Magic in Prison

(Image: Stephen Bargatze, Larry Courtright, Jason Michaels)

One of the most sobering sounds I’ve ever heard was the loud “CLANG!” as the door closed and locked firmly behind me the very first time I entered a prison.

I remember thinking, “How many people know that I’m currently in here?” As if that was going to make much of a difference.

Father time has passed and my memory simply will not allow me to recall exactly which year it was, but I am fairly certain that this must have been at least fifteen or sixteen years ago. I was a visitor at the Davidson County Male Correctional Development Center because of an invitation that I had received from Men of Valor prison ministry.

A man named Curt Campbell contacted me after meeting me at a corporate event where I was performing close-up magic. Curt told me that he was involved in a ministry called Men of Valor that focused on winning men in prison to Jesus Christ and discipling them.

He told me that he was a big fan of magic and, if I was willing, he would like to take me in to this facility to share magic with the incarcerated men who were in the Men of Valor program.

I’ve always believed that magic is an incredible tool that cuts through the B.S. of life and touches people at their very core. I also firmly believe that magic, and entertainment in general, is something that should be shared with as many people as possible.

You see, I’ve learned, through real-life, that creating laughter and amazement is good for people’s mental health. For those reasons, I immediately told Curt that I was in.

I will never forget what it was like to walk into the room where all the men were gathered the very first time and have them erupt in cheers because I was there. There was palpable excitement in the air. I performed a magic show for them and then I shared my personal testimony of my belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

That day made such an impact on me that I told Curt to please keep me in mind for other opportunities to do this in the future. The next year Curt called me and told me that I could bring other entertainers with me, if I so desired. I immediately called one of my closest friends, Stephen Bargatze. I described the gig to him and he didn’t hesitate - he was in, too.

That began an annual tradition that has continued year after year, right around Christmas, where Stephen and I (and a few special guests) travel to a local prison that is being served by Men of Valor and perform a show full of magic and comedy and then we share vulnerable, personal stories with the men about our own struggles and our redemption through Christ.

This past Christmas, on December 20th, 2023, Stephen and I made our way to Turner Trousdale Correctional Facility to share our annual program with approximately one hundred men. Also joining us this year was Provident Artist Ben Fuller.

After a brief introduction and a prayer, I had the pleasure of kicking off the show. I performed and spoke for about thirty minutes and then introduced my friend, the guy I call “The Closer”, Stephen Bargatze. Stephen also shared tons of laughter, magic and a message of hope for about thirty minutes. As Stephen was wrapping up I could feel that something special was happening in this little chapel in the middle of this medium security prison.

Ben Fuller closed the evening in the most perfect way possible. He sang three of his powerful, touching songs while being backed by the prison band. Ben’s voice filled the room, his message touched us deeply, and, I believe, every person gathered felt God’s presence in that room.

After the program was over it was time for the men to go back to their living quarters. The three of us shook hands with and spoke to as many of the men as we could. Then we gathered our things and made our way out of the prison.

As our group of entertainers, helpers, and Men of Valor volunteers and staff stood outside of the prison it was obvious to each of us that something powerful happened that evening - something that was much greater than what any of us could have done by ourselves.

Right before the program began we asked God to come into that room and bless us with his presence. There is no doubt in my mind that He showed up and changed people’s lives.

As I think back, Stephen and I have some epic stories from these shows. Our good friend Dick Staub wanted to visit with us one year and, somehow, after emptying his pockets and being searched, he picked his phone up and put it back in his pocket right before he walked into the prison.

I was in the middle of a magic trick when Dick’s phone suddenly started ringing! You should have seen the looks on the faces of these prisoners (and guards!) Thankfully, the guards didn’t hang onto Dick - or the rest of us!

We have also enjoyed performing with many other comedians and magicians who have been kind enough to volunteer their time to serve this very worthy program and this underserved community. A few of the entertainers who have participated include Nate Bargatze, Harris III, and Brian Bates, as well as many more.

Here’s the takeaway, if you have a heart to serve a group of people who are desperately underserved, consider serving the folks in your community who are incarcerated. I’ve worked with Men of Valor and Prison Fellowship and neither of these groups tries to dismiss the fact that the inmates they serve have been tried and convicted of a crime. What they do, however, is to follow Jesus’s command to visit the prisoners. If you do, you might be surprised by the blessing that you receive yourself.