About Luke 9:2 Ministries
Mission Statement
- Proclaim – Heal – Teach
- Luke 9:2 Ministries’ primary goal is to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ by providing the following in underserved countries, High quality medical and dental services in partnership with local Christian medical/dental professionals, water purification equipment along with health and hygiene education in local communities, and pastoral education and ministry training to local pastors.
- We recognize our mission is not our own, but the Lord’s, and therefore subject to His will and His plans. Therefore, we pledge to remain in constant prayer in order to seek His will and humbly request His blessings as we continue to proclaim His love, heal the sick, and teach His children.
Charitable Purpose
The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and religious purposes focused on sharing the love of Jesus Christ by meeting the healthcare needs of underserved communities through faith-based medical/dental services, safe drinking water, and pastoral leadership training. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall unure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, Board members or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay furtherance of the purposes set forth above. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
The Future
As our team and support continues to grow, we hope to be able to take more than one trip per year, providing more direct care and further solidifying our relationships with the local population. We also hope to purchase and transport more medical and dental supplies to be able to replenish the needs of those who provide follow-up when the team returns to the United States. We also hope to contribute to health education efforts in order to provide primary prevention and treatment of current illness.
Our History
Luke 9:2 Ministries’ efforts to provide medical care, safe water, and pastoral training to underserved populations in Central America began at Crievewood Baptist Church in 2001. A group of interested church members from this small church in Nashville, Tennessee felt called to offer basic medical and dental care to the people of Honduras. Following a successful pilot trip, church members and affiliates continued to send teams of health professionals and laypersons to Central America in order to provide medical care, evangelism, and education to the people of Honduras as well as to build long-term relationships to ensure continuity of care. After partnering with a local physician and local churches, what began as an annual week-long short-term medical mission trip has now evolved into year-round provision of excellent medical care and education to over twenty communities outside of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
In 2009, our expanding group of providers and supporters elected to form a non-profit called Luke 9:2 Ministries in order to provide continuous care for underserved populations through financial and prayer support. Our medical services are overseen by Dr. Beth Ann Yakes, an associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and local services are provided by Dr. Jorge Ponce, a Honduran native and graduate of the National Autonomous University of Honduras School of Medicine. Over the last few years our organization has provided financial assistance and medications to Dr. Ponce in order to equip him to provide acute care and chronic disease management to underserved communities outside the capital city of Tegucigalpa. Additionally, our annual medical/dental short-term trip has expanded to twice yearly opportunities in order to support our local physician as well as to engage professional and layperson volunteers in the ministry’s efforts. Teams prepare for each trip by collecting and packing donated medications, eyeglasses and medical supplies. During each week-long trip, patients are evaluated by trained medical and dental professionals and medications, eyeglasses and education are provided to these patients free of any charge. In addition, team members partner with local church leaders in order to share our faith-based purposes for being there and to share the Gospel with any interested patient. During a typical week of mission service, the team will evaluate over 2000 patients, extract 700 teeth, provide 600 eyeglasses, and dispense over 10,000 medications.
In 2013, our Ministry extended efforts to improve the health of the communities we serve by providing safe drinking water. Volunteers with Luke 9:2 Ministries began installing safe-water chlorination and purification system purchased from WaterStep International and trained local Hondurans to operate and maintain the systems. Over the last few years, our volunteers have successfully installed fourteen purification systems in rural communities and have monitored the continued maintenance and safety of previously installed systems. Inclusion of health-and-hygiene classes to local children as well as empowering local laypersons to operate and maintain the water filters has engaged entire communities in health promotion and, notably, our local physician has noted a significant drop in water-related diarrheal illness and other health concerns.
Finally, in 2015 Luke 9:2 Ministries further expanded our evangelist efforts by initiating a three-year pastoral training program created for rural-based pastors in Honduras. Overseen by Dr. Larry McCullough who holds a doctorate in theological education, volunteer educators teach quarterly 3-day seminars that enable participants to earn a Diploma in Practical Theology. Our program seeks to “train the trainer” by equipping a small group of pastors with the education and materials who will then, in turn, train other local pastors seeking to expand their theological knowledge and spiritual foundation. Our Ministry covers the costs of the training materials as well as the expenses of the participating pastors as well as the volunteer educators.
By 2020, Luke 9:2 Ministries was providing consistent support our in-country physicians and dentists, equipping local pastors through quarterly training programs, and maintaining safe water purification systems to the communities we served. Unfortunately, as occurred in much of the world, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic turned our well-laid plans upside down. And yet, the pandemic also served as a reminder that God is in control and that His plans cannot be undone by a mere virus. Our ministry pivoted from sending teams of medical volunteers to Honduras to supporting even more in-country clinicians with medicines, supplies, and encouragement. We converted our pastoral-training sessions to virtual workshops and we took advantage of phone apps to communicate regularly with in-country safe-water champions. And God provided. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke 9:2 Ministries has continued to host medical/dental clinics working solely through in-country clinicians and ministry partners. We continue to graduate pastors who have earned their Certificate in Practical Theology by completing our online courses. And we continue to support the local champions and partners who seek to provide safe water and health education even in a time of great upheaval.
Luke 9:2 Ministries continues to seek opportunities to work with local pastors and medical providers to offer quality medical/dental care, health and hygiene education, safe water purification systems, and discipleship training to the underserved communities of Honduras. As our efforts continue to expand, so does our need to recruit both professionals and laypersons to carry out the work of the Ministry. We are seeking faith-based volunteer professionals and laypersons to help us continue the good work being done in Honduras to proclaim Christ’s love, heal the sick, and empower the local community to prevent disease and preserve community well-being.
Board of Directors
Nashville, TN
Nashville, TN
Executive Committee
of the Board of Directors
Chairman
Eric Ward
College Grove, TN
Treasurer
Elizabeth Ward
College Grove, TN
Secretary
Bart Perkey
Brentwood, TN
Vice President
Brentwood, TN