Our Mission
Seeing every person through the lens of the cross
The Long Mercy Project exists to glorify God by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, helping people see every person through the lens of the cross—as an image-bearer of God rather than through the lens of their worst act—and equipping the Church to extend Christ-centered truth, mercy, and hope to a broken world.
What We Do
We Show Up
We believe ministry begins with presence. We enter correctional facilities not simply to preach, but to build genuine relationships. We sit together, listen to stories, pray together, study Scripture, laugh together, and remind men that they have not been forgotten.
We Walk Alongside
Many incarcerated men have little or no contact with the outside world. Some receive no visits, no letters, no phone calls, and no financial support for basic necessities. In correctional terms, many are considered indigent—without outside resources or support.
When appropriate and within the prison's policies, we seek to help provide practical items and encouragement while reminding each man that his greatest need—and greatest hope—is found in Jesus Christ.
We See the Person
Our mission is not to excuse sin or minimize the pain of victims. We believe justice matters. We also believe every person remains an image-bearer of God and should never be reduced to the worst decision they have ever made.
Every conversation, every visit, every prayer, and every act of kindness begins with that conviction.
Get Involved
The Long Mercy Project exists because people choose to become part of the work God is doing. Whether through prayer, volunteering, giving, or sharing our mission with others, you can help bring the hope of Christ to men and women who are too often forgotten.
Pray
Nothing we do has lasting impact apart from God's work. Pray for the incarcerated, their families, correctional staff, prison chaplains, volunteers, and for hearts to be transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Volunteer
There are opportunities to serve through prison visitation, discipleship, mentoring, event support, and practical ministry projects. Whether you have years of ministry experience or simply a willing heart, we would love to connect with you.
Give
Your financial support helps provide Bibles, Christian books, discipleship materials, hygiene items, approved care packages, postage for correspondence, family assistance, and other ministry resources that encourage incarcerated men and women and point them to Christ.
Every gift, regardless of size, helps extend the reach of this ministry.
Share the Vision
Tell others about The Long Mercy Project. Invite your church, Sunday School class, small group, civic organization, or community to learn about the ministry. Together we can help more people see every person through the lens of the cross.
Invite Us to Speak
We would be honored to share the vision of The Long Mercy Project with your church, ministry, school, or organization. Through biblical teaching and personal stories, we seek to encourage believers to embrace Christ's call to extend truth, mercy, and hope to those often forgotten.
Together, we can remind people that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that the gospel is stronger than shame.
Our Story
Stephen Jernigan is a physical therapist, author, and prison ministry volunteer whose experiences serving at the Mississippi State Penitentiary helped inspire the creation of The Long Mercy Project.
For many years, his life has been devoted to helping people heal physically. Through prison ministry, God expanded that calling by giving him a growing burden for the spiritual and emotional needs of those living behind prison walls.
What began as a single visit to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman became something far greater than he ever imagined. Week after week, through conversations, Bible studies, worship services, and lasting friendships with incarcerated men, God began to reshape Stephen's understanding of mercy, grace, and the power of the gospel.
Those relationships also deepened the message Stephen had explored in The Long Mercy, a novel about guilt, judgment, redemption, and mercy through the lens of the cross. As the book was read and shared behind prison walls, conversations surrounding its message helped plant the seeds for what would eventually become The Long Mercy Project.
Those same relationships later inspired More Than Your Sentence, a booklet written specifically for incarcerated men and women with a simple message of gospel hope: no earthly verdict has the authority to overrule the verdict of the cross.
Through it all, something became increasingly clear: people need to be seen as more than a sentence, a label, or the worst thing they have ever done.
Stephen's passion is to help the Church see people the way Christ calls us to see them—not as the sum of their worst decisions, but as image-bearers of God who need the same thing we all need: repentance, forgiveness, grace, and new life through Jesus Christ.
He believes the Church has a unique opportunity to bring biblical truth, mercy, discipleship, and hope into places that are often overlooked, while never minimizing the seriousness of sin or the reality of justice.
Stephen lives in the Mississippi Delta with his wife, Teri. Together they have three grown children. His prayer is that The Long Mercy Project will encourage Christians to look beyond labels, extend the compassion of Christ, and faithfully proclaim the gospel to those who are too often forgotten.
“The way we see people says much about how deeply we understand the mercy we ourselves have received.” — Stephen Jernigan
The Long Mercy
A novel about guilt, judgment, redemption, and the mercy found at the cross.
Inspired by relationships formed through prison ministry, The Long Mercy explores a truth that would eventually become central to The Long Mercy Project: a person's worst act does not tell the whole story.
Buy The Long Mercy on Amazon
Contact Us
We would love to hear from you.
Whether you have questions about The Long Mercy Project, are interested in volunteering, would like to invite Stephen to speak, or simply want to learn more about our ministry, we welcome the opportunity to connect with you.
Get in Touch
Email: stephen@longmercy.org
We'd Love to Connect
Please reach out if you would like to:
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Learn more about The Long Mercy Project
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Volunteer with the ministry
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Support the mission through prayer or financial partnership
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Invite Stephen to speak at your church, conference, school, or community event
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Ask questions about prison ministry
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Share how God is working in your life or ministry