More ways small churches can serve their communities
8. Small churches could develop a jail ministry.
Local and county jails almost always appreciate any attempt to lower recidivism and the evangelism and discipleship of inmates is a proven way to lower repeat offenses. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world with over 2.5 million persons locked up. Of those, approximately 1 million are in city or county jails.
Unlike state or federal prisons, those in jail have often not yet been convicted of a crime. They have been charged with an offense (major or minor) and are awaiting trial. Persons convicted of sentences of a year or less often serve out their time in a jail. Jails are a fertile ground for sharing the gospel liberally.
Jail ministry, like all new ministries, must be birthed after a long time of prayer with those who are interested in such a mission. Let the Holy Spirit soften your heart to incarcerated persons. Mediate on Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:36–40. When you minister to those in jail, to the least of these, you are ministering unto Jesus himself.
After confirming a commitment to this ministry, set up a meeting with the local sheriff or chief of police. A face-to-face meeting is often more effective, allowing you to lay out your plan of weekly ministry. It may be that there is already an evangelical ministry to this jail. See about joining with them or asking for suggestions about nearby jails where no ministry currently exists.
The two components helpful for a fruitful jail ministry are an ample supply of Bibles to hand out to anyone who asks, and a consistent, weekly commitment to show up. The Bibles need to be in a contemporary translation that is easy to understand and the meetings must meet the spiritual needs of the prisoners. ...
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