BRIGHAM CITY — Church made simple is the way things are done at Alpine Church.
With four campuses throughout Top of Utah, in Riverdale, Layton, Logan and West Haven, the Alpine Church is now preparing to open a campus in Brigham City.
Bryan Dewire, 40, of Riverdale, initially started 12 years ago with a small group that met in his backyard. The church membership has now grown to more than 2,500 members, with the key to their success being the way they stick to the basics.
As a nondenominational Christian church centered on Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible, the Alpine Church’s sole focus is on helping people pursue God.
“We have a relaxing atmosphere with friendly people and a message that isn’t cluttered,” said 36-year-old Adrian Ben, of West Haven, who will be the campus pastor of the Brigham City location.
Everyone is welcome to come as they are, so they can be comfortable in their pursuit of God. Even the services are comfortable and easy to understand.
“The messages on Sunday mornings are really put together well — to where the people who have been to church for their whole life get a good message,” Ben said, “but simple enough for those who are unfamiliar with church, so that you don’t have to know church lingo to understand what is being said.”
Originally from Chicago, Dewire came to Utah upon learning the state had the lowest percentage of evangelical Christians.
“We felt like Utah had the biggest need in the country, as far as this kind of church,” Dewire said, referring to nondenominational churches. “We wanted people to know there was an option in Utah, since there hasn’t been an option historically.”
Dewire says he and his family have fallen in love with Utah since moving here, in addition to sharing their message with the community. One of their hopes is to continue furthering their message across the state. Even though people in Brigham City have been willing to drive to the church’s Riverdale and Logan locations, they want to make it more convenient for those living near Brigham City.
“We don’t want to be a mega church in one location, but want to take our church to neighborhoods and communities, so it is easy for our members to go to church,” Dewire said.
To give people a feel for their relaxed environment, they hosted a worship night in August in the Brigham City Fine Arts Center, 58 S. 100 West.
Official services begin Sept. 23, with worship services at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Opening up the new Brigham City campus has been in the planning stages since February, with a small group of Alpine church members, headed up by Ben, who meet weekly to discuss the logistics of the opening. They also have been hosting weekly barbecues as an avenue to get to know the community better.
The new campus will continue the popular kid’s program, geared for toddlers up to fifth-graders, which are held during the adult services on Sunday.
“We teach biblical stories and how to apply those life lessons on a level they can understand, instead of having the message go over their heads,” Ben said.
Knowing that everyone, including kids, is welcome at the church, has been an important factor in the church’s growth.
“Our first focus is on Jesus and the Bible, and secondly, there is a place for everyone here,” Dewire said. “It’s not about any one person — it’s about every person. Every person has a place to serve, to give and to contribute, which is a very freeing and liberating atmosphere for people.”
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