At 175 East Dana Street in Mountain View, Mountain View Chinese Christian Church is a bilingual Mandarin and English congregation known for Scripture-centered worship, active children's and youth ministries, and a mission of discipleship. It grew from a home Bible-study fellowship begun in 1960, and its regular Chinese and English gatherings include about 300 people.
From a Home Bible Study to East Dana Street
The church began in 1960 as a home Bible-study fellowship led by 力工牧師. In 1964, it began meeting formally at Masonic Temple, or 共濟堂, and used the name Chinese Christians Fellowship, 中國基督徒團契. In 1974, it adopted the name Mountain View Chinese Christian Church and has continued using it since.
On December 8, 1996, the congregation moved into its East Dana Street location. The move established 175 East Dana Street as the church's gathering place, where Chinese and English ministries now take place alongside children's classes, youth gatherings, small groups, and weekly Bible study.
In 2006, under its bylaws and with two-thirds approval from the governing board and members, the church accepted Bay Area Chinese Christian Church as a branch. Its identity is anchored in the words of Matthew 16:18, where Jesus says he will build his church and that the powers of death will not overcome it.
Exalting Christ and Making Disciples
The church's recurring English refrain is Recruit, Encourage, Motivate, Reach. Its mission joins worship of God with the spread of the gospel and the call to make disciples. The people of Mountain View Chinese Christian Church are encouraged to proclaim Christ, grow as disciples, and carry his grace into families, workplaces, the community, and the wider world.
The statement of faith teaches that salvation is by grace through faith. Jesus Christ was incarnate through the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified for sins, raised on the third day, and ascended to heaven. He will return to judge the living and the dead, and those who confess and repent through Jesus Christ are reborn.
The church describes its missionary vision in several connected ways: to exalt Christ, build up believers, and proclaim the gospel worldwide; to remain Christ-centered in worship, prayer, and service; and to become a witness in both nearby and distant communities. Its ambition is to be a light in Silicon Valley, to make more people followers of Christ, and to serve as a channel of Christ's grace.
The vision also includes strengthening other North American Chinese churches. Mountain View Chinese Christian Church seeks to provide resources and a model that can bring blessing to its peers. Ephesians 4:7-16 informs this sense of ministry, emphasizing the gifts Christ gives to his church, the work of each person in the body, unity in truth, love, and growth toward full maturity in Christ.
Two Sunday Services at 11:00
The bilingual pattern is clearest on Sunday morning:
- 10:00 a.m.: Mandarin Adult Sunday School meets on Zoom until 10:45 a.m. Study materials and recordings are available online.
- 10:00 a.m.: Middle school and high school students meet for fellowship until 10:45 a.m. in Room 15 beside the English sanctuary.
- 11:00 a.m.: The English congregation holds its Sunday service.
- 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Mandarin worship is held in person at 175 East Dana Street and through the Mandarin worship livestream.
- 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Children from preschool through grade 6 begin worship together and move to Sunday school classes around 11:30 a.m.
The two principal language congregations both begin worship at 11:00, while adult and youth classes begin an hour earlier. The Mandarin service combines an in-person congregation with an online congregation, allowing the same worship gathering to include people at the church and people following the stream.
Children's time has a distinct rhythm. The whole children's group assembles at 11:00, followed by age-group classes at approximately 11:30. This connects biblical teaching and worship within the same Sunday morning rather than separating the two parts of the church's rhythm.
Children Together on Sunday and Saturday
The children's ministry seeks to help children see God's love, learn to love one another, and face a complex world with courage and wisdom. Sunday school is described as full and lively, while the Saturday AWANA program combines learning, games, songs, and Christian faith in a distinct club structure.
AWANA meets Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with three clubs:
- Cubbies: ages 3-4 and pre-K
- Sparks: kindergarten through grade 2
- TnT: grades 3-6
Check-in begins at 6:15 p.m. Cubbies check in at Room 29, while Sparks and TnT check in at reception in the main lobby. For safety, parents remain with their children until the leaders complete check-in; children may not check themselves in. Cubbies families sign out at Room 29. Sparks and TnT pickup is in the dining room, where children usually have light snacks following the closing ceremony.
The clubs conclude at 8:30 p.m., and AWANA leaders' official responsibility ends at 9:00 p.m. Families are asked to collect their children by 9:15 p.m. Children may not leave the building by themselves to meet a parent in the parking area.
The church also conducts a summer Vacation Bible School. Its annual AWANA graduation celebrates children's progress in Scripture memorization, teamwork, service, and spiritual growth. The emphasis is not only on participation but on helping children understand biblical truth and apply it through service to others.
Friday Suppers and Saturday Fellowship
Friday begins with a shared supper from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for the youth gatherings. English Youth Fellowship and the Mandarin Enoch Youth Fellowship meet from 7:30 to 9:00. Ignite Youth Group also meets Friday evening, from 7:00 to 9:00, for students in grades 6 through 12.
The youth ministry's stated aim is to work together with Christian parents, the church, and youth leaders so that young people can live out their faith at home, at school, at church, and throughout daily life. It also encourages youth to participate in mission service and to grow from faith into active discipleship.
Saturday evening has a churchwide fellowship rhythm. A shared love feast runs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by 20 minutes of song worship from 6:30 to 6:50. Song worship is available through YouTube or Zoom. Fellowship Bible study then continues from 6:50 to 8:30 in small groups, with leaders supplying the appropriate Zoom meeting information to participants.
The Saturday gathering joins food, music, Scripture study, children in AWANA, and fellowship across age groups. Mandarin and English congregational life remains distinct on Sunday morning, while the Saturday evening gathering brings the church into a shared weekly rhythm.
Sisters, Bible Study, and Prayer Through the Week
Sisters Fellowship meets Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Zoom. Its focus is to be rooted and built in the word of God and connected to one another in Christ's love. A separate mothers' fellowship emphasizes encouragement, mutual support, wise stewardship, and the physical, emotional, and spiritual growth of children.
On Thursday morning, the sisters' reading group meets from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. for sharing, reading, and spiritual-life building. Bible Study Fellowship meets online Tuesday evening from 6:55 to 9:00, and a spiritual-life deepening class meets online Thursday from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m.
The Wednesday prayer meeting runs from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. It can be joined on Zoom or in the church conference room. Across the week, these smaller gatherings provide recurring times for Scripture, prayer, discussion, and mutual support alongside the larger Sunday and Saturday meetings.
Summer retreats have also brought messages centered on renewal, reflection, spiritual growth, church-building, mission, and teamwork. These gatherings complement the regular classes and small groups by placing additional emphasis on collective reflection and growth in faith.
Worship at Work and in Daily Life
The music ministry presents music itself as worship, including singing, drums, instrumental music, and dance. Congregational song worship is part of the Saturday rhythm, while the broader ministry uses music to express praise and devotion across the church.
The church also has a focused workplace ministry for people in working life. It uses lectures, training sessions, and other gatherings to introduce people to the Christian faith and to seek spiritual fulfillment in both work and daily living. This connects the church's worship life with the practical concerns of work and daily choices.
These ministries sit alongside the church's family and intergenerational emphasis. Mandarin and English worship, children, youth, women, students, working adults, and older participants each have regular settings in which to study Scripture and build community around faith.
Mission and Giving
The Great Commission is central to the church's outward direction: go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to follow Christ's commands. Overseas mission is a stated orientation of Mountain View Chinese Christian Church, supported by teaching, short-term mission service, and a willingness to serve beyond the local congregation.
The church describes itself as a Christ-centered body with lively worship, earnest prayer, joyful service, and an aim to bring effective gospel witness to both local and distant communities. This mission outlook connects the Silicon Valley setting to the church's concern for North American Chinese churches and people beyond its own gathering.
Giving is voluntary and can include cash, stock, or items. Online gifts are made through Zelle to mvccc.donation@gmail.com. Donors are asked to identify the fund in the memo, such as general ministry, church construction, missions, or benevolence. Checks may be mailed to the church at 175 East Dana Street. Church leadership determines the use of gifts under its bylaws. Full giving information is available on the Mountain View Chinese Christian Church giving page.
Sermons Preserved Since 2006
The church maintains a sermon archive extending back to 2006. Its messages feature church pastors and invited speakers addressing biblical passages from the Old Testament, the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation. Recurring subjects include faith, repentance, prayer, spiritual maturity, family life, church unity, leadership, evangelism, missions, work, and the mission of Christian disciples.
The collection also shows a sustained emphasis on the Bible as the foundation of Christian life and teaching. Some messages focus on a particular biblical person or passage, while others survey the church's life, spiritual formation, family responsibilities, community influence, and worldwide mission. Recordings and archived messages are available through the MVCCC sermon archive.
Pastoral and Ministry Leadership
- Pastor 朱永韶 serves as pastor of the Mandarin congregation.
- Pastor 孫通 serves as a pastor and the contact for the English youth fellowship.
- Xiayu Zheng commands the AWANA program.
- Guichen Liu directs Cubbies for ages 3-4 and pre-K.
- Dyno Fu directs Sparks for kindergarten through grade 2.
- Rachel Ke directs TnT for grades 3-6.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 175 East Dana Street. The church's telephone number is 650-396-9048, and its general email is mvccc.chinese.church@gmail.com.
Mountain View Chinese Christian Church is a bilingual community of worship, learning, fellowship, service, and mission, continuing at East Dana Street from its 1960 beginning.