We often chide Peter for his lack of courage and his brashness at making the promise to follow Jesus to prison and to death. In focusing on Peter’s promise to give his life, we often overlook the other part of Peter’s promise, his vow to go to prison.

My goal in sharing my experiences through writing the book is to reduce the level of both ignorance and arrogance. While I have chosen to look at each of the scriptures that mentions imprisonment separately, it is important to look at the overall themes. Three messages come through most clearly: 1) God stated he would set the captives free; 2) God does not consider the incarcerated particularly guilty or deserving of shame; and 3) God calls for us to interact positively with the incarcerated.

The first section of the book offers insights into prison ministry. To readers who are engaged in prison and after care ministry I offer encouragement and thanks. To those readers who are not yet engaged in prison and re-entry ministry I hope to persuade them into well considered action with the realization that the calling into prison ministry takes perseverance. I equally hope to discourage those who would become involved for the novelty or thrill. The second section of the book focuses on life lessons learned by reading scripture about imprisonment. The third section contains the scriptures written by or about Paul who was imprisoned so frequently that some scholars have speculated that he spent more of his time in ministry in prison than freely moving about. The final section is the one nearest and dearest to my heart for it shows God’s interactions with the incarcerated and newly released. God’s hands, ears, eyes are upon the incarcerated and newly released.