Going Big! with Kevin Gentry

Episode: Going Big with Heather Rice-Minus: Hope Behind Bars and the Power of Second Chances
Date: March 30, 2026
Guest: Heather Rice-Minus, President & CEO, Prison Fellowship
Host: Kevin Gentry

Overview

This episode of Going Big! dives into the themes of redemption, hope, and second chances through the lens of prison ministry. Host Kevin Gentry interviews Heather Rice-Minus, the current President and CEO of Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest Christian outreach to incarcerated individuals and their families. The conversation spans from the legacy of Prison Fellowship’s founder Chuck Colson, personal stories from inside prisons, current challenges in America’s justice system, and Heather’s personal journey to leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Meaning of Prison Fellowship Today

• Hope Behind Bars: Prison Fellowship provides hope and transformation to incarcerated individuals, even those without prospects for release. Programs like the Prison Fellowship Academy and spiritual support foster new purpose and healing behind bars.

  • “They had found new hope and a way to step into new purpose. Even for those who share that they have no hope of release, they have a different kind of hope, an eternal hope.” (Heather, [03:10])

• Work Beyond Prison Walls: Prison Fellowship engages families, churches, and lawmakers to reshape perceptions of incarceration and advocate for dignified treatment and second chances.

  • “We also work with lawmakers across the country to ensure that the hope of the Gospel is also reflected in the public square.” (Heather, [03:55])

Legacy and Continuing Mission of Chuck Colson

• Transformation from Scandal: Chuck Colson, after his imprisonment during Watergate, found faith among Christians inside and outside prison. This experience built the foundation of Prison Fellowship and the message that redemption is for everyone.

  • “He finds inside there is this alive and well brotherhood of other men who are following Jesus...they see some of those things come to fruition.” (Heather, [05:40])
  • Colson’s famous promise: “Guys like you...they forget us after they leave. And Chuck promised he would not forget, and he didn’t.” (Heather, [06:22])

• A Call to the Church: Colson envisioned prison ministry as the Church’s responsibility. Over time, the mission expanded from equipping churches to being an active bridge between incarcerated people and the wider faith community.

  • “If we ever were to fail to equip the church, that God would take his hand off of us at Prison Fellowship.” (Heather, [09:38])

Bringing the Experience to Life

• Inside a Prison: Heather shares powerful moments witnessing gratitude, peace, and transformation among incarcerated people — sometimes greater than she experiences herself.

  • She recounts a TEDx event in a women’s prison and the impact of a woman named Turtle: “She may never walk out of that prison. But...she’s found Jesus, she’s found purpose. And now I can’t tell you how many of the other talks I heard for the rest of the day referenced Turtle as a part of their story of them coming to find purpose and hope.” (Heather, [15:48])

• Power of Human Connection: Both volunteers and inmates can find healing and community, breaking down the “us and them” mentality.

The Challenge: State of Incarceration in the U.S.

• Staggering Numbers:

  • 2 million incarcerated
  • U.S. has 4% of global population but 16% of the world’s prisoners
  • 1 in 2 Americans has had a family member in the justice system
  • 2.7 million children have a parent in prison
  • “One in three Americans has a criminal record. And so the numbers are big, and they can feel daunting, but we got to take it one step at a time.” (Heather, [18:05])

• Effects on Children:

  • Children with an incarcerated parent face unique emotional and social challenges.
  • Heather shares a touching story about her great niece feeling relief and kinship upon realizing others shared her experience, after a Prison Fellowship event.
  • “It was as if the weight of carrying that all the time on this little 8 year old’s body was just finally free to say out loud to someone else, my dad’s in prison.” (Heather, [20:04])

Personal Motivation and Leadership

• Why Heather Leads This Work:

  • The cause is deeply personal: direct family involvement with incarceration and Prison Fellowship programs.
  • “Every day I wake up and I love what I get to do. It’s so meaningful, Kevin. And I feel truly privileged that I get to see and have a front row seat to transformation.” (Heather, [21:40])

• Myths & Stigmas:

  • “I think a myth people have about people in prison is this concept of us and them that, you know, how could I relate to someone in prison? ... What the real difference is, is I don’t have to be defined by the worst day for the rest of my life.” (Heather, [22:46])

Heather's Journey to Prison Fellowship

• Law School and Foster Care Roots:

  • Initially drawn to adoption and foster care policy, Heather’s exposure to justice reform came through her nonprofit work and law school research.
  • A turning point: Understanding sentencing disparities and inhumane conditions, she realized her faith demanded engagement.
  • “I just could not look away after that point. And so not at all what I expected to be doing. But I grew passionate about it.” (Heather, [26:10])

• Lessons from East Africa:

  • A formative year volunteering in orphanages in East Africa, witnessing systemic injustice, poverty, and the need for holistic solutions — experiences that fuel her passion for justice work today.
  • Memorable image: Two little girls curled up sleeping in a wheelbarrow, symbolizing the need for deep system change, not just charity.
  • “What they need is not only the hope of the gospel in their lives, but… the hope of the gospel to play a role in the systems and structures that have landed them here.” (Heather, [31:37])

Addressing the Unique Needs of Women Behind Bars

• Women in Prison:
  • While women are a smaller segment of the prison population, their incarceration rate is growing fast.
  • Oklahoma’s high rates led to extensive programming and leadership development in women’s prisons.
  • Women lead peer support, service projects, and model transformation.
  • “Women are a powerful source of being change agents. And we love the programs that we get to have in women’s prisons in particular.” (Heather, [33:54])

Second Chances and Radical Redemption

• Beyond the Worst Day:
  • Heather and Kevin reference Bryan Stevenson’s phrase: “Each one of us is more than the worst thing that we've ever done.”
  • Second Chance Month (April) calls churches, employers, and communities to advocate for renewed life after incarceration.
  • “If we can put ourselves in those shoes and just realize, man, I wouldn’t want the worst thing I’ve ever done to be on my name tag. Right?” (Heather, [36:15])
  • “Second Chance hiring has really grown in the last decade…I would say. And a lot of that’s because there’s actually studies showing that people who have a criminal record are less likely to leave their job. They’re better workers, and so they’ve got something to prove. Right. So how might you be able to extend a Second Chance?” (Heather, [37:11])

Going Big – Vision for the Future

• Revival of the Church, Inside and Outside:

  • Prison Fellowship’s new bold vision: catalyze revival, nurture dignity, and influence both justice reform and faith spaces.
  • “We are saying that people in prison have a role to play. And in reviving the church in America…I really do. Every time I can see a church experience the faith, the community, the transparency, the gratitude, the worship that I see in prison, it is a revival of that church outside that spills over.” (Heather, [39:18])

• Changing Laws vs. Changing Hearts:

  • Both are difficult, but personal encounters and shared stories create empathy and drive meaningful change.
  • “If I can bring you to prison…you are going to be in for a surprise, and it’s going to be a good one.” (Heather, [40:17])

Finding Faith in Discouragement

• Strength in Community:
  • Even in heartbreak (like meeting leaders who may never be released), Heather is encouraged by the transformative power she witnesses — particularly in people society has forgotten.
  • “There’s a reason ten other people talked about her story that day, because she is weaving into their story…what God is doing with people who are in prison who have a criminal record is truly remarkable.” (Heather, [41:47])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My greatest humiliation being sent to prison was actually the beginning of God’s greatest use in my life. He chose the one thing I could not glory for his glory.” — Chuck Colson, quoted by Heather ([45:29])
• “Sometimes when you hear in political talks...you can start to hear a bit of taking out the humanity of people in prison. But let me tell you, anytime I’ve brought in people to visit people in prison, you learn, oh, I’m a mom, she’s a mom. I’m a dad, he’s a dad…But guess what? You know what the real difference is, is I don’t have to be defined by the worst day for the rest of my life.” — Heather ([22:46])
• The story of Turtle, a woman serving a life sentence who profoundly shapes the community around her.
  • “Now I can’t tell you how many of the other talks I heard for the rest of the day referenced Turtle as a part of their story of them coming to find purpose and hope.” ([15:48])
• The wheelbarrow: Two orphaned girls in East Africa sleeping in a wheelbarrow, bringing home the need for both charity and systemic change. ([31:05])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:10] – Prison Fellowship’s impact and the meaning of hope behind bars
• [05:08] – Chuck Colson’s transformation and the founding vision
• [10:22] – How the church’s role developed and evolved
• [14:58] – What Heather sees inside prisons; the story of Turtle
• [18:05] – U.S. incarceration statistics; scale of the challenge
• [19:28] – Effects of incarceration on children and families
• [22:46] – Breaking myths about people in prison
• [25:06] – Heather’s own journey: law school, policy work, faith
• [28:29] – Experiences in East Africa and the meaning of dignity
• [33:34] – Unique needs and leadership of women behind bars
• [36:01] – The power and reality of second chances
• [38:37] – The new vision: church revival inside and outside prison
• [40:03] – Challenges of legal and cultural change
• [43:27] – How listeners can get involved with Prison Fellowship
• [45:27] – Closing encouragement: God uses our brokenness for good

How to Get Involved

• Volunteer: Visit prisonfellowship.org to sign up for in-prison or Angel Tree programs.
• Support Second Chance Initiatives: Encourage your church or business to participate in Second Chance Month (April), Second Chance hiring, and related outreach.
• Become a Justice Ambassador: Advocate for reforms and justice in your community.
• Follow and Share Stories: Stay connected via Prison Fellowship’s social media channels for updates and opportunities.

Final Takeaway

Heather’s message echoes Chuck Colson’s legacy: our greatest failures and losses can become the start of our greatest use — if we offer them to something greater than ourselves. Whether through volunteering, advocacy, or simply seeing the humanity behind bars, everyone has a role in the story of redemption and hope.

“Maybe this is just the beginning of your story. Because guess what? God is most glorified when we can’t take any credit. And so it’s your time to step into this now.”
— Heather Rice-Minus ([45:27])