Get to Know Us
Your Church in Stockton
Located in beautiful Stockton, The Open Door House of Prayer offers congregants a place of comfort, hope, and a peace of mind for all their worshiping needs. We are dedicated to spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ, and our goal is to inspire you through the holiness of our dwelling and our services. We invite you to become a part of our growing congregation, and look forward to meeting you!
Mission
& Vision
To Reconcile People To God:
By forming relationships with those that are unsaved and unchurched that will lead them to become fully devoted members of the Body of Christ and empowered to disciple and impact others for the Kingdom of God.
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To Advance the Kingdom of God:
By reaching out and extending ourselves to all families and individuals and lead them to Christ, so that they will become mature Christians.
History
The daughter of a minister Charlie Murray Caesar Wooten was born in Texas. Shortly after moving to Stockton, CA Evangelist C.M. Wooten became a member of the Second Baptist Church under the leadership of the late C.A. Holmes. It was there she received her calling; but it was not popular for women to preach the Word of God across the pulpit in 1955. She stepped out and began to spread the gospel so that many would come to know Christ.
She and her husband Malawe Wooten, opened the door to their home and it became a regular gathering place of many children who eagerly looked forward to learning about Jesus. Soon after it became a gathering place for their parents as well. Mother Wooten was well- known for her prayer time of 9 am, 12 pm and 4 pm and many would join.
Prayer meetings and Bible study were regularly held in the Wooten home. The prayer meetings grew steadily. Larger homes and even a basement were made available. Finally, in 1969 Evangelist Wooten moved the congregation to a storefront on East Main Street in Stockton.
Mother Wooten saw the fulfillment of her prayers- ministries flourished and people were uplifted. The church relocated to 1932 E. Eight Street.
Her dutiful daughter, Amelia Ann Adams, took over as Senior Pastor of the church when C.M. Wooten passed on to glory in December 1981.
In 1999 the congregation was displaced by a collapsed roof. Other congregations in the area ( Greater Fellowship COGIC, The Church of All Nations, and Lifeseed Christian Fellowhip ) allowed TODHOP to fellowship in their facilities.
In 2012 TODHOP was blessed to acquire its present location at 48 W Poplar Street Stockton, California. TODHOP looks forward to the opportunity to continue with God's work!
*More recent updates can be found in the Meet Our New Pastor Section!
Community Involvement
Mother Wooten received many awards of recognition for her work in Stockton. She was inducted in the Stockton Black Hall of Fame, honored by the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, the Unified Women's Civic Group's Community Mother of the Year, and honored with Greater Faith Baptist Church Annual Women's Day award & The Church of Nations' Community Family of the Year award. Before she passed Amelia Ann Adams founded a school named in her honor- The C.M. Wooten Christian Academy ( K-12).
As Senior Pastor, Amelia founded the Home for Single Women, The whole Life Center and Journey into Adulthood programs. The church has provided food and clothed the poor. They have worked alone and within community groups to plan and hold town hall meetings to address issues near and dear to the hearts of community members. They have led and donated time and manpower to after school projects to ensure a better education for local children. They have also organized events for prayer for the community at large.
The church still participates in activities that give back to their community, the city of Stockton, and the state of California. Promoting health initiatives, helping the community members in need of food, and with continuous prayer, TODHOP diligently works to show the love of Jesus to others.