New Heights Baptist Church is located just five minutes from the Kirkland Correctional Institution, a maximum-security state prison in Columbia, SC.

“What a perfect opportunity we have to be connected and involved in ministering to inmates,” Richard Flemming Jr., pastor of New Heights Baptist Church, said. 

Seasonal Efforts

Across the state, SCBaptists are part of a growing effort to reach incarcerated individuals. The largest collaborative effort takes place every Christmas, with churches partnering to collect materials, pack, and distribute Prisoner Packets. Since 1976, SCBaptists have delivered these packets to every inmate in the state during the Christmas season. 

Last year, volunteers packed 17,175 Prisoner Packets that included hygiene items like soap and toothpaste, writing utensils, candy, and a devotional booklet. For those incarcerated, the gift is a reminder that they are not forgotten. “To be thinking of us is really special. It means a lot to us,” one man said. “Thank you for acknowledging our humanity.” The Prisoner Packets often serve as a first reminder of God’s love, prompting inmates to engage with discipleship programs.

Year-Round Ministries

Although Prisoner Packets are a seasonal ministry, SCBaptists are regularly going behind the barbed wire of the prisons in the state. Flemming recently joined a visit to Kirkland with hopes of launching a ministry from New Heights Baptist Church. During his visit, he sat in on a meeting of JumpStart, an in-prison program designed to help incarcerated men and women discover and live out God’s purpose for their lives. “I was greatly impressed by the thirst and the hunger for God’s Word,” he said. “It felt like I was part of a Sunday School class.”

For Flemming, part of his motivation is seeing the way inmates are viewed in society. “We’re all sinners. They made some wrong choices, and they were experiencing the consequences from them,” Flemming said. However, he believes the Gospel can make a difference. “These are individuals that Jesus loves and died for, and they need Jesus,” he said. “There’s always hope for change with the Gospel.”

Consistency in Creating Inroads

Flemming hopes for New Heights to have a presence in the prison ministry at Kirkland. “My prayer is that more men would commit to doing that as well on a regular basis,” he said. 

Although seasonal ministries are certainly powerful, Flemming emphasized that effectiveness in ministry comes with consistency. “The Gospel is powerful, but our lives as we live them out are also powerful,” he said. “The regular sprinkling of the salt of our lives will make a great impact.” 

Jon Jamison, Serve Team Leader at SCBaptist, echoed this idea, sharing that ongoing presence helps to break down obstacles, allowing for relationships to be built. “Ministering to the vulnerable not only serves them, but it also begins to change your church,” Jamison said. With prison ministry, “there’s benefits behind the fence, but your church will reap the benefits as well when people are engaged long-term.”

Vision for the Future

For both Flemming and Jamison, there is an understanding that ministry today can shape the communities of tomorrow. Jamison emphasized that a large portion of the incarcerated individuals will be back in local neighborhoods. “What better way to set them up for a lifetime of success and welcome them to Jesus than to do that now on the inside?” he said. Flemming agreed, reminding SCBaptists that the men and women in prison are not outcasts, but rather image-bearers in need of the Gospel. “The ultimate goal is for them to finish their sentence, rejoin society, and be a witness for Jesus,” Flemming said.