home to his native Texas where he began to use and sell drugs once again. He sold marijuana for 10 years and slowly began to delve in to the world of cocaine, which ultimately cost him his marriage. He got involved with strippers and methamphetamines. Hamrick recalls, I was looking for love in all the wrong places.” During the late 80s, he began to use and distribute “party drugs” i.e. cocaine, speed and Rohypnol (date rape drug). He was arrested in 1991 for cocaine and marijuana and again in 1995, for which he received five felony drug counts. He was convicted and sentenced to seven, concurrent 20 years sentences. While in prison, he dedicated his life to God through Tarrant County’s GODPOD (prison Bible study). In 1996, he was transferred to the TDJC system where he met some inmates involved in The Salvation Army’s Bible study and began attending meetings. “The Salvation Army’s Bible Study profoundly changed my life. It brought me from being a baby Christian to a more mature Christian,” Hamrick said, “The Salvation Army offered a divine understanding to my addiction.” Over the next six and a half years, he completed the entire curriculum and continued to help others grow in their faith. “I got a hunger for Christ!” “Through God, The Salvation Army and the prison drug programs, I have been completely rehabilitated,” Hamrick exclaimed. After two and a half years of freedom, he has committed himself to give back to those still behind bars and to show them that through diligent Bible study and devoted commitment to God, freedom can be found from any addiction. Terry now resides in Arlington, Texas, where he works as a carpenter.