Three Campuses, One Family Across Southern California
Loveland Church stretches across Southern California with three campuses that meet on different days and times: a Saturday gathering in Santa Monica, two Sunday services in the Inland Empire, and a Wednesday night Bible study back at the Fontana hub. Founded as First Baptist Church of North Fontana in 1949 and reborn as Loveland in 1981 under Pastor Chuck Singleton, the church now describes itself as a multi-cultural Christian community where the gospel of Jesus Christ is taught with practical biblical preaching and contemporary worship led by a live band.
The Fontana campus sits at 17977 Merrill Avenue, with Sunday services at 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM and a Wednesday Night Bible Study in the middle of the week. The High Desert campus, located at 9875 Seventh Avenue in Hesperia, meets at 9:15 AM on Sundays. The Santa Monica campus, at 2001 4th Street, holds its weekly worship service at 1:00 PM on Saturdays. All three campuses share the same doctrinal commitments, leadership philosophy, and outreach focus, and each can be followed through the church's livestream on YouTube and the Loveland online platform.
From First Baptist of North Fontana to Loveland
The story of Loveland begins on May 13, 1949, when a small congregation called First Baptist Church of North Fontana was founded. For decades the church lived a quiet life in the Inland Empire, but everything changed in 1981. By then, Pastor Chuck Singleton had been leading the church for six years. Standing before the congregation, he declared that God had called them to become "Loveland." A faithful nucleus from First Baptist followed him into the new name, and within months, more than 500 believers gathered at a new facility at the corner of Sierra and Baseline Avenues in Fontana.
The growth was swift. Within two years, Loveland had added a third Sunday morning service. By 1984, the church was running four Sunday morning services plus two evening services. A high-tech tent became the Praise Tabernacle in 1988, seating 1,200 to 1,500 people in a single service. By the early 1990s, the church had moved its Sunday worship to the gymnasium at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga while waiting for its next permanent home. The Los Angeles Times and several national publications listed Loveland among the 100 best-attended and 15 fastest-growing churches in the United States during those years.
A second campus opened in June 1998 as Loveland Santa Monica, and additional ministry space followed in Rialto, including the administrative offices, the Centre for Successful Living (a welfare-to-work program for women), and the Jubilee Pantry food and clothing ministry. Today, Loveland operates from the Fontana main campus at 17977 Merrill Avenue, the High Desert campus in Hesperia, and the Santa Monica campus, supported by a vocational staff of 35 and over 150 lay leaders across 85 ministries. Senior Pastor Chuck Singleton, who came to the church in 1975 and renamed it six years later, still leads the congregation alongside his wife Charlyn and their four sons, one of whom, Corey, also serves on the pastoral team.
Drawing, Winning, Building, Sending
Loveland sums up its ministry philosophy with four words: Draw, Win, Build, Send. The church aims to draw people who do not yet know Christ, win their hearts to the Lord, build their lives up through the full counsel of God, and send them out to win others. Every ministry, from the smallest children's class to the senior outreach, is designed around this cycle.
Underneath this practical cycle lies a deeper theological vision. The church's vision statement describes its goal as creating an environment where "triumphant cross-cultural followers of Christ" live in the world "radiating the glory of GOD in holiness, happiness (Joy), and healthiness." Long-term, the leadership envisions a main campus of 21,000 with daughter churches multiplying from it, supported by a pastoral-to-member ratio of one pastor for every 200 members and an engaged laity of 7,000 "Vision Casters." The vision extends to seven nations through partnerships, books and publications, two television programs, conferences, and crusades that share what the church calls the "Loveland lifestyle."
Worship on Sundays and Saturdays
Loveland describes itself as a place where "all ages, all nationalities, all races, all backgrounds, all people" are welcome. The Sunday and Saturday services feature contemporary praise music with a live band, warm greetings for visitors and regulars, and practical, biblical teaching aimed at every generation, culture, race, and background.
There is no dress code. Visitors are invited to wear whatever makes them comfortable, whether a tuxedo or a t-shirt and shorts. Visitors are welcomed at every service without being put on the spot, and the church has been noted by national publications for the warm reception it offers newcomers. Nursery care is available during the 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM Fontana services, and a children's church runs alongside the second worship service.
For those who cannot attend in person, services are livestreamed on the church's online platform and YouTube channel. The LoveConnect app, built on the Subsplash platform, carries messages, daily Bible verses, devotionals, and chat groups to keep members connected throughout the week.
From the Nursery Through Young Adults
Loveland has structured children's ministry into three age groups, each designed to introduce kids to the Bible in ways appropriate to their stage.
The Loveland Lil Kids program serves infants through kindergarteners (six months to five years old) during the 7:30 AM and 10:30 AM services. Parents provide a cell phone number at check-in so teachers can reach them by call or text if a child becomes upset. Matching wrist bracelets on parent and child add a layer of security. The classroom rotates through five sections: play time, a Bible story using Lifeway Bible Stories for Life materials, singing and music, crafts, and snacks (Cheez-It crackers, animal crackers, graham crackers, juice, and water). The room is peanut free, and a well-child policy asks that children with runny noses, fresh colds, fevers, rashes, persistent coughs, or diarrhea be kept at home. Teachers complete an orientation, a potential teacher class, and Loveland's required Step One training before serving.
Loveland Kids is the children's church for elementary-age students. It begins at 10:45 AM at the Fontana campus, with age-appropriate classes, Bible games, trivia, object lessons, Christ-focused discussions, and Christmas and Easter programs. Vacation Bible School runs one week in the summer, usually in July, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM in the evenings, with daily Bible lessons, scripture memory, object lessons, singing, crafts, games, and a free dinner each night. VBS welcomes ages 4 through 15 and is open to the wider community. Harvest Family Night, held on October 31, fills the campus with food, rides, games, trunk-or-treat, and family-friendly contests in a gated environment; costumes are welcome, with an encouragement toward positive and biblical character.
PACK Youth is Loveland's ministry for teens ages 13 to 18. It focuses on three goals taken straight from Scripture: Love God (Matthew 22:37-40), Strengthen Christians (Matthew 25:31-46), and Help people to know God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Youth Church meets at 10:45 AM on Sundays, with discussion-based Bible teaching that addresses real questions teens face about friendships, identity, the existence of God, the truth of the Bible, and how to grow as a Christian. A separate Youth Sunday School runs from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, with the boys in a Boys 2 Men class and the girls in Lady by Choice, both centered on working through a chapter of the Bible together. Outside of class time, the group hangs out at the beach, the movies, restaurants, and each other's homes, building the kind of friendships that make faith stick.
PLEDGE Young Adults is Loveland's ministry for 18-to-25-year-olds. Bible Discussions meet every Thursday from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at Panera Bread in Fontana, walking through a book of the Bible line by line and addressing questions like "Am I wrong for not wanting to go to church every Sunday?" and "What do I have to do to go to heaven?" Both PACK Youth and PLEDGE are led by Pastor Corey Singleton, the youngest son of the senior pastor.
Women, Men, and Covenant Couples
Loveland Women gathers ladies together for spiritual enrichment, fellowship, and outreach. Two weekly Bible studies anchor the ministry: Women in the Word on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and Women Helping Women on Fridays from 12:00 to 1:30 PM in the In the Grove Cafe at the Loveland Ontario main campus, with light refreshments. The ministry is led by Pastor Charlyn Singleton, who also runs the annual God's Woman and God's Young Woman Conference, drawing thousands of women and daughters to the Palm Springs area the last week of July each year. Charlyn is a Bible teacher, motivational speaker, health advocate, and author of several books, including The Journey From Pain to Purpose.
Loveland Men works to unleash the unique gifts and talents of men for the benefit of their families, the church, and the world. Through friendship, accountability, and Bible teaching, the ministry equips men to live Christ-like lives in their everyday callings.
The Covenant Couples Ministry strengthens marriages across God's Kingdom through Sunday School classes, retreats, conferences, counseling, and fellowship. It encourages couples joined in the covenant of marriage with biblical teaching, friendship, and mentorship.
Counseling, Small Groups, and Chat
Loveland runs a SOULCARE Counseling department staffed by Dr. Robert C. Smith, Senior Counselor, and Dr. Chuck Singleton, Senior Pastor. The team works with the whole person, mind, body, and spirit, drawing on 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Counseling specializations include marriage and family issues (pre-marital and re-marital counseling, blended families, multiracial families, domestic violence, internet pornography, sexual addiction, online infidelity, and communication), teens and singles issues (sexual identity, bullying, sexting, dating, gang involvement, drugs and alcohol, self-esteem, and abstinence), and spiritual warfare issues (uncontrollable thoughts or voices, religious abuse, Ouija board involvement, and occult practices). The counseling ministry is built on Proverbs 11:9 and 15:22, the wisdom of many counselors.
Small groups of 5 to 25 people meet regularly across all three campuses to study the Bible, pray, and share life together. Chat groups on the LoveConnect app add an online option for members who cannot attend in person, with current groups focused on topics ranging from Song of Solomon to dealing with life's hardest seasons.
Jubilee Pantry, Adopt-a-Block, Convalescent Outreach, and House of Hope
Loveland's outreach network is unusually broad. The Jubilee Pantry, located in Rialto, provides emergency food and clothing for individuals and families, feeding between 700 and 1,100 people each month. The mission of the pantry is to reduce hunger among the homeless, the elderly, and those who would otherwise go without meals, providing food at no cost as an expression of Christ's love.
The Adopt a Block Street Ministry is an evangelistic outreach that goes into communities asking what their greatest needs are. Volunteers bring groceries, water, job opportunity lists, resources, and the unaltered Word of God, with the goal of meeting needs both physical and spiritual.
The Convalescent Outreach brings song, Bible reading, prayer, testimonies, and laughter to people in convalescent homes and hospitals, those unable to walk, talk, or sing for themselves. The team often finds that they go to minister and end up being ministered to.
House of HOPE is a transitional housing initiative with the vision of "generating HOPE and transforming lives" through a wrap-around program that moves individuals from homelessness or chemical dependency to independence, with productivity and sustainability at its core. The ministry seeks to build, fill, expand, and duplicate sustainable team-based transitional homes for the homeless, the chemically dependent, and the underserved in San Bernardino County.
Loveland also operates the Centre for Successful Living (a welfare-to-work program for women that teaches basic English, math, office skills, life skills, career planning, and job survival), the Christian Awareness Alcohol and Drug Program (CAAP-D, an outpatient substance counseling program in San Bernardino), True Vine (a long-term inpatient Christian discipleship program for men recovering from drugs and alcohol on a rural ranch in Lucerne Valley), and Sonrise Senior Citizen Apartments (an 84-unit senior living complex offering affordable housing for the elderly).
The Max Life and Tri-Fit Believers
A signature of Loveland's teaching is what Pastor Chuck Singleton calls the "Max Life" message. Max Life is about walking as a "Tri-Fit" believer: spiritually fit, mentally fit, and physically fit, so that the whole person is developed to the glory of God.
Spiritual fitness means pursuing holiness through sanctification, becoming more like Christ. Mental fitness means being healed from hurts and pains through the renewing of the mind, drawn from Romans 12:2. Physical fitness means stewarding the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Health and Fitness Ministry builds on these three areas, promoting wellness of body, mind, and spirit among the Loveland community and the broader Inland Empire.
The Max Life message frames a worldview Loveland calls the "Loveland lifestyle," which the church seeks to share through conferences and crusades with other church communities, through media (books, publications, and television programs), and through international partnerships. Pastor Chuck's book, "What I Choose To Think Today," invites readers into daily peace-filled thinking rooted in Isaiah 26:3: "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You."
What Loveland Believes
Loveland's doctrinal statement is laid out in fourteen articles. The church holds to the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Bible; the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the full deity and sinless humanity of Jesus Christ; the substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross; salvation by grace through faith alone; and the priesthood of all believers. The church teaches the reality of angels, the fall of Lucifer and his demons, and the future judgment and binding of Satan.
Loveland affirms the gifts of the Holy Spirit for today, including tongues, prophecy, and the charismatic gifts described in 1 Corinthians 12, with the rule that all gifts must be exercised "decently and in order." The church practices two ordinances, water baptism and the Lord's Supper, as New Testament testimonies of the faith. It teaches the imminent return of Christ, the bodily resurrection of the dead, the conscious bliss of believers with Christ after death, and the conscious condemnation of the unbelieving until the final judgment.
Sanctification is understood in three senses: the believer's already-complete position in Christ, the progressive work of the Holy Spirit in this life, and the final state of holiness at the return of Christ. Discipline and restoration are practiced as a relational work of the church, marked by meekness, humility, and dependence on Scripture. Church government places the implementation of God's vision in the hands of fallible but Spirit-filled leaders, working through a group dynamic of elders, pastors, teachers, deacons, and apostles.
The Pastoral Team
Loveland is led by Senior Pastor Chuck Singleton, who holds a Doctorate in Theology and has served the church since 1975. He is also the founder of Kaleidoscope Global Network, an international coalition of faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and community organizations addressing global inequality through a framework of shared moral and spiritual values. A former chaplain speaker for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Raiders (now Las Vegas Raiders), Chuck has addressed the California State Assembly, the Dirksen Senate Office Building, the National Evangelical Association, the National Baptist Convention, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Pastor Charlyn Singleton serves as Pastor of Women's Ministry and God's Woman Conferences. She holds a B.S. in Applied Business Management, an MBA in Organizational Management, and a Doctorate in Theology, and is a certified Precept Ministries Bible Study leader. She has ministered across the United States and overseas, including in London, Ghana, the Bahamas, and Israel.
Pastor Billy Bauer is the Executive Pastor of Business Administration. He joined Loveland's vocational staff in 1989 and has served in nearly every area of ministry, from janitor to Pastor of Christian Education. He also serves on the ministry team at the High Desert campus.
Pastor Corey Singleton leads the youth and young adult ministries and oversees the children's ministry, worship services, music ministry, and church communications. He has been on staff at Loveland since 2005 and has studied Applied Theology and Philosophy at California Baptist University.
Pastor Hugh Hairston is the Campus Pastor for the High Desert campus, with responsibilities for pastoral care, benevolence, bereavement, Jubilee Pantry, Adopt-a-Block, missions, and the Loveland Lifestyle magazine. A former Air Force veteran and airline industry professional who accepted Christ in 1984, he has traveled for disaster relief and missions in Texas, Louisiana, Thailand, the Philippines, and the streets of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Pastor Robert Smith serves as Pastor of Discipleship and Counseling. He holds a B.A. from Houston Baptist University, an M.Div. from the International School of Theology, a Th.D. from Evangel Christian University of America, and a D.Min. in Marriage and Family Counseling from Denver Seminary. A Vietnam veteran and former Marine, he is also the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Compton, California, and a contributing writer for several Christian publications.
LoveConnect, Giving, and Getting Involved
Visitors, newcomers, and the curious can engage with Loveland in many ways. The LoveConnect app, built on the Subsplash platform, delivers messages, Bible verses, devotionals, and chat groups. Services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel and online platform. A library of more than 135 video messages is available for those who want to catch up on past teachings.
Giving is available online through PushPay and PayPal, as well as by texting the keyword "lovelandgive" and an amount to 833-667-5533. The church tithes on ten percent of income and accepts additional offerings beyond the tithe, with a downloadable PDF list of 2,350 Bible verses about money available for those who want to study the topic further.
Prayer requests can be submitted online, and a Pastor-On-Call phone line is available for those who need to talk with someone. The church's administrative offices at the Fontana campus are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and Tuesday from 10 AM to 5 PM.
The church maintains an active presence on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram, with messages, articles, and announcements posted throughout the week.