As a Christian police officer, I found Dave Jackson’s article difficult to critique because of the many issues raised. I will therefore limit my comments to six areas.
First, I found Fern Nisly’s reaction to Victor to be a very Christian response to a traumatic event. The fact that the Nislys prayed for a God-given decision and then followed through with it took courage and deep conviction. Because we are dealing with the possibility of a repeat act more violent than the first, prayer, faith, and courage are a must in order to make such a response. Mr. Jackson does point out a fact we must all remember: not all cases end the way this incident did. Because of this, I would say alternatively to the Fellowship that it takes just as much courage to follow through after an arrest as it does to drop charges because of a spiritual decision.
We must always keep in mind that we do not change lives by refusing to prosecute a case for fear an offender might end up in jail. We can see criminals change when we tell them of the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is when they see our faith, our love and caring spirits (because of Christ), that lives change. At present, I see nothing spiritually wrong in forgiving an offender, telling him of the saving love of Jesus Christ, and following the case through in our courts. God is still in control, and we can commit the outcome to his wisdom, not our own.
Second, I agree that arming ourselves with guns, installing alarms, and earning black belts can easily lead to paranoia. We are apt to let these weapons, and what they protect, become our gods, begetting a paranoia that shows a lack of faith in our Protector. As Christians, we have a right to feel that God will protect us from harm as he chooses. But we need balance. Just as we do not walk down the middle of an expressway testing whether God will deliver us from the cars, so we must also use common sense in protecting ourselves and our property. The sin is not in protecting ourselves, but in letting the protection control us.
Third, we cannot jump to the conclusion that criminals should not be sent to prison just because the prison system has failed to rehabilitate. Prisons are society’s attempt to discipline an offender. If an individual will not change, will not turn away from his criminal habits, and is bent on continuing his harmful behavior, prison is our only alternative for society’s safety. I also feel that speedy arrests and trials are a deterrent to crime. An offender who feels he has a better than even chance of being apprehended and jailed may alter his decision to commit the crime.
Fourth, I agree 100 percent that all juvenile offenders should be brought to the attention of the criminal justice system. The mere fact of an arrest may alert parents to the antisocial behavior of their children, and this can deter crime. Also, as Jackson stated, juvenile courts will do everything possible to avoid sending a youth to a detention facility.
It is here that Christian involvement in the life of an offender can be a means of preventing further antisocial behavior. Remember, though, that all offenders will not react similarly to this involvement. But some lives will be changed when the Christian community reaches out with Christ’s love. Some of these young people can be turned around if Christian fellowships within the community will continue to show them alternative Christian lifestyles. This is more meaningful to the person, however, if he has first been reprimanded by the proper authority. An official warning or punishment could be what is needed to get his attention. In the Bible, God often used harsh circumstances to soften the heart of an unbeliever.
Fifth, while a criminal act may have been against property, the root cause of the crime and its potential for danger still exist. Women have been raped by persons only intending to burglarize. Guns have been stolen and sold on the street, and police officers have died trying to apprehend stolen cars. The target was property, but the opportunity led to violence.
Sixth, concerning deterrents, all three referred to in the article are biblical and reflect the love of the body of believers. If these were to be applied on a large scale, they would have a positive effect on all of society. I admit I was concerned that witnessing to people about Jesus Christ was the first deterrent suggested. But if society does not come to grips with the fact that Jesus Christ is the deterrent to sin (crime), then the outlook is bleak. We, as the body of Christ, must become involved in offering the criminal a suitable alternative to crime—while at the same time we protect the innocent from those who will not change.
As a Christian police officer, I welcome the involvement of Reba Place Fellowship. I would only ask that their involvement be first of all spiritual: leading others to Christ, and then helping in their Christian growth.
Second, I would ask them not to alienate the police, or attempt to circumvent the courts or the prison system. Each has its job to do, and in each system there are Jesus-controlled people who are willing to help the Fellowship, and others like them. It is the job of the body of Christ to help heal the wounds after the police, courts, and (if necessary) prisons have performed their duly assigned functions.
“I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20, NIV).
Sgt. Powers was the 1981 recipient of the Chicago Police Medal, the department’s highest award for valor. He is an officer of the Chicagoland chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers.
