I have it on the very highest authority that ministering to people in jail and in prison is very important to the Lord.* So how do you do that if you’re not gifted as an evangelist and honestly don’t seem to be drawn to go into jails and prisons to share the Gospel?
Glad you asked.
I have to admit, until I spoke with Mark Earley of Prison Fellowship on KRKS Mornings, I thought the only way I could minister to prisoners was to go into the jails and share Christ through those phones you see in the movies talking to someone on the other side of the glass who I didn’t know and who probably didn’t care to hear my message anyway. And, frankly, that just didn’t appeal to me. So I every once in a while threw some money at the problem, through the Angel Tree ministry’s partnering with KRKS, and contented myself with the idea that I was fulfilling that aspect of the Lord’s concern.
Certainly, my donations help the cause. But I learned there are so many other things that those of us who are not “evangelists” can be a part of in fulfilling this aspect of the Lord’s mandate.
How about helping prisoners who have received Christ transition after they have been released? How about mentoring a believer after he or she is released and maybe even before he or she gets released? (I personally am far more gifted as a “mentor” than an “evangelist!”) Maybe you could reach out to a spouse or other family member of an incarcerated person. Or maybe just be an encouraging friend to a former prisoner who is having trouble finding new friends with positive, godly values. (There’s me again! I’m a pretty good friend and encourager.) What about your church? – perhaps it would be a good welcoming place to help nurture the faith of released believers. (Wow! There I am again!) Maybe you’re in a position to help find or provide housing, or a job, or transportation. These are all ways you can minister to released as well as incarcerated people and their families beyond the stereotype of evangelistic visits inside jails and prisons.
So if the stereotype of evangelizing inside a jail isn’t “you,” that’s okay. There are plenty of other ways you can really make a difference in helping prisoners transition to a productive life, and, I believe, impact the culture in powerful ways. Prison Fellowship was begun by former Nixon White House counsel and former convict (Watergate) Chuck Colson. They have plenty of ways that are already set up into which you can plug, right here in Denver. Prison Fellowship has an office in Denver which can match your personal giftedness with needs in four states. You can get more details by calling the local office at 303-233-6966, or toll free at 1-866-333-6966. Call and just ask them what are the areas of their need.
