Building a Team

You cannot do prison ministry alone. The demands are too great, the risks too numerous, and the emotional weight too heavy for a single individual to bear.

Build a team of at least three to four committed volunteers who share similar theological convictions, who have been vetted and trained, and who can rotate responsibilities so that no single person carries the entire load. Include both men and women if the facility permits—female volunteers are essential for ministering to inmates’ families and, in women’s facilities, to female inmates. Include people with diverse skills: teachers who can lead Bible studies, counselors who can handle crisis situations, administrators who can manage logistics, and prayer warriors who may never enter the prison but who sustain the ministry through intercession.

Train your team before they enter the facility, and continue training them throughout their service. Meet regularly to debrief, pray together, discuss difficult situations, and encourage one another. The team that prays together, learns together, and supports one another will last. The lone ranger will burn out.

Denominational and Parachurch Resources

Do not reinvent the wheel. Numerous organizations exist to support prison ministry, and their resources can accelerate your effectiveness.

Prison Fellowship (founded by Chuck Colson) is the largest and most established prison ministry organization in the world. They provide training, materials, and organizational support for church-based prison ministry programs.

Bible correspondence courses (offered by various organizations) allow inmates to study Scripture systematically by mail or cell phone—an invaluable resource for those with no regular access to teaching.

Denominational resources. Many denominations have prison ministry committees, training programs, and support networks. If your denomination offers such resources, take advantage of them.

Local chaplaincy networks. Get to know the chaplains at the facilities where you intend to serve. They are the institutional gatekeepers, and their support—or opposition—will determine the scope of your access.

Use these resources as tools, not as substitutes for your own theological convictions and ministry approach. Not every organization shares your doctrinal commitments. Filter everything through Scripture, and teach what you know to be true.

Action Steps

Begin with prayer and self-examination. Before you contact a single institution or file a single application, spend a month in prayer about whether God is calling you to this ministry. Assess your theological readiness, your emotional resilience, and your willingness to commit for the long term.

Complete all institutional requirements promptly and thoroughly. Background checks, training programs, and clearance procedures are obstacles to theologically conservative ministers—but they are the gateway. Approach them professionally.

Assemble a team of at least three committed volunteers. Begin training together before you enter the facility. Study the theology of suffering, the dynamics of prison culture, and the practical skills of crisis counseling.

Contact the chaplain at your target facility. Introduce yourself. Explain your intentions. Ask what the facility needs most. Build a relationship before you try to build a program.

Set realistic expectations. Write down what you hope to accomplish in your first year. Then cut that list in half. Effectiveness in prison ministry is measured in years and decades, not weeks and months.

Discussion Questions

What spiritual qualities are essential for effective prison ministry? How should a church evaluate whether a potential volunteer is ready?

Why is doctrinal clarity especially important in a prison setting? What happens when prison ministry is conducted without a sound theological foundation?

How should a ministry team handle the emotional toll of prison work? What structures and practices can prevent burnout?

What is the appropriate balance between optimism and realism when setting expectations for prison ministry? How does the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) inform this balance?

How can a cell phone dramatically improve the quality of life and spiritual advancement of a Christian inmate? In terms of the right use of illegal or prohibited things, by what standard do Christians determine what is right and wrong: the Bible or public policy?