Dear John,
We recently wrapped up our fiscal year, and my team and I have been reflecting on the amazing ways we’ve seen God work in and through Prison Fellowship during an unprecedented year. The Lord provided His creativity and energy not only to keep the ministry moving forward but thriving beyond anything we could have imagined. We’re working on our annual report, which will feature all the amazing work the Lord has done these past 12 months. For now, I wanted to share a few highlights that I’m praising God for today.
As prisons shut down and much of our field staff was unable to go inside, we looked for ways to continue to minister to and support those we serve. One way we did this was to start hundreds of small groups across the country using our own Outrageous Justice small-group curriculum. We invited volunteers and families with incarcerated loved ones to join us in seeking the Lord’s heart for justice. We were overwhelmed with the number of people who participated, and we’ve been receiving stories of lives being changed through these groups.
One of those stories was from Adriana, whose nephew, Dustin, had been arrested and was facing a possible prison sentence. Adriana began researching organizations that could help and found Prison Fellowship. She reached out to our team and was invited to join one of the Outrageous Justice groups, which she did. What she found was more than just a lesson in God’s heart for justice—she found a community that cared.
“Prison Fellowship became a safe place for me. I found a community that nurtured me during a dark time. Reading testimonies on Facebook and on the website uplifted me. I would get the emails of all these stories of people who had gone to prison and not only survived it but thrived because of it. It restored them. These stories really grew a sense of hope in me.”
Adriana was changed through this process, and she was able to support her nephew, Dustin, as he was sentenced to 15 years of probation. He has a long road ahead of him, but with the right support, he, too, can be restored to God and his community.
The challenges faced by people like Dustin can be overwhelming. The work we do through the Prison Fellowship Academy plays an important role in ensuring our graduates are prepared for the journey home as they get out of prison. But it’s not easy. That’s why we also spent time this past year working on A New Day 1 <[link removed]>, a new documentary short that shares the ups and downs of three Academy graduates as they return home and navigate the challenges of reintegrating into their communities. The stories of Hajee, Alona, and Jason will both move you and remind you why much work must still be done to ensure that all those who have paid their debt are given a chance for full restoration. I encourage you to watch.
With that work still ahead of us in mind, our team came together to discuss the mission that our founder, Chuck Colson, began more than 40 years ago. It was, and continues to be, grounded in the biblical principle that everyone is created in God’s image, and there is no one who cannot be restored through the love of Christ. At Prison Fellowship, the question Who is my neighbor? <[link removed]> is not rhetorical. It's not philosophical. Who is my neighbor? is, in fact, foundational and drives all we do—within prison cells and in the halls of power—as we uplift the essential biblical mandate "Love your neighbor as yourself."
And that’s why we work hard every day to continue the legacy of our founder to advance justice that restores and reflects the God-given value of every person. People in prison are not the “other.” They are our people. People down the road in a community not so unlike our own. Leaning in and learning more about those in prison and their stories will change them and you. As Adriana shared, “This experience with Dustin and Outrageous Justice helped me to view people differently. I feel so passionate to help promote awareness and to advocate for justice that restores the victims and the person who committed the crime. I think that's our best solution.”
We agree! Will you join us? <[link removed]>
All that the Lord has done through this ministry is only possible through your support <[link removed]>, so thank you for your faithfulness. We would be honored to lift up any prayer requests <[link removed]> you or your loved ones may have as we gather together for prayer.
God's Blessings,









JAMES J. ACKERMAN

President and Chief Executive Officer










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