PRISON FELLOWSHIP: Ongoing Ministry

The challenge of successful, crime-free re-entry is enormous. Lack of a place to live and the temptation of old friends are immediate issues that newly-released prisoners face. Praying Christians help provide an important and necessary supportive route back into the community.

To get off to a healthy start upon release, ex-prisoners need to have access to medical care. For many, incarceration was their first chance at receiving regular medical care, though the quality of care was usually minimal and inconsistent.

Nationwide, as many as 60 percent of ex-prisoners are unemployed one year after their release from prison. This signals pending disaster — not only for the ex-prisoners and their families, but also for the broader community.

The moment ex-prisoners step off the bus in your community, a daunting challenge stares them smack in the face – where to find a safe place to sleep that night.

Failing a drug or alcohol test is the number-one reason parolees are sent back to jail or prison. That’s why no reentry program is complete without addressing the issue of drug and alcohol addictions.

For any prison ministry to be truly effective, it must have a solid foundation of prayer. In prayer we call upon God for resources that He alone can provide in our battle against the spiritual forces of darkness.

New volunteers sometimes wonder what to say to prisoners they meet at an in-prison class or program. However, those with years of prison ministry can share some helpful insights.

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.

Feeling a little nervous about teaching prisoners? That’s pretty normal. Most prisoners have very different life experiences than the people you see at church every Sunday. Prison is a harsh environment and prisoners often do whatever it takes to survive. Many wish their lives were different, but they have no idea how to change.