Pastor Sohrab Ramtin, Iranian Christian Church, San Diego:

The mission of the Iranian Christian Church of San Diego is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by correctly teaching God¹s word, bringing His life giving Gospel to the Iranian community, being a disciple and making disciples for Him, and worshipping the triune God in spirit and in truth. In these days, when there are many false teachers and teachings infiltrating American Christianity, many see the urgency of commitment to the truth of the Scriptures.

For this purpose we strive to have Spirit-led and Bible-centered worship services in Farsi with English translation available for those who do not know the Farsi language every Sunday, weekly Bible studies and prayer meetings in San Diego, El Cajon, and Temecula, personal discipleship classes, counseling sessions, and weekly evangelistic outreaches at different campuses, downtown and other places that we can meet Iranians and Afghans. Currently, we are serving to plant a church in El Cajon, and as the Lord provides in other parts of San Diego County.

We also have weekly radio and TV programs that get broadcasted around the world but with the special goal of reaching Iranian people inside Iran. We are also actively involved in training and forming house churches inside Iran. Brethren, pray for us!

Pastor Hal Seed, New Song Community Church, Oceanside:

The mission of New Song is to help un-churched people become fully devoted followers of Christ. Our vision is to be "The Church Next Door." Every Christian understands what it means to love their neighbor as themselves. But what if an entire church saw itself as a great big good neighbor to the institutions, agencies, and people around it? That¹s the concept of "The Church Next Door."

We believe that good deeds result in goodwill, which leads to the sharing of the Good News. Towards that end, we send about 20 teams per week into the community to serve people in all kinds of walks of life. Wherever we can, we partner with secular agencies doing good work, so we can boost their effectiveness and be salt and light alongside them. As a good neighbor, we give our building away. Every week, up to two dozen non-New Song groups use our facilities. During Firestorm 2007, we opened our building to 600-plus fire evacuees — and 92 of them came to Christ. We also believe other churches are our neighbors. During the fires, 12 nearby churches helped us care for the evacuees. It was truly the body of Christ in action together!

New Song has begun sharing their resources with the wider Christian community. In January 2007, I released, The God Questions, a 40-day devotional and all-church campaign around the subject of apologetics. So far, over 100 churches nationwide have used the series to reach out to their neighborhoods. Last month, a second book, Future History: Understanding the Book of Daniel and End Times Prophecy was released. This winter New Song grew by 17% over seven weeks as we studied Daniel together, so we wanted to make this tool available to other churches as well.

Pastor Jack M. Sampier, Calvary Temple Assembly of God, San Diego:

Calvary Temple began in 1940 in downtown San Diego as an evangelistic center, a place, where people could find hope and where lives could be changed by an encounter with the awesome power and presence of the Spirit of the Living God.

In December 1998, when my wife Dixie and I arrived at Calvary Temple in uptown San Diego, we viewed the community and walked the streets looking into the faces of people who were still without hope. We knew then that we, as a church, must return to our roots. God placed into my heart words written by Fanny J. Crosby: "Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, Wakened by kindness, Chords that are broken will vibrate once more."

In spite of what people look like, act like or pretend to be like, there is a need deep inside that can only be met by a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. So we try to proclaim the Good News in both word and deed, providing a loving heart and a touch of kindness to a hurting, confused world right outside our doors. In an atmosphere where both His Word and His Spirit can change and transform lives, we allow Him to clean His own ³fish.² Our job is simply to add to the weight of God¹s work in the lives of people.

English Pastor Mark McClure, North County Japanese Christian Church, Vista:

North County Japanese Christian Church desires to nurture a faith-rooted community of believers in the person and love of Jesus Christ. We seek to spread the Good News to our unreached extended families, friends, and neighbors. We are a Japanese church worshiping and fellowshipping on Sundays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Lifeway Church, 1120 Highland Drive, Vista. We also hold house Bible studies in Japanese throughout North County.

If you are interested in learning Japanese, this is a great place to do so while hearing the Word of God. We have an English sermon once a month with Japanese translation. Praise songs have written Japanese next to English so you can improve your Japanese reading and listening skills as you sing. For Japanese speakers it is an English learning opportunity while hearing Jesus Christ preached.

Pastor Mitsunari Nakashima has a M.Div. in conflict transformation and his wife Yumiko received her M.Div. in spiritual direction from Eastern Mennonite Seminary. They worked as pastors for several years with a church in Japan prior to coming to the United States. I have a M.A. from Fuller Theological Seminary with 25 years of ministry and professional experience in counseling.

Pastor Glen Sykes, Grace Brethren Church, San Diego:

 San Diego Grace Brethren Church has been serving the Kearny Mesa community for 50 years. Our purpose is to reach people with the gospel of Christ, to bring Christians to maturity, and to enhance fellowship within the church.

The first aspect of our purpose is to be a lighthouse to the surrounding community exposing people to the great Good News of salvation through faith in Christ. We hold annual outreaches such as our Harvest Festival, our Thanksgiving dinner and concert, our Parents¹ Night Out, as well as our Vacation Bible School.

The second aspect of our purpose is to equip Christians for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). This is accomplished through our Family Bible Hour elective classes held each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. There are classes for all age groups. We see each and every member of the church as an effective member of the overall community used to challenge us to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-26).

The third aspect of our purpose is accomplished through our family game and movie nights, our picnics, and other special times of gathering for the enjoyment of each other¹s company, which strengthen the bonds of unity and friendship.

Pastor Jerry Rilling, Fallbrook Foursquare Church:

 I believe that our church¹s purpose in the community should be one of a leader. When the community has a crisis, we should be the ones they turn to. When the community needs volunteers for any community project we should be first to volunteer. When the community needs to vote on any important issue we should be there to let our voices be heard.

Far too often, communities reach out to our churches only to be turned away because we say we are just too busy. Let me ask you a question, if our churches are not involved in our local communities then why do we exist at all? This should be first on every church¹s agenda. If it is not, then we need to change our mission statements.

Even though I am the pastor of a small church, I try to get our church involved in as much of what is going on in our community as I can. Remember that being involved does not mean we only will pray for you. It means partnering with the community as a whole to let them know that we care. Not by what we say but by what we do.

Pastor Michael Law, Community Christian Church, San Marcos:

Community Christian Church has no more ³special call² or purpose than any other Bible-believing congregation. We believe that the church is called to live out the Gospel and use every opportunity each member has to share the gospel in deed and word. That is God¹s purpose for all He has called and is saving through the Gospel.

On the surface, that may seem to be a limited vision; a narrow view of the purpose of God for his people. Living and proclaiming the gospel, from a biblical point of view, actually is comprehensive. It involves every aspect of our lives and requires diligent commitment and constant refinement of our focus and priorities. The lifestyle that commitment requires is not confined to a special category of ministry within the church of God. It is the call of every Christian. It is the gospel that is God¹s power to create a redeemed humanity. That same power not only pardons us from sin, but also makes us into new creations of God¹s grace. We believe that until Jesus consummates that power to save us and recreates, not just individuals, but a new heaven and earth, it remains our duty to live and preach the Good News.

Pastor David Skates, Christian Church of Lemon Grove:

Jesus has given us our purpose in His Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) and CCLG¹s mission statement reflects those marching orders: ³The Christian Church of Lemon Grove exists to reach and preach and teach in Jesus¹ name, bringing people to eternal life and maturity in Him.²

We have a special heart for the children and teens in our area. In addition to our Youth Ministry and traditional outreach events, such as Vacation Bible School and our annual Harvest Festival on Oct. 31, we sponsor on our campus the Christian Church of Lemon Grove Preschool for ages two to five. It not only strives for educational excellence, but is also Christ-centered and Bible-based.

We also have a heart for the hurting. We have often helped in the work of the San Diego Rescue Mission and are currently involved in the Interfaith Shelter Network of San Diego County, which not only houses the homeless in churches on a rotational basis, but helps them find work and get back on their feet.

In all these ways, as well as through our two Sunday worship gatherings and our many Bible classes and small group fellowships, we seek to bring people of all ages to eternal life and maturity in Christ.

Pastor Cliffton Parr, Bethany Missionary Baptist Church, Oceanside

The Mission of Bethany is to present the gospel of Jesus Christ and to help the disheartened Christian reestablish their personal relationship with him. We execute this mission by ensuring that we are doctrinally and theologically effectual in our understanding of the Word of God. We strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to be examples of how Christians should live their lives. We also accomplish our mission by providing wholesome biblical teaching. Truth and reality have been imprisoned by ³political correctness² and we are demanding their immediate and unconditional release.

We take what some consider to be an antiquated Bible and teach how to apply it to their daily lives. We teach families in our communities how to pray and to stay together. We teach neighbors how to love each other. We sow hope where hopelessness is now growing. We teach that respect is not easily earned and if lost is difficult to regain.

Finally, we teach Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected from the dead so that all who believe will also live eternally without the deceitfulness, disappointments, and sorrows of this world.

Pastor Mark Miller, Connections Church, Santee

Connections is an emerging church, still young in its inception, and growing in presence in our community. We're committed to building relationships with one another and in the body of Christ — simply stated, getting connected. Our ultimate purpose is to connect to those who do not Christ know as their Savior.

 We gather for worship Sunday mornings at 10:30, but first, we take time to get connected to each other and visitors with a cup of java and a fresh pastry in the Connections Café, which opens at 9:45 AM.

I see Connections as a place where people can grow in their relationship with Christ through discipleship, where we can celebrate the Lord through creative arts and worship, where we reach out by using biblical truths to engage the culture around us, while sacrificing comfort to serve others. We carry this out through relevant sermons that are complemented through practical applications: the Café ministry, Connections Point Sunday Morning (adult Bible studies), Pity Parties (fun work parties for those in need) and other relationally focused ministry opportunities. As we grow, it is my desire to have a greater impact on our surrounding community; currently we perform local service projects, benevolence, and educational classes.

Pastor Larry Peltier, El Camino Christian Fellowship, Encinitas:

 The purpose of the Church in any community is to be the Presence of Christ. I see our purpose in three different perspectives, all of which speak to the reason the church exists.

The first is the church¹s ³upward,² ³inward² and ³outward² mandates. The ³upward² aspect speaks to the worship of God. Worship is central to the purpose of any church. Next is the ³inward² principle that speaks to the responsibility of every church to ³equip the Saints² for the work of the ministry. Finally there is the ³outward² mandate that speaks to the Great Commission of Matt. 28.

The second perspective is seen in the phrases, ³presence, proclamation and persuasion.² It¹s not only the ³presence of Christ² in our community but also it¹s us providing a constant ³proclamation² of the ³Good News.² Both in words and deeds do we ³proclaim² the love of God. It is the ³redemptive and social mandate² of demonstrating the love of God in tangible ways that are needed. Finally, it is the ³persuasion² aspect that keeps us calling for a decision from those we are brought before in our community. This persuasion and decision aspect is imperative to salvation.

Lastly, is the three-fold vision of why we exist and what is our church¹s purpose. We state that we are ³a body of believers with a Biblical concern and responsibility to ³invite² a person to Christ, to ³equip² a person in Christ, and to ³empower² a person for Christ. This vision incorporates the aforementioned perspectives and keeps us focused on our specific mission -- both to our community and to the world we live in.

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Ichibei Honda, English Pastor, San Diego Japanese Christian Church:

Our church began in 1930 to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the Japanese immigrants in San Diego. Now, we have Japanese and English speaking ministries. The following statement describes our mission:

³SDJCC is here to share the Good News that a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ is the key to abundant living in today¹s world. We believe God has given us a mission to reach all people, with special resources to reach Japanese-speaking and Asian American families. We want to include anyone who desires a Christian experience flavored by our unique bi-cultural background to participate in our activities.²

The number of Christians in Japan is less than 1%, and the number of Christians with Japanese ancestry in the U.S. is really not much higher. We believe it is our responsibility to reach this unreached group of people. We do this through weekly worship services and Bible studies, and special seasonal events, done in both Japanese and English. We also have the opportunity to be in contact with the community through a weekly luncheon sponsored by the Union of Pan-Asian Communities hosted at our church. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for the salvation of the Japanese people.

Pastor Gamaliel M. Garcia, Rancho Hills Church, San Diego:

Rancho Hills Church has a very distinct motto: "Together healing hearts and turning them to God." This gives us a unique purpose and responsibility. We care for people inside and outside the church walls by seeking out ways that the hurts and destruction that life has brought to their hearts be healed.

The ways in which we do this is, first and foremost, through the preaching of the Word. Since we know that God's Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, the preaching of His Word causes a healing from the wounds and hurts of life. By bringing people to God's Word, those areas of our personal life which have been damaged can be healed by His power.

Also, our congregation offers several recovery programs that help individuals face their hurting hearts and open them up to God's healing power. Two of our very strong programs are "Let Me Help You Heal Your Wounds" which is a group recovery program designed especially for the Hispanic culture and "Celebrate Recovery," a Bible-based program that helps people go into every area of life that has caused people to have addictions or co-dependency.

This unique emphasis has helped our congregation to be a community of strong bonds and acceptance, areas which we have found have facilitated people¹s walk with God and allowed them to easily find accountability and covenant groups that assist them in a closer walk with God.

Pastor Don Gallant, New Wine Ministries, San Marcos:

We believe God is calling "His Bride" into a deep heartfelt intimacy, which will result in the greatest demonstration of Christ-likeness the world has ever seen (Daniel 12:3).

For over 100 years God has brought forth needed movements emphasizing the "Gifts of the Spirit." Unfortunately, many (including leaders) brought shame on the church, not pursuing true intimacy with God along with the ³Gifts² (Matthew 7:20-23, Luke 8:13-16, 13:24-28).

God is calling the "Wise virgins" of "the Bride" to "Fill their lamps" by worshipping in deep intimacy. This intimacy is producing in the Bride a strong desire to please Him, a ³holy dissatisfaction² for the way things are, and avoid anything that hinders His holy love from its purifying work in her, so that she can become the "Glorious Church without spot . . . " that Paul spoke of (Ezekiel 36:22-31; Matthew 25:1-10 Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 19:5-7).

Those responding to this current call of intimacy are becoming more like Him, and are experiencing increased sensitivity to the voice of God, enabling them to understand God's "Heart and Mind", as a result the Bride is being prepared to do great exploits and usher in the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen through unprecedented signs and wonders (Daniel 11:32, 12:3; Ezekiel 47:8-10; Acts 2:16-19, 38-39).

We believe this is what Jesus has in mind when He said ³make disciples² (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20). If this is your vision also, and you¹re looking for others of like mind, come join with us and we will pursue the call together.

Pastor Tim Jones, Community Lutheran Church, Oceanside:

At Community Lutheran in Oceanside, our mission is building committed followers of Jesus Christ. We believe there are two aspects to this mission. The first is building up and equipping people within the community of our congregation with the Word of God. To accomplish this mission, we rely on God¹s grace and Spirit to help us keep His Word at the center of our teaching, worship, and use of the sacraments (baptism and communion). Our great desire is that people would continually grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ through an ever-increasing knowledge of Him, His grace, and His ways as they follow Him.

The second aspect of our mission is laying a foundation to build upon in the life of people who are not yet Christ-followers. We do this by sharing the love of God and the good news of Jesus Christ with them. We seek to do this through various means - demonstrating God¹s love by serving others in practical ways like helping the Bread of Life and other agencies, supporting overseas missions, and looking for creative ways to meet the needs of people around us. The other is by training our members in different methods of evangelism.

Pastor Chris Clark, East Clairemont Southern Baptist Church:

Our church¹s purpose is rather simple: to help people discover and do God¹s will.

That¹s because it was Jesus who identified the Greatest Commandments: to love God and love people. Jesus was also the One who described the one who loved Him: he was the one who kept Jesus¹ commandments. So if we want to fulfill the Great Commandment, we need to be about doing what Jesus commanded. In other words, we need to be about doing God¹s will.

How are we accomplishing this? We are busy helping people who do not believe in Jesus Christ to discover God¹s will for them, which is to become believers in Jesus Christ. So, we share the Good News of Jesus with them.

Once a person becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, we want to help him discover God¹s will, which would be to become a follower of Jesus. So, we help them with ways to fellowship with Jesus daily.

Once that person is following Jesus as His disciple, we want to help him discover God¹s will even further, which is to become a doer of His word. So, we provide opportunities for them to be involved in ministry and service.

Pastor Milton Hopkins, Sr., Central Church of Christ, Oceanside:

According to Matthew Chapter 28:18-19, the mission of the Church as given by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a two fold mission. That is to ³Save the Lost² and ³Keep the saved, saved.²

We carry this out at Central Church of Christ by proclaiming his life changing message in sermons each Sunday, that Jesus Christ is Lord of our life and that He has a message that will heal the hearts and souls of men in this complex world in which we live. No matter what our situations are, Jesus is the answer to the problem and His spirit can empower us to greater living.

At Central, our goal also is to create an environment whereby Christ can be seen in our lives, so that we can be that light that the world is so desperately in need of.

Pastor Gary Boggs, Calvary Chapel Coronado:

When it comes to a question like this, there are plenty of standard answers: ³We¹re here to be salt and light,² or ³Our purpose is to spread the love of Jesus in our community.² These are valid answers, and very true -- but there is more. The church exists to fulfill the commission of our Lord to ³¹Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit¹...² (Matt 28:19) The next verse has come to be our purpose in the community: ³...¹teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.¹ Amen.² (Matt 28:20)

 The focus of our ministry at Calvary Chapel Coronado is to teach the Word of God simply and plainly, so that people understand who Jesus is and what having a personal relationship with Him truly means. We offer worship services and studies throughout the week that focus on the inter-relation of the whole counsel of God as laid out in the Bible, and its application to our everyday lives today.

Pastor Jose F. Munoz, Trinity Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, Chula Vista:

The purpose of Trinity Fellowship Christian Reformed Church is to demonstrate the openness and genuineness of Jesus¹ love to those inside and outside His family.

We anticipate seeing God¹s power at work in other¹s lives through our prayers and outreach -- restoring those alienated from God, healing the broken and feeding the hungry. Partners with the Holy Spirit, we look forward to being those who love and care deeply.

Our vision as people called by God, we see the church as a growing, diverse family of vibrant congregations in which thousands worship God celebratively, grow in his Word, and honor the Creator as Lord. We also see Christ¹s forgiveness liberating women and men, boys and girls in all places and cultures, shaping the church to respond with gratitude; the Spirit releasing gifts to all for ministries of love, mercy, and justice -- combined with an articulate witness, which changes hearts and lives by proclaiming wholeness in Christ alone.

Pastor George Bender, The Neighborhood Church, Escondido:

Our church views its purpose as three-fold. First, we exist to worship God. We seek to provide an atmosphere where people can worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

Second, we exist to edify the believer. We seek to provide a place where people can learn, grow and mature in their relationship with Christ, fellowship with other believers and train to effectively minister to our community.

Finally, we exist to evangelize the lost. We seek to proclaim the message of Christ Jesus to those parts of our community void of the presence of God.

Our mission statement reflects our purpose: ³Where God¹s power changes lives, to impact our community.² Our strategic plan is rooted in being intentional about our mission. Everything we plan and attempt is strained through this three-fold purpose. We are committed, with the Lord¹s guidance and assistance, to seeing God¹s purpose for our community become a reality.

Pastor Homer Allen, Community Full Gospel Church, Imperial Beach:

Our purpose is to reach the unchurched in our community for Christ. We have designed a church to meet the needs of people who are not drawn to the conventional church.

Our methods are always changing, but meet the needs and interest of people who were not raised with a church background. Each sermon is designed to present the truths of God as they apply to our everyday lives.

Our goal is to lead this community to a personal relationship with God.

Pastor Robert Pascoe, Living Water Foursquare Church, San Marcos:

The Lord has created an atmosphere in our church where seekers can find fellowship, participation, worship and a deeper study of the Bible for application. The Word teaches us in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. We believe Jesus Christ is the Savior, Healer, Baptizer and soon Coming King. Our church has a heart for the community and the youth of this generation. We are witnessing God¹s miracle working power in both body and heart.

Our church provides a 10 a.m. Sunday service with K-6th grade Kid¹s Church at the Hampton Inn in San Marcos, as well as a Tuesday 7 p.m. Bible study and worship time in the small chapel at Crossroads Church, San Marcos. We welcome all who would like to join us as we explore the Word of God and the movement of His presence.

Pastor Bert Fairweather, Crest Community Church:

The Crest Community Church is dedicated to the purpose of fulfilling Christ¹s great commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person. To accomplish this objective we have a number of programs to reach our community. During the summer months we have an outreach to the youth of our area through a Vacation Bible School and youth camps. We also have an Awana program to help our young people learn and memorize the Bible. On Sunday evenings we have a program of food, fun, and faith. Our kids can come and eat and play games and hear about faith in Christ. We also have services to teach and instruct all ages in the Word of God.Every Easter, our church, with the cooperation of the other churches in Crest, have a Sunrise Service in Nancy Jane Park. It has been an annual event for over 12 years.After the fire of October 2003, our church helped to distribute clothing and material goods to those in need. For the past two years, the Mennonites and the Reformed church have used our facilities for cooking their meals. These organizations helped rebuild homes that were destroyed in the fire. We trust that the people of our community will understand that we are interested in their total being. We trust God will bless our area and may all people hear and see that God loves them.

Pastor Terry Yoder, Calvary Baptist Church, Oceanside:

Our first priority is to love the Lord, to richly enjoy Him. Flowing out of that joy, we glorify Him through cheerful obedience, as our community¹s greatest need is to see God¹s holiness in us. To do that we must love His Word, so our goal is the careful study and application of the Scripture, championing its inerrancy and sufficiency, and through expository teaching and preaching to be full of grace and truth. Our community needs truth, so we must be people of truth with the skill to apply it in wisdom to the needs of man.

Secondly, we must love the brethren. When the community sees committed relationships across cultural lines, they see Jesus at work, so our goal is to tangibly love each other through work parties, picnics, birthday celebrations, moving days, etc. When neighbors see us bringing meals, visiting the sick, mowing lawns, and cleaning houses, they see the testimony of Christ¹s saving power.

Finally, we must love the lost. When we understand the gospel, we are motivated to pray for and share truth with those without Christ. We aim to do this through ongoing evangelism training, monthly outreaches, prayer meetings, and personal witnessing.

Pastor Steven Barnard, Metro Church, La Mesa:

The purpose of Metro Church San Diego is to reach the lost by spreading the good news to all the world and to equip the saints to be the light and salt we are all called to be. The harvest is greater now more than ever, the world is hurting now more than ever, there is more brokenness and darkness now than ever before. The world needs the church now more than ever before.

 Metro Church has for 35 years always been a house of healing and restoration, a spiritual hospital where some are being restored, some are learning to restore and others are being used of God to restore. Our purpose for worship at Metro is to put Him first; we don¹t gather at His house for ourselves, we gather for Him. We don¹t come to His house to ask, but we come to serve. We humble ourselves to bring Him the glory and then He in due season exalts our lives.

 The purpose of Metro Church is to preach the good news to the poor, offer hope and healing to the broken hearted, to declare that deliverance is here for the captive, that recovery is possible to the blind, that freedom is available for the oppressed and He is accepting to those who think they are unacceptable.

The purpose of His house is to be a house of faith, hope and love.

Pastor Mike Fleischman, Riverview Church, Bonsall:

The purpose of Riverview Church is to be a community of grace where ordinary people are being transformed day-by-day and helping others along the way.

The first part of that definition is grounded in authenticity to genuinely be that which we are calling others to be. To be people who are honest about our own shortcomings, who desperately cling to the grace of Jesus Christ, and are growing every single day to look less and less like who we used to be, and more and more like who we¹ve been destined to be.

The second part of our purpose is to assist others in experiencing the same thing. This demands relevance in meeting people where they really are at. This demands the truth of God¹s Word, which points the way back. This demands ongoing encouragement, to not only point the way but to walk with them step by step along this spiritual journey.

It is our passion to be hope-peddlers and grace-givers...fire-starters and dream-builders...undying believers that no matter who you are, or where you¹ve been - no matter what you¹ve done -- because of what Jesus did on the cross you can safely come home again to the Father.

Pastor Kevin Clark, Scripps Mesa Bible Church, San Diego:

At Scripps Mesa Bible Church, our mission is ³to live by faith, to be known for love, and to be voices of hope.² Living by faith is tough in a world filled with international conflict, racial tension, skyrocketing gas prices, uncertain paychecks, and shaky relationships. At SMBC, we take God¹s word seriously. We work hard to teach others and remind ourselves daily that God is always faithful, that his plan is bigger than our circumstances.

We meet our goal to be known for love by caring for people from different life stages and cultures. We have activities for younger kids, specialized programs for junior and senior high, and small groups and topical classes for adults. We share our facility with African-American and Korean congregations, and hope to add a Vietnamese ministry. We send missions teams to work in poverty-stricken areas of Jamaica, and regularly interact with teams serving in Mexico, East Africa, Indonesia, and the Middle East.

Ultimately, our purpose is to lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus, the one who gives lasting, permanent hope. Our hope is that each person who encounters SMBC will have an authentic, personal, intimate experience of God¹s truth, grace and love.

Pastor Martin Shrout, Del Oro Hills Community Church, Oceanside:

Del Oro Hills Community Church defines its role in the community as one that invites people to discover the love of God, leads people to maturity and ministry in Christ, and ministry to families.

We are currently reaching into the community through participation in the SUN project, feeding the homeless, involvement with the Youth Group of Oceanside, and ministering on school campuses through FCA and Christian clubs. We invite the community through a series of TV commercials on the USA channel, and delivering flyers into the community through direct mail and walking door-to-door.

We provide small groups, Sunday school, and preaching services to help individuals grow in their knowledge and relationship with Christ. We offer individual discipling and a C.L.A.S.S. series to help individuals establish a relationship with Christ and lead them to understanding their spiritual gifts and ministry. We desire to minister to the family. This includes a dynamic youth and children¹s program and sermons and counseling on marriage and relationships.

Pastor Steve Cooper, Nu-Way Christian Ministries, San Diego:

Your community has heard that your city is closing the church building where you attend. Would they get hammers, nails and plywood to assist the city in your closing, or would they protest to keep the doors open because of your relevance.

Well, one of the ways that we would hope the community would keep the doors of Nu-Way Christian Ministries open is through an exciting event each February called, the Heritage Day Festival and Parade. It¹s a parade and a festival immediately following! For details, visit www.HeritageDayParade.org. At this citywide event we include schools at every grade level and colleges from all over to participate. We collaborate with businesses, residents and organizations to be vendors. It also includes a job fair, a kids zone where the children are free to play and roam in an exciting secure area with an array of activities, an exciting health component where we work with hospitals, the National Bone Marrow Donor Program and Raven of ³That¹s So Raven² looking for bone marrow matches. Finally, there is an intense entertainment stage where celebrities and entertainers appear in front of a captive audience where we ultimately share the love of Jesus.

So, the purpose of Nu-Way is to take the transcending principles of Jesus to the city and that city back to the church. How is that done? It¹s by a Nu and Living Way.

Pastor Bill McLead, Shepherd's Way, Carlsbad:

In Mark 12:30-32, Jesus gave Christians ³The Great Commandment² to ³Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.²

In Matthew 28:19-20, He gave His church ³The Great Commission² to ³Go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.²

At Shepherd¹s Way, our mission is to continue the ministry of our Lord Christ Jesus by fulfilling His marching orders for all Christians. Our purpose is to:

1. Bring a message of hope to those in the world who are without hope and without God [Eph 2:12].

2. Help Christians fulfill God¹s will for their lives, that is -  to become like Jesus, to think like Him, to feel like Him, to act like Him and to love like Him.

Our desire is to see sinners converted to saints and all Christians equipped for the work of the ministry, promoting love, faith, unity and maturity in the Body of Christ.

Rev. Dr. Bernard S. Okeh, United African Christian Fellowship, San Diego:

United African Christian Fellowship is a young ministry with a unique purpose. Our services and fellowships are open to everyone that loves the Lord and the people of God. However, our primary objective is to seek out and bring together new immigrants from Africa and their families. Some are refugees who have narrowly escaped political turmoil, death, and persecution in their countries. These new arrivals always become very overwhelmed by the highly advanced American society.

Our ministry provides them with an atmosphere for worship, fellowship, and relationship that is a little bit close to what they left back home. They have the opportunity to meet new Christian friends who are willing to guide them into American life.

Through the Holy Ghost, we preach powerful, uncompromised, and undiluted gospel sermons in our Sunday morning worship that is always preceded by Sunday school teachings, and dynamic praise worship in African style. We have midweek Bible studies and a Friday prayer service. We provide counseling visitations, youth programs and many other ministry activities. All these equip and strengthen the members to face each day by faith. And in our three years of ministry, we have seen God raise hopes of many, rescue families from the devil¹s attacks, and also resettle many families in our community.

Pastors Jurgen and Leanne Matthesius, Christian City Church, San Diego:

Our purpose is to bring balance to the Force! Christian City Church San Diego, or C3 as it has become known, was started 8 months ago.

Graduates of Hillsong College in Australia, we spent seven years pioneering a church in New Zealand before returning to Sydney to take on the role of youth pastors at Christian City Church Oxford Falls, led by the apostolic leader Pastor Phil Pringle. CCC Oxford Falls is a church that moves mightily in the power of the Holy Spirit, with healings and signs and wonders.

After taking the Youth ministry from 50 kids to 1,000 in seven years, we felt God¹s calling to plant a church that was fresh, real, and powerful, where people could encounter God, not just hear and learn about what He did, but actually experience and know what He is doing now!

God is a now God and people are hungry for more than just a cute program and a nice sermonette on Sunday. They want an encounter with a God that is real, now!

So many people have been conditioned to believe that God is ³watching us from a distance² and does not involve himself in any real, powerful or tangible way in our lives. We are here to nullify that myth and reveal the truth. God is alive and awesome and wants you to experience His fullness today! ŒWhat is your church¹s purpose in your community and how are you carrying it out?¹

Pastor David Youngren, Church Without Limits, San Diego:

You can be more...you can do more...you were created for a greater purpose. Church Without Limits is only months old, bringing a message that there is no limit to the life that God has for every person!

I desire to see a radical movement of God sweep across this city.  With discipleship programs, weekly small groups, and techniques to equip strong leaders, we desire to mobilize the church to arise.

Currently the church meets Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Courtyard Marriott on Spectrum Centre Boulevard in San Diego.  Although this meeting is the main service of Without Limits, another primary outreach is called the PORCH, targeting the students of SDSU.  It is known as the Place Of Radical Christianity based on Acts 5:12-14 and believes for a spiritual awakening among the youth of the campus that will shake the entire region. The PORCH envisions a church filled with passionate and radical believers who are committed to being a light to the world. 

Church Without Limits equips the saints to do the work of the ministry by winning souls and making disciples that become healthy, active members of the body.  With a true revelation of Jesus being imparted to every person, each member will see their unlimited supply of all things pertaining to life and godliness, becoming passionate to share their supply with a dying world!

Pastor Gary Bassham, Mountain View Community Church, Ramona:

Our purpose at Mountain View is to reach out to our community to share the love and salvation found in Jesus Christ, in a safe and friendly place. Each Sunday, we offer three distinct services each with its own style, so that attendees can worship in the manner that seems most natural to them (Classic at 9 a.m., Celebration at 10:45 a.m., and Summit at 6 p.m.).  Though different in style, each service is committed to clearly proclaiming God¹s life changing truth. 

We also have a variety of different programs in order to more effectively meet the needs of our church family. In these specific ministries, individuals have the opportunity to grow and build deeper relationships with other members of the church body.  Our AWANA, youth ministry, and vacation bible school programs are strong ministries that reach out to the young people and youth in our community.  Community Life Groups are another vital ministry here at Mountain View.  These adult small groups meet primarily in homes and offer attendees a chance for deeper growth, warm fellowship, and the chance to learn more about God¹s Word. 

World missions and community outreach are priorities at MVCC.  We are also affiliated with, and strongly support In His Steps recovery home, located here in Ramona.  

Pastor Bruce Balcombe, Way of Life Church, Spring Valley:

Our primary purpose and service to our community is to provide a place where people can come and be a part of a greater family. Christian life involves more than just believing - it involves belonging.

It¹s been said that every family tree has to have some sap. The dictionary describes sap as ³the watery fluid that circulates through a plant, carrying food and other substances to the various tissues.² I like that. When we laugh together, cry together, pray for one another, encourage each other, love and forgive through conflicts, we are experiencing what real family is. We are together for the marriages, the funerals, the baby dedications, the traumas, failures, successes and joys of this incredibly beautiful, fantastic life that God has breathed into us.

Belonging to a life-giving, caring local church is like having good sap running through your family tree. You are nourished, spiritually alive and growing.

Capt. Dwayne Patterson, Salvation Army Corps Officer, Oceanside:

Started in 1865 as ³The Christian Mission² in slum areas of England, The Salvation Army today is ministering to the needy in 111 countries. Its message is based on the Bible and its ministry is motivated by love for God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

The church, known as a corps, in Oceanside, is working to minister to people in various walks of life by providing programs that will meet their needs, both practically and spiritually. In addition to Sunday morning worship services, mid-week Bible studies, and youth programs, The Salvation Army has a social services office that is open 5 days a week. Through this office people are able to receive various kinds of help, including emergency food, utilities and housing assistance, personal comfort kits, and counseling, to name a few. Once the physical needs of the person are met, our social services worker offers to pray with them about whatever is on their hearts, and always invites them to church.

³Soup, soap and salvation² was what the founders of the Army would say, meaning that once people were fed and cleaned up their hearts were more prepared to hear the Good News and more responsive to it. So that is what we try to do - feed them, clean them and give them the Word. Then we watch the power of the Holy Spirit work in otherwise hopeless and defeated lives, transforming them into people with a hope in the future.

Pastor Charles Bordner, Chula Vista Community Church:

Chula Vista Community Church (CVCC) has doubled its growth this past year by holding before us the example of Christ. That is summed up in the motto, ³Providing loving, self-forgetting service to others.²

Our spirit has been none other than wanting to meet the needs of our community any way we can. Besides offering a food bank and other usual outreaches, we provide a dynamic, growing youth theater program that has so far brought 15 families into our church doors twice a week. What remains unique is our 9 a.m. Sunday drive-in service, in which people can drive up in their cars, tune into 93.7 on their FM radio, and enjoy the worship service from our outdoor stage.

What has made all of this possible is the core group of loving seniors, who kept this church going through challenging times, and kept their faith in the God who performs miracles.

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Pastor Gary Evans, Winds of Harvest Foursquare Church, San Marcos:

Our church¹s purpose is to reach the lost for Christ and restore the downtrodden through special events. Over the last several years, God has blessed us with the opportunity to minister alongside organizations such as Green Oak Ranch Rehab Center, Bread of Life homeless ministry, Casa de Amparo foster home for children and others.

Our purpose w