The CenTer
Introduction
• The Center is WGM’s major ministry in Stockton, California, touching the lives of hundreds of children
and youth each year.
• At-risk kids ranging in age from preschool through high school come every day after school to attend
Bible club, activities, and mentoring/homework help.
• The majority of these children are from single-parent families, many of which are consumed by drugs,
alcohol, and/or the gang lifestyle.
The Challenge
• The missionary staff at The Center ministers to children and teens in a rough section of Stockton.
Single-parent homes, drug and alcohol abuse, gang violence, and domestic violence are a daily reality
for these kids.
• For many of these kids, staff members at The Center are the only positive role models they will have.
Many of them are from second- or third-generation gang families.
The Center
• Working under the motto, “Giving faith, hope, and love to inner-city kids and their families,” The
Center offers alternative activities to kids who would otherwise be home alone or in the streets.
• Activities include Bible club, recreation, crafts, snacks, camps, and the Learning Center. These programs
are geared to teach the kids the skills they’ll need to become productive members in their communities.
• More importantly, the kids are introduced to Jesus Christ, giving them a constant in their lives so they
can make good decisions and live for Him.
• Since the children who come to The Center are often leery of accepting people, WGM missionaries
and local volunteers take time to build relationships and lay a foundation of love and God’s Word, using
firm but loving boundaries.
How can I help?
• Pray
FPray for the children who come to The Center; pray that they will embrace Jesus as their Savior.
FPray for the missionary and volunteer staff who give selflessly to bring the children stability and safety.
FPray that Jesus will be lifted up and glorified in all the ongoing activities at The Center: Bible club,
special events, tutoring, etc.
• Go. Would you like to make a difference in an at-risk child’s life? Volunteer and career opportunities at
The Center are available. We need people interested in youth ministry, education, and more! Go to
www.wgm.org/stockton to find out more.
• Give: The Center needs your help! (suggested wording) “The missionary staff at The Center has great
vision to see the ministry expand. A recently-finished new building provides better, safer facilities
for the children and enables the staff to increase their outreach. Now, we’re focusing on creating
P.O. Box 948, Marion, IN 46952-0948
Phone: 765.664.7331 E-mail: wgm@wgm.org
a fun outdoor play area, so the kids can run around outside in a safe place. Want to help build this
safe haven in the middle of inner-city Stockton? You can either give online at www.wgm.org or send
in a check to World Gospel Mission.” (Speaker: This is an example of an appeal. Feel free to speak about a
particular need at The Center that God has laid on your heart.)
• Pass it On: After hearing about this powerful ministry, can you think of someone you know who
would like to know about The Center in Stockton, California? Pass on the word or share the website
so others can experience this ministry and learn how God might use them to reach out to a lost world.
P.O. Box 948, Marion, IN 46952-0948
Phone: 765.664.7331 E-mail: wgm@wgm.org