What We Believe
Learn More About Our Beliefs
Welcome to the Church of Christ of East Bakersfield. We are delighted you have visited our website and would like to let you know about us. We are a loving and friendly assembly of God’s children who serve him with love and devotion. We invite people of all races, nationalities, and ages to all of our assemblies to worship and partake in Bible classes. We sincerely hope you will find the occasion to visit us.
We are a congregation of the church of Christ that Jesus built by the events recorded in Acts 2. We are not a denomination and do not hold to any manuals or denominational creeds. We recognize Jesus as the only head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and strive to do all under his authority (Colossians 3:17). We accept the Bible as the verbally inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and the final authority for all we do and teach since it is the standard by which we will each be judged (John 12:48).
Our lives and our worship are motivated by a deep and personal love of God (Matthew 22:37) which produces in us a strong desire to do the things that are pleasing to him (John 8:29). Thus, we worship and serve him in “spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). For more information about our worship, please fill out this short form. We invite you to partake in our services.
Steps to Become a Christian
The first thing to do is to hear and research God's word. Romans 10:17 states, "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God". The relationship between the Lord and you is a personal one. All you need to do is hear, study, and understand the word of God.
The second step is to believe. John 20:31 says, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name". At this point, you have studied the Bible and believe that Jesus is the son of God and was crucified for the remission of sin.
Third on this list is repentance. To repent is to turn away from. To understand that you have sinned against God and no longer wish to do that. In Acts, Peter addresses a crowd (Acts 2:38) and says, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
It sets up the foundation of what is required of us to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We need to turn away from sin. If we fail to do so, we cannot live in accordance with God's word.
Step four is confess. We are commanded in Matthew 10:32, "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven". This step is a way to let people bear witness to the commitment that you have made to our God. To verbally stand before people and say I believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior, I believe he died on the cross for my sins.
Step five is baptism. You may notice a lot of other places may not require this step or maybe more lax in whether or not it happens. God has commanded us that our sinful life must die in a watery grave. Then, a new body in Christ's church rises out of the water.
We are given many examples of baptisms in the Bible. Even Jesus being baptized as an example to us all (Matthew 3:16). In Acts 8:36-39 we read about Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Once he received and understood the word of God, he decided to turn away from sin, then he confesses that Jesus Christ is the son of God and was baptized.
The most important is the sixth step. Without it, we still suffer sin and separate ourselves from God and everlasting life in his kingdom. It is to continue, until physical death, to be obedient to the doctrine. Revelations 2:10.
Becoming a Christian is freeing (John 8:32). Following the instructions God has given you will be added to the Church, the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Acts 2:47); given the promise of eternal life in God's kingdom (1 John 2:25); and, upon repentance (Acts 8:22), to seek God’s forgiveness of our sins (1 John 1:7-10) as we continue walking in the light of his word.
Learn More About Our Preachers
Jack Stewart
Jack has been preaching the gospel for over 50 years and preached his first sermon at the age of 16 in the church of Christ that was then meeting in Lamont, CA.
On August 1. 1964, he married Jeanne Blackwell and God blessed them to celebrate 52 years of marriage before her passing in 2017. They have one foster daughter, Linda Baxter, and through her grandchildren, great and great-great-grandchildren.
Jack preached for 16 years at the church of Christ in Lamont and the last 36 years at the East Bakersfield Church of Christ. Jack has held meetings in various congregations in California, Washington, Texas, and Tennessee. He has spoken in several brotherhood lectureships and done extensive teaching on radio and television.
He is currently producing and teaching a 30-minute radio broadcast, Bible Study Time, that has been on local channels in Bakersfield for over 45 years, and is currently broadcast in 12 cities in the US and globally on the Wilkins Radio website.
He was a moderator and panelist for many years on the One Way, later The Words of Life, a live television program that answered Bible questions called in during the broadcast.
He and Jeanne also did extensive work at Yosemite Bible Camp in Oakhurst, CA with Jack directing the camp for several years under the elders of different congregations as well as preparing the lessons for children ages 10 through high school.
He is currently teaching on his Facebook page with Day Starters for each day, Daily Scripture Reading Lists for each week, and advertising the radio program, Bible Study Time, with a list of each topic for the week.
As a minister at the East Bakersfield church of Christ, he preaches two sermons, teaches three Bible Classes each week, and produces the radio program.
Jack gives God the glory for any good thing he has been able to accomplish. God is the giver of the ever-good and perfect gift. (James 1:17)
Mark DeAvila
Mark has worked at North of the River recreational services supervising after-school projects for local children.
Mark attended the Southwest School of Bible studies in Austin, Texas. He has had the privilege to serve as a teacher and trustee for the Torrance Church of Christ in Los Angeles. He maintains a relationship with the Church of Christ in Riga, Latvia, through his missionary works in Eastern Europe.
Married for 17 years to his wife Jasleena, they recently celebrated their son Anthony’s baptism in January 2020. A heart and kidney transplant survivor, Mark and his family have returned to his town, Bakersfield, to give back a portion of the love God has shown to them.
Les Hopper
Les Hopper has been serving in the Church of Christ of East Bakersfield and spreading the word of God.
Church of Christ of East Bakersfield
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