Stories of Success

Tokai Christian Center Trains Brazilians to Reach Japan

A former karaoke entertainment center in Japan has morphed into a Seventh-day Adventist church and urban center of influence, and is equipping Brazilian immigrants to proclaim Jesus’ soon coming to the Japanese people.

Vietnam's First Urban Center Opens

“God came through in a more miraculous way than I ever, ever anticipated,” Bekker said. “He gave us more than what we prayed for.”

Haifa Life & Hope Center

This center in a tourist hotspot offers activities from children's cooking classes to Bible art exhibits, concerts, table games, Bible classes and more.

Bronx Food Pantry

Twenty years ago, a nurse in New York City began sharing her own food with people suffering extreme poverty in the Bronx. Today, the project has grown to serve 7,000 people.

Institutional Wellness on the Go

The Wellness on the Go van offers New Yorkers free massages, blood pressure checks and health coaching as a way of showing the love of God.

"I Thought It Was Impossible."

Offering math, literacy, fitness, and healthy living classes, as well as preschool, this Life Hope Center takes a wholistic approach.

The Good Samaritan Inn

"It is the one-stop center for destitute people, where they can get a hot meal, a bath, and a change of clothing."

Revive Café

Jeremy Dixon, New Zealand author of eight cookbooks, also has a café where he serves healthful food. He's on a mission to help others eat healthfully, and to help some start similar cafés.

Adventist Learning Center

Children who have spent a month hiking across Syria to find a safe place, now have the opportunity to feel safe and to study at the Adventist Learning Center.

Harvest Adventist Center

Centrally located in the city, the Harvest Adventist Center offers English and Korean-language classes, time management classes and other services for young people.

Open for All

Strategically located in a highly visible spot in the city's commercial center, the Buenos Aires Life Hope Center offers classes on depression, loneliness, and other health topics, and offers direct access to health professionals, psychologists, and pastors.

Welcome Baby

A clothing library, counseling, and a ready group of friends are among the ways church members at the Welcome Baby center seek to encourage new moms in the community.

Vertical Villages

A single high-rise apartment can be home to more people than some entire villages. Life Hope Centers are being started in these "vertical villages."

New Life Mures

Services to the community include a restaurant, a health-food store, a dental practice, a catering business, and classes.

First Café Church Opens in New York City

"A church like MyGen," she said, "allows [young people] to be themselves, and to make that ultimate choice to live for God."

Getting Together in German "Hope Centres"

"The Seventh-day Adventist Church opened the first meeting centre under the name "Hope Centre" in cooperation with the Christian radio and television Hope Channel in Bensheim-Auerbach."

Let's Move Vancouver

Mind, body, and spirit outreach is happening in Vancouver, through English as a Second Language classes, community and seniors gardening, and much more.

Vegan Food and the Gospel in Japan

"At that moment, I knew I wanted to open a vegan restaurant where I could help people become healthier and feel better, just as I had in Alabama. Maybe I also could win their confidence and point them to Jesus."

Presence Kulturlounge

Presence Kulturlounge is a place where people can share good food, good art, good discussions, and good friendships. Presence Kulturlounge is not just for the community. It is with the community.

The Banquet Table

"They had been praying for two years, asking God to show them how to reach their city of Ruse for Jesus. They had never heard of Urban Centers of Influence, as advocated by Ellen White, yet they felt impressed to start such a center in one of their rental properties."

Finding Life and Hope inside a Prison

A Life Hope Center inside a crowded Paraguay prison is offering inmates true freedom.

Cuisle Wellness Center

At the Cuisle Center in Dublin, immigrants reach out to the local population through health and wellness classes and services.

Life Hope Centers Open across Indonesia

"Adventists throughout Indonesia gained inspiration from what CMC started in Jakarta and have now launched Life Hope Centers in at least half a dozen Indonesian cities."

Walk of Faith Community Center

The ministry of presence, and of showing God's love through practical ministry is changing lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

A Place of Hope

The Life Hope Center in Cairo helps people in emotional, physical and intellectual areas, offering English and Portuguese language classes, family therapy, and more.

The "Zero Church"

"The Madrid church plant has developed several projects of social support which include assisting at-risk children and children with chronic diseases, giving a hand to refugees, visiting the sick, helping the homeless, and organizing camps for children with disabilities.

Zionland

"We have the ability to awaken in children an interest in Creation, telling them they can learn to enjoy nature here, as they prepare to enjoy it for eternity."

Refuge and Revelation

"One of the highlights of our service is our visits to many of our refugees' homes," says Sta. Ana. "Visits have endeared us to them and them to us."

All Generations Center

For more than 10 years, the All Generations Center has provided friendship, activities, and care for elderly people in the neighborhood. People who had never set foot in church now come.

Happy Hand

"We called the shop Happy Hand," says Anne-May Müller, "because we want to lend a hand to those in need around us."

The Veg Hub

Located in a part of Oakland where there is no organized Adventist presence, this restaurant is a "tent-making" ministry that started with a focus on making friends in the neighborhood. (see pages 8 and 9 at the linked page)

The Salted Café

"For years, my sister and I dreamed of creating a place where people felt comfortable and that reflected our artistic and Christian lifestyle values--a place where we could reach out to people and make friends for Jesus." says Antoniya."

Simplicity Mission

Living up to its name, Simplicity Mission uses some of the simplest methods to connect with the community.

Multiple Streams of Influence

In Seoul, a vegetarian restaurant is not only a center of influence, but also provides funds for scholarships and for helping to feed more than 200 elderly people.

Living Hope Center

Offering seminars on wellness, stress management, depression recovery, family life and more, as well as a bookstore, a reading room and a prayer room, the Living Home Center in Manassas, Virginia serves in many ways at once.

Academy Transforms Community

"The first challenge was to clean up an area that ran 260 feet (80 meters) along the academy's north wall. This was where piles of garbage rose to eight feet in height."

Funeral Ministry

"Most of them have no hope after the death of a loved one. I share a biblical message of hope about life after death. This is new to them."

Reaching Refugees

A center of influence in Vienna provides language classes, clothing, food and so much more to refugeees and others in need in this great city.

Prayer Café

"One lady had lost her job and had not paid her rent for nine months," Robinson said. "She came for prayer and on that same day found a job."

A Place to Call Home

Immigrants from all over Asia travel to Korea for work. An Adventist migrant center is working to help immigrants adapt to the change in culture.

People Centered

Life Hope Centers in Argentina and Trinidad work to improve the quality of life of their guests.

Life Hope Centers and Christ's Method

Throughout the world, the church faces a great challenge in reaching the urban areas. Life Hope Centers are Christ's method in action.

4 Centers Making an Impressive Impact

3 Centers Serving Children in Cities