About us

Our mission

Bringing glory to God

Bonita Orthodox Presbyterian Church is steadfastly committed to the worshipping of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and thereby bringing glory to God. We seek to bring glory to Him in the preaching of the Gospel and in living as faithful witnesses for Christ.

Our doctrine

Our doctrine is known in most conservative Presbyterian churches as the “Reformed Faith.” It summarizes the most significant doctrines taught in the Bible and is secondary to Scripture, our final authority. These doctrines are set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, with accompanying biblical references.

Read the Confession and Catechisms

How this church began

Bonita began in 1971 as a weeknight prayer group among members of the Point Loma congregation. What follows is the short version of how a prayer meeting became a church with a building on Central Avenue.

1971

A weeknight prayer group forms among members of Point Loma OPC.

1972

The first worship service is held on September 17 at Ella B. Allen School. Forty-four people are present.

1973

The congregation calls Mr. John Garrisi as its first pastor in April, and is received as a particular congregation into the Presbytery of Southern California on September 12.

1977

Ground is broken on the Central Avenue property on April 24. For nine months the congregation does the work itself on Saturday mornings — digging ditches, laying pipe, setting the forms for the foundation — beginning each work day with devotions at eight o’clock.

1977

The first worship service in the finished building is held on Christmas Day.

The building on Central Avenue has been the congregation’s home ever since.

Our church government

The church is no mere human organization or a means to an end. The church is Christ’s body, of which He is the head. As a faithful branch of the true church, the OPC acknowledges Jesus Christ as her only head and His word as the final authority in all matters of faith and life.

It is our desire to be faithful to our Lord, not only in matters of doctrine, but also in matters of structure, government, and order. Accordingly, we have a Presbyterian form of government. Each congregation is governed by a session, which consists of one or more ministers (teaching elders) and a number of ruling elders. Elders must meet the scriptural qualifications for the eldership. They are ordained for life and installed to office.

Ministers are licensed and ordained by regional presbyteries and are called by congregations; ruling elders are elected by congregations. Deacons are elected by congregations to oversee their ministries of mercy. They are ordained, but they do not exercise spiritual rule alongside elders. Non-ordained members often sit on committees that supervise important areas of congregational life, but always under the oversight of the session.

Read the Book of Church Order