Dear Reader, 

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Every Sunday, as the final words of our benediction are spoken, we quietly slip toward the exit—not out of habit, but with deep intentionality. We do this to stand face to face with the people God has brought through the doors of King’s Church. As 500+ people file out from our basement meeting space and ascend to the streets of Washington, D.C., we make it our mission to greet them, encourage them, and pursue them—just as Christ has pursued us.

 

For our members, these interactions are familiar: a handshake, a joyful embrace, or a brief word of encouragement—"Great sermon"; "See you Tuesday,"; "Looking forward to men’s breakfast." But for first-time visitors, these moments often take a different shape. Some try to slip away unnoticed, others approach us with curiosity, and some are brought by those who invited them. The most common response we hear is, "I’ve never seen a church like this before."

 

That statement is not a reflection of us. It is a testimony to the power of the gospel lived out in community, a community where people know and are known, where the love of Christ is tangible, and where the Spirit of God is undeniably at work. From those initial conversations, we commit to walking alongside those who step through our doors. We meet for coffee, invite them into small groups, and encourage them toward deeper
commitment. For those who have not yet been baptized, we lead them through that joyful step of obedience, setting aside entire Sundays to witness the beauty of new life in Christ. One by one, as they share their testimonies before the church, we hear it again: "I’ve never been part of a community like this before."

And when the inevitable happens—when some people, called by work, family, or ministry, leave this transient city—we commission them with prayer, laying hands on them as a church family. Through tears and gratitude, they often say, "Though I am leaving, I am taking King’s Church with me."

These moments capture the heart of our mission: to see lives transformed by the gospel, to disciple believers into maturity, and to send them out equipped to make Christ known wherever He leads them.

At King’s Church, we take our cues from the early church in Acts 2. We strive to be a people who "devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42). In a city often defined by ambition, isolation, and self-sufficiency, we long to cultivate a church where the gospel is central, where lives are shared, and where Jesus is exalted above all.

This model of ministry is both beautiful and demanding. As pastors, we can labor to build the structure, proclaim Christ through the preaching of the Word, and shepherd the people God has entrusted to us. But apart from the Spirit’s work, all our efforts are in vain.

 

If the Spirit of God does not stir conviction and transformation, if He does not ignite a desire for Christ and His church, our work will be fruitless. But by His grace, He is moving mightily.

 

Seven years ago, King’s Church began with a handful of people. Today, we rejoice at what the Lord has done. He has taken what was once small and multiplied it for His glory. We have grown from five to 500 members, not by human strategy, but through the Spirit drawing people to Christ. Over 90% of our members are engaged in small groups, far surpassing the norm, demonstrating a hunger for biblical community. Three-quarters of our congregation serves in ministry, recognizing that the gospel calls us not to be consumers but co-laborers in the kingdom. And by God’s mercy, we see new believers added to our number each month. All Glory be to Christ!

We share these stories not simply to recount what has happened but to invite you into what God is doing. The need for faithful gospel witness in the DMV has never been greater. We long to see this city saturated with the good news of Jesus. The harvest is plentiful. The laborers are few. And the Lord of the harvest is faithful.

We appreciate you taking the time to learn about our church, and hope to one day meet
you in person, so you too can be a witness to the Lord’s work in King’s Church.

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In Faith and Love,

Pastors Ben Palka and Wesley Welch​