June 10, 2022

Dear Friend of Twin Cities Ministries,

For this quarter’s letter, we thought that hearing directly from Seth Evans, our co-founder and the visionary for Twin Cities Ministries, would strongly encourage you and give you a first-hand view of an important part of our ministry. The following is Seth’s letter to you, the occasion of which is the re-opening of the jails to chaplaincy services after more than two years of pandemic lockdowns.

Returning to Jail

When I first started jail ministry, it was mostly because I felt God’s leading to bring the Gospel to people like me. People who were at the lowest point in their lives due to their own sin and sin committed against them. I wanted and still do wish to see people find freedom through a relationship with Jesus and experience a transformed life through the power of His Word.

In those early days, I found it quite intimidating to be around so many officers. I felt like most of them were angry all the time, and suspicious of me. I watched them interact with the most difficult inmates and entitled volunteers who were rude and disregarded the facility rules. Several of the Christian volunteers were the ones willing to break the rules, such as sneaking in candy bars, picking up inmate property and even contacting victims on behalf of the inmates. We even had a Bible study volunteer refuse to call the staff during a serious medical emergency telling the inmates in the class that we need to pray for the individual and not involve the “cops”.

By the end of my first year at Ramsey County Jail, God began to give me a new perspective. I began to see the officers as regular people who experienced trauma daily. Even though the officers got to go home every day, they were still “doing time”—incarcerated themselves, even if it was only 8-12 hours per day. The difference was that the officers had the responsibility of taking care of the people who constantly disrespected them. It is their job to make sure that everyone is safe and for a small percentage of the incarcerated persons, it was entertainment to disrupt any sense of safety.

With this new perspective, I realized that I needed make it a priority to serve the officers in the jail. I needed to do more than simply show them the respect that their position deserves. I made several changes to how I operated within the facility. If I saw that they were stressed out or busy, I made sure that I stayed out of their way. Anytime that I saw them doing a menial laborious task, I would stop what I was doing and help them out. I empathetically talked with them, but more often simply listened.

If the officers could see and experience the mercy of God, perhaps then they could demonstrate that mercy to the inmates. They are in the best position to help those people who are incarcerated. I needed to teach the inmates to respect the officers as well. The message of the Gospel is great to show us that we are all the same—we are sinners no matter what uniform you wear. We all need Jesus to save us from our sins and there is nothing else that can cancel sin.

I feel that after several years, even the more calloused officers began to respond. I helped a few of their kids or friends get into treatment. I talked with a few officers that started going to church and began reading the Bible again, if not for the first time. They even asked me to be the keynote speaker at the annual Correctional Officers Memorial Service and allowed Tim and I to start a trustee housing unit where we could do more programming and get more mental health services to those inmates who showed some desire to change the trajectory of their lives.

Then we had a pandemic, and it was unsafe for anyone to go into the facility. It was pretty much a guarantee that all the officers and people being incarcerated were going to get sick at some point. In a facility that was already short staffed, it became even more difficult to do their jobs.

Shortly after the beginning of the pandemic, the killing of George Floyd, the riots and growing distrust of all Law Enforcement, many of the officers felt it impossible serve their community in the context of corrections and left their careers. This created an even more staffing issues, while leaving the remaining officers with more responsibilities and longer shifts. This was made even worse after the conviction of Kim Potter, the former Twin Cities suburban police officer who killed Daunte Wright by mistakenly drawing her gun instead of her taser.

Last month they finally asked me to come back into the facility after more than two years. So much has changed in that time. After a thorough inventory of all the religious materials in the entire facility, I was left with less than a dozen Bibles and a couple dozen Qurans. Most of what was left was fairly worn. TCM has supplied more than 80% of the Bibles at the jail over the last 12 years. We do that to ensure that every person who requests a Bible can keep it after they are transferred or released.

The new chaplain’s office is now centrally located by the main elevators between the jail entrance from the Sheriff’s office and the staff mailroom and cafeteria. This allows me to spend time during lockdowns where every officer walks by. I get to see everyone, not just while they are working, but more strategically while they are on break.

The response that I have received has been very encouraging. Most of the officers who were here prior to the pandemic have stopped by and expressed how much they have missed having me around. Even some of the more hardened officers have greeted me and said how chaplaincy has been needed.

I’ve met several of the new officers. There are a lot of new faces and names. Most of them have been receptive to seeing this ‘civilian’ moving around the facility and meeting with inmates. It feels like there’s a lot of opportunity to share the Gospel and help shape how this new generation of officers see how Christians live out the Gospel.

Another change that I’ve seen with those who are being incarcerated is an increase in different religions and heretical denominations that deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. This is extremely challenging, as I must help them to pursue their faith while demonstrating the Truth and Love of the Gospel.

I have always seen the jail as a front-line mission field. I am often reminded of Philippians 1 while I am working in the jail.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. (Philippians 1:3-7)

I am grateful for the support from the church and your partnership with us for the progress of the Gospel. Please, continue to pray that Gospel becomes known to all the guards and everyone within the facility. Thank you!

God Bless!!!

Seth Evans

As Seth stated, we are grateful for your ongoing support. Your generous contributions have sustained our jail and housing ministries for over twelve years now. As we transition into summer, please prayerfully consider making a one-time gift or increasing your regular giving. Your generous contributions from last fall have sustained us through the lean months, but those funds are dwindling and the summer tends to be the leanest of the year.

For our next letter, we are preparing to testify of God’s work in a few individuals that have stayed in our homes, worked hard to take responsibility for their own choices, and are building solid foundations for the rest of their lives. We look forward to telling you those stories!

In service to Jesus Christ and our cities,

George Stagg

President

Twin Cities Ministries