Seventy-Five Years on Stockton Boulevard
Southpointe Christian Center has been a fixture on Sacramento's Stockton Boulevard for more than seven decades. The congregation traces its roots to around 1950, when C.J. Mendenhall, a recent graduate of the Assemblies of God Bible School in Waxahachie, Texas, began holding prayer meetings in his mother Grace Mendenhall's home in the small community of Perkins, near Folsom Boulevard and Power Inn Road. About 30 people, mostly family, gathered for those first services. The young church later moved into a surplus Quonset hut on Power Inn Road, then in 1953 relocated to 35th Avenue and Power Inn Road under the name Capital Evangelistic Tabernacle. By 1962 the body had grown enough to be renamed 35th Avenue Assembly of God, with Hazen Chester as its new pastor.
Within a few years the growing congregation needed more space, and in November 1965 the church moved into a rented day nursery on Stockton Boulevard while a permanent home was built. In February 1968 the new sanctuary at 7520 Stockton Boulevard opened, and the church took the name Faith Assembly of God. Additions followed: a Fireside Room, classrooms, and three major expansions. After Pastor Chester's death in August 1984, Dr. John Abernathy was called to pastor and oversaw construction of the current building, rededicating the work as Southpointe Christian Center on July 3, 1988, alongside what was then Southpointe Christian School. The church celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025.
An Evangelical and Pentecostal Identity
Southpointe describes itself with two words: Evangelical and Pentecostal. Evangelical because the Bible is held to be the inspired Word of God and the foundation for the church's teaching and evangelism, both in Sacramento and abroad. Pentecostal because the ministry and gifts of the Holy Spirit are believed to be active today, rooted in the outpouring at the feast of Pentecost in Acts 2. Southpointe is affiliated with the Assemblies of God, Northern California-Nevada District, part of a worldwide fellowship of more than 68 million believers.
The church's sixteen-point statement of beliefs covers the verbal inspiration and authority of Scripture, one true God revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the deity and virgin birth of Jesus Christ, the fall of man, salvation through repentance and faith in Christ's shed blood, baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, sanctification, the church as the body of Christ, a divinely called ministry, divine healing as part of the atonement, the blessed hope of Christ's return, the millennial reign of Christ, the final judgment, and the new heaven and new earth.
Sundays at Nine and Eleven
Sunday mornings at Southpointe center on two identical worship services at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Both services open with congregational singing and continue with Bible-based teaching, described by the church as straightforward exposition of Scripture. Visitors are welcomed with a relaxed, come-as-you-are atmosphere, with no dress code. Complimentary coffee is served in the dining room off the lobby before each service, and handicap parking is available near the front of the Main Sanctuary. Services are livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person, and a sermon archive of past services is available on the church's YouTube channel. A Plan a Visit page answers common first-time questions about parking, childcare, and what to wear.
Southpointe Kids and Nursery
Children's ministry at Southpointe is led by Marta VanGerwen and aims to help every child encounter God's presence through worship, prayer, and teaching the Bible in interactive ways. Southpointe Kids Church runs at both Sunday services for preschool and elementary children, with check-in through the Sanctuary into the SP Kids foyer. Ushers and greeters direct families to the right spot. A cry room and a nursing mothers' room are located in the Nursery area. The Nursery itself, serving children from birth through age 2, is led by Debbie Alderson, with all volunteers background-checked and trained in California-mandated child safety. Baby dedications are offered throughout the year for parents who want to commit to raising their child in the Lord.
Southpointe Youth
Southpointe Youth meets Wednesdays from 6:30 PM to 8:15 PM for middle school and high school students, opening with a hangout in the Youth Lounge featuring food, video games, and other games before moving into teaching. The ministry exists to help students move beyond an initial decision to follow Jesus into a lifelong walk rooted in Scripture, and it welcomes students at every stage, whether they don't yet know Jesus, are just starting out, or have followed Him their whole life. The youth group anchors its teaching in Colossians 2:6-7, encouraging students to continue living their lives in Christ, rooted and built up in Him.
Family, Marriage, and Adults of Every Season
FAM (Family and Marriage) gathers on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM. Each evening starts with dinner for the whole family so no one has to rush home and cook first, followed by age-appropriate programs for children from nursery through high school while parents attend. Teaching blends biblical truth with practical tools for communication, conflict, Christ-centered relationships, marriage, parenting, and blended family life. Pastors Ryan and Jennifer Miller lead FAM; both are certified coaches with extensive experience in marriage and family ministry.
Southpointe Women's Ministry, led by Rolonda Moen, meets Thursday mornings at 10:30 AM for Bible study, with Fall and Spring studies, plus events like the Women's Galentines and Women's Tea, and conferences including the annual Sweet Life Conference each March and the City Girl Conference held each September at Southpointe. The Men's Ministry meets the second Saturday of each month at 9:00 AM in the Dining Room for Bible study, with a stated purpose of discipling men who will disciple other men, rooted in Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Young Adults (SYA), for ages 18-28, meets the third Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM under the leadership of Isaias Ortiz. The 55+ Ministry hosts the First Tuesday Fellowship on the first Tuesday of each month at 9:30 AM in the dining room, followed by Intercede prayer hour, and adds quarterly social events throughout the year.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered 12-step recovery program, meets Friday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Youth Center Building. The program walks through the 12 steps and 8 recovery principles to find freedom from addictive, compulsive, and dysfunctional behaviors. Cherie Jones and Jim Wines lead this ministry, which is open to anyone seeking healing from hurts, habits, and hang-ups. A 12-step study is offered alongside the Friday gatherings.
Feeding and Clothing South Sacramento
Southpointe's Food Pantry serves the working poor and homeless of South Sacramento with dairy products, paper products, and non-perishable items supplied by BelAir, Walmart, Mi Rancho, Food 4 Less, Food Co, Target, and Southpointe's own congregation. The pantry is open the first four Mondays of each month from 7:30 AM until supplies run out, with drive-thru and walk-up service. Volunteer drivers pick up donations from partner stores during the week. Maria Hernandez and Nancy Borders lead the pantry team. The Clothes Closet, led by Tom and Lois Campbell, distributes 500-600 clothing items each week, including clothing, shoes, coats, and blankets, on the same first-four-Monday schedule from 7:30 to 10:00 AM, with donations accepted Tuesdays from 8:00 to 10:30 AM.
Worship, Media, and Giving
The Worship Team rehearses on Thursday evenings and serves at the two Sunday services and at Encounter nights and special events. The team develops excellence in their craft through devotionals and prayer before each rehearsal, and members play instruments, sing, or serve on the media team handling audio, video, graphics, and lighting for the Sunday gatherings. Giving can be done in person during services, online through the Church Center giving page, or by mail with checks made payable to SCC. The church has been working to retire the mortgage on its $10 million campus through the Crossing the Finish Line initiative, and gifts to that fund go directly to the mortgage principle.
Seven Pastors in Seventy-Five Years
Seven pastors have led Southpointe over its history. After founder C.J. Mendenhall resigned in 1962, Hazen Chester served until his death in August 1984. Dr. John Abernathy followed for six years, then Jack Wright pastored from 1990 to December 2005. Mike Trenton of Modesto served from June 2006 until February 2016. Brent and Jacki Sorlien were elected Lead Pastors in June 2016 and resigned in April 2024 to be closer to family. On July 28, 2024, Geary and Christina Jimenez were elected as the current Lead Pastors.