Explore Our Roots

It started in the early 1990s with a handful of saints sharing the same vision for a church in Waipahu, their home town. Bro. Ephraim Amodo Jr., Sis. Leila Williams, Sis. Analyn Mattero, and Sis. Kiana Borovies began planting the seeds by witnessing, fasting, and praying in Waipahu.

Sis. Kiana started a non-denominational Christian club at her high school for student meetups with Bible studies. Later she invited the club members to New Life United Pentecostal Church’s 5th Sunday Fellowship in Honolulu.

During that service with 30+ new visitors, the majority of the attending club members and their guests answered God’s call, received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and were later baptized in Jesus’ name that same evening at Ala Moana Beach Park.

This amazing revival prompted Pastor Rex Robertson of New Life United Pentecostal Church to start a daughter church in Waipahu. Services began in a meeting room at the Waipahu Recreation Center.

Pastor Clyde Swearingin became our first pastor in 1993, followed by Pastor Nestor Villarin in late 1997, and finally Pastor Manuel Lopez since 2008.

In 2021, we changed our name from Waipahu United Pentecostal Church to—First Church Hawaii Waipahu.

Through the years that God has blessed us with, our purpose has remained the same: to share the gospel and Acts 2:38 message with people hungry for a genuine relationship with God, to be a sanctuary where people can grow spiritually and be edified, and to be a blessing in our communities until Jesus Christ returns.

Foundation of the Bible

First and foremost, the Bible is infallible and the highest authority by which all doctrine and life is weighed. Every leader, spiritual vision, preaching, teaching, doctrine, revelation, prophecy, etc. must obey God’s written scripture (see 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Gal 1:7-9).

The Gospel

The good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is the Gospel. We believe it by repenting (dying to sin), being baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ (being buried with Christ), and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues (resurrecting to new life) (see 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Acts 2:4, 37-39, 10:34-48).

One God

Deut. 6:4 proclaims there is only one God (the Trinity concept is unbiblical). Just as a man can be a—father, son, and husband—and still is only 1 person, God revealed Himself to mankind through the main roles or titles of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and yet He remained 1 being. When He was born as the man Christ, God's name was revealed as Jesus (see Isa. 9:6, 45:5; Eph. 4:4-6; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Jam. 2:19).

Christian Living

After we are born again, God calls us to be holy and ethical both inwardly and outwardly by worshipping Him gratefully, loving others as Christ demonstrated, and applying His teachings to daily life. We also let His Spirit move through us in supernatural gifts of the Spirit to edify and encourage others (see Mark 12:28-31; Rom. 12:1-2; Heb. 12:14; 1 Cor. 12:8-10).

Sin and Salvation

Everybody has sinned and needs salvation. Sin is, in essence, rebellion against God and His love. No sin can enter heaven; but God in His mercy came to earth as the man Christ, a sacrificial lamb, to stand in our place to receive sin's penalty at Calvary. He did it to save us and restore us back to Himself as His children (see John 1:29; Rom. 3:23-25; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9).

The Future

Jesus Christ said that He will return again to catch away His bride the church with an archangel’s trumpet blast. In the end, there will be a final resurrection for all mankind and the final judgement (see 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 1 Thess. 4:15-18).