The First Inmate-Led Discovery Bible Study At Donovan Prison

After months of sowing seed in hard ground, something new began to take root inside Donovan Prison. For the first time, an inmate—not a volunteer or outside leader—had started his own Discovery Bible Study.

It began with Johnny, a man whose transformation had been unfolding quietly. A few weeks earlier, he’d shared how he led his cellmate to Christ one night when he didn’t even feel like it. He was tired, discouraged, and wrestling with his own sense of unworthiness. Yet he obeyed the nudge of the Spirit, opened the Scriptures, and watched as God moved in his cell.

That single act of obedience didn’t stop there. When Aaron checked in during the Alpha Yard report, he found that Johnny had gone further—organizing a Discovery Bible Study right in his day room. Not just with his cellmate, but with five others. And he wasn’t keeping it to himself.

He turned to another man, Marcel, and said, “Hey, my block has one. What about yours?”

That’s when we knew something had shifted. This wasn’t just participation; it was multiplication. Johnny wasn’t waiting for approval or instruction. He was living out the DNA of disciple-making—taking initiative, inviting others, and challenging his peers to do the same.

Aaron’s report carried a note of awe. The yard had been chaotic that week—multiple acts of violence, delays, and lockdowns. But in the middle of all that turmoil, the Spirit had quietly been at work. “There’s a hunger,” Aaron said. “The field is ripe.”

He gave them practical coaching—reminding the group to separate believers from nonbelievers when they met, so everyone could learn in the right environment. He warned that too many people in one group could stifle growth, and encouraged them to multiply small gatherings rather than form large ones. It wasn’t about building a program; it was about cultivating simple, reproducible obedience to Jesus.

As we listened, it was clear that this was more than a moment—it was a milestone. The months of teaching, repetition, and faithful presence were bearing fruit. The men weren’t just consuming lessons; they were living them out.

At the end of the meeting, we paused to give thanks. We prayed over Johnny’s group—these first men to carry the movement on their own inside those walls. “Father,” I prayed, “this is our firstfruits offering to You. Protect these men. Let their obedience be a fragrant offering that multiplies throughout Donovan Prison.”