Our Journey
City Church Corvallis is not a place, building, or organization. We are a kingdom community expressed through diverse congregations. Our foundation is biblical, orthodox Christianity: triune God, Father, Son and Spirit, the deity of Jesus Christ, salvation by faith in His atoning death, the authority of the Holy Scriptures. In essential doctrines, we must have unity. In things secondary, tolerance, honor and love.
Over the past three decades, kingdom-minded leaders in our city have sought to take Jesus' command to love one another seriously. Further, we have sought to build cultures of prayer and collaboration centered on reaching Corvallis with the the message of the gospel. In brief, here's our journey.
In 1981, a small group of pastors and prayer leaders began interceding for our city, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done (in Corvallis)." In the mid-1980's, a larger group of leaders began prayer-walking our community. There were several expeditions to Mary's Peak to declare the Scriptures over our city and valley, and to ask the Lord to expose and weaken the influence of demonic forces in our region.
In February, 1991, we took a major step forward in our unity. Twenty-seven leaders from the Mid-Willamette Valley, pastors and leaders of non-profits, came together to seek the Lord. There was deep repentance over issues of competition and criticism, followed by open confession and reconciliation. This was the first of the annual Leaders Prayer Summit. God deeply penetrated our hearts, and released a vision to pursue and build an expression of John 17 unity in our region. This expression began to grow rapidly into a regional movement of unity, prayer and collaboration in five cities: Jefferson, Albany, Lebanon, Philomath and Corvallis. This movement is known as 'Church of the Valley.'
1999 brought a decentralization of the movement. Corvallis kingdom leaders began praying for our city every Thursday at 11 a.m. A leadership team was formed, and within a year, the Body of Christ came together for an unprecedented and historic expression of unity, "Easter 2000," a citywide celebration of Jesus' resurrection in Gill Coliseum on Easter Sunday. We gave the city a $64,000 offering, which helped fund a shelter for families in transition, and a summer program for at-risk teens. Our churches found fresh favor with the governmental leaders of Corvallis.
This leadership team, called City Team, selected three ministries to partner with and pray for regularly: Love INC of Benton County, Southside Youth Outreach, and Friends of Internationals. Since then, we have blessed and helped resource numerous ministry networks.
While each church and ministry in Corvallis has its distinctive calling and gifts, we have been asking consistently since 1999, "What must we do better together that we can't do on our own?" We believe that when the Body of Jesus Christ comes into increased health and right alignment, every part works as God designed it (1 Cor. 12:12-31). All kingdom ministries are activated and God's favor brings increased synergy to our endeavors to seek the lost and serve the least.
Over the past three decades, kingdom-minded leaders in our city have sought to take Jesus' command to love one another seriously. Further, we have sought to build cultures of prayer and collaboration centered on reaching Corvallis with the the message of the gospel. In brief, here's our journey.
In 1981, a small group of pastors and prayer leaders began interceding for our city, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done (in Corvallis)." In the mid-1980's, a larger group of leaders began prayer-walking our community. There were several expeditions to Mary's Peak to declare the Scriptures over our city and valley, and to ask the Lord to expose and weaken the influence of demonic forces in our region.
In February, 1991, we took a major step forward in our unity. Twenty-seven leaders from the Mid-Willamette Valley, pastors and leaders of non-profits, came together to seek the Lord. There was deep repentance over issues of competition and criticism, followed by open confession and reconciliation. This was the first of the annual Leaders Prayer Summit. God deeply penetrated our hearts, and released a vision to pursue and build an expression of John 17 unity in our region. This expression began to grow rapidly into a regional movement of unity, prayer and collaboration in five cities: Jefferson, Albany, Lebanon, Philomath and Corvallis. This movement is known as 'Church of the Valley.'
1999 brought a decentralization of the movement. Corvallis kingdom leaders began praying for our city every Thursday at 11 a.m. A leadership team was formed, and within a year, the Body of Christ came together for an unprecedented and historic expression of unity, "Easter 2000," a citywide celebration of Jesus' resurrection in Gill Coliseum on Easter Sunday. We gave the city a $64,000 offering, which helped fund a shelter for families in transition, and a summer program for at-risk teens. Our churches found fresh favor with the governmental leaders of Corvallis.
This leadership team, called City Team, selected three ministries to partner with and pray for regularly: Love INC of Benton County, Southside Youth Outreach, and Friends of Internationals. Since then, we have blessed and helped resource numerous ministry networks.
While each church and ministry in Corvallis has its distinctive calling and gifts, we have been asking consistently since 1999, "What must we do better together that we can't do on our own?" We believe that when the Body of Jesus Christ comes into increased health and right alignment, every part works as God designed it (1 Cor. 12:12-31). All kingdom ministries are activated and God's favor brings increased synergy to our endeavors to seek the lost and serve the least.
What must we do better together that we can't do on our own? This drives everything we do.