We hope the information provided on this website will give you a glimpse of the many ways we as a church reach out to you. It is our desire to meet spiritual needs, but to also meet the emotional and sometimes physical needs of the hurting people around us, giving hope.

There is also a place of service for those who wish to be a part of our exciting outreach to others.

The following statements will help you understand our church's basic beliefs. We believe:

	In one God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
	That the Bible was given by divine inspiration and contains all truth necessary to faith and living. It is the only rule of faith and practice.
	That man is born with a fallen nature and is, therefore, inclined to evil.
	That the final unrepentant are helplessly and eternally lost.
	That the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race, and that whosoever repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved from the dominion of sin.
	That believers are to live a holy life through faith in Jesus Christ.

My Philosophy of Ministry

I believe the church exists as the body of Christ in our world and that He has clearly stated that the mission of the church is to go into our world to make disciples and to teach them all that He commanded. He told us that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. These commands form the criteria by which the church is to measure its effectiveness.

Every Christian has certain gifts of the Spirit, which are to be used in ministry. The discovery of gifts, equipping of the saints and the use of these gifts is necessary if the church is to fulfill its mission. God gifts some in each congregation for the ministry of helping people discover their gifts and equipping them to use their gifts in ministry to the glory of God. We are all accountable to God and the church for how we use the spiritual gifts God has given to us.

While the business of the church is to be conducted using sound business practices, the church is not a business. It is the expression and extension of Christ in this world. As such, the decisions and work of the church must be undertaken prayerfully in full trust and reliance on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

I believe people are more important than programs. When a program no longer works, or is not working well, prayerful consideration should be given on how to modify the program to make it more effective for the cause of Christ, and for building up people. And though the message of the gospel remains unchanged, the methods of ministry may change as we seek to reach an ever-changing society.

The church exists to proclaim the gospel of Christ to all individuals regardless of race, social or economic status or background, and to help them develop a Christ-likeness in their individual lives. To be effective in reaching our community with the gospel of Christ, we must continually and prayerfully seek God's face. We must remember that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that all who believe on Him may have eternal life. With that in mind, the church will stay focused on its mission and will be used of God to touch lives with the love of Christ.

We look forward to getting acquainted with you. You are special to us!

Hey everyone!  My name is Aaron Caluza.  I am the Student Ministries Director at Long Beach First Church of the Nazarene.  In other words, I get the privilege of serving the junior high and high school students at the church!   I am a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and currently attend Fuller Theological Seminary.  I enjoy awkward moments, soccer and movie quoting with friends.  At the end of the day, though, my greatest passion is found in loving, serving and teaching students.

The Student Ministry at LBF Naz is called "The Wave."   Here is our purpose statement:

The Wave Student Ministry exists to glorify God by revealing His love to junior high and high school students, fusing them into the local and global body of Christ and guiding them to Jesus so that they may live fully.

We are merely a group of leaders and students who desire to see our young people connect with God in a very real and life changing way.  We gather together on Sunday mornings (11am to noon) and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8pm - to talk, laugh and learn about what it means to follow Jesus.

If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email at acaluza@lbfnaz.org or call me in the office at 562) 597-3301.  Hope to see you around or hear from you!

Following,

Aaron Caluza
Matthew 4:19

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