Jail Population and Church

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Yesterday, I came across this startling report that for the first time in history, more than one in a hundred Americans are behind bars. 2,319,258 people are locked up in America's jails and prisons.

That means that next Sunday morning there will be twelve times more Americans in the caboose than in all the Wesleyan Chuches across our land combined!

Yikes!! We'd better start "ramping it up!"

Methinks, if churches did their job better, the prison population would be decreasing rather than increasing.

Comments

  1. Anonymous11:22 AM

    or maybe another way to look at is that the world was a better place when we could pray in schools, have crosses on public property and the 10 commandments in courtrooms.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5:50 PM

    You can prabably trace it back to Dr. Spock and poeple like him. Don't you dare displine your kids!!! Then we wonder why there are a bunch of out of control young and old adults.

    We are way to easy on most of these criminals. A little harder punishment might deter others from doing the same.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:12 PM

    I wonder how many of the good Christians attending church each and every Sunday give a thought to those in jail, perhaps even former members of their congregations. Or is it 'out of sight, out of mind'? Or are prisoners just people others can feel superior to or gossip about? How about reaching out to them?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:14 PM

    We're blessed to have our county jail right at the end of main street, and for many, right on the way to church. A perfect opportunity while waiting at the stop sign to say a prayer for those inside.
    Unfortunately, unless a prisoner makes a visitor's list (at least in this jail), you can't just go and visit, even if it's family. But prayer has no boundary.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous2:55 PM

    One cool thing about being a pastor is that we get to go right inside the jail and visit -- without having to talk through a glass. I was just there last week, and my friend there said it couldn't have come at a better time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5:34 PM

    Yes, I know you have to be on a visitor's list unless you are a pastor. But, that does not stop us from helping the families of the prisoners. How about sending the prisoner and his/her family a letter of encouragement/caring.

    Of course, prayer is much better than gossiping, but not near as much fun for many of us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5:36 PM

    Mark,

    Thanks for calling him your friend. We tend to label people too often.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:15 AM

    "Been there, done that"
    Inmates do get to put people on the visitor's list. We pick people that care and do not look down on us.

    ReplyDelete

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