I’ve only ever been a member of one prison gang. Some time ago I was made an honorary member of “God’s Gang for Change,” the faith-based dorm at a correctional facility in Alabama.
On a recent visit I had the privilege of celebrating a worship service with my fellow “gang members.” I challenged them with a message about the life of Moses. Though he was an exiled murderer, God called him to loosen the chains of an entire nation.
Like Moses, the men in this unit are not people the world would choose to become leaders. But God sees their true worth, and they are becoming men who take responsibility for their own choices and take care of others.
One young man I met stood out from the others. He pulled a chair to the back wall and sat alone before the service. His body language was standoffish, and he had the telltale marks of an addict. When I talked to him, he told me that his name is Troy, and he has nine more months to serve. To be honest, I grew very worried about him. He didn’t yet seem to have a good plan for overcoming his addiction and finding support upon release.
I’m praying for Troy, and I have hope for him. God has placed him among mature, older believers in Jesus, right there in the prison. They are determined to love him, and as the Spirit continues to work on Troy’s heart, they will be able to present him with a credible testimony of God’s work in their own lives. Like Moses, these members of God’s Gang for Change are prepared to lead the way to freedom