Prisoners In Christ

Role of the Church in Prisons

April 20, 2013 / 0 comments

Last fall I received a visit from my mentor, David Rylaarsdam of Calvin Theological Seminary. This time he brought along a friend, Todd Cioffi, the director of Congregational and Ministry Studies program at Calvin College. We spent most of our conversation exploring the role of the Church with regard to prisoners. Without adequate time to arrive at…

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The Story of How We Began Our Journey

March 22, 2013 / 0 comments

In order for you to grasp the vision of Prisoners in Christ, it’s important that I share the story of how we began our journey. My first encounter with the Michigan Department of Corrections lasted from 1989-1993 as I served a 5-year sentence for Receiving and Concealing Stolen Property. In 1995, while on parole, I…

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How Can Community Be Restored?

March 1, 2013 / 0 comments

How can community be restored when so many people have been impacted by the corrosive effects of crime and punishment? When offense occurs, do we make a collective effort to bring healing to the victim? Or, do we appease the impulse to dispatch retribution to the offender? And, if so, after punishment is imposed, does…

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Let the Revolution of the Heart and Mind Begin

March 1, 2013 / 0 comments

I have a friend who acts as though his sole purpose in life is to keep me rooted and grounded in reality. A reality that says “prisoners have absolutely no societal value.” Whenever I share ideas of ways society can be improved upon my friend is faithful to remind me that “they ain’t never gonna’…

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