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Harbor Church in Hawaii Kai is set for an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, March 23rd from 4 p.m to 5 p.m. Held on the grounds of Kaiser High School, this annual Easter Egg Hunt also includes games, crafts and a bounce-house. All keiki from Hawaii Kai and surrounding neighborhoods are invited. An Easter service is open to everyone immediately following the egg-hunt event.
Easter Sunday, March 23
4:00pm-5:00pm
Kaiser High School
Map/directions here
Easter service following
5:00pm - 6:30pm
More information
Email info@harborhawaii.org

In addition to our doctrinal commitments, these seven Core Values define the priorities and style of our church:

We value God’s glory above all else.
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. (1 Peter 4:11)
We desire to be a people committed not to self-gratification or man-centered events, but to the highest of all purposes, God’s glory. We will ask, “What does God want?” rather than “What will work?” or “What will make people happy?” Believing Jesus Christ to be the Chief Shepherd of our church, we will trust Him to provide us with guidance in all aspects of church life through his Word and through his Spirit. We hope to speak only with His words, and act only with His strength, so that others might glorify God alone.
We value biblical teaching that changes lives.
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. (Psalm 19:7-8)
Viewing the Bible as the final authority on all things of which it speaks, we look to the Scriptures first to guide our congregational and individual lives. In our worship services and small groups, we will foster teaching that allows the power of God’s Word to be the changing force in our church, rather than the wisdom of man. We desire to be a church that longs for the pure milk of the Word and stands as a beacon of truth in the community.
We value worship that is centered on God.
I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is; his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
We desire to be a church that creatively uses the arts to glorify God, fashioning our weekly worship services to be the culmination of our continuous individual worship of sacrificial living. We will strive to worship the way He has commanded, giving Him all our attention and effort. Our worship will be more about God than us, more about His attributes than our actions. We will look to the Scriptures to see how God wants to be worshiped, primarily expressing our worship through the methods and means He has designed.
We value authentic community that is marked by grace and love.
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. (John 17:20-21) ::: Thanks be to God, who … through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
We desire our church fellowship to create a fragrant aroma in which believers minister to others with Christ-like love. We will place a high priority on home Bible studies and other small group ministries, encouraging all members to be intimately connected to others for encouragement and accountability. Our church family will be a place where judgment is overcome by grace, conflict is overcome by forgiveness, interpersonal and intercultural differences are overcome by respect, and selfish control is overcome by generosity.
We value relational evangelism that addresses the whole person.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-36).
We desire to see our members sharing their faith with friends and neighbors through servant-hearted action. Just as Jesus addressed the needs of the whole person, we will strive to meet physical and emotional needs along with spiritual needs, so that people can see the love of God in action through our deeds. We will teach the good news of the kingdom in our weekly services, and we will facilitate events and small groups that will allow Christians to lovingly share their lives with their non-Christian friends.
We value team-based leadership that multiplies ministers.
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans 12:4-6)
Our leadership will be a team of men who are pursuing God’s will for the church, seeking to be one in heart and mind on all matters before moving forward. Believing in the power of God to unite his people’s leaders for his own glory, a group of coequal full-time and lay ministers will lead the church. To avoid quenching the Spirit’s work, we will seek out leaders who are pursuing God passionately and walking closely in His shadow, so that His will is evident in their lives and consequentially in the life of the church. We will actively train and encourage new leaders to be workers in the harvest.
We value simplicity in ministry as we proclaim the mystery of Christ.
Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 5:31-33)
The kind of relational ministry that Jesus and the apostles modeled requires time and energy, so the work of God’s Kingdom will take priority in our ministry over all other worries. While we will not shy away from the complexities and nuances of the gospel, a commitment to simplicity will guide all our ministry decisions. Our budget, meeting location, material resources, and leadership structure will serve the work of ministry, rather than the all-too-tempting opposite.

Learn to love the Lord with all your heart and mind
Harbor Institute offers seminary-level training on topics that will deepen your knowledge of God and his word. These seminars are usually scheduled on Sunday evenings after the service, and usually run for 2-4 weeks. The classes below will be regularly scheduled throughout the year:
Bible Interpretation
Systematic Theology
Christian Leadership
Christian Philosophy
Biblical Greek

There is a very small parking lot located directly behind Kaiser’s cafeteria, which is reserved for people with disabilities or parents with infants. To access this lot, drive through the neighborhood just makai of Kaiser High School.
For directions on Google Maps, click here.

Genesis 37-50 (The Life of Joseph)
Esther
Gospel of John
Acts
Philippians
Colossians
Titus
Revelation - Supersonic Tour
The Lifestyles of God’s Family
NakedFaith: Answering the Top 5 Questions About God, Christianity and the Bible
Topical Sermons

Harbor is the result of a unique partnership between Faith Baptist Church in Kailua and the Evangelical Free Church movement. God brought the new congregation to life through his work in the lives of Matt Dirks & Tony Kawaguchi. In the Spring of 2004 God gave Matt & Tony a strikingly similar vision for a new church in Hawai‘i. In summer 2005 Faith’s congregation in Kailua (where Matt served as an associate pastor and Tony as worship coordinator) enthusiastically sent a team of people to Hawai‘i Kai to begin the church with the help and guidance of the Evangelical Free Church. We are happy to be a part of the EFCA movement of churches in Hawai‘i, an association that seeks to multiply healthy churches among all people.

HOW WE STARTED
WHAT WE BELIEVE
CORE VALUES
ABOUT OUR LEADERSHIP
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

REGISTRATION

This camp for keiki ages 3-8 will help your kids discover God’s creation all around through hands-on activities, exciting Bible stories, songs, and awesome crafts. They’ll even get a fun, light dinner each night.
MONDAY, MARCH 17 (5:30pm-7:30pm)
Discovering sky and water
TUESDAY, MARCH 18 (5:30pm-7:30pm)
Discovering trees, plants, and flowers (and dirt!)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 (5:30pm-7:30pm)
Discovering sun, moon, and stars
THURSDAY, MARCH 20 (5:30pm-8:00pm)
FAMILY ZOO ADVENTURE! Bring the whole family to Honolulu Zoo for a private behind-the-scenes tour with a zoologist leading the way.
Cost: $30 per child (includes all activities & food)
Zoo night: $12 per adult, $6 per extra child
Registration Deadline: Sunday, March 16
More Info: email Cyndi
Email
info@harborhawaii.org
Phone
(808) 447-9269
Mailing Address
Harbor Church Hawaii Kai
PO Box 25501
Honolulu, HI 96825
Our purpose for Life 180 is to gather people (mostly young adults) from Harbor and eventually from the surrounding communities for the sake of developing (and for some beginning) an authentic, life changing, walk with Jesus as his true followers. We want to create a community within our peer group that will give us the opportunity to learn what it means for us to live for and serve Christ at this particular stage in our lives.
The ministry is not exclusively for college students, nor is it exclusively for singles, but for any and all young adults between the ages of 18 - 34ish.
We meet at Ereke & Eldon’s home in Kam Heights. For more information, visit the Life180 website here or send an email to lifeoneeighty@gmail.com.

We are committed to bringing Christ’s truth and love to the world around us. We encourage and train every member of the Harbor ohana to be everyday missionaries in the workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and families where God has placed us.
COMMON GRACE - KEIKI MENTORING
One of our most meaningful ministries is our new partnership with Common Grace. Individuals in our church volunteer to mentor at-risk keiki in local schools who have been identified by principals or counselors as needing some extra attention. Interested in being a mentor? Email Matt.
COMMUNITY GROUP OUTREACH
Just as Jesus addressed the needs of the whole person, each of our community groups strives to meet physical and emotional needs in our community along with spiritual needs, so that other people can see the love of God in action through our deeds. Each group sets aside a night at least every other month to serve meals to the homeless, visit nursing homes, etc.

We are also committed to making disciples of all nations, so we actively support many who are involved in this crucial task. We have been blessed to be able to send out many from our own church family into long-term ministry around the world.
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David & Erin Burr |
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Chaz & Patricia
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Kezia Tunnell |
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Christopher Kezaala |
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Folders
Folders

We believe the best way to grow in your relationship with God is to be in a community of believers where you can be personally encouraged and equipped to “bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). That’s why we encourage every person who attends Harbor to be involved in a Community Group.
Each group is a tight-knit family that is also warmly welcoming to newcomers. They meet weekly for study and discussion on topics relevant to everyday life, along with time for prayer and worship. Once every other month, each group sets aside time to serve in some way - serving meals to the homeless, visiting nursing homes, etc.
No matter where you live on Oahu, there’s a community group that’s not too far away. For more information, call 447-9269 or email info@harborhawaii.org.
East Oahu
Meeting at the Kawaguchis’ home in Aina Haina, every Tuesday night at 7pm
Town
Meeting at the Hulmes’ home in Kaimuki, every Wednesday night at 7pm
Windward
Meeting at the Gammels’ home in Kailua, every Thursday night at 7pm
Stuff I Read:
Christianity Today
Christian Post
SmartChristian
Between Two Worlds
Cerulean Sanctum
Ben Witherington
NYTimes: Most Emailed

Thank you for your support of Harbor Church! Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
“Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

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Keiki - VOYAGERS CLUB
Youth - KAIMANA
Adults - COMMUNITY GROUPS
HARBOR INSTITUTE
OUTREACH/MISSIONS

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Harbor’s youth ministry Kaimana is a great place for middle and high schoolers to connect with God and each other through weekly studies and regular exciting activities.
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Come to the main service at Harbor Church each Sunday evening for a great time of worship at 5pm, then we’ll take off for our own Bible study designed just for you. We’ll be all pau in time to rejoin the service for the closing worship. For more info, contact Tony at tony@harborhawaii.org.
Elmer Fudd here can’t wait to meet you.
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Folders

He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea
were hushed.
Then they were glad
that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them
to their desired harbor.
- Psalm 107
Our goal is to be a true spiritual harbor where people can find rest and refreshment, and also be equipped to venture back out into the surrounding ocean as missionaries to our community.
Our ministries are designed to accomplish this goal in the life of every person who is a part of our family. From keiki to adults, you’ll find a place to get connected with other believers and get equipped to use your gifts and talents in ministry.
Click the links on the right to explore our ministries.

Meets every Sunday evening during the service, for kids age 3 mo. to 9 yrs.
Voyagers Club has been designed specifically to reach kids’ minds and hearts. While your keiki attend Voyagers Club they will journey to a deeper understanding of who God is and the love he has for them as well as a deeper understanding of who God created them to be as kids!
Each week we seek to convey the truth of God’s Word to children in a fun, relevant, kid-friendly manner! We play and learn through exciting games, fun songs and crafts, and age-appropriate Bible lessons. To help your keiki make it until dinner, we’ll even give them a small snack (but we promise not to ruin their appetite!) Be a part of the exciting adventures happening at Voyagers Club.
For more information, please email Cyndi Dirks.
Bon Voyage!

“Why don’t you meet in the morning? Just too lazy to get out of bed?”
Maybe, but that’s not the real reason. At first, it was a purely practical decision: when we started looking for a meeting space, there simply wasn’t anything available anywhere in East Oahu on Sunday mornings. We were a little apprehensive, but once we actually started meeting on Sunday evenings, we realized how much we loved it. Having an evening service allows us to enjoy a real Sabbath-day of rest, relaxation, and recreation with our families and friends, culminating with a great celebration of worship, fellowship, and learning at the end of the day.
“Why did you choose the name Harbor?”
It all started with our love for the ocean. Not only is it the best playground on earth, but it’s also a powerful metaphor of God’s work of redemption. As Genesis 1 describes, the world started as a chaotic waste of empty ocean. God transformed this formless void into a life-filled wonderland, and now in the same way he offers to transform the chaotic mess of our lives into something beautiful.
Still, the ocean is a dangerous place with the threat of sudden swells and hidden reefs, making safe harbors so necessary. A harbor is a place of refuge, and also a place of provision where you get equipped to return to the sea. We see our church in much the same way. Harbor exists to offer God’s refuge from the storms of life and also to equip people to return to the stormy ocean with God’s power.
What do you mean that you’re “theologically conservative but also socially progressive?” Like a bunch of Bible-school graduates with tattoos?
Well, sort of. What it means is that we have an unshakeable commitment to the supremacy of God, the inerrancy of his Word, and the exclusive salvation he offers through his Son, but we don’t come with the baggage that often accompanies those beliefs: legalism, judgmentalism, and isolationism. We believe there are many secondary issues (like drinking alcohol, consuming popular media, and yeah, getting tattoos) which should be left to individual conscience and not dictated by written or unwritten church standards.
We also believe that God’s desire is to bring his “shalom” to all aspects of his creation (the Hawaiian idea of “pono,” meaning what is just, whole, and complete, is probably closer than any English word to the ancient Hebrew concept of shalom), so we support efforts to bring about social justice and environmental renewal here in the islands and throughout the world.
You have candles in your church services. Are you one of those “emerging” churches?
Probably not in the way you think of it. Finger-painting and meditative chanting aren’t part of our worship services, and we aren’t afraid to declare that God has revealed absolute truth about himself and his plan through his word. We do share a few characteristics with emerging churches, like our aversion to big programs and activities that take away from the relational nature of a biblically functioning church. But we’ve never, ever constructed a prayer maze and we have no idea what “ancient/future faith” means.
Why don’t you pass an offering plate at church?
We encourage our people to give generously and joyfully to the Lord’s work at Harbor and around the world, but we also want to avoid the greedy-church stereotype that televangelists have unfortunately cemented into the consciousness of our culture. One Sunday early in our existence we actually told people to give to other churches instead of ours. We have an offering box in the back of the church that people can drop their gifts at any time during the service as one aspect of their worship. We also have an online giving option here.
Why don’t you preach topical sermons about [marriage, finances, job stress, fill in the blank here __________ ]?
We do teach about marriage, finances and many other everyday topics, but usually those things come up in a book of the Bible that we’re working through in our Sunday service or in midweek small-groups. We tend to teach verse-by-verse through biblical books because it’s an easy way to ensure we’re teaching the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), not just the subjects we happen to be most enthusiastic about. That’s not to say that topical sermons are inherently any less biblical, just that we’re still pretty young and we don’t quite trust ourselves yet to be completely balanced.
“What, no senior pastor? Who leads the church?”
As you can see in our Core Values, we have a strong commitment to the philosophy of team leadership. Plurality, equality, and unanimity are vital characteristics of our leadership team. We believe that if Jesus Christ is truly the “chief shepherd” (which literally means the “senior pastor”) described in 1 Peter 5:4, then he will provide unity of heart and mind to the under-shepherds guiding his flock.
Practically, this means that Harbor is led by a coequal team of elders, made up of both full-time and bi-vocational leaders. They meet regularly to prayerfully discern where they see God leading the church. If you’re really interested in how team leadership works (and you need something to put you to sleep tonight), you can read Matt’s masters thesis which details his study of seven flourishing churches planted with a team leadership structure. Download the PDF document here. (you’ll be happy to know he got an A on his thesis.)
Have another question? Email us here.


Matt Dirks [ matt@harborhawaii.org ]
Matt and Cyndi Dirks have been married for thirteen years. Along with Caleb, Talia, and Micah they enjoy frequent family outings to the beach and weekly visits to Cinnabon. A graduate of UCLA and Talbot School of Theology, Matt served as a youth pastor for seven years in Kailua before planting Harbor. He loves teaching, mentoring leaders, and engaging in conversations with random people at Starbucks. His most fulfilling moments are when he sees God bringing change to someone’s life. Matt volunteers as a soccer and football coach, serves on the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board, and enjoys surfing at many East Oahu breaks whenever he gets the chance.

Sunday services at Koko Marina Center
5:00pm-6:15pm
In South Shore Christian Fellowship’s space
2nd Floor in waterfront building
Above Jamba Juice & Teddy’s Bigger Burgers


“The Towers We Build”
Kaleo

“Pursued by God”
Ken & Leonore

“Saved From Prosperity”
Shatoyia

“As For the Lord and Not For Men”
Dustin

“Through Him All Things Hold Together”
Peter

“Beside Quiet Waters”
Maris

“Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death”
Mike

As an Evangelical Free Church, we hold to the ten basic doctrinal distinctives of the movement:
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
8. We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

God is creating a unique ‘ohana at Harbor, bringing together a diverse combination of traits you normally don’t find in the same church. We are strongly dedicated to each other, but at the same time warmly welcoming to newcomers. We are seriously devoted to the Bible, but also open to the Holy Spirit’s unexpected work. We are theologically conservative, but at the same time socially progressive. We are ambitious in our dreams and goals, but also patient to wait for God to take the initiative.
Above all, our highest desire is to glorify God and to influence others to do the same.

Email
info@harborhawaii.org
Phone
(808) 447-9269
Mailing Address
Harbor Church Hawai‘i Kai
PO Box 25501
Honolulu, HI 96825

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