Taking Teen Challenge to the Imprisoned
You’ve heard it all before. Volunteers, alumni, alumni, volunteers. An incredible, valuable resource to equip, train, and send out. With the Baby Boomer generation retiring at a record pace, 78 million, and the record number of alumni graduating our programs, we can change America!
One of the largest mission fields right here in the US are jails, detention centers, and prisons. With over 2.3 million incarcerated, it’s a wide open opportunity and a captive audience. I can’t think of a better ministry, as influential, and as active across this land as Teen Challenge. We are the ones who attract volunteers and have graduating students who want and need to be active in ministry, giving out because so much has been given to them.
“Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison.” – Hebrews 13:3
Transformation Project is one of many models of corrections ministry that can be adapted by even the smallest of our Teen Challenge family of ministries. Founder and former Teen Challenge, USA President, Wayne Keylon has gained much favor with the corrections officials in Hamilton County and the surrounding counties of northeast TN and northern Georgia, and has ministry inside the jail, and a pre-release program outside the jail. With the use of Life-coaches for call-in accountability, and the use of church “campus” facilities, ex-offenders meet 2 nights a week for encouragement & accountability. Using the Living Free training for facilitators, small groups are a key component to disciple these new believers, a relevant and relational curriculum reliable to the Word.
Jerry Aspinwall, a Teen Challenge alumnus of over 30 years, and former Correctional Officer, retired to the mountains of northern Arkansas, hoping to live out the rest of his life in quiet solitude with his family. His father, Dr. A.J. Aspinwall, with the help of the late Reg Yake, was instrumental in the formation of the Columbus, GA women’s center (see pg 90, 50th Anniversary Teen Challenge, USA). As a Teen Challenge alumni, Jerry knew firsthand the pain of addictions and the emotional cost to family members. Jerry contacted Teen Challenge and Living Free was recommended. Soon he was active in a state prison, this time with Christ-centered recovery groups, 4 days a week!
The United States is by far the most incarcerated nation in the world. We make up 5% of the world’s population, yet we make up 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. 6 to 8 times as many as most other developed countries. Why? Because of the War on Drugs. Trillions spent, failing to curtail supply & demand.
With the vast majority of inmates incarcerated due to addictions, why should we ignore such a vast mission field? Retired volunteers and alumni are waiting. Are we willing to train and invest, and see God transform lives inside the prison walls?
