One of our Metanoia mentors asked me this week, “Why prison ministry? You could do anything. Why do you do prison ministry?”
That’s a good question.
In over 40 years of serving in all kinds of ministries, I never considered prisoners. Never gave them a thought. Then, eight years ago, I was asked to teach a course in a Florida prison for MINTS Seminary-in-Prison. I declined. I was not interested in teaching “those people.”
But I was asked again and again. They really needed a teacher. “Would you agree to teach one course while we continue trying to recruit someone to take over the class long term?” they asked.
Eventually, I agreed to teach one course, but just one. It only took a few classes, though, for me to realize something special, something sacred, was happening inside that drab, cinder-block-walled prison classroom.
Jesus said that when believers visit those in prison, they do it to him, not just for him, but to him. I didn’t really understand it then, and I don’t know I fully understand it now, but there was some sense in which the prisoners in that seminary class were Jesus. I was in the presence of Jesus.
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
--Matthew 25:39-40
Over the past eight years, I have often arrived at a prison tired, burdened, or stressed, not really wanting to be there. But by the time I left a couple of hours later, I had been filled with joy and lightness. Why? It must be because I had spent that time with Jesus.
Jesus has that effect on people.
I recently asked some of our volunteers to describe what being a mentor has been like for them. Here are a few responses.
“Never in my life did I expect what I have gained spiritually from being a mentor. In a short time, what began with a lot of uncertainty quickly turned into trust, personal fulfillment, and a special bond with my mentee that was unlike any other before.”
“Had I known what a rich experience mentoring could be, I'd have volunteered much sooner.”
“This mentor ministry has the potential to be profoundly impactful as men live outside of themselves by spending themselves for the benefit of the incarcerated.”
“Not only will this ministry help a mentor gain greater spiritual maturity, but he will benefit in a far more glorious fashion insofar as he will not stand ashamed before Christ in judgment when He says that He was in prison, and you visited Him.”
In the last line of her poem, “The Summer Day,” Mary Oliver asks, “Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Before teaching that first seminary class I never would have considered spending my life serving prisoners. Now I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.
In her book Leadership in Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin quotes Theodore Roosevelt, “About the best thing in life is to have a job worth doing and then do it well.”
Mentoring prisoners is a job worth doing.
It isn’t glamorous or often noted by Christian leaders. A couple of years ago, I surveyed the websites of 100 churches in the greater Chattanooga area. Only two listed prison ministry as something their churches did.
Even though visiting and serving prisoners is rarely noted by people, it is noticed by God.
Thank you, mentors, donors, and prayer supporters. Thank you for being on this team and for caring for and serving those often forgotten. What you are doing with your one wild and precious life makes a difference for eternity. You are engaged in a job worth doing, and you do it well.
I love and appreciate you!
Barry
Great insights!