OUR STORY
Get to know more about us
We are a young church that was formed and is continually being formed by the grace of God. In 2014, Daniel and Stephanie Englehart began sensing a desire to start a new church in South Sound. They spent 2015 learning from a new church in Seattle before being sent out with support from churches in Fremont, West Seattle, and Burien. In the Spring of 2016, a group of 12 people joined together and launched the church on Easter Sunday. As the church began to meet together each week, more individuals, couples, and families joined. Soon we moved from the Englehart's living room to Highline College.
Over the years we've gathered in different church buildings in Sea-Tac and Des Moines. In 2024, we were gifted with the church buildings and property of The Pointe Church (formerly First Baptist Church Federal Way). Our story is a story of the grace of God. Our heart is to be a community centered on the good news and teachings of Jesus. We want to help people love God and love their neighbors as themselves. By God's grace we will continue to grow in relationship with God, one another, and those in our community.
What We Believe
“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
The Mountain Church believes that the historic Christian gospel is true, compelling, and transformative. We believe the Bible, God's Holy Scriptures, are true and sufficient. We believe being rooted in the Word of God, and centered on the gospel of Jesus, creates a new community of humility, grace, truth, and love.
OUR VISION
We want to see a movement of the gospel through the Puget Sound for the flourishing of all people.
We are a learning community of grace. We are family of servant learners and leaders. As we are made in the image of a relational God, we are a relational people. Our mission is to love God, love others, and make disciples of Jesus. As disciples of Jesus we are called to obey the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28) and Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). If this vision were lived out, we would see lives flourish in the faith, hope, and love of Jesus. We want to see lives thrive in the calling God has given them in their relationships, home, workplace, and schools. We would abound in hope and move towards others, being known by our love. We would seek the peace and good of our city that would include reconciliation, community formation, and justice and mercy for the poor. We seek to do this because we want Jesus to be greatly exalted. We exist for the glory of God. We gather together on Sundays and scatter throughout the week as God’s sent people where we live, learn, work, and play. We seek to grow in the gospel and go with the gospel to make disciples of Jesus. We desire to grow in our relationship with God and in relationships with others. We seek to be good neighbors, cultivate gospel community to show the difference the gospel makes, and practice hospitality. We believe community is the context for change therefore we seek to learn with and from one another. In order to see a movement of the gospel we need a diversity of churches, communities, and disciples in the Puget Sound. We believe the redeemed people of God are from every tribe, tongue, and people who are a part of the new multiethnic community in Christ. We are called to work together. We partner with other churches and networks to work together in strengthening existing churches and starting new churches.
ABOUT OUR PASTOR
Daniel Englehart is the founding pastor of The Mountain Church. He grew up in West Seattle and would've rather done anything else than be a part of a church. Daniel loved playing sports, watching the Seahawks or Mariners, more than being with the church. It wasn't until high school that Jesus saved Daniel from the legalism and moralism he believed was "Christianity." Prior to faith in Jesus, he believed that his identify, worth, and goodness was found in what he did or did not do. The good news of Jesus has changed Daniel's life. He desires to grow in grace and wants others to experience the grace he's found in Jesus. Daniel and his high school sweetheart, Stephanie, have three young girls together.
Besides Jesus, his family, and the church, Daniel loves people and food, nachos in particular. He has a passion for helping others grow emotionally and relationally healthy. He's currently working towards a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Biblical Counseling. He enjoys counseling, listening to the stories of others, and helping people grow in grace. If you'd like to connect with Daniel, please reach out using our Contact Us form.
Besides Jesus, his family, and the church, Daniel loves people and food, nachos in particular. He has a passion for helping others grow emotionally and relationally healthy. He's currently working towards a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Biblical Counseling. He enjoys counseling, listening to the stories of others, and helping people grow in grace. If you'd like to connect with Daniel, please reach out using our Contact Us form.
Elders and Deacons
We believe that Jesus established two offices of the church: elders and deacons. Elders are entrusted with caring for and teaching the church. They exercise oversight and shepherd the flock of God. They serve as examples as they demonstrate the character, convictions, and conduct of Jesus. Deacons are lead servants of the church. They support the work of the elders, allowing them to focus on the ministry of the Word and prayer. They show the love of Jesus in meeting practical and tangible needs.
Phil Damron
Deacon
Daniel Englehart
Elder/Pastor
Cary Jester
Elder
Marilynn Jovanovich
Deacon
Peter Jovanovich
Deacon
Ben Swarner
Deacon
Serve Teams
Jesus defined greatness as becoming a servant (Mark 10:42-45). As Jesus as served us, we are to serve others. We have been called to freedom and to use our freedom to serve one another through love. Each of Jesus' followers has received a gift and are to use that gift to serve others as good stewards of God's varied grace (1 Peter 4:10). We have a variety of teams that serve on Sundays during our worship gathering and throughout the week. You can explore our Serve Teams below:
A/V Team
The Audio and Visual Team serves the church through running the sound system and ProPresenter to help in congregational singing. The team also produces a livestream on our YouTube channel for the Jr. Disciples Kids Ministry Classroom, nursing mothers, and those who may be sick or traveling who can tune in and join us online. If you'd like more information about serving on the A/V Team, please fill out our Volunteer Form below and we'll get back to you soon!
Team Lead - Peter
Team Lead - Peter
Des Moines Food Bank Team
The Des Moines Food Bank exists to provide emergency food service to those who need in the cities of Des Moines, most of Seatac, and the South Hill of Kent. The Des Moines Food Bank Serve Team helps the food bank to deliver meals to those in need who are unable to come to the food bank. If you'd like more information or want to help serve on the team, please fill out our Volunteer Form and we'll get back to you soon!
Team Leads - Phil and Melody
Team Leads - Phil and Melody
Hospitality Team
The Hospitality Team seeks to extend the welcome of Jesus to the stranger and visitor in providing food and drink on Sunday mornings. The aim is to help cultivate an inviting space for the skeptic, curious, and committed. Whether you are very skeptical of Christianity or looking for a place to grow in your faith, we seek to meet you where you are with the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Serving on this team can include helping set up and serve coffee/tea or provide snacks for before and after our worship gathering. If you'd like to serve on the Hospitality Team, please fill out our Volunteer Form below and select "Hospitality." Our Team Lead, Katie can help connect you!
Team Lead - Katie
Team Lead - Katie
Greeting Team
The Greeting Team seeks to greet one another with the love of Jesus. Through a smile, handshake, or other appropriate display of affection, our Greeters seek to help visitors, attenders, and church members feel at home, seen, and known. Those on the Greeting Team can help answer guests questions and help connect new families to our Kids Ministry check-in process. If you'd like to serve on the Greeting Team, please fill out a Volunteer Form below and we'll get back to you shortly.
Team Lead - Phil and Melody
Team Lead - Phil and Melody
Grounds Team
The Grounds Team seeks to serve our church in caring for the church building and maintaining the church grounds. If you'd like to serve on this team, please submit a Volunteer Form and our Team Lead, Chris Swanson, will get back to you soon!
Team Lead - Chris Swanson
Team Lead - Chris Swanson
Kids Team
The Kids Ministry Team partners with parents and caregivers to share the gospel and teach the truths of Jesus to children. They seek the show the difference that Jesus makes in all of life. Our Kids Team provides a fun, safe, gospel-centered ministry for children from 6 months through 6th grade. In the classrooms, the Gospel Project Curriculum is taught to help experience the good news of Jesus together. For more information about our Kids Ministry or to learn more about serving on the team, please fill out our Volunteer Sign Up form below and our Kids Team Leader, Allie, will get back to you soon!
Team Lead - Allie Tormanen
Team Lead - Allie Tormanen
Music Team
The Music Team seeks to use their talents, gifts, and passions to serve our church in leading the church in worship through song. The Music Team helps the church sing the gospel, rejoice in the gospel, and cherish the truths and promises of Jesus. Our music is a combination of hymns, contemporary, and originals. If God has gifted you with the ability and skill to play music, whether vocally or through instrumentation, and you'd like to serve on the Music Team, please fill out our Volunteer Form below, and we'll get back to you with more information about the process of joining the team. If you'd like to listen to the songs we sing together on Sunday, you can find our Mountain Church Radio playlist on Spotify.
Team Lead - Sydney
Team Lead - Sydney
Prayer Team
The Prayer Team gathers each Sunday to pray that God would make much of Jesus through our church and in our community. We pray before our worship gathering as our weekly volunteer teams join together in the Jr. Disciples classroom at 9:15am. The Prayer Team also leads us in the Prayers of the People as we pray for our church, our community, others churches in the PNW, and the church around the world. If you'd like to join our Prayer Team, please fill out our Volunteer Form below and select "Prayer Team" and we'll get back to you soon!
Team Lead - Stephanie Englehart
Team Lead - Stephanie Englehart
Rise Team
Rise is a trauma-informed, holistic approach to healing and building a new life and healthy relationships. Women of all ages participate in Rise and are given the time, space, resources, training, and support necessary to create thriving lives they love.
Through our support groups, workshops, and activities we explore topics that address the impact of abuse and trauma and the healing process. Topics include: identifying patterns of abuse, safety, God's design for healthy relationships, communication, emotional health, self-care, identity, trust, boundaries, positive parenting, purpose, and more.
Rise is a safe, affirming, and accountable community where God’s love is experienced in an atmosphere of grace. All participants receive encouragement and support from one another, the Rise staff, and volunteers during the twice a month community dinner and meeting.
If you'd like to help or volunteer with the Rise Program, please fill out our Volunteer Form below, and we'll follow up with you about how you can help!
Team Lead - Sarah Tuttle
Through our support groups, workshops, and activities we explore topics that address the impact of abuse and trauma and the healing process. Topics include: identifying patterns of abuse, safety, God's design for healthy relationships, communication, emotional health, self-care, identity, trust, boundaries, positive parenting, purpose, and more.
Rise is a safe, affirming, and accountable community where God’s love is experienced in an atmosphere of grace. All participants receive encouragement and support from one another, the Rise staff, and volunteers during the twice a month community dinner and meeting.
If you'd like to help or volunteer with the Rise Program, please fill out our Volunteer Form below, and we'll follow up with you about how you can help!
Team Lead - Sarah Tuttle
Sacha’s House Team
The Sacha's House Care Team partners with Lighthouse NW to care for the lawn and house projects at their community living service at Sacha's House. We also provide freezer meals to serve the women and children in the home. Lighthouse NW exists to break the cycle of domestic abuse one relationship at a time by providing resources, services, and support to families who have experienced abuse and by activating the community to participate in prevention and intervention. If you'd like to help with yard care, house projects, and painting at Sacha's House, or if you'd like to help provide freezer meals, please fill out our Volunteer Form below and we'll help connect you to the team!
Sacha's House Care Team Lead - Cole
Sacha's House Freezer Meals - Caroline
Sacha's House Care Team Lead - Cole
Sacha's House Freezer Meals - Caroline
Welcome Team
The Welcome Team seeks to serve as lead examples in welcoming one another and showing hospitality to strangers. They aim to help the church in obeying the teaching of Jesus to "Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God" (Romans 15:7). The Welcome Team exists to help people feel at home, connected to our church life, and follow up with guests. They desire to help create a warm friendly environment to help catalyze relationships and community. If you'd like to join our Welcome Team, please fill out our Volunteer Form below and select "Welcome Team." Our Team Lead, Chris Loiseau, will get back to you shortly!
Team Lead - Chris Loiseau
Team Lead - Chris Loiseau
If you'd like to sign up to serve on one of our teams, use the bottom below to fill out our Volunteer Sign Up form!
OUR NAME
In the Bible, mountains were often places where people encountered and experienced God. Throughout the biblical narrative, the glory of the Lord, (meaning the presence of His infinite and supreme greatness, worth, and beauty), is described as coming down on the mountain. God would reveal himself, offer instruction, and dwell among his people. Ultimately, the very image of the glory of God came down to the earth and was made manifest to his people in Jesus. In the gospel narratives, Jesus taught his disciples, communed with the Father, and commissioned the apostles on a mountain. Jesus came to make encountering and experiencing God possible through his life, death, and resurrection.
The name for The Mountain Church came out of this imagery and symbolism. We aspire to be a church where all people can encounter, experience, and enjoy God in Jesus. Just as Mount Rainer's iconic beauty can be viewed all around the Puget Sound and South King County, we pray the Mountain Church will be a city on a hill, a contrast-community, to share our passion for Jesus and show the difference the gospel makes.
The name for The Mountain Church came out of this imagery and symbolism. We aspire to be a church where all people can encounter, experience, and enjoy God in Jesus. Just as Mount Rainer's iconic beauty can be viewed all around the Puget Sound and South King County, we pray the Mountain Church will be a city on a hill, a contrast-community, to share our passion for Jesus and show the difference the gospel makes.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS
We are thankful to get to partner alongside other ministries, non-profits, schools, and networks to work together for the good of others and the flourishing of our community. Listed below are different organizations that we are affiliated with, recommend, support, or serve in our community.
Burien Counseling
https://www.buriencounseling.com/
Burien Counseling is a mental health group practice dedicated to serving you, your children, and your family with grace and compassion. They desire healing for you where ever you may be seeking it.
Des Moines Food Bank
http://www.myfoodbank.org/
The Des Moines Food Bank exists to provide emergency food service to those who need in the cities of Des Moines, most of Seatac, and the South Hill of Kent. We serve with the food bank to deliver meals to those in need who are unable to come to the food bank.
Lighthouse Northwest
https://www.lighthousenw.org
Lighthouse Northwest exists to break the cycle of domestic abuse one relationship at a time by providing resources, services, and support to families who have experienced abuse and by activating the community to participate in prevention and intervention. We have partnered with Lighthouse to serve in their domestic abuse recovery program.
SEND Network
Coaching and Care
We partner with the SEND Network in Seattle to help with church planting in the Northwest and beyond. Pastor Daniel serves as a coach for new pastors and his wife Stephanie helps with spouse care for church planting wives. We also work with Saturate the Sound, NWBC, and PSBA as we seek to join God to catalyze healthy, fruitful leaders and churches.