Effective Reentry Ministry for Ordinary Congregations

your church’s size or giftedness, you can provide deep purpose, real belong- ing, and a new identity. Bottom line: It’s time to start thinking differently. Think G race instead of karma. Think R estoration instead of retribution. Think of what people actually need instead of what you think they deserve. Think A ssets and strengths instead of needs and risks. Think of what return- ing citizens can bring to the table instead of what they might take from it. Think N etworking. Think of being a strong link in a chain instead of doing all or nothing. Think D esistance. Think of the transformative power of acceptance and be- longing and new identity in Christ instead of abdicating to professional in- terventions. Here are some thought-provoking resources that can help reframe your thinking. Braithwaite, John. Crime, Shame, and Reintegration. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Johnson, Byron R. More God, Less Crime: Why Faith Matters and How It Could Matter More. West Conshohocken, PA, 2011. Lampman, Lisa Barnes and Michelle D. Shattuck, eds. God and the Victim: Theological Reflections on Evil, Victimization, and Forgiveness. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. Toews, Barb. The Little Book of Restorative Justice for People in Prison: Rebuild- ing the Web of Relationships . New York: Good Books, 2006. Zehr, Howard. Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice. Third Edition . Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2005.

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