Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What denomination is Lake Spokane Community Church?

A: We do not belong to any denomination. We are an independent evangelical church that holds to the historic Christian faith. We emphasize the basics of the Christian faith, salvation through Jesus Christ alone, worship, prayer, living with integrity, loving our neighbor, and reaching out into the world to bring people to Jesus. We have members from many different church backgrounds. We are affiliated with Village Missions.

Q: What is Village Missions and what is our relationship to it?

A: Village Missions is a ministry that provides pastors to churches especially in rural areas. Their motto is “keeping country churches alive.” VM helped our church when we had no pastor and could not afford to pay a salary. Now our church is self-supporting and gives back to VM to help other churches in need like we were. 10% of our general offerings go to Village Missions to support this cause. For more information go to: villagemissions.org.

Q: What is the purpose of Lake Spokane Community Church and what does it mean?

A: Our purpose is to “magnify God by presenting Christ to all persons, connecting with them,and teaching them, so that they may serve in the church and share Christ with others.”

In other words, we are here to honor God. We do this by expressing praise in our worship services. We do this by connecting with each other as a spiritual family, loving one another. We do this by being taught the truths of the Bible and learning to live by them. We do this by serving in His church. And we do this by seeking to bring others in our community and around the world to know Christ.

Q: How did this church begin?

A: We began as a Bible study in the home of Naomi McDonald, just across the highway. In September, 1972 the Community Center was built and the Bible study organized as a church and began meeting there. For the first three years various visiting pastors preached for one or more weeks on Sundays. Some stayed for many months, such as A. Vincent Carr, who pastored until December 1974. His health required him to quit at that time. In June of 1975 Bob and Ruth Silver came, and, supported by Village Missions, were the first full time pastors the church had. Average attendance that year was about 25 each Sunday.

Q: How do you become a member of Lake Spokane Community Church?

A: To be a member you must be a baptized believer in Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and agree with our Statement of Belief. Each prospective member meets with the Board of Deacons who will ask him or her to describe how they came to faith in Jesus as their Saviour and to affirm their agreement with our beliefs. Upon this profession the Deacons will vote to receive the prospect into membership.

Q: Why is it important to be involved with a church?

A: We believe that God established churches so that those who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ can have a place to grow in their faith, to worship together, to encourage and help each other, and to cooperate to invite others to come be followers of Jesus. A person can try to follow Jesus on his own, but it is better together. In fact, God wants us to connect with each other and with Him. A casual involvement or no involvement with a church will harm a person’s spiritual life. Usually it means less encouragement, less teaching, less accountability, less consistency, less purposefulness. We believe God wants us to be active, not just spectators. God wants to be our priority, not just a sometime interest.

Q: How are decisions made at Lake Spokane Community Church?

A: Every year this church elects a Board of Deacons, which has the spiritual and overall oversight of the church. We also elect a Board of Trustees, which oversees the physical property of the church. Major decisions are made by a vote of the members, such as hiring pastors, annual budget, building, etc. The Deacons, and/or Trustees deal with smaller day to day decisions. Other church officers are also elected each year, such as Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Assistant Treasurer – to keep financial records, pay expenses, and deposit offerings. We also elect a congregational secretary, congregational chairman, two head ushers and a church historian.

Q: Where did the Bible come from?

A: The Bible is a collection of 66 distinct writings, or books. The first 5 books were written by Moses, probably about 1600 BC. He was the leader of the Hebrew people, now known as the Jews. They record that God chose the Hebrews for a special purpose, to bring a Saviour into the world and to spread the word of God to all people on earth. The remaining books of the Old Testament, the first 39 books of the Bible, include history of the Hebrews, Hebrew prophets, poetry, wisdom and songs. The Hebrews believed, and we believe, that God caused these records to be written to tell all people what God is like and what He wants from us.

The promised Saviour, Jesus, was born, in about 4 BC, He began to teach and heal. And, finally, He died, crucified on a cross, as He predicted, to take away the sins of the world. On the third day He came back to life and commissioned His followers to tell the world about Him. The last 27 books, called the New Testament, are the story of Jesus’ life, and His teachings, and the further teachings of His immediate followers, called the apostles. Christians also believe that these books are God-inspired and given to all people so we can believe in Jesus and know how to follow Him.

Q: Why do we believe the Bible?

A: Whole books have been written on this subject. But, briefly, we believe the Bible because a) we believe it explains the human condition better than any other writings ever written. b) its manuscripts and the integrity of its content are well established by scholars to be essentially accurate and unchanged and uncorrupted over the centuries. c) it contains hundreds of prophecies that have come true years or often centuries later, evidence that God was behind the writing of the Bible. d) its moral code and world view have led to a more humane and civilized and prosperous life wherever it has been believed and followed. e) we have found when its truths are applied in our own lives it works.

Some people will say that no intelligent person can believe that the miracles of the Bible actually happened because miracles are impossible. This is actually circular reasoning and not an intelligent argument. Many great scientists have believed the Bible including Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascal, Michael Faraday. To believe in science and in the Bible you simply must believe that God created the laws of science, and that He can override those laws on occasion, if He chooses. Most Christians believe firmly in both. If God is God miracles are possible.

"OUR HISTORY"
LAKE SPOKANE COMMUNITY CHURCH

Lake Spokane Community Church started out as the Community Church of Our Savior and was started in the Spring of 1972 when land was donated for the building of a Community Church Center (now the Tum Tum Community Center). On October 15, 1972 the first service was held and the Reverend Pearson from Glad Tidings Church delivered the first message. In November of 1972, Paul Bridges was asked to be the first pastor of the church.

In October of 1973, with Reverend Vincent Carr as the new pastor, twenty-two people signed the new Charter Membership and a constitution and by-laws were drawn up. The church saw a little growth between 1973 and the winter of 1974, but then Reverend Carr resigned as the pastor and the church was without a pastor until 1975.

In the spring of 1975, CCOS members requested leadership from Village Missions and on June 8, 1975 Bob and Ruth Silver and their six week old daughter, Lisa, came to the church. The church provided $25 per month and Village Missions provided $425. One of the members provided a house for Bob and Ruth to live in. Average attendance was 31.

1977 was very active for the church. They voted to purchase 3½ acres next to the Community Church Center, and the church took on the full support of Pastor Silver for $675 per month. Pastor Bob also preached in Nine Mile Falls at the Community Church there, until Village Missions supplied a pastor for them.

1978 saw the building of a new parsonage, with Dan Riehle Sr. placed in charge of the construction. In May 1979, groundbreaking for the new parsonage began. At the church attendance had grown to around ninety and forty-five for Sunday School.

The church continued to grow and in December 27, 1981 the congregation voted to build a new Church building with a cost estimate of $38,880. Construction began on the new building in July of 1982. Seven retired couples from Mobile Missionary Assistance Program spent three weeks helping with the construction. Our first Sunday in our new building took place on December 19, 1982.

Since this time, our church has grown and discussions are currently underway about a new building program. On January 8, 2006 the name Community Curch of our Savior was offically changed to Lake Spokane Community Church. God has blessed our church and its pastor. We invite you to become a part of the continuing history of this body, and we know that our church and our community will be richer for it.