SAN DIEGO COUNTY TEEN CHALLENGE
Since the mid-70’s Teen Challenge has been a part of the San Diego community. Located today near the east part of the county, this facility has been as much of a miracle story as the lives of those who have been helped by it.
Spending nearly its first 20 years in existence moving from borrowed buildings to rented facilities it finally found a permanent home in 1996 when an abandoned 26,000 square foot former medical facility came available. With a deep trust in God’s continued provision, it was purchased. Abandoned, gang-infested, covered in graffiti, full of rubbish and rodents, the facility—like the men who would later go through it—needed a lot of help. However, with great care, patience and prayer, a total renovation was completed with the help of many volunteers who recognized the caliber of the impact a more equipped facility could have in this community.
Today, one miracle after another continues to underscore God’s faithfulness and providence. San Diego Teen Challenge is a vibrant testimony to the community, city, county and churches of how God transforms the lives of the wounded and broken into something new and glorious. From mayoral recognition to city, police and county departments, as well as the public schools and the judicial system giving Teen Challenge credit and commendation for its vital role in the effort, San Diego Teen Challenge not only helps those long devastated by addiction, but also helps to meet the needs of local families. This includes its TCKids after-school Learning Center and feeding the hungry through its monthly Community Outreach in partnership with the San Diego Food Bank. In addition, its life-changing residential addiction-recovery services, Teen Challenge is pioneering the way to safer streets and a richer quality of living for those in this community.
DIRECTOR: Mike Conway
Growing up in Encinitas he would have never imagined he would become an out of control IV meth addict. However after getting his first taste of the drug at age 14 his life quickly started to fly out of control.
Not knowing what else to do in their desperation his parents started to pray and quickly discovered that Jesus was the answer. After praying for their hardheaded son, Michael’s life came to a point of decisive darkness. Michael had tried many rehabs, detox programs and institutions and finally found himself hopeless and realizing that the only way he would ever change was if God did a miracle in his life.
June 1993 Michael entered the Teen Challenge program and discovered that God was able to do the miracle he so desperately needed.
After completing Teen Challenge he went on to the Teen Challenge Ministry Training School where met his beautiful wife Sara.
Michael graduated from Vanguard University and served as Pastor of Christ Church in Westminster for 10 years.
Today, Michael serves as the Director of Alumni Relations for Teen Challenge Southern California and is able to share his life and story to help many others find Hope.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
San Diego Teen Challenge reaches out into the surrounding communities with drug education and prevention, food distributions, clubs and a learning center for children, juvenile hall and jail ministry, crisis counseling, evangelism, and more.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
San Diego Teen Challenge is an induction facility for male adults who will complete three to four months here for the first phase of the program. They will then transfer to Riverside where the remaining part of the one-year program will be spent. The induction phase is designed to give the students time to deal with the initial acclimation process before going to Riverside where the caliber of the discipleship process is more in-depth and the student is given both more freedom and responsibility to explore. The students here will attend daily classes designed for new believers as well as attend chapel services, worship services and take part in different group settings designed to lead the students to a place of mental, emotional, social, physical and spiritual health through biblical principles. Teen Challenge is not a medical or mental health based recovery facility but uses the biblical discipleship model as an approach to recovery.
In addition, students will visit local churches where they are given opportunity to share what God is doing in their lives as well as participate in community events, outreach efforts and supervised work activities. From fundraising to work projects that instill a sense of accomplishment and responsibility in the lives of the students, the typical Teen Challenge student develops a good work ethic and learns how to have healthy relationships.
ADMISSION INFORMATION
If you would like to apply for admission, you can speed up the intake process by downloading and filling out the admissions forms, then taking them to the center you have an appointment with. You can download the forms below: