I was forced to come here as a kid from the late 90s - late 2010s. I don't know what to say. I watched it grow from trailer trucks to auditoriums, to the behemoth it is now. I'm disappointed. Everyone in that church is considered a "Wolf" - a fake Christian. Look at them. The Real Housewives & billionaires like us all come up with their new plastic surgery faces and attend mass, only to gossip, judge others, & do exactly the opposite of what Jesus would do. Im writing this review on Easter Sunday because I am just upset with what I had found out. This isn't a loving place. Some of the most evil people I know attend this church - murderers, snakes, people that have bullied me & others growing up - & they think they're good to go and clean of their sins. The luxury money is there for the church and they got everything they wanted and prayed for since the 90s but I can't help at how suicidal I was as a young pre-teen attending their teen services (& they used my photos without my authorization blowing them up on the walls here and there) so don't fall for the BS. I found out today that they don't accept LGBTQ weddings. I don't care about the TQ, but for gays, just drop it. As a gay myself, I can't believe that. & I was forced into this conversion like therapy with again some of the evilest people I've ever encountered. & it's quite funny because a lot of the teen counselors back then were all closet cases, the ones that led Bible studies, and came on to me when I was in my young teens. That's the way Newport works. You villainize the gays and then hold yourself on a pedestal with your $200,000 plastic surgery face and body, can't tolerate carrying your own kids because of what it would do to your genitals so pay handmaids $100,000 here and there to carry your kids, gossip, lie, cheat and steal to get into your business offerings, bully and degrade others, and only care about who's got the nicest car, the nicest house, the most money, and what elaborate restaurant they're going out to brunch. I had Stockholm Syndrome with the "respect" I was taught to have with this church and the former pastor (Ken? I think his name was?) and I just really liked him as a kid & I can't help to remember - didn't he and his wife have a lot of scandals with the church? I just remember one sermon where he bragged about going to Israel and coming back & I think he got downgraded from First Class to economy and sat next to a congregate who recognized him and he became very angry and annoyed that he had to deal with this person. Pretty faces, pretty pastors, but ugly people on the inside. & with the prestige Newport has garnered significantly over the last 10 years, it's all a fallacy. Newport Beach is not the Newport it was in the mid 90s or early to late 00s. The surfers, normal Californians, & the people that made Newport and Laguna are largely gone and swallowed up by these wannabe's that came in and pushed everyone out - the good ones saw the writing on the wall and got out in the nick of time to save themselves. Influencers, celebrities, billionaires, Hollywood elite now showing up - then doing horrible things right after church. This is a place to see and be seen. That is it. It is not a place that helps people with their demons, struggles, or lifts them up. For people with demons, they tried sending them to Moriah Freedom Ministries (which is a form of Christianity Mariners is NOT allowed to practice and they are considered major exorcists and witches and are now out of business). I'd just be careful. Like the Bible says, the Devil hides in the church. This place is all show and tell and it's sad to see how many LGBTQ staff that worked at Mariners over the years, or had closet case kids like myself too scared to come to church but pray every night to be close to God and Jesus, and to be denigrated in person as if I'm a demon and my life is not worth living. It is not something you can help. You are born this way. & it is not what Jesus taught. It is what Paul taught. Paul was an evil man and didn't personally know Jesus. I don't believe any part of the Paul's preachings hundreds of years after Jesus's death. To have them say no to LGBTQ weddings with people that live a 99% Christian lifestyle aside from being gay, but saying yes to all these Kristi Noem MAGA people with masks and "wolves" within the church - murderers sit amongst you and they have held a wedding for one in particular (I know because he is my father!). And bullies that have tried killing people. That's who they say "yes, welcome to our church." Not the ones with gay kids and families and employees that are the ones that donated 20% of their monthly checks for decades and helped build Mariners into what it is now. Shame. He is Risen today and I hope he eliminates all the frauds and wolves within this church and make it actually in line with Jesus's teachings and followings. "Go in God's grace Mariners" looks like we'll have to find somewhere else to attend. read more

This is the church of Sardis and Laodicea. If you want to grow closer to the Lord, you're better off starting your own church at home. Whenever spiritual truth get's too tangled with a big mega-money making institutions like this one, the corruption is so far reaching that the Gospel is compromised. This is the case with Mariners Church. I was there for several years and it was actually the church where I was saved. So why the harsh review? Keep reading... I don't doubt that God saves many people through any church across the country regardless of the level of corruption therein. But if you expect to grow and learn about the Word and grow closer to Him, this is not the place. They avoid tough questions and dress everything up in current post-modern culture to try to lure people into the building. It's all about creating "an experience" which is important, but they neglect any intellectual fervor, supernatural topics, or current events. They will welcome almost anyone which is a positive, but never help people go from milk to meat. If you want to be a luke warm Christian, this is the place for you. Just a list of problems I see aside from what I've already mentioned: 1. Lacking Substance. The senior pastor is an amillennial preterist...or at the very least agnostic and certainly ambiguous pertaining to the topic of prophecy and eschatology. He should at least have enough respect for the congregation to state his position on these matters which make up 1/3 of the Bible. He's a good speaker and great for the first timer or for the rich folks who are feeling guilty about their success. But not everyone will relate to the style or the message. He's more of a Tony Robbins motivational speaker than a preacher. 2. Repetitive. The same passages get talked about over and over and over again year after year. So again, good for seekers, bad for people who want to grow. Not to mention I've seen on more than one occasion verses be taken out of context in order to fit the message topic. A verse-by-verse teaching is nowhere to be found here. They speak into the Scriptures....not let the Scriptures speak for itself. 3. Zero apologetics. This is especially an issue in youth/HS ministry. The stats are clear; most young people leave the church when they get into college. Why? Because churches like these are entertainment centers, not places where kids are challenged intellectually or spiritually and prepared for the world. You're better off finding teachers and preachers online who will talk about defending the faith because they are certainly not prepping the young people for the onslought of secularism, scientism and philosophical materialism they are about to face in college. 4. Passive. If you have questions that are uncomfortable, difficult or challenging, the leaders and staff will pass you along like a hot potato. Eventually, you might run into someone who is willing to talk to you, but don't expect your question to be answered...but do expect the conversation to turn into an AA meeting. 5. Plastic people. Folks are very friendly at this church. Sometimes too friendly. I was often met by folks who seemed to have a glass smile that reminded me of cult personalities. And the buzz word here is "community." Nothing wrong with community, but like any word, use it too much and it becomes obsolete. ONE POSITIVE WITH A CAVEAT They do a great job in outreach to help people who are in need, homeless etc all around the world. However, you better be a minority living in a certain part of town or a 3rd world nation, because otherwise they won't really care. While they do spend a lot of time and money on outreach, ultimately, it's no different from a secular outreach program. The sharing of the Gospel is seldom in the process of outreach and it's all about "the experience" and what you might gain out of it, not the salvation of the people they are trying to help. If you are inviting someone who has never been to a church, this might be a great place to start. But the excitement will not last because it lacks substance. If you're a seasoned Christian and you want to stay lukewarm, go to Mariners Church. The flashy lights, trendy clothed worship leaders and plastic faces will keep you occupied and distracted from being salt and light unto the world. Then again, it's better than Saddleback. But remember Jesus saves...NOT churches read more

Mariners Church has had such a meaningful impact on my life. I've seen some comments questioning why the church talks about giving or donations, but I think it's important to recognize how much Mariners does for the community. The church supports so many ministries, outreach programs, families, children, and people in need. It is also continuing to grow and reach more people, and a church of this size naturally requires resources to maintain its campuses, serve the community, and continue spreading the Word of God. I also participated in the Rooted program, and I can honestly say it transformed my life. It helped me grow in my faith, build genuine relationships, become more vulnerable, and develop a much deeper connection with God. I would highly recommend Rooted to anyone who wants more than simply attending church on Sundays and is ready to experience real spiritual growth and community. I have had such a positive experience with the pastors and leaders at Mariners. The messages are thoughtful, relatable, and grounded in Scripture, while still speaking to the real challenges people face in everyday life. I often leave feeling encouraged, challenged, and inspired to live with greater purpose. I genuinely love going to church here. Mariners has helped me feel welcomed, supported, and closer to God, and I'm incredibly grateful for the ways this church continues to serve and inspire its community. read more

I attended this church for 10 months, for learning purposes. I began going in June 2004. While I attended every single Sunday here are the following things I learned: 1) The Pastor contanstly reminded people to vote for Bush to keep God in the White House 2) The Pastor made jokes at the expense of what Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and Atheists believe. Constantly. 3) They teach helping people in need and how it isn't always bad to have to ask for money on the same days that they're asking for money. 4) Each Sunday, a Pastor would begin a story about his life and his daughters. A story that never happened. "I was playing tennis with my daughter of 13 and she said, 'Father, why does the television display sex to be such a normal thing between an unmarried couple?'" You know, some obviously faux story; 13 year olds don't talk like that. So I guess the bible is relatable to my life, if I'm a Pastor who constantly is in moral dilemmas. 5) On my last day attending this church, the Pastor had a big announcement. He said that he had been collecting all the donations sent in by everybody and spent 70,000 of it to buy the senior pastor a brand new truck. They escorted everybody outside (including the Senior Pastor) so that they can reveal to him, his brand new gigantic white truck. Everybody clapped. My jaw dropped the floor. They scammed these people right in front of their eyes, and they clapped. read more

This place is a joke. They fired their pastor (Caleb) at the Huntington Beach location about a month ago with one of the shadiest announcements ever and no justification whatsoever. The truth is the current incoming pastor (Eric Geiger) ousted Caleb because of his past even though he had disclosed all of it years ago. People need to stand up and understand that the incoming pastor at Irvine is responsible for this. Additionally, Caleb was his competition for his position at Irvine. Look up Geiger's past. He's a revenue generator for a publishing company, not a pastor. This is complete corporate America and the congregation was literally yelling when it happened. They then have lost most of their staff including several of the pastors since the announcement (should tell you something). The only reason this place isn't crushed on social is because it's a "church," but it deserves to be crushed. One person on social tried to lay the guilt trip of "trust the elders of the Irvine campus." Makes absolutely no sense. We have no connection to this campus, yet they somehow control it? 99% of our congregation (including leadership) have never met these "elders." Honestly, it's one of the most dishonest, secretive, weird, awful things I have ever seen at a church. Oh and also, what happened to Kyle Zimmerman at Irvine and why is there absolutely no news? read more

Embarrassed to have been a part of this church and their Huntington Beach location. I have left as of last week when Pastor Graeme had his last Sunday and the church didn't say a word at the service? Do you have ANY idea what that staff has meant to that place? Of course you don't. This is a numbers and publicity game for you. Who do you think you are Mariners? How arrogant are you as an organization? You sure as heck aren't a church. They also fired their senior pastor, Caleb Anderson, within the last month or so with no explanation whatsoever. The Irvine leadership treats the congregation like pawns. Also, since they have lost the majority of their staff to resignation at the HB campus, their website can't even fulfill the "our team" portion when clicked on and it redirects you to the home page. It's a skeleton/non existent church run by the Irvine campus and voices need to be heard. This is not a church you should attend and neither is the Irvine campus. They don't understand the concept of grace and instead understand the concept of publicity and money play. Don't go here!!! End of story. read more

I joined a women's Bible study at Mariners Irvine hoping for spiritual growth and healthy community. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated issue--these groups fall apart regularly, and after experiencing it firsthand, it's clear why. Our group quickly became toxic due to bullying, gossip, and power-grabbing by a few members. Multiple women left, and at least one vulnerable woman was made to feel pushed out entirely. When concerns were raised, they were mishandled by women's ministry leadership, particularly Esther Chung. Rather than addressing harmful behavior or protecting the group, leadership relied on vague spiritual language and failed to intervene appropriately. In my experience, Esther Chung's lack of discernment and accountability directly contributed to the breakdown of the group. This pattern of poor oversight explains why so many women's groups at this church seem to implode. I left the church deeply disappointed and would not recommend these groups to anyone seeking a safe, Christ-centered environment. read more

When I first visited the church, I noticed that only 2 out of the 20 people there took the 5 seconds to say hi to me. Everyone else won't bother talking to you unless you're 120 pounds of plastic like them. They are incredibly stuck up, exclusive, rude, excluding... If I didn't know this was a church, I could NEVER guess that these people are actually Christian, since they demonstrate no Christ-like demeanor. Imagine how it would feel like to walk into a church, and try and make conversation with them and they don't even try to look at you...all they do is look at their little plastic, rich white friends. I guess since I'm asian, they see me as inferior. I will tell my friends to stay away, and I will never return to that fake church. I hope these people come to the realization that they are in a church, and that it's no place to have your head up high. Until then, this church is far from Christian. read more

Irvine Mariners is simply in the business of collecting money! Huntington Beach Mariners was going to become it's own entity in September, before September could come they fired our head Pastor Caleb Anderson. They have been proceeded to take over Huntington Beach Mariners. They had hired Caleb Anderson knowing he had a past and instead of continuing to defend him and protect him they dumped him! The Man spent 6 years building the Huntington Beach Church up from 200 people to 2,000 people. When Caleb was giving the sermon all you could feel in that church was love. Just amazing that they fired Caleb just when we were going to be independent from Irvine. The elders weren't praying to God as to what to do about the situation they were praying to money. I certainly hope they Fail and taking over Huntington Beach. read more

I repeatedly experience with Mariners a church that's friendly, joyful, and easy to connect with. But it's also a family environment that's loving, and interested in connecting people to each other. Eric (pastor) is faithful to teach Scripture and has a gift for sharing truth with grace and with genuine love for every single person who might walk into church, regardless of their background or beliefs. I love that the staff are the most genuinely warm people, inviting and caring. Without fail, there are good folks all over this church. And it's easy to overlook, but the church is deeply involved in meeting needs around the community. So it's a place where you can get plugged in to serving and helping others. read more

Through a guise of being contemporary, Mariners has continued to sow hatred for homosexuals with their policies. Attendees can feel just comfortable enough that they're doing something "good" to keep them coming back - but for those of you that do attend remember: any gay family members, friends, colleagues are not welcome here so long as they continue to be gay. I went here as a kid, and my parents still do. I've tried to explain to their leadership that the word homosexual was never in the Bible until 1946 with the RSV translation. This church should not be trusted with any sermon if they can't critically discern the actual teachings of Jesus from rewrites by bigots. read more

Every church has issues, yes! And Mariners Church excels at this! I was sent this website that is geared to understanding what makes this church tick and describes some of its issues. I wanted to share it. It's also has a forum for you to share your experiences too. Here's the main page: https://mariners-church.org The resource page that has a great selection of articles and videos discussing how to deal with a toxic church environment and toxic pastors/staff. This will give you some comfort if you have left Mariners or if you're thinking of attending this church. Here's the resource page: https://mariners-church.org/app.php/resource-links Hope it helps! read more

How Wolves Talk to Sheep: 1. Call sin an 'issue' 2. Recommend reading the Bible because it can 'really give some answers' 3. You want wisdom? Find people who do not agree with you. That Job guy's friends---those were 'wise' people certainly. 4. "At Mariners, we are all about one thing: Jesus!--No, haha, I mean community! Jesus is nice to add in there, from time to time. 5. I only have 45 minutes to address you, so here is the breakdown: 10 min analogy, 30 minutes of negotiating with Scripture, 5 minutes to let you laugh. And when I pray for you at the end, I will certainly address you and not God. read more