Have you ever felt like you don’t belong in church? Have you ever looked at our world with all its divisiveness and all of its disunity and thought, “there must be another way”?

 

Us too.

 

We the people of Oakland City Church are on a journey of radical inclusion, testifying to Galatians 3:28: “In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ.”

 

Not only does this challenge us to intentionally be in community with those who are different from us, the Holy Spirit convicts us to lower barriers of entry for those not yet in our community. 

 

But that work doesn’t stop within our walls; we are a gathered community working to be the Good News in Oakland and beyond. Micah 6:8 tells us “O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God”.

 

We know that for many, church has been a source of pain, confusion, and trauma. Many have said “all are welcome”, but few have meant it. At Oakland City Church, not only are all welcome, but many serve, lead and belong. We believe LGBTQIA+ folks image God and people from the LGBTQIA+ plus community serve as preachers, elders, teachers, worship leaders, and more!

 

As God shapes, heals, and forms us, we are readied and empowered to be a source of that healing in our city. 

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Our story

Over 2000 years ago, the first church aimed to be a community of people following Jesus’ radical and subversive ministry to “bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, set free those who are oppressed, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18) That first church was revolutionary in the living and sharing of that gospel work. Just as profound was that they strove to do this work in diverse community, in their case both as Jews and gentiles, as well as men and women working together.

 

We, the gathered community of Oakland City Church, endeavor to be the same. When you visit us, you will find that we are a diverse community, not only racially and ethnically, but also theologically. We are people who come from faith backgrounds that are catholic, pentecostal, evangelical, reformed and much more. There are even those among us with no church background and those traveling a spiritual pilgrimage to discover what it is they believe. All are welcome!

 

Our mission

"We are people who don't belong together, gathered around Jesus for the sake of those who do not belong". This compelling statement has been with us since the beginning and continues to inspire, convict, and challenge us. 

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There are three key areas where we live out this mission:

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1. Intentional, brave, and honest communication: Being a diverse community takes work! Just as it was modeled in the early Christian church in Acts 15, our leadership team works together to facilitate healthy communication. We strive to communicate honestly and with curiosity among the church body, staff, volunteers, community partners, and donors, especially in ways that emphasize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. 

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2. Discipleship and Christian maturity: We are committed to discipleship models that encourage and challenge each of us to grow more like Christ. This involves creating opportunities for spiritual growth, learning, and mentorship for families and individuals of all ages, abilities, race, and identities. Whether it’s in our Sunday worship service, a midweek Bible study, a community group, being a part of our praise and worship team, or in children’s ministry, you will be both encouraged and challenged in your faith. Galatians 3:26 says “for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” Life in Christ is a beautiful paradox. The more we strengthen our faith, the more we are like Christ. And because we are in Christ, our faith will be strengthened. 

 

3. Justice and City Engagement: Micah 6:8 instructs: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” At OCC, we believe that the work of discipleship leads us to be empathetic and passionate about God’s world. Our work in justice and engagement within Oakland is a critical part of our calling and discipleship equips us to do this. We aim to be a transformative presence in our city, working towards equity, inclusion, and justice in all we do.

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What to expect if you are new here

One of the first things you will notice about OCC is how friendly we are! We smile a lot, laugh even more, and wear name tags so you won’t have to remember each name after your first week. We even have snacks and coffee!

Our service style is very casual and our music ranges from contemporary praise and worship music to gospel to traditional hymns. You will notice that we have weekly communion and all who would like it are enthusiastically welcomed to the table, including kids. Our service length averages about 75 minutes. 

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We have both a nursery for infants and weekly Sunday programming for kids of all ages during the service; although kids and babies are always welcome in the sanctuary too. As far as curriculum, we use Godly Play for young kids and lower elementary school students and grades 4 and up utilize the program, Dwell. Kids are dismissed from their classes right after the sermon, so they can join their parents in the service for communion. However, infants remain in the nursery until they are picked up by their parents after the service. All teachers and caregivers have submitted to background checks.