History

The Garden Community Church was founded by Harry and Kathleen Goh in June 1962. Esther Sandahl, a missionary to China, had issued an invitation to them to come to Bakersfield and establish an outreach to the local Chinese community. Without a promise of financial support, they came believing themselves to be called to this purpose by God. From that time, the church family has grown to encompass people of all nationalities, backgrounds and ages. The Garden is both the name of our location and the symbol of our vision.

Mission

The Garden Community Church is a multi-generational, multi-ethnic family of faith that exists to experience and share the mercies of God as seen throughout the New Testament  and to express them today in creative and culturally relevant ways.

Our goal is to develop the heart of the Father, the Lifestyle fo Jesus and the ability to share the gospel and serve others in the power of the Spirit.

We believe that the Bible is not only an accurate description of how things once were, but also a promise of how life in Christ can be. Therefore, in the context of committed relationships within the community of believers (the church) as well as in our homes, we are committed to worship and serve our Lord with all our hearts.

• We give ourselves wholly in love first of all to the Lord, then to one another and to those who don't know Christ. We choose daily to respond to God's grace by surrendering ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus and to the ongoing work of transformation by the Word and Spirit of God. We serve others in love through the grace gifts provided by the Spirit.

• We celebrate our salvation through the use of creative arts in our worship and witness.

Purpose and Practice

At the Garden, we are -
Daily growing more like Jesus in knowing the Father, loving each other, serving God's family, transforming our community and touching nations, all through the Spirit's power and the direction of God's Word.

Purpose/Practice
1. Growing more like Jesus in our character, relationships and priorities;

2. Knowing the Father in prayer, worship and the Word;

3. Loving each other in strong marriages, healthy homes and caring groups;

4. Serving God's family as needed and as gifted, with the heart of Jesus, equipped in the Spirit's grace;

5. Transforming our community through sharing our faith, serving with compassion, and collaborating in unity;

6. Touching nations through informed prayers, short term missions, and strategic church planting.