A Gospel-Centered Church on Prince Street
中華歸主柏克萊教會 (Chinese for Christ Church Berkeley) gathers at 2715 Prince Street in Berkeley's Elmwood neighborhood, a short walk south of the UC Berkeley campus. The congregation worships in English and Mandarin, runs a student ministry called the Home of Students, and sustains ten small fellowships that stretch from Berkeley and Albany to Alameda, Piedmont, and the Lamorinda hills. Its stated vision is to plant gospel-centered churches across the Bay Area, and its welcome message invites newcomers to encounter God and experience His power.
From Student Center to Two Church Plants
The church traces its roots to 1961, when the Chinese for Christ Association opened a student center in Berkeley. Three years later, in 1964, that center was reorganized as a church, and in 1974 the congregation moved into the building on Prince Street where it still meets. Two church plants followed: 中華歸主Hayward教會 in 1980 and 中華歸主北東灣教會 in 2016, extending the same vision to neighboring cities.
Three Sunday Services in English and Mandarin
Each Sunday the church holds three services and two Sunday School hours. The English service, branded as Vinewood, meets at 9:30 a.m. Two Mandarin services follow at 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Adult Sunday School gathers at 9:30 a.m. and Children's Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. On the first Sunday of every month the congregation shares communion together, and baptisms are held twice a year in spring and fall.
Confessing the Apostles' Creed
The congregation affirms the Apostles' Creed and an eight-point statement of faith. Together they confess belief in the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and in the Bible, Old and New Testaments, as the complete and error-free revelation of God and the supreme standard for Christian faith and life. They hold that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, buried, and raised on the third day before ascending to the right hand of the Father. The Holy Spirit, they teach, convicts, regenerates, fills, and empowers believers. Human beings are created in God's image but fallen through Adam, and salvation comes only through repentance and faith in Christ. The church is the body of Christ, charged with the Great Commission, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. They look for the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, eternal life for the faithful, and judgment for the ungodly.
Four Core Values, Summed Up as SWAT
The church summarizes its calling with four values collected under the acronym SWAT: Serve humbly, Walk faithfully, Act lovingly, Trust wholeheartedly. These values shape the tone of every ministry that follows.
Children, Youth, and the Home of Students
The children's ministry welcomes children from toddlers through fifth grade for Sunday School at 11:00 a.m., with a vision of partnering with parents to raise the next generation of spiritual leaders. The youth ministry, led by Pastor Theo Ma, walks alongside teenagers as they navigate contemporary culture and equips parents to communicate with and disciple their own children.
The student ministry is one of the church's signature outreaches. Known as the Home of Students (學生之家, or HOS), it draws undergraduates and graduate students from UC Berkeley and neighboring schools, including students from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Malaysia. The fellowship meets every Friday from 6:15 p.m. to 9:10 p.m. at 2420 Channing Way, in a room rented from First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, with a free Chinese dinner to start the evening. After the meal members sing, then break into small groups for Bible study and topical discussion. The ministry also offers airport pickup, temporary housing, help opening a bank account, and donated furniture for incoming students. Students attend Sunday worship at the Prince Street building at 11:00 a.m. or 5:00 p.m.
Ten Fellowships Across the East Bay
Beyond the Sunday gatherings, the church sustains ten fellowships tailored to different ages, life stages, and neighborhoods. Each gathering typically includes singing, Bible study, prayer, and shared life.
- Joshua Fellowship for young professionals in San Francisco and the East Bay, meeting Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. in the church side hall.
- East Bay Fellowship for residents of Lamorinda and Walnut Creek, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at MVPC in Moraga.
- Vineyard Fellowship, a mix of young professionals, newlyweds, and new parents, Fridays at 7:15 p.m. in the church's second-floor classroom.
- Rock Fellowship for established professionals with school-age and college-age children, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. in the church kitchen and robe room.
- Albany Fellowship for empty-nesters in Albany, Fridays at 7:30 p.m., with a monthly hike.
- Wednesday Bible Study Fellowship, founded as a women's Bible study in 1979 and later opened to men, Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.
Three additional family fellowships meet on rotating Saturdays: the Sisters Grace Fellowship on the second Saturday at 10:30 a.m., the Piedmont Fellowship on the second and fourth Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and the Alameda Fellowship on the first and third Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Missions from Oakland to Taiwan
Mission giving is channeled through a Missions Fund that supports a long list of partner agencies, including 中華歸主協會 (the Chinese for Christ Association), 福音自傳會, 華人福音普世差傳會, 基督教角聲佈道團, 工業福音團契, 更生團契, 遠東廣播公司, 海外校園, 中國信徒佈道會, and 財團法人基督教中國佈道會. Short-term mission teams have traveled to the U.S. Midwest, Taiwan, and Europe, and the church hosts an annual missions conference.
Closer to home, the church's young adult fellowship began partnering with CityTeam in 2022 to distribute food monthly to low-income residents of Oakland, using that contact as an opening to share the gospel. The new friends ministry welcomes first-time visitors each Sunday, offers a free lunch or dinner after worship, and hosts periodic welcome gatherings.
A Library, a Calendar, and Six Giving Funds
The Prince Street building houses worship, Sunday School classrooms, and a church library with nearly a thousand volumes on Bible study, theology, spiritual life, apologetics, and science and faith. The catalog can be searched online, and a public Google Calendar shows facility availability for room rentals. Members and visitors who wish to give can do so through Zelle, PayPal Giving Fund, direct deposit, stock or mutual fund transfers, or by mailing a check to the Finance Department at 2715 Prince Street. Designated funds support the General Fund, Missions Fund, Building Fund, Dorcas Fund for emergency member needs, Student Center Fund, and Seminary Fund.