BODY COPY (80 words)
It began not with a business plan, but with a burden. Lloyd Johnson carried a deep sense that people needed encouragement in today’s climate. Around a fireside chat at New Life Church in Canton, he voiced that burden with his men’s ministry brothers. From that night, The Disciple Letters was born.
The Isaiah 61:1 Project exists to bring good news to the brokenhearted and freedom to the captive in Cherokee County. Through relational mentoring inside the jail and beyond, they equip incarcerated and newly released individuals with tools to rebuild their lives. They provide books, Bibles, and devotionals, resume training, virtual interview coaching, attire for job interviews, document recovery, transportation for appointments, referrals to medical and mental health services, and support for families during incarceration.
When Lloyd Johnson saw how one letter of encouragement could shift someone’s spirit inside the jail, he felt a burden to do more. That burden gave rise to a devotional series designed to reach both believers at home and those in captivity. Today, Lloyd and Irene Stout of The Isaiah 61:1 Project partner with Chaplain Doug Miannay of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office to ensure the vision brings hope to both homes and jails.
So what exactly are The Disciple Letters? At its core, it is a year-long devotional delivered to mailboxes worldwide for $12 to $15 per month. Each letter series consists of 24 letters, mailed every two weeks for a total of 12 months. Instead of a digital notification, these are physical letters you can hold, reread, and reflect upon. Each one is written in the imagined voice of a disciple, rooted in Scripture, and reviewed by theologians for biblical integrity. The letters, also available in audio, draw you into the humanity of those who first followed Christ, making their struggles and triumphs feel startlingly real.
But the series is not only for you. Its beauty lies in a dual mission. When you subscribe, you receive encouragement for your own walk of faith, and at the same time, you send that same encouragement into the Cherokee County Jail. Irene, who leads the women’s side of Isaiah 61:1, explains the dual mission: “Every subscription is multiplied. One set arrives at your home, and another is delivered inside the jail to remind someone they are not forgotten.” For Lloyd Johnson, the impact is unmistakable. “You would be amazed at what one letter can do,” he says. “For many men and women, it is the only reminder that they are seen again, loved again, and remembered, no matter what they have done.”
What makes The Disciple Letters extraordinary is its humanity. These are not lofty theological essays but devotional letters written for everyday people, just like the first disciples wrote to the early church.
Readers often describe them as “a conversation across time.” Paul writes with joy. John reflects on love. Peter shares the weight of failure and the beauty of redemption. Each letter feels deeply personal. And because it arrives by mail, not by screen, it slows the pace and invites reflection.
The letters come in curated collections, each designed with a unique voice and audience in mind:
- The Sisterhood Scrolls — encouragement for women of faith, championed by Mary Magdalene.
- Last Days Unveiled — a compelling journey through Revelation and the urgency of hope with John.
- Peter’s Letter to Young Adults — bold, challenging words for the next generation.
- The 11: Brotherhood of the Broken — raw reflections from the disciples after Judas, wrestling with forgiveness and faith.
- Letters for the Skeptic — written in the voice of Thomas, these speak honestly to doubt, addiction, and recovery.
- Matthew’s Merchant Letters — insights for business and marketplace leaders, intersecting faith with workplace leadership.
Born around a fire in Canton, it now reaches homes nationwide, from Utah to Arizona, from Boston to Bakersfield, and just last month, even Singapore & South Korea.
What makes these collections so powerful is not just the words on the page, but the way they meet people in their real struggles and callings. For the skeptic, the addict, the leader, or the weary believer, these letters offer companionship and hope. They remind readers that faith is not about perfection, but about living with grace, courage, and purpose in every arena of life.
This is the dual heartbeat of The Disciple Letters: a local ministry rooted in Isaiah 61:1 and Chaplain Doug’s work in jails, and a national movement of encouragement reaching homes across America.
This holiday season, encouragement is the gift everyone needs. In an era when faith is quietly gaining traction among younger generations, The Disciple Letters offers a devotional that is refreshed, tactile, thoughtful, and deeply human.
It is a devotional. It is a gift. It is a mission. Join the movement today for $12 to $15 a month at TheDiscipleLetters.com.
“One physical letter can change everything. It reminds us that faith is not about perfection, but about grace, encouragement, and hope meeting us right where we are, in the struggles and victories of everyday life.” - Irene Stout