Sign up for the Father’s Love email newsletter for monthly ministry updates and testimonial videos.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
James 1:27
History
When Roger came across James 1:27 in 1997, it perfectly described the stirrings he felt to start Father’s Love.
Father’s Love is an outreach to at-risk youth based in Jacksonville, Texas (with former outreaches in Pennsylvania and Virginia). The ministry reaches impoverished youngsters, ages 10 to 19, with the message of God’s enduring love for them. The approach at Father’s Love is simple: No matter the situation, they can know the love of their heavenly Father and be assured God has a special plan for their life.
Although many of their biological fathers may have deserted them, kids here learn that their heavenly Father will never leave them nor forsake them. The goal at Father’s Love is to introduce as many young people as possible to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the tangible love of the Father.
The Father’s Love outreach center is open four nights a week and includes a gymnasium, workshop, chapel, classroom and kitchen. Older youth have additional opportunities to learn practical life skills and to serve the community.
Video Testimonials
STAFF: Brett
“The biggest challenge a kid from Father’s Love deals with is… coming from a fatherless home.”
ALUMNIA: Tasheena
Tasheena attended Father’s Love as a Thee Girl and Teen Girl and has accepted Christ as her Savior. She’s an alumnus now & has since this video graduated from Dallas Baptist University.
“Father’s Love definitely holds a big part of my heart.”
TEEN GUY: Antonio & Treyvon
Antonio & Treyvon are teen guys who attend Father’s Love meetings on Friday nights.
Antonio: When asked what he’s learned from Father’s Love: “To love one another and to respect your parents.”
Treyvon: “My favorite thing about coming to Father’s Love is playing basketball and going to the chapel.”
ALUMNI: Tyesha
Tyesha is a Father’s Love alumni who attended Father’s Love’s Thee Girls & Teen Girls meetings & has been on many trips with Father’s Love, including camp, from where she became a counselor & traveled overseas doing missionary work.
“My first night here, I was so happy… had been waiting months to come to Father’s Love.”
THEE BOY: Brayleen/Dezerrek
Brayleen & Dezerrek attend the 10 – 12 year old boys meeting at Father’s Love and have accepted Christ as their Savior.
Brayleen: “I was failing Math and Reading; I wasn’t that good at it. Now I’m better because of the tutors.”
Dezerrek: “The Father’s Love staff accepts me for who I am & Jesus accepts me to.”
ALUMNI: Channie
Channie has been a Thee Girl, Teen Girl, and alumnus volunteer.
“My favorite thing about Father’s Love is the worship.”
STAFF: Melissa & Madelyn
Melissa is married to staff member Brett Wagner. She’s a full time mother & continues to stay involved with Father’s Love.
“When you go into something with the mindset that you want to help people, what happens almost always in return is you realize you are the one who that is blessed & your the one who is helped.”
Madelyn: “The thing I love about Father’s Love is when we get to always learn about Jesus.”
TEEN GUY: Avante & Kameron
Avante & Kameron are teen guys who attend Father’s Love meetings weekly.
Avante: “I’ve been coming to Father’s Love now for six or seven years and the main thing is, we talk about God.”
Kameron: “The thing I liked about one lesson taught at Father’s Love was that God changed a greedy man into a giving man and he can do that with anyone.”
Alexis & Lillian are young girls that attend Father’s Love 10 – 12 year old Thee Girl meetings.
Alexis: “The things I like about Father’s Love is we get to play games. We get to learn about Jesus & the Bible.”
Lillian: “Father’s Love is the best place to go & the most funnest church ever.”
Oz is an alumni from Father’s Love who now volunteers at the boys meetings.
“What inspired me to come back is how much fun that I had & the wonderful staff we have here.”
STAFF: Dave
Dave was a carpenter on staff at Father’s Love and specialized in community projects.
“Sometimes the families will ask, ‘Why are you even doing this?’ It’s because of what God did in my life.”
TEEN GIRL: Nana / Eryka
Nana has been attending Father’s Love since she was 10, she’s a teenager now & attends the teen girls meetings.
“My favorite thing about coming to Father’s Love is we learn about God. Father’s Love breaks it down so we can understand.”
Eryka attends our 10 – 12 year old Thee Girls meetings.
“I heard about Father’s Love when my sister started coming. I felt jealous because I wanted to learn more about God also.”
TEEN GUY: Ty
Ty is a teen guy that began attending Father’s Love at the age of 10. “I just recently got saved and it’s really turned my life around. I’m happy.”
STAFF: Roger Jonker
Roger Jonker is the co-founder/director of Father’s Love Ministry, established in 1997. “God knew who was hurting in Jacksonville and needed someone to love them and care for them. They needed to know that God has a plan for them.”
ALUMNI: Tamia
Tamia began as a Thee Girl at Father’s Love and continued to attend throughout her teen years. She has accepted Christ into her life & was recently baptized.
“I fell on my knees, wept and asked for forgiveness.”
Focus Areas
Ministry to youth at Father’s Love focuses on four areas:
Making Disciples
Modeling Christ likeness through Bible lessons, scripture memorization and community service projects. Laying a solid foundation that will withstand the strong pull of the world, especially as they enter into adulthood.
One-on-one relationships
This is the key component in any child’s growth. Kids need to feel loved and to be special to an adult. The individual attention they receive at Father’s Love pays immense dividends in their lives.
Mentoring
At Father’s Love, kids are matched with adults from local churches. By spending just a few hours a week with a child, an adult can have a huge impact on the youngster’s life.
Outings, retreats and conferences
Children at Father’s Love normally don’t have the means for many activities. Father’s Love provides opportunities of all kinds for their growth, fun and education.
Each of these ministry focal points has led to gospel inroads with the children’s families. As kids begin to thrive, their struggling parents are relieved and grateful – and are blessed in turn by Father’s Love.
Having grown up in Christian homes themselves – with loving parents who provided for them and encouraged their walk with Christ – Roger and Debi have sought to provide similar opportunities for kids who are without. The result is “pure and spotless religion” that is transforming lives one by one – as well as a community – for the gospel’s sake.
Father’s Love Team
Iris Dennis
New Jersey
Teen Girls 13-18
My desire is to see young ladies learn in who they are in Christ and to help them grow in their walk by digging deep in the word, in prayer and worship. I’m here at Father’s Love to do what Isaiah 62:6-7 says.. “…. Pray continually..give God no rest until he completes his work” He is faithful and will complete that work!
Tony Dennis
New Jersey
Teen Guys 13-18
I came to Jacksonville, Texas because of the calling God has placed on my heart to teach boys that God loves them and has a plan and purpose for each one of them.
Melissa Wagner
Jacksonville, Texas
4-6th graders
I enjoy working at Father’s Love with the 4th-6th grade girls. I’ve worked with this age group in the past but had taken several years off to have children. Watching God at work in the lives of the families and students at Father’s Love has been awesome.
Brett Wagner
Pennsylvania
4-6th Graders and Young Men 19+
I am at Father’s Love because I want to share with the students of Jacksonville about the love God has for them according to the Gospel.
Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8
Donate
Your gift is a sacred trust to us. Thank you for caring. Please use this form to donate by credit card or through your PayPal account.
If you would like to make a donation by check or money order, please mail to:
Father’s Love
PO Box 458
Jacksonville, TX 75766
Connect
Mailing Address
PO Box 458
Jacksonville, TX 75766
Physical Address
402 S Bolton
Jacksonville, TX
903.339.3014
[email protected]