From Meth to Mission

Brandon Andres Green, host of Good Neighbor Podcast Tulsa, sits down with Mario Rodriguez of Jesus Freedom Harvest Tulsa Español to talk about addiction recovery, street ministry, prayer, outreach, and bringing hope to Spanish-speaking families and communities across Tulsa.

Mario shares his personal story of being set free from meth addiction fifteen years ago after walking into a church service and encountering the power of God in a way he did not expect. That experience became the foundation for his message today: freedom is real, hope is available, and Jesus can meet people in the middle of addiction, fear, pain, and brokenness.

This conversation gives a real look at what Jesus Freedom Harvest Tulsa Español is doing across the city. Mario and his team go out three nights a week to apartment complexes, street corners, parks, churches, and neighborhoods across north, south, east, and west Tulsa. Their outreach includes prayer, worship, preaching, one-on-one ministry, and helping people connect with church and community.

You’ll also hear how the ministry partners with others, including Bridging Hunger, to distribute roughly 150 food bags a week. Mario shares why the need is still greater than the supply, how quickly food disappears in areas like 61st and Peoria, and why practical help often opens the door for deeper ministry.

If you care about Tulsa outreach, addiction recovery, evangelism, prayer ministry, Spanish-speaking communities, or churches coming together to serve people in real time, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the harvest is not someday. It is now.

Freedom found him in a church service. Now he carries it into the streets.

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Brandon Andris Green.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast Live. For many people, faith is not simply something they believe. It becomes the place where they find freedom, healing, hope, and a new direction. Today's guest serves Spanish-speaking families and communities through evangelism, prayer, and ministry. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Mario Rodriguez, with uh Harvest Tulsa Espanol. Mario, how's it going, brother?

SPEAKER_02 0:45

It's going so good, brother Bryson. Thank you for having me today.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

You're so welcome. And so your ministry name is uh Jesus Freedom, Harvest Tulsa Espanol Ministries, correct? Correct, yes. And

Freedom As The Core Message

SPEAKER_01 1:01

is that word freedom kind of central to your ministry and message? Uh correctly.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

We our message is to bring freedom to the lost, freedom to the people that has issues, mental issues, you know, drug addictions, and our that's our main uh our main uh message, freedom on Jesus, that they could be set free, that there's also hope, you know, in Jesus' name.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

And how did you even get started in the ministry?

SPEAKER_02 1:33

Well, six years ago, I was under another ministry, so we were laboring together, and about a year and a half, the Lord separated me. And I was already doing uh Jesus Freedom, but when he came when the Lord called me and the ministry that became all complete. Jesus Freedom Harvest means like the Lord called me. Well, there's a lot of people, you know, the city of Tulsa. So by the grace of God, what he sends me, there's there's quite a bit of people. There's a crowd. And we talk about freedom, and we talk about, you know, Jesus power that he could set them free. And that's how the name, you know, that's how the word he gave me, you know, Jesus Freedom Harvest. Because uh, you know, where he sends me, there's a lot of a lot of people that we could reach to.

Set Free From Meth Overnight

SPEAKER_01 2:27

And is that freedom something you've also kind of experienced in your own life? Is that kind of how the ministry got started?

SPEAKER_02 2:34

Uh yes. So 15 years ago, the Lord set me free from uh uh from meth addiction. It is something that I personally experienced. I was not really a believer, and uh but when the Lord set me free and uh church service, that's he set me free from addictions. Uh that name also comes from from that, and so powerful, so powerful that but the Lord did, and ever since 15 years has passed, and now it's it's about him, it's about reaching people, it's about loving people, and it's about his power. That is he in Jesus' name, he brings freedom to the lost, you know, and it could be in different ways addiction, uh, it could be, you know, things that are going through, it could be mental problems, it could be physical problems. The Lord has the power, so yeah, that's how the name came up.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

And did you was that freedom, especially from the drugs, you know, something addictive is meth, was that instantaneous or was it uh uh a road to recovery?

SPEAKER_02 3:46

It was unexpected. Actually, I was set free by the Holy Spirit. I didn't have to be in a program or anything like that. I just I just went in. I went in inside of service and unexpected, I was just like uh, you know, uh it was a pastor preaching, Isaiah 45 through to five, and he says, uh uh I will go over the mountains, I will break the chains, and even you don't know me, I had choose you. And you know, the passage was keeps it was keeping going and until like the power of God, his spirit, his word came out of my heart, and he set me free that day. And that's how I start I started really believing in his power and his name. And that's how you know through this time and and then a couple years ago, that's how everything started beginning for me. At the beginning, I didn't really get it as much, but then through the years, I was just like, you know, about his power, about his freedom. So yeah, it's it's very it has been very interesting for for now that you know I'm uh in the ministry running a race for the Lord and the city of Tulsa and seeing people, how they're being set free from addiction, how people is being healed too, because it also has has you is using this ministry for healing and also for a restoration. And it's been so powerful how he has shown up around the city and and doing a lot of a lot of great things. So, you know, it is like uh like this, uh brother Bryson. Sometimes like uh like the Lord He chooses you, he process, he prophesied you to do things for his glory. But as you walk in, you know, the beginning, you just know that you're being set free, but you don't truly understand until you get to the process, you get into the word, you get into relationship, until you get more into like like fellowship with with brothers and sisters and some other ministry, and then you realize the Lord choose you for this for this type of ministry. So it's been it's been it's been so good, you know, for the last couple years and a half. I have seen God uh doing great things around the city. I seen people being delivered from addiction. I seen people uh you know that we had gone and prayed for. Uh you know, we go we go do ministry, we could do outreach, and then we come back and they say, you know what, the Lord healed me uh for this, and then sometimes, like just right there, right there, right as we praying, the Lord set free from addiction. So that's how it's been. He he delivered me free from back when, and then now it's something that is flowing, that is happening. So I'm so thankful what the Lord is doing through through this ministry and through the city. So I praise God for him, and and and also for for being bilingual, you know, we go different uh different cultures, you know, we go to Spanish cultures, English cultures, and it's been so good. It's been so good the ministry flowing through it. And and yeah, I'm so yeah.

How Their Tulsa Outreach Works

SPEAKER_01 7:18

Has it has it mostly been like an outreach ministry, or do you also preach on Sundays, or what does the ministry kind of look like for you guys?

SPEAKER_02 7:27

Well, it's mainly right now, uh it's mainly right now for many outreach ministries. It's been uh it's been such a blessing for the last for the last year. It's been so much closer, so much anointing what the Lord is doing. And so, so you know, it gets to the fact like physically, like we we see the Lord delivering people and healing people. So we have a lot of uh people that has witnessed the power of God, and but yeah, it's been it's been a lot on doing outreach, doing church, uh being inside of church, the Lord has done it too, but not as much as an outreach ministry.

SPEAKER_01 8:15

And do you are you guys going out weekly, or are you guys just choosing areas to go out to, or what does that look like?

SPEAKER_02 8:22

Okay, uh, it's based on uh this ministry is also based on like uh you know, like uh uh Joseph uh went around the city and you know and start like worshiping the Lord and the Lord Ptolemy, you're gonna conquer this area. I'm gonna give you Jericho and you know, worship me. So we go around the city, you know. Uh it takes us, it takes us about three months to go around the city, and we know we go three times a week. And sometimes we go uh for one night, we go twice a night. So uh yeah, we are so excited. It's a it's a fire of God, you know. It's uh the pouring of the spirit, you know. I believe that this is what it's happening right now. The the Lord is really flowing, and uh as the word he was giving me the word, Jesus freedom, and then harvest. That's the third word that he gave me. And then, therefore, you know, this is the time where we uh taking advantage. So, so yeah, it's uh three times a week, and it is we go to the north, we go to the west, we go to the east, and then we go to the south, and then we keep going back again, and and then you know, we help we help our people for those that that that that do get delivered, they want to congregate, we invite them to church, and we buy them to join us for the ministry. And but yeah, for now, there's this this is like a this is like a fire, you know, it's just it's happening over and over. So yeah, I tend to do that.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Are you guys just going to like street corners or apartment complexes? Or what do you guys do when you actually go out?

SPEAKER_02 10:11

Okay, we go to uh uh apartment complex, we go to street corners, and now we add this. Uh well, this is a little bit different. So now we're getting invites to go to churches and quick people, train people, and then we bring them out to the street to to to do ministry too. So uh, but yeah, that's those are the three areas that we go in right now so far. Sometimes we go to parks, and sometimes we just go as we feel led to go by the Lord. But but yeah, we go apartment complex and street corners, we go to churches to equip the body of Christ and come out and you know do outreach together, and and then sometimes we just go to parts.

Food Distribution And Ministry Support

SPEAKER_01 11:01

And how are you how are you able to fund all of this?

SPEAKER_02 11:06

Well, by the grace of God, we have good people, good mentors. Uh, I have uh brother Aaron Mayer. I love the I love the brother, he helps us a lot, you know, he supports us a lot in laboring. Uh we got uh we got Bridging Hunger is one of our uh uh suppliers that they supply a lot from us, and then we get sent out, and then uh we you know sometimes we get about uh about a hundred, we get in about a hundred and fifty bags a week from them. And then we have another, and then we have another two two ministries that are helping us out financially, supporting us, and and it just uh I just see the grace of God, you know. I see the grace of God, and and sometimes we just get we get calls by churches, by um uh people, believers that they've seen us, and they just tell us, hey, I got this to give you, to give away. So yeah, it's been so good. It's been so good for that, for that right now.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

So you guys are handing out on average 150 bags of food a week?

SPEAKER_02 12:18

A week, brother. Yes, a week.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

Are you are you finding are you finding that the need is a lot greater than what you guys have available, or are you able to meet those needs?

SPEAKER_02 12:32

Well, we are kind of like um we kind of like need more needs because we are like over overflowed. Uh we have a location that we go to 61st a perioria, and not even 30 minutes, about 60 bags are gone. Wow. Yeah, because there's a lot of people, you know, that that come. So but but we do what what we are called first, you know, we preach the gospel to them. It's it is like a one-on-one. It's a little different how we do of outreach right there, but it's mainly giving backs and praying for them and praying for their for deliverance, praying for them for the fire of the Holy Spirit, for for the Lord to set them free. But yeah, I I am praying for the Lord that we are able to increase more for street corners and communities.

How To Connect And Help

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Well, if uh a listener wanted to maybe get more involved or uh support you guys in one manner, what would be the best way for them to go about doing that?

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Okay, they could uh they could reach us uh through uh social media, or they could also reach us on uh uh you know, they could reach me directly, and uh we are able to get together, hopefully, and then we could, you know, share my heart what is going on around the city, and they'd be able to see what's the need, and that that'll be good if you know there would be you know some fundraise, you know, ministries they wanna they want to pour or wanna bless this ministry, it would be so awesome to do it too. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

And and if they're trying to find you on social media, would they just uh search Jesus Freedom Harvest or what's social media saved under?

SPEAKER_02 14:28

Okay, we're working on a website right now, so we should have it done pretty soon. But for right now, they could reach me on Facebook, Mario Rodriguez, and uh uh you know my direct number 626-442-8705. And uh, but uh in the future we will have that it should be coming soon already. It should be coming soon, and then we uh we're gonna be posting like everything what we do in places, and and they will see whatever they donate, they'll be able to see where all the donations go to.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

Wow, that's amazing! Yeah, I know uh sometimes building out a website can can get expensive, so maybe as listeners hear and donate, maybe we it can help move that website along. Correct, yes, correct.

A Challenge To Believers And Churches

SPEAKER_01 15:24

What's one thing you really want our listeners to remember?

SPEAKER_02 15:29

I want them to be reminded what the love of God is about. He said that he left the 99 to look for the lost one. I want for believers to know that uh they had gifts, as as uh the word says on uh 1 Corinthians chapter 12. You know that we are the body, and uh we are not all the same, but uh they are able to give to give for the ministry, to give their talents, to give their time. And and this is the time of the harvest. This is the time of the harvest. God opened this door for the city of Tulsa. And uh there is so much, there is so much giving from the Spirit. There is an overflow in the Spirit of God is right now that is happening, not just in this ministry, but in a lot of different ministries. So if you and there's also you know a lot of like mentoring help, you know, there's there's like elder people that really you know helping. So maybe if you are one of those, if you're not praying about, wanting to do something, you could reach out to us, you could help us, you could be part of it. Or maybe you just are far away, you might maybe want to donate, or maybe you just want to help us pray for the harvest to continue. So that's that's my message. You have a great calling, you have a great purpose from the Lord. You know, the Bible says in Luke 10, 2, that the harvest is plenty and the workers are a few. So maybe you are one of those that just want to do something but don't know how you could reach to us and you are able to just extend the kingdom of God, you know, and his righteousness. That's my message to uh to churches, to believers. And if you're not a believer, God loves you, he cares for you, he said that he came to seek and save the lost. If you are a believer, but if you're in the midst of something, the Bible says that God makes us uh to to become disciple makers. You could be you could be a disciple maker, and you could be as a part of the kingdom. There's something great happening right now in the city of Tulsa. So therefore, you are you are able to be part of it. The time is now. The Bible says the harvest, the harvest is for right now. That's what the Lord put in my heart. You could do amazing things. You the Lord could blow your mind, the things He could do through you. It's about obedience and it's about bonus. It's about like saying, Lord, here I am, here I am, just use me, use me for your glory. So that would be my message uh for for for today, and and be in unity, be unified in the body. We are one for the Lord, and that's that's that's one of the biggest challenges that we had challenged before in the ministry in churches. So I believe that this is the time that we come together and we just pour into each other's and we go all for tools of for people that need the love of Christ. And I think you are one of those.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

What a great word, Mario. I so appreciate you coming on the show, and I really wish you and Jesus Freedom Harvest the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

Amen. Thank you, thank you, brother Brash and thank you for for having me today. It is a pleasure to be in uh Prochause today, and I pray that the Lord bless you and increase more more people that we create, we are able to reach for his kingdom. So thank you so much, too.

Nominate A Local Business

SPEAKER_00 19:23

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gmptulsa.com. That's gmptulsa.com or call 918 301 6356.