When the worship leader gets indicted, what comes next?
There are few things lonelier or more terrifying than learning your husband is being investigated by the FBI — and that you can’t tell a soul. Even our adult children couldn’t be told that their dad would likely be charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The only person we could tell was our lawyer — and our pastor.
Thankfully, Pastor Scott was not just a preacher we listened to on Sundays; he was also our friend. As Mark and I entered the darkest season of our lives, Pastor Scott was there.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
For the three years between the FBI investigation and Mark’s sentencing, Pastor Scott and his wife visited us on Sunday nights. They listened as I sifted through the pain of having been deceived — and as Mark processed his guilt and shame.
But our pastor’s friendship didn’t change the consequences of Mark’s sin: a highly publicized indictment and a sentence of 16 months in federal prison.
Going public
I didn’t know what to expect when the news about Mark’s crime went public. I was a popular schoolteacher in our small town, and I worried about my students’ parents finding out. Even more, I wondered what our church friends would think.
Mark was a worship leader, and I was involved in Bible studies. We faithfully attended our small group. Would this disclosure mean the end of our friendships?
The weekend that the news broke, our pastor preached a sermon on the love of money, and with our permission, he used our situation as an object lesson. He told the congregation what Mark had done. He didn’t excuse or minimize it. But he also exhorted the church to rally around us.
When I looked around after the message, I saw our small group surrounding us. They had been praying for us the whole time Pastor Scott was sharing our story.
Inner change
Image had always been important to me. I was a well-liked girl growing up, and as an adult, I worked hard to be the person I thought others wanted me to be: devoted wife, loving mother, dedicated teacher.
God used Mark’s indictment to break me of that idol. The truth that we’re all sinners redeemed by Christ became precious to me. I learned to hold my head up and focus on walking with Him. I forgave Mark and dedicated myself to supporting him 100%.
But I don’t know if this would have been possible without my church.
Real-life support
The day Mark surrendered at a federal prison camp, I drove him there — and a church friend came with me so I wouldn’t have to drive the six hours home by myself. It was just the beginning of feeling God’s love through my church family.
They left gift cards for gas on my porch. They prayed for me and included me in their holiday celebrations and picnics. Our small group wrote Mark letters, and sometimes they visited him.
Pastor Scott and his wife continued to be available to me — whenever I needed someone to talk to, they were there.
Would this have been my church experience if Pastor Scott had modeled something different? What if he had distanced himself from us or asked us to quietly find another church home? I believe his example was the catalyst for the support that sustained me.
My turn
It has been more than 13 years since Mark’s release, and he now works for Prison Fellowship, overseeing life-changing programs in prisons across four states. Through Mark, I heard about Outrageous Justice, a small-group curriculum designed to awaken Christians to the need for justice that restores. After taking the class, I wanted to bring it my church family.
I led my first Outrageous Justice small group four years ago. It has been amazing to see the effect it has had as people learn about the impact of incarceration.
We wanted to do something to help, so we started partnering with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree, bringing gifts to kids with an incarcerated parent at Christmastime. And recently, our church began volunteering inside prison, facilitating classes that help prisoners draw near to Jesus and experience His healing and forgiveness.
All things for good
I never would have developed this passion if it weren’t for Mark’s incarceration. And if it weren’t for a pastor with a merciful heart — and a church that followed his lead — who knows where I would be? Mercy was the genesis of a thriving prison ministry — through which our church has touched many lives. My story could easily have had a different ending.
God took the worst trial of my life and is using it for good. I can’t wait to see all that He will do.
Joy DeJong is a retired schoolteacher who lives in Iowa with her husband, Mark. She is blessed with three children and six grandchildren.
