28 May A Prison Revival – PFNI Prison Staff Worker Dean Moore Interview
Something is happening inside Northern Ireland’s prisons.
In our latest PFNI interview, Dean Moore shares an encouraging picture of what he is seeing in Maghaberry Prison, where he serves full-time with Prison Fellowship Northern Ireland. After ten years in prison ministry, Dean says there is a fresh hunger for God’s Word among men in custody.
Bible study classes are growing…the guys just want to come and listen.
Bible studies are growing. New Lifesplan groups are being added. Men are asking questions, staying behind for prayer, opening Bibles for the first time, and discovering that God is not distant, harsh, or uninterested, but forgiving, merciful and gracious.
A Hunger for the Word
Dean describes Maghaberry as “really buzzing” with interest in Lifesplan and Bible studies. Classes have grown so much that the team has had to double up and begin new groups in parts of the prison where they have never run before.
For many of the men, faith is not a polished or familiar language. Some have been hurt by churches or by people claiming to represent Christianity. Others arrive with deep mistrust, addiction, regret, or simply the feeling that they have tried everything else and still feel empty.
The boys in Maghaberry Prison at the minute are very hungry and open to the Word…we’re having to double up and put on new classes.
That is why Dean and the PFNI team work hard to make the Bible understandable. They speak plainly, bring accessible Bible translations, and point men to Jesus with patience and compassion. The result is beautiful: men who once had no interest are beginning to open their hearts and minds.
Lives Beginning to Change
Dean is quick to say that the credit belongs to God. He tells of men struggling with addiction who begin to feel conviction, men who start coming to groups because they see change in others, and men who discover that prayer is not just a last resort, but a living relationship with God.
One man, after years of drug use, stood before others and said he no longer wanted drugs anywhere near him. Others noticed the change and began asking what he had found.
We were just preaching the Word of God and explaining, ‘Listen, God loves you.’
These are not small moments. They are signs of hope breaking through in difficult places.
Prayer Opens Doors
For Dean, prayer is essential. “Prayer is our fuel,” he says. Every week, the team prays, and prayer groups across Northern Ireland pray with them. Dean believes that prayer opens doors, sustains the work, and helps men encounter God personally.
He encourages men in prison to pray about everything, even the smallest things. Again and again, he sees them discover that God listens.
Restoration and Responsibility
Through Sycamore Tree, men are also being challenged to face the impact of their actions. They begin to see how crime affects victims, families, children, and communities. For some, this is painful, but necessary. It can be the beginning of responsibility, repentance, and restoration.
God Is at Work
This interview is full of encouragement. Behind prison walls, men are hearing the gospel, reading Scripture, asking for prayer, and beginning to believe that change is possible.
We should not take this lightly. We should pray, support, and give thanks.
God is at work in Northern Ireland’s prisons. And the story is still unfolding.