For a Change: God at Work Behind Bars

“Change is the only constant.” It’s a familiar phrase—maybe even a cliché—but for those of us at Chester County Prison, it has never rung truer.

Over the past decade, the prison has undergone a wave of transformation. Some changes were dramatic, like the much-publicized escape of a dangerous inmate that suddenly put a quiet institution under the glare of national media. Others were quieter but no less significant—a slow churn in staff turnover, compounded by the chaos and havoc of four years under COVID.

The result? A near-total turnover in leadership. Senior management was replaced. Many in middle management moved on or up. For those who remained, uncertainty loomed. The arrival of “outsiders” to key positions stirred both hope and anxiety. Promotions motivated some. Others, feeling overlooked or undervalued, chose to retire or move on. It has been, by all accounts, an institutional reset—one that is still in process.

But amid all this upheaval, one thing has remained steady: God’s power to transform lives.

As Christians, we know change intimately. We once were lost—living in our “Before Christ” (BC) days—but by grace, we were made new. We didn’t just adjust our behavior. We were reborn. The Holy Spirit took up residence in us and began the lifelong work of changing us from the inside out.

In that sense, we are all part of a prison ministry—because every believer is a testimony to God’s ability to redeem, restore, and renew.

And that’s what we continue to witness here at Chester County Prison. Even as policies shift and staff dynamics evolve, God is working in the hearts of inmates and officers alike. Men and women are experiencing deep, internal change—the kind that doesn’t make headlines but transforms eternally.

Please continue to pray for all of us here. Pray for peace amid transition. Pray for wisdom in leadership. But most of all, pray that God will keep changing each of us—staff and inmates alike—more and more into His image.

Change is constant, Change is necessary but Christ is greater, always the same…yesterday, today and forever.