Broken Chains Ministry: Making the Difference

 In early 2012, Christ Community Chapel joined forces with Akron-based Broken Chains Ministry. Broken Chains’ mission is to engage former offenders for the purpose of reintegration back into the community, thereby lowering recidivism rates in our region and multiplying public safety.  Under Executive Director & Chaplain Rev. Dennis Shawhan, Broken Chains collaborates with the Summit County Jail, the court system, law enforcement, business leaders, churches and parachurch organizations to introduce offenders to the life-transforming power of the Gospel.

Rev. Dennis Shawhan, Executive Director & Chaplain

Broken Chains Ministry

At the recent benefit banquet for Broken Chains, Jill, a former offender, testified, “everyone finds Jesus in jail, but I decided to keep Him.” Jill met the Lord through a Broken Chains Bible study ministry in Summit County Jail.  She was incarcerated in 2001 as a result of a series of bad decisions, including involvement with drugs, and an abusive relationship with a boyfriend. 

Broken Chains offers weekly worship services in the jail facility, as an opportunity for inmates to hear the Gospel. Jill indeed heard about Christ’s love for her through Broken Chains, and began to pray, to envision a better future for herself, and to trust God for that future.

Today, Jill thanks God and the court system for her incarceration, which allowed her a safe place to “hit bottom.”  She glorifies God for those who ministered to her in jail.  Today, Jill is part of a family that owns a restaurant business. She is a committed member of a large local church where she heads up their outreach to prison ministries.  Jill assures supporters of Broken Chains, “Your money is going into an awesome ministry.” 

Jill testifies that the love and comfort she received from Christ through Broken Chains  is what motivates her transformed life today.  She wholeheartedly embraces the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 

Would you prayerfully consider how you might come alongside CCC ministry partner Broken Chains to minister God’s comfort? Here are some current opportunities:

• ·      Pray for the ministry
• ·      Serve as a Broken Chains volunteer – contact those listed below for details
• ·      Serve as a Broken Chains mentor to incarcerated men and women
• ·      Serve on their Sunday night Chapel team to females in area corrections programs

For more information, please contact:

Carol Fitch, ministry coordinator: cjc2000@ameritech.net

To learn more about Broken Chains Ministry, please go to:

http://brokenchainsministry.org/site/