The Story of Rise
Our church was born out of the most essential and dominating need that any church has ever been born out of; the need to tell people the good news about the never-ending and ever-present love of God. God's love demands to be experienced and to produce life-changing effects in human beings.
And it’s God's love that compelled us to start Rise.
After God had for various reasons called a number of us away from the churches we were familiar with we sensed a need to share God’s love in Fairview, OR in a new, yet very traditional way. New in the sense that God was calling us to plant a brand new church; traditional in the sense that God was calling us to come in step with the most resounding and perpetual call of the ancient Church—to help people follow Jesus.
We saw a trend in the suburbs east of Portland—many people were commuting to churches in the city and lacking a practical, close, local body they could invite their friends, neighbors, and coworkers to come be a part of. We wanted to change that. We wanted to start a local church body that was inviting and exciting enough that everyone could feel welcome and inspired the first time and every time they came.
So Rise City Church was founded.
The word “rise” indicates action, movement, life. We want to be a living and active church in the community, directed by God’s living and active Word, founded on the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and empowers us to rise with him to a new life. The word “city” indicates collaboration, cohesiveness, fullness. We want to be one church in a collective of churches that helps bring the good news of the Gospel to our larger neighborhood of cities. And of course, the word “church” represents the tradition and mission we have been called to—to make disciples in the name of Jesus.
You belong at Rise. If you are new to the area, searching for significance in this life, or just curious about Christianity and religion in general, Rise is the place where you are welcomed and accepted as you are. You’ll find that we spend a lot of time getting to know each other, singing songs to God about what He’s done, and learning how to lead lives that matter by hearing from the Bible.
We don’t put on church services or programs, we gather to experience God together and you’re invited.
