A 40-Acre Home with Many Doors
North Coast Church sits on 40 acres of North San Diego County at 2405 North Santa Fe Avenue in Vista, and the property is organized like no single sanctuary you have ever visited. Instead of one room, the Vista campus holds several separate worship venues, each with its own music style and feel, and each carrying the same weekend sermon so that everyone in every venue hears the same teaching on the same weekend. About a thousand people fill those venues on a given weekend, and the church counts roughly 50 different worship options spread across its campuses. Visitors can choose a contemporary rock band, a country feel, a gospel groove, a traditional hymn sing, or an outdoor service under a shade structure, and they will all hear the same message from one of the teaching pastors.
One Church, Nine California Campuses and Counting
What began as a single church in Vista has grown into a network of nine campuses across Southern California. In addition to Vista, North Coast Church meets in Carlsbad, El Dorado Hills, Fallbrook, Pauma Valley, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, San Marcos/Escondido, and Temecula. Beyond California, the church also gathers in community settings in Boise, Idaho; North Dallas, Texas; Prescott, Arizona; Kailua, Hawaii; Los Barriles, Mexico; Finland; and the Hacienda Retirement Community in Oceanside, California. An Online Campus streams the full weekend service and connects people through virtual groups across the country.
Each campus shares the same sermon delivered by one of the teaching pastors, has its own campus pastor, runs the same children's and student programs, and offers its own service times. Several campuses meet in local schools and share facilities, transforming classrooms into children's ministry space on Sunday and back to school by Monday. The Pauma Valley campus hosts a community food bank on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and the Rancho Bernardo midweek student campus gathers at 12245 World Trade Drive in San Diego.
Beliefs Anchored in the EFCA Statement of Faith
North Coast Church has formally adopted the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America, written in 2008. The statement walks through ten foundational beliefs, beginning with one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who created all things and purposed from eternity to redeem a people for himself and to make all things new for his own glory. The church holds that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the verbally inspired Word of God, without error in its original writings, the complete revelation of God's will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.
The statement continues with the human condition, affirming that Adam and Eve were created in God's image but sinned when tempted by Satan, and that human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under his wrath. Only through God's saving work in Jesus Christ can people be rescued, reconciled, and renewed. Jesus Christ is confessed as God incarnate, fully God and fully man, conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father.
The church believes that Jesus, as representative and substitute, shed his blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins, and that his atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. The Holy Spirit is confessed as the one who convicts the world, regenerates sinners, baptizes believers into union with Christ, and indels, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers them for Christ-like living and service. The church is described as the community of those justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone, who practice baptism and the Lord's Supper as visible ordinances confirming and nourishing the believer. The statement closes with the personal, bodily return of Jesus Christ, the bodily resurrection of the dead, final judgment, and the believer's eternal blessedness in the new heaven and new earth.
The Teaching Pastors: Chris Brown and Larry Osborne
Chris Brown has served as a teaching pastor and now lead pastor at North Coast Church since 2004, after years as a youth pastor in the Los Angeles area and a campus pastor at Azusa Pacific University. He is known as a storyteller and Bible teacher who uses humor and motivation to help people fall more in love with Jesus. Chris lives in Oceanside with his wife Amy and their three children, and he fishes whenever his schedule allows.
Larry Osborne served as the lead and then co-senior pastor from 1980 to 2019, giving North Coast more than three decades of pastoral leadership. He continues as a teaching pastor and as a Kingdom Ambassador mentoring pastors and church leaders around the country. He has written a long list of books on discipleship and leadership, including Sticky Church, Sticky Teams, Sticky Leaders, Mission Creep, The Unity Factor, Lead Like a Shepherd, Thriving in Babylon, Accidental Pharisees, A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God, and 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe.
Sunday Morning at Vista: Multiple Venues, One Sermon
Vista's weekend schedule offers four opportunities to gather. Saturday evening service begins at 5 pm. Sunday services are held at 7:30 am, 9 am, and 11 am. Children's and student programs run at every service except the 7:30 am gathering. All campus parking lots include plenty of handicap parking, all venues are wheelchair accessible, and the Vista campus runs a shuttle from the handicap and senior parking area to the venue entrances.
The Vista venues include:
- North Coast Live: contemporary music with the teaching pastor delivering the message live, Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 9 am and 11 am.
- The Edge: a worshipful, concert-like atmosphere featuring the same weekend message on a large video screen, Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 9 am and 11 am.
- Soul Gospel in the Warehouse: a soulful, groove-oriented music style Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 7:30 am and 9 am.
- The Family Room: for parents who prefer to keep their children with them, with the full service live streamed from The Edge.
- Traditions in the Chapel: a blend of classic hymns and older worship songs, Sundays at 9 am.
- Outdoor Venue: a live stream of the service on the grass under a covered shade structure, weather permitting.
- Ministerio en Español: live teaching and worship in Spanish, Sundays at 11 am in the Warehouse.
Español at Vista: Sunday Morning in Spanish
North Coast Español meets at the Vista campus in the Warehouse on Sundays at 11 am. The service includes live worship and teaching in Spanish, with children's programs for infants through secondary-age students during the service. The campus address for Español is the same as the Vista campus, 2405 North Santa Fe Avenue, and office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm. David Garcia serves as the Pastor of Español Ministries and can be reached through the main church office. Resources for the Español ministry include its own connection card, prayer request form, life groups directory, sermon notes, and new-believer resources, along with volunteer applications for those who want to serve in the Spanish-language ministry.
Coast Kids: From Infants Through 5th Grade
Children's ministry at North Coast is called Coast Kids, and every staff member and volunteer working with children has been background checked and Live Scanned before serving. Infants through Pre-K classrooms are divided by age with toys and activities designed for that stage. Kindergarten through 5th grade starts with group worship, then moves into a teaching time, then breaks into small groups for prayer, Bible verses, and activities that reinforce the day's lesson. 4th and 5th graders also have special events throughout the year, including a week of summer camp for incoming 5th graders.
Every child must be checked in and picked up in their classroom. First-time visitors fill out a registration card for each child, noting allergies, special needs, or custody issues. Pre-K and younger classrooms use a parent notification system so a team member can text or come find a parent if needed. The person with the pick-up slip is the only one to whom staff will release the child. Children are escorted to and from restrooms by two unrelated adult volunteers or staff members, and parents are asked to keep children home if they have a runny nose, cough, or fever. If you have an infant and you are not comfortable using the nursery, the Family Room is available on the Vista campus, and video monitors in the foyer of the other campuses let you watch the service while caring for your child.
At the Vista campus, Theresa Kidwell serves as Children's Pastor for infants through Pre-K and Hannah Browning as Children's Pastor for Kindergarten through 5th grade. Every other campus has its own children's ministry director or pastor. The San Marcos/Escondido campus also offers closed captioning in the chapel venue on Sundays for those who need it.
Student Ministries: 6th Through 12th Grade
North Coast organizes its student ministries by grade level and by campus, with named groups across locations. At the Vista campus, the four groups are Tower 6 for 6th grade, JH78 for 7th and 8th grade, NineTen for 9th and 10th grade, and ElevenTwelve for 11th and 12th grade. Each group meets during regular weekend services and at a midweek gathering through the school year: Tower 6 on Tuesdays from 7 to 9 pm, JH78 on Tuesdays for Tuesday Night Live from 7 to 9 pm, NineTen on Wednesdays from 7 to 9 pm, and ElevenTwelve on Wednesdays with small groups from 6:30 to 9 pm.
Across the other campuses, the naming changes but the structure stays the same. Carlsbad runs Pipeline for middle schoolers and Fusion for high schoolers. Fallbrook runs Chaos for middle school and Volume for high school. Pauma Valley runs Ignite for middle school and MVMNT for high school, meeting at 9:30 am on Sundays for free donuts, games, live worship, and Bible study. Ramona runs The Zoo for middle school and Collide for high school, with a midweek campus at 1710 Montecito Road. Rancho Bernardo runs The Pulse for middle school and Community Youth for high school, with a midweek campus at 12245 World Trade Drive, Suite G, in San Diego. San Marcos/Escondido runs Elevate for middle school and Thrive for high school. Temecula runs UNITED for middle school and OVERFLOW for high school, meeting at Bella Vista Middle School in Murrieta on weekends and a midweek campus on Date Street in Murrieta.
Life Groups: Small Circles, Not Rows
North Coast often says that real church happens in circles, not rows. Life Groups are small groups that meet weekly for ten weeks at a time, offered three times a year in fall, winter, and spring. Groups are organized around interests, life stages, geography, sermon-based study, and book studies. Anyone can search for a group through the online directory, and the Life Group Central team can be reached at (760) 724-6700.
Becoming a Life Group leader requires having been a member of a group for at least one quarter, being recommended by your leader, and being committed to following Christ for at least a year. Life Groups also serve as the primary discipleship pathway for new believers, providing community, accountability, and Bible study outside the Sunday gathering.
Adults: Women, Men, Singles, Young Adults, Military, 50 Plus
The Adult Ministries umbrella at North Coast covers a wide range of stages. Women can plug into Arise Women at the Vista campus, Mom Co. for mothers, Carlsbad Women led by Brette Sterk, Bloom at Fallbrook led by Kayla Koleszar, The Well morning study at San Marcos/Escondido, and The River evening study at the same campus, along with women's groups at every other location. The North Coast Women's Conference draws women from all campuses to the Vista campus for a two-day event.
Men's ministry includes a Temecula Men's Breakfast, an annual Men's Conference, the Desert Rat Experience weekend of off-roading in the desert, and several recovery and accountability groups. Men's support groups include Pure Desire Groups for processing past trauma and developing healthy coping, Mighty Oaks Outpost for post-traumatic stress, Men of Strength for life recovery, and Men Committed to Conquer for those confronting sexual addiction.
Single Adults ministry, led by Pastor Terry Murphy, serves singles across every campus with First Friday gatherings at the Vista campus for worship, a brief message, dessert, and dancing, plus Harbor 35/50 for ages 35 to 50 and Purpose for ages 50 and above.
The Jordan young adults ministry serves ages 18 to 25 with Thursday night gatherings on the Vista campus at 7 pm in The Edge. Union 25/35 serves ages 25 to 35, meeting every third Thursday on the Vista campus with doors opening at 7 pm in the Warehouse. The North Coast Leadership Academy is a two-year program for 18-to-25-year-olds that trains in specialized ministry, Bible study, leadership, and life skills, with Travis Sybert serving as the program pastor.
The Military Connection ministry is staffed by people with personal military experience and serves active-duty members, veterans, and their families stationed near Camp Pendleton. The ministry hosts baby showers, marriage conferences, Thanksgiving and Christmas parties, support groups, counseling referrals, and a dedicated prayer team. Military Life Groups are designed for the fast pace of base life and include groups for couples, wives, active-duty men, and active-duty women. Scott Hoerner serves as Military Pastor, Kevin and Tracie Moss serve as Directors of Military Connection, Maria Braithwaite coordinates Military Connection, and Leonard Dimiceli serves as Pastor of Military Life Groups.
The 50 Plus ministry gathers adults over 50 for monthly luncheons at multiple campuses, watercolor painting classes, Singing Seniors teams who visit nursing homes on Wednesday mornings, and dedicated Life Groups. Cookie Brown coordinates the Vista 50 Plus ministry, Paul Savona serves as Pastor of 50 Plus Ministry, and Lisa Skelly manages operations for Life Groups.
Care, Counseling, and Support
The Care Ministry provides encouragement and practical help to those facing life challenges, coordinating meals for families in crisis, encouragement cards and calls, and emergency assistance for members or regular attendees. The Memorial and Bereavement Ministry walks families through the loss of a loved one, helping to plan memorial services and offering grief groups, pastoral visits, and prayer support. Susan Trueblood leads both ministries and can be reached through the church office.
Counseling services include the monthly Counseling Corner held at the Vista campus during the 11 am service on the second Sunday of each month, with a licensed counselor presenting on topics like depression, caregiver stress, grief, and EMDR. The Life Skills and Support Ministry runs a long list of recovery and support groups, including DivorceCare for those separated or divorced, Al-Anon for family members of alcoholics, Faith and Hope for women walking through breast cancer, Family and Friends of LGBTQ for those loving someone who identifies as LGBTQ, Heart Makeovers for women navigating an unstable or unfaithful partner, HeArt Work for those with mental health symptoms, Painwise for those living with chronic pain or illness, Postpartum Support for new and expecting mothers, Life Recovery Groups for sexual addiction and substance use, and Grief Groups. A community resource guide for San Diego is also available.
Premarital counseling and the six-week Preparing for Marriage course are required before a wedding is performed by a North Coast pastor. The course covers God's design for marriage, communication, conflict resolution, appreciating differences, financial freedom, and intimacy.
Serving Locally and Globally
The Local Impact ministry organizes backpack drives, food supply drives, baby bottle drives for pregnancy resource centers, Christmas outreach to underserved populations, and Serve Your City, a multi-week community service project. The Global Impact ministry supports a network of missionaries around the world, and the church encourages members to support missionaries financially, in prayer, or both. The Pauma Valley campus hosts a community food bank on the fourth Wednesday of each month, with adjusted dates around the holidays, where neighbors can receive food from 2 to 3 pm.
Campus Pastor Connor McFadden oversees both Local and Global Impact at the Vista campus, with Brittany Krippner as Impact Coordinator and Mary Bishop as Local Impact Coordinator. Life Groups are encouraged to sign up for service projects together, and the church offers Serve Your City annually as a churchwide campaign.
Weddings, Memorials, and Child Dedications
North Coast Church hosts weddings at two of its campuses. The Vista campus Chapel seats up to 100, and the Warehouse seats up to 200. The Pauma Valley campus offers both indoor and outdoor ceremonies for up to 200. Couples must complete the Preparing for Marriage course or one-on-one premarital counseling with a North Coast pastor before a wedding can be performed by a church pastor. Wedding packages range from a blessing ceremony only at no cost to a full ceremony package, with a cleaning and damage deposit due at contract signing. Alcohol is not permitted on campus, and ceremonial dancing is allowed under the coordination of the site coordinator. Weddings can be booked up to six months in advance.
Memorial services are scheduled Monday through Friday between 9 am and 5 pm. The church team offers planning, service programs, a legacy picture slideshow, a worship leader, a hosting pastor, and facilities staff. Graveside services can also be arranged through a North Coast pastor. Pre-planning a memorial service is also available.
Child Dedications are scheduled at multiple campuses throughout the year, in which parents make a public commitment before God, the congregation, and their family and friends to raise their child in the principles of Deuteronomy 6:5-7. Dedications are different from baptisms, which are reserved for a child old enough to understand and choose to follow Jesus for themselves. Baptisms are offered at every campus, often at the beach for coastal locations.
Worship Online and Getting Connected
The full weekend service is posted online by 5:30 pm on Saturday and stays available on demand at northcoastchurch.com, on YouTube, the North Coast Church app on Apple and Google Play, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. The Saturday evening and Sunday morning services stream online at the same times as the Vista campus, with online chat moderators welcoming guests in real time. The Online Campus team runs prayer teams, prayer connection partners who respond to prayer requests, online community gathering teams, connections team members who reach out to new and returning guests, administrative support volunteers, and online Life Group leaders.
Anyone interested in stepping into church life can sign up for a Welcome Event at any campus, attend a Connection Lunch, or visit the Welcome Center on a Sunday morning. Visitors can wear whatever they like. North Coast is a casual church, and you will find everything from jeans, shorts, and flip-flops to an occasional sport jacket. Coffee and tea stations sit outside the venues, and yes, you can bring a cup into the worship venue. If you do not own a Bible, hosts and ushers keep extras on hand, and the teaching pastors preach from the New International Version.
Giving is available online through Tithe.ly, through the church app, by check or cash dropped in the offering basket, or by stock or property through the business administrator. The church also accepts more than 30 cryptocurrency tokens through a separate giving platform. North Coast Church is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and contributions are tax-deductible.
The church office at 2405 North Santa Fe Avenue in Vista is the central hub for all campuses, and the main phone line, (760) 724-6700, connects to every department. northcoastchurch.com brings together the church's many locations, ministries, sermon archive, events calendar, life group finder, and online giving. For visitors who prefer a quieter setting, the Hacienda Retirement Community in Oceanside hosts a small Sunday gathering for residents and guests who want to worship together in a more intimate space.