You might be familiar with the name Jeffery Dahmer. In the nineties, the world was horrified to learn about his crimes. He was even the subject of a recent Netflix series. His name has become synonymous with the most extreme, the worst of the worst, and maybe somebody beyond the grace of God. So how does one forgive what seems to be the unforgivable? And what is it like to be in the position of a pastor who is asked to baptize someone as infamous as a serial killer? Well, it was a surprise to learn that Jeffrey Dahmer gave his life to Christ during his time in prison. And I had a chance to talk with the man who baptized him: a pastor named Roy Ratcliff. Roy shares his experience with Jefferey and the incredible grace in his story of faith.
You may know someone who is wrestling with the idea of God’s grace. Maybe you’re struggling to give grace to yourself, and you don’t know where to start. If that lands for you, listen to today’s episode and share it with someone you think might want to hear this.
Special thanks to our sponsor over at Saga Counseling Center.
Highlights
The Backstory – 02:33
- A little about Roy
- How he came to meet Jeffrey Dahmer.
Why did he do the crimes? – 15:25
- Roy shares his own thoughts about why Jeffey Dahmer committed those crimes
- What led Jeffery to want to be baptized?
- What was the day of his baptism like?
God’s Grace and Forgiveness – 33:08
- Did Jeffrey Dahmer feel remorse?
- How did Roy see God differently after his experience with Jeffrey?
- What does Jeffrey’s story mean for us?
Resources
- Episode Transcript
- Dark Journey Deep Grace: Jeffrey Dahmer’s Story of Faith by Roy Ratcliff
- Photo by Jackson David on Unsplash