Our Church

The Escondido Reformed Baptist Church was officially constituted as a true, local Church of Christ in May in the year of two-thousand and one. A true church is defined by the standards of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. A true church: (1) regularly and rightly ministers the Word of God for the salvation of all peoples called unto Christ and the obedience thereof, (2) regularly and rightfully practices and submits to the God-ordained ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and (3) regularly and rightfully carries on all orders in worship and church discipline.

Shortly after becoming a true church, the Escondido Reformed Baptist Church joined S.C.A.R.B.C. (Southern California Association of Reformed Baptist Churches) in the month of September in the year of two-thousand and one. This association of local churches is informal, serving as a means of local fellowship between the likeminded, confessional Reformed Baptist churches every fifth Sunday of the month at an appointed meeting place for laymen and officers of the church alike.

In the month of March in the of year two-thousand and two, the Escondido Reformed Baptist Church joined a formal association of churches named A.R.B.C.A. (Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America). We believe that like-minded individual churches are to be so joined in communion with one another in order to meet together through appointed messengers for the betterment of each church joined in formal association with the others. A.R.B.C.A. serves that function. It is in this association of churches where we find commonality, communion, encouragement, and advice through our subscription to the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689.


Though all confessions, creeds, and statements of faith are neither inspired, nor infallible, we believe that the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 is the best and most concise expression of the Christian faith as found in the only infallible, inerrant, inspired Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Bible. It is our confession, the London Baptist Confession of Faith, that binds us in association with other churches, and from which we derive our foundational standards.

Our Church Officers

The oversight of our true, local church is always that of Christ, who is our chief Shepherd, but such shepherding is delegated, by God's appointment, to certain men and officers within the autonomous individual churches, namely the offices of elder and deacon. The Escondido Reformed Baptist Church is overseen by Elder James Renihan, who regularly ministers the word of God, administer the sacraments, and will, if necessary, lead our church in the practice of church discipline if such an occasion arises. Our church also has a deacon, Nobutaka Okuyama, as prescribed by Scripture, for certain tasks and services to be done as delegated to him by the elders. It is through these men, who are called by God and appointed by the church, that we, as a local church, are guided by Christ in all obedience to the Scriptures.