Here's what you can expect from Sandals Church. Solid Bible teaching. Super friendly and kind people. Others who want to see you thrive. All kinds of groups for marriage, teens, seniors, kids, divorced, 12-step, and more. Also, after reading some other reviews here I feel inclined to give my take on the church asking for money. All churches work off of donations from the people they serve. This is normal. Sandals Church does not ask for money any more than others churches I have attended, and they are very transparent with spending. read more

We attended and served at Sandals for around 10 years. We quit during Covid because they would never stop pushing for donations and on-site attendance. Here are my main beefs: when the pastor can afford a gorgeous million dollar home and can take more vacations than my husband and I who own a very successful business there is something wrong. We also "served" also knows as unpaid labor...at the coffee shop where lots of tips were given at each service and who knows where those went. read more

Well, I like how honest Pator Matt is about his own personal struggles, it makes him relatable. I love how he presents the word in ways we can apply to our lives. The Church's philosophy about being real with ourselves and others helps us open up our hearts to receive Gods correction and to draw out our defects and that's how we grow as Christians. I would give 5 stars but I think they need to work on accessibility, it was challenging to find a bible study group, even with their connect meetings. Thanks to Ricardo, I was able to connect with a group! If you don't like the big church feel theres always the location on Palm. I love that they have a 7 pm. Service on Sundays with my nutty schedule its a life saver. For those complaining about giving, churches run on the offerings, I give to the church but do not tithe, yet, I have in the past and its an act of faith and I saw a lot of strange things happen during that season. Little miracles. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Give what you can to the church is what it says in the new testament. The tenth rule requires unshakable faith but its not mandatory. The day I see pastor Matt driving around in ostentatious cars or expensive over the top flashy egocentric attire that's when I'll stop coming here. I haven't seeing that yet! I think Christians should be grounded and rooted and free of an egocentric lifestyle. Personally its a turn off when I see Pastors behave this way. I pray that God continues to speak through this church and help them to remain honest and humble with a servants mindset. So far so good in my opinion. I'll give 4.5 but its not an option! read more

So many reviews talk about them wanting money which is not very accurate, when you give to the church you are giving your money back to God's Kingdom, He is the provisioner of our finances and gave it to us in the first place, (which is written in scripture aka tithing) they don't force you to give but they do encourage you to act on your faith when giving, the sermons are all based on scripture some of the reviews are very misleading and seem overly sensitive. I love this church and appreciate all of the preachers i've heard well rounded messages from. The church is made for broken people and I love that Sandals allows you to come as you are read more

I attended this church recently for an Easter service with my wife and kids. We decided to try out a new place since we're from the area, and we've seen that this place is popular online. However, our experience was particularly underwhelming, especially on an important holiday like Easter. Rather than worshipping our Lord and celebrating the day Jesus rose from the grave, the service felt more like they were begging us for money. First they pass around a collection plate, then the next thing we know the pastor has switched subjects from the sermon to discussing how important it is to "give back." I don't know about y'all, but my way of giving back to the Lord is by attending weekly services in his name, not by donating my hard earned money to a "mega church" as they call them. Will not be returning here. My family and I will stick with our small community church from now on. read more

Sandals Church Hunter Park is such an amazing church to go to. Pastor Matt is so incredible and he has so much wisdom and is very easy to understand. My family and I love the beautiful singing, the messages and the wonderful atmosphere. Keep on doing what you guys are doing!!! I am so blessed to call Sandals Church my home. God bless you all. Kristin :) read more

They used AI to show what the church will look like once remodeled and if you don't know AI uses a lot of water from random communities every time you ask it to do something. It's not very Holy of them to do something like that so I wont recommend going there. Secondly the pastor was making very sexist comments towards women saying how they should be cheerleaders for men all the time. He also said Jews are no longer religious ever since the Holocaust which did not make sense. He also talked about Charlie Kirk who not only spread hate but made a safe space for people to disrespect certain groups of people. read more

A place you can call home! A place to be real and worship our Lord and Savior Great place with a huge focus on small groups read more

See all

My family and I used to love going to this church but it has changed so much this year. Actually a few years back Pastor Matt said he couldn't give the sermons live because he'd lose his voice. So he'd give one, record it and play it for the other services. Now, this year there has been more prerecorded messages given than live messages. They have secluded meetings where he gives his message and records it for the rest of us to hear on the weekends. You don't win souls this way. This is not a church I thought I'd ever walk away from. We'd like a pastor that is grateful for church visitors and one that is there every weekend, instead of going on vacation. read more

Probably the best Church I've ever been to, Best worship I have been a part of.. I can honestly say that this is home..

I thought I already recommended this place maybe with only 3 stars. It's not perfect but with good reason it was my home church for 16 years until I left California. However they did for about a decade have a staff member who was downright abusive in his dealing with the Boomer members of the church, especially female Boomers. But it's my understanding he's now a former staff member and Sandals is doing what it needs to to reclaim the trust of those age 60+. read more

Saturday evening service at Hunter Park offers a smaller venue than Sundays. It's welcoming, non judgmental, and they invite you to be REAL. "Come as you are " not only means the way you're dressed, but also spiritually. Even though we have several campuses to attend on Sundays, Sandals Church does not "feel" like a mega church. Pastor Matt Brown is VERY down to earth. And the Saturday pastor, Jeff Whye, is compassionate, funny, and very approachable. If you're on the fence about finding a church to call home, give Sandals Church a try. We'd love to meet you. read more

I love coming to hear The Word of God,From such a awesome Man of God.My Family is so Inviting each and Everyday I Come Home To Worship and Adore My Heavenly Father. read more

Love coming here every Sunday morning.Such a beautiful church and environment. Kind smiles everywhere.

I have been a Christian since I was 4. I come from a family with a legacy of preaching. I have attended Christian education my whole life. There is one thing each experience has in common... They can let you down. So many interactions with Christians that have betrayed or spilt believers, many pastors who don't preach from the Bible, or allow sin to be in secret and destroy from within. We started attending Sandals HP years ago. My marriage of 30 years was struggling, my career was overwhelming, and I was trying to balance everything. My kids dragged me back into church. My kids dragged their dad back. I had never stopped believing or loving the Lord, I had become burned out on religion and churches. I was burned out! What a breath of fresh air Sandals was. Their worship was powerful and inspirational. It ushered us into the presence of the Lord through worship. The children's program gave an outstanding positive place for my grandchildren, with caring volunteers to pour into these kids. Matt Brown demonstrates over the years a true understanding of the Word. He is so not perfect yet places his failures, insecurities, and anxieties on the table and allows these to lead a congregation through examples of real life struggles. He is human. He is not who I worship. He is just a man. He isn't capable of knowing every church member, he can't take time every time somebody wants to chat outside of church. He will make mistakes, but he is submissive to the Holy Spirit. I read every review. Many mentioned asking for money. They publicly ask for tithing from their regular members. Not new comers. They say it 1x every service. Any other description of their tithing policy just isn't true. Conviction can be a powerful emotion. If you feel uncomfortable in this church I respectfully ask you question if that is more about you than the church. I love the conviction, I love the spiritual challenge. I love the people at this church. Lastly, my husband passed away. It was many people in this church that engaged my family. Showed up, donated money and have faithfully followed up on my little family. We are only one family of hundreds and they go out of their way to make sure we are good. Investing their personal time. These are good people. Come. See for yourself. Bring your Bible or use the app for notes. Sit in front or in the top level. Worship or stand quiet. Receive prayer or leave. Tithe or don't. None of our actions will change Gods plan for this church. We as a family are so grateful for this place and all its pastors. read more

Our family has been going here for years... we love Sandals!!!! Pastor Matt is very knowledgeable, relatable, funny and not afraid to share his personal ups and downs with his life and marriage. It's a very warm and welcoming place to worship. read more

I have been apart of Sandals church for about fourteen years now. This church has absolutely changed my life. I have a real family here, that loves me and my family like their own. Sandals Church has been there for me in my darkest times and my best of times. I know I can truly be authentic and real with absolutely no judgment and only met with love. And trust me, I've had many terrible times that they've walked with me through. I see a lot of comments that Sandals asks for a lot of money etc. As Christians, we are called to love on and support and grow the church. And whether you can give one cent or a million dollars, you will not be judged or shamed. All church financials are available in our church website. I love giving back to the God that provides. I've had times where I could not afford to tithe, and there has never ever ever been any guilting. In fact, the response has been "how can we help you?". There have even been services where we do a "reverse offering" and ask the congregation to come up so that we can pray and financially provide to anyone who needs monetary support. Get connected, start serving. You'll find your real family here! read more

Sandals Church Hunter Park - Churches Near Me - Riverside, California

Friendly staff and pastors , make you feel welcomed. Sunday service are great with amazing worship

This church is a blessing. The time put in each week is evident in care for the church (people) and experience. It is diverse with people, messages that matter and care provided and offered with Soul Care and a prayer team each week before/after service. The kids ministry is stellar. For being a larger church, they do a great job of caring for kids well by keeping classes small. Colored stickers and safety team for child safety. Caring teams that remember your kids. Good system. Youth is amazing! Wed night for youth, great diverse team of leaders and background checked volunteers. Alot to offer community and care which is what the church is for: globally, divorce care, grief care, life recovery, men's and women's sexual freedom classes, new to faith courses, prayer teams and excellent conferences throughout the year. Church's throughout SoCal and easy to connect while traveling. read more

Pastor Matt Brown and his wife Tammy Brown are both incredible leaders who deliver powerful and inspiring sermons (as well as the other pastors on staff). The worship team is amazing and their music truly sets the tone for the service. The entire church community is welcoming, friendly, and passionate about their faith. Sandal's Church also has a great young adult and kids ministry program that engages and teaches the youth in a fun and meaningful way. I highly recommend this church to anyone looking for a great place to worship, connect with others, and grow in their faith. I am always blown away by the experience at any of the campuses I attend. read more

If your just looking for a church to attend on Sundays & nothing more I would suggest this church. If your wanting a church and a community that will become your family, I would suggest a different church. After attending this church for a few years. I could say that it's quite difficult to build community at this church. Even though the model at this church is be "Real with yourself, God & others." That's not what more than half of the people in the church want. More than half of the people in this church would rather, you just be fake cause being real doesn't fit the motto they are looking for or want. I will preach, that Pastor Matt is fantastic and is REAL he is super authentic and 100% genuine. So again, if you just want to attend a church for Sundays and nothing more come here. The pastors are amazing, not so much the community though. read more

My husband and I began attending this church a couple of years ago and then moved up to Big Bear Lake and went to a small community church that we loved. Came back to Sandles last week and have to say it was a little disappointing. Definitely did not feel warm and fuzzy and welcoming. The sermon was about the necessity to make and have friends which is not something I came to church to hear. I guess there are plenty of lonely people that would like a friend and maybe he was focusing on the younger generation that are buried in their phones and social media... but pretty sure there were plenty of folks there shaking their heads??? I don't want to join a group ... I have never had the need for a lot of people in my life. I sure didn't come to church to be told that THAT is what im missing!!! I also feel there are times when Pastor Matt says things that seem just a tad questionable... even contradicting himself. Does the Bible say we have to have friends and join groups? I miss a good ole Bible teaching, positive message. Thanks read more

Sandals church is overall a good church but I can definitely agree with the comments on here they are always pushing people to donate money and it's honestly really sad. We are here to hear and learn about god not the different ways to give money to them if you don't have cash like we get it. Lol they bring it up like 4 times on how we can give them money, but where is the money going ??? You guys are millionaires making money off us and making us feel bad and saying if you give us your money "god will bless you " basically manipulating us. Chill we broke lol other than that I like the services. read more

I have called this place home since 2012 and have seen it grow exponentially over the years. The reason why it has grown is because they present a honest message, "Be real with yourself, God and others" At Sandals Church you can truly come with your sin and not feel ashamed. You are welcome here and you feel it right away. Pastor Matt is an incredible speaker. He does not present himself as some self righteous all knowing perfect human. The mission here is simple and effective. The members and staff are kind and welcoming. The kids ministry is fantastic. If you can't make it in person their services are streamed online every weekend. read more

My husband and I used to go to this church. We even volunteered in child care. I don't like the way pastor brown teaches its not even teachings from the Bible. I don't like how he puts people down or makes fun of them. It feels like the only thing they care about is money, money and money. They Keep opening more sandals churches, but are not giving or helping the community. Will never return! read more

I have been to this church since I was 2 months old and now I am 12 and I love the worship team and all the leaders there they make me feel like home and like myself also I love helping out with the early childhood and I am so thankful for my mom taking me to this church and how god and Jesus us I. my life. read more

What a loving church. Go every Saturday nite. Great music and The pastors are so inspirational. Matt Briwn delivers every time. It's a learning step to come here. Friendly to all that re here. ‼ read more

This church changed my life. I am a pastors son and have known God my entire live but this church and it's leaders found a way to reach me and help be live a better life. So Blessed to have found this church. If you had a bad experience here, I pray for you and what happened. Just remember we are human, we will let each other down. God will never! read more

This place immediately felt fake. I first went in to meet my GF at their coffee depot prior to church service. I had brought my bible in w me for church and I noticed right away that no one else had one. I found out why when I went into their church service. This church doesn't teach the Bible. They were doing some pop psychology sermon about enneagrams. I have a degree in Psychology and this theory has no peer reviewed support, nothing efficacious, nor is it supported by the APA. My GF kept going, "you're like 9, or a 5, or maybe you're a 3?" The reason she can't clearly define me is it's total pop crap...at least use Myers Briggs or something else proven out over time... This is Ridiculous and sad considering they should be teaching the gospel and not catering to the LCD in the pop psychology community. The other thing that you see in other reviews is "pastor Matt this and pastor Matt that!" Whenever the gospel isn't preached, a cult of personality invariably pops up, because that's really the only thing left. If I wanted to hear about some scuba diving incident the pastor had, or about how his car ran out of gas, or whatever other non-biblical garbage he wants to spew, I'd just checkout his Facebook page. You're going to church for this guys? Lol c'mon! Get yourselves back to a bible teaching church Update on enneagrams: the entire theory of enneagrams is based in the occult. Checkout http://skepdic.com/enneagr.html read more

I can't explain how wonderful it feels to have finally found a church that I absolutely love! I wait all week for Sunday to come so I can come and hear the message that pastor Matt has. The best part about his messages is that he makes it so enjoyable to hear. I never have a single moment where I lose focus or am not hanging on his every word. He is absolutely hilarious but more importantly than that he makes everything so relatable to my everyday life. Throughout the week I find myself applying his words to every situation that I am. The people at the church are just as wonderful. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I don't feel pressured at all to join in any groups or anything like that but still enjoy how supportive they are. I am finally able to grow in a church that I love and would recommend Sandals to anyone who is looking for a great home church you will not regret it. read more

See all

Like people have said the church's main focus is authenticity and I clearly see it displayed every time. I recently moved to riverside and I'm so glad that sandals is here. read more

See all

If I could give this place a 0 star rating, I would. The atmosphere in this building in very uncomfortable and very unsettling. It's mostly just white people putting on that fake smile and pretending like they give a shit about your problems but in reality all they care about is there million dollar condo and minor relationship problems. I've talked to a few people at this place about what ive been through growing up, dealing with death and rape at an early age and everyone just seemed like they didn't even know what to say or even know how to give me encouragement. A real christian, would know how to comfort someone who was in actual need like Jesus would. I think this place tries to romanticize the Bible like it's some rule book to follow but no one actually acknowledges the harsh truths about the world and what it can do to you. This place gives Christians a bad rep. read more

I absolutely love coming here to hear Pastor Matt preach. What I don't care for is the music, mostly it sounds like country music. The people are rude and honestly I don't feel welcomed at all. It's the total opposite of going to a Baptist church !!! The younger ushers (millennials) have a look on their face like they don't wanna be there !! Coming in or out of the parking lot is the worst, you get dirty looks in the parking lot. There is no dress code here so u can wear anything you want. The coffee and pastries at the café are way overpriced, just bring your own Starbucks. read more

I love this church. Honestly I can not say enough good things about this church and pastor Matt Brown and the staff. This church is filled with the Holy Spirit and very obedient to God and his word. I have become a avid member and volunteer at this church. Apparently I am not the only one who thinks this. My December church bulletin announced they have had 11,000 new guests. 360 groups started, 1,000 baptisms, and I think 10,000 new members in 2019! wow! I suggest, get there early. They have tons of parking, but parking is actually running out. Took me 30 minutes to find a parking spot last weekend. read more

Most would see it as a mega church but they do an excellent job of making it feel smaller. It just feels like home. Great for kids, families, young adults and everyone! God is definitely working through this church. A great place to grow and live in community. A place to be real with self, God and others! read more

I have enjoyed pastor Matt's sermons. He speaks with conviction and a truth. This review isn't about how or what he preaches but the importance of him as a church leader to be welcoming to his flock. I'm sad pastor Matt. My wife and kids saw you shopping today and were excited to say hello. The description I got from them was one of sadness. You made them seem like they were a bother. We haven't been able to attend church for 3 months now and to have them feel the way you left them today was not only wrong but very disheartening. We have come to you to be our spiritual leader on earth and my family felt like you were anything but that. I don't know if 11 campuses have given you a complex but I pray that you humble yourself now more than ever. This was always the problem I have had with large churches. And to be proven right again doesn't remove my faith and resolve in Christ, but rather confirms that we are all flawed and sinners. Please, work on this and remember you serve the Father and a big part of that is being a good shepherd to the flock as a pastor. read more

If you are a Christian who is real with themselves, this is the place for you. What do you mean by real? For a recent series, there was a mature audience warning before every sermon.. that real. Heck, the name of the church should give some clue to the "chill" atmosphere (attire included.) The Pastor, Matt Brown, and his staff aren't afraid of speaking about topics that you would have never imagined to be discussed about in a Church (I'll leave it at that.) The Pastor's witty jokes add to the progressive nature of the ministry as well! Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a stand up comedy skit rather than listening to as sermon. Better yet, their sermon series seem to always approach every day issues in a sensible manner that even a first time church-goer can understand, relate and agree with. Most lifelong Christians I know that attend this church all agree that is the most DOWN TO EARTH Church and Christian community we've ever interacted or been around. The worship is great; they usually play mainstream Christian alternative/rock. There are live streams and downloadable sermons. The staff are also active on twitter and facebook. There are also ministries for elementary, middle and high school students as well. Can't comment much on them since I haven't had any interaction with these groups. Coming from a UCR undergrad, this is definitely the church to be at if you're a college student or young professional who wants something more than the traditional sunday school Bible stories you get out of your typical conservative Church. Even more so for someone who has been thinking of attending Church for the first time! read more

Went to this church today after seeing the reviews and watching the service online a few times. Everyone was so friendly and the message was really good. I am sure I have found my church home. read more

I accepted Christ in Dec 2010 but did not really start to live the life of an authentic Christian until I found Sandals in spring 2012. Pastor Matt does an excellent job of leading a church. I love love love his sermons and he always uses personal experiences to help tie in the message which in turn helps make it easier to see how the message applies to my life. He is always real with us and doesn't hesitate to tell us about his personal struggles which makes him easy to relate to. His genuine love for us is evident and he tells us all regularly that he loves us and it makes me smile because I know it's the truth. Sometimes Pastor Matt misses some services and initially I was always so sad because I love when he talks, but I quickly realized I also love when the other pastors talk too. They all have very similar presentation styles and are all amazing leaders! The motto at Sandals is being Real with Self, God, & Others. They sure live up to setting the example of this and challenging us to also do this. Community groups are strongly pushed and are not based on age or interest but by location. A group is people of all ages who lived close to each other and we meet weekly to discuss Sunday's sermon. My group has turned into family and each of us are able to be mentored/supported by someone else in the group who had already dealt with a similar life struggle bc of the varied ages. Many people from my group get together socially outside of "group time" and us all living so close to each other makes it easy to get face to face time in, Sandals does a good job of trying to serve the needs of the church. They now have a Sat night service designed for families (though everyone is welcome) which starts with a low cost dinner from 4-530pm and from 5-6 the kids go to activity classes (i.e. art) and there are 2 adult classes to chose from (one on parenting and another on the book of Colossians) Then the main service is at 6pm. Sunday has 2 main services during the day and then an evening service with a totally different message targeted at young adults. My only complaint about Sandals is that they don't have a campus in OC yet. I am moving and am soooooo sad to be leaving Sandals though I know I can always watch online and I'm sure I will keep in touch with my group as they are now friends for life! read more

First time here and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised the decor is beautiful and everyone was friendly I felt welcome, which when you go to a new church you don't always feel that way. They have a cafe which is great if you go early you can grab coffee. They have a lot of information if you need it everywhere which is great too. We went on Sunday and thank God for all the signs telling us where to go lol because there are many doors that lead to idk where there. Anyway the worship was great lots of talent. The word was straight forward which I appreciate very much! The Pastor cracked me up! Over all I liked the vibe here. Not a regular church that you go and leave but a place where you feel like it's home. I felt comfortable and very welcome and the Pastor was approachable too. Good vibes here read more