They want to make Jesus your rock.
The Rock Church, a new evangelical church, had its first preview service at the 撸奶社区Adventure Centre on Sunday (Aug.9).
Evangelical churches emphasize the authority of the Bible and place special stress on saving people through faith.
The pastor of The Rock Church, Glen Davies, explained to a gathering of 30 people the need for a new church in a town that, for its size, has a pretty diverse range of churches available to the faithful.
"The bottom line is that only about 350 to 400 people who lives in 撸奶社区actually go to church on any given Sunday. We have a vision that in the next three to four years, we will see three to four thousand people in 撸奶社区who will have faith in Jesus," Davies said.
The church, Davies said, will also aim to increase its membership among the youth. To do so, it will have a less formal, more casual approach when it comes to dress and ceremony.
"Our focus is on evangelism and on young men and women who are new to 撸奶社区and who are here for rock climbing, biking and the outdoors. It's for the young men and women who have very little exposure to Bible," he said.
Davies, who worked in marketing, even had a mission statement for the new church. It's "making Jesus known."
A born again Christian, Davies said he had been working for three years to establish a church in Squamish. Before that, he preached part time in Langley but moved to 撸奶社区when asked by his denomination, the Menonite Brotherhood, to set up a new church here.
He said evangelical churches have "taken a hit" in the past few years because of those who have put their energies into trying to gain political influence rather than talk about the Bible and Jesus.
"We want to engage people in Squamish, but we don't want to come impose Jesus on people and impose right or wrong but we will preach the Gospel, according to the Bible," he said.
Sarah Braebrook, who came with her friend to listen to the first service, said she liked the fact that the new church focused on the love for God as opposed to politics or tradition.
The church will conduct its Sunday service in the 撸奶社区Adventure Centre until it moves in a new building downtown in September.
