“I was in prison, and you came to visit me. . . . whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” Matthew 25:36,40 (NIV).
In a juvenile detention center in Virginia, two teens were having a meaningful conversation centered around an unlikely topic: faith.
At the time, 17-year-old Chris* was feeling directionless, and was considering following another world religion to give him purpose. His friend, Ron*, cared enough about him to speak truth in love.
“You don’t want to go down that road, it’ll ruin your life,” Ron said. “The Bible will straighten you out!”
A Calling for the Incarcerated
About a year ago, Navigators Disciplemakers for Life (D4L) staff Brent Anderson met Ron, just 19 years old, in his weekly visits with juveniles (generally ages 15–17) at a juvenile center in Augusta County, Virginia. Brent has been ministering among incarcerated men and women since 1981, when an elder at his church asked him if he would consider visiting a prison with him. Since then, he’s also worked with international students at the University of Virginia, but he’s continued to serve in prisons to this day.
Brent started specifically getting involved with juveniles around 19 years ago, when he formed a connection with some young gang members who had been put into a juvenile facility. Over time, Brent became friends with the teens, as well as their families, watching as the Lord brought a couple of them to Christ.
Over this past year, Brent has formed a friendship with Ron. When Brent first walked into Ron’s center, Ron told him that he had been waiting for someone to come and give him spiritual guidance. Since then, Brent has watched as Ron has grown from an immature believer to one who eagerly shares the gospel with other juveniles in his pod, like Chris.
What has made the difference in Ron’s life? The Lord has used Brent to offer weekly encouragement to Ron to center his mind, heart, and life on the Word of God — and it’s transformed Ron’s life dramatically.
“Ron comes from a home with an alcoholic mother,” Brent says. “No one ever told him that sleeping around with girls is wrong, so he gave himself to that empty pursuit. I shared with him that God calls that ‘sin,’ and how instead we are to seek to live holy lives that honor Him.”
Ron eagerly received Brent’s instruction and began reading some books on purity and memorizing key Bible verses to help him in his battle with lust. One key verse has been Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV).
“Next time something on TV pops up that’s impure,” Brent advised, “turn your head away.”
“The Little Evangelist”
As Ron began to fill his heart and mind with God’s Word, his zeal for the Lord blossomed so much that he became known as “the little evangelist” in his pod. His influence upon Chris has been powerful.
One day Brent walked into the pod, and Chris came up to him. “Brent, I’ve decided to believe in and follow Jesus,” Chris said. Now Chris and several other young men meet with Brent weekly in the pod, Bibles in hand, eager to discuss God’s truths for their lives.
“We have these Bible studies with the kids, and some of them are extremely eager to delve into the Word,” Brent says. “I was talking with one young guy, and he’s reading 10 chapters a day! He’s really excited about what God’s doing.”
In recent months, Ron has been transferred to a short-term placement facility with several other young men to prepare for life out in society, and he’s been living out the gospel where he’s at. Please pray that Ron will continue to shine as a diamond for Christ and that Brent will be able to help him.
“Disciples aren’t born; they’re made,” Brent says. “These kids can be very eager to come to Christ, but they need to be grounded in the Word. So they need to connect, and when they get out, connect to a church, family, or group home. Discipleship is important because they need to stay plugged in, surrounded by people who are willing to embrace them, accept them, and walk with them.”
*Names changed for privacy.
Discipleship Tip:
Are there juveniles in rough places in your community like Ron and Chris who need someone to lovingly share the truths of God’s Word with them? For further information about pursuing this kind of ministry in your area, feel free to reach out to Brent Anderson at brent.anderson@navigators.org
Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
Authentic discipleship must be motivated by a deep, personal relationship with our Savior. As we begin to model our walk in the footsteps of Jesus, we will begin to see true heart-change in the people around us! Here is a short study that can help you to get a clearer picture of Christ’s heart for discipleship.
Thanks, brother, for faithfully being part of inviting others to know the “God of Hope”! (Romans 15:13)
I was fortunate enough to have Navigator friends in the Air Force that encouraged me to memorize Bible verses and it was very encouraging and helped me grow spiritually. I have $20.00 each month taken out of my bank account for Navigators for a few years, if I remember correctly. You are welcome to check it out. God bless all your efforts for Christ.
Hi, Jacob! Thank you for your faithful donations to The Navigators. 🙂 We’re so grateful. God bless you!
Love this. “Disciples aren’t born; they’re made.”