Reaching Hearts Behind Bars
Wednesday 26 March 2025 11:08 With the new Discipleship Explored programme, ECM is partnering to bring hope and transformation to Czech prisons. “I feel freer inside these walls than I ever did outside, now that Christ is in my life” said an inmate.
In the Czech Republic, where less than 0.5% of the population identifies as evangelical Christians, the need for Gospel outreach is immense. For nearly a decade, the Prisoner’s Journey program has been sharing the hope of Christ with inmates across 19 prisons, transforming lives through the message of forgiveness and restoration.
Building on this foundation, ECM worker Martina Valchářová is partnering to launch the Discipleship Explored Prison Edition, a programme designed to help new believers behind bars grow in their faith. Based on Paul’s letter to the Philippians, it addresses the unique challenges faced by incarcerated individuals, guiding them to find freedom, purpose, and a restored identity in Christ.
One inmate described the impact of this work:
“I feel freer inside these walls than I ever did outside, now that Christ is in my life.”
The programme goes beyond teaching, meeting prisoners at their deepest point of need and equipping them to build a new life grounded in faith.
Looking Ahead
The next steps involve translating materials into Czech, distributing resources to prisons, and training chaplains and volunteers to lead the program. With this initiative, ECM aims to extend the message of Christ’s love and healing to more lives behind bars, demonstrating that no one is forgotten in God’s kingdom.
Stay tuned as this transformative project unfolds and continues to change lives in the Czech Republic’s prisons.
Archive > 2025
December
- 12/23/2025 12/23/25, 11:15 AM - Merry Christmas from ECM!
- 12/16/2025 12/16/25, 11:03 AM - Standing with Bitaj
- 12/9/2025 12/9/25, 10:23 AM - Join the Team
- 12/1/2025 12/1/25, 5:13 PM - A Continent in Need of Hope
November
- 11/19/2025 11/19/25, 2:22 PM - Love looks like Jesus
- 11/12/2025 11/12/25, 2:06 PM - Walking with God, Walking with Others
- 11/5/2025 11/5/25, 11:35 AM - Joining Forces
October
- 10/29/2025 10/29/25, 11:05 AM - What Is In Your Hands?
- 10/22/2025 10/22/25, 11:58 AM - Faith Takes Root
- 10/15/2025 10/15/25, 11:49 AM - Don’t Overestimate What You Can Do in a Year
- 10/8/2025 10/8/25, 5:34 PM - “Someone Has to Slay the Dragon!”
- 10/1/2025 10/1/25, 5:18 PM - Unhindered
September
August
- 8/28/2025 8/28/25, 9:57 AM - A New Church in the Heart of Budapest
- 8/12/2025 8/12/25, 10:30 AM - God's own words of love
- 8/6/2025 8/6/25, 8:56 AM - Another new worker for Portugal!
July
- 7/30/2025 7/30/25, 3:26 PM - One Answered Prayer at a Time
- 7/23/2025 7/23/25, 3:38 PM - "They may be broken, but God sees the potential”
- 7/16/2025 7/16/25, 4:04 PM - Prague: From the Giant Peach to the Hobbit House.
- 7/9/2025 7/9/25, 1:42 PM - Equipping God’s People: A Journey We’re Honoured to Share
- 7/2/2025 7/2/25, 1:35 PM - Sharing Jesus—and Growing Leaders—at Austria’s Summer Camps
June
- 6/25/2025 6/25/25, 1:27 PM - Reaching Romania’s Children with the Gospel of Grace
- 6/18/2025 6/18/25, 1:13 PM - God’s Word on Campus: Training Bible Study Leaders in Portugal
- 6/11/2025 6/11/25, 1:00 PM - Equipping for Abundant Life
- 6/3/2025 6/3/25, 11:41 AM - Groninger Cake in the Court Garden
May
- 5/27/2025 5/27/25, 3:29 PM - From DOS to the App Store: The Story of La Parola
- 5/16/2025 5/16/25, 12:08 PM - Hope in the Post-Atheist Neighbourhood
April
- 4/9/2025 4/9/25, 11:30 AM - Growing a Church that will Last for Generations
- 4/2/2025 4/2/25, 11:43 AM - Jesus is the Way on the Camino: Pilgrims finding God
March
- 3/26/2025 3/26/25, 11:08 AM - Reaching Hearts Behind Bars
- 3/19/2025 3/19/25, 11:55 AM - How God Called Us to Stay at Home
- 3/12/2025 3/12/25, 11:39 AM - How Much my Supporters Mean to Me
- 3/5/2025 3/5/25, 11:33 AM - An experience I couldn’t recommend more!
February
- 2/19/2025 2/19/25, 11:10 AM - From a Bar to the Bible
- 2/12/2025 2/12/25, 12:19 PM - From War Volunteer Centre to Thriving Church
- 2/5/2025 2/5/25, 11:28 AM - How was I called to Europe?
January
OUR IMPACT IN UKRAINE
Discover our impact in the Ukraine crisis and how you can be part of it.
USA MISSIONARIES: DOING OUR PART
BE PART OF GOD'S MISSION IN EUROPE
STORIES FROM THE FIELD
“Honey, We Brought the Kids on Vacation!”
September - 30 - 2026 12:06 “Honey, we brought the kids on vacation!” It was a joke between Tamás and Virág as they arrived at Lake Balaton with 26 young people. But after years of walking alongside these teenagers, the words carried more truth than they realised. full storyStrength in Our Weakness
September - 23 - 2026 12:04 God is still saving people in Europe — and He delights to work through ordinary people. ECMI worker Matej experienced this when a casual conversation opened the door for a woman to surrender her life to Jesus. His story reminds us that we do not need to be strong or perfectly equipped to serve God. We simply need to trust Him and say yes. full storyUnshakable
September - 16 - 2026 11:16 Unshakable faith shines brightest in difficult seasons. Read how ECMI missionaries across Europe are trusting Christ through loss, opposition, and uncertainty — and inspiring others to do the same. full story 
