\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/openbiblemessage.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Melissa-Stelly-LR.jpg\")
<\/figure>From Melissa Stelly, <\/mark><\/strong> And yet, not a life was taken.<\/mark><\/strong> And yet, not<\/em> a life<\/em> was taken.<\/em><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our church was placed under a level 3 evacuation, and many of our people were displaced from their homes, either losing them completely to the flames or due to toxins that bathed their houses from the burning around them. Immediately, our church family responded with calls and emails, offering their homes to those impacted, along with gift cards, money, clothing, and even animal care. Spokane leaders met at the local high school, inviting faith leaders, non-profits, educators, and government to join together to streamline resources, establish a relief system, and collaborate. Since then, Spokane churches have recognized a deficit in crisis response and are organizing a network of churches to spearhead emergency and crisis response in our city. <\/em> As a pastor, I witnessed this verse in action:<\/em> \u201cTo<\/em><\/strong> equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Ephesians 4:12 NIV).<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n From Kelly Armstrong, <\/strong> The response of our community and beyond has been amazing. I\u2019ve been contacted by hundreds of pastors and churches from all across the country and most significantly, from all across the Open Bible family. I am convinced that the prayer on our behalf has made a difference as God has opened one door after another. On September 6th, we had our first Sunday service since the fires at a middle school near where the church building was located. We came together, standing room only, to reconnect, worship God, and envision the future. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are significant complications, but they are not barriers for Him.<\/mark><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Through the generosity of churches all over the country, we\u2019ve been able to give significant financial assistance to families and individuals who\u2019ve lost their homes, restart our small group system, launch a mobile Sunday service that we can be proud of, and continue our mission to \u201cReach the World for Jesus.\u201d <\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m full of gratitude to every person and church who\u2019ve supported through care, finances, and prayer. When church leaders ask how they can pray, I tell them, \u201cPlease pray for God\u2019s favor in the rebuilding process.<\/em> There are significant complications, but they are not barriers for Him<\/em>.<\/em>\u201d<\/em> <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you, Open Bible friends and family. I couldn\u2019t be more grateful for your care and support; it has meant the world to me.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the midst of tragedy, God\u2019s goodness and glory were evident. As Pastor Melissa Stelly said when sharing her story, \u201cThe Lord preserved, the Lord provided, and the Lord used His Church to serve.\u201d<\/strong><\/em> But nothing expresses God\u2019s grace over Spokane better than Isaiah 61:3: <\/p>\n\n\n\n to bestow on them a crown of beauty<\/em> About the Author<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannah Bemis<\/em><\/strong> currently serves as the editor and director of Message of the Open Bible<\/em>. She always wanted to do too many things when she grew up, and God has been kind enough to let her do most of them in different seasons. Those seasons have included raising little ones at home, teaching, writing, and staff pastoring, with Hannah\u2019s most recent adventure being planting and pastoring College Street Church<\/strong> in Newberg, Oregon, with her husband, Jordan. After Jesus and all her favorite people, she spends the remainder of her passion on pizza and dark chocolate in equal measure. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n On August 1, 2026, three fast-moving wildfires swept across the Spokane area, fueled by a frightening combination of high winds and dangerously dry conditions. The Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview fires, collectively managed as the Spokane Complex, damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures and forced thousands to evacuate. Seven Open Bible […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":24927,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"Helvetica,Helvetica","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[420],"class_list":["post-24827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-articles","tag-nov-dec26"],"yoast_head":"\n
Executive Pastor of <\/mark><\/strong>
Turning Point Open Bible Church:<\/em> <\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The pillar of angry smoke on the horizon immediately filled me with dread as I drove to the grocery store. High winds drove the flames across parched land so fast that one firefighter marveled that he couldn\u2019t have outrun it, even if he tried. Hundreds of people desperately fled their neighborhoods, clogging the few roads out as flames appeared in their rearview mirrors. There were heartbreaking stories of people calling family members to say goodbye because they didn’t think they would escape in time<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/mark><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
I am proud of our church body’s immediate mobilization, which gave generously and put faith into action by meeting needs, opening homes, and volunteering at shelters and outreaches. One woman in our church, who lost her home to the flames, tearfully shared how overwhelmed she was by the support she received. The church family gave her stacks of gift cards, bought her clothes, generously gave to the church to meet her financial needs, and called her constantly to pray with her.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/openbiblemessage.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Kelly-Armstrong-933x1024.png\")
<\/figure>
Lead Pastor of <\/strong>
Riverside Real Life Church<\/em><\/strong><\/mark>:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Our church, Riverside Real Life Church<\/strong>, and the entire surrounding neighborhood were destroyed by the Old Trails Fire that hit the Spokane community. Because of our location at the center of the damage, hundreds of people who call Riverside their church were displaced from their homes, at least temporarily. Praise God, most were able to return after one to two weeks; the number of homes lost in our congregation was in single digits. Many homes in the neighborhood my family lives in were destroyed, but thankfully, our home was spared, and we returned home after nine days. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
instead of ashes,<\/em>
the oil of joy<\/em>
instead of mourning,<\/em>
and a garment of praise<\/em>
instead of a spirit of despair.<\/em> <\/mark><\/strong><\/p>Isaiah 61:3 (NIV) <\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/openbiblemessage.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Hannah-Bio-photo-close-up-scaled-e1771954615425-778x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>