Website: http://www.christpb.org

Church Review
Scriptural View: 2/5
Beliefs: 2/5
Community: 2/5

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

Summary: Christ Lutheran Church meets in Pacific Beach. The service liturgy is similiar to a Catholic Mass. There are things this church does well. They had tables soliciting volunteers for their local involvement with an Interfaith Shelter, seem to have a heart for missions and have a strong desire to bring a message of God’s grace to people. Also, much thanks should be paid to Luther who began the reformission tradition. As to their beliefs, Lutherans hold to a differing view of baptism. The main difference of which I am aware between Lutheran and protestant baptism is that most protestant churches teach that Baptism is the sign and seal of the promise of God given through the Holy Spirit, whereas for Lutherans Baptism is the gift of Holy Spirit, himself, is received at God’s command and promise through the water and the Word of the Sacrament. The Lutheran view of baptism is summarized in a listing of its benefits in Luther’s Small Catechism: “In Baptism God forgives sin, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe what he has promised.” Also, as for this particular church, they do not believe that Christ is the only way thus negating the view that the Bible is God’s authority and inspired Word. For this and other un-orthodox beliefs we cannot recommend this church.

Baptism required for salvation. Also, based on their interpretations they do not hold the Bible as God’s innerrant word to His people. We cannot recommend this church.

Website: http://www.faithpresbyterianchurch.org

Church Review
Scriptural View: 2/5
Beliefs: 2/5
Community: 3/5

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

Summary: There are a lot of things that are to be praised at Faith Presbyterian. They have a high view of loving people and reaching out to many groups that have been abandoned by the church including the homeless, needy, homosexuals and more. Further, they take worldwide social justice seriously. From what I saw, they have an ongoing campaign to write letters on behalf of the oppressed in nations around the world such as China or Sudan.

Service is traditional, with hymns and a choir. The sermon I attended was based on Scripture. Of course the sermon did not dive too deep into the text but mainly focused on broad themes. If this is how the preaching is done typically, it would be difficult to grow in your understanding of the Bible.

The PCUSA denomination is in a struggle over the role of homosexuals in the church. The Faith Presbyterian church is accepting of homosexuality and does not interpret the Bible to be literal. This means there are many issues that will greatly suffer because the Bible can become just a philosophy to guide people.

Faith Presbyterian is a liberal church in a denomination examining how to interpret the Bible on different cultural issues. Based on our standards of the Bible being true, we cannot recommend this church.

Website: http://www.lamesaumc.org

Church Review
Scriptural View: 2/5
Beliefs: 2/5
Community: 2/5
Preaching: Topical
Worship: Hymns
Service Times: 8:30am, 11am

Website Review
Site Usability: 2/5
Site Design: 1/5
Site Content: 1/5

Review: I attended a service in October 2004. Service began with seven hand bell players ringing out a hymn, as the congregation observed silently. Reverend Fanestil invited the children up for a short story, based on a rose he pulled out of a mystery box. Following this, was a prayer, a testimony and a reading from scripture. Next, Reverend Fanestil walked to the pulpit to preach.

“All human beings live by stories. It’s a matter of which stories you live by. Christians have to rely on the stories and images; these are the stuff of which this faith is made.”

After service, Reverend Fanestil spoke with me about the Christian faith and the Bible’s stories. “The Bible is much more like a bookshelf than a single book. As reading the Bible as a bookshelf instead of a single book, I end up feeling like the Bible speaks with many voices. These voices challenge me and I am forced to struggle with them. It isn’t always if the Bible says it, I believe it. I believe that is an unhelpful way to read the Bible.”

“(The Bible) is inspired by God, but I don’t believe it is inerrant,” Fanestil explained. “The gospel of John was written at the end of the first century, when the church was in great conflict with the Jews. There is an anti-Jewish polemic to the New Testament that needs to be put in its historical context.”

I asked Reverend Fanestil how his view of scripture affects his stance on the controversy regarding homosexuality within the United Methodist Denomination. “There is a split over the issue of homosexuality. A majority of (United Methodists) nationwide adhere to a traditional stance that homosexuality is a sin. They believe we should love the sinner but hate the sin. A majority of people at our church, myself including, believe homosexuality is an orientation for a vast majority of people that is given by nature. And I’ve preached that. The Bible doesn’t always speak with a single voice. We need to treat the words of scripture in ways that demands some tension and complexity.”

I asked Reverend Fanestil how does someone determine what is true in the Bible. “That’s what we all do. We have to choose (what we want to believe). I am very comfortable with saying I don’t know about a lot of things.”

“I believe Jesus is the way, I’ve experienced that in my life. I don’t feel called to pass judgment on the world’s other religions. I don’t feel qualified to pretend to know God’s minds on the worlds other great religions traditions. I certainly am reluctant to conclude that all folks who belong to other religious traditions are all destined for some state of eternal damnation. It doesn’t ring true with the spirit of the Jesus I know.”

The bottom line is La Mesa First United Methodist does not preach that Scripture is true. Therefore, we cannot recommend this church.

Website: http://www.oldcatholic.com/francis.html

Church Review
Scriptural View: 2/5
Beliefs: 2/5
Community: 2/5
Preaching: Liturgical
Worship: None
Service Times: 4pm

Website Review
Site Usability: 3/5
Site Design: 1/5
Site Content: 4/5

Review: I must confess, I am not a Catholic and do not agree with much of their doctrine. For the Catholic Church to believe their traditions (the Magisterium, Papal Infalability) can be equal to God’s Word is the crux of the problem. There are many things I cannot see in the Bible that are held by the Catholic Church. These include Transubstantiation, Purgatory, Indulgences, Papal Infallibility, the Immaculate Conception of Mary, Venial and Mortal Sins, and a host of others. The Protestant Church cites the Bible alone as the source of doctrinal knowledge. The Catholic church, on the other hand, cites the Bible and Tradition. Consider the following:

“. . .the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, ‘does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence’.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 82.)

Apparently, it is Tradition that is the source of doctrines which are clearly not taught in the Bible but which the Catholic Church still says are implicit within its text and elucidated through Apostolic Tradition. The issue is whether or not these teachings of the Roman Catholic Church are credible. For more information on the Roman Catholic Church (as opposed to the Old Catholic Church) please visit Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry.

St. Francis and St. Taricicus as an Old Catholic Church does dispel some of the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church. The Old Catholic Church separated from the Roman Catholic Church over religious politics after the Reformation.

I spoke to Father Kwasek about issues like Papal Infallibility and the Immaculate Conception. These are issues that differentiate the Old Catholic Church from the Roman Catholic Church. Yet when I spoke to Father Kwasek he did not pick a side, saying, “Even with these differences, they can easily be resolved and bring both Churches into communion with each other. I can accept (the Papal Infallibility) because the Roman, Protestant and Orthodox theologians have been going back and forth on this issue for 2,000 years with no clear outcome. In the meantime, citing Mark Twain, ‘I can’t prove nor disprove these claims’, so I’ll go along with them just in case. As for Mary, who would want to upset a Jewish mother in heaven in the first place? There was a time when only Catholics believed in the Immaculate Conception. Now it seems today that Americans believe they are all immaculately conceived, considering that people seem to take less and less responsibility for their failings and blame them on their upbringing and grade B milk they drank.”

I asked Father Kwasek what happens to people after they die. He answered, “In Hebrews it tells us, ‘It is appointed a person once to die, and after this comes judgment’. There are three places people go after they die. The first is heaven, with God, for those who believe in Jesus. It is because Jesus is God and through his redemption we have an antidote (to sin). The second place people go is purgatory. When people are going through the judgment for their sin after death, there will be a temporary period of time of sorrow. This period may be short or it may be thousands of years. This is a period of purging. Lastly, God sends no one to hell. God gives everyone 70 years to figure out that He loves them and He is God. Hell is for those who decide to rebel and reject God.”

For many of my friends that were Catholic, religion became nothing more than traditions. I attended Catholic school for many years growing up, and most of my friends would say they are Catholic not Christian. After a 10-year High School reunion I asked my friend, “Do you believe Jesus was literally God?” He replied that Christ lived the example life for us but was not God. This was a typical belief. In all fairness, I have met many wonderful Catholics who are evangelical Christians. In my neighborhood I am friends with a Catholic who also leads a Young Life. His desire is to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

From my conversation with Father Kwasek it appeared he wanted to gather those who are lost to Jesus Christ. “There are two groups of people who attend Old Catholic Churches. The first are those who are not happy with the Roman Catholic Church and the second group of people were not attending any church previously,” Father Jerome Kwasek commented.

St. Francis and St. Taricicus is a good church for Catholic followers, but because of the many disagreements I have with the Catholic Church, I cannot recommend this for Evangelical Protestants.

Website: http://www.sdjcc.tierranet.com/english/index.html

Church Review
Scriptural View: 1/5 (Not described.)
Beliefs: 1/5 (Unknown.)
Community: 3/5 (Little shown, some pictures & a guestbook.)

Website Review
Site Usabilility: 3/5
Site Design: 2/5
Site Content: 2/5 (Dated links, little to no information on what they believe.)

Summary: This site is primarily a piece to give directions, phone #’s and other contact information NOT to communicate to people what they believe. They have two newsletters that I can’t read because they are in Japanese. The only content are a series of “Footprints” stories from people who attend and/or visit the church. Based on the pastor’s education (Fuller Theological Seminary) and some of the comments posted, clearly they have a heart for Christ and a desire for people to come to know Him. These Footprints include scripture quotes and a high view of trust in our soveriegn God. But because of the lack of information, I cannot fully know what they believe.

Not much information, but it appears to be a Christ-centered Church. If you speak Japanese, this may be a good place to check out..

Website: http://www.mvcf.com

Church Review
Scriptural View: 2/5 (Depends on the issue.)
Beliefs: 3/5
Community: 2/5

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

Summary: Mission Valley Christian Fellowship is affiliated with the Calvary system. (I’d encourage you to read: The Calvary Stance on God) I have had the chance of attending this church and meeting Leo Giovinetti. Leo, the preaching pastor came from a life of performing at casinos of Reno, Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. Their worship style reflects some of this background.

MVCF make the politics in Israel part of their concern. They have an Israel Bless God campaign. They frequently fly over and deliver checks (it most be in the $ millions by now) to atheists to use at their own discretion. This is something we do not find scripture! They take a number of verses out of context to create a whole sub-sect of the Christian faith centered around Israel. Leo has called non-believers who are Jewish his brothers, like we worship the same God. (Read John 8:44 to see how Jesus talks to religious Jews.) Anyway, certainly MVCF is a Christian church but there are too many holes in their teaching for us to recommend this church.

I would encourage you to read a few of the comments that have been posted by MVCF people.

There are good things and people being saved at MVCF, but there are too many things that disagree with scripture for me to recommend this church.