Jesus said, "I am the way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father but by me."  Jesus was talking about salvation, that is, we are saved only through God's redemptive work by means of Jesus Christ (this is our Good News).  But is salvation limited to eternal life after death?  Can we experience God's salvation, or another way to put it, God's Good News in a practical way here on earth?  We believe so, and we believe we can grow in our understanding and participation therein.  Paul says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel [Good News], because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16 emphasis mine). 

Since the Good News centers on Jesus, and Jesus is with us as believers, we have the power of God, through the Holy Spirit.  The power of God is not meant to be used for us to dominate other religions, set up our own kingdoms and glorify the names of our church ministries.  Rather, the power of God is meant to advance the Kingdom, break Satan's strongholds, and defeat the powers of darkness, which include sickness, paralysis, mental illness and death.  We, as Christ's followers, are more than conquerors, but not on our own.  Only through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Only through our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Only by the power of God.

Therefore, this seminar will teach us how to prepare the way for God's power; how to encounter the Truth of Jesus Christ, and how to experience life in the Spirit and integrate that understanding in how we do ministry as Kingdom workers. 

The Confession and Commitment

We confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  By faith, we walk with Him.  We commit ourselves to know Him in His full sanctifying grace.

As Regards God

As God’s people, we reverence and worship Him.

We commit ourselves to cultivate habits of Christian devotion, submitting to mutual accountability, practicing private and corporate prayer, studying the Scriptures, attending public worship and partaking of Holy Communion;

We commit ourselves to observe the Lord’s Day, setting it apart for worship and renewal

We commit ourselves to give our loyalty to Christ and the church, refraining from any alliance which compromises our Christian commitment.

This we do, by God’s grace and power.

As Regards Ourselves and Others

As a people, we live wholesome and holy lives and show mercy to all, ministering to both their physical and spiritual needs.

We commit ourselves to be free from activities and attitudes that defile the mind and harm the body, or promote the same;

We commit ourselves to respect the worth of all persons as created in the image of God;

We commit ourselves to strive to be just and honest in all our relationships and dealings.

This we do, by God’s grace and power.

As Regards the Institutions of God

As a people, we honor and support the God-ordained institutions of family, state and church.

We commit ourselves to honor the sanctity of marriage and the family;

We commit ourselves to value and nurture children, guiding them to faith in Christ;

We commit ourselves to seek to be responsible citizens, and we pray for all who lead

This we do, by God’s grace and power.

As Regards the Church

As God’s people, we express the life of Christ in the world.

We commit ourselves to contribute to unity in the church, cultivating integrity, love and understanding in all our relationships;

We commit ourselves to practice the principles of Christian stewardship, for the glory of God and the growth of the church;

We commit ourselves to go into our world and make disciples

This we do, by God’s grace and power.

Pre-Marital Counseling

We value marriage at Halogen.  We also value godly couples developing a strong and healthy life together on the foundation of Christ and solid marital teaching and principles.

Premarital counseling can help ensure that your upcoming marriage is healthy, passionate, and fulfilling.  Engaged couples typically spend a large amount of time and energy focusing on wedding planning and preparing for the perfect day.  However, they often spend little or no time preparing for the challenges marriage will present, especially early in the relationship.  Pre-marital counseling provides an opportunity to explore the strengths of your relationship and address areas where growth may be needed.

Reverend Izzy Matos is trained in a structured and comprehensive program called PREPARE/ENRICH

The Benefits of Pre-Marital Counseling Include:

-Improving Communication Skills

-Exploring strength and growth areas

-Identifying and managing major stress areas

-Learning Effective Conflict Resolution Skills

-Developing Personal, Couple and Family Goals

-Developing a Budget and Financial Plan

-Understanding the Influences of Your Families

-Understanding personality differences and maximizing teamwork

-Exploring Typically Avoided Topics

If you are getting married and are interested in premarital counseling, please call the church office for a free 20-minute phone consultation at 562-630-6084: T-Th from 10am - 4pm. 

Click Here to learn more about what to expect when starting Pre-Marital Counseling

Initial Phone Consultation

Before you schedule your first appointment, I invite you to call me for a brief 20-minute phone consultation.  The phone consultation is not necessary, but encouraged so you have a good idea of what to expect.  During the consultation, you will have the opportunity to get to know me and I can assess whether or not I believe that I can be of service to you. In the event that we are not a good fit, then I will be happy to provide you with referrals to other counselors/therapists in the area.

Appointments

I offer weekday appointments in the late morning and in the evening as late as 8:00pm.  Appointments can vary in length between 60 and 110 minutes depending on the arrangements that we make. I will offer you the same appointment time each week whenever possible. In the case of a crisis, I will attempt to schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible.

Appointments can also be maid via SKYPE. 

First Appointment

There is a short New Client Information Form and brief Relationship Assessment Form that you and your partner must complete prior to our first session, so please arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment. (If time permits, I will mail, fax or e-mail a copy of the form to you so that you can and your partner can complete it at home). It is common to be nervous at your first appointment and I will do everything that I can to help you feel comfortable. We will spend a few minutes discussing my office policies, as well as confidentiality. After that we can begin to explore the areas of concern in your relationship.  I will also ask you each to provide me with a personal email account. 

During our first session, after our initial introduction, you will take a written assessment that will take about 20 to 30 minutes.  The written assessment is based on the MYERS-BRIGGS personality assessment.  The assessment will help me get to know you a little better, and will help you and your partner get to know one another in accordance with temperament and personality type indicators.  Following a discussion on your written assessment, we will conclude the first session discussing your concerns, goals and expectations.  In addition, I will give you a succinct overview of our remaining 11 sessions.

You will be given a copy of Fighting for Your Marriage by Howard J. Markman Ph.D, Scott M. Stanley Ph.D, and Susan L. Blumberg Ph.D.  You will be given reading assignments from this text as well as other short homework assignments throughout our time together.  Following our time together in sessions 2-12, I will email you notes from our time together as well as an outline of important topics discussed in the provided book.

Your first HOMEWORK assignment: You will be responsible to take an online assessment after our first session together.  The online assessment takes about 30 to 45 minutes and costs $35 to score, and you will be asked to have a credit or debit card available to pay online at the time of the assessment.  In addition, you will each need your own personal email account.  If you do not have one, we will have to set you up with one before you can take the assessment.  You need to complete the assessment before we can meet for our second session.

At the conclusion of our final session I will schedule a time for you to come back 3 months after your wedding date for a free 1 hour follow-up session.

We have different marriage groups that meet at different times and frequencies, at various locations, and study a variety of topics, books, and biblical passages concerning marriage.  We believe marriage, and the spiritual journey through life with our spouse, is done best in the context of loving relationships, accountability, and genuine friendships.

Each meeting includes a teaching, sharing of life, learning together, caring, prayer times, laughter, and serving one another in meaningful ways.  Marriage groups are the primary means for married couples of Halogen to grow and develop in their relationship as a godly husband and wife in partnership for Kingdom work.

If you are interested in joining a marriage group or would like more information, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

You can also check out our Marriage blog for helpful topics of discussion

Membership in the Church is a high privilege and responsibility.  We believe the Covenant required of members is consistent with the teaching of the written Word of God.  Faithfulness to the covenant is evidence of the individual member’s desire to sustain a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord, to bring glory to God, to advance the cause of God on earth, to preserve the unity of the body of Christ and to cherish the fellowship of the Halogen family.

At Halogen, we use the word "Alliance" when speaking of membership.  The disciples were in an alliance with one another.  They lived as learners of Jesus’ teachings and committed themselves to him and to one another.  This is our vision for the Halogen Alliance – to follow Jesus Christ and commit ourselves to one another as the family of God.

Click Here to read the Membership Covenant

Membership requirements in accordance with Scripture….

1.            Conversion: A Personal Commitment to Christ as Savior and Lord

2.            Baptism: Having been baptized in a Biblical manner or a commitment to be baptized as an expression of personal faith.

3.            Fellowship: A commitment to attend worship services regularly and to find a Halogen Team that fits your schedule.

4.            Giving: A commitment to regularly support the ministry of the church with your finances. A tithe of 10% is encouraged but not required or inspected.

5.            Personal Spiritual Habits: A commitment to pray and read the Bible on a regular basis with a goal of doing it daily. A commitment to especially pray for our church and leaders.

6.            Service: A commitment to find a team to serve on in a way that uses the gifts God has given you. What team will you start on?

7.            Witness: A commitment to invite others to know Christ through word and deed.

Halogen provides a number of classes for people to grow in their understanding of essential doctrine, spiritual gifts, discipleship, evangelism, Christian identity, interpreting scripture, and more.

The Halogen Alliance Class provides an overview of the Halogen mission statement and doctrinal beliefs.  The class provides insight into the understanding of some attributes of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  In addition, fundamental elements of salvation, baptism, communion, and membership are explained. You will be invited to make the commitment of accepting family accountability from Halogen.

Understanding Community in the Spirit.  This class examines the ways in which the Holy Spirit works in and through Christ’s followers, the importance of edifying the church, and understanding our role as both members of the Body of Christ and Kingdom workers.

Understanding Discipleship I.  This class provides a foundation for living as a Christian.  The class is designed for both new believers and those who desire a foundational understanding of topics such as quiet time, prayer, worship, sin, grace, and witness.

Understanding Discipleship II.  The purpose of this class is to invite disciples of Christ to embrace their spiritual identity as beloved sons and daughters of God.  In doing so, this class offers six topics of discussion meant to assist one in growing in his or her understanding of and commitment to Kingdom work.

Understanding Evangelism.  This class outlines the Good News of Christ and teaches ways in which to share the message through story, testimony, life example, and proclamation.