The City Church is a multi-denominational congregation which was started as a church plant out of City Bible Church (formerly Bible Temple) in Portland, Oregon in 1992. The Church has been described as an evangelical charismatic church and is also recognized as one of the growing number of "new apostolic churches" as defined by Dr. C. Peter Wagner in his book, "Churchquake". The Church has strong roots in the holiness movement, the Pentecostal heritage and mainline evangelical Christian tradition.

We fellowship with churches of all denominations through local and area pastor's fellowships, prayer meetings, prayer summits and city wide church events. Pastor Wendell enjoys friendships with Pastors of many theological persuasions including, but not exclusively, the Church of the Nazarene, Assemblies of God, Foursquare Church, Baptist, Open Bible, Church of God in Christ, Presbyterian and a variety of Christian and Bible churches and independent churches around the city and the world.
The City Church is founded on the blueprint of the New Testament church and uses the Bible as a pattern for church growth and structure. It is a legally incorporated, autonomous local church, operated by a Board of Elders and apostolically accountable to Pastor Dick Iverson and affiliated with Minister's Fellowship International of Portland, Oregon.

Pastor Wendell and Gini Smith have two married children, both in the work of the ministry of the Church. Their daughter Wendy, is married to Rev. Benny Perez, of Pacesetter's International, of Marysville, Washington- who has an anointed traveling ministry. Their son Judah, is married to Chelsea and they are on staff at The City Church as Associate Generation Pastors.

The City Church would be marked by several notable characteristics and emphases including faith, intercession, spiritual worship, gifts of the spirit, prophetic preaching, racial diversity, liberal giving, ministry to the poor, social services, international missions, unity, love and compassion, generation ministries and the anointing of the Holy Spirit within the context of a passionate desire for revival and spiritual awakening.

Pastor Wendell Smith has a BA in religion from Northwest Nazarene College (now University), and was listed in Who's Who of American Colleges and Universities in 1972. He served for twenty years as an associate with Dick Iverson on the staff of Bible Temple in Portland, Oregon. He also traveled and preached to thousands of young people for 5 years across America with the Dragonslayer New Generation Seminars. He and his wife Gini, and their two children Wendy and Judah, planted The City Church in 1992 starting with 21 people.

The gifted staff and pastors of The City Church have a variety of backgrounds and come from a wide diversity of educational and spiritual traditions. They make up a strong and vibrant staff of leaders, working diligently and fruitfully in many areas of Christian ministry.

The goal of The City Church is to become a city within a city -- a place of refuge for people of all races, ages and economic levels, preaching a message of good news and building a church for the 21st Century.