VERSAILLES, Ky. (KT) – "It's like I get to go on a mission trip every Friday."
That's how Joe Crabtree describes the Bible study he leads at the Woodford County Detention Center.
Fridays at 10 a.m. Crabtree and several members and pastoral staff from Versailles Baptist Church gather with a group of inmates to study the Word of God together.
"There's no 'us' and 'them'; it's a men's Bible study," Crabtree said.
In two and a half years, 214 men at the jail have wrestled with scripture.
"I assume every Friday that there are going to be people in there who know nothing about the gospel and are just curious, and so I try to make sure every Friday we present the gospel," said Crabtree, who has also taught Sunday school for three decades. "I try and stress that, you know, Christianity is evidence-based. The Bible is evidence of the life, the death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Crabtree has taught men about the context and message of the whole Bible, how to be saved, the miracles and parables of Jesus and more.
"My goal is to lay down a biblical theology for these guys so they understand the gospel, so that they can make an intelligent decision on responding to it," he said.
Jail ministry is an opportunity to minister to those who may be forgotten or overlooked, according to Crabtree.
"If you think about it, who did Jesus pay the most attention to? The people who he sought out and the people who sought him out were the forgotten, you know, the ones who were rejected by society, who were thought to be of no value. The Pharisees gave Jesus a hard time because of the people that he hung out with," he said. "They were the people that…[the Pharisees] did not think were worthy of that."
Jonathan Berry, associate pastor and minister to adults at Versailles Baptist, said jail ministry is important because it ministers to the least of these, referencing Matthew 25.
"'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me'…'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25:35-36, 40b)
"[Jailed populations] can so often be a neglected part of society because of, you know, being looked down upon because of having done somebody else wrong and then facing the consequences of that. But that doesn't mean they should be cast aside. I mean, Jesus doesn't cast them aside, so what are we going to do as the church to love them well?"
Showing up week after week—even alongside sister churches in the area who share the gospel through Bible studies on different days—and investing in the lives of the men housed at the jail has borne fruit. Sixteen men were baptized following a personal decision to follow Jesus the week leading up to Easter.
Crabtree described participating in the baptisms, and bearing witness to the public professions of faith in the same courtyard where many have attended weekly Bible studies, as "beautiful."
"It's something where you feel unworthy to be there," he said. "When something like that is going on it's just like, take off your shoes…because you're standing on holy ground."
Crabtree assisted Kevin Hash, minister to students at Versailles Baptist, in baptizing some men. Emilio Zapata, minister to Hispanics at Versailles Baptist, and Andric Fajardo, who leads a Tuesday Bible study for Spanish-speaking inmates, also baptized several. Bible study leaders from another church were also present.
"It was a beautiful, beautiful time," Berry said.
After someone gave a challenge, encouragement and prayer for the newly baptized believers, the courtyard resonated with several dozen men singing "Amazing Grace."
Crabtree said he didn't have to see the fruit of studying the Bible week in and week out with so many men, but "it's the most incredible feeling in the world."
"Knowing that I've spent time with these men, invested in them and been able to share the gospel with them—that in itself would be enough," he added. "These men that I've grown attached to over months of studying the Bible together, and to see them get baptized…and celebrate with them…it's a wonderful experience."
What is the best advice you have received? What have others said to you, maybe unsolicited, that made a real and helpful impact on the way you live?
Wisdom can be defined as the right application of knowledge. The best advice will be the right application of knowledge with biblical support.
Here are five pieces of random, yet helpful, advice I have received and tried to apply with positive results.
1. Take an annual vacation with your family: The biblical admonition to provide for one’s own family (1Timothy 5:8) does not require an annual family vacation, and there are many in Christian leadership all over the world who will not be able to manage such a luxury. A family vacation, however, can be a great way to show love and care for one’s family. I heard Charles Stanley give this advice in a lecture to leaders. In essence, he exhorted pastors and ministry leaders to save their money and do the best they could to take their family on a nice vacation each year. Ministry is not only tough on leaders but also on their families, and an annual vacation is one way leaders can love their families.
2. Put away money for retirement: Proverbs 13:22a tells us, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Don Spencer, recently retired Church Financial Benefits Consultant for the KBC, spent more than four decades encouraging pastors and church staff to put away as much as they were able for retirement. I spoke recently to a retiring pastor who also urged me to tell younger pastors about the importance of saving for retirement. Financial expert Dave Ramsey reminds his listeners if they put away $100 a month from age 26 to age 65 in a good mutual fund averaging 12% growth, they will have more than $1.1 million at retirement. The best advice is to put away as much as you can as early as you can.
3. Take care of your people: Pastors are called to shepherd the flock that God has called them to serve (1 Peter 5:2). While not all ministry leaders are pastors, we are called to care for those who are members of our staff. Paul Chitwood shared advice he heard from retired U.S. Army General Colin Powell. When asked what advice he had for younger leaders, Powell said something on the order of, “Do your job, don’t worry about your next job and take care of your troops.” That is good advice for all who are in positions of ministry leadership.
4. Always be on time: Proverbs 3:27 reminds us, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” One way that we can do good for others is by being on time for appointments and meetings. Being on time shows that you honor and respect the person with whom you are meeting and that their time is valuable. I heard the advice to “always be on time” repeated by an administrative assistant in a church I served, Mrs. Helen Stanfill. Helen told me on more than one occasion how she drilled into her sons, who both had successful careers, that they may not be the smartest or most talented person in any setting, but they could always be on time. This is good advice for ministry leaders as well.
5. Hug your wife: Ephesians 5:25 admonishes married men, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” I do not remember where I heard this advice, but I thought it was good counsel: Hug your wife four times a day. Hug her when you first see each other in the morning to get your day off to a good start. Hug her before you leave the house as you may never see each other again in this world. Hug her when the two of you meet up at the end of the day to continue the relational connection. Then finally hug her before you go to bed as a way to end the day on a good note.
Maybe some of this advice can help you in your desire to walk with God and love people. Maybe you have also received sound advice that needs to be passed on to others.