I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.  

- 1 Corinthians 9:22b-23

The Mission of the Message Center...

At the MC we want to present, and re-present Christ to this world, to disciple believers, and to encourage a lifestyle of public worship.

We do this by LOVING, SERVING, and GROWING.

Presenting and Re-Presenting Christ

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32)

"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation."  (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

"For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in"  (Matthew 25:35)

We recognize that the Church has the mission of lifting up Jesus. This means that we will have to demonstrate the love and ministry of Jesus. It means standing with our community in their needs. We also acknowledge that God has specifically called us to reach out to people who are unchurched and de-churched. This often mean re-introducing people to Jesus; letting them see the Jesus of the Bible in action in our world. Last, it means recognizing and owning that horrible atrocities have been committed historically by people that have claimed to follow Jesus. 

Discipling Believers

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20)

"Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15)

Just as Jesus spent the better part of 3 years teaching his own disciples, we believe that discipleship does not happen overnight nor does it happen over the pulpit. Discipleship happens through relationships, mentoring, and commitment. We set a level of academic and Biblical excellence when handling the Word of God, and we believe that all Christians should strive to understand God's Word. This enables us to walk with others in love and humility. 

Encourage a Lifestyle of Public Worship

"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."  (John 4:23-24)

"Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of your will they existed, and were created." (Revelation 4:11)

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Romans 12:1)

Living a lifestyle of public worship means yielding to the Word of God and the Spirit of God daily and in every aspect of our lives. It means recognizing the sacrifice of Jesus to purchase our salvation and freedom.  For this we, in turn, live a life that pleases God and witnesses to God's love and power in our broken world. In short, we live our faith out loud.

The History of the Message Center...

We started as a church plant on Easter in 2006, with just a handful of people, inside of the cafetorium in Downey High School. From there we moved to sublease space with a church in Carson and then in Gardena. We were finally able to secure our own space in the city of Torrance. After five years there we moved back to the city of Gardena for another five year stretch. Then the pandemic hit. Since that time our church has gone through several transitions from completely virtual to merging with an older reformed church. In the end, the Message Center was reloaded in September 2023.

The Theology of the Message Center...

You can categorize us as neo-Pentecostal, if that helps.

We believe that God exists as Father, Son and Spirit, but as one God.

We believe that God has created everything and every person, but that salvation is secured in Jesus Christ.

We believe that the church was instituted by God, established by Jesus, and is continually empowered by the Holy Spirit. The church does not have a monopoly on God's presence, but the church has been called by God to communicate God's love and restoration to and for the world. To this end, God has equipped the church and individuals with gifts and callings that are in operation today.

We believe that Jesus will return for His people and that there will be a creation of a new earth. We believe in eternity with God.