From a College Dream to a Hundred-Thousand-Square-Foot Campus
Magnolia Church has stood on the corner of Magnolia Avenue in Riverside, California since 1955. Its origin story is woven into the history of the surrounding neighborhood. Before California Baptist College moved to its current location in Riverside, a small group of students and faculty began praying and planning for a church that would undergird the spiritual life of the college family. Their conviction that a church adjacent to the college was essential led to the organization of Magnolia Avenue Southern Baptist Church.
That early vision, summarized by the words Connect, Grow, Serve and Go, has shaped the church for more than seven decades. Today the Magnolia Church campus covers roughly 100,000 square feet of worship and education space and carries a resident membership close to a thousand. Although ministry programs have evolved over time, the focus on evangelism and discipleship has remained constant. The congregation has supported Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic language ministries through the years as the Inland Empire has grown more diverse.
Worship in English and Spanish
On Sunday mornings, Magnolia Church gathers for two English services at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. Each service runs just over an hour and is designed around uplifting music, an inspiring message, and a strong sense of community. Services are livestreamed, so anyone can join online from home. Before services begin, the Courtyard Café is open for a drink and a chance to meet people.
The Spanish-language ministry, Magnolia en Español, meets for worship at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays in El Loft, with the service also livestreamed. Spanish-speaking Bible studies are offered at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays in rooms B207 and B219, and two Wednesday-evening classes run during the fall: Mujer De La Palabra for women and Efesios for men. The Spanish ministry also takes part in mission projects locally, regionally, and internationally, including trips to Mexicali, León Guanajuato in Mexico, and South Asia. Pastoral contact for the Spanish ministry is Pastor Tony Rodriguez.
The Acts 1:8 Strategy
The driving vision at Magnolia Church is built on Acts 1:8, a verse the congregation has turned into a four-tiered outreach strategy. Magnolia defines these tiers geographically:
- Jerusalem - Riverside and the Inland Empire
- Judea - California and the West Coast
- Samaria - Mexico and the rest of North America
- Ends of the Earth - South Asia and the world
Locally, the church operates the Magnolia Pantry, distributing groceries to families on the fourth Saturday of each month from the North parking lot. A Guest Chef team cooks and serves dinner for clients of the Path Life Ministry family shelter every third Sunday of the month. Volunteers teach ESL classes, and a partnership with Set Free Prison Ministries grades correspondence discipleship courses for inmates around the world; English and Spanish graders are both welcome.
Globally, the church partners with GenSend to send young adults on summer and school-break mission experiences and supports missionaries in North America and South Asia. Each year the congregation takes three special offerings: the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, the California Missions Offering in September, and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions.
Kids, Students, and Young Adults
MagKIDS serves children from infancy through sixth grade and is the largest part of the church's next-generation ministry. Sunday programming is offered at both 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. with check-in in the C Building Lobby. On Wednesday nights at 6:30, KIDS Club runs for ages one year through sixth grade, with registration required for the youngest children. Preteens in fourth through sixth grade can join Team Ion, a monthly leadership team that trains them to serve on the worship team, in first impressions, and as small-group leaders.
Magnolia Students ministers to seventh through twelfth graders. Students meet on Sunday mornings at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. in B201 for Life Groups, then gather again on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in The Loft for a midweek program called The MDWK. Student leaders, the Student Worship Team, the Student Tech Team, and the Student Safety Team give teens a place to serve. Luis Paz serves as Interim Student Minister.
The Young Adults ministry reaches people from age 18 through their late twenties. Its weekly Life Group meets on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. in room B101, with conversation, Bible study, snacks, and plenty of room for questions. The ministry also partners with GenSend for summer and short-term mission experiences.
Groups, Classes, and the Discipleship Path
Magnolia Church teaches that church is a family to belong to rather than an event to attend. Two kinds of small groups are offered. Life Groups are gatherings of ten to twenty-five people that meet on campus on Sunday mornings around community, teaching, and outreach. D-Groups, or Discipleship Groups, are same-gender groups of three to six people that meet anywhere and focus on Bible study, accountability, and prayer.
For those exploring membership, the Connect Class walks through four steps: personal faith in Jesus, baptism by immersion, completion of the class, and signing the church membership covenant. Baptism is celebrated on the last Sunday of each month, with kids' baptism orientations offered on the second Sunday.
The church's overall discipleship path is laid out as Connect with God and Others, Grow in Community, Serve Others, and Go and Share the Good News, the four movements that anchor every ministry and class.
Men, Women, Married Couples, and Senior Adults
Magnolia Men's Ministry exists to equip men to live as godly husbands, fathers, employees, and friends, and includes a Men's Helps Ministry that connects men who can offer practical skills to senior adults and single parents in the church community.
Women's Ministry, rooted in Titus 2:3-5, encourages women to grow in their relationship with family, in the body of Christ, and in their own places of ministry. Bible studies, mentoring, hospitality, and special events form the heart of the programming.
MarriedLife is a weekly gathering for couples in every stage of marriage. Meetings run on Sundays from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. in B208 and use video studies, book discussions, and shared conversation.
Senior Adult Ministry serves adults fifty-five and better with Bible studies, outreach opportunities, ministry projects, and fellowship. Members are also invited to join Mag Voices, a community choir open to singers of any experience level.
Worship, Arts, and the Courtyard Café
Worship and Arts at Magnolia Church is built around four teams. The Worship Team, which is by audition only, leads music at the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. services and at special events. The Production Team handles audio, lighting, video, and graphical support across live events and weekend services. Mag Voices is a new community choir welcoming singers with or without experience. A Photography Team documents church events and services. Victor Silva serves as Worship Pastor.
The Courtyard Café is the gathering place on Sunday mornings, serving drinks before services. Volunteers aged sixteen and older can serve as baristas, helping create the warm, welcoming atmosphere that greets every first-time guest.
Care, Counseling, and Community Help
Magnolia Church offers a wide range of care resources. A Prayer Counselors team meets with anyone who comes forward after each service for prayer or spiritual conversation. Pastors provide short-term counseling on topics from marriage to family, with appointments arranged through the church office.
GriefShare, a thirteen-week support program for those who have lost a loved one, meets on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in room B104, facilitated by Carolyn Lamberth and Kathy Peterson.
Mental Wellness gatherings offer open, confidential conversations on topics such as loneliness, depression and anxiety, marriage struggles, codependency, healthy boundaries, and the impact of mental health on the family. The church lists several faith-based counseling partners in Riverside and the surrounding communities for anyone seeking longer-term professional help.
For food assistance, the Magnolia Pantry distributes grocery bags every fourth Saturday of the month from 9 to 10:45 a.m. in the North parking lot. Stater Bros. food gift cards are also available by appointment through a dedicated benevolence line.
What Magnolia Believes
Magnolia Church accepts the Bible as the inspired Word of God and as the only basis for its beliefs and practices. The church teaches that salvation is a gift from God received by trusting in Jesus Christ, that baptism is a public declaration of faith, and that church membership is both a privilege and a responsibility for those who have trusted Christ and been baptized.
The congregation accepts the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) as a general statement of beliefs. Magnolia is self-governing but voluntarily affiliates with the Southern Baptist Convention in its national, state, and local expressions, including the California Southern Baptist Convention and the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association.
Getting Connected
First-time guests can plan a visit online, pre-register their children, and find a coffee before service at the Courtyard Café. Mike Lovato serves as Executive Pastor and is the contact for anyone wanting to talk about becoming a Christian. Giving is available online, by text, by check in the Sunday giving baskets, or at the church office Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Messages, events, an online bulletin, and weekly email updates keep the congregation connected throughout the week.