OUR HISTORY
Redwood Christian Church began in April of 1977 as a Bible study in the home of Grace and Merle Ely. As the group grew, they found a new meeting place at the Redwood Grange Hall. The new congregation grew to an attendance of 35 and Wayne Osborne, the pastor at the Central Point Church of Christ, was hired as the Church Planting minister. Wayne actually did this by preaching at Redwood at 8:30 a.m. and then driving to Central Point for their 11:00 service.
By November of 1977, the congregation had grown to 56 members and was able to purchase 1.48 acres of property at the corner of Redwood Avenue and Redwood Highway for the price of $11,500. In 1978 the young church was able to pay off the property with a gift of $10,000 from the Oregon Christian Evangelistic Fellowship (OCEF) and a few others. On November 5, 1978, the cornerstone was laid for the new church building. An additional $14,000 was presented to the congregation by the OCEF for the construction of the 50’ x 100’ cinder block building using nearly all volunteer labor. The church still uses this building for Sunday worship services. On April 1, 1979, Redwood Christian Church held its first worship service in their own building.
An additional 3.5 acres was purchased in June of 1982, and mountains of dirt were moved so there would be room for future buildings and growth.
After Wayne Osborne’s retirement in 1983, and the church’s growth to more that 150 people in average attendance, Don Wolford was called to be the next senior pastor. Don stayed until March of 1989. During this time, the church maintained a healthy 150 people in attendance.
In 1989 the church began construction of the multi-purpose building (gym, kitchen, nurseries and classrooms). Bob Wood was hired as the church’s 3rd senior pastor in June of 1989. Bob and Sheri and their 2 girls had been pastoring in Grangeville Idaho prior to coming to Redwood. Under Bob’s 15-year ministry the church grew to 450 people in average attendance, had over 400 baptisms, was able to hire several full-time and part-time associate ministers and sent over 40 people to Bible College. It was during these years that the church built the additional Christian Ed building (now the office and Lord’s Storehouse) and purchased 17 acres at the corner of Redwood Highway and Helms Road for future growth (which has since been sold). Bob was called to be the Executive Director of the OCEF in January of 2004. It was that same year the church hired Kevin Bates, former associate minister at Redwood, to be the next senior pastor. Kevin was pastor until January of 2009 when he left to plant a church in Sherwood Oregon.
In September of 2010 Frank Donato, former music and worship pastor from Colorado, was hired as senior pastor. Frank stayed nearly 3 years before accepting a call to pastor a church in Montana.
In November of 2012 the church hired Tom Moyers, a seasoned pastor who had formerly pastored churches in Eugene and Hillsboro Oregon. Tom left in July 2016 to accept a call to be on staff at his son’s church in Colorado.
Kurt Witten came on staff in 2016 after completing an internship at a large church in Arizona. Kurt stayed until he accepted a lead pastor position in Kansas in 2021.
In 2022 the elders reached out to the OCEF asking for assistance as the church had declined to less than 70 in attendance. Brian Garland became senior pastor that year and served for one year as a turnaround pastor.
OCEF recommenced Matt Phipps to be the church’s senior pastor in 2023 and the church has grown in Spirit, unity, love and numbers of people ever since.
Redwood Christian Church, from it’s very beginning, has been committed to fulfilling the mission of Christ of seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10) by making disciples who in turn will make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). This will be our mission until Jesus returns.
(Pictured left: the church originally faced Redwood Avenue. Where the doors are in this picture is now where the baptistry is on the inside and the main entrance now faces Redwood Highway)
