Why spend every Friday morning with a group of twelve or so men - most of whom I won't likely ever see again once they are released?  Some whom I will, statistically speaking, be likely to keep seeing for some time?  What's the point with it all?

There are lots of potential answers.  Many of which have very hopeful outcomes and the possibility of turning into statistics should the need ever arise, either to justify myself to someone else, or to justify me to myself.  

But every Friday, my goal has to be very simple.  I want these men to hear the Gospel.  To hear that God's love for them is not conditional on their fixing their lives, kicking their addictions, paying their debt to society, or any number of other very valid and necessary things.  God's love is not dependent on how good they can or can't be.  God's love is dependent solely on one thing and one person - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

I have many hopes for these men, many prayers.  So much potential there, so much possibility!  But my purpose is to speak the Gospel in as many ways as I can think of, so that they might hear it, and take hope and joy in that.  Regardless of when they're released.  Regardless of whether or not they are arrested and imprisoned again.  Regardless of anything else in their lives.  

It's the same message that every one of us needs to hear and take to heart.  Because sin builds prisons in which we all can languish to varying degrees.  Sometimes the bars are just more obvious, the standard issue clothes more conspicuous.  Each of us needs to hear personally, repeatedly "...he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;" (Isaiah 61:1)