The journey of Good News Church in Tacoma, Washington began in June of 1997 after a wave of religious refugees from the former Soviet Union (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova) were granted visas and relocated to the area. During their first 23 years the church gathered in space rented from First Slavic Baptist Church.
Over the years, they looked at several properties they could permanently call home, but unfortunately, either they were not able to afford them, or the Lord did not provide them peace about some aspect of the purchase. Then, after much prayer, consideration, and support from the entire church, they finally received clear direction from God to purchase a building just a few minutes away from where they had been gathering.
Because this building came available just a few months after COVID-19 hit full force, purchasing it definitely required a step of faith. There were a lot of unknowns about what the future would bring, including what the attendance would look like and whether the faithful giving would continue.
Pastor Vasiliy Stupin shared, “It was a testimony of God’s grace towards us that our church membership count increased 15% and giving more than doubled since the purchase of the building. As a pastor, I was especially excited to see those that previously were only minimally involved stepped up and served the congregation with their skills and abilities. Lots of work and effort went into remodeling. Not only did the purchase allow us to serve each other better, the new building also allowed our ministries to no longer be restricted by the rental restrictions of the previous location. Our ministries, especially children’s ministry, is thriving. Different teams are now able to engage more frequently, now that meeting space is available on demand. God is at work, and we are seeing evidence of that daily!”
With most of the interior now renovated, they are now moving to remodel the exterior and work on the parking lot and fencing. Their vision is to utilize the original elements of the building, combined with new and modern elements. As a result, if you were to walk into Good News Church, you would encounter restored antique brick walls and a still-functioning 1924 organ, as well as the latest technology such as lights, sound, and a large video screen.
Pastor Vasiliy further expressed that “working with Church Investors Fund was, and is, a pleasure and a blessing! Many other nonprofit institutions have limited their lending during COVID-19, but Church Investors Fund came along side us and our needs and really was an answer to our prayers. The terms of financing were very competitive and the communication and easy process was something that really stood out. We really recommend any congregation considering financing to check with Church Investors Fund first.”
Now that Good News Church has a more permanent location, they are excited for the future and look forward to what God is going to be doing through the church. They continue to pray about increasing their impact on the local community through outreach.
The building has not only allowed them to improve and grow their internal ministries, but it has also allowed them to look for new opportunities to increase their impact on the local community. This includes starting a food pantry for the needy and serving as a place of refuge where people regularly walk in from the street looking for someone to pray with them.
And, most fittingly, after starting their journey by renting space at First Slavic Baptist Church, they now look to multiply God’s kingdom through not only their own two Sunday services, but also by renting out their facility to another congregation.
