Life's Key Prison Ministries
He who has the Son has life. I John 5:12
He who has the Son has life. I John 5:12
The History of Life's Key
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Life’s Key is a Prison Ministry committed to the Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of making available to inmates a progressive study of the scriptures using Bible Correspondence Courses. The founder of Life’s Key was John J. Bell.
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The Beginning
In 1974, Mr. Bell received the Lord Jesus Christ into his life as his personal Savior and Lord. Realizing the tremendous peace and hope that he received in Christ, he became burdened to share this message of forgiveness of sin and peace with God through Jesus Christ with those in prison. The possibility to share this message presented itself in a local maximum security prison, Western Penitentiary. John Bell presented the idea of a Bible Correspondence Program to the Chaplain and several inmates. The Chaplain agreed and sixteen men started doing the first Bible Correspondence Course, “Born to Win”. Thus the beginning of a life saving ministry. The Organization The work started in June 1977, but because of growth in the ministry an organization was needed so that funds could be channeled through a Non-Profit rather than through individuals, Mr. and Mrs. Bell. In 1979 at the encouragement of a local church and the Lord’s clear direction, the initial steps to form a non-profit organization began. It was also decided that Mr. Bell should engage in the prison ministry on a full-time basis. Mr. Bell then quit his job as a truck driver and went on to exert his energy to the prison ministry full-time. Mr. and Mrs. Bell were then commended by the local church to put forth their efforts in a life saving ministry. Vertical Divider
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The Name
Certain requirements by the state were needed in order for their ministry to become a religious non-profit organization. One of the first requirements needing to be accomplished was an organizational name. The process for the Bell’s to get a name was to write three selections down and then send them to the state. The state would then check the selections to make sure that there were no other organizations with those particular names. Some of the names presented to the state were: “Key” and ”Life”, but “Life” could not be used because it might be confused with the nationally published magazine entitled with the same name. Another selection tried was “R.I.N.G.”, standing for Reaching Inmates Needing God, but was also not approved. Nine selections later, the name “Life’s Key Inc.” was finally approved by the state. Purpose Life’s Key has a vision to present the gospel to current and former inmates so that they may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. As it says in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” In order for inmate to hear the Word of God, someone must present it to them. This is what Life’s Key is all about, reaching prisoners with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. |
A Message From the Founder of Life's Key
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July 2005
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January 1, 1974 at 34 years of age I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. A brand new creation, a new heart, new desires, and new goals. My wife, Mary Ann, accepted the Lord two and a half years prior. That summer we were privileged to attend a Bible Conference at Greenwood Hills in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. At the conference, I met Chaplain Phil Wagner who shared his ministry of reaching inmates through use of Bible courses in the state of Illinois.
Upon returning home, my attempt to reach into a state maximum security prison was futile. Mr. David Good, an Elder in our home Assembly, had been challenged at the same conference to disciple new believers “so we do not lose them”. |
