About
Upland BIC Church
Our History
For close to 125 years the Upland BIC Church has been a visible and life-giving presence in the Upland community.
Brethren in Christ (which is what ‘BIC’ stands for) settlers came to Upland from Arizona, Kansas, and other parts of the East in the late 1890’s. Meetings and services were held in a tent, purchased in 1902.
After a year and a half, the small membership group of 14 people purchased a lot on the corner of Third Avenue and ‘F’ Street. Here in 1904, they built the first Brethren in Christ Church in Upland for a total cost of $1,400.
In the late 1950’s, to meet the needs of a growing congregation, it was decided to build a new church facility approximately one mile to the west, on the northwest corner of San Antonio Avenue and Arrow Highway. This facility, dedicated in 1958, is the current home of Upland BIC.
Over the decades, the church has grown to include a chapel-library, fellowship hall, and expanded facilities for children and youth. In 2005, the BIC Community Preschool and Kindergarten was established, and in 2023 was voted Best Childcare Service in Upland for its quality service to the 120 families that call the school home.
For almost a century-and-a-quarter, Upland BIC Church has sought to “know Jesus and to share Him” – in the Upland Community, the Inland Valley, and all around the world. Until Jesus returns, this will remain our ultimate goal and our highest calling.
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Our Team
Our Values
Experiencing God’s Love and Grace
We value the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
Believing the Bible
We value the Bible as God’s authoritative Word, study it together, and build our lives on its truth.
Worshipping God
We value heartfelt worship that is God-honoring, Spirit-directed, and life-changing.
Following Jesus
We value wholehearted obedience to Christ Jesus through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
Belonging to the Community of Faith
We value integrity in relationships and mutual accountability in an atmosphere of grace, love, and acceptance.
Witnessing to the World
We value an active and loving witness for Christ to all people.
Serving Compassionately
We value serving others at their point of need, following the example of our Lord Jesus.
Pursuing Peace
We value all human life and promote forgiveness, understanding, reconciliation, and non-violent resolution of conflict.
Living Simply
We value uncluttered lives, which free us to love boldly, give generously, and serve joyfully.
Relying on God
We confess our dependence on God for everything and seek to deepen our intimacy with Him by living prayerfully.
Our Beliefs
It's All About Jesus
We believe that everything in the Bible points to Jesus, and that Jesus is the key to understanding of who God is and what God is like. Jesus showed us the heart of God by willingly laying down his life for the very people who nailed him to the cross. He taught us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to live our lives with purpose. Everything we do at Upland BIC is grounded in the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
About God
We believe in one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity). We believe that Jesus Christ is the second member of the Trinity (the Son of God), who became flesh to reveal God to humanity and to become Savior of this broken world.
About Humanity
We believe that every person is created in the image of God to have fellowship with him but became alienated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, people are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through their own efforts.
About Salvation
We believe God wants to save the entire world, to make all things new, and that includes you and me. The death and resurrection of Jesus provides a way for us to be rescued from everything that corrupts us, including death and sin. Those who place their faith in Jesus are saved by grace for the purpose of joining with God to make the world new again.
About The Bible
We believe that Jesus Christ is the fullest revelation of God and is central to our understanding and interpretation of the Bible. We believe the Bible is God’s message to us, written by people inspired by the Holy Spirit in their own language and cultural setting. We hold it to be a trustworthy account of God’s interaction with humans to make God’s nature and purposes known to the world.
About The Christian Life
We believe all Christians should live for Christ and not for themselves. We believe that followers of Jesus should spend time with Jesus, learning from Jesus, and growing in how to be more like Jesus. By obedience to the teachings of Jesus and listening daily to the Spirit of God, every believer should mature and become more conformed to the image of Christ.
About The Church
We believe that the church is the body of Christ. The members of the church are those who have trusted by faith in the finished work of Christ. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by loving him and by making him known to the lost world through living out the good news of Jesus in word and deed.