Partner Spotlight: Reaching Thousands In The Prison System

By Andrea Lucado

Kingdom work is not always loud and dramatic. It does not always draw attention or accolades. Often, people doing some of the most life-changing Kingdom work are doing so quietly and faithfully. That is the case for Latrice Thomas.

For the last 20 years, Latrice has visited the Tarrant County Jail in Fort Worth, Texas, every Tuesday. While she’s there, she distributes Greater Than Gold Bible studies and ministers to the inmates. She often goes on Sundays, as well, to mentor a smaller group of women.

Starting a prison ministry was never Latrice’s plan. She was an educator when she began visiting the jail. She taught GED courses, and the students in her classes often came from diverse and difficult backgrounds. One of her students had a brother who was in jail. When Latrice heard about the Greater Than Gold studies, then titled the Christian Worker Bible Study Series, she decided to send one to her student’s brother. Later, when three of her students were accused of murder, she visited them at Tarrant County and brought them the same studies.

Today, with her husband, Tommy, the Thomases distribute about 1,200 Greater Than Gold Bible studies a month to inmates at Tarrant County, as well as inmates in prisons across the state of Texas.

Although Tommy and Latrice operate independently, they’ve been able to make a huge impact. “It’s just God’s multiplication,” says Latrice. “There’s no plan. We don’t go through a church, and no one’s paid.”

Latrice’s system is simple. She starts by handing out copies of the Greater Than Gold study Introduction to the Christian Life. Women work on the study on their own throughout the week. Then, when Latrice returns a week later, they can get another study in the series from her.

“It’s like seeding,” she says. “You may see 20 [women] in one day, then you go back the next week and maybe only four or five come back. But you have seeded into their lives because Introduction to the Christian Life gives them basics.” And, she says, quoting Isaiah 55:1, “the word doesn’t return void.”

Latrice says the prison guards, who have affectionately nicknamed her “the Bible study lady,” love seeing her come to the prison because they know she brings peace to an otherwise chaotic environment. But Latrice knows it’s not her who brings this peace. “It’s the Word,” she explains. “These are women who are scattered. They don’t know how to focus anymore. They’ve been used, abused, and they’ve been guilty. But it focuses their minds on truth…When you focus on truth, it’s going to set you free.”

In a country where the recidivism rate is nearly 50%, Latrice knows the key for keeping inmates from reoffending. “This is the main thing I tell them,” she says. “I guarantee you the only reason you’ll ever come back [to jail] is if you wake up one morning and you don’t get back in the Word, and you don’t have your time with the Lord. If you do those things, I guarantee you He’ll keep you.”

It is our privilege to partner with Latrice and Tommy Thomas as they minister to thousands in the prison system. Prison ministry is something we are very passionate about at Greater Than Gold. We know God’s Word can bring hope to the darkest of places. If you are interested in partnering with us in our Redemption effort, please contact us here.

If you are interested in more information about the Introduction to the Christian Life Bible study, visit our website here.