Praise the LORD!!!
Though the LORD laid this vision upon my heart in Aug. of '97' and little has come of it, I will continue to follow HIS leading as to developing it! As the patriarchs of old I know in my heart that this ministry is that which the LORD has given me to bare. Though I've seen little interest in it from others, I'll continue to prod along as HE leads. Many times in the Christian walk we'll be led to do things that we've no 'earthly' idea as to why the LORD has asked us to do them. Yet to be obedient to HIS leading, we must preform them just as we would any daily task, but with more intent in doing them unto HIM alone!
If I must be as those men of faith from the past and strive to follow HIS leading, never seeing the end of HIS promises, I will do so!!! I know in my heart that someday Vine of CHRIST Ministries will be a premier Christian helps ministry. Setting an example for others to follow. We(I) will continue to strive and fulfill every little detail that the LORD lays upon my heart to the fullest of my earthly abilities and count HIM at HIS promises, that HE will bring this HIS ministry into fruition and that it will set the standards of Christian ministries higher then they've ever been before. Vine of CHRIST Ministries, reaching out to "Share the love of CHRIST with those in need! Not a handout, but a hand up!"
I must make note of UACCMI and their programs. For VCM will be receiving their endorsement and allowing us to come under their umbrella for our 501.c.3 Non Profit status. This will allow us to operate as a registered Non Profit, offering all the benefits to donors, while setting up all of our programs. This will also allow us to be better set up while earning this under our own banner.
Praise the LORD!!!
Welcome to the "Vine of CHRIST Ministries" website. We're a small ministry at this time, but LORD willing won't be for long. Currently we're in the process of setting up our 'Disaster Relief Operational Center (DROC)' in the Kingsville, Texas area. This center will be a storage and distribution location, as well as our offices. From which we'll respond to disasters over a several state region. In Sept. of '05' I received first hands experience of what it is like to suffer at the hands of nature. With hurricane Katrina coming ashore but 150 m. to our east and then Rita dumping her right front quad of fury directly on us. I rode her out with my dog in a little farmhouse not fifty miles outside the eyewall. Believe me, it was a wild ride!!
This is when I began to learn how the large disaster relief organizations respond and work in such situations. Truthfully, I was doing better riding around on a commandeered riding lawn mower. Going about from house to house, checking on those that had stayed behind and checking the overall damage within a quarter mile radius of the house. I did all this within hours of the storms passing. I began giving assistance in every way, shape and form that I could. Within three days we had supplies, 580# of smoked sausage, to pass out. Two days later we received a truckload of packaged meals from a small church in North Carolina and began distributing these. It was another week before the military showed up and two to four before the two biggest relief organizations showed up. Overall, what I witnessed was sub par as to what they always promote in their donation drives!
Every since then GOD has shown me a branch in my calling to ministry, I'd known that it was going to have a disaster relief branch for some time and here HE was laying the foundations for it. I gleaned a bounty of information through the next several years, getting down and dirty helping with the rebuilding from Lake Charles, LA. all the way to Okeechobee, FL.. I talked with people from ever walk of life, from the richest to the poorest. Those, which had hung onto a tree limbs or the eve of their house to survive. People that had lost a little, to those that had even lost loved ones. I gathered every little piece of information that I could and am now beginning to put it to work to the glory of GOD!!!
Vine of CHRIST Ministries is not here to receive any glory for itself. We're here to show those that are suffering, from all manor of tribulation, that there is a loving GOD and that HE cares about them and has laid this burden upon our hearts to assist them in every way possible, asking nothing in return. Showing GOD's love for all of mankind through the graces HE has provided unto us. Reaching out to share the GOSPEL, through not just words, but our actions as well.
We are a faith-based group of 'Born Again Christians (BAC)'. We will be a 501.c.3 charity and are working on getting all the legal matters taken care of. We are a non denominational ministry, so all funding comes in through private donations. There are many plans set into motion at this time and there is definitely the need for funds to develop them, but I'll not play upon your hearts like most. I will ask but that you pray and ask the LORD about that which HE wants of you in connection with this ministry and then just to do it. We are not going to disappear over night. I've been working on building this ministry for over twelve years now. Having just taken on board the first two volunteers, I'm not going to stop now. GOD has given me a vision, a very great one too and I will work it until the day I draw my final breath here on earth. It is high time that Christians stood up and took over the operations of charities. For our LORD personifies love and we should be the ones reaching out to lift others out of the mire when calamity has struck. So please, stop just thinking about helping others and get out here where the work is hard and the monetary rewards little, but the spiritual rewards are bountiful. Come serve the LORD through HIS ministry for me, Vine of CHRIST Ministries and Vine Ministerial Network International (our global outreach branch.)
This site will constantly be changing. There will be updates and progressive alterations taking place. Much like our personal walks with the LORD, always progressing towards perfection. Progress on it will be made in the LORD's timing and not before. There are other sites setup, where you can find information about this ministry and myself. These include photos of the area as it was after the storms of '05'. They are located at:
http://360.yahoo.com/profile-5hbUECk5crUlPzdzsDuW
http://revbarths.spaces.live.com/
http://revbarth.spaces.live.com
http://myspace.com/vineofchrist
http://myccm.org/profile/RevMarshallBarth
http://revbarths.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=name&id=100000401072620
**There is also a VCM site at FaceBook pages under Vine of CHRIST Ministries
At each of these site we usually feature a blog, so you can stay informed to our activity and updates.
As of 01/19/10 We now have a Daily Devotional. I hope you will enjoy learning as I learn also. For every time we study the WORD of GOD we are all learning!!!
Vine of CHRIST Ministries, though appearing for the first time officially here, has been in existence for over twelve years. It was started while I was incarcerated. How can a ministry exist in prison? It's happening every day. The LORD places no barrier in our way as to where our ministry takes place, only man does! We're told to go out and spread the gospel, not to only do so in certain places. While I was locked up, I witnessed to many, provided whatever I could in the form of necessities and began laying the foundations for what the ministry is today.
What is it today? Currently we're working in the Kingsville, Texas area. Working on setting up our first full time, fully functional, DROC (Disaster Relief Operational Center) and office location. This phase of our ministry started Sept. 2, 2009 when I first made it here. Since then I've been scouting out the area, looking for buildings and properties to begin the work that is ahead. Which there is a lot of. Everything from obtaining the buildings and properties, construction or renovation of these, gathering the personnel to operate these, along with the gathering of the funding to incorporate all of this. All this, as usual, is up to the LORD's providence, grace and timing. Please pray for this ministry and those that are helping in many ways to bring it's birth about!
I currently have to do all this while working part time jobs helping those of a local church that has been assisting me and others within the community who need assistance. This is far from the little ministry that was collecting and distributing food and clothing, which was once set up in my basement in Springfield, Missouri. Serving the LORD is always about growing. With each new day, we as Christians are to grow in our personal walks with the LORD! So too should be our ministries. I know the LORD has great plans in store for me, I've seen some of them in dreams and visions, but as for now, here I am setting up a web footprint for the ministry that HE has ordained for me. Today here, tomorrow only HE knows. One thing I do know though, is that I will be serving HIM with every breath I take!!!
There are now several pages of information located here on the site, so browse around. Feel free to contact me about the site or anything else you'd like to. The primary interest of this site is about serving the LORD, so if you've a prayer need or whatever, speak up and contact us, address' are listed.
Now the basics of this ministry. We were formed from John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If any man remains in me and I in him, he shall bear much fruit." and John 15:7-8 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.(8) This is to my FATHER's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Without our full reliance upon the LORD JESUS, nothing can or will be done that is truly worthy of our glorious GOD. JESUS and our faith in HIM is the lifeblood of this ministry and this alone! We, as imperfect humans could never hope to bring glory to such an awesome GOD. Only with JESUS' help and provisions can we ever hope to come even close. By following closely the example set forth for us by JESUS and remembering HIS every word, this ministry shall do that which is pleasing in GOD's eyes!!
You may have noticed that seldom is there a mention of scriptural references. This is because it is each person's personal duty to seek these out on their own. If I were to give you a detailed account of someone's personality, you truly wouldn't know that person from Adam! So too is your relationship with GOD. I can tell you everything there is to know about GOD, but HE could stand right next to you and you'd not realize it. Everything you know about our creator, is dependent upon what you are willing to do to farther your personal relationship with HIM. You could be like most and let your Bible collect dust on the coffee table or you can begin reading it. Read it like every word within it stands between you and an eternity of suffering or unexplainable joy!!! It's your choice, think well about this matter, because your future does depend on it!!!
Now don't get me wrong, we will have a lot of scripture related articles and Bible studies here on the site, once we get things better organized. As for now, things are going to be a bit on the simple side. I've not a band of 'techies' working with me, currently, its basically myself. I'm not a computer illiterate, but far from completely literate when it comes to some of this stuff.
Some of the things that we've plans for, both online and off, will be a formalized prayer room with prayer partners always available. A chat room system with moderators constantly online. Bible studies for all levels of expertise. Than there will be those land-based systems such as prison inmate and family ministries, food pantries, clothing and household item distributors along with our other relief based functions. There is still a lot to be done and time may be short, but we'll give it our best, while totally relying on JESUS as the life-blood of the ministry!!!
Phone lines currently open between 8 AM and 8 PM Central Time (United States + Canada.) With our new number, we've encountered a great number of unsolicited sales calls. Due to this, we’ll not answer calls with 'NO' caller identification. This is to help concentrate our time on the ministry and not fending off profiteers!
Phone: Sorry, we currently haven't one
Cell phone: 1.361.246.0306 (This is a prepaid line, so please don't waste our money or time!)
To contact Reverend Barth:
revbarth@vineofchrist.org
hisson7@yahoo.com
hisson33@gmail.com
hisson33@aol.com
There are several things I would like to note here, please do not send me emails at each and every address in order to contact me, choose one and it will be read. Also, to those that want to offer me some dating site, drug sales or business offer, no thanks, my life is about serving the LORD and only that and you'll just wasting both of our times!!!
To contact us for personal prayer needs:
prayers@vineofchrist.org
To contact us for general information or to inquire about joining us, send an email to:
contacts@vineofchrist.org
Attention to those that want to spam these address', we will report it to the officials and block your address!
*If you're making a donation for the express purpose of helping the ministry become more functional, please earmark it for "operational funds". This will help us keep track of our funding resources better.*
**Any donations made at this time, should be mailed to our physical address, for we currently don't have an electronic system set up. Please be patient, for it is coming shortly.**
**** Due to my being hearing impaired, all communications (verbal/electronic) will be recorded. This will be so all correspondence can be examined for accuracy, so as to better serve you.
With this being a helps ministry, we wouldn't feel right, if we didn't help in every way possible. Below, you'll find a link to an excellent emergency preparedness site. It is free of charge and has excellent materials to help you prepare yourself and family for disasters like that caused by Katrina and Rita.
A FEMA related site: http://www.ready.gov ,there are some fine resources that can be found through this site, it just may take a bit of searching.