What We Believe

About Salvation

We believe that salvation is wholly dependent on the grace of God: no person can earn his or her way into heaven. Once we sinned, it was impossible for us to remove our own sins; instead, we become enslaved to sin which leaves to death (Romans 6:16). It is by the grace of God Jesus died on the cross. It is also by the grace of God we can know the gospel, believe in the gospel, and obey the gospel.


Whenever we hear the gospel, God is tenderly calling for us to come home; however, we must respond to the call of the gospel. First, we must hear the good news of the gospel (Romans 10:17). Once we hear God’s word, we can choose to believe it or reject it (John 3:36). It is not enough, however, to believe in God. We read that demons believe in God, but they are not saved (James 2:19). There were many who believed in Jesus but were not willing to confess and follow Him because they loved the praise of man more than the praise of God (John 12:42, 43). We must make the decision to turn away from living a sinful life (Acts 2:38), confess Jesus is Christ (Matt. 10:32, 33), and be baptized in order to have our sins washed away (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). When we are baptized, we become children of God and are placed into God’s family, putting on Christ and becoming a member of the church Christ built (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27). It is the church Jesus will save in the end (Eph. 5:23).


About Christian Living

We believe that, as Christians, we are called a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (1 Pet. 2:9). This does not mean our Christian walk is over; in fact, it has only just begun! We are to walk worthy of God’s calling (Eph. 4:1), growing in maturity with Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-9), and walking in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26). When we sin, we are able to ask for forgiveness through prayer, and our God is just and able to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9). We must remain faithful to God every single day, trusting in His promises, His forgiveness, and His love.

About God

We believe God is the Creator of the universe and the Sustainer of life (Acts 17:24, 25). God exists in three distinct personalities: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15). The God we serve is described as being love (1 John 4:8), the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3), and the only One who deserves our praise (Psalm 145:1-3).


We believe the Bible is the perfect word of God. All Scripture is inspired by God and provides everything we need to live a life pleasing to Him (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Pet. 1:3). The Bible did not originate with man, but men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and He guided the apostles into all truth after Jesus ascended into heaven (John 16:13). The Bible contains the gospel of Jesus Christ, and when we obey God’s word we find salvation for our souls (Romans 1:16; James 1:21).

About Sin

We believe that, while we were created in the image of God, all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). By turning away from God’s word we are separated from God because of this sin (Isaiah 59:2). What is so amazing about God is He had a plan ready for when His people turned away from Him. God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross as a replacement sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:6; Romans 3:25). It took the blood of Jesus, who had no sin (1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5), to wash away our own (1 John 1:7).

History

The Upland Church of Christ has been in existence since February 25, 1940 when approximately 40 people met together in facilities rented from the Upland Womens Building at 590 North Second Ave. The history of the Upland Church of Christ is the shared stories of the lives of all the individuals who have been a part of the Upland congregation throughout the years.


By October 1944, the congregation had grown sufficiently that they were able to purchase a building of their own, a former mortuary located at 201 N. First Ave . The auditorium was enlarged to hold 150 people. Even with this renovation, two services were required to hold all the members of the congregation. This was the case for several years before the congregation moved to its current location. 


The congregation purchased an extensive plot of land on Ninth St. during the early 1950s. Construction of the building that houses the congregation today at 331 W. Ninth St. was begun in August 1958. Most of the labor was provided by volunteers from the congregation. Six months later the building was finished and the congregation first met together in their new home on February 9, 1959. Due to the need for more space, a multipurpose building was added in 1986. 


In the early 1970s, part of the property behind the church building was donated to Sunset Haven for the purpose of providing residential care for senior citizens. In 1977, Sunset Haven opened an assisted living center at this site. Many members from the Upland Church of Christ were active volunteers in its operation. In 1992, a skilled nursing facility was added through the combined fund raising efforts of the Upland Church of Christ and other congregations in the greater Los Angeles/San Bernardino area and the name changed to Christian Heritage Care Center. This facility was later sold and is now known as Heritage Court.  



Today the congregation is composed of people with a wide variety of backgrounds but a common love for Christ and his church. The group of people that comprises the Upland Church of Christ extends a warm welcome to all who would like to join us as we  worship, fellowship and serve together.