A South Bay Congregation with a Century of Roots
Tucked into a corner of the South Bay of Los Angeles, Journey of Faith began in 1911 when a small group of families started meeting to share the love of Jesus in the beach cities. More than a century later, the church has grown into a multi-site congregation with campuses in Manhattan Beach and Torrance, an online community that streams every Sunday, an early childhood school, a year-round calendar of kids and student programs, and a network of missionaries supported on five continents. Its self-described mission is simple and consistent: inviting people to follow Jesus to make a difference in their world.
The legal entity behind the church is Community Baptist Church of Manhattan Beach, and Journey of Faith is its doing-business-as name. Tax-exempt status is provided under the Conservative Baptist Association of Southern California, and the church is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with bylaws and a board of elders who are elected by the members.
Two Campuses, One Sunday
Journey of Faith meets for worship at two physical locations each Sunday, with both services available online as well.
The Manhattan Beach campus sits at 1243 Artesia Boulevard. Free parking is available in the church lot, in the adjoining school parking lot, and on surrounding streets, though visitors are reminded to check street signs for time limits. The Torrance campus is at 2917 Lomita Boulevard in Torrance, with parking behind the building and along neighboring streets. Both campuses hold services at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and the livestream originates from the Manhattan Beach auditorium.
A Sunday gathering typically runs about an hour. The worship team leads a few songs, and then a member of the teaching team brings a message drawn from the Bible. Teaching rotation includes Lead Pastor Jason Cusick, Executive Director of Family Ministries Jill Lewolt, Executive Director of Adult Ministries Krista Reyna, and other voices from the team. Services are streamed live, with replays posted for those who cannot attend in person. The church also hosts a live chat during the online service so viewers can ask questions and connect with others.
The dress code is intentionally relaxed. As the Plan a Visit page puts it, "everyone is welcome regardless of attire." Service animals trained to assist a person with a disability are welcome in all public areas, and the team works with visitors who have other accessibility needs. Backpacks and large bags are not permitted inside the auditorium unless clear or checked, and a locked bag-storage area is available in the lobby.
Journey Kids from Nursery Through Preteen
Journey Kids is offered every Sunday during both services at both campuses. Children are grouped by age into a Nursery (around eight weeks to twenty-three months), Preschool (ages three through kindergarten), Elementary (first through third grade), and Preteen (fourth and fifth grade). Each group gathers in an age-appropriate room with its own lessons, games, crafts, and small group time.
At Manhattan Beach, the Nursery and the Harbor Building (which houses the older kids environments) sit side by side, and a Courtyard in front of the Harbor Building handles first-time check-in. At Torrance, the kids environments are reached through the main lobby to the right as you enter the building. Every child is checked in using a security-tag system with a unique QR code printed at electronic kiosks; the same tag is required for pick-up. A text-message system keeps parents reachable during the service.
The Journey Kids team has built a special needs program called Explorers that uses a buddy system and one-on-one aid so children with disabilities can experience the same lessons as their peers. Both campuses also have a Family Room where nursing mothers and infants can watch the service together. Children with symptoms of illness (fever, cough, diarrhea, rash, and so on) are asked to stay home until they have been symptom-free for twenty-four hours, with weekly online video content available as an alternative.
Volunteers and staff in every kids environment must pass a background check and complete Mandated Reporter training, and the church uses a designated isolation room if a child becomes ill during a service. Mid-week childcare, including Life Group childcare and Moms Morning Out, is offered at additional times throughout the year. Families can pre-register online before their first visit to speed up the process.
Journey Students: Middle and High School
Journey Students, often called JSM, exists for middle and high schoolers. On Sunday mornings, middle school students meet in their own environment during one of the adult services - at 9:00 a.m. at Manhattan Beach (in Harbor 303) and at 11:00 a.m. at Torrance (in the Student Center). They gather for a youth-led message, small group time, and donuts. JSM does not meet on the first Sunday of the month or on holiday weekends.
Mid-week is the heart of the student ministry. Both middle and high school students come on Tuesday evenings to the Manhattan Beach campus, with middle school from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and high school from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The night includes food, games, worship with a live band, a practical teaching time, and gender- and age-specific small groups. High schoolers at Torrance have an additional Sunday evening small group that meets from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the Torrance campus.
The student team maintains separate Instagram feeds for middle school (Ignite) and high school (Amplified), a parent newsletter, and a JSM Teaching Podcast that releases the weekly message. Each summer the ministry takes more than three hundred students and leaders to Hume Lake Christian Camps in the Sequoia National Forest for a week of camp, with payment plans and cabin buddy requests available during registration.
Journey School: Early Childhood Education
Journey School is a year-round early childhood program operated as a ministry of the church. It serves children from six weeks old through Transitional Kindergarten, with programs for infants and toddlers, two-year-olds, three-year-olds, and a four-year-old / TK class.
The program emphasizes a loving, child-led environment with multi-sensory activities, hands-on learning, art, sensory play, music and movement, and children's literature. The Biblically integrated early-childhood thematic curriculum is paired with phonics lessons and the Learning Without Tears and Zoo Phonics curricula in the older preschool classes to prepare children for kindergarten. Teachers share daily photos and regular communication with families and host special events throughout the school year.
Tuition is published for full-day, Monday through Friday care. Current monthly rates include the infant/toddler program at $1,925, the two-year-old class at $1,730, the three-year-old class at $1,575, and the four-year-old / TK class at $1,525. The school is directed by Nancy Kim, M.Ed., who joined the team in 2018 and holds a Master's in Educational Leadership and Administration along with Early Childhood Education certificates. Journey School admits students of any race, color, national, or ethnic origin and does not discriminate in its admissions or programs. Parents interested in the program can request an information packet through the school's online form or call (310) 374-0583.
Groups: Life Groups, Table Groups, Care Groups
The church describes its philosophy with a phrase: "life is best lived in circles, not rows." Three kinds of groups make up the small-group ministry.
Life Groups are groups of about twelve people who meet in homes around the community for prayer, Bible discussion, and fellowship. There are groups for women, men, co-ed, and young adults, meeting on different days of the week depending on the group. Table Groups meet on campus for an evening hosted around a table with a designated host leading discussion. Care Groups are short-term support groups designed for people walking through specific challenges. The church also runs an ongoing list of recommended video Bible studies and podcasts available through Right Now Media, the Bible Project, and other partners.
Anyone interested in leading a group can apply through the volunteer form. The church notes that a leader does not need to be a Bible expert, a homeowner with space to host, or a trained teacher; the only requirements are a willingness to offer hospitality, facilitate discussion, and help people feel welcomed.
Care Ministry: Walking Through Hard Things Together
The Care Ministry exists to support the congregation through illness, grief, relationship struggles, financial hardship, and other difficult seasons. The team offers prayer, support groups, counseling referrals, and tangible assistance. A prayer request form and a separate care-needs request are both available online, and the church publishes a downloadable resource guide of local and national care providers.
Care Groups meet in the fall and spring and include GriefShare, a thirteen-week workshop for those grieving the death of a loved one; DivorceCare, a thirteen-week video-based program for those healing from separation or divorce; a four-week co-ed Depression and Anxiety support group led by a clinical psychologist; Grace Families, a monthly gathering for parents seeking practical insights for loving their LGBTQ+ children with both conviction and compassion; and a Caregiver Support group for those caring for others. Each of the thirteen-week programs has a $25 fee.
Outreach and Global Mission Partners
The Outreach ministry runs local and global mission efforts. Locally, the church supports foster care initiatives, partners with organizations serving those experiencing homelessness, and responds to natural and manmade disasters. The church's mission partner profile includes Joseph Bradford IV, who runs B.A.R.E. Truth, Inc., a Los Angeles nonprofit that mentors individuals and families facing homelessness and food insecurity, leads independent living and wellness support, and hosts weekly feeding events on Skid Row.
Globally, Journey of Faith financially supports a long list of missionaries and families serving with organizations like Bible Believing Churches and Missions, REAP International, World in Need International, Wycliffe, Seed Company, JAARS, World Team, Frontiers UK, Youth With a Mission, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and SOS International. Their fields include India, Central Europe and the Middle East, the Philippines, the UK, the South Pacific, Nepal, France, Mexico, Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and several parts of the United States. The ministries range from church planting and indigenous pastor development to Bible translation, missionary care, refugee outreach, and youth development.
Beliefs and Membership
Journey of Faith teaches belief in one God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection. The church affirms that the Father is the creator and sustainer of all things, that Jesus is the Father's one and only Son, fully God and fully man, who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit is wholly God, sent to convict the world of sin, comfort believers, empower them for witness, and give them new life.
The Bible is described as fully inspired by God, without error in the original manuscripts, and the supreme authority for faith and conduct. The church teaches that everyone has sinned and needs salvation, that forgiveness is offered through Jesus' death and resurrection, and that those who accept Jesus' forgiveness and leadership receive eternal life by grace. The church practices two ordinances: the Lord's Supper (communion) and baptism of believers by immersion. Members affirm that followers of Christ are called to love God and love others, be wise stewards of their gifts and possessions, and pursue a meaningful life shaped by Scripture.
Membership itself is voluntary and is a way of saying "I agree with your beliefs and want to join your mission." Members vote to elect the elders who serve as the church's corporate board, and the church operates under a Policy Governance Model. By-laws are publicly available for review.
Baptism by Immersion
Baptism is described as a public declaration that a person has decided to follow Jesus and begin a new life connected to God. Journey of Faith practices baptism by immersion, the method used in the Bible, because it symbolizes dying to old ways and being raised to new life in Christ. The church offers baptism on campus and at the beach several times a year, and can also arrange a backyard pool baptism for smaller gatherings. Children are baptized once they are old enough to express their own decision to follow Jesus.
Volunteering and Getting Started
Serving is one of the main on-ramps into the community. Volunteer teams include Behind-the-Scenes (facilities, finance, and office support during the week), Care, Groups leadership, Guest Experience (parking, greeting, refreshments, auditorium hosts, and safety), Kids, Students, and Production (camera, video, sound, lighting, and directing). Worship volunteers serve on Sunday mornings and at special events such as baptism services and worship nights.
All volunteers who work with children or youth, and now all volunteers church-wide, are required to be fingerprinted through the California Department of Justice and the FBI via Live Scan, in keeping with California AB 506. A volunteer application is the first step, and ministry coordinators schedule fingerprint appointments from there.
New Believers and the Start Your Journey Class
The New Believers ministry offers a four-step framework for those just beginning to follow Jesus: read the Bible regularly, be engaged at church, find a group for support, and start to serve. The church recommends the YouVersion Bible app and Bible reading plans such as "New Believers: 7 Steps for New Christians" and "Who is Jesus" for those new to the Bible, along with the Bible Project's free videos and other recommended podcasts.
Start Your Journey is a four-week class for those who are either exploring faith or just beginning their walk. Groups launch several times a year, and the next session was scheduled to begin in September.
Giving and Finances
Generosity is described as an act of worship, gratitude, and trust, and giving supports ministry locally and around the world. Gifts can be made online through the church's giving platform, dropped in giving boxes on Sundays, or mailed to the Manhattan Beach address. Recurring and one-time gifts can be set up online, and contribution statements are available through the Church Center account. Contributions must be received or postmarked by December 31 to count toward that year's statement. Stock, bond, estate, and legacy gifts are also accepted; the Finance Team can be reached at finance@journeyoffaith.com or (424) 327-6525. Gifts are tax deductible; the church is a 501(c)(3) with Federal ID Number 95-191154.
Leadership and Staff
The team is led by Jason Cusick, Lead Pastor and Elder. Jill Lewolt serves as Executive Director of Family Ministries and Manhattan Beach Campus Pastor. Esther Choi is the Student Ministries Pastor. Krista Reyna is the Executive Director of Adult Ministries. Ryan Kingsman is the Executive Director of Experience, and Sharon Peirce is the Executive Director of Operations.
The ministry teams include Sophie Long as Journey Kids Director, Ashley Chaney as Worship Director with Jacob Early as Associate Worship Director and Langston Theard as Music Director, Marc Chaney as Production Director, Ashley Diehl as Communications Director, Emily Escalante as Outreach Director with Lily Jukosky as Outreach Coordinator, Rachael Louis as Connections Director, Kim Herrera as Nursery Director, Diana Ortiz as Journey Kids Associate, Joyful Bush as Guest Experience and Social Media Coordinator, Lily Luna as Family Ministry Guest Experience and Department Coordinator, Judi Storie as Marriage and Bereavement Coordinator, and Krissy Sorensen as Adult Ministry Coordinator. Nancy Kim, M.Ed., leads Journey School. Kathy Haines serves as Finance Director, Derrick Haines as Facilities Director, and Sharon Peirce oversees operations.
The elders who serve on the church's corporate board are Bill Hall, Cary Walker, Chip Adams, Dan Charlin, Gregg DeNeui, Jim Evans, Mark Bishay, and Stu Johnson, with Jason Cusick also serving as an elder.
Contact and Locations
The main address is 1243 Artesia Boulevard in Manhattan Beach, California 90266. The phone number is (424) 327-6500 and the general inbox is info@journeyoffaith.com. The Torrance campus is located at 2917 Lomita Boulevard in Torrance, California 90505. The church is active on social media at jofsocal on Facebook and Instagram, with a YouTube channel and a TikTok presence for the student ministry. A weekly e-newsletter, a prayer-request form, a care-needs form, a member-interest form, and a connect form are all available online.