// Who We Are
Our History
The Rio Community Church began in early 2007 with a group of people who moved from Northern Colorado with a dream to start a new multicultural church in El Paso.
The new church is a coordinated project of Summitview Community Churches in Greeley and Fort Collins, Colorado. Summitview and The Rio are both members of the Great Commission Churches association.
The Great Commission church movement began in 1970 with a focus on planting and building churches that are devoted to Jesus Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age," (Matthew 28:19, 20). This grass-roots movement began when a group of approximately thirty college-age Christians embarked on a summer-long evangelistic outreach to several university campuses in the southwestern United States. From this initial outreach several campus fellowships were formed, growing to over thirty by the end of the 1970's. Since then the churches have continued to grow and plant new churches all over the world. Presently there are over 180 churches and ministries throughout the US and the world who are part of this fellowship, including 22 churches in Latin America.
The Rio began as a Bible Study meeting in a home on Sunday mornings and as more people came, we moved into the Camino Real hotel downtown for Sunday services. The meeting room in the hotel is filling up and the church is gradually becoming what we have been dreaming about! We are growing to become a bicultural church family, made mostly of young single people, couples, and families with lots of kids.
Our Mission
Loving God, loving each other, bringing life to the world! That is our mission: the two greatest commandments - to love God and to love our neighbor, and the Great Commission - bringing the life giving message of the gospel to the whole world. We are working to create a vibrant church family, full of life and passion that will change the world, one life at a time. We hope to grow and eventually start more churches in El Paso, Ciudad Juárez, and beyond.
Our Name
In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, the prophet is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem. On the east side of the building he saw a small trickle of water coming out of the wall. He followed that trickle, and the further he went, the larger the water grew. It grew steadily wider and deeper until it was a great river that brought life wherever it went. The life in the water was so vibrant that the trees along the banks grew fruit all year long and the salty sea water at the end of the river turned fresh. We want to be that river here in El Paso. A small trickle growing into a steady life giving river that brings life wherever it goes.
Our Services
We believe that the unique blend of two cultures and languages in El Paso is something to be treasured and we are bringing that blend into a church that will be more beautiful and much stronger because of the diversity and harmony. Our services are bilingual, with translation live and on stage. Our music flows back and forth from Spanish to English to create a profound and diversified worship experience. While most churches prefer to separate languages into separate services, we plan to overcome the obstacles and provide a church where we can be one, and not just in spirit. We currently meet Sundays at 10am at Hornedo Middle School. You can click here to see a map of the school.
Our Pastors
Click here to meet our pastors.
Our Beliefs
Click here to read our statement of faith.
Our History
The Rio Community Church began in early 2007 with a group of people who moved from Northern Colorado with a dream to start a new multicultural church in El Paso.
The new church is a coordinated project of Summitview Community Churches in Greeley and Fort Collins, Colorado. Summitview and The Rio are both members of the Great Commission Churches association.
The Great Commission church movement began in 1970 with a focus on planting and building churches that are devoted to Jesus Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age," (Matthew 28:19, 20). This grass-roots movement began when a group of approximately thirty college-age Christians embarked on a summer-long evangelistic outreach to several university campuses in the southwestern United States. From this initial outreach several campus fellowships were formed, growing to over thirty by the end of the 1970's. Since then the churches have continued to grow and plant new churches all over the world. Presently there are over 180 churches and ministries throughout the US and the world who are part of this fellowship, including 22 churches in Latin America.
The Rio began as a Bible Study meeting in a home on Sunday mornings and as more people came, we moved into the Camino Real hotel downtown for Sunday services. The meeting room in the hotel is filling up and the church is gradually becoming what we have been dreaming about! We are growing to become a bicultural church family, made mostly of young single people, couples, and families with lots of kids.
Our Mission
Loving God, loving each other, bringing life to the world! That is our mission: the two greatest commandments - to love God and to love our neighbor, and the Great Commission - bringing the life giving message of the gospel to the whole world. We are working to create a vibrant church family, full of life and passion that will change the world, one life at a time. We hope to grow and eventually start more churches in El Paso, Ciudad Juárez, and beyond.
Our Name
In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, the prophet is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem. On the east side of the building he saw a small trickle of water coming out of the wall. He followed that trickle, and the further he went, the larger the water grew. It grew steadily wider and deeper until it was a great river that brought life wherever it went. The life in the water was so vibrant that the trees along the banks grew fruit all year long and the salty sea water at the end of the river turned fresh. We want to be that river here in El Paso. A small trickle growing into a steady life giving river that brings life wherever it goes.
Our Services
We believe that the unique blend of two cultures and languages in El Paso is something to be treasured and we are bringing that blend into a church that will be more beautiful and much stronger because of the diversity and harmony. Our services are bilingual, with translation live and on stage. Our music flows back and forth from Spanish to English to create a profound and diversified worship experience. While most churches prefer to separate languages into separate services, we plan to overcome the obstacles and provide a church where we can be one, and not just in spirit. We currently meet Sundays at 10am at Hornedo Middle School. You can click here to see a map of the school.
Our Pastors
Click here to meet our pastors.
Our Beliefs
Click here to read our statement of faith.