CrossPoint Inside is our ministry inside the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. It started in 2018 with Rod Sims, Larry Hoover, and myself (Shawn Powell) attending the east unit with a DVD of the previous week’s sermon. The group started off small in one of the classrooms, but soon grew big enough to where we had to move locations to the visitation area. This ministry is currently going strong and is now under the leadership of Gary Whited.
Why would we do prison ministry? Good question. I think it is one of the most forgotten and neglected groups to take the gospel to. If we don’t share the good news with them, who will? One thing that is very evident with prison ministry is the cycle of brokenness. Many of these men have experienced traumatic and rough lives growing up. Many of them are fatherless. They’ve learned how to survive and provide from people who more than likely were not great influences on them. Now, does all of this excuse their behavior? Absolutely not. There are consequences for all our actions. But when Jesus looked at the crowd, his overwhelming emotion was not apathy or anger, “he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). In addition to compassion, it’s commanded to care for those in prison in Scripture (see Hebrews 13:3). As an act of compassion and obedience, we as Christians can look at prison ministry as a chance to see the gospel change lives.
With the success of CrossPoint Inside in Hutchinson, we are targeting Ellsworth next. We have a few churches within an hour radius of Ellsworth that may be capable of producing volunteers to help. If anyone has been involved with the prison ministry in the past, you know it is all about getting volunteers to sign up and go through the required training. The next training for Ellsworth is Wednesday, July 17th. If you are interested, please reach out to your location pastor and let them know.
And whether you can volunteer or not, I would humbly ask that you pray for those in prison. A person’s decisions that result in prison time affects more than just that person. It affects multiple families and generations. Please pray that their eyes are opened to their sin, that they confess and repent of it, and that they put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He’s the only One that can transform the heart and bring newness of life.