Meeting Mr. Colson

"If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everyone."  

-Boston Globe, 1973

Last fall I had the privilege of meeting Chuck Colson.  

You see, one of our prisons has something called InnerChange Freedom Initiative (part of Prison Fellowship Ministries) as one of its treatment programs.  It receives no state money; it's run by volunteers.  And for the prisoners, it's their choice to join.  You might be surprised to know there are a couple hundred guys - inmates, really - who voluntarily want to get up at 6 o'clock every morning (when they could choose other treatment programs with better hours); they have pledged to spend time in their Bibles, in worship, in prayer; they want to stay accountable.  And I've heard there's a waiting list!  The recidivism rates are low, and guys who've made it give back and encourage those still working through the faith-based program.  Ex-offenders are given hope and help to make a valuable contribution to society upon reentry, to reconnect with their families, to support their children, to continue in their faith.  

So when the 10th anniversary of the program's introduction to Minnesota came 'round last fall, I jumped at the chance to attend.  It was held, naturally, in prison.  Let me tell you something: it's actually kind of hard to get into prison.  But one of the "perks" of my job is getting that opportunity.  I finagled an invitation to go to the anniversary celebration, meet Mr. Colson and go to lunch with him and several other Prison Fellowship Ministries people.  

But the biggest part of that opportunity to me?  Was watching Mr. Colson interact with the inmates.  He knew so many of them by name.  He took the time to speak with every one, even just a word and a handshake (if not more).  His attitude spoke volumes in that he genuinely cared for these men.  He was invested in their lives - who they were, who they are, and who they will become.  He was one of them, and had lived through the same struggles, and the inmates knew it.  

A worship service was part of the celebration (and it apparently is part of the program every day), and let me tell you: that was an experience.  It was the biggest surprise to me.  Here you are, listening to musicians (all offenders - this prison houses all sorts of offenders from murderers to rapists to drug dealers to thieves, and everything else you could probably think of), singing songs (the hymns and songs you hear in church every week), worshiping together, and hearing the same kind of devotional you'd expect to hear in college chapel.  It was probably one of the strangest feelings I've ever had.  If I was ever to come close to having a Paul in Prison moment, that was it.  Just because I have not committed a crime that has landed me in prison doesn't mean I'm any less of a sinner in God's eyes.  Sin is sin, and it parts us from God.  All of us need spiritual redemption; all of us can repent and receive forgiveness, whether we're behind bars or not.  And all of us can worship together.  And we did.  It was eye-opening (though I will admit it was not quite earth shaking in the Paul in Prison way; I eventually left, the offenders stayed).  

As I learned tonight that Chuck Colson has passed away, I'm grateful that we all have a second chance, that opportunity to turn our lives around.  We can all have hope.