Basic Church Information
Church website: https://www.alpinebible.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alpinebible
Questionnaire
After multiple attempts to email pastor Nathaniel at Alpine Bible Church, and then an eventual last-ditch effort to contact someone by PM-ing the church’s Facebook Page, it’s official: they’ve stonewalled us.
So, let’s see how many of these questions we can answer ourselves.
1. What is your church's official position on tithing?
After reviewing ABC’s website and Facebook Page, there are a few signs that they preach tithing.
First, on their Facebook Page. On September 26th they posted what they’re calling the $100 Challenge in an effort to get the congregation to pay for a new building project.
Second, on their website. It’s small, but at least worth noting. While they do very little to pressure or even ask for donations on the website, having only a button at the bottom of the screen to donate, they do give the option to donate towards a “tithe/offering” once you click on that button. It also shows that they use “tithe.ly” at the bottom of the screen, which is an organization that seems to operate similarly to PushPay.
I scoured as many sermons as I could on Alpine Bible Church’s website in search for red flags of tithe preaching and money serving, but found very little, and nothing worth mentioning.
2. Does your church have a particular set of rules or requirements that members must follow or abide by in order to retain their membership status with the church?
I don’t see anything on their website that suggests they have official memberships, a membership class, or a list of requirements for members of the church. We will have to do further and more in-depth checking of this church to make sure, but so far it appears the answer to this is no.
3. Are you transparent with your church's financial information? How much does your church bring in through donations and tithing, and how is that money distributed?
Since our attempts to ask questions were stonewalled, we don’t know the answer to this. They aren’t transparent enough to answer our questions, and therefore I’m led to wonder if they’re the same in regards to their finances, but they may very well be transparent with their own congregation. We’ll have to do further research to find out more on this as well.
4. Which denomination does your church align with the most, if any?
On their About page, it describes ABC as a non-denominational church. I don’t see anything to suggest any affiliations otherwise.
5. Is your church's pastor available for other questions or comments regarding the church, its doctrines, etc.?
Pastor Nathaniel lists his email address on the church website, as well as his phone number. I get the impression that he does in fact make himself available for questions and other causes to contact him, but every attempt I’ve made has been ignored, with the exception of the one response I got on ABC’s Facebook page.
6. How is your church's doctrinal tolerance regarding non-essential doctrines? If a member has a disagreement with the pastor or leadership on a certain doctrine, how is it handled? Does the church change its position on non-essential doctrines fairly often, if at all?
This is unknown as well. We will have to do further research to find out more on this topic.
7. Does your church require that its members be baptized? What is your church's official position on baptism?
I see no signs that this church requires its members to be baptized. While they seem to encourage joining their connection groups (although not nearly as much as previous churches), they don’t seem to pressure things like baptism, tithing, or membership, the same way that most other churches we’ve checked lately do.
8. Please describe what a typical service and/or meeting looks like in your church.
On their About page, you can read this about their Sunday services:
“All experiences at Alpine Bible Church are comprised of two primary elements: inspiring worship and a life-changing message. Our atmosphere is relaxed and our focus is on Jesus. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and join us for a service.”
You can then go to their “Welcome” page and read more about what to expect at their Sunday services, such as what to wear, when the service starts, where to take your children, etc...
The preaching style at this church is Textual/Verse by Verse.
9. How many people do you have on staff at your church, both paid and volunteer?
They have a list of their church staff on their website here, but as usual, there’s no way to know who is paid and who is a volunteer, or if they have even more people volunteering that just haven’t been listed as staff on the website.
10. What is the pastor's educational history?
The website says this about Nathaniel’s educational history:
“Nathaniel Wall and his wife Stacy have lived in Utah for over a decade. They are originally from Huntington, West Virginia where they both attended Marshall University. Knowing God was leading them into ministry, they also received further training in Bible College.”
We also see on Pastor Nathaniel’s Facebook Page that he attended Appalachian Bible College in West Virginia.
11. How does the church discipline its members with their sin?
Another answer that we’ll have to find out on our own with further research. We won’t know this until we’re able to speak with someone at the church and get an answer, or see it played out in the church.
12. How is the pastor compensated (income, benefits, bonuses, etc.)?
Since ABC declined to answer our Questionnaire and there’s nothing on the website, Facebook Page, or anywhere else online that we’re aware of that divulges this information, we don’t know. On average, however, pastors in the United States typically earn $100,000 a year per 1,000 members of their church.
13. What is the size of your church and any other space the church owns for meetings and church services?
While it does appear that Alpine has their own building, the size is unknown to us. We can see on their Facebook Page that they have over 700 likes and follows, which means their regular attendance is probably somewhere between 200-300 people.