Specialties
Riverside is a church that proclaims the great news of who Jesus is. We follow Jesus, we teach from the Bible, and we worship God as the Creator and Ruler of the universe. Through our relationship with Christ, We are healed, renewed, redeemed, forgiven, transformed, and loved. It's our passion to share this faith and hope with the world.
History
Established in 2000.
Riverside Community Church started in August 2000 with over 300 people. They didn't think that Peoria needed another church, but they did believe it needed a different kind of church - a church that was relevant to life today and was working to meet the needs of the community in a practical way.
In 2002 Riverside felt a call to unite churches from all around the area to impact the inner city of Peoria. So Riverside birthed Dream Center Peoria, which now impacts over 20,000 people a year, through many different programs, with a focus to "impact families living in poverty, starting with kids and youth." Along the way, Dream Center Peoria has seen countless miracles of provision, including the $210,000 purchase of an old YMCA that now is valued at over $10 million.
Meet the Business Owner: John K.
Following "whispers of God," John King and his wife, Letty, packed up their family in August 1993 and headed from England to America where, for seven years, they served a church in Washington, Illinois. However, that was only the beginning of his adventures in America. Always the visionary, always the pioneer, John began sensing "whispers of God" about starting a new congregation in Peoria, Illinois. Today Riverside occupies what was major theater downtown, with about 1,200 attendees each week. Thanks to John's leadership, Riverside has come to be highly respected and known throughout the city - among local churches, pastors and civic leaders -- as a church dedicated to reaching out to the poor and needy. John's lifelong goal is to see all people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.