* Your baptism is an act of discipleship and obedience.

 * Your baptism unites you with other Christians.

 * Your baptism is your testimony of trust in Jesus."

San Antonio Heights Community Church in Upland recently baptized six excited kids proclaiming their faith. Mission 316, our Pacific Church Network church plant in San Marcos, baptized three people in the nearby Pacific Ocean. CityLights (Fountain Valley) baptized five, and Seed Church (Ventura) just baptized another six people. Praise the Lord! Publicly declare your faith in Christ....get baptized wherever you are.

Pastor Jesse Mendez of By His Grace Church in Riverside, just finished his medical schooling at Loma Linda University and is now officially Dr. Jesse Mendez, nose, ear and throat specialist. He also does general surgery along with his full-time position as Pastor of BHG Church, which is now looking to purchase a building for their growing ministry. By His Grace is excited to be an active member of PCN and Jesse is also the assistant director for the Celebrate Recovery network--he will share how to start a Celebrate Recovery ministry in your church at our Annual Meeting on January 25, 2015. Congratulations to Jesse on this accomplishment!

A recent local newspaper in Simi Valley highlighted one of our new churches in their local paper.  The article begins, "The Rev. Ed Paul Cuenco had a vision last fall that he would create a multicultural church in Simi Valley. In November, he opened the Faith of Christ Church as an affiliate within the Pacific Church Network, a conservative, culturally diverse Baptist association. Over the past eight months, the church has flourished and includes 40 members with Italian, Romanian, Peruvian, Filipino, Native American and American backgrounds."  See the article.

Nearly 50 pastors and church leaders attended our Vision Luncheon in Costa Mesa. They heard exciting news of people getting saved and baptized, and churches changing from declining to growing and healthy. Giving has increased and new churches are being planted. Those attending also heard about the free Lead Pastor & Wife Getway in Laguna Beach for churches who have signed up with Pacific Church Network. All churches have until our Annual Meeting on January 25, 2015 at Redemption Hill Church in Whittier to sign up.  Already, we have more financially supporting churches than we had previously. Sign and return your covenant if you want to help us support new church plants and equip and encourage existing ones. 

Our Hispanic Youth Camp and English Women's Retreats are sold out.  There is still room in our Spanish-language Women's Retreat and both Men's Retreats (English and Spanish). Sign up now. More information below.

Men's Retreats  October 3-5 (English and Spanish)
Spanish Women's Retreat  October 10-12

Mission 316 is beginning a new children's movement entitled, KIDS UNLIMITED, on September 21. Its purpose is to "change the world by developing each child's character, skills, talents and passion." Ten thousand families with children K-5th grade were recently invited by mail to enroll their children. Free tracks are being offered on Sundays this fall in dance, woodworking, guitar, sign language, art and more. Parents are invited to fully participate with their children in a separate service at M316. The focus of each week's teaching will be on a particular character quality such as attentiveness, generosity, courage, etc., illustrated through the life and teaching of Jesus. A "Grand Finale" program will take place on December 7 where children will perform and share all they have experienced. For further information on KU, visit the website at kidsunlimitedcalifornia.com. 

M316 continues to search for a facility in the San Marcos CA area and anyone with ideas or contacts are encouraged to contact Pastor Sam Brumit at 760.659.0316 

A public school teacher in southern California did something in her classroom that would surprise most people. She placed a Bible in her first-grade classroom so students who wanted to could read it during free reading time.What happened next surprised her. "The students were so eager to read the children's Bible they actually started arguing over whose turn it was to read it," she explained to me. Including a Bible in her selection of various books for students is in keeping with California state academic standards that expect elementary students to learn Bible stories."I noticed that after reading the Bible the students would hide it in their desks so they wouldn't have to share it with classmates," said the teacher. That's when she asked them if they wanted her to make more Bibles available. "The students enthusiastically said, 'Yes,' so I added three more children's Bibles to my library." This teacher had attended Gateways to Better Education's professional development seminar, "Faith, Freedom & Public Schools." Because of what she learned, she found a new freedom to create a faith-friendly classroom legally and appropriately.  Find out more.  

Gateways to Better Education is a wonderful Christian Organization that is hosting two very helpful seminars for parents and public school educators in the Hemet area this September. Both seminars will be held at Rancho Viejo Middle School, 985 Cawston, Hemet, CA 92545.

This seminar focuses on how to address the "Separation of Church and State" in the school classroom. You will discover:

• Your state academic standards and common core expect students to learn about the Bible and Christianity
• Courts support teaching students about the Bible and Christianity -- including religious aspects of holidays.
• The U.S. Department of Education has clarified students' religious liberties (and you can teach about them!)
• Practical lesson ideas you can use immediately in your classroom

This ninety-minute seminar equips parents to counter the negative effects of schools discouraging students from thinking about the world in religious ways.

• The five keys to determining if you should remove your children from a classroom activity
• A powerful way to teach your children discernment about what they learn
• Your children's religious liberties in class
• How you can successfully address a concern with a teacher in a gracious way
• Teaching your children a biblical definition of tolerance so they hold fast to their moral values and convictions
• How to encourage your children toward good character

The Barna group pegs the average Protestant church size in America at 89 adults. Sixty percent of protestant churches have less than 100 adults in attendance. Only 2 percent have over 1,000 adults attending yet many want to grow. Here are 8 reasons why some churches who want to grow can't break the 200 attendance barrier and what to do about it.

Read the article 

This organization is a christian community that empowers persons with developmental disabilities to live to their fullest potential with dignity and purpose. They are located in Camp Verde, Arizona and are always open to have groups or individuals volunteer to help around their beautiful campus. Rainbow Acres is also hosting a fund raising golf tournament to benefit those who can't afford to go there on September 6 at the Shandin Hills Golf Club. If you are interested you may contact Steve Roblee of Rainbow Acres for more information at: (909)437-8061, steveroblee@rainbowacres.com.