Serving a prison sentence can be a window of opportunity for God to reach inmates and families, and He usually chooses us to be His messengers and hands. Here are some ways you can take action.

Write a prisoner. Your inspirational notes, birthday cards, and Christmas cards may be the only correspondence received. Safeguard your privacy. Use a pen name, instead of your real name, and don’t include personal details in your letters. Many prison correspondence programs set up a central P.O. box, so individual participants don’t have to reveal home addresses.

Offer support for physical needs. Although inmates receive basic supplies, they often depend on outside help for additional clothing and personal items. Ask if prison regulations permit donations for inmates. If so, perhaps give through your community services ministry. An inmate's family often struggles to meet basic living expenses. When you reach out to these families, you demonstrate God’s love in a powerful way.

Connect inmates with pastors. Encourage your pastor to conduct regular services and Bible studies with inmates. Prisoners are exposed to a variety of spiritual doctrines, which can be very confusing. You can work with the pastor to make the ministry a success.

Establish a Christian halfway house. Many inmates want to start a new life when released. An alarmingly high percentage fail, often because they return to the environment that led to their imprisonment. A halfway house run by dedicated, trained Christians offers a prayerful, spiritual environment while they adjust to life outside.

by Jon Anderson and Wilma Hanson