About Us

HCKB Timeline - From Hau Tree to Hilltop

September 1971: Ralph and Ruby Moore start the first Hope Chapel in Manhattan Beach, California. The entire congregation numbers 12 people.

August 1978: Ralph Moore 'sees' a vision of a new congregation in Kaneohe, Oahu.

April 1983: First Kaneohe "MiniChurch" starts.

August 1983: Ralph Moore and Aaron Suzuki, along with their families, arrive in Hawaii from Hermosa Beach, CA.

September 1983: First service is held under a hau tree at Kailua Beach Park. Attendance: 71 people.

October 1983: Services move to a former restaurant site at Heeia State Park.

April 1984: Services move to Kapunahala Elementary School cafeteria. Attendance grows to 400.

February 1984: First "daughter" church is planted: Hope Chapel Kailua in Aikahi Park.

1985: Services move to Benjamin Parker Elementary School cafeteria, which provides bigger facilities and more parking spaces. Attendance grows from 800 to 1,500 people.

1987: First "overseas daughter" church planted: Hope Chapel Naha in Okinawa.

April 4, 1999: Easter sunrise service held outdoors at new property.

May 7 - 9, 1999: Grand Opening. First official services at new church campus.

November 1999: Paul Bryant and Salamat plant first daughter church in Pakistan. Churches now number more than 60 congregations in that Islamic country.

September 2002: Pastor Kaala Souza leaves to pastor our most recent church plant, "Mana'olana". They meet in a nightclub called the Pipeline Cafe.

Currently: The Hope Chapel network of churches numbers more than 700 congregations born from that initial gathering of 12 committed people in 1971.