i have a few very close friends here with whom I have discussed jail ministry. When I come in here late on Sunday night, there are usually very few people here and I have often commented that, "I just got out of jail and am now eating popcorn."
opcorn: They know that I'm trying to make things light.
After talking nearly non-stop for three or four hours, I come here to unwind, usually with a poor attempt at humor.
If there is any point to be made, it is this. I'm am extremely grateful for the tremendous privilege to be able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are hurting in such circumstances, regardless of their crimes, for 'while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly'. For things that I've done at times in my past, I could just as easily be there dressed in orange as any of them. Many times, I and my two brothers in Christ, leave there floating a foot off the ground and astonished at how GOD's Holy Spirit moves in that environment and how humbled we feel at being allowed to be His instruments for a short while in such a desperate place.
As Francis Schaeffer said, most Christians have a 'citadel' mentality where the attitude is, I'll throw a rock over the wall or over the moat, but you can't reach me in here(my paraphrase).
With all the professing Christians going to church on Sunday morning and many three times a week, it is incredible how few really take the gospel to the lost and I guess besides my attempt at humor, I would hope that the mere mention of jail ministry would inspire others to want to share with the lost what GOD has done for them and what He would just as well do for others.
Thank you for being the catalyst by which I was pressed to expound a little.
