Convicts Converted to Christians

By Dennis King

Included in this brief essay are several true stories of convicts converted as Christians while in prison. Are they true believers? No more or less than the percentage of many people attending church that are spoon fed the gospel with closed eyes, ears, and cold hearts. Often, if you don’t agree with those parishioners, talk like them or dress like them, criticisms and barriers are raised. Christian parolees and ex-cons face fiercer discrimination almost daily.

Not all published studies sort inmate data the same way. Most recidivism studies disclose an overall reincarnation rate of 60% within a three years span after release. Since 1980, the number of USA incarcerated inmates has ballooned from 500,000 to over 2.2 million people currently in the nation’s prisons and jails — a 500% increase over the last forty years. Then consider the almost 4,000,000 ex-cons in the parole system. The prison inmate and parole aggregation exceeds the population of most cities in the United States except the very largest; New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Just because a person goes to the wrong side of the tracks and gets into trouble, doesn’t mean that he or she is destined to stay on the wrong side of society forever.

Statistics from the Justice Quarterly details Bible study participation, at the rate of 10 or more sessions per year, significantly lowers the likelihood of arrest during the follow-up period compared to non-participating prisoners. With 25 or more Bible study sessions per year, none of the released inmates were arrested during the follow-up year. A more recent study, tracking these same prisoners for an additional seven years, found that regular participation in volunteer-led Bible studies significantly lowered rates of recidivism for two and even three years past release.

But that does not change the facts that prisoners face almost insurmountable challenges when they return to society. When an inmate professes faith in prison that does not change the struggles of stable employment, acceptable housing, adequate transportation, and supportive family members. Because of these and other reentry difficulties, it is only a matter of time before many ex-prisoners return to prison. Many inmates, who experienced religious conversions in prison, are either unable or unwilling once released from prison to connect with a local congregation. When that happens, many will be behind bars again. What is your church going to do to reach out to the same kinds of people Paul dedicated his missionary endeavors towards?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dennis King
• Release date: Mar 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005763770

Dennis King

Hello friends, if you are looking to download my free or low-cost selections of books and essays, you've reached the right place. All you have to do is scroll down a couple of pages to peruse those offerings.What is your favorite reading genre? If you like adventures or stories with military intrigue, try “Betrayed by Soldiers” and follow that up with “Deep Cover Shakedown.” If you like poetry, you can read 20,000 words of original, rhythmical composition in “Romantic Poetry”? By poking around in the nooks and crannies of the offerings listed you will find illustrated children's stories, Sci-Fi, and many short essays that have proved useful in informal Bible Studies or self-help for the troubled souls suffering from worry or anxieties.For those of you that wish to know a little about me, after growing up in the small town of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, I served for twenty years in the military. During that time, I served two volunteer tours in classified combat situations and flew more than 100 combat missions manning a .50 machine gun from the side-door of a Marine helicopter at the height of the war. After being promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6), I requested Officer Candidate School. As a Signal Officer, I served in Field Artillery, Signal Battalions, and Recruiting Command. My last assignment was at the Pentagon with the Army Research & Development Agency.For the avid card players out there, I invented and offer TOSS Playing Cards, comprised of an eight-suited deck that plays every card game you know with more excitement and challenges. The deck can be reviewed at Toss.iWARP.com.Retired, I now serve as a Red Cross Disaster Services team member and Spiritual Care. Please, feel free to email any comments, favorable or not. Every author, like to hear from the fans or critics. You can reach me directly at [e-mail].

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