About Us (History)
Rivers Fellowship
We haven't always been "Rivers Fellowship." In fact, before our relocation to the South Tacoma/Parkland area, we were known as "Fircrest Church of God of Prophecy." We called Fircrest home for more than 30 years until God called us to expand our borders and launch out into deeper waters.
Pastor Rob Judd assumed the pastorate January 1, 2001. It is his first pastoral assignment.
Our former pastor, Dr. Don Knoblich, faithfully led the congregation for many years before accepting the role of Regional Overseer for the Churches of God of Prophecy in Washington & Alaska.
Church of God of Prophecy
From its beginning, the Church of God of Prophecy has based its beliefs on the whole Bible rightly divided. We accept the Bible as God's holy Word, inspired, inerrant, and infallible. We believe the Bible to be God's written revelation of Himself to mankind and our guide in all matters of faith; therefore, we look to the Bible as our highest authority for doctrine, practice, organization, and discipline.
It was a strong desire to rely solely on the Bible that led the early pioneers of the church to declare their willingness to be free from all man-made creeds and traditions, to take the New Testament as their only rule of faith and practice, and to give each other equal rights and privileges to read and interpret the Bible as their consciences might dictate. These basic tenets remain intact today;
however, as the church grew and spread throughout the world, it was seen that there was safety in a multitude of counselors when making doctrinal decisions.
Thus, today, all doctrinal matters are agreed upon in one accord by the General Assembly.
The Church of God of Prophecy is firm in its commitment to orthodox Christian belief.
We affirm that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in the physical miracles He performed, in His atoning death on the cross, in His bodily re s u rrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory at His Second Coming.
We profess that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for the salvation of sinful man.
We believe that sanctification by the blood of Christ makes possible personal holiness.
We affirm the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling we are able to live godly lives and have power for service. We believe in the ultimate unity of believers, as prayed for by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 17. We believe in the sanctity of human life; we are also committed to the sanctity of the marriage bond and the importance of strong, loving Christian families.
