A Texas megachurch that meets over six locations has just announced a seventh campus – in a prison.

The pastor of Gateway Church in Dallas, Robert Morris, told his congregation on Sunday.

The church began to hold services at the Coffield Unit in Anderson County last November, according to Faithwire. Since then around 500 inmates have made commitments to Christ.

Gateway holds 27 weekend services across six locations. The new campus will pe pastory by an ex-offender, Stephen Wilson, who said: 'My first meeting to launch a Gateway Prison campus happened seven years ago. We've been praying for this for seven years.'

The new church will be served by inmates who will host the service and form worship teams.

Morris told Fox News: 'At Gateway Church, we're all about people because God is all about people. Many of the men and women inside prison have been forgotten by society, but we want them to know we love them and God loves them, and they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.'

The initiative was praised by Franklin Graham among others, who wrote on Facebook: 'Lives are being transformed! More than 500 have already put their faith in Christ. I challenge churches across America to pray about doing something like this for the prisoners in their area.'