Our Ministry
Within each and every child is one primary need—to be loved by someone else. Inner-city youth so desperately need to be loved. They will never develop a sense of self-worth, will never explore the possibilities that the future might hold for them, unless they know that someone else loves them. The forces threatening to extinguish the flames of hope in these young lives include single
parent households, the lack healthy male role models, poverty, teenage and out-of-wedlock pregnancies, alcohol and drug use, and high drop-out rates within the school system. With the odds stacked against them, they have had little reason to look to the future with much hope. Stirred Up Ministries' mission is to walk with these youth and to show them through a personal relationship that they are loved, are worthy and have a reason to hope for the future. Our ministry includes:
Establishing a one-on-one relationship with each child through which we show that child the love that he or she can personally experience from a relationship with Jesus Christ
Ensuring that each child has his or her basic needs met
Becoming involved in each child's life, primarily through providing basic educational assistance
Providing structured outreach and events during which youth have the opportunity to receive spiritual guidance and to experience personal growth
Maintaining relationships with youth accepted to college to ensure their continued walk with Christ
Stirred Up Ministries conveys its message of love through the following forms of outreach:
The Jones' Family
Our ministry begins in our own home. Darrell Jones routinely welcome into their home children who have no other place to go. With their parents' consent, these children can become a part of the Jones family—living in their home; being fed, loved and otherwise provided for; and becoming a part of a family in which all children are treated equally. Refuge Center
Darrell's home is used as an "outpost" in the heart of East Lake by children seeking love and care. This house provides space for conversations, prayer, and fellowship.
• Home Group - This core group of youth meets regularly in Darrell's house to fellowship, sing, share, and learn life skills. During these meetings, group members grow in their faith, assess how they are doing, and experience discipleship in a family atmosphere. This year, an average of three kids a week stayed with Darrell overnight and twenty kids came to the house each night for dinner. The ministry provided three kids a month with a complete set of clothes.
• Agape Arena – Area youth are invited to play basketball on the basketball court behind Darrell's house (the Agape Arena). These games often serve as an entry point into ministry. Youth are encouraged to invite their friends to play a game and to meet Darrell. The basketball teams and summer camp participants practice in the Arena. During the past year, the ministry added a set of weights, storage sheds and two sets of bleachers.
• Community Outreach – Stirred Up Ministries distributed 350 food baskets at Thanksgiving and 75 food baskets and gifts at Christmas to families in the East Lake area. The food and gifts were donated by members of Clairmont Presbyterian Church, Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, North Point Presbyterian Church and generous individuals. Educational Outreach
Stirred Up Ministries works with students at the following area schools: Usher, Coan, East Lake, and Hooper Elementary Schools; McNair Junior High School; Crim, Southside, Harper-Archie, Therrell, South Atlanta, McNair, Columbia, Douglas and Decatur High Schools.
• On Purpose (in-school mentoring) – Darrell visits area high schools and works with administrators to provide mentoring to at-risk youth. He teaches one class, twice a month to students that the school has helped to select. During the past year, he taught the class at Southside High School to 50 ninth and tenth graders.
• Educational Tutoring – Stirred Up Ministries has partnered with local congregations to build relationships between youth and adults who can help them with their schoolwork. During the past year, fifteen students met weekly at the Operation Academic Readiness (OAR) Program at Clairmont Presbyterian Church. Thirty kids met nightly for tutoring a the Refuge Center, and another ten received personal, individual tutoring.
• Salt and Light – This proposed program would consist of teams in six academic areas (math, English, science, etc.) who would work towards competing and winning competitions in their disciplines. The program would include devotionals and Bible study, with the goal of winning the kids for Christ.
• 99 Plus 1 – Darrell and other people who work with Stirred Up visit youth who have gone on to college to encourage them and to help them in their discipleship. During the past year, they visited 59 students monthly at the following colleges and universities: Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, Albany University, Atlanta Metropolitan University, Barber-Scotia University, Clayton College and State University, Columbus State University, Emory University, Fort Valley University, Georgia College, Gordon College, Mercer University, Middle Georgia College, South Georgia College, Savannah State College, Valdosta State University, and West Georgia University. The ministry also ran a summer jobs program for students starting college.
