Kathy Woods (see story here) said the women who came week after week to do ministry in her jail planted the seeds that began a major life change for her.
Sammy Perez, senior manager of grassroots campaigns for Prison Fellowship, said if your church is interested in doing life-changing prison ministry like that, there’s a way to get that conversation started.
“Outrageous Justice,” a small-group curriculum designed by Prison Fellowship, is offered free of charge to individuals and churches interested in learning more about the crisis of crime and overincarceration and how they can respond.
Materials available
The study comes with a book, study guide and downloadable videos that take a look at the criminal justice system through a biblical lens.
“You learn God’s heart for justice and go from there,” Perez said. “It leads you to ask the question, ‘How can I as an individual be a part of God’s story?’”
Perez said more than 1,100 copies have been put to use in Alabama, but he would love to see many more.
The missions field is big. Nationwide, 2.2 million men and women are incarcerated, and each year 600,000 will be released to return to their communities. Two out of three reoffend within three years.
Prison ministry can help change that, said Perez, who himself was formerly incarcerated.
“We’ve found that there are a lot of Christians around the nation who are looking for a way to get involved and bring about a more restorative justice system in our country,” he said. “We have also found that ‘Outrageous Justice’ has been a good tool for Christians around the nation to learn and also get involved.”
To learn more or to request copies of “Outrageous Justice,” visit prisonfellowship.org/outrageousjustice.
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