949-837-2435 info@gracehills.com

WHO WE ARE

Grace Hills Church is a Bible-believing, Gospel-proclaiming, multi-generational church where our youngest person is one month old and our oldest is 103 years young. We are a group of believers who will welcome you like family from the moment you walk in our doors.

We believe the Gospel matters; we proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ boldly and hopefully. We believe the Word of God matters; we sit under the authority of Scripture and proclaim the Bible unapologetically. We believe the church matters; we gather together as a church family walking through life together.

We encourage one another weekly, love one another unconditionally, and serve one another sacrificially. This is the norm, not the exception. We do this by gathering on Sundays to worship (Heb. 10:25; 1 Thes. 5:11), growing together in Life Groups (Col. 3:16; Eph. 4:16), and going together to the world to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world (Matt. 9:37; 28:16-20).

OUR HISTORY

First Baptist Church, Laguna Hills (FBCLH) was founded on November 7, 1965, when Pastor Verner Olson preached the first sermon to 55 people in Clubhouse #1 in Leisure World with his wife Kathryn at the organ. The church was financed through bonds from charter members. The congregation moved into new facilities on September 21, 1969 with 271 present for the first service. Dr. and Mrs. Verner retired in April 1972, and Dr. Ivan Bell began his pastorate starting several new programs, expanding the church’s facilities.

University Community Church of Irvine (UCC) was founded in 1976, when it held its first worship service at Culverdale School in Irvine.  The church’s congregation consisted primarily of college students from nearby UCI and young married couples. In 1980, UCC began to meet at the Irvine Town Center across the street from UCI, then at the Irvine Recreation Center. In 1984, Rev. Mark Bartel began the University Baptist Fellowship on UCI’s campus.

 

In Aprl 1992, following a 6-month merger process, First Baptist Church, Laguna Hills and University Community Church of Irvine voted to combine into one church. Rev. Trevithick was chosen to be the pastor. The legacy of commitment and loyalty brought by the congregation of Laguna Hills added to the youth and energy of the young congregation from Irvine resulted in a new multigenerational church family.

In April 1995, Pastor Trevithick was called to the position of Executive Director at Thousand Pines. In May 1996, Pastor Chris Bennett was called from a successful pastorate in Michigan to lead First Baptist Church of Laguna Hills.

Pastor Mike Johnson began his ministry in 2004. First Baptist Church of Laguna Hills was renamed Grace Hills Church of Aliso Viejo. In 2006, Grace Hills Church became part of Transformation Ministries. The church was remodeled in 2009 with many new ministries started and a strong emphasis on community involvement and outreach. In 2015, Grace Hills Church celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Through the pandemic of 2020, the staff and elders of Grace Hills Church prayerfully and creatively found ways to continue serving the congregation by worshiping together. The church began live-streaming worship services and eventually began meeting outside in the parking lot and church courtyard.

In August of 2021, Pastor Simon Price was called to Grace Hills Church and began his ministry, focused on seeking God’s vision and direction for the multigenerational congregation. 

As a body, Grace Hills Church has undergone many changes over the last 59 years; but is the transformation and changed lives within the body that truly show the redeeming work and power of Jesus Christ. Numerous lives have been touched by the ministry of Grace Hills Church, and we look forward to the future in which God continues to speak, save, and redeem as we help more people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. 

OUR BELIEFS

God is the creator and ruler of the universe. God has eternally existed in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; Acts 5:3-4; II Corinthians 13:14; I Peter 1:2)
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin and lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and one day will return to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-5; 8:54-58; 10:30-38, 14:6-11; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4, 3:21-26; I Corinthians 15:3-4; II Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:15-20; I Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:2-3, 4:14-15; I John 2:1-2)

 

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for salvation in Jesus Christ. He also indwells every believer from the moment they trust in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit provides the Christian with power for living and the ability to understand spiritual truth, gives spiritual gifts, and guides the believer in what is right. As believers, we seek to live under His control each day. (John 14:16-17, 26, 16:7-15; Acts 1:8, 5:3-4; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 2:9-13, 3:16, 12:1-11, 13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18; II Timothy 1:14)

 

The Bible is God’s inspired, infallible, inerrant Word. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth and authority for Christian belief and living. (Psalm 119:105-160; Proverbs 30:5; Luke 24:27;
Acts 17:2-3; I Thessalonians 2:13; II Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; II Peter 1:20-21)

 

People are created in the spiritual image of God to be like Him in character. We are the crowning glory of God’s creation. However, all of us disobey God in our attitudes and actions, which the Bible calls ‘sin’. Sin separates us from God and exposes us to God’s just wrath. As a result of sin we are in desperate need of God’s redeeming work in Christ. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:3-6; 51:1-12;
Isaiah 53:6; 59:1-2, 64:6; Romans 1:18-25, 3:10-11, 21-16; Ephesians 2:1-5)

 

We are saved only by God’s sovereign grace. Salvation is God’s free gift to us, which we must accept by true and sincere faith. No one can ‘earn’ salvation by self-improvement or good works. Salvation is possible only by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. Eternal life begins the moment anyone receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith as Lord and Savior. Once saved, all of the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 1:12-13, 3:16, 6:44,47, 17:3; Romans 3:21-24, 3:27-28; 5:1-2, 6:23; 8:29-30, 9:14-18; Galatians 2:16, 3:26; Ephesians 1:3-8, 1:11, 2:8-9; Philippians 1:6;
Titus 3:3-7)

 

People were created by God to live forever. We will either live eternally separated from God because of our sin, or we will live eternally with God because we have received salvation through Jesus Christ. Hell is eternal separation from God. Heaven is to live in eternal union with God. We believe that heaven and hell are real places for eternal existence. (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 16:19-26, 20:34-38; John 3:16, 5:28-29, 11:25-26, 14:1-3; Romans 6:23; I Corinthians 2:9; Revelation 20:11-21:8, 21:22-22:5)

 

Every believer can approach God and can have a personal relationship with God without the necessity of a human priest. All of God’s people are invited and commanded to engage in the ministry for which God has gifted them in order to build up and strengthen the church. God is sovereign in the giving of spiritual gifts. The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion when the believer joins the body of Christ. Particular spiritual gifts are neither essential, nor prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor necessarily indicate deep spiritual experience. (John 4;21-24; I Corinthians 12:7,11,13; Ephesians 2:10, 4:7, 11-12; I Timothy 2:5;
Hebrews 4:14-16; I Peter 2:9, 4:10-11)
Jesus is now in heaven preparing a place for those who believe in Him. He will return one day to judge the world and to establish His kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:24-29, 14;1-3; Acts 1;10-11; II Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 4:13-18, II Thessalonians 1:7-10;
Revelations 20:11-21:8)

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