The Ministry at Melpomene
by Gregg Stone

“If we are going to have revival we must take it from within the walls of our churches and into the homes, jails and streets of those who are in desperate need of salvation,” exclaimed Bro. Jared Jones, who ministers in rough neighborhoods in New Orleans, Louisiana. “My entire life and ministry has been built upon Kingdom concepts and not church programs. My father required that I teach two Bible studies a week before he let me preach behind the pulpit. He taught that if you want to preach behind the pulpit, you first need to learn how to preach in the streets.” Taking what he has been taught, Bro. Jones has done just that -- taken his ministry to the streets.

His Melpomene ministry is named after the Melpomene Projects -- a section of New Orleans that harbors some of the most violent criminals within ten city blocks. Melpomene is a place so violent and desolate that its name reeks of disaster. This is where you can solicit or buy sex or drugs. It has been said that no Caucasian man could walk down these streets at night and survive to tell about it the next day. It was to this place that God told Bro. Jones to go.

“I am using a moderate approach to this particular area,” explained Bro. Jones. “I am feeding nearly two hundred people every Saturday without any restrictions. I am also giving away a box of food that I am calling a CARE (Creating a Revival Experience) box. I am currently taking orders every Saturday and offering a CARE box of non-perishable canned or dry goods and in return, the individuals must allow me twenty minutes in their home to minister the word of God and have prayer with them.

“Through this approach we are seeing significant and rapid results. We are now ministering in more than 35 homes and to a total of about 200 people within four weeks. We have started giving “in-home” Bible studies two days a week, and we are making plans to baptize every Saturday, among other activities. When we arrive at our location, we set up cooking equipment, tables and tents and start to prepare the food. While this is going on, we hand out bottles of water, nuts and candy. We minister and pray with the people sitting on the sidewalks and on the neutral ground. During this time, I carry my CARE boxes around to deliver them to the men and women who asked for them, and I minister with them in their homes.

“God has blessed me with two buildings in New Orleans to store food, clothing and other essentials. I made a call to an attorney friend of mine and asked for his help in forming a charter to conduct religious, charitable and educational activities. Within 24 hours, God blessed me with my charter to operate as a charity and to perform religious tasks as well. Today I now operate and manage a non-profit 501(c)(3) Christian Charity & Ministry that didn’t cost me anything but my time.

“If there ever was a time for the church to come alive, it’s now. God sent me there with one thing in mind: feed them, friend them and win them. We are expecting God to do great things at Melpomene.”