When a group of ex-prisoners walked into Stephen James’s prison and began sharing their stories of change, healing, and forgiveness, Stephen didn’t think he’d ever be one of them.
“I went up to the guy who was running the ministry and said, ‘You don’t know how bad I’ve been.’ I started to list every bad thing I’d done in my life when he stopped me. He told me, ‘I don’t want to know about what you’ve done. We love you, and Christ loves you.’”
That day was a turning point for Stephen, who at 25 years old, was serving a four-year sentence in HMP Prison in Shrewsbury, England, for drug possession.
Stephen grew up in Leek, England, the youngest of five children. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother withered under his father’s physical and psychological abuse.
“There wasn’t any love,” says Stephen. “No encouragement, no investment in the children. We grew up in fear.”
Stephen often questioned the bad things that happened in his life. His school performance suffered, and at 15 years old he began to follow in his father’s footsteps, working construction by day and drinking his nights away.
“I lived my life in the bars, pubs, and clubs,” says Stephen. “And that progressed to drugs.”
It started with cannabis, and quickly spiraled into speed, ecstasy, and LSD.
“Then I was introduced to methadone, which is a substitute for heroin addicts. But to get it, you have to show up to the doctor with heroin in your system, so you can claim you were an addict.”
But it wasn’t just a claim.
“I started dealing. The low point of my life was using intravenously—injecting five to six times a day. I was suicidal and remember thinking I couldn’t carry on like this.”
In 1995, Stephen was caught and convicted for possession of heroin, and sentenced to four years in prison. He served two. At that point, he was convinced he would go back to drugs when he was released. But transformation was already taking shape, as Stephen began asking the God question.
“If you’d have asked me if there is a God, I would have said yes. But I didn’t know him personally.”
Near the end of Stephen’s sentence, men from Victory Outreach visited his prison. They brought ex-offenders with them, who shared their stories of brokenness, drug addiction, and alcohol abuse. This got Stephen’s attention.
“I identified with them,” he says. “I’ll never forget when I was in prison: I was abandoned. My family didn’t want to know me. Nobody visited me. I didn’t think my life could change. But they all said that Jesus changed their life. And that was the moment for me.”
Stephen cracked open a Bible and began his exploration of who Jesus is, why He came, and what He called Stephen to do. And he found the answers to his questions about life, and purpose, and identity. Stephen committed his life to Christ.
When Stephen was released from prison in August of 1997 he was determined not to go back. He moved to South Wales, where Victory Outreach supported his reintegration for two years, as he rebuilt his life. He worked construction while he went back to school, eventually earning a college degree in sociology and social studies. He met his wife, got married, started a family.
Then in 2008, prison loomed on the horizon, once again, when a group from Christianity Explored Ministries approached Stephen to develop a course, based on the Gospel of Mark, to be taught in prisons.
“I didn’t want to go back to prison,” says Stephen. “But I felt a calling to go back. It was clear that God wanted me to be involved in prison ministry.”
Stephen spent the next eight years developing and teaching what would become the basis for Prison Fellowship International’s groundbreaking in-prison evangelism and discipleship program, The Prisoner’s Journey®.
“The challenge was to write the course to fit the needs of the prison context, to make it adaptive.”
Stephen sat in on many courses, and eventually drew up a model that merged the course materials with several other proven in-prison courses, including Prison Fellowship International’s Sycamore Tree Project: Justice and Peace®: Justice and Peace® victim-offender reconciliation program.
“We trialed the program for about a year, always asking for feedback from the prisoners.”
To keep the prisoners’ interests and accommodate varying academic levels, the course is mostly oral and the exercises are kept short and visual with questions and drawings on flip charts, and lots of repetition.
“We talk about where we’ve been in the course, and where we’re going. We work step-by-step through a theme each week, and look at a couple of verses. We keep the guys moving around a lot.”
In 2014, Stephen helped adapt the course for Prison Fellowship International’s The Prisoner’s Journey® program. It has since reached more than half a million prisoners with an invitation to learn about Jesus the Prisoner.
Stephen regularly watches men and women come into the course saying the same things he used to say—“I can’t change, you don’t know where I’ve been”—and seeing them, step-by-step, begin to understand and live the message and hope of Christ.
“One of the most rewarding things I’ve heard a prisoner says is, ‘I’m more free in prison than I would be outside, now that I have Christ in my life.’”
As Stephen travels the globe to train Prison Fellowship affiliate leaders to teach the course, he’s confronted by many challenges as an ex-convict. Yet, he says his life is constantly shaped and authenticated by the Gospel, and he wouldn’t trade prison ministry for anything else.
“Obviously, I’ve got criminal convictions. . . . It’s like I’m constantly vetted as a person each time I enter a new country. But I wouldn’t be doing this work if it wasn’t for the Gospel.”
“It is about loving the prisoner. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done. And sometimes that’s tough. Because we’re good at loving people who are good towards us, who are nice people, but it really is about loving the prisoner.”
“And I haven’t been refused in any country yet. That’s an amazing testimony, isn’t it?”
Help other prisoners around the world hear the invitation to know Christ as their savior through The Prisoner’s Journey® evangelism and discipleship program.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey®
I Forgive Those Who Massacred My Family
My name is Ornella, and I am a volunteer for The Prisoner’s Journey® evangelism and discipleship program in a Rwamagana prison in Rwanda.
My parents were refugees and my other family members were massacred during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. I couldn’t bear to go to prison and meet some of the perpetrators of the genocide, who killed my relatives. But being trained by Prison Fellowship Rwanda on different topics regarding Bible studies and forgiveness, I decided to forgive them and now I’m able to minister to them.
I participated in the graduation event of Rwamagana prison.
I was especially touched by the testimony given by one graduate who declared the teachings of The Prisoner’s Journey® changed his life.
He used to steal materials that belonged to other inmates. He said, “Since I have started following the course, I’ve stopped sins and repented from all sins I committed against God and the community.”
Help others experience healing through Christ so they may also share God’s message of grace to prisoners around the world.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey®
I Want to Be a Part of This
Mr. Saihemba is an officer in a Chondwe prison in Zambia. As he observed the inmates participating in The Prisoner’s Journey® evangelism and discipleship program, and the heart changes that occurred within them.
“This is the ministry of the century, and I want to be a part of it,” he says.
Help us continue to reach out to prisoners, their families, and even prison officials with the love of Christ.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey®
I’m No Longer Forsaken
My name is Nik, I’m 38-years-old, and sentenced to 21 years in prison in Rrogozhin, Albania. I love the Lord and I live to be loved by Him. I know He has a plan for me in this prison, and this became clearer to me while participating in The Prisoner’s Journey® eight-week course.
During the program, I listened to the story of when everyone abandoned [Jesus], but in that moment He was found by God. His story is very much like my story. When everything falls apart around me, I know He is there, and I am not alone, and can be with Him every moment.
God bless you all for making this possible.
Help other prisoners around the world hear the invitation to know Christ as their savior through The Prisoner’s Journey® evangelism and discipleship program.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey® program
My Reluctance Turned to Joy
My name is Marlene. I didn’t want to participate in The Prisoner’s Journey®, because I thought it wouldn’t bring anything good to me.
But after the first session, I was delighted with the program and testimonies. Through the course, I was reproached by God.
Now, I always recommend the program to the other. I believe their lives will be changed, too.
Help others share God’s message of grace to prisoners around the world.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey®
The Sunday I’ll Never Forget
My name is Jeff, and I’m a volunteer with The Prisoner’s Journey® evangelism and discipleship program in a prison in New South Wales, Australia.
Each Sunday afternoon, I head to the prison in the hope of doing a church service. On this particular Sunday, we had 25 inmates in attendance. The best part was 15 of them had just spent three weeks attending The Prisoner’s Journey®. Although they all completed the course, none had come to church before. I was excited to see how God was speaking to them on their journey.
I preached a message about Gideon, and how the greatest battle we fight is with ourselves. This seemed to resonate with the inmates; I could see on their faces the message touched them. At the end of the message, I took them through the plan of salvation. I said “If anyone would like to place their faith and trust in Christ, then raise your hand so I can meet with you and pray with you.”
Eleven men from The Prisoner’s Journey® raised their hands.
I’m embarrassed to say I was shocked. Although I had asked God to do a great work, I wasn’t expecting Him to actually answer.
I said “Wait, I want to make sure you all understand.” I took them through it again, and again 11 inmates raised their hands to accept Christ as their Savior.
What started off as a normal Sunday afternoon became one I won’t forget.
Help other volunteers share God’s message of grace to prisoners around the world.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey®
God Looked for Me
Enoc is a former prisoner who attended The Prisoner’s Journey® evangelism and discipleship program.
During Enoc’s time in prison, he felt accused, stereotyped, abandoned, and harmful. But he said God looked for him, and He was always there. God reminded Enoc that He still has not changed the purpose for him.
Enoc says regardless of the difficult time, God makes miracles in prisons, and that he is one of those miracles.
Today, as a free man, Enoc serves as a volunteer through Prison Fellowship Colombia and a facilitator for The Prisoner’s Journey®.
Help other prisoners around the world hear about God’s salvation.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey®
I Now Understand Jesus is Loving
My name is Edivaldo, and I am serving a prison sentence in Itaúna, Brazil. I have studied theology for over four years, but it was The Prisoner’s Journey evangelism and discipleship program that helped me understand more about this wonderful and loving Jesus.
I am grateful, because although I’m behind bars, Jesus has come to meet me.
Today as a facilitator for The Prisoner’s Journey, I encourage my brothers to come with me on this journey, assuring them their lives will never be the same.
Of the millions of prisoners around the world, many will serve their sentence without receiving an invitation to hear God’s message of grace and love, unless we do something.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey
Jesus Gave Me Peace
My name is B Mabunda. I did not know Jesus, but one day I was invited to church by [a friend]. When they called the people to receive the Lord Jesus as Savior, I went. And that day I found peace.
And then I went with [my friend] to The Prisoner’s Journey evangelism and discipleship program where I found that Jesus came to give life to me. I now thank Jesus for the peace I have found in many ways!
Help other prisoners experience the peace of Christ.
Learn more about The Prisoner’s Journey
I Realized There is No Sin God Cannot Forgive
I thank God for revealing Himself clearly to me while in prison and through The Prisoner’s Journey program lessons. They have helped me a lot.
Now I understand who Jesus is. I learned that knowing Him will enable me to talk to Him in confidence.
God gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross at Calvary, to bear the punishment for my sins. The knowledge I gained has helped me so much.
I can tell other people about Jesus because I know who He is, His mission, and His calling.
When our teacher taught us about God’s grace, my eyes were opened and I realized there is no sin God cannot forgive if you confess. I received this grace, and I feel peace in my life.
Help other prisoners have the opportunity to learn about who Jesus is, and experience His forgiveness.