What is the Lord Doing in Straight Ahead Ministries?

About three years ago the church leadership asked several groups via Zoom about a ministry that visited juveniles within the prison system in Clark County.  Straight Ahead Ministry needed volunteers to visit juveniles in local detention facilities.  Several of us from Summit Ridge Church attended an introductory meeting and training presented by Scott Larson the founder of Straight Ahead Ministry.  This meeting planted the seed within six of us and we stepped out in faith to follow God’s leading to minister to juveniles who are currently incarcerated.   Surely the Spirit of God was leading us to join Straight Ahead Ministries as none of us had ever been involved in a prison ministry let alone been inside a prison.  We were just being obedient to God’s direction to “remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them” (Hebrews 13:3).  God brought together six middle-class believers (some of retirement age) to go and minister to youth in prison (age 12-18 years old) who were minority youth of low socio-economic status.   God worked within us to alleviate our concerns and fear of inadequacy by reminding us that these incarcerated youth were His children too and they needed to hear about Jesus and be loved.  Thank you, to those initial Straight Ahead Ministries volunteers who remain steadfast ministers of the Gospel.
 
The initial six volunteers have grown to 15 volunteers who are ministering in three detention facilities in Clark County.  Through the work of the Spirit, we have been able to overcome our many personal fears and concerns.  We love these kids, and we covet the opportunity to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to them face-to-face in discussion groups at the county and state detention facilities in Clark County.  We have found many of the youth in these facilities to be hungry for God and the Word of God.  The Spirit of God is moving among these kids, changing hearts, and creating a thirst for the living water.  Over the last three weeks, we have seen 50 youths come to Jesus through the ministry of Straight Ahead.  This is mind-blowing to witness the profound movement of the Spirit in these kids who are serving time in prison.    
 
Moving forward. the Lord has laid upon our hearts the need to disciple these young men and women who have professed Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Currently, we are working on a plan to begin discipleship classes with them.  Please pray for these classes and the resources needed within the facilities to provide staff to watch over these discipleship groups.  This is a major ask of the personnel within the detention facilities because it becomes an added duty that they need to fulfill.  Pray, Pray, Pray for the discipleship classes.
 
Aftercare is the ministry to the youth once they leave the detention facilities.  God has blessed Straight Ahead with strategic partners in the greater Las Vegas community to begin planning for community groups, continued discipleship programs, leadership training, and work opportunities once these youth have completed their court-appointed time in the detention facility.  Our challenge has been remaining in contact with the youth once they leave detention.  Currently, no protocol allows us access to contact information outside of the detention facility.  Much prayer is needed as Straight Ahead seeks God’s direction in this crucial piece of lifelong change for the once-incarcerated youth.
 
Thank you, Summit Ridge Church, for all your prayers, financial support, and logistical support during our Christmas celebrations at each of the youth detention facilities.  All that you have done and continue to do has been to the glory of God and the incarcerated youth have been blessed.
 
Grace be with you all.  
Dave Schlothauer for Straight Ahead Ministry.