Practical Christianity and Prison Ministry 2

 

Few things have as public an effect as crime. Admittedly, the deed itself may be planned and executed in secret but the effects reverberate through the whole of society. From the corruption-based thieving of government ministers throughout the continent to gang-related murder on the streets of townships in South Africa, criminality affects everyone and for those who are caught, incarceration is the outcome for most (unless they have the influence and wealth to avoid it): the less fortunate suffer violent mob justice.

Why should Christians be interested in ministering to those in prison? Shouldn’t those convicted of crime be left to face the consequences of their actions in state-sanctioned punishment, locked away so they’re no longer a threat to society?

Perhaps we should go back to basics. Truly living a Christian life means doing away with the false distinction between what we do and say in church on a Sunday and how we live during the rest of the week at home or work, in the messiness, pain and glory of everyday life. It means getting out of the Christian ghetto and into the nitty gritty of life. If we say we are following Jesus then we need to follow him wherever he leads and not quibble over the difference between sacred and secular, church and life. If we say that Jesus is Lord then we have to take notice of what he says and not try to explain it away because we’re not comfortable with the implications for our own lives or self-image.

Before we consider actually going into a prison to minister to those incarcerated let’s look at Jesus’ attitude towards the undesirables in his society. Did he keep his hands clean and his reputation untainted by associating only with the respectable? We know about Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees as “whitewashed tombs” (Matt. 23:27) - very proper on the outside but inside full of hypocrisy and decay. We know how he says that it’s not what goes into a person or is on the outside that defiles him but what comes from within (Matt. 15:16-20). We’re also aware of how Jesus was condemned and gossiped about for associating with “tax collectors and sinners”, yet a lot of those who claim him as their Lord are too worried about what people may think to follow him truly.

Many church goers in Africa would rather see a person lost for eternity than continue a soul-winning conversation in a bar or shebeen. Why? Is the fear of what other church members might think or say more important than following in the steps of Jesus? Jesus welcomed prostitutes; he called a tax collector (Matthew) to follow him, the equivalent in today’s Africa of asking an extremely corrupt and extortionate government official to meet Jesus. It’s not who or what surrounds a person on the outside that defiles him. Believers carry the light of the Holy Spirit into whatever dark place they are called to go and darkness cannot quench that fire. The pure of heart have nothing to fear from guilt by association, just as Jesus himself was never contaminated by the company he kept. The fearful and insecure gossip and point fingers; Jesus tells us to follow him. He invited the outcasts to join him. Some of them did, were seen to do so and were welcomed. Are they welcomed in our churches today?

Practical Christianity and Prison Ministry 1

 I was tidying up my files and came across an article I wrote a couple of years ago. It was never distributed so here it is.

For the avoidance of any misunderstanding (especially as I'm posting it in instalments) I firmly believe in people taking responsibility for their actions and facing up to the consequences. I'm not advocating the "it's not my fault I'm a criminal, it was my circumstances" argument. I am saying that human nature is human nature; rebellion against God's ways is rebellion, whether that's expressed practically or internally, but through Jesus there is hope for everyone.

Practical Christianity and Prison Ministry

What impact does Christian faith have on a believer's attitude towards those who commit crime? What should our response be to the incarcerated? Does following Jesus make any practical difference at all?

The results of the Fall in humanity’s sinful nature are a reality of existence on earth. We are all susceptible to self-centredness, greed and pride and, until we come to know Jesus Christ, a driving fear of death. These impulses are controlled to a certain extent in most people but they are there, underlying our choices and actions, acknowledged or not. Some people subsume them into ambition, a desire to succeed, the drive behind invention, riches and power. Others don’t and the raw force of these urges (often coupled with circumstances) can lead them into crime.

Jesus tells us that there isn’t any difference in the Kingdom of God between “legal” and “illegal” actions: sin is sin. Kill a person in most countries and you will be brought before the courts, tried and sentenced to imprisonment. Think about murder in the quiet of your heart and no one takes any notice. Thoughts aren’t important, it’s deeds that count.

That’s not the way God looks at things.

Jesus said, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder you are subject to judgement.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgement. If you call someone an idiot you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone you are in danger of the fires of hell.” (Matt. 5:21-22)

From a heavenly perspective the gap between those incarcerated in prison and those walking the streets unconvicted of any crime is not very large. It can be easy to dismiss convicts as “monsters”, beyond redemption, undeserving of love and salvation because of what they’ve done but can anyone honestly say he or she deserves God’s love and forgiveness?

The distance between how God designed humanity to live and the reality of our fallen state is only too apparent. Families are broken, violence, pain, loss and loneliness suffuse communities. In many places there is no respect for life or property; children are beaten and neglected, left to be brought up by  relatives or fend for themselves. Their fathers are nowhere to be seen and their mothers work long hours or have succumbed to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain. At one end of the spectrum is the man who abrogates all responsibility; at the other is the active criminal, thief, murderer, rapist, who shows respect to no one (unless he has a bigger gun).

The causes of criminality have long been debated and will continue to be. What leads one person born into poverty to strive to overcome his disadvantages and live an honest life, whilst another, born into similar circumstances, chooses crime and ends up in prison? Whatever we think, we need to acknowledge that the seeds of delinquency are within every person born on earth; each one has the potential to commit crimes that lead to incarceration – truly, there but for the grace of God….. With the original rebellion of mankind (Genesis 3), the desire to usurp God’s place and take control ourselves, came the seeds of brokenness and sin that have grown so rampantly throughout the generations.

 At its most basic level crime comes from fear. Fear of not having (can lead to robbery); fear of being powerless, alone and unprotected (gang membership offers a perverted example of acceptance and family life); fear of being inadequate or perceived to be (theft, rape, murder – anything to show you’re a “big man”, respected and powerful); fear of being harmed and so hurting others first; fear of a loveless existence (force “love” through rape, follow your "friends" into crime because you don't want to lose them). Perhaps strongest of all, fear that others will see behind the mask worn to protect yourself and thus uncover your vulnerability.  Aren’t these all symptoms of a broken relationship with God? How many believers, when they look back on the time before they answered Christ’s invitation, can say they never experienced any of these fears even if their response has been different?

Our minds so desperately need renewing (Romans 12:2). The world’s solution to our needs and problems is to say, do it yourself, look out for number one, be self-sufficient. God says, trust me and obey. Is it any wonder that so many people, especially among the young men of Africa, disillusioned by corrupt leaders, high unemployment and inequity in society, turn to the world’s way and take what they feel they need? How are the churches, supposed representatives of God’s family on earth, guiding the lost? Frequently we hear on the news of yet another “pastor” abusing his congregation, sexually and financially. How is the church different from the world? During a chapel service in a theological college in Nigeria the preacher likened the Nigerian church to its fuel stations – one on every corner and none of them with any fuel. Is this the way to make a difference in society, does it show those tempted by crime and despair that there is an alternative?

One of the major shortcomings of the church is its failure to disciple. It’s wonderful to see people converted and brought from darkness to trusting Jesus, but they should not be left there as babies in the faith. Numbers aren’t everything. As a Nigerian discipler heard from God – if you can’t maintain, don’t obtain. Congregations should be teaching and discipling, mentoring and living with those who were once lost but are now found; not merely adding a few extra ticks to the column of converts each year. The Christian life is a matter of preparing for continuous assessment, not passing a one-off exam: a marathon not a sprint. Upon accepting Jesus as personal Saviour and Lord we are granted salvation and adoption into God’s family immediately but the rest of our life is spent completing the course (or running the race as Paul writes in 2 Tim. 4:7). Jesus didn’t command his disciples to make converts, that’s the role of the Holy Spirit, he told them to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). Perhaps if more congregations obeyed these instructions there would be fewer people led astray into crime, spiritually or legally.

Throughout societies in Africa, as well as the rest of the world, we can see the sins of the fathers being visited upon the children (Exodus 34:7). The majority of offenders in South African prisons have absentee fathers, many of whom are incarcerated themselves. Unemployment, drugs, alcohol abuse, gangs, violence are normal parts of life. Many were abused (physically, emotionally, sexually) as children and the cycle continues through the generations unless somebody makes an effort to break it. Where are the Christians in all this? Do the churches teach God’s revolutionary ways or are they too concerned with numbers, tithes and traditions to risk alienating those who are living outside of his directions?

Prison inmates aren’t different in the eyes of God from those who’ve avoided the attentions of the criminal justice system – we are all sinners in need of a Saviour, broken and hurting people who hurt others. God desires that all of us should turn to him and be saved - those who think evil as much as those who put evil into practice. No one who isn’t perfect, without sin and holy can come into his presence and that means no one, except Jesus, can get there. Whether you’re a free person or incarcerated, it makes no difference; the only way you can restore your relationship with God is by surrendering to Jesus – jobs, qualifications and status (gang or otherwise) mean nothing.