We are a multicultural and multi-ethnic congregation in Lansing, affiliated with the Michigan Nazarene district. Our worship services and various activities are usually bilingual, in English and Haitian Creole.
At Lansing International Church of the Nazarene, God is always present, holiness is practiced, beginners are welcome, grace and forgiveness are offered, and hope is alive. We are a united community in dialogue with God and in fellowship with one another.
Our Beliefs
These are the beliefs that Nazarenes hold to be true:
- We believe in one God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.
- We believe that man is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.
- We believe that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.
- We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin.
- We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and to the entire sanctification of believers.
- We believe that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.
Our Mission
The mission of Grand Rapids West International Church of the Nazarene is to:
- Reach out to those in Grand Rapids and beyond who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and help them become disciples of Christ.
- Equip the body of Christ to become more Christlike through prayer, the Word of God, and through ministry.
- Strengthen our unity as a community who is in dialogue with God and in fellowship with one another.
Our Pastor
Pastor Joas Occes was born and raised in Haiti in a Nazarene Christian family. His father, Merzilus Occes, was the pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Pendu (near Gonaïves) for more than 30 years. After he graduated from high school in 1996, Pastor Joas responded to the call of God upon his life and entered the seminary. In 2001, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Theology.
His first assignment as a pastor was at the Church where his father served. He pastored this congregation for seven years and also served as the Nazarene youth district president of the Upper Artibonite region for three years.
In 2008, Pastor Occes and his family moved to Florida where he served as the Assistant Pastor of the First Haitian Church of the Nazarene in Fort Pierce. Then, as the Lord would lead, in 2014, he moved to Michigan with his family to serve as the senior pastor of Grand Rapids West International. He is also currently serving as the pastor of Lansing International Church of the Nazarene.
Pastor Occes has been married to Marie Yasmine since 2002, and together they have three boys: Jeff, Marx, and Nehemiah.
He is passionate about worship and helping Christians deepen their relationship with God. His teaching focuses on the character and nature of Jesus Christ, by whom all men can be saved. He endeavors to be a follower of Jesus and to mirror the love that Christ has for the church.