Our Mandate:

Biblical Mandate:

"I was in prison and you came to me" Mat 25:36b
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." Hebrews 13:3

A Call to Our Humanity:

"You measure the degree of civilization of a society by how it treats its weakest members"

A Pragmatic Approach:

"People in prison don’t stay in prison. Investing in their rehabilitation and growth benefits all of us"

Our Vision:

" To restore hope and transform lives by bringing the love of Christ to prison communities."

Our Mission:

"Through the efforts of dedicated volunteers, we bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the incarcerated, providing worship services, Bible studies, free study Bibles, discipleship classes, personal support through PALs, and essential supplies to restore hope and transform lives behind bars."

About Us

...I was in prison and you came to me. Mat 25:36b
Less Than The Least (LTTL) Ministries is a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization with a heart for ministry to the incarcerated. LTTL ministries has a presence in the majority of the prison units in TDCJ Regions I and III; counties surrounding Harris county and in the Huntsville area. LTTL is able to carry out its mission mandate (Mat 25:35-40) because of our more than 350 faithful volunteers and financial supporters. For over two decades, our mission has been to reach the incarcerated with the gospel of Jesus Christ, encourage their spiritual growth and ministry inside-the-walls, and facilitate their ministry on the outside as LTTL volunteers.

Mission Strategy

Continually build a growing team of called and trained volunteers who bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the incarcerated through the following ministry segments:

Personal contact inside-the-walls - Worship services, classes (Bible studies, Bible-based classes), and one-on-one interactions in English and Spanish

Correspondence - Follow-up to inmate prayer requests with Prayer and Letters (PALs).

Printed materials - Study bibles mailed to inmates upon request.

Prison chapel upgrades, replenishment, and renovations (URRs) - In partnership with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Chaplaincy Department our prison chapel upgrades, replenishment, and renovations facilitate our worship services, classes, Bible studies and other outreach activities, providing an enduring testimony of God's love to inmates and a constant reminder that Christians outside-the-walls do care.

Our History

Less Than The Least Ministries (LTTL) was founded in 2001 by John “Zeke” Young and organized in 2002 as a 501c3 nonprofit. With support from local churches and volunteers, the ministry soon expanded from worship services and one-on-one ministry to include Bible-based classes, Prayers and Letters (PALs), radio, Tagged-by-God magazine, prison chapel renovations, and ministry to at-risk youth. Zeke Young, who received the 2011 TDCJ Carol Vance Governor's Award for Volunteer of the Year, directed the ministry until

December 2011. David Gunter, Sr., a ministry volunteer and Chairman of the Board of Directors at that time, succeeded Zeke as Executive Director.

Under David's leadership LTTL expanded its ministry presence inside-the-walls with increasing numbers of worship services, Bible-based classes, and Prayers and Letters (PALs). As a result, on April 5, 2019, David received the Governor's Religious Service Volunteer Award. LTTL partnered with TDCJ chaplains to conduct 3-day crusades at different prison units on a regular basis. In order to accommodate this expansion as new doors opened for ministry, LTTL's volunteer base also expanded. Recruitment efforts have resulted in new volunteers sensing the call to be involved in ministry to the incarcerated. The latest chapel renovation at the Stringfellow Unit was completed a month before David's going home in April of 2022. Over the years LTTL has raised funds and assisted TDCJ with improvements to several different prison chapels.

During the TDCJ Covid-19 lockdowns, LTTL added a new way to reach the incarcerated by providing much-needed hygiene items to indigent inmates. Inmates who do not have financial support from friends or family are unable to purchase basic hygiene items such as toothpaste, deodorant, soap and shampoo. The state of Texas only provides a minimal amount of soap and toothpaste and no deodorant or shampoo. Few units are air conditioned, so it is not difficult to imagine the suffering without these basic needs. The chaplaincy department is able to receive, process and distribute these items to inmates who meet the criteria. During the first year of this project alone, hundreds of inmates received indigent supplies from Less Than The Least Ministries. This new area of ministry is continuing today.

The Board of Directors appointed Bill Everts to succeed David as director after his going home. Bill's vision for the organization and growth of Less Than The Least Ministries is aimed at positioning us to meet the demands of the modern and ever-changing landscape of the Texas prison system and the challenges of our economic environment. We pray that you will stay tuned as we develop new ways to reach this oft-forgotten element of our society.

We look to the future with expectation for God's continued blessings on this ministry to the incarcerated as we seek to follow and give glory to Him.