Count The Rev. Tom Bevard as one of those who believe good things come to those who wait.
Scratch that.
Great things come, if you?re willing to have faith, Bevard notes..
Bevard, who along with wife Lucy formed Freedom Ministries more than 21 years ago, remains as busy as ever, spreading the gospel to prison inmates across the state.
Their message continues to find accepting ears.
In one visit alone last month in Larned, Bevard baptized 27 inmates. Four others were baptized a few days earlier in Winfield.
And while each of the baptisms was special ? inmates agreeing to give themselves to the Lord ? one in particular in Winfield struck a chord with Bevard.
The freshly shaved inmate approached the Bevards beforehand, asking if he looked familiar.
It wasn?t until he spoke about his former appearance, as a full, scraggly bearded man, that Bevard made the connection.
?He explained that before, when he was involved in the drug culture, the beard helped mask his appearance,? Bevard said. ?Now, he wanted to be seen. He said the Lord told him to cut his beard before the baptism. He said it was to show that the Lord had forgiven him, and he was ready for a new life in Christ. It was exciting hearing the testimonies of the men.?
Another who showed up to be baptized had seen the Bevards preach the gospel 17 times prior to stepping forward on their 18th visit.
Freedom Ministries is a unique ministry in that it specializes in gospel outreaches in prisons across the state, utilizing music, food, and most recently, authentic revivals. (The state has given the Bevards access to every prison in Kansas, with the number of requests growing by the day for additional services.)
?We have always believed revival would occur in the Kansas prisons,? Bevard said.
Their schedule is booked months in advance, with visits planned to Norton, Larned, Hutchinson and Oswego in September.
