Mission/Core Values

VISION
We exist to bring Jesus to people, and people to Jesus.

MISSION
Our mission is to create communities where every person is invited to GATHER in worship, GROW in a small group, and to GO serve our world.

CORE VALUES

GATHER. GROW. GO.

GRACE FIRST

Grace is about what Jesus has already done, not about what we do. Since grace is unmerited,
unlimited, and extended to all, we are a church where we accept each other right where we are as
we challenge each other to become more like Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 | 2 Corinthians 5:21 | John 8:1-11 | Titus 2:5

COURAGEOUS GENEROSITY

All we have comes from our generous God so we will live openhandedly with our time, gifts, and resources toward the work of God in our community and across our world. When we give what only we can give, God does what only he can do.
Psalm 24:1 | 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 | Matthew 6:21 | Acts 20:35

WELCOME EVERYONE

Christ’s love compels us to set aside personal preferences so that others can come to know and love Jesus. We create welcoming environments, especially paying attention to those on the margins. We utilize culturally relevant methods as we teach and shepherd the people of our church.
Matthew 28:19-20 | Luke 19:10 | Luke 15:1-32 | 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION

It is the responsibility of every generation to reach the next generation. We are a church that
intentionally passes our faith along to the next generation, so we will approach our ministry
environments with this in mind. We will open up a chair for them as was done for us.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 | Psalm 71:17-18 | Psalm 145:4-7

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

God gave his best for us, and he deserves ours. From the smallest task to the largest project, we seek to
align our unique abilities and our resources, always seeking to improve and to serve him wholeheartedly.
There is no greater gift than to know Jesus, so we will do everything in our power to improve how we
demonstrate the gospel to others.

Colossians 3:23-24 | Colossians 3:17 | Malachi 1:6–14

OUR STORY

From the time of Jesus, the Church’s story has been one of movements, miracles, missteps, and mystery. In the early days, a small group of brave Jesus followers left home and shared the power of Christ, his resurrection, and good news of redemption for all. From home to home, city to city, the Church grew and shaped life in new ways. Over centuries, in times of prosperity and hostility, the Church has continued to spread throughout the world, restoring lives and relationships in Christ’s love. Whittier Area Community Church is one church within that Church, and the story continues.

It was 1971. Richard Nixon was president, the country was at war in Vietnam, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series, and the Song of the Year award went to Bridge over Troubled Water. It was a difficult time, a time of change. Yet God, faithful to all generations, continued to work. The Jesus Movement was spreading from the West Coast throughout North America and Europe, and younger generations were introduced to Christ. Contemporary Christian music began to shift worship music beyond hymns and gospel music. That same year, Whittier Area Community Church, then known as Whittier Area Baptist Fellowship, began when 384 people joined together to worship in McNally Junior High School in La Mirada, California. Five years later, after meeting in several Whittier locations, the church moved to our current home at the corner of Colima Road and Mar Vista Street. With a vision to be a church “where every member is a minister,” the church grew and continued to serve others in reflecting the heart of Jesus in our community and the world.

WACC is part of a movement of diverse churches called Converge. Converge is working together to start and strengthen more local churches. We share in encouraging others to follow Christ in their local community. Here at home, senior pastors have included Dan Baumann, Lee Eliason, and Bill Ankerberg. John Riley became senior pastor in 2014. Together, we continue to be a church of many ministers who believe that Jesus has formed the local church to be the hope of the world, as together we respond generously to follow God and love people. His story is still unfolding. Your story is part of it.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

THE WORD OF GOD

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

THE TRINITY

We believe that there is one living and True God, eternally existing in three Persons; that these are equal to every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of people, that He hears and answers prayer and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in his substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.

REGENERATION

We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

THE CHURCH

We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well being of others; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.

THE ORDINANCES

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that those two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.

CHURCH COOPERATION

We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the church¬es. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminat¬ed at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with inter denom¬inational fellowships on a voluntary, independent basis.

THE LAST THINGS

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.