Please click on any of the topics listed below for more information.
– About Us –
We are a non-denominational, elder-led Bible church, a fellowship of Christians that meet together regularly to learn about God, to worship Him, to pray to Him, to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us in the bread and cup (communion), and to fellowship with each other. We are being changed to be more like Christ. We do not require people to become like us, rather it is our desire to help them become more like Him.
While we are convinced that truth is absolute and that some doctrines are absolutely essential, we also recognize that godly people will differ on some points of Biblical interpretation. Our unity is based on a shared relationship with Christ Jesus, not on rigid uniformity in all areas of belief.
We strive to be people-oriented rather than program-oriented because each local congregation is a gathering of believers rather than a building or a ministry. The purpose of this congregation is to honor the Lord and meet the spiritual needs of its members.
– Affiliation –
Our roots are in the Plymouth Brethren movement. One of the distinctives of that movement is the self-rule of each local church. While we have no headquarters or hierarchy, we do enjoy fellowship with other assemblies of believers who meet in a similar way. There are other such fellowships in the Portland area and many hundreds across the nation and around the world. Our fellowship with these local churches is not exclusive. We enjoy fellowship with Christians who hold the teaching of God’s Word central to their faith and practice.
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– What We Believe –
Bible
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. The Bible was written through God’s inspiration and it has been preserved by Him so that the Bible as we have it today is authoritative and is to be believed and obeyed. We believe that a key question to ask when interpreting the Bible is “what was the intended meaning of the author?” 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matt. 5:18
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three are equally divine, have the same nature and attributes, but they constitute the single personhood of the Godhead. John 5:18; John 1:1-5; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Acts 2:38-39; Deut. 6:4
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He was with God from eternity past and is God from eternity past. He is fully God and fully man. He lived a perfect life here on earth. He died on the cross as payment for our sin. He rose from the dead bodily as evidence that the Father accepted His payment. John 1:1-5; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Heb. 4:14-15; 1 John 2:1-2; Rom. 4:25; Rom. 3:21-26.
Mankind
We believe that all people were born with a sinful nature. Because of that, and because of specific sinful acts, we are guilty before God and can not earn His favor. Rom. 3:23, Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3, 12
Salvation
We believe that a person’s only hope of salvation is to be forgiven by God. This forgiveness is offered as a free gift. It can not be earned. Our salvation was paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross. Salvation is offered to all. It is promised to all who believe in Jesus. When a person is saved, they are forgiven of all their sins, they are both adopted into Gods family and born again into His family. They are given a new nature, and they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who teaches, empowers, and encourages them. Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 2:11-14; John 16:7, 13-15; John 3:16; Gal. 4:4-6; John 3:7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:14; Rom. 3:21-24; Rom. 8:9-11
Assurance and Security
We believe that a true believer can know on the authority of the Bible that they are saved. We believe that all true believers belong to God and that He takes responsibility to preserve and protect them for eternity. However, this does not absolve Christians of responsibility to walk faithfully. While our salvation depends on God, our choices and actions here on earth continue to matter and we will have to give account for them. 1 John 5:11-13; John 5:24; John 10:27-30; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; John 6:37-40
Final State
We believe that all people – believers and unbelievers – will persist consciously even after death. Believers – Christians – will be with the Lord Jesus forever in heaven where they will continually be praising and worshiping God. Unbelievers – non-Christians – will be separated from God forever in hell where they will be continually conscious of their suffering. Matt. 25:46; Luke 12:5; 2 Peter 2:4-9; Rev. 20:13-15; Rev. 22:3-5
The Church
We believe that the Church is a spiritual organism made up of all born again believers. The Church has this universal aspect and is also represented by local congregations throughout the world. The head of the Church – both the universal church and local congregations – is the Lord Jesus. He is the Chief Shepherd. He appoints local shepherds – elders – to care for local congregations. However, these elders aren’t to “do all the work”, instead, they are to equip the saints who in turn do the work. Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 5:23-27; Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Eph. 4:11-16
Spiritual Gifts
We believe that all Christians have been given at least one spiritual gift which equips them to be useful in the service of God. The ministry of and to the body of Christ is to be carried on by all believers, not just a special “clergy” class. The body will only be healthy if every member is doing its part. Rom. 12:1-8; 1 Cor. 12; 1 Cor. 14; Eph. 4:7-16
Future Events
We believe in the future, imminent, physical return of the Lord Jesus to earth. He will come to reign over the earth and to judge the people of the world. Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 9:27-28; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 19-22
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– Our Story –
In 1969, several couples committed themselves to a series of Bible studies in a private home. Out of those studies developed the group that would become Oregon City Bible Chapel. From 1970-1973, the group met for worship in an apartment in Gladstone. In 1974, they relocated to a home in Oregon City and decided to officially become a church in 1977. They selected the name Oregon City Bible Chapel because it reflected their desire to identify with the people of the community and to emphasize that the church provides for Christ-centered worship and ministry based on His written Word. From 1978-1985, the church met at the Holcomb Outlook Grange. Continuing to grow in numbers, in 1985 the church moved to its current location at 20611 S. Hwy. 213.
Down through the years, Oregon City Bible Chapel has continued to be a group of Christians who meet together regularly to learn of God, to worship Him, to pray to Him, and to fellowship with each other. Jim K. – 2020
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– Ministries –
Men’s Bible Study –
The Men’s Bible Study meets on Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30 AM at OCBC. Our studies are chosen from: books of the Bible; Biblical characters; or periodically, a specific topic of interest to the group. Each study closes with a time of prayer. Please contact Jim for additional information.
Ladies Bible Study –
The Ladies Bible Study meets weekly to study God’s word. Please contact Debbie for additional information.
Women’s Ministry –
The purpose of the Women’s Ministry is to encourage all women in our congregation to grow “into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ” 2 Thess. 3:5. As we serve the body at OCBC we strive for a spirit of unity as we follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15: 5-6).
Friday Night Jam –
An informal get together to jam. Meets most Friday evenings at 7:00 PM. Interested in learning how to play the guitar or ukulele? Please contact Scott for additional information.
Eagle Fern Camp –
Eagle Fern Camp is a summer camp ministry for kids in first grade through high school. Please visit https://eagleferncamp.com for more information about EFC.
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