Rebecca Cheeks

Founder & Executive Director

Rebecca Cheeks has a long background in serving God. Growing up in her hometown of Evanston, Rebecca’s foundation in Christianity is rooted in her family and church community from an early age. After being baptized into the church of Christ in 1988, she recognized that more was needed to advance the cause of Christ in her life. After college, she joined the Monroe Street of church of Christ, on the West Side of Chicago. Monroe Street offered a class for aspiring teachers of the Word and Rebecca completed this one-year course and graduated second in her class. Rebecca went on to magnify her service for God, when she too became a teacher of His Word for children ages seven through nine-years-old.

In 1992, she became a very vital and instrumental member of Soul Food Prison Ministries. This ministry was founded by her future husband Darryl Cheeks, and had as its mission to serve and encourage the incarcerated and ex-offender community throughout Illinois. This 18 year ministry additionally reached over 10,000 inmates in its time and had a halfway house. Parallel to her work in Soul Food, Rebecca also served as assistant director of Monroe’s nursery department and was the coordinator for Arts & Crafts for the congregation’s Vacation Bible School that taught over 200 children in their program. Because it was close to her heart, Rebecca also provided after-school tutoring to inner city youth (through a tutoring program partnership between the Chicago Public Schools and the church). Always desiring to stay in the mix and work in the trenches, Rebecca remained vigilant about canvasing the community spreading God’s Word while recognizing the needs of a severely disadvantaged community. Prior to her husband’s resignation (due to health concerns) as ministering evangelist of the Waukegan church of Christ, Rebecca worked side-by-side with Darryl in every aspect of ministry and growth of the congregation.

Presently, Rebecca is co-founder of Dayenu Ministries and serves as its Executive Director, charting the course and direction of this ministry. Rebecca is married to her best friend and soul mate Darryl Cheeks and they collectively are passionate for the work of the Lord!