Churches in Portland

Notable churches in Portland

• Imago Dei Community, Southeast Portland — one of the most discussed churches in American evangelicalism; founded by Rick McKinley; known for its engagement with art, culture, and the city; evangelical theology with a strong emphasis on beauty, creativity, and incarnational presence in Portland's neighborhoods; McKinley's writings on the kingdom of God and the "gorgeous mess" of following Jesus in a post-Christian city have been widely influential.
• Hinson Memorial Baptist Church, Southeast Portland — historic evangelical Baptist church; theologically conservative; expository preaching tradition; one of the larger and more established evangelical congregations in the city.
• Southeast Christian Church — large evangelical congregation; Christian Churches / Churches of Christ tradition; strong programming and multiple campuses; one of the larger evangelical presences in the metro.
• Solid Rock Church — evangelical congregation with a Reformed theological bent; known for serious biblical preaching.
• Trinity Church Portland — newer evangelical plant; serving Portland's young professional population; theologically substantive.
• Antioch Church — evangelical congregation; multisite; strong young adult community; intentional about neighborhood engagement across Portland's distinct neighborhoods.

Catholic Portland

The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon covers all of Oregon and Idaho — a geographically large but relatively small Catholic population. Portland's Catholic community has deep French Canadian and Irish roots:

• Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, downtown Portland — the mother church of the Archdiocese of Portland; historic 1926 building; active parish and archdiocesan center
• Saint Mary's Cathedral Parish, Eugene — major Catholic center south of Portland
• Historic ethnic parishes — Italian, Irish, and French Canadian parishes throughout the Portland metro with significant historical architecture
• Growing Hispanic parishes — serving significant Mexican and Central American Catholic communities in East Portland, Beaverton, and Gresham

Liturgical and mainline churches

Portland's highly educated, culturally progressive population has sustained a distinctive set of liturgical and mainline congregations:

• Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, downtown Portland — the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon; progressive Episcopal congregation; strong arts programming
• First Presbyterian Church of Portland — historic PCUSA congregation; more progressive in orientation; central city location
• Multnomah Friends Meeting — Quaker meeting; active in Portland's peace and social justice communities; unprogrammed Friends tradition
• First United Methodist Church — historic downtown Methodist congregation; liberal Protestant tradition

Portland's church planting scene

Despite — or because of — Portland's secularity, it has been an unusually active church planting environment for Reformed evangelical networks:

• Several Acts 29 Network churches have been planted in Portland neighborhoods — focused on young adults, theological depth, and neighborhood-level community
• Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) plants reaching young professionals in the Pearl District, Hawthorne, and Alberta Arts District neighborhoods
• The Evangelical Free Church and Christian and Missionary Alliance have also planted congregations specifically designed for Portland's post-Christian culture

Frequently asked questions

How secular is Portland really?

Portland consistently ranks as one of the top two or three least-churched large cities in America, alongside Seattle and San Francisco. Surveys show 60–70% of Portland adults claiming no religious affiliation — among the highest rates of any major American metro. Evangelical Christianity is a small minority. The Catholic presence is proportionally smaller than in comparable-sized cities. Churches that survive and thrive here have typically adapted their communication and posture to a culture that does not assume Christianity is true or obviously valuable.

Is there a Reformed church scene in Portland?

Yes — and it's disproportionately vigorous given the overall secular environment. Portland has attracted Reformed evangelical church planters who see the secular city as a mission field. Several PCA congregations, Acts 29 plants, and Reformed Baptist churches operate in Portland, drawing young adults who want theologically serious Christianity that doesn't require a suburban cultural context.