News

We’re excited to be involved in supporting Foster Families and Foster Kids here at Westside. There are multiple ways to get involved as a family. Foster Family Appreciation and The Birthday Club, as well as attending information meetings about supporting foster kids or exploring fostering as a family. Your family can help create great birthday memories through The Birthday Club or offer much-needed support and encouragement through Foster Family Appreciation.

Let’s help every child experience family by expanding our own hearts to include children in the foster care system.

You can find information about all these opportunities HERE.

Last year, 11,238 children spent time in foster care throughout the State of Oregon.

66.1% spent time in more than one foster home. Many were split from their siblings. And right now, there are 8 children over 10 right here in Central Oregon awaiting homes. 

We envision a world where family is restored to every child. We see the family being redefined, beyond blood or relation, as people who take care of each other because they see the face of the Creator in the faces of each other. 

Let’s partner together to see and surround children and families, and to support and encourage the city agencies who are courageously advocating for the safety and well-being of children. Let’s bring the Hope of Jesus to our city.

Two Opportunities to Get Involved:

Two Live Zoom Events to Learn More:

May 16, 2021 during our 10:00 am Sunday service.

We believe that water baptism is an important next step in the life of a believer. Through baptism you are declaring to the world your commitment to follow in the way of Jesus with your life. If you want to take this incredible step in your faith, register today.

Register

Every Thursday from 6:30 am – 7:30 am

All men are invited to join FUEL Men’s Bible Study taking place every Thursday morning in the lower atrium.

Connect in community as you grow deeper in your relationship to Jesus. Men will be socially distanced and required to wear a mask. Please use the link below if you have any questions.

Contact Us for more information.

In partnership with Neighbor Impact, we will be hosting our monthly Free Food Market on Monday, April 26th, 1:30-3:00pm. We will be distributing food to individuals and families who need them. If you are in need of some supplementary groceries, or would like to pick up groceries for a neighbor in need, please come to our drive-through food ministry at the Westside Church parking lot. All are welcome! If you would like to serve on the Free Food Market team, please fill out our volunteer link.

What: Free Food Market

When: Monday, April 26th | 1:30 – 3:00pm

Where: Westside Church Parking Lot | 2051 NW Shevlin Park Rd

Who: ALL ARE WELCOME!

You may have heard that Westside has moved to a shared leadership model with three co-Senior Pastors. More accurately, Westside is formalizing a shared leadership model that has been in effect to some degree for the past seven years. This decision adds Pastor Evan Earwicker and Pastor Ben Fleming as co-Senior Pastors alongside Pastor Steve Mickel.  

Yes, we now have three Senior Pastors.  

Pastor Steve will continue to function as a “chief among equals” as we build collaborative, team-oriented structures to support the long-term health of Westside Church. Pastor Evan and Pastor Ben have been and will continue to take on expanded responsibilities. The Leadership Team will continue to function with Ben and Evan continuing their roles on that team. Pastor Mike Alexander will continue as Westside’s Executive Pastor.  Pastor Rod Kirk, Pastor Suzanne Mickel and Kimberly Alexander will also continue in their roles on the Leadership Team as Pastor of Operations, Outreach Pastor and Director of Discipleship, respectively. 

For most Westsiders, this change will cause little noticeable difference in how the church functions, since shared leadership has been in process behind the scenes for several years. 

Christ and the New Testament Church modeled shared leadership structures from the outset of the early Church. In Mark 3:13-15, Jesus inaugurated this shared leadership model when he appointed a group of 12 to “preach and have authority” and in Matthew 23, Jesus warned these disciples against taking on lofty titles that would elevate a single leader above the rest (Matthew 23:8-12). In Acts 8, Peter and John ministered in Samaria as a team. Peter would eventually write in 1 Peter 5, that he was a “fellow elder” among many others serving Christ and His church throughout the world. Even Paul shared leadership of the church in Antioch with Barnabas (Acts 11:25-26) and in Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas handed this authority to a group of elders (Acts 14:23). Decisions in the prominent Jerusalem church were not made by a single apostle but shared by a council of elders (Acts 15).  

While singular pastoral leadership is common in churches throughout history, the New Testament does not prescribe, prioritize or describe the placement of an individual, elevated Senior Pastor. The New Testament more commonly displays a shared, collaborative approach to leadership and local church structures that involved a broad mix of leadership gifts for healthy and balance (see 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). Paul made it clear that only one singular figure should lead the Church: “Christ, who is the head” (Colossians 1:18). The model of a singular, elevated church leader (bishop, priest, pastor) does not clearly emerge until the 2nd-4th centuries. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What will be each Senior Pastor’s role? 

Steve—Lead Pastor, primary weekend speaker / vision-caster, Leadership Team member, leadership development, Foursquare Board member. 
Evan—Creative Arts Pastor, Leadership Team member, expanded weekend speaking, mentorship and shared lead pastor functions with Steve. 
Ben—Generations Pastor, Leadership Team member, expanded weekend speaking, mentorship and shared lead pastor functions with Steve. 

Were others considered alongside Evan and Ben?

Ben and Evan play a unique role on Westside’s Staff. Both are part of the Leadership Team and have been involved in every decision Westside has made over the past several years. They also are currently the only pastors on the Leadership Team who both desire and have the experience to be senior pastors and this leadership model enables them to lead at that level in a team environment.

Are women eligible for senior pastoring at Westside?  

Yes. While Evan and Ben are currently the only pastors serving on the Leadership Team desiring senior leadership, one of Westside’s long-standing staff values has been the continued development and promotion of all staff members (both men and women) to all levels of leadership, teaching, and influence. We’re proud to be part of a denomination (Foursquare) that was founded by a woman and welcomes women to lead at the highest levels in local churches and the denominational level.

What happens if one of the three senior pastors move on in their career/ministry?

It is possible that others would be added to the senior pastor team and if one of the three leaves Westside, it is presumed that others (men and women) would be considered for those roles. If Pastor Steve leaves, Foursquare would appoint another Lead Pastor to lead this team and Westside.

How is the church structured and how are decisions made? 

Westside Church is a member of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (ICFG), a denomination known as Foursquare. Foursquare uses a modified episcopal form of government and polity (The episcopal form of government is a type of church structure and is not tied to the Episcopal Church).  In short, Westside is a local congregation that is part of the Foursquare denomination that participates in a blend of individual authority and local autonomy with a healthy system of checks & balances provided by the Northwest District Team and Director, a Sectional Director, Westside’s Church Council and a local Lead Pastor. Westside uses a shared leadership, team-centered model for decision making that leverages trust, candor and healthy team structures to collaborate, discuss, wrestle with and make important decisions. Distinct values ensure this shared leadership structure and approach to decision making does not disintegrate into leadership by consensus, committee or vote. 

Will Ben and Evan continue to oversee the Creative Arts and Generations departments? 

Yes. Their departmental oversight and current responsibilities are not going away. 

Are there any other churches doing this? 

Yes. Many organizations including churches have tried variations of shared leadership over the years—some successful, some unsuccessful. When the shared leadership model fails, it is most often due to one or more of the co-leaders ultimately refusing to share decision-making and leadership. Ego and ambition are the kryptonite of shared leadership. This is often why successful shared leadership models are especially rare in the business world. 

We have had lengthy, personal conversations with co-Senior Pastors at two large west coast churches with similar values and DNA to that of Westside. Both churches have been successfully using shared leadership models and co-Senior Pastor for years. One of the churches has three to four co-Senior Pastors at any given time and the other has two co-Senior Pastors. These are full co-Senior Pastors (not associate pastors or campus pastors). 

On Wednesday, April 28th at 7pm we are gathering a small group of Westside Home Church leaders to have a round table discussion about the future of community at our church. This is a time where we want to hear from you. This is not a one way discussion. Pastors Steve and David will set the table with some thoughts and questions and then we will talk about what has worked in the past, what hasn’t and where we all sense the Lord is leading Westside. The voice of Home Church leaders is extremely important so please register for your spot (either in person or virtual) for this night of discussion.

We want to celebrate your generosity in participating in our Canned Food Drive! You gave a TON of food- Literally! Westsider’s contributed over 2000 pounds (1 ton) of food to stock up for our upcoming monthly Free Food Markets. Thank You for your kindness and your commitment to caring for others. 

Our March Free Food Market, in partnership with Neighbor Impact, will take place this coming Monday, March 22nd, 1:30-3:00pm. 

We will be distributing food to any and all individuals and families who need them. If you are in need of some supplementary groceries, we invite you to come to our drive-through food ministry at the Westside Church parking lot. 

You can find all the details at westsidechurch.org/outreach

Shout out to Westside Home Churches in partnership with our Outreach team! This month we are partnering with Shepherd’s House to support their warming shelters with breakfast each week.

Home Churches stepped up to meet the need in such a beautiful way. We love partnering with our city!  

A simple email to home church leaders addressing supply needs for an outreach trip to Africa ended up bringing in donations totaling around $1500. Brent Earwicker, Global Outreach Coordinator said, “I wanted to report that Westsiders were so generous, purchasing most of the items off the Amazon wishlist: tents, sleeping bags, boat parts, lifejackets, & audio equipment. I was able to carry some of them over in February, and will be taking the rest in May on my next trip.”

Earwicker also said, “It was fun to be inundated with boxes full of useful gear to help propel our African teams forward on Lake Victoria and throughout East Africa. Life and ministry is so tough over there, when we get the chance to resupply their tools & service items it goes a long way!”

It was wonderful to have a way to quickly get the word out to Home Churches! And thank you to everyone who stepped up to the need and gave so generously.

Here’s a shot of the director, Moses Lubega, in a new tent they slept in on Buvuma Island. 

Thank you to all the families who came and created Care Packs for the homeless at our Family Outreach Event on Saturday.

It was wonderful to see the creativity and love that went into making cards that were included in all of the Care Packs. The group put together over 400 Care Packs! Half are going to the Warming Shelters, with the other half sent home with these awesome families to hand out to people in need. Way to go, Westside Families!

Our Donation Drive this week for cold weather gear also was a huge success! All supplies collected will be donated to local Warming Shelters serving our community this winter.

Thank you, Westsiders, for your love, care, and generosity to our community!

Josh Cordell, our Westside Family Pastor, reported the following,

“We hosted a beautiful event at Westside Church on Saturday. We had around 30 families come put together care packages for the homeless in our area. Included in the package was a cute card, colored on one side with a handwritten note or encouraging word on the other side.

A seven-year old told me, “It feels good to help people.” Isn’t that the truth!

One family told me that their six-year old, on a recently cold day, had pointed out how she felt bad for homeless people having to deal with the weather. That same day they received the email about this event.”

It was so good to see families serving together. One of the best things was a family with three teenagers all sitting together coloring their cards… and loving it!

Stay tuned for more impacting Family events to come!

Take Courage

A 7-Week Study from Jennifer Rothschild, April 6 – May 18

Do you ever feel like the happy ending of your story is a million miles away?

Then you know how the Jewish people felt when they returned to their wrecked land after exile and began rebuilding the temple. They were distracted, discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel. But the prophet Haggai reminded them they could find courage in the God who had never left them.

Sometimes the landscapes of our lives feel wrecked, with our hope and purpose in shambles. We, too, get distracted and discouraged. However, God’s presence and promises give us the courage to press on and trust Him with our story.

In this 7-session study on the Book of Haggai, learn to walk confidently in your calling, stay motivated despite opposition, and courageously invest your life in God’s purposes, trusting Him for results you may never see in this lifetime.

Benefits:

• Defeat discouragement through God’s presence, people, and Word.
• See beyond your current circumstances to a future hope.
• Learn to trust God more than your feelings.
• Connect with other women!

The group materials will be online videos with study materials to be watched and discussed in small group settings. Both in-person small-groups, as well as zoom groups, will be available.

Wednesday, February 24th is our large gathering with both Middle and High school. Spots are limited, so register today to grab a seat. We can’t wait to be together as we worship, hear a good word, and have some fun. Register HERE to be a part of this awesome night.

Help us care for our community this winter by donating items needed for the Bend and Redmond Warming Shelters. Deliver items to the church on Saturday, February 27th, from 10 am-1 pm, or before that during regular Office Hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-2 pm).

Donation Items needed: Warm hats, ski gloves, coats, army-type blankets, sleeping bags, hand and foot warmers, soft granola bars, Band-Aids, toothbrushes, travel size toothpaste, and $5 gift cards to McDonalds.