From Ministry to Corrections: Dr. Jermaine Gordon’s Path to Helping and Healing cover art

From Ministry to Corrections: Dr. Jermaine Gordon’s Path to Helping and Healing

From Ministry to Corrections: Dr. Jermaine Gordon’s Path to Helping and Healing

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 In this inspiring episode of Beyond the Bars, host Josh Young sits down with Dr. Gordon, Deputy Director at Kershaw County Jail in South Carolina, to uncover the powerful intersection of ministry, corrections, and transformation. Journey with Dr. Gordon as he recounts his path from the church pews of St. Petersburg, Florida to the forefront of correctional leadership. Discover how an early calling to ministry shaped his compassionate approach to inmate rehabilitation, and how his belief in treating corrections like a “mission field” is driving real change behind the walls.

Listen as Dr. Gordon shares moments of hope and redemption—stories of inmates who found faith and purpose during incarceration, and how corrections staff can bridge security with care. Explore why bringing a counselor’s heart and a servant’s mindset is essential for evolving corrections from punitive to therapeutic, and learn about the innovative, continuity-of-care programs Dr. Gordon and his team are championing for successful reentry and lasting transformation.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about criminal justice reform, faith-driven leadership, and the transformative potential inside our nation’s jails. Sponsored by Freedom Behavioral Health.

For more information, visit Freedom-bh.com.

Timestamps to Key Moments:

[00:00:03] – The dual role of care and security in corrections
[00:00:40] – Meet Dr. Jermaine Gordon: From St. Petersburg to corrections leadership
[00:01:22] – Fifteen years in Florida DOC: Lessons from both men’s and women’s prisons
[00:03:37] – How a career in corrections began with a “mistaken identity”
[00:05:26] – Early years in ministry and the call to help others
[00:08:24] – Understanding the “tug” of a calling to ministry
[00:09:43] – Merging faith, ministry, and correctional work
[00:12:28] – Real stories of inmate transformation through care and faith
[00:14:13] – Why incarceration leads people to reflect, change, and seek higher purpose
[00:16:01] – The need for merging therapeutic and correctional approaches
[00:18:18] – Shifting from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?”
[00:20:19] – Advice for new corrections professionals: The importance of wanting to help
[00:21:45] – Building a continuum of care at Kershaw County Jail
[00:24:15] – Ministry inside and outside the jail walls
[00:25:16] – Closing remarks and a powerful final prayer

For more information and to join the conversation, visit freedom-bh.com.
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