Lakeside Church — Attraction in Oakland

I am writing this letter as a precaution to protect others before they decide to visit this church. My son attended a service there last night for the first time, together with his girlfriend, and what was supposed to be a peaceful and welcoming experience turned into something deeply upsetting.

The people who work at this church treated them with disrespect and prejudice. Their behavior was not only unkind but clearly discriminatory — something that should never happen in a place that claims to represent faith, love, and equality.

My son is a medical student, a polite and hardworking young man, and he came home deeply saddened and shocked that such treatment could occur in a church. Because of this experience, I feel it is my responsibility to inform others so that families are aware and can make an informed decision before attending.

A place of worship should never make anyone feel unsafe, unwelcome, or judged. I sincerely hope the leadership of this church takes immediate action to address this issue, so no one else has to go through what my son experienced.

Please share this message so that others can be aware...

The town of Oakland had to plant bushes and trees along a field next to this church because members of Lakeside kept driving across the baseball field and digging up ruts on property that does not belong to them. Church has blaring speakers in their parking lot so the whole neighborhood can be bothered and its members fly down the dirt roads of Oakland with no regard to the speed limit. Before 7 AM ON A SATURDAY MORNING on its first weekend, the people of Oakland woke up to a 5K with blaring music, screaming, yelling and a total disregard for the possibility that there are many people in the area who were trying to sleep. When asked to please turn the music down one church member just kept saying, rudely, "Noise ordinance". We have widows, the infirmed, young children, elderly and more who, if you COULD HAVE STARTED AT SAY, 9AM???? would have been able to have a peaceful morning. Not to mention the drones you flew over private property and the trash your members left on the baseball field. Great way to show Christian consideration...

We thought we finally found our church home, but after 2 separate sermons during which Pastor Jason openly criticized and made fun of other Christian denominations, we had to leave. It’s one thing to disagree with another group and share your POV as a leader, but another when you intentionally rally people to their feet to cheer against other believers and judge them. Another sermon said anyone not going to a physical church wasn’t real a Christian. It’s true we’re called to belong to a church, but if someone chooses a home-based church or less formal gathering, then that doesn’t make them a sinner. The Bible says “where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them”. (Matthew 18:20)

Great people and many ways to get involved, but sadly against anything different than them and it’s becoming more and...