Jesus People Podcast Ep 50: ASAP Preach – From Jail Cell Encounter to 35,000 Prison Salvations
Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Ryan Miller
Guest: ASAP Preach

Episode Overview

This episode of the Jesus People Podcast features ASAP Preach, a Christian hip-hop artist and prison ministry leader whose radical journey took him from addiction and incarceration to healing, faith, and impacting tens of thousands behind bars. Host Ryan Miller and ASAP Preach dig deep into themes of trauma, brokenness, surrender, and the authentic power of testimony. The conversation is raw, redemptive, and centered on how Jesus' love meets people in their darkest places—and how surrendering even ongoing pain can keep a person close to God.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life, Trauma, and Brokenness

• Environment & Upbringing
  • ASAP Preach describes a childhood marked by instability: his parents divorced when he was two, a stepfather filled the father role, and parties were frequent in the home. While his mother called herself Christian, faith was not modeled day-to-day ([18:11–20:14]).
  • He shares how his grandmother, a traveling evangelist, was his only real source of faith planting seeds of Jesus' love, even gifting him his first Bible ([20:45–22:45]).
• Abuse and Early Exposure
  • He bravely recounts being sexually assaulted as a child, how it set him on a path of confusion, secrecy, and addiction to pornography, as well as experimentation with drugs ([07:30–13:48]).
  • Memorable Moment: “When I finally was able to just one time just confess it … I felt a lot of freedom. I feel like that breaks the ice with people.” – ASAP Preach ([13:23])
• Shaping Influences
  • Early exposure to the world’s temptations, including substance abuse, sex, and lack of boundaries, is openly discussed—emphasizing the impact of generational cycles and hidden wounds.
• Notable Quote:
  • “The enemy wants to keep these things in secret. He doesn’t want us to confess ... but when I confessed it, I found freedom.” – ASAP Preach ([13:39])

Hitting Rock Bottom & Jail Cell Encounter with God

• Descent into Darkness
  • After a toxic relationship with a pastor’s daughter and deep addiction, ASAP Preach finds himself homeless, hustling, and eventually getting arrested for theft ([25:14–31:22]).
  • He describes a suicide attempt and emotional breakdown upon arrest, marking the lowest point of his life ([31:24]).
• Transformational Jail Encounter
  • In a jail cell, he picks up a Bible and experiences the presence of God deeply for the first time.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “I felt a presence go into that room that I've been yearning for all my life. … In that jail cell ... it was me and that Bible … it just started speaking to me.” – ASAP Preach ([31:24])
  • He recounts a spontaneous self-baptism in the jail shower after being prompted by the Holy Spirit ([31:24–33:31]).
  • On release, he is filled with a new urge to share hope and pivots his musical passion to glorify God.

Wrestling with Lukewarmness & Finding Real Identity

• Struggles with Sin and Backsliding
  • ASAP Preach openly discusses continual battles with addiction, pornography, and periods of backsliding even after his jailhouse conversion ([33:31–42:32]).
  • Notable Quote:
    • “Did I become a new creation? Yes... but did some things still stay? My mind needed to continue to be renewed.” – ASAP Preach ([33:31])
• The Power of Surrender and Community
  • Finding identity as a beloved son of God, learning to take thoughts captive, and seeking accountability were breakthroughs for lasting change.
• Advice for Others
  • He urges honest confession and embracing God’s love rather than self-dependence or works-based faith.

Prison Ministry, Music, and Massive Impact

• God Behind Bars & the Pando App
  • Describes his partnership with the Pando app (a Christian streaming service in prisons), which exclusively featured his documentary and content, leading to over 35,000 prisoners indicating decisions for Christ ([02:53–06:35]).
  • “The inmates are only allowed to click accept Christ one time on their account. … 35,000 of them decided to do that on my channel.” – ASAP Preach ([04:28])
• Testimonies from Inmates
  • Shares the overwhelming response: stacks of letters monthly, stories of gang leaders and sex offenders finding Christ, and the weight of so many broken lives being transformed ([06:35–09:01]).
• Authenticity in Ministry
  • Attributes his effectiveness to being relatable, open, and not fronting spiritual perfection—focusing on love and hope over legalism.

The Gospel, Grace, and Communicating Hope

• What is the Gospel?
  • “The gospel is like a rescue story. … God came to us in the form of Jesus and he traded his crown of glory for a crown of thorns to save us when we couldn't save ourselves.” – ASAP Preach ([44:10])
• Reaching the “Unreachable”
  • Emphasizes showing love, not judgment, to incarcerated or deeply broken people, reminding them “the gifts and the callings are without repentance” – no one is too far gone ([45:26–46:43]).
• Role of Brokenness
  • Describes feeling closest to God in his weakest moments—amid depression, ongoing heart health struggles, and the pressure of family provision ([48:04–51:58]).
  • Quote: “Everybody wants to pray the pain away, but God has been showing me that the pain is necessary for me to stay closer to Him.” – ASAP Preach ([50:05])

Maintaining Faith, Obedience, and Intimacy

• Keeping the Fire Burning
  • Warns against performance, public persona, and relying on past encounters. Staying “real” with God means ongoing surrender, including allowing God into every room of the heart ([59:19–61:02]).
  • “I don't want to trade my purpose for a platform. I want to make sure that I'm right with the Lord before I need to be out there ministering.” – ASAP Preach ([59:19])
• Obedience and Blessing
  • Shares a convicting word received from a mentor: “Bro, your family is missing out on their blessings because of your disobedience.” ([61:04])
• True Faithfulness
  • Contrasts pursuing Jesus for relationship (intimacy, oil in the lamp) vs. pursuing Him for what He gives, likening David’s cry for God’s presence versus Saul’s fear of losing his throne ([64:22–65:17]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The enemy wants to keep these things in secret. He doesn’t want us to confess ... but when I confessed it, I found freedom.” – ASAP Preach ([13:39])
• “I felt the God of the universe having an encounter with me in my jail cell.” – ASAP Preach ([00:00], [31:24])
• “When they see, when they feel loved, that they can be redeemed … they can receive their calling right there at that very moment.” – ASAP Preach ([45:26])
• “Everybody wants to pray the pain away, but God has been showing me that the pain is necessary for me to stay closer to Him.” – ASAP Preach ([50:05])
• “I don't want to trade my purpose for a platform.” – ASAP Preach ([59:19])
• “If you love me, you'll obey me … It shouldn’t be a burden to be obedient.” – ASAP Preach ([65:17])
• “Your family is missing out on their blessings because of your disobedience.” – Mentor to ASAP Preach ([61:04])

Important Timestamps

• [00:00] ASAP Preach’s transformative jail cell encounter with God
• [02:53] Influence & impact of his prison ministry and 35,000 salvations via Pando
• [07:30] Discussion of childhood trauma, addiction, and secrecy
• [13:23] The healing power of confession and authenticity
• [31:24] The lowest point – arrest, suicidal thoughts, and meeting God in jail
• [44:10] The meaning of the gospel to ASAP Preach
• [48:04] Feeling closest to God in weakness and ongoing struggle
• [61:04] “Your family is missing out on their blessings because of your disobedience.”

Recurring Themes and Tone

• Raw Honesty: Both host and guest maintain a vulnerable, relatable style, openly sharing failures, doubts, and pain.
• Redemptive Hope: The episode consistently points to God’s undeserved love, mercy, and relentless pursuit of broken people.
• Challenge to Listeners: There’s an ongoing call to surrender fully, pursue authentic relationship with Jesus, and step into purpose—no matter what dark places you come from.

Closing – Prayer & How to Connect

• ASAP Preach asks for prayer to remain a faithful husband, father, and leader at home: “That’s my first ministry. If I can stay doing that at home, then I'm good and fit to preach the word outside in the world.” ([68:19])
• Listeners are encouraged to find him on Facebook, TikTok, and at asappreachmusic.com ([68:46]).
• ASAP Preach closes the episode with a heartfelt prayer for anyone struggling with lukewarmness or pain, inviting surrender, healing, and the peace of Christ ([69:03]).

This episode is a must-listen for anyone wrestling with past pain, feeling like they’ve fallen too far, or hungry for a raw, hope-filled perspective on God’s redemptive power.