The making of a
ministry
Ordained Pastor/Evangelist Gary
Morton started the outreach ministry here in Reno/Sparks in the spring of
2002. Gary started with sack lunches to the men at the drop in center,
then started the third Friday feed at the drop in center, then started the
Friday morning ministry on the streets serving coffee, water, snacks, and prayer
for those who wanted prayer. Shortly thereafter Gary started the breakfast every
first and third Saturday at the Galetti Park.
The Lord led Gary out to be a
missionary for one year in Mexico with YWAM and a vacation in Australia which
allowed him to experience a cleansing of his body, mind, and spirit after he
recovered from a major stroke he suffered in 1995 and a failed marriage of 33
years. God broke Gary down to a point of complete submission to His will in
Gary's life. Ezekiel 37:23 They will no longer defile themselves with their
idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from
all their sinful backsliding, [a] and I will cleanse them. They will be my
people, and I will be their God.
What started Gary's servant life
was an awesome experience he had in Mexico while he was dumping off trash at the
local dump, one of the daily jobs he had as a maintenance worker at the
missionary base he was serving. This was Gary's first day at the dump. As he was
starting to dump the barrels from the base kitchen he saw children, adults young
and old running out from underneath boxes, old cars, etc. towards the edible
garbage and started to grab at it before it hit the ground. "Job 34:28
They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of
the needy. Leviticus 25:35-38 " 'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is
unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a
temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take
interest of any kind [a] from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman
may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend him money at interest or
sell him food at a profit. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of
Egypt to give you the
land of Canaan and to be your
God.
Gary dropped to his knees in deep
intercession! There before his very eyes he witnessed extreme poverty like never
before. He wept. Then suddenly a quiet peaceful audible voice spoke to Gary and
said "You will feed and shepherd the poor". Even today the 'dump ministry' that
God launched using Gary is still going strong.
"For many are called, but few are
chosen." Matthew 22:14 There is another way to say this. "Many are called, but
few will pay the price in order to be chosen." Your circumstances might be quite
different than those Gary faced. The Lord does not duplicate His workings. But
if we are to come into that which He has reserved for us, we must submit to His
dealings, and come His way. Then He took Gary to Matthew 25:35-40. 35 For
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes
and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you
came to visit me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see
you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38'When did
we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will
reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.'
From this Faces of Grace Outreach
Ministry was born and confirmed. The Lord birthed in Gary a deep passion and
compassion to serve the less fortunate, poor, beaten down, homeless, drug
addicts, alcoholics, all addictions of our society. After Gary started Faces of
Grace more and more churches joined the team. We now have 14 churches in the
Reno/Sparks area that attend outreaches at different times with the team and we
are still growing. We provide weekly sack lunches for the working men at the
local drop in shelter (homeless). We go out among the homeless community every
Friday morning and serve hot coffee, bottled water, snacks, prayer for those who
wish a blessing from the Lord. Almost half of these men are Hispanic illegal
immigrants who speak little or no English. His experience in Mexico with the
Spanish language allowed Gary to minister to
these men in their native tongue.
Every first and third Friday night we, as a team, feed the homeless men at the
drop in homeless shelter center at 315 Record St. There are usually upwards of
285 men including those residents and overflow men as well, who are offered a
mattress for the night to get in out of the cold night. Every 1st and 3rd
Saturday morning we cook breakfast for the men at a local park who stand on the
corners waiting for work. Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all
the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of
the church of God,[b] which he bought with his own blood.
During these ministry
opportunities many testimonies have come back to us. Healings, shrunk tumors,
disappearing abbesses, jobs, places to live, restored relationships, just to
name a few. With prayer, being faithful in what we do. God honors that. 2
Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves
and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from
heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (Romans 12:2)."Do
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will
is--His good, pleasing and perfect will" That is the reason for the
continued success of His ministry. This is God's heart.
Deuteronomy 4:9 Only be careful,
and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have
seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your
children and to their children after them. John 14:12 says that we will do even
greater things than Jesus did! Grasp this! Inside of
our Spirit is the same Spirit that
raised Jesus from the dead, the same Spirit that created the universe, the power
to call forth healing, signs and wonders, miracles, even raising the dead! John
14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been
doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the
Father.
Oh God! All the praise, honor, and
glory goes to You! All of the believers have this same Holy Spirit residing in
their person. The triune God is all over you. He has charge over you. He has His
Angels assigned to you. When we all make bad choices God allows us to go the
wrong way to teach us what consequences are all about. Proverbs 15:31-33
31 He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.
32 He who
ignores discipline despises
himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. 33 The fear of the
LORD teaches a man wisdom, [a] and humility comes before honor. We as the body
of Christ need to get equipped to be ready for what is coming; the end times. 2
Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17- so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Our nation right here at home is
in deep need of a revival sweep. So many needs. Gary classifies over half
of our population as working poor. Living from paycheck to paycheck. One or two
paydays from disaster. That is huge. Bankruptcy, foreclosures, ending up
homeless is on the rise. Food and clothing pantries needs are on the rise.
Assistance for so many is growing. People start giving up to the point of
falling into addictions, drugs, alcohol, gambling, prostitution, crime to
support their habits. They become so lost. Some are saved, some are not yet
saved. God gives us the power through evangelism with Faces of Grace to
intervene in so many lives by going into the streets of America and ministering
to these fallen souls. (Drives Gary's passion) Matthew 25:
40" The King will reply, 'I tell
you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me.'
When Gary ministers to people who
end up on the streets they tell him that they have sinned so much, so badly,
that there is no hope for them. God would never forgive them. Well Gary is
here to tell them otherwise. Acts 13:37-39 But the one whom God raised from the
dead did not see decay. 38 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that
through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him
everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified
from by the law of Moses.
Pastor Gary started a church in
the summer of 2008 which is named "The Bridge To Life Church" which is actually
held each Sunday at a local park named "Galetti Park" where he has been feeding
the homeless and poor weekly with his team of Faces of Grace. There is a bridge
at the park that spans over the Truckee River where many of the homeless sleep
under all year long, even in the winter. The bridge represents the name of the
church which leads to life eternal through Jesus Christ. We lead dozens to the
Lord each week and month since the church was planted. We offer live music,
coffee, snacks, prayer, and the Word of the Lord. The church is expanding
rapidly. We are always in need of funds to continue this outreach ministry
so if the Lord impresses on you to contribute please do so. Make all checks out
to Faces of Grace Outreach Ministries. Mail it to P.O. Box 50181, Sparks,
Nv. 89435. Tax-id for your donations is 88-0398176. If you would like to
be on our mailing list to receive our quarterly newsletter please send your name
and email address along with your donation.
