No way. We are a church for people who’ve never been to church. We know you’re visiting and we like you. Feel comfortable to be yourself.

The leaders typically wear jeans and T-shirts. Everyone will be dressed in what’s comfortable. Some people rock button-ups. Others drop Ts. If you look extra snazzy, more power to you. Feel comfortable to be yourself.

Each weekend we gather to hear fresh, relevant teaching from the Bible that will impact your real life. We speak to non-christians and christians alike because we’re a church that exists for our city. A band leads us in a time of musical worship to Jesus. We have response times where people can go be prayed for, take communion (eat bread and drink juice remembering what Jesus did for us), or give to the mission.

You might hear stories or updates about exciting things happening in the church. We use a lot of videos for teaching and communication.

If you’re new, we don’t pressure you to give money or take communion. We give as a church to create space for you. We genuinely care about you and you’re our valued guest.

Not if you won’t judge us. It would actually be hard for you to have more tattoos than the people at Rise. We have a lot of tattoos. Pink hair is totally cool. We love that you're different and welcome you to join us!

Honestly, as serious as it gets. We’re excited you asked. We believe the Bible is the authority of God, inerrant, living, active, and powerful to transform not only our lives but our whole city. We love the Bible. We’re getting goose-bumps just thinking about it.

Actually, we think we can simultaneously speak to both Christians and non-Christians. We are persuaded that when you teach robust biblical doctrine, you will connect with the culture and serve those who’ve never stepped foot in a Church. We think doing that in a way that intentionally addresses the questions the culture around is asking is the pattern of the early church in Acts and should be the pattern today. Paul who became “all things to all people” that God might save some is a clear example.

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it well: “The Church is the Church only when it exists for others…” So we're going to teach the foundational doctrines of scripture, yet, speak them in a way so someone new to Christianity can understand.

We might as well be the opposite. We are a Gospel-preaching, Gospel-driven, Gospel-drenched, Gospel-centered church. We are all about Jesus. We believe in serious, sound, scriptural teaching, which excludes the prosperity and the poverty Gospel alike. At the same time we don’t shy away from God’s command to be generous, nor any other command, for that matter. Our motivation, message, and method is Jesus in everything! Because Jesus + nothing = everything.

We are what some would call a non-denominational church, in that we are not tied to any denomination and are led by qualified local leaders.

That being said, we think there’s tremendous value and importance to being anchored in the Historic Christian Confessions, imbued by the wisdom of Christian history, and affiliated with the doctrinally sound Christian “tribes” of our day.

In many ways our church is a rare blend of the two tribes: the theologically meaty teaching of teachers like: Matt Chandler, Charles Spurgeon, Chuck Smith, John Piper, Charles Stanley, Augustine of Hippo, RC Sproul, and JC Ryle--AND--the passionate, creative, worship culture of churches like Mosaic Church LA, Hillsong Church, Churchome, or Elevation Church. We know that’s unique combo. But it’s a space we feel Jesus has called us to.