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| Ministry Guides Inmates to Different Path |
| By The Tennessean |
| Published: 03/18/2003 |
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When you first step inside the Wilson County Jail, appearances tell you that this would be as tough as any crowd, at least on American soil, to preach to about the Bible. But actually the majority of prisoners, such as Bruce Owens - who has been in and out of jail several times for selling drugs - are the most receptive and eager to hear the message Chaplain Jackie Bonner has to spread. ''I've probably got 10 more years now, but I'm happy because I know I'm going home,'' Owens said, referring to heaven. ''I was the quickest dope dealer there was, but I wasn't happy. I'm locked up now. But I'm free.'' ''This is for a reason,'' said another Wilson County inmate, Charles Turner, who was released recently. ''I know God has to put you in a place to get your full attention.'' Bonner's job for 13 years has been to run the jail work crew under Sheriff Terry Ashe. His calling is volunteering as the jail chaplain, a post that he also started 13 years ago. ''The people Jesus went to were the undesirable people of that day, the sick and the lepers,'' Bonner said. ''It struck me that no one here was doing a jail ministry. ''I applied to the sheriff's office and told Sheriff Ashe what I wanted to do and he said, 'Hire him.' I got about six churches involved going through the Yellow Pages, and now there are about 12 to 14 involved.'' Every two to four months, inmates at the jail are baptized in a cattle trough put in a hallway at the jail. Bonner says the number is often 20-30 inmates and can be even more. ''You always hope you get everyone,'' Bonner said. ''You don't. It's like going to church anywhere. But every now and then lives are changed. When I walk in and talk to them, I see what they are capable of doing. You see, there are some wonderful people that are incarcerated. They just made a bad choice.'' Bonner has seen inmates truly changed through the jail ministry. For others, it's jailhouse religion, where inmates ''backslide'' when they return to the outside world and wind up back in jail. ''That is a struggle a lot of people have,'' Owens said. ''It's easy to pick up the Lord's word when you're locked up,'' said inmate Jeremy Harris. ''Anyone can turn around a life in here. But once you're on the street ...'' For some, religion is an attempt to try to influence authorities. Bonner knows it, but he doesn't care. Eventually, he says, some of those lives change as well. Ashe says the jail ministry ''is something I make sure gets done'' because of its impact on easing tension for just about everyone in what is almost always a turbulent setting. ''Yes, it makes a difference,'' Ashe said. ''Yes, it keeps down problems.'' Bonner says he'll retire as a deputy in April but plans to continue as chaplain ''as long as I can do it anymore.'' He does an early service each Sunday morning for one jail ''pod'' - a pod is a group of cells - in addition to being available throughout the week. Churches rotate leading a Sunday afternoon service for the remaining pods. ''Lately attendance has been very good, and we have voluntary Bible study classes in just about every pod now,'' he said. ''There will be some resistance every now and then, but I would say between 90 and 100 percent are always showing respect and listening. It's the same with the violent offenders as the trustees. They understand we are trying to help.'' |
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