Prison Ministry

It began with a simple letter.

Jim Cook explained to me how he had been involved with his former church’s youth group, led college and career planning classes, and dabbled in a few other ministries while trying to discover what his spiritual gifts were.

Then one day a gentleman leading an Ohio prison ministry asked Jim to consider writing letters to inmates who had expressed a desire to be shepherded. Leary at first, Jim began writing inmates and soon discovered he had a heart for forging Christian fellowship with men who were in such bleak circumstances as prison.

Somewhat contrary to his expectations, Jim also discovered there were many Christians and seekers behind bars. One man in particular was a passionate Believer, he recalled. “Before it was over with, he was shepherding me.”

A few months after he began writing this inmate, Jim was given an opportunity to go visit the man. “After meeting him and being there worshiping with the other inmates I knew I was hooked,” he said. Wanting to become even more involved with the ministry, he moved from letter writing to become an active member of the prison worship team. Traveling to all the prisons throughout Ohio, sometimes departing at 4:30 in the morning and traveling five hours each way, he participated in worship services for the inmates, singing, preaching and praying for men behind bars.

When he moved to Atlanta fourteen years ago, one of the first things on Jim’s mind was where to get plugged into a prison ministry. After searching a number of years and finding none, he finally ventured into a Christian bookstore and asked the clerk if the store happened to be sending Bibles to any area jails or prisons. “Sometimes,” she answered, but couldn’t provide any other information. Jim left his phone number anyway and hoped something would become of it.

A few days later, Doyle King, a man in his eighties, called. “I hear you’re interested in the prison ministry,” Mr. King said. “I’d love to have you join me at the Gwinnett County Jail.” With that phone call Jim found his way back to the prison ministry, and returned to his passion with good company. Mr. King had been single-handedly ministering to prisoners in jails around Atlanta for nearly fifty years.

Nine years later, Mr. King has slowed down but Jim still visits the Gwinnett County Jail every Thursday evening. Beginning with one unit housing seventy-five men, Jim, with the help of two other gentlemen, Bob Fortin and Dan Fitzpatrick, now serves four units and three hundred men at the Gwinnett County Jail.

When Jim and his team arrive, fifteen or so prisoners in each unit will join one of the volunteers for ninety minutes of Bible study. “With only three of us in the ministry,” Jim explained, “we can’t get to all four units each Thursday. We have to rotate through the units, skipping one each week. Right now the jail administration is unwilling to let us bring in a fourth ministry volunteer, but we are praying God will change their hearts on that matter so that we can provide all the men with an opportunity for Bible study each week. I believe if we pray often enough and petition the Lord, the doors will open and we will be able to add one more volunteer. We need to take the Word to these men. So many of them are in the middle of very dark spiritual battles; they constantly ask me to pray for them.”

I asked Jim what keeps him motivated when those he shepherds could so easily be angry and hopeless, maybe even place him at risk.

“I’ve been there preaching or conducting a Bible study when all of a sudden one of the men will stand up, hold his hands in the air and tell me he wants to be saved. Other inmates who are Christians and I will lay hands on that one man and pray over him; we’ve even baptized men in there. I get to see God move among us.”

Acknowledging that his passion for the ministry is obvious, I asked Jim why he loves it so much.

“All these years later, even though we went there to serve the prisoners, when we are leaving the prison one or more of us will say ‘it feels like it was me who was blessed tonight.’ We agree that is the reward for exercising the gifts God gave us,” he explained.

Although he, Bob and Dan have a heart for the prison ministry, Jim acknowledges it isn’t for everyone. The prisoners’ offenses range from DUI to murder. They range in age from the early twenties to seventy, and are serving terms that span decades to life.

“It can be a scary place at times. That’s why we want to start a letter writing ministry, so that anyone with the time to write a single letter can offer a little compassion to someone who basically has none in their life.” Jim turned and looked out a window at the blue sky, green grass and people walking past. “Imagine being in jail twenty or more years, your scenery and routine never changing, and then imagine how powerful it could be to receive an occasional letter that offers friendship and the love of Christ.”

Yes, imagine how powerful it could be to receive a simple letter that offers the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. And then imagine how much more powerful it would be if all the men in the four units on the fourth floor of the Gwinnett County Jail could count on the opportunity to sit down once a week with a loving Christian willing to lead him to Christ.

Let us support Jim, Bob and Dan by praying for their ministry. Let’s ask God to soften the hearts of those who currently withhold permission to add a fourth ministry volunteer. And as a congregation, let’s prayerfully consider beginning a letter writing ministry for these prisoners.

For as we’ve seen by now, there is much a simple letter can do.

To learn more about this ministry, or to volunteer to write letters, contact Jim Cook at jcooking@gmail.com