Faith Baptist Church was started in 1969 by a small group of families looking for Christ-centered Bible teaching in Lincoln City. Originally meeting in a home, within a year it grew to eighteen members and moved to the Lincoln City Grange Hall, a more permanent location in the southwest part of town (the Nelscott region). The founding pastor, John Johnson, left in 1971. In the absence of leadership for over a year, membership dwindled down to just four people. By God’s grace, and through the leadership of pastor Howard Schilling, over the next six years FBC experienced a slow and steady growth bringing a health and firm foundation from which to grow.

By the summer of 1978, FBC grew to a membership of 50 at which point Schilling retired; Steve Korch was called as pastor. In the following two years, further growth was seen and an adjoining house was purchased for office space, the kindergarten ministry was added, and a paid secretary came on staff. Despite the expansion to two services by the spring of 1980, the need for a new facility was apparent. In the fall of 1981, God opened up the opportunity to both sell the existing property on SW 29th Street and purchase the 10.5 acres site at 5750 N. Highway 101 where the construction of a new church facility began.

The building that now stands at the north side of Lincoln City is a testimony of God’s abundant provision as inter-generational Christ Followers of Faith Baptist Church have experienced two phases of development. The first phase of development was the construction of a church building, now called the Chapel, which at that time provided capacity to seat 350. The building came together during not only the worst winter on record but also the worst economy to date (1981/1982). But through the outpouring of the FBC congregation and support of the community, construction was completed in record time with an investment of about $260,000 and a replacement value of $600,000 at that time.

Steve Korch moved on to pastor another church in May of 1987, and in February 1988 Ray Lodge was brought on as senior pastor. With an eye on the future, the mortgage from the first construction was retired in 1992 and in 1995 the property site expanded with the purchase of the adjoining lot to the south (this mortgage was retired in 2006). Through the late 1980’s and into the 1990’s FBC continued to see the church body grow with an unprecedented number of baptisms and the expansion of kindergarten to include preschool. Also during this season (1988 – 1992) the church pastoral staff grew for the first time to two pastors and brought on Ted Slaeker as associate pastor. Slaeker was instrumental in developing and growing a youth ministry and initiating short term missions trips.

In July of 1993, FBC partnered with Young Life and brought Brooke Payne on staff who had the dual role of youth pastor and area Young Life director. The Lord blessed his outreach efforts with continued short-term missions, record numbers of youth attending camps, and several coming to faith in Christ.  During this time there had not been a church secretary in a number of years and Kara Swanton was hired in 1999 to serve in that role.

When Ray Lodge resigned in 2003, Bard Marshall was originally brought on as interim pastor but was asked to stay on as the full time lead pastor. Two years later Brian Robbins was called as associate pastor and mentored by Marshall. When Marshall retired in 2008, Pastor Robbins assumed the lead pastor position. In 2007 Luke Hall joined the staff as the new youth pastor. At this point, the now 25-year-old building was being outgrown despite housing two services. Through Pastor Brian’s leadership FBC undertook its first Capital Campaign initiative to raise funds for the anticipated second phase of the property development.

Again God’s faithfulness and blessing was seen when in 2010 while the county (and much of the US) was still recovering from the Great Recession, FBC saw God leading a building project. This expansion would bring needed Sunday School Classrooms, a child care room, expansive family room, and gymnasium with a projected cost of $2.1 million. The Faith In Action capital campaign raised $1.3 million, and the project was completed in May of 2013. The balance of the cost of the project was retired in 2019 with the help of a subsequent Faith Unleashed capital campaign to pay off the remaining $450,000 in debt.

In most recent years, along with the expansion of building facilities and freedom from debt, FBC has celebrated the steady growth of ministry and service in various areas. A focused outreach to young children and families began through the leadership of JD Winters, Children and Family Pastor, in 2013 and has grown to a thriving ministry of children’s Sunday School, AWANAs, children’s camps, and the sustained efforts of the preschool. Pastor Hall resigned in late 2018 to pastor a church in Eastern Oregon, and after nearly a year long interim, FBC brought on Jesse Blair as youth pastor. Reaching the youth in our community has always been an important focus of Faith Baptist Church and Jesse’s arrival at FBC has been an important component in taking the Gospel to the young people in our community through building relationships, evangelism, and discipleship.

With the regeneration of small groups, the completion of a multiphase building project, and the ongoing support of global missions, pastor Robbins tendered his resignation to pastor at his hometown church of Susanville, CA, starting in May of 2020. The church entered into a search process to find their next Lead Pastor and in September, 2020 God called Ryan Harkey to serve with us at Faith Baptist Church. Pastor Ryan previously served as a Lead Pastor, an Associate Pastor, as well as a Youth & Children’s pastor. He has also served with the staff of CRU in multiple countries during his college years, and professionally with Athletes in Action Media. He has served as a pastor in Washington State, California and Texas. Ryan studied at Dallas Theological Seminary, as well as Moody Theology Seminary, where he completed his masters degree. Ryan is thrilled to serve Faith Baptist Church and call Lincoln City home. Ryan is a relational leader who has a passion for seeing people come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and helping the church be more effective in making more and better disciples of Christ.

2021 brought a season of change for FBC. After 22 years of service, Kara Swanton retired and Rebecca England was brought on staff as the new Office Manager. In July 2021, JD Winters felt called to serve in Silverton, Oregon and Lisa Stutzman was hired as our new Children’s Ministry Director. Lisa has a wonderful vision to continue to grow our children’s ministry by expanding Sunday school and the Awana program.