Pastor Rich Trees

Rich Trees has been the Senior Pastor of Grace Fellowship in Absarokee, Montana, since the fall of 2000. Prior to assuming the leadership role of Grace Fellowship Church, Rich served as an Associate Pastor at Faith Chapel in Billings, Montana, for 19 years. He has served as a Division Leader in the Great Northern District of Foursquare Churches for 9 years. Rich has a passion to see people become fully functioning disciples of Jesus Christ through communicating the scriptures in practical and responsible ways, small group interaction and pastoral care ministry. He was raised in the Stillwater valley before attending Montana State University where he earned a degree in Agriculture Education. He was ordained in the Foursquare Gospel Church in 1999. Rich and his wife Carol have three adult children and three grandchildren.

History

The term "Foursquare Gospel" came about during an intense revival in the city of Oakland, Calif. in July 1922. As thousands had gathered to hear the gospel, the evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson described a vision God had given her, taken from Ezekiel's vision in the book of Ezekiel, chapter one. Ezekiel saw the revelation of a totally powerful God. He saw four faces--those of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle. To Sister McPherson, those four faces were like the four phases of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the face of the man, she saw Jesus our Savior, the "man of sorrows" (Isaiah 53:3); in the face of the lion, she saw Jesus the mighty Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire. In the face of the ox, she saw Jesus the Great Burden-bearer, who Himself took our infirmities and carried our sicknesses. In the face of the eagle, she saw reflected the Coming King--Jesus the Bridegroom, who is returning in power for His bride, the church. It was a perfect, complete gospel for the body, soul, spirit and eternity. It was a gospel that faces squarely in every direction: thus, the name Foursquare.

Mission Statement

The Foursquare Church exists to glorify God and advance His kingdom. Jesus Christ's command is to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19). Therefore, we are "Dedicated unto the cause of inter-denominational and worldwide evangelism."* These words express our spirit and our focus. Our call is to preach Jesus Christ, God's Son, as the Savior, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Healer and coming King. Our assignment is to develop healthy, growing churches. Our commitment is to plant national churches around the world led by loving servants of Jesus Christ. Churches developed in this manner will reproduce again and again. This makes possible the spread of the gospel to those who have not heard or accepted the message of God's Son.

What We Believe!

The term "Foursquare" stands for the four-fold ministry of Jesus Christ as the Savior (Romans 10:9), Baptizer with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16), Healer (1 Peter 2:234) and Coming King (Acts 1:11).

the Foursquare Church - officially the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was founded in Los Angeles, California, by Aimee Semple McPherson in 1923.

Amid the revial days of the early 1900's, this fellowship of believers was born, determined to proclaim the solid scriptual core of Pentecostal re