Welcome to this episode of the “Prison Pulpit”. I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben, recording today from Ephesus in Turkey! Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share daily reminders to pray for China.You can also email me anytime @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. Last but not least, to learn more about our strategic prayer and missions projects or to get one of my missionary biographies, visit PrayGiveGo.us!

Why the Prison Pulpit? 

The goal is to remind everyone to pray for persecuted believers as Hebrews 13:3 teaches us to do (“Remember those who are in prison, as bound with them”). I’ve done this by sharing (imprisoned) Pastor Wang Yi’s writings in China. But since we have nothing of his written from WITHIN prison walls, I’ve turned to other persecuted ministers who have gone before, such as Richard Wurmbrand, to give us a voice, or reminders, or sermons, literally from prison. But Pastor Wang Yi was the reason why I started the Prison Pulpit series to begin with. And in December, as the anniversary of his arrest approaches, we will go back over much of what was written during that tumultuous time in late 2018.

But since I’m literally in Ephesus right now, I want us to hear from another prison pulpit, specifically the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians: 

Eph 3:14-20: For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 6:18-20: praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ejected from Egypt

Today I also want to continue meditating on what I experienced in Egypt this past weekend. My 10+ hour ordeal happened in 7 stages (which included much standing, sitting, drinking (h20), and smoking (them):

1. Detained at Customs for backpack search and (relaxed) interrogation. Hopeful. (Midnight-2am)


2. “Led” through the creepy corridors of the airport, then left in the hallway. Flight booked. (2-3am)


3. Moved to the office of a “senior” officer doing unrelated paperwork. Awaiting deportation (3-4am)


4. Led by multiple new officers through the airport to the departure gate. Waiting. Waiting. (4-5am)


5. Board flight (passport to staff), told I’d be met by security in Istanbul. Worried. In the air. (5-9am)


6. Last to deplane. Escorted to terminal by security. Told to wait. Still worried what’s next. (9-10am)


7. Told that they were waiting for more info from Egypt (yikes), but plans changed. Free! (1015am)

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