Loving. Leading. Changing Lives.
God Behind Bars at Henning
Our God Behind Bars ministry brings the hope of Jesus to men and women behind bars every week. Our Dream Team brings the Compel Church weekend experience into the prison, creating opportunities for those we serve to encounter Christ, build community, and grow in their relationship with Him.
For the past 10 years, we have had the privilege of serving women at West Tennessee State Penitentiary. In May 2026, we expanded our reach to include the men as well. We are honored to serve both men and women at West Tennessee State Penitentiary and believe every person deserves the opportunity to hear the Gospel, experience the love of Jesus, and discover a new life in Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions
You do not have to be a member or regular attender at Compel Church, but we do give preference to Compel Dream Team Members. You need to commit to the participation agreement in the application and attend the required team meetings that will take place before the trip.
Adult trips are for 18 years and older. Student and family trips will specify the age requirement for each trip.
Family Trips are open for Parents and Students of the appropriate age to participate together. If your student is under the age of 18 years old, we encourage you to attend a Family trip together. Student trips are designed to be lead by Student Pastors and Youth Leaders; parents do not attend student trips.
No, you are not committing by submitting your application/deposit. You are only expressing your interest in applying for the missions trip. Before the date the second payment is due you can withdraw your interest and request a refund. After the second payment date has past, no refunds will be given or transferred. The application puts you on the trip’s list of applicants. Your application is not accepted until you have been notified by trip leader. At that point, you are considered officially committed.
Most trip costs are all-inclusive and covering applicable flights, meals, ministry supplies, transportation, and lodging. It does not include things like passport fees, snacks, souvenirs, immunizations, or personal items. Trip expenses which will not be included in the cost will be communicated from the trip leader as soon as possible.
Compel Church does not provide scholarships or organize team fundraisers. Each team member is expected to raise all funds. We encourage the team members to personally contribute and raise his or her own financial support in order to go on a short-term mission trip. In addition, we suggest fundraising by writing letters to friends and family sharing the goal of the trip and the financial requirements to make the trip happen.
Apply now for a passport if you don’t have one. http://travel.state.gov/passport
If your passport expires less than six months after your departure date, you will need to renew your passport as soon as possible. Additionally, if you have a non-U.S. passport, you are responsible for finding out if a visa is required for you to travel to a specific country.
If the trip is full your application will go on a waiting list. If a space opens up on the team you will receive an email to let you know. You will be responsible to catch up on all payments and trip info at that time.
No, it is imperative for team unity and liability reasons that all trip participants travel together.
We have taken every precaution possible to mitigate unnecessary risks involved with our short term trips. We continually monitor the personal, social, political, and environmental factors that might heighten the security issues of our teams and consider the security of our teams very important.
Yes.
Compel wants every missions trip attender to be fully present in the experience and not miss the big picture of why God brought you to your missions trip. After your missions experience, your trip leader will be glad to help you communicate the impact of your trip.