THE HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY AT SADDLEBACK CHURCH - LAKE FOREST
Or… as most people refer to it, HSM, is here to help students journey through life with Jesus Christ. We believe that a life lived with, and for, Jesus Christ is the best life possible! That doesn’t mean life will be easy or that life will be perfect, but it does mean that we rely on God’s promises to always love us, care for us, provide for us, be with us, and more!
We offer awesome events, engaging weekend services, life-changing small groups during the week, and opportunities for individual students to serve and take next steps of growth on their own. Everything we do is designed with our audience in mind. We take great pride in knowing and caring for high school students here in South Orange County. HSM is not a country club… we are not exclusive or only for “insiders”, but rather we welcome anyone and everyone, because that is who Jesus Christ came for!
So whether you are new to the area, new to church in general, new to Saddleback Church, or are someone who is moving up from our junior high ministry, there are lots of ways to get involved. Come check out a weekend service, join a life group, join us at an event, or reach out to us to get connected even before you show up at something! The bottom line is that our team is here to help and we’d love to serve you in anyway possible.
Our statement of faith
ABOUT GOD
GOD IS THE CREATOR AND RULER OF THE UNIVERSE. HE HAS ETERNALLY EXISTED IN THREE PERSONS: THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. THESE THREE ARE CO-EQUAL AND ARE ONE GOD.
(GENESIS 1:1 / 1 TIMOTHY 6:15 / PSALM 47:7-8 / MATTHEW 28:19 / 1 CORINTHIANS 8:6 / GENESIS 1:26 / DEUTERONOMY 6:4-5)
ABOUT MAN
MAN IS MADE IN THE SPIRITUAL IMAGE OF GOD, TO BE LIKE HIM IN CHARACTER. HE IS THE SUPREME OBJECT OF GOD’S CREATION. ALTHOUGH MAN HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR GOOD, HE IS MARRED BY DISOBEDIENCE TOWARDS GOD IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE CALLED “SIN.” THIS DISOBEDIENCE SEPARATES MAN FROM GOD.
(GENESIS 1:26-27 / ACTS 17:26 / PSALM 8:3-6 / ISAIAH 45:12 / GENESIS 5:2; 6:5 / PSALM 51:5 / ROMANS 3:10 / MATTHEW 15:19 / 1 JOHN 1:10)
ABOUT JESUS
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. HE IS CO-EQUAL WITH THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. JESUS AS FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND OFFERED HIMSELF AS THE PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF ALL MEN BY DYING ON THE CROSS. HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD AFTER THREE DAYS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS POWER OVER SIN AND DEATH. HE IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ANYONE TO BE SAVED. AFTER APPEARING TO HIS DISCIPLES AND OTHERS, HE ASCENDED TO HEAVEN’S GLORY TO SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER. HE WILL RETURN AGAIN TO THE EARTH TO REIGN AS THE KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
(JOHN 8:57-58; 10:15; 14:6 / 1 TIMOTHY 2:5 / ACTS 4:11-12 / MATTHEW 1:23 / PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8 / ROMANS 1:4; 5:8; 8:34 / 1 PETER 2:24)
ABOUT ETERNITY
MAN WAS CREATED TO EXIST FOREVER. HE WILL EITHER EXIST ETERNALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD BY SIN, OR IN UNION WITH GOD THROUGH FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION. TO BE ETERNALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD IS HELL. TO BE ETERNALLY IN UNION WITH HIM IS HEAVEN. HEAVEN AND HELL ARE REAL PLACES FOR HUMANS’ ETERNAL EXISTENCE.
(JOHN 5:24; 17:3 / 2 THESSALONIANS 1:9 / ROMANS 6:23 / MATTHEW 25:46 / PSALM 90:2 / ECCLESIASTES 3:11)
ABOUT SALVATION
SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD TO MAN. MAN CAN NEVER MAKE UP FOR HIS SIN BY SELF-IMPROVEMENT OR GOOD WORKS. ONLY BY FAITH AND TRUSTING IN JESUS CHRIST AS GOD’S OFFER FOR FORGIVENESS CAN MAN BE SAVED FROM SIN’S PENALTY. ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS THE MOMENT ONE RECEIVES JESUS CHRIST INTO HIS LIFE BY FAITH.
(EPHESIANS 1:7; 2:8-10 / 1 PETER 1:18-19 / MARK 1:15 / ACTS 3:19; 11:18; 20:21 / ROMANS 3:21-22; 8:33; 16:15 / JOHN 3:3; 3:14-15; 3:36)
ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY
BECAUSE GOD GIVES MAN ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, THE BELIEVER IS SECURE IN SALVATION FOR ETERNITY. SALVATION IS MAINTAINED BY THE GRACE AND POWER OF GOD, NOT BY THE SELF-EFFORT OF THE CHRISTIAN. IT IS THE GRACE AND KEEPING POWER OF GOD THAT GIVES THIS SECURITY.
(JOHN 5:24; 6:37; 10:27-29 / 2 CORINTHIANS 1:22 / ROMANS 11:29 / 1 JOHN 5:13)
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS EQUAL WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON AS GOD. HE IS PRESENT IN THE WORLD TO MAKE MEN AWARE OF THEIR NEED FOR JESUS CHRIST. HE ALSO LIVES IN EVERY CHRISTIAN FROM THE MOMENT OF SALVATION. HE PROVIDES THE CHRISTIANS WITH POWER FOR LIVING, UNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH, REVEALING SPIRITUAL GIFTS, AND GUIDANCE IN DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. THE CHRISTIAN SEEKS TO LIVE UNDER HIS CONTROL DAILY AND TO BE MADE AWARE OF HOW HE IS MOVING IN THE WORLD.
(JOHN 14:26 / ROMANS 8:26 / MATTHEW 28:19 / ACTS 5:3-4; 28:25-26 / TITUS 3:5-7 / 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19; 12:4; 12:13 / GALATIANS 5:16-25)
ABOUT THE BIBLE
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S PERFECT WORD TO ALL PEOPLE. IT WAS WRITTEN BY HUMAN AUTHORS, UNDER THE SUPERNATURAL GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT IS THE SUPREME SOURCE OF TRUTH FOR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS AND LIVING. BECAUSE IT IS INSPIRED BY GOD; IT IS TRUTH WITHOUT ANY MIXTURE OF ERROR.
(2 PETER 1:20-21 / HEBREWS 4:12 / 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 / PSALM 19:7-11 / JOHN 17:17 / MATTHEW 5:18)