the history.

It was 1987. Paul Anderson and Clint Bidleman, two lifelong friends were 23 years old and attending Portland Bible College. They had both grown up in southern California and were sponsored amateur skaters at the time. 

One night while studying, Paul met some skaters on his campus that had wandered away from a nearby youth group from Central Bible Church looking for skate spots. After chatting for a while, Paul skated with them back to the church, where he was encouraged by one of the youth leaders to start coming back each week to build relationships with the skaters. 

Meeting that group of young skaters that evening was so much more than just a coincidence. It ignited a vision that has since spread to a global movement. In 1987, in the parking lot of Central Bible church, the vision for SkateChurch was born.

For over 30 years now, Paul along with a team of other leaders have been reaching out to skaters in the greater Portland area with the Good News of Jesus. This movement is based out of a 6,400 sq. ft. skatepark, The Warehouse, and is located behind Central Bible Church in the Gateway neighborhood of northeast Portland.

The past 30+ years have been a testimony to answered prayer and God’s power to save souls and change lives. Co-Founder and Executive Director, Paul Anderson, and his staff affirm with wholehearted zeal: “The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1: 16), that prayer is the backbone of spiritual ministry, and that one plants, another waters, but it is God who causes the increase (1 Corinthians 3:5, 6).

To learn more visit skatechurch.net.