Who We Are2024-04-17T14:44:31-07:00
Who we are

Discovering friends, family, and purpose as we pursue God together.

At the Bay Area Christian Church, we are passionate about making God known and shining a bright light in the world around us as we follow Jesus’s example of doing good.

“You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good…”

Acts 10:37-38, NIV

Making the world a better place through God and good

“You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:14-16 NCV

We are inspired by the powerful example of the Christians in the Bible whose faith in God brought healing and change to the world around them. Their impact came from being deeply rooted in the Word of God, doing good for people wherever they went, and building deeply interconnected and loving relationships with one another. These principles have guided us to create a God-focused, life-changing, and non-denominational spiritual community that we hope will bring light to a world that so often needs it.

God-focused

Creating a culture that places God and his Word at the center of everything.

Life-changing

Making a positive impact on people’s lives, regardless of religious affiliation.

Non-denominational

Building interdependent, purpose-driven relationships that fuel innovation.

God-focused

Making the Bible our standard

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV

Building on the right foundation means building a church that is God-focused and Bible-centered. We believe that the best thing we can do as a church is to create a community that is passionate about pursuing a close relationship with God.

We strongly believe in the transformative power of the Word of God. We look to the Bible to guide our lives and decisions, to ensure we are living in accordance with biblical principles rather than by human traditions, preferences, or opinions.

The Bible is a vast collection of 66 books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament), and reading it on our own can be overwhelming. That’s why we believe in guiding each other toward a personal and fulfilling relationship with God through personal Bible studies in small groups.

Our goal is to not only create a strong Bible-based local community but to also develop spiritually enriching digital content that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, to help them get to know God and apply the teachings of the Bible to their daily lives. Through our video library, people can watch lessons on their own or in small groups, and we also support Deep Spirituality, an online publication that offers over 600 devotionals, videos, podcasts, and email courses to aid in spiritual growth.

Life-changing

Doing good, regardless of religious affiliation

“This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” — Titus 3:8 NIV

Jesus loved unconditionally, making God known to the world by serving and healing people regardless of whether or not they chose to follow him. As a church, we aim to follow in the footsteps of Jesus by investing in programs and services that positively impact people’s lives and establish the church as a force for good in our local community.

In the last twenty years, we have had the privilege of collaborating with amazing local organizations to serve our community. We have worked with The Boys & Girls Club, A Better Way, and Oakland Food Works to assist families from underserved communities, and with Hope Technology School to help create inclusive environments in education. In addition, we partnered with Sequoia Hospital to organize a sensory-friendly vaccine clinic during the pandemic. Our goal is to build strong relationships with groups that share our passion for making a positive impact.

As a church, we are committed to creating environments where children and adults with special needs can thrive alongside their neurotypical peers. Our Spiritual Resource Ministry, along with our support for E-Sports and E-Life, demonstrates our determination to change the world through inclusion so that no one gets left behind. Through these initiatives, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with organizations like The Golden State Warriors, San Jose Earthquakes, University of San Francisco, among others, to further serve the special needs community.

In addition to our ongoing programs and partnerships, our desire to do good leads us to look for ways to meet needs that arise in the Bay Area and around the world. Our annual Toy Drive was created in 2007 to meet the needs of the thousands of children and youth in foster care in the Bay Area, and has expanded every year to reach more underserved families and communities.

We love to support our members as they create new programs and projects to meet the needs they see, from collecting supplies for the unhoused in their neighborhoods to sending relief around the world when disaster strikes. Through the generosity of our members, we have been able to support people affected by the war in Ukraine, fires in Maui and Northern California, hurricanes in Texas, pandemic-related financial distress in the Philippines, and much more.

Non-denominational

Changing how we think about church

“I’ve been broken, lost, depressed, oppressed, and weak that I might find favor and gain the weak. I’m flexible, adaptable, and able to do and be whatever is needed for all kinds of people so that in the end I can use every means at my disposal to offer them salvation. I do it all for the gospel and for the hope that I may participate with everyone who is blessed by the proclamation of the good news.” — 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 Voice

Our desire to share God’s message of faith, hope, and love with the world is rooted in empathy. Our own experiences with pain, suffering, challenges, and disillusionment have given us not only a deep sense of compassion for those undergoing similar trials but also an understanding that not everyone sees God as the answer.

This is why we embrace the spirit of innovation we see in the Bible. Instead of limiting ourselves to tradition, rules, or a culture of religiosity, our faith in God helps us constantly look at the Bible with fresh eyes, readiness to adapt, and a desire to learn how to inspire the world around us to know God.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. [35] Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” — John 13:34-35 NLT

Jesus was known for his love, and his followers should be too. Love and friendship are two of the most important building blocks of our church. We enjoy building deep friendships with one another, offering support and guidance to one another as both mentors and peers. Our belief is that emulating Jesus’s love involves nurturing each other’s growth through mutual respect and encouragement. Through our devotion to our friendships, we can help the world around us to see the loving heart of God.

In everything we do, our hope is to share God’s amazing love with the people around us. This is the conviction that drives everything from our church calendar to the structure of our Sunday services. We want to provide a welcoming place where anyone who is searching for God or spiritual answers can learn about the Bible.

Because our greatest desire is to help everyone everywhere get to know God, we are ready to adapt and change however we need. We strive to follow God and his Word more than our traditions or preferences, and we are ready to change our ways of thinking to reach as many as possible.

FAQs

Where are you located?2023-08-15T16:39:12-07:00

Our church has multiple sites and offers eight unique Sunday worship services throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Please visit our locations page to find the service that is closest to your location.

What time are services?2023-11-01T15:24:53-07:00

Our services are held at 11 am, except for our San Leandro location (10:30 am), and the second service at our Sunnyvale location (1 pm)

Is there something for my kids?2023-11-05T10:53:35-08:00

Absolutely! Each of our Sunday services offers Children’s Ministry classes, with ages ranging from six months to middle school (ages vary by location). Our classes seek to develop their natural curiosity into a love for God. Drop your kid off and enjoy the service knowing that we are giving them our full and undivided attention and meet other parents with similar-aged children. Our children’s ministry teachers are screened and adhere to age-appropriate teacher-to-student ratios so you can be confident they are in the best hands, learning in a safe and secure environment.

Visit our locations page for more information about what ages are available at each service.

What does a typical service look like?2023-08-15T17:09:41-07:00

A typical Sunday service lasts 60-90 minutes, and contains worship singing together, life sharing from speakers, and a Bible-based sermon. We’re an outgoing group and believe in creating a loving environment, so expect someone to say hi and introduce themselves.

What should I wear?2023-08-15T17:10:33-07:00

Dress is casual at our services—wear whatever makes you feel comfortable (as long as it’s not a Dodgers or Seahawks jersey).

Do you offer any support for those with special needs or disabilities?2023-11-05T10:54:50-08:00

Yes! Serving the special needs community has been a passion of ours for decades. Our Exceptional Children’s Ministry (E-Ministry) is a special needs-inclusive initiative serving our community through Spiritual Resource Ministry (SRM) and our E-Life and E-Sports programs.

SRM offers additional children’s ministry classes for families with special needs children. SRM aims to allow parents and children to experience church in a way they may not be able to elsewhere because of the special care their children need and deserve.

The ministry features trained workers, dedicated leaders, as well as neurotypically-developing buddies all focused on creating a socially enriching and nurturing environment for these children. Our E-Sports and E-Life programs also support this mission by providing an inclusive space for play at no cost to parents.

Visit our Spiritual Resource Ministry page for more information.

Do you offer activities outside of Sunday services?2023-11-05T10:56:03-08:00

Absolutely. Our church is a family, and we love spending time together throughout the week. Our small groups are ministries that connect us with others in a similar stage of life so that we can serve and grow together.

Visit our Small Groups page to learn more about our Families, Professionals, College, Teen, Kids, and Spiritual Resource ministries, and to get connected.

How can I get involved in serving the community?2023-08-15T17:29:56-07:00

We provide a variety of serving opportunities in the Bay Area by continually supporting and building volunteer-driven community service programs.

Check out our Serve page to learn more about our primary community service initiatives and local member-driven opportunities to do good in your local area.

Join us at the Bay Area Christian Church as we strive to love God and serve our community.

© 2024 Bay Area Christian Church

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