Six years ago, Peter Guinta and his wife decided to leave their megachurch in Orange County because they wanted a place where they could "be known and know others." Peter felt like a spectator in the 6,000-member church and wanted to "feel part of something, not just be a face or number."
The Guintas decided to try out a small church plant in downtown Long Beach called The Garden. The start-up congregation was 100 times smaller than their previous church, but they were attracted to The Garden's emphasis on transparency and meaningful relationships among congregants. He saw it as the right combination of first and twenty-first century Christianity.
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