Gospel-centered, Spirit-led Community on Mission.

If Polson Community Church were a town, the Gospel would be Main Street, the central hub and heart-throb of our gathering, living, and moving. The life of our community is found at the foot of a bloody cross and the mouth of an empty grave.

The Gospel is how this community relates. Having been redeemed by God’s grace, we seek to live graciously with one another. Our love for Jesus is tested horizontally in our love for one another.

We value authenticity, doing our best to discard the masks of pretense. We have exchanged the fig leaf for the cross. Shame and denial have been replaced by grace and truth.

The Gospel means that we are a people on God’s Mission. This mission requires our presence in the world. As Jesus was sent, so are we. We see God’s image in every individual. We seek to live relationally, with patience and compassion towards the world.

The Gospel humanizes people. Being on God’s mission also includes the proclamation of the Gospel Message. We believe every believer is called to the happy discipline of proclaiming Christ, imploring all people to be reconciled to God. We understand that the happiest hour in heaven is when one sinner repents; this is our aim and delight.

While we believe that every Christ-follower is called to be on mission in their zip code, the Gospel has made us a people of the Great Commission. In answer to Christ’s call to make disciples of all nations, we seek to train, raise, and release leaders into every sector of society, but with a particular focus on those who are called to plant churches. It is a costly call that echoes the Father’s apostolic heart to send workers into a plentiful harvest.

The Gospel is also the central theme of our gatherings. We celebrate the sacraments of communion and baptism regularly. Our worship and preaching seek to explore its magnificent depth and breadth. We believe that the Gospel is a message with intrinsic power from God to save. We desire to live with the reality that the Gospel has not only pardoned us but has brought us near to the Living God. He is transcendent, but He is also immanent. We are intent upon gatherings that reflect both.

We have a high view of Scripture and God’s sovereignty. We tremble at His Word. We believe that even more than reading God’s Word, we should allow God’s Word to read us. It does not merely inform us. It transforms us.

Therefore, we seek to divide the Word rightly, preach and teach it soundly and powerfully, and respond to it faithfully. We generally preach through whole books of the bible rather than preaching topically because we are aware of the tendency to preach favorite proof texts rather than the whole counsel of God.

As much as we have reverence towards God’s Word, we are also a people with a hunger for more of the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that He has been tragically neglected and out-scripted in many quarters of the church.

We honor Him as God, the excellent gift our Father gave, and the One whom Jesus left to empower His people to be on mission. We are persuaded that we cannot follow Christ without the Holy Spirit’s power. We believe every facet of the Christian life relies upon his infilling, anointing, and leading.

We believe He does his best work through God’s Word but that His activity is not limited to the proclamation of God’s Word. He is also at work demonstrating the power of God through God’s people for the common good.

We intend for our life and meetings to reflect a willingness to follow His leading and walk confidently in His empowerment; this would include a less scripted approach to our gatherings, the intentional involvement of the congregation in worship, and prayer for one another.

This Word and Spirit journey is a more holy pursuit than exact science. It is a rather mysterious pursuit, but we are persuaded that God calls every believer to know both the scriptures and the power of God.

John Wimber called it ‘the Quest for the radical middle,’ and we believe that in our day, there is a ‘request for the radical middle’ for the sake of the Gospel. It is not so much perfect balance that we are after. We simply want to live in all that God intends for His Church, His glory, our good, and the joy of all people.

Visit Polson Community Church.

Every Sunday morning, we gather in the heart of Polson to worship God, study his Word, and strengthen the church.

COMMON QUESTIONS:

We also provide live-stream for our service on our YouTube channel.

What time do we gather?

Our service is at 10:30 am. Early 2024 we will also provide live-stream for our service on live.polsoncommunitychurch.com or our YouTube channel.

How do I get there, and where do I park?

Polson Community Church is located at 1814 1st Street East, Polson. We hope to see you this Sunday! Get directions here!

Parking is available on-site. Parking spots on the east side of the property are for visitors, families with small children, and those needing handicapped parking.

Is there a Mother's Room?

A room with a live feed of the service is available for mothers with babies under one-year-old.

Children's Ministry.

Our Children's Ministry area offers programming for one-year-olds to 6th graders.

At Polson Community Church, we value all ages worshipping together, so kids will join their parents during the beginning of the worship service. When the kids are dismissed, parents walk them to their classrooms. Learn more about our vision for Children's Ministry here.

Does Polson Community Church have a Youth Ministry?

No! But, like our children's ministry, we're in the process of developing our youth Ministry for our junior high group (7th and 8th grade) and our high school group (9th-12th grade).

How do I get connected?

When you arrive, please visit our Visitor Table at the south end of the lobby before or after the service.

You can receive more information about our community, values, and mission at the Visitor Table. We look forward to getting to know you!

Participating, joining a service team, and attending church events are significant first steps toward getting connected.

Starting in 2024, we will begin a monthly event called Community Prayer. We’ll gather as a community once per month on the 1st Wednesday at 6:00 pm every month for prayer and worship.

Finding a church home can be challenging, especially if you only visit once or twice. Therefore, we encourage you to Stick 6! Stick around for six weeks; by then, you will know if Polson Community Church is right for you. During your six-week stay, you will have at least one opportunity to attend:

• Our Visitors Table.
• Newcomers Lunch (on the 2nd Sunday of every month at 12:30 pm in the fellowship hall).
• Exploring our Membership Class.

These steps work progressively to give you a good idea of who we are, what we hope to accomplish together, how leadership affects this, and what your part in the mission of God is. Contact one of our team members to learn more about Newcomers Lunch and Exploring Membership.

WHAT DOES A SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE LOOK LIKE?

Worship: We Celebrate Jesus

We begin our gathering with worship through music. We sing about Jesus, who He is, and what He has done for us. A choir leads us in worship using hymns and songs from other churches. Music and lyrics are displayed on the big screens alongside the stage. There may be points during worship where, with the approval of an elder, a trusted member of the Polson Community Church shares something they feel God is saying. We may respond by praying or worshiping.

Preaching: We Preach Jesus.

Jesus is the only one who can change lives and is the center of our sermons. We often preach through the text verse by verse, and occasionally, we'll focus on a specific subject found in the Bible.

To hear a message, visit the media page.

Every Sunday, we teach from the Bible, and the Bible is all about Jesus. We believe that faith comes from hearing scripture, God's Word, so we will preach it as much as possible.

Community: We Live Like Jesus

We believe God has called us more than just a Sunday meeting. We are a community that seeks to follow Jesus together. After each service, newcomers are encouraged to visit the Visitor's Table at the south end of the building to meet a leader who would love to hear your story. You can also learn more about our community there.

Kids & Youth: Partnering with Parents and Caregivers

We want children and youth to know that Jesus is the priority in their lives. We'll work this out in a creative, interactive, and age-appropriate way in an environment where they are loved and nurtured.

We aim to partner with parents and caregivers as they raise children to love and follow Jesus. We hope that the message the parents hear, and the lessons the children/youth learn will result in conversations that spark growth and life change. See above for more information about our Children's and Youth Ministry.

Children's Ministry

Parents and primary caregivers, before any other institution, are responsible for the spiritual nurturing of their children. Our goal is to partner with parents in providing a solid spiritual foundation upon which to train their children in the ways of the Lord.

Polson Community Church's mission is to be a Gospel-centered, Spirit-empowered community on mission, and we believe our children have a significant role to play in our mission.

Our children are very valuable to us, and it is our highest priority to ensure their well-being and security. To ensure your child’s safety, children will ONLY be released to the pre-assigned parent/caregiver. All children attend worship with their families in our main gathering. After worship they will be dismissed to their age-appropriate classes.

Leadership

Jesus Christ is the Head of His church, which includes Polson Community Church. Pastors/Elders in a local church are the highest form of human government. Pastors/Elders lead this church in submission to Him and each other.

Pastors/Elders

Polson Community Church is not a democracy but led by men appointed and recognized with the gift of, and grace for leadership. (Eph. 4:1-3; Heb. 13:7, 17).

Scripture uses three words interchangeably to refer to the function of one and the same person:

“Presbuteros” – Elder (executes God’s justice and government and administrates the affairs of the church).

“Episcopos” – Overseer or bishop (oversees, a guardian, gatekeeper or watchman)

“Poimain” – Shepherd or pastor (shepherd the flock, nurture and care for the flock, feed the flock). (See Acts 20:17, 28, Titus 1:5,7, 1 Peter 2:25, 5:1-2)

Pastors/Elders oversee every aspect of church life, are mutually accountable, and are led by a visionary or lead elder.

Polson Community Church places a high value on the team dynamics of our leadership.

Deacon's

This is the only other office mentioned in the scriptures in the local church. The Greek word for deacon is “diakonis” and means “servant, and who ministers alongside, "helper." This does not mean that our deacons are servants and do menial jobs.

Everyone in the church should have a servant's heart. What it does mean, though, is that the deacons come alongside the elders, assisting them in the pastoring of the church, releasing them “to prayer and ministry of the Word.” (Acts 6:1-8)

Polson Community Church deacons, together with and under the oversight of pastors/elders, exercise oversight in home groups and other care groups.

Accountability

Polson Community Church's pastoral/eldership team values plurality and consensus on decisions of doctrine, direction, and discipline.

We also believe that every team has a leader, with Bruce Richter taking the lead pastor role, but this is done as a ‘first among equals’ rather than as a senior pastor with associate pastors.

Polson Community Church believes in the autonomy of the local church, in which the pastors/elders are the highest governing authority in our church, but we do not believe it is healthy or wise for a church to be solely independent.

Therefore, the PCC pastoral/eldership team actively seeks accountability and counsel from men with whom we have relationships and in whom we recognize an Ephesians 4 gifting of either apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, or evangelist.

Our primary accountability and counsel comes through our relationship with Crossroads Church in Aspen, Colorado, and Church at the Red Door in La Quinta, California.

In close relationship with these churches and their leaders, we seek guidance and wisdom to provide the necessary stability, strength, and accountability intrinsic to a healthy local church.

Partnering together with these churches is essential to advancing the Gospel in Polson, Montana, and worldwide through planting and strengthening churches.

Pastoral/Eldership Team

Bruce And Gaynor Richter

Hi, my name is Bruce Richter. I have been married to my wife, Gaynor, since August 1980. We have three married daughters and nine grandchildren.

In 1982, my family invited Gaynor and me to a large Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, where we were saved by the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we would never have considered back then that our failing marriage relationship would develop into an incredible journey that has lasted for over four decades. And that after I graduated from Bible college in November 1988, my family and I would go on to plant a church in the early 90s, and then revitalize two other discouraged churches, where I served consecutively as the lead pastor in all three congregations until we immigrated to the United States of America in 2008.

It never ceases to amaze me that Jesus not only saved me from my sin but also called, gifted, and empowered me to help develop and deploy other people to His mission for their life through His gospel Legacy. Much of the fruitfulness and growth I have experience as a follower of Jesus comes from the cultivation, mobilization, and collaboration around the gospel-scented discipleship training the Holy Spirit gives us in the Word of God. All of this in-depth ministry experience led me to accept the lead pastor position at Polson Community Church with the sole purpose of helping believers grow in maturity by developing and deploying a healthy, effective, and missional lifestyle.

Statement of Faith

About the Trinity.

We believe there is only one true God, eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is equal in every divine attribute, executing different but harmonious roles in creation, providence, and redemption.

God is naturally a relational God who enjoys loving fellowship within the Godhead and extends a loving relationship to us through faith in Jesus Christ and in unity with the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:1-3; Isaiah 45:5; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

About God The Father.

We believe in God the Father, who is infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, immutable, and perfect in holiness, wisdom, justice, and love.

We believe He is a personal God and sovereign in the affairs of humanity and that He saves men and women from sin and death in His grace and mercy. (Psalm 139; Isaiah 40:28-31; Acts 17:24-31).

About Jesus Christ the Son.

We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who became a man without ceasing to be God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of a virgin. His life was sinless, and His death provided substitutionary atonement for the sins of humanity.

We believe in His bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, and priestly intercession for all believers. (Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 7:22-28).

About the Holy Spirit.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who illuminates, indwells, sanctifies, and empowers all believers until the day of redemption, providing each with various gifts for service and who is an abiding helper, teacher, guide, and comforter.

We believe He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 14:16-17, 14:26, 16:7-15; 1Corinthians 12:4-7; Ephesians 1:13-14).

About the Bible.

We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, wholly truthful and trustworthy, pointing to life in God through Jesus Christ.

God and His Word are our supreme authority and sufficient for understanding all faith, doctrine, and conduct matters.

Our only resource for critical discernment in this world is the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit as He helps us understand the Bible, our source of truth. Therefore, we view Scripture as foundational for all we do. It is a resource God has graciously provided us, containing the message to humanity that He Himself put forth.

It is inerrant in the original documents as God inspired men to write its contents and infallible in the sense that it contains nothing that would lead to error, falsehood, or untruth when soundly interpreted through the Holy Spirit. (Psalm 19:7-11; Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 24:44; John 5:39; Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; 2 Peter 1:4-5, 1:20-21).

About Authentic Community.

We believe that life was never meant to be lived alone. It was meant to be lived in an authentic community daily with other followers of Jesus.

This community inspires spiritual growth and is attractive to those who don't know Jesus. (John 13:34-35; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 1:11-12; Romans 12:9-13).

About Contagious Generosity.

We believe it is our calling to be generous with all that we have. Everything we have has been given to us by God, so we approach our time, possessions, and resources with an attitude of stewardship, not ownership.

We believe that generosity is contagious, and as we flood our city with the generosity of Christ, others will want to join in! (Proverbs 11:24; Luke 6:37-38; 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Timothy 6:17-19).

About Missions.

We believe that missions are NOT a program through which we are engaged but a lifestyle by which we are defined.

We firmly believe that God has strategically brought people into our lives, whether neighbors, co-workers, family members, or strangers, so that we can help them experience the presence and power of God.

It is through missional living that the Gospel is proclaimed, and the Church grows. (Micah 6:8; Matthew 25:31-40; 1 Corinthians 9:19-22; 1 John 3:17-18).

About Church Multiplication.

We believe that to reach the varied groups of people in this world, there must be varying expressions of Christ's Church.

We also know that church planting is the greatest way for people to come to know Christ. Because of these facts, we will be a church that continues to plant churches in and around Montana and assist other church plants worldwide. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 13:2-3; Romans 15:19-21)

About People Development And Deployment.

We believe everything rises and falls on leadership, and everyone can lead. Whether it is to lead one's family, friends, a business, or a small group, everyone can lead.

We want to help develop the leader within a person and then deploy them to God's mission for their life. (Exodus 18:13-26; Matthew 20:26; Luke 10:1-9; Acts 6:1-7; Titus 2:1-8).

About Angels and Satan.

We believe in angels of God as well as fallen angels (demons), including satan, who fell from favor with God to become the enemy of both God and humanity.

We believe satan exists and that he is the temporary ruler of this world. He is wholly evil and is a tempter and deceiver of humanity, blinding the unbeliever with spiritual darkness.

We believe that believers have power through Christ over satan and his host of demons, who will eventually be judged and punished forever. (Isaiah 14:12-20; Luke 10:18-19; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15; Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 12:10-12, 20:10).

About Humanity.

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all of its dimensions, from conception through earthly death.

We are, therefore, called to defend, protect, and value all human life, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, married or single, young or old.

We believe that all humanity is created in the image of God, male and female alike, but, due to disobedience against God's good and just authority, has incurred a sinful nature. Since the fall of man through Adam, humanity has been sinful by nature and by choice, as well as subject to the power of satan.

We believe humanity has no power to change its fallen state but can only be redeemed by the power of God through Jesus Christ.

Finally, we believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity.

Hateful and harassing behavior and attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or the doctrines of Polson Community Church. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 51:5, 139; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31; John 15:4-5; Romans 3:10-18, 3:23).

About Gender

We believe both the image and roles of men and women flow from the essence of God's Trinitarian identity. There is mutual submission within the Trinity even though there are differing roles within the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all equally and fully God, but each has a different role. Jesus submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to both the Father and Jesus.

We believe both Adam and Eve were created in God's image, being equal before God as persons, and that God ordained the role distinctions within biblical manhood and womanhood as part of His creation before the fall and was not a result of sin. (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25, 3:1-24; 1Timothy 2:12-15).

We believe Adam and Eve were created uniquely male and female and that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as biologically male or female when He knits them together in their mother's womb. These two distinct and complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God.

We also believe that every man and woman is first and foremost defined by their natural birth. (Genesis 1:26-27; Matthew 6:7-14, 26:39; John 5:19-29, 14:1-14, 14: 28, 17:20-21; Acts 1:6-8, 7:54-56; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians 5:21-33; Revelation 4-5).

We believe both the Old Testament and New Testament reveal the equally high value and dignity created by God in the distinct roles of men and women within marriage and the Church. (Genesis 2:18-24; Proverbs 5:15-19, 31:10-31; Mark 10:2-12; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 1 Corinthians 11:1-13, 14:26-39; 1 Timothy 2:12-15, 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).

About Marriage and Morality.

We believe the term "marriage" has only one meaning: uniting one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.

We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a biological man and a biological woman who are married to one another.

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage. (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 6:18, 7:2-5; Ephesians 5:22-33, Hebrews 13:4).

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and the use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1Corinthians 6:9-10).

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Polson Community Church as a local body of Christ and to provide a biblical role and model to our members and community, all persons employed by Polson Community Church in any capacity or who serve in Church leadership must agree to and abide by our Statements on Gender, Marriage, and Morality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).