Riverbank Church
We are on a rescue mission, helping people take their next step with Jesus.
Our Story
Pastor Chris Goeppner and his family were called from West Palm Beach Florida to start a church with a simple goal – reach people with the message of Jesus. With the help of two families, who also moved from Florida, the dream began to take shape. Riverbank Church began on April 4, 2010. That Sunday 179 people attended our first experience at the Lebanon Opera House.
From the beginning, Riverbank Church focused on reaching out to people who were far from God. The focus has been on building relationships and confidently preaching the name of Jesus. This life-giving message, the passion of Sunday experiences, and the simple style of the Church brought immediate growth. In the first two years, the church doubled weekly attendance, and 54 people committed their lives to Jesus.
Today thousands of people have committed their lives to Jesus. God is at work at Riverbank Church. We invite you to see for yourself how exciting church can be when the focus is simple and people find God! Just like the three families who stepped out in faith to start Riverbank Church, you can also be part of the rescue mission. Our hope is that you join us!
Our Leadership
Chris Goeppner
Lead Pastor
Chris Goeppner (pronounced Gep-ner) attended Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida and Word of Life Bible Institute in New York. He responded to the call of Jesus to leave his community of 20 years in South Florida to launch Riverbank Church in 2010. He and his beautiful bride, Penny have been married since 1999. In 2008, the Goeppner’s adopted their two sons, Roman and Jadon, from Siberia. He enjoys most flavors of music, fun days with the family, and calling New England “home”.
Protected by Overseers
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors provide accountability and counsel to the Lead Pastor and Leadership Team regarding major financial and strategic decisions of the church.
The Board of Directors of Riverbank Church are:
- Pastor Anthony Milas, Granite United Church (NH, MA.)
- Pastor Sean Sears, Grace Church (MA)
- Pastor Randy Bezet, Bayside Community Church (FL)
- Pastor Bill Lamorey, 180 Life Church (CT)
- Pastor Chris Goeppner, Riverbank Church (VT/NH)
Accountability Board
The Accountability Board is a group of men who have known the Lead Pastor for many years and have complete access to his personal life to provide spiritual protection to the church. They may be called in to help in accountability matters relating to the Lead Pastor if any moral issues arise.
The members of the Accountability Board are:
- Dr. Kevin Monahan, Journey Church (FL)
- Dr. Kenny Warren, Liberty University (VA)
- Tim Eaton, CEO Nutramedix (FL)
- Jon Bubar, Word of Life (NY)
Our Values
Focused
We are FOCUSED people. We are focused squarely on Jesus, because it’s all about him!
Generous
We are GENEROUS people. We are crazy-generous, because what’s ours is His!
Enthusiastic
We are ENTHUSIASTIC people. We go wild when the right things are done the right way!
Pursuing
We are PURSUING people. We pursue people with love, always love people, no matter what, because they are worth it!
Our Beliefs
The Bible
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. The Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the Old and New Testaments pointing to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 1:13, Proverbs 30:5
Trinity
We believe that there is One God, eternally revealed to the world in the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. By Him were all things created.
Matthew 28:19, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 1:35, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus
We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to redeem all of mankind. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life on this earth, performed many undeniable miracles, was crucified for our sins, buried and was raised from the dead for our justification. By the name of Jesus Christ, and His name only, can mankind be saved. Jesus Christ sits at the Right Hand of the Father and will return personally in power and glory to receive His Church unto Himself.
Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 1:3-4, 1 Timothy 6:14-15
Man
We believe that mankind is sinful by nature and will perish without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as revealed in His Gospel. That God wishes that no one should perish, but that all would come to this saving knowledge through the preaching of the Gospel to a lost and hopeless world.
Genesis 1:27, Psalms 8:3-6, Jeremiah 17:5, Acts 17:26-31, Romans 3:23, 2 Colossians 1:21-22
Holy Spirit
We believe in the multi-faceted work of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin, revelation of the truth of the Gospel of Christ, drawing of the sinner to God, adoption of mankind into the Body of Christ through regeneration, and the distribution and administration of the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Jesus Christ is the “baptizer with the Holy Spirit” for the empowerment of the Church through Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, John 14:16-17, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25
The Church
We believe in the local church as a place where believers gather together for edification, teaching from the Word of God, and ministry to and through each other according to their spiritual gift. The local church provides identity to its members as well as encouragement, interdependence, fellowship, correction, and discipline.
Acts 2:42-47, Acts 9:31, Acts 14:23, Acts 11:25-26, Hebrews 10:24-25
Our Association
Riverbank Church is a member of the ARC (Association of Related Churches). We are part of an association of relational churches working with church planters, church leaders, and churches in transition to provide support, guidance and resources to launch and grow life-giving churches..
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