Ex-Prisoners Desperate For Redemption, Second Chance

In a cancel culture, grace and mercy often fall to the wayside. But Heather Rice-Minus, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship, a ministry serving the incarcerated and their families, believes everyone is entitled to a second chance. That’s why her organization launched Second Chance Month in 2017, an effort to support men and women with a criminal record who are looking to restart their lives on a positive footing.

Each year, Prison Fellowship designates April as a time of reflection and action to take steps that help formerly incarcerated people overcome roadblocks to success. And with bi-partisan appeal, both former president Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have put out proclamations in support of Second Chance Month. It’s a message Rice-Minus believes every Christian should openly herald.

“If we believe in the message of grace, if we believe in the message of redemption, then we have to believe it, not just selectively, but for everyone,” Rice-Minus told CBN News. “And, so, that includes people who are in prison.” She said this doesn’t mean everyone will definitively make positive change, but that Christians are “supposed to believe that, through Christ, anyone can change.” This, she said, is one of the most encouraging elements of the Gospel.

“One of the most beautiful messages of the Gospel is that we don’t earn it,” Rice-Minus said. “It’s all through the power of Christ. And so, I think it’s a great time of year, coming off of Easter, to remember that the power of the cross is there for everybody.” Rice-Minus said there are 70 million Americans with a criminal record, noting this “pervasive problem” touches millions of Americans’ lives. “A lot of times people complete their punishment in prison, or getting their criminal record and community supervision — whatever it may be … and they think they’re done,” she said. “But a lot of times people come out and they face a lot of challenges.”

These challenges include restrictions on housing or employment and struggles getting a job. Watch Rice-Minus explain how she’s hoping the church can step in to help ease these burdens.

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