Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street. 50 years ago, Chuck Coulson founded an organization that God has used to change the lives of millions of men, women, and children across the globe. The story of prison fellowship ministries had an unlikely beginning. Charles W.
Chuck Coulson, known at the time as President Nixon's Hatchet Man, was a new Christian when he was serving prison time for a Watergate-related offense. His faith was tested behind bars, but he was sustained by the unwavering support of his wife Patty and many new Christian friends from the outside. He focused his energy on ministering to his fellow inmates. Near the end of his time in prison, a large fellow prisoner named Archie confronted him. Hey, Colson, he snarled.
You'll be out of here soon.
So what are you going to do for us? Chuck said, I will help in some way. I'll never forget you guys or this stinking place. Bull, Archie yelled back. I've seen big shots like you come and go.
They all say the same thing while they're on the inside. Then they get out and forget us fast. There ain't nobody that cares about us. Nobody. And that's what did it.
Or better said, that's how God did it. Chuck Coulson launched what became the largest prison ministry in the world.
Well, because someone told him he wouldn't. On August the 9, 1976, Chuck filed papers to incorporate prison fellowship as a non-profit ministry. He not only kept his promise to remember those who were in prison, he mobilized thousands of Christian volunteers and churches to do the same thing. For 50 years now, men and women behind bars and their families have heard the good news of Jesus Christ through Bible studies, seminars, and mentoring. Leaders have been trained.
Children have been remembered. Justice has increased. Churches have been founded. And lies have been made new in Jesus Christ. For example, aiming to break the cycle of crime and incarceration, Prison Fellowship has mobilized thousands of churches and volunteers through the ministry of Angel Tree, which delivers Christmas gifts to the children of prisoners in the name of their incarcerated parents.
Today, 1 in 28 U.S. children have a parent behind bars, with the majority of those parents being fathers. The Angel Tree program provides gifts to children whose parents are in prison from their incarcerated parents. It's a way for families to stay connected while also hearing the hope of the gospel. Angel Tree also provides opportunities for these children to go to camp in the summer.
Chuck also led Prison Fellowship to advocate for biblically based justice reform, to train wardens and prison staff to help those who leave prison make a crime-free return to their communities. and his work continues to bear fruit. Just a few weeks ago, Joshua Smith, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, praised the longstanding and new work of prison fellowship, saying, quote, I've seen firsthand the impact that ministries like prison fellowship have on the inmate population. It's exciting to envision the impact that this expanded partnership with prison fellowship will have on the incarcerated and their families. Prison Fellowship is a tremendous example of something that Chuck often said, of the church being the church.
That ministry has been transformative for thousands through justice reform initiatives, in-prison outreaches and programs, family ministries, warden training, and church partnerships. In his 36 years of public ministry, Chuck advised presidents, received honorary degrees, and won the nation's highest civilian award. But he often said that the greatest joy in his life were the living monuments of God's grace, the prisoners who were transformed by the love of Jesus Christ. As he said several years ago, looking back on 30 years of his own Christian journey, and I quote, The truth that is uppermost in my mind today is that God isn't finished. As long as we're alive, He's at work in our lives.
We can live lives of obedience in any field because God providentially arranges the circumstances of our lives to achieve His objectives. I want to invite you to join Prison Fellowship's next 50 years of ministry, participate in Angel Tree, pray, donate, or go join them in visiting those in prison. To learn more, go to prisonfellowship.org. That's prisonfellowship.org. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with Breakpoint.
And thanks today to Arnold of Edmonton, Alberta for being a Cornerstone Monthly partner of the Colson Center. You helped make this episode of Breakpoint possible. If you're a fan of Breakpoint, leave us a review wherever you download your podcast and find more resources or share this commentary with others by going to breakpoint.org. Has AI made humans replaceable? Do the promises of AI outweigh the perils?
What does it mean to be human in an AI age? These are just some of the questions we'll be exploring during a free live stream event on August 6th. We'll be joined by John Stone Street, Abdu Murray, Gretchen Heisinga, and John Lennox, leading thinkers on faith and AI, who will help us understand how to navigate this new technological landscape, considering our role as image-bearers of God. This event is free, but registration is required. Register today at colsoncenter.org/slash livestream.
That's colsoncenter.org slash livestream.
