West Salem Foursquare Church gathers at 3094 Gehlar Rd. NW in Salem, Oregon, and is known for its focus on making and maturing disciples through Scripture, small groups and serving. Sunday worship is offered in person at 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., with a 9:00 a.m. online service. Its ministries extend from birth through fifth grade to middle and high school students and young adults, alongside local and global mission partnerships.
Two Sunday Gatherings at Gehlar Road
The Sunday schedule offers an in-person gathering at 9:00 a.m. and another at 10:45 a.m. The in-person location is 3094 Gehlar Rd. NW, Salem, OR 97304. A Church Online gathering is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
The church's worship playlist helps listeners become familiar with the songs and worship with the church throughout the week. Lead Pastors John and Denise Fehlen serve alongside the ministry team.
Getting Out of Rows and Into Circles
The church's mission is to make more and maturing disciples so people can develop a relationship with Jesus and see that relationship deepen. Its simple discipleship model has three pursuits: Scripture, Small Groups and Serving. The stated goal is a deep relationship with God and his people, and the group ministry embodies that goal with the invitation to get out of rows and into circles. WSFC offers both regular and seasonal groups, creating smaller settings for people to grow closer to God and one another.
Scripture is also a shared practice. The PAUSE Bible Reading Plan takes participants through the Bible chronologically in one year, with options to read the entire Bible, the New Testament and Psalms, or the Old Testament. The church also recommends Bible Project podcasts, Dr. Tim Mackie's Exploring My Strange Bible, and the YouVersion, Read Scripture and Dwell Audio Bible apps. A downloadable reading plan is available for daily reading.
Birth to Grade 5, Alive Youth and Young Adults
The Kids Ministry serves children from birth through fifth grade with age-specific, relevant and fun material. Ages are guidelines, and the team may move a child to another room for class size, safety and the overall environment.
- Birth to 2 years: Infants are cared for and loved while adults participate in worship.
- Ages 3 and 4: Children learn from the Bible and have fun playing with leaders and each other.
- Kindergarten through first grade: Children learn from the Bible, worship through music and spend time doing crafts and games.
- Second and third grade: Students study the Bible, worship through music and join grade-based small groups.
- Fourth and fifth grade: Students explore Godly character through activities, worship and a Bible story.
Check-in begins 15 minutes before each service. A team member asks for the family last name and prints a name tag and security tag for each child. At checkout, parents and guardians present the security tags; a driver's license may be requested, and siblings under 18 are not allowed to pick up a child. Children who have had a fever, started antibiotics, have a productive cough or vomited in the previous 24 hours are asked not to check in.
Alive Youth Church serves students in grades 6 through 12 and meets Sundays at 6:30 p.m. Its focus is the growth of students' spiritual relationship with God through worship, Bible study, discipleship, involvement in one another's lives and a safe, enjoyable community. WSFC Young Adults meet Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. for worship, a message and time to build community with like-minded people. Child care is provided for children age 5 and under.
Prayer, Scripture and Sabbath Rest
Spiritual Direction is a series of intentional conversations about a personal relationship with God and the work of the Holy Spirit to form people into the likeness of Jesus. Its four elements are prayer, Scripture study, listening and Sabbath rest. The listening component makes room to consider the circumstances and questions of life, while Sabbath rest is presented as focused time for spiritual renewal and learning to minimize distractions and be still before God.
This ministry is not counseling. Pastors and lay leaders provide listening and spiritual companionship, and Kristin Chaney serves as Ministry Leader for appointments. The church also presents baptism as a public declaration that the old is gone and the new has come. A short serve form allows pastors to follow up with people interested in serving at WSFC, and giving is available through online giving.
Four Roles of Jesus and Core Beliefs
Foursquare began in 1923 when Aimee Semple McPherson started the movement in Los Angeles. It has grown to more than 70,000 churches in 141 countries. The name points to four scriptural roles of Jesus Christ: Savior, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Healer and Soon-Coming King.
West Salem Foursquare Church teaches that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; people are made in God's image but fell from perfection and relationship with God through voluntary disobedience; and salvation comes only through Jesus by God's grace and faith, not by good works. The Bible is God's Word and truth, receiving Jesus brings the new birth, and all new believers should be baptized in water. Christians remember Christ's work at the cross through the Lord's Supper. The church also teaches that the Holy Spirit gives supernatural abilities for service, that believers are to be led and empowered by the Spirit daily, and that fruit such as love evidences a Spirit-filled life. Its beliefs also include divine healing in answer to prayer of faith, evangelism, regular gathering with other believers, tithes and free-will offerings, and moderation rather than fanaticism. The second coming of Christ is understood as personal and imminent.
Missions Near Salem and Around the World
Local mission partnerships include Salem Dream Center, Salem Free Medical Clinics, Union Gospel Mission, Hope Pregnancy Clinic and Arise Women's Ministry. Together, these relationships are united around a vision of lives changed, families strengthened, communities transformed and future generations positioned to make a difference.
With Foursquare Disaster Relief, the church responds to crises and natural disasters around the world through prayer and financial support. Its international commitments include financial and spiritual support for Paul and Marie in Menaca, representing the Middle East, North Africa and Central Africa; Brenda Kean in Kenya; Tim and Dhana Wimberly in Romania; the Reid Saunders Association; Foursquare Missions International; Jordan and Lindsey Fehlen in Austria; and Kari Lovely with Remember Nhu. These relationships focus on learning from different people groups, increasing their well-being and sharing the gospel.
One Family, Rooted in Salem
At the center of West Salem Foursquare Church is a simple rhythm: gather in worship, deepen life in Scripture, grow in circles of community and serve beyond the church. Its stated mindset remains Simple, Caring, Positive and Real, and its mission remains to make more and maturing disciples through a deepening relationship with Jesus.