The Full Gospel

In the autumn of 1949 several families from York attended revival meetings held by T.L. Osborn.  Eli Stough, one of the family members, was born again at this large meeting.  Upon their return to York, he and several others began meeting in various homes.  After meeting in homes for nine months, Eli Stough and Ralph Klinedinst started to build a church in West York, PA.  On November 2, 1952, Taxville Full Gospel Church had its dedication service, with evangelist A.E. Davies preaching a special message.

Taxville Full Gospel Church was built to give honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ for providing healing and complete redemption for mankind.  Throughout the years, Taxville Full Gospel Church was known as "a place where people could come to be saved, baptized in the Holy Spirit, and healed." 

On July 12, 1981, the church’s name was officially changed to Christian Life Center, under Pastor Doug Slay.  The desire was to be a Life Center, a place where life, the God kind of life, is proclaimed and demonstrated in the lives of believers.

In September, 1987, Pastor Slay left the pastorate to develop his traveling teaching ministry.  Barry Falkenstine, formerly an Elder and Associate Pastor, was appointed by Doug Slay as the next pastor.  Under Pastor Barry’s leadership, a Bible school and a prayer counseling ministry flourished.  The church also went through another name change on January 1, 1990, when the name was officially changed to Christian Life Church of York. 

Reaching New Heights Together

In June, 1996, Christian Life Church purchased 24 acres of land in Manchester Township, just outside the City of York.  The land is located on top of a hill in which one can view the City of York.  The account of the sale and purchase of this land is a story of God’s hand working on the church’s behalf.  It was truly a gift from God.  In the subsequent years, Reaching New Heights Together came to be the rally cry for the next season of ministry on this church.  There were prayer meetings and church services held under large tents on this land as the congregation prayed and believed for a ministry facility.

In September 2000, after 13 years as pastor, Barry and his wife Sandra stepped down to pursue their heart’s passion of seeing broken lives restored through prayer counseling.  The Falkenstines moved their ministry to Colorado Springs, CO to reach those broken lives in need of inner healing.  Pastor Barry was gifted in setting the organization of the church in order.  He was a true restorer of foundations.

Associate Pastor Joe Kopp was appointed by Barry Falkenstine as the next pastor of Christian Life Church.  Under Joe Kopp’s leadership, a building team was mobilized and construction of a new ministry facility soon followed in 2000-2001.  To reflect the change in location and leadership, the church’s name was changed once again, to Cityview Community Church.  Joe’s vision was to become a ‘community’ focused group of believers, and he often spoke of practical ways to serve others around us.  The ‘Cityview’ part of the name was plain to see, from our view from the hill.  Our first service was held in our new facility on Roosevelt Avenue in December 2001. 

Calling: Word and Spirit

Pastor Joe Kopp resigned in November 2007, leaving behind a model of grace-filled relationships, as he often taught how to accept others and serve one another.  After serving five months as interim pastor, Associate Pastor Steve Kurtz was named Pastor on May 18, 2008.  With the elders, Pastor Steve has cast a vision of an assembly of believers calling, with their voices and through their very lives, all people to the glory of God.

In the ensuing years, by God's grace, Cityview has transitioned to become a fellowship of believers who are comfortable sharpening doctrinal truth while pursuing the full expressions of the Spirit. The culture of the congregation has transformed to a Spirit-filled, missional community firmly planted on Biblical truth.

In November 2013, Cityview Church became relationally linked with Newfrontiers, a world-wide family of churches. This relationship has strengthened our vision and mission to plant reproducing churches. It has also expanded our tools to raise up and equip leaders who will extend the outposts of God's Kingdom to our neighborhoods here in York County and to the utter-most parts of the world, with the message of God's lavish grace and exceeding power.

We recognize that without the vision and sacrifice of those that went before us, we would not be here today.  We have inherited a precious move of God that began in a West York farmhouse in 1949.  With God’s gracious help, we are writing the next chapter in this vibrant story.  May we steward it faithfully.