History of the Grace Team Jail Ministry
Opportunity Out of Crisis
Pastor Bruce Anderson (now retired) is the founder of the Grace Team Jail Ministry, having vocationally served in ministry for many years. During his years of leading congregations he also listened to God’s calling to minister and work alongside those in law enforcement and with inmates in jail. After his retirement from full time ministry, Bruce continued to serve as a volunteer Chaplain on call with the Sioux Falls Police and Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Departments. In his role as Chaplain he was occasionally called to the jail to minster to the needs of the inmates. It was through theses sporadic visits Bruce discovered that there was a great opportunity to regularly care for the spiritual needs of the prisoners at the Minnehaha County Jail. When Bruce’s wife Alice had a major stroke in 2009, he became her caregiver and was no longer able to respond to pager calls for local law enforcement. It was through this crisis in Bruce and Alice’s lives that God opened the door to minister to the staff and inmates at the Minnehaha County Jail. In 2010 Bruce Anderson stepped through that door to become the Chaplain of the Minnehaha County Jail. Shortly after this tranistion, Bruce introduced and began mentoring his successor, Dr. Greg Friesner, in the Grace Team Jail Ministry.
Since that time Grace Team Jail Ministry has developed into a team of over 20 Bible Study leaders leading many weekly Bible studies in both the jail and in area halfway houses. The Grace Team has contact with 90-100 prisoners each week and there are several mentors who make contacts with prisoners after their release. At present Dr. Greg Friesner serves as the Grace Team Jail Ministry Chaplain, leading Grace Teams into the jail every week to start and lead Bible studies and to provide pastoral care for the prisoners. The Apostle Paul writes “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)” The Grace Team Jail Ministry has its roots in the fulfillment of the promise of these verses brought about in the jail opportunities, “for the good”, through an unexpected health crisis in Bruce and Alice’s lives. It is the same hope that the Grace Team daily offers to our friends in jail who are in crisis. Come join us as we work together through our mission statement of “helping friends discover true freedom and changed lives through Jesus Christ.”
Since retiring from pastoral ministry and from jail chaplaincy in 2017, Bruce and Alice have relocated to the Minneapolis area and are enjoying life near their children and grandchildren. The ministry is moving forward under the leadership Dr. Greg Friesner and the compassionate efforts of a growing number of volunteers serving in the Grace Team Jail Ministry.
Pastor Bruce Anderson (now retired) is the founder of the Grace Team Jail Ministry, having vocationally served in ministry for many years. During his years of leading congregations he also listened to God’s calling to minister and work alongside those in law enforcement and with inmates in jail. After his retirement from full time ministry, Bruce continued to serve as a volunteer Chaplain on call with the Sioux Falls Police and Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Departments. In his role as Chaplain he was occasionally called to the jail to minster to the needs of the inmates. It was through theses sporadic visits Bruce discovered that there was a great opportunity to regularly care for the spiritual needs of the prisoners at the Minnehaha County Jail. When Bruce’s wife Alice had a major stroke in 2009, he became her caregiver and was no longer able to respond to pager calls for local law enforcement. It was through this crisis in Bruce and Alice’s lives that God opened the door to minister to the staff and inmates at the Minnehaha County Jail. In 2010 Bruce Anderson stepped through that door to become the Chaplain of the Minnehaha County Jail. Shortly after this tranistion, Bruce introduced and began mentoring his successor, Dr. Greg Friesner, in the Grace Team Jail Ministry.
Since that time Grace Team Jail Ministry has developed into a team of over 20 Bible Study leaders leading many weekly Bible studies in both the jail and in area halfway houses. The Grace Team has contact with 90-100 prisoners each week and there are several mentors who make contacts with prisoners after their release. At present Dr. Greg Friesner serves as the Grace Team Jail Ministry Chaplain, leading Grace Teams into the jail every week to start and lead Bible studies and to provide pastoral care for the prisoners. The Apostle Paul writes “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)” The Grace Team Jail Ministry has its roots in the fulfillment of the promise of these verses brought about in the jail opportunities, “for the good”, through an unexpected health crisis in Bruce and Alice’s lives. It is the same hope that the Grace Team daily offers to our friends in jail who are in crisis. Come join us as we work together through our mission statement of “helping friends discover true freedom and changed lives through Jesus Christ.”
Since retiring from pastoral ministry and from jail chaplaincy in 2017, Bruce and Alice have relocated to the Minneapolis area and are enjoying life near their children and grandchildren. The ministry is moving forward under the leadership Dr. Greg Friesner and the compassionate efforts of a growing number of volunteers serving in the Grace Team Jail Ministry.