A King James Bible Church on Hazel Dell
Tucked into the Hazel Dell neighborhood of Vancouver, Washington, Amazing Grace Baptist Church (AGBC) is a conservative, traditional Baptist congregation that has gathered around the same gospel for more than fifty years. The church sits at 6902 NE Hazel Dell Avenue, just a few minutes north of downtown Vancouver, and describes itself as "a traditional King James Bible believing church." Everything from the hymns sung in the morning service to the catechism taught in the children's wing flows out of that conviction.
Members and regulars affectionately call the church AGBC, and the local assembly exists, as leaders put it, "to bring glory to God and to shine the light of the glorious gospel of Christ." First-time visitors will find a friendly body of believers who care about doctrine, families, and reaching their neighbors for Christ.
From 1974 Plowshares to a 2017 Rebuild
Amazing Grace Baptist Church was founded in June 1974 under the leadership of Pastor Mitch Ponder. After several shorter-tenured pastors followed, Pastor Dean Clarkson was called to lead the church in June 1998 and faithfully shepherded the congregation for more than two decades. Under his leadership the church grew both in number and in spiritual depth.
On August 17, 2014, tragedy struck when a fire originating outside the building engulfed the rear of the church, causing an estimated $1.5 million in damage and devastating both the structure and its contents. Yet even in the midst of loss, God proved faithful: for several years the congregation gathered for worship across the street at the Boys & Girls Club, never missing a Sunday and never losing heart. In 2017 the church family celebrated a major milestone by moving into a newly built facility - a fresh beginning and a powerful reminder of God's provision and the strength of a unified body.
After twenty-six years of dedicated ministry, Pastor Dean Clarkson retired. In September 2024 the church welcomed Pastor Hunter Handy as its new shepherd.
Meet Pastor Hunter Handy
Pastor Handy grew up in western Nevada, where he lived until the age of fifteen. During that time he was sent to a Christian boys' home in western Montana for troubled teens, and it was there that the Lord transformed his life. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior, followed the Lord in believer's baptism, and surrendered to God's call to preach.
After graduating from high school, Pastor Handy enrolled at West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California, to prepare for ministry. While in college he met his wife, and together they began pursuing God's calling. In 2020, before completing his degree and during the COVID pandemic, the Lord led the Handys to relocate to Washington, where he began serving at Amazing Grace Baptist Church. After marrying, he and his wife moved to northern Idaho to serve a local church for several years, finishing his education through the Northwest Bible Institute.
In 2023 the Handy family returned to Washington to once again serve at AGBC. In September 2024 the Lord called Pastor Handy to serve as pastor of the church. Today he is grateful for the opportunity to faithfully preach God's Word, shepherd His people, and see lives changed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He can be reached at the church office at (360) 693-0344.
The Pastoral Team and Deacons
Standing alongside the pastor are men who serve in teaching, shepherding, and youth ministry. Mike Spalding serves as Education Director and Deacon. The deacon board also includes Jim Carothers and Shawn Herman. Gabe Lucatero, Jr. leads the church's youth ministry. Sarah Lang directs the music ministry, including the choir and special music. Bill Smith helps coordinate the Amazing Grays Elder Fellowship.
A Sunday at Amazing Grace Baptist Church
Sunday is the heart of the week at AGBC, and three services fill the day.
At 10:00 AM the Sunday school hour opens with graded classes for all ages, from infants through adults. The Bible is the textbook, and each lesson is designed to feed the spiritual needs of those attending. Regular attendance, the church believes, produces a better understanding of Bible truths and how to apply them to everyday life.
At 11:00 AM the morning preaching service gathers in the sanctuary, which is usually full of people enjoying the choir, traditional hymns, and conservative sermons. Every message is Bible-centered and followed by an altar call. The goal is to see God work in the hearts and minds of all those attending. A similar service is held downstairs at the same time for first through fifth graders, and childcare is provided for younger children. After every fifth Sunday of the month, the family shares a potluck lunch together.
At 6:00 PM the evening family service is a bit more relaxed and informal than the morning gathering. Nursery care is provided for ages zero to two down the hall, while everyone else sits together in the auditorium. Visitors will find a variety of messages meant to motivate, encourage, and strengthen, and occasionally a visiting missionary. The evening service is generally not held on fifth Sundays.
Midweek Prayer and Bible Study
On Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM the church gathers again. The midweek service is multi-faceted: adults share and pray together before hearing a message from the Bible, while the youth group and kids clubs enjoy their own instruction at the same time. Children and teens therefore get a teaching hour of their own while parents are in the adult service.
Children's Ministry
An active group of faithful teachers and workers serve in the children's ministry at AGBC. With weekly Sunday school classes, Junior Church services, and Wednesday night groups, kids have plenty of opportunities to engage with one another while strengthening godly character and encouraging Bible teaching. Each summer the church runs Vacation Bible School, and the children bond further through annual youth camps.
Youth Ministry
The youth ministry serves middle school and high school teens and meets through Teen Sunday School and the Wednesday night prayer and Bible study. Annual events include week-long junior and senior church camps, a high school beach trip, an Adult Class Christmas Dinner hosted by the teens, and a dessert auction fundraiser that helps send everyone to camp.
The Amazing Grays Elder Fellowship
Seniors are not forgotten at AGBC. The "Amazing Grays" Elder Fellowship meets monthly on third Tuesdays at noon and occasionally takes group excursions. The fellowship also plans and hosts game nights at the church for the whole congregation. Hair color is not a requirement - if you identify with the group, you are welcome to join in.
Ladies', Men's, and Marriage Ministries
Women meet for Bible study on second Saturdays at 9:30 AM, and the ladies also gather for a monthly luncheon on third Saturdays at 12:30 PM. Men meet on the last Saturday of each month at 9:45 AM for Bible study and occasionally retreat together for a weekend of fellowship and teaching. The pastoral team also offers marriage counseling for couples who want biblical counsel for their homes.
Music Ministry
Worship at AGBC blends congregational singing with a chancel choir and special music, drawn from traditional hymns and conservative hymnody. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" is the Ephesians 5:19 verse the music ministry points to as its guide. Singers who want to use their gifts can contact Sarah Lang to join the choir or special music program.
Outreach and Missions
AGBC describes itself as a missions-minded church. "We are not here as a social club or a place of entertainment," the church explains. "We invest our time, effort and money in reaching the lost for Christ." The outreach calendar reflects that conviction: weekly door-to-door outreach on Saturdays at 10:30 AM and seasonal street outreach on Thursdays from spring through summer give the congregation regular ways to share the gospel in the Hazel Dell community and surrounding neighborhoods. The church also supports several domestic Home Missions works within the United States and Foreign Missions throughout the world.
Active members also serve as "Prayer Warriors," a team of men and women who pray for requests sent to the church.
Baptist Doctrine and the Plan of Salvation
Amazing Grace Baptist Church holds to the fundamental doctrines of historic Baptists. The heartbeat of the church's witness is captured in its plan of salvation: every person has sinned (Romans 3:23), the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and God demonstrated His love by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for sinners and rise again (Romans 5:8). Whoever confesses with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in the heart that God raised Him from the dead will be saved (Romans 10:9).
Planning Center, the Church Center App, and Giving
AGBC uses Planning Center to organize its ministry and offers a Church Center mobile app for those on the go. Through the app, members and attenders can see service times, give online, view giving history, sign up for events, join groups, look at the church directory, and (soon) pre-check their families on Sunday mornings. Online giving is processed through Planning Center Giving and supports both one-time and recurring gifts from a checking or savings account. Those who prefer to give in person can drop a check or cash in the offering envelopes placed in the back of the pews, or mail a gift to the church address.
Sermons are also available online. A library of recent sermons can be found on the church's YouTube channel, and visitors who cannot attend in person are warmly invited to "listen to sermons online."
Visiting Amazing Grace Baptist Church
First-time visitors can expect three things at AGBC: a warm welcome, a traditional worship service built around the King James Bible, and ministries that reach every age from nursery to seniors. Sunday morning begins with Sunday school at 10:00 AM, followed by the morning worship service at 11:00 AM. A family service follows at 6:00 PM, and the midweek prayer and Bible study gathers on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM.
Children are well cared for: nursery is provided during the morning and evening services, Junior Church is offered for first through fifth graders during the 11:00 AM hour, and kids clubs meet on Wednesday nights alongside the adult service. Dress tends to be conservative, in keeping with the church's traditional Baptist style.
The church can be reached at 6902 NE Hazel Dell Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98665, or by phone at (360) 693-0344. Visitors who ask for the pastor will be put in touch with Pastor Handy, who is glad to meet newcomers and answer questions about faith or church life.