About Us

Our Leaders/The Eldership “Model”

Jay Gonsalves - Jay served twenty years in the US Navy as a navy officer. He retired from active duty in 1993. Following his retirement he was an independent leadership training and staff development consultant for two years and operated a private small business for another 20 years, until 2005. From 2005-2018, he served a small non-denominational church, in Southern Oregon, as men’s ministry leader, occasional preacher and elder of the church. In the spring of 2018 Jay felt the Lord moving him to a new place of service. On a very brief September visit to Idaho, that same year, he and his wife Karen made one final stop in Riggins before returning home to Oregon. During their two day stay both Jay and Karen came to believe that the Lord had Riggins in mind for their next place of service and they bought a house. Since arriving, in Feb of 2019, Jay has served in men’s ministry and in October of 2021 was appointed as one of six elders serving the church body at SRCC.

Jay’s Favorite Scripture - Isaiah 26:3

Contact Jay - (541)210-0799

Areas of Focus - Discipling/Leading men

Bruce Bovey - Bruce grew up in a strong Christian home and decided at a young age to follow Jesus. Not only as Savior but also as Lord of his life. At a young age Bruce began congregational song leading in church, was a drama leader, instrumental and choir conductor for both youth and adults. Eventually he became a youth leader in his hometown church until God called him to Eastern Idaho where Bruce was Youth leader, Assistant Pastor, and Song leader in a small country church in Dubois. He became involved with cowboy ministry and was involved with Cowboy Poets of Idaho and Cowboys on Fire (formally Christian Cowboy Balladeers) where he helped to start several cowboy churches in the Northwest. Bruce has put two albums out that show his love for his Lord and Savior through his songwriting. Bruce came to the Salmon River Canyon in 2002. His wife Sarah came in 2003 as soon as their house in Dubois was sold and in August of that year their daughter Sierra was born. Bruce felt God calling him to be a part of the leadership at SRCC and he became an elder in 2006 which was also the year Dwight was born. Later in 2009, Bruce also took on the role of music leader. Bruce has filled the pulpit many times, helped to minister at funerals, has done marriage counseling and helped perform several weddings.  Bruce continues to love the youth in the community through showing support at school, being a leader in Royal Rangers where he is involved in training boys to become godly men. Bruce also loves to coach Middle School Track where he enjoys watching students accomplish goals they thought were impossible. Most of all Bruce loves the people he meets and continues to pray that all come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

Bruce’s Favorite Scripture - Hebrews 12:1-2 and Psalm 150: 1-6

Areas of Focus - Music/Worship

Contact Bruce - (208)351-0189

Conrad Banez - Conrad has been in service to the Lord for 26 years and counting. His ministry experience ranges from multiple church disciplines such as street evangelism, missionary work, youth ministry and pastoral ministry. Conrad and his family moved to the beautiful town of Riggins at the end of 2019 when he retired from the construction industry. Conrad now services SRCC as one of six overseers/pastors committed to caring for the Bride of Christ by teaching the full counsel of God through His holy word.

Conrad’s Favorite Scripture - Psalm 1

Areas of Focus - Christian Education Director

Contact Conrad - (208)405-0162

Clint Greene - Clint started his journey of faith in the early 1980’s and was discipled in small community churches much like SRCC. Work took him to many different locations, but he had a heart for men’s ministry and lead men’s groups in almost every church he attended. He and his wife came to Riggins upon retirement in early 2020; they have 5 kids and 6 grandkids. He was appointed an overseer/pastor in October of 2021.

Clint’s Favorite Scripture - Philippians 3:10-11

Areas of Focus - Administration

Contact Clint - (208)850-1011

Statement of Faith

  1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God ~ 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:21

  2. We believe there is one God, eternally existent in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ~ Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6-8; 45:5; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14

  3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2b; John 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8); in His virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-24; Isaiah 7:14); in His sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 7:26); in His miracles; in His vicarious and agonizing death through His blood shed (Isaiah 53:4-5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Peter 2:24; Revelations 1:5; 1 John 1:17); in His bodily resurrection (Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4); in His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 12:2; Acts 1:9); and His personal return in power and glory (Acts 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

  4. We believe that all men are lost in sin and that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for their salvation ~ Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Psalm 14:2-3; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:5.

  5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life ~ John 14:16-17; 16:13; Romans 8:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; and Ephesians 5:18

  6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation ~ John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:4-6; 11-15

  7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ ~ 1 Corinthians 12:15; Ephesians 2:19-22; 4:3

  8. We believe that the ordinances of the local church are: * Baptism ~ Matthew 3:15-16; 28:19-20; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-6; Colossians 2:12; John 15:14 * The Lord’s Supper ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Matthew 26:26-28

There is only one leader for the Bride of Christ and that is her bride groom Jesus Christ. Jesus formed the plurality of elders/overseers/pastors/teachers through the Apostles to remind and prepare His bride for the return of her great love, King Jesus. Traditionally, we’ve been taught that a church is similar to a business.  There is one CEO/President and then a number of executives/VPs comprising a board of some sort. This model is not syncretic with scripture. There are some who would try to match this model after the Mosaic model, where Jethro, Moses’ father in law, encouraged him to appoint elders to help deal with the load of managing the people of Israel. (Exodus 18:13-27) Jesus put away with the old and brought forth the new. Moses was a “type of Christ”. Jesus is the Christ. Jesus relieved the Moses model of its command and established Himself as our rightful King who is mighty to save. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Acts 14:23)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:15-20)

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (Colossians 2:6-10)

SRCC has four pastors/elders who can teach scripture and focus on other aspects of the spiritual ministry of the church. All four elders are equals in our authority we are exhorted to exercise over the Bride of Christ. We equally render our authority in Christ in all humility toward one another, remaining accountable to each other as we all submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

Another purpose of our equally pluralistic authority is to point the church to its supreme leader Jesus. The church does not need a clergyman or woman to gain access to their First Love. They have unadulterated access to the One in which all things were made. They have the freedom to cast all their cares before the Throne of Grace (1 Peter 5:7), before the One who has written their names in the Lambs Book of Life before the creation of all things.  They are ruled  by the headship of Christ. Like the Colossian believers, we need to understand that Jesus is supreme and that He is sufficient.

So what do you call us? Call us by our names, Bruce, Clint, Jay, or Conrad. As a form of respect, many of us have been raised to add the occupational surname before our names like “pastor”, “elder”, “overseer”, or “brother”. These are admirable/honorable prefixes we humbly receive. Just do not call any of us “reverend” because there is no one on this earth that is reverent but Christ. Do not call us “father” because you only have one Father in heaven.

The Eldership of SRCC