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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Uplift Church finds a new home

Pastors Joe and Betsy Pittenger have recently moved their Uplift Church from a warehouse to a renovated old Hooters restaurant in the Spokane Valley. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
By Nina Culver For The Spokesman-Review

Uplift Church, a Foursquare church founded in Liberty Lake five years ago, has found a new home in the former Hooters restaurant next to Interstate 90 off Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley.

The church’s first service in the building was June 3. Having been given notice that the warehouse in Liberty Lake they were using was being sold, pastors Joe and Betsy Pittenger said they immediately felt at home in the building and felt like it was meant to be.

“Every step of the way there was favor and no resistance and doors opened,” Betsy said.

The church is on the east end of the building, which used to house the casino. The bar was ripped out, but the walk-in cooler remains. A wall and two classrooms were added, but the couple left the light up “cashier” sign on the south wall.

“I think it’s where Jesus would hang out,” Joe said.

Throughout the process the couple has heard a lot of jokes about a church named Uplift making a home in a former Hooters. Joe said his favorite line is “Uplift: The church that gives a hoot.”

“It’s kid friendly,” he said. “We’re following God’s plan and it’s much more fun than trying to get in the way.”

Joe grew up in Eureka, California, and Wyoming. Betsy, born into a missionary family, was raised in Mexico. The couple met in a church in California where Joe was a youth leader. After they married they attended Northwest Bible College, now Northwest University, together.

After graduation they moved to Spokane Valley and were hired as worship leaders at New Life Church in Rathdrum. After a few years they decided to follow their musical hearts and go on tour with several other musicians as the Christian band Souljourn. Both sing and Joe also plays the piano and guitar.

They played at a lot of churches and conferences and other events and recorded several CDs. But the tour ended after two years.

“We decided we wanted to eat,” Joe said. “We got hungry so we quit the tour.”

They worked as worship leaders at Eastpoint Church for 10 years. Several people suggested that the couple start their own church and they decided to take that leap of faith, even though they were used to filling support roles, not leadership roles.

“When you find what you’re supposed to do, you just know that’s what you’re meant to do,” Joe said.

The couple were mentored by a Foursquare pastor who helped them complete the process to become Foursquare pastors.

“We went to, you’ll love this, church planting school,” Joe said.

The new church was small in the beginning.

“We started with 12 people in our living room,” Betsy said. “They were our friends who were supportive and prayed through this process with us. Soon our group of 12 was 30 and wouldn’t fit in our living room. It was just word of mouth.”

The name of the church came from John 12:32, which reads “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Now about 150 people typically attend the weekly 10 a.m. service every Sunday. Singing is a large part of the service, and people often clap and dance a little where they stand as they sing. One of the members of the church’s worship band used to be involved in Souljourn and many of the others the couple have known nearly all their lives.

The church members were excited and supportive of the move, Betsy said. They helped clean up the space, which was dirty after sitting empty for several years.

“They all saw the vision,” she said.

The goal of the church is to show people God’s love, Joe said.

“That’s really what we want to do,” he said. “We’re not about a building, we’re about building people.”

The couple have always wanted to help people, Betsy said.

“It’s a fun journey,” she said. “We like the adventure.”