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HISTORY OF HIS
LOVE MINISTRIES
In
1997 Marty McKenzie became convinced that he was to be involved in
Ministry, specifically, Jail and Prison.
A mission was laid on his heart to go to the jails and prisons, to
minister to those that had messed up their life and could be changed by
the Gospel.
In October of 1997 Marty McKenzie preached his first message at a Men’s
Ministry Dinner. He was the
Calvary Baptist Director of Men’s Ministries at that time.
Later in December of 1997 he preached for the first time at the
Effingham Prison. This led to
him conducting Church Services there every month on second and fourth
Sundays. After about a year,
he was assigned third Sundays and has been there ever since on a monthly
basis. In 1998, he gave up
Men’s Ministry to pursue the new ministry God had called him to. It was
in 1999 that Marty saw the need to begin going to the Nursing Homes and
conducting Church Services. It
all began with one Alzheimer’s home called Shadow Moss in April of 1999,
then Tara in May of the same year. It
was also during 1999 that he was convicted of the need to go on the radio,
specifically short wave in partnership with ETRN (End Time Revival
Network), and share the Word with those in Third World Countries.
The program was on WWCR (World Wide Christian Radio out of
Nashville
,
TN
) and it had the potential to reach 120 countries at one time.
It would 2000 before that goal was accomplished.
We also added another short-wave station in 2000, WINB out of Red
Lion Pennsylvania. The
addition of the Radio Ministry created a need for money to be donated and
therefore he started pursuing Incorporation, and ultimately 501(c) 3
status. On April 17th His Love Ministries was Incorporated.
In 2001 we added three more nursing homes/assisted living
facilities. It was in February
of 2001 the approval to get into the Chatham County Jail came through, and
we started weekly Bible Studies. We
established an Internet site for His Love Ministries
February 24, 2001
. The website address is http://www.hisloveministries.net/.
In April of 2001, he established a relationship with the Savannah
Men’s
Transitional
Center
and began to conduct Church Services every other month until July.
At that time he began to go on a monthly basis.
In February 2002 we began airing the 30-second devotionals on His
Radio 91.9 FM. On March 28th
of 2002, our 501(c) 3 Non-Profit Status was granted by the IRS.
In July and August of the same year we (the Board) felt led to give
up the short wave radio ministry. In
2002 the decision was made to quit going to Shadow Moss, as there were not
any residents mentally capable of enjoying the services. In 2003 Marty
felt led to give up his secular job and minister full-time.
His Love Ministries became a full-time ministry on
March 17th, 2003
. It was early in 2003 that
His Love Ministries began to partner with
First
Baptist
Church
of the
Islands
to conduct special programs at Savannah Men’s
Transitional
Center
. We put on programs at Easter
and Christmas. In May of 2003
we began doing monthly services at
Candler
Hospital
that were available in all the rooms via TV.
We did this till 2004 when Candler quit letting outside groups come
in and conduct the services. In
November 2003 we began serving Communion and conducting a Church Service
at Coastal State Prison every 5th Sunday.
In January of 2004 two of our volunteers began Bible Studies every
2nd, 3rd, and 4th Friday’s.
One of our volunteers took over Effingham Prison in February of
2004 to free Marty up to pursue other ministry.
In August of 2004 we began two more services at Oceanside Nursing
Home at Tybee and Summer Breeze Assisted Living on
Wilmington
Island
. In September we began
services at Westview Nursing Home in Port Wentworth.
In January of 2005 we started going monthly to Coastal State Prison
on second Sunday’s. In March
of 2005 Coastal Men’s
Transitional
Center
called us to ask if we would help out with their Substance Abuse Program,
so we began doing a weekly program that month.
We conduct at least 398 services a year in 7 Nursing Homes/Assisted
Living Facilities, 2 Prisons, 2
Transitional
Centers
, and a Jail. We have been on
mission in Correctional Facilities since December 1997, and Nursing
Homes/Assisted Living Facilities since April 1999.
We have been doing Prison Ministry for over 7 years and Nursing
Home/Assisted Living Ministry for almost 6 years. We minister in 7 Nursing
Homes/Assisted Living Facilities; Tara (6 years in May), John Wesley
Villas and Habersham House Assisted Living (4 ½ years), Savannah
Specialty Care Nursing Home (4 years), Oceanside, Summer Breeze, Westview
(7 months), and 5 Correctional Facilities (Chatham County Jail, Savannah
Men's Transition Center (4 years), Coastal Men’s Transitional Center (1
month), Coastal State Prison (1 ½ years), and Effingham Prison (over 7
years). Marty also fills in as a supply preacher in pulpits around
Savannah
and surrounding areas as he gets the opportunity.
Marty
has trained/mentored several men in the area of nursing home and prison
ministry. One of these men was
a part of the ministry for over a year.
Another man has now been preaching at nursing homes and the prison
for over three years now. We
have two more who have been involved for over 1½ years now.
Our goal is to train and involve as many men in preaching and
teaching the Word as we can so we can spread the Gospel in every Nursing
Home/Assisted Living Facility and Correctional Facility in our area and
beyond if God opens the door. We currently have 8 men who have been
trained/mentored or who help each month at either Nursing Homes/Assisted
Living and/or Correctional Facilities.
One of our desires is to train/mentor and find men and women who
will help us expand our outreach into every Nursing Home/Assisted
Living/Correctional Facility in our area and beyond, either through our
services, distributing Birthday Cards, or visitation and spending one on
one time with residents.
Today
His Love Ministries is a Non-Profit Organization that has been on mission
since December of 1997. We
provide Church Services, Bible Studies, and Devotional Messages to inmates
and those in Nursing Homes/Assisted Living Facilities who otherwise would
not be able to hear the Good News and be Spiritually nourished.
God has continued to bless this ministry and He continues to open
doors to expand and reach more and more of those that the World Has
Forgotten. Those in the
Correctional Facilities and the general public can hear our devotionals on
His Radio 91.9 FM. We also
have some of our messages and devotionals on our Website that can be heard
via Internet anytime, anywhere, throughout the world.
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