San Diego Church Reviews & Guide

Website: http://www.sandiego.salvationarmy.org/

Church Review
Scriptural View: 4/5
Missional View: 5/5
Community: 4/5

Website Review
Site Usabilility: 3/5
Site Design: 3/5
Site Content: 4/5

Summary: The Salvation Army is a Bible-believing, Evangelical ministry that reaches out to all people with a holistic mission of promoting Jesus Christ. Or as they say on their website:

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

The Salvation Army is closely related to the Protestant church, except they do not believe in the public observation of the sacraments. This is the one area we disagree, believing baptism and communion are valuable public demonstrations and traditions to remind us of what Christ has done and our re-birth in Him. The Pastor (they go by military terms) Major Warren Dabis was simple, applicable and straight-forward. The sermon was a topical message, which didn’t go too deep into Biblical text but did focus on Jesus Christ.

The Salvation Army is missional, serving the elderly, the homeless, children and everyone else through shelters, scout programs, exercise, arts & crafts, you name it. The founder is quoted as saying, “How can you talk to a man about his soul, if his stomach is empty?” Many may be familiar with the Salvation Army’s bell-ringing during the Christmas season to raise support for their many ministries. The community at the Church was welcoming and inviting to me. Many greeted me and asked me to stay for a breakfast that was served after service.

A missional, evangelical Church we recommend with our only caveat being, they do not publicly observer the sacraments (baptism, communion).

Next Thursday at 10am, there is a meeting for pastors who have a passion for church planting, mission, cultural engagement and God’s Kingdom here in San Diego. They will gather to discuss ways to work together and serve the San Diego community. Items include how the church can contribute in the conversation about San Diego, homeless ministries, homeless teens ministry, international ministry (orphanages, etc.), other ways we can work together and a variety of other information. Post a comment with your email address (it is not displayed publicly) to learn more. (Submit Events info)

Coastlands Church review has been edited based on a conversation with the Pastor. Read the new review on this Pacific Beach Church here: Edited Coastlands Church Review

Website: http://www.stgregory.ca.goarch.org/

Church Review
Scriptural View: 2/5
Missional View: 3/5
Community: 4/5

Website Review
Site Usabilility: 3/5
Site Design: 3/5
Site Content: 2/5

Summary: St. Gregory of Nyssa is a recent Greek Orthodox church plant in the East County of San Diego. The Greek Orthodox tradition dates back over 2,000 years to the founding of the Christian church. In 1054, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church split into two over issues of Papal authority. Services have a ancient liturgical feel which connects people today to generations that have gone before us. The Orthodox have done a great thing in maintaining their identity and tradition over hundreds of years- they have not compromised- and that is admirable in many ways.

Many in the Greek Orthodox tradition feel their church is the best and closest representation to God’s church. From St. Gregory’s website:

Orthodoxy believes that she has preserved and taught the historic Christian Faith free from error and distortion, from the time of the Apostles. She also believes that there is nothing in the body of her teachings which is contrary to truth or which inhibits real union with God.

At the service, the Father Demetri Tsigas, spoke much about the Kingdom of God and the need for the church to be missional to the world. I was encouraged by his preaching and his message called people to live out what was preached. The preaching was more topical than exegetical though.

The Greek Orthodox communities are notorious for their family-atmosphere and at the service I attended several people invited me to events. I felt a real warmth at the church. There is much that this church is doing right and for that I commend them.

The point that we (as Protestants) differ is we hold to sola scriptura, that the Bible alone is God’s special revelation to mankind. The earth and all of creation are God’s general revelation but only through the Holy Spirit and Scripture are we to base our beliefs. This is where we differ from the Greek Orthodox church who holds that ” The Bible is viewed as only one expression of God’s revelation in the on-going life of His people. Scripture is part of the treasure of Faith which is known as Tradition.” Other minor points over praying to Saints, Mary being a perpetual virgin consubstantiation (that communion literally becomes Jesus body and blood) also differ from traditional Protestant positions.

Because of our difference of how we view Scripture as well as a few other differences we do not recommend this church to Protestants.