Beginnings
The Autumn of 1999 marked the birth of Christ Church, Spokane as a daughter church of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. The initial four families of our body quickly outgrew a home living room and by summer 2000, weekly meetings had moved to the Moran Prairie Grange. Christ Church formally constituted membership in September 2000 and six months later called Joost Nixon as pastor. In March of 2006, we planted our first daughter church, Trinity Church in Coeur d’ Alene, ID. In October of 2007 we planted Holy Trinity Church in Colville, WA.
Distinctives
Reformed and Evangelical
At Christ Church we believe that the sovereignty of God in salvation is glad news, hence we advocate what we call “sunny Calvinism.” Additionally, we believe in the covenantal nature of the church and the ecumenical and reformed creeds. Though we subscribe robustly to the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), the Scriptures themselves are our final and infallible authority for both faith and practice.
Emphasis on Biblical Families
As the most basic unit in church and society, the family can hardly be overemphasized. At Christ Church we encourage husbands and fathers to embrace their covenantal responsibility as heads of their homes and to nurture their wives and children as they grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wives and mothers are encouraged to submit joyfully to their husbands, to be workers at home, and to nurture their children in Christ. Moreover, children are taught to love the Lord their God, to obey their parents, and to seek God’s blessing upon themselves and their descendants. The local church should assist and equip parents for spiritual leadership in their homes but never replace them.
Optimistic Eschatology
We believe “the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9
). But this grand hope is not accomplished through political finaglings and Christian activism, but through the bold preaching of the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Expository Preaching
Because elders are enjoined to teach every word of God’s whole counsel, Christ Church’s normal, but not exclusive, mode of preaching is consecutive, verse-by-verse exposition.
Church Community
Members of Christ Church covenant together under God to encourage one another to love God and each other, seeking to edify one another by using their gifts; assisting one another by providing for needs; and together loving the church and community-at-large. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). This is an important element of our corporate witness.
Elders & Deacons
Christ Church is governed by a group of elders. Currently we have four elders:
Joost Nixon, Minister
Doug Matangelo, Elder
Eric Robinson, Elder
Stuart Bryan, Minister (Trinity Church, Coeur d’ Alene and Elder Pro Tempore)
Kenton Spratt, Minister (Holy Trinity Church, Colville and Elder Pro Tempore)
The elders are responsible to shepherd the body, and to concentrate on the ministry of prayer and the Word. Coming alongside them as ministers of mercy are a number of deacons:
Matt Walker
Charlie Dowers
Kelly Kaisershot
Doctrinal Statement
We subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) with a few exceptions-most notably our approach to baptism. We permit both those who embrace believer’s baptism and those who maintain infant baptism to serve as elders on our session. The Westminster Confession defines what we believe and teach-it does not define the boundaries of our fellowship.
Affiliation and Accountability
Christ Church is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches [www.crechurches.org], a communion of like-minded churches committed to spiritual growth and mutual accountability.