Pastor

First Baptist Church Lakeview July 2024
Who are we?
Our congregation enjoys benefits from being a multi-generational church. We have people in their ninety’s down to brand-new babies. Our largest population is between 40-60 years old. The church began in 1889 and continues to be one of the largest churches in the area. Our current church building was built in the 1950s and has undergone updates from time to time. The church campus includes a small office building for the pastor and the office manager, a youth/meeting house with a garage, which is currently being remodeled into classrooms for our recently opened Cornerstone Christian School. The sanctuary has seating for about 150 people, with Sunday’s average attendance at about 115-120. The fellowship hall serves as a classroom, meeting room, and of course a place to gather and fellowship. The church’s second story is where the majority of our classrooms are located. Our most-recent pastor resigned after six months, and our previous pastor was in the position for 20 years. The church has eight employees: the pastor, an office manager/secretary, a janitor, a sound man, and four teachers.
We are a Bible-preaching church. People need to know they are sinners against God and bound for eternal punishment for their sins, but Jesus shed His blood to take those sins. They can be saved from the wages of their sins by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and accepting the free gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. People need to know they are lost before they can be saved. The Bible is God’s word without error and is the ultimate authority.
We are a discipling church. When we know the Lord, then we need to grow in the Lord. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” We currently have two active Care and Share (Bible study) groups, one which meets forty-five miles away in Paisley. There is an early morning men’s study and prayer group, a women’s study and prayer group, a faithful families group, and a Junior and Senior high youth group. In addition, we have Sunday School (for all ages), AWANA, Vacation Bible School and the seasoned saints (seniors) group meets periodically for fun activities and fellowship.
There are 20 – 25 children who attend our Little One’s Christian pre-school. The pre-school just finished its tenth year. Last year we expanded into kindergarten and this fall Cornerstone Christian School begins with Kindergarten through Junior High. In the future we hope to add in the High School grades.
Historically, the pastor has led few of these ministries. He supports, encourages, provides materials, and, if necessary, corrects the people leading the ministries.
We are an involved church. We have over forty people on the various committees of the church; many are on more than one committee. Our music committee has various talents and music varies from contemporary to traditional hymns. AWANA has thirty volunteers and averages sixty plus kids in attendance each week. Vacation Bible School, held annually, has numerous volunteers serving around eighty children. In 2023 we became a shoebox drop off site for Operation Christmas Child for the southern end of Lake County. The committees receive a yearly budget and have the freedom and authority to spend that budget how they see fit.
We have an active missions program. Not only locally with AWANA and VBS, but we partner with missionaries serving in the United States and around the world. We have the joy of supporting one of our young people who now serves, along with her husband, with CRU on a university campus in California. Another young man, and his wife, serve in Florida with Koinonia House Ministries. We’ve recently had teams in the Philippines with David and Kenda Jerome of World Venture - Church Partnership Evangelism, we are also a part of their support team. In June, we had a team serving with Doulos Discovery School in the Dominican Republic, teaching at Camp Discovery along with completing a few work projects at the school. We are a part of the support team for a young couple who teach and coach at DDS. The wife is also a school nurse.
Our church government is congregational. There are four business meetings held each year, with an occasional special meeting held as needed. We have a board of deacons (we call them deacons, but they serve as elders) of which the pastor is a member. The Deacon Board discusses the matters of the church and makes recommendations to the church members, who then vote on the matter. Many smaller matters are dealt with directly by the board, with the congregation informed, during the business meetings.
Where do we live?
Lakeview, Oregon, is known as the “Tallest Town in Oregon;” our elevation is at 4760 feet. The 2020 census lists the population at 2,418 for the Town of Lakeview. The people of the area within twenty miles would be a little over 3,000. Government, including town, county, state, and federal employees are a sizable percentage of the population. Lakeview is the county seat and the headquarters for the Fremont-Winema National Forest, Lakeview District of the Bureau of Land Management, and the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge. Warner Creek Correctional Facility is a state minimum-security prison. There is a sawmill, two door manufacturing plants, and a perlite manufacturing facility. The area’s agricultural production is primarily cattle, with hay production. Lakeview has a hospital, two medical clinics, a walk-in clinic, a naturopath, two dental offices, a chiropractor, an optometrist, a mental health clinic, a senior center providing a variety of services, and various medical specialists come to town on a regular basis. We have a public high school, which is currently 3A, but bounces between 2A and 3A on a regular basis. There are two public elementary schools, one of which is located twelve miles west, in the small community of Westside. A Catholic School began operation in 2023 and our Cornerstone Christian School will begin operating this fall.
Lakeview is isolated. We are on the crossroads of Highway 395 (Mexico to Canada Highway) and Highway 140 (Winnemucca to the Sea highway). Daugherty Slide, on Highway 140 east towards Nevada, has a reputation for being one of the scariest white-knuckle sections of highway in the United States, especially during the wintertime. We have Safeway, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Ace Hardware, NAPA auto parts, and a Les Schwab Tire Center. Hall Motor Company is the primary automobile business. There are various small businesses, including a greenhouse nursery, clothing stores, a fitness center, second-hand store, dog groomers, feed stores, gift shops, flower shops, salons, coffee shops, three gas stations, and various eateries. Klamath Falls, one hundred miles to the west, is the nearest large town with places like Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, Home Depot, and Dutch Brothers. Places such as Costco are about 175 miles away. Commercial airports are at least three hours away with most people flying out of Reno, NV, although some do choose Medford and Redmond, Oregon. Portland International Airport is six hours minimum.
Why do we exist?
To glorify God and advance His kingdom. To know and love the Lord by pursuing an intimate relationship with Him through feeding on the Word, being devoted to prayer, and practicing the presence of Christ. To grow and become like the Lord by cultivating Christlike character and conduct through dying to self, abiding in Christ, putting off the old self, and putting on the new self. To go and show the Lord to others by offering ourselves to God and others in faithful and fruitful service through discovering, developing, and deploying our Spiritual gifts, being empowered by, and led by the Holy Spirit, and evangelizing the lost.