02.20.15 | Advocacy and Action, Restorative Justice | by Christie Latona
36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ Matthew 25:36 (CEB)
One of the ways that a church can transform its community and deepen its discipleship is through an active concern for prisoners and those who are at risk or returning from having been incarcerated. Like when starting any new ministry, it is essential that you have a clear sense that your congregation is being called into blessing this particular people group and there are at least 2-3 called and committed leaders whose hearts are broken for this particular people group.
Also, many churches have discovered the joy of participating in an existing ministry effort rather than starting from scratch. Here is a short list of entities that Baltimore-Washington churches have found critical to their prison ministry work:
- Kairos of Maryland is a Christian faith-based ministry which addresses the spiritual needs of incarcerated men, women, youth, and their families. By sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, Kairos hopes to change hearts, transform lives and impact the world. View programs here.
- Healing Communities is a framework for ministry to persons returning from or at risk of incarceration, their families, and the larger community. Healing Communities challenges congregations through mobilization of its existing resources to become “Stations of Hope” for persons affected by the criminal-justice system. This approach has been developed by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society. Learn more.
- Christian Jail Ministry seeks to serve God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit by evangelizing, making disciples, and helping men and women, especially inmates, former inmates, their families, correctional staff, and those providing services for them. They are focused on providing chaplains for the Howard County Detention Center (HCDC) in Maryland as well as training and supervision for volunteers ministering within the criminal justice arena. View programs here.
Local church stories about prison ministry: