About Us
OUR STORY
We are a Jesus centered community that is being transformed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is our aim to mature as a community in the way of Jesus, which looks like growing in love for both God and neighbor. We desire to communicate the unchanging truth of the person and work of Jesus in a way that everyone in our city can understand. We hope to become a community that is awake to God’s presence, partcipates in God’s work, and is faithful and obedient to do what God would do if He were us.
The dream of River & Way began in 2017 when Nic and Jacque Othart helped plant Riverbend Church in Bend, OR and soon after began to since a stirring in their hearts for God’s Kingdom to come more in Bakersfield. Two years later, they moved back to Bakersfield to plant River & Way with Brandon and Liz Burch who had been pastoring in the city for nine years. River & Way was founded in the midst of the Covid-19 global pandemic and launched in April 2021.
The name River & Way is full of intention and prayer.
There is something beautiful when the river is running through Bakersfield. When the river is full, life comes to the city in a unique way. As we have prayed for full and meaningful life that comes from Jesus alone to take root and multiply in Bakersfield, we continually were brought back to a prophetic vision of the river.
A vision of God pouring out His Spirit to bring new life in Bakersfield.
In the journey towards church planting we have grown in heart and desire for following the way of Jesus. It is Jesus who we love and adore and we want live out a life that is dedicated to Him and following in His ways.
We want to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did.
River & Way is a church who loves Jesus and the city.
We are a church who practices the way of Jesus together, in Bakersfield.
PASTORAL TEAM
Nic & Jacque Othart
Planting Pastors
Brandon & Liz Burch
Planting Pastors
CONTACT US
WHAT WE PRACTICE & BELIEVE
We hold to the historic teachings of Christian Orthodoxy as articulated in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. We feel most closely aligned with the recent summaries of Christian Doctrine as formulated in the Lausanne Covenant & Cape Town Commitment. You can read more about this here: