About us
our story
In the middle of the pandemic, a conversation began in Bend, Oregon — one about forming an intentional faith community committed to growing a movement of Jesus followers who reflect His heart throughout Central Oregon.
As we prayerfully examined the opportunities, needs, and existing offerings in the region, it became clear there was a need to cultivate a community where people of diverse faith perspectives and pasts could find support and explore spirituality in the way of Jesus together.
At the same time, the love of the outdoors that draws so many people to Central Oregon offered a unique opportunity: to intentionally weave participation and service in the outdoor community into the life of this new faith community. After all, what better common ground exists in an often-divided world than the outdoors?
From these realizations, Common Ground built itself around weekly house churches - called LifeGroups - monthly gatherings of all the LifeGroups together, quarterly service projects in the outdoor community, and annual rhythms or rest and adventure in nature.
Together, we’re exploring faith and the outdoors in central oregon
what matters most to us
Celebrating Goodness
It’s easy to see ourselves, others, society, and the world through a lens that is oriented towards the negative. But there’s goodness all around us and there’s goodness inside all of us that can be - and needs to be - celebrated. Why? First, because whatever is recognized grows. If we want to see goodness thrive in its various forms, it needs to be recognized. Secondly, from a worldview centered around the way of Jesus, all that is good actually originates in the Divine, who is the source of all that is good and none of what is bad (James 1:17, John 10:10). For this reason, in celebrating goodness wherever it shows up we as individuals and communities are actually participating in celebrating the source of all goodness, an act that is often called worship.
So whether it’s goodness that shows up in breakthroughs in individual lives and relationships, in cool adventures in the outdoors, in caring for the natural world and its residents, or discovering new insights in life, we’re here to celebrate goodness!
Sharing Our Loads
In the situations and seasons of life when it’s not all “goodness” and smooth sailing, no one should carry the weight alone. Life can be heavy—whether because of grief, stress, burnout, loss, or the quiet ache of unrealized hopes. In those moments, what we need most is each other.
Sharing our loads begins with the courage to be known. It requires something of the burden-bearer, which we can’t benefit from unless there’s a willingness to open up, to let others in, and to trust that we don’t have to hold everything together on our own. It also requires an intentional, active presence for others—a commitment to listen with curiosity, not judgment, to hear another’s stories with care and patience.
When we share our loads well, it looks like carrying one another’s emotional and practical burdens, stepping in with acts of service and self-sacrifice, and walking through life’s challenges together. It looks like offering perspective, life-learnings, and steady presence—and receiving the same in return.
This sharing of loads is what Jesus taught and what he modeled— A life marked by a willingness to receive support from Him and from others, and a love that carries and lifts for others (John 13:35, Galatians 6:2). As a community is shaped by this kind of care, an individual's burdens don’t disappear—but they do become lighter.
Finding rest in jesus
We live in a world that rarely slows down—a culture built on hustle, performance, and proving our worth through constant achievement. The result? Burnout, anxiety, and a restless existence shaped by pressure to do more and be more.
Into this reality, Jesus offers a radically different invitation: “Come to me... and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Finding rest in Jesus—what He calls “abiding in Me”—can feel unnatural. It runs against the grain of our culture. But what if it actually aligns us with the deeper grain of the universe—the way things were meant to be?
The journey into this rest isn’t always easy, but it’s rich with beauty and meaning. Jesus doesn’t demand instant arrival; He invites us to try life with Him and discover for ourselves if it brings the grounded, energized life He promises. As the psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Or in Jesus’ own words to those who were interested in following Him: “Come and see.”
At Common Ground, we want to be a community that creates space for people wherever they are in responding to Jesus’ invitation. Whether you’ve found deep rest in Him for years or are just beginning to explore what that could mean, you’re welcome here. We’re committed to walking together—wrestling, supporting, and growing—in the lifelong journey of finding our rest in Jesus.