As a former convict whose life turned upside down when he became a Christian, Rev. Manuel (“Manny”) Mill ’90, M.A. ’91 offers a striking picture of the power of the gospel. 

Growing up as a Cuban refugee in the U.S., Manny’s pursuit of wealth cost him dearly when it took an illegal turn. While fleeing from the FBI, he had an unexpected experience with Jesus that transformed his heart, and he decided to turn himself in. 

Manny received the Chuck Colson Scholarship after he was released from prison, which allowed him to attend Wheaton for undergraduate and graduate degrees. 

“Wheaton was hard, but I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to go there,” Manny says. 

Although some might have tried to distance themselves from the incarceration system, Manny chose to offer hope to former inmates after graduation by founding a mentoring house in Wheaton in 1991 (above). This effort later grew into Koinonia House National Ministries (KHNM), founded in 1997. KHNM is now a national network that serves former prisoners by equipping churches to disciple them. 

Manny notes the role prayer has played in the ministry: “I used to think we could ‘include’ prayer in our ministry. Now, it is our ministry.” 

To this end, Koinonia House hosts “Radical Time Out” nights of Bible study, prayer, and worship at Glen Ellyn Bible Church in Glen Ellyn, IL. Manny also authored Radical Prayer: The Power of Being Bold and Persistent (Moody Publishers, 2015) and Radical Redemption: The Real Story of Manny Mill (Moody Publishers, 2012). 

“We want to be able to enjoy our Father, and that cannot happen unless we are cultivating our prayer lives,” he says.