“What I want kids to know about Jesus is just the love He has for you, and how He really is truly fighting for you in every moment…When you follow Him and you let Him change your heart, He really can do miracles.”

Growing up, Matthew heard about Jesus from friends, but he had not made the decision to follow Him. After the painful loss of a relationship, Matthew decided to surrender fully to Jesus and began searching for a church community. While surfing, a friend invited him to Thursday Nights at Mariners. For the first time in his life, Matthew had a home church where he could worship and hear from God’s Word with other young adults. 

A few weeks later, he signed up for Rooted where he grew deeper in his walk with Jesus and learned about the opportunity to serve at the Bridge, our weekend gathering for 4th and 5th grade students. He humbly followed God’s calling and stepped in as a boys’ small group leader, unpacking each message and praying with the students under his care. Through serving, Matthew has seen God use him to bless the next generation and grow in his own faith as he is learning and sharing the good news of Jesus with others. 

Watch and see how God worked in Matthew’s life and is using him to impact others!

“My relationship with Jesus has grown exponentially. I feel like I have more of those roots—like I’m a watered seed that’s growing and bearing fruit.”

When Kevin and Lin-Z first moved to California, they felt spiritually lost. They were both followers of Jesus, but felt stuck in the routine of day-to-day life: working, going home, going to church on Sunday. Their walk with God felt shallow and isolated, so they decided to make a change and sign up for Rooted.

During Rooted, Kevin and Lin-Z met an amazing community of believers that became a Life Group. As the couple began to pursue starting a family, they experienced difficulties. Their Life Group rallied around them, praying over them and reminding them to keep their eyes on God through it all. Kevin and Lin-Z were blessed with their first son, and they had the joy of getting to tell their Life Group the incredible news! 

Watch and see how Kevin and Lin-Z experienced the beauty of pursuing God in community!

“In the midst of serving there, that feeling in my heart, that deadness in my heart that I was going through—I feel like God was breathing life into me.”

When Mariners Oceanside first began as a new congregation, Shirley joined the launch team and stepped in to serve. But after going through a season of intense loss, she decided to take a step back. Through that season, she felt an emptiness growing in her heart.

Shirley heard that Mariners would be launching a new congregation in Anaheim. She felt God encouraging her to be a part of the launch—and she responded with a faithful “yes!” Each week, she made the drive to Anaheim and helped wherever she was needed, setting up chairs, serving coffee, and greeting guests coming in the doors. As she served and responded to God’s direction, Shirley felt fresh joy come alive in her heart.

Watch and see how Shirley experienced the joy of serving when she responded faithfully to God’s call!

Ferny and Omar both put their trust in Jesus while attending a church together in Orange County. After their church closed its doors, Ferny and Omar got connected at Mariners Santa Ana by going through Rooted and transitioning into a Life Group with other married couples, who supported and encouraged them to keep growing in their faith.

When they experienced a miscarriage, their community at Mariners Santa Ana came around them in prayer and showed them God’s love. Through their trust in Jesus and the care of their church family at Mariners Santa Ana, Ferny and Omar found hope and healing in the midst of their grief. 

Watch and see how Ferny and Omar grew in their faith together with their community at Mariners Santa Ana!

When Tayler was young, she experienced the trauma and pain of abuse. For many years, she was confused and angry with God. After returning from New York to Orange County to care for her family, Tayler took a step of faith and began coming to Mariners. 

She experienced God’s love through her church family and healing through our Care & Recovery Ministry. Through the support of her community and God’s leading, she began singing again for the first time since the pain of her childhood. 

Watch and see how God moved powerfully in Tayler’s life and gave her a beautiful purpose serving others with her gifts!

“Today, I wake up in prayer. I know I have something bigger than me that I can lean on and rely on.”

After her parents divorce, Laurie fell into patterns of drug use and addiction. She left her family and her children and was repeatedly incarcerated, but eventually, she realized something needed to change. She checked herself into The Villa Treatment Center, where she started attending Mariners Santa Ana each Sunday.

At Mariners Santa Ana, she experienced God’s presence in a new way and decided to put her faith in Jesus and say “I Believe.” She got baptized and started reading her Bible, growing in her faith. Since putting her trust in Jesus, Laurie has seen incredible restoration in her family relationships and in her own heart.

Watch and see how Jesus transformed Laurie’s life and gave her true hope in Him!

“In my old life, there was no peace. In my new life, there is—He gives me grace each and every day.”

Mark worked for the LA Police Department for 29 years, seeing brokenness in the world every day. His heart became hardened as a result, and his personal and family life suffered. He felt ready for a new chapter in his life. When his friend invited him to come to Mariners, he agreed.

Mark got involved with the Safety Team at Mariners, and after weeks of volunteering and hearing the sermon multiple times each weekend, he made the decision to sign up for Rooted. Through Rooted, he decided to put his faith in Jesus and say, “I Believe.” Mark experienced the radical love and forgiveness of Jesus, finding peace in his life.

But God wasn’t finished yet. Watch and see how He used Mark’s story of transformation to impact his family!

Today, Jesus is everything…There is power behind His name and there is hope for anybody that wants hope and wants change.

Growing up, Alex followed his family into a cycle of gang life and addiction, eventually becoming incarcerated. Though he attended church while incarcerated and had a relationship with God, he struggled without the support of a strong community. After being released, he fell back into old patterns of living.

Everything changed when Alex got involved with Mariners at OC Rescue Mission. For the first time, he was surrounded by a community of people who cared for him and encouraged him in his faith. Alex went through Rooted and started serving consistently at a senior living center, using his gift of encouragement to remind others that they are not alone and that there is always hope in Jesus.

Watch and see how God transformed Alex’s life and gave him a new purpose!

“I don’t know where [God is] leading me, but I’ve come to the decision that He has something for me to do, even though I’m 83…so wherever He seems to lead me, I’m glad to follow.”

While visiting her son and daughter-in-law, Lillian attended a Mariners service and immediately discovered the community she had been longing for. After heading home to Washington, she began consistently attending Mariners Online. Through the Mariners Online “I Believe” course, Lillian decided to put her faith in Jesus and get baptized!

At 83 years old, Lillian has become an active member of the Mariners Online community, serving as a Rooted facilitator and getting involved in the ESL program. Despite the physical distance—living in Washington while connecting with people from around the world—she has found a community to serve with and grow in her faith alongside.

Watch and see how Lillian is following God’s call and serving His Kingdom through Mariners Online!

“…If I can do it, you can do it too. I want to make everyone welcome up at my table because Jesus makes everyone welcome up at His table.”

Lucy had always loved cooking. But when she visited the Christmas gift tag lot and learned about refugee children in need of Christmas gifts, she felt God calling her to use her love for cooking in a whole new way. Watch and see how Lucy used her God-given gifts to generously serve others!