What happens when a life shaped by violence, poverty, and abandonment meets consistent love, purpose, and the message of the Gospel?

In this powerful episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Greg Harris, Executive Director of Counteract International, to explore the realities facing incarcerated youth in Central America—and the transformative work being done to restore their lives.

Drawing from his book Counteract: Walking Alongside Incarcerated Youth in Central America from Prison to Purpose, Greg shares firsthand stories of young men and women caught in cycles of crime, broken homes, and gang culture—and how mentorship, faith-based education, and intentional relationships are helping them rewrite their futures.

Together, they unpack:


The harsh realities of juvenile detention in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala


The “battle within” every young person must face when choosing their path


Why relationship—not just programs—is the key to lasting transformation


The critical role of faith in restoring identity, dignity, and purpose


The high cost of inaction—and why this mission matters now more than ever

This conversation is both sobering and deeply hopeful, challenging listeners to reconsider how we see justice, redemption, and our responsibility to the most vulnerable.

👉 If you’ve ever wondered whether real change is possible in the hardest places—this episode will show you that it is.

Get early access and a bonus with aPatreon membership.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian, so you never miss an insightful conversation!

What happens when a life shaped by violence, poverty, and abandonment meets consistent love, purpose, and the message of the Gospel?
In this powerful episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer sits down with Greg Harris, Executive Director of Counteract International, to explore the realities facing incarcerated youth in Central America&mdash;and the transformative work being done to restore their lives.
Drawing from his book Counteract: Walking Alongside Incarcerated Youth in Central America from Prison to Purpose, Greg shares firsthand stories of young men and women caught in cycles of crime, broken homes, and gang culture&mdash;and how mentorship, faith-based education, and intentional relationships are helping them rewrite their futures.
Together, they unpack:
<ul data-start="1397" data-end="1789">
<li data-section-id="1pa1e1a" data-start="1397" data-end="1482">
The harsh realities of juvenile detention in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala
</li>
<li data-section-id="zk8ktc" data-start="1483" data-end="1560">
The &ldquo;battle within&rdquo; every young person must face when choosing their path
</li>
<li data-section-id="gbkat0" data-start="1561" data-end="1636">
Why relationship&mdash;not just programs&mdash;is the key to lasting transformation
</li>
<li data-section-id="3i1x24" data-start="1637" data-end="1711">
The critical role of faith in restoring identity, dignity, and purpose
</li>
<li data-section-id="mlkz6z" data-start="1712" data-end="1789">
The high cost of inaction&mdash;and why this mission matters now more than ever
</li>
</ul>
This conversation is both sobering and deeply hopeful, challenging listeners to reconsider how we see justice, redemption, and our responsibility to the most vulnerable.
👉 If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered whether real change is possible in the hardest places&mdash;this episode will show you that it is.
Get early access and a bonus with a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/thinkingchristian/membership">Patreon membership</a>.
Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Useful_toGod">YouTube channel</a>
To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on <a href="https://www.christianity.com/author/james-spencer/">Christianity.com</a>.
📢 Stay Connected &amp; Keep Growing!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian, so you never miss an insightful conversation!

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.

Find more from James at https://usefultogod.com/.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at <a href="https://usefultogod.com/">https://usefultogod.com/</a>.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.

Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at <a href="https://usefultogod.com/">https://usefultogod.com/.</a>

From Prison to Purpose: Restoring Hope for Incarcerated Youth in Central America

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/bc16cfb1-6690-4b23-8c2e-b41600ffbbee/transcript