Prison Fellowship

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • All Options
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Start a Fundraiser
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
Search
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camp
    • Justice Reform
      • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • News & Updates
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
    • Research and Evaluation
      • Good Citizenship Model®
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Resources for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
      • Subscribe To The Hope Connection
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Angel Tree Coordinator Training
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Create: New Beginnings Book
    • Share on Social
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Beliefs
    • Mission & Vision
    • Financials
      • Financials
      • 2024 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • About Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards

Leading a Prison Bible Study

Prepare for the exciting challenge of exploring God’s Word with prisoners.

Do you love to study and share God’s Word with others? If so, leading a prison Bible study may be a great way to be involved in prison ministry!

This ministry requires a considerable time commitment for class preparation. Most in-prison Bible study groups meet weekly. Some studies may last 6-8 weeks, while others may be year-round with breaks taken only for holidays.

Prison Fellowship® recommends team facilitation, so that no one is over-burdened with the responsibility of weekly lessons. Some other benefits of working in teams are:

  • More creativity and variety in lesson content because of the additional skills, talents, and life experiences of team members
  • Having others to help counsel and pray with prisoners who need one-on-one attention
  • More flexibility to break into small groups for discussions since team members can help facilitate small groups
  • Shared administrative tasks such as making handouts or keeping attendance
  • Having a back-up replacement in case of an emergency

GOALS FOR LEADING A PRISON BIBLE STUDY

The goal of in-prison Bible study is to help prisoners come to know Jesus Christ personally and learn how to apply His Word to their lives. An effective ministry team plans lessons 6-12 months at a time, so participants may receive instruction on a wide variety of topics such as:

  • Prison Ministry_0117Receiving Christ and Becoming Like Christ
  • How to Pray for Myself and Others
  • Forgiving Others; Forgiving Myself
  • Dealing with Emotions
  • Obedience to Christ and Respect for Authority
  • Having a Christian Worldview

Prison Fellowship has a list of approved curriculum materials for in-prison classes. Volunteers should work with their local Prison Fellowship field staff to identify the best offerings for a local prison facility.

Another effective study plan is to pick books of the Bible such as the Gospel of John. But remember–this isn’t a Sunday School class. Your challenge will be to make the 60-90 minutes you have with those prisoners the most practical, interesting, and relevant experience of their week.

From the moment people enter the room, participants need to feel the love of God surrounding them. Greet each one warmly. Encourage a worshipful atmosphere with inspirational music, singing, praise reports, and a time of prayer for specific needs.

Always build thoughtful discussion questions into your lessons and make sure people are participating in class–not just sitting and listening to you talk. Each person should come away from your class having spent time studying God’s Word, praying together, and enjoying fellowship with other believers.

DOWNLOAD THIS RESOURCE

Download this resource. Once downloaded, you can print, save, or share the pages with others.

DOWNLOAD

CONNECT WITH PRISON FELLOWSHIP

Sign up to receive our weekly eNewsletter, which highlights stories of transformed lives and second chances, as well as resources and information from around the ministry.

SIGN UP TODAY

NEW ON OUR BLOG

  • Update: Helen Graduates From the Academy!
  • My Story: Tina
  • The Powerful Love of Moms Behind Bars
  • How Camp Can Change the Life of a Prisoner’s Child
  • Prison Fellowship’s Statement After United States Senate Declares April 2025 as Second Chance Month

SHARE YOUR STORY

Do you have a story about how Prison Fellowship has impacted your life? We want to hear from you.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Join our online community

Facebook Facebook X (Twitter) X (Twitter) Instagram Instagram YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • Warden Exchange

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2025 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports CampTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.