“WELCOME to San Francisco Mandarin Baptist Church” echoes warmly. San Francisco Mandarin Baptist Church is a beacon of faith. It stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of the Chinese community in San Francisco.
San Francisco Mandarin Baptist Church is a Chinese church. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. This affiliation connects it to a broader network of Baptist churches. The church offers Sunday Worship Services. These services are held at 9:30 am in English and at 11:15 am in Chinese.
The roots of Chinese Baptist churches in San Francisco run deep. The Chinese Independent Baptist Church San Francisco was established in 1905. Rev. Tsai Leong Lee led its establishment. This church emerged from an indigenous Chinese Baptist movement in Guangzhou China in the 1800s. This movement emphasized self-governance self-propagation and self-support.
In 1906 the Great Earthquake struck San Francisco. The meeting place was destroyed. Some members moved to Oakland. Others remained in San Francisco. The church continued meeting in two locations after the quake. The San Francisco group bought property in 1913. They completed the building in 1922. The Oakland group bought property in 1963. They built on their present location on 8th Street. In 1967 the San Francisco and Oakland congregations became two autonomous churches. They are now known as Chinese Independent Baptist Church San Francisco and Chinese Independent Baptist Church Oakland.
In 1975 the San Francisco church established a missions point in the Sunset District. This later became the Sunset Chinese Baptist Church in 1980. It is presently named Sunset Church of San Francisco. In 1976 the Marin County mission point was established. It later became the Marin Community Church. Since the seventies the church has supported missionaries. These missionaries serve in the mission field. The church funds these missions with money above normal member giving. Since the late eighties the church began sending out short-term missionaries. They went to various parts of the world.
In 1972 the church started a new English congregation. In 1979 it became the nucleus of the English congregation of the present Sunset Church. After a hiatus of seven years in 1986 the church recommitted to having a separate English congregation. This lasted to the present. The church feels led to continue the English congregation. It is for the English-speaking population in Chinatown.
In 2003 the church affirmed its commitment to remain in San Francisco Chinatown. It pledged resources to build a four-story addition. They did a major renovation of the existing church building. The $2.4 million project was completed debt-free. The new building was dedicated on April 3 2010. It was aptly called the “Faith Building.”
In May 2019 CIBCSF became a member church of the Southern Baptist Convention. The church is also a member of the Northern California Chinese Baptist Association. It is a member of The Chinese Baptist Fellowship of United States and Canada.
San Francisco Mandarin Baptist Church is located at 2332 Judah St. San Francisco CA 94122-1539. You can contact them at (415) 681-0909.
In all her ministries the church seeks to realize its mission. That mission is to “Know Christ and to Make Him Known beginning in San Francisco Chinatown.” As you leave San Francisco Mandarin Baptist Church may you carry the message. May it resonate within you.