It should not be an accident that prisoners find their way to a place of worship when they return home. It should be the plan.

Stephen’s Table is a network of churches in the Chattanooga area that systematically reach out to prisoners during their incarceration and offer them a place to worship when they return home.  Through simple acts of charity, members reignite hope in the hearts of those behind bars, helping them complete their journey to healing and wholeness in Christ. However, this is no ordinary prison ministry. In both scope and emphasis, Stephen’s Table stands apart from other evangelical efforts.

Scope: Not wanting to leave anyone behind, Stephen’s Table engages every single person from the Chattanooga area that is serving a prison term regardless of where they are incarcerated (Luke 15:3-7)

Emphasis: Member churches connect prisoners to a place of worship and let social service agencies address the assorted personal problems they face when they come home (Acts 6:1-7)

By joining Stephen’s Table, churches distinguish themselves as a place that welcomes prisoners to worship and not a target for manipulation and abuse. And by practicing the limits of benevolence, churches preserve their essential role as a place of “prayer and ministry of the word” while connecting prisoners to community resources to assist them with housing, employment, counseling, healthcare, transportation, clothing, food, etc.