Halfway between Stockton and Lodi, on twelve acres between Eight Mile Road and Ham Lane, a "big red roof" and Noah's Park Playground mark the campus of The Home Church. For more than fifty years this congregation has met under different names and in different buildings, but its steady self-description has not changed: a Bible-believing, non-denominational Baptist ministry to San Joaquin County and the world. Today the church runs three Sunday worship services in two languages, a Wednesday night discipleship program for every age, and Life Training Academy, an on-campus Christian school serving preschool through eighth grade. The motto on the welcome page - Everyone Needs a Home - is also the invitation.
From an Adobe Building in East Stockton to Twelve Acres on West Lane
The Home Church's story begins more than fifty years ago in an old adobe building in East Stockton, where a small group of believers first gathered. Over the decades the congregation moved through four different locations as it grew. In 2000 the church developed twelve acres of land between Stockton and Lodi, and that property remains its home. The present-day campus includes the main worship center, multiple classroom buildings, the Fellowship Cafe, the playground, and a remodel of the older sanctuary that is being turned into a state-of-the-art children and youth center with a gymnasium, classrooms, and a commercial kitchen for dinners and large events.
The church describes itself as independent Baptist by background but not part of any Baptist or other denomination. It voluntarily affiliates with several associations of churches and chooses to avoid unnecessary debates on minor doctrine. The mission statement is simple: To proclaim Jesus Christ to the glory of God by carrying out his command to make disciples of all.
Sunday Hours: Bible Study, English Worship, Spanish Worship, and Evening Service
The Sunday rhythm at The Home Church is built around three English gatherings and one Spanish gathering, with an adult Bible fellowship hour at the front end of the day.
- 9:30 AM - Bible Study. Adult Bible Fellowships meet in smaller classroom settings, including the Main Building Choir Room, where newcomers are invited to meet people over coffee and donuts and hear a Bible lesson. Children in K-5th grade have Sunday school at the same hour, with gender- and age-separated classes. A separate Solid Faith class for adults over 55 meets in the Main Building Prayer Room.
- 10:30 AM - Morning Service. The main worship service runs a little over an hour, with music led by the Worship Ministry, special music from soloists, and a clear Bible message from Senior Pastor Tim Pollock. Children's programming at this hour includes "Home Zone" for K-2nd and "Home Grown" for 3rd-5th, and teens are encouraged to attend the church-wide service rather than a separate youth room.
- 1:00 PM - La Iglesia Del Hogar. The Spanish-language congregation meets under the leadership of Pastor Nat Gamez, with online services also available.
- 6:00 PM - Evening Service. A second English worship gathering closes the day.
First-time guests are not asked to give. There is no dress code - leaders often wear more traditional Sunday clothes, but the stated goal is that visitors feel welcome and comfortable. Hospitality greeters meet people at the door of the main worship center and walk families to the right classrooms.
Wednesday Nights at 6:45: Discipleship for Every Age
Wednesday is the church's second main gathering day. Faith Bible Institute, a through-the-Bible college-level course operated as a satellite campus of the Monroe, Louisiana program, meets at 6:15 PM in The Home Café. At 6:45 PM the church opens elective-style Disciple Life classes for adults and mature teens, with topics that rotate through marriage, parenting, women's issues, men's issues, creation, anger, finances, and more. Free babysitting is provided for preschool-aged children, and older children meet for Home Base Kids Club.
Midweek offerings change by series. Recent and current classes have included a marriage study called Visionary Marriage, a video-driven class on fear led by Pastor Tim, and a teen study through Proverbs. No sign-up is required for most electives; anyone - member or guest - can join.
Children: Nursery, Toddler Zone, Beginner Zone, Home Zone, and Home Base
Children are central to the identity of The Home Church. The nursery serves newborns through age one and uses a sign-in and pager system so parents can be reached if needed. The Toddler Zone (ages 1-2) and Beginner Zone (ages 3-4) introduce preschoolers to Bible stories, songs, verses, and hands-on activities. During the 10:30 hour, K-2nd meet in Home Zone and 3rd-5th in Home Grown, with skits, object lessons, and games paired with age-appropriate Bible teaching. On Wednesday nights, K-5th gather for Home Base Kids Club, where they work through handbooks, memorize Scripture, and meet in small groups with a consistent leader. The children's ministry is co-directed by Myles and Jessica McAntosh.
A longtime part of the ministry is the Inner City Bus. For more than thirty years, the church has picked up children from across San Joaquin County and brought them to the campus for Sunday School, and families who need a ride can call the church office to arrange one.
Youth: Young and Mighty in Spirit
The youth ministry serves students in sixth through twelfth grade and takes its shape from Luke 2:52 - that Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Rather than isolating teens into a separate room, the church encourages them to attend the church-wide worship services and to serve alongside adults. Bible classes meet at 9:30 AM on Sundays in gender- and age-separated groups. On Wednesday nights at 6:45, teens gather for "Young and Mighty in Spirit," a time of fun, fellowship, and creative teaching.
Outside the classroom, the youth participate in semi-annual mission trips, weekly outreach on Tuesday afternoons at 3:00 PM (door-to-door in the community), drama projects at Christmas and Easter, and an annual summer camp. The youth ministry is led by Jon Ridge.
La Iglesia Del Hogar: The Spanish Ministry
Spanish-speaking believers meet for worship at 1:00 PM on Sundays under the name La Iglesia Del Hogar. The ministry is pastored by Nat Gamez, who serves bi-vocationally while also working with San Joaquin County. Ann Gamez teaches kindergarten at Life Training Academy and serves alongside her husband in the Spanish church. The Spanish congregation also offers online services; those interested in more information can contact Pastor Nat through the church office.
Life Training Academy: Preschool Through Eighth Grade
Life Training Academy (LTA) is the church's K-8 on-campus Christian school, with additional support for K-12 homeschool families off campus. Its purpose is to assist families seeking to educate their children in a biblical way, and it is built on the conviction that "Wisdom is the principal thing." The academy offers preschool, on-campus classes from kindergarten through eighth grade, and off-campus homeschool support from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Jeff Craig serves as both Education Pastor at the church and Principal of LTA; Ann Gamez teaches kindergarten.
The school also runs a summer and winter Korean exchange program that hosts students from abroad, giving Life Training Academy families an opportunity to welcome international students into their homes.
What We Believe
The Home Church's Statement of Faith centers on the Bible as the inspired, preserved Word of God and the final authority in matters of faith and practice (II Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:89). God is eternally one God in three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life and died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. Humanity, created in God's image, fell into sin and stands in need of salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, through personal faith in the finished work of Christ, and is available to all who call on His name.
The church teaches that the local church is a gathered body of believers called to edification, exhortation, and evangelism, and that Jesus Christ will return to gather His church, after which there will be a tribulation, a thousand-year reign, and the final judgment of the lost at the Great White Throne. The translation preferred for preaching and teaching is the King James Version.
The Pastoral Team
Dr. Tim Pollock has served as Senior Pastor since 1979, when he answered the call to pastor what was then Bible Baptist Church of Stockton. He holds a Th.g in Pastoral Studies and is known for a down-to-earth preaching style. His wife Pauline, who serves in the church office, has been part of The Home Church for more than twenty-five years.
Luke Pollock, the eldest of Pastor Tim's nine children, serves as Executive Pastor. A graduate of the church's own Life Training Academy and Institute and of Bethany Bible College in Dothan, Alabama, he also leads the College & Career Bible study and the Adult Bible Fellowship class through Exodus. His wife Alana directs the Beginner Zone preschool childcare and serves in the music ministry.
Jeff Craig is Education Pastor and Principal of Life Training Academy. He has worked with children and youth since 1986 and is supported in the music ministry by his wife Nancy Craig, who serves as the church's Music Coordinator and Choir Director for the big holiday productions.
Nat Gamez pastors the Spanish ministry; Myles and Jessica McAntosh co-direct the Children's Ministry; Jon Ridge leads the Youth; Jon Craig directs Worship Ministry; Janis Gomes serves as Ministry Director; and Faith Ridge leads the Media & Creative team.
Adults: Fellowships, Classes, and a Table for Seniors
Beyond the Sunday morning Adult Bible Fellowship, adults gather through the week in a variety of settings. Disciple Life classes on Wednesday nights tackle marriage, parenting, finances, anger, and more. Faith Bible Institute offers a three-year through-the-Bible curriculum with both a Wednesday morning (9:30 AM) and Wednesday evening (6:15 PM) section. Solid Faith is a Sunday morning class for adults over 55, paired with a ministry called Supper for Seniors, which delivers a healthy take-home meal once a month. Ladies Night Out meets on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Main Building Choir Room (with a break June through August), and the Home Leaders Breakfast gathers husbands and dads on the first Saturday of each month at 7:00 AM in the Prayer Room. College & Career meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:45 PM at Pastor Luke and Alana's home.
Ways to Serve
The church counts more than thirty ministries where members and regular attenders can plug in. Guest Experience teams greet at the doors and usher services. The Maintenance and Construction crew handles weekly landscaping, building upkeep, and seasonal set construction for the Easter and Christmas dramas. Childcare workers serve in the Nursery, Toddlers, and Beginners classrooms (training, background check, and live-scan are required). Children's and Youth ministries have room for bench buddies, greeters, and small-group leaders. Music and Drama programs include the Choir, Ensemble, Costumes, and Set Design - productions are staged twice a year, with practices on Sunday afternoons and some Saturdays. Audio and Visual teams run the camera, lighting, and live-stream equipment for in-person and online services. The Cafe team keeps the Fellowship Cafe stocked with coffee and pastries. Care teams run meal trains, prep food for church events, and provide home-cooked dishes for funerals and other needs. Life Training Academy welcomes classroom aides, after-school tutors, and host families for the Korean exchange program. Evangelism Outreach members participate in door-to-door leafleting, nursing home visits, and park preaching. The Solid Faith team supports senior members with transportation, meals, hospital visits, and home maintenance. A Safety and Security Ministry serves with the understanding that their role is both physical protection and peace of mind.
The Fellowship Cafe and Global Missions
Before and after Sunday services, the Fellowship Cafe opens with free coffee - and a full menu of pastries and drinks for purchase. The cafe runs from 9:00-10:20 AM, 12:00-12:30 PM, and 5:00-5:50 PM, with proceeds going to The Home Church's global missions fund. A children's playground, Noah's Park, sits near the worship center, and parents are welcome to wait there during Kids Super Sundays and other family events.
Giving, Sermons, and the Podcast
Sermons are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, with archives available through both platforms. The church also produces the Wisdom's Way podcast with Pastor Tim, in which he answers real-life questions with biblical answers; episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and the podcast app of your choice. Giving can be done in person, through the church app, or by texting "The Home Church" to 77977. The church is debt-free, supported entirely by the free-will tithes and offerings of individual believers, and is not funded by any denomination.
Office and Contact
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and on Fridays from 9:00 AM to noon. The phone number is (209) 339-7333, and the general email is office@thehomechurch.net. Visitors are invited to use the Plan a Visit form or to call ahead so the staff can be ready to greet them on Sunday morning.