Richard Schlotter became a Christian in 2001 as a result of efforts of volunteers who visited him during jail ministry outreach. In January, he became lead pastor of the volunteers’ church, First Pentecostal Assembly of God in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Schlotter landed in Wapello County Jail on a drug manufacturing charge that carried a potential 10-year
Richard Schlotter, his wife Kelly and their children know the Lord because of the prison ministry of volunteers from First Pentecostal Assembly of God, where Schlotter is now pastor.
maximum sentence. The church’s ministry team visited him and made a gospel presentation.
“I knew my life had to change,” Schlotter, 31, told Today’s Pentecostal Evangel. “I couldn’t live like that anymore.”
Immediately afterwards, a guard handed Schlotter papers through the cell door. Kelly, Schlotter’s wife of five years, had filed for divorce. The inmate fell to his knees and cried out to God for salvation. In a few moments he arose, sensing Jesus’ love and strength.
In his first weeks as a Christian, Schlotter read the Bible fervently and prayed that God would show Kelly his changed life.
“I knew I didn’t deserve my wife because of all the bad choices I had made,” Schlotter says. His actions had included — while in a delusional drug-induced state — holding her and their two young sons hostage while threatening to kill them.
After three months in prison, Schlotter received a letter from Kelly saying she wanted to visit and bring sons Richard and Wyatt with her. When she came, God began to restore the relationship. Soon, Schlotter, via a letter, led Kelly to salvation in Jesus.
Meanwhile, volunteers from First Pentecostal AG bought the boys Christmas and birthday presents — and signed their father’s name. Schlotter eventually served a minimum term of 18 months. Upon release, he led his sons, Richard, now 12, and Wyatt, now 10, to salvation experiences.
At the church, Schlotter started teaching a Sunday School class for those just out of jail that grew to 50 attendees. He took Global University courses and received credentials from the AG. He became youth pastor at the church two years ago. The church of nearly 300 elected him as lead pastor on January 28.
Schlotter is excited that the Iowa Department of Corrections has asked to partner with the church to help resettle those who have been incarcerated.
“The state is seeing the change in the lives of people who society has said are never going to change,” Schlotter says. “The Holy Spirit is freeing them from the life-controlling issues that made them behave the way they did.”
Schlotter leads the church’s weekly “Once Lost Now Found” addiction recovery program, which attracts an average of 100 people.
(Source: Assemblies of God News)