ALM’s Ministries International, Inc.
The Ministry that keeps on giving....
The Ministry that keeps on giving....
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About ALM's Ministry
As a child I would always see a business that I thought to be a mechanism for helping my family to prosper and remain together as a unit. Every aspect of this business would utilize the other portions and someone within the family was responsible for each separate entity within. As I came into ministry I began to realize that the business was not of my biological family it was of the body of Christ. That is the church. I thought that it was a model for how to develop the church wherein I was the Pastor Mt Zion Baptist Church, Dover, New Jersey.
During this initial phase of my recognizing Gods call of me into ministry I was licensed as a preacher by now deceased Pastor Charles I Thomas of the New Hope Baptist Church of Newark, New Jersey. One of Pastor Thomas’ initial directives to me was to develop and direct a prison ministry. I actually tried on two occasions to be reassigned only to be told by Pastor Thomas, “Rev. McGuire this is what God has given me for you to do”. Then on a third occasion, after having been truly frustrated by those assisting in this development, I asked what he as Pastor would do if the specific events or actions were taking place under him. The reply came, “The same God I have you have”. The ministry was completed and prospered.
I later moved to a church local to my residence. This church happened to be only blocks from Rahway State Prison. I wound up going into the prison for Christian ministry as well for an AA meeting. I had no appreciation for the persons I was dealing with and really did not care to go.
I then became the Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church 59-61 Richards Avenue, Dover, New Jersey. A member there seemed to know about everyone in prison and would always ask me to go with him to visit. I really did not care to go yet I went a few times anyway. It appears that in all of those events God was trying to give me a peak at those with whom my initial vision was meant to develop. Unable to see that aspect of the vision God in His permissive will allowed me to step outside of my pattern and practice of living long enough to commit a crime for which I spent nearly seven years in prison as a consequence.
After having seen men commit suicide, some come to talk with a mind to commit suicide, some men who desire change yet seeing no way to change essentially give up on life and then seeing the carnage of these men of desperation once they are released without the proper tools to survive in this society (as in the case of Cheshire and the Leslie Williams debacles).It became apparent to me that this business was in fact a ministry designed to change the lives of those men whom society has thrown away. In searching the scripture to verify that God would provide a vision for these people I found the following:
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:31–32, 41-46
Certainly the imprisoned, the convict, and the felon would be considered the least of these per the written word of God.
“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, this man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, what man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one apiece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:1-10
Certainly the imprisoned, the convict, and the felon would be considered lost per the written word of God. In continuing to look to Gods written word I found yet more scripture that continued to identify the recipient of this vision.
“David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” 1 Samuel 22:1-2
Here again we find that even King David while he was running from Saul was led of God to minister to the needs of those in distress and discontented. Those persons that are disenfranchised from all walks of society our target population the imprisoned, the convict, and the felon again would surely fit into this segment of the word of God. Thereafter God caused me to look at myself. I believe that if you are one whom God has chosen to participate within this ministry you too will see yourself as we look into this last segment of the word of God. God has not called everyone to be a source for the deliverance of His people and surely all of those who have been called have not been chosen of God for this task. You who have been called and chosen please allow for prayer now that your hearts may be opened to hear Gods role for you in the scripture that is following:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61: 1-3
God has even revealed in this word how He will intervene into the lives of the one ministered to that the world might know that God is God and it is He who can restore the breach in their lives.
“And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
This is the Love wherewith we must establish this ministry. This is not about the personal glory of any man. This is not about any individual or individual(s) seeking to build riches for Him or herself. It is about God working through each and everyone that is a part of this ministry to bring about a change in the lives of those participants and us ministers as it relates to the Kingdom of God.
In so doing we will effect the lives of countless men and even more importantly the lives of their wives and children. It is vital that we allow these men’s lives to be transformed that Gods blessings may flow freely through the path ordained of God. Let us now go into the vision God has placed within me that this ministry might be established.
As a child I would always see a business that I thought to be a mechanism for helping my family to prosper and remain together as a unit. Every aspect of this business would utilize the other portions and someone within the family was responsible for each separate entity within. As I came into ministry I began to realize that the business was not of my biological family it was of the body of Christ. That is the church. I thought that it was a model for how to develop the church wherein I was the Pastor Mt Zion Baptist Church, Dover, New Jersey.
During this initial phase of my recognizing Gods call of me into ministry I was licensed as a preacher by now deceased Pastor Charles I Thomas of the New Hope Baptist Church of Newark, New Jersey. One of Pastor Thomas’ initial directives to me was to develop and direct a prison ministry. I actually tried on two occasions to be reassigned only to be told by Pastor Thomas, “Rev. McGuire this is what God has given me for you to do”. Then on a third occasion, after having been truly frustrated by those assisting in this development, I asked what he as Pastor would do if the specific events or actions were taking place under him. The reply came, “The same God I have you have”. The ministry was completed and prospered.
I later moved to a church local to my residence. This church happened to be only blocks from Rahway State Prison. I wound up going into the prison for Christian ministry as well for an AA meeting. I had no appreciation for the persons I was dealing with and really did not care to go.
I then became the Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church 59-61 Richards Avenue, Dover, New Jersey. A member there seemed to know about everyone in prison and would always ask me to go with him to visit. I really did not care to go yet I went a few times anyway. It appears that in all of those events God was trying to give me a peak at those with whom my initial vision was meant to develop. Unable to see that aspect of the vision God in His permissive will allowed me to step outside of my pattern and practice of living long enough to commit a crime for which I spent nearly seven years in prison as a consequence.
After having seen men commit suicide, some come to talk with a mind to commit suicide, some men who desire change yet seeing no way to change essentially give up on life and then seeing the carnage of these men of desperation once they are released without the proper tools to survive in this society (as in the case of Cheshire and the Leslie Williams debacles).It became apparent to me that this business was in fact a ministry designed to change the lives of those men whom society has thrown away. In searching the scripture to verify that God would provide a vision for these people I found the following:
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:31–32, 41-46
Certainly the imprisoned, the convict, and the felon would be considered the least of these per the written word of God.
“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, this man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, what man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one apiece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:1-10
Certainly the imprisoned, the convict, and the felon would be considered lost per the written word of God. In continuing to look to Gods written word I found yet more scripture that continued to identify the recipient of this vision.
“David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” 1 Samuel 22:1-2
Here again we find that even King David while he was running from Saul was led of God to minister to the needs of those in distress and discontented. Those persons that are disenfranchised from all walks of society our target population the imprisoned, the convict, and the felon again would surely fit into this segment of the word of God. Thereafter God caused me to look at myself. I believe that if you are one whom God has chosen to participate within this ministry you too will see yourself as we look into this last segment of the word of God. God has not called everyone to be a source for the deliverance of His people and surely all of those who have been called have not been chosen of God for this task. You who have been called and chosen please allow for prayer now that your hearts may be opened to hear Gods role for you in the scripture that is following:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61: 1-3
God has even revealed in this word how He will intervene into the lives of the one ministered to that the world might know that God is God and it is He who can restore the breach in their lives.
“And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
This is the Love wherewith we must establish this ministry. This is not about the personal glory of any man. This is not about any individual or individual(s) seeking to build riches for Him or herself. It is about God working through each and everyone that is a part of this ministry to bring about a change in the lives of those participants and us ministers as it relates to the Kingdom of God.
In so doing we will effect the lives of countless men and even more importantly the lives of their wives and children. It is vital that we allow these men’s lives to be transformed that Gods blessings may flow freely through the path ordained of God. Let us now go into the vision God has placed within me that this ministry might be established.