About Us
Anaheim Revive Church (ARC) is a non-denominational, evangelical Christian church, building upon 100+ years of history to live out its mission and vision:
● Mission: To love God, to build His community, and to reach all generations.
● Vision: A Christ-centered multigenerational community equipping, empowering, and releasing each person’s extraordinary giftings, working together to fulfill God’s purposes.
Our church began as Anaheim Japanese Free Methodist Church (AJFMC). It started with a small home group in 1921 to meet the needs of Japanese-speaking immigrant families in the neighborhood. AJFMC moved from several locations in Anaheim, finally settling into its current location at 1001 N. Mayflower Street, where it has since been a staple of the community for many decades. Because ARC has historically been a part of the Free Methodist denomination, the church’s beliefs continue to align with Wesleyan theology.
In 2023, the church went through its most significant change by becoming an independent, non-denominational church. Previously part of the Pacific Coast Japanese Conference (PCJC) within the Free Methodist denomination, the church disaffiliated from the Conference and took on its new identity as Anaheim Revive Church. The name Revive grounds us in our conviction that God is a God who breathes life into dead places. And just as we believe in the resurrection power of Jesus to transform each of our lives and make all things news, we believe God has breathed new life into us as Anaheim Revive Church.
After leaving the Conference, ARC established its own Bylaws and a new structure. Where the church used to be governed by the PCJC and head Pastor appointed by the Conference, it is now led by a Board of Elders, who have responsibility for spiritual oversight and decision-making. This Board is composed of full-time pastors and laity who partner together.
ARC has a very active laity that is strong in serving one another and entrusted with leading significant areas of ministry, including leading musical worship and teaching from the pulpit. Though the congregation skews older, there is a mix of younger and older members and leaders. ARC is blessed to have generations of families serving together in ministry. And while the majority of the current congregation is Japanese-American, ARC strives to be a diverse church where everyone is welcome no matter their background – ethnically, politically, geographically, and beyond. There is also a portion of members who speak Japanese as their first language.
Looking to the future, ARC seeks to fulfill its mission and vision by inviting more people into relationship with Jesus, connecting with young families and younger generations, and raising up leaders for God’s Kingdom. While we want to honor and remember ARC’s history and traditions, ARC seeks to intentionally step out in faith, using new and creative ways to introduce more people to the beauty of Jesus, especially those who are unfamiliar with or have felt alienated from the church.