Discover the story of how God has shaped our church and led us to where we are today.
Journey through our timeline to witness the transformative milestones and cherished memories that have shaped the spirit and growth of our community at We Are Church.
In 1994, Francis Chan founded Cornerstone Church with a small group of believers. Grounded in Scripture and focused on authentic community, this humble beginning laid the groundwork for the church’s future growth and Francis Chan’s evolving ministry.
In April of 2010, Francis and his family found themselves at a significant crossroads. After planting Cornerstone Church in 1994, a church they had faithfully nurtured for 16 years, they felt a divine calling to step away and seek God’s direction for their next chapter.
Their journey began with a bold step of faith—they sold their home and set off to explore what God might have in store for them. Their travels took them across the globe, from India and Thailand to China and Hong Kong.
It was in Hong Kong, during one pivotal moment, that Francis experienced a supernatural encounter, hearing what he describes as a near-audible message from God. This moment became a turning point in his life, confirming that God had something new and profound for him to do.
Shortly after this experience, Francis and his wife Lisa, along with their four children, moved into a modest two-bedroom unit in the World Impact building in San Francisco in 2010. There, they began to explore how God might be leading them in this new season of their lives. This was the beginning of a new journey in the city they had grown to love, one that would unfold in surprising and impactful ways.
By 2011, the family became deeply involved in local outreach efforts in San Francisco, particularly through a vision called Adopt A Building. This initiative aimed to plant churches in each of the Single Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings of the Tenderloin, a neighborhood known for its poverty and need. Francis and Lisa’s hearts were burdened for the marginalized and the forgotten in the city, and they felt compelled to bring the light of Christ to these often-overlooked spaces.
On January 20, 2013, Francis officially launched We Are Church in his living room in Daly City. The community was small—just around 20 members—but the heart behind the church was clear. We Are Church was not about tradition or a certain model, but about following the model laid out in Scripture, where the practices and values of the church were shaped by God’s Word. The church would be a place where people could come together authentically, pursue discipleship, and be sent out into the world.
The church’s commitment to community continued to grow, and We Are Church began to meet for All Togethers—monthly gatherings where all the house churches across San Francisco would come together for worship, fellowship, and teaching. These gatherings were held on the last Sunday of the month at Youngblood Park in Bayview. The purpose was simple: to create a space where people could come together as one body, celebrating what God was doing in and through each of them.
We Are Church 1st multiplication - Sagamore & South San Fransisco.
As the church grew and deepened its roots in the city, Francis and his team took further steps of faith. In March 2015, they launched Huli Huli Hawaiian BBQ, a missional restaurant in the Bay Area. The restaurant was not only a place to enjoy great food, but also a place of purpose. They employed men from the discipleship house, giving them a chance to learn work skills, find stability, and rebuild their lives. Additionally, all profits from the restaurant went to support women rescued from the red-light district in Ethiopia—a tangible way to live out their mission to love and serve those in need, both locally and globally.
We Are Church 2nd multiplication - Palou St., Sagamore, Bayview, & Daly City.
By 2017, Church Intensive was born—a training program designed to help church planters across the world establish simple, reproducible, and biblical churches. The program aimed to equip leaders to plant churches that were not only sustainable but also deeply rooted in Scripture and the mission of Jesus.
Over the years, the vision of We Are Church expanded globally. What began as a small community in San Francisco soon began to take root in other cities across the U.S. and beyond. We Are Churches were planted in East Palo Alto, Fremont, and other parts of the Bay Area. Internationally, the church reached Hong Kong and Mexico, with additional plants in Nashville, Memphis, Detroit, and Phoenix. Each new location represented a unique expression of God’s Kingdom but with the same core mission: to create simple, Gospel-centered communities that love and serve the people around them.
