Never too Late to make a difference

“ If the first people I see are all dressed up for church , I am not going in.” Doyle Misener was resisting returning to church after 40 years because he felt he did not have the proper clothes to associate with church people or God. But one week later sitting in the church parking lot with his wife - “God, if the first person I see is dressed like I am, I will go in the church.” The door of a car opened and out stepped a gentleman dressed in bib overalls. “ That’s it, Sandy we are going back to church.

A couple of years ago, Doyle and Sandy were eating a pop-luck when Evelyn Walcker joined them and in the conversation challenged Doyle to start working in a Prison Ministry by marking and returning Bible lessons to prisoners. “I don’t thank so,” he said. But the thought stayed with him as a challenge and his heart began to soften to the idea. You see over a period of 15 years Doyle had been a police officer in Siloam Springs and with the Washington County Sheriff’s office in Northwest Arkansas and was somewhat hardened to criminals who end up behind bars.-;That’s where they belong! Now he loves every prisoner and sees each one of them as a captive soul needing to meet a Savior. And now the rest of the story. In 1994 Ella Fisher, a member of the Gentry Seventh day Adventist church started a small prison ministry with 10 prisoner. She solicited the help of other church members as the request for Bible lessons began to come in. Today that number of 10 has expanded to well over 1,200 prisoners who are enrolled in Bible study lessons Dozens of helpers now minister to the needs of people who find themselves incarcerated maybe for a few months, maybe for life or maybe even some set on death row. Some of the members correspond with two of three while some devote several days each week as they deal with more than 100 prisoners. Then there is Doyle Misener.

As Doyle’s relationship with Jesus deepened, he felt that he should witness about his faith in some way, and he remembered Evelyn Walcker’s challenge to get in prison ministry. Ella Fisher gave him 10 names,and he began his work. Today Doyle, who is unemployed due to permanent disability, is working with some 250 prisoners and admits that a 40 hour work week fades into the distance when he considers his time spent in the ministry. How did he get that many names? Not from Ella Fisher, but from personal reference from prisoners with whom he has corresponded.

One day a prisoner, Patricia Rawson, ask Doyle to write to Billy Frank Vickers, an acquaintance on death row. Doyle wrote to Billy six times before an answer came back. No, he didn’t want Bible lessons or any spiritual guidance-Just a friend. Correspondence was carried on for two years, and they recalled fishing holes all over Texas and Oklahoma. But Doyle could not let this all go by without asking Billy about God, Do you have a Bible, Billy? “Yes, I do, but I can’t read it- doesn’t make sense.” I am going to send you a different Bible that will be easier to read, Doyle said. He mailed a Clear Word Bible that day, That was the answer, because Billy started to read the Bible and began making comments like, “ Hey .how about that little guy, David. He sure took care of Goliath. “ A spiritual pathway to Heaven was opening, and Billy began to walk it.

One day in November Doyle received a letter from Billy and he marked the lessons and wrote back only to receive another letter the very next day. Somehow Doyle knew what this letter was going to say: Billy Vickers, you are scheduled to die on December the 9^th, at 06pm. “ They began write every day for a while and spiritual things became a common topic.

Then Doyle received a letter asking,’ Doyle, would you be my spiritual adviser?

Now wait a minute! Doyle was willing to write and mark lesson but to be pastor and advisor to a prisoner who is going to be executed?

Once again the reaction was,” I don’t think so.” It Didn’t take to many hours for that answer to change to. I thank God has given me a duty and He has promised to give me the strength. With in the day Doyle was granted a Lay Pastor license by the Southwestern Union Conference of the Seventh Day Adventists. Doyle and his wife traveled to Livington, Texas to visit with Billy. When they met, Billy said, “Bob Dew, [Doyle Pen name] I am ready to meet my Jesus. “ He had a lot to confess , But not ready to confess to killing anyone. They had a very beneficial time together and Billy was beginning to realize that many people live a very different style of life to the one he had lived-they call it Christian.

Doyle returned to Livington on December the 8^th to be with Billy, as he prepared himself for the next day’s execution.

It’s a very beautiful 42 mile drive to the death chamber in Huntsville, But Billy did not get to see any of it as his hand and feet were shackled to the floor and a lid was put down over his head as he was transported to the site. On December 09, Billy was strapped to a gurney waiting for 6.pm. Doyle and Billy’s family were preparing themselves for the inevitable, But something was not right . They waited…7 p.m…

8p.m. and waited…and waited. Finally, midnight came with the expiration of the death warrant. Never in the history of Texas, since they introduced lethal injection, had the state of Texas let a death warrant expire. Was God saying Billy was not ready yet?

A new execution date was issued for January 28,2004. Billy had another 50 days to deepen his relationship with Doyle and with God. Billy learned many more truths about the life of a Christian and accepted the challenges of change that was needed in his life.

Doyle felt that Billy seemed ready for Jan.28 to come. He promised Doyle that he would confess to the truth and the truth only, before he died. He was not ready to do that in December. After traveling back to Huntsville and was strapped down again, He told the warren he had a few thing to say. He confess to having committed 14 murders and four people were in prison serving time for some of those crimes. His confession cleared a woman from an 85-years to life sentence for shooting her husband in the head. Her name? Patricia Rawson. [remember that name from the beginning of the story?] Three other people who are in prison for some of these crimes may get new trail. He then turned to look at his Sister and said, Tell little Mama[ his wife] and his family I love them very much, and Bob Dew, love you.” Within 8 agonizing seconds Billy was dead, paying for the crimes he committed, yet with the full assurance that he was forgiven by God.

Before he died, Billy signed a release for his story to be told with this challenging message.

There are thousands of people behind bars: you might say a captive audience, waiting for someone to tell them that Jesus loves them.

Billy's family was afraid he would confess to some thing he did not do.

The only one that know for sure is Jesus. May he rest in the love of his Jesus.

If you feel any burden for this Ministry, They are so many Billy’s out there, Just waiting for someone too reach out to them. Will you help. Please write or send any donation to,

Springtown Prison Outreach

Springtown Seventh Day Adventist

P.O. Box 710

Gentry, Arkansas 72734