The morning routine for 21 inmates at the Hockley County Jail was a little different Friday morning as they were baptized by Minister Dewey Gragson.
Since becoming Hockley County Sheriff, Chris Wischkaemper has been excited to introduce Gragson to the inmates as he leads a Celebrate Recovery Group.
The group meets every Thursday evening, but for the inmates Gragson takes time every Monday to meet with them.
“Every time I go into the jail, the inmates speak highly of him [Gragson],” said Wischkaemper. They love him.”
Going through Celebrate Recovery lessons, Gragson says the inmates take in the information because they are tired of the cycle they are living.
“I was strung out on meth for 16 years and ended up getting a 40-year prison sentence here in Hockley County. I did a lot of time in that jail,” said Gragson. “Someone sent me a Bible at that time, and I didn’t really believe in Jesus. I asked him to change my life, and it was a long process, but I still have that bible and he has given me a good life.”
It has been roughly a decade since his release and Gragson still holds onto the bible he received despite it almost falling apart, Gragson says one quote has stuck with him since his time in prison.
“If you can find a man whose Bible is falling apart, his life won’t be,” said Gragson. “That is what I keep encouraging these inmates to do. Get to know God. I know it is hard at first but be honest with him.”
Using what he has learned from his experience, Gragson hopes to show those in the jail that things can change for the better.
“Going back into the jail, I just want them to know they don’t have to live that way anymore,” explained Gragson. “It is hard to turn to Jesus in 2025. We live in a society where not everyone believes in him, but I just want them to know that the Bible is true.” Gragson says the turnout has been positive for the classes at the jail. Spanning a wide variety of ages between the men and women inmates.
Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12-step recovery program designed to help people overcome hurts, habits, and hangups. It addresses a wide range of issues, including addiction (alcohol, drugs, etc.), codependency, anger and past trauma, offering a supportive community and biblical principles for healing.
“That is the good thing about Celebrate Recovery, it covers it all,” said Gragson.
Hoping to make a positive impact at the jail, Gragson is thankful Wischkaemper allowed him the opportunity to work with the inmates. Wanting to work with the inmates during the previous administration, Gragson understood why he was not given the opportunity.
“I have a pretty extensive criminal history. They [previous administration] were weary of letting me come in there,” explained Gragson. “I have five felonies. I had been getting in trouble since I was 19-years-old and the last time I got in trouble I was 43-years-old. With what felonies I do have I can understand their decision.
“That jail is a horrible place to be, but that is where I met Jesus and is now a good place to me. It can be a good place for other people.”
Gragson thanked Wischkaemper for an opportunity to sit down and talk, “He took the time to sit down with me and see where my heart really is.”
Sharing that his heart is with Jesus and redemption, Gragson hopes he can show people that Jesus can redeem individuals and change lives for the better.
“The best part about it is if you can change one man or woman’s life, you can change their children’s lives,” said Gragson. “I think we have all been guilty of passing down some generational curses. If you dive into Jesus and his word, he will give you the opportunity to pass down generational blessings.”
With his work in the jail, Gragson has a goal to show inmates where they are at is not the end, but where everything starts.
When the list for baptism sign-ups was being passed around, Gragson was in the women’s section when one of the inmates noticed her brother had chosen to be baptized.
“She told me she was excited when she saw that her brother had signed up as well to be baptized and that means the world to me,” said Gragson. “That is something big for that family. If it was not for Chris [Sheriff Wischkaemper] and the department, I don’t think this would have happened.”
Addressing the constant discussion about second chances, the minister feels that God is about many chances rather than just two.
“You can’t put a number on how many chances he will give you because he loves us that much,” explained Gragson. “My wife and I talk about a reckless love, and we even talked about it during Monday’s meeting.”
In that Monday meeting, Gragson talked about his first baptism when he was a child and when he was baptized later when in prison.
“I was baptized when I was a kid at the family church because that was what my mom, granny and great grandmother wanted. That is what you did as a kid, but it did not really mean anything to me,” explained Gragson. “I was baptized at the [John] Middleton Unit when I first went to prison and it was probably the coldest water I had been in my entire life, but it just meant the world to me.
“Like I said, in a place where society is done with you and you have nothing left to offer society, that is where God met me,” said Gragson. “He showed me in prison that, “I am going to wash you clean, and you have everything to offer me. I want you; I love you and we are going to do good things together.” I want them [inmates] to experience that.”
For the program, Gragson shared his appreciation for those who have donated. With those donations, cases of Bibles have been placed in the hands of inmates. For those interested in attending a meeting, they are held every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Levelland Housing Authority building located at 1310 Ave. J.
“The Celebrate Recovery Program is a great program that not just covers drugs or alcohol,” explained Gragson. “It covers overeating, sexual abuse, codependency, porn addiction and so much more. Anything that gets in the way with your relationship with Jesus Christ is what we talk about.”