How Churches can Unlock Second Chances
In April 2022, Prison Fellowship's Justice Reform team hosted four Twitter chats with a variety of experts for Second Chance™ Month. In "Room in My Pews," Christian leaders discuss how the Church can best respond to the needs of returning citizens.
QUESTION ONE
Q1: Let’s get started with participant introductions. Tell us who you are and why you’re joining us for this #SecondChanceMonth Twitter chat about how churches can #UnlockSecondChances
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
@JusticeReform A1: Hey folks! Thanks @JusticeReform for hosting this important convo. My name is Joshua DuBois. I’m the CEO of social impact agency, @ValuesPartnerships, and @GaugeResearch, a market research platform. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
A1: I formerly led the faith-based office in the Obama @whitehouse. Among other things, I’m very interested in & passionate about racial justice & CJ reform. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
A1. I’m a pastor @AnacostiaRC in southeast Washington, DC. I’m joining #SecondChanceMonth and #UnlockSecondChances b/c whenever I ask a room of people to raise their hands if they or a loved one is impacted by the criminal justice system nearly every hand goes up.
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A1: My is Jon Kelly. I am the Lead Pastor at @chiwestbible . I’ve spent 2/3rd’s of my life in the criminal justice system. I’ve done time in prison for 3rd degree murder and am still under supervision. I’m here today because I was given a second chance. . #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A1: My name is Trillia Newbell and I’m the director of community outreach for the @erlc. Looking forward to helping us think through ways the church can #unlocksecondchances
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
A1. I’m VP of Communications for @ERLC as well as a pastor and a writer. I’m joining #SecondChanceMonth and #UnlockSecondChances because my belief in the human dignity of ever person and a desire to see a justice system that recognizes the dignity of both victim and perpetrator.
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) April 8, 2019
QUESTION TWO
Q2: Thanks for being here! We know that a staggering 1 in 3 Americans have a criminal record, but do you think most churches in America feel immune to how many members of their congregation and community are impacted? #SecondChanceMonth
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
Q2: I think in some ways we are immune or might have stereotypes about incarcerated populations. But I think in many other ways, our people understand because they’ve been engaged in some of the church care of prisoners that Chuck Colson and others initiated years ago.
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) April 8, 2019
A2: I’m not sure they feel immune but I don’t think that churches are aware of the criminal records of others or how those records affect those around them in their community. We can struggle with being insular. #SecondChanceMonth
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
Q2. I’m not “immune” is the right word. Perhaps unaware. We tend to believe stereotypes @ who has been incarcerated and we miss the true picture. So the church misses it. And the middle-class aspiration of churches creates an incentive NOT to see the problem. #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
Q2. Then those with criminal records face so many ostracizing message and reactions that they have a disincentive for sharing. The irony is that what should be the most welcoming communities can feel like the most isolating and unconcerned. #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
@JusticeReform A2: I don’t think churches feel immune to this challenge, especially in black and brown communities. And even in churches that feel immune, they’d be surprised by the number of people in their congregations that are impacted. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
A2: I do know many people, faith-based orgs & churches doing great work here. E.g., Prison Fellowship, Harold Trulear & Healing Communities, @Noah_Action, @FergSongs, @ESchneeberg, Vera / In Our Backyards & many more. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
A2: From my experience, I think most churches see incarceration and criminal records as “outreach” and not as people woven into the church body. It generally falls under the bucket of “prison ministry” and is often something “out there” and not “in here”. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A2: The topic of Incarceration/criminal records is also something that many in churches feel ashamed to discuss. I see it so often when I preach at churches. People pull me aside to share their story with me as if they are afraid to talk about it publicly. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
QUESTION THREE
Q3: Crime is not an offense against the state. It is often an offense against a victim and a community. How can we provide victim care in our churches? Is this in conflict with welcoming those who have a criminal record? #SecondChanceMonth
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
A3. God is triune, and He has made us in His image. That means, in part, we are inescapably social beings. Connected to one another in good and bad. It also means our conception of justice must include more than punishment. #SecondChanceMonth
/1— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A3. It must also include reconciliation and restoration where possible. B/c of the gospel, churches should be ideal places for caring for victims–nurturing, patient, healing communities. And in course, healing and care hopefully includes rebuilding community. #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A3. But not every situation will allow both the victim and the victimizer to be in the same church. We have to be wise about this. But we can have healthy partnerships *between* churches that make more of this healing for both parties possible and deep. #SecondChanceMonth
/end— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A3. I think this is rooted in the Bible’s call to neighbor love. We should be invested in both solutions that see sufficient justice for offenses against our neighbors and see incarcerated neighbors restored to healthy civic engagement. #SecondChanceMonth
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) April 8, 2019
A3: There needs to be resources, policies, and counselors readily available in our churches. Victim care is not in conflict with welcoming those who have done crimes. But, it’s important that we care for the vulnerable among us. Victims shouldn’t be forgotten. #SecondChanceMonth
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
A3: Caring for victims of crimes shouldn’t simply be a special group in the church. There should be a culture of freedom in lament/grief within the body of Christ. Freedom to express the raw emotions of pain/hurt, & grace to embrace the one who did it. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A3: I also think that the church has lost the blessing of lamenting in community as found in scripture. Lamenting was normal then and should be norma todayl. Lamenting doesn’t mean that we lack faith. It means that we feel pain. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
QUESTION FOUR
Q4: Churches often encounter people who have a criminal record through other community outreach ministries. How can the local church be mindful of the impact of crime and incarceration when reaching their neighbors with both the Gospel and practical services?#SecondChanceMonth
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
A4: You can’t be mindful about what you don’t know. Churches will need to educate themselves on how crime affects their communities. It’s easy to serve, it’s much harder to study and learn so that your service can come from greater awareness that can lead to further action.
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
A4: (1) If our relationships within our church body has depth, it’s almost impossible to not know who is impacted by incarceration. (2) Be more hands on in our local community. (3) Connect a pipeline from the prison doors to our church doors. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
Q4 (1). I think it’s helpful to realize that the Bible itself puts imprisonment, care and evangelizing on the church’s agenda–from the command to visit those in prison in Hebrews to the example of incarcerated saints throughout the Bible. #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
Q4 (2). Then, I think it’s a matter of basic neighbor love–talking with neighbors, hearing their stories, visiting those in need. Treat each person as a person, their story as unique. The best opportunities for the gospel emerge from that particularity. #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A4: I think we can do this by introducing the testimonies of people affected. Also pastors can lead out and teach on understanding a biblical view of justice that handles the dignity of both prisoner and victim. #SecondChanceMonth
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) April 8, 2019
QUESTION FIVE
Q5: What can churches do to welcome and provide Gospel community for people who have a criminal record? What are you already doing in your congregation or community to this end? #SecondChanceMonth
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
A5: Start by learning. Look to people/books/models that work. Call my boy @eschneeberg & ask him to speak about the love of Christ for those who’ve been locked up. Bring in Doc Trulear/Healing Communities or Bishop @FergSongs. Read JUST MERCY together. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
A5: When it comes to serving those with a criminal record, I have yet to find one ministry that is more fruitful than our living rooms and dinner tables. If you aren’t willing to have someone in your living room or at your dinner table……what’s the point? #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A5: We’ve also helped to birth @cityofrefugechi out of our church to help meet basic needs and provide resources not only for those returning to society from prison, but also for anyone in our community. Any resource that someone needs, we help them to get it. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
Q5: there are a variety of opportunities we’ve seen in churches around the country: from traditional outreach to those still incarcerated, to job training and assistance to those recently released to mental health services for those in need #SecondChanceMonth
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) April 8, 2019
A5: Getting to know the stories of those who committed crimes help as we seek to serve through gospel proclamation & practice. Remembering and reminding them that they are image bearers. God is a redeemer! Jesus saves! God can renew minds. We believe-we share. #SecondChanceMonth
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
Q5. I agree w/ @PastorJonKelly about the living room. Nothing like genuine hospitality for creating an alternative community to that that ended in incarceration. #SecondChanceMonth
/1
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
Q5. But we’re also trying to meet some fundamental needs, like employment: https://t.co/m2D5HtJlZO. We’ve hosted 2 job fairs tailored to returning citizens. We have a long way to go, but we’re trying to have faith express itself in love. #SecondChanceMonth
/2
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
QUESTION SIX
Q6: How do you serve children who have a parent or family member who is incarcerated? #SecondChanceMonth
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
Q5: Love them. Provide mentors. Show them the perfect love of their Heavenly Father. Help them work thru forgiveness and reconciliation (if possible) with their dad. #SecondChanceMonth
— Daniel Darling (@dandarling) April 8, 2019
A6: Children may sometimes be the forgotten victims of crimes committed by their parent(s). Churches have the opportunity to assist through practical service (meeting felt needs), childcare or even foster care, and mentoring. And by churches, I mean people. #SecondChanceMonth
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
Q6. We’re trying to learn to support families & children. We partner w/ @reversethelist to try ending the foster care wait list in the city. We try to be a family & provide support to families. But as a four year old church plant, we’ve got much to learn #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
Q6. We also support the work of @TheHouseDC and their outreach to youth in our community, many who are affected by incarceration. And we’re trying to learn to effectively support public school teachers in our church who are on front lines in caring for kids #SecondChanceMonth
— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A6: We do Angel Tree every year. We just had a young man attend our church service this past Sunday who was just released. He came because we loved on his kids through Angel Tree. We try to provide a support network of care for those in prison & their families. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A6: We also partner with groups like @gripyouth @ByTheHandClub and love on students at @MClarkEagles where our church meets. The church should be active in mentoring and loving on our youth, regardless of if they have a parent in prison or not. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
@JusticeReform A6: Love them. Remember them, especially on birthdays and holidays. Let the church become a beloved community around them. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
QUESTION SEVEN
Q7: Ministering to people while they are arrested, imprisoned, or on probation or parole can set the stage for successful reentry. How can churches show love and support in these challenging places? #SecondChanceMonth
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
Q7. A few things to consider:
1. Invite them into your home;
2. Help set up a place to live;
3. Help line up a job before they’re out;
4. Provide a time/place to celebrate their re-entry with healthy family and friends;
5. Pray, pray, pray for them.#SecondChanceMonth— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) April 8, 2019
A7: (Pt.1#) As I mentioned before, open your living rooms and dinner tables. What are we telling people if we say, “You are free to return to society, but not my home”? We need more organic and intentional life on life relationships. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A7: (Pt.2#) The reason I feel so strongly about living rooms and dinner tables is because I wouldn’t have made it if the Christians that I was around when released didn’t treat me like family. I had not category for healthy relationships prior to prison. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A7: Being there and showing up can help. Partnering with organization and ministries that have a track record of healthy, wise, and appropriate care could be a means of extending grace and love to those who are currently arrested, imprisoned or on probation. #SecondChanceMonth
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
A7: Show up, over and over again. 70 times 7. I remember getting calls from @ESchneeberg when he was doing streetwork, on his 5th or 6th court visit with a kid who kept regressing. Progress takes time but through your love, God is working behind the scenes. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
QUESTION EIGHT
Q8: What action step would you recommend to Christians following our conversation today to celebrate #SecondChanceMonth and break down barriers for our brothers and sisters with a criminal record throughout the year?
— Prison Fellowship Advocacy (@JusticeReform) April 8, 2019
A8: A good next step could be to find orgs in your community who are doing good work in this area. Get involved. This could be a shelter, a prison ministry, a rehabilitation center, or a children’s home. As we’ve discussed, the effects are broad. And pray. #SecondChanceMonth
— Trillia Newbell (@trillianewbell) April 8, 2019
A8: (1) Be willing to open your home and fully enter their world. (2) Find out where the places are that men/women are returning to and go there with the heart of humility to serve. (3) Highlight the many people/organizations that are doing good work. #SecondChanceMonth
— Jon Kelly (@pastorjonkelly) April 8, 2019
A8: If you’re in a position to hire a formerly incarcerated person, take a hard look at doing so. If you can help someone fill out an application for health insurance when they get out — better yet, if your church can help people do this at scale — do it! #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
A8: Create space for prayer, healing and convo for those who’ve been impacted by incarceration-there are more than you imagine. Reach out to folks who’ve been doing this for decades and bring them in. There are some amazing leaders out there who’d love to help. #SecondChanceMonth
— Joshua DuBois (@joshuadubois) April 8, 2019
SECOND CHANCE MONTH
Click here to learn more about Second Chance Month and how you can participate.
