Finding Freedom at Territorial: A Bondage to Freedom Seminar

By Stephen Stoltzfus – Director of Offender Ministries

Last weekend, twenty-four men at Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility gathered for a weekend-long Bondage to Freedom Seminar, seeking healing and transformation. Alongside them, thirteen volunteers from New Horizons Ministries walked with them through the journey of forgiveness, restoration, and hope.

The seminar is designed to give men in prison the opportunity to learn about forgiveness and work through their past to find healing. One of the most powerful moments came when a young Native American man, who had lived under the weight of his father’s verbal abuse and belittlement, found complete freedom from those lies. It was apparent that peace washed over him and for the rest of the seminar he would stand up on the platform for hours and hold the cross above his head while other guys repented and found freedom.

Another meaningful moment was watching a man who was carrying immense pain from his mother. Dorcas, one of the volunteers, stepped in, standing in for his mom, and apologized for all the hurt and disappointment she had caused him. As she spoke, he just broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, releasing years of pain. In that moment he forgave his mom, and you could see the weight lift off his shoulders.

By the end of the weekend, at least fifteen men had found hope and freedom. One of the most striking stories was Derrick’s. He had carried so much anger and pain after his mom was nearly beaten to death. In response, he had shot the man responsible in the chest—but the man survived. During the seminar, Derrick was finally able to release all of that and forgive. You could see the peace all over his face.

We came away feeling that God is good at being God, and we were all amazed at how he showed up, bringing healing and restoration to broken stories. We know this is just the beginning of the stories from these men, and I can’t wait to hear how God continues His work in their lives. Please join with us in praying for the men who experienced healing and forgiveness.