Cheryl Johnson • Disciple Maker
Finding Hope Behind Prison Walls
In this story from the KC Underground Network, Breanna Wiebe sits down with Cheryl, a missionary connected to the Western Edge Hub, to share what God is doing inside Lansing Correctional Facility.
“I could stay in the safe zone, or walk through the door God opened.” — Cheryl Johnson
Cheryl explains that prison ministry wasn’t something she originally planned. Instead, it was a door God gradually opened—through relationships, a reentry ministry, and a simple invitation to notice where God was already at work and join Him there. After listening to a KC Underground podcast, Cheryl felt freed to step outside her familiar contexts and say yes to this new one.
Since February, Cheryl has been going into the prison weekly to lead Discovery Bible Studies focused on hope. Together with the men, she walked through ten Bible stories, eventually inviting each of them to lead a study themselves. The goal wasn’t just learning—it was empowerment and multiplication, equipping these men to disciple others from within the prison.
One of the most powerful moments Cheryl shares comes after a Saturday night worship service where 21 men were baptized. As she and her husband prepared to leave, two inmates—Oscar and Omar—asked for prayer. Omar, who didn’t speak English and felt completely alone, was prayed over as Oscar translated. Through tears, Oscar looked at Cheryl and said, “Please tell the people on the outside that we’re not all terrible people.”
This story reflects the heart of Matthew 25 in action—visiting the imprisoned, offering hope, and discovering that God is already moving powerfully behind locked doors.
Are you walking with people, planting the gospel, or seeing new life emerge in your context? Your story can strengthen and inspire the wider KC Underground family.
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