Son Reign Ministry was founded in 1983 by Charles and Brenda Melson. Charles, who was the driver/equipment handler and sound man for the ministry and Brenda Melson, the president of the ministry went home to be with the Lord; Charlie in 1992 and Brenda in 2000. During that time, Fred Gillenwater was vice president. Mike Haynes became the president for a short time after Brenda went home. Later, Fred Gillenwater became president, while Louise Wilson took the role of administrator/director. Louise Wilson has since stepped into the role of President.
In 1983 Son Reign began going into parks to minister to kids. We continued to do so for a couple of years, even going door to door in the community where the parks were located, witnessing to their families. In the Summer of the third year we went to the parks, there were no kids. Shortly after our last visit to the the parks, we were invited to minister in the prisons. After the first visit, doors to other institutions began to open up to us. We took advantage of this and entered those doors with the gospel of Jesus Christ. God began to lay on peoples' hearts to meet our financial need for transportation to each facility. God then sent Son Reign a major financial supporter enabling us to have a strong start for the ministry.
Son Reign has seen many inmates come to the Lord since we first began. We will be ministering in the prisons until Jesus comes and and we will remain completely submitted to the authority in each facility.
Our vision for the ministry is founded on the scripture Matthews 25:35-40:
For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me.
Then these righteous ones will reply, Sir, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you?
Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Or a stranger, and help you? Or a stranger, and help you? Or naked, and clothe' you?
When you we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you.
And I, the King, will tell them, When you did it to these my brothers you are doing it to me.
Our vision is to go into prisons carrying the gospel at every opportunity. Our soul purpose is to see these inmates saved and restored to society, walking in the destiny that God has for them, being in their proper place in the body of Christ. We want to see them come out, get healthy and go back in with us to help win others for Christ.
Our vision is to put on a course for college education, allowing our inmates to eventually get a degree. We are also in the process of working on some housing for the men and women. I would like to see a house for families to reunite families after one of the spouses has been incarcerated.