Key Question: How do we lift our eyes up to see the work that God is doing in hidden places, and what would it look like for us to join in on a local level?
2.3 million people in the U.S. are affected by incarceration each year, and less than 15% of inmates are serving life sentences (God Behind Bars). This means the majority of people in prison will be released back into society at some point. Yet, these individuals are some of the most unlikely to see and hear the love of Jesus. The truth is, people who live behind bars are often out of sight and out of mind in the day-to-day lives of Christians.
Here to change that reality is today’s guest—Jake Bodine, the founder and CEO of God Behind Bars.
Jake is a passionate entrepreneur with a huge heart for seeing those who are lost find Jesus and know Him personally. He is also dedicated to using his gifts and talents to get the Church excited about prison ministry so we can uplift the forgotten society behind prison walls.
In this episode, you’ll hear about our biblical call to serve the “least of these,” why it is important to bring the Gospel to people who are imprisoned, how serving others deepens your own spiritual journey, and so much more.
NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR IMPLICATIONS:
- People in prison are often those whose lives have spiraled out of control due to tragedy and brokenness. More than anything else, they need hope, purpose, and a sense of value.
- Just like the story of the Unforgiving Debtor (Matthew 18:21-35), we are called to practice a theology of forgiveness toward others to the same extent as we ourselves have been forgiven by Christ.
- Up to 90% of those incarcerated will re-enter society again one day (God Behind Bars). As their neighbors and members of the local church, we can help them bridge the gap between incarceration and freedom.
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Meet Our Guest
Jake Bodine is the founder and CEO of God Behind Bars and The PandoApp. God Behind Bars exists to do the hard work of introducing inmates to Jesus and connecting them to the local church. Jake is a passionate entrepreneur with a huge heart to see those who are lost find Jesus and use his gifts to change the world for the forgotten society behind prison walls. He now lives in Texas with his wife and 5 children.
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