II. THE PATH FORWARD AND A NEW PARADIGM
The path forward for congregations that are willing but feeling unable isn’t simply a technical one. Leaders can’t make simple operational tweaks to their congregations to overcome the welter of challenges that block most congre- gations from engaging in valuable, feasible, and sustainable reentry ministry. For most congregations, the path forward will probably require both laying a solid biblical foundation, perhaps for the first time, and framing a new para- digm for thinking about, discussing, planning for, and carrying out an effec- tive reentry ministry. The Minefield Of Desistance: Welcoming The Prodigal Back Home There are a number of places in Scripture where we can begin to lay a foun- dation for reentry ministry. For example, Underground Ministries of Mount Vernon, Washington, has a very thoughtful reflection on Jesus’ raising of Lazarus as a window into the “tombs of incarceration” and the work of rolling away the stone barriers that separate the incarcerated from mainstream life. But it’s almost impossible to improve on Jesus’ parable of the man and his two sons as a starting point. I invite you to listen to how this familiar story, often called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, reads against the backdrop of recent research into desistance from crime. Let’s start with a little thought experiment. Imagine that you woke up this morning in the middle of a minefield. You look around and it’s smoky and foggy. You can’t see ten feet in front of you. And you can’t stay for long where you are because there’s danger and destruction on every side. Landmines! You hear voices yelling, “Do this! Don’t do that!” What do you do? The answer is... Follow the footsteps of the guy who got out successfully. I first heard this word picture from a conference speaker in Atlanta in early 2022. He used this image to describe what it’s like when men and women are leaving incarceration. He was describing people who are trying to make their way through the smoke and fog of reentry, through the landmines of isola-
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