Rev. Kenny Garrett Ministries
A Doer of the Word
I'm Brother Kenny
I grew up in the First General Baptist Church of Dayton Ohio. I felt the calling to the ministry as a child. I responded to an alter call when I was 14, and the church and my family rejoiced. I did my best to learn and grow in the Word, and was very sincere in my belief. However, at age 17, a young new preacher had come to our church and was preaching one Sunday morning. I will never forget the phrase he used in the middle of that sermon,”If your son asks you to get an earring, you ask him if he wants to go to hell.” The entire church answered with an Amen. I did not have an earring, nor did I want one, but I knew that was not biblical. In that moment, I decided that preacher was crazy and all those people in the church were crazy as well, so I stood up and left. I vowed never to enter that church again. I wish I had the maturity at that point to realize that only the preacher and the congregation were incorrect. Instead, I included God with that preacher and that congregation. I willfully and knowingly rejected the gift of salvation that I had been given. In what seemed like an instant, I was fully immersed in a life of sin. I was lost and undone, I could not tolerate living in my reality. The person that has no joy with their reality, be it events, circumstances, decisions made, or whatever the factors may be, will then they seek an easy way leave that reality. Drug addiction is so rampant in our world because it is the easiest way to leave reality, but as was the case with me, it may not everyones preferred way to leave reality. There are all kinds of things to use as a way to leave reality, but they are all symptoms of a spiritual problem. I do acknowledge that addictions have physical elements as well, but almost every addict I have known has, at some time in their life, been able to beat the physical elements of addiction. However, unless they address the spiritual problem, they will not achieve long term victory over their addiction. The only answer is Jesus Christ. From 1997 to 2006, I had beaten the physical parts of my addiction for weeks and months at a time all on my own, but it never lasted. It was not until I followed Christ as my Savior again in 2006, and began walking in a new reality made possible by Him dying on a cross, and rising from the grave that I was set free. Growing up in church did not save me, but it did teach me the path to life. When I had finally come to the end of myself, and all my hope was gone, I knew the way out. As the old song says, “What He has done for me, He will do for you” so I will spend the rest of my days here on earth as a beggar that was given some bread, sharing that Bread of Life with every other beggar I meet.
Current Ministries
General Baptist House of Prayer
General Baptist House of Prayer thrives on a foundation of Jesus Christ, community, and inclusiveness. It's a place where members not only seek spiritual nourishment but also find a sense of belonging and emotional support. The welcoming arms of this congregation extend beyond Sunday services, offering a chance to fellowship over a lunch provided by the church after Sunday worship services.
The Jeremiah Tree
The Jeremiah Tree is a Christian discipleship house that specializes in helping men with drug and alcohol addiction. The men maintain a structured schedule, learn skills to prepare them for living independently, and complete hours of Bible study each day. These men in recovery are living together to rebuild their lives as a community and seek the type of freedom from drugs and alcohol that is only found in Jesus Christ.
Bridges of Hope
Bridges of Hope operates an overnight shelter as well as a daytime hub to help provide needed services for our guests. We have both daytime and nighttime shelter for our guests at this time. Our nightly shelter gives our guests a safe place to sleep, eat, and shower. Our DayHub time helps our guests find social services they need through many partners throughout the community.
Contact Brother Kenny