By Carmen M. Woodson-Wray, Gary Crusader
Rev. Michael Watson prayed to the Lord to show him what it is he should do with his life. He answered him and said he should do his work throughout the community seven days a week. Because he is obedient, he followed through and has opened Great Faith Outreach Ministry.
In 2014, Watson was in an accident on the side of the road as he was changing the tire on his car. A drunk driver knocked him to the other side of the street causing him head trauma. He had to be airlifted to a Chicago hospital where he had to have plastic surgery on his face and eyes.
He said, “Once I woke up, the only thing I could feel besides the pain was the mercy of God and the Holy Spirit telling me to preach the word of God. The day before the accident I prayed to God that whatever he wanted me to do that He show me what it is and he did.”
Rev. Watson, age 24, received his calling into the ministry that same year and right away began making plans to start his ministry. It took some time, but he recently held the grand opening of Great Faith Outreach Ministry and has taken off preparing work to be done.
He said he plans to feed the needy, hold events that deal with counseling those going through domestic and drug abuse and develop a food pantry. He said, “I am also setting up a place where the military can recruit those interested in joining any branch of the service. This is my assignment, to spread the Gospel throughout my community while at the same time being a help in areas of the city where it is weak.”
Rev. Watson said the opportunity came to him to start Great Faith Outreach Ministry two months ago when his friend, Latasha Ford, called and asked him to carry on a task of starting an outreach ministry.
He said, “She told me she had a building in Gary where she would be doing various endeavors, but the main focus would be opening a place that would be able to give back to the community in addition to being able to glorify God. She told me she needed a preacher to carry out that ministry so she prayed to God that he would send her someone to do this work. She said my name came to mine.”
The grand opening of Great Faith Outreach Ministry was a success. “Every seat was filled and every heart was full as I brought forth the word that morning. My primary focus is on this generation of young people in the community. It is important that they have a spiritual change to take place in order for a behavior change to take place. Once they find their identity in Jesus Christ they will be all that God created them to be,” he said.
Great Faith Outreach Ministry is located at 701 W. 5th Avenue, Suite C. Services are held every Sunday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
