Riverside Church sits in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of northwest Denver, just north of Empower Field at Mile High, where its flagship campus shares a corner of I-25 and 23rd Avenue with one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. From that single address the church runs a second campus in the Central Park neighborhood on the opposite side of town, plus two additional Sunday gatherings - one in Spanish and one in Indonesian - that meet in the same Jefferson Park building. Lead Pastor Chris Phillips describes the work simply: "to lead people to live the Jesus life."
That multi-site, multi-language shape is not a side project. The church's vision statement calls itself "a catalyst for multiplication in Denver, the West, and the World," and every page of its communications keeps that same sentence in view.
One Church, Four Sunday Gatherings
Riverside describes itself plainly as "one church, multiple locations, multiple languages." Four distinct Sunday gatherings fall under that banner. Jefferson Park meets at 2401 Alcott Street in English at 10:30 AM. Central Park meets at 8270 East Northfield Boulevard, Unit 1493, in English at 10:00 AM. Riverside Español meets at the Jefferson Park address at 10:30 AM in Spanish. Riverside Indonesian meets at the Jefferson Park address at 5:00 PM in Indonesian.
Each gathering is pastored by its own location pastor who preaches the bulk of the sermons at that site. Adam Pelham oversees Central Park, Ángel Florez leads Riverside Español, and Olwin Gosal leads Riverside Indonesian. Chris Phillips, the Lead Pastor, teaches across all four campuses, while each location pastor handles most weeks at his or her own site.
The two campuses are distinct neighborhoods. Jefferson Park is described as "one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in Denver," set on the corner of I-25 and 23rd Avenue just north of Empower Field. Central Park sits in the redeveloped neighborhood on the east side of the city, "on the corner of 46th right across from the Bass Pro Shops." Both buildings offer full kids programming and are wired for live-streamed services.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
A first-time visitor can expect about 75 minutes. Services begin with several songs led by a worship band; the church describes its style as a "modern worship style" with music rooted in God's Word and God's character, intended to leave each person "with a sense of awe and wonder at the presence of God." Lyrics are projected for the room. The music is contemporary, and the room is mixed in age and stage of life.
The preaching is described as "expository in nature and gospel-centered in content, as well as application focused." Chris Phillips or the relevant location pastor walks through a passage of Scripture, ties it to the whole story of the Bible, and lands on practical next steps. Communion is celebrated together on the first Sunday of each month and is open to any believer who has trusted in Christ.
Dress is "Colorado casual." Most people wear jeans; the church wants first-time guests to feel comfortable in whatever they wear.
Children from birth through fifth grade head to Riverside Kids during the gathering. Students in middle and high school have their own environments. Worship is livestreamed on Facebook Live and on the church's YouTube channels for those at home or out of town, and past messages are archived as playlists on YouTube and as a podcast called Riverside Church Family.
Kids: Birth Through Fifth Grade
Riverside Kids runs alongside every Sunday gathering. The goal, the church writes, is "to work alongside parents to lead their families in living the Jesus life." Each month features a different theme and walks through Bible stories with music, storytelling, crafts, and videos, and a take-home card helps families continue the conversation during the week.
The check-in process is structured around security. Families fill out a basic info card with parent names, child's name and birthdate, home address, phone, and any special instructions such as allergies. Each child wears a name tag; each parent receives a matching security tag that must be presented to pick up the child afterward. If a child becomes ill during service, the Kids Director texts the parent's phone; if the team cannot reach a parent, the child's identification code is displayed on the auditorium screen.
Faith Tyler leads Kids at Jefferson Park. Charity Jackson leads Kids at Central Park.
Students: Middle School and High School
Riverside Students exists for sixth through twelfth graders and meets in two weekly slots at Jefferson Park: Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM and Sunday evenings at 5:30 PM. The Sunday night gathering, called Student Night Life (or SNL), is the main event. Games, free food, worship, teaching, and small-group time fill the room, with the goal of helping students know Jesus, build friendships, grow in faith, and discover their God-given purpose.
Caleb Nelson, the Student Director, oversees the work. Students at the Riverside Español gathering connect with the broader student ministry twice per month at 9:00 AM, while Indonesian students meet alongside the Riverside Indonesian service at 5:00 PM.
Little Explorers Preschool
Tucked inside the Jefferson Park building, Little Explorers is a play-based preschool and daycare open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, serving children from six weeks old through pre-kindergarten. Jessica Jones leads the program.
The curriculum follows the HighScope model, with separate tracks for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Infant care is built around each child's feeding, sleeping, diapering, and play rhythms. Toddlers get a structured group routine that introduces independence and language. Preschoolers and pre-kindergartners engage in active learning across language, literacy, math, science, social-emotional growth, and creative arts, all aligned with Colorado early learning standards.
The preschool exists "to support the mission of Riverside Church: to lead people to live the Jesus life." Each child, the program writes, "is uniquely created by God and deserves a safe, nurturing environment in which to flourish." Enrollment is handled through a pre-enrollment form, and openings are matched to families as they become available.
Young Adults and Life Groups
Young adults ages 18 to 39 find their own corner of the church in the Young Adults ministry. Monday-night Life Groups meet at 7:00 PM in homes across the city. On the first Monday of each month at 6:30 PM, Community Nights bring the whole group together for food, a teaching series, and discussion. Once a quarter, the City Connect Social gathers young adults at a venue somewhere in Denver for an evening of food, drinks, and a group activity.
Life Groups are the backbone of adult community beyond Sunday mornings. They meet throughout the city, divided by campus, and are open to anyone looking to study the Bible with a consistent group.
A House of Prayer
Riverside's prayer page opens with the line: "Prayer is not just a part of our work, but it is THE work." Three regular rhythms give that claim shape. Tuesday mornings at 7:00 AM, a small group gathers for prayer in the chapel at Jefferson Park. Sunday mornings, the church prays at 8:30 AM before the 10:30 gathering, and a children's prayer leader guides prayer during the service itself. First Wednesdays of the month at 6:00 PM, the church gathers for a Prayer and Worship Night.
A separate prayer prompt guide walks individuals through the Lord's Prayer from Luke 11, breaking it into themes of reverence, daily provision, confession and forgiveness, and guidance and protection. Anyone can submit a prayer request through the church center portal.
What Riverside Believes
Riverside's beliefs section opens with a threefold posture: "In essential beliefs - we have unity. In non-essential beliefs - we have liberty. In all our beliefs - we show charity." The doctrinal statements follow a traditional Baptist outline.
The Bible is the sole basis for belief, "uniquely God-inspired, without error, and the final authority on all matters." There is one God eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Humans were created for fellowship with God but chose their own way and need his saving grace. Salvation is a gift, received personally through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ; eternal life begins the moment a person receives Christ. Jesus Christ is the second Person of the Trinity, who lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitute for sinners, rose again, and now serves as the only mediator between God and humanity. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment of salvation, gives power for Christian living, and equips the church for ministry.
Baptism is not required for salvation but is commanded for every believer as a public declaration of faith. At Riverside, baptism is by immersion, following the example Jesus set in Mark 1:9 and the pattern of Scripture. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month as a spiritual discipline to remember Christ's work and proclaim his return.
The full statement of faith Riverside adheres to is the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the confessional standard of the Southern Baptist Convention.
FOR Denver, the West, and the World
A full page on the church's site is dedicated to what it calls "FOR Denver," a movement designed to answer the question, "What do you want to be known for?" The page quotes Jeremiah 29:7: "Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive."
For Denver, the church serves year-round locally with partners that include West Colfax Lampstand, Denver Dream Center, Save Our Youth, Denver Rescue Mission, and Operation Give Hope. For the West, Riverside partners with The Abiding Church in Los Angeles. For the World, the church maintains partnerships with churches in London and with Operation Give Hope in Kenya, and runs mission trips to both locations. A summer residency program brings college-aged interns (ages 18 to 25) to Denver for six or eight weeks of ministry and urban immersion.
Parking Cars at Empower Field
One of the more visible ways Riverside serves its city is also one of the most practical. The church runs event parking at Empower Field at Mile High for most spring and summer events and all Denver Broncos home games. Lots open three hours before kickoff, payment is cashless, and tailgaters are welcome to bring food and grills (other than charcoal) onto the property. The parking ministry supports other outreach work and has become a regular point of contact between the church and the wider Denver community.
Serving, Giving, and Joining the Family
The church's serve page lists six areas where volunteers can plug in: Worship and Production (band members and techs), Hospitality (greeting and guest connections), Creative (designers, photographers, writers), Kids, Students, and Adults (young adult ministry). A central part-time staff model called "Serve Staff" coordinates the volunteers, and the page notes, "Serving is part of how we go ALL IN! It just happens to also be a ton of fun."
Giving is available online, with a separate giving page for each of the four gatherings: Jefferson Park, Central Park, Español, and Indonesian. The church frames giving this way: "When you give TO Riverside Church, you're giving THROUGH Riverside Church as we engage in the community and lead people to live the Jesus Life."
Baptism classes, life-group sign-ups, prayer requests, and "tell us you're coming" forms are all collected through a single church center portal so that a first-time guest, a regular attender, and a long-time member can connect at their own pace.
The Team
Chris Phillips, the Lead Pastor, came to Denver in 2017 with his wife Libby and their family alongside the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to plant what was then called Journey Point Church. Before ministry he spent nearly a decade as a medical sales representative and served as a volunteer leader and deacon at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He holds a B.S. from the University of Tennessee, a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Liberty University, and is pursuing a doctorate in Executive Leadership at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as City Team Pastor for Denver with the SEND Network and as the SEND Colorado representative.
Joining him are Josh Cook (Pastor of Operations and Ministry Support), Hunter Hall (Worship Director at Jefferson Park), Campbell Davenport (Worship Director at Central Park), Adam Pelham (Location Pastor, Central Park), Ángel Florez (Location Pastor, Español), Olwin Gosal (Location Pastor, Indonesian), Caleb Nelson (Student Director), Faith Tyler (Kids Director, Jefferson Park), Charity Jackson (Kids Director, Central Park), Jessica Jones (Little Explorers Preschool Director), Nathaniel Johnston (Communications and Marketing Director), and Stefanie Spencer (Care Coordinator).
Riverside is one church with two physical addresses, four Sunday gatherings, a weekday preschool, a parking ministry that fills the lots around Empower Field, and a steady stream of mission work across Denver and beyond. Its mission statement - "Leading people to live the Jesus life" - is printed at the bottom of every page, and every ministry of the church is shaped to serve that single sentence.