participants to meet in the church basement on a Monday night is one thing. The prospect of intentionally inviting them to worship in the pews, use the restrooms, and mingle in the fellowship hall on a Sunday can feel more intru- sive than attractive. Many congregations operate in the dark. The lack of exposure to and mys- tery surrounding the correctional environment leaves churches with many mistaken preconceptions. Opportunities remain. Make no mistake: Taken together, these challenges are significant, widespread, and persistent. But they can and are being ad- dressed and overcome in communities across the country. There’s a path for- ward as well as reproducible and workable models that can be adopted by ordinary congregations of every stripe. Not every congregation is ready and willing to engage in effective reentry ministry, but a significant number are willing, if not yet ready. Based on years of conversations with congregational leaders, the following matrix is my own rough personal estimation of how or- dinary congregations divide out when it comes to their willingness and ability to engage in reentry ministry.
Feeling Unable
Feeling Able
50% Willing but Feeling Unable (open to change, but modestly resourced and feeling stuck)
5% Willing and Able (both motivated and well-resourced; many already involved at some level) 10% Able but Unwilling (well-resourced but focused on other things)
Willing
35% Unable and Unwilling (struggling and focused on other things)
Unwilling
The greatest opportunity seems to lie with the 50% of congregations who are motivated to do something but aren’t sure how to make that happen. If that describes your congregation, keep reading.
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