Loogootee, Indiana | A Former Prisoner Brings the Freedom of Jesus to Hundreds of Thousands
Scotty started getting in trouble with the law from an early age; his yellow sheet was 27 pages long, including eight felony convictions and numerous misdemeanors. Scotty asked Phil for a Bible and asked to meet. Within a couple of weeks Scotty surrendered his life to Christ. This was the start of a deep and meaningful mentoring relationship. After getting out, God paved the way for Scotty to go back into the prison, not as an offender but as a pastor and missionary. Scotty planted a congregation on the inside, where he used to be an inmate. He understood exactly where those guys were coming from, and could speak to them about the way out (through Jesus) that he’d found. Phil continued to mentor him along his journey, helping him navigate what God wanted him to do next.
In 2019, with Phil’s encouragement, Scotty and his wife Dannielle became devoted full time to their nonprofit, Behind the Wire Ministries. Scotty wrote a book sharing his story and journey to faith, also called Behind the Wire. His story was made into a full-length movie, Pardoned by Grace, in 2020. It was first shown in churches, then in theaters, and is now available for free on YouTube in both English and Spanish, where it has 900,000 views. Behind the Wire Ministries has also been able to get that movie into 3400 prisons in 48 states, where inmates are able to stream it on their tablets and hear the gospel clearly shared (you can watch it here).
One guy Scotty reached for the Lord in the prisons was the meth cooker of southern Indiana. His family was so excited he became a believer that they purchased a property and gave it to Scotty’s ministry to be used as a ministry center. Behind the Wire Ministries was able to open up a place where men getting out of prison can stay to get built back up and discipled. That’s expanded to two locations through generous donations. The state of Indiana just gave them a $700,000 grant to put up a new facility that will house an additional 15 men. It’s been amazing to see how guys’ lives are being turned around after prison. More guys are even going to Bible college and getting ministry positions, like Scotty did. Their lives have changed, and now they’re committed to helping others.
Phil is on the board for Beyond the Wire Ministries, and is blessed to be able to serve alongside one of the guys he originally led toward Jesus in prison. Seeing how these guys from prison have grown into leaders making a powerful impact for the Kingdom is one of his greatest joys!
