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We Exist to Rise Up & Saturate Our City with the Gospel

What does it mean to Rise Up and Saturate Our City with the Gospel?

Everywhere you turn in our city you will see followers of Jesus rise to their true calling: declaring, displaying, and living out the power of the Gospel.

Like ink spilled across a map, every block of our city will experience the transforming power of God's people on mission. As the local church, we exist to call forth, raise up and send out disciples; igniting the hearts of His people for His purpose. Hearts set on fire to see the kingdom of God break forth in our city.

Teamwork

Our Story

Hover over the dots to learn about our journey in planting a presence in our city

2014

Launch

Rise launched in March of 2014 meeting in the Fairview Community Center in Fairview, OR. Within 6 months we outgrew that space and started meeting on Sunday nights at Mountainvew Church in Gresham. 

2016

Vision Clarity

In 2016 we took huge steps towards clarifying our vision to rise up and saturate our city with the Gospel. This means all over our city, you see followers of Jesus rising up to their true calling to bring the presence of Jesus to every corner of our community. 

2017

Multiply

In 2017 we multiplied into two services on Sunday nights. This allows us to reach and connect with more people in our city.

2018

Future Home

In 2018 we purchased our future home right in the middle of Gresham. The hand of God moved in powerful ways to allow us to purchase the former SkateWorld. 

2019

Ministry Impact

2019 was filled with incredible fruit. From 70 people entering the waters of baptism, to our largest Rise Kids Camp ever, to tangible partnerships with community outreach like My Father's House and laundry love. 

2020

Adaptation

2020 hasn't gone like any of us had planned. But the ministry and mission must go forward. In September of 2020 Rise launched house churches as a new method in the midst of an unprecedented season. 

Meet Our Team

Rise is led by many different teams of people each with different experiences, giftings, and passions. Some of us are paid staff, and most of us volunteer.

We love what we do, but know that our primary calling is to equip YOU to rise up into living your calling and purpose in God's family and on His Mission. 

Integrations

Jason Clarke

Preaching & Vision
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Kristen Friend

Director of Ministry
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Marisa Brown

Rise Kids
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Chris Cutshall

Rise Kids
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Stacey Cutshall

Worship
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Andre Stickney

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Dave Grey

Rise Leadership
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Russell Woods

Groups & Young Adults
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Sherry Grey

Member Care
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Steve Overby

Rise Leadership
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Aimee Elrod

Host
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Brandon Tjaden

Safety
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Chelsey Hargens

Member Care
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Emily Richter

Rise Kids
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Hannah Nobes

Worship
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Jared Friend

Production
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Jared Hargens

Facility
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Jess Waldo

Rise Kids
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Jordan Fahlman

Rise Youth
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Juliann Elrod

Rise Kids
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Julie Stickney

Marriage Team
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Kim Ray

Prayer
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Melissa Larson

Outreach
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Tim Hanson

Production
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Tommy Elrod

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Tyler Nobes

Worship
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Zach Landes

Next Steps
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What We Believe

Sound doctrine is critical because what you believe determines what you do. God has revealed truth about himself so that we can be in relationship with him. To pursue sound doctrine means to pursue the heart of Jesus.

Rise Preaching Values

  • A Christo-Centric Hermeneutic

    This may sound complicated, but, what it means is we interpret all of scripture through the life and teachings of Jesus.

    We learn this from the New Testament epistles as they interpret all of Scripture through the lens of the Gospel. Without a Christo-Centric Hermeneutic (a.k.a. “Jesus-Centered Interpretation”) we can find ourselves teaching deistic moralism on one end, or feel-good self-help on the other. Ultimately, both fail us practically and eternally. In reality, Jesus is the only hero of Scripture—therefore, Jesus should be the culmination of every single sermon. 

  • Expositional Preaching

    What this means is the message of the sermon comes from the meaning of the text. John Stott says this: “To expound Scripture is to bring out of the text what is there and expose it to view. The expositor opens what appears to be closed, makes plain what is obscure, unravels what is knotted, and unfolds what is tightly packed.”

    Paul admonishes the young church planter Timothy to “Preach the Word.” The power of preaching does not come from man-made wisdom or creative ideas; the power of preaching is in the Spirit-empowered exposition of the truths of who God is, how He loves, and how we are to respond to His Word. At Rise, we teach both through the books of the Bible and expositionally through themes found within the Scriptures.

  • Real-Life Application

    Lastly, preaching must be applied to our actual, every-day lives. Preaching is not teaching people about the Bible; preaching is teaching people the way of Jesus with the Bible as our only authority.

    The power of the Gospel is that it reaches into every aspect of our lives: from marriage and sexuality, to work and purpose, to wounds and broken relationships. When the Bible presents theological truth, it almost always weds that revelation to relational application. To paraphrase James 1:22, we are not just attempting to understand scripture, as followers of Jesus, we are called to live it out. 

    QUESTIONS

    I’m NEW TO CHURCH and I’m wondering:

    Am I going to feel out of place?
    No way. We are a church for people who’ve never been to church. We know you’re visiting and we like you. Feel comfortable to be yourself.
    What should I wear?
    The leaders typically wear jeans and T-shirts. Everyone will be dressed in what’s comfortable. Some people rock button-ups. Others drop Ts. If you look extra snazzy, more power to you. Feel comfortable to be yourself.
    I don’t know what happens at church. What am I’m walking into?

    Each weekend we gather to hear fresh, relevant, teaching from the bible that will impact your real life. We speak to non-christians and christians alike because we’re a church that exists for our city. A band leads us in a time of musical worship to Jesus. We have response times where people can go be prayed for, take communion (eat bread and drink juice remembering what Jesus did for us), or give to the mission.

    You might hear stories, or updates about exciting things happening in the church. We use a lot of video for teaching and communication.

    If you’re new, we don’t pressure you to give money, take communion, we actually don’t want you to. We give as a church to create space for you. We genuinely care about you and you’re our valued guest.

    I have tattoos, piercings, and pink hair, will people judge me?
    Not if you won’t judge us. It would actually be hard for you to have more tattoos than the people at Rise. We have a lot of tattoos. Pink hair is totally cool. We love that you're different and welcome you to join us!

    I’m A CHRISTIAN and I’m wondering:

    Are you guys serious about scripture?
    Honestly, as serious as it gets. We’re excited you asked. We believe the Bible is the authority of God, inerrant, living, active, and powerful to transform not only our lives but our whole city. We love the Bible. We’re getting goose-bumps just thinking about it.
    Are you guys seeker-sensitive?

    Actually, we think we can simultaneously speak to both Christians and non-Christians. We are persuaded that when you teach robust biblical doctrine, you will connect with the culture and serve those who’ve never stepped foot in a Church. We think doing that in a way that intentionally addresses the questions the culture around is asking is the pattern of the early church in Acts and should be the pattern today. Paul who became “all things to all people” that God might save some is a clear example.

    Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it well: “The Church is the Church only when it exists for others…” So we're going to teach the foundational doctrines of scripture, yet, speak them in a way so someone new to Christianity can understand.

    Are you guys a prosperity-gospel Church?
    We might as well be the opposite. We are a Gospel-preaching, Gospel-driven, Gospel-drenched, Gospel-centered church. We are all about Jesus. We believe in serious, sound, scriptural teaching, which excludes the prosperity and the poverty Gospel alike. At the same time we don’t shy away from God’s command to be generous, nor any other command, for that matter. Our motivation, message, and method is Jesus in everything! Because Jesus + nothing = everything.
    Are you guys part of a denomination?

    We are what some would call a non-denominational church, in that we are not tied to any denomination and are led by qualified local leaders.

    That being said, we think there’s tremendous value and importance to being anchored in the Historic Christian Confessions, imbued by the wisdom of Christian history, and affiliated with the doctrinally sound Christian “tribes” of our day.

    In many ways our church is a rare blend of the two tribes: the theologically meaty teaching of teachers like: Matt Chandler, Charles Spurgeon, Chuck Smith, John Piper, Charles Stanley, Augustine of Hippo, RC Sproul, and JC Ryle--AND--the passionate, creative, worship culture of churches like Mosaic Church LA, Hillsong Church, Churchome, or Elevation Church. We know that’s unique combo. But it’s a space we feel Jesus has called us to.

    Questions

    HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

    We're up for it! My name is Kristen. Let me know what's on your mind and I'll try to help.