Christian Job Corps: A Model Approach to Community Care
Christian Job Corps: A Model Approach to Community Care
[originally published June 2025]
In America, about 1870, many women of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) came under great conviction to support mission work, both in the United States and in other countries. Ravaged by years of wartime deprivation and concerned with the plight of Native American Indians, these women were devoted to Christ and sharing the gospel. They did whatever they could in those years of gender and cultural restrictions. First, they began to pray for specific people groups in small meetings in their local churches and give their hard-earned offerings to support missionaries.
In the next decade, Baptist women in the south organized formally, establishing state Central Committees that would manage the funds given for the mission boards. In 1888, these Central Committees created a national organization to oversee the state committees and women's mission training and support efforts. It was called the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). Annie Armstrong, of Baltimore, Maryland, became the first executive director (1888-1906) and established the national headquarters in her hometown.
The WMU established two mission offerings: the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, named after the legendary SBC missionary to China, and the Annie Armstrong Easter offering. From 1888 through 2005, the WMU raised $2.3 billion for international missions, and it is the largest offering in Protestant denominational history.
The WMU branched out to publish study materials about missions, trained children, young women, and adults in mission ministry, and established a missionary training school, the Carver School of Social Work, in 1907. WMU urged local groups to join together to create settlement houses in cities across the South, called Good Will Centers. They established mission education programs for all ages in local churches, held camps, offered leadership training, and supported Baptist work at all levels.
In 1994, WMU leaders, led by Executive Director Dellanna O'Brien, held a planning meeting to discuss the development of a new program to address the needs of women in poverty. A group of women had visited ladies in the Appalachian region of the United States. They discovered that when women help women by mentoring them, both experience a life change. They felt this pattern could be replicated and expanded by a larger group of women helping women, under the Lordship of Christ.
These events led to the birthing of Christian Women's Job Corps, which now spans more than 200 sites over many US states and a dozen locations in four other countries. The National CWJC program was recognized by the White House in 1999 as a viable program for assisting women in transition from dependence upon welfare to financial stability and work. Christian Women Job Corps, provides a free, faith-based curriculum focused on spiritual, personal, and professional development. The program offers job skills training (like resume building, job readiness, computer literacy, high school equivalency diplomas, English language labs), life skills development (such as how to budget, manage time, parent well), and spiritual growth through mentoring and Bible study. Since its inception, CWJC has touched the lives of thousands of women, equipping them for self-sufficiency, personal confidence, and spiritual transformation.
In Texas, WMU hosted an exploratory meeting with Director Joy Fenner, Pat Luttrell, and other leaders. Pilot locations were chosen, which included Tyler, Dallas, Kerrville, San Antonio, and Arlington. Other cities soon joined in. One of our Baptist Center Board members, Carolyn Porterfield, for almost 30 years serving in Texas mission leadership, including WMU Executive Director, has been involved in this significant ministry, inspired to see what God was doing to transform lives. Just last week, Carolyn was with about 15 CWJC site coordinators in their leadership retreat. Several programs will celebrate 25 years of ministry this year, and many others have been ministering for more than 20 years.
The first Christian Men's Job Corps was established in 2004 in San Angelo, Texas, to address similar needs of men. Now called Christian Men's Life Skills, the program is also free, offering intensive courses in Bible study, computer classes, leadership, financial management, mentoring, general life strategies, improving job skills, and helping men find employment. The CMLS program is taught by Christian role model instructors who use Biblically based curriculum to instruct, encourage and equip men to make lasting change for themselves, their families, and communities.
What an amazing difference this ministry has made in the lives of both women and men! It started with Dellanna O'Brien seeing women and their families who needed a hand up, not a hand out, through the eyes and heart of Jesus. Led by the Holy Spirit, she worked with other leaders to mobilize the body of Christ to love and care for them. This month we celebrate as Peaceweavers the hundreds of leaders and volunteers who become the hands and feet of Christ each week as they serve, and watch, as God transforms lives in community.
-Karen O'Dell Bullock
In the next decade, Baptist women in the south organized formally, establishing state Central Committees that would manage the funds given for the mission boards. In 1888, these Central Committees created a national organization to oversee the state committees and women's mission training and support efforts. It was called the Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). Annie Armstrong, of Baltimore, Maryland, became the first executive director (1888-1906) and established the national headquarters in her hometown.
The WMU established two mission offerings: the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, named after the legendary SBC missionary to China, and the Annie Armstrong Easter offering. From 1888 through 2005, the WMU raised $2.3 billion for international missions, and it is the largest offering in Protestant denominational history.
The WMU branched out to publish study materials about missions, trained children, young women, and adults in mission ministry, and established a missionary training school, the Carver School of Social Work, in 1907. WMU urged local groups to join together to create settlement houses in cities across the South, called Good Will Centers. They established mission education programs for all ages in local churches, held camps, offered leadership training, and supported Baptist work at all levels.
In 1994, WMU leaders, led by Executive Director Dellanna O'Brien, held a planning meeting to discuss the development of a new program to address the needs of women in poverty. A group of women had visited ladies in the Appalachian region of the United States. They discovered that when women help women by mentoring them, both experience a life change. They felt this pattern could be replicated and expanded by a larger group of women helping women, under the Lordship of Christ.
These events led to the birthing of Christian Women's Job Corps, which now spans more than 200 sites over many US states and a dozen locations in four other countries. The National CWJC program was recognized by the White House in 1999 as a viable program for assisting women in transition from dependence upon welfare to financial stability and work. Christian Women Job Corps, provides a free, faith-based curriculum focused on spiritual, personal, and professional development. The program offers job skills training (like resume building, job readiness, computer literacy, high school equivalency diplomas, English language labs), life skills development (such as how to budget, manage time, parent well), and spiritual growth through mentoring and Bible study. Since its inception, CWJC has touched the lives of thousands of women, equipping them for self-sufficiency, personal confidence, and spiritual transformation.
In Texas, WMU hosted an exploratory meeting with Director Joy Fenner, Pat Luttrell, and other leaders. Pilot locations were chosen, which included Tyler, Dallas, Kerrville, San Antonio, and Arlington. Other cities soon joined in. One of our Baptist Center Board members, Carolyn Porterfield, for almost 30 years serving in Texas mission leadership, including WMU Executive Director, has been involved in this significant ministry, inspired to see what God was doing to transform lives. Just last week, Carolyn was with about 15 CWJC site coordinators in their leadership retreat. Several programs will celebrate 25 years of ministry this year, and many others have been ministering for more than 20 years.
The first Christian Men's Job Corps was established in 2004 in San Angelo, Texas, to address similar needs of men. Now called Christian Men's Life Skills, the program is also free, offering intensive courses in Bible study, computer classes, leadership, financial management, mentoring, general life strategies, improving job skills, and helping men find employment. The CMLS program is taught by Christian role model instructors who use Biblically based curriculum to instruct, encourage and equip men to make lasting change for themselves, their families, and communities.
What an amazing difference this ministry has made in the lives of both women and men! It started with Dellanna O'Brien seeing women and their families who needed a hand up, not a hand out, through the eyes and heart of Jesus. Led by the Holy Spirit, she worked with other leaders to mobilize the body of Christ to love and care for them. This month we celebrate as Peaceweavers the hundreds of leaders and volunteers who become the hands and feet of Christ each week as they serve, and watch, as God transforms lives in community.
-Karen O'Dell Bullock
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