The news: Christianity Today profiles Darryl Strawberry, the former Major League Baseball star, who has been visiting prisons — including Louisiana State Penitentiary's hospital ward and death row — sharing his faith and praying personally with inmates. During one visit in 2024, he sat on the edge of a dying prisoner's bed, prayed with him, and pulled his blankets up — a moment of profound pastoral presence.
Why it matters for church leaders: Prison ministry remains one of the most underleveraged outreach opportunities for Indian churches, particularly near district jails and central prisons. Strawberry's approach is a useful model — he leads not with programs but with personal story and presence, two things any pastor or trained layperson can bring regardless of budget.
The takeaway: If your church has no prison outreach yet, start by contacting your nearest district jail chaplaincy coordinator to explore one visit this quarter.
Source: Christianity Today
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