Who Are We?

We are disciples of Jesus Christ who regularly meet together as His Body so we can carry out His Will for us.  We have enjoyed meeting as a congregation at 4563 E Gettysburg Ave in Fresno, since 1965.

The Name of the Church

This group of disciples is called the "church of Christ" because that is what groups of Christians were called in the New Testament, and our worship and faith are practiced in harmony with the teachings found there. The name "Sun Garden" is merely the name of the neighborhood where our assembly and worship take place. The name simply serves to differentiate this congregation of the Lord's church from others meeting in various places throughout the world.

The Name of our Members

We are happy as the followers of Christ to simply be known as "Christians", as the first century disciples began to be called after Jews and Gentiles had been brought together in One Body in Christ.  Though suffering often comes with wearing the name (as Jesus also suffered while He was here), we are not ashamed to be identified with this blessed name, and we are glad when all who name the Name of the Lord are content to do likewise.

What do we Believe?

First of all, our congregation has no written creed but the Scriptures to serve as our sole rule for faith and practice.  The Bible contains the inspired Word of God, and we believe that this eternal Word is powerful enough to make each of us complete in Christ.  Jesus has provided a book for His people which supplies us with "all things that pertain unto life and godliness", and if we apply ourselves to understand what has been written therein, we will know what God wants us all to believe in order to be saved.

Salvation

We believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that our salvation from sin and condemnation is based upon faith in what His death, burial, and resurrection has done for mankind. This Gospel, or "Good News", is recorded for us in the Bible by four witnesses, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  The Gospel is precious to us, and it forms the foundation of our salvation and our hope for eternal life with Christ in Heaven.  Christ’s sinless offering of Himself on the cross is the divine remedy which we could never provide for ourselves.

Our Assembly

Once we become Christians, the Bible teaches that we are "added to the Church", which is the "Body of Christ." The visible representation of the Church on earth is in local congregations who meet together on the First Day of the week to show forth the Lord’s Death until He comes again by partaking of the Lord’s Supper. In addition, Reading the Word of God, Praying, Teaching, Singing, and taking up a Collection on the First Day of the week are also important elements of our assembly, and precious to us. We are taught by the Lord to worship God in spirit and in truth, so we avoid pomp or carnal allurements in our services, focusing instead on sincerity and the edification of the Lord’s Body, the church.

Daily Living

As individual Christians, we understand that our coming together as a church to worship God for just a few short hours each week amounts to only a small portion of our time here on earth. Most of our time will be spent outside of the assembly, and during this time we must always conduct ourselves as the children of God. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  This aptly describes the daily life of a Christian: It is a ‘living sacrifice’ to our Creator, showing our thanks to Him by serving Him and doing whatever pleases Him each day.  Providing for our families, helping our neighbors and our community, and being a blessing to all we meet – these are our goals as we seek to please God. While we struggle to overcome imperfections, we make it our goal to give ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice because of His great mercies to all of us.

The Future

We believe the teachings of Jesus Christ concerning Heaven and Hell. We believe He came to save us from Hell and to prepare us a place with Him in Heaven. We do not look for a reward on this earth, but in the beautiful eternal home described for us in the New Testament. We invite all who are tired of this sinful world to find rest in Jesus Christ and to enjoy the place He is preparing for the Faithful in Heaven!