About Us ...

You've got Questions... We've got Answers!



 Tell me about your Pastor?

JohnsonK.jpgAround here, our pastor is know as "Pastor Ken".  Pastor Ken Johnson has been lead pastor at Westside Church since 1986.  He and his wife Linda have been teaching and leading our church and have been instrumental in the spiritual growth of our church.  Pastor Ken has a passion for sharing the gospel and he would be the first to tell you that his greatest desire as a pastor is that all would experience the love of Jesus Christ when they visit Westside. 

 

How big is your church?
We are a big church, but not too big.  We have lots of people who attend, but have small enough services where people can get to know one another and spend time together over a cup of coffee in the Atrium after services.  We have about 1600 people who come through our doors during the weekend and a total church body of about 3000.  That may sound like a lot, but once you are connected here you will find that you see people you know all the time.

What goes on during a service?  How long is it?

Great question.  Here is what happens in a typical service.

  • Worship - We typically have a mix of contemporary and traditional hymns or worship music.  Don't worry about knowing the songs.  We always project the lyrics on multiple screens so you can sing along.
  • Announcement/Offering - This is the time we Welcome you and let you know about some of the opportunities you have to get involved.  We also pass buckets for an offering.
  • Message - Our messages are written so that everyone can learn and apply what is said.  You will leave challenged, changed or at least with something to think about on the way home.
  • Total service time - About an hour and fifteen minutes.
Will I be asked to give money?
The answer is yes and no.  We always pass the buckets around at services so our regular attenders have the opportunity to give.  It is important to us that you don't feel like you have to give.  In fact, we ask our visitors to just let the bucket pass by.  We want you to come and enjoy your time with us and not feel any pressure to give money.  We're just glad you came.

What do my kids do?
Your kids will have a great time.  In fact at the end of the day, they might be more excited about returning to Westside than you are!  The kids LOVE it here because we have developed classroom experiences that are intended to be the best part of their week.  When you come, make sure you park in the West parking lot and use the Family entrance.  You will find a large map that will direct you to the right classroom for your kids (nursery - high school).  Make sure to go with your kids when you drop them off because you will want to see their classrooms.  Talk to the person who greets you and let them know you are new.  They can help you get your kids checked in and answer all your questions.  If you prefer to talk to someone prior to visiting, contact us and we can make sure you and your kids will know what to expect.

How do I get there?
westside rock 222x191.jpg We are centrally located on the West side of town, near Central Oregon Community College.  Its easy to find and you'll see the big rock that says "Westside Church" at our main entrance.  Our address is 2051 NW Shevlin Park road.  Here is a map.

 

 

What denomination are you?

Foursquare Logo 222x191.jpgWe are a Foursquare Church.  Of course you next question is; what's a Foursquare Church?  The Foursquare Church exists to glorify God and advance His kingdom. The call of the Foursquare Church is to preach Jesus Christ (God's Son) as the Savior, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Healer and Soon-Coming King. Find out more about what the Foursquare Church believes about:

Salvation  l  Christian Walk   l   The Spirit-Filled Life   l   The Afterlife

The Foursquare Creedal Statement    l   The Foursquare Declaration of Faith

I heard that people raise their hands in service?  What's with that?

Yes, the rumor is true (kind-of).  You are not going to see people going crazy, dancing in the aisles, waving their arms and being weird.  That's not who we are and that's not what we do.  You will see people raising their hands during worship.  Some people do, others don't.  It's up to you.  We are not going to pressure you, but you might happen to sit next to someone who expresses their worship to God in this way. 

What are your goals, your vision, your values?

We've worked hard to develop goals, a vision statement and great values.  In summary, we are a church that Loves God and Loves People.  To find out how we do that, click here.

I am gay, I have tatoos, I was in prison.  Will I be welcome at your church?

Another great question.  The answer is yes.  You are welcome here.  To use an analogy, we see our church as a battleship, not a cruise ship.  We realize that people come through our doors with a wide variety of needs, issues, challenges, habits and hang-ups.   During weekend services, we won't water down the truth of God's word, or what God expects of his people, so you might encounter some challenging truths.  The fact is we all have to deal with sin in our lives, not matter how we label ourselves.  Our mission statements is clear.  We love God and we love people.  You will be welcome here.

What Bible version do you use?
The Bibles that you will find under the seat-backs in our main Worship Center are New International Version.  For the most part, that is the version we use.  But all of our Pastors often have their favorite translations and often use scripture from those.  We will always list the specific Bible translation where we get our verses from.

Tell me about your church, how did it start, what's your history, and so on...?

Our church started in 1954 as Bend Foursquare Church. We were located on NW 14th Street. Church attendance grew slowly but steadily until the facilities became a complex of small buildings that covered almost a square block. It became necessary to start two Sunday morning services to accommodate the growing congregation. Ken and Linda Johnson became our pastors in 1986. In 1989, our name was changed to Westside Church. We moved to our present location on Shevlin Park Road in 1990. The church continued to grow. We outgrew two Sunday morning services in 1994 so we started a Saturday night service. Discovery classes were introduced in 1997 to encourage believers in their spiritual maturity. The Oneighty Youth Center was completed in 2000. We continued expanding and improving our facilities throughout 2001. The Family Room (multi-purporse fellowship room), expanded children’s facilities, and the expanded Sanctuary were finished in 2001.

  • 1954 - Birth of Bend Foursquare Church
  • 1970 - Howard & Velma Heimbuch pastor Bend Foursquare (1970 - 1980)
  • 1982 - Cliff & Mary Hanes begin pastoring Bend Foursquare
  • 1986 - Ken & Linda Johnson begin pastoring Bend Foursquare
  • 1989 - Name changed to Westside Church, Heirborne radio broadcast begins
  • 1990 - Moved to new building on Shevlin Park Road
  • 1994 - Saturday service begins
  • 1997 - Discovery Classes introduced
  • 2000 - Completed Oneighty Youth Center
  • 2001 - Completed Family Room and TruthTown expansion
  • 2003 - Adopt-A-Block program, Dream Center purchased, First year of Cascade Master’s Comm.
  • 2004 - Began Saturday evening services
  • 2006 - Celebrated Ken & Linda Johnson's 20th year of being pastors of Westside Church
  • 2007 - Began Growing Better Heart 1st Building Initiative
  • 2010 - Launched South Campus, Began construction of new atrium
  • 2012 - Completed construction of Atrium; Began two services at South Campus

 

I still have questions, who can I talk to?
Contact us, we can get you in touch with the right person to talk with.


 

One Church 3 Locations

  • West Campus
  • South Campus
  • Online Campus

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