Meet Judy Tan, a passionate servant-leader whose journey in prison ministry began with a divine encounter in Semarang. That moment sparked a lifelong calling to bring hope and healing to those behind bars and their families. From chapel services to aftercare and children’s outreach, Judy’s unwavering faith and compassion have transformed lives, reminding us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and every life is worth restoring.
Tell us about your ministry to the community. What inspired you to get involved in this area?
I am currently serving in the Wesley Prison Ministry, a subministry under Christian Outreach & Social Concerns, which aims to engage and support incarcerated individuals, their families, their children and those who have reintegrated into society.
My first encounter with prison ministry was during an unplanned visit to a village prison in Semarang on a mission trip. I witnessed how God convicted 12 female prisoners, who broke down in tears as local pastors prayed over them. This left a deep impression on me of the hope in Christ who sets captives free.
Having witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit, I joined the prison ministry team at Tung Ling School of Ministry until the doors closed. I prayed and asked God where to go next, with the passion still burning in my heart. God answered quickly through a call for volunteers in Wesley Weekly to serve in the newly formed Wesley Prison Ministry in 2006. Our Lord is faithful and has never left nor forsaken us as the team continues to serve Him to this day.
He has expanded the ministry from in-care chapel services in prison to aftercare support for released persons, family care for inmates’ families and, in recent years, Care Club for children and youths in these families.
Was there a specific moment or event that solidified your commitment to serving others in this way?
I was on a mission trip in Semarang when I was invited to join the local church team for an unplanned visit to the village prison. I witnessed how the Lord broke 12 female prisoners and brought them to their knees, crying out to Him as the two local pastors prayed over them. This, remains etched in my heart and led me to serve in prison ministry, knowing that our Lord Jesus will set captives free. He is able. Over the years serving in Wesley Prison Ministry, I continue to see God’s hand at work.
Can you share a specific story or anecdote that illustrates the impact of your ministry on an individual or the community?
My befriending journey with one prisoner began in Changi Prison in 2007. I visited him twice a month for chapel services, and over four years, our 96 visits built a trusted friendship. Upon his release in 2011, the ministry team naturally continued to be his Christian community and support. We accepted him as he was, meeting regularly as friends to share life.
Though physically released, he struggled with old habits and reoffended twice, returning to prison in 2019 and 2022.
In 2021, during investigations for his second offence, he called in desperation, crying for help and questioning why he could not change. He felt deep guilt and remorse for letting down his loved ones.
A ministry co-worker and I met him for coffee, listened and prayed with him. He specifically asked for a Christian counsellor. We felt the leading of the Holy Spirit and committed him to the Lord.
Miraculously, I reconnected with a Christian counsellor friend I had lost touch with for nearly 10 years, who ministers to offenders with the same addiction. God’s timing was perfect. While awaiting court hearings, our brother received Christian counselling and healing before his sentence in 2022.
God prepared him to spend time with Jesus and grow in faith behind bars. Today, he is set free and awaiting prison pass approval to share the Good News that Jesus saves and sets captives free.
This ministry reminds me that turning back to Christ is “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). We reach out, befriend and point them to Jesus, but it is the Lord who awakens, convicts and transforms lives.
How does your Christian faith inform your approach to this ministry?
I begin with a few truths. Life is a gift from God, and all can receive abundant life in Christ. Many seek their own way, but only Jesus saves and sets captives free.
This ministry allows me to share God’s saving grace and testify to His goodness. I pray for open hearts and minds to receive Jesus and surrender to His lordship for inner transformation.
I hold on to the truth that it is not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit, and I trust in His timing.
This helps me not to grow weary or anxious, but to share God’s truth and rest in the knowledge that He will reveal Himself. Praise God, with this approach I find rest for my soul, as Jesus said, “for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).
What are some of the challenges you face in this ministry, and how do you overcome them?
The lives we reach are often burdened with deeply rooted issues — family upbringing, personality traits, financial struggles, health conditions, relationship entanglements, loneliness or unforgiveness.
With such heavy loads, some return to old habits for temporary relief.
We continue to pray and share Christ’s hope. We encourage them to seek God in prayer. For financial challenges, we refer them to Wesley Financial Assistance ministry.
Practical solutions like early employment help resolve immediate needs. For long-term support, we encourage skills upgrading, such as obtaining a driving licence.
We remain their Christian community during reintegration. Regular engagement in buddy groups helps us stay updated and aware of challenges early.
Have you experienced any moments of doubt or discouragement, and how did your faith help you through those times?
Yes. When ex-offenders profess Christ and seem determined to live anew, only to abscond or return to prison, I sometimes wonder if I could have done more.
There was a season when a group of five dwindled to one due to relapse. The time spent seemed fruitless.
In those moments, I remind myself that it is God’s timing, and He is the one who transforms souls.
Some sow, others reap. I must fix my eyes on Jesus, not on man. This hope in Christ sustains us for the long haul.
Who are some of your role models or inspirations, either within the Christian faith or in the broader world, who have influenced your commitment to service?
A pastor formerly from Tung Ling Bible School inspired me deeply when I first began serving. His love and compassion for the incarcerated were evident. He confronted inmates with truth, challenged them to reflect on God’s word and nurtured them after release. He walked with them through their faith journey and even helped set up a food stall for their livelihood. His example showed me that God not only saves, transforms and rebuilds lives, but also uses surrendered lives to set captives free.
My role models also include ex-offenders who have been touched by the Lord and called to serve in churches and prison ministry. One ex-offender endured the pain of removing his tattoo to renounce past affiliations. This act showed his deep love for God with all his heart, mind and soul. There is much to learn from these transformed children of God. In them, I see Christ at work in broken lives. Their stories give me hope and purpose in serving and investing in lives.
In the old prison at Jalan Awang, where we had 70 inmates in one session, I remember observing a quiet, shy and introverted inmate who kept to himself in the corner of the hall. Upon his release, God called him to serve. He equipped himself with theological and counselling studies to prepare for ministry. Today, he serves the Lord in a Methodist Church in Singapore as part of the COSC team, reaching out to the least, last and lost in our society. His resilience and steadfast love for God inspire me.
I met another inmate who would have been sentenced to death given the quantity of drugs he had in possession. It was a miracle that he received only a long-term sentence. He gave his life to Jesus in prison, acknowledging that it was Jesus who saved him from the death penalty and gave him the chance to live a transformed life in Christ, bearing testimony to God’s glory.
Recently, I attended an online course on “Understanding Addictions from a Mental Health and Psychological Perspective” where I recognised one of the panel speakers. A group of like-minded Christians first met him when we began prison ministry at Jalan Awang prison and journeyed with him after his release in a three-quarter way house. Today, he is the compassionate Clinical Director and owner of Sanctuary Healthcare in Thailand, helping those entrenched in addiction, trauma and mental health conditions for the past 17 years. His story inspires me to believe that God can use even the darkest moments of life for the good of those who love Christ.
These life-changing testimonies strengthen my faith and hope in Christ, knowing that God is truly present in this ministry to the lost.
In what ways do you see God working through your efforts?
God reveals His heartbeat for prison ministry through open doors, season after season. As He opens new areas of support, He provides the volunteers needed.
We began with in-care chapel services and have since extended to the entire family unit — from the incarcerated to their parents, spouses and, more recently, their children in Care Club and Youth Club.
We continue to respond in faith, trusting that God will provide as He leads.
What are some ways that our church community can better support individuals who are engaged in similar work?
Wesley Prison Ministry is focusing on deepening relationships with those we journey with. We seek members willing to walk alongside ex-offenders, befriend them, listen, support them through highs and lows and point them to Jesus.
For children from families with incarcerated members, we aim to build relationships and create safe spaces for them to share their struggles.
We hope to break generational cycles and offer them freedom through Jesus’ love and hope. Education is a practical tool for long-term development.
The church can serve as sojourners, befrienders for ex-offenders and mentors or tutors for the children.
If you could share one message with our church community about the importance of engaging with the wider society, what would it be?
Accept all in our society with the love of God. Share His love and hope in Christ, for we do not know each person’s struggles or where they are in their life journey.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and dreams for the future of your work and its impact on the community?
I pray that God will continue to send workers, inmates, ex-offenders, their families and children to this ministry, and that He will sustain it to impact lives in Christ. This is a long-haul ministry, and we need His sustaining grace.
Life is a gift from God, and Christ’s abundant life is for all.
I pray that many will rise to lead the lost to where God intends us to be, and for a new generation of workers to continue this ministry for years to come.
(Photos courtesy of Judy Tan)
Feeling inspired by Judy Tan’s heart for serving the incarcerated and their families? Come be part of the Wesley Prison Ministry at Wesley Methodist Church and make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. Contact Christian Outreach & Social Concerns.
Read also: Walking with the Lost: David Tan’s Journey as a Volunteer with the Wesley Prison Ministry for Over a Decade
This year, our church theme will focus on Discipleship in Society. Wesley TIDINGS is delighted to introduce “Faith@Community”, a new monthly series for 2025 that explores the concept of “Everyday Christianity”. Everyday Christianity is about recognising that faith is not confined to the walls of our church. It is about living out our Christian values in every aspect of our daily lives – in our homes, workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods and communities.
Throughout the year, “Faith@Community” will share stories of inspiring individuals who are actively living out their faith through compassionate service, advocating for the marginalised and extending a helping hand to those in need. We hope their stories will challenge and inspire us to deepen our own discipleship and find ways to express our faith in practical, everyday actions.
Whether it is through acts of kindness, advocacy for justice or simply shining the light of Christ in your daily interactions, your story matters. Do you know someone quietly making a difference in their community? We want to hear their stories! If you have someone in mind (maybe even yourself!), please encourage them to reach out to us at tidings@wesleymc.org.
Wesley TIDINGS Team
For more information on the church theme this year, please go to:
https://wesleymc.org/dir2025
