Church of Amazing Grace International
Welcome to a Thriving African Christian Community in Southern California.
Services & Christian Ed.
Worship Service: 11:00 A.M ‐ 1:00 P.M
Youth: 11:30 A.M ‐ 12:30 P.M
Sunday School: 11:30 A.M ‐ 12:30 P.M
Choir Practice: 10:00 A.M ‐ 10:45 A.M
Wednesday Bible Study: 8:00 P.M ‐ 9:00 P.M
Thursday Prayer Meeting: 8:00 P.M ‐ 9:00 P.M
Location: 1201 Dorothy Ln, Fullerton, CA 92831
Elders at CAGI
Media
CAGI Events
Join Church of Amazing Grace International, 1201 Dorothy Ln, Fullerton, Sunday, June 15, 2025, 11 AM, for ‘Rooted & Rising’. Bishop Stephen Gachengo will deliver a message that digs deep and lifts spirits. Come early, bring everyone, and discover depth that anchors and propels you forward. Details: churchofamazinggraceinternational.org, @CAGInternational. Parking available; expect music, fellowship, and warm community welcome.
Media at CAGI
Step inside our Media Center: monitors beam live mosaics, a digital mixer hums, and our agile tech team switches cameras and lyrics with flawless timing. From this hub we stream worship worldwide, uniting Nairobi, New York, and Fullerton in real-time praise, teaching, and community connection for every service and story.
Church Session at CAGI
Rev. Dr. Johnson Kĩnyua, Pastor
Lucy Wamagatta, Chair
Tabitha Gichuru, Clerk
Pastor Janeth Masinde, Elder
Mary Kiriaku, Elder
Erastus Bundi, Elder
Alice Nganga, Ass. Clerk
Isabel Mwaura, Elder
Leonard Kanyi, Elder
Alice Nyaga, Elder
Naomi Ngotho, Elder
Evans Njoroge, Elder
Elizabeth Karanja, FO
Purity Gichuru, Director Youth and Children
SoCal African Christian Family
Vision:
Our vision is to build a strong and a vibrant African Christian community serving African students and immigrant families living in Southern California.
Mission:
Our mission is to reach out for Christ African immigrants living in Southern California.
Leadership at CAGI
CAGI Elders
Elders partner with the minister to provide pastoral leadership and care through every life stage—worship, childbirth, bereavement, weddings, family transitions, and illness. Each elder shepherds members and offers care within their District, and they lead Bible study whenever the group meets.
Development
The Development Team guides the Church Session on acquiring land, enhancing facilities, and stewarding finances. It also exercises every power and fulfills each duty the Session assigns, so long as actions conform to our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, under Session oversight it drafts budgets, reviews contracts, tracks projects, and reports progress to the church on time.
Districts
Districts drive our primary pathway to discipleship and transformation. Members gather in homes, halls, or online rooms for fellowship, prayer, and Scripture. We urge every congregant to join a District. Elders actively shepherd each circle, secure venues, and foster a culture of communal prayer, creative evangelism, compassionate outreach, and social justice that radiates hope.
Pastoral Committee
I serve as the Senior Pastor at the Church of Amazing Grace International (CAGI), Fullerton, California. Together with the Pastoral team and church elders, we are responsible for the life of the Church which includes (but not limited)exercising leadership, church government, and church discipline.
— Rev. Dr. Johnson Kĩriakũ wa Kĩnyua
Ebenezer is His name. Serving the Lord along side Rev. Dr Johnson Kinyua has opened doors and opportunities to meet some of the most amazing people God created including members of CAGI. I am humbled to serve in the various ministries in our church. More specifically, the children and youth ministry is close to my heart.
— Elder Mary Kĩriakũ
My name is Tabitha Gichuru. I was born and raised in Kenya in the Rift Valley province. I grew up in the in the house of the lord as my dad was an elder at the church. I accepted the lord as my personal savior, at a young age. I am a proud member of C.A.G.I church and serving as an elder is a call.
— Elder Tabitha Gĩchũrũ
My name is Pastor Janeth Wakesho Masinde and Christ is my Lord. I was born in Taita, Kenya. I am a mother of four daughters, one son-in-law and two grandchildren. I am thankful to God for the opportunity to serve at the Church of Amazing Grace International. Thank you.
— Pastor Janeth Masinde
Partner with CAGI
Group Teams at CAGI
CAGI Women: Atumia A Magegania
Atumia A Magegania (Amazing Women) group is one of our church groups. CAGI women's Fellowship is a very dynamic group known for its generosity. Women of God aspire to stay united and actively engaged in the community. The purpose of this group is to be together and to proactively inspire members to grow spiritually and socially. The group provides a platform for women to contribute financially to the needs of the community.
CAGI Children
Children's Ministry at C.A.G.I is one of our foundational pillars in our outreach. We have Sunday School programs for preschoolers and Elementary aged Children. Our children learn God's Word through Sunday lessons prepared around major stories from the Bible. The ultimate goal is to teach children to embrace faith in Jesus Christ and to encourage them to share the gospel with other children.
CAGI Youth
CAGI youth group is vibrant and full of energy. The youth engage in activities such as Bible Study, talks, campings, seminars and sports with the goal of bonding, praising and also outreach to fellow youth who are unchurched. They also communally enjoy sleep-overs and movie nights. We are grateful for the leadership offered by Purity Gichuru and Team.
CAGI Men: Men of God
The Men's Fellowsip has witnessed tremendous growth in the last three. Apart from being an active member in our church, the Men's Fellowship group has been involved in various activities to support and encourage each other. Throughout the year, the group organizes and contributes towards get-together activities such as retreats and games. They reach out to other men by visiting them as well sharing the Gospel with the unreached.
Meet our pastor
My name is Pastor Johnson Kĩriakũ wa Kĩnyua, Senior Pastor at CAGI. Born in Kenya, I moved my family to the USA. My wife Mary and I nurture three children—Milkah, Ayub, and Eunice. I earned a PhD in Religion from Birmingham and teach ethics at Saint Leo University.
I have pastored in Africa and the United States and worshiped among English congregations, gaining broad intercultural insight. In Atlanta, I unite immigrants from Kenya, Angola, Congo, Nigeria, Namibia, and Korea for fellowship, celebrating vibrant diversity. This global ministry deepens my devotion to Christ and fuels my calling to teach, preach, and advance cross-cultural understanding through Word and Sacrament service.
My Reformed convictions blend with Africa's “I am because we are,” urging shared life and mutual care. God calls me, a teacher—theologian, to heal and reconcile amid sin and injustice while the church awaits Christ's return and kingdom renewal. Guided by Buechner's maxim of matching deep gladness with the world's hunger, I labor to love God and serve humanity faithfully.
The Church of Amazing Grace International
SINCE its inception in 2009, the Church of Amazing Grace International (CAGI) has been involved in preaching, teaching, leadership training, administrative work, pastoral care, crisis counseling, and immigration issues. Our first task as a church is to pray individually and communally to discern what God is calling us to accomplish here in Southern California. Through worship and Bible Study, we expand our capacity to listen to God in order to refine our efforts, increase outreach and make plans to grow the church. Ultimately, we are open to God's leading and provision as we set out to be a beacon of hope for immigrants who want to grow spiritually, serve God, and uplift God's people.
CAGI has had several phases of development from its inception. In December 2009, the then organizing pastor, Rev. Dr. Johnson Kĩmũhu and his wife, together with a small group of Kenyans living in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties in Southern California established the first fellowship.
The fellowship was registered under the banner Kanitha wa Ũtugi wa Magegania wa Gĩkũyũ (KUMG). The fellowship, which was the only of its kind in Southern California, appealed to Kenyans from various Christian denominations. The group preferred worshipping in their native Gĩkũyũ language. The fellowship used to meet once a month for worship at the pastor’s residence.
As more people expressed an interest in joining the fellowship, it became necessary to seek another meeting location to accommodate the growing number of members. The fellowship relocated to Downtown Community Center in Anaheim. Three years later in 2012, the fellowship which had grown to over 100 members moved yet again to First Presbyterian Church, Santa Ana.
In August 2014, the organizing pastor and his wife received a call to return to Kenya to serve on a different capacity. Rev. Dr. Johnson Kĩmũhu together with the leadership of KUMG, invited Rev. Dr. Johnson Kĩriakũ wa Kĩnyua (from Atlanta Georgia) to come and continue with the work of organizing the Kenyan immigrants in Southern California. Pastor Kĩnyua was officially commission on November 26th, 2014.
After six months of service, the pastor together with the discernment team started planning for the next phase of KUMG’s development. The Lord revealed to us that we as a church needed to be outward thinking instead of inward looking. It became obvious that the church had outlived its first mandate since Kenyans from other ethnic communities were joining the church. In order to promote diversity that encourages positive ethnicity the discernment team decided to change the name of the church to The Church of Amazing Grace International (CAGI).
The Church continues to explore other avenues of reaching out to the younger generations and other members of our diverse immigrant community. One other longings for us as a community of faith is to connect globally for mission work both locally and abroad. CAGI represents the new face of modern mission work in which immigrants seek to partner with other mission-minded Christians. We remain committed to our lord’s great commission as well as desiring genuine koinonia with other partners in mission.
Our statement of faith at CAGI
KOKOMANO LA IMANI
We believe in the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scripture, justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and in the priesthood of all believers. As a community of believers, we are called by God, shaped by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a community of praise, love, and service. Our knowledge of God and God's purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, through the life of Jesus Christ, and from our African experience as Christians. We believe that our salvation through Jesus is God's generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments.Our Christian theological beliefs follow reformed tradition and informed by the African philosophy of sharing and mutuality guided by the motto I am because we are. Worship is the heart of our life together. We also recognize the cost of discipleship and rooted in our faith, we seek to develop and use our gifts and talents for the glory of God. We teach, learn, and serve together with creativity and joy. We encourage our members to commit themselves in reaching out to other people for Jesus and extending the Kingdom.
YESU KRISTO NI NANI?
We believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His death and resurrection. We believe in Jesus as the Son of God. He is the Savior of the world. Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ is the means by which we are forgiven our sins. We also believe in One God, who exists eternally in three personalities: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
KANISA
We believe the Church is the family of God that comprises those "called out." They are "called out" from sinful lives into the pursuit of God's righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. Hence, they are "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God." Ecclesia as used by Paul and as used in Matthew 16:18 refers to a regularly convened assembly which may refer to a congregation gathered for worship or a local Christian community or the universal Church. It denotes the small assembly in a private house (Roman 16:5; Philemon 2), the Christian congregation of particular towns and cities (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1) and the church universal (Eph. 1:22; 3:21). Yet still the term 'ecclesia', is a compound word made of 'out of' and 'to call' or 'summon'. In this sense, therefore, the church refers to a community "called to be saints" (Roman 1:7). For early Christians, 'ecclesia' came to refer to "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" and "a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5, 9).
WOKOVU
We believe in Salvation through Grace. God has offered us salvation because He loves us. We know that we do not deserve such a great salvation. However, we also know that through Jesus, who was without sin, God redeemed us. The Bible declares, "There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12.)
HUDUMA
We believe that the church is called to serve God and his people. Ministry and service at the Church of Amazing Grace International is derived from the ministry of Jesus Christ, given by Him who came to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. We believe it is the duty and privilege of every member of the Christian Church to realize one's adoption into the family of God and to rejoice in his salvation through Jesus Christ, in whom we have forgiveness of sins, and who with the Father and Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified.
The member should demonstrate this by:
Being diligent in prayer, in the reading of the scriptures and the faith of the Christian church. Responding to God's activity in the world through service to others and by working heartily as unto God in that calling and state of life into which God leads. Manifesting a Christian attitude and patience in all interactions with others, and especially those who are in need, sickness or distress. Supporting the work of God at the Church of Amazing Grace International through giving, time and talents. Participation in the public worship; sharing in the church's corporate acts of witness and service. Striving to purify and strengthen the Church; actively assisting in proclamation of the Good News to all, in evangelism and in such work as shall forward the kingdom of Jesus Christ through education, healing and other forms of Christian service. Praying with and for fellow Christians and for the salvation of all people. Seeking peace and unity of Christ's Church on earth and to, this end, cultivating relationships of Christian love and fellowship with all Christians in other churches. Working for peace, justice, freedom and human fulfillment; living responsibly in the personal relationships f life for the glory of the true God.
UINJILISTI
We at the Church of Amazing Grace International believe that evengelism means taking the Word of God to where the people are. God sent His only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit and now He sends us. God sends the church into the world as instruments of redemptive mission to the unevangelized and backslidden, and to the poor and the weak. We believe that each member of the Church of Amazing Grace International should participate in God's work for the redemption of the whole life of the people, and ultimately for whole creation. Every members is calle to live the life of witness in his/her daily contact with the world, wherein lies the church's evangelistic task and opportunity. Members are challenged to share in the service at the Church of Amazing Grace International's corporate acts of witness, education, healing and other forms of Christian service.
Events
CAGI Event
Join Church of Amazing Grace International, 1201 Dorothy Ln, Fullerton, Sunday, June 15, 2025, 11 AM, for ‘Rooted & Rising’. Bishop Stephen Gachengo will deliver a message that digs deep and lifts spirits. Come early, bring everyone, and discover depth that anchors and propels you forward. Details: churchofamazinggraceinternational.org, @CAGInternational. Parking available; expect music, fellowship, and warm community welcome.
Previous Event
On 1 June 2025 at 11 AM, Church of Amazing Grace International and Soil Merchants hosted a marketing-networking event, ‘Thriving Beyond Boundaries,’ in Fullerton. Speakers Rev. Dr. Johnson Kĩriakũ, Rev. Lucy Gacheru, and Chairman George Mungai shared real-estate insights, diaspora investment tips, and faith-driven entrepreneurship, offering encouragement, aided by Prime Bank's financing guidance.
Contact us
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" ‐ Romans 12:12