In prison ministry I was often asked if I was being paid to do what I did in prison. As I grew in my understanding I learnt that generally speaking they were suspicious of professional psychiatrists and counsellors. Their way of finding out if I was a real person I suppose. My answer was that. I was paid to be a youth worker but I chose to go to their prison – I didn’t have to [and neither did I earn any extra]. That answer seemed to satisfy them.

Adam committed his offence at 14 years old – there aren’t many armed robbers at that age so he was a bit of a celebrity and many professional people wanted to understand what motivated him and why he committed his crime. Adam, like many young people his age, resented their probing questions and fascination with him – so he played the game.

He answered their questions in the way he believed they wanted them to be answered [plus he added just a little extra spice as he went along]. He would almost giggle when he recounted the tales of his ‘sessions’ in his previous placement. [Technically Adam wasn't old enough at 14 to be put into prison so he was housed in a secure unit].

Why did you do it Adam? they asked. Power was his usual reply; control; provoking fear – he told them he was motivated by those things.

What I find amazing is that the Adam I knew wouldn’t behave that way at all. the answer was far simpler [but less dramatic] – he needed the money to buy the drugs.

Why do I tell you this? It’s all in the perception – Adam perceived [rightly or wrongly] they didn’t care about him as a person but he was just a client, a rare client at his age.

With me he saw that I cared – if we can communicate care then our youth ministry will blossom and grow.

For those of you that have been involved in the prison system – either as part of your ministry, your past or your profession – you will know some of the hierarchy details. In some senses it is the opposite to ‘life on the out’. The bigger your crime the higher your status (sex offenders excluded). So Adam had instant respect as he arrived in the prison I worked in.

Even though he was on the juvenile unit, I eventually persuaded the senior chaplain to accept Adam as the chaplaincy orderly. (A job that was highly prized – either because they could chat with me or have personal access to cups of coffee – or maybe both!) The reasons I wanted him as an orderly were:

• He had the respect of the other inmates – which meant he wouldn’t be taken advantage of and bullied into providing other people with coffee.
• His work ethic was exemplary and he was always willing to volunteer to help in any way he could.
• He was a reformed young man – whilst he could never be considered a ‘softie’ he was certainly gentle and kind hearted.
• All of those attributes contributed to the fact that I liked the guy (and why I am still in touch 9 years and 12,000 miles later – but thats for later in the story)

As I am writing this my mind went back to a time when 2 cigarettes and a block of Bourneville chocolate was stolen from the chaplaincy centre, (Bourneville, for those of you not living in countries served by Cadbury’s chocolate is a plain, dark chocolate). Adam was furious that they had gone ‘on his watch’ and the word was put out to find the culprit. I hastily amended the finer points of the request by stating I wanted to see him rather than Adam.

The thief arrived in my office within the hour and whilst I can no longer recall his name I can still see his face – he was reasonably scared. By the time we met both the cigarettes and the chocolate had been consumed and he was very grateful for my intervention! He readily agreed to ‘earn’ his stolen fruit by working in the chapel and Adam readily agreed to supervise and ensure he worked with suitable effort. I am sure Adam did it for the good of the chaplaincy and not because it was his chocolate – unavailable in prison but brought in as a gift from a grateful boss.

But my digression has meant I must come back to Adam in a future post.

This young guy, he was aged 20 and new to this particular prison, came up to me and asked:

“Are you a chaplain?” (This was the disturbing one as I wondered if I looked like a chaplain or if he had been given the heads up by another inmate). Upon receiving my reply he went on to ask what I later learnt was his regular question for anyone religious: “If the devil repented would God have him back?”

Theology is an interesting subject with many levels – many way out of my depth for sure so the question caught me a little surprised. Of course I didn’t show it but when on to answer along these lines.

1. We both understand that this is a hypothetical question as the end of the book shows that the devil didn’t repent at all
2. The Bible tells us that he was previously an angel.
3. There are very few details of angels but we do learn that they rejoice when we repent. Luke 15:10
4. 1 Peter 1:12 implies that angels would love to understand this repentance/salvation thing some more.

So I thought, in conclusion – there was no way the devil could repent.

I then asked the young guy a question in return, in fact I asked if I could ask him a question and being polite he replied that I could.

When are you going to repent, I asked.

Repent is a word I rarely use even in the church so never outside it, but it was introduced by the young inmate so I felt it appropriate to bounce it back. The discussion between us both lasted approximately 3 months until his release.

I love Relational Youth Ministry – it is so varied.

Tags: troubled adolescents, troubled teenagers, troubled teens, prison ministry