Church of the Canyons

About Us

THE EFCA

To learn more about the Evangelical Free Church of America visit their website at efca.org

FAQ

WHERE SHOULD I PARK?
We have various parking options at Church of the Canyons
Chances are good that you can follow the other cars
We have lower lots and upper lots
If you have any difficulty with inclines, we suggest you park in any of the grass areas
We also suggest that you arrive early because parking can be tight on a busy Sunday

HOW WILL I KNOW WHERE TO GO?
Once you park, you will proceed to the church building.
Signs are posted all over campus offering direction to various locations
Once at the church doors, greeters will also be able to guide you to where you'd like to go
The campus is cozy and people are friendly, so you can always feel free to ask anyone for help

WHAT ARE THE SERVICES LIKE?
There are 2 am services
The services are about 80 minutes
The entire service is spoken in English, though our services are filled with people of all ethnicities
There are usually approximately 200 people in each service
The sermons are usually 30-50 minutes depending on that particular Sunday

WHAT'S THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE?
Most people say it feels like family when they visit. It's a friendly environment with a casual vibe.
There are greeters at the door who will offer you a bulletin and a "hello". They can also direct you to Sunday School classes or the nursery or the restrooms; wherever you're wanting to go.
Once inside the sanctuary, we have ushers who can help you find a seat if you'd like.
The services are spoken in English and are about 80 minutes. The services consist of music, announcements, greeting time, prayer, offering, sometime there are special videos highlighting different ministries, 1x/month we have communion, and of course we have preaching every week.
The sermons usually last between 30-50 minutes depending on the overall order of worship for that morning.
The overall goal is that Church of the Canyons sets a table (different worship elements) at which you can come feast (engage in your own personal worship with God).

WILL I HAVE TO STAND UP AND SAY ANYTHING?
Our goal is to make you feel welcome
Usually one of the pastors will ask visitors to raise their hand so that the ushers can bring the visitor welcome information (an informational DVD, a brochure, etc)
You don't have to raise your hand, but it does help the regular attenders know you're visiting and hopefully be able to help you with anything

WHAT DO PEOPLE WEAR?
The range of attire is from casual to business. It's up to you. Although you will see some people in suits, you'll find many more in shorts, jeans or whatever else they feel comfortable wearing. Come as you are.

DO I HAVE TO GIVE MONEY?
While giving money to the church is an act of personal worship, we don't expect you to give money as a visitor
While you are free to give money, we'd prefer that you just enjoy the service and get to know us as we get to know you as well

WHAT WILL I DO WITH MY CHILDREN?
We have something for all aged children: nursery, Sunday School, Youth Group
Only loving, kind and approved people will be overseeing the care, safety, and learning of your child
Parents whose children enjoy the nursery will also be given a silent pager to take with them into the service just in case the nursery worker needs the parent to come back to the nursery for any reason

WHAT'S THE MUSIC LIKE?
At Church of the Canyons we love music
Though some Sundays vary (with Youth Sunday, College Sunday, Awana Sunday, VBS Sunday), the music is usually presented by a worship team that consists of guitars, drums, bass, piano, keyboard, vocals, flute, and percussion The lyrics to the songs are presented on a large screen
While we do not think any genre or era of music is "more spiritual" than others, our musical selections range from hymns to praise songs
In an effort to always be grateful for the gifts that God has given, we are always willing to try new styles/new songs
We try very hard to provide a feast at a banquet table of worship to God, it's up to you to come and eat
Even if you don't know the song or if we do it a little differently than you're used to, feel free to jump in with us or just sit and listen. It's your worship with God, how you chose to do it is up to you

DO I HAVE TO RAISE MY HANDS DURING THE SINGING OR PREACHING?
Everyone worships just a little bit differently than the next person
Some people do raise their hands and some people don't
If you want to lift your hands in praise to God, you are encouraged to do so, but certainly not required

DO I HAVE TO STAND THE WHOLE TIME?
We're aware that everyone has different needs
You are always welcome to sit or stand as it is beneficial for you
The worship pastor will direct you and you always have the option of sitting or standing

WHAT'S THE PREACHING LIKE?
We have one consistent preacher who teaches regularly and 5 other pastors/leaders that may preach 1-2 times a year
The sermons are always based on specific passages in the Bible and are expositional in nature
You can also hear the sermons on line if you'd like to sample the style http://churchofthecanyons.org/coc/audio_messages/p>

DO I HAVE TO BRING A BIBLE AND TAKE NOTES?
You don't have to bring a Bible or take notes, though both are highly encouraged
We have Bibles that you can borrow if you need one
Usually, a sermon outline is provided in the bulletin and usually it's up on the screen with power point
You'll find that most people take notes during the preaching

WHAT IS COMMUNION LIKE?
We have communion approximately once a month at Church of the Canyons
While you stay seated, the ushers will pass the fresh bread & juice and allow you time of prayer and confession and musical worship
When you're personally ready to say "Thank You" to God for His Son Jesus death and resurrection and grace through faith, then feel free to take the elements

WILL IT BE HEATED/AIRCONDITIONED?
We try to use the climate control devices in a way that makes it comfortable for the majority of the people.
If it's hot outside, we have the air conditioner on
If it's cold outside, we have the heater on

DO I HAVE TO BRING MY OWN COFFEE?
We usually provide general coffee and creamer
If you like something very specific, feel free to bring it with you
You may drink your coffee in the sanctuary
Sometimes there will be food refreshments. It may be a fundraiser. It may be leftovers from a wedding or some other event the night before

Church of the Canyons History

1969: Five families began meeting together in Canyon Country at Mitchell elementary school
1972: Affiliated with Evangelical Free Churches of America
1973: Donald G. Botsford was installed as pastor
1977: Bought land originally owned by Roy Crocker of Crocker National Bank. Roy gave 16 acres adjacent to the railroad to the University of Southern California. The church bought the land from USC for $56,000
1980: Construction began for a cost of just under $500,000
1981: The new building was occupied with about 75 families
1988 to 1991: Jim Harris was called to pastor COC
1989: Roger Horning began as Jr. High director and became the full time Youth Pastor in 1992
1992: Dr. C.W. Smith, a professor at The Master's College in Santa Clarita, served as interim Pastor
1995: Bob Childress left Phoenix Arizona to become the current Senior Pastor
2008: Brad Brock was commissioned as full time Worship Pastor, having been the worship leader since 2001

Doctrinal Statement

THE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF AMERICA IS AN ASSOCIATION OF AUTONOMOUS CHURCHES UNITED AROUND THESE THEOLOGICAL CONVICTIONS:

God
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

The Bible
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

The Human Condition
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God's saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus-Israel's promised Messiah-was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

The Work of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

The Church
We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

Christian Living
We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God's Word, the Spirit's power, and fervent prayer in Christ's name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ's commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

Christ's Return
We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

Response and Eternal Destiny
We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

Mission and Vision

Our Mission
To serve God’s Family at Church of the Canyons in a way that enfolds, equips and entrusts them to serve each other, our community, nation and world.

Our Vision
There is nothing more winsome in a world devoid of love than to enter into the presence of those who love one another well and deeply. Our desire at Church of the Canyons is to be a family that reaches out to each other, our community and the world in this manner.
We have distilled our “one-another” vision into three overarching categories that we seek to put into effect in all we do.

1. An Enfolding Attitude
We will seek to serve, not be served.
We will seek to be builders of unity.
We will seek to encourage, through deeds and truth.

2. An Equipping Mindset
We will seek to accurately and carefully teach God’s Word.
We will seek to build relationships in prayer and fellowship.
We will seek to install a sense of wonder and amazement in our worship of God.

3. An Entrusting Strategy
We will entrust for service those who have been equipped to function in their calling and gifting.
We will seek to inspire multiplication of service, encouraging our equipped servants to “pass it on.”

Salvation

Becoming a Christian
Jesus Christ, God incarnate paid the full penalty for men’s sin when He died on the cross of Calvary. Any person who, in simple faith, trusts in the risen Christ as his or her only hope of heaven, receives the gift of enternal life which, once granted, can never be lost (John 1:12; 6:40).

Growing as a Christian
As Christians we are called to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). To accomplish this mission, Christ promised to send us the Holy Spirit to guide us all to truth (John 16:13). The ultimate goal of the Holy Spirit’s work in the believer’s life is to produce spiritual maturity reflected in consistent Christ-like behavior and attitudes (Galatians 5:22-25; Luke 14:25-33; Colossians 1:23-29). Therefore, the understanding of and obedience to the Word of God is the essential responsibility of each Christian.