Who We Are
Vision
History
1 SAMUEL 2:8 "God puts poor people on their feet again; He rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restoring dignity and respect to their lives." (Message Paraphrase)
The original vision of Rescue Atlanta was to “Reach the people nobody else wants”. To reach those that have been rejected by society and sad to say, have been rejected by the church as well.
The vision changed a bit as we saw that the people nobody else wants are the very people that God desperately wants (1 Corinthians 1:26-31) and the very people that Jesus was a friend of! (Matthew 11:19)
So today our vision is “Reaching the people NOBODY else wants but GOD desperately wants”
1 SAMUEL 2:8 (Message Paraphrase) is exactly how Rescue Atlanta reaches the people that NOBODY else wants, but GOD desperately wants! With dignity and respect we offer them HOPE in the midst of their HOPELESS situation, and help them get on their feet AGAIN! We’ve all been knocked down; sometimes we need help to get back up!
We offer a HAND OUT in order for them to take a HAND UP! After all, isn’t that what Jesus did? He stretched His HANDS OUT over 2000 years ago in order to pay a debt we owed, in order for us to take the HAND UP that can change our lives forever.
By being like Jesus and being a “friend of sinners”, the poor will listen to your message. You must earn the right to be heard. Love them unconditionally just as they are … and LOVE NEVER FAILS! It has been said, “Jesus loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way!” He earned the right to offer change; He is our example! Someone said, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care”.
Therefore we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide laundry facilities, shower facilities, phone usage, computer usage, provide medical clinics, chiropractors, counseling, and mentoring.
Since 1989 Rescue Atlanta has offered a HAND OUT to 10’s of thousands of the people NOBODY else wants, but GOD desperately wants, and as a result many have taken the HAND UP out of their ashes of despair!
1 SAMUEL 2:7-9 “The Lord makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and He lifts up. 8 He lifts the poor from the dust. He lifts those in need from the ashes. He makes them sit with rulers and receive a seat of honor. For what holds the earth belongs to the Lord. He has set the world in its place. 9 He watches over the steps of His good people. But the sinful ones will be made quiet in darkness. For a man will not win by strength.” New Life Version (NLV)
Mel and Teresa Rolls arrived in the great city of Atlanta in April of 1989 after 11 years of successful ministry in the state of Florida as Youth, Worship and Outreach Pastors, in Kissimmee, Orange Park, Mandarin, and Lake Worth, Florida!
In the Spring of 1990, Mel would go into the heart of the city and sit among the homeless in Woodruff Park. He was obeying what the Lord spoke to his heart in EZEKIEL 3:15 “Then I came to the captives …. and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them ….” Sitting there he heard their cries of help. It was then that many of them came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Many went in search of a local church in the city, only to find that there were not welcomed and being told “There are churches for ‘those’ kind of people!” It was then that the Lord dropped in our heart a vision to have a church and to “Reach the people that nobody else wants!”
A short time later we were meeting under trees, and under bridges, many sitting on Pickle Buckets (5 gallon buckets) and Rescue Atlanta Church was born!
In the Fall of 1990 Mel began to not only reach out to the Homeless, but went into one of the worst housing Projects in the city, Techwood Homes.
In the Winter of 1990 we moved into the Techwood Community Center to hold services because it was getting cold outside.
In the Spring of 1991 we moved into the display room of “Flora Dora” Floral Warehouse near Piedmont Park.
In the Fall of 1992 God opened the doors for us to meet in the aerobics room of a Fitness Center called “The RAW IMAGE Fitness Center”.
In the Fall of 1994 our Feeding Ministry and Bus Ministry began to take off. We needed a larger place for the crowds and the capacity to cook!
In the Winter of 1994 the doors opened for us to use the “Steelworkers Union Hall”. We were running 5 School Buses at this time to pick up the Homeless and Inner City Families.
In the Spring of 1995 along with meeting at the “Steelworkers Union Hall” we also began to conduct a Bible Study in another part of the city. We met in a little room on Peachtree Street that would seat 75 people called “The Cup”.
In Summer of 1996 we ran out of room. At the same time, the city of Atlanta was hosting the Centennial Olympic Games. We had 850 Soulwinners from around the world come into work the streets with us. It was one of the most exciting times in the history of Rescue Atlanta.
In the Fall of 1996, We moved into the old Mount Carmel Baptist Church in the Summerhill Community 2 Blocks from the Olympic Stadium (now Turner Field). Summerhill statistically was the #2 most crime ridden neighborhood of the city. And on top of that Atlanta had ranked #1 in crime in the nation since 1990!
In the Fall of 1998 we located a building 1-mile from our Summerhill location. It was a 28,000 square foot warehouse. We began to believe God for the finances, and God made a way!
In the Summer of 1999 we purchased our present building at 410 Englewood Avenue SE. As the Lord provided the finances, the remodeling began. We were turning a warehouse into a Ministry Center.
February 13, 2000 we moved into our new Ministry Center where we continue to bus in the Homeless, and the families from the inner city neighborhoods that we have been working in since 1989. The feeding ministry, clothing ministry, Bus Ministry, Outreaches, Youth Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Bible Studies, and Worship Services have continued to grow.
Today every part of our building is being used for ministry throughout the week. Everyone from inner city families, youth, children, as well as Homeless men, women and children call Rescue Atlanta “Home.”
Please visit our website www.RescueAtlanta.com for what God is doing NOW. Every day is a new day with exciting new opportunities as we continue “Reaching the people God desperately wants!”
When God called us to Atlanta, it was a “Family Call”. Our children; Kristina, Katrina, Ryan, and Kyliegh, along with our son in law Patrick, and daughter in law Lindsey, as well as our grandchildren Caleb and Ayana all have a heart for “Reaching the people God desperately wants!”
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
“Trusting God Every Day for Everything!”